He started pushing Duga, Shebi and Leuna through the station to the train. Duga continued to marvel at how smooth the floors were. They were so clean. Everything outside the Mudflats district seemed so shiny. So this is what the rest of the world looks like, he thought.
Blanto got them settled in what he said was a private cabin, whatever that meant. The seats were soft and pillowy. The air smelled of jusubo flowers.
“I have to take care of a few things,” Blanto said as he left the cabin. “Just stay here and get comfortable. We’ll be at the palace in a few hours.”
After a couple of minutes, the roar started again. Duga felt a sense of speed. He felt like he was going down and then up and then down again, but there was no bumpiness, no rockiness. The roar lessened, but he continued to grip Shebi’s hand. Leuna started to look green.
“Are you okay?” Shebi asked Leuna. She shook her head and doubled over. Duga and Shebi started rubbing her back.
The train kept moving, and a little of Duga’s excitement got replaced by fear and doubt. He was going to be a long way from home. He didn’t know if he would ever see his family again. He didn’t know for sure that what he was going to was better than what he had left, but it had to be. It had to be.
Blanto periodically opened the door to see how they were doing. He gave Leuna something to settle her stomach, and she stopped looking so green. He brought them lunch, bowls filled with a rich stew.
He asked them if they wanted any natash. There was something about that question that quashed Duga’s doubts. He was going to eat and drink well from now on, and he didn’t need any natash.
“No,” said Duga. “I am full.” Being full…what a wonderful concept, he thought.
With Leuna recovered, they spent the rest of the journey talking about life in the mudflats. They had only left this morning, but that life felt years away.
And then the roar of the train stopped. The door to the cabin flung open. It was Blanto.
“We are here,” he said.
The train emerged from the ground to stop at a station in the center of Resedna, the Thasali royal city. As Duga blinked his eyes to get used to the sunlight again, he was amazed at what he saw. People’s homes were constructed out of stone and wood, not carved out of a rock face. The walls were at right angles. The people’s clothes did not have holes, and the streets seemed to be paved with crystal and precious metals.
Blanto and the rest of the coterie escorted Duga and Shebi to the men’s harem. They said goodbye to Leuna as she went off to the women’s harem. Their old clothes were thrown out, and they were given garments made of material that felt soft and cool against their skin. They were each given three robes to wear around the harem compound and one dress outfit to wear when accompanying members of the Thasali royal family to official occasions.
Duga was introduced to Agatan, a tall redhead with pale white skin who would be his roommate and mentor. Shebi was led to Eshan who would take care of him. Agatan and Eshan both had wide tattoos on their left wrists in the royal colors that marked them forever. Even if they left the harem—and nobody was a member forever—they would always carry that mark that got them respect and admiration. They would always be harem boys. Duga had seen those marks before on a few old harem boys and girls who had returned to the mudflats after their service. He saw the kind of reverence they received.
Duga wanted to be marked like that.
That night they dined with the other hundred men who were already part of the harem. The dining room was loud but fell quiet as Blanto toasted Duga and Shebi and welcomed them.
Duga and Shebi were on opposite sides of the dining room, but Duga treasured every glimpse of Shebi’s face across the chaotic room. Duga was so excited and happy to be part of the harem, but, with everything so new, the sight of someone familiar was comforting. They sat in chairs, so they could eat without having their asses in the dirt. Dinner did not seem to be some delicate balancing act of constantly trying to prevent food from falling on the ground. The food sat on a table in front of them. The walls were painted a golden yellow. The floor was slick and glassy. Agatan said the materials that covered the floor was called tile.
And again, there was so much food. Agatan caught Duga putting some food in the pocket of his robe.
“You don’t have to do that anymore,” said Agatan, placing his hand on Duga’s shoulder. “You’re a harem boy now. You will always have enough food.”
Duga kept the slice of bread and steenango in his pocket nonetheless, although he didn’t pilfer any more food. He didn’t want to be hungry ever again.
Duga wished his mother could have been here, that she could see all this richness. He had a slight pang of sadness, but he quickly pushed it down. He missed his mother, his father and his sisters, but he was here now. They would be well taken care of, and so would he.
The next morning he awoke with his belly still full. Agatan asked him how he was doing.
“I’m not hungry,” Duga said, surprised at the sound of those words because he had never spoken them before.
“Feels pretty good, doesn’t it?”
They went to breakfast, and Agatan explained how he had already been in the harem for nearly a year. He had been recruited from the Saltmarsh district where his father fished for the tralicot that was served on the royal family’s tables more often than in their own home. Here it was prized as a delicacy, but he couldn’t stand the smell. They may not have eaten it often growing up, but the stench had seeped into his father’s pores. Agatan hated it and avoided it all costs.
“Does it remind you of home? Don’t you miss home?” Duga asked.
“No. You’ll get over that soon enough,” said Agatan.
After breakfast, their next stop was Blanto’s office. Shebi was there with Eshan. He held up his wrist, which was wrapped in a wide gold band decorated with the royal colors.
“What’s that?” said Duga.
“I have one for you as well,” said Blanto.
“Don’t we get marked?” said Duga.
“You’re an initiate. You must earn the harem tattoo,” Blanto said.
Duga held out his wrist and let Blanto snap the cuff on him. He said that the cuffs indicated that Duga and Shebi were harem initiates, and they would not be allowed outside the harem compound for their of training. Each cuff had two buttons. One button allowed the wearer to unlock the cuff. If Duga or Shebi did that, it meant that they wanted out of the harem. They would then have to leave the compound immediately and never come back. The other button could be used by Blanto and others associated with the harem who had the power to reject initiates. After six full moon cycles, if Duga and Shebi had finished their training and passed all the tests, the cuff would be removed, and they would become full harem members. Only then would they be marked. If they did not pass, they would be told to leave.
“I want to be marked,” Duga said.
“We’ll see,” said Blanto.
The next few weeks were a whirlwind. Duga and Shebi learned how to eat without making a mess or offending someone. They learned about ranks within the Thasali royal family and the harem. They learned grooming rituals that kept them constantly clean and ready to service a member of the royal family or a visiting diplomat. They learned how to become erect quickly and techniques for oral and anal sex. They learned how to respond to requests. All the while, they ate well and trained well, getting their bodies into even better shape than they had been when they arrived.
Duga kept counting the days until he would be free from the gold bracelet and marked as a full harem member.
On the final day of the sixth full moon cycle, Agatan awoke Duga early in the morning. He hadn’t been sleeping that well anyway. He knew today was the day. He was ready, although he wasn’t quite sure for what.
He ran a comb through his hair, gave his teeth a quick brush and reached for one of his robes.
“You won’t need that,” said Agatan. “Let’s go.”
Agatan grabb
ed Duga’s hand and led him through the compound to a door that had been off limits to him, until now. Agatan paused before they went through it to inspect Duga’s teeth, hair and skin.
“You’re ready,” said Agatan as he opened the door to what appeared to be a small stadium. A dozen men from the Thasali royal family sat in chairs on a stage that was set back but loomed high. Blanto sat alongside them and bade Duga and Agatan to come in. Blanto and the royal family members wore silky trousers and tailored shirts. Duga and Agatan were naked.
“They want a good show,” said Agatan. “Let’s give it to them. It will decide whether any or all of us stay. Krask! I want to stay.”
Shebi and Eshan entered from the other side. They were naked as well. Shebi’s abs had become carved with lines that showed off the improved musculature he had achieved while training with the harem. His shoulders were a little broader. His legs and arms had muscular curves. His chest was smooth and defined. Duga looked down at himself and realized that he, too, had changed. He had always had a fabulous body, but now it was magnificent, taut and toned.
Duga felt Agatan’s hand on his back. Over the course of training, Agatan had taught Duga a series of signals that would help him if he ever had to service someone as part of a team. Agatan gave the signal for Duga to get down on all fours. He went down gracefully, and the royal audience cheered. The stadium’s floor was dirt, but it wasn’t rocky. It felt cool against his knees and hands. Shebi walked closer to him. Duga parted his lips and took in Shebi’s half-hard cock. They had been so busy with training that it had been a while since Duga had sucked Shebi, and he did so with gusto.
Agatan signaled for Duga to slow down, and he did. He pulled back and forth more slowly, and there was another cheer from the crowd. Duga pulled his mouth off to look at Shebi’s now-hard cock. It was wet with Shebi’s pre-cum and Duga’s spit.
Duga stuck out his tongue and ran it up and down Shebi’s cock. He angled himself to make sure the audience could see his tongue’s tip touch Shebi’s shaft. He nuzzled Shebi’s balls, taking one and then the other in his mouth.
Agatan signaled Duga to stand. His dick had been getting stiffer, but now it was Shebi’s turn to suck Duga to full hardness. Shebi got down, and Duga stared at Shebi’s long brown hair tied back in a ponytail as his head moved back and forth. Then Duga’s gaze turned to the audience. He could have sworn one of the princes winked at him. Duga’s smile got larger.
Shebi stopped sucking Duga, and Agatan stroked Duga’s back to signal that he should go down on all fours again. He was eye to eye with Shebi, and they kissed. Initially, they just pressed their lips against one another. Shebi’s grey eyes seemed to have an extra sparkle. Harem life was good for him, thought Duga. Then they parted each other’s lips and let in each other’s tongue.
Another signal from Agatan and Duga lowered his chest closer to the ground and raised his ass. He felt Agatan gently bite into one ass-cheek and then the other. Agatan’s tongue ran up and down Duga’s ass crack. He spread Duga’s ass cheeks. Agatan’s tongue darted in and around Duga’s asshole. Duga was in ecstasy, but he knew it was too early to come. The show was just beginning.
He locked eyes with Shebi. He looked so happy. Eshan was behind him licking Shebi’s ass. Eshan very deliberately extended his tongue long so the audience could see what he was doing. The audience seemed happy and ready to roar at any moment.
Duga inched his hands forward and Shebi did the same. They grabbed each other’s hands and leaned on their forearms for balance. The crowd went wild. Duga’s impression after only six full moon cycles as a harem initiate was that those they serviced wanted sex, but they also wanted love and affection. Fucking was not enough. People had to touch each other.
But Duga was about to get fucked. Agatan was going to perform lamasket on him. Duga felt the cold oil of the elodie tree enter his ass along with Agatan’s finger. He relaxed his asshole, letting Agatan slide one and then two fingers in and out of his ass. Agatan covered Duga’s back with kisses, and Duga moaned with pleasure. When he opened his eyes, Eshan was mirroring everything that Agatan did. Shebi gripped Duga’s hands a little tighter.
Eshan nodded, and Duga closed his eyes again. He was ready. It was like he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment. Agatan grabbed Duga’s hips, and pushed the tip of his penis into Duga’s ass. Agatan paused. Duga took a deep breath, and Agatan plunged his whole cock in. He started pushing in and out. Agatan’s balls hit Duga’s ass. They all started to grunt, groan and moan.
The crowd started to cheer. “Come, come, come!”
Duga felt Agatan stroke his back to say, “Yes, it’s time.”
They came together. Duga’s back arched as his dick shot his spunk into the dirt. Agatan pulled out and came all over Duga’s back. Shebi and Eshan must have come as well because the next thing Duga felt was Agatan’s arms wrapping around him and picking him up.
Duga stood there tired and dazed. He wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He stared at the clan of royal men who were about to decide his fate.
One by one they stood up, laid their right hands on top of their left ones and waved them up and down.
That was the signal Duga, Shebi, Agatan and Eshan needed. The royals liked them. We are in, thought Duga. The prince who had winked at him before gave him another wink and a big smile, and Duga got a better look at him. He knew that the man was Prince Baboye, the crown prince and next in line for the throne. His dark gold eyes, a Thasali family trait, seemed to be looking right into Duga’s soul.
Blanto ushered the royal men out of the stadium. As he did, he mouthed the words, “Come to my office” to Duga, Shebi, Agatan and Eshan.
Duga felt like crying. He was really in the harem. He wasn’t competing for a tryout spot. He wasn’t an initiate. He was in. He turned to Shebi. A single tear was rolling down his cheek. They hugged and kissed.
“Let’s go get you two marked,” said Eshan.
The four men exited the stadium and walked to Blanto’s office. He wasn’t back yet, so they waited. They watched other harem boys scurry back and forth. They would be heading to service royal men. Maybe they were going for additional training and education for occupations they would practice after their time in the harem. Some would become physicians. Others would become legal counsels, accountants, and artists.
Blanto arrived with an older man carrying a bag filled with ink and needles. The man bore the wrist tattoo of a harem boy, but he was older than most harem members. Duga hadn’t seen him before.
“First we drink,” said Blanto.
For the first time, the cuff felt heavy and abrasive on Duga’s wrist. He wanted it off. He wanted the harem mark that could not be removed, and Blanto must have sensed his eagerness.
“The slow life is the good life,” said Blanto. “Have patience.”
He reached into his cold cabinet at the back of his office and pulled out a bottle of pagvee berry brandy. The black berries of the pagvee bush were rare and found for only one week every five years in the Scrub Brush district. Duga had never seen an actual pagvee berry or the brandy that he had heard highly praised during his harem initiate time. Now a full bottle was on the desk in front of him.
He motioned for Agatan to get the glasses sitting on the shelf above the cold storage. They were so small Duga had thought they were just for decoration.
Blanto filled the glasses with the thick black liquid that flowed like syrup from the Omple tree.
“Well done,” said Blanto as he held up his glass. “Eshan and Agatan get to stay, and we have two new harem members.”
Duga followed Blanto’s example and then mimicked his slow sips. The liquid was powerful even in such small amounts. The flavor seemed to soak into all of Duga’s pores. The liquid slid down his throat and made his belly hot. Then Duga accidentally let out a giggle.
“I see you like it,” said Blanto.
Duga felt like he was falling, and Agatan eased him into a chair. Agatan took away Duga’s no
w-empty glass.
“I want to get marked,” said Duga before giggling again.
Agatan stood behind Duga and massaged his shoulders. Duga held out his wrist, and the tattoo artist went to work. First he removed the cuff and handed it to Blanto. Then Duga felt the needle lightly scratching his skin. The royal colors flooded his wrist, and it felt like they were flooding his blood. He belonged, and that would never change.
Duga looked up, but he felt woozy. He saw Shebi being supported by Eshan. Between the brandy, the excitement, the sexual exertion and the early morning wake-up, they were both wobbly on their feet. Shebi was next, and Duga got to watch the tattoo artist work. The cobalt blue, purple and yellow rapidly appeared on Shebi’s skin.
Duga closed his eyes for just a moment, but the whole world disappeared. He awakened in his bed. Agatan was standing nearby. Duga looked at his wrist to make sure the marking was still there. It was, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“What happened?” asked Duga.
“You fell asleep. You must have been exhausted, but I have some good news for you. You attracted the attention of Prince Baboye. He said he wanted to see you as soon as you woke up.”
Duga spent a couple of minutes cleaning himself up but moved as quickly as he could. He knew it wouldn’t do for a harem boy to keep a Thasali prince waiting, especially someone as new as Duga. He wanted to make a good impression, and he headed to the prince’s chambers. It was so exciting walking around the harem compound by himself. He was a full member of the harem. He could leave the compound. His left wrist was light. The cold metal was gone. He looked men in the eye, and they smiled back. He felt like the whole world knew who he was, and he was glad they did.
He met Prince Baboye’s servant at the harem gates. He escorted Duga to the royal chambers. When they arrived, the servant took Duga’s robe and led him to the prince’s bedroom. During the previous moon cycles, Duga had experienced more riches and luxury than all the days in his life combined, but the opulence of the prince’s chambers made him gasp. The gold curtains ran from floor to ceiling. The floor was covered with fabric that was thick and plush. The lamps were covered in jewels. The room smelled sweet and flowery, but he couldn’t quite recognize the odor. It was sweeter and richer than the jusubo flowers that he knew.
Tales of the Thasali Harem Box Set Page 2