Copyright 2000 Zane Hunter-Green
TESSELLATIONS: A Byzantine Story
This story is dedicated to Ganymede for awaking my sleeping muse with the artistry of his many stories. After reading `Platonic Love' countless times I was determined to write one story back to him, and this is it.
Because this story is a historical I want to explain a few details. It is important to note that Ron (Saffron) has a genetic disorder. I decided to write about another boy such as Tristan in `Puberty' Blues that has Klinefelter's. The time of this story, 1042 a child with a rare genetic disorder would be considered a changeling or worse. All the characters in this story are fictional except for references to the leaders of the time period.
This story is copyrighted under the pseudonym Zane Hunter-Green, and can not be reproduced for profit. It is also erotic fiction with some scenes of love between males, an adult and a minor so please do not read if you find that offensive. Also do not read if you are a minor or if this is illegal in your place of residence.
Chapter One
"My Lord, who forced you to marry a native of this place?" questioned a soldier in disbelief.
Romanus trying to see the small French estate through the eyes of his men, saw how shabby it appeared compared to the palaces of Constantinople. He, half playfully then cuffed his soldier; while thinking that they were mostly a bunch of primitives now themselves. They had left their manners and polish weeks ago when they departed in good spirits from Byzantium. Perhaps he should have spent time grooming his men before this arrival, but now he was too anxious. The journey had been long enough, an additional hour seemed intolerable. Their party had not suffered from enemy attacks, making boredom the most dangerous aspect of the timeless trek, this had caused his men to be less disciplined.
The patina of rain held off on this unusually warm, late autumn day as they rode through the outer farmland. Serfs, keeping a watchful distance observed the troop of foreign soldiers invade their countryside. The fields still contained a few golden stalks left from the October harvests. In the distance the curl of smoke from their cottages played against the few scattered chalk clouds. The men from Constantinople made an impressive picture with their jewel-tone outfits, and their steeds of outstanding colors, and height. Against the muted background of the French estate forged with earthy stones, Romanus looked like an invader from another world.
Romanus ignored the landscape as he fretted if he was as prepared for his arrival as he should have been. Originally he had thought to bring eunuchs and woman to serve as a household for his young wife, but let his concern for making good time rule that decision. Women, and court eunuchs always slowed things down. He figured that his wife would have preferred servants of her own to take up the extra space on the journeys return.
Finally, like a mirage, the French manor house stood through a copse of leafless trees. This house was so small a place to stand as the mid-point of such an attenuated journey. Romanus felt his stomach churn as his goal was realized, this rendezvous with his wife. They had not seen each other since they met the previous year, and he hoped that she was still the same as he remembered. Hoping that their love would kindle as strongly, he had spent many a lonely night in their year apart. There had been temptations, one was riding up to him now.
As he stood next to his dismounted Arabian steed, gathering his nerves to present himself, a young warrior gave him the hand signal that they used when a battle was won. He smiled back to the youthful soldier, knowing it was Dominic, the more experienced soldiers could learn from him as he realized that Dominic had taken the fortitude to gather up the weapons and put them out of the way.. If all went well when they returned home, he would remember to promote him.
Dominic was one of the reasons why he kept himself removed from his men on this journey, working on land records instead of listening to the harps and jokes at night. The young soldier was the type of young man who was his ideal, a dark Byzantine, tall, and graceful, with the aristocratic look of the older families. He sometimes wondered if Dominic was attracted to him as well. There were sometimes silences, and deep stares, or the looking away in an embarrassed hurry. Any other time in his life he might have explored the possibilities.
Romanus had been determined to keep himself chaste for his wife. He resented the fact that his father went from lover to lover when he was alive, and had no time for him. He had vowed two things, that he would be faithful to his wife, and he would be a good father to his own sons. Unlike some of his men he felt that having a male lover was a form of adultery no matter the urge or the lack of women while on campaign. Now it was the time to think about his wife, as he would finally see her within the hour. He desired that he would not have to stay here long, waiting for her to prepare leaving her father's house. His plans were to finally take her home with him, back to the Empire without delay.
When he and his men rode into the sparse greeting yard, a solitary figure emerged from the manor house. It appeared to be the austere figure of his father-in-law who he had met but once before this. The old count looked at Romanus, as one might a carcass teaming with lesser life. The Byzantine's travel weary troops, waiting protectively behind him were ignored, and Romanus, accustomed to the ceremonious treatment of a high lord in his own lands was rudely addressed.
"You have no business here! My daughter is dead!" the old man spat out like Romanus were the accused killer.
How could she have died? The blinding thought going through his mind, kept him from attacking the demonic herald. "DAMN YOU TO HELL!" Romanus swore at his father-in law, as he lost his temper in his frustration.
The Count to backed away, but not before saying. "I will find a way to revenge you for this curse!" The old man was fixated with the idea he had been cursed, and oblivious to his son-in-law's misery.
Romanus couldn't believe it! "HOW CAN SHE BE DEAD!"
The old man looked murderously at him and then looked as if he were internally wrestling about revealing something else. Romanus could only think that he would never again see the girl he fell in love with, her lithe body, her long strands of lemon yellow hair, then gilded with rare gold, her almond shaped wintergreen eyes, she was becoming a Saint as he recalled her, and such details filled in his memories. Her intelligence alone had been unusual for a girl of this region. He couldn't perceive that she had been placed in an early grave, and he had made this journey for naught!
Only briefly had he time to love her, and now he knew that he had been a fool to leave her behind several days after their wedding night. His father-in-law had pleaded the case that his raffish King Charlemagne, had used with his own daughters, over two hundred years ago, to keep them home, and away from their legal husbands. This ancient King was apparently the old man's hero. Even the current French King was more enlightened in this, the year of our Lord One Thousand and Forty, and had agreed to dismiss the girl of her service so she could leave with her new husband, however the old man did not live in modern times, and wanted his daughter to fulfil her duty to their royal family.
He had to know what had happened to her. Did she die in the small city of Paris? No one of course had taken time to send a letter to him, saving him from this long, now tedious journey. The house before him became shrouded in the past, how a maiden of light had been nurtured here was beyond his comprehension.
"How did she die? Of what plague?" he demanded to know.
A nurse was walking in the greeting yard towards them trying to take advantage of the warm day. In her arms was a bundle, and this bundle was very alive.
"No plague took my child. Here is the cause of her death!" Under his breath the count admonished the nurse for bringing the baby outside at this inconvenient time.
"Who is this little tyke?" remarked Romanus as he walked over to the child, a delicate little hand reached out of the heavy woolen blanket as if it wanted to grasp him.
"My God, this baby is beautiful!" Romanus looked more closely observing a tiny head of golden swirls, and large baby blue eyes with a small hint of the green to follow. It was a perfect cherub. "Let me hold him."
The nurse drew away with the child while looking at his dusty clothes.
"She bore me a son! Here give him to me, I won't hurt him." Romanus demanded." He was drawn to the baby, and could smell sweetness radiating from the tiny boy.
"You fool, this is your daughter, and she will stay here to replace the one that I lost!" proclaimed Count Terrill.
"Just a daughter, she is still mine." Romanus said.
"The laws in our providence gives you rights over sons, there are no laws for girls. Not long ago this one would be exposed, with the shadows questioning the certainty of her mother's marriage. What would you do with this daughter? You now a single man. She will stay here, and I will raise her!" The count said trying to revert into acting more civil as he had lowered his voice. "If you want you can declare your union with my daughter mote. I release you from any care or responsibility to this child"
" You know as well as I, that even your King Henrii decreed our marriage binding, and as you also are aware, I retain a large estate, far more prosperous than this small shire. There are many at my home who can tend to my child." rebutled Romanus
" But first you have to arrive there. Travel is burdensome enough for a man without a sucking baby, she would most likely die on the road." stated the count.
"I suppose, that you imagine I should just leave her in your keeping as my men and I did not arrive with the provisions to care for an infant. You could have written and told me of these advents!, but no! You have always been discourteous to me. I should take my daughter from you right now. I suppose her nurse could leave here and return with me to Constantinople?" Romanus stated.
The nurse shook her head in fear as she held the quiet baby who seemed to already track their father with large shining eyes.
The soldiers looked dumb founded as they thought about traveling with a young baby. Only Dominic seemed to want to say something. "Sire, I will tend your daughter, if you trust me to. When my parents died I cared for my baby sister, until she was taken to live with my aunt." Dominic walked over to see the baby closely. He started to make cooing sounds, and the baby seemed to smile.
"Dominic, that is kind of you, but we have a long journey home through winter weather. "Romanus knew it was almost impossible for them to take a baby with them now. At least he could name his child and make her legitimate. He turned to the Count and motioned that they should go some place where they could come to terms privately.
They walked near the doorway of the manor.
"When was this baby born."
"On the full moon eve in August."
"That would be almost nine months to the day that I bed your virgin daughter. This baby is mine."
"Yes, I suppose that she is" admitted the count.
Then, as I am the father, I have the right to name her. She will carry my family name, and her first name shall be Saffron, after the rare color of her mother's hair, and so it seems hers as well. I want a Priest called in to baptize her before I depart from your unwelcome place."
"It will be done tomorrow in the estate church. We will have a quiet meal after, in respect to her dead mother, then you can leave in peace knowing that the child will be well provided for." the count readily agreed.
Romanus was still torn about leaving behind this child, however he knew that his wife had respected her father, following his commands over her own desires to have left with him the year before. He walked to the family crypt to leave an offering to his wife, and meditate further on what he should do about his child. He had not as yet held the child, and knew that he probably never would, allowing no bond to form with her.
He thought about Count Terrill with some pity, it was true he had lost his wife, but the count had lost his only child. The old man was said to be a kindly even if he was curt with him. He was also sadly out of touch with the times, however to be fair, that was true about anyone living far from the vast culture of his own city. Romanus, weary from the journey, and depressed with the futility of it, knew that any decision he would make might not be with his best judgement. It was probably better to leave well alone, and let the baby stay with her grandfather.
Romanus felt grief from the knowledge that he would never see the child again, as he had no other reason to ever return here to the place of ghosts. Romanus knelt down and kissed the cold stone of his wife's tomb, his mind made up, hoping he was following his wife's wishes as he made the decision to leave the child in France.
When Romanus returned to the house, he spoke to the old man and agreed to make him the official guardian of his first-born.
" I must regretfully return to Constantinople. I am grieved that I am now a widower. Although I hope to find another wife someday, as I wish for a son to carry on my name, I will never forget what your daughter meant to me. You will keep the child, and you must swear to bring her up well."
"Yes, she will be cared for and instructed as if she were a son, you may be assured of that. My own daughter had been so educated."
When Romanus left the house to tend to his men and horses Count Terrill called for his Priest.
"Father, I require your help and it will involve a falsehood," said the Count.
"Yes my friend, What is so urgent that the solution is a lie?." the priest, said to Count Terrill.
"Tomorrow, Father I request that you perform the official christening and naming of my grandchild."
"That will be a privilege and delight. Have you finally chosen a name? You can't call the child, just 'the baby' forever?"
"The name that the father requests is Saffron, I will name my grandchild so, it is the least I can do."
"Ah, Ron will be a nice name for him."
"You always baptize a baby naked do you not?"
" Well, yes, is that a problem?"
"Yes, actually it is, the father was told that my grandchild is a daughter. If the child were a son he would demand to take him from me, as his heir. I know that I would never see him again. First he stole my daughter, and then he would take her baby. I cannot lose them both. It would kill me!"
" I understand. It is wrong to deprive a father of his son, but he is a foreigner, and you justly fear for the child. How many babies have died upon the road! I have a solution. We will draw up papers and christen the child tonight. Then we are honest in the eyes of God. Tomorrow we can borrow a baby girl from a peasant family. I know of a baby about the same age as your grandson with blond hair as well. The father will see a female child, and believe it's his."
"I owe you an enormous dept of gratitude, as the father only saw the baby briefly and did not see the child's sex, your idea should work."
Chapter Two
It rained all night before the baptism. Romanus stayed out in the wet yard with his troops. It would be a challenge to dress presentably the next day as his clothes smelled of sweat and mildew, but he wouldn't worry about it now. It was a dismal night, the rain and mud weighing down his spirits as the tent sagged in the center, water slowly pooling and dripping inside to make sure that the dampness was physical. It was as if either the rain or his heightened sensitivities caused conversations to carry, but he strained his ears as he heard his name mentioned.
"Romanus is a fool."
"What do you mean?"
"Hush, I don't want to be overheard."
"No one's out in this pisspot night don't worry, who can hear us, they're all asleep. What were you going to tell me?
"When our commander ran to France he insulted Lord Leo Kermanius, who you know will kill for the slightest mar on his name."
"How does this insult him?"
"For one thing Romanus was expected to marry Leo's cousin, not some French whore."
Romanus thought to himself that they were right. If he followed the law of reason he would have married Aregund whose mother was Leo's aunt. Leo was said to be a young and dangerous serpent, too rich, and spoiled for his own good. Romanus was angry that his dead wife was being called a whore by his men, however they had never met her and the insult was not cause to let them know their conversation was overheard. The wind whistled for a few minutes and the conversation was dulled, then like the crest in the storm he heard the men once again.
"Leo works like a generational curse. You forget that it exists, and some day it strikes you down, he never forgets a slight."
"Then he must have it in for half the male population of Constantinople as not everyone has invited Leo to their bed." the men laughed for a few seconds.
"You listen to far too many rumors, anyway Aregund is an attractive girl, Romanus was a fool that he didn't just stay home and marry her."
"He was forced to travel here for the Empress last year. We now know the danger in traveling isn't just from enemy attacks, but enemy sacks."
Romanus thought to himself that from now on his traveling time was over. He had too much responsibility at home, and he could little afford enemies like Leo who were favored by the Empress. He would find a way to do damage control. If this troubled his men it was something to take it seriously. He was amused to hear a third man approach the soldiers who were still lingering outside.
"Who goes there?"
"Just me, Dominic, I just checked the horses, I wanted to make sure that the winds didn't blow away their covers. What an unspeakable night! Why are you standing out in the rain? I didn't think we were on night watch tonight"
"Dominic, I always wondered, why are you here with us?."
"What do you mean?"
"Jove's crap boy!, you have that upper class accent."
"That means nothing. I was lucky to get an appointment with Romanus. If I ever do become a knight it will have to be from campaigns."
"Didn't your family once have money?"
"No, we had property, but we lost the rest of our estate lands to pay taxes years ago."
"Didn't your lands border Leo's, or so we heard."
"I do talk of it, or him. Sirs, I'm getting out of this gale. Goodnight."
Romanus suspected that the two men that he overheard was Kertin, his captain, and John, a third in command. They resumed their talk for a brief while but aside from making observations and speculations about Dominic, who was a very beautiful young man, they had nothing new to say. He could only agree with them, Dominic attracted him as well, it was perhaps his sensitivity and strength as well as the young man's outstanding looks. Romanus sighed. Finally it was quiet but for the water lashing against the tent. His men must have gone to bed, but he couldn't sleep his mind was still on his baby daughter. He could only hope that she would prosper with her grandfather's care.
Chapter Three
Dominic lay in his blankets restlessly. He clutched a corner in his hand pretending that it was the part of Romanus that secretly excited him. There was something eerie about this place that made him look for comfort.. Even the horses had seemed to have felt it when he checked on them. He had wondered what made him so uncomfortable as he walked back to the campsite. Then the name of Leo was brought up like a visitor from a distant Hell. There were many Leo's in Contantinople, but only one who was so strongly related to the Empress. That these other soldiers would bring up his name disturbed him. Even here, hundreds of miles from the man's reach, his very name was sulfur smoke in the wet night.
Dominic was forced to remember how he had encountered Leo when he was only twelve. His baby sister screamed in the background as Leo and his father came barging into the house. They seemed to know that he was too young to run his farm alone. They began to sport with him, an easy mark without even a servant to protect him. He had tried to demand that they leave, but they ignored his plea. They knew that he and his sister were orphaned when his parents had died several months before, when their boat sank in the off the coast of Cyprus. It had been difficult enough to keep his relatives from interfering. Without any more than an elderly grandmother to protect their remaining interests, Leo's father had come demanding the remaining lands and properties in back taxes. Dominic did not know what to do.
. Leo and his father had originally just come to his house to collect their few slaves, and take title to the land. Dominic tried to argue with them. They warned him to be silent or he and his sister would join their human property. Then they forced Dominic to taste what a slaves life was all about. They pulled up his tunic, and Leo who was just two years older, went over to Dominic, bent down and taking his penis in his mouth gave Dominic a blow job as the father looked on. he was in shock, however his penis lunged betraying him. When he showed signs of enjoying the sex, they decided to take him home to be Leo's playmate. His sister was given to his aunt to raise and Dominic's relatives were told that Leo's father generously was offering the boy a chance to be a page.
He looked back without bitterness. He just made a consorted effort to avoid Leo. He hadn't thought about him for several years but the memories came flooding back in the damp night. He was only glad that Romanus didn't know the details about his time in Leo's house.
He had heard that these days Leo always kept a youth as his pet. He shuddered as he thought about the abuse these poor boys faced. He could sometimes stand up to Leo when the young lord had his rages, but he had heard that Leo was getting worse, and no longer did his catermites get the opportunity that Dominic had, the chance to leave and start a new life. Leo now had a band of clever eunuchs running his estates, Dominic knew that many of them were Leo's ex-lovers. Some of them were rumored to have dispositions worse than Leo himself, and then there were suggestions of a secret organization, that Leo ran. He wondered what Leo was actually doing to these young boys to turn them into hardened and often dangerous eunuchs.
Where Dominic had held Leo's interest for more than a year, Leo was rumored to go through impressionable boys almost monthly now. He was just glad that he no longer had any reason to be in contact with him.
Chapter Four
...The next morning showed some signs of clearing. Romanus went to his daughter's baptism with a heavy heart. All went as planned by Count Terrill. Romanus was surprised to see the baby's lovely curls had disappeared, but he figured that the now fretful child had them plastered down from the water and her loud wailing. She didn't seem quite as beautiful either. It must have been that his first joyful impression had made the unexpected baby look so flawless. She was a pretty baby, but the day before she had been an angel.
His disappointment when he saw her again made it easier to depart, and leave his daughter with her grandfather. The baby he had been presented with that second day, had actually been tended by it's own mother who played the role of a wet nurse. Papers were signed and the false 'Countess' Saffron Bugler-Slayer was noted by her father on parchment, and in return he gave complete custody to the grandfather. Meanwhile, the baby boy was hidden in a distant part of the house sleeping throughout the day. He had been kept up all the night before for his christening ceremony, and to insure he would be quiet while his father was in the manor house.
When Romanus finally rode away, he thought he heard two babies crying; he shook his head knowing that sadness could cause one to hear such things. He then swore that France was a cursed place for him, and he would never venture there again...
...Romanus had hand picked the small band of men who had traveled with him. That night, he realized what it was about Dominic that drew him to the young man. Since he could not rid himself of his depression, instead of being more withdrawn from his men he singled out the young soldier to speak about their return to their distant home. Talking to the handsome youth took his mind off the blackness of his mood. They rode next to each other for the first few hours with Dominic providing light banter, but mostly listening to his leader. After they stopped to make camp Romanus kept the youth with him.
"Dominic, when you are my age be very careful about falling in love." Romanus watched the flecks from the fire cast a golden glow around his comely companion as he rambled on.
"I shall take your advice, although I will probably forget when the time comes as someone must have once warned you about love. Forgive me my Lord but you act like an old man, and surely you're not that much older than me." whispered Dominic as he listened intently to his hero.
" To be honest this journey has aged me and brought me nothing but disappointments! Romanus, fought against tears yet when they quietly erupted Dominic took his hand, and Romanus instead of being outraged was touched. He looked quickly around and then realized that the young man would not have taken this risk and liberty if anyone else were about.
The dam had broken and Romanus poured out the rest of his grief. Dominic listened and tried to sooth his heartache. Romanus stroked Dominic's cheek, it was still smooth, and hairless and after months on the road, and the bitter disappointment Romanus felt an increasing stir of erotic feelings towards his young soldier. He motioned him into his tent where he impulsively spread out his fur bedding the youth seemed to be excited, and happy to give of himself to Romanus.
Dominic's own desire was evident in the tenting of his tunic which he had seductively allowed to tighten between his legs. The young man obviously had a cock of some length to be proud of. Romanus was determined now to see it's beauty. Romanus had been half aroused all afternoon. And now he was hungry for the young man before him. It had been too many months since he had coupled with anyone, and in reality he now knew that he had been a widow for five months, and not known of it.
Dominic read his mind. He removed his clothes for his leader without a command. It was now dark, but for a single tallow candle. Romanus eyes adjusted enough to take in the shadowed form of the perfect male body before him. Dominica's sable hair fell to his shoulders, where it brushed against the smooth shoulder blades. Dominic had large brown trusting eyes that glowed in the half light. Romanus continued to take an inventory of the young man's beautiful face. There was a winsome smile from a generous mouth, two perfect rows of teeth his nose was short and pert, but his most unusual feature which heightened his good looks was a dimpled chin that Romanus suspected would make him attractive his entire life.
However it was the body before him that caused Romanus to feel the blood flow down and hardened his penis as his testicles became rock hard as well with his need for this young charmer. Although given a choice he thought that he preferred women, this young man was sexy, he was lean with long muscular limbs. The hair on his body was blond, and almost invisible except for some dark strands upon his balls. Romanus quickly undressed himself, and invited Dominic over to his side. He wanted Dominic badly, and hoped that there would never be cause to regret this action.
Dominic seemed delighted to be with his lord. He cautiously placed his hand on Romanus hardened cock watching for a sign to go on.
"Oh yes, that feels good." Romanus had shut his eyes and started to pretend that he was with his lost love, although she never had the skill to do what Dominic was doing.
Dominic was now firmly traveling along his shaft, up and down causing it to harden unmercifully and then he lightly tickled a finger over the tender head that was straining out of it's foreskin, and then down to his balls where he touched lightly.
After a moment Dominic kneeled down and took the head of his master's penis in his mouth. Careful not to use his teeth, he sucked at the hungry cock Working back and forth while daringly flickering his tongue he teased until the Pre cum to started running.
"Ohh God, that feels sooo good." Romanus was enjoying every second.
"Do you want me to make you cum now, or would you like to fuck me?"
"I want to enter you! I haven't fucked anyone in such a long time believe me Dominic!"
"Right now I can only think of your beautiful cock, and where I hope you'll put it!"
After those few words were exchanged. Dominic lay on the bedding and then reached upward with his legs so they met his shoulders which placed his ass in a position for entry. Romanus got his first view of Dominic's slightly open anus. In many ways Romanus found this manhole more welcoming than a woman's. It presented more of a challenge to enter but that made the ride that much more exciting. He took some scented oil poured it in his hand and quickly bathed his throbbing cock that now seemed to have a mind of it's own and wanted nothing more than to invade the target before it. The youth moaned in anticipation.
Romanus took first one finger still moist from the oil and slipped it inside the hot hole. There was no resistance, as his young partner was more than ready. Romanus knew enough about men's enjoyment to push a second finger into the flesh tube, and caress the area that would drive Dominic to distraction and relax the anus even more for his initial penetration. He couldn't wait any longer. He removed his fingers, and positioned himself so he could gently ease his penis' crown into the opening. Dominic gasped but restrained from yelling out.
Quickly the shaft followed and Romanus' member was deep inside his partner. The tension of Dominic's rectum invited Romanus to move his penis ever faster. He pulled in and out back and forth deeper into the warm bowels. It felt so good having his cock clutched by the tight living walls. Dominic was such a good fuck. Harder and faster he rammed into him, no battle ever brought such pleasure! The flesh tube grasped him, clenching and hugging his raging penis until they both were shaking in a mutual orgasm and Romanus could not hold himself back a moment longer. His sperm erupted, heated and bathing the raw cavity. Dominic clenched demanding more, and there was more It had been too long since the last time Romanus had this kind of pleasure.
Then After, when Romanus had spent his pent up fevers he told the young soldier such things he normally would not have shared with one whose status was so below his own.
As Dominic lay naked beside his master he heard the name, Saffron that his Lord had chosen for his daughter. He had smiled to himself at the odd choice of names, and then wondered why he felt an odd premonition that Romanus was telling him something of the utmost importance.
"Isn't Saffron red my Lord, and your child was so very golden."
"Red is for her lips, and that she grow up to be a courageous child, and make more decisions for herself than her mother did. The yellow for the color of the dye that comes only from Saffron. I confess that I love it's golden hue, far better than the purple that only my class is permitted to wear. Saffron is a lovely name for a maiden, and besides Dominic, I had pledged to name my first born son Basil, after my own departed father, so I felt I owed her the name of a seasoning as well.
"Yes, it's a beautiful name." Dominic continued to listen as Romanus swore he would never love another woman from outside his own society. He listened carefully to his Lord, learning several secrets of the state that he could file away incase some day he had use of such information...
Chapter Five
...For most that were leaving behind boyhood their masculinity was expected and encouraged. However because the Count had a deep-set fear, a displacement of his guilt, he was afraid that Romanus would return at any moment and snatch his grandchild. He therefore refused to permit his grandson to outgrow his ability to disguise himself as a female. Because of this, Saffron's hair had never been cut, and his grandfather made him pledge never to do so in respect of his heritage. Many of the male Franks wore their hair quite long, they believed it represented liberty, virility, and strength, so the boy tolerated that his hair was waist length except when it got in the way of doing something, which was most of the time. The Count knew it would be impossible now to pass an illiterate village maid as a nobleman's daughter, but Saffron could dress up as a female if he had too, he had turned out to be unusually pretty.
The Count however never considered how difficult it would be to convince his wayward grandson to disguise himself. Ron had inherited his Mother's looks but he also had an extra dose of her spirit and willfulness, which manifested itself in his independence that helped him to survive. His mother had been spoiled and greatly beloved, coming into the life of her doting father when he was in his fifties, unfortunately he seemed to have paid out most of his love on her, and had ambivalent feelings towards her child.
As the old man had been lately growing senile, and cruel at times he believed that Saffron was his beloved daughter, other times he accused Ron of killing his mother. The count would lash at him with hatred and frustration, and tell him that he was a poor replacement for his mother. Mostly though he treated Saffron the same as he had his daughter, fortunately for Ron, she had been a tomboy and was well educated He also loved his grandfather and put up with the abuse not knowing any differently.
As he was getting older his tutor had to once again be replaced. Ron, had a sharp edged mind, and had long since surpassed the meager basic language, mathematics and philosophy his poor rural teachers had mastered. He had spent far too much time by himself, and was usually extremely withdrawn with a boundless supply of energy. His best times were when he would sojourn in the stables, helping to exercise the horses. He usually disappeared into the woods for hours as well, unattended; his only companion a book taken from the library.
The Priest had heard of a young monk who wanted to spend a year free of his monastery before reconfirming his vows. This monk was considered to be a Latin scholar. The Count, upon the Priests advice, notified the monastery to make arrangements for the monk to live with them for this year. The monk would receive his room and board, and his small pension would be returned to the monastery as well as a generous gift from the count. When the monastery accepted the offer, Saffron's latest tutor was let go.
The tutor, glad to be relieved of his duties in this somber household left at once. For a fortnight Ron had his freedom to live in the dream world he had created for himself. He was in the wilds when the scholarly monk arrived by horse and wagon.
"Welcome brother, we are heartily glad to see you."
"Thank you, and I am glad for safe journeys end, so where is my student? I expected to see him when I arrived."
"He must be off somewhere. He'll be home by suppertime most likely, let's show you your room, and help you settle in."
The monk, Brother Joseph expected a quiet well disciplined student, not some vagrant wanderer who might drop home to sup when he felt like it.
"Does my charge, Saffron wander 'off' somewhere half the day?"
" Yes," admitted the Chamberlain, "And sometimes longer than that."
"I thought that he exceeded in his education, that's why my services were requested."
"He does Sir. He is a bit unorthodox."
"Just a bit! Doesn't he have any manners at all?"
" As much as you would expect from one as spoiled. You will need a great deal of patience with our Master Saffron, he has always been a bit different."
Supper came and went and still Saffron hadn't made an appearance. No one seemed the least bit concerned. Joseph was almost ready to go off and look for him when he heard dogs barking, and a muddy apparition appeared in the dining room
"Good heavens, Ron! you can't sit and eat like this," the Chamberlain admonished. "Go upstairs to your room, and I will have the servants bring up a bath. Then hurry back down, your teacher is here."
"The one who knows all about Aristotle and Socrates. Where is he? "the boy asked Ron then noticed the monk. He went over and clasped the large right hand of the irritated monk who feared that this strange being would dirty his hand. He wondered how any young man who fell into a mud pile could have any intelligence at all. Had he been tricked into trying to teach an imbecile, no wonder they couldn't hold on to a tutor for him!
The creature spoke, " Please come with me now, and you can start to teach me, I have so many questions that I would like to ask you!"
"You may as well go with him Sir. I will have his dinner sent up, then you can inspect the schoolroom which is next to Saffron's sleeping area." appeased the chamberlain.
The monk scowled and then followed the monstrous being from the bog. Not only was Saffron a disgrace, but he thought he saw something moving under the boy's tunic. He was about to say something when he was surprised with the battery of questions. Saffron who seemed to be unaware of the monk's first indication of censor, started to quiz him about his facts as if he were the one doing the testing. He finally left Joseph in the schoolroom after a servant informed him that his bath was ready. Joseph, left alone walked around examining the unusual materials in the room that constituted the schoolroom.
There was neither order nor books. Instead, he saw a motley collection of rare maps, a helioscope, and an assortment of objects that his odd student must have collected himself such as rocks, deer antlers, and plants. As he started to examine a birdcage where Saffron was keeping an injured morning dove he heard a sound behind him. He turned around to see a naked angelic figure standing on the floor, water gathering beneath his toes. Joseph wasn't prepared for his own reaction. His vow of chastity had kept him from thinking of women in a lustful manner for several years. Now in front of him devoid of mud was clearly a youth, but of such effeminized beauty it made him catch his breath. Saffron was an extraordinary beauty, and obviously totally innocent of it. Joseph instantly knew that he now had his hands full.
"You must put your clothes on!" he said.
"I'm sorry, I just thought that something you said about Strabo and his poem 'De Visionibus Wettini', there was a contradiction. I came to discuss it with you. I thought his idea of purgatory expressed, was the same as hell."
"FIRST get dressed, I order you! "
"Yes, I'm sorry, usually I'm not this way at all I'm just so excited to finally have someone to talk with, listen please don't go away. I'll be right back." Saffron blushed in shame as he finally seemed to realize that presenting himself naked to his new tutor was highly improper. He stood a moment frozen, looking like he was ready to cry, still standing baring himself to the monk.
"Saffron, go get dressed!" What was wrong with him, the Monk wondered, and for a minute the Monk's heart beat too fast. His student without his mud bath had looked too much like a female, soft skin, tiny hips and waist, rosy nipples, long long golden hair, and no modesty at all or was it complete innocence, his manhood was small and perfect, the monk's eyes drunk in the display of the glistening petite beige scrotum, and sculptured penis wet from the bath looking like creamy glass. It wasn't what he had expected, and his reaction horrified him. He didn't know what he had anticipated, certainly not this. Like a maiden, but somehow a thousand times more interesting, more sensual, he felt electricity in his wake and his cock pulled towards the human magnet. This view of paradise might indeed lead him to battle hell. He should not still be girlish at his age, yet he was, and without the sign of facial or body hair or much else to tell his age. There seemed to be something very wrong with him, yet like the devil's work he was a well of temptation.
Saffron was back in moments. He was now dressed in work clothes, unmatched and lopsided. Joseph was tempted to fix his sash, but he felt his fingers burn and held off from touching him. He was only glad that his full robes hid his wanton interest in his student. Saffron now had a green object cupped in his hands.
"Joseph, I have to put this frog back in the pond. I brought it to the house so I could study it, isn't it amazing how much higher than it's body height it can jump! I was trying to figure out size time ratio of jump. I had planned to return it to its pond after I made the observations"
" I'll go with you when you return the frog outside the house, I'm sure he'll be able to find his way back to the pond without you personally delivering him there."
"He seems to like my body warmth."
"No, do not place him under your tunic again, your hands are warm enough! Saffron, you act like a little child! I was expecting one more grown." The monk thought to himself that his charge looked like a child too, he wondered if they had lied about his age, or was something really wrong with him?
"I am sorry then Joseph, that I have failed your expectations of me, I have been told that I am child-like and a few less complimentary things as well. By the way I like to be called Ron."
"I apologize, that was unwarranted of me. I am here to be your teacher, not your judge. Come show me the outside."
They slipped out into the cool night air. Ron knew his way in the dark, leading the monk quickly to the top of a garden. The monk panting from the exertion of following his sure foot companion, caught his breathe Ron released his frog, the slim pale hand letting go of a firm wiggling creature that had been too stunned to crock. The moonlight softly brushed Saffron, and he glowed like a changeling. He stood watching his frog hop into the night, as if it were a departing object of affection. Then he said something strange.
"You're going to leave me soon too, aren't you Joseph. Are you already regretting that you came here?"
"Ron, I've only just arrived. I am not going anywhere, at least not for the year that I promised your grandfather."
"Why did you leave your order to instruct me? I can't measure up to your companions there," Ron confided with him, "They say I am like a vampire. I'll drain you of facts and stories you didn't even think you knew. That's what my last teacher told me."
This was the beginning of Joseph's earthly infatuation. He didn't have a chance. Ron bantered for hours, bottled up from lack of fellowship. The monk admitted to himself that he loved him and pitied him at the same time. Very few treated Saffron like anything other than an annoying pest. The pest had no personal servants, yet somehow belonged to all. One day as Joseph was instructing Saffron, the boy laying on the floor engrossed in a book about mathematics occasionally asking Joseph to explain a problem that he seemed to be working out in his head.
A servant walked in disturbing them.
"Saffron, your grandfather wishes to see you now." Joseph thought that the servant looked almost menacing. Ron pushed back his river of hair almost hiding his face to keep Joseph from reading his expression. Joseph almost wanted to laugh at the golden sheepdog that Ron became when he did this, but he knew that Ron always came back from his grandfather's presence in a sullen mood, and distracted from his studies, sometimes as long as the rest of the day. The room felt suddenly drafty, as he waited by himself.
Saffron entered his grandfather's sitting room and tried to greet him with a pleasant voice that would hide his fear.
"I am here Grandfather."
"It took you long enough, sit down."
"Yes Sir."
"Well, let me look at you, pathetic like usual, don't you know how to take care of yourself, your hair is a mess. I am not impressed with how much freedom this new tutor of yours allows you."
"My hair is too long for me to easily take care of."
"But don't you ever cut it, you vowed to your dead Mother, that you never will as you are cursed Saffron."
"Please, let me ask you, who was it that cursed me."
"Do you really want the answer to that child. I have never told you to try and protect you."
"I want to know, please Grandfather tell me how I came to be cursed." begged Ron seeing the night fears in his mind.
"Then because I love you, I will tell you. It is a sad story. When you were a baby your father came here. I tried to convince him to take you with him, but when he saw your too pretty face he spit in it and said that he wanted no son such as this, that I was to expose you in the woods, and let fate befall you.. He said that he hated your mother for forcing the marriage, and you were no child that he would ever want"
"No!"
"I pleaded with him to let you live, that I would care for you. He said then do as you please, but I curse this boy and will never claim him as my own. When he gets his first haircut the curse is released, and all who love him will sorrow. I told him to get out of my house at once, and go back to his land of witches and demons."
"Where did he come from?"
"Byzantine where they have sold their souls for the gold and riches they boast of."
"I am sorry."
"I saved you from a beast, but if you cut your hair I will suffer as I am the one who loves you, and he could hurt your dead mother too, and make her walk upon the earth as a ghost."
"From me, cutting my hair?"
" I know you are too stupid to take these things seriously, so that is why I have had you vow to me everyday you will not cut it, stop running your fingers through your mop! Saffron, you are such a dull ungracious brat! Your mother was a loyal loving daughter. I had to lose her, and have you in her place. You couldn't be born like a normal baby, but had to turn around inside of her to make us have to cut you out, and kill her in the process. She would tell me twenty times a day how much she loved me."
"I love you Grandfather."
"Your love means nothing Saffron, as I know that you don't mean it."
"But, I do love you."
"If you loved me you wouldn't embarrass me with the dirty things that you do. I have been told that you touch your penis which is a very evil thing to do.
Ron flushed with embarrassment, how did his grandfather know that he touched himself. He couldn't help, it felt good to him, and comforting. He would try very hard for his grandfather's sake to keep his hands away at night especially now that he realized someone was spying on him. Sometimes he admitted to feeling the presence of dark eyes watching him, he had tried to ignore it, thinking it was in his own imagination. He did know that often he would awaken in the morning the covers off, and his bed felt damp and sticky. Often, before Joseph arrived his penis felt raw in the morning, he wondered if he was masturbating in his sleep.
Several times he thought that he saw marks like teeth might make in the tender skin of his testicles He could only promise to try harder now to keep his hands away, at least Joseph had stopped them from giving him the warm milk with the strange sweet taste before he went to bed to keep him from his nightmares, now he no longer wet his bed at night, he figured it was related. Sleeping with Joseph was his greatest comfort. He didn't want to admit it to anyone but he was afraid of the dark. He would try and make his grandfather proud of him by keeping his hands away, it was easier when he had Joseph's warm body beside him.
"No. please. I will try to do better, I promise."
"What do you promise to do better with Saffron."
"I will keep my hands off myself."
"And away from what, say it. What will you stop touching."
"I will stop touching my penis."
"I hope then, that you can keep your word. Well I do love you. Come close, child you can kiss me now and go."
"Ron kissed the old man on his cheek."
"Sometimes my boy you are sweet like your mother, you can go back to your study."
When Ron returned he was upset and no longer able to concentrate on his work, so Joseph let him go for the day.
It was like that so many days. Mostly his student was a sponge that had been deprived of a good education for too many years. Joseph wondered at the caliber and nature of his past tutors as Ron seemed to have been previously self-educated He would hear a fact once and it was absorbed, when he wasn't off somewhere in a dream world. Then Joseph started to hear the unbelievable rumor, that Saffron was a Constantinople lord, how could that be?
Finally he confronted the old Priest who shared the tale of how Saffron had been switched for another, to deceive his natural father. The Priest was not happy with the results, and felt the sin weighting on him that the young lord had been kept from his true station in life, and allowed to run wild like a feral animal for too many years. The two religious men meet to discuss the problem eating away at both of them.
"Some might say he is a fairy child, but I was there at his birth, giving last rites to his mother. Perhaps when we baptized another in his place we created a changeling. I sometimes have wondered if he truly has grown to be a male," the Priest mentioned.
"Forgive me for describing him to you. He revealed himself to me when first I arrived but yes he is all male, but un-naturally small and immature. If he was living in Constantinople at this time I might question that he was a eunuch, but he has his genitals in tact. He has no female body parts other than he is still smooth like a lady, or so I would imagine a woman to be, I saw neither wings nor a tail for that matter."
"So you saw him from behind as well?" asked the Priest
"He got out of his bath and came to talk with me, it was as if he didn't realize that he wasn't wearing any clothes."
"Like a village idiot, yet he seems clever, he learned Latin before he was four." stated the Priest.
"Yes, in some ways he is smarter than me, and at times I feel like I'm still dealing with a four year old. His mind will jump a thousand miles away, and I've lost him."
"I think that much of that might have had to do with his grandfather. He has always been torn between loving and loathing the boy. To do most of his dirty work when the child was small he hired tutors that were cruel taskmasters. The boy was well beaten when he was young. Often his eyes were red from crying, and I would see bruises on his hands. The count allowed those others to break the boy's spirit for him. He wanted his daughter back, but couldn't tolerate the gentle little boy that was his grandson. There were times I understand when they locked him in the crypt where his mother is buried for several days on end."
"God have mercy, what we do to our young! it is a miracle that there is anything left in the young lord to salvage!" said Joseph now even more determined to help Saffron.
Joseph secretly composed a letter to Romanus. He mentioned how his child, was growing up. He referred to his student's brilliant mind, and how they needed the schools of Constantinople to continue their education, He stated that he was tutoring Romanus's child for but a year. The grandfather was incapable of raising them now. It would be providence if the father could see to his child's future. He was willing to convince the grandfather to permit them, to return to Romanus for a number of reasons. He would also be delighted to escort them there having always wanted to see the church of Santa Sofia.
After puzzling with the idea of revealing Saffron's gender Joseph finally decided that a letter was not the place to inform the father that his firstborn was a male. Joseph was afraid that Ron's father would feel he was being doubly deceived, and that someone was out to plant a stranger to steal his family of their rightful inherence. He knew that the original Emperor Basil had done something such as that, as he had once been a Macedonian stable boy or a swine herd he wasn't sure which story was correct, but he later became the Co- Emperor of the Byzantine empire, and finally the Emperor after he killed his partner.
It was his descendants that still held the office, they were also known for their treachery to each other. The current Empress had poisoned her first husband to marry a much younger man, the brother of two court eunuchs, who also died under odd circumstances.
He had also heard that Romanus had been the representative of the Empress Zoe to the French Court of King Henrii. The youth's mother had been serving in court as an attendant of the Princesses Suzanne de Provence. The mother had been a young impressionable fifteen-year-old beauty raised in this backwater without a mother herself. He was told that she quickly fell for the exotic stranger from the distant empire. They had arranged a sudden marriage so that Romanus could legally bed her without jeopardizing his diplomatic business. The original plans had been that after she finished her required year at the castle in Paris, she would have returned home to make her arrangements to go to Constantinople and re-join her husband. When she had discovered she was with child she had gone home early, back to her father's estate where she had died in birthing.
From what he also heard, Saffron looked so much like his mother that when Romanus saw him in person he could not deny that this was his flesh and blood. In addition he was becoming an amazing person, how could any father cast him away. To prepare Ron he started to teach him Greek so he would know the language of the Empire.
Chapter Six
It took several weeks for the sealed letter to arrive in Constantinople. Romanus was sitting in a courtyard, under a shaded tree with his wife when the letter was delivered to him. He had made the 'brilliant' marriage originally expected of him. Aregund was a relative of the Empress. She was a handsome woman, as were the five sons she had presented him with, the youngest now sucking at her breast. She didn't trust them to nursemaids wanting her babies to feed on her own milk. In the distance their two oldest sons were playing throw stick.
"Romanus, your line seems to run strongly with male children which is a fine thing, but I truly wish this last one had been a girl." mused Aregund.
Like providence he mentioned to her about the child of his first marriage. Her eyes narrowed in thought. A daughter was not a threat to her sons, and could be used to form an alliance for the family. The girl would be almost too old to pledge in a contract of betrothal. From what her husband had told her the mother was an outrageously beautiful woman otherwise he never would have married a Northerner, without much of a pedigree.
"Did you ever see the child? Was she normal?"
"I saw her at her christening, and she was a beautiful baby, blond like her mother."
"Perhaps you should send for her now, her grandfather must be getting on in his years."
Timely the letter arrived with it's warning about his child's upbringing.
"It sounds as if we have no choice. We must bring your daughter here. She sounds wild and will take some taming before she learns to be obedient to a husband, however with a little work we can make a brilliant marriage for her."
"You would be her perfect teacher, my dear."
"I know that I am free-spoken for a woman, but am I not a clever and understanding wife?"
"Yes, if my daughter be half the woman you are, she will be the toast of the city."
"It sounds like I should be envious of my step- daughter. If she has your mind and the looks of her mother she will cast me in the shadows, but no matter, we are in need of a marriageable girl in this family. It sounds like we should bring her here right away to protect her for that cause."
"To protect her?"
"As she is still young it is assumed that she is a virgin. It is important that she remains intact until she is wed."
"It sounds as if you have someone in mind for her?"
"I do, I am thinking of a powerful political marriage for her. I would like to see my cousin Leo wed, he is not only wealthy, but in line for the throne. With your permission let me see if I can work out the details."
"Is it fair to make arrangements for her when she is so far away? What if she were already betrothed to a Frank?"
"In that case they would not be sending her here, but from what you have told me about the grandfather he probably wanted her to be a spinster. Think about it, she is very old for a girl of her class not to betrothed."
"I do not care for Leo, he always seems so secretive and pre-occupied. I can't imagine how he will make a young maiden happy."
"Marriage is not about happiness!, besides Leo will allow her to live her own life, if she's as independent and scholarly as the letter leads one to believe she will be content to have a husband that won't dote on her or be jealous that she has other interests than him. I am planning what is best for all involved. If Leo will agree there will be some time before the wedding takes place for her to get used to the idea. Had I known that you had a daughter we would have done this years ago. It will give her importance upon her arrival, that she is engaged to a Prince, otherwise people will wonder why your oldest child is unspoken for. They will think her tarnished in some way."
"I have no experience in these matters. If you think it important you can make the arrangements with your cousin Leo."
"Thank you my Lord. This will be a great event for our family. I will make plans for your daughter, you must bring her here as soon as possible.'
"I will arraign for a troop to go to France and escort her back. Have no fear I will make sure to send enough serving women and eunuchs to protect her and keep my men in line. I would go there myself if I could, although I pledged not to return into the Franks lands again, but it will take months to reach her, and return, I cannot spare the time now. I promise that she will be well protected. The French monk has agreed to escort my daughter as well."
Aregund rose and got up with her well feed child to burp him. After the baby was comfortable again she turned to speak to her husband
"Yes go and start the arrangements to bring the maiden to us. What is your daughter's name?"
" Saffron."
"That is a beautiful name."
" I was the one who named her, I do feel guilty that I did not do more for her now than just provide her with a name, I was so young in those days that I had no idea about what a child needed."
"Don't fret we can make it up to her, so this girl is a costly spice, named for that more valuable than gold, I can't wait to meet her." Aregund turned to her own children. " Come Basil and Nicephorus it's time to go inside."
The boys had switched to tossing stones in the small fish pond. Basil was the heir, he was eleven years old, and dark like his mother, a compact build and a broad intelligent face. No one would ever call him beautiful, but for all that he was their pride. Nicephorus was a head taller although he was only ten. He already had the hint that he would have a warriors build. Their three year olds were twins, Samonas and Stephanos. They were off napping in the care of their nurses. The baby sleeping at her breast was only four months old, Euthymius. He had curly dark hair, and his eyes were already brown.
Aregund looked sadly down at him knowing he would be her last. He had been born with the knife, and the Doctor had said no more. Now she could look forward to greeting the young lady with the golden hair. The poor girl never had a mother, maybe she would be willing to be as her true daughter. In her mind she envisioned a delightful maiden who would admire her new found brothers, and relish Aregund's instruction in running a house and raising a family.
The Grand eunuch, Genesios was sent for. He arrived wondering why there was such an urgency in the Lord's voice, Romanus explained the importance of the journey to France. The eunuch would take over responsibly for the girl's well being. Genesios listened carefully to his masters instructions pertaining to selecting the rest of the household members who would travel with him. The soldiers would be led by the knight Dominic who had traveled to France with Romanus many years before.
Genesios knew that Dominic was fine choice to escort the young maiden. He was a handsome man but had no interest in young ladies. He was a good leader, and excelled with weapons. Genesios too, knew he himself, was a good choice for this journey as he was fortunate in his own strength and courser looks. Constantinople was filled with gelded men, but up north he would be looked upon as a freak, a maimed and unfortunate individual. He knew this from his friends who had been captured as boys in the Northern forests.
Romanus assured Genesios that they would travel in comfort, going as a small army. His daughter must grow used to the protection and protocol, and learn to be served as a Princess, as indeed she was. Genesios went away to select the most masculine looking eunuchs among them, and several useful serving girls who were strong enough for a long journey. He would need at least a week to prepare supplies for the journey to France and back. He also had to instruct his second in charge as to the running of the house.
Dominic too, had much to attend to after he heard the latest assignment his Leader had for him. He would make sure that trusted men were well armed to bring Romanus' daughter back safely.