And the road is such a long one too!
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Constantinople
- Thread starter Barbaria1
- Start date
Quite so. Funny how comedy movies never win Oscars.
And we in Germany:View attachment 520552 Mmmmm ! Messa is so much glad that this story could be ended ... Go on, Barb and dont listen those teasing men !
Anyway, in France we say: "Plus c'est long, plus c'est bon !" (more long it is, more good it is !)
Was lange währt, wird gut!
It's the same meaning.
Jon Smithie
Tribune
I love convincing, historical fiction. I'm curious to see where this goes.
15
A little past midnight, 1 June 1453
Wasting no time, and leaving the Sultan lying unconscious on the chamber floor, Adelfi and I flee the premises. No one seems to be around. The hallways and passages of the palace are deserted. With no guards to stop us, we are out on the streets in no time.
But a pair of naked girls on the streets of Constantinople late at night is an entirely different matter. The rampage following the fall of the city is still in full swing. The orgy of looting, killing and raping has not yet abated. Escaping the clutches of the Sultan only to be molested by a mob of drunken Janissaries was not what we need.
"Quick! In here," whispers Adelfi, pulling me by the arm into a dimly lit back alley.
I follow, stumbling down a series of steps and over the dead body of a naked woman.
Crouched behind a wall near the rear of the passage, we wrap our arms around our shivering bodies and wait and watch as boisterous gangs of soldiers pass by on the street above, often dragging screaming young women with them.
"We'll stay here until near dawn," I whisper. "By then drink and sated lust should empty the streets and we can get out of the city."
"I hope so," she murmurs.
"Shhhhhhh," I hush, sensing that a man has stopped on the street and entered the passage. I hear the careful tread of his boots on the pavings as he cautiously makes his way closer and closer to us. He calls something in his own language, repeating it again. I don't know the exact meaning of the words, but I guess that he expressing his desire for a woman.
My legs are cramping as we try to hold still crouched behind the wall. We dare not make a sound. He is nearing the dead body sprawled just a short distance from our hiding place. I glance meaningfully at Adelfi. She looks back, hands tucked between her thighs, a grim look on her face. My eyes glance to the passage and back several times, signalling to her ... I hope ... that we will need to jump him if he gets too close.
He reaches the corpse. There is a soft crunch ... he must have kicked it with his boot ... then a snort of disgust. We breath a sigh of relief at the sound of retreating foot steps. The immediate danger has passed.
Time passes by. Gradually the tumult in the streets subsides. The city has fallen asleep, and the first light of dawn can be seen at the end of our dark passageway.
"I think it's safe now," whispers Adelfi. "We'd best get a move on before someone discovers the Sultan!"
"Right!" I say nodding and stretching my stiff limbs.
Rising to our feet, we peek out. The way is clear. We retrace our steps up the passageway, gingerly skirting the bloody corpse. At the top of the passage, we peek around the corner. The street is deserted. I lead the way, down one street, rounding a corner and then down the next. The air is acrid from the smoke of burning fires. Debris lies everywhere, dead bodies too. But no one notices us. We make our way across the city, heading for the wall and freedom.
"Over there!" says Adelfi, catching up to me and pointing to a gate in the city wall.
"Let's run for it!" I shout, breaking for the unguarded opening.
We are through it in seconds. It is broad daylight now. The sun is up. Distant drums and shouted alarms break the stillness of the morning.
"They must have found him!" I shout, sprinting from the gate down a path beyond the battlements. Adelfi follows.
(manip by THT)
TO BE CONTINUED
A little past midnight, 1 June 1453
Wasting no time, and leaving the Sultan lying unconscious on the chamber floor, Adelfi and I flee the premises. No one seems to be around. The hallways and passages of the palace are deserted. With no guards to stop us, we are out on the streets in no time.
But a pair of naked girls on the streets of Constantinople late at night is an entirely different matter. The rampage following the fall of the city is still in full swing. The orgy of looting, killing and raping has not yet abated. Escaping the clutches of the Sultan only to be molested by a mob of drunken Janissaries was not what we need.
"Quick! In here," whispers Adelfi, pulling me by the arm into a dimly lit back alley.
I follow, stumbling down a series of steps and over the dead body of a naked woman.
Crouched behind a wall near the rear of the passage, we wrap our arms around our shivering bodies and wait and watch as boisterous gangs of soldiers pass by on the street above, often dragging screaming young women with them.
"We'll stay here until near dawn," I whisper. "By then drink and sated lust should empty the streets and we can get out of the city."
"I hope so," she murmurs.
"Shhhhhhh," I hush, sensing that a man has stopped on the street and entered the passage. I hear the careful tread of his boots on the pavings as he cautiously makes his way closer and closer to us. He calls something in his own language, repeating it again. I don't know the exact meaning of the words, but I guess that he expressing his desire for a woman.
My legs are cramping as we try to hold still crouched behind the wall. We dare not make a sound. He is nearing the dead body sprawled just a short distance from our hiding place. I glance meaningfully at Adelfi. She looks back, hands tucked between her thighs, a grim look on her face. My eyes glance to the passage and back several times, signalling to her ... I hope ... that we will need to jump him if he gets too close.
He reaches the corpse. There is a soft crunch ... he must have kicked it with his boot ... then a snort of disgust. We breath a sigh of relief at the sound of retreating foot steps. The immediate danger has passed.
Time passes by. Gradually the tumult in the streets subsides. The city has fallen asleep, and the first light of dawn can be seen at the end of our dark passageway.
"I think it's safe now," whispers Adelfi. "We'd best get a move on before someone discovers the Sultan!"
"Right!" I say nodding and stretching my stiff limbs.
Rising to our feet, we peek out. The way is clear. We retrace our steps up the passageway, gingerly skirting the bloody corpse. At the top of the passage, we peek around the corner. The street is deserted. I lead the way, down one street, rounding a corner and then down the next. The air is acrid from the smoke of burning fires. Debris lies everywhere, dead bodies too. But no one notices us. We make our way across the city, heading for the wall and freedom.
"Over there!" says Adelfi, catching up to me and pointing to a gate in the city wall.
"Let's run for it!" I shout, breaking for the unguarded opening.
We are through it in seconds. It is broad daylight now. The sun is up. Distant drums and shouted alarms break the stillness of the morning.
"They must have found him!" I shout, sprinting from the gate down a path beyond the battlements. Adelfi follows.
(manip by THT)TO BE CONTINUED
View attachment 520552
Anyway, in France we say: "Plus c'est long, plus c'est bon !" (more long it is, more good it is !)
depends what 'it/ ce/ es' isAnd we in Germany:
Was lange währt, wird gut!
It's the same meaning.
windar
Teller of Tales
I love writing comedy and can write it pretty fast. But maybe what I come up with isn't very funny
You know me too wellSo far so good.... things are going well!
Too well for a Barb story!
So far so good.... things are going well!
Too well for a Barb story!
I'm sure everything will be fine!!!You know me too well
Drink more, Tree! You must be sober -Ulrika
Right. So what will go pear shaped?So far so good.... things are going well!
Too well for a Barb story!
I always wonder how it was so hard to get away from pre-computer people. I think Barb is about to show us.You know me too well
LittleSiss
Sorceress
I love how you use that to deflect things or encourage a response.You know me too well
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I won't tell, Barb.
I love how you use that to deflect things or encourage a response.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I won't tell, Barb.
You know me to well Siss
LittleSiss
Sorceress
16
Just as I call back to Adelfi, "They must have found him!" an arrow zings past my head and embeds itself next to me in the turf atop the ruins of an old wall. A moment later a second arrow buries itself in the pathway directly behind me.
"They're after us already! Run faster!" she shrieks.
What will they do if they catch us? My mind whirls around the possibilities, none of them good, as I race ahead. Surely, hitting the Sultan Mehmet over the head is not something they will take kindly.
Another arrow zips past my head. I duck around a bend in the path and take refuge behind the remains of an old abandoned city wall. Adelfi slides in beside me.
The Janissaries shooting at us from the battlements of the city wall no longer have a clear shot at us, so we are safe for the moment. Side by side, we sit on the ground, catching our breath, chests heaving from exertion.
"Now what?" she says, placing her hand on my thigh and looking at me anxiously.
"I don't know."
"Well, we have to do something. We can't just stay here. They will come after us!"
"Right, we must keep running."
We get to our feet and select a smaller trail leading off to the right and roughly parallel to the city walls. We race along it, darting from cover to cover.
Shouts from up on the wall suggest they are tracking us.
We keep going, crouching as we run, heads down low. More arrows fly overhead. We run faster, arms wrapped around our chests to secure our breasts.
Rounding another bend in the trail we stumble upon the main road to the city's eastern gate. And there our flight is abruptly arrested by a detachment of Janissaries lying in wait for us!
With weapons drawn they swiftly surround us.
Pressed from all sides, we retreat until I feel her sweaty body backed against mine. Slowly we raise our hands in surrender.
The surrounding wall of Janissaries parts and the Captain of the Guard strides through, followed by two of his lieutenants. He is bare-chested, bearded, and dressed in formal blue, with a red plume falling from the top of his fez. The lieutenants are in red, sporting white headgear with a long trains covering their backs.
"This certainly looks official," quips Adelfi under her breath.
The Captain claps his hands and as if by magic the circle of Janissaries melts away. We are left alone with the Captain and his lieutenants. The gate to the city stands open. Corpses from the Turkish assault still litter the side of the road and the open area before the gate.
"I don't suppose he is going to let us go?" I say lightly.
"So! What do you two whores have to say for yourselves?" he demands. "You were given the opportunity of a lifetime ... a life of good food, comfort and splendor in the harem of the Sultan ... and what did you do? You squandered everything by hitting him over the head and fleeing!"
"Maybe he just fell and hit his head," offers Adelfi, tentatively adding, "We were just running for help, you see?"
"What do you take me for ... a fool?" he growls. "On our knees, both of you! Hands behind your backs. You will pay dearly for this, that I can promise!"
With little choice, we comply ... kneeling side by side while the lieutenants roughly bind our wrists behind our backs.
"Are we returning to the harem now?" I ask hopefully. "Perhaps to be punished ... maybe whipped or beaten?"
"No, far too late for that I am afraid," he replies. "You are about to be executed. We only await the Sultan Mehmet's instructions as to the means of your execution. I daresay, given your crime, he will choose something with prolonged suffering.
TO BE CONTINUED
Just as I call back to Adelfi, "They must have found him!" an arrow zings past my head and embeds itself next to me in the turf atop the ruins of an old wall. A moment later a second arrow buries itself in the pathway directly behind me."They're after us already! Run faster!" she shrieks.
What will they do if they catch us? My mind whirls around the possibilities, none of them good, as I race ahead. Surely, hitting the Sultan Mehmet over the head is not something they will take kindly.
Another arrow zips past my head. I duck around a bend in the path and take refuge behind the remains of an old abandoned city wall. Adelfi slides in beside me.
The Janissaries shooting at us from the battlements of the city wall no longer have a clear shot at us, so we are safe for the moment. Side by side, we sit on the ground, catching our breath, chests heaving from exertion.
"Now what?" she says, placing her hand on my thigh and looking at me anxiously.
"I don't know."
"Well, we have to do something. We can't just stay here. They will come after us!"
"Right, we must keep running."
We get to our feet and select a smaller trail leading off to the right and roughly parallel to the city walls. We race along it, darting from cover to cover.
Shouts from up on the wall suggest they are tracking us.
We keep going, crouching as we run, heads down low. More arrows fly overhead. We run faster, arms wrapped around our chests to secure our breasts.
Rounding another bend in the trail we stumble upon the main road to the city's eastern gate. And there our flight is abruptly arrested by a detachment of Janissaries lying in wait for us!
With weapons drawn they swiftly surround us.
Pressed from all sides, we retreat until I feel her sweaty body backed against mine. Slowly we raise our hands in surrender.
The surrounding wall of Janissaries parts and the Captain of the Guard strides through, followed by two of his lieutenants. He is bare-chested, bearded, and dressed in formal blue, with a red plume falling from the top of his fez. The lieutenants are in red, sporting white headgear with a long trains covering their backs.
"This certainly looks official," quips Adelfi under her breath.
The Captain claps his hands and as if by magic the circle of Janissaries melts away. We are left alone with the Captain and his lieutenants. The gate to the city stands open. Corpses from the Turkish assault still litter the side of the road and the open area before the gate."I don't suppose he is going to let us go?" I say lightly.
"So! What do you two whores have to say for yourselves?" he demands. "You were given the opportunity of a lifetime ... a life of good food, comfort and splendor in the harem of the Sultan ... and what did you do? You squandered everything by hitting him over the head and fleeing!"
"Maybe he just fell and hit his head," offers Adelfi, tentatively adding, "We were just running for help, you see?"
"What do you take me for ... a fool?" he growls. "On our knees, both of you! Hands behind your backs. You will pay dearly for this, that I can promise!"
With little choice, we comply ... kneeling side by side while the lieutenants roughly bind our wrists behind our backs.
"Are we returning to the harem now?" I ask hopefully. "Perhaps to be punished ... maybe whipped or beaten?"
"No, far too late for that I am afraid," he replies. "You are about to be executed. We only await the Sultan Mehmet's instructions as to the means of your execution. I daresay, given your crime, he will choose something with prolonged suffering.
TO BE CONTINUED
windar
Teller of Tales
It's brilliant ideas like that that earn you the big bucks
Buddha said (loosely translated from Sanskrit):
- Suffering exists
- Suffering arises from attachment to desires
- Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
- Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
Knew it.... it had all been going too well
I would imagine the contingency to be a remote one....
That'll be 'no' then.