The Merchant of Venice Or the Twenty-Four Nights of Lorenzo and Poletto

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Or The Twenty-Four Nights of Lorenzo and Poletto by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2006 written the 17th of June, 1991 translated by the author English text kindly revised by John

USUAL DISCLAIMER

"THE MERCHANT OF VENICE" 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 6 FIFTH NIGHT The Flight from Istanbul

Poletto, completely naked, finished arranging his master's clothes, under the man's watchful eye. It pleased Lorenzo to watch the boy move around the room naked and with an incipient erection. When the boy had finished, he approached the bed.

"There, it's done, my lord. Now may I get into bed with you?"

"Ah, but to do what, Poletto, to do what?" asked Lorenzo jokingly, passing his hand through his hair.

The boy looked at thim with a mischievous grin, then said, "To have you cuddle and caress me, and to show you all of my gratitude."

"And where exactly do you want me to caress you?"

"From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, everywhere you want, dear master; wherever, however and as much as you please."

"But do you want this before or after the story?"

"Afterwards, as you well know."

"And after the story, will you give me that beautiful little cock you have between your legs?"

"Of course, sire, of course."

"And that hot little hole you have hidden back there?"

"It's all yours, you know that by now, don't you? You know it very well..."

"Yes, and I like it very much. And this beautiful mouth, will you give that to me too?"

"Yes, of course, as long as you don't leave it empty and wanting, you understand."

"And these skillful hands of yours?"

They went on with this little game for a while, as Lorenzo touched and caressed him, then, when he saw that the boy was fully excited by his caresses, he took him into his big bed, he embraced him and said, "But you want my story first, right?"

"Yes. You had left off with you in bed with Guy, I believe."

"Yes, it was afternoon. After we'd made love, as I told you last night, I gave him the new instructions, another piece of silver, and we said goodbye. That same night I returned to Aaron's place, but a little bit later than usual. Abdul and Guy were seated at the same table and talking. I sat down beside them and greeted them.

Abdul asked the sailor, "You were saying?"

"That I remember him. I didn't know him well, because I changed ships when we were in Marseilles and so I lost track of him."

"Did he ever speak to you of Istanbul?"

"No, or at least I don't recall."

"Do you know if he had a lover?"

"A male lover, you mean? I don't know, but I don't think so. I never saw him go off with anybody, nor did he ever speak of anyone. We sailors, often talk about our flings whether with women or with men. Alano never told me anything. Why are you so interested?"

Abdul did not reply.

Then Guy turned to me, "What are you doing this evening?"

"Why?"

"Well, I'm free tonight and I thought... Do you live far from here?"

"No"

"Do you live alone?"

"Yes"

"Why don't you invite me over? From the way you're looking at me, I'd say that I'm your type..."

"Maybe another time. I'm not ready to go home yet."

"Too bad. Well then, I'm going to another tavern, who knows if I'll find a companion. I really don't want to spend another night alone. Thanks for the wine, anyway, friend."

As soon as the sailor had left, Abdul asked me, "Didn't you tell me last night that you liked that boy?"

"Yes, I like him quite alot."

"Well then, why didn't you take him home? He was willing and he likes you..."

"I didn't want you leave you alone. I'd promised you that I would stay here tonight."

He looked at me and wrinkled his brow, but said nothing. I was thinking about what to tell him when he asked me, "Have you ever been in love?"

"Not yet, but I'm still young. There still is time, no? And then, perhaps, I'm afraid to fall in love, because afterwards I can really get hurt."

"Yes, but it's worth it. It's really beautiful. Anyway, it's not anything you can decide for yourself, when you find the right person, it just happens and that's it. You can't fall in love or fall out of love of your own will."

"You really miss Alano, don't you?"

"Yes"

"Have you had another, after him?"

"Yes, a few flings, but in my heart and in my mind there is only him. There's no room for anyone else."

"Does it really hurt?"

"Yes"

"I wish... I wish, I could do something for you, but what?"

"It doesn't matter. There's nothing to be done."

Again we fell silent.

After a while I got up. "I'm going. Will we see each other on Thursday?"

"Yes, I'm going too. I'll walk with you."

We walked in silence until we reached my house. Here we said goodnight. I would have asked him up, but I didn't feel like it; the moment wasn't right, it seemed to me. But he, after making two steps away from me, stopped, turned back and came near me again.

"Will you come to the Genovese tomorrow night?"

"I really don't feel like it. Why don't you come here to my place instead?" I asked him with a lump in my throat.

He thought about it for a while and then said, "I'll stop by the Genovese first, I can't miss that, then I'll decide if... You'll be home, right?"

"Yes, You'll remember your way here, won't you?"

"Of course."

"I'll be waiting."

"I don't know if I'll make it," he said as he walked away quickly.

Late the next night, I heard a knock at my door. It was him. I was thrilled. We sat down next to each other and I offered him a smoke. He spoke again of Alano, and then fell silent.

Then he looked deep into my eyes and said, "I like you Lorenzo, but you're not my Alano."

"I like you very much too, and I know very well that I could never take the place of your Alano.

"I have the desire to make love, I really feel the need of it. I'd gladly do it with you, but it would only be a physical thing, you understand?"

"Yes, of course. I really want you too, from the first day I saw you, but I didn't have the nerve to tell you."

"Let's get undressed."

I'd finally succeeded. I felt excited and thrilled. I watched him undress slowly in the flickering light of the oil lamp. Following his lead, I did the same, my hands trembling with excitement.

When he was naked, he sat down on my bed, resting on his elbow with his legs apart, and he began to slowly massage himself provoking an erection. He had a lean but beautiful body. A long scar ran from below his left nipple down to his side, yet it did not mar his beauty. There was a triangle of thick blond hair on his chest, and a velvety covering of blond hairs on his arms and legs. Everything about him pleased and excited me. He looked at me with his usual sullen expression, but he watched attentively as I slowly revealed my body to his gaze.

When I was finally naked, I approached him. I was already completely erect and was slightly trembling in anticipation of the contact with that beautiful, sensual body that I had desired for so long. My eyes were beguiled and magnetized to his hand that still lightly massagged the length of his trembling spear, now completely rigid, and pulsating. He was circumcised, and the tip of his purple satin member glistened, and was adorned with a tiny, shimmering, liquid pearl.

I got up on my knees on the bed and he grabbed me by my flanks and drew me to him. He kissed me forcefully on the mouth and his tongue sought out my own nearly parched tongue. Then he had me lay down at his side. My hands glided over his body exploring its full length and discovering the firm consistency and intense warmth that emanated from it.

Siezed by the excitement, I murmured, "You're beautiful, you know?"

He looked at me seriously, then said, "You're exciting. I really need a beautiful body to admire and to touch."

One of his hands caressed between my legs, then took hold of my tool. With the other hand he twisted my nipples then caressed up and down the length my side, then my shoulders, and at last stopped at my face, making me quiver when he lightly passed the tip of his finger over my lips. That quiver traveled from the roots of my hair down to the tips of my toes, then settled itself on my cock, by now at its hardest and still held tightly in his strong hand.

He had me turn on my side and he leaned against me from behind, pressing his cock between my buttocks and caressing my chest and belly with both his hands. I pushed myself against him in a mute request to be penetrated, but he didn't do it. He continued to squeeze me, caress me, and press himself against me making me feel the full measure of his desire.

He sighed, "There's no rush, Lorenzo. I'll take you, but not just yet. Now I want to touch you, squeeze you...feel your yearning for me."

We continued to caress and stroke each other, allowing our emotions to flow freely, but holding back our burgeoning excitement

At a certain point Abdul was no longer able to hold back, and somewhat severely directed me to get on my hands and knees. He knelt down behind me, grabbed my flanks and resolutely pointed his hard, firery spear at my opening and pushing, thrust it completely into me.

Then he bent down on top of me and held me firmly by the shoulders while he nibbled at my ear lobes and my neck, and he began to impale me vigourously, in a determined rhythm. It was beautiful to feel him sliding in and out of me so hard and strong. With encouraging little words I urged him on, and then he let himself go, bringing me very intense pleasure. He moved it in with such skill so as to provoke in me a strong and growing excitement.

When he finally came, deeply inside me, I came too, abundantly, and without even touching myself. Abdul struck a few last vigourous blows, then rested inside me, motionless, as he slowly began to relax. We slid onto the surface of the bed, still breathing heavily, and with his cock still embedded deeply within me, we slowly calmed down.

Then Adbul peeled himself away from me and laid down on his back at my side and coverd his eyes with his folded arm. I caressed him delicately on the cheek.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, but it has been such a long time since I've made love in a good way. Just some quick encounters at the hamam, some quick tryst in the woods with a stranger. I'd wanted to do it better with you, but I didn't know how to restrain myself."

"It pleased me very much anyway. If you want we will have other opportunities to make love calmly and at length. Do you want to get together again?"

"Yes, but as I've told you, I'm always waiting for Alano. You shouldn't delude yourself."

"I know it, of course. When he returns I will stand aside, have no fear."

When he was relaxed Abdul made to get dressed, but I grabbed him by the hand.

"Not yet, I beg you." I told him, "It pleases me to see you naked."

"What is it you find beautiful about me?"

"A lot of things. You're a virile man, yet so sweet, despite your rough appearance. I wonder how beautiful you would be if you smiled. Ever since I first met you, I've never seen you smile."

"I used to smile when I was with Alano. Apart from him, life has given me little to smile about. I don't remember my parents; I was kidnapped when I was very young and sold as a slave. When I was eight years old, my master raped me. When I was older, I managed to escape and so I entered the ranks of the janissaries; hard discipline but lots of privileges. Then I met Alano and I seemed to be reborn. Finally, my life made sense and was worth something, but soon they took him away from me, they separated us. What do I have to smile about?"

"Why didn't you go with him?"

"I would have, but before I knew it, they took him aboard a ship. They confined me to the barracks for a month. Our love was too scandalous, and we made no effort to hide it.

"Couldn't you go and look for him?"

"Where would I go? The world is too vast, and I had no idea where he could be."

I didn't know what else to say, so I caressed him and he allowed it. His stared fixed into the emptiness, his mind immersed in who knows what thoughts. He then turned to look at me, and without changing his expression, he gave me a light caress.

"Now I must go."

"Will you come back?"

"If you want me to."

"Tomorrow night?"

"First I must go and wait for him, just as today."

"Do you want me to come and keep you company?"

"No. Wait for me here."

We saw each other nearly every night, when it wasn't his watch. Bit by bit his method of making love with me grew more gentle, though staying full of vigor, but it never grew sentimental. Still, I never saw him smile. Sometimes he confided in me, but always with just a few words.

In the meantime my business was improving, slowly but surely. I certainly wasn't rich, but I was doing quite well. I had been able to rent a shop in the bazaar, on which I had put a large painted sign with, "The Venetian", written on it in several languages.

And so passed nearly a year and a half. Abdul was in fact, my steady lover, neither he nor I sought out other encounters. But it was clear that between us there was only a strong friendship, the reciprocation of physical desire, but not love. Still, bit by bit, besides making love, we had begun to pass time together in other ways. Sometimes just to walk around the city or to go see some show or circus.

One evening I was waiting for him as usual, but he was late in coming. I was incertain whether to wait longer or to go out and look for him, when there came a knock at the door. I went to answer; it was Abdul.

"Come in. I'd feared that you wouldn't come anymore."

He came in, closed the door, and then in a whisper he asked me in an urgent tone, "I must ask you a really big favor. I don't know who else to trust. If you refuse, I'll understand, and I won't hold it against you."

Seeing the tense expression on his face and hearing the raspy tone of his voice, I was worried and I asked him, "What's it about? What's happening? Are you in some kind of danger?"

"I might be, but not yet. There's a person downstairs...Could you put him up for a while."

I pondered this for a moment then I felt myself tremble, not really from fear, but from the excitement I felt for him.

"Alano? He's here?"

"Yes, and I don't want them to find him out. I can't take him to my house, you understand, and it's not a good idea for him to stay at an inn."

"Have him come up right away, then."

"That's what you really want?"

"Of course! Am I or am I not your friend?"

He nodded, went downstairs, and after a while came back with another person and brought him in. Alano was much different from what I'd imagined him to be. He was a bit taller than I, solid, with brown wavy hair, and brown eyes highlighted with flecks of gold that sparkled vivaciously with every movement. He wore the classic French sailors' uniform, and carried a sack over his shoulder. They entered and closed the door carefully behind them. He greeted me with a vigorous and firm handshake, and looked me straight in the eyes with a smiling expression.

"So, you are Lorenzo."

"That's right, and you are Alano. I'm glad that you've returned."

"Me too. Abdul has spoken to me about you."

"And to me of you."

Abdul was tense and visibly thrilled. He did not take his eyes off his lover. We talked. Alano had finally been able to return and he had not forgotten his Abdul, with whom he was deeply in love. When they had forced him to leave, they had made him believe that Abdul had tired of him and they warned him against returning to Istanbul. Therefore Alano never came back, and he'd even tried to forget him. But he wasn't able to. So, finally he decided to see him again, and to speak with him one last time. As soon as he'd disembarked, he'd gone to the Genovese, where they had met each other so many times before, to ask for news of Abdul, and he knew that he'd certainly find him there that same evening. And so he'd waited and they finally encountered one another and Alano discovered that Abdul had never stopped loving him and waiting for him.

I asked them what they intended to do. Abdul said that he would leave everything behind and would depart with Alano. But it wasn't possible to embark on Alano's ship, besides, Abdul would have to go away and disguise himself or they would certainly detain him. We discussed these thing among ourselves. They must also be careful not the be seen together in the city because some zealous official might recognize them from the events that had occured four years before. It would be too dangerous.

Observing how they looked at each other, I could read the mutual desire in their eyes. Then I stood up.

"I'm going out for a while. Lock yourselves in and make yourselves at home. When I come back I'll knock three times, then once, then twice. Open the door only for me."

Abdul got up squeezed both my hands, looking me straight in the eyes.

"Thank you, Lorenzo. You're truly a friend, a dear friend."

I went out. I walked for a long time to allow them all the time they needed. After years it was the first time that the two lovers could be alone. In a way it saddened me, because I understood that now Abdul would no longer have any interest in me, but on the other hand I was glad that they'd finally found each other again. One only had to see how they looked at each other to understand how much they were in love. It must be wonderful to be so in love. It had been more that four years since they'd seen each other and nothing about their love had changed.

The night was warm and quiet. There was no one on the streets. Only when I arrived at the port did I see some activity. Under torches they were unloading cargo from a Pisan ship. I sat down on a large roll of rope and and watched the sailors work. Some were young and rather attractive. After a while one of them came to sit next to me. We exchanged a few words, but really wasn't my type, and soon his foreman called him back and the sailor returned to his work.

When I noticed that the sky had begun to brighten slightly, I thought that it was time to return to the house. Already the early birds were leaving their homes on their way to work. Soon I too would have to go to the marketplace and open my shop.

I went up and knocked with our fixed signal. After a bit Alano opend the door. He had a sleepy expression on his face. He was alone; Abdul had had to return.

"Thank your for last night, it was really good of you. You had to spend the night alone because of us."

"You both had the right to a bit of privacy, I think."

"But you? I took Abdul away from you."

"You know about him and me?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, Abdul told me everything, that's why I told you that I took him from you."

"He's never really been mine. He thought only of you the whole time. I've been only a diversion for him."

"No, not a diversion. You've been a good friend and you're showing it even now. I'm glad that he met you."

"Aren't you jealous?"

"What right do I have to be jealous? Besides, now I know that he loves me, and that he will never stop loving me."

"Have you decided what to do?"

Alano told me what they were thinking about. Abdul would have to sell his house, gather all of his belongings and they would try to flee to Provenza, Alano's place of origin. But they had to do everything in a way not to raise any suspicion, because a jannisary cannot leave whenever he wants to and they would certainly never let him go. The only way a jannisary could leave his post would be to die at it. In the meantime, Alano could not allow himself to be seen wandering around.

I went to the bazaar, but my thoughts were completely lost to the events that were happening. That evening I closed my shop, bought a bit of food, and returned home. I prepared dinner and we ate. It being very warm, Alano was shirtless and was wearing only his sailors britches. His chest was muscular and slightly hairy around his broad shoulders. His belly however was hairless, flat and firm.

I felt attracted to him but I tried not to let him see it so as not to embarrass him. Besides, it didn't seem right to try anything with my friend's lover. But the desire to see him naked grew in me, the desire to touch that decidedly distracting body. When something is, so to speak, prohibited, it often becomes much more appetizing.

Abdul arrived a bit later and I left them alone. In the meantime, I had a copy of the key to my door made and I gave it to Abdul so that they could come and go more freely. I had also suggested to them that they leave me a signal on the door to let me know when I could enter without risk of disturbing them during their effusions of love.

When I returned, I saw the signal on the door, so I went it. They were still both at home. Abdul had already found a buyer for his house and he thought that he could leave within the week. They were thinking how to leave the city without too many risks or problems, when I made my proposal to them.

"I intend to do some traveling, I want a change. So I've been thinking of going too. If you take a ship that goes directly to Europe, you know that the checkpoints are much more precise and strict. What do you say to going first to Egypt, then from there you two could take a ship to Sicily and from there you can go north? Alano could travel with me, passing as a merchant, a business partner. You, Abdul, should disguise yourself and travel only so far as Egypt. Alano and I could also transport your possessions and your money, that way you can travel more securly. As merchants it wouldn't seem strange for us to have lots of money and cargo."

We discussed it and my idea was gratefully accepted right away, then we filled in the details. Abdul would trim his moustache and he would cut his long blonde hair and tint it a clear brown. I would get him the suit in the style of a Romanian, and he was certain he could procure false Papal discharge papers in which he would be known as a certain Flavio di Guilio, a citizen of Rome. Alano, meanwhile, would pass himself off as a subject of the Duke of Savoy, my partner. Abdul would depart officially for Morocco, stopping first in Egypt, a few days before us.

When everything was set, as soon as Abdul had gathered his things and his more than ample wealth, Alano and I took everything to my storeroom and Abdul departed. On my advice he took with him a bit of money and he swallowed a few precious stones of some value. We didn't accompany him to the port so as not to be seen together, but from a distance I saw him embark getting past the document check without any problem and I saw the ship weigh anchor.

The following week Alano and I had finished all of our preparations and with all my wares and with Abdul's possessions, we too weighed anchor for Egypt without any problem.

"What a beautiful story, Sire. It really moved me. But weren't you sad to lose a great lover like Abdul?"

"Certainly, but at the same time I was also sincerely happy that he found his Alano again. Anyway Abdul had been my lover for a year and a half and it had been wonderful to make love with him."

"But it's a pity that you didn't also make love with Alano!"

"Well, the story doesn't really end here, you know?"

"You mean that you made love with Alano as well, Sire?"

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow, Poletto. But now I have the urge to do something with you."

"This time you'll do it the way Abdul did it with you, won't you, my lord?"

"If that's what you want."

"Yes, indeed! Are the Turks skillful at making love?"

"Abdul was indeed very good at it."

"What position should I take, to have you do it in the way Abdul did it with you, sire?"

"This is how it's done. Come here, like this, on your side. I'll lay down behind you, like this. Now you bring up this knee..."

"But this way you can't kiss me on the mouth, sire."

"Abdul used to kiss me after he'd taken me, and in this way he'd make me come."

"Well then, we'll do it that way too, this time, alright?"

"Of course, Poletto."

"Did Alano and Abdul do it this way too?"

"How should I know, but be still now. Do you want to make love tonight, or do you just want to chat?"

"No, no, I don't want to talk. With you I'm always eager to make love, you're so good at it."

Lorenzo smeared some cream onto the boy's little hole. He leaned into him from behind, and embracing him tightly, began to penetrate him. Poletto moaned.

"Am I hurting you?" the man asked, pausing for a moment.

"No, hardly at all now. I like it more all the time, just as you said I would, dear master."

"And do you like it?"

"And how! Push harder; don't be afraid of hurting me. Do it like the first time your were with Abdul, when he didn't know how to hold back. I would really like it like that too, I can sense it."

Once he'd penetrated him, Lorenzo began to move himself inside with long and slow, back and forth motions, savoring Poletto's tight but welcoming little asshole. The boy panted in the grips of the growing pleasure.

"It pleases you, doesn't it, Poletto?

"Oh yes, my lord. Each time you take me in a different way and each time it seems more wonderful than the time before. Push more, let me feel all of it, don't worry about hurting me." The boy said, and he began to stroke his own cock.

Lorenzo removed the boy's hand replacing it with his own, delicately caressing the hard and quivering member.

"You musn't come just yet, Polo, I don't want you to. Abdul never made me come while he was fucking me, except for that first time. I always came afterwards. It pleased him to look me in the face as I reached my climax."

"As you wish...as you wish...how wonderful..."

"What are you feeling, Poletto? Tell me..."

"Your beautiful, hard cock filling me completely, and you as you stoke the fire in my ass."

"And then, Polo, what then?"

"Then I like how you squeeze my nipples, it makes me crazy with pleasure."

"And then?

"And then I like it how you stroke my cock."

They went on like that until Lorenzo grasped the boy close to himself and began to deliver harder, more determined thrusts. Poletto shuddered with pleasure and pushed against that club that hammered his insides, and he moaned in the throes of delirium of the senses, "Yes, like that...yes, how beautiful...yes."

Lorenzo struck one last blow with all his force and remained deep inside, and pushing and pulling the boy against him, he emptied himself in him in a series of long and potent spurts. They stayed like that, adhered together, breathing heavily for several sweet moments, then slowly Lorenzo drew himself out and laid on his back. He turned the boy around, making him lie down on top of him, embracing and kissing him.

"Now, Polo, I want you to slip it into me, and fuck me until you come inside me."

"Me to you, my lord?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course, you know very well that I like it, don't you?"

"But Abdul never let you put it in him, did he?"

"Not him. But now it's just you and me, and I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to feel your beautiful cock completely inside me. Come on, take me and make me happy."

Lorenzo spread his legs and raised them up against his chest, and offered himself in that way to the boy. Poletto tried to penetrate the man, but wasn't able. Then Lorenzo took the boy's cock in his hand and guided it to his pulsating asshole. When Poletto felt the heat just inside him, he began to push.

"Do you like it, Poletto?"

"Oh yes, I'm sliding into you...how wonderful...it's so hot. But does it please you too, my lord?"

"Yes, go on, push, slip it all the way inside me. That's it, just like that. Good boy. Ok, fuck me now, go on, make it feel good."

And so for the first time Poletto experienced the joy of giving, and it gave him so much pleasure that after only a few strokes, he reached a powerful orgasm. As he emptied himself into Lorenzo, he let out a hoarse scream of pleasure. Trembling, he collapsed on the man's body who caressed him for a long time until he felt that the boy was completely relaxed.

Then he whispered to him, "You've pleased me, you know, my sweet little man. Each time you are becoming more skillful at making love."

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 7

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