Pueros

The Lycian Prince

(1st version)

Chapter 56 - Voyage

Anthonius did not enjoy the voyage towards the destiny that Diocletian had in mind for him, the inhospitable accommodation being the least of his worries. The galley sailed on the early evening tide but, before it left the quayside, the former Prince was removed from his uncomfortable and demeaning cage by the young Nubian who had brought him on board and had seemingly been charged with looking after the young Lycian. The black youth smeared some colourless oil, an early but efficient suncream, onto the young white body before leading it on deck. Anthonius noticed that most of the deck crew had paused from their tasks to watch as he was led to the ship's prow.

Anthonius was unchained and led up some narrow steps to the very top of the boat's spectacularly curvaceous bow sculpture. His left hand was rechained to a metal ring embedded in the left side of the splendid carving, which was at its thinnest at this point. There was a short narrow ledge running around the external edge. The 16 years old used hand signals to instruct his shocked younger charge to advance face-outward onto the tiny precarious wooden precipice, located many paces above the waters of the harbour, to present his right hand for chaining to another ring situated at the other side of the forward structure.

Anthonius reluctantly, carefully and slowly complied, almost slipping on two occasions. However, his right hand was eventually chained in place, quickly followed by his feet to other lower rings. The boy now found himself wrapped around the bow top, facing forwards in a spreadeagled position, back firmly resting against warm varnish. The public display of captives in this manner, as ships left port, was a common custom of the period and Ebana had ordered that the lad be subjected to the degrading ritual in thanks for Diocletian's largesse. Many quayside observers, especially children, thought that the sight was very amusing and much raucous comment and laughter emanated from the wharf, subsiding only once the ship had slowly moved away, just behind the Lycian vessel, towards the open sea. Despite his humiliation, the human display's hard cock pressed firmly against his loincloth's undercloth throughout his ordeal.

The sun was still hot but Anthonius soon became cool, developing goosepimples, as his barely covered body was hit by a strong sea breeze when the galley emerged from the harbour entrance. He was to experience the chill for several hours until dusk, when he was finally released and returned below decks. Lights remained visible from shore communities as the ship kept close to the coastline, another usual practice for the time, and the loud noise of many large oars hitting water continued relentlessly.

Anthonius was to find that the domestic arrangements for the young white human cargo was rather shameful, as he and the slavegirls had to perform their daily toilets and ablutions in front of each other using buckets. The food, provided with water twice a day, was similarly unpleasant, although they were grateful to be released temporarily from their bondage to consume the tasteless porridge. However, the boy's intense misery, as he lay in his tiny prison, stemmed mainly from a brief audience with Ebana on the voyage's first morning.

The 14 years old white boy, neatly groomed for the occasion, was led before Ebana and his interpreter, in the King's comfortable deck cabin, by the 16 years old black youth. Anthonius noticed, as he emerged on deck that the Nubian galley was still shadowing the Lycian ship. He thought that they would probably continue to do so for mutual protection against pirates until they separated near Greece, when the former vessel would head south via Creta to Egypt whilst the latter continued East. However, this assumption was soon to be proved incorrect.

Anthonius had to bow before royalty but did not, for now, have to prostrate himself until his status changed in the Priapic temple. The smirking Ebana, via his interpreter, informed the boy that the young Nubian was to be responsible for his welfare during the journey to their homeland. The King strongly advised him to obey and take instruction from the youth to make his on-board existence less discomforting and to prepare himself adequately for his future. The youth would try to teach him the Nubian language and about the ritualistic life that awaited him in his new abode. The lad was told that failure to absorb such information adequately would result in far more agony and anguish than he could currently anticipate.

Ebana informed Anthounius that the youth was well qualified for his role before ordering the 16 years old to show the 14 years old why this was so. The former moved to face the latter and, seemingly unconcerned, proceeded to pull down his own loincloth, hidden under his tunic, before lifting up his outer garment. Anthonius was shocked to see that the youth had no genitals, a small crop of pubic hair covering the area where they should have hung, making his loins resemble those of a girl. "You see," advised the King, through the interpreter, "he too was nullified in the temple of Priapus as you will be. Your groin will soon look like this!" Anthonius swayed as he almost fainted. The eunuch just redressed.

The now positively leering Ebana continued by announcing that Anthonius could also exercise himself daily. First he could give the slaves operating the oars some assistance and later he could provide the King with some evening dance entertainment whilst the monarch enjoyed dinner on deck, although the latter could wait until the discolouring sunburn had healed. Ebana did not add that he was prepared to be patient until the boy's physical perfection was restored as he subsequently wanted to enjoy its wonderful unblemished form in bed, another daily exercise that would be expected of the lad. Meanwhile the King's overnight entertainment would be provided by a different virgin slavegirl each day whom the lecherous monarch would delight in deflowering.

Ebana concluded the audience by causing even more consternation within Anthonius by advising that the voyage would take much longer than could normally be expected because they would be calling in at two places on the way. They would be visiting Alexandria, capital of Egypt, after first, at the kind invitation of Lysus, attending the new King's coronation in Lycia. Ebana neglected to mention to the boy that his half-brother had sought and obtained permission from him to parade the former Prince naked in chains through the capital so that the population could see what he had become. The plan was that this should deflect any ideas some of the citizens might have had that there was a better candidate for the throne. Nevertheless, the alarmed 14 years old was perceptive enough to realise that his half-brother would ensure that his return to his homeland was very unpleasant.

The deeply dismayed Anthonius was now led by his youthful nullified eunuch back below but not to the hold. This time the boy was taken to the oars deck, which they entered at the rear. Although Anthonius had been on a galley once before, when he had journeyed from his homeland to Rome, he had not been allowed to see the living hell that comprised this particular part of the ship, despite his curiosity. Two things struck him before even reaching the appalling scene. The first was the awful smell, emanating primarily from the unwashed sweaty bodies of the adult slaves who operated the oars often in great humidity, not least at this time of year. The second was the slow drumming that indicated the rhythm to which the men had to row.

When Anthonius emerged at the doorless entrance to the gloomy deck, he experienced a strange mix of disgust and interest. The drummer was located at the far side, with the chief overseer standing next to him, and, between them and the young white newcomer, the inner ends of about thirty large heavy wooden oars could be seen running down each side, poking downwards to the sea through portholes. Most oars had three sitting black naked slaves chained to it, although there were some vacant places. Only half of the oars were in motion to aid routine progress of the galley, although all could be quickly brought into play if full speed was required. Other Nubian overseers with whips walked up and down the central aisle ready to lay their implements across the backs of any slacking rowers.

Anthonius was to discover that half of the slaves usually took hourly turns to row whilst the others rested. They were rarely unchained from the oars, toileting in buckets whilst still attached. A small cup of water was provided during alternate rest periods and food supplied twice a day. Washing was permitted only when anchored. Turnover of slaves was high with those ailing or expiring thrown overboard. The Nubians' reserves of slaves had been used up on the journey to Rome, hence the vacant places, which would become greater in volume as the return voyage proceeded, slowing progress. However, this was not the main reason for Anthonius' enlistment to the cause, as a 14 years old would make little difference to the ship's propulsion. Ebana genuinely thought that the exercise and humiliation would be good for the boy, at least from his sadistic perspective.

The drummer hesitated briefly when he observed Anthonius appear at the far entrance, although all of the overseers had been told to expect his arrival every morning. The short pause in the rhythm caused everyone else to look round to see what had caught the drummer's eye. The restart of the drumbeat, accompanied by the cracks of several whips, rapidly brought matters back to normal.

The chief overseer walked down the aisle to accept the temporary addition to his manpower from the escorting youthful eunuch. As the Nubian did so, taking hold of the chained white boy's right arm, he took the opportunity to appraise the lad's delicious body, covered by just his tiny loincloth. The man then removed the garment's detachable rear flap and gave it to the eunuch, not wanting it to be damaged by the movements his new young charge would have to make to row properly. The chief overseer licked his lips when he saw the delicious curvature of Anthonius' smooth bottom come into view, considering that the scene would look even nicer with his now erect huge black cock thrust between the sublime bumcheeks. The man sighed when he appreciated that he could only dream of such a scenario for any attempt to make his vision come true would, if discovered, see himself chained to one of the oars at the very least.

The escorting black eunuch remained at the entrance to watch as his young white charge was attached by the chief overseer to an outside spot on one of the rear resting oars, next to two pitiable slaves in their early twenties. Neither would see their middle twenties. Despite their desperate wretchedness, the uncovered cocks of both rose quickly to full erection at the sight of the well-groomed pretty white boy now sat next to them. Anthonius was not too revolted to see them immediately masturbate each other whilst ogling him for he felt intensely sad at their plight. The resultant semen flew in several spurts onto the backs of rowers in front who, as they were working, either did not notice or care.

The threesome rested for about half an hour until their turn to operate the oar arrived. Anthonius found it difficult at first but his two companions helped by signalling how he should proceed and a rhythm in line with the drumbeat was soon established. The boy was quickly saturated in sweat as tried to make his best contribution to the exceedingly heavy and onerous task, not wanting to be carried by the others. However, after two thirds of an hour, the lad was completely exhausted and could only go through the motions whilst his comrades performed the real work.

Unlike the other rowers, Anthonius was not chastised with the whip for under- performance, as the overseers had received clear instructions that the boy's body was not to be harmed because it had to be kept perfect for the King's entertainment. Although he tried his best, the lad was never to be physically capable of operating the oar for a full hour at a time, even though his sessions were limited to three per day, and he felt deep guilt at letting his team of three down. The former Prince therefore decided to make up for this in the only way that he could think of and regularly, during rest periods, furtively gave his rapturous team mates pleasure with his hand and mouth, despite the disgustingly dirty nature of their genitals.

Anthonius was released from the oar daily after five or so hours and handed over to the returned youthful eunuch. The boy would be required to toilet and wash in the hold before spending hours with the eunuch, and sometimes with the King's interpreter, trying to become acquainted with their language. The lad, a quick learner, was to know the basics and, with horror, had started to ascertain the detailed rites of the Priapic religion by the time the galley reached Lycia.

It took the Nubian and Lycian galleys six days to traverse the western coast of Italia before reaching the port of Messana in Sicilia, where fresh provisions were loaded, before their voyages continued. Anthonius felt a pang of regret when peeking Sura's homeland through the oar porthole, as he deeply missed his friend. Having been told of the young white eunuch's recapture on his own return from the boy brothel to the Imperial palace, he prayed again to his gods that his friend's eventual safety would be secured.

Meanwhile, Ebana had ruined the virginity of half of his twelve new white slavegirls, as Anthonius had recognised when they were brought back to their cages, inner legs bloodstained, after spending the night with the King. Ebana was looking forward to exchanging soon, as a receptacle for his mammoth cock, the girls' vaginas for Anthonius' anus. The proper occasion arose when the vessels lowered anchor seven days later at the ancient Achaean port of Pylos to take on board more fresh provisions.

Lysus accepted an invitation to join Ebana for dinner, which began at dusk on the aft deck of the Nubian galley on a warm balmy evening. The two Kings were seated next to each other at the end of a large table, with senior members of their entourages sat down the sides. Prodicus, now a royal page, stood near to his new royal master. The eyes of many of the crew surveyed proceedings from afar, a number from the rigging above. A number of flaming torches placed in tall metal stands illuminated the scene as Nubian slaves served the guests their wine and the first of many food courses.

Other slaves played music and Anthonius began his erotic stripdance on the higher stern platform, providing everyone with an excellent view as he gradually removed his loincloth flaps and finally the undercloth to dance nude, full smooth erection humiliatingly flopping around during his well-rehearsed and well-executed routine. The grins on the faces of the two Kings were by far the broadest amongst the spectators. Ebana was thinking of the pleasures of the night ahead whilst Lysus was primarily content with thoughts of more future delights that would befall his half-brother.

When Anthonius' performance was over, his youthful nullified eunuch took his shame-faced naked charge to his King's cabin and stood him before the bed present there. An eager Ebana quickly followed, interrupting his dinner to do so. His royal guest did not seem to mind the host's temporary abandonment of the meal, occupying himself with watching the white slavegirls now dancing whilst he also groped under Prodicus' tunic. Anthonius and Prodicus had exchanged frequent secret glances whilst the former was performing his demeaning act, and both recognised looks of mutual love tinged by intense regret at their circumstances.

The Nubian eunuch helped Ebana to undress before departing. Anthonius, who had been told that his dancing and later services would now be required every night for the rest of the voyage, could not help uttering a low gasp when the King's black cock was revealed for it was almost as big as the one he had suffered on his last night in Rome. Ebana lay on the bed and instructed the young white boy to follow. The King was soon exploring every nuance of the lad's beautiful form with his hands, mouth and tongue. Both penises became engorged, oozing precum.

Ebana sucked Anthonius' off to taste young white seed before deciding that he now wanted to taste a young white rectum, after which he would return to dinner. The duo would play again, and for the rest of the night, later. The apprehensive boy found that the King's preferred method of penetration meant that he had to kneel on all fours, legs wide apart, whilst the monstrous black phallus was presented to the pink sphincter, now very tight after a fortnight's lack of use. Despite the continuing music, all the dinner guests and most of the crew heard the shrill scream as the lad's anus was filled, the noise even being detectable on the oars deck below and on the quayside of Pylos. Lysus blushed vividly when he heard his half-brother's agonised yell and he began to soil his undergarment with his own sperm.

Chapter 57 - Lycia

(September 291 A.D. - 6 months until Anthonius' nullification [?])

The Nubian's appetite for sex with his new young white plaything seemed insatiable and Anthonius accrued little sleep whilst in his bed. Fortunately, the youthful eunuch charged with his welfare recognised this and allowed the former Prince some time to sleep after emerging exhausted and agonised from the monarch's cabin just after dawn each morning. The boy would also be permitted some rest after the afternoon lessons in the Nubian language and Priapic ritual as he had to be fit to satisfy the man's voracious lusts again.

The two galleys voyaged from Pylos to Lycia via Cydonia in Creta, where Lysus reciprocated Ebana's hospitality by inviting the Nubian King to the Lycian vessel for dinner. It was a rare night off for Anthonius for 16 years old Prodicus provided the entertainment. Prodicus was required to stripdance from a skimpy loincloth in a similar manner to the 14 years old but, although he was erotically proficient, he was not as good as his friend, but then few were and the new royal page appreciated this fact as much as anyone.

Ebana usually preferred boys a little younger but was always willing to accept an offer to taste fresh young white flesh, especially if it was as pretty as this offering. Prodicus, despite his years in the brothel, was deeply ashamed at cavorting naked in front of the guests, servants and deck crew, with his face made up, nipples gilded, body oiled and shaved genitals fully excited. However, the real downside of the evening was being required to service the Nubian King for a couple of hours in Lysus' cabin. He too was to suffer for several days from distressed anal and oral orifices.

The journey from Pylos to Cydonia took 6 days and from the latter to the port of Patara in Lycia another 7 days, arriving mid-September. Anthonius' oar comrades wondered why the boy started to sob quietly when the coastline of Lycia came into view through the porthole, not knowing that the country was the lad's homeland.

Small fast boats had been on the lookout for the arrival of the new Lycian King's galley and so a large delegation of the nation's senior nobles and officials awaited Lysus on the port's quayside, having swiftly made the trip from the inland capital of Xanthus. They boarded their new ruler's ship in order of seniority in order to pay fealty and pledge loyalty, with the court chamberlain in particular also seeking to ascertain the monarch's immediate requirements.

Having paid their respects to their new leader and having established his initial dictates, most left to return to Xanthus, only the most fawning remaining. The general consensus amongst those departing, shared only amongst those they trusted, was how obnoxious Lysus was, in stark contrast to his father and half-brother, and that the new King would probably turn out to be a cruel avaricious despot. Many would have been tempted to launch a coup if it was not for the fact that the new ruler was Diocletian's nominee and there was the protective presence in Lycia of a strong Roman garrison. The commander of the latter, the real power in the land, had not bothered to greet the new monarch as the new arrival could go to him.

Lysus did not mention to anyone that Anthonius was on the accompanying Nubian ship as he wanted to surprise everyone with his half-brother's sudden appearance, although the chamberlain suspected as he had been bemused by some of the new King's commands.

Lysus' triumphal procession to Xanthus was to take place the following day, so the new Lycian King and his Nubian counterpart slept on their respective galleys overnight. Anthonius was not required for dancing duty as Ebana accompanied Lysus to a dinner hosted by the worthies of Patara. However, the boy did not later escape the black monarch's bed.

Dawn brought a scurry of activity on the wharf as the Lycian vessel was unloaded and Lysus' parade, similar to the one in Rome, was assembled. Ebana and a few of his officials were to ride on their new white chargers with the Lycian King, on his black steed, at the front of the long cavalcade, a spot at the rear of which was reserved for Anthonius. The boy hoped that he could remain on board whilst the Nubian galley remained in Lycia, not wanting any of his people to see the degradation to which he had fallen. However, he also thought that this wish was unlikely to be granted as the occasion represented too good an opportunity for his half-brother to humiliate him further. His assumption was not only to be proved correct but also the whole experience was to be acutely tragic.

The youthful Nubian eunuch supervised Anthonius' early morning ablutions as usual but did not require his charge to redress afterwards in his loincloth. Instead, he first highlighted the boy's gorgeous sensuous eyes with dark blue mascara and his cheeks and lips with vivid rouge. Gold paint decorated the lad's nipples and his whole body was lightly oiled. A leather cockstrap was then attached to the now deeply apprehensive boy's genitals. A narrow strap ran round the base of the genitalia inside the gold cockring, making the smooth organs protrude even more from the groin. A smaller conjoined ring of leather wrapped round the base of the cock, ensuring that, even in a flaccid state, it would stick out horizontally. The purpose of the attachment was twofold. It highlighted the naked sexual organs which would also be continuously excited by the leather rubbing the skin as the wearer moved. The handling involved in fitting the ornamentation had already caused the penis to become embarrassingly hard, a state in which it was now to remain for many hours.

Anthonius' alarm intensified when the eunuch produced a black dildo, which he proceeded to insert into the boy's anus, inducing a flinch and yelp from the shamed lad. It was not so much the size that caused subsequent concern, as Anthonius had suffered far larger intrusions in his rectum, but the fact that it possessed a long tail, evidently part of one that used to belong to a horse. It seemed that the former Prince was to be displayed wearing very demeaning bodily adornments to add to his slavecollar, rings and brands. The boy was therefore not surprised when, after his hands had been rechained behind his back, another chain was attached to the collar, which he had worn since it was fitted in Diocletian's palace, and he was led by it into the sunshine on deck, although he was disturbed when the escorting eunuch collected a short whip on the way.

The deck crew's sight of Anthonius' sublime glistening naked body caused many to find a quiet place to masturbate whilst the memory of the glorious vision remained fresh after the boy had disembarked. The deeply abashed former Prince saw that Lysus' procession seemed ready to depart, just waiting for the final addition, with a large crowd gathered on the far side of the quay to watch the spectacle. The youthful eunuch led the 14 years old erect nude down the gangplank to step onto Lycian soil for the first time in 19 months, in very different circumstances from when he left. The deeply shamed boy, his predicament exacerbated by knowing his people's prudery towards nudity, whispered a prayer to his gods as he felt the stone wharf under his feet.

The young Nubian eunuch attached Anthonius' neck chain to another trailing from the procession's last wagon, the boy's positioning at the very rear of the parade, even behind the baggage, symbolising to all his base status. Lysus, sitting awkwardly on his black horse, thought the sight of his naked half- brother being led down the gangplank to be joined to the cavalcade highly amusing, being unable to prevent himself from chortling. Many of the children in the watching throng also chuckled and began to shout insults until they were stopped by the adults as recognition of who the nude was began to dawn and quiet shock started to prevail.

Most of the Lycian populace, who would line the roads between Patara and Xanthus in order to see their new King, did not find the sight of their former Prince being displayed in such a demeaning manner at all funny. Anthonius and his mother and father had been very popular and many were deeply saddened to see how the boy was being treated. However, everyone was too afraid and cowed to do anything to alleviate the lad's degradation and misery as the procession made its slow way out of the port towards the nation's capital.

The young black eunuch, holding the whip, walked behind Anthonius. He had been told to flog the boy if the dildo fell out of his rectum before reinserting the anal plug. This happened more than ten times during the journey of many hours, especially towards the end as weariness set in and anal retention became more difficult, causing the young white back and buttocks to display a number of vivid red lines by the time the high walls of Xanthus came into view. On the fourth occasion, as well as feeling the intense pain of the lash across his bottom, the lad also shuddered and saw an arc of white liquid emanate from his hard quivering horizontal cock onto the cobbled road. The whole shameful scene was observed by a number of villagers watching the parade as it passed through their community.

A deeply saddened and disgusted Prodicus, dressed in the tunic of a Lycian royal page and walking alongside his mounted new master, had seen Anthonius disembark from the Nubian galley and despaired that he could do nothing to help his friend. However, he gained some solace when he heard the muted cheering, coming from the crowds they passed at the roadside, change rapidly to silence when Anthonius was observed. He was especially pleased to hear a few brave souls boo at the new King instead.

It was late afternoon when the cavalcade passed through the main gate into Xanthus. Anthonius' penis, after his opprobrious orgasm, had regained its rigidity by the time of his return to his homeland's capital, partly as a result of the feel of the cockstrap rubbing his genitals and the dildo in his insides as he walked. A string of precum even dangled humiliatingly from the cockhead. Lysus received the same sort of unenthusiastic reception from the city's population as had been experienced elsewhere and, like elsewhere, it cooled distinctly when the disgrace of the former Lycian Prince was perceived. However, the new King did not care as he knew that Roman support made his throne safe. There would be plenty of sycophants to serve him and he would pay his subjects back for their lack of ardour for his return and apparent sympathy for his slut of a half-brother.

As had been arranged with the court chamberlain, the parade terminated in Xanthus' crowded main plaza before the steep steps of the temple of Jupiter, where the city elders and other worthies awaited the arrival. Lysus, Ebana and their mounted entourages climbed down from their horses, the former displaying a remarkable lack of skill as he did so, causing some stifled tittering to be heard. The two Kings and their officials and close servants walked up the steps to be formally greeted on top by the municipal representatives whilst the rest of the cavalcade made off for the royal palace, with the exception of Anthonius. The naked boy was unchained by the young black eunuch from the last wagon and led up the steps to be stood at the side of the top stair, facing the quiet throng that filled the square.

Several boring obsequious welcoming speeches occurred, which thankfully could only be heard by the front of the crowd. The rest were happy not to know the contents of the monologues as they were present only to see the man who would now rule them and about whom few ominously had anything good to say. It was eventually Lysus' turn to speak and he droned on for a while, seemingly determined to see how many different ways he could relate his pleasure at his return to Lycia. However, somnolent ears picked up when the new King started to talk about his half-brother. As he did so, the naked Anthonius was led to stand on a much lower step in front of the monarch, still facing the crowd.

"I regret to tell my people," Lysus announced "that your former Prince, Anthonius, disgraced himself in Rome. He betrayed the Emperor by displaying uncontrolled sluttish passions, constantly wanting to satisfy his obscene desires with anyone he could get his lusting hands on. In the end, the only way that he could satiate his perversity was by becoming a public whore, enjoyed by many men. He now makes his way to Nubia where attempts will be made at the renowned temple of Priapus to expel the great evil from his body. I have brought him before you now as I believe that we Lycians must express our solidarity with the great Diocletian and disgust at the corrupt depravity and treachery that the slut exhibited in Rome. First, I declare that Lycia disowns the harlot and so he can no longer be considered a native of this land. Second, the tart shall be taken immediately to the male public latrine at the other side of this plaza where palace servants will dispense one gold piece to any man or boy who chooses to show their abhorrence at the whore by relieving themselves over him!"

Chapter 58 - Deliverances

For the appalled Anthonius, the only redeeming feature of the speeches he had just heard was that they had been spoken in his native Greek, although Lysus' accent betrayed his years of self-imposed exile in Rome. After the new King had finished, a small contingent of palace guards, the only soldiers now permitted the Lycians, emerged from behind the dignitaries at the top of the temple steps to accept the former Prince from the youthful black eunuch. Their orders from the chamberlain were to escort someone who had displeased the new King across the plaza to the male latrine. They had been as shocked as anyone to discover who the victim of the distasteful penance was to be for all of them had been in the late King's service when the boy, beautiful in both appearance and personality, had been a lively refreshing presence in the palace. Without exception, all of them loved the lad, if only platonically.

Anthonius recognised his new escorts and the clear look of disdain and sorrow for their mission on their faces. However, disobeying an order would mean death, so the commander of the small levy reluctantly took hold of the boy's neck chain and began to guide him down the steps, with guards either side of the young naked penitent and at his rear.

Lysus grinned broadly at the sight of his nude half-brother, oiled body now dirtied by dust thrown up by wagon wheels during the march from Patala, being led through the silent crowd. He chuckled to himself when he realised that the dirt would soon be washed off the boy, but not with water. He realised that many would be hesitant in abusing their former Prince but surely not for long as a gold piece represented half a year's income for most of the populace. The new King was not worried about depleting his treasury through his largesse as the money now spent would be more than recouped when he imposed an immediate tax increase. He proposed to live a life of ostentatious opulence, which his subjects could fund, starting with the acquisition of a boy harem even bigger than that of Diocletian.

The public latrine was very basic, comprising a walled roofless enclosure with a narrow shallow channel, through which clear cold mountain water ran speedily, against the far wall. Two palace servants were already in place inside, situated either side of the entrance. They sat behind tables on top of which chests containing gold pieces rested. Provision had been made to deliver more chests if needed.

Anthonius was led into the latrine and chained to three rings, specially embedded in the floor of the middle of the urinal, a hand and foot attached to each of the two outer ones so that he was presented to the customers of the establishment face-forward in a kneeling position. The boy's slavecollar was chained to the central ring so that his face retained an uplifted pose. Goosepimples invaded the whole of his naked torso as the cool water of the trough now washed over his legs. However, the chill and awkward discomforting posture were not what concerned the young nude most. He knew that all who chose to piss over him would, except for the smallest boys, be able to do so downwards onto his head and body and that they would be able to see his humiliating full erection as they did so.

Meanwhile, in Rome, Queen Irene had managed to organise the smuggling, at dead of night, of the still-recovering but much improved Sebastian out of the Imperial palace, with the help of his small band of Praetorian friends. Sebastian would return the compliment a month later but by the time the news of the rescue of Anthonius' mother and sister from Diocletian's clutches reached Lycia, the boy had long departed the country. The lad would additionally not learn that his last wish to his mother, that Sura be delivered from his misery, had also later been fulfilled. The Queen, living anonymously at first in Neapolis, with the help of Sebastian's rich merchant friend, would bring up the young eunuch as if he were her lost beloved son. Both would subsequently devote their lives to the propagation of the Christian faith.

Diocletian and Casperius were not over-bothered at the disappearance of the two Lycian females, as they had served their purpose in making Anthonius go quietly to his destiny and it resolved the problem of what to do with them. However, the Emperor was apoplectic when Sura subsequently disappeared from demeaning menial service in the Imperial boy companion quarters. He would never see the young eunuch again but many years later, after his retirement to Spalato, he almost choked on his chicken when he was told at dinner about a particular very important personage in the new Imperial regime and realised who he was.

Lysus went to the royal palace after the welcoming ceremonials on the steps of the temple of Jupiter to enjoy a feast with the nation's most important men, deeply content as he wined and dined at the thought of what was happening to his half-brother. After several hours, the new King asked the chamberlain how much had so far been spent on entertaining Anthonius. He knew that the frugal official was concerned about the expense and had been keeping tabs on the accumulating cost via a relay of messengers.

Lysus was delighted to see a worried expression on the chamberlain's face as he hesitated to reply to the royal question, realising that the expense must be huge. The official coughed before eventually gathering the courage to say "Your Majesty, the latest report indicates that er, that er." The King became impatient with the man's hesitancy and demanded "Oh, get on with it. I don't care about how much it is as long as my sibling is enjoying himself!" This encouraged the chamberlain to finish his sentence by advising "that, er, er, er, no, er, coins have yet been used."

Lysus' flabby face turned purple and spittle began to ooze from his lips as incandescent rage overwhelmed him. He stood up and overturned his table, sending many dishes and several goblets crashing to the floor. There was sudden stunned silence in the previously noisy banquet hall as the furious new King struggled for words.

Lysus eventually managed to spurt out "Ungrateful wretches! How dare they ignore their duty! I'll make them pay!" He then looked slowly around at the many guests and shouted "Get out! Never come back unless you now go to piss over my half- brother." He added another loud "Get out!" before everyone complied, leaving him alone in the hall apart from a few terrified servants.

Only ten sycophantic men went to the latrine, the rest preferring exile from court to dishonouring Anthonius, who they still considered their Prince. No-one had believed Lysus' accusations about the boy's debauchery, believing it more likely that it was the new King who was depraved. The ten knew that their actions to gain royal favour would be unpopular but considered that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. They entered the latrine and collected their gold coins.

Anthonius had at first been puzzled by the lack of custom for the facility and then quietly thanked his gods and his people when realisation as to the reason dawned. He knew that many could ill afford to ignore the monetary reward.

By the time that the ten sycophants arrived, Anthonius' fatiguing awkward fixed posture had caused painful stresses in his limbs and back but these were forgotten as the human urinal's first client arrived before him. The boy recognised the man from his father's court. He had never liked his fawning ways, seemingly always out to profit in some way from royal patronage. The late King had only tolerated him because he was distant kin. However, his remote relationship to the former Prince did not stop him from raising his toga and lowering his undergarment to expose his cock, semi-erect at the sight before him.

Anthonius closed his eyes and soon felt warm piss splash over his upturned face and into his hair before the stream was directed downwards onto his chest, belly and groin. Neither the giver nor the recipient of the urine shower knew that the courtier had effectively just signed his own death warrant, as did some of the nine who followed. None would live in the Kingdom for much longer.

Anthonius, drenched in urine, had to wait some time for the next clients to arrive, a group of six pretty 14 years old boys. Two guards had been posted on the outside of the entrance to control the anticipated rush of customers but the plaza had quickly emptied and was now deserted as dusk approached, people preferring to return to their homes. Two of the boys delayed entering, wanting to chat up the soldiers before they did so. The other four divided themselves into pairs seemingly to collect their coins from either servant. The latter were therefore rather surprised to find that the first to whom they had dispensed the gold did not proceed to urinate but, after being distracted by paying the second their dues, found knives instead against their jugulars. The two guards entered shortly afterwards, similar blades held by young hands pressing into their backs.

Anthonius had recognised the boys as soon as they arrived. The group comprised his closest Lycian friends, bent on delivering their Prince from such shame to safety. They were all sons of nobles and it was planned to smuggle Anthonius to sanctuary on one of their remotest estates. The servants and guards were not displeased to see a rescue attempt being made and made no move to prevent its success. Even though all of them knew who the youngsters were, they would of course, when questioned later, have no idea who the band of vicious heavily armed men were who had undertaken the audacious deliverance.

The rescuers themselves gave no thought to their own welfare but were perplexed by Anthonius' apparent reluctance to escape. However, they put their friend's desperate entreaties that he should be left alone to sickness of mind, a condition only to be expected after what he must have gone through. One of the guards happily gave one boy the key to unlock the former Prince from his bondage but the lad had to be forced to his feet and almost dragged to the exit of the latrine by the two friends not keeping watch on the adults. They had almost achieved their goal when a party of Roman soldiers entered.

Chapter 59 - Retributions

{for Tom}

(September 291 A.D. - 6 months until Anthonius' nullification [?])

The six 14 years old boys, armed only with knives, were no match for the professional, heavily armed, soldiers and they quickly found themselves under arrest and being dragged to the walled citadel that formed the garrison's headquarters. The two Lycian guards were dismissed, to be replaced by twenty Romans surrounding the public facility, and the servants were ordered to resume their work whilst Anthonius was returned to the urinal. The centurion and his men were determined not to allow the diversion of a failed rescue attempt deflect them from securing their welcome bonuses. The former Prince was to be anointed with military and canine urine remorselessly overnight and throughout most of the next day as the Roman garrison enriched itself with much Lycian gold. The boy's half-brother was delighted to be told that two fresh chests had to be collected from the treasury in order to keep up with demand.

Anthonius did not only suffer urine falling on top of him as some soldiers, aroused by the sight before them, also masturbated. The boy's acute shame was exacerbated when he came once himself. One Roman had deliberately directed his piss at the lad's engorged cockhead, producing much laughter from the soldier when he saw an arc of semen gush out in response.

Meanwhile, the six young erstwhile rescuers were to be questioned about their actions. Long unused chambers deep in the bowels of the citadel were reactivated for the purpose. Much dust and many cobwebs had to be brushed away, and several large families of rats dispersed, before the boys were placed in chains in individual cells. The central torture chamber took longer to return to full working order, with a number of military craftsmen needed to restore the various equipment to functionality. The ancient rack, unused for almost a century, had to be almost completely rebuilt by carpenters. However, with typical Roman army efficiency, full interrogation facilities were ready by the time that the urine-drenched Anthonius joined his friends in the dungeons at dusk on the following day.

The soldier charged with eliciting true confessions from the pretty 14 years olds was expertly practised in the art, having seen similar service in several of the Empire's trouble spots. The first terrified boy, identified correctly as the likely ringleader, was hauled into the torture chamber, and stripped. His anus was checked, as the torturer did not want the death of a virgin on his conscience for it displeased the gods. The man had no intention of killing the lad just yet but accidents did happen and the youngster would have to be raped if he was discovered to be virginal. However, only one of the six had not yet consummated his pedagogic relationship with his older suitor as his true beauty had blossomed late and he was still deciding whom to choose from the many candidates.

Having been found to have anally accommodated a man, the ringleader was bound firmly to the restored rack. Several turns of the wheel that activated the device soon had the boy's naked body fully stretched. The torturer was pleased to see that his crying victim sported the usual full erection despite his obvious agony.

The soldier began his questions, centring round what precisely the plotters were hoping to achieve and who else was involved. When he was unhappy with the answers, the wheel would be turned fractionally, usually securing a loud scream, heard throughout the dungeon complex, before a hesitant verbal response. The man himself eventually heard cracks as first shoulders and then ankles were dislocated.

The boy was now literally at breaking point, for another turn of the wheel would produce the sound of skin tearing. However, the questions still came for the torturer was not yet entirely satisfied as to the fulsomeness of the information gained. Another turn of the wheel opened large bloody wounds in the lad's ripping armpits and saw a fountain of sperm spurt from his engorged throbbing penis. The amused soldier rubbed the white fluid into the moaning 14 years old's chest, belly, scrotum and upper legs, where the creamy substance had come to rest. His young victim managed one final answer before another turn of the wheel made him faint. The tormentor did not bother reawakening the tormented as he was finally happy that he knew all that he wanted. It was time to confirm this fact by attaching Anthonius' five friends to the device.

Anthonius, soaked body hurting not only with shame but also with intense pain as the stiffness caused by his many hours chained in a demeaning posture was to take many more to diminish, heard his friends' agonised shrieks throughout the night. The former Prince, hands chained behind his back, shouted through the bars of his filthy cell, begging for mercy for the boys, but his desperate entreaties went unheeded and he had to give up when his voice finally went, reducing his utterances to barely audible croaks. The smelly piss and semen covering his body had dried, forming scum marks over much of the skin, by the time dawn arrived and the awful screams finally came to an end.

Anthonius finally slept for the first time in two days when quiet descended, his only consolation for recent events being the fact that he had heard yelling from only five of his friends. He hoped that the sixth was to be spared being put to the question. He was not to know that that was not his half-brother's intention when he had the beautiful 14 years old removed to the palace. The new King, who had come to the citadel to watch the delightful torture of his sibling's friends, had kindly decided to give personal attention to depriving the one virgin amongst the sextet of his innocence.

Prodicus was given the task of preparing the appalled Vinius for his royal master's bed by bathing the younger boy and greasing his virgin anus. The tearful 14 years old was shivering in fright when placed on top of the royal bed to await Lysus' arrival, despite the best efforts of the royal page to calm him. The virgin did not have to wait too long for the eager King or for the man's cock to invade his previously pure rectum. Tears and squeals flooded the bedchamber as the lad was readied to enjoy the pleasures of the torture chamber.

Lysus was thoroughly entertained by Vinius' deflowerment and was looking forward to similar amusement when the boy was placed later on the rack. However, the King first needed some sleep before experiencing further delights and the debauched hurting lad, the lustrous curves of his gorgeous bottom besmirched by blood and semen, found himself trapped face-down under the obnoxious fat sweaty odorous form of the snoring monarch, softening adult cock still inside him.

Lysus woke several hours later. It was mid-morning and sun streamed through the window of the bedchamber. The King was surprised to find that the no longer virgin 14 years old was not still lying on the bed as he had not given the brat permission to leave his company. The monarch's surprise turned to fury when he subsequently discovered that the boy seemed to have disappeared into thin air. The Roman soldiers, now charged with guarding the personage, assured him that they had not seen the lad leave the royal quarters, a careful search of which by them and Prodicus finding no-one hiding.

Vinius' disappearance was a mystery that Lysus was never to resolve. The incensed King had to be content, one week later, with executing just five of his half-brother's friends, a spectacle that was to be the culmination of the new monarch's coronation in the temple of Jupiter, at which the Roman commander and Ebana were the principal foreign guests. Three wooden crosses were laid on the ground at the foot of the temple steps, with exceptionally sharp stakes, about the height of a normal man, firmly embedded into the ground on either side of the middle crucifix. Six blunt stakes were positioned further into the plaza with another solitary one in front. The whole scenario was heavily ringed by Roman soldiers.

Anthonius, still naked but body washed for the occasion by the youthful black eunuch, was first to arrive. He was chained to the front solitary stake, facing the others and the temple. His five injured nude friends followed, dragged from the citadel as their dislocated limbs made them incapable of walking. They were chained spreadeagled between the six blunt stakes, also facing the temple.

Anthonius felt physically ill when he saw the state in which his wonderful beautiful heroic friends were now presented, bodies displaying their wounds and faces their agony. The bloody scabs under their arms particularly sickened the former Prince. Roman soldiers, wearing only loincloths and holding vicious whips, took up position behind each condemned boy. The torsos of the powerful men rippled with muscles.

Various entreaties for mercy had been made to Lysus for the youngster's lives, not least from their important noble families, but they had fallen on deaf ears. A determined attempt to rescue the boys from incarceration in the citadel led by some fathers, older brothers and lovers had been bloodily thwarted, causing the Roman governor to declare martial law. This capped unrest amongst the wider populace for now. However, no citizenry felt obligated to celebrate the coronation of their new King. When the crowned monarch emerged at midday with his few guests onto the top of the temple steps, it was to see the city's main square empty apart from soldiers guarding and waiting to attend to Anthonius and his friends. However, Lysus' disappointment at the Lycians' attitude was not going to stop him from enjoying the spectacle of observing Anthonius watch his friends being put to death in front of his young eyes.

Lysus signalled to the officer supervising operations at the bottom of the temple steps and the Roman responded by issuing an order. Anthonius' friends soon felt the agony of the whip being laid with vigour across their rears. Screams echoed round the plaza as the skin of the boys' backs, bums and legs gradually became a bloodied pulp. The victims had to be resuscitated from faints several times whilst the flagellation proceeded.

The sobbing Anthonius constantly shouted useless pleas for pity for his friends at seeing their plight, which only added to his half-brother's rapture. The former Prince's begging intensified when the soldiers moved their attentions to the boys' fronts, including their genitalia. One of the lad's scrotums was split open and another's cockhead was partially severed as the evil sharp leather struck them.

The flogging took almost an hour to complete, the irreparable damage terrible to behold to Anthonius.

However, even worse was to come as his half-dead friends were unbound and dragged to where they were to die. Three were laid on the crosses, the ringleader on the middle one. Several soldiers crowded round each victim to order to secure them to the wood. The relevant wrist cartilage, through which the large square headed nails had to be hammered in order to prevent the arms from tearing away from the crossbeams when the crosses were raised, were expertly located. Further awful shrieks indicated that mallets were being used to drive the spikes through the tissue. The yells reached a crescendo when larger metal spikes were hammered through the boys' crossed ankles, overwhelming the sound of many bones being crushed. Young human attachments complete, the crosses were then raised, the vertical beams sinking into pre-prepared relevantly-sized holes dug into the ground.

Meanwhile, the other two boys were each lifted off the ground by four soldiers holding their sanguine striped legs. The lads' sphincters were lowered onto the tips of the spiked stakes and their legs pulled downwards, causing the extremely sharp wood to make inroads into their anuses, which started to spurt blood. Heavy weights were suspended from each foot to encourage the gradual advance of the stakes into the lads' insides.

Despite their suffering, all five boys now approached their lingering deaths exhibiting hard-ons. Anthonius was now silent, mortified at the crucifixion and impalement of his young friends, who had so loved him that they were prepared to risk their lives in his rescue. His mortification was brought to a peak when ladders were placed against each cross to enable soldiers, each holding a knife, to climb the rungs. They cut open, without ceremony, the crucified lads' scrotums, exposing the contents before slicing the membrane retaining the testicles so that they fell onto the hard soil below. All five youngsters spurted semen as they were unmanned. The former Prince vomited when he saw the first small bloody testis land. Ladders were not required to castrate the impaled victims. No action was taken to stem any blood loss, which would eventually stop when the blood congealed.

The sight of the concluding action and Anthonius' reaction caused Lysus' smile to broaden before he eventually led the coronation party down the righthandside steps and back to the palace for a celebratory banquet. The new King relished the thought that this would be his last sight of his half-brother, left to watch his friends die very slowly and agonisingly. The man hoped that the delicious vision would be retained vividly in his memory for the rest of his life. He was to be granted his wish but not for personally desirable reasons.

A distraught crying Anthonius observed his friends' breathing become shallower and shallower over many hours as their ends crept nearer. The crucified victims gradually suffocated as fluid accumulated in their lungs, whilst the bodies of the impaled duo were slowly lowered further onto the wooden stakes by the force of gravity, their anal wounds getting bigger, more terrible and finally fatal.

It would be late afternoon by the time death came mercifully to the last of the five boys. The tearful traumatised former Prince was then packed into a wagon, escorted by Roman cavalry, to return with the youthful eunuch to Patala, from where the Nubian galley would leave for Alexandria in Egypt on the following afternoon's tide. Meanwhile, Ebana was enjoying the new Lycian King's coronation feast. He would not leave Xanthus until the morning, after sharing Prodicus' sexual favours with his host overnight, but took the trouble to send the eunuch on his way with a generous message for his ship's crew. As the Nubian King would not be requiring the white boy that night, they could enjoy him in any way they wanted as long as he was not permanently damaged. The black monarch liked to keep his servants happy.

Prodicus did not learn of what had happened at the foot of the temple of Jupiter's steps until after the event. He was duly horrified at what had occurred and also deeply saddened at hearing that Anthonius had already been despatched to Patala, denying him the chance to see his friend one final time. It was whilst he sucked Lysus' obnoxious cock in the royal bedchamber, after agonisingly entertaining Ebana earlier in one of the palace's guestrooms, that the 16 years old decided on his own act of retribution.

The following night, the royal page was as usual lying naked on the royal bed waiting for Lysus to enter the bedchamber after dinner. When the King finally arrived at about midnight, the nude boy, displaying an alluring smile and rigid erection, rose from the bed. He noticed that the monarch had brought some toys to play with, a spiked dildo and a riding crop. The man was obviously in a mood for sadistic sex that night. Prodicus' penis extended to the vertical and began to ooze precum at the realisation.

Lysus grinned wickedly as his catamite approached to collect the playthings and aid his disrobing. He had little time to wonder why the boy was holding his right hand out of sight behind his delicious bare body before he saw the glint of metal and felt a blade enter his heart. The new King was dead before he hit the floor, his consecrated reign having lasted just over a day.

Chapter 60 - Alexandria

(September 291 A.D. - 6 months until Anthonius' nullification [?])

Despite the late hour, most of the crew was still awake. They could not afford to indulge at the harbour taverns or brothels but had purchased cheap wine in order to celebrate their last night in Lycia. Ebana's generous offer, as well as news of the happenings in Xanthus, was conveyed by the youthful eunuch, via the captain, to the boisterous sex-starved gathering, which numbered over fifty and did not of course include the galley slaves. The latter had been cleaned but were now reattached to their oars, most unable to sleep because of the raucous noise from the upper level.

The exclusively black crew reassembled on the aft deck with their wine in order to watch the nude white boy, washed by the eunuch for the purpose, dance on the stern platform. It was not Anthonius' best performance as the former Prince remained traumatised, as he would be in one way or another for the rest of his life, by the events of the previous day. Nevertheless, his erotic routine, robotically delivered, was still appreciated by the noisy spectators, who regularly shouted obscene remarks.

As the dance ended, Anthonius should have been fearful for his oral and anal orifices as the crew looked forward to satisfying their voracious lusts. Many had already exposed their invariably huge precum-oozing cocks to stroke as they watched the white boy's performance. The lad's own penis was, as usual in such circumstances, hard but he no longer cared enough to be embarrassed. It did not even matter to him, in his deep distress, if the black assemblage gang-raped him all night. However, despite appearances, that was not the intention of the spectators.

Despite their current barbaric main religion, which would soon be replaced by worship of more gentle deities, the Nubians were not at heart a particularly cruel people, especially given the general attitudes of the time. Despite their progression to inebriation, the captain and crew were genuinely shocked to learn about what the white boy had been subjected to the previous day. Their pity did not extend to foregoing their pleasures entirely but did save the 14 years old's mouth and anus from night-long utilisation.

Anthonius was instead required to walk amongst the crew, helping them to masturbate whilst they fondled his delicious body. It was still an all night task as the sexual appetite of many of the men seemed insatiable and most wanted further helpings from the nude boy, whose body was covered in semen by the time dawn arrived. However, that was better than having a stomach or rectum full of the stuff and, despite his acute grief, the former Prince recognised and appreciated the gesture, even managing several accidental ejaculations of his own as a result of the regular handling of his genitalia.

Ebana arrived back at the galley early afternoon and the ship sailed out of the port on the subsequent tide. Anthonius was being painfully sodomised by the Nubian King when Prodicus was stabbing the Lycian equivalent.

"You can come out now," advised Prodicus after checking that the regular abuser of his body for a decade was dead. Vinius emerged from his hiding place under the late King's bed, where the royal page had hidden him after extracting him from under Lysus' snoring somnolent body over a week earlier. Naturally, during the search for the missing 14 years old, it had been Prodicus not the guards who had checked that particular potential place of concealment.

Vinius only spent time under the bed when Lysus occupied the royal quarters, which mainly tended to be at night. The boy's secret concealment had therefore not been too distressing, particularly as Prodicus, whose duties included the cleanliness of the King's personal accommodation, regularly fed him with scraps stolen from the royal kitchens and alerted him whenever the monarch's return was imminent. It had been too dangerous to leave the rooms as the palace was infested with Roman troops guarding the new despot, their untrustworthy Lycian counterparts having been assigned policing duties in the streets of the capital. However, the assassination meant that an immediate attempt now had to be made.

The worst part of Vinius' enforced confinement had been listening to the sounds of Lysus abusing Prodicus, the man usually liking to spice their longstanding sexual relationship by inflicting pain in one way or another. The 14 years old frequently heard his 16 years old saviour scream and saw the bed above him shake in tandem with vigorous action taking place on top. However, the King's cruel predilections produced the means by which Vinius' escape from the palace would now be achieved.

Vinius was shocked and panicky at the sight of Lysus' dead body as Prodicus had not confided his intentions, although the younger boy was far from sorry. The 16 years old had also not yet told the 14 years old about the horrific deaths of his friends as he did not want to cause the lad undue anguish that might induce hysteria whilst he remained in such a perilous situation. The sad news would be relayed only when the escapee was safe.

The original plan was to smuggle Vinius out of the palace, when prevailing circumstances became less tense and the guards less alert, to the sanctuary of his family's remote estate in the north east of Lycia, on the border with Pisidia. The Roman commander had politely declined Lysus' request to send troops there in search of the missing boy, telling the King that it was a purely Lycian matter. The angry monarch had no-one else to send apart from the Lycian palace guards but they were small in number and he could not trust them even to attempt to fulfil their mission. The breakout plan now had to be implemented without delay, and the fugitive would be accompanied by a young regicide.

Prodicus was the epitome of calm when he further surprised the deeply worried Vinius by applying grease from a large pot, placed next to the bed, to the evil-looking spiked dildo before placing the readied implement on top of the mattress and lying face down next to it. "Pick up the riding crop," the 16 years old instructed the 14 years old, "and whip my bottom as hard as you can. Then insert the dildo in my anus!" Vinius, amazement overcoming fear, spluttered out in response "This is no time for sex games!"

Prodicus, patiently tranquil, replied "I know. We're not playing games, just organising our escape. The two guards outside will have seen Lysus enter his quarters with the items and will expect them to be used on me. They've probably already indulged in much ribald comment about it. They'll also anticipate me leaving, as I usually do, to return to my own room to repair myself after receiving the King's loving attentions. When I do so, they'll expect me to be exhibiting a striped bum. I'll naturally need help to remove the dildo and I'll ask it of the two Romans. I'm sure that it's a service for which they'll insist on repayment of a particular kind as, judging from the looks they give me, the pair fancy me. That should keep the men occupied whilst you get out of this place. I'll take them into a small empty room opposite, insisting on servicing both at the same time. When you come out, turn right, go to the second stairwell on the left, which is rarely used, and I'll meet you at the bottom of the steps after I've satisfied the soldiers. However, for the plan to work, you'll have to beat me and stick the dildo inside me."

Vinius picked up the crop and approached the bed. He lifted the implement into the air but could not bring himself to use it on his saviour's buttocks. Prodicus, seeing the 14 years old's hesitation, tried to reassure the boy about what he was required to do by advising "Don't worry. I've suffered much worse. Anyway, I've come to like it. Let me show you." The 16 years old, turning over to reveal a raging erection, continued "I'll cum when you whip me. You want to give me pleasure, don't you?" The first hard blow from the crop landed across the royal page's lustrous posterior shortly afterwards.

Vinius had created twelve vivid red stripes across Prodicus' backside before the dildo replaced the crop in his hands. He had noticed that the 16 years old had orgasmed with the seventh stroke but had nevertheless insisted that a few more be applied to provide the appropriate visual display for the guards.

"This'll tear your insides to shreds," declared Vinius as he examined the dildo, feeling the short round-headed metal spikes with his forefinger. "No it won't," answered Prodicus as he splayed his legs to make fitting easier, "it'll hurt but won't cause permanent damage. Lysus enjoyed my bum too much to want to do that to it, although he would have beaten me with the thing inside me. The bastard would have made sure that it's sized perfectly to inflict maximum pain without long-term injury. You'll just have to take great care when putting it in me!" The 14 years old followed the 16 years old's advice, his own cock, hidden under his now tatty tunic, hardening as he took a quarter of an hour to insert the vicious tool. A number of agonised winces emanated from the recipient as he proceeded.

Prodicus gingerly rose from the bed, leaving a pool of semen on top of the cover, after Vinius had finally completed his task. The anguish from the spikes was considerable but he nevertheless still displayed a resurgent full erection. The 14 years old was astonished at the sight of the vertical throbbing cock but the 16 years old showed no embarrassment when he looked down at his hairless groin, instead smiling and calmly correctly suggesting "It should help in the seduction of the guards!"

Prodicus walked slowly to the door of the bedchamber, collecting his tunic on the way, his lovely face flinching and hard penis twitching when he felt the spikes press against the wall of his rectum. When the 16 years old arrived at the door, he turned to Vinius and said confidently "Wait until you hear the opposite door close before you come out. I'll try to slam it. I don't expect to be too long with the soldiers!" He smiled reassuringly at the scared 14 years old before, after taking one last look at Lysus' dead form, he opened the door and stepped outside.

The two Romans almost came in the loincloths they wore as undergarments when they saw the beautiful erect nude, tunic held in his hand, emerge from the royal quarters. Prodicus grinned alluringly at the soldiers and asked politely if they could help him. The men laughed at the boy's request but were more than happy to assist the lad with his little local difficulty, although at first reluctant to leave their posts in order to do so. However, this was overcome when the royal page insisted that he had time only to service them simultaneously and would not, in return for their kind favour, perform fellatio on one whilst being sodomised by the other in such a public place as the passageway outside the King's chambers, enticing them as planned into the empty room opposite.

The Romans, in their eagerness, were not too gentle in extracting the spiked dildo from Prodicus' anus, causing the boy to shriek when it was pulled out. Most of the spikes were sanguine and some blood also began to drip down the lad's inside legs. However, the soldier who would bugger the royal page did not mind his cock becoming dirty as he would insist that a certain 16 years old tongue cleaned the rampant member after its desperate need had been satisfied.

When Prodicus, now re-attired in his tunic, met up with the petrified Vinius half an hour later, dripping sperm had been added to the blood running down the 16 years old's legs. However, this did not prevent him using his knowledge of the palace layout to guide the 14 years old successfully out of the quiet building, carefully avoiding the night guards who were on the lookout for intruders from outside not escapees from inside. A number of days later, two bedraggled boys arrived safely at the younger's distant family estate.

When Lysus' body was found, suspicion immediately centred on the missing royal page. The Roman commander made token efforts to find the culprit but did not want to waste too much manpower in the effort. He had disliked the new King from the start and knew that his provocative actions would cause him and his men trouble that they did not want. However, he had been obliged to try to assist and protect the new monarch by order of the Emperor. The obligation was no more and the country would be much better for it. No rebuke for allowing the assassination to occur ever came from Rome.

Diocletian was not over-surprised or unhappy to learn of Lysus' death, fully knowing how obnoxious the man, whom he had never regarded as a friend, could be. He had supported his claim to the Lycian throne as thanks for services rendered, although he had reservations about the wisdom of the move, not wanting to have to bother with crushing another revolt.

The murder now conveniently gave the Emperor the opportunity to bring Lycia under direct Roman rule as there was no other obvious candidate for the throne, the treacherous Anthonius having ruled himself out of the reckoning. The kingdom became an Imperial province. 25 years later, Prodicus, through the patronage of a friend, became Governor, the position becoming hereditary as he and his progeny ruled the prosperous peaceful country proficiently and wisely for generations.

The immediate aftermath of the assassination was not tranquil as the deliriously happy people celebrated by taking revenge on the ten courtiers who had accepted the late unlamented King's money to urinate over Anthonius. Their homes were attacked. Eight met their ends by being beaten, stoned or lynched whilst a lucky duo escaped into impoverished exile, never daring to return to their homeland.

Anthonius of course did not know of these events as the Nubian galley sedately traversed the Mare Internum to Alexandria. The boy serviced the oars every morning and Ebana every night, with lessons from the youthful eunuch in between. The voyage from Lycia took three weeks until the great port city, harbour dominated by the Pharos, one of the wonders of the world, came into sight. The former Prince was unexpectedly to come across two former acquaintances in the Egyptian capital, one bearing some excruciatingly unpleasant presents.

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