"Lord James and the Young Highwayman, Part One" by Jay Roberts Gay Historical
+++Put this on your fridge door: "Send a contribution to Nifty," it's cool as your ice tray
+++This is a fairy tale, but not for children. I call kids under 18 still too young for this stuff, so come back when you are older and nastier.
Lord James sat sprawled on the red leather cushions of new coach. It was a present from the Duke for his twenty first birthday, coming in a fortnight. The young aristocrat was returning from London where he had been fitted for a new silk and velvet suit. He was young and such an errand should not have tired him but the putting the fabric on and off and standing so long for the measuring process had bored him to fatigue. He also tired of avoiding the probing hands of the tailor as he felt various areas of his young body.
He now amused himself by opening the small sliding door that allowed him to view the driver. What a clever accessory this was, though it James viewed the muscular arm of the man, Wilson but he wished Wilson was a younger fellow. Though he was strong, his face was unmistakably that of a man of at least forty or more. James took out his new polished silver mirror and regarded his imagine. He saw the smooth face of a handsome youth blessed with perfect features. He marveled at the shape of his full lips and long noble nose, regarding it all as if he were gazing at a painting.
Sudden he was thrown to side of the coach, then to the floor as the horses reared from the sudden stop. He was about to open call angrily through the opening but as he picked himself up from the floor he heard a full throated call from outside the coach.
"Stand and deliver!"
He peered through the isinglass door panel and he saw a glossy black horse and rider. The rider's head was covered in a black hood from which holes had been cut for his eyes. The person was slim and roughly dressed in somewhat ragged attire.
"Ah his Lordship is attending," the rogue said in a youthful voice, quite different from the one he used to command earlier. Then he threw back his head and produced peels of laugher. James noticed that his neck was smooth and young.
James alighted and jumped door from the coach not availing himself of the step there and stood on the ground, his fists against his waist and faced the brigand bravely. Not so Wilson who lay back against his bench quaking in fear and uttering small sounds of fear. "Where did a lowly personage as you obtain such a fine horse? Stolen I wager."
The black hooded head nodded. James approached the rider, as said in feigned voice of fear, "My fat purse in on the seat inside."
"Ah, good," the robber said with satisfaction and slid down from his steed. Standing now, on the ground, he seemed less dangerous. James judged him to be about his own height.
The fellow"s clothes now exposed to the full sun showed him to be poor indeed. The knees of his pants were ripped as were his blouse. The two areas exposed young flesh. Then as he brigand bent into the coach to extract the supposed purse, the tattered and thin cloth stretched over his young rump and showed a shapely pear shape beneath.
James shook his head to dislodge the image that was causing his crouch to become active and sprang into action. He extracted his dagger from his waist. He received this in his grandfather's will and always carried it. He held the point of it at the back of the thief and said, in a voice of a powerful landowner, "Move away and stand before me."
At the same time James slapped the rump of the black horse and he beast galloped away. "He knows his stall awaits," James said, then calling to Wilson, "Fetch some rope from the rear compartment and assist me in securing this fellow's hands and feet.
Though Wilson was nervous in assisting in this task it was accomplished and soon the once bold highwayman was tied up like a pig.
"What shall we do with now?" said James, speaking more to himself.
Wilson pleaded, "Please sir do not place him on my perch. I fear he will free his bonds and attack me."
James laughed and slapped the backside of the trussed captive. "I fear him not, this vagabond. Place him in my compartment and should he even hint of threat I shall stick him through with my knife."
The tied chap said nothing and docilely allowed himself to be lifted and placed on the seat next to where his lordship would be sitting. During the process of lifting him, the fellow's ragged shirt lifted and exposed a large area of his back. It was well formed and pale and smooth. James also noted that there was a rank odor emanating from his captive. "He likely hasn't bathed for a year," thought James. As resumed the trip, James thought that the smell was not so unpleasant, rather spicy and earthy.
His secured companion still remained silent. He did turn his head and regard James through his mask and James felt strangely excited by this strange staring. He worried now that the miscreant might be gaining something from the activity and James decided to end this by removing the advantage of the hood. He reached over and untied the torn ends that were used to tie the hood at the neck. The mask fell slack and James whipped it off.
He caught his breath as an unexpected cloud of black hair, that had been retrained by the hood, sprang forth like a fountain. At the same time the creatures face was revealed. Two things struck James. One was that fact that the highwayman was a kid, probably about his, James', age. Second the boy was exquisitely handsome. His full lips, now curled in anger were supple and tinged in natural red. Then his eyes, violet in color were almost feminine in their appearance. Finally his fine nose and dimpled chin completed the face, that might belong to prince of the realm, was revealed.
"Do you intend to stare at me the whole way?" asked the prisoner in a petulant voice.
"You are well favored and worthy of my stares."
The young fellow was silent again, then hesitantly said, "Your high born self bears a face that is tolerably good looking as well."
"Thank you," said the elegantly dressed noble, "I accept all compliments." Then looking and the ropes around his travel companion, he said in a kind voice "Are the ropes uncomfortable?"
"They are bound so tight I fear my blood flow is impeded."
"Oh, I do not intend to arrive with a dead person. Perhaps I might untie you. But I warn you, if you attempt any violence or escape, this dagger will end your days."
The ragged boy nodded assent and James unbound him. As he did so, he asked, "Your name please."
As the boy rubbed his arms and legs to restore circulation, he whispered, "Simon."
James held out his hand as he was a polite person. "James here."
Simon took the proffered hand and closed around it. Each of the lad, in spite of themselves, utter a surprised "O-o-h."
Simon opened his hand and looked down at James hand nestled on his palm. "My word, it's so soft and small..and white."
"And yours is quite large, calloused...and I must say quite dirty."
"It's the life I lead," said Simon ruefully. Then added, "Do they have any food ready at the end of this trip? I haven't eaten in two days."
James, a sympathetic soul, experienced a rush of tears to his pale blue eyes. "Yes there is food awaiting but I think I do have a biscuit here in this canvas bag...and an unopened bottle of Port."
The urchin grabbed the sack and tore it open and stuffed his mouth with the few biscuits left there, then pulled the cork on the wine and upended it and drank and enormous draft. He grinned at James with his purple stained lips and exclaimed "Bloody good...for a starter."
He settled back against the cushions and closed his eyes. In a moment he fell into a deep sleep, snoring slightly. Gradually he slid over toward James and rested his thick haired head on James' shoulder.
James thought, "Robbing carriages must have tired the bad boy."
Then, the boy's partly rank, party exotic odor drifted to James noble nose and then on to his noble prick and caused it to rise and stay hard and pulsing for the rest of the trip.
End Part One