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Sep. 21st, 2013 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
josephine_marrssummary/preview: He watched as she set it on his bed and unwrapped it. The sight of the deep crimson velvet sent a pang through his heart, already. The soft fabric revealed a harness of soft kid leather. “Did you make this?” he asked.
content notes: Non-con, no other standard notes apply.
“It’s for your own good, Merlin.”
Gwen and Gaius stood at Merlin’s door, blocking the stairway together. They had just broken the news to him: that Arthur had ordered for his manservant to be bound in chastity until further notice. It was either that, the order had said, or he would dismiss him entirely, and send him out of Camelot into exile.
“I don’t understand,” Merlin said. “W-what did I do? Why can’t he come tell me that himself…?”
“Because Uther is who is really behind this,” Gaius said. “He has found out about you two. Well, it’s not as if you weren’t both making it obvious!” he said, to Merlin’s shocked look. “It would have only been a matter of time before it started a wildfire of whispers, and not just in our kingdom. That’s why Uther is putting his foot down. I would bet my life on it. Which I may well have to, if you don’t put that…thing on.” His head jerked dismissively at the velvet-wrapped bundle in Gwen’s hands.
“And no amount of arguing is going to change that!” Gaius said, as Merlin opened his mouth to do just that. “I can assure you that I don’t like it any more than you do, but someone must witness you locking…everything…away.” The physician sputtered uncomfortably to a stop.
Merlin spun in an agitated circle. “Does it really have to be you that puts it on?” he moaned.
“Well, it’s either me or Gwen,” Gaius said, almost sounding a little hurt at the rejection, even for such a distasteful task. “Obviously we can’t just drop this off and expect you to go through with it.”
“No, you can’t, can you?” Merlin’s tone was sour as he looked between the two. So it was a choice between his friend, or his father figure. He pointed, at last, to the figure on the left. “Gwen,” he sighed.
“Lucky me!” Gwen said, trying to lighten the mood. Gaius grunted, but looked a bit relieved, himself, as he turned and descended the stairs. Soon, the door was shut, and it was just the two of them. And…the device.
He watched as she set it on his bed and unwrapped it. The sight of the deep crimson velvet sent a pang through his heart, already. The soft fabric revealed a harness of soft kid leather. “Did you make this?” he asked.
“Yes. Arthur asked me to.” Now that her handiwork was being examined, she sounded shy.
The straps were reinforced with wires formed of several strands of bronze, twisted together. Any place that might rub against a pressure point had been covered over with soft leather, tucked and rolled and stitched skillfully into place in straight, even lines. The portions that would rest against his cock and balls had been lined with soft white fur; “Ermine,” Gwen said, as she noticed him looking at it, running his finger against the downy surface. “Arthur brought me the pelt, himself.”
The whole thing had Gwen’s stamp on it. It was beautiful, soft, considerate. Just like her.
She turned away as he took his trousers off, coming back around only when she heard the clinking of the metal buckle as he slid the harness on. She let him adjust it over his front. The soft fur and buttery leather enveloped his balls, and pressed his cock gently but firmly into place atop them, leaving just the head of it poking out. “So, um, you can see that the, um, tip is still open, so you can make water pretty normally. You’ll just…probably have to be careful…”
She took in a soft breath, and threaded the central strap through the buckle, sliding a pinky between his skin and the strap to make sure that they were snug, but not too tight. “I guess this explains a lot of things,” she said ruefully. “Between…you and him. I should have guessed.”
“It’s not…I do care for you, Gwen. Very much.” He wished that he just could have cared for her more. It would have made life much easier for all of them.
A fine bronze chain ran along the outside of the strap opposite the buckle; a small but heavy lock was threaded through that, and through the small ring sewn into the tip of the leather tongue. The lock clicked softly into place.
“Does it fit all right? Not hurting you anywhere?”
“No, it’s fine. It’s very comfortable.” He was sure that he was the first servant who could say that he wore ermine around his balls on a daily basis. Yet, he wanted Arthur’s iron grip around them, instead. Was this all he had to look forward to now, was comfort? He rubbed a hand over his face.
“Well then,” Gwen said softly, “Now that that’s done, I guess I’ll be going.”
“Wait.” Merlin turned, and saw that Gwen’s cheeks looked as hot as his felt. The flush of his emotions felt as if it were tinting the very tips of his ears. “Um…what if I need a bath? I mean…I get to wash every now and then, don’t I?” His tone grew pleading as well as alarmed, as the thought of going who knew how long without a proper bath sank in. Fine leather and fur could only go so far.
“I’m sure it can be arranged,” Gwen said, with a nervous laugh. “There is a key…Gaius should have it, I suppose.” Another uncomfortable silence fell, both of them contemplating that scenario.
“Or I could hold onto it,” she offered. “I’m trustworthy enough to make the thing, so I can have the key. Right?”
For the first time, Merlin smiled. “I think Gaius would be very grateful if you’d hang onto it, yeah.” They both hung their heads at the agreement, but they also both laughed.
“Right, then. Just let me know when you need a proper bath.” She started to leave, then turned back. “Oh! I nearly forgot. Arthur wanted to give this to you, as well.” She reached into the pouch at her belt and brought out a folded square of vellum, sealed with wax.
Merlin took it, and clasped her hand for a moment after. “Thank you. For everything.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed and opened it, when he was sure that he was alone. The words were written in Arthur’s bold, swooping hand.
When spring comes,
I will have an excuse to leave Camelot.
When that time comes, we will see
If your magic can overcome cold iron.
Until then, wait.
It did not completely make sense – what was this about cold iron? But the thought of spring, and a journey, made him feel warm, and hopeful. He memorized it, burning every swirl and slash of Arthur’s handwriting into his mind’s eye. Then, his irises glowed golden, and he rendered the vellum to harmless ash.
content notes: Non-con, no other standard notes apply.
“It’s for your own good, Merlin.”
Gwen and Gaius stood at Merlin’s door, blocking the stairway together. They had just broken the news to him: that Arthur had ordered for his manservant to be bound in chastity until further notice. It was either that, the order had said, or he would dismiss him entirely, and send him out of Camelot into exile.
“I don’t understand,” Merlin said. “W-what did I do? Why can’t he come tell me that himself…?”
“Because Uther is who is really behind this,” Gaius said. “He has found out about you two. Well, it’s not as if you weren’t both making it obvious!” he said, to Merlin’s shocked look. “It would have only been a matter of time before it started a wildfire of whispers, and not just in our kingdom. That’s why Uther is putting his foot down. I would bet my life on it. Which I may well have to, if you don’t put that…thing on.” His head jerked dismissively at the velvet-wrapped bundle in Gwen’s hands.
“And no amount of arguing is going to change that!” Gaius said, as Merlin opened his mouth to do just that. “I can assure you that I don’t like it any more than you do, but someone must witness you locking…everything…away.” The physician sputtered uncomfortably to a stop.
Merlin spun in an agitated circle. “Does it really have to be you that puts it on?” he moaned.
“Well, it’s either me or Gwen,” Gaius said, almost sounding a little hurt at the rejection, even for such a distasteful task. “Obviously we can’t just drop this off and expect you to go through with it.”
“No, you can’t, can you?” Merlin’s tone was sour as he looked between the two. So it was a choice between his friend, or his father figure. He pointed, at last, to the figure on the left. “Gwen,” he sighed.
“Lucky me!” Gwen said, trying to lighten the mood. Gaius grunted, but looked a bit relieved, himself, as he turned and descended the stairs. Soon, the door was shut, and it was just the two of them. And…the device.
He watched as she set it on his bed and unwrapped it. The sight of the deep crimson velvet sent a pang through his heart, already. The soft fabric revealed a harness of soft kid leather. “Did you make this?” he asked.
“Yes. Arthur asked me to.” Now that her handiwork was being examined, she sounded shy.
The straps were reinforced with wires formed of several strands of bronze, twisted together. Any place that might rub against a pressure point had been covered over with soft leather, tucked and rolled and stitched skillfully into place in straight, even lines. The portions that would rest against his cock and balls had been lined with soft white fur; “Ermine,” Gwen said, as she noticed him looking at it, running his finger against the downy surface. “Arthur brought me the pelt, himself.”
The whole thing had Gwen’s stamp on it. It was beautiful, soft, considerate. Just like her.
She turned away as he took his trousers off, coming back around only when she heard the clinking of the metal buckle as he slid the harness on. She let him adjust it over his front. The soft fur and buttery leather enveloped his balls, and pressed his cock gently but firmly into place atop them, leaving just the head of it poking out. “So, um, you can see that the, um, tip is still open, so you can make water pretty normally. You’ll just…probably have to be careful…”
She took in a soft breath, and threaded the central strap through the buckle, sliding a pinky between his skin and the strap to make sure that they were snug, but not too tight. “I guess this explains a lot of things,” she said ruefully. “Between…you and him. I should have guessed.”
“It’s not…I do care for you, Gwen. Very much.” He wished that he just could have cared for her more. It would have made life much easier for all of them.
A fine bronze chain ran along the outside of the strap opposite the buckle; a small but heavy lock was threaded through that, and through the small ring sewn into the tip of the leather tongue. The lock clicked softly into place.
“Does it fit all right? Not hurting you anywhere?”
“No, it’s fine. It’s very comfortable.” He was sure that he was the first servant who could say that he wore ermine around his balls on a daily basis. Yet, he wanted Arthur’s iron grip around them, instead. Was this all he had to look forward to now, was comfort? He rubbed a hand over his face.
“Well then,” Gwen said softly, “Now that that’s done, I guess I’ll be going.”
“Wait.” Merlin turned, and saw that Gwen’s cheeks looked as hot as his felt. The flush of his emotions felt as if it were tinting the very tips of his ears. “Um…what if I need a bath? I mean…I get to wash every now and then, don’t I?” His tone grew pleading as well as alarmed, as the thought of going who knew how long without a proper bath sank in. Fine leather and fur could only go so far.
“I’m sure it can be arranged,” Gwen said, with a nervous laugh. “There is a key…Gaius should have it, I suppose.” Another uncomfortable silence fell, both of them contemplating that scenario.
“Or I could hold onto it,” she offered. “I’m trustworthy enough to make the thing, so I can have the key. Right?”
For the first time, Merlin smiled. “I think Gaius would be very grateful if you’d hang onto it, yeah.” They both hung their heads at the agreement, but they also both laughed.
“Right, then. Just let me know when you need a proper bath.” She started to leave, then turned back. “Oh! I nearly forgot. Arthur wanted to give this to you, as well.” She reached into the pouch at her belt and brought out a folded square of vellum, sealed with wax.
Merlin took it, and clasped her hand for a moment after. “Thank you. For everything.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed and opened it, when he was sure that he was alone. The words were written in Arthur’s bold, swooping hand.
When spring comes,
I will have an excuse to leave Camelot.
When that time comes, we will see
If your magic can overcome cold iron.
Until then, wait.
It did not completely make sense – what was this about cold iron? But the thought of spring, and a journey, made him feel warm, and hopeful. He memorized it, burning every swirl and slash of Arthur’s handwriting into his mind’s eye. Then, his irises glowed golden, and he rendered the vellum to harmless ash.
