Jack's Viking Sky 2

Sun

by Mitch H

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asm/mitchh/jacksv02.php
Summary: In the relative safety of a Nortvegr southern village, Daniel finds peace and comfort, a small respite amid the sacrifice and isolation he's endured to keep his lover alive. Jack is finally starting to heal, to feel and respond to Daniel's limitless love for him. They learn of a possible way home
Info:

Series Summary: Stranded on an unknown world, Jack and Daniel struggle to survive the harsh environment and the crushing confines of a Viking society corrupted by the dead goa'uld, Nirrti. Jack has been poisoned and Daniel must find a way to exist and prosper within the remnants of Nirrti's destructive laws in order to preserve his lover's life, and to get them to a possible gate home.

Additional Author's Note: Jack's Viking Sky is an 8 book series. An index of words and names can be found at the end of each book. Many authentic Viking cultural and language references have been used in this story and are noted in the index. Alpha, research and betawork by Rosie. Additional betawork by Saladscream. Remaining errors by Mitch, and no, he doesn't want to hear about them. Trust me on that.

Chapter 5 - Shelter

Nortvegr's yellow sun had set more than an hour ago. Dusk had passed into inky blackness. The dark night hid much that needed to stay secret about the two travelers. Blowing sand swirled around the two robed figures moving across the shadowy street in the Nortvegr village. The tinsmith they'd traveled with had said this village was called Brooksmeet. It was several days travel into the forested band of land that stretched between the upper desert and the Great Divide, a mountain range, but sand still blew here at night during the winter season.

Daniel paused and adjusted his supporting grip on Jack. In just the few steps they'd taken from the wagon, Jack had already begun to sag heavily against him. With his own face protected against the sand, Daniel tugged at the bucca draped around Jack's head, securing it against the blowing quartz, the constantly abrasive sand. The sand never quite stopped blowing on the southern part of the continent in winter. Day or night, it was always a factor when one stepped outside down in the low desert and the southern part of the continent. But this far north of the place where they'd crashed onto this continent, they should have a couple of clear hours in the mornings. Daniel looked forward to the dawning of Nortvegr's warm sun. Though he'd lost exact count, it would be close to the hundredth sunrise he would see on this planet.

Satisfied that Jack's skin was as well protected as the thin fabric of the bucca would allow, he wrapped a supporting hand around the man's waist and gently guided him along.

Two more steps had them at the entrance to the great inn with its welcoming pub. Each village had such an inn. They were often the center of commerce, social interaction, even the scholarly gathering spot. Brooksmeet's inn had a ram's head carved into the sign swinging in the night wind above the door. It was a two story structure, the second such that they'd seen on this planet.

Daniel kept his bucca tight as they entered. He shut the door quickly and only drew a few glares and snarls of protest from the raucous, late-evening crowd gathered inside. He paused by the door when Jack began to cough, knocking his bucca back from his face, revealing his pale skin. As they stood there, the glares quickly faded. The worker castes abruptly turned back to their conversations and meals, giving Jack the respect and distance a Highborn was due.

Daniel surveyed the room, peering through the small open slit of his folded bucca. They were in a great hall of the inn, the room where food and ale was served. Off to his left there was a massive fireplace. As tall as one of the worker caste, it had a beast roasting on a spit. Through a wide door on the back wall he could see a kitchen where more cooking was being done. The center of the great hall was full of long rows of oblong tables with simple benches on either side. A few chairs were scattered among them, as well as one or two small, round tables. To his right there was a much smaller fireplace with a couple of round tables there.

After Jack's cough quieted, Daniel guided him to one of the two empty round tables close to the smaller fireplace and helped him sit. He dropped his tuc, the sling-shaped bag, from his shoulder to the sawdust-strewn floor by Jack's chair and then laid his rolled bundle of supplies across it. Then Daniel removed Jack's bucca and draped it over the chair back. Sand shifted from the fabric down to the floor.

Sawdust was something new. On their trek north they'd only recently seen enough trees for sawdust to make an appearance as an absorbent on pub room floors.

As Daniel was loosening the ties on the front of Jack's outer robe, a serving wench paused by the table. The woman, typical of a worker caste, had long, black braids down her back, broad features, and beautiful café-au-lait skin. She was also easily over six and a half feet tall, definitely on the short side, even for the women of her caste. She wore a brown skirt of coarse fabric that hung just above her booted ankles. Her beige blouse was cinched close by a dusky, red laced bodice.

"Ale," Daniel murmured to her, then he adjusted Jack's robe open only a little to keep him warm, but enough to allow the heat from the fireplace in. Mindful that the woman hadn't moved away to fetch the drinks, Daniel pulled out a gold coin and slapped it on the table.

The woman nodded and then scurried away.

Adjusting his bucca to keep his own face still shielded, Daniel sat in the chair at Jack's left, his back to the center of the room. "Looks like a good crowd," he said softly.

Jack peered around, then nodded. He coughed a few more times.

"Lot of prospects here," Daniel said.

"I don't need a horse--"

"Yes," Daniel interrupted him. "We do." He took a deep breath. "We, Jack. We need horses."

Jack sighed and dropped his gaze to the table top. It was rough-hewn wood, scarred with knife cuts and crude carvings of people in sexual positions. There were futhark carvings, the Viking runic alphabet. Most likely the symbols represented names of whoever had sat here in the past.

The serving wench returned with two large metal tankards in one strong hand. She set them on the table and snatched up the coin.

Daniel shot a hand out and restrained her by her dark wrist, but kept his head bowed. "We need two meals a day and a room till the weather warms."

She pursed her lips, then nodded. "My lord has the finest rooms this side of the divide. For how many nights? This'll cover a week, no more. Lest ye'd take one meal a day? They say most Highborn don't eat much."

"A week will be sufficient to start with. Two meals a day. And fresh linens tonight."

"Fresh linens this late? Ye ask a lot, Highborn," she said genially.

At her address, Daniel withdrew his hand and tucked it under his sleeve, covering his pale skin. He kept his head bowed.

"We're right pleased to have Highborn here in winter. Just about unheard of, that be. I'll be back with the food and ye'll get a key." She gave a quick, but respectful nod, then left.

Daniel scooted a tankard to Jack. "You up to eating here? We could take the food with us to the room."

"Eat here, Danny. I'm okay."

Silently Daniel nodded. He watched as Jack leaned forward and used both hands to lift the tankard. It sloshed because of his trembling as he sipped from it.

Daniel drank the ale. It filled the hollowness in him, warmed him and kept him busy while they waited for whatever food the innkeeper had chosen to serve his patrons this evening. Around the two quiet foreigners, working caste men and a few women drank, sang and swapped colorful tales.

Most of the patrons were dressed in coarse wool, with loose shirts that laced. Some had leather pants, but most wore the wool pants and long robes like Daniel and Jack wore. The layers of robes and thick undergarments were sufficient protection from the cold for Jack and Daniel, except at night. Even this far north the nights were still bitterly cold. That might change soon if Daniel had understood what he'd been told about changing seasons on Nortvegr.

Except for the occasional smattering of gray, Daniel saw black hair, stiff and coarse, topping every head in the place. He saw nothing but hairless faces. The people of Nortvegr had been planted here by an Asgard, Daniel knew. They'd been dropped and left. But unlike their Norse relatives on earth, most of the people here were no longer quite human. Nirrti had seen to that.

And even this far north, Daniel and Jack had still not encountered any of the fully human people known as Highborn. He glanced around the inn again, seeing as much as the narrow slit in his folded bucca would allow. Then he turned his back to the room again. While there were no other Highborn in the place these people had not reacted in shock at Daniel and Jack's presence, even after Jack's coughing had dislodged his head covering and exposed his pale skin. The noise of the conversations had dropped for a moment, but then resumed.

This had happened more and more as they traveled north. The people were showing manners, restraint. They were giving the Highborn the courtesy of not being gawked at. They were more used to seeing Highborn, it seemed. Just not in winter, apparently.

But the people inside the Ram's Head inn had only seen Jack so far. That quiet respect would change.

With the bucca covering Daniel's head, the men and women at his back would assume that he was one of the Highborn's servants, most likely a worker caste boy. Evidently, Highborn never appeared in the southern land without at least one servant in tow.

The serving wench returned with their food. It was steaming and plentiful, as it had been at the last tavern they'd patronized.

She sat two large, pewter plates before them, a fowl of some kind, and white tubers baked soft and smothered in seasoned fat. There were also long, green stalks filled with seeds that were tasty, but not the type of nutrition Jack needed. She sat a basket by the plates. It was generously filled with warm, fresh bread.

"Ye servants, Highborn. Need rooms for them, or will they sleep here in the great hall?"

"No servants." Daniel kept his head bowed.

She regarded him with open skepticism, then shook her head, smiling as if he were playing a prank on her. Then she hurried off to another table to answer a call for more ale.

Most of what she'd brought was just what Jack needed, filling and high in protein and fat.

Daniel pushed the plates together, scooped the green stalks from Jack's plate to his own, and then put half his serving of meat on the empty spot on Jack's plate. Then he pushed it toward his silent companion.

"Use your fingers for the bird," Daniel said. "Tear it in small enough bits so you don't have to chew. We'll get wash water later."

With a cough, Jack held up his shaking, dirty hands, then smirked.

Daniel managed a snort of humor. Then, as Jack turned, holding his hands over the sawdust-strewn floor, Daniel splashed a generous portion of his ale on them. Jack rubbed them together, and Daniel rinsed them again. Then Jack wiped them on his brown robe.

Silently they began to eat. Daniel allowed his bucca to fall open a bit as he ate, but kept his face turned away from the other patrons. Jack rested between each bite. Daniel turned a bit left and listened attentively to the conversations going on around them.

". . . five cows and half again that many sheep. If ye throw in a breeding ram we've got a deal."

Daniel glanced furtively toward the speakers and saw a beige bargaining cloth spread between them, but he couldn't make out what symbol was traced on it.

"I've got no rams to spare this season. I had to part with my best as my eldest daughter's dowry. Her mother'd have nothing less go with her . . . "

Daniel turned to his right a bit and listened to the group closer to his and Jack's table.

" . . . so then the darlin' says to me, Balin sir, I've room enough for ye and ye sword."

Loud laughter rang through the men gathered around the storyteller. Daniel pulled his attention back to Jack.

"The bread's good but if you get too full of the meat we can take it to the room for later." He tried to encourage Jack to eat the protein rich food first.

"Yeah," Jack said slowly.

Each meal they'd bought on Nortvegr had been more than ample. The people here had appetites to match their stature. He and Jack never left a table hungry, never went hungry. Not since Daniel had figured out how to earn money on Nortvegr.

The wench came hurrying by and paused long enough to slap a key on the table and give him a deep curtsey, then she was gone to tend to other customers.

" . . . Highborn . . . "

Daniel had caught a snatch of a conversation from a nearby table. He tugged his bucca closer about his face and glanced at the speaker through the thin edging on the hood. It was the man who'd been telling a dirty story earlier. He was nodding respectfully in Jack's direction as he spoke to his listeners. Daniel turned his attention back to his food.

Jack's skin was much lighter than the rest of the inhabitants of the inn. His status as a Highborn would keep him safe, keep any trouble-makers at a safe distance. No matter how drunk or rowdy they got, no worker caste would dare harm Jack.

The only being around who would intentionally hurt Jack was long dead. He was dead at Daniel's own hands, moments after he'd crashed them on this planet. His body was a pile of ashes amid the twisted scraps of his ship somewhere in the low desert at the southern tip of Nortvegr. Daniel had killed him way too late to prevent him from injecting Jack with spider venom. The venom had slowly eaten away at his muscles until he almost died in that low desert where the ship sat rusting in the blowing desert sands.

That was three months ago. That was half a continent ago. That was for Daniel, a trip to hell and back, ago.

Now, Jack was on the mend. He was healing. Slowly but surely, healing. And Daniel knew hell was behind them. Each day that Jack drew breath easier, took a few more steps, ate heartier, hell got a little further and further behind them.

He checked Jack's plate. "Can you finish the meat?"

With a silent scowl Jack renewed his efforts to pick at the meat on the bird bones.

"Sorry, Jack--" Daniel began to apologize for his nagging, but he was interrupted when one of the drunken men from the story-teller's crowd bumped into his chair. Daniel was jostled into the table's edge.

"That young 'un's master be Highborn," a warning was called to the drunken man.

"Harv, away from there, ye fool," another man called out sternly.

The reeling man giggled and grabbed at Daniel's chair for support. He peered at Jack. "Sorry, Highborn," he said loudly. "My bump on ye servant lad, sir."

"Not!" the serving wench screeched as she charged across the room. Her path was hindered by tables and patrons. "Not a servant!" Panic etched sharply in her voice. "Harv, ye damned fool! Oh, gods!"

"He's no objection, this Highborn, to me 'an 'is lad havin' a drink shared," Harv exclaimed to the room as he waved one arm in a wide arc. "I'll buy the lad a drink!"

Daniel planted his hands on the table and shoved his chair back from it, using it to push Harv away. He started to rise as the wench and the innkeeper arrived.

"Highborn," she hastily called, "he be not knowing, sir. He be not knowing ye both be Highborn-- Harv, come away!"

Daniel got to his feet and darted away, deftly avoided Harv's reaching grasp. He moved to the other side of the table to the relative safety of Jack's immediate proximity. Then he turned to the room. With his head bowed he pushed the bucca back off his hair, letting the oil lamps, fire and candles shine on the light strands. His last haircut had been four months ago, back on Earth. The sun of this world had bleached his hair fairer in the desperate days he and Jack had struggled to survive the torturous trek from their late captor's destroyed ship.

At the sight of his light hair, a whooshing gasp filled the room. Jack's pale skin, his status as Highborn protected him, by propriety, by custom so ingrained in these people that no body guards were ever needed. It seemed he could walk safely anywhere. His status was one of unquestioned respect.

Daniel's, because of the color of his hair, was not of unquestioned respect. It was of reverence, of religiously deep reverence. The few humans on this planet who still had enough Earth DNA to have light hair were like prized relics, sheltered, pampered and protected.

But the patrons were in for another, deeper shock. Daniel took a deep breath and looked up, meeting the gaze of Harv, the man who'd jostled his chair moments earlier.

Harv stood a solid eight feet tall, his arms as thick as Daniel's thighs, his neck thicker than Daniel's hands could possibly encircle. At the moment of eye contact, a shock rippled through Harv's drunken haze. Harv quivered in raw fear and lurched backward, twisting his body so hard that he stumbled into the innkeeper. Both men went down.

A second whooshing gasp flooded the room as the rest of the patrons saw Daniel's blue eyes.

"Faith be," the wench swore, her face slack in wonder. "Never thought I'd live to see ever one in our town in winter, but now I've seen it, so there be no denying it. Blue. Blue as the sky, and hair of honey."

Harv lay sprawled with the innkeeper, panic seizing his mind.

"It's all right," Daniel said softly. "An honest mistake. No touch was made, Harv. It's all right."

"H-- High--" Harv tried to speak from his sprawled position. It appeared he'd wet his pants.

"It's all right," Daniel said to the woman who'd served them. "No touch was made."

His declaration saved Harv's life. To touch one of the Sky caste by force, even accidentally, meant death. And most likely Harv would have carried out the self-imposed sentence immediately by his own hand with the knife in his waist sheath. He still might.

Resignedly, Daniel turned back to his meal and sat down. Harv hadn't moved; the pub was still silent. Daniel sipped the last of his ale, feeling Jack's eyes on him, feeling the eyes of every man and woman in the place on him. He swallowed roughly and pulled the bucca back up over his hair but didn't bother to shield his face any longer. He sipped more ale, clenching the tankard in his hands.

"Eat the rest of your meal, Danny," Jack said softly, gently.

Daniel put the tankard down and closed his eyes as he bowed his head, keeping his fingers wrapped around the empty container. Then he nodded. With a cleansing breath, he returned to the meal.

Slowly, like a cautious deer emerging from cover, the noise of conversation returned to the pub.

Daniel imagined he could smell the sexual tension building around him. But that was just his imagination, he knew. The place actually smelled of ale, cooked bird, roasting apples and unwashed people. The damned veil was heavy in his pocket. Stubbornly, he ignored the ornate, and cursed piece of cloth.

The innkeeper cautiously approached their table, well within the line of sight of both humans. "Begging ye pardon, Highborn," he said with a little curtsey as he faced Jack. It was definitely not a bow, but a curtsey, bending at knee. "I've a different key for ye. Room at the front of the inn. Two windows. Even glass in 'em, Highborn. Fresh linens; the upstairs maid'll be taking care of that right now. Anything ye'll be needing, she'll fetch it. Just give a holler. Asny. That 'un's name be Asny. At ye service, she be, long as ye stay under this roof. No extra charge, Highborn. Anythin' ye need, any use of 'er, jes ask."

His head still bowed, Daniel nodded. It was expected for Jack to accept the implied offer of sexual favors from the maid. Many Highborn, those with dark eyes, would use both men and occasionally young girls, they'd learned.

"No need," Jack managed to speak loudly enough for the innkeeper to hear. His vocal cords had recovered slowly from the spider's venom. There was still a hoarse quality about his voice, as if he'd been yelling at a football game during a long night of drinking and reveling. The cough he'd developed a few days ago hadn't helped matters. And speaking more than a few words a day left him voiceless the next.

"How long until the room is ready?" Daniel asked. "We've had a long journey today." That wasn't true. They'd ridden from a nearby campsite to this village in the back of a tin-smith's wagon and had only walked a few steps to the Ram's Head inn. But even that much movement had sapped Jack's strength.

From the crash site they'd made their way north in a series of zigs and zags, from caravan to caravan, from village to village. Always northward, always toward more civilization, toward the city where the Highborn women lived behind walls and never ventured out.

They traveled toward the rumored location of a great, standing ring of sky rain, of blue water. Blue was the color of Daniel's eyes. Blue was the color that bought them passage on their journey to a possible gate home.

Realizing he'd gotten no answer yet, Daniel glanced up at the innkeeper. When his gaze met the big man's, the innkeeper seemed to sway. Again Daniel felt he could smell male sexual arousal. "How long?" he asked calmly. He knew his direct gaze would have the man's cock hard by now.

"Uhh, Tal," the innkeeper called, never taking his lust-filled eyes from Daniel. "Tal," he called again, and the serving wench rushed to his side. She curtseyed; the same maneuver the innkeeper had executed earlier. She glanced from her master to Daniel, her cheeks bright and flushed. With her dark skin, the effect was one of a deep rose bloom, soft and warm.

Daniel smiled welcomingly at her. She giggled nervously and shifted from foot to foot. Hers was not sexual, her stare. It was one of a teen-age girl who suddenly found herself face-to-face with an idol, or a hero. Daniel sighed.

"Is the room ready, Tal?" he asked.

"Aye, Sky. But I've not yet served ye apples. Roasted they are, with cant seasoning and honey drip."

"My companion and I are tired from our travels. We'll take the apples in the room, if there's a candle or oil lamp there?"

"Fireplace, Sky. And a fire already going to keep 'im warm," she added, indicating Jack. "Candles too."

She was observant, Daniel noted. She'd picked up on Jack's need to be near the fire. He nodded his appreciation. "Good. Then we'll be retiring for the evening." He was very careful to minimize his movements as he helped Jack from the chair to his feet. He kept his face turned from the men in the big room.

Tal picked up his bundle and tuc.

The great inn had thick, stone walls, sturdy enough to stand up to the abrasion of constant blowing sand. The stairs leading to the second floor were broad timbers which had been rubbed thoroughly with wax. At the base of the stairs, now out of sight of most of the patrons, Daniel squatted a bit and helped Jack wrap his arms over his shoulders. When Daniel stood, Jack's feet were off the floor. He climbed the steps, hunched forward slightly, carrying Jack.

The smooth wood of the stairs and passageway reflected the lantern Tal carried before Jack and Daniel as she led them up the stairs. At the top landing Daniel squatted again, waiting until Jack was firmly on his feet.

Tal moved forward down the dark, narrow hall, her lantern casting a small, yellow glow.

"This way, Highborn," she said, addressing Jack.

They passed a door leading, no doubt, to the kind of room a worker caste would receive, a room the innkeeper would have given to Jack's servants, if he'd had any. Perhaps Jack would have been put in that room, if not for Daniel. But Daniel's status required something as isolated as possible. He'd need to be out of the way where no one might accidentally encounter him as he came in or left his room.

Jack faltered and Daniel had him by the elbow and waist before he went down. He kept the supporting grip as they followed Tal to the more isolated room. Tal didn't shrink from his touch. As a woman, death was not an automatic if she accidentally touched him.

"Sky, thank ye for the honor," Tal said as she held the lantern higher in the dark passage.

She was referring to the fact that Daniel had touched her skin purposely, had reached out and touched her when he spoke about Jack's need of a room. He'd given her something that could not be bought. She would be sought out by men now, and if she was unmarried, would have improved prospects.

At the end of the hall, Tal opened a door and stood aside. Daniel was surprised at the spaciousness of the room. It had a large bed, a table, two chairs and a divan, a padded couch with one arm and a back that curved down to the pad, ending halfway down the seating area. The divan was by the fireplace and would be a great place for Jack to relax in the afternoons when the sun was out. They could open the interior shutters and maybe one of the windows for an hour or so in the morning.

A young girl, undoubtedly the aforementioned Asny, was adding tinder to the fire. The bed covers had been folded back. The girl looked up at the two Highborn, her nervousness plain to see. She looked dirty, smudged with greasy ash, sawdust and grime. It was the end of a hard day of work for her, Daniel knew. She also looked shockingly young, considering the offer the innkeeper had made earlier.

He guided Jack to the bed and helped him sit. Then he told Tal to put the baggage on the divan and told Asny she could leave, that they had everything they needed. Tal would be back soon with drinking water and the promised roasted apples. Daniel wanted to have Jack in bed by then.

Alone in the room, Daniel undressed Jack.

"I can--" Jack began to protest.

"Tomorrow night," Daniel said gently, "you can do this by yourself then. We had a hard journey today. You did so good walking to the inn."

"Yeah," Jack acquiesced.

Daniel nodded as he held a chamber pot for Jack's stream. "No more caravans between here and the divide. All the trade goods that go north go on pack animals or are carried by hand. Horses or on foot, it's the only choice for us."

"No trade goods ever come south out of the Highborn's city, do they?" Jack asked as Daniel knelt, unlaced his sheep-skin boots and tugged them off. He scrunched his toes as Daniel pulled his thick, woolen socks off.

"Not that I've been able to find out about, but I might be wrong. It's hard to get facts out of people who are afraid to talk to you."

Daniel knew Jack would love to have a bath, but he'd never ask for one. Jack never asked for anything on this planet. Not food, not a place to sleep. And he'd protest vehemently any luxury that was bound to cost a lot. Like a bath.

He had bitched the first few days after the crash, about the lack of necessities, the hard life they had. While he and Daniel slowly starved, shivered in the cold, and while the poison was destroying Jack's body, he had bitched and moaned about every little inconvenience. It was Jack's way to let out tension, to distract himself, to just handle the fact that he was dying.

Then they'd stumbled into their first trading caravan and Daniel had found out how to get what they needed, and Jack had never again opened his mouth about his needs.

Daniel pulled Jack's sandy robes off, his undershirt, the tattered remains of his OD green tee shirt, and the woolen pants Daniel had gotten in some little village miles behind them. Jack stretched out and Daniel draped the covers over him.

The coin Daniel had used to pay for the room and food was earned in the last tavern where they'd stayed. It had been smaller and stuffier than this place. They'd stayed long enough for Daniel to amass a good stash of coins. But hiring the tinsmith's wagon was costly. His pocket was getting pretty empty now. Water wells had begun to appear a couple of day's travel south of this village. They had clean water in plentiful supply. While some things, like fuel and food, were cheaper this far north, travel was still very expensive with Jack in his weakened condition.

"Clean sheets," Daniel said with approval as he smoothed them over Jack.

Jack smiled at Daniel, gave him the only thing he had to give.

"Love you," Daniel said as he touched Jack's face, sliding his fingertips down the frighteningly gaunt features. He leaned down and kissed Jack's forehead. Then gazed down at him again. "Love you."

"I know," Jack replied as their eyes met. "Cause I love you too."

Daniel could see the unspoken plea for him to stay in the room tonight. Jack would never say it, hadn't since that evening in the cold desert, after Daniel half-carried Jack, both stumbling, nearly frozen, starving and exhausted into Lars' encampment near the southern tip of Nortvegr. Jack had called out to Daniel, tried to stop him from completing the bargain he'd struck, and that's the last time Jack had done so.

In Lars' encampment Daniel had learned the basic structure of the Nortvegr caste system. He'd listened and learned. But it had been weeks later in a little village called Coldback when Daniel heard of a standing ring of blue water, deep within the city of the Highborn. It was Daniel's only hope to get them off this planet, get them home. It had to be a working stargate.

Daniel let Tal into their room, took the food and water from her, then politely dismissed her. She tried to ask about accommodations for Jack's servants, but Daniel waved her out of the room. After shedding his own robes in the warm room he held a cup for Jack to drink from. The unspoken plea hung heavy in the room.

"I don't need to go down this evening. I'll give the villagers a while to spread the word that I'm here. Make competition for my favor a little better," Daniel added with a short chuckle.

Moving back from the cup Jack cleared his throat. "Danny--"

"I had hoped for a day or so to assess things before . . . before I removed the bucca. Before I had to put the veil on. Horses are so expensive on Nortvegr." Daniel helped Jack lay back and then he went to put the cup on the table. He stood by it with his back to Jack. "I want two horses. I had thought just one, to lead you on. But we'll need to pack a few things with us. And if I can find someone to make a saddle with a back rest, maybe something with more than just stirrups for support for you . . . "

"Daniel . . . "

Daniel drew a deep breath, but kept his back to Jack. He combed his fingers through his hair. "I swear I've got enough sand in my hair to make a nice beach. We'll be swimming in it by morning in that bed. I'll get fresh linens tomorrow. And we'll bathe."

"No bath," Jack quietly protested.

"A bath. And I'll wash out your woolen socks tonight. Can't believe I haven't been able to locate softer socks on this whole trip, can you? These people must have no nerves in their feet."

"Danny, please."

Daniel pressed his lips together and bowed his head. "I had hoped for a day here. Just a day without them looking . . . It doesn't bother me, Jack. Not really. I just wanted a chance to blend in for a bit, get a gauge on the local politics. The tinsmith said there'd been some trouble here recently. If we knew--"

"Come to bed," Jack said firmly.

With a heavy sigh Daniel stripped. He blew out the candles and crawled in beside Jack. In the flickering firelight Daniel glanced at Jack's clear profile, then rolled away, his back to the man. He clutched the covers up to his chin and hunched his shoulders.

The bed rustled as Jack rolled to Daniel, spooning up behind him. His left hand went up to Daniel's waist, wrapped around and snugged the younger man to him. Jack's cock was soft, nestled in the crook of his groin, barely brushing against Daniel's pale flesh. Jack kissed Daniel's shoulder, then laid his cheek there.

"I'll wash your socks after breakfast. We can have the apples with warmed cider, and then I can ask Tal about bath water--"

"Hush." Jack's voice was harsh from exertion, not emotion. He'd spoken too much for one day and was losing his voice.

"Maybe it'd be better to wait until the afternoon for a bath. Let the day warm up some. We should get sunlight in here through the north window, and you can lie on the divan and get a little vitamin D--"

"Danny, hush."

"Jack . . . "

"I know. I love you too."

Chapter 6 - A Clear Morning

Noises of an inn full of people waking up, having breakfast and preparing for the day roused Daniel from the best sleep he'd had on this planet. He rolled away from Jack, climbed off the tall bed and opened the shutters on both windows. Dawn light streamed into the room, filling it with tendrils of warmth. A fat, yellow sun rose above the distant tree-lined horizon and lit his pale skin. He stood at the northern most window, staring out north-east, feeling the rays bathe his skin.

"Mm, bright," Jack said.

Smiling, Daniel turned to his lover. "Sunlight looks good on you. Haven't seen that in a while. It's beautiful outside. No wind yet."

With Jack watching him, Daniel warmed the apples on their pewter plate, carefully balanced on two sticks in the fireplace. He fed Jack breakfast in bed, giving him plenty of water with the spiced fruit. Jack had coughed several times during the night, but they'd slept well in the warm room. His eyes definitely looked brighter.

"I'll go down today and lay out the scribing cloth for a while," Daniel said as he tidied the room.

"I could go with you." Jack tried to sit up, but sagged back against the rough, wooden headboard.

"Let me get a feel of things first, Jack. This is the biggest village we've been in. I'll wear the veil. I'll be okay."

"I . . . I'd rather be with you."

"No. I'm not going to . . . No. I'll just be doing a little listening. No contact today. We have plenty of coins. Plenty of time."

"Time," Jack said disgustedly. "It's taking way too much time for me to get my legs back."

"Don't rush it," Daniel said as he got dressed. He pulled a gauzy white cloth from the tuc, the travel bag that held their supplies. The veil, worn draped over his head and tied at his neck hid his upper face and hair. It kept his blue gaze from the direct sight of men. Before he'd understood the full symbolism, the full protection it provided, back in their second caravan, he'd had the unpleasant experience of having a man ejaculate during a negotiation over a scribing job. Daniel had looked at the man he was talking to for a bit too long.

The caravan leader had found the encounter amusing, the embarrassment of the man who'd come, and also Daniel's balking reaction.

"You try to push yourself too fast and you'll end up losing ground," Daniel said sternly.

"I know," Jack said sourly, then broke into a coughing fit. "You'll wear the veil the whole time?"

"Yes." Daniel paused to look at Jack and saw the troubled gaze of his lover.

"The tinsmith--" Jack started.

"Yeah," Daniel interrupted. "I'm surprised that hasn't happened more often, actually."

"He came right in front of you, didn't he?"

"He didn't think I was looking, didn't think I noticed." Then Daniel raised his eyebrows. "I didn't realize you were looking. Maybe I’m not as observant as I think I am. You know what I thought when I found out about the veil and how it's used in negotiation? The advertising thing?" Daniel asked with a chuckle.

"What?" Jack asked. He seemed to be working to get a casual smile on his face.

"I had this image pop into my head of a guy with the veil on, and his dick hanging out of his jeans zipper. "

Jack laughed, short and hoarse. "No zippers on this damned planet."

"I know. I was picturing him standing in the low-rent district down in Denver. Some street corner."

"With his dick out," Jack scoffed.

"Ever read the khama sutra? The illustrated version," Daniel added with a grin.

"Got pictures of guys in jeans with their dicks hanging out?" Jack asked, then coughed.

"Not exactly." From his tuc he pulled a square of brown cloth, embroidered with runes around the edges and refolded it, placing it on the table. Then he pulled out a satchel with sheets of thick paper, a quill and a real glass bottle of ink. "I need to get a new oilskin to wrap the blotter. This one's a bit too small."

"Be back up here for lunch? Or should I come down to the pub and join you?"

Daniel laughed. "I could send Tal up to carry you down for lunch."

"Hell, that scrawny little Asny girl could carry me."

This got another smile out of Daniel and he turned to regard Jack. Their eyes met, gazes locked for just a fraction of a second. Instinctively, Daniel flinched away, then blushed. He turned back to Jack.

"It's okay, Daniel."

Daniel smiled. Then he draped the veil over his head, wrapped it down to his chin and around his throat and tied it in back.

As he stepped off the last stair, Daniel paused and surveyed the pub. There were many more people here now than there were last night. The people were scattered mostly among the larger tables closest to the kitchen.

He moved to the small table he'd shared last night with Jack, the one nearest the fireplace. It was conspicuously empty. It also now had a fair distance of clear floor around it. Tables had been moved away from the spot where the Sky caste had dined among them. The area by the small fireplace hadn't been very crowded last night though. Most of the worker caste could tolerate the cold much better than Highborn caste, but Daniel suspected the area had been cleared specifically for his use. No one would want to sit too close to him.

Bright sunlight shone from a thick-paned window and spilled across the isolated table. Ignoring the stares and whispers, Daniel moved a chair around until he could sit with his back to the corner facing out into the room and have the sunlight shining over his shoulder. He pulled the other chair around opposite that one. Then he sat. Tal rushed from the kitchen door, alerted by the quiet that had descended in the room at Daniel's appearance.

"Morning to ye, Highborn. Breakfast? It be long past serving but for ye my master'll whip somethin--"

"Daniel. My name is Daniel."

"Oh, not for the likes of me to be using a name for one such as ye, Highborn. Nay."

He nodded, expecting no less, but the habits of a free man were hard to break. "I'm not hungry. Tell me, is there a scribe hall in this village?"

"Course there be, sure enough. We're civilized folk here, we in Brooksmeet. Ye've need of a scribe?"

"No. I will be offering scribing services myself," Daniel said as he laid his folded cloth and supplies on the table.

The cloth was embroidered with runes. Daniel had obtained it in Corr, the second little settlement they'd visited. That's where he'd gotten clarification from a scribe on the way to offer scribing services, and a verification that prices were dictated by the guild; no haggling, no bargaining. Scribing was guild controlled. Any Highborn had the right to scribe. Worker castes had to apprentice into the guild and pay yearly for the privilege the status afforded. Though Highborn were exempt from the guild tax, they were required to abide by the pricing code. It was a two-edged sword for Daniel.

"Oh," Tal said in delight. "I suspect ye'll be having a line of customers within the hour, Highborn. Run our old scribes to ruin right quick with their customers over here faster than the hom sen blows in summer's heat."

"That's what I'd like to avoid, Tal," Daniel said with a wry smile. He realized he'd looked up at her a bit too high, and could, from under the bottom of his veil, see several male patrons glancing furtively at his eyes. He quickly bowed his head. "If someone from the scribe hall shows up here, I mean, arrives here at the inn, would you please let me know? I'd like to speak with them."

"They be both men, Highborn," Tal said cautiously.

"That's fine. I'd like to speak with them, no charge." Daniel arranged the cloth across the table from him, facing the main area of the large room. He set the pot of ink out, arranged his quills and parchment, then unwrapped his blotter.

"And Tal, what would it take to arrange for a bath? Do you have bath facilities here at the inn?"

"Bath house be down two streets, Highborn. If ye need one here, most likely the cost of a meal extra. My master will set the price, him being pleased with ye and ye Highborn here and all, it won't be a steep charge. Mind, he honors the Nortvegr, so not free. Charity hurts the Highborn," she said, repeating a phrase Daniel had heard often in his bargaining.

Highborn were held in great regard, afforded many privileges, but they were clearly not deities, had never been. While he was thankful for being treated as human, in the early days of Jack's desperate health it had also rankled Daniel. If Jack had been of the working caste, he'd have received every care possible to sustain his life without having to buy it. If he had been alone when he'd arrived at Lars' encampment the big trader would have taken him in, given him everything they could spare to keep him alive, given him every treatment they could think of. But they would not have had the knowledge to keep Jack alive.

The big working caste people seemed to have no natural illnesses, no knowledge of medications beyond simple remedies for upset stomachs, burns, cuts, or the rare broken bone. Nirrti's meddling had strengthened the people in many ways.

It was a conundrum that kept Daniel rethinking things during the first month on this planet, how things might have worked out differently if Jack had been alone, if Daniel had brown eyes, if they'd crashed farther north. All of the internal debate was worthless though; he had to deal with the situation as it was.

Jack received respect and had an unquestioned sense of safety, but was also responsible for his own survival. This kept the Highborn race active, mentally and physically, Daniel theorized. And as he'd traveled, his theory had held up in the face of more and more evidence. The people of Jack's caste, the Highborn, could work at any profession they chose, could live anywhere, own property, buildings, travel as they wished.

Daniel had the same protection, the same respect those of Jack's caste received. But for the Sky caste, there was a second element to the religious dogma surrounding their treatment. With even more restrictions, rigid restrictions on so much of their lives, these restrictions forced them to remain accessible to the worker caste, accessible sexually.

Daniel was forbidden to own anything other than what he could carry wrapped in his imparting cloth. He was barred from owning land, animals, a home, furniture, a horse . . . the list was endless. It was much easier to list what he had a right to own on Nortvegr, two scraps of cloth and whatever coins he could fit in one of the pieces of cloth. This limitation of ownership had a most profound effect on his ability to earn money. If he'd crashed here and not known the spoken as well as the written language, the only way he'd have survived would have been to prostitute himself.

He was of the highest caste in the land, a revered and worshiped religious being. And a whore, a whore who got the best room in the place for no extra charge. Because his very presence would bring more customers to the Ram's Head Inn. Men would come, they'd come even if they had no hope of affording time with Daniel. They'd come and sit in the pub, just to be near him, just to be in the same place should he grant his favor to anyone.

Tal's duties pulled her away, so Daniel finished arranging the scribing tools before him on the table. Satisfied, and fully aware that all eyes were still on him, he unfolded the embroidered cloth and spread it carefully out at the place across the table from him.

Within a heartbeat pandemonium broke out among the male patrons. This was another of those imbalances. The religious customs were more than customs. They were unbreakable edicts, concerning conduct with a Sky caste. When wearing the veil none were supposed to approach him, notice him in a sexual manner, or bargain for his sexual favor.

Yet, they did overtly seek him out. A worker caste scribe would not arouse such attention, ever.

An angular man, graying long braids akimbo, took long strides toward Daniel's table. Another man, shorter and bolder elbowed the elder man aside, causing him to fall. The shorter man reached the table ahead of the other dozen who were hot on his heels. He slid forcefully into the empty chair opposite Daniel and slapped a handful of shiny coins on the cloth.

He grinned broadly at Daniel's veiled face.

A chorus of disappointed groans bolstered the short man's beaming smile.

As the others returned to their various chairs, two paused to help the elder to his feet. He grinned genially, patted the sawdust off his knees and went back to his seat.

Daniel kept his face expressionless. He breathed slowly, and peered through the gauzy veil at the men. All were still intently watching, though good-naturedly ribbing each other about their lack of being first to buy the Sky caste's scribing services.

They were about to get a lesson in the other side of that veil rule. Daniel eyed the high value coins on his scribing cloth. Slowly he brought up his left hand. Palm down, he passed it over the cloth and pile of coins from the left side to the right. He grasped the right edge of the cloth and paused again. Then he jerked the cloth up, flinging the coins to the floor.

The short man's eyes cut to his scattered coins, his mouth agape.

With careful and elaborate gestures, Daniel returned the cloth to its former place, smoothing it meticulously. Then he sat, unmoving, his hands out of sight in his lap.

Suddenly the hall erupted in roaring laughter that bounced from wall to wall. The short man rose from the chair, his face flushed. He gathered his coins and, shoulders slumped, retreated to his table across the pub.

A worker caste scribe would never have done what Daniel just did and walked away unscathed. The veil could be used against him, and as a tool for him too.

Daniel raised his head until the lower edge of the veil was just above his eyes. He looked straight at the gray haired man who'd been pushed down, pointed at him, then crooked his finger once, and bowed his head.

The man gaped, as shocked as the shorter man had been when his coins had been cast aside. The hall erupted in louder roars of laughter, hoots of encouragement and shouts for the man to go to the scribing table. Some of his fellow patrons pushed him to his feet and got him going in the right direction.

He took a hesitant step, then straightened his shoulders, coming to his full almost eight feet of height, and strode briskly to the now-empty seat. He laid one dark coin on the cloth.

"Sorry, Highborn, for my meager request be nothing of great importance. I've only one coin to spare today."

"What service do you wish of me today, grandfather?"

"I've a need, Highborn. A letter perhaps. A short one to my youngest daughter. Her name be Kagain. Light of foot she be, Highborn, and of a sweet disposition. I've a need for her to know we here are all well. And . . . if she be well too, I would like to know."

"Done," Daniel said and pulled out a sheet of parchment. He uncapped the ink and dipped a quill. "If Kagain were speaking, how would she describe you, grandfather?"

The old man looked delighted at the question.

**

Kagain's letter

Here have come greetings to Kagain, sweet of heart and light of foot, the loved and youngest daughter of Helf of Brooksmeet.

Helf the brave and steadfast, strong and tall, sends these greetings to Kagain.

Helf, father of Kagain and father also to her sister Lyda, along with her brother Timmon, a man full grown, be well and prospering in fair Brooksmeet. Helf follows the Nortvegr. Lyda again has a girl child and a full heart. Her husband provides well. Timmon be now a'Viking bravely in the great divide since his wife was called to the land of the forefathers, leaving no child in this world.

Helf thinks often of Kagain's cheer and would be glad to know of her life and young family.

Helf sends good wishes to his youngest daughter, Kagain.

**

Daniel set the paper aside to dry, and began folding an envelope. He'd address the envelope. Helf might never send the letter; that was none of Daniel's concern. But he suspected that by the end of the day the letter would have been passed around to dozens of hands in Brooksmeet, possibly earning Helf a drink or two for the sharing of a parchment touched by a Sky caste.

The inn door opened and closed with a solid thud. Daniel saw a gaunt man standing just inside the door, gaping at the scribing cloth. He wasn't dressed for the cold outdoors, and appeared to be breathing heavily as if he'd just run to the inn. He looked almost frightened.

As Helf rose from his chair, clutching the letter like a golden prize, Daniel pocketed the coin, then deftly folded the cloth in half. Another patron, merely a step from the table groaned loudly at the sight of the folded scribing cloth. His shoulders slumped and he returned to the consolation pats of his fellow patrons.

Tal was nowhere in sight. Daniel saw a young boy hauling dirty dishes to the kitchen. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the table. He needed a woman. Or a girl. Perhaps Asny would be by in a little while. Before he could rise to search for her, Tal appeared from the kitchen, barely avoiding the boy who was struggling under his load of dishes.

Long skirt swirling, Tal rushed by several men who called to her. She curtseyed at Daniel's side.

"Ye've a need, Highborn?"

"I see one of the scribes has arrived," Daniel said, keeping his head bowed slightly. "If you would let him know I'd speak with him, no charge, remember?"

"My pleasure," she said with a broad grin, and was off.

Sitting and talking casually with a Sky caste would cost a man coins. Nothing about Daniel's life here on the continent known as Nortvegr was free, and had to be conducted within the constraints of bargaining for scribing services, or for an imparting. But negotiation among scribes was seen as scribe guild business, and while not actually free, did not require the exchange of coins by either scribe. Though, the conversation had to be kept limited strictly to scribe business. It made the simple task of learning about the people, the land, very hard for Daniel.

He could bargain for a room, for food, for goods on Jack's behalf, but he couldn't sit and chat unless he disguised it as part of the bargaining process. Though, if the people of this village, Brooksmeet were comfortable with him maybe eventually that restriction might ease up. And maybe not.

It was a mature man, graying who had come from the scribe hall. Breathless, he'd rushed in the great hall of the Ram's Head Inn, undoubtedly alerted by a villager who'd seen Daniel's scribing cloth and had thought to gain favor from the guild master here in Brooksmeet, or maybe he'd wanted to gloat, to be the bearer of bad news. The scribe master stood just inside the thick wooden door, his appearance disheveled. He peered across the hall at Daniel.

In the shafts of impure sunlight that shone through the thick glass of the windows high-set on the inn's walls, Daniel's white veil almost glowed. Very little cloth on the continent of Nortvegr was white. Most textiles were of wool from small, long haired sheep. Their fur ran from black to light brown. The few plant fiber cloths Daniel had found were various shades of brown.

He realized he must look like some religious painting, some Botticelli perhaps, or a Rembrandt, here in this dark room, the only white object to be seen, crowning his head.

The scribe almost bolted back out the door when Tal began summoning him to Daniel's table. She swiftly latched onto the man's sleeve and hauled him to stand before Daniel.

"You are a scribe here in Brooksmeet?" Daniel asked. "Please, sit with me. I wish to discuss scribe business with you."

The man stared at the top of Daniel's head, at the brightest point of sunlight on the white veil.

"Would you sit?" Daniel tried again.

Tal grunted in irritation. "More customers than we've had in a year and this one wasting my time?" Abruptly, she pushed the man into the chair and went about her business.

Her comment confirmed Daniel's suspicion. The inn was crowded, and that was not normal. The men were here because of him. As was the scribe seated across from him.

Daniel peered through the gauzy flap of the veil, trying to discern the man's age, gauge his nervousness. All men who spoke to Daniel were nervous. This one was no exception. He was doing everything but biting his nails. To try to reassert that this was a conversation limited to guild business, Daniel straightened his stack of parchment paper, then twirled a quill slowly in his fingers.

"I will be staying here in Brooksmeet for a while," he began, and stopped when the scribe sighed in despair. "But I don't intend to take all of your business from you. I did that in a village on the edge of the low desert. Not intentionally. I took all scribing jobs I could because my companion and I were in desperate need. Then I realized I was causing the local scribe a great hardship. She supports her family on what she makes with the odd scribing job, when the weather gets too harsh to work the rock beds."

"Highborn," the man said, nodding profusely now.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Daniel asked. "I won't take all the scribing jobs in Brooksmeet. I would like to know what percentage of business you and your partner feel you can spare. About how many jobs a week do you normally do this time of year?"

"A week? Me, Highborn?"

Daniel laid the quill down and tucked his hands in his sleeves, hiding his pale skin. That didn't seem to help the man focus any better. "I would like to be cooperative, to share with you the number of jobs. I realize some who'll come to me wouldn't normally be requesting scribe work. Is there some agreement you and I can come to about which jobs you would normally expect to be doing? Sir? Any help you can give me here," Daniel said, his frustration coming through in his tone of voice.

The man nodded, his gaze still firmly fixed on Daniel's brightly lit veil. "Ye seek to share with us?" His confusion was plain to hear. "But, if a Sky wishes to scribe, then that be his right. And nothing we can do about it, except take the loss. But, if I might ask, why?"

"Why?" Daniel scowled at the man. He'd already explained why he was talking to the man about sharing the work. He didn't want to hurt the scribe hall's business.

"Why, Highborn? It earns ye mere pittance. When one imparting could earn enough to buy more than this one could ever hope to own in a month's time--" he cut off his words and clapped his hand over his mouth.

Daniel stiffened and gripped the edge of the table. Anger flushed his cheeks. He snapped out at the man, "I don't give a sh--" Immediately he bit his own angry words off and leaned back in his chair. The man had mentioned imparting. Even speaking the word in this conversation was probably breaking a big taboo. Daniel fought hard to control his anger. He took several deep breaths as the scribe sat there shivering in fear.

Finally Daniel felt he'd gained enough control to continue. "I wish to earn a little money through scribing jobs. I'll take whatever letters people come to me to have written. I'll probably do bills of sale, family trees, and I might write some poems, verses of deeds. But I won't work long hours, so you can count on getting whatever jobs anyone wants that will take long hours. Understand?"

"Highborn, forgive this one, I beg forgiveness of ye. This one has strayed and asked when he had no right to ask anything of ye."

"Fine. You're forgiven. You can go now. Our conversation is over."

As the frightened man rose Daniel shook his head. "You were a great help," he said snidely. "Loads of information for me. Thanks a lot. Have a nice day." He turned his attention back to his supplies and began bundling them up. The sun had passed its zenith so its warm glow no longer spilled across his table. Daniel's eyes would grow too weary if he spent much time scribing now.

"Damned sun. Crap. I sound like Jack."

Chapter 7 - Settling In

Back in the room with Jack, Daniel stripped off the veil and managed to drop it on the table instead of flinging it in the low-burning fire.

"Daniel?" Jack called, his voice reedy, strained. He moved to sit up in the bed, but ended up slumping back on his side, his dark eyes barely showing over the edge of the thick blanket.

"Hey," Daniel said, instantly softening his features as he sat on the edge of the tall bed. Everything in the room was too tall. From the bed, to the table and chairs to the divan, everything was sized for the average worker caste.

"You hungry? How about some stew? Something with those tubers you like so much? I could get that little girl to bring up a meal." He combed his fingers through Jack's shaggy hair. "We have all the water we could want here. There's a bath house. I'm going to shave you today. Would you like that?"

"Shave? Good idea. And you too. Whisker burn," Jack whispered hoarsely.

"Me too?" Daniel asked, rubbing his chin.

"Whisker burn," Jack said a little louder. "Kissing. Gonna do a lot of that later--" he broke off, coughing.

"Kissing," Daniel said, as he helped Jack to sit up and clear his lungs better. "I like that idea even better than the thought of a bath."

After the coughing fit passed Jack slumped back onto the pillow. "Maybe better wait. Quit coughing first. In case it's the flu or something."

"Maybe so. Though, these people don't seem to get the flu. Or any other illness for that matter."

"Noticed."

"You did?" Daniel asked in surprise. "You know, I haven't been able to find anyone who uses medicines, other than for wounds. I've seen some really wicked scars, though. These people may be merchants and traders mostly, but they do apparently share a love of swords and knives with their Earth ancestors."

"Fighting?"

"Yes. I've heard a few tales of some pretty nasty dueling. Wrote a letter today for a guy who said his son was off a' Viking in the great divide. I couldn't press for details, but that makes me think it's not all that peaceful even this far north."

"Give people time and food enough, they get to thinking about what their neighbor has that they could use. Same old story," Jack whispered.

"They're descended from Viking people so it's reasonable to assume they have a violent tradition in their history. From what I can tell, these people were taken from Earth during the reign of King Gorm, The Old. That would have been around 900 AD. By the way, did I ever tell you about Ansgar, the monk who brought messages of peace to the Vikings? He was a missionary, supposedly from Germany by way of France. Probably about the time Gorm was born. It's fascinating, isn't it? That name, how close it is in pronunciation to Asgard? Then of course there's the name Asgerd, same pronunciation exactly used in that Viking epic poem, Egil's Saga from the thirteenth century. It's about--"

"Daniel," Jack snapped.

"Oh, right. Well, I didn't gather much information today. I spoke with one of the local scribes but the man was worthless. I didn't get any information on what problems the Tinsmith said there'd been here lately. Maybe we can take a little of Tal's time later today. Though, the inn is bursting at the seams with customers. She was all over the place down there."

"Maybe I could go down later--" Jack broke off as a coughing fit took his breath away.

Daniel cradled him forward, rubbing his back with long, circular motions as Jack continued to cough. "I could get a pot, keep water boiling in here and get you some moister air to breathe for a while. We'll think about going to the bathhouse later in the week. The last few days with the Tinsmith were really hard on you, weren't they? We've been pushing too hard to get north."

Jack clutched at Daniel's arm, leaning heavily against him for support as his body was wracked with deep coughs. Phlegm, thick, but white, splattered Daniel's sleeve. "Sorry," he gasped out, and made a swipe at the stuff.

"S'okay," Daniel said with a little smile. "I've had worse on me. And at least it's white. No yellow, so you're not fighting an infection. And . . . no red," he added softly.

Jack nodded his head and started coughing again.

"You're just worn out." Daniel rubbed softer, then held Jack close and kissed his temple. "We should have waited longer to try that last leg of the journey. That last village, though, that last village, I just ran out of customers. The place was too small, so when the Tinsmith happened along, I thought it might be our last chance for quite a while."

"Don't have to justify--" Jack coughed, "--justify the decision to me, Danny. Your judgment--"

"Stop talking," Daniel said gently. "I'll get you some warmed ale. Lay down on your side for a while, okay? I'll be right back." He arranged the blankets around Jack's shoulders. "And a pot to boil some water, get the room more humid. Be right back."

"Ve--" Jack barked as Daniel opened the door. "Veil."

Daniel jerked to a halt in the open doorway. "Shit," he swore under his breath, then surveyed the hall for any men. Ahead of him the hallway was a gloomy tunnel. He could barely make out the figure of a child dressed in a drab brown shift. It was the child, Asny. She was struggling under the weight of a coal bucket as she moved down the hall toward him. She looked up and met his gaze.

Daniel blinked at her for a moment, then smiled, trying to assuage her obvious fears. The child froze in mid step, her arms trembling under the weight of the bucket. She peered up at him, then, in the dim, flickering light that spilled around Daniel's figure, she smiled at him. Her teeth gleamed bright in contrast with her dark skin.

"Is that for us?" Daniel asked, tilting his head toward her.

"Wh--" Jack croaked out half a word.

"It's the little girl. Asny. She's coming to deliver some fuel for the fire I think." Daniel stepped aside and let the child enter. She scurried right to the fireplace and began to heap coal in it.

"Did Tal send you up here?" Daniel asked as he closed the door and retrieved his veil. "It's very nice of you to keep the fire fueled. My friend, Highborn Jack and I appreciate how warm it is in here. Thank you, Asny."

The child glanced up at him, then covered her mouth with one soot-smudged hand and giggled nervously. She filled a coal box by the fireplace, emptying her bucket completely.

Daniel grinned back at her. Then as she began tidying the room he put his veil on. They left together, Asny toting the empty bucket and dirty dishes.

Deciding it was time to see how much freedom he could push for in the Ram's Head, Daniel passed through the great hall, right on Asny's heels, and followed her into the kitchen area. It was just as busy in here as it was out among the tables. Two huge ovens were blazing hot as meat and pastries were roasting in preparation for the mid-day meal. Several people were working in concert, preparing dishes Daniel could only guess at. But the big room was full of delicious smells. One wall was lined with huge kegs and he could see Tal supervising the filling of steins there.

"Tal, could I get some warmed ale, please?" he called out to her, keeping himself against the wall out of the way of the busy cooks and their assistants. As expected, all activity on his side of the room died down immediately, and people moved away from him. Daniel grimaced, but then forced a smile on his face. "Could I get it immediately? I don't want to wait to be served. I need it for my friend, something warm, but not too hot to drink. Now, please."

"Course, Highborn. Course. Want me to carry it up for ye? And food, if the Highborn Jack wishes."

"Not right now, thanks. But I do need to buy a kettle. I didn't bring one with us from our last place. I'd like to boil water in the room."

"Boil water?" she asked. "Highborn, if ye need soup, we've a whole kitchen--"

"I don't have time to discuss it. I need the warmed ale quickly. Can you make it for me right now?"

"Course, Highborn," she said as she selected a tall, pewter stein from those she'd just filled. She took it to the oven and withdrew a long, metal rod from the belly of the fire chamber, then slid it into the ale, heating the liquid quickly. "Good enough, Highborn? Warm, but not too hot, as ye wanted?"

"Fine," Daniel said quickly. "Add it to my bill, okay?" he said, then left without waiting for an answer.

Back in the room he found Jack curled up on his side, holding his stomach as he coughed.

"Here it is, Jack," he said as he pushed the veil back from his eyes. Gently getting Jack up into a sitting position, Daniel snuggled in behind him and held the tankard to help Jack sip the warm liquid.

"Mmm," Jack said as he paused after the first sip. "Helps." He swallowed more. "Warm."

"Yeah. It was heated with an iron from the fire. Very quick. Efficient. Just a little of it. That'll open your capillaries. Least, I think it will. Relax what needs to be relaxed. Then you get some sleep. I'll have the place more humid, and some stew ready for you when you wake up."

"Can't sleep."

"Can," Daniel said with a strained smile as he cradled Jack against his chest. He didn't get any bantering back from Jack, so his smile faded. He kissed the side of Jack's neck, letting his lips linger to see if the man was getting a fever, but Jack felt normal to him.

"Gonna lay you down. Need to take a piss first? No? Then you get some sleep. I'll see about that kettle."

"Danny," Jack caught at his wrist as Daniel started to leave the bed. When Daniel turned back to him, Jack smiled at him. "Love you."

Daniel gripped the hand resting on his arm, then bent low and brought his lips to Jack's brushing them softly with his own. "I don't doubt that," he murmured against his lover's lips. When Jack parted his lips Daniel deepened the kiss, his hands cupping Jack's sunken cheeks, stroking his tangled hair and caressing his long neck. He felt Jack's pulse beneath his fingers, the beat marvelously steady.

During the terrifying days of watching Jack fade as the spider venom ate at him, Daniel had succeeded where it counted most. He'd kept Jack's heart from being destroyed.

Daniel kept himself very busy for the next few days. He bought a kettle from the innkeeper and got the room more humid. He finally managed to get more than a single word out of Asny by asking her a question that required she speak, not just nod or shake her head.

With careful timing, watching for the time of day when the inn was least crowded, Daniel picked up a few scribing jobs, sticking to letters and shorter things that would not cut too much into the Scribe Hall's earnings.

Accompanied by Tal, he took a walk down to the bathhouse and ended up buying soap and a sea sponge that he put to use back in the room while Jack slept. Daniel shaved, then checking his groin, shaved that too, then gave himself a luxurious sponge bath with warm water. It was just so much easier to keep clean, staying shaved. And it made getting clean after an imparting much faster.

In previous villages Daniel had fallen into a routine of granting an imparting very late at night, when the hall had settled down and most patrons had been forced to leave to prepare for work the next day, or had fallen asleep

In Brooksmeet he'd spread the cloth twice before, and both times very late. Even with such a limited number of patrons, there would be a scramble to see who reached the chair opposite that snow-white cloth first. Coins and perhaps goods would be offered.

One early evening Daniel felt more tired than usual, but still wanted to start working harder on the purchase price of horses so he spread the imparting cloth out while the inn was still very crowded. A rush toward his table was too wild, frazzling his nerves. He sat at the small, round table, gripping the edge until the clear winner in the dash was seated in the big chair opposite him. Several moments passed before Daniel lowered his head enough to hide his gaping, startled look.

Coins were piled on the cloth, a very large pile. This man had been waiting at the inn every single day for a chance with Daniel. He'd finally won it and was apparently not going to hold back any coins for a second chance. It was all or nothing in the tight competition for the Sky's blue gaze.

After eyeing the pile of coins Daniel lifted his veil slightly and peered at the man. He looked clean enough, dressed in rumpled woolen clothing, which gave evidence to him having rarely left the great hall since Daniel's arrival. But he didn't stink. That wasn't true of all the men Daniel had subjected himself to. In the lower villages and when Jack was so desperately ill Daniel had taken any and all who came to him. Now he was lucky enough to be able to refuse men. But this man had bathed recently. His hair was clean and braided orderly. His teeth were somewhat clean too.

Daniel nodded and saw the man's face break into a broad grin. The bargain was opened.

As the man counted the coins for him, Daniel peered over his shoulder. Men and women were working hard at carrying on casual conversations, but the level of noise had dropped as it did during all of Daniel's imparting negotiations. None of the men were stroking themselves but he saw that more than one had to squirm around in their seats. A couple got up and left through the rear entrance that led to the out-house. He knew what they were going to do in that little bit of solitude.

A man and woman left, hastily making their way to one of the rented rooms upstairs at the rear of the inn. That's where Daniel and this man would be going soon.

"You have a room?" Daniel asked. He dropped his veil back down.

"Aye, a fine room and with clean covers as it be said ye want most. I mean, not said as in during an imparting, mind ye. Never would such be spoken of. Pardon, Highborn. Pardon. But clean coverings on the bed. Even not once have I slept with the covers opened. Promise ye they be clean."

"Fine," Daniel said tersely. "All the coins, and you'll get as long as you need to impart, until dawn. I have to be back . . . Until dawn if you need."

"Aye. Aye," the man said, grinning broadly.

"It won't take until dawn, though," Daniel said, making his side of the bargain as honest as possible. "I'm . . . tight. I don't want you to be disappointed in the bargain."

"Oh, aye. Never would I be such, Highborn. And . . . tight," he said, whispering the word as he shifted uncomfortably. "Aye, ye be known as . . . Aye."

So they did talk about him. That was supposed to be forbidden. Daniel glowered and considered shoving the coins back at the man. Across the hall a big worker caste man stood and adjusted his hard cock before leaving for the outhouse.

Daniel shivered and wrapped his arms across his chest.

"Ye be known as young, Highborn. And not tall so then of course . . . I be knowing, all would, that ye not be large. Though and still, this one appreciates ye honest bargaining. I will be not disappointed if even a mere moment be all I last."

"Fine," Daniel said tersely. "So you follow the Nortvegr. You don't talk about what goes on behind the veil."

"None do here, Highborn. Brooksmeet follows the Nortvegr. None in the tavern don't follow the Nortvegr."

"All right. Then I accept your offer for an imparting. Let's go now to your room."

"Aye," the man said, now sounding breathless. He rose and stood there, his head bowed and his pants bulging.

Daniel grimaced at the bulge in the man's pants. He looked huge. But then, they were all huge, all too big, all hurt. Sex hurt. He gathered the imparting cloth, bundling the gold coins in it and stuffed it in the loose pocket of his robe. The big worker caste man carried a flickering oil lamp he'd snagged from a nearby table, shuffled toward the stairs, going slowly so Daniel could keep up with him.

The great hall behind him was filled now with the most awful silence. He'd made the mistake of looking back a few times, of pausing by the bottom stair landing and peering back into the unnatural silence and seeing the people waiting breathlessly. Many of them would wait like this, silent and tense until the worker caste man returned. While Daniel was upstairs letting this stranger fuck him everyone down here would be thinking about it, one way or another. Some would break out into bawdy song, drink hearty or tell great tales of adventures.

With his jaw tense, Daniel followed the worker caste up the stairs and left, down the lamp-lit passage that led to tiny, airless rooms. Three doors down the man opened one and stepped aside. Daniel went in and waited until the big man joined him, the door shut, before he hastily began to strip. The veil came off first, and this let the man at his back breathe easier, to strip himself too.

Then Daniel, naked and pale in the bright lamplight pulled the top cover off the bed. Yes, the woolen blankets were clean. He laid down in the middle of the solid bed and rested his feet flat on the surface, his knees bent. He stared at the ceiling and waited. He should be stretching himself, getting ready.

"Oil," Daniel said. "Do you have some ready?" They almost always did. He had a small flask of oil in the pocket of his robe, but this man with the clean bed would have some.

A little, glass bottle was placed by Daniel's hand. "Good. I'm small. I have to prepare myself to take you first, or you'll hurt me. Understand?"

"Aye. Just so," the man answered. He was standing by the bed gazing down at Daniel's naked body. "As ye must, this I had heard."

"So you've heard how it is to lay with me?" Daniel opened the bottle and oiled his fingers.

"Nay, but not as of the particulars that are done during an imparting. So very wrong that would be. But aye, as to taking care, to pleasing ye as best we can."

"None of you can please me," Daniel said harshly. "This isn't about my pleasure, I promise you that."

"Aye," the man answered, but his voice had taken on a far-away aspect as lust began to rule his brain.

"All right. I'm ready. Let's get this over with." Finally Daniel took his gaze off the high ceiling and stared at the stranger's eyes. "I said I'm ready. Hurry it up." He spread his feet a little wider.

Wordlessly, the huge man clambered on the bed, bringing his thighs firmly in contact with Daniel's spread legs. He hooked his hands under Daniel's knees, just as Lars had done months ago in the low desert. He smiled down at the man beneath him.

Daniel clenched his lips into a firm line and kept his eyes locked with the big man's. In one swift motion he felt himself lifted and pulled lower down the bed, slamming his opening into contact with the rock-hard erection of the huge worker caste man.

With the shocking contact Daniel couldn't help himself. He flinched and let out a yelp of surprise. The stranger pulled him mercilessly tighter, using his thighs like levers. Daniel grabbed at the man's fingers, trying to align himself and prepare for the entry. Too swiftly the man jerked him onto his raging erection.

As if his body were nothing more than a glove, Daniel felt himself jerked onto the fat rod, his ass opening wide at the sudden intrusion.

"Slow!" he shrieked.

"Ah!" the big man gasped. His hips made rapid little thrusts, burying him inside.

Daniel bit his bottom lip hard, bracing himself as the tiny thrusts tore pain into him. He saw veins bulge at the stranger's temples. The man was trying to slow down.

"S--slo--," Daniel commanded, and then had to bite his lip to keep from screaming through one brutally hard thrust. Jack was just down the hall. He'd hear the scream. He'd know. He'd recognize Daniel's voice. He'd know. With a Herculean effort, Daniel kept his eyes open and the scream from escaping his throat.

The big man over him was sweating with the effort to obey, to slow down, to not jab himself in to the hilt.

Daniel snaked a hand down between their bodies, wrapping his fingers around the shaft that had yet to penetrate him. His fingers encircled almost half the monstrous intruder. Then with his other hand he reached up and tried to stroke the man's face. He'd hold the man out of him, keep him from going deeper, and try to trip the man over into orgasm quickly.

The stranger was biting his own lip. "Sky," he gasped out the word. "Lovely little Sky."

"Yes," Daniel hissed between clenched teeth. "Impart now. For God's sake, please. Oh! Oh, fuck," he cursed in fear as his bottom lip trembled.

The stranger bore down on him, pressing his hands into the back of Daniel's knees, doubling him up tight. Then the man rose, bearing more of his weight down through his cock.

Another inch slipped into him, despite his grip on the man's cock. Daniel yelped in pain. "Come." He ran his fingertips along the big man's eyes. Desperately he touched the man's hair, and then thought of a better idea. He touched his own hair, dragging strands of the long stuff down along his own cheeks. "Hair of . . . hair of honey," Daniel panted out the words. "Eyes. My eyes. Come."

"Eyes of blue," the stranger said as he made tiny, thrusting motions.

With his fingers still wrapped around more than half the man's cock Daniel felt it bloat, felt that swelling that comes just as a man reaches orgasm. He gritted his teeth and held on tightly, adding to the friction the man was getting from his plundered hole. Then it was here, the man's orgasm. He was coming. The organ in Daniel's hand pulsed, the fat tube on the bottom spasming as big globs of cum shot through it to be expelled into Daniel's body. Three great thrusts accompanied the spasms. Three times Daniel felt his world haze over with red.

Then the huge man was shoving back, uncoupling himself from Daniel and falling down on his side in the bed.

Daniel rolled to the edge of the bed, his naked legs and arms half hanging over the side. As the big man at his back gasped and wheezed, Daniel pulled at the edge, dragging himself away.

"Fair . . . ah, beautiful and right fair bargain, lovely Sky. Ah, was it ever so joyous. As all I had hoped."

"Y-- yeah," Daniel wheezed out his own acknowledgement that the bargain went well. He hooked his hands on the edge of the bed and pulled himself off, swaying on his feet.

"Ye did say to hurry. Ye said ye be ready and for me to . . . hurry, eh?"

"I did? Yes . . . yes, I did say . . . that." Daniel struggled into his clothing, falling against the bed and then the wall in his haste. He stepped into his boots, leaving them unlaced. The gold was heavy in his pocket, weighing that side of his robe down. He tugged the veil over his head. "Bargain's over." He jerked the door open, causing the flame in the oil lamp to gutter. Then he was through the opening and slamming the door at his back.

With a stumbling gait, Daniel fled down the hall toward Jack's room. He passed the stairs, hearing the people downstairs. They were waiting for the stranger to return, to show them all that he'd had a successful imparting. They'd buy him drinks, want him to sit with them. They'd want to touch the man and revel in his company. Because he'd just had his cock buried in Daniel's ass, had just shot his cum in Daniel.

He stumbled into the wall a few feet from Jack's door and stood there, huddled against the wooden surface. Daniel clutched his hands across his stomach, bending over in pain. Oil and cum was running from him. He bit his bottom lip and felt his head swim.

From the stairwell at his back he heard a couple of men's voices shouting out, reciting a very dirty limerick. These were people Daniel would have to face again, people he had to deal with, have meals with, live with until Jack was well enough to travel out of this village. And then there'd be another village, another inn, more strangers staring at him, watching him, imagining how it felt to slam their cocks in him, fuck him, fill him with their cum.

Silently, he made it into Jack's room, got cleaned up and slipped under the covers before his lover woke.

Endless days stretched together. During this time he forced himself to take several meals in the great-hall, picking up more of the local gossip about the mine guild-master who was blamed for several deaths. And most alarmingly, he learned several people had been killed in the past summer season by bear-like animals while hunting in the great divide.

So going a' Viking these days meant going hunting for big game animals. This was how these people earned glory. There were poets among them who composed tales of great courage. Looking at the big men around him had Daniel wondering, what kind of animal could kill in the gory ways described in these poems? And was there ever a time of year when it was safer to travel through the great divide? How could he get Jack through the craggy mountain range safely?

As the days passed Jack's cough eased up until one evening Daniel gave in to the thin man's nagging to go down stairs and get a look at the locals. He banked the fire and began to refill the steaming kettle. "Fine, Jack. But only for a little while. The place will be crowded tonight. Everyone's gathering for a market day soon. And even more crowded than usual because I did my sixth imparting here yester--" He broke off, sloshing a little water onto the fireplace hearth.

Jack rustled the bedcovers as he sat up. "Danny, if you'd rather not go down--"

"No. No, it's fine. I was just . . . I'm sorry, Jack." He stood, then gathered Jack's clean clothing. When he turned around Jack was staring intently at him.

"We could go down tomorrow--"

"It won't make any difference," Daniel said quickly. "I just didn't really want to talk about . . ."

"I'm not going to question you about . . . Okay," Jack said quietly.

"But we'll go down and have a meal by the fireplace. That table's always empty. The place could be packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder, and that table will be empty." He tugged the loose nightshirt off over Jack's head, rumpling his unkempt hair even worse. "You need a haircut."

"You too," Jack said with a sardonic smile.

"Nobody cuts their hair on this planet. They just braid it until it's too long to stand, then they whack it off with a knife.

"Shampoo would be nice," Jack quipped, then immediately winced. "I don't need any damned shampoo."

"Fine," Daniel said harshly, "because they don't have anything other than that sandalwood soap I found at the morning market in the village center."

"I meant don't buy me any--"

"I know what you meant," Daniel snapped as he carefully pushed Jack's shirt on his arms.

"Danny," Jack said softly, as he stopped Daniel by grasping his wrists. Jack closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't, Jack. Just . . . don't."

"Please," Jack whispered, then opened his eyes and gazed up at his lover. "I know . . . I mean, I want you to know that . . . I can't . . . "

"Let's not talk about it, okay?" Daniel dropped his voice to match Jack's whisper. "I'm sorry I brought up the imparting--"

"It's nothing to apologize for, Daniel. You're keeping me alive--"

"Both of us. I'm doing the only thing I can to get us home. It's not like I have much of a choice here." Daniel knelt between Jack's legs and pushed the shirt toggles through their loops. Then he began pulling clean socks on Jack's too-thin feet.

"Yeah. But if you were alone. If I wasn't weighing you down--"

"If I'd crashed on this damned planet alone, Jack, I'd be nothing but a freezing, naked sex slave. Do you realize that? For all they spout on about religion, I can't own any damned thing here. I can't buy anything unless it's understood that it's for you. If you weren't with me--"

Jack gripped Daniel's chin, forcing his face up. "If I weren't with you I'd be going out of my mind worrying about you. If you'd been taken alone, I'd be back on Earth right now driving Teal'c and Carter crazy in a mad hunt across the universe for you. I'd be--"

Daniel stretched up, pressing his lips to Jack's in a desperate kiss.

Jack groaned, clutching one hand on Daniel's shoulder while he pushed the other around the younger man's head. He ran his fingers through Daniel's long hair, gripping, tugging gently, deepening the kiss. The hiss and mild crackle of the fire punctuated the loving sounds of their long kiss.

Daniel melded his body to Jack's, straining upward. The bed was tall, and even though Jack was bowed down to meet him it was still a stretch for him to keep the kiss as firm as he wanted it. As he felt Jack sway Daniel broke off the kiss and scrambled to his feet. Gently he laid Jack back in the bed.

"Took your breath away, did I?" he asked with forced amusement.

"Always do," Jack said.

"Maybe we should just eat in the room--"

"No. We're going downstairs but not before I get some leg cover on. And the robe. It'll be cold in the stairwell, won't it?"

"Yeah," Daniel agreed, this time not having to force the lighter tone he used. "Okay, so supper down in the great hall, then a bath in the room. Clean sheets tonight too." Daniel pulled the stiff pants up, and got Jack's robe from its hook by the door.

"Yeah," Jack said. "Clean sheets."

As he was helped to his feet, Jack stopped Daniel and laid a hand along his cheek, forcing his gaze up once more. "Daniel, don't ever apologize to me again. Don't ever apologize for keeping me alive."

Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat and then tugged his veil forward.

Being with Jack in the great hall was such a totally different feel. As they shuffled toward the round table Daniel kept his head bowed, his arm firmly about Jack's waist, and grinned broadly as more of the big worker caste men hailed Jack. The men offered him a toast, or forwardly invited him to share their companionship for the evening. Jack nodded, waved a hand at some and declined all offers, whether he understood the language or not. Some of the offers seemed to include a young daughter or son's company. Some were merely for a tankard of ale.

Jack insisted Daniel scoot both chairs to the side by the fire and they sat touching, facing into the room. A robust wench, Canlith curtseyed before Jack. Tonight she had on a light colored blouse with a ruffled, low neck. Her breasts were more than half exposed, with the neck of her blouse coming down low enough to show part of her areolas. Daniel spared a quick glance at Jack and smirked when he saw where the man was staring. It wasn't at the wench's eyes.

"Food, Highborn Jack? And ale too?"

"Yes," Jack answered her clearly. "'No, wine. The . . . gray bottle," he explained, his use of the language halting at best.

"Aye, Highborn. Right quick," she said as she sped away, her long skirt swishing through the sawdust.

"See anything else you want? Something not usually on the menu at an Earth pub?" Daniel asked in English.

Jack arched a brow at him, trying very hard to look insulted. Before he could form a sharp reply Canlith was back with a bottle of the local wine and two stubby glasses. Her blouse had slipped on the way back, and one breast was completely exposed now. She arched her back, offering the ample, errant object for Jack's appraisal.

Daniel snorted.

"Hey," Jack muttered in English. "I'm willing to drink this piss-water with you. Least you could do is lighten up on the--"

Again Daniel snorted. "Uh huh. Don't suffer on my account." He looked up at the serving wench. "Canlith, an ale, please. And take away one of the glasses."

The woman straightened from the table and stared at Jack, her face showing the beginnings of panic.

Daniel studied her for a moment, then flicked his gaze to Jack who seemed just as bewildered.

"Canlith?" Daniel said. "Is there something wrong?" He lifted a hand to check that his veil was firmly in place. It was.

"H-- Highborn Jack?" Canlith said, haltingly, never taking her eyes from the man.

"Danny, what is it? Have we done something wrong?" Jack asked.

With a heavy sigh, Daniel shook his head. "I just forgot. You need to order it, Jack."

"What?" Jack turned in his chair to stare at his lover.

"You're awake. Obviously. Remember in the caravans when you're awake they tend to ignore me unless I tell them you want something."

"But the ale is for me," Jack protested.

"Maybe she didn't know that," Daniel said.

"This is stupid."

"You're telling me," Daniel said, his irritation showing. "But it's centuries of tradition we're bucking here. We do it their way, or we don't do it at all. This is what I've been dealing with for more weeks than I care to think about."

"All for a tankard of ale," Jack said, just as irritated with the situation as Daniel was. He sighed. "Tell her I don't know the word for ale. Which, by the way, I don't."

"She's not going to believe that--"

"I don't give a damn what she believed--" Jack was overcome with a fit of coughing. As he leaned against Daniel he waved a dismissive hand at the serving wench. "Maybe . . . need to rest . . . more."

As Daniel rubbed Jack's back between his shoulder blades, Canlith reappeared, two tankards of ale in her hands. She sat them by Jack, then backed away in a half curtsey, half crouch, leaving the wine and glasses where they were, also in front of Jack.

When the coughing eased, Jack sipped at the brew. "Mmm. Warmed," he said.

"They're very observant of you," Daniel said. "I don't know who passed the word along or how they figured out that was supposed to ease your coughing, but . . . " He shrugged. "Could you slide the wine over? I don't think I'm supposed to take it for myself."

"You could just do it anyway," Jack said. "Teach 'em--"

"I'd rather not buck the small stuff too much. Not until we understand the ramifications better."

"Yeah. Here," Jack said as he slid the gray bottle and a glass toward Daniel.

They drank in silent companionship as the people around them laughed and shouted to each other. No one approached their small, round table, but they often called greetings to Jack, wishing him good fortune, or raising a tankard in a salute. Someone stood on a table and recited a dirty poem which had most of the patrons roaring with laughter. A few bargains were being negotiated. A shepherd, a huge mountain of a man named Thaid, had brought a ram into the great hall. The innkeeper shouted at the owner to get the beast and its droppings back out into the cold night where such a woolly beast belonged.

Jack sagged in his chair and was bleary eyed with exhaustion by the time the food arrived. Daniel tried to stay aware of Jack, and at the same time, watch the crowd to see how differently they reacted with Jack present. Most acted as if Daniel was invisible, which wasn't that different than usual, but it now extended to the staff at the Ram's Head. That irritated Daniel so much he lost his appetite. He had wanted to just relax and enjoy a little time with Jack at his side, and instead he'd allowed his anger to spoil the evening.

"We should go up to the room. You look exhausted."

"I’m fine. Yeah," Jack said with a heavy sigh. "Okay. Just let me finish this ale."

Daniel sat back and crossed his arms, hiding his hands in the loose sleeves of his robe. There were several faces he hadn't seen before. One couple seemed to be trying to interest people in their bargain cloth. Daniel could see some kind of material on it, thick, bunched cloth. The woman looked harried, and her husband looked thin. They hadn't ordered any food or drink. They were probably in town for the market day.

He caught the man's name, Ulfrik, but not the woman's, and never did find out what they were offering in trade. With Jack in the room, Daniel didn't think it would be wise for him to get up and wander closer to the couple. Jack was barely holding himself up as it was.

The reedy sound of pipe music caught Daniel's attention. It was the first musical instrument they'd heard on Nortvegr. The musician piped along for a while, then put the instrument away.

"Okay, enough, Jack. We need to get up the stairs." Daniel stood and helped Jack to his feet.

"Yeah. A little ale and I'm down for the count." Jack hung onto Daniel as several people shouted good night to him. He waved briefly, then clung to Daniel. On the way up the stairs Jack brushed at Daniel's veil.

"Sorry I got so tired. Could have been a better evening."

"It was fine, Jack. For your first time out of bed? I'd say you did just fine. Almost to the top of the stairs. See how well you did?"

"You're carrying me. If you call that good."

"I do. Did you notice that big man?"

"They're all big, Daniel. Like giants. Everything here's big. The chairs are too tall. My feet don't touch the floor very easy. The bed's big. Too tall off the floor. Everything's too big."

"You think the chairs and bed are high, wait until you're well enough to use the outhouse."

Jack snickered. "There's a good image for me. You tiptoeing so you can take a piss."

"No tiptoeing. No urinal. It's just a wooden bench with a hole in it. A high wooden bench. Very high. So it’s the other business that presents a challenge out there."

"Ah. Well then I won't be in any rush to stop using the chamber pot. And can we change the subject? Please?" Jack asked with strained dignity.

"You're the one dwelling on it, Jack." Daniel grinned as he shoved the room door open wide and helped Jack to the bed. "But I meant the guy with the ram. He seemed confused."

"I didn't notice."

"When he was making a bargain. His name was Thaid, I think. I'll have to ask Tal about him."

"Why the interest?"

"He seemed different. I want to know, is it because of some meddling Nirrti did? We still don’t know what exactly she's done to these people other than increase their size and endurance. They seem to be completely disease resistant. No medicines, no doctors among them. Did she increase their immune systems too?"

Jack grunted as Daniel pulled his boots off. "Need sleep."

"Lie down. I'll strip you, then we'll get some sleep. The noise from downstairs is pretty dim tonight."

"Yeah," Jack mumbled, already half asleep.

Daniel didn't go downstairs until noon the next day. Jack had laid on the divan by the window all morning with sunlight pouring into the room all around him while Daniel massaged his legs. They both soaked up sunlight, and Daniel reveled in the freedom to be only partially clothed for a while.

With Jack freshly shaved, back in bed and full of warm stew, Daniel took his scribing supplies and went back down to the great hall for the noon meal. He saw the young couple he'd noticed the night before. They'd slept on the floor in the great hall, where anyone could sleep if they paid a small price, or if they bought an evening meal. He watched them huddled together in the corner, a bargaining cloth spread out.

Instead of going to his table, Daniel inconvenienced several patrons when he wandered slowly through the long tables. People scrambled back, avoiding any accidental contact. Daniel was careful to move slowly, giving everyone enough time to move away. As he got closer to the young couple he saw that the woman was knitting. She had a pile of scarves and sweaters on the table before her. They were mostly pale white, which was unusual on Nortvegr. She was working with very fine thread, and Daniel wondered if she could make softer socks. Jack needed something that didn't itch so much. And maybe sheets that didn't give him such a rash? That would be nice.

As more patrons withdrew to the exterior walls, their tankards or bowls of food clutched in their hands, Daniel withdrew from the long rows of tables and went to the area that had, by unspoken agreement, become his own territory. He heard people sigh in relief, and felt a flash of irritation at the limitations they constantly forced on his every movement.

Didn't he always move slow enough for anyone to get out of the way? Why were they still so skittish around him? When would they develop a trust in him?

"Maybe when you stop trying to order ale when Jack's with you. When you stop breaking their customs at every turn," he chided himself as he sat down. But he knew that he'd keep breaking customs, because to not do so meant accepting that he was barely more than Jack's personal slave.

The buxom serving wench, Canlith scurried out from the kitchen and curtseyed deeply in front of Daniel. He pursed his lips and felt his cheeks flush with anger. Last night still rankled him too much. "Is Tal available?" he snapped at her, noting that her full breasts were thankfully safely inside her blouse this morning.

"Aye, Highborn. Ye want her now?"

"Yes. Now," Daniel answered as he began to spread out his scribing supplies. The bright sunlight would be more than adequate for work today. He realized with a start that he hadn't missed his glasses in a very long time now. He'd gotten very used to the problem of his slight astigmatism, and now the adaptations he'd come up with were automatic to him.

"Highborn?" Tal called as she swung through the open kitchen door. She carried a tray of food for another patron and passed it off to Canlith, pointing out its destination without missing a step on her way to Daniel's table.

"Tal, good to see you today," Daniel said, trying to get some civility back in his attitude. He brushed at a few strands of hair that the veil hadn't held off his forehead well enough. "I'd like some food, please. And before you go, tell me what the young couple over there is offering for trade."

"Them?" Tal asked as she pointed a thumb to the corner of the great hall. "Him, Ulfrik, his wife does some fancy stuff with growing things. Plants. He calls them plant threads. Jarngerd does the making, she does. Weaver, most times he be. Ulfrik was a tanner until he fell on bad times. Then he does weaving. And Jarngerd, she does knitting of things. Not much will buy though. They be made of plants. Growing things. Not wool. Won't last, most think. Once she made a thing of woven grasses. I saw it with my own eyes, I did."

"Plant fibers? Like cotton?" Daniel asked, his eyebrows rising in interest.

"Co tone? Don't know what co tone be, Highborn. Plants, Ulfrik swears. Not good stuff. Won't last down here below the great divide. Can't last. Some say the Highborn city folk all wear plant threads. But down here below the divide we've little use for things that don't last long. Want ye some ale this day, Highborn?"

"No ale," Daniel said distractedly as he gazed through his veil at Jarngerd hard at work knitting in the dark corner. He tapped his fingertips on the table surface. He could send Tal or Asny over to purchase one of the ready-made items from the woman, but Daniel wanted to know if the stuff was actually plant fibers, if it was soft. He wanted a pair of socks for Jack.

When Asny had gone to the bath house and market with him, he'd pointed out what he wanted, stated a price, then the child had to hand the coins to the merchant, because it was a man. Could Daniel talk directly to Jarngerd? Get her to make him a pair of socks? Well, he could try.

He laid out the scribing cloth, but kept it folded closed. As he peered across the room at Jarngerd and her husband he finally caught them looking directly at him. Daniel tilted his head back far enough until he was sure they could see he was staring at them and he pointed, then crooked his finger, summoning them to his table.

The young couple looked as if they'd both received an electrical shock. If a zat had been used on them they couldn't have looked more shocked. But of course they'd be unconscious on the ground, Daniel realized with a grin. Though, as big as these people were, maybe a zat wouldn't take them down. No, surely it would. It would take down an unas.

As suddenly as the young couple's faces showed shock, Daniel matched it with a shocked look of his own. These people grew easily past the size of an adult unas. Was Nirrti trying some kind of backward engineering? Trying to make them closer to the first ones? The original hosts of the goa'uld? But the working caste were graceful people, with sharp intelligences. They weren't like the unas at all. Well, maybe that really big shepherd, Thaid, last night was somewhat like an unas. He'd seemed to move slowly, and he appeared to have trouble speaking and trouble understanding those around him.

Daniel realized he'd forgotten to ask Tal about Thaid. Then he realized that neither Ulfrik nor Jarngerd had moved from their table. He crooked his finger at them again and unfolded his scribing cloth. Jarngerd pushed her husband to his feet, speaking urgently to him in a tone that didn't reach Daniel above the noise of the other patrons. Several of them had turned to watch Daniel now. He was definitely doing something unexpected, he realized. He was blowing his efforts to stay within their expectations, to fit in, to become more accepted among them.

But he wanted softer socks for Jack.

Remembering the lesson Daniel had given them all on his willingness to refuse unwanted scribe business, no one rushed to take Ulfrik's intended place at Daniel's table.

Ulfrik stumbled as his wife gave him a hard shove, then she sat back on her bench, clutching the knitting to her chest. She looked even more frightened now. The young man walked toward Daniel, trepidation plain to see in each halting step.

He came to a stop before the round table. Daniel smoothed out his scribing cloth and indicated for Ulfrik to sit across from him. The young man sank into the chair as if he were sinking below rough ocean waves, never to breathe air again.

"Hello," Daniel began softly, trying to put Ulfrik at ease. "I realize you may not be seeking the skills of a scribe. But I wanted to know what you are offering in trade today. What is it that you and your wife make?" Daniel waited for an answer. "She's using plant fiber to knit clothing?" He paused again. "Could I speak with your wife, perhaps?"

Ulfrik stared at Daniel's robed chest.

"I'd like to see one of the garments she's knitted, please. Would you bring one back to the table here? I'd like to feel how soft it is."

Ulfrik continued to stare, and Daniel looked over his shoulder toward Jarngerd. She had her head bowed and seemed to be hyperventilating.

Daniel decided a different tactic was in order. "Go back to your wife and get one of the items she's finished. Bring it back here and lay it on my table. Go now," he said, making a shooing motion.

Ulfrik scrambled to his feet and fled back to his wife. He snatched up a cloth and ran back to Daniel, dropping it on the table, then standing behind the chair.

"Sit down," Daniel said, as he reached for the garment. It was a bucca, so soft to the touch that Daniel sighed as he ran his fingers over it. It had long, cloth fibers, and animal hair mixed together. "Cashmere," he said, delightfully. "Not what I want, but this is very nice. Your wife does great work."

"Highborn," Ulfrik said softly. "She does, my Jarngerd."

Daniel smiled, and was tempted to tilt his head back far enough to see the man clearly under his veil. "Does she make anything with just the plant fibers? This feels like cotton. Jack would love some pure cotton socks."

"Highborn, just of the plant alone, she makes many things. None hardly wish them, though. Preferring the wool. We have no more wool, Highborn."

"Fine. Can you bring me something made without wool? Wait," Daniel said as the young man jumped up. "Take this with you. I don't want you to think I'm going to keep it."

"Highborn," Ulfrik exclaimed as he took the bucca Daniel placed before him. He was gone and back again just as Tal arrived with Daniel's lunch. She sat it at his elbow, sparing a disapproving look at the new garment Ulfrik placed on Daniel's scribing cloth.

"Ahh," Daniel said. "Yes. This feels great. And such small thread. It must take a lot of work to spin this." He examined the linen strip, not sure what its intended purpose was. Maybe a towel? Or a scarf?

"Spinning be what I do well, Highborn. Spin the water grass, the cut-balls into thread. Wove a tapestry once. A very fine tapestry. Traded it for what was needed. Long gone though. Long gone now. A hand of winter's past."

"I'd like to speak with Jarngerd, see if she could knit a pair of socks this fine for my friend. Could I speak with her about a bargain?"

"Bargain with Jarngerd? Highborn, she be a woman! She has no need of . . . of what ye offer. Of . . . I mean, of scribing, Highborn. Of scribing."

"I understand," Daniel said, finding it suddenly much easier to be patient with Ulfrik than he had with other worker caste recently. He'd almost blurted out that his wife didn't need to fuck Daniel. And Daniel wasn't going to pull out the imparting cloth for a pair of socks. He cleared his throat.

"I have coins. Could she find a use for coins?"

"Coins? Ye'd value the plant fiber enough to spend a coin for some? Highborn . . . this one be honored."

"People around here don't seem to appreciate what you make, do they?"

"Not wool. Though, I've a mind that some day maybe they'll like the stuff as much as wool. Perhaps for a babe's bedding? Or we'll make it across the great divide and trade in the market of the City of the Highborn. If we're permitted to enter. If we find a patron."

Smiling at the rapport he'd seemed to establish with the young weaver, Daniel pulled out a small coin and laid it on the table. "If she can make me a pair of socks would this be a fair bargain?"

"Fair, fair, Highborn. This one thinks so indeed," he exclaimed as he eyed the coin hungrily. "But if the coin be all coming for the clothing ye wish, then more than two socks for its value. This one be an honest trader. As be she. As be Jarngerd. Honest. Value for value, Highborn."

"Fair enough. How long will it take her to make the socks? You can take the coin now, and bring me the socks when they're finished. And the size. I need them to be smaller than a working caste would wear, of course. Small enough to fit Jack."

"Indeed. Then ye wish to speak with Jarngerd for that reason, Highborn?"

"Yes. What other reason . . . Never mind. Yes, I do need to speak with her. Can you persuade her to come over here?"

It wasn't easy for Ulfrik to get Jarngerd over to Daniel's table. While he watched the young weaver persuade and bolster his wife, Daniel ate the steaming stew Tal had left him. It was full of meat, very tender, with cubes of a white tuber very similar in taste and texture to Earth potatoes. He savored the thick broth.

Jarngerd turned out to be a delight. She was beyond painfully shy, relying on her husband to keep her at the table, and to prompt her for answers throughout the one-sided conversation. Daniel felt confident he'd have Jack's socks by the end of the next day, and that they'd fit.

Jarngerd insisted six pair would be a fair trade for the valuable coin Daniel offered. He'd be able to keep two pair drying on a line in their room while he and Jack wore the other two pair, and had an extra clean pair. That way they'd always have clean socks. Daniel pushed the coin at the young woman, then finally let the couple flee his table. He was smiling broadly, his scribing cloth stretched out for a new customer when the inn door banged open against the inner wall.

An angular man strode in, his cheekbones prominent, his stride an inflated swagger if Daniel ever saw one. With his lip curling in distaste Daniel realized the man reminded him of Kinsey, the politician who climbed the ladder by destroying others. He'd sought to have the stargate program shut down, or placed firmly under his personal control. When he'd failed at both, he had gone after Jack and Daniel, bent on destroying them any way he could.

Peering at the man through the thin, lower layer of his veil Daniel saw him smirking at several of the patrons. Daniel kept his head still, feigning disinterest, but he peered around the room, using the veil to hide his line of sight. The room had grown quiet as voices dropped to a whisper. Neighbor nudged neighbor, lifting an elbow, or shrugging a head in the direction of the new arrival.

The sharp-faced man strode past Daniel's table, ignoring him, and stepping much closer than any man had dared to do before. He sat in one of the few chairs at the end of one of the long tables, and most of the people seated at on its benches slowly got up and moved to another table. The angular man snorted in amusement.

"Food!" he called, slamming his fist on the scarred wooden surface.

Daniel saw Tal peer out from the kitchen then disappear back inside. He saw a shift among some men near the newcomer. One man was staring at the angular man's back, and slowly withdrawing his personal knife from the leather sheaf at his waist. A friend beside him put a restraining hand on his arm and they both turned away, the knife slipping back into the sheath.

"Innkeeper!"

Tal scurried from the kitchen, a steaming platter held high in her hands. "Master Gunnlaug. Food for ye, sir. Ale comes. Canlith brings it even now, sir."

Canlith did appear then, hurrying from the kitchen. Her blouse had slipped down again, showing both of the brown circles crowning her breasts. As she sat the tankard before Gunnlaug he reached out and idly tweaked one. She gasped in pain and jerked away, clutching her hands over her chest.

Gunnlaug laughed at her pain. "Go sell your wears elsewhere, wench. I've no need of any as worn as they."

She didn't hear him. She'd fled into the kitchen before he finished his cruel laughter.

The man took a bite of the meat Tal had brought him, waving a dismissive hand at her at the same time. Then, with his mouth full, he called to her. "Send the inn keep. I want a room and some entertainment."

Tal paused at the kitchen door and glanced back at the man who was busy now, gulping the ale to wash down his food. She glanced around the room, her eyes lighting on Asny who was restocking coal in the great hall's fireplace. Tal clenched her lips in a tight line, then ducked into the kitchen.

Asny continued to empty the coal from her bucket into the huge fireplace. She stirred the coals with the long, black rod, then banked the ashes along the front. Dusting her hands off, she began working among the tables, gathering dishes. Her chores usually kept her out of the great hall, but with the influx of people gathering for the market day coming up, Tal had told Daniel the young girl would be unavailable upstairs during the mid day meals for a while.

As the innkeeper came in, wiping his hands on his stained apron Tal walked soft-footed behind him, then darted away toward Asny.

"Master Miner," the innkeeper said. The rotund man towered over Gunnlaug, rocked back on his heels and glared down his bulbous, red nose at the smacking man.

"A room," Gunnlaug said. "A quiet one, innkeeper. And that little slip of a thing you have making beds for these filthy lot. But wash her first. I've no desire to leave here with coal stains on me. Get enough of that I do, dealing with them that works for me."

"I don't work for ye, Gunnlaug. Show me a coin."

"Ha! I've more than enough. Got the leavings of those two who went down yesterday. Dead they be. Not coming back up."

Daniel saw the man who'd half drawn his dagger earlier. He was rising to his feet again, his face a mask of anger. His friend pulled at him and with another's help, got him out the door.

Gunnlaug didn't seem to notice the commotion at his back. He seemed superbly confident in his security. Master miner, the innkeeper had called him. Daniel wondered if that meant he was head of the local guild hall, or more. And he was renting a room and . . . and . . .

"Tal!" Daniel called, catching her as she returned from the bottom of the stairs. Where had she been? He scanned the room quickly. Asny was nowhere to be seen. Tal had spirited her away. As she approached him, Tal glanced nervously toward the innkeeper and the master miner.

"Highborn?" she said with a curtsey.

"Tal, I need . . . I mean, the Highborn Jack needs a tray of food brought to his room. He wants Asny to bring it, and then to stay and help him eat. Make sure she has no other duties, please."

Tal rolled her lips inward and glanced from Daniel to where her boss was speaking with Gunnlaug. "Highborn, if ye wish it, surely it can be made so. If ye wish . . . " She took a faltering step toward the staircase.

"Asny!" the innkeeper called toward the kitchen. "Canlith, get out here, wench. Fetch the girl from wherever she got off to."

Canlith stood in the doorway glaring at the master miner. She was wringing a towel in her hands.

"Canlith!" the innkeeper shouted.

The ample wench startled, jerking her gaze from Gunnlaug to the innkeeper. With a squeak of fright she fled up the stairs in search of Asny.

"Tal! Where's that lazy girl got off to?" the innkeeper called, then saw she was near Daniel's table. "Begging ye pardon, Highborn. Have ye a need of Tal?"

"She's on an errand for me," Daniel calmly replied.

"Highborn," Gunnlaug said, his voice rising as if he had just discovered Daniel in the room. "And offering to scribe for the poor souls here who can scrape together enough coins." The angular man stood, his tankard in one hand and a roasted bird wing in the other. He tore off a bite and chewed as he smiled at Daniel, never taking his eyes off him. After washing the bite down with ale, he handed the tankard to the innkeeper and sauntered to Daniel's table. "Innkeeper," he said, still staring at Daniel, "have the room ready right quick. And the little maid."

He pulled the chair out across from Daniel and dropped into it. His thin limbs sprawled casually. "So, young Highborn. I might have a need of ye services. I might. Ye've not many winters on ye, eh? Been south of the divide long? I'd say not, with skin that smooth. Trapped south by the winter, eh? I heard there was Highborn here. One who sleeps, and one who . . . scribes," he said, drawling out the word. "I'd make a bargain with ye. I've coin enough."

"Master miner," Tal interrupted. "The room be ready but the maid be--"

"What!" Gunnlaug sneered at her. "Wench, I be bargaining here. Ye interrupt!"

" . . . she be . . . busy," Tal finished weakly. "She be too young--"

Gunnlaug jerked to his feet and turned on her.

Quickly Daniel folded his scribing cloth in half. "Innkeeper," he called loudly, keeping his face down, "Jack needs-- Is the Highborn Jack's meal ready? You don't wish to keep him waiting. Asny is supposed to be taking it to him now, and staying to see to his personal needs."

"Highborn Jack?" the innkeeper asked, ire clear to see as he cut his gaze to Tal's flushed face. "Ye sent her with the meal? We don't keep the Highborn waiting here. Not at the Ram's Head, not as long as I'm master here," he added, redirecting his glare at the master miner. "Master of Ram's Head and all that happens here."

Gunnlaug straightened to his full, formidable height, and returned the innkeeper's glare. "Surely some older wench will do to serve a meal. That one with the sagging tits, I'd suspect--"

"Highborn Jack requests the child," Tal interrupted, then took a step away from Gunnlaug.

"See to it, Tal," Daniel said calmly, his head bowed. "And," he added, as he idly thumbed through his parchments, as if checking them for flaws, "Jack never shares what's been offered. Never."

The innkeeper planted his fists on his hips, then let out a slow hiss through his clenched teeth. "Aye. The offer was made. For as long as he be a paying guest at my inn." He stressed his ownership, his rule of the Ram's Head Inn. "Sorry, master miner, but the girl may not be had while the Highborn Jack resides here."

This time it was Gunnlaug who took a step back, his mouth gaping in frustration. With his entertainment plans thwarted he whirled back to Daniel's table.

Before the man could seat himself, Daniel ran a finger along his scribing cloth, making sure all near him saw that it was folded closed. No man could approach him now, or speak directly to him.

Gunnlaug's lips were drawn into a thoughtful pout. He eyed the folded cloth, then looked over his shoulder at the innkeeper.

Daniel was surprised then, when Gunnlaug began to laugh. But it wasn't a pleasant sound. He was reminded again of Kinsey. He watched warily as the master miner stalked out of the inn, his sneering laugh lingering like a stinking cloud behind him.

"Cost me some, I think, coal prices being set by that one," the innkeeper said as he eyed the closed door. "Nothing for it now, though. The Highborn was offered the girl. She be his to do with as he pleases." He turned back to his kitchen, and conversation noise built quickly in the great hall.

Tal let out a heavy sigh, and then turned to Daniel, her eyes bright with moisture. "Highborn, anything special ye want on the meal tray? Warmed ale?"

"No. Actually, just some water. Tell her to make sure the boiling pot is full, and not to wake Jack, understood?"

She came to his table and knelt, one knee on the sawdust covered floor by Daniel's foot. "Not to wake him?" she asked in a whisper. "But my master thinks . . . To honor the offer . . . "

Daniel looked at her. Though she was kneeling, she was as tall as he was seated. For a moment Daniel felt like a child beside the big woman. He pushed his toes down, aware again that this chair was made for the typical height of a working caste man. His heels didn't quite touch the ground when he was scooted all the way back in the chair.

"Jack could use a massage after his nap. His muscles ache." He peered under the edge of his veil. "A massage. Just a rub of his arms and legs mostly." Tal still looked confused so Daniel smiled to reassure her, then made circular motions on his own arm. "Rub the muscles to relieve the aches. I'll teach her what to do."

"Aye. Just so, Highborn."

Before she could rise, Daniel laid a hand on her sleeve. "You thought I meant he was going to . . . seek pleasure with her?"

She nodded, her eyes downcast.

"And you were willing to . . . I guess, eager to have her be with Jack instead of that man?"

"Highborn Jack, he's a gentle man."

"So it was because he's Highborn?"

Tal smiled and shook her head, keeping her eyes down. "Nay. Highborn Jack, he makes the child not afraid. As do ye. She came from the children's hall, the place for the young ones without family, and hadn't hardly spoke a word all her days here. She be a hard worker, though, she be. And earns her keep here. But, since the Highborn's come, she now has got a way about her. Works faster, and no crying."

"I see. Well, no one needs to know what type of personal service she'll provide Jack with, do they?"

"Just so, Highborn." Tal nodded, and then gave him a wide smile.

That evening Asny knocked on their door, and Daniel, his head bare, let her in. She carried more water, seeming to take this new duty very seriously. Perhaps Tal had explained what fate she'd narrowly avoided.

"You can check the kettle if you want, Asny, but I'm pretty sure it hasn't boiled down much since the last time you filled it."

She looked gravely disappointed for a moment, but then squared her shoulders and checked the kettle anyway. Daniel had used some of the hot water earlier to give Jack a sponge bath and a shave. It was a great luxury to have hot water always ready now.

"We're growing spoiled, Jack," he said as he straightened the blanket and helped Jack sit up straighter in the big bed. Then Daniel sat, leaning against the headboard, his arm around Jack's shoulder. He yawned and stretched his legs out.

"Asny," Jack called to the girl, "you plan on helping Daniel spoil me?"

The child glanced back at him and grinned shyly, and then busied herself working the coals around in the fireplace. When she was satisfied she stood and turned to face the bed.

"The weaver, Highborn," she whispered.

"Weaver?" Daniel asked her.

The child looked up at Jack, her eyes avoiding Daniel completely. "Weaver be here."

"Oh, the weaver? Ulfrik? Is he here?" Daniel asked, then climbed off the tall bed and searched for his veil.

Asny scooped it from the divan and held it out to him, her head bowed low.

"How did you know I wanted that?" he asked, but got no answer. "Jack, I think the guy I traded with might have a question about something his wife is making." Daniel tied the veil on, but pushed the front up as he spoke to Jack. "Or maybe his wife has managed to get brave enough to speak to me. They're both weavers, really. But she knits. Anyway I don't suppose you really needed that explanation. I'll just go down and see what they want."

"No," Jack protested. "Let Asny find out. It's warm in here, Daniel and you're tired. Stay here and rest." Jack punctuated his sentence with a cough.

Daniel halted in mid motion, as he was struggling into his robe. He looked at Jack and saw that he was smiling gently. Maybe he really just wanted Daniel's company, and wasn't worried about any imparting.

"Be here," Asny stressed, this time pointing at the door.

"Outside our door?" Daniel asked in surprise. Before the girl could answer him he opened the door and peered into the hallway.

"Jarngerd, Ulfrik," Daniel called to the two worker caste whose bulky outlines filled the passageway. "Do you have a question about the trade?"

"Danny, invite them in. What did you trade for? Can they come in?" Jack asked. "It’s warmer in here, and the air's nice and humid. Have them come in here. You don't need to be down in that cold hall tonight."

"Come in," Daniel called to them, stepping aside and holding the door wide. "The Highborn Jack says you should come in here," he added, then stepped back to the side of the bed, leaving ample space for the two to enter.

Ulfrik stepped into the doorway, with Jarngerd all but hiding her face in his armpit. "The child was to say they are ready. Two are, Highborn, for you. That be all. She was supposed to ask if we might leave them at the door. Not ask if we should come in. It be not for the likes of us to come in."

"Nonsense," Jack said. "Get in here. What are you delivering?"

"You heard him," Daniel said to the young couple. "Please, come in. Have a seat." He pointed at the divan where Jack spent his mornings.

"Weavers?" Jack asked as the timid couple scurried across the room, moving, for all their bulk, gracefully to the divan. It held them easily, having been made for worker caste.

Ulfrik sat with his arm around his wife, and both stared at the dark, wooden planking of the floor. Asny moved to the young couple, seeming more at ease than she'd ever been.

"This is Ulfrik and Jarngerd," Daniel introduced them. "This is the Highborn Jack. Would either of you care for some wine?" Daniel asked. He took a step toward the table at their side, but when they both flinched inward on themselves, he stepped back by Jack's side. "Asny?" Daniel said.

The child smiled quickly, and then moved to pour a small bit of the brownish wine in the two glasses on the table. She held one out to each of the worker castes. They took the wine, thanking Jack profusely and insisting they weren't worthy of the honor, but not refusing the drink, none-the-less.

"You have a question about the measurements?" Daniel prompted.

Jarngerd shook her head, and then handed her glass to her husband. She opened her brown tuc and pulled out two finely knitted socks. "Two more will be ready tomorrow, Highborn."

"Oh my," Daniel exclaimed. "That was fast work. They look great," he said as he forgot her timidness and went quickly to her. He took both socks, rubbing them to feel the luxurious softness and peering at them under the edge of his veil. "Oh, they're just what I wanted. Cotton socks, Jack!" he exclaimed as he rushed back to the bed.

"Cotton?" Jack said, perking up as he saw what Daniel held. "Soft? Oh, man. My lucky day."

"They feel great. Let me try them on you. They're made of a very fine spun thread. When it's really cold you can wear these inside your wool socks. Won't that feel great?"

Jack and Daniel together pushed the covers down the bed and happily got the socks on Jack's feet. Moving so much had Jack coughing for a moment.

"Ahh. Spoiling me rotten, Daniel." Jack scrunched his toes up, running his feet up and down in the bed. "I can't believe how good a simple luxury like soft socks are. Ahh," he sighed the sound again as he laid his head back against the tall pillows and closed his eyes.

Daniel beamed a smile at the young couple. "That was very fast work. I hope you didn't neglect any other orders to do mine so quickly."

This time it was Ulfrik who did the nudging, and Jarngerd who managed to speak directly to Daniel. "Nay, Highborn. No others buy from us here. We've no wool left. Worker caste, they don't care for the growing threads as it be said those in the Highborn city do."

"Well, maybe they've just never thought of the idea of using the stuff as glove liners or socks. Or underclothes. You do weaving out of this thread too, right? I'd like to have you make a shirt--" he broke off as he searched through his things and found the tattered remnants of his BDU tee shirt and handed it to her. "If you could make a couple of garments like this? Of course the neck would probably have to be looser, this one stretches, and I imagine that's not possible the way you knit."

The woman studied the garment intently. Daniel watched her for a moment, then went back and sat by Jack again, their shoulders touching firmly.

"Have you been to the city of the Highborn?" Jack asked.

"Aye," Ulfrik answered. "When I was but a babe, my da went there to trade tanned hides, Highborn."

"We'll be going there across the mountains soon," Jack assured him.

"Not soon, Highborn." Ulfrik said as he shook his head.

"No, not soon," Daniel agreed. "Jack has some healing to do. I understand it's best to travel through it on horseback."

Ulfrik dropped his gaze to the floor when Daniel spoke, then he looked up at Jack. It was clear that he'd heard Daniel's comment but he continued to address Jack.

"Horseback through the great divide, when the ground be not soaked with winter melt-off. Some go through then on foot, with the small pack-beasts. But hard on the heels of that time summer comes. No traders travel the great divide when the claw beasts are out of their hiding. They tear a man so that he be tattered and dead."

Asny had been quietly sitting by the hearth until that moment. She sucked in a breath and covered her face with her hands.

Daniel glanced at her, then turned to Ulfrik. "They leave hibernation in summer?"

The young weaver continued to address Jack. "They leave their hiding places and hunt men. None go traveling unless they go to hunt and kill the claw beasts. Be ye a hunter, Highborn Jack? I've never heard tell of a Highborn hunting the claw beasts, and no Sky should be placed in such a path of danger. Surely ye mean to go by way of the sea after the melt?"

"Why can't you answer Daniel directly?"

Ulfrik blinked at Jack.

"Daniel," Jack prompted him again. "Highborn Daniel."

"Jack," Daniel cautioned, placing a hand on the reclining man's shoulder. He murmured in English, "They don't . . . They can't use my name."

"What?" Jack asked, sounding mystified. "They can't use your name?"

"No. It's some religious thing. A Sky caste doesn't seem to have a name. I suppose it keeps them more anonymous or mysterious or something." He shook his head.

Jack turned back to Ulfrik. "I'm not going to pretend that Daniel doesn't have a name. Everyone has a name. If you can't use his, fine. But I won't pretend that he's not in the room or that he doesn't deserve to be spoken to, or doesn't deserve the courtesy of being answered when he asks a question. Understand?"

Ulfrik slid from the divan and knelt on the floor, his forehead pressed to the bare wood. "This one offends," he declared.

Jarngerd clutched her hands to her face in the same way Asny had. She began to weep in fright.

"Well, now you've gone and done it," Daniel said. He got up off the bed and took a step toward the prostrate man. "And I don't have any idea how to fix this." He put his fists on his hips.

"Come back here," Jack snapped at Daniel. His command was punctuated with a cough. "Sit down. Now, Ulfrik, get up. Get up right now. Sit beside your wife and pay attention."

The young man scrambled to his feet and sat ram-rod straight beside the weeping woman. His eyes stayed focused on the floor.

"You were doing just fine when you were talking to Daniel about the socks. Why start ignoring him now?"

"Highborn Jack," Ulfrik said, breathing heavy, and making his words gush out, "to speak of a bargain, to deliver the socks, that be proper. To speak to a . . . a Sky," he whispered, cringing and clenching his eyes shut, "outside of any bargain about an im-- im--" He wrapped his fingers over his mouth and shook his head.

"Okay, so you can talk to him about a bargain, but not otherwise? That's taking things a bit too far."

Daniel spoke to Jack in English again. "There are all kinds of precedents for that on Earth," he said with a shake of his head. "You don't speak to royalty unless they speak to you first. Or the Pope, for instance--"

"I got it, Daniel. But you did speak to him, asked him a direct question."

"Jack, if you're going to buck the small stuff we're never going to get anywhere--"

"Treating you like an object is not small stuff. You're accepting this like it's nothing."

"No I'm not," Daniel said tersely. "I've been slogging through this mess for months, having these people shove me into a glass cage, isolate me, ignore me, shun me. At least until they want to fu--" He twisted away from Jack. "I'm not accepting it. I'm just surviving in it the best way I can." He sat on the side of the bed, his back to Jack.

Jack looked at the cowering young couple. "Go wait in the hall. Asny, take them--" he broke off as a fit of coughing took his breath away. "Take them into the hall and keep them there until I call you all back in. Go," he shooed the girl, clearing his throat to stave off another cough.

The child took the man and woman by their hands and led them out, closing the door behind her.

"Danny," Jack said as he leaned over and tugged at Daniel's sleeve. He pulled with all his might, which was barely enough to get Daniel to lean back. "I need you," Jack said, and got Daniel in his arms instantly.

The younger man stretched out on top of the covers, molding himself to Jack's body, his head pillowed under Jack's chin.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I'm dealing with it just fine."

"They're forbidden to say your name? I hadn't realized that. Can you forgive me?" Jack said, pulling the veil back and brushing his lips against Daniel's hair. "I've been so wrapped up in myself, I hadn't noticed."

"It's okay. You've kind of been a bit busy trying to stay alive. And them not using my name is . . . It's no big deal, really Jack."

"Don't say that again," Jack said softly. He tugged the veil completely off and ran his fingers through Daniel's long hair, "or I'll have to kick your ass."

Daniel turned his head and kissed Jack's neck, his lips parting slightly to taste the man's bare flesh. "Maybe in a few weeks you can kick my ass."

"I think we're fooling ourselves. It's going to take more than a few weeks before I'm able to do any kicking. My muscles feel like guitar strings."

Daniel rested his head against Jack and listened to his steady heart beat. Jack was right. His muscles were so thin, so delineated it was still shocking, even though Daniel had watched them slowly disappear. He was so emaciated that each rib, his collar bones, the bones in his feet stood out like spikes. Walking was actually dangerous for Jack right now, because he had no protective pad of muscle over those bones and tendons. And weight had to be added slowly, or his heart could be damaged by the shock.

"Danny . . . I'm sorry. For what you're going through. The things you have to do here, the way they treat you. I’m sorry it's happening to you."

"You almost died. In the low desert before we found Lars. In the caravan with Hulda you had such trouble breathing. And in Thorbalstead, you couldn't even open your eyes, couldn't even look at me. I was isolated then. Truly alone. What these people do, the way they pretend I'm not here, it's nothing compared to the feeling of being without you."

"I'm here, I'm awake now."

Daniel smiled, his lips moving against Jack's warm flesh.

"I have a question for you, though," Jack said.

"What?" Daniel asked as he sat up and smiled broader at Jack.

"You haven't found anyone with medical knowledge here. No medicines, no help in taking care of me. How come you've done such a good job?"

"What do you mean?" Daniel lifted an eyebrow.

"I mean, you got that protein in me, and you keep talking about avoiding damage to my heart. How do you know all of that?"

"The bounty hunter said--"

"I mean, about putting the weight back on me. Stretching my tendons. And you keep saying the weight has to go on slow. Protein. All that. No starchy foods. No bread."

"Oh," Daniel lifted both eyebrows and dropped his gaze to his hands. "I know about anorexia, about how to recover from it."

"How? I mean, how in the world would you know that?"

"I was anorexic when I was in high school. It was kind of a bounce from losing my parents. I was a bit of a perfectionist for a while. Over-achiever."

"Over-achiever? You?" Jack said with a little mock surprise in his tone. "I didn't think boys got anorexic. I could see Carter being that way, though. She gets so focused."

"Boys do. Gifted boys, they say. Ones who feel like they have no control over their own lives."

"That's an issue for you?" Jack asked, reaching out and taking Daniel's hand. "Is that why it's so hard for you to deal with the military?"

"Hm. Probably. But perfection too. I thought that if I'd been the perfect son my parents wouldn't have died. I kept trying to make my life perfect, keep it in control. Then of course, I met you," Daniel said with a wicked grin, "and gave up that idea quick."

"What? Having me in your life isn't perfection? I feel insulted." Jack coughed a little.

Daniel laughed softly, touching his forehead to Jack's. "So what are we going to do about the traumatized weavers in the hall?"

"First, I'm going to kiss you. Then we can call them back in. Find out about that claw thingy animal."

"Mmm. I like the kissing part of that plan."

Jack took Daniel, wrapping his too-thin fingers around the back of his lover's neck.

With the slightest of pressure on the back of his neck, Daniel responded to his lover's urging. He opened his lips and met Jack's own open kiss, sighing with pleasure. Jack was a superb kisser, always so very attentive, so willing to meet Daniel's needs without overwhelming, or callously dominating him. It was exquisitely easy to submit to Jack this way, but he never felt as if Jack was taking his submission for granted, or not valuing it highly.

And for all that, Daniel loved him deeply. The way Jack kissed was exactly the way he loved Daniel. It was a possessive love, solid and unwavering and given freely. Daniel was always surprised to realize that he loved submitting to Jack this way, submitting and being led through their lovemaking. Submitting to Jack's lead in bed was never hard. Odd that their working relationship was so full of confrontation, of strong wills and divergent purposes. But never in bed.

Jack pushed Daniel back and gazed hard into his eyes. "I'll try not to buck the small stuff, as long as it is small stuff. And I'll try not to fight the impossible stuff, even if it's more important to me than showing respect to every one of the people on this whole damned planet."

Daniel met his intense gaze solemnly. "I've found out how impossible it is at nearly every village and in every caravan we've traveled with. We either abide by their religious laws or they leave us for dead. No food, no water, or heat, and we'll both die, Jack. You understand?"

With a heavy sigh Jack dropped his gaze to where he held Daniel's hands. "I really only vaguely remember Lars. I don't know how we found them, if they found us, or what. But I remember him talking on and on about death, about how you had to do what he wanted or die."

"I . . . Yeah. Things . . . their religious laws haven't really gotten more lax as we've traveled north. I had hoped with living being easier, with water, food easier to catch, things might ease up. But maybe it's because we're closer to that city, or because Highborn do come through here occasionally, that the people here live by the Nortvegr just as stringently as those in the low desert."

"Well, I'll question the weavers, see what I can pick up from them, and when I'm feeling better--" As if to remind them both of how ill he was, Jack doubled over on the bed, coughing until he felt faint. Daniel rubbed him between his shoulder blades and supported him until the coughing subsided. "When I'm better I can stay downstairs and pick up some intel on the best routes to travel to the Highborn city."

"Good," Daniel said as he climbed off the tall bed and retied his veil over his head. "Asny," he called toward the door.

There was a very timid knock in answer to his call, so Daniel opened the door and waved for the three to come back into the room.

"Sit," Jack said as they plodded morosely back into the room. The young couple took up their former places on the divan, and Asny sat by the fireplace, poking at the ashes.

Daniel sat on the bed by Jack, his veil firmly back in place, down over his eyes. He looked through the gauzy fabric, taking in the nervous clenching of Ulfrik's hands, and how Jarngerd was rapidly flicking her gaze between her husband and Jack.

"Asny, fetch some ale for the Highborn Jack. Four tankards. And . . . a tray of meat and bread. A large tray."

The little girl didn't hesitate to obey Daniel. As quick as a flash she was gone out the door.

"Look," Jack started in English, then shook his head. He tried again, surprising Daniel at how fluent he'd grown since he'd been awake enough to really listen to conversations around him for any length of time. "I need information about traveling to the city of the Highborn. I'm not used to the conditions around here, so I want you to tell me what you know. Pretend that I know nothing, nothing of the claw beast or about travel by boat, understood?"

"Aye," Ulfrik said with an enthusiastic nod. "But, this one has offended--"

"That's all in the past. I understand what your limits are, and I'm sorry I tried to . . . "

"Test you," Daniel whispered to Jack. Lars had insisted their ignorance was all feigned to test his loyalty to the Nortvegr. It worked then, it should work now.

"Test you," Jack repeated loudly. "Test you. And you passed. You sure did. So we're all square on that, right?"

Ulfrik nodded vigorously and beamed a smile at his wife. "A test. We passed," he assured her as she sagged against him.

"But you see, I've been ill. You know, Highborn get ill, right? So sometimes I do actually forget things, and Daniel just helps me. That's what he's supposed to do, right?"

"Aye, Highborn. To help us all. Help us. The way to the gods. Blessings on us all. Even the Highborn need blessings?"

Jack flinched and looked as if he'd bitten into something bitter. "No. I mean, he helps me remember to ask the right questions, and he takes care of things for me."

"But where are ye servants, Highborn? Such should be their duties. Ye have the child, Asny, but surely ye have more here? But none know of them. They all say it be a terrible thing, a Highborn without his servants around him. And a Sky--"

Jarngerd slapped her hand over her husband's mouth. Her eyes were wide open now. "Offending again. Do not speak that word again. The veil be on. He might not forgive a second offense."

It was surprising to see how bold she'd become. Daniel tilted his head back and peered at Jack. The beading he'd had added to the veil tickled his cheeks. The weight of the beads helped anchor it down in stiff breezes and kept his vision clearer. Trying to look through whipping cloth was a problem, especially when walking across rough terrain amid a caravan of giants.

"I only say the word, I don't call him that," Ulfrik protested behind her hand.

"Just don't, Ulfrik. Please," she said urgently. "I would die if he asked for ye death."

"I won't ask for his death," Jack said. "Or did you mean Daniel? Daniel wouldn't ask for his death either. He wouldn't."

"Has this one offended?" Ulfrik asked Jack. "We follow the Nortvegr."

"You haven't offended. When you do, if you do offend me, I'll let you know. I'm not much for putting up with offensive people, unless they have the title, senator before their name. Or . . . general. That one'll get you pretty much free license to be as offensive as you want."

"A jest," Daniel said to the bewildered couple. "A Highborn jest."

"Yeah," Jack said with a nod. "A jest. Perpetrated pretty often on the American people, who for some strange reason keep voting those jests back into office term after term. Maybe the public is hard up for good comedy entertainment."

"Jack," Daniel said with a warning tone of voice.

"Yeah, as I was saying, I want you to tell me about the travel routes to the Highborn city. And do we have to do a little trade for the information?"

Daniel leaned close to Jack's ear. "Food. I don't think these two have eaten since they arrived here. Slept on the floor downstairs last night, and apparently they can't get anyone to buy what they have to offer. They're probably broke. I haven't seen them buy any food or drink."

"Oh. That's why you sent Asny down? Always thinking, aren't you, Daniel?"

"Is there any other way to be?" Daniel asked with a small grin.

"A bargain? But no goods to exchange, Highborn. Telling of a way to go has no value."

"Does to me," Jack argued. "We have a map-- Daniel, show him the map. We got a map a few towns ago. I don't remember which one. But it shows that mountain range on it. And I think it shows the low desert where our space ship crashed in --"

"The western cliffs," Daniel interrupted him as he pulled the rolled up map from his tuc, "where the sailing ship crashed."

"Uh, yeah. That's right. On an iceberg, probably," Jack said with a snort of derision. "The S. S. Titanic."

The sarcasm of his companion struck Daniel as beautiful. Jack really was healing. He laid the map on the round table by the divan and retreated to the bed to sit against Jack's side. There, he couldn’t help smiling at Jack like a silly child.

Jack lifted one eyebrow and grimaced at Daniel before continuing. "Like I was saying, if you can give me some information, I'll trade you some food."

"Highborn, information be not worth a bargain. Ye are not hiring me as guide. I provide no goods, no service to ye--"

"As a servant for the evening," Daniel whispered to Jack.

Like before, Jack repeated what Daniel whispered to him. "You did say I needed servants, didn't you, Ulfrik? Asny's only acting as our servant while we're here, so short-term contracts are allowed, aren't they? You two be our servants for the evening. Serve us by giving us this information, and we'll give you food and some ale in exchange. Sound fair?"

Suddenly Jarngerd slid hard to the floor, her knees hitting the wood with a double thud. She bowed forward, pressing her forehead to the floor and Ulfrik was right there with her before Jack or Daniel could draw another breath.

"Honor," Ulfrik declared. "Honor. We . . . Honored, Highborn."

"Hmm. I take it you accept the deal?" Jack asked. "Daniel, I think they've accepted the deal." Jack coughed harshly.

"Uh, yeah. I think you got that one right."

A scratching at the door indicated Asny had returned. Before Daniel could rise to let her in, Jarngerd rose, looking for a moment as if she was in a sprinter's crouch. She opened the door, scurrying backward in a bow out of the child's way.

Asny paused in the door, eyeing Jarngerd suspiciously. Then she saw Ulfrik still bowing, his head on the floor. She blinked at him for a moment, then hurried in, placing the heavy tray on the table. It was laden with four of the huge lidded tankards, and also sported a platter of meat that was piled almost as high as one of the tankards. Tied
across her shoulders was a stretch of cloth that worked as a sling, carrying several round loaves of bread.

She placed each piece of bread carefully on the table, then turned to Daniel to show him that her hands had been freshly washed. He smiled at her and nodded. The girl grinned shyly.

"Your hands are very clean. Thank you. You want to slice the bread for us, Asny?" Daniel asked. He'd had quite a time explaining to her that she had to wash her hands before handling anything intended for Jack's use. She now had her own bar of soap, kept safe in a little wooden box she carried in her skirt pocket. At night she said it stayed safe under the pallet she slept on in the servant's room in the attic of the inn.

"Heat?" she asked Jack, tapping one of the tankards with a fingertip.

"Yeah, heat one of 'em up." He slid down a little in the bed, closing his eyes. "Got a headache."

"Then rest a while. I'll make sure they eat, and when you feel better we can talk to them about the map." Daniel blew out the candles by the bedside, and then he tucked the blanket around Jack's shoulders and turned to Asny. She was lit by the fireplace now, its yellow flames making her cocoa toned skin glow.

"Is there water boiling in the kettle? The air's a little dry in here. Too dry for Highborn Jack."

Asny checked the pot, and Jarngerd peered over her shoulder. The two spoke in low tones, then Jarngerd used the dipper hanging by the fireplace to get water from a covered wooden bucket and pour it into the steaming kettle.

The child turned back to Jack, her face screwed up in a look of deep concern. She flicked her gaze from him to Daniel, then back to Jack.

"What is it?" Daniel asked. "Jack's resting. What do you need?"

"Servants?" she asked, her tone almost accusing.

"I don't understand," Daniel said.

Asny pointed a very clean finger at Jarngerd, then at Ulfrik who was kneeling on the floor, in a very subservient posture.

"Oh, uh. Just a temporary thing. They've made a trade with Jack."

"Just so," Jarngerd said with a very pleased smile. "To be the Highborn Jack's property for this night. So we can speak with ye, Highborn."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up as he pondered this revelation. Servants of Jack could speak with him. But didn't Lars' wife speak freely with him? She did. He reflected back on their conversations and realized they were all limited to the bounds of the trade agreement, to care for Jack, to get the caravan carrying Jack moving, to see to Daniel's needs because they were serving Jack. All the trading Daniel had done was to take care of Jack.

Asny began slicing the bread, and Jarngerd called her husband to her side. The two whispered for a moment, then Ulfrik was the one whispering with the child. Asny showed them a basin of water and had them rinse their hands, then loaned them her personal soap. She poured fresh water over them herself, and then decided they were clean enough to be of service to the Highborn Jack. Then she pointed at a black, metal rod resting inside the large kettle and sent Ulfrik to it. He used a piece of his own woven, cotton cloth to pick it up and hold it carefully in the clean flames of the fire.

Jarngerd stood across the table from Asny and Daniel could barely hear them quietly whispering about soap. The woman had noticed Daniel inspecting the cleanliness of the little girl's hands. He watched them work, bathed in the warm glow of the fireplace. Daniel relaxed back against the headboard of the bed, his body half curled around Jack's head and shoulders. He tucked his robe down over his legs and snuggled closer, one hand resting on Jack's back to feel his breathing.

Maybe they'd opened and closed the door too much, letting out too much of the moist air. Jack hadn't coughed this much last night. But he also hadn't talked this much. A hissing drew his attention toward the table and he saw Ulfrik holding the heated rod in a tankard of ale.

"S'my drink?" Jack murmured. He stirred.

"Yes. You want it now or would you rather sleep a while?"

"No. Darker in here. You blew out the candles. That helps. Wanna sit up."

"Here, baby," Daniel said as he lifted Jack into a sitting position. It was still too easy to lift Jack.

"Mm. Baby. If they ask, tell 'em it’s a secret name that only Highborn use. Along with honey and dumpling."

Daniel snorted. "When have I ever called you dumpling?"

"Haven't. But I was reserving that. Gonna call you dumpling on your next birthday. Was gonna be my surprise present for you. Better than a tie, eh?"

This got Jack another snort. "I'll take honey. But I'm returning dumpling to the store and exchanging it for a toaster."

"Wouldn’t dare."

"Would."

Jack coughed. Asny took the warmed ale from Ulfrik and brought it to Jack.

"Thank you, dumpling," Jack said to the girl. "Need a toaster?"

"Toast bread?" she asked.

"If you want some," he said, smiling at her. "Have you eaten tonight?"

"Ate," she said with a nod. "Did."

"Then why don't you go ahead and get some sleep? You've had a long day."

Asny stepped back and frowned. She glanced over her shoulder at the two weavers standing by the table, then peered back at Jack.

Daniel reached over Jack and made a motion for her to step back to the bed. "Asny, tomorrow when you get up, come here so you can take care of Highborn Jack, just like you always do. No one is taking away your duties, understand?"

"Like always?" she asked.

Jack coughed, and Daniel steadied the drink for him as the cough grew deeper, making his eyes water. When he wiped them dry Jack looked up at Asny. "Like always. You're my number one helper."

She curtseyed deeply, then left, leaving the four grown-ups to the food and ale.

"Jarngerd, see the plate on the mantle above the fireplace? Would you put some meat and bread on it and bring it to Highborn Jack?"

She moved quickly to fill his request. Heaping the plate with more than it could hold. Thinly sliced meat spilled off onto the table. Daniel calmly told her to take half the meat off and she reluctantly complied. Then as Jack chewed idly at what she'd given him, Daniel almost had to force the young couple to eat. Jarngerd produced a bowl from her tuc and took a small portion to share with her husband. They sat on the floor by the hearth and ate. Daniel got off the bed and made them even more nervous by forking more meat into their bowl and ordering them to eat it all. He handed them each one of the round loaves of warm bread, then a tankard of ale. The platter Asny had brought still held a generous portion of meat. Daniel made himself a sandwich and ate it perched on the side of the tall bed, watching Jack fight sleep to finish eating.

"Go ahead, Jack. Lie down. I'll put some of this on the fire in that little iron pot and you can drink the broth later tonight if you wake up."

After a moment Jack looked up at Daniel. "'kay."

Daniel took the plate and ale, but before he could take it to the table, Jarngerd was there to take the things from him. Daniel brushed a couple of crumbs from Jack's covers, then tucked him in.

He padded across the room and put more meat into Jarngerd's bowl. He put the rest of the meat in the small pot, filled it with water and sat it at the side of the fire to warm for Jack. Then he sat on the divan near the young weavers, curling his legs up under his robe. By the light of the fire, he began to look over the map and in a hushed tone, discuss the markings with Ulfrik.

In the morning there wasn't a crumb of bread to be found on the floor of their room. Jarngerd and Ulfrik had cleaned everything, moving as noiselessly as little Asny did whenever Jack was sleeping. Daniel sat up in the bed, feeling an urge to empty his bladder. The young couple were nowhere to be seen. When he'd gone to bed with Jack the young couple were curled up on the floor by the fire, saying they'd wait to see if the Highborn Jack woke and needed to talk to them.

Daniel got the chamber pot, woke Jack and held it for his stream as Jack sat on the side of the bed.

"Tired."

"I figured you would be. You were up way too much yesterday. And the room got too dried out. I told the weavers we need to not open the door as much today." Daniel put the pot back under the bed. Asny would empty and clean it a couple of times during each day. She'd wash her hands before and after. The child really had taken Daniel's lessons on cleanliness to heart.

"Shave?" Daniel asked.

"Later. Food?"

"I'll go down and see what's cooking. How about some of those little muffins?"

Jack smiled as he watched Daniel get dressed. "You willing to let me have muffins? I must be doing better."

With the veil firmly tied on his head, Daniel opened the door and drew back sharply. There was a curtain of fabric draped over the opening. He pushed it aside and saw another curtain a few feet out from that one. "Hey," he called. "Who put these here?"

"What's up?" Jack asked, leaning forward in the bed to see Daniel.

"Some curtains," Daniel said as he looked back at Jack.

"To keep the water vapor in," Jarngerd's voice called through the curtains.

"Jarngerd? Is that you?"

"Highborn Jack needs the water in the air," she said.

"Be back in a minute, Jack." Daniel closed the door behind him and pushed his way through both sets of curtains. He found Jarngerd and Ulfrik sitting on their bedding pallets tucked into a niche near the end of the wide hallway. They both knelt, faces to the floor.

"What are you two doing out here? And that's very clever, hanging this here. Where'd you get the material?" he asked, fingering the cloth. "Your weaving? It's nice. Hey, this wasn’t part of the bargain. You two aren't servants today. You can get up."

"The meat was too much. Ye give two meals, Highborn," Jarngerd said, staying in her kneeling position.

"I gave you seconds, because you took too little the first time."

"A bowl full, then a second bowl. Two days. Ulfrik says two days be fair trade. We be fair traders. Value for value."

"You've gotten a lot bolder, haven't you?" Daniel said. "Okay, you can hang around here for a while. But Jack's resting now. He's not to be disturbed. And this really was a clever idea, the curtains to keep the moisture in the room. But how much will they cost me?"

"Cost nothing. No one buys the plant fiber cloth, so we put it here until someone does. Master of Ram's Head says it be permissible. We sleep here in case maybe the Highborn Jack needs us to serve him again."

"You have to get up. I can't talk to you with your faces down there."

As they started to rise he saw Asny approaching. The child stopped and glanced rapidly between Daniel's knees and the weavers.

"Asny," Daniel called to her. "Jack will be very glad to see his number one helper. Come on." He held a hand out toward her. "He's awake but he's very tired. You know what to do, though, don't you. And if you need any help today, apparently Ulfrik and Jarngerd are going to be camping out here in the hall a while. I think it will be all right for you to ask them to assist you. Right?" he asked, directing that question to Jarngerd.

"Just so, Highborn. Whatever the . . . number one helper needs. Fetch things? Cleaning things?"

"All right," Daniel said with a nod. He put a hand on the back of Asny's shoulder. "And these curtains are to help keep the moisture in the room. Just push your way through them, then you'll find the door, okay?"

She nodded, then went into the room. Daniel turned back to the young couple and waved for them to stand up again. "Whenever you need to go take care of anything, I mean, I'm not really going to act as your master, so you have to take care of yourselves, see to your own needs, all right?"

"Aye, Highborn." Jarngerd rose to her feet with her husband, towering above Daniel, even in the wide hallway. "This one will work more on the socks today, finish two more, while this one's husband wishes to know if he may please have the honor of bringing up the Highborn's morning meal?"

"Uh. You can go down into the light to do your knitting, but Asny usually gets the meal." Daniel turned to Ulfrik. "You can ask her what help you can be, but don't do anything without her instruction. Jack has to have things done a certain way, and Asny . . . well, she's really in charge when I’m not in the room, okay? Can you take orders from a child?"

Ulfrik dropped back to one knee, his head bowed. "This one will follow the child, Highborn."

"Okay, I'm trusting you to do that, and not upset her. I rely on her, understood?"

"This one will honor the child as her place has been given by the Highborn Jack. Number one helper."

Daniel opened his mouth, then realized he really didn't have a good reply for that. He nodded, knowing that Ulfrik wasn't looking at him, but perversely, he left it at that. Being invisible really did rankle him sometimes.

"I need to go take care of business," he muttered, then went toward the stairs. At the top of them he stopped and called to Ulfrik. "You can help. Go do what Tal usually does for me. Clear out the outhouse."

Ulfrik snatched up his outer robe which had been lying on his pallet and hurried down the hall. He groveled as he slid by Daniel, leaving plenty of room between them in the wide hall. As he clambered down the stairs ahead of Daniel he pushed his arms out, pausing at the bottom step.

"Highborn coming," he called, then was off through the back of the inn.

Daniel tugged his veil firmly in place and hitched his bucca up. By the time he got out of the building Ulfrik stood by the small structure, doing his best to look everywhere but at Daniel or the outhouse. Daniel hurried past him and inside the cold, drafty structure. It was deserted. Completely deserted. While the Nortvegr laws didn't seem to require that men leave when Daniel used an outhouse, Tal and the innkeeper considered it horrible that he should be inconvenienced by the presence of their other patrons.

He pushed the veil back so he could see in the dim building, and relieved himself while checking the walls for any new Sky caste pornographic drawings. He'd seen three in here on his first visit. Two of those had been blacked out, but there was a fresh one by the dirtiest of the original three. In the dim light coming through the cracks in the wall he could make out the monstrously huge blue eyes of the man being fucked in the crude drawing. He tapped off the last drop of urine and closed up his clothing.

Even the pornography of this culture reflected the Sky caste's role as sexual objects. This was probably what an ancient Greek bathroom looked like, full of dirty pictures of the gods having orgies, fucking each other and their human worshipers. "All this and a servant to clear the outhouse for me. What more could a man ask for?"

Daniel pulled his veil back in place, slid his bucca forward and left. "By the way, Ulfrik, I don't want people getting used to you announcing my presence, so when we go back inside, let's do it quietly, understood?"

"Just so, Highborn. This servant obeys." Ulfrik paced behind him, a respectful two steps.

"Servant?" Daniel muttered under his breath. "Great. Just . . . great." He left the man in the hall alcove where he and his wife had set up camp. She was nowhere in sight, and Daniel suspected she was downstairs sitting in whatever spot of light she could find, knitting furiously.

Back in the room with Jack, Daniel stripped off his veil, something he tried not to do when Asny was in the room but right now he had no patience for the encumbrance.

Jack was laying on his side with Asny on her knees behind him gently rubbing his back. A tray of hot food sat on the little shelf by the bed.

"Daniel? What's wrong?"

"Your back hurting?" He shrugged out of his robe and hung it with the bucca on a peg by the door.

"Little. Can't sit up."

"You need a bigger, firmer pillow," Daniel said as washed his hands and then began picking at the food on the tray. He tore off a small bit of bread, and drizzled it with the sweet syrupy substance that he and Jack suspected was the local equivalent of honey.

"Honey," Jack said. "Asny may get the toaster, but you're . . . you know. My honey."

Daniel glared at him for a moment, but couldn't sustain the look. A laugh burst from his lips and Daniel wiped at his eyes. "Okay."

"The houseboy still out there in the hall?"

"Yeah. I really wish he wasn't."

"I thought they were supposed to be gone by now. But I like the idea of you having someone to watch your back."

"You've got to be kidding." Daniel sat on the side of the bed and toyed with the food. There was enough for all three of them to have a huge breakfast. "Among these people? I’m mister invisible. Absolutely no need for a body guard, because they can't see me to rob me. I promise you," he insisted. "Anyway there's nothing for a mugger to steal from me, unless he wants to be caught stealing clothes from Highborn Jack. I don't even own the boots on my feet."

He got up off the bed and opened the shutters to let in the morning light. The air outside was at its most quiescent. This was one of those glorious mornings when the wind died down and would stay down for about two hours. It was beautiful outside, bright, sandy brown and cold. What trees he could see in the pastureland near the town were bare of leaves. In the distance to the north he could see patches of evergreens. How much further was it to the base of the huge mountains that made up the great divide?

"So you don't need to worry about me, Jack. I have nothing for anyone to steal. Nothing at all."

"Baby," Jack called to Daniel softly. "Asny, that's enough now. Thank you. Take that bowl of meat and go eat in the hall by the weaver. Don't share. I want you to eat it all," he cautioned her as she left the room.

"We're not supposed to be feeding her so often," Daniel said as he stared out the window, feeling the magnificent warmth of the sunlight on his unveiled face. "Tal says--"

"Come away from there."

Daniel's gaze flicked down to the street and he saw men staring up at the window. He jerked back and swore. He shut his eyes but could still see burned in his mind, the fact that they'd been touching themselves while watching him. "God, it never quits, does it?"

"What?" Jack struggled to sit up, but slumped back on the bed, hissing in pain.

"Nothing. What's wrong with your back?" Taking Asny's former position, Daniel ran his hands over Jack's spine, down to his hips and up to his shoulder blades. "Probably too much coughing. Straining muscles that can't take the strain. We should have stayed in that last town longer. The tinsmith's wagon was too rough a ride for you."

"Daniel, I hate not being able to take care of you."

"Take care of me?" he asked indignantly. "I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I thought you gave up treating me like a geek long ago--"

"Baby," Jack interjected. "I mean, I know you're the roughest, toughest archaeologist in the universe. You can pack a sidearm like no other linguist. But I feel . . . I just want to be the one watching your six. If Teal'c were here, or Carter, I'd know that you had the best . . . "

"How'd you handle it when I went off with other teams? I always came back just fine--"

"You mean like that time you were with SG-11 and got carried off by an unas? Or that time you went off with SG-5 and got exposed to the light in that Goa'uld palace and came back suicidal? Just fine like you did those times? I handle it by going slowly mad."

"You hide it well," Daniel retorted, but softened his words by kissing Jack on the ear.

"No, I don't. When you were gone with SG-5 I never shut up talking about you. I was in Carter's office night and day rattling on about you and finally she told me to shut up. Followed it with a nice, respectful sir, of course. So I went and bent George's ear until he told me that he wouldn't ask if I'd quit telling. I didn't realize I was telling."

Daniel gave his ear another kiss and gently worked the stringy muscles along his back. "Okay, maybe that makes us even, then, for what you've put me through since we crashed here. Sound fair?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"Okay, how about moving over to the divan? Let the sunshine warm you up."

"Yeah. I guess," Jack repeated.

As he helped Jack from the bed feeling his joints creak in protest, Daniel saw Asny return, slipping into the room as quiet as a mouse. She checked the water in the kettle and then took the chamber pot to be cleaned.

"I meant to tell you the weavers are apparently your property for another day. Seems I gave them too much food last night."

"My property?" Jack asked in annoyance.

"Yeah, them and the boots on my feet, the shirt on my back, the underwear on my ass--"

Jack interrupted him. "Daniel. No. It's not. You know good and well that everything we have here you earned by--" Jack stopped himself. He let out a groan of frustration. "Damn it. Damn it, Danny." He closed his eyes and the pool of sunlight glowed strongly on his tense features.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We don't need to be discussing this. You've got to calm down and rest today. We did too much yesterday. Too much talking, and too much moving around. Just rest. Please, Jack. Please."

"God, don't apologize to me. I told you, don't apologize for what you've had to do. I'm the one who's sorry. I sound like an ungrateful bastard. I sound like . . . "

Daniel knelt by the divan and laid his forehead on Jack's hand. "Don't we make a fine pair."

Jack rolled toward him and smoothed his hand over Daniel's hair. "I've just got to get on my feet again. Then we'll get out of here. That has to be a stargate, the ring they talk about in the Highborn city."

"A working gate. They wouldn't have any reason to call it the blue circle otherwise. It's got to be a working gate. I have to get off this planet. How in the hell do any of them survive like this?"

"The Sky caste?" Jack asked. "I suppose they see it as normal. You’ve taught me to reserve judgment when it comes to different civilizations. Like the Nox say, their ways are not our ways."

Daniel sighed heavily. "I’m not a Nox."

"Ah. Throw my own words at me, why don't ya," Jack said.

"Whenever possible," Daniel answered and looked up at Jack. "I'll send your houseboy in. He can tell you all about the markings on the map. Just don't talk too much. Let him do all the talking. He's pretty damned capable, apparently."

"Houseboy. And when does his houseboy role end?"

"Tonight, I guess. I didn't really get the particulars."

"We need to start getting the particulars. This handing out of food seems to come with consequences."

They both turned and looked at Asny who was busy fussing with the sheets on the bed.

The weaver's stint as servants expired that night. Daniel was glad to be rid of the role of master, even if Jack was the real master. It seemed too much like a form of slavery. But the young couple stayed near and Daniel bargained for more clothing, delighted with each soft piece.

Two days later, late in the afternoon Daniel sat at his usual table, spreading out his scribing supplies as he saw the weavers entertaining potential buyers in one corner of the great hall. It seemed that Daniel's interest in their work and their short stint as servants to the Highborn Jack had put them and their wares in demand.

After a moment's reflection, Daniel put the scribing cloth back in the ample pocket of his robe and pulled out the imparting cloth. Horses were absurdly expensive on Nortvegr, as was their upkeep. He was a long way from affording even one horse.

As the white cloth made an appearance above the edge of the table a hush ran through the great hall, followed by rapid chatter. He spread the cloth out, then began to pack away his scribing supplies.

The shadow that fell across his table startled Daniel. Someone had come around behind him, standing over his right shoulder blocking out the sunlight that streamed in through the high window.

"Imparting! Thaid wants the blessing, Sky."

Daniel twisted in his chair to look at the man behind him. It wasn't proper for him to be addressed as Sky, not while the veil was on, and before a bargain had been opened. He looked up, irritated by the glare of sunlight on his veil. It made it impossible to see the man's face.

Another man had already approached the table, from in front of Daniel and had his hand on the chair. He spoke to the giant behind Daniel. "Away, Thaid. Go tend ye wooly beasts, there. Good lad."

"Thaid bargains now!" The big man stepped around the table and pushed the other man back from the chair. He sat down and smiled at Daniel.

"Blessing of a Sky will give Thaid a woman. Fleece won't buy a woman."

"Thaid?" Daniel asked the man's name. He recognized him as the man who'd brought a ram into the inn some time ago. Most of Daniel's view of the great hall was blocked by the man across from him. Thaid was the largest worker caste Daniel had ever seen. But of the others in the room that he could see, he saw looks of alarm and a few bordering on anger.

"Got all the fleece a Sky could want. Wool. Tanned leather. Got a ram outside. Wait!" the big man said, lifting his palm toward Daniel, then scrambling fast to the door. The chair fell over.

As Thaid left, the man he'd pushed away righted the chair and sat in it. He laid a gold coin on the imparting cloth.

"Wait," Daniel said, "this is not right."

"Sorry, Highborn. This one should send Thaid away first. He be hard of understanding things. He got his skull busted back when his da was alive. Since then he don't understand things right. But, this one be sorry." He scrambled just as quickly from the chair, leaving his gold coin on the cloth.

Thaid returned, carrying a long-haired ram in his arms. Casually, he swatted away a man who tried to stand in his path. The ram was bleating in protest at the handling, and Thaid shifted it to a grip under one arm. "See?" he called. As he got to Daniel's table the innkeeper came running from the kitchen, led by Canlith. The girl looked terribly frightened.

"Thaid!" the innkeeper shouted. "Take that animal out of my inn. I've told ye before, man, no animals in here. And come away from the Highborn. Don't bother him. Come," he said softening his tone. "I've got a nice roasted apple for ye. Come in the kitchen, Thaid and have it with Canlith. She'll sit with ye."

"Aye," Canlith called beseechingly. "Come away from the Highborn. Please, Thaid."

"Nay!" the giant shouted as he put the sheep on Daniel's table. It promptly jumped down and ran between two of the long table rows. "Ram!" Thaid called. "Come be a trade to the Sky. I have many," he called over his shoulder to Daniel as he dashed after the sheep.

"Please, Highborn," the innkeeper said as he slid to a halt at Daniel's table. He dropped quickly to one knee. "Please, Thaid doesn't mean to offend. He be not right. We'll take him out to the kitchen. Please, let him live."

"Trade!" Thaid shouted as he easily bowled several patrons out of his path. No one laughed at his scattered antics. Some moved to help him curtail the fleeing ram, while others tried to coax Thaid to listen to Canlith who called sweetly to him. Tal joined her, trying to entice him with one of the steaming, spiced apples.

While the big man was on the other side of the great hall, Daniel snatched up his cloth and withdrew hastily toward the stairs. "No touch was made," he said to the innkeeper. "Just let me know when he leaves the inn. And let him have the apple first."

Halfway up the stairs Daniel realized he'd dropped the gold coin the other man had left him. He swore softly and, upon hearing a thunderous crash and splintering of wood in the great hall, kept climbing the stairs.

Jack stirred when Daniel came in the dark room. The shutters were closed and the room was only lit by the fire burning low and hot in the fireplace.

"Wha'?" Jack said, groggy from sleep. "Heard something."

"It's nothing. There are a lot of people downstairs. I just came up to check on you. Need some water?" He stuffed the wadded imparting cloth in his pocket before Jack could see it. Then he untied and pulled off his veil.

"Yeah. Kid was here while ago. She gone now?" Jack rolled onto his side and tried to sit up.

"She's not in the room right now," Daniel said as he lit a stick from the fireplace and used it to light a tallow candle on the mantle. "Oh, look. The second kettle got delivered. When did that arrive? It's already steaming. Great." He carried the candle to the shelf by the bed.

"Don't know when it came." Jack laid back down. "Who brought it?"

"Probably Tal. Jarngerd must have given it to her or Asny to bring up to the room. I'd sent her to the market to get it. It definitely helps. Let me sit you up, get some water in you, and some stew. I think it's been good for you, stepping back from the solid foods to broth and stew."

"Mmm," Jack acknowledged.

"Is it warm enough in here for you?" Daniel asked, shucking out of the rough woven brown robe.

Jack nodded and sipped the water from the glass Daniel held for him. "Broth. Just broth. Tired."

"Too tired to eat the stew?" Daniel asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Jack said, closing his eyes and slumping against the pillow. "Where were you last night? I thought you were in bed, and then I woke up, it was still dark outside and you were gone."

Daniel grimaced. "How did you know it was still dark out? Did you get up and open the shutters?"

"No. Light comes through the left one at the bottom. Morning light."

"Oh. Does that wake you up?"

"Never really dark in here, Daniel. Fireplace is always burning. Little coal flames."

"Okay," Daniel said. He dipped some of the warm liquid, just the broth from the top, that simmered in the stew pot on the fire. "This is pretty thick stuff but won't require any chewing."

Jack opened his eyes as Daniel sat back on the bed. "Where were you?"

Daniel spooned out some of the warm liquid and blew on it. "I was working. There was a late crowd and I picked up a job."

"It was dark in the great hall, wasn't it?" Jack asked, then swallowed the cooled liquid.

Daniel blew on another spoonful. "I wasn't scribing."

"Oh." Jack swallowed the next spoonful, then waited quietly between bites.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you before I left. I thought you'd stay asleep."

"Did I used to? I mean, when I was sicker than I am now, you'd leave to go do that and I'd sleep through it, wouldn't I?"

Daniel hesitated a moment. "Yes," he answered softly.

"I'm sorry, Danny."

"We had an agreement, I thought. No apologizing."

"Yeah," Jack said. He brought a hand up and touched Daniel's wrist. Jack was shaking. "Yeah. And I guess part of the agreement should be that you don't have to hide it. Not from me."

"Okay, as long as you agree not to push yourself. You're shaking from fatigue and pain."

"I don't want you to . . . I'm irritated that it's taking me so long to get well."

"So long? Hell, Jack, it's only been a few days since you stood up for the first time. Give yourself a break. Give me a break too. You keep this up and you'll just have a setback. I don't want to watch you start coughing and passing out again. Don't deny it. I've watched you fight to hold onto consciousness, and then lose the battle."

"Fades away sometimes. The room. The tent. Whatever we're staying in at the moment."

"Eat your soup," Daniel said. "No more tents for a very, very long time."

"This place is expensive. We keep spending more, buying more stuff, staying in bigger, more expensive places."

"Than we did at first? Yeah. True in one regard, I suppose. But actually we've always stayed in the best room available. This just happens to be a better class of hotel. Five star," Daniel added with a smile. "We've gone from the Budget rent-a-tent to the Ram's Head Ritz on this trip."

"I don't like it that we seem to be spending more than we absolutely need to," Jack said sternly.

"Okay, I understand your point. Horses are expensive, and we should be saving every spare coin for them. But they won't do us any good if you're not well enough to ride. I don't want to buy the horses too soon either. Paying for their upkeep while we sit here waiting for the right weather would be ridiculously expensive."

"You still set on two horses?"

"Yes. At least. It's looking like we're not going to be able to make it over the mountains on our own. We'll have to get a guide. There are the bear things, and the soggy ground, some deep crevices that we have to go around, and the icy runoff to avoid. It's sounding like a pretty complicated trip."

"Still think it's best over the mountains, not around and up by sea?"

"I don't know for sure now. What do you think?"

"Think we need to pay Ulfrik to ask some questions for us. Or wait until I'm better, and I can get down there and ask some of the traders myself. Find out about the routes they use."

"Maybe get Ulfrik to find the right people for us to talk-- you to talk to. No hurry. We're not going anywhere until you're much better anyway. So," Daniel left off with a shrug.

"Okay. Then, got time for a nap with me?" Jack asked, giving Daniel what he hoped was a very needy smile.

"Always," Daniel answered as he leaned over the bowl and kissed Jack's thin cheek. "Let me lose a few layers of clothing first. We'll snuggle."

"Snuggle," Jack said, smiling broader now. He laid back and watched Daniel undress.

Daniel took off the long-sleeved shirt and toed off his boots. He shucked out of the woolen, draw-string pants, but left on his new cotton underwear and the lace-up t-shirt Jarngerd had stitched for him. She'd made it out of the finely woven plant fiber cloth that Ulfrik had created. It wasn't as comfortable as his BDU t-shirt, but it was much softer than what he'd been wearing before meeting the young couple.

He crawled in under the covers and wrapped his arms around Jack's slight figure. Jack was wearing a nightshirt made of the same soft, woven cloth, and it felt fantastic against Daniel's arms.

"Oh, this is luxury," Daniel whispered as he spooned himself against Jack's back snugly. "And these sheets. So much better than those scratchy old things."

"When we leave, let's make sure we have enough space on the horses to pack these sheets," Jack said.

Daniel listened as Jack began breathing deeply and regularly. His lover was asleep almost instantly. Daniel's mind wouldn't shut down, wouldn't even slow down. He held Jack and felt buffeted by all the worries chasing around in circles in his head.

"I won't sneak off again, Jack," he said to his sleeping lover. "I'll stop hiding it from you."

If they chose to go east or west to the coasts, then travel by boat north past the great divide, they'd need a lot of money to pay for the caravan ride and then the passage on whatever ship they found. And of course, they'd have more travel on the other side to get to the city of the Highborn.

What would it be like there? A whole city full of people like them. Would they be able to pass into the city unchallenged? Would they blend in and be allowed access to what he hoped desperately was a working stargate?

Daniel closed his eyes and held Jack, cradled him to his chest like he had long ago in the low desert, sleeping in bowls of sand, curled tight to share body warmth. Jack's body was so much thinner now, painfully thinner. But he wasn't dying any longer. He wasn't dying. Daniel admonished himself. Time to stop dwelling on the negative aspects of their situation. Time to relax a bit, to relax and rest and let Jack heal. Then they could push on, worry about getting into the city of the Highborn and gaining access to the stargate there.

Chapter 8 - A Bargain Incomplete

For three nights in a row Daniel completed a bargain for an imparting, each night, well after Jack had gone to sleep. And he hadn't woken Jack as he'd promised to do. So today he was going to rest and try to figure out why he couldn't keep that promise. He'd take a little time alone to just sit and think.

Taking time alone wasn't easy, but Daniel had stumbled onto a loophole in the rules of conduct. Today he would sit in the great hall and take advantage of that loophole.

The intricate stitch work around the border of the imparting cloth was made of a thread that sparkled, that reflected the small patch of sunlight that streamed in through the thick glass window high on the great hall's front wall. Unveiled, Daniel crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, studying the noon crowd. They'd begin to thin out soon, back to work, off to other business establishments in the small township.

None would openly acknowledge him as they left. No greeting or words of farewell from the women would be said, but he'd catch a nod that didn't seem to be intended for anyone, eyes respectfully downcast, or a hat tipped as a man passed his table. They'd discovered loopholes too. While not directed at him specifically, a hat could be tipped at any time.

The door opened and Daniel kept his head down, peering through the strands of blond hair that hung scraggly over his forehead. He needed the damned veil just to keep his hair back. He could wear it tucked and tied like a do-rag, he thought, with a sarcastic smile. Let it for once, serve some decent purpose.

A small group of men, loud in their boisterous exchange, came in and cheerfully demanded ale and food. They glanced his way, saw the cloth open and on display, and the absence of his veil, then moved on to find seats with their friends and neighbors.

Idly, Daniel picked a green seed pod stick from his plate and munched on it. He watched the men settle in, a few shooting covert glances his way. None allowed their gaze to linger. They seemed to need to verify the absence of the veil and the open imparting cloth of the Sky caste spread on his table. Then they quickly averted their gaze.

He'd accidentally stumbled onto the combination of the imparting cloth spread open, and the veil off, signaling that someone had opened negotiation for an imparting. It meant no one else could even look at him during the negotiation. And Daniel had discovered he could bend the rules, pretend that a negotiation was open when none actually had. No man sat across from him at the round table where he always conducted negotiations. Bending that rule meant he could sit and enjoy a meal, enjoy some time without the veil and feel like a free man again if only for a short while before the people got so nervous they'd start to desert the inn. If he bent the rule too long, that would happen.

But it was worth the risk of running off a few customers, and he'd stop before he raised the ire of the innkeeper and his staff too much. With the imparting cloth on display no man could sit across the room, staring, drooling, masturbating under their robes. So in one respect, he was free to sit here among men, no veil blocking his field of vision, and be free from the sexual overtones that were rife when he came among them at any other time without the veil.

Having someone staring at him and masturbating while he was having a meal tended to kill Daniel's appetite. The imparting cloth provided Daniel the freedom to sit, to enjoy a meal in peace. Still, he was a prisoner to the cloth, as much as if he were shackled to it. And isolated. Yes, it gave him some freedom, but kept him isolated.

He used his personal knife to carve a slice off the red fruit on his plate. The knife had been part of a bargain made weeks ago on the journey north from the low desert. The blade was about five inches long, slim and tapered to a sharp point. The stag horn handle was small compared to what a Nortvegr man usually preferred. It was a woman's dagger, traded by a man who'd hoped to someday give it to a future wife. But with the trade, he'd improved his chances of a mate with the Sky's blessing ensured for his offspring.

He laid the knife on the edge of his plate and chewed the sliver of sweet fruit.

As Daniel sipped at what passed for wine here, the door opened and closed again. The wine was made from some dark berry, approximating the taste of Earth grapes, it tended toward being too sweet. There was very little consistency in taste even from one bottle to another, and he'd yet to find any way to assure if a bottle would be palatable or not.

Jack had nicknamed the drink pot-luck wine. Daniel smiled.

A shadow moved in the edge of his field of vision. Still smiling, Daniel looked up, expecting to see one of the serving wenches, back to see if he needed anything else.

It was Gunnlaug, the angular man who ran the mines. He'd wanted the child, Asny. He wouldn't get her. The confrontation over her availability as a bed companion had not been a direct confrontation. Daniel had handled it all behind the veil, unspoken to Gunnlaug, and because it had been done behind the veil Gunnlaug could never approach Daniel about it directly. But Gunnlaug's impotent anger had been plain to see, plain to the innkeeper, to Tal and when he'd heard the whole tale, Jack had burned just as brightly with anger over the master miner's disgusting desires.

So what was the man doing at his table now? Surely, he wasn't thinking he had some claim of having already opened negotiations for an imparting, some claim for Daniel's time. But there'd be no other possibility for his approach. His interrupted attempt at opening a bargain the last time he'd been here must be giving him some excuse to think he had a right to sit at the table, as if the veil was off signaling Daniel was interested in him?

Bowing his head, Daniel crossed his arms, tucking his hands in the loose sleeves of his robe. The cloth was spread, but Gunnlaug had to know that Daniel wouldn’t accept his bargain. Surely the man couldn't be that dense. Or maybe he was just that full of hubris.

The man sat in the chair across from him, and Daniel glanced up long enough to take in the broad, leering grin. That brief, blue gaze seemed to have a profound effect on Gunnlaug. He sat up straighter, squaring his shoulders. Daniel stared down at the bargaining cloth. What had been moments earlier his fleeting taste of freedom had now exerted the pull of the chain that it was.

Carefully schooling his features, he refused to give Gunnlaug any emotional response.

"Sky, this one would bargain with ye for an imparting. Ye'd be much favored for time with me."

Daniel couldn't stop himself from raising one eyebrow. Favored? Hubris, surely, it was hubris.

Gunnlaug held out a pouch. Then carefully, and with great ceremony, he opened the strings that held it closed. With relish, he dumped the bag out, spilling a heap of gold coins onto the imparting cloth. Some were round, and a few were the thick, oblong gold pieces called marks. There was a small fortune piled on Daniel's imparting cloth now.

Not only hubris, Daniel realized, managing to curtail his smirk.

Unveiled and with an imparting cloth spread open on the table in front of him, Daniel and whatever he was doing was supposed to be unnoticed by any man not seated across from him, any man not involved directly in a bargain that had already begun.

The audible gasps in the room, followed by the hush was evident that this matter of being unnoticed was not a fact. Any who had not already noticed the pile of coins and marks was being informed rapidly enough by their whispering neighbors.

With the size of the pile of gold Gunnlaug was showing the kind of man he was, the kind of man who'd swagger into an inn and expect to get the sexual services of a young maid, unchallenged. He expected it simply because he had enough coins in his pocket to pay more than her worth twice over.

The pile of coins and marks he expected to buy Daniel's services was huge. They glinted in the sunlight and in the dancing light from the fireplace at Daniel's left. Gunnlaug was obviously counting on overwhelming him with the display. He'd expect to be bargaining for how many times this pile of valuable metal would buy him in bed with Daniel.

The answer was none. Nothing on this planet would get Daniel voluntarily in bed with this pig.

"Much favored," Gunnlaug repeated. "And this here, this be more'n I ever heard of payment for one of ye kind, all made at once. This be, I'm expecting, enough for many a visit in ye bed, eh?"

Daniel pulled his thoughts in, began to breathe rhythmically, purposefully. Your kind. Those words burned in his brain. Perhaps he felt them too intensely, too personally. And his bed? Never. The worker caste was expected to supply the private space for the imparting. To mention Daniel's own bed, the one he shared with Jack, that was a deep insult.

"Eh, Sky?" Gunnlaug said, showing that he wanted some acknowledgement from Daniel. "This," he said, running his fingers through the coins, scooping some up and letting them fall one at a time, "this be plenty to buy ye and the sleeper what he may need, eh? He needs a horse it be said. He needs food. He needs more than ye can earn him scratching out letters for these simple folk. He weighs ye down, Sky. But this, this will lighten ye burden, eh?"

Daniel kept his hands in his sleeves, his head bowed. Gunnlaug was almost demanding to see his eyes, a privilege anyone who bargained for an imparting received. He wouldn't get it.

"Ye kind like the big coins, eh? Easier to keep and not have to give up to the likes of him, the Highborn who sleeps all the time."

Your kind. Daniel felt a knot of anger forming in his stomach. His kind? Blue eyed people? Sky caste? Or whores?

"We bargain for me, for my time with ye. Later, maybe more, Sky. I want ye to bargain with my son next. Next, it'd be him. Him, he be not a bright lad, that one. He'll need a blessing to catch a fine girl. And I'll be sending him to ye soon enough, with a purse as full as this. Ye'll be most fortunate, and wise to accept this and be ready to take him to ye bed. Ye like 'em young and lusty, eh?"

Like them young and lusty? Daniel almost lost his placid expression. The knot of anger in his stomach flared. This man was worse than a pig.

Usually bargaining began with a token, some small item, or a few coins and Daniel would indicate his interest by lifting or sometimes removing the veil. Then often a verbal description of what the worker caste had to offer came next. A listing of goods, or naming an amount of coins. Daniel would say whether he was interested, and as the bargaining progressed more coins might be laid on the cloth, or something written to describe the trade goods offered. But anything laid on the cloth stayed, became Daniel's to take or refuse, whether a bargain was struck or not. To drop the pile of coins on the table as he did, Gunnlaug was demonstrating his full-fledged belief that Daniel would want him, would want the coins and would hold to the offer.

"I could just pass this coin purse on to that idiot of a son now, get the blessing for him and my future grandchildren. But nay. Then I'd not have the fun of bedding ye myself. Ye have fine hair, Sky. Look at me."

Daniel clenched his jaw. The angular man's command flared the knot of anger burning in Daniel's gut into a hot fire. And yet, to lash out at the man, to even glare at him would be losing. To speak to Gunnlaug, to demand he leave the imparting table would give some satisfaction to the bastard. Daniel's jaw muscles were jumping.

The inn had grown completely silent. All the diners had heard Gunnlaug's blasphemous order. Though none were looking overtly, all were focused on what was transpiring by the fireplace.

With his head bowed, Daniel moved slowly, with deliberate motions. He uncrossed his arms and reached into the left pocket of his robe. He withdrew the veil, the finely woven white fabric, with its beading and filigree stitches around the rolled hem. He pulled it onto his head, laying the ends back over his shoulders. Then he folded his hands in his lap, out of sight below the edge of the table.

Gunnlaug could no longer see his blond hair, could no longer catch a glimpse of his blue eyes, or even see the fair skin of his hands. Daniel held himself perfectly still.

The white barrier had dropped.

Now Gunnlaug was sputtering. He was forbidden to say even another word to Daniel, not one more word. The fortune, the huge pile of gold coins and marks lay on the cloth. Gunnlaug leaned back, then hunched over again.

Daniel could hear the man's lips smack together, then hear him gulp in air, as if he were fighting an overwhelming urge to demand Daniel take off the veil. The angular man scooted his chair back, the legs grating on the floor. Then he leaned forward, stretching his hand out to scoop up his fortune.

As quick as a flash Daniel snatched up his personal knife and stabbed it down, burying the point through the imparting cloth deep into the wooden table. The sharp blade was in the empty space between Gunnlaug's thumb and his palm, a hair's breadth from the man's flesh.

The angular man choked out a screech. He jerked his hand back.

Daniel stayed still, his fist gripping the stag horn handle, his knuckles white with tension.

Gunnlaug choked back his cry and clutched his hand to his chest, covering it protectively with his other hand. After a moment he rose, knocking over his chair as he backed away from the table. He stumbled into a table nearby, lurching against it and spilling tankards of ale.

Daniel flicked his gaze up, looking through the beads that edged the veil. He saw Gunnlaug glaring at the imparting cloth, at his coins lost to him now, and at Daniel's knife.

"Ye seem a bit lighter in the purse there, Master Gunnlaug," Balin, a tanner from the smith hall quipped loudly.

This started a wave of mocking laughter rushing across the great hall of the inn. Gunnlaug swung around, his eyes flicking from laughing face to laughing face. Then he spun on his heel and bolted out the door, catcalls hard at his back.

Tal trotted across the hall and closed the door behind the man. She was laughing just as hard as the patrons.

"Seems some," Balin shouted, "some here know how to wield a dagger. Bring the point home where it needs to be."

Some, Daniel thought. Some was directed at him. The veil was on, but the imparting cloth was out and had coins on it. No man could speak to him, could actually acknowledge his existence. But the comment was about him. Daniel felt a genuine warmth wash over him.

"Aye!" another shouted. "Wield it like a warrior, with purpose not often seen . . . " his voice was drowned out by shouts of praise.

"Seems some among us be a good judge of character too," another man shouted, his voice deep and penetrating.

"Tal," Daniel called, and smiled when the woman was in front of him, righting the chair Gunnlaug had knocked over in his haste to get out of Daniel's reach.

"Aye, Highborn?" she said, merrily, leaning close to catch his words over the noise of the men in the great hall.

"The hall of children, the one you spoke of where Asny came from?" he asked, his voice low, and almost drowned by the continued laughter and comments from the patrons at her back.

"Aye?" she said, sounding confused now.

"Take these coins there, please. Wait. If there's a small one among them, use it to replace the spilled ale."

"All these, Highborn? Give them? Ye want to buy a child?" she asked, sounding even more confused.

"No. Just give the headmaster the coins and marks to use for the hall. Food, clothing. Whatever the children need. Do it now. I want the coins gone from my sight."

"Highborn," she said with awe. Then she cleared her throat and straightened up. "Aye. I'll do it now. Not for putting off, something like this. Just as ye say. I'll do it now."

She gathered the small fortune, clutching the pile against her stomach. "I'll go now, Highborn."

Tal turned back to the hall. "I've an errand to do, ye noisy lot. Ye take it easy on Canlith while I'm away. And drinks, Canlith," she said, calling to the hefty serving wench, "drinks for these that got theirs spilled. On the house. I'm off. Seems there be some coins here that need a new home. Seems I'm to deliver them."

She stood there, smiling broadly, as if expecting something.

"A new home?" a man called, giving her the inquiry she wanted.

"Where you off to, wench? Where?" another man asked as he climbed on a bench to see her better.

"Seems the coins need me to take 'em down to the orphan hall. Give 'em, I'm supposed to. Nothing asked in return. Just give 'em.

"Might be some here who need an extra ale," Balin shouted, "as I've discovered I've bought more than I can consume. Canlith!" he called. "Come take this tankard, girl. See who be of a need so it doesn't go to waste," he said, waving his hand in Daniel's direction.

Balin had just bought him a drink, Daniel realized. He couldn't help smiling. The big tanner had found a loophole of his own. Charity for a Sky was forbidden.

More shouts of ale going to waste rang out around the great hall. Then the shouts were changed to orders for wine, the potluck wine Daniel was known to favor over ale. Within minutes poor Canlith was scurrying back and forth, depositing bottles, and glasses, then being sent with half of them to Daniel's table.

He laughed, so sorely needing to pull the veil off and share in the merriment. These men had seen Gunnlaug bested, a man who'd treated directly with some of them, with a relative or friend, and unscrupulously so. There were children living in that orphan's hall because of Gunnlaug's tyrannical management of the coal mine.

The knife stayed planted in the imparting cloth until Daniel was so full of wine that he had to piss or drown. Tal had been back for some time, and he called to her, his voice cracking.

"Tal," he said, pulling the veil off to lessen the flush of the alcohol in his body, "I think maybe I'm going to go take a piss. And then, I'm definitely going to go sleep. But piss first," he said with a lopsided grin. "All these bottles, can you um . . . pour them into one, or something, and put a stopper in it? I've gotta go piss!" He pulled his knife from the cloth and put both away.

"Aye. A drunken Sky unveiled, and no cloth out," she said as she moved to offer him support. "Canlith, go clear out the pisser. Right fast, girl."

The wench scooted out the hall on a mission to shoo any man from the outhouse behind the inn.

Daniel leaned against Tal, looking up at her indulgent smile. "No cloth. Nope. And no veil, and I've got to piss and then I'm going to sleep until tomorrow."

"Aye. And ye deserve it, Sky. Ye do," she said as she helped him to the back hall out to the privy. "Ye do deserve it, Sky. And Highborn Jack, he be in good hands with all us here. Ye are not to be worrying about Highborn Jack. Ye piss all ye want, then ye sleep all ye want, Sky. We'll take care of him, fetch him his meals and anything he needs while ye sleep. "

Daniel remembered using the outhouse, holding his nose against the smell because it seemed overpowering with the wine coursing through his system. He didn't remember climbing the stairs, but he did remember snuggling drunkenly against Jack and telling Tal to hush talking about orphanages and generous Sky castes who deserved fair skies and gentle breezes. It confused him, because he thought she was talking about him being fair. Of course he was fair. Always. Except to pigs. Then sleep overtook him.

"He done a brave thing today, Highborn Jack," Tal said as she moved aside so Asny could lay a tray of bread and cheeses on the cozy, bedside table. Then the little girl left the room.

Jack sat up by Daniel, scooted to the edge of the bed and stretched to let his bare feet touch the cold, wooden floor. "He's always doing things like that. Unlace his boots, will you?"

She tackled the laces on Daniel's boots. "Wielded a dagger like no Sky I ever heard of. Not like other Skys, be he, ye love?"

"No. Daniel's not like anyone else in the universe, Tal. The first time I really got to know him, spend any time with him, he risked his life for people he barely knew."

"Risked his life?" she asked, shock causing her voice to break. "Highborn Jack, a Sky cannot do that!"

"Well, he does it. Always has. It's who Daniel is."

"Nay. Cannot be. Lest, might they have been other Sky caste? These he sought to save?" she asked, as she put his boots on the floor and moved to tidy up the room, straightening the extra blanket on the divan, stacking away dirty dishes on the small shelf by the door.

Jack drew a deep breath, and then let it slowly out as he watched the tall woman work. She was a serving wench, Daniel labeled her as such, with the implications that word held. Senior among all those who worked for the innkeeper, she ran the Ram's Head more than he. She was quick-witted, and had an honest soul. Yet, she was as deeply bound and restricted by her social mores as anyone on this planet.

"Tal, to Daniel, everyone is Sky caste. Every person is as deserving of life, is as precious as a Sky caste."

Tal stopped and turned to him, her mouth agape. She stared silently. Then suddenly she broke out in to a broad grin. "Ye've a way with ye, Highborn Jack. Pulling a leg. Tall tales, Asny says. Ye weave tall tales of ships that sail in the heavens and of men who breathe water and drink fire."

Jack sighed.

"Still," Tal said thoughtfully, "Sky caste, they have a way about them. They care. I've talked to almost a handful in my short life already. None gifted me the way ye love did. He be special, I know this above all else. Proved it so again today, he did. So, Highborn Jack, if ye say such of ye love, then who am I to dispute it? None here would. Least of all them that he's done for, as he did for our Asny, and plenty others. Ye love, he be something marvelous to behold."

"Daniel," Jack said to her, sadly. He dropped his gaze to the floor. "I miss hearing his name. I didn't realize that until now." He looked up at her. "You people . . . you take something from him. You take away part of his identity when you refuse to use his name. It hurts him." He turned and ran his hand over Daniel's hair.

"But . . . Highborn Jack . . . it cannot happen. Even to hear it be a sin worthy of death, and we sore forgive ye this because of ye illness. Now, this that ye ask . . . it would . . . harm . . . harm the Sky to say his forbidden name. He be not one of us."

"That's all he wants to be, Tal. That's all he wants to be, no matter where we go. He just wants to belong."

Gunnlaug was nothing if not stubborn, and he was used to getting his way. He ran the miner's guild with an iron fist. He cut corners to get quotas up, and sacrificed the safety of his workers as if they were mere annoyances. Daniel had heard many loud complaints about the man during late nights in the great hall.

It was less than a week later that he sat in the great hall, just now spreading his imparting cloth out when Gunnlaug returned. This time he was gripping the arm of a rangy young man, the spitting image of himself. The timid man was dragging his heels and looked like he was trying to crawl inside his own skin to escape being seen.

Gunnlaug jerked the man, barely more than a boy, to a stop in front of Daniel's table and slapped a bag of coins in his hand. Then he pushed the lad to the table. The young man dropped into the chair and Gunnlaug stood behind him, his face fixed in a nasty gleam.

Peering through the beading on the bottom of his veil, Daniel eyed the master miner. He had no right to stand there and stare at Daniel. The veil was on, so he wasn’t exactly breaking the religious edicts, not exactly. Yet.

With his face neutral Daniel pulled his personal knife from its sheath at his waist and laid it on the table by the imparting cloth. He waited to see what Gunnlaug would do.

The tall, gaunt man, hissed between his clenched teeth, and took a step back.

"H--high-- Highb--" the young man stuttered. He kept his head bowed and jammed his fists into the pockets of his loose, brown cloak. Under the open cloak the young man had on a deep green vest, leather, with black stitching. He also wore leather leggings, and boots made of green leather that matched the vest. The detail and finish of his clothing marked him as wealthy.

Daniel clenched his jaw and looked from the gloating face of the master miner to the younger version seated across from him. He really was barely more than a boy. And he looked scared speechless. His face was flushed dark red and his brown eyes were open too wide.

"High," the boy tried again.

"Yes," Daniel said, now letting his curiosity get the better of him. "You are?" he asked, wanting the name of Gunnlaug's son.

"High-- high, uh . . . Herger. Herger Gunnlaugson. Gunnlaug, master miner. The great. Gunnlaug the Great, Guild Master, and Master Miner. My da," he spilled the words out in a rush, barely comprehendible.

"Herger," Daniel repeated, pointedly ignoring his lineage, which seemed to stretch back one generation, as if that was where and when the world began. Perhaps, for this young man, it did.

"What do you wish to discuss?"

"I . . . " Herger closed his eyes and seemed to quiver.

Daniel saw Gunnlaug take a step closer to the table and he held up his hand. "What do you, Herger, wish to discuss with me, that no man should be noticing? No man should think he has the right to approach. No man should dare to risk offending a Sky when an imparting cloth is spread."

Several men in the great hall got to their feet. A silence settled over the room. Herger squeaked, his eyes still tightly shut.

"I would hear what you have to say, Herger, as soon as any others near us have had time to withdraw."

A couple of the men who'd risen took a step toward the master miner. With a grunt of impotent anger Gunnlaug withdrew, moving toward the great fireplace on the opposite wall. He sat at a table there, and laughed as men turned their backs on him and walked away.

"Now, what do you wish to bargain for, Herger?" Daniel asked, knowing full well he'd never agree to anything the young man offered.

Herger kept his eyes screwed shut and began to hyperventilate.

"Breathe slowly," Daniel said softly. "There's no danger here. I'm not going to hurt you."

With a bark of laughter Herger opened his eyes. "Hurt me? Sky, ye are tiny! Oh! I mean-- I-- I--. Oh."

"It's all right. Yeah, you're quite a bit taller than me. And yeah, you probably weigh half again as much as I do. But I mean, you're not in any danger here. Just relax. And remember to call me Highborn as long as the veil is on, okay?"

"Of course!" Herger declared. "Highborn. I'd never not call ye that. Never!"

Daniel smiled. "Right. So, your da sent you here to negotiate something?"

"Aye. My da, he says go bargain with the Sky and so here I am."

"And here you are," Daniel said. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, Sky. Nothing. Except . . . I do. I mean, da says to bargain and make ye give me . . . as if any could make a Sky give that. I mean, none can make a Sky do it. Da says talk good and sweet and make the offer. He talks good. I don't. I never do. Da hates the way I talk. Always."

"I see." Daniel folded his arms and let the young man go on.

"He says, Herger ye talk like a shepherd instead of a man who has the power of the black rock in his fist. Da has that, ye see. He does. As did his good son. But he be long dead. Went off a' Viking in the great divide. Him, he was tall as a house and big and had hands that could choke a man's life away. That be what da always says. Him, he was supposed to be the master miner next after my da. But he had to go and die for all the glory that got him. Under the claws of the mountain demon, he did. I sore miss him, though."

"Does your da have other sons?"

"Nay. Nay, Sk-- I mean, Highborn. Highborn. So he sends me here. Herger. That be me. Son of the master miner, the guild master, great Gunnlaug. I've coins," he said as he moved to pull them from his pocket.

Daniel held his hand out to stop him. "Keep the coins in your pocket."

"But I've plenty," Herger protested, still reaching for them.

"I’m sure you have plenty, but do as I say. Leave the coins in your pocket."

"My da, he'll be sore angry if I don't bring them out." Herger was looking flushed again.

"I believe you. I’m not going to accept the offered bargain. I won't negotiate an imparting with you," Daniel said, trying to speak gently.

"No?" Herger said, looking amazingly relieved. He was actually smiling now.

"That's right," Daniel said as he nodded. "I'm not interested. I'm aware that it may make your father angry, though. Will you be okay?"

"Oh, of course. Not my fault. A Sky doesn't take the coins? Not to be blamed on the one who offered, right?"

"Right. Even if a da says differently, you know what's right. So you can take your coins and leave the table now."

"Aye. And thank ye, Sk-- Highborn. Thank ye much. I'd like the blessing, the imparting, it gives one a blessing because of, well, the gods, Nirrti's command, to keep the Highborn sacred. But not yet. Not for a few years, till maybe I find a woman who'll want me. Even with it, I'm not what they think be a good catch. So, thank ye, Highborn. Keeping me safe from the duties of a husband for a while longer. Thank ye, Highborn."

Daniel had to work to suppress a chuckle. "You're welcome. Why don't you go have an ale or something? Good night," he said as the young man rose.

Swiftly, Daniel folded his imparting cloth in half and pushed it into his pocket. He left the great hall, moving swiftly up the stairs.

In the hall alcove he saw the weavers already resting on their pallets. They'd returned to Brooksmeet and the Ram's Head Inn last night, after having hiked two days to fetch some plant threads stored in the abandoned homestead of Ulfrik's family. Daniel had declared the thread perfect to use to weave Jack a pillow cover. His skin was so sensitive, and Jarngerd had thought this particular thread might ease the allergy reactions Jack was having lately. It had no dyes or bleaches in it.

Daniel passed the sleeping couple, noted that Ulfrik glanced up watchfully, but silently, then Daniel slipped through the hanging curtains and was with Jack again.

"Hey, Jack, baby," he called, keeping a cheerful tone to his voice.

"Hey toaster," Jack bantered back. "No coughing all day today. Not even this evening. And no warmed ale either. That's pretty good, huh?"

"That's excellent," Daniel quipped as he stripped out of the veil and outer robe. "Oh, I forgot to visit the outhouse. Damn."

As he picked up the robe again, Jack waved a hand to halt him.

"Just use the chamber pot."

"What?" Daniel asked scornfully.

"Hey, it's good enough for me," he rebuffed Daniel.

"Yeah, but only because you like it when I hold the thing for you."

"Oh, fine, mister kinky. I'll hold it for you. But you have to get it from under the bed. I'm feeling up to all kinds of athletic activities, but that doesn't include crawling on the floor to fetch something from under the bed." He scooted to the side of the tall bed, the toes of his socks touching the cold floor.

Daniel grinned broadly as he stripped out of his shirt and pants. He hung them up on a peg by his robe, then loosened the drawstring of his new underwear. Mutely, he fetched the chamber pot and uncovered it. Apparently it had been emptied and cleaned recently. He held the empty dish out to Jack.

With a defiant set of his jaw, Jack took the piece of fired earthenware and held it just below his own crotch. He looked at Daniel, one eyebrow raised.

"You really are feeling better today, aren't you?" Daniel said as he pushed his underwear down and pulled his cock out. He stood toe to toe with Jack and felt the cold earthenware touching just below his corona.

With his eyes locked in a gaze with Jack, he let his stream begin. The hissing sound filled the room, along with the aroma of urine. Daniel smirked

Jack smirked right back at him. "When we get back to Earth, this is one tradition we'll have to continue. Me holding something for you to piss in. I kinda like it."

"Yeah. You're feeling better," Daniel said with a chuckle. "How about we switch off now? You help me fill the pot?"

"Too kinky. I like it," Jack declared. He hitched his hips off the bed and Daniel wordlessly tugged his nightshirt up, holding it pressed against Jack's flat stomach.

"Can't see to aim," Jack complained.

"S'all right," Daniel said, his gaze locked with Jack's. "I've got that covered for you." Leaving Jack holding the pot, Daniel took hold of his cock, gently, just behind the corona, and pushed it slightly down. Jack's urine splashed with his own, and Daniel pushed out a few more drops, then leaned forward, feeling the head of his cock connect with Jack's.

Jack whispered, "Careful or I'll pee on you."

"Promise?" Daniel asked in a whisper as soft as Jack's.

"Kinky son of a bitch," Jack swore as he shook his head. "I'd have never guessed."

"Yeah, right. Never had any clue, did you? Not even from that time we fucked in the storage room of that Alkesh? Me on my hands and knees and you banging my head into the bulkhead? Suppose that's why it got the name, bulkhead? All those sailors banging each other . . . "

Jack's stream stopped, and he leaned into Daniel, bringing their lips together for a moment. "As lovely as this is, my little toaster, the smell of urine is not high on my list of aphrodisiacs. Get rid of this, would you?"

"You're so unromantic," Daniel bantered back as he took the pot. His underwear fell down around his knees. He shuffled to the foot of the bed and retrieved one of the mint sprigs Asny had left there just for this purpose. He dropped it into the pot then covered it and slid it back under the bed.

"All better now, mister sensitive?" Daniel said, standing before Jack with his underwear still around his knees.

"Yeah. Much. Now let me see your nipples."

Daniel laughed and hiked his undershirt up. "Like what you see?"

"Mmm," Jack said. "I like. But will I like the taste? Guess there's only one way to find out." He pulled Daniel to him and leaned low to lick at the dark circles. "Perfect. This'll get me healthy in no time."

His lips tickled and Daniel giggled, then slapped his hand over his mouth. "You make me feel silly," he said through his splayed fingers.

"Like that," Jack said as he moved up to Daniel's neck. "Been too long."

"Wait, I should lock the door. Don't need Asny rushing in to drop off more coals and getting an education about Highborn ways, do we?" he protested as he gently extracted himself from Jack's embrace. The door latch was a simple, wooden slide, which could be barred from the inside, or locked from the outside with the key that remained unused, on the fireplace mantle. Daniel slipped the wood to the left and the door was locked. He waddled, his underwear now around his ankles, back to Jack. He was delighted to see Jack had taken off his nightshirt. He sat on the edge of the bed, completely naked except for his precious cotton socks.

"Very attractive, like I said," Jack whispered lowly as he eyed Daniel's state of undress.

"Figured you'd like this, the bondage look." Daniel's eyes twinkled.

"Suits you," Jack said, still whispering. But then he pulled back, his hands flat on Daniel's chest. "They don't . . . they don't force you . . . Do they tie you--"

"No," Daniel said vehemently. "Never. It's not like that at all. It's . . . like a religious thing. It's very formal, lots of rules--"

"But they're big, Daniel. They hold you down?"

"No. Not at all," he said shaking his head, and keeping his answers calm and short. "I'm in control the whole time. I can stop it at any time. They listen to me and do it the way I tell them. Slow, so it won't hurt . . . "

"It has to hurt. I know your body. Unless they all have dicks too damned small for their size. Do they, Daniel? Don't lie to me. I don't need you to lie to me."

"Jack, why are you asking this now? Why all of a sudden do you need to know the details?" Daniel took a half step back.

Jack reached for him, drawing him back into the intimate embrace. "Because we're about to make love. I'm going to . . . with you. I don't want you to think this is like what they do."

Daniel rolled his lips in for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally he took a deep breath. "I lay on my back and they kneel between my legs. They don't put their weight on me because they have to see my face through the whole thing. I make them use a lubricant, and go in slow so I can adjust to the size. It hurt a lot at first, when Lars . . . It took me a while to figure out that I had to tell them to let me relax a little first. When I figured that out, that they'd wait and listen to me, it got a lot easier."

"They stop if you tell them too?"

"Yes. I can break the bargain any time. I keep the veil by my side and all I have to do is cover my face with it. They have to get up and leave immediately."

"I knew that part about the veil," Jack said, dropping his gaze to Daniel's navel. "I asked Lars' wife about it. Hard to remember that far back, though. I don't think I asked her the rest, but I had an idea about it anyway."

"It's nothing like what you and I do. Not love-making. Not even having sex. It's . . . something else entirely. I . . . I . . . Are you going to be able to have sex with me, Jack."

Jack's head snapped up and he gazed hard into Daniel's eyes. "Don't doubt that I love you just as much now. Don't doubt that you are just as much a turn-on to me, that I want you and want your body and I will . . . I will. Don't doubt that, Daniel. I love you. This doesn't change that, and doesn't change the way I feel about you, or make me want to be in you any less. I want to be in you again. I want . . . You're right. What we do is love-making. We make love. Sex. We share sex. The imparting stuff doesn't change that. Wouldn’t if it was me doing it, if it was brown eyed men they all wanted. Wouldn't make any difference to you. I know that about you. I need you to know that about me."

"I do," Daniel said, hugging Jack to his chest. "I know you. I know what kind of man you are better than anyone ever has. I've held you when you were at your most vulnerable, and I've laid my soul bare in your arms. I've seen you face down armies and care for the smallest child . . . I know you."

"I love you, Danny."

Drawing in a shaky breath, Daniel felt a tear track down his face. He bowed his head to Jack and met the older man's parting lips. Jack's breath sighed into his body and Daniel accepted it, felt the air of his lover fill him, possess him, and he gave Jack his own to breathe in and possess.

Jack tugged at him, willing Daniel to crawl onto the high bed over him.

He stepped out of his underwear, then Daniel lifted Jack under his arms, scooting the frail man back into the middle of the huge bed. It was soft, padded well with a mattress of curly wool, and a layer of fleece. The sheets on top were crisp, but soft and felt so good against Daniel's bare skin.

With his eyes half-lidded Jack moaned in arousal. His cock stirred against his thigh.

Daniel knelt, straddling Jack's bony hips and rocked back and forth, running the wet tip of his hard cock over Jack's navel, then trailing down until his met the head of Jack's.

"Might not get hard," Jack said languidly. "Don't care, though. Will later. Need to heal more."

"Mmm," Daniel answered. He brought his mouth down to Jack's neck and licked and sucked to his heart's content.

Their bodies melded and sweat pooled as Daniel fucked his hard cock along the hot length of Jack's. He got hard. Very hard.

"Want in me?" Daniel whispered into Jack's ear.

Jack groaned. "Don't know. This feels so good. Don't want to lose my hard-on. Maybe keep doing this. Okay with you?"

"Can't you tell?" Daniel whispered. "I’m leaking precum all over you."

"That what that is," Jack said, his eyes firmly closed now. "Thought it was . . . honey."

"Honey. Baby. Lover."

"Toaster," Jack whispered. "Yeah. In you."

"Slick enough," Daniel said as he raised up and guided Jack's wet cock to his opening. He eased down, rocking his hips forward to adjust to the perfect angle. He went slow, keeping his eyes focused on Jack's face.

"Ah! God!" Jack exclaimed. "Danny, don't stop. God!"

Daniel let his body sink down until his balls rested on Jack's too-flat stomach. "Like that?"

"Move. More. God, yes," Jack urged. "Can't get enough of this. Ever."

Daniel began to pump himself on his lover, his attention intently focused. His own rampant cock was up tight against his belly. He hadn't been this hard in an incredibly long time either. And he ached for release.

Jack opened his eyes and reached for Daniel's cock. "You. Need you." His long fingers wrapped around Daniel's heat and he pumped up and down, letting the precum slick up his touch. He ran his thumb across the slit, his hand easily finding an old rhythm that he knew Daniel loved. A smile played across Jack's lips as Daniel hissed in a breath and arched his back. Jack tightened his grip, just the way Daniel liked it. He pumped from the corona down, gripping hard at the base, then gently pulled up to the coronal ridge. He set a steady pace as Daniel rode him.

As the heat in his body built, Daniel closed his eyes, reveling in the freedom to do so. Sex! This was sex! He let his head loll back as he rode Jack, staying alert to make sure he didn't bruise the emaciated man. Sex! And his biggest fear melted away, the nasty fear that had been haunting the dark corners of his mind since he'd taken the second huge cock into his body back in the low desert. He felt full with Jack's cock in him. He felt full! His body clung to Jack's hot shaft, and he felt full.

The impartings hadn't ruined him. His muscles had developed, not been destroyed.

"Ah, fuck me, Jack," he whispered loudly. "Fuck me. Oh, I love your cock in me. Fuck me. Yes. Yes. Fuck m-- me . . . " he drew out the word as Jack gripped him hard. Daniel lost control of the rhythm he'd set as his balls churned out sperm, firing it up and out of him. White cum gushed out over the top of his lover's hand and Daniel cried out in ecstasy as he came for Jack.

"Da-- Danny!" Jack groaned hard and long. "Come-- coming. There, oh, God . . . yes. Yeah. Yeah." He said, punctuating each volley of sperm. "Yeah," he sighed out the final word as he let go of Daniel's spent dick.

"Mmm," Daniel moaned as he opened his eyes and looked down at Jack's slack features. "Damn. That was . . . good."

"Ha," Jack barked out a little laugh as he lay there, his eyes firmly closed and his body slack. "Good? All you can think of? Earth shattering? Fireworks? Atomic bomb went off in my nuts, and you come up with good?"

"Gonna get off you now, before my legs start cramping." Daniel carefully pulled himself off Jack's softening cock, getting a groan of protest from his depleted lover. "Clean you up--"

"Lay down with me, first. Don't care about the sheets." Jack held one arm up.

With a smile, Daniel snuggled into Jack's armpit, his head on Jack's chest. He wouldn’t stay like this long. But for a few minutes, he'd indulge Jack, indulge him, then get up so the man could breathe easier.

"Atomic bomb," Daniel murmured against Jack's right nipple.

"Eight megaton," Jack assured him.

Chapter 9 - The Other Sky

The late evening chill had Daniel scurrying in from the outhouse, his bucca folded closed against the wind. He moved through the dark, rear passage into the great hall and stopped by the big fireplace to warm up. He'd take a moment to get circulation back in his fingers and toes, then help Asny by fetching water for the room. The child worked so hard, and she might be offended if Daniel did a chore that she considered her personal territory, but he thought it was worth the risk of her ire.

He smiled, safe inside the bucca and rubbed his hands together in front of the big fireplace.

The front door of the inn banged open, hitting the wall with a resounding thud as a harried man rushed in, his robe flapping around his legs. "Inn keeper!" he shouted. "Master of the inn! A room. Prepare ye best room. Ale, food, servant's rooms too. My master comes. My master comes!"

"Who makes all this fuss?" Tal shouted as she strode across the room to meet the new arrival. "And someone shut the door that this fool has left open to the chill. Now what be all this about a room?"

"Ye be the innkeeper?" he asked hastily. "My master comes. Prepare a room. And rooms for his servants too. We stay with him here this night. Go, innkeeper! He be nigh on to the edge of this fair village!"

"We've rooms," Tal assured him. "Plenty of rooms. And he has servants? Fine. Rooms for them too."

"Where be the stable master? His horses will need bedding down for the night."

"Horses? More than one?" Tal asked, now sounding properly impressed. "Aye. Stable master can be fetched," she said as she signaled to a young lad who was cleaning dishes among the tables. "Waiting out front, he'll be, to show ye master's servants where his horses may bed."

"And ye finest room for the Highborn," the man insisted, still frantic. "Clear and clean a table," he said staring about until he spied the empty, isolated table Daniel always used.

"Finest room be not available," Tal answered. "Innkeeper, I'm not, but he be in the kitchen and will tell ye the same. Though there be plenty of rooms suitable for ye master."

"Ye don't understand," the man said as he tugged at her sleeve. "That table. That one for him. My master, he be Highborn--"

"Yes, as rare as that be, winter and all, but still the best room be not--"

"Daft," he interrupted her, pulling at his hair. "Ye understand nothing yet. He brings with him the Sky!"

The innkeeper made his way into the room then. He was wiping his hands on his apron, as he always seemed to be doing. "What be all this commotion? Room? Someone calls for a room? Give it to him, if he's coin enough, Tal. Have ye coin, lad?" he asked, eyeing the stranger hard.

"My master has coin! His steward carries his coin. His steward pays. But the best room. I'm to make sure ye prepare it as he wants. Clean, and warm. Fresh linens and pillows. Good smelling herbs. Now, man. My master arrives any moment! Bring food, he'll want ale and food. A cushion for yon chair, have ye one? And a cloth to cover the table. He likes the nice things."

"The Ram's Head Inn be nice all round," the innkeeper insisted. "Fine, we'll make his stay fine. But the best room, nay. He'll take what else we have and like it well enough or stay in the next village this dark night."

"Did ye not understand me?" the man said beseechingly to Tal. "My master, the Highborn Brynvold, with his consort. He brings the Sky."

"The Sky!" the innkeeper exclaimed. "Ach! Again under my roof in winter?"

"The best room!" the servant shouted just as loudly.

"Ye do not understand," the innkeeper argued with him. "Fine, and a blessing of course, to have ye master and his here, but a Highborn sleeps even now in the best room. Tal, prepare what we can give to the man's master. Canlith! Attend!" He ran back to the kitchen, shouting orders as he went.

Daniel stepped back against the wall by the fireplace as servants rushed around, responding to the innkeeper's orders. He stood very still, watching as several patrons turned expectant gazes toward the door. A few shot furtive glances over their shoulders at him. He thought he'd come in unnoticed, somewhat incognito in his cloak and bucca, but they always knew where he was, always.

The expectant patrons didn’t have to wait long. The inn door banged open again before the innkeeper made it to his kitchen.

Two broad-shouldered worker caste men strode in. They wore hooded cloaks of a burgundy hue, thrown back over their shoulders to reveal brown leather clothing. Each carried a long lance, topped with burgundy and green streamers. They stood on either side of the door, surveying the room. After a moment a shorter man followed them. He stopped just inside the door and threw back the hood of his cloak, a forest green, and surveyed the room in the same manner his guards did. His jaw was strong, his hair, jet black, and cut short above his collar. His eyes were a piercing shade of brown, and his skin as pale as Daniel's.

"Highborn," Daniel said to himself as he watched the man stand, his booted feet spread, surveying the place. He pulled off his leather gloves and handed them to one of his guards. The guard took the gloves and resumed his eagle-eyed gaze around the place. Daniel stayed still against the wall, small, and unnoticed by them in his brown robe and bucca.

"Well come," the innkeeper called. "Hail. Well come this cold night, Highborn Brynvold."

The dark haired man locked his gaze on the innkeeper, and then solemnly nodded. Then, without a word he turned back to the door and stepped outside. Then he was back again, this time, walking slowly, his right hand stretched out as he held another's hand. He led the other inside.

Together, the two shorter men stopped just inside the door. Two more servants, both tall, working caste followed. They were also in burgundy cloaks. One closed the door, and the inn patrons seemed to grow even more quiet.

The Highborn unclasped his cloak and one of the servants took it off him. Then the Highborn turned to his companion.

Daniel studied this new arrival. He was of the same height as his Highborn companion. Maybe six feet tall, he thought. The man was dressed in a green cloak trimmed in the same deep burgundy as the streamers on the lances and upper arms of the two guards. His cloak shone, as if it were made of some silk-like material, but was the same color as that of his human companion. He stood silently as the Highborn unfastened his cloak for him. The hood he wore also seemed to shimmer, but it looked thicker than the bucca Daniel wore. While watching the man, Daniel brought his fingers up and felt the thickness of his own clothing.

The Highborn lifted the hood off, and Daniel could see the glint of white through the crowds separating him from the newcomers. It was a Sky veil, obviously. The newcomer was a Sky caste man. The cloak was removed, revealing more pale fabric, an inner cloak made of cloth as white as the veil on the man's head.

The Highborn took the Sky's hand again and led him to the isolated table, reaching it as his servant, the frantic man who'd arrived earlier, was spreading a dark cloth over it. Canlith rushed up and handed the man a cushion, then she hastily backed away. The servant placed the cushion on one of the chairs, then stood well behind it, his head bowed.

Daniel took a small step to his left, to better see around the bulky forms of two inn patrons between him and the new arrivals. He watched as the Highborn unfastened his companion's white cloak, and blinked in surprise when he saw how the Sky caste was dressed. The man's veil was firmly in place, and his eyes and hair modestly covered. Daniel realized he wore his own veil more lax, with his hair showing around the sides and back. This man's hair did not show under the veil. His shirt was short, so short it showed his bare stomach. He'd be cold like that, even sitting so close to the fire. But, of course, he was probably more acclimated to the weather on Nortvegr than Daniel or Jack were. That would make sense.

The pants the Sky caste wore were a soft suede. They rode very low on the man's hips, showing his navel and the points of his hipbones. When he turned toward the chair Daniel caught a glimpse of his ass. The pants came so low that Daniel could see the dip between the small globes of his ass. The pants draped gracefully on his form, leaving very little to the imagination.

Glancing furtively around the room Daniel noticed no one was looking at the Sky caste. They all had their eyes on the finely dressed guards or the Highborn man. With such skimpy clothing, it would be an absolute necessity to look elsewhere, he realized, or they'd risk offending by becoming completely aroused. They knew what was behind that thin veil. Blue eyes.

Gracefully, the Sky caste was led to the cushioned chair. His companion held his hand as he sat, and then he was kissed on both cheeks, just below the veil.

"Food," the Highborn said to the servant who stood at his right elbow. "And build the fire higher." He sat by his companion, and called for the return of his companion's inner cloak. It was draped over the Sky caste's shoulders and tucked around him, though he hadn't said a word about being cold.

The men carrying their tall lances stood on either side of the table, seeming more at ease now.

Tal came from the kitchen then, two of the cooks at her heels, each carrying a large platter. The food was set on the table by her, the male cooks keeping their distance. She placed each by the Highborn man, who then served his veiled companion. Canlith returned with tankards of ale. The serving wenches curtseyed deeply, and then withdrew. Again the Highborn put a tankard in front of the Sky caste.

"Steward," the Highborn called, not looking up to see if his servant responded. One of the men in a burgundy cloak followed Tal away, pulling a purse from under his cloak. Daniel saw coins being exchanged, quiet words, and a happy look on the face of the innkeeper who'd joined them.

So, here was his chance, Daniel realized. His first chance to meet the Highborn of this planet. Would they figure out that he wasn't a native? He moved away from the great fireplace and took a few steps toward the table.

". . . the best room?" the steward asked Tal, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Just so. The Highborn Jack sleeps there now. But we've a very fine and big room near the front of the inn. Nice bed with a good table for breaking fast. A window to the east, and I hope it will please ye master. Quiet too. Fresh linens of course, steward."

"Aye. Fresh, and some fragrant herbs too as my master, Highborn Brynvold wishes. My master's servants make their own beds. Here in the great hall if they wish, or can, for themselves afford a room. I wish a room, please, wench. Clean linens for me also." He bowed politely to Tal.

Daniel moved from behind the final group of inn patrons blocking his way and approached the table where the Highborn ate. He stopped a few feet away, totally at a loss for words. How should he greet them? He was so anxious to talk to these two! They would know about the city. They'd know if the blue standing ring was what he and Jack hoped it was. A stargate!

Suddenly Daniel realized the two guards had stepped forward. One had lowered his lance, while the other had half-drawn a sword, its exposed metal flashing bright in the flickering light of a dozen candles and firelight.

The Highborn paused, a bite of food halfway to his mouth. He looked up at Daniel and chuckled. "Away with you, foolish boy. Run home to your mother's tit before my man cleaves a blasphemer's head from your shoulders."

Daniel stood very still, gazing from the amused look of the Highborn to the veiled face of his companion.

The Highborn, seeing Daniel's shift in gaze dropped his heavy fork onto the pewter plate. It clanged noisily, and one of the guards took another menacing step toward Daniel.

"Away, boy" the Highborn said, his tone harsh now. "Drop your eyes now or you'll be run through--"

Daniel pulled his bucca off, revealing his white veil. Fearing it wasn't enough, he pushed his veil up and back off his head. His honey-colored hair shone bright in the same flickering light that so lit the menacing blade of the guard. Should he back away? Daniel fought hard to hold his ground. He had to talk to these two! He had to take this opportunity to find out if he was pushing Jack north toward a way home, or toward an empty promise.

The Highborn stared at him, his face a mask of surprise. Beside him, the veiled man rose gracefully to his feet and moved around the table. He came to Daniel, his steps light, his hips swaying slightly. He seemed to glide across the floor.

In front of Daniel, he pushed his veil off too, revealing his delicate features. His eyes were as blue as Daniel's, and his hair light and long. He held his hands out, palms down, and waited, expectantly.

Completely unsure of what to do, Daniel reverted to the practice of mirroring actions. That was most often the right thing to do when meeting someone from a different culture. If they bow, you bow. If they offer a handshake, you offer a handshake. That was something he'd learned long ago on expeditions with his parents, light-years from here, and it had worked well in solar system after solar system. So, that's what he relied on now. Daniel held his hands out, but palms up, mirroring the offered touch.

The Sky caste brought his hands down to touch Daniel's, palm to palm, then the man leaned close, offering his lips. Daniel leaned in too, and was shocked when the Sky caste opened his mouth and kissed him deeply. The man's hands came down and encircled around his waist, drawing Daniel against him. Their bodies touched, from head to toe, and Daniel was breathless as the kiss deepened. He felt the man's tongue flick against his teeth, and let the man have further entry.

He didn't even realize he'd closed his eyes until the Sky caste closed his mouth and gently let the kiss fade away, fade until it was nothing but a breath between their parted lips. Daniel took a moment to draw a deep breath, then opened his eyes. He was still in an embrace with the blue-eyed man.

"Kinsman," the Sky caste said softly, his lips now brushing Daniel's cheek as he spoke.

It was impossible for Daniel to figure out what to do next. Should he echo that greeting?

He brushed his lips across the man's smooth-shaven cheek, thankful for the moment that he had shaved this afternoon after sharing a sponge bath with Jack. "Kinsman," he echoed, using as soft a whisper as the man had.

He withdrew, taking a half step away from the man, but was still in his embrace. Around them the lighting had changed. Startled, Daniel realized someone had moved to hold a large cloth around them. It was the thin, white cloak of the man in his arms. Two of the servants held it, blocking the view of the two Sky caste from all others in the great hall.

Kneeling by them was the Highborn who'd accompanied the Sky caste into the inn. His head was bowed low.

"I’m sorry for causing a problem," Daniel said to the kneeling man. "Please, get up."

The man kept his gaze down, as if he hadn't heard.

"Kinsman, will you allow the presence of my desire, the Highborn, Brynvold Halfdain?"

Daniel saw the Sky caste look from him down to the kneeling man.

"Your . . . the Highborn, Brynvold Halfdain?" Daniel asked. "Uh, yes?"

"Honored. This one has offended," the kneeling man said, his tone amazingly gentle, as if speaking to a beloved child.

"Offended me?" Daniel asked, sounding foolish to himself. "If you're talking about mistaking me for a boy of the worker caste, the fault was mine for not identifying myself before I approached. I should have known better. Please, forgive me for causing the problem."

The man looked up at him, still low on his knees. "Sky, that is not possible," he said, looking genuinely puzzled. "It is not possible to forgive a Sky, for they can do no wrong."

"Please, get up," Daniel said, now very uncomfortable in the Sky caste's intimate embrace. Their groins were pressed firmly together. "How can I make this right? My blunder?"

"Forgive," the Sky caste whispered, again bringing his lips to brush against Daniel's cheek as he spoke. "That is all that is necessary, kinsman."

"I forgive you?" Daniel said questioningly.

The Highborn stood and smiled, again, his manner seemed extremely gentle. That wasn't how his manner was when speaking with who he thought was a worker caste boy. He went down on one knee again. "I am honored and thank you deeply, first for the forgiveness of my vulgar manners, and thank you deeply for the honor of allowing me behind your veil, Sky.

It didn't feel like the Sky caste was going to let go of him, so Daniel tried to quell his unease, and settle into the embrace. Just as he resigned himself, the man let go and stepped back, taking Daniel's hand in his own.

"Join us," the Sky caste said. "We are weary from the day's ride, and a meal is much needed. Join us, kinsman."

"Thank you," Daniel replied. "I . . . I would like to sit with you. If we could talk? Could you answer some questions for me?"

"Time for questions, as you need answers, Sky," the Highborn said. He pulled a scarf from his pocket and draped it over his right hand, then held that covered hand out to Daniel. His skin would not touch Daniel.

Daniel allowed himself to be led to the table and seated on the cushioned chair. Then he watched as the Highborn pocketed the scarf and brought the Sky caste to the table and seated him by Daniel's side. Then the man's steward arrived with a third chair, keeping his face low. He backed away, his eyes staying on the floor.

"You have all male servants," Daniel observed as he watched the steward bow himself from their presence and the Highborn sit in the third chair.

"Do not worry, kinsman," the Sky caste said. "They will not touch unless it is permissible. They are also very well trained in the art of not looking." He smiled reassuringly.

"I see," Daniel said with a nod.

"You have now met my desire, the Highborn, Brynvold Halfdain. He is an honest man and follows the Nortvegr."

"Your desire," Daniel echoed as he looked from the Sky to the Highborn man. "Brynvold. Well met." Then he wondered if he should give them his name. But the Sky hadn't supplied his own, if he had one, so Daniel remained silent, and nodded to Brynvold.

"Honored," Brynvold said. "Desire, do you wish to cover now?"

The Sky caste nodded, then rewrapped his veil over his head. Reluctantly, Daniel followed his lead, regretting the end of being able to see these two clearly. He wanted to be able to see their facial expressions with no hindrance.

"Trapped south of the divide by cruel winter's snow?" Brynvold asked. As he spoke he waved away the two servants who'd held the robe to shield the Sky castes from those in the great hall. "We did not expect to encounter another on our trip across the continent."

"My friend and I-- My friend is the Highborn Jack. Jack O'Neill. He's asleep upstairs. I'd like to have you meet him, but he's too ill to come downstairs this evening."

"Ill? Unlucky to be trapped here in winter, then. Medicines, Sky? Has Jack what he needs?"

Daniel picked up on the fact that Brynvold dropped the honorific, Highborn, when speaking about Jack. He seemed genuinely concerned. But he also kept referring to Daniel as Sky.

"We didn't have any medicines with us, no. But he's healing now. He was very ill for a while and now just needs to rest and get his strength back. Thank you for your concern."

"To be ill here in the south must be quite a hardship," Brynvold said. "But perhaps we intrude, taking you from him this evening. It is not seemly to occupy a Sky's time, to keep him from the support of his House and servants. Again, forgive my manners. I am just taken unaware, finding you here in winter."

"Jack will be all right without me. Or, rather, I guess you mean will I be all right here without Jack?"

"And the servants of the Highborn, those who serve you through him," Brynvold said. "My steward would greet the head of his servants." He looked up as if scanning the room for Daniel's servants.

"I don't have any . . . Jack and I are . . ."

Tal stepped up to the table, and Daniel was startled, not realizing she'd been hovering as close as permissible. She curtseyed low.

"Pardon, Highborn," she said, flicking her gaze up to Daniel, then dropping her face rapidly. "Comes soon, the servants of the Highborn Jack." Then she withdrew and called to the room.

"Ulfrik! Jarngerd! Come. The servants of the Highborn Jack, those who owe allegiance, come! Someone fetch Asny! Canlith, fetch Asny right fast. The Highborn's servants should be greeted properly."

Jarngerd and her husband came from among the crowd of onlookers, rushing to the empty space that separated the round table of Highborns from the long rows of tables packed with the tall worker castes. The two weavers dropped to one knee, heads bowed.

"Oh," Daniel protested, "this isn't--"

"Asny!" Tal called again. As she frantically scanned the great hall several men and women stepped forward, kneeling in rank behind Jarngerd and Ulfrik. Each grinned broadly, their chests puffed up with pride as they knelt on one knee. Some jostling occurred, others shoving and pushing to get through the onlookers to join those kneeling.

"My," the Sky caste exclaimed.

". . . isn't right," Daniel protested weakly. He looked out at the mob of kneeling people.

". . . weavers, my wife and I." Ulfrik stood as he finished explaining his position to Brynvold's steward. "The finest, softest of all cloth, and blessed by the Highborn, yon, who granted us with fortune in our trades. We make for him and the Highborn Jack, the finest quality, the best of wear for the fair and delicate Highborn skin."

Jarngerd stood and curtseyed to the steward who was ushered along the line to face her. "Spinner and weaver, my husband be, and I knit what he spins, knit for the Highborn clothes that are of his own particulars, of a style blessed in design that he gave to me himself."

"Tal, I am, serving wench and I bring to the Highborn Jack what he needs, of a morning or night. Food cooked just right to the exacting requirements set by the Highborn, ways that build muscle and make a man strong." She curtseyed a second time. "Blessed me, he did! His own hand!" she held out the wrist Daniel had touched that first night at the Ram's Head Inn. Then she held it over her head, getting a round of cheers from the people around her.

"Helf, and blessed I am by the Highborn to speak of his presence." The old man went down on one knee again and had to have help from Tal to get back to his feet. "All who need to know, I tell of him, far and wide, where I go if they've a need to know, it be my duty to tell. I serve the Highborn, Jack."

"Balin, steward, and an honor to meet ye." Balin rose and held out his hand. He vigorously shook the steward's. "Wine. Mostly. Wine and ale when needed. My job," he said with a silly grin.

"Arnfenn, me," a young man said. "For my sister's children, the Highborn, what he done gives them food and a roof. Her, died of a broken heart after her man went down the mines and never return. Serve the Highborn, I do. My right arm and sword when he be of a need."

"Aye, and my sword too! Hacklang," a big-boned man said. "Me and my mate here, Isleif. His sword. Had a brother lost in the mine same as Arnfenn's family. Wee ones in the hall blessed by the Highborn. My sword and my mate's sword."

"Mine too. Herstein I am, steward. Glad to greet ye."

"Gaerimund, steward. Gaerimund. Tanner with that one, Balin, I am. But I've a sword too, and it serves the Highborn Jack, no other. I bow to no man but he who does such works as the Highborn yon." He nodded in Daniel's general direction.

"Well met, all," the steward interrupted before he could be shoved down the long line of others kneeling there. "I am the most high and honored, First Steward of House Halfdain. Well met. But be there among ye a steward? Who be his right hand?"

"Here!" Canlith called as she pushed her way through the crowd. She carried Asny, gripping the child about her waist, and was elbowing people right and left to get the child to the front of the crowd. Tal grabbed the girl and sat her on her feet. She whispered quickly in her ear. Asny pushed her away.

"I saw. I heard. From the stairs," she said indignantly as she pointed to the stairwell. Then she stepped boldly to the steward and curtseyed, holding it low and long, her clean, brown shift held out to her sides.

"Well come, steward to . . . to Highborn Brynvold." She stood and stared up at the man who towered over her slight form. "Asny. I am for the Highborn Jack, number one helper."

"A child," the steward said in disbelief. He glanced over his shoulder at his master, then turned back to the little girl. "First among them all?"

"Number one," she repeated solemnly.

Daniel grinned broadly. She was such a bold little thing, so different than the soot-smudged, exhausted child who'd first built a fire for Jack. "First among them all," he said under his breath.

The Sky caste, seated at his left reached out and laid his hand over Daniel's. He turned to the veiled man and saw him smiling. It was a smile of admiration, which Daniel found very comforting. If these two men could see the value in a child like Asny, then they were worth trusting. He began to relax.

"But the rest of them, really, they're not . . . really . . . I wouldn't think . . . " Daniel paused and glanced through his veil at the excited people milling about the steward and the other two servants who'd come in with Brynvold. The two guards had not relaxed their pose to join in the greeting. Daniel shrugged.

"Allegiance comes in many forms," Brynvold said. "Some earned in more valuable ways than others, I think. But, my desire, please, the food is good. We should eat our fill, then retire upstairs. That is where Jack rests? Perhaps we could meet him there, Sky?"

Daniel nodded. "He should still be awake. He gets tired very easily, but I'm sure he'd want to speak with you, Brynvold."

"Then rest your mind, Sky. I shall greet him shortly." Brynvold called for another tankard and while waiting for it, served Daniel food from the heaping platters. "What pleases you, most, Sky? This bird? Some of these berries? The bread is warm and fresh. Desire," he said, looking past Daniel, "try these berries. They are crisp, just as you like."

The Sky caste nodded to Brynvold and took a small taste of the berries.

Daniel sat stiff-backed between the two men and watched the solicitous way Brynvold treated his mate. They were mates, he thought, probably sexual partners. Brynvold seemed to coddle his veiled companion and for a moment Daniel thought he was going to cut the man's food for him. He smiled until he flashed on the vision of himself doing the same thing for Jack, and at this very table.

But Jack was ill. This Sky caste was definitely in the best of health. He'd seen the man's body, almost his entire body. And he was vigorous enough to kiss like he meant it.

"Thank you," Daniel said to Brynvold when the man handed him the newly arrived tankard of ale.

The Highborn gazed at him with a puzzled expression. "No. I am not Sky, young one. Do not thank me."

"Not . . . I know," Daniel said. "Not Sky. But . . . okay." He decided he should shut up for a while and just observe the way these two interacted. He was still very concerned about how they might react if they found out he and Jack were actually from another planet. Would they react like the worker caste? He took very small sips of the ale, and ate tiny bites of food, just enough to be good company, but not enough to overtax his already full stomach.

Don’t thank a Highborn, and don't make apologies. And, Daniel scoffed to himself, a Sky can't do anything wrong? Oh boy.

He worried over the fact that Brynvold had called him young one. He wasn't much younger than the Highborn. Maybe it was just an expression used for Sky caste?

"Now we shall retire from these happy folk and leave them to their boisterous fun," Brynvold said as he stood. He helped his Sky caste companion stand, then again covered his hand before he held it out to Daniel. Taking the two veiled men with him, he escorted them to the stairs. Asny was there holding a lantern high. She preceded them up the dark passage and down the hall to Jack's room.

"If you don't mind?" Daniel said. "Wait here for a moment, and I'll make sure Jack is awake?"

"As you wish, Sky," Brynvold said, smiling indulgently at him.

Again Daniel got the feeling that he was being spoken to like a child. He pushed into the bedroom and found Jack on his side, awake.

"Visitors, Jack. A couple of Highborn came to the inn a while ago. One of them is Sky caste. They want to meet you."

"Finally," Jack said as he sat up. "Help me get dressed." He threw the covers back.

"No," Daniel said as he lit the collection of candles on the mantle. "You stay in bed. I told them you were recovering--"

"I don't want to meet them flat on my back--"

"Where's that other pillow? Here it is. Let's get you sitting up. Let me smooth your hair down . . . there. Your nightshirt tie is loose."

"Stop," Jack commanded. "Get that shirt off the hook, and my pants."

Daniel sighed in exasperation, but got Jack's clothes. Very quickly he had him dressed and leaning back against the headboard, his feet snuggled in a pair of Jarngerd's excellent socks. "Okay?" Daniel asked, showing his impatience.

"Yeah."

Daniel leaned over and kissed Jack's nose. "Don't talk to the Sky caste until some kind of introduction is made." Hastily, Daniel went to the door.

"Don't talk . . . Daniel?" Jack said, his voice reflecting a little bit of alarm now.

"Just follow their lead. Do what they do." Daniel opened the door and welcomed the two inside. Seated on the divan Brynvold cradled his Sky caste companion as he looked at Jack. The Sky caste kept his head bowed.

"This is my friend, Jack O'Neill," Daniel said, then added, "he's an honest man, and follows the Nortvegr. Jack, this is--"

The Sky caste nestled against Brynvold stood and raised a hand to Daniel. "I will . . . It is all right . . . " he paused a moment then spoke again, his head bowed low. "You meet my desire, the Highborn, Brynvold Halfdain. He also, is an honest man, and follows the Nortvegr."

"Daniel?" Jack said.

Seated on the divan, Brynvold uttered a soft sound. "Ah! Honored, Jack, honored to receive the name of your . . . friend. And my desire, his name also will be spoken freely in this room. I will give it for you to use. He is Odamari. Odamari of the Sky caste, and my beloved. My mate for life. You may touch."

Odamari smiled shyly and sank back to his seat on the divan. Brynvold encircled him in his embrace and cradled the blue eyed man close.

Daniel moved over to the bed. He shifted his weight from foot to foot until Jack reached out and took his hand. "Daniel is my mate also. For life," Jack said decisively.

An odd fluttering sensation rose in Daniel's chest when he heard Jack make that statement. He'd said it so easily, so positively. Daniel looked from their clasped hands to Jack's face, regretting instantly the obscuring veil. Jack looked up at him, so Daniel gave him a smile and squeezed his hand.

"Uh, and you may touch," Jack said, echoing the rest of what Brynvold had said.

"Honored. Trapped below by winter's cruel teeth?" Brynvold asked.

"We were shipwrecked," Jack answered. "We traveled up here from the low desert."

"An arduous journey in winter. We would not be out riding across this cold land if not . . . " Brynvold took a moment, then continued, "if not for my father's untimely death. Word reached me in the western port of Skagg that he'd gone to the forefathers. I must be to his holdings at Fairwood on the other side of the continent in a month or lose the title and heirship. Shipping master, he was. I'll miss him."

Odamari sat up and kissed Brynvold's cheek, holding his lips there for a moment before bowing his head modestly again.

"We've had to push hard through the cold. Still a long journey ahead of us. Jack," Brynvold said, taking a serious tone, "my desire and I must leave in the morning. To tarry here might cost me my inheritance. But it has been a hard season in Skagg, hard and lonely for my desire. If for a while he might visit with his kinsman, if that would be permissible to you?"

"Kinsman?" Jack asked.

"That would be me," Daniel said, his voice just above a whisper.

"Uh. Sure. Has Daniel had a chance to talk with you yet? We have a few questions, if you don't mind answering?"

"Careful," Daniel murmured, but so softly that Jack didn't hear him.

"Ask what you will, Jack. Whatever I can help you with." Brynvold said.

"Thanks. I appreciate that. And, of course, Daniel's free to . . . visit, talk with . . . your beloved, Odamari, all he wants."

Odamari rose from the couch and pulled off his veil. He came to Daniel and stood before him, his bare head bowed demurely.

"Great. Could you give us some idea of the best route from here to the city? The city of the Highborn?" Jack asked.

Daniel took his veil off too, relieved to have the encumbrance off. He shook his hair out.

"Best to travel fast, or slow?" Brynvold asked. "For speed, up through the great divide, taking care to choose when the claw beasts are asleep in their caves. With Daniel at your side, of course, you'd never risk going when they're awake. If speed is not so urgent, then to the west, I'd say. Catch a fair wind after the ice sheet recedes from the ports. You could come east to my father's own port."

Odamari reached out and cupped his hands around Daniel's jaw, curling his fingers softly. Then he kissed Daniel again, his lips as open as the first time. Their bodies melted together tenderly.

Jack gaped at the two blue eyed men as Brynvold continued his description of the port city of Fairwood.

"A glorious city in spring. When the sun rises she kisses the dwellings. It's a splendid sight."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Kisses? I'll say."

"Other Highborn live in Fairwood year round. You will find good company. We were the only ones in Skagg. It wasn't a well planned winter for us, but I had thought to make a good business deal, to extend my family holdings."

Daniel sagged back against the side of the bed, his arms around Odamari. They sank onto the bed together, kissing and rubbing their hands over each other's chests.

"From Fairwood, a ship would take you north and you have a pick of ports. Choose one that suits you. Travel on the north side of the divide is as you well know, Jack."

"Well know?" Jack said, his mouth still gaping as he watched Daniel and Odamari lay back together near his feet. He curled his legs up under the covers.

"When were you last home to our city?" Brynvold asked.

"Uh . . . Is this . . . " he waved a hand at the two men who were making out. "Is this what you meant? A visit?"

Daniel pulled his mouth from Odamari's and gasped for breath. "I'm sorr-- I mean, I think we should slow down here. If you don't mind? We were supposed to . . . visit? Talk?"

"Kinsman," Odamari said as he climbed to his knees. He began to unfasten Daniel's clothing. "Questions your Jack has for my desire?"

"Yes," Daniel said, not moving to stop himself from being stripped. His dick was hard. He glanced up at Jack then down at his own bulging crotch. Jack was looking at his erection too. Daniel blushed. "We wanted to know about the blue ring."

"The sacred ring. Has your desire seen it?" Odamari asked. "I remember my time there. I have been in one time since the day I earned my circle, though my desire has not seen it."

"Yes," Brynvold said as he stood and stretched. He sauntered to the end of the big bed and leaned against one of its tall posts. "I have not seen the ring. Will you go there to pay homage? A blessing on your union, perhaps? Some insist it guarantees a life-long relationship. I love Odamari, with all my heart. Perhaps some day he and I will step through the ring to show our love."

"Step through it?" Jack prompted, his attention split between this new information and the men rapidly becoming naked on his bed. Odamari was shrugging out of his shirt.

"Step through, with hearts united. Perhaps you will attend? I must say, Jack, I'm delighted to meet you and your Daniel. There are so few of us left, so busy living our isolated lives. It's--"

"When you step through, where do you come out on the other side?" Jack interrupted.

"Come out? Together, of course. And bound then--"

"Then what?" Jack asked rapidly.

Odamari had Daniel's boots and pants off now, and was fumbling with the tie of his underwear.

"Go back home? Is that what you want to know about? Usually a feast is held when one brings his desire home after the ceremony at Odin's great ring, as you know, Jack. Why do you ask this? It is what you should already know."

"I have never seen you before, kinsman," Odamari said as he pushed Daniel's shirt off. "Even at the festival. Though, often I don't visit with many there. You?"

"F-- Festival . . . I guess . . . not," Daniel sputtered out as Odamari kissed his chest and belly.

"Undress him, Daniel," Brynvold said encouragingly. "Your mate is a passive lover, isn't he, Jack? I find that adorable."

"Adorable?" Jack almost swore the word, but his eyes never left the spectacle of the two men on his bed.

"I should . . . " Daniel panted, switching his gaze from Jack to Odamari, "undress. He's . . . We should . . . Jack, it's best to . . . go along . . . "

Jack reached out and smoothed the rumpled covers away from the two men, revealing more of Daniel's naked flesh and his hard cock. "Yeah, Daniel. Go along." He smirked.

Daniel gaped, wide-mouthed up at Jack, and then was shocked as Jack laughed good-naturedly at him. He looked over Odamari's shoulder and saw Brynvold leaning close, his face bright with lust. "Undress . . . " he said, then turned to the task of getting Odamari as naked as he was. It wasn't hard. The Sky caste had on suede pants that were already halfway falling off him. The supple suede came off him easily. Underneath he had on an odd bit of underwear that looked more like a jock strap. Odamari fumbled with a string on the underwear and then stripped the tiny scrap of fabric off. Then the new Sky laid down with Daniel, face to face.

Again Daniel felt himself kissed with the utmost care, and with the utmost attention. His toes curled for a moment, and his dick throbbed hot and needy.

"Oh, this isn't . . . Is it okay?" he asked, his mouth half covered by Odamari's red lips.

"Guess so," Jack said.

Daniel twisted half away from Odamari and reached out to run a hand over Jack's knee. "Is it?"

"Yes. Long as it's okay with you," he said decisively.

"Uh. Oh!" Daniel groaned as Odamari sucked at the right side of his neck, right where it joined his shoulder. Jack loved to bite him there, and could rarely indulge in that pleasure because of the worry about leaving marks. "Oh, Jack," Daniel moaned softly.

"My desire," Brynvold said as he knelt on the bed at Odamari's back.

The two blue eyed men were tangled in each other's arms now, kissing and stroking wherever they could reach.

As he watched the incredibly erotic meshing of the bodies before him, Jack absently rubbed his growing erection. He hissed in pleasure between his teeth. Brynvold was doing the same thing, he realized. The Highborn man began to shed his clothing too. Jack pulled his shirt open and unfastened the strings of his linen pants. He freed his erection, feeling it slap hard and hot against his belly. He fisted himself, then pushed his hand deeper to cup his balls.

"Daniel," he sighed his lover's name.

Under the smooth body of the Sky caste man, Daniel arched, forcing more contact between their cocks. He panted, flicking his gaze from Odamari's beautiful blue eyes to Jack's dark, lusty gaze. He felt so hot! He felt so desired!

Brynvold was naked now, and Jack shrugged out of his shirt. He rolled to his left and skinned the very recently donned pants back off. Then he sat cross-legged right behind Daniel.

The brown eyed Highborn at Odamari's back reached out and stroked his fingertips down his lover's lean flank. Jack knelt forward and touched Daniel's round ass cheek. He squeezed and did it again when Daniel gasped in pleasure.

"So beautiful," Brynvold said. "Your desire, and mine."

Jack looked up and met Brynvold's gaze. "Yes," he said, simply.

"We are fortunate men. Fortunate to live in this land so blessed by the great Odin."

"Odin," Jack echoed emptily. "And that ring. Got to go there and step through it with Daniel."

"Then you should. And we should help our desires drink of Odin's secret blessing. The blessing only a Sky can give to each other. Guide them as is our right."

"Secret blessing?" Jack asked softly.

Brynvold gently guided his lover to his knees and helped him to turn around, now with his head at Daniel's groin and his erection near Daniel's lips. He began to stroke and pet Odamari.

"Oh," Jack said, and scooted closer so he could run his hands down Daniel's sides.

Lost in a haze of pleasure Daniel called out Jack's name. He felt his lover's hand on his cheek and clutched it there, pushing Jack's fingers hard against his cheek. "Guide me," he whispered urgently.

"Just so," Brynvold said encouragingly to Jack. "If you are not too ill, Jack."

"I'm not," Jack said, keeping his hand firmly on Daniel as his lover moved to kiss Odamari's hard cock as it was offered to him.

When the sweet nectar of precum ran across his tongue, Daniel groaned loudly. His own cock was being engulfed in Odamari's sucking mouth. The mouth that had made such sweet love to his own was now pleasuring him. He sucked Odamari inside and reveled to feel the man buck against him, loving what he was doing to him.

"So precious," Brynvold said. "Rare and precious they are, Jack."

"Uh huh," Jack said, his eyes wide as he bent low over Daniel. He looked down and saw Brynvold's fingers tangled in Odamari's hair, so he did the same, tugging firmly as he'd seen the other man do. Daniel arched his back and panted heavily. Jack stared in amazement.

"This, my love," Brynvold said as he cupped Daniel's balls. "This you drink tonight. My precious one." He bent and kissed Odamari's cheek, right at the corner of his mouth which was sucking at Daniel's hard shaft.

"Mmm!" Daniel protested around the cock in his mouth. Too much! He didn't want to come yet! This was so fantastic. Jack was kissing his face now! Kissing him, watching him, urging him on as he sucked another man's sweet cock. Jack's lips were nibbling at his cheek. He felt . . . Yes. Yes. He felt Jack's tongue playing along the corner of his mouth. He felt Brynvold's tongue on his shaft. He stopped sucking and drew back to kiss Jack soundly. Then delectably, Jack guided his mouth back to the waiting, and so warm cock. Daniel suckled like Jack urged him to do. He worked his tongue under the corona, flicking the tip into Odamari's slit. A delicious bead of precum slipped from it and burst against Daniel's taste buds.

He wanted to shout out how fantastic he felt. Then Jack's fingers were back again, roaming around his face. He felt Jack gripping the other man's balls and pushing them against Daniel's closed eyes, rubbing them against his nose. He inhaled deeply.

"That's it, Daniel. Take him deeper, deep as you can. Stretch out that throat."

Brynvold. It must be Brynvold's mouth on his balls. Daniel lifted his leg a little to allow the man more room. He couldn't help himself. He bucked into Odamari's sucking mouth, over and over, fighting to stop, fighting to hold back from coming. Then he almost tripped over the edge. Jack moved down between Odamari's legs and began to do what Brynvold was doing. Daniel dared to open his eyes. All he could see was Jack sucking. Jack was sucking. Jack moved up and licked the base of the cock, his tongue playing with Daniel's. Daniel screamed deep in his throat.

Then Brynvold sent Daniel over the edge. The man sucked one of Daniel's nuts in his mouth. There was no stopping it. He shot his head forward, taking Odamari's cock past his gag reflex deep into his throat. He stopped breathing and just shot. He shot his cum out into the blue eyed man. Daniel was swallowing before he realized Odamari was coming too.

He swallowed as his body jerked and spun through a shattering orgasm. Daniel clutched at Jack and let his body keep jerking. He pounded his cock into Odamari, deep, as deeply as he was taking the man's fantastic cock himself.

At last Daniel closed his eyes. His body spasmed again, a small wave of pleasure, washing through his soul hard on the heels of the thunderous waves that had swamped his mind. He lay there, Odamari's cock lolling inside his lips, Jacks hands on his face and Brynvold between his legs. Daniel sighed. It was too much. It was bliss. He wanted nothing more at this moment than to simply exist.

"Mm," he moaned, more to let Jack know he was alive than anything. And then he realized Brynvold was moving. The man was sliding down, spooning his body against his lover. Daniel saw the man's flushed cock coming toward his face. He tensed, but no, he wasn't going to get a second taste of cum whether he wanted it or not. Brynvold was sliding his pre-cum slicked cock against his lover's cleft. He pushed inward.

As Daniel lifted Odamari's ass cheek he felt Jack slide quickly down to spoon up behind him too. Jack's cock was hard, so very hard and nudging for entry. Brynvold's fingers, at least, Daniel thought it was Brynvold, it could have been Odamari, was lifting him, spreading him, opening him for Jack's cock to enter.

"Mmyesh," he said, his mouth still full of Odamari's softened cock. But Daniel found himself growing hard again. It was too much to ignore. Despite being very sensitive he felt himself thrusting his ass back against Jack and hoping that Odamari would follow and suck him. He wanted to be sucked more! So he redoubled his own efforts, helping Brynvold to fuck his lover, and to suck Odamari's cock. Odamari repaid him in kind.

The view was incredible and Daniel felt Jack's breath hot on his neck. That was Jack's hand now, coming around to stroke the base of the cock in Daniel's mouth. Jack was feeding him the cock again. Daniel showed his gratitude by pushing back on Jack's cock and it popped in, penetrating him in one smooth stroke. He was groaning continuously now.

"That's it, baby," Jack whispered. "Suck for me. Ohh. So hot. So tight. Suck my cock up in your ass just like you're sucking that cock in your mouth. That's it. Daniel! Yes," Jack exclaimed as he began pumping into Daniel's ass.

Odamari shook in Daniel's arms as his lover penetrated him. It was an amazing feeling to have the blue-eyed man fluttering against his stomach as Daniel sucked him. Their bodies quivered together as they were penetrated over and over by their lovers.

The four men rocked together, pushing and pulling in and out as they groaned and whispered encouragement to each other.

Those were Jack's fingers, Daniel realized. Not his own. Jack was stroking Brynvold's wrinkled nuts now, making the man thrust with each firm stroke. Jack gripped the sack and pulled slightly, then released and cupped the nuts. He squeezed gently, and Daniel felt he was going cross-eyed watching Jack's fingers so close to his own face. Then Jack was stroking Brynvold's thighs, running his hands up to the man's ass.

"He's doing this to me," Jack whispered, his lips brushing Daniel's ear lobe.

The thought of Brynvold stroking Jack's ass had Daniel quivering.

"Now he's . . . he's got a finger . . . oh, finger in . . . oh, Daniel." Jack's forehead dropped against Daniel's neck.

He reached back with one hand, gripping Jack to him. "Love you," he said quickly, sparing a moment of his mouth off Odamari's cock. Then he latched back onto the hot shaft and sucked. He was rewarded with an ear-ringing shout as Jack bucked against him. Then Jack squirmed a bit, bringing his hand harder against Brynvold's ass. Jack was finger fucking the man. Daniel stared, completely mesmerized. He felt Jack buck again and again against him. Jack was coming. He was grunting wordlessly. His cum was shooting up into Daniel, stream after stream of it.

Daniel clutched at Jack and Odamari and felt himself reach a second, wrenching orgasm. There must have been very little semen, his cock twitched feebly, but it was a second come in such a short time, Daniel was surprised that he could feel anything.

Jack pumped into him, slower, slower, then was still against his back.

It was only then that Daniel realized Brynvold was still pumping into his lover's ass. His legs were out stiff now, and his body was sweaty. He grunted, hard, amazingly deep voiced, and that was the beginning of his orgasm. Daniel held Odamari tight as Brynvold pumped his seed deep into his lover. It was an amazing thing, to watch the man's nuts empty themselves. When Brynvold stilled, Jack withdrew and rolled onto his back. He was panting. Daniel had the taste of Odamari's second orgasm on his tongue.

Daniel relaxed, rocking back against Jack, and Odamari sat up, smiling down at him.

Brynvold sat up, his arm encircling his lover as he too, peered down at Daniel and Jack. Then he turned to lock his gaze on Odamari. "Beautiful, Jack. As I said, they are beautiful. We are the most fortunate men on Nortvegr."

The next morning Daniel was bleary-eyed as he stood by the front of the inn to see Brynvold and Odamari off. They'd spoken late into the night, but the couple had to be on their way early. It was uncertain that they'd reach the eastern sea port in time for Brynvold to claim his inheritance. His father's death was very ill timed, with him so far to the west trying to increase their business interests. Brynvold had a dour expression when he told Jack how much he regretted leaving him and Daniel alone, but Jack insisted they were fine, and that Brynvold had to hold to his plans. The dark eyed Highborn shook Jack's hand, kissed him on both cheeks, then kissed Daniel on the mouth.

Jack had kissed Odamari on the mouth too, there in the privacy of the room where they'd made such sweet love. He seemed so embarrassed as he kissed the blue-eyed Sky caste. Daniel smiled proudly behind his lover. And now he waved as the two men rode out in the company of their servants, an Inn full of worker caste at Daniel's back waving too.

Back up in the room Daniel insisted Jack come back to bed with him. It didn't take much persuasion for Jack to shuck his clothes and slide under the warm covers.

"You think he'll make it in time?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, but they're pretty determined," Daniel said, his head nestled against Jack's shoulder, and spooned his rump against Jack's groin. "I did finally ask him if his name meant what I thought it did."

"And?" Jack prompted as he idly toyed with Daniel's hair.

"It does. Odamari. Odin judges."

"Odd. Did you tell him what your name means?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. Amazing coincidence." Daniel took one of Jack's hands and kissed his fingertips.

"What would be amazing is if Brynvold's name means the same as my name."

"Well, I guess, in a way it does," Daniel said, a smile playing across his lips.

"It does?" Jack asked, his eyebrows perking up.

"Yeah. Nothing." Daniel chuckled.

"As in, what's in the box?" Jack chided him.

"Ah, you remember that? Meeting Anise in the gate room? You were really suave with her, weren't you?"

Jack snorted out a laugh. "That's me. Colonel Suave."

"Well at least, my suave colonel, we now have some idea of how to get access to the stargate, if it really is one."

"I think it is," Jack said confidently. "From what I gathered from Brynvold, the stories about it. It used to be a working gate. That's probably how Nirrti got here."

"I’m glad she's not coming back," Daniel said.

"Me too. Least that's one problem that we don't have to deal with. But we still have the problem of getting from here to the city of the Highborn, and then through it to the temple."

"We'll need money for horses, then passage north if we take a ship. Then from the coast to the city. Got to get inside, and we'll have to pay our way into the temple."

"Yeah, so we better get to sleep now. Faster we get to sleep, the faster we can wake up and have sex."

Daniel chuckled softly, his belly fluttering. "Love you, desire."

"I meant it," Jack said solemnly.

Daniel stilled instantly, mulling over Jack's solemn tone.

"I meant it, Danny. My mate for life."

Daniel gripped Jack's hand, bringing it to his lips, he kissed the palm of his mate.

END

SUN INDEX

Asny – young, upstairs maid of Ram's Head Inn
Balin - tanner in Brooksmeet
Brooksmeet - a southern divide village.
Brynvold Halfdain, Highborn host to Sky Odamari, Master shipper
Canlith - bar maid at Ram's Head Inn, Brooksmeet
Gunnlaug - Guild and Master miner of Brooksmeet
Harv - Brooksmeet inn patron
Helf - resident of Brooksmeet, daughters Kagain, Lyda, son Timmon
Herger Gunnlaugson - son of Master miner of Brooksmeet
Jarngerd - Brooksmeet weaver of cotton and wool, wife of Ulfrik
Odamari - Sky hosted by House Halfdain.
Skagg - western port city, authentic Icelandic village
Tal - serving wench at Ram's Head Inn, Brooksmeet
Thaid - brain damaged resident of Brooksmeet
Ulfrik - Brooksmeet tanner turned weaver, husband of Jarngerd
Various Ram's Head Inn patrons - Hacklang, Herstein, Isleif, Gaerimund, Arnfenn

Next: Shadow