The Guild Book I - 7. Chapter 7

Vard stood by as he watched the clans of the northern plains ford the great Olo River. On the other side were the warm, green lands of the farmers, the bounty of the cities, and the hard stone of fortresses and so far none had opposed them. That was to be expected however for while the river marked the boarder of the kingdom of Yates Varros' people were still two days ride from the nearest settlement.

"Shall I send out a scouting party?" Broken Claw asked as he reined in his horse next to his birth kin.

"I have already sent them... and more besides."

"Oh?"

"Yes... I have invited the King of Yates to come see the grandness of the Clans himself and offer him the chance to surrender."

"Do you think he will?' Broken Claw laughed.

"It is worth a try. It is not my intent to make enemies of the people settled here. In fact, once I am king I plan to add them to my army."

"Army?' Broken Claw snickered. "You are now talking like a southerner. Give me a group of my own people and I will show you the skill of professional soldiers.."

"I hope you are right beloved. Shall we cross the river together?"

"Race you." Claw laughed as he spurred his horse forward without waiting for Vard reply.

Soon both men's steeds were running down the hill, across the river to the flat lands on the other side.

"Welcome home!" Broken Claw laughed.

"Not till I find Joshua." Vard smiled. His hopes high that he would find his missing part soon.

The weeks before Thomas left for the Academy had been heated as both father and son argued over Joshua fate. Thomas demanded daily that his father give his word to let Joshua remain safe and comfortable at the castle but this only made Labatt more determined to dispose of the slave at the soonest moment possible.

In the end Gerick took matters into his own hands. While Thomas slept, the former captain shook Joshua awake. "Come nephew it is no longer safe for you here." Gerick said as he handed Joshua a grey tunic.

"But Thomas." Joshua protested. He did not want to leave his birth kin.

"He will be alright." Gerick said patiently as he helped Joshua dress.

"But..."

"Joshua... if you stay here after Thomas is gone his father will send you back to the mines and then you will never be free."

"I, I understand." Joshua replied, giving up his protest even though it pained his heart.

Using a servant's stair and a side door out of the castle Gerick led Joshua into town to the house of sky merchant Travis Vor... where lived his son, Austin, one of the birth kin who had attended Thomas's birthday party. When the dark haired wiry young man opened the door to his father's house he let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank the light you made it here safely."

"Thank you for taking him in... I do not know how angry the Baron will be knowing Joshua has escaped the mines again so may I apologize in advance for any trouble may befall you." Gerick bowed.

"Don't worry... my father's sky ship is leaving port tomorrow. I will make sure both Joshua and I are on it." Austin replied.

"And how will you explain this to your father?"

"You mean you don't know... I'm the ship's captain. My father only travels now to handle the negotiations."

"You are quite young to be a captain of a Sloth transport." Gerick said impressed.

"If I were a noble I am sure I would have gone to the Academy but be as that may I must content myself with the Sloth and my racer."

"A racer?" Joshua asked... speaking for the first time.

"Yes... basically it is an unarmed assault fighter with the missile tubes replaced with extra fuel tanks to extend its range."

"I see... I have never been in the sky before." Joshua said.

"Then it will be my honor to show it to you." Austin replied... almost laughing. Just being close to Joshua sent butterflies flying in his stomach.

Joshua responded by letting a small smile grow on his face. So long as he was close to one of his birth kin he felt safe.

Seeing that the young men's eyes were now lost in each other... Gerick felt a jolt of jealousy. No matter what Gerick did, Joshua remained reserved towards him, even in their love making. This compared to the warm smile Joshua would given any of his birth kin.

"Joshua... will you give me a kiss goodbye?" Gerick asked... needing proof of Joshua's affection towards him.

"Yes Gerick." Joshua replied, planting a quick kiss on Gerick's cheek.

Gerick would have none of that however and pulled Joshua back to him so as to kiss him properly, lips pressing hard against lips. "I will come back for you soon." He promised, knowing he needed to leave before his lust overtook him.

"Ok." Joshua nodded... Gerick had tried his best to teach him about love but from what Joshua had learned he knew that his feelings did not match the intense emotions Gerick had for him. That did not mean he did not care about Gerick... he did. And it was not that he did not find the sex between them fulfilling... it was. Joshua just did not love Gerick... or at least love him the way Gerick wanted him to. It hurt Joshua to see the pain in Gerick's eyes when he did not respond the way Gerick hoped. Joshua did know a person who did love Gerick the way Gerick wanted however... Thomas, but Gerick only seemed interested in him... ignoring the young lord.

"We will have to have a long talk the next time we meet." Gerick sighed, not finding the adoration he wanted on Joshua's face.

"I understand." Joshua nodded... not looking forward to that day.

Once Gerick was gone, Austin wrapped an arm around Joshua's waist. "He's in love with you birth kin."

"I know," Joshua sighed.

"He is a very handsome man."

"He is," Joshua agreed.

"But he's not birth kin," Austin added.

"No... he's not," Joshua said sadly.

Austin seeing the pain on Joshua's face decided to change the subject. "I am though!" He grinned as he tickled Joshua's sides.

That seemed to do the trick as Joshua burst into peels of laughter. "I know you are!"

"Come... I want to show you around the place." Austin said as he ran inside the house.

His mood lifted, Joshua ran after him.

"Where is he Thomas!" His father demanded when he did not see Joshua by his side.

"I gave him his freedom and sent him where you could not reach him."

Labatt pounded his fist on the dinning room table. "You did what!"

"You were planning of sending him back to the mines were you not... so that I would stop embarrassing you by loving a common slave."

"You will not speak to me in such a manner!"

"I will father and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Why son... why does that slave mean so much to you?"

"You would not understand."

"Try me."

"Father trust me... you don't want to know. In fact it would put you in danger."

"Son... if you are in danger, it is my duty to protect you." Labatt said concerned by the serious expression on his son's face.

"Father... I am sorry but I can't tell you."

"So be it... but if I ever see that slave of yours again... the mines will be the best he can hope for."

"As you say father... now if you will excuse me I must finish packing for school." Thomas said with a curt bow.

Austin had promised Joshua the sky and he kept that promise. Enjoying the feel of the wind across his face as the giant Sloth transport slowly took off from port Joshua felt a possessive arm wrapped around his waist.

"It is so wide and open out here." Joshua, who had lived most of his life in the mines exclaimed.

"I know the feeling." Austin agreed. "My father has been pressing me to marry for some time now but each time I would tell him I had already married the sky. Nothing beats the open space and fresh air of the open skies... that was until I met you Joshua."

"I don't know what to say."

"Just tell me you love me." Austin laughed.

"I love you Austin." Joshua said earnestly.

"And I love you too birth kin."

"Captain," one of Austin's officers saluted.

"Yes ensign?" Austin asked as he turned around.

"A message from Captain Gerick." The man said as he took out a message tube.

"Thank you." Austin said as he took the tube.

Breaking the seal Austin took the message out and began reading it.

To Captain Austin

From Captain Gerick:

The plan has begun. Already twenty-seven birth kin have joined military service and Thomas is on his way to the Academy. I want you to take Joshua and yourself there by the long route. I have told the Commandant that you are a nephew of mine... the Baron prince of Yordeth a title I have purchased from a displaced family. As for Joshua, he will play the role of your cousin. To help with this subterfuge, inside this tube is a Guild device that will change Joshua eyes to a more normal color... that is all that is necessary. Finally remember that the only ones you can trust are your fellow birth kin and myself. Send Joshua my love and may the light be with you.

"The Royal Academy..." Austin whispered. He could not believe that he now had a chance to go to the premier flight school on Wor.

"What does the letter say?" Joshua asked.

"Just telling me where we should go next." Austin laughed as he wrapped his arms around Joshua neck and kissed him. "That is from Gerick."

"Thank you." Joshua blushed.

"And this is from me." Austin said as he gave Joshua a deeper kiss while he pressed his harden sex against Joshua's thigh.

"Austin..." Joshua sighed.

"Please Joshua... I want you inside me. I want you to take me up into the heaven of your arms."

Joshua nodded and began undoing his grey robe the wind quickly blowing it off the ship's deck. Naked, his sex erect Joshua lowered the just as bare captain onto the cold metal deck of the ship, raising Austin's legs up above his head so that he may slip inside him.

Over and over again as Joshua made love to his birth kin Austin declared his love... "I love you Joshua... I love you so much... I love you... I love you."

"I love you too." Joshua replied calmly as he buried his manhood deep in his birth kin, planting his seed inside the Sloth Captain before collapsing on top of him.

Even with a cold wind blowing the two did not leave the ship's deck quickly but clung to each other, the heat of their bodies keeping each other warm.

The more time Austin spent with Joshua the stronger his devotion and love grew. He could not see how Thomas had been able to let Joshua go... even for a short time for just the though of not having Joshua within arms reach pained him.

"Captain?" The same ensign saluted, nervousness filling his voice.

Irritated Austin rolled over and stood up feeling an empty void grow inside him as Joshua's sex slipped out of him. "What is it?"

"We have arrived at the Canyon of Last Hope. You are needed at the controls."

"Very well... I will meet you on the bridge." Austin sighed. "Be sure to bring up a change of clothes for myself and my... cousin." He finished saying remembering what Gerick's letter has said."

"Yes captain." The ensign saluted before quickly turning around.

Looking at Joshua... his pale massive body spread out on the ship's deck as he looked up at the passing sky Austin felt hesitant to leave. But leave he did for not even a captain in love could abandon his ship.

On arriving on the bridge Austin was handed a black and gold uniform with the single star cluster of his rank.

"Captain on the bridge!" The bridge officer shouted.

"At ease... how soon till we arrive at the canyon?" Austin asked as he slipped on his pants.

"Ten more minutes at our present speed sir."

"Wind speed and direction?"

"Twenty knots from the southwest."

"When we reach the mouth of the canyon slow down to half speed and drop fifty meters then prepare for the first turn... navigator?"

"If the wind remains constant we will reach the first turn three minutes after entering the canyon." The nav officer replied after finishing his calculations.

"Good... Ensign Xavier?"

"Yes sir?"

"Did you enjoy what you saw on the boat deck?"

"Your pardon sir..." The man blushed at his captain's frank comment.

"It is a simple question... did you enjoy it? I know you enjoyed it when we would do that together."

"I..."

"I will take that as a yes. If I remember correctly you just celebrated your 21st birthday.

"I did sir... I was even invited to the Baron's castle but I was on duty then."

"Then will you keep my cousin company on the observation deck? I think you will find the experience most rewarding."

"As you say captain." The ensign said as he left the bridge.