Free The Prisoner's Release and Other Stories by Kyell Gold

Alexan assured him. “They won’t be looking at your clothes.”
    He was wrong, but Jonas tried to ignore the searching stare he got from Mikka, the short grey fox who was the first to arrive. In truth, Jonas was staring just as hard down the foot and a half at the fox, never having seen someone so flamboyant. Even Tally didn't have metal bangles in his ears, gold or silver, though he might have worn the fox's loose purple shirt. It was open at the chest, revealing a fluffy white chest ruff bordered with rust-colored fur that also ran up his throat to his chin. White cotton pants below an arched tail drew Jonas’s eye down to the really remarkable part of Mikka’s wardrobe: a pair of leather boots decorated with a beaded pattern.
    Jonas had heard of footwear, but had never seen anyone wearing any. He wondered whether Mikka’s paws were injured; if so, his stare would be considered rude, but Mikka didn’t seem to mind. “Like them?” he said. “I can get a pair in your size without a problem. Though you really would want to get more than just that.”
    “ Thanks,” Jonas smiled as Alexan looked on, amused. “Aren’t you cold?”
    Mikka ran a paw through his chest ruff. “Oh, a little, but you know, it’s worth the sacrifice.”
    “ Sacrifice?”
    “ To give the rest of you something to look at.” Mikka gave him a slow wink.
    “ All right, that’s enough,” Alexan said. Jonas half expected him to be angry, but he was smiling. He led Mikka into the dining room and Jonas followed.
    The next guest to arrive was Taypha, a small, portly bear. He too looked over Jonas’s clothing, but without the implicit judgment Mikka had applied. Jonas smelled ale on his breath, and thought that ale was probably also responsible for at least two of the stains on his worn vest. His linen shirt was clean, as were his pants, and though they were the same material as Jonas was wearing, both were of better quality and in better shape. “Pleased,” was all Taypha said when his meaty paw grasped Jonas’s, weakly.
    Jonas shook back and smiled, and as a second carriage was just drawing up, he waited to greet it while Alexan took Taypha into the dining room.
    A small red fox got out, about Mikka’s height. He paid the wagon driver and started up the stairs, and only then did he see Jonas.
    His reaction surprised Jonas. Instead of mild surprise, as the others had shown, he did a double take and took a step backwards. Then he peered more closely and came forward, ears back in what Jonas thought was embarrassment at his initial reaction.
    Jonas extended a paw. “Hi, I’m Jonas. I’m not a noble.”
    “ Oh. Benton. Pleased to meet you.” He looked Jonas up and down. “Alexan didn’t say…”
    “ It’s okay, everyone has the same reaction.” Jonas smiled. “I think you’re the last to arrive, so we can go in.”
    “ It’s not that,” Benton said, following him inside. “It’s…”
    “ Hi, Benton.” Alexan met them at the door. “Come on inside.”
    Alexan sat at the head of the table, with Mikka and Taypha on his right. Jonas sat on Alexan’s left, with Benton on the other side of him. Julianna served the wine to start with and everyone turned towards Alexan.
    He raised his glass. “I would like to introduce you all to Jonas, who has come all the way across the mountains to stay with me.”
    The others raised their glasses and Jonas, caught off guard, didn’t know whether to lift his and drink or not. He left his on the table and just smiled as everyone else took a sip. Three glasses came back down almost in unison; Taypha’s came down several seconds later and he signaled Julianna for a refill.
    “ So is this a permanent thing?” Mikka smiled, both paws on the table. “He is a cute one.”
    Jonas blushed and smiled, taking the opportunity to sip his own glass of wine. “I hope so,” Alexan answered, smiling as well. “But it’s only been a week. We both have high hopes, don’t we?”
    “ I know I