Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:56:40 -0700
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden 39

Arden
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)

39:  Trails of Office


1319, 3rd month, 27th day:

LIttle of notice happened today and I made no great intercultural
discoveries.  I worked as usual, played as usual and had more sex with my
brothers, friends and boys, than usual.  Panther will join the Prince
Nikias' crew on the 28th day, as forth officer.  The ship is not yet
commissioned but his new captain will not let him live in the castle when
in port.  He will stay at Hermogenes' home.  Agapios is with us as usual
when Hermogenes is at sea, which he is now.

We learned the keel of the Prince Joulous will be laid once the Prince
Nikias is commissioned and the Prince Justus after that.  These two will
feature a slight difference in design, a new Kannon deck is being added,
just below the main deck and above the cargo holds and sleeping quarters.
When I looked at the drawing it seams that this kannon deck is the main
deck and the new main deck is just raised above, as are the quarter decks
and so on.  The masts must be taller to accommodate the sails by the same
amount.


1319, 3rd month, 30th day:

Hesiodos met with us, passing on a number of letters from our friends in
different countries.  He told us all will be returning for Iason's wedding
but not all at once.  The French Connection will meet the General and his
aids in Padoa and travel together here.

One letter was from Lieutenant Raffaele, who wrote to inform me (us) that
Captain Arno had been mortally wounded.  "You must remember him from your
visit last summer.  I have already sent a letter of condolence to his
parents on your behalf.  I trust this was the appropriate thing to do."  He
added that the General, his housekeeper, manservant and himself would be
traveling to Parga as the General was attending Prince Iason's wedding.
"Please convey the General's personal appreciation of having been invited,
to your Uncle, King Iason 7th.  I have already given his formal response to
your Ambassador.  I trust you all enjoyed your travels, as much as I
enjoyed being your guide for the Florentine portion.  We are all looking
forward to hearing your first hand account.

The General's health continues to fail.  That is why he has retained a man
servant, since you departed.  Between the three of us, we are able to see
he keeps going.  The manservant and General tell me they had heard of
wonderful therapeutic baths in Parga.  If these exist, perhaps you could
arrange for the General to visit them?"

Hesiodos instructed me to write back quickly saying: their were such baths
in Parga and urging them to come as soon as possible.  Also thanking him
for the news and sending condolences regarding the late Captain Arno.
"Tell him your sister and brother in law operate an inn at that place and
are most willing to receive the General and his "family".  Our personal
Venetian friend Lugo, a Glass merchant, has ships that travel regularly
from Padua to Parga and you will ask him to see that transport is ready
when the General arrives there.  Tell him you are sure of his help, as you
all attended his wedding just before you visited Florence.  Suggest he ask
our Florentine ambassador to communicate with his counter part in Venice,
as his postal service is quicker.  Tell him your friendship with Lugo is
personal and long standing.  You will also write to him, and both
ambassadors whose wives are your cousins.

I also want you to write to Silvo and his brother asking them to come at
the same time, all be it early, as Iason and Sophia have requested them
play at their wedding.  Use your music code to hide the truth and make it
very complex, suggesting much practice will be required.  Then write to the
French King Phillip and ask him to release your brothers quickly as they
are needed to play for the wedding.  Since he knows you, he will go along
with it."

From what we could read in Silvo's letters much difficulty lay in the
French court that was not apparent to us on our visit.  It looks as thought
succession will be one issue and French/English friction another.  At 24 he
is still young and we got along with him very well, as I described earlier
in this personal journal.  We found him competent and even refreshing in
his policies.  Being such a young man we never dreamed he was in any kind
of political difficulties.

Iason, later told me that Phillip was not prepared for office as his older
brother had been.  Then he made a few comments, saying his brother had made
a mess of things and he had been striving to fix them.  He told him he had
learned much by observing his father and how he managed things.  His
brother seamed to learn from others.  He claimed the job was thrust upon
him, first as regent for an infant nephew, that lived but a year and then
King.  "My brother left me a mess.  I did not want but did and do my duty,
as best I could and can.  Some say I murdered my infant nephew.  I could
not have done such a thing and as regent for an infant why would I."

Silvo tells us he has yet no male children and only male children can
inherit the crown.  Much is happening in the background as his only
available successor is his younger brother Charles, at 23.

We liked Charles well enough but not as much as Phillip.  He is just a
little bitter and envious of his brother.  It does not seam that these
French prepare their younger brothers as well as we do.  It is a much
bigger place and often these nobles hold several titles and rich lands.  He
strikes me as being rather ambitious and uncompromising.  He treated us
well enough but we could see he was sharp with many around him.  Kastor
though him vindictive and likely to hold a grudge.

Over all, the young nobles and sons of nobility made up a good group, in
all the places we visited.  Those that had no chance at ultimate power
showed little pretension.  We did find exceptions, that is true.  Most were
likable and friendly.  Many had formed friendships with counterparts.  Like
here, many were related.  The oldest brother or son in law of the oldest
daughter were favored, more so than Parga.  These French and others too,
seam to be more concerned with birth order than competence or merit.  I
take it this is due to the old Roman influence.  I will ask the scholars
about this.

We examined the letters as always and found they had all been opened and
obviously read once and possibly more than once.  I knew what to do with
this and did it.  Many of the nobles we visited were also invited but that
was more of courtesy than expectation.  A few would send representatives
and we looked forward to that.  Most politely declined as we so often must
do ourselves.  That is just diplomacy and distance.  Some gift or greeting
is almost always sent, of course.


1319, 4th month, 1st day:

Miltiades, has made quite an impression on everyone.  Now that most of his
bruises and wounds are healed, he looks as handsome as I knew he would.
Kleitos has spent much time with him.  He trains and educates with the
pages and does sports with us.  Darkon and Silas are teaching his military
skills.  I see he wares a squires' tunic with our colors and Kleitos'
crest.  This indicates to all, he is part of our family.

The boy is tall and very well built for one so young, just 15 by a month.
He will be as tall as me I think, with probably a more powerful upper body.
After I train him to run, with legs that rival my own.  He has much body
hair for a boy and his testicles hang lower them mine and are larger.  His
wide set large brown eyes and long curly brown hair give him a look that
sets everyone's loins on fire.  Mine included.

Kleitos has his heart and his body as I can see.  He is so proud of his new
squire one would think him in love.  He is the boys mentor and will love
him in that, but I think it is more.  Kleitos seams not interested in women
and I have just assumed him to be only interested in horses.  I think now I
see he is interested in this boy.  I hope Miltiades does not brake his
heart.  Kleitos is strong and I think mature enough.

Lyuben and his house returned today as part of the rotation.  It is good to
have him back in the castle again.  He is making strong progress as an
Argonaut, His group elected him demisquad leader, after less then 1 year.
I am impressed; not only that he is working so hard but that he is keeping
his word.  I thought it was mostly the bravado of youth but his officers
tell me, not so.

I expect Lyuben to begin living with Thanatos, his mentor, when this
quarter ends.  It would appear we will have him close to us for some time
to come.  Euthalia tells me the palace girls are much impressed with him
and also look forward to his staying.  I was also surprised to learn that
she has organized several of her friends to sleep with me over the coming
weeks, all with the view of bearing my children.  Since we returned from
our tour all of the men in our family have sired young except me.  Nine
girls are pregnant from them, even Iason.  I am the only one not, that she
feels it is from lack of trying, since I have been loyal to her and our
children.

I know she appreciates this, telling me so; she was quite pointed in
telling me it was my duty to follow my father's example in all parts of my
life.  Iason and I do have some help from Kas and Poly.  I for one will not
complain, I like sex and I like sex with girls almost as much as sex with
boys.  I must admit I like sex.  I am not special in this, it is the way of
humans, were it not the population of the world would not be rising so
quickly.


1319, 4th month, 5th day:

We traveled to the northern hunting lodge on the 2nd and returned today.
This was supposed to be a highly secret journey.  It may have been so, our
mission is and was most confidential, but I fear some news must have
escaped.  It was that or mighty speculation.  As we returned, our party was
attacked by bandits and several of us were wounded, me included.  Pyrros
and Silas are recovering from arrow wounds and I was stabbed in the left
side with a dagger.  The fellow that stabbed me will not, as Iason
dispatched him, cutting his head mostly off with one blow of his sword.  We
were set upon from ambush by 13 assailants all well armed, if not as well
trained.

I was much dismayed that all chose death to surrender.  In death they can
not reveal why we were attacked or how they knew we had something of value
with us.  Hesiodos assured me he will root out the informants and traders.

With three of us wounded, the remaining 7 had much killing to do and that
they did with frightening efficiency.  Three had engaged me as Iason and I
stood to protect our fallen comrades.  We stood back to back as we had been
trained to do.  Iason engaged one and I three, dispatching one quickly with
a thrust to his mid section that pushed him into the third.  The second was
a bit better and we paired a bit, when the third rushed me from the side.
My sword was momentarily caught in the chest of the second when I felt the
knife in my side.  Just then Iason spun around and cut off the assailant's
head with one might blow.  I sank the the ground.  The wound hurt much but
it did not hit anything vital.  I did bleed much.  We came back to the
Hunting lodge and our wounds were cleaned and dressed.

Had we not had our armor on I am sure our wounds would have been more
serious and perhaps even fatal.  Volos was beside himself with both his
prince and Pyrros wounded in the same battle.  I was glad of the all the
training forced on us by him and the others.  Father and Uncle Iason were
furious and I think many changes at this lodge are about to happen.  If
Hesiodos can not get to the bottom of it, the changes will I am afraid, be
broad and I suspect harsh.  He told us the special unit of the Argoanuts
was being sent to the lodge and would take over all its operations until
the source of this business could be found.

I am not happy at all, since I am confined to bed for the next several
days.  I feel most bad that only Iason and I know the real reason for this
attack.  On further thought, I am glad the assailants are all dead.  Should
any have survived, one of us would need kill them, to preserve the secret.
I know Uncle Iason will see to it that any who are found to know, will also
be killed.

None of us knew these people.  They were strangers to us and when shown the
bodies, no one at the lodge claimed to know them either.


1319, 4th month, 10th day:

They have finally released me from bed.  I am more or less healed, as are
the others.  My left side is still tender and it will be some weeks before
I will be able to run long distances again.  I did run some shorter
distances today and it did feel good in my legs to do so again.

Hesiodos reported yesterday that the puzzle had been solved and five more
were executed in secret.  That means 18 in total lost their lives.  It was
good that none of the lodge staff were involved.  The secret had been
discovered by one of them, quiet by accident, while poaching wild game.
The bandits thought to take advantage of this knowledge, knowing few if any
others knew it.  Me thinks they would be been found out had they been
successful.  I also wonder what they thought the King would do if two
Princes and their guardians had all been killed.  It is possible they
thought we would surrender and it is quite possible they did not know who
we were.  I do not think we will ever know for sure.

The Special unit of the Argoanuts had done an outstanding job and Hesiodos
praised them greatly.  Iason thought they should be given some other name
and kept at the lodge, as a permanent training base.  This would also add
to security at the lodge and keep prying eyes, whiting or unwitting, away.

I suggested Iason's Elite but was out voted.  They will be call Prince
Arden's Elite Marines.  Corrado will be made Captain in Command but they
will report to Iason and I jointly and be funded directly by the royal
treasury.  The PAEM force will be adjunct to the Royal Guards but not
directly a part of them.  Their numbers will be increased to 35, allowing
25 to form an off base unite, when needed.

I was not all that happy about not including our brothers but Hesiodos
advised against it.  The twins agreed with him.  This was a function of
office not brotherhood.  The King and Consort had some duties and
responsibilities other princes do not, so too the Crown Prince and Consort.
Among ourselves, we can do as we will, some things are just expected from
us and no other.  I guess that goes along with keeping some state secrets.

Iason wanted to know what happened to the families of the dead.  We were
assured they knew nothing of the reason, just that this group had attacked
us and were all killed in the battle.  Of the 18, only 12 had wives and
nine had children.  The childless widows would be sent back to their
fathers.  The nine widows with children would either be remarried to their
husband's brothers or first cousins, taken in and cared for by the late
husband's families, or remarried.

Of the children, 5 were over 12, three boys and two girls.  I asked for
them to be brought to the palace and placed in the palace boys and girls
programs.  The younger children knew little of what happened or why.  Those
over 12 would have been told.  I thought it important they be quickly made
to feel accepted.  I felt sorry for the families of the 5 later implicated
and killed without trial or due process and in secret.  Nothing was ever
said about how these two groups were linked or that in fact they were so or
who held the sword that took the five.

We decided that it would be best for these women to remarry some of our
trusted military people, who should also adopt the children and do so
quickly.  The five children brought here are to be quickly made a part of
us.  Iason is to sleep with the girls, with the objective of quick
pregnancies; while Kastor, Ikaros and Poly will see the males are prepared
as chamber boys.  Once we are sure of their loyalty, other professions will
be made available for them to choose from.

It is an honor to be chosen as concubine for the Crown Prince and chamber
boys for our family.  Once the boys are well indoctrinated into our ways,
they will be loyal to us.  That loyalty is of great importance.  I am
looking forward to this.  Up until now the only boys to grace our beds were
volunteers.  These boys will volunteer too but only after they have been
seduced and prepared.


1319, 4th month, 12th day:

Miltiades, is making much progress in his schooling and military training.
He is learning to navigate the family as well.  Kastor wants him to work
with the new boys.  With his size and poise he will easily gain the trust
of these new boys and make them a part of the castle system.  His ability
to get others to reveal themselves and their thoughts, seams to be his most
important talent.  Miltiades will need serve as a page in the next year or
two.

Nikias has been much more attentive than usual, since we were wounded.  I
think, the realization that one of us could be killed or wounded has become
a reality for him.  I have been longing to feel Iason's penis in my anus
for these many days now.  He, Nikias and the others have been most generous
in making sure I was given as much oral attention as I could deliver and
receive for that matter.  It is my beloved's penis in my ass that I desire
the most.  Followed by the others as well, but Iason most of all.

We learned today that the General and his group should be arriving in the
next week.  Iason and Alexandros' weddings will be on the 8th day of the
10th month.  Since the king proclaimed it National Wedding Day in honor of
our exploits, I guess he thought it a most fitting date for his first born
son and daughter.  I have also noticed he has used that date to join all
male and all female unions last fall.  I am looking most forward to sharing
a bed with Raffaele again, as it was most pleasurable in Florence.

I am not quite sure what to do with Justus and Joulous.  They have been
spending much time with Helladios and his young friends.  I know they have
been sharing sex as best the prepubescent boys can.  I have observed it.
My concern is how these younger boys will relate to older men who try and
seduce them, before they reach 12.  Those older men include us.  I know
Iason and I have all we can do to keep our cocks out of Helladios' butt as
it is.  This has not and will not be all that successful either.


1319, 4th month, 13th day:

We have had some most interesting meetings of late.  We are getting ready
to send out the first graduates of Prince Arden's State Service Core,
Arden's boys and girls.  I am sure this will all prove successful but it
will take some years yet to see true results.

Several of the knights wanted to know the details and circumstances of our
injuries.  Uncle Iason would not give direct or detailed answers.  He did
say our injuries were the result of bandits who were all killed.  He did
not feel stronger security measures were needed, that this was an abnormal
situation.

Hesiodos has seen that secret security people have been placed in the
communities near the different lodges and estates.  He feels by careful
secret work, incidents like this last one can be nipped in the beginning.

Now that I am third in the financial organization of government I can start
to properly evaluate some the business opportunities perceived while
traveling.  I have been giving the idea of a secure depository for
valuables and treasure much thought.  Parga does have its treasury well
secured and safely stored.  It is stored in several places besides the
castle.  Several of those places are highly secret and well guarded.  I
think if one is to store treasure for others, the place can not be secret
but must be well guarded.  If we have no direct knowledge of what is being
stored and refuse to publish the names of our clients, then little
attention will be paid to this service or Parga.  I have begun asking if
this kind of service would be used and what price people would be willing
to pay for it.

Since we have instituted, the naked in our privet quarters policy, all of
the family members are taking care with their personal presentation.  Be it
the youngest boy or the oldest man, everyone is taking extra care with
their appliance.  It is most stimulating with all this naked male flesh on
display.  Even the young boys, when they visit seem to pose.  We are very
fond of games and play many: Dominoes, Backgammon, Drafts, Chess, Dice Toss
and a host of card games.  While many knights and solders like to gamble,
we do not allow it with the younger boys or pages.  (TN: Most of these
games would be recognized by us today, except some of the card games.)  We
make much music together, tell stories and recite poems to each other as
well.  It is best when Odo and Thoren are both present.

Helladios and Alfred have been paying much additional attention to Iason,
Dios, Nikias and myself.  It would appear these boys want more than just
brotherly social interaction.  I am finding it very hard to resist them, as
are the others.  Our boys seam to be determined to assist the younger ones
in this.  They have been having sexual interactions with them for some time
now, apparently in preparation for this attempted seduction.  Helladios has
been in our bed on more than one occasion but not on any kind of regular
bases.

Ikaros tells me the new boys will be ready for their chamber duties in
about another week.  Their training is now in its final phase.  They are
spending most of their time on the love benches in the page's dorm.
Miltiades has convinced them that they need to forget who they were and
where they were from and become palace boys.  The training they received,
in addition to school and general orientation was designed, like Kleitos'
animals, to assert control without destroying spirit.  To gain cooperation
and compliance from a desire to please, receipt of pleasure and reward, not
pain.

I am still not sure having sex with our mostly 10 and 11 year olds is all
that good an idea but I must admit the thought of my penis sliding into
Helladios' pert butt is most exciting.  I know how Iason feels about young
ones and Alfred will have little effort to gain his attention if he truly
desires it.  From what I observe he does that and more.  The young singers
seam to be receiving special attention from Odo and Alexandros.  So much so
that I suspect they are already prepared for their not to distant move to
the boys gymnasium, away from their mothers.  William strikes me as a boy
who loves boys but I do not know him all that well.

So far the younger boys have not been included in our sex games and family
orgies.  Of late they have not been excluded from the room or the bath.  It
is clear they know what is being done, by who, with who.  The boy's chores
is also being included more and more, with our little ones.  I was
concerned that our eromenoses would become jealous but they seam not.  All
including Agapios are supportive and friendly toward them.  The ringleaders
of this effort seam to be Dios and Helladios, I am sure encouraged by the
three terrors.  Hilarus is not yet assertive but I can see he is game for
just about anything suggested to him by the other young pages or Kastor.

His running is getting much better and he is now able to surpass Dios.  I
must say his body is most attractive to me and to Nikias and now that I am
healed, he will find his way into our bed often but we will need pry him
and Agapios from our mentors first.