Damon stared with his jaw on the floor at the sight of a rather cute boy floating in mid air in the center of the room.

For some reason he very much doubted that he was at all like this boy.

A million fanciful thoughts raced through his mind as he considered possible explanations for the scene. Boys don't float. It had to be some sort of trick. Unfortunately, Damon could see no obvious signs of the gag. This boy was definitely not hanging from wires.

"W-what do you mean, just like you, who ARE you? Where am I?" Damon wished Megwin was here to explain things to him, but the door of the room had closed behind him, and he found that it was sealed tight.

"Me? I'm Deia! Are you my new Master? I hope so, I like you!"

The boy named Deia hopped through the air over to Damon and stood nose to nose with him. Damon could see that his eyes were a beautiful gray color, very dark, but with tiny silver flecks in them that could only be seen from up close. Like when standing nose to nose.

Damon took a step away, and found his back against the door.

"Master? What are you talking about?"

A look of dejection crossed Deia's features.

"You mean you don't know? Then you must not be my master. I am so disappointed! Megwin told me earlier that my master was coming, and to be on my best behavior, and really, I have been trying, I mean, I stayed in the tower all afternoon, even though that seascape picture over there was just crying out to me 'Deia, Deia, come play in the water!' but I stayed here because I wanted to meet my new Master, the one who was given the Key!"

Damon tried to make sense of Deia's statement.

"Key? You mean this one?" Damon held out the Crimson Key.

"Yes! That's IT! That means you ARE my new Master! How exciting!" Deia grabbed Damon and hugged him tight. Damon gasped for air. Deia was surprisingly strong.

"And you ARE just like me! this will be so much fun!" Deia smiled, revealing cute dimples and very white, even teeth. Damon could almost *see* the capital letters in the word 'are' when Deia talked.

"That is the second time you've said that, what do you mean, I am like you?" Damon could think of very little he had in common with this excitable boy.

"Well, look!" Damon pressed his hands flat against Damon's chest. Damon registered a strong, firm contact and felt the heat pouring from Damon's hands and into his body.

"Your chest is flat, like mine! We are almost the same height, and we both have short hair!"

Damon arched an eyebrow.

"You mean we're both male.'

"YES! (::All-caps agan, Damon thought::) That's it! Megwin told me that I was male and she was female, that was why she had those bumps on her chest like the figurehead on my ship. You're the first real male other than myself that I have seen!"

"You mean you haven't seen another man before? And Megwin was the first woman you've seen? I don't understand, that can't be. What did they do, keep you locked up in this room all your life?" Damon began to wonder some more about this mysterious Palace establishment. Was everything here not as pleasant as it looked?

"Oh no, they set me free! I am more free here than I have ever been!" Deia exclaimed, bouncing away from Damon and over to a shelf on the eastern wall.

"Until a few weeks ago, I lived in here," Deia pointed to a tiny glass bottle.

::Huh? he must be joking...:: Damon walked through the maze of silk pillows over to stand next to Deia. He picked up the bottle the boy had pointed to and felt that it was very light. Inside of the bottle was a very realistic, detailed model of a ship, complete with sails and a little carved figurehead in the shape of a woman with her arms outstretched.

"Y-you lived in HERE?" Damon could not believe this.

"Yes, that is my ship, the 'Cherry Blossom.' Isn't she pretty! I can't tell you how long I lived on that ship. As far back as I can remember I sailed the seas on her."

"But it's in a bottle."

"Well, once you are on the ship, you can't tell you are in a bottle, it looked to me as if all the seas of the world were stretched out around me to explore!" Deia's eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Damon set the bottle back in its resting place.

"So, you lived in a bottle and were released. What are you then? Some sort of Genie?"

"No, I'm a Deia! I thought I already told you that! Pay attention!" Deia grinned.

"Well let me tell you, Deia, normal boys don't float around and live in bottles. You surely can't be human." Damon walked to the balcony and looked out. He was stunned by the beautiful oasis scene before him. This tower room overlooked a fabulous pool of water in the middle of the desert. There were palm trees clustered around the water's edge, and brightly colored tents were pitched all around.

"Normal boys can't fly around? You can't fly? Oh I feel so sorry for you! It is so much fun! I wonder if I can teach you. It's really simple once you get the hang of it." Deia hopped up onto the balcony ledge.

Damon instinctively reached out for Deia, afraid he might fall, but the boy hopped back inside the balcony.

"Oh no, I almost forgot to water!"

Damon turned towards Deia and studied him. The boy was absolutely gorgeous. He was clad in a skirt consisting of many sheer black scarves tied together, It looked like you could lengthen or shorten the skirt by simply removing or adding scarves. Damon thought he'd glimpse of gold circling one strong thigh as the boy danced around. Deia also wore a short white vest that did little to cover his tight, muscular abdomen. The color made a nice contrast to his lightly tanned skin. Damon saw the glitter of a diamond like jewel in Deia's navel and a similar one on his forehead. ::How did those stay in place?::: Damon wondered.

All in all, Damon was beginning to feel way overdressed. The air in the room was warm, though not uncomfortable, and the bright sunny desert surroundings seemed more suited to lighter clothing than Damon was wearing. He watched as the boy circled the room, watering the plants that overflowed from planters everywhere. He noticed that Deia never took his eyes off of him for more than a few moments. Finally Deia stopped and put his watering can away.

"Well Master, are you ready to play?" Deia had a serious expression on his face, as if he was concentrating on something difficult. Being on his 'best behavior,' no doubt.

"Please, what is all this Master stuff about? I feel uncomfortable being called that, I'd rather you called me Damon"

Deia's brows angled in as he assumed an expression of deep thought. Then like quicksilver, his expression returned to its customary cheerfulness.

"I'll tell you about all that Master stuff later Dae. But first I think we should play! Where would you like to go?"

Damon's eyes widened at Deia's use of the nickname 'Dae' for Damon.

"Go? we can't go anywhere, the door is locked." Damon went back to the door and tried it again. It wouldn't budge.

Deia started laughing, a boisterous, pleasant sound. Damon found himself liking it instantly.

"Who said we'd go through that door? But first, I think you need to get more comfortable. Where we're going, that would definitely not do!" Deia ran/floated over to a chest of drawers and began rummaging through them, tossing out piles of brightly colored silks and satins until he found the combination of clothing he was looking for.

"Come here," Deia called, holding up a pile of clothes to Damon, "It's a good thing you are like me and not like Megwin! These things just would not fit her at all!"

Damon looked down at the pile of material Deia gave him. He held up a pair of dark blue billowy pants that looked designed to hang low on the hips. In the sunlight, Damon could see that the silky fabric was shot with silver threads, making the pants shimmer with every movement. With the pants came a matching shirt of white. It had a mock turtle-neck color and long sleeves. However it was very short, revealing his navel. The white fabric was also made with the same silver threads running through it, so it shined in the sunlight as well. The ensemble was completed by 2 silver bracelets, a silver chain to wrap around his waist, one silver earring, a large necklace-collar thing that around his neck and then had many little silver crystals dangling from it, and a pair of leather sandals dyed blue.

Damon looked the garments over, and while he thought they were exquisitely made, he just could not wear them. This was all too silly! What a costume! He would look ridiculous, like some kid on Halloween.

As if he could read Damon's thoughts, Deia's expression turned sad.

"You don't like what I chose, Dae? I'm sorry! Would you like me to select something else?"

Damon looked at the clothes strewn around by Deia in his search and saw that all of it was of a similar fashion.

"Um, er, well, I can't wear this, I would feel foolish... I am fine the way I am, really... the clothes you picked were just fine, but you have to understand, this isn't Halloween...."

Deia frowned, and a determined glint lit up his eyes.

"But you HAVE to wear it Master Dae, you cannot go wandering through Martos wearing that! Please listen to me!" Deia floated up to Damon and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and propelled him to a corner of the room where there was a large mirror. Without asking Damon's permission, he began to strip him of his clothes.

"Wha-? hey! Stop that!" Damon struggled, but Deia was surprisingly strong, and very determined.

"Please Master Dae, this will look so cute on you! I know it!"

Deia's hands strayed across Damon's bare chest for a few moments longer than they should as Deia found the touch of his hands on his Master's smooth warm skin to be unexpectedly exciting. However the contact lasted for only a few extra seconds before Deia had the new shirt on Damon and was working on the pants.

Damon gasped as Deia yanked his pants down, dragging his underwear along with it. A dull red flush stained his cheekbones and he hastily grabbed for his underwear and dragged them back up.

Deia was amazed. Damon was not quite like him after all, he was much LARGER! Deia felt himself blushing for some reason. It must have something to do with what Megwin had told him about serving his new Master. Deia's brief glimpse at his Master's nude body caused Deia's heart to race and his body to feel all tingly. He didn't understand it, so he forced himself to calm down and see to the task at hand.

Damon finally realized that his struggles were futile, and put on the blue pants by himself. Next he snapped the silver bracelets around his wrists, over the cuffs of his white shirt. He poked the earring in his ear (it was a good thing he'd already had his ears pierced since he was a teenager) and hooked the chain belt around his waist. The belt made a pleasant sound as Damon moved, the links jingling together constantly. Finally, he snapped the necklace around his neck and arranged the silver crystals hanging from it.

After putting on the sandals, Damon turned to stand before the mirror. He had to admit that the look was not all that bad. The clothing was very light and comfortable, and the blue did look great on him. Deia stood behind him, smiling smugly as he viewed his handiwork. Damon could just see the "I told you so!'s" dancing around in the boy's head.

Deia studied Damon for a bit and then mused out loud, "Hmm it isn't quite done, there is something missing.... Oh, I know!" Deia snapped his fingers, and two jewels appeared in his hands. One was a diamond, similar to the ones he wore. The other was a deep blue color that matched the pants. Deia pressed on stone on Damon's forehead, and tucked another into his navel.

Damon felt the jewel on his forehead. It was warm, and very securely attached. ::How did it stay on there? I can't move it!"

"Oh, now we are ready to go!" Deia announced, grabbing Damon by the hand and dragging him over to the paintings. Deia positioned Damon in front of a painting of a castle, and told him to stay put. He returned a moment later, clutching a large carpet, rolled up and tied with a large ribbon.

Damon looked at the carpet and then at Deia.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"This!" Deia shouted, jumping up and forward towards a painting.

He disappeared into it!