Chapter 14: Haley’s Story—Winter in Alborg

Tyler led Seth, Haley, Jason, and Troy back to the large, underground room where they’d taken their oaths. He gestured for them to sit on benches before he closed the doors. Haley saw the magic Tyler used to seal the door, and knew what Tyler was about to say would be important.

“This is our lodge. It is part of the secret you swore not to reveal. I will tell you more, today. It took years before I understood all that my father told me. You won’t have to take that long, unless you decide to stay. If you do, then you’ll have to learn all that I learned. But, here’s the short story,” Tyler began.

“Our ancestors were stonemasons who built the city walls, palaces and temples, government buildings and great homes in Herten—that is the prince’s city, the capital. Then, it was a beautiful city.

“The prince was benevolent and ruled wisely; the temples were run by clerics who followed the Light. Then, something happened. Some people said it was the death of the prince’s wife and then the death of his only son. Some said it was a dark force from the south—a powerful and evil mage or cleric who had become part of the prince’s court. Whatever the cause, the city became a place of conflict as darkness attacked, and good people resisted.

“The Mason’s Masterguildmaster realized the darkness could not at this time be defeated, and gathered his lodge—the masons’ guild—and issued orders. The other masons, sworn not only to obedience but to the Light, obeyed. They left Herten and established this town. It’s called Alborg which is short for alter-berg, which means ‘high fortress’ in our secret language. These masons invited to join them close friends and relatives who were farmers and shepherds, brewers and herbalists, smiths and weavers, and all the other skills that they would need.

“They agreed, however, that all their descendants would be initiated into the Mason’s Guild and taught its secrets and magic. They intended that the Guild should be preserved, so that some day, when things were better, they might return to World and practice that trade. So, each boy has to learn two trades, two skills, and two mysteries. Three mysteries if you count boy magic, of course.”

“Why do you tell us these things?” Jason asked.

“You and we have agreed that you will stay with us through the winter, and you have agreed to protect any of our secrets that you might learn, right?” Tyler asked. The other boys nodded.

“We will not ask you to remain with us beyond that,” Tyler said. “But we want you to know that you may make your homes here, if you wish. We also want you to know that a condition of remaining is to learn, and to swear another oath to protect all our secrets.”

Jason nodded. “You know I can see magic; and that we all have magical talent. You don’t know the extent of my talent. When Haley and I first met, I could look at someone and know if they would die before the end of the day. Now, I can look at a person and see their death, even if it be years and years away.

“I do not do that!” he hastened to add. “I do not have to see it, and I do not look for it, especially among my brothers.”

“That is wise,” Tyler said. “Maccus has told me that foreseeing is less and less accurate, the farther ahead one looks.”

“But I have seen something,” Jason said. “I have seen myself and others leaving here in the spring. I cannot see who accompanies me, because a bright glow surrounds the others, and blinds me to their faces and numbers.”

“I will be with you!” Haley said. He jumped from his seat, scampered to Jason, and hugged him. “You are my brother and I will never leave you!”

Seth and Troy were less demonstrative, but equally sincere. “We will be with you, too, for we are your brothers,” Seth spoke for both boys.

“Well, then, I guess we’d better get to work on your training,” Tyler said. “For if you will leave us, you will need it more than ever.”

That evening, Tyler washed Seth’s back, slowly and methodically. The other boys had finished their washing, and were soaking in the hot pool. There was always plenty of hot water. The baths were fed by a natural spring whose water was so hot it had to be cooled by piping in cold water from the village aqueduct.

Seth turned. Tyler’s hands gently washed his chest, and then his tummy. Seth felt his boy magic forming, concentrating.

“Tyler,” Seth said, pitching his voice for that boy’s ears only. “Why do you single me out? Why do you . . . I mean, do you like me?”

Tyler hesitated, and then said, “When I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen,” he whispered. “I fell in love the instant I saw you.”

Seth’s body stiffened; all thoughts of boy magic left him. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he would have fallen had Tyler not caught him.

Seth woke to find Tyler sitting beside him. They were in the boys’ room. “The others are at supper,” Tyler said. “They will bring you something, later.

“Please,” Tyler said. “Please tell me what I did that was so wrong? I felt—fear? Hatred? I’ve never felt emotion so strong.”

Seth turned his head sharply away from Tyler. Tears flew from his eyes to sparkle in the lamplight before sinking into the pillow. “It’s not you,” he said. His chest heaved and his throat closed in a massive hiccough. He gasped for breath, and shuddered when it would not come. Tyler turned Seth’s head, put his hand under the boy’s neck to elevate the chin, pinched his nose shut, and kissed him. With the kiss, he forced air into Seth’s lungs.

Seth gasped, and began breathing. “What—?”

“Breathe, Seth,” Tyler said. “That’s all that is important now. Breathe slowly and deeply.”

“What happened?” Seth asked. Tyler held his hand and monitored the boy’s life signs. He had stimulated the boy’s brain to produce endorphins. They would hold back the pain Seth was feeling, but only for a while.

“My chest hurts. You kissed me—” Seth said.

“Something I said evoked a memory so painful that you nearly died,” Tyler said. “Your throat closed. My kiss opened it, and you breathed. It won’t happen, now. You feel—relaxed? Safe?”

Seth nodded.

“I told you that you were beautiful, and that I loved you,” Tyler said. “That hurt you. I’m sorry that I hurt you. We cannot completely avoid each other; the village is so small, but I will try—”

“Oh, no,” Seth said. “You did not hurt me, not really. Only Jason and Maccus know . . . but I can tell you, I think.” His voice was soft and calm as he told the story of the Rom, of the death of the black-haired, silver-eyed boy, and of the death of his father. “This story is in my mind; I tell it to myself over and over. The words are always the same.”

“And I spoke those same words to you,” Tyler said. “Again, I’m sorry. I will leave, now, and send one of the others—”

“No, please,” Seth said. “I love you, too. Please tell me again that you love me? Please say that you won’t leave me? Please share yourself with me.”

“I do love you, Seth,” Tyler said. As the two boys, from so different backgrounds, swore their love, a quest became fully formed.

As Maccus had asked, Seth spent his days with the village Smith, pumping the bellows, learning to pound hot metal into pruning hooks, knives, and pans. However, try as he might, he could not see the magic that the Smith employed, nor, it seemed, could he use magic at the forge. I must learn to build and not only to destroy, Seth thought. It was this desire and the knowledge that he had to prove himself to Tyler that kept him at his tasks despite repeated failure.

A ten-day or so after Seth and Tyler’s declaration of love, Tyler had to leave for duty at the guard post on the flank of the mountain, and Seth was alone. He considered only briefly Jason’s invitation to share boy magic before declining. “I don’t feel up to it, Jason,” he said when he saw the disappointment in the boy’s face. “Please, don’t you be sad, too.”

Jason smiled and kissed Seth quickly on the lips. “I know you miss Tyler,” the boy said. “And I’m so glad you found him.”

Seth could not sleep. The other boys did not have that problem. Soft breathing surrounded Seth as he stared into the darkness. Why can I not see magic? Why can I not learn to create, to build? Tears welled in his eyes, and rolled down his cheeks.

“Seth?” Jason’s voice was distinctive, even in a whisper. His breath fanned Seth’s cheek. Seth had not felt him sliding into the bed beside him. “Seth, what’s wrong? Please tell me.”

Anger flashed through Seth’s mind, to disappear when Jason touched his forehead. “Please, Seth. We are companions. I love you, and I cannot be happy if you are not.”

Seth nodded, even though he knew Jason could not see him in the darkness. “The bench in the yard,” he said. “Let’s go there.”

The night was cold and the sky was clear. Stars and two of the Bright Travelers lit the boys’ way to the bench.

“I come here, sometimes,” Seth said. “I look at the stars and I wonder if I will find the Romany boy in another lifetime. I hope for that. I wonder if I will find my father in another lifetime. I fear that.” He paused, and then whispered, “I wonder why I should go on living.”

“Seth,” Jason said. “Do you remember the first time you opened your heart to me? I said that I saw brightness trying to shine through the dark blanket in which you had wrapped yourself? I still see that, Seth. I still see your light and your love. It’s very, very powerful.”

Jason’s voice broke as he said, “Seth, if you will not live for yourself, will you live for me? For Troy? For Haley, and for Tyler? You must know that we all love you?”

Seth was silent for so long that Jason thought he’d fallen asleep. When he spoke, his voice was firm. “Yes, I will live for you and for Troy and Haley and Tyler. But,” he paused. “I cannot do this alone.”

Jason leaned toward Seth and kissed him. “You will not have to,” he said. “I am here for you, now and forever.” The stars shimmered as the power of that oath radiated from the hearts of the two boys. In their shared room, Haley and Troy woke, turned to one another, and hugged.

“Something just happened,” Haley said. “Something important.”

“It’s Jason and Seth,” Troy said. “They have sworn to one another.”

“Oh,” Haley said. “But Tyler loves Seth, and I love Jason, and . . .”

Troy giggled. “And that means we are all brothers, for I love you, too.” He kissed Haley.

The boys’ cuddle became more intimate, and was echoed by Jason and Seth when they returned.

* * * * *

The Mastersmith led his crew: masters, journeymen, apprentices, and Seth, onto a trail north of the village, a trail that led up the mountain. They all carried packs of food.

“We’ll be gone for at least a tenday,” Devin told Seth. Devin was the youngest of the apprentices. “Removing the ore is easy. It’s a rich vein. “The charcoal for the fire was brought here a few months ago. All we have to do is load the furnaces with ore, start the fire, and sit around for a day or two until the metal is molten. Then, it’s poured into ingots. We’ll take some back with us, and then come back for more as we need it.”

“Do you do this every year?” Seth gasped. He was a bit out of breath from the climb.

“Oh, no. Only about every five years. You’re lucky to get to see this!”

Seth looked at the trail in front of him, which seemed to go up and up without end. Devin saw where Seth was looking, grinned, and gently punched Seth in the shoulder. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

It wasn’t as bad as Seth thought it would be. There was a huge log house. A spring brought in water, and just like at Alborg, a hot spring provided water for baths. Devin grabbed Seth’s hand and led him to a room at the end of a hallway.

“This is the smallest room. We won’t be disturbed. If you want to room with me, that is.”

Devin is Tyler’s brother, he thought. And Tyler is my brother. Therefore . . . “Yes,” he said. “I’d like that.”

The first night, after supper, Devin took Seth’s hand, again, and led him from the common room, where adults were sampling ale and youngsters were engaged in games, and led him to their room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Devin whirled around to face Seth, put his hands on the boy’s cheeks, looked hard into his eyes, and said, “Tyler told me that you were his brother, and that I was to watch over you.”

Then, Devin giggled. “I think he knew I would ask you to share.” He kissed Seth, deeply.

“Was that an Asking?” Seth gasped. Without waiting for an answer, he said, “This is a Telling,” and returned Devin’s kiss.

Devin had been right. The work was not too hard. Most of the loading of ore into the carts was done by the men and older tweens. The boys pushed along rails the carts full of ore. At the end of their journey, the carts were tipped into huge retorts already becoming hot from the fire of the charcoal augmented by the Smiths’ magic.

Each evening, Devin drew Seth from the others, and the two explored the depths and breadth of the magic they shared with one another.

“I can taste you,” Seth said. “But I also taste Tyler.”

“I taste you, too,” Devin said. “And I taste Tyler in you. He initiated me into the mysteries, and he’s still my favorite partner. I’m glad we both feel him.”

“We will pour the metal tomorrow,” Devin said. He and Seth were high above the retorts, sitting on the rails. The last cart-full or ore had been dumped, and the boys were free. “Look, you can see the molten metal. It makes rivulets in the dross as it melts and flows.”

He leaned out to point. The ledge by the rail crumbled. Devin screamed as he dropped toward the retort where he would die.

Seth saw in an instant what he must do: destroy the retort, push the molten metal away from the spot where Devin would land. In that same instant he grabbed magic.

Then, Devin was no longer falling, and a boy Seth did not know sat on the ledge from which Devin had fallen.

“If you destroy the retort, many will die,” the boy said. “Look, just below. The Mastersmith, apprentices and journeymen. They do not yet that know Devin is falling. They will die without knowing that in dying they have saved his life.”

Seth’s entire body became like ice, despite the heat that permeated the mine. “I cannot let Devin die! It will hurt Tyler! It will hurt me!”

Then, he asked, “What should I do?”

“I cannot tell you,” the boy said. “Except that you have only another moment to decide, and another moment to act.” The boy turned, and looked down, where Devin’s face, frozen in a rictus of fear, looked up without seeing.

“Time’s up,” the boy said.

Seth reached out and lifted Devin from his fall, and pulled him back to the ledge. Devin fainted, but Seth held him tightly.

“Who are you?” Seth asked the mysterious stranger.

“I am you,” the boy said. “I am that which you have hidden even from yourself. Thank you for making me free.”

The boy stepped into Seth. As he did so, Seth saw for himself that the blackness inside him was gone, and that he shone with a brilliance that eclipsed even the molten metal.