The Lycian Prince 33

Mighty Zeus seemed to ponder whether to accept the offer of a new cup bearer for a while before making his decision. Anthonius, his nude body chilled and soaking, awaited the god’s verdict with trepidation as the lightening continued to flash and strike all around, even hitting a steep gable to his rear. However, the iron pole miraculously remained untouched and the storm eventually abated. Zeus had apparently chosen to allow the Emperor to gift Anthonius to another immortal, although the boy would not know this for a couple of months and he then wished that the paramount deity had instead accepted his sacrifice on this stormy night.

The banquet at which Anthonius had been the star attraction was finishing and those guests not staying in the palace’s hospitality quarters began to leave. Despite the continuing drizzle, they all took time to look up to see what Zeus had resolved. The signs of life that their observation revealed would occupy most conversations on the way home. The Imperial entourage eventually emerged with the resident guests to appraise the situation also. Casperius and Lysus were most relieved that Anthonius had not suffered a quick death for now the plans for a far worse destiny for the lad could be followed through, once he had enjoyed two months in a boy brothel.

Anthonius was released from his bondage long after most others attending the banquet had reached their beds. He was not returned to Sura’s old quarters but was instead deposited, still naked, cold and wet, and with hands and feet re-chained and nipple ornaments and anal plug still in place, in a small empty cool dungeon cell. There, he had to huddle in a corner to gain some warmth and rest. Unsurprisingly in the uncomfortable circumstances, the boy’s sleep was fitful.

It was midmorning when he was transferred from the cell to the boy companion quarters to be readied in the usual manner by the Nubian slave. This time enemas were included in the bodily preparations and Anthonius received no food. It was apparent that his anus was to be kept thoroughly clean for whatever use his new temporary owner wanted. The boy was finally dressed in a boy companion loincloth without tunic. It seemed that his value at auction was to be boosted by emphasising that he was still an Imperial boy companion, albeit one in disgrace and soon to lose the status. There would be many brothel clients who would pay large sums for his services if only to check what was so special about the boys in the Imperial harem and to boast about the unprecedented experience of actually bedding one. Anthonius’ demeaning chains were restored, although the link between his feet was enlarged to allow him to walk almost normally.

Anthonius was taken before Casperius in the harem pleasure chamber. Niachiarus sat on an adjacent couch and most of the rest were occupied by the remaining boy companions. “Well, slut,” the major domo declared to accompanying chortles from all around, “your training to be good whore is over and we shall see how much you’ve learnt. You’ll now be taken to the slave market where every week there is an auction of experienced boy prostitutes from brothels where the clients have become bored with them, and so a transfer to another bawdy-house and fresh customers is desired. In many ways, you fit the sale criteria perfectly. The weekly auction will be held later this afternoon and the funds gained from your hire will be given to Niachiarus here to provide us with some more little eunuch slaves. I know that you’ll really appreciate the money being put to such good use. I also know that you will thoroughly enjoy your time being a true prostitute and can’t wait to start. I’ll therefore delay you no longer. See you in two months, whore!”

Niachiarus stood and attached a leather collar around Anthonius’ neck, partly obscuring the Imperial boy companion throat chain still worn there. The smirking Nubian freeman attached a long chain leash to a metal ring fixed to the front of the collar and led the boy by it out of the chamber, to sarcastic shouts of “Bye, bye, whore” from the boys left behind. Anthonius experienced another intensely embarrassing walk through the busy palace passageways, compounded by frequent tugs on the chain by his escort to accompanying loud orders for the whore not to dally. They eventually emerged in the front courtyard above which the boy had almost met his end the previous night. A horse-drawn wagon awaited them. There was plenty of room for the boy to sit in the back of the wagon. However, his former Nubian slave had no intention of letting the lad forego the pleasure of being paraded on foot through the crowded streets of Rome in chains and attired in just a small revealing loincloth. The Imperial emblems on Anthonius’ body and loincloth would prevent molestation from the hands of passers-by but not their visual enjoyment and associated stinging verbal remarks. Niachiarus therefore attached the leash to the back of the wagon, which he then boarded and slowly drove off towards the capital’s slave market deep within the grimy over-populated plebeian sector.

The walk was indeed long and most humiliating for Anthonius for soon the wagon was amongst the throngs in the narrow thoroughfares of Rome’s poorest districts. He received frequent bating from many of the passers-by, apparently stimulated to make their comments by the sight of the beautiful boy’s distinct body adornments and markings and glimpses of the red stripes on his buttocks from the previous night’s caning. The regularly blushing Anthonius found the lecherous observations and suggestions from a number of men and women, and the rude barbed remarks of most children, the hardest to bear. Niachiarus often looked around to enjoy the spectacle of his former charge’s sweet abashment and delighted in the thought that there was much more to come.

The wagon eventually arrived at the slave market and Niachiarus unhitched Anthonius and led him by the leash through the busy innards towards the section where the boy’s auction would take place. Adjacent to the platform on which the sale would take place, there was a large open barred communal cell, already occupied by about 12 others with more still due. Niachiarus removed the leash from Anthonius’ neck and, after an attendant slave had temporarily unlocked the entrance gate, the Nubian pushed the boy inside. The eunuch sniggered as he took once last glance at the lad now amongst professional boy prostitutes and about to be hired out as one himself. He thought of the day that he had first met the then Lycian Prince, and walked away to enjoy his midday meal content that his ambitions for the boy were coming to fruition, although his ultimate wish would still take some months to achieve.

Anthonius picked a vacant spot in the half-empty cell on which to sit on the stone floor. The boy prostitutes, aged between 8 and 16, eyed the stranger with the nipple rings and Imperial brands with interest but like Anthonius remained still and silent. They were fearful about their own destinations because they realised that, as second or even third hand whores, their new workplaces were likely to be even less salubrious than the old. By auction time, the cell was full and so was the floor in front of the auction platform. The crowd was much bigger than usual because, in addition to an increased number of brothel keepers and slave traders, the volume of pederastic voyeurs present had been boosted by news of the sale of the Emperor’s former boy favourite. Many had taken the opportunity to view him in the waiting cell.

The auctioneer had already argued the order of sale with the various vendors, who were not happy if their goods were amongst the earliest to be displayed as it was traditional to auction the likely least valuable first. In this particular market, that usually meant that the boys least debauched previously, often the youngest, would be sold last. However, on this day, it meant that Anthonius would have a long wait and he had to sit through the shameful indignities inflicted on all the others before it was his turn.

Anthonius eventually found himself alone in the communal cell, watching the penultimate sale take place on the adjacent platform. He was familiar with the auction procedure from his African experience but that did not make it any easier to endure. Then the previous sale was concluded and the attendant slave opened the entrance gate to collect Anthonius. He ordered the boy to his feet and checked the lad’s appearance and bondage chains. He wiped any specks of dirt, accumulated from the walk to the slave market and stay in the cell, from the boy’s body with a damp cloth and led him outside and onto the platform. There was raucous cheering from the watching assemblage, at the front of which a smiling Niachiarus was prominent. The auctioneer now took charge of the trembling lad.

The man introduced the article for hire “Well gentlemen, and I note some ladies, here we have a really delicious specimen of fresh boy meat, upon which only the great Emperor has so far feasted.” Anthonius could not help but laugh inwardly for, of course, no-one else knew, apart from the perpetrators, that he had been enjoyed by others besides Armillatus. “This is Anthonius, former Lycian Prince, now boy whore. Anthonius is no longer required for Imperial service because of sexual misbehaviour. The great Emperor, in his immense wisdom, decided that it was appropriate instead to train Anthonius to be a good whore and make his services temporarily available so that those citizens who can afford it can also enjoy his many bodily attributes and many erotic talents. Alas, the whore will only be available for two months as it seems that His Imperial Majesty has other plans for his long-term future. Nevertheless, such an offer is unlikely to arise again, so think of the money clients would be prepared to pay during that limited period to take advantage of such rare pleasures. Don’t pass up this unprecedented opportunity to improve the profile and profits of your particular establishment!”

The opening sales pitch was over and Anthonius knew what was coming next. “Let’s examine the goods, shall we,” continued the auctioneer, who then proceeded to give a detailed description of the boy’s physical qualities to the crowd, starting with his sleek golden hair and working downwards. Anthonius received many lewd comments in reply as the auctioneer turned the boy slowly full circle during the discourse. Only his covered loins had not been discussed at the end of the manoeuvre and they would not remain covered or undebated for much longer.

The auctioneer, who was proficient in his art, paused for a while to let impatience amongst the spectators build before the ultimate bodily revelation was indulged. Anthonius heard shouts of “get them off”, “stop messing, let’s see them” and “I bet it’s hard” amongst the many now uttered. Eventually, the auctioneer relented and said to more chants “Alright, alright, let’s see what he’s got”. He first turned Anthonius so that the boy was facing away from the boisterous multitude and removed the rear loincloth flap to expose the lad’s branded bottom more fully, before turning him face forward again to remove the front flap. The shouts were incessant now, all calling for the final, now ballooning, small cover to be removed. The auctioneer smirked as he gently pulled on the bow of the undercloth cord to allow the garment to fall. The roof seemed to vibrate with the noise as the bare body of the first Imperial boy companion to be seen publicly naked outside the palace was exposed to full scrutiny.

The auctioneer now turned Anthonius again, intimately describing the glorious characteristics of the delicious areas now revealed. He was more than happy to hold up the boy’s erection so that everyone could estimate its length and to discuss the shape and weight of the lad’s balls. He went on to debate how well the lad’s striped bum seemed to enhance his appearance still further, cheekily suggesting that perhaps regular thrashing might improve his attractiveness to clients. Anthonius was bent over so that his anal opening, recovering remarkably from the attentions of the marble dildo, and its pleasurable uses could be summarised.

Anthonius’ cock was once again drooling precum when he was escorted off the platform by the attendant slave for close examination by prospective purchasers. The slave knew who they would be and efficiently kept others away from mauling the goods. It was during the fourth inspection that Anthonius orgasmed to loud laughter and exclamations of pretended disgust.

A red-faced Anthonius was restored to the platform after half an hour of acute humiliation but the bidding for him only took a sixth of that time. Not many could rival the very high offers made by two particular men, one of whom soon prevailed with a value previously unknown in that particular specialist market. Anthonius was led brought before the victor, a small middle-aged bald man with a pronounced stomach, who was now standing at the foot of the platform steps. The nude boy knew the form and knelt, eyes downcast in shame, before his new temporary owner. The man, who had never used this market before because he usually purchased only fresh boy virgins for his brothel, ordered one of his own two slaves to redress his new property and take him to his establishment whilst he went to conduct business elsewhere.

Anthonius was reattired in his full loincloth and, held firmly by the left arm by the slave, was escorted through the market to the streets outside. As they left, Anthonius passed Niachiarus who said, chuckling loudly, “Do enjoy yourself, whore!” The slave did not waste time in making his delivery for his master wanted him back at the market, as there might be other purchases to look after from the market catering for newly enslaved boys. Anthonius was grateful for the speed for it gave few passers-by the chance to make ribald remarks. The pair passed along many busy thoroughfares until arriving at pleasanter avenues catering for middle class residents. They entered a quiet cul-de-sac at the end of which was a large tavern, with well-dressed men sitting at tables outside, quietly drinking ale and wine. Then Anthonius saw the sign. It read ‘House Of Ganymede, The Freshest Most Beautiful Boys For Your Delectation, Any Time Of Day Or Night, All Tastes Accommodated.’

(To be continued in Chapter 34 – ‘Prostitute’)