The People of the Forest - 7. Chapter 7

Gar and I returned from an early morning gambol through the wood to our terrace. Gar had been exceptionally affectionate, my body and heart glowed as a result of his attentions. We paused to embrace in the warmth of the early sun. Into our reverie, a small cough sought our attention. I lifted my glance over Gar’s shoulder to see a man in the shadows of the doorway.

The man took a step into the light. “Devon?”

“There is so much talk of you, dear Simon, I had to see for myself.” Devon’s tone was somewhere between playful and sarcastic.

I broke from Gar’s embrace and crossed the terrace to Devon. He ignored my outstretched hand and wrapped me momentarily in his arms, kissing my cheek. I felt Gar bristle from across the space. Devon took a step back. “My you have grown. Had I any idea such changes were yet to come I would have hung on to you. I am most intrigued by what must lie behind this token of modesty.” He referred to the cloth covering Gar and I wore, made by my grandmother. “It suggests delights rather than conceals.” Devon reached to lift the cloth, stopped by Gar’s grasp on his wrist. Devon’s eyes followed from the powerful hand, along the corded arm, over the bulging shoulder to meet Gar’s smoldering stare. Belying any fear, Devon flirted, “my you are a big one, aren’t you.”

I tried to diffuse the moment. “Devon, this is Gar.” I saw Gar’s grip tighten and feared Devon’s wrist would be crushed. I placed my hand over Gar’s and pried back his fingers. Gar relaxed his grip, Devon took a step back examining his wrist, Gar’s finger marks deep indentations on his skin. I raised Gar’s hand to my lips and kissed it, smiling up at him.

“So its all true, what they say. You’ve taken up with this brute from the forest. He is frightfully attractive, though overscale. Not much into conversation, I’m led to understand. And you, dear Simon, we used to be much the same size. Now all this muscle and hair. Still, if what lurks behind your loin cloth has grown as much as the rest of you, well that I could get used to. And now you’re all set up in the King’s House as special envoy. You’ve surpassed me, dear Simon.”

“Devon, it was kind of you to come see me. As you must have observed, Gar and I have only just returned from some private time. Perhaps we could arrange a time for you to visit that would suit.”

“Oh, you’ll be seeing lots of me,” Devon smirked. “The king is gathering all the diplomatic corps over this thing with the Valley of the Deep. He’s asked me to oversee and coordinate the meetings. It will mean a great effort on my part, but I give my all for our king and city.”

All during Devon’s speech, I felt his eyes wandering hungrily over my body. Judging from the tenseness I felt from Gar, he observed the same. It was only when Devon had been gone some minutes that Gar’s tension relaxed, albeit slightly.

Gar reached under the cloth and grasped my balls, spinning me to face him. I believe his grip was rougher than he intended, for on hearing me cry out, he massaged my balls and smiled an apology, leaning in to kiss me. Still, he held my balls tightly and questioned with his eyes.

My heart warmed with an overflow of love for Gar. “My own dear one.” I reached up to caress his face. “You have nothing to fear from Devon. You are my life and love.” Gar knitted his brows and gave my balls a shake. “Yes he is an attractive man, and yes we were lovers. I can’t blame him for envying me the happiness I have with you. He has nothing for me, though I would welcome his friendship. I would have you be comfortable with him, particularly since we may be working together on behalf of the king.”

Gar’s grip on my balls eased. His fingers began to massage the place above and my cock instantly hardened. “Gar, we just made love several times in the wood,” I admonished. Gar simply smiled and pulled me by the balls across the terrace toward our bed. “You know I can’t resist you.” Gar lifted me bodily onto the bed. He closed his mouth over my cock and sucked deeply, sending me into a rapture. It was only as his cock pressed against my ass, opening me, that my mind again focused for a moment only to be dissolved into the bliss of his lovemaking. Whenever Gar and I made love, it was beyond my reason, but this time Gar took possession of my soul like never before. The bells in the tower alerted me that time had passed, still I clung to Gar wanting the moment to never end. He lay on me, in me. I could feel his cock’s post-orgasmic pulses deep inside.

“Gar, you amaze me yet again.”

Another cough came from the doorway. “Yes?”

A page from the court stepped forward. “Forgive me sir,” he stammered, averting his eyes, “but the ambassadors and diplomats have gathered and wait only for you to begin the day’s meetings. Devon sent me to bring you back. He said your presence was needed.”

“Ah, Devon was it? I might have known he would neglect to tell me of the meeting to get some of his own back. You, kind sir, may return with word that I shall join them shortly having now been informed of the meeting.” Then to Gar, “Alas, dear one, only duty to the king can drive me from your embrace, damned duty, but go I must.” Gar held me tightly for a long moment, then released me, slowly withdrawing his still engorged cock from my ass. My body spasmed several times, leaving me breathless and unable to walk for a time. Gar assisted me in cleaning up and kissed me gently as he escorted me to the stair. I had to grip the railing to keep from falling several times as waves of pleasure echoed from our earlier lovemaking, I looked back to see Gar smiling with satisfaction, I think more from how deeply his loving affected me as from his own orgasm. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, dear Gar,” I called before losing sight of him. I hoped for enough stamina to do justice to my lover’s affections.

***

The conferences to plan a response to the threat from the Lord of the Deep Valley occupied the entirety of the king’s household and staff. Meeting followed meeting, often late into the night. I stole any time possible to be with Gar, but the urgency of the king’s work kept me away most days and often late into the night. I would return to find Gar waiting for me. He was kind in his affections, understanding my tiredness, but I could feel a growing frustration.

One late morning, the conference recessed having reached loggerheads over a minor point that split opinions into many camps. It was agreed by all that some time to consider alternatives was necessary. I raced through the King’s House, up the long staircase, calling out for Gar. For the first time since he found me along the road, he was not there when I called. Our rooms and the terrace were empty. I scrambled through the Wood to our favorite places, still no Gar. I became alarmed. On reflection, I see that it is silly to be concerned for the safety of a muscled giant likely within the confines of the King’s House grounds, yet my heart ached with worry. In desperation, I ran toward the main house for help and then I saw him. There stood Gar, holding court in the center of a clutch of the king’s advisors. He held them in rapt attention. As I drew near, I recognized the court gardener, the king’s apothecary and the royal physician. Gar sensed my approach and stood erect to greet me. The others turned to see who approached.

“Ah, Simon, dear boy. Your Gar is a wonder,” the apothecary said. “Imagine, in our own wood, herbs and cures unknown for centuries and Gar teaches us.”

“And have you noticed the Wood and gardens since you’ve moved here?” asked the gardener. “They flourish as never before. Trees I feared long dead have sprouted. Even the animals show a new robustness. Gar brings a benign influence on all the Wood. The rabbits, I’m afraid, were beginning to invade some of the parterres, but a nod from Gar seems to keep them at bay.”

The royal physician looked grave. “As wonderful as these things are, I fear none will suffice to aid the king. He weakens by the day. The weight of worry draws him quickly to the end of his days, even as we need his strength and wisdom more than ever in these troubling times.”

I could see the concern grow on his face as Gar listened. Gar took my hand and led me, not toward our rooms as had been my hope, but toward the king’s chambers. He brushed by the Chamberlain and guards at the door. The royal physician trailed after us tossing explanations and assurances to the Chamberlain. Once inside the king’s bed chamber, Gar came to a halt. I stepped past him, readily seeing the reason for his motionlessness. There was the king, sallow and wasted, clearly nearing death. Cambion came dashing through the door a moment later, alarm across his face.

“I saw Gar and you coming this way. I feared the worst and on seeing my father, my fears are not allayed.”

“Cambion, Cambion,” the king called out, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You must send for your brother. My time is short.”

“No father, there must be something we can do for you.”

A sudden commotion could be heard just beyond the chamber door. The Chamberlain dashed in, his face contorted with worry. “My lord, I have just received a report that a large party from the Valley of the Deep is at the gate and seeks an audience. What should I do?”

Cambion came alive and took charge. “On behalf of the king, go to the gate and invite in only the ambassador and two others of his choosing. Take them to a diplomatic residence and offer refreshment. Tell them that the king will grant an audience at his pleasure and assure them that it will be soon, but offer no specific time. Or date for that matter. That will buy us some time.”

The king smiled at his second son.

During these instructions, Gar had approached the king and begun an examination, much as he had done to me when he discovered me long ago. He was wholly focused on the task, not noticing the royal physician approach his side. “Gar, I fear the king’s condition is beyond my skills. Have you a recommendation?”

Gar briefly approached me and touched my chest over my heart. His face held concern. He motioned for me to remain and left the chamber. An anxious hour passed until Gar returned carrying a familiar bundle wrapped in a large leaf. He took me by the hand and led me to a small room adjacent to the king’s chamber. Gar looked into my eyes with great purpose. He began to massage my scalp with one hand, my chest over my heart with the other. After a time, he opened my robe and began to rub my cock, bringing me to full erection. Pausing from time to time to renew his touch of my head or chest, he proceeded to stimulate me to orgasm. It was not the heated sexual exchange we usually shared, but rather a drawing out of my semen. When at last I climaxed, Gar carefully caught my ejaculation in the leaf, then put it aside. He took my hands and placed them on his head and chest, showing me to repeat his earlier treatment of me. I understood and followed his example, bringing him to orgasm, catching his voluminous orgasm in the leaf.

Gar took the now sodden leaves and combined them with various herbs and flowers he had brought with him. He worked this with his hands slowly producing a thin stream of liquid he captured in a bowl. He led me back to the king’s side and raised the bowl to the king’s lips. “Drink,” Gar instructed the king. The king complied, initially with difficulty, then seemed to be eased. To the physician’s questioning glance I replied, “Gar has prepared a tissain of our life force.”

“Will this cure him?” asked the physician.

Gar sadly shook his head ‘no’.

“It has already eased the king’s distress” the physician observed. “Perhaps it will be enough to meet the immediate challenge after he has rested. Thank you for your effort.”

***

The Chamberlain returned as we left the king to his rest. “Cambion, I have done as you asked with the ambassador, though he insisted in bringing what appeared to be two rabid dogs and a kind of giant raving man, all in chains. I have long heard that representatives from the Deep Valley seek to intimidate others with their wild animals. I pray he can control them. The sooner we can hold the audience the better. How is the king?”

“Resting comfortably for the first time in a long time” confided the physician. “Though I do not think for very long. It is a great sadness. Gar has done much to help, yet the king is very old and ill. Let us see how things are in the morning.