Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 23:40:42 EDT
From: Double A
Subject: Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Disclaimer:

	Well, if you liked Chronicles Of Whiteshadow Isle: First Era, than
you must be happy to see that I'm working on the sequel. Okay, before you
get too confused by some of names and events that are mentioned, I should
tell you that, after finishing the erotic version of COWI, I edited it to
be more acceptable to a general audience. In doing this, I changed names,
added events and more content, and made it a lot cleaner. "Chronicles of
Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era" will follow that "PG" version of the first
one a lot closer than it will the erotic version. I didn't post the "PG"
version of COWI on Nifty, because I'm trying to get it published, but if
you want, I can e-mail you the manuscript and you could read it.

To tell you the truth, even if you didn't read the first book, erotic or
PG, you'll probably still be able to follow this one. I haven't ironed out
all the details yet, but it'll probably end up containing sexual stuff
between teenagers, men, men and teenagers, and maybe even boys, men and
boys, and teenagers and boys.

This is a work of fiction. If any of you know of a real place like
Whiteshadow Isle, please send all information about it to the e-mail
address below. I'm applying for citizenship ASAP!!!

Enjoy, and may the glory of Whiteshadow Isle smile down upon you!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 1: Return to the Isle

     It was a beautiful sunny day during the tail end of summer, as Prince
Shawn, one heir to the Whiteshadow Isle throne, lay outside on a patio
recliner, in the main courtyard, and relaxed. He was naked except for a
plain white towel that covered him loosely below the waist. He thought
little of this, because the men and boys of Whiteshadow Isle, both peasant
and royalty, were prone to walking around with little or no clothes
on. Shawn's black hair hung in his eyes, but he could still make out the
silhouette of someone standing over him. Slowly moving into a sitting
position, the long-haired Prince reached up and moved the ebony strands
from his face. He felt an embarrassed rush come over him when he saw that
it was his sister, Rebecca, gazing down at his reposing form. Quickly, he
reached down and made sure that the towel was securely covering him. Seeing
it was still in position, Shawn turned his attention up to his sibling, who
was looking quite perturbed.

     "Shawn, do you know where that worthless wretch of a husband of yours
is?" She asked with akimbo arms.

     Shawn yawned and shrugged his shoulders, "He took off after breakfast,
but didn't say where he was headed. Why? What did he do now?"

     Rebecca sighed in frustration, "He promised to watch Carter today,
while I helped mother to catalogue her scrolls. The last time I took Carter
into the temple with me, he spilled grape juice all over the scroll with
the historical analysis of warfare on it."

     Shawn stood up, tying the towel around his waist. Smiling up at his
sister, he said, "You go help mom; I'll watch Carter."

     Rebecca smiled and, leaning forward, kissed Shawn on the cheek and
said, "Thank you, Shawn; you're very sweet. I know you're tired from all
the studying you've been doing lately, so I promise I'll make this up to
you. It'll only be for a few hours, I promise!"

     Shawn nodded and said, "It's no trouble, Becky. Meanwhile, I'm going
to have to talk to Bryan about responsibility again. It's not right that he
doesn't help more."

     "He can't help it, I guess." Becky shrugged, "It's not like he wanted
to have a kid."

     Shawn shook his head, "Now, don't you say that! I'm sure Bryan loves
Carter very much, Becky. Whether or not he wanted a child, he has one and
has to learn to deal with it. Now, off with you!"

     Rebecca nodded and jogged back toward the palace. Shawn watched her
go, then turned his mind to the current matter. He yawned again, drained
from the nights of studying kingdom literature, in preparation for his and
Bryan's royal examination next week.

     In Whiteshadow Isle, the two heirs to the throne had to undergo a test
every year from their eighteenth birthday until they took the crown, to see
if they possessed the qualities to hold that amount of power. The
examination's only purpose was to ensure that the two heirs were keeping up
with their royal training and studies. If one failed, he would still be an
heir to the throne, but it would suggest that he hadn't paid attention to
his studies for that year. Two failures in a row, and, for that entire
year, the poor sod would be forced to spend eight hours a day studying in
the library, along with the standard four-hour daily royal training, up
until that year's examination. They would have to pass it that time around
or else spend the following year with the same grueling regiment.

     Shawn had, of course, passed every examination since his eighteenth
birthday with generally high marks. On the other hand, Bryan had failed his
eighteenth year exam, but had passed his nineteenth year one...barely;
narrowly avoiding what they labeled in the palace as "royal purgatory."
Bryan's twentieth year exam was next week, along with Shawn's twenty-first
year exam. Shawn was quite confident that he would pass, but he was very
worried about what his husband's results would be. Bryan spent very little
time studying and, although he wouldn't get royal purgatory if he didn't
pass, it was very bad if an heir failed more than once in the tenure
leading up to his rise to the throne. This failure to appropriately prepare
for the exam that tested his royal ability, coupled with Bryan's general
laid-back attitude toward his whole title and to his responsibilities
overall, was making many people around the palace begin to worry about how
Bryan would handle himself as King, once the current sovereigns were
gone. This included Bryan's own father, Brett. Lucas and Brett were in
their forties now and, despite their generally good health, it was time to
think about what would happen if one of them, or both, should die. Shawn
had heard rumours that, soon after Shawn's successful assembly meeting back
when he was only fifteen-years-old, the two kings were thinking of stepping
down from the throne and letting him and Bryan take over. However, the
rumour continued on to say that once they realized how immature and foolish
Bryan acted, they thought better of it.

     Besides his royal duties, Bryan also had responsibility to his son,
although he was frequently neglecting those too. Six years ago, through an
act of drunkenness and pity, Bryan had slept with Shawn's sister, Rebecca,
and made her pregnant. Of course, nobody expected Bryan to be an ideal
father to young Carter, but there were times when he was expected to do
certain things with the boy and he chose to pass the buck to someone else.
Carter was an adorable, if somewhat rambunctious, child and Shawn felt that
it was time that Bryan accepted the responsibility of fatherhood, whether
Carter's conception was an accident or not.

     The raven-haired Prince vowed, as he stood there, to make Bryan study
his lessons and pay more attention to his son, by any means necessary. He
loved Bryan too much to allow him to shirk his duties and take his
responsibilities, both as an heir and as a father, for granted. The one
thing that made Shawn's task easier, though, was that Bryan could no longer
get distracted with careless sexual escapades with Prince Michael.

     Michael had undergone "The Choosing" about a year ago and had chosen
Zachary, the son of a shipwright. Zac and Mike spent a good deal of time
together and, despite his history with Bryan, Michael was beginning to
isolate himself from his former caretaker, in order to pursue a meaningful
relationship with his chosen.

     Bryan's sexual escapades with Shawn, though, were quite a different
story. The spark of their romance hadn't faded in the least, even after six
years, and despite Bryan's retarded development in matters of state and
outright neglect of his parental duties, Shawn still loved Bryan as much
now, as he did when they were children and he knew Bryan felt the same
way. It was this love that made Shawn want to help his half-brother become
a more responsible person.

     For the moment, though, Shawn had his own responsibilities to attend
to and so he made his way back into the palace. His home had undergone many
structural changes over the last few years, and paramount of these was the
building of several new bedrooms.  Michael and Zachary shared one, Anna had
another, Sarah took another, a fourth was built for Rebecca, and a fifth
was given to little Carter.

     Beside the bedrooms, Carter accumulated many toys and so a special
playroom was built to hold them. This playroom also doubled as a sitting
room and had several plush chairs, two couches and even a fireplace. So,
during the winter, Shawn frequently relaxed by the fire with a good
book. It was also common palace knowledge that, late at night when they
thought everybody was asleep, Michael and Zachary had sex in there. Shawn
vowed to catch them one day.

     The crown jewel of the palace renovations, however, was the redoing of
the Royal Assembly Chamber. The enormous room had a skylight put in, murals
painted all over the walls, and the huge crest of Whiteshadow Isle was
totally resewn and rehung, making it look even more majestic. A new
fountain was put in on the other side of the main podium and an orchestra
stand was constructed off in the corner. It and the palace temple were the
only rooms in which Carter was forbidden to play.

     Shawn entered through the main gates and nodded in his head in
acknowledgment as the guards descended to one knee in respect for the
Prince. Shawn continued through the main hallway, newly decorated with
paintings and statues. These elaborate pieces were to commemorate the
hundred years of strife between the genders and the subsequent end of said
strife, once the truth was announced by a young teenage Prince. A Prince
who, until that time, never even believed in royal tradition. The young
royal could never stop himself from smiling with pride whenever he walked
down this hallway, as he gazed at the artwork that depicted him as some
sort of saint.

     At the very end of the hallway, Shawn turned right and padded up the
stairs, moving slowly to avoid losing his terrycloth covering, then walked
down the hall until he arrived at the door to Carter's room. Pushing it
gently open, he stepped inside.

      Carter sat on the floor, playing in a pile of toys. Lying on the
floor beside him, sound asleep, was Spot. The leopard and the young boy had
been very close ever since Carter was born and Spot had grown quite
protective of him. However, the familiar smell of Shawn did not even cause
the large cat to react and she remained asleep as he walked into the
bedroom. Carter looked up as Shawn approached him and he smiled and
announced, "Hey, Uncle Shawn, look what happened!"

     Shawn looked down and saw Carter was holding a tiny white object in
his hand.  "What's that, squire?" he asked.

     "I lost a tooth!" the child proudly proclaimed, smiling to show the
gap in his mouth where his right lateral incisor used to be. He reached his
little hand up, inviting Shawn to look.

     Shawn examined the slightly bloody tooth in his nephew's hand and
laughed, "Yeah, you sure did! Make sure to put it under your pillow tonight
and the tooth fairy will leave you a few silvers."

     Carter's smile grew.  He jammed the tooth into his shorts pocket, then
looked up again and, staring at the towel, asked, "What happened to your
clothes, Uncle Shawn?"

     Shawn laughed and blushed slightly, "I was outside tanning when your
mommy told me to come play with you."

     "Mommy said daddy was gonna play with me, though!" Carter exclaimed.

     Shawn sighed, "Daddy is busy, so Uncle Shawn is going to play with
you, okay?"

     "Is daddy jacking off again, Uncle Shawn?" Carter asked innocently.

     Shawn blinked, "Excuse me?"

     Carter shrugged, "Yesterday, I went to your room to play with daddy
and he was naked. I asked if he wanted to play and he said he was busy, so
I asked him why he was busy, so he said he was jacking off. What's 'jacking
off' mean?"

     Shawn ran his hand over his face and shook his head, "It's something
that you don't need to worry about for a few years, Carter. He was mean to
tell you that and I'm going to have to have a little talk with him."

     "What's it mean, though?" Carter persisted.

     Shawn shook his head, "I can't tell you. Ask mommy and if she wants
to, she'll tell you."

     "Okay, fine!" Carter said, sulking.

     Shawn shrugged, "Anyway, why don't you come to my room so I can get
dressed?  Afterwards, I'll take you to the lake, okay?"

     Carter stood up and exclaimed, "Cool!" then, turning toward the
leopard on the floor beside him, he called, "Come on, Spot! Come here,
girl!"

     The huge leopard slowly got to her feet and stretched, yawning, before
shaking and looking at Carter in intrigue.

     "Can Spot come to, Uncle Shawn? Huh, can she?" Carter begged.

     Shawn reached down and petted the leopard's head, stroking the fur
between her ears. The huge cat seemed to smile as she pushed her head up
against Shawn's hand and purred in contentment.  Shawn smiled, "I don't see
why not. We'll make a day of it."

     Carter giggled in happiness and, running over, hugged the leopard
tightly. Shawn and Carter continued to lavish affection upon the leopard,
who must have been feeling extremely serendipitous to have two people
showing it such affection. After a few minutes, Shawn lifted his hand from
Spot's head and, motioning with his arm toward the doorway, said, "Okay, we
should get going, squire."

     Carter nodded and, turning to Spot, beckoned her as Shawn left the
room. The three of them walked out from Carter's bedroom and headed down
the hallway toward Shawn and Bryan's chambers.

     Once inside, Shawn stepped over a large pile of his books and opened
the cluttered dresser containing his and Bryan's clothes. After sifting
through the slatternly drawers for several seconds, he pulled out a white
Bermuda-style swimsuit. With his back to Carter, he undid the towel and
tossed it onto his bed.

     From behind him, he heard, "Can I see your penis, Uncle Shawn?"

     Shawn snorted in laughter and said, "Come on, Car! I already told you
before that I'm not going to show you my penis, because it just wouldn't be
right!"

     "Aww, you're no fun, Uncle Shawn!" Carter whined, "Daddy shows me his
all the time!"

     Shawn's hands clenched into fists and he took a deep breath, then
quickly slipped on the bathing suit and turned around, "Okay, let's go."

     The three of them walked back into Carter's room and, after almost
tripping over a bucket of toy soldiers, Shawn limped over and opened up
Carter's dresser. He sifted through the mass of small clothes and pulled
out a small purple Speedo-type swimsuit for the young boy. Helping his
nephew undress and get on his swimsuit, Shawn remembered and took the tooth
out of Carter's shorts pocket, putting it in a dresser drawer, on top of a
pile of underwear. When Carter was all suited up, the three of them, again,
left the room.
     As they approached the stairs, Shawn stopped and turned back to regard
his nephew, "I hope you didn't tell mommy about that word that your daddy
told you, or that he shows you his penis."

     Carter shook his head, "Daddy told me not to tell mommy. He said that
she would kill him if I did."

     "So he isn't a total dummy..." Shawn thought to himself, as he, Carter
and Spot walked down the stairs.

     On their way down, a teenage serving wench passed them on the way
up. Shawn stopped her with his arm and probed, "Servant, do you know where
Bryan, Michael, Zachary, Anna and Sarah are?"

     The girl collapsed to one knee and said, "Prince Bryan went for a
horseback ride, saying he'd be back by lunchtime. Prince Michael and his
consort went for a bicycle ride and took a picnic lunch, saying they'd be
back by dinnertime. Lady Anastasia is off on a date with a young man from
town. Lady Sarah, I believe, is in the main temple helping Priestess
Rebecca and High Priestess Margaret. Is that answer satisfactory, Your
Highness?"

     Shawn smiled and nodded, "Quite. I'm taking Carter down to the lake
now, so if Bryan comes back before we do, tell him to go to the library and
study for at least two hours, or else he'll be sleeping in the playroom
tonight."

     The servant got back to her feet and nodded, "Yes, Prince Shawn."

     With that, Shawn took Carter's hand and led him down the stairs, back
through his favorite hallway, and off toward the main gate. He felt a poke
in his side as they approached the large wooden doors leading outside and
into the palace grounds. Shawn turned around to see Carter looking up at
him.

     "Yes?" Shawn asked, seeing the worried look on the face of his sister
and half- brother's son.

     "I...I was wondering...if we could...walk to the lake?" Carter
stuttered.

     Shawn nodded, although it would triple the time it took to get
there. Carter seemed to have developed a fear of horses for some reason,
which made travel a lot longer with him around. A new invention called a
'bicycle' had come about two years back, but nobody had taken the time to
learn how to ride one of those horseless carriages, except Michael and
Zachary.

     With a sigh, Shawn and Carter exited the palace, with Spot following
close behind, and made their way down the stone path, on the way to the
lake, a good forty-five minute walk away.

     Being near empty between breakfast and dinnertime was not unusual for
the palace these days. With the war between the men and women long over,
and the war in Cargenon happening over twelve-thousand kilometers away, the
residents of the palace weren't restricted to the grounds anymore. Anybody
who wanted to go out was allowed anywhere in the Whiteshadow Isle
boundaries without any safety worries. Shawn was concerned about Colonel
Lance, who was off in Cargenon fighting, but the Colonel had sent them a
message saying that everything was going just fine. He claimed that the
Cargenonons were very poor warriors and the only thing stopping Whiteshadow
Isle's outright defeat of them, was the size of the Cargenon army and the
land that had to be covered.

     Cargenon had declared war more than two years ago, when Whiteshadow
Isle had insisted that they conform to the gender equality. Cargenon
responded that women were subhuman butchers who didn't deserve
equality. King Luke had responded by making a motion for Whiteshadow Isle
to declare war on Cargenon. Brett had seconded the motion and so war was
declared. Unfortunately, the rest of the world chose to stay out of it, so
Whiteshadow Isle was alone in its efforts. However, despite the need for a
large army again, no funds were allocated away from Bryan's precious
Vagrant Fund. Whiteshadow Isle was, for the past few years, quite a calm
place to live.

     But that was all about to change....


++++++++++++++++++++

Chapter 2: Race Amoung the Ruins

     The sun was high in the heavens, suggesting that the time was around
noon, as Prince Michael and his chosen, Zachary, sat on the grass, under
the shade of a large oak, and ate lunch.

     Michael chewed on his tuna sandwich as he gazed off down the dirt
path, spotting the faint image of a ruined cottage. With his free hand, he
swept a tiny stream of perspiration off the bridge of his nose. The heat of
the day seemed to have gone up to well into the thirties, in the shade,
and, despite his simple garb of thin aqua-coloured shorts and white
sandals, the blond-haired Prince was feeling quite uncomfortable. His bare
chest was speckled in droplets of sweat, causing his skin to itch. Strands
of hair from his pageboy locks hung in his face, stuck together with
perspiration that dripped from there onto his nose. It seemed that by
stopping to take a break, he was feeling worse than when he was back on the
trail, pedalling like mad to keep up with Zachary's bike. Gazing over, he
saw that his consort was feeling no better.

     Zachary's pale complexion was even more flushed as he sat there,
concentrating on remaining conscious. His long brown hair, slick with
sweat, was tied back in a ponytail that was quickly becoming undone. Sweat
from his face collected in the little trough underneath his nose and caused
his upper lip to shine. Every few seconds, he licked his lips, trying to
moisten them, but the saliva quickly evaporated. His breath left his nose
in pants, causing his nostrils to repeatedly flare. Reaching down, he took
a nibble from his sandwich, timing it so it wouldn't fill his mouth when he
needed to take a breath. His grey jogging shorts were quickly turning dark
with sweat from his legs as well as the streams that coursed down his bare
chest.

     "Maybe we should go back before we pass out." Michael suggested,
brushing a fly from his cheek.

     Zachary looked up and gazed at his friend, as he heard his voice.
Their gazes met and a smile slowly passed over Zachary dry, cracked lips,
"Don't tell me you're actually tired!" He mocked, though the weak tone of
his voice betrayed his own fatigue.

     There were times when Michael found Zachary's typical pubescent
bravado to be cute, but not now. He shook his head and said, trying to be
the voice of reason, "Come on, Zac! If we stay out here much longer, we'll
either burn, faint, or go delirious!"

     Zachary crossed his arms across his chest and said, "You promised we
could see the ruins and I'm not going home until we see them!"

     Michael sat and bit his lower lip in thought, before nodding quickly
and getting to his feet, "Fine!" he declared, "We'll go see the ruins for a
few minutes, but then can we please go home?"

     Zachary collected everything into a leather satchel and slung it on
his back, "But what will we do at the palace? It's so boring there!"

     Michael smiled, "Oh, you'll soon find a great deal to do there. We
could play in the gym, we could read in the library, we could...you
know..."

     "Fuck?" Zachary asked, smiling.

     Michael blushed and nodded, "Yeah, but this is after we head back to
the palace. If you want, we could head back now..."

     "Uh uh!" Zachary laughed, "You're not going to trick me that easy!
First we see the ruins, then we head back."

     "Fine." Michael grumbled, as he trudged back up the path and slung his
leg over the bicycle.

     Zachary soon followed, and they pedalled off down the dirt path,
toward the ruined cottage. Sweat dripped down their faces and bodies as
they approached the end of the path. Michael regretted even telling his
friend about the old abandoned town. Then again, he never thought that it
would be so hot, so close to the end of summer. He really wanted the summer
to end, and not just because his sixteenth birthday was this fall. He much
preferred the cool temperatures of the autumn, just before the fall of the
first snow.  Zachary, on the other hand, seemed to prefer the heat and
Michael was having a hard time spending so much time with him outdoors in
this weather.

     If Michael really felt like it, he could force Zachary to stay in the
palace with him and do less strenuous stuff. Since Zachary was only
thirteen, Michael had legal control over him and, according royal law, he
could tell Zachary to do whatever he wanted.  Zachary would have to do it,
or else he would be severely punished or even executed.  Michael had let
this rule slide for the near-year that he knew Zachary, though. They were
only about three years apart in age and Michael didn't much like authority
over himself, so he really didn't want to impose it over someone
else. Besides that, he really didn't feel like ordering Zachary's
execution. What Michael didn't have much control over, though, was the fact
that he was expected to teach his Chosen about how to act like
royalty. Granted, the two of them would probably never take the throne,
since they had Shawn and Bryan in front of them. This was followed by
Carter and whomever he chose, and, should Shawn ever have a son, his son
and whomever his son chose would be in front of them too.  However, it was
still expected that they conformed to a certain royal standard, and Michael
hoped Zachary would soon understand that his new situation meant more than
just living in a huge castle.

     Despite their occasional disagreements, though, Michael had
immediately fallen in love with him ever since he saw him at "The
Choosing," and he spent a good portion of the past year trying to get
closer to Zachary emotionally. Michael had figured out, soon after his
fourteenth birthday, that he was gay, but Zachary didn't appear sure about
what orientation he was. Michael had never before talked about whether
Zachary felt actual love for him or not, because he feared ruining the
relationship he had with his friend, when they already slept together every
night, both literally and colloquially. However, his less direct methods of
'testing the waters', such as attempts to actually snuggle before or after
sex, or inquiries about whether Zachary wanted to watch the sun rise or set
with him, had proven inconclusive. Sometimes Zachary would do it, although
not show much emotion in the process, and other times he would just give
Michael a strange look and call him a weirdo.  Michael wished he had to
nerve to just say those three words to Zachary, as he had to his dearly
departed Carter so many years ago, but he would always lose the nerve
before he could go through with it.

     Although nobody except the evening door guards and a few servants knew
it, Michael would sometimes sneak out at night and bicycle up to the hill
where Carter was buried. He would sit crying by the stone for hours,
hugging and kissing it and talking to it as if Carter were still
there. Sobbing, he would say how much he missed Carter and how he'd never
forget him. He'd even say how Zachary could never replace him. Sobbing,
he'd talk about how sorry he was for deserting him and how he wished he
would have stayed, even if it meant that they'd both be dead now. Michael
would then go into the satchel that he'd always bring with him, and take
out a raggedy old stuffed bear. Shawn had given Carter the bear and Carter
had named it Snowflake. Ever since Carter had been killed, Michael had
slept with it every night and he'd always bring it with him to Carter's
grave.  He'd put the bear against the stone and say how much Snowflake
missed him too, then he'd lie beside the gravesite and hug the bear as he
cried and cried. Afterwards, he'd kiss the stone goodbye, take Snowflake
and put him back in his bag, and slowly bike back to the palace, where he'd
crawl back into bed and go back to sleep.

     The path soon ended, and the two teenagers biked through the broken
gate and into the old town. It used to be called Mostaf, but, because of
its isolated position away from any other town and its small militia force,
it was easy raiding territory for the female armies during the old
war. Constant pillages had left it broke, and several fires had destroyed
many of the buildings. It had long been abandoned, so was now a veritable
ghost town.  Due to all the dangerous materials that may have been left
behind, Lucas and Brett had forbidden Michael and Zachary from coming here,
but, as is a child's wont, they had come anyway.

     Leaving their bicycles by the broken-down, rusted gate, they slowly
trudged up the broken brick path and into the town. The houses were covered
in scorch marks and some were missing their roof. Many bricks from the road
were gone, so gaping holes were left open to allow dust from the ground to
swirl around the streets. The whole town was so silent that Michael and
Zachary could hear their own heartbeat. Their intrigued eyes gazed around
at the town, and they forgot the intense heat.

     "Hey, let's go check out the moneylenders over there!" Zachary
exclaimed, smiling.

      Michael giggled in excitement and him and Zachary ran off down the
road, careful to avoid the holes. The moneylender's place was at the very
end of the street and was in quite good shape, considering the rest of the
town. The roof and walls still seemed intact and the door was not hanging
on its hinges or missing, like most of the other places. In fact, as
Zachary reached out and pulled on the handle, he found that the door seemed
to be locked. Turning to Michael in confusion, he said, "This is weird."

     Michael nodded and, his voice shaking, responded, "W..why don't w...we
get out of here. This...this place is starting to creep me out."

     Zachary slowly backed away from the door and nodded, for once in
agreement with Michael, "Y...yeah. I h...heard voices from behind the
door."

     Both boys turned and began walking quickly away from the door, heading
back toward their bicycles. Suddenly, they heard the door click and, with a
squeak, open up.

     "Hey, you!" someone called after them.

     Both boys changed to a run and took off faster.

     "Come back!"

     Zachary ventured a quick gaze behind him, but that was all it
took. His foot snagged in one of the holes and he went flying through the
air, landing a few feet away, right on his knees, after which he collapsed
onto his back, seething in pain.

     Michael quickly skidded to a stop and ran back toward his fallen
comrade. A large man ran up beside them and knelt down beside the fallen
Zachary.

     "Please don't hurt him!" Michael implored.

     The man looked up and smirked, "I'm not going to hurt him. I'm going
to help him."

     With that, he tore a length of cloth from his black tunic and
scrunched it into a ball.  He pressed the ball against Zachary's right
knee, then the left, absorbing the blood that flowed out from the torn
skin.

     Michael watched him as he attended to his friend's wounds. There was
something very familiar about the man. He had short black hair, dark brown
eyes and half his face was hidden behind a thick beard and mustache. He was
quite a large-built man and, as he stood to tear off another strip of
cloth, Michael could see that he was well over six feet tall.

     He took one of Zachary's knees in his hand and said, "Tell me if what
I'm doing hurts, okay?"

     Zachary sniffled, tears flowing down his face from the pain of his
fall, and nodded.  The man slowly bent each of Zachary's knees, but Zac's
pain did not seem to increase.

     "That's good." The man said, turning to Michael, "Your friend's legs
are not broken; they are just badly scraped."

     Michael nodded, "Thank you for your help...ummm...what was your name?"

     The man smirked again and Michael gathered that it was his way of
smiling.  Shaking his head, the man replied, "My name is not
important. However, judging by the rings on the fingers of both of you, I
gather that you two are Princes, no?"

     Michael stared down at the royal insignia ring on his finger, before
looking back up in time to see the man get to his feet, "I'm going back
into that shack over there," he indicated the moneylenders, "because I
think I have a bottle of whiskey with which I can use to cleanse your
friend's wounds. Wouldn't want infection to set in!"

     The large man slowly trudged back up the street, toward the
moneylender. Michael turned back toward his friend, "Are you all right,
Zachary?" He asked, concerned.

     Zac groaned and said, "I've been better, but I'll be fine, thanks to
that guy."

     Michael nodded and turned back to watch the man continue walking up
the road.  Suddenly, a large wave of fear passed over him as he finally put
a name to the man's gruff countenance. His face flushed of all colour and,
turning frantically to Zachary, he asked, "Can you walk?"

     Zachary put both his feet on the ground and said, "I...I think so."

     Michael reached over quickly and grabbed Zachary's hand, "Well, then
get up and run, because we're getting out of here now!"

     "But, Mike..." Zachary began to protest.

     "Now!" Michael repeated and pulled Zachary to his feet. Running off
toward their bicycles, Michael towed Zachary behind him as he took off as
quickly as he could.

     When they reached their bikes, Michael got on his and yelled, "Hurry
up, fuck!"

     Zachary, seeing the urgency in his friend's face, painfully swung his
throbbing knee over the bicycle and pushed off.

     From back in the town, they heard, "Hey! Where do you think you guys
are going?"

     "Go, dammit! Go!" Mike yelled frantically behind him as he pedalled
like a demon back down the dirt path toward the palace. Zachary, despite
his pain, did his best to keep up. They dared not look behind them,
although they could hear quiet footsteps getting louder and louder.

     Focussing on nothing but the path ahead, Michael took off so fast that
he could hear nothing but the sound of his own pounding
heartbeat. Intermittently, he yelled, "Hurry up! Come on!" behind him, as
added incentive for his friend.

     After thirty minutes of straight biking, Mike felt a surge of pleasure
as he saw the palace up ahead. Risking it all, he slowed down and gazed
behind him. Zachary's form looked awful, as he was keeled over his
handlebars, out of breath and the abrasions on his knees gushing blood
anew. There was no sign of the man, though.

     "Just a little more!" He yelled back, and began pedalling quickly
again.

     Halfway up the stone path leading to the castle gates, Michael slowed
down and hopped off his bicycle. Bending over at the waist, he stood there
and attempted to catch his breath. He heard the trudging footsteps and saw,
out of the corner of his eye, Zachary walk up beside him and do the same,
after tossing the ruined satchel, containing their half-eaten lunch, on the
ground by his feet As Michael straightened back up, he saw a guard run up
to him.

     "Your Highness!" the guardsman exclaimed, "I thought you and Zachary
weren't returning until suppertime!"

     Michael took a deep breath and replied breathlessly,
"...*pant*...Where...*pant*...Where's
Shawn...*pant*...Must...*pant*...Bryan...*pant*...Where's....*pant*...*huff*...Where's
Shawn and Bryan?"

     The guard put his hand on Michaels shoulder and said, "Are you okay,
sire? What is wrong?"

     Michael shrugged it off and, finally catching his breath, said, "I'm
not okay, but Zachary needs a doctor for his knees! Where's Shawn and
Bryan?"

     "Prince Shawn is with Prince Carter at the lake and Prince Bryan is in
the library, studying." The guardsman replied, "Should I fetch them?"

     Michael growled in frustration and said, "Just get a doctor for
Zachary!" then ran off into the palace.

     Heading down a hallway, running at top speed, he soon reached a fork,
turned left and ran all the way down the hall until he reached the wooden
double doors of the palace study.

     Pushing them open, he saw Bryan seated at a table inside, leaning over
a huge book with a look on his face not unlike that of someone trying to
read something in a foreign language.

     Running into the room, Michael yelled, "Bryan! Bryan!"

     Bryan looked up from his studies with a smile on his face, "Hey,
sport!" He exclaimed, "Great to see you! What's up?"

     Michael walked over and stood next to Bryan. He stared at Bryan's
smiling face for a few seconds, before falling to his knees and starting to
sob. Bryan stood up quickly and kneeled down next to Michael.

     "What's wrong, sweetheart? What happened?"

     "I saw...I saw..." Michael sobbed.

     Bryan reached out and grabbed Michael, hugging him into his
arms. Bryan hated seeing the boy crying, and rocked back on forth on his
knees, shushing the teenager, "Calm down, sweetie...Now, who did you see?"

     Michael slowly detached himself from Bryan's grip and told him who he
saw.  When Bryan heard, his face filled with anger and he got his feet.

     "Guardsman!" He bellowed.

     After a few seconds, a guard quickly ran into the room and collapsed
to one knee, "Yes, Your Majesty?"

     "Get Shawn and my son back from the lake immediately and tell my
father and King Lucas that Shawn and I will meet them in the throne room as
soon as possible. I also want you to assemble a group of ten guardsmen on
horseback and I want my own horse readied once again." Bryan ordered.

     The guardsman nodded and barked, "Yes, Your Highness!" before getting
up and leaving the room in a jog.

     He knelt back down next to Michael, who was still crying, and put his
hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, honey..." Bryan reassured, "They'll be
no mercy for the bastard this time!"


++++++++++++++++++++

Chapter 3: All Play and No Work

	Shawn had never expected the heat of the day to increase so
astronomically by the afternoon. Although he stood waist-deep in the
freezing, glacier-fed waters of the lake, droplets of sweat still cascaded
down his body, causing streaks on his smooth, tanned face and matting the
hair on his chest and belly. As his juvenile nephew began dog-paddling
farther out into the lake, Shawn waded out of the waters and climbed up
onto the dock, wanting to be at a better vantage point to view young
Carter.

	The sun beat down on Shawn and dried the moisture from him
quickly. He could even feel a slight breeze that, while hot, contrasted
against the cold water on him, to raise tiny chill bumps across his
muscular, lightly hair-covered arms and legs. Gazing over the water at his
young charge, he smiled as he saw him playfully frolicking out near the
middle of the lake.

	"Come closer to the shore, Carter!" Shawn called out toward his
nephew.

	Shawn was so impressed with his nephew. Under the tutelage of High
Priestess Margaret, Carter's grandmother, he was excelling in his history
and royal affairs classes at the level of an eight-year-old.

	As he swam back toward the shore, Carter's dark brown hair hung in
his dark brown eyes. His naturally red lips were parted as he struggled to
take in air. He looked more like his mother than like Bryan, but he did
have his father's large nose and hair colour. He also seemed to have
Bryan's bluntly honest demeanour. Shawn found his nephew to be an adorable
child and doing stuff with him always made Shawn begin to wonder about
whether he wanted to have children or not.

	Carter's conception was purely an accident, but it was a breach of
one of the highest royal laws and something that, if it had been done on
purpose, might have gotten Bryan's claim to the throne revoked; although
Shawn would never have allowed that to happen. As it currently was, Carter
was next in line for the throne after Shawn and Bryan. This put the kingdom
in a very precarious position, because Carter wasn't of royal blood and the
country's minor nobles might get rebellious if they had a `peasant' for a
king. As a result, Shawn's father, as well as Brett, had suggested that
Shawn give serious consideration to having children within the next little
while. Of course, the kings were, for the past little while, attempting to
not put too much pressure on Shawn, since he was excelling so much in his
duties as an heir. Thus, this `serious consideration' thing was basically
their way of telling Shawn that if he didn't have a son soon, he might lead
the country into open revolt.

	Of course, it wasn't so easy to just decide to have children; at
least, not if you wanted to do it the traditional way. Shawn would have to
find a woman who, he felt, possessed a good amount of qualities that would
be beneficial to a child. Then again, Shawn hated the idea of having to go
up to a woman and forcing her to have his child. Bryan had it easy, he just
did it with his half-sister and Shawn didn't like the idea of doing that
same thing to Anastasia or Sarah.

	Shawn already knew which woman he felt would be the best mother of
his children. He'd known it ever since he first began thinking about having
kids. With things the way they were, he would probably have to approach her
on the subject before long, so, now that he finally had a few moments to
himself, he began thinking about exactly what it was he was going to say to
her. His thoughts were cut short before they got anywhere, though, as he
heard the sound of horse hooves.

	Turning his head quickly, he spotted the guard riding down the path
at top speed. Judging by the look of determination on his face, Shawn could
tell that he was coming to tell about an emergency, or at least the guard
seemed to think so. As such, Shawn collected the two towels up from the
dock and turned to regard the armoured knight as he approached.

	Slowly the horse down to a simple trot, the guard dismounted even
before the horse's movement had fully ceased. Taking two steps toward
Shawn, he fell to one knee and said, "Your Majesty, I apologize for this
interruption, however Prince Bryan commands you back at the palace
immediately."

	Shawn smirked, "Prince Bryan commands me? Since when?"

	"Sire," the guard responded, "the prince's exact words were `get
Shawn and my son back from the lake immediately.'"

	At this, Shawn's smirk faded and he said worriedly, "Why? What has
happened?"

	"I know not, Your Majesty," the guard replied, "but Prince Michael
and Squire Zachary have returned from their bicycle ride and the prince
looked most distressed."

	Shawn nodded, then turned to regard Carter. There was no way he
could him onto the horse and this was no time to handle his phobia. Turning
back toward the guard, he said, "Stay here with Prince Carter. He won't
ride on a horse, so I will take your horse back to the palace and send a
carriage back for you and him."

	The guard nodded, "As you wish, Prince Shawn."

	With that, Shawn ran over and mounted the guard's horse. Spurring
it into action with his bare heels, he quickly forced it into a gallop and
headed quickly back to the palace.

	Upon arriving back, he quickly informed the guards about Carter and
the knight still at the lake and they told Shawn that they would send back
a carriage immediately. From there, he quickly jogged down the hallway and
into the throne room.

	Inside, he saw his father and Brett sitting in their thrones, with
grave expressions on their faces. Beside them, were Bryan, Michael and
Zachary.

	"Shawn," Lucas said, regarding his son, his brow furrowed with
worry, "we have a potential problem."

	Shawn walked closer to the thrones and, shifting his eyes around
all the parties present, said, "Yes? What is going on?"

	Bryan walked over to stand beside Michael and put his hand on his
shoulder.

	"Shawnie," Bryan said, looking at his husband with anger displayed
in his light brown eyes, "on their bicycle ride today, Michael and Zachary
saw Colonel Garrett."

	"What?!" Shawn exclaimed, "But I thought we banished him from
Whiteshadow Isle forever!"

	"We did." Lucas responded, "It appears, though, that he's returned,
and we don't know why."

	Turning to Michael, Shawn asked, "Where did you see him at?"

	Michael looked around and, looking at Zachary, he said,
"We...kinda...went to the Mostaf ruins and saw there."

	Brett quickly turned, "But we ordered you two not to go there! It's
extremely dangerous there, with all the broken materials and weak
structures! You two must be punished for your disobedience..." Brett turned
back toward Shawn and added, "but later."

	Lucas sat back in his throne and appeared to be thinking. Shawn
began pacing, also appearing deep in thought.

	"Well, what are we waiting for?" Bryan exclaimed, "I've assembled
some guards! Let's go get the bastard!"

	Shawn stopped and turned to face him, "Not before thinking this
through, Bryan! We don't know what he's doing here or how long he's been
hiding out there. Mostaf was an isolated town...He could have been there
for months, even years, and we wouldn't have known. He could even have a
whole army of soldiers at his command!"

	"Or he could be an old hermit living in exile in some abandoned
town where he thought nobody would find him! We showed him mercy before by
just banishing him, even though it was his fault that Carter got
killed. This time, I say we slaughter the bastard!" Bryan responded.



	"Bryan! Enough!" Brett commanded, getting to his feet, "You had no
right to assemble any guards, nor do you have any right to take any part in
this! Why don't you worry about studying for the test that you have next
week and leave this matter to us? When you display a noticeable amount of
improvement in your royal studies, then you can have a say in kingdom
affairs!"

	Bryan turned to Shawn, desperately looking for approval. Shawn
smiled at his husband, but shook his head, "I know you want to help,
sweetie, but we'll take care of it. Your father's right, you should go
study."

	Bryan stepped away from Michael and stormed across the room and out
the door, slamming it behind him.

	"I'm sorry for doing that, Shawn, but he really has to start taking
his title seriously." Brett apologized.

	Shawn shook his head, "No, you were right, Brett. He has to learn
to take his duties seriously."

	"Zachary and I should probably go too, if you don't need us
anymore." Michael piped in from the other end of the room.

	Lucas nodded, "Yes, you two may go to your room. You will stay
there for the next four days, in punishment for disobeying us."

	"Awww...." Michael whined, but slowly walked from the room, with
Zachary following close behind.

	With only the three of them left in the room, Shawn turned to his
father and said, "So, what do you propose?"

	Lucas stood up and said, "You will take the ten guardsmen that
Bryan has prepared - since there is no point wasting them - and go down to
Mostaf, being ever vigilant. Once there, you will locate Blade Garrett and
place him under arrest. Use whatever means necessary, but bring him before
us alive."

	"Yet what if he has a whole army?" Shawn probed.

	Brett arose, "If you see any indication that Garrett has any sort
of large force with him, then get back here as quickly as possible and let
us know. We will prepare our own army, just in case."

	Shawn nodded in acknowledgment and, turning around, headed toward
the door.

	"Oh, Shawn..."

	Shawn turned around, "Yes, father?"

	Lucas smiled, "You may want to get dressed before you go."

	Shawn smiled as he realized that he was still only wearing his
bathing suit. He nodded again, and left the throne room, heading down the
hallway and up the stairs toward his room.

	Upon pushing open the door, he saw Bryan lying on the bed, reading
a book. Bryan's long brown hair hung in his face, but Shawn could still see
the deep blush that filled his countenance with the crimson hue of
embarrassment and anger. Bryan briefly gazed up when Shawn entered, but
didn't acknowledge him with any sort of vocal expression. Shawn could not
help but feel guilty for not defending him back in the throne room, but he
did have to admit that Brett was right in his sentiments. Bryan constantly
neglected his studies and, yet, still liked to give orders and make
decrees.

	Shawn walked over to the dresser and slowly opened the drawer. From
the angle that he was standing at, he could see Bryan's eyes as they stared
at the pages of the book. Shawn could see that he wasn't reading, but was
instead just holding the book in front of his face, so he didn't have to
look at Shawn. Similarly, Shawn wasn't actively looking for any clothes as
he sifted through the dresser, but was instead just using it as an excuse
not to stare at Bryan.

	Finally, after almost a minute of sifting through clothes, Shawn
turned around and exclaimed, "You know, your father's right, Bryan! You
really shouldn't be acting like a member of royalty if you're not going to
study!"

	Bryan sniffled and, tossing down the book, put his hands on his
face and began crying.

	"Awww, come on..." Shawn sighed. Walking over to the bed, he sat
beside his half-brother and wrapped his arm around him, hugging him against
his side.

	Bryan put his head on Shawn's shoulder and cried harder. "Come on,
bro!" Shawn pleaded, "You're too old for this shit! Come on, now! Stop
crying!"

	"I just wish I were as smart as you!" Bryan sobbed.

	"You're very smart, angel!" Shawn encouraged, "Your problem is that
you just don't try!"

	Bryan separated from Shawn, "But I do! I do try! It just
doesn't...doesn't sink in! I don't want to be the heir anymore! I want to
be normal!"

	Shawn reached over and took one of Bryan's hands into his
own. Gazing at the red-rimmed eyes of his husband, he smiled and cooed,
"Oh, my sweet baby, you are normal. How about this: Every day, for at least
two hours, we'll go into the library and I'll tutor you, okay? Would that
make my angeldove feel better?"

	Bryan sniffled and smiled back at Shawn. "I g...guess so." he
hiccuped.

	"Good." Shawn replied, and, leaning forward, kissed Bryan's lips
tenderly.

	Upon separating, Bryan looked at his husband, his smooth, tanned
face streaked with dry tears, and whimpered, "Sh...Shawnie?"

	"Yeah?" Shawn answered, squeezing Bryan's hand lovingly.

	"Can I come with you to arrest Garrett?"

	Shawn shook his head, "No, sweetie. You heard your father. You have
to stay in your room and study."

	Bryan's hand shot forward and grabbed the impression of Shawn's
penis beneath his swimsuit. "I won't let you go without me, Shawnie!" Bryan
warned.

	Shawn released Bryan's other hand and tried to slap Bryan's hand
away from his manhood. "Bryan! I have to go!"

	"Like I said, you're not going without me!" Bryan replied. Swinging
his legs around behind him, Bryan leaned forward and began running his
tongue up and down Shawn's penis through his bathing suit.

	Shawn tried to push Bryan's head away, but Bryan's hands were
locked around his waist. "You have to study, Bryan!" Shawn said
steadfastly, although his resolve was leaving him as his dick was
hardening.

	"I said I'd study tomorrow, Shawnie! For now, I wanna be with my
love when we go capture Garrett!" Bryan said, as his hand snaked through
the leg-hole of Shawn's swimsuit.

	"Let me go!" Shawn begged, struggling as he tried to escape Bryan's
grip. However, what his husband lacked in academic resolve, he more than
made up for in physical strength.

	Bryan grasped Shawn's now-erect prick and pulled it down so it
partially stuck out of the leg-hole. Bryan looked up at Shawn and licked
his lips, "You think you're so smart! Well, let's see how you handle this
equation! What do my tongue and your hot cock equal?"

	With that, Bryan flicked his tongue over the circumcised head of
Shawn's manhood. Shawn tensed and sucked in a breath as the slimy piece of
flesh slid over the sensitive head of Shawn's dick.

	"I'm going...to kill you!" Shawn muttered, between gasps, as Bryan
continued to flick his tongue over the mushroom crown of Shawn's cock.

	Bryan pulled back and smiled at Shawn, "You think you're some
scholar, just because you read all those books? Well, to me, you're still
my horny little fuckpuppy who likes to get his cock licked. Don't you like
it, you horny boy?"

	Shawn responded with a deep groan.

	Bryan giggled and whispered, "If you like it, you have to say that
you're my horny little fuckpuppy!"

	Shawn smiled, his face flushed with arousal, and whispered, "I'm
your horny little fuckpuppy, all right? So, do me quick and then we gotta
go!"

	"You mean I can come?!" Bryan exclaimed.

	Shawn smiled down at him and licked his lips, "Not before me,
sweetie!"

	Bryan released Shawn and, grabbing the waistband of his swimsuit,
yanked it down and off him, tossing it on the floor. Getting to his knees,
Bryan unbuttoned his denim shorts and pulled them down. His own prick was
already standing fully erect and glowing red with horniness.

	"How about we do each other?" Bryan suggested, but without waiting
for an answer, he crawled over on top of Shawn and, grasping the shaft in
his fist, aimed it at his mouth and quickly sucked half of it into his
mouth, bobbing his head furiously up and down on it. He made loud slurping
noises as he coated it in a film of saliva, while jabbing his tongue all
around it as it continuously poked into his mouth.

	Shawn could see Bryan's glowing cock, standing a stiff
six-and-a-half inches in all it's circumcised glory, hanging stiffly in his
face, waving back and forth as Bryan continued to suck him. Taking the cue,
Shawn reached his hands up and grasped Bryan's firm ass cheeks tightly,
pulling them down toward him and sucking Bryan's hot prick into his
mouth. Trying to concentrate on Bryan was difficult, with Bryan sucking on
him from the other end, but he did as best he could.

	Both of their bodies shook with the increasing amounts of pleasure
that surged through their bodies like lightning bolts of ecstacy. Shawn
could feel the familiar tightness of his stomach muscles and the growing
itch in his cock, so he tried to suck Bryan's prick as quickly as he
could. Still, he knew that he would cum first and it would be really
intense. When it finally hit, it was powerful and without warning. Shawn's
face muscles clenched and he had to concentrate to avoid biting down on
Bryan's penis. Sucking in a long breath through his nose, he let it out in
continuous pants, as he rode through the waves of pleasure. Bryan continued
to suck on his dick as it spasmed in his mouth, expanding and shooting four
streams of his husband's tangy juices down his throat.

	It only lasted for seven seconds, but for those few seconds, Shawn
seemed to drift in and out of consciousness. When his orgasm finally
peaked, leaving him drained and content, Shawn was able to concentrate on
sucking Bryan's throbbing dick with renewed vigour. Bryan must have thought
Shawn had forgotten about it, because he let out a grunt of surprise,
dropping Shawn's now-limp cock from his mouth, as Shawn went back to work
on it.

	With his full concentration totally focused, he pulled Bryan's dick
from his mouth and shoved Bryan off him, breaking the 69 position. "Wha..."
Bryan began to protest, but Shawn placed his finger over Bryan's lips.

	"Shhh...I was your horny little fuckpuppy for a few minutes, but
now you're going to be mine!" Shawn growled, sporting a confident grin.

	Pushing Bryan onto his back, he reached forward and grasped the
shaft of Bryan's prick, still slick with saliva, in his fist. Bryan
gratefully spread his legs and submitted himself to Shawn's will. The stiff
cock stood erect in a mature bush of brown pubic hair, glittering with the
sweat of their exertion and emitting an odour that caused Shawn's head to
swim and his spent prick to begin to show signs of life again. The
circumcised mushroom head shone red in the sunlight streaming through the
window and the very tip sported a drop of transparent fluid. Shawn wiped
his finger over the tip, scooping up the tiny droplet. He extended his
finger in front in Bryan's lips and smiled, "See how good you taste,
angel!"

	Bryan closed his eyes, parted his lips and sucked Shawn's skinny
digit into his mouth, suckling on it like he had with Shawn's
dick. "Mmm..." he moaned softly.

	Shawn's other hand began to stroke Bryan's throbbing manhood with
renewed vigour. Bryan's eyes were closed as he enjoyed the feeling of
sucking on Shawn's finger, while his tanned husband pleasured his horny
cock. Shawn smiled and licked lips, then leaned closer to Bryan, gently
pulling his finger from Bryan's mouth. To make up for it, he stroked
Bryan's prick faster and harder.

	With his lips close to Bryan's ear, he gently nipped at the lobe
and growled, then pulled back a bit and whispered, "You wanna come get
Garrett with me, angel? Well, you have to do what I say, because you're my
slave, aren't you?"

	Bryan began gently thrusting his hips to meet Shawn's strokes, and
he nodded, "I'm your slave, Shawnie. I'll do whatever you tell me to do."

	Shawn nodded and nipped at Bryan's earlobe again, before
whispering, "Yeah, you like it when I play with your cock, don't you?
You're my slave, because you'd do anything for it, wouldn't you?"
	Bryan groaned and nodded again, beginning to pant, "I love it when
you stroke my horny cock, Shawnie! I'd do anything for it!"

	Shawn got back to a kneeling position and gazed down at his
lover. Bryan's face was flushed in arousal and his body thrust up against
Shawn's hand as Shawn squeezed and stroked Bryan's dick.

	Leaning down again, Shawn placed his mouth over just the head of
Bryan's cock and ran his hot, slimy tongue around the pulsing head and over
the drooling slit at the end, covered in sticky precum.

	Bryan's back arched and his breath hissed through clenched teeth,
as he groaned, "*gasp* Oh fuck, Shawnie! *gasp* I'm going to fucking fill
your mouth with my jizz! *pant* I'm going to blast my hot cum right down
your fucking throat!"

	Shawn pulled his hot mouth off of Bryan's dick and straightened
back up again. Gazing down at the desperately gasping Bryan, he giggled and
shook his head, growling, "I don't want your fuck juice down my throat! You
don't deserve it, because you've been a bad boy! You're a bad boy and I'm
going to punish you!"

	Bryan gasped, arching his back, "Punish me, baby! Do whatever you
want to me!"

	Shawn sat back on his haunches and grinned, as his hand flew up and
down Bryan's throbbing meat, "You wanna be punished, you bad boy you?!
Okay, you hot, sexy, bad, horny little fucker, I'm going to make you blast
your gooey jizz all over my face! Yeah, you horny little fuckpuppy, I'm
going to jerk your hot cock off until you can't stand it anymore and then
you're going to cum nice and hard and blast your sperm all over my face,
until it's dripping from my lips and hanging off my nose! Then, I want you
to lick every drop of it off my face! I want you slurp your hot, sticky cum
off of my face and, if you miss even one drop, I'm going to put you over my
knee and spank you!"

	Bryan continued to grunt and thrust his hips up against Shawn's
fist. Gazing up at Shawn through glazed eyes, he groaned, "Oh God, Shawnie!
I'm going to do it! I'm going to fucking jizz all over face! I'm going to
squirt my cum all over it, baby!"

	Shawn stroked Bryan's cock with one hand and began to gently
squeeze Bryan's balls with the other. Gazing up at his tensing husband, he
growled, "Do it, baby! I wanna see you cum, baby! I wanna see your body
shake and I wanna feel your dick throb! Cum for me, baby!"

	Bryan's body grew increasingly more tense and, with a quick intake
of breath, his back tensed and his hands grabbed the mattress underneath
him. He almost screamed, "Oh! Oh God! I'm fucking cumming, Shawnie! I'm
fucking...AAAARRRRGHHH!"

	Shawn continued to stroke Bryan's cock as he felt it throb and
tense in his fist. He was slightly surprised as the first shot of his
half-brother's cum squirt out and hit him below his right eye. Continuing
to stroke it, he was soon hit with another shot across his nose, another
across his lips and another one right above his chin. Each one was preceded
by a loud grunt from Bryan. When it was over, Shawn quickly sunk his mouth
over Bryan's dick and slurped up any cum that was left. Bryan tensed
repeatedly as his sibling teased the over sensitized organ.

	Pulling back up, Shawn hissed, "Now, lick my face clean, or I'll
beat you!"

	Bryan's eyes slowly opened and he smiled and got to a sitting
position. Leaning forward, he quickly extended his tongue and licked the
gooey, white trails from Shawn's face, his eyes closed. Shawn closed his
eyes too and moaned in pleasure, as he felt the hot tongue of his husband
tracing moist trails all over his face.

	"Whatcha doin'?"

	Shawn and Bryan's eyes popped open and they stared at each other
for several seconds, before slowly their heads. Standing in the open
doorway, still clad in a wet swimsuit, was Carter. The kindergardener's
eyes were open wide with intrigue, as he stared at his uncle and his
father, both bottomless and his uncle totally naked. His uncle appeared to
have some sort of white stuff hanging off his chin.

	Not quite sure what else to do, both of them separated. Bryan
quickly got back on his shorts and Shawn pulled a pair of jogging shorts
from the floor and put them on. With that done, both turned and Shawn wiped
his face with his arm.

	"Whatcha doin'?" the young boy repeated, "And what was that stuff
on Uncle Shawn's face?"

	"Well, we were..." Bryan began to say.

	Shawn, reverting back to his mature adult form, raised his hand up
in front of Bryan, a signal for him to keep quiet. "Well, sweetie...you
see...ummm...what we were doing was...uhhh...ummm..."

	Shawn walked back and, seeing no real way to get out of it, nodded
at Bryan, despite himself.

	"Well, son..." Bryan began, "You see, when two guys...or a girl and
a guy...or, on certain occasions, two girls, really love each other...They
do...stuff...because they...ummm"

	"Really love each other?" Shawn volunteered, smirking.

	"Yeah." Bryan responded.

	"But why were you licking Uncle Shawn's face? And what was that
stuff? And why was Uncle Shawn rubbing your pee pee?"

	Bryan turned to Shawn for help, but Shawn shrugged and said,
"Hey...He's your son!"

	Bryan sighed and, getting on his knees, down to Carter's level, he
looked his son straight in the eyes and said, "Carter, sweetie...How much
did you see?"

	Carter shrugged, "I dunno...I was walking to my room, and I saw
Uncle Shawn saying some nasty words to you and rubbing your pee pee, then I
saw you pee all over Uncle Shawn's face, but it wasn't pee, it was white
and then you started licking Uncle Shawn's face and...well...What were you
doing?"

	Bryan got back to his feet and shrugged at Shawn. Shawn, who was
sitting on the bed, stood up and shook his head at Bryan, "There is no way
out of it. You might as well tell him about...you know...the real deal,
before he goes and asks my sister."

	"Could you?" Bryan begged.

	Shawn crossed his arms across his chest and said, "Hey, you're the
kid's father, Bryan! Take some responsibility for your kid, for a change!"

	Bryan looked down at his son, Carter's brown eyes looking up at him
with interest.

	"Daddy," he asked, "what is the real deal?"

	Bryan bit his lower lip for a few seconds, then turned to Shawn,
"Shawnie, could you close and lock the door?"

	"Should have thought of that before..." Shawn said under his
breath, as he walked across the room and close and latched the door.

	Bryan put his hand on his son's head and led him over to the bed.

	As the two men and the boy sat on the mattress, Bryan looked down
at his son and said, "Okay, now Carter...I'm going to tell you about
something, but you have to swear on your right pinky finger that you won't
tell anybody, especially mommy."

	Carter nodded.

	Bryan looked over at Shawn and said, "Let me know if I miss
anything."

	Shawn smiled, "I will. Now, this I have to see..."

	Bryan shot Shawn an angry look, then, turning and looking down at
his son, said, "Okay, now Carter, listen carefully. Shawnie...I mean, Uncle
Shawn, me, Grandpa Brett, Grandpa Lucas, Cousin Michael and Cousin Zachary
...Well, we're all boys. There are also girls, like mommy, grandma, Auntie
Anastasia and Auntie Sarah."

	Looking over at Shawn, Bryan smiled. Shawn shook his head,
laughing, "It's a good start, bro. Now, hurry up, because we gotta go."

	Bryan nodded, "Okay, sure thing, Shawnie." and continued....


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 4: A New Threat

	Following their unfortunate discovery by Carter, Bryan and Shawn
had done their best to explain to the youngster about what they were doing
and where he came from. Carter was more than a little intrigued by the
whole notion, especially because neither of the young men left out any
minute detail. Consequently, Carter left the room with more knowledge about
sex than most twelve-year-olds have.

	The sun was sinking below the emerald hills, casting a green tinge
to the ground at their feet, as the twelve men stood beside their horses,
in front of the rusted gate of Mostaf. Standing at the head of the crowd,
both wearing looks of determination, were Shawn and Bryan. Shawn had, once
again, put his own neck on the line, by allowing Bryan to come along
instead of studying. He was sure that when his father and Brett found out,
he'd get a stern talking to, but it was a small price to pay in order to
stand by his man.

	The air was still quite warm but it wasn't too muggy. Shawn
fingered the hilt of the sword that was sitting in the scabbard around his
waist. He licked his lips and gazed around at the dust-covered ruins. He
couldn't see any sign that this was an ambush, nor could he see any
evidence of a large army. Reaching beside him, he put his hand on Bryan's
chest and took a step forward, perking his ears up and listening carefully.

	"There's nobody around, Shawnie!" Bryan whispered loudly, "Let's
just go get him!"

	Shawn turned around and smiled at Bryan, "Okay, sweetie. Let's get
him." Turning back toward the guards, Shawn nodded and said, "Okay, men,
let's get your swords out and be ready for anything."

	The guards pulled their long-swords from their scabbards and nodded
in readiness. Shawn motioned with his finger at Bryan and Bryan smiled and
followed his husband as he walked slowly through the broken gates of the
town. The two princes were followed, a few steps behind, by the ten
knights. The armoured men kept a close watch on the two princes, tightly
clutching their swords as they followed the young men down the dusty path.

	Shawn and Bryan moved carefully, avoiding getting their feet caught
in the holes in the road. The air in the town was thick with dust, carried
around by the wind that began to blow as dusk approached. The flimsy
tank-tops that they'd donned before they left, fluttered about on their
bodies as the warm air rose up from the earth. The only sounds, that they
could hear, were the clanking of the armoured guards behind them and the
gritty hissing noise as dust was blown around on the ground. Their own
leather boots slid soundlessly along the road, as they made their way
cautiously through the abandoned borough. Bryan wasn't sure, but he thought
could hear the sound of someone breathing. However, when he turned to
Shawn, it seemed that his sibling had heard nothing.

	As they passed by the deserted magistrate's office, Bryan heard the
sound of heavy footsteps. Freezing in their tracks, he turned to Shawn and
saw, by his husband's alerted expression, that he had heard it too. They
quickly gazed around them, searching for the source of the noise. Shawn's
eyes trailed over to the open doorway of the abandoned toy store, the door
long since torn off its hinges, and saw that behind the counter, surrounded
by shadows, was a large figure.

	Bryan followed Shawn's gaze and, upon seeing the effigy in the toy
store, quickly drew his sword, appearing ready for battle. Shawn shook his
head and put his hand over Bryan's, indicating for him to stand fast.

	Clearing his throat, Shawn summoned up a voice of command and
called, "You there in the shadows! Show yourself, or we shall come in after
you!"

	In voice slightly more emotional and less forceful, but one that
Shawn and Bryan both recognized, the figure replied, "Well now!  There's a
voice that I haven't heard in many seasons!"

	As he said this, the figure advanced out onto the street. Looking
slightly older than they remembered him, and now sporting a long beard,
Bryan and Shawn soon came face to face, once again, with Blade
Garrett. Garrett was wearing a smirk as he gazed at the determined faces of
Shawn and Bryan.

	"My, how you two have grown!" Garrett commented.

	Seeing no threat, since Garrett was wearing a torn and soiled
tunic, with no weapon visible, and no backup sighted, Shawn relaxed
slightly. Bryan, however, clutched his sword tightly and, glaring at
Garrett, sneered, "What the hell are you doing here?"

	Garrett crossed his arms across his chest, "I'm here doing what
I've sworn an oath that I'd do for the rest of my life! I'm protecting
Whiteshadow Isle!"

	"Bullshit!" Bryan retorted.

	"Shut up!" Shawn snapped at Bryan, before turning back to gaze at
Garrett. From the indifferent look that Garrett always seemed to have on
his face, Shawn couldn't tell whether he was lying or not. He looked
sincere enough, though, and even seemed to be glad to see them.

	"Listen, Garrett...You were relieved of that duty when you were
banished. Furthermore, it is against kingdom law for you to even be on our
land at all!" Shawn lectured, trying to look Garrett in the eyes, even
though doing so sent a chill down his spine.

	"Duties or not," Garrett responded, "I was born in this country and
I bear loyalty for this country! Also, Prince Shawn, you need not remind me
of kingdom law. Remember that I was a loyal colonel under your father and
King Brett for over twenty years!"

	"Mr. Garrett," Shawn retorted, "you were stripped of your
citizenship, six years ago this summer. Whether you defended our country
for twenty years or twenty-thousand years, you are no longer in charge of
our defense, because we banished you!"

	" I mean you no offense, but I was banished not by the kingdom of
Whiteshadow Isle, which I had loyally defended since before I was shaving,
but by a pubescent child who was experiencing an over dramatic depression
caused, most likely, by hormonal overload." Garrett calmly said, as he
regarded Shawn.

	Shawn's hand shot out and held back Bryan, who had his sword
extended and was ready to run Garrett through. Two guards, sensing Shawn's
need, advanced and held Bryan's arms.

	Turning back toward Shawn, he steadied his temper and replied,
"Garrett, you were banished because you sent the heir to the throne to his
death! That banishment was agreed upon by my father and Brett!"

	Again, keeping very calm, Garrett responded, "Prince Shawn, I did
not send Carter to his death. If you should have blamed anybody, then you
should have blamed the two guards who abandoned Carter and Mike. Abandoned
two children who were incapable of defending themselves."

	"Well then," Shawn came back with, "why did you send two children
who were incapable of defending themselves, off into `Bloodstain Row' with
only two undercover guards? Why did you send them at all? The guards were
under your command, Garrett, so you were responsible for their actions."

	"Enough of this shit!" Bryan growled, breaking free from the
guards' grasp, "Let's take this traitor back to the palace already!"

	Shawn glared at Bryan and then turned toward Garrett, "I'm sorry,
Garrett, but according to the kingdom law that you probably know so
well..."

	"I'm under arrest," Garrett cut in, "and I am to be taken before
the kings for questioning, before being placed in jail to await my
execution. Correct?"

	Shawn sighed, "Garrett, I was once a hormonal teenager and perhaps
I overreacted in my decision to have you banished. I really cared for
Carter and it was your decision to send him out there, so I naturally
blamed you. Now that I'm older and more mature, I can see that, despite the
fact that we never got along, you were always a loyal defender of
Whiteshadow Isle and you probably didn't deserve what you got."

	Garrett smirked and nodded, "You were always brat, Your Majesty,
and I never liked how your father always took what you said, so
seriously. However, it means...a lot, to hear you admit your possible
error."

	Shawn nodded and sadly shook his head at Garrett, "Still, the
decision was passed six years ago and we can't go back on it now. Please
come peacefully and I will try to put in a good word for you at the
palace."

	Garrett slowly descended to his knees and extended his
wrists. Looking up at Shawn, he said, "I don't need your praise, Prince
Shawn. I have a purpose for being here and I'm sure your father and King
Brett will be quite interested to hear it."

	Shawn nodded at the guards, and two advanced toward Garrett and
snapped chains around his wrists. Shawn smiled back at Garrett and said,
"For what it's worth...It's good to see you again."

	Garrett nodded and allowed the guards to pull him to his feet and
lead him back toward the horses. Shawn turned toward the guards and said,
"We'll see you back at the palace. Bryan and I have a matter to discuss."

	The guards shrugged and continued walking back toward the
gate. Once they were far enough away, Shawn turned toward Bryan and yelled,
"What the fuck was that all about?!"

	Bryan averted his eyes from Shawn's and shrugged, "I don't like
him, Shawn. I don't like him and I don't trust him."

	Shawn took a few steps away from Bryan, then spun around and threw
his hands up in the air, "I...I...I can't even think straight, I'm so mad
at you! You are a prince, dammit! You can't fucking go around threatening
people, when they mean you no harm!"

	"But, Shawnie!" Bryan countered, "That man sent Carter off to die!
How can you even think of saying that might have been wrong to banish him?"

	"Don't `Shawnie' me, Bryan!" Shawn yelled in response, "That man
protected us for many years and there's a good chance that I overreacted in
banishing him!"

	"What do you want from me?!" Bryan demanded, crossing his arms
across his chest, "Do you want me to say that I'm sorry? Do you want me to
say that I acted very unprince-like? Well, I won't! I'm sick of acting all
proper all the time! I'm fucking sick and tired of it! That man is a
traitor and a bastard and you should have let me run him through! What do
you want from me, Shawn? What?!"

	Shawn paced around and shook his head, "I...I don't know. I'm
trying so hard, Bryan! I'm trying so fucking, goddamn hard to show the
people at the palace that you're a good heir and a good prince, but you're
not, are you? Maybe you're just not cut out for this. Maybe you'd be better
off back on the streets..."

	"No, Shawnie!" Bryan pleaded, "I don't want to leave you!"

	Shawn turned and walked forward, grabbing Bryan in his arms. Gazing
into his eyes, Shawn hugged him and said, "I don't want you to leave
either, but if you truly love me, then you'll be a good prince."

	Bryan gripped Shawn tightly, his muscled arms holding his husband
firmly. They remained like that, until Shawn felt something cold and metal
against his neck. He quickly separated from Bryan and they both turned
around.

	Surrounding the two princes, were several men dressed in green and
black armour. Clutched in their hands, were long metal tubes embedded with
wood. It was nothing like Shawn or Bryan had ever seen before. One of the
men aimed his tube at Shawn's head and smiled, speaking in a very
articulate tone, "Well, well, what have we here?"

	Summoning up his royal-sounding voice, Shawn said, "What you have
here, are the two heirs to Whiteshadow Isle and I demand that you let us go
this instant!"

	The man holding the tube to Shawn's head turned to his comrades and
chuckled. Turning back toward Shawn, he smiled and said, "This must be our
lucky day. Are you going to come quietly, or do we have to do this the hard
way?"

	Before Shawn could open his mouth to speak, he felt something hard
smack him on the back of his head. He quickly fell to the ground and, just
before losing consciousness, he heard an identical crack and felt a body
fall down next to him.

	There was a chuckle and then someone said, "The hard way..."

	Then blackness....


Chapter 5: Driven to Extremes

	King Lucas's arms were crossed across his chest and his gaze
regarded Garrett with a mixture of anger and sorrow. Brett shook his head
in disbelief and conferred with one of the guards who went on the
expedition to Mostaf.

	"I assure you, Your Majesties, that I know not what happened."
Garrett expressed to the two kings, "The princes stated that they would
return on their own."

	Lucas turned to Brett and asked him a silent question with his
eyes. When Brett could not respond, Lucas turned back toward Garrett and
took a few steps toward him.

	"Garrett, our sons have disappeared from a town in which you've
claimed to have lived for the past three months. How could we not assume
that you had something to do with it?" Lucas explained, in a raised voice.

	"Your Majesties, I came to warn you of impending danger, not to
cause you the grief that losing your sons would cause." Garrett explained.

	"Ah yes," Brett cut in, "your claims that Cargenon has sent an army
to Whiteshadow Isle. Our new colonel has already told us that Cargenon's
forces are as good as decimated, so your claims are obvious lies!"

	Garrett sighed and, shaking his head and the kings, said, "Surely
you know how much this country means to me! Why else would I risk my
freedom in order to protect it?"

	Vizier Frost, who was observing the proceedings from beside the
thrones, stepped forward and, regarding Garrett, said, "Blade, when you
took over, for me, as colonel many years ago, you swore an oath stating
that you would risk your life to defend Whiteshadow Isle from all harm. Do
you, as kneel before us now, swear by that oath that your intentions here
are good and do you also swear that you were not responsible for the
disappearance of the princes?"

	Garrett nodded and replied, "I do so swear. Banished or no, I will
always lay my life on the line, to protect this country. Regarding the two
princes, I swore, many years ago, to protect the heirs to throne with my
life. I lost much honour when one of them was killed and I deserved to be
banished. However, I wish to make an amends now, by warning you of the
coming army. Cargenon is more advanced than Whiteshadow Isle. They have
long tubes that shoot pieces of metal, and small rocks that explode when
they hit the ground."

	"And how, may I ask, do you know all this?" Vizier Frost probed.

	"After I was banished," Garrett explained, "I did much traveling. I
roamed around the world on trade ships, paying my way with hard labour. I
saw the rift between the two genders closing and the beginning of a new era
of peace for the world. There were reports, however, that Cargenon was not
agreeable to these changes. It was said that they valued their slaves,
especially their female ones, and did not respect the females as equal
humans. I spent much time in Cargenon, working in various factories and
making contacts. Several months ago, I heard talk of sending an invasion
force to Whiteshadow Isle. I didn't believe those rumours, however, until I
saw the troops assembling by the docks. I booked passage aboard the ship,
paying my way as a crewman, and we arrived here a few weeks later, in the
dead of night. I followed the soldiers to a small camp just outside the
ruins of Mostaf. In order to keep my eye on them, I took up residence in
the ruins themselves. This was doubly good, as it also prevented me from
getting caught, since Whiteshadow Isle patrols didn't seem to go out that
far. I was keeping pretty secret, until this afternoon, when young Mike and
his friend came across my residence...Or should I say, Prince Mike."

	The three listened to Garrett's story with interest. After it was
over, Brett cocked his head in confusion and said, "Assuming what you say
isn't complete bull, I find Cargenon's strategies to be quite ludicrous!
Why send troops all the way over here, when they're losing the war back in
their home country?"

	Garrett gazed up at Brett with a look that gave the king his
answer. Brett took a step back and exclaimed, "Impossible! Colonel Lance
assured us that we were winning the war!"

	Garrett shrugged and said simply, "He lied."

	King Brett advanced quickly forward and yelled, "Liar!" then,
spinning on his waist, slapped Garrett across the face with the back of his
hand.

	Lucas rushed down and grabbed Brett's arm before he could do it
again.

	"Enough, Brett!" he exclaimed, "Perhaps Garrett tells the truth."

	Except for his head snapping back, the large man was unaffected by
the blow. Turning back toward Lucas, he said, "King Lucas, I know not what
Lance told you, but our kingdom's troops have been destroyed in
Cargenon. The mood there, for the past several months, has been quite
festive. They have celebrated every major victory that their army's won
and..."

	"Wait just a minute!" Brett said, breaking from Lucas's grasp, "You
say `our kingdom's troops' like you still believe yourself to be a part of
this kingdom. You were banished, Garrett! You have no kingdom, nor any
troops!"

	Garrett's eyes shifted to the floor at his feet and he nodded
solemnly and spoke softly, "That is true. I am a colonel without an army. I
am without honour."

	 Lucas stepped forward and, looking down at Garrett, said,
"Mr. Garrett, you have been arrested because you are trespassing on land
from which you've been banished. Regardless of the loyalty you feel for
this country, you have still broken the law and I'm sure that you are aware
of the penalty. Do you have any final words before you are taken to the
dungeon to await your execution?"

	Garrett looked up and looked into Lucas's eyes. Lucas could almost
see sadness in the brown pools on Garrett's face.

	"Only that I was born in Whiteshadow Isle, I grew up on Whiteshadow
Isle and I devoted my life to protecting Whiteshadow Isle. If I have to
die, then I'm glad that it's in Whiteshadow Isle." Garrett said somberly.

	Lucas nodded, "You were a good colonel, Garrett."

	Two guards lifted Garrett to his feet and lead him toward the
door. Frost stepped forward and called after him, "Halt!"

	The guards and Garrett stopped and turned around. Lucas and Brett
turned toward Frost as well.

	"When you were talking about how we're losing the war and you said
how they celebrate every major victory, you said `and' and then you were
cut off King Brett. And what?"

	Garrett nodded, "And...the latest celebration before I left, was to
commemorate the total destruction of the Whiteshadow Isle army, following
the execution of their colonel."

	Frost blinked and his jaw dropped in disbelief. There was much talk
amoungst the guardsmen in the room, as they discussed the news of their
leader's demise.

	"You...You're lying!" Brett exclaimed.

	Garrett shook his head, "I'm afraid not, Your Majesty. They were
quite ecstatic about his death, since they anticipated that it was the
beginning of the total collapse of the Whiteshadow Isle army."

	"And it may very well be." Lucas said, walking back and collapsing
into his throne. He placed his head in his hands and said, "Without someone
to lead, it's only a matter of time before we are destroyed. None of the
guards have enough experience to take over."

	Frost nodded, composing himself, "I'd gladly lead our troops into
battle, once again, if only my reflexes were as good as they were twenty
years ago!"

	"What about me?" Garrett volunteered, "I realize my position, but I
would gladly offer my services to..."

	Lucas shook his head and cut him off, "I'm sorry, but you are
prisoner and scheduled to be executed. If there was any other way..."

	Garrett nodded, "I understand."

	With that, Luke nodded at the guards and they escorted Garrett from
the room.

	Turning to Brett, Lucas shrugged, "Well, we're in a tight spot now,
aren't we? Not only have we lost our sons, but we've lost our colonel!"

	Brett shook his head, "I don't believe a word that the man is
saying! I'm sure we'll hear from Colonel Lance soon enough."

	"Regardless," Luke exclaimed, "we still have to find our sons. Who
knows what awful trouble they might be in!"

	Brett nodded and, turning toward Frost, said, "Vizier Frost, send
our troops on patrols around the ruins of Mostaf. If indeed Garrett is
telling the truth about that camp, I want it found! There's a good chance
that our sons are being kept there!"

	"Yes, sire." Frost said and strode off through the room, to make
the arrangements with the guards.

	Even as Frost was giving the instructions to the guards, though,
Shawn and Bryan's unconscious bodies were being loaded into a large ship.

	Its destination: Cargenon.


Chapter 6: Prepubescent Prison

	Bright lights and flashing images flew through Shawn's head, as
he struggled to remember where he was, or what that painful throbbing on
the back of his head was. With a start, he recalled the attack back in the
old town. His eyes popped open and he gazed groggily around the room. He
appeared to be lying on a large bed in a very dimly lit room. Feeling the
cool sheets against his body caused him to realize that he wasn't
wearing any clothes. The room appeared to be moving and, judging by the
sounds coming from the outside, Shawn guessed that they were on some sort
of boat. Comforting his distress somewhat, he saw that Bryan was lying
beside him, naked as well, though not moving.

	Sitting up, he reached over and gently nudged Bryan's
body. "Hey!" he whispered, "Bryan, you awake?"

	Bryan didn't stir, but he heard movement from the other end of
the room. He turned his head toward the noise and squinted as he saw a
spark ignite a candle, casting a glow across the whole room. Holding the
candle, was a boy.

	He set the candle down on a table in the far corner of the room,
and slowly walked toward the bed. Though the light was dim, Shawn could
make out certain aspects of the boy's appearance. He looked to be no
older than ten or eleven, with medium-length, dark-brown hair that hung in
his face. He was topless, with his bottom covered by only a pair of dark
brown breeches. His bare feet were small and turned slightly outward, as he
made his way over. He appeared to be quite thin, with a bit of puppy-fat
around his belly. He might have passed for a peasant boy, but his
appearance was quite neat and he had a golden ring on his right hand.

	"So, you're finally awake." The boy said as he approached
the bed, brushing the dark brown strands away from his face, using his
fingers.

	Shawn squeezed his eyes tightly, trying to clear away the remaining
cobwebs, and when he opened them again, he gazed at the boy and stammered,
"Wha...Who...Who are you? Where am I?"

	The boy giggled, little creases forming at the corners of his
mouth, and blushed as he extended his hand, "My name is Jordan. It's
good to meet you."

	Shawn gazed at the boy's hand as he held it in front of
Shawn. His fingers were long and slender, much like Shawn's, and his
nails were neatly trimmed short. Slowly, warily, Shawn reached out and
gripped the boy's hand, shaking it up and down in greeting. The boy
looked at his hand as Shawn shook it and, slowly pulling them toward him,
he held Shawn's hand up to his nose. His nostrils flaring, the boy
seemed to be smelling his hand. After several seconds, he released
Shawn's hand and, gazing at him, the blush on his cheeks deepened in
pigment.
	"Your hand smells really nice." Jordan said, smiling.

	Shawn could see Jordan's eyes, a pale shade of green, glowing in
the candlelight as he stared at Shawn. Shawn began to become very
uncomfortable with the young boy's attentions toward him and he shifted
his gaze over to Bryan's prone body as he said, "Thank
you. But...what am I doing here?"

	Seeming to ignore Shawn's question, the boy sat down on the bed
and put his hand on the prince's knee as he asked, "What's your
name?"

	Shawn turned back toward the boy. Gazing at him with growing
uneasiness, Shawn replied, "Sh...Shawn."

	Shawn was beginning to feel scared. He was in a dark room and he
didn't know how he got there, his husband was unconscious next to him
and there was a strange young boy who appeared to have a very big interest
in him. The last thing he could remember, was being smacked on the back of
his head. Despite his years of training for crises and his assumed
preparedness and maturity, he was beginning to feel like a lost child.

	Noticing his shivering, the boy looked worriedly up at Shawn and
asked, "Shawn, are you cold?"

	Without waiting for an answer, the boy got to his knees and wrapped
his arms around Shawn's neck, hugging him. Shawn wasn't quite sure
what to do, so he simply sat there and let the boy hug him. When over a
minute had passed and Jordan was still hugging him, Shawn had finally
cleared enough of his daze out to try and get a hold on the
situation. Bringing his arms between their bodies, he gently pushed the boy
away from him. Jordan fell off Shawn's body and landed on his back,
gazing up at the raven-haired prince in confusion. Shawn slowly got on to
his knees and looked down at the young boy, his irritation beginning to
outweigh his fear.

	"Listen!" Shawn said with growing impatience, "I want to
know where I am, what I'm doing here, where we're going and who you
are, and I want to know these things right now!"

	The boy got on to his knees and said, shrugging, "I told you!
I'm Jordan! Where we're going, is we're going home. I don't
know what you're doing here, though. I just heard from the guards that
we were carrying two people from the new land. I came down here and hoped
that maybe you guys wanted to play. So, I waited and finally you got up,
even though your friend didn't. So, do you want to play?"

	"Home?" Shawn inquired, "Where's home?"

	Jordan shrugged, "Where? Why, Cargenon of course!"

	"Cargenon?!" Shawn exclaimed, "They'll kill us!"
	"Why?" Jordan asked.

	Shawn sighed, "Listen, Jordan, I don't know how much you know
about what's going on, but my kingdom is at war with yours. If I return
with you, me and my friend will, most likely, be jailed and executed!"

	"Really?" Jordan said, putting his hand on Shawn's bare
knee again, "That isn't very nice."

	Shawn gazed down at Jordan's hand on his leg and asked, "Why
do you keep touching me like that?"

	Jordan looked at Shawn with puppy-dog eyes and said, "Because I
like you. Don't you like me?"

	Shawn couldn't help but smile as he said, "I guess so. I just
think it's weird that you keep touching me."

	Jordan took his hand off Shawn's knee and, looking up at him
invitingly, he said, "You can touch me, if you want."

	"Aren't you a little young to be asking a man like me to
touch you?" Shawn asked, smiling.

	Jordan's eyes began to show desperation as he gazed up at Shawn,
"I'm not young! I'm eleven! Besides, like you a lot, Shawn. Please
touch me."

	Shawn saw Jordan's hands reach down between his legs as he began
to rub a small, but noticeable lump in the front of his breeches.

	Shawn gazed over at the still-unconscious Bryan lying beside him,
and then turned back to Jordan and shook his head, "I can't. My
marriage forbids me from doing anything with anybody else."

	The young boy continued to rub the lump at the front of his
trousers, as he looked at Shawn inquisitively and asked, "What's a
marriage?"

	Shawn was beginning to grow impatient and wondered if the boy was
purposely trying to delay him. Trying to remain patient, he gazed at the
boy and opened his mouth to speak. Instead, though, he let out a laugh and
gazed down at his lap.

	The boy laughed too and asked, "What?"

	Shawn blushed slightly, as he tried to keep his eyes focused on the
boy's face. Smiling, he said, "I'll tell you, but would you mind
not doing that?"

	"Do what?" Jordan asked innocently.

	Shawn's eyes slowly looked down at the boy's casually
stroking hand and said, "You know...rubbing yourself."

	Jordan's eyes looked down at Shawn's own crotch and, smiling,
said, "I'm making you horny, aren't I?"

	Shawn's blush deepened as he smiled at the youngster. It was
true that his penis had steadily begun to fill with blood ever since Jordan
began his self-ministrations. Shawn tried not to think about it, but at
this point, he was already half-erect.

	"How do you know about that stuff?" Shawn asked.

	Jordan gave Shawn a very large smile as he announced proudly,
"Because my daddy is always telling me that I'm the sexiest boy in
the world and people always get horny when I'm around them!"

	Shawn had to admit that the child was quite attractive. His
slightly turned-up nose and big green eyes made him appear quite
cherubic. Plus, the lump at the front of his breeches, combined with his
pinkish-brown nipples that were beginning to turn red with his growing
arousal, was having a very distinct effect on the prince. Still, Shawn
seriously doubted that this boy was the sexiest boy in the world.

	The boy could see the effect he was having on the naked man sitting
next to him, and, as he gazed up at Shawn, he stopped rubbing himself and
undid the buttons of his trousers and kicked them off. Jordan's fully
erect boyhood was now bared in all its prepubescent glory. It stood at a
little over three inches and was circumcised. The whole thing was shining
red with the friction of the boy's trousers, except the head, which was
glowing a dark purple. It stood out against totally bare flesh with not a
single hair visible.

	Climbing onto his knees, the boy thrust his hips forward slightly
and pouted, "Don't you want to play with it? I'll play with yours
afterwards!"

	Shawn shrugged in attempted indifference and said, "I'm
nearly twice your age, Jordan. It isn't right for us to be doing
anything like this together."

	Jordan reached out and put his hand on Shawn's leg, slightly
above his knee. Rubbing it gently all the way up to Shawn's upper thigh
and back, he gazed up at Shawn and pouted, "Please?"

	Shawn's head begged him to be reasonable, not just because an
eleven-year-old was seriously turning him on, but also because his husband
lay not four feet away. However, the jet-haired prince was now fully erect
and his cock itched with a tingling heat that begged to be relieved by the
oversexed youth sitting next to him.

	Using his lack ounce of sanity left, Shawn nodded his flushed face
in approval and said, "Fine, but I'm going to play, then you have to
do something for me."

	The boy's stiff little cock throbbed in approval and he nodded,
"Anything!"

	Shawn smiled and said, "Okay, you have to help me and my friend
get off this boat."

	"Deal!" Jordan exclaimed and smiled at Shawn.

	Shawn could no longer hold back any longer, and he reached his arms
out, grabbing the young boy's shoulders. He aimed his mouth toward the
child's rose-coloured lips and pulled Jordan forward, kissing him
soundly. Sexual fury exploded in Shawn's twenty-one-year-old body, as he
soon broke contact with the eleven-year-old's lips and, pushing him back
against the bed, trailed his mouth downward. Jordan was whimpering and
shivering, his head tilted back, as Shawn's slimy tongue lashed out,
whipping moist trails of saliva across the boy's exposed
throat. Shawn's hands reached up and he ran his fingers through the
boy's soft brown hair and traced down the contours of his velvety
cheeks, covered in soft fuzz, as he pressed his lips against the side of
Jordan's neck and, sucking gently, swept his tongue back and forth
across the spot, making it wetter and wetter.

	He wasn't quite sure what it was about this boy, but something
caused an almost scary burst of passion within him, as he continued to
stroke his face and plant wet kisses all over his neck.

	Moving his hands down, he gripped the sides of Jordan's
whimpering body tightly and surrounded Jordan's right nipple with his
lips. Having the boy's immature nipple encased in a cavern of warmth and
slimy moisture, Shawn began sharply flicking at the engorged
nub. Jordan's hands shot onto Shawn's head and he held the
prince's long hair in two tight clumps with a vicelike grip.

	"Oh, fuck!!!" Jordan hollered, as Shawn continued his
treatment, almost painfully dragging his face across the boy's flat
chest and onto the second nipple.

	Shawn ignored the pain of Jordan tugging at his hair, combined with
the added pain of it being on the still-tender back of his head, and
converted it into the fury that he used to violently lick and suck at the
young boy's tingling nub.

	Jordan's hips soon began to involuntarily thrust at the air, and
he screamed, "Oh God! Please suck me! Please fucking suck me now! I
gotta cum so bad!"

	Lifting his mouth off Jordan's abused nipple, he exclaimed,
"Let go of my hair, you little cunt, and I'll suck you!"

	Jordan's hands immediately released Shawn's raven locks from
his grip, and left the prince with a burning pain on the back of his
head. Shawn's face immediately descended between Jordan's legs, but
purposely passed over his aching cocklet. With sexual passion still
erupting through his veins like raging lava from an erupting volcano,
Shawn's tongue took long, wet slurps across Jordan's tight, hairless
nut sack. He felt the two small balls shift inside, as he flicked his
tongue all over them, tasting the pure, downy skin of a boy nearly into
puberty.

	Jordan's whole body shivered and his legs moved all over, as he
screamed, "More! Oh fuck, gimme more! I'm gonna fucking cum! Oh yeah!
Oh fuck!"

	Shawn tongue moved up from the boy's tight scrotum and traced a
long, languid line up along the base of the throbbing shaft of his little
pricklet. The boy's hips thrust sharply up and down, rubbing his itching
boyhood along Shawn's tongue. Judging from the growing tension visible
in the boy's young boy and the almost pained expression on his face,
Shawn could tell the boy was close to what seemed like it was going to be
the most powerful orgasm of his young life. Wanting to make the best of it,
Shawn waited no further and slurped the stiff little firecracker into his
drooling mouth.

	The effects seemed to be mind-blowing. A small, high-pitched
whimpering noise began at the base of the young boy's throat, got louder
as it moved upwards and exploded in an ear-piercing shriek capable only by
a boy whose voice hasn't yet changed. Shawn could feel the waves of
muscles in the poor boy's body rippling as orgasm slammed into him with
a vengeance. Shawn continued to run his tongue all around the spasming
pricklet in his mouth, as it expanded and contracted, desperate to squirt
the cum that Shawn figured the boy was still too young to have. He was
quite surprised to feel a gentle spray of fluid across the back of his
throat, as Jordan's body continued to be wracked with torturous
pleasure. It wasn't a lot, surely not more than a few drops, but it was
the sweetest tasting few drops that Shawn had ever tasted.

	The whole orgasm lasted about ten seconds, but Shawn was sure that
the passage of time was not on the young boy's mind. When his body
finally stopped spasming, he lay on the bed, his body covered in a sheen of
sweat, and continued to shiver every few seconds, as the last vestiges of
tension were released from his abused form. Shawn gazed down at the boy
with love and kissed his sweat-soaked brow gently. The boy's eyes slowly
opened and he looked up at Shawn and gave him a weak smile.

	"Thank you, Shawn." Jordan said in a hoarse voice, worn from
his loud shrieks.

	Turning to look beside him, Shawn was glad to see that all the
noise seemed to have woken Bryan up. The brown-haired prince rubbed the
back of his head gingerly and, turning toward Shawn, squinted as his eyes
gained some focus.

	"Sh . . . Shawnie?"

	Shawn smiled and nodded at him, "It's okay, Bryan. I'm
here."

	Shawn reached out and took Bryan's hand into his own, squeezing
it in affection. Turning back toward the young boy, Shawn said, "Can you
get us out of here now?"

	Jordan slowly sat up and, smiling, said, "What about you?"

	Shawn shook his head and smiled, "Maybe once we're off this
barge. Right now, you have to keep your promise and get me and my friend
out of here."

	The boy slowly nodded, "Okay. I can show you to the
lifeboats."

	Shawn nodded, "That would be fine. Say, why don't you come
with us? I'm sure you'd love Whiteshadow Isle."

	Jordan looked unsure and shrugged, "I don't know. I don't
have any friends there."

	Shawn smiled, "Well, you have me. I'm your friend."

	At that, Jordan's face lit up, "You are?! Okay, then! I'll
go!"

	Shawn patted Jordan's head, ruffling his hair. The boy stood up
and quickly pulled back on his breeches and buttoned them up. Turning to
Shawn, he exclaimed, "Well?! Let's go!"

	Shawn turned to Bryan and said, "Come on. This kid is going to
get us off this place."

	Bryan looked around in confusion, "Wha...Where are we? Who's
the kid?"

	Shawn shook his head, "Forget it. I'll tell you later."

	The two men slowly eased out of bed and followed the boy as he
skipped over to the door.

	"Hey, Jordan!" Shawn called, "You wouldn't happen to
have any clothes, would you?"

	Jordan looked back at Shawn and giggled, "You don't need any!
You're cute!"

	Shawn blushed, and was glad to notice that his penis had softened
again. Holding on to the hand of the still groggy Bryan, Shawn followed
Jordan through the door and out of the room.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 7: Sheep to the Slaughter

	While Brett was off attempting to instill confidence back into the
returning troops, King Lucas sat alone in the dim throne room, with his
hand on his face. He kept circulating the bitter facts around in his
head. The troops had returned from their search for the camp and the search
had gone well, but the subsequent battle hadn't.

	Garrett had, apparently, been correct. There was a large army of
Cargenon's troops in a base camp outside of the ruins of
Mostaf. Whiteshadow Isle's soldiers had engaged them, but without a set
strategy, the soldiers had been decimated by the well-trained forces of
Cargenon. Not helping matters, was the fact that the Cargenonons used their
metal-firing tubes. They took down Whiteshadow Isle's soldiers even
before they could get close enough to swing a sword. Worse still, there was
no sign of either Shawn or Bryan, although they hadn't gotten close
enough get a very good look.

	Out of the two-hundred soldiers that he and Brett had sent, only
twelve had returned. Despite the fact that all the soldiers swore an oath
saying that they were prepared to die for Whiteshadow Isle, Lucas really
hated it when any solider died, let alone one-hundred-and-eighty-eight of
them. There was no burial, just an hour of silent prayer.

	Lucas looked up briefly as Brett opened the doors and entered the
throne room.

	"We'll get them next time, Luke." Brett said reassuringly,
as he walked over and put his hand on the black-haired king's shoulder.

	Lucas shook his head and looked up, "We're losing,
Brett. With their advanced weapons, they can destroy our forces, and
without a colonel for the army, the soldiers are disorganized and have no
set strategy. Lance is dead and soon we will be too."

	"Come on, why are you still believing that crap that Garrett
told us about Colonel Lance being dead?"

	Lucas shrugged and said, "Well, we haven't heard from him in
over two months and the only possible explanation for why Cargenon's
soldiers are here now, is that we've lost the battle over in
Cargenon."

	"Maybe he just hasn't had time to send us any news." Brett
said, but didn't sound very sure.

	Brett slowly sat down in the throne beside Lucas and shook his
head, "Okay, all right, we're losing! We won't go down without a
fight, though!"

	Lucas stood up and said, "Yeah, we'll fight...and then
we'll die! We can't win this one, Brett! Not without some real
help."
	With that, Lucas walked quickly off to the doors of the room.

	"Where are you going?" Brett called after him.

	"I'm going to talk to Garrett. I bet he knows more than
he's letting on."

	"Well, what should I do?"

	Lucas opened the doors and then turned back to Brett, "Assemble
some scouting parties and try to find our sons!" he called at him,
before walking out through the doors and closing them behind him.

	Making his way quickly down the hallway, the dark-haired king
turned and walked down a dim, spiral staircase and descended into the
dungeon. Walking to the end of the row of cells, he came to the one
containing Garrett. The former colonel was seated on a steel bench and
looked up as Lucas approached him.

	"Garrett, we need to talk." Lucas said, crossing his arms
across his chest.

	The large, bearded man stood up and walked over to the bars to face
Lucas. Tilting his head in interest, Garrett replied, "Yes, Your
Majesty?"

	"Blade," Lucas began, "you were quite serious about Lance
being dead, were you not?"

	Garrett nodded solemnly, "I'm afraid so, King Lucas. The
references to the slain colonel from the country's opposing power were
undoubtably about Wolfgang Lance, my successor as colonel of this land."

	Both men bowed their heads and shared a moment of silence, before
Garrett looked up again and added, "Wolfgang was a very competent
soldier while he was under my command, Your Highness. You can rest assured
that he took down a great many of Cargenon's best, before his
capture."

	Lucas nodded, before taking a deep breath and looking up at Garret
again. Gazing at him sadly, he said, "This is no time to grieve,
however. The troops that we sent off toward the camp...well...they found
the camp, but all except twelve were slaughtered by the Cargenonons."

	Garrett bit his lower lip and shook his head, "What a waste."

	Lucas nodded, "They used some sort of metal and wood tube that
shot small projectiles. These shooting tubes claimed our men, before they
could even get close enough to swing a sword."

	Garrett nodded, "Yes, I've seen those things used before. The
Cargenonons apparently call them `rifles.' These `rifles' shoot
`bullets' at great distances and can kill a man with a single
hit."

	Lucas smiled, "You've seen these weapons used before? Then
maybe you know how we can combat them."

	Garrett shrugged, "Well, short of creating those dishonourable
devices ourselves, the best way to fight them is to prey upon their
weaknesses."

	"Which are?" Lucas asked.

	Garrett shook his head, "It is too difficult to explain in
words. I might be able to show you, though."

	At that, Lucas shook his head, "I'm sorry, Blade, but
you're to be executed. Simply letting you go would be a high breach of
our royal laws."

	Garrett nodded, "I would never dream of second-guessing your
authority, My Liege, but I have several strategies that may be of help to
our country and I would hate to not be able to put them to good use. I
understand my fate, however, and realize that my death is decreed by law. I
have a proposal, therefore, that may solve all our problems. I only ask you
to hear me out."

	Lucas nodded, "You've earned that right, Blade. What are your
proposals?"

	Garrett smirked his equivalent of a smile and said, "You allow
me to become the temporary colonel of our forces. I'm confident that,
with me in charge of strategies, we can drive them from our shores. While
I'm doing that, you can pick a soldier to become the new colonel and you
will have enough time to train him. If we lose, then I will have been
killed in battle and you will have, at least, partly trained a soldier to
take over for me. If we win, then I will gladly submit myself for
execution. Either way, I'll die, but at least there's a chance that
you will gain a large victory in the process."


	Lucas appeared deep in thought as Garrett stood there silently,
waiting for his judgement.

	After several seconds, Lucas shrugged, "How do I know that you
are not working for them?"

	Garrett tilted his head and smirked, "My Liege, I've been a
loyal defender of this country for many years. Do you honestly believe that
I'd have my loyalty so blinded by their deviant ways that I would betray
the country of my birth?"

	Lucas shook his head, "I suppose not. Assuming you can lead our
forces to victory, what will we do afterwards?"
	Garrett gazed at Lucas proudly, "The Cargenonons are a proud
people and if we were to cause them to lose this campaign, then it would
take them many months to regroup. That should be enough time for you to
send in your forces, complete with their new colonel, and take the battle
to their shores again. With their destroyed confidence, the victory should
be very easy this time."

	Lucas shrugged, "And you will swear to me, with every ounce of
your honour, that you will come before us after we win, and you will allow
yourself to be executed for your crimes?"

	Garrett nodded, "I do, Your Majesty."

	Lucas regarded Garrett for several seconds, his face once again
showing deep though, and then he smiled at Garrett and said, "You know
something, Blade? I don't honestly want to kill you. Therefore, I will
grant you a full pardon if you can do me another favour. While you're
planning strategies to destroy our enemies, I would like you to find Shawn
and Bryan. If you can both find them and drive the Cargenonons from our
land, then I will clear you of all crimes and revoke your banishment
status, setting you free. You will be able to live in the country that you
love so much."

	 Garrett nodded, "That is indeed a difficult task, but if you
will it, then I shall accomplish it. I do have a request in return,
though."

	Lucas shrugged, "What request would that be? I will grant you a
full reprieve and your citizenship to Whiteshadow Isle back. What more do
you want?"

	Garrett shrugged, "I would like my status as colonel back,
permanently."

	Lucas shook his head, "I cannot grant you that, because I did
not strip you of your title. If you can find Prince Shawn, then you may ask
him for your title back."

	Garrett nodded obediently.

	With that, Lucas smiled at Garrett and nodded, "Very well. You
will be freed. Please shower, shave and report to the throne room when you
are ready for duty...Colonel."

	Garrett nodded and said, "What about King Brett? I doubt
he'll be pleased with your decision."

	Lucas nodded, "You let me handle Brett, Blade. You just worry
about your task."

	With that, Lucas walked back down the row and told the guard to
release Garrett. The guard nodded in agreement and Lucas quickly walked
back up the stairway. He would have to find Brett and deliver the
news. Garrett was right, he wasn't going to be pleased.

	Garrett watched Lucas walk away and then sat back on the bench. He
took in a deep breath and let it out in a drawn out name....

	"Shaaaaaaawn."


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 8: The Long Journey Home

	Gazing up at the clear blue sky, Shawn sighed in growing
frustration as he urinated on the trunk of an oak tree. Having safely
sneaked through the boat, avoiding the guards, they had stolen one of the
lifeboats. Shawn and Bryan had then rowed off in a random direction, going
for about forty minutes, before they sighted land. They had then docked the
boat on a tiny beach leading into a huge forest, where they now plodded
aimlessly through.

	"Are you done yet, Shawn?" came a small voice from behind
him.

	Shawn turned around and saw the eleven-year-old Cargenonon boy that
they had taken with them from the boat, Jordan, sitting on a tree trunk and
watching him. He was a very sweet boy, but with the situation as it was,
Shawn was beginning to lose patience with him.

	Turning back around, Shawn smiled and nodded, "I'm
finished. Where'd Bryan go off to?"

	Bryan and Jordan had been formally introduced on the boat and, like
he did with most young children, Bryan already attempted to form a
less-than-moral relationship with the young boy. Shawn was sure that, if
they had a few moments alone, Bryan and Jordan might have partaken in some
questionable practices. Although, Shawn had noticed that Jordan's
interest in sex was much higher than normal. He had a few questions that
he'd ask the boy, when they had time again.

	Jordan stood up straight and gazed at Shawn lovingly, "He's
off searching for a path or something. So, do you want me to suck you
now?"

	Shawn blushed and his penis began to fill with blood, excitedly
showing its interest. The brown-eyed prince shook his head and said,
"Jordan, please! We're lost in the woods and it's beginning to get
dark! We have to find shelter and food before nightfall."

	The young child giggled at Shawn, "It looks like you want to,
Shawn."

	Shawn gazed up at the sky and tried to clear his mind of any impure
thoughts. However, ever since he first met the child, he'd noticed a
drastic increase in his sexual desire. His mind just kept circulating
images that kept his heat level rising and filled his mature cock with
want. Gazing down at Jordan again, he saw the boy wearing a large grin as
he eyed Shawn's throbbing manhood.

	"Bryan could come back at any second, though." Shawn said,
more to himself than to the boy.

	Jordan reached forward and grasped the base of Shawn's shaft in
his fist. Even with Jordan's long fingers, he couldn't totally
surround the piece of hot meat in his hand.

	"Bryan won't care." Jordan giggled, descending to his
knees.

	"I won't care about what?"

	Jordan quickly straightened up again, and Shawn attempted to
compose himself as Bryan walked through the trees and into the clearing
where they stood.

	With a large smile, Bryan looked at both his friends blushing
fiercely under his gaze.

	"Hey! Don't let me stand in the way of your romance!"
Bryan joked.

	Shawn shook his head, "We weren't...I mean...Ah, forget
it. So, what did you find?"

	Bryan shrugged, "I'm not really sure, Shawnie. I found a
grove of peach trees, but most of the fruit seems to have been picked. Yet,
when I looked around the area, there didn't seem to be any paths or any
sign of people walking through here. Do you even know which country
we're in?"

	Shawn shook his head and sighed, "There's no way to
know. Jordan said that I was out for about six hours and Opal Bay harbour
is about a four-hour horseback ride from where the ruins of Mostaf are
located. You woke up about half-an-hour after I did and it took us about
forty minutes to get to the lifeboat. So, that would mean that we were
sailing for a total of about three hours and a bit, before we
escaped. After that, we sailed due south...I think, for about forty
minutes."

	"So?" Bryan prodded, "Where does that leave us?"

	"Lost." Shawn replied, frustrated, "It leaves us fucking
lost."

	Bryan shook his head in disbelief, "So, with all your studying
and royal training, you still don't know enough about geography to tell
where we are?"

	Shawn turned to face Bryan and glared at him, "Listen!" He
yelled, "I don't know which way the damn boat was headed, so I
don't know which countries we passed by! There are several ways to sail
to Cargenon and several countries that we could have passed by! Ergo, I
don't know where the fuck we are, Bryan! I studied Whiteshadow Isle
lessons and very little of it was geography! If I would have known that we
were going to get knocked out and stranded in the middle of nowhere, I
might have spent just a tad more time boning up on my geography, or even
carried around a goddamn map, okay?! Besides, you're hardly one to go
talking to me about studying! What have you been doing over the last few
months, except gallivanting around like a fancy-free child, or playing with
your dick? Come to think of it, maybe if you hadn't been so adamant
about coming to Mostaf with me, you'd be back at the palace studying
like you were supposed to and not worrying about where the goddamn bloody
fuck we are!"

	"I just wanted to spend some time with you!" Bryan yelled
back, "You've been so busy reading over the last few months that
nobody has seen you anymore! Do you think I like going to sleep at night
and waking up in the morning and you're not there? Do you think I enjoy
going into town alone and going to the lake alone and watching the sun set
alone and reading those god-awful books alone?"

	"Alone?!" Shawn retorted, "You have a son, Bryan! Why
don't you take him to the lake or into town or into the library with
you? I'm sure he'd love to spend more time with his father!
Regardless, though, you have to study your ass off and stop with your
stupid little romps in the woods! We aren't little children anymore,
Bryan! Heck, we're not even teenagers! We're adults and you have to
start doing `adult' things and taking `adult' responsibilities!
You are the future of this kingdom and have to set an example for the
younger kids in the palace! That does not include showing your penis to
your six-year-old son, nor does it include telling him that you're
jacking off!"

	"We may not be children, Shawn," Bryan responded, "but
that doesn't mean that we can't still have fun! What happened to us?
We used to do so much together and now you're always studying!  Why
can't..."

	Bryan stopped his rebuttal as he heard the sound of crying from
behind Shawn. Both men turned around to see Jordan leaning against a tree
trunk, sobbing into his hands.

	Shawn shook his head and him and Bryan walked over to him. With
more than a little residual frustration in his voice, Shawn sighed and
inquired, "Why are you crying?"

	Jordan looked up at Shawn, his red-rimmed green eyes glistening
with tears, and hiccupped, "I...I hate...hate it when people...yell."

	"It's okay." Bryan said, shaking his head, "We
weren't yelling at you."

	Jordan nodded, but continued to sob, "I...I know,
but...people...people are always yelling...yelling at me
and...and...I...I...don't know why..." his voice broke off as he
began to sob louder.

	Shawn took a deep breath, the anger and frustration finally
beginning to leave him, and reached forward, pulling the boy off the tree
and taking him into his arms. Jordan's skinny arms wrapped tightly
around Shawn's torso, hugging him and sobbing onto the prince's
chest, matting the hairs there.

	Shawn's head toward to the side and he regarded Bryan with a
slight smile, "Look...I'm really sorry."

	Bryan shook his head, "Na, it's okay. It's hard being lost
in the middle of nowhere."

	Shawn nodded, "I'm sorry about not spending a lot of time
with you. I really do love you, you know."

	Bryan smiled, "I know."

	Giggling, the brown-haired prince walked forward and wrapped his
arms around Shawn and Jordan. "Group hug!" Bryan yelled, giggling.

	Within seconds, Shawn began laughing too and Jordan even stopped
crying and smiled.

	After a minute, they all separated and Shawn and Bryan gazed down
at Jordan. "Listen," Shawn said compassionately, "I'm sorry
about us yelling before. You wouldn't happen to know where we are, do
you?"

	Jordan shook his head sadly and said, "Sorry. If I knew, I'd
tell you."

	"I know." Bryan said, patting Jordan's head,
"Meanwhile, though, we should try to find shelter before it gets too
dark. I say we just camp out back on the beach tonight."

	"That would be a great plan," Shawn laughed, "but I doubt
any of us remember which way the beach is!"

	Bryan nodded, "Good point. How about we camp out here, then?"

	Shawn shook his head, "I say we go to that grove that he said
you saw. Tracks or not, somebody picked those fruit, so maybe there's
some sort of village around there."

	Bryan nodded and said, "Whatever you want, Shawnie. You're
the brain."

	Turning toward Jordan, he asked, "So, kid, are you okay to walk
for a little longer?"

	Jordan shrugged, "I'll be fine."

	With that, Bryan slowly began plodding through the soft mud, his
bare feet making visible footprints as he walked. Shawn and Jordan followed
his lead. After several minutes, they arrived at a clearing where a bunch
of trees grew. It smelled very nice all around, like freshly cut grass and
ripe peaches. They walked closer to the grove and Shawn began to examine
the area.

	Several peaches lay on the ground, rotting in the sun and insects
flew around the area in great abundance. Bryan had been correct when he
said that there were no visible tracks around. As Shawn looked at the
branches of one of the trees, he noted that it appeared that fruit had been
neatly plucked off. This proved that there had to be some sort of human
settlement somewhere close by. Also, the trees looked to be well-tended.

	"There has to be someone around here somewhere." Shawn said,
turning toward Bryan and Jordan.

	"I'm hungry!" Jordan piped in.

	Shawn looked down at him and smiled, "I know you are and I am
too. We'll find something to eat soon."

	Bryan looked at Shawn confusingly, "Umm, what about the peaches
on the trees?"

	At this, Shawn shook his head, "We can't. These trees are
owned by whoever lives close by and if we took from them, it'd be
stealing."

	Bryan nodded and continued to look around, as Shawn examined the
trees and looked around the area.

	"Mmm, I smell cookies!" Jordan exclaimed, suddenly.

	Bryan was about to pass this off as an illusion brought on by
hunger, but, as he smelled the air, his nose picked up the scent as well.

	Turning toward Shawn, he declared, "The kid's right, Shawnie!
It's coming from off in that direction!"

	Bryan's finger pointed to the right of them and Shawn, nodding
in acknowledgment, whispered, "Yeah, I'm picking it up too. Okay, now
follow me quietly, you guys."

	Shawn began slowly walking off in the direction that the smell was
coming from. Bryan and Jordan, both smiling in excitement, followed the
older prince close behind. They passed through the thicket as quietly as
possible and continued down the muddy trail for several meters. After ten
minutes of walking, they began to hear a faint stamping sound. As they
continued along the path, the sound got louder and louder until they could
see a break in the woods up ahead.

	"I think we may have found something." Shawn said, turning
toward the two guys following him.

	As he arrived at the end of the forest, his face lit up with glee
and he could hear two gasps from behind him. The woods ended in a huge
clearing. People walked up and down a long, wide road that extended
horizontally in front of him. The road led through an open gate built into
a large wall, and through the gate, Shawn could make out a town.
	Excited at finally finding some sort of human settlement, Shawn
stepped out from the forest and began walking toward the road. He turned
around and smiled at Bryan and Jordan.

	"We're saved, guys! I knew that...." He began to exclaim,
but as he looked at Bryan and Jordan, he noticed that they had stopped in
their tracks and were blushing bright red.

	Turning back around, he saw what they were blushing at. All the
hundreds of men and women who were walking along the road had stopped and
were now staring at them in disbelief.

	The three had, in their excitement at finding civilization,
apparently forgotten that the people of this town might be just a bit
surprised when two naked men and a boy clothed only in torn and dirty
breeches emerged from the woods.

	A blush to match his friends' passed over Shawn's face and
neck and he gulped as one of the men approached him.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 9: Overwhelmed

	"He did what?!" Michael exclaimed to the guard, as he delivered the
news to the teenage prince.

	The guard sighed and repeated, "King Lucas requests yours and
Squire Zachary's presence in the throne room immediately. He has newly
appointed Blade Garrett as the new colonel of our army and desires that you
and Zachary be present at our first military meeting."

	Michael shook his head in disbelief, "How can this be? Garrett was
banished! He's evil! This is crazy!"

	"I don't know any more details than you, Your Highness." The guard
explained, "I only just found out myself and my job was simply to deliver
the news."

	Michael gathered himself and nodded, "Tell Lucas that I'll be there
in fifteen minutes."

	"Very well, Your Majesty." The guard replied, and, turning around,
walked off.

	Michael continued to shake his head as he made his way out of the
playroom and up the stairs to let Zachary know of this recent turn of
events. He could not understand the logic of King Lucas's actions, but
hoped that the meeting would shed some light on it.

	"It is bad enough that Shawn and Bryan are missing," Michael
thought aloud, "but now this...."

	As Michael reached the top of the stairs, he noticed Carter was
standing by the door to his and Zachary's room. Michael understood that the
small child was bored and was wondering where his father and uncle were,
but he couldn't understand why Carter couldn't bug his mother as much as he
bugged Michael and Zachary. He didn't mean to be belligerent toward the
youth, but it seemed like he was always around when Michael and Zachary
wanted to be alone.

	"May I help you?" Michael asked as he approached the child.

	Carter looked up at Michael forlornly, his brown eyes glistening
with tears that threatened to slide down his cheeks at any second. In a
meek voice, he asked, "Umm...Do you...umm...know where...umm...daddy and
Uncle Shawn are?"

	Michael knelt down and put his hand on Carter's shoulder, rubbing
the thin material of his oversized T-shirt around on the bony area, and
said calmly, "Listen...We already told you that we don't, okay?"
	Carter looked down at his feet as they shuffled nervously along the
carpeted floor, then looked back up at Michael and, gazing at him with the
same despondent look, asked, "Umm...Are they...umm...gonna be back
to...umm...tuck me in tonight?"

	Michael shrugged and said, "I hope so, but I don't think so,
Carter."

	"Oh." The six-year-old said sadly, looking at Michael as if he
expected something.

	After a few seconds, Michael shrugged and inquired, "What? Can't
you bug your mother or something?"

	Carter shook his head, "She's in the temple and I'm not allowed in
there anymore."

	Michael sighed as he realized that he was probably wasn't going to
be able to spend any time alone with Zachary for a little while, "Okay,
Carter, I'll tell you what: Zachary and I have to go down to a meeting in a
few minutes, but afterwards...Umm...I'll play with you, okay?"

	Carter nodded and, turning around, he began walking back toward his
room. Michael took a deep breath and opened the door to his own room.

	"Michael?"

	Michael turned and looked back over at Carter.

	Playing with the doorknob on the door to Sarah's room, he said,
"Umm...If daddy and Uncle Shawn come back...Tell them that I'm in my room,
okay?"

	Michael nodded, "Sure thing, Carter." then walked into his room and
closed and locked the door behind him.

	Michael sighed as he gazed around the chamber. The room that he
shared with Zachary was an awful mess. Clothes were strewn all over the
floor and hung off the bureau against the east wall and the bookshelf in
the far left corner of the room. The bookshelf, of course, held no books,
but instead was stacked with rocks, stale pizza crusts, plates, cups, and
several empty bottles of wine. The bed was completely unmade and the
pillowcases and sheets hadn't been changed in over two months. Michael no
longer noticed it, but the entire room smelled strongly of sweat, mud and
the generally pungent body odour exuded by two fairly physically active
teenagers who didn't bathe much, one of which was still fairly early in the
stages of puberty. The carpet on the floor, once a very pure shade of
white, was now a sickly beige colour. The walls, painted sky blue, were
covered in fingerprints and dried semen stains. Not even the bravest maids
dared set foot in the room anymore.

	Michael didn't see Zachary, but he heard the sound of churning
water and a loud yell of, "I'm just taking a bath! I'll be out in a bit!"
from the direction of the washroom. Zachary taking a bath on his own free
will was a rarity, indeed. Michael wondered what the special occasion was.

	Walking into the bathroom, he spotted Zachary sitting in the stone
tub, surrounded by piles of frothy bubbles. His head was bent back and
resting on the wall and his eyes were closed, with a smile of contentment
creating two creases at the corner of his lips. His face and chest shone
with a film of water and his chest rose and fell with each of his soft
sighs of pleasure. Michael thought he looked gorgeous.

	Michael smiled as he tiptoed across the tiled floor and stopped
just beside Zachary's head. Leaning over the relaxing boy's face, he opened
his mouth and languidly licked his wet tongue across Zachary's glistening
lips. Without even opening his eyes, Zachary's smile became larger and he
giggled, "Hello, Mikey."

	Michael smiled and said, "Hurry up with your bath, Zac. We've got
to go to some meeting and I said we'd be there in a few minutes."

	Finally, Zachary's eyes opened and he gazed up at Michael and
nodded, "I'll be out soon, Sexy."

	Michael sat down on the rim of the tub and asked, "Why are you
taking a bath anyway? You usually have to be dragged into the tub, kicking
and screaming."

	Zachary pulled one hand up from under the water and put it on
Michael's forearm, stroking it suggestively. The young prince shook his
hand off, then stood up and laughed, "How could you think of that, with
Shawn and Bryan gone?"

	Zachary shrugged, "They're grown men and can take care of
themselves! Why should we let it stand between us and our fuck-time?"

	"Is that all you think about?" Michael giggled.

	Zachary stood up with akimbo arms and regarded Michael coyly. The
thirteen-year-old's body was glistening with water, and, below a small tuft
of brown hair, his five-and-a-half inch penis stood fully erect and
pointing at the object of its desire. Michael wasn't used to seeing a fully
clean Zachary and was even more taken by his maturing body than usual.

	"Come on in! " Zachary said, smiling and motioning with his finger,
"The water is nice and warm and the jets feel so good against your
body. Not as good as I will, though."

	Michael bit his lower lip in thought, his mind filled with
conflict. On one hand, he was trying to avoid sex with Zachary, until he
worked out whether there was any love between them. He was beginning to
feel like he should be beyond simple `sex between friends' stuff. Straight
guys did that, after all! On the other hand....

	His thoughts were interrupted by Zachary reaching out and pulling
at the waistband of Michael's denim shorts.

	"Fucking hurry up and get in here, please!" Zachary growled
impatiently.

	With a sigh, Michael reached down and helped Zachary to undo the
button on his shorts. They fell down to the wet floor as the last button
came undone and Michael quickly pulled off his gray tank top. Slightly
saddened by the less-than-sensual way that he undressed, he obediently
stepped into the basin and stood in front of Zachary.

	Zachary reached out and took Michael's hands, dragging him back
down on top of him as they sank into the water. With his back against the
basin wall, Zachary leaned his head and groaned as he reached around
Michael's body and grabbed his ass cheeks in his hands. He held Michael
tightly against him as he thrust his body against Michael's, rubbing his
stiff prick against Michael's own.

	Michael could feel his penis begin to harden as Zachary's rubbed
against it. It was much more because of his general love for the young
teenager, than from any real sexual desire, but he began to thrust back
against the warm body underneath him.

	Zachary's fingers soon delved between Michael's ass cheeks and
Michael could feel one of them pressing firmly against his puckered
butthole.

	"Stop it!" Michael exclaimed, in between gasps.

	The prince was relieved to feel his friend's fingers straying away
from his rear region and focusing their tightly gripping attention on the
small of his back. He heard Zachary whisper under his breath, "Spoiled
brat."

	Michael tried to ignore that comment, but instead of his sexual
tension rising, only his anger and frustration were. As he continued to
thrust half-heartedly against Zachary's prone body, his mind raced with
many thoughts. Zachary had never thought of himself as an heir or a
squire. He only wanted to have sex or go biking. Whenever Michael disagreed
with any of his suggestions, he'd always get called a brat or a priss. His
visits to Carter's grave were getting more frequent over the last month. It
was as if he was drawn to it whenever he had problems with love. Maybe,
Michael thought, he should not expect so much from such a young child. It
was unusual for someone that young to understand what love really was, so
maybe he should enjoy the casual sex with the adorable child while it
lasted. Michael quickly expelled that from his head, though. Michael needed
to be loved and, as cute as he was, if Zachary wasn't going to do it....

	His thoughts were, once again, interrupted as Zachary, groaning
loudly, gripped Michael's body tightly and his thrusts began to get
irregular. Michael could feel the young boy's penis tense against his belly
and the prince could feel the missiles of the thirteen-year-old's semen
spray across his submerged belly.

	Michael's own dick had long since gone flaccid again and he slowly
stood back up and exited the tub. As he walked over and wiped himself with
a towel, Zachary began to recover and sat back up. Stretching, the boy
turned to Michael and said, "You didn't get off?"

	Michael pulled back up his shorts and, while buttoning them, shook
his head and said, "No, but it's okay."

	Michael took a towel from the sink and handed it over to
Zachary. Standing back up, the boy wrapped the towel around his waist and
stepped out of the bath, hitting the button on his way out to stop the
jets.

	Walking back into the bedroom, Michael was, once again, dressed in
his damp clothes, but it didn't matter. He stood there and watched as
Zachary got on a pair of shorts from their cluttered dresser and a black
tank top.

	Turning back to Michael, Zachary shrugged and said, "Well, we have
to go, don't we?"

	Michael nodded and, walking across the room, he opened the door and
motioned for Zachary. As Zachary walked toward the door, Michael swallowed
hard and said, "I love you, Zac."

	Zac froze in his tracks and stared at Michael, "You what?"

	Michael took a deep breath and said, "I love you. Don't you love
me?"

	There was a long pause, and then Zachary shrugged and shook his
head, "No. Why?"

	"Oh...ummm...No reason." Michael said as nonchalantly as possible.

	The two boys slowly left the room and began walking down the
hallway. Michael was in front and, as he approached the stairs, he
stopped. Zachary turned around and said, "What's wrong? You coming?"

	Michael nodded and said, "Yeah, it's just in the throne room. I'll
be there in a minute. I just have to do something first."

	Zachary shrugged and started down the stairs. Michael watched him
go down the long stairway, on his way to the ground floor where the throne
room was.

	Tears began to well up in Michael's eyes and, after making sure
that he could no longer hear the sounds of Zachary's footsteps going down
the stairs, he sat down on the top step and began to cry.

	"Why does everything bad have to happen to me?!" He sobbed loudly,
his face in his hands.

	He heard footsteps behind him, but could not stop himself from
crying. He felt a small hand on his nearly-bare shoulder and a
high-pitched, "Why are you crying?"

	Michael calmed his tears long enough to say the first thing on his
mind, "I miss Carter."

	He felt the carpet shift and he looked up to see Bryan's
six-year-old son sitting next to him. "But, I'm right here!" The small
child said.

	That only made Michael cry harder and he leaned over and wrapped
his arms around the boy, hugging him tightly.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 10: Detoured

	Shawn tried to avoid the gaze of the man who was approaching
him. He was a largely built guy with a thick beard and mustache. He wore
the clothing of a peasant and, judging by the smell, Shawn gathered that he
worked either on a farm or in an abattoir.

	"It's a hot evening, true enough," the man said, as he approached
the crimson form of Prince Shawn, "but I don't think that warrants anyone
of your age walking `round the city limits, wearing nothing but a sheepish
grin, stranger."

	Shawn crossed his arms across his chest in embarrassment and shook
his head, stuttering, "My...My friend and I were...were captured by the
Cargenonons and...and they took our clothes."

	The man nodded and said thoughtfully, "Cargenon, eh? Well, then, if
your story is true, you really must be a stranger to these parts. Far as I
know, the war is only between them and Whiteshadow Isle. Are you from
Whiteshadow Isle?"

	Shawn nodded and said, "Yes, my friends and I are trying to get
back there, actually."

	Crossing his arms across his chest, he nodded, "Hmm, there's not
much I can do for you where that's concerned. I'm just a farmer and don't
know much about ships and such."

	Shawn nodded, "Well, can you, at least, tell me which country I'm
in?"

	At that, the man smiled and exclaimed, "Sure'n I can! You are
standing on the firm soil of the great land of Bismark!"

	"Bismark?!" Shawn exclaimed, "You mean the home of High Priestess
Anna?"

	"Yes indeed!" The main responded, "I didn't think the people down
in Whiteshadow Isle knew of our high priestess!"

	Shawn smiled, "Well, your high priestess and I have met before,
many years ago. Do you know where I might find her?"

	The man shrugged, "I suppose she'd be at the palace. I doubt you'll
get in to see her, though. King Robert doesn't let just anybody through the
gates...especially not naked foreigners."

	Shawn nodded, "Well, if you could provide me and my friends with
some clothing and point us in the direction of the palace, I'd like to try
my luck."
	The man regarded Shawn for a few seconds, before his face broke
into a grin and he laughed, "You sure are a tenacious young man, aren't ya?
Well, I think we can do you one better. It'll be dark in a little while,
so, if you like, my wife and I can offer you a safe place to stay for the
night. In the morning, you can try your luck with the royals."

	Shawn thought about it for a few seconds, before shaking his head,
"I'm sorry, good sir, but, as much as you may like your land, this is not
my home. I'd prefer to try the palace tonight, if I could."

	The man nodded, "Well, if you don't get in, my offer still stands."

	Turning around, the man yelled, "Judy Lee! Could ya be a dear and
run home to get a change of clothes for these three lads?"

	A young woman in the crowd nodded and ran off down the road,
through the town gate.

	Shawn looked behind him and motioned for Bryan and Jordan to come
closer. They reluctantly did so.

	"Well now," the man said, "I'm sure the little lady will be back
shortly. Meanwhile, I don't think I got the names of you strange young
men."

	Shawn extended his hand and said, "I'm sorry. My name is Shawn,
good sir."

	The man shook Shawn's hand in a tight grip. Shawn motioned with his
head at Bryan and Bryan slowly stuck out his hand and said, "I'm Bryan."

	The man smiled and shook Bryan's hand. Jordan simply stood there
and shook his head at Shawn. Shawn smiled and, looking back up at the man,
said, "My little friend here is a little shy. His name is Jordan."

	The man stepped back and smiled, "Well, Shawn, Bryan and Jordan,
it's nice to meet all of you. My name is Saul...Saul Hansen."

	They all stood in silence for a little while, unsure what else
there was to say. After a few minutes, Saul said, "So...Did y'all really
get captured and have your clothes taken away, or were you just fooling
around in the woods and lost them under a pile of leaves or something?"

	Shawn smiled, "No, we really did get captured and have our clothes
taken away."

	Saul laughed, "Those must have been some pretty perverted captors!"

	At that, Shawn and Bryan laughed, but Jordan remained shyly
silent. After a few more minutes of joking around, Saul's wife came back
down the road with a large bag.
	As she got close, she shrugged sheepishly and said, "I couldn't
carry all of em, so I stuck em in this here sack."

	Saul smiled and nodded at her, then turned back toward the boys and
said, "Just go through the sack and take what y'all need."

	The three boys sifted through the sack and came out with some old
tank tops and cotton shorts. There was even a small T-shirt for
Jordan. While the three of them got dressed, Saul shrugged and said, "So,
what makes you so confident that your trek up to the palace isn't going to
be for nothing?"

	Shawn pulled up the shorts and said, "Just call it a hunch,
Mr. Hansen."

	Saul laughed and shook his head, "Please...Call me Saul."

	Once the three of them were clothed again, Saul nodded in approval
and said, "Well, maybe now you'll be able to walk through the town without
scaring all the women off."

	Shawn laughed and said, "Yeah, maybe." Then, turned to Bryan and
Jordan, he said, "Okay, you guys ready?"

	Both of them nodded and then Shawn turned back toward Saul and
inquired, "Okay, well, if you'll just direct us to the palace, we'll be on
our way."

	Saul nodded and pointed down the road, "You just stay on the road
and don't turn or nothing. Just go straight on through and you'll go right
to the castle."

	Shawn nodded and began walking toward the road. Bryan and Jordan,
who had heard everything that Shawn and Saul were talking about, followed
behind him. Shawn could feel the shyness that his two friends felt, but he
didn't display it as openly as they did. Shawn had never left Whiteshadow
Isle before and was unsettled by the suspicious stares that the townsfolk
gave him, as he walked down the road, clad in clothes that weren't his
own. Still, as uncomfortable as it was, Shawn was sure that it would be ten
times worse if they had gone the whole trip to Cargenon.

	As they walked, their heads looked around at the marketplace that
they currently walked through. As it was evening, most of the booths were
either closed or in the process of closing. Bismark apparently hadn't
solved its homelessness situation as effectively as Whiteshadow Isle had,
as there were many beggars who lined the streets. Sadly, some of them were
Jordan's age or younger. Shawn could see the sympathy displayed on Bryan's
face, as he gazed at the young waifs. It must have hit quite close to home
for him.

	After walking for several minutes, they soon saw the shape of the
castle manifest itself through the dusky dimness in front of them. It was
smaller than Shawn's home, but was still impressive looking. It was made
from bluish-gray stone and long creeper vines snaked up the outer walls. As
they approached the entrance to the palace grounds, they saw fewer and
fewer people around the area and more and more guard patrols. The guards
regarded the three boys very cautiously, as if they expected them to pull
out weapons and lay siege at any moment.

	When they finally arrived at the fence door, the two guards
standing there drew their swords and one of them exclaimed, "Halt!"

	The three boys ceased their movement as the other guard stepped
over and regarded them critically and asked, "What is your business here,
sirs?"

	Shawn stood up stiffly and, assuming his tone of authority, stated,
"My business, guardsman, is to see King Robert of Bismark. I am Prince
Shawn of Whiteshadow Isle and behind me is Prince Bryan of Whiteshadow
Isle!"

	The guard turned to his partner and they shared a laugh as the
guard turned back toward Shawn and said, "You expect me to believe that I'm
in the presence of royalty, when all I see before me are three boys wearing
peasant garb?"

	Shawn extended his hand in front of the guard's face and said,
"Peasant clothing or not, my royal insignia ring will confirm my identity
to you!"

	The guard reached up and took Shawn's hand, staring at the gold
insignia ring on his finger closely. After a few seconds, he let it go and,
turning toward Bryan, said, "May I see your ring as well?"

	Bryan nodded, trying to make himself look as royal as possible, and
extended his hand toward the guard. The guard examined the ring closely,
then, turning toward Shawn, said, "And the child?"

	Shawn shook his head, "No, the child is not royalty."

	The guard shook his head, "I beg to differ. He has a ring on his
finger just like you two."

	Shawn looked down at Jordan's right hand and noticed that, in fact,
he was wearing a golden ring. He'd dismissed it previously as nothing
important. The guard took Jordan's hand and studied his ring, then let it
go.

	"Well?" Shawn asked, "May we please pass through the gates to see
your king?"

	The guard stepped back beside the gate and turned toward his
partner, then, smiling, nodded at Shawn, "Oh yes, you shall pass through
our gates, all right!"

	Simultaneously, both guards extended their swords, pointing at the
three boys.

	The guard on the left was still smiling as he unlocked the gate
with his free hand, and opened it up, saying, "Please put your hands behind
your heads. You are all under arrest!"

	Shawn stepped back in shock, "What?! What's the meaning of this?"

	The other guard quickly walked behind Shawn and stabbed him gently
in the back, making him yelp in pain and walk forward again.

	"My dear Prince Shawn," the guard in front of them said, "that
small boy beside you is Prince Jordan, heir to the throne of
Cargenon. While we are not actively at war with Cargenon, I think His
Highness, King Robert, would be most interested in hearing what Prince
Jordan is doing here."

	"But he came with us!" Shawn protested.

	The guard nodded, "You will get your audience with the king, Prince
Shawn, and then you can explain everything to him."

	The guard behind them barked, "Move!" and, to avoid causing any
more trouble, Shawn and Bryan complied. Shawn looked over at Jordan and
gave him a questioning look, but Jordan just shrugged and, looking close to
tears, whispered, "I'm so sorry!"

	Shawn shook his head and whispered back, "It's not your fault."


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 11: A New Hope

	"...and so tonight, the two guards and I will go scout out the
area." Acting Colonel Garrett finished explaining to the assembled royals.

	King Lucas turned to Brett, who was sitting beside him, and hoped
for a more positive attitude from him, but Brett's face remained callous
and untrusting. Lucas frowned and, turning back toward Garrett, he probed,
"And what have you planned for tomorrow?"

	Colonel Garrett started up again into a vivid explanation of his
military strategy, filled with loads of technical stuff that Lucas tried
his best to follow.

	Standing several feet across the room, watching the proceedings,
but not actually paying any attention, was Prince Michael.

	His eyes were still red-rimmed and his face, streaked with dry
tears, as he stood stiffly and tried to keep from thinking. If he allowed
himself to think, his mind would only wander to the occurrence a few
moments previously, the second most depressing moment of his life. He would
think about how lovesick he was. He would think about how much Zachary hurt
him by saying that he didn't love him. So, he just stood there and didn't
think about anything.

	Michael could see Zachary, out of the corner of his eye, standing
beside him. He could not bear to make eye contact with him, but he couldn't
help not looking at him. Despite what Zachary had said, Michael was still
in love with him and it gave him a clenching pain in the pit of his stomach
to feel such love for someone who didn't reciprocate.

	Michael could feel tears welling up in his eyes again and he
realized that he allowed himself to think. Swallowing back a lump in his
throat that felt the size of a baseball, he tried to remain unemotional,
facing forward and looking like he cared about what was going on with that
bastard, Garrett, but he found that he just couldn't.

	"Why wouldn't he love me?" Michael thought, as tears began to slide
down his cheeks anew and re-mat the tiny blond hairs that grew there, "Was
it something that I did? Am I nothing more than a sex object for him? Is he
even capable of loving anyone?"

	He could feel Zachary's eyes on him, studying him and watching him
cry without saying a word to comfort him. "I wonder if he even knows why
I'm crying?" Michael considered, as he stood there and silently wept in
misery for himself.

	"Michael? Michael!"

	Michael looked over and saw Lucas standing in front of him. The
black-haired king looked at him, concerned, and said, "Are you okay?"

	With so much going on in his head, he didn't even distinguish that
the meeting had adjourned. Looking around, he realized that he was standing
alone in the room with Lucas and Brett. Everybody else was no where to be
found, including Zachary.

	Michael wiped his eyes with his wrist and nodded his head,
"Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine."

	"Okay, then." Lucas replied, "You are free to go, and remember that
you are not allowed to leave the palace. You're still punished."

	Michael nodded obediently, and walked toward the door. Lucas went
back over to the thrones and spoke quietly with Brett. As Michael reached
out to pull the handle of the door, he stopped and turned back toward the
kings.

	"Uhh...Your Highness?" he asked, meekly.

	Both Lucas and Brett turned around and Lucas remarked, "Yes,
Michael, what is it that you wish? We're quite busy."

	Michael swallowed hard and said, "Umm, it won't take
long. I'm...I'm just wondering...Umm..."

	"Prince Michael," Brett cut in, "princes must always speak
forcefully and get straight to the point. What is it?"

	Michael nodded and, taking a deep breath, said, "Yes, I know,
but...umm...this is kind of hard to ask. It's about...you know...love and
stuff."

	"Michael, we hardly have time for..." Brett began, but Lucas raised
his hand for silence and, turning to Michael, stood up and walked over to
him.

	When he reached him, Michael was looking ready to cry again. "He's
certainly a sensitive child." Lucas thought.

	"Does this pertain to why you were crying during the meeting?"
Lucas inquired.

	Michael blushed slightly and, nodding, said, "Yes, and I'm sorry
for that. I would have left, but wasn't sure what would have been more
rude."

	Lucas put his hand on Michael's shoulder and nodded. Turning toward
Brett, he said, "Brett, please go to the main hallway and assist Garrett in
his preparations. I shall be there shortly."

	"Me?!" Brett exclaimed, "I don't even agree that the man should
still be breathing!"
	"Brett, please!" Lucas responded in a raised tone, "Go to the main
hallway now! I must...speak with young Prince Michael."

	Brett opened his mouth to retort, but, knowing that Lucas's word
was final, shut it again and stood up.

	"I'll just...I mean...So, I'll...I'll go...Yeah." Brett stuttered
and quickly walked from the room.

	Turning back to Michael, Lucas said, "Okay, then." and, with his
hand on Michael's shoulder, led him over to the thrones. Lucas turned two
of them to face each other and sat down in one of them.

	Seeing Michael's hesitation to sit, Lucas smiled and said, "You may
sit, Michael."

	Michael nodded and quickly sat down in front of the king. Lucas
smiled and, leaning forward in his chair, he regarded the boy with a warm
smile and said, "So, what's troubling you, my boy?"

	Michael tried his best to make eye contact with the man in front of
him, but just wasn't able to keep his gaze focused on King Lucas's face,
with his forest green eyes that regarded Michael so concerned and his
visible smile visible through his graying beard and mustache. So, gazing at
the golden necklace around the king's neck, Michael stuttered, "W...Well,
Your Majesty..."

	Lucas raised his hand, cutting him off, and commented, "First of
all, please call me Luke and, second of all, calm down; I may be your king,
but I'm also your friend."

	Michael nodded and, with tears already beginning to flow down his
cheeks again, Michael sniffled and said, "Well...Luke...It's about
Zachary."

	Lucas leaned back in his throne and assumed a pensive look. "Oh?"
Lucas responded, "What about Zachary?"

	Michael opened his mouth to speak, but instead, he put his hands
over his face and began to sob.

	Lucas sighed and, moving his throne closer, put his hand on
Michael's knee and cooed, "Aww, what's wrong, Michael?"

	Michael responded something, but it was muffled by his hands and
his sobs.

	"I can't understand you, Michael. Take your hands away from your
face." Lucas instructed.

	Michael took his hands away from his face and, leaning forward,
held his stomach in his arms as he sobbed, "Zachary...Zachary doesn't love
me!"

	"He doesn't?" Lucas replied, "How can you be so sure?"

	"He...He said so!" Michael bawled, "I asked him if he loved me and
he said no!"

	Lucas nodded and said, "Ah, well I understand how his saying that
would make you feel sad. However, you must keep in mind several
factors. First of all, he's only known you for a year. Love can sometimes
take many revolutions of the seasons to bloom! Second of all, he's still a
young boy, Michael. He may not be mature enough to have the need for love
that you do. Give him time, Michael, and he will eventually come
around. After all, you're going to be with him for a long, long time."

	Michael's sobs tapered off and he looked up at Lucas and,
sniffling, said, "But...but what if Zachary isn't...you know..."

	Lucas nodded in understanding, "Hmm...Well, that would be
unfortunate for you. Tell you what, why don't you sit down and discuss your
concerns with Zachary?"

	Michael shook his head, "Zachary just wouldn't understand how I
feel. I've tried to snuggle with him and do romantic stuff, but all he
wants to do is...well...you know...umm..."

	Lucas smiled, "Have sex with you?"

	Michael blushed brightly and nodded, "Yeah. He just likes to go
biking, play sports, play games and...well...the other thing. It's
like...like..."

	"Like he's treating you like just a friend?" Lucas finished.

	Michael nodded.

	Lucas smiled, "Well, maybe that's because he thinks that you're
only interested in being friends. Michael, do you love Zachary?"

	Michael nodded.

	"Well," Lucas explained, "if you really care about him and want him
to realize that you like him more than a friend, then you should gather
enough nerve to tell him so. From what I know of Zachary, I'm pretty sure
that he isn't interested in the opposite sex, and the fact that he's
willing to be intimate with you is a good sign that he isn't totally
repulsed by you. If you make it known that you care for him, maybe the
result will be in your favour!"

	"Or maybe not." Michael added.

	Lucas shrugged, "Look, Michael, love isn't easy. It could be that
Zachary and you are not meant to be, but the thing is that you two will be
together until death or gross insubordination says otherwise. The very
least you two can do, is try to live with each other in peace. You do have
three days of being stuck in the palace with him. I'm sure you can find
something to talk about."

	Michael nodded, "I understand, but I would really like someone who
was fun to be with and also loved me. I wish I could find somebody to
snuggle with and be close to. Like Shawn and Bryan are...or were...or
whatever."

	Lucas nodded, "Yes, well the way I see it, you're just looking for
someone else like Carter, right?"

	Michael nodded, his eyes beginning to tear again, and he sniffled,
"I just miss him so much, Luke...especially now that I'm interested in
finding someone to love me. He would have, too. I know he would have!"

	Lucas nodded, "Probably, but you can't keep searching for another
Carter, because you'll never find one. The closest you'll come, is his
mother, and she's already married."

	"Does she have any other kids?" Michael inquired.

	Lucas sighed, "Michael, you chose Zachary and you're kind of stuck
with him. You have to get over Carter, though. It's been six years."

	"I'll try and make Zachary understand, but does Carter's mom have
any other children, Luke?"

	Lucas sighed and nodded, "Her and her new husband had a boy a few
years back. Maybe it would help you feel a bit better if you got to meet
him. I can invite her and her husband to dinner and they can bring the
child with them."

	Michael's face lit up, "When? When can you invite them?"

	Lucas smiled, "I'll talk to her tomorrow morning. For now, I want
you to go to your...room, and speak to Zachary. Try to make him understand
how you feel. Above all, though, remember that he may need time."

	Michael nodded and stood up, "I'll do that. Thank you so much,
Luke. I...I wish I had a father like you."

	Lucas stood up and took Michael in his arms, hugging him, "You're a
good kid, Michael. You just need to learn to be less sensitive about
everything."

	Michael detached himself from Lucas and walked back toward the
door. After pulling it open, he turned back and said, "I hope we find Shawn
and Bryan soon."

	Lucas nodded, "Yes...So do I."

	After the door closed, Lucas collapsed back into the throne and
shook his head, "Oh, to be young again!" he said out loud.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 12: Raining in my Mind

	With the points of swords pressing into their backs, the three
princes were escorted through the decorated hallways of Bismark Palace.

	"I can't believe this!" Bryan whispered to Shawn.

	Before Shawn could respond, the guard behind him jabbed him in the
back and barked, "Hey! Shut up, you!"

	Bryan jumped and yelped in pain. He looked ready to deliver a
string of expletives that would make a sailor blush, but Shawn reached over
and took his hand. Bryan's anger seemed to drain and he smiled at Shawn and
held his hand as they walked through the palace. Jordan looked on
jealously, but shook his head and went back to concentrating on keeping up
with the older men.

	Finally, they arrived at two large double doors. The two guards
moved out from behind them and one of them pulled open the door slightly.

	"You three get inside. His Majesty has been informed of your
arrival."

	Shawn nodded, with his arm behind him rubbing his back, while Bryan
replied, "Thanks for nothing, guardsmen! You'll be in big trouble once we
tell our fathers how we've been treated."

	The guard leaned in close to Bryan and said, "Frankly, my dear, I
don't give a damn." Then he and his partner walked off back down the
hallway.

	Shawn turned toward Bryan and Jordan and said, "Well...Shall we?"

	Both boys nodded and Bryan shot Jordan another disapproving look,
before pulling open the door and holding it for the two other princes. Once
they were inside, he stepped through and shut the door behind them.

	The Bismark throne room looked quite similar to the one back at
Whiteshadow Isle, in its great size and decoration. Seated at the front of
the room was King Robert.

	The king of Bismark was an elderly man, who looked to be in his
early seventies. He had short, gray hair and a well-manicured
mustache. Dressed in a red puffy shirt with a jacket and dress pants the
colour of Bismark navy blue, he stood up as the three boys walked across
the marble floor toward him. Standing beside him, dressed in a navy blue,
collared shirt, crimson necktie and navy blue dress pants, was a young man
that Shawn knew, from the occasional meetings during royal assemblies, to
be Prince David, heir to the throne of Bismark. Prince David was
thirty-four and had short red hair and green eyes. He stood with a bored
look to his pale face, which broke into a slight grin as Shawn and his
friends approached. It was a well-spread rumour that David hated his
father, due to his keeping the throne well into his golden years. On the
same token, it was said that his father kept the throne, due to his not
believing that David was wise enough to be king. Of course, all these
rumours were unsubstantiated.

	"Ah, if it isn't the two young princes from Whiteshadow Isle," King
Robert said in his typical deep, booming voice, "and their apparent
comrade, Prince Jordan of Cargenon!"

	"King Robert, I..." Shawn began to stay.

	"Prince Shawn, did your father not teach you proper respect when
addressing foreign kings?" King Robert exclaimed.

	Shawn shrugged and began to reply, "Well, King Robert, he..."

	Robert cut in again, "What manner of half-assed royal training did
you receive, Shawn, that you address me in such a manner?!"

	Shawn turned to Bryan in confusion, but when he saw the growing
anger on his husband's face, he quickly turned back and replied,
stuttering, "I...I...don't...don't quite understand what you...you mean!
I've...I've called you...King Robert, haven't I?"

	The king shook his head, tsk'ing Shawn, and boomed, "You will
address me as `Your Highness' or `Your Majesty.' Anything less would be
disrespectful!"

	Shawn took a deep breath, and replied as calmly as possible, "With
all due respect...Your Majesty, I am Prince Shawn, heir to the throne of
Whiteshadow Isle, and not some common serf who's...."

	"You, my dear prince," Robert interrupted in anger, "are not in
Whiteshadow Isle anymore! You have no power here! You are in my country and
while you are in my country, you will address me how I say you will address
me and do what I say you will do! Here, in Bismark, you are not a prince,
but a peasant, and right now you are a criminal!"

	"Criminal?!" Bryan bellowed in response, "Now, you listen here, you
old piece of...."

	"Bryan!" Shawn yelled.

	King Robert sat back down and smiled, "Prince Shawn, I mean not to
be hard on you, but I do expect more from the heir to a country. Take my
own heir, for example..."

	Robert extended his arm in display toward Prince David, who was
still standing at attention for the entrance of the princes. David turned
toward his father as he was displayed and Shawn thought he could see a
sneer beginning to grow on his counterpart's face.

	"My son," King Robert continued, "has been groomed, right from
birth, to be, at all times, proper, polite and, above all, respectful. He
wears proper clothing and even a very becoming necktie, while you three
wear dirty clothing not unlike that of a farmer!"

	"That's because our clothing was given to us by a farmer!" Bryan
responded, exasperated.

	"What does he mean?" Robert asked, turning to Shawn.

	Shawn crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head, "Again,
with all due respect, Your Majesty, Bryan is as much a prince as I am. If
you wish to address him, then do so yourself!"

	King Robert sighed and, turning toward Bryan, muttered, "Very
well. Prince Bryan, what do you mean?"

	Bryan turned toward Shawn and whispered, "Why couldn't you just
tell him? I'm no good at this!"

	Shawn smiled and whispered back, "You seemed all right with it, a
few seconds ago! You're a prince, sweetheart, and you have to learn how to
communicate with other royalty."

	"But..." Bryan began to reply.

	"But nothing!" Shawn interrupted, "Just look him in the eyes and
tell him exactly what happened! It isn't that difficult!"

	"Is there a problem?" King Robert inserted, impatiently.

	Shawn nodded at his half-brother and Bryan turned around and,
clearing his throat, he replied as forcefully as he could, "Yes, Your
Majesty, there is, actually! You see, we were knocked out and captured by
the soldiers of Cargenon and taken aboard a ship bound for what would
probably be an unfair trial and a subsequent execution. For reasons unknown
to us, they stripped us naked and left us on a bed in the hold. We woke up
and managed to escape and, after paddling for several hours, we came upon
the shores of Bismark. After landing, we made our way into town, still
totally naked, and enlisted the help of, as I mentioned before, a farmer in
order to get some clothing. We now come before you, Your Majesty, to ask
for your help in returning to Whiteshadow Isle. We believe that our people
may be in grave danger!"

	Bryan took a deep breath after he was through and turned to Shawn
for approval. The raven-haired prince looked to be positively glowing with
pride and, though he looked ready to kiss Bryan, he simply reached out and
took Bryan's hand, squeezing it in affection and admiration. Both boys then
turned back toward the king, awaiting his response.

	The king looked to be seriously contemplating Bryan's monologue and
even Prince David seemed interested by what was just said.

	Leaning forward slightly, King Robert responded, in a fairly calm
voice, "So, let me understand this correctly: You two were captured by
Cargenon and you believed that, should you have stayed aboard the ship,
Cargenon would have executed you. So, in attempting to save your own lives,
you escaped from your capture - from Cargenon, mind you - and ended up on
my shores. Is this accurate?"

	"Quite accurate...Umm...Your Highness." Bryan replied, nodding.

	"Uh huh." King Robert replied, cocking his heads, "So, why, my two
little princes from Whiteshadow Isle, do you have, Prince Jordan, the heir
to the throne of Cargenon hiding behind you, with his hand down the front
of his pants?"

	Prince David successfully stifled a giggle, as Shawn and Bryan
looked behind them to find Jordan blushing bright red. His right hand, as
the king had stated, was down the front of his breeches, obviously grasping
his penis. From his crimson blush and the sheen of sweat covering his face,
Shawn and Bryan had a pretty good idea of what he was doing until he got
caught.

	Turned back toward the king, who had assumed a surprisingly comical
look, Shawn replied, feeling a blush pass over his own face,
"Well...Uhh...you see, Your Majesty...well...at the time...we weren't aware
of his title. He was just a small child who...Umm...offered to help us
escape."

	King Robert's eyebrows raised and he said, "You're telling me that
the prince of Cargenon actually offered to help you escape? In those
words?"

	Shawn shrugged, "Well...mostly."

	"Mostly?".

	"Well," Shawn replied, "it took a bit of persuasion."

	King Robert peered between them and stared at Jordan for a moment,
before turning back to them and saying, "Hmm, I assume your methods of
`persuasion' did not involve much physical coercion?"

	Shawn's blush deepened a few shades as he shrugged and said,
"Well...Umm...not really."

	King Robert's shook his head, a look of extreme impatience on his
face, "Not really? Mostly? Prince Shawn, are you intentionally trying my
patience or are you always this insufferable? I'm asking you a simple
question and I demand a straight answer, or else I'll send you back to the
dungeon and let you straighten your tongue out there! For the last time,
Shawn Glazerman of Whiteshadow Isle: Are you going to tell me how it is
that you managed to convince the prince of Cargenon to help you escape
capture and why he is in your company presently?"

	Shawn turned behind him and looked at Jordan. The eleven-year-old
boy had removed his hand from the front of his breeches and gazed at Shawn
with his expressive emerald eyes, a look of sorrow and regret on his
childish face. He mouthed the words, "I'm sorry, Shawn." before turning his
gaze downwards and staring at his bare feet.

	Turning back toward the king, Shawn looked the old man in the eyes
confidently and said, "In order to convince Prince Jordan to help us
escape, I agreed to...ummm...be intimate with him."

	A slight grin passed over the faces of King Robert and Prince
David. The king cocked his head again and probed, "Intimate how?"

	Before Shawn could respond, Bryan cut in, "Your Majesty, what my
brother is trying to say is that he and the young prince fucked. The poor
boy's screams of ecstacy actually were the thing that woke me up from
unconsciousness."

	This time, Prince David could not stifle his laugh. His father spun
toward him and barked, "David, shut up!"

	Shawn smiled and shook his head in disbelief and Bryan crossed his
arms across his chest, confidently standing firm on his point. Jordan
looked up in shock and giggled.

	The king turned back toward Shawn and then looked at Jordan, and
then back at Shawn again and said, "Prince Shawn, beyond the questionable
fact that you seemed to have had sex with a child who is about half your
age, lies the fact that it was with an enemy. Also, isn't it a breach of
your marital code for you to be with another in that way? Regardless
though, I'm sure your father would not approve as I don't."

	Shawn shrugged, "You let me take it up with my father myself, thank
you very much. Furthermore, how can you call Jordan an enemy when he
obviously wouldn't hurt a fly?"

	The king shook his head and said, "How foolish are you really,
Shawn? He could have been aware of your desire to return to Whiteshadow
Isle, so he played the passive angel child. However, once he gains access
to your palace, he could off your father and Brett!"

	"I wouldn't!" Jordan protested.

	All eyes turned toward the young prince. The king leaned forward
and said, "Very well, Prince Jordan...Why don't you stop this covert
operation and tell me what your plans really are?"

	Jordan could not meet the gaze of the king and gazed at the floor
as he responded, "I don't have any plans!"

	"Hmpf!" The king retorted, "Do you really expect us to believe that
you just happened to latch onto Prince Shawn, because you like him? And
look at me when I'm talking to you!"

	Jordan slowly looked upwards and appeared to try hard to look at
the king. His high-pitched, prepubescent voice shook with fear as he
replied, "But...but I do like Shawn! I've never met anybody from another
country before and when I heard two of them were onboard the ship, I really
wanted to meet them!"

	"Bullshit!" The king rebutted, "You can't expect anybody to believe
that your intentions are pure! Why did you not identify yourself as a
prince when you met Shawn?"

	The boy looked close to tears as he responded meekly,
"I...but...I...I mean...I didn't think it was important! You have to
believe me! I...I...I love Shawn! I wouldn't do anything to hurt him or
anybody where he lives!"

	The king sat back in his throne, "Very well. I'll believe you...for
now. Still, however, I would like you out of my country. You will be
chained up and kept in the brig of the ship, to keep you out of trouble."

	"No way!" Shawn interjected, "Jordan is my responsibility and I
will take care of him!"

	The king thought for a moment before responding, "Very well, but
you two are my responsibilities. I will grant you passage on a ship that
will take you back to Whiteshadow Isle. In order to assure your safety, my
son will accompany you."

	"What?! Why me?!" Prince David protested.

	Shawn shook his head, "If possible, I'd like it if your High
Priestess would accompany me instead. I've worked with her before and know
her, unlike your son whom I've only met for short periods."

	"Anna?" King Robert questioned, "Oh well, granted. You will leave
tomorrow morning. Tonight, you will be given a room in the palace. I highly
advise you to let us keep the Cargenonon in the dungeon."

	Shawn shook his head, "No, I won't allow that. Jordan will sleep
with us."

	"Very well." The king replied, "But I must tell you that, lately,
our ships have been under attack by Cargenon battle-boats. In order to
avoid them, the ship will take a roundabout route instead of directly to
Whiteshadow Isle."

	Shawn shrugged, "I have no choice. How will this affect our getting
back?"

	The king shrugged, "I'm sorry to say that it will take several
weeks to sail all around Bismark and another few weeks to reach the shores
of Whiteshadow Isle. The total trip should not be more than a month and a
half, though, unless there's a storm or some such thing."

	Shawn nodded, "It will have to do."

	With that, the king and the prince stood up. Prince David smirked
at the three and said, "Come, you guys, I shall show you to your room."

	Shawn nodded and he followed Prince David back toward the
door. King Robert called after them, "You will find more appropriate garb
in the cabinet of your room. Supper will be served shortly."

	Jordan looked around suspiciously as David held the door open. He
didn't like this place. Staying close to Shawn, he followed him through the
door and down the hallway....


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era

Chapter 13: Sexual Healing

	After his talk with Lucas, Michael hadn't gone to voice his
concerns to Zachary, as the king had advised. Instead, he had gone to the
gymnasium and tried to sweat his emotions away. He'd jogged around the
track a few times, played a solo game of basketball, and lifted some
weights. Afterwards, he'd used the public showers, rather than his private
bath. Still, however, he felt frustrated and depressed. He didn't know how
he was going to face Zachary again, after what had happened. He felt
trapped in a situation that just couldn't be repaired. For a few serious
seconds, as he stood under the spray of hot water from the public shower,
he contemplated killing himself.

	Supper had been a solemn affair. There were two empty seats at the
table and Michael spent most of the meal just gazing at them sadly. The
goat cheese chicken breast with mashed potatoes, which was normally
Michael's favorite, just didn't taste that good. The table, which normally
buzzed with conversation, was almost silent, except for the usual
clattering of plates, glasses and utensils. He and Zachary had sat next to
each other, but, again, neither said anything to the other.  Even though
nobody really expected Shawn and Bryan to return, everybody felt all the
more forlorn when, by the time the maids had cleared the table, the two
seats were still empty.

	As promised, Michael had gone to play with Carter after dinner. He
really wasn't in the mood to have fun, but he half-heartedly chased the
giggling boy through the palace hallways, trying to catch him, and made a
real effort to find him when they played `Hide and Go Seek.' In the end,
Michael stretched out on the couch in the playroom, and read a book, while
Carter sat in front of him, playing with building blocks.

	Michael had just reached chapter fourteen of his book, when Zachary
entered the room. He walked in front of the couch, where Michael was
sitting, and just stood there. Michael could feel Zachary's eyes gazing
down at him and, seeing no other choice, lay the book down forcefully and
addressed Zachary in a very patronizing voice, attempting to show him how
he felt, "Yes?...Is there something I can do for you, Zachary?"

	Zachary seemed to either ignore or not detect Michael's hinting
tone and replied, "I was just wondering if you want to play basketball or
something?"

	Laying his patronizing tone on a bit thicker this time, Michael
stared daggers at Zachary and replied, "I was in the gym for three hours
today, thank you very much! If you want to go down there at seven in the
evening and sweat like a rutting pig, then go right ahead, but I'm going to
stay right here!"

	The brown-haired boy seemed to pick up on Michael's demeanour this
time and inquired, "What's wrong, Mike?"

	Staring at Zachary, Michael could feel his attraction for the boy
beginning to fade into his general frustrated attitude. He shook his head
and said, "If you don't know what's wrong, then I'm not going to tell you!"

	Zachary dropped down on the couch beside Michael and, putting his
hand on the blond prince's knee, exclaimed, "I seriously don't know! Please
tell me!"

	Michael pushed Zachary's hand from his leg and stood up. Looking
down at him, with tears glistening in his eyes, Michael said, "What's
wrong, is that you're a heartless, insensitive, cruel, unemotional
bastard!" And quickly ran from the room.

	Carter was so involved with his toys that he didn't notice him
leave, nor did he notice Zachary standing up and running after him. Michael
ran through the hallways, trying to lose Zachary, but Zachary was quicker
than him and managed to grab hold of Michael's shoulder when they were a
few feet away from the doors to the temple.

	Michael spun around and exclaimed, "What? What do you want from me?
Haven't you done enough?!"

	Zachary had a slight smile on his face and he stepped back and
replied, confused, "But what did I do, Michael? Please tell me why you're
so pissed at me!"

	Michael turned away again and shook his head, feeling the tears
burning in his eyes yet another time that day. He felt Zachary's hand
squeeze his shoulder and he heard, "Mike...What's wrong?"

	Michael was mildly surprised that Zachary didn't sound impatient or
belittling. He actually sounded concerned. This, along with the constantly
recurring thought in his mind, made Michael explode into sobs. He sunk to
the floor and leaned against the wall. Zachary sunk down the floor with him
and his hand on Michael's shoulder began stroking it gently. Not in a
sexual way, but more of a soothing rhythm.

	"Come on...What's wrong, Mike?" Zachary asked, sounding even more
concerned.

	Michael tried to speak, but the emotions ran too deep in him at
that moment and all that came out were incomprehensible words masked by his
sobs and hiccups.

	"What's the problem?" Zachary continued to plead, "What do you want
of me?"

	Zachary's tears of sorrow began to shift to tears of anger. What he
wanted of Zachary, at least at that moment, was to be taken into his arms
and hugged like a normal person would do for someone they cared about. He
wanted Zachary to plant angel kisses all over his wet face and shush him,
saying that things were going to be all right. It was so obvious what he
wanted, yet Zachary didn't seem to pick up on it!

	He shrugged off Zachary's hand and stood up, then took off down the
hallway again. This time, Zachary didn't follow him.
	He was so wrapped up in his anger and misery that he didn't see the
person in front of him until they caught him in their arms. Looking up
through his tears, he saw the concerned face of High Priestess Margaret
Scott looking down at him.

	"What's wrong, Michael?" She asked, releasing him from her grasp.

	He looked up at her warm face and his sobs lessened
somewhat. Overtaken by longing, he wrapped his arms around her again and
hugged her tightly, crying into the front of her robe. She reached behind
the prince and stroked his back, while shushing him.

	After a few seconds, she could feel no more tears soaking through
her thick robe and she gently eased Michael's head from between her breasts
and held him at arms' length.

	Gazing into his red, teary eyes, she asked, "Why are you crying,
Michael?"

	Sniffling, he responded, "I...well...I mean, nothing. I'm fine."

	Smiling, she shook her head, "Something's wrong, child. What is
it?"

	Shrugging, he sniffled and said, "Well...umm...Zachary doesn't love
me and I miss Shawn and Bryan and I really miss Carter
and...well...everything is just so hard, lately."

	She nodded and her smile turned to a frown, "Hmm, it seems to me
that you're feeling lonely and sorrowful, because you have nobody whom you
can relate to on a personal level. You've shared intimate contact with my
sons before, as well as the small boy whom Shawn originally chose. You
hoped to find a similar closeness with the boy that you picked during your
choosing, but instead find that he isn't giving you that desired
contact. Is that about sound?"

	Michael nodded and said sadly, "Yeah, that's right. You're so
smart, High Priestess."

	She smiled and, reaching up, stroked his moist cheek with her
hand. Looking at him thoughtfully, she said, "For many months, it seems
that you've been possessed by much woe. I can't recall, for as long as I've
known you, that you've ever been a very happy child, but, since this past
winter, I've detected a much stronger melancholy pervading your soul."

	Michael nodded, finding it surprisingly easy to look Shawn and
Bryan's mother in the eyes, and replied softly, "This past winter was when
I chose Zachary."

	She nodded and said, "Yes, I know. I would very much like it if
you'd join me in the temple for a few moments."

	She motioned down the hallway with her hand and Michael nodded and
slowly followed her. As they approached the temple doors, he was glad to
see that Zachary was nowhere to be found.

	She pulled open the two large double-doors, engraved with many
drawings that suited the whole spiritual aspect of the place, and held them
open for Michael. Michael stepped through into the Scott temple and she
gently closed the doors behind her.

	Michael had never actually been inside the temple. He'd always been
too intimidated, after all the stories that he and Zachary had told each
other about it probably being haunted. It was a beautiful room, though, and
rivaled even the Royal Address Chambers.

	The walls were covered in stained-glass windows and beautiful
paintings of various significant events in the history of Whiteshadow
Isle. There were pews lining the floor and glass-doored cabinets, filled
with scrolls and books, against the side walls. At the front of the room,
was a raised area with a podium standing in front of several decorated
chairs. Against the rear-wall, was a cabinet containing large scrolls of
the main religious books of Whiteshadowism, and above that was a
stained-glass window of a Star of David. However, the thing that stood out
the most, for Michael at least, was when he looked upwards. The ceiling had
an elaborate mural depicting the `Coming of The Righteous One,' an event
that was supposed to happen someday, with a beautiful angel dressed in
flowing white robes coming to bring eternal peace and contentment to the
whole planet. In the mural, the angel stood on a green hill, surrounded by
smiling and cheering people. With one arm, it was holding an infant, and
the other was on the back of a small boy who was hugging its leg. The angel
had the delicate effeminate facial features of a woman and the muscular
build of a man. From the looks of the mural, the angel resembled a teenager
of about fourteen or fifteen-years-old.

	Michael was still looking at the ceiling, when he heard Margaret
call him. He followed her to the front of the room and off to the
left. They paused in front of a white wooden door, and she turned to the
book and, smiling, said, "You know what's through here, don't you?"

	Michael swallowed hard and nodded, "People talk about all sorts of
weird stuff that goes on behind there. It's called the ritual room."

	She laughed and shook her head, "Religion is a lost cause on most
of you males, so you mock what you do not understand. It's true, rituals
are performed through here, but we don't sacrifice chickens, as some
say. The truth, Michael, is that I brought you here today, because I want
to help you."

	"H...Help me?" Michael asked nervously.

	She nodded, "You see, my child, you are filled with much grief and
longing, but know not how to channel it. You cry, but resolve nothing with
your tears. I can help you gain understanding and knowledge about how to
help yourself. I can help you...achieve peace."

	Michael took a step back and began to feel scared. Stuttering, he
said, "I...I...I don't know. What are you...I mean...What are we going to
do?"

	Margaret reached down and put a hand on his shoulder, then said
reassuringly, "Don't worry, Michael, I don't want to make you feel
uncomfortable. We could simply talk, if you want."

	Michael took a deep breath and peered around the dark temple, then
back at Margaret, "No, I...I mean, what...what are...what do you want to do
in there...I mean, to me?"

	Margaret smiled, "I don't want to do anything to you. I just know a
religious ritual that may help you feel better and, if you're open, I'm
sure you'll find that it helps you."

	Michael bit his lower lip in thought, and then said, "You're not
gonna...like...cast a spell on me, are you?"

	She shook her and, putting her hand on his back, she opened the
door and said, "The more you worry, the deeper you sink into total
darkness. If, at any time, you feel uncomfortable, then you may leave."

	He slowly nodded and followed her as they made their way into the
dark room. She closed the door behind them, making the room totally
black. Michael was scared at first, but suddenly he heard a snap and saw
Margaret standing in front of him, lighting a bunch of candles sitting on a
marble table. Michael detected a very sweet smell in the room and, for
every candle that she lit, the smell got more intense. The more Michael
smelled it, the more he wanted to and he began to feel his head spinning.

	After she had lit twenty or so of the candles, she turned around,
her eyes glowing in the glittering light, and said, "Now, Michael, I'm
going to ask you to do a few things and I want you to remember that if, at
any time, you don't want to do something or you want to leave, then just
go. Do you understand?"

	Michael nodded slowly, but was so focused on that beautiful smell
that he didn't hear anything except a string of sounds coming from her
mouth."

	Bending down, she opened a small cabinet on the floor, in the upper
left corner of the room, and pulled out a small bottle of a bluish
liquid. As she turned the cap, opening up the bottle, she looked at Michael
and said, "Michael, before I begin, I'm going to need you to take off all
your clothes."

	Michael nodded obediently, totally drunk on the smell of the
powerful incense, and pulled his tank top up over his head, leaving it on
the floor in front of him. After that, he slowly unbuttoned his shorts,
letting them fall to the floor where he kicked them off. Standing naked
before the High Priestess, he simply stared ahead blankly.

	She smiled at him and said, "Now, lay face down on the table next
to you."

	Michael nodded and shuffled over to a long table a few feet beside
him. It was raised off the ground and appeared to be made of white leather,
but when Michael lay down on top of it, it felt like velvet against his
front. Closing his eyes, he let his arms dangle off the sides and he sighed
in contentment. He soon heard footsteps walk over beside him and he jerked
as he felt something hot and wet running over the small of his back.

	"Don't worry!" He heard Margaret say beside him, putting a hand on
his shoulder, "It's just a special lotion that I have."

	Michael could feel himself regaining his senses back somewhat and
he inquired softly, "Wha...What are you doing?"

	"Just lie forward and relax." He heard her say, "I'm going to rub
this lotion into your skin and I want you to just keep taking deep
breaths."

	Before he could even think about protesting, he felt her hands move
down his body and slowly knead his muscles, working the lotion into his
skin. He groaned as he felt the stress being massaged out of his back. As
the lotion got absorbed into his pores, he began to feel as though his
whole body was wrapped in a warm blanket.

	Her hands moved up and began massaging his neck and he heard her
say, "Michael, I want you to tell me about when you first met Zachary."

	Michael felt as though he was floating. He could see nothing but
blackness, and could only feel the warmth in his body and hear the sound of
Margaret's voice. All other sensations seemed to disappear. It was as if
he'd lost consciousness, but was still coherent to those two things.

	In a slightly slurred voice, he responded, "Zachary was so
beautiful. We were such great friends when we first met. On the night after
the `Choosing,' we went up to our room, locked the door and fucked all
night long. For the `Showing' the next day, we had to be woken up and
neither of us could walk properly, because our asses were throbbing. God,
every freaking day for a month after that, we fucked and fucked. When we
weren't fucking, we slept and slept. I think there were days when we just
forgot to eat and never left the room. It was so great."

	Margaret's hands moved back down the boy's body and began to knead
the small of his back. She nodded in interest and said, "Yes, I remember
all that. What happened afterwards, when you began to get tired of having
sex all the time?"

	Michael sighed and said, "It began to get really boring to fuck all
the time. I kept seeing Shawn and Bryan kissing and hugging and doing
really romantic stuff. I really wanted romantic stuff like that too, so I
began to snuggle with Zachary, after we'd had sex. He never liked it,
though. He'd usually shove me off him and tell me to let him sleep. I also
wanted to watch the sunset with him, a few times, but he always said that
he wasn't into shit like that. I said it was all right. I said, all the
time, that I didn't need to snuggle or watch the sunrise or sunset. I said
I didn't need to do shit like that either."

	As Michael said the last few sentences, Margaret could see tears
form in his eyes and begin sliding down his cheeks. She rubbed more lotion
into her hands and continued to massage the small of his back, then nodded
again and said, "But it wasn't all right, was it Michael?"

	"No." Michael sniffled, "I kept saying it, but I never meant it. He
always wanted to go biking or play sports and I kept doing all that stuff,
always thinking that it would make him want to be close to me."

	"It never did, though, did it, Michael?" Margaret responded.

	Michael began to cry harder, but was still understandable, "He
loved his fucking sports, but I never did! I wanted to do stuff to make him
happy, but it just made me miserable! I showed him all the cool places that
were close by, but he never thanked me! He just looked around for a while,
left and then used me as some freaking sex toy! I was a fucking blowup-doll
who he could mess around with! I tried so hard to make him love me, but it
never worked! I don't even know why I told him that I loved him! I mean, I
knew that he didn't love me, so why did I even ask? I hate him so much!"

	"But you don't, do you?" Margaret said, moving his hands up to his
neck again, working more warm lotion into his skin.

	"No." Michael sobbed, "I wish it were true, but I still love that
son of a bitch and I don't know why! I have to keep myself from being nice
to him, because I'd keep letting him fuck me and I don't want to let him!
I...I just wish he loved me."

	"How much do you love him, Michael?" she asked.

	"More than my own life! I'd do anything for him! I love the way he
looks in the morning and before he goes to bed at night! I want to be with
him always and, whether or not he ever loves me, I will always feel this
way about him! Every time I look at him, I fall in love with him all over
again."

	Margaret nodded and stepped back, letting Michael cry for a few
minutes. While he sobbed, Margaret put the lotion away and got another
bottle from the cabinet. Wiping her hands of the previous lotion with a
towel, she covered them in the new solution and then walked back to
Michael.

	"Michael, I'd like you to now turn over onto your back." She told
him.
	He sniffled and obediently rolled over, still lost in
semi-consciousness and his eyes still shut. She walked over again and
looked down at the boy's resting form. Putting his hands down, she began
rubbing the new lotion into his stomach and chest.

	"Michael," she said, "I'd like you to tell me about your old
friend, Carter."

	A smile passed over Michael's face and he said, "Carter was such a
funny kid. When my parents abandoned me, I met him on the streets and we'd
keep ourselves distracted by having fun with each other. We'd run around
and play games and he'd always want to play these wrestling games, which I
didn't like. At night, it would sometimes get cold, so we'd curl up in an
alley together and hold each other as we went to sleep. Even after we found
Bryan's hotel, we still slept together sometimes, but he didn't stay at the
hotel. He liked to steal food from the market and stuff, so I didn't see
him as much as I would have liked to. He'd always come around for my
birthdays, though."

	Margaret nodded as she stroked the boy's slightly defined pectoral
muscles, and inquired, "Michael, can you tell me about the first time you
ever realized that you loved Carter?"

	Michael's smile faded, "It was when Shawn and he came to the
hotel. Carter came in and told me about all the exciting stuff that he'd
seen at the palace and, as I stood there and watched him waving his arms
around and telling me how huge everything was and how he was like a prince,
I began getting a funny feeling in my stomach. I got an impulse to reach
out and kiss Carter right on his beautiful lips. His hair and eyes never
looked so sweet and he just looked so great. I hadn't seen him for a few
months and I never realized how much I missed him until that moment. I
mean, I know that I was only nine, but at that moment, I wanted to be
really close to Carter and I somehow knew that I was in love with him."

	Margaret smiled slightly, then took a deep breath and said,
"Michael, after you were attacked by the spy and you escaped through the
window, what were you thinking as you ran back to the palace?"

	Tears began to flow down Michael's face again as he said, "I was
thinking...I was thinking...that I was scared and that I was a coward who
was running out on his friend. I was thinking that I needed to get Shawn
and Bryan. I...I also was thinking that it was the last time I was going to
see Carter...and I was right...."

	By the time he said the last sentence, he was sobbing
again. Margaret remained unaffected though, and she continued to stroke his
chest as she said, "Michael, can you go back to the moment you first heard
that Carter died?"

	Michael continued to sob as he said, "I...I couldn't believe
it. Lucas, Brett, Shawn and Bryan had come back from the hotel. Shawn and
Bryan were taken to the doctor immediately, but Lucas sat down with me and
he just said, `Listen, Mike...I'm really sorry, but Carter died. We tried
to bring him back, but there was no way. He'd lost too much blood.' I
remember just sitting there for a few seconds and thinking that this was
some joke. I think I had gone stupid or something, because I kept looking
over at the door and expecting Carter to burst in and then everybody would
start laughing, but I was mostly sure that he really was dead. Then, I just
started crying and I didn't stop until I passed out. I was in such pain and
that last moment with Carter kept going through my head again and
again. All the blood and the children...It was just so awful."

	Margaret nodded and, slowly, moved her lotion-covered hands down
and rubbed them gently across Michael's penis and scrotum. While she did
that, she looked up at Michael and said, "Michael, do you love Zachary as
much as you loved Carter? If you could choose one, which would you pick?"

	Michael's sobs slowly tapered off until he stopped completely, as
if nothing had happened, and he said, "If I could pick who I loved more,
then I'd pick Zachary, but I cared about Carter more. Carter was like a
really good friend. Zachary, I wish, is more so."

	Margaret wrapped her hand around Michael's penis and squeezed it
gently, before smiling at him and saying, "Then, as of this moment, I want
you to consider yourself free of your emotional shackles. Don't risk losing
Zachary like you lost Carter. Go to him, Michael, and tell him how you
feel. Do it tonight."

	Michael's eyes opened slowly and he looked over and smiled at her,
before getting off the table and slowly getting dressed.

	"So, how do you feel?" She inquired.

	Michael laughed, "Slimy, but I'll be okay. What did you do,
anyway?"

	She shook her head, "Just some chicken sacrificing."

	As she extinguished the candles, put the bottle away and washed her
hands, Michael walked out of the room. He was feeling confident for the
first time in his life and it was time to go and confront his fears.

	For the sake of Carter's memory, he was going to make Zachary love
him. For some reason, he knew that it was possible. It was possible and
he'd achieve it.

	Somehow....


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 14: The Kids Aren't Alright

	Bryan locked the door behind them and, walking over to the soft
looking bed, fell backwards onto it. Looking up at the ceiling, he groaned
and exclaimed to nobody in particular, "Can you believe that shit?!"

	Shawn nodded as he strode around the room, opening drawers and
cupboards, searching for where the clothes might be.

	"Do you guys hate me?" Jordan asked, slowly walking away from
beside the door and toward the bed.

	Bryan lifted his head up and, rubbing the bump on the back of it,
exclaimed, "Not as much as I hate that old bastard of a king!"

	"Bryan, King Robert isn't a bastard..." Shawn lectured, as he
opened up a dresser drawer and looked around inside, "He's
just...well...overly proper. He might stick to the rules a little too..."

	Shawn stopped talking and, straightening up, he turned to Bryan and
laughed, declaring, "Actually, you're right! King Robert is an old bastard,
isn't he?"

	Bryan smiled and nodded, laying back on the bed and rubbing his
eyes with his fingers.

	Working himself back into the conversation, Jordan repeated, "But,
do you guys hate me?"

	Going back to searching through the drawers, Shawn mumbled, "No,
Jordan, we don't hate you."

	"Because even though you got us arrested," Bryan said, adding on to
Shawn's statement, "you did help us escape the ship and things ended up
working out in the end. We're going home."

	Shutting the last drawer of the bureau, with a growl of
exasperation, Shawn stood up and turned to Jordan. With a small smile and
slight blush, he queried, "Jordan, I've been meaning to ask you...Why do
you seem so...so...I mean, what's with all the..."

	Looking up, Bryan smiled and interrupted with, "Why are you so
horny all the time?"

	"Yeah." Shawn said, nodding.

	Jordan shrugged and said, "I dunno. My brothers always used to do
stuff with me and it felt really good, so now I like doing the stuff with
myself and other people."

	Bryan giggled, "You're some kid! Is that why you were jacking off
in front of the king?"

	Jordan blushed and said, "He made me feel nervous, so I tried to
make myself feel better."

	Shawn smiled and shook his head, as he walked over to another
bureau. His smile faded, though, as he futilely searched through it.

	Bryan sat up and stretched, then said, "Have you tried the closet,
Shawnie?"

	Shawn slammed shut the drawer, then looked over at Bryan and
queried, "What closet? Where?"

	Bryan pointed over at a door near the front of the room.

	"I thought that was the bathroom...." Shawn muttered as he strode
across the room and over to the door.

	Opening it up, he laughed as he saw that it was a closet and it was
full of various articles of clothing. Turning to Bryan, he asked, "How did
you know?"

	Bryan stood up from the bed and, looking over at Shawn, shrugged
and said, "I didn't. I thought it was the bathroom, too."

	Shawn growled playfully and then began sifting through the
closet. Meanwhile, Bryan turned toward Jordan and commented, "You know, I
think your family might get a little worried that you're not still on that
boat. Won't they miss you?"

	Jordan frowned and shook his head, "I don't think so. Everybody
always called me a pain in the ass and treated me more like a slave than a
prince. I'm glad to leave!"

	"But won't they get angry with your disappearance and send massive
amounts of troops to get you back?"

	Jordan shrugged and exclaimed, "Probably, but I don't want them to
find them. If they did, they'd probably beat me bloody."

	Bryan sat back on the bed and said, "Interesting position you've
put us in. If they don't get you back, they'll likely attack Whiteshadow
Isle mercilessly. If they do, they'll make you suffer."

	"But they won't get him back." Shawn cut in, approaching the bed
with a handful of clothes, "If Jordan doesn't want to return, then we'll
protect him and just have to suffer the consequences."

	"Isn't that very un-princelike, Shawnie?" Bryan inquired, smiling,
"I mean, I haven't read as much of the royal books as you, but doesn't it
clearly state that the safety of the kingdom outweighs the safety of the
single citizen?"

	Shawn smiled back and crossed his arms across his chest, "Come now,
Bryan...Just because I memorized all those rules, doesn't mean I have to
follow all of them." His smile fading, he continued, "I refuse to sacrifice
our young companion here, just because his kingdom attacks us."

	Jordan cocked his head and inquired, "But my country was going to
attack yours even before I left the ship, wasn't it?"

	Shawn threw the clothes onto the bed and him and Bryan turned
toward Jordan in shock.

	"N...N...Not as far as we knew...." Bryan exclaimed nervously.

	"Those soldiers...." Shawn said to himself, then turning toward
Jordan, he said, "We encountered a few soldiers back in our country,
but...but there were only a few."

	Jordan shrugged, "Before we left Cargenon, I heard my dad talk
about sending the army to Whiteshadow Isle. He said that they'd be taken
care of within a month."

	Bryan lay back on the bed and laughed, "So, we're here, getting
yelled at for not wearing a tuxedo and bow-tie, while, meanwhile, our
country is being attacked." Suddenly, he sat up again and exclaimed to
Shawn, "But our guards can handle them, can't they? I mean, we'll just
destroy them like we destroy every other threat, won't we?"

	Shawn sat down on the bed beside Bryan and, his face a mask of
sadness, shrugged and said, "I don't know. I thought we were winning this
war...I thought Colonel Lance had the situation well at hand. It makes no
sense that he'd even allow a ship to escape carrying troops bound for
Whiteshadow Isle."

	"We publically executed a Colonel Lance of Whiteshadow Isle a few
months ago." Jordan said softly.

	Bryan lay back on the bed and groaned in frustration. Shawn turned
to Jordan, but didn't register much shock. Instead, he simply shrugged
again and said, "Makes sense. Colonel Lance tried to build up our hopes by
telling us that we were winning the war, when, really, we were
losing. Undoubtedly, our troops have all been destroyed in Cargenon and
they're just coming to finish us off with their metal tube weapons."

	"Rifles." Jordan corrected.
	"Whatever." Bryan said, "The fact, is that we're sitting in Bismark
with our thumbs up our asses, and our country is being taken over. We won't
even be back for over a month and it'll probably only be to survey the
ruins of our country and be executed like everybody else."

	"Our fathers...our sisters...our mother..." Shawn sighed,
"Whiteshadow Isle only have one possible chance."

	"Which would be?" Bryan inquired.

	Shawn shrugged, "With the loss of our colonel, we need another one
to plot strategy with our troops. My father is a smart man and, if backed
into a corner, he could easily find a replacement who would probably be
willing to help defend our country and would even be just as good as
Colonel Lance, if not better."

	Bryan's head turned toward Shawn, "Please tell me that you don't
mean who I think you mean!"

	Shawn sat back up and shrugged. He opened his mouth to explain,
when there was a sudden knock on the door. All three of their heads turned
and they heard the voice of Prince David saying, "Ten minutes to dinner,
children."

	Bryan turned toward Shawn, his qualms momentarily gone and said,
"What a prick! `Ten minutes to dinner, children.' I mean, come on!"

	Shawn stood up and shrugged, "When in Bismark...Do as the
Bismarkians do."

	Shawn sorted through the clothing and handed it out to Bryan and
Jordan. As they got undressed and began putting on the new clothing, each
of them had several thoughts racing through their minds. Jordan was the
first to voice his.

	As he tucked in his navy blue dress shirt and buttoned his sky blue
corduroys, Jordan looked at Shawn and said, "Shawn...I'm really sorry about
what my country is doing to yours."

	Shawn shrugged and said, "Don't be. You're just a kid and have
nothing to do with all this shit. Your only concern should be to learn to
keep your dick in check. You leave the political and military matters for
us to worry about, okay, sweetheart?"

	Jordan nodded and struggled with his white necktie. Shawn smiled
and walked over, helping Jordan with it.

	"We really have to get home, Shawnie." Bryan commented as he
buttoned up his black vest, "I feel so helpless here."

	Shawn nodded as he finished with Jordan's necktie and worked on
buckling his belt, without looking up, he said, "We'll be home soon,
Bryan. Just keep positive."

	There was another knock at the door and a shouted, "Come on,
people, let's get moving! Father is waiting!"

	To Bryan and Jordan's surprise, Shawn yelled, "Would you just shut
the fuck up?! We're coming, god dammit!"

	Bryan turned to Shawn and smiled, "Finally, a little life from the
stone!"

	Shawn smiled, a slight blush to his cheeks, and shrugged, "He was
just really pissing me off!"

	Finally, they were all dressed. Shawn looked over the two younger
boys and made a few last-minute pulls and tucks, then nodded. Jordan looked
really adorable, with light blue corduroys, a Bismark navy blue, collared
silk shirt, a white necktie and shiny white dress shoes. Bryan wore an
emerald green dress shirt, a black suede vest, black breeches and
dark-green dress shoes. Shawn thought he looked like some psycho
leprechaun. Shawn wore a puffy orange dress shirt, a black blazer, black
breeches and black leather dress shoes.

	With a huge grin, he imitated a lisp, saying, "Look at u-th! We
look th-imply th-sma-th-ing! I've never th-een us look th-o th-uper!"

	Bryan laughed and, using the same tone, confirmed, "You're th-o
th-illy, Th-awnie!"

	All three boys giggled as they brushed their hair with their
fingers. Finally, feeling ready, Shawn ran over to the door and opened it
for his companions. Smiling, Bryan and Jordan walked through it and the
three followed a guard, waiting outside the door, down toward the dining
room.

	As they entered the room, they saw that, already seated at the
table, were King Robert and Prince David. Both looked up at the three as
they entered, shooting them negative looks.

	"Princes Shawn, Bryan and...*sneer*...Jordan, I'm sure that in your
respective countries, it's still considered quite rude to be late for the
meals." King Robert said sharply.

	Shawn sighed and said, "Your Majesty, we apologize for our
tardiness. I had a bit of difficulty with...."

	Shawn's voice trailed off and he shook his head.

	"With what?" King Robert probed.

	Shawn stood there silent for a few seconds, then, after turning to
look at Bryan and Jordan, he turned back and shook his head and said
simply, "No."

	"No?" King Robert asked.

	Shawn shook his head again, "No...No, I'm done being all royal and
shit with you! Before, you were being a real asshole with us and I won't
stand for it anymore! Just because you're having problems with your son,
doesn't mean you can act like a fucking jackass toward us! You may be king
of this country and we may be in your home, but that's no excuse for the
way you're treating us! Geez, when I was taught that Whiteshadow Isle was
the nicest place, it may not have just been propaganda! Now, either stop
with this bullshit, or, when I get back to my country, I'll see to it that
Bismark pays for its treatment of us!"

	King Robert nodded, "Yes, yes I have been treating you badly,
haven't I? Well, that's going to change right now."

	The king snapped his fingers. Four guards left their posts and
approached him. Staring directly at Shawn, he commanded, "Take the three
boys down to the dungeon and serve them their dinner there! If they don't
like the rules and laws of the land, then they can stay where others who
feel that way are!"

	Before the guards could advance on the surprised boys, a voice rang
out from the door way, "Not so fast, Robert!"

	All heads turned to the doorway, to see a tall, brown-haired woman,
dressed in priestess robes, standing there.

	"You will leave Prince Shawn and his friends alone." She said
simply, as she walked further into the room.

	:"But, High Priestess Anna," King Robert protested, "they insult
me! They disobey our rules! They consort with criminals! Shawn even called
me a `fucking jackass!'"

	Walking over behind the king, she gripped his shoulders and
massaged them gently. "Oh, Robert," she laughed, "you are a fucking jackass
and I usually find it so fun, however I will not stand for ill treatment of
Prince Shawn. He's my friend and his country is the nicest on this planet."

	"The nicest, Anna?" King Robert inquired, surprised.

	Smiling, she stepped away from King Robert and began walking over
to the three boys. Looking back, she said, "Oh, Robert, Bismark has its
qualities, but it can't compare to the beauty of Whiteshadow Isle, you know
that!"

	"Well, I don't think..." King Robert began to say.
	"Hush!" She said, "Stop thinking and eat your soup!"

	The king obediently did what he was told. The high priestess walked
over in front of the three boys and she gazed at Shawn, smiling, "It's very
good to see you again, Your Highness."

	Shawn smiled back and, taking her hand, he pulled it up to his
mouth and kissed her priestess's ring, then gazed up at her and said, "The
feeling is, most assuredly, mutual."

	Despite being totally homosexual, Shawn found Anna to be the most
beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She looked to be in her twenties, but Shawn
knew that she was almost twice that. She had long, straight, honey-brown
hair that went down to just past her shoulders and framed her face. On the
back, she had two thin French braids halfway down her hair. When Shawn
stared at her, he looked into two big beautiful azure pools that were on
either side of a thin, perfectly sculpted nose. Her lips didn't need
makeup, as they had a natural pinkness, and two adorable creases at the
corners, when she smiled. Bryan didn't have the same totality of gayness,
and Shawn could see him staring dreamily at the high priestess's shapely
body, its curves visible beneath her flowing robe. Jordan was blushing
bright red and staring at the floor, occasionally shooting glances at the
shapes of her breasts underneath her clothing.

	Motioning toward the table, she said, "Come. Sit."

	Shawn nodded and elbowed Bryan, knocking him out of his reverie. He
looked around quickly and followed Shawn and Jordan as they sat down at the
table. Bryan appearing to be praying that she'd sit next to them, but, as
soon as the boys were seated, she made her way back up the table and took
her seat next to King Robert.

	"So," she said to Shawn, "I hear you requested my presence to
accompany you back to Whiteshadow Isle tomorrow morning?"

	Shawn swallowed his spoonful of soup and nodded, saying, "If we
have to go with anybody, I want it to be you."

	She smiled, "Aww, that's so sweet of you." Then, turning toward
Bryan, she said, "So, Prince Bryan, how have you faring? I haven't seen you
for six years! You've grown so much!"

	Bryan shrugged and smiled, "Yes, it has been too long, High
Priestess. I'm glad to see you again."

	She gave him a wink and said, "Yes...I can see that you are."

	Turning to the third boy, she grinned largely and inquired, "And
who are you, child?"

	The brown-haired prince of Cargenon took a deep breath and, with
crimson cheeks, stuttered, "I...I...I'm J...Jor...Jordan, High P...High
Priestess...Anna."

	"He's the prince of Cargenon that came here with Shawn and Bryan,
Anna." Prince David added, after swallowing a mouthful of bread.

	Anna regarded David as he spoke, then turned back toward Jordan and
said, "Well, well...So you're the prince that has our dear king in such a
beastly mood. If Shawn trusts you, however, I shall trust you to."

	Jordan hastily went back to eating his meal and Anna turned her
attention back to Shawn, "So, Shawn, how is your father?"

	Shawn shrugged, "Well enough, I suppose. Feeling his age,
sometimes, but he can still play a mean game of soccer."

	They both laughed and Anna said, smiling her sweet smile, "Yes, I
would believe so! And your mother?"

	Shawn smiled, "She's quite well. Services have been drawing in many
people as of late, so her temple is flourishing. Training continues for
Priestess Rebecca to succeed her, but she still appears to have a good many
years left in her, knock on wood."

	"And how goes the war with Cargenon?" She inquired, her smile
fading as she knew the answer.

	Shawn shook his head, "Not well, I'm afraid. It would appear that
our colonel has been killed and Cargenonon troops have already invaded
Whiteshadow Isle. That's why we are in such a hurry to return."

	"Shawn had this really stupid idea that his father would give Blade
Garrett control of the army again, since we recently found him back on the
isle and had him arrested." Bryan added.

	Anna nodded her head, "Hmm, seems like a problematic dilemma."

	"You mean, Colonel Garrett?" Jordan cut in.

	Shawn shrugged, "Not anymore, we stripped and...."

	His voice trailed off as the realization came upon him.

	Turning toward Jordan quickly, Bryan asked, "Jordan, why did you
just call him `Colonel Garrett?'"

	Jordan shrugged, "Blade Garrett arrived on Cargenon about four
years ago. My father made him colonel and gave him control of the Cargenon
armies. Why do you ask?"

	Shawn jumped up from his seat. Turning toward King Robert, he
yelled, "Your Majesty, we have to get home....NOW!"


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 15: Written all Over my Heart

	It was going on nine-thirty by the time Michael returned to his
room. The smell was as overpowering as always, and he winced at it as he
walked in and shut the door behind him.

	Zachary was laying on the filthy bed, reading a book, but on closer
inspection, Michael saw that the cover read, `Improving Your Football
Game.' Zachary's shirt lay on the floor beside the bed and his long brown
hair was splayed about his naked chest, providing its own coverage of the
young teenager's muscular torso. The old Michael would have been so turned
on, that he would have jumped on the bed, grabbed Zachary and fucked him
until their cocks and asses were sore. The new, refined Zachary, however,
stood firm.

	"Hello." Michael said simply, as he walked further into the room.

	Zachary looked up from his book and said, "So, are you going to
tell me what was wrong with you before, or not?"

	Michael nodded and said, "Actually, I am, but you have to get
dressed, because we're going out."

	Zachary sighed and, looking back at his book, he said, "No, Mike,
I'm too tired tonight. Why can't you just tell me here?"

	The blond prince put his hands on his hips and shook his head,
"It's very important to me that we go out to do this. Please?"

	Zachary nodded, closing the book and setting it down on the bed,
then, groaning, he swung his legs over the side and stood up.

	"Do I really need my shirt?" Zachary whined.

	Looking slightly annoyed, Michael exclaimed, "I suppose not. Look,
just come on, okay?!"

	"Do I need shoes?" Zachary inquired.

	Michael reached out and took Zachary's hand, growling, "Just come
on!"

	"Okay, okay! I'm coming! Let go of my hand!" Zachary bitched as
Michael dragged him to the door of their room.

	Once they got there, Michael let go of Zachary's hand and, turning
to him, said in a calm voice, "Okay, just follow me."

	Michael closed the door behind Zachary and began walking down the
hallway. Zachary, sporting a confused look, followed him. They headed down
the hallway, down the stairs and toward the main gate.

	"Hey, where are we going, anyway?" Zachary probed, walking beside
Michael.

	"You'll see...." He mumbled, as he continued his trek down the dark
hallway.

	Once they arrived at the main gate, the night guards smiled at
Michael and Zachary and helped them open the huge doors. The two boys
walked through and entered the palace courtyard.

	The clear sky was dark with night and a half-moon hung in the sky,
surrounded by many stars. The air smelled sweet with the aroma of the
palace flower gardens, trapped in the wind. Off in the distance, the tiny
flickering lights of the town of Dawson illuminated the view
slightly. Sounds were scarce at this time, limited only to the almost
inaudible voices down in the village and the quiet sounds of footsteps from
the patrolling guards. In the center of it all, right in the middle of the
courtyard, were a small tableclothed table and two chairs. On the table
were two small candles, with flames flickering in the gentle evening
breeze, a large bottle of Whiteshadow crystal wine and two simple goblets.

	"I set something up for us." Michael said proudly, as he walked
toward the table.

	Zachary continued playing the ignorant one and asked, "Set what up?
What the heck is going on, Michael?"

	When they arrived at the table, Michael walked over to one end and
pulled the chair out, looking over at Zachary and announcing, "Please take
a seat."

	Zachary shrugged and walked over to the other chair, pulled it out
and sat down. Michael sighed and sat down in the chair that he was holding.

	Zachary looked across the table at Michael and asked, "So, what's
going on here?"

	Michael smiled and said, "First, would you like some wine?"

	Zachary continued to look confused and he shrugged and said, "I
guess so, but what's the deal with this whole candlelight thing under the
moon? We're like one of those sappy couples from those chick books!"

	Michael shrugged off that comment and, taking the already-opened
bottle, filled each of the goblets half-full with wine. Even before he put
the bottle down, Zachary had picked up his glass and drained
it. Immediately, the young boy went into a coughing fit that almost made
Michael crack up.
	"You okay?" Michael asked, concerned.

	Zachary coughed a few more times and then gasped, "Yeah....great."

	"Want some more?" Michael asked, smiling.

	Zachary's face blushed with the alcohol and he nodded. Michael
poured a little more into his friend's cup, before putting the bottle down
and gazing at him across the table. Zachary seemed less inclined to slam
back this glass.

	"Now," Michael decided to begin with, "do you know why I got so
upset at you before?"

	Zachary shrugged, "Nope."

	Michael sat back in his seat and took a small sip of the strong
wine, before replying, "Okay, can you think of anything that you might have
said or done, today that might have made me angry with you?"

	Zachary sat back and seemed to be genuinely thinking that question
through, before answering, "Umm...Not really."

	"Okay," Michael answered, swallowing back his growing frustration
along with another sip of wine, "do you really care why I was so upset
today?"

	At that, the brown-haired youngster nodded and said, "Well,
yeah...."

	"Oh?" Michael inquired, "Why do you care?"

	Zachary laughed and said, "Come on, Mike! You're my best friend and
I was worried! Now, are you gonna tell me why you were all sad today, or
what?"

	Michael couldn't hold back his smile and he responded, "Zac, do you
really think I'm your best friend?"

	"Well, yeah." Zachary said, smirking, "I mean, it's not as if I
have anybody else, is it? You are my friend, aren't you?"

	Leaning forward, Michael took a large sip of the wine and, looking
straight at Zachary, said, "Well, I don't know. How would you feel if I
told you that I wasn't your friend?"

	Zachary's shoulders slumped forward and, for the first time since
Michael had known him, the brown-haired boy looked like he was about to
cry. Looking at Michael sadly, he exclaimed, "I would feel...oh man...I
dunno. I'd be really bummed, because...well...So, you aren't my friend?!
Why not? Oh geez, what did I do?! I'm so sorry! Please say you're still my
friend!"

	Michael nodded, "I'm still your friend, but something very similar
happened today, where I asked you something and you said no. That got me
really bummed and it was the reason I was so sad today and it's what I want
to talk to you about."

	Zachary stared at Michael for a few seconds, before realization
passed over his face and he exclaimed, "Oh! You mean the whole love thing?"

	Michael nodded.

	Zachary took a large gulp of wine from the glass, then gasped and
said, "Come on! You're my friend and I'm cool with that, but...I mean...I'm
not into all that love stuff."

	Michael smirked, "You seem fine with the fucking."

	Zachary laughed, "Well, yeah! I mean, it's fun and it feels good!
It's just like playing basketball or going biking with you."

	"So," Michael replied sadly, "you don't feel...anything more than
friendship, when we have sex?"

	"Not really." Zachary replied, "Like I said, it's fun and it feels
good."

	"Okay," Michael said, sitting back, "that's fair enough. Now let me
tell you something. Whenever we fuck, I'm enjoying not only the feeling,
but also being really close to you and making you feel good. Afterwards,
when you drift off to sleep without snuggling or even kissing me, I still
feel total love for you and I'll sometimes lie in bed and look at how
beautiful you look while you're asleep. So peaceful. So happy...."

	Michael refilled his wine goblet and gazed at Zachary, looking for
his reaction.

	Zachary stared at Michael and his young face registered
confusion. Finally, he said, "You...you watch me while I'm asleep?"

	Michael nodded, "I do it a lot."

	"You...you think I'm beautiful?" Zachary questioned, his eyebrows
raising.

	Michael smiled and commented, "From your cute face right down to
your adorable toes, I think you're the most beautiful person I've ever
seen."

	Zachary opened his mouth and began to say something, but it again
and seemed to be thinking. Finally, he shrugged and said, his blue eyes
gleaming in the candlelight, "No...Nobody's...ever...ever said I was
beautiful before...."

	"Well, you are, trust me." Michael reassured, before continuing,
"Ever since I met you, I wanted to do like Shawn and Bryan do. I wanted to
take you to the lake and have a picnic under the stars. I wanted to get up
really early and watch the sunrise with you in my arms. After sex, I
actually wanted to hold you for a little while, without you rolling over
and going to sleep. Dammit, Zachary, I wanted to feel your lips against
mine and have it not be a prelude to sex! I wanted to actually `make love'
instead of `fuck'!"

	Zachary shrugged and shook his head, confused, "But...but I'm your
friend! We do loads of other stuff together, don't we? We go on hikes and
bike rides and explore ruins! We play basketball and soccer and football
and floor hockey! Don't we do enough stuff together without you worrying
about that mushy crap?

	Holding back his exasperation, Michael drained his glass and
refilled it, before saying, "Zachary, I hate sports! I hate soccer and
basketball and floor hockey and football! I hate going out on blisteringly
hot days and sweating while I pedal like mad to keep up with you! I hate
going on hikes and getting bitten by mosquitos and stung by bees! I like
sitting in the palace and reading. I like playing my lute. I like going
into town and finding out what's happening in the world."

	"So," Zachary shrugged and inquired, "why do you always seem so
excited to do all that stuff, if you really hate it?"

	Michael looked at Zachary thoughtfully and said, "Zac, give me your
hands."

	"Why?" Zachary inquired nervously.

	"Just give them to me, please."

	Zachary slowly extended his arms across the table. Michael took
both of Zachary's hands into his own and squeezed them gently, then, while
looking into the young boy's puzzled eyes, Michael said softly, "Zac...I do
those things...because I love you. I'm not excited because we're going to
play basketball or football. I'm not excited because we're going hiking or
for a bike ride. I'm excited...because, by doing these things, it allows me
to spend time with you and to talk to you. I happen to love that mushy crap
and, since you never want to watch a sunrise with me and never want to hug
me, I have to settle for doing something that I don't enjoy doing, simply
because it gives me a chance to be with you. That, my sweet Zachary, is why
I do all that stuff."

	Michael opened his hands and let Zachary's go. They slowly
retracted across the table and down to his sides, all the while Zachary
didn't once take his eyes off Michael. They stared at each other for almost
a minute and a half, before Zachary shook his head and said, "I...I
don't...I don't know what to say. I feel really bad now, because if you can
do all that stuff that you don't like, maybe I should do that other stuff
that I don't like...."

	Michael shook his head, "You sort of missed the point. I like
playing basketball and floor hockey and going hiking. I don't like it
because I find it fun; I like it because you like it. If you don't feel
like doing the romantic stuff with me, then you shouldn't. I...I just
thought I'd let you know how I felt, because I did promise to tell you why
I was so upset."

	Zachary nodded, and said simply "Yeah."

	Michael smiled and, standing up, said, "Well, I guess that takes
care of that. I said what I had to say, so we can go back to the palace
now...I mean, if you want to. The guards can take care of this."

	Zachary looked up at Michael blankly for a few seconds, before
slowly standing up and saying, "Y...Yeah, I kinda would like to go back
right about now."

	Michael nodded and slowly started walking back toward the palace.

	"Wait!"

	Michael turned around and saw Zachary standing behind him, with
that same befuddled look on his face. Shrugging, he said, "Well, umm...how
does this romantic stuff work?"

	Michael smiled, "You really want to know?"

	Zachary shrugged, "I...I guess. I mean, it can't be that bad...Can
it?"

	Michael cocked his head and giggled, "It depends."

	Zachary smiled and giggled too, then his laugh faded and he said,
"Okay, seriously...What do we...like...do?"

	Michael looked around and said, "Well, first, let's walk over to
that grassy patch off the stone path."

	Zachary nodded and followed Michael off the path and onto the
palace lawn. There, Michael sat down and looked up at Zachary, saying,
"Well, I'll sit down here. Now, you sit down beside me."

	Zachary slowly walked over beside Michael and sat down. They sat
there for several seconds, then Zachary asked, "Okay...Now what?"

	Michael shrugged, "Well, I guess we should...like...do something
affectionate or something."

	"Like what?" Zachary inquired.

	Michael thought for a second, then said, "Well, how about you give
me your hand and I'll hold it like before."
	"Okay." Zachary said, shrugging, and extended his hand to
Michael. The blond-haired royal took it and squeezed it lovingly. By doing
so, his eyes met Zachary's and his head swam with a combination of the
alcohol and his intense love for his chosen boy.

	"So..." Zachary said, still gazing at Michael, "What now?"

	"Well," Michael said, tearing his eyes away from Zachary's to
regard the sky, "the moon is very romantic. Doesn't it look beautiful
tonight?"

	Zachary looked up at the sky and stared at it for a few seconds,
then looked at Michael again and said, "Yeah, it kinda is."

	Michael looked at Zachary and smiled. Zachary looked back at him
and, giggling, said, "You know, in the chick books, this would be the part
where the two people would kiss."

	Michael smiled and continued to gaze at Zachary, and the
brown-haired boy gazed right back at him. After a few seconds, Michael's
smile faded and he nodded and said, "It's okay. We don't have to. The moon
is really nice, though."

	With that, both boys stared back up at the sky again, clutching
each other's hand. Suddenly, Michael felt Zachary squeeze his hand
tightly. Michael turned and saw the thirteen-year-old gazing at him, his
eyes registering happiness, but the rest of his face showing total
seriousness. Michael reached out and stroked his free hand through
Zachary's hair and across his smooth, soft cheek. Zachary reached out too
and put his free hand on Michael's cheek, rubbing it awkwardly. Then, in
unison, they tightened the grip of both their hands and leaned in, pressing
their lips hotly together, while still clutching each other's
hand. Finally, they released each other's hand and they placed both their
hands on either side of the other's face, pulling their lips as tightly
together as possible.

	As their noses rubbed together and their tongues touched, Michael,
for the first time in his entire life, felt completely...and
totally...content.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 16: Bittersweet Symphony

	By Shawn's command and Anna's insistence, King Robert ended dinner
and went about getting them passage on a ship, as soon as possible. By the
time a crew was found and woken up, the boat prepped and ready and High
Priestess Anna packed, it was going on one in the morning. The three
princes and Anna hastily made their way aboard, and, without wasting any
more time, the captain of the merchantman called for the anchor to be
lifted, and the sails to be raised, and they were off.

	Shawn stood on the stern and gazed at the disappearing image of the
town, as they sailed away from Bismark. A look of sadness was on his face,
as stood there and felt totally helpless against the imminent threat to his
people. He'd let Garrett's patriotic story sway him and it had made him
lose focus on his surroundings. He'd let his defensiveness of Bryan cause
him to send away the guards, so he could scold his husband in peace. Why
had he let Bryan come along with him? At least one of them should still be
at the palace! At least one of them should be there to help save the
country. Would his father act in desperation and make Garrett the acting
colonel, or would he see through his ruse and execute the bastard
accordingly? What about Michael and Zachary? Did they have any idea at all
about the storm that was brewing? And his sisters, stepsisters...and his
mother...Would they survive whatever horrible plan Garrett had inevitably
concocted, or would they be eliminated as well? And the people! What
would....

	His thoughts were cut off as he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He
spun around to see the beautiful face of High Priestess Anna. She was
smiling a grin of reassurance, but her eyes betrayed the fear that she
shared with Shawn.

	"At least we're on our way." She reassured.

	Shawn shook his head and said softly, "It'll be too late."

	"What if the boy is lying about Garrett being a colonel for
Cargenon's armies?" She inquired.

	Shawn gazed at Anna forlornly and responded, "What reason would he
have for lying? If Garrett is not a traitor, then by the time we arrive
back at Whiteshadow Isle, he'll either be executed for his crime of
trespassing or will have led our armies in victory over Cargenon. Either
way, the boy serves no purpose in sending us back with the intention of
revealing Garrett's treachery, unless what he says is true. "

	Anna nodded, "Possibly, but he is from Cargenon, Prince Shawn. Are
you fully sure that you can trust him?"

	Shawn turned back from the railing of the boat and replied,
"Utterly. I've read his words carefully and, though I make no covenants
about being infallible, I believe that he is genuine."

	Anna nodded and said, "Your Majesty, I've always trusted your
judgement, ever since you delivered the stirring speech that ended the
gender wars, back when you were only just beginning to shave. If you say
that you trust Prince Jordan, then I will stand by you and make no more
mention of the topic. Now, I must take my leave; I have a very unsanitary
hold assigned as my sleeping area, and it must be cleaned and blessed
before I retire. I shall leave by asking you to stay strong and hopeful. We
shall be there within forty-five days and worrying will only make your trip
that much longer and more difficult."

	With that, she gave his blazer-covered shoulder one final squeeze,
before releasing it and slowly walking off down the deck.

	Shawn gave the disappearing landscape one more look, before
spinning around and calling, "Anna!"

	The religious leader turned and smiled at him, replying, "Yes,
Shawn?"

	Taking a deep breath of the salty ocean air, Shawn relayed, "Anna,
I would like it if you would join me in my own chambers, after you are done
cleaning yours. I have a very important matter that...well...I'd like to
discuss with you."

	She nodded, "As you wish, Prince Shawn. I shall be there in about
an hour or so."

	Shawn nodded and said, "Fine."

	She walked off down the misty deck until he could no longer see
her. As he stood there, looking around and trying to figure out what to do,
he jumped as he felt something smack his ass. He spun around to see young
Jordan standing there with a small oar in his hand, giggling in his squeaky
voice.

	Lunging his hand out, he grabbed the oar from the boy's hand and,
smiling slightly, yelled, "Gimme that!"

	Jordan smiled and said, "You have a crush on the high priestess,
don't you?"

	Shawn snorted and, tossing the oar across the deck, he said, "No,
Jordan, I don't. I'm married, number one, and, number two, I'm gay."

	Jordan cocked his head, "Gay? Does that mean that you only like
boys?"

	Shawn shook his head, "Not just boys. All males."

	Jordan smiled his wicked little smile and, reaching out, put his
hand on Shawn's thigh, saying, "Well, what about boys?"

	Shawn gazed down at the boy and shook his head adamantly, "Not now,
Jordan. I'm really not in the mood."

	Jordan blushed slightly and whined, his other hand rubbing the
growing lump at the front of his corduroys, "Aww, come on! I'm so damn
horny!"

	Shawn laughed, "You're always horny, kid. Why don't you find Bryan?
I'm sure he'll be glad to do stuff with you."

	"I asked him already and he said that he wasn't in the mood! Why
isn't anybody in the mood except me?" Jordan continued to whine.

	"Bryan not in the mood..." Shawn thought aloud, "That's not like
him at all."

	Jordan shrugged, "Fine, then I'll just masturbate in front of
you. You'll have to watch me because you can't resist and I won't stop
until you agree to play with me!"

	With that, Jordan slowly moved his hands down his body and over the
lump at the front of his pants. Closing his eyes, he began stroking it with
his hands. He smiled and said, "I have to make sure it's totally hard
before I jack off. I love rubbing myself like this, because it makes me
feel so itchy."

	Shawn swallowed hard, but couldn't bring himself to walk away from
the show in front of him.

	Jordan continued to stroke himself through his pants. He opened his
mouth slightly and licked his lips, moaning, "Oh God! Feels so
good...Ah...Oh...Ah...."

	Shawn stuck his hand in his pocket and adjusted his growing
erection as he watched the eleven-year-old continue to play his game.

	Finally, the boy's hands moved up to the button of his pants and
undid it. Opening his eyes, he smiled at Shawn devilishly as he saw the
effect he was having on the young man. Slowly, he pulled down the zipper
and hissed, "Oh baby, you're gonna love this..."

	 Slowly, he tugged down his cords and, as soon they descended below
his waist, his little three-inch erection sprung out and stood stiffly
perpendicular to the boy's hairless body. It was already glowing red with
friction and excitement. Grasping it in the first three fingers of his
right hand, he looked at Shawn and smiled, saying, "Don't you just wanna
suck on it all night long?"

	Shawn swallowed again and, feeling his breathing rate increasing,
he stared at the boy's red-hot poker and licked his lips, not even
bothering adjusting the stiff erection that he was now sporting, despite
the anxiety he felt in his body.

	Closing his eyes again, the boy gripped his skinny erection with
three fingers and began slowly stroking it. "Oh God...Feels so good...."
Jordan moaned as he began thrusting to meet his stroking fingers.

	"Jordan, please...We're out in the open! Anybody can see you!"
Shawn warned, as he absentmindedly stroked the lump at the front of his
breeches.

	His body shivering in lust, Jordan groaned and said, "I don't
care!"

	"Please stop doing that...." Shawn said half-heartedly.

	Jordan stroked his pricklet faster and panted, "If...If you
want...want to have a piece...piece of me, you better...better hurry up!
I'm...I'm...gonna..."

	Sighing, Shawn laughed and said, "Fine! Just please get off the
main deck!"

	Jordan stopped jerking off and opened his eyes. His young face
flushed with exertion, he said, "Great, let's go to your room and fuck like
rabbits!"

	Shawn walked over and stroked Jordan's hair with his hand, "You're
a strange kid, Jordan, but I love ya."

	"I love you too, Shawnie." Jordan replied.

	Shooting him an amusing look, Shawn watched as the kid pulled his
pants back up. He then put his hand on the boy's back, steadying him on his
wobbly legs, as they walked over to the ship's stairs and headed down
toward where his room was. It was a big enough ship that there happened to
be four small holds, enough for each of the three princes and Anna to have
their own room.

	Escorting Jordan down into his room, Shawn closed and clasped the
trap door, then turned to face him.

	Without exchanging any further words, Shawn grabbed the boy in his
arms and carried him over to the old mattress that was to be his bed for
the next month-and-a-half or so. Once there, he tossed him onto it and
watched as he bounced, giggling childishly, upon its springy surface,
before crawling over on top of him. They gazed at each other lustfully for
a few seconds, before Shawn descended on the boy, grabbing his head in his
hands and kissing him soundly.

	As they kissed, Shawn could hear Jordan mumble, "Mrppha phi pha
phiffif! Pha phaf phu phuf, phuffi!"

	Shawn let go of the boy's head and separated his lips from
Jordan's. "Say what?" Shawn inquired.

	Jordan licked Shawn's saliva off his lips and giggled, "Enough with
the kissing! I wanna fuck, Shawnie!"

	Shawn nodded and sat upright on his knees, pinning Jordan to the
bed from the waist down. Bending his arms back, he slid them out of the
blazer, then tossed it onto the floor. Smiling down at the boy pinned
beneath him, he reached up and began slowly undoing each of the buttons of
his shirt. With each button undone, ever more of Shawn's lightly
hair-covered chest was revealed. Jordan lay immobile beneath him, smiling
and biting his lower lip in excitement. The preteen's newly buttoned
breeches were already sporting a new lump as he watched Shawn slowly
strip. When the last button was undone, Shawn peeled back the garment from
his flushed torso, slowly pulled his arms out of it, then tossed it on the
floor beside him.

	Now topless, with his slightly-muscled chest heaving with each of
the raven-haired prince's pants of air, he gazed down at Jordan, a look in
his eyes similar to a wolf looming over an injured deer. Reaching down, he
slowly undid the boy's necktie.

	Looking up at Shawn, the brown-haired child licked his lips and
urged, "Come on, Shawnie! Hurry up!"

	"You know..." Shawn said, as he continued to undo the knot of the
boy's tie, "I've never let anybody except for Bryan call me that. I just
don't feel right with you saying it."

	Jordan puts his hands on Shawn's wrists and, looking up at him
sweetly, begged, "Aww, please! It's such a cute name!"

	Shawn shook his head as he finished undoing the tie and said,
"Sorry, sweetheart, but no."

	Jordan pulled his hands back and pouted, "Aww, you're such
a...a...well, I don't what you are, but it isn't good!"

	Shawn smiled and, pulling the undone tie back and forth across the
back of the boy's neck, he warned, "You keep that up and I'll leave right
now!"

	Jordan emphatically shook his head and begged, "Please don't! I'm
sorry!"

	Shawn pulled the tie out and tossed it on the floor, and nodded,
"That's better."

	Moving his hands across the boy's chest, he began slowly undoing
his buttons. Jordan began to pout again, "Aww, come on! My dick is getting
soft! Hurry up, dammit!"

	Shawn laughed and said, "Aww, you young horny kids have no sense of
foreplay!"

	Speeding up, he undid the rest of the buttons on the boy's shirt
and, with his help, pulled it off him. Finally, Shawn saw no other choice
and stood up off the mattress.

	Jordan looked up at him worriedly and asked, "What are you doing?
Where are you going?"

	Shawn shook his head, "Nowhere." And undid his belt.

	Jordan could not take anymore, and, jumping up off the bed, he
grabbed the waist of Shawn's breeches and tugged them down. Now naked,
Shawn's cock stood stiff and throbbing in six inches of erection, the
circumcised crown pulsing with the man's heartbeat.

	Shawn laughed at the boy's desperation as he grabbed Shawn's hands
and attempted to pull him back toward the bed.

	"Now, now, young prince. Patience is a virtue!" Shawn said, smiling
as he resisted Jordan's tugs.

	"Yeah, well so is horniness!" Jordan retorted.

	"Actually," Shawn corrected, "Dante Alighieri defined lust as one
of the seven deadly sins."

	Jordan growled and pulled Shawn's hands harder, saying, "Yeah, well
I'll go to Hell, but first I wanna fuck you!"

	Shawn shook his head, "Let go of me and I'll let you."

	Jordan unclasped his hands from Shawn's and stepped back, awaiting
the older prince's advances.

	Shawn smiled, "First, you have to turn around and face the wall."

	"Why?" Jordan inquired.

	"Just do it, or I won't do anything with you." Shawn warned.

	Jordan sighed and turned around, with his back to him. Shawn smiled
wickedly, and bent down, picking up the discarded tie.

	"Hey!" the ginger-haired boy protested, as he felt Shawn grab his
hands and tie them behind his back.

	Shawn finished tying a double-knot on the necktie, and, when he was
confident that the boy's hands were secure behind his back, he let him
go. Jordan struggled for a few seconds, before turning around and favouring
Shawn with a sour look.

	"What kind of sick joke is this?" He protested.
	Rather than answer, Shawn giggled and pushed Jordan backwards. The
boy fell on the mattress and bounced up and down a few times.

	"What the fuck are you..." The boy began to protest again, but
Shawn quickly descended over the helpless boy and jabbed his tongue hard
into the boy's bellybutton, licking all around the tiny
depression. Jordan's head tilted backward and his legs shook as he quivered
in lusty arousal.

	"Oh God..." He groaned, as Shawn licked out the prepubescent's
navel, his hands stroking across the boy's smooth, quivering belly.

	Jordan's breath left his mouth in shaky pants, not unlike that of
an overheated dog, and his shoulders bent backwards, tensing with his
trapped hands, as the jet-haired royal continued his assault. Shawn's
tongue moved out of the boy's bellybutton, but trailed a line of saliva up
to the boy's chest, speckled in sweat with arousal.

	Bending his head up slightly, Shawn smiled, a string of drool
hanging off his bottom lip and connecting it to the boy's chest, and
growled, "He liked when I fucked your little bellybutton with my tongue,
didn't you? Yeah, it made your kiddy cock all hard and itchy, didn't it?"

	Shawn looked down and saw that his statement seemed to be correct,
as a significant lump adorned the crotch of the boy's corduroys and seemed
to be straining to be released.

	"Oh fuck yeah!" Jordan groaned, "I'm gonna juice all over my pants
if you don't stop doing that!"

	Shawn giggled and, reaching his hand over, he stroked the small
lump a few times, then turned to look at the flushed face of the
eleven-year-old again and said, "Well, if you cream your cords, then I'll
never play with you again, so you'll have to hold it. Now, I'm going to
lick over your little boy-tits and suck on them like a baby. You'd like
that, wouldn't you? You like when someone licks your hard little nipples,
don't you?"

	Jordan nodded, smiling, and said, "Yeah, Shawn, I..."

	"It doesn't matter whether you like it or not!" Shawn interrupted,
"I'm gonna do it, because you're all tied up, aren't you? You're my
prisoner and I won't let you go until I'm finished!"

	Before the boy could say another word, Shawn's lips descended over
the boy's stiff little right nipple, sucking on it and flicking at it with
his tongue. The results were obviously positive, as the poor boy cried out
in extremely vocal pleasure, his toes curling in ecstacy. Shawn put hand in
the boy's hairless armpits and pulled his chest up against his lips. The
boy's breathing rate increased until he was wheezing and his little
erection was throbbing visibly in his pants.
	"I...I can't take much more!" Jordan cried, "I...I'm gonna fucking
cum! I'm...I'm gonna juice! I can't...can't hold it!"

	Shawn lifted his mouth from the boy's nipple, leaving a connecting
trail of spit. Flicking his tongue at it a few more times, he moved over
the other nipple and lowered his mouth onto that one.

	"Please!" Jordan cried, "You're such a bastard!"

	Shawn gave the little nub one hard suck, before lifting off it and
moving back down the horny boy's body. A sheen of sweat covered the
eleven-year-old's body as Shawn crawled back down the mattress until his
face was above the throbbing lump in his flimsy pants.

	"What...What are you...you going to do now?" Jordan panted in
inquiry.

	Shawn smirked and said, "You be quiet, prisoner, and just lay
back. Now it's time for the real fun!"

	"Please untie me!" Jordan begged, "My arms hurt!"

	"Stop struggling and I will!" Shawn informed.

	Jordan lay back and tried hard not to move, but it was obvious,
with his highly aroused nipples and cocklet, that he was having a hard
time. With that, Shawn moved his concentration to the front of the boy's
pants. Leaning down, he ran his tongue over the fabric-covered boyhood in
front of him. It jerked in response and Jordan arched his body and then
fell back and groaned, "Oh geez..."

	Shawn giggled and reaching up, slowly unbuttoned the boy's cords.

	"Hurry up!" Jordan protested.

	Shawn sat back up on his knees and scolded, "One more outburst like
that and I'll get up and walk away, leaving you tied up."

	"Sorry, Shawn." Jordan apologized.

	Shawn bent back down, but crawled upwards again. Looking under him,
he said, "Just for that, I'm not going to touch your horny little dick
until you suck me off!"

	"Okay!" Jordan said agreeably.

	Shawn moved his body lower to the bed and stuck his six-inch
erection against Jordan's right cheek, smearing it with a thin trail of
precum, "And do a good job too, or else there'll be nothing for you."
	Jordan turned his head and slurped Shawn's manhood into his hot
little mouth. Shawn leaned his head back and groaned as the boy went to
work on his cock, slurping around the circumcised head and tickling over
the tip.

	"That's a boy..." Shawn panted in encouragement, "Suck my cock like
a good boy and I'll fill it with cum."

	"Mrphal phul phee." Jordan mumbled with the hot piece of meat in
his mouth. Shawn deduced that it probably wasn't important enough to
justify pulling his dick out of the boy's sweet mouth.

	As the preteen continued his expert treatment of Shawn's aching
prick, he slowly began thrusting it into his mouth. The boy seemed to
adjust his technique accordingly and Shawn reached down and stroked the
boy's hair as he sucked on him.

	"You're really good at this, aren't you?" Shawn commented, panting,
"I bet your brothers loved it when you sucked them off, didn't they? Did
you like drinking your brothers' cum? You did, didn't you? You loved
slurping their juice, because you're a nasty little boy who loves to fuck."

	"Mrphpha phurf pha phipho phia phai phick." Jordan replied.

	Shawn could feel his body tensing and he began to thrust faster
into the child's mouth, gasping, "Oh fuck! I'm gonna fucking cum, Jordie!
I'm gonna fill your baby mouth with my sperm!"

	Jordan began to respond, but was cut off as Shawn grasped the side
of his head and began jerkily thrusting over his slurping tongue. Jordan
was still startled as Shawn cried out and he felt the first warm, sticky
jet of the young man's cum hit the back of his throat. The next three
squirts filled his mouth and began leaking out the corners. He gagged once,
but swallowed it as fast he could. As quickly as it began, it was over and
Shawn, panting in exertion, pulled out of the boy's mouth.

	"Was that good, sweetie?" Shawn said, smiling as he looked under
him and saw the boy's chin drooling with white goo.

	Keeping obedient, Jordan nodded and gurgled, "Yesh."

	"And now..." Shawn commented, "It's your turn."

	"Yay!" Jordan cried as the man began crawling back down the
mattress, until he was over the boy's pants-covered cock again.

	Continuing his previous activity, although somewhat drained after
his orgasm, he pulled down the zipper and tugged the pants down. Jordan
lifted his ass in assistance.

	Once finally released from its cloth prison, Jordan's angry looking
pricklet sprung out and slapped Shawn's cheek. The veins on the side were
visibly coursing with blood and it throbbed with the quick pump of the
extremely horny boy's heart. It took stiffly out in the middle of the boy's
naked crotch, unadorned with even a single strand of hair. Shawn licked his
lips, but spat into his right hand and gripped the sweaty shaft in his
fingers, as the boy had.

	Smiling down at it, Shawn growled, "And now, I'm gonna beat your
little dick off and I want you to spray my face with your juice."

	"I...I might not. I mean, I don't always...you know...juice, when I
cum." Jordan warned.

	Shawn shrugged, "Just try. If you juice, then I'll untie you, but
if you don't, I'm going to let you go back on deck, totally naked and still
tied up."

	Jordan nodded and, closing his eyes, a look of determination passed
over his face. Shawn giggled and he wasted no time and quickly began to
stroke the boy's thin pricklet.

	The boy began to thrust in sync with Shawn's strokes and Jordan
panted and sighed, "Oh...Uh...Oh geez, I'm gonna cum soon."

	Shawn smiled as he continued to jack off the child, "I know,
sweetie, I know...Just let yourself go."

	The boy's stomach began visibly tensing as his already highly
aroused body was propelled toward orgasm. His chest quickly moved up and
down in his quick gasps of air.

	"Uh...Oh God, Shawn! I can feel it! I'm gonna cum!"

	Shawn's other hand reached down and gently petted the boy's silky
scrotum as it was pulled tight against his body. He smiled and said,
"That's it, baby. Cover my face in your sweet juice. I wanna see your sexy
body quiver in orgasm."

	Jordan continued to pant as Shawn beat off his small
dick. Suddenly, his whole body clenched and he gasped, "Ooh....I'm cumming!
Uh...Oh God! AH!"

	Shawn felt the boy's body begin to quiver and he quickly lowered
his face over the boy's little poker. It expanded in his stroking fingers
and began jerking. The first two times, nothing happened, but the third
time, a tiny amount of clear fluid, about two or three drops, squirted out
across Shawn's lips. It jerked one more time, with nothing coming out,
before Jordan's body relaxed onto the mattress and stopped its shivers of
pleasure.

	Shawn licked his lips and tasted the precious fluid. It was unlike
anything Shawn had ever tasted...Sweet, yet somewhat tangy. He was still
savouring the flavour, when there was a sharp knock at the trapdoor.
	"Shawn! I finished my cleaning and I'm ready to talk if you want."

	Shawn jumped off the bed and whispered, "Shit! She's early!"

	Turning to Jordan, he said, "Get dressed and clean your face off!"

	Jordan slowly got to his feet and said, "Okay, but could you please
untie me?"

	Shawn laughed and ran over, yelling, "One second!", then, quickly
licking the boy's face, he drank up what was left of his previous cum and
untied the boy's hand. As Jordan rubbed them to get the circulation back,
Shawn got his pants on as quickly as he could, then ran over and unclasped
and opened the door.

	High Priestess Anna descended into his room. Looking around, she
grinned as she saw Shawn and Jordan, both half-naked, standing there
blushing like mad.

	Turning to Shawn, she laughed and said, "Forming a bond between
Whiteshadow Isle and Cargenon, are we?"

	Shawn laughed and said, "Sorta."

	"Well," She said, "You wanted to talk to me?"

	Shawn nodded and, turning to Jordan, said, "Thanks for your time,
sweetie. Run off now and find Bryan."

	Jordan nodded and, picking up the rest of his clothes, he ran over
the ladder and began ascending out of the room. Just before he left, he
called down, "Thanks for sucking me off, Shawn!"

	Shawn shook his head and ran over, closing and locking the
door. Turning back, he said, "Sorry about that."

	Anna smiled, "It's okay. Now, what is it?"


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 17: Come out and Play

	The sounds of rushing footsteps outside his door woke Michael up
the next morning. Slowly, wearily, he opened his eyes and yawned, before
noticing the arm on his chest. He turned his head and smiled as he saw
Zachary lying beside him, his long brown hair hanging in his face,
concealing his facial expression. It moved slightly with every breath that
the boy took in his sleep. The thirteen-year-old was snuggled up close to
Michael, with his arm draped over his chest.

	"So, it wasn't just a dream." Michael whispered aloud to himself.

	Michael yawned again and, reaching up, took Zachary's arm off his
chest and lay it down beside him. The amber-haired teenager slowly sat up
in bed and gazed around the room, illuminated only by streaks of sunlight
streaming through their tattered curtains. It was as filthy as ever, but it
never truly affected Michael as much is it did at that moment. Something
needed to be done...and it needed to be done today. Turning back to look
down at the still slumbering boy, Michael reached down and gently brushed
the hair away from his friend's face.

	Michael's smile grew and he felt a tingling sensation in the pit of
his stomach as he gazed at the innocence sleeping beside him. Zachary's
lips were slightly parted as air passed back and forth between his pinkish
lips. His eyes were closed, enmeshing his long eyelashes together, and his
eyelids quivered every few seconds with a dream that he must have been
having. Obviously, it was a good dream, because his lips were curled up
slightly in a slight grin. Zachary's bare, slightly muscular chest,
uncovered by the blanket, rose and fell slowly with his breaths.

	The prince gazed at him and, slowly, leaned down. Very softly,
Michael brushed his lips against Zachary's and, reaching down, took the
boy's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Zachary tensed for a second, then,
with a groan, his eyes slowly opened.

	He looked up at Michael's grinning face and, smiling, he said, "You
kissed me. Why?"

	Michael shrugged, "I dunno. I've heard that, sometimes, people who
are in love will wake each other up by kissing them."

	Zachary slowly sat up and nodded, gazing down at his hand as
Michael held it, "Ah, so you're still on this whole love thing, eh?"

	Michael nodded, "I had a lot of fun last night, didn't you?"

	Zachary squinted up at the ceiling for a few moments, saying, "Umm,
what did we do last night, again?"

	Michael released Zachary's hand and said, "Well, we drank wine
until the moon and stars, then we sat on the grass and held hands as we
looked up at the sky. Then, we kissed, and it was the greatest thing I've
ever felt."

	Zachary remained thoughtful for a few more seconds, before nodding
his head and exclaiming, "Oh yeah! Right! Yeah, now I remember. It was
pretty nice, I guess."

	Michael smiled, "So, I hope you now see that romance isn't as bad
as you thought."

	Zachary shrugged, "I guess not. We're still friends, though, right?
I mean, just because we're sort of acting all...ummm...lovey-dovey and
shit, doesn't mean we can't still do friend stuff, does it?"

	Michael laughed, "Of course not! We can still do everything we used
to do, but now we're in love and we do other stuff too."

	Zachary shrugged and smiled, "Okay. I don't really mind the love
stuff, just so long as we can still play basketball."

	Michael nodded, "Yeah, we can still play basketball."

	They both sat in silence for a few seconds, before Michael said,
"Well, I guess we should get dressed and see what all the racket is."

	Zachary nodded in concurrence and inquired, "Yeah, but I have one
last question for you."

	Michael slid out of the bed and, trudging over to the dresser,
pulled out one of the last clean pairs of boxer shorts that he had. Pulling
off his jogging shorts, he pulled the boxers on and then replaced the other
shorts. Finally, he turned to Zachary and replied, "Yeah, Zac...What's on
your mind?"

	Zachary slowly slid out of bed and, stretching, pulled on his shirt
and said, "Well, I was just wondering...ummm...Are we ever going to have
sex again?"

	Michael laughed, "Yeah, of course! Just not as much as we used to,
though. It's important for two lovers to develop other mutual interests
beyond carnal ones. You're just going to have to learn to masturbate."

	Zachary sat back down on the bed and pulled on his socks,
grumbling, "I prefer not to."

	Michael walked over and sat beside him. He put his arm around his
friend and pulled him closer to him. Looking into his downtrodden eyes,
Michael smiled and said, "Listen, sweetie, our problem was that we got
stuck in a routine that wasn't very healthy. You said you'd be open-minded
to this romance stuff, before we went upstairs last night, so if you stick
with it, I'm sure you'll find it's a lot more fulfilling than just fucking
each other up the ass all the time. I love you, Zac, and I want us to be
happy together, since we're going to be together for the rest of our
lives."

	Zachary sighed and, looking at Michael, leaned forward and gave him
a quick kiss. Smiling slightly, he said, "All right. I'll try, but only
because you're my friend and you really want this. I hate it when you cry."

	Michael smiled and, reaching down, pulled on his socks. As they
both began lacing up their shoes, Michael turned up to Zachary and said,
"How about this? Each of us gets to pick things that we want to do each
day, right up until we go to bed, and the only rule is that they have to be
activities we'll enjoy doing together."

	Zachary smiled, "Cool. I'll pick the friend stuff and you pick the
love stuff."

	Michael nodded, and finished lacing his shoes, "Okay, then. My
first activity for today, is that we're going to clean up this room from
top to bottom."

	"What?!" Zachary exclaimed, "That'll take all day!"

	Michael shrugged, "No, it won't. We'll have the help of several
maids. Besides, we can do it together, so it counts as an activity. We'll
clean the floors and wall, organize the shelves, clean all our clothes,
change our bed and get that disgusting smell out of it. It shouldn't take
more than a few hours. After it's done, we have to promise not to let it
get this bad again."

	Zachary nodded, "Fine. Then, we'll do that one first, to get it
over with. Afterwards, my activity will be...ummm...Hey, sex is a love
thing, isn't it?"

	Michael nodded, "When done right."

	"Ok," Zachary conceded, "then I pick a basketball game between us
and Ana and Sarah."

	"What if they're busy?" Michael asked.

	"Then we'll have it with Becky and Carter."

	Michael laughed, "Carter, Zachary? We'd destroy him."

	"Well, that's my first activity." Zachary stated, "Now let's find
some maids to help with your...activity."

	Michael nodded and they stood up and walked over to the
door. Opening it up, they saw several guards walking down the hallway.

	"Hey! What's going on?" Michael called.

	One of the guards turned around and said, "Today is our first
attack on the Cargenon base, Your Majesty! We shall surely destroy them,
with Colonel Garrett leading us!"

	"Yeah, well good luck!" Zachary called after him.

	"Thank you, sires!" he called, then jogged off to join his friends.

	"Now," Michael said, moving on, "Where are all the maids when you
need them?"

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

	Four hours later, Zachary and Michael sat on their now clean sheets
and gazed around the room, while the maids struggled as they lifted garbage
bag after garbage bag out of the chambers.  The walls and floor looked, for
the first time in almost a year, clean and tidy. The bookshelf looked
almost empty without all the trash that they'd stacked on it. The dresser
was polished with varnish and didn't have socks and underwear hanging off
it. All the clothes had been washed and replaced in the drawers. They even
had a hamper in the corner of the room. The bathroom looked totally redone,
with the floors cleaned and shined, the sinks and faucets polished, and the
medicine cabinets emptied of rotten herbs and powders. A particularly brave
servant had even cleaned out the drain of the washing basin. The whole room
smelled like roses and cinnamon.

	Michael couldn't have been more pleased with the turnout, but
Zachary crinkled his nose as he stared at the unsullied domicile.

	"It doesn't even feel like our room anymore." Zachary muttered,
concerned.

	Michael put his hand on the boy's knee and smiled at him,
comforting, "Don't fret, Zac. It's still our room, but now it's the room of
two princely lovers. We can now have sex on our bed, safe in the knowledge
that we're not being watched by any peeping fungus or louse."

	Zachary looked around the room again and shrugged, "I guess so, but
it'll take some getting used to."

	Michael nodded and stood up, announcing, "And now, Zac, it's time
for your activity."

	Zachary nodded and stood up. Turning toward one of the exiting
maids, he called, "Wench, do you happen to know where Sarah and Anastasia
are?"

	The maid nodded and said, "I believe, Squire Zachary, that Lady
Sarah and Lady Anastasia are with Priestess Rebecca and Prince Carter in
the gymnasium."

	Zachary nodded and thanked the maid, then turned to Michael and
inquired, "That's convenient. You up for a little four-on-two, Mikey?"

	Michael shrugged, "Hey, it's your activity."

	Zachary nodded and he and Michael, already dressed in jogging
shorts, tank tops and running shoes, made their way through the doorway and
down the hallway toward the gym.

	As they walked out through the public showers, Michael jumped as a
volleyball smacked the wall beside him.

	"Hey, sorry!" Sarah called from the center of the gym.

	Michael's heart-rate slowed and he shuffled through the doorway and
into the gym. Rebecca, Sarah, Anastasia and Sarah seemed to be playing
dodge-ball, as they kept tossing the ball at each other. Carter already
stood off to the side, apparently `out.'

	Anastasia grabbed the ball as it was tossed at her and, turning
toward the two boys, said, "Hey, guys! I heard you two finally cleaned up
that stink-hole room of yours!"

	Zachary sneered under the patronizing gaze of Anastasia's brown
eyes and replied, "Yeah, well it wasn't that bad!"

	"Oh please!" Sarah commented, "It was like living in a pile of
shit! I don't know how you two did it for so long!"

	Before Zachary could respond, Michael cut in with, "Okay, well we
cleaned it, so let's drop it, okay? Anyway, you girls interested in playing
some basketball with us?"

	The three girls gazed around at each other and began talking. Their
conference was broken, by Carter running up from the sidelines and tugging
on Rebecca's spandex shorts, begging, "Please, mommy, I wanna play with
them!"

	Rebecca smiled down at her son and patted his head, then looked
over at the two boys and said, "Okay, we'll play, then. The boys versus the
girls."

	"Aww, why can't you girls take Carter?"

	"Come on, Zac." Rebecca said, "It'll be fair and, besides, he wants
to be on your team."

	Zachary looked down at Carter as he stood between him and Michael,
eagerly jumping up and down in excitement and his brown eyes glowing in
happiness.

	"Fine." Zachary said in submission.

	The three girls ran off to the game cupboard and grabbed a
basketball, then came back and Michael, Zachary and Carter joined them in
the center of the gym, for the beginning of the game.

	The game that was played, was lopsided from the beginning, despite
the even teams. Zachary hardly ever passed the ball to Carter, and when the
six-year-old did manage to get it, he couldn't do much with it except pass
it, which always fell short due to his small size, or attempt to shoot it,
which was comical at best. Michael tried his best, but he was never very
good at basketball and he didn't like it much, so he mostly served to pass
the ball. Except for a few lucky baskets, he didn't score or even attempt
it. On the other team, Rebecca was the one who fell short, since her daily
routine consisted mostly of study and temple duty. She didn't even try to
outdo the male team. Anastasia and Sarah, on the other hand, were very
athletic and dominated the courts, even competing with the sports-minded
Zachary. Rebecca tried to keep up with them, but, with everybody running
around, she just couldn't.

	After an hour of play, the females were winning by three
baskets. Zachary had the ball and dribbled it expertly, flying around
Sarah's blocking, when his concentration was interrupted by a small boy
that ran through the men's showers and across the gym floor, stopping next
to the basketball net. That lapse in focus, caused him to lose control of
the ball and bounced off toward the corner.

	Anastasia and Sarah ran to get it, but Rebecca called after them,
"Stop! Hold it for a second, girls."

	They stopped and Michael and Zachary turned to regard her as
Rebecca approached the young child. He appeared quite young, no more than
four or five, and had long whitish-blond hair down to his the base of his
neck and big, bright blue eyes. As he stood there smiling, his small nose
wrinkled slightly and two dimples appeared in his cheeks.

	Carter looked at the boy with interest for a few seconds, then
looked up at Michael and asked, "Who's that?"

	Michael shrugged in unsureness, but felt a tightness in his stomach
as he stared at the young child. Breaking his gaze away, he looked down at
Carter and said, "I don't know, but he reminds me of someone."

	Getting down on one knee, Rebecca gazed at boy's face as she said,
"Hello there. Who might you be?"

	In a boisterous and friendly voice, the boy replied, "Hi! My name
is Kyle and I came to the castle with my mommy and daddy!"

	Rebecca smiled sweetly and replied, "Well, do your mommy and daddy
know where you are? People are not allowed to just walk around the castle
alone."

	Michael straightened up and wiped the sweat from his brow, as he
noticed King Lucas and two other people, a man and a woman. The boy turned
to look behind him and, with a giggle, announced, "There are my mommy and
daddy!"

	The man was standing erect and respectfully as he stood beside the
king. He wore clothes that were simple, but not trashy. From that, Michael
deduced that he was a high level peasant, such as a constable or a rich
merchant. He stood slightly behind Lucas, accepting his place as an
inferior. That confirmed his position as a high level merchant, for they
were quick to accept the rule and position of a monarch, since they were
like kings in their commoner society.

	When Michael looked at the woman, though, he swallowed hard and
felt the tightness in his stomach turn into a slightly painful burning
sensation. She had long blond hair and green eyes and was wearing a
peasant's dress. It was pink and brown, with lace tassels. Her face bore
wrinkles of her age, but her eyes and smile showed a small glint of a kept
youth. As her eyes fell upon Michael, her smile dropped and she stared at
him knowingly, clasping her hands in front of her waist.

	"Ah, there you are, Kyle!" The man called toward the young boy,
"You should know better than to run off!"

	The boy turned from Rebecca and ran back over to the man, standing
beside him.

	Lucas turned toward the assembled group and said, smiling, "Ah, I'm
so glad all of you are here, in one place. It'll save time for
introductions. We missed you at breakfast today, Michael and Zachary. I
gather you'll be joining us for lunch?"

	Zachary nodded, but Michael just stared ahead blankly.

	"What's going on, father?" Rebecca inquired.

	Lucas nodded at her and said, "Yes, well, first, I should tell you
that our forces returned from their battle with the Cargenon base."

	"Oh, and how did it go?" Sarah inquired.

	Lucas smiled largely, "It was a very good success. We weakened
their forces substantially with minimal losses. It appears that Garrett's
strategies worked very well. There will be a more detailed report at a
meeting tomorrow morning at nine. All of you are welcome to attend."

	Rebecca nodded quickly, but, turning back toward the small family,
she probed, "I see. Now, who do we have joining us."

	Lucas nodded, "Well, I thought it nice to invite some guests for
lunch. They will also be staying for the victory dinner tonight.

	"But who are they?" Anastasia inquired.

	"I believe I can answer that." The man beside Lucas piped in, "My
name is Jacob Lightsen. I am, I suppose, the property owner for the
marketplace in Dawson. I arrange the setup of the stands, take a small cut
of the earnings each day and keep the area safe from thieves by hiring
local police. Basically, I'm a merchant. I'm also married to this lovely
lady."

	The woman turned her head toward her husband and smiled, then
turned back toward the crowd and said, "I'm Amber Thompson. I run the child
welfare in Dawson and try to find homes for the children who've lost their
own. I operate mostly out of the main office at the Zardwar hotel."

	Lucas turned to regard Michael, as he stood there with a blank
expression on his face and sadness in his eyes. "Michael," He noted, "I
believe you know this lady."

	Michael continued to look blank for several more seconds, before he
finally nodded and stated, "Yes, I do."

	Amber looked at Michael and frowned sadly, saying, "Hello,
Mike. Lucas told me that you might want to talk to me about certain
things."

	Michael looked up at Amber and shook his head, "No, I'm fine now. I
talked to someone and I worked everything out."

	Amber nodded and shrugging, said, "Well, that's good. I brought
along my son, Kyle. When I told him about you, he said that he really
wanted to meet you."

	Michael looked down at the small boy, then slowly descended to one
knee and gazed at his face, sighing. Kyle's face broke out into a grin and
he said, "You're Mike?"

	Michael nodded and said simply, "Yup, I am."

	"Isn't he adorable, Michael?" Amber said, standing above him,
"Kyle...well...he would have been Carter's half-brother."

	Michael nodded and continued to gaze at the small boy's face. He
saw his shiny blond hair, his emotional blue eyes and the dimples in his
cheeks as he giggled.

	Kyle stopped giggling and said, "Mommy told me that you knew my
brother. I wish I knew him, but he died before I was born."

	Michael bit his lower lip and nodded shakily, "Yeah...yeah, he
did."

	The blond prince slowly straightened up again and looked at Amber
solemnly. Amber frowned again and said, "Isn't he cute? Only
four-years-old, too."

	Michael bit down his lips as hard as he could, but he could no
longer hold his tears back. "He looks just like him...." Michael managed to
utter, before breaking down into violent sobs. Amber took Michael into her
arms and hugged him, as he buried his face into the front of her dress and
continued to bawl pitifully, soaking it with his tears.

	Everybody else looked on sadly, and Lucas nodded in understanding
and put one hand on the shoulder of Kyle and the other on the shoulder of
his grandson.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 18: Speechless

	When Shawn was finished, Anna simply gazed at him blankly.

	Breaking the uncomfortable silence, after a few seconds, the prince
said, "Well? Will you agree to it or not?"

	The high priestess shrugged and said, "I don't think I have a
choice, Shawn."

	Shawn shook his head, "You do. If you don't want to, then I will
not bring up the matter any further."

	"Shawn," Anna stated emphatically, "both your kingdom and mine,
state that, since this is the highest honour any woman can receive, it
would be the height of stupidity to refuse."

	Shawn laughed, "Oh, that's such bullshit! If you don't want to,
then you shouldn't!"

	"Doesn't the woman have to be from your own country, though?"

	Shawn shrugged, "It doesn't matter much. I mean, they aren't going
to excommunicate me if she isn't."

	At that, Anna nodded and smiled, "I see."

	Shawn nodded too, and shrugged, "If you don't want to, then it's
fine. I mean, you're still one of the nicest...."

	"I'll do it, Shawn." She cut him, smiling.

	A grin broke across Shawn's face and he exclaimed, "You will?! I
mean...That's great!"

	She nodded, her blue eyes glowing in the faint light and favoring
Shawn with an affectionate gaze, "Yeah...I'll have your baby."

	Shawn laughed and exclaimed, "Why does it sound so weird and
emotionless when you say it?"

	She shook her head and, reaching out to the young man sitting next
to her, she put her hand on Shawn's knee and said, "Listen, Prince
Shawn...In times of yore, people frowned on the idea of a man just choosing
some woman, having sex with her and her having his child. In these times,
though, it becomes necessary, with the need to create an heir to the
throne. You are homosexual, correct?"

	Even though it was true, Shawn found that her saying it made him
sound abnormal and he blushed as he sheepishly nodded.

	"So," she continued, "you can't be expected to establish any real
relationship with a woman. You have Prince Bryan...and, apparently, Prince
Jordan, and that's fine. Well...ummm...No...no, that's fine. So, as your
next option, your only choice remains to find a female friend who's willing
to do this favour. You chose me for this, and I really am both flattered
and honoured."

	Shawn smiled, relieved, and said, "Thank you so much. I mean, if
you had said no, I'd have been sad, but I would have accepted it. I'm
really glad it's you, though, that does this thing with me."

	"But Shawn," she inquired, "surely you have other female friends? I
know that Prince Bryan had a son with your sister. Why didn't you ask his
sisters to grant you this favour?"

	Shawn shrugged, "I didn't like the idea of having sex with my
half-sister, especially not either of those tomboys. I'm already married to
my half-brother, after all, so I figured that I should be perpetuating the
incest thing any further."

	Anna laughed sweetly, and tossed her long hair over her shoulder,
"So, Shawn, why did you pick me?"

	Shawn blushed and smiled at her. Reaching forward, he took her hand
off his knee and held it in his palm, squeezing it gently as he did to
Bryan's, then looked her in her big blue eyes and said, "High Priestess
Anna, I chose you because you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen
in my life. You're not only beautiful, however, but also funny, smart and
compassionate. Back when I was a bratty teenager, you saved me from the
retorts of the assembly, by delivering your speech about the true nature of
the gender conflict. I was the one who was canonized by my country for
ending the war, but it was really you who accomplished that. It was really
you who should be the hero, not me. You are so wonderful in every way, and
my mother still talks about you in high regard. Anna, if it were at all
possible for me to be attracted to women, then I would be head over heels
in love with you."

	She smiled and said, "You're very sweet to say all that, Shawn, but
I don't deserve it. It was simple happenstance that you chose me instead of
one of the other priestesses to read the true story of gender wars. Your
mother, and my counterpart, has always been very complimentary of me, just
as you are, but I don't deserve any recognition for my deeds, really. As
for the other things...well...I hope you are aware that I'm forty-three
years old, over twice your age. Not only is it a bit awkward to hear
someone of your age say such flattering things to me, but also you should
be heedful that, at my age, it will be more difficult for me to give you a
child, then if I were twenty or even ten years younger. Also, if we happen
to have a girl instead of a boy, then the chances of success should you
wish to do it again are ever more decreased."

	Shawn nodded, "I've already thought this through, Your Grace, and
I'd like to proceed with it. Of all the women in this world that I'd like
to be the mother of...well...of all the women who I want to have
my...geez...Well, you're the only woman who I want to do this with. If we
don't get it right the first time, then I'm willing to keep trying until we
do. If we have a girl, I will love as much as I would a boy, and we can try
for a boy afterwards."

	She laughed, "You men always talk about childbirth, like women can
just shoot children out, one after the other. In your youth and remaining
innocence, Shawn, I do care for you. Were you twenty years older, or me
twenty years younger, I'd have a mad crush on you."

	Shawn smiled, "And, after all that, if I happened to be straight,
single and not a prince, I'd probably ask for your hand in marriage."

	"And I'd probably accept, dear boy." Anna responded.

	Shawn nodded and released her hand, then, looking at her awkwardly,
said, "Well, anyway...I suppose we should talk about when we'd like to
start...ummm...trying."

	Anna shrugged, "I'm ready whenever you are. I even believe that I'm
fertile this week, so it would be best if we did it as soon as possible."

	Shawn blushed, "Uhh...okay. So, how would we...ummm...."

	Anna smiled, "You've never done this before, I take it?"

	Shawn shook his head.

	Anna nodded and put her hand on his shoulder, "Just lie back and
leave everything to me."

	Bryan paced worriedly around his room. It was unheard of, in his
opinion, that he should be made to simply sat back and enjoy the ride, for
the next month. Then again, he couldn't just pace for the next thirty days.

	His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knocking at the
door. "Yes?" He called up at it.

	"It's me." Came Jordan's voice from the other end.

	Bryan sighed in exasperation. He'd dispatched Jordan rather coldly,
the last time he came by, and he was hoping to be alone for another hour or
worrying, before Bryan went to bed. Still, perhaps it was good to have
human contact and not be confined to a dark, dank cellar all the time.

	Walking over to the door, he unlatched it. It slowly creaked open
and Jordan's head poked down, gazing around worriedly. "Are you busy,
Bryan?" He asked.

	Bryan turned his back to the door and walked over to where his
mattress lay. "Not really, squirt." He responded.

	Ignoring his slightly derogatory comment, Jordan giggled and
climbed down the ladder, into the hold. "What are you doing?" Jordan asked,
as he saw Bryan standing around, looking uneasy.

	Bryan shrugged, "Actually, I was planning on going to bed, until
you came knocking."

	Jordan smiled, "Oh good. Can I sleep with you?"

	Bryan shook his head, "I'm really too nervous for sex, Jordan."

	"No!" Jordan exclaimed, "I don't mean sex, I just want to be with
someone tonight. My bedroom is so dark and scary. I wanted to ask Shawn,
but he's sleeping with Anna tonight."

	Bryan looked up sharply, "He's what?!

	Jordan shrugged, "I was having sex with Shawn a little while ago,
and Anna came. I listened at the door, and Shawn said that he wanted to
make a baby with her."

	"Oh!" Bryan exclaimed, relieved, then continued, "You know, I
didn't know that Shawn was interested in having kids. It's quite odd that
he didn't tell me."

	Jordan shrugged, "Why should he? Having children is an individual
decision made the particular prince, and needs no conference with any other
royal staff."

	Bryan put his hands on his hips and smiled, "You're a lot smarter
than you let on, aren't you?"

	Jordan cocked his head and giggled, "Sex isn't all I think about."

	Bryan laughed too and sat down on the mattress, patting a spot next
to him. Jordan sat down next to him and gazed at him happily. "Why did you
hate me before?" He asked.

	Bryan shot him a confused look and urged, "When did I ever hate
you, Jordan?"

	Jordan shrugged and replied, "Back in Bismark and just before, when
I came by and you told me to fuck off."

	Bryan sighed and said, "Jordan, back in Bismark, I was concerned
because you had gotten us arrested. Before, I was even more concerned
because we learned that Garrett is representing Cargenon."

	"So, you don't hate me?" Jordan inquired.

	Bryan put his arm around the boy and hugged him, "Of course not!
Now, can we please go to sleep?"

	Jordan nodded and, releasing himself from Bryan's grip, he lay back
on the mattress. Bryan removed his vest, shirt and breeches and kicked off
his shoes, before lying beside Jordan.

	The faint light from a dusty porthole showed a faint blue glow as
the sun got ready to rise again. Jordan shifted next to Bryan's body and
snuggled up closer to him. Bryan wrapped his arm around the boy and pulled
him yet closer.

	As Bryan was beginning to doze off, he heard a voice beside him
inquire, "Bryan?"

	"What?" He groaned.

	"Tomorrow morning," Jordan asked, "can we have sex?"

	"We'll see, Jordan...We'll see." Bryan replied sleepily.

	The three boys impatiently sailed back toward Whiteshadow Isl.
Nobody knew what would await them there, but they all feared the worst....


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 19: In the Eyes of a Child

	It was interesting that, no matter how many times he'd thought
about Carter and no matter how many tears he'd shed, Michael still wasn't
prepared for actually meeting Carter's mother again. The last time he'd
seen her was almost six years ago, and Shawn and Bryan had shed more tears
over it than he did. It was only now, after he'd aged and developed a sense
of how much he truly did care for his former friend, that meeting his
family had such an emotional effect on him. Not even whatever it was that
Margaret had done, could prepare Michael for this event. He'd genuinely
thought that he was over it and that his mourning period was finally over,
but after seeing young Kyle, he knew that it was not.

	Everybody sat around the table and ate hamburgers and fried
potatoes for lunch. Lucas and Brett sat at the head of the table, with
Amber and Jacob on either side of him. Beside them, were Anastasia and
Sarah, then Rebecca and Carter, then Michael and Kyle. Zachary sat beside
Michael with nobody in opposite him.

	As Michael sat opposite of little Kyle, he spent a good deal of the
meal looking at him. It was uncanny how much the four-year-old looked like
his half-brother. His hair was a bit lighter than Carter's and Carter's
nose was more puggish, but they both had the same adorable smile and
sweet-sounding laugh. After crying for a little while, when Amber had first
arrived, Michael now felt a lot better, but still felt a bit melancholy
when he gazed at Kyle's shining blue eyes and lovable dimples as he laughed
at Prince Carter's antics.

	It would appear, though, that Michael's minor dolor was minuscule
in comparison to the sadness etched on Zachary's face. For, as Michael
turned to assess how his thirteen-year-old lover was doing, he saw the
young teenager was absentmindedly pushing a fried potato around the plate
with his fork, a forlorn look on his face.

	"What's wrong, Zac?" Michael inquired.

	Zachary looked up at Michael and, his lips pulled up in a slight
pout, he whispered, "I thought we were going to do stuff together! It was
your turn to pick the thing and I was kinda looking forward to doing
something romantic with you...."

	Michael shrugged, "Well, we have guests now and, as princes, we
have to put our personal desires aside in order to entertain them."

	"They're not guests!" Zachary whined, "They're relatives of your
old boyfriend!"

	"He wasn't my boyfriend, Zachary." Michael responded, "He was just
a really good friend who...."

	"They made you cry!" Zachary whispered in response, tears
glistening in his eyes, "I hate it when you cry!"

	"Well, I cried because I still miss Carter and seeing his mother
was sort of sad for me!" Michael replied, trying to keep his voice down.

	"How could you still miss him so much?" Zachary replied, "It's been
six years!"

	"I...I don't know." Michael whispered back, shrugging, "I just
really loved him, I guess, and it's sort of sad to think about."

	Zachary shrugged and inquired, "Did you love him as much as you
love me?"

	Michael shook his head, "It isn't the same, Zac! With him, I just
really loved him as a great friend. With you, I like you as a friend, but I
love you, because...well...I already told you why."

	"So who would you rather have as a boyfriend?" Zachary probed,
sniffling.

	Michael smiled, "I'd rather have you, silly!"

	A smile crossed Zachary's lips and he leaned his face forward and
puckered his lips. Michael shook his head, "Not here. Not in front of all
these people."

	Zachary leaned back again and whined, "Aww, come on!"

	Michael looked around quickly, then giggled, "Fine, but make it
quick."

	Zachary and Michael quickly leaned forward and kissed. Carter and
Kyle immediately broke into a chorus of wolf-whistles, and everybody at the
table started laughing. Zachary and Michael leaned back in their seat and
began blushing.

	Once everybody was done embarrassing the two boys, Amber turned to
Michael and inquired, "So, I take it that the boy sitting next to you is
the Zachary that I've been hearing so much about?"

	Michael nodded and smiled, "Yes, ma'am, he is."

	She smiled and nodded, "Did you two ever meet before the Choosing?"

	Michael shrugged, "Sort of. He and his father attended Shawn and
Bryan's wedding."

	"Did he and Carter ever meet?" Jacob piped in.

	Michael smiled, "Which Carter?"

	Amber smiled, "Oh, that's right! Bryan named his little boy Carter,
didn't he? He meant, did my son and Zachary ever meet?"

	"I don't really know." Michael said, shrugging.

	"Oh, okay." Jacob said, "Anyway, it is good to finally meet you,
Mike. Amber has spoken many times about you."

	"Did she?" Michael responded.

	Amber smiled, "Of course. Nobody knew Carter as long as you did, so
I was always hoping to ask you some things about him. I just never got
around to it, I guess. I was also told that you had some things you wanted
to discuss with me."

	Michael nodded sadly, "Yes, I knew him since we were
five-years-old. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have
about him, but I no longer need to ask you anything, myself. I know that I
requested to see you, but I have since come to grips with the questions
that I wanted to ask, with the help of the High Priestess here, and, of
course, Zachary."

	"I see." Amber replied.

	"Don't get me wrong!" Michael added, "It's very nice to see you
again and I'm glad to meet Kyle. It's just that I have no real things that
I wanted to ask you. Originally, I was having a hard time finding love, but
my courting of Zachary was easier than I thought it would be."

	Again, Amber said, "I see." Then added, "Well, it's nice to see you
again too, Michael. If you no longer need my assistance, then I shall
complete lunch, ask you a few questions, if you have the time, then we
shall be on our way. I do so hate leaving the hotel unguarded."

	"No!" Michael exclaimed, "You don't have to go! Please stay for
dinner! The only thing is...well...Zachary and I won't be joining you
people."

	"You won't?" Lucas inquired.

	Michael shook his head, "No, Zachary and I shall be eating alone."

	"Oh...I see." Lucas said, smiling knowingly.

	"No, no, it's okay, Mike. I probably wasn't going to stay for
dinner anyhow. Tonight is steak night at the shelter." Amber reassured.

	Michael nodded and went back to eating. He could feel Zachary's
eyes on him, but didn't look up. The table conversation returned to what it
previously was, with the little ones giggling, the adults discussing
various matters, and Michael and Zachary eating quietly.

	After lunch had concluded, everybody stood up and Lucas turned to
Amber and suggested, "Why don't we all go to the sitting room to talk? That
way, the young ones may play amoungst themselves, while you may have your
conversation with Michael."

	Amber nodded, "Sounds like a plan." Turning toward Michael, she
inquired, "Mike, what do you think?"

	Michael was feeling a mixed reaction. He was still a bit sad to be
around the last remaining vestiges of his emotional past with Carter, but
now he was also getting a bit frustrated with having her around. After all,
he wanted to spend time with Zachary today.

	He shrugged and said, "I guess."

	Lucas nodded at her, then walked over to Michael. Looking down at
him with questioning eyes, showing a bit of anger, he whispered, "Michael,
what's the problem?"

	Michael shook his head and whispered back, "I...I don't know. I was
just hoping to spend the rest of the day with Zachary, but now she's here."

	Showing a bit of amusement now, Lucas retorted, "But you were the
one who invited her! You were feeling lonely and missing Carter, so I
suggested that we invite her over and you seemed to think that it was a
good idea."

	"I know." Michael whispered back in reply, "Since then, though, I
have discovered my love for Zachary and begun to get him involved with the
idea of romance. However, it's quite fragile right now and anything could
make him give up."

	Lucas looked over at Zachary, then turned back to Michael and
nodded, "Yes, I understand. Still, they are here and, as princes, it is
your duty to be, at the very least, cordial. Amber wishes to ask you some
questions about Carter, since you were the one who knew him best. I know
that sort of thing might make you sad, but it's something that she'd really
like from you. Please, Michael?"

	"Actually," Michael corrected, "I probably won't feel that sad
anymore. That cry I had back in the gym actually made me feel much better."

	Lucas nodded and smiled at the boy. Putting his hand on Michael's
shoulder, he gently urged him forward and down the hallway, following the
rest of the crowd toward the sitting room.

	Everybody entered and took a seat, while Carter and Kyle sat on the
floor and Carter showed Kyle his toys.

	Looking across the room at Michael, who sat on the couch, looking
more than a little impatient, Amber smiled and said, "So, Michael, why
don't you tell me about how you met my Carter?"

	Michael sighed and told Amber about how Carter's father had gone
off on a ship, hoping to make some money, but had never returned. He told
Amber about how he'd been left with his uncle, but his uncle had treated
him badly and he'd gone off to live on the streets. He told her how they'd
met on the streets and had been inseparable. It was a lot easier to talk
about than he'd thought it would be. He hoped that this meant that his
grieving period was finally over.

	She listened with interest, nodding and asking many
questions. After he was finished, she frowned and said, "So, you were his
best friend?"

	Michael shrugged, "Mostly. I lived at the hotel full-time, while he
preferred to go out and live the life of a pickpocket and a beggar, so I
didn't get to see him much, after I started living with Bryan."

	She nodded, "Yes, I was sorry to hear about Shawn and Bryan's
capture. We can only hope for the best."

	"Yes," Brett cut in, "we hope for their return, but fear the
worst. Still, our...<*ahem*>...Colonel, hopes to earn himself a permanent
position back in our army, by looking for them, anyway."

	Lucas glared at Brett, then turned back toward the group and was
about to speak, when Spot lazily walked into the room. Amber and Jacob
jumped up, screamed and hid behind their chairs.

	"Kyle!" Amber yelled, "Get away from that thing!"

	"It's okay, mommy!" Kyle replied, "Carter says that she's
friendly."

	To prove his point, Carter stood up and called to the leopard. Spot
turned toward him and walked over. Carter pet the big cat's head and,
sooner after, Kyle joined him.

	"See..." Kyle commented, "She's nice, mommy."

	Spot began emitting a low purr and sank to the floor. Kyle and
Carter sat beside her and continued to pet her as she dozed off.

	Meeting their worried gaze, Lucas smiled and said, "A little
present that Shawn and Bryan brought us back, from when they had their
honeymoon. She's quite harmless, I assure you. Verily, she sleeps with the
boy every night."

	Amber and Jacob let out their breaths and slowly took their seats
again. Amber looked over at Michael and said, "I apologize for my reaction,
Michael. You were saying?"

	Michael shrugged, "It's okay. Spot tends to scare away intruders,
even though she'd more likely lick them to death. Now...ummm...What was I
saying? I don't think I was saying anything, actually."

	"Oh." Amber said, shrugging, "Well, then before we head off, can
you tell me what my Carter looked like? Was he a cute boy?"

	Michael smiled reminiscently, "He was adorable, Ms. Thompson. His
looks can be found in Kyle, actually. They have almost the same face."

	Amber looked down to regard her son, who was joining Carter in
rubbing his face against the soft fur on Spot's neck. She smiled at them
for a few seconds, then looked up and Lucas. Standing up, she nodded her
head in a small bow and said, "King Lucas...King Brett...I thank you for
inviting us to the palace. I very much enjoyed the meal and meeting Princes
Michael and Carter. I only wish Prince Shawn and Bryan could be here too."

	Lucas nodded and, speaking to Amber but looking at Michael, he
said, "I shall escort you to the gates."

	Amber nodded and, looking behind her, said, "Come, Kyle. We're
going now."

	Kyle stood up and whined, "Awww, why do we have to go already? I
wanna play with Carter and Spot more!"

	Jacob smiled, "Maybe some other time, son. Let's go now."

	The two kings left the room with Amber, Jacob and Kyle, while
Carter tagged along with them and Spot slowly stood and followed them out
too. Michael and Zachary now sat in the room with just Rebecca, Anastasia
and Sarah.

	"Well, that was interesting." Rebecca said, smiling.

	"I guess." Sarah said, turning toward her twin sister, "I'd much
rather prefer finishing our game of basketball, though."

	"Yeah." Anastasia concurred, turning to Michael, "Let's go back to
the gym now, okay?"

	Michael stood up and said, "I guess we could do that."

	Everybody turned to look at Zachary, but Zachary shook his head and
smiled, "Actually, I was hoping that we'd be finished for the day."

	Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, that's actually a good idea. I better go and
shower, because I'm due in the temple for the evening services for the
conclusion of Harvest Bounty."

	Anastasia stood up, "Yeah, and I got another date tonight. He's
such a sweetie."

	Both half-sisters walked out, leaving Sarah there alone with the
two boys. Frowning, she stood up and said, "Well, if nobody wants to play,
then I guess I could always go see if father needs any help."

	Michael smiled and nodded at her, "Take care, Sarah."

	She smiled and walked out of the room, calling back, "Yeah, you
too, Mike."

	Zachary waved at the exiting girl in overexaggeration. Michael
turned to the boy sitting in the chair next to him and shrugged, "Well,
what now?"

	Zachary bit his lower lip and said, "Well, it's your turn to pick
the activity, isn't it?"

	Michael smiled and nodded, "Yes, I suppose it is. What time would
you say it was?"

	Zachary looked out the window and looked at the sun briefly, before
turning back and supposing, "Hmm, I'd say it's about two-ish...Maybe
three."

	Michael nodded and, reaching out, took Zachary's hand into his
own. Zachary was all too happy to do the same. After a few seconds, Michael
laughed and said, "Wouldn't it be easier if you came over and sat beside me
on the couch?"

	Zachary giggled and, standing up, sat back down beside Michael and
they took each other's hands again.

"Okay, then." Michael said, gazing into Zachary's beautiful eyes, "My
activity for now, shall be...hmmm...Well, how about we take a bath
together?"

	Zachary frowned and exclaimed, "I already took a bath yesterday,
though!"

	Michael shook his head and replied, "We'll make it so it's totally
dark in our room, then we'll light a few candles, pour some sweet-smelling
oils into the basin, get in, and turn on the jets. We can sit together in
the nice warm water and just talk about stuff. I don't think we've ever
just talked."

	Zachary smiled and squeezed Michael's hands harder, "That sounds so
neat."

	Michael giggled, then continued, "And afterwards, we'll get out of
the tub, dry off, then, while we're still slippery from the oils, we'll lie
down on our bed and make sweet love to each other."

	Zachary leaned forward and let out a long purr, rubbing his cheek
against Michael's own. Michael let go of Zachary's hands, then reached up
and pushed the brown-haired boy's head so they we facing. With their lips
already inches apart, Michael closed his eyes and covered the rest of the
distance, kissing his lover's mouth deeply. Slowly, wetly, he snaked his
tongue into the young teenager's mouth and Zachary's reciprocated. His
mouth watering with the taste of Zachary's tongue, thin rivulets of saliva
drooled from the corners of his mouth and down his chin. He could feel his
body heating up with passion, but it wasn't raw lust this time; It was the
romantic love he felt for the young boy whom his mouth was currently
attached to.

	Breaking their lip lock before he got too heated up, he wiped his
chin and mouth with the back of his hand and, swallowing hard,
nodded. Zachary opened his eyes and understood. Quickly, they both stood up
and walked, hand-in-hand, from the room and toward the staircase.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 20: Where Angels Fear to Tread

	Blade Garrett spun around and just barely managed to parry a
swinging sword. The Cargenonon soldier swung his sword again and Garrett
attempted to dodge, but only succeeded in falling off to the side. Before
Garrett could lift his sword again, the soldier kicked him in the jaw with
his steel boot. A flash of pain exploded in the black-haired colonel's face
and he clenched his teeth to avoid screaming. Just barely holding on to
consciousness, he gazed up weakly to see the Cargenon guard leaning down
over him, smug look of satisfaction of his face. Sheathing his sword, he
reached over to the other side of his belt, toward a small pistol.

	"Never take your eyes off your opponent for even a second, as long
as they still have a pulse." Garrett quoted in his head, as he reached up
and wrapped his large hand around the guard's neck.

	 Garrett slowly got to his feet, still clutching the Cargenon
soldier's neck, and gazed at the soldier's now-cyanotic face with extreme
anger. With his other hand, he rubbed his bruised jaw gingerly.

	"Where are the Whiteshadowish princes, you miserable piece of horse
shit?" Garrett demanded.

	The guard gasped and sputtered, "I...I don't....know!
They...were...taken!"

	"Where were they taken?! Tell me or I'll kill you!" Garrett
growled.

	Out of the corner of his eye, Garrett saw another soldier of
Cargenon approaching, a concerned look on his face.

	"Colonel Garrett!" He called, "What are you doing?!"

	Garrett reached down with his free hand and pulled free the pistol
from the guard he held.

	Turning his head, he stared at the approaching soldier and nodded,
before aiming the pistol and pulling the trigger.

	The bullet struck the guard right through his neck. A look of shock
passed over his face, before he clutched the gushing wound and collapsed
the ground, gagging and gasping. Garrett dropped the pistol to the ground
and turned coldly back toward his prey, not bothering watching the shot
soldier die, and reiterated, "Now, will you tell me where Shawn and Bryan
are, or do I have to kill you like I killed your friend."

	The guard gurgled, "I...don't...."
	The rugged colonel did not let him finish his sentence and, with a
sharp flick of his wrist, he snapped the soldier's neck and let him drop
limply to the blood-soaked grass.

	Feeling quite frustrated, Garrett gazed around the battlefield and
sighed. Several of his soldiers were still engaged in battle with the
remnants of the Cargenon forces. With supplies coming in only twice a
month, and the last supply ship gone as of yesterday, it would be a simple
matter of decimating the forces here and then assembling an ambush for when
the support arrived.

	With his knowledge of Cargenonon tactics, it was quite simple to
plot attack methods that could easily counter Cargenon's forces. Coming in
low and from all directions, they'd defeated Cargenon's planned firing
patterns and gotten close enough to attack with swords. With the intensive
training that Cargenonon troops got with firearms, they'd lacked in focused
swordplay training. That, Garrett knew, was Whiteshadow Isle's main
expertise. So, with only a handful of soldiers, he'd managed to destroy an
entire battle group. He'd even killed a few by his own hand.

	Unfortunately, there had been no sign of either of the
princes. Without the princes, it would make it much harder for Garrett to
assume a permanent position as Whiteshadow Isle's colonel. King Lucas had
given Garrett this temporary position a lot quicker than Garrett had
expected, though, so maybe he could convince the naive king that he could
accomplish more if he retained his position on a more permanent basis.

	Gazing around, he regarded the landscape with a smirk and
commented, "But this truly is a beautiful land."

	"Pardon, Colonel?" a Whiteshadowish soldier inquired, approaching
Garrett's position.

	Garrett shook his head, "Oh nothing. How goes the battle, Major?"

	The officer smiled and nodded, "Very well, thanks to you. Your
strategies were almost impeccable."

	"Almost?" Garrett commented, "Major, no battle would be truly
honourable unless a few men laid down their lives for their country. My
plans were perfect."

	The captain bowed his head and smiled, "Yes...I stand
corrected. You are truly a military genius and it has always been a
pleasure to serve you, Colonel Garrett, sir."

	Garrett stepped forward and placed his hand on the soldier's
shoulder, looking into his hopeful eyes. Smirking, he said, "Major Killian,
if you wish to gain my respect, then prove it to me in the battlefield, not
in mere words."

	The captain nodded his head in a bow again and related, "I did kill
seven of Cargenon's finest today, Colonel Garrett."
	"And I'm very pleased with that." Garrett stated, "However, the
path to being a good soldier is not in simply taking the lives of your
enemies. It's in leaving the battlefield with the enemy knowing that it was
you that killed them, not just some generic soldier."

	"Yes, Colonel Garrett, sir!" Major Killian barked, then walked off
to assemble his troops.

	Garrett surveyed his departure with pride; Whiteshadow Isle's
soldiers were so much more disciplined and conditioned than Cargenon's. His
second-in-command, Major Killian, would make a fine colonel someday, but he
still seemed to have a lot to learn.

	A gurgling cry from down the field brought Garrett's eyes up top
survey the scene. One of his soldiers had decapitated the Cargenonon that
he was fighting. Garrett rubbed his hands together and smirked, whispering
to himself, "There is no better way to kill one's enemy, then to remove
their head."

	That last fallen guard signaled the end of the battle for
today. The base camp was in ruins and, should anybody have managed to
escape the wrath of his army, Garrett knew that they'd be severely weakened
and dishonoured, probably never willing to join any battle again. They
never would anyway, though, because Blade Garrett had planned a cleanup
attack for tomorrow evening, to search the outlying areas and destroy
anybody that they'd missed.

	Cupping his hands to his mouth, Garrett yelled across the
battlefield, "Form up!"

	The guards began to slowly make their way back to where Garrett
stood. Some pulled their weapons from the corpses of their opponents, while
others simply picked up their dropped weapon. This reminded Garrett and he
bent down and picked up his sword. While looking at the ground, though, he
spotted the fallen pistol, along with the soldier's main rifle. Smirking to
himself, Garrett picked them both up, as well. Slinging the rifle over his
shoulder and placing the pistol in his boot, he stood erect and awaited
patiently for his troops to form up.

	The sky was quickly growing dim over the battlefield. The grass was
olive green with shades of crimson where the slaughtered bodies lay. Most
of Cargenonon soldiers, some as young as fifteen, but a few of
Whiteshadowish troops, killed by a lucky sword thrust or a stray
bullet. The air smelled of sulphur, feces and rotten meat - the stench of
death.

	After several minutes, Major Killian had assembled the surviving
troops at Garrett's position and they all stood ready to move out.

	Garrett turned around to face the guards, some injured, but all
weary, and, clearing his throat, declared, "This is a good day in the
annals of Whiteshadow Isle. We've won a very significant battle against our
foes and taught them that we are a force capable of ending their pitiful
existences, should we have the correct strategy. Thanks to my plan and your
ability, the day is ours and it is a day that Cargenon will not soon
forget. Tomorrow, at around the same time, we will return to this location
and ferret out any of the cowards who ran from us, rather than standing and
fighting. For now, though, smell the air and revel in its significance."

	A few of the soldiers did so and grimaced in disgust. One young
guard commented, "It smells like death."

	"Exactly, Private!" Garrett exclaimed, "I love the smell of death
in the evening! It smells like...victory!"

	With that, he turned around and led the troops back along the road
to Mostaf. They marched along behind him, their swords clanging at their
waists and their boots stomping along the stone road. It made Garrett feel
just like he did back when he used to lead the Whiteshadowish troops into
battle against the women. He almost smiled at he thought about the looks on
the faces of the Cargenonon soldiers as their beloved Colonel arrived at
their base and gave the order to destroy them. Cargenonon's were just so
much fun to kill...

	...And so gullible too!


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 21: Cloud Number Nine

	Michael slowly shut and locked the door, using his free hand. His
other hand clasped Zachary's tightly, and, as the latch clicked, Michael
felt a gentle tug on his arm and he turned around to face his lover.

	Zachary smiled at the blond prince, with his top teeth biting down
on his lower lip, and gazed at him suggestively. Michael nodded and,
reaching down, took Zachary's other hand into his own and stood there,
staring back at him.

	"So, what now?" Zachary asked, grinning.

	Michael pulled on Zachary's arms, drawing his friend close, and
kissed him soundly. "Now," Michael said, after they'd separated, "we get
undressed."

	Zachary shrugged and, drawing his hand out of Michael's grip, began
to pull off his tank top. Michael unclasped his other hand and shook his
head. Zachary shot Michael a confused look, until Michael reached over and
grabbed the base of Zachary's tank top in his hand. Zachary smiled and
raised his arms up as Michael slowly peeled the shirt off of Zachary's
sweaty body and tossed it in the open hamper.

	A sheen of sweat covered the thirteen-year-old's muscular chest and
belly, which were still totally void of any hair, and dripped down his
neck. His nipples stood erect, whether by irritation or arousal, and his
innie bellybutton glittered with perspiration. Zachary lowered his arms
back down, stopping once to scratch his armpits, which were also absent of
any pubescent growth.

	"Now you." Zachary giggled, and reached out to grab the base of
Michael's shirt.

	As his friend had done, Michael lifted his arms up and allowed him
to gingerly peel the shirt off of his body. Zachary crumpled the sweaty
tank top in his hands and threw it into the hamper to join his own shirt.

	Michael's torso was also blanketed with a sheen of
perspiration. His chest was dusted with several faint blond hairs and a
small line of them ran down his stomach toward his crotch. His muscles were
less defined and his belly wasn't totally flat, but he was still a fit boy
who Zachary found himself drawn to. Zachary had never spent any time really
examining his new lover's body and found it quite fascinating. Michael also
seemed to have several hairs growing from his armpits, which Zachary had
never noticed before.

	"You're so sexy..." Zachary found himself saying.

	Michael grinned and replied, "Thanks. You're pretty hot, yourself!"

	Zachary smiled and, blushing slightly, said, "Well...ummm...We
can't really take off each other's shorts, because..."

	Michael nodded and slowly pulled down his jogging shorts, kicking
them aside. His half-erect penis stuck out slightly from below a small
growth of pubic hair and his scrotum hung loosely below that, the two
testicles easily visible from within the thin sack.

	Michael saw Zachary unabashedly looking at his manhood with a
grinning face and a sexy blush to his cheeks. He smiled and giggled, "Your
turn, Zac."

	Zachary looked up quickly and, a deeper crimson coming over his
cheeks, he nodded. He bit his lower lip and reached down, gripping the
waistband of his shorts in his fingers. Smiling at his friend and lover,
Zachary pulled down his shorts and stepped out of them, leaving them laying
on the floor beside him. Zachary's own boyhood was crowned by a small tuft
of light brown hair and hung limply over his tight scrotum. The circumcised
head of the boy's penis shone with sweat that had collected o his crotch.

	Now standing naked in front of each other, both boys blushed
slightly as they smiled and their nostrils flared as the musky scent of
their pubescent bodies reached their noses. The natural aphrodisiac
penetrated every pore of their teenage forms and caused a stirring in their
loins that they were both unable to prevent.

	Both boys knew what the other was thinking, as they now both stood
with fully erect pricks, but Zachary's temerity caused him to voice
it. Gazing into Michael's green, lust-filled eyes, Zachary whispered, "I
wanna fuck you so badly."

	Michael nodded, "I know. Let's get the bath going."

	Quickly the two boys broke their stare and walked their hot, horny
bodies into the bathroom.  Michael turned to Zachary and said, "Why don't
you get the jets started and make sure the temperature is all right, while
I find the bath oils?"

	Zachary smiled and walked over to the wash basin. Pressing the
button on the side, Zachary started up the whirlpool jets and dipped his
finger in, testing the temperature. While he fiddled with the dials on the
side, Michael was crouched down on the floor, removing bottles from it, in
search of the oils.

	Just as Zachary finally settled on a temperature for the water,
Michael exclaimed, "Aha!" and pulled out two bottles. He replaced the rest
of the things that he removed and brought the bottles back to where Zachary
was. They were glass cruets topped with a cork and one was filled with a
ruby-red liquid that seemed to glitter, while the other had a clear
substance within.

	"What is that?" Zachary probed.

	Michael opened up the bottles, pulling out the loosely fitted
corks, and replied, "Well, the clear one is a normal rose oil that's very
slippery and smells really pretty."

	To enforce his point, Michael held the bottle out to Zachary, who
smelled it. Smiling, he nodded in approval and inquired, "And the red one?"

	Michael smiled, "This one is something that Shawn gave me a few
years ago from the wedding presents that he and Bryan got. Supposedly, it's
an oil made from the flowers of a very rare plant that grows only at the
base of a volcano on Arroyo Island. It's supposed to increase your sexual
desire."

	Zachary laughed, "Do you believe that?"

	Michael shrugged, "I don't really know, but it never hurts to find
out."

	Giggling, he held the bottles over the basin, pouring half of the
contents of each into the churning waters. The room immediately began to
fill with the smell of roses and cinnamon. Michael closed his eyes and took
a deep breath. Zachary giggled and said, "Smells really nice."

	Michael opened his eyes again and nodded, then, turning toward the
brown-haired boy, said, "Well, let's get in."

	Zachary nodded and he and Michael slowly slipped their legs over
the wall of the tub and descended onto the benches.

	Both boys let out groans of contentment as they sank through the
water. Laying back against the wall, they closed their eyes and grinned as
the jets of water caressed their bodies and the oils coated them in a film
of slippery warmth.

	"The water temperature is awesome, Zac." Michael commented as he
scooted over and sat beside his friend.

	Zachary arched his back and sighed, then nodded and replied, "Yeah,
it's really great."

	Michael reached his arm out around Zachary's slippery back and
pulled him against him. Zachary allowed himself to be dragged closer and,
meeting Michael's gaze, their heads leaned forward and they kissed briefly.

	Rubbing his legs together, Michael blushed and said, "The oil feels
really good, doesn't it?"

	Zachary nodded, his face inches away from Michael's, and smiled,
blushing as he was. Laughing in embarrassment, Michael and Zachary moved
farther apart on the benches and attempted to compose themselves.

	"So..." Zachary began.

	"Yeah?" Michael inquired, looking up quickly.

	Zachary cleared his throat and said, "You...you wanted to talk,
right?"

	Michael nodded, "Yeah..."

	"What about?" Zachary asked.

	Michael shrugged, "Well...ummm....I don't really know."

	Zachary took a deep breath and, trying to be as discreet as
possible, reached his hand underneath the water.

	"What are you doing?" Michael probed.

	Zachary quickly pulled his hand back up and, blushing deep crimson,
shook his head, "N...Nothing."

	Michael giggled, "I saw what you were doing! That oil's getting to
you, isn't it?"

	Zachary shook his head, "No! I...I was just...itchy. That's it, I
was just itchy and was scratching myself."

	Michael smiled, "You were doing more than scratching yourself,
love."

	Trying to get the focus off him, Zachary shrugged and said, "That
reminds me of a good thing for us to do. Why don't we play `Truth'?"

	"Truth?" Michael asked, fighting the urge to do what Zachary was
just doing.

	"Yeah, it's like `Truth or Dare,' but...uhhh...without the dare
part."

	Michael shrugged, "Okay, sounds fun. Who asks first?"

	"You can." Zachary said, "You were the one who had the idea of us
sitting in the tub and talking, after all.".

	"Okay," Michael said, smiling, "what were you just doing?"

	"That's not fair!" Zachary exclaimed.

	Michael laughed, "Hey, you wanted the game, so now you have to tell
me. You were playing with yourself, weren't you?"

	Zachary nodded sheepishly.

	"I knew it!" Michael exclaimed, "That oil does work, doesn't it?"

	Zachary shook his head, "Only one question per turn. It's my turn
now."

	Thinking for a few seconds, Zachary asked, "When was the first time
you ever got your dick sucked?"

	Michael giggled, "When I was nine, Carter tried it on me."

	Zachary nodded, "Cool. It's your turn again."

	Michael smiled, "That oil is making you horny, isn't it?"

	Zachary rubbed his legs together and nodded, "Yeah, but I'll bet
it's making you hot too, isn't it? That's my question, by the way."

	Michael nodded, blushing, "Yeah, it is. We promised we'd talk for a
while, though, so...ummm...My question is...Do you love me?"

	Zachary shrugged and sighed, "I don't know. I mean, this stuff is
fun and all, but I'm just not sure if I have that same gooey eyed thing
that you have yet. I love being with you and I love doing stuff with you,
but I don't know if I love you, just yet."

	Michael nodded, "That's fair enough. Your turn."

	Zachary shrugged, "Come on! I can't think of anything
anymore. Please can we get out?"

	Michael smiled, "I probably shouldn't have put in so much of that
stuff. If you want to get out now, I guess we can."

	Zachary stood up, his cock visibly aroused and standing fully
erect, throbbing with his heartbeat. His whole lower body shone with the
slick oil.

	"Hell yeah!" He exclaimed.

	Michael stood up too, his manhood obviously in the same urgent
state as his friend's.

	"Shall we?" Michael inquired.

	Zachary splashed out of the basin and onto the floor, scurrying,
still dripping, back into the bedroom. Michael giggled and ran after
him. Running right into him, they both fell, giggling, to the floor.
	Michael gazed down at Zachary and giggled, "I need to fuck you so
bad right now, it's not funny."

	Zachary smiled and, wrapping his slick arms around Michael's wet
and slippery body, he pulled him down and they kissed, their bodies
pressing together and their horny pricks throbbing side by side. After over
a minute of sucking on his tongue, Michael separated from Zachary and
lifted the boy's legs up onto his shoulders. Zachary knew what was coming
and closed his eyes, tilting his head back and lifting his butt off the
ground.

	With his lover's legs on his shoulders, Michael leaned forward,
bending Zachary almost in half and spreading apart his slick ass cheeks,
revealing his tight, puckered anus. Taking his stiff cock in his hand,
Michael placed it against the thirteen-year-old's tight hole, and
pushed. The slipperiness of both their bodies allowed it to slide in fairly
easily, and Zachary grit his teeth and let out a low groan as he felt
Michael enter him.

	"Oh God!" Michael seethed, as he buried himself as deeply as he
could inside Zachary's tight ass.

	Reaching down, he grabbed Zachary's slick hips and used them as
leverage as he began pulling back a bit and then thrust back in again. He
soon developed a rhythm and each time he buried his horny prick inside
Zachary again, they compressed the young boy's boyhood between their
bodies. Zachary let out a low groan for every thrust that Michael did and
grabbed the older boy's arms, clutching them tightly as he got fucked.

	After a while, Michael stopped and detached Zachary from his
arms. The young boy looked up, a desperate look in his eyes and panted,
"What?"

	Michael shook his head, "Turn over."

	Zachary understood and pulled his legs off Michael's shoulders,
then slowly turned over, trying to be careful not to let Michael's dick
leave him. Getting onto all fours, Zachary pointed his ass upwards, urging
Michael to begin again. Michael gripped Zachary's thighs and used them to
begin pistoning himself in and out of Zachary's hot, tight ass. The oil
allowed Michael's prick to slide almost effortlessly through the tight
channel and Michael leaned back his head and groaned as the sensations ran
through his horny body. Zachary tried to push back against Michael, getting
as much of the boy's dick up his ass as possible. A tingling sensation ran
through Zachary's whole body, but was strongest in his throbbing
boyhood. Unable to stand it any further, Zachary lifted a hand up and
reached beneath him, gripping his oily cock in his fist and began stroking
it fiercely.

	"Aww, fuck!" Zachary groaned, as the combined sensation of his ass
and his cock caused raw bolts of energy to pulse through his body. His
balls pulled tight against his body and his muscles began to clench up.

	Michael's thrusts into his friend were so rapid and so unabashed
that he was taken by surprise as his orgasm suddenly smacked into him. A
wave of pleasure so powerful that it made him slightly nauseous, passed
over his whole body and clenched his muscles. Tossing his head back, he
yelped several times as his manhood throbbed as it thrust within the hot,
tight passage and spurt forth five globs of his hot, sticky
semen. Michael's breath hissed through his clenched teeth and he struggled
to stop his head from swimming, as his cum peaked as slowly drained out of
him.

	Zachary could feel the hot liquid spray around his insides and that
was the last his ravaged body could stand.  He was seized with the grip of
his own climax and, through his misted mind, he could feel his young penis
spasm within his jacking fist and spurt forth several streams of his thin,
pubescent jizz, covering his fist and staining the floor beneath him.

	With both of them spent, they collapsed, still naked on the floor
and dozed off peacefully. Michael's penis, now soft, was still partially
buried in Zachary's slick butthole.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 22: Roads Converging

	The weeks went by quickly. Much to Michael's delight, the summer
soon ended and the days began to grow much more chilly. On the downside, it
meant less candle-lit dinners with Zachary out in the courtyard, but it
also meant less biking and hiking, which didn't disappoint Michael
much. Zachary's romantic education was coming along very nicely, although
he still hadn't told Michael that he loved him. This didn't bother Michael
too much, though, because the times that they spent curled up on the couch
together, spoke volumes about how Zachary felt for him. They still had sex,
but it was a lot less animalistic and a lot more passionate. Also, they
didn't do it in the playroom anymore.

	Blade Garrett's strategies were the deciding factor in the defeat
of all Cargenon forces on Whiteshadow Isle. He'd begun to train the squad
leaders on how to use the captured firearms, and they, in turn, would be
responsible for teaching their respective companies. He'd been granted
permission by the kings to finish his training, before he was to submit
himself for execution. He was still confident, though, that he could
convince King Lucas, at least, of the value of his continued service in his
searches for the princes.

	Carter continued to be a typical preschooler and enjoyed playing
with Spot whenever no human was around to do stuff with him. Rebecca tried
to spend more time with her son, but there were always questions about when
"daddy and Uncle Shawn" were coming home and it depressed her to think that
they might never be back.

	Anastasia continued to date the same young peasant boy, getting
ever more serious. As a result, she spent less time around the palace. This
depressed her twin sister, Sarah, who was more of a tomboy and not so
interested in dating. The rumour around the palace was that she was a
lesbian, but she tried very hard to quell it.

	Lucas and Brett tried their best to run the kingdom in an orderly
fashion, but they had many distractions to contend with. The biggest of
these, of course, was the absence of their sons. Without the two heirs, the
next in line was Carter, but he couldn't rule because he was under fifteen
and hadn't chosen a mate yet. Thus, he would be a puppet king, while the
real rulers would be the vizier and the army colonel. That was another
problem. Colonel Garrett hadn't found the princes yet, but he had saved the
country from being taken over or even destroyed. It hardly seemed right to
say, "Well, thank you for saving our lives. Now, would you mind sticking
your head in this noose?" It appeared as if he'd proven his loyalty, but
Brett was still skeptical and, despite being a hard-ass, it was usually
possible to convince Brett of things, over time. Then there were Michael
and Zachary, who, despite Michael being a crowned prince, had not an ounce
of royal blood between them and, so, would not be allowed to rule, except
as a last resort. This put Michael and Zachary in a very awkward position
in the kingdom, since they had all the power of royalty, but no royal
training, no binds to the throne and free range movement anywhere in the
world without there being a significant impact on the kingdom's
structure. There was no worry for now, though, since Brett and Lucas were
both fairly healthy and still ruling gloriously.

	It was the beginning of autumn, on the day before Michael's
sixteenth birthday, when a large Bismarkian ship finally pulled into Opal
Bay Harbour around ten o'clock in the morning. As soon as the gangplank hit
the wooden pier, Prince Shawn scurried down it and fell to his knees upon
the wooden boards of the docks.

	With tears soaking into his beard, Shawn leaned forward and pressed
his lips against the pier and sobbed. Several seconds later, he heard
footsteps behind him and straightened up to see Bryan standing beside him,
smiling.

	"Glad to be home, eh, Shawnie?" Bryan inquired.

	Shawn gazed up at him and wiped his watery eyes with the back of
his hand. "You have no idea." He replied.

	Bryan nodded and turned back toward the boat. "Come on!" He called,
"Nobody here will hurt you!"

	Jordan stood nervously at the top of the gangplank, gazing around
as if expecting guards to come rushing out and arrest him.

	Shawn slowly got back to his feet and called, "It's okay,
sweetheart, nobody here will harm you. Just stick with us!"

	Jordan nodded and slowly made his way down the plank, still gazing
around fearfully. When he reached the bottom, he stepped cautiously onto
the pier and looked up at Bryan.

	"Are...Are you sure this is okay?" He stuttered.

	Shawn nodded, "We're in charge here, Jordan. Nobody would dare
contradict us when we tell them to leave you alone."

	"O...Okay." Jordan nodded.

	Bryan smiled and took the boy's hand, squeezing it comfortingly,
then they took off to catch up with Shawn, who'd already begun making his
way up the pier.

	Bryan and Jordan stopped in front of a carriage rental booth, where
they overheard Shawn talking to who appeared to be the owner.

	"What do you mean, `we don't rent horses?'" Shawn exclaimed.

	"We don't!" The tough-looking man behind the counter replied, "We
need them horses to pull our carriages. I can rent you a carriage for fifty
silvers per day."
	"But we don't need a carriage!" Shawn responded, "All we need are
two horses for a few hours! We'll bring them back before nightfall!"

	"No deal." The man responded, simply.

	Sighing, Shawn removed his ring and placed it on the counter in
front of the man. Glaring at him, he said, "Do you have any idea of who I
am?"

	The man gazed at the ring briefly, then back at Shawn and replied,
"From the looks of that ring, you're a master jeweler, but we don't accept
jewelry, just silvers. Also, for the last time, we don't rent horses!"

	Shawn snatched his ring back and said, "Sir, I no mere jeweler. I
am Prince Shawn of Whiteshadow Isle and I demand that you rent me the
horses immediately!"

	The man leaned forward in his booth and said, "First of all, Prince
Shawn is probably dead or hanging in some Cargenon dungeon by his
testicles. Second of all, the `Prince Shawn' that I know, would never allow
himself to get that dirty."

	Shawn opened his mouth to retort, but then closed it against and
waved off the man. Walking back toward his two giggling friends, Shawn
shrugged and said, "I guess we're walking."

	"How can you walk if you're hanging in a dungeon by your
testicles?" Bryan laughed.

	"Shut up." Shawn groaned, as he began to trudge up the road. Bryan
and Jordan followed closed behind him.

	It would appear that the rumour of their demise had spread
throughout the town, as nobody gave Shawn or Bryan more than a passing
glance as they made their way through the crowded Dawson streets. It also
didn't help matters that they wore soiled clothing and Shawn and Bryan
sported beards and mustaches.

	Jordan's eyes were everywhere as he looked around the huge
city. He'd grown to love and respect both Shawn and Bryan and seeing the
place where they grew up and currently live was very overwhelming for
him. He was so nervous that he was tempted to stick his hands down his
pants, but he knew that his two friends disliked that habit of his and so
he was trying to break himself of it.

	It was a couple of hours before they finally broke through the
downtown area and gained sight of the palace grounds. They never found the
palace so beautiful, as when they stood in the marketplace and gazed at it
off on the hill, the morning sun illuminating it in a glowing radiance. To
Shawn and Bryan, it was like heaven, and they stood there and stared at it
for several seconds, before they heard a small voice behind them inquired,
"What? What are you looking at?"
	Bryan pointed toward the castle and, smiling at Jordan, laughed,
"That's our home. I mean, that's my home and Shawn's home."

	"And it'll be your home too." Shawn continued.

	Bryan turned to Shawn and shrugged, "I don't know how good an idea
this is, though. As soon as we enter the palace, he'll probably the
recognized and we can't stop our fathers from throwing him in the
dungeon...Can we?"

	"What?!" Jordan exclaimed, "I thought you...you said everything was
going to be all right!"

	Shawn smiled and nodded, "It will. It will." Then, turning back
toward Bryan, he whispered, "We'll just say that he's our personal
servant."

	Bryan giggled and shrugged, "I hope that works."

	Suddenly, Shawn felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around slowly,
he saw a guard gazing at him suspiciously.

	"You seem lost. Is there any place you'd like to be directed?" The
guard probed.

	Shawn smiled, "Captain Franklin, do you not recognize me?"

	The guard took a step back and exclaimed, "Who are you and how do
you know my name and rank?"

	Bryan shook his head and said, "Captain, it's us, Shawn and
Bryan. We've returned from capture in order to stop a spy."

	"Impossible!" The guard said, shaking his head, "Those two were
captured over a month ago. They're surely dead by now."

	Bryan smiled and yelled, "Guardsman! How many times have I told you
that when the door is closed, you knock?! If you pop in on me one more
time, I'll go tell my father and he'll strangle you with your own scrotum!"

	The guard broke into a grin, "Prince Bryan! It truly is you! And
Prince Shawn...Why, now I recognize you! By the crystal waters of Opal Bay,
it is so good to see that you're not dead!"

	Shawn cut in, "Very well, now that the pleasantries are over, we
really must get to the palace."

	The captain stepped back, "Of course, of course! I should probably
escort you, though. The guards at the gate might mistake you for a bunch of
vagrants!"
	"We'd appreciate that." Bryan replied.

	The guard stepped forward and began walking. They followed him for
a few steps, before he turned around again and asked, "Who's your friend?"

	Shawn shrugged, "Nobody important. Just a personal servant we
picked up in our travels back."

	"Personal what?!" Jordan exclaimed.

	"Not fully trained yet." Bryan cut in, putting his hand over
Jordan's mouth.

	"Ah, I see." The guard said, giving Shawn and Bryan a funny look.

	Starting up again, he led the three boys down through the plaza and
the remainder of the town, until they reached the palace gates.

	"Guardsmen!" Captain Franklin called, "Please open the gates! Our
princes have returned!"

	The gate guards turned and regarded the three, then smiles broke
across their helmed faces.

	They unlocked and pulled open the gate, then descended to one knee
and bowed their heads. Shawn smiled and passed through, followed by Bryan
and Jordan. The captain returned back down the path toward the town. Almost
shivering in anticipation, the three princes quickly made their way up the
stone path and toward the palace. Time was short, Shawn felt, and he needed
to deliver the news immediately

	The guards at the palace doors opened them as the three
approached. They stepped through them and back inside the palace. Shawn
took a deep breath, smelling the scent of his palace for the first time in
six weeks.

	"Where do you want to go first?" Bryan inquired.

	Shawn smiled, "To our rooms to get cleaned and shaved."

	With that said, Shawn turned toward a passing maid and called,
"Wench! Come here for a moment."

	The woman wearily made her way over to the three, "Yes, what may
I...."

	Her voice trailed off and her eyes flashed with recognition.

	"Your Majesties!" She exclaimed loudly.

	Bryan nodded and shushed her, then said, "Where is the gang?"

	The serving girl smiled and said, "Anastasia is still asleep, Sarah
is in the gymnasium, your mother is in the temple, Michael and Zachary are
asleep, and your fathers are observing the military drills of Colonel
Garrett."

	"Excuse me?! Colonel Garrett?" Shawn exclaimed.

	She nodded, "Yeah, he was made colonel again soon after you were
taken. It is a temporary thing, however."

	"Sure it is." Bryan said sarcastically.

	"Where are they? I must know!" Shawn demanded.

	She shrugged, "I suppose they'd be out by the barracks."

	With that, Shawn and Bryan took off back down the hallway toward
the palace doors. Jordan scurried along behind to keep up. They ran back
outside and down the pathway toward the barracks. As they approached it,
they sighted a large group of people assembled there. Standing off to the
side, observing them, were kings Lucas and Brett.

	"Father!" Shawn called as they approached the assembly.

	The two kings turned their heads to where the voice came from and
when they spotted the two princes, huge grins broke across their faces.

	"Shawn! Bryan" Lucas exclaimed and ran off toward them.

	The assembly broke up and everybody gathered around Shawn, Bryan
and Jordan. Lucas grabbed Shawn and Bryan in his arms and hugged them both
tightly.

	Bryan hugged Lucas back, then detached himself and walked over to
his father.

	"I'm sorry about what I said before." Brett said, shaking his head
at Bryan.

	Bryan smiled, "I've forgotten about it already!" and grabbed his
father, hugging him tightly. Brett hugged his son back.

	When the hugging was done, Lucas and Brett straightened up and
looked down at Jordan.

	"Who's this?" Lucas inquired, looking at Shawn, but indicating the
brown-haired preteen standing beside him.

	Shawn shrugged and, sticking to his story, said, "Oh, he's just
a...."
	"Prince Jordan...of Cargenon." Said a voice from behind the kings.

	They all turned and saw Blade Garrett standing there, looking at
Jordan ryely.

	"You're pretty far from home, aren't you, Your Majesty?"

	Jordan shrugged and avoided the tall man's gaze.

	Pointing at Garrett, Shawn exclaimed, "Don't listen to that man!
He's the colonel of the Cargenon armies!"

	Lucas nodded, "I know."

	"You know?!" Bryan probed.

	Lucas nodded, "Yes, he told us yesterday evening. He said that he
was sent from Cargenon to spy on us and provide strategy from their armies
against us. However, he said that after he arrived back on Whiteshadow
Isle, he just couldn't betray his home country, so he remained in Mostaf,
unwilling to help Cargenon, but unable to help Whiteshadow Isle."

	"And you believed that crap?" Shawn inquired.

	"My son," King Lucas said, "Garrett has killed his own men in order
to protect Whiteshadow Isle. He's defeated one of his own armies, for a
country that has sentenced him to death if he wins. He's a traitor to
Cargenon now and has defeated their presence on this country. He saved our
lives, Shawn. He has nothing to gain by lying to us and even less to gain
by murdering the men that he was assigned to protect and lead."

	Shawn shrugged, "Very well, he's won. Now, are you going to execute
him or what?"

	Lucas sadly shook his head, "I just can't, Shawn. He's done too
much for this country, so, in exchange, I've pardoned him of all his crimes
earlier this morning and granted him citizenship again.

	Shawn shrugged, "Fine. I suppose you might be right to pardon him
for his services."

	Lucas nodded and, gazing briefly over at Brett, he turned back to
Shawn and said, "He'd like more than a pardon, Shawn. For his services and
loyalty, he's requesting to be permanently promoted to colonel status. The
guards love him and respect him and he now has dual experience.. He helped
us win a battle here, but I'm confident that he can win this war for us."

	Shawn shrugged, "So, if you're so sure, why don't you just promote
him then?"
	Lucas shook his head, "I can't. You were the one who banished him
from his post, so you're the only one who can give it back to him."

	Shawn nodded. He looked at Bryan, who was shaking his head, then at
Jordan, who simply shrugged.

	Turning back toward his father, Shawn said, "I'd like to think
about it today and give my answer tonight."

	Garrett nodded, "Very well. Shall we get back to the drills now?"

	Lucas nodded, but Brett turned to Jordan and said, "What about the
Cargenon prince, though?"

	Garrett turned to Brett and smirked, "Prince Jordan is a shy sprout
who was abused by everybody, including his own father. He is totally
harmless and he's the black sheep of ten brothers. Nobody will even miss
him."

	Shawn cut in, "Bryan and I would like him as our personal servant."

	"What the..." Jordan protested.

	Bryan slapped his hand over Jordan's mouth and said, "Please?"

	Lucas smiled, "I suppose...I mean, if he's harmless."

	Shawn smiled and, putting his hand on Bryan's and Jordan's backs,
he led them away, saying, "Well, we're going to get cleaned up. See you
soon."

	"Welcome back, boys!" Lucas called after them, "I want to hear the
story of your capture and escape by lunch time."

	Shawn nodded, though nobody saw him, and him and the three other
boys headed back toward the palace. He had a lot to think about, it would
seem.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 23: Oily Residue

	Shawn dried his face off with a towel and walked back into their
bedchambers, as Bryan and Jordan remained in the bathroom to finish
cleaning up. For the first time in six-and-a-half weeks, his tanned body
was properly bathed and his face was clean-shaven. Their fathers had
insisted on keeping their room as they'd left it, so it was as if they'd
never been gone.

	As Shawn sifted through the drawers and pondered whether it was
more proper to wear formal attire, since the afternoon meal would, no
doubt, be a celebration centered around his and Bryan's return, or whether
they should keep it casual.

	He was still sifting through the drawers, when he felt someone's
arms wrap around his bare waist. Turning his head, he smiled as he saw an
equally naked Bryan pull him against him. Shawn felt one of Bryan's hands
reach up from his waist and held the long black hair away from the back of
his neck. Feeling Bryan's limp penis pressing against his ass, Shawn
groaned as Bryan leaned forward and brushing his soft, velvety lips against
the sides of his neck. Shawn closed his eyes and leaned his head back onto
Bryan's shoulder as he smiled and felt his whole body tingling with the
sensation. The hand on Shawn's hip pushed him and, slowly and reluctantly,
he lifted his head up and turned around. Now facing Bryan, he saw his
husband mouth the words, "I love you." before leaning forward and kissing
him full on the lips. Bryan's arms moved up along Shawn's damp body until
they were under his arms, with his hands pressing Shawn's back against
him. Shawn's hands were up around Bryan's head, as he ran his fingers
through his half-brother's silky brown hair. Their tongues playfully poked
at each other between their mouths and each could feel the other's hot
breath against their cheek. Their penises remained limp, though, as both
felt that this was more of a kiss of relief and happiness, than of sexual
intentions.

	"Hey!"

	They slowly broke contact with each other and turned to see a
frowning Jordan standing in the bathroom doorway.

	"Yes?" Shawn licked his lips and inquired.

	"What about me?" The eleven-year-old child protested.

	"What about you?" Bryan giggled, walking up to him.

	"Hey! Quit it!" Jordan exclaimed as Bryan lunged out and grabbed
him.

	Walking over to the bed, Bryan tossed Jordan down onto it and
laughed as the naked child bounced a few time, before Bryan jumped on it
himself and began wrestling around with the boy.
	Meanwhile, Shawn managed to settle on some clothes that they could
wear, and pulled them out, tossing them in a pile on the floor.

	"Okay, you two," Shawn said to the two wrestling boys, "time to get
dressed and get back to our regular duties. We're home now and the vacation
is over."

	"That was a vacation?" Bryan probed then added, "You should have
told me; I might have had fun instead of being a nervous wreck!"

	Shawn shrugged, "Well, we were all pretty nervous after what Jordan
told us, but I guess it's all right after all."

	"You mean you actually trust Garrett?" Bryan exclaimed, hopping off
the bed and gazing at Shawn seriously.

	Shawn paused for a moment and then slowly nodded, "Bryan, Blade
Garrett is a brilliant military strategist and a man of honour. If his
intentions were to harm Whiteshadow Isle, then he would have arrived with
the army and had us all defeated in a fortnight. Not only does he insist
that he is loyal, but according to our fathers, he has won several battles
for us in our absence. I highly doubt that Garrett would dishonour himself
by killing his own soldiers as part of his strategy."

	"So?" Bryan said, unconvinced.

	Shawn shrugged, "So, Bryan, tonight at dinner, I'm going to give my
permission to allow Garrett his former position back. With what he's done
here, I don't think he'll be very welcome back in Cargenon."

	Bryan's stubbornness faded and he nodded, "Okay. Well, if you're
sure about it. Well...I trust you, Shawnie."

	Shawn nodded and the three boys got dressed. Shawn had settled on
collared shirts and white Jeans for all of them. That way, they didn't look
like slobs, but they also weren't all stiff and proper-looking. Shawn had a
gray shirt, Bryan had a red shirt and Jordan had a black shirt.

	Jordan looked much better now that he was clean. It reminded Shawn
of how Carter had looked when he'd bathed him after the Choosing so many
years ago. Jordan still didn't look fully comfortable in his new home, but
he didn't look that nervous anymore.

	The three boys walked to the door and, as Jordan opened it, Bryan
turned to Shawn and said, "Okay, so I guess we go down to lunch now?"

	Shawn smiled, "Actually, I believe there's a special someone who'd
really love to see us, just down the hallway."
	Bryan nodded and smiled, "Oh yeah! I bet he'll be surprised!"

	Shawn walked through the door and smiled, "I sure hope so. I asked
that nobody tell him that we returned."

	"Who?" Jordan asked.

	Bryan giggled and walked into the hallway, standing beside Shawn
and replying, "You'll see, Jord."

	With that, Jordan childishly skipped alongside Shawn and Bryan as
they walked down the hallway toward the last door on the right. Stopping in
front of it, Bryan shot a smile at Shawn and then knocked gently.

	"Yeah?" came little Carter's voice from the other side.

	"Guess who!" Bryan exclaimed, getting onto his knees.

	There was a sudden clatter of activity in the room and a shouted,
"Daddy?!"

	The door flung open and Carter paused only for a second to confirm
his beliefs, before flinging himself into his father's arms and hugging him
tightly. Bryan stroked his son's hair and, carrying him, stood up.

	Carter's arms squeezed Bryan's neck tightly and he exclaimed, "Oh,
daddy! I missed you so much!"

	Bryan pat Carter's head and said, "I missed you too, kid."

	Carter smiled and, looking over Bryan's shoulder, said, "Hi, Uncle
Shawn."

	Shawn smiled and said, "Hi, Carter. You're glad to see your daddy,
eh?"

	Carter nodded and said, "Uh huh. Who's that?"

	Shawn turned to Jordan and said, "Jordan, this is Carter, Bryan's
son."

	Jordan had figured that out already and his eyes were open in
shock. Turning to Shawn, he said, "Bryan has a son? How?"

	Shawn shrugged, "He and my sister."

	Jordan smiled and, turning to look at Carter, he said, "Hi, I'm
Jordan, a friend of Shawn and your dad."

	Carter smiled childishly and giggled, "Hello."
	Getting a better grip on Carter, Bryan started back down the
hallway. Shawn and Jordan followed him and they headed down toward the
dining room where lunch was, no doubt, awaiting them.

	Upon their arrival in the dining room, Shawn saw many people
sitting around the table, which was covered with a beautiful spread of all
sorts of food. He spotted his mother, speaking to Anna. They both stood up
when the four boys entered the room and Margaret immediately ran over and
hugged Shawn tightly.

	"I was quite worried about you, Shawn, and I'm very happy to see
you home." Margaret said, tears streaming down her face, as she stroked her
son's long black hair.

	Shawn hugged her back, "I missed you too, mother. I was very
concerned that I might never get to see you again."

	The high priestess kissed her son's cheek affectionately and pulled
back, holding him at arm's length. Smiling now and sniffling back her
tears, she said, "Come now, Shawn. You needn't be so stiff."

	Shawn nodded and smiled too, "Fine. Being away from you people was
the hardest thing that had ever happened to me. I was lost and hurt and I
missed everybody like crazy and I worried so much that something would
happen when I was gone. It was totally uncool."

	She nodded and let him go, then turned toward Bryan. Bryan gently
set down Carter and smiled at his mother.

	"It must have been very hard on you, Bryan. I know how emotional
you tend to get." She commented.

	Bryan was about to defend himself, but slowly nodded and admitted,
"I was so scared that I would never get home and I'd be killed by the
Cargenonons. I missed you and dad and Carter and...well...everybody. It's
so great to be back in Whiteshadow Isle again."

	Margaret nodded and hugged Bryan tightly. "I missed you, son." She
said.

	"I missed you too, mom." Bryan said, embracing his mother.

	They separated and Margaret gazed thoughtfully down at
Jordan. Assuming a pensive look, she nodded and said, "And you are Prince
Jordan of Cargenon, correct?"

	Jordan nodded, blushing slightly, and said, "Yes, High Priestess,
ma'am."

	She smiled slightly, "Your father is a stubborn fool whose sexist
attitude will be the end of him."

	Jordan nodded, his blush growing deeper, "Yes, ma'am."

	"Then tell me..." She said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "Who
are you loyal to?"

	Jordan looked up at her interrogating gaze, then, turning to Shawn,
he responded, "I'm loyal to Shawn and Bryan, High Priestess."

	"And your father?" She inquired.

	He paused, then shook his head, "My father can drop dead."

	"And your country?"

	He shrugged, "Whiteshadow Isle is the most beautiful country in the
world. I still love my homeland, but I won't miss it much, for as long as
I'm here."

	She removed her hand from Jordan's shoulder and nodded, "Very
well." Then, motioning at the table with her head, she and everybody else
took their seats.

	Shawn sat across from Michael and the blond prince had his hand
clearly grasping the hand of Zachary, who was sitting next to him. Shawn
smiled at Michael and nodded, silently casting his approval of the
situation. Michael smiled back and moved his chair closer to Zachary's.

	Standing up from his position at the head of the table, Lucas held
up his chalice aloft and proclaimed, "I'd like to propose a toast to this
joyous occasion! To the return of our two princes, who braved many
obstacles in order to be back with us right now. To Shawn and Bryan!"

	"To Shawn and Bryan!" Everybody at the table repeated, except for
the two boys mentioned. They simply sat there and smiled shyly, sipping
from their wine glass.

	When the toast was completed by all present, Lucas sat down and
conferred with Brett for a few moments. Then, the red-haired monarch stood
and proclaimed, "This kingdom has been through much in the last few months,
but I'm confident that with the victories garnered already, we have struck
a blow against the rebellious Cargenon and taught them the true might of
Whiteshadow Isle."

	Everybody nodded in agreement. Shawn gazed around the table for a
few moments, then took another sip from his glass and stood up. Those that
noticed his action immediately stopped talking and turned to regard him and
those that didn't were silenced as he cleared his throat.

	"My friends and family..." Shawn announced, "I had originally
intended to make this announcement during the evening meal, but my father's
and Brett's declarations have made me believe that this is the correct
time. After some thought, I have decided that it's about time that we
corrected an error that was made several years ago."

	He turned toward Blade Garrett and stated, "Mr. Garrett, when you
issued the order to ferret out that spy twenty-four seasons ago, I believed
that it was that decree that cost my then-chosen his life. However, I was
an immature teenager who was far too emotional to think straight. Puberty
tends to do that to a boy. Realistically, if that spy hadn't been found,
this kingdom might be in a much more dire position...possibly even
captured. What I'm trying to say, is that I stripped you of your title
falsely. In attempting to correct that mistake, as well as in service for
your continued loyalty to this kingdom, I am hereby awarding you the title
of `colonel' on a permanent basis."

	Colonel Garrett stood up, holding his glass in his large hand, and
nodded at Shawn. Smirking, he said, "Your Majesty, I swear to continue
upholding this kingdom for as long as it remains in existent. Thank you for
placing your faith in me. I swear not to disappoint."

	Lucas nodded in approval to Shawn, but Brett looked less
sure. Shawn smiled at Garrett and sat back down again. Garrett nodded at
Lucas and then sat back down as well.

	Turning to Bryan, Shawn smiled and said, "See, that wasn't so bad,
was it?"

	Bryan shrugged, "Like I said, Shawnie, I trust your judgement. I
just hope that there are no consequences."

	Shawn smiled, "There won't be, my ever-suspicious brother. You
worry too much."

	Bryan sat back in his chair and shrugged, saying softly, "Do I?"

	"If that's all..." Lucas said, looking up from his plate, "Let us
partake in this feast, for we are again a family!"

	Everybody agreed and began eating what was in front of them. The
room was soon filled with the sounds of banging plates and utensils and the
hum of conversation. Jordan began to strike up a conversation with Michael
and Zachary. From what Shawn could see, the eleven-year-old was quite
fascinated by the two lovebirds and the three of them sat there,
giggling. As usual, Jordan had a small lump at the front of his trousers.

	Shawn attempted to start a conversation with Bryan, but the
brown-haired boy ignored him.

	"Bryan?" Shawn said, once more.

	Finally, Bryan turned around, looking annoyed, and replied, "Yeah?"

	Shawn smiled and said, "So, what do you want to do, now that we're
home again?"

	Bryan shrugged, "I don't know if I'll have time to do much. I have
to take the Royal Exam soon, I'm sure, and I don't know shit."

	Shawn shook his head, "Bryan, we just got back! They'll give us a
month or two, I'm sure! Either way, there'll be plenty of time for you to
study."

	Bryan nodded half-heartedly. Shawn, deciding that he wasn't going
to get anywhere with this, went to eating his lunch.

	When the meal was over, everybody went about their business of the
afternoon.

	Michael and Zachary said that they were going to go to the
lake. Jordan wanted to follow them, but they had told him that they'd
rather be alone. Thus, he went off, saying he was going to go to the gym.

	Bryan claimed that he might as well study, so he excused himself
and left for the library.

	Brett claimed that he had to go do some thinking, so he left the
room in his usual quick, unexcused manner.

	Colonel Garrett had planned a patrol for the following morning, so
he excused himself to go off and ready his troops.

	The girls went with the two High Priestesses to Margaret's temple.

	Soon, all that was left at the table was Luke and Shawn.

	Smiling, Luke commented, "Looks like it's just you and I, kid."

	Shawn laughed, "Yeah. What do you have planned?"

	Luke shrugged, "I have a council meeting in a few moments. Why
don't you go off and play?"

	Shawn smiled and nodded, "Maybe I'll join Jordan in the gym."

	With that, Shawn stood up and left the room, leaving his father
sitting there. He was heading down the hallway toward the gymnasium, when
he realized that he was still wearing his formal clothing. Turning around,
he headed back and walked up the stairs toward his bedroom.



	Lucas sat there for a few more moments, pondering the situation
happily. His son was back, the enemy was defeated. Life was, once again,
fairly normal. He stood up and walked through the archway, down the hallway
and stopped as the guards bowed and opened up the large double doors to the
throne room for him. Waiting for him inside, was Jasper, his Domestic
Consultant, Calvin, his Foreign Advisor, Fargo, his treasurer, Wesley, his
cartographer and, of course, the Vizier, Frost.

	"All rise for the king." Frost announced, as Luke approached.

	Everybody began to stand up from their thrones, but Luke waved his
hand a shook his head, "No, no, please. Let's get right to business."

	Everybody sat back down again and waited until Luke was seated,
before saying anything.

	"Well, Your Majesty," Vizier Frost began, "it has come to our
attention that..."

	The old man was cut off as the throne room doors opened. Luke
turned around and smiled at the newcomer's approach, "Greetings. Is there
something that I can do for you, or would you like to add something to this
meeting?"

	The new arrival smirked slightly and said, "Actually, there is only
one thing I'd like to add...."

	As the person spoke, he pulled a pistol from beneath his shirt and
pointed it at Lucas. Everybody in the room was caught off guard by the
quickness of his movement and could do nothing as the intruder pulled the
trigger of his weapon.

	The bullet struck King Lucas straight through the forehead and into
the brain. He was dead even before his body hit the floor.

	"Long live Cargenon!" The intruder exclaimed, as he turned his
weapon on the rest of the room's occupants, as well as the rushing guards.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 24: Afternoons and Coffeespoons

	Shawn's fists and teeth clenched as he surveyed the cleanup efforts
in the throne room. He was still wearing the flimsy white tank top and gray
jogging shorts that he'd been wearing when the unlucky guard, returning
from military training, had stumbled upon the massacre.

	It was like a bad dream, but this time it was like one where you
wake up furious. The ebony-haired prince knew that he should be feeling sad
for the death of his father, all his advisors, Vizier Frost, and three
guards, but he just couldn't.

	With all the activity of the palace, nobody had seen or heard
anything. Shawn knew very little about firearms, but he did know that there
was always a very loud *bang* whenever one went off. It was impossible that
there was nobody alerted. True, the dining room was empty and true, most of
the guards were outside practicing drills, but not even a maid or a servant
or a cook?

	Adding to his anger, was that the guards at the gate had sworn that
nobody had come or gone between the time when the dining room cleared, to
the time that the bodies were discovered.

	"That could only mean one thing..." Shawn thought to himself, as he
swallowed back the vomit that was threatening to expel itself from his
mouth, "The person who did it was still here. There was no way any assassin
would be that stupid...unless they were a resident of the castle."

	Shawn gazed around uneasily as guards solemnly lifted the bodies up
blankets and carried them away, while the maids attempted to clean the
blood off the carpet. The assassin had used a gun and only the royals or
the royal advisors had access to where the guns were kept.

	To his left, he spotted Blade Garrett silently observing the
cleaning efforts. Since all the advisors were killed, that left the main
suspect as Colonel Garrett. He naturally had access to all of the weapons
and was colonel of Cargenon, but it would make no sense, since he was just
made colonel of his home country again. He had also recently slaughtered
many Cargenon soldiers and, it appeared, turned traitor on them. Besides
that, Shawn thought that Garrett had more honour than to attack several
undefended men.

	To Shawn's right, stood Bryan and Brett. Bryan cried into his
father's tunic as if he was a young child again and Brett appeared sad, but
he was never much on showing emotion. It was possible that either of them
could have done it, but it didn't seem probable. Brett and Lucas were in
love. Sure, they had fights, but there was no motivation for Brett to kill
the advisors or, especially, Lucas. As well, Brett was now through with the
throne, since the death of one king automatically ends their combined
reign. Why would Brett hurt himself like that?

	As for Bryan, well, Shawn could not even begin to consider that
possibility, since the idea of it seemed so ludicrous. Bryan had nothing to
gain by doing that and Shawn could not even bring himself to believe that
his lover, husband and brother could be so heartless.

	Shawn would have liked to check out their alibis, but this
occurrence would surely cause much turmoil in the kingdom. Foremost, was
that Shawn and Bryan were automatically the new kings now. With the loss of
Lucas, Brett was now a commoner, though Shawn was going to offer him a
position in the assembly. Another disquieting concern for the young king
was that a spy was in the palace and could, and probably would, strike
again. Cargenon's forces could not be too far behind and Shawn was no
longer sure that he could fully trust Garrett. Then again, he couldn't
really trust anybody now.

	Gazing over at the sobbing Bryan, again, Shawn corrected
himself. He trusted Bryan fully and completely. He walked over to where the
boy and his father was standing and gazed up at Brett worriedly. Brett
noticed his presence and looked at him, smirking slightly. Shaking his
head, Brett said, "We're doomed."

	Shawn shrugged, "Not necessarily. We'll find out who did this and
then we'll deal with them."

	"Yes," Brett responded, "but then what? The assassin could have
been any person of high authority in the palace! Whomever it is, their
discovery will result in more disastrous results for our fair
country. Another Cargenon army could be on the way or even already here! I
still don't fully trust Colonel Garrett."

	Shawn nodded sadly, "I feel as unsure as you sound, Brett, but we
must remain positive."

	Seeming to ignore him, Brett removed Bryan from his body and
stated, "And, to top it off, you and my son are now the new kings. All the
training and exams in the world cannot prepare you for the responsibility
of rule. Also, I hardly think my son is ready."

	"I am!" Bryan protested, sniffling and walking over to stand beside
Shawn, "Whoever did this will pay! That is our first order! We'll find the
assassin, devoting all our men to it!"

	Shawn put his hand on Bryan's shoulder and shook his head, "Bryan,
we don't know what this internal attack means! We need to assemble patrols
and send them out. I say we devote three-quarters of our men to patrols and
the other quarter to searching."

	"But it'll take too long to find the killer, then! While we're
searching for armies that might not even be here, they could kill you, or
me, or dad!" Bryan replied.
	Brett shrugged, "I will let you two discuss this amoungst
yourselves, since none of this is any longer my concern. I must pack my
things and depart into town. My ruling days are finished."

	"No, dad!" Bryan exclaimed as his father turned to depart, "Please
don't go!"

	Shawn shook his head, "Brett, please don't leave. I'll officially
appoint you as the new Vizier. With what's going on, we'll need your
experience to help"

	Brett smiled and turned back, "Very well. I'll do my best. I take
it you're going to want to have an assembly meeting?"

	Shawn nodded, "Yeah, we'll meet in the dining room in twenty
minutes."

	Brett nodded, "Very well. I shall let the palace staff know." And
left the room, shaking his head.

	Bryan sniffled and gazed at Shawn forlornly, "Why don't you look
sad? Your father was just killed, wasn't he?"

	Shawn shrugged, "I'm sad enough, trust me. However, there'll be
time enough for tears later on. Right now, we have to find out who did this
and see, to what extent, Cargenon is established again in our country."

	Bryan nodded and, gazing over at Colonel Garrett, whispered, "I
think I know who did this."

	Shawn shook his head, "It just wouldn't make sense, Bryan. Colonel
Garrett is a man of honour who has killed many soldiers of Cargenon in his
battles. There's no reason for him to have committed such an atrocity."

	Bryan nodded, "Well, I have my beliefs and you have yours. It's
only a matter of seeing who's right."

	Shawn sighed and put his hand on Bryan's shoulder again. Gazing
into his eyes, he informed, "Bryan, we have been unexpectedly thrust into
power. As the new kings of this country, we have to learn to think as a
single unit. You need to put your feelings aside and start thinking
logically."

	Bryan shrugged Shawn's hand off, "But I can't. There's no logical
suspect in the whole castle. Who would gain anything by doing what they
did?"

	Shawn was about to answer, when a voice from behind them answered,
"I have a few suspicions."

	Both boys turned around to see Colonel Garrett standing solemnly in
front of them.
	With their attention acquired, Garrett continued, "Theoretically,
the king of Cargenon could have offered anybody any sum of money to
assassinate King Lucas, as he is a very rich man. However, on examination
of Lucas's body, I found that he was shot straight through the head. It was
too accurate a shot for any average assassin and very few people possess
such skill with a foreign weapon. No, the assassin had to have spent six
months, at the very least, in Cargenon in order to attune his skill to such
a degree. Offhand, I can think of only two people in this palace that have
any chance of possessing such a skill. One of them, of course, would be
your new friend."

	"Jordan?" Shawn exclaimed with a smile on his face, "Obviously you
don't know him like I do! He's too shy to even look a stranger in the eyes,
let alone kill them! He's a puppy, Colonel."

	"And there's only one type of gun that he is adept at handling and
it isn't the type that was used to kill Luke." Bryan added with a smirk.

	Colonel Garrett sighed, "Perhaps...but think for a moment. Jordan
is a prince of Cargenon who has access to this type of training. Cargenon
ferries hundreds of prisoners around each day, but this boy chose to grow
attached to you, a member of royalty for the enemy country. Your escape
from capture seemed a little too easy, since you are, after all, a
highly-prized prisoner in such a war. It was quite possible that this whole
thing was a plan of theirs, since they knew that you'd grow attached to the
boy's magnetic personality and take him back to Whiteshadow Isle with
you. As well, the assassination only happened when he arrived."

	Shawn listened with much interest and when Garrett was done, Shawn
nodded and replied, "That is a very intriguing theory, Colonel. However, I
don't think that Jordan could have done it. Number one, he had no firearm
on him and wouldn't have been able to access the palace store, and, number
two, my father did not fully trust Jordan and would never have calmly
allowed him into the throne room unattended."

	Garrett nodded, "Yes, I was thinking the same thing, and...."

	Bryan cut Garret off, "Colonel, you mentioned that there were two
possible suspects that you could have mentioned offhand. The second one was
you, I take it?"

	Garrett was about to say something, but then paused and nodded.

	Shawn shrugged, "So, what prevents us from believing that it was
you?"

	Colonel Garrett took a deep breath in mild exasperation, as though
an explanation shouldn't have been necessary, and replied, "Yes, I had
access to the training and the palace weapon stores, however, I didn't do
it. I respected King Lucas more than any other man on this planet and would
not tarnish my title and my honour by surprising and shooting my own
king. Vizier Frost was my mentor and former colonel, teaching me everything
he knew about the art of war and bestowing upon me the privilege of
succeeding him when he retired from leading the armies. I worked with the
other advisors as a functional group and respected them all very
much. Finally, I am well aware of the repercussions of assassinating those
people and, no offense intended, but I don't think you two could ever hope
to achieve the level of respect and love that Kings Lucas and Brett
garnered from their citizens and their cabinet. Thus, I wouldn't dare to do
anything that would cause you two to step up above being two bratty
princes."

	Shawn and Bryan crossed their arms across their chests and Shawn
smirked and replied, "So, basically, you couldn't have done it because you
don't respect us enough to allow us the throne?"

	Garrett shook his head, "I mean no discourtesy, King Shawn. After
all, whether I like it or not, you are now my liege and I will have to
accept that. Keep in mind, though, that the last time we were together for
any length of time, you and your half-brother ran around the palace,
fancy-free, and acted like total whelps. You wore very little, if any,
clothing, you were constantly spoiled by your parents and were poster
children for why teenagers are looked upon as the most untrustworthy,
contemptible lot in the whole world. If that wasn't bad enough, you, King
Shawn, had me stripped of my title and banished, simply because you were
depressed over the death of your young friend, Carter."

	"And now?" Shawn inquired, slightly offended.

	Colonel Garrett smirked, "And now, you seem to be a hero in the
eyes of Whiteshadow Isle. You have grown up a lot in the last many years,
both of you, and I notice much maturity that has manifested itself. You two
both have a lot to live up to, as far as being kings are concerned, but it
is my duty to be as loyal to you two as I was to your fathers. I also must
say that it was a very wise choice to bestow the title of Vizier upon
Brett. Now, you only have to fill the advisors positions and we may be all
right, yet."

	Shawn and Bryan nodded and Bryan smiled and said, "Colonel Garrett,
the past is the past. Your job now is to prove your continued loyalty to
Whiteshadow Isle and convince me that you truly are not responsible for
this tragedy, for I still don't believe you."

	Colonel Garrett nodded, "That's a fair enough request...Your
Highness."

	Shawn nodded at Garrett and stated, "If that's all, Colonel, then
please go inform your guards to be present in the dining room for the
assembly."

	Garrett nodded and walked past the two boys and left the room,
leaving Shawn and Bryan alone with the maids.

	Shawn turned to Bryan and shrugged, "Well, with everything that
needs to be done now, I don't think there'll be enough time to grieve."

	Bryan nodded, "Perhaps. Still, I'm really going to miss your
father."
	Shawn took Bryan's hand and nodded slowly and said softly, "So am
I, angel...So am I."

	Still holding hands, the two boys continued to silently observe as
the bodily fluids of Lucas Glazerman and his cabinet were scrubbed from the
carpets like wine stains.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 25: The Fog of Dusk

	That evening, just as the marketplace was closing and parents were
calling in their children from the outside, a small funeral was held on a
very familiar hill, overlooking the town of Dawson.

	King Shawn and Bryan had agreed, during the assembly meeting a few
hours before, that it would be better if they held the actual funeral with
only a few people that night, and had a memorial service sometime next
week, where everybody else could come and pay their respects to the
king. Thus, the only attendees of the service were three of the servants,
Margaret and her daughters, Michael and Zachary, Brett, Colonel Garrett
and, of course, the two young kings. As they all made their way to the
services, the first drops of rain began to fall and, once upon the hill and
exited from the carriages, it had progressed into a steady downpour. Still,
nobody there was too concerned about their dress clothes being ruined. In
fact, the rain seemed all too appropriate to the mood.

	There was quite a bit of emotion in the crowd, as they stood and
awaited the funeral's commencement.

	Rebecca sobbed into her mother's robe, totally consumed with
sorrow at the death of her father. Feeling sadness for the loss of one of
the most compassionate males, in Lucas, that she'd ever known, Margaret
cried as well, as she held her daughter against her with one hand and used
the other to futilely dab her eyes with a drenched handkerchief.

	Michael sobbed on Zachary's shoulder, because he felt that a
special bond had been developing between him and Lucas. He'd finally
felt that someone had understood him and now this had to happen. Zachary
tried his best to comfort his friend and lover, but he was very
uncomfortable being around so much emotion. He was also uncomfortable with
his dress shirt sticking to his chest and causing his nipples to itch
terribly.

	Bryan knew that he had to try to keep his composure as best he
could, being the king and all, but, as his father slowly walked to the
front of the crowd to begin the service, he lost it and began sobbing into
Shawn's already-drenched shirt.

	Not even Shawn, who tried his hardest to see this circumstance as a
cause for anger rather than sadness, could contain his grief when faced
with the farewell ceremony for his own father, and, with his long dripping
hair hanging tangled in his face, he held Bryan's hand tightly and cried
freely.

	As Vizier, Brett presided over the affair. He kept a solemn,
stone-faced appearance, even though his eyes betrayed his sadness. It was
not hard to notice a few tears mingling with the other rivulets of water
that streamed down the crimson-haired man's face. The six caskets were
all slowly lowering into their graves, as Brett gazed out at the crowd,
through the mist of the raging cloudburst, and, clearing his throat, began,
	"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here tonight, on the twenty-second
day of Tiger's Eye, to bid farewell to, not one, but six very important
people in all of our lives. Wesley Harroway, our prized cartographer, was
always around to keep track of how our land was developing. He and his
scouts made sure that we knew of all of the most important places in the
country, whether it be the best fields for planting grain, or the best
places for our forces to ambush pirates and renegades. He was our youngest
royal advisor and, therefore, his loss is particularly hard. I'm sad to
admit that, in my duties as king, I never paid much attention to his
personal life, so I don't know if he had any family or friends outside
the palace. Is there anybody here who has anything about Wesley that
they'd like to share?"

	The crowd was silent, except for the sounds of lachrymose bawling.

	Brett sighed and said, "Very well. I suppose Wesley was a
private man to us all. We shall have to remember his talents based on the
good that he has done for this kingdom. Next, we lost Calvin Ruperts, our
foreign relations and trade advisor. Calvin was an instrumental part of
this kingdom, because Whiteshadow Isle relies very heavily on what the rest
of the world thinks of us. Whether we were supporting the female countries
with food, during the gender wars, or we were attempting to ease tensions
between us and Cargenon, prior to war breaking out, Calvin was always right
there to help us achieve our goals overseas. Without him, it'll be very
difficult to achieve that level of peacefulness, since Calvin was so very
respected by all who met him. Does anybody have any kind words about Calvin
that they'd like to share?"

	Shawn slowly released Bryan's hand and stepped away from
him. Walking over to where Brett stood, Shawn wiped his hair from his eyes
and sniffled, then said, "As most of you remember, Calvin was very
helpful in my big speech to the world leaders, all those years ago. He
wasn't a stupid man, so I'm sure he knew where I was headed with the
questions that I asked him. Still, he told the truth and was instrumental
in my proving several points to the council. Without him, we may not have
achieved the success that we did. I never did get a chance to thank him,
because whenever I tried, he would tell me that he was just doing his
job. I should have insisted, but I didn't...and now I'll never get
the chance."

	With that said, Shawn nodded and Brett, then slowly stepped back
beside Bryan and resumed his quiet sobbing.

	Brett stood in silence for a few seconds, then nodded and said,
"Fine words from our new king. Anybody else?"

	The crowd showed nobody else with any interest.

	Brett nodded and said, "Very well. Calvin was a modest man,
it's true, and a very honest person. It was a pleasure to work with him
and he, too, will be missed deeply. Calvin's counterpart, Jasper, was
also unfortunately killed in the attack. Jasper was to the home front, what
Calvin was to the foreign front. Calvin was in charge of making sure the
most important people in the world, the citizens of Whiteshadow Isle, were
content. He assigned the taxes, but if the people had a problem with them,
he was always open to changes. He also organized our yearly festival, which
always has attracted people from around the globe to our shores. Every
little thing that he did was so very important to our people, that any
single peasant, should one have been here today, would have spoken about
how helpful and compassionate he was to them and their families. The fact
that he spent so much time interacting with the common folk, is probably a
reason that none of you, presumably, have any fond memories of him,
isn't that right?"

	Confirming his statement, none of the assembled crowd spoke up on
his behalf.

	Brett nodded, "Very well. Next, I'd like to pay my respects
to our honoured treasurer, Fargo Davis. Fargo was one of the most
meticulous people I've ever met. He kept our funds in check right down
the last silver and would suffer an anxiety attack if anybody dared take
any money without asking, even if it were myself or Lucas. He was extremely
intelligent and could do any math equation in his head, without the need of
an abacus. It would be a lie to say that he was one of the most liked
people in the palace, because he really wasn't, but the simple truth is
that we'd have been lost without his help and he was instrumental in
holding this kingdom together. Without him...I really don't know what
we're going to do. Does anybody have any thoughts they'd like to
share?"

	Bryan sniffled loudly and slowly walked forward. Brett smiled at
his son's approach and stepped aside. Bryan turned around and wiped his
puffy eyes with his wet finger and, taking a moment to compose himself,
said, "When...when I had first returned to the palace and Shawnie and I
were looking for a few moments alone, we could never seem to find it, when
Fargo was around."

	Shawn couldn't help but smile through his cries and even Bryan
smirked slightly and giggled, still sniffling and crying somewhat,
"Yeah...When...Whenever Shawnie and I would sit down and begin to get
close, he always seemed to walk into the room and interrupt. `The palace
can't be put on hold because you want kissing time' is what he'd
say. I never really liked him, but it was always fun to make him
mad. I...I'm going to miss that."

	Bryan began to cry again and walked back to where Shawn
stood. Shawn giggled slightly and took Bryan into his arms, hugging
him. The two boys cried as they remembered those times.

	Brett nodded and paused. Gazing out over the crowd, he shook his
head and, putting his hand over his face, he commented, "Umm...I'm
finding it difficult to continue. Colonel Garrett, if you could?"

	Without waiting for an answer, Brett walked off to stand beside
Margaret and his two daughters, Ana and Sarah.

	Seeing little other choice, Colonel Garrett stepped up to where
Brett had been and, assuming his usual emotionless look, cleared his throat
and continued, "I believe Vizier Silverberg was about to pay his
respects to the former Vizier, Thomas Frost. I knew Vizier Frost better as
Colonel Frost. When I was a young soldier, entering soon after the death of
King Eric, I was trained by a very stern and skilled colonel, by the name
of Thomas McDowell Frost. Colonel Frost slapped me around and mocked my
fragile and childish spirit. He taught me that the enemy was not a human,
but simply a target to be destroyed. As he got older, though, his senses
dulled and his heart softened to the pitiful cries of the dying enemy. So,
he stepped down and gave me, his most conditioned pupil, his
position. Thomas Frost was a man of extreme honour and dignity and a human
who I was both proud and fearful to serve under. Even in his declining
years, it was always a special relationship that he and I shared. His love
for me was only surpassed by his love for Shawn and, through that, he
became a warm and affectionate human being. I can't say that I totally
agree with that, but he made a lot of friends and I'm sure that he knew
what he was doing. He will be missed in more ways than he could ever
know. Does anybody want to share any fond memories of Thomas Frost?"

	Shawn and Bryan were too busy hugging and comforting each other to
hear what Garrett was saying, especially over the howling of the wind that
was beginning to pick up, but Zachary left Michael's side to walk up to
the front. Garrett stepped aside to allow the thirteen-year-old child to
speak.

	"When I first arrived in the palace, I found the experience to
be very cool, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to just move in all of a
sudden. Lucas and Brett were very busy doing whatever, but Vizier Frost
actually took the time to show me around and tell me more about Michael and
everybody else living here. He kept reassuring me and telling me that if I
had any problems, I could always just come to him and he'd try to help
me as best he could. He was always very nice to me and I'll miss him for
that."

	Nodding in conclusion, Zachary stepped away and walked back over to
Michael, who had stopped crying to listen to him.

	Colonel Garrett nodded and said, "Very well. Finally, and some
might say most importantly, we are here to say goodbye to King Lucas
Glazerman. Words...cannot properly express how much his presence will be
missed. I have led his armies ever since he took over the throne from his
father. I was there at his coronation ceremony. I have protected his
kingdom for over twenty years and I have called him my liege during that
time, with respect and honour.

	King Lucas was a fair king and a good king. He loved his citizens
and treated all those under him as equals. He also loved his son, Shawn,
more than any person in the entire world.

	King Lucas was a good father and would go out of his way to put
royal matters on hold in order to spend time with his son. He spoiled him
growing up, but soon corrected that as Shawn got older and began to take
his duties for granted. He respected his son's wishes to marry his
brother, which is something that most fathers would never do.

	King Lucas was also a very loving grandfather. His stepson,
Bryan's son, Carter, spent a lot of time with Lucas and Lucas loved that
little boy so much. Most fathers dread the day that somebody calls them
`grandpa', but not Lucas. He loved children and he loved Carter.

	Lucas was a wonderful friend. He treated all his advisors,
including myself, as equals, instead of servants. Most of the other kings
of the world liked him a lot. Prince Michael has had a lot of trouble
during his growing up and Lucas tried his best to help Michael through
puberty and how to find love. Lucas made Michael feel much better about
himself. Lucas helped Michael become more independent.

	Lucas was a passionate lover. Ever since he first chose Brett,
Lucas has defended him on all fronts. Their relationship has always been
one of much love and affection. Their occasional fights resulted only
because Lucas cared too much about Brett to allow him to go off the beaten
path. Where Brett remained serious, Lucas tried to get him to `loosen
up', as it were. Above all, though, Lucas loved Brett and would risk his
own reputation to defend his younger friend.

	I can't think of any one person who would miss Lucas more. We
all feel a deep and painful loss today, because Lucas has been with us for
so long and has left us so suddenly.

	High Priestess Margaret, you said you wanted to say a few
words?"

	Margaret lifted Rebecca from her chest and walked forward toward
the front of the crowd. Walking past her loudly sobbing sons, she reached
the front of the area, beside Colonel Garrett. Gazing down at Lucas's
casket, she placed her hand on it and closed her eyes for a few seconds,
before turning back around and addressing the audience.

	"What can I say, really? Lucas knew me first, in a time when men
and women were mortal enemies. When I heard that the king wanted to meet
with me, I expected to be raped, had my children taken away and then never
heard anything about it again. That was the way it worked in those
days. Lucas wasn't like that, though. Neither was Brett, by the way.

	Digressing, when Lucas came to the temple to see me, he was not
dressed with the intention of impressing me. He wore a simple white dress
shirt and black slacks. He had long hair at the time, and he had it tied
back in a simple elastic. He and I went into a private room and, rather
than just take me right there like an animal, he sat me down and, to my
surprise, asked if I had anything to drink. I offered him a glass of wine,
which he accepted and I stood there and watched him drink it. So far, it
was nothing like what I had expected, so I was less than shocked when he
asked me to sit beside him. As we sat together by the reading table, he
took my hand into his own and, looking me in the eyes, told me that I was
the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. I was, of course, flattered by
his complimentary attitude, but still fearing the worst. After a few
seconds, I began to become extremely worried by his calm, gentlemanly
attitude and so I inquired as to why I was honoured by his presence on this
fine day. That's when he told me the words that I'll never forget for
as long as I live. He said, `My dear priestess Margaret, you are the
most beautiful woman who could ever possibly walk in this world of war and
strife. Your features are so delicate and your spirit, so pure. I have
admired you from afar for a long time, you see, and I could never take my
eyes off you for very long. You seem so knowledgeable, so logical and, of
course, so beautiful. This kingdom of ours is lucky to have someone of your
qualities, who is not plotting to overthrow us. You live in contentment,
while your sisters fight battles to ruin us. It would do me much honour if
you would agree to help me give this kingdom an heir. With the combination
of both our skills and traits, we could help this kingdom flourish for a
long, long time. If you do not wish it, however, I will go now and you will
never hear anything of the sort from me again.'

	Well, I was taken quite aback by his offer, but I was quite taken
by his politeness. I probed as to what would happen if we had girls. I
explained that I desired not to have any children if I had to watch them be
executed. He was very quick to promise me that if I had any girls, I would
be free to keep them with me and no harm would come to them. So, while
still a bit wary, I agreed to mother the child of the king. Needless to
say, the first child that I had with Lucas was a girl. True to his word, he
allowed me to keep the child with me, but he again asked me if we could try
for a boy. This time, he swore that if another girl was born, I would keep
that one and he would never bother me again. I was, unfortunately, a bit
smitten with the young king, so it didn't take too much to get me to
agree. The second child we had was, of course, a boy. The child was to be
taken from me immediately after circumcision, but instead, Lucas let me
keep baby Shawn one more night. Another thing that I'll never forget
about Lucas, was that not only did he let me keep Shawn for one more night,
but he left me alone with him. It made me feel so special that the king of
my country actually trusted a lowly priestess enough to leave the heir to
the throne alone in my custody. Needless to say, I gave young Rebecca an
early dinner that night and put her to bed. I then spent the entire night
up with Shawn, rocking him in my arms. I never wanted that night to end. In
the morning, Lucas came back and took Shawn from me, but he let me kiss the
baby goodbye. That was the last time I ever saw Shawn until he was thirteen
and I managed to catch a glimpse of him in town.

	For all that Lucas did for me and for all the good that he did for
this whole country, I'm going to miss him terribly. I'm only glad
that his spirit may live on in the two beautiful children that he and I had
together...That he and I almost didn't have, if it weren't for him
being such a wonderful and understanding person. Goodbye, Lucas. I...I love
you."

	As she walked back to her place beside her daughters, Garrett
nodded and gazed back as the peasants now began to fill the graves with
dirt.

	With his back to the crowd, Garrett gazed at the rapidly filling
grave of King Lucas Glazerman, and a single tear rolled down his cheek and
mingled with the rest of the water on his face.

	"Goodbye, Your Majesty." Garrett whispered.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 26: A New Era Begins

	Upon returning to the palace, the first order of business, for all
who attended the funeral, was to change out of their soaked clothing. So,
after the black carriages dropped everybody off at the main gates, Shawn
and Bryan quickly made their way through the sobbing crowd and up toward
their chambers.

	It had been a lot harder on Shawn than he thought it would be. His
thoughts of rational royal dealings had deteriorated into those of a boy
who'd just lost his father. Bryan was his usual emotional self, though, so
the hallways rang with the sounds of lasting sobs and the occasional
sniffle, as the two young kings made their way back toward their room.

	As Shawn reached for the door handle, he heard the shuffling sounds
of activity inside and he was reminded that, because the two of them didn't
attend the funeral, Jordan had been asked to babysit Carter. He quickly
wiped the tears from his eyes and peeled the hair away from his face with
his fingers, before opening the door. Bryan's sobs had lessened by that
point, and he quickly did the same and followed Shawn inside.

	Jordan sat cross-legged on the floor with Carter, watching the
six-year-old play with several dolls. Both of them quickly stood up as the
two older men walked in.

	"Hey, you two." Shawn greeted them, smiling slightly.

	Jordan frowned and asked, "How was it?"

	Bryan stepped up beside Shawn and shrugged, "It was a nice
service. My dad and Colonel Garrett did a really good job with the
eulogies."

	Shawn nodded and added, "Not many other people had anything else to
say about anybody. It was quite sad."

	Jordan nodded and said solemnly, "I'm really sorry that this
happened."

	Shawn smiled sadly and, stepping forward, put his hand on Jordan's
shoulder and stroked it gently, "I know you are, sweetie. It's going to be
very chaotic around the palace for the next little while and I might be
pretty busy, what with the circumstances of the deaths and the position
that it left myself and Bryan in, but I want you to know that I'm really
glad that you're here and that you've agreed to watch Carter. It'll make
things much easier on us. You're going to have to act more mature from now
on, though. No more of the you-know-what."

	Jordan nodded and smiled slightly, "It's no trouble to watch
him. He's really very cute and fun. And...I understand about the other
thing."

	Shawn nodded and ruffled Jordan's hair, "Good boy. Now, I also
wanted to tell you that...."

	As Shawn and Jordan spoke, Carter stood there and watched intently,
trying to figure out what was going on. After a while, he began to get
frustrated with being ignored and walked over to his father.

	Looking up at him, Carter tugged on his wet pant leg and whined,
"Daddy, what's going on? What are they saying?"

	Bryan turned his eyes away from the conversation in front of him
and regarded his son with sadness in his eyes. Kneeling down to eye level
with the boy, Bryan took his son's hands into his own and, looking into his
eyes, asked, "Carter, do you understand what happened today? I mean...with
Grandpa Luke and Uncle Tom?"

	Carter shook his head and replied, "Why? Where are they?"

	Bryan swallowed back the tears and, taking a deep breath, looked up
at Shawn and Jordan, who were now watching him, and shook his head, "I
can't do this."

	Shawn nodded and frowned, "You have to, Bryan. It may seem hard,
but he deserves to know. You're his father and you need to take
responsibility for this."

	Bryan sighed and nodded, then, turning back to Carter, said, "Well,
sweetheart, it's...it's like...there's this magical...Umm...Uhh...Ah,
forget it. You deserve to know the truth and I don't want you to grow up
believing something that I sugar-coated for you."

	Now the six-year-old really looked confused, and he inquired,
"What? Forget what? What are you talking about, daddy?"

	Bryan nodded and took a deep breath again. Getting back to his
feet, he walked past Shawn and Jordan and over to the bed, undoing his wet
pants.

	Removing them, he sat down on the mattress wearing his boxers and
then looked over at his son again, "Carter, sit beside me. There's
something important I need to tell you and I want to do it right."

	Carter continued to look confused as he slowly made his way over to
the bed and sat down beside Bryan. Looking up at him slightly impatiently,
the youngster probed, "What?"

	Bryan reached over and took his hand, then, gazing into the boy's
inquisitive eyes, said, "Carter..., tonight something...happened to Grandpa
Luke, Uncle Tom and a whole bunch of their friends. Somebody...did
something bad to them and...and now they're dead."

	Bryan managed to say it without crying and he was quite proud of
himself. He paused and allowed what he said to sink into his son's mind.

	Carter sat there for a few moments and said nothing, his young face
showing that he was mulling that over in his mind. After almost a minute,
Carter looked up at Bryan again and asked, "Why did someone make them
dead?"

	Bryan shrugged and shook his head, "I guess they must have been a
really bad person and didn't like them. I don't really know, Carter."

	A few seconds after Bryan had said that, Carter finally nodded and
said, "Oh."

	Squeezing his son's hand slightly, Bryan inquired, "So, how do you
feel?"

	Carter shrugged and said, "I dunno. I feel sort of...weird."

	"Do you feel sad?" Bryan asked.

	Carter shrugged and said, "I guess."

	Bryan shrugged, "Well?"

	"What?" Carter replied.

	Bryan smiled, "If you want a hug, or you wanna cry, it's okay. I'm
here."

	Carter shook his head and pulled his hand away from Bryan's,
standing up.

	"No, it's okay. I wanna play now." Carter responded and went back
to where his dolls were, sat down on the floor and began playing with them
again.

	Bryan sat there and stared at him for a few seconds, then stood up
and, unbuttoning his shirt, made his way into the bathroom.

	Shawn and Jordan had observed what had happened and Shawn was very
proud of Bryan. Once again, he took responsibility and he came out in a
fairly favourable position.

	Looking over at Jordan, Shawn said, "Well, I'm going to go join
Bryan in the bath. Watch, Carter, okay?"

	Jordan nodded, tears running down his pale cheeks, and he sniffled,
then said, "Yeah, okay."

	"Are you okay?" Shawn inquired, putting his hand on the
eleven-year-old's shoulder.

	Jordan nodded, wiping his face with his wrist, "Yeah...It's
just...I don't think Luke trusted me and I was really hoping that I could
make him like me, but now he's dead and...I dunno..."

	Shawn nodded and hugged the boy into his arms. Patting his back
lovingly, Shawn shushed him and said, "It's okay. My dad would have grown
to love you, I'm sure."

	As Shawn hugged Jordan, he noticed Bryan walking past him, clad
only in a white towel, and toward the door. Separating from Jordan, he
inquired, "Where are you going in such attire?"

	Bryan opened the door and turned, exclaiming, "I can't find the
cufflinks that my dad gave me! I have to go look for them, or else he'll
kill me!"

	"Can't you look for them afterwards?" Shawn replied.

	Bryan called back as he quickly walked from the room, "The maids
might sweep them up! Get in the bath! I'll be back in a few minutes!"

	Shawn shrugged as the door shut behind him, "He's such a brat
sometimes."

	Jordan giggled and said, "Well, you do look really wet. I wouldn't
like it if you got sick."

	Shawn smiled, "You're such a sweetheart. You don't mind watching
Carter again?"

	Jordan shook his head, "Not at all!"

	Shawn nodded and undid his pants, then peeled them off his damp
legs. Tossing them into the open hamper in the corner of the room, he went
around and collected Bryan's clothes, putting them there too.

	Jordan giggled and said, "Would you just go, so you don't catch a
cold and die?!"

	Shawn smirked, "Being the dramatic one, are we? Okay, but make sure
to keep an extra-special eye on Carter. He may have a delayed reaction to
the death of my dad, so if he starts crying or anything, let me know."

	Jordan nodded and, with a snappy salute, exclaimed, "Yes, Your
Majesty."

	With a sneer of mock anger directed at the boy, Shawn stepped into
the bathroom and stripped off his boxers and shirt. Putting them aside to
be put in the hamper later, Shawn slowly stepped over the basin wall and
into the heated water.

	He let out a sigh of relief as he descended into the hot bath and
leaned back against the stone wall. Many a good time was had in this very
tub and Shawn always seemed to relive every moment of happiness while
inside. It was hard to be happy, given the current circumstances, but Shawn
could take a bit of comfort in the knowledge that he was now king alongside
the love of his life and they might be able to help the kingdom. Who knows,
they might even gain the same amount of respect, in time, that his father
did.

	His thoughts were interrupted by Jordan's voice from the doorway,
"Umm, Shawn?"

	Shawn quickly turned around. He wasn't embarrassed at Jordan seeing
him naked, though, because, after all, it was pretty academic by now.

	"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to leave the room for
five seconds. I want to get a doll from Carter's room."

	Shawn smiled, "You don't need to ask permission, guy."

	Jordan nodded, "I know...Just didn't want you to call me and find
that I wasn't around."

	Shawn nodded, "If you see Bryan on the way out, let him know that
I'm anxiously awaiting his company, with or without the damn cufflinks."

	Jordan giggled, "I'll tell him."

	Shawn nodded and lay back again. With him and Bryan in charge, it
would be a whole new era of command. He was definitely against the
circumstances that placed him on the throne, but he couldn't say that he
didn't enjoy the idea that he was now king. Bryan might not have been ready
quite yet, but Shawn loved him to death and looked forward to helping him
along in his efforts to become the royal that he constantly complained
about becoming. Like it or not, Shawn was going to turn Bryan into a
respectable monarch.

	Shawn had a bunch of new ideas that he was going to propose, and
one of them was the beginning of royal training for Michael and
Zachary. Even though they'd probably never rule, it was never too early to
start them on the path.

	Shawn had so many ideas that he was distracted with thinking about
them and realized, fifteen minutes later, that neither Bryan nor Jordan had
returned.

	Wondering what was going on, he impatiently slipped out of the
basin and wrapped a towel around his waist.

	He had just walked through the doorway, back into his bedroom, when
he heard the gunshot ring out from somewhere in the palace.

	Shawn stood there in the doorway and listened as four more followed
in quick succession. The noise outside his room quickly erupted in the
sounds of rushing footsteps. Shawn, however, calmly climbed into a pair of
old jogging shorts and, his body still dripping wet, made his way over the
door and prepared to investigate.

	He already knew what had happened, though, and tears were already
streaming down his cheeks.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 27: Choices

	Shawn slowly walked down the corridor, the sounds of activities in
the main hallway getting ever louder as he approached it.

	As he rounded the corner, Shawn took several steps back and grit
his teeth to avoid throwing up. Prince Jordan, the young boy from Cargenon,
lay dead on the carpet. His body was filled with several bullet holes and
blood poured freely from his wounds and formed a widening pool underneath
him. Colonel Garrett and several guards knelt beside him and held his limp
and bloody extremities, searching for some sign of life. From the grim
looks on their faces, it appeared that none existed.

	As the raven-haired prince looked up, he spotted Bryan sitting in a
far corner of the room. His legs were clutched against his chest and he was
sobbing, with blood streaming down his right arm from a wound on his
shoulder. His only material covering, a simple towel, was partly undone,
but had a red rim from all the blood that has dripped down his body. A
small pistol lay in front of him, in a small pool of blood.

	Shawn hadn't anticipated this at all. When he had heard the
gunshots from his room, he had been sure that he would come down to find
the dead body of Bryan laying on the floor. He had been preparing himself
to deal with it. He had been prepared to deal with the loss of the throne
so soon after he'd gotten it. He had been preparing to tell Carter that his
father was dead. He was sure that he'd probably not be as calm, but...

	"But I guess it doesn't matter now." Shawn thought as he stood
watching the scene before him, "Bryan is the traitor and that's almost as
bad."

	Shawn walked further into the room, giving Jordan's body a cursory
glance as he walked past it and the assembled guards. If Blade Garrett and
his crew knew of his arrival, they made no acknowledgment, as he slowly
sauntered past them and toward the huddled body of Bryan.

	Shawn stood in front of Bryan for several seconds, without saying
anything. Though the boy was crying, Shawn was sure that Bryan could see
him standing there, but made no acknowledgment of his presence.  Slowly
bending down, Shawn took the grip of the pistol between his thumb and
forefinger and fished it out from the rapidly coagulating crimson pool.

	He gazed at it for several seconds, studying the intricacies of the
new weapon of destruction, the streamlined contours of the device that, in
a single person, could kill twenty men before they even got without
thirty-five feet. He lightly touched the muzzle of the gun with the thumb
of his left hand, and noted that it was still hot. The warmth was almost
comforting, like the warmth felt while lounging in front of a fireplace
during the cold winter months. Like the warmth of a hot stew sliding down
your gullet after a long autumn's day of gathering leaves together and
going for long strolls in the park.

	Like the warmth in your heart when you finally meet that special
someone and they tell you that they love you.

	Tears streamed down Shawn's face as he examined the weapon for one
last second, then turned around and, rearing back, threw it as hard as he
could. It soared through the air and smashed right through a vase sitting
on a pedestal at the other end of the room. The large hallway resonated
with the loud bang of the vase shattering, combined with the pop of the gun
going off as it hit the wall, shooting a gaping hole through a painting,
but both sounds were drowned out by Shawn's scream of anger.

	Colonel Garrett and the guards spun around from the other noises in
time to see Shawn run over and pull a sculpture of himself off a pedestal,
watching it smash into pieces of the marble floor. One of the guards stood
up, presumably to go quell the situation, but Garrett held him
back. "Stay!" He said, "You don't want to mess with our king when he's in
this mood."

	Shawn spun around from observing the mess he made and, striding
back toward Bryan, yelled, "How could you?!"

	Rather then responding, Bryan just sobbed louder.

	Shawn threw up his arms and yelled, tears coursing from his eyes,
"I mean, I loved you, Bryan! I trusted you! How could you kill my father?!
And Thomas?! And Calvin?! And Jasper?! And Wesley?! And Fargo?! How could
you kill Jordan?! Why would you betray your kingdom like this?! And me?!
How the fucking hell could you betray me, God dammit?! I loved you, you son
of a bitch! I fucking defended you! When your father said that you'd never
be a good king...."

	Shawn suddenly felt a hand grip his shoulder and a loud, "Shawn!"
yelled in his ear.

	Shawn spun around to see, through his mask of tears, that Brett now
stood before him. "My son didn't kill those people, Shawn." Brett said,
matter-of-factly.

	Shawn wiped his eyes with his wrist and said, "Of course he did!"

	"No, he didn't." Colonel Garrett said, walking slowly over to where
they stood, "Bryan is not our traitor."

	Shawn stumbled backwards a few steps and, looking up at the two
men, stuttered, "Th...then...who?"

	Colonel Garrett pointed back at where his guards were gathered.

	"So...you were right all along?" Shawn asked, much chastened.

	For the first time in his life, Shawn saw a smile pass across the
bearded face of Blade Garrett as he said, "Worry not, Your Majesty. I
shan't gloat."

	"So, he was a spy all along?" Shawn probed, sniffling.

	At that, Garrett shook his head, "Jordan truly did love you,
Shawn. He had just spent his entire life being ostracized by his father and
brothers. I guess he just couldn't pass up the chance to, perhaps, win back
his father's respect by killing all the royals in the palace. I doubt he
intended it from the start, though. When we rushed to the sound of a
struggle, we came only in time to see King Bryan wrestle the gun from young
Jordan and fire the strange weapon at him in defense. Fortunately, Jordan's
first shot had only grazed Bryan's shoulder, or it may have been the end
for the young monarch."

	Brett nodded at the apparent resolution of the affair and extended
his hand down toward his son, offering to help him to his feet. Bryan
looked up and slapped it away, before climbing to his feet on his own. His
sobs now diminishing, Bryan stepped over to Shawn and looked at him through
his red-rimmed eyes.

	Shawn shook his head, "Bryan, I..."

	He was promptly cut off as Bryan punched him sharply in the
stomach. The wind knocked out of him, Shawn collapsed to the ground with a
groan and lay there cringing in pain.

	"How dare you doubt me?!" Bryan yelled down at him, "I thought you
trusted me! I thought we had a bond that could not be broken!"

	"I...I'm sorry, Bryan!" Shawn coughed as he slowly began to get
back to his feet.

	Bryan kicked him in the head, causing him to fall back down again,
"You called me a traitor! You fucking accused me of killing Luke and Vizier
Frost! I always stood by you!"

	"Bryan...I...." Shawn began to say.

	"No!" Bryan yelled back, "I don't want to hear you anymore, you
lying, untrustworthy, insensitive bastard! I've had enough of your shit!"

	Looking back toward Brett and Colonel Garrett he continued, "I've
had enough of all of you people's shit! `Study harder, Bryan.', `Be more
mature, Bryan', `Think more, Bryan.', `Why can't you be more like Shawn,
Bryan?'. Well, I've through!"

	Bryan brought his hand up in front of his face and yelled, "You see
this?! Well, this is what I think of being some fucking king!"
	Bryan pulled off his royal insignia ring and tossed it on the floor
at his father's feet.

	By this time, most of the palace had come to see what the commotion
was, including Michael and Zachary, Margaret and her daughters, little
Carter, and even the still visiting High Priestess Anna of Bismark.

	Bryan turned around to the still-prone Shawn, "I don't know how
long you've been thinking that I was the one who killed your father, but I
don't want to know about it! I came to this place because you did and I
didn't want to leave you! I thought you loved me and trusted me, because I
sure as hell loved and trusted you! Not anymore, though! I mean, being not
only husbands, but also brothers, I thought maybe we had a bond that would
let you know, in your heart of hearts, that I would never do anything that
would hurt you so bad. I guess we don't have that bond, though. I guess all
these years, you never really fully trusted me! Well, fuck you, Shawnie,
we're through!"

	Bryan pulled off his wedding band and through it down beside
Shawn's body.

	"Bryan! Calm down, now!" Margaret called, "You're acting like an
idiot!"

	Bryan turned toward his mother and said, "Well, that's all right,
isn't it, mom? I mean, you still have your good, intelligent, mature son!
What do you need me for?"

	Before she could respond, he turned back toward his father, "Dad,
you kept pushing me and pushing me to become king, but I never wanted it! I
never wanted any royal shit! I was on the street, with the real people and
I was real happy with that! I only came back because I thought Shawn loved
me. Next thing I know, I'm turned into this...this...prince and made like I
belong here! I was brought up as a fucking stableboy, dad! I was never a
prince, and you know it! I was the one who stopped the first traitor and I
was the one who stopped the second one! None of you royal fuckers could do
anything about it, but I did it! Me! Don't you agree, dad, that I was the
reason that both your stupid traitors are dead?!"

	Brett could only nod in acknowledgment.

	Bryan turned toward Rebecca, "And you!"

	Rebecca tried hard not to smile as she inquired, "Me? What did I do
to you, Bryan?"

	"You did that!" Bryan said, pointing toward Carter, who was
watching the scene with quiet curiosity.

	Rebecca reared back and slapped Bryan, then yelled, "Don't you dare
bring him into this! You were never a real father, anyway, so if you don't
want the responsibility, then just get the fuck away!"

	Bryan stepped back and rubbed his reddening cheek gingerly, then
nodded and turned toward Michael and Zachary.

	"Bryan, what are you doing?" Michael asked, fearfully.

	"Michael, you don't belong here! You belong on the street with me
and Amber and the rest of the peasants! You took me for granted,
though. You got all nice and comfy in your pampered royal life. You picked
your Chosen and now you're settling into your big room with your stone bath
and all that shit!"

	Zachary turned to Michael and said, "Maybe he's right. I don't know
if I'm cool with all this royal shit, either."

	Michael shook his head, then turned back toward Bryan, "Bryan, I
don't know what your problem is, but you need to look around you and see
what a jackass you're being."

	Bryan nodded and smiled, "Yeah, a jackass." Then walked away from
the crowd and started back toward the stairway.

	"Bryan! Come back here now!" Brett yelled.

	Bryan spun around, "No! You can't order me around anymore! I don't
want the throne! You hear me, dad! I quit! I'm going to go up to my room,
take a few things and then I'm leaving and you can't stop me!"

	"Please don't go, Bryan!" Michael yelled.

	Bryan stood there and crossed his arms across his chest, "Oh, I'm
going, all right. You hear me, everybody? I'm going and I'm never coming
back! And anybody who wants to come with me is welcome to it!"

	There was a long pause as everybody looked around uncomfortably.

	"Bryan, please don't go! A little responsibility is necessary for
life. Don't do this to yourself!" Margaret called.

	"Sorry, mom." Bryan responded, "Why don't you come with me? This
place never treated you right anyway."

	Margaret shook her head, "Bryan, you're not being reasonable."

	"Fine!" Bryan replied, "How about you, Becky?"

	Becky shook her head, "Fuck you, Bryan."

	Bryan smiled, "Fair enough? Ana...Sarah...You two are my
sisters...You may be the only siblings that I can rely on. You have no
future in this palace. Come with me and we'll start a new life."

	The two twins looked at each other and then turned toward
Bryan. Ana shook her head, "I'm sorry, Bryan. I have a boyfriend in
town...and I don't know where you're going, but I can't come."

	"And you, Sarah?" Bryan inquired.

	Sarah glanced over at her mother, then over at her father, then she
looked back at Bryan and slowly walked toward him.

	Bryan smiled as his sister approached him. He took her hand and
held it as she stood beside him. "Okay," he continued, "how about you,
Mike? You know that you don't belong here! You and Zachary should just come
with me."

	Michael looked at Zachary, then back at Bryan and said, "Bryan, I
don't know why you're doing this, but my place is not with you! It's with
people I can count on, like Brett and Margaret and Rebecca and, I guess,
Colonel Garrett. They took me off the street and gave me a life. They gave
me Zachary and I'm not going back, Bryan. I'm staying here."

	To punctuate his point, Michael took Zachary's hand and they walked
over to stand beside Margaret and Rebecca.

	Bryan nodded, "Okay, I guess maybe I misjudged you too. Well, what
about you, Carter? Wanna come on a long trip with daddy?"

	"No!" Rebecca cried, "Don't take Carter! Let him stay and be
brought up to be normal. He doesn't need your shit! You're insane!"

	Bryan smiled, "He's my son, too, Rebecca. Let him decide on his
own."

	Rebecca looked over at Margaret, but she just shook her head and
said, "This is a pivotal time for Bryan. It's time to let everybody have an
option. It's up to you."

	Rebecca nodded, tears glistening in her eyes, and kneeling down,
looked at her son and said, "Sweetie, daddy's leaving and not coming
back. Do you want to stay with mommy, or go with him?"

	Carter's brown eyes sparkled in his innocence and he smiled and
asked, "Why is daddy leaving?"

	Rebecca shook her head, "I don't know."

	Carter stood there, then looked over at Bryan and Sarah, then back
at Rebecca, then over at Shawn. Breaking away from Rebecca, he ran over to
where Shawn was now standing and said, "I wanna be with Uncle Shawn!"

	Rebecca smiled slightly.

	Bryan nodded, then turned toward Shawn, smirking, "Well, it's time
to make a choice, isn't it? What about it, Shawnie? Are you going stand
with your people and rule as king, like some spoiled royal brat who let his
daddy wipe his ass until he was eleven, or are you going to stand with me,
your brother, and prove that you do love me and trust me after all? I don't
really want to leave you, Shawnie, and I know that you don't want to leave
me. So, what's more important to you? Your kingdom...or me?"

	"Don't listen to him, Shawn!" Rebecca warned, "He's trying to goad
you and, besides, if you go, Carter will go too."

	"Please be reasonable, Shawn." Brett said, "My son has made his own
choice, but you will be a great king and you must stay and put the pieces
of this broken kingdom back together."

	"Brett is correct, Shawn." Garrett said, "We don't know how many
more of Cargenon's troops are on their way here. There may even be hidden
camps! We need the guidance of a king. As much as I don't fully trust your
ability, I must admit that you did end a war for us once before. Perhaps
you can do it again."

	"Don't go, man!" Michael pleaded, "They'll make Zac and me the
kings and we don't know shit about how to rule!"

	Shawn turned toward Margaret, but she just shrugged, "Shawn, I've
only been with you for a fraction of your life. However, I can tell that
you're a very smart young man. Only you can know which decision is the
right one."

	Shawn nodded, then looked around indecisively. He gazed at his
sister, Brett, Colonel Garrett, Michael and all the people that didn't want
him to go, then he looked at Bryan.

	Bryan had a warm smile, a genuine look of concern for Shawn. Shawn
had sworn to stand by Bryan forever, in sickness and in health, for good
and for bad. Yet, as Shawn gazed down, he saw the fallen wedding band at
his feet. Bryan had told him that they were through.

	Shawn bent down and picked up the golden band from the marble
floor. Turning it around in his fingers, he gazed at the symbol of Bryan's
undying affection for Shawn that Bryan had tossed so unceremoniously to the
floor. Images of their youth and all the things they had shared passed
through Shawn's mind. He thought about how much he loved Bryan and how hard
it had been to live for even three weeks without him. He thought about how
Bryan had helped bring him back from the brink of suicide when Carter had
died. He thought about all the love that they'd shared, all the nights of
snuggling, all the passionate sex. That evening that they sat by the lake,
Bryan clutched in his arms, and watched the sun set together. He thought
about Shady Sands. He knew that he should really go with him.

	Then, he thought about all the times he'd yelled at Bryan to study,
to be more mature, to act more like a prince. He thought about how
neglectful he was of his own son. He thought about how difficult Bryan
could be. He thought about their fight in the forest of Bismark. Bryan had
always been an outsider, while Shawn had been more compliant...more
passive. Maybe it would be best if Bryan just went off and Shawn stayed
here with his palace.

	Shawn turned to look at Rebecca, his only sister and his last
reminder of the legacy of his father. Rebecca could see that Shawn had
already made his decision, and she exploded into sobs, clutching her
mother. Margaret knew as well, and she simply nodded in understanding, as
if she could read Shawn's mind, and hugged Rebecca against her.

	He slowly walked to the center of the hallway and smiled at the
assembled royals, then announced, "Come, Carter. We're going with daddy."

	Without a second glance, Shawn turned his back to the crowd, lifted
Carter into his arms and walked over to Bryan.

	Bryan smiled smugly and mouthed a silent cheer, then said, "Take
care, dad...mom. It's been a blast."

	Then, he, Shawn, Carter and Sarah made their way around the corner
and up the stairway to get their things.

	High Priestess Anna sighed as she saw Shawn walk away from the
crowd, then sadly turned around and left the room. Garrett and his guards
slowly made their way back over to cleaning up the dead body on the floor.


Chronicles of Whiteshadow Isle: Second Era
Chapter 28: Final Goodbyes

	As they reached the top floor, Sarah split off from them to go to
her room and pack. Shawn stopped over in Carter's room and gathered up a
few of the young boy's clothes and possessions, including Spot, while Bryan
went to their room and found their travel bags. By the time Bryan returned,
Shawn had assembled all the things that were being taken into a large pile
on Carter's bed and Bryan began loading it into the bags.

	"Hey!" Shawn called over to Bryan.

	"Yeah?" Bryan replied, zipping shut one of the bags.

	Shawn extended out his hand. It had Bryan's wedding band in it.

	Bryan smiled and took it from him, slipping it back onto his
finger.

	"I was never totally sure that you did it, you know. A small part
of me just knew that you didn't." Shawn said.

	"Yeah, right." Bryan replied sarcastically, as he zipped closed his
duffel bag.

	The three guys took the bag and the leopard and left the
room. Carter stopped in the doorway for a second and waved goodbye to all
the things that he had left behind.

	From there, they went into Shawn and Bryan's room and Shawn began
emptying the drawers out, as Bryan stuffed the clothes into the bags.

	"Are you going to miss the royal life?" Bryan inquired, as he
haphazardly jammed the clothing into the duffel sack..

	Shawn stopped to think for a moment, then shrugged, "Maybe a
bit. But, you're more important to me than any stupid throne, and we don't
need to be royalty in order to be happy."

	Bryan looked up at Shawn, "You sure?"

	Shawn nodded and, leaning forward, kissed Bryan tenderly on his
lips, "I'm sure, sweetie."

	Bryan finished with the bags and, turning to Shawn, took a deep
breath and said, "Well, are we ready?"

	Shawn smiled and nodded, "Let's go."

	They had five bags amoung the three of them, so Bryan and Shawn
each took two and Carter took the lightest one in his small hand. Leading
the large leopard toward the doorway, the three of them made their way out
of the bedroom.

	Sarah waited for them in the hallway, carrying two bags of her
own. She smiled at the three of them and said, "We ready to get out of this
place?"

	Bryan nodded, "Pretty much. Tell me something, though...Why did you
choose to come with me?"

	Sarah cocked her head and replied, "Come on! Ana and Rebecca have
their lives here! Ana has her boyfriend and Becky has her temple thing, but
what do I have? You're my brother, Bryan, and I'm not going to stick around
here if you're not. I don't need dad or mom or any of these hoity-toity
royal suckers!"

	Bryan smiled and nodded, "Well, thanks for coming, sis. It means
loads to me."

	Shawn smiled too, but said, "Hey, if we're gonna go, we better do
it before morning, people."

	Bryan smiled, "You sure you don't wanna stick around here? You
still seem to be stuck in the prince mode."

	Shawn shrugged, "I go where you go, angel."

	Bryan nodded and, with that, they all headed down the hallway,
toward the stairs. Suddenly, Shawn stopped and, looking down at Carter,
said, "Oops, I nearly forgot."

	Reaching into his jeans pocket, he pulled out three silvers and
handed them to the boy.

	"What's this for?" Carter asked.

	"For that tooth, of course! The tooth fairy stopped by and told me
to give you this."

	"Oh, Uncle Shawn!" Carter said, giggling, "I thought you forgot!"

	"Me?" Shawn asked innocently, "Why would I have to worry about
forgetting? If you want to blame something, you should blame the darn tooth
fairy!"

	Carter laughed out loud, his lips parting and revealing the new
adult tooth that was almost finished pushing its way into the spot.

	They continued down until they reached the main hallway again. It
appeared that the crowd hadn't moved in the least, except the body of
Jordan was now gone.

	Brett looked at them and asked, "Now that you've had a moment to
regain your sanity, children, are you sure that you truly wish to leave?"

	"Yes, father." Sarah replied.

	"Very sure." Bryan answered.

	Shawn sighed and said, "Brett, I truly believe that I've made the
correct decision."

	Brett nodded, "Very well. Let me state, then, that, by walking out
on your reign, you, Shawn and Bryan, are now honourless in the eyes of
Whiteshadow Isle royalty. You will no longer be recognized as royalty in
our eyes, and your children will not be allowed to participate in any
Choosing ceremony. According to our laws, you two are total disgraces."

	"Is that the way you feel, Brett?" Shawn asked.

	Brett smiled and shook his head, "No. I love you both very much and
you are not disgraces. However, you picked a somewhat inconvenient time to
leave and that makes me quite cross with you both. However, you two are
allowed to make your own decisions and if you don't want to be kings, that
is fine. I won't concern you with any more royal matters. You four are free
to leave the palace and live on your own wherever you choose to, but please
buy a nice-sized cottage somewhere. Don't let yourselves become street
urchins."

	Shawn laughed, "Don't worry. I have taken a substantial amount from
the treasury, and it should be enough to fund our new life for a little
while."

	Brett nodded and extended his arms. Shawn smiled and, walking
forward, dropped his bags and hugged his late father's lover tightly.

	"Good luck, Shawn. We'll miss you." Brett said.

	Shawn separated from Brett and, pulled his royal insignia ring off
his finger and handed it to him.

	Brett then turned to Bryan and said, "Bryan, you acted very
immaturely today. However, you are no longer my responsibility, so let us
put that behind us. Despite all that you've done and all that you've
become, I want you to know that you are still my son and...well...I'll
always be proud of you."

	Bryan nodded and hugged his father.

	"Please, for the love of God, be good, Bryan!" Brett exclaimed.

	Bryan smiled and said, "I'll try."

	Brett turned to Carter and simply shrugged and said, "You make sure
and be a good boy, Carter. Always listen to your Uncle Shawn and Aunt Sarah
and, once in a while, your daddy."

	Carter smiled and wrapped his arms as far as they'd go around
Brett's waist. "Goodbye, grandpa." The boy said.

	Further well-wishing was done as Shawn, Bryan, Carter and Sarah
went down the line of people and listened as they each offered their
wishes. Margaret cried as she hugged her sons, daughter and grandson,
goodbye. Rebecca cried as she hugged her son goodbye. Garrett offered his
usual handshake and best wishes. Rebecca approached Bryan and, gripping his
shoulder, turned him forcefully toward her. Glaring at him, she said, "You
better pay attention to Carter and be the best damn father in the world,
because if I find that you are neglecting him, I'll track you down and tear
out your liver with my bare hands."

	Amidst all the farewells, High Priestess Anna approached Shawn and
gently led him away from the crowd.

	"What?" Shawn asked, as he saw her serious expression.

	"Shawn..." She said, "I thought...I mean, you and I..."

	Realization passed over Shawn's face like a ton of bricks and he
nearly collapsed with it. He opened his mouth, but it was a clear thirty
seconds before he said, "Oh shit!"

	She stepped closer to him, "Shawn...I'm pregnant. It was supposed
to be your heir if it was a boy, but since you're not the king anymore, I
don't know what...I mean...What do you want to do?"

	Shawn ran his fingers through his hair and stuttered, "Umm...Oh
geez...If only I'd known!"

	Anna shook her head, "Shawn, you are young and it's okay. I'm going
to return to Bismark and you don't ever have to hear about your child."

	"No!" Shawn exclaimed, "I mean, I'd like to know how it works
out. I'm...I'm really sorry."

	Anna nodded, "Very well. You know how to reach me, so just contact
me whenever you get where you're going. If you wish it, our child shall
know of you."

	With that, the priestess turned and quickly began walking off.

	"I'll visit when I can!" Shawn called after her, but she didn't
turn back.

	"What was that all about?" Bryan inquired as he managed to get away
from Rebecca's threats.

	Shawn shook away the daze and replied, "N...nothing. Are we ready
to go?"

	Bryan nodded, "Yeah. My father has two carriages waiting for us
outside to take us to the docks. One for us, and one for Spot."

	Shawn nodded and walked back over, picking up his bags.

	"We'll walk you to the main gate." Brett commented.

	With that, the four of them, leopard by their side, made their way
down the main hallway with the crowd of royals following them. At the main
gate, the carriages did, indeed, await with doors hanging open in
anticipation. The porters took the bags and started loading them up.

	Turning back toward the somber crowd, Shawn smiled slightly and
said, "Well, that's it, then."

	Bryan turned toward Michael. He stood stiffly in the crowd,
clutching his lover's hand tightly.

	"Come on, Mikey. Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye?"

	Michael stood there for several seconds, before, tears streaming
down his face, he launched himself away from Zachary and the crowd and
wrapped his arms around Bryan tightly.

	"Please stay!" Michael sobbed into Bryan's shirt.

	"We can't." Bryan stated, "Our calling is out there in the world."

	"I changed my mind! I'm coming with you!" Michael cried.

	"You can't!" Shawn stated, "You and Zachary have to stay and rule
as kings. I know you two can do it!"

	"I don't want you guys to go!" Michael sobbed, breaking away from
Bryan and resuming his tantrum against Shawn's body, "You said you'd never
leave me!"

	Shawn hugged Michael tightly and said, "Michael, if you come along,
there will be nobody to rule. Your leaving will collapse the kingdom!
Please don't make us take you, because in a few seconds, we're going to!"

	Shawn pried Michael from his body and said, "Mike...I love
you. Bryan loves you. But, you need to express all that love onto
Zachary. You need to stop crying and be tough."

	Michael sniffled and hiccupped, but began to calm down.

	"Zachary!" Bryan called, "Come here for a moment."

	The long haired thirteen-year-old worked his way through the crowd
and walked over to Bryan.

	Bryan put his hand on Zachary's shoulder and said, "Zac, you make
sure and take care of Michael. He's a sweet young boy and needs a friend
like you. Be good to him for us."

	Zachary smiled and took Michael's hand into his own, "I will, you
guys. I swear."

	Michael turned toward Zachary and continued to cry. Zachary reached
forward and, taking Michael's soaked face into his hands, pulled his lips
against his own and kissed him soundly.

	Shawn and Bryan smiled, then quickly made their way through the
gate with Carter and Spot. The porter helped the large cat into the
specially-made carriage and Shawn, Carter and Bryan climbed into the other
one.

	"Goodbye!" Shawn called as the carriage began to move.

	Everybody waved goodbye, except for Michael and Zachary, who were
still too busy kissing.

	Michael pulled away just in time to watch as the two carriages
disappeared into the autumn mist and were gone from sight.

FIN