The craft was old and decrepit, and yet it floated, barely. They had seen it as they arrived and wondered as it just sat there with no apparent life on board. Two days they awaited some activity, maybe a worthy craft would arrive, but nothing happened. Amir discovered an elderly man living on the ship and he allowed them on board, it was his ship…well almost.

There was water in the hold and rotten boards on the deck, but Amir had a feeling about this ship.

"We will buy it and make it sail," He said.

"I don't mean to offend you, but it looks like it's about to sink," Theo said.

"Then we'll have it fixed, we are taking this vessel to Kolachi."

They paid off the debt on the craft to a local merchant, hired on several crew members and worked on the ship for a week. Theo dared not stand in Amir's way, his need to return home was becoming urgent. On the seventh day they sailed.

They followed the coastline, appraising the seaworthiness of the craft. Water still managed to find a way through the sides of the hull but they bailed the water and manned the pump. The journey would take a week the old man said, but Theo wasn't sure he even knew the way.

They sailed for hundreds of miles following the coast and suddenly the land fell away on their left, the Arab lands had ended. East was the only requirement, and east they sailed. If the ship failed them now they would all drown.

The ship was slow, dragging a great weight of water in the hold along with them. Amir noticed that the supply of food was running low, the water barrels showing less than a third of their capacity. The crew grew restless until one morning they saw a flock of birds wheeling in the sky. It was an hour later that they came across the first of the fishing boats.

Amir had them steer the ship closer and he called out. "Hello the boat," in Greek. Several of the fishermen looked up and smiled, calling back in a strange tongue.

Amir broke out in a huge grin. "Urdu…they are speaking Urdu, these are my people."

The ship sailed close to the fishing craft and Amir held a long conversation with the fishermen. The only word Theo could understand was 'Kolachi.' The fishermen pointed to the east and a little north of their current path, Amir was beside himself with joy.

"We are close…so close after all these days of sailing, the gods are with us," He said.

"Kolachi is that close?" Theo asked.

"They say four hours of sailing, just a little north of our current course." Amir had the old man alter course and then went to stand in the bow. A crew member came on deck and he was wet from the knees down. He babbled at the old man who handed over the rudder and went below to look.

Theo knew what was happening…they were taking on more water. Everyone went below and shifted their possessions to the upper deck as the one below was already awash with water. They left the old man steering and everyone bailed and worked the pump. It was a race between the water and the distance they had to travel.

Theo was working his third shift on the pump when he heard Amir yell. "The river…the river…we have arrived."

The outward flow of the Indus River would be too much for the ship to handle so they aimed the ship towards the beach. Better to run aground than sink, everyone braced for the landing. The poor tired vessel slid slowly into the sand and groaned as it slowly rolled towards one side and stopped.

People came running down the beach and gathered to help them remove their baggage, and as Amir stepped ashore he fell to his knees. Theo could see the tears on his face and gave him the time to feel the emotions of his homecoming. The crew came ashore and stood around, but Theo went and shook the hand of each of them, giving them a hug.

He wondered what they would do now, stuck here in this strange country. But when he handed each of them five of the golden Roman coins they patted his back, yelled in excitement and took off for the distant town. Only the old man remained, his ship slowly rolling further and the timbers springing loose as the sides were crushed.

Amir finally stood and hugged the old man, placing his money pouch in the man's hands. The man smiled his toothless grin and hefted the bag, and then he looked up at the ships sitting at the docks in the distant harbor. Theo could almost read his mind…he would find a new ship.

Theo moved their baggage above the surf line and under the trees, and then he sat down to watch Amir. The boy was pacing back and forth in the sand, his mind working on what they might have to do next. All Theo knew was that Amir's land was upriver, but he had no idea how far. Finally Amir walked up and plopped himself down on the sand.

"We are almost there…almost," Amir said. "The distance is greater if we travel by land, I hate to say, but we must take a boat once again."

Theo groaned and lay back on the sand. "How far is it?" He asked.

"Nikolas said it would be about six hundred miles, a week's travel…I'm sorry," Amir said.

Theo laughed and sat up. "After all we've been through, just be sure we get the royal treatment."

"Oh…and I'm out of coins," Amir said.

Theo smiled. "I have some left. That's why my bags weigh more than yours."

"Good, I was afraid you might have to make some…and that would be wrong. I don't want our lives bound by this magic you have," Amir said.

"I haven't used it since the Nile and I won't unless it's absolutely necessary. So how do we find this royal vessel to take us up the river?"

"We start by riding in one of the local carts…and here it comes," Amir laughed.

The bullock cart was pulled by a huge horned beast, one that Theo decided to avoid. The man in the cart was gracious and they rode with him for almost ten miles into the city. Kolachi, a city of many flavors, races of people and the terminus of the longest river in the region.

The Indus River, the Sindhu in the local dialect, cut the region in half from the ocean to the great mountains that delineated Asia. It meandered through the foothills, the desert tundra and watered the fertile plains that fed the people of Amir's land. Now all they had to do was traverse six hundred miles of it.

The language spoken here was a mix of Urdu and Sindhi, Amir could handle them both. They soon had a porter for their bags and a room in a fine inn. Amir called for a tailor and unwrapped his Arab dress, dropping it all on the floor.

"Dress as you may, I will not wear that again if at all possible," Amir growled.

"What shall we wear here? Would a tunic attract too much attention?" Theo asked.

"Not at all, the salwar and a tunic will look very much like the local dress."

"What's a salwar?"

"Um…leg coverings, they are quite comfortable," Amir said.

"Oh, that's fine, you choose our clothing," Theo said. "And tell me, what's that smell?"

Amir smiled. "I was wondering when your stomach was going to catch up with your imagination. That is the smell of curry…you will learn to love it."

"I think I still have much to learn, when do we eat?" Theo laughed.

They washed up, already regretting the lack of a proper Roman bath. A tailor arrived with clothing. He used a stick to take the measurements and went out to his cart to find them something. He returned with richly brocaded tunics in brown, green and gold, and the salwar Amir had mentioned. They each chose two outfits and dressed for their dinner.

The bazaar was filled with vendors, and they bought bowls of spiced chicken and rice, the national staple. Theo had been warned but he took a huge bite of the chicken and paused, looking frantically for his goblet of the local brew. He tossed the liquid down in one gulp and gasped.

"My mouth is on fire, but it tastes so good."

"Take the next piece and dip it in the yogurt, that will cool it down some," Amir said.

With their dinner consumed they strolled around the waterfront, watching dancing girls in the taverns and followed by vendors trying to hawk their wares to the foreigners. Theo stood out of the crowd because of his looks, Amir found it amusing.

"You know what I don't see?" Theo said. "I don't see any sign of the Romans."

Amir nodded. "They are gone from here. Kolachi is bound by Persia to the north and the Indias to the south. Here you will see the influence of the Buddha and the Hindu beliefs, but they seem to exist together quite well. My father's beliefs were Hindu, it remains to be seen what I shall follow…if anything."

Theo nodded. "And what would these people think of a Druid?"

"You would be embraced…valued. Mysticism and magic are well placed in the Hindu religion as are their beliefs in the Goddess. Shakti is the female side of the god belief and the divine energy is brought through this goddess. I'm sorry, Theo…this is not easy to explain."

"The beliefs of a Druid are not easy to understand either. We accept the power and control nature has over us, the spirits of life are in everything. I will study what you tell me, we'll find that kind of sharing will do us both some good."

"I want to return to the inn and share," Amir said with a little smile.

"I can think of nothing else."

They made love, something that only made them realize how exhausted they had become. Sleep overcame the urge for sex, which returned again when they awoke at dawn. There was no set decision as to which of them would give and which would receive. The pleasure was equally shared no matter what they did.

All these months together had taught them to sense the other, to feel the ebb and flow of passion within their bodies. Amir could not say whether Theo's dominance left him any more in love than his moments of giving the boy his just due in return.

The demands of their young bodies were easily met; the need to give voice to those feelings was smothered in kisses. It would not do to wake the other guests at the inn with their screams of pleasure, but it was always there just below the surface.

Theo knew all the magic he possessed could not match the power Amir held over him. Theo could feel a duality inside the boy struggling. Love's hold on them seemed to grow in intensity as they mated and it was during those moments where Theo learned that Amir possessed powers far beyond his own.

It wasn't just the sexual power Theo felt, there was something else. From their first coupling Theo had felt something buried deep inside Amir. It was revealed in passionate glimpses like a door slightly ajar beyond which he could sense but not see this distant place inside Amir.

Over time his senses had become heightened, more aware. It was what had alerted him time and again when the desires of men strove to harm them. It was not something Theo could talk about. If Amir had something to say he would listen. But the closer they came to Amir's homeland the stronger Theo felt it become, it just had no name.

"Are you satisfied, my love?" Amir finally asked.

"Do you have to ask? Look at me, I am trembling."

Their visit to the docks left them with no doubt that there were many choices for small boats to carry them up river. By asking around Amir came up with the name of a man and his family, merchants who made the trip quite frequently.

Gatik was a Hindu, immediately obvious by the greeting he gave Amir. "The blessings of Shiva on you."

"May the gods bring you prosperity," Amir replied.

"They have been kind, do you seek transport?" Gatik asked.

"Yes, my friend and I would like to reach Guddu, not far from the ancient Harappa cities."

"I know the place, the Rai Kingdom. Have you come far?"

"We traveled from Roma, the birthplace of the Roman Empire," Amir said.

"I am unfamiliar with the birth, only the pain they have left us," Gatik said, and then he smiled. "But I am sorry if I have offended your friend, they are gone, and we will heal."

Amir nodded. "He is not Roman, I assure you. They offended his people as well. The water gets sweeter the further we get from their well."

Gatik nodded. "I will enjoy your company. So we will leave tomorrow as the cock crows. Can you be ready?"

"We will bring our baggage and I will give you the coins you must have," Amir said.

"All is well then. We will feed you and offer you pleasant conversation for your journey home, it is home you seek?"

"My father's people, they know me little from years ago. I will wait to see if I can call it home."

Amir told Theo about the conversation, and received the expected reply.

"Your father's people, will they welcome you?" Theo asked.

"Some of them must be family but I don't know their names. But the Rai usurper rules the land and he will not enjoy the company of another who would be king. I'm sure we'll soon find out."

The voyage upriver was like peeling away the years, a travel back in time. Amir could embrace the culture once again through conversations with Gatik, a plain and truthful speaking man. Theo was seeing all this for the first time, and yet it was familiar.

The river valley had been a home to civilization since before time had been counted. There were great piles of stone that had once been fortresses and entire cities built along the shores that lay in ruins, Gatik was quick to point them out.

The growth of trees and plants was unfamiliar and in some places forbidding. Theo was told of the good and the bad plants and animals. Here there were snakes so poisonous that a single bite might kill a full grown man. Amir hated to translate that part of Gatik's speech to Theo, but the boy needed the knowledge to remain safe.

The days passed easily because of the company. Gatik's wife cooked wonderful curries and made delicious breads in her small round oven. But his children were old enough to work, and there was a boy much their age that embarked upon a mission to teach Theo their language.

Age, Theo realized he had turned fifteen while their soggy ship had been slowly sinking in the sea off the Arabian Peninsula. And then like a sack of stone hitting him upside the head Theo understood Amir's urgency, he would turn sixteen in less than a week.

Although already reckoned as a man, Theo figured there must be something special about this age for the boy. For himself Theo had not felt like a child in years, the decisions of manhood had been upon him so quickly during this time in his life. But Amir, he needed to understand what drove the boy…no, the man…his man.

"My father sat his throne at the age of sixteen, I wish to do the same," Amir explained. "I may not be king except in name, but I must take possession of the crown."

"So the crown is vital to you, does it have any meaning beyond symbolizing the ruler?"

"Theo, I have no idea, but my mother died rather than give it up, it must be important."

On the fifth day of their travels Gatik seemed excited; they were approaching Sukkur, a town where he would make some good trades for his merchandise. The landscape around them had turned from rainforest to desert, the mountains looming closely in the background. The temperature had also gone up and Amir just said they were lucky it wasn't the monsoon season yet.

Gatik tied up at the docks and went ashore to find someone for business. Amir decided they should walk in the bazaar and dozens of vendors quickly surrounded them. Theo chose a handsome basket which he filled with fresh fruit for Gatik's family while Amir bought a bolt of golden cloth woven by local weavers.

The business Gatik needed took several hours and then they were back on the river.

"Guddu is the next stop, this will be as close as I can bring you," Gatik said. "You are sure this is what you want?"

"If my family is not there I'm not sure what we'll do," Amir said.

"I will be back this way in one week's time, I will look for you," Gatik said. "If you cannot find them then you should return with us. I don't know what will happen to you."

"I will consider your offer," Amir said.

Another day and they reached Guddu. The desert had retreated and the rocky cliffs which surrounded the town were covered in lush green growth. Gatik made the dock and they said their farewells. Theo and Amir stood on the dock and watched their friend sail away and then they turned to the town.

"We will need food, but otherwise it's little more than a few hours walking time," Amir said. "I remember this place…I have stood in this place before."

"This was part of the kingdom?" Theo asked.

"Yes, but the king lived in the old city built by the Harappa, we will have to climb."

And climb they did, following a winding path up the sides of the cliff behind the town and on into the jungle of trees and vines. There were piles of stone, walls that must have stood tall and thick in centuries past. Theo was beginning to see that they were entering a vast ancient city surrounded with a battlement.

And then Amir halted and stared ahead. "We are not alone in this place," He said.

He was right because ahead there was a group of people gathered before an arched entrance through the walls. They approached and saw the ground was strewn with flowers and the smell of burning incense filled the air. The people had been seated in prayer until they saw the boys approaching and then they became silent.

"Do not look at them, walk straight ahead," Amir whispered.

Theo followed in Amir's footsteps, his eyes riveted ahead at the arch which he could now see was spattered with blood. Amir held his head high and felt the eyes following him. The Hindu worshipers were of a blood sect, he could only hope the walls were spattered with goat's blood.

It was this craziness that his father had controlled. The myriad number of strange deities and cults within the Hindu beliefs had caused wars, only his father had calmed the storm. Amir hoped that once he possessed the crown that his path would become clear.

Once thru the arch Amir almost gasped at the sight before him. The once proud palace of the ancient kings had been torn down and the seat of the throne was broken. In a land of symbolism this kind of destruction was unthinkable to any but the Persians.

Amir skirted the ruins and glanced back at Theo. "Watch where you step, the grounds could be alive with snakes."

Theo's eyes opened wide and a hand slid under his tunic to grasp the medallion. The Druids did not fear serpents, but he wasn't sure if the magic would hold them at bay. His eyes scanned the ground as he followed Amir past the pile of stones.

Theo knew this must have once been the palace, sadly it was now gone. But Amir didn't seem dismayed, maybe he expected it. The garden was overgrown and a sure haven for slithering creatures, but Theo saw none. Amir led them up a small rise and stood before a tree which was surrounded by a stone wall.

"It's here," Amir said, and he fell to his knees. The ground looked no different than the surrounding area but Amir bent over and kissed the dirt. "My mother lies beneath," He said quietly.

Theo knelt down and stared at the soil, he could sense a presence beneath the surface. How well Amir remembered her grave, it was as if he could sense her presence as well. But Amir rose and walked towards the wall, pausing only to pull up a few spindly bushes and reveal a carving.

Theo was intrigued and stood up to join him. "This is the Pinatu, the guardian of all that is sacred from the beginning of time…it guards my crown," Amir said. He began to run his fingers across the stone searching for a way to move it, but it was massive.

"Can I help?" Theo asked.

"Of course, that's why you're here." Amir smiled…a sad little twitch of his mouth but a smile nevertheless. "It's your fate to be here with me and witness the crowning of the new king."

Theo dug his fingers in at the edge of the stone as Amir did likewise. It was heavy but it moved a little. "It was meant to come out," Theo said. "Try pushing instead."

Amir laid his hands on the stone, his fingers on either side of the Pinatu's head and he pushed with all his might…and the stone pushed back. Ever so slowly the stone moved outwards and Amir kept his hands in place as the length of the stone was revealed and then it stopped.

They both looked down at a shallow bowl carved in the top, and there lay a finely embroidered cloth bag. Amir's hand shook as he lifted the bag, clutching it to his chest as he stood. Theo dared not touch it for fear of breaking some taboo, but he watched in amazement as Amir opened the bag and withdrew the crown.

Three rings of silver and three of gold were woven together, the whole covered in precious stones. The symbol of the Pinatu stood out on the front and its eyes blazed with two enormous rubies. Amir's hands shook and Theo knew what to do.

"I will crown you king, if you will allow it," Theo said.

"I'm afraid," Amir whispered. "I don't know what it will do to me."

"I'm here, nothing bad can happen," Theo said. He lifted the medallion out from beneath his tunic and saw it was glowing. Even the magic of the Druids could sense the great power in this crown. But the moment had come to give Amir his due and Theo took the crown from his hands and held it high as he prayed.

"May the wisdom of the Goddess guide you, may the love we share define you. Amir, King of Wisdom and Light."

And when he was done he placed the crown on Amir's head.

The ground shook beneath their feet and there was a great sound, as if all the stones around them were moving…and they were. Theo turned to look and saw the piles of stone that had been the palace begun to resurrect, the building slowly taking shape once again.

Amir stood still, his head bowed, as all these wondrous things began to happen around them. The palace was soon restored and yet Amir did not move, instead he levitated. Even Theo was astonished at that as Amir remained poised several feet off the ground.

The clothes on his body slowly began to change, the color and shape now defined as a long golden robe that seemed to billow in an unseen breeze. And then Amir drifted towards the palace and up broad steps and into a columned gallery. Theo followed at a short distance behind until they came to the front where he spied the crazy Hindu worshipers gathering before the building.

Amir floated up a few steps and sat down on a carved stone bench, the throne of his father. The crowd of people rushed forward and Theo was about to stop them when they fell to their knees and bowed. "Dariush…Dariush," they chanted. The king had returned.

Theo sat on the steps off to one side and waited. Many in the crowd stood up and bowed deeply before they turned and ran off, presumably to spread the word. And still Amir did not move, he appeared to be in a deep trance.

Over the passing hours the crowd swelled as people came hurrying in from every direction. The gasps and moans as people fell to their knees in worship filled the courtyard. The sun reached its zenith and Theo felt hunger, but it was then that Amir stood up and spread his arms. He gave Theo a quick glance and a smile. "I just turned sixteen," He whispered.

Amir began to speak to the assembled and their chanting ceased to hear his words. And hear him they did, Amir's voice was amplified to great strength and he sounded like a god.

"I am Amir, son of Dariush…I have claimed my crown, but I am not your king. I will never be king." There was a murmur throughout the crowd, an angry sound to Theo's ears. But Amir raised his hand for silence and the crowd obeyed.

"You have the Rai as your king, and soon there will be another that will rule your hearts and minds. This is no longer the palace of the king. It is but a pile of stones, a tomb in his memory. Remember the peace of his reign, for the times ahead will try your patience and bring you new ways.

"I will remember this place, but I am no longer of this world." With that he turned to Theo and gestured him over. Theo walked across the steps and took Amir's offered hand. "Let us disappear if you please," Amir whispered, and Theo willed it to happen.

They skirted the crowd who were now either wailing in anguish or running around seeking evidence of Amir's whereabouts. They walked back through the arch and past people rushing to the site of the palace.

"That will be remembered for a long…long time," Theo said.

Amir nodded. "As it should, but it will be my father they remember and not me."

"The crown…it gives you powers…did you know that?"

"I had a feeling, and the memories of my father. He used to rise off the ground during prayer. He could summon fire and bring down the rains on his enemies. But the crown was his source of wisdom as well, you saw me in that trance."

"You never told me any of this," Theo said.

"The memories didn't come to me until I put on the crown, but there is one other thing you need to know…I can see the future."

"Oh…that's amazing, and very useful," Theo said. "You said something about the times ahead, you know something."

"Yes…there is a prophet growing stronger in the Arab world. His followers will start a religion and try to conquer the world," Amir said.

"What…not again. What's going on? First this Christianity and now…the gods must be angry with us," Theo groaned.

"This is why we must leave here," Amir said. "I'm sorry…I have brought you all this way and…"

"No…hush. I love you Amir, I would follow you to the ends of the earth." And then Theo began to laugh. "And I did. Oh, dear king…together we have such a great love…I would die without you."

Amir nodded, holding back tears and trying to smile. "We see with the same eyes and the same mind, I'm grateful that you understand. But this new religion will wash over this land and we cannot be here when that happens. Together our power gives us unimagined strength, and now we need to use it once again."

Theo nodded. "Back to Greece then?"

"Yes, it's our destiny," Amir said.

Theo laughed. "We may tempt fate, but we will never conquer destiny."

"How wise of you, our lives are just beginning, let's make sure we keep them."


A Short History of Kings- Epilogue

The death of The Prophet in 632 of the Christian Era opened the floodgates of Islamic invasion all across the Arab world and into the ancient lands of Mesopotamia. Caliph fought caliph, the wars spreading ever eastwards into the Hindu Kush, and north to the Turkish border. Within fifty years of The Prophet's death the armies of Islam would have Constantinople under siege, but they would not win for nearly a thousand years.

Greece, a shadow of its former glory, was a place where a man might sit under a tree and study the vast blue Mediterranean. Theo was doing just that, pondering the way his life had gone the past thirty years. He was a learned man now, Gaius had seen to that. The ancient classics, the great philosophers and science, all had been studied until the old senator was satisfied.

"For your life to have meaning in the future you must learn from the past," Gaius used to say, and so Theo had learned. Now he sat surrounded by a dozen young men who called him teacher. He could speak to them of the classics and the philosophy of great men, but they came to hear of his experience, his worldly travels.

Theo had no need for money so he taught them, charged their parents exorbitant fees and gave the money to the poor. He owned one of the nicest estates on the cliffs overlooking Piraeus, and the students lived there part of the year. These boys came to him, stayed with him, and learned to love him in all ways…except one.

Amir had shown interest in the work Nikolas performed for the Empire. The commission to map the Roman conquests had ended with the death of Heraclius in 641. But the knowledge of what lay upon thousands of documents was needed. As Amir had foreseen there was a demand for accurate maps and they had set about a grand survey, their first choice being the Mediterranean Sea itself.

It allowed Amir to travel, establishing teams of surveyors and collecting their data. Nikolas minded the library where they kept their finished work. It meant being away from Theo, in body only, their minds were now connected.

The crown of King Dariush, servant of the Pinatu, had finally revealed its secrets. Just as Theo's Druid medallion enabled the owner to perform certain forms of magic, the crown had a lasting effect on Amir.

His mind had expanded upon donning the crown for the first time, and every time thereafter. Being able to foresee the future gave way to a greater understanding of the here and now. With Theo already so close in heart it seemed only natural that Amir would seek to join their minds…and it worked. Now his thoughts would become Theo's if he so desired and the reverse was true as well.

They were apart for months…and yet not. That Theo surrounded himself with handsome and intelligent young men was no cause for worry, in fact he knew it made the man quite uncomfortable to be adored like that. But Theo was a good teacher, it was his calling, and Amir had no concerns, they shared all else in life.

Gaius had lived to the incredibly old age of eighty-three, and as would be his wish he died in bed with a sweet young man. Theo attended the funeral pyre, sending the man off with ancient prayers none could understand except the gods.

For a child of Britannia to have come this far was remarkable, and Theo knew he was blessed. If not for a king he would have spent his life pulling fish from the sea with a net, or walking behind a plow. If not for a king he never would have traveled halfway around the world and found the one thing in life that he could love. And if not for the king who now ruled his life, Theodoric of Britannia would never have learned the greatest lesson in life. Love conquers all.


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