"Let's deal with this back at Skyber," said Marius, keeping a firm grip on Aled's shoulder.

"Not so fast," said Lupei, grabbing hold of Aled with one hand and Dax with the other. "I want to find out what the hell is going on."

"We have to get out of here!" hissed Marius, trying to push his way through to the door.

"You're not going anywhere!" insisted Pars, Lady Liviana's chief guard, taking Dax's other arm in a firm grip. "It's down to the dungeons for you, my boy. Try and take advantage of our Lady, would you?"

Marius took one look at the three castle guards now angrily surrounding Dax and changed his tune.

"You're right!" he told Pars. "We'll help you take him downstairs. Lord Dale has questions of his own to ask him!"

In the end, all four of them accompanied Pars and his men down to the castle dungeons; Dax being hustled along in the middle, in part to protect him from enraged wedding guests. Dax was thrust into a cell and the door slammed shut behind him. Two castle guards took up position outside the door.

"We'll let him stew for a bit," said Pars. "I'm going back upstairs to consult with Lady Liviana."

"We'll stay here," said Marius.

"You're welcome to stay here if you want to, but no one goes into that cell without my permission," said Pars, frowning at everyone, guards included.

"Of course," agreed Lupei.

As soon as Pars was out of sight, Aled turned to Marius. "I think it's time for me to go back and find the portal." He spoke quietly.

No! Marius bit back an unspoken protest. Then he looked at Lupei and the guards. Expressions growing more suspicious by the minute, none of them were going to be satisfied with his hastily concocted explanation for much longer. Aled was right.

Lupei glared at Marius, obviously having second thoughts about her spur-of-the moment decision. "You're not going anywhere without all of us. You can't leave him here, alone," she insisted.

The guards stiffened. "No-one goes into that cell until Captain Pars returns," stated one, moving slightly so that he blocked the door.

Marius and Aled exchanged glances. Then they moved as one. A sudden flurry of blows and the two guards were stretched out on the floor, unconscious.

"Frack!" said Lupei, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now we're done for."

Marius was searching the guard's trousers for the keys and didn't answer.

"We're going out through the tunnels," announced Aled. "You and Dax will have to come with us."

"What?"

"We'll explain later. We have to go now," said Marius, hurrying Dax out of the cell. One of the guards was already starting to stir.

"Quickly. This way," said Aled, disappearing down a dark passage. The others followed, Marius keeping a tight grip on Dax, although at the moment he seemed as happy to escape from the castle guards as the rest of them. A few twists and turns later and they were out of the castle proper and climbing down into the limestone caves. Aled stopped briefly to pick up the bundle containing his clothes and equipment and they hurried on, ears pricked for sounds of pursuit.

Several days later, a weary, hungry group of travellers emerged from a hole in the ground, close to a large granite outcrop.

"Ah. That feels good," exclaimed Lupei, turning her face up to the sun. "I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever see proper daylight again. That torch of yours is useful, Aled, but it's just not the same."

During their journey through the limestone caves, Aled had told his story to Lupei and Dax. At first they hadn't believed him, but as time went on, they began to give him the benefit of the doubt, asking more and more questions about his gadgets and about Earth.

"How in Thera's name are we going to get home from here?" grumbled Dax, staring around at the dry landscape. "We're in the middle of nowhere."

"Feel free to go back underground and return to the castle dungeons," said Marius acerbically. "No-one will stop you." Although they'd had to get along on the journey, he was never going to feel the same way about Dax. Not after what he'd done.

Marius shrugged. "Once Aled finds the portal, we'll make our way back to Skyber. Once we're home, I think Lupei and I will be safe enough. I'm not sure about you, though," he added with a grim smile. "It all depends how vindictive Liviana and her guards feel. You'll just have to take your chances."

Dax swallowed.

"Well," Aled paused awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Now that the moment was here, he realised he didn't want to go. If only he could have had more time, time to explore this strange new world where people didn't seem to care what gender your partner was, and more importantly, time to explore his burgeoning relationship with Marius... But duty called. If the portal was there, he had to go through it.

Aled straightened his shoulders. "I think I should say goodbye, now." He held out a hand, then threw caution to the winds and pulled Marius toward him in a hard hug, "Don't forget me." He stepped back.

"What are you talking about?" said Marius, brows raised. "I'm staying with you, at least until the portal arrives. I'm not going to let you sit out here on your own."

"But that's crazy!" protested Dax. "He said himself, it could be a matter of weeks! What am I supposed to do? And Lupei?" he quickly added.

"You could start by making a campsite and finding some food," said Marius drily. "There are plenty of branches to make a shelter and I'm sure there are yams out here somewhere."

Lupei couldn't help smiling at the look of dismay on Dax's face.

"Let's go up to the outcrop," suggested Marius, looking at Aled.

"Good idea," said Dax, following. "I want to see this portal, too. Does it hurt, going through it?"

"No, but it does feel really weird. You can't see, hear or touch anything," answered Aled. "You just have to keep walking."

They came out of the scrub and saw the granite outcrop ahead. Aled paused to take a deep breath and steady himself. Would the portal be there? Or not? Only one way to find out. He climbed between the boulders to the place where he had arrived on Thera, all those days ago. Marius, Dax and Lupei followed, all with mixed feelings.

The portal was there, an inky black shape, right in front of a large boulder.

Aled felt his heart sink. If only... He shook off pointless regrets, it was time to go.

He turned to say goodbye to Marius, only to find him standing right behind him. Close enough to touch. Breathing hard.

"You smell different," blurted Marius. "You and Dax. When my eyes are shut I can tell you apart instantly."

What was Marius trying to say? Suddenly breathless, Aled was only half aware of Lupei trying to pull Dax away. "Give them some space," she muttered.

"What do you mean? They... Eww! That's sick!" exclaimed Dax. "He's my brother for frack's sake!"

"Aled is not my brother," said Marius determinedly, still looking at Aled. "And when my eyes are open... now that I know you both, I can see your expressions are different. When I look at you, I see... Aled. I wish you didn't have to go."

Aled swallowed. "Give me a moment, will you? I need to speak to Dax in private."

A look of anguish passed over Marius' face. "I'm sorry I left it too late to tell you." He turned on his heel and strode out of the clearing.

A few minutes later, Dax came running out after him. "Marius, wait!" He caught Marius by the arm and spun him around.

"He's gone through the portal. He said it would be for the best."

His eyes were wide and he was breathing hard.

"I don't know how we'll be able to work things out, but I'm willing to try if you are."

Then he kissed him, and by then Marius had realised... it wasn't Dax at all.

(Author's Note Sept 2020 - this is where the story finished when I wrote it in 2018 for the first Open Novella Contest. When I decided to publish the story on Amazon this year, I added a few more chapters to round out the ending - I'll be posting them shortly)