New Beginnings

WEEK SIX - THE EXPEDITION

FIRSTDAY

Yue-Sin was waiting for him as he entered the weapons room. Behind him was a young man of muscular build. Beside him was Ba-Nol. In front of all was a table covered in fisal, on which was a gleaming sword. The face of Ba-Nol glowed as he looked between me and the sword. "It is very beautiful," was all I could find to say.

"Try it! Pick it up!" said Ba-Nol.

I hefted the sword, feeling its weight in my hands after the lightness of wood. Felt its balance and poise. I swung a few strokes. In truth it was like an extension of my arms. Yue-Sin pick up his sword and took guard. I faced him, then we made a few well rehearsed thrusts and parries. "It is wonderful, Ba-Nol. Thankyou."

"My pleasure, my Lord."

"It feels very dangerous though. All I would have to do is slip and I could cut off someone's arm!"

"That is why I would like you to take your wooden sword with you when you travel, as well as this masterpiece." Yue- Sin gestured to the young man behind him. "This is Do-Si. He will be travelling with you as your personal guard. He is handy with a sword, and I would suggest you take time to practise. It will do you both good. You can spar with him now. Thankyou Ba-Nol."

"My pleasure, sir." Ba-Nol bowed to me before backing out of the room.

When the door had shut Yue-Sin continued. "Do-Si has another talent that will serve you well while you are away. It is a talent that make he and I competitors, but while I can't be with you I'll release you to him. He will keep your lizlion warm, won't you Do-Si?"

"It will be a pleasure, sir," he said, a knowing grin stretching his round face. The hint of a moustache marked his upper lip.

"I hope the pleasure will be shared, Do-Si."

"I'm sure it will, m'Lord."

"Take your positions," called Yue-Sin, throwing wooden swords to both of us. "Start!"

Do-Si was a cunning fighter. He was quick with a feint and thrust, he read well the play. I managed the first hit, but it was pretty even overall.

"18 to you, 14 to Do-Si," Yue-Sin said as he commenced to massage. "He will be good practice for you. When we meet up on the Expedition of Lord Srotyr I will test you to see if you have improved."

BOOK 2 - CONTINUED

CHAPTER 2 - CONTINUED

Cavon put down his knife and fork. The food had indeed been delicious. Sjorb and Svena had told him that they didn't like the synthesised food, that it wasn't as good as the real thing. This was why they grew their own fruit and vegetables and had real meat and grains shipped in. Cavon had looked on this with suspicion, but now he had to admit that there was truth in what they said. Svena, commenting on his life on Nu-Chin, said that it must have been wonderful having fresh food to eat at all times. Cavon had replied that he had known nothing else at that time, so didn't notice, but that the variety that existed in the rest of the galaxy way overcame the scant quantity of food types he had grown up with, however fresh.

That night they had eaten what he had been told was a vegetable curry. Because of the cost of importing meat Svena and Sjorb said that they ate little meat. The curry had been rich and hot, eaten with lots of rice. He enjoyed the rice. It was better than any he had eaten at home, more fragrant and light, and much better than that produced by the food synthesiser on his boat. He had eaten way too much, and drunk way too much also. He felt very content, better than he had felt in all his time on Planet T7G8, but somewhere deep inside alarm bells had not quietened down.

Sjorb took up the initiative when the meal finished. "Now, come and sit and have a port with us."

"What is port?" In all the reading he had done port had only referred to a place for boats to shelter.

"Port is a sweet wine. Fortified." This comment had been preceded by the usual brief eye glazing. Cavon had begun to wonder if Sjorb knew anything himself.

"Wine is a drink made from grapes?" Cavon asked.

"Yes."

"I've never seen grapes. What do they look like?"

In a moment the flowing mountain scenes that had occupied all the walls were replaced by fields of broad leaf plants trained on long, linear wires. The image zoomed in on bunches of small, shiny purple balls. "These are grapes," said Sjorb. The images then showed mechanoids collecting the grapes, looking as if they were eating as appendages with tumbler-like endings enveloped each bunch, snipped them off then pushed them into a mouth like opening in their front surface before reaching for another. The story continued to show the making of wine, mechanoids racing around amongst vats and bottles, demonstrated the different wine types, including port.

It all served to emphasise how much there was to know. Wine was such a big topic that people dedicated large portions of their lives to its production, with the best being exported around the galaxy to be consumed by the same people who could afford XTC.

"Yes. I would like to try some port," Cavon replied when his education had finished and icy mountains once again had replaced hot fields and dusty wine vaults. It proved to be sweet and strong, with a delicate flavour that he suspected it would take many years to master. Very good. He could feel his head sagging forward with sleep.

Svena spoke next. "Now, before you go to sleep we have one more thing to offer you. You are a handsome young man in the Chinese style. We have been on this island for 35 years and have not seen any other human in that time. We would like to invite you to share our bed, to add a bit of spice to our love making. That is if you wish. We are versatile and can fit in with whatever you like. And of course we will throw in freshly picked XTC."

Cavon found himself suddenly alert. Sex? No one had offered him sex since he had arrived in Planet T7G8. The closest he got were pornographic holograms that he had found on the ships computer, and of course the holograms he had of Father with William. He knew he was tempted. But he also knew had been set up to be tempted, lulled with the bucolic comfort of alcohol and food. He did not sense danger, but sensed that he would feel an obligation so great that no matter what he found during his inspection that he would not be able to bring himself to report it. So he stumbled to his feet, thanked Svena and Sjorb for their hospitality but claimed excessive fatigue and asked if he could maybe take up their offer on the next day. Both Svena and Sjorb appeared discomforted but had little choice but to accept.

And next day Cavon found the reason for the solicitude. Baby XTC plants grafted to all sorts of exotic plants growing in their "vegetable garden". One of the contractual items that a farmer signed to was to not experiment in anyway with the growing or genetics of XTC plants. This attempt to find a host plant that could be grown off world explained why people from such a wealthy planet as NewSweden felt the need to isolate themselves for fifty years on such a desert world as Planet T7G8. Cavon tried to subtly take photos, though knew that through the lurking servitor animals the island computer was seeing every move and relaying it to Svena and Sjorb. They took no action though. They were gentle, good people at heart, though possibly way too greedy. He did not say anything, feeling too sad to face them again, and let his computer look after the police action that would be initiated by his report. He found out later that they had a second computer, that had no connection with the first, which looked after their research, though not surprisingly it was an empty husk by the time Lind Inc's technicians had a chance to look at it. Much later still he heard that Svena and Sjorb were in the employ of a company of their home planet, a competitor of Lind Inc, and were involved in intentional corporate espionage.

BOOK 1 - CONTINUED

WEEK SIX - THE EXPEDITION - CONTINUED

SECONDAY

Riding beside Wi-Su in early morning mist so thick that the horses' feet disappeared in mist. Wi-Su stayed close and we made slow progress, taking care to not stray from the road. Every now and again our legs brushed. Do-Si and the field worker rode ahead, invisible, but a stretched rope tied to the back of Do-Si's horse and knotted onto Wi-Su's pommel indicated their presence. A pulling on my saddle reminded me of the packhorses that followed behind. Silence contained us, as did the mist. Somehow the white that swirled around us, leaving my eyebrows and lizlion coat dripping water, seemed to absorb any tendency to speech. Father had seen us off at the gate. Wi-Su had been wanting to wait for the mist to lift but Father, more experienced of the road, suggested that we would not have problems as long as we kept the pace slow, and we would be well advanced by the time the mist lifted.

I had little idea where we were. Occasionally bows of trees loomed out of the mist as we veered too close to the left hand side of the road. Occasionally Wi-Su's horse walked in dirt as we veered to the right. Overall we maintained a straight path. It seemed like we would ride forever hidden from the world, like we were riding up into the land of The One. Eventually though we became aware that the sides of the road were visible, the rope had become a little longer in front and behind. Wi-Su gave a tug on the rope, and soon Do-Si and the field worker who were accompanying us appeared in front where they had stopped to wait. "I think we can make more pace now. Let's keep the rope though until the visibility has improved a bit further."

"Yes sir," replied Do-Si, flicking his reins to start his horse into motion once again.

By the time the mist had lifted enough to see our surrounds we had reached the place where Xi-To had fallen in the hole that had broken his leg. The light suggested it was late morning, but no field workers had ventured forth as yet. Working in mist was dangerous, as lizlions liked to take advantage of its cover to stalk prey. They covered the ground silently, but seemed aware of any noise around them. They did stay near water in a mist though, so we had been safe on the road. Wi-Su called a halt and had the field worker build a small fire from dry wood stored on a packhorse to make tea. Do-Si and the field worker took their tea apart.

"Its good being out on the road," started Wi-Su. "Even though we have covered very little ground, it is different than when I ride out to inspect something for Lord Srotyr. I feel I am escaping into freedom."

He was wearing old trousers again and with the way he was sitting, hunched forward onto his bent knees so that his shirt lifted and the pouch of his trousers pulled up tight, his dick was nicely outlined. I wondered if I would get to see the contents of that pouch while we were away. Though sitting with him now, sipping fragrant tea and relaxing, was heavenly enough. "This is something new for me. It does feel different. But I think it is more excitement I am feeling, going to places I have never been before."

"I can still remember my first expedition. I was a little older than you are now, and I was accompanying the mason to whom I was apprenticed. He was searching for a source of stone to build the house in which you now live. The King had brought him up here, but when he had not been happy with the stone that was immediately available the King suggested a location up river. I can understand your excitement."

"How far did you travel?"

"Another day further than we are going to be going on this expedition, but when we started we had no idea how far we were travelling, did not know what we would find. It was more like Lord Srotyr's Expedition, riding into the unknown. Oh, I didn't tell you, I will be joining you on the Expedition when it passes."

"That is wonderful Wi-Su. I will be happy to have your continued company."

"It will be a real expedition. Exploring a cave that maybe goes right through the mountains!"

"It will," I replied, joining in his enthusiasm. "What do you think we will find?"

"I have no idea. But whatever it is it will be new, not seen before by man."

Before we mounted again the rope joining Wi-Su to Do-Si was removed. A quicker pace was commenced, something that the horses could maintain over a long distance. The mist gave way to a fine day, giving a magnificent view of the new land I was seeing. The rising hills on our left had the same red cover of whintox and miscal as I was familiar with close to home. The miscal was white with flower, its scent making the air fragrant. Golden insects hummed the air in their never-ending nectar hunt. The river flat was covered in a reddish grass, grazed by innumerable lizrabs. Those closest fled the sound of the horses, on one occasion onto the road instead of away causing Wi-Su's horse to shy and lift. With difficulty he controlled the frightened animal, then called a stop. It was lunch time anyway and a small stream cut across the valley floor, ducking under the road in a large pipe. This I had not seen before and I explored while the field worker prepared a cold lunch and Do-Si prepared a sleeping area. The pipe was of a white, finely grained substance. It reminded me of Wi-Su's sedimentary rocks, but it seemed impossible that such a perfectly circular structure could be carved from a stone. Wi-Su said that he had never seen such stone except in pipes and thought it was probably manufactured in a way similar to the road surface. As there was no indication of rain the tents were not mounted. We ate then slept, but for only a short time as we didn't want to waste any more daylight than we had to. As dusk closed in we stopped again. Fatigue made my limbs heavy, riding all day made them stiff. I decided to help Do-Si look after the horses and set up the tents, so as to stretch a bit. Wi-Su disappeared into the red forest of whintox and miscal that remained the constant vegetation of this side of the river. Maybe higher up in the hills there was some variation, but I had not entered so far in the past. The scent of miscal that had been powerful by day was cloying by night.

Do-Si bent over so that his pert backside was in my face. He wriggled it and then looked around at me mischievously, a wicked smile creasing his plain face. "When will be get to be alone long enough to had some fun? That Wi-Su hangs around you like a bad smell."

"Maybe when we get to the camp. There he will be busy supervising the work." Thinking at the same time that I hoped he didn't leave my side for even a moment.

"I hope so!" wiggling his arse again.

He had a nicely rounded arse and I couldn't resist giving it a smack.

"Do that again or I'll scream," he joked.

"I'll do more than that when we get the chance," I responded in tone.

"Promises, promises!"

He was being quite forward, but he had shown discretion to date so I decided to ignore it. "Wi-Su approaches."

"Spoilsport," he said softly, then as Wi-Su came near, "The tents are ready sir. I've set up a lamp and laid out a blanket. I'll bring your meal when is ready."

"Thankyou, Do-Si."

The field worker proved to be a good field cook. We ate a tasty stew of chicken with vegetables that had been brought fresh from town, with greens and rice. A little rice wine was drunk as we stared out into the dark. "I feel a little on edge," I said. "Its like the reverse of this mornings mist, lost in black rather than lost in white. I've never been out away from NewTown at night."

"It is a good feeling, when you get used to it," Wi-Su answered. There are no dangers. Lizlions sleep at night. Think of it as a comforting blanket under which you are hiding, and it is not so bad."

"That is a good image. I will hold on to it."

"Good. Now lets go to bed. I want to make an early start again tomorrow. We should arrive in the camp if we make a good pace. Lord Srotyr's suggestion to start out despite the mist has proved to be a good one. Come over here and empty your water first," he finished, moving towards the edge of the bush.

I stood at his side and heard his stream land in the leaves of the miscal. It was too dark to see anything and the scent of miscal covered the odour of his water. My dick was hard which made it a bit difficult to get started, but eventually a second rattle of leaves joined the first as my water released. I could vaguely make out him shaking himself, or at least a movement of his whole body that suggested that. He waited for me to finish before turning back to the tent, lit internally by the lamp. Do-Si waited outside. He would sleep in the foyer, on guard.

We crawled in. This was a low tent, one for travelling. It was not possible to stand. Wi-Su stretched out on his sleeping mat. I was disappointed when he did not take off any clothing before pulling his blanket over himself. "Goodnight, my son," he said quietly.

"Goodnight," I replied, adding "father" sotto voce. It surprised how good it felt being called "son". I slept quickly, content, though the ground was hard and uneven under the thin mattress.

THIRDAY

Morning was wet and grey. Our coats, discarded once the mist had lifted the previous day, were donned before we exited the tent. The field worker had a small fire going under cover of a cloth held up on four stakes, and had tea and hot rice ready. We ate sitting under the partial shelter of the trees while Do-Si and the field worker broke camp, then, after completing morning nature calls in the privacy of personal little clearings in the forest we started another long day on horse. In the wet the scent of miscal did not carry as it had. The air seemed fresher. The river continued to meander through flat fields of lizrab- infested grass and the road continued to meander at the edge above the flood plain. A few new trees started to appear in the forest with leaves of yellow-green that contrasted so with the red whintox that they appeared to be vividly flaunting themselves. By lunch, when we had paused at another small stream, they had disappeared again. The rain was heavier and we slept in tents, the sound of drops on the roof so near my head forming a monotonous music to my sleep. I awoke feeling cold. Everything was damp and in the stillness of sleep a chill had entered. Wi-Su was still asleep, curled in a ball for warmth. How wonderful it would be to be at the centre of that ball, sleeping in his arms as I did with Father!

My head was bent low on the rest of the journey, keeping rain out of my face. I saw little past the neck of Kito. Our pace picked up as we were eager to reach the comfort of the camp. The horses needed little guiding, accustomed to following the formed road, until Wi-Su suddenly called a halt and pointed to a muddy track that parallelled the gorge cut by a more vigorous stream up into the hills. "This is it. We turn here. Pay attention for the track is not good."

The horses picked their way through the heavy mud and fading light. It was almost dark when I thought I could here some noises foreign to the forest coming from up ahead. Then soft lights appeared, and finally we were entering the edge of the camp. The field worker supervisor came to greet us.

"Good evening sir. I miserable day for riding."

"Yes, Zo-Lo. It is good to arrive. Is the tent set up in the usual spot?"

"Yes sir. I'll get a torch and lead the way."

The field worker who had accompanied us joined his fellows while Wi-Su, Do-Si and I followed Zo-Lo further upstream, beyond the noise and bustle of the camp. We dismounted and handed off the horses to field workers who accompanied Zo-Lo, then we started to climb, moving slowly, concentrating on keeping to the path as the torch's light, threatened by the heavy rain, did not cast very far and the path was quite steep and narrow. After what seemed a long climb the ground suddenly levelled out, the path passing between two pedestals. "Here you are, sir. It needed very little clearing, even though no one has been here for a year. The soil cannot be very deep."

The torch illuminated only a small circle of flat ground and a tent looming in front. Zo-Lo lifted the flap of the tent to show us inside. Using a bamboo taper lit from his torch he lit a lamp that sat on a low table. The tent was quite roomy, with a foyer of some few paces deep to remove wet clothing then a area beyond further flaps that was about 5 paces square, very comfortably accommodating two sleeping mats, the table holding the lamp along with paper and writing implements, and clothing racks. It could have housed six people.

"Thankyou Zo-Lo, you have done well. Do-Si, go with Zo- Lo and organise our meal. Give us a little time to refresh before coming back, but have the field workers bring up our bundles while we bathe."

"Yes sir."

When they had left Wi-Su used a taper to light a fresh torch and said, "Before you take off your coat let me show you something that makes this place rather special. He led me out of the foyer into the night and turned left. After a few paces the tent had disappeared into the dark rain. "Stay close," he said, sensing I had stopped to look around. The flat ground gave way to broad stairs that curved away and down to the left, and after some 40 steps ended in another flat area, at the far edge of which, some paces further on, the glimmer of a body of water became visible. I felt a warmth in the air, and noticed that the little of the edge of the pool that I could see appeared quite straight.

"You'll have a chance to see it better tomorrow. It is a rectangular pool of hot water."

"Rectangular?"

"Yes. With walls made of a substance that I have never seen anywhere else. And strangely nothing grows. The water is clear, the walls smoother than a bath."

"Can we bathe?"

"Yes. It is safe. No lizlions have ever been seen near here. I don't know why, as they usually follow water up into the hills as they get older and bigger."

"I meant, could we bathe now? I feel cold and dirty. I am accustomed to bathe every day as I have a bath in my bed suite."

"Yes, we can bathe now. The water invigorates and relaxes after a long ride."

He led back to the tent. "Take off your clothes and put on just your coat," he ordered. Instantly my dick was hard thinking that my chance had finally come to see him undressed. He left the torch in its holder outside of the tent. He took off his coat and hung it on one of a row of hooks at one end of the foyer, that furthest from where the guard's bed mat was laid out. He then took off his damp shirt. While it covered his face I took advantage to watch his torso as it appeared, white with back hair whorling around his nipples and spreading across his chest. I copied his actions, turning away to hide my pouting pouch. But fear of not seeing him undress greater than that of exposing myself caused me to immediately turn back. He hung his shirt over another hook then reached again for his coat, replacing it but leaving his arms inside. His trousers then appeared on the floor at his feet. He stepped out of them and, after extracting his arms, hung them with his shirt. He then looked at me for the first time. I had forgotten to continue my undressing and was still dressed other than my coat, my hands quivering in front of my groin as if about to lift my shirt, but waiting for privacy.

"I'll wait for you outside," said Wi-Su ducking under the flap into the dark. Alone I quickly divested myself of my clothes, not using the shelter of my coat to hide my lower regions from view as had Wi-Su, but putting it on before joining him outside. Wi-Su again picked up the torch and led back to the pool where he carefully placed it in a holder located some distance from the water. His body, a vague shadow as he stood at the pool edge turned slightly white before disappearing into the water. I assume he had taken off his coat. Approaching the water I similarly put down my coat and tentatively stepped into the water, unsure of its depth.

"There are steps," Wi-Su said quietly from somewhere off in the dark. "They are about a forearm wide and shallow."

With less concern I then stepped to find that my foot met water as hot as my bath water at home then a smooth flat surface. After stabilising myself with both feet on this level I shuffled forward till I came to the edge and again stepped down.

"There are 6 steps."

I wondered how well Wi-Su could see me, wondered if my arousal had been discovered. I negotiated the rest of the steps quickly, finding myself in water as high as my groin. I dropped my whole body under the water to be sure that I was hidden.

"Over here. Ahead and to your left."

I didn't see Wi-Su until I bumped into him, then he was only a slightly darker form in the dark. I ran into his arms, outstretched to fend me off, then rotated around to be level with him and looking back towards the lamp. From what I could see he would only have seen me as a dark silhouette, so I thought that my secret was safe. But I did not feel safe knowing he was so close to me and for the first time in my presence completely without clothing. And I could see nothing!

"It feels good. There is something different about this water. It is slippery," he said.

"Yes. And without soap it makes skin feel clean and smooth." I was at that moment exploring how it felt with my hand grasping my dick. I decided that the only way I was going to be able to compose myself was to cum, so I noisily splashed away till I could see the silhouette of his head above the water as only a small melon. I manipulated myself quickly, so pent up that I achieved orgasm in an instant, and then splashed noisily back. "It feels wonderful."

"I was unable to discover the secret last time I was here. The water seems to rise through a circular vent at the far left of the pool, and falls down a similar vent on the far left. There is no indication though of where it goes or from where it comes. I have no doubt that this is an artificial structure, but I have no understanding of how it could be constructed."

"Is it safe to move around?"

"Yes. The water is the same depth throughout, and all walls are smooth and even. Low trees grow on all sides but they don't approach the water. The torch will always be able to guide you back."

I quietly moved away to the right before turning to continue directly away from the torch, into the night. I seemed to have crossed a large distance before finding the far edge of the pool and the exiting steps that bordered it, with the hint of ragged dark on dark a few paces further away presumably being the trees of which Wi-Su had spoken. I turned. The torch was just visible. I suddenly felt very vulnerable, lost in darkness. I stood, unconcerned that my lizlion was going to be on display, to be able to return as quickly as possible. It was not until I could again make out the silhouette of Wi-Su that I felt comfortable again. He was standing, looking in the direction I had originally taken. With renewed desire I slipped down into the water so as approach silently, to see as much as I could. I concentrated on his dick that stood somewhat away from his body rather than hanging limply down. Was he hard? If he was he was not very long. Staying far enough away to avoid discovery I examined him for some time, then backed away to approach more noisily. As soon as I made a noise he dropped under the water, leaving only his head on view.

"This is truly a magical place," I said.

"It is. But let's get back now so we can change for our meal."

"You go first," Wi-Su said when we reached the first step. He turned away as I left the water and donned my coat.

"Okay," I called, unwillingly looking away so he could come out unseen.

"Good, now let's hurry."

The torch sputtered out just as we arrived back, plunging the outside world into darkness. Wi-Su ushered me inside to allow me privacy to dress. Dressed I returned to the dark foyer. Wi-Su entered at my call. He took off his coat and handed it to me. It was so dark that he would not be able to see where I was looking, and I was rewarded by a quick flash of white as he slipped between the flaps into the inner room. A short time later he lifted the flap, giving me enough light to hang his coat. We sat at the table, awaiting Do-Si.

"Tomorrow morning I will inspect the area where the black substance is collected. It is hard work to collect it as it lies under a layer of compacted soil. Then I want to show you a strange rock. I will say nothing of it till you see it, as I want to hear your thoughts uncontaminated by mine."

I nodded, composing how I was going to respond, when light appeared in the foyer and Do-Si called out. "Your meal, m'Lord and sir."

"Enter, Do-Si," said Wi-Su.

Do-Si tied back the curtains, revealing himself along with three field workers carrying trays. In the foyer he took off his coat and kicked off his wet boots then brought in the trays one by one. He laid the table with bowls and chopsticks, then placed covered bowls and a platter in the centre. Water in jugs with cups, and smaller cups accompanying a bottle of rice wine were the contents of the last tray. He took the lids off the food bowls and served rice and stew of lizrab and vegetables into our bowls, then lifted the lid from the platter to reveal hot roast pork and greens.

"Thankyou, Do-Si," Wi-Su directed at Do-Si bowing, retreating form. When the flaps were closed Wi-Su bowed his head to say grace, then we ate.

Leaning back against cushions, belly over full from food that tasted very good, sipping rice wine, I felt a warm contentment wash over me. Wi-Su pushed the table away and similarly lay back, rewarding me with a view of his pouch as his bent leg lifted his shirt. He was leaning to one side and his dick and balls could be made out lying against the prone leg. I hoped that all his clothes were as old and thin as the ones he was wearing. Do-Si entered to remove the dishes. "The rain is heavy?" asked Wi-Su. It could be heard pounding the tent's roof.

"Yes sir. Solid."

"Are you tired, my Lord," he asked. It was a rhetorical question as my eyes were almost closed. "Let's relieve ourselves then and turn in early. I too am weary."

We donned our coats and pulled up our hoods to venture out. Our water tonight was without impact or noise, obliterated by the solid rain. As he lowered himself to his sleeping mat Wi-Su again said, as he had the previous night, "Good night, my son."

And again I replied, "Good night, father." Letting the "father" appear as a mutter.

FORDAY

Morning found the rain had softened. Zo-Lo, when he came to wish us good morning, organised the field workers who brought breakfast to put up the tent awning. It covered a large square in front of the tent, increasing our dry area and therefore our comfort, but it tended to buckle and collapse under heavy rain. We ate breakfast in the open seated on chairs under its shelter.

"Meet us at the old pit after breakfast, Zo-Lo. Bring 15 workers with shovels, buckets, mattocks and barrows."

"Yes sir," said Zo-Lo, as he bowed himself away to leave us to eat alone.

During breakfast silence I admired the view of which I had been quite unaware arriving in the dark. The front of our tent looked down the creek and I suspect, if visibility had been better, across the river valley. The creek valley walls where steep and rough, of dark rock sprouting occasional projections of foliage. We were on an elevated area that seemed to hang onto the side of the valley of the stream, and to our right and down some distance the stream roared through a bed of broken stone. The elevated area appeared to be perfectly flat, though irregularly shaped, and was covered in a type of grass, dense and green, that I had not seen before. It felt like a cushion underfoot and presumably explained why I had slept so well last night despite sleeping on the ground as I had the previous night. To the left the steps curved down to the pool. And later when I wandered around a little I was impressed by the mountains that rose behind, stepping up until invisible in the feather rain. I felt like we were near the top of the world. I had never been so high before.

After breakfast Wi-Su showed me where there was, what he called, a camp toilet. In reality a hole in the ground with a seat above it located in an area a little more secluded. After our daily functions were complete he again took me on a tour of the pool, emphasising the regular shape and the trees. The latter grew neatly around the edge, never approaching too close and extending in depth on all sides, forming a barrier to view from all directions, including the direction of the stairs, whose curve blocked direct line of site between the pool and the elevated area where they originated. But though the width of the fringe of trees obscured the view, each tree consisted mainly of twisted limbs and did not block much light from above, allowing the growth of a broad leaf grass underneath that formed a dense cushion like that on the elevated platform. Each tree was also comfortably space from its neighbour, with bows sufficiently high, so that walking amongst them was like walking amongst columns of a hall. I had never before seen anything so ordered in the natural world.

My tour completed I followed Wi-Su down the steep path back down to the valley floor. I was surprised that we had managed to walk up it without problems in the dark as I felt I needed all my concentration to descend. Wi-Su commented that it was easier to go up than come down. My trembling knees agreed with that. The path leading from camp continued upstream cramped between the edge of the stream and the curve of the ridge formed by our camping spot. Spray filled the air from water tormented by a bed of mighty boulders and our coats were soon running with moisture. Once around the ridge the riverbank expanded and the path took its chance to move a safer distance from the stream edge. It remained narrow though, also seeking a path between mighty boulders, and we walked single file. The stream continued a broad curve to the right then took a sharp jag to the left to reveal a view that took my breath away. At the end of a short stretch the valley ended in a sheer wall. On top of the wall was a broad U-shaped valley. The stream fell over the edge of the wall in the centre of the hanging valley forming a magnificent fall of white, foaming water. Mountains continued to rise beyond. It was an image fit for God. Earlier I had felt that looking up the valley had been like looking up a path that led to heaven. Now I felt that I had arrived, that heaven was in that unreachable valley. I don't know how high that wall was but a hundred ladders would not have reached it, I was sure. Even though we were hundreds of paces away from the fall the water battering the ground made a sound of such volume that it was difficult to talk.

Wi-Su let me stand and watch, open mouthed, for some time, before pointing to return the way we had come. He then directed me up a path I had not noticed, overwhelmed as was I by the waterfall and its valley, that climbed the valley wall. Like all the paths it consisted of rocks pushed into gaps amongst the tumble of rocks to make a vaguely passable track. It rose slowly at first, then began to climb quite steeply, becoming more like a series of irregular steps than a path. Breathing hard we finally reached the top and climbed over. Our eyes were greeted with a bowl shaped area of grass falling downwards away from us, walls being formed at its back by that we had just climbed and lowish, sloping scree covered surfaces on either side. At its end it seemed to disappear into space after mounting a low wall that was cut by seemingly man made channels at various points. It felt like a dimple on top of the world. Zo-Lo was waiting there with the workers. A hole filled by water and reeds disfigured the smooth surface.

"This is where we found the black substance last year," said Wi-Su.

"How did you know it was here?" I asked.

"The King directed us to it. He drew us a map indicating the various landmarks we needed to guide us. It was as if he had been here before, but he said he never had. And there was certainly no indication that anyone had dug a hole here before. It was completely under a small lake that we drained with those channels."

"Very strange."

"Yes." By now we were approaching Zo-Lo. The workers were sitting in relaxed postures awaiting their orders. "Zo- Lo. The first task will be to remove the water. Use the buckets and pour it over the far edge. Then remove the new growth so as to leave a bare surface here."

"Yes sir." Zo-Lo turned to give orders to the field workers who slowly stirred themselves into action.

"Now, come with me," he addressed to me. "While they are excavating I want to show you the rock I mentioned." Wi- Su headed down towards the far end of the depression.

On cresting its lip I expected to see another deep valley like we had just left, but instead undulating plain spread into the distance, its surface meandered by creeks and rivers. "Where does this go," I asked.

"I don't know. It hasn't been explored. But come with me." He turned left, carefully picking his way along the slope. It was made of a brownish, weathered stone, layered like one of the samples he had shown me back home. Little tufts of a reddish plant grew from crevices formed between layers.

"This is where you collected one of the rocks in your collection."

"You are observant. It is the one you suggested was made of compacted mud at the bottom of a lake or river. But look where it is! On top of the world. Where is the lake that cradled its formation? But this is not what I wanted to show you. It is further ahead and down."

"Here it is!" He had stopped at an area of rock that had, from the distance, appeared darker, as if wetter than the surrounding surface. Closer it was obviously the same rock that we had traversed, but was impregnated with a dark, greasy substance, unpleasant to smell and greasy to touch. "What do you think of this?"

The discoloured area was not very big, maybe 10 paces in diameter. I looked back towards the point we had commenced our descent, and felt fear when I could not tell where the depression was located. "Where did we descend?" Wi-Su pointed to a spot not too far away, and once indicated I could see the marks made by the canals dug into the ridge. "This smells rather like the black substance when it is hot. Could there be a fraction of the black substance that is more liquid that has seeped between the rocks to end up here?"

"That is what I thought too. Good. But how do you put all together, this rock that forms on the bottom of lakes, this strange black substances?"

I turned and gazed over the massive expanse of land spreading out till it disappeared in mist. I could never have imagined, living by our river in its valley, that such an area could exist. I tried to imagine it all underwater. It would have been a mighty lake. But how did it come to be so high. Such a mighty lake could not be so elevated. Could the land have risen, dispelling the water that covered it? But how could land rise? Still, that one part couldn't be explained did not rule out the theory. "Do you think that something could have caused this land to lift up?" I asked.

"Lift up?" Wi-Su questioned.

"Imagine that there was a huge lake that covered all this area. It would be like the sea you talked about. Then somehow the land lifted up and the water fell away. Then with time rivers cut ravines in the rock, that in some cases, like our river, formed huge valleys."

"It leaves one very large question. What has the power to lift up the land, and what is under it to do the lifting. The hand of The One?"

"I don't know, Wi-Su."

"No. I don't know either. But I like your theory. Follow me a bit further." He continued the tiring sidling along this slope. The slope was slippery and slow to traverse. The point where Wi-Su stopped was hundreds of paces further on and by the time we arrived my legs were quivering again.

"I'm going to need to rest for a while before we return," I said.

"Good. My pride did not let me stop, but my legs feel like jelly. We can use our rest time to look at this." This was said pointing at the rock under our feet.

"It looks the same as all the rest," I said.

"The rock is the same, but look closer."

I peered where he had pointed from close range. On the surface of the stone were wavy lines. Looking at another stone that Wi-Su indicated there appeared a pattern that, on closer inspection, looked like the skeleton of some kind of fish that I had never seen. I looked over at Wi-Su where he was seated on a largish ledge. "This is what I told you about. They fit in with your theory."

"You think the first is water weed?"

"Yes."

"What kind of fish is this?"

"I don't know. It is not one I have ever seen."

"How old must these rocks be? If these things died and lay in the mud so as to leave their impressions, how old must they be? I can't imagine how long it would take for a lake to lay down a layer of mud as thick as this rock. And this is just what we can see. How deep does it go down beneath the surface? And how big was the lake? It must have been as big as the sea you told me about."

"Your imagination is quick and vivid, my son. And convincing. I have looked at these things and puzzled. In a few moments you put together a whole ancient world!"

"I was only asking questions, not giving answers, Wi- Su."

"But your answers are based on suppositions that are answers themselves. How old is the rock? I've never thought of a rock having an age. But when you say it is obvious that rocks, like all things, have a start and finish."

"Now, you are not fair. It was you who said `Where is the lake that cradled its formation?' This implies age. It was you who put the idea of age in my mind."

"I said that? If I did it was just a turn of phrase. I was not thinking of a lake like a cradle to nurture a new rock."

"I guess that says that we make a team that works well together. One could say that you load the bow and I fire it."

Wi-Su's normally serious face creased into a smile that lit my heart. "Cavon, you have such wonderful way of expressing yourself. You run around me like I am a dead log."

"Wi-Su, you are no dead log. I could not feel this good if I was sitting with a dead log."

"Thankyou, Cavon. You know how to make an old man happy."

I thought of various answers but could not find one that seemed appropriate. A comfortable silence fell between us as we varied our attention between looking for more forms in the rocks and gazing out over the majesty of this upland down. "Wi-Su, I don't know when I have felt so happy."

Wi-Su looked at me, serious and long. We were close at this moment, examining what looked like a strange form lizlion, but with fins and no legs. Slowly a small smile stretched his lips and he leant over and kissed me on the forehead. He did not speak.

Eventually we made our way back to the depression where Zo-Lo and the field workers were waiting. It appeared they had long ago cleaned the cut surface in the hole, but none were complaining that they had nothing to do. Wi-Su pointed the layer of black that underlay a layer of compacted dirt. "And how do you explain this," he asked me.

"At this moment I can't, Wi-Su. But let us think. It is near the surface of this plain, so whatever it was must have appeared late in the lifecycle of the rock. Maybe the sea was shallow by this time from so much mud, maybe like a massive swamp. If this had been a swamp there would have been lots of plants growing in it. What happens to plants that die and get covered with mud?"

"I don't know. But what I have thought is that this black substance has a smell similar to coal. I have been involved in searching for coal, and in some deposits of coal I have found impressions of leaves similar to what we saw in the rocks on the other side."

"So you are suggesting in some conditions coal forms, in others this black substance, and in others oil like we saw below."

"Oil? Yes, it is like oil. But no, I wasn't thinking that. It is an interesting thought. Zo-Lo. I want an area of some 4 paces square cleared of this superficial soil, leaving the black substance bare. Use the wheel barrows to place the soil out of the way over there. Then dig up the black substance and place it in the buckets. Once there is enough organise a gang to carry the buckets down to camp and load it into the wagons. The men can sleep up here. When I go back I will send up tents and supplies, and a cook."

As we walked away Wi-Su continued his conversation with me. "Coal is often found deep underground. This is near the surface."

"Now it is near the surface. But I don't think we are as high as the valley from which the waterfall drops. Could not this land have been as high as that? And how can we say that there are not deposits of black substance deep in the rocks."

Our conversation continued as we cautiously descended the steep slope back to the valley floor. I asked if I could have another look at the fall so on reaching the bottom we turned right, still deep in debate. Finally the noise of the fall called a halt. We could no longer hear each other. And the magnificence of the view was rather distracting also. Though my mind continued to race with questions. How? Why? When? Physically exhausted as I should have been, I hardly noticed our return trip so engrossed were we in conversation. My legs, when I eventually paid attention to them as I sat at our outdoor table to have lunch, appreciated the break. I slept like the dead, waking to find that Wi-Su had risen and gone.

Do-Si took guard. The rain was only light feather, as we faced each other on the clearing that lead to the pool. I launched a quick thrust, but Do-Si was ready and fended and counter-attacked. I fended his stroke and feinted left. His sword followed enough to not allow the feint to turn to a strike, but was ready for the return thrust to the right. And so we fought, well matched, enjoying the mist of coolness on our faces hot from exertion. By the time I called a halt, noticing fatigue in Do-Si as well as in myself, we were saturated as much with sweat as rain. I let my wooden sword fall and plunged fully clothed into the water. "Join me. We have some time alone."

Do-Si splashed in, obviously surprised by the heat. "Cold would be better."

"Don't think so. It might make me shrivel up."

"That it might," he said.

In moments our clothes were off. I had thought that he might just bend over to be fucked, like a servant submitting to a master's pleasure, but he pleased me by meeting me in a hot kiss. Our hands explored territory new to them, clutching buttocks, balls, dicks, nipples. His dick was small, but harder than anything I had felt. A piece of tough wood. Eventually he did turn and bend, asking if I would kiss him first before entering. I softened him up with my tongue then fucked him, thrilling in his moans of pleasure. I had trouble finding his dick, pulled into himself in his bent position. I fumbled for a bit till he told me not to worry, he was about to cum just from my fucking. He didn't need anything more. Eventually we fell apart, flushed and panting.

A voice called out, stopping my heart with fear. Neither of us responded, but our startled eyes looked towards the direction of the noise. I had not taken in what had been said. When I saw Wi-Su step out of the bushes that surrounded the pool I thought I was going to die. He spoke again, closer now so more distinct.

"I said, is there room in that arse of yours for another?"

Do-Si fearful expression turned to understanding. "For you, sir, of course!"

"Well bend over, I'm on my way," and with that he divested himself of his clothes with the minimum of actions and strode into the water. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The man that I had been so desperate to look at that even a flash of white back would send me to heaven was approaching stark naked, dick hard and waving and bobbing in front. It was not short, and stood up at quite a sharp angle. As I suspected he had lots of skin, so that fully hard nothing was visible of its head. His belly was a bit saggy but his chest, with its whorls of hair surrounding the large nipples, was well defined. He was well built, only a little fat. He plunged his cock into Do-Si's arse, wet with my spit and cum, without finesse and began thrusting vigorously, holding onto Do-Si at the hips with both hands to move him in contra tempo to his lunging. But he did not cum quickly, though when he did cried out loudly. He then pulled out and floated away on his back, dick still firm and lying flat against his belly, head out on show and leaking a bit of cum. "Thankyou Do-Si. Your arse is a Godsend after three days away from home. You can go now."

"Thankyou sir. It felt good for me also."

I wasn't sure if he really meant that, as his gait was different to his normal step as he gathered up his clothes and left the pool.

When we were alone Wi-Su said. "Having someone like that, a man who is happy to give his arse, makes these expeditions bearable." He was still floating on his back, all the modesty of the previous days vanished. His dick was slowly shrinking, the skin enveloping the head and tucking it well away from view. "How did you find out about him?"

"I can't really say, Wi-Su. It just happened."

"Ah, the lust and directness of youth. I always fear what would happen if I was reading the situation wrong. But I have been looking at his arse since we left home. It is nicely formed."

"You have done this before?"

"It is common on expeditions. Men on their own need some release. Usually the supervisor knows who will `put out', and introduces him to me. This time he has been sleeping in my foyer. Under my nose and I didn't realise."

I just nodded, lost to words. Flooded by lust and emotion, flabbergasted by what was being revealed about the man I loved, desolate and hopeless. It was clear that Wi-Su was not talking about love. It was physical satisfaction only. There was no concern for the one on the receiving end. Luckily Do-Si had been well opened and lubricated by me or he would have been limping even more noticeably than he was. And it was equally clear that Wi-Su did not want me in the same way. He did not want my arse, let alone my body in his arms, my lips against his. I knew that even to make a suggestion that I wanted him would cause him to shy away in disgust. Watching his handsome body, his dick floating up in the limpid water in a nest of long hair, his thighs muscled and lightly dusted with black fur, everything revealed to me, I felt further away from him than I had when I had not seen as much as his bare chest. He reached down and unselfconsciously pulled back his skin so as to extract the hair that had followed the retreat of the head, then rolled it down again free of obstructions.

"I can never stop saying, this water is beyond description. Before entering I was tired, irritable. I was coming to get you to show you something I had come across, but I was angry that I had to look for you rather than have you at my side. Now I am relaxed and content."

"It could have been something other than the water."

"Yes. That is relaxing also. But I have noticed this effect without receiving sexual release. Just floating here it seems that all age is removed from the muscles, like I am young again."

"You are not old, Wi-Su."

"So you have said before. The calendar says otherwise, my son. You don't mind if I keep calling you son. It must because we have shared sex as this morning we shared our minds, and we are now together without clothing, that I truly feel you are my son. It doesn't offend you?"

"No. I feel like you are my father also. And while Father is not here, I'm sure it can do no harm if I call you father and you call me son."

"Yes, I would like that. As I said, I am proud of my son. But I would be more proud if you were my son. You are magnificent in everything. I watched you sparring with Do- Si. You are very good. He didn't have a chance against you, and I would judge him to be a good swordsman."

"You watched us sparring?"

"I just said that."

"And you watched what came after?"

"Yes. Oh, I see. You are worried that I saw you kissing him. No, my son, this is something that happens before you are married, when you don't have your woman to provide love. It happens with many men. I can remember doing so with a few special friends. As you know I married late so I was a long time without female love. But once you have your woman you don't need it any more. Don't feel bad. I don't think less of you. Tell me, are you betrothed?"

"Yes, I am." I now felt even more lost than before. This man who I wanted to ravage, this man who I loved beyond all others, telling me that he had once made love with men in the way that I knew. I felt a desperate hope that I might be able to turn him round, that he might allow me to lick his neck, nibble his nipples, kiss his lips and put my tongue in his mouth, make love to his dick. Yet I felt that there was no hope, that he was as far away as someone on the other side of the grave. He lay floating in this medicinal water, his dick still swollen and red from recent activity, all within a simple arms reach. But I could not touch.

"Ah. Who is it?"

"It is something I really shouldn't say."

"You can tell your dad, can't you," he wheedled.

The desire to touch was unbelievable. I had to touch. "I guess I can." I had to touch. I had to find a way. Then came the inspiration. "But only if you can wrestle me into submission. Hold me under water until I give in."

"Okay. But how will I know that you give in?"

"I'll grab your dick."

He was only half way through nodding agreement when I leapt on him. He was old, but he was also well muscled. As well as supervising he obviously did a lot of the physical work involved in his position. He was strong. Not with the strength of Yue-Sin or Hi-Tui or Ba-Nol. They would have rolled me over and had me down in moments. But enough that my young body was not going to be any match. Not that I wanted it to be. I wanted to grab his dick, to feel it in my hand, to squeeze it. But it did not want this to be over quickly either. I wanted to feel him against me, our bodies pushed together. So I struggled and rolled and slipped away out of his grasp, to come back to grab him again to start struggling and twisting again. Eventually he got me in a hold I could not break. I was under water with my head between his legs, my body upside down and embraced by his arms. I almost had my nose in his arse, and I wondered how he was coping with my stiff dick pushing into his chest and my balls tickling his chin. I would have happily died at this moment, but wanted badly to hold his dick before I did. So I slipped my hand in between our bodies and lovingly held it. It was soft, relaxed in the hot water. He rapidly let go, spreading his legs and leaping backwards to free me, and I came to the surface gasping and spluttering.

"You are too good, Wi-Su," I finally got out.

Wi-Su was puffing heavily, his face red. "Not by much," he said between strangled breaths. In a few seventy days the result will be the opposite, that I can see. You are fairly strong, but more you are quick and agile. And as you grow you will become stronger."

"Yue-Sin gives me many exercises to do."

"That is why your muscles are so well formed. But now, I have earned my answer."

"That you have. Her name is Win-Som."

"Win-Som. Ah yes, I know. The daughter of Win-Bui. She is a stunner, my son. She was at your party. I remember now. You were dancing with her. I can see that soon you won't be wanting the arse of Do-Si for satisfaction. She is hot!"

"She seems very nice."

"I don't know her except by face. But I don't think a girl who looks that good could be other than nice."

"She is nice. And she seems to like me."

"That is not a surprise. A lad as handsome and intelligent as you! And the future Lord! There is not a girl in the land who wouldn't like you."

"You think I am handsome, father?"

"You are close to the ideal of youthful beauty, my boy. I can't say I have seen anyone as handsome as you."

"Not even Father."

"Lord Srotyr? Yes, he is handsome, in a rugged way. But he did not come close to you as a young man. He is quite different to everyone else. His features are all formed differently. His cheeks are strong, his eyes lids don't hang so. His chin is proud, his jaws square. He does not have the features that match with masculine beauty. As don't I. I have some of those features also."

I had come close to him by now. "Yes you do. And you have hair like he does too," I said as I twirled my finger in his chest hair.

"Lord Srotyr has hair?"

"Lots of hair, all over."

"That I didn't know. That is something only a wife and son can know."

A silence, close and warm, fell over us. I watched Wi- Su, remembering the feel of his body against mine. I wondered why he made no comment about my hard dick, still hard now. Maybe he just assumed it was a function of my age. I now realised that what he said was true. His features were similar to Father's. I wondered if the King had sowed his seed in other fields as well. If so that would make Wi-Su my uncle, even if not by blood. I was broken from reverie by Wi-Su.

"Let's go. I still want to show you what I found."

I collected my clothes from the points to where they had floated - our various thrashings had moved them some distance - then I joined Wi-Su where he was waiting at the stairs and we exited together. He did not dress and we strolled through the misty rain naked, letting it cool our skin, hot from the pool and exertion. Seeing his dick now I noted that it did stand away from his body, as if held up by a string, so what I had seen in silhouette in the dark of the previous night had been his relaxed state. I now knew that his erect member was much longer.

We waved to Do-Si who was seated on the pedestal at the top of the track that led down to the main camp. He was dressed, wearing his coat against the mist. He had left towels hanging over a rail under the awning of the tent. He bowed and waved back.

"He is good, this Do-Si. He looks after us as well as a woman. In all ways," said Wi-Su with a leering grin.

I nodded. "That he does. He seems to be an honest man too, doing things because he likes to please not just out of duty."

"That's what it is. That's what makes him like a woman. He wants to please. But I guess being Lord that everyone wants to please you. I am probably only receiving the reflection of his attention to you. I am not accustomed to it though. It is nice."

"You are right. I am always treated so. I know no other way. People don't always behave so?"

Wi-Su was towelling his hair vigoursly. His whole body shook, his dick wagging back and forth like the tail of an excited chicken. Suddenly I found myself hard again.

"No, they don't," he said when he had dried his hair to his satisfaction. "No they don't."

We dressed inside, together. We put on our coats, together. We put on our swords together. We left the tent, together.

"Do-Si," called Wi-Su as we exited. Do-Si dutifully trotted over. "We are going to walk up into the hills on the far side of the pool for a little," he said, pointing in the direction of the pool. I intend that we will be back before the light begins to fail. Could we have dinner when it is dark."

"Yes sir. I'll let the kitchen know."

"Come, my Lord. There is a way into the hills that starts in the trees around the pool. Follow me."

Wi-Su took a direct path through the trees on the far side of the pool until we came to a steep wall of jagged rock. Though steep, it was not too difficult to climb because of numerous projections of stone, and soon we were again looking out over the broad expanse upland downs. "I would like to explore this," I said, waving my arm towards the limitless undulations."

"Yes. It would be an interesting. It would seem that it would be a good location to build a town. The soil appears rich. It would be easy to dam some of the streams to form dams but there is not enough water for lizlions to live. But come, let me show you something," concluded Wi-Su and commenced directly down to slope.

Gradually the surface changed from steep, brown "mudstone" with little tufts of red grass to and equal spread of mudstone and grass to an unbroken spread of long red grass. Wi-Su stopped to get his bearings, then headed left towards a small run of water that formed a pool after having descended the rock face. The water of the pool was brown, its shore made of smooth, dark mud. By the looks of it the pool rose and fell depending on how much rain it received, and when full enough fell over a small barrier to join with others of its kin that wandered across the downs. I could see human footsteps breaking the smooth mud at one point, presumably of Wi-Su. Wi-Su made to this area and pointed. "Look here."

I squatted, careful to keep my clothes out of this rather sticky mud, and noticed some marks breaking the smooth surface of the mud. On closer examination I realised that they were foot prints, but of something I did not know. They appeared a little like the splayed foot of a sieden, but were bigger by at least double, and they had one toe extra. There appeared to be the markings of a number of animals that had either come to the water to drink or had left the water and returned. By the nature of the impressions I thought that they probably had two legs. "I have never seen the like," I said.

"Neither have I, and I have travelled widely. The water here must have descended since the heavy rain yesterday. The ground must be porous because it has no where else to go but down."

"To have a horse up here would be wonderful."

"That it would. But I doubt if your Kito would make the climb that we made to get here."

"No. I doubt also. But there must be some easier way. Look at the area where we have our tent. That area is not natural. Presumably it was made by the same race that made the road. What power they must have had! They must have had some way to get up other than the steep path that we take. You have looked for another way?"

"Yes. When I was here the first time I had lots of time to explore once the water had been drained and the black substance found. I looked all around and other than the path we use, and one other on the back of the pool area that is even more difficult, all is shear. I wonder if they had some kind of transport that could fly?"

"Fly! A transport that could fly? And you say I have a good imagination!" I exclaimed. "Nothing can fly! Chickens and siedens do best, and they manage only a few awkward flaps before coming to ground. And anyway, if they could fly, why did they build such magnificent roads? Roads means wheels, no?"

"I have no answer for that, my son."

"Neither do I father. Let's walk out a little into this plain. See if we can find this animal."

"Okay. But we must be careful. It is very easy to get lost. It all looks the same."

I looked up at the steep slope we had just descended. "Look at that projection there, it looks like the head of a lizrab. We can use it to guide us," I suggested.

"Still, we need to be careful, as from different angles it can change in shape and become unrecognisable."

"Yes. I did not think of that. But our river must be over in that direction, so if we could always find the river then use it to guide our return."

"Let's not go too far, and keep our eyes open."

So we started out, frequently looking behind to keep our bearings. The grass became longer as we travelled and the ground wetter and softer, making movement difficult as grass wrapped around our ankles and our feet sunk in mud. Following streams, though easier walking, proved disorientating as one's sense of direction vanished in the constant twists and turns and junctions, and monotonous as one only ever saw what seemed to be the side of the same hill, and after a bit the heights from which we had descended disappeared from view. So we decided to climb what appeared to be a larger hill to regain our bearings. We struggled up through the slippery grass, needing hands and feet to maintain traction, eventually finding ourselves at the top, waist high in the sweet smelling plant.

"It appeared so easy looking out from above," I panted.

Wi-Su was looking quite red and tired. He also was breathing heavily. "I have not ventured this far out on my own. The cliff is only just visible, so I don't think we should go any further."

"Shh," I whispered.

Wi-Su stopped instantly. We both stood still and listened. Eventually we were rewarded by another rustling in the grass seemingly not too far away but behind us. We turned, standing with one hand to ears and other ready to draw sword. Our patience was rewarded by another rustle, this time accompanied by a movement in the grass. Nodding we silently made for this point, to discover there a narrow trail that lay under the surface of the grass. We started to follow, though it was difficult as its direction was hard to determine, but we were rewarded soon by the site of a dappled red coloured animal scooting away along the trail in front of us. I began running, but soon realised I had no chance of finding it in its home territory. It was a strange looking creature, standing on two powerful looking legs but not sieden-like for it had two small arms. Presumably it, or one of its brethren was the owner of the footprints we had discovered. I made my way back to Wi-Su.

"There could be thousands of these beasts here and we would never know," I said on getting back.

"I wonder what else lives under this grass," said Wi- Su. "I think we had better return, and keep our ears alert. No talking to give us some chance of hearing something approach."

Feeling a fear now that had been absent on the outward trip we attempted to follow streams. Our footprints initially helped but somehow we made a mistake and lost them. Soon we suspected we were travelling in a circle and realised we had no idea in what direction we should head, so again we struggled up the slope of a hill to find that we were no closer than we had been. It appeared we had largely travelled sideways. So we decided instead to fight our way up and down the slopes to allow us to keep a straight line with our destination. Exhausted but relieved we finally found ourselves at the crest of the slope that gave on to the river valley, but the light was fading and we had difficulty in finding our path down to the pool and home. It was Wi-Su who finally spotted it after we had wandered up and down a few times and we made our way down by feel as much as by sight.

My legs were jelly by the time the ground levelled and trees became visible as shadows in the gloom. Wi-Su suggested we hold hands so as not to be separated from each other and he led the way back. His hand was trembling. But despite exhaustion I was buoyed up by the relief at getting back and holding my loved one's hand in mine as we walked. "We may feel better if we bathe," I suggested when we had reached the broad steps leading up to the area where our tent was erected."

"Yes. But we must inform Do-Si that we have returned. He will be concerned."

Sensing that he was near collapse I said, "I'll do that. You can sit on the steps and enjoy the water and I'll be quickly back."

Noting a movement in the dark that I took to be a nod I started the weary climb back to the tent. A couple of times I stumbled in amongst the trees as I missed my path, clouded as I was with fatigue and darkness, but eventually I saw the light of a lantern that guided my steps. Do-Si was seated under the awning, concern clear on his face. The table was laid for dinner, covered bowls sitting on standings with small candles underneath to keep them warm. When I came out of the dark his worried look was replaced by relief, to be equally quickly replaced by concern again when he realised I was alone.

"Where is Wi-Su?" he asked.

"He is down by the pool. He is weary as we walked a long way, but he is okay."

"I did not know what to do. I thought of leading a search party, and climbed up to the top of the ridge on the far side of the pool to try to decide. When I saw how much land spreads out there I thought that a search party would have been useless. So I came back here to wait and hope. It is good to see you." This was said as he clasped me in his arms.

"Thankyou, Do-Si," I replied, kissing him. "Could you get me a torch, I need to return to Wi-Su. We will be back for dinner shortly."

"I had the cook bring heating candles, so there is no hurry."

"Thankyou, Do-Si, you think of everything," I said, kissing him again once he returned with the torch.

"My pleasure, m'Lord," he said, fondling my dick through my trousers.

The walk back to the pool was much quicker and easier, and soon I was putting the torch in its holder, near Wi-Su. I was shocked by his poor colour and the fatigue that showed in his face. He was seated, but otherwise seemingly had not moved from where I had left him. I helped him out of his clothes, then supported him as we made our way into the water. I sat him on the penultimate step, where the water was still shallow enough to leave our heads above water and then sat beside him with my arm around him. My love swelled out to comfort and heal my ailing father.

"I think it was a bit much for you," I said quietly, giving him a squeeze.

"I think you are right," he replied. He let his head rest on my shoulder.

I was in heaven, dick rigid as if it was not attached to my weary body. I gently kissed the top of his head. After a while I rearrange our positions. I moved up to a shallower step so that he could recline back and rest between my spread legs. I gave no thought to what he would think of my stiff lizlion sticking directly into the base of his neck as he rest his head on my exposed belly. He seemed to pay it no heed either for he soon fell asleep under the influence of my hands stroking his head, neck and shoulders. I dozed a little as well, propped up as I was, to be woken as I lost balance and fell a little sideways. Wi-Su was still breathing regularly. I kissed him again on the head and gently played with his chest hair and nipples, trying to bring him back to consciousness slowly so as not to startle him. Eventually he stirred.

"I feel better. This water is truly magical," was the first thing he said.

"Sleep is good too," I replied, laughing, but continuing to tease his chest hair.

"Yes, sleep is good. Did you sleep?"

"I did."

"Then you don't know if we have been here very long."

"No."

Wi-Su held up his hands, trying to catch to light of the distant torch to look at them. "They seem quite wrinkled, so we must have been here a while. Let's head up for dinner."

Reluctantly I let him out of my hold, but admired his naked form as he stood. I carried the torch, he carried our clothes. I was surprised at how much my legs had recovered. It certainly seemed more than a short nap could explain. Back at the tent we dressed in fresh clothes and sat down to our meal.

When we retired to sleep Wi-Su asked, "What do you normally wear to bed?"

"I usually sleep without clothes, father."

"Good. So do I. I think we can be relaxed together, no?" he half asked, half said, at the same time as pulling his shirt over his head.

I required no encouragement to follow suit and soon we were both naked seated on our bed mats that were placed parallel to each other with only a short space between. For the first time Wi-Su commented on my arousal, though not directly.

"Do-Si!" he called.

"Yes sir," Do-Si replied from his bed in the foyer.

"Take off your clothes and come in. Lord Cavon is in need of your services."

Soon Do-Si was lifting the flap to enter. His dick was already hard.

Wi-Su continued his instructions. "Lie down here, on the Lord's bed mat, on your belly. Now, my Lord, you can take your pleasure."

I felt very uncomfortable approaching Do-Si in this way. I lay on him, letting my dick question the entrance of his arse without trying to enter. I said softly into the ear away from Wi-Su, "Sorry Do-Si."

"No problems, m'Lord," he replied equally sotto voice. "I was in the middle of a wank anyway so I am ready."

"You are not too sore?"

"No."

By the feel of things he has also applied some kind of oil to himself as my dick slipped around quite easily. I slowly let it enter, but now my eyes were turned to where Wi- Su was seated, only an arm's length away, cross-legged on his own bed mat. As I began a slow thrust, enjoying the sensation, I noticed that his dick lengthened. Soon it was standing up straight.

"Ah, Do-Si," Wi-Su said, seeming somewhat uncomfortable. "Do you think your mouth could accommodate me while Lord Cavon is busy there?"

"It would give me great pleasure sir."

Soon Wi-Su was seated cross-legged at the head of my bed and Do-Si was actively attacking his rigid member with his mouth. This was too much. Watching the back of Do-Si's head move up and down I wanted desperately to see Wi-Su's dick entering Do-Si's mouth. In truth I wished it I who was doing the sucking. I sped up my activity and soon managed to cum. I slipped my still rigid lizlion out and slid up to lie beside Do-Si, my head resting of the knee of Wi-Su's crossed leg so I could have a good view. Wi-Su seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. His eyes were closed, his body rigid, his hands on each side of Do-Si's head moving it in the rhythm he wanted. I had to touch, to get involved. Cautiously I let my hand slip up under his balls where they bounced on the sheet in the gap between his thighs, and at what I assumed was a grunt of approval explored up further, surveying the skin that ran from his balls to his arse. He grunted again, then soon was crying out in orgasm as my finger, slippery with sweat and from saliva that had dribbled from the mouth of Do-Si, found his hole. I managed to pull out before he had opened his eyes.

After Do-Si had left and we were lying in the dark awaiting sleep, Wi-Su said quietly, "My son, was that your finger that was exploring while Do-Si was sucking me?"

"Yes father."

"That felt quite exquisite. I've never had anyone do that to me before. Thankyou."

"My pleasure father," I replied. Emboldened by his comment I stretched my hand across the short distance between our sleeping mats to find his face turned to me. My head followed my hand and I placed a quick kiss on his lips.

Wi-Su sighed and initiated another quick kiss. "Goodnight, my son."

"Goodnight, father."

FIFDAY

A bright morning. I had thought that my legs would be stiff after the exertion they undertook the previous day, but they felt good. Wi-Su said he felt good as well, which surprised him even more than I. We breakfasted and bathed once again in the invigorating pool, then organised ourselves for the climb up valley to inspect the work in progress. I suggested that it might be more interesting to approach by the "back entrance", climbing to the top of the valley wall on the path behind the pool and then travelling along its edge till we came to the small valley that harboured the black substance. We didn't expect that we would find anyone working too hard. The field workers' scout would only be watching the valley path so we would catch them unawares coming from the other side. This wasn't the motive for the secretive route, though. I wanted to re-live the broad vista that was presented from the cliff top, to examine the rocks on its exposed surface. We found more impressions of animals, noting that they were quite different in type than what we had found at the point we had examined the previous day. Some of the impressions appeared to be of animals with some kind of leg structure, though still with fins and swimming tails. We chatted about the possible reasons for this, with the two locations being quite close to each other. Wi-Su commented that it would be like finding completely different animals outside of New- Town compared to what was found a short horse ride up river. I agreed, and tried to see some other reason. Lizrabs, for the short time that they survived human predation after hatching near New-Town, were not any different in appearance from those we had seen for the whole two days of travel we had undertaken up river.

After a time of silent thought Wi-Su said, "The animal we saw yesterday was different to a lizrab. It also is not very far from the lizrabs we know in the valley. Maybe the animals found on higher ground were different to those found on low ground?"

I thought about this, then slowly began. "Our supposition is that this rock is formed from mud on the bottom of a giant lake. Many of the impressions are of water weed and fish, suggesting that it was an underwater environment. If it was all underwater, then there would be no "height"."

Wi-Su nodded in agreement.

I continued. "We have spoken of this rock being formed from mud deposited on the bottom of a lake. How long would it take to deposit mud to a height, say, an arm's length."

"I don't know. Some time, I would say. Years?"

"How many arms length are we above the place we were looking at yesterday?"

Comprehension dawned on Wi-Su's face. "Many arm length's. Hundreds." He suddenly became animated. "Look here, at this rock. You can see lines running in its substance. Theses are lines that I have learned from experience where the rock will fracture to form a flat surface. OK. What happens with water in the town tank? At some times of year there is more sediment deposited in it, sometimes less. By the time we dig out the sediment every few years it has formed quite a firm material that holds its form. In that form you can see lines. These lines represent the times when the deposition was slower, being in summer. Each line represents a year. These lines could also represent a year. In an arm lengths of this rock their must be a thousand lines. From here to the other place low on the cliff must be many, many thousands of years difference."

"And maybe the animals change over time," I interjected, caught by his enthusiasm, "so what we are looking at is not a difference in location but a difference in time. The lower impressions are of animals that died, and then were covered by tens of thousands of years of mud before the animals that left the impressions we were just looking at died." I then stopped, puzzled. "How could animals change?"

"I don't know. But this idea fits in with our other theories, so it must be correct. However, as you said, because we can't explain everything doesn't disprove what we have concluded. Only The One knows everything."

"Hmm."

We entered the little upland valley where the black substance was found to find the field worker's sitting round drinking tea. For appearance sake Wi-Su shouted a bit, at the supervisor and the field workers. For appearance sake they got up and started digging. It seemed that they had, however, achieved a fair amount yesterday, with numerous buckets of black substance waiting to be carried down the valley. Zo-Lo informed Wi-Su that he was awaiting the return of the first empty buckets from the valley. Transparent as was this excuse, Wi-Su accepted it so as Zo- Lo could preserve face, then suggested that now a greater number of men should be put on carrying detail and less on digging. Zo-Lo exaggeratedly complemented Wi-Su's power of thought and set field workers to carrying the remaining filled buckets. This must indeed be unpleasant work, carrying heavy buckets on a pole supported on one's shoulders down the steep, rough path back to camp, and I could understand why all preferred to rest than volunteer for this activity.

Once this was started Wi-Su suggested they we could spend some time exploring the valley of the waterfall, looking at the rocks there, trying to understand what could have been the origin of such a massive cliff. We picked our way down the steep path into the valley of the stream then turned right. On turning the corner we were again assaulted by the noise of water crashing to its end on the floor of the valley. Today we clambered our way through the fractured ground until we reached the wall down which the water fell. Interestingly it was possible to walk behind the water and though the mist was so thick it felt we were breathing water, it was relatively dry compared to a pace or two further "downstream" where the water was falling. Trying to peer through this massive curtain of water was very interesting. I had never seen anything like this. The water appeared like a solid substance, not the soft liquid I knew. Trying to touch it was like trying to touch fire, in that it almost burnt with the force with which it's flow tried to pull my finger downward. It surface was smooth, almost like glass, and it really wasn't possible to penetrate it. I tried with a piece of rock, but before it had more than broken the surface it was wrenched from my hand. Yet here was I standing as if standing in the middle of a field, safe and protected, unaffected by the might. Where it hit the ground the fall had dug itself a hole, so by standing behind it we were effectively standing on a ledge. It was so dark behind the fall that we couldn't examine the rocks of its wall. Finally satiated with this bizarre vista we moved laterally along the ledge to where we were free of the water's embrace and shadow, but there was still not much to see. The rock was quite sheer, and had been cut at not far of 90ø from its deposition lines, so there was little chance of seeing any more impressions of things long dead. The fractured rocks were all quite weathered, even away from the falling water. I imagined that in winter the volume of water must increase, for the hole into which it currently fell extended in a shallower form the whole width of the cliff.

All in all we spent a delightful morning together without advancing our knowledge much further, and eventually returned to camp feeling deafened but happy. I had never seen Wi-Su so animated, thrilled as he was as if parts of a puzzle were falling into place. We ate, then Wi-Su took up where he had left off while we entered the tent for siesta, as if the meal had only been a single breath. Here, without any pause, he undressed, and soon was standing in from of me naked, continuing to gesticulate and talk. He had branched onto all the other rock types, particularly puzzling over the differences and similarities between the rocks that were common here and those that he had used to roof our house. My thoughts did not focus all that well, distracted as they were by how his dick bounced and weaved as he moved around. I remained fascinated by the way it stood out from his balls, even though not hard. Eventually I thought to say, "When a potter makes a bowl from clay it is soft. Clay is something found on the bottom of lakes, or dry on the banks of lakes, is it not?"

"It is. We get our clay from the river delta."

"So clay is something like the mud that we believed has formed these rocks, just finer. Sediment collecting on the bottom of water."

"Yes," he replied, his body temporarily still while he tried to see where I was heading.

"But the bowls we use are not soft. Nor are they like clay. The heat of the oven changes clay to the hard material that makes our bowls. Now the rocks here are already hard. If they were heated, hotter than a potter's oven, say more like a blacksmith's forge, might they also not change?"

"And so change from this soft rock to a hard rock!" exclaimed Wi-Su with glee, suddenly seeing my line of thought. "You are marvellous, my son!" He took me in his arms and embraced me with passion.

Wi-Su was a little taller than me, my forehead resting on his nose. My stiff dick was pushed downward uncomfortably into some part of him that I couldn't determine, and I could feel his dick low on my belly. I could feel that it squashed, so there was no hardness involved in keeping it jutting out. He hugged and hugged, finally breaking sufficiently to kiss me, and repeat. "Ah, my son. You are marvellous! Now let's try and sleep, though I think I may be too excited to do so."

"We have walked a long way, father. I think my muscles will take over and tell my mind to go to sleep." I didn't think that they would quench my unsatisfiable lizlion, but did not say this.

"Yes. Maybe you are correct. Let's try," he said, letting go of me. His dick had not changed an iota, I noted. Soft as ever.

"Let's try." I replied. We lay down. Wi-Su closed his eyes and seemingly immediately assumed the regular breathing of someone deeply asleep. For a long while I admired his body, then decided that my dick had to be satisfied if I was to have any chance of sleep. I thought of disturbing Do-Si, but it was Wi-Su who I wanted so this did not seem fair. Instead I let my hand provide the activity required to tame my rampant beast as I continued to contemplate the sleeping form of the man I loved. Once I had cum I did manage to fall asleep.

To awake to Wi-Su saying, "But wouldn't they crack if they became so hot?"

"What?" I asked, surfacing and not comprehending anything other than that Wi-Su's dick was swollen, though not hard, as he stood over me.

"The rocks here. I have placed them in hot fires and they have cracked, making a noise like a whip cracking."

"Oh." The dick above me was slowly shrinking. Had I missed seeing his sleeping erection? "Have they?"

"Yes. We'll have to think more."

"We will."

Wi-Su was dressed when he asked, "Can I spar with you before you start with Do-Si?"

"I would be delighted."

"You'll have to be slow with me. I was never a great swordsman, never had much need nor much time to practice, but watching you yesterday has made me want to refresh what skills I have. With the way the world is heading one never knows when one might have to defend oneself."

Do-Si watched as Wi-Su and I stood our ground, then attacked. He was correct in saying that he wasn't a good swordsman. His reactions were slow, his anticipation poor. He had strength, but not equal to some I had fought with over preceding weeks. Soon he called a stop, breathing heavily and red in the face.

"Will you spar with me every day? There is little else to do here so we will have time."

"Of course," I said, and if I can't Do-Si will."

"Good. I have lost so much condition, and we have a big Expedition ahead. I need to improve."

"You will."

Wi-Su sat on a bench to watch Do-Si and I spar. With hope I thought he would join in with the lovemaking that would follow, but as soon as we stopped, sweat soaking our clothes, he stood and said, "I'm off to check on the work. You are both artists. I'll see you at tea." Without turning back he climbed the steps out of sight.

Do-Si smiled nervously. "Do you think he will sneak back to watch us again? He's a bit of a perve. He really gets off on watching us fuck!"

"You think so?"

"Think so! He almost drools, and that old dick of his certainly still knows how to stand to attention! It tastes good too!"

"No, I don't think he'll watch. I'll think he'll allow us our privacy. You know he saw everything yesterday?"

"I thought he might have. I was sure I saw something moving amongst the trees while we were fighting. Did he enjoy it?"

"He said he understood. That when he was young and didn't have a woman he had done the same."

"When he didn't have a woman! The old poof! He fucks anyone willing. At home and in the field."

"Really?"

"I though he must have had something with you, the way he looks at you and stays close."

"No. He thinks of me as his son."

"Maybe. But he acts as if he has the hots for his son."

"I don't know. He doesn't show it to me. But talking about hots. How long are you going to stay in your clothes?"

"Until you take them off me!" laughed Do-Si mischievously, pretending to try to get away.

When we had finished and were cuddled together I said, "That makes up for last night."

"What was wrong with last night? It was a damn good fuck! Your dick was like a ram rod but you were gentle. And I got off on sucking Wi-Su, especially with you watching close."

"You liked me watching?"

"Yeh. If only you could have been fucking and watching at the same time it would have been heaven. Yue-Sin has obviously given you lots of practice!"

Do-Si spoke more crudely than any man I knew, except maybe Xi-To, but unlike with Xi-To, whose motives I understood poorly and who made me feel sullied, I enjoyed being with Do-Si. He was full of joy of life. Everything was exciting. Everything was good. He never had a word of complaint. And he was a good fuck. He did things with his arse that I had not experienced before. He was not so good looking, but he was lithe and young.

"That he has," I found myself replying, to my own surprise, catching myself in fear of what I may have given away.

But Do-Si was true to form. "He is a wonderful man. He has taught me much, looked after me like a father. My father died when I was young, so he is my father, in a way."

"Have you had sex with him?"

"Naw! We both want the same thing. I was introduced to him by a man who was fucking us both a few years ago."

"Who was that?" I asked innocently.

Do-Si suddenly stopped, for the first time seeming reticent. "I don't think I can say."

I looked at him, then comprehension dawned. Was I game enough to expose him? We watched each other for a while then I decided to speak. For all his cockiness and crudeness, Do-Si always treated me with respect, and I suspected never said anything that he thought I didn't already know. This fact he thought I wouldn't know, and he had accidentally lead into it. "Was it Lord Srotyr?"

"You know about the Lord?" asked Do-Si credulously.

"Yes. I know."

"And he knows you know?"

To this I only nodded.

Suddenly his mischievous grin returned. "Then maybe I could have you both fuck me! Lord Srotyr has a magnificent cock! You could loosen me up then he could fill me up!"

Despite the crudity I found myself laughing at his turn of phrase. The language of the common people was so different to that which I was accustomed. So relaxed and expressive. I found myself feeling very comfortable. I kissed Do-Si and gave him a hug. His face expressed surprise. After a bit he said, "Can I speak freely, m'Lord?"

"I had the impression you always spoke freely, Do-Si," I replied.

"Yeh, I do have my way. It will get me killed one day, I'm sure. But that is not what I meant. I just wanted to say something a bit personal."

"Go ahead."

"You have probably guessed that I have been with many men. I love sex and will take anyone who will fuck me. But until I have been with you I have never felt that anyone cared about me. Not sincerely. I was just a good fuck, a hole to put their dick in. You are different. You care. And it makes me care back. I think I'm beginning to love you, m'Lord."

"I'm not terribly available to be loved, Do-Si," was all I could think to reply.

"I know that, m'Lord. But I don't need you close. I can be happy just being of service when I can."

"Thankyou, Do-Si."

We flaunted our nudity to the cooling air as we sauntered back to the tent, hoping no one was around. It seemed that Wi-Su had kept his word for there was no sign of him. We dressed then I told to Do-Si that I was going down to the main camp. I had not seen it, and I wanted to see how the loading of the black substance was going.

"I have to take our clothes to the camp laundry, m'Lord. May I accompany you? I don't think our camp here is at risk if I leave it."

"You will be welcome, Do-Si."

And it was good that he did. He introduced me to the men (secretly telling me which one's he had fucked and how big their dicks were) and showed me around the main camp. Down stream from where we were camped the valley broadened. One bank was flat and soil covered, making an excellent place to set up a campsite. Three large tents had been erected, one larger but without walls for cooking and washing, two others for sleeping, one for the guards and field worker supervisor, one for the field workers. Do-Si took me on a tour of all but on meeting with Wi-Su left me to look after his duties.

"The work is going well. The first wagon is already full, and there is enough dug that I think the second will be filled before lunch time tomorrow" said Wi-Su.

"What will we do then until Father arrives? He told me he thought he would not be here until SeconDay, as he wanted to stay for the service on Godday."

"It is pleasant here, is it not? I am going to set the wagons and field workers on their way on Godday, after the service, if all goes to plan. We can spend the next few days relaxing and exploring."

"Who will hold service?"

"That is the duty of the Lord, when there isn't a clergyman."

"Me?"

"Yes, Cavon. All you have to do is read from the Book though, you don't have to write a sermon."

"I'd like to write though. I feel out of practice. And the majesty of this valley makes one feel close to The One."

"I'll be interested to hear what you write. Your mind is so fine and sharp. What part of the Book shall you use?"

"With what we have been looking at and theorising, maybe the Creation would be appropriate."

"That it would. Not that I can think how you could talk about sedimentary rocks during a sermon."

"No. I don't think I am that creative, Wi-Su. I was thinking on things ancient and unknown."

"Will you need very long to write?"

"Not that long. Why?"

"Tomorrow morning I was thinking that we might again climb the path behind the pool, but this time go right and follow the ridge down toward the river. I was hoping we might find another way up to these grasslands that was more accessible than the valley of this stream."

"To what purpose?"

"Hu-Wi is always asking me to make more space available for winter storage of hay. If easy access can be found this upland would make an excellent winter pasture for the bulk of the horses, relieving the town of the necessity of finding all that space. The only other thing that would be needed would be to organise a barge that was large enough to take horses back and forth across the river. That would be easy to organise mid summer when the water level is low. The only challenge would be to make a rope long enough."

"You don't think the water levels might rise during winter?"

"I think not. I don't know where it goes, but I think it has good drainage."

"I could write the sermon tomorrow afternoon, after my sword practice."

"Yes. That would be a good time. While the men bathe."

"The men bathe?"

"I like to have them clean for GodDay."

"They bathe all together?

"Yes. Ah, I see. Men, when they are away from civilisation, especially when they are away from women, don't worry so much about being naked in public view. As long as all in the same state they just enjoy the water. Besides, the practicalities of organising private bathing for so many are a bit daunting."

"Interesting." Thinking how it would be interesting to watch all these men naked together, especially after the description that Do-Si gave me of some of them. I had never seen any more than two naked men at any on time, and less than a seventyday ago that I had never seen a naked adult, so the concept of seeing twenty together was quite novel. "The guards are happy to be with the field workers?"

"That is another distinction that slips a little when civilisation is a long way away."

"Since I have known you, Wi-Su, I have learnt a lot about the common man."

"You grew up separated from them. I did not. I came from their ranks."

"Hm."

That night as we undressed for bed Wi-Su, observing my rigid manhood, asked if he should again call in Do-Si. I nodded, hoping to see him excited once again, but this time he just sat cross-legged, back erect, on his bed as I fucked Do-Si for the third time that day. His lizlion barely stirred, just rested above his balls amongst its entourage of dark hair, though I noted he observed us closely. When I asked afterwards if all was okay he just told me that it was his age. He could not have sex every day. Yesterday, twice in one day, had been very unusual, and had probably happened as he had not had sex for a few days before we left on the expedition as well as the time away from home. Maybe by tomorrow night he would be recharged.

SIXDAY

The walk along the ridge towards the river was difficult. The rock here was more fractured, with ledges ending suddenly in steep drops that required considerable backtracking to find a way down. We had intended to stay on high ground but instead found ourself at the base of what had become a cliff, struggling once again with the long grass. I remembered the trip up the stream valley from the river valley on horseback. It had seemed fairly long, but it had been dark causing disorientation in time and distance. Walking now though it seemed more than fairly long. One thing we learnt walking amongst the grass though was that the two legged animal we saw two days previously was not the only one on this plateau. Initially we noted footprints imprinted in drying mud, small feet and many. Then we caught glimpses of little things running in amongst the grass stems. Finally we accidentally trapped one in a blind indent in the rock. It appeared harmless so I tried, successfully, to grab it. From its teeth it looked like it ate seeds or grass. It had a small head with a long snout with up pointing nostrils and eyes on up pointing protrusions, a short body with four short legs ending in broad toes, and a stubby tail. Linear holes scarred its long neck. I imagined that it was the lizrab of these plains, while the other animal we had seen was the lizlion. Its skin was brown.

"Its colour is strange," commented Wi-Su as we closely examined the little animal that was stiff with fear.

"Maybe the colour allows it to blend with the shadows under the grass?"

"A bit of red would let it hide better, not this brown. It is brown like the trunk of a whintox."

When we let it go its colour was explained though. We had noticed lots of little indents in the mud around streams, and had wondered regarding their origin. Thinking of what had happened in my hot pool near NewTown I suggested that maybe gas bubbles erupted from the source of heat that heated the pool in which we bathed and when they popped on the surface they left these impressions in the mud. The escaping animal made directly for the nearest stream and with a wiggling action of legs and tail disappeared under the mud. On close inspection it was possible to see its nostrils and eye balls just above the surface, its colour though was identical to the mud. Once we saw the traces of our recent captive we became aware of numerous other little nostrils and eyeballs breaking the wet, brown surface. We sat back on a dry rock near by and soon our patience was rewarded by the witnessing of the explosion of a little animal from the mud. In its place was a hole, similar to those we had puzzled over, and its little footprints puckered the surface as it scurried for the nearest grass.

"Nostrils that point up would not seem real practical if it rained," I commented as we continued our interrupted way.

"No. Maybe they have something that can close over, like an eyelid."

"Then how would it breathe?"

"You don't think those marks on its neck were gills, like fish have?" asked Wi-Su rhetorically.

"Of course! So when under the surface it can use its gills, but when on land or when the mud is too thick, such as when it's not raining, it can open its nostrils! We'll have to catch another to dissect it to see."

"That may not be so easy," commented Wi-Su.

"That it may not." However we were soon distracted from these zoological thoughts by a sudden change in terrain. After a significant rise trees appeared and the land began to slope steeply down. Presumably we had reached the edge of the river valley. The trees were of a type I had not seen, but which Wi-Su identified as Ironwood. He said it was a timber that he had not seen around NewTown, one that was valuable in building for its hardness, but likewise difficult to work with.

"Ironwood. They look different from other trees. The leaves are smaller, with lots of them. The branches twist and turn at all sorts of angles. Whintox and lantern trees and all the others just have a straight trunk and branches that spout out from the top."

"There are more differences too. The trees you mentioned are made up of a soft material that looks more like lots of thickened grass blades stuck together. Ironbark has rings that spread out from the centre. With the other trees you can see some kind of similarity, this one though is different to all others, and just that there are so many here makes this area valuable, not only for us but for trade. They could be hauled down to the river then floated to NewTown and beyond to the river delta for sale in the KingsTown." Wi-Su was quite enthused.

"If we find a way down that won't break our necks," I countered.

"There is that."

But we did find a way. After struggling in grass that grabbed our ankles and trees that blocked our way till we thought we would have to turn back beaten, we were surprised by the appearance of a small stream that cut down from the upland. Its bed was broad for the amount of water it carried, evidence of its winter might, and formed from a jumble of what we had come to call mudstone in our familiarity with its appearance and proposed origin. It made a relatively easy path down into the valley. About halfway down, a good 1000 paces horizontally and half as many down, I estimated, ironwood gave way to the softer whintox and miscal with which I was familiar.

"What tree is above the whintox near NewTown," I asked, having never climbed any depth into the rise on the opposite side of the river from NewTown.

"More whintox and miscal, with some lantern trees and few others. Most better trees have been already cut. No ironwood though. I've not seen even one ironwood. And here there is nothing else!"

Legs having achieved what seemed their habitual state of quivering we finally broke clear of trees. We didn't have to speak to decide on our means of return to camp, just turned downstream on the wonderfully even and flat surface of the familiar road. It was good being back amongst familiar surrounds after the strangeness of the uplands, though I was keen to understand better the mysteries that hid there. We talked of the feasibility of horses climbing beside the stream we had just descended, of getting logs down to the river. Wi-Su suggested that the stream itself, in its winter state, could transport logs down, and that netting or a rope where the land levelled off might be enough to stop them being lost in the flood of the river. I pointed out that the stream was conduited under the road, which would make an easy trapping point. Wi-Su nodded in response to the obvious.

Compared with how long we had taken to follow our upland path we travelled the same distance on the permanent road and were climbing back up the path toward camp in a very short space of time. Even so we were late and the men were already abed. We hushed our conversation and forced our legs up the steep climb to our campsite. Do-Si was waiting for us, yawning broadly. Lunch was set up so we ate at once, discovering a hunger that our fatigue had been trying to hide. I suggested to Wi-Su that we have a soak before lying down to take the weariness from our legs, and soon we were arm in arm in the water. Sleep was not to be deferred too long though so tiredly carrying our dirty clothes we climbed the stairs. Despite all his self discipline Do-Si had fallen asleep where he sat waiting for us. I gently woke him and showed him to his bed, with us following close behind. A quick good repose kiss with Wi-Su and I was asleep.

The sound of men's voices drew my thoughts from what I was writing. The creation was an interesting topic, and I found it even more appropriate than I had originally thought. It was easy here in this virgin land to imagine The One creating the world. The image of twenty naked men though broke my concentration. I left my quill and paper and followed the voices to where they trailed down the stairs. At the waterside I was greeted with the site of many men casually dropping their clothes in piles on the ground and sauntering naked into the water. Dicks of all sizes and shapes waggled in front, briefly showing themselves to be quickly hidden as their owners headed deeper into the water. Not surprisingly the men were less shy of their backsides than their dicks, and I was constantly exposed to flashes of white as the men swam and dove in the water. None seemed concerned that I was watching, along with Wi-Su. Do-Si was bathing with them and I'm sure, by the faces of some near him, he was grabbing dicks he had previously pleasured.

That night Wi-Su again called to Do-Si. I had decided, as Wi-Su had already watched "normal" love making between Do- Si and I that I was not going to hold back, so when Do-Si lay on his belly I asked him to roll over. I lay on top and we began kissing, then I moved down to use my mouth on other sensitive areas. My eyes, though, were always peeking to Wi- Su. His dick had lifted, but was not hard, and did not become so even when I lifted Do-Si's legs and entered his well-wetted arse as we kissed and seemingly tried to swallow each other's tongues. When Do-Si had returned to his bed Wi- Su gave me a good night kiss before turning down the lamp. His dick had already returned to its resting size.

GODDAY

The sermon went well. The men were enthralled by my descriptions of the land being formed by the thoughts of The One, animals and plants coming into existence, and the final creation, to rule it all, mankind. Wi-Su complemented me on my writing as well as my oration. We then saw the men and carts off for their journey back to NewTown. Do-Si and two field workers remained to look after us. We spent a lazy morning. I taught Wi-Su how to play squares, and for some time we played this enthusiastically. Do-Si spent the morning with the field workers, who by chance were two who he had told me had rather attractive dicks, and who were quite well built and good looking. Despite their personal entertainment our lunch arrived on time. After sword practice Wi-Su and I wandered back up the valley so as to sit and contemplate the majesty of the waterfall.

That night I again took full liberty with Do-Si, and this time Wi-Su became aroused also. I was so excited by the sight of his swollen lizlion, head still covered but clearly outlined under his skin, that I came quite quickly. Wi-Su politely asked Do-Si if he would suck him again, to which Do-Si naturally consented. Do-Si was on his back and to put his dick in Do-Si's mouth Wi-Su knelt over him, straddling his shoulders, and began fucking the waiting open mouth. This placed my nose in Wi-Su's arse, and I had an interesting downward view from balls to underside of dick to Do-Si's chin and lower lip. As I noted that Wi-Su was becoming more excited I again began fucking Do-Si, who moaned in pleasure through his full mouth, but at the same time I couldn't resist the parts of Wi-Su presented to me. I started licking and sucking for all I was worth, which drew moans of pleasure from Wi-Su, especially at the times I took his balls into my mouth and when I stuck my tongue inside his hole. The sounds of his moaning as he came tipped me over and I joined him. I then remembered Do-Si and reached to help him achieve his climax, but his dick and pubic hair was already slippery with his sexual fluid and his dick was soft.

We made our way down to the pool to clean up, listening to the mysterious noises of the night as we soaked in the hot water. Wi-Su put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my forehead. We were a contented threesome that climbed the stairs hand in hand, me in the middle, on the way back to our beds.

"Goodnight, my son," said Wi-Su as he leant towards me to kiss me good night.

"Goodnight, father, I replied after our lips had parted. Unbelievably my dick became hard once again and Wi- Su let out a ruthful chuckle and gave it a tap with his open hand as a comment about its inability to remain quiet. He then turned down the lamp, removing the vision of his beauty from my eyes, but my dick still felt the touch of his hand. The first touch.