Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:59:23 -0800 (PST)
From: JMH <trandar2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Guild/chp 18

Hope all is going well for everyone... got the flu so going to take it
easy for the next few days.  Chps up to 24 will be up on the yahoo group
soon.

				    JMH

			   trandar2002@yahoo.com

	    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/

******************************************************************************

When Austin awoke... it was to find himself in the unfamiliar surroundings
of a white marbled room.  Pulling off the silk sheets Austin began to
wonder if he were in heaven. The illusion was broken when a bald man in
an oversized brown tunic came hobbling in.  "So... the prince consort has
awakened."

"The who?" Austin asked confused.

"You my lad... you do remember who you are?"

"I do know who I am... but I do not think I am a prince."

"But you are my lord..."  The old man said cheerfully before he started
to mumble.   "Oh dear... now I remember... the Emperor himself is not very
schooled in protocol... coming from the northern wastes and all.  Are you
more familiar with the title of oath brother?

On hearing those words, Austin turned his right hand over to see the scar
on his palm.  "Yes... I do know what that is."

"Well here in the Julock we had never had an emperor with an oath
brother before... barbaric sounding name. Practically sent the minister of
protocol into a fit.  Took six days for the Senate to come up with the
proper title of prince consort.  I just hope the emperor appreciates how
hard we are working to please him."

"The emperor... he does not happen to be Vard?"  Austin asked
suspiciously.

"Yes... that happens to be his name.  But I would not call him Vard if I
were you."

"Why not... I have always called him that?"

"Yeah why?"  A deep voice chuckled from the door to the room.  There
stood Vard, dressed in silver armor, a gold wreath in his now short but
still blond hair.

"Your majesty!" The bald man squeaked as he went down to his knees.

"You may leave us Weston."

"Yes your majesty." The bald man left.

Once they were alone, Vard let his shoulders slump and the tears grow in
his eyes.  "Austin... I thought I lost you."

"What do you mean?"

"You mean Weston did not tell you."  Vard asked as he pushed Austin
back down on the bed.

"Tell me what?"

"So much has happened you don't know about." Vard said as he began
working his breastplate off.

"Well if you would answer my questions I think we can solve that."
Austin laughed.

"Austin... what is the last thing you remember?"

"I remember getting this."  Austin said with distaste as he looked at
the scar on his hand.

"And after that..."

"Well..."  Austin blushed.  "I remember we started making love."

"And..."

"And... I don't remember."

"Then I guess that is where we will start...  We were making love on the
beach with a fairly large audience cheering us on when I asked you to
take us into the Void.  Then... then everything went terribly wrong."

"What happened?"  Austin asked, worried over the shaken look that was
growing on Vard's face.

"It was like being in the middle of a storm at sea without a boat... We
were tossed about wildly.  I heard you scream.  Then almost as soon as it
had begun it was over... but it was not over."

"Something happened to us."

"Something happened to you... You would breath, your heart had a strong
beat but you would not wake up.  White Cloud called it the death sleep.
Some wanted to bury you alive... others burn you.  But I would not let
them.  I would not let them."

"And I'm glad you did."  Austin smiled nervously as he wrapped and arm
around his lover.

"I sent out the birth kin to find a healer... anyone that could restore
you to me. One of those they found told me she could not help you but
that my best hope lied in the Republic of Julock.  So to Julock I brought
you."

"So how did you end up as Emperor?"

"I was getting to that.  When we arrived in Julock I took you directly
to the healers but none of them would talk to me... until I met Weston.
He told me there was a way to restore you using a Guild device...one of
the last bits of Guild technology that still works here on Santor.  There
was problem however.  Only the emperor and his family are ever allowed to
use it."

"So you killed the emperor, stole the throne, and restored your true
love to life... the end." Austin laughed.

"Why did you do that?"  Vard asked, hating that Austin just ruined his
story.

"Because I think there is something more pressing we need to see to."
Austin grinned as he reached into Vard's tunic.

"It has been a long time."  Vard's wolfish smiled appeared.

"As far as I'm concerned it has been three weeks too long."

"For me it has been three months." Vard said flat face.

"You mean I was asleep for three months!"  Austin said shocked.

"Two months and nine days."  Vard corrected as he lifted his tunic over
his head.

"And you have not slept with anyone?"

"How could I master of my bed."  Vard grinned as he climbed on top of
Austin.

"You mean because I was not around to give my approval..."

"No one has been in my bed but you beloved."   Vard finished as he
lowered his lips against Austin's.

            "I love you Vard."

            "I love you too."  Vard smiled.  He planned on spending the
next few days showing Austin how much.

**************************************************

"Prelate, the storm is over.  The Void is now open."  General Felix
said with pride and relief.

"Good...  send out the messenger ships to summon the Assemblymen and
Guild Mistresses.  I want their oaths of fealty as soon as possible."
Gerick commanded.

"And if they refuse?"

"Kill them."

"As you wish."  Felix bowed.  "What do you want done with the fleet?

Gerick took out the data pad Thomas had given him months ago and handed
it to the general.  "This is a list of prison worlds under Inquisitor
control.  I want them captured."

"May I ask why?"

"Yes... Joshua is on one of them so I do not have to tell you that you
need to use extreme precaution.  Joshua must not be harmed."

"I will see that it is done Prelate but may I ask a favor in return my
lord."

"You may."

"If I find Joshua... and bring him to you alive, may I have Kentor?"

"And why would you want that vegetable?"  Gerick laughed.

"He might be a blubbering idiot my lord but his mind was never his
greatest asset to begin with."

"So why do you want him?"

"The mind might be weak but the flesh is strong."

  "I see... so you want to make a pleasure slave out of him.  I think I
have underestimated you general.  Very well, bring me Joshua, unharmed,
and you may do with Kentor as you see fit."

"Thank you my lord."  Felix said as he bowed his way out of the room.

With the general gone, there was a movement from behind the office
curtains "And what if he fails?"  Thomas's voice asked.

"If he fails... he will live to regret it." Gerick said darkly.

"Can you not give him to me?"  Thomas asked in a begging tone.

Gerick stood up from his desk and went to the closed curtains, feeling
Thomas's bare body through the thick material.  "And what would you do
with him if I gave him to you."

"We would play games together."  Thomas said with a childish laugh as
Gerick took hold of the root of his manhood.

"The same games you and I have played?"

"What other kind of games are there... only that I would play the role of
Prelate."

"Of course... I don't want anyone to tamper with my artwork."

"Do I really look that beautiful?"  Thomas asked as he slipped out from
the curtains.

"You do." Gerick nodded as he bit into Thomas' bleached white skin,
while his hands ran down the mass of scars on the young man's back.

******************************************************

Joshua had been deep asleep, snuggled between Brail and Falcon, the smell
of sex still hanging around them when the attack began.  It started off
as a deep thudding sound but then it grew louder...and louder until the
entire prison shaft began to shack, large chunks of stone chipping away.

"Earthquake?"  Brail shouted as all three men woke up.

"No... bombardment."  Falcon replied as he pulled Joshua toward a
supporting pillar right before a large rock came crashing down.

"How do you know?"  Brail asked.

"This is a dead planet...solid to the core.  It does not have
earthquakes."

"Who is attacking us?"  Joshua coughed, his lungs filled with dust.

"The question we should be asking is how did anyone find us."  Falcon
coughed as well.


            Then... almost as soon as it began the pounding stopped.  For
hours there was silence but for the moans of injured men.  Finally
however a voice came on the loud speaker.  "Joshua... Joshua Val'der...
you are here by instructed to climb to the top of the ramp and present
yourself."

"What should I do?"  Joshua asked his Protectors.

"Don't go Joshua,"  Brail ordered.

"Falcon?"

"It is your choice but I would not go till I knew more."

For around thirty minutes the message repeated over and over in a loop.
But it did eventually change.  "Joshua... Joshua Val'der if you do not
show yourself we will begin killing the other prisoners.  You have ten
minutes to respond.

"Well that answers that question."  Falcon sighed.

"What question?"  Joshua asked.

"Weather or not this was a rescue mission... it is clearly not."

"What is it then?"  Brail asked.

"Gerick."  Falcon said coldly.

"No..."  Joshua said as panic began to bubble forth.  "We have to get
out of here.  We have to get away!"

"Joshua... Joshua Val'der if you do not show yourself we will begin
killing the other prisoners.  You have eight minutes to respond."  The
loud speaker wailed.

"Joshua calm down..."  Falcon said in a sharp tone.

"But..."

"Joshua... listen to me.  There is no use hiding any longer.  It will not
change the end result.  Can we agree on that?"

"But there has to be away!"

"I am sure there is... but not here... not while we are trapped in a
corner,"  Falcon said.

"Joshua... Joshua Val'der if you do not show yourself we will begin
killing the other prisoners.  You have five minutes to respond."

"So you want me to give up?"

"Yes Joshua... you will need to trust me and you will need to be strong.
Things might get very difficult but I promise you Joshua I will save you
from Gerick.  I will see you reunited with Vard.  Can you be strong?  Can
you trust me?"

"Yes."  Joshua nodded.

"Good... now let's go."

Hand in hand Joshua, Flacon and Brail made their way to the top of the
ramp...making it with two minutes to spare.  Waiting for them were several
ranks of iron masked men... and one man in steel.

"Joshua Val'der?"  The steel masked man asked.

"Yes."  Joshua nodded, holding the hands of his Protectors tight.

"Why is your face bruised."  The man asked... with a hint of worry in
his voice.

"Falcon and I..."  Joshua started to say but was cut off by his father.

"We were hit by the stones falling from your bombardment."

"I see..."  The man's nervousness grew.  "Well come along Joshua... we
will have the doctors see to your injuries.

Not letting go of his Protectors, Joshua took several steps forward,
Brail and Flacon following.  They did not get far before the iron masked
men raised their guns.

"No..."  Joshua shouted.

"Joshua you no longer need these men.  Gerick had guaranteed your
safety.  They would be better off staying here."  The steel man said
coldly.

"I'm not leaving without them."

"I am afraid I can not allow that."

"But..."  Joshua protested.

"Remove these men."  The steel masked man ordered to his soldiers.

As Falcon and Brail were torn away from his hands Joshua tired to think
of anything he could do to stop it.  As a butt of one of the soldier's
gun accidentally hit him on his bruised shoulder, Joshua let out a sharp
yelp that stopped everyone.

"Joshua... Are you alright?"  The steel masked man, who was none other
then General Felix, asked, his voice shaking with fear.

  Joshua embarrassed that he had made such a fuss was about to say
`yes' when he suddenly realized why the steel masked man was so
concerned.  Gerick had insured his safety... that must mean that he had
order that he not be hurt.  Remembering how Thomas would sometimes act...
Joshua put on his first performance.

"No I am not alright!  Wait until I till Gerick how you have been
treating me.  He will have all your heads for this!"  Joshua shouted.

"But Joshua... it was an accident.  You can't have us killed over an
accident."

"Do you think Gerick would believe that?"  Joshua dared.

"Please Joshua... you must not tell Gerick that we hurt you... this is not
a game but real lives we are talking about," Felix, who was now on his
knees, begged.

"No," Joshua said as he stomped his foot on the ground.

Falcon... who was trying his best not to laugh saw through Joshua rues and
stepped in.  "General... maybe I could convince the counterpart not to
tell Gerick about this incident.  That is if you let Brail and myself
join him."

"Do you think you could do that?"  Felix asked hopefully while Joshua
continued his temper tantrum.

"Are you willing to risk otherwise."

"No... no I'm not.  Very well you may come with the counterpart."

"Thank you general.  You will not regret it."

Even while he had been yelling and screaming, Joshua had heard every word
that had passed between Falcon and the general.  In hearing the steel
mask man agree to let his Protectors join him he quickly stopped his
protests.  That of course was a mistake as it triggered Felix's
suspicions.

"Hold him."  The general said coldly as he pointed to Brail.

"No." Joshua shouted.

"I do not know what game you think you are playing boy but it ends here
and now.  Shoot him." Felix next ordered.

Joshua wanted to close his eyes but he couldn't.  His mind would not let
him.  He watched as the iron masked men fired their guns... watched as
they hit Brail full in the chest... and watched as his Protector's body
burned away into ash.  It was only then that Joshua was able to close his
eyes but by then it was too late.

"Now Joshua... you are going to behave like a man of your station
should.  You will be polite, respectful, obedient.  You better learn
those skills before we arrive back on Earth or else you are going to find
your time with Gerick most unpleasant."  Felix warned.  To make sure of
this consider your remaining Protector a hostage.  If you ever threaten
me or my men again I will personally see that he joins his companion in a
dust bin.  Do you understand?"

"Yes," Joshua cried.

"Good."

Joshua wept uncontrollably on the bed while Falcon looked out the view
port as the Guild war-liner left the dead planet so it was only Falcon
who watched as two antimatter missiles were launched from the ship,
hitting the surface of the planet where the prison had been located...
leaving a giant crater behind.

"The bastard."  Falcon cursed.  There was no reason behind such
senseless killing.

Falcon then turned his attention back on Joshua.  Going over to the bed
he wrapped his long limbs around Joshua's body.

"I feel so empty."

"I know... but it will fade."

"How do you know?"

"Because the same happened to me when my sister was burned at the
stake,"  Falcon thought but said, "I just do."

"It is all my fault... I should not have made a scene."

"I actually enjoyed what you did."

"But it killed Brail."

"Joshua, if you had not done what you did both Brail and I would have
both been left at the prison and do you know what is left of that prison
now?"

"No,"  Joshua replied.

"Absolutely nothing... it was always the general's plan on destroying
it.  So yes Brail is dead... but not because of what you did Joshua.  His
death is only one person's fault... Gerick's.  Remember that.  It will
help you resist him when the time comes.

Joshua wished Falcon's words comforted him... they didn't however.  He
could not get rid of his feelings of guilt and loss.  It would be a long
time before he would.