Summaries of stories from:
THE DUSKOURI
TALES
Gay / Gothic short stories by
Byrd Roberts
The Woodcutter's Secret
When Emile, the son of a vintager in the principality of Alsace, ventures too near the Interior Wilderness, he discovers thrills, danger, and love. The handsome dark-haired lad, after an encounter with witches, is aided by Hans, a strong and muscular woodcutter. That they should fall in love is inevitable. Their bliss is shattered when Aignam, the warlock who rules the Interior Wilderness, confronts them in his search for stolen rubies and emeralds. (Basis for the cover art.)
The Love-Star
On a farm in the empire of Savary, love blossoms between two youths. Marcel, a charming lad with sparkling eyes and brown hair, is the son of the farm owner. Yuri, a sturdy raven-haired youth with a broad chest, is a young farmhand. Their years of friendship ripen into love. When they are separated, one of the lads grieves with a broken heart until Erasmus, a wise old shepherd, teaches him to accept the loss and grow more loving through the experience.
The Eunuch
In the happy kingdom of Baussett, good King Renaldo orders a royal tournament, its champion to wed the sweet and delicate Prince Florian. The king is anxious to join his son in Royal Union with a youth of bravery, strength, and sterling character. The handsome athlete, Joel, wins the tournament and captures the heart of the prince, but the Duchy of Ragusa, ruled by the sadistic Grand Duke Sebastiani, declares war on Baussett and invades their peaceful country. Florian and Joel become prisoners of the evil Sebastiani and for a while, terror reigns.
Summerfest
In the marquisate of Palomar there lives an enticing youth named Lute. While trying to avoid the attentions of Valnar, an unwanted suitor, he attends Summerfest with his sister and meets Sturd, a traveling wrestler with blue eyes, yellow hair, and a muscular body. Lute and Sturd fall in love, but are opposed by Sturd's manager, Vigo, who employs drugs and hypnotism to control his wrestler. Vigo and Valnar conspire, and when Vigo flees Summerfest with the drugged Sturd on the floor of his wagon, the two give chase on horseback. The left wheel of Vigo's wagon comes close to the edge of the steep drop-off. . .
The Slave
Dissension grows in the royal family when the king refuses his permission for Prince Fedelli to marry the handsome slave, Kim. Moreover, a sea monster is devouring lizard-men who live under the floating city-state of Aquarellis. A royal visitor, Lord Alido, arrives, harboring hostile intentions. Fedelli and Kim, defying the king, are joined in Royal Union in a secret ceremony. Kim soon learns that the sea monster is a gigantic shark-man and rescues the king from him. As Kim engages the shark-man in battle, Lord Alido transforms himself into Aignam, the warlock (remember Aignam?), and summons his gritons. . .
The Tomb of Ice
The warlock Aignam soars toward the earldom of Polariv, his gritons transporting a large chariot with Kim and stolen murdoth aboard. The following day Prince Fedelli of Aquarellis departs for Polariv to rescue Kim and to retrieve the murdoth. It is an ingredient that, mixed with glocio, forms ice, which is valuable to many countries on the continent of Duskouri. Adventure, thrills, and danger climax in a final battle between good and evil.
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