1000

Death Comes Again

Almost as soon as the God left, Yusmota tried to start tucking everything, but Clyde went and sat on his bed and tapping the straw mattress on a spot just next to him, he invited Yusmota to sit with him.

"Let them be my dear friend. Let them be. We'll take care of them tomorrow. Please, come and sit with me."

Yusmota did.

"So, now we'll be together for almost a thousand years... any regrets?"

"No, master, none. I'm glad you still live."

"Master? Oh, dear! Is this why you told me you'll be with me? How much of a fool am I? I am sorry Yusmota. I thought I was asking a friend... My bad it is, not yours... I am the fool. Listen to me Yusmota, listen to me oh Skies, Fire and Air, I command you Yusmota, I command you to be free of me". He paused, closing his eyes. He thought he knew what was going to happen, and he couldn't bear to see it. "Now, my dear Yusmota, you are free... Now, my dearest Yusmota, you can leave". He whispered, but his voice was gentle as always.

And Yusmota didn't move. It was not because the spell hadn't worked. On the contrary. Yusmota had clearly felt the master-servant bond breaking. He was indeed free. He could, if he wanted to, leave. But there wasn't any thought in his mind telling him to leave. Every aspect of his wanted him to stay with this incredible boy he loved so much.

Clyde opened his eyes, and slowly turned his face to see the handsomest familiar sitting next to him. He smiled to Yusmota lovingly. And without whispering anymore, but speaking clearly and still kindly he once again told him he could leave.

"I will leave, Clyde, only if you want me to leave. Otherwise, I would love to stay with you". Yusmota smiled widely.

Clyde's face was illuminated by joy. "Really? You want to stay with me? You really want to stay with me?"

"Yes, I do".

"Not as a servant, but as my friend?"

"No, not as a servant, but can I truthfully say what I want?"

"Of course you can! You always could."

"Can I be not your friend? Maybe something more?"

Clyde's heart started beating frantically. "Something more?"

"As your lover, maybe?"

Clyde jumped on to Yusmota at once, grasping him tightly, and kissed him. "I love you too my wonderful Yusmota! I love you too!"

And that night the wizard's body and the familiar's became one. And when they both carnally had expressed their love, they lied next to each other, smiling, in order to sleep; so to speak. The wizard's hand rested on Yusmota's chest, where his heart should have been.

"I should have thought to give you a beating heart. It's a pity indeed, to have lying next to me the best heart in the world and not to be able to hear its beat."

*****

The night became day, and the day became night again. The Kingdom of Strathclyde fell to the Scots, and then the English, and then again wars. And somehow like that, some two hundred years had passed.

Until then the wizard and his familiar continued to live in the mountain forests of Strathclyde, in the same hut, hidden by magic from the humans, and only them, and the Fairies of the woods, could find it.

Yusmota would dematerialize, or become invisible if you prefer, then visit the towns and the villages around, to come back and inform the wizard of the news of the world, and of those in his need, and the wizard would help as many as he could, just like they used to do before. But the wizard would never leave the cloaked area of his hut, except sometimes, after causing a very thick fog, to go for hunting, or for a walk, or to gather herbs and roots he needed for his work.