Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:38:58 +0000
From: Jack Smith <js_mas@hotmail.com>
Subject: New Beginnings 3

     WEEK THREE


     THIRDAY


     Though  I missed Father, thinking of him at every  idle
moment,  I  was so busy that the time of his absence  passed
rapidly.  It was on the Thirday of the second week, my  free
day of the week, that I unexpectedly found myself at a loose
end.   Due  to  heavy rain morning archery with  Hi-Tui  was
postponed.  Xi-To's wound was healed, but I had looked in on
him  as I did every day.  He took his usual glee in exposing
himself to me.  Yue-Sin had been living up to his promise of
spending  every  night with me, but he was  always  gone  by
morning.   I  sat on the bed staring out the window  at  the
steady rain.  I felt no inclination to be with Mother, or to
attack  any of my usual solitary activities.  Yue-Lin  would
be  in  school.  Then I thought of my old friend and  fellow
deviser of the metal covered wheel, Ba-Nol.  I had neglected
him for many weeks, and I knew that his wife had been one of
the  freepersons who had travelled with Father on his  trip.
With a new sense of purpose I trotted through the heavy rain
to his workshop.
     The  workshop  was  its  usual hot,  loud,  busy  self.
Though many smiths were now making iron clad wheels, as  Ba-
Nol's  had  been the first workshop to produce them  he  was
still  the  busiest.  He had taken on extra  staff  and  the
small  space  was quite crowded.  One of his  fire  stoker's
drew  his attention to my presence, and a smile lit  up  his
face.   He put down what he was doing and joined me  in  the
shelter of the over hang outside the door, getting away from
the  noise so we could talk.  At closer quarters what I  had
noticed when I first saw him was more obvious.  He looked as
though  he  had put on weight.  He always wore clothing  cut
loose  at the shoulders so as to allow him freedom to  swing
his  hammer,  but  what he was wearing  at  the  moment  was
stretched tight, and was short also.
     From his work Ba-Nol was very strong, but he was always
quite fat.  His trousers, the pouch of which was usually not
visible  as his shirt, which he wore belted, covered  it  in
normal circumstances, was stretched tight, with material  so
thin  that  his  dick and balls were all but visible.   They
appeared massive, straining against the close contour of the
material.   Realising where my eyes were focussed I  quickly
looked up to Ba-Nol's face.  He had not noticed the site  of
my  close scrutiny, but was just smiling down on me in  warm
greeting.   He  was  a  man  of  few  ideas  and  not  great
intelligence, but he was able to build from my verbal  plans
with   no  difficulty  at  all.   The  metal  rim  had  been
successful  first  go, largely due to the  accuracy  of  his
interpretation of my concept.  He was also one of the  best,
most generous men that I knew.
     "Good morning, Ba-Nol."
     "Good morning, my Lord," bowing a little.
     "There is no need for such formality, Ba-Nol.  Call  me
Cavon as you always have."
     He nodded mutely.
     "Ba-Nol,  are  you  looking after yourself.   What  has
happened?  Your clothes are so tight and thin."
     "Ah, Cavon.  You know that the servant is attending  my
wife on her trip.  I have no one to wash clothes, and I  use
many  clothes.   These  are  very old,  and  seemingly  have
shrunk,"  this latter said with a smile.  But  they  are  my
last clean clothes."
     "Well,  we'll fix that.  At lunch time you can come  up
to  my  house with all your dirty clothes, and they will  be
washed  for you.  You can stay in my chamber while you  wait
for  a  set to dry in front of the kitchen fire if there  is
nothing else for you to wear."
     "I couldn't ask that ."
     "No,  Ba-Nol, that is decided.  But let me tell you  of
my new idea."
     When  he heard this Ba-Nol's eyes lit up.  The previous
conversation  was forgotten, I'm sure to be  replaced  by  a
growing  pile of gold coins.  Ba-Nol was quite wealthy,  and
this  is  why  he was able to send his wife to  the  central
temple  in  search of a cure for her barrenness.   "What  is
your idea."
     "Let's  go somewhere a bit quieter so I don't  have  to
shout."
     We  hurried  through the rain to the inn,  where  in  a
quiet  corner, with the aid of a stick to draw  in  the  wet
earth, I explained my new thought.
     "Our  current  wheel  has taken  off  very  well.   Its
longevity  makes up for its higher cost.  It  has  two  weak
points.   The central hole on which it rotates on  the  axle
wears  quickly, and soon becomes quite loose and now is  the
part  of  the wheel that causes the necessity to change  the
whole  lot.   The second is that, just like before,  a  nice
circular  tree must be found capable of producing four  well
cut  sections of the same size.  Also, the central  hole  is
not an easy thing to cut.
     "So,  how to fix this.  Step one.  Line the inner  hole
of  the  wheel with iron just like the outer rim is  capped.
But what will make it stay there?  If you heat iron like you
do  for the rim it will not help.  So the answer is to build
the  wheel  around the central hole.  Instead  of  a  single
round section a number of wedges could be used, cut so  that
they  fit together to form a circle, with the point  of  the
wedges  cut  to form the hole for the axle.  Then  the  same
metal  rim,  but much tighter (it will need to heated  to  a
higher  temperature)  is applied to  hold  the  whole  thing
together."
     He  looked at me for a while, then it all came together
in  his  head and his face lit up.  "That will work,  and  I
should  be able to keep the secret on the higher temperature
for a long time.  The selling point will be the metal of the
axle  hole,  which could be matched to a metal coated  axle,
and  no  one  will think that it is in fact much cheaper  to
produce.  I'll should be able to sell it for more though  it
will cost less!'
     Enthused,  he rushed back to his workshop,  rustled  up
his  carpenter and described what he wanted from  him,  then
started furiously banging at iron for the inner collar.   In
fact  it  didn't  take very long to put  the  whole  concept
together  as the outer rims were already prepared.   In  the
use  of these something else became evident.  With the  form
of  construction of the wooden part of the wheel all  wheels
could potentially be made to a standard size.  This would in
turn  make the preparation of the rims much easier, as there
would be less need for individualisation of each rim to  fit
its  appointed  wheel.  By lunch a pair of prototype  wheels
had   been  attached  to  Ba-Nol's  cart  and  despite   the
continuing  rain it was driven out of town for a road  test.
It  survived this admirably, and we returned to the workshop
very content.
     Ba-Nol  kept talking in subdued tones about it all  the
way  back to his house where we were to stop to pick up  his
clothes.   We  walked  with care as the  quantity  of  water
covering  the  cobblestones made them quite  slippery.   Wet
buildings lurked around us, shedding water in a staccato but
musical  dripping separate to the continuous hiss of landing
rain  droplets.  I found myself increasingly unable  to  pay
attention  to maintaining my footing and to what Ba-Nol  was
saying  due  to  the discomfort of an overly  full  bladder.
After  we had taken off our coats and hung them on the knobs
on  either side of the door of his house I realised  that  I
was  going  to  be unable to wait till I got  home  to  pass
water, and begged leave to use his toilet chamber.  His face
turned bright red and he hurried away without saying a word,
to return carrying a rather large, heavy looking chamber pot
covered  with its brightly patterned cloth.  Without pausing
to  put on his coat he continued outside, to return soon wet
but more relaxed.
     "I  have  been lazy.  I had not taken it to  the  sewer
collection for emptying for some days."
     By  this time I was bursting, feeling so full of  water
that  my  dick  was hard.  I felt that I was  going  to  wet
myself.  "I can't wait," I cried.  "Just hold it for me!"
     Which  he  did,  without question despite  the  unusual
nature  of  the  request, while I let my trousers  drop  and
pushing  my  hard dick downwards let go a bright  stream  of
water, glinting in the little light that found its way  into
the  centre of the house through the skylight on  this  dull
day.
     Watching me Ba-Nol also cried out, "I must go as well!"
The sound of tinkling water had set his bladder off.
     "Hold  tight," I said, cutting off my stream with  some
difficulty.   "That pot is too heavy for me to hold  so  you
keep  your  hands  on it and I'll point  you  in  the  right
direction."  Now this was unheard of, but it is a reflection
of  Ba-Nol's simplicity and trust in me that he didn't think
to  question it.  I struggled to undo the straining knot  of
his  trousers while he groaned, "Hurry!"  Eventually it came
free  and  I pulled the trousers down, grabbing his hosepipe
of  a  dick and directing it at the pot.  He let go a moment
before I had him correctly positioned and the first bit  hit
the  side of the pot and splashed to the floor, but  I  soon
had  him  firmly gripped in my left hand so I could  use  my
right to point my dick, now hard more for the presence of Ba-
Nol's  dick in my hand than the full bladder, down into  the
chamber  pot  and  let  our  two streams  mingle.   Probably
because of almost two weeks without activity his dick  began
to  swell in my subtly stimulating hand, and soon I had  him
quite  hard.  He was quite a handful, without the  thickness
of  Hi-Tui but longer.  Without offering explanation  I  now
continued my rubbing of it till it erupted.
     He  simply said, "Thankyou," as if what I had performed
for him was the most natural thing in the world.  I wondered
if  prior  to marriage young men did get together  for  this
kind of thing, for release rather than desire.
     Later,  maybe  because of this shared  intimacy,  maybe
because  of  his  enthusiasm for the new wheel,  maybe  just
because he trusted me implicitly, I walked into my wash room
where  Ba-Nol was reclining naked in a hot bath without  him
showing  any  signs of embarrassment, either at  his  or  my
nudity.   His fat filled the bath, and was not an attractive
site,  but his dick, now I could examine it in better light,
was  a  handsome  beast.  The whole thing was  of  the  same
diameter, head included unlike Hi-Tui whose head was like  a
mushroom  even when his dick was soft, and he  had  no  skin
covering it.  Asking him about this he said that it had  had
to  be cut off because it was too tight.  It would not  pull
back,  and  whenever he had become hard it stopped  it  from
stretching  fully and was quite painful.   Lord  Srotyr  had
performed the procedure soon after he attained manhood,  and
though  he  thanked him for it later, at  the  time  he  had
screamed with the pain of cutting.
     He  pointed out the scar that encircled his  dick  near
its  head,  letting  me touch him once again.   This  touch,
which  I'll  admit was not totally for examination  purposes
only,  caused  his dick to swell again.  He calmly  observed
this  and  said, "I'm sensitive at the moment.  My wife  has
been away a time."
     "Don't  you  do  this  to  yourself?"  I  asked  as   I
stimulated his dick once again.
     "No.  The One says you shouldn't, no?"
     "Not  directly.   I think the Book says something  like
don't waste your seed, but if there is no woman available to
take the seed then it is not wasted.  Is it?"
     "I  guess  not.   I  always seem to have  plenty,  even
though we don't have a child."
     "Do  you  mind  me doing this?" I asked, indicating  my
busy hand.
     "No.  It feels good."
     "Would you do it for me?"  I had become very hard.
     "Sure.   Just  move  up a bit.  I've  never  done  this
before, so I might not do it well."  And tentatively started
to  pull my skin up and down my stiff dick with a hand  that
completely  enveloped it.  "It's different  with  the  skin,
isn't it."
     "Yes.  Has anyone done this for you before?"
     "Why do you ask?"
     "Ah,  because you seem like it is not unusual for you,"
I replied, flustered.
     "Yes.  My wife does it when she is bleeding, and before
I  married a man liked to do it to me.  He said I  was  very
big and that it was best that I had some help."
     "Who was that?"
     Ba-Nol hesitated.  "Well, you see, he asked me never to
say."
     I  thought  for a bit.  I knew he would tell  me  if  I
asked.   I was curious, but didn't really want him to betray
the trust, for if he betrayed that trust he might betray me.
"No,  you are right to keep that trust.  Never tell  anyone.
And don't tell anyone about this either."
     "Okay."
     "Did you do it to him too?"
     "No.   He  never  asked.  He was married  and  probably
didn't need any help."
     "You didn't want to touch him?"
     "No," he said in a questioning tone.  "Was I wrong  not
to do it for him?"
     "No,"  I  gritted out as I felt the sensation  building
up.   "Not if you didn't want to."  My seed spurted into the
bath, over his fleshy belly, soon to be joined by his own.
     Ba-Nol  rubbed  his belly with the flat  of  his  hand.
"Its  slippery," he smiled, relaxed.  I continued to massage
his  softening  dick now slimy with his seed.   "That  feels
very nice," he said.
     "Good."  He had let go of my dick as soon as I had cum,
demonstrating  that it held no interest for him  whatsoever.
He  had not paid it much attention even as he had pulled me,
had  laid with his head back and eyes closed.  This was more
information  to  add to my understanding men  and  sex.   It
seemed  that  a  man  doesn't always  need  to  be  sexually
interested to appreciate a "hand".  Just the right situation
and  trust.  I'm sure if I'd asked Ba-Nol to do what we  had
done  at  some other time he would have looked  at  me  with
puzzlement  in his face and said, "Why?"  But when  it  just
happened  he was happy to let it flow.  I wondered  how  the
other  man  had approached him.  "Tell me, Ba-Nol,  I  don't
want  you  to tell me the name of the man, but how  did  you
know he wanted to help you?"
     Ba-Nol  blushed  a little, a dark tinge  colouring  his
face and chest.  "You won't tell?"
     "Of course not."
     "I'd  gone  for  a walk.  I was alone and  no  one  was
about,  in  the  forest upstream.  It was a hot  day  and  I
decided  to  swim  in a pool in a stream,  so  I  undressed.
After  swimming I lay on a rock to dry a bit.  I  had  never
done  this and I guess being undressed and outside got me  a
bit  excited.  Then suddenly a man walked out of the  forest
and said that I should let him help me as I was a bit big to
do  it all on my own.  So I let him help.  He then organised
to  meet me to do the same thing.  It felt good, and he said
that it was okay.  But when I married I didn't feel the need
anymore, as being with my wife was much better, and he  said
that that was okay.  We would just stay friends."
     "And you are still friends?"
     "Yeh.  We often have a drink together."
     "I  see."  I didn't know enough about the rest  of  Ba-
Nol's life to be able to guess who it was.
     "You don't think I was bad to get undressed outside?"
     "No.  Not if you were on your own."
     "I didn't know he was watching."
     "No, you wouldn't," I said reassuringly, wondering  why
he  had  needed to add that.  "Now, you'd better get out  of
that  bath  before you dissolve.  It's not  as  big  as  the
public bath, and not a good fit for you."
     "It's  a  bit small.  But it's much cleaner, and  there
isn't  someone always knocking at the door to ask  how  long
you are going to be.  It's nice."
     Ba-Nol was one of the few people who had permission  to
use  the  baths as often as he wanted.  He, and other  metal
workers,  because their job made them so dirty,  had  a  tag
that  allowed as many entries as they desired.  Other people
who  used  the public bath had tags marked with  a  specific
day.  It had used to be that everyone bathed on Sixday,  but
it  had become too congested as the town grew and now people
were spread throughout the week.  "If you want, Ba-Nol,  you
can come up here each lunch time till Father comes back."
     "That  would nice.  You wouldn't mind?  Look how  dirty
I've made the bath with the coal dust."
     "We  have  been friends a long time Ba-Nol.  You  don't
need to ask that.  You know that the servants will clean it.
Now,  I'll lend you one of Father's robes till your  clothes
are ready."
     "Thankyou.  Lord Srotyr won't be angry."
     "No."
     "It is very fine.  So soft and smooth.  What is it made
of?"
     "It is silk."
     "I've  never  touched silk.  It is beautiful.   But  it
doesn't reach in the middle."
     "No.   But we have seen each other so that is okay.   I
have  to  have  lunch with Mother, but you can't  with  that
robe.  I'll bring you back some food, and you can sleep here
till your clothes are dry."
     "Thank you, Cavon.  You are very kind."
     "Not  at  all," I said, thinking that the  pleasure  of
seeing that massive cock far outweighed any inconvenience.
     After  Ba-Nol had eaten the rice and vegetables that  I
had brought from the kitchen in the small, private breakfast
room  that Father and I use, he yawned mightily.  I had  sat
with  him while he ate.  He was seated cross-legged  on  the
floor,  distant from the table as his bulk was too great  to
fit  under.   The gown was wide open, revealing  his  smooth
chest and belly, the head of his dick just peaking out  from
under it between his fat thighs.
     "You  really are very fat, Ba-Nol.  Even with your dick
as big as it is it is almost hidden by your belly!"
     "I know.  I can't see it any more, even when it's hard.
Though I sure can feel it," he grinned, then yawned.
     "There is only one bed made up, Ba-Nol.  You don't mind
sharing?"
     "No.  But I hope I don't squash you."
     "Do you squash your wife?"  She was a small woman.
     "No, but I hold her so I know where she is."
     "Maybe you should hold me then to be safe."
     "Okay."
     So  I found myself wrapped in his massive arms, my back
against  his  belly.  I had imagined the feel of  that  long
dick  against my arse, but his belly kept me too  far  away.
He  fell  asleep  quickly,  and almost  immediately  started
snoring  loudly.  I wondered how his wife managed  to  sleep
through this, but surprised myself by falling asleep  almost
as  soon as I thought it.  I was first to wake, to find that
Ba-Nol  had  rolled away from me and was lying flat  on  his
back.   His  dick was up and hard, swaying back and  forward
with his breathing.  Deciding not to resist the temptation I
crawled up between his spread legs and took his dick between
my  lips.  After a bit the snoring suddenly stopped,  and  I
looked up, hot in the face with being caught.
     Ba-Nol was looking down at me, his usual smile present.
"Don't  stop.   My friend used to do that,  but  you  do  it
better.   It  feels awful good."  With the  encouragement  I
continued, but he took a while to cum.  It guess it was  his
third  time.  I took his seed in my mouth, finally  able  to
relax my aching jaws.  It did not have the flavour of Father
or  Yue-Sin,  that somewhat unpleasant bitter  tang.   Maybe
because  Ba-Nol  was younger?  It was almost without  taste,
just a slimy sensation as it went down.
     By  the  time he had finished my dick was really crying
out  for some release.  Without thought I fell on his  belly
and started pushing my dick between his thighs.  Ba-Nol made
no  complaint,  just  stroked my head  gently  as  I  thrust
lustily.
     The rain had almost stopped by the time we were back on
the  street.  I walked with Ba-Nol on slippery  stones.   We
again  spoke  about  the  new  wheel.   Ba-Nol  had  already
constructed plans of building them in large numbers,  but  I
suggested  that  maybe  it would  be  better  to  check  the
durability by running them for a while on his cart.   I  was
concerned that the wedges might become loose over time,  but
thought  that  if  the wood was very  dry  at  the  time  of
applying the outer rim, the rim would become even more tight
as  the  wood  swelled  in  its  usual  wet  state.   Ba-Nol
suggested  that throwing the whole wheel into water  at  the
time  of  positioning the outer rim would prevent  the  wood
from charring, and make the iron harder as well.
     Saying  that  he  would  try this  he  shook  hands  in
farewell.   He  asked  if  I could call  for  him  at  lunch
tomorrow, as he would feel very uncomfortable knocking at my
door.   This agreed we parted, he for his workshop,  me  for
the main street and the town gate.
     Hi-Tui  was in his office.  He smiled warmly at  seeing
me, but bowed formally as one of his assistants was present.
"I  was  hoping you would come.  We can fire some arrows  at
the target range."
     The  road  was crowded with field workers returning  to
the  fields  after siesta, all walking rapidly  through  the
heavy  mud.  There was a lot to do as the morning  rain  had
been  too  heavy to work, so the supervisors were  vocal  in
encouraging  the workers to hurry.  They left  a  respectful
space  around Hi-Tui and I, but not enough to  allow  us  to
talk  freely.  It was not until we were behind  the  shelter
that  housed  the target that Hi-Tui said, "It will  not  be
safe  to  do  anything today.  And I don't know if  I  could
anyway, as my wife asked for sex when we woke from siesta."
     "I thought women weren't supposed to ask for sex.  That
women did not enjoy sex.  That it was a duty."
     "Ah,  Cavon, it is clear you do not know women.   Women
like  sex as much as men, and if you do it well I think they
get  more pleasure than we do.  Of course they will only let
their partner know this.  And when I say `ask', I don't mean
that my wife said to me, `Fuck me, Hi-Tui.'  But she cuddled
up  to  me,  kissing me on a part of my neck that she  knows
gets me excited, while tickling my nipples."
     "I did not know that."
     "Just  part of your ongoing education.  Now give  me  a
quick kiss, then we can drag the target out into the open."
     "Are all women like your wife?"
     "That  I  can't say.  I only know my wife.  Other  than
with  men, I have been faithful to her.  Did you draw  these
circles on the target?" he said, changing the subject.
     I  thought it was a strange thing to ask, as he knew  I
did.   I had even described how I had fixed a string in  the
centre  of  the target with a nail, then tied  it  around  a
piece of charcoal at different distances from the centre  to
make the concentric circles.  I had begun to say, "Yes,  Hi-
Tui,  but." when I became aware of the reason for his  inane
question.  I caught sight of Yue-Sin out of the corner of my
eye striding up the corridor between the fields that was the
shooting  range.   Instead I continued,  in  voice  somewhat
strained and loud with a sense of guilt, "Do you like them?"
     "Yes.   It allows a more accurate way of scoring."   He
then waved to Yue-Sin.  "Hello, sir."
     Yue-Sin  looked quite tense.  "Hello Hi-Tui,"  he  said
tersely when he came a bit closer, returning the salute that
Hi-Tui had made.  "Good afternoon my Lord," he bowed to me.
     "Good afternoon, Yue-Sin.  All is well?"
     "Yes,  my  Lord.  I just thought I would see  how  your
archery  was  progressing  under the  care  of  your  expert
tutor."  His voice was heavily edge with sarcasm.  He  stood
erect, shoulders back.  With my close knowledge of Yue-Sin I
could  see jealousy written in his whole being, but I  hoped
that it wasn't so evident that Hi-Tui would pick it up.
     "He  is  progressing very well.  He lacks  somewhat  in
power  and  distance,  yet that will  come  with  increasing
strength, but his eye is good."
     "I would like to see.  Do you mind shooting some arrows
for me, my Lord.  From here."
     "With  pleasure Yue-Sin.  But if they miss don't  blame
Hi-Tui  as  I feel as nervous as if I was being examined  by
Father."
     "There is no reason to be nervous," was his only reply.
     And  the first few did miss.  Hi-Tui came close to  me,
repositioning  my body, my hands, and saying quietly  in  my
ear,  "He  is  looking for an excuse to remove me  from  the
position  of  teaching you.  Calm down or you  will  achieve
that  for him."  Unfortunately the close contact with Hi-Tui
caused Yue-Sin's face to darken even more.
     I  stood still, focusing on my breathing, meditating on
my  inner self to the exclusion of the outer world.  I  then
looked  again at the target, allowing it and only it  to  be
the  focus  of my thoughts and vision.  The next  arrow  hit
centre,  as  did  its chaser.  Of the next 8,  all  hit  the
target, 6 within the inner 3 circles.
     "That's the lad," muttered Hi-Tui.
     "Good.   You learn well.  Now, Hi-Tui, I am also  short
of  practice.  Maybe you can loan me your bow so I can  fire
some arrows as well."
     "Yes sir."
     Yue-Sin  then  took some paces further  away  from  the
target, turned and let fly in fairly quick succession  three
red-feathered  arrows.   All landed in  the  centre  circle.
"See  if you can match that," he said, handing the bow  back
to Hi-Tui.
     I now saw the reason he had wanted to shoot the arrows.
He  wanted to show that he was as good as Hi-Tui, to request
that  he be allowed to take over my lessons.  It was  not  a
wise move, as I knew how accurate Hi-Tui was.
     So  after  bowing  to  Yue-Sin  in  acceptance  of  his
challenge Hi-Tui let fly three green-feathered arrows with a
speed and fluidity that made it seem like a single movement.
With  so many arrows in the target we now had to walk closer
to  see who had shot better.  I was first there, having run,
to  find that two green-feathered arrows had fought over the
centre  hole  that my nail had left, and  the  third  was  a
finger  breadth  outside the inner circle,  while  the  red-
feathered  arrows were scattered randomly within the  centre
circle,  but  none near the centre of it.  When Yue-Sin  saw
this he turned and stormed away without a word.
     I  didn't  know  what to do.  He had  made  a  fool  of
himself, losing face in front of one of his men.  I  watched
him  opened mouth as he stalked away, then turned to see how
Hi-Tui  was  reacting.   He  was  standing  with  a  relaxed
posture, but his face was serious.
     "I  didn't know what to do.  No matter what I did would
have  angered him.  If I had put three right in the  centre,
if  I  had placed them all over the target, it wouldn't have
mattered.   I  tried to show him that I could  shoot  better
than  him, but that I bowed to his superior position, but  I
think he thought I was mocking him.  If I had known you  and
he  were  lovers I wouldn't have suggested that I teach  you
archery.   But  I would never mock Yue-Sin.   And  not  just
because  Yue-Sin with a sword is like facing certain  death,
but because I respect his integrity and loyalty."
     "How  do you know we are lovers?"  It seemed that every
secret I had was always on display.
     "I didn't, but there can only be one reason for such  a
display  of jealousy."  In response to my continued  puzzled
look  he  continued.  "We live in a big town, but there  are
not so many people that us men who like other men don't know
everyone else who shares the same desire.  I know about Yue-
Sin,  as  he knows about me.  And he knows I have a penchant
for  handsome  young  men.  He assumes, correctly,  that  my
teaching  you archery is a cover for sex.  I think he  hoped
that  I  wasn't  also teaching you how to  use  a  bow,  but
fortunately you shot well, after a poor start.   Very  well,
as  I  would  consider you were a bit beyond  your  strength
range.   He  had  put you there I suspect to  make  it  more
difficult for you."
     "Its  lucky he didn't catch us at it, as we could  well
have  been  if  I hadn't been drained by my wife.   My  lust
would  have probably won over my better judgement otherwise,
and we would have been caught with our pants down."
     "Now,  do  you  think you can still shoot  a  few  more
arrows?"
     I  nodded, thinking that it was lucky that I  had  been
pretty  much drained as well as just the quick kiss  we  had
had  would  probably  have  been  enough  to  get  me  hard,
something Yue-Sin would have been quick to spot.
     Hi-Tui  was  quiet  for the rest of  the  session.   He
watched me, correcting errors that became more common  as  I
fatigued.   As  we walked back to the gate he said,  "I  was
going  to suggest that next week we go hunting hun-chies  to
give  you practice with moving targets, but I think it would
be better if I didn't teach you further."
     "Let's  not  decide yet.  There is no reason  for  this
conflict.  Let me talk with him first."
     "The  only other thing would be to invite him as  well,
so that he can see nothing is going on between us."
     "Yes, that might work."

     In  bed  that night Yue-Sin was distant and rigid.   He
had  arrived  quite early I suspect, but  he  had  not  been
asleep  when I had taken leave of Mother.  Yet, even despite
his bad mood, his dick was still hard!
     "He  laughed  in  my face!  He condescendingly  put  an
arrow  outside the circle!  But close to let me know he  was
laughing at me!"
     "Yue-Sin," I said pleading, while trying to stroke  his
arm.  He pushed me away.
     "Don't try to placate me.  I know you like him and  his
big  dick better than I.  Look how small and shrivelled  you
are.  You don't want me any more!"
     I  could see that this was going to get worse.  I tried
again.  "Yue-Sin, that is not true," I said gently.
     "Don't  lie  to  me!  I saw how he held  you,  how  you
melted  into his arms.  Just tell me to leave and I will  go
and never come back."  He rolled off the bed to sit with his
back to me.
     I  could  see  that  being soft was not  going  to  get
anywhere.  I watched his naked back, his laboured breathing,
wondering what to do.  I felt his pain, but decided that the
only  way to get through it was to use his reflex of loyalty
as a servant.
     "Don't you ever tell me that I lie!" I said forcefully,
standing on the opposite side of the bed.
     This made him turn around, and also stand.  I could not
believe  it that his dick was as rigid as ever, despite  the
fear  that had now distorted the pain and anger in his face.
"I, I." he stammered.
     "Never!"  I  continued in the same tone.   "I  have  no
obligation  to  have sex with you.  I have no obligation  to
let you share my bed.  I do so because I love you.  So don't
tell me what I feel."
     He was now standing with head bent in shame.  I let him
suffer for a while before saying, "WELL."
     "I'm  sorry, my Lord. But I've heard he has such a  big
dick, and he is such a handsome man, that I thought that you
couldn't want me."
     "Why do you think I have anything to do with Hi-Tui?" I
cut him off.
     He  lifted  his head to look at me.  "I know  he  likes
young  men,  especially handsome ones like you.   How  could
nothing happen between you?"
     "How  can  you  love  a  man  who  is  so  lacking   in
constancy?" I said softly.
     "What do you mean?"
     "Did you not believe me when I said I loved you?"
     "Yes, I believed you."
     "And do you think that my emotion is shallow?"
     "No, my Lord, nothing about you is shallow."
     "But you think my love would have disappeared because a
handsome man showed me his big dick?"
     "No,  of course not."  Then realising how I had  caught
him he hung his head again.  "I don't know," he muttered.
     "Maybe you should think before you accuse me then!"
     He  stood  like  a man lost.  My love  welled  up  even
higher when he said, "Shall I leave?"
     I  decided to take him a bit further before letting him
off the hook.  I simply said, "Yes."
     He  looked  up, tears streaming down his face,  looking
like  he  would rather die.  My heart broke and I could  not
keep  it up any more.  "Yes, you can leave.  In the morning,
but I want you to wake me so I can kiss you good morning."
     His  brain was in such turmoil that he took in  nothing
more than the "Yes".  He dejectedly reached for his clothes.
"Stop,"  I  commanded.  His military training took  control.
"Listen!  I said, `In the morning, but I want you to wake me
so I can kiss you good morning.'"
     This  time  what I said registered.  He was across  the
bed  in  what seemed a single leap and had me in  his  arms.
"I'm  sorry, I'm sorry," he mumbled, plastering my head  and
face  with  kisses.   "I doubt myself  so  much.   I  cannot
believe that you can love me."
     "Yue-Sin, I love you so much that I want you to be  the
first man who takes me.  And I want you to do it tonight.  I
have  been thinking about this all the time Father has  been
away.  Tonight I want you to take me like a man."
     Yue-Sin looked at me in amazement, but only said,  "But
you'll fuck me as well, won't you?"
     "You bet!" and we were rolling around on the bed.
     After,  when  we were cuddled together, he asked,  "How
was it?"
     "It  was wonderful, Yue-Sin.  Father has put his finger
in there before, and it felt interesting.  But to be looking
in  your  eyes, kissing your mouth, while I felt you  moving
within me was really wonderful."
     "You  won't  let Hi-Tui do it to you?"  he  asked,  but
gently.
     I  looked him carefully in the eyes and decided that  I
could  continue  safely  without  causing  him  pain.   "You
misjudge Hi-Tui, Yue-Sin.  He, in spite of his looks, is not
an arrogant man.  He said to me after you left today that if
he  had  known  you were my lover he would  not  have  tried
anything with me."
     "He knows that."
     "I'm afraid you made it a bit obvious today."
     "Yes, I guess I did.  Sorry for giving you away."
     "He  was  not laughing at you.  He didn't know what  to
do.   He  is proud enough that he wanted to show his  skill,
but  he  also wanted to show that he respected  you  as  his
superior.  And by the way, his cock is so big that  I  would
not  be  game  enough to let it inside me.  He wants  to  go
hunting  hun-chies  next week and asked  me  to  invite  you
along."
     "You  suggested that?" he questioned, but it was almost
a statement.
     "No, he did.  To show his respect for you."
     "I  don't think I could go," he said after digesting it
a bit.
     "I would like you too."
     "Really?  But you won't be able to have sex with him if
I'm there."
     "I like being with you, Yue-Sin.  Please don't question
my love for you again."
     "OK.  I'll go."
     "Good.   Now  let's  get some sleep."   I  snuggled  up
inside his arms.  He did remember to wake me to say goodbye,
but I quickly fell asleep again.

     FORDAY

     To  my  surprise Yue-Lin greeted me as  I  entered  the
weapons  room.   He  hugged me and said,  laughing,  "Father
seems to have slept in.  But he asked me yesterday to take a
morning off school so as we could spar."
     I  returned the hug.  Yue-Sin must have organised  this
as a way to avoid me, but it would have been done before our
discussion last night, so presumably he would come.  I broke
the hug.  "I don't think your father would appreciate seeing
us hugging like girls.  We better start some stretches.  I'm
sure he'll arrive soon."
     "Yes sir."
     My  caution proved justified when Yue-Sin arrived after
only  the  first  few stretches.  He was looking  happy  and
relaxed.  He fondly held Yue-Lin by the shoulder, and  bowed
to  me.   "I organised a surprise for you, my Lord.   You've
had a lot more formal training than my son, but he is bigger
and  stronger  so he should be a good match  for  you."   He
monitored the rest of our stretches, then presented each  of
us  with  a wooden sword.  "Now the aim is not to hurt  each
other, though I know you are too close as friends to want to
do  so.   But  make  sure you pull any  strokes  that  break
through.  The swords may be wood, but they hurt!"
     We  shaped up, each making some tentative moves to feel
things  out.  I could see Yue-Lin was quite rough,  but  the
couple of times we locked swords his greater strength put me
at  major risk of getting "killed".  I managed a few taps on
his  sword arm, but could not get close enough to touch  his
body.  He did not manage to touch me, but I had to dodge and
weave  to  achieve  this for he certainly  came  close.   We
worked  hard and were quite hot and sweaty by the time  Yue-
Sin called a halt.
     "Congratulations,  my  Lord,  you  did  better  than  I
thought.  I thought that the greater bulk of my son would be
a match for you.  Now I see I will have to match you myself,
you  will become too confident!"  This was said with a small
smile.  "Son, have a bath and go of to school.  I told  Chi-
Da that I would keep you for as little time as possible."
     Yue-Lin bowed to his father, then bowed to me, but  the
latter  with  a  laughing smile that he carefully  concealed
from Yue-Sin.
     "I  think  you  had better stretch a bit  or  you  will
stiffen  up,  my Lord," said Yue-Sin.  He knew that  Yue-Lin
would  be  able to hear all that we said from the  hot  tub.
"And when you have rested I will take you on personally."
     Yue-Sin professionally guided me through a full stretch
routine the called out, "Yue-Lin, move it.  Get yourself out
and off to school!"
     Yue-Lin appeared after a very short time.  I suspect he
had  been  standing behind the door, probably watching,  but
delayed a bit after Yue-Sin's command to make it appear that
he had just been dawdling.  He bowed again on when he was at
the  door  to outside, once to his father, and then  to  me,
with a muttered "My Lord".
     The  door  closed Yue-Sin wasted no time to give  me  a
quick  hug.   He said quietly, "I'm sorry that  Yue-Lin  was
here.   I didn't know if I was going to be able to face  you
this morning, so I organised him as my substitute."
     "I  understand.   But  remember he  is  my  friend.   I
enjoyed sparring with him.  It was good to see him."
     "You  showed  him up too.  A touch to an arm  does  not
look  much, but in a true fight it usually means your  death
as  with  your  sword arm not functioning you cannot  defend
yourself.   But  let's go.  We haven't sparred  for  a  bit.
I'll show you!"
     With which he came at me.  But he was too confident and
the  angle of his stroke was such that I was able to deflect
it above me, spin and get a touch to his arm before he could
recover.   He  halted, a look of stunned  amazement  on  his
face.   Then he released the loudest belly laugh I  think  I
have heard.  I must have thought he was going to anger,  for
I felt myself relax with the eruption of his laugh.
        "My  Cavon!  You are wonderful!  That was  the  same
move  I  made on you on the first day of your training.   On
that day it was just as sloppy.  On that day you were `dead'
in  moments,  today  I  have had my  arm  `severed'  without
offering  another stroke.  Come and hug me  again!"   Saying
which  he took me into his powerful arms and held tight.   I
could  feel  his  hard cock pushing at my  groin.   Just  as
suddenly  he released me, kissed, and took guard.   Needless
to  say I did not manage another hit against him.  But in my
defence  I only `died' some 10-15 times in quite an extended
bout of sparring.
     My  massage was as usual, with both of us naked.   When
he was happy that my muscles would not be too sore he jumped
up  to sit on me, riding me slow and sensuously with a  look
of ecstasy on his face.  I had never seen his love expressed
so  openly.  He came twice onto my belly and chest before he
allowed  me  to  cum  in turn, then he  leant  forward,  not
letting  my  dick escape, to cover my face with kisses.   He
then  returned to his seated position and began the  process
again.  After the second time I came my dick shrunk down and
escaped his arse.  He lay on top of me, rotating his  smooth
chest and belly on my mine, wet with his cum.  He then began
a  more  up and down movement, culminating in grunts  as  he
came  one  more time.  "I love you so much Cavon!"  he  said
adoringly before filling my mouth with his tongue.
     In  the bath, still wrapped in his arms, he said, "I'll
teach you how to reply to all the moves that caught you.   I
don't want you to be at risk of hurt from anyone.  You  will
be  the best!"  At the door he was unwilling to release  me,
kissing  and  hugging.   His dick prodded  me  continuously,
maintaining its record of having never been soft for  me  to
see or touch.  Finally I was allowed out, finding myself  in
a  day of soft, wafting rain.  I felt quite light headed, my
thoughts disordered.  I was halfway home before I remembered
my  promise to meet Ba-Nol.  So I wandered through the  zig-
zag  of  streets running parallel to the main road in bright
midday light.
     Ba-Nol  greeted  me  with  a  look  of  disappointment.
Beside him was one of our prototype wheels.  It had returned
to  its  original components, spread at random over a  small
area.   I didn't need to ask.  I greeted him, shaking hands,
noting how his clothes now covered his large endowment  from
view.  I then set to study the problem.  After a bit an idea
arrived.
     "Ba-Nol, are you able to punch holes in iron when it is
hot?"
     "Yes."
     "What do you use?"
     He  took me to a shelf that supported a range of  tools
and  selected something that looked a bit like a hard  dick,
with a bulbous end, though somewhat flattened, at the end of
a  shaft the length of 1« hands.  The variation was that the
end of the shaft was quite pointy.
     "Could  you  make a punch that instead  of  being  like
this,  with  a smooth line to the point, had a  little  step
near the point?"
     Not understanding I drew a quick diagram on the ground.
To  his  nod I then expounded an idea of having a series  of
holes in both the central circle of metal that contacted the
axle  and the outer rim.  Nails would be made with  a  wide,
flat  head.   These  would be hammered into  the  underlying
timber  until their head was hidden away from  harm  in  the
recess  formed  by  the new punch.  Ba-Nol  pondered  for  a
while.  I think I could see the image of the new wheel, when
he  had processed the information I had given, appearing  in
his beaming face.
     "That  will  make the new wheel more durable  than  our
original  wheel.  It also has a tendency to throw its  rim,"
he enthused.  Forgetting my new status of Lord he draped his
long  arm around my shoulders.  "You're getting taller!"  he
said, then continued to enthuse about the new wheel, talking
as we walked, his arm draped around my shoulders.
     Mother happened to be arriving home at the same time as
us,  and  her tolerant smile included her greeting  and  the
comment, "I see, Ba-Nol, that you are as fond of Lord  Cavon
as a man as you were of him as a child."  There was no sting
in  her  comment,  Mother was never  malicious,  but  Ba-Nol
reacted as if he had been slapped.
     "I'm  sorry  My  Lady.   I  am  forgetting  myself.   I
apologise.  It will never happen again!"
     Mother  just  nodded.  The topic was  dead,  her  point
made, and forgotten.  "You are visiting us, Ba-Nol and  your
wife is away.  Will you join us for lunch."
     "I  would be honoured, My Lady.  But I'll need to clean
up first," showing his blacked grimed hands.
     "I'm  sure Lord Cavon will allow you to use his bathing
facilities.   Until lunch."  She acknowledged  Ba-Nol's  bow
with  a  nod,  and turned away and entered  the  house.   We
followed,  making our way to the depths of the  house  where
Father's room was located.  When the door was shut behind us
Ba-Nol  started, "I'm sorry My Lord.  I"ll  never  let  that
happen again.  Please forgive me."
     "In  truth  Ba-Nol,  it does not worry  me.   With  the
closeness of our friendship I like the feel of you close  to
me.  After what passed between us yesterday it would not  be
honest  of  me  to complain anyway.  But I guess  in  public
appearances should be maintained.  Now run yourself  a  bath
and  get yourself cleaned up.  Your clothes looked like they
are bundled up in the corner over there."
     "Thankyou, My Lord."
     "Please, Ba-Nol, when we are alone, it is Cavon."
     "Yes, Cavon."
     I  lay  down  for a little, fatigued and somewhat  sore
from my morning's workout.  I dosed unexpectedly, coming  to
as  Ba-Nol calling out.  "Cavon, could you wash my back  for
me?"
     I  wearily rolled off the bed.  Ba-Nol continued.   "My
wife  usually washes my back for me.  Because we don't  have
children  we bath together, but with her away I have  missed
that."
     Entering the bathroom I was greeted by the vision of Ba-
Nol's  bulk filling the bath, and his dick standing straight
up, breaking the water like the oversized breathing tube  of
an  underwater  swimmer.  "Are you sure it's you  back  that
needs attention, Ba-Nol?"
     "That as well," he said, smiling self-consciously.
     Feeling excited despite my fatigue I soaped my hand and
began  with  the "cleaning" process of his dick.   His  body
tensed  with  the  pleasure, his head back  and  eyes  shut.
Blindly he reached for my cock, hard but within my trousers.
I let my trousers drop and his hard hand began pulling at me
roughly  as  I continued to stimulate him.  I did  not  felt
much like doing anything after being with Yue-Sin and I  had
spread Ba-Nol's seed over his belly well before I even  came
close.   So I asked him to stop thinking that I would  dress
and  forget about it, but then feeling the need I continued,
used his white gel to lubricate myself to orgasm.  I stepped
out  of my trousers before moving up to wash Ba-Nol's fleshy
back.   As  he sat Ba-Nol leaned over and gave my  softening
dick a quick kiss, whispering "thankyou".
     Lunch  passed in traditional silence.  A guest  present
would  have  normally  have meant  some  conversation  after
eating, but I was so tired that I begged forgiveness  of  my
impoliteness and asked if I could be excused.  To  which  of
course  Ba-Nol offered to leave.  Mother accepted his offer,
also  expressing  fatigue, and soon I had seen  off  Ba-Nol,
arms  loaded with clothes, and was lying on my  bed.   Sleep
came  instantly, but seemed to be terminated almost at  once
by  knocking at the door of my room.  Very groggy, I grabbed
my robe and answered.  Tri-Ki, my servant was at the door.
     "Hi-Tui is at the door, Sire.  He says he has a message
for you."
     Thinking  that this was not wise, inventing excuses  to
come  to  see  me,  I felt there was no alternative  but  to
invite  him  in.   Tri-Ki scuttled away, to promptly  return
with Hi-Tui in tow.  He carefully shut the door after Hi-Tui
had entered, leaving us alone.
     Before I had a chance to say a word of criticism Hi-Tui
rose  from  his bow performed for the benefit of Tri-Ki  and
said, "A letter has just been delivered, Cavon.  It is  from
Lord  Srotyr and addressed to you.  I thought you would want
to see it immediately."
     My  open  mouth transformed to a smile.  "Thankyou  Hi-
Tui.   I was just about to suggest that this was not a  good
way  for  us to meet.  I should never have thought that  you
would do something so indiscreet."
     "That  is  not true.  I sorely miss your soft lips  and
hard  little dick, and it is only knowing that meeting  here
would generate gossip that stops me.  But as I am here,  can
I  have a quick kiss?"  He did not wait for a reply but took
me in his arms, bringing his head down so our lips met
     I  broke  the  hold,  anxious to see  what  Father  had
written.  Hi-Tui handed me the letter.
     The  envelope was of heavy paper, sealed with  Father's
signet.  I wrenched it open eagerly.

     Cavon,
     Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be away a
week  longer than planned.  Could you please adjudicate  the
court on FirstDay as I don't like leaving cases so long, and
interview  Wi-Su about his progress on cleaning the  Square.
Give my love to your Mother,
     Your Father,
     Srotyr

     The  last was Father's flourish.  I felt my heart stop.
Father did not want to be with me!  He preferred to be  with
Ti-Lung!   I  dismissed Hi-Tui without thinking, not  seeing
his concerned look as he backed out of the room.  I lay down
and  stared  at the ceiling.  Words could not  describe  the
mˆl‚e  inside my head.  Emotions fought amongst  themselves.
Rejection,   anger,  anguish,  loneliness.   One   following
another in no rational order.  Somehow in amongst this swirl
I  fell  asleep.   Waking  feeling little  better,  I  rose,
dressed and headed direct to the stable.
     The  emptiness of the streets declared that I  had  not
slept for very long.  Lika's hoofs clattered noisily in  the
silence.  I left my destination with the siesta guard at the
gate  and  rode out onto the quieter dirt, away  from  town,
without  seeing.   My  concentration was  directed  inwards.
Coming  to  the cross road I had to decide on a destination.
Remembering the location I had given at random to the siesta
guard  I pushed Lika into a trot and turned her head  right,
upstream, on the near bank.  I had given no thought  to  the
location,  but rules were so strongly ingrained that  I  did
not contemplate breaking the one stating that anyone heading
out  of  town  must  leave a record  of  their  destination.
Lizlions  and  thieves were not common now, but  both  still
posed a threat, so the old rules introduced for safety  were
still  adhered to.  The area of lantern trees  had  been  my
stated  destination, but on arriving there I still  felt  to
restless to stop so I encouraged Lika up the old log-fellers
track.  When she could no longer penetrate I tied her  to  a
tree  and  continued on foot, pushing through clinging,  red
foliage  of new growth, my mind paying no attention to  what
my   body  was  doing.   I  collapsed  with  fatigue   after
penetrating only a short distance.  I fell asleep.
     I  awoke  to a rustling in the dense growth.   My  hand
fell to the haft of my dagger, but fell away when a familiar
voice   called,   "Cavon!"    Not   wanting   company,   but
understanding the worry of my friend, I tiredly called  out,
"Here, Hi-Tui."
     Shrubs collapsed in front of me and the huge body of Hi-
Tui  appeared.  "Ah, here you are.  Do you like to  make  me
worry?   My  heart began racing from the moment I heard  you
had left the town."
     "I'm  sorry,  Hi-Tui.  I needed to get  away.   Looking
around at the enveloping growth I asked, "Where am I?"
     "In  amongst  the  new growth of  a  logged  area.   If
something had happened to you here you would never have been
found."  By this time he had enfolded me in his arms and was
raining  kisses on my head.  He sat on a pad of the  crushed
soft  growth, placing me on his lap and wrapping me  in  the
protection  of his body.  We sat so for some time.   I  felt
safe  for  the first time since reading Father's letter.   I
felt wanted, loved, maybe even back in the womb as he rocked
me gently in his powerful arms.
     "My  love,"  he whispered, the sound of  tears  on  his
breath.  "Cavon, I didn't realise how much I loved you until
I  received  the  handover report from the  siesta  officer.
When you forced me to say I loved you only a week ago I said
so  without  any feeling in my heart.  It was wrong,  but  I
thought it was what you wanted to hear and that it could  do
no  harm.   When I started feeling like this I  don't  know.
You  are  more important to me than my wife.  Maybe  because
you are so alone, in spite of your nobility."
     I  hugged  into him, a stray that had found shelter  at
last.   Tears that had refused to form now poured out of  me
onto  his chest.  Eventually when we had both settled Hi-Tui
started talking again.
     "It  is  not good to have a physical relationship  with
one's father."
     This   brought  me  back  to  awareness.    "What!"   I
exclaimed.
     "I think of myself doing something with my daughter who
is  not  much younger than you and I shiver with the horror.
It is not right."
     "Why do you say this?"
     "Sorry Cavon, I know it is not my place to interfere in
the ways of my betters."
     "But why do you think that I and Father.?"
     "Your face said it all on reading the letter."
     Nonplussed,  I  stuttered over  a  number  of  thoughts
before getting out, "How can you read me?"
     "You are young Cavon.  You have not learned the ways of
the  world,  the  lies  and deceit.  You  are  intrinsically
honest, and nothing is hidden from view."
     I  sunk in on myself, huddling within my new cocoon  of
safety.  I had become a child again.  Gone was the knowledge
that  beneath my buttocks was the biggest dick I  had  seen.
Gone  was  the lust caused by the massive chest in which  my
face  was  buried.  I was safe, protected  from  the  world,
without responsibility.
     Of course this did not last.  I sat up straight after a
while.  Hi-Tui seemed to come out of a doze as he lifted his
head  from where it had been resting on mine.  Without words
we  hugged  and  stood,  forcing our way  back  through  the
luxuriant growth to the where the horses waited.
     "How did you find me?"
     "That  wasn't  hard.  Lika responded  to  smell  of  my
stallion, Longbow.  I think she must have been worried  that
you  had been gone for so long.  Then your path through  the
shrub was fairly clear."
     "You are so good Hi-Tui.  I love you very much."
     "Likewise."
     We rode side by side once the road had widened.  Hi-Tui
seemed  to be doing his best to cheer me, joking and talking
about inconsequential things.  And it worked for a while, at
least  until I thought that the next step was that he  would
be  leaving  me  once  we entered the  town.   He  would  be
returning  to  his wife, me to an empty room.  From  feeling
content  and  safe I again felt isolated.   I  said  goodbye
coldly, though I hope he would have thought that I was  just
being  cautious.   Lika made her way home  without  guidance
from me.  I stared blankly.  Noticing only that she did  not
take the shortest route.  First she followed the main street
till  about  half  way she turned left.   Turning  right  on
arriving at the town stables she then weaved her way through
the staggered vertical streets until she was in front of our
house.  There she made direct for our stable.
     In my room I sat at my desk, but only gazed.  Somewhere
amongst thousands of circling, interlaced thoughts I decided
that  I  would  ask  Mother about my father.   After  dinner
Mother  showed me a page of meticulously arranged dots  that
she  had spent the afternoon preparing.  She wanted to  play
squares, a game of cunning that she and I had concocted some
time  ago.  It had been a while since we had played,  and  I
surprised  myself  at  lifting  from  my  numbness  to  feel
pleasure at the idea.  But my plan was still there.
     Mother was happily putting her "M" in a run of some  20
squares that I had "accidentally" let her have when I  said,
"Tell  me  about  my  father."   My  voice,  I  think,   was
emotionless.
     She  looked at me, startled, pausing in her gleeful run
of  line  drawing.  "What can I tell you about  Lord  Srotyr
that you don't already know?"
     "Not Father.  The man who impregnated you," I responded
bluntly.
     "I prefer not to think of him," voice flat.
     "But  I want to know.  I have a right to know about  my
father."
     "It would be better if you never knew."
     "Tell  me  all."   I was surprised how forcefully  this
came out, upset by the pain that flashed across her face, as
if I had slapped her.  But I decided not to withdraw.
     "Okay.  I'll tell you all.  I don't think it will  make
you happy."
     I nodded.
     "I  first met Ri-Va in a garden in our house.  We lived
in  a large house, with grounds maintained by field workers.
This  was  in  KingsTown.    There was no danger  there,  so
large  grounds were common.  He shouldn't have been  in  the
garden,  and  I  was only allowed there as  the  garden  was
walled  and  considered  secure.   But  he  was  there.    I
initially  shied  away, ready to run, but he  reassured  me,
saying  he was a friend of Ti-Lung, and that he was  waiting
so as to meet him.  And he began talking.  You must remember
that I was young, about your age, just entered womanhood.  I
was  innocent and naive.  He talked.  His words were  smooth
and  honey  filled, but at the same time not  condescending.
He  treated  me  like  an equal, not as  a  woman.   He  was
intelligent and witty, and soon had me laughing.  He  talked
till  I  noticed  that the light had dimmed.   I  should  be
inside  by  this time.  Saying that it seemed  that  Ti-Lung
must  have  been  detained I bade him goodnight,  suggesting
that  he  leave by the way he came as otherwise I  would  be
compromised.  He agreed to this on one condition.  This  was
that  I meet again on the afternoon of the next day.  I knew
I  should  say  no,  but I was quite enchanted  and  instead
agreed, then ran away.
     "All  evening I couldn't stop thinking about him.   His
soft  smile, the sparkle in his eyes, his delicate  features
and  gestures, his well groomed but slightly long hair  that
hung  free.  I could not tell anyone, not even Ti-Lung,  for
fear  of  what  would be thought.  Next afternoon  found  me
waiting for him eagerly, and the next, and the next.  I  was
soon  in  love with him, and we were talking about marriage.
I  was promised in marriage with a date already set.  It was
to  an  older man, a man close to the king, whose  wife  had
died  in childbirth.  I did not want to marry this old  man.
So  together we hatched a plan.  We would make love until  I
was  pregnant,  then, when the old man  would  not  want  me
anymore, he would offer to marry me.
     "Are  you sure you want me to continue.  To hear of  my
shame?"
     I again only nodded.  I was feeling very bloody minded,
but also curious.
     "As you wish.  The plan was put into action, and soon I
was  pregnant.  I told him one afternoon after we  had  made
love.   He  smiled  an evil smile, and said  nothing.   Next
afternoon he was not in the garden, nor the one after.
     "After  some  weeks  I  was  desperate.   I  considered
suicide.   `Why had he disappeared?' I asked myself.   `What
could  have  happened?'  I finally decided to  ask  Ti-Lung.
When  I  spoke of his friend Ri-Va he looked at me  blankly,
saying  that `Ri-Va had never been a friend of  his.'   With
this  my  heart  broke and I collapsed to the  floor.   Face
fixed  on  the floor I stammered out all that had  happened,
then when no word was said in response I looked up to see Ti-
Lung  face looking blacker than a winter downfall.  I cried,
wailing  in  fear, thinking he would beat me.   I  think  he
suddenly realised what I had seen and thought, and was quick
to pick me up and reassure me that he was not angry with me.
That he would fix things up.
     "I  don't think that he expected that Ri-Va would  call
him  a  liar  to his face, leaving him with no proof  as  to
paternity  other than my word, which he knew  would  not  be
believed.   But he told me not to worry, that he would  find
something.   Some days later he came back  and  asked  if  I
would marry his friend, Srotyr.  I had never met Srotyr, but
I  knew him to be, though a friend of Ti-Lung, low born.   I
instinctively  said  no.   Ti-Lung  explained  that  he  had
explored every other option, but all had been fruitless.   I
still  said no, that I would prefer to die than marry a  man
of low birth.
     "He  eyed  me with a look of sorrow.  `Ti-Bel,  do  you
think,  even in such desperate circumstances, that  I  would
match  you to someone who was low born?  What I am about  to
tell you must go with you to your grave, no matter when that
may be.  Do you promise that on The One?'  I muttered that I
would, still too riled with fury to be curious.  So what Ti-
Lung  had to say next had to be repeated.  `My friend Srotyr
is  the son of the King.'  I had to be told the whole  story
to  believe this.  I also had to be told what was in it  for
Srotyr,  to  marry  a woman he did not  know.   When  I  had
tallied it all up and saw that it made sense I agreed.   You
might say I am evil for not trusting my brother, but I  also
knew  that  he  loved  me so much that he  would  have  done
anything to avoid my execution.
     "So  I  married Srotyr.  At the start we slept  in  the
same  bed,  but  even so he never touched me.   In  truth  I
thought I understood this, and really did not expect him  to
touch  me.  When you were born and I was well enough  to  go
walking, who should I encounter on my first walk but  Ri-Va.
He  came  to me full of apologies.  His courage had  failed.
He had believed that when it was discovered what we had done
that we would both be executed.  In fear he had stayed away,
heartbroken.   My love for him welled anew.  I found  myself
confessing the coldness of my marriage bed.  His smile  then
lit  up.  If that was the case we could then renew our love,
that the most beautiful things were secret."
     I  interrupted  loudly.   I could  not  stand  to  hear
anymore.  "You know why Father wouldn't fuck you,"  I  said,
crude and harsh.  "It's because he only fucks, or is fucked,
by  men!"   All  the  anger  and anguish  I  felt  with  the
desertion of Father was behind my words.
     Mother  looked at me with such pain that I  immediately
bowed my head.
     She  continued.  "Yes, that is what Ri-Va informed  me,
though expressed more delicately but with equal intention to
shock.   And  it  did shock.  So much that  I  declined  his
advances  at  this time and returned home  stunned.   I  had
never  heard  of  such things.  I thought  that  it  was  so
ridiculous that it must be lies, and I guess this  was  what
made  me stop and think before running blindly back to  him.
I  thought I would ask Srotyr, but with the words  ready  to
spill out of my mouth I stopped in fear.  I didn't know  how
he would react.  I did not at this time know him well.
     "So  I ran again to Ti-Lung.  By this time Ti-Lung  was
also  married.  He had married well and was a respected man.
Once  again I prostrated myself and told the floor all,  the
cold marriage, the accusation of Ri-Va.  Once again his face
was  dark,  and  once again I quailed in fear.   Such  words
spoken against his best friend were provocative.
     "And  once  again  he  picked me up  and  vowed  me  to
secrecy.  He asked if he thought he was a good man,  in  any
way  different from other men.  I replied that of course  he
was  different, he was better than anyone I knew.  Then with
seeming shame he explained that Srotyr was indeed a lover of
men.   And that he, Ti-Lung, was the man he loved, and  that
in turn loved Srotyr.  And that Ri-Va also loved Srotyr, but
Srotyr  remained faithful to his love of Ti-Lung  and  would
have nothing to do with Ri-Va.  Ri-Va in truth was dying  to
have Srotyr's large member, of which he had heard rumour, up
his arse.  He considered himself beautiful, intelligent,  of
high birth, that a low born man like Srotyr could not say no
to  him  without punishment.  Ri-Va knew of  our  love,  and
decided  that  the best way to punish Srotyr was  to  punish
him, Ti-Lung.
     "So he seduced me.  But when this plan did not have the
desired  end  he  decided that he would make  a  cuckold  of
Srotyr,  and  then declare it to the world.   He  had  heard
rumour  of this as Ri-Va was a boastful man.  And  with  his
looks  and wealth he had people who would listen,  but  some
did  not  like  him and what he had been boasting  had  been
reported  in secret to him.  He said that he had only  heard
the previous day, and had not had time to warn me.
     "He  then  waxed  about the wonderful  virtues  of  his
friend,  Srotyr, how he may appear cold but it was  only  be
for  fear of being asked to perform an act of which  he  was
not  capable.   How he respected me with all his  heart,  in
fact he feared me.  He did not understand women.  He thought
that  I  resented his aloofness, judged him for it.  Ti-Lung
said that all it would require was a word of acceptance from
me,  acceptance of the correctness of the lack  of  physical
contact between us, and I would see a different Srotyr.
     "It  took  weeks  for me to contemplate  all  this.   I
passed  through stages of anger, of abhorrence.  But I  also
thought  of what Srotyr had done.  He had not in truth  done
it  for me.  He had done it for Ti-Lung.  How much love must
he have to sacrifice himself to a false life.  And though he
had  been distant, even cold, he had never treated  me  with
anything but the utmost of courtesy.  And he doted  on  you,
the seed of another man!  Eventually I found the courage  to
say  what  I  had been advised.  He asked if we could  sleep
separately.  I agreed.  He said we could say it was  due  to
his  snoring, which in truth could be loud when he had drunk
too much.  Which was every night.
     "And   the  promised  change  did  occur.   He  stopped
drinking.   He treated me with warmth equal to Ti-Lung.   It
was  the love of a brother, not of a husband, but I knew the
reason  and  had  come to accept it.  I did  not  believe  I
deserved any more.  And I felt content.  I had my son and  a
good man beside me.  What more could I want?  But I did want
more.   I wanted revenge.  I knew that the keen hatred  that
had grown within me was wrong, but I could not quench it.  I
worked out a plan.
     "I  let it be known that I wanted to meet Ri-Va.  I had
contact  with  people who spoke with  him.   A  meeting  was
arranged.  My heart was in my mouth as I unfolded what I had
thought over many times.  I told him that my marital bed was
no  longer cold.  That Srotyr had only waited an appropriate
length  of  time  to let the stink of the man  who  was  the
father  of  his son to leave my body and now  we  made  love
every  night.  That the member of Srotyr was so big  and  so
hard that it made the memories of love making with him,  Ri-
Va,  feel like the memories of childhood.  And that I  could
read  his  jealousy, his motives.  The member of Srotyr  was
mine,  and Ri-Va would never, ever have it filling his arse.
But  maybe the sword of Srotyr would pierce his body  if  he
did not desist from his stories.  I told him that Srotyr was
unaware  of the true father of Cavon, unaware of his  deceit
and  treachery, but that it needn't stay that way.  I turned
and  left without giving a chance to reply, without  looking
back.
     "Before  we moved here I asked Ti-Lung what  Ri-Va  was
doing.  I had not heard of him for some time.  I thought  he
might be travelling.  Ti-Lung told me that he was dead.   He
had  suddenly gone silent, then started to look sickly.   He
developed  a cough, lost weight, and died.  I was mortified.
I  had wanted to punish, I had not wanted to kill him.  Even
though  he  had plotted to kill me.  I explained to  Ti-Lung
the  vengeance I had had on Ri-Va, telling all  that  I  had
said.  He smiled.  He said that Ri-Va had deserved that  and
more.   It was not exactly ladylike, but he saluted  me  and
wished he could have been there to see his face.  But he did
not  think  that Ri-Va was the type to pine away  from  love
lost.  The silence was possible.  He was not a brave man and
would not have liked to face the sword of Srotyr.  Not  many
men  would,  as he had quite a reputation.  But he  was  too
supercilious and proud to have suffered.
     "I remain with my doubts, but what is done is done.   I
have  prayed and asked for forgiveness.  I hope I  am.   One
day I will find out.  Now, shall we continue our game?"
     In  silence I played.  I felt guilty at having set  her
up with an opening for the 20 squares, which in turn gave me
some 50.  I pretended it was an accident, then proceeded  to
let  her win.  I kissed her goodnight, holding her tight  in
my  arms,  whispering apologies for my bad  behaviour.   She
accepted these, but as she said goodnight she quietly  said,
"Cavon, you of all people should not be critical of the love
of your Father."  She left without further explanation.
     I  walked  slowly to my chamber, wondering  if  my  bad
blood came from my real father.  How could I presume to  own
Father?   How could I think that because I had come  of  age
and  wanted him that he should forget all his past?  He  did
not tie me down in anyway, this brought home by the sleeping
form  of  Yue-Sin in my bed.  And what Hi-Tui said about  it
being  wrong between father and child I could not  feel.   I
really  didn't believe that Father could do anything  wrong.
I  curled in beside Yue-Sin.  I had come to bed quite  late,
and  he  did not stir.  His dick was visible, and soft.   It
really  was  insignificant, a tiny little  nub  amongst  his
pubic  hair,  but  looking at his peaceful  face,  the  love
expressed even while asleep, I did not feel that this was of
any  importance.   I kissed him gently on the  forehead  and
fell into a profound sleep.

     FIFDAY


     I  woke to his gentle kiss in the morning.  He had  not
got  out  of bed yet and I threw myself on him, kissing  him
his  face,  his  chest, his dick, his legs.   I  sucked  his
balls, then lifted his legs and stuck my tongue in his arse.
As  soon as this was wet enough I replaced my tongue with my
straining  dick and fucked him quick and hard.  I then  fell
on his dick and took him in my mouth.  Resting for a bit,  I
enjoyed  the  sensation  of moving his  rigidity  around  my
mouth,  the taste of his cum.  I met his eyes, bemused  with
love,  when I looked up.  He lifted me up on top of him  and
pulled my head down for a long kiss.  After this he held  me
a  bit  away, just looking.  His eyes glistened with  tears.
He  said nothing except, "I must go, it will be light soon,"
and  got out of bed.  He left the bedroom, I assume to clean
himself  up,  dressed  on returning  and  kissed  me  again.
Goodbye.  But no words.  He moved out into the dark and  the
last  I  saw was his coattail and feet disappearing up  into
the wet dark.  I fell back into, still full of the taste and
smell of him, and was soon asleep again.
     Morning  was quite advanced by the time I awoke.   "You
slept  well,"  commented Hu-Wi on my late  arrival.   I  was
still mounted on Lika.  His next comment was, "We'll have to
lengthen  those stirrups.  I hadn't noticed how  short  they
have  become."   The day was spent in control  exercises  in
moderate  rain.  We crossed the river and ran  the  obstacle
course.  Lika performed immaculately.  On our way back Hu-Wi
asked  if  I would like to have a go on Kito next  week.   I
questioned my capability, but he said that he thought I  had
grown enough to try.
     I  met Ba-Nol in his workshop.  He was placing the last
of  the nails in a new wheel.  Grinning proudly he rolled it
around  the workshop, then demonstrated how he had  hammered
the  nails of the inner metal ring.  I praised his ingenuity
and was soon helping him place the new wheels on each end of
the  axle of his cart then pushing his stolid horse to  pull
it  down the main road.  It rode well, but so had the others
on their first run, I reminded him.
     "This will be different," he said.  Lika had been  tied
behind  and  patiently followed, though I  think  there  was
reproach in the way she eyed me from time to time.  I  waved
to  Hi-Tui   as we went through the town gate,  and  finally
encouraged  the cart horse into something akin  to  a  trot.
Field  workers returning for siesta made a space for  us  as
the  metal wheels whirred through the hard packed mud of the
road.   They waved and smiled, I waved in return.  The  wood
of  the bridge set up a hollow vibration but soon we were on
the  hard  surface of the ancient permanent road.  Here  the
sound  was  more of a controlled screech with the occasional
spark when a wheel hit something more prominent.
     Ba-Nol examined the wheels at the turning point,  swore
they were as good as new, and climbed back up.  Gold mounted
high  in  his thoughts and words as we returned  at  a  more
leisurely pace.  I had opted to ride Lika, as much  for  the
comfort as to salvage her pride, for in truth the solid cart
made  for an uncomfortable ride.  We talked about ways  that
this   stiffness   could  be  cushioned,  but   reached   no
conclusions.
     By the time we had arrived back at his workshop and the
wheels  were  still  seemingly  intact  Ba-Nol  was  already
postulating  on  ways to increase production.   I  suggested
greater caution, waiting a week or two to see the end result
before  committing resources to the production  of  the  new
wheel, but he talked of nothing else till we were soaking in
the  bath.   Then his attention turned to his freshly  stiff
dick and its satisfaction.
     After  lunch  Mother  engaged Ba-Nol  in  conversation,
asking  after his wife, his parents.  Letting Ba-Nol enthuse
further  about the new wheel.  With this topic still  fresh,
and  Ba-Nol  indicating that he wanted to talk over  further
details with me, Mother suggested that he sleep here  rather
than  return to his empty house.  Ba-Nol accepted  politely,
and soon we were cuddled up in bed.
     "I  like  the  feel  of you in my arms",  said  Ba-Nol,
echoed  by his dick that had sprung up and was pressing  out
past the limits of his belly and against my backside.
     "Thankyou, Ba-Nol.  But I'm sure I'm no replacement for
your beautiful wife."
     "No.   I  guess  not.  But it is much more  interesting
talking  with  you,  and  my dick  seems  to  not  know  the
difference."
     "I noticed that."
     After a comfortable silence Ba-Nol suddenly asked, "Can
I fuck you?"
     Caught  of guard I begged that Ba-Nol give me a  moment
to think.  His dick is long, I reasoned, but it is not thick
like that of Hi-Tui.  It should not hurt when it went in  or
cause  damage.  It was thicker than Yue-Sin's, but  not  too
much.  "Okay, we can try.  But you must go slow, and stop if
I say."
     "Naturally."
     "And  if you are going to use my arse I want to cum  in
your mouth."
     This  set  him back, and his body moved a  little  away
from  mine, but he must have thought it through and  decided
that it was a reasonable exchange, for he pushed against  me
again  and said, "OK.  Maybe next week you can try  my  arse
too."  With that his hand went down and started wiggling his
dick around, I assumed looking for my hole.
     "You'll need to wet me up a bit if you want to get in."
With the lubrication of saliva applied to me and his dick he
then proceeded to push once again.  He was surprisingly slow
and  gentle, in great contrast to Hi-Tui, taking it in  such
gradual  stages  that I hardly picked  when  had  made  full
entry.   Having experienced it twice before I  was  probably
more  aware of how to relax as well.  The initial  sensation
was of being exceedingly full, but this soon was replaced by
a  deep pleasure as he began to move.  Still, by the time he
had  finished  I  had had enough.  I didn't  experience  the
degree  of pleasure that Yue-Sin seemed to derive  from  the
activity, but I was still quite excited and didn't give  Ba-
Nol much choice as I pushed my groin towards his face.
     I  fell asleep feeling myself buried in the soft  flesh
of Ba-Nol's chest, contemplating one of my favourite topics,
the  strangeness  of the human condition,  particularly  the
sexual  aspect.  Ba-Nol was different again from all  I  had
experienced  to  date,  maybe  something  like  how   Father
described my uncle.  Yue-Sin liked men exclusively,  as  did
Father.   Hi-Tui liked both men and women, but  it  was  the
physical aspects that attracted him to both.  I suspect that
Ba-Nol was somewhat insensitive to the nature of the genital
organs  the  person  he  was with was equipped,  of  greater
importance  was  his  feelings for the person.   Remembering
back  to  the warmth I had felt for Win-Som on the night  of
the  dinner at her house I wondered where I stood.  Marriage
would  resolve that question, and for the first time I  felt
myself not so frightened of the proposition.