Once a King Pt. 17 - I die ...

This all was new to me...but I had absorbed the minds of all the People and from that, I found that such feelings, while rare, were not unknown in my People.

After six weeks, my dreams turned from remembering the People to very different dreams. Dreams focusing on the women of the People who had summoned me.

Ionica, Genowefa, Alla. The intensity of my dreams overwhelmed me. Later, a scholar would call these dreams erotic. They were new to me. Other men in other places would have these dreams years before, but remember, almost all men of the People (save Gustek) had their buc controlled by the Coicie. But there were no Coicie; only the memory of those of the Coicie, that I had known and I had the memories of Gustek and of his power over his own buc.

At the hour of the night that I sometimes rose to make water, I rose with my buc transformed. Still, I went to the dock to stare at the moon. In the moon, I saw the three coicie I knew smiling down on me. I mouthed a greeting to them, and for the first time in my young life, seed spurted from my buc with all three of the ones who had summoned me, present.

That happened once a month for several months. Finally, Rada and Makar approached me.

Speaking as one, as the Council of the People did, "We know that you are not like us. We see that you honor your lost women. Your place in this life is not with us. We think that the next part of your journey will be with the Bagniskos."

I was wary, I knew Makar and Rada traded valuable goods with the Bagniskos, in exchange for things they needed to live well.

I did not see how I could be valuable to anyone...except...and I voiced my fears. "You would sell me to the Bagniskos as a slave?"

I was wounded and hurt, as I said this, so I was unprepared for their response.

They looked at each other incredulously. Then laughed.

I was more puzzled.

"No, Pawel, not as a slave...The Bagniskos will reward us handsomely, we know...but not for a slave...Pawel, you will be their King!"

_______________