The Life of the Nomad

The life of the nomad (a story of the Spartans)

This book, "The life of the nomad," is the third using the same mythos originally created for the series "Spartan" and used later in "Sons of Sparta". In order to fully appreciate the details behind this story it would be advisable for readers to have some familiarity with both earlier works, which can be found in the gay/scifi section on Nifty. The mythos was originally created by the author CF.

Note that this story series is based in Western and Central Europe at around the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire and the start of what is colloquially known as the 'dark ages'. However I beg any experts out there not to point out my failings or deficiencies in my knowledge of the period - I am not a historian and make no claims whatsoever to authenticity.

Part 4

Character list (ages are as at the start of part 4):

Gaia's family: 1.Gaia Melonson, 96, oldest in family 2.Elis Gaiason, 72, son of Gaia 3.Tito Teleklosson, partner of Elis, 64 4.Hyacinth Gaiason, Elis's younger brother, 64, son of Gaia 5.Marcus Elisson, 40, son of Elis and Tito, brother to Clio 6.Philip (HUMAN), partner of Marcus, 31 7.Maia Marcusson, 1 summer old, son of Marcus and Philip 8.Socra Marcusson, 7, son of Marcus and Philip 9.Audo (HUMAN), 8, partner of Socra 10.Clio Titoson, 36, son of Elis and Tito, brother to Marcus 11.Aeson Elipson, partner of Clio, 31 12.Demaratos Aesonson, 9, son of Clio and Aeson 13.Konon Clioson, 4, son of Clio and Aeson 14.Jason Hyacinthson, son of Hyacinth and Alexander 32 15.Simon Apolloson (formerly human, now Spartan), 31, partner of Jason 16.Cleopas Hyacinthson, son of Hyacinth and Alexander 25 17.Red (HUMAN), 14, partner of Cleopas 18.Alexander Cleopasson, 1 week old, son of Red and Cleopas 19.Nabis Platoson, son of Plato Melonson, 81 20.Jocasta Kirkeson, partner of Nabis, 83 21.Demeter Nabisson, 51, only surviving son of Nabis and Jocasta 22.Rhea Larisason, 54 partner of Demeter 23.Leander Rheason, son of Demeter and Rhea, 31, father of Evander 24.Joseph (HUMAN), partner of Leander, 30, father of Evander 25.Evander Leanderson, 5, son of Leander and Joseph 26.Acantha Demeterson, son of Demeter and Rhea, father of Xanthe 24 27.Charon Pallasson partner of Acantha, sire of Xanthe, 25 28.Xanthe Acanthason, 2, son of Acantha and Charon

Judoc's family: 1.Judoc Claisason, 85 2.Orhain Judocson, 45, son of Judoc, father of Awhain 3.Petros (HUMAN) partner of Orhain, 42, sire of Awhain 4.Awhain Orhainson, 25, partner of Carme 5.Kalliope Demeterson, son of Demeter and Rhea, father of Ajax and Carme, 39 6.Lykurgos Rheason, son of Demeter and Rhea, brother of Kalliope, 13 7.Mark (HUMAN), partner of Kalliope, sire to and Ajax and Carme, 39 8.Ajax Kalliopeson, 12, son of Kalliope and Mark and brother of Carme 9.Carme Kalliopeson, 16, son of Mark and Kalliope, partner of Awhain

Ali's family (selected members): 1.Ali Philipson, 98 2.Michael Alison, 50, son of Ali 3.Mirakos Michaelson, 17, son of Michael 4.Teleklos Philipson, 87, Ali's brother 5.Siratus Teleklosson, 57, Ali's nephew 6.Anthony, a grand-nephew of Ali, aged 4 summers Plus approximately 20 others

From part 3 . . .

Hyacinth was unable to speak but nodded gently and kissed his old lover on his forehead. And that night, as they lay by the fireside, Alexander finally fell to sleep for the last time.

As they mounted to leave, Hyacinth took one last look at the cairn where his lover of more than forty years was resting peacefully. "Until the Elysian fields" he whispered, then with his vision clouded with tears he permitted their eldest son, Jason, himself only slightly less tearful, to lead his horse away on their journey onwards.

. . .

It was strange, and kind of poignant, Red mused. The elderly human Alexander was no longer with them, but the youthful Spartan Alexander was. The baby in question had been fed that morning and slept in a sling against his young human father's back - they had intended to tie him to his chest but Red had found that he was unable to steer the horse properly - he himself was only an adolescent after all and not large enough to be comfortable wearing the nursing sling his lover customarily wore, finding the back-held sling the only practical way he could carry his child.

He felt baby Alexander's gentle breaths on his skin - he had, for the sake of the baby's safety, discarded his tunic so that he could feel the breaths and movements distinctly on his naked back. For modesty's sake, he also wore an armoured breastplate, the thick, decorated leather covering up his chest and torso above the level of his leggings and swordbelt. The armour was, together with the baby sling, sufficient covering for humans to cope with when they rode through the small settlements or encountered someone on the road.

Red felt his baby's breath again and chuckled softly. "What?" Cleopas asked - he rode alongside Red, guarding his son and his mate almost instinctively. Though he was grieved at his human father's death, it didn't deter his vigilance in protecting Red and the baby, nor limit the joy he felt at being a father.

"I can feel Alexander's breath, it tickles" Red smiled. Cleopas reached over and twitched the side of the sling, looking at the baby's face. "Sleeping peacefully" he reported.

They were travelling south and would for another day, before turning directly east for a week, then would pick up a well paved former Roman route heading east and north. This route, if the family elders' memories were correct, would run straight as a die for about five weeks before connecting with a road to the crossroads that they intended to meet Kalliope at, at about a fortnight south of their rendezvous site. They could travel a little faster and if necessary push forwards and make the journey in six weeks but eight was a more normal travelling time to cover the distance and would bring them to the crossroads and market place only a day or two shy of midsummer.

Xanthe rode between his fathers, armed and on horseback, proud to be able to show off his status as a boy and not a baby. His sword was little more than a knife, of course, and largely ceremonial, but it would enable him to get used to carrying a weapon and give him something to train with. Maia also rode proudly on his own little pony at Marcus' side but the smaller boy was not yet armed.

Audo was armed and rode next to Socra, chattering animatedly. He always seemed to have so much energy but since joining the Spartan family the previous spring, it had been channelled constructively and he was a competent rider and student of sword craft, reading, cooking and all the other skills that were deemed necessary for Spartan children to learn.

Jason and Simon were the day's outriders, Demeter and Rhea the rearguard, young Demaratos steered one wagon and Philip the second and together with their pack horses, the young animals and all the riders they made good time as they clattered down the road.

Hyacinth was still mostly lost in the depths of his grief and was riding alongside his own father, Gaia. He had instinctively turned to the old man for support, knowing that his human father had died many years ago and feeling a certain depth of connection to Gaia because of that. He had promised Alexander that he would live and teach their grandson and so even though the urge to commit suicide was strong he resisted for the sake of his promise.

"How do you keep going, father Gaia? I mean, without father Adomnan?" Hyacinth asked sadly as they travelled.

Gaia sighed. "One day at a time, son, one day at a time."

"When did the pain go away?" Hyacinth asked, tears welling up in his eyes. He looked at his Spartan father to see, to his surprise, tears also forming. A single drip trickled down Gaia's old face in a silvery line.

"It still hasn't" Gaia replied in a soft voice heavy with grief. "But I have learned to live despite the pain, for that is all we can do." Hyacinth and his surviving father both cried silently, sharing their twin griefs as they travelled onwards.

The family rode through a small village but needing no supplies and being full of energy they kept going without pause. An hour after noon saw them stop for a short time to eat and rest, and after a diaper change and a brief wash, Alexander was transferred to Cleopas' sling so that he could nurse over the afternoon. Once free of his small, cute and very valuable burden, Red slipped his tunic back on and stowed the breastplate and sling in his day pack ready for the next time he would carry his son.

The spring day was not warm as summer might be but still was mild enough that they enjoyed the sunshine and the smell of freshly growing flowers and grasses, which were springing up as far as the eye could see. They stopped as night fell in a small roadside clearing that was already set up as a well appointed campsite, then rose before dawn, mediated until sunrise, and broke their fast on bacon and porridge before continuing their journey.

They found the turn off exactly as remembered and took the easterly road that afternoon, stopping by the roadside as night fell. The roads were all in good repair and several more days passed in a similar vein as they moved closer to the main route that would carry them for five full weeks.

Just before they joined the main road they stopped at a small farmstead and Cleopas purchased a milking nanny goat. They were not in the habit of taking livestock, with the exception of horses, on their travels but once at the fireside that evening he explained his thoughts.

"We're entering what will likely be a heavily populated route, with villages and inns and way stations by the dozen and plenty of fellow travellers on the road. Now normally we avoid such places when we have nursing infants but in this case we cannot so we need some way of convincing people we are just normal humans. With the nanny goat and some kind of rag or flask or something, Alexander can be fed without being nursed by me, or at least we have an explanation of how we do feed him should the question arise."

"We can use the 'women in the wagon' excuse as normal, we don't need a goat" Jason complained.

"We could but that would require Alexander and Cleopas to ride in the wagon for most of the trip and that would be unfair to a curious infant, never seeing the sky or his surroundings or feeling the sunshine for the next five weeks" Elis interrupted before Cleopas could speak.

"Besides which" Hyacinth smiled sadly, "with that hair there is no denying he is Red's son and if people are being nosy then it is Red who needs to be seen caring for and feeding the boy."

"Me?" Red blurted.

"Of course my little mate" Cleopas grinned. "You are definitely our little one's daddy and you're going to have to play the part properly" he chuckled.

The animal was tethered behind one of the wagons and milked that evening and Red, with the help of various family members, fashioned a small flask with a rag tip and slowly fed his baby boy. Alexander seemed not to mind the change in diet or method of feeding and sucked the offered milk from the rag happily. He would, of course, still be nursed by Cleopas at night, they would be able to hide in the darkness sufficiently to get away with that, and he would be nursed at any time they were away from humans, but he would have to learn to take the goat milk and so Red would feed him at least once a day.

They turned onto the main road two hours before noon, having breakfasted in the peace of their camp and Cleopas had nursed Alexander. The boy was, as had quickly become his habit, sleeping on Red's back when they met the roadway and was comfortable and content. As they rode, Cleopas said, "Red, back in the cave over winter you used to disappear for hours at a time and you would never tell us why. Can you let me in on the secret now?"

Red blushed. "Promise you won't laugh?" he asked.

"I would never laugh at you, at least not meanly" Cleopas smiled genuinely. "Now, tell me, what were you up to?"

"I, um, made something?" Red confessed.

"Oh? What?" Cleopas asked.

"A bow and some arrows" Red finally sighed. "They aren't very good yet, it took me ages to figure out how to string the bow so that the cord didn't pop out of the wood."

Cleopas was stunned. "A bow and... Red that's fantastic! I've never been able to figure them out... you worked it out all by yourself?" he gasped.

Red nodded bashfully. "I guess" he admitted. "But like I said, they aren't very good. I can only hit my target about seven times out of ten."

"Red, some professional archers can't boat that accuracy. You're a natural! Will you teach me?" Cleopas asked.

"Are you sure?" Red said, shocked.

Cleopas nodded. "I'm very sure" he smiled.

The conversation faded as they soon met fellow travellers on the road, passing by a group of monks who travelled in the same direction but slowly and on foot, and encountering a merchant caravan coming in the opposite direction. But they were not molested and apart from the normal greetings of a journeying man exchanged no words.

That night they pulled their wagons and horses into the corner of a hostelry yard, paid the inn keeper for the space, a good helping of horse oats, some firewood and some ale and then lit a fire in one of the many spare fire pits. They arranged their beds so that the children were surrounded by adults and Red, Cleopas and Alexander were shielded almost completely from prying human eyes. They bedded down into their deer skins, all huddling close together for warmth and company as well as to give the illusion that they always all slept closely entwined, just in case any couples instinctively moved and cuddled each other overnight.

Cleopas shared Red's invention and idea with some of the others and several family members wanted to see his bow and learn how it worked. Red got the items from his pack where he had wrapped and hidden them and demonstrated the workings. "We can't practise here, we're going to have to wait until we're in the wilderness again" Red explained. "It may even be next winter before we're able to make our own and experiment with them."

With sighs the bow and arrows were put away and everyone agreed that it would take several weeks in the same place, as well as plenty of suitable wood and an uninterrupted range of a good few hundred yards, in order than anyone could learn how to shoot in safety.

They were, apart from a couple of hostelry guards, the only ones awake when they rose to meditate the next morning. The sleepiness of their fellow travellers turned out to be extraordinarily useful as Jason and Simon both woke up groaning with pain. "What's up?" Elis asked - he had been sleeping closest to the couple and heard their moans.

"I'm emergent" Simon replied in a low voice tinged with discomfort.

"We" Jason corrected, "are emergent."

"Oh!" Elis said, faintly surprised, then a smile split his face, visible in the torch light. "Let's meditate and try and leave no later than dawn, the shadows will hide you and we'll get a little ways away from humanity before we break our fast" he suggested.

The news passed around the family in hushed whispers and their meditations only lasted half an hour before the need to move and get away from people made them cut short their morning rituals, pack and leave.

Baby Alexander was in a sling on Cleopas' front as he hadn't woken up from his night time sleep and would be hungry as soon as he did, which meant that the Spartan man could only wear his cloak whereas Red was able to wear his full tunic.

They rode three quarters of an hour from the hostelry before pulling into a small woodland clearing. It wasn't really a campsite as the road was too well populated to need one but it would suffice to finish their meditation in and cook some breakfast.

Simon and Jason both sported the small feathery ends of their new filaments, since they were a Spartan-Spartan couple they became emergent simultaneously. It had already been agreed that Simon would let his fall out and that Jason was going to attempt to carry their first child.

"You know, I swear you jinxed us" Jason grumbled to Elis when they finished their required meditative exercises and began to prepare food with which to break their fast. "Saying yesterday that it wasn't fair for Cleopas and Alexander to be stuck in the wagon for the next five weeks and guess what? I've suddenly got a new home" he muttered.

"Be nice, you don't have to have a baby now" Elis replied calmly. His suggestion changed Jason's demeanour completely.

"I know, I was trying to have a joke but I guess it fell a little flat" he said with a pained smile. "There's no way I'm going to let these fall out, I want to try and gestate" he said softly, smiling as he reached for Simon's hand and intertwining their fingers together.

"As long as you find somewhere secluded for Jason to conceive, that is, I'm not performing for a crowd" Simon commented.

Cleopas, Elis and some of the others laughed. "We could always tie you up and force you" Red giggled.

Simon blushed. "You've heard us?"

"You do it every night you can, we can't help but hear you" Acantha replied. "Pull it a little tighter, Jason" he mimicked Simon's voice. Simon and Jason both blushed scarlet.

"Leave them alone, what they do in the privacy of the night is their business, whether you can hear them or not" Gaia chastised his relatives even though he too was grinning with obvious amusement. Sniggering, the subject was dropped but the emergent couple remained visibly embarrassed for a good while longer.

They finished their meal in good spirits and Jason and Simon grudgingly climbed into the wagon. "We will pass you food, don't worry" Elis said as he tied the laces on the back cover of the vehicle.

"What if we need to pass water?" Simon asked.

Red handed them a flask similar to the one that Cleopas had used during his gestation. "Just don't fill it to the brim, I don't want to get splashed with urine when I open it for emptying" he chuckled.

"Just get moving, this blasted wagon is closing in on me already" Jason complained.

A fed, bathed and contented Alexander was placed in his sling and tied onto Red's bare back and once he had his breastplate in place the family were ready to ride.

"Finally!" they heard Jason's voice as the wagon began to roll.

"It's going to be a very long five weeks" Gaia sighed to no one in particular as they clattered onto the road.

The day was a difficult one for Red, for Alexander and especially for Simon and Jason. The road was crowded with various pilgrims and missionaries and merchants and others. Several times they found themselves riding alongside humans and had to make excuses either to speed up or slow down so that they could take a few seconds to slip the emergent pair some food or water.

Red had to feed Alexander using goat milk for all of his meals that day and by the time evening came Cleopas was sore and leaking milk profusely. Their options that night would have been an inn or a hostelry but thankfully both were full and so they had an excuse to camp by the roadside in the seclusion of a small stand of trees.

They were surrounded by farmland so it wasn't true woodland in the traditional sense but when darkness fell it was sufficiently shadowed and private that Cleopas could finally feed Alexander properly and then express the remainder of his milk to ease his discomfort. He decided to express it into one of the small flasks that Red used to collect the goat's milk - they'd discovered that they only needed to milk her once a day and that the baby was perfectly satisfied with drinking cold milk as opposed to taking it warm and straight from the animal.

"You make a very handsome goat" Red giggled as he carefully squeezed, working the milk from Cleopas' pecs.

Cleopas shot him a ferocious scowl and rolled his eyes.

"But you do! Should I call you billy or nanny? I can't tell" Red giggled again.

"Any more comments like that and you'd better expect revenge" Cleopas growled.

Red chuckled once more as he finally got Cleopas dry and put the stopper into the flask. "Do you bleat like a goat as well?" he whispered. Alexander was fast asleep next to them, snuggled safely in Cleopas' cloak.

Cleopas grabbed Red and pinned him to the floor. "Apologise" he demanded.

Red fought the urge to collapse in laughter. "Baaa" he mimicked the nanny.

"Right, that's it" Cleopas growled, but he smiled as well, as if he too were trying not to laugh. He pinned Red's wrists with one hand, pinned his legs with a knee and then began to tickle.

"No, No, n-n-n-n-o-o-o!" Red giggled and squirmed.

"Quiet, you'll wake Alexander up" Cleopas said. He continued to tickle.

"St-t-t-t-o-o-o-o-p-p-p!" Red continued to roll around in helpless laughter, but softly for fear of disturbing his son. "I'm going to wet myself!" he gasped before suddenly his bladder could take no more and he soaked his loincloth.

"No more smart remarks about goats, then, and I wouldn't be forced to take such drastic measures" Cleopas grinned, finally letting go and feeling like justice was served.

Red got up off the wet patch of earth, removed his urine-soaked clothing, thankful that he only had the loincloth on and nothing else. He tiptoed over to the nearby stream to wash his crotch and rinse his clothing and then crawled, naked, onto the deerskin mat he shared with Alexander and Cleopas and took a corner of the cloak gratefully.

"Clean now?" Cleopas whispered.

"Baaa" Red said softly, knowing that his lover could and would do nothing with the baby asleep in between them.

"Stinker" Cleopas growled before they both began to chuckle. They entwined fingers and brought each other's hands up to their mouths, exchanged kisses onto fingertips.

"I love you" Red whispered. Cleopas snorted a soft laugh. "I love you too. But you're still a stinker!" Chuckling softly to each other they smiled and fell asleep.

Alexander woke along with his fathers, when they rose to meditate. Since it was still dark Cleopas could easily get away with feeding him whilst sat in the open and did so as the family mentally prepared themselves for the day ahead. Simon and Jason had slept outside and sat out in the fresh pre-dawn air to meditate with everyone else, but would climb back into the wagon as the sun rose. Both were uncomfortable but found that being confined to the wagon was almost more difficult than being emergent. Coping with both simultaneously made them very short tempered indeed.

Because of the need to complete certain tasks before the sun came up, Gaia stopped the meditation slightly earlier than was normal. The emergent couple visited the latrine and then had a quick wash in the pre-dawn gloom, and Cleopas finished giving Alexander his milk and washed the excess and the baby saliva from his chest well before any humans were awake.

Breakfast was prepared and healthy portions of dried fruit, porridge and some curds that had been purchased from a farm the previous day, were enjoyed by all, though Jason and Simon grudgingly climbed into the wagon to eat theirs. Everyone bathed, cleaned bodies and hair and dressed, Alexander was tied on to Red's back and their journey began again.

That day they were collared quite early by a group of minstrels and mummers, who travelled in an open wagon and who were more than capable of keeping the same time as the Spartans. They seemed content to stop at the same time as the Spartans, to speed up at the same time and apparently were completely incapable of taking the hint that they were not welcome.

In the end, Nabis, normally quite mild-mannered, got frustrated. "We need some privacy" he growled. "Please, tell us, do you plan on stopping or keeping going at the next way station? Whichever you plan on doing, we WILL be doing the opposite."

"Well, I AM sorry" the leader of the troop spat petulantly. "I thought you would enjoy the company of mummers, we were going to put on a skit and perform some music tonight for you but OH, NO, you don't appreciate our art. We will keep going, thank you very much!" he spat and the players sped up their cart and were soon out of sight.

"Well that told them" Jocasta chuckled to his still-fuming mate.

"It was either offend them or pull my sword out and skewer them" Nabis replied.

"Oh, in that case let's call them back" Jocasta quipped.

Nabis gave him a black look. "Don't tempt me" he muttered.

The next way station was busy but had woodlands all around it, so after filling water flasks up at the well and making some food purchases they pulled a few hundred yards down the road, manoeuvred the wagons so that the backs could not be seen and surreptitiously exchanged Simon and Jason's urine-filled bag and empty food platter with more food and water and a fresh bag in which to relieve themselves.

"Tell Nabis if he wants assistance with the skewering I would be glad to provide it" Jason whispered to Elis as the exchange was made.

"I think you'll have to get in line" Elis replied dryly.

They left the wagon cover open slightly to let some light and air in as Red fed Alexander and the others ate their lunch. Unfortunately, only fifteen minutes into their meal, some other travellers picked a site only fifty yards distant as their lunchtime stopping point so the back of the wagon was laced closed once more.

"Sorry" Charon whispered as he tied the laces. Jason muttered something unintelligible and Simon sniggered at his lover in reply.

"What was that?" Charon asked.

"You really don't want to know" Simon told him.

They made good time that afternoon and stopped at a well appointed inn that night. After some lengthy negotiations they managed to purchase the use of one of the barns for themselves, their horses and their wagons, and get permission to barricade the door.

When safely behind the barricade and away from prying eyes, Simon and Jason were finally freed from their temporary prison and allowed to walk around. Jason climbed out, muttering softly to himself.

"Jason, are you okay, son?" Hyacinth asked in a quiet voice.

Now, anyone else would have felt the emergent man's sharp tongue and irritation but Jason found himself quite unable to snap at his surviving father, his grief and pain so acute that to add anything to it would have been cruel in the extreme. "I'm tired and frustrated and in pain, father, that is all" he said in as calm a voice as he could manage.

"That is the calmest sentence you've spoken in the last two days" Hyacinth chuckled.

Jason sighed. "I just want to be outside, feeling the sunshine, having the wind in my face?" he began.

"And would it be worth it for a sword in your back or getting your fool self strung up and hanged?" Hyacinth interrupted.

"No!" Jason sighed explosively. "I just wish we didn't have to hide" he said softly. Tears filled his eyes as his hormone-triggered emotions temporarily overwhelmed him.

"We have no choice, son" Hyacinth replied. "Now come on, let's get some supper."

Because they were in such a populous area the choice of foods was wide, as long as they had money or goods to trade. For a suitable sum the innkeeper had not only given them the barn for the night, but also served them with a full kettle of freshly prepared mixed vegetable and barley broth, a whole boar, roasted with olives and fragrant herbs, and plenty of soft bread rolls to sop up the juices. He also provided an extra carafe of olives, some yoghurt, some ham and several wax covered cheeses to go with more bread to break their fast and carry with them the next morning.

"That was an amazing meal" Leander sighed expansively as he popped one last olive into his mouth.

"And we have tons left" Tito observed as he nodded over to the half-carved carcass and the soup kettle.

"We'll package it and take it with us" Rhea suggested, "that way we'll have plenty of food for the next few days."

"I've had nicer" Jason grumbled. "And this barn is awful, I want to go outside already!" He got to his feet and started pacing the length of the wooden building.

"Jason! What is with you?" Red said back to him with a tone of sheer frustration, as he cuddled Alexander and in turn was being held by Cleopas. "Yes, you're emergent and stuck in the wagon but for crying out loud, is nothing good enough for you? Pull yourself together!"

Jason stopped still and stared at the young human boy in disbelief, having never been spoken to in that way by him before. "You know" he said in a measured tone, "if you weren't cradling my nephew I'd probably have hit you for that remark."

Red glowered, handed Alexander to his mate and stood up.

"Love, don't tempt him. You're poking a hornet's nest" Cleopas begged the adolescent but Red just looked at his mate and winked calmly.

"Come on then, if you're so big a man that you'd attack a boy half your size, go for it!" he taunted, turning back to where the emergent man stood.

Jason's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to speak but his words were curtailed by incoherent fury. "How dare? you do not know? insolence!" he stuttered in the end, balling his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"If you can't cope with this then you'll end up doing something stupid in the middle of your gestation and losing the baby" Red said calmly.

"ARGH!" Jason growled.

"You want to gestate?" Red continued implacably. "Well then you need to make your child a promise, that no matter what happens, you will always put him first. No matter how uncomfortable you are, how embarrassed you are, how frustrated or hot or thirsty or annoyed you are, the baby always comes first. Even now, Jason. If you were that bothered about hiding in the wagon you'd take a knife to your filaments and be done with it. Now for your future son's sake if not ours, stop it with the anger already." His already low voice had dropped to a whisper by the time he had finished and he met Jason's furious gaze calm and unafraid.

Jason stood and stared for a few more moments, then fell to his knees and sobbed. "I'm sorry" he whispered in between his falling tears. "I never meant to be so?"

"Jason, believe it or not, I do understand" Red comforted him. "I've seen Clio, Aeson and Simon emergent before and I lived through nine months of Cleopas' gestation. I know this is hard for you, honestly I do. But please, will you try to be a little nicer?"

Jason nodded and Cleopas, Hyacinth and the others all let out an explosive breath.

"Remind me never to get into a game of chance with you. You take far too many risks" Acantha chuckled to Red.

Red shrugged. "It wasn't a risk. All I basically reminded him was that he did have a choice. We always have a choice. We may not like what they are but they are there. And if Jason has already truly chosen to bear a child then he needs to live with that decision in peace and happiness."

"I have chosen. Thank you, Red, for reminding me" Jason said in a soft voice.

The adults all relaxed, stunned and thankful at Jason's change in demeanour. They sat drinking the innkeeper's best ale and chatting to Red about his challenge. The children, sleepy after their good meal, played quiet games and tried not to yawn too much for fear of being shooed to bed earlier than they wanted to go.

Audo and Socra were sat together making sketches in the dirt floor of the barn with their fingers. "What's that?" Socra asked.

"Us when we're grown up" Audo smiled as he industriously drew a pair of people holding hands. "You put in the horses" he said to Socra and the boy started to draw.

Audo had finished the outline of the two people in front of him, then paused and looked thoughtful. "Jason and Simon are your uncles aren't they?" he asked.

"Kind of" Socra replied. "Jason's father Hyacinth is my grandfather Elis' brother. I think we're sort of cousins or something" he explained. He drew the horse's mane and saddle then started sketching a second animal.

"When you get big will you get feathers like they've got?" Audo asked.

Socra nodded. "Probably. And then afterwards I'll have a womb like Cleopas had and then I'll have a baby!" he said and giggled softly.

Audo nodded and then on one figure he drew wavy lines on his belly. "That's you and that's me" he said, "you've got the feathery things and I've not."

"And these are our horses. We need a wagon too, though" Socra said and began to draw one. Audo added in some trees and some lines that he described as being a river.

"Come on, boys, time for bed" Marcus said, walking over. "Hey, nice picture, you want to tell me about it?" he asked, seeing the sketches in the dirt.

"That's Audo and that's me, with feathers on my belly" Socra said, "and these are our horses and our wagon. This is us when were grown up" he smiled to his father.

Marcus smiled. "You've got plenty of time to grow up, you don't need to rush" he said. "Now come on, bedtime" he told the boys.

They scuffed their drawing out with their feet and followed Marcus over to the wagon where Maia, Xanthe and Evander were already tucked. They climbed in and lay down together, and Marcus covered them with a sheepskin.

"Goodnight, boys" he said softly.

"Good night father Marcus" Socra replied. The other boys just said, "good night Marcus", dropping the word 'father'. Maia called, "night daddy Marcus" in a sleepy voice.

"Audo" Socra whispered directly into his friend's ear once they had been left alone. "You know how my father Marcus and father Philip kiss each other goodnight?"

"Yes?" Audo asked.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?"

"I'd like that" Audo smiled and the two boys pecked their lips together gently, before pulling apart, laughing and wiping their faces on their arms.

"Eww!" they both giggled, then, holding hands, they snuggled closely up to one another and slept soundly.

Marcus returned to the family and sat down next to the fire, smiling softly to himself.

"What?" Philip asked him.

"Socra and Audo - they accept their bond so easily, it's wonderful to hear them talk about their future together" he smiled.

"Are they also going to be teenage parents, do you think?" Demeter asked, smirking in Red's direction.

Marcus looked at Demeter, Red and Rhea, all of whom had been very young fathers, and shook his head and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "No!" he muttered firmly. "At least I blasted well hope not! And don't you three go encouraging them!"

Red, Demeter and the others all laughed good-naturedly, before they got into their cloaks and bedded down with a loved one, most of them wanting some special time together since they had a rare spot of privacy available to them that night. Gaia noticed that Hyacinth looked lost and was tearful as he lay alone amidst the kissing couples. "Son?" he called.

"Yes, father Gaia?" Hyacinth said softly, trying to disguise his tears.

Gaia got up from his spot and walked over to Hyacinth's cloak. "Got room for a small one there?" he asked. Hyacinth's answer was to nod his head and start to sob.

Gaia lay down next to his youngest son, the man of almost one hundred summers gently comforting the other, who was over sixty. "Shh, son, I understand. Now sleep" Gaia whispered as he pulled his son close, and for the first time since his lover had died Hyacinth slept soundly.

After Red's challenge to Jason the next few days passed quietly and soon it was time for Jason to conceive. They rode down the road that evening looking at the places available for a night's stay, trying to decide where they would most easily be able to disguise the groans and screams of conception.

They had encountered a larger settlement that evening, comprising several farms, a forge, a couple of taverns, an inn, a bawdy house and a winery and vintners. To both sides were camping fields with fire pits, wells for water and sturdy, permanent built latrine blocks. There was also a roman-style bath house which was operated by one of the taverns, who charged people a pretty penny for its services. The settlement straddled a spot where another busy road met the route they were riding on and formed a crossroads.

"You know, brothers, the best place for us to camp would probably be at the other side, right next to the bawdy house" Elis suggested, looking at the place.

Marcus and Clio looked at their father in amazement. "Are you insane?" they gasped.

Elis laughed. "No, listen to me, when Simon fertilises Jason they'll need plenty of cover to disguise the noises. What better than a flock of giggling ladies? No one will think anything of the noise, except perhaps those chaps who are jealous that we got the girls first."

"Father Elis! Don't be disgusting" Clio grimaced. Elis just chuckled.

Try as they might, no one could fault Elis' logic so they chose their camp site to the side of the field nearest the bawdy house. Music, laughter and squealing echoed from its windows and doors and Acantha shook his head as he tried and failed to distract Xanthe from the lewd noises.

"What are they doing, father Acantha?" Xanthe asked innocently.

"Playing games" Acantha replied shortly.

Xanthe's eyes went wide. "I like games, can I join in?" he asked enthusiastically. Nearby, Charon snickered unhelpfully into his hand.

"No, Xanthe" Acantha said in a measured voice after giving his lover a black look. "Not that type of game. Do you remember the sexy games that Ajax and Lykurgos used to play?"

The boy's eyes went wide. "You mean like the games you and father Charon play at night time?" he asked, then curled his cute little nose in an expression of disgust. "But there are girls there!" he giggled, making mock-gagging noises.

"Ewww!" he, Evander and Maia all exclaimed together, the other small boys being stood nearby listening to the exchange between birth-father and son, then they all giggled some more.

Acantha couldn't help but laugh too. "Most human men like girls, boys" he said softly. "Don't make it so obvious that you don't, especially where humans can hear you."

"But girls are strange" Xanthe pouted.

"I know. But humans still seem to like them for some reason so be polite about it, okay?"

"Yes, father Acantha" Xanthe sighed, shaking his head at how strange grown-ups could be.

Acantha and Charon laughed together as the boys ran away to play. "You could have thought of another way to say it! Honestly, love, 'playing games'? I thought you would have had more sense - that gave him the perfect opening" Charon chuckled.

Acantha nodded and rolled his eyes. "I realised as soon as I'd opened my mouth that I'd dug myself a hole" he smirked. They went to help get the camp set up and make supper, then several family members began leather work as they waited for their meal to cook.

The field filled up within the hour, minstrels and monks and missionaries and merchants all sharing the space, cooking meals and relaxing after a hard day's travel. Simon and Jason stayed in the wagon of course, out of sight, having been given plenty of food supplies earlier in the day when on the road. They were planning on coming out of the wagon later on in the night when all was silent in order to use the latrine, wash and so on but for the moment were hiding. Thanks to the noise levels, the laughter, jokes and chattering all around them, they could get away with holding a whispered conversation.

"Are you ready for this?" Simon asked. Jason could see his smile faintly thanks to the firelight and last rays of sunshine glinting through the thin gaps in the wagon cover where one skin was sewn to another.

"My love, are you? If all goes well, nine months hence we shall be fathers" Jason replied.

Simon took Jason's fingers and kissed them carefully. In actual fact he wanted to pull him into a tight embrace but the thought of the pain involved made him very quickly change his mind. "I really want to hug you right now" he explained.

Jason returned the kiss onto Simon's hand. "And I you" he replied, "but we can't. Conception is going to be bad enough." He met Simon's eyes. "Will you pray with me, my love? I know we don't have a sacrifice but our worship may be enough to garner Apollo's aid in keeping me quiet."

Simon nodded and the two drew their swords, carefully knelt up and bowed their heads. "Apollo, hear the worship of your faithful" Jason whispered. "I, Jason son of Hyacinth" he whispered, then looked at Simon.

"And I, Simon, your own created son" Simon added in.

"Do come to you in prayer and supplication. Hear us, Lord Apollo, we beg" Jason finished and the pair remained kneeling for a while, filtering out all the noise as they did so and focusing solely on their devotion to their god.

Conceive without fear, Jason. You will not be discovered Apollo's voice spoke into their minds as His hands rested briefly on their heads.

"Lord, thank you" Jason gasped, shaking at the touch of their god.

Apollo's presence remained with them a moment longer and then vanished and the couple stayed kneeling, thanking the god for hearing them. It was Simon who moved first. "Jason, my love?" he whispered.

Jason lifted his face from the pommel of his sword and looked at his mate questioningly.

"Let's lie down" Simon smiled.

Jason laid his sword to one side and Simon did the same, before quickly pushing Jason so that he lay flat on the wagon bed and kneeling over his thighs. Simon's head almost touched the roof of the wagon so he kept it bowed slightly as he looked into his mate's eyes. "You ready?" he asked.

"Now?" Jason asked. He began to tremble.

Simon didn't answer in words but began to stroke himself, all the while watching Jason's face. His orgasm wasn't long in coming and as the semen came into contact with the filaments, Jason screwed his face up and started to pant in short breaths to control the pain. Simon moved as quickly as he was able and took his lover's hands in his own. "That's it, keep breathing, squeeze my hands" he whispered softly, sitting at Jason's side.

Jason let out a tiny whimper as his filaments slowly started to move and curl but apart from that no other sound escaped. Sweat beaded his brow and he made a good job of attempting to crush Simon's knuckles but he remained silent. After a long hour the pain subsided as his last filament finished curling and stopped still.

"Jason, my love?" Simon whispered.

"Mm-hm?" Jason gasped softly.

"Could I... erm... have my hands back please?" Simon begged plaintively. Jason opened his eyes and looked to see that Simon's digits were purple and were clearly throbbing.

"I'm sorry, my love!" Jason apologised, quickly letting go. Simon winced as he started to slowly flex his painful fingers.

"Do not worry, it helped you control the pain and the noise and that is all that matters" Simon whispered with a soft smile. "But you do have a very good grip!" he snorted a half-laugh as he continued to work his hands, wincing all the while.

It was very late and most of the family had been asleep for hours by the time Nabis, who had volunteered to sit up and watch alongside Jocasta, undid the back of the wagon. "There's still some noise from over yonder but if you're quick and quiet you'll make it to the latrine and back" he whispered as he helped Simon and Jason down the steps.

They both slung cloaks around their shoulders, slipped their boots on and, holding their garments closed over their naked crotches, they made their way over to the latrine. They passed soil and water without incident and returned to their own fireside, had a wash in a basin of water that Jocasta handed them and then stood, quietly enjoying the night breezes.

"So you managed it then?" Jocasta whispered, seeing Jason's tiny, bubble-shaped womb.

Jason nodded. "Several hours ago actually" he answered.

Nabis raised his eyebrows. "We never heard a thing. I was actually doubtful that you'd gone ahead, you were that quiet."

Simon smiled. "We prayed first, and I think almost crushing every bone in my hands helped him keep his calm" he chuckled, looking at his lover with a soft smile before reaching over and caressing his cheek. "Well done, my love" he whispered.

"Thank you" Jason blushed softly, kissing Simon's fingertips before the pair climbed back into the wagon to sleep.

Simon's filaments had all fallen out within the week and he took to riding his horse again. Jason calmly and willingly stayed in the wagon, enduring all without complaint. When questioned about his placid state, especially as compared to his earlier temper, he shrugged and simply said, "As Red suggested, I decided to promise my son that I would do all I could to keep him safe. This is me keeping my promise."

Over the time they travelled down the busy, well used thoroughfare, Red got used to caring for and feeding Alexander, Jason became accepting of, if not content with his confinement and thanks to a good stock of leather and their skill as craftsmen they ate well and managed to purchase some privacy at least one night in three. Audo and the other children continued to grow like weeds, spring bled slowly into summer, and even though they headed north the weather got warmer and warmer as every day passed.

They turned onto the road that led to their rendezvous earlier than expected and it was about a week shy of midsummer when they finally arrived at their destination. Demeter and Rhea seemed anxious and stressed and after they set up their camp, they took to watching the roads for their eldest and youngest sons and grandchildren.

Alexander was sitting between Red's knees late one morning, holding his head up well and watching a scrap of brightly coloured ribbon that his young father danced in his hands. He gurgled with fascination at the entertainment and Cleopas observed the pair from nearby. Occasionally the baby would still topple over sideways as his back and spine weren't that strong yet but he was held firm by Red and was sat in safety and comfort.

"He likes that" Cleopas smiled.

"I wanted to get him some coloured beads actually but they cost a fortune" Red replied, continuing to dance and flick the ribbon.

Cleopas grinned. "There's a jeweller here at the crossroads. Why don't I go and see how much a couple of beads would cost and we can thread them onto the ribbon?"

"He'll charge the earth" Red warned.

Cleopas went and fished out a couple of smart purses and a satchel he'd just finished making. "Let's see if he's amenable to negotiation" he replied with a wolf-like grin.

Cleopas managed to persuade the jeweller to part with a small amber bead and an even smaller jewel made of greenstone in exchange for the leather goods. He took them and threaded them onto the blue and red woven ribbon, tied it tightly, and started to dance the toy before Alexander. The baby squealed and gurgled and grabbed at the beads delightedly.

"I think he likes them" Red laughed.

It just so happened that the jeweller who they'd purchased the beads from walked past as Alexander made a lunge for them. Red took hold of the baby to sit him upright again and Cleopas took the precious beads and held them clear.

"You brought beads as a child's toy?" the man gasped, seeing them in Cleopas' hand.

Cleopas turned and saw the jeweller and nodded. "Yes" he said, "not that it's any of your business." He shifted his sword belt, as if he was adjusting it slightly but the jeweller took the hint immediately.

"None of my business, of course not" he muttered as he scrambled away.

Cleopas rolled his eyes. "Humans" he sighed softly.

Red mock-punched him. "Hey! Less of the cheek!"

Cleopas grinned. "You're the one who persists in comparing me to the nanny goat at every opportunity and I'm not allowed to get even a little bit cheeky in return?"

Red blustered and stuttered but couldn't think of anything to say. Clio, sat nearby, started to chuckle. "That's the first time in weeks you've not had a smart come back, Red, are you feeling okay?"

"Shut it" the boy muttered, trying to act surly but failing as he grinned. "Alexander, you'll defend me from all these bullies, won't you?" he mock-whispered to the baby. The baby ignored him and continued to watch the coloured beads dancing from Cleopas' fingers. "Traitor" Red giggled as he watched his baby son and his mate at play.

Xanthe, Konon, Evander, Socra and Audo had made some small leather balls using scraps and off-cuts and dried grass as stuffing. Watched over by Aeson and Clio they went from tent to tent that afternoon, wherever they spied other children, and offered every child they could find a ball for a copper penny. Some of the children had been suspicious of the well-armed youngsters but Clio and Aeson's presence only a few paces away stopped any belligerence from getting out of hand.

A couple of parents also were suspicious but after they realised that the boys were genuinely only selling toys they relaxed. At the end of their afternoon they'd sold a dozen balls and made twelve copper coins. Evander began to count. "That's two coppers each and, um, one each for Aeson and Clio for watching us" he announced.

A nearby merchant heard the boy do his workings out. "Your boys know their numbers?" he gasped. Aeson nodded and allowed himself a small smile of pride.

"What are you going to do with your coins, boys?" he asked.

"I'm going to give mine to my daddy to look after" Konon announced with a grin.

"And I'm going to give mine to my mother" Audo smiled. He was looking forward to seeing his mother and his village very soon.

"That's a very noble thing to do" the merchant replied with a smile. "Well" he said, looking up at his own customers, "I've got things to do. Excuse me" he nodded and walked away.

Clio and Aeson chivvied the children back to their camp so that they could show off their money and wash hands and faces before supper. But no sooner had they got the children sat down and settled, they saw Demeter and Rhea approaching with huge grins and expressions of profound relief and joy on their faces. Trailing them were Kalliope, Mark, Lykurgos, Ajax, Judoc, Orhain, Petros and Awhain.

They led their horses and their single wagon over to the fireside. "Look who I found!" Rhea exulted as they arrived.

Greetings were exchanged but it rapidly became obvious that someone was missing. "Where is Carme?" Red asked the burning question.

Awhain grinned widely and whispered something to the boy. "What? No way! That was faster even than Cleopas and me, congratulations!" he gushed.

"What?" Marcus asked.

Clio, who had figured it out by Red's words, turned to his brother. "It looks like there's going to be yet another teenage parent" he whispered.

Marcus' eyes went wide. "That's fantastic! I wish I could congratulate him! I guess he's stuck in the wagon like Jason is in ours?"

"Yep" came a disembodied voice.

"Shh!" Kalliope cautioned his eldest son in an urgent whisper. Carme laughed softly from within the vehicle.

"We'll purchase supplies and head out to the forest tomorrow morning and as soon as we find somewhere secluded we'll greet everyone properly" Gaia smiled.

Kalliope saw the old man and hugged him, then offered hugs all around. Then he frowned, seeing Hyacinth alone. "Hey, where's Alexander?" he asked.

"Here" Red replied, holding the little boy up for Kalliope to meet.

Kalliope's eyes went wide. "You and Cleopas?" he whispered. Red nodded. Kalliope came over to greet the baby, kissing him on the forehead and clapping Red on his shoulder in a gesture of hearty congratulations.

"But his namesake, what of him?" Kalliope asked in an even softer voice once he had met the small child. Solemnly Red shook his head. "But he did get to meet his grandson before he passed" he said in a quiet voice.

A tear fell down Kalliope's face but he gave no other outward display of emotion. Nearby, though, Hyacinth let a quiet sob escape.

"He was very elderly, it was his time" Joseph offered. Being human himself he knew the disparity of the two species' aging, but because of his love of Leander he accepted it with grace, much like Alexander had done out of his love for Hyacinth. He also felt it easy to describe Alexander, at the age of three-score summers, as being very elderly, but Nabis, at more than four-score summers, as being only just past middle-age, for such was reality.

They shared supper and chatted into the evening, sharing some tales but saving most for the following day when they would finally be able to talk openly. They bedded down late, the almost fully-grown Lykurgos cuddling between his fathers, having missed them terribly. The following morning they rose and meditated together before heading to every farmer and merchant they could find and buying up several dozen sacks of various grains, cheeses, turnips, honey, olives, ale and wine, enough food for the joined families for a month at least. This was all loaded into horse pack and wagon, the rest of their belongings were packed up and they moved out onto the westerly road, heading towards Audo's village, and beyond that, the mountains.

They only went a few dozen miles along the road before turning and beginning to weave their way several hundred yards into the virgin forest to establish their joint campsite. For the first time in six weeks Jason was able to get out of the wagon in daylight. He did so carefully, his five-week sized womb already having woven a mat of filaments across his torso. Carme, too, climbed out of his wagon, his significantly smaller womb size telling all that he had conceived less than a week previously.

They didn't do a full unpack, believing it unfair to Audo to bring him so close to home and make him wait for too long. They were going to stay there for one night only, just to catch up, then would continue to Audo's village so that he could see his mother once more.

Once they had done a sufficient unpack they decided to go and hunt, since amongst the food they'd purchased they were not able to buy any meat. They managed to get a deer, Red spotting the animal and using it as an impromptu target, finally being able to demonstrate properly the use of his bow. He was surprised that even after weeks of disuse he was able to hit his first choice of target with his first shot of the hunt. But Cleopas just smiled at the shock on his young mate's face when the deer went down. "You have so many abilities, Red, I had faith in you even if you didn't have any in yourself."

They feasted on the venison, some olives and wine and talked late into the evening, catching up on news, telling each other what they had done over winter, comparing their experiences and their journey to their rendezvous site and so on. But eventually they slept, all recognising that they had to in order that Audo could be reunited with his mother the following day.

Audo, predictably, was the first up the following morning. His excitement soon roused the others and by an hour past dawn they were riding through the forest towards the boy's infanthood home. They ate lunch on the move, wanting to get to the village as soon as they could, finally approaching it late in the afternoon. As they approached they saw people in the square and in the fields and the general hubbub of a busy, farming village. Carme and Jason were hidden in their respective wagons and the rest rode towards the community with calm confidence.

It was one of the village boys that they'd taught to use the slingshot, a boy by the name of Hardwin, who spotted them first. "AUDO'S BACK!" he called with a whoop of joy, before running towards them, excitement all over his face.

Audo had been outriding alongside Aeson and Tito that morning - nothing could have made him hang back in the main body of the family. He galloped his horse forwards, coming to a halt and sliding from the saddle in order to run to meet Hardwin. The village boy gasped. "Audo? Is that you? Riding? And wearing boots? And a sword, Audo, that's amazing!" he gushed.

Behind the boy, roused by his shouts, ran some of the other villagers. And, faster than the rest came Brunhild, unable to control her joy at seeing her son once more.

"MOTHER!" Audo yelled upon seeing her, forgetting his friend, forgetting his horse, forgetting everything except giving his mother a hug. "I've missed you so much" he cried, bursting into tears as the emotions at seeing his mother again finally bubbled to the surface.

Brunhild, for her part, was almost blinded by her tears as she cradled the boy whom she knew was her son but who was so different, so grown up, so much more than he was when confined to village life. She knew the moment she saw him that she had done the right thing when letting him go. "Shh, what's the tears for?" she whispered.

"I could ask you the same thing, mother" Audo sniffled, then grinned. "Mother, I can read and write now and use my letters and I've had sword lessons and I can ride and work leather and cook!" he gushed, wanting to tell her all at once about the things he'd done and seen. "And we've travelled miles and miles and met loads of people and it's been amazing! I never realised the world was so big" he grinned.

"Son, I can't tell half of what you're saying" Brunhild said gently.

Audo blushed. "Sorry, I can speak Greek too now, and some Latin, we use all sorts of languages, we even picked up a bit of Celt!" he explained, this time in clear Germanic so that his mother could understand him properly. He then repeated what he'd said before, explaining how far they'd travelled and all the things he'd learned.

"I can see you are happy" Brunhild smiled.

The grin on Audo's face slipped off. "But I missed you, mother. Is it right to be happy if I missed you?" His tears restarted once more.

"Of course it's right to be happy. Your life is intertwined with these people, you need to embrace it" Brunhild whispered to her sobbing son.

"Oh, before I forget, I've got something for you mother" Audo said. He fished in the purse he wore on his sword belt and took out the contents - several copper coins and two silvers. "I earned all of these and Marcus and Simon both said it was okay to give them to you" he said earnestly, pouring the money into his mother's hand.

"No, Audo, this is your money, I cannot take it" Brunhild blustered, trying to give it back. Nearby, Hyacinth stood alongside some of the other family members, watching the reuniting of mother and son.

He came over. "Audo, son, you've dropped a couple of your coins" he said softly and knelt and appeared to pick something up from the dirt. Of course, there wasn't anything there, he'd palmed some of his own money in order to give it to the mother. He handed the boy three more silvers and a gold coin and winked.

Audo's eyes went wide before he recovered. "Oh, silly me" he smiled, then gave his mother the four new coins also.

"Gold? What on earth have you been doing to earn gold?" Brunhild asked, getting a little wary and suspicious.

"He's been hunting with the other boys, ma'am" Hyacinth interrupted, "and selling his catches to other travellers. And he's helped with the manufacture of some leather goods, the gold coin was for the first full satchel he made." This was a bit of a lie of course, Audo had helped with the cutting of the leather but hadn't actually started to stitch things beyond making children's toys. And although he was just as good a hunter as the other children, anything he took was usually kept and eaten by the family themselves.

"You are sure I can take this money? Sir, there is a fortune here" Brunhild muttered.

Hyacinth nodded. "Call me Hyacinth" he said, "and I am sure. And I am certain that Audo would be very upset and offended if you didn't take it, he has been saving it up this past year just to give to you."

"Oh, Audo" Brunhild smiled, getting tearful once again as she hugged her son.

"Mother" Audo sniffled, relaxing into the hug that he'd waited over a year to feel.

They moved their wagons and goods into the same barn that they used on their first visit, Simon, Demeter and Awhain staying behind in order to help Jason and Carme whilst the rest joined in the impromptu feast that the village had called for in order to celebrate Audo's return. They may not have liked the boy particularly but they knew how much his return meant to Brunhild, and in addition they were still thankful that the Spartans had saved them from the wolves on their last visit to the village.

Several goats were spitted, turnips and carrots were made into a tasty stew and heaps of ryebread rolls were shared out. The village musicians struck up a lively tune and after they'd eaten, Gaia, Hyacinth and Judoc went to quietly relieve the three in the barn so that they could also eat, taking Jason and Carme some food at the same time.

Audo stayed on his mother's lap the whole time, talking and sharing his experiences with her. The adult Spartans stayed close by, not to intimidate the child but to distract him or explain away any secrets he inadvertently blurted. But he didn't say anything he shouldn't and everyone, adult and child alike, enjoyed the meal.

"I didn't know you had a baby, Red" Hardwin asked. He and Pipin, another village boy, were sat near to where Red and Cleopas relaxed.

"I didn't then but one of our women was pregnant and after the babe was born with this colour hair he could only be mine" Red replied.

"You got a woman pregnant? Did you marry her?" Pipin gasped.

Red shook his head. "Marriage isn't part of our culture. The same woman is Evander's mother too, the boy whom Joseph fathered" he lied, sharing their pre-prepared cover story with the boys. "It was my first time with her actually, I never expected to get her with child" he grinned - this was also part of the same cover story, giving a reason why such a young man was indeed a father.

Pipin blushed furiously and he wriggled as a tent formed in his trousers. He adjusted himself and Red noticed this and laughed. "Down, boy!" he chided. Pipin's blush got even stronger and his face became almost purple as Red chuckled some more.

Hardwin on the other hand looked faintly uncomfortable. He looked at Red and pulled a face that seemed to be almost one of disgust. "Do not disapprove of Red's actions, he lives according to our culture, Hardwin, and not yours. We do not criticise those of your own culture who marry a woman and still permit her show herself to all who pass" Cleopas chided in a gentle voice.

"Oh, no, it's not that, it's just" Hardwin said, then stopped. "?Nothing" he finished after an uncomfortable pause. He stood and wandered away, seemingly dejected, depressed almost.

"What's with him?" Red asked Pipin.

Pipin shrugged. "He just doesn't like thinking about girls. He says he might end up being a monk or something like the missionaries who came through here last year" the boy replied.

Simon was nearby, eating and heard Pipin's comment, then looked over at Hardwin. He immediately recognised Hardwin's dilemma, having had an almost identical one when an adolescent himself. He excused himself from his conversation with Orhain and followed Hardwin down the street, finding him sat morosely by the side of the well flicking pebbles with his toes.

"You okay?" he asked.

Hardwin shrugged nonchalantly.

You want to talk about it?" Simon persisted.

"What's to talk about? You guys will vanish and take Audo with you and I'm stuck here" Hardwin muttered.

"If you're the type of boy that I think you are, you could come with us" Simon said softly after a few moment's thought. He knew in the deepest part of his being that making the offer was the correct thing to do.

Hardwin's eyes lit up, then narrowed. "What do you mean, if I'm the type of boy you think I am?" he muttered suspiciously.

Simon chuckled. "Tell me, Hardwin, why your friend back there says you don't like thinking about girls and that you want to be a monk?"

Hardwin looked glum. "I'm just impressed by the way they live. Alone, without ladies and stuff" he explained in a flat voice.

"You don't sound very impressed" Simon replied, regarding the boy. He actually appeared as if he was going to cry. "Why don't you tell me what's really up?" Simon continued, sitting down at Hardwin's side.

"You'll hate me" Hardwin whispered.

"Let me tell you a story, first, then" Simon began. "I was a monk, you know? For many years I'd lived as a brother, then one day I met someone and fell in love and realised that I didn't want to be a monk at all. What I really wanted was to live a life where I could avoid having to be with women, which is not the same thing."

Hardwin looked at Simon, confused. "That makes no sense" he stated eventually.

"What makes no sense?" Simon asked with a small smile playing on his lips.

"You said you fell in love but then you said that stuff about avoiding living with women..." Hardwin muttered.

"Yes" Simon said calmly.

"But when you fell in love you would have ended up with a wife" he pointed out jubilantly. "So you're not avoiding living with women at all!"

Simon leaned close to Hardwin's ear. "Who said I fell in love with a woman?" he whispered softly.

Hardwin reacted as if he'd been stung. He opened and closed his mouth a few times but struggled to speak. In the end he managed to whisper, "what?!"

"You just assumed that when I said I'd fallen in love that I meant I loved a woman" Simon said in another low whisper.

"You mean it's not a woman?" Hardwin asked. He actually looked really confused.

Simon met the boy's eyes and grinned, then whispered, "no, my lover isn't a woman or a lady or even a girl." Hardwin looked momentarily shocked, then began to grin back as the truth sunk in.

"So" Simon began, "you want to tell me what's really bothering you?"

Hardwin nodded. "Since you've told me what you've told me I guess I can" he admitted. "I want to kiss someone" he whispered.

"Who?" Simon asked.

"You'll laugh if I tell you. He'll kill me if he finds out" Hardwin replied nervously.

"Pipin?"

"How did you know?" Hardwin gasped, suddenly worried.

"I guessed" Simon admitted. "But he talks about girls doesn't he? Is that why you thought you should become a monk?"

"Well not really" Hardwin then said. "It's just that I never think about girls at all and I don't want to get married so I thought that being a monk was my only other option. It didn't seem so bad an idea."

"It's not a bad idea, just not a good one either" Simon said. "You see, it can be a tough life especially if you continue to have thoughts about kissing other boys or men when you grow up. You start to feel intensely guilty for something you don't actually have any control over and it makes you stressed and upset." He looked at the boy. "Why don't you go and speak to your parents about coming with us and I'll go and speak to our elders?"

"You're not going to tell them are you?" Hardwin asked, worried.

Simon sighed. "Hardwin, we are a..." he paused and thought how to put it, "particular group of people. Not just anyone can join us. I'm going to have to tell them your secret in order to convince them that it is right for you to accompany us on our travels."

"Why did you take Audo with you?" Hardwin asked suspiciously. "He is just a small boy, surely you cannot tell who he dreams of kissing?"

Simon laughed. "Now there is a secret that I cannot tell you, not yet anyway. If I can obtain permission for you to join us, then when we are on the road and away from the village I will explain why we permitted Audo to join us" Simon promised.

Hardwin huffed. "But you're still going to tell my secret aren't you?" he asked. "That's not fair, I don't want anyone to know."

"Okay" Simon said, "I won't tell anyone and you can go become a monk. Or you can trust me?" he gave the boy a choice.

Hardwin looked as if he wanted to cry. "If you do tell, can I ask you one thing first?" he whispered.

Simon knew what the boy wanted. "Pipin will never find out, Hardwin. I can promise you that" he whispered. After a few moments pause he said, "so, do I have permission to talk to our elders now?"

Hardwin met Simon's eyes with an expression of sheer nervousness on his face. Then, reluctantly, as if giving up more than he could afford, he nodded. Simon got to his feet. "I'll see what I can sort out" he gave the assurance before heading away.

He managed to get Nabis', Jocasta's and Elis' attention and walked with them to the barn, where Judoc, Gaia, Hyacinth and the two gestant family members, Carme and Jason, waited.

"What's up Simon?" Elis asked once they were all safely gathered.

"I've been talking to one of the village boys and I think we should permit him to come with us" Simon began.

"If he's not bonded to one of us then..." Hyacinth began but Gaia held up his hand. "Why?" he asked Simon gently.

"He's having the same dilemma about girls as I had at the same age" Simon explained. "He's even thinking of becoming a monk, just as I did. But it's not the right choice, not for those reasons. And besides all that, something in me makes me feel certain that he should accompany us, I don't feel at all comfortable with the idea that we could leave him behind" Simon finished.

"Who is the object of his affections?" Judoc asked with a smile. "One of us?"

"No" Simon smiled back, "it is another village boy, a boy who appears to have the usual human obsession with girls. That is another reason I think he should come with us, if he admits his affection then these are simple people - they could do something drastic to try and make him change and something even worse when they realise that he cannot."

"I'm still not sure..."Hyacinth spoke, then he suddenly turned white, drew his swords and knelt, shaking. "Yes, Lord" he said shortly, "I'm sorry....of course." He stayed in the same position for a few moments, then stood up, sheathed his swords and spoke. "Lord Apollo says the boy has a Spartan partner, someone whom we will meet over the course of the summer. He must accompany us."

"Well, that's that" Nabis nodded. "He comes with us."

Simon and Gaia went to find Hardwin, and predictably he was still out at the well, but rather than sat forlornly he was pacing, nervously.

"Hello Hardwin, I've got good news" Simon said once they were within earshot. "If you are still interested you can come along."

"Shh!" Hardwin hissed. "I've not yet..." he stuttered to a halt, looking scared.

"You're nervous about asking your parents, is that it?" Gaia said wisely. "Well come, we will speak to them along with you. Where can we find them?"

Hardwin's mother didn't want her boy to go but his father was more interested in the skills his son would learn. "We would teach him sword craft, the forging of as well as use of the weapon, and we'd provide him with a sword" Gaia explained. "And also foraging and herb lore and hunting, and depending on what animals he kills we would also teach him tanning" he explained. "Navigation, obviously, is essential, also horse care, reading, writing, record keeping and numbers and several different languages."

"And this education you are to provide? How much will it cost me?" Hardwin's father asked suspiciously.

"It will cost the presence of your son. He will visit your village but for the next few years at least he will not return to be resident here and will probably not take over your farmstead. That is the cost" Gaia said smoothly.

Hardwin's father nodded. "His older brother is to take the farmstead anyway so that isn't a problem. But what do you gain from this arrangement? It seems a little one-sided to me."

"We gain another sword to defend our family, to begin with" Gaia replied. "We would require Hardwin to be willing to defend us and ours should the need ever arise. We gain another pair of hands to undertake essential tasks and someone who is sympathetic to our culture."

"Yes, about that, Hardwin is a good Christian boy. Will you be expecting him to convert to your culture, live as you do?"

"Excuse me, sir" Simon replied from nearby, "but if your son wishes to continue receiving a Christian education, I was once a Christian brother. If he asks, I will teach."

"If he asks? What about my wishes, what if I ask?" Hardwin's father demanded.

Simon smiled apologetically. "I guess that is something else it will cost you, the ability to dictate your son's future and his actions. It will be up to him what he learns, what he does. He must have the motivation and must make the requests."

"Hmm... I don't believe he is mature enough. Perhaps if he stays here another season..." Hardwin's father muttered.

"Sir, this is a one-time offer. I do not know when we will be back and after another couple of years Hardwin will be a man and too old and set in his ways to really benefit from the lessons our lifestyle can teach him. I am sorry" Gaia said.

"Father, please?" Hardwin then begged. "I will learn, I will be mature and responsible. I promise, father, please let me go?" he asked.

The man smiled. "Very well. But family honour rests on your shoulders, do not disappoint me. Now come, let's head back home and pack your things."

Hardwin had very little in the way of possessions and they made a pitifully small bundle. His friends Pipin and Clovis were ever so slightly jealous of him but neither expressed any desire to join the family as well - in actual fact, both were quite glad he was going, as Hardwin was the most attractive of the three and with him out of the way, both hoped that the girls would pay more attention to them. Additionally, Clovis was learning his father's craft as he was the oldest son and expected to take over the farmstead so he didn't have nearly as much freedom of choice as his companions.

Hardwin's mother was tearful but his father remained resolute and the boy himself was bursting with excitement, so after several days in the village, Audo once more said goodbye to his mother, Hardwin wished his parents farewell and they made ready to leave.

"Will you return this way?" Brunhild asked, giving her son one last hug.

"Certainly" Simon assured her, "though it may be two years hence or longer, we have a commitment next summer" he said.

Brunhild sniffed and squeezed Audo even tighter. "I need a very tight hug to keep me going" she whispered.

"I love you mother" Audo replied, "stay safe."

"I will, son" she replied softly, "I will."

A similar scene was playing out with Hardwin and his parents. His father was rather a gruff, stern man but his mother was just as tearful as Brunhild was.

"Be safe. Make us proud" she whispered as she hugged her boy.

"I will mother" Hardwin replied.

"Make sure you learn. I'm giving you a lot of responsibility and credit here" his father said in a gravelly voice.

"Yes father, I will" Hardwin assured him.

Hardwin climbed up onto one of the wagon seats, seated next to Simon - incidentally the same vehicle that hid Jason, and Audo mounted his horse. Red fastened Alexander more tightly to his back, the goat was tethered to one of the wagons, the pack train was strung together and slowly they began to move. Judoc's family rode intermingled with Gaia's and so a train of more than sixty horses, three wagons and nearly forty people made their way westwards, leaving the village behind.

They headed towards the mountains and the fateful pass where Simon's destiny caught up with him, beyond which was the town where Red hailed from. "We are not going to go as far as the town but the mountains are a good place to spend mid and late summer, it's quiet and secluded, Jason and Carme will be able to spend time outside" Gaia explained to Judoc when the patriarch of the smaller family asked about their destination.

"We are three nights from the first mountain pass and about ten to twelve nights away from the cave we have used before" Elis then explained. "It's quite a pleasant journey."

Demeter snorted. "You mean, it's quite a pleasant journey as long as there are no archers on the cliff tops with bows already drawn and pointing at you."

Orhain looked confused and Kalliope sighed. "We've been ambushed in one of the mountain passes before. Some church men were after Simon" he explained shortly.

"You mean some church men got Simon don't you?" Simon quipped from the wagon seat, a wry smile playing on his lips.

"What do you mean?" Petros asked.

Simon handed the wagon reins to Hardwin and pulled his tunic off to reveal his torso and his pair of scars, and wordlessly he pointed to them.

"Oh my word, they had to hurt!" Orhain said. "I bet you had stitches and everything?"

"Actually I didn't feel them much at all, not after the first second or so" Simon said quietly.

Orhain frowned. "What?" he said, not understanding.

"They were fatal, Orhain" Kalliope said. "No man, Spartan or human, could have survived them."

"Then what...how...I don't understand" Petros stuttered.

"With my final moments of consciousness I called out to Apollo and He brought me back to life and transformed me into a Spartan" Simon explained. Petros looked shocked. "Yes, I was born human" Simon grinned at the expression, "and no, I'm not human anymore."

"You mean to say," Judoc started from nearby, "that you are a recently transformed man, not a born Spartan?"

"No, I'm not a born Spartan" Simon said. "But I am a Spartan, I've felt the pain of my filaments twice now. Be in no doubt that I am a son of Sparta as much as the rest of you."

The conversation petered out as the new Spartans pondered the revelations. But Hardwin, sat on the wagon seat, was frowning and clearly had a dozen questions on the tip of his tongue.

Simon looked at him. "Go on" he said.

"Go on what?" Hardwin asked.

"Ask. I can see that you're dying to."

"What are you?" Hardwin asked. "What are Spartans? Some sort of ghost?"

Simon laughed. "No, though with the tale of my death and rebirth I can see that you might think so. Spartans are an alternative type of person."

"And you are one?"

"Yes, I am. As are most of our family. Not yourself or Audo, obviously. Philip, Red, Joseph, Petros and Mark are human too. But the rest of us aren't. We are" he paused and considered his words, "more than human, you might say."

"Will I become a Spartan if I stay with you?"

"No, Hardwin," Simon chuckled, "probably not. However I can't say for certain, that would be up to Lord Apollo."

"Who's Apollo?"

"Our God" Simon replied softly.

"Then you really aren't Christians are you?" Hardwin gasped. "Can you tell me about Apollo, what sort of being is he?"

"Apollo is a deity who was worshipped in the ancient world by many people and who is still worshipped by Spartans worldwide. He is a God of the sun, and also a god of warriors and a god of death. It was He who transformed the original human army of Sparta into the people we are today."

"You said you were a Christian brother to my father. Did you lie?" Hardwin asked. It seemed to Simon as if the boy felt upset or betrayed somehow.

"No, I was a brother," the former monk replied. "Emphasis on was. I am not anymore but I still remember all the teachings. Just because one does not believe something does not mean one can easily forget it."

"You don't believe in Christ anymore?" Hardwin stuttered.

"Christ came to save humans, Hardwin. Not Spartans" Simon said, smiling softly to show that he was not upset by the boy's line of questioning. Hardwin fell silent, considering what he had learned and apparently very much troubled by it.

They rode on for several more hours, pulling into a likely campsite mid afternoon. "You can get out now my love" Simon shouted through to Jason, who had ridden silently in the wagon up to that point.

"Finally!" Jason's voice sounded out. Simon slipped down from the wagon seat and unlaced the rear cover of the vehicle and carefully, gingerly, Jason sat up, shuffled on his backside to the steps and lowered himself to the ground.

His womb was still fairly small but at almost two months into the gestation it was growing bigger every day, and was very painful. Simon took his arm and helped him get to his feet and take a few steps.

Hardwin, meanwhile, had climbed somewhat slower from the wagon seat and followed Simon a few paces behind. Tito and Elis hovered near the human boy, so that they could act in the event that he reacted badly to the sight of a gestant Jason.

The boy reacted much the same way as most humans do upon seeing a gestant Spartan for the first time. He stuttered and stammered but no words would come out, he began to hyperventilate, then his legs gave way and he crumpled to the ground.

"Hello Hardwin" Jason said sarcastically to the now unconscious boy, "nice to meet you."

"Clio, Marcus, will you get some skins laid down so we can make him comfortable?" Tito called, picking up the unconscious boy.

"Of course father Tito" Clio nodded, hurrying to the goods wagon and dragging a couple of spare skins from the top of the heap. He and Marcus laid them on some soft grass, near to where Charon and Acantha were building a firepit. Tito laid the boy down and Rhea came over to check him out.

"Well, his breathing is about normal" Rhea pronounced, "and he didn't injure himself when he collapsed so it's just a case of waiting for him to wake up. Someone might want to prepare some warm water and honey to give him an energy boost when he awakes but that's about all I can suggest."

Just as Rhea was finishing talking the boy began to stir, and he opened his eyes to see Audo, who had been nervously hovering nearby. "Are you okay Hardwin?" he asked.

"Yes" Hardwin replied, "why?" He pushed himself into a semi-seated position and saw Simon and Jason. Jason's womb was out of his line of sight, obscured by Audo's semi -crouched position, but as soon as he caught sight of the pair he began to panic once more.

"Hey, hey, calm down, breathe slowly" Rhea advised, taking hold of the boy's hand. "What's up?"

"Jason, he's...he's...he's" Hardwin stuttered.

"Simon has already told you that most of us aren't human. I'm gestating, that's all this is" Jason called, slowly making his way over to the boy, gesturing to his womb.

"What?" Hardwin stuttered.

"Having a baby. Human's call it being pregnant" Simon replied.

"But...but...but...but you're a man!" Hardwin exclaimed. He looked faintly terrified.

Simon smiled sympathetically. "We are Spartans, Hardwin. This is the main difference between Spartans and humans. We don't look at all like women but we do have certain" he paused, considering how to explain it, "female characteristics" he finished in the end, "including the ability to construct a temporary womb on our stomachs and carry and eventually give birth to our own sons."

"Did you know about this Audo?" he asked his fellow villager.

Audo nodded. "Of course. I've lived with them for ages, remember?"

"How on earth did you manage to keep it secret from your mother and everyone?" Hardwin wondered.

Audo shrugged. "Everyone says how important it is that humans don't figure out that they're different and that things could turn out really bad if the secret about Spartans gets told so I just don't tell" he explained.

"But... but... how come you guys let Audo and me join you if it's so dangerous for humans to know your secrets?" Hardwin asked Simon.

"Sometimes Spartans fall in love with humans" Simon said simply. "And sometimes it's just right for humans to come with us. But like I said to you back at the village, only certain types of people can join us. Mostly that's people that one of us has fallen in love with but sometimes it can be people like yourself who are just stuck and struggling with feelings."

"So Audo travelled with you because...?" Hardwin looked at Simon questioningly.

"Because Socra and me decided we wanted to be together forever" Audo piped up. Socra was sat next to him and they hugged each other and giggled.

"But you're so young! You can't decide things like that when you're so little!" Hardwin protested.

"Human's can't but we can and very often do" Rhea replied. "It's a bit difficult to explain but basically all a Spartan needs to do is to see, to look at, the man or boy who is destined to be his mate and they both know it instantly. Sometimes it's instant love, other times it's a kind of familiarity, a feeling that you know someone but you can't remember where from. When Socra and Audo met, the first time we were in your village, they had that familiar feeling and it was obvious that they were immediate friends and couldn't bear to be separated, which was why we originally took Audo with us."

Hardwin sank back down to his lying position and put one hand over his eyes. He seemed to be having trouble breathing.

"Hey, what's up now?" Rhea asked him kindly.

"I'm just wondering if this is a dream and if I'm going to wake up in a minute" Hardwin muttered.

Simon, Jason and the others nearby all laughed, not meanly but finding the reaction genuinely funny. Simon walked over to him and took his hand and helped him to sit up again. "Hardwin, come on, you'll be fine. Go spend some time with Red, he'll help you understand things. He was twelve summers when he joined us, and you and he will be a similar age or so I'd guess. He'll be able to help, I swear."

"I don't..." he began then paused. "Hang on, Red said in the village that a woman gave birth to his son, but if you guys are able to have babies yourself then...?"

"The man he is with is his mate, Cleopas" Simon said, indicating the pair. Red was cleaning Alexander up and changing his diaper and Cleopas was shedding his tunic, plainly getting ready to nurse the baby. "There were no women involved in Alexander's creation" he explained softly.

Hardwin looked over to where Simon indicated, to the tall, brawny, muscular man who had the smart armour and wicked looking sword and the petite human adolescent sitting next to him. He was at first going to say something about Red being forced, seeing as the man he was with could have probably snapped him in two, but then he saw how each gazed at the other with something close to adoration in their eyes.

He got to his feet, trying as he did so not to stare at Jason's womb, still unnerved by it. As he looked about the campsite on his way to where Red and Cleopas sat he caught sight of Carme, also being helped down from his wagon confinement and sporting what the boy realised was another womb, albeit a lot smaller than Jason's was.

He reached the couple and their baby. "Hey" Red smiled as he arrived, "come, sit down."

Hardwin did so, watching as his peer finished cleaning his child up, picked him up, kissed him and handed him to Cleopas. He realised as he watched that he and Red were indeed of a very similar age, yet Red seemed surprisingly confident and comfortable in the role of mate and father.

"Come on, my boy, time for lunch" Cleopas said in a surprisingly gentle voice for such a big man as he guided the child to his chest. Alexander latched on to one of his birth father's nipples and began to drink noisily and Hardwin stared, trying to figure out what he was seeing.

"Cleopas is Alexander's birth father, so he makes milk for our son to drink. I hope that doesn't disturb you too much?" Red said softly, taking Hardwin's bulging eyes into account.

"No, of course not, finding out that the men I'm with are like, half women. I'm not disturbed at all" Hardwin muttered sarcastically.

"We're not half women, we just have some...female characteristics, you could say" Cleopas said. "If you saw us naked, unless we were gestating, as Jason and Carme are, or we were in the process of nursing a child, as I am at this moment, you would have absolutely no way of telling that we were not ordinary human men."

"Come on, look at you!" Hardwin burst out. "You're all so tall and are built like some sort of super fighter or something! There's no way you guys are ordinary!"

"You're only saying that because you know we're not" Cleopas replied. "If you didn't know Spartans existed you wouldn't be able to tell we weren't ordinary humans."

"Why do you keep your existence a secret, anyway?" Hardwin asked after a few moments thought. "Why do you pretend to be human?"

"If people knew the truth we'd be hounded and persecuted and probably all killed. It's many, many times safer to omit the truth" Cleopas said.

"But some humans know about you, what's to stop them telling?"

Red smiled up at Cleopas with an expression of pure love. "Those of us who have a Spartan mate would never betray the family or our sons in that way. The love we have is too strong" he said softly and even though Cleopas was nursing and holding the baby with one arm, he reached over with his other and his and Red's fingers intertwined.

"But I've not got a Spartan mate. I could go tell" Hardwin said softly.

Red let go of Cleopas' hand, laughed and got to his feet. He adjusted his sword belt and drew his weapon. "You want to try?" he asked, brandishing the sword.

"No, no, no!" Hardwin stuttered. "I didn't mean... oh god, you're going to kill me!" he yelped.

Red sheathed the blade with a nonchalant sigh. "No, I'm not, Hardwin, I want us to be friends. But for that we have to be able to trust you and at the moment you're not acting very trustworthily. We need to be certain you won't betray us, otherwise we will take steps."

"Please, Hardwin?" Cleopas said. "We brought you with us to teach you, to give you the chance to be yourself, to save you from having to choose between matrimony and monastery. Just, please... relax, calm down, eat something, bathe, sleep. Things won't seem nearly so bad tomorrow, I'm sure." Hardwin fell silent, still glancing around nervously at his companions but making no other comments either about what he observed or what he heard.

The meal was a tasty one of rabbit stew and hazelnut dumplings. They broke out some ale as evening fell and began laughing and joking as they sat around the fire. Red played a catchy tune on a whistle, he and Simon sung a short, rather corny ditty that the older of the pair had written and various people told stories and shared jokes as they drank cold ale or sipped warm honey-water and worked on various leather goods by the light of the fire.

As the evening faded into night Hardwin let rip with a huge yawn. "Tired?" Jason asked kindly.

Hardwin nodded, forcing himself not to avert his eyes - it wasn't Jason's fault that he was uncomfortable, he knew, and he decided that as far as possible he would try and deal with the situation he'd found himself in.

"You want some skins to bed down by yourself or do you want to go share the wagon with the boys? There's room, you know."

"Or you could come sleep with Lykurgos and me" Ajax called from nearby. He and his young uncle were just as horny and sexually active as ever, and Jason caught Ajax's double-entendre immediately.

"Ajax" he warned in a stern voice, "don't be cruel."

"Why would offering to sleep with me be cruel?" Hardwin asked, genuinely confused. Jason sighed as Ajax and Lykurgos both snickered.

"They don't mean sleep as in going to sleep. They mean sleeping with you as in having sex with you" the man explained shortly.

Hardwin's face flamed. "Oh, god!" he exclaimed.

"Go sleep in the wagon with the younger boys" Jason said softly, "and we'll see you in the morning."

Hardwin climbed in the wagon with Xanthe, Maia, Konon, Evander and Demaratos. Since it was summer, Socra and Audo slept together outside, cuddled on a deerskin and under both of their cloaks - it made them feel more grown up, gave them some privacy, and gave the other boys more room, which was good since Hardwin's larger adolescent size took up a significant amount of space. But presently they all got comfortable and as quiet descended over the camp, everyone fell asleep.

"Come on, wake up!" Demaratos nudged Hardwin before dawn the next morning.

"Oh, it's not even dawn yet" the human boy groaned, rolling over.

"Come on, it's time for meditation" Demaratos insisted, pulling the fleece away from Hardwin's sleeping form.

"Hey!" he protested as the chill air hit him.

"Shh" came Gaia's voice from outside the wagon. "Enough messing about, boys, come on" he urged softly.

The Spartan boys all rose without complaint and headed down the steps into the cool, moist pre-dawn morning. There was a faint glow from the eastern sky that suggested sunrise wouldn't be long in coming and it provided sufficient light for everyone to move, undress, find swords and locate a comfortable place to sit. Hardwin stayed on the wagon steps, watching the ritual curiously. He didn't really understand what they were doing, only that they all, willingly or so it seemed, spent a little over an hour sitting totally motionless.

After what seemed like forever, a small bell chimed and everyone began to stretch, wake up and generally greet the morning. The fire was stirred up and barley porridge and bacon were prepared for breakfast, after which everyone headed to a small woodland glade and deep, cool pool of water in order to bathe and get clean.

"Washing! In cold water! Are you insane?" Hardwin exclaimed when he realised what everyone was doing.

Simon laughed. "It's actually really good for you," he replied, "and you won't be given new clothes unless you're clean so come on, jump in."

"New clothes?" Hardwin asked, frowning.

Simon indicated his own cloak, tunic and leggings, which were on the floor, and untied his own loincloth and held it up. "Yes, new clothes" he said, then continued, "Hardwin, breathe. It's the same as yours, just bigger is all" he chuckled, for the boy had not taken a breath nor averted his eyes from Simon's crotch since the man had pulled his loincloth free.

Nearby, watching the baffled human boy debate with Simon, Red was undressing Alexander. "It's going to be a warm day and the water isn't too icy cold" he said to Cleopas. "Do you think Alexander would be okay coming in the pool with us today?"

"He'll probably protest a little but it's as good a day as any to try it out" Cleopas replied. He stripped himself and took the naked baby in his arms so that Red could undress, and the couple and their son carefully entered the water along with the rest of the extended family. Alexander squealed a little in shock at the water but after a few moments of being held and comforted by Cleopas he seemed to relax and made no protest when the man bobbed down into the water, wetting the baby up to his waist.

"Hey, little man, you enjoying that?" Red smiled softly to the child, standing close by Cleopas.

"I think he is" Cleopas replied with a smile of his own, as Alexander squirmed and kicked his legs, making the water splash gently.

"Weeeee!" Maia shrieked from nearby, taking a running jump into the deepest part of the pool, soaking everyone with the splash and swimming to the surface with a delighted grin on his cheeky little face.

"Maia, what have I told you about making sure there's no one in the way when you jump into water? You nearly landed on top of Charon!" Marcus snapped at his youngest boy, indicating where the man in question stood not three feet away from Maia.

Maia looked contrite. "Sowy, daddy Mawcus" he said softly - the small boy had difficulty pronouncing his "R's" and still sometimes said "W", especially when upset.

I just don't want you to get hurt, okay? Please, think next time?" Marcus asked, sounding ever so slightly exasperated at as well as concerned for his youngest boy.

"What about me? I could have gotten injured too" Charon quipped, pretending to pout in mock-hurt. Marcus snorted. "You're big enough and ugly enough to look after yourself" he replied dryly.

"Watch who you're calling ugly, I don't criticise Philip" Acantha called, trying to act hurt but failing as he couldn't control his laughter. Charon scowled, swam over to his lover and started to try and wrestle him under the water and dunk him.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, boys, now no fighting in the pool" Jocasta called, joining in the laughter. Charon let go of Acantha but got hold of his lover's penis in return, which, quite naturally, started to grow.

"Or other things, you'll drown if you go too far" Rhea chuckled.

A short distance away, in the shallows of the pool, Audo and Socra were washing each other, giggling cutely as they played together. Awhain and Simon helped Carme and Jason to bathe - the two emergent men were sat near on a pair of flat boulders in the stream that fed the pool and their partners had wet rags in their hands and were carefully helping them wash. Hardwin had by this time talked to Joseph and Mark - two of the humans in the family - and plainly they had persuaded him that it was indeed okay to bathe and be naked in front of everyone, for he was also in the pool washing as best he could by himself. It was only a few minutes later that Ajax and Lykurgos swam over to him.

"Want a hand?" Ajax asked. Though he was younger than the human by two summers he was far taller, more developed and had a larger body all around - he was well on the way to being fully grown, physically at least, and was far closer to manhood than Hardwin.

Hardwin blushed at the attentions of the bigger boy. "No, I'm fine" he muttered softly.

"Come on, it's better to get a friend to wash your back at least" Lykurgos said. He took his own wash rag and began to rub Hardwin's pale skin. "See?" he asked.

Despite himself Hardwin began to purr at the touch of the two young warriors who were giving him such delicious attention. Ajax washed his arms and shoulders and urged him to dunk his head under water so he could wash his hair. Lykurgos continued to wash, almost massage, his back and buttocks with an expert touch.

"Can I wash your bits?" Ajax asked.

Hardwin frowned. "What?"

"Your penis and your bum" Ajax giggled. "I need to make sure they're clean too, especially if you want to come and play with Lykurgos and me later on."

"P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p" Hardwin stuttered, going purple through both embarrassment and lack of air for again he'd suddenly forgotten how to breathe.

Lykurgos slapped him heartily on the back, and with his wet skin, the slap smarted. "What was that for?!" Hardwin protested, his skin tingling painfully.

"To dislodge whatever you had stuck in your throat" Lykurgos chuckled, "and it seems to have worked. "So, can Ajax wash your bits and do you want to come and play with us?"

"S-s-s-s-seriously?" Hardwin stuttered.

Ajax and Lykurgos both nodded. "You're cute, you're single, so are we, by the way, and you're obviously horny" Ajax replied, indicating the hard erection that was laid tightly against Hardwin's stomach. "What's stopping you?"

"I've never..." the human boy blushed.

"We'll be gentle, I promise" Ajax said, his fingers heading towards Hardwin's penis. Ever so softly he pushed the foreskin back and washed the purple head, then let it go again. "See, gently does it" he smiled as he found a rhythm.

Hardwin panted and gasped furiously for breath and seemed to be going cross-eyed. Then Lykurgos' joined in, gently probing Hardwin's back passage with a single fingertip.

"OH GOD!" Hardwin yelled, cumming furiously, spurting several thin jets all over his stomach. Lykurgos held him up as he would have collapsed and gone underwater as his leg muscles seemed to simultaneously give way. The two Spartan boys carried their human companion to the bank and laid him on the grass, noting as they did so that he seemed to be only semi-conscious - his eyes were open and he was breathing but he seemed totally unable to talk or move.

"I think we stunned him slightly" Lykurgos said to Ajax, who giggled.

"Mmm, and it was a good job you caught him, climaxing whilst bathing can be quite a risky activity" Nabis called from nearby, having seen what had happened. "If you hadn't been where you were he could have slipped underwater and drowned very easily indeed."

"Sorry, grandfather Nabis" Lykurgos said contritely.

"Just look after him, don't hurt him, he's still struggling with questions about himself and us" Nabis said more softly to his youngest grandson and second-oldest great grandson respectively. "Here" he continued, picking up a piece of chamois from the heap and tossing it over, "dry him off, you don't want to leave him too long even on a warm day like today, he could catch a chill."

It was twenty minutes later and all three boys were dried and wearing loincloths by the time that Hardwin finally seemed to come around. "Wow" he whispered softly.

"Are you okay?" Lykurgos asked. He'd actually started to become a little worried at the human boy's unresponsiveness. "I didn't mean to scare you or hurt you or anything" he continued, "are you okay?" he asked again.

"I'm not dying or anything am I?" Hardwin said softly, "only it was like shooting stars in my head and I tingled all over."

"No" Ajax snickered, equally softly, "you're not dying. You had an orgasm, or a climax, that's all."

"What?" Hardwin said, seemingly slightly baffled.

"You shot your seed" Lykurgos supplied and Hardwin blushed beet-red. "Oh, wow" he breathed and started to grin. "It was...wow" he finished lamely.

Lykurgos smiled at him. "So you are okay then?"

"I think so" Hardwin replied, "only I'm really hungry."

"We'll find some bread and cheese for you to eat as we ride" Ajax suggested.

"Huh?" Hardwin muttered sleepily.

"The grandfathers all want to move on and camp somewhere else tonight, so we're lunching on the road and riding for a few hours" Lykurgos explained. "Whilst you were sleeping most of the gear's been packed up."

Hardwin looked around and saw that no one was left in the pool, indeed, most were dressed, at the very least in leggings and boots but several had various styles of leather and deer hide tunic on, or else wore armour of some kind. He watched as Red climbed onto his horse with Alexander in a sling on his back and his chest bare. Simon was climbing back out of the wagon where he could see Jason already lounging, and Awhain was helping Carme into another vehicle. Judoc and Gaia were already mounted and waiting on the road for the family to follow them, the two family patriarchs clearly intending to outride that day.

He stood as Ajax helped him to his feet, then took the leather leggings he'd been handed by Lykurgos and slipped them on. "These are quite comfortable, they're nice" he smiled as he tied the laces.

"Put this tunic on and get on the wagon seat with Simon" Ajax said, giving Hardwin a second garment. He complied and walked over to the wagon and climbed up onto the bench.

"You okay riding with me?" Simon asked.

"I'm trying to be" Hardwin replied honestly. As he settled on his seat, Lykurgos ran over and handed him a chunk of cheese and a flat bread-cake of a style he was unfamiliar with. He nibbled it cautiously and found it was good and so began to eat in earnest as the family began to move.

An hour or so later everyone stopped to collect drinks from a stream and stretch legs for five minutes, then it was back onto horses or the wagon bench and more travel. The rest of the day passed in a similar manner and they covered quite a few miles before the sinking sun urged them to find a camp for the night.

All the day Hardwin had sat quietly, lost in thought. It was as they finally pulled off the road towards the campsite that Judoc and Gaia had located that Simon spoke to him, the first thing he'd said in hours. "I never would have asked you to join us if I'd have thought it was the wrong thing to do. You'd have been forever unhappy in a monastery, Hardwin, take it from someone who knows. Just, please, try and trust us?"

Hardwin turned to the man and smiled a tiny grin. "I'll be okay. I've just had a lot of shocks, that's all" he said softly. They parked the wagon and Aeson unhitched the horses as Simon went to help Jason out. Hardwin stood nearby, watching the gestant man and his lover.

"You okay, Hardwin?" Jason asked.

Hardwin nodded. "My head's full of a million questions but yeah, I'm okay" he replied. Almost despite himself he smiled softly. "I don't think I've apologised for freaking out when I first saw...that" he continued, pointing to Jason's womb.

"I wouldn't worry, I almost freak out every time I see it and I'm the one that's grown it" Jason replied with a chuckle. "I mean, it's not pretty, is it?" Hardwin shook his head and chuckled in return.

Leander and Joseph prepared roasted rabbit with a fruit sauce, comprising some of the dried apple and berries from the last year's harvest and a jug of juice squeezed from some dark purple fruits that grew on a bush right next to the campsite. It was a different sort of meal to the ones Hardwin was used to, which normally were heavy on root vegetables and grains and light on meat and fruit but he enjoyed it nevertheless.

The smaller boys, Leander, Socra and the others were all starting to visibly wilt and Kalliope said, "I think it's bedtime, don't you?"

Audo made to protest but Philip said, "you need to get up to meditate in the morning and if you don't go to bed now you won't have the energy."

Hardwin looked at Philip. "Is that what it is? When you sit all quiet and still first thing in the morning?" Philip nodded.

"Why do you do it? Is it like prayers or something?" Hardwin then asked.

"Not really" Tito said, joining the conversation. "We are warriors, Hardwin, and we have to meditate to maintain control over our instincts." At Hardwin's puzzled frown he continued, "without meditation, if we were faced with even the mildest sort of confrontation or argument we would be very likely to overreact. When we meditate we try and find a sense of peace and stillness to carry us through the day."

"That's why you need silence isn't it?" Hardwin realised. Tito nodded. "Yes, silence is a vital element of the experience" he confirmed.

Night fell and Hardwin slept peacefully. He rose next morning, joined the meditation without comment and sat beside Simon again as they continued to ride towards the mountains. Orhain and Petros enquired that day about the terrain, particularly when they were due to reach these mountains that had been spoken of. "We've one more day of forest, we'll sleep on the edge of the trees tonight and start climbing into the mountain pass in the morning" Gaia told them.

The third night they stopped a couple of hundred yards back from the road, in an area of scrubby bushes and boulders that provided very good privacy, especially in the fading light. There was a spring gurgling merrily out of a crack in the rock providing drinking water, though it was insufficient for bathing. Several snares and traps were put out, to try and catch some of the ground birds and rabbits in the area, with the hope that one or more of the goats that grazed nearby might also get trapped.

Hardwin sat with the others and tried to relax but found it difficult, since, because they had very good privacy and were almost certain that no one would interrupt them, most of the family had undressed once they'd set out their campsite and were either nude or only wearing loincloths. It wasn't that they were difficult to look at, in fact Hardwin's problem was the opposite and he felt compelled to hide his erection, sitting hunched over uncomfortably, even though Ajax and Lykurgos, and, surprisingly enough, Demaratos, all sported theirs with a peculiar sort of pride. He sighed audibly, feeling confused about what he felt.

"Hey, are you okay? That was a pretty big sigh," came a voice. It was Aeson.

"Yes, I think so" Hardwin replied politely, trying not to gaze too obviously at the sculpted, perfect body of the man who addressed him.

Aeson looked over to where Demaratos was horsing around and sighed good-naturedly. He was well aware that his eldest son was teetering on the brink of puberty, but it was hard as a father to accept the boy's maturity.

"Are you okay? That was a pretty big sigh" Hardwin asked, repeating the question that had only just been posed to him.

Aeson chuckled and nodded. "Just watching Demaratos" he replied. "Did you know he's my eldest son? I'm just feeling a little wistful, realising he's well on his way to growing up."

Hardwin looked over at Demaratos, who was horsing around with Ajax and Lykurgos. His firm, full erection was almost his hand-span in length and was sticking straight out from his groin. "It doesn't bother you that he shows? it... off?" Hardwin asked after a few moments.

Aeson smiled and shook his head. "He's reaching a point in his life when 'it' as you so quaintly put it, will become the only thing he can think about. I don't mind if he plays a little, Ajax and Lykurgos won't hurt him and he'll enjoy himself, learn some things and be better able to concentrate when he needs to." He sighed, shook his head again and snorted softly. "At least it helps if I keep telling myself that, I can't help but think that he's still too young."

"How old is he?" Hardwin asked, looking at Demaratos closely, having already assumed that they were of similar ages. He was therefore very shocked when Aeson answered, "he's nine summers, this will be his tenth."

"What? He looks almost as grown up as me!" Hardwin exclaimed.

"That appears to be some sort of pattern. It takes humans longer to reach physical maturity than it takes us, I think" Aeson replied.

Their attention was suddenly caught by some high-pitched giggling and squealing and they turned to see Ajax on his knees, kissing Demaratos' groin passionately, not caring that everyone could see them.

"Oh, god!" Hardwin exclaimed again, adjusting his very hard prong once more and feeling like he was almost ready to climax just by watching the very hot scene playing out in front of them.

Lykurgos heard Hardwin's exclamation, turned to him and smiled. "Come, play" he invited.

Hardwin looked at Aeson with a combination of terror and horniness. "Go on, they'll make it worth your while, I'm sure" Aeson chuckled and so Hardwin got to his feet and walked over to join the three Spartan boys.

"Don't hurt me" he whispered, blushing furiously as he sat down near to them.

"Trust me" Demaratos panted, going cross-eyed at Ajax's attention, "it doesn't hurt." Ajax and Lykurgos both laughed as Lykurgos pulled Hardwin into a close embrace.

The next morning as the family continued to ride towards the mountains, both Hardwin and Demaratos had expressions of dreamy amazement, sitting on the wagon seat and horse respectively with their heads in the clouds and wide, contented smiles.

"You enjoy last night, then?" Marcus asked. He was steering the wagon and sharing the seat with Hardwin. Hardwin blushed a faint pink and nodded, the smile never fading.

"What about you, Demaratos?" Marcus called to the other youngster.

"Oh, my yes" he replied, then blushed as he caught his father Clio's eye. Nearby, Ajax and Lykurgos chuckled together in smug satisfaction that they'd been able to pleasure Hardwin and their young cousin so successfully.

They entered the first mountain pass a couple of hours before noon and began climbing away from the forest floor. The weather was warm and travel pleasant and as darkness fell they found a small roadside campsite for the night.

Supper consisted of roasted goat and a vegetable broth and the dishes had barely been cleared away when Demaratos and Hardwin sought out the two older adolescents to continue their 'education' from the previous night. "Don't make too much noise!" Aeson counselled, "we're very near the road, don't forget!" But the night passed without incident or human company and the following day, and several more thereafter, were spent quietly riding further and further into the mountains.

No one else was seen on the road at all until the day they planned on leaving the main route to head towards a lakeside campsite that they'd used in the past. It was early morning and they'd been riding less than an hour when Charon, Petros and Lykurgos, who together had been outriding, heard the distinct clatter of horses' hooves and the jingle of tack and equipment.

"Someone's coming towards us" Lykurgos stated the obvious.

"Several someones it sounds like" Petros replied.

"Go, warn the others" Charon said to the human, who nodded, wheeled his horse and galloped back to the main party. "I'm going to inch forwards and see if I can get a look at our guests" he then said to Lykurgos, dismounting, adjusting his sword and heading out.

Charon hadn't gone more than fifty paces when he caught sight of the caravan. There were only a few European faces amongst a sea of darker skin, all wearing flowing linen robes and head scarves. He squinted, for the caravan seemed familiar ... "By Apollo, Ali!" he called, finally realising who the older man at the front of the party was.

Lykurgos heard Charon's shout and galloped forwards, and Ali presently joined them. "Greetings" he smiled, dismounting. "I didn't expect to meet you here, are your family following?"

"They're on their way" Charon said, then turned to Lykurgos, "go and tell them it's Ali and to drop their guard" he instructed and the youth rode away.

"We're on the way to a lakeside campsite, it'll be big enough for everyone if you've not got any pressing business elsewhere" Charon offered.

Ali nodded and smiled. "That sounds like an invitation that could not be missed" he nodded.

It wasn't long before both families were joined, Ali and his relatives about-turned and they headed down the road together. Just before noon they turned off the roadway and into a valley which intersected the one with the lake that they were heading to. Several more hours of relatively hard riding got them to their intended campsite, and all the while stories and laughter were exchanged amongst the families. They dismounted and as the evening shadows lengthened they set about building their camp sites and lighting several big fires for cooking.

Hardwin watched the new family with a curious feeling in his stomach. Whilst most of the members were a strange, alien people there was one, a young man who wore two swords and addressed Ali as "grandfather", who he was certain that he already knew, though how he couldn't have said for he had no memory of ever meeting someone of Moorish descent before. They ate and drank and laughed and all the time Hardwin exchanged glances with the object of his curiosity, aware that he was being stared at as much as doing the staring. Eventually, after a final mug of beer for courage he made his way around the fire. "I'm Hardwin" he began.

"Mirakos" the young man replied. His voice seemed soft and he had an exotic accent and smooth, dark skin that seemed to shimmer in the firelight. He smiled. "I know you, but you were not with this family the last time we rode with them."

"No, I only joined them about two weeks ago" Hardwin replied, "my village is back along the road, I grew up in the same place as Audo and Simon invited me to ride with the family when I admitted that I didn't like girls" he blushed and smiled shyly, finding this easier to admit in the company he now kept.

Mirakos smiled. "No more needs to be said, Hardwin. We are only too familiar with human attitudes to those who are in any way different. You have chosen a good life."

"But, can I ask, how do I know you? I'm sure I do, yet I'm equally sure I've never met a Moorish man before. How is that possible?"

Mirakos laughed. "You did not bond to anyone in the family you travel with?" he half-asked, half stated.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean" Hardwin admitted.

"I mean, you did not find your mate amongst them. And I know that to be true for I am certain beyond any doubts that I am your mate" Mirakos said. This time it was his turn to smile shyly.

"How is that possible? I don't know you" Hardwin protested. "I don't understand" he stuttered, feeling ever so slightly bewildered.

"Are you sure you don't know me?" Mirakos asked, the same smile playing on his lips.

"No. I mean, I think I do but I'm sure I can't" Hardwin replied.

"Can I hold your hand, Hardwin?" Mirakos whispered.

"I shouldn't, I don't know you, how can I trust you?" Hardwin answered but his hand reached out and grasped Mirakos' offered digits. The pair smiled with something akin to relief. "What's happening to me?" Hardwin sighed.

"Something wonderful" Mirakos replied. "Come on, the moon is bright and the sky is clear. Let's walk along the lakeshore and find some privacy."

"I don't want, that is I'd rather..." Hardwin stuttered, suddenly blushing furiously.

"We will just talk, that's all. I promise" Mirakos assured the younger human and they both got to their feet, fingers still entwined and walked away from the campsite hand in hand.

"Where are they going?" Simon asked, watching the pair of retreating backs.

"My grandson was told he would meet his bond mate on this journey" Ali replied, "and it appears that your young human companion is just that person."

"Hardwin's got a Spartan partner?" Red asked from nearby, his face breaking into a grin. "That's brilliant!"

"Yes, he has a Spartan partner" Hyacinth confirmed, "Lord Apollo confirmed this to me when Simon originally suggested we permit the boy to travel with us."

"It's such a relief, knowing that he now has something besides his integrity to encourage him to keep Spartans a secret" Red said. "That and I'm happy for him" he smiled.

"As are we all" Ali smiled back.

Out on the lake shore, away from the others, Hardwin and Mirakos sat on a patch of sand bathed in moonlight, still holding hands. Hardwin, for his part, was nervous and confused but Mirakos was overjoyed and silently praised Apollo for guiding him and his partner together.

It was Hardwin that broke the silence first. "What's happening to me?"

Mirakos smiled, brought Hardwin's fingers up to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on each fingertip. "We are bond mates. Our bond is forming and strengthening and laying the ground for us to fall in love" he whispered.

"That's insane! We've barely met, it's impossible!"

"Impossible for humans, perhaps, but I am not human" Mirakos replied. "When we meet our bond mates we know it instantly and are partners for life from that moment forward. Please, Hardwin, do not be afraid, I beg you" he said softly, pleadingly. A single tear fell from his wide, dark-hued eyes and Hardwin caught it with a fingertip.

They stared at each other for an age. "I, I, I should be more scared but I'm not" Hardwin whispered in an almost-silent breath.

"Don't be scared. There's nothing to be scared of. You must be aware of the importance of mates and bonding to Spartans, since you travel with a Spartan family?"

Hardwin half-shrugged, half nodded. "Sort of, I guess. I mean, I haven't been with them long but..." he paused and considered what he knew, and what he wanted to say. "I grew up in the same village as Audo and he left last year to travel with the family and I never really understood why before, but after seeing him and Socra together it kind of makes sense. It's not like they love each other like a husband and wife love, they're too young for that. It's more... they are two halves of a whole, if you know what I mean. They just fit together. Does that make sense?"

Mirakos nodded. "Perfect sense" he smiled. They gazed at each other and Hardwin looked at his companion's perfection, his long black hair falling in wave-like curls, escaping from his scarf and trailing over one shoulder. His dark eyes sat like pools of still water, and held Hardwin's attention with an almost hypnotic gaze. His heart began to pound with desire, he felt breathless and found that he had an almost uncontrollable urge to reach out, to touch the lustrous black locks. He lifted his hand up, then snatched it back, self consciously.

"Touch. What's mine is yours" Mirakos invited with a gentle smile. His smile showed off perfect white teeth, which glistened in the moonlight. With shaky fingertips, Hardwin caressed a stray curl that slipped over Mirakos' shoulder. "It's so soft" he whispered.

Mirakos turned his head and brushed the back of Hardwin's knuckles with his lips and immediately the young human gasped. He found himself hardening almost painfully and with every caress of Mirakos' sweet breath against the back of his hand inched closer and closer to climax.

"Mirakos" he whispered, finally letting go of the Spartan's hand and hair, in order to take his face gently between both palms. Instinctively he leaned closer and between one breath and the next they kissed, a brief brush of lips that grew into something more, that brought them into a tight embrace and that, much to Hardwin's embarrassment, brought him to swift climax, inside his loincloth.

Mirakos felt his mate shudder and knew immediately what had happened. "You honour me" he whispered.

"Please let me go" Hardwin struggled, wanting to escape from the embrace, embarrassed at what had happened. Mirakos held him tighter. "Do not be embarrassed, I am glad I did that for you" he said, then smiled. "Truth be told, I am only moments away from doing the same thing" he admitted. He purposely ground his hips against Hardwin's, then with a faint shudder and a sigh, relaxed, and Hardwin smiled. "You were close" he said, then started chuckling.

"What's amused you?" Mirakos smiled.

"When we both wash our loincloths we're going to catch a lot of teasing. We probably should have just undressed and be done with it" he chuckled. Mirakos joined in the laughter and as they calmed, their eyes met once more.

"We can wash here, if you'd like" he offered. Hardwin's heart began to thump once more at the thought of seeing Mirakos naked. He tried to answer a couple of times but nothing more than a timid squeak would come out of his mouth so in the end he just nodded. They began to undress, watching each other. Mirakos slipped off his headscarf and untied and dropped the long linen robe he wore to reveal a tunic underneath. Hardwin pulled his tunic free and began to unlace his leggings. He dropped them as Mirakos pulled his tunic off and both were stood there wearing nothing but loincloths. Hardwin began to untie his with shaky fingers but Mirakos grasped his hands and held them.

Hardwin looked at his companion, puzzled, but then began to smile as Mirakos pulled Hardwin's hands to his own loincloth and then reached back to undo Hardwin's, that way each finished undressing the other, gently pulling the now-damp cloths free from their soon-to-be lover's crotch. Despite both climaxing only moments earlier, they were both hard and their erections bounced up to lie across their stomachs. Hardwin blushed furiously but resisted the urge to cover himself up, wanting, inexplicably, to permit Mirakos to look and see freely.

"Exquisite" Mirakos whispered joyously, warm fingers tracing Hardwin's hip bones as he drank in the young, pale body. "You are absolutely perfect" he smiled.

"As are you" Hardwin breathed, gazing at the wonders on show before him. Somehow, even though he'd seen plenty of the family naked, even though he'd touched and played with Demaratos, Ajax and Lykurgos and been played with in return, their attractiveness seemed insignificant now that he had seen Mirakos. What was more, Mirakos' skin seemed to have an enticing aroma of spice and sweet fruit that made Hardwin's knees weak with every inhale.

"Shall we bathe? I'm..." Mirakos paused and chuckled, "slightly sticky" he admitted with a grin. Hardwin chuckled back and the tenseness of the moment evaporated. "So am I" he replied and they took hold of each other's hands and walked slowly down the sandy bank and into the lake.

They washed, and then played together in an innocent fashion, splashing each other and swimming side by side. When tired and rather cold they made their way back to the bank and lay naked on the sand. Even though they had cooled off in the water, the summer night was still and they were warm enough once dry. Eventually, Mirakos said, "if we stay here much longer we will fall asleep and it'll be cold on towards dawn. At the very least we need to go and get some skins from the camp, either that or return and sleep there with the elders."

Hardwin yawned. "You're right" he admitted, "but I'd like to spend the night at your side" he whispered sleepily. "Perhaps we can head closer and go and get some skins but then sleep near to the edge of the camps so we can have both privacy and safety" he suggested. Mirakos nodded, approving the idea and so tiredly they both clambered to their feet.

Hardwin looked at his clothes, reluctant to get dressed only to have to undress again soon. Mirakos too had a reluctance but his robe was easy to don so he slipped it over his shoulders and kept his tunic, loincloth and scarf in his hand. "Do not worry about dressing" he suggested, "I will go and get some skins for us to sleep beneath."

"Thank you" Hardwin replied. He reached out and they returned to the family camps hand-in-hand, Mirakos quickly retrieved some sleeping skins and the pair curled around each other and slept soundly, wrapped in a loving embrace.

The next morning they rose for meditation, Hardwin having become quickly accustomed to getting up before dawn. It was at breakfast time, when, blushing, they sat with their joined families that the first comments and friendly teasing began.

"You two get some last night?" Lykurgos drawled, caressing his own hips and groin in a rather lewd fashion. Hardwin blushed furiously and Ajax started laughing. "You did! Fast mover, eh?" he quipped, nudging Mirakos.

"No ....we ....I mean," Mirakos stumbled, a blush of his own developing, albeit less noticeably due to his natural tan. Michael, Mirakos' Spartan father, chuckled good-naturedly. "We're all very happy for you, son" he said. "You've found yourself a very nice young man."

"Thank you father Michael" Mirakos replied bashfully.

No one was particularly intent on moving that day, so it passed with a combination of conversations, hunting, fishing and laughter, Red even digging his bow and arrows out of the pack to practise a little with it. Negotiations began about Mirakos' and Hardwin's future, particularly which family they would travel with. There were also some discussions in private among the priests of the families.

"We are three families here with priests sufficient for only two" Ali said, "Judoc's family needs a permanent priest of their own, and I would need a replacement, especially if you choose to take a path away from that of your birth family, Mirakos" he said, smiling so as to take any sting out of his statement to his teenage grandson.

"Kalliope never had a calling, although I had asked him in the past" Hyacinth said, "and Carme doesn't seem to either although he is only in his seventeenth summer himself. I don't know about Judoc Orhain or Awhain, I've never spoken about it with them."

"I know that Konon often swaps hands for his sword exercises, he is as competent with his left hand as his right and he hopes to take two blades one day but he is only in his fifth summer" Clio explained. "So even if he was made an acolyte I don't know whether he'd be ready to sacrifice, and I wouldn't want him to leave me and Aeson for a few more years yet."

"What about Ajax or Lykurgos? Would they be willing?" Ali asked.

"I've never asked them" Hyacinth admitted.

"There is also young Anthony in our family," Siratus said, "he is the same age as Konon but like your son, Clio, he does his sword lessons with both hands."

"That still leaves Judoc's family without a priest, even if Apollo accepts these two youngsters as acolytes" Ali pointed out.

Mirakos took a deep breath. "Not if Hardwin and I travel with Judoc when we go our separate ways" he said softly.

"Let's ask Ajax, Lykurgos and probably Awhain first" Siratus suggested, "and approach Konon and Anthony and ask if they would like to be acolytes, and then see if anyone else is willing, then take it from there. But if no one is willing to both be ordained and travel with Judoc then we may yet have to take you up on your offer, nephew" he smiled.

There were a couple of hours before supper still, and so the priests went back to the campsite and called for everyone's attention. "We have some questions for all those who are devout worshippers of Apollo. We would like to ask those who hold fast to the Spartan faith to join us in conference" Ali called.

He and the other priests retreated several hundred yards down the bank, but Clio first beckoned little Konon and took hold of his hand and walked with him. Anthony followed with his father, Simon and Jason joined them, Cleopas, after giving Red and Alexander a big hug and a kiss, followed, as did Ajax and Carme and several more people besides.

"Our combined families are large in number, too large for us five priests who currently serve Apollo on your behalf" Hyacinth began. Murmurs spread among the crowd and people smiled as they began to figure out what they might have been called together to discuss.

"We would like first to ask Konon and Anthony if they would like to be acolytes" Ali said, kneeling down in front of where the two small boys stood.

"And" Siratus continued quickly on, "we would like someone to be ordained who would be willing to travel with Judoc's family, as and when they split from Gaia and go their separate ways again."

The murmurs grew louder and Ali held his hand up for silence. "First, Konon and Anthony. Do you want to become acolytes?"

"What does 'acolytes' mean?" Konon asked.

"To be an acolyte means you would have two swords and learn to present them" Ali said softly. "You would study beside one of us, and learn how to pray to Apollo and lead worship but would not immediately sacrifice an animal. The first time that you do perform a sacrifice would be when you become fully ordained and able to call yourselves a priest. But in taking two blades you are making a solemn promise to Apollo to one day sacrifice to Him and become His true priest."

"I'd like that" Konon nodded. "I've wanted two swords for as long as I can 'member."

"So have I" Anthony confirmed, a little bashfully.

"And do any of you also want two swords?" Hyacinth asked the other adults in the gathering. Surprisingly, Ajax stepped forwards. "I missed prayers so much in the year I spent with Judoc. It almost hurt, not being able to sacrifice and pray to Apollo properly, so I want to be a priest" he said in a soft but determined voice.

Carme smiled and spoke, "thank you brother. If you had not volunteered then I was going to. I also missed prayers."

Then to everyone's surprise, Simon also stepped forwards. "Apollo returned me to life and claimed me as his own. If He will have me, I will also serve" he said.

Ali drew both swords, crossed them and knelt. His eyes were closed and presently he murmured, "yes, Lord." He got to his feet and smiled. "Konon, Anthony, Ajax, Carme, Simon, the five of you will become acolytes to our Lord as soon as swords are prepared. Ajax and Simon, you are to sacrifice as soon as you are able after receiving twin blades. Carme, our Lord wants you to sacrifice once your son is safely delivered. Konon and Anthony, you both have until your twelfth summer to offer. Do you accept?"

"Both of us?" Carme blurted, taking hold of his brother's hand in shock. Ali grinned. "Yes, both of you" he replied.

"I accept" Simon was the first to say so, drawing his sword and kneeling in the prayer position.

"Me too" Konon said, also drawing his sword. Anthony copied him, "and me" he smiled.

"I accept" Ajax vowed, kneeling in prayer. Ali's eyes turned to Carme. "Do you want this?" he asked.

"More than ever" Carme admitted.

"Then kneel, Carme son of Kalliope" he asked. Carme finally drew his sword and knelt, and in a hot breath of wind, Apollo came and blessed the five.

*** I accept your faith and your prayers *** He said. *** Take two swords and serve Me, this I command. ***

They all knelt and prayed, then as Apollo's presence left them, got to their feet, sheathed their swords and smiled to each other. "Well, it looks like we might need a forge" Cleopas smiled.

"We have spare blades suitable for Carme and Simon" Hyacinth pointed out.

"Yes, but I haven't forged my first adult sword" Ajax said, "and I need to do that soon, so I may as well make two at the same time."

"And since they are so young, the fathers will have to make Anthony's and Konon's second swords" Siratus smiled.

"If we get to the valley where we're headed then we can build a forge there, there's plenty of wood and it's secluded enough" Clio said, "and there's a very good prayer site in the valley too" he pointed out.

"Perhaps we should spend a month or two here with you, then" Ali said. "Will this valley support us all?"

"With it being summer it should do, but if it doesn't, then, there are enough of us that a two or three day hunting expedition shouldn't be out of our capability" Cleopas replied. "And if we plan on leaving well before the weather turns we won't have to worry about winter supplies either."

"Four to six weeks will give us plenty of time to get all the forging and the ceremonies performed and to enjoy a summer of freedom. And we should have at least a month of fine weather after that to make a move and begin our winter preparations" Hyacinth observed.

"Shall we go and talk to Gaia and Judoc, then, and see what they think?" Ali asked. Everyone nodded and the group rejoined the rest of the family.

It was easily agreed by everyone that they would spend the next few weeks of the summertime together, however in order to get the best of the fishing in the lake they were camped beside, they would stay there for a couple more nights before moving on. "This way we can also delay any decisions about Hardwin and Mirakos" Gaia observed and everyone appreciated this, not least Hardwin and Mirakos themselves.

That night saw three ceremonies. Simon and Carme received two swords, the presentation thereof and subsequent entry into acolytehood permissible in front of the whole family, humans included. Little Maia, well into his second summer, had been pestering for his own sword for a while. Marcus and Philip had made it already and were waiting for the right time to give it, and this night was deemed suitable.

After supper was cleared, Maia, Philip and Marcus stood together in a space near the fireside as everyone else watched closely. Philip held Maia in his arms and Marcus had a tiny swordbelt and miniature sword in his hand

"Maia, our beloved son, are you ready to start growing up?" Marcus asked. Maia nodded and grinned.

"And to help you to grow up, do you want a sword to use?" Philip said.

"Yeah!" Maia answered enthusiastically. Soft snickers rippled through the family.

"And do you promise to always be careful with it, to remember its dangers and to be as sensible as you can, now you are a boy and not a baby?" Marcus asked.

"I promise" the small boy whispered, more soberly this time.

Philip knelt down, lowered Maia to the ground and stood at his Maia's back. Marcus also knelt and gently fastened the belt around his son's waist. Once it was fitted, he moved backwards a short distance. Philip stayed kneeling behind the boy and took the child's hand in his own. He carefully reached around and showed him how to grip the hilt then, very slowly, he helped Maia to draw his sword for the first time. He giggled with glee as his sword came free, a tiny, razor sharp weapon, deadly despite its size.

Philip let go and Maia held his sword very still and cautiously. Then slowly Marcus came up and took the hand with the sword into his own and, equally carefully, equally slowly, helped him to put it back in the scabbard. "Wear it with pride" he said softly, then the three hugged and laughed together, joined of course by Socra, Maia's older brother.

"You can come and pray to Apollo, too, now!" Socra whispered to his little brother.

"Oh, wow!" Maia grinned.

After a few moments of celebration, Simon got to his feet. As oldest priest present Ali also stood, and slightly behind and to one side Hyacinth hovered, holding a newly-altered double sword belt and harness, the creation of which only took an hour, using Simon's original belt as a base. Simon was therefore unarmed when Ali addressed him.

"Simon Apolloson, do you accept two sword blades?" Ali asked.

As he'd been coached, Simon replied, "yes, I accept them freely."

"And do you understand" Ali continued, "that in accepting the two blades you are making a promise to Apollo to one day serve Him as a priest?"

Simon understood that this question, though phrased as it was in generalities, was actually very specific in its unspoken meaning - if he answered to the positive he would be swearing an oath to his God to one day sacrifice to Him. He swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I understand" he said.

"And will you always serve Him to the best of your ability?" Ali asked.

"Yes I will" Simon smiled.

"Then receive two blades" he finished, beckoning Hyacinth forward. Hyacinth buckled the belt around Simon's waist, Simon holding it as it was very heavy with the two blades sat in the scabbards. Hyacinth then slung first one strap and then the other over Simon's shoulders, which took the weight and made the belt with the dual weapons comfortable. "I suggest you draw with your non-dominant hand first and get yourself familiar with the blade, then draw with your normal hand afterwards" he said softly.

"Do I hold them in any particular way?" Simon asked, equally softly.

"Like this" Hyacinth said, drawing both of his swords fluidly and holding them in a cross-shape. Simon drew his sword with his left hand first, slightly awkwardly but without too much difficulty, then made a fluid draw of his sword with his right hand, then held them in the same cross. "Welcome, Simon" Ali proclaimed and everyone started clapping and cheering.

Finally it was Carme's turn but with his womb he could not wear his swords with the harness they required. Ali asked the same questions and after Carme had answered positively to all three, Hyacinth simply handed him his swords, belt and harness and Carme held them in both hands. "They are yours from this moment forward. Welcome" Ali congratulated the gestant man.

The next morning saw Maia begin sword lessons and Simon for the first time began practising some of the set forms he knew with his non dominant hand. It was tough for both of them but their enthusiasm for the task made the morning somewhat easier to cope with than it might have been otherwise.

It was mid-morning and all was going smoothly. Maia and Simon had stopped for a drink, several others were dragging a net from the lake, having waded in with it and scooped up several dozen fish. They all sat together, just for a few minutes, appreciating the break from the morning's tasks, when they heard a faint rumbling in the distance.

"Thunder?" Elis said.

"Don't be stupid, the sky's clear for as far as we can see" his mate, Tito, replied, getting to his feet. He scanned the horizon, joined by Gaia.

"You think?" Gaia said softly.

"I hope not" Tito replied.

They both looked towards the entry to the valley, perhaps a mile distant but clearly visible. And they watched in horror as a horde, well armed and furious-looking, began to charge towards them.

"Ware! Ware!" Gaia yelled, drawing his sword.

The cries went up in the Spartan camp and all got to their feet and drew their swords.

"Apollo have mercy" Hyacinth breathed, going pale, "there must be two hundred of them!"

It was true. More than two hundred well armed brigands bore down on them on horseback, each ruffian swinging a sword or an axe or another evil-looking weapon. It was clear they had murder on their minds.

"Quick! They'll circle us easily, backs to the lake, get the children in the centre!" Gaia called.

"Daddy!" Maia cried, terror in his voice.

"Don't panic, you know how to hold your sword, daddy Philip and I will defend you as much as we can" Marcus said, trying to reassure the small boy. He and Philip gathered Socra, Audo and Maia to themselves. "Defend yourself if you must but as much as possible, please stay between us" Philip begged.

"Yes, father Philip" Socra said softly. He drew his sword, Audo drew his and Maia took his tiny blade from the scabbard and they stood and watched the horde draw closer.

"Red" Cleopas was saying urgently, "don't argue, tie Alexander onto my back, now! I can defend him and myself but if you've got him you'd struggle and you know it!"

Red, seeing his lover's anxiety, quickly complied and fastened the bawling infant onto Cleopas' back. "Shh" Red whispered, trying to calm him down, "daddy Cleopas and I won't let anything hurt you" he said, half-convincing himself as well as comforting his son.

"There's no way I'm sitting in the wagon, hand me a sword" Jason growled to Simon.

"But my love?" Simon began.

"They are coming to murder us all! Do you really think they'll leave the wagons alone if you are all killed? Hand me a sword!" Jason snapped. Seeing the determination in his lover's eyes Simon silently complied.

And then, with preparations barely done, the lead riders were upon them. The battle was joined and was fierce, fast and furious. Each Spartan was set upon by two or more riders, and being on foot as compared to their attackers' height on horseback set them at serious disadvantage even if they'd been equal numbers. As it was it took all their skill, strength and effort to meet the charge.

Somewhere in the mêlée, Ali cried out. He stayed standing but his arm and shoulder gushed blood. Other cries of anguish both from the human attackers and their Spartan prey rang out, horses shied and screamed, metal clashed against metal with a grinding crunch and scatters of sparks.

After what felt like an eternity it seemed that they were beginning to push the humans back. Many of them now fought on foot, their horses having been targeted by the Spartans so as to equal up the fight. And then a scream went up. "DADDY!"

It was Maia.

"Maia, by Apollo, no!" Marcus screamed back, fighting with murderous intent, trying to get through to where his little boy was being held by a scarred and vicious looking fighter. But he was mobbed and the man carrying the little boy was apparently protected by his companions and they retreated, taking Maia with them.

"Daddy! Daddy!" they could hear Maia's cries. But they couldn't reach him, delayed by yet more fighters that had apparently been held in reserve. As the kidnappers galloped away they could still hear Maia's pitiful cries on the wind. "Daddy!" They slaughtered the humans who'd delayed them, after yet another drawn-out scuffle but by then it was too late. Maia and the horsemen had vanished.

"NO!" Marcus screamed. He seemed to be intending to run after the kidnappers on foot but Clio caught his arm. "Marcus, you can't go by yourself. They'll kill you and then what will Maia do!" he said roughly, trying to get his brother's attention.

"But, but, but" Marcus stuttered, as the fury left him and his eyes showed his pain and the anguish that had shattered his soul.

Red walked over to where Marcus stood, something in his hand. He wordlessly handed it over - it was Maia's sword.

"No!" Marcus wailed.

Philip, Socra and Audo joined Marcus. "Let's saddle the horses and get ready to ride" Philip said.

Marcus nodded. "We leave in five minutes" he growled. No one argued with him. Wordlessly he wrapped his son's tiny blade in leather, tied it with a thong and fastened it onto his own swordbelt. "My son needs his blade. Let's take it to him" he said grimly.

Marcus led the families out on their expedition. They left the wagons and most of their possessions behind and decided which fighters would remain to guard them and defend Carme and Jason, who were also to remain at the lakeside. Orhain, Gaia, Clio, Leander, Ali, Mirakos and Nabis were the able-bodied Spartans chosen to stay, though perhaps able-bodied was a little too generous a description - all seven of the defenders were injured and had wounds that required stitching and binding. Red also remained with Alexander, so as to allow Cleopas the freedom of movement, Hardwin remained as he was as yet unarmed, and Rhea stayed behind in order to stitch and doctor everyone's wounds.

All the others, including the children, were to be part of the raid and rescue party - the parents of the younger boys, seeing the murderous rage in their sons' eyes that one of their own had been taken, couldn't in any way justify leaving them behind. They all knew that the children had to go with their parents in order to see and accept that justice had been served.

"Come back to us" Red hissed, squeezing Cleopas tightly and kissing him.

"Stay safe for me" Cleopas replied before swinging up onto his horse and kicking it into a gallop.

They followed the trail of horsemen at a furious pace. Fortunately it was easy to spot as they had made no attempt to hide their passage, yet they too seemed to ride fast, heading through several intersecting valleys, onto the road and then westwards.

After many hours the combined families had no choice but to stop, drink and allow lathered horses to rest a while, but they could only bare a quarter of an hour's inaction before remounting and continuing, this time at a slightly slower pace, wanting to preserve the horses' strength.

Night fell and they continued, the urgency of their quest and the pain evident in Marcus, Philip, Socra and even Audo driving them forwards and quenching both hunger and thirst. Luckily the sky was clear and the moon almost full, lighting their path and enabling them to continue.

It was a couple of hours after midnight when they saw an encampment in the distance. Fires and torches flared and the wind carried the faint sounds of raucous laughter. Marcus also thought he heard faint screams and moans but hoped that the sounds weren't what his imagination conjured up. "Silence from here on" he said in a soft gravely growl. "We encircle them and at two owl hoots move forwards" he said. No more instructions were needed, everyone knew their task.

They rode for a few hundred yards more, then dismounted, tethered their horses and drew their swords. Konon, Xanthe, Evander and Anthony remained with the animals, ostensibly to guard them and safeguard their passage home but in reality an attempt by their fathers to keep the youngest children slightly safer than they would be in the heat of the battle.

The adults began to creep forwards, towards the camp and sure enough, it was the brigands. Marcus swore sulphurously under his breath and tears appeared in his eyes at the sight of Maia, naked and strung to a tree, apparently with whip-marks across his tiny body yet still struggling and trying to resist his captors.

"We'll beat the demon out of you yet, child, and you'll be free" a voice spoke to Maia. This time it was Simon who swore - it was the church inquisitor who, many months previously, had attacked and arrested him.

"I want my daddy! Apollo, help!" Maia yelled.

"Apollo is a demon! Call to Christ!" the inquisitor snapped.

"Daddy!" Maia wailed, them screamed as the inquisitor whipped him again.

Marcus made to move forwards but Simon grabbed his arm. "Wait for the signal, don't go in there alone, it'll be suicide!" he hissed

The signal seemed forever in coming, though in reality it was less than five minutes later when they heard the hoots of Cleopas' pretend owl, then on softly-treading feet they crept forwards.

The brigands were mostly asleep or drunk and didn't know what hit them. Simon went in with both swords drawn as did all the priests and a peculiar calm filled him as he met each attack proud and unafraid. "For you, my Lord Apollo" he said softly under his breath as he took the life of one of his attackers, piercing his heart and slitting his throat in an efficient movement designed to bring an instant death. And even with the battle raging he heard Apollo's exultation.

My priest! the God sang.

Many of the brigands were dead within just a few minutes of the Spartan's counterattack starting and whilst the battle was still raging around them and with helpless tears, Philip and Marcus untied and freed their littlest child.

"Daddies!" Maia sobbed, "You came like Apollo p-p-pwomised!" he said, then started to cry, huge, gut-wrenching sobs of tears that wracked his small, tortured body.

"We're here now, Maia, shh" Marcus stuttered through his tears. "Shh, we're here, you're safe."

Some of the family still fought with those few who were putting up a good defence. Others moved methodically through the camp, searching for anyone who remained or who was hiding. Simon was part of a small group guarding Maia, Marcus and Philip, several more went to collect the children and the horses and the rest searched the surrounding woodland in the predawn gloom for anyone intent on ambushing them.

Kalliope and Judoc walked towards where Simon watched, dragging a brown-robed man between them. "Simon" Kalliope called, "when we saw this man's clothing and realised he was completely unarmed and without so much as a table knife on his person, we thought you'd be the best one to deal with him. He appears to have fainted through fright and stinks of his own soil. He was hiding under a mattress back there" he nodded in the direction they'd come from.

Simon nodded to Jocasta and Acantha, who were guarding with him and they took over Simon's position so that he could go and deal with Kalliope's captive. When Simon got to the crumpled heap of a man he pushed him with his foot to turn him over and recognised him immediately. "Brother Luke!" he gasped.

"Who?" Judoc asked.

Simon shook his head in shock. "Brother Luke, I was once a Christian brother and I served the church with him for a good number of years" he explained. He turned back to the man, sheathed his swords, for he had had both drawn and had used both in the attack, reached over and took the man's chin in a gentle grip. "What is he doing here?" he asked no one in particular.

Demaratos came over, he and Ajax had found a stream and had collected some fresh water, aware after the battle how thirsty they were and consequently how much everyone else would also need water. "Here," he said, "it might help."

Simon dripped some water on Luke's lips and wet his face with it, and the man stirred as the cold liquid touched his skin.

"Brother, can you hear me?" Simon asked softly.

"Oh, my head, what happened?" the monk groaned, sitting up painfully.

"We want to ask you the same question" Kalliope replied dryly and Luke's eyes shot open. "Christ have mercy, no!" he gasped and started to shake uncontrollably, looking at the grim-faced warriors surrounding him.

"We need you to answer our questions, Luke" Simon replied. Luke stared at Simon in surprise. "Simon?" he gasped. "But we were told you were?." He left the thought open, and Simon knew what must have been said.

"Who I am is of no matter" he snapped harshly, "now, tell us, why did you, a brother of the church, allow yourself to be party to the torture of a child?!"

"I didn't want to, it wasn't my idea but the bishop?" he began, then gulped under Simon's forbidding gaze. "They said that you regularly kidnap and brainwash children. His grace the bishop-inquisitor proposed rescuing them and exorcising their demons. We thought to start with only one child, a young one if we could, but I realised soon after we started the exorcism that he could not have been possessed of the devil for he accepted the crucifix on his skin and holy water without complaint. Then his grace proposed a more?" Luke stuttered, "direct approach and at that point I couldn't bare it, I went back to my tent. Barely an hour passed before you arrived and I thought I was going to die, so I hid. I recall hearing a blade shear its way through my tent canvas and then everything went black" he finished. He truly looked a pitiful sight and was clearly terrified.

Just then several others, members of Ali's family came over. They reported to Marcus, since he had ostensibly taken charge of the rescue mission. "All the brigands we found are dead but it appears several of them, together with the torturer have escaped, there are tracks leading west away from here" one reported.

"I'll kill him" Marcus hissed, his free hand reaching for his sword hilt but Philip shook his head. "Not now, Maia needs us."

Marcus nodded and turned his attention back to the sobbing child clinging to him. Simon regarded the party around him, then looked at Luke. "You know where he's gone, don't you?" he asked the monk.

Luke nodded. "Yes. The walled town three week's ride in that direction," he said softly, indicating westwards down the road.

"We need to take Maia back to camp, get him treated for his injuries" Judoc said.

"And we cannot just roll into the town, they'll raise a stink as soon as we get within sight of the walls. We'll have to plan our campaign properly" Jocasta observed.

Simon nodded. With the elder members of the family either still busy searching for any remaining brigands and any attempts to set up ambushes nearby, or else tending to the children and horses or to each other's wounds, it seemed to have fallen to him, Marcus, Jocasta and Judoc to make decisions. "I think we should clear and cleanse this place, then head back to the campsite with brother Luke, tend our injured, regroup and plan our next move" he suggested.

"Cleanse?" Judoc asked.

"Burn it all" Simon clarified. Judoc nodded approvingly. "Let's do it."

As dawn broke and the sun rose, human bodies, tent cloth, leather, and even a couple of dead horses were heaped onto a huge pyre and set alight. They mounted their own rides, Maia being held by Marcus. They tied the monk by his wrists and tied him to another horse, then turned tail and rode eastwards towards the rising sun and their lakeside campsite.

Several nursed wounds, mainly shallow cuts and bruises but Michael, Ali's son and Mirakos' father, had what appeared to be a broken wrist. The monk stunk of his own excrement but he was ignored and was dragged, stumbling, behind the main party.

They stopped after a couple of hours, drank from a stream and washed but, having no food to hand, didn't stay for long but instead pressed onwards. It was almost evening when, hungry and tired, they arrived at the head of the valley where the lake and their camp was sited.

It was Red that saw them first, he was a hundred yards or so out from the camp, with Alexander on his back, sat on horseback as he scanned the horizon for both friend and foe. "My love, we are back!" Cleopas shouted and Red kicked his horse into a gallop.

"Oh, Cleopas, I was so worried" Red gushed.

"We are back and Maia is with us" Cleopas assured his young mate. "You and Alexander okay?"

"We are fine, we have meat and bread on the fire and ale chilled in the lake, come and eat and drink and clean up" he suggested.

"Maia needs tending first and some salves for his back" Cleopas replied, indicating where Marcus cradled his son, wrapped in his father Philip's cloak, sobbing in a restless, pain-disturbed sleep.

"He's okay, isn't he?" Red asked, concern etched over his face.

"He will be" Cleopas replied. "Come, let's get back to the fireside and the others."

They returned to the family camp, ate, drank, cleaned up, changed clothes and bandaged and treated wounds. Mirakos' father's wrist was splinted and bound and Maia was washed carefully and had salves dabbed on the whip cuts.

Red and several of the children sobbed silent tears as they saw the injuries that had been inflicted on the small boy. His emotions getting the better of him, Red walked out of the camp and stopped a few yards distant, followed closely by Cleopas.

"How could they! He is not yet two full summers, how could they!" he sobbed.

"I cannot answer that" Cleopas whispered, pulling Red into a hug with one arm - he held Alexander in a feeding position with his other. "I have no idea and I feel sick that it could one day happen to our son, or to you" he continued, "and my blood sings out for vengeance against the one who acted so cruelly to us and ours. Be of no doubt, Red, those who advocate the torture of children will pay." Red agreed, tears of anguish rolling down his face and fury in his eyes.

At the other side of the camp, several hundred yards away, tethered to a tree and being interrogated by Gaia, Lykurgos, Petros and Rhea, the captured monk was held securely.

"So let's go over this once more" Gaia said.

"I've already t-t-t-t-told you" the monk stuttered, fear in his voice.

Gaia put his hand on his sword hilt. "Repeat it" he demanded.

"Yes sir, s-s-s-s-sorry, sir" the monk stuttered, "I was a b-b-brother in the church in the town back there and we were asked if w-w-we'd help with an exorcism. I volunteered and rode with the b-b-b-bishop inquisitor but I didn't know what he was going to do until he p-p-pulled the whip out" he finished, managing to stutter his words out. "I swear! In the name of Almighty God I swear I had no idea what he was going to do! I'm sorry!" he cried, sobbing. From the smell, and the puddle around his feet, it appeared that the poor man's bladder and bowels had given way again due to abject terror.

"By Apollo! Pull yourself together, man!" Rhea exclaimed, regarding the excrement with disgust. He went over to the monk, drew his sword - which resulted in more sobbing, and with it cut his bonds. "Go wash in the lake, throw your underclothes on the fire, scrub your robe thoroughly and then come and sit down. We'll bring you a clean loincloth and some bread."

"You're freeing me?" the monk stuttered, shocked.

"You're too pitiful to be any trouble" Gaia smirked. "Now go, wash! You stink!" he commanded.

"Yes, s-s-s-sir" the monk stuttered, bowing his head in acquiescence as he shuffled miserably towards the water's edge.

"Petros, go get a clean loincloth, if you would" Gaia asked, "one of Mark's or Carme's would probably fit. And I think there were a few half-stale flatbreads left over from this morning's breakfast, bring a couple of them back with you too, and a cup if you can find one."

"What are we going to do with him?" Lykurgos asked Gaia once Petros had left to get the supplies and the monk had run down to the lake to wash.

Gaia sighed. "We can't let him go, he knows too much about us but to kill him in cold blood seems barbaric" he replied. "We'll keep him with us until after we've gotten vengeance against this bishop inquisitor and then decide."

"He might be able to help us get inside, give us an indication of where we need to go, where we'll find this bishop inquisitor. He could be quite useful" Rhea said.

"We know he's in the same town that Red hails from, three week's west of here" Lykurgos said. "We don't need his help."

"We know what town he is in but it's a large place, if you remember?" Gaia replied. "Luke's help will be very useful in identifying the buildings, talking our way past guards and so on. It would be easiest to make this a precise operation if we can, even our combined families couldn't take on that entire town and win."

Lykurgos nodded. "I never thought of that" he admitted.

The monk finished bathing and washed his habit. He seemed to have accepted his fate and didn't argue when the Spartans had told him to wash the brown robe thoroughly, using sand as an abrasive and the stony lake bed to beat the cloth clean. He emerged from the water stark naked and followed meekly behind his captors, carrying the wet robe draped over his arms and looking thoroughly miserable.

Simon, was sat still as Jason, very carefully, peeled off his lover's tunic and armour and bathed the myriad of tiny scratches he bore. As he submitted himself to Jason's tending of his injuries, he watched the naked man with amusement.

The sight of the undressed monk took Simon's mind off the pain of the herb-wine mixture that was being used to stop excessive bleeding and speed up healing. Simon chuckled before the wine came into contact with a particularly deep cut, making him wince.

"Don't be a baby, it's less than an inch long" Jason chided, dabbing the wine over the cut with a scrap of rag. "Though how you managed to get so many small cuts is beyond me, you look like you had an argument with a gorse bush and lost."

Simon sighed. "I'm not as badly injured as some of the others are" he replied, "but that doesn't mean they don't sting."

"There" Jason finally finished. "You'll live and the bleeding's mostly stopped, even out of the deeper ones." He handed the wine-herb mixture and the rag over to Charon, who needed to doctor Acantha's wounds and his own in a similar fashion to Simon's and carefully lowered himself down to sit at his lover's side. His womb was getting bigger and more and more uncomfortable but he was still relatively mobile despite the discomfort. Simon was still watching as brother Luke had a loincloth tied onto him by Petros and was urged to hang his habit over a tree branch so that it would dry and he chuckled as the monk struggled with the heavy, wet cloth.

"What's amusing?" Jason asked.

"Brother Luke" Simon smiled. "He's so pathetic it's kind of endearing."

Marcus finally stood up and walked towards the fire to help himself to a late supper. He'd not even taken the time to remove his armour and boots, having been so concerned with helping and doctoring Maia. Joseph came and cut some meat and poured some ale for him. "How's Maia?"

"Asleep, finally" Marcus sighed. "His back's very sore so we managed to get him to sleep on his stomach. The warmed wine certainly helped, he isn't whimpering as much now. Thanks" he nodded to the man who'd heated the small mug of herb-laced wine so that the child could sip a little and benefit from its numbing, sedative qualities.

"We're all concerned for him" Leander said, coming over to join his mate at the fireside. He hugged Joseph around the smaller man's shoulders, looking pensive. "We aren't going to let this slide, are we?"

"No" Marcus replied. "That man has done too much to our family, first hounding us on our first departure from his town, trying to arrest then stabbing Simon, and now this? Even if he hadn't targeted my son he's still done enough damage, we've more than twenty people between the two families with stitched wounds, Ali's family has even suffered a broken bone. No! He's not going to get away this time."

Just then Ali joined them. His left arm was in a sling, to try and keep it still as every time he moved it he pulled on the stitched-up wound on his shoulder. "Marcus, we need to talk" he said softly.

"Of course" Marcus replied, "but I don't want to go far, Philip or Maia might need me."

"We don't need to leave the fireside" Ali said. He looked around the joint families and beckoned Hyacinth, Clio, Siratus, Mirakos and surprisingly, Simon, over.

"What is it?" Marcus asked, initially not registering that it was the priests of the family who'd joined him.

"It's quite simple really" Ali replied, "you've taken two swords."

"What?" Marcus asked, then looked and saw that his son's tiny sword was still strapped to his belt. "But I only carried it because...." he began then looked at Ali's wise, solemn eyes. "You're serious aren't you?"

"I'm not but Apollo is. You've taken two swords so you now have a choice. You either agree to the acolyte's promises as Simon did or..." he paused and looked pained.

"Or what?"

"Or, from this moment forward you never carry a sword again" he finished.

"I cannot surrender my blade, I have sworn vengeance against my son's attackers" Marcus hissed.

"In that case, Marcus Elisson, do you accept two sword blades?" Ali asked.

"Yes, for the sake of my son and for vengeance, I accept them" Marcus replied, a combination of understanding and grief warring for his attention.

"And do you understand" Ali continued, "that in accepting the two blades you are making a promise to Apollo to one day serve Him as a priest?"

Marcus gripped his sword hilt as his fingers trailed against the pommel of his son's sword. "Yes, I understand" he said.

"And will you always serve Him to the best of your ability?" Ali asked.

"Yes I will" Marcus nodded.

"In that case, remove your belt and let us fit a new full-size sword and scabbard to it. When he recovers from his shock and the pain of his injuries you can be sure that Maia will want his sword back" Ali said and a hint of a grim-faced smile flickered over his lips.

Marcus did as he was bid, unsurprised to see that Siratus was already carrying a sword in a scabbard, with some loose lacing to enable it to be fastened securely to his belt. Hyacinth had a pair of shoulder straps and a metal punch and hammer and proceeded to fasten the straps securely onto Marcus' swordbelt.

The rest of the family had heard the exchange of words and watched the procedure with fascination. Finally Marcus was armed as a priest and he stood up, proud even though he still had a million different emotions and feelings for Maia's plight warring within him.

"You are accepted into Apollo's service" Hyacinth said softly. "He will guide your hand towards the vengeance you require" he assured the younger man.

After the was belt finished, the five already-ordained priests indicated to Simon that he should walk with them, out of the camp and away from the earshot of the humans in the family. Siratus carried a torch to enable them to see their way in the darkness.

"I wondered when you'd ask to speak with me" Simon said calmly when they finally stopped, some several-hundred yards distant from the fireside.

"You know what happened, then?" Hyacinth asked.

Simon nodded. "I offered the life of one of the men I killed on our raid to recover Maia to Apollo as sacrifice" he replied in a gentle voice. "Actually, I offered the life of every man I killed, it seemed instinctive do to so and an insult to Apollo to take a life with the twin swords of my rank and not offer it to Him."

Ali smiled, relieved. "I had hoped you knew but I wasn't looking forward to having to break it to you that you had been ordained in the heat of the battle."

"Apollo actually told me. When I offered the first death to Him I heard his voice sing in my head, 'my priest' so I knew from then" Simon explained.

"Well, now that you know, shall we return to the campsite and break the news to the family?" Clio asked. Simon nodded. "I only hope Jason isn't too disappointed, I think he hoped to be in worship at my side when I was ordained" he explained.

Ali cleared his throat. "Yes, about that, the next time you sacrifice to our Lord, Jason will have to be at your side."

"Oh?" Simon asked.

"All will become clear" Ali assured him. "Do not worry about it. But since Jason is gestating it is likely we will have to wait until the babe is born" he observed.

Yes, you must wait. To do otherwise would jeopardise the life of the child. Simon is my priest from this moment forth but the second ceremony should be conducted once his lover has birthed, to celebrate and give thanks for all of My gifts to you Apollo spoke in the minds and hearts of the assembled priests, Simon included.

"Second ceremony, Lord?" Simon whispered, kneeling nervously, both swords drawn, still unused to being addressed by the God.

As my servant Ali son of Philip says, all will become clear, Simon, my adopted son

"Yes, Lord" Simon acquiesced, bowing low to the pommels of his weapons.

The priests stayed in prayer for only a few moments longer before heading back to the fireside and, since it was late and already dark, they along with the rest of the family bedded down for a very welcome sleep. Brother Luke, the monk, was given a pair of deerskins and bidden to sleep at the edge of the campsite and he did so with apparent and visible relief.

The next morning the sun was already high in the summer sky when everyone started to stir. Stress, injuries and a very late evening had conspired to wear them all out and the lengthy sleep was very welcome.

The fire was relit and barley porridge was put on to cook whilst they meditated, such meditation time essential after their stress and the experience of battle. The remainder of the day was dedicated to bathing, redressing and cleaning wounds, cooking plenty of wholesome food and generally recovering.

"We can't really go anywhere until those who've had stitches have healed sufficiently to have them removed" Gaia said wisely. His own thigh was stitched and he walked gingerly as his muscles pulled with every step.

"But..." Marcus started.

"If we wait, give it just a couple of weeks, they'll be lulled into a false sense of security and won't be watching for us. Two more weeks' recovery then three weeks' worth of travelling time to the town will bring us into late summer. We'll get vengeance before autumn, son, I swear" Elis promised.

"We can't stay here" Jocasta commented. "They know this camp and if they come looking for us this is where they'll head to."

"How easy is this valley and cave of yours to get to from here?" Ali asked.

"Several hours from here but we can reach it in one day" Nabis replied.

Ali nodded. "Tomorrow at first light we should retreat to the cave, spend the time we need there to recover, possibly forge some swords or mend damaged blades, several were broken yesterday as you know. We can move out when we are all healed and fully prepared for a battle" he suggested.

Judoc and Gaia, the patriarchs of the two other families, agreed. "That does seem the most sensible course of action" Judoc nodded.

"I think so too" Tito said, and Nabis and Jocasta nodded also.

"We will get vengeance before the weather turns, I swear" Elis said to his son, seeing that Marcus was ready to protest the delay. "But going on the offensive in our current condition would be tantamount to suicide, surely you can see that? We have injuries and broken bones and you, Marcus, have my grandson to tend. We cannot go yet!"

Marcus sighed. "I know, but every second we delay makes my blood boil" he admitted.

"We all feel the same anxiety, son" Tito said softly. Marcus wiped a stray tear away, nodded to his elders and walked back to Philip, Maia, Socra and Audo, where the four were sat close together, the two older boys waiting on the adults and their young brother, keen to do all that they were able to help.

That afternoon Red and Cleopas, the older man carrying baby Alexander, took a pack horse, a couple of arrows and Red's bow and went hunting. "We've never yet gotten around to making you a bow or any more arrows" Red observed as they walked.

"No matter, we'll have all winter" Cleopas smiled. "We've been either in too populated a place or else too busy and we're not exactly going to have time in the next few weeks either" he replied. He flexed his shoulders, wincing slightly.

Red caught the wince. "I told you I should have carried Alexander, your back's still sore isn't it?"

"No" Cleopas lied, trying to hide his grimace of pain as the baby gurgled and laughed, kicking his birth father enthusiastically, his tiny toes lining up perfectly with Cleopas' black-and-blue bruised ribs.

Red chuckled good-naturedly. "You're a terrible liar. Let me carry him" he said softly.

Cleopas untied the sling as Red took the child's weight and lifted him off. He saw the bruises on his lover's body and shook his head. "You're too proud for your own good, sometimes, my love" he smiled. "Tie the sling onto me and I'll carry Alexander, you can lift him out and hold him in your arms when I'm using the bow."

Cleopas did as Red said, finally agreeing that he was in far less pain without the baby. "Thank you" Red said softly once the baby was secure. "Now, let's find some food" he grinned.

They took two deer, dressed them and made it back to the campsite in time to cook them for supper, a meal they all enjoyed.

"We're going to have to forage plenty over the next week or two, we're using up our stores at a ferocious rate" Michael, Ali's son, observed as they ate, having consulted with Charon and Orhain and calculating the quantity of foodstuffs each family carried with them.

"The valley we'll be staying in seems to be very well stocked" Gaia said, "or at least it was the last time we were there. And with all of us we'll be able to collect plenty of food in a relatively short space of time, even taking into account those of us who are somewhat hampered by our injuries" he smiled wryly, indicating his own leg.

"Father Gaia, please, come and sit down? You'll do yourself a mischief if you continue to walk and put pressure on your wound, sitting still will help you to heal more quickly. Please?" Hyacinth asked. Gaia chuckled and did as requested.

After supper was ended and the chores were completed, everyone chose to go to sleep early, even though the evening sunshine was still illuminating the valley and lake. The fight, people's injuries and simply the after-effects of stress conspired to make everyone more tired than perhaps they might have been otherwise. The following morning everyone awoke with the early summer dawn, meditated for the required time and then began to pack, ready to head to the seclusion and safety of the cave and its valley.

Hardwin made short work of his packing, only having a small number of items to call his own. He tied his belongings together and then went to find Mirakos and help him finish his duties. "Is your life always like this?" Hardwin asked as they worked. "Fighting and hiding and what have you?"

Mirakos shrugged sadly. "Our life is what it is. Yes, we spend a lot of time hiding our true natures, concealing our passage and avoiding populous places. When confronted by injustice towards us and ours, which happens depressingly often, we fight. But when we have time and space to be ourselves," he smiled gently and reached out to the young human, caressing his face, "we also enjoy music and stories and the touch of a lover. We enjoy cooking and eating good food, we care for our children as a mother hen might with only one chick," he chuckled, "and we are always learning and striving to find new information. Each family, Gaia's, Judoc's and my own grandfather Ali's, will have their own repository of information and history and knowledge and skills. So yes, our life always involves fighting and hiding but it also always involves so much more" he finished.

Hardwin looked guilty. "I'm sorry" he said.

"For what?" Mirakos replied.

"For the way humans treat you, I feel like somehow it's my fault" Hardwin mumbled.

"Hardwin, it is not your fault! Don't go harbouring some obscure racial guilt, you are NOT of their family any longer, you are of ours!" Mirakos took a deep breath and then spoke in a softer tone, "my love, you are the only man with whom I can have sons. You are the only man I will ever love and because of that you are as much a member of our family as a born Spartan, for without you and those like you we would never pass on our heritage to future generations. If you continue carry around this sorrow, if you do anything, try anything that would take you from me, I don't know if I could cope. Please promise me, you'll stay with me?" he finished, tears forming in his eyes.

Hardwin looked shocked. "Mirakos, I never.... I didn't mean.... oh, Mira, I would never leave you!" he finally managed to blurt.

"Mira?" Mirakos asked, a small smile playing on his lips even as tears fell from his eyes.

"A pet name" Hardwin blushed. "I hope you don't mind?"

"No, of course not" Mirakos replied, taking his lover into an embrace, "but should I call you Hard or Win?"

"Hard has certain connotations to it" Hardwin replied, then chuckled, "not that it would be inappropriate" he said, grabbing at his permanently aroused crotch. "But if I'm honest I'd prefer Win" he admitted.

"Then, Win, my love, that is what it shall be" Mirakos replied, pulling Hardwin's face close to his own with a soft, gentle touch. Their lips met and they kissed, then Mirakos said, "come on, let's finish the packing, we need to get out of here and somewhere safer" and with that the two young men turned to their duties once more.

The valley and cave was much as Gaia's family remembered it, overgrown and rather tough to get to but secluded and peaceful once they'd arrived. They had travelled for a number of hours and it was late afternoon when they finally pulled their convoy of wagons up at the side of the cliff and began to explore.

"This is quite suitable" Ali nodded approvingly, "and with the way we covered our tracks no one will find us."

"That's what I thought" Gaia replied, "and though there isn't room for everyone and all our belongings in the cave, we can at least all sleep under cover even if we leave the horses and wagons and most of the packs outside."

"Good idea" Judoc approved and the three patriarchs explained the plans to the assembled families.

They made short work of building a fire near to the entrance of the cave, right in the centre so that there was enough space for everyone to cook on it and so that later on in the evening, when the sun slipped behind the hills and the shadowed night brought a chill, it would heat and illuminate the cave fairly evenly. Brother Luke, seemingly their captive even without bonds and with a still-damp robe tied around his otherwise naked body, sat silently at the side of the cave, watching the family go about their tasks but otherwise ignoring and likewise being ignored by the Spartans.

It took three days of nothing more than bathing wounds, eating and relaxing before the families felt able to begin building a forge. They had, of course, foraged and set game traps so that there was sufficient food available but apart from that no one was really able to undertake any particularly heavy work. Their captive, too, had relaxed to the point that he would join the family at the fireside and would eat with them. He also answered people's questions about the inquisitor who'd tortured Maia and about the town they were to raid and his feelings about the whole situation.

Red and several others who'd sat out the second battle, mostly due to having been injured in the first, were initially the only ones able to begin the collection of wood for turning into charcoal but after more people's stitches were removed and more bruised and battered muscles began to heal, it was soon turned into a whole family affair with a dozen or so stacks of wood smoking merrily as they dried and charred and a mud and clay forge slowly drying out, first with green wood and then, as it became available, the first lot of charcoal.

There were several master smelters amongst the combined families who between them melted the broken blades together with several new ingots and formed a few tiny blades for the youngest children, some larger blades for those who were not yet in adolescence but who could handle a bigger weapon than the table-knife sized ones that were given to toddlers, and plenty of adult swords for everyone else.

Konon and Anthony's fathers would need to work on the blades their sons needed in order to become acolytes. Normally at their age they would still use their tiny sword for another season or two but since the making of a new sword was a difficult task undertaken once a year at most, the decision was made that both boys would have two new swords each, forged to be slightly larger than was normal for young children.

Ajax was planning on working on two adult-sized swords, blades suitable both to mark his passage into adulthood and his status as acolyte and soon-to-be priest and Mirakos was to work on a blade for Hardwin. And since the forge was ready and the metal cast, Cleopas suggested to Red that they take the opportunity to begin crafting Alexander's first sword.

"He won't need it for a year, at least" Red objected when Cleopas made the suggestion.

"I know, my love but we don't often build forges, this gives us the opportunity to work on the blade and have it ready in the packs for when he does need it" Cleopas smiled.

"But he's just a baby" Red replied, watching the child in question as he tried to crawl. He didn't get very far as of yet but it didn't stop him trying to propel himself under his own energy. It was still more likely that he'd get his arm stuck underneath his belly in the process of moving around and be unable to figure out how to free it. His yells of frustration were both endearing and annoying in equal measure, especially when it was the middle of the night and a wide awake little boy was attempting to crawl out from between his sleeping daddies.

"He is still a baby but when he is in his second summer and asking for a blade, what do we do then if we cannot stop? Making him wait would be unreasonable and cruel. My love, you know I'm right, don't you?"

"Of course" Red smiled, sighing softly. "I know, I just don't want him to grow up, I guess" he admitted.

Alexander then, predictably, got his arm stuck and started to yell. "Da-da-da-daaaaaaa!" he squealed.

With a grin Red went to free his baby son's arms and set him properly on his tummy. "There you go, dada Red's got your arm free for you" he comforted the child, after which Alexander began a strange shuffle, moving several feet from where he'd begun by dragging himself along on his elbows alone before getting his arm stuck and yelling to be freed again.

Most of those whose blades had been damaged or broken took it in turns to work the forges. Demeter and several others who were either especially skilled or without significant injury did most of the work but by no means all and over the course of several days, new, sharp, folded-steel blades began to materialise out of the cast metal.

Forge work wasn't all they did, of course, there was plenty of time for relaxing, for bathing and for spending quality time with loved ones. Hardwin and Mirakos especially enjoyed seeking privacy, being in the first flush of love for each other but everyone appreciated their private moments.

When Maia's injuries finally healed and the scabs came off to show fresh pink skin underneath, he began finally to allow his daddies to move away slightly and not hold him all the time. But he was a quiet, subdued little boy who plainly didn't understand what had happened to him.

It was ten days after arriving in the valley that Hyacinth, Ali, Siratus, Clio and the other priests and acolytes were planning on hiking to the prayer site they'd used when previously staying in the cave, in order to offer sacrifice and pray. Marcus would be there, of course, and several others who weren't of the priesthood but who were devout.

"Marcus, perhaps Maia should come" Simon suggested

"I don't think he'd appreciate the blood" Marcus disagreed but Simon shook his head. "I heard him as clearly as you did, calling to Apollo, just before we raided the camp and freed him. He deserves to be brought into the presence of his God, Marcus. And besides, it might help him, he's been incredibly withdrawn and that's just not normal."

"Okay" Marcus finally agreed. He picked Maia up. "Give daddy Philip a kiss, we'll be back in a bit" he said softly.

Ali and Hyacinth then looked at Cleopas. "Do you think you and Alexander should join us?" Hyacinth asked.

Cleopas gulped, knowing exactly what Hyacinth meant. "Today?" he asked.

Hyacinth nodded silently.

Trying to contain his fear Cleopas picked Alexander up and strapped him in the sling to his chest. "We'll be back soon" he said to Red, hoping with all his strength that he was telling the truth.

"Enjoy" Red smiled, noticing his lover's anguish but since he had no understanding or desire to understand Apolline worship, not letting it worry him. He actually presumed it was simply nerves caused by not having worshipped since before Alexander's conception.

The priests left with Cleopas and baby Alexander and several other family members in tow, all obviously Spartan. Only Hyacinth hung back, saying to the others, "I'll catch up with you shortly." They all nodded and Ali met his eyes, understanding what Hyacinth was about to do. He smiled briefly and nodded his approval.

"Phillip, walk with me, please?" Hyacinth asked Marcus' partner.

"What is it, Hyacinth? Aren't you going to pray?" Philip asked as they stepped away from the cave.

"I am, but Marcus is to be ordained today and there are some very specific things that the life partner of a newly-ordained priest needs to do" Hyacinth explained, "and if you and Marcus cannot go through with this then Apollo will demand that Marcus surrenders his swords."

"I will do anything to ensure that does not happen!" Philip swore.

"Anything?" Hyacinth checked.

"Anything" Philip vowed.

"Okay then, let me explain what your role will be" Hyacinth said, and started to talk.

Brother Luke, the monk, watched the party with curiosity, first the main body of priests and then Hyacinth and Philip. "Where do they go?" he asked Joseph, being sat near to the human man.

"They go to pray, I think" Joseph replied. "They worship Apollo."

"But-but-but Apollo is a demon!" the monk gasped. Leander, Joseph's mate, turned from where he was sat nearby and rested a casual hand on his sword hilt. "Say that again" he drawled threateningly.

Luke gulped. "Deus Misereatur!" he gasped, speaking Latin, praying to the Christian God to have mercy. "You really worship?." he couldn't bring himself to say the name.

"Yes" Leander answered.

Luke turned to Joseph. "You too?"

Joseph, much to Luke's surprise, chuckled and shook his head. "No, I don't. It's ?. complicated." He turned to his lover. "Does he not know?" he asked.

"One would think he'd have guessed, he's seen plenty of Jason and Carme in the last couple of weeks." Leander turned to Luke. "My cousin Jason and nephew Carme, what explanation have you reached about their condition?" he asked, his lips twitching into the beginnings of a smile.

"I must confess I have no answer. I have prayed about it and all I can think is that it is an illness of some kind, except that I know of no illness that seems to carry both hope and excitement as this does."

"It isn't an illness" Joseph explained, "they are with child".

He and Leander watched closely as a dozen different emotions flashed across brother Luke's face. Incredulity, shock, disbelief, horror, disgust, curiosity and others warred for supremacy. In the end he managed to stutter, "but they are male and that thing on their stomach looks like no womb I've ever encountered among men nor beasts."

"It is a gift from Apollo that our race can carry sons to term ourselves" Leander said gently, trying to soften the blow, "that's why we worship Him. He created our kind."

"Y-y-y-y-your k-k-k-kind?" Luke stuttered. He looked at Joseph accusingly. "You're not human?"

"I am" Joseph corrected, "but Leander and our son aren't." He pointed to where Evander, Audo and several other small boys from both families were playing a game of chase together.

"This is unnatural, I must pray about it" brother Luke stuttered again.

"When he returns you might find it useful to talk to Simon" Joseph suggested, "if you're having a dilemma of faith I'm sure he could help you." Luke nodded, worry colouring his face. He went into the cave, to a quiet corner near the back and knelt on a deerskin. The family members who had not gone to worship observed him quietly but did not interrupt, leaving him to reconcile his thoughts in peace.

The priests and others made good time walking through the valley and presently came upon the circular grotto where they'd prayed before. Upon entering through the crack in the cliff face, they could see the faint outline of Apollo's statue at the back, on the cliff face and a slight darkening of the stone, showing where many animals had been sacrificed there on their last sojourn in the valley.

"A suitable place indeed!" Ali approved, "this is very nice."

"I thought you'd like it" Hyacinth smiled.

Mirakos and Simon dragged a stag into the clearing - the animal had been snared the day before but rather than being killed and butchered immediately, it's suitability as a sacrifice was noted and it was kept tethered and alive so as to serve them this morning. They also had several buck rabbits as of course only male animals could be given in sacrifice to Apollo.

For the moment, this first part of the morning, Cleopas and Alexander waited several dozen yards away, sat in the forest until the time came for the father to present his baby son to the God. He watched everyone file into the grotto and began a silent prayer, hoping that he could go through with the unthinkable should Apollo demand it. "Will Red ever forgive me?" he wondered, "if I have to...." he shut down the thought and wiped a tear from his eye. "It will not happen! Alexander is a true Spartan and I believe in him" he whispered to himself, cuddling the baby tight as he waited in his vigil.

Nearby yet unseen by Cleopas, Philip also waited outside the grotto, waiting for Hyacinth to come and invite him in. He too was nervous but knew he had no choice but to go through with the rather gruesome-sounding ceremony for the sake of his partner and youngest son.

"Who is to take the main sacrifice and consecrate this space anew for our use?" Clio asked his fellow priests, all now inside the grotto and ranged in a semi-circle. Hyacinth looked at Ali. "I think Marcus should" he suggested.

"But I don't know all the prayers or sword presentations yet" Marcus stuttered, going white.

"Mirakos can say the prayers. Clio can do the formal sword presentations. You take the sacrifice itself, Ali and I will make sure the beast is tethered and still" Hyacinth said.

"And the rest of us?" Simon asked.

"You, Konon, Anthony, Carme and Ajax can observe and learn" Ali said. "Ready for when your time comes to lead full worship services."

"I'm still not sure about this" Marcus admitted.

Ali looked at him and then a curious change came over the old man. His back seemed straighter, his eyes seemed brighter and his face seemed sterner.

"You made your decision when you chose to remain armed. I therefore command you to offer sacrifice, Marcus Elisson" Ali said. But somehow it wasn't Ali, his voice was as much felt as heard and it throbbed with untold power.

"Apollo!" Mirakos and Clio both gasped audibly. They, followed quickly by everyone else, knelt in respect of the god who was presently in possession of the body of his eldest and longest serving servant.

Marcus trembled and fell to his knees but remained resolute. "I took two swords for the sake of my son and for vengeance. And, Lord, I will sacrifice to you, it's just I don't feel ready yet" he admitted in a tremulous voice.

"I know your heart, Marcus" Apollo/Ali said and the old man's face twitched into a smile, "and as much as you believe you are telling the truth, unless you offer to me this day you will forever find excuses not to do so. So you have a choice, the same choice as you were given when presented with twin swords. Either offer to me, now, this very hour, or surrender your swords and remain weaponless. I rarely give people a second choice so I advise you to be certain before you speak."

"Lord, you are my God but I do not know if....." Marcus stuttered. He stopped talking, took a deep breath and steadied his voice. "Why are you doing this to me?" he asked, heartbroken and confused.

"Because I am a warrior and I insist that the sons of Sparta respect that. I have a warrior's pride, Marcus and the same pride that drives you to find your son's attacker and extract vengeance, drives me to force this choice upon you. I insist that my priests have pride in who they are and in their right to be armed with twin swords. You took two swords, yes, without thinking and yes, with no intention of becoming a priest but you still did it and therefore insulted that pride! Would you let your son's attacker walk away freely?"

"Never!" Marcus spat, astonished that the God would even have to ask.

"Then you must understand that I too, cannot let your action be without consequence. So I command you, Marcus Elisson, to choose, sacrifice and acceptance as priest, or weaponless and acceptance of your punishment for insulting my pride? What is it to be?"

Marcus' hands tightened their grip on his swords. "I will get vengeance for my son" he swore.

"Then you know what you have to do" Apollo/Ali said, then the old man slumped and started to gasp.

"Are....you okay?" Marcus asked nervously.

"When Apollo possesses you it takes a lot of energy. I will be fine" Ali assured him. "Now, are you going to do as promised?"

"Yes" Marcus nodded, his nerves replaced with acceptance, for he finally understood Apollo's position. Just as there could be only one outcome of the man's demand for vengeance, there too was only one outcome of the God's demand for sacrifice. Both Apollo and the sons of Sparta had the same pride, the same limits beyond which there was no negotiation. Marcus would never give up his sword, therefore he had to sacrifice to his God. It was as simple as that.

The priests and acolytes ranged themselves in a semi circle. The other family members with them were stood behind, giving all their ordained plenty of room to draw the twin swords that marked their standing.

Mirakos began to chant a long Grecian prayer to Apollo as Clio drew both swords and began to spin them, beginning the formal presentation of strength to the God. The faintly outlined statue became more solid and Apollo watched approvingly from the stone wall as Clio finally finished the presentations and all the priests and acolytes drew their twin swords into a cross, the newest being helped to get their swords into the correct position by the more experienced.

Ali and Hyacinth took the tethered stag and pinned it securely to the floor. The animal struggled slightly but the two Spartans were plenty strong enough to keep it still. "Do it, Marcus" Hyacinth commanded.

Marcus still had both swords held in the cross. He lowered his arms slightly, then looked at the stag, the beast's throat extended and legs parted so that he had a clean shot both to the jugular in the neck and the heart through the rib cage.

"For you Lord Apollo" Marcus said, then thrust his swords in a clumsy but effective motion. The stag bled out, covering the surroundings, Marcus, Hyacinth and Ali with an arterial spray as the beast's struggles suddenly ceased and its life ended.

*** Marcus, you are my priest for you did as I commanded *** Apollo's voice spoke directly into their hearts and minds. ***Now offer the second sacrifice and be confirmed as my servant ***

"Second sacrifice? I don't understand" Marcus stuttered, kneeling in front of the bloody animal. He didn't notice all the other priests and family quietly file out of the clearing, nor did he see Hyacinth lead Philip in. It was only when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder that he turned and looked into his lover's eyes.

"No!" he gasped, misunderstanding Philip's presence, immediately presuming he would have to kill Philip or some other such horror.

"My love, I have consented to be here. Your God demands something else besides blood and death. He gave the partner bond to your kind and you must offer a demonstration of that love as part of your ordination" the human explained as Hyacinth had just an hour earlier told him to say. Part of him wanted to run upon seeing his lover covered in blood, the animal corpse at his feet and the towering statue carved into the cliff but his own desire for vengeance stopped him - he couldn't be the one responsible for forcing his lover to become weaponless and unable to get the revenge he had sworn on behalf of their son.

He reached down, pulled Marcus to his feet, touched the blood splattered on his chest and then reached with bloodied hands to Marcus' face. The new priest's twin swords were still on the floor, lying in the pool of blood leaking from the dead stag, ignored as Philip pulled Marcus into a tight, passionate embrace and kissed him.

"Make love to me, my love" Philip whispered, dropping his hands and first sitting, then lying back on the cold stone floor of the grotto. He lifted his arms up and beckoned Marcus to join him.

"What?" Marcus asked.

"Make love to me. Pierce me and offer love and desire as the second sacrifice to your God" Philip whispered.

Marcus knelt down and glanced back at the stag and at his swords. "Not with those, with this" Philip grinned, taking Marcus' flaccid penis into his hands. Marcus' eyes widened with surprise and then understanding dawned but he looked up for confirmation and saw Ali standing near the back wall of the grotto, the only witness besides Apollo Himself.

"Enjoy" the old man said gently, "and remember that your love, too, is a gift from Apollo."

They lay together, stretched out, legs intertwining as they kissed, first tentatively and then with more passion. As they broke for air Marcus made to speak but Philip laid a gentle finger over his lips and shook his head. Their eyes met in a moment of perfect understanding, then gently, gently, Philip sat up and urged his lover to do likewise. They kissed some more then Philip lowered his head and gently took Marcus' penis into his mouth, caressing it with his tongue, lubricating it and making his lover moan out loud.

When all was ready Philip laid back again, pulling his legs up and back and speaking for the first time. "Pierce me, Marcus" he whispered. With yet more kisses Marcus lined himself up and with the all the care he possessed, gently eased himself inside.

Both men were covered in the stag's blood as well as in sweat, and in moisture and gravel from the damp stone floor but all the discomforts faded as they shared their love and two became one. They climaxed in perfect harmony and collapsed together, Marcus reflecting that what he and Philip shared was, as much or more than anything, a gift from his God.

***Your ordination is complete. Welcome *** Apollo said softly.

"Woah! What was that!" Philip gasped.

"Love?" Marcus asked.

Ali, their lone observer, walked over to the spent pair. "In thanks for your participation in the ordination of your lover and in recognition of your belief in Him, our God Apollo permitted you to hear his voice, Philip" he explained.

The human looked stunned but nevertheless allowed Ali to help him to his feet, then he turned and likewise helped Marcus. He then turned and bowed to the statue.

***I thank you for your belief, human *** Apollo addressed him. ***Should you wish to ask anything of Me in the future, advise your lover and he can pray on your behalf, as the sons of Sparta have always done for their human partners. I must ask you, now, to leave and wait beyond the cliff face so that My sons can join together in worship of Me ***

"Will I never be able to pray to You again?" Philip asked and everyone could hear the sadness in his voice.

*** Whenever your lover or your sons pray they carry you in their hearts. Do not ever doubt your presence beside them when they come before me, you will always be with them even when you are apart. Now, please, I ask you to allow worship to continue ***

"Lord" Philip bowed his head and made his way out of the grotto, walking past the assembled priests and other family members, including Socra and Maia, his two sons.

"Remember to pray for me, boys" he smiled at the pair as he met them.

"Yes father Philip" Socra nodded. "Okay daddy Phiwip" Maia stuttered softly. Philip kissed the pair on their foreheads then made his way away from the prayer site and into the forest to wait for the services to finish.

It was only after Philip was out of both ear and eye-shot that Apollo commanded a divine fire to spring up and illuminate the grotto. Then Ali, Siratus, Hyacinth and Clio each went to the stag, soaked their hands in its blood and proceeded to bathe Marcus in it. "As befits your status you are to be decked in lifeblood this day, the lifeblood of the sacrifice you took" Ali said formally.

At the same time, Mirakos knelt beside the animal and proceeded to butcher it. Anything inedible was burned on Apollo's fire and of the edible meat a small steak was cut free.

"You cannot eat anything until you have eaten of your kill" Mirakos said at Marcus' confused expression when the younger man handed the raw, bloody meat to him.

"I cannot eat it raw!" Marcus gasped, "I'll get ill."

"There is fire here. Cook it" Ali said. The priests were all watching him.

"How? I have no pan, no stones, no cooking tools at all" Marcus protested.

Before Marcus' astonished eyes, Ali stuck his hand into the flames, the flames that were consuming the remnants of the stag at a ferocious rate. "Ali!" he gasped.

"I am fine" Ali said, pulling his hand free and showing that he was completely without injury - not even the hair on his arm was so much as charred. "Now cook your steak and eat it" he commanded in a voice that could not be argued with.

Marcus tentatively put his hand towards the fire but before he touched it he could feel and see his skin begin to burn and blister. "I can't!" he cried, "how do you do it?"

"By faith, brother" Clio said softly. "You've always believed in Apollo and trusted in His judgement but that isn't enough, and your pride and its demand for vengeance will not carry you any further than you have come. For this you need to have total and complete faith in Apollo's power." He closed his eyes and before his brother, his son and his nephews, Clio stepped bodily into the fire, then out the other side. He was totally unharmed, not a single hair touched, yet the same fire was well on its way to reducing the deer innards to nothing but ash.

Marcus tried again but once more was burned. His arm and hand throbbed with the agonising pain and he tried to suppress a whimper but failed.

"Me do it daddy" Maia said, walking over to where Marcus was cradling his burned arm.

"Maia? Maia, sweetheart, you can't, you'll hurt yourself" Marcus said, kneeling down in front of the small child.

"No," Maia smiled, "Apollo looks after me like he did with bad men. See" he said and before Marcus could grab him he skipped into the flames.

"MAIA!" Marcus wailed, lunging for the boy, thinking of nothing but keeping him safe. And as he did so he fell head first into the fire.

"Oh, baby, are you okay?" he asked, cuddling Maia. Maia just giggled. "Apollo said daddy would do it for me" he explained in his tiny voice. "And your dinner is cooked now" he said.

Marcus looked and realised several things simultaneously - he and Maia were right in the centre of the fire, unscathed and unburned. And the meat from the stag was sizzling and roasting to a nice golden brown in his hand.

"Let's get out shall we?" he asked his son and they both got to their feet and left the fire.

"A little unorthodox but we got there in the end" Ali smiled as father and son emerged from the flames. Marcus took a bite of the now-cooked steak, then picked a few flakes off and offered them to Maia. Socra came over and he too took a couple of flakes, then everyone shared the rest.

"Let us offer the remaining sacrifices and prayers to our God" Ali suggested and one by one the other priests, with the exception of Simon, each killed a rabbit and they all knelt in prayer. "Why didn't you offer, Simon?" Marcus asked. "You could, couldn't you?"

"I need to wait for Jason to finish gestating" Simon explained, "then he will do for me what Philip did for you." Marcus blushed and Simon smiled. "We didn't watch but we all knew what was going on" he explained softly. "Anyway, although I was ordained in battle I now need to wait for my son's birth before killing an animal and undertaking the formalised ceremonies to confirm my priesthood."

"When is he due?" Marcus asked.

Simon counted on his fingers. "A month after mid winter" he replied, "probably when the snows are at their thickest knowing our luck" he chuckled.

They finished their prayers and a newly cheerful Maia sat in Marcus' arms as they made their way out of the grotto and into the forest. Marcus and his sons joined Philip, whose eyes widened as he saw that his lover had been bathed from head to foot in blood, far more than he had worn when they had made love and offered their sex to the God. He made no comment, though, and instead simply walked with his partner and children back to their cave campsite, stopping at a stream several hundred yards shy of the rest of the family so that they could bathe and not upset the rest of their human relations.

The remainder of the family and the other priests remained behind and sought out a very nervous Cleopas and baby Alexander. "You know what to do?" Hyacinth asked the terrified father.

"Yes" Cleopas whispered.

"Relax, we all witnessed my grandson's birth. He will easily be confirmed a son of Sparta, have no fear" he assured his son.

The confirmation and presentation ceremony, as Hyacinth predicted, went smoothly, though Alexander was distraught after it was over as his bruised filaments were causing him significant pain. "All done, baby, all done" Cleopas tried to comfort him as the child nursed, still sobbing softly in between mouthfuls of milk. "Let's go find dada Red" he whispered into the baby's ear as they all walked back together.

Simon was somewhat disturbed by the presentation of the baby, horrified at the prospect of his own lover, Jason, potentially having to kill the babe he'd brought into the world. Clio walked with him when they left, talking to him, comforting him and explaining the reason for the ceremony. "If someone claims Spartan heritage falsely then Hera could potentially destroy our entire race as punishment for the slight against her" he said. Simon gulped and nodded. "Plus it stands as an assurance that our blood runs strong and proves the continuation of our kind ready for the final vengeance against our ancient enemies" Clio said.

"I understand the reasons for it, now" Simon assured his companion. He chuckled a grim laugh that held no humour. "But you'll have to forgive me if I don't look forward to witnessing the next one."

They met up with Philip and Marcus, as they stopped to bathe at the same spot and Marcus had had a hard time washing himself clean of the blood that covered him so he was still there, scrubbing carefully. Cleopas hid baby Alexander as he quickly washed the blood from his back, making sure that the human man couldn't see but as it was he needn't have worried for Philip had other things on his mind. Philip and his lover chose to wait for everyone and as they did so, the human man watched the priests. This was the first time he'd ever seen them at worship, the first time he'd ever had a direct encounter with their God. And the last time, too, he reminded himself.

Hyacinth caught him watching. "Alexander did the same for me, you know" he said out of the blue.

"What?" Philip asked.

"Alexander. If a man who is to be a priest is bonded then his partner has to do for them what you did for Marcus. Which was Alexander for me, Aeson for Clio and the partners of Siratus and Ali too. No matter whether the partner is human or Spartan, the rite cannot be skipped unless the priest in question is not yet bonded. Which means" he paused and looked at the rest of the family, "that Jason will have to do it for Simon and Awhain for Carme."

"And what of Ajax, Konon and Anthony?" Marcus asked.

"If they bond between now and their ordination then they too will have the second sacrifice to offer. If not, then the life of an animal is sufficient" Hyacinth explained.

The human man sat in quiet contemplation until he heard someone call his name. "Philip," Ali caught his attention as the old priest climbed out of the pool and began to dry off.

"Yes?"

"You know you cannot speak to anyone of what has transpired this day, don't you? It has to be kept secret."

"I know" Philip assured the old man, "I know."

Once all traces of blood were erased the newly ordained priest, newly confirmed son of Sparta and the rest of the worshippers returned to the family. Red felt a little anxiety when he realised that his baby son seemed to be in some discomfort. Cleopas didn't say anything but drew his human lover into a tight hug, his actions speaking louder than words that something stressful had taken place. Nothing else was said or done and they spent the rest of the day relaxing together as a family and comforting the child as best they could.

It took two more days for the remainder of the swords to be sharpened, scabbards to be fixed and the last injuries to heal. On a hot summer morning, horses were brushed, packs were fixed and they began their journey to the town of Red's birth, the town where Maia's torturer and Simon's murderer could be found.

Luke sat on one of the wagon seats next to Simon, who drove the vehicle with an expert touch. Jason lay in the back, unprotesting as his womb was already quite large and very painful. Luke for his part had remained largely silent after the return of the worshippers, unsure what to think or feel. But on this morning, sat next to Simon, whom he knew to be the former monk even though the man was taller and had a very different body shape, he felt the urge to talk.

"You remember when we parted on the road that day, when you agreed to stay and teach this heathen family about Christ?" he began. Simon looked at him but didn't speak, wondering not only whether he should but also feeling suspicious of Luke's motives. "It just occurred to me that out of all the possible outcomes of your leaving our pilgrimage, this was one I never expected" Luke explained. "I wanted you to convert them to our beliefs. I never expected you to end up converting me to theirs."

Simon chuckled despite himself. "I haven't converted you" he said, "or at least I haven't intended to."

"But yet you have" Luke insisted. "I never would have believed that children could be raised by warriors, and not only raised but nurtured and loved more strongly than in any human family I have seen. The whole family, all the families since I know many are unrelated, have a level of trust and love for each other that I've never seen before. I can't begin to explain how much I regret....." he tailed off into silence and looked away. Presently Simon saw him wipe his eyes and heard him sniff softly.

"There's no shame in crying. Emotions are a good thing, they show you can care" he told Luke.

"How can I make it up to you?" Luke asked.

"Help us" Simon replied, "that's all you need to do."

They were three weeks travelling through the mountains, into the grasslands and down through the forest, heading towards the town. The road was a familiar one since they'd fled down it under heavy pursuit following their last visit to the town and as they drew close, with every passing mile they grew edgy.

The first night of their trip they spent in a valley towards the road; they would probably have camped near the lakeside if it weren't for the bad memories it held. Subsequent nights were spent in whatever shelter they could find, often with a couple of people left on guard, people who would then sleep in a wagon as the family travelled on next morning. They snared animals and foraged as they travelled and managed to increase their food stores in preparation for winter even though they were intent on their quest.

Maia was happier after coming back from praying to Apollo and was more like the cheerful little boy that he had been prior to his kidnap. He was re-armed with his small sword on the same night that Konon and Anthony were declared acolytes and upon which Ajax declared himself to be an adult as well as acolyte, wearing the twin swords that he'd had a hand in making himself.

They were about ten hours outside the city when they stopped and pulled into a clearing hidden deep in the forest in order to discuss tactics.

"One thing we can say for certain, they will never let our whole caravan into the town as we are. In fact, we're more likely to be detained at arrow-point than permitted to enter" Gaia began the discussion.

"Do we all need to enter?" Simon asked. "Why don't we send just a small party?"

"We need the strength of many arms should we encounter resistance" Marcus said.

"Not if we kidnap the man and spirit him away silently" Ali said.

"Kidnap?" Marcus asked.

Ali nodded. "It seems appropriate, after what he did to Maia. Kidnap him, bring him out here and then you can have your way with him at your leisure."

"I like it" Marcus grinned a feral smile that was more like a snarl.

"Who will go and take the torturer?" Philip asked, "we need several people who can easily pass the gate guards."

"Plus we need someone who will know where to find him" Orhain pointed out.

"Luke, you will guide us to him, won't you?" Simon asked. Luke looked like he was going to protest but Simon reminded him, "you swore to make it up to us. This can be your way of doing just that." Luke gulped and nodded.

"And I still have a burlap robe in one of the packs somewhere" Simon continued, "I couldn't throw it out, it held too many memories. So Luke plus someone else pretending to be a monk can enter the city, they won't be questioned at all."

"And we have costumes suitable to dress one of us as a woman" Ali grinned, "I can take my wife and adult son and go and see lodgings in order to trade spices" he chuckled.

Gaia laughed. "Who draws the short straw and dresses as a woman?" he asked.

"Usually one of the adolescents or humans, it needs to be someone who isn't too tall, women are a lot smaller than men after all" he explained.

"If we can make skirts and petticoats and a headscarf then I bet we can also get a couple of people into the town posing as a human family" Cleopas mused. He looked at Red.

"Oh, no" Red immediately protested, "not a chance, forget it!"

"But if you curl your hair up into a bun and pin it, then dress in petticoats and padding, you'd be perfect for the role" Cleopas grinned. Red rolled his eyes.

"So we have two families with male, female and child and a pair of monks" Gaia summarised, "that will give us at least six, possibly eight or nine, fighters depending on which children go in."

"We need to take him through the gates" Luke pointed out, "how will you get him past?"

"A diversion, I think" Gaia said. He looked at Judoc. "How about two old codgers taking a cart load of turnips to market and their cart breaking down in the doorway?" he asked.

"Can you make a cart break down to order?" Judoc asked.

"I can guarantee it" Gaia smiled.

"Right" Ali then said, "we need Arabian and Germanic female dresses, an old cart and some turnips and probably farmer's costumes for Gaia, Judoc, any children and the men who aren't dressing as women or monks. Plus we need a rendezvous point and an agreement on timing."

"The costumes and props should be easy, we'll just stop a couple of merchants and buy them out" Petros suggested.

"And as for a rendezvous, what about the inn we stayed at the last time we were in this town?" Simon suggested.

"We don't know where that is" Ali reminded Simon.

"No but if one of us dresses up as your woman, we can direct you to the inn easily" he said.

The plans were made, refined and discussed at length and the next morning Kalliope, Mark, Leander, Acantha and several others waylaid several merchants and farmers, purchasing clothing, a wagon of turnips and several other props that would make the ruse believable.

The groups entering the town were decided. Marcus would dress as the monk and enter with Luke, Philip would be Ali's 'wife' and dress as a woman and Mirakos would be their adult son. Red and Cleopas would be the Germanic husband and wife and would take Audo and Socra with them as their children. Alexander and Maia would be left in Elis and Tito's safe keeping and they would all enter the town at evenly spaced intervals, go and conduct 'business' and then meet at the inn at dark.

They would head to the bishop's palace, kidnap the man and keep him safe and quiet for the day. As the second evening fell they would take up a position near to the east gate and watch for Gaia and Judoc's arrival. The two old men would enter the city and ensure that their cart broke down right under the portcullis, spilling its load of turnips. Under the cover of the chaos the kidnappers would escort the bishop, probably unconscious and loaded into a large sack, out of the gate and would use the setting sun and shadow of the walls to conceal their escape, heading straight for the nearest stand of trees. Once night was fully upon them they would return to the rest of the family and would be joined the following morning by Judoc and Gaia.

"I feel ridiculous" Red protested as he was dressed up the next day.

"You look ridiculous" Cleopas sniggered, squeezing the padding on Red's chest that made him look as if he had breasts.

"Let's get this over with" Red sighed. They headed to one of their wagons, uncovered and with the top removed so that it was clear they had nothing to hide. Red and Cleopas sat in the seat, the two boys in the wagon bed. Their swords were all hidden beneath the rest of their stores.

Philip wore a floor length black gown that covered his entire head, shoulders and face too - an outfit Ali assured everyone was a common enough one amongst the women of the Moorish peoples. Marcus wore Simon's old brown burlap habit and stood next to Luke.

"Let's get the show on the road" Simon said and with a nod to the rest of the family, Cleopas pulled out. Two hours later, Ali followed him on horseback and three hours after that, later in the afternoon, Luke and Marcus walked away on foot.

The plan worked perfectly. The bishop was sleeping near an open window and it was easy to climb up the walls, enter the room, knock him unconscious using a carefully aimed sword butt and drag him away. He was spoon-fed a herb-wine mixture guaranteed to keep him comatose and the following evening his snoring, snorting body was loaded into a sack and shoved into Cleopas' cart. Ali, Philip and Mirakos were the first to join Cleopas and Red, waiting in an alley way near to the east gate, and an hour before sunset saw Marcus and Luke arrive.

Judoc and Gaia played their parts perfectly. They rolled their cart up and unseen by any except those who knew exactly what to watch for, Gaia yanked a piece of cord and pulled a pin out that made a wheel fall off the cart, the cart collapse and the turnips roll everywhere, right under the portcullis.

"You stupid old codger, you said you'd fixed it" Gaia spat at Judoc.

"You said you were going to!" Judoc replied. Both were sprawled on the ground.

Gaia threw a mock-punch at Judoc, who rolled out of the way. "You could've killed me. Oh, my leg" he groaned.

"Okay, gentlemen, let's move out of the gate" one of the guards said.

"We can't!" Gaia snapped, "because he was supposed to fix the cart and didn't!"

"Its sundown, we need to close the gate now" the guard instructed brusquely.

A crowd had gathered to watch and several people took advantage of the chaos to take their leave of the city, even though it was technically too late to do so. Cleopas urged his horse on and casually rolled through the gate and out whilst Judoc and Gaia were shouting at each other and at the gate guards at the top of their lungs. Several minutes later Ali and his companions joined them and shortly after that Marcus and Luke arrived. Several more people exited before the cart and the stray turnips were finally moved and the portcullis lowered. "Let's get going" Marcus hissed, "we need to hide."

It was past midnight when they reached their camp. By this time the bishop was beginning to come around, having not been given anymore drugged wine after they'd left the city.

"Oh, my head. What's going on?" he asked. He'd been bound to a tree and blindfolded. Out of nowhere a whip cracked. Marcus wielded the weapon and brought it down on the bishop's chest.

"Argh!" he screamed. "What's going on? Don't you know who I am?"

"You seemed to enjoy whipping small boys so much I thought you'd appreciate a taste of your own medicine" Marcus said, pulling the blindfold free. The bishop saw who held him and blanched. "You know, I was going to toy with you but I think you just deserve to die" Marcus drawled. He drew his swords, only to be interrupted by a crashing noise from the bushes.

Aeson and Charon appeared, dragging a burly man between them. He was dressed as a smith and though he appeared to be naturally muscular, his face was careworn and thin and his eyes were heavy, like he'd long since stopped looking after himself. "No, you can't kill him, please!" he gasped when he saw Marcus with the naked blades and the bishop, already bloody from the whip cut on his torso, bound and tied to the tree.

"Give me one good reason why not?" Marcus snarled.

The man seemed to shudder and was clearly suppressing his tears. "Because I'm Spartan too and he's my mate" he announced to the shocked family.

END OF BOOK FOUR - BOOK FIVE TO COME