The Guild

Well folks only five chps left... Enjoy.

JMH

trandar2002@yahoo.com

The final chps are already posted on the yahooo group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/

A clay-masked servant led Joshua his quarters, which he was thankful were far away from Gerick's. With each step he took away from the Prelate, the less painful it was for him, so by the time he reached his bedroom, Joshua felt only a dull ache in his heart.

On the door being opened, Joshua saw Clive pacing around the room. "Joshua, are you alright? He did not hurt you or anything."

"I am alright, Clive," Joshua sighed as he fell onto the bed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Joshua replied... convincing neither one of them.

Joining Joshua on the bed, Clive wrapped his body around the other man. "I was worried about you."

"I am worried about myself..." Joshua nodded.

"Going tell me what happened?"

Joshua rolled on top of Clive and nuzzled against his face. "All I want to do is forget."

"I understand." Clive nodded as he pulled off Joshua's loincloth, letting it fall to the floor.

Later that night while Joshua slept against his chest, Clive was deep in thought. When they had made love it had been Gerick's name that Joshua had called out with such yearning that it shook Clive down to his very core. Clive was certain that the longer Joshua was with Gerick, the deeper he would fall under the Prelate's spell.

Leaving Joshua's bed, Clive went to the one man who had the power to save the man he loved. He made his way to the room where Vard slept and going down to his knees, he begged.

"Please Vard... you have to wake up. I can't protect Joshua on my own. He needs you so desperately right now. Please, Vard..."

"Pray all you want... Vard will not awaken," a voice came from the doorway. Turning around Clive saw Gerick, in his real form, a red angry scar running down his stomach.

"Gerick... please. Please leave Joshua alone," Clive said, crawling on his knees toward the Prelate.

"And why would I want to do that? Given time Joshua will come to my bed more than willingly. His own mouth will ask me to be his husband. With his own hand he will put the ring on my finger. On the night of our wedding I will merge my soul with his... our wills become one, the door to the Void forever opened."

"No... I won't let you," Clive said determinedly.

"Nor will I," a deep voice came from the bed.

"Vard!" Clive shouted in hope and joy.

"Vard..." Gerick said with malice.

"You will never have Joshua," Vard said as he tried to sit up.

"But I have already had him... and I will have him again for you are too weak to stop me."

For a while the two men glared at each other. Finally Vard let his shoulders slump "Take me instead."

"What?" Gerick said surprised.

"Spare Joshua and I will serve you."

"Vard, I do not think you understand how important Joshua is to me or how unimportant you are to my plans."

"Are you saying you would not like me in your bed?"

Gerick stared the tall frame and hard muscles of Vard's body and licked his lips. "No... no I am not."

"Do you not like the thought of having both Joshua and I with you... inside you... making love to you?"

Gerick could feel his mouth water. Yes, he would like that...very much in fact... for he was sure if Joshua saw Vard obey to him, the last of Joshua's resistance would fade away.

Walking with the support of a cane, Gerick made his way to Vard, circling around him. He let a hand touch the perfect smooth skin of the young man's back. That would have to change... he would not have Vard left unmarked.

"Joshua... wake up!" Clive shouted as he shook the man's body.

Joshua's eyes darted open. "Clive... what's wrong?"

"You have to stop Vard. You have to stop him."

"He's awake?"

"Yes... I went to him to beg for his help so I guess I woke him up... or Gerick did. I'm not sure," Clive said, fear adding a vibration to his voice.

"Just tell me what happened," Joshua said as he tried to calm Clive down.

"I went to see Vard to wake him up when Gerick arrived. I begged him to let you go but he... he said no... that he wanted to bind your soul to him. That's when Vard woke up."

"And what did Vard do?" Joshua asked.

"He asked Gerick to let you go as well but Gerick only laughed. That's when... that's when Vard offered to take your place. Gerick laughed again and said he would have both you and Vard... and Vard agreed."

"What?"

"Vard has agreed to be broken. He thinks it is the only way he can stay near you."

Those words had barely passed Clive's lips before Joshua was gone... running back through the maze of the palace toward Gerick's bedchamber. Passing the clay-masked servants and iron-masked guards Joshua flung the doors open to find Vard tied to an iron cross with Gerick by his side in the dark room.

"Joshua... we have been waiting for you," Gerick smiled.

"Let him go," Joshua demanded.

"No," Gerick said coldly even as the smile remained on his face.

"Please let him go. I will come to your bed whenever you want."

"No Joshua... for I can already guarantee that you will, now that Vard and I have reached an understanding."

It was then that Joshua saw that Vard's back was wet. Even as he feared the truth Joshua reached over and touched the wet skin, his hand coming back red with blood.

"I told you Vard would become my son... is that not so Vard?"

"Yes father," Vard said in his deep voice.

"See... respectful and obedient... just as a son should be."

With a snap of Gerick's fingers the straps holding Vard to the cross broke, causing the beaten man to fall to the floor.

"Vard!" Joshua cried as he went to his lover's side.

"Joshua..." Vard whispered, his voice hoarse.

"Come here, Vard.... show Joshua your new found respect for me," Gerick ordered.

"Yes..." Vard nodded going to Gerick and kissing him deeply, leaving Joshua stunned on the floor.

Joshua stood back onto his feet and began to back away out of the room. "This can't be happening."

"Vard... please bring Joshua back."

"Yes father," Vard replied.

Joshua, not believing what he was witnessing, turned and ran. He did not get far. Vard, his legs making long fast strides quickly caught up to Joshua, tackling him to the ground.

"Joshua, please calm down and listen to me," Vard said while Joshua thrashed about.

"Vard?" Joshua said questioningly as he began to relax.

"Gerick believes he has broken me... and in a way he has, but that does not matter."

"Why Vard... why?"

"I can't let you face Gerick alone. This is the only way I can protect you."

"But," Joshua protested.

"Think Joshua... while Gerick is busy keeping me under control he won't be able to smother you with his will. You will be able to remain free."

"But Vard... your back."

"The pain is nothing... nothing compared to what you have suffered," Vard replied as his hands stroked the scars on Joshua's back.

"Vard..." Joshua sighed.

"Think of it this way... you and I will be able to stay together."

"I love you, Vard."

"I love you, Joshua."

Vard then lifted Joshua up and carried him back in his arms... back to Gerick.

John held his father's gold mask with shaking hands. Joshua had not killed the Assemblyman... but he might as well have for John's father was now a blubbering moron. This had left John, as Paul's only son, the new Assemblyman on Aquarius with all the power that entailed.

"Brother... it's time," Clare said behind her silver mask.

"I know," John sighed. He had never wanted to be a Guild's man but fate seemed to taken away that choice. The moment he left the room he would stop being a groundling, stop being the lover of books, for once he left the room he doubted he would have much time for reading.

Finally... when he could wait no longer, John covered his face with the gold mask and left for the conference room.

Waiting for him there were five other Assemblymen and Guild Mistresses...all of them young and all of them having grave doubts about the new Prelate.

As John had been the one to gather them, it was he who took the seat at the head of the table. "Welcome... I hope your worlds are well."

"They would be if it were not for Gerick," one of the Assembly men fumed to the agreement of the others.

"He has raised the Guild tax on transportation for the third time this year," a Guild Mistress added.

"He has..." another was going to add but was stopped by John raising his hand.

"My fellow brothers and sisters ... shall we agree that things would be better with Gerick gone and move on to ways of removing him?" John said.

That brought the room to silence.

"Well, I thought that was all we were going to do," a gold-masked man said. "I mean what else can we do but complain. It is not like we can rid ourselves of the monster."

"But I believe we can," John insisted.

"How?" a Guild Mistress asked.

"First... let us remove a barrier to trust between us. Before I tell you of my plan I would see your faces," John said.

"Remove our masks... but would that not let each of us know what the other looks like?" a silver-masked woman said shocked.

"Yes... let's know who it is we are dealing with... less chance of betrayal latter on," an Assemblyman nodded.

Soon all those gathered were nodding their heads.

"Then I shall go first," John said as he took off the hated mask.

One by one the other's removed theirs as well till all their faces were revealed.

"So... what is this plan of yours?" a man with curly blond hair asked with a wide grin.

Austin, with General Felix's help, had tried to save as many people as they could... it did nothing to stop Austin from having the nightmares, however.

He had been on Felix's war-liner, ready to send another thousand refugees across the Void to Wor when the Armada had arrived, not stopping for a moment before firing on the planet below. Austin watched with horror as the once green and blue world turned fiery red as the upper crust was vaporized killing all life on Santor.

It was that fiery inferno which consumed his dreams. If only he had come sooner. If only he had been able to convince the people faster. If only... The doubt and guilt that weighed down on Austin was almost enough to crush his spirit. It was only by the joint efforts of Broken Claw, Sparrow, and White Cloud that it did not.

"Do you think Gerick will hunt us down?" Austin asked.

"If he knew we were here, he would have sent the armada after us," Felix replied.

"Stop worrying," Sparrow laughed as he ruffled the man's short black hair.

"That's all I seem to do these days," Austin sighed as he fixed his hair.

"We all know what's really on your mind," White Cloud said as she wrapped an arm around Broken Claw, her husband.

"Vard," all in the room said at once.

"Vard," Austin agreed.

"You know... it's about time you checked up on him," Sparrow said encouragingly.

"But he told me to go away," Austin pouted.

"Austin... you are his oath brother. By custom not even a clan chief can order his oath brother to stay away... at least not forever," Broken Claw said.

"Really?" Austin said, raising his eyebrows a little.

"Yes," the three clans people laughed.

"You don't think Vard would be mad at me for looking for him?"

"Mad... by now he must be wondering where you've been hiding yourself," White Cloud said.

"Go Austin... go bring our chief back to us," Broken Claw cheered.

"Alright... I will. That is if you don't need me for anything?"

"Go Austin!" everyone shouted.

Opening the door to the void, Austin stepped through it, letting his mind body and soul be everywhere and nowhere... searching for any trace of Vard. Austin did not know how long he was in the void... only that it seemed like forever until he sensed Vard.

Stepping out of the void, Austin was shocked to find himself in a dungeon, Vard strapped to a table with Joshua standing over him, a whip in his hands.

Joshua hated these lessons. He hated hurting Vard but knew if he refused, Gerick would hurt Vard himself. Joshua was at least grateful for one thing... after the first time... Gerick had let him do his lessons with Vard without an audience. Still Joshua struggled with the whip.

"You need to hit me harder, Joshua," Vard said calmly even as his back burned with pain. "If I don't bleed, Gerick will think you are not learning your lesson."

"I don't want to learn this lesson. I don't want to hurt you."

Both men knew why Gerick had Joshua whip the man he loved. It was to weaken the love between them, to make Joshua see Vard as nothing but an animal and for Vard to see Joshua as cruel. It was not working, however.

"Joshua... the only way Gerick can win is if we forget how we feel about each other."

"But that is why I don't want to hurt you."

"That is why you must hurt me. If you don't, Gerick will see that I still remain a threat to him. I am not strong enough yet to fight Gerick."

"But..."

"Joshua... hit me! Out of your love for me you must."

"Out of my love," Joshua thought to himself as he raised the whip over his head.

"No Stop!"

Joshua, his hand frozen in place, looked in the direction of the shout and saw Austin, his eyes wide in shock. "Austin?"

"What do you think you are doing? Have you turned you into a monster?" Austin accused as he raced to Vard's side.

"Austin, this is not what it seems. You need to go back where you came from," Vard ordered.

"No... You can't make me."

"What," Vard said threateningly.

"Broken Claw told me that not even a clan chief can order his oath brother away," Austin said defensively.

Instead of getting angry, Vard burst into laughter. "So it is, beloved."

Joshua, letting the whip fall from his hand, went to Austin and hugged him tightly. "Please forgive me."

"I will if some one will tell me what in the darkness is going on," Austin said, taken aback.

While Joshua untied him from the table, Vard explained everything to Austin... how they had been captured, how he had given himself to Gerick in order to protect Joshua, and how Joshua had been made to whip him.

When he was done... Austin had a frightened look on his face. "Then we should go... go away right now."

"Which one of us would you take?" Vard asked.

"You of course," Austin said without a second of thought.

"Austin... I could not leave Joshua on Aquarius. I will not leave him on Earth."

"I could take you and then come back for Joshua," Austin said.

"You could... but I am not willing to take that risk," Vard replied.

"But..." Austin moaned.

"Take Joshua... then you can come back for me."

"No," Joshua spoke up. "Gerick would kill you if I were to disappear."

"It's a price I am willing to pay," Vard said resolute.

"I'm not," Joshua said coldly.

"But Joshua," Vard protested.

"No Vard... we either leave together or die together."

"Very well," Vard relented.

"But Vard..." Austin said, surprised his oath brother would take orders from Joshua.

"Joshua had final say," Vard explained. "That is his right."

"Then what should I do?" Austin asked.

"Go home," Vard commanded.

"But..."

"Go home, Austin."

"But home is gone."

"What?" Vard asked confused.

"Santor was destroyed by the Armanda."

"Then my birth kin..."

"Felix and I saved as many as we could but..."

"I understand," Vard sighed. Then I don't know where you should go. Joshua?"

"Go to Aquarius," Joshua said after thinking about it.

"Why Aquarius?" Austin asked.

"I have friends there. Look for John and Clare Van'sol... by now John should be the ruler of Aquarius so he should not be hard to find."

"Anything I should tell them?" Austin asked as he prepared to leave.

"Tell them to be careful... Gerick knows they are not loyal."

"I will," Austin said as he prepared to open the Void.

"Wait, Austin." Vard jumped off the table.

"Yes."

"You should not go without this." Vard grinned wolfishly as he pulled Austin into a passionate kiss.

"You better not die on me," Austin whispered as their lips parted.

"I won't," Vard promised as he watched Austin fade away.