The Harem

The Harem 3

Chapter 3

There are bells that are ringing at dinner. The locks on the large stone doors of the Harem open and the eunuchs come in. They are carrying stuff with them clearly.

“What’s going on?” Polo asks.

Polo and I are sitting cross legged in the front of the room drinking coffee. A majority of the other boys have gone to do their morning exercises. Staying in the best physical condition seems to take priority in the Harem. Exercising is one of the first things that they do.

“Don’t you know anything?” a boy asks Polo.

The boy is one of the lighter ones in the room. His name is Mendeecees. I only know because Basil had asked him in the morning whether he wanted to go exercise but Mendeecees replied that he was still sore from squats the night earlier. Most of us have similar skin tones but his skin is pushing quite pale. He is very handsome however with pink lips, a strong abdomen and a round plump ass. The boy knows he has one of the nicer butts among the boys because he always seems to flaunt it. He’s very conceited. I assume he thinks he is one of the top boys but I’m too new to really know for sure.

“It was just a question,” Polo responds.

These boys aren’t the nicest. Still Mendecees seems to realize just how ignorant we are and he “takes” pity on us.

“The patrons are bringing in gifts for us,” Mendecees responds, “

“Patrons?” Polo asks.

“Yes. Patrons. Each of us have them. They are high government officials. They get tired of their wives and come to the Harem. They take care of us. Some have more patrons than others. If you’re lucky you’ll get some. I doubt it though. Not with a face like that,” Mendeecees states.

He is referring to the fact that Polo’s face still hasn’t healed up completely. Alexios had done a number on his face. That’s for sure. It’s a shame because Polo really was quite handsome. His body was similar to mine. We were both much skinnier than a majority of the boys here, but his face was unique in its attractiveness.

Mendeecees shakes his head at that moment and walks away. He leaves us while Polo and I watch these people continue to bring in gifts.

“Must be nice,” I state, looking at the gifts being brought in.

“They make this place seem like torture but look what they get?” Polo responds, “All these gifts on a daily basis. Can you imagine when we get our first patrons?”

For a moment I think Polo is almost excited. To be honest I can see the excitement in his eyes. He’s probably not used to getting gifts. I’m not used to it either. The boxes the Eunuchs bring in all look expensive as hell. There was this one box that a eunuch places on a table that I swear is laced in gold. As they finish unpacking all the gifts from the patrons I just stare at the number of gifts. They are overwhelming to say the least.

“I wonder who they are for?”

“Can you read?”

“Of course, can’t you?” I ask Polo.

Polo shakes his head at that moment, “Never learned to read in any language. I wonder…can you read the Ottoman language Hush?”

I nod, “Pretty well. Why?”

“Who are the gifts for. What do they say?” he asks.

“I don’t know Polo. We should probably just leave these alone.”

“Just check.”

I hesitate and rightfully so. There are a lot of people walking around. Just at that moment I see Constantine. He walks into the room, sees Polo and I standing by the gifts and raises his eyebrows a little bit as though he’s half interested. Then he turns and continues on out of the room. For some reason I think he’s used to receiving these. I could only imagine how it is.

I walk over to the gifts. A part of me becomes curious that I start reading some of the notes. Each pile has a name attached to them. It’s clear the eunuchs had separated the gifts based on the recipient of each gift.

“A lot of these names I don’t recognize. Manuel has a few. Basil has a few more. Constantine has the most patrons, but it looks like Alexios has the most gifts. All of gifts for Alexios came from the sultan it seems.”

Polo sighs, “The gold box belongs to Alexios doesn’t it?”

I don’t even have to read the name to know.

“Yeah, it does.”

“I wonder what’s in it.”

“Polo don’t…”

It’s too late. Within a matter of seconds Polo’s curiosity gets the better of him. The boy is clearly someone who can’t help himself when it comes to curiosity. He is digging through the box trying to figure out what is in there. When he opens it, I watch Polo pull out all of these exotic looking candies that I’ve never seen before.

“Look… chocolate. It’s so good…” Polo states.

He begins to eat abruptly throwing the candy back at that moment. I look at him shaking my head.

“Alexios is going to kill you…” I state.

“Screw him…come on we are stealing some,” Polo states.

“Polo this is bad idea.”

“He burned my face Hush. Look at me,” Polo states.

It doesn’t really equal the same thing. Alexios had burned Polo’s face just because he thought he was too handsome. In return Polo was stealing candy from Alexios. I look over at Polo and I realize that this is his way of getting back at Alexios no matter how petty and silly it seems to be. At that moment I have some sort of respect for Polo. Even if this is a small and minor thing he is going to attempt to get even in some sort of way. Polo wasn’t the type to just take abuse like I thought he was.

The least I can do at this moment is stand by Polo’s side.

“Let’s take them.”

~

The afternoon passes quickly. I’m getting ready for the princes. Polo doesn’t seem nearly as nervous as I am. Maybe the taste of foreign, expensive chocolate in his mouth has really suppressed his emotions. I am standing off to the side pacing back and forth when Manuel walks in the room at that moment.

“What’s going on here?” he asks.

Polo hides his chocolate behind his back before Manuel gets a good look at it, “Nothing much. Just getting ready for our trial with the princes.”

Polo’s smile is genuinely loud. I wish I could be as calm as him. I’m pacing back and forth. Manuel has a look in his eyes at that moment when he sees me.

“You OK?” he asks me.

“I’ll be fine.”

Maybe I should take tips from Polo’s ease but I can’t. Truth is I’m nervous. What if I don’t do good? What if the princes both end up hating me? What if they don’t want anything to do with me? All of a sudden I realize that this isn’t just a game. I’d seen how quickly the Ottomans got rid of someone they had no use for. I’d seen how they killed the boy I travelled so far with. Constantine had told me the stories of how they dispose of people. Polo could mask his worries behind sweets but I didn’t have that luxury. I was nervous and it was showing.

“Relax, you’re so tense,” Manuel tells me, “Here let me give you a massage…”

He slaps the massage table in a small private room where we have been lounging for the past hour. Manuel has brought his own massage oil. He gives me a smile with these perfectly aligned white teeth.

Polo sighs, “I want a massage too…”

Manuel smiles, “Right after I give one to Hush.”

Polo looks a little bit excited as he gives me a wink. I think he’s enjoying this harem a lot more than he probably should. Manuel has been spoiling us for the most part. He’s sweet. All morning he brings us coffee from Africa and fresh fruit to eat. They were given to him by his patrons but he seems eager to share them. Manuel reminds me a lot of Loras from back home. They both have this urge to serve. As soon as I get on the table I feel the tension in my body start to get released from his hands.

“Get naked,” he tells me.

“Do I have to be?”

Manuel gives me a hard look, “Hush you’ll have to get used to being naked. Don’t be ashamed of your body.”

“My body isn’t like yours,” I respond.

“It’s perfect,” he tells me.

Manuel bites on his lips. I look over at Polo who is watching us as though watching a play. He fans himself as though feeling that the room has just gotten a little hot. I have to admit that Manuel has the tendency to have that effect at times. I blush realizing that we have an audience in Polo who is steadily sneaking chocolate as he enjoys me getting undressed as Manuel watches. Manuel doesn’t take his eyes off of my body the entire time.

When I am naked Manuel lays me down and starts massaging me. My body melts underneath his warm touch almost immediately.

“Damn…how do you do that?”

Manuel smiles, “Massaging is one of the 14 arts of the harem. The faster you learn it, the better.”

“14 arts?” I ask.

“They are secrets passed down from Harem slaves. They are sexual secrets that keep things entertaining. Pressure points. Erogenous zones. Pleasure techniques. These are all things you’ll have to learn if you want to be successful in the Harem.”

“Sounds complicated,” Polo states.

Polo lifts his eyebrows.

“Can you teach me? For the princes tonight?” I ask.

Manuel gives me a smile at that moment, “Sure thing. The first thing you need to learn with massaging is the importance of compression. Basically you just press down on one area, increasing blood flow and loosening the muscle. This is a good move to do before partaking in a deeper massage, just to warm things up and get the blood flowing. This is also great on the buttocks, where you can place one hand on top of the other and rotate slowly. How does that feel?”

He is pressing hard on my butt with both hands. I feel the loosening of my anus as he does it.

“It feels…amazing…I’m having trouble lying flat,” I tell him.

He doesn’t ask me what I mean. I think it’s very clear that I’m aroused. My penis is pressing hard up against the bottom of the table. I moan out as he massages me from the back.

“Turn around. I’ll help you with that,” he responds.

“With?”

“I’ll fix you,” Manuel states.

I look over at Polo, “Um…”

“I can give you guys your space,” Polo states.

“No need,” Manuel responds, “Hush needs to learn to be more comfortable with his sexuality. Stay, Polo. Watch me satisfy him.”

Polo looks at me as though he is just as uncomfortable all of a sudden as I am. I don’t have the chance to turn around because Manuel physically turns me himself. He begins to massage lower and lower until he gets to my penis. He puts it in his two hands and begins to work the shaft in between his fingers. He slowly goes up and down my shaft. Luckily Polo looks away at that moment as though realizing I’m a bit embarrassed.

Soon however I forget Polo is in the room. Under Manuel’s touch I just start feeling so calm and free. He continues to move up and down my dick with his hands. They are firm and slippery all at the same time.

Polo works up the head. He squeezes it a little bit. Then he does something I don’t expect.

He lifts one leg up and puts a finger directly in my ass.

I orgasm at that moment. It is almost instantaneous. My chest is drowned with sticky semen. Manuel’s hands are drowned with the stuff as well. He drains me with his right hand until every last drop is out of me.

Then he tastes it.

“You taste amazing Hush.”

He smiles at me sucking on his fingers. I’m so embarrassed when I snap back into myself and realize not only is Polo watching us but Basil has walked into the room as well.

“Sorry to interrupt whatever is going on here,” Basil states, “But I’ll need this room. One of my patrons is visiting shortly.”

Visitors. The idea of finally getting our first visitors into the harem scared the hell out of me. Basil doesn’t seem to be the least bit nervous though. Honestly if I looked like Basil I wouldn’t be either. Basil was tall and attractive. His height was the most attractive thing about him. He domed over most of the other boys with his long legs and lean body. He didn’t need to be as muscular as the other boys. He was skinny but not skinny in the same way that I was. He had an attentional slim tone that fit his frame perfectly.

“Can’t you take your usual room?” I ask.

“It’s too close to Alexios and he’s freaking out. Seems someone stole that special candy the sultan likes to give him. He’ll ruin my evening if my patron hears him whining.”

Polo and I look at one another. All of a sudden I realize Polo has a bit of chocolate on the side of his lip. I’m trying not to react to it but Polo gives himself up by nervously shuffling. Just at that moment both Manuel and Basil seem to realize what Polo has in his mouth.

“You didn’t?” Basil states.

Polo wipes the sloppy melted chocolate from his bottom lip. Just at that moment I’m getting up and wiping myself off. I am not going to let Polo just take the fall for this.

“He got what he deserved,” I tell Basil, “Alexios doesn’t know us. He intentionally hurt Polo for no reason.”

Basil lifts his hands up.

“I don’t want anything to do with this,” Basil states.

Basil walks out of the room. He’s being dramatic. At the end of the day it was just candy. Right? I look over at Manuel. Manuel is staring at the floor. He has the same mood that Basil had when he walked out of the room. He didn’t seem to want to be around at this moment.

“Is it really that serious?” I ask, “Some candy?”

“You can’t steal gifts,” Manuel tells me, “You can’t steal gifts from Alexios, to be more specific. And you can’t go around trash talking him. He just so happens to be very close to Basil.”

The idea that Alexios was very close to anyone blows my mind. He didn’t seem like the type of person to have friends. Alexios seemed like the type of person to have followers. He seemed to keep a flock of zealous sheep with him wherever he went.

“He’s a horrible person Manuel. Yes, or no…”

Manuel sighs.

“Even if I agree with you, that proves my point,” Manuel states, “You saw what he did to Polo, Hush. Do you really want those complications?”

“No…” I state, “I don’t.”

“It was me,” Polo offers, “I’ll tell Alexios that I did it.”

“No,” I respond, “No you won’t. I was with you. I helped you. No one needs to know anything. Manuel…will Basil tell him.”

“You can’t just do whatever you want around here…” Manuel tells me.

“Manuel that wasn’t my question. Will Basil tell Alexios?”

“I don’t know.”

“Will you talk to him?” I ask Manuel, “Please. Will you talk to Basil and make sure that Alexios doesn’t find out? Like you said. I’d rather not have the complications.”

I look over at Manuel. He seems hesitant. He looks at the floor then looks back up at me in my eyes. Then he takes a step back and nods.

“I’ll talk to him,” Manuel states, “I’m not Constantine though. Neither is Basil. Alexios is the top boy here. You need to learn how to pick your battles, Hush.”

They made Alexios seem as though he was on top of the world almost. Still, I have hope that Manuel will talk to Basil. There doesn’t need to be anything to come from some missing chocolate. It was nothing at all and we didn’t need to worry about it.

“Thank you Manuel. I mean it…”

Manuel nods reluctantly with a half-smile, “You’re going to be trouble for me…”

“Maybe it’s good trouble,” I smile back at Manuel.

Manuel’s smile gets a little brighter as he walks out, “You should start getting ready. The bells will start ringing soon. That will mean the princes are coming to visit to the Harem.”

~

The idea of being paraded around in front of these stuck up royalty to be sexually “qualified” wasn’t exactly what I had in mind as a good time. I bathe about 20 times over and over. I can’t get clean enough. I just keep remembering what I learned the first day about cleanliness. My heart is racing when I think of what it would mean if I failed. When I hear the bells I get even more nervous. I go to the one person who I don’t want to end up near.

I knock on his door and see him open up.

Constantine.

He’s shirtless. He seems surprised to see me.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to go to. I was just feeling----“

Constantine cuts me off, “Come in.”

His trousers are hung low. I can see the beginnings of his ass when he walks me into his room. He has swords hung up on the wall. I wonder if it’s real. This room doesn’t look like the sleeping quarters I live in. He had it decked out. There is a large bed in the middle of the room with a beautiful silk canopy over it. The sheets are silk as well. The furniture all looks decadent to say the least.

“Come go to the mirror. Turn around,” Constantine tells me, “Let me see you.”

I do what he says walking and making a quick turn. I have these voluminous pants that Manuel gave me. He calls them salvar or harem pants. They are quite comfortable and quite sheer as well. You can see right through them to all my privates underneath. Constantine seems to notice but not be too surprised by just how sexual it all is. This is very expected to him.

“Manuel’s idea.”

“He has good taste,” Constantine says, “You look nice. It’s clear Manuel has been taking his time preparing you.”

I have to admit Manuel has been catering to me and getting me ready for this.

“He’s nice,” I state.

“I think he likes you a little too much,” Constantine laughs at that moment.

I can’t tell if he is teasing me or if he is serious.

“What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean,” Constantine states and smiles a little bit, “You’re handsome. You better be careful. If you get too handsome, Polo might not be the only one with acid on his face.”

I get nervous. That’s the reason I was here.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure. Come sit,” he tells me, “Closer…don’t be afraid. I don’t bite you know…unless you are willing to give me gifts that is.”

He winks seductively. I wonder if this is how he talks to his patrons. I saw the number of gifts that Constantine got. Besides Alexios he got the most gifts and honestly he had more admirers than Alexios had. As I walk into the room I smell this sweet smell.

“What smell is that?” I ask him.

“Do you like it?” he asks me.

“I love it. It smells expensive…”

“It’s very expensive. It’s Susinum. A perfume based off lily and myrrh,” he explains to me, “Here wear some. The princes enjoy it the most.”

He takes a small bottle. I offer my hand for him to give it to me but Constantine doesn’t hand it to me. He puts it on his fingers and rubs the oils on my neck. He massages it into my neck. I exhale feeling how seductive it is when he touches me. His touch is so mesmerizing.

“Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“You can repay me by doing well tonight,” he responds, “Here. Wear some anklets. The princes all enjoy them. You can have these ones if you want. They were a gift from the eldest prince to me…”

He takes out these golden manacles. He also gives me a necklace that is made out of rubies. It hangs and falls at the beginnings of my chest. Then he walks me to the mirror and has me stand directly in front of it.

“I can’t take these,” I state, “These are your gifts…”

“I have way too many,” he responds, “The princes won’t even notice these are the same ones they got me.”

“It’s not about that,” I respond, “I don’t deserve these things.”

“I’m giving them to you,” he responds, “You aren’t breaking me, Hush. I’ve never been the type to really care about gifts.”

I take off the necklace and hand it back to him.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

He seems curious that I won’t take his gifts.

“Isn’t that why you came to my room? Didn’t you need help with how to please the princes?” Constantine asks me.

“I’ve made a mistake,” I admit to Constantine.

“How so?”

“Polo and I stole from Alexios today,” I explain to him, “We stole chocolate.”

Constantine’s face says it all. He looks very serious at that moment. It was as I expected. This theft was a bigger deal than I was initially expecting it to be. I thought it would be just some minor prank but the way the others are reacting lets me know that it isn’t. It is clear that this is quite serious. It is also clear that I need to find a way out of this situation before it gets worse.

“Why did you do it?” he asks me.

“Do you really have to ask that question?” I ask.

Constantine thinks for a minute. Surely deep inside Constantine must know how horrible Alexios comes off to people.

Constantine sighs, “I suppose not.”

“Is it bad?” I ask.

“Yes. I won’t lie to you. Anything involving Alexios is bad,” he explains to me.

“You’ll help me out of this situation?” I ask.

“I’ll try. Does anyone else know besides you and Polo that you stole from Alexios?” Constantine asks me.

He’s helping me. For some reason I knew he would. Just him asking these questions kind of proves that he is at least willing to think of something.

“Basil overheard us,” I state.

“That’s not good but not the worst. Basil and Alexios were lovers until Alexios caught the favor of the sultan. At that point Basil was banned from touching Alexios again. They are close but our only hope is that time has caused a gap between them. There is a chance Basil won’t tell Alexios anything. Not a big chance…but a chance none-the-less.”

I sigh.

Hopefully Manuel would talk to Basil. Hopefully Manuel would make Basil understand that it wasn’t a big deal.

“What if Alexios finds out?” I ask.

“You don’t want to know,” Constantine responds to me, “Don’t worry about it though. Late tonight the princes are going to pass their test. After that come sleep with me. You can stay in my bed with me until it’s safe.”

“What about Polo?”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Polo,” Constantine tells me.

“What about him?”

“He won’t last,” Constantine tells me.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying the burn on his face means that he won’t last,” Constantine explains, “They may entertain him for a while but sooner or later they’ll tire of him. He isn’t perfect with a burned face.”

“You said it would heal.”

“I said that to make him feel better,” Constantine responds, “I’m tired of telling the truth. I’ve learned what that can do when Julius killed himself. So yes. I lied. I lied to make Polo feel better. The acid burn is too bad. He won’t heal. He is permanently scarred.”

My mouth drops open.

“Constantine, I need to tell him…”

“No. You don’t. You don’t owe Polo anything,” Constantine tells me, “You should distance yourself from him.”

“Just drop him, because he got hurt?”

“He won’t last and he’s reckless,” Constantine explains, “Be honest. Whose idea was it to go through the gifts? You don’t seem like the type.”

I think about it. Polo’s curiosity was something that Constantine had discovered first hand when we all met for the first time. I think about Polo and the idea that he won’t last. It scares me. I didn’t know any of these people well enough to consider them a friend but I liked Polo personally. I liked him as a person.

“I’ll worry about myself,” I finally state.

I have no choice. I could hear Loras in my ear now telling me to stay low and stick to the plan. I couldn’t do that if I was protecting Polo. I just couldn’t. Constantine was willing to help me but it was clear there was a limit to his grace and he’d completely lost hope in Polo doing well here. It’s crazy how one moment could change everything. Polo was permanently scarred by Alexios. He’d probably not survive here because of it.

“Good. I’ll talk to Basil. I’ll cut him a deal. Surely there is something he wants. In the meantime, stay away from Alexios. Stay away from Polo. Stay close to me,” Constantine instructs me.

“Will me being with you keep Alexios away?”

Constantine shrugs, “Alexios is bold and sneaky. He runs this place. But I doubt he wants to cause unnecessary problems with me and my patrons. The princes all favor me. So he’ll have to think twice if he wants to trespass into my room and kill you in your sleep.”

“For chocolate?” I ask.

“It’s not about chocolate,” Constantine responds, “When you are slave sometimes the few possessions you have become your world. You’ve just done the worst thing imaginable. You’ve crossed a line you should never have crossed.”

~

The princes were coming soon. I could tell by how the boys were lining up in the front area. The front area of the Harem is a beautiful place. The beautiful baths and the high columns made this place feel like the Greek Olympus. The wall décor was lavishly done as well. The pretty tiles were lined up on the side of the walls.

I’m sitting with Constantine. He’s sitting right next to me. Across from us is Alexios. He’s sitting with several boys who had never taken the time to introduce themselves to me. Some are handsome but the majority are nowhere near as handsome as Alexios. I think he does this on purpose. He wants to find the boys with the low self-esteem. He wants to be around the boys who are handsome “enough”. Not too handsome. He didn’t want competitors. Polo has that appeal to him where maybe his jawline was a little too defined, his lips too full and his nose too contoured. Alexios didn’t like that.

“You guys look serious?”

I turn and notice Polo. I notice something else as well. I notice Alexios. I notice how he is staring directly at Polo. Alexios is smoking a hookah. He blows a large puff of smoke out of his nose before passing it to the boy sitting next to him. His eyes never leave Polo though even through the smoke.

“Just waiting for the princes,” I state, “Like everyone else…”

“Can I wait with you?” Polo asks.

“No more seats,” Constantine states.

“Huh? The bench is open,” Polo responds.

Constantine slides his foot up on the bench, “No more seats. Find somewhere else.”

It isn’t the nicest thing in the world. For some reason I never expected Constantine to be rude. He struck me even when I first met him as very truthful. He was truthful almost to a fault.

Polo looks over at me. It’s clear he is hurt. I think about that moment trying to convince Constantine to slide down and let Polo sit. I even think about leaving with Polo and finding my own seat with him. Polo was sweet. He was a nice guy. Constantine didn’t have to react to him like he had leprosy. It was unnecessary to avoid Polo like this.

Or was it?

I take a long hard look at Polo’s face. The scars weren’t healing. They weren’t getting any better.

I don’t say anything to Polo as he walks away disappointed. He walks over and joins a few people that I don’t think he knows very well. I am sitting by Constantine who just stares me hard in my face. It’s as though he’s trying to tell me something without opening his lips. I can almost read his expression and know that he is just telling me that what he just did had to be done.

Polo would be the death of me if I didn’t cut off that friendship now.

“Hey…” Mendeecees says walking over to us, “The Vizier would like to see you, Constantine.”

“What’s this about?” Constantine asks him.

Mendeecees shrugs. He points over at a few eunuchs who have unlocked the front door. I notice how many locks they keep on that front door. The Harem quarters are huge and so are the locks that keep us locked up in this place. The only outside we see are the gardens. They seem so afraid that we would leave. I watch as the eunuchs wait patiently for Constantine to get up.

“You’re leaving?” I ask him.

“I’ll be right back,” he tells me, “Don’t move. Don’t get up.”

With that he leaves.

I’m alone. I feel this nervousness. I feel even more nervous when I notice Mendeecees hasn’t moved from where he was standing. He still stands over me at that moment. It isn’t until Constantine completely is escorted out that he speaks.

“Alexios wants to see you,” he states.

Fuck.

My heart races. Had they planned this? Had they done something to get Constantine out of the room just so they could talk to me?

“I can’t right now.”

“It wasn’t a request,” Mendeecees states, “But if you want I can go back and tell Alexios that you refused him. Is that what you want me to do?”

I turn over to where Basil is. He’s laughing with some handsome boys from the Harem. He seems to be showing them some statue one of his patrons got him as a gift. He doesn’t seem even slightly interested in drama right now. Maybe I am exaggerating.

“No. No. I’ll come,” I state.

I get up and follow him. Just at that moment there are drums playing. It’s clear something is happening up towards the front but I don’t know what it is. I don’t have the time to watch because I have to walk over to where Alexios is sitting. He has a private booth there.

As I approach he just stares at me. He stares at me so fucking hard. The others he has around with him try to mimic his stare but Alexios has an originality when it comes to that. He leans his hand back on his chair realizing just how the light reflects on his face making him look dazzling.

“Coffee?” he asks.

He has some boys pour him coffee. One is put in front of me. He drinks the other. You would think by the way that he is having these boys serve him that he is a master and not a slave.

“Thank you,” I state.

I take a sip of the bitter coffee. I’ve never been a fan of it but at the same time I realize that I can’t really refuse him.

“I understand that you have something you wanted to tell me,” he states.

“What?”

“I understand you wanted to talk to me and tell me something,” Alexios repeats himself.

I’m confused.

“What are you talking about?”

My heart is racing at that moment. Alexios looks annoyed. He whispers something to one of the boys who whispers something to Mendeecees. Mendeecees has to be something of an errand boy. Maybe they like seeing him walk around so they can stare at his ass. I’m not sure. When he returns though I’m shocked that he has Manuel standing with him.

ALexios stares at Manuel, “Didn’t you say he had something to tell me…”

“Just tell him…” Manuel tells me.

This wasn’t happening right now.

“Manuel…”

“Just tell him about the chocolate,” Manuel cuts me off, “it’ll be easier. It won’t go as bad on you if you tell him.”

I’m shocked! I was expecting Basil to tell Alexios but Manuel was the one who was making it slip now. Alexios stares at me. He has this disgusted look on his face. He knew. It was clear that he knew enough to assume what I wanted to tell him. I wondered if Manuel had included Polo in this. I’m sure that he did, but for some reason I had the feeling Alexios didn’t really care for Polo anymore. Polo wasn’t a threat to him any longer with a burned face. I was here because I was still a threat to him.

“You know already,” I tell Alexios.

“You stole my stuff,” Alexios states.

What was this? Was he toying with me? He knew already so why was he asking me. Why did he want me to come out and admit to it? It just seemed like a practice of vanity or something. He wanted to boost his ego. Maybe he wanted me to beg or something.

I wasn’t begging. Not over chocolate.

“You going to burn my face like you did Polo?” I ask.

“So you did steal from me?” Alexios asks.

He’s so pompous. That is the only way to describe it. His lips sit high up on his teeth. He’s probably been handsome all his life. He’s the kind of guy that probably got everything handed to him without even trying. He realized at a young age what attractiveness can do and his ambition was to push it to the limits. Looking at Alexios long enough I can see that he isn’t even that attractive. He was handsome of course. He had all the physical features. For some reason though his ugly soul is peaking out and it makes him look so bad.

“I did it,” I admit, “So do what you want. Do your worst.”

He just stares at me with that pompous look.

Manuel looks over at him, “No. He promised he wouldn’t hurt you when I told him. I made him promise.”

I can’t even look at Manuel. He is making me sick. Was he so scared of Alexios that he ran to tell him what I did the moment he found out about it? I was hoping Manuel had a little bit more self-respect than that. I was wrong. Looking at him now I see nothing more than a weasel looking for a reason not to be put in a trap.

“I keep my promises,” Alexios states, “I just wanted to have some coffee with him. The princes are coming in any moment now. You should be getting qualified right. I’m sure they’ll enjoy you.”

“That’s it?” I ask.

Manuel seems confused as well. He turns to me and smiles.

“See it all worked out.”

Just at that moment I feel like maybe it was for the best. Maybe Alexios was able to not make a big deal out of it. Soon however it becomes very clear that I am awfully wrong. I feel something in my stomach at that moment. Butterflies.

Except they weren’t butterflies.

My stomach makes audible gurgles at that moment out of nowhere.

“You OK?” Manuel asks me.

“Stomach. It hurts.”

I get a cramp in my stomach. All of a sudden I feel like I have to use the bathroom really bad. I don’t know where this is coming from until for some reason my face wanders over to Alexios. He has this half smile on his face and it’s clear that this is his doing.

“Nothing like Arabic coffee is there?” he asks me before adding, “I made sure to add my very own spices to yours. Do you like?”

His very own spices?

Did he poison me?

I look down at the coffee. Something is floating in there.

“What did you do?” I panic.

Alexios smiles, “I put natural laxatives in your coffee. Just in time for you to get fucked. It’ll be interesting how the princes respond when you shit on their dicks tonight….”

To read the next chapter please go to www.crushedcrown.com