antaria-4
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ANTARIA
by Andrew
The Arrival =============
"Jason! Jason!" I heard a voice from distance. After I started stirring, I felt soft rubbing on my back.
"Thank god you're OK! Do not scare me like that again, you hear me!" Derek warned me.
"I will take it into consideration!" I replied, groggy and my head aching like I had been hit with a hammer right on top of my head.
Derek gave me his elbow, I felt sharp pain in ribs: "I'll show you consideration, asshole! Can't you drop this smart-ass attitude at least for a while?"
"Sorry!" I murmured.
Derek helped me to sit up. My head was still spinning lightly but pain was subsiding and my vision cleared as well. The man I saw earlier was still standing a few metres away from us. His wavy hair was carried into all directions by wind.
"Derek, who is this man?" I asked, not taking my eyes off of the man.
"This is Oria. He is my personal aid or servant. Take how you like it." Derek answered.
Oria stepped closer, dropped to his knees and saluted: "Mighty One, I welcome you to our humble world. Please, feel free to tell me any of your wishes!" he declared, head bowed.
"Suck my dick!" I muttered. To my surprise I saw how Oria's hand reached my groin and I saw with horror that he was really going to fill my wish.
"No, Oria, please! I was just kidding… Oh god, Derek! Where have you brought me? Is there anyone left except you, who'd understand a joke?"
Oria was now beet red, poor man. But I cannot resist cracking jokes like these… It is nice to see how people get uncomfortable, how they start squirming out of embarrassment. Derek gave me the "stare" which could only mean one – I'll get your sorry ass for this! Fine by me! I was getting tired being top… I wanted a piece of dick myself… Wait a minute! Why the hell am I so horny suddenly? I felt my dick rise in my pants and my dick did not feel the same at all. I stood, turned to Oria with my back and undid my pants. The thing I saw made me shriek and jump… I had foreskin! No way…
"Derek! What the hell is it? What?" I demanded from him with seriousness.
Derek glanced down and his eyes flew wide as well: "Cannot be! How is this possible? You have developed a foreskin! Not that I complain, of course, but this is so weird…"
"I know! But how?" I still whined. Foreskin was something that I was "ripped off" from while still a baby. It's molestation of boys in my opinion but I wasn't that time in any state to argue. Now I had a very nice patch of skin, loosely covering head of my dick. I retracted the skin and it felt so good. Now I knew how a guy with a foreskin must feel like – so much more sensitive and so definitely much more erotic…
"I have no idea how!" answered Derek. He reached out and took my dick with his fingers right from behind the head and retracted the skin. Oh my! It was even better then doing it myself… "But it seems to be working properly and without any malfunctioning, I guess…" he giggled, giving my dick a stronger squeeze.
"I think we need to explore this new development tonight. You in?" I winked him.
"Sure!" he giggled like a child who has been granted biggest wish ever.
Oria stood in some distance. Now I saw leather bag on grass. "What's that?"
"This is your new outfit, Prince!" answered Oria tentatively. With that, he stooped to bag, scooped it into his hand and very carefully took out a smaller package. It was wrapped into blood-red velvet. From that package he took out completely white cloth. After he took it out, he let the bag drop on grass, also velvety bag and unfolded the cloth. It was a marvellous piece of art, I must admit. Even Gucci's finest clothing didn't even get close to it. It was a white robe, like a nightgown, only material was thicker and finer. Whole cloth was embroidered with golden thread that sparkled in the sun. Thread formed very interesting patterns, mostly of non-living or existing objects. Thread was embroidered in mirror image from one side to the other.
Oria let the fabric fall freely, it made me feel that this fabric was like feather – so soft and surprisingly very light.
"Let's put this on to you, Jason!" Derek told me.
"This is too good, Derek! I can't wear this! What if I rip it on somewhere or get it dirty. Cannot I go in these clothes?"
"No. The white robe is a token in my world. A token of very high importance. Only red outranks your colour. White colour is the token of someone highly respectable, very close to the royal family and to the Palace. Your person is going to be an object of high honour. After we get into castle and into the Palace, I'll explain everything, I promise. And if you do rip it somewhere, do not worry – we've got plenty of them."
Oria held the robe and helped me dress. It was funny feeling, I mean, to feel no pants and a wind blowing freely onto my privates. That was about to change.
Oria took out another piece of white cloth, from the same material. This was a long and not very wide. Derek lifted my robe and Oria kneeled in front of me, just like a guy who would give a blowjob.
My panicked look made Derek chuckle: "Relax. You'll have diapers now. No pants whatsoever."
Diapers? My beet red face and angry look made Derek to kiss me on my neck and chuckle even more. Then I felt soft touch on my dick and balls. Oria lifted them, put this cloth under them, lifted front side, made a curve to backside, tied them there, came with backside piece front again and then tied the remaining loose ends together with a golden safety-pin. By the time he reached backside, I was hard and my dick fell out. Oria took it gently and positioned it back into diapers. My light shudder made him look up to me and I smiled. He smiled back. I nodded to him and he put his hand back into my pants and retrieved my dick. The tip of my dick went into his eager, moist and soft mouth. Derek, who was behind me, didn't even notice this but after few seconds he felt that no movement was to feel concerning tying up diapers and he glanced to front. He saw my dick in Oria's mouth. He winked me and I in the same time placed my hand on Oria's back head to force a bit more of my dick into his mouth. Oria's mouth made me feel very good, he was like an expert.
Derek left me and went to Oria. Derek undid Oria's pants and let into freedom a large and dark dick, veins protruding under the skin. His foreskin was retracted and the head glistened with moist. Derek took fully down Oria's pants, revealing a perfect round ass, covered with light dusting of dark, curly hair. I have always admired and adored beautiful male asses. Female asses are too soft, out of form or just plain. But male ass is round, firm, hairy… The nicest ass in my opinion is a round, quite hairy, narrow and soft ass. It's just so exciting to look at an ass in movement – all those muscles working in unison, ass-cheeks moving up and down… Oh, I wanted that ass!
Oria's mouth was working on my dick and in the same time worked Derek on Oria's ass – he licked it, fingered it, touching Oria's balls and dick. After some time Derek grabbed Oria by hips and turned him on his stomach. That, of course, meant that I had no longer a nice tongue wrapped around my newly sensitive dick. To compensate, Derek positioned himself above Oria's face and let him suck and lick everything Oria wanted which left me the orifice of this wonderful piece of art of nature. I kneeled between Oria's legs and he lifted suddenly his hips to meet my body. Oria' hands were busy spreading Derek's ass-cheeks and his tongue lathering Derek's hole with his saliva. Derek moaned and groaned and his member throbbed with every heartbeat. I marvelled Oria's powerful V-shaped torso, flat and chiselled stomach showing firm six-pack and his throbbing member. I wanted to suck it. I took his member into my hand, drew back foreskin and sucked it all into my mouth. I must say that Oria's dick was perfection – soft skin yet hard, shaped evenly and slightly thicker from base. To eye it measured almost 9 inches man meat.
I sucked on Oria's dick, marvelling all the interesting spots that made Oria writhe and squirm, felt his pre-cum on my tongue.
After a while, Derek came off from Oria's face and joined me to suck and pet Oria's dick, fondling his balls and fingering his hole. Oria's hips never seized to move after Derek started fingering him. Oria's moves were to get more and more of the finger into his body, closer to the spots deep inside that would bring him more and more joy.
"Please, Prince Jason! Please, fuck me! Oh, I need you to fuck me!" pleaded Oria, gasping for air and grinding his fingers into soft grass.
I gave a look to Derek and he nodded. I leaned to him and whispered into his ears: "Derek, while I fuck Oria, please, do the same to me!"
Derek nodded and positioned himself right behind me, his dick touching my ass cheek. Oria lifted his thighs to his chest, revealing a hairy and inviting pink hole. That one had to be licked! I let myself drop to my elbows and dug my tongue right into Oria's fantastic hole that was twitching already. In the same time, I felt how Derek applied some slippery stuff onto my own hole and his dick made contact. After just rubbing his dick up and down my crack, Derek finally started pushing in. I was so high from previous stimulations that I very eagerly pushed back. My tongue and lips were busy on Oria's hole and I just couldn't get enough. Derek's dick popped in and he started rocking his hips back and forth, driving his member deeper and deeper. Then suddenly Oria sat up, moved himself closer to me, grabbed my dick and pointed it to his hole. With one mighty thrust I was all the way in his velvety canal. Boy, that was heaven! It was really interesting to feel Derek's cock moving inside me and then to feel my own dick moving inside of Oria. It took me only five or ten minutes to bust my nut. Convulsions in my ass made Derek cum and Derek's strong thrusts driving my dick even deeper and further into Oria made Oria cum. Like a chain reaction. I collapsed on Oria's heaving and hairy chest, inhaling his manly scent, mixture of summer smells, sweat and manliness. Derek collapsed on my back. I felt his heart beating with strong, fast and powerful beats. I'm sure that it could have been seen even from outside.
After catching our breaths, Oria snaked out beneath us, stood and said warmly: "My dear Princes! There's a pond nearby. I'm suggesting paying a visit to that pond and refreshing ourselves!"
"Your suggestion approved, Oria! Lead the way!" answered Derek, wobbling on his legs. "Oh, look what you have done to me! I'm like an old man, not even able to stand on my own. Boy, you drained me! You know, Jason, you've got one hell of a man hole on you! It's like suction pump!"
I winked at him, laughed and leaned to him for a kiss: "I'm glad you liked it! Oria's fantastic as well, by the way!"
"I know!" answered Derek, twinkle in his eyes. He must know something more.
To my gaze, he made a surprised and innocent look and asked: "What?"
"Spill it, pretty boy! You've been in my asshole and I think I've got some right for information!"
"Well, Oria's been my servant or personal aid for a few years. My father, after hearing that I was gay, decided to hire me a professional aid who'd be both a friend, fuck buddy and bodyguard. Oria's 33 years old, been in many battles and has the most wonderful personality I know. He's kind and considerate, always giving his best in any matter at hand. He's the only one I may count on in the Palace. There has been several attempts on my life, he's always been there and taking the first blow. He's an amazing person, Jason! You'll love him! And yes! We have fucked countless times! He's very good top and in the same time insatiable bottom. We have had so many sex-marathons that I've lost count."
We both set our eyes on Oria who was furthering in the direction of pond, I suppose. His muscular ass was moving so erotically that I felt immediately blood rushing into my dick and sure enough – this betraying piece of meat having mind of his own was quite hard again. Derek glanced down and nudged me slightly: "Nothing to be ashamed of! I've never seen him in such flame of passion. He likes you."
"Come, let's catch this beauty and have a bath!" I said and took his hand into mine.
Life was so beautiful at this very moment. I felt no fears, no anguish. I knew why I was in Antaria, I knew why I was brought, delivered, marooned there! I was supposed to fight the battle, maybe even war, between good and evil, choosing allies over foes. I felt quite strong and confident – I had Derek, now I had Oria. My world has widened in so many aspects just over few days. Sadly, of course, I was thinking about my mother and about the pain I was probably causing her. I did not want to hurt her but I was not in any position to argue at this very moment. My destiny was foretold… There was only a possibility to return to my own world one day. In the same time I was beginning to realise what a minor sacrifice I was making choosing my own personal happiness over so many lives. I was beginning to grow fond of the people in Antaria. How could I let them struggle with their own faith when there's something I could do? Oria was a big part of it. His beautiful sad eyes, those deep pools of mahogany, were so full of expectation, so full of plea. I had to save them, no matter the cost. I was determined to do at least my best to save them. And my own life could be lost in the process. I was realistic. I could be killed, or Derek.
And besides – what could have been better arrival gift than sex from one of the most gorgeous specimen of these people?
The Journey Home ------------------
Birds were chirping, sun was high in the sky and we three were splashing one another with water in the pond where water was even clearer than water in my own bath at home. Water was moderately cold, so, refreshing. I felt like a new one. In pond I engaged in most beautiful kiss with Oria, Derek stroking lightly our backs. Suddenly there was a voice or cracking wood. All of us looked into the direction of this sound and there stood six men, all in their prime, dressed up almost in the same fashion as Oria previously with leather pants and a shirt.
Oria let go of us and started leaving the pond. On the shore, he stopped and suddenly boomed at the men: "You fools! Cannot you recognize your Prince of Antaria, the commander of our kingdom, holder of our freedom and of our lives! Kneel before His Majesty and let His Majesty know of your humble services to his person and companion!"
All men dropped to their knees immediately, bowing their heads and expressing their respect. Oria turned around and gave us "thumbs up". Derek, now running on the mode of royalty, emerged from water, approached the men kneeling and announced: "My dear people! I have come back home with some great news! There has been excellent result in my quest for the One. The man in the pond is the person, the One, that would free our world from evil queen Seria and her minions. My people, please, honour this man and let him know that your souls are pure and that your children, wives and yourselves are worth of saving, your lives worth of sparing. His courage and determination will bring peace to this world and to your homes! Honour him and honour the quest for better world!"
All men got to their feet, approached the pond, kneeled again and the eldest of them, I guess, began: "Our saviour, the One, hear our plea! We will be eternally grateful for your aid! Please, let our lives and lives of our children and wives be spared, let our homes lay on the fields in piece, let these pastures be free from monsters of darkness. We give you our lives if needed, we will serve you in your quest for better world and for peace!"
I felt so uneasy. That was the very first time someone would crawl in front of me. There has never been any reason to, too. Now it felt so awkward.
"Please, stand!" I told them. They all rose to their feet, still bowing their heads. The men were handsome, their faces burnt by sun, their hands big and strong – indication of hard, manual labour. Their hair was flowing freely in mid-day breeze.
I went closer to the shore, still a little bit ashamed of my nakedness. Oria understood, approached me and dressed me into this beautiful white gown.
After that, I stepped completely out of the water and approached the men. They were tall, six-three or four. One of them tentatively looked up through his brow but looked fast to his shoes again. I placed my hand on the shoulder of the leader type and said them, trying to be as soothing as possible: "Please, do not feel obligated to plea. Your world is so beautiful and so rich that I wouldn't hesitate doing my best to save it in a heartbeat! There's only hope that we do succeed!"
The men all raised their heads to meet my eyes with theirs. I could see happiness, hope sparkling deep within – they knew I was there to help them, to do my best. I must say that it is a very sublime feeling to see that one's needed, to see that your very person brings some peace of mind. The eyes of these men, the life that ran through them almost gave me wings. I felt so strong and so powerful.
Suddenly I was stricken with mind-blowing pain inside of my head. It was so overwhelming that in front of my eyes I saw only stars dancing, circling and then I blacked out. In a minute I felt like flying – after I learned that Derek carried me on his hands.
"Yuck! Oh dear, what's that smell?" was my first thought as I started coming back. Derek had used some sort of plant's liquid to use in the place of ammonia water.
I sat groggily up, feeling my back's muscles soften and I almost crashed right down again if there wasn't Oria. I fell onto his strong legs, feeling nausea take over. I vomited all over his pants. Now I was embarrassed.
"Quickly! We need to get him in the Palace. There are doctors who can take care of him!" commanded Derek and I felt my body fly again.
Suddenly I felt surge of strength and undeniable boost of willpower. Then again this power completely took me over and I felt like my body and my mind were going to be sliced into two. And then I "popped" out of myself. It was so strange. To my surprise, I started talking: "You fools! Cannot you see that my power in this petty world is superior to any attempts of overthrowing me!? Let no-one come to my path or he'll suffer my wrath. This is your last warning!"
My voice was hollow, eerie. I was like talking behind a grave. Hold on… Damn! This was Seria taking over my body to show these people she can do everything! I got so mad and shouted at my body: "You corny little bitch! Get the hell out of my body and stay out! Who gave you permission to invade my personal space and my body?"
My body turned into my direction, eyes blackened and empty. It was so scary. All the others around me could not see me, but Seria was a master of shadows and her ability was to summon dead – she saw every single "ghost" that was flying about.
"You talk to me, the One? You think that I do not know about the prophecy? Think again! And by the way – your body is so uncomfortable, it has these things dangling. Maybe I should cut them off, just in case if I need to return?"
I glanced at Derek who's panicked look filled with even greater horror. He grabbed my body and Seria gave him a punch that sent him flying some pretty good feet away.
"You asshole! Do not touch me!" Seria shrieked at him. All the other men stepped back in awe. I ran to Derek and kneeled beside him. Then I realised that I was just a ghost. I couldn't do anything to help him.
"You fucking bitch! Come out of there and let's decide who's better!! I yelled at her and she only laughed. Her laugh was so manic that chills ran up my spine, so to speak. I ran up to her and pushed my body. To my surprise, Seria "fell out" of my body and my body limply on the ground.
In front of me stood a strikingly beautiful redheaded woman. Her skin was pale but she was actually very beautiful. She had full lips, body that many men would die for. She wore red dress and a necklace with a pendant. Her eyes were deep white, no iris. Her face was grimaced into something surreal.
"So, there you are! The welfare of my body parts is at this very moment quite important, so, stay away from my body. I need it. I need it to fight you, you evil filth. Believe me, Seria, I will fry your sorry ass and to you, I'm the worst party pooper you've ever seen and will ever see!"
"Really? They sent a kid against my army and me? How sad! I thought for a second that it would be a nice and hard battle with some serious mage, but you? Trust me, boy, take your stuff and hide under a rock!"
"Yeah? We'll see about that! I guarantee you that I will crush you!" I yelled back at her but she only laughed this terrible laughter and suddenly vaporised into a thin air.
My body was lying on the ground and I stepped to it. How was I supposed to go back into it? Then I imagined my body and soul being one again, uniting as one and then I felt great pain again as my soul was sucked back into my body.
I opened my eyes and saw eight heads gathered over me. The closest was Derek, then Oria and then all the other six men. I reached out my hand and Derek grabbed it to help me sit. Now I felt so weak and so drained. She must have taken a lot of strength out of me.
"How do you feel, baby?" Derek asked in great concern. His face was so beautiful at this moment. Poor man…
"Better, giving the circumstances. This Seria-bitch is a real pain in the ass. You know, she's powerful! He literally shoved my soul right out of my body and then I shoved her out of my body, too. Then we had this little chitchat. There's so much we need to learn and talk about. By the way, I feel hungry since she took all my energy. When do we get to the Palace?"
"Well, Oria told that we're a day journey away from capital. This means we need to camp somewhere to eat and to rest. I'll consult these men there, they'll help us."
With that, Derek went off to make plans for a camp. I sat on the near-by rock to marvel the nature and to think. Yes, Seria is powerful. Her very being is so evil that I had never seen before. Why? What is the cause? To me, no one is evil to the core, there's always something good in a person. And if someone has become so twisted and full of hatred, there has to be a reason. I was determined to find out what shoved her onto a path of such evil and contempt for everything alive. Was she too lonely? And maybe she had suffered somewhere the same treatment and here she feels superior because of her powers. I was confused, to say least. In my own world, everything was so simple and understandable. There had never been something in my life I had to fear or fight for. In that sense, our world was easy. It's sad how one becomes to realise what one really had after one looses it. I started feeling homesick, I wanted to see mom, to hug her and tell I love her. I also longed my school and all the people, even annoying Mr Haynes. They all were connected to me and they all were part of my very being. How do I start building a new identity? I was now a Prince or the One, as they say. Sure, I agree that there's this triangle on my shoulder and that everything Derek has said this far, has been truth but still… I just wanted to know why me? Just because I was born exactly one winter earlier than Derek? Confusing…
"Baby, why so down?" I heard Derek ask me.
I jumped a bit: "Oh, nothing really. I was just thinking about Seria and about my role in this. I'm a little bit homesick as well. It's hard, you know! It's hard to be some kind of saviour while just eighteen. How am I going to save these people when I need to be saved myself? I feel too young, too immature. Isn't there anyone stronger and better?"
Derek understood my distress. He draped his powerful arms protectively around my shoulders, rocked me soothingly back and forth: "No need to worry, baby. There am always me. I just want you to lean on me when you feel down and weak. I will protect you and do everything in my power to make you feel secure. I want you to know that I will always be there for you. You know that it was me who brought you here and that I am the one responsible. You'll be fine, I am sure. I know it is hard to be away from home and to be forced to cut all connections but you know that there will be a time when you can return."
"Thanks, hon!"
Derek kissed me on neck and said then cheerfully: "The guys have prepared dinner and camp is also ready. We will go in bed after eating since tomorrow we have a very hard and long day!"
"OK." I mumbled and sighed. This evening will be a nightmare…
Dinner was delicious. One of the men, his name was Arios, prepared it. It was a rabbit (I'm not sure if that was a rabbit per se – but Derek told that this was a small animal very close to our rabbit) fried on open fire, then some interesting cigar-like roots that tasted so much like date being just as mushy, then very sweet fruits that were in a shell and when Arios broke the shell, a long and thick crystal liquid poured out. Everything we ate was done with no metal. To my surprise, not only milk from urver got poisonous, but everything else as well. I wasn't strong in chemistry, so, I just trusted them.
After we ate, Derek rose from the fire and gave me his hand. I stood as well and we climbed into a primitive tent – constructed with leaves, grass and logs, on the ground they had draped animal skins and as soon as my head made contact with Derek's shoulder, I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes and felt emptiness beside me. I made out through leaves that there was sun up high in the sky, it's rays illuminating day. I called out: "Derek!"
After few seconds his head popped into the tent, question on his face: "Yes, baby?"
"What time is it?" I asked. After that I realised how dumb of me to do so. There couldn't be possibly watches.
"Well, the sun is up quite high, I'd say around noon. You getting up?"
"Yes, of course. Are we going?"
"Sure. The guys are collecting some stuff on the fields and then we'll be off. I think we should reach capital by the evening. You ready?"
"Yes, I think so."
I sat up, stroked my eyes and then exited the tent. Oh yes! The morning was wonderful. What kept me amazing was Antaria's nature. It was so full and so rich, also so pleasant.
Oria and other men emerged from behind trees and they all bowed slightly. There was a connection between us and I relished their "unofficial" behaviour. I wanted to be ordinary person.
We started walking towards fields where transportation waited. The men came to the fields by horse-like animals that were commonly used in Antaria as for transportation, for work and for leisure. Soon enough we reached a small barn. Arios opened the doors and took out one of the beasts. It was huge. If you picture an Indian elephant, then this thing was half of it; strong legs wore paws, not hoofs. It had short neck, green eyes, small ears and was covered with thick black fur. They snorted and snarled. They seemed quite intimidating but Arios confirmed them to be very peace loving and calm animals. They called them indes but I intend to call them horses anyway. They ate only grass but also smaller animals if they could catch them.
Arios and other men prepared a larger cart and guided one indes out or the barn. Arios and Oria loaded our belongings onto cart, then we all sat onto it and the journey started. To my surprise, this horse was very graceful, smelled far less than real horses at home and their speed was remarkable. Arios hoped that we'd be seeing gates and pre-fortress of capital even sooner than we thought.
Scenery was breathtaking – peaceful meadows, small coppices and lakes, few streams and rivers. Soon we were on a main road since it was paved with gravel and sometimes we saw passing carts and these same horses.
We reached the first village for a long time. It was getting darker and sun was soon setting. We rattled through the village and everyone that was near to the path of us, bowed to us – I wore my white robe. The news was spreading.
And then, after some more villages and a forest, we reached the first pre-fortress of Antaria, the capital. The city was huge – we could see it miles away. It had so many different smaller forts and pre-forts, complex defence structures. Antaria's heart was situated between rivers Ferdia and Huminia. There was also the Palace – royal castle that was surrounded with highest walls, tipping with incredibly beautiful watchtowers. Derek told me that there were about twenty thousand people living in forts of Antaria! Wow… My hometown was ten times smaller and yet bigger in area. Derek told that a lot of the city was also underground – passages, chambers, crypts. Both rivers, made as one right in the beginning of outer reach of city walls, were diverted underground. Of course, this underground passage was a great risk but river never entered city directly – there were walls along shoreline, making of a river a canal. There was only one drawbridge between outer forts and the castle containing the Palace. The castle was very well protected and beneath it, there were huge, very huge caves that contained a lot of preserved food in a time of siege. These caves also allowed accommodating of non-combatants. Both rivers supplied the castle with almost unending supply of water. In case someone just stopped the flow, there was a hidden canal that was constructed beneath riverbed and which started about two miles upstream. Antaria had never been conquered.
City was divided into ten divisions, each had it's own governing body that subordinated to the city mayor. These governing bodies busied themselves with matters of city. In case of attack and siege, all power in city was transferred to military forces. Ultimate power belonged to king. If the king found something unpleasant, he could overrule without any restrictions. The only city division that had no governing body, was the castle. Everywhere we looked, we could see small holes or windows, high up in the walls that were most likely for crossbowmen. Then there were bigger holes and Derek said that these were for special machines with what during the siege was possible to shoot either large spears or small flamers that incinerated wooden siege equipment. A not very large drawbridge was down yet the gates were closed. Derek told that there were three different gates, outer gate the weakest, to my surprise. Above the alcove were storage rooms for carved stones that were sharp on edges and huge cauldrons for heating up water and then dropping it on enemies.
"This is Oria, His Majesty's Prince's servant. There's His Majesty Prince Derek and his companion, the One, in this cart and we request entrance!" Oria yelled from over the bridge.
"Why isn't he going to the gate directly?" I inquired from Derek.
"If he would, he'd be shot immediately. Everyone that required entrance from this gate, need to ask for it on this side of the bridge." Derek explained.
"Odd!" I remarked. Derek nodded.
For a while, nothing happened. Then, a smaller section of the gate opened and a man stepped out. He wore black pants, green jacket and a silvery helmet. He was most certainly some kind of guard.
"All the people requesting entrance, you are requested to approach!" he announced and stepped back into the alcove, closing the door.
We got out of the cart and walked over the bridge. It was huge, laced with some metal to give it extra strength. There were powerful chains from the tip of the bridge and leading into the wall. We all got close to the gate and waited. There were me, Derek, Oria and Arios. Other men turned back and departed.
Suddenly the gate started rising up into the alcove's ceiling, exposing another gate. Derek motioned to go further. We went further and the gate dropped back into its original place. Then the other gate started rising and we walked to the third gate, the second one dropping back into its place.
At the third gate, there was a small door to our left and it opened. A man stepped out of there and came to us.
"Yes, you have been granted access to the royal passage. There's a royal carriage waiting for you outside. An escort team has been formed. Please, follow me!"
The third and the last door started rising, exposing the inner side of the city. Boy, there were so many people walking. Streets were paved with cobblestone. There stood a carriage that was decorated with red velvet-like fabric and a group of armed men.
Our guide ushered us to the carriage and we stepped in. After that he closed the small door of the carriage and we started moving. People passed from our right and left. Suddenly there was a strong sound of a fanfare-like sound and we stopped briefly. Then again we moved.
Streets and houses were passing; we went through numerous gates and alcoves and then finally stopped in front of a gate that wore a very interesting coat of arms. Royal coat of arms, I was certain. The gate started rising and then from the opposite side a drawbridge was lowered. After that we moved again. And yes, sure enough, there was this river, running between two incredibly high walls. Just like a canal.
We entered another alcove and waited in front of another gate. The bridge behind us was drawn up again and when it was back in its place, the gate started rising.
We passed another two similar gates and then we were in – and there was the Palace!
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The end of Part Four
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Copyright Andrew
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Thanks to all those guys who have given their feedback! You have helped me a lot. I hope you liked the fourth part. The fifth one will be underway in about two weeks.
Thanks again for reading!
Regards
Andy