The Other Stephen’s Story

Karen was quite typical of my dalliances. I, almost literally, bumped into her outside of the Apple store, she was carrying the usual small white bag characteristic of a purchase. “Hey, good to see you.” was all I said before I walked on, first, don’t let on you don’t know them. I paused, turned back to her, “I’m just getting dinner, Italian, would you like to join us? Bob and Carol said they’d be there, but you know how flaky they are.” Bob and Carol of course were fiction, but would put her more at ease.

She looked somewhat confused, and as though she was concentrating, trying to recollect me. “Err, Ok?” It sounded like a question, but was good enough for me, I offered her my arm. We walked the two blocks around the corner to the restaurant, chatting inconsequentially. In the restaurant I asked the hostess for a table for four and she seated us.

I glanced over the wine list, “This one’s good, shall we get a bottle?” I pointed to a quality Tuscan red, it was not a coincidence that the price was $75. She assented and I ordered the bottle. We spent a very pleasant time over dinner, only the one bottle of wine, I didn’t need a drunk on my hands. I made sure to get close and hold her hand, she reciprocated, her eyes were wide and glistening, she was playing with her hair. All good signs.

After dessert, I asked, “We could get coffee here, or I could fix you some at my flat, it’s only a few blocks.” A residence in this part of town would indicate substantial means, never a bad thing when dealing with the fairer sex.

“Lets go to your place.” A very promising answer. I paid the bill and we left the restaurant, I offered her my arm as we walked the half mile to my residence. We took the lift to my floor.

As the lift slowly ascended, I took her into my arms. I wrapped my arms around her, immobilizing her, and leaned against her pressing her against the wall. Then I kissed her hard. She flushed, but didn’t protest. A demonstration of your physical prowess is always good for arousing the female. The lift bell rang and the doors opened, I again offered her my arm and we walked down the hall to my front door.

Once inside the flat, I asked, “Would you like that coffee now, or something else?”

“Something else sounds good right now.”

I took my cue from this and again wrapped my arms around her, and pushed her against the wall. I kissed her, while I fondled her bum. I broke the kiss and she was breathing heavily, flushed, obviously aroused. I lead her over to the couch, leaned her over the arm, then I raised her skirt and pulled down her drawers. I freed myself from my trousers and rammed my manhood into its new home. “Oof!” was Karen’s only comment, muffled by the couch cushions. I continued to ram myself home, I reached under her to find her little button. She was engorged as I played with her, she continued to make incoherent noises, then climaxed with “st-stop. Stop.” I ceased my motions, and with a final grunt she went limp, her legs buckling under her.

I took a seat on the couch, with my manhood very prominent, I petted her waiting for her to regain her sensibilities. She rolled over to assume a more comfortable position on the couch next to me, looking up at me. He gaze was quite adoring. “Oh, wow! That was amazing.”

“We haven’t finished yet.” I stated, as I made to undo her clothes, with an eye to removing it all. She did not protest, and aided me in removing them. I left her in hose and shoes. “Now it’s your turn.” I motioned to my prominent manhood. She made to kiss him, I motioned her no, she should be kneeling on the floor. She took up her position at my feet and started suckling on me.

One of many marvelous things about this time and place is the oral sodomy. Instead of sending you to the gallows, sodomy was now commonplace, celebrated even. In my time, suggesting a lady of more than dubious repute perform this act would be met with scorn if not plain incomprehension. In my new time, the ladies expected to perform the service for you, with ne’er a scant glance. Of course, a lady would expect reciprocation, something I was more than happy to oblige with.

I gloried in her ministrations for some time, but I thought my seed could be better broadcast so I placed my hand on her head. “Come! To the bedchamber with you!” I rose and slipped out of her mouth, I offered her my hand and lead her down the hall to the bedroom. I laid her down on the bed.

I undressed and carefully arranged my spent clothing as it should be, then took up my position to minister to her flower. I knew she was already wet, she offered little resistance to my invasion earlier, but the tide seemed to be flowing even stronger as I laboured. I was met with appreciative grunts and sighs, eventually leading to thrashing about.

This again was my cue, I abandoned my post between her legs and jumped on top of her, again ramming my manhood into her sheath. With all the fervor of a rabbit in spring, I thrust home. Her sighs and grunts gave way to keening and wailing, she one was a noisy one. At the climax of her passion, I also let go a broadside. Lest you think I was not also caught up in the passion, I was. My grunts were as incoherent as hers, just of a considerably smaller order.

We both collapsed onto our backs, the petit mort of passion overcoming us. I was still unable to form a coherent thought when Karen managed to summon the energy to roll over and hug me. “Thank you, you were wonderful.” She looked thoughtful for some time, then asked. “How is it we know each other? I’ve been wracking my brain trying to work out where I know you from, obviously, we’ve never had sex before, I’d remember it being this good.”

“Why do you think we know each other? We just met outside the Apple store.” Play the innocent.

She looked puzzled. “You definitely seemed to know me.”

“I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. By the way, I’m Stephen, I’m pleased to make you acquaintance.” I proffered my hand.

She blushed, and accepted the hand. “Karen.”

I thought this was an appropriate moment to document the episode. I reached for the camera I kept by my bedside. This dark chamber was much improved over those I was previously familiar with, it was so much smaller and it managed to fix the image in time. The image was fully coloured and gloriously detailed, I transferred them to my PowerBook and forever more I would have a record as an aid to my memory. “Smile and look well fucked!” A variation on this world’s admonition, and added “Just a little keepsake.”

She did smile, and indeed did look well fucked, though I don’t think I can credit her solely for that. Rejoining her on the bed, we snuggled. She demurred, I think she blushed a little further. She asked, “Well, Stephen,…” she seemed to be savouring the novelty of my name, “Could we do that again?”

“It may take me a few moments to regain my potency, but I would be glad to use you again for my pleasure.” While this encounter with Karen was quite typical, the actuality would play out in a thousand different forms, I won’t bore you with a thousand examples. It was this point in the encounter where events may take a different turn. A large proportion of the ladies would object to the characterization of being “used”. The most strenuous objectors would end the encounter there and then, I would attempt to make sure they left with my calling card but not all would take it.

—

If I were to start at the beginning, I would say that I was born on the thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord Seventeen Hundred and Sixty Eight. This was an interesting time to be alive, it was a time of great discovery of Empires being built and of course wars. That same year I was born; James Cook set out on his voyage of discovery; Corsica was sold to France; and the Encyclopedia Britannica began to be published for the first time.

Cook’s voyage was largely made possible by the invention of the practical marine chronometer, along with the Sextant invented earlier in the century. The chronometer had been standardized only a couple of years before. Cook’s voyage was also notable that it was ostensibly for science, not just exploration. They were to observe the Transit of Venus from Tahiti. Cook also helped conquer the scourge of scurvy and did not lose a single man to it. When I was eleven years old, Cook came to a sticky end in Hawaii, while trying to kidnap their king.

Corsica became important as less than two years later Napoleon was born on that island. Though no one knew it at the time he would become a very important person to the world. The ripples of his existence even affected me personally.

While Britain was expanding her influence abroad, she made some mistakes. In the years preceding my birth, she taxed the American colonies, leading to open rebellion when I was seven. The last shot was fired when I was thirteen, thus the USA was born.

It was an exciting time in the sciences, in the preceding 100 years, seven new elements had been discovered. The first discovered since antiquity. Eleven more were discovered by the time I attained my majority. The very heavens were no longer fixed. Halley’s predictions of a comet’s return had been proven true earlier in the century and Herschel discovered Georges Star, when I was thirteen. That was the first planet discovered since antiquity. Though some might know the star better by the name of Saturn’s Father, Uranus.

Technology was proceeding apace, I was only one year old when a steam powered artillery carriage was demonstrated. Static steam engines were being used in the new industries. Vast areas of the country were blackened by the fires of these industries. It was less than two weeks before my eleventh birthday when the first Iron bridge was completed over Coalbrook dale. That was exciting, such a marvel and less than a day’s journey from me.

My father was a rector in the Welsh Marches. He held the living of several parishes, thus he received the tithes as well as had use of the glebe lands. He was a wealthy man because it. I did not know my father well, I had the education befitting the child of someone of his station. I was sent off to boarding school, my earliest memories are not happy ones of the school. I prefer to not dwell on school which lasted until I went up to Oxford.

One week after my fifteenth birthday I went up to Oxford, Pembroke college, and matriculated that week. In those days both senior and junior members of the college were celibate. Being confirmed in the Church of England I did not give this another thought. Also as I was in the church, I was not required to swear an oath of loyalty to the church, unlike those students of other denominations.

In those days, Oxford was a mere shadow of its former self. It was relegated almost to irrelevancy, though with a longer perspective, you might know it had already passed its nadir and was beginning its renaissance. With the exception of the college across the street (which shall remain nameless), attendance was dwindling. About one third of my fellow students were also sons of the clergy, I had a lot of company.

Oxford may have been in a chill, but it was still the place to learn. As well as my normal lessons in Rhetoric and Grammar, I would seek out others to learn from. Mathematics, chemistry, other physical sciences. Oxford may be a backwater, but there are plenty who will share their knowledge with you. The Bodleian library is an amazing place to learn, and I had it almost to myself.

Meanwhile the treaty of Paris ended the American revolution, and mankind conquered the heavens: The Mongolfiers flew their balloon in Paris. Next I learnt Politics, Logic and Economics. In Paris Ben Franklin invented his double spectacles. Something I did not care of at the time, but was greatly thankful for later in life. More logic, moral philosophy, geometry and greek rounded out my studies for my baccalaureate.

I was now eighteen and could have left and still taken my MA in three years time, but I stayed on for advanced studies. Natural philosophy, geometry and astronomy were simple, I’d been studying those for since matriculation. I added metaphysics, ancient history and more greek. In the world at large, James Watt invented the governor. This maybe the first time anyone had ever automated a machine. That the same year, prisoners were first transported to Australia.

It was Christmas of my twenty first year, the year I gained my majority that I attained the status of MA. That was the year that Uranium was discovered. It was named after the planet that the English still called George’s Star. The French also revolted, starting with the storming of the Bastille. Unlike the Americans, they had no colonial master to throw off. They took to regicide instead, though it took them a few years to work up the courage for that.

Unlike many of my fellow graduates, I did not embark on the grand tour. I had neither the means or inclination. I desired to make my mark on the world, and I set out to do just that. With the help of a loan from my father I started a business exporting the new technologies. I found Amsterdam to be a profitable place to operate from. I further discovered that arms were even more profitable than steam engines. The Dutch government was under threat, the Stadtholder, not just the leader of a city as his title would suggest, but their king, was unpopular. There were constant attempts at revolution. Revolution was in the air. The Americans had thrown off the might of Britannia, the French their king. The Dutch were a key British ally and bulwark against the republicans to the south.

I spent several years traveling between Amsterdam, London and Birmingham. I made my father’s stake back many fold and paid off the debt. That may be the last time I ever saw my father, when I paid off the debt. I had no intention of ever seeing him again subsequent to that. Of note during those years was the creation of the Ordnance Survey, they would map the entire country in the coming years. A very worthwhile feat.

It was in my 24th year that I met the love of my life, Aurora. Aurora Hendricks was the daughter of a successful Amsterdam merchant. It seems that I did not at first notice her, but she noticed me. She engineered further meetings where I did notice her. It was not long before I was madly in love and asking her father for her hand. He saw a potential profitable union, and assented to that. That I was not Dutch should not have mattered to her father, he had himself brought a bride back from abroad. Aurora’s mother was Swedish.

We were planning on a wedding in May of the following year, that would have been 1793. In February war broke out, the French First Republic declared war on Britain and on the Dutch Republic. That was very profitable for me, and my father-in-law to be, this was a very busy time for us. But I still found time to marry Aurora. I purchased a house on the Keizersgracht and we took up residence there.

We were both pure on our wedding night, as was proper. We celebrated our love and God’s greatest creation, the human body, with great gusto. The act of physical love was a revelation. I wondered why I had waited to long to do this. But almost immediately Aurora fell with child and no longer could I celebrate our love.

With Aurora’s body no longer available to me, I went out of my mind. That’s when I found out how accommodating the servants could be. The maids seemed to be vying for my attention, and so one day my senses left me. I gave into my base desires, a maid named Mary was the object of these desires. She was grateful for the attention, this gave her some elevated status among the servants. I also saw to it that her wage was increased.

And so began a game I would play with the servants. They would pretend my advances were unwelcome, the ones who protested most were the most desired, and most rewarded. This allowed my sanity to return, at least until Isaac was born. Then we could once again celebrate our love.

The the tide of events overtook us. The winter following Isaac’s birth with was severe. The French Republic took advantage of this to sent an army to aid those revolutionaries who opposed the Stadtholder. The rivers that usually defended against any threat from the South had frozen allowing the invasion. I was in London at the time and waited anxiously for news from Amsterdam.

It was a long cold winter. Just a week after my twenty seventh birthday, the Batavian Republic was declared in Holland. Eventually I got word that Aurora and Isaac were safe. When the weather allowed they took a roundabout route and joined me in London.

As one door closes, another opened. I had lost my operation in Amsterdam, but following the Battle or Muizenberg later that year, the British gained possession of the Cape Colony from the Batavian Republic. This was an important outpost, it could control the sea routes around the Cape of Good Hope to India, a vital trade route for Britain. Wresting control from the now hostile French puppet state in Holland was vital.

With Britain now in charge, it was possible for Britons to settle and trade there, previously the colony was the exclusive possession of the Dutch East India company. Now others needed a licence to settle but Britons could freely travel there. I felt there were great opportunities in this new land and travelled there with Aurora and Isaac. Elsewhere in the world; Napoleon marched on Turin; Edward Jenner administered the first vaccine; and Laplace proposed the nebular hypothesis of planetary formation. Progress marched even as the armies did.

Almost immediately Aurora fell with child again. I seemed to be more accepted by the Afrikaners, as the Dutch settlers now called themselves, than most Britons. I spoke their language and I had a Dutch wife. I was almost one of them, but not quite. We prospered in my our new home. The British largely kept to their promise not to interfere with the laws and customs of the Dutch/Afrikaner. The only change they made was to replace the barbarous method of capital punishment with hanging. The previous method was scarcely believable method of crucifixion and breaking on the cross. (That is breaking all the major bones in the body while affixed to a cross.) The Dutch used their peculiar version of Roman law, so I can only speculate this was just another aspect of Roman law.

The only other time you might notice Roman law is when dealing with bureaucrats. They would not talk to Aurora, just to me. Under the Roman system a woman loses her majority on being married, and basically becomes a child in law and the responsibility of the husband. This was the same as it had been in Amsterdam, so it did not particularly matter. In London Aurora had been legally an adult, but covered by my legal presence under the theory of coverture. In practice this does not make a difference, but when dealing with an Afrikaner bureaucrat it can lead to annoyance. The Afrikaner has the hardest head of any known mammal, particularly the bureaucrat.

That summer Gregor was born to us and we settled into our new prosperous life. Our life was quiet and comfortable, while in the rest of the world battles raged. Napoleon invaded Egypt, he found the Rosetta stone there, a major event for linguists and Egyptologist. Napoleon lost heavily to Nelson at the Battle of Nile. In Britain income tax was introduced as a temporary measure to fund the wars. Volta demonstrated his electric pile, the electric battery was born. Ireland was admitted to the United Kingdom by the Act of Union in 1801, to join England and Scotland. Both England and France conducted censuses, along the American model. Now they knew how many troops they could raise if need be.

I noticed that there was not a third baby on the way, after the first two had been so quick. We were still celebrating our physical love, if anything with increased ardor as we were not disturbed by Aurora falling with child. My doctor speculated that the bout of squinancy I had suffered shortly before Gregor’s birth was responsible.