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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Seeing Double - 14. Chapter 14
well here's another chapter of Matt and Dan's journey, hope you enjoy :)
MATT
The entire palace was buzzing in the lead up to the festival and I couldn’t help but get caught up in the atmosphere of it all.
Helping prepare baskets of food to send to the villages, helping the healers deal with the very ill that usually couldn’t get to a healer, but made the trip for the festival; I even tried a game of Asenshi but played miserably.
Asenshi was a game played in midair and all the players were in a large cylinder of Energy. However, they all started at the bottom, on the floor. A small ball was the object of attention and the aim was to get the ball into the net at the very top of the cylinder, which was about 60 feet up.
Players reached the top by bounding off the sides of the cylinder, slowly jumping up higher and higher until a player could slam it into the net.
Opposing players could stop those with possession of the ball by directing very low level energy blasts at the opposing players, upsetting their balance.
It was a frantic game often played two or three times faster than the reflexes of the fastest human.
Dan had managed to train his eyes to slow down motion so he could see it and was in awe over what this sport was.
A very prestigious tournament for Asenshi would be held over the festival period.
Dan had been catching up with university work over the resting period, which had also included travelling to the Tower.
As tradition had it, no fast forms of transport were allowed, instead we had alternative transport to carry us through the villages, and at each one we did something to help the local community.
Our alternative transport consisted of a very large disc shaped structure that was easily the area of a first floor of a house. It floated by itself, propelled by some means that even I couldn’t discern, much to the glee of the engineers who had designed it.
The inside was furnished not lavishly, but homely. Warm colours were draped all around the rooms inside and the illusion of a fire glowed in the living room.
I hadn’t seen many of the villages of Galwrock and so, the two week pilgrimage, if it could be called that, was an enlightening experience. I saw no poverty in any of the villages, their Energy allowed them to make things comfortable for themselves and I saw ingenious ways of living.
Some of the villages had champions of Energy and I let Dan test himself against them. He did better than I expected, winning about half of them, albeit closely. The look on his face after each fight said that he surprised himself with his progress.
“This place seems perfect.” Dan said incredulously.
“It has had its share of problems in the past, some of them coming back to haunt them now. That is not for me to explain though Dan.” And he let it go.
I checked my Earth calendar and saw it was the beginning of December; the Christmas countdown would have started by now.
I wondered what we would be doing for Christmas this year; I know I wanted to visit my parents. Would Dan like to meet them?
Now wasn’t the time to bring it up though. As an afterthought, for what may have been the thousandth time since coming on the journey, I checked to see if the bow was still in the hiding place I had given it.
Sure enough it was and I breathed a sigh of relief, and then berated myself because, of course, it wasn’t going to walk off.
“What were you checking?” Dan asked; he was starting to get suspicious and my excuses were getting thinner each time.
“I thought I dropped something behind the bed.” I said.
Dan paused for a few moments, but accepted it.
After only a couple more days of travelling, an announcement was carried through the procession we were travelling with.
‘We had reached the Tower’.
It was obscured by a thick forest as we followed the road approaching the Tower, but once we reached the edge of the forest we could catch the first glimpses of it; it was magnificent!
It had been constructed in a similar fashion to the other Towers, except it was built with the concept of an old English castle, with high walls and even a large moat. It turned the land the castle was built on, into an island.
Spires reached high into the sky, of which there were five, one at each corner; and a very large spire in the centre; the material they had used looked very similar to granite.
“How...” was all I could say in response to the splendour of the place.
Large banners draped down the walls of the castle, depicting the colours and insignia of my House.
Each of the five large spires were linked by the same bridges that made up the other Towers, it was a glorious blend of the two different cultures.
All the Lords were gathered outside the castle gates, or more specifically at the edge of the moat, waiting for my arrival. The ranks of soldiers and people waiting outside, parted to allow us to make our way in first.
Vast gates opened to reveal a grand courtyard, full of stalls waiting to be occupied for the coming festival.
We got out and I went over to the Lords which had gathered near the centre of the courtyard.
“This is amazing!” I exclaimed, Dan wasn’t far behind me and his slack jaw told the state of his impression.
“We’re glad you like the Tower, Matt. This is also where you and Dan can now stay in peace.” Drackhir said with a smile on his face.
“So we travel to the Fortress for training and then come back here?”
Drackhir just continued to smile and I took that as a ‘yes’.
“So this...this is all ours?” Dan said; as soon as he realised he said ‘ours’ and went to correct himself.
“No Dan, you’re right, it’s ‘ours’ not ‘mine’. You saying that makes me feel so good.”
He just blushed and smiled at me, which made him look incredibly cute.
Ailarha and the other Lords all had smirks on their faces.
“What are you smirking at?” I said with mock annoyance.
“Nothing.” Ynana said whilst trying to look innocent.
I laughed as we were led up the large staircase into the large hall of the main building.
The interior was as breathtaking as the exterior. Large panels of dark wood ran the length of the walls and pictures of previous Lords and battles were hung up on the walls of the main corridor. They had tried to recreate a typical English castle or manor.
“We hope you like this effect. According to our research, Lords used to live in places with decoration like this.” Ailarha said and was that a slight detection of sheepishness in her voice?
“It’s amazing Ailarha, thank you.” I addressed the ‘thank you’ to all of the Lords.
“Please compliment all the staff that helped build this place.” Dan added.
Just a smile from the Lords gave their affirmation.
The next couple of hours we explored the place, well, only a small portion of it anyway. In the two hours we spent exploring, we only covered the part of the building we had been guided through.
“Did you know they were doing this?” Dan asked, still in awe of the place.
“I knew they were building something for me to reside in, but I didn’t expect this much.”
We crossed one of the bridges, linking the explored buildings, to the main tower in the centre, and we saw the buzz of activity down below as hundreds of people got their stalls ready and performers rehearsed their acts for this coming evening.
Smells wafted up from the ground and hit our nostrils; as soon as it did, my stomach rumbled.
Dan chuckled. “Peckish?”
“Sounds like it.”
The main tower was every bit as grand as the rest of the place, albeit in a different style.
It felt more like the Towers of the other Lords here, sweeping corridors and spiral staircases all decorated in pristine white, turquoise and dark silver colours. Flowing script and patterns were etched along the walls and light illuminated every part of the place.
Our room looked completely different than the rest of the place. They had decided to decorate it in the style of the castle, dark woods, burgundy and gold blended throughout the room, it was a big difference to the rest of the Tower and I almost believed we had been transported back to the other building.
“This is incredible.” Dan breathed.
I hummed by agreement, still taking in the beauty of the place.
As Dan went to explore the en suite, I took the opportunity to hide the bow that had been carefully put on my side of the luggage. I whispered an incantation of camouflage as well, so that, in case Dan did manage to find it during his exploration, he would be none the wiser.
“Have you seen the size of the bath!” Dan exclaimed.
“No I can’t say I have, you little baby.” I teased.
Dan pouted which made me laugh.
“You think that’s funny?” He replied in mock indignation.
“Well...yes actually.” And I laughed as he chased me around the room, my laughing annoying him more and more.
He then managed to catch me and pin me down on the bed.
“Gotcha, you little devil.”
“You sure have.” I whispered; both out of breath from the chase and from how his body was moulding itself onto mine as he pressed me into the bed.
He then kissed me lightly and leapt off me, leaving me frustrated.
“Glad you know who can pin you down and win.”
“I let you.” I smirked.
A roll of the eyes and we were giggling at each other as I thought. ‘It’s the little things like this that make going through this worthwhile.’
After we had calmed down, we cuddled for a while before we washed and changed, ready for the evening.
For the festival all the Lords had to wear their House colours, so my outfit was white and turquoise.
Brilliant white trousers teamed with a dark metallic looking belt that drew me in at the waist. A dark blue and turquoise shirt, arranged in patterns too myriad for me to figure out, adorned my torso whilst a silver pendent lay against the top of my chest where the first two buttons were left undone and my white coat that I wore to the fateful ball on Earth completed the outfit.
I made Dan wait to see me and when he did walk in, he blushed bright scarlet.
“Um...wow Matt you look amazing!”
I loved having this effect on him and my face showed it, because he blushed again before pressing himself against me and kissing me deeply.
“Damn, I need to get some more self control.” He chuckled.
“You have plenty, and anyway it’s exciting when you do things out of the blue.”
Dan almost went back in his mind to the time where we, as Dan so innocently put it ‘helped each other out’ in a clearing in a forest on the way to the Tower.
“No no, we can’t have your mind wandering off to those thoughts; you need to get changed too.”
Dan sighed before going to get changed into his outfit.
When he was finished he was dressed in the secondary colours of the House, which were a black and gold.
He wore a black shirt and trousers; around his neck he wore a golden tie and I could see the faint outline of the amulet just underneath his shirt.
What made him stand out though was the golden coat he had been given. And the motif was the same as mine.
I got the significance even if Dan didn’t. I just hope we lived long enough for that to happen.
It was my turn to blush as I saw him and he was relishing the payback.
“It’s my turn for the need for self control.”
“Now you know what I felt like.” Dan whispered in my ear as he walked around behind me and softly kiss my ear.
“You will have to stop; I can’t go to the festival horny as hell!”
Dan’s playful grin said that I could. It only took a few seconds of Dan’s hands roaming across my body, albeit clothed, to make me hard.
“Dan...”
“I know.” He said, this time without the playful glint and instead he just turned my head towards his and placed a sweet kiss on my lips.
“We can’t have you jumping on me during the festival now can we!”
“Cheeky git!” I replied.
And with that I led him out the door, but not before taking one last glance at the room, towards where the bow was hidden. At the end of tonight’s celebrations I would give him the bow. I just hoped he would like it.
The sunset was in the background as the festival came to life. Lanterns lit the maze of pathways around the courtyard.
The architect had said it was the size of a small village and I could almost believe him, the place actually seemed bigger with this much activity going on.
Various stalls of delicious unique foods, sweets and liquor created a rich aroma that filled the air.
I bought rolls of cloth that couldn’t be found on Earth to bring back to my mother. I also found a wooden moving mouse that my sister would love.
For my Dad, well, it took two servants to carry the barrel of rum I bought and place it in the cellar for me to transport to him at will.
Ailarha was soon to make a speech before the festivities could really kick off. I joined her on the stage along with the other Lords.
A faint whisper touched the air and everyone heard it and turned to face Ailarha.
“Children of Galwrock! The time of the Festival of Yuiaan is upon us! Let us celebrate Yuiaan and his achievements for Galwrock. Though war will soon be upon us, we must strive to banish our ill moods and focus on the positives like all Galwrons should do.”
As Ailarha was speaking I saw Darhan in the crowd, hanging on to Ailarha’s every word. His phoenix that I gave him was with him, but it was still quite faint. I tried to see which path he would take. All I could see was the faint glimmer of destiny and it led to the final battlefield of the war.
He caught my eye and I looked away, afraid he might see what I saw of him in my eyes.
“Tonight we feel no bad feelings, let us drink, let us celebrate, and set aside any grudges. Yuiaan wanted harmony, and we can show him how united we are.”
At the end of her words a large cheer echoed around the crowd as the horn was sounded for the official celebrations to begin.
We mingled with the crowd, shaking hands with people, answering their questions about me and Dan. They were very interested in Dan as only a few villagers had had the chance to meet him.
Giggling girls gave him flowers and when he flashed a smile at them they blushed harder than I did and ran off, much to the tutting of their mothers.
Dan just laughed gently and got to know everyone he met.
“Come on Prince Charming, otherwise you won’t get to do the challenges.”
“Challenges?” Dan repeated.
“Yes, there are three challenges that people can compete in.”
“What are they?”
“One is called; A Skill much Practiced. Another is called A Skill Unknown. And the other...” I deliberately let this one hang.
“Yes? What is the last one called?”
“I’ll tell you later.” I grinned.
“You spoilsport.” He pouted.
“I like to think of myself as a tease actually.”
Another roll of the eyes before he said “So, ‘A Skill much Practiced’?”
“Yes, this challenge involves you putting a skill of yours to the test against another.”
We went over the barracks.
“You’re joking, I am not good enough.”
I passed him a sword.
“You’ll never know, and you beat some of the village champions.”
“That was luck, and I swear some of them let me win...”
“I don’t believe that. Even if you do lose, so what? It just means that you got beat by someone who should be able to beat you.”
One sigh and Dan was in the fighting circle, sword ready. Both weapons used were fakes, no damage could be done whatsoever.
The fight lasted barely two minutes and Dan lost.
“I told you so.”
“Well I didn’t expect you to beat the second in command of the guard.”
A playful punch on the arm was all the reply I needed.
“I hope this challenge is going to be fairer.”
“Of course it will be!” I replied sweetly.
“That tone of voice makes me want to puke.” Dan joked.
I choked on my drink as he said it which brought an amused glance my way.
“Yeah yeah, just get over to the archery range.” I said, still spluttering over my drink.
“You want to see how far I can shoot my...arrow.” The not so subtle innuendo caused me to laugh once again.
“Yeah sure, I want you to see how far you can shoot your...arrow.”
The bow Dan was given was a pale comparison to the one up in our room, but nevertheless Dan tested the tension. Before nodding to the head marksman he took up a space in the centre.
What I saw next surprised me no end.
Dan hit the bull’s-eye every time. Each arrow flew true, straight to the middle of the target.
When he had finished I kissed him.
“What was that for?” He asked
“Nothing, but where did you get to learn to shoot like that?”
“I used to practice archery to take my mind off things.”
“Well it paid off! But that was cheating you should have told me you knew how to shoot because that wasn’t a new skill for you.”
“That was payback for making me fight the second in command.”
I shrugged and he laughed.
“So what’s this third challenge?” Dan asked near the end of the night.
I had kept distracting him with various stalls and events, but now, once everyone was quite drunk or asleep he was curious.
“Let’s head back upstairs.” I whispered to him which made him even more confused.
“Come on Matt, what is the third challenge.”
I dug around for the bow and presented the box to him as I said “The third challenge is, to exchange gifts to a lover.”
He suddenly panicked, realising he had not got anything for me.
“Here is my gift to you Dan.”
Dan knew I wanted him to take it and so, very slowly, the box passed from my hands into his and he set it gently down on the table near the middle of the room.
Removing the wrapping paper and lifting the lid, his gasp was like music to my ears.
“Matt...It is beautiful.”
As if he was afraid of it breaking, Dan lifted the bow incredibly gently from its box and laid it on the table to fully appreciate it.
Each time Dan ran his fingers over the wood of the bow I could sense that he could see the memories I poured into it and each one brought a smile to his face.
“I wasn’t expecting you to finish this so soon.”
“I wanted it to be your gift tonight so I asked Tytheril to meet with me earlier.”
“It is marvellous Matt. But...I don’t have anything to give to you.” The look he gave me almost broke my heart as his eyes moistened.
He lit up slightly in thought before frowning.
“What is it?” I asked; hoping.
“There is something I...we could do...but I’m not sure I want to voice it out loud.”
“Say it Dan, what is your idea?”
“If...if you’re ready. I...would like to make love to you. That could be my gift to you Matt.”
I could tell my eyes had lit up over his idea.
I smiled shyly before looking deep into his eyes and saying “I’m ready Dan; I really do want your gift to me to be that you make love to me, tonight. If you’re sure that is.”
He smiled before wrapping me in his arms and kissing me with enough enthusiasm to make me breathless.
“I am more than ok, I mean it was my idea, and I will gladly give this gift to you Matt. I want to make you feel special.”
I just smiled shyly once more before Dan led me to the bed.
Now am I going to skip past it or give you the details? ;) *evil grin*
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9
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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