Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 11:51:42 EDT
From: Faradhi269@aol.com
Subject: Re:neriam-3

*Hello again.  This story is Chapter 3 of a work of fiction.  Thanks to JM
and Tom Cup and his stories for their influence and inspiration.  It is
also copyrighted, so I think u all know the drill.*

	 Neriam awoke late the next morning to find that Mordeth was
spooned against him, holding him close.  He sighed and lay back, feeling
warm and secure in his friend's embrace, then jumped, realizing that he was
IN his friend's embrace.  He was completely unsure what to do, aware
somehow that the two of them should not be seen like this although not
entirely certain why.  He rose, his confusion apparent on his face as he
searched around for his clothes.  -Where are they?  What is going on-he
thought frantically.  He found a set of clothing on the ground next to his
cot, almost underneath the neighboring cot, but realized they were too
large for him.  -Mordeth's I suppose-he figured, furthering his search
more.  In doing so, he accidentally knocked over the cot next to his.
	The noise awoke Mordeth, who reacted with the training he'd
received all his life: a violent jerk into a half-crouch, hands already
ready to attack the one who disturbed him.  "Oh, it's you Neriam," he
smiled before closing his eyes.  As that thought processed through his
brain, his eyes flew open.  "NERIAM," he bellowed.  "You're all right!"
	His shout startled the boy enough to launch him over the toppled
cot as he whirled in midair to land in a fighting stance.
	"Mordeth," he hissed, "what in the name of all the gods are you
doing?  You scared the shit out of me!"
	Mordeth grinned.  "Sorry, Neriam.  It's just that we were so
worried about you!  You were asleep almost all a full day, and when I
brought you in..." he cut off immediately, not wanting to scare his friend.
	"What," Neriam asked, sensing Mordeth's discomfort.
	"You were very, very sick," Mordeth finished lamely, standing and
giving his friend a relieved hug.
	The hug went on for a minute before Neriam broke it.  "No.  Tell me
the truth."
	"I did.  We were very worried.  You were so cold-"
	"Who is 'we,'" Neriam interrupted.
	"-that we didn't know if you'd wake up.  We?  Oh, Master Adane and
I," he replied with aplomb.
	"Master Adane saw us?"
	Mordeth shook his head, laughing at the look of shock on his
friend's face.
	"What do you mean?"
	"I mean, you and me...like this."  He motioned weakly.
	Mordeth suddenly seemed to realize that he was staring at his best
friend's naked body and that he, in turn, was naked.  More importantly,
however, he realized that they both still sported the standard morning
hard-on.  He yelped and dove into his discarded clothes, laughing as he did
so.  Once his pants were on, he grinned at his friend who, to his great
amusement was blushing a deep crimson from crown to ankles and was
attempting to cover his modesty.  "Here," he laughed, throwing one of the
blankets off the cot to his friend.
	Neriam snatched the blanket out of the air and wrapped it around
himself.  "Thanks.  I don't know why it's such a-"
	"I know," Mordeth stopped him.  "It really doesn't matter between
best friends, it's only that-"
	"Yeah," Neriam agreed.  "I understand what you mean."  They stared
at each other for a moment, and Mordeth shrugged with a grin.  "So, now
what?"
	Neriam hefted his blanket.  "I think we should find my clothes."
	"I think we should find Master Adane," Mordeth countered.
	"Shouldn't I have my clothes before we meet with the Master?"
	"Why," Mordeth joked.  "You look so adorable like that!"
	Neriam's look spoke volumes and Mordeth cackled.
	Neriam reset the upturned cot while Mordeth went to the door.  Upon
opening it, he found Adane sitting in sieza upon the floor, blocking it.
Master Adane rose and stepped aside for Mordeth to emerge.  "Good morning,
Mordeth," Adane greeted.
	"Master," Mordeth replied, bowing.
	"Did you sleep well," the old man inquired politely.
	"Yes, sir.  But Neriam is awake now and looking for his clothes."
	"He's awake?  How is he?"
	"He seems to be all right, sir, although, well, how do I say this?"
	"Go ahead, I'm listening."
	"Well, last night, we had a...a visitor."
	"A what?"
	Mordeth explained the vision he had seen the night before, as well
as Neriam's reactions throughout the night.  "Have you been here all night,
sir," he asked after he had finished.
	"What," asked Adane, still deep in thought.  "Oh yes.  I looked in
last night to be certain all was well and saw you both asleep."
	Mordeth's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed.  "Y-you...saw us,"
he asked hesitating about hearing the definitive answer.
	"Y-es, I did.  But you both looked so comfortable, and I was
pleased to see him sleeping peacefully.  I grabbed his clothes so they
would be cleaned, and we cordoned off the room so you two might rest.  I
didn't want anyone to know about the," he stopped, searching for the
correct word, "phenomenon with his eyes, so I kept everyone away.  There's
something very special about that boy.  I've known it since the day he came
here."
	"Yes," Mordeth agreed.
	Adane eyed him sideways.  "Anyway, you are both off for the rest of
the day, and I want you to rest.  Comfort him, and be ready in case
anything else happens, all right?  I will have his clothes returned in a
few moments, as well as have some food brought up for you both."
	Mordeth couldn't believe it.  In his sixteen years, he'd NEVER been
given a whole day off.  He didn't understand it, but would most certainly
not refuse it.  "Master, what should I tell Neriam?"
	"I would tell him nothing right now.  Let us see if this ever
happens again first."
	Mordeth nodded and returned to their room.
	"Well," Neriam asked.
	"Master Adane will have your clothes brought along with some
breakfast.  They were being cleaned."
	"Oh.  Did he, you know, see us?"
	Mordeth nodded and Neriam looked mortified.  "Don't worry though.
We were beneath the blankets and I was still dressed."
	"How can you be so sure?"  The worry in his voice was apparent.
	"He didn't mention anything about my being undressed."
	"Oh.  So what do we do now?"
	"We have the day off.  Master Adane wants you to rest, and wants me
to keep you company."
	"I'll be right back," Neriam informed him.
	"Hey, where are you going?"
	"The privy.  You have a problem with that?"
	"Can you walk all right?"
	Neriam nodded.
	"And what about your clothes," the older boy asked humorously.
	Neriam froze.  "Bah, here.  Take mine, but be quick."  Mordeth
removed his own pants, wrapping the rope belt more securely around his
friend's much narrower waist.  Neriam glanced at his friend, grateful for
his generosity, yet drawn to what the pants only recently covered.  Mordeth
laughed and shooed Neriam out the door.
	Neriam went down the stairs, and passed by one of the young Novices
he had taught to swim the other day going by with a small stack of clothes
and a wooden platter with some cold rice, vegetables, bread and hot broth.
	His stomach growled, and he ran the rest of the way to the
outhouse, did his business and returned quickly to see his friend already
gorging himself on the rice.  "About time.  I want my pants back," he
joked.
	Neriam grinned and shook his head.  "Save some food for me,
Mordeth, or you won't get them back!"
	"I've been instructed to keep the broth for you.  Don't worry.
You'll eat.  Now give me my pants!"  He laughed and threw the nearest
blanket at Neriam.
	Neriam laughed and sat down across the platter, drinking the broth,
being careful not to spill any, and dipped some of his bread into the
broth, gulping the gravy down.
	Mordeth watched his friend in fascination, never having seen him
eat so much or so quickly before.  "Now that you've had some food, can I
have my clothes back?"
	Neriam once again laughed but otherwise ignored his friend.
	After eating and resting while their food settled, the two of them
began to play, simply enjoying each others' company in a way they never had
before.
	They wrestled, sparred and joked with each other for several hours
before Neriam finally relented and returned Mordeth's pants.  A knock on
the door drew their attention as Master Adane opened it to peek in.  "Some
more food.  You two had better not get too flabby on all this food today,
or you are going to regret it tomorrow!"  The old man smiled and laid
another platter down on the nearest cot.
	The two of them ate quickly once more, but an uncomfortable silence
pressed in on them.  Mordeth could read in his friend's face that he wanted
something.  He waited for the moment to come, but in the end grew
frustrated.
	"ASK, Neriam, for the love of the gods!"
	Neriam was startled out of his reverie, and his face flushed.  "No,
it's nothing really.  I just w-"
	"Neriam," he interrupted patiently, "after what I've seen, I really
don't think there should be any unanswered questions between us.  Ask, damn
it."
	They boy smiled at the gruffness in his friend's voice.  "Well,
actually, I just wanted to ask about your family.  I know most of the boys
here are orphans, but I just wanted to know...you know what I mean."
	Mordeth froze.  That was the last thing he had expected to hear.
"I haven't told anyone this.  It's rather personal."  Neriam nodded.  "I
understand.  I won't press you."  Mordeth shrugged.  "I know you will
respect my privacy.  I wouldn't tell anyone else, but you...you're my best
friend and I would like to share this with you.  I trust you."
	Neriam smiled.  "Thank you."
	Mordeth shrugged.  "I don't remember much," he admitted.  "Most of
this was told to me by several of the Masters.  I do remember a large
house, but I don't remember where.  My mother and brothers were always
around me.  I remember walking into my father's library to see my mother
sitting there with one of my brothers, usually Marcus, reading.  Mother had
been a priestess once, before she married father, so many of her books and
stories were about the gods.  Marcus liked them more than anything else, so
Mother took him under her wing, I suppose.  Minos and Marius, the oldest
two, were Father's pride and joy.  They are identical in everything but
temperament.  Father was a warrior, I suppose he still is if he is alive,
and he trained the two of them in battle tactics, warfare and everything.
They would be about twenty-six right now, maybe twenty-seven.  I'm sure
they've been out running adventuring or mercenary companies for years.
That's what Father would have wanted.
	"I was the youngest, though.  Apparently, both Mother, as a
priestess of Araman, and Father had made some sort of deal with the Church,
and I was the significant factor.  I remember the day Father brought me to
the monastery and handed me over to the monks here.  Master Teramon greeted
him and said something that I didn't really think about or understand."
His face was lost in thought and etched with the pain of loss.  "He said,
'Now your debt to Araman is paid and His blessings will rain down upon your
household, but remember this child is not yours.  He belongs always to
Araman.'"
	The tears trickled down the corners of his face when he finished
his story, once again reduced to the afraid and lonely five-year-old.
Neriam reached out and put his arms around his friend, comforting him,
amazed at his reaction and seeing him cry for the first time.  Mordeth
became more human to Neriam in that moment.  Even more than a best friend
or a protector.  Not something obscure, simply Mordeth.  He pulled his
friend into a deep hug, and Mordeth's silent tears broke into huge wracking
sobs as he cried his loneliness into Neriam's shoulder.  This time, it was
Neriam who held him, quietly thanking him for his bravery and his trust in
sharing so much with him.