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Tri-ethereal Ch. 00

By: BADSAM689



There are three classes of Tri-etherealians: Unamorphs, commoners and Trimorphs.

A Unamorph can be of the noble class – those who inherited their wealth and status – or a civil aristocrat – those who possess wealth but are not nobility. Civil aristocrats control most of the wealth in Tri-ethereal. They are the bankers, the lawyers, the landlords, the shipbuilders and those who own businesses that contribute greatly to the economy of the district in which they are located.

The second class of citizens are the commoners. They are the working class. They work for the Unamorphs, both nobles and civil aristocrats. There are some commoners who own their own businesses but these businesses are small, such as bakers, blacksmiths, shoe repairs, butchers and the like. Individually they do not contribute very much to the overall economy of the district in which they are located.

About eighty-five percent of the population of Tri-ethereal are commoners.

Finally there are Trimorphs. They are the outcasts. It is against the law to be a Trimorph. When one is discovered she or he is exiled or put to death.

The royal council of Tri-ethereal makes the laws. The royal council is headed by the Presiding Officer, who assumes the title of Count upon taking office. When the Count cannot perform his duties then the Keeper of the Records heads the royal council. With the exception of the Count, the royal council is composed of Lords of the noble class.

A new Presiding Officer is elected every seven years by the civil aristocrats from among themselves. He is chosen because of his great wealth and political influence. He cannot be re-elected. However, he can serve one second, non-consecutive term in office. He looks out for the rights of the civil aristocrats.

The Keeper of the Records is held by Lord Kennington. He inherited the position from his father. His son will inherit it from him when he retires. The Keeper of the Records decides what laws will be debated and when the council is in session. He holds the real power in the royal council.

The royal court hears legal matters and interprets the laws. Seven Lords from among the noble class are chosen at random every six months to serve on the royal court to act as jurors – one Chief Juror and six jurors. Once a Lord has served as a juror he is then free from serving for two years. The Keeper of the Records is exempt from serving.

The king's Chief of Staff is chosen by the king with confirmation from the royal council. A simple majority is sufficient to confirm him. Most of the time, he is of the noble class.

The king usually acts under the advisement of his Chief of Staff in most decisions. In other decisions he acts according to the will of the majority of his subjects, both Unamorph and commoner alike.

The king of Tri-ethereal can grant a pardon or clemency in any decision of the royal court. He holds veto power over any law that he believes to be unjust. However, a two/thirds majority of the royal council can override the king's veto.

A two/thirds majority of the royal council also holds veto power over the decisions of the court.

Tri-ethereal is divided into 30 districts plus the king's district. Each district is ruled by a Lord of the royal council. The Lord of each district is guided by the laws set by the royal council. He holds his own court for those who break the law in his district. He usually appoints a District Prosecutor, a civil aristocrat, to prosecute criminals. Each district also has its own sheriff. He too is a civil aristocrat.

The king will usually appoint a Lord to rule his district.

Those who break the law in the king's district are tried by the royal court. In the royal court it is the Public Prosecutor, a civil aristocrat, who prosecutes criminals. The civil aristocrats elect the Public Prosecutor from among themselves. Also, special cases and appeals are referred to the royal court.

For special cases a special prosecutor is chosen. This is usually the Presiding Officer of the royal council.

At present there are 15 Lords who do not rule a district. These Lords hold various positions in the kingdom, such as Keeper of the Records, Keeper of the Treasury, the Sheriff of Tri-ethereal, the Lord of Education and other such positions. These Lords also vote in the royal council.

Tri-ethereal Ch. 01



The guard unlocked the door to our cell. He didn't say anything; he just stood there. But I knew what he had come for. The court had reached a verdict yesterday and now I was to be led there for the official sentencing.

I stood up and slowly walked toward him. When I came abreast of him I held my head up and waited while he attached two chains to the iron ring around our body's neck, one chain in front and another in the back. Then he and the guard with him -- each holding a chain -- led me to the courtroom.

The courtroom was packed with spectators. No Trimorph had been charged as such in more than a decade -- I was also found guilty of a sex crime. They had all come to see who could commit such a foul, despicable crime. They were here to see the perverted criminal get punished.

Our crime was so evil that a special prosecutor was chosen to try the case, Count Strydamu the Presiding Officer of the royal council.

John had originally been charged only with violating Tri-etherealian decency codes by propagating and participating in bondage and discipline sex. The evidence against him was some poems he wrote to his "lover," telling her of his love and what he feels when we go through what we Trimorphs call union. Both Unamorph and commoner Tri-etherealians call it sex.

Let me point out that we Trimorphs don't have sex, not normal sex, not perverted sex, not bondage and discipline sex, not any kind of sex. We are too much into union with our counterpart to indulge into something like sex.

Besides all Tri-etherealians practice bondage and discipline sex. Well not all of them, but there are a lot of Tri-etherealians who practice it. They just don't broadcast it. They are discreet. John and I were discreet in what we did too. But our poems fell into the wrong hands.

Count Strydamu cleared his throat. Then, "Johanna, you have been formerly charged as a Trimorph and for participating in bondage and discipline sex. Your original plea was not guilty on both counts. Is that correct?"

"Yes Count Strydamu," I answered. There was no emotion in my voice.

"Do you wish to change your original plea?"

"No Count Strydamu," I again answered him. I have no idea why he asked me if I wanted to change my plea, especially seeing that I have already been found guilty -- on both counts.

He turned to confer privately with the seven Lords who were seated at the bench in front of me. He held my and John's poems in his hand.

I stood naked in the courtroom, manacles on our body's ankles and wrists and another chain around our body's waist that was attached to the one binding our feet.

The body that John and I share has been chained up and naked for five months now. When we were charged as a Trimorph sex violator the clothes were torn from our body -- as a Trimorph sex violator we were not allowed to wear clothes. The voyeuristic among the Tri-etherealians like to see Trimorphs naked; they like to watch us go through union.

Next the manacles and chains were put on our body.

Then our body was thrown into a cell, the only light coming from a barred window high in the stone wall. Our bed was a cot with a mattress stuffed with straw, but we didn't have a blanket. We were lucky. We had a chamber pot in the far corner for a toilet. The other prisoners weren't so lucky. I guess that's because we hadn't been found guilty . . . until now.

Each morning Melissa, a Trimorph slave girl, would be let in to clean out the pot. She too was naked with chains on her body's wrists, ankles and waist.

Melissa had been sentenced to ten years of slavery for refusing the advances of Lord Clyton, Keeper of the Prison of Norlen. Three years ago he discovered that she is a Trimorph and wanted sex with her -- sex with a Trimorph is supposed to be exceptionally ecstatic for non-Trimorphs. That's because, unlike other Tri-etherealians, we retain our youth. Melissa is over 730 years old yet she doesn't look a day over 20.

But Trimorphs are no different than any other Tri-etherealian. We are normal in all our features except that we change sexes. At any one time our body is either male or female. We change sexes during what we call union.

In the case of me and John, he's the male and I'm the female. At any one time one of us possesses our body while one of us goes into transition -- outside our body and inside our mind.

That is, the Trimorph going into transition . . . well their essence -- the who they are -- leaves the body but their thoughts and beliefs stay inside the body's mind. It's kind of like having someone else -- a spirit -- living inside your mind who is watching over you from outside your body. This friend and lover can communicate with you and help you out in numerous ways.

Meanwhile their counterpart -- who assumes possession and control of their body -- comes back into the body from transition. That is, their counterpart's essence comes back into the body they share. It's kind of like waking up from a very realistic dream. 

As for our body . . . well I guess you could say that it's both sexes. But only one sex is evident at a time -- the sex of the one in possession of the body, the male or the female.

Let me point out that Trimorphs are not transsexuals. A transsexual desires to be a member of the opposite sex. Trimorphs have no such desires. Our body changes sexes from male to female and back again and again, all depending upon who has possession of it.

John and I are two completely different individuals, who share one body -- which is actually the third individual of our tri-existence. John is all male with his own personality, and I am all female with my own, different personality.

I think that he is sometimes far too liberal. Of course, he thinks I'm too conservative. I tell him that I'm only being cautious for safety. But we love each other; we look out for each other.

Nor are we narcissistic; I don't love myself. I love John and he loves me. He's a totally different Tri-etherealian than I am with his own likes and dislikes. He likes adventure and mystery; I like romance and comedy.

Anyway, once Melissa refused the advances of Lord Clyton he had her arrested. It is against the law for a commoner to refuse to obey a Unamorph. She was found guilty. Now he has her whenever he wants her . . . day and night.

As his personal slave, she has to sleep on the floor near his bed, ready at all times for his use -- or abuse -- whichever he desires at any given moment. I frequently see the marks on her body from the lashings he gives her. Luckily the scars disappear when she goes into transition.

But she told me that that was not the worst part of her slavery. The worst part is that she is not allowed to have private union with Melyssan, her male counterpart. When their union starts the prison guards pour cold water on their naked body in order to lessen their joy. Then the guards voyeuristically watch their body go through union and change sexes.

Then they have the audacity to call us perverts.

While she is in transition Lord Clyton has Melyssan chained up in another part of his castle's prison.

John and I were allowed private union in our cell only because we have influence and had not been found guilty. But now I'm sure that will change. I'm sure that all our future unions will be observed by the voyeuristic guards.

My and John's other luxury was a daily bath in the evening. If you want to call a bucket of cold water a luxury. Melissa -- or Melyssan when he had control of their body -- would bring a bucket of water into our cell each evening when she brought us our evening meal. Our body would then have an hour to eat and wash up before the slave girl would return to get the bucket and collect the dishes. She collected our breakfast dishes when she cleaned the chamber pot -- we were only given the two meals a day.

Count Strydamu pounded a gavel on the podium before him.

"Johanna, you have been found guilty as a Trimorph and for perversion against the royal monarch, against Tri-etherealian decency codes and against normal, straight sex. Do you have anything you wish to say before sentence is pronounced?"

I looked around the courtroom. To my left were the civil aristocrats and the nobility, dressed in their fine robes of purple silk and red velvet. I doubt if any of these Unamorphs had ever seen a Trimorph. They lived in their mansions and their castles, never leaving except to visit their friends who live in other mansions and castles. Even then they traveled in their enclosed carriages with guards before, aft and on both sides.

They were here to gawk, to see a Trimorph -- a naked one at that -- found guilty of indecency.

To my right and to my rear were the commoners, hemmed in by sword and lance bearing guards. They had been subpoenaed by the Count from around Tri-ethereal to come here to Norlen. He wanted them to go back home and tell their friends and neighbors what would be their fate if they practiced bondage and discipline sex. But I'm sure that many of them -- if not all of them -- were here to see the "pervert."

In the balcony were the pages, the squires and the knights. As defenders of the castle, the knights were here to see that order was preserved. The pages and squires were here to attend to the knights.

Standing naked before the court and everyone attending was supposed to further humiliate me. But I was not ashamed. I knew that neither I nor John had done anything wrong. Besides, I am not ashamed to be seen naked. I enjoy nudity; I think it's beautiful. It is those who are filled with self love, materialism and ignorance who are ashamed of nudity.

Indeed, in the evening after the library had shut down and everyone had returned to their cottages, John or I -- whichever one of us had possession of our body at the time -- would lock the doors, strip down and walk around in the nude.

Let me point out that, except to go the market, to draw water from the town well or to go out for recreation, John and I never left Lord Kennington's library. Before we were arrested, we lived and worked in his library. He provided us with a small room in the rear with a bathing room attached that we used as our living quarters.

Anyway, one day while I was upstairs dusting the books, I discovered a book on Trimorph union. I was intrigued by its leather bindings -- that's how it caught my eye. It was an ancient book, hand written by the Trimorph scribes of old. That evening I began to read it. I was amazed by what it said. Written in it were things that the ancient Trimorphs did before, during and after union in order to enhance their union.

I told John about the book and he too began to read it. It said that nudity enhances union. So at night we began walking through the isles of books in the nude. Sure enough our unions were enhanced. After that we would remain naked from the time the library shut down until it reopened the next day. Other things the book told of we also did and our unions soon became a lot more ecstatic and blissful.

"Yes Count Strydamu, I understand that John and I have a choice. We can choose banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal or death?"

"That is correct. You understand that the only reason you have been given a choice is because of the influence you have with some members of the royal council and the royal court? Were it not for their intervention you would be burned at the stake. Your crimes warrant death."

He looked over and frowned at Lord Thomason, Chief Juror, and Lord Incolyn, the only two jurors who voted not guilty. The other five, Lords Nyxion, Rygon, Fiord, Rovelt and Bashmynn, all voted to have our body burned at the stake.

Lord Kennington came to our defense as a character witness. He could not be on the jury because he is the Keeper of the Records of the city of Norlen and the kingdom of Tri-ethereal. But his testimony was enough to help convince Lord Thomason and Lord Incolyn to publicly go against the majority and vote not guilty. It is he who has the real influence.

During the trial and after the verdict, Lord Kennington fought bitterly to have our life spared while an appeal was made to His Majesty King Andrew and Queen Marina. He argued that there were special, extenuating circumstances in our case that demanded that our body not be burned at the stake.

Lord Thomason, Lord Incolyn, Lord Kennington and several other Unamorphs -- both nobles and civil aristocrats -- are also trying to get the laws changed. They are trying to get all the corrupt, discriminatory anti-Trimorph laws repealed, although Lord Thomason, Lord Incolyn and some of the Lords only covertly oppose the laws.

Count Strydamu only gave in when they threatened to remove their support of his nomination for a seat on the royal council. That's how we ended up with a choice between banishment and death. He wants to be among the noble class; they have more political influence than civil aristocrats.

He was a normal, civil aristocrat before his election as Presiding Officer of the royal council. Tri-etherealian law then allowed him to add Count to his name. But that's not enough; he wants to be nobility.

It has been years -- decades -- since a Trimorph has been thrown into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. John and I choose to be banished from the kingdom of Tri-ethereal because there is a chance -- rumor really -- that we can be repatriated from it. No one has ever returned from Corporeal. In fact, no one is really sure exactly what banishment entails.

When Count Strydamu learned that we would choose banishment he became livid and wanted to revoke our choice. He believed that John and I would choose death over banishment. But he couldn't go back on his word as that might damage his chances for election for a seat on the royal council, which he cares for more than his hatred of me and John.

The papers for our exile into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal were signed yesterday afternoon right after the verdict was handed down. Today John and I are to be officially consigned to our fate.

"Yes Count. Both John and I are grateful for this choice."

"What is your choice?"

"I have communicated with John extensively on this. Neither of us wishes to be burned at the stake."

"You choose to be exiled into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal, to be banished from the kingdom of Tri-ethereal over death?" he said with mock amazement. His question was meant to intimidate me into choosing death.

"Yes Count Strydamu."

"You realize that once you are cast out of Tri-ethereal you will be in total misery for as long as you exist; for all eternity you will labor and toil in sweat and agony?" Again, trying to intimidate me. He has no idea what life is like in Corporeal. No one does.

"Yes Count. John and I have both chosen . . ."

"This court cannot take your word on what your counterpart wishes. Matters of law demand that we hear from him. He must tell us himself what sentence he desires. You understand that if he chooses death then you will be burned at the stake."

"Yes Count Strydamu."

I wasn't worried about what sentence John would choose. Neither of us wanted to be cast out of Tri-ethereal. Neither of us wished to be thrown into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. But John and I figured that exile couldn't be worse than death; we would both still be alive. So we choose banishment.

Although according to the legends, unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal is a fate worse than death. But then no one has ever returned from exile to verify that, or to reveal exactly what unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal leads to. That's why john and I considered it a myth. At least, we both hoped it was a myth.

"Guards return Johanna to her cell until John comes out of transition," the Count bellowed. "As soon as their union is complete and he is in possession of their body bring him here for his sentencing."

That's a laugh. John and I are going to be banished for being a Trimorph and for propagating and participating in bondage and discipline sex -- the first Trimorph in 75 years to be charged and exiled. Yet they strip our body naked, chain it up, throw it in a cell and then demand that we perform union this way -- in violation of their law.

Like I said, I'm not ashamed to be naked or to be chained up. Our unions are a lot more ecstatic if our body is naked and bound in any way.

The Count is a hypocrite. Rumor has it that he practices bondage and discipline sex. If that's not enough, Melissa once told me that he and Lord Clyton frequently, repeatedly rape her. Although he wears a mask she knows who it is who assaults her.

But of course, he can get away with it because he's the Count. He's a civil aristocrat; he's a Unamorph. But John and I . . . well we're just lowly commoners, as are all Trimorphs. At least I've never heard of any Trimorph who is also a Unamorph. We're not allowed any kind of sex except "normal, straight" sex. That's why we were also charged with violating Tri-etherealian decency codes.

I sat down on the edge of our bed.

"Did you hear, John? They want to hear from you." I said aloud to my counterpart.

"Yes I heard Johanna. The guard is watching you."

I turned around and looked at the door. Then in the most belittling tone I could muster, "Could I have a little privacy here guard? John will notify you when our union is complete."

My comment surprised him. I guess he figured that since my back was to him then I wouldn't know that he was there watching me. But John can hear, feel, see, taste and smell everything that I do when I am in possession of our body and vice versa.

In fact, the one who is in transition can perceive things that the one who is in possession of our body cannot hear, feel, see, taste or smell. The one in transition can give this information to the one in possession of our body. That's how John knew that the guard was watching me.

Also, when I am in possession of our body and John talks to me from transition, I am the only one who can hear him -- and he is the only one who can hear me talk to him when he is in possession of our body and I'm in transition. It's kind of like a whispering in our inner ear. But no one else can perceive the one in transition in any way. That's why the guard didn't hear John tell me about his watching me.

The guard sneered at me and closed the small window in our cell door.

"You didn't have to use that tone of voice with him Johanna. It's not his fault that we're going to be banished into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal."

"He should give me a little privacy when I'm enveloping you. What is he some kind of pervert voyeur who has to watch us go through union? Is that how he gets his jollies off, by watching Trimorphs perform union?"

I buried my face in my hands and started to cry.

"Don't cry Johanna. Everything's going to be alright."

"No, everything is not going to be alright," I said through my tears. "We are going to be exiled to Corporeal. There is no union in Corporeal. How will we perform union once we're thrown out of Tri-ethereal?"

"We don't know that there's no union in Corporeal. There has to be some form of union in that world. In our discussions, we've both come to that conclusion. How else could that world survive without any kind of union?"

"I don't know. John I'm scared. I'm scared that once we're in Corporeal we'll be separated and I'll never be able to go through union with you again. I miss you already."

"We'll manage somehow Johanna. We'll find some means of coping with our sentence and we'll do it together. We'll find some way of having union."

Deep inside I knew he was right. Together we would find some way of completing union. Although neither of us knew what it would be like living in Corporeal. No one knew. We had only the legends to go on. True, the legends were based upon cries for help that in the past could be heard occasionally coming from Corporeal. This only happened during the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 01



Four times a year Tri-ethereal and Corporeal momentarily touch -- precisely at sunrise during the summer solstice, at noon during the spring equinox, at sunset during the winter solstice and finally at midnight during the autumn equinox. According to the legends, that's WHEN the two worlds come fleetingly into contact.

At the summer solstice one could hear cries of joy and delight coming from Corporeal. During the spring and autumn equinoxes one could not hear anything or so the legends claimed.

However, whether it was cries of ecstasy or cries of anguish, a Trimorph had to be at Stonebridge -- according to the legends, that's WHERE the two worlds come briefly into contact -- and in union with their counterpart to hear them.

Even then, if you weren't observant enough you didn't hear anything. The only thing you could experience -- hear, feel, see, taste, smell -- was your own union. That's because union is so overpowering it completely consumes all three participants -- the male, the female and the body.

In order to hear their cries you have to disassociate yourself from union while going through it. Most of Trimorphs cannot do that because it means going through union mechanically, robotically. Most don't want to do it because it means relinquishing the ecstasy of that particular union.

John and I have never disassociated ourselves while going through union. I have no desire to do so and John respects my wishes and does not disassociate himself while going through union. Yes, it would only be for that particular union; we could resume our joy the next time we go through union.

But that is how much union means to me. I want to experience the full joy of it, every time I do it. That's how we got into living in the nude and the "bondage and discipline" stuff. For periods of time prior to union we would put clamps on our body, wear chains and ropes on our body's wrists and ankles or around our body's waist or whip our body and things like that. Our unions were very ecstatic at such times.

Like I said, I read about it in the ancient Trimorph book of union and discussed it with John. Then we tried it and discovered that we both enjoyed it. It enhanced our union.

Then we started to write little love notes and poems to each other. I would write love notes to John while he was in deep transition and put them in our room where he could find them. He would do the same for me while I was in deep transition. Then after waking and going through union we would search for the poems. Upon finding them we could re-live our joy, our love for each other.

That was our mistake. Instead of destroying the poems we saved them, putting them between the pages of the ancient Trimorph book.

Then Edgar, the Counts son, came into our room and took the book. He found the notes and turned them over to the Count. There was an inquiry and it was discovered that some of the poems were John's -- the handwriting was his.

At first, John refused to tell them who wrote the other poems. When they asked him, he just didn't answer them. It was only after discovering that John and I are a Trimorph that I revealed to them that the other notes were mine.

Anyway, the Count, knowing that he needed a platform upon which to base his bid for a seat on the royal council, used our notes and our trial as fodder to make it appear as though he was stamping out evil, indecent sex. He saw this as an opportunity to propel himself into the limelight. So our trial was really a political thing. We were scapegoats in the Count's desire to get on the royal council.

Let me point out that he was very careful in not exploiting the fact that John and I are a Trimorph. That's because there a quite a number of Lords on the royal council who don't believe that it should be a crime to be a Trimorph. He wants their vote. So whenever our crimes came up in discussions before them he downplayed our Trimorph status and made a big issue of our "sex" crime.

Trimorph union is not sex. It is just one of us leaving our body and going into transition -- becoming a spirit -- and one of us leaving transition and entering our body. During this union our body takes on the characteristics of the one -- male or female -- who has possession of it. But the feelings that we get are similar to -- in fact much more than -- the feelings other Tri-etherealians get when having sex.

But getting back to what I said, most of us cannot dissociate ourselves when we go through union. Therefore, most of those in the past who went to Stonebridge to hear the cries heard nothing. It was only the Trimorph high priest and priestess, Gabriel and Gabrielle, who had been taught and trained from youth in how to dissociate themselves, who heard anything.

I say in the past because Stonebridge has been a pile of broken rocks and debris for the past 4700 years. No one had even used it for another 3500 years prior to that.

About 8200 years ago the Unamorphs decided that they did not want to share Tri-ethereal with the Trimorphs. They couldn't enslave us the way they do commoners. That's because we have an inner peace -- gotten through union -- that other Tri-etherealians don't have. They began to systemically hunt our kind down and kill them, chopping their heads off or burning them alive.

We are eternal beings. Once we are born we cannot die. The only way to kill a Trimorph is to chop our body's head off or burn us alive -- preferably while we are going through union. If our body is injured in any way it will heal itself. But the more extensive the injury the longer it takes to heal.

We are also peaceful beings; we do not believe in war or violence of any kind. Nor do we hate. The ancient Trimorphs offered to teach the Unamorphs how to live in peace but they would have none of that. That's how the Unamorphs were able to overcome our ancestors.

Actually the Unamorphs were just jealous of our ability to live forever. So they declared war on the Trimorphs and began to kill them.

First, the Unamorphs made public nudity against the law. They did this because going naked is the first step in enhancing union. In the past, according to the ancient book, Trimorphs would walk around in the nude. Then when they began their union, they would retreat to their homes, coming out only after their union was complete.

Next the Unamorphs made laws against any kind of sex except "normal, straight" sex. They did that because they knew that Trimorphs practiced different types of things to enhance their union. Things that non-Trimorphs would call bondage and discipline sex or any kind of sex that is not "normal and straight."

Finally, they made it against the law just to be a Trimorph. They claimed that we were disease carrying vermin, the cause of plagues, pestilence, crop failure, famine, war and even death. We allegedly are able to live forever by sucking the life out of non-Trimorphs. Of course, uneducated commoners believed every word the Unamorphs said. Before long Trimorphs were the outcasts of all Tri-ethereal.

Most Trimorphs went into hiding. They learned to be discreet, very discreet when going through union. That's one way to discover a Trimorph, observe him or her while they are going through union. Other than that we look and act just like every other Tri-etherealian. Male Trimorphs look and act just like any other male Tri-etherealian, while female Trimorphs look and act just like any other female Tri-etherealian.

Many Trimorphs also began living among and marrying commoners. Most don't; they just live as bachelors. That's how John and I lived. We never let other Tri-etherealians see me, only John.

When I had possession of our body during the day I dressed like a male and kept away from everyone. I stayed in our room repairing books or on the second floor dusting them. Sam, a commoner who worked during the day, helped patrons check out books.

To further help hide my face and hair, John had me wear this silly looking canvas hat; it looked like a bucket with holes in the side of it. John took to wearing it too. He said it made him look like sailor -- he's got a strange imagination. I think it made me look like a goose and only wore it when I was on the second floor and Sam might run into me.

Library patrons were not allowed on the second floor -- only Lord Kennington, Sam or me and John -- as there are only rare books up there. When someone wanted a book from the second floor, Sam would call up its title and I would send it down on the dumb waiter.

At night there was no problem as me and John had the library to ourselves.

I know I said that Trimorphs don't have sex. I stand by that statement. When a Trimorph marries a commoner -- I don't think there are any Unamorph/Trimorph marriages -- they "play the role" of the mate. Of course, a Trimorph is not going to marry a non-Trimorph if he or she is going to reveal their existence as a Trimorph.

A male Trimorph can impregnate a female non-Trimorph if he has sex with her. But their children will be sterile. However, a female Trimorph is unable to conceive if she has sex with a male non-Trimorph. Their marriage will remain childless.

A Trimorph cannot impregnate them self. A female Trimorph can only be impregnated by a male Trimorph. None of their children will be sterile. Also, a female Trimorph can only get pregnant two times in her life. Even then there is only about a 25% probability that her child will be a Trimorph. Most children of Trimorphs are non-Trimorphs.

All Trimorphs are born female. When they reach puberty then their ability to change their sex starts to come out. Their male counterpart gradually becomes evident to them as they go through puberty, becoming one with their being at full maturity.

Anyway, when a Unamorph suspected someone of being a Trimorph they would chain their body up and wait until it went through union. A Trimorph's body must change its sex about every fourteen to sixteen hours or it is in misery until it does so. In fact, after about twenty hours it is pure torture not to change sexes.

Let me point out that we can change sexes at any time. It's just that after about sixteen hours if we don't change sexes then we live in torment.

Just to show you how base and vulgar some Unamorphs are -- you don't have to chain a Trimorph up to discover them. All you have to do is ask us. We will tell you. We cannot lie. It is beyond us to lie, cheat or steal. Like I said, we are peaceful beings.

However, when one Trimorph meets another Trimorph, he or she can tell immediately that they have met a Trimorph. Don't ask me how we can discern whether or not someone is a Trimorph just by talking to them because I don't know. It's just an ability or an inner sense that we have among ourselves since puberty.

Soon after the war started, some cruel Unamorphs began to demand that our kind be banished into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal instead of executing us. They believed that exile to Corporeal would prevent us from going through union. This would then put us in a state of misery for all eternity.

Where they got that idea from I do not know. There was an occasional execution whenever a Trimorph was found. But most were not given a choice. Most were forced into banishment.

Some of this information John and I learned in the ancient book I found, like what the ancient Trimorphs did to enhance their union. But most of it was handed down to me -- before I went through puberty -- by word of mouth from my parents, who got it from their parents, who got it from their parents. It was left up to me to tell John.

My father, Ameen, and my mother, Gigi, were discovered when they were having sex while going through union with their counterparts, Aimee and Giogi. Sex is exceptionally ecstatic for a Trimorph if they are going through union while participating in it with another Trimorph.

They were both beheaded. I was 13 at the time. I had just started my puberty. John wasn't completely evident. I had only "met" him a couple of times. But my mother had prepared me well. I knew that John was coming. So it was no shock when we first met.

After they were executed, Lord Kennington took me in and hid me in his castle. Then after three years John and I went to work in his castle. He has cared for me and John since then.

Melissa and I are the first Trimorphs to be discovered since my parents. That was ten years ago.

It was only her bad luck that Lord Clyton discovered that she is a Trimorph. She worked in his castle as a maid. One day Lord Clyton was secretly watching her bathe. While she was bathing and talking with Melyssan, her male counterpart, he overheard her "one way" conversation.

He suspected the reason she was "talking to herself" and chained her naked to his bed. He watched her go through union. Later when Melyssan went through union and she came out, he raped her. Then he had her arrested, not for being a Trimorph but for refusing his advances.

The only reason why Melissa hasn't been executed is because Lord Clyton and Count Strydamu haven't revealed to anyone that they are a Trimorph; they want to use her for their own sexual enjoyment. What they are going to do with her once her ten year sentence is up she does not know. I believe they'll probably chop her body's head off but I never told her that.

As for me and John, it was only after his arrest that Lord Clyton discovered that we are a Trimorph. John was originally just charged as a sex violator. But Lord Clyton guessed that he too is a Trimorph and chained him naked to his bed. When we went through union his suspicions were confirmed. He informed the Public Prosecutor and we were recharged the next day as a Trimorph sex violator.

The day after that a special prosecutor, Count Strydamu, was chosen to try our case.

The only reason why the two of them don't rape me is because Lord Kennington protects me. He's known since I was born that I'm a Trimorph. He knew that my parents were Trimorphs and he learned about Trimorph union from them. He, Lord Kartier -- the king's Chief of Staff -- Lord Thomason and Lord Incolyn are among those Unamorphs who want to change the laws so that Trimorphs can be free once again among all Tri-etherealians.

Oh, by the way, Melissa is the first and only Trimorph that I have ever met. That's how rare it is to find one of us. But Melissa told both me and John that, not counting her parents, there are three couples that she knows of living in Tri-ethereal plus three "bachelors" and one "bachelorette." All of but two of the bachelors are older than Melissa.

That's why John and I have nothing but legends to go on. Except for Lord Kennington, we have no one to talk to, no one with whom we can discuss ancient Trimorph history with. That is, no one in whom we can trust to teach us the truth. That's why I was so scared.

"Let's get this over with Johanna. Let's go through union so that I can come out and they can sentence me too. Maybe then we can have some time alone before we are cast out of Tri-ethereal and into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal."

"Are you ready for it now, John? You've only been in transition for a couple of hours. I can put it off for a little while if you want, if you need the sleep."

"I haven't been in deep transition at all today Johanna. I'm too nervous. I've just been resting and watching you since we went through union before dawn this morning."

Union takes about an hour, an hour of pure ecstasy and bliss followed by calm or a resting period. The one who goes into transition then goes into deep transition while the one in control of their body goes about their everyday affairs.

There are two levels of transition -- transition and deep transition. Like I said, the Trimorph who is in transition can perceive everything that their counterpart perceives -- that and much more. But when a Trimorph is in deep transition . . . well it's what other Tri-etherealians call sleep. Deep transition is when Trimorphs sleep.

"OK," is all I said. I was sad because I knew that this would be our last private union.

I lay naked on our bed. I closed my eyes and pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel him penetrating me, filling me with himself. I pictured myself enveloping him.

A whisper in my ear: come, my beloved, come to me. Our bed is waiting.

I felt him kiss me on my lips; I opened my mouth. I felt him push his tongue into my orifice. Our tongues danced together. His lips to me are better than the finest wine, more refreshing than a cool summer breeze, more delicious than succulent roast.

I felt our body begin to prepare itself for metamorphosis.

He kissed me on my breasts. He suckled my right nipple as he caressed my left nipple. He bit my right nipple and pinched my left nipple between his thumb and finger. He pulled hard on it. The pang is sweet. I moaned. I am in agony and ecstasy at his touch.

His hand moved lower and caressed my garden; he opened my door. The flood of my passion poured over him, bathing him. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer, holding me tighter. He grunted as he entered deeper into me.

Our body began to rapture.

I opened up to him. His firmness touched my hearth and stroked the fires of my passion. He filled my cup to overflowing with nectar. His width pierced my heart. His height pierced my mind. His length pierced my love. My bowels were moved by his touch.

I eat his grapes; he consumes my flower. My paradise is for his use; my milk to refresh his palate. His wine is my invigorating drink. The fervor of our union sustains our life. The ardor of our love keeps us strong. He is my never-ending agony, my eternal ecstasy. I am his everlasting delight, his endless torment.

Our body started its metamorphosis.

His scent permeates me with desire. The odor of his musk draws me to him. I am inebriated by his aroma. The smell of his perspiration intoxicates me. The smell of his scent devours my senses. Neither fine myrrh nor sweet lavender can compare with his fragrance. It is more to me than gold and silver.

My lover brought me into his chamber. He stabbed me with his sword. I cried out at the sweet, delectable pain and encased his lance. His adulthood is the keeper of my valley, my breasts for his pleasure. His hand embraces my maturity; he enters my garden. I am in anguish for climax, in torment for completion. My joy is total.

The pulsations grew stronger.

Let me eat the fruit from your tree; let me taste its juice. Let me feel you deep inside of me. Let me enshroud your love. I long to smell your musk and the odor of your being. To hear your sweet voice is all I desire. To have you touch my soul is my only request. I am moved by your presence.

Show me, let me see you my love. Your face is more magnificent than fine art, your continence more glorious than precious jewels. Thou art fair my lovely. I am overcome with emotion. I am filled with your being. Your essence enthralls me. Your adulthood permeates my maturity; my adulthood encapsulates your maturity.

Our metamorphosis is almost complete.

Where are you O my beloved? Don't leave me to languish in misery. Come to me. Penetrate me. Fill me. Let me encompass your love, my heart's desire. You are my all. Take me, use me. I am yours.

Yes! Yes! I see you. I feel you. I can smell you my love. I can hear you my darling. You touch me. I am moved.

Our love has come together. I am he and he is I. We are one.

Our metamorphosis is finished. Johanna is in transition; I possess our body.

After several moments Johanna whispered into my ear, "Don't call the guard just yet, John. Let me enjoy the bliss just a little while longer."

"Sure my darling, enjoy your transition." I continued to lie on our bed.

But after several more minutes the guard unbolted our cell door. Lord Kennington entered. He was dressed in his formal robes so I knew he had been to see King Andrew, or at the least King Andrew's Chief of Staff, Lord Kartier. He had some clothes from our room and a blanket with him.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 01



"Oh John," he said. "Are you and Johanna finished union? I can come back." He is one of the few Unamorphs who respect my and Johanna's privacy.

"Yes Lord Kennington we're finished," I answered him.

"I was expecting to see Johanna. I thought that you and she would wait a while before you went through union."

"I asked her to let me come out so that we can get my sentencing over with. I figured then maybe we would have some time alone."

"That's why I'm here. I've just come from speaking with Lord Kartier. I have good news and bad news."

Then he turned and hollered at the door, "Guard!"

There was no response. He hollered again, "Guard!"

"Yes my Lord," he said as he entered our cell.

"Remove the manacles and chains from the prisoner."

"My Lord, Count Strydamu has strictly ordered me not to remove the manacles and chain . . ."

"And I have just come from speaking with Lord Kartier. He has issued orders to remove them. Here."

Lord Kennington handed a rolled up paper to the guard. He opened it and read over it briefly. Then he began to remove the chains from our body.

When he finished Lord Kennington said, "This Trimorph is not to be disturbed for any reason. Is that understood?"

"Yes my Lord," he bowed slightly. "What shall I tell the Count, my Lord?"

"You don't need to tell either him or Lord Clyton anything. Post the paper you have in your hands on the door. That should be sufficient."

"Yes my Lord."

"I'm going to periodically visit the prisoner. If either John or Johanna reports to me that their body has been abused in any way I'm going to hold you personally responsible. Is that clear?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Now leave us."

"My Lord are you sure that's safe? This is a Trimorph who has just been found . . ."

"I said leave us!"

"Yes my Lord." The guard bowed slightly and quickly left our cell.

"First the good news. I have a blanket for you and some clothes from your room. Here."

He handed me the clothes; I put the blanket on the bed.

"Can Johanna hear me or is she in deep transition?"

"Tell him that I can hear him John and I am grateful for the clothes and the blanket."

"She said to tell you that she is thankful, my Lord." I started to dress.

"Yes, well Lord Kartier has issued a temporary stay in your banishment -- until you appear before His Majesty King Andrew."

He paused. I could see the sadness in his eyes. I knew the rest of his news could not be good.

He told us that King Andrew will probably, reluctantly follow the will of his subjects. He favors our release. But he is in a dilemma. He also believes in obedience to the law -- even if the law is wrong.

Our status as a Trimorph has become a political hot potato. Most Unamorphs and commoners want me and Johanna executed or cast out of Tri-ethereal into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal.

The king can pardon us but he knows that a two/thirds majority of the royal council can override any decision he makes. Right now there enough Lords in the royal council to grant us the "privilege" of unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal over death but not enough to prevent an override of the king's pardon. It seems that some Lords will vote to save us from death but not to see us pardoned.

To keep peace in the kingdom means we have to be banished into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal.

He did offer us a ray of hope though. He said that Lord Kartier said that if I and Johanna ever figure out how to return from exile then that would be a sign that we were "forgiven" and we would then be accepted as loyal subjects of the King. Lord Kartier also said that our return would also greatly help to overthrow all the corrupt anti-Trimorph laws.

Publicly Lord Kartier has to remain neutral on the issue because of his position. Tri-etherealian etiquette demands that the king's Chief of Staff not take sides in controversial issues.

But privately he hopes that all the anti-Trimorph laws get repealed. He believes it is unjust to discriminate against someone solely on their looks, beliefs, political persuasion and things of this nature. In fact, he and Lord Kennington are the main promoters behind those who want to get them repealed -- although Lord Kartier only offers covert support.

In the meantime, Johanna and I must face exile.

But this is what Count Strydamu is counting on -- hoping really -- that our appeal will fail. He is also counting on the fact that no one has ever returned from unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal.

I asked Lord Kennington when he thought I should go before the court for my official sentencing. But he told me that the court was in recess at this time and would not reconvene until later this afternoon.

It seems Count Strydamu had some important business to attend to with Lord Clyton. But Lord Kennington said that he knows what that business is and he intends to do something about it before the day is over.

Right now Lord Wyatt, the secretary of the royal council, is convening the royal council to obtain a vote on whether or not the Count can be admitted. But when the vote is taken both Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier are going to vote no. Between the two of them they carry considerable influence, enough to prevent his being elected.

There are 45 Lords, one for each of the 30 districts of Tri-ethereal and 15 for the various offices, such as Keeper of the Records, Keeper of the Treasury, the sheriff of Tri-ethereal, etc.

Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier already have 25 Lords ready to vote no. They only need five more votes and they are sure to get that as soon as Lord Kartier announces his intentions to vote no. Actually, they only need a simple majority but if they can get a two/thirds majority then not only would that prevent him from becoming Lord, it would also get him removed as Presiding Officer. Neither he nor Lord Kartier want monsters like him in the royal council.

What the Count and Lord Clyton don't know is that both Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier know that they have been secretly assaulting Melissa. According to the official records, Melissa is just an ordinary commoner. No one is supposed to know that she is a Trimorph.

But about six months ago Lord Kennington became suspicious as he only saw her about every other day -- Lord Clyton has her follow him to the royal council. Knowing Trimorph union must take place at a maximum of every sixteen hours, he figured out why. Then when Melissa was alone, he asked her whether or not she is a Trimorph. She of course confirmed her status.

After further questioning by Lord Kennington, she revealed what Lord Clyton and Count Strydamu were doing to her. She also told Lord Kennington that Lord Clyton threatened to behead her if she ever told anyone of his assaults on her.

Lord Kennington took the information to Lord Kartier. The two of them were trying to figure a way to protect Melissa and Melyssan from them, without revealing that she is a Trimorph, when I and Johanna came upon the scene.

What the Count and Lord Clyton don't realize is that they cannot execute her or banish her for then their hiding the fact that she is a Trimorph will become known. It is a violation of Tri-etherealian law to hide the identity of a Trimorph. There is also a very good chance that their depravity will become known.

By the way, when the question came up about my status, Lord Kennington just denied that he knew that I am a Trimorph. Then he just defied anyone to call him a liar. There was no evidence that he knew of Johanna's existence.

Like I said, he carries considerable influence with the royal council. I just wish it were enough to prevent my and Johanna's banishment. It is one thing to be able to persuade the Lords to vote against Count Strydamu's admission into the royal council. It is an entirely different thing to vote to help out a Trimorph.

Anyway, he and Lord Kartier are going to use their concealment of Melissa's status to protect her. They are going to offer them a choice. Leave her alone and keep silent about her status, or reveal that she is a Trimorph so that she too can be either banished into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal or executed.

They cannot choose the latter for then Lord Clyton will loose what little influence he presently has in the royal council and the Count will be arrested for violating the law. As royalty, Lord Clyton has immunity from such laws. But Count Strydamu is a civil aristocrat and does not have immunity from any law.

Lord Kennington is then going to let Melissa and Melyssan use my and Johanna's room for a living quarters. Johanna and I are extremely happy for Melissa and Melyssan.

Lord Kennington then left me and Johanna alone to attend the royal council. He told me not to call the guard when I was ready. He would come for me when the court reconvened. I heard him again give orders to the guard that I was not to be disturbed.

He is the kindest and gentlest Tri-etherealian I know.

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 02



After Lord Kennington left us, Johanna went into deep transition. She told me that her sentencing left her completely exhausted and she needed the sleep. I let her go. I then spent the remainder of the morning just reading from one of a couple of books that Lord Kennington had earlier given to me and Johanna.

The book I'm reading is a story about an adventurer who explores the ends of Tri-ethereal in search of new lands and populations. Johanna hates the story. She says that Tri-ethereal is just three large continents -- Tri-ethereal, Bi-ethereal and Ethereal -- grouped around a large inland sea, all surrounded by an even larger ocean. Except for the far eastern islands, that is all there is. She's got no imagination. She likes to read stupid love stories of dashing knights saving damsels in distress. Yecch!

About noon I heard the guard making his rounds, checking on the other prisoners. Two prisoners are here for beating up a prostitute, another one owes taxes -- to pay off his debt he works in the king's laundry room in the morning -- and a fourth prisoner is here for stealing a chicken. He's going to be beheaded next week.

Johanna and I can tell the time by the light shinning through our window. It advances across the wall as the day progresses. At noon it's in the middle of the wall.

I expected Lord Kennington to interrupt my reading to bring me to court long before the light shown in the far corner. But as the sunlight got closer to the corner, and he still hadn't arrived, I suspected something had gone wrong at the royal court. But I had no idea what.

Then as the light began to fade and the prison guard, instead of Melissa, brought me my evening meal -- minus my bucket of water -- I knew something had probably gone wrong when Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier confronted Count Strydamu and Lord Clyton. I was scared for Melissa and Melyssan.

I figured that Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier were going to try to get Melissa a pardon or something, anything to protect her from the assaults by Lord Clyton and Count Strydamu. But I did not know how they were going to do that as Lord Clyton would have to agree to a pardon, seeing that it was he who she insulted -- according to the law anyway.

It wasn't until about an hour after sunset that Lord Kennington came to visit me. He had a lantern, a table and chair from our room, another blanket, some more of my and Johanna's clothes, a pitcher of water and a drinking cup, a salami, some cheese and loaf of bread with a knife to cut it up. He also promised that the bread, cheese and salami would be replaced as soon as I and Johanna eat what we have.

The extra food is to supplement what the prison feeds us -- it isn't all that great. Lord Kennington was sorry that he couldn't get us more than a second bucket of water in the evening for washing up.

I thanked him for these few comforts. I then asked him how I and Johanna rated such luxurious treatment. He said that we should thank Lord Clyton and Count Strydamu. In their desire to keep their lawlessness and depravity unknown to the royal council they agreed to let me and Johanna live in some modest comfort before we are exiled into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal.

It seems that the Count suspected that the vote might go against him, especially since a special session was convening. So just before the council got settled he pulled Lord Kartier to the side. He implied to Lord Kartier that if he didn't use his influence to get him a seat on the royal council, then it might be revealed that Prince Lydon, the heir to the thrown, had had a sexual affair with a male commoner.

Lord Kartier was furious. But he knew that his hands were tied. He puts the welfare of the royal family first in all the affairs of state. If it became known that a member of the royal family had an affair with a male commoner, it would be an embarrassment to the king and queen. He didn't want that.

But neither did he want to let Count Strydamu get the better of him. Nor did he want to let the Count get on the royal council.

He did some fast thinking and told the Count that the council was not assembled to vote on his acceptance into the royal council. It was here to vote on whether on not to lower the taxes on the use of the royal grain storage facilities that the commoners use. The proposal had been before the royal council for several weeks already and the king's subjects needed an answer.

The Count knew that he was lying but there was nothing he could do. Lord Kartier's friend and confident, Lord Kennington as Keeper of the Records, controls what will be debated and voted upon in the royal council.

The Counts suspicions were confirmed when he saw Lord Kartier moments later whispering to Lord Kennington as the other Lords were taking their seats in the royal council. Lord Kennington glanced at Count Strydamu and became visibly upset as Lard Kartier was whispering to him. Lord Kennington also looks out for the welfare of the royal family.

When Lord Kennington called the assembly together he apologized for the misunderstanding in why they were all called together. The vote was taken on the taxes and it was decided to lower the taxes.

Lord Conwalt called for a vote on the Count's admittance. But Lord Kennington got that motion tabled, claiming that this was a special session not convened to do that. Also, there were several Lords absent and Lord Kennington didn't want to take that vote under such conditions. He wanted to wait and allow all the Lords the opportunity to vote.

Lord Kartier thus effectively postponed the vote on accepting Count Strydamu into the royal council.

After the council disbanded, Lord Kartier knew that he had the Count boxed into a corner for threatening to embarrass the king and queen. So he and Lord Kennington then privately confronted both Lord Clyton and the Count on their actions with Melissa. They demanded that they release Melissa into the care of Lord Kennington.

Lord Clyton cares only for the lavish luxury he lives in. He gave up the slave without an argument. He signed a paper exonerating Melissa of her offense and confirming her status as a normal Tri-etherealian commoner. He then gave the paper to Lord Kartier.

But Count Strydamu did not give her up without a fight. There were threats and counter threats. Lord Kartier accused the Count of hiding and abusing a Trimorph. The Count accused Lord Kartier of covering up Prince Lydon's homosexuality. Lord Kartier reminded the Count that homosexuality is not a crime and Count Strydamu pointed out to Lord Kartier that revealing Prince Lydon's affairs is not a crime either.

But eventually agreements were reached.

In the end, Lord Clyton and Count Strydamu agreed to let Melissa live in the library. She and Melyssan now live in my and Johanna's room in Lord Kennington's library. They are going to assume our duties.

Unknown to both Count Strydamu and Lord Clyton, Melissa is going to "disappear" in a couple of weeks. During that time Melyssan is going to grow a full beard and mustache; at present he only has a pencil thin mustache. Then a couple of weeks after that, Lord Kennington is going to hire Melyssan to work in the library. Melissa is going to do as Johanna did, dress like a male and remain obscure during the day.

Since Trimorphs never age, to help avoid detection over the years, the males change their facial hair; the females change their hair styles and hair color. They also move from district to district and from town to town, never staying in any one place longer than a few years.

Edgar, the Counts son, has been forbidden to go into their private living quarters. In fact, Lord Kennington is going to make their living quarters off limits to everyone except himself and Melyssan.

Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are going to petition King Andrew to issue a complete pardon to Melissa. The king is sure to follow the recommendation of his Chief of Staff. This will probably take several weeks and, with the paper signed by Lord Clyton, will only be an academic gesture. But in the meantime Melissa will be free from assault.

Melissa and Melyssan are now beyond the reach of anyone who might want to abuse them or charge them as a Trimorph. Both Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are happy that they have been able to save one Trimorph.

Lord Clyton also agreed to the extras for me and Johanna. But he had to draw the line at allowing a portable tub -- the cell is too small. However, he did agree to a second bucket of water for us.

Lord Kartier, for his part, promised to do what he could to persuade the royal council to admit the Count as a member. The only proviso that Lord Kartier demanded was that Count Strydamu not be found guilty of violating any other Tri-etherealian law. He told Count Strydamu that he had to have this in order to protect himself and the royal family.

But the real reason he made the prerequisite is because he is adamant in doing what he can to keep Count Strydamu out of the royal council.

He knows that Count Strydamu is blackmailing Lord Clyton over something. He is just not sure what. As soon as he finds out what it is, he is going to give that information to the Sheriff of Tri-ethereal, Lord Robert. The sheriff will arrest him and that will forever prevent him from getting a seat in the royal council.

If it is a serious enough infraction of the law, it might even force him to resign as Presiding Officer of the royal council. Lord Kartier hopes that it is serious enough.

The only bad news Lord Kennington had was that I was to be brought before the court at the earliest possible convenience tomorrow to have my verdict read to me and then make my choice for either banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal or execution.

That came about when the royal council discovered that I had yet to choose between death and banishment from the kingdom.

Immediately after Lord Conwalt's motion to vote on admitting the Count into the royal council got tabled, Lord Basch called for a decision to be made on my and Johanna's banishment, as to where and when it was to take place. He was under the impression that both I and Johanna had already appeared before the court and made our choice for banishment.

But Lord Clyton informed the council that I had not made my choice and that nothing could be done officially until after I made my decision.

This caused an immediate uproar in the royal council, particularly between those who favor banishment and execution. There were accusations and denouncements from both sides. Meanwhile, those who want to see all the anti-Trimorph laws repealed sat uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. Like I said, our status as a Trimorph has become a political hot potato.

Lord Kennington next assured the royal council that I would choose banishment over execution. When asked how he was so sure, he told the council that he had had extensive talks with both of us. The council then decided they could still debate as to where and when our banishment would take place if I followed Johanna and chose exile.

But Lord Kennington said that there was even some good news in that. If I choose to be exiled into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal then it may be months before my and Johanna's sentence can be carried out.

First of all, no Trimorph has been exiled in over 75 years and no one was quite sure of all the particulars in how to go about it. The procedure must be written down somewhere among the records stored in the library.

Then Lord Quantrill -- he's the Keeper of the Treasury -- wanted to know how much it would cost. This brought up the question of where Corporeal is located and how were Johanna and I to be exiled there.

Some actually believed that banishment from the kingdom meant putting me and Johanna in a boat by ourselves and forcing us to sail to uncharted lands on the other side of the ocean. Other Lords thought it meant forcing us to go live in the unexplored interiors of either Bi-ethereal or Ethereal. From where these Lords got their information is a mystery.

But most of the Lords believed that Corporeal is a world that is parallel to Tri-ethereal; the two worlds coexist together. To go from Tri-ethereal to Corporeal one has to be at Stonebridge. To banish a Trimorph into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal the victim must drink a concoction of vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves. But that is about all most of the Lords seemed to know. No one seemed to know what it means to be banished.

What I want to know is how drinking a concoction of anything can cause someone to go from one world to another world. There must be something more involved than just drinking some horrible tasting potion. No one seems to know. Even the legends are silent on this aspect of banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal.

But a bigger problem, as Lord Jefferys pointed out, is that the only time that Corporeal and Tri-ethereal come fleetingly into contact is during the two equinoxes and the two solstices. He said that from what he remembered from the legends, banishment must take place at Stonebridge precisely at sunset during the winter solstice, which is still some four and a half months away.

Lord Basch thought banishment must take place at midnight during the autumn equinox. But Lord Fiord believed that banishment must take place at sunrise during the summer solstice. This brought on another round of accusations and denouncements. Again, those who are in favor of repealing all the anti-Trimorph laws sat uncharacteristically quiet the whole time.

The council finally deferred to Lord Kennington to look the information up among the records and to inform the members at their next meeting as to the particulars of how to go about banishing a Trimorph. Lord Kennington promised the royal council that he would get to work on finding the information as soon as they adjourned their meeting.

Some of the Lords questioned Lord Kennington's ability to be objective in seeking the information, seeing that he is in favor of repealing anti-Trimorph laws and seeing that Johanna and I at one time lived in his library.

But Lord Kennington informed the Lords present that they did not have to worry about his objectivity. First, he puts the law above his own personal beliefs and wants. He reminded them of the many times he defended the law as the only thing they had protecting them from falling into barbarianism. They were all well aware of how often he did just that, sometimes even to his own detriment.

Besides, he told them that he had never met Johanna and did not know that John was a Trimorph. He pointed out how Trimorphs are particularly adept at hiding their counterparts. Had he known that John was a Trimorph he would have turned him in immediately. He believes in obeying the law -- even those laws he disagrees with.

When he mentioned to me that he told the royal council that he was going to get the required information to them as soon as possible, he shrugged his shoulders. He said that he has to give the information to the royal council but that he is going to take his good old sweet time in doing it. He knows exactly what book the information is written in and that book is going to get conveniently lost in the archives on the second floor -- at least for a few weeks anyway.

Lord Kennington also said that during the next several months he and Lord Kartier are going to do what they can to overturn the law banning Trimorphs from living in Tri-ethereal.

There are quite a number of Lords and civil aristocrats who favor repealing all the anti-Trimorph laws. They need a two/thirds majority. Right now they have just under that number of Lords who are willing to vote to overturn the laws.

He believes that he will probably have to do some political arm twisting and wheeling and dealing to get the vote of some of the Lords. But if they succeed then my and Johanna's conviction could more easily be overturned.

Failing that, they are going to try and get a permanent stay in the execution of my and Johanna's banishment -- possibly a long-term confinement under house arrest in prison. This would mean that Johanna and I could continue to work in the library but that we would have to return to the prison each evening to do our sentence. We would also have to wear the manacles and chains during the day.

For this they are going to fall on the consciences of those Lords who believe that it is wrong to discriminate against someone simply because they are "different" than other Tri-etherealians.

It is the possibility that Johanna and I will be here a long time that helped get us the luxuries, that and the fact that Lord Kennington is going to pay for the extra food. The other things came from our room in the library.

Finally, they are going to petition the king for clemency. But Lord Kartier has already said that the king will probably follow the will of most of his subjects and move to have me and Johanna exiled. So Lord Kennington didn't offer me much hope in that area.

He asked me how long Johanna had been in deep transition and when she was due to come out. I told him that she had been sleeping all day and was probably going to come out in an hour or two.

I know why he asked me. He was really asking me when I was going to go into transition. He needed to know that in order to know when I was going to come out of transition tomorrow. So that he could inform the court's clerk as to when to reconvene the royal court for my official sentencing.

While it is true that Trimorphs must go into transition about every sixteen hours, Johanna and I figured up a schedule whereby she is in transition for sixteen hours, then she is in our body for eight hours, then in transition for eight hours and finally in our body for sixteen hours. I follow an opposite schedule. That way we could both experience the daylight and nighttime every 48 hours.

Melissa told me and Johanna that she and Melyssan also followed a schedule for entering into transition. She said that she and Melyssan went through union about every twelve to fifteen hours. She also said that she knew other Trimorphs followed a pattern so as to help them avoid detection.

I felt sorry for Lord Kennington. It broke his heart when the royal court found out that I am a Trimorph. His heart was broken again yesterday when my and Johanna's verdict was handed down and again when she accepted her fate this morning. It is going to break his heart still once more when I'm sentenced tomorrow.

He looks upon both of us and his children. Johanna has been like a daughter to him. He likes to buy her presents of perfume, scented candles, bath oil and candy. He has been like a father to me. He taught me how to play chess. He and I have gotten into many long, philosophical debates. We have learned from each other.

But we only play chess or debate philosophy when Johanna is in deep transition. She doesn't like chess and she would rather talk about the latest romance story she is reading, how the library may be more efficiently managed or what books need to be repaired. She's practical like that. Me, I guess you could say that I'm more theoretical and carefree.

But I was happy for Johanna. I knew she would enjoy the few luxuries that Lord Kennington was able to procure for us. I was anxious for her to come out of deep transition so that she could see them.

Before he left, I asked Lord Kennington if he could get some writing paper for Johanna and my chess set from our room in the library. I like to study chess strategy. He told me that he didn't see it when he was there a few moments ago. He said that he would go back and look again and then have it sent to me along with some writing paper.

A few moments after he left the guard came to collect my supper dishes. He had an aide with him who was carrying two buckets of water and a wash cloth. He said that he would be back in about an hour to collect the buckets. I thanked him. He and his aide left.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 02



After he left I stripped down and washed off. I then debated with myself whether or not to remain naked for union with Johanna. I decided against it and got dressed. I would take my clothes off again after the buckets were picked up. Then we would have more privacy when we went through union together.

The guard picked up the buckets without incident. Johanna was still in deep transition. I wasn't worried. I knew that her sentencing really hit her hard. I let her sleep. I was about to return to my reading when . . .

"Guard, open this door." It was Count Strydamu demanding to be let into our cell.

I heard the guard object. "But Count Strydamu, Lord Kennington gave me strict orders not to disturb the prisoner."

"I don't give a damn what that weasel wants. Either you open the door or I'll have you flogged."

The guard unlocked the door and the Count barged into our cell.

"Why isn't this Trimorph chained up?" he bellowed to the guard.

"Lord Kartier has issued orders that the prisoner is not to be chained up except when going to and from the royal court. See I have posted his order on the door."

Count Strydamu tore the paper off the door and threw it on the floor.

"I want this prisoner chained up now. Lord Kartier is not in charge of this prisoner."

"Begging your pardon Count but neither are you. Lord Clyton . . ."

"Don't give me any of your back talk. Chain this prisoner up now!"

"I'll have to go get the manacles and chains Count Strydamu. They are in the chest at the end of the hall."

"Make sure you're quick about it. I haven't got all night."

The guard returned a moment later with some chains and manacles. The Count ordered me to remove my clothes. A chain was again put around our body's waist and manacles were put on our body's ankles and wrists.

I stood naked before him, chained up like a dog.

"That fool may have influence in the royal council, but he's got nothing in this prison. As long as Clyton owes me money from the races and the jousting matches, I'm in charge of this prisoner. I decide if this Trimorph will be chained up and receive comforts or not."

The guard answered Count Strydamu's ranting, "Regardless Count, I will have to report this . . ."

"You do what you must. But if I find that this prisoner has received so much as a bucket of water you'll be in the cell next to him. This prisoner is not to receive any special treatment."

The Count then had the guard remove all the extras that Lord Kennington had brought for us, including the books Lord Kennington gave to us. But he missed a blanket that had fallen onto the floor behind our cot. He also left us our chamber pot.

The Count then said to me in a belittling tone, "You can choose to be thrown into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal if you wish Trimorph. But if the vote in the royal council goes against me, then I'm going to see to it that you're beheaded. Tell that to your friend Lord Kennington."

I didn't answer him. I knew that no matter what I said he would somehow twist it around and use it against me.

He looked at me in disgust. Then, "You're my ticket for a seat in the royal council Trimorph. I know that Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington care enough about you that they'll do anything to keep you from being executed. Though I don't know why they would care for a freak."

Freaks. That's how many Unamorphs and commoners referred to us Trimorphs. To them we were something to be laughed at, made jokes of and placed in circus side shows . . . and then executed.

Indeed, most Tri-etherealians had never seen a Trimorph, or at least their conception of what a Trimorph looked like. To them we were two headed monsters with three red eyes in each head. We had snakes for tongues and large venomous fangs in our mouths. 

They invented all kinds of ludicrous tales about us. They told their children that if they misbehaved then a Trimorph would come and snatch them away at night, boil them in oil and eat them.

We walked around hunched-backed and lived in foul, dark caves. We would dig up the freshly buried corpses and drink the blood of unfaithful wives, slitting their throats.

If a crop failed or a pestilence attacked, if someone got sick or unexpectedly died, if the population of rats and roaches suddenly exploded or plagues hit, then it was because a Trimorph cast an evil spell. Witches and goblins were preferable company to a Trimorph.

The uneducated and intolerant Tri-etherealians couldn't see, didn't want to see that we are no different than any other Tri-etherealian.

I felt sorry for the Count and for all Tri-etherealians who were filled with ignorance and prejudice. Their blindness prevents them from enjoying life as it should be; in fact, is for those without hate in their hearts.

They actually believe that the laws they make are civilized and the goals they set for themselves are honorable objectives. But in reality their laws cause nothing but oppression for the working class and their goals do nothing but hinder progress for everyone. I could clearly see why Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington didn't want his kind on the royal council, making laws that everyone has to obey.

"You can also tell your friends that I'm well aware that they are doing their best to keep me out of the royal council. But you can also tell them that I cannot be arrested for executing a Trimorph and if they don't support my admission, then you'll be dead before the sun sets on the day the vote is taken."

He then stormed out of our cell, leaving the guard and his aides standing in the center of our cell looking sheepish. The guard ushered his aides out of our cell and locked the door. A few moments later I heard him tacking Lord Kartier's order back on the door to our cell.

What Count Strydamu didn't realize is that he unwittingly revealed to me what it is that he holds over Lord Clyton. At least, I'm pretty sure what it is. From what he said, I'm sure that Lord Clyton is in debt to Count Strydamu from his losses at the horse races and jousting contests.

Nor does the Count realize that I'm not just an ordinary commoner. I work in the library -- or rather used to work there until my arrest. Unlike most commoners, I can read and write. So, I guess you could say that I'm educated.

When the Count said that Lord Clyton owes him money most commoners wouldn't have thought twice about it. That's because they don't think any farther than their noses. They believe that Unamorphs have an inexhaustible supply of wealth. But I'm not that naive. I was able to put two and two together. Lord Clyton does the bidding of Count Strydamu in order to get out of his debt.

I couldn't stop the Count from using me and Johanna as pawns in his bid to get on the royal council. But if my hunch was correct then the next time I saw Lord Kennington . . . well things were going to get even hotter. Of that I'm sure.

I sat down on our bed. I decided that I would keep the blanket hidden under the mattress until after the last bed check of the prisoners. That was only a few minutes away. I wondered how Johanna would take to walking around in the nude again. I know she likes to do it. But then so do I.

After about an hour she came out from deep transition. At the time I was watching an ant struggle with a small piece of bread crumb and wondering how it thought it was going to get the crumb out of our cell. It was hard to see it in the dim light. I was down on my hands and knees deeply absorbed in watching it. She startled me.

"John, what are you doing and why are you naked?" she asked me.

"Oh Johanna, I didn't know you were out of deep transmission."

"I just came out. Why are you on your hands and knees and why is our body chained up and naked again?"

"I was just watching an ant carrying a bread crumb. I was . . ."

"You're watching an ant! You're weird do you know that?"

"You missed all the action. The Count came in here and took away all our luxuries." I got up and sat on our bed.

"What luxuries? What are you talking about?"

"It seems that we are two pawns in his bid to get on the royal council. He's using us as leverage to force Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington to use their influence to get him a seat on the royal council."

"He can't oppose Lord Kartier. Doesn't he realize that if he opposes Lord Kartier it's the same as opposing the king?"

"Probably not. His own egotism has blinded him. My guess is his little stunt here this evening was just an act of revenge for what they did to him this afternoon."

I then told Johanna about the extras Lord Kennington brought to us and how Count Strydamu had the guards remove all our luxuries from our cell. Next he ordered me to remove my clothes. He then demanded that our body be chained up again.

Apparently the Count is unaware that if our body is bound in any way then our union is much more ecstatic. Either that or he believes that we are ashamed to be seen naked.

Johanna said that she would enjoy going naked again. She also said she didn't mind the manacles and chains. They made her feel humble which also enhances our union. I told her I felt the same.

Lastly, I revealed The Count's threat to have our body beheaded if he is not elected onto the royal council.

This latter frightened Johanna, more than what I had anticipated. It is true that there is nothing from stopping him from just coming in here and having our body's head chopped off. There is a chopping block and axe at the end of the hall next to the chest of manacles and chains. Both are stained with blood.

But I'm sure that he wants us to give his message to Lord Kennington before he does anything drastic. I'm also sure that he won't do anything until the vote is taken. I told this to Johanna and it seemed to calm her down somewhat.

But I didn't tell her about my hunch that Lord Clyton is in debt to Count Strydamu over gambling debts. I thought that I would wait until I again saw Lord Kennington. Then I would tell her and him at the same time.

We talked for a few more minutes. I told her about the blanket and asked her to keep it hidden so that it wouldn't be taken away. Then I told her that I was tried and asked her if she would go through union with me. I wanted to go into deep transition for some much needed rest. She of course said yes. She loves to go through union.

I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. I pictured Johanna's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel her enveloping me, enshrouding me with her love. I pictured myself penetrating her naked body.

A whisper in my ear: come, my darling, come to me. Our bed is waiting.

I felt her kissing my breasts, my neck and my ear. I wet my lips as her tongue darted into my mouth. Our tongues entwined. Her caresses mean more to me than a relaxing massage. Her lips are sweeter than honey. Her kisses are more desirable than the praises of kings.

I felt our body begin to prepare itself for metamorphosis.

She suckled my right nipple and kissed my left. She snaked her tongue down to my navel, then down farther to the fires of my hearth. Kissing and sucking, licking and kissing. I moaned. I longed for release. I am in both agony and ecstasy at her loving touch.

She pressed her body against mine; she wrapped her arms around me. Her maturity encased me. I am a prisoner of her love, a hostage to her passion. She devoured me her with kisses; I am caught in a whirlpool of her fruit juices. She moaned as she encompassed my love.

Our body began to rapture.

I surrendered to her desire. Her warmth filled me with love, with passion, with longing. I rise to taste her sweet drink. I am intoxicated with her honey. She surrounds me, swathes me, swallows me whole. My bowels were moved by her touch.

I can taste her fruit; she is the seed of my yearning. I am her fountain of youth; she is my morning glory. I stand firm and erect in her presence. I fall headlong into her hidden valley. The ardor of our love is deep. The fervor of our desire is broad. Our joining is timeless. She is my eternal agony, my never-ending ecstasy. I am her everlasting delight, her endless torment.

Our body started its metamorphosis.

Her perfume fills me with want. The smell of her sweat intoxicates me. The touch of her caress sends me to the stars. The taste of her wine nourishes me. The sound of her voice inebriates me. I am hers to use; she is the essence of my life. I rise up in her presence. I fall down in her absence. Up and down, in and out. She means more to me than precious jewels.

My lover brought me into her vestibule. She enveloped me with her adulthood. I languish in sweet, delectable pain as she encases my length. She is the guardian of my maturity; my fruit is for her pleasure. Her warmth encircles my adulthood; I fill her with my desire. I am in agony for fulfillment and suffering for conclusion. My delight is absolute.

The pulsations grew stronger.

Hold me up with your flower. Encompass me with your fruit. I languish with love. Her left hand is under my head and her right hand squeezes me tight. My dove is in the clefts of my rock and in the hollow places of my wall. Show me your face; let your voice sound in my ears, for your voice is sweet, and your face beauty itself.

Let me eat your love; let me taste its sweetness. Let me feel you touch me and hear you call my name. Show me your face and permit me to smell your aroma. Your essence surrounds me; my essence enters you. I am overcome with emotion. My beloved to me, and I to her who feeds among the roses.

Our metamorphosis is almost complete.

My lover is in my forest, hiding among the bushes. I languish for her. I am in misery for her presence. Come to me my darling. Enshroud me with your love; imprison me with your passion. You are my only desire, my only need, my eternity. Use me as you will.

Yes! Yes! I can feel you. I smell you. I see your face. Your voice is music in my ears. Your gentle touch sends me. I am yours.

Our love has brought us together. I am her and she is me. We are one.

Our metamorphosis is finished. John is in transition; I posses our body.

"Oh John I love to go through union with you. It is so wonderful."

"Yes I know you do. If you don't mind, I'm very tired. I'm going to go into deep transition."

"Sure my love, go ahead. I'll talk to you when you come out."

"Would you wake me up when Lord Kennington comes tomorrow morning? I need to tell him something important that's going to intensify the feud between him and the Count."

"Why? What's so important? You know you're not going to answer my call."

"Will you at least try? Just call my name. Maybe I'll hear you."

"OK, I'll try. But you know as well as I do that you're not going to answer me."

He didn't answer me. He went into deep transition that fast. I guess that's because he hadn't been in deep transition since before sunset yesterday evening and needed the sleep.

I sometimes have him wake me but he never answers any wakeup call from me. Well, sometimes he does but it isn't often. I'll call him tomorrow when Lord Kennington comes but I'm sure he won't wake up.

I got up from our bed. I went and stood against the opposite wall from the window in our cell. I looked up to see if I could see any stars. I couldn't. It was a cloudy night.

With nothing to read I knew it was also going to be a long night. I thought about counting the cobblestones in the floor to our cell, but decided against it. It's a stupid thing to do anyway. John did it. Three times and came up with a different number each time. He's got a weird way of occupying his mind. He's always pretending that he's a knight saving a damsel in distress from some hideous monster. Yecch!

I spent the night watching the clouds drift past the window in our cell.

About two hours after sunrise the guard brought me my breakfast, a bowl of porridge and a cup of water. About an hour later he came and picked up the empty dishes. As he started to leave I asked him about the chamber pot. He told me that Count Strydamu issued orders that I was not to receive anything extra; that I was to get only two meals a day just like the other prisoners.

I asked him if he would let me clean it out. He said that he would have to check with his superiors. After over an hour and he hadn't returned, I figured that John and I lost that privilege too.

Then Lord Kennington came to visit me.

I heard the guard apologizing to Lord Kennington about removing our luxuries before he even unlocked our cell door. He was begging Lord Kennington not to put him between his and Count Strydamu's feud.

Lord Kennington entered our cell. I stood up in respect but I didn't try to cover our naked body with the blanket; I didn't want the guard to know that John and I had it. The guard couldn't take his eyes off my pubic hair and vagina. You would have thought he had never seen a naked female.

Lord Kennington looked around our cell. Then, "Good morning Johanna. You needn't stand up for me."

I could see the anger in his face. But I remained standing.

"Were you in deep transition when the Count took away the comforts I was able to get for you and John?"

"Yes my Lord. But John told me all about it though. He's in deep transition now."

"Here." He took his cape off and handed it to me. "Cover yourself with this until I can get your clothes returned."

"Thank you my Lord," I answered him and put it around our naked body.

Then he turned to the guard. "That is my cape. It has my crest on it. Tell Count Strydamu or anyone who takes it from her that I will have them arrested for stealing my property if they so much as put their hands on it. And don't worry I do not hold you responsible for what that fool does."

"Yes my Lord. Thank you my Lord."

"Get someone to clean out the chamber pot. If anyone asks tell them that my personal servant cleaned it out."

"Yes my Lord."

Then he turned to me. "When John comes out of deep transition tell him that the Count's son stole the chess set I gave him. Sam saw him take it out of the library a couple of months ago. I'll get your things back later this morning or Edgar is going to be arrested for stealing my property."

The guard turned to leave, presumably to get someone to clean out the chamber pot but Lord Kennington stopped him.

"One moment guard, if either . . ."

"Oh, I almost forgot, Lord Kennington," I interrupted him. "John asked me to wake him up as soon as you got here. He said that he has something important to tell you and that it's going to cause things to get even hotter between you and the Count. He didn't tell me what though."

"It will just have to wait Johanna. I have to go hunt down Count Strydamu and tell him to leave you and John alone or see his son go to prison."

"But it will only take a minute my Lord. Besides, I'm sure it must be important or John would not have asked me to wake him up."

"OK. In the meantime, guard where did you put my table and chair and the other things I brought here yesterday?"

"Your things are in the next cell, my Lord. It's empty at the time being."

"I want to see it."

They left and I called John. It took me several calls but I was able to wake him up, which is unusual. When he usually asks me to wake him up he doesn't get up.

When they re-entered a few moments later I told Lord Kennington that John said that Count Strydamu slipped up. He accidently revealed that Lord Clyton is in debt to him from the horse races and jousting matches.

"Is he sure about that Johanna?"

"Tell Lord Kennington that his exact words were, 'Clyton owes me money from the races and the jousting matches.' I memorized them."

"John said to tell you that the Counts exact words were, 'Clyton owes me money from the races and the jousting matches.' He memorized them."

"Good. I can use that against him too. That's monster's bid to become a noble are through."




Tri-ethereal Ch. 02



Then he turned to the guard. "Don't worry you're not in the middle of this. For now just leave that other stuff in the empty cell."

"Yes my Lord. Thank you my Lord."

"Except for my cape, just do as Count Strydamu or Lord Clyton orders you to do. The cape has my crest on it. Tell them that if they touch my cape then I'll have them arrested. But I don't think they'll bother with it, seeing that it is mine."

"As you wish my Lord."

He then told me and John that he is going to talk to Lord Kartier. Then he and Lord Kartier together are going to loan Lord Clyton enough money to pay off his gambling debts to Count Strydamu. Once Lord Clyton is no longer in the Count's debt then the Count will no longer be able to force Lord Clyton to do his bidding.

He is also going to tell Lord Kartier about Edgar's theft of the chess set from the library. Although this is not enough to force the Count to resign as Presiding Officer of the royal council -- it was his son, not he, who broke the law -- once they confront him about his forcing a noble to do his bidding, the two offenses together is enough of an embarrassment to get him to withdraw his bid to become a Lord.

It is not unlawful for a Lord to be in debt to a civil aristocrat. But it is an embarrassment, especially for the Lord.

If he doesn't withdraw his request then Lord Kennington will have Sheriff Lord Robert arrest Edgar for stealing his chess set. Count Strydamu is about to discover the extent of his and Lord Kartier's influence.

As John said, 'things are going to get even hotter.'

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 03



Within a few minutes after the Lord Kennington left, a guard I had never seen before returned with an aide. The aide – a young boy – began cleaning out our chamber pot. While the boy was doing that the guard momentarily left, leaving the door opened. That was unusual for a guard. They're not supposed to leave the prisoners unattended. Nor are they supposed to leave the prison door open if they leave.

"He's got to be new," John said to me. "If his supervisor finds out he left the door opened he'll pay dearly."

I didn't answer John. I just continued to sit on our bed watching the boy clean out our chamber pot.

I heard the guard unlocking the door to the cell next to ours. A few seconds later he returned with a blanket and the books that Lord Kennington had given to us. Next he told the boy to leave and to wait for him at the end of the hall. He told me that his name was William; his son, the aide, was also named William.

He handed me the books and the blanket and advised me to hide them under the mattress. I thanked him and told him that Lord Kennington was going to get my and John's luxuries back. He said that he was aware of the little war between Count Strydamu and Lord Kennington; the whole prison was aware of it. He said that he hopes that Lord Kennington wins but if he didn't . . . well he was here to help me and John out.

He then revealed to me that his grandparents of six generations ago were Trimorphs. Their baby son was a non-Trimorph. He "disappeared" about the time his parents were discovered and banished from the kingdom. But it has been a family secret that a civil aristocrat took him in and raised him as one of his maid's sons.

"Cool, we have a spy on our side," John whispered to me.

I wanted to tell John to keep his harebrained imagination to himself but I was more interested in hearing what William had to say.

William said that up until two days ago he had worked in the kitchen, cooking the food for the guards and the prisoners. He put in for a transfer to this section of the prison when he first discovered that I am a Trimorph, but it took a long time for his transfer to go through. He blamed it on prison bureaucracy.

He said that he spoke with Lord Kennington the other day and mentioned that he wanted to help me and John out. Then this morning the transfer was finally granted. He is not sure but he thinks the transfer was granted through the intervention of Lord Kartier.

But he said that he told his supervisor that the reason he put in for the transfer was so that his son could get a feel for what it is like to work in all sections of the prison. He told me that the boy hoped to work in the prison as a cook some day.

Then William told me that if I ever needed anything ask him and he would get it for me. He said that was the real reason he put in for the transfer, to help me and John out a little bit. He wanted to make our life as comfortable as possible before we were banished into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. Then he would go back to working in the prison kitchen.

"Ask William if he plays chess and can he get me a chess set?" John asked me. Again, I didn't answer my counterpart.

The guard divulged to me that he didn't believe it was fair to execute someone or banish them from the kingdom just because they were different. He said that there were quite a number of commoners who were against banishing me and John.

I told him that Lord Kennington said that most Tri-etherealians favored either our execution or banishment to Corporeal. He said that that was true but that there was a small but vocal minority of commoners, backed by a few civil aristocrats, who wanted to see us released from prison. They believed that we had done nothing wrong.

"Tell him to have his friends sign a petition and give it to the king, Johanna."

"Will you be quiet?" I said to John.

The guard looked at me like I was crazy or something. "Not you William. I was talking to my counterpart. He keeps talking to me and interrupting us."

William shrugged and revealed to me that that was another reason he put in for the transfer. He wanted to learn about Trimorphs. He wanted to learn about his ancestors.

I asked him if he was worried about what Lord Clyton or Count Strydamu would say. He said that he wasn't worried about what either one of those would do. Lord Clyton seldom came to the prison and the Count had no jurisdiction here.

Besides, he exclaimed, every time Lord Clyton and the Count come here they come with a large following of aides and attendants. Everyone in the prison knows that they are coming long before either of them arrives.

He said that such a forewarning would allow him to come here and remove anything that the Count might object to me and John having.

I asked him if he could get a bucket of water for me and John in the evening so that we could wash up a bit. He said that he would have his son bring it to us.

I then asked him if he could get some of our clothes; I only had Lord Kennington's cape wrapped around me. I like to go naked but it's always nice to have clothes around; just in case they are needed in case it gets cold or something.

William excused himself and left our cell, again leaving the door opened. He returned a few moments later with our clothes. I again thanked him and put the clothes on our bed.

He asked me if I wanted the table and chair and the food. But I told him no. I didn't want to put him in any danger if one of the other guards happened to see it in our cell.

William then began to ask me all kinds of questions about Trimorphs. How did we change sexes? What was union like? What happened to my counterpart while I had possession of our body? Was it possible for one of his children to be a Trimorph? Could he become a Trimorph? How did we live forever? Did we ever get sick?

"Whoa! Whoa!" I said. "One question at a time."

"You answer his questions, Johanna. I'm going back to sleep."

"You do that John." Then to the guard, "Exactly what do you know about Trimorphs?"

He said that he didn't know much. He further informed me that he had been to Lord Kennington's library a few times to look up information about Trimorphs but that the facts there are sparse. He added that he didn't believe any of the ludicrous tales non-Trimorphs made up about us.

"I knew I recognized him. He used to come in our library all the time Johanna."

"Excuse me William."

Then to John, "I thought you said you were going to sleep."

"OK, OK. I'm going. Don't give away any Trimorph secrets. And whatever you tell him, don't tell him about our two heads and three red eyes." Then he laughed.

"Will you go to sleep?" I hollered at John.

"Can he hear us?" William asked me.

"Yes, John can hear, feel, see, taste and smell everything that I can while he is in transition. In fact, a Trimorph who is in transition can hear, feel, see, taste and smell things that the one who is in possession of their body can't. It's kind of like a sixth sense Trimorphs have."

"Is he talking to you right now? How come I can't hear him when he talks to you?"

"Yes, but when he speaks to me, I'm the only one who can hear him. It's like he was whispering to me in my inner ear."

"I don't understand. Where is your counterpart right now?"

"I'll do my best to explain it. Transition is an out of body experience. The one in transition can perceive their body from outside of it. That's how he or she can hear, feel, see, taste and smell things that the one in possession of the body can't. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes. Please go on."

"OK. The reason you can't hear John when he talks to me is because he is inside of me, inside of my mind. So, the one in transition is actually a spirit both outside their body and inside of the one in possession of their body. We can talk to each other but no one else can perceive the one in transition."

"Can you see your counterpart?"

"No, I can't. I can't see, smell, taste or feel John except during union. I can only talk to him and hear him when he talks to me. But he can smell, taste, feel, see and hear everything I do."

"Tell me more. I want to know all about my ancestors."

I revealed to him that Trimorphs have a tri-existence. There is the male, the female and the body that the male and female share. The body is both male and female but that only one sex is evident at any one time – the sex of the one who possesses the body.

Next I told him that when a Trimorph goes through union their body just undergoes a metamorphosis. Their body changes sexes, going from male to female or from female to male. When the male possess the body, the body has all masculine characteristics, and when the female possess the body, the body has all feminine characteristics.

William said that he heard some of the guards talk about watching Melissa and Melyssan go through union. He thought that that was disgusting and considered those guards nothing but voyeuristic perverts.

I didn't answer his derogatory comment; although I agree with it.

I told him that if the body is going from male to female then the penis and testicles get smaller and go into the body. The vagina develops. The penis turns into the clitoris and the testicles turn into the ovaries. While that is happening, the breasts get larger and any facial hair falls off. The rest of the body takes on feminine characteristics.

If the body is going from female to male then the opposite happens. The clitoris enlarges and the ovaries fall out of the body. The vagina closes up. The clitoris turns into the penis and the testicles develop. The breasts get smaller and any facial hair that the body had reappears. The body takes on masculine characteristics.

Most male Trimorphs are circumcised soon after they are fully developed. Union is more ecstatic if the male is circumcised. John is circumcised.

Most male Trimorphs wear beards and/or mustaches to further change their appearance from their female counterpart. It helps hide their Trimorph status from non-Trimorphs. But male Trimorphs are not very hairy, so their beards and mustaches usually do not fill their whole faces. John doesn't have a beard or a mustache; he doesn't like them.

The male, the female and the body all have pubic hair. But like male facial hair, pubic hair is not very thick. Male Trimorphs do not have very much hair on their chests; some don't have any hair at all on their chests. Most females shave their legs and under their arms. Also, a Trimorph's body does not lose its hair, nor does it get grey as he or she gets older.

I then had a thought. I removed Lord Kennington's cape and stood up, showing myself to William. I could see the surprise in his face. But as I said, I'm not ashamed to be seen naked. I enjoy nudity; I think it's beautiful.

"You see. I'm all female."

"I can see that. You're the fourth female I have ever seen completely naked. My wife and a couple of females I had sex with before I met my wife."

I smiled.

"You're beautiful."

"Thank you," I answered him. Then I put on some of the clothes he brought me. I put the books and the blanket under the straw mattress.

Next I told William that union is not sexual; it's an emotional thing. But the male, the female and the body all hear, feel, see, taste and smell the passion that is experienced during union. The best example I could give him was bondage and discipline sex among Tri-etherealians. But I assured him that union is much more pleasurable than sex.

He confided in me that he and his wife frequently practiced bondage and discipline sex. He then asked me how I knew that union is better than sex. I revealed to him that both John and I had had sex with non-Trimorphs on several occasions.

William questioned me further about what happens to me when I'm in transition.

I told him that there are two levels of transition, simple transition and deep transition. I reiterated that transition is an out of the body and inside of the mind experience. When a Trimorph is in transition, he or she can perceive from both outside and inside of their body everything that the one in possession of their body can perceive. But that deep transition is similar to the sleep he experiences. We even dream.

Our body never sleeps. Although after any strenuous work it may need to rest a little bit.

He then wanted to know if he or any of his children or grandchildren could develop into a Trimorph. He told me that he had always had hoped – ever since he was a boy and learned of his ancestors – that he could develop into a Trimorph. Unfortunately, I had to tell him no; he would never develop into a Trimorph.

I told him that if a Tri-etherealian isn't a Trimorph at birth, then they would never become one. I also told him that a female Trimorph could only be impregnated by a male Trimorph. A female Trimorph is unable to conceive if she has sex with a male non-Trimorph. However, a male Trimorph can impregnate a female non-Trimorph but their children will be sterile.

Further, all Trimorphs are born female and their male counterpart becomes evident during puberty. The male just "wakes up" as the body goes through puberty.

The male Trimorph's development is similar to what his counterpart's development was as she was growing up. Only it is much faster. The male Trimorph is the same age as his counterpart but his mind is that of a small child. The good thing about it is that he matures rapidly.

But I told William that I sometimes wonder about John's maturity. He's got a stick that he keeps hidden in a crack in the wall. He occasionally takes it out, pretending that it's a sword and he's a pirate, a knight, a mercenary or some other swordfighter. He's like a little boy. He runs all over our cell pretending to kill dragons and monsters and other such creatures.

It is a hard time for teenage female Trimorphs. Although they do not have to put up with menstruation, they do have to put up with their body changing from that of a little girl to that of woman.

A female Trimorph doesn't have a menstrual cycle because she doesn't produce an egg each month. A female Trimorph has the ability to select when she wants to produce an egg. She just wills her egg to become fertile. Although it does take a lot of concentration and sometimes it may take a couple of months.

But the real hard part is that she has to put up with her teenage male counterpart who is just realizing that he has an existence and who has a million questions. Most of which are stupid. Like, "how come I look different than you,' and 'I can see you but can you see me,' and 'where have I been for the past umpteen years?'

The male Trimorph doesn't have any memory prior to puberty. The female has to teach him everything.

William asked me why his great, great grandfather wasn't born a Trimorph. I told him that just because a male and female Trimorph have sex that doesn't necessarily mean that their children will be Trimorphs. A female Trimorph only has two eggs; one in each ovary. There is only about a 25% probability that their daughter will be a Trimorph. More often than not their children won't be Trimorphs.

Since Trimorphs can change their sex that means that a Trimorph family can have a maximum of only four children, male or female. None of which will be sterile. But if the child is to be Trimorph then it will be female. Also, because of their tri-existence, all Trimorph children have a father and a mother as well as a stepfather and a stepmother, their parent's counterparts.

Because Trimorphs have the ability to choose when they want to get pregnant and because they are eternal beings, most Trimorphs spread their families out over centuries. Melissa told me that she is the third child of her parents, who are both over 2400 years old. Her two brothers were born centuries ago, each over 150 years apart. John and I are the fourth child of our parents. Our two brothers and sister were born centuries ago.

When a female Trimorph is pregnant the male is also pregnant. But the female has to be in possession of the body when the baby is born nine months after conception.

William revealed to me that Melissa is the only other Trimorph he has ever met; he brought her food a few times. He wanted to know why I was white and she was black. He's got Trimorph blood in him and he's black and Melissa is black. He thought all Trimorphs were black.

I told him that Trimorph skin color was no different than that of any other Tri-etherealian. Trimorphs are white, tan, brown, black and every shade in between, just like all other Tri-etherealians.

Finally, he wanted to know how Tri-morphs maintained their youth. I told him that we don't get sick, that we are not susceptible to the many diseases other Tri-etherealians are susceptible to. Further, if we get injured our body will heal itself but that the greater the injury then the longer it takes for our body to heal. As for our ability to overcome death, it was just another characteristic that Trimorphs possess.

He thanked me for the information and asked if he could come back and learn more. I told him that I would be more than happy to give him any information about Trimorphs that he wanted to know.

He called his son and prepared to leave. As he was walking toward the door, he turned around and asked me if sex with a Trimorph was more ecstatic as everyone believed. But what he was really asking me was if I would have sex with him. I answered him that if he wanted to we could have sex on his next visit. Then he could see for himself.

He smiled, closed the door and locked it.

I pulled the book I was reading out from under the mattress and returned to my reading. After a couple of hours I heard someone unlocking our cell door. I quickly put the book under the mattress and covered myself with Lord Kennington's cape.

It was one of the other guards. He opened the door and asked me if I were John or Johanna. I gave him a dumb look and grabbed my hair, showing him that it was long. That caused the cape to fall off my shoulders.

He asked me why I wasn't naked. I could tell by the way he asked that he wanted to see me naked. I told him that Lord Kennington had given me his cape and some of my clothes.

Next he told me that he had come to get John to bring him to court to receive his sentence. I informed him that John was still in deep transition. He ordered me to let John come out. I said that I would do my best to wake him up. He then told me that he would be back in a few minutes to get him. He closed the door and locked it.

I hollered at the door, "Union takes over an hour!" But he didn't answer me.

Non-Trimorphs really make me angry. They make up all kinds of fantastic tales about us. Yet when it comes to humiliating us or condemning us, their knowledge of union, our tri-existence, our ability to retain our youth and everything about us is exceeded only by their hate for us.

"I heard him Johanna," my counterpart said. "I've been awake for several minutes now just watching you read."

"Oh John, you startled me."

"I'm sorry. I should have let you know that I was out of deep transition."

"That's alright. I should have realized . . ."

"I don't want to go through union just yet, if it's alright with you. I want to wait till that guard comes back and tell him to give us an hour or more. I don't want him gawking at our body while we're going through union."

"Me neither, John. Do you think Lord Kennington will be there, in court I mean?"

"I don't know. He said he would come."

"Do you think I ought to tell the guard to send word to Lord Kennington that you will be in possession of our body in a few minutes?"

"Yeah, that would give us time to go through union privately."

A few minutes later the guard came back to our cell. I told him that John was out of deep transition and that we were going to go through union in a few minutes. I asked him to send word to Lord Kennington that John would be in possession of our body in a few minutes. I then reminded him that John and I were allowed private union.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 03



He frowned at this, nodded, closed the cell door and locked it.

"Are you ready, John?"

"Yes, my love."

I removed my clothes, lay down on our bed and closed my eyes. I pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within a few seconds I felt him entering me . . .

No sooner were we finished union when the guard came back. He had another guard with him. They were carrying manacles and chains.

Neither I nor Johanna really had any time to enjoy our union. I was sad for her because I know she really enjoys going through union and the bliss that follows it.

The guard gruffly ordered me to stand up. When I wasn't quick enough he and the other guard with him grabbed me by my arms and pulled me to my feet. Then they put the manacles and chains on our body. Next he put the ring around our neck and attached two chains to it. They led me naked to the courtroom.

Half way there we met Lord Kennington. William and King Andrew's personal bodyguard, Sir Glauco, were with him. They stopped us. Lord Kennington introduced Sir Glauco to me. He is the top commander in the palace guards.

I have never met any of King Andrew's bodyguards before but I recognized him as one because of the king's emblem on his chest, over his heart. Only the king, the queen and the palace guards are allowed to wear it.

It is a three pointed shield. It is divided diagonally in half, upper right to lower left. The upper half is sky blue and the lower half is forest green. There is a narrow stripe meandering diagonally down from near the upper left to near the lower right. It does not go all the way up or down, only part of the way. It is white on the top and aqua on the bottom.

There is a white dove in flight in the middle of the shield. The dove has an exposed large red heart on its breast, its carrying an anchor in its feet and an olive branch in its beak. Above the dove in the upper left there is a small rainbow.

The dove represents faith, hope and love bringing peace to Tri-ethereal. The three points on the shield point to truth, justice and equality for all. The blue symbolizes the unpolluted sky, the green symbolizes the unpolluted land and the rainbow symbolizes the non-exploited resources. The meandering stripe is a double symbol, white for clouds, snow and ice and aqua for lakes, rivers and streams.

It is King Andrew's personal emblem; he designed it himself.

I didn't know what William had told Lord Kennington, nor did I know what Johanna had told William. We hadn't had time to talk about it. So, I thought I would just remain quiet for now.

William handed the prison guard in charge a rolled up paper. The paper was an order from Lord Kartier directing him to give charge of the prisoner John to William and Sir Glauco.

The law demands that at least one prison guard be with any prisoner when he or she is to be transferred to the royal court. Lord Kartier put William's name on the paper on the advice of Lord Kennington. Lord Kennington talked to William the other day and learned that William wanted to help out me and Johanna. So, William was chosen to help out.

Sir Glauco ordered the two guards to hand me over to his care. The one in charge just shrugged his shoulders and handed the chain in his hand to William. King Andrew's guard took the other chain. Then King Andrew's bodyguard told the two prison guards to return to whatever they were doing before they came and got me.

The four of us just stood there until the two guards were around the corner and out of sight. Then I was led down another hallway, away from the court!

I was totally confused but I still thought it better to remain quiet. I am sure Johanna was also just as confused but she hadn't said anything to me as yet.

We came to a door. I could see light from outside through the cracks in it.

My first thought was that Lord Kennington was going the break me out and possibly hide me and Johanna in his castle. Like he did after our parents were executed. But I immediately dismissed that thought. He's very influential but not so much as to get away with helping a Trimorph break out of prison.

Besides, if he tried something like that with the help of a palace guard, it would be an embarrassment to the royal family. That's something Lord Kartier would never stand for.

Then the king's bodyguard opened the door and peeked out. After several seconds he motioned for us to follow him. He led us to one of the king's personal carriages. The four of us got into the carriage and Sir Glauco told the driver to bring us to the front entrance of the royal courthouse.

"John, ask them where they are taking us." Johanna whispered to me. She always whispers to me when we are in the presence of others. I don't know why. They can't hear her. She says that she's just being cautious but I think she's just too conservative.

I looked from Lord Kennington to Sir Glauco to William, who still held the end of the chain. Then, "Lord Kennington, where are we going?"

"You are going to enter the royal court through the front entrance instead of the rear. I want them to see what they are banishing into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. That's why I haven't had you put on any clothes and have kept the manacles and chains on your body."

"I don't understand," I answered him.

Lord Kennington then told me that a couple of hundred commoners and civil aristocrats had gathered in front of the royal courthouse. They have been gathering there since early this morning; all the seats in the courtroom having been taken as soon as the doors were opened. Most of them were clamoring for my and Johanna's execution.

Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier thought it best if they actually saw what it was that they were yelling for; what they wanted to execute. They wanted the demonstrators to see that I'm a normal looking Tri-etherealian just like they are. That's why he didn't bring me any clothes. Of course, the law demands that I our body be chained up when entering the royal court, which is why they hadn't removed the manacles and chains.

It took us about ten minutes to get around the prison castle and to the front of the royal courthouse. It's a large castle. Normally it would only take about two or three minutes, as there is an underground passageway leading from the prison castle to the royal court.

The passageway is heavily guarded with five securely locked doors along the way. Each door must be opened by a different guard, who locks it again as soon as the prisoner is brought through it.

When we got to the front of the royal courthouse, Sir Glauco told us to wait inside the carriage. He got out and went up the steps and into the courthouse. I peeked through the curtain and watched him go up the steps. There must have been 25 or 30 of them, leading into a massive three story building with columns on all three floors. I was very impressed with what I saw.

Lord Kennington touched me on my shoulder and motioned for me to peek through the curtains on the other side of the carriage. What I saw shocked me. The plaza in front of the royal courthouse was jammed packed with spectators. There were hundreds of them.

In front of them, preventing them from coming any closer, were numerous sword and lance bearing prison guards. Between the guards and us were a couple dozen archers, with their bows ready to shoot.

"Oh John I'm scared. Tell Lord Kennington to bring us back around to the rear."

"Lord Kennington, Johanna wants us to enter through the rear. What shall I tell her?"

"Tell her not to worry. Lord Kartier has allowed us to use the king's personal bodyguards. The crowd knows better than to attack them."

"Tell him that I heard what he said John but that I'm still frightened by the crowd."

"She said that she is still scared, Lord Kennington."

He didn't answer me. I looked at William. He just shrugged his shoulders. I could tell that he didn't know much more than I did.

After several minutes Sir Glauco opened the carriage door and motioned for me and William to step out. Lord Kennington followed us. Sir Glauco held one chain and William the other.

Standing at attention before us were about a dozen or so palace guards, each with the king's coat-of-arms on his breast. They formed two lines. Each one had a sword on his hip, a shield in his left hand and a lance in his right. Their shields also had the king's crest on them.

Johanna told me that she felt a little safer now with the king's personal bodyguards here to protect us.

The palace guards are chosen from among the knights of Tri-ethereal. They are the best of the best.

The knights are constantly undergoing rigorous training with battleaxe, mace, sword, lance, bow and arrow and many other weapons. Those who prove themselves as superior with these weapons are given the opportunity to become a palace guard. They undergo further, more intensive training. If they succeed then they are invited to join the king's elite corps.

They are truly the unmatched in all weaponry. That's why Johanna told me she felt a little safer with them protecting us against the mob.

Sir Glauco tugged slightly on the chain around our body's neck, indicating for me to follow him between the two lines of guards. We proceeded up the steps. When we got to the landing Sir Glauco ordered the guards to fan out to the right and left.

Then Lord Kennington turned me to face the crowd. Nothing was said. We just stood there for a couple of minutes. A silence fell over the demonstrators, as if they realized that what they were condemning was something no different than themselves.

Lord Kennington apologized for making me stand naked and chained up in front of the crowd but he said it was necessary in order to show them that I was no different than they are.

I told him that no apology was necessary, that I was not ashamed to stand in front of the masses chained up and naked. I told him that it was not a disgrace to be seen naked. It is those who are ignorant and secular minded and filled with guilt who are ashamed of nudity.

Next Sir Glauco barked off another order and the guards reformed into two lines flanking me. We proceeded up the remaining steps and into the courthouse.

Once inside, the palace guards pushed back the commoners who were in the rear of the courtroom, leaving a broad isle for Sir Glauco and William to march me up through. They were taking no chances with my safety.

The room was filled with spectators just as it was before when Johanna was officially sentenced, Unamorphs to the left, commoners to the right and rear and knights in the balconies. Only this time there were palace guards forming an isle up through the middle of the commoners.

Conspicuously absent was Count Strydamu. In his place was the Public Prosecutor, Master Lemin. It was he who originally charged me as a sex violator. I looked toward Lord Kennington but he just nodded slightly.

For about a minute or two everyone just stood around looking stupid. Master Lemin obviously did not know whether to proceed on his own or wait for the Chief Juror, Lord Thomason to give him the go ahead. Finally, Lord Thomason told him to proceed.

He read from a scroll, the same one the Count read from when Johanna was sentenced. "John, you have been found guilty as a Trimorph and for perversion against the royal monarch, against Tri-etherealian decency codes and against normal, straight sex. Do you have anything you wish to say before sentence is pronounced?"

"No Master Lemin, I do not."

"You have been granted the choice of execution by burning at the stake or banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. Which do you choose?"

"I choose banishment from the kingdom."

Immediately, I could hear Johanna begin to cry. I wanted to caress her, to tell her that everything is going to be alright. But I couldn't.

"I understand your counterpart, Johanna, has also chosen banishment."

"That is correct Master Lemin." Johanna was still crying.

"Then according to the laws of Tri-ethereal," he continued to read. "I sentence you to be exiled from the kingdom of Tri-ethereal, the date and time to be determined at a later date. Before sentence is carried out you will be notified of the date and time. May God have mercy upon your soul."

What hypocrisy! Everyone knows that Master Lemin is an atheist. Yet he condemns me to banishment and then asks God to have mercy on my soul. He was just pandering to the seven Lords who were the jurors of my case and to the Lords who were sitting to my left. Rumor has it that he wants to be a Lord also.

I was quickly led out of the courtroom by William and Sir Glauco and into another room down the hall. Once there the manacles and chains were removed from our body. William put the manacles and chains into a leather pouch. One of Lord Kennington's maids was there waiting for us. She handed me some clothes. Lord Kennington told me to put them on. As soon as I was dressed he draped his cape over our body. He handed me a hat with a large plume of feathers on it.

While I was dressing two palace guards entered and informed Sir Glauco that everything was ready; they were just waiting for his command. Sir Glauco momentarily stepped into the hall. Then after several minutes the six of us – me, William, Sir Glauco, Lord Kennington and the two palace guards – all went out of the building and down the steps to another carriage parked in front of the king's carriage, but a distance away from it.

The other palace guards were all standing around the king's carriage, lances and swords at the ready. The crowds were still waiting for me to be brought out of the royal court and down the steps to that carriage. The other prison guards were still holding the crowd back while their comrades stood ready with their bows and arrows.

Lord Kennington, William, Sir Glauco and I got into the plain carriage. One of the two guards climbed up onto the seat and grabbed the horse's reins. The other guard stood on a platform on the rear of the carriage. Within seconds we were galloping away from the royal court at a brisk speed. As we left the plaza a group of eight palace guards on horseback joined us, flanking our carriage.

The reason for the disguise and the quick getaway was that Lord Kennington didn't want to take any chances with my safety. Most of those in the crowd had been yelling for my execution. He thought that with so many of them in the plaza a riot might start out once they found out that I had been banished instead of sentenced to execution. If that happened then even the king's personal bodyguards might not have been enough to save me.

Sir Glauco added that they still may riot. But if that happens then more of the king's bodyguards, with bows and arrows, were at this very moment filing out of the courthouse and onto the landing on the steps. If the crowd was determined to riot they would be ready.

The king is a peaceful ruler; he believes in pursuing all avenues of nonviolent negotiations first. But if that fails he has his personal troops.

As we were riding away I asked Lord Kennington what happened to the Count.

He said that I and Johanna should thank William for that.

I looked at William but he just smiled.

He told me that he was talking to one of the guards in the royal court who had happened to overhear the Count threaten to embarrass the king with his son's affair with a male commoner. The guard didn't seem to care. But William gave the information to his wife who is a cook in Queen Marina's kitchen.

The Queen has never liked the Count. She believes him to be a rude, obnoxious and ill-mannered despot; not at all the type of Tri-etherealian she thinks should hold the title of nobility. She gave the information to the king along with a recommendation that Count Strydamu resign his position.

Anyway, Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier had cornered the Count in one of the anterooms in the courthouse. They reminded the count that his son could go to prison for theft of the chess set. They also reminded him that it was a disgrace to blackmail a Lord. If that were known, then that in itself was enough to cause him to lose most of his political influence in the royal council.

Lord Kartier further informed him that the two of them had loaned Lord Clyton enough money to get out of debt. He was going to pay off all his debtors, including the Count, the first thing tomorrow morning.

Then just as they were "advising" the Count to withdraw his bid for a seat on the royal council, King Andrew entered the room. He overheard what the two Lords were saying to the Count.

He confronted Count Strydamu about his plans to embarrass the royal family. Then he demanded an explanation for that and for his blackmailing of Lord Clyton. The Count fell to his knees and begged for mercy. The king told him that he would have mercy on him only if he resigned his position as Presiding Officer of the royal council. Neither he nor his wife thought he belonged there.

Next King Andrew informed the Count that his efforts to embarrass the royal family would not have succeeded. He revealed to everyone that he was aware of his son's homosexuality. He saw nothing wrong with his son's choice of sex partners. He only wished his son would be more discreet when choosing a partner.

The king then turned to Sir Rodney. The second in command among the king's bodyguards follows the king everywhere he goes. He ordered Sir Rodney to get a detail of palace guards and escort Mr. Strydamu out of the royal courthouse and back to his residence. He told Strydamu that he never wanted to see him in the royal council or the royal court again.

After they left, Lord Kartier, Lord Kennington and King Andrew together decided that it would be best to have Sir Glauco, his first in command, escort me from the prison to the courthouse for my official sentencing.

Lord Kennington and Sir Glauco went to the prison, picked up William and were on their way to get me when they ran into the two guards who were escorting me to the royal court. The rest is history.

As we continued to ride in the carriage, I then told Lord Kennington, Sir Glauco and William of Strydamu's threat to have me beheaded if he were not elected to the royal council.

Lord Kennington looked at Sir Glauco and asked him if he wouldn't mind standing guard with William in front of the door leading to my cell until they could be assured that Mr. Strydamu was no longer a threat. William said that he would gladly do it. But Sir Glauco said that he would have one of the other palace guards do it; he had some other business he had to attend to.

Lord Kennington said that he would have Lord Kartier issue an order that no one was to open my or Johanna's cell except William or Sir Glauco or Sir Glauco's representative. Both guards nodded in agreement.

By this time we were back behind the prison in front of the door we had exited from earlier. I was returned to my cell. William left to get an aide to help him return the things Lord Kennington had earlier given to us.

Lord Kennington said that he would have my chess set sent to me in the morning along with some writing paper for Johanna. Then he and Lord Kartier were going to increase their efforts to have all the anti-Trimorph laws repealed.

William entered our cell with the chair; a couple of aides carried the table and other luxuries. Upon seeing the table and chair, Johanna whispered to me that she couldn't wait to start writing again. It would be a break from the monotony of doing nothing all the time.

For the first time in five months things were starting to look up. Both Johanna and I now have hope that our future will be better.

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 04



Lord Kennington was true to his word. The next morning William brought some writing paper and quill for Johanna and my chess set. He also brought an order, signed by Lord Kartier and Lord Clyton that no one was to open our cell door except Sir Glauco, Sir Glauco's palace guard representative or William. William Jr. can open it to bring us food and water.

I had just finished eating breakfast and was waiting for William Jr. to come collect the dishes and empty the chamber pot. Johanna and I were waiting until he came and left so that we could go through union in private. We were both surprised when both William and William Jr. showed up.

Then while his son cleaned out our chamber pot, William told us that he is now back in the prison kitchen cooking for the prisoners and guards. He said that Lord Kennington just dropped off our things and then went straight to the royal council.

Lord Kennington told William that he couldn't visit with us. The council had to officially install him as temporary Presiding Officer until the civil aristocrats could elect their own. He had to be present to accept it. But it's more than just a formality. By law the Keeper of the Records cannot call for a vote on any measures before the Lords until a new Presiding Officer is elected. Although he can open for debate any measure already before them.

It takes about seven or eight weeks for the civil aristocrats to elect a Presiding Officer. First, a date and time is set for the civil aristocrats to assemble. By law, this is arbitrarily set by the Keeper of the Records. But Lord Kennington is no fool. He always makes sure that he gives the civil aristocrats plenty enough time to attend to their personal affairs so that they can have enough time to attend the meeting.

Next riders are sent out to all 30 districts of Tri-ethereal. Notices are put up on the bulletin boards in every town and city; the larger cities have several bulletin boards. It usually takes a couple of days to reach some of the outlying districts.

The civil aristocrats of each town and city will send a representative from among themselves to their district headquarters. The larger cities will send two, three or four representatives, depending upon the number of civil aristocrats and commoners living in each city. There is on an average one representative for every 2,500 citizens.

It takes about a week to ten days for the representatives to gather in their district headquarters. The district headquarters is usually located on the manor of the Lord who oversees the district.

Each district will elect two to six representatives from among themselves, depending upon the size of the population of the district. The king's district, Norlen, sends six representatives. This takes another week to ten days for them to assemble and select their representatives.

They will all eventually meet in the roundhouse which is located on King Andrew's manor here in the city of Norlen, the largest city in the district of Norlen.

The roundhouse is an enormous amphitheater; it can hold several hundred Tri-etherealians. I don't know why it's called a roundhouse though. It isn't round. It's oval in shape with seats all around the open center. The seating is covered over but the center is open to the sky. I guess that's to allow the grass in the center to receive air and sunlight.

I only went there once. Lord Kennington asked me to deliver a message to a knight who was in a jousting contest. It's where the knights hold all their jousting matches. Spectators pay an admission price to watch but I got in that day for free.

Anyway, it is the civil aristocrats who meet in the roundhouse that will elect the Presiding Officer. But they don't do it right away. Like I said, Lord Kennington sets a date far enough in advance to make sure everyone who is going to attend can do so. They all know this, so for the first week to ten days or so everyone just sits around and talks.

Lord Kennington told me that their talks not only give everyone enough time to arrive, but they also give everyone an idea of who to elect as Presiding Officer. The meeting representatives develop and deepen their loyalties among themselves, form political alliances and make political deals among themselves in exchange for support to be elected Presiding Officer. Lord Kennington said that it is all dirty politics.

I learned all this from my many talks with Lord Kennington; usually while Johanna was in deep transition. She says she doesn't like to talk politics. I don't mind talking about politics but I'm sure I wouldn't want to have to sell my integrity down the drain just to obtain a temporary position in the royal council. It's not important enough. There are other things far more important in life.

But I was happy for the paper and quill and my chess set. I could now return to studying chess strategy.

Johanna was extremely happy for now she could return to writing her poems. She whispered her sentiments to me while William Jr. was cleaning out the chamber pot.

She used to write love poems and cast them into the wind. She had a funny way of folding the paper up so that her poems floated through the air. She would go to the second floor of Lord Kennington's library and toss them out of the window.

She said that they carried her heart to her heart's true love. She believed that he would find them and come and take her away to his castle in the sky. When I reminded her that he would also be carrying me away to her imaginary wonderland she would tell me in a nonchalant manner that I could marry his sister or his niece.

Yes, I love Johanna and she loves me. The same is true of all Trimorphs. We love our counterparts. But that doesn't mean we cannot fall in love with another Tri-etherealian, especially if he or she is another Trimorph. In fact, if a Trimorph meets and falls in love with another Trimorph there is a very good possibility that their counterparts will also fall in love. We're compatible that way.

As soon as William and William Jr. left, Johanna asked me to go through union. I told her yes; I was rather tired and wanted some sleep.

I took off my clothes and lay down on the bed. I closed my eyes and pictured Johanna's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel her wrapping around me, enveloping me with her passion. I pictured myself permeating her naked body.

A whisper in my ear: come, my darling, come to me. Our bed is waiting.

************************************

Our metamorphosis is finished. John is in transition; I posses our body.

"Oh John I love to go through union with you. It's . . . it's so exhilarating, so ecstatic!"

"Yes I know you love to do it. You always say the same thing too. I like to do it too. Why don't we both just relax for now and enjoy it."

"OK my love. Then I'm going to write a poem and try to fly it out of our window."

"You can write all the poems you want to. But you won't be able to fly them out of the window. It's too high."

"You're probably right. But I'm still going to try."

"OK, I'm going to let the euphoria take control of me and then let myself fall to sleep."

"Enjoy your transition, my love."

He didn't answer me. But then I didn't expect him to. I continued to lie on our bed and enjoy the bliss of our union. After about an hour I got up and got dressed. Then I sat at the table. I was just starting to write a poem when William entered our cell.

He asked me how long I had been in possession of our body. I answered him that I had just gone through union with John. Next he asked me what union was like but I reminded him that he had already asked me that earlier. Then he asked me how long Trimorphs stay in transition. I told him that different Trimorphs set up different schedules. According to Melissa, many Trimorphs have a pattern for going through union but that John and I have developed a schedule so that we can both experience daylight and nighttime.

I could tell from his questions and his demeanor that his real purpose for coming was to have sex with me. I'm sure it's because he wanted to see for himself if sex with a Trimorph is as ecstatic as everyone says it is. But I didn't want to have sex with him until I was sure that John was in deep transition.

Not that I'm worried about whether or not John watches me have sex with a non-Trimorph. In fact, we have both watched each other have sexual intercourse with other Tri-etherealians, particularly the male and female prostitutes of Norlen. It's fun to watch . . . and enjoyable because I can feel, see, hear, taste and smell everything he does and vice versa.

Nor do Trimorphs have to worry about catching a sexually transmitted disease. We are immune from them; we are immune from all diseases.

But I never got around to telling John that William wanted to have sex with me. I didn't want to have sexual intercourse with William and catch John unawares. I also wanted to ensure to William that our love making would be just between the two of us. I wanted to make sure that he would not have to worry about whether or not John was watching us.

Neither I nor John ever had to contend with our sex partners worrying about our counterpart watching us perform. That's because none of our sex partners knew that we are a Trimorph. But William is another story. He knows that I'm a Trimorph and he knows that John can watch us have sex. That knowledge might prevent him from performing sexually. I didn't want that.

So that William's could put aside any fears he may have I asked him to wait while I contacted John.

"Excuse me William for just a moment."

"Sure," he answered me.

Then, "John."

I got no response. I tried again. "John, are you there?"

Then to William, "John must be in deep transition. So it's just the two of us."

William's eyes brightened and a large smile appeared on his lips.

I unbuttoned the top button of my shirt. Then with a very demure smile I asked, "Want to make love with me?"

"You don't have to ask me twice," he answered me.

He locked the door to our cell from the inside. We took off our clothes and fell back onto the bed.

It wasn't the greatest love making I had ever indulged in. But for making out on a mattress of straw it wasn't all that bad.

I could tell that it wasn't all that great for William. He was very disappointed to learn that sex with a Trimorph wasn't any better than sex with any other Tri-etherealian. But he wasn't too disappointed because after he asked me if we could do it again sometime. I, of course, told him yes.

After he left I went to the table to finish writing my poem but I didn't feel inspired. So I returned to reading my book.

Around noon I heard the guard, checking on the prisoners. They check on us four times a day, once in the morning when we are brought our breakfast, once around noon, a third time when we are brought our dinner and finally later at night.

I'm not sure what time this last check is made. But it seems to me that it is always at different times, depending on which guard is doing the checking. Some come later than others. I think it must be just before they turn in for the night.

Anyway, I heard the prisoner who is going to be beheaded holler at the guard, something about his cell being filthy. The guard told him that he should be more carful where he does his shitting. The prisoner started to pound on his cell door, demanding that someone come and clean his cell. I heard the guard tell him, 'I'll fix you.' Then he left.

I was curious. So I got up and went to the door of our cell. I pushed lightly on the little window door in the door of our cell -- sometimes the guards don't bolt it shut. It opened slightly, enough so that I could see the other prisoner's cell door which is across the hall and down a bit from our cell.

He had his arm hanging out of the window of his cell door and he was hollering to be let out, to have his cell cleaned out, that he was innocent, that his neighbor gave him the chicken, that he was hungry and should not have his head chopped off just because he was trying to get something to eat. He just kept rambling and rambling, using the foulest language I have every heard.

Then the guard came back with two large buckets of water. He opened the prisoner's cell, presumably to give him the water so that he could clean his cell out himself.

But as soon as the cell was unlocked the prisoner pushed the door opened, knocking the guard down, spilling the water.

If his cell was anything like his appearance, I'm not surprised that he was screaming to have it cleaned out. But then I'm sure it's his own fault. Although the other prisoners aren't afforded the luxury of a bucket of water every evening -- as John and I are -- they are given a bucket or two of water every now and then, for the purpose of cleaning out their cells.

Anyway, he had long, straggly hair. His clothes were torn and filthy; he had shit all over his pants. He only had on one shoe, that didn't have any laces in it. He only had a sock on his other foot with his big toe sticking out. He had a full beard and mustache that was all tangled up, full of food and spittle. All in all, he resembled some monster from out of the swamps.

He jumped on top of the guard and took the guard's knife that he had in his belt. He stabbed at the guard but the guard was able to dodge the blow. Then the prisoner got up and ran down the hall, with the guard in hot pursuit. They were out of my sight but I could hear their struggle. The guard kept hollering for help, that a prisoner was trying to escape.

Within minutes I could hear the blows from several guards hitting the prisoner. They must have knocked him unconscious or something because the next thing I saw was them carrying him back to his cell. One guard each on his arms and right leg and two guards on his left leg, the one with the boot. The prisoner wasn't moving; he was just hanging with his head down. I could see blood dripping from his nose and mouth.

The guard who was attacked held the door to the prisoner's cell open and the other guards threw him into it. Then they closed and locked the cell door.

Later when William brought me my evening dinner I asked him about the prisoner who tried to escape. William said that he wasn't given any food this evening, nor was he going to get any breakfast tomorrow; his punishment for attacking a guard. He said that a notice was also put on several of the bulletin boards around Norlen. The prisoner is to be beheaded tomorrow at noon.

His fight for freedom cost him his life.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. William Jr. brought me two buckets of water about an hour after his father brought me my diner. He asked me if I knew how to play chess and would I teach him how to play. I told him yes John taught me how to play. But I added that my counterpart is the real chess player between the two of us. John could teach him chess strategy; I could only teach him how the pieces move.

He left me alone so that I could bathe. When he came back about an hour later to collect the two buckets, I showed him how the pieces move and we played a couple of games. Then he had to leave again. As he was locking the door, I told William that John would be in possession of our body tomorrow morning and that he would love to play him. He smiled and then locked the door.

I returned to reading my book. Later a guard came around checking on the prisoners. He opened the little window in the door to our cell and peeked in. He told me that I would have to put the lantern out in a few minutes. He said that it might disturb the other prisoners. I didn't answer him.

How a light in my cell can disturb the other prisoners is beyond me. But I'm sure the reason he told me that is because he was just exercising his authority over me. He can order me to put out the light and so I have to put it out. I'm going to ask Lord Kennington the next time he comes to visit me and John if I can keep the lantern on at night.

Not long after that John came out of deep transition. I told him about the escape attempt.

"It was you who missed all the action this time," I said.

"What?"

"The prisoner across the hall, you know the one that was to have his head chopped off next week for stealing a chicken."

"What about him?"

"Well, he tried to escape. He tried to stab one of the guards with his own knife."

"Wow!"

"Anyway, the guard called for help. Then about four or five guards subdued him. They beat him up really bad and threw him back into his cell. Now they're going to chop his head off tomorrow at noon."

"Poor guy. Are you tired? Do you want to go through union now or do you want to wait a while?"

"Whenever you're ready John I am."

"OK, let's do it. I want to study some chess strategy and play a few games with myself."

"How can you play chess with yourself? I don't understand that."

"It's easy. All you have to do is pretend that you're another player and you don't know what your opponent is going to do. You then look at all the possible moves your opponent can make and move accordingly."

"Whatever!" I answered dryly.

I took off my clothes and lay down on the bed. I closed my eyes and pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel John entering into me, penetrating me with his length. I pictured myself encircling his naked body.

A whisper in my ear: come, my beloved, come to me. Our bed is waiting.

************************************

Our metamorphosis is finished. Johanna is in transition; I posses our body.

I immediately lit the lantern and began to play chess. I haven't been able to play since they locked me and Johanna up five months ago. I played all night, stopping only twice. Once when I had to use the chamber pot and again just to look out our window for a few minutes. I couldn't see anything except clouds.

I wondered if Johanna had written any poems and tried to fly them out of the window. I didn't see any poems on the table we had. Nor did I see any folded up like she does. I figured she must have changed her mind about writing love poems after that prisoner tried to escape.

That wouldn't have bothered me. I would have gone back to studying chess strategy. But she lets things like that interfere with things she wants to do. I love her. I really do. But sometimes she is a stranger to me. Sometimes we are like two strangers just sharing a room at an inn who only meet when we are coming and going.

True, we often have some long and wonderful conversations. Before we were arrested, we would discuss what we wanted to do on weekends and at other times when the library was closed. Stroll through the city and look at what the shops had for sale. Borrow one of Lord Kennington's horses and go for a ride in the forest. Go for a picnic or a swim -- we both love to go skinny dipping when we are in possession of our body.

We did all kinds of things together. Sometimes we even found a book that we both enjoyed and we would read it together.

But at other times she's a mystery to me. I don't understand her. But then I guess I'm a mystery to her too, like when I pretend that I'm a sword fighter slaying a monster. But what else is there to do when you're surrounded by four stone walls and a ceiling over twice your height. I'm sure glad I now have a chess set to occupy my mind.

Anyway, I'm sure that she is just as puzzled by some of the things I do as I am by what she does. I guess that's because we're so different. But then, that's what I love about her. She lets me be me and doesn't try to make me do things her way.

I continued to play chess until William brought me my breakfast. He stayed in our cell and talked to me while I ate. He told me about the prisoner who tried to escape. When I asked him why he was going to be executed early, he said that Lord Clyton had issued orders a long time ago that any prisoner who tried to escape would have his head chopped off the next day.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 04



Notices were put up all around Norlen. It's going to be a public execution.

William told me that the prisoner would probably be better off dead. Most of the guards think he's crazy. He does some really weird things. He curls up in a ball in the middle of his cell, making strange sounds. He'll stay like that for hours. At other times he runs all around his cell flapping his arms up and down or tries to catch imaginary bugs. But most of the time he either lies on his bed in the fetal position or sits on it and stares blankly at the wall.

He once told the guards that he is a Trimorph and his counterpart is going to come and kill them all. The guards chained him spread-eagled and naked to the wall and left him like that for three days. He never changed sexes. He cursed them all and told them that his counterpart refused to come out until they let him loose.

When they unchained him, he laughed at them and told him that he was a wizard. He was going to change into a bird and fly out of his cell. His cell doesn't have any windows.

William said that he constantly mumbles to himself. He said that he has a particular stone in one corner of his cell that he talks to. It's a different color than the other stones. He gets down on his hands and knees and talks to it for hours and hours. No one can understand what he says; it's mostly gibberish.

If he doesn't like the food, he throws it all around his cell. He says that it's so that his counterpart can have something to eat. Then he goes into his special corner, takes off all his clothes and masturbates.

William continued to tell me about some of the weird things that that particular prisoner did. He also told me about the other prisoners as well as about some of the guards, which ones were particularly sadistic, which ones were noncommittal, just here to do their job, but mostly about which ones I and Johanna could look to for help.

I made a note to myself to give that information to Johanna.

When I was finished eating William asked me if I would teach his son how to play chess. I told him sure and asked him if he wanted me to teach him too. He thanked me but he said that he wasn't interested. I told him to send his son around anytime.

As he was leaving he turned to me and said, "I guess that prisoner's fight for freedom got him the freedom he really needed."

"How's that?" I answered him.

"The demons in his head will no longer torture and antagonize him. He can finally rest in peace."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

He closed the door and locked it.

About an hour or so later William returned. Lord Kennington and William Jr. were with him. William came because Lord Kartier's order does not even allow Lord Kennington to enter without William, Sir Glauco or Sir Glauco's representative. William Jr. came to be with his father.

Lord Kennington told me that he and Lord Kartier have already gotten two more Lords to promise to vote to do away with all the corrupt anti-Trimorph laws when he calls for a vote on it.

He said that he cannot call for a vote until after a new Presiding Officer is elected by the civil aristocrats. That could be as much as two months away, maybe longer.

He told me to be patient. He has no intention of calling for a vote on the measure until he is sure he has enough votes to change the law. They need at least thirty votes; they have thirteen committed to vote to change the laws and another seven leaning that way. He believes that he is sure to get the necessary votes. Each day it seems, another lord "sees the light" and either switches sides or lets it be known that he is uncommitted.

He said that there are a few Lords, notably Lords Nyxion, Rygon and Fiord, who are adamant in keeping the laws as they are. Their reasons for doing so are mostly financial. There are some rich civil aristocrats in their districts who own gift shops where anti-Trimorph charms and other types of good luck charms and souvenirs are sold. The civil aristocrats in these districts pay a heavy tax to the Lords.

If it were no longer against the law to be a Trimorph then these gift shops would loose a lot of business and the Lords would loose a lot of revenue in taxes. At least, that's the ludicrous argument they give.

But the bigger problem is that these three Lords have fourteen other Lords committed to vote along with them. Most of them will vote not to change the law for financial reasons. But quite a number of them will vote not to change the law simply because they are prejudice against Trimorphs.

Lord Rovelt is the leading Unamorph among those individuals. He hates Trimorphs. But God only knows why. Lord Kennington said that it's because he's just another ignorant, intolerant fool guided by his own selfishness and narrow-mindedness.

His district is on the outskirts of Tri-ethereal. Both Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are glad for that. He rarely comes to Norlen which suits them just fine. They don't have to put up with his brand of self righteous politics.

Anyway, that leaves just eleven Lords -- one more than the number they need for victory -- who have not committed themselves to vote either way on whether or not to repeal the anti-Trimorph laws. Lord Kennington and Lord Kartier are going to try and persuade them to vote yes. But they know that it will not be an easy battle. The opposition is sure to try to convince them to vote no.

Further, the selection of a new Presiding Officer is going to figure into the conflict. Both sides will want a Presiding Officer who favors their view.

It's gong to be a long and arduous fight. Lord Kennington said that it is the kind of politics that he hates. Unamorphs show their darker side at times like this. Civil aristocrats will shower Lords with expensive gifts, take them on extravagant vacations, wine and dine them with rare wines and exotic foods or offer them voluptuous, young prostitutes for their pleasure. If none of that works they will try to bribe the Lords. Finally, they might even try to blackmail some of the Lords.

All just to try to get the Lords to vote their way. Of course, some of the more unscrupulous Lords will allow themselves to be taken in by these types of civil aristocrats. Indeed, some of the Lords will actually seek out those civil aristocrats who are not above "buying" their vote.

In fact, Lords Rovelt and Nyxion were out early this morning watching and talking with a couple of civil aristocrats. The aristocrats were setting up some booths on the road leading to the roundhouse. Besides food and drink, they are going to sell souvenirs, trinkets and good luck charms. Of course, they will probably also sell anti-Trimorph charms there too.

The booths are just beyond the borders of King Andrew's manor. The king will not let them set up shop on his land. He has to allow them the right to sell their goods in the city of Norlen. But he does not want his personal land turned into a brothel or a cheap gift shop.

Lord Kennington said that both he and Lord Kartier will have to resort to making some political deals to get the necessary votes but that they are not going to allow themselves to be "bought" by unprincipled, dishonest civil aristocrats. Instead, they are going to work on the consciences of those Lords who haven't made up their minds yet. They are going to try to convince them of the ludicrousness of anti-Trimorph laws.

He hinted -- apologetically -- that he might try to convince some of those civil aristocrats whose interest is financial that that they would be able to sell more anti-Trimorph charms once Trimorphs were free again. I laughed when he told me that, which surprised Lord Kennington.

I told him that neither I nor Johanna was embarrassed or insulted by such things. We know that it is only the uneducated and superstitious who believe in such nonsense. Lord Kennington was relieved when I revealed that to him. He said that he can now try that tactic with a clear conscious.

Then as they prepared to leave Johanna came out of deep transition. She immediately asked me to ask Lord Kennington if she and I could keep the lantern on at night. I did so. William answered me that it was a prison rule that no lanterns were to be lit after about nine o'clock because of the danger that the one using it might fall to sleep and there might be a fire.

"Remind him that we only sleep when we are in deep transition John." Johanna whispered to me.

"But William Trimorphs don't sleep like other Tri-etherealians. We only sleep when we are in deep transition," I said to William.

William answered, "I will look into it for you. But in the meantime please put the lantern out when the guards tell you to do so."

"John, tell him that there is nothing in here to burn. Tell him that we'll keep the lantern in the middle of our cell. There will be no danger of it catching anything on fire."

"My counterpart is adamant, William. She said to tell you that she will keep the lantern on the floor in the center of our cell, away from anything that might catch on fire."

"Tell her that I will look into it for her. In the meantime please put the lantern out when the guards tell her to do so. If she doesn't, I could get into trouble."

"I think William is right," Lord Kennington butted in. "For now just keep the lantern off at night. I'll suggest to Lord Clyton to have a bucket of water put in your cell at night. Maybe then he'll let you keep it burning."

"John, tell Lord Kennington I said thank you and tell William that I will keep the lantern off. Though I don't know why."

"Johanna said to tell you thank you Lord Kennington and that she will turn the lantern off at night until further notice."

Now I knew why Johanna had the lantern off when I came out of deep transition. I didn't mention that I had had the lantern on all night long, only turning it off at sunrise. But then no one told me that I couldn't have it on. I guess I'll keep it off too.

"Well I've got to be going," Lord Kennington said. "If either you or Johanna need anything just tell William and I'll do what I can to get it for you."

"Thank you Lord Kennington," I answered him. Johanna whispered to me to thank him for her too. "And Johanna says to tell you that she is also thankful."

"My son William would like you to teach him how to play chess," William interjected. "You said earlier that you would teach him."

"I would be happy to teach him," I answered.

Then Lord Kennington and William left. William locked the door to our cell, leaving me and William Jr. alone. I set up the chess board and began to show the boy how the pieces move. He commented that Johanna had showed him earlier how the pieces move. He asked me if I would teach him some chess strategy.

I was mildly surprised when he told me that Johanna had already taught him how the pieces moved. I made a mental note to myself to thank Johanna later when we were alone. Maybe she's not so strange after all.

"I hope you don't mind me teaching him the moves John," she whispered to me. "I thought I would let you teach him the strategy of the game."

"No, I don't mind Johanna." Then to William, "I was answering a question my counterpart put to me."

"Can she hear us," he asked.

"Yes she can. As a matter of fact she can hear, see, taste, smell and feel everything that I do."

"Wow!" is all he said.

We played chess until his father brought me my supper. Quite often I allowed him to take a move back, after showing him the consequences of the bad move. I would show him better moves. But then I wasn't trying to beat him. I was trying to teach him the strategy of chess.

I taught him how to control the center of the board, how castling protects his king, to move his pawns sparingly, to keep his rooks together and several other strategies of winning.

He proved to be quite a good player, showing an excellent grasp of how the pieces cooperate with each other to form an attack or put up a defense. I was proud to play him.

The whole time Johanna just watched us without comment. But then she really couldn't do anything else. That's about the only bad part of being in transition. If your counterpart is doing something that you don't like, there is not a whole lot you can do about it.

Thankfully that doesn't happen very often. Johanna and I usually wait to do the things that the other dislikes when our counterpart is in deep transition.

Melissa and Melyssan both told us that they did the same. They also told us that other Trimorphs did the same. It makes living with your counterpart so much easier.

After William and his father left I apologized to Johanna for boring her by playing chess so long. She told me that she wasn't bored. She said that she learned a little strategy about the game. She surprised me and asked me to play a game with her. She told me what moves to make and I moved the pieces for her. I beat her but she said that she enjoyed playing with me and that she would like to play again sometime.

I asked her if she wanted to go through union but she said she would rather wait until after William Jr. picked up our supper dishes and water buckets.

A few minutes later he did so. But she still wasn't ready to go through union with me. She said that she wanted to wait until after the guard came and made his last check for the night. I didn't ask her but I'm sure it's because she wanted to strip down and write love poems in the nude.

I like to go around naked myself but not nearly as much as Johanna. I'm sure if they ever repeal all the anti-Trimorph laws she will take off all her clothes and never wear them again.

She even walked around at night in the library in the nude before she read that ancient Trimorph book on union. Not that often, maybe once or twice a week. But after she and I read that book . . . well she was naked nearly every night.

Not that I objected to her walking around in the nude. She's got one luscious looking body, with all the right curves in all the right places. I often put off going into deep transition just to watch her bathe; she is that beautiful. No, she doesn't mind. She even watches me bathe sometimes.

She's a lot better looking than many of other female Tri-etherealians I've seen. With the exception of a few prostitutes I've had sex with I haven't seen a whole lot of female Tri-etherealians naked. But the ones I've seen naked . . . well most of them aren't all that good looking, except the prostitutes of course -- and in my opinion, Johanna is even better looking than the best looking of them.

As for the female Tri-etherealians I haven't seen naked . . . well from what I can see, they aren't all that good looking either.

While I'm on the subject of nude female Tri-etherealians, Melissa is another very luscious looking female. About three months ago, the two us had sex one evening when she came to pick up my supper dishes and bucket of water. Our counterparts were both in deep transition at the time. No, I've never told Johanna about it and I don't know if she ever told Melyssan about it.

Nor do I know if Johanna had sex with Melyssan. Johanna and I don't tell each other everything we do while the other is in deep transition. There is no need to. We both love each other and trust each other. We don't have to fight each other to live together or for the freedom to do our own thing. We are both free to do as we please, knowing the other will accept us as we are.

I wonder if all female Trimorphs are good looking, or is it that I'm just lucky enough to have a beautiful counterpart and have met another female Trimorph who is also very beautiful?

As for the prostitutes, it is a legal, respectable profession in all but one district of Tri-ethereal, Lord Rovelt's district. Prostitution in Tri-ethereal is considered to be just another profession, as are shoemakers, bakers and blacksmiths. Many ex-prostitutes are vey wealthy. They are looked upon as excellent business partners; someone who can help one finance a new business venture.

To become a prostitute they have to go to a six month training course where they learn how to protect themselves from unscrupulous or aggressive clients, how to give massages, knead someone's body and the like, how to manage their money -- most of them set up their own businesses -- how to dress, talk and make their clients feel comfortable and at ease and many things that they might need in their profession.

Those who don't set up business for themselves in their own brothels have to work in a brothel that is attached to a tavern; the tavern owner takes a small percent of the prostitute's earnings. All taverns are charged a tax and if it has a brothel attached to it then it is charged a higher tax.

Next they have to go to a physician to get examined to make sure that they are healthy enough for sexual activity. They also have to return to the physician periodically to be examined; most go about twice a year. Then they have to register with the Lord of the district. That's so that he can tax them. They have to do that yearly.

Finally, they have to hire someone to help protect themselves from aggressive or unscrupulous clients. Most of the time, this is usually a big strong male Tri-etherealian but sometimes it can be a female who is trained in the art of self defense and diplomacy.

This protector will often guide clients in her direction. It's to his advantage to do so. For the prostitutes only pay him a small percentage of what they make off their clients. Although the prostitute's protector is big and strong, the prostitute is his boss. The prostitute tells the protector whether or not she or he wants to have sex with someone. If the prostitute doesn't trust a client the protector sends their way, she or he doesn't have sex with him.

Also, there are numerous laws protecting the prostitute from unscrupulous or aggressive clients as well as anyone else who might try to take advantage of them. Anyone who violates these laws will not only be sent to prison but they will also have to pay a heavy fine to the prostitute.

It is not an insult to be a prostitute. Nor are the prostitutes discriminated against in any way. Indeed, most Tri-etherealians -- except for those who live in Lord Rovelt's district -- consider prostitutes to be a special class of citizen. It takes a unique kind of Tri-etherealian to be a prostitute. Not everyone has that kind of ability.

I know I don't. The only thing I know right now is that I'm in a fight for my life and Johanna's life. I hope that Lord Kennington wins his fight to have the all anti-Trimorph laws repealed. That will make my fight to avoid banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal a whole lot easier.

To be continued . . . 



Tri-ethereal Ch. 05



Over the next two months Lord Kennington only came to see me and John twice. He and Lord Kartier were too busy acquiring votes that would repeal the anti-Trimorph laws. Lord Kennington worked openly and directly while Lord Kartier worked his magic covertly. He had to because he is King Andrew's Chief of Staff. Tri-etherealian etiquette does not allow him to take sides in any proposal before the royal council.

He would talk to Lords about coming to one of the king's dances or parties or charity bazaars and while doing so he also subtly solicited information on which way they were leaning so that Lord Kennington could later know how to approach them.

Taking a cue from Lord Kennington, he advised some civil aristocrats that there was a good chance that they would sell more anti-Trimorph charms as soon as Trimorphs were free again.

Finally, he informed all Unamorphs that King Andrew did not like prejudice or intolerance and that he favored the education of all Tri-etherealians. Most educated Tri-etherealians believe that Trimorphs should be free. It is mostly the uneducated who want to maintain the status quo.

They were both also working behind the scenes to get a new Presiding Officer who would favor repealing the anti-Trimorph laws. That took seven weeks; they were partially successful.

By law, the Lords are not allowed to participate in the selection of a new Presiding Officer. But that doesn't mean that they cannot let their opinions be known who they think ought to be elected. Of course, Lords from both sides -- those who favor the repeal of anti-Trimorph laws and those who want to maintain the status quo -- were out in full force.

They couldn't go near the roundhouse while the civil aristocrats were convening but there was nothing stopping them from meeting them in the restaurants and taverns or to go on weekend vacations with them.

In the end, the civil aristocrats elected a Mr. Sam, now Count Sam, from Lord Wilson's district, the district adjourning King Andrew's district. It is also the second to largest district in Tri-ethereal. The largest district is Lord Nyxion's district; King Andrew's district is the third largest. But King Andrew's district has the largest population of Tri-etherealians, with nearly a third of them living in the city of Norlen and another third living in the immediate outskirts of Norlen.

Count Sam is a big burly black banker. He has a full beard and mustache, a loud jovial laugh, a great sense of humor and he is quick with a joke. He loves to wear jewelry -- rings on his fingers, earrings and necklaces. He is said to be as honest as an angel and as impartial as a mother hen with her chicks. Lord Kennington said that it was these latter qualities that were the determining factor in electing him as Presiding Officer. Both sides wanted someone they could trust.

He was also elected because he is somewhat non-committal on all the corrupt anti-Trimorph laws. He doesn't believe that the anti-Trimorph laws are fair and just but he also believes that as long as the laws are on the books then they should be enforced.

Both Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are hoping that he will help them get the laws repealed. But when they asked him privately he refused to give them an answer. The only thing he did was give them wink, as if to say, 'I'm on your side but don't ask me to commit myself.'

The first time Lord Kennington visited us was three days after the escape attempt. He gave me some candles; John was in deep transition. Lord Clyton refused to relax the law allowing us use of the lantern after everyone went to bed. To be truthful I guess I really can't blame him. But he did allow us the use of a candle as long as we only burn one candle at a time. Both John and I are thankful for that. We can use the lantern from sunset till we are told to put it out at the last bed check.

The second time Lord Kennington visited was this morning. I was in deep transition. I was glad because he and John talked politics. He told John that he and Lord Kartier had gotten two more Lords to promise to vote to repeal the anti-Trimorph laws. That gives them a total of nineteen committed to vote yes and seven leaning that way for a total of twenty-six votes.

The bad news is that the opposition gained one vote, Lord Vetter. That gives them a total of fifteen votes. That's bad because that only leaves four Lords who have not committed themselves either way. If any of those Lords vote to keep the laws the way they are, then there won't be enough votes to overturn the laws. It takes a minimum of thirty votes to overturn an existing law.

But Lord Kennington said that they might not be able to keep that one vote or a couple of others. The way they gained the vote of Lord Vetter was through pure greed. Lord Vetter and a couple of other Lords were looking for a way to increase their wealth. Lord Rygon promised to help finance the construction of a couple of brothels in their districts -- he is the wealthiest Lord in Tri-ethereal.

Most prostitutes set up business for themselves in their own brothels. But they have to borrow the money to either buy an existing building then turn it into a brothel or to construct one. Those who can't do either of these set up business in a tavern.

Anyway, with the addition of a brothel or two in their districts, the Lords of the districts are sure to increase their wealth through taxes.

When Lord Vetter asked Lord Rygon why he was willing to finance the construction, Lord Rygon told him outright that it was to secure his vote to keep all the anti-Trimorph laws on the books. Lord Vetter smiled and told Lord Rygon that if he would help finance the construction of a couple of brothels in his district then he could count on his vote. Rumor has it that Lord Vetter frequently uses the services of prostitutes.

When Lord Kennington found out about what the two of them were doing, he decided to pull off a clever political move himself.

He introduced a measure this morning that put a moratorium on all new construction until after John and I are banished from the kingdom. Lord Kennington used as an excuse an ancient law that he discovered in the book of banishment that says that the upkeep of Stonebridge takes precedent over new construction.

Both Lord Rygon and Lord Vetter objected to the proposal but Count Sam said that Lord Kennington was within his rights. That was his first official pronouncement as Presiding Officer of the royal council.

By the way, it took Lord Kennington three weeks to "find" the book in which it is described how to exile a Trimorph. He told John that he filed it with some ancient cook books. Then he waited until the time was right to "discover" that it had been misfiled.

According to the book, banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal must be done at Stonebridge precisely at sunset during the winter solstice. The Trimorphs who are to be banished are forced to drink a mixture of vinegar and ground up hemlock leaves. It's either that or have their heads chopped off. But more importantly the book says that a Trimorph cannot be banished to Corporeal unless Stonebridge is tip top shape.

Since Stonebridge is in disrepair, then it must be rebuilt before we are to be exiled; it has been a pile of broken rocks for about 4700 years. The good thing about that is that it will take years to reconstruct the stone monuments.

When asked how other Trimorphs were banished 75 years ago without rebuilding Stonebridge, Lord Kennington said that that happened before he was born, that any Lord who wished an answer to that question should consult those Lords who were alive at that time. They're all dead.

Lord Kennington has a resourceful way of avoiding questions he does not want to answer.

When he was asked whether or not he was introducing the moratorium just to prevent me and John from being exiled, he responded that he puts the law above everything. The law says that Stonebridge must be rebuilt before we are to be banished.

He also has a resourceful way of keeping me and John in Tri-ethereal and alive as long as possible.

His proposal immediately opened up a new can of worms. Some Lords took the position that Stonebridge must be rebuilt in its entirety. That would take a minimum of fifteen to twenty years or longer. Of course, the Lords who favored doing this were those who are supportive of repealing all the corrupt anti-Trimorph laws. They are also against our exile.

Other Lords said that for a simple banishment of a Trimorph only a partial reconstruction was necessary. But even this would take a year or two.

Then there is the cost. According to the ancient book of banishment, every district of Tri-ethereal must contribute to the reconstruction of Stonebridge. Stone cutters, masons, architects and laborers must be hired. While they are rebuilding the monument they must be housed and fed. Their families must also be taken care of.

Many of the huge stones that make up the monument have fallen over. These have to be up righted. Other stones are broken, cracked or chipped. Replacement stones must be cut from the nearby mountain and hauled to the site. Still other stones are missing completely, only their foundations are present. No one knows what these stones are to look like and how they go into the overall makeup Stonebridge.

No sooner had this been brought to the attention of the Lords when the entire royal council broke into an uproar. There were questions as to how much money each district should have to contribute. Was it to be based upon the size of the district or the size of the population in the district?

Since Stonebridge is on the southern edge of the king's district, many voiced the opinion that they should not have to pay for its repair. Others believed that the king's district should shoulder a larger responsibility for its repair.

There were questions on when construction should start. Some Lords even questioned whether or not anyone in Tri-ethereal possessed the right skills to rebuild Stonebridge.

There was so much pandemonium that Count Sam had to call for an adjournment of the meeting. He suggested that those who had questions to put them in writing and that he would read each one. Then at their next meeting committees could be formed to look into the answer for each question.

It's going to be a long time before John and I are banished from Tri-ethereal.

As the Lords were bustling out of the royal council Lord Kartier, who had been sitting in the stands watching the proceedings, pulled Lord Kennington aside and congratulated him on his excellent politics. He asked the Keeper of the Records if he realized that with his introduction of the moratorium he singlehandedly nearly overthrew all the anti-Trimorph laws and practically guaranteed a pardon for me and John.

Lord Kennington said that he hadn't intended to do all that. He only wanted to forestall our exile for a little while until they could get enough votes to overthrow the laws.

Lord Kartier suggested to Lord Kennington that he might want to suggest to the Lords that it would be cheaper and easier to just repeal the corrupt laws and have the royal council vote to overturn the royal courts guilty verdict of Johanna and John.

Then with the Trimorphs free and John and I given a pardon, Stonebridge would not have to be rebuilt and the moratorium could be lifted.

But either way, Lord Kennington is very happy. His proposal effectively killed Lord Vetter's vote and it may even sway some of the other Lords to vote to overturn the laws and pardon me and John. That's because it's going to take a long time to rebuild Stonebridge. That's true whether it is decided to completely rebuild it or just give it a partial reconstruction. Lord Vetter and the others are not going to want to wait years and years before they can have more brothels built in their districts.

Lord Kennington said that he has his fingers crossed for good luck.

John revealed all this to me after we went through union this afternoon. After we went through union, I asked him to play a game or two of chess with me and we talked while we were playing. Now that I understand the strategy of chess, I'm getting to enjoy the game. I've even come close to beating John once or twice -- he let me take back a couple of moves -- and I defeated William Jr. several times. Although, he beats me almost every time we play.

John says that William Jr. is an excellent chess player. He says that the boy only lacks experience playing. Once William gets more experience John is sure that he will stop making blunders -- that's how I beat him the few times that I did.

They play together almost every time they meet. The only time that William and I play is when he hasn't played John in a day or so.

I once asked William if there were others his age in Norlen who played chess. He told me that there are no commoners that he knows of who know how to play the game. Chess sets cost a lot of money and most commoners don't have the extra funds to buy a set. As for the Unamorphs, most of them won't play him. He said that they give him numerous excuses but it all boils down to prejudice. They don't want to play him because he's a commoner.

Non-Trimorphs who are prejudice really make me angry. I'm not talking about those who live in the eastern parts of Tri-ethereal in Lord Rovelt's district. Everyone knows that they are self righteous, intolerant, ignorant cockroaches. John and I call them cockroaches because their philosophy and their brand of politics feed off of lies, excrement and garbage.

I'm talking about those who claim to be champions of equality and justice for everyone but who are subtly just as prejudiced as those who are outwardly nothing but cockroaches, especially commoners.

Commoners have been, and still are to some extent, discriminated against by Unamorphs. Yet many of them are just as prejudiced as the most prejudice of the Unamorphs.

Ever since King Andrew ascended to the thrown there has been a movement throughout Tri-ethereal to end all the discrimination. King Andrew and Queen Marina are very good monarchs. Both of them are dedicated to truth, justice and equality for all Tri-etherealians.

King Andrew frequently has lavish dinners; the guests have to pay a fee to attend. But the king gives all the profits to charity. He gives ten percent of his tax revenues to feed, clothe and house those in need. He has made it a rule that those knights who are in training to become a palace guard must live among the commoners for six months, helping them out in numerous ways. He is the first monarch to do that.

Queen Marina is the first monarch to go among the commoners to find out what they need instead of having her aides do it for her. She has gone into some of the poorest communities in every district of Tri-ethereal, sat with them, eaten with them and learned first hand of their needs and wants. No other queen has ever done that.

It is largely due to their efforts that Trimorphs, for the first time in centuries, can look to the future with the knowledge that someday we will be free.

The movement started out slow. The wheels of justice move that way. The first thing King Andrew did was to choose a Chief of Staff, Lord Kartier, who believes as he does, that everyone is equal in the eyes of God and the law. He has had Lord Kartier ever so subtly and with the greatest of diplomacy work to convince the other Lords that it would be in their best interest to end the discrimination as soon as possible.

The king apologized to Lord Kennington for not choosing him as his Chief of Staff. He told the Keeper of Records that the reason he didn't choose him is because, as Keeper of Records, he is one of the most influential Lords in all of Tri-ethereal.

Another very influential Tri-etherealian is the king's Chief of Staff. No matter who the king selects, he immediately becomes a magnet for those who wish an audience with the king. This by itself gives him a lot of political power because you cannot see the king unless his Chief of Staff first approves it. Indeed, one cannot even get a ticket to one of the king's charity dinners without his Chief of Staff's approval.

Anyway, King Andrew told Lord Kennington that since he chose another Lord who had a similar philosophy to their own, then the Chief of Staff, working with the Keeper of Records, would be like having a double punch against the opposition.

Lord Kennington accepted King Andrew's explanation with a smile.

Of course, many Lords are still deeply entrenched in their positions of authority, clinging to their own standardized and sanitized philosophies and maintaining the status quo. Converting them to change was and will continue to be an arduous task.

The second thing King Andrew did was to introduce the requirement that all potential palace guards would have to live and work among the commoners for six months before becoming one of his personal body guards. They have to help the commoners harvest their crops, care for their livestock, work in their shops, help them repair their cottages and, most importantly, teach their children how to read and write. This is done mostly in the king's own district of Norlen.

Next the king had Lord Kennington introduce several proposals into the royal council that would make life easier for the commoner. For example, he had Lord Kennington introduce a measure that forbid Unamorphs from working commoners before sunup or after sundown, a measure that gave them Sundays off, and the king created a new office -- the department of education -- and appointed Lord to fill it.

Finally, he introduced a proposal that the Unamorphs of each district must look out for the welfare of the old and those in poor health.

Each of these proposals was voted into law within the first two years of his ascending to the thrown; although the latter proposal was modified somewhat.

He is constantly looking for ways to lower the taxes the commoners must pay -- he offsets the loss in revenues by raising the taxes rich Unamorphs must pay.

He has palace guards reporting to Lord Kartier on the state of the living conditions of those commoners they service. He does this so that Lord Kartier can suggest how they can be better served.

He has Lord Kartier looking into how the Unamorphs in the other districts can help out the commoners in their districts, as the palace guards do in the king's district, especially teaching the children of the commoners how to read and write.

King Andrew is truly a commoner's king.

Anyway, the king's good will began to permeate all of Tri-ethereal. Soon Tri-etherealians of all ranks began to change. They began to be tolerant of those whom they perceived to be different. They began to help out their neighbors in times of need; they were friendlier, cooperative and supportive.

Environmental projects were begun to clean up the streams, ponds, parks and children's playgrounds. Civic projects were begun to repair bridges, roads, public buildings, monuments -- except Stonebridge -- and even books and libraries. Everyone even began to put their garbage out to be collected instead of just throwing it into the streets.

But most important tri-ethrealians, both Unamorph and commoner alike, began to demand an end to all the discrimination.

Of course, as I said, there were still many Unamorphs and commoners -- too many of them -- who were deeply entrenched in their corrupt beliefs, clinging to their standardized and sanitized philosophies and wanting to maintain the status quo.

But the ones who really get me angry are those who have been discriminated against the most, yet are prejudice themselves. They claim to be champions of equality and justice for everyone but they are nothing but hypocrites.

For example, there is this civil aristocrat who owns a bank here in Norlen. He loans money to Unamorphs and commoners but he charges commoners a slightly higher interest. He claims that's because the commoners are less likely to pay their note. The truth is that he can charge the commoners a higher interest and get away with it, so he does.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 05



I know of a blacksmith who charges Unamorphs a slightly higher fee for shoeing their horses than he does commoners. I also know of a baker who does the same thing, only he does it to customers he does not know. He charges strangers a slightly higher fee for his bread and cakes.

Then there are those who teach their children not to be prejudice or bigoted. Yet they refuse to socialize with those whom they perceive to be different; they always have an excuse as to why they can't. They tell their children to be tolerant of those with different beliefs. Yet they make jokes of those same beliefs.

They hate their neighbors and their neighbor's beliefs but they don't forget to pray to their God on Sunday; a God who says all you need is to love your neighbor. They scream for free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and other freedoms. Yet they denounce those whose beliefs and philosophies are different than theirs as weird, disloyal and ungodly.

They are subtle in their denunciations. In everything they publicly do and say, they always make sure that they outwardly appear as though they are defenders of truth, justice and equality for everyone. But once they are behind closed doors, their real selves show them to be the hypocrites they are in reality.

Enough of my tirade; I hear someone unlocking the door to our cell. It's probably William with my supper, although it is a little early for that.

"Good afternoon, William, William," I said.

"Good afternoon, Johanna," William answered me.

"Good afternoon, Miss Johanna," William Jr. said as he placed two buckets of water against the wall by our bed.

"I'm bringing your diner a little early today and William is bringing your buckets of water now because he won't be back later to pickup the empty dishes or the buckets. They won't be picked up until tomorrow morning."

"Oh, why?"

"It seems that Lord Kennington's moratorium has caused quite a stir throughout Norlen. There is also a rumor spreading like wildfire that his moratorium will affect all construction in all of Tri-ethereal."

"How's that?"

"A strict interpretation of the law says that no one can even do repairs to their homes, barns, fences, businesses, shops or anything until after Stonebridge is repaired. Civil aristocrats and commoners have been gathering in front of the prison demanding an answer. Lord Clyton has put all the guards on alert in case the crowds start to riot."

"Wow!"

"It's worse than when John was sentenced."

"Double wow!"

"I'm glad I'm just a cook and not a guard. But I'm going there too. I just want to see what's happening. I'm sending William home. Since, according to Lord Kartier's order, no one is allowed to open your cell except me, there will be no one here to bring you your supper or water later. So, I'm bringing you your dinner and buckets now. Hope you don't mind getting your food and water buckets a little early."

"No of course not."

"I've got to be going. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"You'll probably see John tomorrow morning."

"Who ever. Come on William. I want you home before the crowds get too large."

"Good night Miss Johanna."

"Good night William Jr. Good night William."

With that I was left alone to wonder about what was going on. I was a little apprehensive because of the palace guards having to be called out. They would not be called out unless someone of authority figured that the crowds could get dangerous.

I wished John were here in possession of our body. He's braver than me. He would know what to do. I have often wondered though, what he would do if he were attacked. I know he pretends to sword fight. But he has assured me he would never hurt anyone. He says he only pretends to kill dragons, demons and other monsters. Still, I wish it were me in deep transition instead of John then he could tell me all about it after it was all over.

I quickly ate the stew William had brought me. I didn't want the food residue in the bowl to smell so I washed the bowl and spoon, using some of the water from the buckets. Then I cut some salami, cheese and bread from that which Lord Kennington sends us. He sends us food about every third day or so.

I went to our table to write a poem but I was at a loss to write anything. The only thing I could think about was the crowds rioting and possibly breaking into the prison to kill me and John. There is an axe and chopping block at the end of the hall.

I tried the little window door in the door of our cell but it was bolted. I looked up out of our window but could see only clouds. I went and sat on our bed. After what seemed an eternity I finally decided that there was nothing I could do. I picked up my book and began to read.

I must have been reading for an hour or so when Sir Glauco came and opened up our cell. He was moving me and John to an undisclosed location for our safety. I asked him where we were going but he told me that I would know when I got there. Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington had talked it over and thought it best if John and I were moved.

The crowd had gotten extremely large and some of them could be heard hollering to execute us; they believed that would put an end to the moratorium. Both Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington believed that Mr. Strydamu was behind the calls for our death. But they could not prove their suspicions.

I quickly picked up John's chess set and his and my books. That's all I had time to grab.

Sir Glauco ushered me down the corridor and to the same door we had gone out when John was officially sentenced. Only this time it was only me and Sir Glauco and our body wasn't chained up. Just as with John, he ordered me to wait while he cracked the door open and peeked out. After several seconds he told me to follow him. Outside was one of King Andrew's personal carriages with a driver along with three mounted palace guards and another horse.

Sir Glauco helped me into the carriage and then climbed onto the other horse. Within seconds we were galloping away. I was free! John and I were no longer prisoners! At least it seemed that way for now.

Oh now I really wished John wasn't in deep transition. I wanted him to see and feel what freedom felt like.

"John!" I hollered. But I got no answer.

"John!" I hollered again, but still no response.

"John!" I screamed as loud as I could. But I could not wake him.

That's the only bad thing about being in possession of our body. If your counterpart doesn't want to wake up, answer you or cooperate with you, there is not a whole lot you can do about it.

I tried peeking through the curtains but we were moving too fast and it was too dark to make out anything. But my earlier apprehension was gone, to be replaced with a deep calm; we were no longer in the prison. I decided to sit back and enjoy the ride, even if it was a little bumpy.

After several minutes we stopped. I heard Sir Glauco talking with someone but I couldn't make out what they were saying. However, I definitely heard the arrival of more horses. I peeked through the curtains. I could see that at least four more of the king's personal body guards had joined us, each with sword, shield and lance. Sir Glauco was talking to one of them. I assumed Sir Glauco was giving him directions to where he was taking me. But for all I knew the other guard was giving Sir Glauco directions.

Then we took off again at a very fast pace. Where ever they were taking me we were going there at breakneck speed.

After about fifteen minutes we finally slowed down. I could tell we were approaching our destination. I peeked out the window again but all I could see were palace guards flanking the carriage, blocking my view. Next we pulled into a cobblestone driveway. We stopped and Sir Glauco opened the door to the carriage.

As I stepped down out of the carriage I could see at least another dozen or more guards standing around in front of the mansion, all of them fully decked out with sword, shield and lance. It was all very ominous.

I looked up. In front of me was a huge mansion. Sir Glauco and one of the other guards -- the one he had been talking to a few minutes earlier -- led me up the steps and into the building. They brought me into a room filled with books. Except in Lord Kennington's mansion and the library I had never seen so many books. Sir Glauco told me to wait there with the other guard. Then he disappeared through another door. I put John's chess set and our books on a large table in the center of the room.

After a minute or two Queen Marina, Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington entered through the same door, followed by Sir Glauco. I was immediately humbled.

"My Lady, I am deeply honored," I said as I bowed deeply.

"Stand up my child," she said.

I did so but I kept my head down. I was still awestruck and humbled at being in her presence.

"You're safe now. This is my private retreat. The mob knows better than to attack it."

"My Lady," Sir Glauco interjected. "Johanna does not know of the attack on the prison."

The other guard then gave us all a detailed report of what had happened at the prison, elaborating upon what he told Sir Glauco out on the road.

Just about the time that I had sat down to read, the crowds started to get unruly. For safety, Lord Clyton had already decided to put all prison guards on alert. But soon the crowds grew disorderly and then riotous. Many of them were demanding that John and I be beheaded.

Luckily, Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington were in the royal court at that time. Lord Kartier made a decision to have us moved. He sent a message to Sir Glauco to bring one of the king's carriages around to the back of the prison. Then he and Lord Kennington went to the queen to get her permission to have John and I brought to her private retreat.

After Sir Glauco took me out of the prison, the other guard -- I never did get his name -- stayed behind to inform Lord Clyton that we were being moved on the orders of Queen Marina. He didn't tell him where.

Sir Glauco had gotten us out just in time. No sooner had we pulled away from the rear of the prison when the crowd turned into a mob and stormed the front of the prison.

The prison guards were able to put down the insurrection. But not before several commoners lay dead in the street and several more injured. Over a hundred of them were arrested. There was one prison guard stabbed with a pitchfork but his injuries were not too serious.

Lord Kennington asked the guard if Mr. Strydamu were among those who had stormed the prison. The guard told him that he hadn't seen the former Presiding Officer with those who were rioting. But he did see him after the riot had been put down. He was talking to Lord Clyton. Lord Kartier commented that Mr. Strydamu was too sneaky and conniving to allow himself to get caught breaking the law.

The queen thanked Sir Glauco and the other guard. They left to join the other palace guards standing on duty in front of the queen's residence. Then she told me that John and I would be staying here for a while until a decision could be made as to what to do with us. We could not be brought back to the prison as it was too dangerous. Quite a number of the prison guards could not be trusted. They might behead our body just for the fun of it.

Next she said to me, "Don't worry my child. I do not consider you to be criminal or someone I have to fear. You've done nothing wrong."

"Thank you my Lady," I answered her.

"I'm totally against any law making it illegal to be a Trimorph," Queen Marina continued. "They're barbaric laws and needs to be repealed. I'm also against those laws that prevent Trimorphs from doing those things which enhance their union, including those laws that prevent Trimorphs from walking around in the nude."

"Thank you my Lady," I again answered her. "I'm sure I also speak for John when I say your support is greatly appreciated. He's still in deep transition now."

"Other than what Lord Kennington has told me, I confess that I don't know too much about Trimorphs or union or any of the things you do. I've read a little bit. But the information is scarce since most of the books that teach about Trimorphs were burned centuries ago and much of that which is still written down is unreliable."

"I would be more than happy to answer any question you have my Lady."

"Well, from what Lord Kartier and Lord Kenninton tell me, you're going to be here in my private retreat for a long time. You'll have plenty of time to answer my questions and teach me all about Trimorphs."

Then she turned to the two Lords, "No one is to know where John and Johanna are located. If Lord Clyton or anyone should ask, tell them you have orders from King Andrew not to reveal their whereabouts. I will inform the king as soon as he returns from visiting his mother."

"Yes my Lady," Lord Kartier answered her. "Do you have any word on how she is doing?"

"There's been no news since yesterday afternoon," she answered him.

She then said to me, "The king's mother is 86 years old and in frail health. She slipped and fell the other day. King Andrew has been by her side for the past two days in Lord Wilson's district. Please pray for her."

"Yes my Lady," I answered her.

"Lord Kartier I want you to tell Sir Glauco to instruct the palace guards that they are not to discuss this evening's activities with anyone. They are not to reveal where John and Johanna are located."

"Yes my Lady."

"Are you sure no one knows that they are here?"

"Yes my Lady. Only Sir Glauco, the guards here this evening and the three of us know that they have been brought here."

"Good. The less who know where they are the better. Tell Sir Glauco that they will be removed from my private residence as soon as possible."

"Yes my Lady," Lord Kartier answered.

"Lord Kennington do you still bring food to Johanna and John in the prison?"

"Yes my Lady, about every third day or so."

"I want you to bring some food to them tomorrow. Act like you believe that they are still in the prison and act surprised when you discover that they are gone."

"Yes my Lady."

"Demand of Lord Clyton that he tell you where they have been taken. He won't know of course. Lord Kartier, I want you to tell Lord Clyton that John and Johanna have been brought to an undisclosed location on the orders of King Andrew."

"Yes my Lady. That sounds like an excellent idea."

The queen then rang for one of her servants. The four of us sat down for some tea and cakes. They informed me that John and I have become celebrities of a sort. All of Tri-ethereal is divided over what is to become of us and the anti-Trimorph laws. Many are calling for our execution or banishment and to keep the laws as they are. But for the last two months, those who are calling for our pardon and an end to the anti-Trimorph laws, their numbers have grown. They are no longer a small but vocal minority.

To make things even more complicated, there are some Tri-etherealians who are in favor of repealing the laws but not in favor of granting us a pardon and vice versa. Then there are also those Lords who support a different policy than the majority of Tri-etherealians in their districts. It's all very confusing for me. I never did like politics.

The king would veto the laws in a heartbeat and grant us a pardon. But he can't. Whereas before he was just worried about the royal council overriding his veto, now he is afraid that a veto might lead to riots. This evening's mob actions -- which he hasn't heard about yet -- only confirmed his fears.

King Andrew realizes that it is a long, difficult process but that the most effective way of repealing all the corrupt laws is to let the Lords vote to revoke them. Then he is sure he could pardon me and John without having to worry.

From the few Tri-etherealians Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington have talked to so far today, both sides are claiming victory over Lord Kennington's moratorium.

Those who are in favor of letting us go free believe that the moratorium will hasten the eventual repeal of the anti-Trimorph laws. But those who want to see us banished from the kingdom or executed believe that the moratorium will hasten either our banishment or execution.

As I said, all of Tri-ethereal is divided over all the anti-Trimorph laws and what to do with me and John. The only thing they all agree on is that something must be done with me and John and done quickly so that the moratorium can be lifted. It's the first time Unamorphs and commoners have been united on a common goal.

Lord Kennington asked whether Mr. Strydamu should be arrested. But Lord Kartier reminded him that he had broken no laws so far. He then said that he would order Sir Glauco to have some palace guards put him under surveillance. Queen Marina suggested that the guards do so but that they should wear regular clothes when doing it. This would make it easier for them to catch him breaking the law.

We also discussed my and John's future here in the queen's private retreat. Rather Queen Marina, Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington discussed it; I just kind of sat and listened. The only conclusion they could come to though was that our stay here would be indefinite and that we couldn't leave until things calmed down quite a bit more.

However, upon finding out that John and I used to repair books in the library, Queen Marina asked me if John and I would repair some of the books in her library. I told her that I would be more than happy to do it and that I was positive that John would feel the same way.

As the two Lords were preparing to leave, the queen told Lord Kartier that she wanted him to send a rider to Lord Wilson's district to inform King Andrew of today's events.

She then had one of her servants show me to the bedroom in which I and John would be sleeping. She told me that if there were anything that I or John wanted just to let one of the servants know and they would get it for us.

Alone in the queen's guest bedroom I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It's beautiful. The room is huge with a large bathing room attached. To the right of the bed above the fireplace there is a large painting of a completely nude young female lying on a couch; her hands are behind her head. John will love that. The wall on the left side of the room has a book shelf with numerous books and to the right of the door there is a mural on the wall depicting what Stonebridge might have looked like centuries ago.

The bed has four posts and a canopy. The mattress is made of goose feathers! It's the most comfortable bed I have ever laid down on. Indeed, it's the first time in my life that I have ever laid down on a bed of goose feathers. I can't wait to go through union lying on this bed.

Thinking of union, will John ever be surprised when he comes out of deep transition and sees where we are. When he went to sleep our body was in a dark, dingy prison cell. When he wakes up he is going to find our body in a plush, well furnished bedroom. I can hardly wait to see the expression on his face after we go through union.

Suddenly there was a knock on my door. Two chamber maids entered carrying a wash a cloth, some towels and some clean clothing. Three more male servants followed them into the room, each carrying two large buckets of water. They immediately filled the bathing tub with the water and then left. One of the chamber maids introduced herself as Lora and said that Queen Marina had assigned her to be my and John's personal maid while we are here.

She advised me to bathe now while the water was still warm. She asked if I would like some help bathing.

Warm water to bathe with! Wow! I have never had that in my life!

I thanked her and told her no. She said that she would be back in about an hour to collect the dirty clothes and wet cloths. She also told me not to worry about the dirty bath water that the male servants would take care of it after I was finished bathing and dressed.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 05



I asked her from where she got the clothing. She said that one of the servant girls donated the clothing. When I informed her that John would need some clothes for himself she seemed puzzled -- very puzzled -- but said that he need not worry. One of the male servants was sure to donate some to him. She asked me his size and I told her that he was about the same size as me. I advised her that John would need the clothing before the night is over. She told me that she would bring some clothes for John when she returned.

She looked around the room, as though she were looking for someone or something. Then she and the other servants left.

I stripped down and climbed into the warm, invigorating water. Ohhhhh! It was wonderful. The only thing better than it I think is union. I lay in the water rubbing our body with the wash cloth until the water was cold. Then I got out and got dressed. The dress is much nicer than any dress I have ever owned.

I went to the book shelf and started reading some of the titles of the books. Most of them appeared to be fictional stories. While I was doing that Lora re-entered, carrying some clothes for John. She collected the wet towels and my dirty clothes. She told me that my clothes would be washed and returned to me in a couple of days. She asked me if there was anything I needed. I told her no.

Then the three male servants entered and scooped out the bath water, pouring it out of a hole in the wall of the bathing room. When they finished they left. Lora looked around the room again for whatever she was looking for and then followed them out. Her actions made me wonder whether she was looking for my counterpart.

I was left alone to ponder the events of the last several hours.

There was a small table and chair near the bed. I decided to setup John's chess set for him. While doing so he came out of deep transition.

"Johanna where are we and where did you get the clothes you're wearing?" he immediately asked.

My first thought was to joke with him and tell him that I broke out of prison. But I knew he wouldn't believe me.

"Oh John you really missed all the action. Mr. Strydamu got some commoners together and they stormed the prison. They wanted to kill us. But Sir Glauco broke us out before they could to get us."

"Yeah right and I'm the new king of Tri-ethereal. So tell me, where are we and where did you get the clothes you're wearing?"

"No really. There was a riot and Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington thought it best if you and I were removed from the prison for our safety."

"You're not just putting me on, telling me some fantastic story, are you? Trimorphs aren't supposed to lie you know."

"No really John. They got Sir Glauco to break us out of prison. But you'll never guess where we are."

"Duh! That's what I asked you darling."

"Come on John take a guess."

"We're in King Andrew's castle."

"Close. King Andrew is in Lord Wilson's district visiting with his sick mother. He should be back in a day or so. We're in Queen Marina's private residence. But you want to know the best part?"

"What's that?"

"Queen Marina doesn't want us to go back to prison. She thinks it's too dangerous. So, we're going to be here for a while, at least until the danger is past."

"That's great!"

John and I continued to talk for about an hour. I gave him a more detailed description of what happened. He was thankful that I managed to bring his chess set.

When I revealed to him how wonderful it was to take a bath in warm water he said that he would be sure to take one tomorrow. I told him about Lora and he wanted to know if she had some clothes for him. I told him that his clothes were on the bed, that one of the male servants donated something for him to wear. I also told him that Queen Marina wanted us to repair the books in her library. He said that he would get started the first thing in the morning.

The events of the last several hours left me exhausted. I was also anxious to go through union on a bed of goose feathers. When I asked John if he was ready he said that he couldn't wait. He wanted to experience union in a bed of goose feathers also.

I took off my clothes and lay down on the goose feather bed. Then I pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel him penetrating me . . .

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 06



After I went through union with Johanna I put on the clothes that Lora had brought me. I have never worn such nice clothes. I think I'm going to like living here in the queen's private residence. It sure beats living in that dirty dark prison cell.

I spent the night reading, studying chess moves and gazing at the painting of the nude female -- she's beautiful and you can see everything she's got. I read from the book that Johanna had brought from the prison for me and from some of the books that are on the bookshelf in our bedroom. These latter books I merely read the titles and a paragraph or two from them.

Long after sunrise Lora knocked on the door to my and Johanna's bedroom. She was very surprised to see me, almost dropping a vase of flowers she was carrying.

"I'm Lora. Are you John?" she asked. She looked around the room. "Where is Johanna?"

Johanna told me she was beautiful. She is petite with small firm breasts and delicate hands. Her bronze skin accentuates her large brown eyes, long black hair and thin black eyelashes.

"Yes, I'm Johanna's counterpart. She's in transition right now."

"You're a Trimorph? I wasn't told that Johanna is a Trimorph," she said as she put the flowers on the table next to my chess set.

"Well we are. I hope you don't have a problem with that."

"No of course not. You are the first Trimorph I have ever met. You don't look anything like I imagined a Trimorph would look like."

"What did you think Trimorphs looked like?" I answered her, wondering if she believed that Trimorphs had two heads, green teeth and three red eyes in each of their heads.

"I don't know. Just different."

She paused, put her hand to her mouth and fell to her knees. "Please forgive me sir. Please don't think that I believe that Trimorphs are hideous, dreadful monsters."

I smiled at her innocence. I guessed that she couldn't have been more than sixteen, maybe seventeen. I told her that I did not think that of anyone, nor did Johanna.

We talked for a few more minutes. I asked her to tell me about herself. She said that she had lived in the queen's private retreat since she was orphaned eleven years ago. Her father died of sickness when she was seven and her mother died the following year. Queen Marina took her in and has cared for her since then. I was surprised; she didn't look nineteen. I wondered what she looked like in the nude.

She stripped the bed of its sheets. I told her that I hadn't slept in the bed, that Johanna and I only used it to go through union. She asked me what union was like and what happened during it. I revealed to her that union is somewhat sexual in the feelings and emotions but that it is mostly metamorphic in nature.

She told me that she didn't know anything about Trimorphs. I told her that I would be more than happy to answer any question she may have.

As she prepared to leave she said, "Breakfast will be served in a few minutes in the dinning room. Queen Marina will be expecting you."

"Thank you," I answered her.

She paused at the door, cast her eyes down and very quietly said, "I'm a virgin." Then she closed the door.

I was flabbergasted. This beautiful bronze nymph had just offered to give her virginity to me. At least that's how I interpreted her declaration of her sexual status.

My first thought was to accept her offer at the earliest possible convenience. Then I thought, 'wait a second. She has been raised in this mansion by the queen, who probably treats her and regards her as a daughter.' I figured that the wisest course of action would be to take it very slow and proceed with extreme caution. First, there is a chance that I misinterpreted her statement of her virginity. Second, find out how Queen Marina would view any sexual escapade Lora might indulge in.

I moved the vase of flowers away from my chess set and put it on the window sill. I didn't want it to get knocked over and spill onto my chessboard. Then I went to find the dinning room.

I went downstairs and walked into a room. It was full of books with a table and chairs in the center. I guessed this to be the mansion's library. I went across the hall to another room. This room appeared to be the living room or a parlor room. As I came out of that room I was met by a servant who asked me if he could be of service. I told him who I was and asked him where the dining room was. He directed me to a room down the wide hall.

I entered the room to be greeted by Lora. There were two other maids and a male servant in the room. The four of them were just standing around the table.

The table was set for three. I wondered who would be joining me and the queen for breakfast. Lora told me that Queen Marina would be coming in a moment and directed me to a chair. I asked her who the other setting was for. She said it was for Johanna. 

I suddenly realized that these servants knew nothing about Trimorphs and transition. I wondered how much the queen knew.

I informed Lora again that Johanna was in deep transition and that she wouldn't be joining us for breakfast. Lora and the other servants were immediately horrified to believe that someone would turn down an invitation to eat breakfast with the queen. She told me that it would be an insult to the queen if Johanna didn't come to breakfast.

As I was attempting to tell them about transition and why Johanna couldn't join us, Queen Marina entered the dinning room. I bowed and introduced myself. She was both surprised and happy to see me. She said that Johanna had told her last night that I was in deep transition but I would be in possession of our body in time for breakfast.

I told her that I was trying to tell her servants why Johanna wouldn't be joining us for breakfast. Looking at the third place setting, the queen told the male servant -- she called him Charles -- that that setting would not be needed because my counterpart was in transition. She seemed to know something about transition, at least more than these servants. Charles picked up the plate, cup, spoon and knife and left the room. Then the queen told Lora to bring us our breakfast.

We had a breakfast of baked pheasant strips, scrambled eggs, freshly baked bread with butter -- the bread was still warm from the oven -- and tea. It was delicious. The best meal I had ever eaten.

Wow! A warm water bath last night, fine clean clothes, a goose feather bed, a breakfast of something other than cold porridge, our own personal maid, Johanna and I were living like royalty.

While we were eating breakfast the queen asked me if I would repair some of the books in her library. I of course told her that Johanna and I would inspect all her books and repair any we found that needed it. She told me to give a list of anything we might need to do the repairs to Charles and he would see to it that we got what we needed.

She asked that Johanna and I not leave the residence because of the danger. Then she changed her mind and asked that we just not venture outside the walls of the estate.

"You understand don't you John. I'm not trying to turn my residence into a prison for you. But if you leave the grounds somebody is bound to recognize you and claim that you've escaped from prison. Then God only knows what they would do to you. You could very easily end up dead."

"Yes my Lady. I understand and I'm sure Johanna will also understand. I'm sure I also speak for my counterpart when I say that we will follow your advice in all things."

"As far as I'm concerned John, you and Johanna are not under arrest while you are here. I don't view either of you as criminals. You're Trimorphs and why it's against the law to be a Trimorph is a mystery to me."

"It's an ancient law my Lady, made thousands of years ago."

"Well it's a stupid law and the royal council needs to repeal it. But in the meantime please don't go outside the walls."

"Yes my Lady," I answered her. "I'm positive that Lord Kennington will be successful in having the law repealed."

We spent the rest of the breakfast in small talk. The queen asked me a couple of questions about Trimorphs. She seemed very apologetic with her questions, almost as if she were ashamed that she didn't know more about Trimorphs. I answered her questions as candidly and honestly as I could while at the same time trying not to insult her lack of knowledge.

Talk about walking on thin ice.

But I quickly learned that Queen Marina is a very humble Tri-etherealian. She is nothing like the monarchs and Lords I have heard about who exult themselves above everyone. She seems as though -- no -- she wants to be a commoner. That is, she wants to get close to commoners so that she will know what their desires and needs are so that she can better serve them. The way to do that is to know them.

I asked her about a rumor I had heard about ten months ago, about her directing some palace guards to build a farmer's house and barn. She said that the truth had been blown way out of proportion.

She said that she had some of the palace guards partially rebuild the barn of a dairy farmer whose barn partially burned down last year. It would have taken him years to recover from his loss. But the guards were able to repair his barn in a little over a week.

After the queen was finishing her breakfast, she told me that she was going to go to the royal palace later this morning. She asked me if there was anything she could get for me. I told her no but that I would give Charles a list of what I would need to start repairing her books after breakfast. She thanked me.

I then asked her if it were possible for William to come play chess with me. She asked me who William was. I told her that he was the son of the prison cook, that he was learning how to cook so that he could become a prison cook also.

Queen Marina said that she would look into his visiting here but she couldn't promise me anything. Then I suddenly remembered that his mother was one of her cooks. I informed her of that. She smiled. She told me that she would talk to the boy's mother to see if it was alright for him to come learn how to cook here at her private residence.

I knew then that it would only be a matter of time before I had someone to play chess with.

After breakfast I went to the library to give the books there a once over, in order to figure out which ones were in need of immediate repair and which ones could wait a while. I then made up a list of things I thought I would need -- glue, paper, quill, ink and weights to hold the books in place while the glue was drying. I gave the list to Charles. He told me that I would have the items by the end of the day.

Next, I went outside to the rear of the mansion. It was a bright sunny day. There was a flower garden off to the right. To the left was a gazebo. I thought it might be a nice place to study chess in the cool afternoons. While I was there Johanna came out of deep transition. She asked me if I wouldn't mind visiting the flower garden. I walked over to it.

She told me that the flowers were beautiful and that they smelled wonderful. I asked her if she wanted to go through union so that she could enjoy them the more. She said no, that it was my turn to have 16 hours in possession of our body.

However, she asked me to stay in the garden a little while longer so that she could take pleasure in the flower's fragrance. I did so.

After several minutes I went back to the gazebo. We talked about our new freedom and how long we each thought it might last. We both thought that it would be a long time before we were truly free. We talked about the coming vote on the anti-Trimorph laws. We both thought that they would eventually be repealed and we would be pardoned. This led to a discussion on what we were going to do after we are pardoned.

For the first time in our lives we disagreed on what we wanted to do. She wants to return to the library. I want to explore. There are many areas in the southern part of Tri-ethereal that are unexplored, and across the Middle Sea Ethereal and Bi-ethereal are virtually uninhabited. Separated by the Spirit Mountains, their interiors are also unexplored.

But we decided that we would wait and see how the vote went and whether or not we would be pardoned before discussing it again. It's the only thing we can do since at present we are both adamant in what we want to do. However, we did agree to talk to Melissa and Melyssan to see what they did or if they know what other Trimorphs did when their counterparts did not agree on something.

I asked Johanna if she wanted to take a walk around the courtyard to see the rest of the grounds. She answered me rather huffily that I had possession of the body that I could go where ever I wanted. She was still somewhat angry over my wanting to travel around and discover Tri-ethereal. I stayed where I was just looking out toward a small pond to the rear of the gazebo.

After a few moments Johanna apologized and said that she would love to see the rest of Queen Marina's estate. She warned me that the queen asked that we not stray outside the walls for our own protection. I answered her that the queen told me the same thing this morning at breakfast.

I went toward the pond. There was a small stone footbridge over the center of the pond. I could see fish and turtles swimming in the water, which couldn't have been more than about knee deep. A large green frog was sitting on a lily pad near the edge of the pond. It jumped into the water as I approached the bridge.

I sat down on the bridge, took off my shoes and socks. I dangled our body's feet in the water. It was cool and refreshing. Johanna immediately thanked me, telling me that it was almost more uplifting than the warm water bath she had last night. I told her that I intended to have a warm water bath this evening and that I would let her know how I felt about it.

I felt her hug me and kiss me. She told me that she loved me. Then she told me that she would love to see Tri-ethereal, that there would always be libraries to work in. I reminded her that Tri-ethereal would always be here for us to explore, that Lord Kennington's library would someday cease to exist and that we could explore Tri-ethereal then.

"John, let's not fight about that now. There is too much to see here, too much to do."

"You're right my love," I answered her. "Let's walk around the estate a bit and see what we have right here."

"Sounds like a great idea," she answered me.

We walked around -- or rather I walked around to the front of Queen Marina's mansion. There was nothing there except a wide cobblestone driveway, flanked by several large oak trees. There were two palace guards on the porch; they were talking. They looked in my direction as I turned the corner of the house. They immediately stopped talking and stood at attention. As I returned to the rear of the mansion, they went back to their conversation.

Behind the flower garden was a large vegetable garden. I could see numerous rows of corn, wheat, cabbage, potatoes and carrot tops, to name just a few of them. I questioned whether these were for the queen or if her servants grew them for themselves. Johanna said it was probably both. After thinking about it a moment, I agreed.

Next to the vegetable garden was what appeared to be a guesthouse. We talked about going to look at it. I thought that it was getting late. I advised Johanna that I thought that we should be getting back inside. We could explore it another day. There were a lot of books that needed mending. She agreed.

Walking back toward the house, I told Johanna of the things I asked Charles to get for us. When I entered the library everything was on the table, waiting for me to begin. I asked Johanna if she thought I should start at the top row of books and work down or from the bottom row and work up. She answered that it didn't matter, that either way was OK with her. I got a stool and started at the top.

************************************

It has been four weeks since John and I began living in Queen Marina's private retreat. Together we have repaired quite a number of her books. We are almost finished with the ones in her library that needed fixing. We are looking at getting started on the books in our bedroom, possibly next week.

William Jr. comes here everyday with his mother, Helen. She is teaching him how to cook. Now he says that he wants to cook for the queen instead of the prison guards and prisoners. His mother is glad because now he can learn how to cook without going to 'that dreadful place,' as she calls it.

He plays chess with John every chance he gets. He has even played chess with me on a couple of occasions. John says he is getting to be a real good player. He beats me all the time now.

Sometimes he sleeps over in the servant's quarters, which is attached to the side of the mansion. He does that when he and John play chess way into the night.

Not only has Queen Marina asked for us to teach her about Trimorphs but the servants have also asked us to teach them about Trimorphs, especially Lora. But then it would only be natural for her to question us the more; she is our personal maid.

John told me about her informing him of her sexual status. He asked me if I had any idea as to why she would tell him that. I told him that in my pinion she wanted to go to bed with him. He asked me to talk to her and find out what she wanted. I then played the role of "big sister" looking out for her "younger brother" and found out that Lora was just bragging that she is still a virgin.

I revealed to John what I discovered about her one day when he had possession of our body. He just shrugged his shoulders. He said that he probably wouldn't have enjoyed sex with her. She's too dim-witted and gullible for his taste. He told me that sex with her would just have been carving notches on his bedpost, which he is not into doing. He then added that she's too impetuous and hotheaded, just the opposite of me. I smiled when he said that.

It's a good thing that he didn't have sex with her, because Queen Marina considers Lora to be somewhat of an adopted daughter of sorts. When she visits among the commoners she takes Lora with her. The queen is playing the role of cupid for her, looking for just the right male to introduce Lora to. I learned this one afternoon while talking with the queen at the gazebo.

The queen frequently has commoners visiting her private residence -- they sleep in a guesthouse. She said that when she finds someone she considers to be suitable enough she invites him to live in the guesthouse for a little while. Then she has Lora visit him there, bringing him lunch, changing the sheets on his bed and other domestic duties. Queen Marina is hoping that Lora will hook up with someone but so far she hasn't done so.

But as I was saying, Lora -- as well as the other servants -- can't do enough for us. They treat us like celebrities. Lora told me that next to the royal family we are the most important Tri-etherealians to ever visit the queen's private residence. When I questioned her on that she modified her statement and said that we were the most famous.

The cooks are constantly fixing cherry pies for John, his favorite dessert, and peach cobbler for me, my favorite. Whenever we need supplies to fix the books Charles immediately goes into town to purchase them. Several of the servants and maids have given us their "old" clothes to wear.

There is this one maid, Penelope, every time she sees either me or John she asks us what she can do for us. If we have nothing for her to do she begs us not to tell the queen that she is useless. I usually end up inventing something for her to do so she doesn't get too depressed.

Even the palace guards treat us as something special. Since we started living here, Sir Glauco has added four extra guards. Now there are sixteen palace guards always on guard duty, patrolling the courtyard.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 06



We don't see the queen very much, maybe once or twice a week. She is usually off doing whatever she does helping to keep peace in kingdom, cleaning up the environment, promoting equality for all Tri-etherealians and teaching everyone to read and write. She does this work from the palace. She doesn't want her private residence used for anything except entertaining her friends and relatives. She looks upon her private retreat as a place where she can escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday living.

Lord Kartier was right. Lord Kennington's moratorium has caused many Tri-etherealians to call for a repealing of the anti-Trimorph laws and a pardon for me and John. In fact, the tide has switched the other way. Now it is those who want to keep the laws as they are and those who want to see us executed or banished who are in the minority.

Of course, the main reason for their switching sides is because they believe that the moratorium on construction of new structures and repairs to existing buildings applies to their homes and businesses.

They don't care about me and John. The only thing they're interested in is making their own lives more comfortable. They believe that the moratorium is interfering with their desire to live in comfort.

However, neither Lord Kartier nor Lord Kennington believes that the law was intended to prevent commoners from do maintenance on their houses, barns, business and such. But then neither of them has done anything to get them to change their beliefs. That's because, as Lord Kartier predicted, the moratorium is forcing the issue. It's causing Tri-etherealians of all ranks to demand an end to the discriminatory laws and a pardon for me and John.

Lord Kennington said that he is just needs one more vote then he will have the two-thirds majority needed to repeal the laws. Once the laws are repealed then King Andrew can pardon me and John without risking a riot. Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are going to go talk to Lord Rygon tomorrow. They hope to talk some sense into his head that he would be better off financially if he voted to repeal the laws.

As for those who want to maintain the status quo, their total is still standing at fifteen votes. When Lord Kennington asked Lord Vetter how he intends to vote Lord Vetter refused to answer him. The other Lords will either do the same or tell Lord Kennington to mind his own business. That's because they are afraid to speak out publicly on how they will vote. As I said, the tide has switched the other way, now most Tri-etherealians want to change the laws.

The reason the two Lords are going tomorrow to talk to Lord Rygon and not today is because yesterday they went with a Mr. Marks to visit Stonebridge. Mr. Marks is the one of foremost architects for Norlen. He has been selected to repair Stonebridge and he wanted to inspect it in order to get an idea of what would be needed to begin the repairs. But before the repairs can begin a decision must be made over what they discovered.

King Andrew asked Lord Kartier, Lord Kennington and Mr. Marks to meet with him and Bishop Shane at breakfast this morning to discuss their discovery. Bishop Shane is the high priest of Tri-ehereal.

While they were inspecting the monument Mr. Marks discovered a small stone slab door under what many Tri-etherealians consider to be the altar stone. I've seen drawings of it -- besides the one in our bedroom. It's not much of an altar. It's some large black stones laid out in the form of an X with holes drilled through the four ends of the legs of the X.

Legend has it that Trimorphs were stripped of all their clothes and strapped to the X and then either executed or forced to drink the hemlock potion.

Surrounding the X are huge white stones laid out in a circle around the altar. One enters the monument from the north or the south, through two arched gateways. At the head of the X in the circle of white stones is a large upright black stone with a large V cut into the top of it. At one time there was a flat black stone on top of this stone, forming a triangle. This stone disappeared a long time ago.

This V-Stone, as it is called, is situated so that precisely at sunrise during the summer solstice the sun rises through it and shines down on the X stone or altar.

They opened the stone slab door. It led to a small room below the altar with a stone slab table in the center of it. On the walls of the room, carved into the stone, were descriptions of what appeared to be what the Unamorphs did to the Trimorph's bodies after they drank the hemlock. Unlike the ancient Trimorph book of union, the carvings were written in ancient Tri-etherealian hieroglyphics. It will take some time before the writings can be deciphered.

Lord Kennington recognized some of the symbols and was therefore able to read some of what was written. But he is going to bring Lord Hampton back there to obtain a better translation. Lord Hampton is more familiar with ancient Tri-etherealian hieroglyphics.

Anyway, what they found next made my blood run cold when Lord Kennington told us about it. In fact, John was going to go into deep transition but stuck around just to hear what they found. I'm glad he did because he gave me moral support -- their discovery shocked me that much.

There was another stone slab door on one side of the little room. Behind this door were some steps. At the bottom of the steps was a corridor that opened to an immense room. The room was filled with thousands and thousands of naked male and female bodies, presumably Trimorphs. They were all just lying on slabs, on tables, in coffins, in cubby holes cut into the stone walls, on the floor and just lying everywhere. There were other rooms connected to this main room. Each was filled with "sleeping" Trimorphs.

I say sleeping because Lord Kennington said that they weren't dead. Their bodies weren't cold to touch as are dead bodies. Their bodies were warm and limp just as if they were sleeping, as if they were unconscious and paralyzed. They were lying right where they had been placed by whoever placed them in the cavern.

Lord Kennington said that their only deformity was to their lips. Their lips were black. He assumed that that was due to their drinking the vinegar and hemlock.

It was also obvious that the bodies had been lying there for centuries. This is what led everyone to conclude that they were Trimorphs who had been forced to drink the hemlock potion. But they won't know for sure until the Lord Hampton deciphers the ancient Tri-etherealian hieroglyphics.

If they are in fact Trimorphs, then it appears that someone, a very cold hearted Unamorph, got the idea that any Trimorph who drank the hemlock concoction would not die but would be eternally prevented from going through union and then into transition. Thus, both the Trimorph and his or her counterpart would be in eternal misery and despair. At least until they came out of their "sleep."

After breakfast John and I talked about it before he went into deep transition. We came to the conclusion that the meaning of banishment into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal was what happened to those Trimorphs who drank the concoction. They fell into unconsciousness and paralysis after drinking the vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves. Then their bodies were placed in those rooms under the altar.

I could only think of those poor Trimorphs lying unconscious and paralyzed for centuries. I was very saddened by it, especially since John and I have chosen to drink the poison. I was so upset over it I couldn't repair books, write poems or do anything. I spent the entire day just wandering around the estate. I didn't even eat any supper. I just went to our bedroom and looked out the window.

As soon as John came out of deep transition I asked him to go through union so that I can go into deep transition. I told him that maybe after I've slept some I'll be able to get look beyond this and see some good in it. Maybe I would feel better after I've slept some.

He agreed.

I removed my clothes and lay down on our bed. I closed my eyes. I pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel him entering me . . . 

Our metamorphosis is finished. Johanna is in transition; I posses our body.

It was late; I spent the rest of the evening studying chess and repairing books.

King Andrew slept here last night. He has his own private manor here in Norlen but he frequently sleeps here. It's closer to the royal palace.

Anyway, after breakfast this morning Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington visited here again. After talking with the king, the two Lords have again put off talking to Lord Rygon. The reason this time is that Lord Hampton, Lord Kennington, Mr. Marks and Bishop Shane are going back to Stonebridge later this morning. They are going to try to decipher the hieroglyphics that is carved into the walls in the room below the altar.

Lord Kennington said that he would let me know immediately what the hieroglyphics said. He knows that Johanna and I are very much interested in it.

In the meantime, I'm going to spend the rest of the day repairing some more of the queen's books. There are only about ten or fifteen books left in the queen's library to repair. Then Johanna and I can finish repairing the ones in our bedroom.

I had been repairing books for a couple of hours when Johanna came out of deep transition.

"Thank you for going through union with me so soon after coming out of deep transition yesterday evening, John. I really needed the rest after what Lord Kennington revealed to us what he discovered."

"That's OK Johanna," I answered her.

Then to Charles, who was in the library with me at the time, "I was talking to my counterpart Charles. She has just come out of deep transition"

"Whatever you say sir," he answered me. I could tell he was somewhat confused.

"I'm going to talk to Johanna now Charles. It will appear to you as though I'm talking to myself. So just ignore me, ignore what I'm saying."

"Whatever you say sir," he said again and then he left the room.

Then I said to Johanna, "Lord Kennington went with Lord Hampton, Mr. Marks and Bishop Shane this morning to try to decipher the hieroglyphics."

"He and Lord Kartier didn't go talk to Lord Rygon?"

"No they put it off again. Lord Kennington said that he is sure that he and Lord Kartier can talk Lord Rygon into voting to repeal the anti-Trimorph laws."

"How come he's so sure?"

"Johanna, you know the only thing Lord Rygon cares about is money. It is financially better for him to have Trimorphs free so that the shops in his district can sell more Trimorph charms, trinkets, souvenirs and such."

"That's true. Do you think they'll be able to decipher the hieroglyphics?" Johanna said, changing the subject.

"I don't think they have to. You know as well as I do what it says. It says that the Trimorphs were given the hemlock concoction. Then after they fell into unconsciousness and paralysis, they were placed under the altar."

I paused momentarily. I didn't know whether or not to tell Johanna what I was thinking. But I was angry. I was angry at what the Unamorphs did to our ancestors. I decided that it was better if she knew. That it was better if she knew what we were heading for if we are not pardoned.

"They were buried alive in that crypt under the altar, Johanna," I continued.

"Oh don't say that John. It will get me all depressed again."

"But I think you should know what's going to happen to us if King Andrew doesn't pardon us."

She started to cry. I tried my best to comfort her but I was unsuccessful. After several minutes she told me she was going back into deep transition. She asked me to wake her in a couple of hours. I told her I would and went back to repairing books.

When she woke from deep transition I was in our bedroom. I asked her to go through union with me; I was tired and wanted to sleep. She agreed. It had been almost fifteen hours since we had gone through union.

I removed my clothes and lay down on our bed. I closed my eyes. I pictured Johanna's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel her enveloping me . . . 

Our metamorphosis is finished. John is in transition; I posses our body.

After we went through union, I again thanked John for allowing me to go back into deep transition earlier. I had to go. I get so depressed when I think of all those poor Trimorphs lying beneath the altar at Stonebridge. He then went into deep transition and I went to supper.

Wile we were eating supper Lord Kennington sent word that they finished deciphering the hieroglyphics. He and Lord Kartier are going to eat breakfast here tomorrow with King Andrew and Queen Marina and tell us what they discovered. But I'm sure that John's assumptions are correct. I'm sure the hieroglyphics just inform us as to what the ancient Unamorphs did to the Trimorphs.

It's late. Everyone has gone to bed. I was unable to repair any books. Every time I sat down to work on a book my mind would return to the Trimorphs lying beneath the altar at Stonebridge.

I spent the night praying for them and looking out the window at the stars.

At breakfast Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington confirmed my and John's worst fears. At first he didn't want to tell me what they did to my and John's ancestors. But I told him to reveal it to me so that I could later tell John when he came out of deep transition.

Yes, the hieroglyphics reveal in gory detail what the ancient Unamorphs did to the Trimorphs. It was just as John said. But more than that, both the males and the females were beaten with whips before being forced to drink the hemlock potion. If the female had possession of the body then she was raped by all the attending male Unamorphs. If the male had possession of the body he was forced to perform oral sex on all the attending male Unamorphs.

They also discovered that the hieroglyphics were written by ancient Trimorphs, not Unamorphs. According to what was written, after the Trimorph went into unconsciousness and paralysis the Unamorphs just left the scene, leaving the Trimorph's body lying on the X altar. Then late at night some Trimorphs would come and remove the body and place it in the crypt under the altar.

The hieroglyphics also said that the way back from Corporeal can be found in the writings of the Trimorph prophet, prophetess Gabriel and Gabrielle. The hieroglyphics further said that Gabriel and Gabrielle were banished to Corporeal early in the war. They were among the first Trimorphs to have been banished. As to why they haven't returned from exile no one knows.

I asked Lord Kennington if he had Gabriel's and Gabrielle's book in his library but he said no. He never heard of such a book but he said that he would look for it. If it's in his library then it is on the second floor somewhere.

Enough of the bad news. Now for the good news.

Lord Kartier and Lord Kennington are finally going to talk to Lord Rygon later today. They are positive that they can convince him to change his vote. The only thing he cares about is money. If the Trimorphs are free once again then the souvenir shops in his district will be able to sell more Trimorph charms, which means more tax money for him.

Also at breakfast this morning King Andrew told me that he was going to issue a pardon for me and John as soon as the laws were repealed. I can hardly wait to tell John -- he's in deep transition right now.

The first thing I'm going to do is go visit Melissa and Melyssan in Lord Kennington's library.

I spent the rest of the morning at the gazebo, waiting for John to come out of deep transition. Then I talked to him about what we are going to do once we are pardoned. Out of love for him, I changed my mind and decided to explore Tri-ethereal. But he also changed his mind out of love for me and wanted to return to work in the library.

In the end, we decided together to explore Tri-ethereal, mainly because if we returned to the library then that would put Melissa and Melyssan out of work and neither of us wanted to do that.

Then I went to our bedroom. I removed my clothes and lay down on our bed. I closed my eyes. I pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel him penetrating me . . . 

Our metamorphosis is finished. Johanna is in transition; I posses our body.

I spent my time in possession of our body repairing books in our bedroom and studying chess. I really can't do anything else late at night when everyone is sleeping.

At breakfast this morning I received word from Lord Kennington that he convinced Lord Rygon to change his vote yesterday -- I was the only one there as the king and queen spent the night at his manor. Lord Vetter is also going to change his vote. Now they have enough votes to repeal all the corrupt anti-Trimorph laws. He also sent word that he sent notices to all the district Lords and all the administrative Lords that the vote would be in four days.

I can hardly wait to give Johanna the good news. I know she has been waiting for it.

I'm going to ask King Andrew if the Trimorphs who are in hiding can have a celebration in the roundhouse. If the king says yes, I'm going to send out a notice to all of tri-ethereal for all Trimorphs to meet and have a great big party.

I went upstairs and began to repair some of the books in our bedroom. After a couple of hours of that I went over to my chess set and studied some chess positions. When Johanna came out of deep transition later in the afternoon I told her that Lord Rygon said that he would vote to repeal the anti-Trimorph laws. I also told her that Lord Vetter said that he would vote to repeal the laws too.

Lord Kennington now has at least 31 votes, one more than needed to overthrow the anti-Trimorph laws.

She began to cry. When I asked her why she was crying she said it was because she was happy. She cries when she's sad; she cries when she's happy. I don't think I'll ever understand her.

After several minutes she thanked me for the good news. I told her of my plans to have a big celebration. She thought it was an excellent idea. She said that we could decorate the round house with little cutouts of hearts and doves. Maybe even have the palace guards give everyone a demonstration of their expertise with their weapons. I told her we would have to get King Andrew's permission for that. She said that she was sure the king would agree to it.

I went back to repairing books but now with Johanna looking over my shoulder. Of course, she offered me "advice" on how I could better repair them. She's meticulous that way. But I don't mind. It saves her from repairing my repairs.

After a late supper Johanna asked me to go through union with her. I did so.

After I had possession of our body I made the bed. It always gets messed up when John and I go through union. Then I started to repair some books. After about an hour, "John are you there?"

"Yes, I haven't gone into deep transition yet. Why?"

"Well, I'm going to have the servants bring up some warm water so that I can take a warm water bath. I thought I would tell you so that you can stick around and enjoy it too."

"Thanks. I will," John answered me.

"Is that the only reason why you're not going into deep transition?" I asked my counterpart in a very sensuous tone.

He answered me, "Johanna, you have one of the most beautiful bodies -- if not the most beautiful body -- I have ever seen naked and you're going to ask me that?"

I didn't answer him; I just smiled. I know he likes to watch me undress and bathe. He likes to look at naked female Tri-etherealians. But then I like to look at naked male Tri-etherealians, especially John.

After the servants brought the warm water I very slowly and very deliberately removed all my clothes. Then I very sensuously dripped water all over our body. I could feel John caressing and kissing our body. It was wonderful and exhilarating. It made we want to go through union with him again just for the pure joy and ecstasy of it.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 06



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Lord Kennington is set to have the vote tomorrow afternoon. Johanna and I are ecstatic over it. I can't even study chess moves; I can't concentrate. I'm too excited. In fact, both of us have been too excited to do anything these past couple of days, ever since Lord Kennington got the 31 votes.

After about an hour, William Jr. knocked on the door and asked if I wanted to play some chess. We played chess for a couple of hours, all the while Johanna watched us. She has gotten quite good at the game since I taught her some strategy. But she's not as good as William; he's going to make a great chess player some day.

After a couple of hours Charles came to our room and asked William to help him. He left and I asked Johanna if she wanted to go through union. She said yes.

I took off my clothes and lay down on the bed. I closed my eyes. I pictured Johanna's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel her enveloping me . . . 

Our metamorphosis is finished. John is in transition; I posses our body. After we went through union John asked me how I was going to spend the evening. I told him that I would probably spend it repairing books and watching the stars. Then he went into deep transition. Everyone was awakened this morning with bad news. William Jr. is missing!

He was supposed to go home with Helen, his mother. But he asked to stay and play chess with John. After a couple of games he was preparing to leave when Charles asked him to collect some dishes from the private dining room of the king and queen. The king and queen had asked for cakes and tea to be sent to their private dining room upstairs about seven o'clock.

William went down the hall from our bedroom, collected the dishes and brought them to the kitchen. Then according to Charles he headed for home. But he never arrived there!

When Helen arrived here this morning she expected to find him sleeping in the servant's quarters. That's where he sleeps when he and John play chess at night. But he wasn't there. The other servants told her that he left here a little before eight o'clock.

When King Andrew and Queen Marina found out about it they sent two of the palace guards to follow the route William would normally have taken to get home. Two blocks from here they found his cap lying in the gutter.

We are all worried for him.

King Andrew told us he would have Lord Kartier post a reward for William's safe return. Then he and the queen went to the royal palace.

No sooner had they left when a prison guard arrived with a note signed by Lord Kartier. He wanted me or John, whoever had possession of our body, to come to the prison right away. The note didn't say why, only that it was important. It was on torn, dirty paper but it had Lord Kartier's signature on it. The guard said that the note got crumpled up on his way over here. I informed Charles that I was taking a horse and going with the guard to the prison.

About half way there Mr. Strydamu along another Tri-etherealian attacked me. The prison guard grabbed my horse's reigns while Mr. Strydamu and the other Tri-etherealian pulled me off the horse. They tied me up and blindfolded me.

"I told you that if I wasn't chosen to become a Lord I'd kill you Trimorph. Prepare to meet your maker," Mr. Strydamu said.

"You can't get away with this Mr. Strydamu," I said. "The queen's servant knows that I left with a prison guard.

Then he punched me in my stomach. I almost threw up.

I was thrown into a wagon and covered up by something, probably a blanket. Then I could feel the wagon bounce along the street at a rapid pace. I had no idea where they were taking me.

Suddenly John came out of deep transition.

"Don't answer me Johanna. I can see that you're in the back of a wagon covered with a blanket. Just nod your head to answer me. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head yes.

"Did Mr. Strydamu say what he was going to do with us?"

I nodded again. Then I said to him, "I'm scared John. Mr. Strydamu said that he's going to kill us."

"He won't do that. Let's go through union. I'm stronger than you. Maybe I can break the ropes binding our body's hands."

After several hours of bouncing in the back of the wagon we came to a stop. Mr. Strydamu pulled me out of the wagon and tore off the blindfold. We were at Stonebridge. I could tell by the look on his face that he was surprised to see me. He was expecting to see Johanna.

Mr. Strydamu looked at me in disgust and said to me, "Well John, I understand Lord Kennington found several thousand Trimorph bodies all unconscious and paralyzed, all in misery and agony for centuries?"

I didn't answer him. I was just glad that Johanna was not in possession of our body for this. I didn't want her to suffer.

Then he said to his companions, "Tie him spread-eagle to the altar."

They ripped off all my clothes and tied our body's hands and feet to the legs of the X cross. Then they beat our body with whips.

After several minutes of beating, "You're going to join your freak relatives Trimorph. You can open your mouth or I'll break your jaw and force it open whichever you like," he said to me.

I opened my mouth. The Tri-etherealian grabbed my hair and jaw; the prison guard wedged a stick across our body's mouth. Mr. Strydamu poured the potion of vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves down our body's throat. I choked and coughed but he kept pouring.

After what seemed like an eternity he stopped. I looked at the jar. There was still a little left in the bottom. He poured it on our body's face; it got in my eyes and burned. Then with a wicked smile on his face he hit our body across the chest with the whip in his hand.

I grimaced. I could feel our body's feet and fingers going numb. I closed my eyes and began to pray. I could hear Johanna crying.

The numbness was spreading. Soon I could not feel our body's legs and arms. I heard Johanna cry that everything was getting black and that she was loosing all her senses.

I heard some horses approaching and looked to my right. I couldn't see to well as my vision was blurred. I could vaguely make out King Andrew's crest on the shield of the one leading the riders. I didn't know whether it was real or a hallucination of some kind.

I could feel the numbness in my chest; my head began to swim. I could no longer hear Johanna. I was very tired. I closed my eyes.

Riding into the altar area, Lord Kennington immediately dismounted from his horse. He ran up to the X cross. "John, John," he yelled. "Can you hear me? Wake up! Please God wake up."

The Trimorph did not respond. He was gone.

Lord Kennington turned around and said, "Sir Glauco you and your palace guards arrest these . . . these monsters, all three of them."

"It will be my pleasure, Lord Kennington," he answered the Keeper of the Records.

"You can't arrest us," Mr. Strydamu said. "We were just carrying out this Trimorph's sentence. We broke no laws."

"That's where you're wrong Strydamu. It's against the law to forge Lord Kartier's signature and to steal one of the king's horses."

Mr. Strydamu gave Lord Kennington a look of surprise.

"You were not able to elude our surveillance for long. William Jr. was found. He was beaten pretty bad but still alive. He told Lord Kartier that you and some other Tri-etherealians beat him and forced him to tell you where John and Johanna were located."

"So I'll pay a fine for beating a commoner."

"Wrong again fool. We figured out what you were up to. I got the royal council to vote to repeal all the anti-Trimorph laws. Then King Andrew immediately pardoned Johanna and John. You're going to prison for a long, long time for stealing the king's horse, forgery, kidnapping and poisoning a citizen of Tri-ethereal."

Lord Kennington then looked over at the naked, limp figure of John lying spread-eagle on the X altar.

"My only regret is that I didn't get here sooner."

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 07



I woke up lying in a patch of grass next to a dirt road. I was naked. My eyesight was blurred and I had a terrible headache. My stomach was upset. I turned over on my stomach, got up on my hands and knees and started to throw up.

After several minutes my vision cleared. But I stayed on my hands and knees, breathing heavily.

After several more minutes someone put his hand on my shoulder and said something to me. I didn't understand a word he was saying; he was speaking to me in a language I had never heard before. He wore scandals, a sarong around his waist and a strange looking pyramidal shaped hat on his head. It was made from straw.

He kept talking to me in that foreign language and pointing to the road. He had a flogger in the hand he was pointing with. He kept looking up the road with a worried look on his face. Meanwhile he was beckoning for me to get up and get on the road.

I looked to the road to where he was pointing and saw hundreds of males pulling on six long ropes. Most of them were naked and circumcised, but some of them had on scandals and sarongs or loincloths. Then I figured out what this stranger with the flogger wanted me to do. He didn't appear to want to strike me with the flogger. He wanted me to start pulling on one of the ropes with the others before his superiors found me lying on the side of the road.

By now my stomach had calmed down a little bit, although my head still hurt. I wondered if this is what a hangover felt like. I have never had one but I've heard other Tri-etherealians talk about it. It felt like that's what I had; a hangover from swallowing the vinegar and hemlock concoction.

I didn't want him to hit me with the whip so I started pulling on one of the ropes along with the others. I looked to the sky. The sun wasn't too high. I estimated it to be about seven or eight in the morning. Then I thought of my counterpart. I whispered softly to her, "Johanna, Johanna are you there?"

I got no answer, although I whispered softly to her several times. It was unlike her not to answer me. I hoped she was alright. But I couldn't do anything else, not with hundreds of naked males all around me. I decided to wait until I was alone before trying to contact her again. Maybe she was in deep transition.

I noticed another male dressed just like the first one. He too had a flogger. But more importantly, this one didn't look too kind. I saw him hit one of the other naked males across the back with the flogger. He hollered something at him but I didn't understand what he said either.

While pulling on one of the ropes, I started to sweat. This is hard labor, I thought to myself. I have never worked so hard in my life. I looked behind me to see if I could discern what it was that we were pulling. All I could see were the bobbing heads of the other males pulling on the six long ropes.

After about ten or fifteen minutes of pulling on the ropes we passed the body of another naked male. He was lying on his stomach. He had welt marks all across his back, buttocks and thighs and a spear sticking out of his back. I could tell that he was dead. Now I understood that the first male with the flogger didn't want me to get beaten and stabbed with a spear.

He obviously didn't know that Trimorphs couldn't die from spear wounds.

This caused me to start thinking about where I was. The last thing I remember was choking on the hemlock poison and hearing Johanna crying. Then nothing until I woke up here.

But where is here? Is this Corporeal? It couldn't be Corporeal, I answered my own question. It wasn't a summer or a winter solstice when the poison was forced down my throat. Besides, I'm not unconscious and paralyzed.

I speculated that our drugged body must have been thrown back into the wagon and then brought to this place. I figured that it must be some part of the unexplored southern part of Tri-ethereal that is beyond King Andrew's jurisdiction, or maybe I was in the deep interior of either Bi-ethereal or Ethereal. I wondered how long I had been drugged.

By now I had come to the conclusion that those of us who were pulling the ropes were the slaves of those who were wearing the sarongs, or more probably, we were the slaves of someone else and these others were just guards. I watched them hit several others with their floggers, except the kindly one. I saw him walk toward the rear and then disappear.

After about half an hour of pulling on the ropes, one of the guards barked out an order. Everyone around me dropped the rope they were pulling on and moved to the side of the road. I quickly joined them as I didn't want to get signaled out and beaten. With all of us standing on the side of the road I could now see what it was we were pulling.

It was and immense stone block. Its height and width was twice my height and its length four times my height. It was on a sled to which the six ropes were attached.

I assumed that we must hauling stone blocks that were destined for building some kind of monument, maybe another Stonebridge. But this stone wasn't black or white. It was sand colored.

Soon another group of naked circumcised males -- some wore scandals and loincloths or sarongs -- came from behind the stone block, picked up the ropes and started pulling on them. Meanwhile, the group that I was with was herded to the rear of the stone block.

There was a mule drawn wagon there with a huge bowl of what appeared to be porridge. Two slaves were handing out dirty bowls and spoons. Another slave filled our bowls with the porridge.

I didn't know how often we would be fed and when our next meal was so I ate it. The food from the prison tasted better. If I wasn't so hungry I don't believe that I would have eaten it.

After about an hour one of the guards ordered us to put our bowls into a big clay pot and our spoons into another clay pot. Then we were ushered to another immense stone block. I could now see that there were four, possibly five, immense stone blocks that were being hauled by thousands of slaves.

To where and what were we building? I asked myself. I also asked myself why they were using such primitive methods to build whatever it was they were building. Hadn't they heard of blocks and tackles and fulcrums? They seemed to be centuries behind Tri-ethereal.

We started pulling on the six ropes attached to that sled while another group of naked and nearly males were herded to the clay pots that held our bowls and spoons, presumably to eat their slop too.

All this time I still hadn't heard from Johanna; I was beginning to worry about her. True, she could be in deep transition. But I doubted that.

I tried to figure out how long it had been since we went through union during our ride to Stonebridge. From that I could figure out about how long she had been in transition.

Our body was tied to the X cross late in the afternoon. I have been pulling on these ropes for at least half an hour, maybe an hour and another hour to eat. If I woke up the next morning after drinking the vinegar and hemlock, then it would have been at least eighteen or nineteen hours that she's been in transition. We should both be experiencing misery by now.

I couldn't think straight. I thought maybe my mathematics had been off some kind of way. I decided I wouldn't think about it again until later, after we were allowed to stop pulling on the ropes and were given some time to rest.

Then on the other hand, I didn't want Johanna to come out of deep transition at this time, not with hundreds of naked slaves all around me and guards with floggers who were hitting us at the slightest provocation. So far I hadn't been hit.

Nor did I know what I would tell her if she did come out of deep transition, especially if she were in pain from not going through union for such a long time. I hoped that maybe she wouldn't be in pain; I wasn't. That was something else that was bothering me. Why wasn't I in pain from not going through union?

I decided not to think about it but would concentrate on pulling on the rope attached to the sled.

Several hours later I was still pulling nonstop on the ropes along with all the other slaves. I was tired. I was dirty and sweaty. I have never felt more miserable in my whole life. I wondered how long it would be before we were allowed to rest for the remainder of the day. It couldn't be too far off. It was getting late; the sun was low in the sky.

I guessed it to be about four or five in the afternoon, about twenty-five or twenty-six hours since I went through union with Johanna. Still no word from her. But I wasn't in any pain; I hoped she wasn't either.

After about another hour or so the guards told us to stop. At least that's what I figured they said because all the slaves who were pulling on the ropes stopped and sat down in the dust. I sat down too. Some of the others began whispering to each other in that strange language. It was the first time today any of these slaves spoke, although most of them just sat in the dust in silence. I guessed that they were like me, too exhausted to do anything except sit in silence.

After several moments the guards began hollering at us. Everyone got up and walked behind the stone block we were pulling. We lined up by the wagon for more food. Again, we were going to be fed from the same dirty bowls the group before us used. I debated with myself to eat it or not.

Suddenly one of the slaves began to argue with the male giving out the food. The argument didn't last long. Two of the guards came up and began beating the slave who was arguing. Then they dragged him off and stabbed him to death with their knives. I decided to eat the food, no matter how bad it tasted.

When I got to the front of the line I saw that we were being given a white bean soup. I could see small chunks of ham floating in the soup. But unfortunately I didn't receive any meat, just the bean soup. Luckily, it didn't taste too bad.

I had to relieve myself. Earlier I saw one of the slaves just break ranks, go to the side of the road and do his thing. Then he hurriedly returned to pulling the ropes. I wondered what I should do. I didn't want to risk getting beat or stabbed. I looked around to see if any of the others were relieving themselves. I saw a slave a good distance away relieving himself on the side of the road. I did the same.

While I was away from their hearing I again tried to contact Johanna. But I still got no answer. Then I had a thought that maybe the poison did something to her. I felt an ache in my heart. The kind of hurt one feels when a loved one dies or is very sick. I closed my eyes and grimaced.

But I had no time to think about it now. One of the guards was looking at me rather suspiciously. I rejoined the others.

Soon everyone was ordered to return his bowl and spoon to the slaves with the wagon. Then they left and another wagon came up with the guard's supper. They had bread and some kind of drink with their bean soup. From the way they were laughing and talking I presumed that their soup was better tasting than ours.

We must have been on the side of the road for over an hour, just sitting in the dirt. I saw some of the male slaves sleeping. I was very tired, like I am just before I go into deep transition. But I didn't want to let myself fall to sleep as there was no telling what some guard might do to me.

When the guards were finished eating they herded us into a field a distance from the stone blocks. The field was surrounded by a tall fence with pairs of guards posted at intervals. The sun had just a few moments before setting. We were being herded into a field for the night. We were nothing but cattle.

I let myself be one of the last slaves to sit down as I wanted to get an estimate of how many slaves were in the field. I looked to my left and right. All around me were nothing but naked and nearly naked slaves, thousands of them. All of them were preparing to bed down for the night. Some of them were whispering to each other. But just like earlier, most of them just laid down and went to sleep. I decided that the best thing for me to do was to join them.

Just before I lay down I noticed them for the first time; I was immediately horrified. There were crosses with corpses hanging on them in several locations all around the fenced in area. Some of the victims appeared to have been hanging there for several days. I didn't need to ask anyone what they were there for. Crucifixion was a form of execution for commoners in Tri-ethereal, before it was finally outlawed centuries ago.

By now I was extremely tired; I could barely keep my eyes open. But I thought I would try to contact Johanna one more time before I let sleep over come me.

I whispered softly to her, "Johanna are you there? Say something if you can hear me."

I got no answer. I tried to whisper to her softly several times but she never answered me. I became very sad. The only thing I could think of was that the vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves did something to her, maybe threw her into unconsciousness and paralysis. I cried quietly, lay down in the dirt and went to sleep.

Johanna once told me that Trimorphs don't get nightmares.

Well, I woke up with a nightmare. It was the first nightmare I had ever had in my life. I have heard of Unamorphs and commoners having them but neither I nor Johanna had ever had one.

In the dream, I saw Johanna sinking into a pool of quicksand. She kept calling to me, asking me to help her get out. But I couldn't help her because I was all tied up with the ropes that I had been pulling all day.

I sat up. The cool night air sent chills through my naked body. I looked around me. Everyone was sleeping, even the guards. I stood up and looked at the sky. None of the constellations or stars looks familiar. I fell back down I was so shocked.

"What's going on?" I asked myself. I'm with strangers who speak a foreign language. I'm a slave. I'm not in any pain yet I haven't been through union in over . . . what 36 hours or more. Johanna doesn't answer my calls. The constellations and stars don't look a thing like I remember them."

The only conclusion that I could come up with was that our body was sold into slavery to some foreign country in the interior of either Bi-ethereal or Ethereal north of the equator where the constellations and stars are different. But then that would have meant that we were drugged for several weeks or maybe even months.

It was all too confusing. I lay down and went back to sleep.

I awoke the next morning when one of the other slaves shook me. The guards were herding us back to the stone blocks. It was a repeat of yesterday. We hauled stone blocks until about eight or nine, ate breakfast of porridge, pulled on the ropes for another nine or ten hours and then ate supper of white bean soup. After supper we were bed down for the night, only in a different field.

On the third day I got to see what the stone blocks were meant for. Our captors were building three immense pyramids. In fact, one was nearly finished. The pyramids were quite a distance apart but the land between them was flat so that I could see all three of them. What the purpose of the pyramids was I had yet to find out.

All this time none of the slaves spoke very much. Those that did didn't speak above a whisper. That's because the guards would beat anyone they caught speaking. Of course, not knowing their language, I didn't speak to anyone.

Nor did I hear from Johanna. My heart was heavy. I wondered what had happened to her. What had the hemlock poison done to her?

It was the same thing the fourth and fifth days. Haul stone blocks, eat and sleep; that is all we did. The only difference was that on the fourth day one of the guards dropped his knife. He didn't realize it. I waved my hand in his face and then pointed to the knife lying on the ground behind him. He picked up his knife and then gave me a strange look. I just looked away from him and continued pulling on the rope.

On the fifth night I had another nightmare. This time Johanna was drowning in the ocean. I couldn't save her because I was tied to the mast of a ship. I woke up in the middle of the night sweating.

The sixth morning the guard who dropped the knife grabbed my arm and pulled me aside. He said something to me but I didn't know what he said. He beckoned for me to follow him. My first thought was that he was going to beat me or stab me. But he seemed too friendly. I thought I would just wait and see what he wanted.

He stopped me in front of one of the food wagons. He said something to one of the slaves and then left. The slave pointed to the clay pot of food bowls and said scapi. I guessed that I was to stand behind the clay pot with the bowls and hand out the bowls to the other slaves. By now I understood the word bowl. Spoon was oon and esca was food or maybe it was porridge or bean soup. All I knew was that esca meant something to eat.

Later that morning I saw the same guard approaching my food wagon. He was with the kind guard I had met on my first morning. The kind guard was carrying a white sheet and some scandals. When they got to my wagon the first guard said something to the second guard who then handed me the sheet and scandals. Not knowing their language I couldn't say thank you so I just bowed in respect. They both smiled and walked away.

I immediately wrapped the sheet around myself sarong style and put the scandals on. I love to go naked -- although not as much as Johanna -- but I was never more glad to put clothes on. At least now I had some protection for my legs and ass from the hot sun and something I could cover myself with on the cool nights. I also had something to protect my feet from the pebbles and the burning sand.

When the slaves were bed down for the evening we weren't put with them. We were brought to a large open air kitchen. Next to the kitchen were five or six other mule drawn wagons. The mules were un-tethered and herded into a corral. We were allowed to sleep under the wagons, although some of the slaves slept in the grass near their wagon.

Things were finally looking up. I had something to wear for protection from the elements. I could guarantee myself a clean bowl to eat out of. I had an easier job with a roof of sorts over my head at night. As for the food, I could also guarantee myself a piece of meat along with my bean soup in the evening. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to make the porridge taste any better.

That night I had a dream of Johanna repairing books in Lord Kennington's library. She asked me, "I'm tired John. When are we going to go through union so I can go to sleep?" Then I woke up when one of the other slaves nudged me. It was morning. He said something to me and pointed toward the corral with the mules in it. I got up and hitched a mule to our wagon and we were ready to start our day.

After we were bed down on my seventh evening here Johanna finally contacted me.

"John, can you hear me," she whispered in my inner ear.

I sat up immediately. I whispered to her, "Johanna is that you? Where have you been?"

"I've been watching you since this afternoon. Where are we?"

"Wait," I said to her. Then I got up and walked over near the corral of mules. Then I stooped down as though I were relieving myself.

Johanna told me that right after I swallowed the poison she rapidly lost all her senses. She couldn't see, hear, smell, taste or feel anything. In fact, her senses still aren't right. She has no sense of taste or smell. Her vision is sometimes blurred and sometimes she can't see at all, everything is black. She can feel everything that I feel but it's as though she has on gloves. But there is nothing wrong with her hearing. She can hear everything I hear perfectly.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 07



After she lost all her senses she said that she quickly fell asleep and had a terrible nightmare of me getting my head chopped off. She came out of deep transition about the time I was handing out bowls this afternoon. She said that she had a terrible headache when she came out of deep transition; it stayed with her for several hours.

I told her that the last thing I remember was choking on the poison and then a vision or a dream of palace guards coming to rescue us. Then I fell into unconsciousness. Next I woke up here lying in a field of grass and throwing up -- I didn't tell her about the two nightmares I had.

I revealed to her that this was our seventh day here, that Mr. Strydamu or someone probably sold us into slavery to some foreign land where everyone speaks a foreign language. She wondered why neither of us were in pain for not going through union in so long. I told her that the vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves must have done something to us and to our body.

She asked me what the other slaves were doing. I informed her that they were hauling huge stone blocks to build pyramids. I also told that I had been pulling on the ropes too up until a couple of days ago. That's when I was given the job of handing out bowls to everyone.

"Unless you're in pain Johanna, I don't think we should go through union at this time," I cautiously warned her. "Not with all these male slaves here or these guards. Some of them are rather sadistic. I'm sure they would rape you."

"I agree John. I've seen what some of those guards can do, especially that one with the scar on his chest. If I start to experience any pain I'll let you know."

"I'm not in any pain either. For now let's just stay the way we are. At least until we can figure some way out of here."

"OK my love."

"I'm going back to lay down under the wagon. I don't want to stay here by the corral too long someone might get suspicious."

"OK, I'll watch over you my love."

That's the way it stayed for the next nine weeks. I handed out bowls and Johanna watched me from transition. We talked in the evenings after everyone went to sleep. She went into deep transition when I slept. Neither of us were ever in any pain. The only thing that changed was that I grew a full beard and mustache. But then I had to, I didn't have anything with which to shave.

I've seen the kind guard several times. His name is Ore; the other guard's name is Mat. Johanna and I have learned to speak their language somewhat; much of it is one and two syllable words. Now I can talk to the other slaves when there are no guards around.

The pyramids we are building are for King Ta of the kingdom of Japek. They are actually tombs. One of the pyramids is to house the king's personal belongings after his death. Another one is for his wife. The third one is for his body. The stone blocks are cut from a nearby mountain and hauled here by slaves. There are tens of thousands of slaves.

Where the kingdom of Japek is I do not know. Johanna and I discussed it. We could only come to two conclusions. We figured that we are on some island on the other side of the ocean from Tri-ethereal, some small continent that the explorers must have overlooked. We're either there or some nation deep in the interior of either Bi-ethereal or Ethereal.

There are also female slaves. They too only wear sarongs wrapped around their waists or go naked. Most of the Japekian guards own at least one female slave. The female slave's main duties are domestic but they are also used sexually. Other Japekians own from one to a couple of hundred female slaves, depending on their wealth. I'm told that King Ta owns over 1,500 female slaves. He has a different one every night.

The female children of the slaves are trained to do domestic duties and then sold when they reach puberty. The males are put to work hauling the stone blocks as soon as they reach puberty. The slaves call themselves Natenians after their one God Naten. They were conquered by the Japekians about 350 years ago and have been their slaves ever since.

There are two classes of Japekians who are held in high esteem, the priests and the scribes. In fact, the only ones who are held in higher regard are the king and his royal family. The priests are highly respected because they can call down the wrath of their gods upon everyone. At least, that's what everyone believes. The scribes are held in high regard because they are the keepers of the records, just like Lord Kennington.

The scribes write everything down in hieroglyphics on clay tablets. I watch them do their thing when our wagon brings food to them, although I can't decipher what they write. Of course their food, as well as the food the priests eat, is nothing like the slop the guards eat. Compared to what the guards eat, their food is a picnic lunch. I'm not even going to try to compare it to what we have to eat.

The priests and the scribes eat from clean bowls. One of our jobs is to wash the bowls and spoons in the evening. We are given several buckets of water to do this. I also try to wash myself a little bit while I'm washing the bowls.

After nine weeks and two days here Johanna thought of an idea on how we could get out of here. We had been talking to each other and decided to call it a night -- she whispers in my inner ear while I softly whisper to her.

Anyway, I had just crawled under the food wagon and was getting ready to go to sleep -- she goes into deep transition when I sleep.

"John are you asleep yet," she whispered to me.

"No," I said softly to her. I didn't want the other slaves to hear me.

"I was just preparing to go into deep transition when I had a thought."

"What's that?" I answered her.

"Do you know that scribe who always has to rewrite his tablets?"

"You mean Cora, the guy who is all thumbs?"

"Yeah, he's the one," she whispered to me in my inner ear.

"What about him?"

"Well, this morning he threw a rather sharp knife into a bucket of broken clay tablets and trash outside the tent where he works. It's only a matter of time before one of the janitor slaves empties that bucket and throws its contents into the trash heap on the edge of this encampment."

"And that means what to us?" I asked my counterpart.

"The guards all go to sleep at night. I was thinking that you and I could go through union. Then while you're in transition we could escape. When the guards wake up the next morning and noticed you missing they would be looking for you, not me."

"Great idea, but what's the knife for?"

"Once we are far away from here, then we go through union again. When you're in possession of our body you could use the knife to shave. That way you would look different; they would be looking for a bearded you, instead of a clean shaven you."

"OK, I'm all for it. When do you want to do it?"

"As soon as you get the knife."

It was another two days before the food wagon I was assigned to got back to the tent with the discarded knife. Then while the scribes were busy eating, I just picked up the knife and hid it among the bowls. When we got back to the corral area I used a cord to tie the knife to my thigh under my sarong.

That night Johanna and I went through union while everyone was sleeping.

Union was not nearly as ecstatic or rewarding as it normally is for me. I wondered if John felt the same way about it. Also, I had a terrible headache.

"How long do you think I should wait before leaving," I softly asked John after several minutes.

He didn't answer me. I called to him several times but he never answered me. Why he would leave me and go into deep transition at a time like this is beyond me. I'm going to have to tell him something when he comes out of deep transition.

I decided to go now. I figured that the sooner I left the farther away from here I'd be by morning.

I very carefully wrapped the sheet around my waist sarong style and put on the scandals. Next I tied the knife to my thigh. I felt weird wearing only a sarong around my waist. I know John likes to see me naked; he hasn't seen me naked since before we were kidnapped by Strydamu. I wondered what he will say when he wakes up and sees me wearing just this sarong.

I walked right through the gate and past the sleeping guards.

By sunup I was quite a distance away from the pyramids and approaching a small town. I didn't want to enter the town dirty, so I washed the weeks of dirt from myself in a small stream. It felt good to be clean once more.

Walking through the town no one took any notice of me; I was just another stranger doing his or her thing. There were guards herding small groups of slaves all over the place. I had no idea what they were doing. But I could tell that they weren't looking for John. I was glad for that.

By noon, my headache finally went away but now my stomach began to growl. I knew I had to find something to eat. I saw a cart with some fruit and vegetables on it. There was a young male sitting under the cart; he appeared to be the owner's child. I watched the guy selling his produce sneer at the back of a guard after the guard bought some fruit from his cart.

I guessed that the cart owner didn't like slave guards. I approached him and told him that I had no money. I asked him if I could do anything for him for something to eat.

He looked cautiously to his left and right. Then he asked me if I were an escaped slave. I answered him that I was a free foreigner. He asked me if I could cook and do housework. I told him yes. He told the child -- he called the child Mi -- to bring me to his house and tell his wife that I was going to cook and clean house for them.

Mi escorted me to his house. His mother was sitting at a loom, weaving a multi-colored sheet. There was a small baby lying in a crib next to her. She told me her name was Hera; I told her my name was Jo. I didn't think she would comprehend a multi-syllable name like Johanna since their language consisted of mostly one and two syllable words.

She immediately put me to work sweeping out their house. It wasn't all that dirty nor was it very big -- just two rooms and a bathing room. After I swept the dirt floors I washed some dishes.

After I finished she brought me my food. It was a piece of bread, a cup of wine and a bowl of white bean soup with ham. I wondered if the Japekians ate anything other than white bean soup. John told me that it didn't taste all that bad. My senses of taste and smell came back after I went through union with my counterpart; I was finally going to taste it myself.

My first spoonful told me all that I needed to know. Not only does John have a weird imagination, but he also has no sense of taste. It was the blandest thing I have ever eaten. If it weren't for the two small -- very small -- pieces of ham there would have been no taste at all. I'm also going to have to talk to John about his sense of taste when he comes out of deep transition.

I stayed there five days sleeping on the ground behind their house. I swept three times a day. The dirt floors constantly needed sweeping. Porridge in the morning and bean soup in the afternoon, that's about the only foods the poor can afford. Sometimes Hera would give me a piece of fruit or vegetable with my meals. I washed sarongs -- that's the only thing Japekians wear. I also washed dishes twice a day.

While I was doing the housework Hera would weave cloth. Her husband, Sten, would sell the finished product from his cart.

On my second afternoon there I asked Hera to teach me how to work the loom. At first, she didn't want to teach me. I don't know why. But she eventually taught me how to weave cloth. It was easy; I enjoyed doing it. Then after I would finish the housework she would let me weave. She watched me the whole time, always warning me about missing a stitch.

There was a small vegetable garden growing behind their house. There were also some fruit trees growing there, a couple of orange trees, lemon trees, and some strange fruit that I had never seen before.

Each evening Sten would go into the local forest and gather firewood. He sometimes went into his garden and pulled weeds, picked fruit and generally cared for his garden. Mostly he would just go there so his wife wouldn't put him to work. He seemed to be a lazy sort, not the kind of guy I would want to marry.

All this time John hadn't spoken to me. Whenever I found myself alone I softly called to him. But I never got an answer. After three days I began to worry about him. I thought about what happened to me after he drank the hemlock. I didn't come out of deep transition for seven days. I wondered if it would be the same for him.

On my third evening Sten asked me if I had been the slave of a priest or a scribe. He said that my body looked too beautiful to have been a slave of a guard. I told him again that I was a free foreigner. He told me that I should keep telling everyone that, causing me to wonder if he suspects that I'm an escaped slave.

He told me that when escaped slaves are caught -- whether they are male or female -- they are stripped naked and then crucified. Females are raped before they are crucified. They are hung on crosses in the prison camps and along the road leading to Tera in order to discourage other slaves from trying to escape. I didn't tell him that I had seen them from the prison camp John and I were in.

I asked him where Tera was. He looked at me questioningly and answered that it is a large city just east of here. He volunteered that this little town was called Hem.

I next asked him if he had ever heard of Norlen or Tri-ethereal. He said no. I think my questions might have helped convince him that I am a free foreigner.

Next Sten told me that I could only stay two more days. He said that he could not afford to keep me here any longer. Also, some of his neighbors might get suspicious and turn me in as an escaped slave. He cautioned me that it would be best if I left and went to Tera. It was a big city. It would be easy for me to find work there.

On my fifth morning after breakfast Hera gave me some money. She said it was enough to buy me three or four meals if I used it sparingly. She added that she was sorry that she could not give me more. I thanked her and headed east for Tera.

I walked for two days, sleeping under bushes at night.

While on my way to Tera I saw numerous crucified slaves. Some were nailed to crosses; others were nailed to straight poles with their arms above their heads. Of the ones I saw, all but one was male. Not only had she been raped but whoever crucified her shoved a long pole into her vagina after they nailed her to a cross.

While I was looking at her John came out of deep transition.

"What do you think her crime was?" he asked me.

"John, where have you been?" I immediately asked him.

"I just came out of deep transition. How long have I been away?"

"Seven days, the same as me."

"Did you have a headache when you came out of deep transition? I have one now."

"Yes I did," I answered him. "It stayed with me for several hours too. Why did you go into deep transition so soon after we went through union?"

"I'm sorry, Johanna. As soon as we went through union my head started to hurt something bad. Then I rapidly lost all my senses. It felt like I was falling into a deep dark hole. I couldn't help it."

While continuing on toward Tera, I told John where I had been, where I was going and why and who the crucified victims were.

Then we discussed the headaches we both got upon going through union and coming out of deep transition. I told him that union was not nearly as ecstatic or rewarding as it normally is for me. He said that his joy was short lived also because he immediately got a headache after union was complete. He further said that he had no sense of smell or taste and his sense of touch was impaired; the same as me when I was in transition. He later told me that his vision was sometimes blurred or not at all, again, just like me.

The only conclusion we could come to was that the vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves must have done something to our body and to us. Besides giving us headaches, the poison must have extended the amount of time we were in deep transition after union. It must also have allowed us to remain in possession of the body or in transition without causing us any pain, a drawback that was now to our advantage.

Neither of us could conjecture a guess as to where we were. We both assumed we were in the unexplored interior of either Bi-ethereal or Ethereal north of the equator where the stars are different.

John and I decided that I would remain in possession of our body until we got to Tera. I asked him if it was because he liked looking at my naked breasts. He didn't answer me. But I felt him fondle and kiss both of my nipples. I smiled.

It took me another two days to get to Tera. It probably would have taken me longer but I met a kindly family who let me ride in their wagon. The family consisted of a Japekian, his wife, baby daughter and his mother. He told me his name was Era; his wife's name was Ana and his mother's name was Ella. I never did find out the baby's name.

Era was going to Tera in hopes of finding work; he was a scandal maker. I told them that I was a weaver of multi-colored cloths and was also going there to find work. I again thought it best to keep my name simple and introduced myself as Jo.

On my first night with them John asked me why I lied to them and told them I was a weaver -- as we did when he was handing out food bowls, we only talked after everyone went to sleep. I surprised John when I told him that Hera taught me how to weave cloth. I also told him that the reason I introduced myself as Jo was because I didn't think the Japekians could handle a multi-syllable name like Johanna. John agreed with me.

Sten was right. Tera was a large city but not as large as Norlen. It is situated at the bottom of a long, low valley that is surrounded by rolling hills. I could see almost the entire city from atop a hill upon which we stopped to eat some lunch. There is a small river flowing through it; it's a seaport.

While eating lunch I subtly inquired of Ana information about Tera and the surrounding land. Ana revealed to me that Tera is the capital of Japek. King Ta lives there with his many wives and slaves. He frequently goes out into the countryside to view how the construction of his pyramids is coming along.

She said that King Ta also is rebuilding all of Tera with paved streets, new stone houses for everyone, water ducts, public baths, parks and all kinds of improvements. That is one of the reasons Era and she decided to move to Tera.

But the most important -- indeed mindboggling -- thing she revealed to me was that King Ta wanted to make Tera the most beautiful city in all of Corporeal.

"Corporeal," I said. Suddenly a chill ran through me. "Where is that?"

She looked at me as though I was stupid or something. "This is Corporeal my child," she said sweeping her hands into the air. "All this is Corporeal."

I began to tremble. I bowed my head and put my hands to my forehead. I felt John shudder. The only thing I could think of was all those thousands and thousands of unconscious and paralyzed Trimorphs under the altar at Stonebridge. Now our body was among of them.

The legends of Trimorphs forced to drink a concoction of vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves which sent them into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal were not myths.

I suddenly felt very weak. Now John and I were in Corporeal, a parallel world to Tri-ethereal, a world from which no one has ever returned.

"John," I cried out. "I need you. Help me."

"Who is John," Ana asked me.

I waved my hands at her in a gesture for her to ignore my last remark. I got up and walked over to a nearby tree. I leaned against it. I sat down . . . no, I fell down. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. I was too dazed.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 07



"John, help me," I whispered.

"Are you alright Jo," Ana asked me.

"I'm OK," I told her. I didn't want her to know why I was so traumatized.

"I'm here my darling," John said to me. I felt him put his arms around me, hugging me. I felt him kiss me on my forehead. I could tell that he was as shocked as I was.

"I'm here my darling," he said again. "Together we will get through this."

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 08



It took me a couple of hours to get over the shock. I don't think Johanna is still over it and it's been a little more than three years since we found out that we have been banished to Corporeal.

She's not the same person she was when we were living in Tri-ethereal. Gone is the lively, free spirited, young female Trimorph I used to enjoy bantering with, frolicking with and going through union with. Now the only times she goes through union is when I make her. She says it's because of the headaches and the seven days in transition after union. There's probably some truth in that. But the bottom line is that she doesn't want to come out of transition. She doesn't want to face life in Corporeal. 

She feels safe inside, in transition where the discomfort doesn't affect her all that much. After taking possession of our body she has to deal with fatigue, soreness, hunger pains and other body aches, none of which we had to put up with in Tri-ethereal. We even get sick here in Corporeal. I caught a cold last winter. It stayed with me for three weeks. Johanna stayed in transition the whole time. But so far that's the only illness we seem to be subject to.

She is frequently sad and moody. Let a dark cloud appear on the horizon and she gets depressed. Then when things get really tough, she immediately goes into deep transition.

She cries a lot. Well, not a lot but more than I think she should. Before, I seldom heard her cry. Now hardly a week goes by when I don't hear her cry or complain about something at least once.

She used to laugh at my jokes, even the corny ones. She'd tell me that my sense of humor was a joke. It's been weeks since I've heard her laugh. Nor does she give me advice on how to do things. Before, no matter what I did she would always have some constructive criticism for it. Now, there is nary a word, or if she does say something it's usually along the line of 'that's nice John' or 'that's fine John."

She doesn't write love poems any more. She says that there is no point in doing it. She says her prince charming was just a fantasy. Someone she invented to idle away the time. Now she says that she has to concentrate on more important things. But she never says what those important things are.

She claims that she is the same Trimorph she used to be only now she is facing up to reality. But I know that she's changed.

I've changed too since we have been here in Corporeal. I've become more conservative. Johanna says that I'm just growing up, maturing. But I don't think so. Now, I'm a whole lot more serious than what I used to be. Gone too are my carefree days. The old me has been replaced by a more cautious, watchful individual. I trust no one . . . except Johanna of course.

I got a job making and repairing fishnets. I got it our second day here in Tera. I met this guy who was complaining that his fishnets were all torn. I told him that I could fix them -- I made a butterfly net for Johanna when we were younger. He immediately put me to work repairing his nets. Before I was finished, a friend of his asked me to repair his nets. Then a friend of his asked me to repair his nets too. Soon I developed a reputation. Now I have so many orders to repair fishnets that I have to put them on a waiting list.

But the work isn't too hard and it pays well. It's also gives Johanna an excuse to stay in transition. She says that my customers and everyone would only get confused if they saw me one day and then her for the next seven days.

Besides, it might be dangerous for us to frequently change sexes. We don't know whether or not Corporealians would accept our body habitually going from male to female and back again.

Thankfully, it is not against the law to be a Trimorph. Indeed, they don't even know that such a being exists. Nor do they know of Tri-ethereal's existence. But Johanna and I came to a conclusion that it would be better if no one knew that we are a Trimorph.

So I make and repair fishnets and Johanna stays in transition watching me. I do the repairs sitting outside of a little room I rent from this couple who have a small bakery. The room -- that's also where I sleep at night -- is in the back of their bakery; it has its own entrance. In the evening when there is little danger of someone catching me "talking to myself," Johanna and I do most of our talking and comparing information of what we've learned during the day about this place. After, she goes into deep transition and I go to sleep.

I bathe about three or four times a week in a communal bath a couple of blocks from the little room I rent. I don't like it but it is either that or stay dirty.

Baak, he's the owner of the bakery, lets me use his oven to cook my meals. I eat a lot of fish but I guess that's understandable with me making and repairing fishnets. I also give Baak and his family fish to supplement their white bean soup. He gives me day old bread and white bean soup.

Johanna and I go through union about once every six or seven weeks. I have her do it so that we can keep the wheels from rusting, so to speak. I don't believe that we even have to go through union. Neither of us has any pain if we don't go through union -- we no longer have that drawback. She could probably perpetually stay in transition and I in possession of our body, if that's what we chose to do. But whenever I suspect that she is getting too depressed I have her go through union.

Union always cheers her up. It's not as ecstatic or rewarding as it used to be and it doesn't last as long. But we both still take pleasure in it. I guess you could compare union now with a night of partying and then waking up the next morning with a hangover.

Also, we both have headaches after we finish -- one of us immediately after taking possession of our body and the other immediately upon coming out of seven days of deep transition. That's another reason we only go through union every six or seven weeks and not more often. Neither of us likes to be without our counterpart for seven days after union.

It's weird. We can go into deep transition and come right out again after a couple of hours. But if we go through union then we don't come out of deep transition for seven days. I guess it's just another curse of the vinegar and hemlock poison.

We go through union in the evening when there is little danger of someone discovering us. She spends the seven days in the room I rent painting scenes from her memory of Tri-ethereal, leaving only to bathe in one of the communal baths and to buy food for herself. Painting, that's something that she never did before. I don't know from where she got the talent. She's pretty good at it. Whenever I ask her she says that she just picked it up.

No one suspects that I'm an escaped slave. I'm pretty sure that's because I keep myself clean shaven, my hair cut and I bathe frequently. Whereas most slaves are just the opposite; they have no way of keeping themselves clean. In fact, the only slaves who are clean are those who have been recently thrown into slavery. Neither the kingdom of Japek nor the city of Tera has prisons. Those who break the law are just thrown into slavery.

Johanna and I are slowly learning their hieroglyphics. It's an easy language to understand. Their alphabet only has about 10 different letters; the rest are pictographs. But we don't want to let anyone know that we can read and write their hieroglyphics, especially Johanna. It's against the law to teach females and slaves how to read and write.

That's what our life has been like for the past three years. I work on fishnets during the day and Johanna watches me. Then she and I study hieroglyphics in the evening. We talk about our future. When we get tired she goes into deep transition and I go to sleep.

All in all, it's not a bad life. I miss debating with Lord Kennington and playing chess with William. I don't like the fatigue, the soreness and the body aches after a long, hot day. I've learned to accept it. I'm also horny now. That's an emotion that I never had while living in Tri-ethereal. I relieve myself by masturbating in the evening after Johanna goes into deep transition. I've never told this to her; I don't want her to know that I'm horny.

I use my idle time trying to find out if anyone has ever heard of the writings of Gabriel or Gabrielle, of Trimorphs or of Tri-ethereal. Of course, I'm very subtle in my search. I usually go to a local tavern, to one of the public baths or to some such place and ask if anyone has heard of Trimorph monsters that come from the dark and forbidden land of Tri-ethereal. But as I said, so far no one has ever heard of such things or places.

A seafarer told me last month that there is a kingdom to the north of here, across the Syrean Sea. Greck, he called it. He said that the Grecks may know where Tri-ethereal is located; they are known for the explorations of the seas and oceans of Corporeal.

He also warned me to be careful of who I talk to and what I say when discussing any plans to go to Greck. Right now Japek and Greck are at peace with each other. But the rumor is that the king of Greck is envious of the beauty of Tera. King Ta is constantly building up the city's fortifications in case King Anday attacks.

Anyway, according to the mariner, if I let it be known that I wanted to go to Greck, someone may view me as a spy and I could be crucified. So, I'm extremely careful when I discuss the kingdom of Greck with anyone.

Johanna and I talked about it. I am starting to save up our money to buy passage on a ship headed for Greck. Once I have enough money I'm going to buy passage on a ship sailing for one of Greck's seaports. I'm not deceiving myself. Johanna and I figure it will take at least a year for us to save up enough money. In the meantime, I'll just continue to make and repair fishnets.

********************************

"John wake up!" No answer.

"John wake up!" Still no answer.

"John wake up the boat is sinking!"

"What are you talking about, Johanna?" I groggily answered her.

"There it goes again. Oh John, I'm scared."

"Johanna we went over this last night. That's just the ship rolling and tossing with the waves. It's not sinking."

"But the tossing is worse now than it was last night and it didn't do it at all this afternoon or yesterday afternoon."

"Yes it did only not as much. That's because the wind is stronger tonight than earlier."

"Why does the wind have to blow harder at night?"

"I don't know my darling. But don't worry. The ship is sound and Captain Evan knows what he's doing. I made sure of that before coming onboard."

"OK I trust you John. I'm going back into deep transition."

"And I'm going back to sleep. I'll talk to you in the morning."

I met Captain Evan last week while among the docks looking for anyone who might need their fishnets repaired. Captain Evan approached me and asked me if I also made fishnets. I told him yes. We talked. Upon finding out that it takes me four days to make a fishnet, he offered to give me free passage to Pot, a major seaport of Greck, if I make him a fishnet -- it is a four day journey by sea.

The whole time I'm talking to him Johanna is whispering into my inner ear to be careful of him. She kept saying that there was something suspicious about him.

Indeed, there was something mighty fishy about him. Out of the clear blue sky, he offers me passage aboard his ship to Pot. Yet, I hadn't mentioned that I was trying to get to Greck. Nor is his ship a fishing boat; it's a small freighter.

I told him that I'd let him know. He answered that he was in no hurry. He said that he had been in Tera several days and was probably going to stay here several more days. He also told me that if I was serious about going to Greck then I better get something else to wear other than a sarong. Unlike Japekians, only slaves wear sarongs in Greck; the citizens there wear togas.

I checked him out, asking other ship captains about him. They all said that he is the most honest ship captain they know and that his ship is sound. So after talking it over with Johanna that night, I sealed the deal the next morning. It would save us a lot of money. I used some of it to buy a toga. That was two days ago.

Next we found ourselves somewhere in the middle of the Syrean Sea and Johanna afraid that we're going to sink.

I couldn't get back to sleep so I went up on deck to look at the stars. I still haven't gotten used to the strange nighttime sky.

"Good evening, John," Captain Evan said to me in Japekian. He speaks both Japekian and Greckian. But the languages are very similar. That's because they were part of the same kingdom for about 500 years, only splitting apart about 250 years ago.

"Good evening, Captain Evan."

"Couldn't sleep," He asked more than stated. "I wouldn't let that bother me if I were you. That's the way it is with everyone their first time at sea."

"How did you know this was my first time at sea?" I asked suspiciously.

"I heard about you and what you're searching for."

His answer stunned me. I was sure that I was very circumspect when I inquired about Tri-ethereal, Trimorphs and the writings of Gabriel and Gabrielle.

He continued, "A couple of months ago I was in a tavern and overheard you asking about the writings of someone by the name of Gabe or Gabel or something like that."

I didn't answer him. I just kind of nodded my head.

"Then I saw you the other day on the docks. I thought I'd help you out and give you a ride to Pot. It's just a few days journey by land from Gratis, the capital of Greck."

"What's in Gratis," I questioned him.

"There is a library there. It has over ten thousand scrolls from all over Corporeal or so I'm told. I've never seen the place. But that's where you ought to be going if you're looking for ancient writings."

We continued to talk for another hour or so. He told me that I wouldn't have any trouble finding my way to Gratis. All I had to do was to get on the main road leading out of Pot. It led straight to Gratis. He also said that I would have no trouble getting work making and repairing fishnets in Pot. It's a bigger seaport than Tera.

We talked about other things, mostly chit chat. He has a wife and two children in Pot and a mistress without any children in Tera. He asked me where I was from. I told him I was from Tera and that my parents died when I was young. I don't think he believed me. I asked him if he had ever heard of mythical sea monsters called Trimorphs. He gave me an odd look and said no.

Before I went below to try and get back to sleep I asked him what the fishnet was for. He answered me that it was for a friend of his who owns a fishing boat.

Pot was everything Captain Evan said it would be and more. It's a large seaport. It's much larger than Tera. First, not knowing how long we would be in Pot, Johanna and I decided to rent a room. I found one not far from the docks; I paid for three days in advance. It was above a little eatery that specialized in fried fish and other sea foods.

Next I went looking for work. I was able to find work repairing fishnets my first afternoon there. Some guy had three nets that needed to be sewed. It took me two days to do the repairs.

Meanwhile, I inquired about the library in Gratis. It's a three day journey on foot to get there. I found out that just as Captain Evan had said, the library has over ten thousand scrolls -- Corporealians are centuries behind Tri-ethereal; they haven't invented books yet. I was also told that some of the scrolls are hundreds of years old and written in strange languages that no one can read. Both Johanna and I prayed that one of those languages would be Tri-etherealian.

Johanna and I talked about going to Gratis our second evening in Pot. We decided that the best thing was to leave as soon as possible. We figured that if I worked another two or three days repairing nets, then with the money I got from that plus the money we already had, there would be enough to last several days. We would have enough to pay for food and lodging along the way.

After three days I had enough money. I set out for Gratis the next morning.

As soon as I arrived in Gratis I immediately asked for directions to the library. It was a huge two story marble and granite building with ornate columns lining the porch. Inside it was cool. There were young slave girls wearing sarongs around their waists fanning patrons with ostrich feathered fans. For the first hour I just walked around looking at all the scrolls. Johanna kept whispering in my ear to ask someone where the strange language scrolls could be found.

I spotted someone who looked like he worked in the library. He didn't but he pointed out one of the librarians for me. The man he pointed out to me happened to be the chief librarian, who luckily for me spoke both Japekian and Greckian and, I found out later, several other languages.

I introduced myself and asked him if I could look at any scrolls he may have had that were written in strange languages that he didn't understand. He called himself Shool and asked me why. I told him that I was interested in possibly deciphering them. On an impulse, I added that I could read and write Tri-etherealian, a language he probably had never heard of.

He asked me if I could read and write any other languages. I told him that I could read and write Japekian. He merely nodded and brought me to a room filled with old, torn and dirty scrolls. There was a table in the center of the room. It was dusty. The room was dusty.

The Librarian asked me to be careful when unrolling the scrolls. I told him that I would be very careful, that I knew the importance of ancient scrolls.

I immediately began looking through the scrolls, careful not to tear any of them more than they were already torn. After two days I hadn't found anything that even closely resembled Tri-etherealian. Both Johanna and I were disappointed.

But Shool gave us something to be cheerful about. On the afternoon of our second day in Gratis he approached me and asked me if I were any good at repairing the scrolls I was looking at. I told him yes, that I used to work in a library several years ago. He then asked me if I would like a job repairing them as well as some Japekian scrolls that had deteriorated. I, of course, accepted.

The pay is much better than I could get making and repairing fishnets and it is much easier. I also get to work inside while a slave girl fans me with an ostrich feather fan -- she wears a sarong around her waist.

After we had been in Gratis about ten days, the librarian allowed me to rent a room that is attached to the library. He told me it used to be his room when he was younger; now it is just used to store stuff. I cleaned it up one evening and moved into it the next day. It has its own bathing room, just like we had in Norlen. Prior to moving into it, I had been staying in a room above a tavern. It doubled as a brothel.

Our first night in the room Johanna asked to go through union so she could take a private bathe. I wrote a note to Shool telling him that I would be gone for a few days and that my sister would copy the scrolls while I was gone. It's not against the law for females to read and write in Greck.

I filled the small tub with cool water from the well behind the library. Then we went through union. After I came out of deep transition seven days later she told me she was delighted beyond herself. Since then I have watched her bathe several times. I hadn't seen her that joyful since before we were banished from Tri-ethereal.

Another good that came out of working in the library was that Johanna is now closer to her old self again. She frequently teases me, especially about the half naked slave girl who fans me. She jokes with me, laughs and offers me constructive criticism on how I can do a better job. She has even written a few love poems. I'm delighted beyond myself. Now even looking at a strange sky at night doesn't bother me any more.




Tri-ethereal Ch. 08



However, both Johanna and I long to return to Tri-ethereal. Indeed, everything we do is ultimately aimed at that quest.

The bad news is that we both still get headaches after going through union. Also, deep transition after union is seven days long and we each come out of it with a headache.

********************************

Johanna and I have been here in Gratis for over five years. We have gone through all of the scrolls that were written in strange languages. Actually, there were only two scrolls with unknown languages -- neither of which were Tri-etherealian. Both were some form of ancient hieroglyphics. The rest were just scrolls that were so badly deteriorated that they just appeared to be written in a strange language. Shool was very appreciative that Johanna and I were able to repair them.

Johanna and I have re-written hundreds of scrolls, some in Japekian, some in Greckian and some in other languages. While repairing the scrolls, Johanna and I learned how to read and write several languages.

Although she stays in transition most of the time, we have shared much of the work. The reason Johanna stays in transition most of the time is because neither of us wants Shool or the other librarians to get suspicious of frequently seeing my "sister."

Thankfully, Johanna once again looks forward to going through union -- in spite of the headaches and the seven days in deep transition. Whereas before we started working in the library she only went through union to please me.

She also enjoys writing love poems. She folds them up like she used to, goes up to the second floor of the library and throws them off the balcony. But she no longer talks about her prince charming coming to rescue her.

Believe it or not but that saddens me. It's as though she has given up hope. Don't get me wrong. Neither of us has given up hope of getting back home to Tri-ethereal. We never will. As I said, everything we do is with that in mind. But her no longer talking about her prince charming is a small sign that she is accepting life here. I'll never accept it.

The library has some primitive maps of this world. We have studied these and learned much about Corporeal, including the actual shape of the land. All of Corporeal is eerily shaped just like Tri-ethereal.

There are three large continents surrounding the Syrean Sea, which looks like a fat bottle of wine pouring into the Dark Ocean to the east; in Tri-ethereal it's called the Grand Ocean.

Asa is the largest; it compares with Ethereal. It is to the east and north of the Syrean Sea. Greck is located on the continent of Po which is mainly north and west of the Syrean Sea. Po compares to Bi-ethereal. Separating Asa and Po are the Mountains of the Gods, our Spirit Mountains. Both of these continents have unexplored regions to the far north and the far west. Together they look somewhat like a crescent moon.

Then to the south is the island continent of Serenti -- that's where Japek is located. It compares with Tri-ethereal. It looks like a duck swimming toward the Dark Ocean. On the western side of Serenti is the Strait of Pan, which separates Serenti from Po. Its northern end empties into the Syrean Sea and its southern end empties into the Blood Sea which itself empties into the Dark Ocean. The Blood Sea is so named because so many mariners have died there.

To east in the bottle neck of the Syrean Sea are the islands nations.

We learned that Gratis is situated on a major crossroads of trading routes to several other cities to the north, east and west. Pot is to the south of Gratis. It is situated nearly midway between the far eastern and the far western shores of the Syrean Sea. Hence, it is a major seaport for all of the Syrean Sea.

We also learned that King Anday of the kingdom of Greck has no intention of attacking Japek. Like King Andrew, he is a peaceful monarch. In fact, it is the other way around. King Ta wants to attack Greck. King Ta wants to control the lucrative trade that Gratis and Pot enjoy. He also needs more slaves to build his pyramids.

The only reason King Ta hasn't attacked the city of Pot -- it's the gateway to all of Greck -- is because his ships aren't nearly as sophisticated as are the ships of Greck. But even the ships of Pot couldn't match up with the ships of Tri-ethereal. Corporeal is centuries behind the technology of Tri-ethereal. Neither Johanna nor I know why.

But the most important thing we learned is that there is a city far to the west called Lanton in the kingdom of Abeck. It is supposed to have a library twice the size of the library in Gratis.

Johanna and I discussed it extensively. We are going to go there and search the scrolls there to see if we can find anything written by Gabriel or Gabrielle or any other Tri-etherealian. Indeed, we have agreed that if we have to search every library in Corporeal we are going to do it. We are going to find Gabriel's and Gabrielle's books. We are both determined to get out of this world if it takes us a thousand years.

Once Johanna and I repaired all the Greckian scrolls we packed up our few belongings and headed for Lanton. Shool gave me a letter of introduction to the librarian at Lanton. With that I hope to get a job repairing their scrolls or possibly a job as a scribe, seeing that I can read their language. While Johanna and I do that we are also going to search for Gabriel's and Gabrielle's books.

************************************

"John, Erin recognized you. I told you not to have sex with her. I told you that she was in love with you."

I didn't answer my counterpart as I headed for the library's door. I was trying to think of what to tell Erin the next time we met. Sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, I knew we'd meet again. Erin works there and we have to go back there in order to finish translating the ancient scrolls. That's why I said that she is sure to see me again.

Erin was like a huntress after her prey -- and I was her prey. I don't mean that in a derogatory sort of way. I guess what I should say is that Erin was just curious to know why I haven't aged at all in the past fifty something years . . . and she was determined to find out why. Nor was she was going to let me off the hook if I came up with some lying cock-a-mamie story, like 'you must be thinking of my grandfather.' She wanted the truth.

Not that I would lie to her. I have never told a lie in my entire life to anyone and I'm not about to do it now. I may have stretched the truth sometimes -- like telling someone that Johanna is my wife or sister -- but I've never lied.

We met during the Great War. That's what most Corporealians called it. It was suppose to be the war to end all wars. It was fought mainly between the countries on the continent of Serenti against those countries from the continents of Asa and Po. Most of the island countries remained neutral as did Pealand on the continent of Po. But then Pealand has remained a neutral country for the past 750 years.

However, the war to end all wars didn't end them. There have been two major wars since then -- both involving nearly two-thirds of Corporeal -- and several revolutions on the continents of Asa and Serenti.

First, were the East-West Wars, fought mainly between those countries from Po and Serenti against those countries from Asa. That war was followed twenty years later by the North-South Wars, fought mainly between the countries of Asa and Serenti against the countries of Po. Again, the island nations and Pealand remained neutral.

Anyway, my left foot had been injured by a bomb fragment during the Great War. I was laid up in a hospital for about a week. No, I was not a soldier or any other type of combatant. Johanna and I were rare coin merchants at the time. We bought and sold rare coins. I just happened to be in a building that was hit by a bomb.

I had a government deferment allowing me to stay out of the war. Over the years Johanna and I have gotten quite adept at forging papers in order to protect ourselves from the kings, dictators, presidents and the like who wage war on each other and then expect their citizens to do the actual fighting. We also used forged documents to travel across a country's borders. We are very good at it; we have never gotten caught in all the years we have been here.

Also, over the years Johanna and I have provided for ourselves by saving coins of the various nations we have lived in. We have had other jobs. But frequently our main source of income is from the rare coins we collect and carry with us everywhere we go. We have a couple of hundred of them.

They are very portable. When we have to make a hasty retreat from some place in order to avoid someone discovering that we don't age and that we are a Trimorph, that is, that we change sexes periodically, a bag of rare coins is very easy to hide in a small luggage bag or even in our pockets.

Most Corporealians wouldn't recognize a rare coin if they held it in their hand. Hence, thieves are less likely to steal a few coins. Besides, we always keep several ordinary coins in the bag to help hide the rare ones. We also keep a few bills of large denominations of paper money nearby so that they will steal that instead.

But most importantly, coin collectors will pay dearly for rare coins that are in excellent condition.

Anyway, Erin was a nurse in the hospital. We dated, took long walks together, the usual stuff. Johanna told me that Erin was in love with me, that I shouldn't go to bed with her. She said that sex with her would only break her heart when we had to move on. Which we have had to do every few years when someone notices that our body isn't aging and theirs is.

But I wouldn't listen to my wiser counterpart. Erin was beautiful and I had to have her. Now I wish I had listened to Johanna.

This morning I was in the Stellear Library. It's the largest library in the Free Republic of Po. It's named after Alan Stellear, a patron of the arts. Johanna and I were searching through the Tarah Desert scrolls for what we hoped were the long lost writings of Gabriel and Gabrielle. We had read some published reports that the scrolls contained some ancient hieroglyphics of an unknown language.

The Tarah Desert scrolls were discovered about 25 years ago in the Desert of Tarah -- that's on the continent of Serenti. Some of them were finally made available for public viewing last year. Even then you had to get special permission to see them and could only view them under glass. After three months of writing letters of requests, I finally got a letter of permission from the library's vice president.

Our first look told us all we needed to know. The scrolls were written in ancient Japekian hieroglyphics! The language is unknown because King Ta attacked the city of Pot three years after we left Gratis -- Johanna and I were living in Lanton by then. King Anday declared war on the kingdom of Japek and destroyed it. But he wasn't satisfied with just conquering Japek.

He also destroyed every trace of the kingdom -- he couldn't destroy the pyramids. But he did wipe out every trace of their language and their culture. He crucified King Ta, several of his wives and children as well as numerous priests and scribes. The only reason history knows that the kingdom of Japek ever existed is because of the writings of the scribes of the kingdom of Greck and because of the Natenian prophets. King Anday set them free after he destroyed Japek.

I had been in the library about half an hour and had just started looking at the Tarah Desert scrolls -- with Johanna looking over my shoulder from transition -- when Erin comes up and says hello. Even as old as she was, I recognized her in an instant. I answered her with a surprised hello. The conversation immediately turned to our mutual past.

I sidestepped her questions about why I left and how I haven't aged and changed the subject. I asked her how she came to be in the library.

She said that after the Great War she retired from nursing and picked up my hobby of deciphering ancient texts -- fifty years ago I told her that it was my hobby. But what she was really saying was that after I left her, she tried to follow me by learning how to translate ancient languages. She knew she could find me doing that also.

She revealed that the translation of these scrolls was primarily her work. I gave her a puzzled look because I knew the translations were done by someone with a different name. Then it dawned on me that she was married and the translations were published under her married name.

She said that the strange language is similar to ancient Greck -- but Johanna and I knew that. But her next statement knocked me over. She told me that the scrolls were written by a scribe named Alexander who said he was from the land of Trimorph. She asked me if in my studies of ancient languages I had ever heard of such a land.

I wasn't going to lie to her and tell her no. But I didn't want to answer her without first talking it over with Johanna. I made a hasty retreat for the door, telling her that I would be back the next day. I added that I had to consult a friend of mine who knew ancient Greckian. I didn't tell her that I wanted to talk with Johanna about the scribe who wrote the scroll before going any farther into translating it. Nor did I reveal to her that the scrolls were written in ancient Japekian hieroglyphics and that I could translate it.

As I took my seat in the subway, I was also thinking that of all the libraries in Corporeal, Erin had to pick this one to work in, when Johanna again broke into my thoughts.

"You also know I don't mind if you have sex with female Corporealians. Don't I have sex with male Corporealians?"

"So what are you complaining about?" I whispered softly. I didn't want anyone else riding the subway car to hear me, although the car I was in was nearly empty. But I was also trying to change the subject. I knew where Johanna was heading and I didn't want to talk about that.

"I'm not complaining about your having sex with a Corporealian. I'm just stating that Erin knows you were the same individual she had sex with and fell in love with when she was in her twenties. And now she's what . . . seventy something years old."

Again, I didn't answer Johanna. I knew she was right.

"She's going to want an answer to her questions about you leaving her and not aging in all these years. . . . Our stop is coming up John. Pull the cord so that the conductor knows to stop the subway."

I pulled the cord and got off when the subway came to a stop. I walked up the steps to be greeted by the hustle and bustle of New Kory traffic, busses, taxi cabs, police cars, garbage trucks, limousines and the inevitable road repair gangs all over the place, fixing potholes. You would think that the largest city in Po would have better streets.

The autumn wind blew my parka open. I zipped it up and thought about Erin, about Gratis, about Lanton and all the hundreds . . . no thousands of libraries Johanna and I have searched through only to come up empty handed every time.

No, not every time. Lanton proved to be a bonanza. We found a scroll there written by a Trimorph. It was old and badly deteriorated and wasn't written by either Gabriel or Gabrielle. But we both recognized the Tri-etherealian language.

Its author -- a Trimorph named Alexander and Alexandria -- had been here in Corporeal for over two thousand years when he and she wrote it. It was about 150 years old when we found it. We still have a copy of that scroll.

They said that they too were looking for Gabriel's and Gabrielle's books but couldn't find them. Other than giving advice on how to avoid detection of our Trimorph status, the scroll didn't offer much information. But the scroll did give us hope.

They advised their readers not to reveal their Trimorph status to anyone; they hadn't.

They further said that they had never met another Trimorph in all the time they were here. I got the impression that they weren't trying very hard to meet other Trimorphs, but were keeping a low profile. So have me and Johanna.

They speculated that the reason they hadn't met another Trimorph was because Trimorphs became rather skillful in hiding their true identities from Unamorphs while still in Tri-ethereal. That ability just carried over to Corporeal after they were forced to drink the hemlock concoction.

Alexander and Alexandria also speculated that Trimorphs probably cannot recognize each other upon meeting -- another ability lost from drinking the poison -- and that's probably another reason they have never met another Trimorph. Further, it was their belief that most Trimorphs gave up hope upon arriving here in Corporeal; they just gave up trying to find out how to get back to Tri-ethereal.

So, when Erin mentioned that the Tarah Desert scrolls were written by a scribe name Alexander from the land of Trimorph, we naturally thought of the Trimorph Alexander and Alexandria. Johanna didn't say anything to me at that moment but I felt her get excited. I felt her grab my shoulders and squeeze them. I knew her hopes were as high as mine.

After twenty thousand years of searching, we have finally found another scroll written by Alexander and Alexandria. Looking over the ancient scroll in the Stellear Library, I knew Johanna was thinking the exact same thing I was -- that maybe we would finally find out how to get back to Tri-ethereal.

All the way to our apartment Johanna was silent. But I knew that she was thinking about Erin and what I should tell her. As I unlocked the door I decided to face up to my . . . no our problem.

"So what do you think I should tell Erin tomorrow when we meet?" I asked Johanna.

"I don't know John. You can't lie to her and she won't believe the truth."

"No, I'm not going to lie to her. I haven't lied to anyone in my entire life and I'm not going to start now. I don't care how much it hurts me."

I turned on the television but muted it. I think better that way and I needed to think about what to tell Erin. I didn't want to hurt her . . . again. I also wanted to get a look at all the scrolls which were not open for public viewing to see what else Alexander or Alexandria may have written. I knew Johanna wanted to see them too. The letter I had only allowed me to view the ones opened for public inspection.

But in order to view those scrolls which were not released for public viewing you had to get special permission from Erin as well as the owners of the scrolls, the library's CEO, the insurance company . . . you probably had to get permission from God for all Johanna and I knew.

I sat down and stared blankly at the screen. After several moments I said to Johanna, "Why not tell her the truth, the whole truth? We got a copy of Alexander's and Alexandria's scroll, written in Tri-etherealian. That's a language she's never heard of."

"She's not going to believe you John."

"Suppose we let her watch us go through union? Once you're in possession of our body and I'm in transition that would convince her that we are not just some quack or some fanatic trying to look at rare scrolls. It would convince her that we know what we're talking about when we discuss Trimorphs and Tri-ethereal."

"How would that help?"

"Then she would be more inclined to let us look at all her notes and let us look at all the pages, including the ones that are not open to public inspection. Maybe she could use her influence with her bosses to get us permission to look at them."

"But suppose she goes to the authorities and tells them that we're an alien or some kind of monster."

"She won't. And besides, if she does what is she going to use for proof."

"She won't need proof, John. All she has to do is tell someone . . . anybody of authority who can lock our body in a prison cell until they are satisfied that we are not a terrorist bent on destroying everything and everyone."




Tri-ethereal Ch. 08



"That won't happen . . ."

"Don't say it won't happen. Remember when we were living in Spen? Our body was locked up for three days before we were finally freed. And that was just because our landlord got suspicious when he overheard you talking to yourself.

"Well I couldn't tell him I was talking to you. Besides that was over 250 years ago. Believe me Johanna, I've thought about this. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to tell Erin the whole truth."

We continued to discuss it until late in the afternoon, weighing all the pros and the cons. In the end, we decided that I would tell Erin all about Trimorphs, Tri-ethereal, Unimorphs, banishment and everything.

In all the years we have been here in Corporeal, we have never told a soul about our tri-existence. We knew we were taking a chance now; we didn't know how Erin would react to the revelation. But we both agreed that we had to take the chance. We figured that that was the only way we were ever going to get to see all the scrolls.

Then if Erin didn't believe me, then Johanna and I would go through union with her watching us.

Then Johanna could ask Erin to see her notes on the Tarah Desert scrolls as well as those pages that were not open for public inspection. We had to see those scrolls . . . all of them. We had to see if they contained any information on how to get back to Tri-ethereal.

To be continued . . .



Tri-ethereal Ch. 09



I was very tired after discussing with Johanna what I was going to reveal to Erin. Frequently, whenever I have long, deep discussions with my counterpart the deliberations leave me completely exhausted. This time was no different. By the way, it was never that way when we were living in Tri-ethereal.

I lay down to take a nap. I asked Johanna what she was going to do. She said that she was going to go into deep transition and asked me to call her when I woke up from my nap. I didn't ask her but I'm sure the discussions left her exhausted too.

I awoke with a start. I had had a dream of me and Johanna in an airport. We were buying tickets to fly to Tri-ethereal. But the plane was late.

I looked at the digital clock on top of the television. It was almost six o'clock. I'd been asleep for nearly two hours. I called to Johanna. She said that she had come out of deep transition just a few minutes earlier. Then she reminded me that if we had to go through union in order to prove to Erin that we are a Trimorph from Tri-ethereal then I would be in deep transition and unable to talk to her for seven days. I told her that that was OK with me.

I went to the refrigerator to see if there was something I could munch on. Nothing there except yesterday's meatloaf and some macaroni and cheese. It would only take me a minute to warm it up in the microwave but I wasn't in the mood for leftovers. Maybe I would eat it for a snack later this evening. If not then I would probably end up throwing it away.

I thought about Queen Marina. She would love living with today's modern conveniences. She hated wasting things, especially food. She was always complaining about having to throw away food when there were so many poor, starving children in Tri-ethereal. 

I went to the cupboard; nothing I felt like eating there either.

I knew what my problem was. I was still somewhat anxious over what I was going to tell Erin. Where should I start? How should I proceed? Should I give her details or just a short summary? Then there was always the nagging question of whether or not she would believe me.

Then on a hunch I used my laptop to look up Erin's address on the Internet; I figured it shouldn't be too hard to find an address for someone with her credentials. I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to talk to her to get permission to see all the scrolls. If she was home, I'd go see her now. I informed Johanna what I was doing. She thought it was an excellent idea.

I got Erin's address. It was a short ride on the subway from my apartment; I could be there in a few minutes. Luckily her phone number wasn't unlisted. I called her and asked her if I could come over. I told her that I had a copy of an ancient scroll I wanted to show her. She said that it was OK with her as long as I didn't stay too late. She likes to get to bed early.

The first thing I did was to apologize to her for leaving so abruptly from the library this morning. She said that she was used to me leaving her without an explanation. I cringed. Johanna whispered to me, "You deserved that after the way you dumped her."

I ignored Johanna. "That's why I'm here, Erin. I want to explain to you why I left you years ago. It's also why I'm here now."

"I was about to have some cake and tea. Would you like some?"

"I'll have some tea thanks. I just finished a burger, fries and a drink on my way over here."

"You're eating junk food now John. That's not like you."

"Johanna doesn't like it either. But I rarely eat the stuff, only when I'm in a hurry."

"Who's Johanna, you're wife?"

"No, I'm still a bachelor. But she's another reason I'm here."

I took off my parka, draped it over the back of a chair and sat down at her kitchen table. It was a small kitchen. The apartment was small. But then I didn't expect much more from an elderly widow living by herself.

"How old do you think I am Erin?"

She put another cup, saucer and spoon on the table in front of me.

"Well my math isn't so good John and you never did tell me your age when you were in the hospital. I'm 72 so I would venture a guess and say that you're about 74 or 75 years old. But you don't look it. Did you find the fountain of youth in your adventures?"

"No Erin, I didn't. And I'm not 75; I'm a little older than that."

I paused, wondering how to proceed. Johanna whispered to me, "Don't stop now; you're on a roll."

Then, "Would you believe that I'm not a Corporealian. I'm actually from another world and I'm over twenty thousand years old?

"John, I'm too well educated to believe in aliens from distant planets landing here. The distances between stars and galaxies is far too immense . . ."

"I'm not from another planet Erin." I interrupted her. I'm from a parallel world to Corporeal called Tri-ethereal."

The water was boiling on her stove. She was ignoring it, just staring at me with a puzzled look on her face. I was sure there were a thousand questions going through her mind at that moment.

After several long seconds she retrieved the teakettle.

I continued, "I haven't read all the Tarah Desert scrolls, but I'm sure they weren't written by someone from the land of Trimorph. I'm sure their author called himself a Trimorph. Am I correct?"

Erin didn't answer me. She poured the water into the teapot and returned the teakettle to the stove. Then, "I did have some trouble with translating those lines. I assumed it was just the difference between the two different but similar languages, between ancient Greckian and whatever language it's written in."

"It's ancient Japekian hieroglyphics."

"Oh come on John you can't be serious? King Anday destroyed all traces of Japek, including their language."

"I can read ancient Japekian hieroglyphics."

"John I wasn't born yesterday. You waltz in here, tell me that you're some kind of alien and that you can read Japekian hieroglyphics, a language from a culture that was destroyed twenty thousand years ago. Then you expect me to believe you? Who's your plastic surgeon? I'd like to look as young as you do."

I pulled off my left shoe and sock and put my foot up on the table. "Where's the J? And look, I can bend my big toe; the tendon isn't cut. Shouldn't I have a scar on the ball of my foot in the shape of a J for John? You're the one who changed the bandage on it fifty years ago."

Erin looked from my foot to my face. Again, there was a puzzled look on her face. Again, I was sure there were a thousand questions going through her mind at that moment.

She filled both of our cups with tea. I put two spoons of sugar in mine; she did the same.

Then while Erin ate her cake and I drank my tea I began to explain to her all about my life. I told her about Tri-ethereal and how it is a parallel world to Corporeal. I described the Stonebridge monument to her. I told her about Unamorphs and the war they declared on Trimorphs.

Through most of it she sat in silence while I rambled on. Then she asked me how I got here if I'm from a parallel world. For a couple of seconds I just looked at her, trying to figure out how to proceed.

Johanna whispered, "Tell her John. Tell her that you're a Trimorph."

"Erin, I'm not a simple being . . . I'm a Trimorph. Trimorphs can't die; we live forever. We have a tri-existence."

I paused again. Then, "There are three of us here. There's me; I'm the male. There's my counterpart, Johanna; she's the female. Then the two of us share this one body. It's both male and female but only one sex is evident at any one time, the sex of the one in possession of our body."

I told her that Johanna and I were forced to drink a concoction of vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves. The poison then sent our body into unconsciousness and paralysis here to Corporeal. I added that at the time Johanna and I were banished the technology of Tri-ethereal was centuries ahead of Corporeal, that when we were banished twenty thousand years ago the culture of Tri-ethereal was about equal to her Middle Ages.

"John all this sounds so fantastic, like some fantasy science fiction story. What do you expect me to believe?"

"Look," I turned on my laptop. I showed her my copy of the scroll that Alexander and Alexandria wrote in Tri-etherealian. I told her that over the years I had memorized the text but I scanned it onto disc a few years ago. Before that I kept my copy written in a notebook.

"Have you ever seen any alphabet or language that even remotely resembles this? It's written in ancient Tri-etherealian, the land that Johanna and I are from."

She looked over the document. "What happened to the original?" she asked.

"It was in the library at Lanton. It was burned when the barbarians sacked and destroyed the city."

"The barbarians destroyed more than scrolls when they destroyed the kingdom of Abeck," Erin added.

"It was written by the same Trimorph who wrote the Tarah Desert scrolls," I volunteered. "See his name where he signed it. I'll bet it's the same as that on the Tarah Desert scrolls."

"Yes it is. What is that next to his name?"

"That's his counterpart, Alexandria. He's a Trimorph just like me and Johanna."

"Where is Johanna now?"

"She's within me. She can see and hear everything I see and hear, although sometimes her vision is blurred or not at all."

"Is she here now? Can I talk to her?" Erin asked.

"Only through me. You ask me the questions and . . ."

"This is all too much for me John. You'll have to excuse me if I don't believe you. I'm an old lady who is set in her ways. But I'm not a fool. I don't . . ."

"I can prove everything I say Erin, if you'll just give me the chance."

"John, I don't know what you're trying to pull off. If you're just trying to make up some fantastic story about why you left me . . ."

"Just give me a chance Erin. One chance is all I'm asking. Then if you don't believe me I'll go away and leave you alone. I won't bother you any more."

"How?"

"Mind if I use your living room sofa?"

We both went into her living room.

"This will only take a few minutes Erin. When we were in Tri-ethereal it took about an hour but now its over within about twenty minutes. Just watch me is all I ask."

"Whatever you say John."

Then to my counterpart, "Are you ready Johanna?"

"Yes I am John," Johanna whispered.

I didn't think it would be appropriate for me to remove my clothes, so I just lay down on her sofa. Erin took a chair across from me.

I closed my eyes and pictured Johanna's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel her enveloping me, enshrouding me with her love.

As soon as our metamorphosis was finished I sat up; I didn't linger to enjoy it. John was in transition and I was in possession of our body. Erin was just staring at me, a look of complete fascination on her face.

"Good evening Erin. Allow me to introduce my self. I'm Johanna, John's counterpart," I said.

"Where is John? What happened to him?"

"He's within me," I answered her.

"Oh my," she said weakly. "I've never seen anything like what you just did in all my life. You don't mind if I have a glass of water do you?" She started to get up.

"I'll get it for you. Just sit there. Do you have any aspirins; I have a headache."

"Yes in the medicine cabinet above the bathroom sink."

When I re-entered the living room Erin asked me, "Johanna, that's your name?"

"Yes."

"Johanna, John said that you change sexes. Are you . . . are you a female?"

"Yes, I am. I have a vagina, ovaries, breasts; I'm all female. I can even get pregnant. Would you like me to prove that I'm female?"

"No, no that's alright. I believe you."

Erin and I then talked for over two hours. I again told her all about Trimorphs and Tri-ethereal. She was captivated by our union and wanted to know all about it, the mechanics of it, the physiology of it, everything.

She couldn't get over the fact that I am twenty thousand years old, yet didn't look a day over 20. She asked me if John or I had ever gotten sick. I told her that we have both caught colds every now and then but other than that neither of us had ever been sick.

She seemed more receptive to me and my explanation of Tri-ethereal than she was to John's explanation. I don't know if that was because I hadn't dumped her fifty years ago after going to bed with her, or if it was just because I'm a female and she was relating to female – female talk.

In fact, she wanted me to stay and tell her more. She wanted to know all about King Andrew and Queen Marina, Lord Kartier, Lord Kennington and Tri-ethereal government. But it was late. We promised to meet early at the Stellear Library.

As she was walking me to her door she asked, "Oh, you never did tell me what happened to John."

I turned to her, smiled and said, "He's in what we call deep transition and cannot come out for seven days. I won't be able to talk to him for seven days."

She gave me a questioning look.

"He's asleep and won't wakeup for seven days," I added.

"Good for him. It's what he deserves for treating me the way he did." She smiled.

I knew I had made a new friend.

We met early the next morning at the library. Together we poured over the scrolls; including those not open to the public. It took me five days but I was able to see them all.

Her translation of the ancient Japekian hieroglyphics was quite accurate considering that no one had seen the language for twenty thousand years. She only had a few minor errors in the translations; I helped her correct them.

I asked her how she was going to explain the minor changes to her bosses. She told me that she would just tell them that a friend of hers who could read ancient Greckian helped her. I smiled.

Sadly, there was nothing new to be found in them. That disappointed me and I knew that John would also be disappointed. Although there were a couple of lines that were so badly deteriorated that I couldn't translate them. I told Erin that John was better at translating than I was; maybe he could decipher something out of them.

The scrolls were just advice on how to live a clean, healthy life. But I could read between the lines, so to speak. I knew that Alexander was really telling his readers – other Trimorphs – how to avoid detection of their Trimorph status.

I told Erin what I believed Alexander was doing with the scrolls. She asked me if I knew how many other Trimorphs were here in Corporeal. I told her that I didn't know, that neither John nor I had ever met any. I also informed her of the thousands and thousands of Trimorph bodies that Lord Kennington found under the altar at Stonebridge.

That saddened her. She wondered why we hadn't met any other Trimorphs, seeing that so many of them were banished. I told her that John and I have speculated that that's probably because we Trimorphs learned to hide our Trimorph status from Unamorphs while still in Tri-ethereal and that ability just carried over here in Corporeal.

I informed her that for all these years we kept a low profile, hiding from witch hunters, slave traders and the like. We assumed other Trimorphs probably did the same.

The only way to detect us here in Corporeal is to catch us going through union. Whereas in Tri-ethereal all you had to do is ask us – we cannot lie, steal, cheat or deceive. We are honest beings. A Corporealian could also learn of our status just by asking us. But no one in Corporeal even knows of the existence of Tri-ethereal or Trimorphs. So, no one knows to ask us if we are a Trimorph.

I further informed Erin that before, in Tri-ethereal, we had to go through union about every 14 to 16 hours. But here in Corporeal we don't have to go through union unless we want to. That also helps us hide our Trimorph status.

Erin was amazed at how many different cultures John and I had lived through; how many different languages we must have learned to speak; the technological development we had witnessed and how we had lived so many years without getting discovered.

I told her that we learned to live in obscurity and frugally. It's much easier to avoid detection that way. For the first couple of centuries we worked at unskilled or lightly skilled jobs, never seeking publicity or rewards for our labors beyond our pay, and constantly moving every fifteen or twenty years.

John started saving coins almost as soon as we arrived. There were no coin collectors way back then but he knew eventually some Corporealians would start collecting them.

He knew that because there were coin collectors in Tri-ethereal when we were banished and Tri-ethereal is basically just like Corporeal, except that Corporeal is centuries behind Tri-ethereal in technological development – at least it was when we were banished. The continents and everything has different names but other than that the two worlds are nearly the same.

There were coin collectors in Tri-ethereal and John knew eventually there would be coin collectors in Corporeal. Every new culture we entered, John would save some of their coins, knowing that centuries later they would be worth a lot more than their face value.

I told Erin that I thought John's idea to save coins was a stroke of genius. Whenever we had to move, one rare coin taken from our cache and sold to a dealer or a rare coin collector gave us all the money we needed to start over.

Erin asked me what the technology of Tri-ethereal was when we were banished. I reminded her that John told her that earlier. She said that she had forgotten. I told her that when we were banished Tri-ethereal was about equal to her Middle Ages, while Corporeal was still building pyramids to their gods. I added that Corporeal's technological development was a lot slower than the development of Tri-ethereal.

We spent six wonderful days getting to know each other. We bonded; we became good friends. She asked me if I had watched her and John have sex fifty years ago. I told her that it was impossible for a Trimorph in transition not to see or hear what their counterpart is doing. I quickly added that here in Corporeal our vision is sometimes blurred and sometimes we can't see at all.

"But did you see John and I have sex? Was your vision blurred at the time?"

"Yes, Erin I watched you and John make love. I even told John not to make love to you. I told him that it would only end up hurting you."

"That's . . ."

"If it's any consolation John was hurting for a long time after he left you."

"That's OK dear. Maybe you and I can have sex and make John watch us." Then she smiled.

After six days of talking with her, describing Tri-ethereal and making friends, Erin told me that she understood why John left her so abruptly fifty years ago. She asked me when he was going to wakeup. I answered that he was due to come out of deep transition the next day. She then wanted to know when we were going through union again; she wanted to tell John that she forgave him.

I told her that we could go through union anytime we felt like it. I added that I would go through union with John as soon as he was ready upon coming out of deep transition. She thanked me.

I asked her if she wanted to watch us. Not that I believed she wanted to be voyeuristic about it, but that I figured she would like to see and possibly understand the metamorphosis of it. She said that she would be very honored and grateful to watch us go through union.

The next evening I knocked at Erin's apartment door. I told her that John had come out of deep transition earlier in the afternoon and that I had discussed going through union with him as soon as possible.

"Can he hear us now," she asked.

"Yes, he can hear everything that's going on. He asked me to tell you hello. He also informed me that his vision is slightly blurred right now. That sometimes happens when we come out of deep transition."




Tri-ethereal Ch. 09



"Did you tell him why I wanted to talk to him?"

"Yes I did and John is anxious to talk to you too. Oh and Erin . . ."

"What?"

"John is very depressed that the Tarah Desert scrolls didn't reveal anything new. Go easy on him."

"You didn't have to tell her that," John said to me in my inner ear.

"I will," Erin answered me.

"OK Erin, I'm going to take my clothes off so that you can see how the sexes change. Is that alright with you?"

"Oh yes by all means, Johanna. I want to know everything there is to know about your union."

Then to my counterpart, "Are you ready John?"

"Yes I am Johanna," he said.

I removed all my clothes and lay down on Erin's sofa. I closed my eyes and pictured John's naked body in my mind's eye. Within seconds I could feel him entering me, penetrating me with his love.

As soon as our metamorphosis was finished I sat up; I didn't remain lying down to enjoy it like I have in the past. Johanna was in transition and I was in possession of our body. Erin was just staring at me, a look of complete fascination on her face.

"Oh John," Erin exclaimed. "Watching your body change sexes like that was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

I took my clothes out of an overnight bag Johanna had brought with her and I put her clothes into it. Then I started to get dressed.

"Do you have clothes on when you're in transition?" Erin asked me.

"No," I answered her. When Johanna and I are in transition we are nude. It's a wonderful feeling, being nude while in transition. Even the limited feelings we have here in Corporeal. But the feelings we had when we were in Tri-ethereal was much better. Do you have some aspirin? I have a terrible headache."

"Sit there, I'll get some for you. Johanna had a headache after she went through union too. Why is that?"

"It's something that happens to us since we've been here in Corporeal. I would like three aspirins please."

After I finished putting on my clothes Erin gave me a big hug. Then, "I still love you John. I guess I always have."

She bowed her head and cast her eyes down. I knew what she was thinking. I was thinking the same thing. In twenty thousand years she is the only Corporealian that I have ever loved. She was the only Corporealian that I had allowed myself to fall in love with.

I'm sure the foot injury and the hospital had a lot to do with that. True too, she was beautiful back then. In fact, she still was. She hadn't gotten fat like many other Corporealians do once they reach forty. Johanna told me that she had taken care of her body, eating right, exercising and jogging regularly. She could easily pass for someone ten or fifteen years younger.

"Erin, I . . ."

"No John, don't say it."

"Please Erin, I have to tell you. The reason I left you years ago without saying good-bye was because I knew that if I came to you once more . . ."

I paused.

Then, "After that night we spent in bed together, I knew that I had to leave you. If I didn't, I would never have left you. You would have watched yourself grow old while I retained my youth."

She put her right first finger on my lips and smiled into my eyes. Her left hand was on my shoulder. My arms were around her waist. We kissed. It was a long, passionate kiss.

After we broke the kiss, "Erin, I have wanted to do that since I first saw you last week."

"Johanna, your counterpart, told me all about why you left me. Your secret is safe with me John. Besides whose going to believe an old lady who is still in love with a dashing young stud she met fifty years ago?"

She grabbed my hand and headed toward her bedroom door.

I pulled back. "Erin, I don't want to hurt you again."

"You won't hurt me John. Now there's no reason for you to leave. I know that you're a Trimorph and I know about your changing sexes."

The oldest Corporealian I have ever had sex with was a female in her mid forties and that was a couple of hundred years ago. She was a prostitute I met in a saloon. I was horny and Johanna was in deep transition. But that's another story. Erin wasn't a prostitute and I wasn't horny. But I was still in love with her.

"Will you do me the honor of making love to me without Johanna looking over your shoulder this time?"

After, we were lying in her bed together. We were both naked.

Erin lifted up the sheet and looked at me. "I was just checking to make sure you were still you."

I gave her a quizzical look.

"The Trimorph I went to bed with last month changed sexes right in the middle of it all. I started out having sex with a male and ended up having sex with a female." Then she smiled; her eyes sparkled.

I grabbed her around the waist. We wrestled. We kissed. I was alive again! I wasn't stuck in an alien world with no hope of getting back to my own world. We made love again.

Later we were sitting in her bed eating some leftover cold fried chicken and potato salad. We were both still naked.

"John, I know that you're very depressed over Johanna not finding any new information in the scrolls. But I want . . ."

"I'm not depressed. Not now anyway." I smiled at Erin.

"I'm glad that I could help you overcome your depression."

I continued, "Johanna told me that there were some lines that she couldn't decipher because they were too deteriorated. I want to look at them."

"They're in real bad shape, John. I don't believe you'll get anything from them."

"I'm a better translator of Japekian than Johanna. That's because she stayed in transition most of the time. It was easier for me to find work thousands of years ago. It was also safer. Single females were often kidnapped and raped or sold into sexual slavery."

I tell Erin that if I find out that the Tarah Desert scrolls contain information that helps me return to Tri-ethereal then I will have to go back. I tell her that it's not just my choice; Johanna also wants to return home. Erin understands; she wants me to go back.

She asks me to tell her again how Johanna and I were banished here in the first place. I tell her that I was tied to an altar in the shape of an X and the hemlock poison was forced down my throat. Johanna was in transition at the time. I fell into unconsciousness and woke up in a field of grass next to a road in ancient Japek.

Erin doesn't understand. She doesn't understand how it is possible to literally go from one world to another just by drinking something, even if it was a poison. She could understand it if I were brought here in some kind of space portal or something but not just by drinking something.

She tells me of a psychology class she once took. She tells me that our mind can play tricks on us. We can even convince ourselves that something happened to us that really didn't happen. Even dreams we have had, we can convince ourselves that those events really happened.

"Are you sure you weren't forced to drink some concoction and then have some kind of nightmare that you were in Tri-ethereal?"

"No Erin. I was in Tri-ethereal for over ten years with Johanna. I have been here in Corporeal with Johanna for twenty thousand years. I didn't dream any of that."

Her question angered me. But more than that, it depressed me again. I didn't want to hurt her so I left her apartment and returned to mine. Once there I did what I always do when I want to think, I put on the television. I watched it for a couple of minutes before muting it.

There was science fiction story on about a mad scientist who developed an apparatus that allowed him to enter the minds of other Corporealians while they are sleeping. He can put thoughts into their minds that make them do what he wants them to do. It's a stupid movie. I muted it so I could think.

I rehashed everything that happened to me and Johanna, from the moment she was abducted by Strydamu to my waking up in ancient Japek.

After about twenty or thirty minutes a scene in the movie catches my interest. I un-mute it and watch it for a few minutes. The mad scientist has put a suggestion into a female's mind that causes her to believe that she is living on a different planet where females are the sex slaves of males. She has become his naked sex slave and is living in a room of his house that he has converted into a sex slave's dungeon. He has her believing that there is no other world outside the dungeon.

The movie stimulates me to contemplate about what Erin said earlier, about me just dreaming that I was in Tri-ethereal after I drank the hemlock potion. I think about the thousands and thousands of Trimorph bodies just lying under the altar at Stonebridge . . . as if they are sleeping.

All of a sudden it dawns on me, like a revelation or a door suddenly opening.

I say to myself, "Unamorphs gave Trimorphs a suggestion that drinking the vinegar and crushed hemlock leaves would send them into unconsciousness and paralysis to Corporeal. But that's a myth. The only thing that can harm a Trimorph is to torch our body or to chop our head off. Our body will heal itself if given enough time."

I look again at the naked sex slave on the television. She is sleeping on a cot with a mattress stuffed with straw but no blanket, just like me and Johanna had in the Norlen prison. She has manacles on her ankles and wrists with another chain around her waist, again just like me and Johanna had in the prison.

I think again of the thousands of Trimorphs still under the altar.

"It wasn't a solstice or an equinox when I was forced to drink the hemlock. That too is a myth."

I look again at the television.

"I'm still in Tri-ethereal," I say to myself. "I've never left. The past twenty thousand years has been one long, terrible . . ."

I do not finish the sentence. I know that my and Johanna's experiences in Corporeal for the past twenty thousand years have not been a dream; they were real. Yet, Corporeal is only one type of reality.

I know what I must do!

I go into the bedroom of our apartment and lie down on the bed. I close my eyes. I picture Johanna's nude body in my mind's eye. I feel her begin to envelope me and wrap herself around me.

But there is something wrong. She is fighting me. She doesn't want to go through union. She complains that she has a headache and wants to go back to sleep.

I push her on and force her to go through union. She cries out in pain, the pain of someone being forced against her will . . . of someone being raped. But I do not stop. Deeper and deeper I enter into her. Farther and farther I push her on.

"No John please," she begs. "Let me go back to sleep. It hurts. I have a headache."

"I'm not going to stop now," I say to her. Envelope me; wrap yourself around me!" I command her.

I see her nude body. I smack her on her ass. She begs for mercy. I smack her again and again. She cries out.

I plunge deeper and deeper into her love. She begins to respond, enveloping herself around my length. I pinch her nipples and yank hard on them. I push her harder. She moans in delirium; she is a helpless ragdoll.

Deeper and longer, faster and harder I drive her farther. I am almost there. My climax is approaching.

Faster, deeper, I plunge on. Driving, thrusting, pumping I cannot stop.

Johanna is writhing, thrashing and squirming.

I am grunting and moaning; driving her on, pushing her farther, harder.

Suddenly Johanna screams out, "Oh Joooooohn. I'm comiiiiiing to you!"

One more thrust and I too explode in a cataclysmic eruption.

I then plunge into bliss; an ecstasy I have not felt in twenty thousand years.

John is in possession of their body and Johanna is in transition. John can feel that too; with a feeling that he has not had in twenty thousand years.

"But that shouldn't be," he says to himself. "I should be in transition and Johanna should be in possession of our body."

"What's wrong?" he asks himself.

He opens his eyes. He is not in his apartment! He is lying on his back inside a very small glass enclosure. There are flowers all around the enclosure. The glass enclosure is lying on a bier in a large candle lit room. It is night.

He touches his chest. He isn't wearing his blue jeans and T-shirt; he is wearing the clothes he wore when he was in Tri-ethereal. He looks around.

He begins to cry tears of joy as he realizes that he is back in St. Michael's Cathedral in Norlen. Lord Kennington is kneeling next to the glass encased bier with his head down and praying.

John taps on the glass and Lord Kennington looks up. He too begins to cry tears of joy. His long, lost son has returned from banishment.

Lord Kennington pushes up on the glass enclosure, opening it. He hugs John tightly.

"John . . . John you're back. Oh! Thank God you're back! The last seven days have been pure hell. I thought I lost you forever."

"It's good to be back home Lord Kennington." He pats his friend on the back.

"What about Johanna . . . is she alright?" Lord Kennington asks.

"I don't know . . . Johanna are you there?" John asks his counterpart.

"John what happened? Everything was dark, I couldn't see or hear or feel anything. John what happened? We went through union in Erin's apartment and I woke up here in our apartment. Didn't we just go through union in Erin's apartment?"

"Johanna, I can see you. Can you see me?"

"No John I can't. It's dark. How did I get out of deep transition? How did I get in our apartment?"

"Johanna, listen to me! Picture me in your minds eye. Look at me!" I command my counterpart.

"John, I'm wearing your clothes."

"Just picture me in your mind's eye. Do it now!"

I picture John's nude body in my mind's eye.

Suddenly, "John! Where are you?"

"Can you see me? Can you see who I'm with?"

"John!" Johanna screams again. "Are you where I think you are?"

"Yes my darling, I'm home with Lord Kennington."

"Oh! John how did you do it? How did you get back home?"

"I figured it out. We never left."

"What do you mean John? I don't understand."

"It's a long story that I can't explain now. I want to go through union again right now."

"John I . . ."

"Just picture my nude body in your mind's eye, Johanna. Do it now!"

I lay down on the bed and pictured John's nude body in my mind's eye.

I lay down in a pew and pictured Johanna's nude body in my mind's eye.

I felt John entering me, penetrating my depth.

I felt Johanna enveloping me enshrouding me with her love.

After several moments John is back in Corporeal in the bedroom of his apartment and Johanna is in St. Michael's Cathedral in Tri-ethereal. Lord Kennington is hugging his daughter tightly. She too has been released from imprisonment. They are both crying tears of joy.

"Johanna I can see that you're with Lord Kennington. Can you see me?"

Johanna looks up. "Yes John I can see you, I can feel you, I can even smell again. Oh John I'm home! We're home!"

She pauses. Then, "But how did you do it? I don't understand; what happened? Why are you in Corporeal?"

"It begins with faith. It has to do with philosophy and psychology, intrinsic and extrinsic reality. Something that you were never interested in. I'll explain it to you later. Right now I want to go back to Erin's and talk to her."

"OK John. I'll talk to you later. It's good to be home again."

Johanna looks at Lord Kennington and smiles. She hugs him again.

"Johanna, it's late but we must wake King Andrew and Queen Marina and tell them the good news. They will want to know that you have returned"

"What about Mr. Strydamu? He kidnapped me . . ."

"He's dead," Lord Kennington interrupts her. "When Sir Glauco tried to arrest him he pulled a knife. Sir Glauco took his head off with one blow from his sword."

As the two are leaving the church Johanna asks, "John, if you figured out how to get us back home, do you know how to get the others back?"

"Yes Johanna I do and we are going to start on that the first thing tomorrow morning."

They have only just begun