THE HISTORY OF CHAKI THE MOOR by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2009 written on on June 21, 2002 translated by the author English text kindly revised by Derek
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"THE HISTORY OF CHAKI THE MOOR" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
Chapter 8 - THE BAKER AND THE HERETIC
RhŽmy talked with Chaki and Balint with Miklos, so that the four now were often talking together, especially when they had finally crossed Bohemia's boundaries and it was no longer necessary to hide Chaki. They crossed the border without problems. Even if Stanislaw really had reported the two boys, nobody had searched for them during their journey and nobody could look for them any more now that they were out of the Bohemian kingdom.
At times the two young gypsy men covered for the boys so that they could be together and quietly make love, and at times, it was the two boys who covered the two men's encounters. Between the four of them was born a strong liking and also very strong comradeship.
When they finally reached the capital of the duchy of Bayern, Balint and Miklos said goodbye to the two boys and wished them good luck.
"I can't give you back your gold coins, even though at this point I would do it more than willingly, because we gave them to our women and we can't get them back." Balint said when they parted, "But we want to give you a gift, so that you will remember us."
He gave the two boys two beautiful gold filigree rings, open in the lower part so that, when taken off the finger, they could be fitted one into the other so becoming a sphere.
Chaki and RhŽmy started to tour the busy town, trying to find work. They were lucky. On the third day, when they were still looking around, both were hired by a baker who, having acquired the privilege of being chosen as the supplier to the troops of duke Wilhelm IV Wittelsbach, needed to urgently increase his personnel.
The man at first seemed rather perplexed about Chaki, in fact he had never seen a black boy before, and he even asked if by any chance the boys was ill. Anyway he decided to hire both of them. The numerous new boys, who the old workers were teaching to knead the bread, to make it rise, cut the loaves, put them in the oven and so forth, were housed in a low wide building, that was formerly a stable, in the yard behind the baker's shop.
The old carved wood partitions that previously formed the horses' stalls, had been cleverly turned into a double row of small rooms, each containing two palliasses. The floor was still a dirt floor, the partitions were tall about the height of a standing man, and low wooden gates that had been modified so as to become doors, blocked and closed off the fronts. Each of these small rooms also had a wooden chest that was used to keep the boys' belongings, and as a sitting bench. In each there was also a lantern and a bucket to wash them. At the end of the double row of cells there was also a makeshift toilet. The cells nearest to the entrance gate were used as storerooms for the flour sacks.
Chaki and RhŽmy started their work, happy to have settled down and to be able to share, alone, the same cell. Also the other boys at fist were curious about Chaki, and also, the first days, they asked him if they could touch him, and in particular, his short frizzy hair.
The work was heavy, they had to unload and load the heavy flour sacks, knead with all their energy, and occasionally also to carry the baskets loaded with loaves to the military quarters. This unceasing and continuous activity had a beneficial effect on their bodies, which soon became stronger.
RhŽmy gradually was changing back to his natural skin and hair colour, but nobody seemed to notice it, also because they were often so covered by flour dust, they seemed more like white ghosts than human beings.
During the night, after the lanterns were off and being very careful not to make any noise, the two boys would make love in relative quietness, and gave themselves to each other. When they were kissing all over their bodies, they could taste the flour and that was an odd sensation, albeit not unpleasant. On alternate days, the master would give his boys, besides bread fresh from the oven, cheese or sausage or eggs for lunch, and a bowl of boiled vegetables for supper. On Sundays he also gave them a small carafe of beer.
On Sunday all the boys had to go to mass in St. Peter's church together with the master's family, who was a fervent Catholic. The Duke favoured the Catholics and would make life difficult for Protestants. But as the boys usually wore only old and patched up clothes, they had to stand at the back of the church, near the entrance door. The master's family however, had a bench enclosed by two small gates which had the family name carved on them.
The master had five children who worked with him in the shop. The oldest one was Matzke who was twenty-tree, and the youngest, a girl, was fifteen years old. Matzke was big and stout like his father, had short blond-reddish hair and hazel eyes. He had big hands and feet, was slightly on the plump side even though it was mainly muscle.
Matzke was practically the boys' chief. He didn't ill treat them provided they worked hard, but used with them a tone of brisk authority. His coarse voice could be often heard yelling orders. If one of the boys did something wrong or if he was slow, his big hands fell on the hapless boy's arse with such a violence so as to make him jump two or three steps forward.
Neither Chaki nor RhŽmy ever got one of the powerful slaps from the young man, as they both were always careful and fast and never wasted their time. By evening they were tired but, in spite of that, they were satisfied. And above all they were happy to be together and to make love.
One day, Matzke asked Chaki to help him to bring some sacks of flour into the bakery. They went together to the former stables, which were at that moment deserted. After their third trip back to take the last two sacks, Matzke pushed Chaki with his big hands against the pile of sacks.
"Chaki, you have to satisfy my curiosity" he said in his baritone voice, looking straight into the boy's eyes.
"Yes, Matzke?"
"Yes. What are you like, down there?" he asked pointing between the boy's legs, but without touching him.
Chaki giggled, "Like all the others, of course." he answered.
"No, because your face is not like that of all the others, it's black."
"Well, I'm black there too, but there is no other difference."
"Let me see it, come on!" the young man insisted.
"No. I don't feel like it."
"Come on! Nobody can see us here. Lower your breeches and let me see."
"Matzke, there is no need toÉ" Chaki said, trying to get away from the master's son.
"But I want to see itÉ and touch it. I bet that you too touch yourself down there to satisfy your desires, don't you? Have you never done it with another boy? Possibly with that RhŽmy with whom you are such a close friend, with whom you sleep? I bet that in the dark you amuse yourselves, with each other."
"Matzke, let's go back to work."
"And possibly you also take each other into your mouths? And you fuck each other in the arse, I bet."
"Matzke, stop it!" the boy protested, annoyed by the insistence of the other.
"Nobody tells me to stop it, boy! Now you lower your breeches and let me do it, is that clear?" the young man said, now in a menacing tone, pushing his body against Chaki so that the boy couldn't escape him.
"Matzke, please" Chaki said again, pushing with both hands against the young man's chest and trying to free himself.
Just at that moment from outside the stable gate the baker's voice called, "Matzke! Where in the fucking hell are you?"
The young man moved away from Chaki, put a sack on his shoulders and was about to go out when he turned towards the boy and said, "It doesn't end here, I always get what I want, remember that!"
Chaki in turn took a sack onto his shoulders and followed the young man out, giving heartfelt thanks for the providential call from the baker.
But the young man didn't give up. Two days later, while Chaki was kneading the dough, Matzke came behind him, firmly seized him by the waist and brushed against his arse making him feel his hard erection.
"I want you, Chaki!" he whispered in his ear in a hoarse voice.
"Stop it, somebody might come. Apart from that, I don't want it."
"I don't care if you want it or not - I want it. And if somebody comes we will hear it in time, as I put some crates in the passage and to move them aside they will make some noise." the young man insisted and lowered a hand to grope the black boy's genitals through the cloth.
Chaki on instinct turned and without thinking about it twice, pushed hands full of dough into the young man's face, soiling it. Matzke let him go and stepped back, trying to take the dough from his besmeared face.
Looking at Chaki with eyes filled with hate, he hissed, "One way or another I will get your black arse! And I will bang you until I make it become red, I swear! You'll see - I will make you become my bitch! Matzke always gets what he wants!"
As soon as Chaki was able to talk in private with RhŽmy, he told him what happened. The two boys decided they had to leave as soon as possible. But meanwhile Matzke didn't twiddle his thumbs. Furious with Chaki and determined to make him pay, he went to talk with several of the other boys who slept in the former stables and who, at some time earlier, he had taken and fucked at his will.
He got to know from them that quite possibly, as he suspected, Chaki and RhŽmy fucked together. In fact, in spite of the two boys doing it only in the dark and being very careful not to make any noise, at times the simple creaking of the dead leaves in their palliasses let those who slept on the other side of the partitions at the sides of their sleeping place know what was happening between the two boys.
He arranged everything with the other boys, also convincing them that even if they didn't catch the two in an intimate situation, they had to swear they had seen them do "those things" with their own eyes.
Therefore that same night, while RhŽmy and Chaki, half naked, were really engaging in their amorous adventuring, suddenly the low door of their box was opened and Matzke stood there with a lantern in his hands and behind him stood several of the other boys.
"Ha! As I suspected! Look at these two pigs, just look at what they are doing! Do you see? What a disgusting thing! Now we will tie them up and tomorrow I'll go and see the magistrate to report them, and you all will be my witnesses!" he said.
The boys flung themselves on the two lovers and with the ropes they had with them, they tied them together like a sausage, letting them lie on the palliasse. Matzke made a sign sending away all his accomplices. Then, raising his lantern, he looked at them.
"I told you, Chaki, that you would regret refusing me!" he said, triumphantly.
"But you didn't get my arse, you who boast that you always get what you want!" the black boy answered in a challenging tone.
"I could do it even now, right now whilst you are tied to your lover."
"What assurance have you that the other boys won't come back and tie you up with us, possibly while you still are inside me? Then you really would be lost, witnesses or no!" Chaki told him.
The young man seemed to seriously consider the risk and instinctively stepped back. "You will pay dearly, you little black piece of shit" he said and went away.
RhŽmy tried calling to the other boys, asking them to free them, to allow them to run away.
But one answered, "No, Matzke promised to give each of us five copper coins if we would be witnesses against you!"
"And you would sell us for five copper coins?" RhŽmy asked, "Even Judas got thirty pieces of silver. You are even cheaper than Judas!"
None of the boys answered, but none went to free them.
So, the following day, Matzke went to fetch the guards and the two boys, waiting to be tried for sodomy, were thrown in jail.
At that time, the duke's jails were rather crowded, therefore Chaki and RhŽmy were shut in the same cell as a twenty-six year old man. When the gaoler locked the door and went away, the young man, dressed in an elegant way and sitting on the plank bed, looked at them for some time.
He then asked them, "Why did they shut you in here, boys?"
"We are accused of sodomy, messier." RhŽmy answered.
"Ah, a bad charge, almost as bad as mine."
"Why, what are you charged with?"
"Heresy. The Duke embraced the Catholic faith and whoever is not a Catholic is accused, at least, of heresy. And if we are found guilty, be it you two or I, we can be sentenced to be burnt at the stake." the young man answered. Then said, "But being civilized people, we should possibly start by introducing ourselves. My name is Jšrg Kirschenhofer, and notwithstanding that my family is of the Catholic faith, because I publicly affirmed that all bishops are equals and that it is a nonsense to have a pope, I ended up in here."
"My name is RhŽmy de Bayeux..."
"From your name I would say you are French and of a noble family."
"It is right. My father is a count."
"And he?" Jšrg asked pointing at the black boy.
"His name is Chaki."
"Chaki, a curious name. Chaki what? Doesn't he have a family name too?"
"No, I was born in Africa and there, nobody has a family name." Chaki answered.
"And is your sodomy charge well-grounded?" the young man asked, studying them, then hurriedly added, "I suggest that you would do better to deny it, even though it wouldn't really help you."
RhŽmy looked at Chaki, who nodded. "It is more than well-grounded, messier. We two are lovers. This is why we had to run away from France, but it seems that wherever we go, we are always persecuted. The son of our master wanted to get Chaki into his bed and because he refused, he is trying to take revenge. So here we are."
Jšrg looked at them with sympathy. "Almost like the story of Joseph the Hebrew. But tell me, if you will forgive my curiosityÉ I know that such things happen, but I don't it know from personal experience, and neither have I known anybody who is like you. Will it annoy you if I ask you some questions?"
"Not at all, and if we are able to give you an answer, we will do it willingly." RhŽmy answered with a smile, feeling an instinctive liking for that elegant and refined young man.
"I know that it happens at times that a man feels attracted to another man and not to a woman. But what can two men do together?" the young man asked in a low voice, and lightly blushed for having dared to ask such a question.
That blushing made RhŽmy smile, and he, in his turn asked, more to understand in which terms he had to answer than for any other reason, "Would you please tell me what can a man and a woman do together?"
"Well... caress, touch, kiss each other and these things I guess, are also things two men can do. But then, from time to time, it is said that a womanÉ how can I say it, nature gave her three holes where a man can find his pleasure and it seems that some women find pleasure in being used in all their three holesÉ" Jšrg said in an even lower voice and again blushed.
"Two men can do exactly the same things, but they have just two holes, missing the one required to sire children. They are however, somewhat different from a woman, in that they can do every thing reciprocally." RhŽmy explained.
"And giving and getting the same pleasure?" then Jšrg asked.
"I don't know what the pleasure is like that a woman can get in doing these things, because I'm not a woman. But we both get the same identical pleasure, that is certain." Chaki then said.
"I see. And two men can also fall in love with each other?"
"Of course they can Jšrg. RhŽmy and I are totally in love with each other. This is why it is so beautiful for us to show each other our love with our bodies." Chaki again answered while his lover nodded in assent.
"I don't knowÉ I never seriously thought about it, and you two are the first couple with whom I can talk about such matters. But in my opinion, if what binds you is true love, I can't understand how one can be condemned for it. In spite of what we are taught, and in spite of how they support it with what is written on the Holy Bible, I've difficulty in believing that what unites you two isÉ sinful."
"If whoever accuses you of heresy could hear you say such words, I'm afraid you would be sentenced twice!" RhŽmy exclaimed with a smile.
"But anyway they certainly cannot burn me at the stake twice!" the young man answered with an ironic sense of amusement.
It was really agreeable talking with Jšrg, so the three of them went on to ask and answer questions, and gradually they told each other about their lives, feeling a strengthening, mutual liking.
They found out that Jšrg had been married, but that his wife died giving birth to their first son, who was now five years old and was raised by the young man's father. Jšrg's father was a wealthy merchant, a man who had some influence at the court and who had good connections in other countries, but who, in spite of all that, was unable to shelter his son from the heresy charge.
Duke Wilhelm was determined, simply for political reasons, to totally convert all of Bavaria to Catholicism, so he was extremely severe with anyone who didn't fully embrace the Catholic orthodoxy.
That night, after they had their meal and Jšrg shared with them the food that his family had provided for him, the gaoler came to put out the lanterns and they lay down to sleep.
After some time when they were lying in silence, Jšrg said, "Don't worry about me if you want to show each other your affection. We are in the dark so you can do it without worrying, my friends."
RhŽmy smiled in the dark, "Thank you Jšrg, that is a really kind thing to say."
"If we don't look after each other when times are bad, what's the point in living." the young man answered in a low but assured voice.
That first night, the two boys contented themselves with just falling asleep in each other's arms. Jšrg woke up before them and in the faint light that was beginning to seep inside the cell through the grating of the narrow window in the top of the wall, he saw the two boys in a tender embrace and thought they were wonderful and that it really was unfair to punish them for their mutual love.
Jšrg never felt the least inclination towards his own sex, and yet now, after having talked with them and seeing them so embraced in their innocent serenity, thought also that their love was beautiful and right.
He heard footsteps approaching their cell and thought it had to be one of the gaolers, so he bent over the two lovers and gently shook them calling to them in a low but urgent voice, "Somebody is coming, it's better if you part from each other."
The two boys woke up and saw his worried expression and Chaki was the first to realise what he was saying, so he hurriedly stood up freeing himself from his lover's embrace.
Then he whispered a quiet "thank you" to Jšrg.
The footsteps passed by their door without anybody looking through the peephole and Jšrg let out a silent sigh of relief. He was feeling a growing sense of protection towards the two so young and so romantic but unlucky lovers. At times, when one is worrying for others, one can get to the point where one forgets one's own misfortunes. The presence of these two boys brought much relief to Jšrg who up that time just saw a big black cloud over his future.
Just before noon one of Jšrg father's servants came carrying a basket with the meals in it. The young man said to the man that from that day on he had to bring more food. The servant nodded then stealthily gave a folded sheet to Jšrg and went away. Jšrg asked the two boy to keep lookout behind the door while he read what should be a message from his father.
After he read it, he hid it, called the boys to share the meal with him and while they were eating, said, "My father is organising my escape and I decided to tell him that there will be three of us running away so you will come with me. He writes that he has already bribed some of the gaolers and also some of the prison's guards. In four days time, these men will start a fire, then they will open the doors for me, and outside there will be a coach waiting for me. It will be a coach with the coat of arms of the Bishop-Prince of Brixen that the prelate ordered to be made here and that has to be taken to him. I will find inside the coach some ecclesiastical clothing and fake documents so I shall be able to pass as the envoy of the bishop-prince. I will simply ask him to provide clothes and fake documents for you two also in the coach"
"Don't you think it would be less risky if you were to escape alone?" RhŽmy asked him.
"No, the risk would be the same."
"But I am black, I would be recognised at onceÉ" Chaki objected.
"We will arrange things so that they only see RhŽmy and me. We can dress you in a monk's habit and with the hood well up and your hands in the sleeves nobody will see that you are black." Jšrg resolutely said.
"Where is Brixen?" Chaki then asked.
"Beyond the Alps, far from here. But we will stop at Bruneck - that is in the bishop-prince's lands so that the coach will get to him empty, as it should be. My father has friends in Bruneck. They told him about the coach and sent him the fake documents declaring I am the prelate charged with taking the coach to the prince. All is already settled."
"You are really good to put yourself about so much for us." RhŽmy said to him with a smile.
"Life has already been hard enough on you two. And when Chaki told me how he was kidnapped, sold as a slave, exploited, ill treated, and then you too, RhŽmy, I told myself that if it was possible, I had to do something for you. Up to yesterday I didn't know what I could do for you, but now I know and I want to do it."
"Do you think that your father will accept?" Chaki then asked him.
"I'm certain he will, as it's me who's asking him. My father is a good-hearted man, but he doesn't need to know why you are here. He has just to know that I want you to escape with me."
The following day, when the servant came again with the food for the three of them, Jšrg talked for a long time with him, whispering, and explained to him exactly about his plan to allow him a his two cell mates to run away together. The servant nodded while the young man was talking, letting him know that he understood.
The following day, the servant said that the father had given his consent to his son's requests and that therefore in the coach, besides the prelate disguise for Jšrg, they would also find two Dominican friars' habits which, with their wide capes and hoods, would completely hide the features of the black boy.
The waiting for the chosen day of escape became feverish for the three friends. The day before it, a gaoler talked with Jšrg to tell him that everybody was ready. The fire would be started during the night in the place where the straw was stored which was used for spreading on the floors in the cells, and they had wet it enough to get plenty of thick smoke. He told him he himself would open their cell door and lead them outside, taking advantage of the confusion that would certainly be created. He would also open the door to allow the men with the water buckets get in to extinguish the fire.
He also said that, once out of the prison, they had to sort the rest out themselves, as he had to go immediately back with two bucketfuls of water and mingle with the others.
The last day the servant with the food basket came again and told Jšrg that everything was ready and that, as soon as they were out of the prison gate, he would lead them to the coach that would be waiting nearby in a side street. He also told him that inside the coach they would find, besides the clothes and the documents, a basket full of food and a purse full of money hidden inside.
Jšrg asked him if, before leaving the town he could meet his father and his son, but the servant answered that it was not sensible, as this would delay their flight and also, if somebody were to see his father near the coach, it could connect him with his escape in the coach, which would then risk putting their plan in jeopardy. Jšrg agreed, even though he was upset at not being able to see his loved ones. The servant told him that possibly his father would go to Bruneck later to meet Jšrg and bring his son with him.
Finally the night of the escape came. The gaoler paid by the father went to open the cell door.
"Messier Jšrg, stay inside here until I come to take you. I have to wait until there is enough confusion before taking you outside." he said.
"All right."
"And if while you are following me, somebody should challenge you, let me talk, I pray you."
"But my father didn't only pay you, he paid other people as well, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did, but he couldn't pay everybody, because as you possibly know, we, the gaolers, are always the same people, but the soldiers on guard change in shifts. Anyway the other gaolers will keep the soldiers busy putting out the fire. I'm confident that everything will go well."
"Will the outside gate be open?"
"Certainly. When we opened it for the guard to change, my colleague just pretended to close it. After you three are through, he will shut it properly. Everybody will wonder how you could possible have got out, but none of us can be singled out as being responsible. The keys are always hung on a nail and anybody, a soldier or a gaoler, could actually use them and none of us will admit to having taken them or seeing somebody take them. Your father paid us well, but he also promised us he would pay us even more when he knows you are safe. Therefore, you see, none of us has any interest in seeing your escape plan fail."
Night fell, the soldiers were dozing and the gaolers were pretending to be asleep. Suddenly there was yelling, "Fire! Fire!" and an acrid smoke smell filled everything. Soon confusion reigned inside the prison, added to by the other prisoners, awakened by the yells, banging loudly on their cells doors asking to be let out.
After a while the gaoler who previously talked with Jšrg showed up at their door and signalled them to follow him. They passed without problem through the thick smoke spirals alive with soldiers and gaolers running in and out with water buckets. The prisoners in the other cells were going on screaming in terror and banging on their doors and the confusion was indescribable.
As they reached the yard, the gaoler pointed them towards the gate and left them. The three friends ran to the gate, opened it just enough to slip out, closed it and were on the deserted street. Suddenly a bell started to sound the fire alarm. A man approached the three fugitives at a run. It was the servant.
"This way!" he yelled and guided them to the coach.
As soon as they were in and the doors were slammed shut, the coachman started off. Inside there was a lit lantern that was swinging from the ceiling. Neatly folded on the seats were the clothes, the basket and the documents.
"Undress and throw your clothes out of the window, then wear these." Jšrg said.
"Why do we have to throw them away?" Chaki asked, surprised.
"Because if we were stopped and checked, we could not account for them, moreover they will already have a description of your clothes. Anyway it is not a big loss for you to lose these rags." Jšrg explained while he was undressing.
"But your clothes are very beautiful" Chaki said, starting to throw his clothes out of the window as he took them off.
"I will buy even better ones. Freedom and life have much more value than nice clothes."
CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 9
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