The Traitor's Son Chapters 89-91
By Zelamir, adapted by Pueros

This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY

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Herewith are the next chapters of the saga of Marius, son of the traitor, Sejanus. The original story was by Zelamir but, with the author's permission, has been adapted and rewritten for Nialos by Pueros.

The rewrite conforms to Pueros' own style and the text has been substantially expanded, with significant additions and changes also made to subplots. For example, recent chapters, including these episodes, are all the work of the adapter. However, the main thread of Zelamir's original story has been maintained, namely what ultimately happens to young Marius.

Pueros hopes that his rewrite does Zelamir's original story justice!
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Chapter LXXXIX

For a long time after his beating by Drusus, Marius lay under the hot overhead sun, huddled and still naked on the deck of the stubby sailing ship, as waves of pain wracked his body, seemingly in concert with those lapping the vessel's hull. However, the physical anguish eventually began to abate and the boy managed to drag himself into the shade offered by the rail beside Quintus.

Marius looked for his previously shed tunic on the way. However, the boy could not find the garment and presumed that Titus, whose property the garb was, or one of his adult slaves had reclaimed it or, more likely, one of the sailors had stolen it for use by a child he knew or resale.

"You won't receive another beating for lying here next to me, will you?" the similarly naked Quintus asked anxiously in reaction to Marius' change of position. "No," was the answer, hoarsely whispered because the boy's throat was sore as a result of his recent vociferous screaming, "as long as we don't do anything we shouldn't to each other!"

Nevertheless, despite this warning and his anxiety, Quintus' hand was briefly drawn into gently smoothing Marius' golden hair in a compassionate attempt to soothe his new friend's obvious residual pain. The boy's fresh instinct was now to exhibit sympathy for a fellow young slave, who had just suffered in a similar manner to what had previously been inflicted on him at Titus' cruel hands, albeit the respective beatings had been focused on different parts of their normally lovely anatomies.

Quintus' revised instinct was in marked contrast to his original attitude towards Marius and was, of course, further evidence of his reluctant acceptance that he was now of similar servile status to the other boy. His stance was also indicative that he was beginning to believe that fellow slaves should stick together and help each other whenever possible because there was no guarantee that anyone else would do so.

The prevailing wind had by now fallen away and the air was still. As a result, the stubby sailing ship lay becalmed with the island of Capri still not quite in sight.

The sailing ship did possess sweeps, which were long oars fitted for use in becalmed conditions. However, the captain chose not to utilise them because of the distance still to go. He did not have slaves to row and did not want to exhaust his crew. Consequently, little progress towards the destination was being made.

Several hours passed and, as their ship drifted aimlessly, Marius and Quintus began to do the same but into spasmodic slumber. Their sleep was most commonly interrupted by pangs of physical or mental pain that occasionally caused their bodies or brains anguish.

Eventually, whilst Quintus still fitfully slumbered, Marius had had enough of sleep and instead began to take account of his injuries. Albeit far more dully than previously, his bottom, inner legs and genitals were still hurting and would probably continue to do so for a few more days. Nevertheless, overall, he considered that his punishment had been relatively light. After all, recalling what had befallen Nisus and Giton in Scyrax's house, he appreciated that he would have faired far worse if he had been caught having sex with another slaveboy there.

The flesh on Marius' normally cute but currently vividly marked bottom had not been broken. The similar bruising on the inside of his legs, although still stinging, had also not cut and bled. Consequently, the boy recognised that these injuries were capable of healing quickly and completely.

Meanwhile, Marius' genitals were still discoloured and pained but thankfully that appeared all. There seemed to be no permanent damage and there could so easily have been if Drusus had continued to beat his sexual organs mercilessly.

The shadows eventually began to lengthen, indicating the encroaching end of another day. By this time, Quintus had fully awoken too and, despite their mutual residual hurt, the boys had consequently engaged in whispered conversation, with their chatter now concentrated on what might await them on Capri.

Marius only knew about Tiberius' tastes from the snippets of conversation that he had listened to Drusus and Titus sharing. However, Quintus had become acquainted with more substantial rumours about what happened on Capri from overhearing his father and older brothers.

Despite the fact that both boys might soon feature in similar frightening scenarios, Marius and Quintus nevertheless shared their knowledge. The relevant tales of gross obscenities and orgies, and of Tiberius' extreme cruelty, somehow did not encourage them to be grimly taciturn but strangely the opposite. Their whispers were not only prolonged but also full of noticeably excited awe that they might soon find themselves at the centre of this perverted regime.

This strangely excited whispered conversation finally came to an end when Marius and Quintus were startled by the sound of approaching heavy footsteps. After what the boys had already painfully experienced on the foredeck, they immediately stopped chatting and instead huddled together in fear. Their instinctive reaction was understandable for they had no one else in the whole world to worry about or protect them.

The instinctive concerns of Marius and Quintus quickly proved, however, to be unnecessary because they discovered that a sailor was rapidly approaching them on the foredeck, holding a large bowl in one hand and a bucket in the other. "Here you are, brats," the ugly middle-aged man subsequently announced on arriving at their side, and in explanation of what he was carrying, albeit with hostility evident in his voice, "bean stew and water!"

"The young Lord instructed me to bring the stuff to you," the sailor continued in further explanation of both what he was carrying and his hostility, "although I suggested to him that he was spoiling you. I told him that brats like you are easier to handle if they're hungry and thirsty, being more manageable if they think that they'll be rewarded for obedience with some food and water. However, he just ordered me to do as I was told."

"What sort of Emperor would an overly generous man like him make?" the sailor went on to ask in complaint, whilst, of course, not expecting any answer from Marius or Quintus to his essentially rhetorical question. "He'd have all the Empire's slaves so mollycoddled," he added grumpily, "that there'll be no food left for poor citizens like me, whilst our taxes would be crushing in order to pay for your luxuries!"

"Well, at least our current Emperor knows how to treat slave brats like you," the sailor next suggested, whilst a wicked grin formed on his face, "and I'll tell you now that he won't mollycoddle you but instead will deal with you as you deserve. In fact, I doubt that you'll survive to see Lord Drusus succeed to the Imperial throne!"

With these concluding unpleasant words and whilst maintaining his wicked grin, happily knowing from their disturbed facial expressions that he had increased the undoubted trepidation of the future already within the boys' souls, the sailor turned on his heel and walked away. He had been most displeased to be ordered to serve food and water to mere slaves but was now content that he had secured revenge by further troubling their minds.

Nevertheless, despite the sailor's clear hostility to his task and to the boys and his worrying suggestion, both Marius and Quintus speedily and evenly shared their food and drink. They had to use their hands to do so, as no utensils had been provided apart from the bowl and bucket.

Just as they finished what was to them, in their famished and thirsty state, luxurious fare, a breeze arose. The sailing ship's crew considered the development most favourable, as the wind blew in the direction of Capri.

Marius and Quintus were, however, far from sure whether they too should consider the wind favourable.

Chapter XC

The stubby sailing ship lay anchored and relatively motionless in a now very calm sea, with the island of Capri nearby. However, no effort was made to disembark the passengers and cargo from the vessel because the shadows had considerably lengthened, as the sun slowly sank below the western horizon.

Approaching the tiny and tricky landfall on the rocky island of Capri was simply too dangerous in the swiftly enveloping dark, even on a calm night with a full moon. Disembarkation would instead commence at dawn.

The clear full moon cast a silvery light over the relatively still sea. The naked Marius and Quintus, still sore from their respective beatings but with fairly content stomachs, huddled together for mutual warmth on the bare foredeck and attempted to sleep.

Overnight sleep was again fitful, with dreams, or more accurately nightmares, now being the main reason for the boys' periodic reawakenings, which were usually associated with a sudden bodily shudder. The thought that their immediate destinies were to be decided on the nearby island of Capri unavoidably dominated their apprehensive minds.

The fact that the full moonlight rather eerily and sinisterly silhouetted the nearby tall craggy island did little to appease the boys' apprehension. Neither did the thought that the cruelly lecherous Emperor Tiberius awaited them there.

For the fitfully somnolent boys, the most frightening aspect of the night, however, occurred when they awoke with a shudder simultaneously. Both believed that they had done so in reaction to detecting a scream, not from their ship but from Capri.

"Did you hear a scream from the island?" Marius asked in whisper of Quintus. "I think so," the other boy answered in fright.

"What do you think might have caused the scream?" the scared but curious Quintus went on to enquire. "I don't believe that we should speculate," Marius replied, without having to add that such conjecture would not be in their best interests, as such guesswork would surely only disturb them more.

Nevertheless, sleep thereafter became even more nervously fitful.

Chapter XCI

Dawn eventually arrived, along with an almost imperceptible movement in the air. A slight ripple marred the otherwise mirror-like surface of the sea.

The stubby sailing ship also stirred, with sailors positioning and readying themselves for the relevant duties relating to negotiating a tricky landfall. With Drusus and Titus observing, the captain subsequently began to steer his vessel towards Capri's towering cliffs.

Ahead of them stood the narrow cleft in the rocks beyond which lay Capri's sole landing place. The ship's captain, in order to establish sufficient stability and speed on his vessel to navigate the perilous entrance safely, finally ordered some of his crew to use the sweeps.

Marius and Quintus now stood quietly in the bows of the ship as the vessel made her way into the deeply shadowed cleft. They looked on intrigued, as their transport successfully slid slowly through the gash between the towering rocks, as sailors strained on their heavy oars. Ahead of them, the boys could subsequently see the island's sole landing stage.

As well as being intrigued by the sailing ship's thankfully successful manoeuvre, Marius and Quintus also experienced yet another mix of other conflicting emotions. The thrill of the moment, emanating from their vessel's excitingly dangerous arrival, was balanced by worry regarding what they now faced on Capri. The boys were also strangely fascinated at as well as fearful of the prospect of meeting Emperor Tiberius and entering his service.

Marius and Quintus noticed that on the waiting landing stage squatted a gang of wretched clearly half-starved and near- naked adult male slaves, with shaved heads and heavy collars round their necks. Three burly overseers, carrying thick staves and with short whips tucked in their belts, stood to one side of them, talking quietly together. Behind them, some dockworkers, freemen to judge from their demeanour, clothing and well-fed appearance, emerged from one of several sheds, whilst wiping their mouths with the back of their hands, suggesting breakfast had been disturbed. Adjacent from where they had exited stood a small whitewashed guardhouse, with a few Praetorians lounging on benches outside, currently with their plumed helmets at their feet rather than on their heads.

Having emerged successfully from the narrow cleft into the small inlet beyond, the relevant sailors abandoned their sweeps to allow the stubby sailing ship to creep under the vessel's own slowing momentum and the captain's guidance towards the landing stage. In reaction to the sight, the Praetorian guardsmen stood up, straightened their uniforms, placed their helmets on their heads and began to move forwards. The overseers also shouted and cracked a few of the uplifted heads of their still crouching slaves with their wooden cudgels.

The relevant slaves responded by bowing their undoubtedly now hurting heads. They were clearly forbidden even to look at the arriving sailing ship and her high-ranking passengers. They had been mustered purely to unload the vessel and carry heavy burdens of her cargo on their shoulders up the steep path to the island's Imperial villa, which was located on a promontory far above.

Ropes eventually snaked out from the stern and bow of the now almost motionless sailing ship, which were agilely caught by the experienced freeman dockworkers and attached to sturdy wooden bollards. With a great deal of rattling, as hull touched landing stage, and shouting of orders, a gangplank was subsequently pushed out from the vessel to the quayside.

After the stubby sailing ship had become truly stationary and with the gangplank fully steady and secure, Drusus and Titus subsequently strolled down to be saluted by the now reverently waiting Praetorians. Tiberius' nephew returned the gesture before briefly chatting with the commander of this small group of Imperial guards and his men. They spoke amiably to each other, in the blunt familiar way of professional soldiers, without too much regard for rank.

The observation of this scene by Marius and Quintus was then interrupted when Glaucus, whose nose was still bent and inflamed as a result of the latter boy's kick, arrived behind them on the bow-deck. "The pair of you are to come with me," the adult slave subsequently growled with obvious bad-temper.

Glaucus next unshackled Quintus' ankle, whilst being extremely wary because of what had happened on the last occasion that he had attempted such a task. His caution existed despite the harsh lesson to which the boy had been subjected in retribution for assaulting the adult slave's nose.

"The captain wants all the livestock off his ship before the rest of the cargo is unloaded," a smirking Glaucus subsequently explained with deliberate insulting mischief, "and that means you two brats, along with the goats and sheep on board." Marius and Quintus were naturally not pleased to be associated with farm animals but the boys also appreciated that slaves were indeed perceived by much of the free human race to be no better than such creatures.

"The Praetorians will also want quickly to register in the appropriate manner all livestock, including slaves like you, being imported onto the island," Glaucus smirkingly added, now with a worryingly gloating and sinister tone in his voice. However, Marius and Quintus had little time to reflect about this verbal nuance because, holding the boys firmly by their arms, he next rapidly hustled them down the gangplank and off the stubby sailing ship.

By now, Drusus had ended his polite but brief conversation with the Praetorians and, with Titus, had begun to walk up the steep path that ultimately led to the Imperial villa far above. However, he happened to look around to observe the still naked Marius and Quintus being led off the sailing ship by Glaucus.

The Praetorian officer, whom Drusus had just left, had also noticed the same development and was now rapidly approaching the three disembarking slaves. "Ah," he eventually suggested to the escorting Glaucus, whilst closely eyeing Marius and Quintus, "I see that you have some precious goods for the Emperor."

Noticing the signs of recent severe beatings on the normally lovely naked bodies of Marius and Quintus, the Praetorian officer added, with a degree of both amusement and lechery evident in his voice, "I see that the precious goods are a little soiled." "It's superficial damage only, Sir," Glaucus commented in response, whilst matching the humorous tone, "caused by a need to correct certain blemishes, and should mend easily."

"I'm sure it will," the Praetorian officer replied, "and let's hope that the relevant blemishes were properly corrected or even worse damage might soon be inflicted, which might prove permanent. Such a development would be a sad loss of precious goods but I'm sure that the Emperor can easily secure rapid replacements with less flaws."

"I presume, Sir," Glaucus next sniggered, with, to Marius and Quintus, a worrying sense of eager excitement as well as increased amusement evident in his voice, "that you'd now like to register the import of these precious goods into Capri in the normal way." "Of course," the Praetorian officer answered, "so take the brats to the back of the guardhouse!"

Drusus, who had paused his progress up the steep path to watch, now observed Glaucus lead the two slaveboys as instructed to the back of the guardhouse, whilst fully knowing what would subsequently happen there. He felt strangely reluctant to leave the scene and allow Marius to face what was to come on his own without his support.

Drusus somehow felt Marius deserved better and this tempted him to reverse direction. He soon caught up with Glaucus and, without saying anything, took the boy from him, gripping his arm firmly.

Drusus and Marius subsequently passed round one side of the guardhouse together. The perplexed Glaucus, still tightly holding Quintus, and the equally puzzled Praetorian officer trailed them.

As they reached the back of the guardhouse, Drusus felt Marius' naked body tense stiffly in fright. At the rear of the building was an open-sided lean-to with just two furnishings, one being a sturdy table with some tools on top. However, it had been the sight of the other item that had caused the boy's scared reaction.

Marius had seen charcoal glowing dully in a brazier, from which protruded a couple of iron rods with wooden handles. The purpose of this sinister equipment had become immediately obvious to the clever boy, who now realised in horror what the registration of the import of precious goods into Capri in the normal way entailed. He and Quintus were truly to be treated in the same manner as the goats and sheep currently being disembarked from the nearby moored stubby sailing ship in order to restock the local Imperial herds.

Meanwhile, Drusus had detected Marius' realisation of the horrible immediate fate that suddenly awaited him. The boy's clearly frightened bodily reaction had provided the necessary clue.

"Come on, boy," Drusus therefore felt obliged to urge softly, "be brave. You danced over the hot coals in that whorehouse. Surely, you can be courageous enough to face this too with bravado!"

Drusus subsequently displayed a slight smile as, in clear reaction to his urging, he now noticed Marius raise his chin, square his slim shoulders in an obvious attempt to display the necessary boldness and barely hesitate in walking towards his immediate fate. After a few further paces, the Prince also turned to command of the trailing Praetorian officer, whilst offering the boy to him, "Take this one first!"

Drusus had decided that Marius would benefit best from having the deed done quickly, without having much time to dwell or watching Quintus suffer before him. The Praetorian officer was naturally happy to grant the Prince's wish.

The Praetorian officer accepted Marius from Drusus' charge and led him towards the waiting table and brazier, where two other soldiers also gathered in readiness to assist. All of the military personnel were happily smirking, as they rather enjoyed this aspect of their duties, albeit only in respect of boys. The mere branding of imported animals was delegated to the freemen dockworkers.

Marius advanced towards the waiting brazier in the firm grip of the Praetorian officer with natural reluctance. Nevertheless, the boy did not resist, despite appreciating the horror of what was to come.

Having in his opinion seriously disappointed Drusus twice whilst aboard the stubby sailing ship, Marius did not want to do so again. The hero-worshipping boy instead wanted to impress the Prince by obeying his urging to display courage. However, his ability to do so was not helped when one of the Praetorians briefly pulled one of the branding irons from the coals in order to study the red-hot glowing end.

The scary sight not only caused Marius to hesitate in his advance towards his immediate fate in the Praetorian's firm grip but also almost to faint. However, both reactions were rapidly overcome by a strong tug from the escorting officer and a reprimanding shout from the still watching Drusus of "Go on, boy, be brave!"

By this time, Titus had again appeared at the side of Drusus, who asked "Why does Tiberius insist on branding his slaveboys? Most other owners are content just to see them wear bronze identification tags." "There are three reasons," Titus answered.

"First," Titus explained, "the brandmarks make the brats more easily identifiable if they attempt to run away and Tiberius is very eager that none ever escape. He's very touchy about the stories going round about his behaviour here and doesn't want anyone untrustworthy to be in a position to confirm such tales."

"But isn't escape from Capri impossible, given its high cliffs, sole landfall and insular isolation?" Drusus interrupted to enquire. "You'd think so," Titus replied, "but a good swimmer might achieve the feat if they were lucky enough to come across a passing boat with a sympathetic crew quickly."

Drusus nodded, indicating that he understood. Titus accepted the signal as giving him the right to move on to give his second and third reasons for Tiberius' insistence on having his slaveboys branded.

"Second," Titus explained, "Tiberius believes that branding boys who were previously free helps to hammer home to them that they're now truly slaves. The relevant mark is a permanent reminder of their new servile status."

"Third," Titus added, "Tiberius enjoys the cruelty of the practice. In fact, he often comes to watch his supply ships being unloaded and any anticipated young human cargo aboard being branded. He's even been known to wield the irons himself. In fact, I presume that the only reason that the Emperor's not currently here is because of the early hour. He's probably still in bed, sleeping off a hangover after another pleasurable night of drunken dissipation!"

Meanwhile, the Praetorian officer led the staggering Marius towards the sturdy table in the lean-to. By now, the rightly highly nervous boy's lithe legs lacked co-ordination and his throat was so dry and tight that he could hardly breathe.

The thought of having the red-hot branding iron being pressed against his bare flesh filled Marius with sick terror but he was resolved not to exhibit such trepidation any more if he could. He was instead set on showing Drusus, the young man who had saved him from the 'House of Ganymede' and Maccius and whom everybody, even the Praetorians, treated with reverence, that his faith in the boy's fortitude was not misplaced.

Marius had been reduced over previous months from a proud free boy of high standing to a broken slave brat of the lowest kind. However, Drusus' recent words of encouragement had rekindled for a brief moment at least a spark of spirit within his young hero-worshipping soul.

The Praetorian officer handed Marius to the two other waiting guardsmen. They firmly gripped one of the boy's arms above the elbow apiece and hustled him forward to the sturdy table, against which they bent him over face-down so that his bottom was raised nicely in the air ready for the branding iron.

Somewhere behind, Marius could hear Quintus sobbing fearfully. The other boy had obviously realised too what was about to happen to him.

The two Praetorians subsequently changed their positions so that one firmly grasped Marius' wrists to hold his outstretched arms resolutely flat on the wooden surface from the other side of the table, whilst the other manually pinioned his ankles to the floor. The boy then heard the grating of metal, as their officer now withdrew a red-hot branding iron from the brazier.

Marius now braced himself with as much bravery as he could muster for the touch of the red-hot branding iron against his bare bottom.

(To be continued)