Tamerlane's Boys 26

(Shiraz, Persia, Spring 1394)

Tamerlane had wintered quietly with his army and his boys in the environs of Shiraz. The days had been relatively warm, enabling exciting pastimes such as hunting to continue. Meanwhile, the nights had been freezing but the conqueror rarely noticed. Neither did he have any need for hot water bottles to keep his huge bed, within his vast, luxurious personal tent, comfortable. After all, three delightful young catamites shared his bearskin, which had once been obtained for him by Arman and Vissarion, after a brave battle against just such a massive, vicious, furry beast.

Vissarion, Nicolai and Rezan, now respectively 17, 13 and 11 years old, spent each night with their infamous master, snuggled up in a great huddle, resting against either his slightly tubby and hairy manly body or each other’s slim, completely smooth, boyish versions. All could happily sleep naked because of the warmth generated by their own forms, plus the efficient insulation provided by the bearskin. Meanwhile, the young Muscovite’s 9 year-old brother, Yaroslav, and the new recruit to the conqueror’s entourage, the 11 year-old Zoroastrian, Rahu, occupied adjacent personal compartments, whilst 17 year-old Arman shared, with his older lover, Sibur, another tent nearby. Their much smaller canopy had also recently been enlarged, on this occasion to accommodate the young Armenian’s 11 year-old squire and sporadic sexual playmate, Teimuraz.

Tamerlane still had unfinished campaigning to perform in Persia, mopping up residual resistance from the previous year’s uprisings. Naturally, for those foolishly continuing to resist his will, the conqueror was unlikely to exhibit much mercy.

Tamerlane also decided that it was time to try to return young Yaroslav to his family in Moscow, even though such an aim was fraught with danger. The intervening vast forests of southern Rus were still controlled by the Mongols of the Golden Horde, who had efficiently regrouped under their leading general, Toqtamish, after the acute devastation inflicted upon them a couple of years previously.

The Khanate would never fully recover from what Tamerlane had already inflicted, not least because the defeat encouraged the subject peoples of Rus to believe that they could one day perpetrate the same and evict the Golden Horde from their lands for ever. However, this growing aspiration of the currently subjugated local populations would take time to achieve and would once more need assistance provided by the stimulus of battles between the feared conqueror and the oppressors. Meanwhile, the various local principalities were forced to continue to send both tribute and hostages to the Mongols in return for peace.

Typically, Arman volunteered to lead the cavalry unit that would try to escort Yaroslav back to his family in faraway Moscow.

Naturally, Sibur offered to accompany his younger lover, whose senior military rank now matched his own after swift promotion by Tamerlane, despite the fact that the conqueror’s former catamite was only 17 years of age. However, few actually begrudged this elevation, which, at first sight might suggest nepotism, because, to anyone who knew him, the young Armenian displayed both mature competence and promise in military matters.

Equally naturally, Nicolai asked to go on the expedition too, both to accompany his younger brother back to his homeland and to meet his family again. However, unlike his sibling, the now 13 year-old Muscovite had no intention of remaining in Moscow when Arman’s unit set off to return to Persia.

Nicolai loved his family and home city, but he adored life with Tamerlane and his boys and army much more. The daily domestic routine in Moscow simply did not compare with the adventure, excitement and sex gained by living with the infamous conqueror. Anyway, the 13 year-old firmly believed, undoubtedly correctly, that Muscovy was no place for a eunuch, whereas his master’s vast empire accepted as routine the existence of geldings like himself. It also, in his correct opinion and like all Turkic societies, offered greater opportunities for those without balls to advance to high office than those who still possessed their testicles, especially if you were intimately acquainted with the ruler.

Nicolai actually currently had no particular ambitions, other than to enjoy life. The young Muscovite was content in the knowledge that, once he had lost his looks, as far as Tamerlane’s tastes were concerned, the conqueror would find him a good and appropriate post from which to launch a decent career, whatever that might be. The 13 year-old also did not expect such a development for several more years at least, going by the example of the similarly gelded Vissarion.

Vissarion was now 17 years of age but looked much younger and, if anything, more boyishly beautiful than ever, with Tamerlane’s liking for his perfect, delectable, fair, blue-eyed form still undiminished. The similarly physically featured Nicolai had, of course, been close witness to the conqueror’s continued lust for the young Georgian, as they and Rezan shared their master’s bed throughout the winter.

Nicolai also perceptively appreciated that Vissarion was Tamerlane’s undoubted favourite, of not only his current coterie of boys but also all others who had shared the conqueror’s bed over the years. The young Muscovite additionally realised that such a status did not just arise from the young Georgian’s unparalleled beauty but from his character as well.

Vissarion exhibited wisdom beyond his tender years, fully deserving, despite his youth and boyish appearance, his place on Tamerlane’s most senior council of advisers. The young Georgian was also selflessly considerate and loving, of his master and friends, for whom he would sacrifice anything, including his own life, as he had already proved.

Nicolai possessed no jealousy towards Vissarion, as a result of his perceptive recognition that the 17 year-old was Tamerlane’s favourite, which the conqueror had always tried to disguise out of consideration for both his other boys and the young Georgian’s inherent modesty. The young Muscovite simply could not begrudge such a status for the perfect youth, whom he loved as much as anyone.

Despite his natural worries, resulting from previous dangerous escapades, Tamerlane could not resist the entreaties of some of his boys. Consequently, the cavalry unit, which was relatively small to facilitate speed and secrecy and which eventually tried to escort Yaroslav back to Moscow, was led jointly by Arman and Sibur, assisted by their groom, Teimuraz, and accompanied by Nicolai. Vissarion and Rezan fancied the adventure but knew that their simultaneous place was to remain at their master’s side in Persia.

At dawn, on one cold, spring morning, tearful farewells, full of best wishes for respective safe campaigns, eventually sent the cavalry unit disappearing beyond the horizon, of the lofty plain surrounding Shiraz, and the vision of the damp eyes of the still watching Tamerlane, Vissarion and Rezan. Recognising that all three of them then needed cheering up, the young Georgian suggested to his master and younger fellow catamite that perhaps the trio should return to bed, although he did not have sleep in mind as the activity to be indulged under the bearskin. However, the conqueror unusually declined such an inviting invitation, after again spotting 11 year-old Rahu standing rather morosely nearby.

Vissarion and Nicolai had, over the winter, tried their best to cheer their fellow eunuch, Rahu, with the help of the still-whole Rezan, Arman and Teimuraz. Sometimes their enthusiastic efforts to rehabilitate the young Zoroastrian into normal life, after his appalling nullification, had born fruit, and he had acted like any other energetic and playful 11 year-old. However, on other occasions, the boy could not be lifted out of his melancholy and all his new friends could then really do was keep a close watch on him to ensure that he did himself no suicidal mischief.

Tamerlane was no fool when it came to the goings-on amongst his boys, as he naturally liked to maintain a furtively close watch on their welfare. The conqueror was therefore fully aware of the situation regarding the very pretty Rahu. The latter was currently not one of his catamites, not because he did not fancy the boy, as he did, but because, as had become usual in recent years, after the advent of Vissarion into his life, he no longer forced anyone into his bed.

Nevertheless, Tamerlane considered he owed a debt to Rahu, because the boy had lost his genitals in vengeance for helping to save those of Teimuraz, and so he kept the young Zoroastrian amongst his closest entourage. The conqueror’s beholden status towards the 11 year-old also now caused him to attempt to salve the obviously uncured psychological scars suffered by the youngster, alongside the healed physical wounds, at the time of his nullification.

Tamerlane approached Rahu, placed a comforting arm around the small boy’s shoulder and politely suggested "Come with me!" Vissarion and Rezan were still accompanying the conqueror but, cleverly realising what was afoot, the young Georgian grabbed hold of the younger Persian’s hand and uttered the same words. However, the latter instruction now caused the pair of catamites to run off in a totally direction to that traversed by their master and the young Zoroastrian.

"Where are we going?" 11 year-old Rezan not unnaturally asked of Vissarion, who was still leading him away from Tamerlane and Rahu. "Wherever they’re not!" the young Georgian answered, nodding at the man and boy receding into the distance.

"Why?" enquired Rezan. "Because," Vissarion patiently replied, "it’s obvious that our master wants a private conversation with Rahu." "W....", the young Persian managed of the intended further question of ‘Why?’ before the light dawned in his normally bright mind.

"Ahhh," Rezan then commented instead, "he’s going to ask Rahu why he’s so often sulky!" "Partly," Vissarion responded, whilst displaying one of his famously endearing smiles, "but he, like us, already knows the answer to that question. What he’s really intent on is trying to cure the boy’s sulks permanently. We’ve failed to do so, and so I recently told our master that it’s his turn to have a go when the opportunity presented itself. Our Lord obviously believes that the time is now ripe to embark on his mission!"

"Ahhh!" Rezan repeated, with a now knowing, returned sweet grin.

(Edirne, Ottoman Empire, same time)

Mehmed, first son of the present ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Bayezid I, and newly 5 year-old, was again playing with his personal slave companion, the similarly aged but castrated Vladimir, who was a Christian Slav. The boys had lived together now for almost 1½ years and, despite their different status in life, had become the closest of friends, which was perhaps not surprising giving the closeted nature of their lives in the Sultan’s palace.

They were currently both naked and playing with model galleons in a large ornate bath, whilst a patient retinue of large black eunuchs attempted to bathe the spirited and mischievous infants. As the boys were eventually encouraged to desist with their naval battle to allow their mutually very pretty young bodies to be sponged by their gelded, trousered servants, Mehmed’s tiny cock rose to erection.

(Delhi, India, same time)

As Krishnan made his way towards his rare and unexpected and therefore very worrying audience with the chief palace eunuch, the 7 year-old still possessed his balls, although he now feared that this happy situation might not last much longer. The young, very pretty Hindu had been bought, because of his age, looks and pleasant temperament, by an agent of the latest Muslim Sultan of Delhi, Mahmud Tughluq, a member of a dynasty founded over 70 years previously.

Like Vladimir in faraway Edirne, Krishnan had been purchased to be the menial slave and companion of the eldest, similarly aged son of a ruler. However, in this case, the 7 year-old concerned was named Ahmed.

Krishnan now occupied the worrying position of being the oldest of the Sultanate’s intimate male slaves still to retain his testicles. Castration was usually perpetrated early on such servants, to prevent the later development of any sexual interest in the many girls and women of the primary family and its large household. The boy feared that his developing scrotum might now be considered ripe for the plucking of its key contents.

(Shiraz, Persia, same time)

Tamerlane found an outcrop of rock on the extremities of his army’s huge encampment, sat down on top and invited Rahu to join him. By furtive but well recognised signals, the conqueror had already ordered his permanently escorting, heavily armed adult bodyguard, comprising the most fanatically loyal and militarily efficient of his soldiers, to maintain a discreet distance so that he could conduct his conversation in privacy.

Rahu at first sat on the hard stone at a diplomatic distance from the conqueror, not from fear of the man but rather to demonstrate some public decorum. Vissarion, Nicolai and Rezan, and even Arman despite his recently revised status, would have had no hesitation in blatantly snuggling close to their master in such circumstances. However, in the young Zoroastrian’s mind, the others comprised Tamerlane’s famous boys, whereas at present he was merely a court hanger-on.

Tamerlane, however, was in no mood to permit such a lack of intimacy. Rahu soon found the conqueror sitting next to him, with his right arm once more round the boy’s young shoulders.

"Now, boy," Tamerlane asked, "why do you dislike being in my closest entourage so much?" Rahu was deeply shocked at hearing this question, as he had never considered himself to be unhappy about his current social position. The 11 year-old’s regular mental distress was instead entirely due his lack of genitalia.

"I....I....I don’t dislike being in your closest entourage," Rahu eventually managed to retort. "Then," Tamerlane responded, "why does your face frequently look as if it’s just experienced hell?"

Rahu was silent for a while, but Tamerlane did not break the quietude. The conqueror instead continued to hold the boy platonically, fully knowing that the 11 year-old would feel compelled to reply to his question sooner or later.

On his part, amidst the silence, Rahu felt Tamerlane’s continued comforting embrace and was eventually tempted to glance into the man’s brown eyes. To many rogues and rebels who had previously looked there, only merciless, deadly disdain had been decipherable. However, on this occasion, the boy could only espy caring compassion but this discovery did not at first cause him to answer the conqueror’s query. The 11 year-old Zoroastrian instead broke down completely.

Tamerlane felt Rahu’s small, slim body vibrate uncontrollably, whilst copious tears flowed from the boy’s own sublime brown eyes. In response, the most feared man in the world tightened his platonic grip on the child and suggested "That’s good! Let the demon inside be expelled!"

(Delhi, India, same time)

Krishnan’s worst fears appeared justified, as he stood before the Sultan’s chief eunuch. The boy’s rich, silk, baggy trousers had been dropped to expose his naked groin and he was once more having his hairless genitalia humiliatingly manhandled.

The chief eunuch was again examining the boy’s genitalia with another man, although the sexual organs concerned were by no means as tiny as they had been when the adult pair had last inspected the scene, 2 years earlier. "What do you think?" the former asked, whilst handing over the fondling of the acutely abashed youngster’s private parts to the latter, who had recommended at the last inspection that they waited "a year or two to let the scrotum grow before I geld him". Meanwhile, just as when he had been subjected to such abject shame previously, Krishnan’s slender, light brown, uncut penis was embarrassingly horizontal, whilst he stood before the men.

"He’s now just right," the court craftsman advised, "as his sac is perfect for cutting to extract the balls inside and then stitch and heal the wound safely. I therefore recommend that he be starved and purged to prepare him for his castration."

On hearing this suggestion, 7 year-old Krishnan fainted.

(Shiraz, Persia, same time)

Rahu cried incessantly, within Tamerlane’s patient, caring embrace, for 10 minutes before the young Zoroastrian finally managed to restore some order to his emotions. A man’s voice, the gentleness of which would have startled the vast majority of the conqueror’s soldiers, officers, officials and subjects, except for his boys, then asked "Are you now going to tell me what’s wrong?"

Rahu then began truthfully to answer Tamerlane’s question.

(Delhi, India, same time)

When Krishnan awoke, he found himself in a tiny, dimly-lit, windowless cell, deep in the cellar bowels of the Sultan’s huge palace, with the little prison guarded by a barred, metal door. The 7 year-old boy was now completely naked, and so began to shiver, as he lay forlornly on his cover-less, straw mattress.

The only sustenance within the cell was water contained in a nearby jar, which was adjacent to several large empty bowls, presumably placed thoughtfully to receive the contents of his stomach. The boy instinctively and astutely knew that once he drank some of the contents of the jug, which thirst would eventually compel him to do, his young body would start to be purged of its contents, in readiness for his impending castration. The latter sad, and undoubtedly mentally and physically painful event, would probably occur after about a week of internal purification and starvation in this horrible, lonely place.

(Shiraz, Persia, same time)

"I wish the Chinese merchants had extracted their revenge by killing me instead of nullifying me," Rahu announced, amidst a few continued, sporadic sobs, "as I no longer feel human without my...." The boy’s alarming declaration then tailed off, although he had, of course, said enough for Tamerlane to be able to guess the root cause of the young Zoroastrian’s on-going malaise.

When Tamerlane’s boys, especially those who were eunuchs, namely Vissarion and Nicolai, had earlier afforded Rahu their undivided attention, in order to raise the young Zoroastrian’s spirits, it appeared that the 11 year-old could quickly forget what had happened to him and instead again enjoy life once more. Unfortunately, the conqueror’s catamites had been unable to sustain such a campaign permanently, because of other constraints on their time, amidst their busy lives in their master’s travelling court.

Consequently, whenever such attention to his mental welfare had come to a temporary rest, Rahu had quickly retreated into deep melancholy, a regular recurrence that even the astute Vissarion had been unable personally to cure. Accordingly, the wise young Georgian, who was 17 but resembled a boy at least 2 or 3 years younger in physique but, of course, not intellect, hinted that Tamerlane himself should be able to secure the remedy.

"Ah," Tamerlane now suggested rather brutally, "so you’re still feeling sorry for yourself!" Rahu’s sobbing immediately ceased and, whilst he dried his residual tears with the back of his right hand, he retorted "I think that I’ve a lot to be sorry about!"

"Do you?" Tamerlane then responded, as he terminated his embrace in order to stand. "Well," the conqueror continued, "let’s go to see if you’re right. Follow me!"

Tamerlane then began to march off alone in the direction of the nearby city of Shiraz. Rahu initially remained where he was, sitting on top of the rocky outcrop, until he noticed that the conqueror’s bodyguard were not following their leader. The boy then began to worry for the safety of the man, who had shown him nothing but kindness, although he probably possessed more enemies and was more feared than anyone in the world, not least in his present environs of Persia.

Rahu’s fear for Tamerlane’s welfare then overcame his indignity at the conqueror’s accusation. The boy therefore began to run after the man.

Rahu soon experienced Tamerlane’s protective, caring arm again round his shoulder, as they marched resolutely together towards the damaged walls of Shiraz. Whilst now in such comforting company and for the first time for a long time, the boy himself then somehow felt strangely shielded against the dangers and vicissitudes of the world around him.

This perception was despite the fact that Rahu also now believed that he had been ensnared into a pre-arranged trap. The boy thought that his supposition was possibly encouraged by the fact that Tamerlane’s normally faultlessly dutiful but previously apparently neglectful bodyguard had now resumed a discreet tracking of their leader.

(Edirne, Ottoman Empire, same time)

"Why do you think mine does that," 5 year-old Mehmed asked of the same-aged Vladimir, whilst referring, during their mutual bathing, to the common phenomenon that was his rampant penis, "as yours never does?" "I think," his friend replied, "it’s something to do with the fact that you’ve got balls, whilst mine have been removed!"

"Why do they do things like that to slaves?" Mehmed next enquired. "You know," his fellow 5 year-old replied, "I haven’t got a clue!"

(Delhi, India, same time)

Krishnan did know why he was going to lose his balls. "Curse all girls and women!" the boy exclaimed bitterly in loneliness and grief, whilst lying naked, huddled up and shivering in his tiny cell.

(Shiraz, Persia, later that evening)

"Well," Tamerlane asked of Rahu, "are you still feeling sorry for yourself?" The boy, now alone with the conqueror in the latter’s resplendent, large tent, had actually still not admitted that he was suffering such an affliction. Nevertheless, the young nullified Zoroastrian confessed "No, Lord!"

Tamerlane had led Rahu to the poorest quarters of Shiraz, where, despite the wealth of the city, many people had lived in unhealthy urban squalor, with life expectancy was low, especially amongst the children. The pair, now much more closely escorted by the conqueror’s fierce and proficient bodyguard, had seen the misery, caused by acute poverty, at first hand. The boy could not help but contrast the rich clothes he was wearing, and the affluent, travelling lifestyle he currently enjoyed, with what he saw.

Tamerlane also guided Rahu to the local charity hospital, which was overwhelmed with sick patients, most aged under-5 and showing clear signs of malnutrition and associated diseases, as well as being close to death. The conqueror additionally took the boy to the city’s orphanage, which was so nasty and brutal that children often preferred to live on the streets.

Later, as Tamerlane and Rahu retreated from such terrible scenes back to their nearby encampment, outside Shiraz’s walls, the conqueror pointed to some hills that marked the western edge of the surrounding plain. "That’s where the local leper colony is situated," he advised. He then enquired of the young Zoroastrian "Should I show you that too?" Meanwhile, one point that he omitted, during his tour, was that Vissarion was currently engaged on developing solutions for all of these dreadful local problems.

"You don’t have to," Rahu replied, "as I can imagine what it’s like." "I wonder if you really do," Tamerlane responded softly and sombrely, and in no way nastily, "because the poor lepers not only live in far greater squalor to what we’ve just observed in Shiraz but also their bodies gradually and agonisingly lose far more than just their genitalia!"

As anticipated by Tamerlane, and planned by Vissarion, Rahu was slowly beginning to feel rather ashamed about his own personal depression. Recognising this, the conqueror now proposed to administer the coup de grace to achieve a permanent change of attitude for the better within the boy’s soul.

On return to the encampment, Tamerlane guided Rahu amongst the vast throng of his soldiers, to whom this place was temporary home until their, to them beloved, leader led them on fresh campaigns and into new battles elsewhere. The conqueror especially sought out particular members of his army, whilst greeting, amazingly often by name, many of his raucous warriors, who were clearly ecstatic that he was again taking the time and trouble to visit them.

Tamerlane introduced Rahu to soldiers who, despite disabilities suffered in earlier battles, had nevertheless remained well-regarded members of the conqueror’s forces. For example, there were many men who were without one or more limbs, or who sported terrible scars or only one eye.

One soldier had lost both legs, but Tamerlane assured Rahu, in the proud, delighted warrior’s presence, that there was no better cavalryman in the army, once he had been strapped to his horse. The conqueror then concluded his tour of the camp by introducing the young Zoroastrian to someone who was completely blind, having lost both eyes in battle.

"There’s no better scout in my army," declared Tamerlane, as the blind man’s chest veritably preened in grateful pride, "for he more than makes up with his other senses for what he’s been deprived of by losing his eyes. He can hear and smell the enemy, and give their precise location, long before anyone else can see them!"

Rahu now continued his confession, whilst ensconced alone with Tamerlane under the man’s regal canopy. "I felt that I could not live without my manhood," the boy advised, "for its loss was surely both too shameful and grievous for anyone to be expected to endure. Vissarion and Nicolai tried to assure me that such injury was easily survivable, giving as evidence that their own lives were so full of excitement and love that they rarely regretted the demise of their own balls."

Tamerlane winced a little, on hearing this comment and whilst he remembered the now deeply regretted, respectively active and ignorant, roles that he had played in the castration of Vissarion and Nicolai. However, the conqueror had little time for further reflection because Rahu continued remorselessly with his confession.

"I, however," Rahu remarked, "had, of course, lost much more than my balls. The rest of my scrotum and my penis had been shaved away by the Chinese merchant’s blade. I am now forced to endure the indignity of urinating in a squatting position, like a woman. I believed, despite the contrary protestations of Vissarion and Nicolai, that I could not look forward, when I was old enough, to enjoying sex. I had no real role in life, and was also tormented by the fact that I could not follow my forefathers by continuing my paternal line by having sons."

Rahu then glanced once more into Tamerlane’s brown eyes, whilst again feeling the man’s strong arm embrace him. "Lord," the boy now announced, "after what you’ve shown and told me today, I no longer feel sorrow that I don’t have a cock or balls, or have to crouch to urinate. I now truly believe Visarrion and Nicolai, when they say that there’s a way for eunuchs, even the nullified variety, to enjoy sex. Sons of my own bloodline also seem unimportant, when there’s so many destitute children to take care of!"

"Well then," Tamerlane reflected, as he tightened his platonic hold on Rahu and whilst appreciating that there was still one more issue to resolve before he could claim victory in his latest battle, this time a conflict against the demons in Rahu’s disturbed mind, "it seems that all we’ve now got to find is a role in life for you. As it so happens, I have the perfect post in mind!" The boy was not surprised by the conqueror’s announcement, as he suspected correctly that what he had just experienced had been carefully planned by a very clever but caring mind, of Georgian origin and only 17 years old.

It was now Rahu’s turn to remain quiet, whilst he awaited Tamerlane’s, or more likely Vissarion’s, suggestion for his new role in life. The boy did not have to wait long for the conqueror to continue.

"Ever since Arman departed my tent for that of Sibur," Tamerlane declared, "I’ve been without an intimate bodyguard, someone who’s literally at my side 24 hours a day, even when I’m asleep. Vissarion, Nicolai and Rezan try their best to fulfil such a role but they also have other responsibilities."

"Vissarion," Tamerlane confirmed, "is now one of my senior counsellors and so has duties to perform in this sphere, especially the accumulation of intelligence information. Meanwhile, Nicolai, who is anyway currently on his way to Moscow, and Rezan are responsible for performing for me those little tasks that nevertheless are very important. They ensure the smooth running of my daily schedules, and thereby the administration of my empire. For example, they organise my bathing and dressings, arrange my meals and refreshments, convey messages to officers and officials and timetable meetings. They also have lessons with their tutors, as you too will have."

"There is therefore a vacancy for someone to be my intimate bodyguard for 24 hours a day," Tamerlane advised, "apart from when they’re at school. Would you, Rahu, care to accept the position?"

(Delhi, India, 1 week later)

Fortunately for Krishnan, after finally being forced to consume some of the water in the jug, the previously empty waiting bowls had subsequently and frequently been drained of their freshly created, obnoxious contents by slaves, who arrived periodically to perform the unpleasant deed. Consequently, the young 7 year-old Hindu’s cell had not become too rancid with the smell of his own sick and defecation, as his body was slowly purged and starved.

A week later, Krishnan’s previously attractive but malnourished form had begun to reveal the full outline of his internal bone structure, suggesting that his body was ready to be deprived of its regenerative capabilities, in the shape of a pair of little white orbs within his scrotum. Certainly the castrator appeared to be of this belief, as he entered the cell with a young male assistant, who was 12 years old.

"Now, boy," the castrator remarked to the petrified, cowering Krishnan, who was now sitting on his straw bed, with his knees resting against his chin, "I hope that you’re not going to prove difficult today, as I’m going to geld you whether you like it or not. If you just lie quietly, I promise it’ll be better for you. I can then be quick, minimise the pain and guarantee a good job that’ll heal well with little scarring."

"However," the castrator continued, "if you battle against your inevitable fate, I’ll be forced to call some of the palace guards, who’ll not only efficiently restrain you for me but will undoubtedly whip you first for causing them trouble. Your struggles will also certainly prolong your anguish and might cause me to damage your genitals more than needed."

"So, boy," the castrator asked, "what’s it to be? Are you going to be brave or a coward?"

Faced with the choice, and weakened in body and crushed in spirit by the experience of the last week, Krishnan somehow answered, in a quaking voice, "I’ll try to be brave, Sir!" The boy’s quivering, naked, 7 year-old body then laid itself flat and face-up on the straw, with hands at his sides and legs apart.

The castrator subsequently commanded his young assistant to "Do the usual. Tie the brave boy in place, wash his front and then bind his scrotum tightly!" The man did not mind flattering his imminent victim slightly when issuing this order, as long as the 7 year-old maintained his meek acquiescence to what was about to be inflicted on him.

(Shiraz, Persia, same time)

Rahu, freshly equipped with bejewelled dagger and suitably downsized sword and bow and arrow, had only left Tamerlane’s side during the previous week when instead forced to be in the company of his newly appointed teachers. Some of these excellent instructors were charged with showing the boy, now very eager to learn, how to wield such weaponry properly in battle and other conflict, although the 11 year-old also reluctantly had to endure others of the academic variety.

Otherwise, Rahu had been ever present at Tamerlane’s side, including on horseback and in bed, although the latter situation still remained platonic for now. Both the man and boy knew that it was correct to advance their burgeoning, very close relationship a step at a time. After all, the conqueror was not missing out on his nightly sexual pleasures, which Vissarion and Rezan were more than happy to continue to provide exclusively.

Tamerlane, Vissarion and Rezan indulged their sex games when they thought that Rahu, now invariably nearby under the same bearskin on the same enormous bed, was diplomatically asleep. The young Zoroastrian was, of course, rarely truly slumbering and was instead listening to the adjacent, apparently very exciting nocturnal activity, involving many low ecstatic moans and restrained giggles, as a manly cock entertained young eunuchs’ oral orifices or, more pleasurably for the gelded partners, prostate glands. The trio, engaged in such pastimes, suspected that the 11 year-old might be feigning his somnolence. However, they were happy to let him continue to do so, as they now realised that it was just a matter of time before the miraculously revitalised and now seemingly permanently happy youngster joined them in their hobby.

(Delhi, India, same time)

The deeply appalled and afraid Krishnan was now immovably splayed on his straw bed, with his tightly bound and intensely sore scrotum bright purple in colour. The castrator surveyed the delightful, completely smooth, hairless, but currently sinisterly darkening, orbs of the boy’s ball sac. He then judged that the time had arrived to begin his incision into the vulnerable flesh of the gagged 7 year-old, who soon felt the cold blade of the man’s knife come to rest on his young scrotal flesh, just below his incongruously erect small penis. However, the gelding process was temporarily disturbed when a young voice from behind asked "Can I watch?"

The castrator turned to see Ahmed, the Sultan’s 7 year-old, eldest son, standing alone at the barred, metal door of his young slave’s cell.

(Western Persia, 2 months later)

Tamerlane was directing operations from a rear position, as elements of his army crushed in battle yet more local rebels. The conflict was the third to have been engaged during the last two months, as the conqueror swept away all remaining current resistance to his rule of Persia.

Rahu had been riding next to Tamerlane during all three battles. In fact, the boy had become so renowned for his constant watchful proximity to his master, now also fully-fledged lover, that he had been affectionately nicknamed ‘The Little Limpet’ by the non-seafaring army. However, no-one laughed at the young Zoroastian’s protective capabilities, despite his tender age and diminutive, nullified physique.

Everyone had instead heard the news, spread by Rafu’s instructors in the arts of battle, that the boy had quickly picked up the relevant skills to become a prospectively very deadly little warrior. Neither did anyone deny the boy’s proficiency in his new guardian role, as he was apparently constantly efficiently alert and sizing up the dangers presented to his master by the people and environs around. Nor did anyone doubt that the 11 year-old might indeed prove rather fatal for someone intent on trying to slip past his young defences to harm the conqueror.

(Forests of southern Rus, 2 months later)

No-one had spotted the deserter leaving Tamerlane’s encampment at Shiraz, shortly before the departure of the small cavalry unit, led by Arman and Sibur and accompanied by Nicolai, which was attempting to escort the latter’s younger brother, Yaroslav, back to Moscow. Desertions from Tamerlane’s army were rare, not least because of the terrible consequences if subsequently caught and the substantial bonuses to be gained by completing tours of service. However, some absences without leave did occur, mainly because of war weariness or mental shock caused by involvement in bloody conflict, or domestic problems back home.

Tamerlane and his officers were usually tolerant of soldiers wanting to terminate their service early for such reasons, sending them on their way with due pay and best wishes. Nevertheless, some members of the army were still too afraid to confess such difficulties and fled instead. However, on this occasion, the deserter escaped the conqueror’s military encampment because he was a Mongol spy, who was now eager to report to Toqtamish, leader of the Golden Horde, the secret despatch to Moscow, through Khanate territory, of the enemy cavalry unit.

Toqtamish did not know what path the cavalry unit would try to take through the vast, forested lands he nominally controlled, and so split and focused his forces at the various, most likely routes. Consequently, when some of his men did indeed encounter and ambush the enemy, the Mongol leader was elsewhere.

The battle between Tamerlane’s formidable, but small, cavalry unit and that of Toqtamish’s equally diminished but less comptetent contingent was short but sharp. Fortunately, the superior skills and leadership of the former won the day, with the latter eventually retreating, bloodied, back into the safety of the surrounding trees.

Arman and Sibur, however, appreciated that the Mongols not only now knew of their presence in Rus but also had been forewarned. They therefore realised that it was essential either to make progress towards Moscow even more rapidly or to retreat equally swiftly back into Tamerlane’s territories, before the enemy could regroup, re-strengthen and re-engage in pursuit.

Unfortunately, there was one major obstacle to meeting either of the commanders’ objectives. Their cavalry unit had suffered remarkably very few casualties in the recent battle, but one that did occur was of major concern.

An arrow had pierced Nicolai’s chest and the beautiful 13 year-old boy was too sickly to be moved. Death was already a strong possibility but would be a certainty if the young Muscovite was forced to travel. Meanwhile, everyone appreciated that the dreaded Toqtamish was bound to arrive at the scene soon, ready to follow the tracks of Tamerlane’s cavalry.

"You must leave me behind with my knife," the agonised Nicolai bravely whispered to Arman, as his voice could not speak any louder. "If Toqtamish discovers me," the 13 year-old then advised with firm resolution, "I’ll kill myself before he can capture me!"

"We’ve no other choice," Sibur then told his young Armenian lover bluntly, "but to do the boy’s bidding, or we’ll all die."

Arman sadly recognised that both Nicolai and Sibur were correct in respect of their advice.

(To be continued in chapter 27 - Ambassadors’)