Princes 10

(or ‘WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO THE PRINCES IN THE TOWER’)

by Pueros

Chapter 10 – War

(Topkapi Palace, Constantinople, March 1484)

13 years old Edward was brought before the similarly aged Selim, who was lying naked on his huge, richly draped bed. Next to him, equally nude, was his latest gelded catamite, just 10 years old. “I have just enjoyed buggering my eunuch,” the heir to the Ottoman throne kindly informed the rightful King of England, “so I want you to strip and join us. You may have the pleasure of cleaning your younger brother’s juices from my member before I enjoy your anal orifice as well.”

Edward, like his younger sibling, deeply ashamed at the circumstances in which he found himself but fully knowing the likely excruciating consequences of disobedience, having seen the Forbidden Palace’s well-equipped punishment facility, meekly complied.

(South-east Anatolia, June 1484)

Bayezid had grown impatient of his generals’ lack of progress in the conquest of Syria and had therefore made a rare foray from the luxuries of life at his Constantinople home to visit his main Asian army. The Sultan wanted to emulate, if not surpass, the conquests of his father, Mehmet II, and thought that his presence amongst the troops would speed victory.

Bayezid had taken Selim with him so that his heir could experience war for the first time. The Sultan had also decided to be accompanied by a couple of bed companions. It was unacceptable to be seen outside the Forbidden Palace with eunuch catamites, but koceks were a different matter altogether. Edward and Christian therefore emerged from the 3rd Court, after six months of gilded incarceration, to pass through the palace’s outer water gate, guarded by two massive cannons, to join the illustrious duo on a resplendent galleon anchored in the Bosphorus. The potentate had enjoyed the still-whole bodies of young English royalty and Danish peasantry so much that he had decided not to castrate the boys until the Moor could provide adequate replacements later in the year.

The ship sailed, under the protection of a large fleet of similar vessels, to the current southern edge of the Ottoman Empire. The koceks did not enjoy the voyage as, without their eunuchs, the Imperial father and son shared the boys so that their every minor requirement could be constantly instantly attended to, including certain voracious needs within the boat’s magnificent state bedchambers.

Bayezid and Selim had been received in great splendour at the port of Iskenderun, not far from the scene of the great battle of Issus in which Alexander the Great had first defeated Darius and his Persian host 1817 years previously. The Imperial party, escorted by many Janissaries, then made its way inland to the army’s main encampment. As the road was treacherous for wagons, all rode on splendid Arabian steeds, including the koceks, who were dressed in silken baggy shirts and trousers, jewelled turbans and shoes curled at the toes, with the predominant colour being purple.

Edward had been accustomed to horses since his earliest years but Christian had never ridden and so his friend had had to introduce him to the basics of the skill. The young Dane’s bottom felt very sore after he had dismounted, as dusk approached on the first day of the journey and night camp was being arranged. However, Selim, to whom Christian had been allocated to serve that day, wanted to go to a nearby hilltop to see what lay beyond. Edward, appreciating his fellow kocek’s discomfort, swapped duties and rode with the Ottoman Prince and a few guards up the escarpment.

As the small group approached the summit, a large band of heavily armed cavalry appeared from the other side. There was immediate alarm as the enemy contingent, which had been furtively shadowing the Sultan’s cavalcade, rained arrows at their Turkish foe as the latter tried to turn to flee. The arrows were cleverly and skilfully aimed not at the riders but at their mounts and soon all of the animals had collapsed to the ground, wounded or dying.

The Arabs and their Persian allies quickly surrounded the prone group but knew that they did not have much time to act. The even larger force of fierce Janissaries below had been alerted to their attack and were already on their way to rescue their precious Prince. The Turkish guards were rapidly despatched and Selim, trapped under his horse, swiftly extricated from his predicament. The valuable-looking young blonde-haired blue-eyed servant was also taken prisoner, a very large price for such a lovely boy in a slave market somewhere already being anticipated by his captors.

Selim and Edward found themselves sitting on horses in front of two cavalrymen who, with their fellow raiders, rode with great speed into the gathering gloom. Both 13 years olds felt knives pressing against their sides and the whiter boy also recognised another blunter, more human, implement seemingly trying to escape its covering to impale his bumcrack.

The Janissaries were too late to prevent their enemy’s departure and there was insufficient light for successful pursuit. The heir to the Ottoman throne and the rightful King of England disappeared into the darkness and into the clutches of the Sultan’s bitter enemies.

(To be continued in chapter 11 – ‘Teheran’)