Sword of Kings
Chapter 2 – Leaving Home

by Bill W

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Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts. 
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.
Don’t read this story if:
**You’re not 18 or over,    
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don’t want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author’s permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Emoe57 for his editorial assistance with this chapter.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other ‘constructive’ comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

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The boys were escorted from the king’s quarters and taken directly to the royal stables. Before they even arrived there, a coach had been prepared and stood waiting for them. It was a magnificent carriage, drawn by two mighty steeds, and it was apparently one of the king’s personal coaches, which he used for public ceremonies or when he and the queen were traveling. This time, however, it would have a less regal use.

The courier, who had been sent along with them to explain the king’s request to Garreth and Romaric’s parents, opened the door to the carriage and lowered the step so the boys could enter. One by one he helped them climb up and into the compartment, until they were comfortably seated inside. The seats were made of the finest leather and were well padded, although the boys weren’t sure what they had been filled with. There was a delicate band of gold trim around the doors, windows and behind each seat, at just above head level, were placed the initials HRH. This stood for both His/Her Royal Highness, and those initials were proudly displayed in large gold letters.

While the boys had been inspecting the interior, the courier raised the step, but before he shut the door, he advised them he would not be riding inside the coach with them. Instead he would ride up front, beside the driver, and now he climbed up into his place. As the coach jerked into motion, the boys began to talk excitedly about everything that had happened up to this point.

“Can you believe this,” Romaric asked, excitedly, his head jerking madly around on his shoulders as he continued to inspect everything around him. “It’s almost like we’re part of the king’s family. Could you imagine LIVING like this?”

Both his friends shook their heads, unable to comprehend what it would be like to be pampered or treated so grandly on a daily basis. “No,” Garreth responded. “I almost feel like some visiting member of a royal family or some high ranking official. I can’t believe there are people who actually live like this all of the time.”

“Yeah, this is too much,” Kieren added. “I mean, I don’t think we live badly, but this is more than I could have ever imagined.”

The boys continued their conversation, marveling at everything that had transpired up to this point, when the carriage suddenly came to a stop. Within seconds the courier appeared and opened the door and lowered the step again.

“Young sir,” he said looking at Garreth, “we have reached your home.” At this point the elf nodded and then climbed down from his comfy seat.

Garreth followed the courier as he walked to the front door and watched as the elf knocked upon the outer surface. Soon the door opened and there stood Garreth’s father. When he noticed the royal courier, he immediately recognized the king’s insignia emblazoned on his tunic and seemed to go into a panic. After a few awkward moments of silence, he noticed his son standing behind the man, and now his mind tried to piece together all of this information. Immediately his brain tried to put two and two together, but unfortunately this time he came up with five. “Did he get into some sort of mischief or cause some problem?” he blurted out, thinking his son was in trouble.

“Not at all,” the courier explained, while displaying a smile on his face, in an attempt to reassure the boy’s father. “We are here at the behest of King Dylan, as he wanted me to request that you allow your son to join him on a journey to Leander.”

This news was even more unexpected than finding the courier at the door in the first place, so now Garreth’s father looked even more puzzled. He could understand it if his son was in trouble, but the king was asking to take his son to Leander? He continued to stand there speechless, until his wife joined him.

“Why would King Dylan want our son to join him on such a trip?” he finally asked, somewhat tongue-tied, while his head kept jerking back and forth, as he looked first at the courier and then at his wife.

The courier went on to explain what had happened back in King Dylan’s quarters, and he concluded it by telling her how the king had accepted Garreth and Romaric’s offer when they volunteered to accompany their friend. It took a few seconds for all of this to register, but eventually it began to sink in. “But how long will they be gone?” his mother interjected.

“It is not certain as to the duration of this trip, but it is my understanding they might be gone for a minimum of a few days. The king does send his apologies for making such a sudden and unexpected request like this, but he also asks for your understanding and hopes that you will give your son your blessing to join his friend on this venture.”

Garreth’s mother and father looked at each other, and then at their son again, before responding. “Of course we shall accede to the king’s request,” his father announced, “but I still do not see why he needs Kieren, Romaric, or my son to accompany him?”

“I am not at liberty to divulge that information at this time, but the king has asked me to assure you that he would not ask such a favor of you, if it were not absolutely necessary.” After hearing this, both parents merely nodded their understanding and consent, before turning to face their son.

“Collect what you have been told you will need for this journey,” his father advised him. As Garreth began to move about the room, his father had an afterthought. “And make sure you remain on your best behavior while you are away,” he admonished him. “I do not wish to hear any reports that you misbehaved or caused our liege any problems while you were with him. Remember who you are and what you represent.” This was a little phrase his father often told him, when they would be apart, to remind his son of the importance of family honor and individual integrity.

“Yes, father. I understand. I shall be good and cause no problems.” He looked toward his parents for approval and was happy to see they were both smiling at this point.

“May I help you pack your things, dear,” his mother inquired.

“No, mother, I think I can do this by myself. I was told I would only need to pick up a few things, as everything else will be provided for us.” His mother nodded again, but you could see the pained expression etched on her face, having had her offer of assistance rebuked. She always realized that someday she’d have to cut the apron strings that connect her to her children and allow them to grow up, but this time had come so unexpectedly that it was even more difficult for her to do. However, she put up a good front and did her best to allow her son to exert his newfound independence, as she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of one of the king’s staff. She quietly accepted the personal heartache; rather than cause her son any grief, while silently reminiscing about the years she had spent raising him. Garreth was oblivious to the personal battle his mother was going through, as he went about gathering the items he was told to bring with him. Garreth moved about the room quickly, selecting each item carefully, before stuffing it unceremoniously into a rucksack as he went. When he was done packing, he turned to seek out his family, to bid them a final farewell.

Right away he sought out his siblings, who had been standing frozen against one wall during this entire time. They had been intimidated by the presence of the royal courier and confused by all they had seen and heard. Now they took the opportunity to say goodbye to their brother, but they were a little uncertain as to how they would be expected to do this. Hesitantly, each child either hugged him or shook his hand, but it was a sufficient response for Garreth. However, when he came to his little brother, the boy motioned Garreth to lean forward, so he could whisper in his ear.

“You’ve got to tell me all about this when you get back,” he advised him, and Garreth quickly assured him he would. Now Garreth turned to locate his parents and read the concerned looks on their faces.

“Please don’t worry,” he began. “I shall be fine, and as I said, I will do nothing to dishonor you or myself while I am gone. I love both of you, and I want to thank you for allowing me to go with Kieren and King Dylan.”

His mother burst into tears at this point and buried her face into her husband’s chest. This sent a wave of sympathy throughout Garreth’s body, and he went up to his mother, threw his arms around her waist and gave her a gentle hug. “I will be fine, mother,” he told her once again, “and there is no need to weep. I will see you in due time.”

Hurriedly his mother dried her eyes, before returning his embrace. They held each other for a long time, on her part because she really didn’t want to let her son go, while Garreth was merely trying to console his mother before he departed. Before they broke apart, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and then ran her fingers through his hair and along his cheek. She looked longingly at him as she did so, and it was almost as if she was saying a final goodbye. Lovingly, she took one final look at him, trying to burn that image into her memory, just in case she was never to see her son again.

Garreth’s father reacted quite differently and merely patted his son on the back, telling him to be careful and to mind his manners while he was away. After that, Garreth and the courier walked out of the house, with the others following them to the door. Once he was back in the coach and ready to leave, Garreth waved a final farewell to his family through the window, just before they drove away.

Garreth was very quiet as they left his home, as his mind raced over all the things that had transpired there. However, he happened to look up and see the other two staring at him, and he knew they were waiting for him to tell them what had happened. Quickly, he told his friends what they wanted to know, but there wasn’t a great deal of time to do this, before the coach stopped again.

By the time the carriage pulled up in front of Romaric’s home, he was almost dreading what was to come. After the courier helped him from the coach, he followed his escort as they walked up to the door to his home. As the courier raised his arm and began to knock at the door, Romaric quickly wondered how his parents were going to react.

Kieren decided to stay in the carriage with Garreth, and he made his friend give him a more detailed account of what had transpired back at his home. As he listened to what the elf had to say, he took special note of how his friend’s parents had reacted to the news. Now he thought about how his own parents were going to respond, so he would be prepared to deal with them. Kieren anticipated this situation might be more difficult for his mother, as she tended to react very emotionally about things, especially where he was concerned. He expected the same teary outburst from her, as Garreth’s mother had shown, so he thought of things to tell her, which might put her at ease.

His father, however, would be an altogether different story, as he always seemed to encourage his son to be independent and accept responsibility for things, and this was exactly what he was doing now. Kieren concluded his father would be proud of the fact that not only his son’s help was needed, but that he had also agreed to assume that responsibility fully. He was continuing to think about these things when Garreth nudged him gently. When he looked over at him, Garreth was pointing toward the window.

Kieren looked in that direction, just in time to see Romaric and his family emerge from their home and begin their final goodbyes. They watched as he bent down and kissed his little brother goodbye, melting the feelings of jealousy the young boy had been harboring in his heart. The youngster now hugged his brother’s waist, telling him he’d miss him while he was gone.

Next, Romaric turned toward his father, who reached out and shook his son’s hand firmly, as if he were concluding a business deal. This did not bother Romaric, as he knew this meant his father was accepting him as a young man, and no longer as a boy. In contrast, when Romaric turned his attention to his mother, she not only gave him a very emotional and prolonged hug, but she also kissed him multiple times on the forehead, while shedding more than a few tears in the process. Once his mother released him from her grip, Romaric gripped his bag and followed the courier back to the carriage. The elf paused to look back at his family, while the royal servant waited to help him inside. Once he was seated again, he gave his family a final wave, before he began to give Kieren and Garreth a quick recounting of what had transpired inside.

As they talked, they journeyed on, and it was only a short time before the carriage rolled to a stop again, this time outside of Kieren’s home, and he was not looking forward to this moment. As the courier opened the door and lowered the step for him, Kieren hesitantly got out and made his way toward his home. Instead of the courier leading the way for him, as he had done with the others, this time the king’s emissary chose to walk behind Kieren instead. The young man walked up to his door, as he had done countless times before, and opened it. He waited, holding the door wide, so his escort could follow him inside. His parents looked up when he entered, expecting their son’s arrival, but when they saw the other man with him, they quickly stood up and welcomed him into their home. No one asked who this stranger was or what he wanted, nor did they ask him why he was accompanying their son, which seemed strange to Kieren. While pondering this minor incongruity, Kieren merely set about gathering his things and placing them in a fabric bag. Once he had finished his packing, he turned toward his parents and spoke.

“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?” he demanded. His parents’ faces flushed noticeably and they gauged each other’s reactions, before they regained their composure and sought to respond to his accusation.

“We were aware that something like this MIGHT happen,” his mother advised him, “but we never knew when this would actually take place.”

“Then why didn’t you warn me?” he nearly screamed at them. “Why didn’t you tell me something like this would eventually happen?” His mother was so upset by his outburst that she could not respond, so his father answered him instead.

“There were two reasons for this, my son,” he began, almost apologetically. “First of all, your mother and I hoped we could wait until you had reached adulthood before this came up. Second, both King Dylan and Beraut had both asked not to tell you about your heritage until…” Kieren’s father stopped at that point, as his wife nudged him in his side. However Kieren caught the slip and jumped on it.

“What heritage? What are you keeping from me?” Both of his parents looked extremely concerned, when they realized they had nearly let the cat out of the bag. Trying to recover from this blunder, his mother spoke to him.

“Son, you will find all this out shortly. That is why you are going with King Dylan and Beraut to Leander.”

“But if you knew I’d be involved sooner or later, don’t you think you should have told me something before now,” their son shouted. “Why do I have to find out about all of this from strangers?” Kieren was livid now, even more upset by the fact that he realized his parents still considered him a child who would be incapable of handling the truth.

“We may have been wrong for allowing you to discover the truth in this fashion,” he father responded, “but we relied on the judgment of those who have protected your mother and her family for many years. I’m sorry if you consider we used poor judgment in dealing with this issue, but we were only trying to protect you.” Kieren’s mother was weeping openly now, not only because of her son’s outburst, but also because she realized the dangerous nature of the task he was about to undertake, even if her son didn’t.

“Protect me?” Kieren countered. “How could keeping me ignorant possibly protect me? Or was it that you thought I wasn’t mature enough yet to deal with this information?” Both of his parents could sense his hostility and defiance, and could read the betrayal he felt over them withholding this information from him. They also realized they needed to do something now to offset his misgivings.

“I’m sorry, son,” his mother began. “I can only tell you that on the day I first learned about Madumda, I wished my parents had kept that secret from me forever. From that day forward, and even until this very day I worry constantly about what might happen if he came to power. I merely wished to protect you from those same concerns for as long as I could.”

“But how could you let me continue to believe that Madumda was a myth or a threat that had ended long ago?” he chastised them.

“We did this so you and the rest of the children could enjoy your youth. Do you think you would have done the things or had the fun you did, like camping out with Garreth and Romaric, if you knew there was this black-hearted wizard who was threatening our way of life? What purpose would it have served for you to know any of this before now? Would you have been any better off knowing? It would just have robbed you of the precious memories you now have. No, Kieren, we did what we thought best for you, so you could enjoy as many years as possible. We planned to tell when you were older, or if the situation worsened, but we didn’t realize things had changed so quickly. I’m sorry if you think we failed you.”

Now his mother began to weep even harder, and this began to affect her son. Slowly he digested her words, as he studied her tear-streaked face. He could feel the pain of her reaction, and he could sense the sincerity in what she had said. Realizing now that his parents had only acted as they did out of concern for him, he began to calm down and regain his composure. Maybe he had been wrong in assuming his parents didn’t think him capable of dealing with this information and were treating him as a child. Maybe it was true they were merely trying to keep him from having to be bogged down with fear and worry. Gradually he began to release his anger, not only because he had misread the situation, but also due to the fact that he did not want to part company from his parents on such a bitter note.

Slowly he moved over to his mother and hugged her. Seeing his son react in this manner, Kieren’s father stepped closer to his son and put his arm around Kieren’s shoulders, advising him to be careful while he was away from home. Kieren looked up at him and nodded, letting his father know he appreciated his concern.

After coming to grips with the fact that she would probably not see her son for some time to come, Kieren’s mother now threw her arms around her son too, giving him a tremendous squeeze. After releasing him from this mighty hug, she leaned forward to kiss him. Even though she did this on a regular basis, it still momentarily surprised her son, but he did manage to close his eyes to receive her kisses. Delicately, she placed her lips over each of his eyelids, kissing them tenderly, a ritual she had preformed every night since he was a baby. This was a family tradition, which had been passed down throughout the years, a symbolic gesture of easing the visions of the person being kissed and allowing them sweet dreams. It was used not only at bedtime, but also as a way of saying farewell to loved ones, as it was meant to drain their concerns before they traveled. Knowing the importance of this mission and the dangers her son might face along the way, Kieren’s mother was not about to let her only child set out without giving him the appropriate send off.

Eventually, Kieren and his mother both recognized it was time for him to leave, so he bid his parents a final goodbye, before following the courier back to the carriage. Once inside, he sat quietly on the one seat, while Garreth and Romaric sat on the seat across from him. Both elves could immediately tell that Kieren had a tougher time in saying goodbye, so they gave him time to digest all that had happened. Later, Kieren would be thankful that neither of his companions pestered him for details of what had transpired in his home, as he wasn’t sure he could divulge that information to them. Instead, they rode back to King Dylan’s residence in total silence, as the two elves respected Kieren’s need to reflect on everything that had happened to him so far that day. However, it was not a very long ride, and soon they found themselves back in front of the king’s abode.

Almost without thinking, the boys walked back to the king’s private chambers, where they would once again meet up with the king and wizard. Beraut took a moment to ask them how things went, getting very short responses in reply, such as ‘fine’ or ‘as expected,’ even though he had tried to press for more. Seeing they were going to get little out of Kieren, the king told the trio he would have them shown to their rooms, so they could get some rest before they would set off in the morning. That is when Romaric seized the opportunity to raise an objection.

“Your majesty,” he began. If you don’t mind, I think we would rather stay together this evening. I know I’d prefer not to be alone right now, and I think both Garreth and Kieren feel the same way I do. Would you mind if we shared a room?” The king studied them intently, before a grin began to stretch across his lips.

“Not at all, my boy” he replied. “You may all use the room I was going to assign to Kieren. The bed is large enough for all of you, and I’m sure you will be more than comfortable.”

Romaric and Garreth grinned and thanked the king, but Kieren was still in a sort of daze. He had not said much of anything since he left his home and the others understood that he had many things on his mind. The two elves acknowledged this situation by guiding him along, following the servant King Dylan had commanded to show them to their room, with each one lovingly supporting one of Kieren’s arms, gently urging him to go with them. They knew their friend was temporarily incapable of thinking straight or getting anywhere on his own, so they took charge and led him to his room. They didn’t mind having to do this, and they would continue to care for and watch over him, as long as he seemed incapable of doing things for himself.

As the servant opened the door to the room they were to use for the evening, they were in immediate awe of their surroundings. The room was built from pale oaken wood, which was quite splendid, and it was tastefully decorated and filled with many expensive looking items. There were also several paintings strategically hung on the walls, to break the monotony of the wood’s color, and each picture depicted some important event from elfin history. In between the paintings were placed some reflective surfaces, hung in gold frames, to brighten the room. They would reflect the light supplied by the sun, candles or lanterns, and would help to magnify its illumination. Living in the depths of the forest, this was important both day and night, as only a limited amount of sunlight and moonlight was able to filter through the boughs of the trees.

Around the room they also discovered a collection of sculpted and molded figurines, with the vast majority of them having been strategically placed on small stands. Most of the statuary depicted a former elfin king, one of the local gods, or a character from elfin folklore. It was truly a marvelous room and it was a huge honor to be allowed to stay in it, even for just one night.

However, what caught the elves attention the most was the huge bed in the middle of the room, complete with an overstuffed mattress. As they visually inspected the bed, they discovered it was made of the same fine oak as the room, and it had figures of unicorns and wood nymphs carved in its frame. The mattress was covered with a collection of fine quilts, which could be used to keep the occupants snug when the weather turned cold.

The boys eyed the bed longingly, because it looked so very comfortable, and immediately, they wanted to try it out. The two elves, who were still protectively watching out for their friend, managed to get Kieren to sit on the edge of bed, so they could each do the same. Slowly they sank into its enveloping softness, and they knew at once they were going to like sleeping here.

Seeing Kieren was still dazed from the overload of information he had received earlier, the elves decided it best to put their friend to bed. They found the bedclothes that had been placed there for their use, and carefully helped Kieren out of his clothes. After that they pulled the quilts back and out of the way, as it was a fairly warm evening, they guided Kieren to the center of the bed. The two elves knew their friend probably wouldn’t be able to fall asleep unless he was able to relax a bit, so they decided to help him do just that. This was something the boys had been doing for a while now, but it seemed the appropriate time to do it again.

After disrobing themselves, Garreth went around to the far side of the bed, while Romaric stayed on the near side, before they climbed into the bed next to their friend. The had silently agreed on what they would do next, so Garreth went immediately to Kieren’s chest and began to lick around his tiny aureole, until his nubs became hard and stood out from his body. Once both nipples were erect, he began to suckle on his friend’s sensitive breasts, making him moan and squirm from the attention.

While Garreth was tending to the upper half of the body, Romaric headed toward his friend’s waist, spreading Kieren’s legs apart, so he could crawl into the space between them. Once he managed to get into position, he began to lick around Kieren’s scrotum, lathing the area with his tongue, before gently taking the delicate orbs contained within into his mouth and adding a little suction of his own. Kieren was now erect and his penis stood out from his body like a monument to one of the local gods, just waiting to be worshipped. Romaric did just that, slowly running his tongue up the exterior of his shaft, until he came to the head.

Kieren was already leaking by this point, with those early drops of love nectar coating the surface and making it glisten, until Romaric began to run his tongue over the tip, lapping up those sweet droplets. This caused Kieren to sigh very loudly, as his body was enjoying what his mind couldn’t quite comprehend, as it was busy going over everything that had happened over the past several hours. Instinctively Kieren arched his body as Romaric began to slide his mouth over the crown and down the velvety shaft.

Not wasting any effort, Romaric began to bob up and down on his friend’s rigid member, running his lips and tongue along the surface, while teasing the opening at the end. Kieren’s hips began to buck up and down now, as nature took over and he sought relief. Kieren’s movements were almost too much for Romaric to deal with, but he didn’t release his grip and stayed in control as much as he could. Soon Romaric began to sense Kieren’s penis grow even harder, indicating he was nearing his climax, so he increased his suction, as one of his hands slipped under his chin and be began to massage his friend’s testicles, to bring him over the edge.

Immediately, Kieren’s phallus exploded, releasing long threads of creamy liquid down Romaric’s throat, and the elf continued sucking until he had drained his friend of all the love juices his body could produce. Spent, Kieren’s body collapsed on the bed, as Romaric teased the final droplets from his slit, and then the elf moved away from his friend’s body, letting him enjoy the afterglow that followed such a release.

At this point Garreth and Romaric slipped a nightshirt onto their friend’s body and dragged one of the covers up and over his body. Even though they could have used some relief themselves, they opted to neglect their own needs at this time and merely focus on their friend. Slipping on their own nightshirts, they crawled into bed, taking their place on either side of their friend. As the two elves settled in and snuggled against Kieren to reassure him that everything was all right, they began to drift off to sleep.

Even though he was more relaxed due to his friends’ efforts, Kieren’s mind was still as consumed as the others with all that had happened. Eventually, each of them would become overwhelmed by a variety of different feelings, and these emotions would definitely affect their slumber throughout the remainder of the evening. Unconsciously, they were all looking forward to the adventures that awaited them, yet scared about its dangers. They were invigorated by the novelty this journey offered them, yet uncertain as to what else they might expect along the way. They were extremely excited by the prospect of venturing beyond the boundaries of the faerie kingdom, an experience that none of them had previously enjoyed. Being youthful and eager, not necessarily thoughtful, they enthusiastically slipped into dreams about the big day that awaited them.