Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:44:11 +0200
From: A.K. <andrej@andrejkoymasky.com>
Subject: The Closured Order 09/10 (sf - fiction)

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THE CLOSURED ORDER
by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2005
written on June 18th 1994
translated by the author
English text kindly revised
by Brian

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USUAL DISCLAIMER

"THE CLOSURED ORDER" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic
scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family,
opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to
read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or
because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed
guest.

-----------------------------

CHAPTER 9 - THE THIRD JOURNEY AND THE REVELATION

As they reached the Convivium, Jarvis introduced the novice to the
Regent, who, for that month of stay, assigned it to the Novitiate,
without problems. He then went to see Trake and decided to tell him at
once about Fresth.

At the end, the Master concluded, "Poor boy, he has to suffer very
much."

"But possibly he has already overcome it."

"If that was so, he probably would have asked you to let him go back to
his Convivium, don't you think?"

"That's true."

"Don't muddle your hopes with reality, Jarvis. Anyway, you behaved
eighty per cent correct."

"And the missing twenty per cent?" the young man asked, with a humble
tone.

"The fact that you thought only of what you were feeling and not what
you have stirred up in the boy."

"But I cannot, there is no space for him inside my heart. My heart is
totally taken by you, Master, you know that."

"I'm not asking you to make of him your lover, only not to shut him out
of your heart."

"I didn't want him to follow me. I had to accept his Regent's decision,
and I have to take him with me for the next tour also."

"It seems to me that he has been useful, judging from what you told me."

"Certainly yes, and very much. He is a dear boy, smart, clever, full of
good will. But nothing more."

"But do you at least like him?"

"I'm growing affectionate of him, but like a brother, surely not like a
lover."

"Do you let him feel your affection?"

"Wouldn't that be encouraging him?"

"No. If he is in love with you, nothing will dishearten him. He will
love you in silence, he will suffer in silence."

"Master, are you pushing me into his arms?"

"And why not? I know I will not risk losing you."

"No, certainly not, that is impossible. Nobody and nothing will stop me
loving you."

"So, then?"

Jarvis didn't know what more to say, and lowered his head.

Trake caressed his hair, "Tonight you will see I am not pushing you in
the arms of anybody." He gently whispered.

Jarvis kissed his hand with gratitude and affection.

Trake wanted to meet Fresth - he got a very good impression and so he
wanted the boy to participate in the revision of the new notes. Fresth
rearranged all the files and the papers perfectly, and Trake praised
him. The boy was always ready to accomplish with good grace anything the
Master or Jarvis asked of him.

Once the month elapsed, they started out again for the last tour, the
one towards the South. They reached a Convivium of the same Order of
Fresth right during the occasion of the passage tests to become Acolyte
and the boy, on Jarvis' advice, asked to be allowed to undergo the
tests. The system was different from that of the Mystics, therefore the
boy could try them even without having passed the previous ones. It
consisted of a set of interviews and, after each of them, the various
examiners had only to give a favourable or negative judgment regarding
the passage to Acolytes level. Fresth got the minimum requirement to be
admitted. During the ceremony he was thus given the violet tunic of the
Acolytes of the Reformed and received the Reformed License.

During the journey, Fresth said to Jarvis, "I understand why you are in
love with Master Trake - he is a really exceptional man, and moreover he
is also very handsome."

"Yes. He liked you very much."

"Oh, I'm not even worth a nail of his toe. It has to be hard for you
having to be so far from Master Trake."

"Sure."

"But just for twelve more months."

"Yes. Then, who knows, possibly forever."

"Forever together."

"No, forever divided. When I found my new Order, he will not become part
of it, he said."

"What? Are you serious? But... why? It seems to me that Master Trake has
the new Order very much at heart. Besides, he is in love with you."

"He has it very much at heart and he has me very much at heart. But he
says he can help me better remaining in the Mystics than coming with
me."

"And... Will you accept being separated from him?"

"I cannot force him."

"But you can renounce founding the Order, so that you can stay with
him."

"Thus losing his esteem. No, up to now, he has always been right. I
didn't even like going on these journeys. He asked me to go, out of
obedience. I obeyed and later I saw he was right."

"Forgive me, but I can't understand - you love him and renounce him!"

"Something you would not be able to do."

"Certainly not. I would renounce everything for the man I love..." the
boy started to say, and then he broke off, blushed and lowered his eyes.

Jarvis smiled, "I'm aware of that." He said simply and spurred his
horse.

Fresth followed him, came alongside him again, "You are angry with me,
aren't you?"

"No, not at all."

"But you don't forgive me wanting to follow you."

"No, it is not so. I would have preferred you to stay at your Convivium,
this is true, but for your sake, not mine. You don't bother me at all,
on the contrary, you are a very likeable companion."

"For my sake? But I am happy being able to be near you."

"Even though you know I cannot love you."

"Sure. How can you love me, as you have a man like Master Trake? I am
nothing."

"Don't be silly. Trake also thinks you are a smart boy. He scolded me,
because he says I'm treating you too coldly."

"No, you are not treating me coldly. No. You are simply not in love with
me."

"But I'm starting to be fond of you. I feel very good in your company."

Fresth said nothing, but these words did him good.

They stopped in a small Convivium of Sapients. There were in all only
twelve United, living in a structure that must have hosted, in better
times, at least four times as many. They were welcomed with simplicity
but also with a great openness. That Convivium specialized on astronomy
studies and had a good observatory. When the two travelers talked with
the Regent, they asked him why such a large building hosted so few
members.

"Ah, what can I say? Here in the surroundings in ancient times there
were up to twelve villages. Today only three are still extant. In the
last two or three centuries the people started to migrate towards better
lands so the valleys became depopulated. Therefore less and less youths
asked to enter this Convivium and so we diminished. At times astronomers
come here from all over the Nation, or even from other nations, to make
studies from our observatory and our duty is now reduced to keep the
equipment efficient and to host the visitors. I don't mean that, in our
small way, we are not carrying out some studies. But, you see, we have
only one Candidate, two Novices, five Professed and three Acolytes, and
a Master, that is I. I believe this is the only Convivium, or one of the
few, where each Novice and Candidate has his own room - we have too many
of them, too many cells."

In the Regent's words a tone of sadness was easily sensed. And yet the
small community seemed serene. It gave more the feeling of a family than
of a Convivium. Only the gray and light blue clothes showed they were
United. On the internal etiquette also, they were very informal, calling
each other only by their names, without using the degree titles. The
great reunions hall was no more in use and very seldom the medium hall,
but just the small one. The great hall was really beautiful, all the
walls covered with allegoric bas-reliefs in fine white marble,
representing the thirteen constellations of the annual cycle. All the
surrounds, even those that were no longer in use, were kept spotless, so
that the complex didn't give a feeling of emptiness, of abandon, but
just of a temporary absence of the other inhabitants.

They were there for three days when one night, Jarvis heard a light
knocking at the door of his cell. It was Professed Temin.

"I noticed there was still light at your window so I presumed you were
not yet in bed. Am I bothering you?"

"No, not at all. Come in, please."

"No, thank you. I just came to offer you to climb up to our observatory
with me - this is a very clear night and the constellations are nicely
visible. Are you interested?"

"Yes, very much."

"Follow me then, please." The Professed said, leading the way.

Their footsteps in the wide corridor were reverberating lightly, almost
like leaves rustling. They climbed a stairway, and then passed through
another corridor. Temin's lantern light was drawing evocative light and
shadow plays from the sculpted doorposts of the empty cells. They
climbed the stairs of the tower and finally they were in the
observatory.

It was a moonless night, therefore ideal to observe the stars that were
crowding the sky. Temin started to explain how to find his way amongst
so many stars, and how to recognize them. They slowly moved from one
arch to the other, making the complete tour of the observatory windows.
Jarvis liked the deep, warm voice of Temin, and found him really
sensual.

"The sky is really beautiful, poetic. And up here I feel very good."
Jarvis said in a murmur.

"I was sure you would be pleased."

"You come up here often, I guess."

"Certainly."

"Alone?"

"At times. At other times with one of the others."

"For your studies?"

"At times to study, other times just to enjoy the sight of the sky. With
a companion, it seems even more beautiful." Temin said, looking into his
eyes.

"Yes, I guess so. One feels so small, in front of the immensity of the
sky, and yet, feels also very good."

"Come." Temin said taking his hand and leading the way up a narrow stone
stairway, up to the terrace-roof of the observatory.

The contact with that hand sent shivers through Jarvis who,
instinctively, lightly squeezed it.

"Here we are. Lay down here and look straight above you - do you see
that group of seven stars in a circle? Only during this month are they
right above us."

Jarvis could feel under himself, through his tunic, the coolness of the
stone. Temin was lying near him and was pointing the stars out to him.

"What are you feeling, as you are here?" he asked him, raising himself
on his elbow and looking at him.

"Peace." Jarvis whispered.

"Yes, and then? What more?"

"A feeling of charm."

"And... what more?" the Professed insisted.

Jarvis looked into the eyes of the young man, then his lips half-opened
in a light smile, and felt the desire to be kissed.

"I feel like being in a dream where everything is possible, everything
allowed, everything good." Jarvis murmured and, raising his hand,
skimmed along Temin's lips with his fingertips.

The Professed didn't move, but whispered, "Everything, yes, really
everything."

"Kiss me." Murmured Jarvis.

Temin rolled his body on Jarvis', who embraced him tightly against
himself, then he took Jarvis' face in his hands and slowly lowered his
head to kiss him.

Then raised his head and asked, gently, "And then?"

"Undress me... undress yourself." Jarvis asked with a low, excited
voice.

Temin smiled and complied. Then, seated near his naked body still lying
down, he caressed Jarvis' chest lightly, his sides, the belly then
insisted, once more, "And then, what do you desire?"

"Unite with you." He said brushing his turgid nipples lightly while his
companion was again lowering to kiss his body.

Their limbs intertwined, their vigorous erections pushed one against the
other.

"I like you, Jarvis."

"I desire you."

"You want me?"

"Yes, I want you."

Temin slipped upwards with his body on Jarvis' body, until the host's
turgid member was compressed under his buttocks.

"Take me, I want you inside me." Temin murmured with a deep voice,
filled with desire, rising on his knees, astride Jarvis' spreading his
buttocks with his hands.

Jarvis raised his member with his hand and his mate slowly let himself
down, until he established the contact. Jarvis' member gave a strong
throb. Temin smiled and started to push down. Jarvis, instinctively,
arched his back, so pushing his member into the young man, and pulled
away his hand to be able to plunge all of it inside the warm, welcoming
channel.

He then seized Temin's waist and pulled him down to himself.

"Wow!" Temin moaned letting himself go and being penetrated up to the
hilt, "what a good, strong rod, Jarvis! I like it."

Then, after a short pause, caressing Jarvis' body, he started to spring
up and down, with a will. At each stroke, his turgid member rapped on
Jarvis' tense belly. He was like a horseman at times trotting, at times
galloping in a vigorous, fast rhythm. He rode Jarvis shouting short
yells of pleasure, prey of a growing excitation - he seemed almost
transfigured by the pleasure. Jarvis felt him shudder, concentrate,
quiver more and more intensely and understood that Temin was nearing his
orgasm, even though he didn't even touch his own member. Therefore
Jarvis started to give strong strokes from down up, making his hips
spring up so that he too rapidly was on the edge of ecstasy and at last,
both moaning without restraint their reciprocal enjoyment, they came at
the same time.

"Goodness, how good it was!" Temin murmured, sitting on Jarvis' pubes,
keeping his still hard member inside himself, and making his anus
palpitate.

Jarvis sat up, embraced him and kissed him deeply. They caressed each
other. Excitement wasn't lessening in neither of them.

"I still want you." Jarvis said, prey of lust.

"I too." Temin answered in a murmur full of emotion.

So Jarvis made him lie on his back, kneeled between his spread thighs,
raised them and started to move again in and out of him with gentleness
and vigour at once.

"Ohhh, what a stallion!" Temin sighed happily under that pleasurable
assault.

"You always come here to be taken?"

"Often."

"Do you have a lover?"

"I've six lovers, in reality. We are seven coming up here to make love.
But you are exceptional - Poglin told me you know how to take a man and
make him die of pleasure."

"Poglin? The Novice? But I never made love with him, how can he know?"

"He made love with your companion, so he heard that from him, and that's
why I came to look for you. Ohhh, so... go on... that's so good..."
Temin moaned under Jarvis' strokes, which were getting more and more
vigorous.

Jarvis saw his companion's face transform from the intense emotions he
was experiencing while he was taken, and this gave him a feeling of
drunkenness and of vivid emotion.

"Ohhh, yessss... so..." Temin repeated when he felt his mate was coming
inside him for the second time, with strong and passionate darts and
long moans of enjoyment.

They lay down, panting, still united, for a good while. Then their
embrace slowly broke up.

"There is no danger that somebody comes up here?" asked Jarvis,
remembering only then that the observatory doors weren't shut.

"No. Did you notice that as soon as we entered the tower, I lit a
lantern and left it near the door? That is the sign telling the others
not to come up here."

"Yes, your six mates, but the other five members of the Convivium?"

"They neither would come, as they know the meaning of the lantern."

"They know?"

"Well if they know the real reason or not, I don't really know, but they
respect the sign. I think they can guess its meaning, anyway. You see,
in ancient times, when more than fifty scholars lived here, that was the
sign that a group was up here for meditation, so the others didn't come,
so as not to disturb them. Officially, the meaning is still the same.
The groups of those times were formed of seven people, not of just
two... and they were meditating on the stars, not on their naked
bodies." Temin added with a sly expression, while they were putting
their clothes on again.

Some ten days later, during the night, Jarvis was not able to fall
asleep. So he stood up and looked out of the window of his cell - the
sky was clear and crowded with stars. He thought it would be good to
climb up to the observatory terrace. Without even wearing his loincloth
he just put on his tunic and, barefoot, went there. All was silent and
no light filtered through the doors of the few inhabited cells. As he
desired to be alone, for safety he lit the lantern at the tower door -
so nobody would enter. Then he climbed up to the observatory.

There was a crescent moon, therefore it was possible to have a hint of
the nocturnal landscape and the valley had an almost surreal aspect,
dreamlike.  He thought that from the terrace the view could be even more
beautiful. He thus climbed the narrow stone stairs. When his head came
to the terrace floor level, he saw that somebody was already there. He
was about to go back, when he stopped - it was Fresth, leaning against
the parapet and looking far away. He was alone. And it seemed he was
crying. Jarvis felt troubled - the youth always seemed serene - so, why
that silent crying up here? Was it because of him? He had to know, he
had to understand.

He climbed the last stairs and was behind the youth. On impulse, he
embraced him from behind and Fresth had a start of surprise and fear.

Jarvis whispered to him, "Fresth, it's me..."

The youth became still then, with a strange voice, without turning
around, asked, "Jarvis?"

"Yes. Are you crying?"

"No." The Acolyte lied.

"Why are you crying? Am I the cause?" he asked gently, continuing to
keep him in his arms.

"No." The youth repeated trying to assume a natural tone, and turned his
head back.

Their eyes met and Jarvis read in them all the love that the youth was
still feeling for him. As in a lightning flash, very strong emotions
welled up in him and suddenly he was conscious of the body he was
holding against himself, of its warmth, of his desire, and became
aroused. Fresth at once became aware of this and stiffened.

"Let me go, please." He murmured, in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I gave you my word not to... but it is becoming too difficult
to keep it."

"What is becoming too difficult?" Jarvis asked gently, squeezing him
against himself with more vigour and kissed him on the neck.

"No, please." The youth repeated, his body trembling and his legs about
giving way for the emotion.

"Let you go? Fresth. I want you." Jarvis insisted kissing him again on
his neck and, raising the youth's tunic, started to unfasten his
loincloth.

"Please, Jarvis, if you do this me, how can I be able to... It has
already been so difficult, up to now. Stop, please." The youth murmured,
unconsciously changing to informal speech.

Jarvis continued to undress him and said, "I want you, Fresth. Don't you
want me?"

"Oh, are you asking me? You know that I dream of this. But
afterwards..."

"Afterwards?"

"Afterwards, having again to renounce you, will be even harder."

Jarvis pulled off his own tunic then again pulled the youth against his
body, pushing his hard, sound member against his naked buttocks.

"But I want you. Let me enter in you."

"Oh, Jarvis!"

"Please, accept me." Jarvis insisted, brushing his tool against him,
filled with lust, and keeping the youth pressed against him, with a hand
on his chest and the other on his belly, then he nibbled his ear lobe.

"Oh, Jarvis, take me! Oh yes, take me, take me, make me yours!" the
youth gasped and pushed strongly his butt against the man's pulsating
member.

Jarvis took him to their tunics, spread on the floor, then lowered onto
him, and embraced him, filled with passion, and then he kissed his mouth
deeply for a long while. Fresth spread his legs and closed them around
the waist of his companion, in a silent offer. Jarvis, holding his
member with one hand, aimed at the youth's hole and, without stopping to
kiss him, started to enter him. Fresth encircled Jarvis' neck with his
arms and lightly rotating his pelvis, supported his mate's pushes,
moaning his pleasure aloud.

"Oh, Fresth, I like you."

"I'm all yours."

"Yes, you're mine." Jarvis murmured, starting to fill his channel with
virile, passionate strokes.

"Jarvis, oh goodenes, Jarvis, it's wonderful, wonderful."

"You like it?"

"To die! Nobody is able to take me as you do. Tell me this is not a
dream."

"No, this isn't a dream, Fresth." Jarvis whispered merrily, fully
enjoying the sweet but active submissiveness of his companion.

Many had given themselves to him with intense pleasure, but Jarvis felt
that the boy was giving himself to him with passion, warmth, tenderness,
transport, love and devotion, and he felt deeply grateful to him. The
transfigured face of Fresth seemed to him more than seductive, really
fascinating, very provoking. So he thought, with a mix of warmth and
joy, "how not to love him?"

They made love for a long while, with untamed passion, until together
they reached a strong, sweet orgasm. Then Jarvis embraced Fresth and
caressed him. From the boy's eyes, tears were dripping.

"Why these tears, now?" Jarvis asked him holding the boy against
himself.

"Now it will be more difficult than before."

"What?"

"Not to desire this to happen again."

"You didn't understand, then?"

"What?"

"That it's me the one needing you, that I love you, that I want you."

"You mean that..."

"... that I want you to be my lover, Fresth. I made you suffer up to
now, with no reason."

"But... Master Trake?"

"I love him. But I love you too. I can't help it. I love both of you, in
a different way, but a true love."

"I can't understand you. How not to love Master Trake?"

"But I love you too, and you are always at my side, differently than
him. I'm confused, and yet, it is really so."

"Jarvis?"

"Tell me."

"I don't want to separate you from him. When you are with him, you can
forget me and love him as before. He comes before me."

"You are way too dear. But it wouldn't be right, even though I don't
know how to do this."

"As I told you. Love me when you are not with him, and love him when you
are together." The boy said, gently caressing Jarvis' manly body.

"But it seems wrong to me."

"I'm sure he too will tell you the same."

"Fresth, can you forgive me?"

"For what? For having told me that you love me?"

"For how I behaved towards you."

"You behaved honestly. What would I have to forgive you for? Don't you
know that I'm happy?"

"Really?"

"Really. I can live with the man I love and I can also have his love.
What more may I desire from life? No, to tell the truth, I still desire
something..."

"Tell me."

"Would you make love to me again, now, here?"

"Certainly, my sweetheart, certainly." Jarvis answered, deeply moved.

Daybreak found them still tenderly connected and exchanging words of
love.

"It is possibly better now if we go back to our cells to have some
sleep, don't you agree, Fresth?"

"I don't, but I think you are right. Think if somebody had come up
there, during the night!"

"No, unwittingly I made so that we would be safe." Jarvis told him and,
while they were dressing, explained the lantern signal to him.

"Did you know I was here?"

"Not at all. I believed I was alone and wanted to stay alone. I wasn't
able to sleep, something prevented me. I didn't know why, but now it's
evident that it was because of you, here, waiting for me."

"But I wasn't waiting for you. I was feeling sad, and came up here to
let it pass."

"And did you succeed?"

"Not I, but you."

They exchanged a last, long kiss, then went downstairs and back to their
cells to have some rest.

While they were riding towards their last destination before ending the
journey, Jarvis said to Fresth, "When we get back to my Convivium, will
you ask to become a Mystic?"

"I was thinking of entering into your new Order direct."

"I don't know if and when I will succeed. Master Trake says it will not
be at all easy to get authorization."

"Who has to give it?"

"The Bergalilam, after hearing the views of all the Great Masters of the
Orders, and also after several inspections."

"Inspections?"

"Sure, to check the life-style in the Convivium wanting to constitute a
new Order. Trake says that he knows of about six attempts to found a new
Order, in the past centuries, and all failed. He is now studying these
facts to see the reasons why they were all refused. But, at the worst,
we would at least get authorization to open a new Mystics Convivium,
even though it would not be the same thing. Therefore, for the moment,
it would be better if you became a Mystic, so that we can remain
together forever. As guest of another Order you would not be allowed to
be with me always... sooner or later you would have to go back to your
Order, to your Convivium."

"No, never that. Would they accept me?"

"Surely, and with your  Acolytes degree. To become a Professed, though,
you would have to pass the tests. It is up to you."

"Do you want me to become a Professed?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll pass all the tests, don't doubt that." Fresth answered with a
resolute tone.

Before going back, they stopped in a Wises' Convivium. Their white and
black tunics were particularly elegant, even if compared to those of the
other Conviviums of the same Order. The Regent, welcoming them,
explained that from that Convivium, one of the oldest of their Order,
several Great Masters were chosen and this gave them the honor of
wearing silk tunics, instead of the usual cotton ones.

The Convivium was large, spread around nine internal gardens, one for
each degree and one more for the Great Hall. Around the garden called
"of the Great Master" there were apartments reserved for them. It didn't
happen often, but at times the Order's Great Masters went to spend a
period in the Convivium.

Jarvis was given a cell in the garden of the Professeds and Fresth one
in the garden of Acolytes. The Wises spent all their time on the
thorough study of the Scriptures and of the Canonical Commentaries, each
of them specializing on one of the books or on a certain subject. But,
and this really appealed to Jarvis, in that Convivium there were also
some Masters specialized in the study of one of the books or on a
specific subject. Another thing that aroused Jarvis interest, there were
also Masters specialized in the study of heresies. When Jarvis asked the
authorization to read the heretical texts, he was denied, even though
with kind words.

One of the Masters explained to him, "Only a few of the Masters, and on
a specific warrant of our Great Master, can access these texts, that are
kept in our Library of Errors. Nobody else is allowed to read them -
they are way too much dangerous..."

"What danger could there be in a book, Master?"

"At times they are written in a subtle and convincing way and if one
does not have specific preparation, they can mislead a simple mind."

"But could you at least hint which are the most common heresies
contained in that literature?"

"Yes, this I can. The most grave is the denial of God. Then come those
denying that Galil is His prophet or even that Galil ever existed. Then
come those denying some of the laws, as those concerning the social
order, those on the right of ownership, those about taxes to maintain
the Keepers and the Orders or those who want to legitimize all or some
of the sexual crimes."

"These last, I presume, are the most numerous, aren't they?"

"No, and not even the most dangerous. I'd dare say, even, they are the
most amusing ones. There is also an apologetic text about love between
two males! It was written by a United, I presume, because he shows a
deeply knowledge of the Scriptures. It states no less than the
Bergalilam, the first one, that is Galil's son, was in love with another
male and that's why the United were founded... with his father's
blessing!"

"How can one affirm such a thing!" Jarvis exclaimed, pretending to be
outraged, to conceal his interest on the subject.

"Quoting the Scriptures and interpreting them in his own way, as do all
the most skilled heretics. Can you now understand why these books have
to be kept secret?"

"Certainly yes." Jarvis murmured, regretting he could not read that
interesting text.

Jarvis, back in his cell, went at once to read the Scriptures where they
narrated about Ber, the second son of Galil. He started to find the
passages, to whom previously he didn't pay a deep enough attention, but
that now seemed very clear to him.

"... and Ber saw Tulham and at once felt a strong affection towards him
- Tulham in fact was young and handsome and his glances irradiated
purity. Ber then approached him and said: my name is Ber, I am the
second born of the Prophet. Oh young man, what is thy name? Tulham fell
at his feet and said: Tulham is my name, and I am the unworthy servant
of Ber. Whatever thou desirest is law to me. Tell me how can I please
thou. Ber made him rise and said: If thou really want to please me, be
my friend and not my servant." And some paragraphs later, was written,
"... and they became inseparable, and they shared everything, from the
bowl to the pillow."

A few pages after, there was the narration about how Galil found the
right wives for his sons, "He looked for a girl in each different
nation, but being only ten nations, he decided to take three girls from
the people of the mountains. However Ber told his father: I know no
woman yet, and I don't feel the desire to know one. Exempt me from
having to lie with a woman, let me free to meditate about the revelation
that God bestowed on thou. This is a wise choice, Galil answered, thus
thou and thy friends sharing thy same choice, will live together in one
house, like a family, but there will be no women amongst you, so that
you will not be distracted from your studies. Like thy brother Am, thou
will live amongst the nations, but this will distinguish thou from Am -
thou and thy friends, united, will never marry a woman and never will
lie with a woman. Take with thou thy Tulham and the others sharing your
same choice and go to live in the house in the forest, that I give you.
Ber strongly rejoiced at his father's words."

A few pages later, "Tulham danced for Ber and sang: Here, we are
reunited in the forest peace, to praise God and thy father, his prophet.
How sweet is thy smile, my dearly loved Ber, how sweet is thy voice, how
sweet thy glance - for generations and generations thousands and
thousands of youths will follow thy example, and shirk from women to
reach ecstasies in the houses, to unite in houses devoted to Convivium,
and shine amongst the people oppressed by the toil and the care of a
family."

There were other interesting passages, but one particularly caught
Jarvis attention - Ber's plaint for Tulham's death: "... my friend, and
calling thou just a friend is betraying thee, my irreplaceable support,
my faithful companion! Prepare for me also a soft pallet at the right of
God, near thine, and wait for me, faithful as thou were in life, as I
will come. I will knock at the eternal doors as every day I was knocking
at thy door, and thou will recognize my knocking and thou will rejoice
and thou will say: Lord, here is my Ber, coming to rejoin me, forever. I
knew this man and he knew me, and together we sang your praise on Earth
with our voices and our bodies - let our bodies and our minds, forever
close to each other, have eternal joy in your light."

And last: "Ber didn't want anybody near him to take Tulham's place -
this is why it is said that the Bergalilam has no companion."

Right, "The Bergalilam has no companion" had always been interpreted in
the sense that all the charges, in the United Orders, provided for a
deputy called companion, but not the Bergalilam. Each Great Master, each
Elder, each Councilor as soon as he was elected, had to choose a
companion who could take his place if he was hindered from participating
in an activity, but not the Bergalilam. But the ancient signification
seemed to be different. Was it possible that only a "heretic" understood
that? Everything now seemed so clear, so evident to Jarvis.

If a Galil ever existed and a son called Ber, even if they never existed
and all the narration was just an allegory, the sense was EVIDENT - the
United had been founded exactly for those who, like Jarvis, loved men.
Why afterwards had all that been denied? And when? Possibly when the
Canonical copy of the Scriptures was written down and all the ancient
documents were destroyed! Was it also possible that in writing the
Canonical copy some words were changed? It would have been interesting
to verify on the fragments that were found later...

Jarvis was excited about this discovery and went at once to tell Fresth.

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CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 10

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In my home page I've put some more of my stories. If someone wants to
read them, the URL is
http://andrejkoymasky.com
If you want to send me feed-back, or desire to help revising my English
translations, so that I can put on-line more of my  stories in English
please e-mail at
andrej@andrejkoymasky.com

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