CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Entering the city, Lloyd refreshed for Boyce the details and customs that were peculiar to the Sedash.
"They're hermaphrodites, but some exhibit qualities that are more inclined to one, or other, sex to which we are accustomed."
"How can you tell which is which?"
"You will be able to tell." Lloyd grinned. "They wear obvious clothing, and the two distinct types do carry themselves in a noticeable manner. Plus their title will be the give-away. Those hailed as 'Mas', in their name are the more masculine type. Those that are the more feminine are addressed as 'Dam'."
Lloyd recounted the basic formalities of custom for Boyce and explained that these people were not known to be very hostile. Yet, just as they neared the city centre they were surrounded by a dozen of the city's Eminent - the palatial security force.
"You are not of our people!" accused one of the guards, pressing the tip of their lance up against Lloyd's throat. The others did the same to Boyce.
Surprised by this, the two men stared at the main guard, and expressed their displeasure at the aggressive halt of their path to the palace.
Lloyd took the point of the lance into one of his hands and nonchalantly moved it away from his throat, then cleared it before he spoke.
"We are from Besten. We have permission to pass through your beautiful city!" he said.
"We know nothing of such a thing!" yelled the main guard, then ordered. "Follow!"
"They are 'Mas'?" Boyce guessed.
"Yes!" confirmed Lloyd, as the guards took their supplies from them.
"No speaking till you are given permission!" ordered the guard.
The two men began to follow the lead guard but were stopped momentarily by another one who ripped the belt case from around Boyce's waist.
They were escorted to the palace of the Sedash ruler, Mas-Trephor.
Under a strict watch, they were forced to sit for several hours. That was to be their wait for an audience with the great ruler of Sedara.
During the lengthy wait to see Trephor, there was a Dam that brought to them some food and drink. The guards refused to let her through at first, but then as if they had no choice, allowed her entry to see the two men. She served each one individually but said nothing to them.
The men glanced at one another when she handed them some goblets of drink.
"Don't drink it, yet!" Lloyd whispered.
He took Boyce's goblet and took a sip from it, then soon after took a gulp from his own.
"Can't be too cautious!" Boyce whispered back at him and the Dam hermaphrodite smiled.
"I assure you both that the drinks and the food are quite safe. If you do not believe me let me drink."
Lloyd examined his server. From the slight form he guessed sixteen years of age, and from the look of those bright green eyes, he soon nodded to Boyce that he could drink.
"I am Dam Lehnar. I am the Dam offspring of Mas-Trephor."
She bowed her head to the men and Lloyd introduced himself and his friend. He told her that they hailed from Besten, but didn't burden her with much more.
The response excited her because she had heard many interesting stories about that fantastic city and it was always her wish to one day attend the Blaisaman there.
"My apologies for your detention. I will go now to Trephor and ask that your petition be expedited."
"It would be our greatest appreciation if you did so, Dam-Lehnar."
Boyce kindly smiled at her.
She smiled back at him then turned and hurried down the long hallway adjacent to the room in which they were being kept. In a very short order a page entered the room and summoned the two men to appear before Mas Trephor.
Lloyd was beginning to realise why these people were behaving unlike the reports of their non-hostile ways. They had arrived in Sedara at the time of the month when the major part of the population was in their phase of inconceivability; as relative to their menstrual cycles.
It was during this week-long period of time that was usually set aside for public exhibitions. Prisoners and slaves were violently beaten and raped, and even killed during those festival days. These violations became
a part of the Sedash culture, where they tried to display their superiority over the one-sexed humans.
Trephor, as the ruler, usually molested the first prisoner of his choice, so opening the week-long celebrations.
Throughout the regular times of the month, violations took place regardless, since the Sedash had found great pleasure and entertainment in the inflicting of discomfort on their subordinates. The reports of their non-hostile ways were less than accurate.
Gallant gentlemen as they were, self-taught in the presentation to those who are royal, they both went down upon one knee as they bowed to Mas Trephor.
"Stand!" Trephor's voice cut like a blunt knife through old leather, and although it had an underlying female quality, its hoarseness made both Lloyd and Boyce assume that the voice was practised into being more masculine over the years.
They rose and faced Trephor, still remaining quiet.
"You are handsome men. We welcome you to our court of Sedara. We ask you stay and rest with us before you continue on your journey." Trephor stopped for a moment then leaned forward on one elbow, letting a portion of his wrinkled breast show through the lynx wrap that he wore. "Where are you two lovely men going?"
"Gothal, your majesty! We are scholars from the Blaisaman at Besten, called to Gothal to teach the children there — in the ways of alchemy and medicine." said Lloyd.
Boyce stood there quietly not reacting to anything that Lloyd said.
Lloyd continued. "And may I, also, modestly add that we are quite proficient in the arts and in literature."
Dam Lehnar was seated to the left of Trephor, at all times, and she stared at Lloyd with a
warm and affectionate eye. She was displaying attraction to him since the first time that she saw him. Now, with her believing that he was a scholar for the Bestenese Blaisaman, she was sure that she loved him.
"We were to be allowed safe passage through your lovely city, Mas Trephor. There is an agreement between our two nations." Lloyd continued.
"Yes, friends. There was an agreement but we were not told who was to pass through here, or where they were going. You may rest here for a day or two, if you care to, and you will be escorted to our southern perimeter." Trephor was being quite congenial. "Until then, anything that you desire you may receive at your request!"
Boyce bowed his head slightly to Trephor never removing his eyes from the leader's face as he thanked him.
Lloyd bowed also and Trephor gave them a dismissing nod.
"Escort our friends to the state-room!" he commanded to the guard.
When they exited the royal hall, Trephor called to another guard and whispered to him.
"Do not let them out of the state-room. I want them here for the festival the day after tomorrow!"
Dam Lehnar's comely face lost its radiant gleam when she realised that her father was truncating the agreement signed with Besten.
"They are beautiful and smart men. The prime specimens of their kind, perfect for opening this month's celebration."
Lehnar was panicky and afraid for Lloyd and his companion. She knew that at the celebration they would be tortured and most probably killed.
"Trephor?" Lehnar pleaded with her father. "Do not hurt these two men."
"I cannot permit them to live, Lehnar. They are dangerous and they are men. They lie like demons and would sooner cut out your heart than to give you a nice greeting."
"But one pleases me, father." said Lehnar.
"Which, my dearest — the young king or his faithful teacher?"
"Young king?" Lehnar was astonished by what she heard.
"Yes, Lehnar. That young man is a king. He is called Boyce Loebh. He carries himself like a powerful leader, and that older one — he is a brilliant man, but not a scholar. The Bartletts are leaders in Besten — not students of knowledge." he told her.
"Bartlett pleases me, my dear parent. Will you spare him for me?"
"I will give him to you my sweet daughter. My designs are for the young king — that one possessed this remarkable weapon!"
Trephor took from his lynx wrap a small device. It was Boyce's laser gun. He turned to Lehnar and showed it to her.
"Scholars do not carry such things on lengthy journeys. They just use their minds to defend themselves."
He lifted the gun towards the door, at the other end of the royal hall and fired a burst of the electrophore. The stone doors blew off their hinges and crumbled into dust.
"Yes, indeed. I do so want that young Loebh!"
"And, Bartlett?" pleaded Lehnar.
"He is yours. Do with him, as you will!"
The men had bedded early, after taken into the state-room by the guards.
Aside the fact that the men had fallen asleep early, they didn't wake up until noon.
Now, during their first day of stay in Sedara, Boyce and Lloyd weren't aware that they were being held captive. They slept much of the morning away and relaxed most of the afternoon and evening. they didn't care to leave their chamber and when they requested something to be given to them, their request were carried out without a word.
The following day found the men waking early and by noon they were beginning to feel restless.
They tried to leave their state-room but the guards just asked them if they could bring something to them. But what the men wanted was to just go outside and walk the city. It didn't take long for them to realise what was happening to them.
"It seems like Mas Trephor intends to keep us here.!" Lloyd had said to one of the guards, but received no reply.
It was to their fortunate circumstance that Dam Lehnar had come along and caught what Lloyd had said.
"My dear Mr. bartlett, you are not being confined." she said to him, in a soft tone of voice suggesting sincerity. "Here, walk with me and I will show you our gracious city."
"Thank-you, Dam Lehnar!" Lloyd accepted her invitation but before he left he moved close to Boyce and whispered to him that the Sedash knew who they were.
Boyce responded with a nod and motioned for him to go with Lehnar.
Throughout the day and evening, Dam Lehnar escorted Lloyd to various parts of interest in the city. Many of the sights that she showed him dated back to the time of the first colony of hermaphrodites that established a settlement on the Sedarin Plateau.
In the late evening Lehnar took Lloyd to the theatre and they watched a very graphic account of the Sedash becoming a great and powerful people in their region. There was much violence and bloodshed.
Lehnar sat very close to Lloyd during the evening. He noticed it immediately and prayed that another situation would not develop with her as it did with Grenadine. He also did not feel sexually inclined towards Lehnar, even though she was predominantly feminine and was generally speaking, pleasant to the eye.
Shortly after midnight Lehnar took Lloyd back to the palace. They continued to stroll through the gardens where she was showing Lloyd the various statues that dotted the path. All were of hermaphrodites in erotic poses. She was hoping that he would become interested in her by what he saw. The opposite was true.
"I must thank you for your kindness, Lehnar. Boyce and I appreciate the gracious hospitality that you and your father have extended to us during our stay." Lloyd was starting to become diplomatic. He wanted the stroll to end soon because he was afraid that Lehnar would begin to expect something from him that he was incapable of giving to her. "If you ever come to Besten, it is my hope that you will enjoy yourself as much as I have!"
He thanked her and she began to melt for him. The tone of his voice, expressing his gratitude and trust, made her want him all the more. She had also become very sad, knowing what Trephor had planned for the both of them.
"I feel that I love you, Lloyd!" she announced to him.
He tried to keep any emotion from showing. He tried not to give her any impression of his feelings in regards to her declaration.
"I am very flattered, Dam." he finally replied.
She looked at him as they walked back towards the garden entrance to the palace, and before entering she took his hand. She kissed him on the cheek then asked him a question that made him feel very uneasy.
"Would you mind it very much if you were to live in my city?"
Lloyd wasn't at all perplexed by her question. It was a clear invitation and it clearly displayed her intentions towards him.
He slowly turned away from her resuming his way to the state-room.
"Besten is my home." he answered her. "My family and friends are there. You do understand?"
"Yes. I understand. It seems that you pure humans will never accept our kind!" she said.
"Please, Lehnar … don't speak that way. Man is strange in his ways. I suppose that is why the world is, as it is. We all have our own peculiarities and these are what set all people apart. With some this creates love. With other people, only hate."
She took all her view of him as he spoke and she wished that he was a
Sedash, like herself.
"I don't hate the Sedash, and I do like you." he resumed. "But because of our physical differences I would have difficulties in giving you the love that you seek."
She let her head tip forward, her chin resting on her chest. She understood exactly what Lloyd meant.
"You are attractive, Lehnar. You will find someone else. That person will be much better suited for you than I could ever be."
She glanced at the state-room door as they finally reached it.
"Tell me, Mr. Bartlett … is that young man a good king?
Lloyd didn't respond. His eyes were enough to question her about how she knew who they were.
"My father knew the both of you from the very start. The young one carried himself with great nobility, and you always look to him for approval." she continued to reveal to him her knowledge of them.
Lloyd quietly laughed as he answered her. "Do you really believe that if my friend were a King that we would surely travel the trade route by caravan, rather than travel by foot?"
"My father taught me, methods can often be misleading." she said. "Then there is that strange and powerful weapon that your friend carried. It is not the compliment of an intellectual."
Lloyd took Lehnar's chin in his hand and gazed deeply into her eyes.
"You certainly are an inquisitive one!" he said to her, trying to sound praising. "We will talk more of this tomorrow. I will then explain to you who we are. Now it is late and we both better get some rest."
She smiled with acceptance and Lloyd kissed the back of her hand.
She left him as he entered the state-room and realised for the first time since he was standing with Lehnar that there were no guards. He momentarily became concerned for Boyce's safety. He looked about the dark room until he saw him reclined upon one of the divans.
Boyce was still in the state-room. It was obvious that he had been there all this time without being bothered, but it mildly confused Lloyd that Boyce didn't notice that he was left unguarded.
He quietly shut the door to the room and began to remove his tunic. It was then that he noticed, under the crack of the door, light and the movement of feet.
One shadow crossed the light, but only one.
He bent down and looked along the floor under the crack of the door and saw the callused feet of one guard on each side of the door.
Lloyd now knew for certain that they were no longer as safe as he hoped they were.
He quietly went over to Boyce and touched him on the shoulder.
Boyce got up quickly and before he had a chance to say anything, Lloyd hushed him.
"We're in danger, Boyce." he whispered.
"I know!" Boyce replied then closed his eyes in sleep again.
Lloyd was surprised by the answer but he remained quiet.
Boyce was capable in observing dangerous situations. Afterall, he noticed the problem with Grenadine so Lloyd now trusted him all the more.
"We have been watched every moment since we arrived here. There are a few guards below our window and tonight, at the theatre I overheard some of the Sedash speak of their festival." Boyce's keen senses picked up much as Lloyd discovered in his whisper.
"We have at least two guards at the door!" Lloyd informed him and then told him about Lehnar's mention of their suspicions about Boyce being king.
"They have rescinded the contract!" Boyce stated and Lloyd nodded affirmatively.
"What now, Boyce?"
Boyce eased back and looked at the shadows dancing on the ceiling.
"Festival begins tomorrow night." Boyce started. "That gives us several hours to sleep. This is my suggestion, for now."
"Sleep?" echoed Lloyd, questioning.
"If we're to run tomorrow, we don't want to run tired." said Boyce.
"You taught me that!"
He smiled at Lloyd and wished him an easy and fulfilled sleep, and both quickly nodded off.