THE STROLLING PLAYERS by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2008 written on June 3, 1992 translated by the author English text kindly revised by The Australian
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"THE STROLLING PLAYERS" 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 1 - Vance becomes an... actress
One more day of thin and incessant rain.
Vance Elton loaded the bundle of hay on his shoulders and went towards his mother's hut. He was in a bad mood. If only his mother would be grateful to him for all the work he did, even while his brothers were taking a rest! It wasn't his fault if he was an illegitimate son, he didn't ask for that, and yet everybody seemed to be upset with him. Vance the Bastard! The stigma was sticking to him like a sore, like a leech, and it seemed he could not get rid of it.
Sixteen years before, his mother had been raped by the Count's son. When he saw she was pregnant her husband deserted her. Somebody had insinuated that the woman gave herself willingly to the young Count and this was the reason why her husband had left her. So now, his mother and his brothers were upset with him. It wasn't fair!
He unloaded the hay spreading it under the 'lean to' and went again to get another load. He was about to leave the road and enter the field, when he saw a strange wagon pulled by two lean horses coming toward him. The wagon was painted in bright colours and something was written on it. Vance wasn't able to read, but knew that it was writing. On the driver's seat was a man of about twenty-five, all wrapped in a sort of cloak with the hood hauled down to his eyes. He was spurring the horses, which were wearily pulling the wagon. The two animals seemed exhausted by the effort.
It creaking passed in front of him. Huddled to the man was another smaller figure, so swaddled was the form, that it seem more a bundle of rags than a human being. On the back of the wagon were sitting two more people, their legs dangling and moving at each jolt of the wagon on the uneven road, so that they seemed like a puppets' inarticulate legs. The wagon trundled on towards the village.
Vance went into the fields, gathered some more wet hay, filling his cloth whose corners he tied together, and that put on his shoulders, then went back towards the hut. While he was unloading it, he saw that the wagon had stopped just a little farther on in front of the Unicorn Inn. Vance pushed away his dripping hair from his eyes and looked with curiosity. "Who can those people in that weird wagon be?" he asked himself.
His mother called him from the hut's door, "Vance, you've to get some water! Hurry up!"
The boy nodded, lowered the bundle, went home to get the bucket then went to the well at the side of the Inn. Nobody remained in the wagon. They surely were in the Inn, possibly to have a drink. While he was drawing water, the daughter of the Innkeeper came to the well.
"Hey, Meg, who are the foreigners who just arrived?"
"Strolling players. They will stop here for a couple days. If the rain stops, they will do a show."
The boy looked at the multi coloured wagon and nodded in assent. He should have guessed they were actors, he heard talk about them from the old people. He hoped the rain would stop, he would like to see a show. He looked towards the sky, but everything was of a uniform grey, and the rain continued falling, drizzling and annoying, but it was still morning, so there was a chance it could stop raining before evening.
The day passed, slow and grey just like all the others. Just before darkness, the rain ceased. . One of the men from the wagon toured the whole village, beating a drum announcing the evening show. It was the story of King Richard Lion Heart. The other three actors were already opening one of the wagon's sides to stage the show.
When the show started, by the light of lanterns and torch beacons, Vance was in the first row. The ground was wet, so all the audience had to stand up. Dampness impregnated the air and it was rather cold, but Vance was totally engrossed in the show that was unveiling before his eyes. The actors were speaking with stentorian voices. Vance at once caught the characters. One was the good man (King Richard), another the bad man (John of Locksley), another the comic actor (the squire), and the fourth one was often changing clothes for his part in secondary roles. Vance felt at once that he sided with the good King Richard, as most of the audience had.
When the performance was over, one of the actors went round with a basket to gather the villagers' offerings of a few coins with more offering "gifts of kind". When the actor passed in front of Vance, the boy felt embarrassed. He had nothing to give and opened his arm in a disconsolate manner. The actor, who was the one who played King Richard, the man who was sitting in the driving seat and leading the horses, smiled, made him a wink and passed by. Then the show for the following evening was announced. It was to be the story of the Holy Bishop, Thomas ‡ Becket, killed in Canterbury.
Vance intended to go again to see the show, but this time he wanted to bring something to give to them. He thought about it all the following day. He didn't have coins. He couldn't steal some food from home, as his mother would notice the loss and would skin him alive. He then thought about his hidden treasure. He went to the field, checked that nobody was watching, and moved some stones away from the low boundary wall and took out a small bundle. There was the bone handle of a knife, the bent tip of an arrow and a metal button he had found on the road. He thought that surely the actors wouldn't appreciate any of these objects. He re-secured his bundle, thinking that he should climb some trees looking for eggs. He started his quest and when he had gathered enough of them, stopped, satisfied. He wrapped them with leaves and tied them with a thin reed.
That night, after the show, when the actor passed in front of him, he recognizing him and was about to pass by without raising his basket. Vance seized his sleeve and gave him the leaved parcel.
The man looked at him, smiled and asked, "What are you giving me?"
"Eggs. I gathered them from the tree nests. I've nothing else."
"Good. Did you enjoy the show?"
"Oh yes, a lot. You all are skilled, you more than the others."
"Yes, I'm the lead actor."
"Is it difficult being an actor?"
"No, you just need talent. Why do you ask?"
"Bah... just so."
"Would you like to becoming an actor?"
"I never thought of it, but... will you take me with you?"
"Let me end the tour, then come to the wagon and we will talk about it."
Vance pondered the idea. On one hand the idea of leaving the village seemed to him like a liberation, a solution to all his problems. Why not? Becoming an actor, wearing all those wonderful costumes, touring all the lands. On the other, would he be able, have talent, could he learn?
The villagers were staring to flow out going back to their homes, while the actors were folding the scenery and closing the wagon's side. Vance then drew nearer. The one with whom he had talked, seeing him approach, made him a gesture to draw nearer.
"I'm James, James Midwood, lead-actor. And you, boy, what's your name?"
"I'm Vance Elton."
"How old are you?"
"I have turned sixteen."
"And you would like becoming an actor."
"Well, I don't know... I think I would."
"The problem is that... if you were a girl we would at once take you at. We are missing a woman as you saw. But you're a boy..."
"You don't need a boy?"
"No, there already is my brother Walt, who is twenty. He does the young men's roles."
"So, you aren't going to take me with you?" Vance said crest-fallen. "I hoped I could leave the village, come with you, becoming an actor, touring the land..."
"You want to leave, boy? Why?"
"Here everybody teats me badly, because I am a bastard son."
James carefully looked at him up and down. Then said, "As I told you, we need a girl. But you're still young and so, well disguised and with a make up, you could also pass for a woman. If you feel like impersonating a woman for us, I'll take you in my theatrical company."
"A woman, I? I don't know... would I be able?"
"I can teach you. You just have to carefully look at women, how they speak, how they move, how they behave and imitate them. Your face is still gentle enough to pass for a girl."
"I can try..."
"Good. Then come here tomorrow morning at dawn. We will leave to go to the next village. But take care, we will not wait for you."
"I will not be late!"
"Alright, Vance, See you tomorrow, then."
The boy went back to his family's hut. He threw himself onto his straw mattress but he wasn't able to asleep. He was thinking... he tried to imagine himself there on the stage, dressed as a woman. Why not? He could ape Meg, that little simpering daughter of the innkeeper, or the old widow Stevens, or even his mother. But how to do to imitate a queen, for instance? He had never seen a Lady of the castle, even from afar. Just imagine a queen! Well... James could possibly teach him that.
Once in a while he dozed off but immediately jumped up, his eyes wide open, to look out the small window fearing he'd slept too much, but outside it still was dark.
As soon as he had the perception that the sky was starting to brighten, he got up. Everybody was still sleeping around him. He noiselessly stepped over one of his brothers, cautiously left the hut and reached the chariot almost running. Everybody there seemed still asleep as well. From outside he heard someone occasionally snoring. He leaned against the Inn wall, keeping his arms tight around his body to attenuate the cold dampness that was penetrating the poor clothes, which barely covered his body.
Finally from inside the wagon came noises of somebody moving, then drowsy voices. Vance drew away from the wall. At the back of the wagon a small door opened and out came Walt who sensuously stretched himself for a good while. When he saw Vance, he greeted him with a nod. The boy answered with a bashful smile and drew near him. Meanwhile, James got out of the wagon.
"Ahoy, boy, on time like the morning rooster. Good. Walt, this is Vance, the boy I was telling you about."
"I guessed it. Alright, we just needed somebody playing the woman here with us. Welcome to the peddler's actor wagon, Vance."
The remaining two men got out. Old Tod, a man about forty-five, who was the comic actor, and Ray, the bad character, a man about thirty-five. The two men greeted Vance. They all went to the field to empty themselves, then scrabbled aboard the wagon and left. Vance sat on the driver's bench, between the two brothers. He was happy and anxious at the same time. He was leaving the village behind him, and with it his humiliations, his grey and dull life, the nothing, while in front of him was opening a new and colourful life, the future, the actor's job.
"But... will I be able to play the woman?" suddenly Vance asked.
Walt laughed, "Don't worry, we will teach you. Hey, James. We should find him a woman's name. What about Peg? Peg Midwood?"
"No, it would be better Liz, or Lizzie."
"No, no... Clarice?" proposed Walt.
Vance laughed and suggested, "Ellie?"
"You like Ellie? Let it be Ellie, then. We will call you by that name. Our little sister Ellie Midwood! Hey, Walt, we have to dress him up before getting to the next village. Go inside the wagon an try to fix him up properly."
"Why do I have to dress like a woman now? Wouldn't it be enough to do it just before the show?" Vance asked, puzzled.
"No way! If people knew you weren't a woman, they could be angry. Everybody has to think you are our little sister, Ellie Midwood. Therefore you will dress like a woman, talk like a woman, do everything exactly like a woman. So you will be even more convincing on the stage, do you understand?" James said.
Vance nodded in agreement. James stopped the chariot and Walt and Vance got inside. While the wagon resumed the journey, Walt searched in the costume trunk for something suitable. He made the boy undress and had him try on several women's garments.
When he was satisfied, he said, "There is the problem of your hair, it isn't long enough. For the time being you will have to keep it hidden under this piece of cloth tied on your head, like this ... then your hair will grow longer and we will have no more problems. Are you already shaving?"
"No, not yet."
"But, how old are you?"
"I turned sixteen."
"I had to start shaving at fifteen. Bah, so much the better, after all. Try to turn around, now. Oh no, not like that, more gracefully. Look at me, like this... see? Now try again... yes, it's a little better."
They continued training. Vance was very amused by it all. The wagon stopped.
"Let's go out, Ellie, I want to show you to James and the others. Let's see what they think of your transformation."
Vance got out of the chariot, feeling somewhat awkward. The other actors, as they saw him, started to laugh and to clap their hands.
"Good, good, Ellie. Welcome then in our theatrical company!" James exclaimed.
Ray slapped him on the arse and Vance got a start, surprised at his actions.
Tod laughed, "You have to get used to it, if you have to pass for a woman, but you ought to have a more feminine reaction. Try it. Give me a slap on my arse, so I can show Vance how a woman would react."
"Ellie, not Vance, don't forget it!" Walt corrected him.
Tod and Ray enacted the scene. Vance burst into laughter then he tried it. They had stopped in the open countryside. James made Vance practice while Walt and Ray went off, returning some while later, loaded with fruits and vegetables.
"Here is the unintentional contribution of our good countrymen. Today we will have enough to eat. Hey, Ellie, are you a good cook?" Walt asked, merrily.
"I? No..."
"You'll have to learn, then. From now on this will be one of your duties. I'll teach you to do it. I'll make a good cook out of you."
Vance was amused and they resumed their travel. Vance was again sitting between the two brothers on the driver's sear, in his woman's attire. These clothes were covering his body better that his old, scanty and worn out clothes, and he was feeling comfortable.
After a while James said, "No, Ellie, we will not have you pass for our sister, but as my wife."
"Why not as my wife, then?" Walt artfully asked.
"Shut up, Walt. The chief here is me, so Ellis will be my wife. That's an end of it!"
Vance was smiling, amused at the joke.
As they reached the new village, as usual they toured it to announce the evening show. Then James, sitting inside the wagon with the others, explained them the show plot, mainly for Vance's benefit. The boy would do the part of King Dunn Scott's wife. Vance tried again and again, following his companions' advice. At evening he helped them to set the stage and the scenery.
He finally made his dŽbut. He was feeling incredibly excited, but as the show went on, he gradually started feeling more self-assured, to play it in a freer and easier way, as if he was becoming more involved in the part. He started to become more natural, more real. At the end of the show, Vance did the tour with the basket to gather the audience's offerings. When he was back in the wagon, they saw that the boy's basked was fuller than the others had been.
Walt said, "Of course, men give more willingly to a nice girl. They are more generous."
Vance asked, "How did I do, on the stage?"
"Not bad, for your first time. You've talent, and next times it will go even better. The village people swallowed it, and that is the important. You, Ellie, go on observing the women more carefully, and do your best to imitate them in everything. You will soon become successful at it."
"Surely, James, I'll do my best."
"And now, everybody, off to sleep!" James ordered.
When they were in the wagon, the two brothers spread their bedding on the front part and prepared a place for Vance between them. Tod and Ray spread their bedding in the back part of the chariot and lay down to sleep. After they had blown out the lantern, they talked for a while until gradually silence fell. Vance fell asleep feeling happy.
During the night he woke up feeling an odd sensation. When he was well awake, he became aware that James was leaning against him with all his body and was embracing him.
"Hey, what are you doing?" the boy asked I a whisper, astounded.
"Shush... shut up!" James murmured raising Vance's skirt.
"Hey, no, stop it!" Vance murmured, starting to understand the young man's intentions.
The boy tried to wriggle away, but James was on him and was trying to keep him still and to undress him at the same time.
"No... no, come on... I don't want..." Vance protested.
James didn't stop. He seemed even more determined than ever. In a very low voice he said in his ear, "I told you before you will be my wife, and now I'll screw you as a wife... Oh, yes, you'll play the woman, with all the trimmings. Now I'll take your nice arse, you can't escape me."
Walt woke up and soon became aware of the situation. He at once seized Vance, helping his brother to keep him still, and whispered with a lecherous voice, "Oh yes, Ellie, let my brother fuck you, so he opens the way for me. It's so, James? It will be my turn, afterwards, won't it? And you, Ellie, don't make fuss and be overheard, or else Tod and Ray will wake up and will demand to have their turn with you. Would you prefer having your ass ploughed by just the two of us, or by all us four? Tell me..."
Vance became still as he well understood that what Walt had just said was true. What could he do, he alone, against four men determined to take advantage of him?
Meanwhile James managed to undress Vance, while lying on his side and was spreading his little hole with saliva. He then started to vigorously penetrate him. Vance was tense and trembled with fear. He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth while he felt himself dilate and take the invasion by that turgid, hard and blazing rod.
He felt a pain, at first stabbing, sharp, that became gradually dull but went on while the young man was penetrating him. He tried to shut off his mind from what was happening to him He tried not to think of it, but that presence behind him, inside him, was unceasing.
Walt leaned against the front of his body, pushing into him and brushing his body against the boy. Soon Vance felt the cock of the younger brother become turgid and press against his pubes. Walt searched for his lips and tried to kiss him. Vance turned his head to the side and shut his lips to avoid contact.
Gradually, feeling his body squeezed between the hot bodies of the two young men, started to cause a change in him. The boy started to get weird feelings - light quivers ran along all his body. He felt a growing warmth arise inside him, pervade him, and with astonishment he became aware that he too was getting aroused, almost in answer to the excitement of the two brothers.
Walt continued to try and kiss him. He had immobilized his face with both his hands and was pressing his lips on Vance's lips, forcing them open with his tongue. Then Vance yielded, opened his lips and relaxed, totally surrendering. He discovered with astonishment that the pain at his back was subsiding. He also discovered that Walt's tongue, that was exploring his mouth, was giving him an agreeable feeling and thought that after all the two males were in heat for him, for his body. This made him feel a sensation of power.
While excitement was seizing Vance, the boy was feeling a growing pleasure and lesser trouble so that, on instinct, he started to respond to that double assault, to participate.
Finally James came inside him with low pleasurable moans, pushed himself against the boy embracing him strongly and plunging inside him with a last strong spasm, thoroughly savouring his orgasm, then withdrawing.
By that time, the boy was too excited to stop, he was determined to go on, so he turned on his other side offering himself to Walt. When the younger brother penetrated him and started to move back and forth, Vance stared to masturbate himself and came just before Walt, who was taking him with great pleasure.
At the beginning of the assault, when Vance had to surrender to the two males in heat, he thought that even if for that time, he had to suffer that violence, the day after he would run away and would go back to his village, but now, after having experienced that new, unforeseen and so strong a pleasure, he didn't feel so certain about running away.
At first it had been really disagreeable, possibly more because of the imposition of that act than for the act in itself, and it had been rather painful, but now, even though feeling some pain, he was also feeling oddly satisfied. Coming in that way was much more agreeable than just wanking alone, or with one of his brothers during the night.
"Dress up, Ellie, or else, if the others see you naked tomorrow morning, they will possibly come and try to take you." Walt whispered.
Vance fussed a little to adjust his woman's clothes, then settled down and soon fell into a deep and contented sleep.
The following morning they all arose and acted as if nothing had happened. Vance noticed a particular light in the two brothers eyes when they were talking with him.
During the day Walt and Tod taught him to cook. Ray taught him to darn their costumes. They rehearsed the play for that evening, "King Richard comes back". He had to play the role of three different women. Firstly that of an Arab Princess, then the part of the mistress of the castle trying to have Richard stay with her in France, and lastly, the Queen. All went well, other than a bad slip by Tod, but as he was the comic he just got more laughter from the villagers.
After the show Vance went to tour with the basket to gather the offerings. A young man, after deposing a whole cheese in the basket, pinched Vance's arse.
Vance turned to look at him in surprise. He blinked and, as Tod had taught him, he whispered back, "Ah, if my husband was not here..." and went away going on to gather the remaining offerings.
After they took the collected foods and the few coins into the wagon and counted their takings, Vance told his companions about the pinch and his answer and all laughed. They drank some beer then went to sleep. Vance, guessing that there would be a repeat of the previous night, as soon as Ray blew on the lantern, started to undress.
For a while nothing happened. Vance thought he had been wrong, but as soon as they heard Tod snore, James put his hands on him and, feeling he was already naked, opened his breeches and took the boy. Vance then stretched out a hand to touch Walt who, immediately pressed against him and kissed him just as he had done the previous night. Vance became aware that he liked what Walt was doing to him, besides fucking him, that the caressing, teasing, kissing made him even more aroused.
He waited with some impatience for James to end with him, so he could give himself to the younger brother and so get his own pleasure. After dressing again, he thought that after all he didn't really have a reason to run away. He could have good food with them, enough clothing to cover himself, an he could even tolerate James as afterwards he could have his share of pleasure with Walt.
The third day they were in that village, while he was at the fountain drawing off water, he met the young man who the previous evening pinched his arse.
The young man smiled at him and said, "Hey, beauty, aren't you able to go away for a while from your husband?"
"What for?"
"I would like showing you something..."
"Oh, really? And what?"
"I've a little brother who would like being fondled by you some time..."
"A little brother? Where is he?"
"Under there. As soon as I saw you, he woke up."
Vance understood and for a moment was surprised, but then said, "God forbid! I can't even think about it, my husband would be terribly jealous!" and with the pail full of water, went hurriedly to the wagon to prepare their meal.
CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 2
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