Well this is it folks, the final chapter of The Guild. Response has been pretty muted but it has been fun to write. I hope you enjoyed the ride.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
"Joshua... wake up," Clive whispered as he bandaged his master's bruised head.
"Uhmmm," Joshua moaned, his eyes slowly opening
"There... you had me worried for a bit." Clive smiled.
"Where am I?"
"In the hospital. You took a good hit on the head."
"I can feel it," Joshua sighed. "Is Falcon ok?"
"It depends on what you mean by ok..." Clive said nervously.
"Why... what's wrong?"
"It seems that Falcon has decided to replace you on the Guild Throne."
"Thank goodness..."
"But?" Clive protested.
"I never wanted to be head of the Guild. Falcon will do a much better job than me."
"If you say so..."
"Maybe now I can go back to Aquarius," Joshua chuckled, the thought making him happy.
"But why would you want to do that?" Falcon's voice spoke from the doorway.
"Falcon!" Joshua jumped excitedly turning to face Falcon, his father's face covered by an obsidian mask.
"Joshua..." Falcon said fondly his hands holding a mask made of mother of pearl.
"Father. why are you wearing that mask?" Joshua asked confused. Falcon knew how much his son hated them.
"I am not the Prelate... it is only fitting that I cover my face... as you should," Falcon said as he placed the mask on Joshua's lap.
"But..."
"Come. Joshua... it is time to put childish things behind us and become a man," Falcon chided as he ran is black gloved hands through his son's hair.
Slowly Joshua picked up the rainbow-colored mask and put it over his face, looking up at his father with his white eyes.
"There... now you look like a proper counterpart. my husband," Falcon said behind his grinning mask.
"Husband?" Clive said confused.
"Yes... would you not like that. Joshua?"
"But Vard?" Joshua asked.
"Joshua... are you saying you don't love me?" Falcon asked, sounding hurt.
"I do love you."
"Then that is all we need. You and I will marry on the morrow with the arrival of the armada. They will light up the sky to celebrate our union," Falcon said, excusing himself before Joshua could argue.
Once his father saw gone, Joshua let the mask fall from his face. "There is something wrong with him."
"You're telling me that," Clive said as he joined Joshua on the bed. "He did not even ask if you were feeling ok."
"He must have a lot on his mind," Joshua sighed as he rested his head on Clive's shoulder.
"Well. he is now the head of an empire. Are you really going to marry him?"
"I don't want to say yes... but I also don't want to say no."
"Understandable...you thought you were going to marry Vard, but you also love Falcon a great deal." Clive nodded.
"Yes," Joshua agreed.
"I wish Vard was here," Clive sighed.
"So do I."
"Then I guess I will have to take you to him," Clive suddenly chuckled.
"But how?"
Clive went to the closet and opened the door, standing there with a shocked look on his face was Austin.
"Austin!" Joshua jumped in excitement on seeing his old friend.
"Joshua. you can't marry Falcon... you just can't!" Austin protested as he stepped into the room.
"I know. Austin, but what would you have me do."
"You can come with me," a deeper voice spoke from the darkness of the closet.
"Vard!" Joshua ran toward the voice.
"Joshua." Vard appeared, grabbing hold of his counterpart in a tight embrace.
"But how... how did you get here?"
"Ask Clive," Austin replied.
"Clive?" Joshua asked.
"I was wandering the marketplace, minding my own business when these two rogues grabbed me," Clive explained.
"So you knew they were here all this time and you did not tell me," Joshua said accusingly.
"I told him I would kill him if he did," Vard growled before nuzzling himself against Joshua. "I like you in this body."
"Thank you." Joshua blushed. "But why the secrecy?"
"Because we can't have Falcon know we are here... Not yet at least," Vard replied.
"But why? He would be happy to see you," Joshua asked confused.
"Really Joshua... you really think he would be... a man who is trying to take away my birthright and my husband."
"That's only because he's a Prelate now," Joshua said in defense of his father.
"And how did that happen?" Vard asked, suspicion in his voice. "A man does not suddenly become a Prelate Joshua... he is born one."
"What are you saying?" Joshua asked.
"I am saying Falcon is not what he appears to be... much more I cannot say other than I am certain you are not safe with him."
"But he is my father, Vard... he was the one who saved my from Gerick."
"I know he did... Clive told me what happened," Vard said calmly. "But still has Falcon's behavior not been strange of late?"
"He's been under a lot of stress."
"Until today has he not been trying to push you away? Do you not find it peculiar that now he is asking you to become his husband? Have you not been asking him to bring me to you for days?"
"Yes..." Joshua replied
"Joshua you love, Falcon... it is a part of who you are so if you tell me to go away and never come back I will and wish you well but..."
"But I want to be with you, Vard," Joshua finished for his lover.
"Thank you, Joshua... you don't know how afraid I was that you would not pick me."
"How could I not... I've was fated to be yours before I was born."
"Nay Joshua... there is always a choice to be made," Vard replied before kissing Joshua deeply. "We must go now... I have a fleet waiting just inside the Void."
"Are we not going to attack?" Austin asked.
"Attack?" Joshua said confused.
"No... you heard Falcon himself... the armada will be here tomorrow. We must flee... into the darkness where his eyes cannot watch us," Vard replied.
"But Falcon would never hurt me," Joshua protested.
"No Joshua he would not... but if you stay here he will try to dominate you... just as Gerick wanted to."
"He's right, Joshua," Clive spoke up seeing the pain on his master's face. "Falcon has changed and not for the better. I even heard him order the dungeon unsealed.
"But Falcon would never do that!"
"He did, Joshua," Clive insisted.
"You must decide what to believe my love... is Falcon still the man you love and hold dear."
"He will always be dear to me, Vard."
"I know my love... I know."
Joshua let out a deep breath. It had been on Earth that he had lost Thomas... now it seemed that it would be here that he would lose his father as well. "Take me away, Vard... this place has nothing but sad memories for me."
It was not till late at night that Falcon found he had the time to return to the hospital. It took even longer when he passed by a woman selling flowers on the street. Thinking Joshua would like some, he selected a dozen flawless white roses... to match Joshua's eyes.
Still Falcon was in a good mood when he opened the door to Joshua's room, expecting a warm greeting from his son. Once inside however Falcon found the room dark and quiet.
"Joshua... are you asleep?" Falcon asked. "Want me to warm up your bed for you?"
Not wanting to wake Joshua up if he was asleep, Falcon made his way blindly through the dark room till he reached the bed... only to find it empty. "Joshua... where are you... you playing a trick on me?" Falcon laughed as he reached for the lamp he knew was on the night stand.
Turning the light on Falcon thought he would quickly find Joshua's hiding spot... as large as the young man was, there were not too many places for him to hide. Still Falcon was not able to find his son.
"I know what's happened... you got tired of waiting for me. You must have gone back to the palace to surprise me."
He was just about to leave for the Guild Palace where he was sure Joshua was waiting when he saw a note written in bold print on top of the bed. Lifting it up to the lamp Falcon began to read it... he was only halfway through it when he started to crumple the letter in his gloved hand.
"He has left us." Falcon started to cry.
"But he promised he would never leave us... he promised." Gerick's voice wept in Falcon's head.
"But he has... He has left us for Vard," Falcon told his companion in grief.
"I told you to kill him! I told you Vard would take away that which is ours!"
"That was my mistake... one that I will not make again," Falcon replied... the anger rising in him.
"He broke his promise..." Gerick repeated again and again.
"He broke his promise," Falcon agreed.
"He must be punished."
"But we dare not hurt him. We promised we would not," Falcon insisted.
"And we keep our promises," Gerick agreed. "Then we must hurt those closest to him."
"Yes... yes we should...starting with Vard."
"Yes... we must make sure the one who took our beloved away from us suffers."
"Suffer greatly." Falcon nodded, an evil smile growing on his face.
Vard sat next to Joshua on the shuttle taking them into space. "I missed you," he whispered into Joshua's ear.
A small smile grew on Joshua's face. "I missed you too."
Vard turned his dark eyes on Clive who was sleeping. "That man is precious to you?"
"I love him." Joshua nodded.
"Then he will be your oath brother."
"My oath brother?"
"The keeper of your bed... the man other than your husband that you trust beyond all others."
"Clive is all those things to me." Joshua nodded. "He didn't leave my side even when I wanted him to."
"Then he will make a good oath brother."
"Do you have an oath brother?"
"Yes... you even know him," Vard chuckled.
"Oh?"
"Yes... Austin is my oath brother... a good one, even though he can be troublesome at times.
"I see," Joshua laughed.
The sound of Joshua's laughter was music to Vard's ears. He could spend the rest of eternity listening to it but there was something that needed to be done. "Joshua... it's time."
"Yes Vard?"
"It's time I came into my inheritance. It's time the door to my power was unlocked."
"But Vard..." Joshua said nervously. All he knew about power was how it destroyed the men he cared about.
"Joshua... Gerick and Falcon were never meant to have the terrible power of a Prelate... that is why it drove them mad. I, however, was born to be the Prelate."
"But how do you know you will not go mad like the others."
"I feel it deep inside. Just as I was born to be your lover, I was born to carry the burden of power."
"But why do you need such power?"
Vard reached over and stroked Joshua's pale face. "To protect you and those close to us my love. I don't care if I ever sit on the Guild Throne... let Falcon have it... but I never again want to be as helpless as I was when Gerick had you."
"Vard," Joshua sighed as he wrapped his arms around his lover's neck.
"You are the key, Joshua... it is time you unlocked my door."
Joshua looked into Vard's deep eyes and it was like seeing the face of all the men he had ever taken to bed... Thomas, Austin, Xavier, Brill, Matt, John, Tidal, Clive, Falcon and even Gerick. All the men who had ever loved, helped, and protected him. Finally... reaching a decision Joshua put his hands in Vard's. "I love you, Vard... more than any other person in my life. As I give you my love... for good or ill... to protect or destroy... for happiness or tragedy I give you the key you seek."
Joshua then leaned forward and kissed Vard ever so gently on the lips.
At the moment Joshua's mouth touched his own, Vard felt his mind open up... exploding outward till it encompassed the entire Void. He saw into the minds of every member of the Guild... knowing their secrets, desires, and fears. He could see every ship in the Void, where they were going and how many they carried, and he had the power... the power to kill any man who stood in his way... to leave ships stranded forever in the Void or to send them crashing into the fire of a sun. He also had the power to close the Void forever, bringing an end to human civilization. All this knowledge... all this power was now coursing through Vard's body but all Vard cared about was Joshua.
"Vard? Vard?" Joshua asked after he had pulled away.
Taking in a deep breath, Vard shook himself out of his daze. "Thank you, Joshua... Thank you."
"Are you feeling ok?" Joshua said with a worried expression fearing he had just created another Gerick.
"I feel fine... more than fine!" Vard chuckled. "I feel I can take on the universe."
"But you're not going to," Joshua said hopefully.
"No... there is only one thing I want to take on right now and that is having you in my bed," Vard said with a wolfish grin.
Standing up from his seat, Vard took Joshua's hand in his. Within a blink of an eye they were gone, Vard taking Joshua into the Void to a place without worry, where their love could be timeless.
Star General Kamp had served Gerick well... as a servant of the Prelate should. He saw no reason for that to change when Falcon took the Guild Throne. Bowing before the obsidian-masked man, he waited for his orders.
"A new Prelate now threatens the Guild... weakening our power. He must be destroyed."
"As my lord commands."
Falcon reached into a box and took out a recently forged gold dagger... the Dagger of Change. "You will need this to kill him but do not kill him right away... we want him to suffer."
"How am I to make him suffer, my lord?"
"Send out our spies. Hunt down this would-be Prelate. I don't care how long the search takes. Find the people who he loves... make them feel pain and death. Make sure he knows how they die. Then, when all his friends are dead, kill him."
"The counterpart as well?"
"No... Joshua is not to be harmed. He is to be brought back to us."
"It will be done Prelate."
To be continued....
Well that's it folks... this is where the ride ends for now. The follow up story, "The Son" is still in the rough draft stage. When it is ready for posting, the first six chapters will go up on the yahoo group before any chapters appear on nifty. For those who want to be alerted for when the story goes up please feel free to email me.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/