The Outcome
By Lonelyrider

Story Highlights:
Humans
Muscle
Angels
Deer
Protection
Bodyguard
Anthro pegasus
Barbarian
Recovery
Imprisonment
DV
Providing for
Gentility
Wealthy man
Pampering
Agreement
Caller

After a harrowing run-in with his maid's maddened ex husband, James is recovering from his gunshot wounds and keeping busy preparing excitedly for his upcoming fall wedding and ensuring that his underprivileged maid will remain safe.

"Sir? A Mr Strider SteelBlade to see you, my lord. Shall I have Alfred feed his uh...beasts?" James's butler head of household Lucas paused in the doorway to James's manor library where the huge bandaged brute of a mortal angel was resting up; James was on the mend from a gunshot wound to his flank, which thankfully the surgeon his best friend had escorted the big man to had expected no long term damage from. James stayed seated but slipped a fancy bookmark into his favorite author's work and motioned with his hand with a happy grin.
"Yes please Luke, show him in my good man, and yes to the latter as well, please have ol' Al cut a big chunk off that whole beef hanging in the larder and toss it to his lovely sow and her cub."
Luke cringed slightly, finding the entire idea revolting, but kept his posture and lip stiff and bowed, catching the golden coins James tossed his way with a heady grin of pleasure; James had always been a warm and generous master, but since his recent injury, he'd been doubling his usual already high gratuity to his staff for the extra work they'd put in helping to care for him as he healed up and rested.
"Please do come in, the door to the library is that way, there. Alfred! Alfred!" Luke called, heading outside as the mighty barbarian anthro pegasus stallion clopped into James's manor, wiping his huge shoed hooves on James's beautiful patterned door mats as the sound of his pet bear and her cub tearing apart the meat James had ordered provided for them echoed about out front and Luke scurried inside and shut the front door, looking squeamish from the sight of it. Strider was the dependable and crafty brother of Magnus, the fearsome warrior bodyguard James's warlock father had hired as a gift to his son to guard James's cherished sweetheart; James had hired Strider before for that task as well, and having been impressed, he turned to him now for help protecting another woman he cared about.
"Ahh, Strider, do come in good man. Can I offer you some tea, wine, crackers and cheese? Some jerky, perhaps?" James offered politely, snacking on such items from a beautiful silver tray on an end table by the overstuffed chair James relaxed in by a humble fire.
"Jerky." Strider boomed, thanking James with a nod and tearing into it with huge gulps; James swallowed a chunk of grapes in a big manly dispatching, followed by a handful of expensive crackers and cheeses and a large swallow of red wine.
"Ahh, forgive my manners, I'm starving ever since I've been on bed rest! I can't wait till I'm healed enough to ride my dear stallions again and spar at the arena. I just saw my beautiful fiancee yesterday, she was so worried about me, poor thing. Doc says I should heal up just fine as long as I rest for the remainder of this week and visit a magic healer once again for a final touch up. Lonely wants to ask her priest friend if he'd be willing to heal me up with his holy spells, but he's been so snappish at her lately, I don't want my baby incuring any more of his wrath." James exhaled and Strider saw the jealousy and frustration on James's face regarding his fiancee's dearest male friend. "Ahh but, my apologies once more, where are my manners. I'd love a report on how Miss Faline and her little one are doing." James gushed warmly, his face growing fond and voice along with it. Strider nodded.
"I too enjoy the battle arena. I can certainly sympathize with your desire to regain your full strength, which clearly is normally mighty," seeing James's surprise and then bashful smile and blush at the compliment, Strider went on, "That acknowledged, I have only good news to report, Master LightningSword," Strider bowed in his seat on James's cozy big pouf by the crackling library fireplace and went on as an enraptured big James listened closely, "There have been no incidences or any sign of Spike since the rumors about town that he was in jail," Strider thanked James's maid Francine and chugged the sweet mead she'd brought for both men, James thanked her warmly and tipped her handsomely for the fourth time that day, and she waltzed off with a huge grin from James's generosity as the two men drained their steins, "It would seem that rumor to be true, my lord. I've seen no hide nor hair of the insane buck, and believe you me, my she-bear and I have been patrolling and tracking non-stop. My beast knows to wake me when sleeping on patrol if there's an intruder. The young doe seems much at ease with her little buck at her side." Strider finished, wiping his horsey lips on his muscled forearm. James belched loudly from the mead and excused himself with a little blush.
"Oh my goodness, please excuse me! Ahhh...I am pleased to hear that, very much so indeed! I heard the police jailed Spike as well, but for how long is the big question. I'd like to hire you indefinitely to protect Faline and Dexter, if you'll accept the job. Until such time as she either says she doesn't want the escort, or leaves our region entirely." James stated his wishes in a soft spoken but baritone voice.
"Yes, I'd be happy to, my other jobs aren't as urgent as this duty. So far Faline has been very accomodating, listening to my safety instructions for her and even giving me and my beasts supper in the evening. She's a fine woman. I might even pursue her if I'm ever off of guard duty over her someday, if she'll have me." Strider boasted with a small chuckle.
"I don't blame you one smidgeon, she's so very pretty and thoughtful. Just for now though, let's all us men give her some space, I'm sure the poor girl was rattled to the bone by all this unpleasantness, the dear little thing. Ahh." James smiled as Strider stood up and walked to where James was sat in his comfy big chair, and the men shared a firm and friendly handshake.
"Yes, that's a wise idea, I will hold off on pursuing the girl romantically for the time being."
"Thank you Strider, excellent work as always. Here's an advance, for such fine work." James said with a hint of bragging, a pleased tone to his voice as the huge muscled man plopped down a fat sack of copper, silver and gold coins on the coffee table.
"Thank you, Master LightningSword. Fear not, I arranged for my junior brother to guard Faline today as I filled you in, and he has on his person a magic summoning horn should there be trouble. As you've seen, it hasn't blown. I shall get back to Mossy City now though and join him at my post outside the doe's apartment."
"Ahh, good man, I'm so pleased to hear the women's shelter found a nice brownstone for Faline and her little one. How I do wished she'd let me help furnish it for them, but I know she already considers herself in deep debt to me as it is, so I didn't offer out of respect for her feelings on the matter, despite my very much wanting to aid." James remarked, thinking as he did.
"Ahh, yes, I see my lord. My understanding is Lonely is organizing for Miss Faline to recieve a rich donation of gently used furniture from Father Dixon's Dark Cathedral of God, which shall be delivered to the doe very soon."
James sighed big in relief.
"Oh, my dearest sweet baby rose! Always so kind, always helping the poor and those in need. How that doesn't surprise me. Why my sweetie didn't even mention that to me yesterday, she must have been too distracted by worrying about my injury, my poor dear girl. Oh, bless her, I can't wait to send her flowers and thank her." James sighed, looking very smitten, his face coloring in emotion.
"I'll see to that on my way out, I'll send a messenger pigeon to the town florist that you want flowers sent to Lonely's cottage; roses?" Strider asked, hesitating as he gently held the tiny little dove he kept on a small cage on his belt for uses such as these.
"Ahh yes, yes please my dear boy, make it two dozen, hmm, let me see...make them red and white, with abundant baby's breath and tied with a huge satin ribbon for her. Have them include imported chocolates of all types, a big stuffed animal, and a bottle of their best sweet wine for my darling. Here you are." James finished gushing looking twitterpated still and handed Strider a fat little sack of silver coins to pay for the pricey gift James wanted sent to his fiancee's home.
"It shall be done. I'll make my way back to Mossy City now and send the bird on his way." Strider gently placed James's big florist order in a little closed wooden tube about his messenger dove's neck and gave a bow, his tail swishing.
"Oh thank you Strider, please come back anytime, anytime at all, and if you ever need anything, I'm your guy. Take care and be well. Thank you so very much for calling again! Until we meet again!" James called with a friendly light shout, waving with his usual warm gusto from his overstuffed red and gold chair as Strider turned and departed James's library and manor, setting free his homing dove to seek the town florist as Strider mounted his big draft stallion and took off at a hearty canter back to Mossy City & his charge, as James inside his mansion laid back with a satisfied sigh in his chair, his huge brawny arms raised in relaxation over his head feeling endlessly pleased that the women in his life he treasured were being protected & treated the way James felt they deserved to be.






A huge ty & photo photography credit to:
https://unsplash.com/photos/a-large.....it-jePUqBM8GWc