Sword of Kings
Chapter 18 – A Sigh of Relief

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 small party arrived at the gates of Thorold shortly after sundown. As usual, the gates were already closed and barred for the night. They knew that by turning up at this late hour they would have to signal the guard in order to gain admittance, but there was no other alternative. The three dwarfs drew their short swords from their scabbards and each one banged the hilt of his weapon upon the sturdy wooden gate until a small observation door opened. This peephole was located at eye level on the panel to the right and through it they could see the bushy eyebrows and squinting eyes of the gate’s guard.

“Who seeks to enter Thorold at this hour?” came a stout voice. “State your business here.”

“It is Doenilio, Sedain and Quintain, three dwarfs of this kingdom, and a party of friends. Our arrival is expected by King Brolin.”

The custodian peered through the opening at the companions and studied them carefully. After a few seconds, his eyes twinkled, as he recognized his countrymen. Unannounced, the small observation door closed and those outside were left standing quietly in the torchlight. They heard some scraping noises, as the bars were removed and the gate was unlocked, and the excitement level of those waiting steadily increased. Slowly, one of the huge doors swung outward with a quiet groan and exposed the watch commander, with whom they had just spoken. The three dwarfs did not wait for any further invitation and hurriedly escorted their friends through the opening that led into their homeland. A party of soldiers stood just inside, in case this was some sort of ruse by the enemy to gain admittance.

“Is he going to be joining us too?” the watch commander asked, pointing behind them. “I do not wish to leave the gate open for longer than necessary at this hour.” The others were confused by his comment and turned around to see what he was referring to. That’s when they noticed Qaim was still waiting on the other side of the gate.

“Qaim, come along,” Sedain coaxed him. “We’re going to take you into my homeland now.” Qaim still stood frozen and unwilling to move. The others began to try to coax him inside, but the creature still didn’t cooperate. He did, however, finally respond.

“Qaim no want to go in there. Qaim no want to go down in hole.” None of the others seemed to understand his reluctance, but Kieren had a feeling he knew what his furry companion was dealing with.

“Qaim, everything will be fine,” Kieren told him, soothingly. “This is a very safe place and you will not be hurt.”

“Qaim no like,” was his immediate response and the teen could tell Qaim was truly frightened.

“I know,” Kieren replied, soothingly, in an attempt to reassure their new friend. “It is not something you are used to, but stay with me and no harm will come to you.”

“Young master take care of Qaim,” he asked, sounding like a small child turning to a parent for support. Kieren was deeply touched by the trust the creature was willing to give to him.

“Yes, Qaim, I will,” Kieren told him, while draping an arm around the timid creature’s back. The teen knew the physical contact would help reassure his new friend of his sincerity. “Come on. We’re going in there so we can get something to eat. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh, yes. Qaim very hungry,” he admitted, quickly becoming eager to do as he was asked. “Qaim come inside, but Qaim only stay with young master.”

“That will be fine,” Kieren told him, while also giving him a gentle nudge to get him moving forward. Before long, the entire party was on the other side of the opening. After the gate had been closed, they all turned toward the watch commander, to see what was expected of them next.

“You’re much later than anyone thought you would be,” the watch commander began, “and the King has been deeply concerned about your safety. He feared some misfortune had befallen you along the way. He has left word that you were to be brought to his chambers, immediately upon your arrival. If you will follow me, I will take you there.”

“My friend,” Doenilio addressed him, before the sentry had a chance to move, “there are other needs we must attend to first. We do not wish to be disrespectful to the King, but we have been traveling a long time. We are ravenous and extremely dirty, so it would be best if we had a chance to refresh ourselves before we went to see our Liege. Please send a messenger to inform His Majesty of our arrival and let him know we will present ourselves to him, as soon as we have bathed, changed and grabbed a bite to eat.”

“Of course you are right,” the watch commander replied. “Forgive my lack of etiquette, as we have forgotten all about your needs. I shall dispatch a messenger to advise the King of your arrival and the circumstances of the delay. I will then show you to the guest quarters and have food prepared while you refresh yourselves. Is there anything else you desire?”

“Not at the moment. Just make sure our friends are treated well and there are no delays,” Doenilio told him. “Sedain, Quintain and I will see to our own needs.”

“I shall see that everything is taken care of,” the soldier responded, giving a sharp nod. Turning to one of his subordinates, he barked a command. The guard saluted and did a quick about-face, before he sped down the corridor and out of sight. The watch commander turned back to the newcomers and bowed, as a sign of respect. “If you would follow me, I will see to it that you are all provided with a warm bath, clean clothes and a hot meal.”

The companions nodded their approval and eagerly followed the dwarf down a corridor and through a massive archway. They emerged on the other side to find themselves standing along a balcony, located at the top of a large, well-lit staircase. Kieren scrutinized this new marvel from top to bottom, noticing the delicate details that were carved into every inch of the banister and balusters that supported the handrail. He almost lost sight of the intricate artistry of the detail work, as he was overwhelmed by the enormity of the entire structure.

The boys moved to the front of the group, so their vision would not be obstructed by large, bulky bodies their companions. They wanted the best view they could get of this magnificent structure and didn’t want to take the chance of missing even one tiny detail. The trio didn’t even wait to find out where they were going, before they started to descend the multitude of stairs. Qaim went right along with them, as he almost seemed glued to Kieren’s side. The others in the group simply smiled and followed the boys, once their guide and the three dwarfs did the same.

The stairway led down into a vast opening, which seemed to serve as a large public forum. There were several streets branching from it in various directions, so it was obviously also a hub of activity. Each of these new passages was fairly well lit and meandered past rows of shops or a myriad of simple dwellings. Once they reached this point, the boys stopped and waited for someone else to take the lead, as they had no idea which passage they were to follow next. As the watch commander started to move back in front of them, so he could show them the way, Doenilio, Sedain and Quintain bid the others a fond adieu.

“We beg your indulgence,” Sedain announced, “but we will be going to our own homes now. We prefer to clean up there and eat with our families. We will rejoin you shortly, though, before we go to meet with the King.”

The others readily understood the dwarfs’ desire to see their families again, since each of them would have liked to have the opportunity to do the same. Therefore, they enthusiastically sent the dwarfs on their way. Doenilio was off to see his wife and children, while Sedain and Quintain went to spend time with their parents and siblings. The dwarfs turned and waved again, before they veered down another alleyway and drifted out of sight.

The watch commander quickly summoned those who remained to follow him and led them down one of the other streets, past rows of shops. As they sauntered past the inhabitants of the city, many of the residents would openly stop and gawk at the strangers. The dwarfs weren’t being rude, but in recent years, visitors were seldom seen in Thorold. However, it wasn’t merely the appearance of the men and elves that had caught everyone’s attention. Qaim’s presence was even more of a curiosity, as his likes had never been seen in these hallowed corridors before.

This immediately created a problem. Qaim was already greatly unsettled by just being in the tunnels, but the stares of numerous dwarfs only seemed to magnify his discomfort. Qaim began to panic, before instinctively moving closer to Kieren for protection. Qaim hid behind the teen, like a small child taking shelter behind a parent, but this only lessened his uneasiness. It did not eliminate it. He did, however, continue on, as he didn’t want to lose contact with his protector. He had spent years fearing dwarfs, and even though he had formed a truce with Sedain, Quintain and Doenilio, he was still leery of those he had no previous experience with.

Although the others were coming under similar scrutiny, they did not falter in following the watch commander and continued to make their way down the various passageways. On they went, until they came to a halt in front of a large structure, which appeared to be the dwarf equivalent of a luxury residence for dignitaries. As they entered the doorway, they were met by a host of servants, each one assigned to a specific traveler. The various guests were immediately whisked off to separate plush suites, where a bath was being prepared for them as they arrived. An array of garments was also displayed for their perusal, so they could select what they wanted to wear, once they had finished cleaning. Other servants were also there, to help unpack their gear and take away their soiled garments to be laundered and mended.

Qaim protested vehemently about being separated from Kieren, especially since he had to go off with members a race of people he did not yet know or implicitly trust. In attempt to alleviate his friend’s fear, Kieren stroked Qaim’s fur and whispered soothingly to him. “Qaim, they will not hurt you. I promise. They will just take you to be washed and then they will bring you back to join up with us again. Would you please do that for me?”

“Qaim want to go with young master,” he announced, as he clung to Kieren’s arm.

“We’ll be back together shortly and nothing bad will happen to you while we are apart,” Kieren assured him. “Please go with this dwarf. The faster we get this done, the sooner we will be able to eat.” Qaim’s body seemed to relax a bit, after hearing that.

“They give Qaim munchies?” he asked, temporarily forgetting about his other concerns.

“Yes, Qaim. If you go with them and get cleaned up, they’ll let you eat as much as you want,” Kieren advised him.

“Qaim go with little person then,” he said stoically, before he was led away by one of the servants. Kieren just smiled as the furry creature walked away, thinking about how strong an incentive food was to his newest friend. Kieren went off in a different direction, following behind another servant, as he was taken to his own room. The teen did glance over his shoulder, to make sure Garreth and Romaric were not left behind, and he was relieved to see them following their own guides.

When Garreth reached his suite, he immediately began to undress, not realizing there were female dwarfs in the mix. However, as soon as he heard the first feminine voice ask him for his dirty garments, he panicked and raced to the other side of the bed, so he could hide behind it. Slowly, and with great diligence and stealth, Garreth stripped out of his clothing, using the bed for cover. After removing each item, he would toss the soiled article across the bed, to the waiting servant. Once she had all his filthy attire, she left the room, much to Garreth’s relief. Once he felt the coast was clear, he moved away from the bed and over to his waiting bath.

Romaric had also immediately began to undress, just as soon as he entered his room, but once he took note of the fact there were female dwarfs in his room as well, he grew embarrassed and attempted to jump under the covers of his bed. This only earned him a harsh reprimand.

“Don’t you dare get into that bed with those dirty clothes on,” one of the women scolded him, which caused him to freeze where he was, not yet completely under the blankets. Making another quick decision, he grabbed a hold of the quilt, yanked it from the top of the bed and pulled it over his head, so he could undress beneath its protective folds. He heard more protests about what he was doing, but he just ignored them and continued on. As he removed each article of clothing, he would toss it out from under the quilt, until he was standing completely naked beneath it. Needing a little more security, Romaric pulled the coverlet tightly around his body, allowing only his head to peek through the opening at the top, and then he waited until nearly everyone had left, before he felt it was safe to take his bath.

Finding himself in a similar situation, Kieren had his own dilemma to deal with. He wanted to quickly undress and hop into the bath, so he could enjoy its soothing embrace, but he was too self-conscious to do it with females constantly roaming in and out. Instinctively, the teen moved off to one side of the room and tried to blend in with the woodwork, so he wouldn’t be noticed. He hoped that would be enough to get the dwarfs to just leave him in peace, but it did not happen. Instead, one of the females began to prod him to give her his dirty clothing. Frustrated and understanding she wasn’t about to leave until he did as she asked, Kieren exploded.

“I’m not getting undressed with you in my room!” he screamed at her. She looked stunned and just stood there motionless.

“If you want my clothes, then wait outside in the hallway and I’ll send them out to you. I’ll have one of the boys bring them out,” he indicated, motioning toward the two young men filling his bath.

Reluctantly, she finally agreed and left the room, giving Kieren some space and a little peace of mind. Once he was sure there were no other females around, Kieren began to remove his clothing, but he was still a little hesitant about disrobing in front of these other strangers. After carrying on a mental debate for a brief time, his desire to soak in the bath eventually grew stronger than his reluctance to be seen naked. Hurriedly, he shed the rest of his garments, handed them to one of the young dwarfs and directed him to take them out to the female who was waiting in the hallway.

Having shed the last of his inhibitions, Kieren went over to investigate the temperature of his bath. After swirling his hand in the water and finding it acceptable, he began to finger the sweet smelling bar of soap that lay on the small table near the tub. He lifted it to his nose and took a whiff, only to discover that its smell that reminded him of the evergreen trees of the forest. This instantly brought back memories of his home in Wildoness, which temporarily distracted him. However, his mind soon returned to the present.

It was the combination of the enticing fragrance of the soap and the inviting temperature of the water that eventually beckoned Kieren to slip into its warm, soothing embrace. Once submerged, he let its relaxing touch drain the weariness from his body and his mind. Kieren was thoroughly enjoying this leisurely activity and wished he could stay and partake of its comfort for a considerably longer period of time, when his stomach grumbled and reminded him about his other needs. Giving in to his hunger, Kieren emerged from the tub, quickly dried himself off and then moved over to look at the garments that had been laid out for him.

As he examined the clothing, Kieren noticed their style was different from the attire he was accustomed to. He also recognized this apparel was not typical of the garments worn by the dwarfs either. Suddenly, it became apparent to him that these items were very similar to the clothing worn by the Steward of Leander, when they met the first time. This made the young man wonder if Beraut had ordered the garments for them while they were at the castle and then had them shipped here in advance of their arrival. Kieren did not have long to ponder this thought, however, for he had just finished putting on his stockings and breeches when there was a knock at the door.

“Who’s there?” he asked, thinking it was one of the servants returning.

“It’s Beraut, Kieren. May I come in?” Excited to hear his mentor’s voice, the young man raced over to the door and flung it open.

“I was hoping I’d see you soon!” he exclaimed, as the door swung back and slammed into the wall.

“Well, it’s nice to see you too, my boy,” the enchanter responded, sporting a huge smile. He was greatly heartened by this warm welcome. “How was your journey?”

“Most of it was awful,” Kieren admitted, suddenly looking very sad. To the mage’s surprise, his ward’s mood immediately made a complete reversal, with Kieren becoming very quiet and withdrawn. It happened the moment Kieren thought back upon all the things that had taken place over the past week. This change was so drastic and unprovoked that it would have been difficult for Beraut NOT to notice it. The wizard instinctively became concerned about what had just transpired and sensed that something must have gone terribly wrong on the trip, to upset the boy so. Beraut felt he had better get to the bottom of it and fast.

“Kieren, what is wrong?” the enchanter asked, sympathetically, as he tried to show Kieren how deeply concerned he was. However, the teen didn’t respond quite the way he expected. Instead of looking at the wizard’s face, Kieren stared downward, at his feet, and didn’t give any type of response. Although troubled by this, Beraut decided not press the issue and gave his charge time to work through his feelings. Finally, the young man looked up again, this time making eye contact with the mage.

“Selvaggio was killed on the way here,” he informed the enchanter, almost in a whisper. Within seconds, Kieren began to choke up and tears started forming in his eyes. Eventually, one of those droplets broke free and streaked down his cheek.

The wizard was stunned by this news, as the dwarf guards had reported the correct number of travelers had arrived earlier. ‘How could that be? Was it possible someone could miscount such a small number?’ Beraut wondered.

“Please, tell me what happened,” he finally stated, aloud.

Even though he wanted an answer, the wizard could see Kieren was too overwhelmed with emotion to tell him any more now. Beraut figured he could get that information from one of the warriors later, when they all met up again. In an effort to console Kieren, the mage put his arm around the lad’s shoulder, hoping this would help to lessen the teen’s grief in some small way. However, unexpectedly, Kieren pulled away from this contact. While Beraut tried to figure out why the boy behaved this way, Kieren already knew the answer. He had jerked from his mentor because he didn’t feel he deserved the mage’s sympathy. Kieren was convinced Selvaggio would have still been alive, if it weren’t for him.