Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2023 00:16:59 -0400 From: franz schubert Subject: The Squire's Tale Chapter 4 Disclaimer: If you are under 18, don't read it. If you are offended by homsexual stuff, don't read it. If your city/principality/region/whatever forbids you to read stuff like this, don't read it. Apologies to Plato. And please donate to Nifty.org! Chapter 4. The Symposium The walls of the Great Hall are lime-washed and hung with bright tapestries. Rushes strewn with chamomile and cowslips cover the floor, and gleaming white linen cloths cover the long polished tables. The lord was seated at the high table with his lady and the officers and clergy of his court. The knights assembled in the Hall and they exchanged the brother kiss. And the servants brought dishes, and the squires poured wine for their Masters and served their Masters pottage, and cut their meat, and set roasted quails and partridges before them, and placed upon the tables roasted apples and sugar-dusted wafers. William Bigon served Joffroi de Boynge, James and Timothy served Michael de Bong, Jacques de Cuircy served Sir Brunoir, and I served Sir John. And after the banquet the lord and lady went to their chamber, and the knights and their squires gathered in a chamber away from all others, to drink and tell stories of conquest in battle and in bed, and to inquire into the nature of love. And there were but three knights, for Sir Brunoir had not yet arrived. And there were five squires. And I shall tell you of the knights and squires. I have told you of my foe, William Bigon. His Master Sir Joffroi was as well-made, as handsome, and as arrogant as his squire-- nay, more so. He was swollen-headed and his cock was swollen-headed too, for he had fucked many fine ladies and fucked peasant girls besides. And he believed that every man should pay obeisance to his prick, and he lusted for dominion. He was a knight of 27 years, celebrated throughout England for his valor in battle. He followed the Chivalry Code's command, to make war against the infidel without mercy. Else, he secretly despised the Code that he had taken an oath to uphold. For he was false if it furthered his designs, he kept his riches close, and he had contempt for the morals of the Church and the manners of the Court, hiding his scorn beneath a veneer of piety and courtesy. And he thought it just and right that young men should worship him, and when they did, his head swole and his chest puffed up, and so did his dick. Sir Michael de Bong was very rich also, but unlike Sir Joffroi, very generous. He was a man of middle years, perhaps 40. The pleasures of the world enticed him and he indulged in them. He wore fine silks and traveled with two squires. He sent pages on secret missions to the butlery to bring him ale, and to the pantry to bribe the cooks to send him cheese and plums. And he ate fine bread and quaffed ale before morning Mass. He was lascivious too, and loved to disguise himself, and to bid his squires Timothy and James to bring young men to meet him in the forest so that he could make love to them. And he paid the servants and craftsmen to allow him to take down their chausses and test the muscles of their legs, and to slide his fingers over the curves of their upper arms, to kiss the muscelles of their broad bare chests and to kiss their dicks. And he seduced the young men who stocked the pantries and those who harvested leeks, and the gardener who strode slowly with his legs apart for love of feeling his package swing between his legs, and the groom smelling of horses and saddles who quivered and stomped as he ravished him, and the man who felled the forest trees and hewed planks and wiped his brow and spread his legs wide when he swung the axe, and the sullen boy who fashioned arrow points, who stood akimbo and scoffed contemptuously and spat upon the ground as the knight licked his belly, and who quickly fastened his braies and chausses when the lecher had done with him, and snatched the coins and strode angrily from the forest. And his squires went to the dune slacks to find the broad-faced youth who gathered blunt-flowered rushes and brought him from the marshes to their Master, and Sir Michael slowly undressed him til he was naked, and embraced him and drew him to his chest and nuzzled his thick neck. And the broad-faced lad with thick ruby lips, not knowing what he should do, awkwardly put his big arms around the knight. And Sir Michael relished the bright-faced lad apprenticed to the men who fired the tiles, whose smock was daubed with ochre clay, and who giggled when he tickled him, and ran back to the earthen furnace so that he should not be long missed. And Timothy and James went to the village to assess the lustiness of traveling minstrels. And when a fine rose-cheeked minstrel had sung for the people, they offered the gift of a gittern if he would meet their Master. At first he refused, but James and Timothy were beguiling and smooth. In the end they gained his confidence, and lured by the promise of the fine instrument they showed him for recompense, he agreed, but said that he would not undress. They led him to a bed of ferns that was prepared for him. And Sir Michael posing as a luthier gave him ale to drink and bade him lie on the ferns, and did not undress he youth, but so lovingly stroked his yellow hair, and his sides and legs, that despite the lad's resistance, his prick of its own volition stiffened in his breeches. And the knight so expertly stroked the aching member that the lad squirmed and rolled from side to side until he could no longer deny the demands of his cock, and with a shudder spurted his seed. And Sir Michael gave the singer a fine gittern. And he gave young men who came to him silver pennies, to stand and permit him to do as he pleased with them, to put his hands on their warm skin and touch their bodies. And most stood as statues as he kissed their arms and the back of their hands and bent to smell their groins and knelt to kiss their feet. And many were so full of concupiscence that their cocks grew under the caresses of his soft hands and the worship that he showed to their bodies, until their pricks inflated and became rigid staffs. And Sir Michael cupped in his hands the hanging ballsacks of the young men his squires had enticed, and many of the servants scowled when he gently juggled their fat nuts and patted their firm buttocks, and their skin flushed and they became impatient and would have pushed him away but that he had paid them. And most he loved the young peasants whom James and Timothy ensnared, who looked upon the coins with awe, and gaped at hearing how they should earn them, who came to him with bare feet and knife-sawed hair and rivulets of sweat on earth-smudged arms. And how they blushed, and the trepidation in their doe eyes. And their discomfiture when he assessed the weight of their heavy untutored cocks in his hand, the way their buttocks clenched when he went to touch them, and their confusion when bid them lie and parted their legs to lick their ballocks. Thus Sir Michael passed his time in luxury and licentiousness. Sir Michael's squires were twin brothers who had served him for six years, and were themselves on the cusp of being dubbed knights. They were always together and exchanging glances as if they were speaking to each other with their eyes. And they were always smiling as if they shared a joke. And they loved mischief and playing tricks and acting together in Sir Michael's service. They stood touching side by side and James put his arm around Timothy's shoulder, and it was as if they were two perfect halves that had found each other and become whole. Their hair was thick and flaxen and close cut. And their limbs were full and curvaceous and their rich clothes fit their figures well. And when they danced the saltarello they jumped and spun, showing off their fine calves. And their sparkling blue eyes won the hearts of all the ladies of the court, and some of the gentlemen too. And when they were naked they had a manner of crossing their arms so as to push out the bulges of their upper arms and show off their muscelles, and to pump up the muscelles of their chests. Their cocks hung down between their legs like bell clappers, and when one brother rubbed his ballsack and brought his fingers to his nostrils, so did the other. Jacques de Cuircy had served as a page in Bumbly Castle, as had I, but was a year younger than me. He was a bounding pup full of questions, and his eyes were always wide with excitement and he made a thousand demands of me every day, to teach him a song, or lend him jars of fat to clean Sir Brunoir's hauberk, or find his horse's curry comb. His delicate mien and slender figure belied his sturdiness. In troth, he was not destined to gain knighthood by quest or by deed of valor, but rather due to his high station, and through the largesse of his sponsor, Sir Brunoir, an old knight who fought no longer, but lived in his manor and was rich from the produce of his lands. This knight spoke rarely and seemed always downcast, and was known as Brunoir the Sorrowful. And when the hypocras was poured, Sir John bade me take my flute and play a merry tune. And I played many merry tunes that I had learnt as a page at Bumbly Castle. For Lady Bumbly would call out my name and ask, Where is Thomas? Have him play upon his flute. And I would come before the company in a tunic of blue the color of a robin egg and embroidered with flowers of the mead, and with buckles on my shoes. Yea, and with my honey-colored waves falling about my face, I did make as fine a picture as any squire who ever played flute. And when I had played some merry tunes, Michael de Bong, who was very jolly with wine, said, Thomas, come and play upon my flute. Sir Michael, I replied, I am not worthy to play upon your flute, for certain it is that your instrument is worth many silver coins. And certain it is that through many years of practice, you have perfected your art, while I am but a novice. Thomas, thou shalt play upon mine, said James. For I have a lovely flute that needs playing. And he turned to his brother. What say you, Timothy? And Timothy put his arm around James's shoulder and they stood touching side by side. Yea, brother, said Timothy. And Thomas will test my flute as well, and see what music he can draw from it. And he will play both our flutes together. What, Thomas? shalt thou play our flutes together? And James lifted his tunic and put his hand in his braies and grasped his cock, and Timothy did likewise. And in the midst of this jesting, Sir Brunoir the Sorrowful entered the chamber and his squire Jacques de Cuircy hastened to pour hypocras in his cup, and Sir John requested that he play upon his lute and sing of love, and the nature of love, and how a man should love another. Sir Brunoir took up his lute and softly plucked the strings and sang of lovers who meet at night in secrecy and must part at dawn. And all who listened knew he sang of his great secret love. -- When I see the lark beat his wings against the sun at dawn -- and when I behold him grow so drunk with joy that he forgets to fly, and plummets down -- Hélas! -- then do I greatly envy lovers their happiness, and wonder how my heart does not melt with yearning -- And he filled the words with many notes both passionate and sweet, til his voice faded and his sad song wafted to the spheres. But Michael de Bong would not have love portrayed so sadly, but declared that the best love was that between a knight and his squires. Bring wine! shouted Michael de Bong. Let us drink more wine and sing lusty songs! He clapped his hands in time and raised his voice and sang. -- Amyntis was sitting all alone, tending his sheep and thinking of his lover -- The shepherds knew where Orpheus had gone, back to the keep to take a shower -- When Amyntis found him, ah! then they fell a-kissing -- Up and down, up and down, up and down went Orpheus pumping -- In and out, in and out, in and out went Amyntis fucking. Michael de Bong sang more ribald lays, and drank, and became drunk. And Joffroi de Boynge called for Jacques de Cuircy to bring him wine. But when poor Jacques poured, he spilled wine on Sir Joffroi's boot. The knight fumed and his face darkened. See you, Sir Brunoir, how clumsy your squire is, and how he has spilled wine on my boot? Shall I not punish him? Sir Brunoir cast down his sad eyes and said, Take him and do what you will with him. And he dipped his fingers in a waterbowl and wiped them on a fine linen napkin. And Sir Joffroi de Boynge took Jacques de Cuircy roughly by the arm and brought him to the center of the chamber and called upon William and James and Timothy to strip the young squire of his clothing, whereupon the three of them set upon Jacques and roughly undressed him til he stood naked. And Sir Joffroi untied his wide leather belt and folded it lengthwise and held it in his big paw. Now, he said, James and Timothy, hold this squire against the pillar and keep him still. Jacques de Cuircy, prepare to feel my belt, thou bungling gallock-hander. Timothy and James stood on either side and held the boy tight by his arms, lodging themselves against him so that he could not move. And Sir Joffroi drew back his strong arm and brought his belt across the young squire's bare buttocks, and the youth's knees buckled and he cried out. But James and Timothy held him fast. And a rosy streak rose across his arse from where Sir Joffroi's belt had strapped him. And James and Timothy grinned broadly seeing that the tormented youth could not take his punishment without crying out. Sir Joffroi looked with satisfaction at the broad stripe that his belt had made on the boy's smooth arsecheeks and said, William, come and punish this knave more. And William took an armless chair and laid Jacques de Cuircy across his lap so that the lad's rosy arse was over his knee, and placed his hand upon the young squire's bare buttock, taking his aim. His almond eyes narrowed and he furrowed his brow so that his thick black eyebrows nearly met. And his hand fell upon Jacques de Cuircy's arse with a loud smack and Jacques cried out, but William cared not that the boy cried, but hit his buttocks on one side then the other, and was aroused by his dominion over him. Jacques drew his arm behind him to cover his arse from the blows, but William grabbed his arm and pinned it against the boy's back, so that the young squire could not shield himself. The lad kicked his legs and cried mercy, but still William slapped his buttocks. And when he had sated his lust for punishment, he pushed his captive from his lap to the floor, and Jacques de Cuircy lay quivering and gingerly feeling his sore buttocks. Sir Joffroi rubbed his chin and a smile played on his face, for he was pleased with his stocky squire's cruelty. He sat upon the floor resting his back against a wooden chest with his legs spread apart and his knees brought close to his chest. And his long tunic fell over his knees and thighs and the linen gathered in his crotch. Now come, Jacques de Cuircy, he said, and lie with thy face in my lap and warm my tunic with thy blushing face. The boy obeyed and lay on the floor, his arse glowing rosily, and nestled his face in the knight's lap, and Sir Joffroi put his big hand on the back of Jacques de Cuircy's head and rubbed the boy's face into his tunic and the bulges of his cock and ballocks that filled his tunic, and left him there between his spread thighs. And James put his arm around Timothy's shoulder and the brothers stood side by side and grinned, looking first at each other, then at Jacques lying face down in Sir Joffroi's groin, and they whispered to each other and made each other laugh with their jests. Anon, when all were retiring, Jacques de Cuircy came by my side. Thomas, he said ruefully, I shall not spill wine again, Thomas. But I told him that those who humiliated and punished him were no better than villeins. But Thomas, if thou pledge that thou will say nothing to anyone of what I am about to tell thee, I shall share a secret. I pledge, said I. He blushed and spoke in a hushed tone, but excitedly, as though we were conspirators, and said, Thomas, I will tell thee true. I have longed to feel James and Timothy their strong arms and hands on me. I love them both and know not which one I love more! And Thomas, hush, but know this, and tell no one, that had William not hit me so hard, I would have begged to stay over his legs with his hands on me. And dost thou know why, Thomas? Dost thou know why? Because I have long admired his hard limbs and his rough way of speaking! Oh Thomas! His dark brows have entranced me so, that I have fallen in love with him! And what of Sir Joffroi? I asked. Ah, Thomas! he sighed. I will dream throughout the night of the wanton pleasure I took in feeling Joffroi de Boynge's cock and ballocks against my face! And I have fallen in love with him also!