On The Queen's Service

Part The Last

 

Mr Gentle was one whose name belied not his appearance, for he was a man of some parts. Of an age no more than Fletcher's own, he was dressed soberly but in no wise in a puritan manner, indeed, his doublet was a thing of some colour.

His complexion showed no scars of any pox and his eyes were bright and twinkled much and smiles came easy to his face. No man would guess, upon a single meeting, that he were torturer in chief at the Tower.

"He were a disappointment really, sir," Gentle spoke as though apologising for his victim's shortcomings. "The Queen did give instruction that he be not badly damaged, for she wished to devise a particular end for him and wished him in good health for the spectacle he is to provide.
I could not rack him sir," Gentle once more apologised, "For racking, as you must know, doth distort the frame somewhat, and rare is it for one to stand on his feet again after being questioned in that manner.
I thought to use the screws on his thumbs, sir, as an easy start to his questions, but my boy Rob did have an idea, sir. A quick boy is Rob, and already showing some skill in this art, and he did make suggestion that we used the screw not on a thumb but on another part entire.
Considering the nature of his crimes, sir, I did think that a marvellous suggestion, but when I made to attach the screw to his prick, Rob did stop me, saying that it would destroy complete his member and take some enjoyment from the crowds when he come to Tyburn."

Fletcher concealed his shudders at the horrors of which this seeming gentle man did speak so casually, and also at the thought of the suggestion of applying torture to a man's private parts coming from the lips of a boy.

"So I did select a testicle instead, sir, and applied the screw to that, and indeed it was most efficacious, for but a turn or two was needed before he did begin to jabber all we wished to know."

"Of that I have little doubt," Fletcher agreed, "For any man would anything say in circumstances the like of that."

"Indeed he would, sir," Gentle nodded his agreement, "And so, in case he did but say words he thought we wished to hear, I did crush the thing entire, and he changed not one word of his utterances to us."

Fletcher restrained, but how he did so he knew not, the desire to vomit, for the thought of a man's testicle being crushed in such a slow and indeed careful manner was as much as even a stomach much hardened could take.

"And, of course, sir," Gentle continued his tale of torture, "The advantages of this method were, as Rob did have the wit to see beforehand, that once recovered sufficiently, our subject had no difficulty in holding a quill to sign his name to his confession."

"And much did he confess?" Fletcher was anxious to know, for still there were two murders to be resolved.

"To the hunting and slaying of Ganymedes on his estate, to the murder by means of a bollock dagger of one Sir James," Gentle ticked the items off on his fingers as he recounted them; "To the slaying of a Ganymede with that same dagger by the insertion of it to the rectum, and to the reason for the slaying of the Ganymedes on his estate.
All those were slain as sacrifices to the Devil, sir, including the one who he slew after Sir James. Though that one, he said, was not planned beforehand but needed to appease Old Nick, for his Satanic Majesty would have been greatly displeased, he said, by his mistake in attempting to recruit Sir James to his merry band of Devil worshipers."

Near a week had passed since Fletcher had met Mr Gentle and his stomach was now well settled. His possessions had all moved with no mishap to his new abode in Coldharbour Lane, and his new bed, commissioned from a carpenter and bedmaker of some note, had been delivered, though not with any ease.

It were a bed of some size, large enough for three to sleep therein and some room more than that as well, and a window entire did have to be removed so the bed could be hoisted up and through it, for far too large it was to reach the first floor by means of stairs.

Now he stood with Stick, surveying his new hall and awaiting the arrival of Jane with the boys she had selected for his employ. For she did insist that they be employed straight and no time wasted.

He had broken his fast, as he did most morns, with seed from Stick, but time there had been for nothing more, for Jane expressed wish that he should approve the boys early that she may set them to their tasks.

"I do fear we shall soon set eyes on the four most ugly boys in London," Fletcher confided his fears to his catamite, "But for the peace of our household must we consent to Jane's choice."

"I fear that also," Stick agreed, for though Jane objected not to their swiving, he doubted much that she would find for employ, boys they may be tempted to distract from household tasks.

And in that thinking were they both most wrong, for intelligencers they may be, and seek out the most cunningly laid of plots, yet did they have no understanding of the workings of the mind of a woman.

Jane did usher into that hall before her, boys who were most comely of face and form, and though but ten or eleven years of age, still were they boys to tempt a man.

"I searched most diligently," Jane announced briskly, "And these be boys of good character all. From the homes of working fathers all, and from homes most pleased that they should find employment here. I think they will serve well your needs will they not, Mr Fletcher, Master Stick?"

That Jane had thoughts in mind of needs other than tasks of the household were evident by the gleam in her eye.

"I know well the house in which I serve, Mr Fletcher," Jane said as she collected the boys together and ushered them toward the kitchen. "I ask only that you oblige them not, for then must I answer to their families. But if any should wish to perform duties beyond those I set them, then that is a matter not of my concern."

"I would have the tall one with the yellow hair perform more tasks and that with much express," Stick said quietly when all were gone to the kitchen, "For he has a mouth most wide and lips full."

"And, I doubt not, you will soon seek out uses for that mouth," Fletcher agreed, "And if you do not, then I will most certain do so."

"None will be unused to the taste of prick in a week's time," Stick said, "For Harry will charm open their mouths in an instant."

"Young Harry will do well amongst us," Fletcher smiled, "For that thought was also mine."

But so it did not prove, for Harry was enamoured not of flesh so young.

"Sweet they may be to buss and swive," he informed Fletcher when questioned as to why those boys remained untouched by him, and a week since he arrived. "But the bussing and swiving of boys feeds not the need and hunger that I have. It is prick full gown that I crave within me, Mr Fletcher, and that most often."

"Then Jane should look to her new husband," Fletcher sighed, disconcerted some that Harry had made no try to charm the clothing from his new young servant boys.

"Indeed she should," Harry had no shame to confess, "For her Robert is a most comely man, and I doubt not that his member will fill me most completely."

Words would Fletcher need to have with his new catamite, and not concerning the inevitable seduction of Robert, for that was a thing beyond his control. Jane knew well enough the household she had brought her man into, and if her man's prick grew hard at the charms of Harry, as it doubtless would, for was there man yet born who had a prick that would not so do, then it were her account to deal with that thing, and he had no fears but that she would so do, in one way or another.

Fletcher's concern for Harry was the need to bring him to an understanding that he could not forever remain a boy, and that the time must come when men desired no more his arse, and he wished not that Harry should emulate the Antinous of Hadrian, and slay himself when he thought that time had come.

But these were things for another time, and Fletcher basked now in the fate that Fortune had delivered him.

That it had done so were sufficient to make Fletcher wonder if there were wisdom in the beliefs of the Ancients who said that Fate rules all lives; or, though this a thought he considered not for long for it did border close to heresy, if it be that just perhaps those Lutherans who said all things were pre-determined and predestined by God, did not have the right of it.

For could it be other than the workings of Fate that had made things as they were? That he should have been present at Mr Goodboy's establishment and see a seeming pleasant country knight, one who seemed not then to have the character of one who would swive Harry so brutally, and after take his pleasure with a young Ganymede so fully that the boy could bare walk after, was surely not mere a thing of chance?

That country knight and Ganymede both be slain that same morning after, and the boy in a manner that raised great suspicion of things devilish, though with no clue as to the identity of their slayer. Was that chance also?

That Jane should, that same day, confess to being in the family way, and her swain one who was groom to a knight of some status, who was discovered to have tastes unnatural and did make sacrifice to the Devil himself. Could that also be but by chance?

That the discovery of that Satanic ring had led to the Queen's approval of his actions, the granting him of a new and larger house, and his housekeeper, Jane, seeking out boys to serve him and, boys also that she had divined may please him not as servants but as boys. Was that, too, nothing but mere chance?

And his reward had included Harry, a boy of scarce fourteen years who had flesh that Fletcher had much lusted for, and knew from the brief tastes he had of that flesh, it were a lust that would fade not quickly. That boy were now his catamite, and near a year before Mr Goodboy would usually have released him into such service, near a year longer whereby Fletcher could enjoy and use him. Fate also?

Fletcher cared not what were the cause, for today were holiday, and after attending Church, Londoners would gather at Tyburn to make merry and enjoy the spectacle of bloody execution, for on this day would Sir William Rich be sent to Hell, and in a manner as cruel as any that Mr Topham could devise, for the Queen Herself had wished it so.

Voices had been raised that a burning would be the thing, and loudest amongst them had been the Bishop of London, who, it was much known, had longings deep to send men to the fire, but the Queen would not have it so.

"The smell of roasting flesh is to me the stink of the Inquisition," she had declared, "And that is a stench I would have not hang over London."

Rumours there were many that Mr Topham had devised an end most suitable for the condemned man, and greatly did all of London wish to witness it.

It being holiday and spectacle of great entertainment, Fletcher would take his catamites both, and his new serving boys also, for, though they remained clothed still, yet had they pleased him much with their attendance on their household duties and deserved holiday, and much he knew they would enjoy the entertainment Mr Topham did have planned for London.

The crime was one of Satanism, and not of treason, so the manner of dispatch could not be by bowelling, for that was reserved for traitors only, and great had been the talk in the taverns of the manner that would be employed, though none had considered how particular Mr Topham would be in his choice of an appropriate way for his victim to be sent to Hell.

Greatly did the boys enjoy the entertainment they were provided with, as did the whole of London, many there declaring that the executioner deserved much reward for the cunning he had shown.

The condemned was dragged by hurdle through the streets from Tower to Tyburn, so those not able to obtain a place close enough to watch his end, still had chance to view his naked body and wonder on his evil.

Many asked why he was not fastened to that hurdle in the usual manner, for his head dragged not over the cobbles of the streets, but was held above them so he suffered not on his final journey. Complaints there were at this most unusual clemency, but wiser heads did declare that reason there would be for it, and that the condemned man would be in full control of his senses when he met the torment devised for him.

A gallows post awaited him, though one of unusual height, and a sharpened stake beside it the point of which reached as high as the shoulders of the executioner, and all wondered of its purpose.

"It were wondrous clever to invent such a thing," the fair haired boy who had first attracted the eyes of Stick when Jane had brought him to the house, declared when they were all returned.

Being holiday, Fletcher had brought all to his solar, and all were provided with wine and brandy and cakes that Jane had baked, for well she knew that boys would be most hungry after entertainment such as they had witnessed that afternoon.

"I liked it when his privates were cut from him and placed within his mouth," a curly headed boy did say with relish, "Fitting indeed that one such as he should suck on his own prick!"

The boy groped unashamedly at his own meagre privates, caring not who saw him do so.

"Fitting more when he was lifted high by rope around his wrists then sat upon that stake," a third boy giggled, "I warrant much that he wriggled then more than did the boys he slew."

"Learned he then that the arses of boys are meant for pricks not bollock daggers," the final boy stated bluntly. He was a boy of solid build but without spare flesh for he worked in the kitchen and laboured oft close to the fire roasting meats, and boys who so do carry not spare fat for it be sweated from them.

Much did his comment alert the ears of Stick, for he made no pretence to none but that he did have growing fancy to plunder the sweetness of a young arse, and though he did much desire the fair haired slender boy, this one from the kitchen would do well enough.

"And has your arse known prick?" Harry asked. "Belike it has, for mine had done so much by the time I obtained your number of years."

"And does so still," that boy declared boldly, for he had not full control now of his words, being used not to the imbibing of brandy wine, "For you, being catamite to our master, must take prick oft within you."

"That I do," Harry confirmed, in no wise disconcerted by the boy's bold words, "And like it much indeed. As, no doubt, do you."

"Know I not if I will like it or not," the boy continued in his boldness, though his companions did look much horrified by his carless words, "For I have an arse as yet unentered, though I doubt not that, being boy and servant to a master and his catamites, it will come to know of prick ere long."

He stared blatantly at Harry as he spoke his words, but he knew not he stared so at the wrong boy, for Harry had no interest in his arse, though Stick had much.

"Then you should to a bed and quickly so, for I do think Stick is most desirous of showing you what prick is like to take within you." Harry did pour himself more brandy and looked to see if his words did silence the forward boy.

That they did so it was for but a moment, for that boy did rise to his feet, but finding himself unsteady there, did stagger and stumble till he fell on Stick where he was seated.

"You must need carry me, I do believe," the boy slurred words, "I think not I can walk unaided to a bed."

Stick did look to Mr Fletcher who did nod his assent, and did bid Stick carry also the plate of butter that Jane had placed with the cakes, for though it were some hardship to carry both boy and plate, Stick would most surely have need of butter.

"One," Harry did smile at Mr Fletcher, "And for you other three, make merry now, though if you drink much more of our master's brandy wine I feel your stomachs will have no constancy.
Make merry, for it is great honour to be asked into Mr Fletcher's solar, but know this. Should you have desire to enter here again it must be perforce that you do choose to do so, for if you come here again it can be not clothed."

The boys were silent now and did each look to another, for the meaning of Harry's words was plain, even to serving boys of tender years. Their master would not command nor force them to his bed, but should that be a bed they had wish to sleep in, he would take much pleasure in them being there.

The fair haired boy gave much consideration to those words, and, with a final look at his two companions, found courage enough to speak.
"I know not about my arse, sir," he said to Fletcher, "But I think my mouth may be willing if that should please you."

"It would please me much if it be willing indeed," Fletcher croaked somewhat in his speech for he also was most hard and full of lust, and the boy did indeed have a mouth that was wide and full of promise.

"Should I then unclothe myself now, Sir?" the boy asked, timid that he do matters wrongly.

"What of your companions?" Fletcher asked, for he would not disconcert boys who were not willing to see such things happen.

"We mind not, sir," one spoke for both, "For much do we like employment in your house, and should you take pleasure in our being naked, then gladly will we divest ourselves of clothing."

If this be Fate, Fletcher thought, then let me have much of it! What man could wish for more than employ in the Queen's service, a large house with two catamites and four young boys to fill it for his delight?

"More ways there are than one to bring boys to a man's bed," Harry smiled, content that he had a duty done, and that most well.

 

My thanks to all who managed to reach the end.

 

isukwell@hotmail,co.uk