The Guild Book I - 5. Chapter 5

Gerick returned with his promised change of clothes, dressing Joshua in a simple wool grey tunic while Thomas put on a deep blue robe that was the color of his house. Thomas once again took Joshua’s hand in his but this time without his thick leather gloves. The contact of skin on skin sent a shudder through both men.

“Joshua?” Thomas asked amazed. It was as if the contact had brought two opposite sides of a magnet.

Joshua was lost for words… for his whole life he had felt alone… that a part of him was missing. Thomas’s touch had not filled that void but it did cover a part of it. Now crying Joshua clung tightly to Thomas, letting out a soft wail… repeating the same word over and over again. “Vard… Vard, Vard.”

“What is Vard?” Thomas asked confused.

“It is not a what but a who.” Gerick said with pained sympathy.

“How do you know that?” Thomas demanded.

“Silence boy… from the day you sought me out you have known I was no common man at arms. Better you remember that before using that sharp noble tongue on me.

“You are right Gerick… forgive me.” Thomas replied, embarrassed.

For years Thomas had read the stories about old king Leopold’s bodyguard. Stories filled with tales of the two men’s love for each other… on how their friendship soured when Gerick had opposed the treaty with the Guild and ending with the king’s death by Gerick’s own hands. Thomas knew however there had to be more to the tales for none of them said what happened to the king’s bodyguard after Leopold’s death. So on his 18^th birthday, Thomas had ventured into the world, searching for Gerick… only to find the man living as a hermit is the crashed ruins of the floating palace.

The man… now in his late forties, had almost been a disappointment to Thomas… he did not seem noble or brave with his unkempt beard and ragged clothes but Thomas remained for several weeks with Gerick… trying to get the man’s story from him. In the end it had taken Thomas using his only other asset other than his family’s nobility… his striking looks to seduce the man into talking.

And talk he did. From him Thomas learned what had happened in the days after the king’s death… of the trail of Estelle, his sister, how Gerick had tried to save her life, He told how he had tired to claim her unnamed child, his nephew, only for the child to have been sent into slavery… leading Gerick to refuse a role in the new government, to live in exile in the ruins of his former home.

After have told his tale, Gerick had only asked Thomas one question… the day and time of his birth. On telling it to the former captain, the man had laughed, praising the light for his good fortune. Such had begun their relationship and from it Thomas gained not just a teacher and mentor but also a lover. And what did Gerick gain… until now Thomas did not have a clue… but now he thought he could guess. Thinking on it, it had been Gerick who had sent him into the slave pits, fields and mines that made up his father’s holdings. Gerick never told Thomas what he was looking for… only that he would know it when he saw it. It was now clear to Thomas that Gerick had been using him… like a compass, pointing him in the direction of Estelle child, Joshua. This realization led Thomas to fear that his hero would now have no use for him.

Such thoughts grew in Thomas’s mind as he took Joshua toward his personal quarters, bolting the doors behind him. Once there his fears seemed to be realized as Gerick took Joshua aside to a corner of the room.

Thomas then watched as Gerick examined the young man even as tears fell down his face. Then when both grief and joy overwhelmed him Gerick collapsed against Joshua, clinging to him tightly.

Joshua for his part looked confused, not understanding the man’s emotions.

Seeing that Gerick was in no condition to explain things to Joshua, Thomas spoke up. “Joshua… may I present to you Lord Gerick, captain of the king’s guards, brother of Lady Estelle the traitor, your uncle.”

“My uncle?” Joshua asked… not knowing what the word meant.

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After eating his fill, Joshua felt the weariness of his many years of slavery weigh down on him.

“Come Joshua… it’s time for bed.” Gerick said as he helped the young man up.

“You can take him to my bed.” Thomas said eagerly.

“No, Joshua and I need to talk… alone.” Gerick said with a warning gaze.

“Fine.” Thomas gave up… leaving for his own room.

“Come Joshua.” Gerick said in a calm voice as he left for his own room.

Following his uncle Joshua entered a dark bedroom. Once he was past the threshold Gerick lifted the large man up as if he weighed nothing. “Joshau… Joshua… Joshua… forgive me for not searching for you.”

“I don’t understand.” Joshua said confused.

“You are my nephew but you are more then that… I should have guessed what you would have grown into before you were born. I should not have given up so easily.”

Joshua still did not understand but nodded his head anyway.

“Oh Joshua… you still don’t know what you are… how important you are to humanity… to me.”

“I’m just a slave my lord.”

“No you’re not… and stop calling me lord. I’m Gerick… that’s the only title I need with you.”

“Gerick.” Joshua agreed.

“Joshua…” Gerick smiled as he nuzzled his face against the young man’s nose. “I am going to tell you a story… would you like that?”

In the slave pits the only thing Joshua had enjoyed were the stories the other men would tell… tales of their lives when they had been free men. “Yes… I would,” He nodded.

“Good…” Gerick grinned as he laid Joshua down on the bed before joining him by his side. “There once was a man… a very special man who had the power to travel the Void but more importantly… he had a lover… a man he cared about above all others.”

“Were they happy?” Joshua asked.

“They were very happy.” Gerick chuckled before his voice went sad. “For a time at least.”

“What happened?

“The Guild happened… A man known as the Prelate saw these two lovers as a threat to his power and so hunted them and their followers down.”

“Did they all die?” Joshua asked worried.

“Many of them died by the command of the Prelate until only the lovers and a handful of their fiends survived. Then… the man… the lover of the one with the power to travel the Void was captured and eventually killed.”

“Oh no…”

“Oh no indeed.” Gerick sighed. “The surviving lover… on losing his counterpart also lost all his power. He found himself trapped on a dark world with no hope of escape… but more so he was trapped by his own grief. That was until today.”

“What happened today?” Joshua asked.

“He found you.” Gerick chuckled as he hugged Joshua close to him.

“You mean you once traveled the Void?” Joshua said in amazement.

“Yes.”

“And you also lost your lover.” Joshua said sadly.

“I did.” Gerick nodded. “But I think I have found a new one.”

“Oh? Who?”

Gerick let out a deep laugh. “You Joshua. I said you were special… so was my lover. In fact the two of you are special for the same reason.”

“And what is that?” Joshua grinned as Gerick tickled his sides.

“Joshua… do you know why your eyes are white?”

“Because of my filthy Guild blood?”

“Because of your pure blood.” Gerick corrected. There is no blood purer then that of the Guild.”

“But people say they are nothing more than inbreeders.”

“True… but has been that tradition within the Guild that has given them their special talents.”

“Such as?”

“Those with the gift can read a person’s mind, bend a man to obey their will, or even travel the void.”

“Just like you could.” Joshua said impressed.

“Yes… just like I could.” Gerick laughed.

“But if I’m a Guild’s man why can’t I do any of those things?”

Gerick rolled on top of Joshua, looking down at the man’s white eyes. “Because that is not your gift Joshua.”

“What is my gift then?” Joshua asked eagerly.

“It is a very simple power… but the strongest of them all.”

“Tell me then… what is it?”

Gerick moved his mouth next to Joshua’s left ear. “It’s love Joshua.” He said before he kissed the side of the young man’s face.

A shiver of pleasure went down Joshua’s spine. “Love? I have never experienced love.”

“And I have been without it for far too long.” Gerick said as he let his kisses fall down onto Joshua’s muscular neck.

“But why love me?” Joshua asked confused even as he felt his head lifted into the clouds.

Gerick stopped his kisses so he could look into Joshua’s eyes. “You are the counterpart… I am… was… a would be Prelate. You are the key to the Void while I am the door that leads into it. Separate we are incomplete… together we can shape the future of the universe. Let me teach you what love is.”

As a slave no one had cared let alone loved him but Joshua did not need the experience to know that it was something he wanted in his life… needed in fact. He felt the soft skin of Gerick’s lips press against him own as the other man’s velvety tongue entered his mouth. Letting out a gasp of surprise, Joshua opened his mouth wider, letting Gerick’s tongue slip deeper inside him. At the same time two strong hands slipped under Joshua’s tunic, caressing the side of his body. Even with Gerick’s tongue inside his mouth Joshua could hear both Gerick’s and his own moans. This was followed by a ripping sound as Gerick torn the grey tunic off Joshua’s body, revealing the pale muscular flesh underneath.

Gerick sat up to work the buttons off his shirt while his eyes feasted on Joshua’s handsome frame. Letting his shirt fall to the floor, Gerick then worked his pants off till he too was as naked as Joshua, their hard sex pressed against each other. “Are you ready for your first lesson ?” Gerick chuckled before the seduction of Joshua began in earnest.