The Lycian Prince 39

Anthonius had been traumatised not by the unexpected sight of Casperius and Lysus amongst the watching disorderly throng but by observing that Prodicus was sat on his half-brother’s knee. He later admonished himself for being so shocked for he should have been suspicious about the identity of the regular from his friend’s detailed description. However, Prodicus had not known the man’s name or what he did for, like most customers, the regular had been very discreet about disclosing such information, and the brothel’s owners and servants knew that to jeopardise their clientele’s secrecy was to endanger their patronage. Also, Anthonius had never thought that Lysus would frequent such an establishment in a mere middle-class area of Rome until he now perceived, from the rich clothing they wore and high charges they tolerated, that many of the users were patrician, and some were Senators. Presumably, the location helped cloak their usage of such a place in anonymity. Prodicus had seemingly been summoned, despite his red raw bum and the many pinpricks still noticeable all over his body, to serve his regular shortly after Anthonius had been summoned to the stage.

The music stopped and the choragus returned to the platform. “It looks as if our new acquisition has a bit of stagefright;"” the man declared, “it seems that he needs a little encouragement to lift his feet off the stage floor!” He ordered a slave to “bring the foot stocks” and everyone except Anthonius laughed. The boy knew what stocks were but had never heard of one for feet and he feared what the arrival of the contraption might subsequently entail. The choragus then intensified Anthonius’ concern when he continued “Now, lords and masters, I shall accept bids from those wishing to assume responsibility for encouraging our new whore to dance. What am I bid?” The brothel had already unprecedentedly charged for admission and was making much money from the sales of drink and food to the customers, for which slaves had had to be borrowed from brother establishments in the same ownership to help, but the choragus was clearly intent on maximising profits.

The highly competitive and noisy bidding process, which produced a very large valuation for the undertaking, was just ending when the slave returned to cheers with the stocks, a long cane and two 15 years old boy prostitutes. The now trembling Anthonius was ordered to lay face down on the floor. Whilst the two 15 years olds firmly held his arms wide apart above his head on the floor, the slave lifted up the boy’s oiled lower legs and placed his feet in the two holes in the stocks, locking them in place about a third of a pace above the stage. The winner of the bidding then emerged onto the platform to more cheers and was handed the cane. The choragus advised the man, who was thin, about 30 years old and prematurely balding, “to first apply a couple of strokes of the cane across our new, seemingly lazy, whore’s bottom for putting us all to this inconvenience. Then tenderise the slut’s feet across the soles until they are nice and red. That should make him want to dance when he’s released and standing again!” The customer obliged first by leaving two nice stripes where others, created two nights before and humiliatingly remarked on earlier by the choragus during his description of Anthonius’ many attributes, had begun to fade. However, far worse for the victim were the ten heavy blows across the soles, one of the most tender parts of the human body. Anthonius could not prevent himself from screaming loudly as each stroke landed but these were lost amongst ecstatic cheers. He also wondered whether he really did share Prodicus’ sexual predilections because he perceived no perverse enjoyment from this particular torment.

The beating eventually finished and Anthonius was released from the stocks, which the slave took away with the reclaimed cane. The wielder of the implement raised his arms in triumph to receive the loud acclaim of the spectators and left the stage to return to his table, many complimenting him and patting him on the back as he did so. The choragus indicated to the four musicians that they should restart and to the two 15 years olds that they should pick up the sobbing Anthonius, who left behind on the floor a little of his body oil. This time, the boy immediately started his dance but with tears running down his face, and with much faster leg movements than originally intended until he became more accustomed to the stinging pains running through his feet as they hit the floor. The choragus and 15 years olds quickly departed the scene to allow the bawdy patrons an undisturbed view of the spectacle, with Casperius and Lysus amongst the loudest. As could be expected in the circumstances, the initial quality of Anthonius’ routine was poor but somehow the boy managed to overcome the pain and had achieved a respectable standard of erotic performance by the end, enhanced for many by the shining body oil and demeaning nipple and face make-up.

The choragus returned to the stage to remind everyone of Anthonius’ virtues before initiating the sale of the boy’s immediate sexual services. He explained that these would be provided by the hour for a maximum of about14 hours, with the highest bidder for the first hour having first option, at the same winning rates, on subsequent hours. He added that the brothel would be prepared to consider bookings for later nights, to avoid the necessity of too many other auctions of the boy’s favours, as long as a certain undisclosed reserve price was met. The sale then proceeded and soon the level of bids had reached such a high level that only the very richest clientele indulged. However, it still took a while for the complicated business to finish and be recorded on a clay tablet by the choragus. Meanwhile, Anthonius stood with his weight briefly on one foot until the pain became too intense and he had to transfer the burden to the other. He tried to be as anonymous as possible with his regular hopping movements but they were noticed and caused much hilarity.

The net result of the auction was that Anthonius’ services for the night had been bought by six men prepared to pay the highest hourly rates. The first three had acquired the boy for two hours each, the fourth for three hours and the last two jointly for the remainder of the night, which was regarded as up to the 9th hour of the morning. It was now the 8th hour of the afternoon. A normal night shift in the private entertainment chambers, which did not require a preliminary sale of services, usually started earlier at the 7th hour. The less busy overlapping day shift, which required fewer boy prostitutes except at festival times, was from the 8th hour of the morning until the 10th hour of the afternoon. However, all shifts were flexibly operated depending on demand.

Bookings for Anthonius for another thirteen nights had also been accepted, some involving the same men, before it was decided that it would be better to have another auction in a fortnight rather than accept more reservations. Anthonius had seen most of the men bidding for him, from his vantage point on the stage, but not all and some had apparently made earlier fixed offers. The boy surmised that the latter was permitted because the bidders could not be present at the sale.

After the conclusion of the auction, the choragus gave Anthonius permission to depart to entertain his first client. The boy knelt to kiss the Ganymede insignia embossed in the floor again and, when he stood, he saw that the servant, who had brought him to the hall, had relocated to the main doors. Anthonius had to try to reach him so that he could be escorted to the allocated private entertainment chamber where he would spend the whole night dispensing his sexual services. However, there was no clear path across to the exit. Anthonius therefore had to run in a zig-zag fashion amongst the tables to reach his objective. This enabled many hands to grope and pinch the oiled boy, slowed by his sore feet, as he made his way. Nevertheless, he eventually reached the servant, who escorted him to the chamber.

The thirty windowless private entertainment chambers were all similar and so the one to which Anthonius had been allocated for his first shift as a boy prostitute had the standard equipment. There was the huge uncovered bed, with flexible leather ties at each corner and along the headboard, and gaudy under-bedding bright red in colour to disguise bloodstains. There was a side table covered with wooden dildos and metal clamps and cockrings of various shapes and sizes, alongside some small jars containing perfumes, oils, grease and salve. A variety of paddles, canes and whips were available on wall shelving, along with a variety of restraints, masks and other items. Four adjustable sets of manacles hung from the ceiling with other sets embedded in the floor below. More manacles were fixed to one of the walls. Anthonius shivered when he saw the set-up for the first time. It reminded him of the torture chambers he had experienced, albeit decorated with erotic frescoes, depicting the debauchery of young boys by men and animals, and with the bed on which presumably he would have to ply the majority of his new trade, although some of the facilities suggested that straight sex would not be the only service he would be required to provide.

There was also a small sunken bath, with good quality cloths and soapstone, and some large urns full of warm water nearby. The bath already contained some clean but, as Anthonius was discover, cold water for, after removing the boy’s chastity attire, the servant ordered the lad to step into the chilly liquid. The man then proceeded to wipe the oil, which had become slightly soiled from lying on the stage floor and the handling of spectators, and make up from Anthonius’ nude body because his first client had requested their removal. They could be reapplied easily enough if that was to the taste of the boy’s later customers. After drying and perfuming the lad, the servant handed him one of the gold thongs to wear. It immediately ballooned out, proving the frugal wisdom of displaying the discomforting leatherwear instead on stage.

The servant left Anthonius standing, hands held behind his back with legs apart, immediately in front of the bed facing the door, waiting as he had been taught to obey his first patron’s initial instructions. The boy found that the pain in his feet had lessened sufficiently for him to be able to stand still, but not without discomfort. Anthonius had noticed that his first client was to be a tall thin distinguished looking patrician, obviously very wealthy because of the amount he had paid for the two hours of pleasure the boy was to provide. He was therefore confused when, shortly after the departure of the servant, the patrician entered with a pretty boy about 13 years old, causing the debutante prostitute to forget to pay the expected homage.

“On your knees, whore,” commanded the man, “don’t you know how to respect your betters properly!” Anthonius realised his error and immediately knelt before his hirer and placed his forehead on the floor. The man let him remain in that position for a while as punishment for the slight before finally advising him that he could stand again. “Come here whore so that my son can inspect you” ordered the man. Anthonius complied, this time remembering what was required. He approached the boy, bowed and placed his hands on his head. The 14 years old then turned slowly before the 13 years old, who chortled at the sight of the nipple rings and brandmarks and again when he saw that the older boy’s thong gave no real side cover to his erect cock. The whole of Anthonius’ genitalia and their gold encasing could be observed when he turned sideways, apart from the cockhead, which was holding the flimsy garment well away from the groin. The chuckles returned when the boy observed the catamite’s bum with its two small black eagles and two fresh, plus several older, red stripes. The father commented “He’s just a typical whore, displaying his dirty passions and needing regular flogging to make him behave,” before asking his son whether he wished to proceed. The boy replied affirmatively and the man addressed Anthonius “Provide my son with excellent and honest service or I’ll make sure that your bum’s flailed. I shall return in two hours!” The patrician adult then left leaving Anthonius with the child.

The boy client announced proudly “Now that I can produce my own seed, my father says that he wants me to experience my first woman and boy.” Anthonius remembered Diocletian’s son saying similar not long previously. “My father wanted the best of both for me,” boasted the 13 years old, “and he says that you’re the best boy whore currently available because you’ve served the Emperor and were once a royal, although, I understand, from some unpleasant non-entity peasant country. My father believes that it is appropriate for someone of my standing to enjoy you before anyone else, especially as he thinks you’ll become pretty soiled fairly quickly. My father has told me to advise you that you are to service me first with your bottom and then with your mouth and that, so that I learn, you are to guide me carefully through the processes. You are to answer truthfully any questions I care to ask for background, no matter how intimate. My father is well connected here and at the Imperial court and will find out if you have told any lies. You’d better be good at your work and frank with your answers or my father says that I can beat you now or return to do so some other day. I am to visit the best hetaera in Rome next week and afterwards my father expects me to judge which orifices, yours or hers, pleasured me the most and by how much. I don’t think that you would want my father returning to complain about you if your services pale in comparison to the woman’s or he discovers that you have provided me with poor instruction and false information. Now, let me know, whore, how do we proceed!”

Anthonius hid his astonishment but blushed with shame as he began to outline the common practices instilled into the brothel prostitutes. “Well, master,” he commenced, “ it would be usual now for me to reveal myself in full nakedness so that you can, if you want, complete your inspection properly. If afterwards you still wish to proceed, you should decide whether or not you want me to see you unclothed for, if not, I should wear a mask across my eyes whilst you disrobe and later whilst I serve you.” Anthonius had been told to ask any boy clients this question because Roman youngsters were self-consciously shy and did not like being seen naked, even by prostitutes in sexual situations. However, the new prostitute had not believed that he would encounter many such clientele, especially at this stage, but was to discover from personal experience that placing the sons of nobility with good quality prostitutes to gain sexual knowledge was very common in Roman society. Anthonius continued “If you don’t mind me seeing you, it is customary for me to help you undress.”

The young client considered the options before responding “You can wear a mask.” Anthonius collected one, from amongst the shelved items, and returned before the boy. He removed his thong, which he threw to one side, put on the mask and placed his hands on his head and his feet astride. “Master,” the new prostitute said, still blushing, “you should choose whether you want to complete your inspection by examining my genitalia and anus or whether you want me to proceed to the bed to take up the appropriate position for our intercourse whilst you prepare yourself.”

The boy answered by fondling Anthonius’ engorged penis and balls and asked what was the purpose of the cockring. Anthonius replied bashfully “The Emperor apparently finds it attractive, particularly in the way that it causes the genitals to be more prominent, making them stand out more from the body and encouraging more blood to be retained to stimulate erection. The boy continued to stroke the cock and the catamite soon had to try politely to stop him when he felt close to orgasm. Anthonius, rather hesitantly, advised “Master, if you continue much longer with this particular examination, I shall shortly be producing my own seed and that would be considered premature.” His client stopped, leaving the prostitute’s penis throbbing almost vertically, and said “My father said that you were a typical whore. How right he was and I can now appreciate how this proclivity brought your expulsion from the palace to here.”

The highly inquisitive 13 years old asked “How long have you been producing seed and how often do you do it?” An embarrassed Anthonius said that he had started when he was 11 and that, for some unknown reason, he now seemed able to ejaculate the substance many times a day if required. “You started a year before me and I couldn’t cum anywhere near as often as that. However, it just proves what a natural born whore you are. Anyway, my father says that it is quality and not quantity that counts. My seed will produce great noble progeny whereas yours, if you’re ever permitted, which I doubt, will only result in more sluts suitable solely for places like this, don’t you agree?” Anthonius remained silent until his balls were squeezed and his customer repeated the last question. “Yes, master,” the catamite found himself gasping, “my totally unworthy seed cannot be compared to the splendid offspring making product of your magnificence.” The boy patron released the boy prostitute’s balls from his right hand’s tight grip and responded “You should therefore be honoured, whore, for your anus and mouth will shortly be impregnated by it. Right, what’s next?”

Anthonius turned round and bent over but, before he could explain the inspection process further, his client asked where the stripes had come from. Anthonius realised that, of course, a boy so young would not have been permitted in the main entertainment hall and must have been waiting in one of the quieter lounges whilst his father attended the new prostitute’s display and sale. He answered the boy’s question only to receive another. He was asked “Did you receive many beatings at the palace?” “They were infrequent,” replied the bent over Anthonius, “because I pleased the Emperor most of the time but, when they did occur, they were always severe.” The boy enquired “ What would you be beaten for and who usually inflicted it?” “I usually received punishment for being incompetent in the performance of some duties” the catamite confessed, resisting the temptation to include the word ‘unjust’ in the statement. He continued “Most of the beatings were generously delivered by the man in charge of the Imperial boy companions, with some also kindly undertaken by His Imperial Highness the young Prince.” “It was good of them to take the trouble to try to correct your incompetence. Well you had better not be inept tonight” retorted the 13 years old “and remind me why you’re bending over like that.”

“If you prise apart my bumcheeks,” Anthonius answered, “ you will observe the anal opening up which you are shortly to thrust your own magnificence if that remains your wish after your inspection. You would normally expect the orifice to be pink and tight in a good whore and you can check the latter with a finger. Alas, my own hole has recently been subject to a large intrusion on the orders of the Emperor so may not be either.” “Oh yes,” said the boy patron, as he prised the striped cheeks apart “there it is and it is pink. It look’s as if it’s occasionally blinking at me.” Anthonius then felt a finger struggling to gain entrance through the sphincter and advised “Master, you will need to push harder.” The boy did so and Anthonius felt the finger wiggling inside him. “Seems tight enough to me,” declared the customer, “You’ll do whore. Get on the bed whilst I disrobe!”

As Anthonius felt his way blindly towards the bed, he told the boy “Master, you must decide what position you want me in for the anal intercourse. There are four main ones. First, I can lie face-up holding my legs in the air to expose my hole. Second, I can lie face-down, legs apart to offer my orifice, and this would be helped if I placed a cushion under my groin. Third, instead of laying down, I could kneel on all fours instead. Fourth, you can lie face-up on the bed and I can lower myself onto your magnificence. Normally, you would do most of the work in the first three by thrusting your magnificence in and out of my hole, although I would try to assist by responding in rhythm with my own bum movements. In the fourth option, I would do most of the work for you would just have to lay back as I moved up and down. The boy contemplated the choices, as he rapidly and excitedly undressed, leaving his clothing in a heap on the varnished wooden floor, before asking “What does the Emperor like most?” Anthonius was told to adopt the position that conformed to his answer.

The naked 13 years old, his own small cock now rigid, approached the nude masked 14 years old, lying face-up on the bed and holding his legs in the air. The younger boy informed the older “I’m ready. What do I do now?” Anthonius replied “Kneel with your magnificence just above my hole, which should be fully exposed to your view. Your may apply grease from the jar on the side table to both, or just one of, your magnificence and my orifice. This would aid your entry and ease any discomfort that the recipient of your magnificence might encounter.” The boy client replied “Would it hurt both of us if I didn’t bother because I don’t want to use the messy substance if I don’t have to?” The prostitute replied that pain should only be experienced by the recipient. “Well, that’s settled then,” declared the 13 years old, “I’m not bothered about your welfare. What do I do now?”

Anthonius told the neophyte how to perform sodomy, adding that he was indeed honoured to the first beneficiary of his magnificence’s glorious seed. Anthonius soon felt the boy’s hands gripping his upraised legs and small hard cock squeeze against and past his sphincter to begin its thrusts. The prostitute had to suggest diplomatically to his client that he would gain more pleasure from slow rhythmic movements rather than the fast stabs with which he began. The boy followed the advice and was soon experiencing the most pleasurable sixth of an hour of his young life so far. The sight of the beautiful older boy, with the erotic body ornamentation and hard cock seeping precum, seemingly starting to writhe in his own ecstasy under him, only added to his unprecedented ecstasy. Anthonius eventually felt his young patron’s seed spurt into his insides and his own ejaculation immediately followed.

The almost breathless and flushed 13 years old boy client dismounted the 14 years old boy prostitute, who said, as he had been instructed, “Thank you, master, for impregnating me with your estimable seed.” The impregnator remarked “Wow, that was superb. You’re definitely a natural whore, and that’s confirmed by you cumming too without my permission. It’s all over your belly, chest, face and hair. Dirty slut!” “Sorry, master,” Anthonius demurely replied, “Do you wish to beat me for my impertinence?” “I’ll think about it,” advised his customer, “whilst you go clean yourself, but leave your mask on!” The prostitute, having performed his first service for the first of many brothel clientele he would experience, left the bed and gingerly walked in the general direction of the sunken bath. He was helped by giggled directions from his patron, the last of which was that the bath was two paces in front. In fact, it was only ½ pace and Anthonius, as his client had hoped, fell in to the shallow cold water to loud laughter from the bed.

Anthonius sat in the chilly liquid and groped for a cloth, which he used to wipe off his own semen as best he could in the circumstances. Some had even landed on the mask. He then stepped out of the bath and was trying to locate a towel when he received an order not to bother drying himself. He was to return to the bed instead and, as he did so in the general direction of the voice with many droplets of the cold liquid dripping down his body, he was asked “What now?” The catamite replied “You can punish me if you want for my unfortunate accidental ejaculation but it would be better to leave that to later for I should now cleanse your magnificence and encourage it to further pleasure with my lips and tongue.” “Fine,” the voice responded. “Please then, master, lay down with your legs apart. I shall kneel between them to perform my task which I am again honoured to perform.”

Anthonius eventually bumped into the bed, to more chuckles, and carefully manoeuvred himself on top and into the requisite position. He bent over to locate his patron’s small soft cock and balls, with some semen spilt on them, and began to lick and suck them all over. The 13 years old penis was swiftly erect again and the prostitute continued his work until its inevitable conclusion. Anthonius could tell that the young client’s climax was close from the intensification in the boy’s breathing and the way the lad tightened his hold on, and moved his groin upwards towards, the head providing so much pleasure. Anthonius swallowed all of the sweet boy cum as it shot to the back of his throat.

The 13 years old hands eventually released the 14 years old head and the former again pronounced “Wow” before the latter said “Thank you again, master, for impregnating me with the immaculate product of your magnificence.” The boy ordered Anthonius to lie face-up on the bed whilst he redressed. “You’re hard again,” the young customer observed as he picked up his expensive toga, “a whore like you obviously needs regular milking to prevent him from having too many accidents. I’ll therefore oblige the next clients by milking you myself before giving you your punishment. One of the whips I think. I don’t believe your next clients will mind if I mark you a bit. My father has been letting me whip some of our younger misbehaving male slaves recently. I flogged a 15 years old and a 17 years old only last week. My father says that I’m getting quite good at it.” Anthonius’ hard-on re-energised further.

The boy eventually finished dressing and he told Anthonius to remove his mask. The prostitute blinked a little as his eyes readjusted to the light again, the chamber being brightly lit by a number of wall torches. His attired client was now standing at the side of the bed seemingly admiring the nude body resting on it. “I want to fasten your hands above you to the ties at the corners of the bed,” the boy declared, “so position yourself accordingly.” Anthonius complied and soon his wrists were tightly restrained by the leather bonds. “Now lift you feet over your head so that I can attach them to the ties in the headboard” commanded the 13 years old. The catamite again obeyed and he soon found his body doubled over with his feet bound to the board. “Excellent position for both milking and whipping, I think,” commented the young patron whilst observing that the whore’s erect cock now dangled just above his mouth and his naked bottom was lifted nicely to receive its deserved flagellation.

The 13 years old grabbed Anthonius’ penis and began to masturbate the 14 years old, instructing “I want you to catch your own seed in your mouth and swallow all of it, or else!” It did not take long to bring the prostitute to his second orgasm of the night and the customer carefully aimed the spurting white sperm at the catamite’s open mouth. Only a little missed the target and the client was pleased to see the whore quickly lick this off his chin. The boy then collected a light four stranded whip from the shelf, practised his swing as he returned to the bed and, on arrival, wasted no time in delivering the first blow across the vulnerable, already striped, buttocks. He was rewarded with a loud scream from the whore and this encouraged him to make a second quick strike in response to which another yell was heard. The boy now paused whilst he examined the results of the two blows. His father had told him that it was form to inflict chastisement only on prostitute’s bottoms and not to cause too much damage as there were the subsequent clients to consider. Heavier punishment was normally reserved for formal discipline sessions unless a client had specifically hired a whore to harm him and had secured the acquiescence of the brothel’s management with the appropriate substantial fee. The boy carefully felt the eight new red striped wheals that he had created, whilst noticing that the whore’s cock was amazingly erect again despite the milking of only moments previously, causing him to remark “Real slut!” The boy surmised that the whore could cope with at least one more strike before blood would erupt and took aim. Any noise that might have emanated as a result of the third blow was stifled by more semen gushing out of Anthonius’ re-hardened penis towards his mouth.

The boy reluctantly decided that three blows had to be enough, despite the recurrence of sluttish misbehaviour by the whore, for the twelve fresh stripes across the prostitute’s bum were already slightly bloody. Anyway, he had already decided that it would be appropriate to book the whore for at least three more occasions as there were the remaining three anal intercourse positions to try. He contented himself with the thought that he could chastise the whore further then and with the immediate feel of the wheals that he had created.

The boy actually revisited the brothel and Anthonius seven more times on a weekly basis, overcoming his father’s objection that the catamite was becoming too defiled for nobility to bother with. He had found the hetaera much less to his taste. “Woman pussy is too big and slimy compared to a boy’s,” he told his father, “I don’t mind female breasts but, overall, I much prefer bodies and orifices like the boy whore’s.” The father, who had always preferred boys as well, was not too displeased and had replied “I don’t mind as long as you eventually do your duty for the family and produce heirs!” When Anthonius later became unavailable, the father provided his son with two pretty young slave boys to play and practise with, and when the son grew to adulthood this number was magnified many times. He became the biggest, most active pederast in Rome, with his boy harem eventually twice the size of Diocletian’s. He never did fulfil his family duty and he never did forget the beautiful Imperial whore who had introduced him to the pleasures of boyish bodies and launched him on his lecherous path through a long life of pleasant debauchery and despoilment of young male innocence.

The boy left the private entertainment chamber soon after administrating Anthonius’ punishment to find his father, for his two hours were nearly up. The young patron had left the sobbing Anthonius in his restraints, leaving it to the returning servant to effect release. The servant, highly pleased to see the new boy prostitute’s distress, also tidied up both the debutante whore and the chamber in readiness for the next client. Anthonius found it difficult to stop his tears as he realised that he had only finished with his first customer. There were to be four further sessions with other clients overnight, the last with a duo, and this was only the first of sixty nights that he would have to spend at the brothel. He wondered how on earth Prodicus had survived here for eleven years and come to enjoy his work.

(To be continued in Chapter 40 – ‘Clientele’)