Warning -- If you're a prude, or live in a state where prudish people pass stupid laws, you might not want to read this story. There be gay people here. Sometimes violence too. If you can't handle that, too bad for you, go somewhere else. Everyone else...enjoy.
Once more, my thanks to Ed for his help.
Chapter 7 -- Of Releases and Bindings
Ermok couldn't believe how nice the day was. He looked out the window of his room at the lodge and saw the sun just peeking over the mountaintops, glistening off the water in the distant lake. He'd arrived here at the Guardians' Valley yesterday and couldn't wait to get down to the stables.
The elevation was high enough that he knew it would be cool outside so he dressed in layers. Denim pants and riding boots, with a light t-shirt. Over all this, a knee length leather coat that would protect him from the cold, and which he could tie up on his saddle when it got warmer. At 15, he was a fairly experienced rider and looked forward to a day exploring mountain paths that were new to him.
Behind him, he could hear his boyfriend getting up out of bed. When he turned around, he was treated to the sight of Ardis throwing back the covers and running a hand through his shock of red hair. Both of them had flaming red hair and green eyes. Truth to tell, they looked more like brothers than friends (and lovers).
As was typical for them, neither said much as they got ready for the day. A few smiles, touches on the shoulder, a kiss were more than enough for both of them. They were lucky that Ermok's family had brought them up here for the year. During the summer, Ermok would work as a guide at the stables while Ardis learned the trade. When winter rolled around, Ardis would teach skiing to younger kids while Ermok learned skiing himself. Altogether it was a wonderful arrangement and much better than staying around his old hometown.
Things were getting tense there. Rumors of war were flying around and there was even word that the draft was going to be instituted! It had been five thousand years since the last time that had happened, and getting away to a distant resort where such worries were non-existent seemed like a good idea. If it came down to it, Ermok would join the Guard at eighteen, but he'd prefer not too. Besides dealing with horses was much more his idea of fun.
"Hungry?" Ardis asked him, their first words of the day.
"Sure, hon." Ermok agreed. "Let's see what the cook can get for us."
Ermok led the way downstairs. It was his family's lodge after all. The Ackeman lodge here was the oldest, most prestigious lodge at the resort, and it was his to use for most of the season. He was surprised though, when they reached the bottom of the stairs and found a strange figure in the brown and white uniform of the Guardians sitting at the dinner table.
As was usual when confronted with something unexpected, Ermok got a haughty look on his face and marched over to the stranger. "What are you doing here, Guardian? This is a family lodge."
"I'm here to see you, boy" was the reply from the gray-haired Guardian.
"Wha...What for?" stammered Ardis. He always got scared around the magical creatures known as Guardians.
"Ackeland needs you both, and it's time you remembered." The strange man said, reaching out with one hand to touch Ermok's head. Ermok immediately dropped to the ground, a scream gurgling in his throat. Ardis tried to run, but the Guardian reached him before he got to the door and touched his head as well. Ardis fell to the ground also, a full-throated scream escaping his mouth.
Hours passed before the two of them stopped writhing on the floor in agony. Ermok felt himself coming out of the trance first, and memories started pouring through him. Names, experiences, lifetimes passed through his mind and settled down in the appropriate places like a whirlwind. As the memories took shape, his body blurred until it returned to the form he remembered best. A name floated to the top of his mind and he gave the older appearing Guardian a grim smile.
"Seems like we all lost that bet, B'rel" J'Stan said softly, willing the ache in his head to go away." "I seem to remember about 1,800 lives up here. That would mean around 5,000 years have passed since that Treaty."
"Damn, that hurt "said Adam, from behind them. He walked up to J'Stan and lovingly laced his arms around J'Stan's back, clasping his hands around his lover's waist.
"Well, it's a miracle that I'm even still here" B'rel said, his voice expressing his tiredness even more than his elderly appearance. "I got so tired of things a while ago I just went up to the mountains and became a hermit. If I could have transferred the ability to unlock you two, I would have just quit going on."
"We're glad you didn't" J'Stan said quietly. "I have a feeling we won't know too many people around here now."
"Yup," Adam said. "I seem to have recent memories of rumors of war circulating, is that why you brought us back?"
"I have no idea of what's going on." B'rel said. "Over the last few thousand years, there have been a couple of minor border skirmishes and the like, nothing ever serious enough to rock the boat by bringing you back. I've been isolated, a hermit really, up in the mountains for the past thousand years."
"So, why now?" J'Stan asked.
"A couple of things." B'rel answered slowly. "Last month, I was witness to a nice, fiery battle near my hermitage. About forty air ships altogether, most of them looked like Shaper Republic ships. They Shaper squad won, wiping out the Ackeland ships.
"I wonder how much they've changed in the last few millennia." Adam wondered aloud.
"Not much," B'rel said. "It seems like things pretty much stagnated after the Treaty was signed. That's one reason I just left everything behind. We rebuilt New Phoenix after everyone withdrew and it's still the capital. I went there first and found things, disheartening to say the least."
"What do you mean?" J'Stan asked, sitting at the table.
"Well, the current crop of Guardians doesn't exactly meet our expectations." B'rel said cryptically.
"Explain," Adam said gently. He was only half paying attention, focusing more on remembering the last few millennia of time with J'Stan.
"They're a little, um conceited about themselves." B'rel answered. "They seem to remind me of your early descriptions of the Shapers' Republic. They are not an easy group to deal with."
"Did you talk to them?" J'Stan asked.
"No, I showed up without identifying myself and was told not to bother them, they had more important things to do." B'rel explained, and then added another bit of information. "I later found out, from some well-placed questions that it is the Guardian's Council that really rules Ackeland these days."
"So, why did you bring us back?" Adam asked. "It doesn't sound like there's much worth fighting for."
"That's for you two to decide," B'rel said. "I'm tired of this damn planet, but don't feel ready to end my existence. I think I'm going to go around the Galaxy like you did."
"Say hi to the Popladieks for us." Adam said with a fond smile.
"Will do. Good luck to you two." B'rel answered before he disappeared.
"So, love, what do you want to do?" J'Stan asked.
"I'm not sure. I think we need to observe things from a distance, find out what's going on?" Adam said.
"I agree, but do we just look at Ackeland, or do we look at the other places as well?"
"Let's start with Ackeland and the Southern Alliance. I say we use our experience to infiltrate ourselves in low-level positions. Ungifted. Say we spend a few months there and meet back here?" Adam suggested.
"But what do we do about here? If they find us missing, it could cause a lot of problems." J'Stan pondered aloud.
Adam concentrated a moment, his mind searching for what was needed. He found them closer than he expected to. He smiled at his long-time lover and through their bond, showed his plan. J'Stan agreed immediately and they fetched the two boys hiding under a log a few miles away.
They were runaway brothers, homeless and without much to look forward to in life. When J'Stan asked gently if they'd prefer to live here, even if it meant changing their names, both agreed readily. A few minutes of thought implanted the Ermok and Ardis personalities on them. It was only a matter of a few more minutes to re-shape their bodies to match. Both boys headed off towards the stables as J'Stan and Adam would have been doing except for B'rel's interruption.
It was too bad, really. J'Stan would have preferred to be horseback riding now then getting ready to do what needed to be done. He paused for a moment, as he and Adam got lost in thought about why they gave a damn. What did it matter to them if things were going bad for Ackeland? They'd been up here in this mountain preserve for five thousand years. They could just make this place their home and quietly forget any problems about the outside.
"Damn!" Adam said after a bit. "It seems like being a teenager for a few thousand years can rub off on ya."
"Yeah," J'Stan laughed softly. "Here we are about ready to throw duty away just to have fun with each other."
"I can't think of a better man to have fun with, though" Adam said as he walked over to J'Stan and planted a big kiss on him."
"Me either" J'Stan said, wrapping his arms around Adam's waist.
"Tell me something, I need to hear it aloud." Adam began, whispering into J'Stan's ear, his breath blowing some of the blond hair softly. "We've been together for over seven thousand years now. Do you..do you regret any of it?"
J'Stan pulled back sharply at that. He looked deep into Adam's eyes and realized where this question was coming from. For the last five thousand years their bond had only existed on a subconscious level. Now that they'd been restored to full awareness, it hovered somewhere between that subconscious level and the conscious level it had been at when they'd first bonded.
He also remembered a lot of things happening over the time when they were here as teenagers. At least twelve times that he'd met someone before finding Adam. There were also three times when he'd been with someone else after meeting Adam in his current incarnation. The reaction had been fierce all those times. It seemed Adam had a wide streak of jealousy in him.
"Not one moment, love" J'Stan said, willing his feelings to surge across the bond. "I love you as much now as I did from when I first met you, before we bonded. I've only truly loved three people in my life. I was only with them for a handful of years, you I've gotten to enjoy for several thousand, and I wouldn't trade anything in the world for you."
"I needed to hear that, babe. Thanks" Adam said softly, laying his head on J'Stan's chest. "Sometimes I wonder if you'd have had any room for me if the twins were still alive."
"That's not something I'd ever like to wonder about." J'Stan said softly. "As much as I love them still, I feel like I was only a child when I knew them. The love I have with you is so much fuller, richer."
"Let's get started with this, then." Adam said, confidence returning to his voice.
Together, they thought through the logistics of what was needed. They needed to be close to the gifted, but not too close. They'd need to get away to communicate regularly about what they were finding, and they also wanted to see what was going on with the regular people. It'd be hard to create fake identities, so instead they'd need to take the place of people in the right positions.
But that meant either killing their subjects, or stashing them somewhere. As ruthless as both of them could be when necessary, they decided against killing. The retreat here provided a good hiding place, and they could install the new arrivals as `friends' of the two taking their place. That settled, all that remained was a contact schedule. It was decided that they'd contact each other once a week.
Both men stood and faced each other. Their lips locked together and their bond flared to life so strongly that they become one person utterly for a moment. Their forms blurred and melted into each other while they communed closer than they had been in thousands of years. Time passed and the sound of the lodge's main door banging shut reminded them they had work to do. Their forms solidified into younger versions of themselves and then winked out.
J'Stan had appeared offshore of the Southern Alliance mainland. A quick thought changed his body from that of a young man to that of a seagull. The damn creatures had survived all these millennia, and like the cockroach, would probably be around forever. It took him a few moments, and a hundred feet, to remember how to fly as a bird.
As the water rushed towards him, he got the hang of it and flapped his way back up to a respectable altitude. The gleam of early morning sunlight reflected off of tall buildings in the distance. As he got closer, he saw a city that looked like it had been ripped out of the history books. It was Sydney, as it had been before he covered the original city in a tidal wave.
He got closer and soon found himself winging his way over the opera house. He realized it was spring when a female seagull tried to distract him from his mission. He caught himself watching her display and realized he'd assumed the form of a seagull to well. A quick thought fixed that and he continued on into the city, looking for the government house.
He found it after a few hours, when morning was turning to afternoon. Lunch hour let him listen to hundreds of conversations as government workers, and others, sought food to replenish their bodies. A few were even nice enough to throw crumbs his way.
He learned enough to know that the Council of Lords had their own buildings just outside the city, which was called New Sydney. He winged his way there, glad he'd practiced flying as a bird before. Even so, his wings were getting tired by the time he arrived at the complex, and took shelter on a tree just outside the compound.
He observed that there appeared to be a lot of domestic staff, scurrying about the grounds and between the buildings. As evening approached, many of them departed by a ground shuttle. He followed the shuttle back towards New Sydney, although it quickly passed him on the electric monorail it rode on. He just reached the debarkation platform when the last of its occupants walked out.
The straggler appeared to be a young boy, no more than 14. He was dressed in an outfit that seemed reminiscent of a page's uniform from some medieval movie. J'Stan followed the boy as he made his way from the platform to a small apartment building nearby. J'Stan lost the boy as he entered the building, but found him again with a small tendril of thought. He landed on a window outside the boy's apartment and watched.
It appeared the boy shared the apartment with three other boys. Two of them weren't there, but there were four beds in the small, single room apartment. There was another boy there, who looked like he'd arrived a little earlier. His tunic was off, but he still wore the brown hose of his page's uniform. The boy J'Stan had followed was redheaded while this other one was blond. Both appeared to be normal in height, and fairly good-looking.
Their conversation seemed pretty normal, `How was your day' type stuff. The blond-haired boy noted that their roommates had been transferred to night duty, so they'd have more room. Then he asked red-haired if he wanted to go out. J'Stan's subject declined saying he just wanted to shower and sleep. The blond put his tunic back on and exited the apartment without saying much else.
Red-haired boy sighed softly and went into the bathroom. J'Stan concentrated a moment and assumed the form of a small fly and teleported into the room at the same time. He buzzed along, so differently than a bird, and made his way into the bathroom. He landed upside down on the wall and watched the boy taking a shower through the faceted eyes of the shower.
While the boy leaned under the running showerhead, arms splayed on the shower tile, J'Stan conducted a gentle probe of the boy's mind. It was a good thing he'd done it gently. There were a few blocks, and alarm triggers implanted there. Nothing he couldn't work his way around, they looked amateurish in nature. What he found there after he got around the traps, made him shudder a bit.
The boy had been chosen because of his looks, but was not happy in his service to the Council of Lords. He missed his family, and his girlfriend. To complicate matters, sex was an expected part of a page's service, and he had no desire for man-man sex. In fact, he was repulsed by it. He'd been there less than a week and today had been told he was being transferred out of service to another Lord. It was to be his last chance.
J'Stan sat there on the wall as the boy turned off the shower and began to dry off. He wanted someone a little better placed, but he felt sympathy for this young man. No one should be forced to have sex if he didn't want to. Sympathy warred with practicality, and sympathy won out. Until he caught the sight of a towel whipping towards him!
Like the fly he was imitating, he buzzed out of the way just in time. A curse from the boy turned into a squeal of fright as J'Stan returned to his own shape, wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The boy quickly wrapped the towel around him and dropped to the floor, pressing his head to the ground.
"I, I'm sorry m'lord" the boy said, his voice quaking.
"On your feet, young man." J'Stan said, trying to keep from laughing. The boy did as told and got to his feet, head held down.
"I want you to do something for me." J'Stan said, holding back his distaste for the subservient posture.
"Anything, m'lord" the boy said, and J'Stan could read the fear of what the boy was expecting.
"Take my hand and clear your mind," he told the frightened boy, who did so immediately.
Another thought brought both of them to the Ackeland Lodge in Guardians' Valley. The boy looked around in wonder at the place, and confusion at the view outside a window. Quickly, J'Stan wiped the blocks and traps from the boy's mind, memorizing how they had been set, and what they felt like. He established a brief rapport with the boy, explaining who he was, and what he offered.
It was little surprise when the boy accepted his offer. With the boy's permission, he read his mind so he'd know everything the boy knew. Then, J'Stan changed his clothing to that of a Guardian and walked into the cook's office. The older woman there jumped to her feet when J'Stan entered with the boy in tow. He told her that he was an addition to her staff and to treat him well. With that he disappeared and returned to the boy's apartment.
Cirel leaned down and picked up the towel he'd dropped on the floor. The damn fly had disappeared! Oh well, after the day he'd had, it wasn't that important. He finished drying off and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't understand why he'd reacted the way he had when the old Lord had ordered him to service him. Maybe he'd just been feeling ill. Everyone knew it was honor to serve the Lords any way they wanted. Vowing to do better tomorrow, he made his way to his bed in the main room and passed out.
Morning came way, way too early. Outside the window, the sky had just barely started to lighten when the alarm went off. Cirel groaned and got out of bed, heading for the loo. A whistle stopped him short and he realized he wasn't even wearing undies! He blushed and ran the rest of they way, while his roomie laughed. Barstie wasn't that bad of a roomie, even if he did make fun of Cirel's shy ways.
After relieving his bladder, Cirel groomed himself, looking at his red hair and green eyes in the mirror. He wondered what kind of Lord he'd be serving today, hoping the man was at least nice and would give him a chance. He would do better today. When Barstie started banging on the door, he finished up and let his roomie in. Within minutes, both boys were done, dressed in their uniforms and running down to catch the shuttle in time.
The morning shuttle was crowded as usual, and being the last to get on, they got to be the first off. They both waved to their roommates, who were coming off shift and lined up with the rest of the pages going on-shift. Overhead, the sky was just starting to lighten up to false dawn.
As happened every morning, a Lord-Trainee quickly scanned each page. It was rumored that this one was less than a century old, but very few believed that. When it was his turn, Cirel closed his eyes and centered himself like he'd been taught. The scan felt like gentle push inside his head and was quickly over. When he was waved through, Cirel took off in the direction of the Page's Entrance,, anxious for the day to start.
A quick breakfast was followed by a summons to the Head Page's office. The Head Page was actually an older man in his early thirties. He'd been a page himself until twenty-five, when he'd been given this job. When the door shut behind him, Cirel got a thirty-minute lecture on the importance of serving the Lords. As expected Cirel promised he'd improve.
"Good, boy." The Head Page said. "This will be your last chance. Lord Hiram was your second and you won't get a fourth. Now, you're being assigned to not one, but two Lords. They are among the oldest on the Council, and I'd not normally assign one like you to them, but they asked for you. It seems Hiram was upset about you, and they heard him talking about it."
"Then why would they want me?" Cirel asked, confused.
"It's a thing between the Lords, and not really any of your concern. Just remember this, the two I'm assigning you too were my Lords for over ten years. I love them a lot and I don't want you embarrassing them. You better realize, they compete with Hiram a lot, and taming you would be a feather in their cap. Not taming you embarrasses them in front of Hiram and the other Lords. You won't like it if that happens."
"Yes, Head Page." Cirel said, bowing his head as if the man was a Lord.
"Enough with that boy, save it for those who deserve it. Now, report to Lord Frank and Kelly Curtis' apartments at once. They like fresh morning fruit so bring a platter with you, as well as a pitcher of apple juice."
"Yes, sir!" Cirel said, and exited the office. A quick trip to the kitchens got him a platter of fruit, all cut up in fancy shapes with butterfly shaped napkins resting on each end. His other hand held a pitcher of fresh apple juice and two goblets were grasped in the other. He found his way to the right apartments, he did know all where all the Lords in residence lived, after all.
The attendant at the door smiled wickedly at him as he opened the door. Cirel brushed the smile off and went inside. The apartment was large. Bigger than Hiram's by far. The front room was a large sitting room, replete with several couches, chairs, and tables. He set the platter and pitcher on a serving tray which sat on a side table. He filled the two silver goblets with apple juice, replaced the pitcher on the tray, and carried the whole thing towards a door which he assumed to be the bedroom.
Sure enough, it was. A wardrobe was directly to the right of the doorway. It was a rich oak, and nearly twice as tall as he. Dominating the room was a huge canopy bed. Dark wood pillars rose from each end, and a ruby red canopy covered it. Making his way quietly across the room, he put the tray down on a night table next to the bed. Taking a deep breath, he went to the curtains covering the sides of the bed and drew them apart gently.
He caught his breath as the parting curtain revealed the two Lords asleep inside. They were beautiful, like twin gods. Medium length blond hair was spread around each head, and the young-looking faces looked so peaceful. He felt desire well in him, something that had never happened before! Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. One of them moved slightly and opened his eyes, looking at the page, who was staring open mouthed at them.
Realizing they, or at least one, of them were awake, Cirel bowed from his waist and said "Good Morning my lords. Your breakfast is ready, and if you please, I'll prepare your garments."
"Excellent" said the one who'd opened his eyes, and somehow Cirel knew it was Frank. By this time, the other had woken as well and was smiling at their new page.
As they grabbed the goblets off of the tray, and started in on the fruit, Cirel went to the wardrobe and opened it. There were a wide array of robes available there and he realized he didn't know if they needed formal or casual attire for the day. He was embarrassed, but knew he had better ask.
"Pardon me, my lords," he began, having to clear his throat first. "Would you be desiring the formal clothing or the informal today?"
"Informal will do, boy." Kelly said. Again, Cirel didn't know how he knew, but he did know that it was Kelly who'd spoken. When he had gotten the clothes ready, Frank made his way over to where Cirel stood and motioned the boy to dress him. It only took a few minutes for Cirel to attire Frank in the informal brown and green robes of a Lord, First Class. The rich texture of the robe and cloak felt soft in his hands, and a feeling of pleasure rose in him as he finished. That had never happened before either.
Soon, the platter of food was consumed, and the pitcher of juice emptied. Both Lords were dressed and ready for their day. When he'd finished getting them ready, they smiled at him and told him to follow them to the sitting room. Once there, they both sat down in two chairs and had him standing in front of him, head bowed.
"We understand that you had some problems with Lord Hiram?" Frank started off.
"Yes, m'lord" Cirel murmured.
"Speak up, boy. We like our staff to talk to us, not mumble their life away." Kelly stated.
"Understood, m'lord" Cirel said more firmly.
"Do you think you will have any problems with us?" Frank asked.
"No, sir." Cirel said breathlessly, awe filling him. "None at all!"
"We figured that." Frank said with a gentle smile.
"That being the case, you will accompany us to the Council meeting today. We may need messages run, or refreshments brought. Stay at the back of our booth and don't move unless one of us motions to you, understood?"
"Yes, m'lord." Cirel said, then thought about the things needed to be cleaned in the apartment here.
"Don't worry about that, son." Kelly said, forcing Cirel to smother a laugh at the thought of being called son by someone who barely looked a few years older than him.
"We'll have our other page clean it up, and we are a little older than we look, young man." Frank said, chuckling a little.
"Of course, m'lord. Forgive me for having such a thought." Cirel said, realizing they'd been watching his thoughts and happy he'd be allowed to serve them so closely.
"It was flattering, now follow us." Kelly said as they rose, and Cirel bowed to them. He followed the requisite three steps behind them and bowed his head whenever they passed another Lord. In three months of service to Lord Hiram, he'd never even been near the Grand Council Chamber. Now he found himself in a booth on the grand floor itself! Their booth was the closest on the left side to the High Lord's booth at the head of the room. Across, on the right side, sat Lord Bester. His brother Jerod was the current High Lord, and Bester himself was a former High Lord.
Cirel held himself in the back of Lords Frank and Kelly's booth, anxiously watching them if they needed him. He barely paid any attention to the commencement of the meeting or the words that were said, so carefully did he watch his two lords. He was surprised when he saw Lord Frank stand and address the Council.
"As expected, our double ruse is working well. We are aiding the Guardians and the Shapers directly in the efforts against each other, both of them fully aware we helping both sides. Each side believes we truly side with them and are just luring the other side into a false sense of safety." Lord Frank Curtis told the Council.
"And when we do decide which side to come in on, we can do so safely." Lord Kelly Parker added in.
"In total openness, I must say that I still support the Shapers' Republic's position in this matter." Lord Bester said from across the room. "They did not start this conflict, or even encourage it. In fact they did everything they could to prevent it!"
"Have we found out why the Guardian's are so intent on causing war yet?" Lord Hiram said from his box on the second level. From his position, he could see his former page in the box of his political opponents, and he was frowning already.
"Not yet," High Lord Jerod said. "However, after that skirmish they staged last month, our agents discovered a cabin in the area. Items inside indicated it was the hiding place of Guardian B'rel."
That comment caused a lot of commotion around the room. Cirel wasn't sure who this B'rel was, but apparently he was a powerful man by the concerned looks on his masters' faces. A flash of light from the High Lord restored order quickly.
"The cabin had only been abandoned recently, likely soon after the battle which took place within sight of it. However, we have already checked the Guardians' Retreat and found both J'Stan and Adam to be there. We left them unmolested, for now." The High Lord finished.
"We should kill them now!' Lord Hiram shouted from his booth.
"Do you really want to risk attempting to kill them and having them remember who they are?" Lord Kelly said snidely.
"We don't know if they'd die, or just remember who they are. Right now, they have no reason to consider us enemies. Do we want to change that?" Lord Frank added.
"No, we don't" Lord Bester said into the silent room. "along with the High Lord, Lords Frank and Kelly, I am among the few here who have ever met either man. They make formidable enemies, and lackadaisical allies. Best to leave them where they are."
It was at that moment that Lord Frank signaled Cirel. He gave Cirel a written message to be carried to the Head Page, and Cirel left the chambers immediately. He didn't understand most of what had been said in the Council meeting, and didn't want to. Truth to tell, he was glad he had left.
He found the Head Page just outside his office, looking at a list. The Head Page frowned when he first saw Cirel, then smiled as Cirel handed him the written message with a half bow. He read the message then let out a sigh. He motioned Cirel to follow him and explained the note had said that they were likely to be a long time in the meeting. The Lords wanted their hot tub ready for when they returned and asked the Head Page to show Cirel how to prepare things.
With typical efficiency, the Head Page showed Cirel where the Jacuzzi was (under some floor panels in the sitting room). Then he showed Cirel how to scent it with different smells from several vials in a wall cabinet. While this was going on, a strange page exited the bedroom with the morning tray. The page was younger, about twelve and bobbed his head to the Head Page on his way out. Seeing Cirel had everything in hand, the Head Page left too.
It was several hours before he heard the sounds of his Lords returning. They opened the door, and Cirel scrambled to his feet from where he was sitting beside the Jacuzzi. Kelly smiled at him as he bowed low and Frank let out a sigh. Both men stripped off their robes, which Cirel laid out on a nearby chair. They sank into the hot tub together and let out loud sighs as the hot water soaked into them.
"Lavender?" Kelly said in a quiet voice.
"Yes, m'lord. Did I pick wrong?" Cirel said, suddenly nervous.
"Absolutely not. Did the Head Page tell you it was our favorite?" Frank asked.
"No, m'lord. I realized when he left he didn't tell me which one to use. I just picked the one I thought was best." Cirel said, happy he'd picked right.
"It looks like you're gonna turn out alright, lad." Frank said with a smile.
"Would, um, would m'lords like me to rub their shoulders while they soak?" Cirel asked, a strange desire in him hoping they'd say `yes'.
"I would, most assuredly." Kelly said with a smile.
For the next half hour, Cirel explored the upper bodies of his new Lords, massaging their taunt muscles as best he knew how. He'd done this before, with Lord Hiram, but one thing was different. Unlike before, his body let him know how attracted he was to these men. The stiffness in his lower body started as soon as he touched Kelly's shoulders and the Lord's silken blond hair brushed his fingers.
"Very good," Frank said when Cirel had finished his shoulders. "But your fingers are sore. Why don't you join us in here?"
"M'lord!" Cirel exclaimed in astonishment. "Would that be proper?"
"If we ask you, yes it would be." Kelly said with a gentle smile.
"Ask, m'lord?" Cirel said, confused.
"Yes, ask." Frank said gently. "We both like you, and we wouldn't want you to do, ah, personal things if you don't want to. But, well, you seem to be a very nice young man and we'd like to get to know you better."
"Why me?" Cirel wondered aloud.
"Because we are old, even if we don't look it." Kelly explained. "One of the ways we stay in touch with the people we rule is through getting to know you pages better. That's one of the reason you don't live on campus here. It's kind of hard being separated from everything here and having contact with the outside through you makes it easier."
"If it pleases you, I'll join you, sirs." Cirel said after thinking about it for a bit. From where they were sitting, they'd probably already seen his hardness anyway. He quickly took off his tunic, then his light shoes, and finally his hose. He almost laughed when Lord Kelly said "A true red-head" under his breath. It wouldn't be proper to laugh aloud.
He gently lowered himself into the water, between the two Lords. It was scalding hot at first, but he grew use to it quickly. Both lords smiled at him and moved closer, lacing their arms behind him. He sighed gently when he felt their hands rubbing him under the water and leaned his head back on their arms.
"So, does this mean we're more attractive than Lord Hiram?" Frank asked softly into his ear. Cirel turned his face to smile at the young, blond Lord.
"Attractive doesn't even begin to describe it." He said softly and let his desire take over as he kissed the Lord full on the lips.
A few hours later, Cirel lay in the Lords' bed, sandwiched between them. It was the first time he'd ever done anything like that, and it was wonderful. They'd only paused for dinner (mostly for him anyway), and it was now night. They'd left word with the Head Page that he'd be spending the night this time, and then proceeded to show him some new things. He knew that they'd been in his mind at different times, savoring his life experiences as well as his body, but he didn't mind. Not with these two.
As he lay there, feeling both of them putting a leg over each of his, he experienced a strange feeling of déjà vu. Then, something swelled up from inside his head and he suddenly remembered. A cry almost escaped his lips, and he bit it back gently.
J'Stan laid there for a moment, biting back tears at how similar it felt to the long dead Jason and Curtis. The tears broke through when he realized that no matter what happened, he loved these two just as much as he had loved their fathers. There was even a bond..wait...a bond?!
That was when he realized Adam was trying to contact him directly. It was dangerous, and not their agreed upon time, so it must be important. He'd have to risk it. Closing his eyes, J'Stan centered himself and opened himself to his bond for contact with Adam.
Information flooded through him like a tidal wave. Adam had gotten himself in to the Guardians' Center by taking the place of a minor clerk. There he'd accessed records that indicated the Shapers' Republic had started recent events. They were after more land, as usual and had provoked Ackeland into retaliation when several commercial airships had been seized.
Those same records indicated they'd had the support of the Southern Alliance against the Shapers, but things were not going well. Several engagements had gone sour, and a landing had been successful in seizing Haven and Gibraltar. The Guardians had then sought out B'rel, but found his cabin empty. Then they'd gotten word of something wrong at Guardians' Valley.
A team sent there that morning had found the Ackeman lodge blasted during the night. The bodies found there had included all the domestic staff, and the bodies verified to be those that J'Stan and Adam had left as decoys. Not knowing that J'Stan and Adam had left decoys, it was believed they were dead.
The Guardians of Ackeland had just about given up at that point. J'Stan felt a wave of guilt as he thought of the real Cirel, dead now because J'Stan had interfered, again. A sudden wave of nausea hit him and he groaned aloud. He shared with Adam what he had learned by watching the Council meeting. The two sets of information seemed to conflict, and some resolution would be needed. He wanted to observe some more, and Adam wanted to reveal themselves immediately to shore up the Guardians. J'Stan was torn. If the Guardians had really started this, he was inclined to let them rot for it. But if not, then something would have to be done.
`How could you even think that Ackeland would start something like this?' Adam sent incredulously.
`I don't have blind faith in Guardians, or anyone for that matter. You know that!' J'Stan sent back. Movement beside him in bed caused him to try to cut off contact, but Adam's mental grip was firm.
`What's wrong? Where are you now?' Adam sent. J'Stan had been careful not to include any mental images of Kelly or Frank in his sending to Adam. That was ruined by a pair of faces coming into his field of view. Concern lit their faces and Kelly reached down to wipe a tear from his face.
"Why the tears, lover-boy? Having second thoughts?" Kelly said softly.
`YOU BASTARD!' Adam raged through their bond.
J'Stan sat bolt upright in the bed, knocking the twins in the face with his. They fell back in surprise at his quick movement, and stared at the expression on his face. They were even more surprised at the feeling of the gift in this redheaded boy they'd taken to bed.
ADAM!' J'Stan sent back along their bond frantically. Don't jump to conclusions. I'm posing as their page, what I've showed you I've learned from them!'
`Oh, so you'll believe the twin sons of your first lovers over me? Me! Who you've known for seven thousand years! Is this what I mean to you? What Ackeland means to you?" Adam raged back.
"Who are you?" Kelly and Frank said in unison, their hands glowing with power.
"Not now" he told them brusquely, wrapping himself in a glowing shield.
`Adam listen to me. We have to make sure we know what's going on here first. I need to stay here and learn more...' J'Stan tried to explain.
`So you can fuck around with them some more?' Adam sent back, jealousy and rage in every word.
`Of course not...' J'Stan began, and then realized that wasn't totally true.
Exactly.' Adam sneered mentally, pain and rage evident in his mental voice. Well, if that's how important they are to you, enjoy them because I won't stand for it! I'll just save Ackeland without you, or even AGAINST YOU!'
With that, J'Stan felt like part of him was being torn away. With a shudder of pain, J'Stan collapsed as Adam ripped apart their bond, casting the efforts of thousands of years of love into tiny pieces. J'Stan felt like he was dying, being ripped into thousands of pieces, and his body started convulsing on the bed. The shield around him faded before the startled twins, and he blurred from being a 14-year-old redhead to his natural form of a 25-year-old blond headed man.
Both Kelly and Frank gasped when they saw who it was in their bed, recognizing him from their one meeting with him. With concern, and fear, they reached into his mind, and felt the maelstrom raging there. J'Stan hung on the balance of madness from being ripped apart by Adam. With only a moment's thought, they acted to save him, and strengthen their land.
Justin Ackeman opened his eyes to darkness. The softness of a feather bed was under him, and satin sheets covered his naked body. He was disoriented for a moment. He felt around him for a moment and found he was in a large bed, with curtains on either side. He pulled one of them back and blinked for a moment at the brightness of the room outside. As his eyes adjusted, he made out two familiar blond figures, wearing strange green and brown robes! They were talking quietly to a dark haired man, who looked familiar. The dark-haired man was dressed in a strange outfit of white boots and pants with a blue tunic.
The two blond headed men turned at the sound of him opening the curtain and smiled at him. Recognition flooded through Justin. They rushed to him and helped him stand out of the bed, smiling and talking a mile a minute.
"Jaz, baby. Careful, you've been down a long time." Jason Parker said, concern and joy filling his voice.
"Don't stress yourself, love" Curtis said quietly.
"Listen to them, Jaz" David Baxter said, a smile filling his face. "We came close to losing you and don't want you to hurt yourself again."
"What's going on, loves?" Justin asked his twin lovers. His head was spinning a little bit, and he realized he couldn't remember much.
"Well, there's quite a lot we need to talk about," David answered for the twins. "Why don't we go in the sitting room and talk about it?"
Supported between Curtis and Jason, Justin made his way into a large room on the other side of the bedroom. There were several couches and chairs around a low table. He sat on one couch, with Curtis and Jason on either side of him. David sat in a chair across from them. Something seemed wrong though, and Justin realized someone was missing.
"Where's Henry?" he asked, and immediately regretted it when a look of pain crossed David's face.
"Not here anymore, killed by bastard." David said through gritted teeth.
"I'm sorry, David. It seems like I've got some holes in my memory." Justin said softly.
"That's one of the things we need to talk about." Curtis said softly.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Jason asked, rubbing his hand through Justin's hair.
"Let's see," Justin said as he searched back in his memory for...all of a sudden the memory of standing on a hilltop in San Francisco, lightning blasting him and the twins filled him. He felt their death for a moment before the reality of their arms around him pulled him back.
"Hush babe." Curtis said softly as Justin began to cry. "We weren't dead, just unconscious. You saved us."
"Unfortunately, you were lost during that fight." David said softly. "The man who attacked you was an associate of Bjorn's. His name was J'Stan. Apparently he got the upper hand of you and encased you in rock near the Earth's center."
"He fooled a lot of people in the beginning, babe." Jason said into Justin's ear.
"Including me." David said from his chair. "Until he got Henry killed, at least."
"At least he's no longer around." Curtis said with a smile. "We got him the other day, and we were able to find you and free you at last!"
"How long?" Justin asked, stunned at all he was hearing.
"Babe, you may not like hearing this, but it's been almost 7,000 years since you were encased in rock." Jason whispered.
"7,000 years!" Justin exclaimed sharply. "That's impossible!"
"No, it's not." David said calmly. "You showed us the way with your understanding of our gifts all those years ago. We've come a long way since then, baby. It's good to have you back."
"We knew you weren't dead, and the hope of having you back again was the only thing that kept us going, love." Jason said. Their love surged across the bond, but it felt different than before, blurred almost.
"We don't know why," Curtis explained softly, sensing his thoughts. "The bond was altered by J'Stan and we're not sure how. The man had a lover, named Adam, who helped him out. If it's possible, this Adam is more devious than J'Stan was, but thankfully not as strong."
"Seven thousand years, I think I have a lot of catching up to do." Justin said softly after a moment.
"Which is why we're having a computer brought up for you. I set a program up to help you get up to speed as quickly as possible. Feel free to use it, while we're gone." David said.
"Gone? Where are y'all going?" Justin asked, confused again.
"We're on the Council here in the Southern Alliance, and David is our ally from the Shapers' Republic." Jason explained.
"We have a Council meeting to go to. We need to prepare a response to the Guardians' Council, who've made a run against us." Curtis continued explaining.
"The computer will be brought up by a page in a little bit," Jason said softly. "We should be back by the time you're done, and well, we can talk then about what you want to do."
"Thanks love, I feel so lost at the moment." J'Stan told them as they rose to leave the room. When the door opened, a young boy was waiting at the door with portable computer. He came in, sat the computer down and asked if Justin would like anything else. Except the boy said `m'lord'. It bothered him, but he put it out of mind and asked for some food and drink. The boy left and Justin set about reading the file on the computer.
It was dark by the time he was done. Even with skimming only the important stuff, there was a lot to read in 7,000 years of history. He knew he didn't like all of the things he read about, even the things supported by David, or D'vad as the histories seemed to call his old friends. It seemed like everyone, even Curtis and Jason changed their names every now and then. Maybe he should too.
Naw, he thought he liked his name the way it was. But he'd have to get use to the names Curtis and Jason went by. Frank and Kelly. The bond seemed different somehow, but not different enough for him to mind. He still felt their love for him, even if they weren't as clear to him as they use to be.
Seven thousand years, though, and a lot of changes to get use to. He could understand how the people had grown so dependent on the gifted for survival though, especially with one side controlling half the world. Why didn't these Guardians understand that the world should be shared? Some strange high-minded ideals they had, but they were really no different than Shapers or Lords.
Hell, at least the Shapers and Lords took their responsibilities seriously and protected their people. If you had to live in a medieval society, at least those in the upper classes took their responsibilities seriously. He could live with that, as long as the people were happy. So far, everything he'd seen supported that.
The door to the suites opened and his two lovers came in, without David, or D'vad as he was called now. He smiled at their approach and opened his arms up as they joined him for a hug. Their closeness brought the bond in stronger, and he could feel their love for him very strongly.
"Jason, uh, sorry, I mean Frank" he said with a smile, "I hope you don't expect me to repeat back every word in that short history lesson."
"No problem, Jaz" Frank/Jason said. "We just wanted you to understand the basics, so you could understand why we took part in the Southern Alliance."
"I'd be lying if I said I was really comfortable with any of the three sides, but I understand why you chose this one." Justin told his lovers.
"Good, then you might be willing to accept a position on the Council of Lords?" Kelly/Curtis asked.
"I'm not sure yet." Justin said slowly, letting them see the reasons why in his mind.
"That's fine. We can arrange a trip or two into town if you'd like." Frank said softly, kneading his hands into Justin's shoulders.
"I'd like that. I want to get to know the people here some." Justin said softly.
"Fine then, love. We'll get someone to show you around, tomorrow." Kelly whispered from the spot he'd maneuvered himself to between Justin's knees.
Justin stood on the little hill near San Francisco. The bay sparkled in the sunlight and he could feel the arms of Curtis and Jason around him. So protected, so comfortable. Then the lightning came, flinging them apart. He could feel them die, feel parts of himself being torn asunder.
Then their voices spoke to him "No, baby, we're here" said Jason and Curtis, love filling their voices. Their arms wrapped around him and he drifted off to sleep again. Their voices continued in his head, but he forgot what they were saying as soon as he heard it.
'He's resisting the meld.' one voice said, concern tinging his mind voice.
'It has to hold, mate.' another said, concern evident. 'He'll go crazy with the pain if we don't.'
'Bester wants us to just kill him, maybe he's right.' the first one said.
'No, this time he's wrong. We need him to secure our future. We're still to small. Either the Republic or Ackeland will end up swallowing us if we don't succeed in this. He's strong enough, even like this to make enough difference.'
'D'vad won't rest until Ackeland's destroyed, then how will we be better off?' continued the first voice.
'With his help, we'll be able to hold them off, and take over much of the land in Ackeland. We'll make it just fine."
'I hope for our sake you're right.'
'I am, I am.'
Justin woke as he usually did, moments before his two lovers. He lay there between them, relishing the feel of their bodies between him. It felt like it'd been eons since he'd been here, but then it had been. That thought depressed him. Before he'd been older, now they were, and he could feel that now.
Movement warned him they were waking. He took pleasure in feeling them stretch themselves out. Their smiles brought a warm feeling of love to him, and from him to them. All three of the enjoyed it until a presence was felt moving towards them, on the other side of the bed curtains. A slim hand could be seen as the curtains were pulled aside, and a blond headed boy came into view.
"M'lords," the boy said, hesitantly, "You asked to be awakened around this time?"
"Yes, lad," we did said Frank.
"Don't be nervous, young man." said Kelly. "We're not that hard to serve. Justin, baby, this young man is our new page. He'll be getting us ready for the day, and taking you to meet your guide for the day."
"No problem, although you know I'm not used to being waited on." Justin said and smiled at the boy. "Barstie, why don't you wait outside in the other room."
Shocked filled all their faces for a moment, and Justin wondered how he'd known the boys name. The boy bowed and quickly left while the twins turned towards him with a concerned look on their faces.
"Jaz, baby," Kelly said after a moment, "it's not polite to scan young boy's minds so early in the morning."
"Sorry, I must have done it without thinking about it." Justin temporized, not sure how he'd known the boy's name, but he knew it was the boys name.
The next few minutes were taken up with the three of them drinking glasses of apple juice and eating the tray of fruit the boy had left. For some reason, Justin had known that it'd be sitting there beside the bed. Maybe he was just picking it up from the twins' long memories. For some reason he felt they'd gotten into a lot of habits over the years that just became part of their expectations for a day.
They both dressed in the same green and brown robes they'd worn the day before, or a set just like them. Hanging in their wardrobe was a pair of denim blue pants and a red t-shirt that was obviously for him. He dressed in them and was surprised at how soft they felt. The quietness with which they all moved was comforting for him. It reminded him of old times back in the Center together. He idly wondered if that place still existed.
"It's been gone for eons" Kelly said softly.
"Talk about reading minds..." Justin teased.
"Hey, we're bonded love. It's different" Frank laughed.
"Excuses, excuses" Justin laughed with them. It felt good to be back with them, no matter how long had passed.
When they'd left the apartment, after both kissing him goodbye, Justin looked at the boy who was still puttering around the room, picking up the things they'd left out the night before. The boy jumped a little when Justin spoke to him, but quickly finished what he was doing and led Justin out of the apartments.
They passed few people in the hallways, mostly pages dressed like Barstie. After a while, Barstie led him to a room which looked like a cafeteria, and to an office in the back. In the office was a man in his early thirties, dressed similarly to the pages, but with soft pants instead of the hose.
"Ah, sir!" the man said with a slight bow of the head. "It's good to meet you at last. Lords Frank and Kelly have spoken of you before and I'd prayed one day I'd get to see you."
"Thank you, sir. And your name is?" Justin replied. The man was speaking the truth, but there was something odd about it, like he was holding something back. With determination, Justin kept from breaking etiquette and reading the man's mind.
"Sorry, Mr. Ackeman. My name is Harvis. I've been Head Page here for a number of years and had the honor of being page to Lords Frank and Kelly before that."
"Good to meet you, Harvis. My name's Justin." he said while reaching across the man's desk to shake his hand.
"Ah, if you insist, sir." Harvis replied, shaking his hand uncomfortably.
"I understand you've been given the task of showing me around today?" Justin asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"Yes, sir, uh, Justin." the man replied. "Anything specific you want to see?"
"Hmmm, how about a school, preferably one of the worst, then a hospital, and then whatever passes for a housing project here."
"Sounds like you're on a mission." Harvis said after a short laugh.
"Yeah, I firmly believe that how a society treats its poorest people gives a good impression of the strength of that society." Justin answered seriously.
"I don't think I've heard that one before." Harvis offered up after looking deep in Justin's eyes.
"It's an old way of thinking." Justin explained. "I can see that things are comfortable here at the top. In a society which treats its poorest members well, this type of treatment isn't a waste, more a reward. In a bad society, it's the biggest sign of abuse."
"Well, deep thoughts, too deep for me." Harvis said with a slow smile. "Follow me, sir. We've had a shuttle set aside for your use today."
The next few hours passed in a blur for Justin. He visited two schools, a hospital, and several housing projects on the edge of town (unlike the cities he was use to, the upper class seemed to live downtown, while the poor lived on the edges). The thing that struck him the most was the crowded nature of everything. Privacy was almost nonexistent, and people lived crammed together.
After some prodding, Harvis took him outside of town. Even here things were relatively crowded. Sure, there was space, but it was taken up by farms. Almost no land was 'wild'. It was all carefully allotted for maximum efficiency. He had to admire how efficient space was used, but what he'd read in the histories led to expect nothing less. Space really was at a premium in this new world, and a sure cause for fighting.
Near the end of the day, with the sun approaching the mountains rising to the West, Justin found himself on the edge of some 'wild' space at last. It was mostly desert, and reminded of his Phoenix home. Harvis explained that it was a reserve, set up for the last tribe of Aboriginees known to exist.
There was a small trading shanty set up near the road here, and Justin went over to take a look. Various knicknacks were what he found, and a handful of dark-skinned tribespeople. The lone woman, an elderly woman, grabbed his hand when he reached for a necklace and stared deep into his eyes.
"You be him, alright." she said in a husky voice. Her weatherworn features crinkling a little as she stared into his soul. "You be a good boy, though. You should be with your love, though. That would be best."
"Thank you, ma'am." was all Justin could think to say. He turned and told Harvis to take him home, and couldn't help returning the man's smile.
They got home just as the last of the sun's rays faded from the sky. He walked, from memory, back to the twins' quarters and found them in the hot tub. They smiled as he walked in, and immediately began stripping off his clothes. He slid into the tub between them, relaxing his head on their joined arms behind him. He put a hand on each of their legs, under the water and let out a sigh.
"I'm home." he told the loves of his life.
Author's Note - Sometimes we want something so much, we will blind ourselves to anything that will get in the way of it, even our own desire for it. It's a dangerous trap to fall into.