Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 20:24:29 EDT
From: Faradhi269@aol.com
Subject: neriam-6

*This story is a work of fiction.  If you are underage, cool, if not, cool.  If
you are offended by material with homosexual tendencies, what the hell are you
doing here?*

	Neriam woke early as such habits are difficult to break.  He looked over
to see Alsuin carefully sleeping on his side of the bed, so he had no
difficulties in getting out of bed to prepare for the day ahead.  He gathered
all his extra clothing, balling it into a small a pile as possible and placed
the blankets and other supplies he had been given by Master Adane into the pack,
leaving the cloak out for the day's wear.  He looked at his trail rations,
realizing that there would not be enough for two.  He meditated on his course of
events, attempting to determine where his destiny will lead, although pleased to
have a companion once again.  He hoped devoutly that Alsuin would prove to be a
good friend and companion, although his heart ached when his thoughts moved to
Mordeth.  -I haven't thought of him enough-he mourned.  -Some friend I am.-
	The light of the early morning woke Alsuin, and he started, not
remembering where he was, but wondered to find himself on a real bed for the
first time in months.  Suddenly, he remembered and flopped back in relief,
knowing he was safe.  He lay there for a few moments, but wondered where Neriam
had gone.  "Neriam," he called softly.  Hearing no response, he sat up and
looked around the room.  At the foot of the bed, Neriam sat with his back
straight and his legs crossed underneath, staring ahead with vacant eyes.
	"Neriam?"  Alsuin crawled across the bed, placing his hand lightly on his
friend's bare shoulder.  Without warning, Neriam's hands flew toward Alsuin's,
grabbing his wrist and forearm and hauling him airborne.  Neriam had moved only
his arms when Alsuin landed on his with a loud thump.  Without even seeming to
see, Neriam's hands fired downward toward his prone friend stopping suddenly as
his eyes came into focus.  "Alsuin," he exclaimed, amazed.  "What are you
doing?!"
	Alsuin groaned.  "Nothing.  Just...seeing if you were all right."
	Neriam had a confused look on his face.  "I'm fine.  Why?  Oh, gods, I'm
sorry," he apologized, realizing what he had just done.
	Alsuin stiffly sat up and put on a half-smile.  "It looks like I've found
a good protector, huh?"  Neriam flushed.  "So, can you teach me any of that?"
	Neriam shook his head.  "I'm afraid not.  Even if I'm not a member of the
Order any more, I have sworn that I will not teach any others.  I'm sorry."
	Alsuin waved it away.  "It doesn't matter.  I'm not entirely defenseless,
although I could use a weapon."
	"Do you know how much such things cost?"
	"Well, more or less, I do.  Don't you?"
	He shook his head.  "I don't know all that much about money."  He
hesitated a moment before continuing, "Can you watch it, then?  We'll need
supplies for such a long journey and I am unsure how to go about it."
	Alsuin nodded.  "Of course.  May I see how much you have?"
	Neriam handed him the bag and he peered inside.  "This is a lot of money!
We can do well with this.  I don't think it enough to buy some horses, but we
will be all right."
	"Good.  We'll get you some spare clothes and a pack, some food and
weapons, and we'll be on our way."
	"That sounds like a good plan."
	"Do you want me to go with you?"
	Alsuin thought for a few minutes.  "I think you should.  I'm sorry to
bother, but I don't know if those men are still looking for me."
	"You DO stand out a little bit," Neriam agreed, eyeing his friend's
lustrous hair.  Alsuin shrugged and put on the pants from the night before.
"Don't you wear shirts," he wondered, shivering.
	"Not really.  But you're buying the clothes, so get what you need.  Don't
overdo it, though.  We'll really need the money for food."
	"I know.  Are you ready?"
	"Yes."
	The two boys made their way down to the common room.  "Well now," boomed
the innkeeper, "where be ye off to, m'boys?"  He looked intently at the half-
nude Alsuin and gave Neriam a knowing wink and a smile.
	"We're going to take my friend home, master innkeeper," Neriam answered,
not entirely sure what the wink implied.  "So I'm here to settle the bill.
Also, I need some supplies.  What can I get from you?"
	The large man laughed and for a reasonable price gave the two boys some
dried meats and fruits that would keep for a while.  They thanked him and added
the foodstuffs to Neriam's pack.  Neriam led the way to the shops of the city,
having seen most of them, and watched as Alsuin made his purchases.  He grabbed
two sets of clothing and a cloak for half the original price.  Grabbing some
more supplies such as rope, pots and a pack to carry it in, the two boys began
to head for the main gate of the town.  "Oh, wait a moment," Alsuin exclaimed as
they passed a swordsmith's shop.
	Bemused, Neriam entered the store and stood in the doorway watching as
Alsuin leafed through racks of swords, daggers and scimitars.  He lifted
several, testing their weight and balance before settling for a fine, slim-
bladed rapier.  He haggled the merchant for a few moments before getting a
scabbard and sword belt thrown in.  "Ready," he grinned to Neriam.  "I can't
believe I almost forgot to carry a weapon.  My Master would kill me if he found
out!"
	Neriam shook his head.  "Do you know how to use that thing?"
	"Sure.  The pointy end goes in the other man," Alsuin grinned.  Seeing his
friend's dirty look, he laughed.  "I was only joking.  I had really just begun
my training, but I do know how to defend myself.  And I have you here, don't I?"
	Neriam smiled.  "That you do.  Are we ready to continue?  We've got a long
walk."
	Alsuin hefted his pack.  "Sure.  Let's go."
	The two of them walked continuously until nightfall.  They made camp on
the side of the road, and Alsuin cooked some of the dried meat.  The smells were
enticing and the two boys quickly ate all of it, scraping the pan clean.  Alsuin
lay back and looked at the stars with a sigh.  "It's been a long time since I've
done anything like this."
	"You have before then?"
	"Yes.  My Master and I went camping for about a week so that we could get
away from the hustle of the city.  He'd been a soldier and wanted me to learn
how to survive on my own if, goddess forbid, I'd ever been stranded away from
the city.  Lucky for me he did."
	"Oh.  So, what kind of man is your Master?"
	"Well, Master Darion is a man in his middle years.  He's a nobleman, but I
haven't really seen him participate in trade or things like that.  He has a
great deal of money and influence, but some people don't like him very much.
I'm not sure why, as he's the nicest man to me.  He's a very caring man who
knows so much about everything.  I expect he's very worried about me.  I hope he
hasn't done anything rash," he finished in a worried tone of voice.
	"I'm sure he's fine and he'll be relieved to see you.  We should be there
before midsummer."
	"Has it really been that long?"
	"I guess so.  At least you'll be home," he added morosely.  Without adding
anything, he rolled over and closed his eyes.
	Alsuin looked at the stars for a while longer.  He softly raised his voice
in a clear, boyish tenor.  "Wishing on a dream that seems far off...hoping it
will come today...into the star-lit night...foolish dreamers turn their
gaze...waiting on a shooting star.  But...what if that star is not to come?
Will their dreams fade to nothing?  When the horizon darkens most...we all need
to believe there is hope.  Is an angel watching closely over me?  Can there be a
guiding light I've yet to see?  I know my heart should guide me but...there's a
hole within my soul.  What will fill this emptiness inside of me?  Am I to be
satisfied without knowing?  I wish, then, for a chance to see...now all I
need...desperately...is my...star...to...come..."
	He closed his eyes as tears glistened out of their corners and trailed to
the ground.
	Neriam listened to the clear sound of his friend and let the smooth song
guide him to sleep.
	He dreamt that night-the first in weeks.  The stars overhead swirled into
a spiral, flowing down towards him, bathing him in their light.  He felt their
warmth flood him as he lifted off the ground in wonder.  He looked down to see
the sleeping form of Alsuin.  Then the dream ended and he flowed into the
darkness of deep sleep.
	They awoke refreshed the next morning and continued on their trek, neither
speaking much until lunch.  Neriam was deep in his thoughts, all day, and Alsuin
was focused on the landscape, looking for a river or stream to refill their
wineskins.
	With an excited yell, Alsuin ran towards the stream and Neriam soon
followed.  As they refilled their skins, Neriam tentatively looked over.  "You-
you sing very well.  It was very pretty."
	Alsuin flushed slightly.  "Thank you.  I sang often back home, but haven't
since I was taken.  It was nice to do it again.  Do you sing?"
	"Me? Like a frog," he laughed.  "I don't think that we should even try
it."
	"All right," Alsuin allowed.  "But how about an instrument?"
	"I never learned.  I was a little busy with training, I'm afraid."
	Alsuin sighed mockingly.  "We'll never make a gentleman of you, then, will
we?"
	Neriam snorted.  "I don't think I was ever meant to be one," he replied as
he rose.
	The boys continued on their journey for several days, chatting about the
endlessly small things.  Both lived wildly different lives, and a lot of time
was spent in comparison.  One night, several weeks after their initial outset,
the Mountains of Mist, the border between the Good Land and the rest of the
continent stood darkly off to their left.
	Alsuin had noticed that Neriam willingly spoke of all things except his
reason for leaving the monastery, and after two unfruitful attempts, he
refrained from asking any more.
	They approached a fork in the main road that they traveled and set off
toward the mountains.  It was nearly the beginning of summer when the boys
reached the foothills.  Due to the new moon, they had set up their camp earlier
than normal and were about to go to sleep when a slight whistling sound stirred
Neriam.
	"Alsuin," he called out, "watch yourself!"  Alsuin looked up to see a
brown-fletched arrow thunk into the ground next to him.  He dove backwards,
searching with his hands for his rapier while gazing out into the darkness from
which the arrows came.  Neriam stood before him in a defensive stance and quick
as could be, flicked his hands around his face and chest, knocking several of
the incoming projectiles out of the air.
	Finding his rapier, Alsuin jumped to the left of the fire as four unshaved
men in dirty, ragged jerkins and waving swords ran towards them.  He stepped up
next to his friend and the two of them faced the ambushers.  The first man swung
a vicious overhand blow at Alsuin, who deftly parried aside the blow and thrust
his rapier through the man.  As the bloodied tip exited the bandit's body, he
groaned in surprise and fell towards Alsuin.  The boy jumped back and prepared
for the next attack, only to see that Neriam had engaged all three.
	Neriam moved quickly, dodging slashes and thrusts by all three.  "I don't
want to hurt you," he informed them, twisting sharply to avoid impalement.
"Drop your weapons and go."
	"Kill them, Neriam," Alsuin shouted as he ran forward, "or they'll kill
you."
	Neriam repeated his plea twice, getting a laugh each time, yet despite the
sweat on the men's foreheads they still had not yet touched him.  The boy sighed
and with a quick motion stepped past the outthrust arm of one of the assailants,
landing two strikes to the throat.  With a crackling of shattered cartilage, the
man fell to the ground.  Neriam coldly spun, grabbing another man's arm and
striking at the elbow.  There was another cracking sound and the man screamed.
Neriam snatched the sword from his numb hand, spun it in his own, and ran the
man through the chest.  The third man turned and tried to run, only to find the
point of Alsuin's rapier.  His momentum carried him to the hilt and with a
wheeze, he moved no more.
	"Where the hell did they come from," Alsuin panted.
	"I don't know.  Maybe they saw our fire and when they realized it was only
the two of us, figured easy pickings," Neriam hazarded.
	"I guess so," Alsuin agreed.  He sat on a large rock near where they had
set their fire and cleaned his blade with a strip of cloth ripped from one of
the dead men's jerkin.  Neriam sighed again, and looked at his friend.  In the
golden light of the fire, Alsuin's skin and hair both glowed with muted light.
-He's so unearthly-Neriam thought.  He nudged one of the bodies and asked, "Do
you think we should bury them?"
	Alsuin shook his head.  "Let's leave them where they lie.  If they've got
friends, they'll deal with it."  His voice shook slightly, as did the blade he
was polishing.
	Neriam sat next to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.  "You
did very well.  Are you all right?"
	"Yes, it's just that..."
	"I know.  I didn't want to kill them either."
	"I've never killed anyone before," he shuddered.
	"Sleep on it, Alsuin," Neriam advised.  "You'll feel better in the
morning."
	"But, what about keeping watch?"
	"I'll handle that."
	"All night?"
	"Don't you worry."  Neriam knew without being sure how he knew that he
could keep watch.
	Alsuin shrugged, and settled down to sleep, his adrenaline rush leaving
behind a bone-weary exhaustion.

	Neriam sat down near the fire and focused his energies.  He began to
visualize a white line around their little camp-perhaps twenty feet wide and he
felt his energy rush out of him.  He looked up to see a shimmering, silvery line
about six inches above the ground in a square surrounding them before waves of
pain rushed through his body.  He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth as his
muscles spasmed beyond his control.  Several minutes later, the feeling passed
and he opened his eyes to see that the line had disappeared.  Feeling his own
exhaustion, he settled back and slept, hoping he'd done the right thing.

*Author's Note: I know this is a little short, and I'm sorry this took so long
to come out.  The song that Alsuin sings is from a video game called Lunar, so
I'm going to give credit where it is due.  Anyway, I will work on the next
chapter, which hopefully will be a little longer.  Please e-mail comments to
faradhi269@aol.com.  I love mail.  Enjoy*