Tamerlane's Boys 12

By Pueros

Chapter 12 – Persians

(Kashan, Persia, June 1352)

The mere arrival of the angered Tamerlane in Persia immediately dissipated the insurgent warlord’s determination to rebel against the dreaded conqueror’s domination of the ancient country, sending most scurrying back to their various strongholds, professing loyalty and denying any participation in or real knowledge of the recent uprising.

A few minor battles were fought, successfully blooding Tamerlane’s latest military recruits for, by no means, the last time, but they were mere diversions on the road to Persia’s quick renewed subjugation. Some small recalcitrant communities suffered, leading citizens beheaded, the rest of the population enslaved and the townships plundered and razed, as an example to others, but otherwise the campaign was nothing much to be excited about in the context of the conqueror’s overall career. Nevertheless, for Vissarion, Arman and Nicolai, the short war was truly thrilling, after the relative boredom of winter in Samarkand, especially for the latter, still unused to such marvellous adventure.

Despite the potential dangers, Tamerlane always now kept his beloved boys close to him on campaign, having learnt, from the experience of Rus, that it was probably safer on balance to do so. Vissarion, Arman and Nicolai were therefore constantly in the thick of the action, much to their delight. They were of course, like the conqueror, non-combatants but accompanied him around, as he guided his forces to victory after victory.

Vissarion and Arman were now both 15 years old and Nicolai 12. The young Armenian had grown significantly over the past few years as his body passed through puberty. As with most male adolescents, he had become lankier, as different parts of his frame grew at different rates. Some spots had also occasionally despoiled his face, although an effective herbal salve, prescribed by one of Tamerlane’s doctors, helped to minimise the problem. The boy also felt compelled to have his body shaven frequently, particularly under the arms and just above his genitals, where embryonic hirsute growths were beginning to form. It was a task undertaken, usually by one of his amused young friends, because he knew that his master would prefer him free from such signs of developing manhood, which additionally showed itself in other ways, not least in the expansion of his sexual organs. His full smooth scrotum was now impressively large and low-hung, dangling nicely under an equally magnificent cock, substantial in size even when flaccid.

In Tamerlane’s eyes, Arman was maturing nicely, like a fine wine, which the man drunk occasionally despite Islamic prohibition against such imbibition. The boy was not only maintaining superb bodily beauty but also a matching character. The conqueror knew that the physical phase would be ephemeral, as manhood would now soon overwhelm the delightful vision, but he proposed to use what precious time there was left to enjoy the delectable form as fully as possible.

The gorgous Vissarion’s development had, however, been different. He remained diminutive, for all intents and purposes physically, although certainly not mentally, more like Nicolai’s age, with Arman now towering above him. However, between the two, it was still obvious that the young Georgian was the slightly more dominant personality, although always in a pleasant considerate manner.

No-one could say how much of Vissarion’s lack of growth was due to his gelding or was, for his body, natural. However, the boy seemed unconcerned about the issue, especially as Tamerlane continued regularly to enjoy thoroughly the many delectations his current form offered.

Tamerlane had rested the bulk of the army, not engaged in mopping up operations, in the environs of Kashan, situated between Qom and Isfahan, the latter devastated almost five years earlier. The town was located at a high oasis, where wheat, melons and figs were grown, and was famous for the manufacture of copperware, carpets and cotton and silk goods. The conqueror had, during his first subjection of the area, killed the local ruler, taking possession of his palace and, for reasons of state, his wife.

Having learnt the lesson that his Shadi Mulk Aka had given him in Samarkand, Tamerlane paid a lengthy nuptial courtesy call on the woman, another of his many Queens spread around his empire, keeping his beloved boys well away from the palace to avoid literally poisonous jealousies. For the conqueror, the few days spent performing this chore were not unpleasant because the female was still young and beautiful. However, for Vissarion, Arman and Nicolai, they were to have tragic consequences.

To help alleviate their invariable boredom whenever their master was not around, the boys went riding with their new bodyguards and local guides to explore the surrounding bleak countryside. They were especially interested in visiting some ancient ruins, a place Alexander the Great was once supposed to have captured during his own conquest of Persia. He had reputedly lingered there in his tent for a few days with his latest acquisition, a royal eunuch by the name of Bagoas, who formerly belonged to his opponent, King Darius. Vissarion and Nicolai felt a particular empathy with the young gelding, something that their friend Arman could fully understand.

The trip would entail an overnight stop at the ruins but the boys did not mind, although their bodyguards were more apprehensive. All rebels were said to have left the area long before but there was always the worry that such reports were inaccurate and so it proved on this occasion, as the small camp, noticeable from its fires, was successfully attacked and overrun in the middle of the moonless night.

The assault out of the darkness had taken the pair of bodyguards on night watch by complete surprise. They were quickly killed and the remainder of their slumbering colleagues rapidly rounded up, along with Vissarion, Arman and Nicolai. However, the rebel leader was initially appalled to discover who his prizes were.

Reza was a warlord from south-west Persia, where his remote domains bordered Arab lands. He had been trapped in the opposite side of the country by Tamerlane’s fast advance and was trying his lead his 500-strong band of warrior retainers furtively back to home territory before the conqueror learnt about his participation in the uprising. He appreciated that such discovery would mean the end of him and his family, at least as rich tyrannical regional rulers. Escape into Arabia would be the only option to preserve their heads.

Reza and his men, in their headlong flight across inhospitable terrain, were running short of rations, hence the need to attack any caravans or travellers they came across. However, this particular assault had produced delicious fare that they at first considered unpalatable, as it could lead to fatal indigestion. Everyone had by now heard what Tamerlane had perpetrated on the Mongol tribes of the Forests of Rus for having the foolish audacity to kidnap and threaten his boys. The warlord therefore did not welcome the news that he was now the possessor of the young threesome.

Reza spent the remainder of the night considering his dilemma, whilst the cause and their remaining bodyguards and guides were bound and kept sitting in a small group, closely watched by the warlord’s men.

It seemed to Reza that he had two options. First, he could return the boys with apologies to Tamerlane. However, this course of action had two major drawbacks. One, he would be highlighted as a rebel. Two, apologies for capturing the catamites and killing two of their bodyguards might not be enough to assuage the dreaded conqueror’s displeasure, even if the youngsters had been returned unharmed and they gave a pledge of no vengeance, which might be overruled by their master. Second, he could simply quietly dispose of the evidence, hoping that no-one ever learnt what had happened to the boys and their escorts.

As Reza considered these two options, he increasingly realised that the second was the only feasible one. The boys and their guards had to be killed and their bodies buried where no-one would ever find them. The warlord had in fact determined on these murders when dawn arrived.

(To be continued in chapter 13 – ‘Bloodshed’)