Sword of Kings
Chapter 5 – The Adventure Begins

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 contingent left Aurelia as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the dew-laden boughs of the faerie kingdom. King Dylan led the procession and directed them through the Woods of Wildoness, moving the party toward the grasslands that bordered the western edge of the forest. Dylan was absorbed in a very serious conversation with the elf riding next to him, the general-in-charge of his army. They were busy discussing what precautions should be taken to safeguard Kieren, and the others, on this journey.

The sight of these two elves riding side by side offered an extreme contrast and was almost comical in appearance. First, there was the kingly countenance of Dylan, mounted on his regal white stallion, compared to the battle scarred general, who sat astride his sturdy beast. General Daveel’s horse was not nearly as handsome as the King’s, but it was far more suited for the rigors of battle. The general was also quite large for an elf, not merely in height but also in his broad muscular build. He was a mighty warrior, much proven in battle, and he was an excellent strategist, possibly the best in all of Tarolia. He had long been the trusted military advisor to the King and, once more, Dylan sought his advice.

Following Dylan and Daveel was Beraut, riding on a large chestnut mare. His mount was larger than any of the others in the company, but his horse’s size was necessary to accommodate Beraut’s larger frame. The wizard looked weary and troubled as he rode, his mind totally consumed with some deep, dark mystery he would not divulge to any of the others. His timeworn face reflected his emotions, so that no one could mistake the depth of his troubles or the enormity of his concerns. He was facing questions that only he could answer and he was attempting to solve problems he could share with no one else, regardless of how much he might have wished to.

Pulling up the rear of the group rode the remainder of the guard, a dozen of the elf’s most experienced, tenacious warriors. The party was small enough so it wouldn’t attract a great deal of attention, yet large enough to defend itself if attacked along the way. Between these two groups in the caravan, journeyed the three youthful companions, talking excitedly about their first major trip away from their homes.

“I still can’t believe this is happening!” Romaric exclaimed. “Would you have ever imagined, even in your wildest dreams, that one day you’d be joining the King on a trip to Leander?” The other pair shook their heads, indicating they had not, but Kieren noticed a concerned look on Garreth’s face and was about to ask him what was wrong, when the elf saved him the trouble.

“Do you think Madumda could have spies lurking around here,” Garreth asked?

“I don’t know. I guess it’s possible,” Kieren answered.

“Maybe he’s sent assassins to try to kill King Dylan, Beraut, and the rest of us,” Garreth offered.

“I guess it’s possible,” Kieren agreed, half-heartedly, “but do you think an assassin would stand a chance against Beraut?”

“No, I don’t suppose he would,” Garreth conceded, “but he still might have others hiding in various places, to see what we’re up to?”

“Why would he care what we were doing?” Kieren asked, confused.

“Not us, like in Romaric, you, and me, but us as in Beraut and the elves. Wouldn’t he want Beraut followed to see what he was up to? And wouldn’t he want to know King Dylan was going to have the elves help him?”

“Yes, I suppose he would, but Beraut is very careful and powerful. I think he would have known if someone was watching him every minute.”

“Maybe, but I think we should ask him, just in case.” Garreth looked at the other two for support, and finally the other two nodded in agreement.

“I think we should just keep our eyes open for now, but we’ll tell Beraut when we stop. I don’t want to interrupt his conversation, as he’s talking to King Dylan and General Daveel.” The other pair automatically looked up, to confirm Kieren’s observation, and then they each gave a nod, letting him know they agreed with his plan. The boys rode on, but now their heads began to swivel upon their shoulders, as their eyes darted back and forth along their route, searching for signs of danger. From that moment on, they began to see movement behind nearly every tree, and they began to wonder if waiting to tell Beraut was the right thing to do. Just as they were about to approach the wizard, General Daveel signaled the party to halt. The boys were grateful he did so, even if it was just to partake of some refreshments, for now they could use this opportunity to speak with Beraut. Getting off their mounts, they raced to the enchanters’ side, frantically explaining their worries. The mage listened patiently, noting that to the boys these concerns were very real, but soon he attempted to dispel their fears.

“The elves have many protective devices to keep their homeland safe, but the king took extra precautions before our journey began. Since before I arrived in your homeland, King Dylan has had scouts checking our route and the surrounding areas for such breeches in security. I am very confident this part of our journey is extremely safe, so calm down and grab something to eat.”

Feeling some sense of relief, the boys did as the wizard told them, and walked over to get some food from one of the elfin soldiers. They waited patiently for him to pass out the various items to those in front of them, until they finally collected their share, still questioning whether this area was absolutely safe. Although they knew the wizard had much more wisdom and experience than they did, they also knew even the brightest of people could make mistakes, and they wondered if this might be one of those times. However, putting their concerns aside, they began to eat.

The meal consisted of a special little concoction the head cook of the royal kitchen had prepared for them before they set out. It was a splendid traveling fare consisting of some very tasty sandwiches, unlike anything any of them had ever eaten before. They were small, yet extremely filling, and eating them seemed to drain the weariness from their bodies. A flask of a cool, clear liquid was also passed around, to ease their thirst. As Kieren took his first swallow of this liquid, a warm relaxing sensation swept through his torso and he found himself in the most tranquil state he had ever known. He was continuing to enjoy this wonderful feeling when word came that it was time to continue the journey.

The now refreshed travelers remounted their steeds and fell into formation again, ready to proceed. They hadn’t ridden very far before Kieren and his friends urged their mounts ahead slightly, so they could speak with the wizard once more. This time Kieren wanted to learn even more about Madumda, and he quickly let the wizard know his intentions. Realizing this was the best way to keep Kieren and his friends from getting overly paranoid, he agreed to this request.

“Why didn’t any of the other wizards notice these changes in Madumda?” Kieren wanted to know. “From what you’ve told us, he changed almost completely, since he first joined the Council.”

“The reason was,” Beraut explained, “that the changes occurred so slowly, and over such a long period of time, the we didn’t understand what was happening. Thialfi did confront Madumda on several occasions, about his failure to perform the duties assigned to him, but he thought he was mostly just lazy, and his change in attitude was caused by having been confronted about these matters.”

“But didn’t anyone see him reading that stuff?” Garreth asked.

“Apparently not,” the wizard informed him, “or if they did, they didn’t realize what he was up to. Remember, the tomes containing this information didn’t look any different from the other material. It was just housed in a separate area of the library. If anyone noticed him, it seemed no different than what any of us were doing at that time, when we were brushing up our skills.”

“But someone MUST have noticed something!” Romaric exclaimed.

“Whatever was noticed was not significant enough to raise suspicion enough to catch him, then,” the wizard admitted, with a touch of regret in his voice.

“Obviously it’s easier for us to look back and say they should have noticed this or that,” Kieren acknowledged, while still deep in thought. “I guess it’s like when we see someone who hasn’t seen us in a while, and they say how much we’ve grown, yet none of us realize there is that much difference, because we see each other every day. To us the changes are so slight from day to day that they’re hard to see, but someone else sees the total change over many days, which is much greater, and therefore more noticeable.”

“Precisely,” Beraut agreed, smiling at Kieren’s observation. “The closer you are to something, the harder it is to get the whole picture. That’s what the old elfin expression ‘you can’t see the forest because of the trees’ means. That just indicates that when you’re too close to the trees, it blocks you from noticing the entire forest that lies behind it.” The boys mulled this over for a few minutes, until they understood the wizard’s point, and now they understood why no one noticed what Madumda had been up to.

This helped them pass the time until the elfin leaders signaled their decision to halt for the evening, as they had located a suitable campsite. Some of the soldiers now went off to gather wood to build a fire, so they could cook this evening’s meal, while the remaining warriors set about scouring the surrounding woodland in search of game. It was obvious that whatever they were able to bring back would become part of their upcoming entree.

Within a couple of hours an assortment of rabbit, quail, and deer had been cleaned, prepared, and browned over the open fire. Ravenously, the meal was consumed and washed down by several containers of wine, which had also been carried among the packs. Now everyone searched for a flat, smooth surface on which to throw his bedroll and rest for the night.

Kieren, Garreth, and Romaric positioned themselves close to the fire, while trying to obscure themselves from most of the other travelers. It wasn’t because they needed the warmth, for the temperature of the night air was very comfortable, however they sought the security the firelight offered them. It provided enough illumination to keep their imaginations from running wild, and their being together afforded them the comfort of numbers.

Quickly the boys discussed amongst themselves whether they dared do the things they usually did when they were together. They looked around, checking the location and focus of the others, and then they concluded they could try it, as long as they kept the noise down and were discreet. That was all it took. They stripped down completely, to prepare for sleep, and they slipped under their blankets. Soon Garreth’s hand was under Kieren’s cover, while Kieren’s hand was searching for Romaric’s prize. Garreth was the one who was successful first, and he began to run his hand over and around Kieren’s boyhood. He began by massaging Kieren’s scrotal sac and fingering the nuggets hidden within. Garreth liked the feel of Kieren’s hairless sac and he would fondle his family jewels for a couple of minutes before he would move on to his next target.

Kieren loved the feel of Garreth’s smooth hand as it played around his testicles. He loved the tingling sensations that his manipulations gave him and it would cause a warm feeling to radiate throughout his body. He was already so aroused that his penis was standing very erect and waiting its turn for some action. He didn’t have to wait for long, as Garreth’s hand wormed its way up and his fingers started to explore the shaft and then squeeze and play with the foreskin. He slid the extra flesh back and forth, occasionally sliding a finger through the opening so he could play with the sensitive head. After getting Kieren very excited, he wrapped his fingers around Kieren’s granite pole. Slowly at first, his hand slid up and down the slender tube and he could feel Kieren start to swoon and hear him release his barely audible groans of pleasure. He loved it that he could make his friend feel so good and this only encouraged him to try even harder to bring him more pleasure. He increased the pace of his stroking slightly, making Kieren’s body start to writhe in pleasure. Kieren’s hips were starting to bounce up and down now, a reflexive instinct supplied by nature and meant to provide him with the relief his body sought.

Kieren knew he was getting close and it wouldn’t be long before he would spew his seed all over himself. He told Garreth to pull the blanket down just before his body tensed, his back arched, and the white, creamy liquid spurted from his dickhead. After several blasts, a layer of his warm boy custard covered his chest before his body began to relax, while Garreth continued to milk the remaining drops from his tool. Once that was completed, Garreth bent forward and licked the semen up and swallowed it, thus cleaning off Kieren’s chest.

During this same period, Kieren had been performing a similar ritual on Romaric. Though his dick was not quite as long as Kieren’s, it was a bit thicker. Kieren began by repeating the process Garreth was using on him. He rolled Romaric’s eggs around in his hand, stimulating the nerve endings that lie just underneath the surface. These synapses could send sparks flying around the body when activated, and that is just what was happening. Romaric was enjoying this feeling immensely, but he knew that the best part was yet to come. Eventually Kieren ceased to handle his gonads and his hand slid upward, until it rested against the tip of his rod. Kieren pinched and squeezed the excess skin that still overhung the tip, and then he peeled it back and forth, exposing the shiny glans before covering it once again. Romaric was enjoying this attention immensely and his body was squirming from side to side.

Kieren now wrapped his palm and fingers against and around his miniature stump, and then he began to jerk it slowly up and down. This wasn’t the first time that Kieren had held and stroked Romaric’s wand. He enjoyed playing with his friend and he knew Romaric liked it as well. This was a mutually beneficial experience and one they repeated whenever they could. Kieren quickened his pace on his friend, as he felt his own orgasm building, and he wanted Romaric to climax at the same time he did. Romaric was moaning too, and Kieren only hoped that the others wouldn’t hear their mutual groans of pleasure. Romaric’s penis swelled a little more just before he loosed his load, and prior to Kieren’s own eruption. As Romaric’s boyhood sent its strings of sperm spraying across his upper body, Kieren could feel his own bubbling juices begin their ascent up his own erection. Kieren was teasing the final drops of semen out of Romaric’s softening meat just as he reached nirvana. Spurt after spurt of that pearly-colored liquid shot out of his phallus and coated his developing chest, until there was nothing left to escape the small, gasping mouth of his helmet. Now the two boys lay side by side, enjoying the warm glow of their post-orgasmic bliss.

After Romaric came down from his sexual high, he knew that it was his turn to take care of Garreth. Slowly he moved around to the other side of his friend and he slid his eager hand under Garreth’s blanket. Garreth was already smiling in anticipation of what was to come. He felt Romaric’s hand slide down his abdomen, past his groin, and down his thigh until he felt Romaric’s fingers slip around his scrotum and begin to manipulate the miniature marbles inside. It was a wonderful sensation, as the warm, tingly feelings began to spread throughout his body. This was causing him to breathe harder, his heart to race, and his mind to float among the clouds. It was as if he were now disembodied, as these wonderful feelings were blotting out all of the sights and sounds around him. He could only hear his own breathing and the sound of the blood pumping through the vessels in his ears. He could see nothing, as his brain was blocking all interfering impulses. Garreth was feeling great and he was on his way to heaven.

When Romaric had finished his ministrations to Garreth’s testicles, he let his palm glide upward, slowly stroking the length of Garreth’s rigid tool. When his hand reached the top of the shaft, Romaric pulled the hood back and forth, gently stroking the sensitive crown when it was exposed. Garreth was cooing now, as the shockwaves continued to radiate from his waist. It was absolutely wonderful as Romaric’s slender fingers wrapped themselves around his pride and joy and he began his gentle stroking. Garreth’s head was now flopping from side to side, as the rest of his torso writhed from the ultimate stimulation. He could sense those familiar feelings beginning down in his toes and working their way up his legs. He pushed his blanket down quickly in preparation, and by the time those feelings reached his mid-section, his body tensed, his hip lunged skyward, and several strings of his thick, alabaster cream spewed and landed across his neck and chest. When the last of his juices had been drained from his now wilting penis, Romaric bent forward and slurped his reward off of his friend’s torso. Romaric quickly slipped back to the other side of Kieren and then the three of them laid back to get their needed rest.

Garreth and Romaric dozed off fairly quickly, but Kieren lay awake for some time. He listened to the sounds of the forest, such as the occasional screech of an owl, or the shrill, blood curdling howl of a wolf. He knew these creatures inhabited the woods, but he also realized they would not venture near the fire or close to such a large gathering of people. He also realized guards had been posted around the perimeter of the camp, and were being changed every hour to ensure they would be alert. Eventually, Kieren gave in to his weariness and fell into an uneasy slumber.

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Kieren awoke some time during the night, when his bladder alerted him it was full and needed to be emptied. He was still groggy, as he got up and stumbled to a secluded area he had used earlier for this purpose. He only wanted to get this over with and get back to sleep. A minute or so later, after he had finished his business, he began to turn around, ready to return to the comfort of his bedding. Just as he was starting to do so, he saw movement off to his right, and even though he was still sleepy, and the cobwebs had not completely cleared from his brain, he knew it would not be wise to wait around until he discovered what had caused that movement. Fearing the worse, Kieren prepared himself to bolt back and alert the others, but before he could do so, he encountered another surprise. Directly in front of him was the snarling face of a sleek, gray wolf.

Kieren stood frozen with fear, as he realized his escape route was blocked, and he began to understand there were most likely more of them off to his side. That would explain the movement he had noticed moments earlier and he knew wolves seldom moved about alone. His next reaction was to scream out and summon help, but the second he opened his mouth to shout, several wolves appeared and formed a semicircle around him. He knew he had to attempt to warn the others, but the wolves began to growl menacingly, which caused his throat to tighten and strangled off any sounds that might have come from it. Kieren had no idea what to do now, so he remained transfixed - his mouth dry, his heart pounding, and his mind racing – trying to come up with a way to extract himself from this situation.

He hadn’t yet formed a plan, when the wolves began to inch forward, their teeth bared and drool dripping from the corners of their mouths. Kieren was sure he was about to be their next meal. He wanted to run, but his body was paralyzed with fear and wouldn’t cooperate with him, so he was merely able to watch, as his attackers grew steadily closer. Without further warning, the wolves sprang into action, with several of them lunging at him almost simultaneously. Kieren began to feel their teeth sink into his skin, as their mouths bit various parts of his body, piercing his flesh and causing him excruciating pain. The boy tried to fight them off, but there were too many and they were too powerful, and he had just about resigned himself to his fate - when he sat bolt upright, terrified to the core. He now discovered he was drenched in sweat, his heart was still racing, and his breathing labored. He looked about quickly, in attempt to locate his attackers, before it finally clicked and he realized this had all been a very bad dream.

Kieren’s sudden movement caused Garreth to wake up, and he was immediately alarmed after looking at his friend. “What’s wrong?” he pleaded, greatly concerned, but Kieren wasn’t able to respond to him just yet. “What’s the matter? You look like hell,” Garreth continued.

Kieren just stared at his friend, trying to let everything sink in before he began to explain himself. Garreth sat impatiently, waiting for his friend to tell him what had happened, when Romaric awakened, his slumber disturbed by their conversation.

“What’s going on?” he asked, only slightly coherent.

“I’m not sure and Kieren won’t tell me,” Garreth pouted, eyeing his friend suspiciously.

Kieren continued to just sit there, in stunned silence, until he regained his composure and was able to mutter a few words to his friends. “I just had a really bad dream,” he finally offered.

This got both boys attention. “About what?” Romaric wondered. Kieren went on to explain everything he could remember about his nightmare, and when he was finished, the elves just sat speechless.

“I feel really stupid,” Kieren announced, after telling his friends about his dream. “I’m not a child any longer and I shouldn’t be scared so easily.”

“No, what we’ve learned over the past couple of days,” Romaric assured him, “was enough to scare all of us.”

“Yeah,” Garreth added, his own fear evident on his face. “Especially since Madumda might be planning to get rid of Beraut.” As soon as the words escaped his lips, Garreth wished he could have taken them back, because he knew that would only add to his friend’s fear.

“Big help you are,” Kieren told him, with sort of a grin on his face, “but I hope Beraut was right, and these woods are safe.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s the case,” Romaric offered comfortingly. “I’m sure Beraut and King Dylan have done everything to make sure we are safe, and we’ll do everything we can to protect each other. Right?”

“Absolutely!” they all agreed, before ending their discussion and settling back down.

‘Yes, we’re safe until we leave Wildoness,’ Kieren thought, “but what happens after that?” He didn’t utter these words aloud, in order to prevent his friends from suffering from even greater anxiety when they came to the same realization he did. The three boys tried to drift off again, with Kieren tucked safely between them, and even though it took Kieren many minutes before he slipped back into oblivion, mercifully this time he had no further nightmares.

A few hours later, as the smell of the morning’s breakfast wafted into his nostrils and splotches of sunlight danced over his closed eyelids, he began to stir. Although he was still very weary, the continued assault of the sun’s rays filtering through the thin skin covering his eyes was more than he could deal with, and it brought him out of his slumber. He could feel both of his friends still cuddled up tightly against him, their arms still draped over his body, so he knew they were still asleep. As his eyes began to focus, he surveyed the area to learn the status of the others, and he could now discern that everyone else was already up and busy, so he woke his comrades and they quietly dressed. He judged the others must have been up for at least an hour, seeing how much of the preparations had already been completed by the time he and his friends joined them. However, he didn’t have long to consider this, as his stomach began to growl, reminding him that it needed some attention. Acknowledging his immense hunger, Kieren wandered toward the fire, followed by Garreth and Romaric. Doggedly they attacked the food that was presented to them, not stopping until the rumblings in their stomachs had been quieted, and then they returned to where they had bedded down, so they could pack their gear and prepare for another day’s journey.

Again the three teenagers rode at Beraut’s side, hoping the mage would offer another intriguing and enlightening rendition of one his stories. They were not disappointed, for soon the wizard began a monologue about the history of the royal line in Tarolia. He started with the reign of King Ethelbert and continued with each of his successors. He filled the lads in on many of the facts and folklore surrounding these rulers, giving them both the highs and the lows of their reign. Kieren was especially impressed with Ethelbert’s feats, foresights, and his wisdom as he ruled the land, and instantly idolized this ancient ruler. This hero worship probably added to his great disappointment, as he heard tales about the lesser kings who followed him to the throne. Kieren began to realize their accomplishments, or lack thereof, seemed to undo much of the greatness the mighty Ethelbert had worked so hard to attain.

Once more the morning passed quickly and the company paused for their midday meal. Kieren made Beraut promise that he would resume his account of the Tarolian Kings as soon as they renewed their journey. Having secured his vow, Kieren went off with his friends to eat. The boys gobbled down their food and then they hurried back to stand beside their mounts. Impatiently they paced back and forth, in an unconscious attempt to encourage the others into a greater haste, but it had no effect and they became more anxious with each passing second.

“I bet King Ethelbert wouldn’t have been scared, if he was in my place,” Kieren thought aloud, trying to finding a way to bolster his waning self-esteem, while his two friends tried to figure out where this comment came from. However, Garreth though it might be better to just agree with him, to see what he had to say next.

“Yeah, he was really brave, wasn’t he?” the elf countered.

“Much braver than me. Even when he was my age, he wouldn’t have let things like this scare him. I wish I were more like him, than those weaklings who came later. I don’t want to be like them, and I know I can do better, so I’m going to try to be more like King Ethelbert.”

“But you are brave, Kieren,” Romaric assured him.

“I agree,” Garreth added. “You’re never one to shy away from anything, no matter what the consequences.”

Kieren decided maybe this wasn’t the time to argue this point, but he did start to consider the things his friends had told him. Eventually, the rest of the party finished packing things away and they got underway again. As they rode along, the enchanter resumed his account of the Tarolian kings, picking up where he had left off earlier. This time he began by informing the youths about the reign of the three kings who had preceded King Orthilue, and that trio seemed to regain some of the momentum that Tarolia had lost under some of its earlier monarchs. Kieren was enormously impressed by King Orthilue and the promise he had shown during his brief reign, and it bothered Kieren enormously that he was murdered and unable to restore Tarolia’s ruling family to its former greatness.

“Why were they so much better than those other kings?” Garreth asked, when he thought Beraut had finished.

“That’s hard to say,” Beraut told him, “but people learn to analyze things in different ways, and not all of them are as gifted at seeing how different decisions can effect the future. Those more gifted with this ability tend to make better leaders.” Beraut studied the elf, to see if there was some spark of understanding, but he wasn’t sure he saw one. Rather than trying to put it another way, he decided to answer the question Romaric was straining to ask instead.

“But doesn’t somebody have to teach the king how to do that?” the other elf inquired.

“To some extent they do,” Beraut responded, “but part is due to an inborn talent or ability, something which cannot be taught.” This answer left this young man also confused, and the two elves began to think the enchanter was trying to avoid answering their questions. However, they didn’t have time to consider this further, as Kieren was also starting to pose his own query.

“Beraut, you remember the way you told us Orthilue had settled the dispute between the dwarfs and Akiktites?” The wizard smirked, in anticipation of where the lad was heading. “Don’t you think something like that could also be done to patch things up with the gnomes and the Merropites, to make them part of the kingdom again, once Madumda is defeated?”

“What a wonderful idea,” the mage beamed, appreciating the higher level of reasoning this young man was utilizing. “And some day we might even be able to try it, and see if it works.”

Garreth and Romaric just stared at their friend, not sure exactly what he was referring to. Even though they vaguely remember Beraut mention something about that, they couldn’t remember exactly what King Orthilue had done. Instead, their thoughts were interrupted by Kieren’s next question.

“And there’s something else I was thinking,” the lad began. “You remember how these kings seemed to gain greater power by getting the different groups more involved?” Beraut nodded, while the elves were totally lost. “Well, I was thinking maybe if we had a sort of council, where each group had a certain number of representatives, maybe based on the number of people in that group, that might make them feel like it wasn’t just the king making the laws and that they had some input too. Do you think that would help?”

The mage was nearly bursting now, trying to contain his excitement over the young man’s unique insights. “You know,” he began, “I think you might have hit upon something. I believe that by securing their participation, even the northern city-states might forgo their isolationist practices and begin to project a greater feeling of being part of the kingdom.”

The rest of their conversation went much the same, with Kieren continuing to ask much more meaningful and in depth questions, and eventually the elves just sat in silence, trying their best to understand what was going on between he and Beraut. It wasn’t that they weren’t intelligent, but they seemed to only see the surface issues, where Kieren was able to dig down and find the underlying causes hidden below the surface. Even though they had known Kieren for several years and always admired him, the longer this discussion continued, the more in awe they became of his abilities.

The youths had been so engrossed by the wizard’s tales and the ensuing discussions that they nearly failed to notice they were leaving the Woods of Wildoness. Kieren was the first to now recognize this fact, and after pointing this change out to his companions, he became completely engrossed with the sights that now engulfed him. Here, stretching endlessly before him in all directions lay a multitude of wonders that he had never beheld before. During the fifteen years since his birth, Kieren had never seen anything beyond the borders of the forest. He had spent his entire life in the confines of the woodlands, with its own green heaven and sparsely scattered patches of blue sky, and he was not ready to appreciate the immense openness that lay before him. For here was a vast blue ocean of sky, dotted artistically with billowy, white clouds, drifting lazily across the never-ending horizon.

Slowly he lowered his gaze, only to discover he had been set adrift in a sea of flaxen and emerald grains and grasses. The sun’s brilliance danced merrily off these shimmering reeds and painted the land in a vision of pastoral beauty. All of this was tenderly caressed and cradled by that azure-hued firmament, and gave him a sense of awe, such as he had never had to deal with before. The loveliness of this moment dazzled Kieren into a pseudo-hypnotic trance, and he couldn’t think about anything other than the beauty that surrounded him. As they rode through the expansive grasslands, Kieren’s senses were now overwhelmed by the colors and fragrances of the foliage and other wonders. This consumed Kieren’s every thought, until it began to grow dark and the party stopped to prepare camp.

This campsite was much different from the one of the previous evening, for they were now far away from the protection of Wildoness. They were also open to observation and discovery from anyone lurking in the grasslands around them. No fire would be lit this evening, in an effort to prevent divulging their presence to any of the less than desirable wanderers who might be out and about. They ate a very simple meal, not nearly as satisfying as any of their previous fares, and Kieren went to his bedding disillusioned by the prospect of future similar meals. The young man unrolled his sleeping gear and laid down, eventually forgetting about his great disappointment. The boys were told to stay fully clothed this evening, in case they had to leave quickly or defend themselves, but the boys thought up another option. There was nothing to prevent them from lowering their breeches and letting one of the others suck them off beneath the blanket. The third person could keep watch, in case any of the adults came over to check on them. They soon agreed to this plan and moved into action.

Kieren suggested he would do Garreth first, and this seemed fine with the other two, so Kieren slipped his head and shoulders beneath Garreth’s blanket. He unlaced Garreth’s pants and carefully slid them down his legs. Garreth lifted his hips to allow him to pull them free. Because of the awkwardness of having the others around and the fact that they needed their sleep, it was agreed that they would just get each other off as quickly as they could. Kieren started to lick and nibble on Garreth’s soft flesh, especially taking time to chew on his foreskin, but then he pulled the prepuce back so he could lick the head and the hard ridge that defined it. Immediately Garreth’s pole rose to full mast and Kieren soon swallowed it, taking him down to his pubes. Then the boy began to let his head bob up and down on the young elf’s wand, dragging his lips and tongue along the surface and sucking at the same time. The friction of his moist lips and tongue gliding along the surface of his cock was electrifying to Garreth, and he began to groan from the pleasure. It was a wonderful feeling as the soft tissue glided along his erection, but after only a couple of minutes of this stimulation, Garreth began to buck his hips up and down, trying to increase his pleasure. Kieren had been expecting this, knowing what Garreth was like from previous encounters, and he held on and tried to hasten his friend’s release. Sucking harder than it would take to draw the contents of an egg from a small hole pecked into the tip of the shell, Kieren tried to siphon the juices from Garreth’s love glands. His one hand had been playing with Garreth’s testicles and Kieren knew now that his friend was about to erupt, when he felt his nuggets pull up toward his body and his dick began to swell in his mouth. Soon Kieren was receiving the hot blasts of his seed and he was swallowing frantically, so he wouldn’t choke or lose even a drop. He continued to work on his friend’s crotch until his penis wilted and became tender to the touch. Slowly he pulled his head out from under the blanket and gazed upon the satisfied look on Garreth’s face. He knew it would take him some time before he recovered from his ejaculation, so he left him in peace.

Romaric suggested that Kieren lie back and he would do him next. Kieren obliged, slipped under his blanket, undid his trousers, and fell backward onto his pack. Romaric wasted no time in sliding underneath the thin covering to lick and stroke Kieren’s shaft. Romaric’s tongue was a flurry of movement as it licked up and down, and then swirled around, Kieren’s slender tool. Romaric eased back the excess skin and his tongue roamed around the sensitive surface. When he had teased Kieren to full arousal and beyond, Romaric let his mouth surround the lengthy toy and he eased his head downward, until he felt the tip of his nose being tickled by Kieren’s pubic hairs. He used his mouth to pump up and down on Kieren’s love muscle and he sucked like a hungry babe at its mother’s breast. The combination of stimuli soon had the young recipient moaning and wiggling from the enjoyment. Romaric was also using his hand to stimulate Kieren’s orbs and the base of his shaft on each upward movement. Romaric had great skill at pleasing his friends orally and he could feel Kieren’s ecstasy building. Wetting one of his fingers as he dropped downward on Kieren’s penis, he slipped that finger down between Kieren’s fleshy mounds and eased it up against the opening. Kieren’s body offered no resistance, as this was a common practice in their activities, and it slipped easily past the guardian of his gate. Romaric stretched that digit forward, until he found his friend’s leathery gland, and then he began to rub it, using little circular motions. This was all it took to take Kieren to the brink and over it. Soon his body arched upward, thrusting his erection down Romaric’s throat, and he unleashed several volleys of his hot boy juice into Romaric’s experienced gullet. Romaric continued to suck and tease out all of the fluid that had just been produced, and he wouldn’t stop until he was convinced that the well was dry.

Romaric sat up and watched Kieren’s trance-like movements, as the dark-haired boy was still awash in the afterglow of his orgasm. Romaric noted the beads of sweat that dotted Kieren’s forehead and cheeks, realizing Kieren had enjoyed a suitable workout. He looked over at Garreth, who was already crawling around beside him, as Garreth was ready to take his turn pleasing one of his mates. Garreth was already untying the strings that fastened his friend’s knickers and Romaric quickly grabbed his own blanket and threw it over them. Garreth nudged Romaric to lift his hips off the ground, and he slid the boy’s britches down, as soon as there was a gap between his body and the ground. Romaric knew the routine and he lay back to enjoy Garreth’s attention.

Romaric loved the feeling as Garreth’s tongue roamed the surface of his most private areas. Garreth’s oral muscle was hot and wet, and he licked it so gently that it felt like a damp satin glove slowly gliding around his genitals. It was also like the feel of the dew-laden branches of velvety bushes tenderly passing over the exposed skin, as you crawled through the underbrush in the early part of the day. It was moist, invigorating, and it tickled slightly as it teased the follicles on the skin. That was how Garreth was now stimulating Romaric’s penis, teasing and probing it now in earnest. Finally, Romaric felt the warm, moist lining of Garreth’s mouth envelop the entire length of his love muscle and he surrendered himself to the awesome pleasure this gave him. Slowly, Garreth’s head rocked up and down, and his tongue bathed Romaric’s boyhood in saliva. He sucked as if he wanted to pull all of Romaric’s internal organs out of the small eye at the top of his helmet, and Romaric swooned from the all-consuming sensations. With each nod of his head, Garreth brought Romaric that much closer to his release. After a few more minutes of this intense action, Romaric groaned, thrust his hips upward, and he buried his straining erection deep into Garreth’s throat. As the creamy concoction flowed from Romaric’s wand and into Garreth’s talented mouth, he collapsed from the intense release that was overtaking him. When the last of his fluids had flowed from his slit, Garreth released his meat and left Romaric to enjoy his time in the heavens. As Garreth moved back into his own place, he figured Kieren was already asleep, and soon he and Romaric joined him.

Kieren did not fall asleep immediately, however. Instead he became absorbed with the beauty and newness of the night sky above him. The first thing he noticed was the size of the moon that hovered over the landscape on this nearly cloudless night. He had seen the moon from his home in Aurelia, but never had he seen it in its entirety. He only caught a glimpse of it as it shone through the trees, but he never imagined that it was this large. Although it was only a quarter moon, he could still discern its true size, and it bathed the ground in a soft, white light. ‘Hopefully.’ Kieren thought, as he lay flat on his back gazing at the heavens, ‘the moon won’t shed enough light to reveal our presence to outsiders.’

He also took note of the stars, which were far more numerous than he ever imagined. In the woods he had only been able to glimpse a few stars at a time, but now the firmament was awash in glowing dots of light, some producing the light themselves while others merely reflected the light of the brighter objects that glowed near them. For the first time, he was trying to comprehend the vast numbers of these objects that appeared above him, when he noticed that certain combinations seemed to form patterns in the nighttime sky, and soon he could recognize the outline of various objects drawn against the dark hue of the heavens. He continued to try to distinguish these patterns until his weary body gave out and he lost consciousness.

The following morning, Kieren rose when the first rays of sunlight danced off of his eyelids again. He awoke the two young elves who were sleeping beside him and, after a hasty breakfast, the boys became curious about their new surroundings, and wished to learn more about it. The problem was, they were still worried about what they might find. Kieren was the one to tackle this issue, by summoning up the resolve he had mentioned earlier, and began to emulate the courage of a king.

“I’m not going to pass up this opportunity and sit like a frightened child,” he told his friends. “I’m going to Beraut and ask for his permission to look around.”

“You’re crazy,” Garreth quickly chided him. “Who knows what might be out there waiting for us.”

“Yeah,” Romaric agreed, “a bunch of spies might have been watching us all night, just waiting to kill us a few at a time.”

“Just listen to yourselves,” Kieren scolded. “You sound like frightened little babies. If Beraut and these warriors can’t protect us, then what difference would it make? You don’t have to join me, if you don’t wish, but I’m going to do this.” The two elves looked as if they had been backed into a corner. Hurriedly they whispered between themselves, and then they looked at their friend.

“Then so will we,” Garreth informed him, with Romaric nodding at his side. “We made an oath, remember? No matter what we do, we’ll do it together.”

“Yeah, and we’ll defend each other to the death,” Romaric added, with more bravado then he thought he had in him. Kieren now eyed his two friends, studying both them and their words. Finally, his lips began to curl, as their offer sank in.

“Agreed.” He reached out his hands at this point, taking one hand of each of his friends, palms together and fingers intertwined. This was the elfin sign that a promise had been made. “Brothers to the end, together in everything we do,” Kieren added, before they went off to find the mage, in order to beg him to let them go off and investigate.

“Please, Beraut, just let us check out some of the area,” Kieren pleaded. “We’ve never seen anything like this before and there is probably even more to discover.”

“No, I’m afraid that is totally out of the question,” the wizard stated, firmly, letting the boys know he was not about to give in on this issue.

“Please, Beraut,” Garreth whined. “We need to have SOME fun.”

The enchanter scowled at the elf and gave him a look that made him catch his breath. “I don’t remember promising any of you this would be fun.”

Garreth was too terrified to speak again, knowing he had summoned the wizard’s ire, so he hung his head and gave up the fight. However, Romaric wasn’t so easily dissuaded. “But would it hurt for us to have just a little fun?”

“Actually, it could do just that. We are no longer in the Woods of Wildoness, and there are many things in this part of the world that could do you great harm.” Romaric opened his mouth to say something else.

“But we made a pact…” Beraut cut him off.

“There will be no further debate on this topic, as it is time to move on. Follow me and we shall get our mounts, and then be on our way.”

The three were sorely disappointed that they did not get their way, but they did as they were told. Some of the elfin soldiers had already saddled up the horses, so they had nothing to do but climb upon their backs and prepare to ride off. The company had been riding for a little over an hour before Kieren spied another electrifying sight. Up until this moment, Kieren and his companions had been so absorbed in their own conversations that they had become totally oblivious to everything else. They had not heard any of the conversations conducted by the others around them, but their inattentiveness ended when Kieren caught a glimpse of the mighty river in the distance, as it cut through the plains over which they were riding. It was not as if he had never seen a river before, for his home in Aurelia was very near the banks of the Sparkling River, but it was located so near its source that it was not nearly as broad or as swift as the one before him. Kieren sought out Beraut so he could find out the name of this magnificent torrent of water. The wizard informed him that this was the Shadow River and it flowed past Leander, just before it emptied into the Great Western Sea.

The party continued to move toward this impressive waterway until they came to a point where the river turned slightly to the northwest, causing the current to slow slightly. The band would ferry across the river at this juncture, and then they would continue their journey to the capital. Before they crossed the river, however, they would first dismount and take a quick bite to eat. The meal was not elaborate, just some elfin bread and cheese, chased down with a draught of the ale that they carried in their pouches. As they were finishing their meal, the ferry crossed over to the shore on which they waited. They gulped down the rest of their lunch quickly, so they could get on the ferry as soon as it touched the shoreline. It took about five minutes to load and another twenty minutes for them to cross the river. Kieren spent the entire time observing how the ferry operators cranked in the rope that guided them back to the opposite shore, and he was enthralled with the procedure and the powerfully built men who operated the machinery with amazing ease. General Daveel brought Kieren out of his trance-like fascination with the crew with a quick comment, and they mounted their steeds as soon as the ferry was anchored against the shore. Now they only had a short distance to cover, before the reached the ancient fortress.

Shortly after they crossed the river, Kieren could see a gray mound looming in the distance, and he immediately wanted to know what it was. “What’s that?” he asked the wizard, while also pointing at it.

“That,” Beraut informed him, in a hushed voice, “is the home of your ancestors, the Castle of Leander.” It took a few seconds for that information to sink in, but when it did, his mouth fell open and his eyes bulged from their sockets.

“What did you just say?” he gasped. The enchanter gave him a wry smile in response.

“This is not the time or the place to explain, for there are too many other ears that might overhear our conversation. You will learn more about that later this evening, but for now, let’s just leave it at that.” Kieren didn’t know what else to do, but nod, so he didn’t say anything more, although his mind ran rampant with the countless possibilities of what Beraut’s words might mean.

Kieren’s eyes now became focused upon the fortress, as he tried to assess what it looked like. His gaze remained fixed on it for the rest of his journey and he couldn’t help but become more impressed the closer they came to this formidable structure. As they drew closer to the castle, the walls seemed to rise endlessly upward and tower over them. Having only seen the tree dwellings of the elves, he marveled not only at the size of this mighty citadel, but also at the size of the materials with which it had been built. The individual stones used in its construction were massive and any one of them could easily have crushed both him and his companions.

By mid-afternoon, they arrived at the gates of the castle. Kieren was now even more impressed than before, and he couldn’t fathom how such a structure could have ever been breached. As they passed through the Great Gate and came into the Outer Courtyard, Kieren sat frozen in fascination at the sight of this massive building, which was supported by equally immense buttresses along its length. These bulky supports, which helped to keep the heavy walls upright, looked like the ribs from the carcass of some gigantic animal, but also gave it an impressive air. After studying the structure, there was no doubt in Kieren’s mind that this building was the center of all of the political and social functions held within the castle.

Eventually, Kieren’s gaze wandered from the main building to its neighbor. Here, standing in the same regal splendor as its counterpart, stood the Cathedral with its two tubular spires extending heavenward on either side of its huge central door. There were grandiose statues placed strategically across the face of the building and there was an enormous circular window adorning the front wall. This window was made of many panes of multicolored glass and it was placed strategically between the two spires and over the main entrance. In this place, all of the religious pomp and circumstance of the nobility and upper classes transpired. From within the sanctity of these very walls, all of the religious edicts issued in Tarolia had their origins.

Kieren’s mind was lost contemplating the vastness of such a stronghold that could house two such colossal structures, but there was much more. Kieren reeled with astonishment at the unending distractions of sights, sounds, and smells that assaulted him from every direction. First, there were numerous smaller buildings lining the castle’s inner walls. Off to their right was the enlisted men’s barracks, with soldiers constantly meandering in and out of its entranceway. Just beyond the barracks were the stables, with their variety of noises and odors, which made Kieren thankful that the wind was blowing from his rear and toward the stables, not the other way around. This kept the stench from his nostrils, and the journey had already supplied him with more than enough chances to smell horses and their excrement.

Looking to his left, Kieren spied the guardhouse. It stood next to the officers’ barracks, which Kieren quickly noted was not as busy as the enlisted man’s quarters. It was more ornate and the rooms were probably larger and better furnished, but it served only a few. The old saying was obviously true. Rank DID have its privileges.

The lad now turned to see the rest of the party slowly ambling on their steeds in the direction of the stables. He urged his mount to follow and soon caught up with them, just as they began to dismount and stretch. Kieren leapt from his horse and bolted to where Beraut stood, as he sought to ask his guardian if he and his friends could go off and explore the rest of the castle.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Beraut advised them.

“Oh, come on,” Romaric begged. “Can’t we just look around for a little while?”

“I’m not sure the castle is any safer than the area we were in this morning,” the wizard began, only to have King Dylan and General Daveel signal him. The wizard moved over to where the other two were standing and began a whispered conversation with them.

“Beraut,” General Daveel began, “I think the lads could roam safely within the castle, as long as they stayed to the main thoroughfares. The fort is heavily guarded, and any attempt to harm the boys would be quickly dealt with.”

“Yes, Beraut,” King Dylan added, “I’m afraid they’ll just be in our way until the council meeting tonight, and they’ll probably be insufferable, if we don’t let them have some enjoyment.”

“Yes, I suppose you are correct,” he replied simply. Having said that, Beraut walked back over to where the boys still awaited him and informed them what they had agreed to.

“We will allow you to take a quick tour of the castle, if you agree to stay on this main path, which runs completely around the castle. That way we won’t have to worry about you getting lost or into something that you shouldn’t. I will also need you to promise to meet us back in front of the main hall before sundown. Is that agreed?”

The boys responded immediately, both in words and with the nods of their heads, and satisfied with this compromise, they hurried away, eager to see what they might find.