Chapter 16 #3
“Do I strike you as someone who jokes around?” He can deny it all he wants, but I know I’m rubbing off on him.
“I’m not a kid!” Who tries to make a grown man stand in a corner?!
“Yet your behavior continues to be that of one.” He puts the book down and stands.
“I am completely serious, David. You are going to stand in the corner with your pretty red ass on display until I am satisfied. Now if you need one, I am happy to get you a gag, but short of an emergency, I do not expect to not hear another word out of you until I say otherwise. Am I understood?”
I open and close my mouth, instead nodding my assent, and I try not to roll my eyes as I turn back to the corner. I move my hands back to my head, and I hear Sir walk back to the couch. Then...nothing. It’s silent, other than the occasional sound of a page being turned. Just me and the corner.
At first, I try to use my corner time to think of a new plan to expose Councilman Murbank, but eventually my mind drifts, first to my friends, then to traveling, then to food, and eventually, nothing at all.
I’m not sure how long I stand there, but it has to have been at least a couple of hours when Sir’s hand on my back gets my attention, just in time for lunch.
I yelp when my butt makes contact with a chair in the kitchen, having forgotten about the strapping and plug for a brief moment.
Lunch is small, just some grilled salmon on bread, I suspect because of whatever is planned for later.
When we’re finished eating, he removes the plug but keeps the cage on.
I still don’t know what’s happening, and even though I’m allowed to talk now, I don’t bother asking since I know he won’t tell me.
The rest of the afternoon is quiet, which only makes me feel antsier the more I anticipate what’s coming.
There’s a knock on the door in the late afternoon, and Khazak opens it to reveal Ragnar and Nylan. Ragnar has a case of what looks like bottles of beer, and Nylan is holding some kind of pie. I can see Ragnar and Khazak sharing an awkward moment, but Ny doesn’t seem to notice.
“Happy birthday, David!” He gives me a one-armed hug as he steps inside. “Are we the first ones here?”
“Yes, you are.” Khazak shuts the door behind the two of them. “The others should be on their way.”
“Then we should drink these now because I did not bring enough for everyone.” Ragnar comments, making a beeline for the kitchen.
“I know his father probably made something a million times better, but this pie was my mom’s recipe, so I hope you like it.” Nylan shows me the circular dessert, a golden crust surrounding a sea of bright red fruit.
“Your family’s coming?” I turn to ask Khazak.
“That wasn’t a surprise, was it, sir?” Nylan bites his lip.
“No, it is alright, Nylan.” Khazak shakes his head with a chuckle, helping Ragnar find a bottle opener.
It’s his family who shows up next, arms full of even more food and drink.
Everyone except his two youngest siblings, who I’m sure had something much better to do.
Nylan was right. Rurig did make something: a big two-layer cake that I later learn is a combination of chocolate and coffee.
As soon as he’s inside, Orlun sticks a hat on me, round and made of leather with a pair of wooden antlers sticking out of either side.
“That makes you ‘King of the Hunt,’” he tells me as I adjust it on my head.
“Thank you!” I think I have it on straight. “Uh, what am I supposed to do now?”
“What? Nothing. You just wear it.” The older orc shrugs.
A few more guests show up after them, first Brull, who very loudly announces his arrival, then some people I know from work: Arik, Orim, Glasha, and Nikka.
I’m happy to see all of them, and not just because they all bring me gifts either!
Most of it is stuff for traveling, like a new bedroll and knapsack from Khazak’s family, or socks from Orim (they’re a lot more important than you’d think).
Nylan brings me not just the books I asked for, but a few extras he thought I’d like.
However, my favorite gift by far comes from Glasha and Nikka: smoke bombs!
I’ve seen Glasha testing them out while training; they’re apparently an invention of Nikka’s.
You flick off a small clay cap and toss it to the ground, and a thick cloud of white smoke fills the area: Perfect for confusing your enemies and escaping.
After the gifts, the drinks start flowing in earnest, and the party really gets started.
By which I mean people start to chow down.
Rurig went all out, making a lot of fried things, stuff you can eat with your hands.
There are some fried venison dumplings, those chicken nuggets I had at the festival, and these tiny little steak sandwiches.
Everything is amazing. Have I mentioned how much I’m going to miss the food here?
I’m stuffed by the time we’re cutting the cake, but I make sure to leave room for a slice of Ny’s mom’s pie.
“Thish ish really good,” I say with a half-full mouth to the elf standing next to me. The filling tastes familiar, like what they stuff in the dar-buk buns. What did Khazak call that fruit? Some kind of berry? Starts with an S.
“I’m glad you think so.” He grins. “My mom would have liked you, I think.”
“I wish I could have met her.” If she raised someone like Nylan, she had to be pretty great.
“I remember your mother as a very kind and warm woman.” Khazak comes up behind me, cutting his own piece of pie as he talks. “I am sorry I did not get to know her for very long.”
“Thank you, sir.” Nylan offers us a smile that’s only sad for a second. “Since I have you here, can I ask for a favor?”
“What is it, Nylan?” Khazak asks before taking a bite.
“Tomorrow is actually me and my Sir’s anniversary.” He scans the room for Ragnar, who is over on the couch saying something to Brull. Possibly arguing.
“Congratulations. How long have you guys been together now?” I ask next.
“Eight years.” The surprise on my face must show because he follows it up with a “Right?”
“Has it really been that long?” Khazak muses. “I still remember how anxious he was before your first date. As if you had not been our friend for over a decade at that point.”
“He was so nervous he almost threw up twice during dinner,” Nylan tells me quickly, holding up two fingers.
“What is the favor you wanted to ask?” Khazak redirects things with a chuckle.
“Well, tomorrow is also the first night of his patrol week in the forest.” He grimaces a little.
“Normally, I spend the first night out there with him. Since it’s our anniversary, he tried to swap with someone for a different week, but with everything going on, that’s not really possible.
He’s also been so stressed out, even though he’s doing everything he can not to let me see it.
So, I kind of had a little bit of a late-night picnic planned for the two of us and wanted to know if you would maybe be willing to cover for him tomorrow night, sir? Just for a few hours?”
“We would be happy to, Nylan.” Khazak doesn’t even hesitate before he answers. “What time should we be there?”
“I was thinking seven? Right around sunset and when we should be getting back from patrol.” He sounds really excited, dropping his voice to an unnecessary whisper. “I’m going to take him to Shad’rok Springs.”
“Sounds like a great night, Ny.” I bump him on his shoulder.
“I am sure he will love that,” Khazak agrees.
“Thank you both.” Nylan hugs the two of us. “Alright, I was supposed to make him a drink like ten minutes ago so...” He makes a quick grimace that’s really more of a grin before moving over to the alcohol.
“That was really nice of you, seeing as you’re still mad at Ragnar.” The pain in my ass and metal around my dick are reminders of his feelings toward me.
“I would not want to punish Nylan for something his owner did.” Khazak takes another bite of pie. “And if I were that angry with him, I would not have invited him for tonight’s festivities.”
I think he’s just talking about the party in general, but as the night goes on and guests start to leave, I start to get the feeling that he’s got something else planned.
Nikka and Glasha are gone, as are Khazak’s parents.
His siblings Yogik and Ayla are being walked out right now, with Ayla tossing a “you boys have fun” over her shoulder before the door shuts. What does that mean?
“Great, now the real party can get started,” Brull declares before standing and pulling off his shirt.
“Right to the point as always,” Khazak says with a chuckle, locking the door and turning to me. “Strip.”
I freeze, completely in the dark. Okay, not completely. There’s only a certain number of reasons Sir would be telling me to strip, and everyone still in this room is someone I’ve either had sex with or who has seen or heard me having sex—Nylan, Ragnar, Brull, Orim, and Arik—but it’s still jarring.
“Are you alright?” I can hear the actual concern in Khazak’s question.
“Yes. Sorry, Sir.” I shake the spacey feeling from my head and start unbuttoning my shirt. By the time I’m down to just my jockstrap, I can feel everyone’s eyes on me.
With a whistle, Brull smacks my ass, making me yelp. “Damn boy, what did you do to earn that?”
I don’t answer and neither does Khazak when he steps toward me, turning me around and leading me down the hallway.
Instead of going to the bedroom, he opens the door to the side room, and though it’s dark, I can see the shape of something in one of the corners.
After he lights the lanterns in the room, I get a full look at the contraption made of leather, wood, and metal.