Characters: Elden/Misham; Chandir/Wryn/Enoch
Misham watched as Enoch pulled the lamp closer. The day had come to an end bringing darkness through the window. The glowing crystal in the lamp would last the entire night. The people of Tarvos who grew the crystals were master craftsmen who lived in the part of Gliese where the sun didn't shine for months at a time. The glowing crystals helped them to see in the dark and helped to give them a sense of day and night. But Misham knew that neither he nor Enoch could continue the length of time that the crystal would last. They'd spent the entire day researching the great books that had been written since the beginning of the Historians.
Misham looked around at the large library. There were small tables vying for space among the floor to ceiling bookshelves. All the books held the memories of visions the Historians had experienced since record keeping began. Several Historians had dedicated their lives to writing down the past, present and future. Somewhere in one of these tombs had to be a hint to where the forgotten ones were. Fear was growing inside Misham that they wouldn't find the right book before it was time from him and his Dom to leave. Time was running out for the ones left on earth.
Stifling a yawn, Misham spoke in a low voice, "Enoch, we will continue in the morning. The sun has set and we must eat and rest."
"No." Enoch's voice held the grief of all the inhabitants of the dead earth.
Sorrow and devastation flowed through Misham, doubling him over in pain.
Misham was the son of a Historian and a woman warrior of Tarvos. While Historians had visions that told all, the people of Tarvos had a special bond with their mates. The bond was referred to as the "link". The link enabled the warriors of Tarvos to share all their senses and emotions with their mate.
As a child of the two races, Misham had inherited stronger Historian genes. The link that his mother's genetics had contributed had morphed into an empathy. He couldn't connect to another like the people of Tarvos, but when anyone around him had strong emotions, he felt them as well. He had worked with his dominant, Elden, on trying to find a way to block the feelings that flowed like a whisper through the air, but they hadn't had any success. Misham felt every emotion of the people around him. As scholars, Elden and Misham spent the better part of their day in one of the small rooms that connected to the library, limiting his exposure.
But today he'd spent the entire day with Enoch. Enoch's despair had taken its toll on him. He could feel the heavy weight pressing down on him. Squeezing him until he could barely breathe. The thought of stopping the search for the night had renewed Enoch's grief. Misham exhaustion gave him no defensive against the onslaught.
"Misham."
The voice full of authority was like water that swept debris down the river. Elden's strong voice pushed the emotions that Misham was feeling from Enoch away. Looking toward the door, Misham stood up.
"We were finishing up," he told his dominant.
"Come to me now."
Misham had no doubt that his dominant had seen the exhaustion on his face. Nothing brought out the dominance in Elden like the thought of his submissive in pain. Misham walked quickly to him.
"To our home. I will escort Enoch to his own dominants, then return to take care of you," Elden stated.
Misham didn't have the strength nor the desire to argue with him. He simply nodded his head and walked out the door. Stepping into the dark night, Misham felt comforted. The fresh air was in contrast to the stale air of the library. Breathing in deeply, Misham could feel the sorrow leave his body.
Suddenly he was engulfed with a mix of emotions. Anger and concern warred within someone. Peering into the darkness, Misham saw Enoch's two dominants walking down the path.
"Chandir, you must go gently." Wryn was saying to the larger man.
Without stopping Chandir tossed over his shoulder, "I must do no such thing. He was told to leave by sun down. Enoch chose his fate. I will see it through."
Misham nodded to both men as they passed him on the path. He slowed his steps as he knew Elden would be along shortly. Enoch would be taken care of by his doms leaving Elden to return sooner. As he waited for Elden, Misham looked up toward the stars. He knew one of those points of lights was earth.
"We'll find you," he whispered the promise up to the heavens. He hoped the forgotten ones would somehow get his message.
"We will find them."
Elden's voice startled him. Before Misham could turn around, Elden's strong arms had captured him in an embrace. Misham shivered in the warmth of his dominants bondage; the contrast between the cold night air and the heat from the man who held him was vast.
"Come. You shake from cold and weariness," Elden commanded.
Misham let his heart lead him as he walked with Elden. The calmness and dominance coming from his lover was what his body and soul needed. This was the pairing between dom and sub. A give and take from each side. A balance of nature. As Misham let the strong exchange flow between them, he went where Elden led him until soon they were in the private bath house.
His hands were firmly pushed down, when he started to remove his tunic.
"My right and desire," Elden growled.
Misham stood compliant as Elden stripped him bare. His dominant's hands were strong and sure. Care and concern evident in Elden's movements. Elden's power and gentleness worked in tandem as he guided Misham into the sunken bath.
Misham sighed as the hot water surrounded him. The tension that had built up over the day slowly drained away. Elden started with his legs. Lathering up the scented soap, he briskly rubbed and massaged each limb. When his legs had been cleaned, each arm was scrubbed. Then Elden slipped behind him. Misham loved the feel of skin on skin as Elden carefully slid him down to wet his hair.
Pulling him back up, Elden fingers worked the soap through his hair. Misham knew that Elden was cleansing him from not only dirt, but also from the emotional onslaught he'd endured. Once his hair had ben lathered and rinsed, Elden wrapped his arms around him to wash his chest and stomach. When Misham's body had been cleaned, the two men lay still.
Quietly, so as not to disturb the peace, Misham said, "We didn't find any mention of the forgotten ones."
"You will." Elden's faith in his submissive was complete.
Misham released the last of the tension and whispered the secret. "A Historian long ago wrote of the journey in blue. The starting point as well as destination." He felt Elden tense in anticipation. "I know how to travel to earth. Where the beginning of the journey is."
"That is a great responsibility. To know the starting point," Elden murmured.
"A great responsibility to be honored. To be kept a secret from all others," Misham said reverently. Turning around, he straddled Elden's lap, and looked directly into his eyes. "It is for us alone. The Historian who wrote the missive was quite explicit in that. He even used our names."
Elden didn't break eye contact. "And we will keep it just for us."
Misham knew that Elden understood what he was saying, but he wanted the words spoken aloud. "That means no one can know when we leave. We will slip silently away from Gliese with none being the wiser."
"But we will be together. We are guided by the past, the present, and the future. I have no doubt we will be successful."
At Elden's words, Misham's strength grew. "We are to leave tomorrow night. We still don't know where the men are."
"We may not know exactly where the forgotten ones are, but the force of all the Historians of the past will be with us. They will lead us to them. But for tonight, we will build each other up."
Elden's strong emotions of love and courage filled the empty spaces inside Misham. The stars had spoken and their journey had started.
*****************************
Chandir's hand went to the thick leather belt around his waist. Enoch had never felt more than his hand, but tonight, he'd feel the sting of Chandir's displeasure. His submissive had disobeyed a direct order! An order given due to his body's weakness. Enoch's health had strengthen slowly. A lifetime of malnourishment combined with volcanic ash being breathed in would never be fully repaired. Enoch put himself in more risk when he exhausted himself. And Chandir would do anything to keep his submissive safe. Even if that meant a belt across the too thin backside. Wryn's arguments that they must go gently with their sub would not sway Chandir's decision. The stars and heavens had determined Enoch needed two dominants for a reason. Enoch needed sternness as much as he needed gentleness. Wryn and Chandir were chosen by the fates because they both had what Enoch needed. And tonight, Chandir was confident of what the disobedient sub needed-sternness!
Stomping down the trail and into the Historian's library, he had every intention of letting his fury fly. Until he saw the pale face highlighted by the soft glow of the lamp. The exhaustion and pain hung like shackles on the young man. Dark circles were under his eyes, his face seemed thinner, and his hands shook with tiredness as he turned a page in the large book he was studying. So intent was Enoch in the book, he hadn't heard Chandir and Wryn come in.
Quietly, Chandir walked to the table. Slowly, as not to startle his sub, he closed the book and set it aside.
"You disobeyed me," Chandir scolded gently.
"What?" Enoch asked in confusion. Then as he looked out the small window, his confusion turned to remorse. "It's dark! Chandir, Wryn. I. I...."
Chandir took pity on the look of sorrow on Enoch's face, but it was Wryn who spoke first. "Time seems to have left you behind, País. The sun set hours ago."
At Enoch's look of defeat, Chandir leaned over and helped him to stand. Enoch was so exhausted, that he swayed unsteadily. Tenderly, Chandir lifted Enoch in his arms. "Your disobedience will not go unanswered, but tonight, you will eat, rest and let us care for you."
With Enoch in his arms and Wryn next to him, Chandir walked down the path that would lead them home. Tomorrow, Enoch would feel Chandir's hand, not his belt, on his backside but tonight would be dedicated to caring for the young man.
The wind stirred, rustling the leaves in the trees as a blue mist drifted over them. Chandir stopped and let the vision engulf him. A single pinpoint of light pierced the darkness of the cave. Hands, cut and bloodied, scrambled to move rock and stone until the pinpoint became an opening. Chandir watched as two men crawled out of darkness into bright sunshine. The blue mist receded bringing the dark night of the present into focus.
Giving Wryn a smile of reassurance and kissing Enoch on his head, Chandir stated, "They are free of the cave."
TBC
On to chapter 4
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