Zelamir
adapted by Pueros

The Traitor's Son

(or Sejanus)

Chapter VII

The flexible cane curled round Pulchellus' bottom, the split tip cutting the boy on his flank. The 12 year-old's pretty body simultaneously jerked convulsively, as the weapon struck home.

Pulchellus threw his pleasant head back, and for a moment there was silence as he fought for breath. However, this quiet intermission was soon ended when the 12 year-old began to scream, whilst his lithe arms and legs flailed because of the acute pain now coursing though his body. In his agony, the lad rolled off the stool and tumbled to the floor, where he curled in a little ball of naked boy misery on the marble flags, sobbing wildly.

Crastus swore and kicked Pulchellus in the ribs, the force of the blow lifting the boy's body from the flags. "Get back up, you miserable little runt," he grated before turning to his men and instructing "One of you hold him for me!"

Varro stepped forward, grinning broadly. He twisted his right hand in Pulchellus' dark curls and dragged him back across the stool. Then, pinning the boy in place with his left hand pressed flat against the small of the lad's back, he nodded to Crastus, signalling that he might care to resume his thrashing of the 12 year-old.

Marius quietly hunkered on the floor, watching fearfully as the flogging proceeded. A beating was not an unusual event on the estate and he had seen many boys over the years having their bums tanned for various misdemeanours. Often such events would attract an audience, amused by the cries and twistings of the brat under correction. However, the enjoyment of the drama by any young male slaves watching was a trifle marred by the thought that it might fall to anyone of them to play the starring role on the next occasion the cane or whip was brought into play.

Marius himself had, in the past, been beaten on occasion by his father or his tutor but always, as befitted the dignity of a free boy of high social standing, without the benefit of grinning spectators. However, nothing he had seen or experienced matched the cold ferocity with which Crastus now went about his work of flaying the tender bottom of the unfortunate Pulchellus. The open, savage pleasure with which the man and his companions seemed to enjoy the frantic writhings of the helpless 12 year-old were also new to the appalled young spectator.

Methodically, Crastus laid stripe upon stripe across Pulchellus' defenceless bum, pausing between each stroke to ensure that the writhing, screaming boy could feel each individual cut to the full. The cane scored livid lines across the sweet curves of the child's rump, the tip curling round the firm quivering flesh to raise beads of blood.

Crastus' companions laughed and shouted, revelling in Pulchellus' agony and cheering their leader on. However, the flogging slowly eventually drew to a conclusion.

Crastus then lent forward to examine his handiwork, running a fingertip along one of the welts that now marred the previously very pleasant curves of Pulchellus' smooth, light brown skin with a line of angry red, deepening at the edges to purple. He noticed that, around the earlier cuts, the boy's tender flesh was beginning to take a yellowish, almost green, tinge, as the deeper bruising began to show through.

Crastus smiled, pleased at a job well done. Then, standing upright and shifting his position slightly, he delivered the final cut of the punishment, laying it deliberately across the stripes he had earlier inflicted. He earned another loud, anguished yelp from his young victim, as, at each point of intersection, blood began to well from Pulchellus' broken flesh.

Varro then released his hold on Pulchellus' hair and the boy sank to his knees, huddled against the stool, his body wracked by sobs.

"That," remarked Crastus, panting slightly after his exertions, "has given me a thirst!"

Chapter VIII

"Only the best wine in the cellar and goblets in the kitchen will do," Crastus continued, "and tell the servants to bring our dinner to us here as soon as it's ready. Grynium, keep an eye on the brats whilst they perform their errand, as we don't want them fleeing, do we?"

Crastus prodded the still prone Pulchellus on the bottom with his foot in order to encourage the boy to stand up and embark on his mission with Marius. By doing so, he wrung a further howl of pain from the boy.

"Now you've got your blood on my boot you filthy little brute," Crastus subsequently commented in disgust. "Lick it clean, brat, before you do anything else," the man therefore also ordered.

The still sobbing and tearful Pulchellus somehow managed to rouse himself to lick Crastus' boot clean of his own blood before standing and leaving the room with the similarly naked Marius and the watchful Grynium. As they proceeded on their errand, Sejanus' son could hear the other boy snivelling beside him as they padded on bare feet along the outside marble-floored corridor.

Marius' sympathy for Pulchellus' suffering then overcame his dislike of the boy and he silently offered him his hand. However, the 12 year-old brushed the proffered palm to one side contemptuously.

Pulchellus' tears were not only of pain but also of anger and humiliation. The very pretty boy believed that he was something special. After all, his old master, Echion, had often told him so.

Pulchellus considered himself to be the best little tart on the estate, namely the liveliest fuck with the sweetest bottom and the nimblest tongue. However, he had now been stripped and beaten as though he was just a common little slave brat.

Pulchellus did not want sympathy from Marius, who, in his opinion, when the younger boy had been the free son of the very important owner of the estate, had clearly disliked Echion's catamite. The 12 year-old had believed that, what he considered to be, regular slights towards him provided the evidence for such an attitude, although they were in fact unintended and unnoticed by the alleged perpetrator.

Marius did dislike Pulchellus but he did not deliberately attempt openly to display his distaste. The younger boy had simply diplomatically tried to avoid Echion's catamite. However, the latter incorrectly considered such action to be insulting disdain.

Consequently, Pulchellus, who had also resented Marius' previously privileged lifestyle, despised the younger boy in return. The 12 year-old also recognised that, now that they had been reduced to the same level of servitude, he could more safely display his hatred, which he fully intended to do in a vengeful manner.

Pulchellus' spiteful attitude was only exacerbated by the fact that Marius had witnessed his humiliation and punishment at the hands of Crastus, whose favour he was already, even in his current misery, planning to win, as he had once done of his old master, Echion. If he could do so in order to try to safeguard himself from the man's cruel brutality and, at the same time, manoeuvre the other boy into trouble, the success of his plan would be even sweeter.

Not only did Pulchellus now hate Marius but also he saw the younger boy as a rival, at least until Crastus sold them on to others. The 12 year-old felt no sympathy or solidarity with fellow slaves. He selfishly sought only to try to make his own life of servitude as easy as possible, and who could really blame him?

The world was cruel and slaves like Pulchellus were not humans and therefore possessed no rights. They were just the chattels and tools of the free, who could do anything they wanted with their property, as Marius was soon to discover.

Marius and Pulchellus arrived in the busy hot kitchen. For a moment, the nude boys went unnoticed in the bustle and heat of the large room. One of the half-naked youths, engaged in washing saucepans in the great sink, located just inside the door, then saw them. He grinned and nudged his neighbour and whispers soon ran round the amenity.

"Pulchellus, dearest," a mincingly affected voice subsequently enquired, "is your poor little bottom sore?" "Did the nasty new Master cane your bum, sweetie?" giggled another.

Pulchellus blushed crimson, as other slaves joined in taunting him. One of them also flicked a wet dishcloth at the 12 year-old's raw rump, snapping the towel painfully against his sore flesh. The boy immediately spun round to face his tormentor but another youth darted up behind him and slapped him harshly across the bottom.

The watching Marius knew it was common practice to tease boys who appeared in the kitchen bearing marks of a recent beating on their bums. He had seen such torments often before, with freedmen and slaves, young and old, joining in the process. However, on this occasion, proceedings appeared to possess an extra edge of violence and cruelty.

The bailiff was not a popular man and his favourite bumboy and spy less so. Now, with Pulchellus deprived of his protection, the workers in the kitchen took the opportunity of settling old scores.

An infant kicked Pulchellus, whilst a much larger youth clouted him on the side of the head. Soon hard blows with hands and feet were raining down from every side on the 12 year-old, who was helpless to do much to defend himself and therefore just sank to his knees, trying to cover his head with his arms.

Grynium therefore attempted to intervene. The man tried to drive Pulchellus' many tormentors away but, as fast as he knocked one off the boy, another darted forward.

Marius, largely unnoticed in the mayhem, wriggled clear of the scene and ran across the kitchen to where the cook, usually a stickler for discipline in his domain, stood by the stove, a heavy ladle in his hand. The man was watching the commotion with a faint smile on his fat cheerful face.

"Daedalus," panted Marius initially, whilst referring to the cook's name. The boy, subsequently seeing a frown cross the man's face and remembering his own changed status, then added a hasty "Sir".

"Daedalus, Sir," Marius next begged, whilst feeling a little ashamed at having to give one of his late father's slaves such a title, "please stop them. They'll really harm Pulchellus' soon if you don't!"

Daedalus considered the plea for a few moments before perhaps realising that the sinister Crastus might not like Pulchellus to be harmed by anyone other than himself or his men. He therefore began to move ponderously across the kitchen towards the disturbance. However, he still did not hurry himself.

Daedalus remembered a dispute with Echion, during which the bailiff had alleged an over-ordering of provisions. The cook had been sure that Pulchellus had played a major informing role in trying to bring an end to this, in his view traditional, perquisite of his office.

Pulchellus was down on the floor. He could hardly be seen beneath the surging mass of vengeful boys and youths struggling to punch or kick him, as older onlookers cheered them.

Severe retribution was being extracted by many against Pulchellus for the snide tales that he had frequently previously passed on to Echion, which had often resulted in the punishment of other slaves. In fact, the sheer number of his assailants alone probably prevented the 12 year-old from being seriously injured.

After Daedalus had finally arrived at the fray, he wasted no time. The cook used his ladle, cracking the implement down on young close-cropped heads, bare shoulders and bottoms. Pulchellus' juvenile attackers therefore quickly scattered, leaving their victim still crouched on the floor, with his hands clasped on top of his head, whilst blood swelled from between his fingers and trickled down his once more tearful face.

"What do you mean by coming in here and creating chaos in my kitchen?" Daedalus then asked of Pulchellus, whose naked curled and hurting frame the cook prodded with a foot in order to encourage a quick answer. The man was clearly satisfied that order had now been restored to his kitchen and was now following the well-tried political expedient of blaming the victim for the acts of the aggressor.

Pulchellus remained silent, probably because his present grief was too great to notice Daedalus prodding him with his foot or the cook's verbal question. Marius too hesitated to answer, whilst Grynium also now began to tap his boot against the 12 year-old's prone form and cursed him for allowing himself to be injured.

Daedalus repeated his question with increased anger and more violent physical prodding. However, Pulchellus remained silent and so Marius considerately realised that he would have to answer on the other boy's behalf to prevent any further harm, although he feared that what he had to say would do nothing to decrease the cook's irritation.

"Daedalus, Sir, please Sir," Marius intervened, "we have orders from the man that you're to send him and his companions some wine, and he insisted that it must be the finest in the cellar and be served in the best goblets. He also wants dinner for four as soon as possible!"

Daedalus looked across into the nervous frightened face of Marius and his anger evaporated. The cook had always possessed affection for the pleasant boy, who had never displayed any real pomposity or cruelty towards his late father's servants. The man's attitude persisted, even after the 11 year-old's loss of freedom.

Such affection did not mean that Daedalus, or anyone like him, would continue to treat Marius in the same way as the past. The boy was effectively a slave now and would be treated as such.

Crastus' proposals in respect of Marius were, of course, not only against Tiberius' orders but also completely illegal. No free Roman boy could be enslaved without either parental approval or a court order. However, given the circumstances, no-one aware of the plans, even the 11 year-old himself or his allies amongst his late father's estate household, were going to object or inform in respect of such an outcome. After all, such a future for the child was surely better than rape and execution.

Daedalus could clearly remember the day when he had himself been a boy and the Imperial tax collectors had called at his own father's tiny farm with a court order. The youngest child had then been taken and enslaved to pay a parental debt.

Daedalus did not blame his parents for letting the tax collectors take possession of him. After all, the choice was either the boy or the large family's sole oxen, without which they would all have starved.

The fates had decreed that Daedalus should be a slave and they had decided the same for Marius, albeit technically illegally. The cook had once had to concede to such a destiny and now the boy would have to as well if he wished to live. The outcome was harsh but formed part of the natural order and must be accepted.

Beforehand, Daedalus had treated Marius with the friendly respect due to the master's son, and had provided him with the occasional sticky sweet almond and date cake, of which the boy had been so fond. However, the cook now regarded the child with the amused indulgence that you would accord to a puppy or any other lively young animal.

Such indulgence, however, had to have limits. A young animal might be played with but it must also be broken and disciplined. There was something about Marius' reply to Daedalus' recent question that did not please the cook.

"Who did boy?" Daedalus enquired sternly, in respect of the person referred to in Marius' reply. "He did, Sir, the man ."

"I know he is a man," Daedalus commented with irritation, "you said so before." The cook had dinner to prepare for the household and could not spend an indefinite amount of time trying to teach this boy, pleasant and pretty as he was, manners, including how to convey messages properly.

Daedalus therefore approached Marius and lifted his hand to strike the 11 year-old with the ladle. "Who is this man," the cook then asked, whilst delivering a hard blow to the pretty head below him, "who is he now to you, boy?"

"My 3; my 3; .Master, Sir," Marius muttered, whilst rubbing his suddenly sore head. The boy was also overcome by shame at finally affording such a title to Crastus, which caused him instinctively to stare at the ground and rub one bare foot against the shin of his other leg in embarrassment.

"Yes he is your Master," Daedalus retorted, whilst delivering another painful blow of his ladle to Marius' head in order to encourage remembrance, "and deserves your reverence, boy, and don't you forget it. Now give me his message properly, and look me in the face and speak up whilst doing so!"

Marius subsequently overcame his embarrassment in order to comply with Daedalus' instruction. "Please, Sir," the humiliated boy advised, whilst obediently looking into he smirking cook's flabby face, "we have orders from my Master that you're to send him and his companions some wine, and he insisted that it must be the finest in the cellar and be served in the best goblets. My Master also wants dinner for four as soon as possible!"

"That's better, boy," Daedalus remarked. "Now I'll fetch the wine," the cook added, "although it's really the steward's job. However, he's away on business and he's left me the keys. I'll try to find something decent for your Master to put him in a good temper with you!"

Daedalus then hurried off. Marius subsequently noticed that Grynium had tired of cursing Pulchellus and prodding the prone boy with his foot. Selia had now taken the opportunity to practice her healing skills on the 12 year-old.

Selia was seated on a stool, with her skirt pulled up above her knees and Pulchellus crouching between her legs. The tearful boy had his head bowed whilst the woman used the fingers of one hand to part his hair in order to expose the torn scalp and then pore stinging white powder on the open wound to staunch the bleeding.

"Miss….ouch….please," Pulchellus pleaded urgently between anguished gasps, as Selia performed her painful ministrations on him, "please….ouch….just let me have a bit….ouch….just enough to grease me. Please, Miss….ouch….there's four of them and….ouch….they're all going to fuck me….ouch….and I'm sure they'll have much bigger cocks….ouch….than Echion!"

"I expect they have, Pulchellus," replied a smiling Selia, sounding amused. "From what I've heard," she added, "your last Master was not much of a man, although, being a woman, I wouldn't have first-hand knowledge of his cock!"

"And no I won't let you have any grease," Selia advised, "not unless your new Master says I should. He might want your bum to be fucked dry. Perhaps he's looking forward to hurting and tearing you, and where would I be if I spoiled his fun?"

Pulchellus shuddered. Selias' speculations about the tastes and wishes of Crastus seemed to the boy to be all too likely.

Nevertheless, Pulchellus was not going to give up his entreaties too quickly. "Miss, I won't use it unless he says I can," the boy continued desperately, "I promise, Miss .really .please, Miss!"

Selia, satisfied the flow of blood on Pulchellus' scalp had been stopped, tipped back the boy's head and, picking up a damp cloth, began to wipe the dried blood and tears from his usually very pretty face. "You must believe I'm pretty stupid," she simultaneously laughed, "if you think I believe a word that you or any other slave brat says. You'll all say anything and swear anything to escape being hurt!"

"Please .Miss ." Pulchellus then began to say again but Marius' attention was now suddenly distracted by a sharp clip on the side of his head. The naked boy swung round rubbing his stinging ear to see that Daedalus had returned from the cellars.

"If you can spare me a moment of your time, boy," Daedalus advised sarcastically, "I've brought two jugs of wine for your new Master." The cook nodded to the table beside him, on which stood two large silver ewers brimming with dark red, almost purple, liquid.

Marius gazed in amazement at the ornate jugs and the adjacent matching quartet of silver goblets. He had only seen them fleetingly from a distance in the past, being carried into the dining room when his father had been entertaining some of his special cronies to dinner, which were occasions deemed unsuitable for a free boy of his age.

Marius had also noticed that, although he was banished to bed at such times, there were always many pretty slave boys of his own age and even younger in attendance on his father and guests. The fine and elaborate decoration of the jugs and goblets, which the astute 11 year-old now saw from a much closer distance, provided a clear clue as to why such young male slaves had been present at the banquets.

Embossed satyrs with huge erections were depicted on the silver jugs and goblets, chasing beautiful young naked boys through wooded glades or, having been successful in their pursuit, burying their monstrous cocks into the slim bodies of their prey. However, Marius' mental reflection in respect of the obscene portrayals was quickly ended.

"Pay attention, boy," Daedalus had snapped. "Yes, Sir," Marius had answered, reverting his glance from jugs to cook.

Marius then screwed up his face, into what any onlooker would see as a comical grimace of apprehension. The boy had seen and laughed at Daedalus carrying out this little entertainment of his often enough in the past on other young slaves to know what was coming to him and he knew that people in the kitchen were turning to watch the fun.

"Well keep your hands down by your side then," Daedalus commanded, whilst again picking up his heavy ladle and once more bringing the implement down hard on the crown of Marius' head.

"Are you listening boy?" Daedalus subsequently asked, whilst Marius knew better than to rub his sore head again, whilst this scene was enacted. "Yes, Sir," the hurting boy instead simply once more replied.

"You are to inform your new Master," Daedalus then instructed, "that this wine is choice Falerian from the prime upper slopes and dates from the first year of the reign of the Divine Augustus. Repeat what are you to tell him!"

Marius, standing obediently to attention, with his hands firmly against the sides of his bare thighs and his face twisted in fear of the next blow that he knew was to come, recited in his answer in his clear boyish soprano voice. "I must inform my Master," the abashed 11 year-old announced, "that the wine is choice Falerian from the prime upper slopes and dates from the reign of the Divine Augustus!"

"Don't forget then, boy," Daedalus subsequently ordered, whilst rewarding Marius for his good memory by again banging the ladle down on top of the 11 year-old's head, thereby making the child's ears ring.

"Now," Daedalus commented, whilst turning to Grynium, "if the other boy is ready, the pair of brats can each carry a jug and two of the four silver goblets. Perhaps they'll even manage not to spill some wine, especially as they'll know that, if they do, their backsides might feel the strap of their new Master!"

"What about our dinner?" Grynium demanded roughly. "It'll be artichokes with fish pickle sauce," Daedalus replied, "followed by boiled pork stew with olives and then figs in honey to finish. Send the brats down in half an hour to fetch the first course!"

"That sounds all right," Grynium said ungraciously and, followed by Marius and the partially recovered Pulchellus, stumped from the kitchen, whilst Daedalus pulled a rude face at his back. Like nearly everybody else whose paths crossed those of Crastus and his companions, the cook was ready to do anything the men wanted in the hope that if he did they would go away quickly and inflict themselves on someone else.

Crastus and his three companions subsequently quickly emptied one of the jugs of wine. Pulchellus, whose extra bruises had been ignored by his new master, was then returned to the kitchen to obtain a refill, whilst Marius was kept busy topping up the goblets with the contents of the other silver container.

The silver jug was heavy and Marius had to use both hands to pour the wine, which left him defenceless against the pawing attentions of the increasingly drunken men. As the naked boy served the strong red liquid, rough fingers strayed over his gorgeous body, caressing the inside of his legs, stroking his bottom, toying with his little cock and small hairless balls, and generally poking and prying into the most intimate recesses of his form.

The men frightened Marius, especially Crastus. The boy could not look at his heavy strong body and broad hands, with their hairy backs and thick stubby fingers, without remembering that the adult had raped and killed both his brother and his sister.

Marius despised Crastus but, despite his revulsion at having to serve the man and allow his hands to paw his body, the boy also found himself becoming increasingly excited and so he began to hate himself too. Surely, the 11 year-old thought, he could not enjoy the caresses of an adult male, who had treated his own brother and sister so cruelly. However, the child's stiff cock betrayed the shameful fact that he was indeed being pleasured.

Pulchellus eventually returned from the kitchen with more wine, having on this occasion been spared the bullying previously endured there. The four men then became drunker and wilder.

Pulchellus circulated with the newly refilled jug, and was also subjected to intimate fondling. However, the boy, keen to gain the favour of the men, especially Crastus, reacted rather differently to the blushing but quiescent Marius.

Pulchellus deliberately lingered for a while by each man he served, whilst wriggling his little sore bottom invitingly as he moved about the room, with his rosy lips half parted and his eyes glazed with lust. Marius, whose own jug was now empty, tried to use the opportunity to fade into the background but Crastus soon demanded a fresh service from him.

"Bring the empty jug here, boy, as I want to pee," Crastus shouted. Marius subsequently found himself kneeling in front of the man.

Marius held his the jug ready, and was rewarded when a stream of tarty smelling amber fluid jetted from Crastus' cock, only a few inches away from the boy's face, to fill the bottom of the ewer with frothing urine. The 11 year-old, who had never seen a man's penis so close before, wondered at its size and the great blue veins that ribbed it. He also wondered how Pulchellus' bottom would accommodate so monstrous an object.

Crastus eventually shook the last drops of liquid from his prick and wiped his fingers dry on Marius' short silky fair hair. Another of the men subsequently shouted for the boy, who then went from adult to adult as they emptied their bladders into the increasingly heavy jug.

Varro was the last to call for Marius' services. The boy again knelt at a man's feet, holding a few inches from his young pretty face his heavy jug, which was now more than three-quarters full of steaming urine.

When Varro had finished relieving himself, a single bead of fluid hung from the tip of his large hairy penis. "Lick it off," the grinning man then ordered of the shocked and appalled Marius.

"Don't hurry the boy," Crastus shouted from across the room, "as I don't want to do anything that'll cut his value on the auction block. He'll learn to suck cock soon enough, don't you worry."

"Marius give that jug to Pulchellus," Crastus continued, "and come over here to me, as it's time we became better acquainted." "After all, I knew your big brother and sister very well," he added with a brutal laugh.

Before Marius could obey, Pulchellus pushed him aside, apparently eager to take the younger boy's place at Varro' feet. Without awaiting further instruction, the 12 year-old then lent forward to introduce the tip of his tongue to the droplet of urine at the end of the man's cock.

Whilst the amazed younger boy looked on, Pulchellus then lingered briefly before licking and exploring Varro's penile slit with his tongue. "Marius," Crastus's voice then resounded round the room, assuming an edge of impatience, "come here!"

Marius rose to his feet and began to walk towards Crastus, fearing what was to come next but, at the same time, as was evident from his little erection, deeply excited.

Chapter IX

Crastus next extended his left arm round Marius' chest to tease the boy's lefthand nipple roughly with his fingers. Meanwhile, the man's other hand rested for a moment just above the boy's right knee before beginning a slow teasing journey up the inside of the youngster's thigh.

Stirring uneasily in increasingly libidinous reaction to Crastus' lewd attentions, Marius could not help but eventually moan softly, whilst throwing his head back. In response, the man bent forward and nuzzled the side of the boy's neck, whilst his right hand finally reached the 11 year-old's completely smooth crotch.

For a moment, Crastus subsequently gently rolled Marius' small hairless balls between his finger and thumb before carefully cupping them in the palm of his hand. The man then withdrew his hand and pulled the boy further back so that his young bottom was pressed tight into his own adult groin.

Marius now felt Crastus' erection through the coarse material of the man's tunic, pressing uncomfortably hard against his young naked rear. The boy therefore wriggled a little so that the adult's swollen cock was resting more easily along the cleft of his bottom, which resulted in further apparently very happy penile growth.

This penile phenomenon caused the insatiably curious Marius to want to forget all decorum and instead experiment by continuing to move his bottom carefully up and down against Crastus' eager erection. "Well done, boy," the man whispered into the 11 year-old's ear in satisfied reaction.

"Go on," Crastus added, in a successful effort to encourage Marius not to stop and whilst his manly penile swelling and throbbing increased even more substantially in response, "you good little slut. You really want it. Don't you, you little whore?"

Despite the insults inherent in Crastus' words, Marius shamefully complied with the request to continue because the feel of the man's hard cock rubbing the lips of his virginal anus somehow, even through the intervening tunic, filled him with intense excitement. This situation was exemplified by his own maintenance of a fulsome but, of course, much smaller erection and a glazing of his sensuous blue eyes.

Nevertheless, amidst his increasing sexual excitement, Marius managed to look across the room, where he saw Pulchellus squatting between Varro's opened knees. The boy's head was buried in the man's hairy groin.

Pulchellus had taken Varro's cock into his mouth. The cheeks of the boy's pretty face were also sunken as he sucked on the large manly penis.

Marius' attention to Pulchellus' activities then suddenly stopped when he next felt Crastus' hands again intimately fondle his nude and shamefully willing young body. The boy was simply enjoying himself too much for any considerations of personal disgrace at his reaction to such activities intervening to dampen his ardour.

Marius did momentarily contemplate the fact that the hands molesting him were those of a rapist and killer and not just of anyone. Crastus had defiled and then murdered the boy's own elder brother and sister. However, the present delectable feelings overwhelming his form encouraged him to the notion that currently at least he did not care about the man's previous perfidies, as he only desired the continuation of the delicious sensations.

'Perhaps it's true that I'm just a whore,' Marius mind considered, as he began to pant and strain in his eagerness. Meanwhile, Crastus smiled at the boy's clearly eager submission to his expert sexual ministrations, learnt from playing with many other similar young sluts over the years.

Crastus now put one hand under Marius' groin and momentarily eased the panting boy partly clear of his lap. The 11 year- old next felt the man's tunic being pulled away from under him.

After the lustrous curves of Marius' bare bottom were subsequently allowed back down to rest again on Crastus' lap, there was now nothing between his bare bumcrack and the man's distended cock. Nevertheless, the boy resumed moving the cleft carefully up and down against the adult's eager erection

At the same time, Varro finally seized Pulchellus harshly by the ears. He subsequently rather brutally dragged the boy's head forward to bury the full substantial length of his manly cock in the 12 year-old's mouth.

Varro next began to work Pulchellus' head backwards and forwards, as he mercilessly sodomised the boy's oral orifice. The man then eventually cried out and Marius saw him arch his body as the 12 year-old sucked and swallowed desperately.

Thankfully for Pulchellus' ability to breathe, Varro quickly released the boy's ears and the 12 year-old fell backwards onto his bottom. Some white fluid trickled from between his lips and down his chin.

Marius simultaneously felt the blood pulsing faster in Crastus' tumid cock. The man then jerked convulsively, whilst pulling his erection backwards, and the boy soon felt jets of warm sticky fluid splash upwards against the small of his back.

Crastus grunted and pushed Marius roughly away, tipping the boy onto the floor. The 11 year-old subsequently knelt there on all fours, aching with unassuaged need. His little cock was still robustly hard and copious manly sperm was trickling down his bare back and bottom.

"Pulchellus," Crastus next shouted after a moment's rest, "come here!" The boy obediently scrambled to his feet, whilst wiping Varro's seed from his lips and chin with the back of his hand.

Pulchellus then trotted compliantly over to Crastus. The boy's own cock was still was hard and wobbled stiffly in front of him as he moved.

Crastus said nothing but instead pointed. Still wanting to please and understanding the gesture, Pulchellus therefore bent forward and licked the extraneous cum off the man's softening cockhead, as well as the spilt spent sperm from the dark hairs that covered his stomach and crotch.

"And the other whore too!" Crastus eventually rasped, after Pulchellus had accomplished his literally distasteful chore. Consequently, the 12 year-old knelt behind Marius to lick away the man's semen from the younger boy's back, with his tongue also lapping the thickening liquid from where it had begun to trickle down the cleft of the other youngster's bottom.

Marius' own still hard cock quivered in delighted reaction to the feel of Pulchellus' tongue on his body, especially when it ran down his bumcrack. The younger boy had never previously experienced such delicious feelings and he did not want such intimate attention to stop. However, Crastus had other ideas.

"Well," Crastus next commented whilst laughing, "you've had your supper, Pulchellus. It's now time for you and Marius to bring us ours. Off with you both once more to the kitchen!"

"Varro," Crastus subsequently asked, after the two naked boys had left the room, "was the dark-haired brat any good!" "Well boss," the other man replied with a grin, "if his bottom's as good to fuck as his mouth, we won't have anything to complain about!"

Chapter X

Meanwhile, Pulchellus had to move around the room serving the food and wine, whilst enduring the men's lewd jibes and fondling. However, as he moved among them, the boy was still attempting to make the best of his situation to gain favour.

Pulchellus therefore deliberately wriggled his own bottom invitingly, whilst giggling at the men's crude quips and intimate manhandling. The boy even appeared to enjoy rather than to resent their lecherous attentions, whilst he alluringly looked at them with clear seductiveness.

Evidence for Pulchellus' seductive enjoyment came from his slightly parted mouth, from which his tongue regularly emerged to lick his lips, his rather glazed eyes and his small boyish cock straining upwards. These symptoms seemed to verify that he was himself in a state of high sexual excitement.

"Boss, who's going to fuck this tight-arsed little slut first?" Grynium eventually asked of Crastus, whilst his hand stroked Pulchellus' bottom, which was normally extremely nice but currently besmirched by the linear bruises resulting from his recent caning. The boy had finished serving the final course of figs and honey and had been called over by the man to refill his goblet with wine.

"Well," Crastus answered generously, "Me and Varro have already shot our loads, so we both need some time for rest and recuperation. I therefore think that the privilege rests between you and Lucillus!"

"Only after you two have fucked the slut," Crastus continued, "will me and Varro have our turn. As I'm the oldest of us and so I take longer to get back on form, I'll go last!"

Crastus then took a fig from his plate between his finger and thumb and popped the little fruit into Marius' mouth. "As for which of you two goes first," he subsequently added, "you can decide that between yourselves, perhaps by throwing a dice!"

"As thoughtful humane people," Grynium responded with a cruel grin, "I think that we should allow the man with the smallest cock to go first. That should lead to less tearing of the brat's bum!"

"But which of us is the smallest?" enquired Lucillus. "Let the whore decide," Grynium answered, "as, after all, it's his rump we'll be fucking!"

"Fair enough," Lucillus replied, whilst unsteadily climbing to his feet and pulling off his tunic and loincloth underwear. "You strip too, Grynium," he then suggested, "as the slut can't be expected to choose between our cocks unless he can get a clear view of both of them!"

Grynium complied and the two men proved to be very similar in build. They were heavily muscled brutes, well suited to their cruel profession. However, Lucillus' body was topped with a thick matt of coarse ginger hair, whilst the hirsute covering of the other was black and, except about his chest and crotch, less prolific.

Marius, from his place nestling on Crastus' knees, gazed in wonder at the two men's already partly swollen cocks. There appeared to him to be little to choose between them in size.

Marius also wondered how Pulchellus would be able to accommodate the fully bloated versions within his slim body. The boy then shivered when the thought struck him that in time he too would now probably have to bear the agony of a man's penis forcing his bottom open and penetrating deep into his insides.

Meanwhile, Pulchellus' previous act of apparent enjoyment at serving the libidinous men had ceased and worry was now the obvious prevalent emotion expressed by his face. The boy was, of course, no virgin. His previous master, Echion, had sodomised him on a regular basis. However, the estate steward only possessed a small cock, which had been relatively easy to accommodate, especially after his catamite had become accustomed to the relevant sexual act. The much bigger penises now displayed by Grynium and Lucillus, and previously by Crastus and Varro, represented another challenge entirely.

Pulchellus' bottom would have not only to accommodate more monstrous cocks than usual but also to entertain four in succession. The experience was bound to be painful but the boy clearly had no option but be compliant.

Pulchellus glanced apprehensively from cock to cock, albeit also with a clear perverse degree of excitement pervading his pretty form, which had humiliatingly enticed his own much smaller penis back to erection. From his fearful but additionally obviously shamefully stimulated base expression, it was clear that the boy was fully aware of the enormity of the task ahead him.

Indecision, consternation and thrill, in almost equal proportions, were reflected on Pulchellus' face, which was as attractive as his character was unpleasant, as he stared at the two men's cocks, which were already beginning to rise in anticipation of ravaging his tender bottom. In response to the scene, Crastus commented "I don't think that the brat can make a sensible decision with your pricks almost limp."

"Therefore sink down to your knees, slut," Crastus added, "and use your mouth and tongue to interest the men's cocks further so that you can make your decision with more accurate information. The more you dampen both pricks, the easier it'll also be for you in the end because there'll be nothing else to lubricate them other than spit!"

Pulchellus compliantly knelt down between Grynium and Lucillus, now appreciating that disobedience would not only lead to punishment but also more distressing ultimate sodomy. By the enthusiastic way the boy then buried his lovely head consecutively in the men's crotches, Crastus' words had clearly been delivered with the desired effect.

Marius watched as Pulchellus licked and sucked the cocks and balls of the obviously very happy Grynium and Lucillus, bringing the two manly hirsute penile shafts very quickly to full erection. The cocks then maintained their hardness, even proudly quivering in apparent cruel anticipation of the pleasures to come.

Having successfully completed his literally distasteful task in respect of both Grynium and Lucillus, Pulchellus next squatted back onto his heels to look again at the two rampant cocks, which would soon to be buried to the hilt inside his body. The rigid penises in question were both blue veined and leaking copious precum just in front of his face.

Lucillus' cock had risen from its bed of coarsely curling odorous ginger hair in a curved manner, reminiscent of a scimitar. Meanwhile, Grynium's penis stood upright, ramrod straight from its base among the smelly forest of black hairs that covered his own crotch.

Grynium's patience then broke before the hesitant Pulchellus could decide which cock should first have the pleasure of sodomising him. With an impatient curse, the man suddenly grabbed the boy by one arm and, after first jerking him roughly to his feet, he half threw him, face down, across his nearby couch.

Pulchellus felt himself hanging over the side of the couch and, knowing that he had no choice, he hastily spread his legs and pushed his bottom upwards to offer himself to Grynium's enthusiastic cock. The man then took two quick steps across the room to where the boy's bottom had been so considerately and invitingly raised and dropped to his knees between the 12 year-old's two outstretched lower limbs.

Lucillus began to protest the usurpation of his rights but then quickly shrugged and grinned. His generous attitude was summarised by his subsequent comment of "It's only a slave brat's bum, so I can wait!"

Grynium spat on his fingers and worked his saliva generously between the lips of Pulchellus' anus. Despite his fear of imminent pain, the tingling feelings generated by the man's action meant that the boy could not help but moan in excitement.

Marius noticed the muscles in the backs of Pulchellus' lithe legs straining as the 12 year-old forced his bottom higher in shameful instinctive response to Grynium's probing fingers. The younger boy's own hard cock quivered at the sight.

Grynium next dug his thumbs into the flesh of Pulchellus' bruised and sore bottom, pulling the boy's buttock's apart to expose fully the pink sphincter. The man's action caused the 12 year-old now to change his tune and wince and gasp in pain.

Of course, Grynium, mind and penis oblivious to all considerations other than immediately satisfying their carnal desires, ignored Pulchellus' whimpering and instead pressed the tip of his engorged cock against the entry to the boy's anus. Marius then saw the man's powerful haunches thrust overpoweringly and mercilessly forward.

Pulchellus instantly threw his head back and screamed, whilst his fingers tore desperately at the cloth covering of the couch across which he lay. However, Grynium continued to show the boy no mercy.

Again and again Grynium drove relentlessly forward before withdrawing to repeat his action. The man even lifted the diminutive boy bodily from the couch under the force of his remorseless assault, as he pitilessly repeatedly hammered the full length of his swollen cock into the 12 year-old's pretty form.

Pulchellus' face became contorted with pain, whilst saliva dribbled from his mouth to mix with the tears and mucus that flowed from his eyes and nose onto the couch below his head. However, the boy's screams eventually became more muted as the initially excruciating act of sodomy continued unyieldingly, simultaneous to an apparent abatement of the ferocity of the man's attack.

Grynium's movements became less violent, as he instead began to thrust his cock in and out of Pulchellus more regularly. To aid his rhythm, the man also placed his two hands on the boy's hips to steady the pair of them.

Pulchellus' shrieks gradually decreased in volume until they finally fell away to an occasional low whimper, punctuated by the harsh panting of both man and boy as they copulated energetically. The 12 year-old's body also began to respond submissively and apparently co-operatively to the movements of the large cock invading him.

Marius could eventually see the muscles in Pulchellus' bottom working with patent willingness, as the boy clearly attempted to draw Grynium's cock ever deeper into himself. In response, the tempo of the man's thrusting began to increase again, whilst his young victim's earlier screaming was now replaced by the return of his original contented moaning.

Grynium eventually shouted incoherently and drove forward with more vigour than ever. The man's rigidly ecstatic body then jerked convulsively, as he ejaculated deep inside the now deliriously moaning Pulchellus.

Grynium allowed himself to appreciate his orgasm fully before heaving his softening cock, now soiled with a mixture of cum, blood and worse, out of Pulchellus. Marius subsequently again caught a glimpse of the older boy's bottom, which displayed a similar foul mixture oozing from the 12 year-old's ravaged and undoubtedly hurting anus, before Lucillus stepped eagerly forward to take his colleague's place.

Grynium picked up a napkin from the table and dipped the cloth into a water jug before using it to wipe the filth from his now flaccid cock. In contrast, Marius' own bare but still virginal bottom became aware that Crastus' own manly penis was again beginning to stiffen underneath him, having undoubtedly been stimulated by the recent show.

Shamefully perversely excited by the feel of Crastus' hardening cock again pressing against his bare bottom and the spectacle of Pulchellus' subjection to multiple sodomy, Marius could not next prevent himself from wriggling his smooth boy's rump tighter into the man's lap. The adult penis beneath him happily hardened further in response.

Crastus also laughed and, reaching out, dipped two fingers into the bowl of figs and honey. Dripping with sticky sweetness, he then pressed them against Marius' rosy lips.

Marius took the gooey fingers eagerly between his lips. The boy then licked and sucked the honey from them, as Crastus worked them inside his mouth before repeating his action several times. Meanwhile, Lucillus and then Varro sodomised Pulchellus with eager speed, having previously been highly stimulated by the sight of their colleagues doing so.

Crastus' turn to experience the pleasure of sodomising Pulchellus then finally came. He therefore lifted Marius gently from his knees in order to walk over to where the older boy, face awash with his own tears, saliva and mucus, lay half on the couch, with his bottom, shedding blood and extraneous semen, still compliantly raised ready for his enjoyment.

As a consequence of Marius' wrigglings, Crastus was again fully rampant. Consequently, he wasted no time in satisfying his obvious desire.

Pulchellus' anus, already torn and well stretched, offered little resistance and soon Crastus' cock was fully buried in the once more whimpering boy, whose renewed audible distress resulted from the fact that the latest invader was the biggest of the four that he was required to accommodate. The man's hips then regularly slapped against the whining child's bare rump, as he enthusiastically thrust in and out.

Nevertheless, Marius noticed that Pulchellus' body, despite suffering renewed pain, was still capable of reacting with a degree of instinctive interest to Crastus' relentlessly probing cock. The boy's form was still responding submissively and co-operatively to the movements of the large penis invading him.

Crastus' rape of Pulchellus proved to be brutal but brief and the man was soon back on his feet. He then placed one hand on the small of the boy's back, pinning him to the couch on which he half lay.

"Did you enjoy the honey I gave you, Marius?" Crastus next asked with an evil grin. "Yes," the boy replied uncertainly before remembering to add "Master". The ominous tone of the man's voice and his wicked smile had warned the 11 year-old that something unpleasant was going to happen but he was not sure what.

"Good," Crastus commented, whilst the three other men laughed in recognition and anticipation of the fun to come, "I'll therefore give you a chance to have some more. Bring the bowl of figs and honey here." Marius naturally obeyed, albeit apprehensively.

Crastus once again dipped two fingers into the honey and then thrust them into Pulchellus' torn anus. The older boy whimpered a protest, which the man, of course, ignored.

Cratus instead spent a few moments probing Pulchellus' ravaged, soiled and sore anus with his honeyed fingers before withdrawing them. "There you are," the man then commanded, whilst holding his filth-coated digits out to Marius, whose little cock was still shamefully rigid, "suck them clean!"

"There's honey on them," Crastus added, "as well as other delicious juices for your delectation!" However, Marius was not now convinced about the desirability of sucking the proffered fingers and so backed away. Unfortunately, the naked boy was not allowed to retreat far before Varro grabbed him from behind and pushed him back forward.

Crastus now extended his fingers with their noisome filth towards Marius' gorgeous young face. "Suck them clean, brat," he again commanded, whilst taking the boy's chin in his other hand in order to hold the pretty head still whilst introducing his obnoxious digits to the child's rosy lips.

Marius' nostrils then caught the stench of the foul mixture and he gagged. Crastus instantly used the opportunity to thrust his fingers inside the boy's opened mouth.

The bitter almost metallic taste of blood and cum, mixed with the sweetness of honey and the sour mustiness of a little faeces, immediately overwhelmed Marius, who was naturally reluctant to suck the unwanted intruders. However, such unwillingness was quickly overcome.

"Suck, brat," Crastus roared, "or your bum'll be beaten even worse than the other slut's!" To the terrified young recipient of this threat, the man's ugly face, which was still evilly grinning rather than exhibiting signs of anger, seemed to fill the whole room whilst he issued this warning.

Despite Crastus' maintained wicked smile, Marius also appreciated that the man's threat of a beating was real. The boy therefore reluctantly he began to suck the adult's unwholesome fingers.

Unfortunately, Crastus was not easily satisfied. After allowing Marius to suck his fingers for a few moments, he withdrew and inspected them before returning them to the boy's mouth, whilst instructing him to lick the remaining detritus from between his digits.

"Your treat's not yet over," Crastus subsequently announced, having finally satisfied himself that his fingers had been cleansed to perfection and whilst maintaining his evil grin, "as there's now honey for you in your little friend's hole. So, fall down on your knees, brat, and lick it out of the boy. We don't want the slut dribbling it over the floor after I finally allow him to stand!"

Marius again hesitated to obey but the impatient Crastus caught hold of him by the back of his head and pushed his face down towards Pulchellus' damaged rear. The younger boy resisted but the man was too strong for his rather feeble efforts.

Marius' cute nose was soon pressed against Pulchellus' still uplifted bumcrack. 'They won't make me do it,' the boy then defiantly thought to himself, in respect of the very distasteful chore that he had been ordered to perform, but he subsequently felt a finger pressing into his own raised bottom.

Delicious perverse excitement suddenly flooded again through Marius' body and he somehow could not now help himself. The boy voluntarily pushed his rump upwards, positively inviting further intrusion.

Marius' tongue also now began with shameful willingness to probe Pulchellus' tortured anus.

Chapter XI

The first grey light of dawn was filtering into the room. Marius could hear snoring and somewhere a man muttering in his sleep.

Memory then came flooding back to Marius. He could somehow still hear in his mind Pulchellus' screams as he was serially raped, and could also sense on his tongue the foul taste of the filth he had subsequently demeaningly licked from the other boy's anus.

"Marius, wake up," Pulchellus whispered urgently, "because Pannychis is in the courtyard. She wants you. She's in trouble. She needs your help!"

Guilt immediately flooded Marius' young mind. Pannychis was the slave girl who had smuggled him food when he had been locked in the cellar and left to starve. No one else had been prepared to help him.

Amidst his misery, fear and, Marius had shamefully to confess, occasional excitement of yesterday, he had not thought of poor brave Pannychis once. The boy also now did not stop to wonder why Pulchellus should take the risk of carrying a message for her, or indeed how the girl could actually send her plea.

Now infused by urgency that matched the apparent message, Marius was on his feet in a single lithe movement. Leaving Pulchellus behind, the still naked boy then cautiously picked his way across the room to the door, with the early morning air cool against his nude body.

Lucillus, who was meant to be on guard, was stretched out asleep across the closed entrance, wrapped in his cloak. There was just room for Marius to step over his slumbering form and ease the door open sufficiently to create the size of crack required for him to wriggle his slim boy's body through without disturbing the man.

Suddenly and shockingly, Pulchellus then screamed shrilly from the room behind him. "Master, Master," the older boy shouted, "Marius is trying to run away!"

Marius, stunned by the noise and Pulchellus' sudden betrayal, temporarily stood frozen in his tracks. However, on quickly realising that the older boy's perfidy had landed him in serious trouble, he subsequently turned to flee but his attempt was too late.

Marius exited the door, which then burst open. Pulchellus, still screaming loudly, next hurled himself upon the more diminutive younger boy, bowling him over onto the floor.

Pulchellus was the bigger but Marius was lithe and quick, his bare skin slippery. A little longer would surely have seen the younger boy escaping the clutches of the older but then Lucillus, followed by Crastus and the other men, reached the grappling pair.

Marius felt his arms being grasped by Lucillus and he was immediately hauled roughly to his feet and held tightly. "What's this," Crastus then asked furiously, "what's going on here?"

"Master, Master," gasped Pulchellus from where he was crouched panting on the ground, "I just woke up and I saw Marius creeping out of the door. I was sure he was trying to run away, so I called you and then I ran after him to try and stop him!"

"He didn't!" yelled Marius angrily. "He's lying!" the boy added desperately and unthinkingly, "because he told me that Pannychis needed me and was waiting for me 3;."

Marius then fell silent. The boy had suddenly seen the sheer improbability of his story. How could Pulchellus have received a message from Pannychis? Why, if he had, should he bother to pass it on and having done so why should he raise the alarm about his running away? The younger boy now realised that he had been tricked and he shot a look of impotent hatred at his betrayer.

"He's the one who's lying, Master," Pulchellus shouted back, whilst pushing his black curls clear of his pretty face and looking up at Crastus with wide innocent brown eyes. "Why should I…."

Crastus then impatiently interrupted Pulchellus. "Yes, of course, I can see that the brat must be lying," the man commented, ominously for Marius.

Continuing to address Pulchellus, Crastus declared "You have done well, boy, and now we must teach Marius a lesson that he'll not forget but without damaging his looks. I still want to sell him for as good a price as possible once we're back in Rome!"

Chapter XII

"Yes, Master," Pulchellus replied proudly, "I spotted her at it. I was sure something was going on, so I hid in the yard opposite the cellar door and saw her take food down there. I told Echion straight away!"

Marius immediately wriggled in Lucillus' grasp, desperate to attack Pulchellus' throat and choke the life out of him for betraying not only him now but also Pannychis previously. However, the man held the boy firmly, with his thumbs digging into the 11 year-old's thin arms just above his elbows.

"Do you know what's happened to her?" Crastus next enquired. "Yes, Master," Pulchellus again answered, "Echion had her whipped and then sent her to work in the fields."

"It's now just dawn," Crastus next commented, "so the field gangs will currently be being marched out for their day's labour." The faint sounds of shouting and the occasional crack of a whip from the direction of the slave barracks, as the human oxen who worked the estate were roused for further long and hard toil, could indeed be heard through the room's open windows.

"Varro, you go with Pulchellus and find the bitch and bring her back to me," Crastus therefore sinisterly commanded, "and also fetch the heaviest whip you can find in the bailiff's office. I'm sure Echion's former bumboy will know where it is kept."

"You'll then find me down in the courtyard," Crastus remarked, "by the whipping post with our young runaway!"

Chapter XIII

The first stroke of the harsh whip had drawn blood. The man had subsequently screamed a lot but by the end he was almost silent, with his low moans drowned by the crack of the lash, as it ripped the skin from the rear of his body.

Marius had watched the flogging to its end but then he had crept off by himself to be sick and after that he had avoided the yard when a whipping was in progress. However, on this occasion such an option was not available to him.

Lucillus had transferred his grip to Marius ear, twisting it painfully between his finger and thumb as the naked boy waited sick with fear by the post. The 11 year-old then soon saw Varro walking towards them, dragging by her arm a slave girl dressed in a brief ragged smock that reached only half way down her thighs.

For a moment, Marius did not recognise in the filthy garb the now sluggish shaven-haired female slave as being the same as the neat brisk serving girl, Pannychis, with her normally long dark hair and spotless gown, whom he had once known. Her recent punishments and hard labour in the fields had not taken long to reduce her to utter wretchedness. The knowledge that he was the cause of her misery filled the boy with immense guilt.

"Master," Marius desperately pleaded of Crastus, whilst fighting back his tears, "I really didn't try to run away. Master, I also promise that I won't ever try. I'll instead do whatever you want, Master, but please don't do anything to Pannychis!"

"I'm not a fool," Crastus grated in response. "You did try to run away, boy," the man added forcefully, "and there's no point in lying about the matter. I should flog you till your back is in shreds for your mischief but you're too valuable for that. Your Pannychis will therefore pay the price for your folly and you can watch her suffer!"

"Come on," Crastus then impatiently ordered Varro, "bring the bitch quickly over here and tether her to the post. We haven't all day!"

"Master…." Marius began to wail. However, Crastus terminated his continued pleading by advising "Shut up, brat, for the more you argue the worse it'll be for the bitch!"

As a result of this threat, Marius did cease his entreaties. The boy instead began to sob.

The obviously bewildered and petrified Pannychis was hauled over to the whipping post, with the iron fetters worn by field slaves about their ankles clanking as she moved. She was soon secured to the stake, with her arms drawn high above her head, her toes barely touching the ground and her body taught and ready for the lash.

Crastus stepped forward and with one savage jerk tore the ragged shift that was Pannychis' only clothing from her body. Marius now saw that the whole of the girl's bare back was ribbed and scarred with the marks of her earlier whipping.

Crastus held out his hand and Pulchellus ran forward eagerly to hand him the scourge that he had fetched. The whip comprised a long heavy length of plaited leather, most of which now fell and curled darkly on the ground and writhed there with the vicious deadliness of a monstrous snake whilst the man tested his hold.

"What's this?" Crastus subsequently asked, as his attention eventually passed from whip to girl. The man simultaneously ran his free left hand down the relevant part of Pannychis' naked back.

"This mark here, below the bitch's arm," Crastus added in elaboration, "as that's not been caused by her earlier whipping." "No, Master," Pulchellus answered with sadistic relish, "as that's where Echion used the hot iron on her. He suspected that she'd received help in feeding Marius and wanted her to confess who her accomplices had been."

"You should have heard her scream, Master," Pulchellus added wickedly, "when Echion applied the iron. She frothed at the mouth and bit through her lip but she still wouldn't talk. I suggested to him that he continued to make her howl some more until she did confess but he said there was no point. He had written to the Emperor saying Marius was here and someone would come to rid us of the trouble-making nuisance soon enough. So he just whipped her as a warning to all the others and sent her to work in the fields."

Through his tears Marius shot another glance of pure hatred at Pulchellus, having now appreciated the full extent of the older boy's cruelty towards others. The 12 year-old noticed the malevolent stare and, smiling sweetly, he surreptitiously gestured his own contempt with a quick movement of his index finger.

Marius somehow choked back his rage, knowing from Crastus' threat that anything he said or did would only increase the imminent sufferings of Pannychis. In his heart, though, he was laying up a heavy vengeful count against Pulchellus and swore retribution.

Meanwhile, Pannychis, amidst much shocked trepidation, was rather naturally beginning to query why she was apparently again to be whipped. "You should choose your friends better, bitch," was Crastus' only comment before advising the terrified girl "Now shut up or I'll add a few more strokes for having the cheek to question my motives!"

Pannychis, not wanting to suffer any more than she must, of course complied with Crastus' advice as best she could, although she could not now prevent a display of loud lachrymose sobbing even before the first lash landed. She was also astute enough, despite her distress, to realise from the man's initial answer that somehow Marius had landed her in this terrible predicament.

Pannychis again wished, as she had often done during her first flogging and subsequent hard toil in the fields, that she had never attempted to help Marius in the first place. The girl's desire would have been strongly reinforced if she had known that she would soon be forced to endure even more awful sufferings because of her earlier association with the boy.

Crastus, oblivious of the by-play between Marius and Pannychis, now stepped back from the whipping post. Carefully measuring the distance between himself and the tethered naked body of Pannychis, he then brought the whip back over his right shoulder.

With all the expertise gained from many years' sadistic practice of this cruel pastime, Crastus next brought the lash whistling through the air to cut across Pannychis' bare shoulders with all the strength and weight of his powerful body. The girl's form immediately convulsed in agony, as plaited leather cracked against her unprotected flesh.

There was subsequently a split second's silence before Pannychis screamed loudly. For a moment, a white line then appeared across the girl's back, where the lash had landed, before the stripe deepened in colour to an angry red and blood began to well from the spot where the tip of the whip had ripped her skin.

"Stand the brat close up to her," Crastus next commanded of Lucillus, who was still firmly restraining Marius by the boy's ear, "as I want him to see closely the whip shred the bitch's back. After all, it's his misbehaviour that has made me do this to her!"

Lucillus immediately forced Marius, who was now sobbing almost as much as Pannychis, albeit in mental rather than physical torment, closer to the whipping post. The man positioned the still naked boy so that his tearstained face was only a couple of feet away from the girl's own nude body, which was writhing in excruciation amidst much vociferous screaming as Crastus continued to rip into her with the whip.

Marius felt the warm dampness on his own face and chest from his dripping tears, as the lash raised a fine red mist each time the tip struck Pannychis. The force of the blows even eventually made the girl lose her footing and her body began to swing and twist freely under the impact of the whip.

The lash curled round Pannychis, raising angry red wheals on her flanks and breasts and sending fresh rivulets of blood trickling down her body. However, the volume of the girl's associated screams diminished until the only noise she made was a low grunt as each stroke thudded into her. Otherwise, the only sounds were the rich hisses of the lash as it sung through the air, the sharp crack of leather on bare flesh, the panting of Crastus as he laboured at his task and Marius' own near hysterical whimpering. At last Crastus stopped. Lucillus then released his firm grip on Marius' ear and the boy flung himself forward landing on his knees at Pannychis' feet, wrapping his arms sympathetically about the girl's legs and resting his head against one of her bare thighs. However, he was not allowed to remain in this rather touching position for long.

"You'll quickly move away from there, brat, and return to work if you don't want the bitch to suffer another cut or two of the whip," Crastus snapped in response to the sight. "We want our breakfasts now," the man added, in respect of the next chore in had in mind for the boy, "so go to the kitchen and fetch our morning repasts up to our room with due speed. Also, make no more attempts to run away or I'll next flog the girl to death!"

Marius, trying to end his sobbing, instantly scrambled rapidly to his feet and set off at a run to the kitchen. "The brat seems to have finally absorbed the notion of dutiful obedience," Crastus remarked to the other men, as they observed the naked boy sprint off, and they all laughed.

Nevertheless, Crastus, although he no longer believed that Marius would now attempt to escape, given his obvious feelings for Pannychis, retained some concerns about the boy's ability to ensure the provision of a decent breakfast. He therefore instructed "Lucillus, you go with the brat and see the cooks send us up a good meal, including white not black wheaten bread. Also tell them to clean this bitch so that she's fit to travel."

"We'll take the bitch with us," Crastus added, "to help us to keep Marius' loyalty and also to provide us with alternative entertainment to Pulchellus' orifices. We'll tie her on a mule so that she shouldn't be any trouble!"

As Lucillus subsequently obediently followed Marius to the kitchen, being equally eager to enjoy a good breakfast, Crastus turned towards the also still naked Pulchellus. "Come with me, boy," the man then ordered, "as I need you because using the whip always makes me hard!"

Crastus' hand subsequently reached out to rest on Pulchellus' nicely rotund rump. The devious boy's trepidation at what he now had to suffer in order to entertain the man's apparently reinvigorated cock was then somewhat assuaged when his new master called over his shoulder.

"Lucillus," Crastus shouted, "tell the kitchen slaves to sort out a decent tunic for the boy here. He's been a good lad and he deserves a reward!"

Chapter XIV

These slaves knew that, if Pannychis had confessed all when Echion had used the hot iron on her, they would have been flogged and sent to labour in the fields too. They also guiltily realised that they perhaps had a moral obligation to aid her both at the time of her first whipping and now, and additionally recognised that they certainly could have succeeded in practice.

After all, Echion could easily have been overcome and there were only three men with Crastus. If the numerous slaves had all armed themselves with pitchforks and stones, they could readily have overwhelmed them as well. However, they also appreciated that afterwards there might be an awful price to pay if they could not somehow disguise the inevitable resultant deaths from the authorities.

Rebellious slaves were invariably relentlessly hunted down like animals. The lucky ones amongst the captured would be flogged and sold to work in the silver mines, never to see daylight again. The unlucky ones would be fed to the wild animals in the circus or crucified.

Knowing these potential repercussions, the slaves had feared to act and they were ashamed. Being contrite, they also searched for someone else to blame and the person they found was Marius.

The slaves consequently salved their guilty consciences with the thought that Pannychis had been severely punished twice mainly because she had attempted to help Marius. The boy was the principal cause of her two floggings and interim hard labour in the fields and therefore he was to blame.

Lucillus followed Marius into the kitchen and, successfully seeking out Daedalus, he issued his orders, namely breakfast for himself and the other men, a tunic for Pulchellus and Pannychis to be taken down from the whipping post and her back dressed. He then left to rejoin his colleagues.

As Marius subsequently stood in the corner of the kitchen waiting for the food to be prepared, Pannychis was carried in and lain on her face on a blanket on the floor, near the fire. Selia immediately hurried over, carrying a bowl of steaming water and some rags.

Kneeling beside the semi-conscious Pannychis, Selia then began to wash the blood from the naked girl's ripped back. Marius' curiosity immediately overcame his guilt and anguish and so he quietly sidled over to look down in horror at the mess that the whip had made of the young female's rear.

Selia glanced up and caught the look on Marius' face. "You may express horror, brat," she muttered in bad temper, "as it's you that's again caused the poor girl to be whipped. Don't we slaves have a hard enough life without the likes of your father and you involving us in your quarrels?"

A murmur of agreement amongst the other slaves ran round the kitchen and in response the mortified Marius slunk away back to his corner. The boy was beginning shamefully to consider himself to be not only a whore, as appeared evident by the way his body thrilled to the touch of even the murderer of his siblings, Crastus, but also the apparently cursed cause of poor Pannychis' sufferings.

Standing again in the corner of the busy and crowded room, still humiliatingly naked in front of the family's slaves, now clearly unloved and unwanted by them and destined for similar servile status himself, Marius felt completely deserted and therefore utterly dejected. The boy therefore again began to cry despairingly until the breakfasts had been readied.

Daedalus eventually instructed a couple of slaveboys to help Marius carry the breakfasts to the waiting Crastus and his three colleagues. As the comprehensive repast consisted of jugs of steaming cows' milk, bowls of the sweetest figs and honey, loaves of wheaten bread, plates piled high with slices of ham, a large goats' cheese and jars of various pickles, there was too much for a single person to transport.

When the threesome arrived in the room allocated to Crastus and his colleagues, Marius, now refraining from crying, noticed that Pulchellus was nestling half-asleep on his new master's lap. The boy's pretty head was resting against the man's left shoulder.

Pulchellus stirred slightly when the food was brought into the room. The boy, still doing his best to please, therefore attempted to slip from Crastus' knees to allow the man to eat unencumbered but his new master significantly caught him by his slim waist and drew him back.

Crastus then dismissed the two young kitchen slaves, after they had placed what they were carrying on a table, and Marius subsequently found that he was to replace Pulchellus in serving the men. As occurred previously with the older boy, adult hands now roamed over his naked body, as he moved between them.

Whilst Marius went about his chores, he tried his best to ignore the men's fingers, as they probed and teased him most intimately, but his efforts were in vain for, in response, his small cock became shamelessly unruly. Even as the boy desperately suggested to himself that he hated the humiliating feel of the hands fondling his body, his penis contradicted him by standing horizontally to attention, wobbling as he moved. The 11 year-old's arousal was clearly blatant and unmistakable acknowledgement of the thrill he was feeling, and this caused a good deal of comment and laughter amongst the amused adults.

"I don't know what the chances are of us delivering the slut to the slave market still a virgin," Varro eventually remarked with a laugh, as he gently patted the delicious curves of Marius' sweet bottom whilst the fulsomely erect boy refilled his mug with warm milk. "He's such a pretty slut," the grinning adult added, whilst his own hard penis, hidden amidst his rather dirty garments, quivered in keen interest, "and you can see that he's enthusiastically ready to enjoy a man's cock inside him. I wouldn't trust him not to try to satisfy his obvious filthy lusts with someone, and we've a two day journey ahead of us in order to reach Rome!"

"I don't trust myself with the slut," Crastus honestly replied, whilst also sporting a broad grin, "as, sure enough, he's definitely a very tasty piece of boy flesh. We'll just have to keep a close watch on the whore to ensure that we deliver a highly lucrative virgin to market!"

Marius, of course, was deeply ashamed at being referred to in such a degrading manner. However, the boy also could not deny the sensations he felt whenever he was fondled and when he had watched Pulchellus being raped.

Evidence of Marius' debasing interest in such activities was obvious in his quick simultaneous arousal to full erection. The boy was therefore reluctantly secretly beginning to accept that he was perhaps really a whore who might indeed seek, if only in experiment, to seduce someone in order to try to assuage his increasingly obvious needs.

The last vestiges of Marius pride might, of course, have rescued him from such temptation. However, the boy was never to discover whether this might have happened because the wicked Pulchellus now suggested a different and rather uncomfortable solution to the perceived problem.

"Master," Pulchellus suggested to Crastus, on whose lap he was still sitting, "if you want to fix it so that Marius' bottom is safe from a man's cock, I have an idea. Echion used a device on new boys whom he wanted to keep for the Lord Sejanus or any of his friends to enjoy. I know where it is and could fetch it for you if you want."

Pulchellus had previously disliked the attention being paid to Marius and had also not been too pleased about the comments referring to the younger boy's good looks. He was sure that he was far prettier.

Pulchellus already resented Marius from his former status and attitude towards him. The older boy's jealousy was only reinforced by the recent praise afforded to the 11 year-old and this had stimulated his suggestion.

The intrigued Crastus agreed that Pulchellus could fetch Echion's device and so the boy slipped off the man's knees and ran from the room. He returned within a few minutes carrying in one hand a jar and in the other a short length of light chain fastened at one end to a well-polished wooden peg about the length and thickness of a man's index finger.

The other end of the chain formed the hinge joining together two small flanged semicircular pieces of thin but strong rounded metal, through a tiny bored hole in one of which hung an unlocked minuscule padlock, which represented expensive state-of-the-art workmanship for the era. Marius' heart sank within him at the sight, as he had previously occasionally noticed young naked slaveboys wearing the demeaning contraption about the farm estate, although, until Pulchellus' recent comments, he had not known why they had done so.

Marius also now realised, from Pulchellus' remarks, that his own father had enjoyed sex with slaveboys, whose favours he additionally shared with friends. Sejanus' younger son was disgusted that his late parent could possess such tastes, whilst somehow momentarily forgetting his own recent shameful feelings.

The boys that Marius had seen wearing the device were invariably pretty but also frightened and humiliated youngsters, usually straight from the slave market. They always appeared terrified and ashamed of what awaited them, whilst presumably knowing that for them there was no choice or chance of escape.

Sometimes, Marius would see the boys a few days' later, now with the metal ring clamped round their hairless genitals and the linked wooden peg inserted into their anuses removed. They now generally walked in clear discomfort and were the butt for all sorts of lewd comments and jokes from the other slaves.

Marius had never previously realised what had been happening, as any queries he made about the matter were invariably discretely dismissed without a proper reply. However, the astute boy now realised the answer.

The slaveboys in question were obviously virgins and the degrading contraption affixed to their private parts was meant to keep them so until Sejanus and his friends decided to deprive them of their purity. Now the younger son of the former lord of the estate was himself to wear the demeaning device for a similar reason.

"You put the wooden peg into his bum," Pulchellus advised, whilst handing the device over to Crastus, "and then you snap the two linked small semicircular bits of metal round his genitals, using the tiny padlock to keep them immovably together. You see that there are a number of holes bored through the free ends for the purpose. These enable you to adjust the resultant ring to ensure that the fitting's really tight. You can similarly proportion the chain."

"The peg isn't big enough to tear or loosen his anus," Pulchellus informatively added, "but the only way he or anybody else can remove the plug out of his bum without unlocking the ring would be by ripping his genitals off. I doubt that Marius'll regard that as a good idea!"

"Thank you," Crastus replied, accepting the cruel contraption from Pulchellus, whilst his estimation of the older boy rose again in his mind. "And the jar contains some grease for the brat's hole," the 12 year-old then continued enthusiastically, having perceptively appreciated that his efforts to ingratiate himself with the man were bearing fruit.

"You think of everything," a grateful Crastus commented in response. "Marius, come over here and lie down over my knee with your bum in the air," the wickedly grinning man subsequently commanded.

Marius reluctantly but immediately stepped forward compliantly and lay face down across Crastus' knees. The man then rested the palm of one hand on the delectable curves of the boy's bare bottom.

Marius' throat had tightened in fear and shame but he also now felt peculiarly at peace. The boy's sense of incongruous reconciliation was of the type that came with total surrender.

Deep inside himself, Marius was experiencing a strange feeling of release and rightness. The boy somehow instinctively understood that, by lying there obediently with his bottom raised, he was finally signalling his utter submission to his new master, as surely and as clearly as a defeated dog does when he exposes his throat to a rival.

Crastus patted Marius lightly on his upturned rump, before less gently commanding "Spread your legs slut!" After the boy had again complied with one of his instructions, the man subsequently ran his hand up the inside of the youngster's thigh, noting the goose-pimples that simultaneously formed on the child's otherwise smooth skin.

Excited again by the feel of Crastus' hand, Marius instinctively and shamelessly wriggled and pushed his bottom further upwards, seemingly seeking greater attention. The smiling man obliged, extending his fingers towards the junction of the boy' legs and ceasing for a moment their upward journey whilst he instead teased the 11 year-old's perineum with his thumbnail. He knew from long experience how to entertain such young sluts with expertise.

Marius' breath quickened as his excitement mounted, whilst Crastus next dipped the tip of his index finger in the jar of grease proffered by Pulchellus. The older boy was very happy to witness Marius acting like the whore he considered the younger child to be at heart.

Marius subsequently gasped loudly in sudden shock, as he felt the cold lubricant being applied gently to the lips of his anus. There was then a brief pause when Crastus' finger was temporarily withdrawn before returning with a further dollop of the cool grease, which this time he attempted to press carefully but firmly into the boy.

Surprised by the sudden attempted intrusion, Marius' sphincter tightened defensively but such resistance was quickly overcome by the remorseless pressure of Crastus' finger, which was soon probing ever deeper inside the opened orifice. Waves of early anguish then rapidly gave way to increasing enjoyment, which eventually consumed the boy's senses.

The muscles of Marius' bottom began to contract, as he instinctively tried to draw Crastus' finger deeper into him. For a few seconds, the only emotion of which the boy was aware was the single source of pulsating pleasure within his body.

Such unprecedented ecstasy was then sadly suddenly terminated when Crastus sharply jerked his finger out of Marius. The boy immediately moaned and whimpered in degrading disappointment.

Crastus laughed as he looked down at Marius' bare bottom, quivering in frustrated need, and heard the frustrated groans emerging from the boy's rosy lips. The man paused for a few moments to enjoy the scene before taking the wooden peg, attached to the chain, and pushed the full length of the plug in one single thrust into the youngster.

Crastus subsequently quickly tipped Marius back onto his feet. To the man, and the other amused observers of the spectacle, namely his three colleagues and Pulchellus, the younger boy now seemed, amidst clear sexual reverie, hardly conscious of what was being done to him.

Marius' eyes were glazed. The boy's breath came with rasping pants and his little rock-hard cock shuddered as the blood within boiled.

Crastus next speedily reached between Marius' legs. The man took hold of the short length of chain attached to the plug now buried in the boy's bottom, pulled forward and clamped the two hinged and flanged half circles of iron to form a tight ring around the base of the boy's erect cock and smooth scrotum.

Crastus then squeezed the metallic semicircles together even more tightly so that they restricted but did not cut off the flow of blood to Marius' genitals. The latter action would have eventually killed the boy's sexual organs and the man did not want him castrated unless and until, of course, such gelding was desired by whoever eventually bought him at the slave-market.

Crastus finally applied the minuscule padlock, using the tiny key also kindly provided by Pulchellus. The man then stood back to admire his latest handiwork.

Crastus saw with satisfaction the naked Marius standing before him, with the boy's smooth genitals tightly ringed and the taught linking chain resolutely retaining the anal plug immovably in place. "Anyone, who now wants to fuck the brat," the contented man subsequently commented to his equally happy colleagues and Pulchellus, after carefully perusing the pleasant scene, "will first have to rip the slut's goolies off!"

The young subject of this comment, whose previous sexual high was rapidly declining in line with his increasing penile flaccidity, as the restriction of the blood supply feeding his erection began to take effect, was naturally not as content. The feel of the immovable contraption seriously constricting his sexual organs and invading his rectum instead only made Marius' sense of degradation complete, especially after Pulchellus was awarded a tunic.

The lack of a similar award to Marius was the first indication to the appalled younger boy that he would not only be travelling all the way to Rome for sale in the local slave-market whilst remaining humiliatingly naked but also whilst shamefully displaying his crude chastity device.

Chapter XV

All Marius had been aware of was the pounding of his own blood and the feeling of imminent release, as though his whole body was going to explode in an enormous burst of energy. Every sensation, every nerve, was concentrated on this single moment of impending ecstasy. A brilliant white light had filled his head, blood had roared in his ears. All else had been obscure.

Then suddenly Marius had felt some pain, as the iron ring was clamped tight about the base of his penis and scrotum, seriously reducing the flow of blood to his genitals and sadly aborting in that instant his imminent orgasm. He had reacted by shamefully groaning in anguish and frustration, whilst his little boyish cock, a second or two before rigid and vibrant with lust, was reduced to sorrowful limpness.

Meanwhile, Crastus was very happy to teach Marius that a master not only owned a slaveboy's body but also could control the personal pleasures to be derived from it. Such enjoyment could be granted or withheld at his owner's whim.

Marius squealed when Crastus finally physically double- checked the efficacy of the crude chastity device now encasing the boy's genitals and invading his rectum. The man had affirmed that the anal plug was firmly anchored by tugging sharply on the thin chain that ran along the 11 year-old's perineum, connecting it to the iron cockring.

Crastus' action hurt both Marius' genitals and anus. However, such pain only confirmed to the cruel man that the crude chastity device was immovable without unlocking the integral tiny padlock unless the wearer wanted to be castrated.

Crastus next instructed that his horse and those of his men were to be saddled and provisioned and brought to the courtyard ready for their departure. He subsequently ordered Pannychis to be led out to where he stood, ready to mount.

Pannychis, her only clothing a rag wound round her waist, walked unsteadily and was hardly able to keep on her feet as she reluctantly obeyed the summons. However, she eventually managed to stand before Crastus, with her head bowed and submissive waiting for him to decide her fate.

The still humiliatingly naked Marius temporarily forgot his own shame, as he observed Pannychis with pity and guilt. The boy knew that he was the reason for much of her suffering, having been responsible for her rear and the sides of her breasts being ribbed with wheals from the whip.

"The bitch can't walk any distance in this state," Crastus commented, "so we'll have to take a mule from the stables here for her to ride on. Pulchellus will have to lead it for her, as she won't have the strength to do more than sit on it." He then added laughingly, to his similarly amused men, "However, at least there's one compensation. We won't have to watch that she doesn't run away!"

"What about Marius?" Varro eventually asked after the laughter had subsided. "He can do some work," Crastus answered, "as I've some stuff for him to carry!"

Crastus picked up a small sack that clinked when he lifted it. "These are the goblets that we drank out of last night," he confirmed, "which the brat can carry." Turning to Marius, he then commanded "Come here boy!"

Marius moved forward and took the sack, which proved a surprisingly heavy burden for a mere 11 year-old boy to carry. However, he appreciated that he would receive no sympathy from Crastus and his men.

"Hadn't we better tether the brat to one of our horses," Varro next enquired, "as he might become lost if he falls behind or even try to run away? We'd not then just lose his value in the slave market. Those goblets are silver and are worth quite a bit!" However, Crastus confidently replied "He'll keep up with us and also won't attempt to escape because, if he's not with us when we halt, I'll whip that bitch he cares about so much till he turns up!"

Looking again at the forewarned and appalled Marius, Crastus asked "Do you understand me boy? If we lose sight of you, you'll soon be able to tell where we are from the screams of the slut as I whip her!"

"I'll keep up Master," Marius unhesitatingly promised, not wanting any further harm to befall poor Pannychis and whilst bending under the weight of the sack as he began to shoulder the burden. "You better had," Crastus retorted, "if you want the slut to survive our journey to Rome!"

A few minutes later, a small caravan clattered out of the farmyard. The four men rode in front, followed by Pulchellus leading the mule with Pannychis on board. The 12 year-old was wearing the short white tunic, flapping against his bare thighs, that had been his reward for his recent treachery in respect of Marius.

At the rear, in the dust thrown up by the riders, trudged Marius, his shoulders already aching under the weight of his load and his eyes miserably fixed on the road a few paces ahead of him. The boy's only thought was to keep up with those in front, as he did not want again to be the cause of Pannychis feeling the whip.

The large farmhouse in which Marius had grown up as a privileged free boy, the exalted master's son, then gradually receded behind him, as he began the long distressing journey into abject servitude.

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