Chapter 6

Alcaeon, Prince of Malacanos, was in the middle of a nice, cozy nap, having taken each of his companions in turns, though thankfully he did the women first. He wisely saved Polygonus and his nice bottom for last, delighting in the ladies as he fucked them good and hard, took a breather between girls, and then finally used the boy again, much to the voyeuristic pleasure of his women. There he was, lying in the arms of his favorite concubine, Zoe, when he heard a voice call out to him.

“So, this is how my son spends the hot summer days!” Calliope, Queen of Lysania, his own mother, announced her presence, adding a little laugh to make it clear that she was amused.

“Mother! I have not seen you for years!” Alcaeon forgot himself and rushed to embrace his mother, still quite naked.

“Sorry, Mother! I wasn’t exactly decent,” he then blushed, making her laugh more.

“Son, I live at the Lysanian court, married to King Neodotus of Lysania, the biggest pederast of them all! He doesn’t bother to hide it anymore, trust me! I’ve learned how to make myself at home and comfortable, too, in such a palace and capital, too. Concubines? Catamites? Nothing shocks me anymore, trust me! At least you like both and seem to prefer women for the most part! I honestly think that he prefers boys, that lord husband of mine! The whole court’s full of handsome young boys who wear little more than tunics, and not always even that! They have long hair, beardless faces, and perfume! It’s fine with me!

“He loves his bodyguards most of all, though. Every time I turn around, he has them bent over and his cock buried up their bottoms! Then again, it makes a good degree of sense for him! No bodyguard would betray him, trust me! He knows how to thrust with that spear of his! Your stepfather has grown to like having me on hand in case he is in the mood for a woman’s touch, and it does happen now and then. It’s mostly to cleanse his palate, I guess, between boys, but I don’t mind. I let him use my bottom as well as my womanly parts, of course. I’m no fool! And I let the boys use me when they wish.

“Don’t worry ... he knows and he doesn’t mind! They certainly don’t mind, either, getting to fuck their Queen. They do each other as well. I’ve lost count of how many times my lord husband has invited me to the marriage bed, only to have his boys join us. Instead of complaining, as some wives might do, I encourage him. Your father had his women and I encouraged that as well. I know the deal with husbands. You don’t fight or resent or oppose or nag about their lovers. You simply join them in bed.

“They might object at first for propriety’s sake, but get your man drunk and invite his bedfellows to play with both of you, and before you know, it’s all delicious debauchery, no one gets hurt, and we all bond in ways that are hard to describe! Men, women ... they’re both delectable! Mother Aphrodite is pleased when we learn to love more and control our jealousies,” Calliope reassured her son with a warm hug and more laughter.

“Mother, this is Zoe and this is Daphne ... and this is Polygonus. Zoe and Daphne have been formally joined to me as concubines ... and Polygonus, well, I bought him and plan to free him soon. Yes, he’s a slave, but then Daphne was one until my uncle, your brother, the King, learned that, like Zoe, she carries my child in her belly. Yes, that’s right, both of my concubines are pregnant to me. As for Polygonus, well, he’s not quite intact,” Alcaeon introduced his lovers to his mother.

“Oh, House of Hyrcanus, perhaps? Yes, I thought so. One of the famous eunuch boys who belonged to Hyrcanus! Good work! My dear boy, you have chosen well! Hyrcanus sells only the best. Good man, Hyrcanus! And, Zoe, good to meet you again! I have heard of your reputation, and trust me, I love that you’re in my son’s bed. You’re just the right sort for him. Oh, and sweet Daphne, I do adore your aunt’s cooking! Well done, sweet, sweet boy! You have chosen the sort of lovers who will make your life happy and delightful, rather than dull or miserable. I can tell, already, that your lovers live to please you.

“Now, can you keep a secret? Or two, or three? At least for now?” Calliope asked her son and his three companions, kissing and embracing each of them.

“Of course, Mother!” Alcaeon swore, pleased at how his mother was so warm with him and his small bevy of concubines.

“There are things afoot inside Lysania ... between King Neodotus, my lord husband, and his colleague, King Diophrates. Their bond has weakened since Queen Iphigenia died. She had been, for all intents and purposes, their wife together, though Neodotus preferred boys and in name and law, she belonged to Diophrates alone. She would often bed each man and it was well known that Diophrates favored this because Neodotus and he were lifelong friends and confederates. Well, now, King Diophrates is growing very fearful for his own safety and that of his dynasty. King Neodotus was not born royal, of course. He was elected by the assembly on the counsel of King Diophrates when King Heraclitus died.

“Vicious rumors have grown at court that my lord husband, King Neodotus, plans to massacre the royal family once King Diophrates dies. These gossips claim that I am behind this, acting on behalf of your uncle, so as to put a Malacanian puppet on both Lysanian thrones. To complicate matters further, King Diophrates has a daughter named Tyndarea with ambitions of her own, to the extent that she has tried to prevent his remarriage. Her brothers are one thing. Tyndarea is a force of nature, my dear son. Dion, Lysander, and Parmenides, none of them are as ruthless or ambitious or clever as their sister.