First Day of Breaking the Breaker

26th day of the 2nd moon, 1113 HC

Damion never would have imagined he'd have this life, but he likes it. He actually chose it. And he continues to choose it again and again every month on the new moon. For seven years he has chosen this lifestyle.

He moved back in with Mulsae. He never would have imagined he would choose Mulsae, but once he was away, and once he had many other experiences, he found he was constantly missing something. He tried to find Doms who would replace Mulsae, but none could match up to the Real Mulsae.

So one drunken night where Damion felt particularly untethered, he reached for the enchanted parchment Mulsae had slipped to him at the Masters' summit and wrote that he missed him. Mulsae replied in kind, and the conversation began. Damion told him how he felt, what he hated, what he missed, and what he wished he could have. Mulsae listened and lent a sympathetic ear.

Then The Agreement started to develop, one where they discussed what boundaries would be expected if they were ever to share their lives together again. The Agreement evolved and started to feel more and more tempting to Damion. If they were together, The Agreement would last only one month at a time, new moon to new moon, upon which they would have a discussion as equals about any modifications to The Agreement that would apply for the next moon cycle.

The Agreement system has worked for seven years. Damion is free to leave Mulsae without notice at any time for any reason, but would have to endure a punishment in order to return. He's never left without notice. He gets vacation time when he wants it, and hasn't yet felt pushed enough to leave without notice.

Damion has been living this relatively stress-free life for years. Mulsae handles everything, and Damion worries over nothing. Until Zudaeshi's presence in Harmura became more and more ever present. Mulsae's stress levels have increased and seep into their personal dynamic. Now Damion worries about Zudaeshi, too. Mulsae is afraid. Damion is growing afraid.

Mulsae was invited to a dinner with all the Sanctum Masters to celebrate the trade treaties with Shinra and peace between the lands. Mulsae was suspicious. This would be the first time all the Masters gathered since the summit to free Damion. What was even more suspicious was that Zudaeshi specifically invited Damion.

Damion no longer publicly appeared casually at Mulsae's side. He only appeared for Sanctum business in Scaldmere and in the throne room at Drenvaar. He especially didn't travel to other Sanctums at Mulsae's side. Damion traveled for vacation, sure, they just didn't travel together. The nature of their relationship has been held primarily in private.

Zudaeshi always had a sick fascination with what Mulsae had done to Damion. Her demand to have Damion present at the dinner just furthered the suspicion that Zudaeshi had sick intentions.

After long discussions, they decide to attend the dinner together. Mulsae plans to convince Zudaeshi to perform a fake Water Sanctum peace ceremony, using a ritual bowl secretly enchanted to reveal the truth of a person's soul. Zudaeshi’s guard may be lower if Mulsae appears to acquiesce to her request and brings Damion along.

Besides. Mulsae is the most powerful Master in living memory. He can defend Damion from any harm while at the dinner. Right?

Mulsae and Damion arrive from the Spirit Portal into the plaza at the Palace on Harmony Mountain to attend the dinner Zudaeshi has invited them to. Zudaeshi decided to use the usually abandoned Palace as neutral ground to hold this dinner supposedly celebrating peace.

Mulsae wears his finery and a dark indigo Sanctum Master's stole, while Damion wears only a pair of leather pants and bare feet, as is his traditional outfit when appearing as Mulsae's companion. Damion is holding the Water Sanctum ritual bowl they hope to use to trick Zudaeshi into exposing her soul. They are greeted by a pair of Sky-Touched escorts dressed more like soldiers. The soldier-like escorts lead them to a drawing room where other Masters and their retinue are gathering.

Mulsae and Damion enter the room and they're immediately looked at suspiciously. A lot happened in the Masters' effort to free Damion from Mulsae, and they are understandably upset to see them back together. Mulsae strides forward like he owns the place and grabs a goblet of wine from a tray. He gazes out at the gathered people with a bored expression. Damion sticks to a typical heeling position to Mulsae's left and a step behind.

Mulsae casually strolls through the room and no one pulls him into conversation. However, Damion is shocked when Thunder Master Deryn approaches him and drawls, "Certainly didn't expect to see you here. With him." He jerks his head towards Mulsae, who continues his stroll away and through the room.

Damion nods, "I didn't expect to be here. Zudaeshi specifically invited me."

Deryn raises an eyebrow, "Suspicious." Damion simply nods.

Deryn takes a sip of his wine then smirks, "One of these days you'll have to tell me how you guys got back together. But I hear it's been consensual these past few years?"

Damion nods, "Yes, we have an Agreement, and we update The Agreement every new moon."

Deryn nods thoughtfully, "I hope it's working out and that you're happy."

Damion sighs and rubs the back of his neck, "I went through a really rough time after I was freed. My experience with Mulsae changed me. Or... unlocked something in me. Or... made me understand myself better. I don't know, it's hard to explain. It's hard for me to understand," he sighs heavily, "I just know I'm happier with a Dom, and I'm happier when Mulsae is that Dom."

Deryn places a comforting hand on Damion's shoulder, "What's important is that you're happy, and what's even more important is that you can change your mind."

"I am, and I can," Damion looks up sheepishly, "I am free to walk away right this moment if I wanted to. I choose to be here with him."

Deryn pulls a piece of parchment from his pocket and hands it to Damion, "Here, it's Heavenwood parchment. If you ever feel trapped you can write to me and I'll help."

Damion accepts the parchment and blushes profusely, "Thank you. I appreciate you looking out for me. I appreciate your kindness. You're a good Master." Damion folds up the parchment and sticks it in the waistband of his pants.

"You've got pants now," Deryn smirks.

Damion huffs, "Yeah, one of the changes that's part of our Agreement."

Flame Master Valena approaches to join the conversation, "Well if it isn't the catalyst that gave me my position. A pleasure to see you, Damion."

Damion has been blushing so much his skin is starting to burn, "It is nice to know my experiences were able to instigate good in the world."

"Getting rid of Sorvak was a lot of good," Valena smirks.

"Well well! If it isn't Flame Sanctum’s savior!" Zeven walks up and slaps Damion on the back. Oh gods, if I get any more attention I think I'll just die of embarrassment.

Damion smiles meekly at Zeven.

"Look who's become the center of the party," drawls Mulsae as he strolls up. Everyone's eyes narrow at him.

"Mulsae," Valena says, dripping with disdain.

"It was nice talking to you, Damion," Deryn says smiling at him, then looks at Mulsae and drops the smile before turning to walk away.

Valena just clasps Zeven on the shoulder and guides him away.

Damion walks up shoulder to shoulder with Mulsae and whispers, "Thank you."

Mulsae caresses a finger down Damion's cheek, "Anything for you."

Chiming can be heard at the entrance to the drawing room that captures everyone's attention. "Dinner is ready," a servant announces.

All the guests file out the door with murmuring voices and sounds of footsteps. They walk through the hallways of the mountain palace and are led to large double doors that open to a grand room. There are three round tables seating 14 people each, although the center table is larger than the other two.

"The seating is assigned. Please look for your name tag and sit at your assigned seats," announces the servant.

The guests gather in and mill about the tables looking for their names. It's quickly discovered that all of the Sanctum Masters and their partners are seated at the center table.

Mulsae and Damion look for their names and find only Mulsae's name. They then notice the cushion next to Mulsae's chair. There, resting on top of the cushion, is the tag with Damion's name written on it. Damion groans and rolls his eyes. Their Agreement has prohibited his kneeling at the table in front of others.

How do you want to handle this? drifts Mulsae's voice in Damion's mind.

It's okay. We're here to take down Zudaeshi. I'll just suck it up and deal with it. I've done it before, I can do it again, Damion sighs.

Mulsae peers at him sympathetically. Let me know if you're struggling. We can get up and leave if we need to, okay?

Damion smiles at Mulsae. Thanks for understanding.

They remain standing until everyone else has seated. Then Damion takes a deep breath and kneels on the cushion. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. But he still flashes back to such severe humiliating moments at the beginning of his time with Mulsae. His stomach begins to roil as the memories flow through him rapidly.

Mulsae takes his seat and finds himself next to the Mountain Master. "Garrick," Mulsae drawls.

"Mulsae," Garrick says with a hint of a growl in his voice.

Damion looks around suspiciously. Only the center table sits atop a rug, and the tabletop has the etchings of a large sigil, ringed with eight smaller ones. He notices each Master is seated directly in front of the smaller sigils. The center of the table is empty, and encircled in candles.

I don't like the look of this, Damion says to Mulsae.

I'm getting suspicious, too. Maybe we should leave.

But the loud clicking of high-heeled shoes echoes through the room, cutting through the murmuring of voices. It draws everyone's attention to the double doors where Zudaeshi is walking towards them in resplendent finery and glittering gold shoes. She carries an eight sided crystal pyramid.

She walks to the center table where it has no chairs and so strangely stands on the table and walks to its center. She kneels down and her dress pools around her.

We're leaving. Now. Mulsae says. As soon as he plants his hands on the arm of his chair to get up, Zudaeshi slams the crystal down onto the center of the table. A shockwave explodes outwards pressing everyone into the back of their chairs while Damion is knocked to the floor.

He sees Mulsae is shuddering with his back arched like he's being pulled from his chest. Damion hops to his feet and sees the other Sanctum Masters are in the same position with their partners looking just as frantic as he is.

Suddenly his feet burn, and he jumps back. Lines of bright light are erupting from the rug in the shape of more sigils. Each Master's chair is in the center of a sigil. The light around Mulsae is blue, but the other Masters are surrounded in other colors: yellow, white, brown, green, grey, and red.

The different colored lights of the sigil converge in the center and shoot up to surround Zudaeshi in bands of differently colored glowing lights. Her hands are on the crystal. Her back arched and her eyes brightly glowing blue.

Damion grabs Mulsae and tries to pull him out of the chair but he won't budge. He tugs and flails but nothing works. He looks on as all the other partners are doing the same.

The Masters shudder and shake while Zudaeshi's black hair blows wildly with her golden highlights glinting in the light. All the partners eye each other. No one has found a way to pull the Masters out.

Finally the Masters collapse and Zudaeshi slumps forward. Everyone pants deeply.

Are you okay, are you okay? Damion pushes to Mulsae. No answer.

After a few moments, Mulsae's eyes flutter and he groans. More groaning echos from the others.

Let's go, let's get out of here. Damion tugs on Mulsae's arm, but he's still dazed and incoherent.

Zudaeshi straightens and casts her gaze about with a smile. She stands and looks around in a circle and appears very pleased with what she sees.

The masters stumble to their feet. Their partners try to lead them away, but Zudaeshi interrupts.

"All hail your new Harmonarch!" she announces.

No reaction. The Masters still try to lumber away.

"Fine," she says and waves her hand.

The partner helping Ground Master Dalenna crashes to the floor screaming and covered in a watery mist. Everyone stops and looks at him just in time for Zudaeshi to wave her hand again and the man falls to his side, covered in dust.

Dalenna crashes to the floor, "Brennar?" She shakes him. "Brennar?!" She puts her fingers to his neck, then presses hard. She moves her fingers, looking frantic. She picks up his wrist. She then puts her ear to his chest and after a moment lets out a heart rending scream of horror.

Everyone looks at each other. Panic begins to roll through the room. Shaky voices begin to call out one by one, "To the Harmonarch!"

"That's better," Zudaeshi says.

"I want each of the Masters to pledge themselves and their Sanctums to me, your Grandmaster, the Harmonarch." The Masters eye each other.

"Starting with Garrick dear," she turns to face him. He sits down in his chair and crosses his arms, refusing to look at her.

Zudaeshi sighs and raises a hand and clamps it shut in a fist. Zeven's hands fly up to scrabble at his neck. His mouth is open in a silent scream and he bends forward and back as his face turns deeper shades of red.

Garrick stands abruptly, "Let him go!"

"Pledge," she merely says.

Garrick glances at Zeven and takes a few heavy breaths. "I pledge myself and my Sanctum to you, Your Radiance." Zeven falls to the floor and Garrick immediately drops to his side to tend to him.

One by one the Masters make their pledges. Dalenna makes hers through sobs while holding her husband's body. Mulsae is last. He pushes back his chair and kneels with his head bowed, "I pledge myself and my Sanctum to you, Your Radiance."

"Oh my," Zudaeshi purrs, "I saved the best for last, apparently."

Zudaeshi snaps her fingers and calls out, "Bring out dinner."

She walks towards the gap in the seating between the Thunder and Flame Masters and steps off the table. A servant is already approaching with a chair for her. A line of servants file into the room and place dinner plates for each guest.

"Dalenna, join us at the table," Zudaeshi commands.

A servant pulls on Dalenna's husband's body. She yells, "No!" and scrambles to hold onto his body tightly.

Suddenly, Dalenna's spine straightens and she rises off the floor with her arms and legs flailing and an expression of pain. Her feet lift off the floor a few inches, then she falls and lands on wobbly legs.

"Sit at the table, Dalenna," Zudaeshi demands. She obeys, tears streaming down her face.

Zudaeshi gives a wide blood red smile to her gathered guests. "Eat. Enjoy my hospitality," she says, sweeping a hand out invitingly.

Hands move and chopsticks click. No one speaks. No one dares move a muscle beyond what is required to eat.

"Are you not going to feed your pet, Mulsae?" Zudaeshi questions.

"Yes, your Radiance," he replies coolly with a bored expression. He offers some food to Damion. Damion accepts with a subtly confused expression. What the fuck is going on? Why are the Masters not doing anything? Why did they just pledge themselves to her? And why the fuck is Mulsae not answering me?!

The quiet lays heavy. Only light clinking of utensils. Not even a whisper.

"You never did finish that book, Mulsae," Zudaeshi says from across the table.

Mulsae appears bored. "I had decided not to finish it, Your Radiance."

"Why is that?"

"The nature of my relationship with Damion changed. It no longer seems appropriate."

"What changed?"

"It's consensual now. We have an Agreement that we abide by and update regularly."

"Your work was clearly quite successful if he willingly came back to you," she eyes Garrick, then turns back to Mulsae, "You must tell me all your secrets."

Mulsae dips his head, "I am at your service, Your Radiance."

Her smile grows wide. "I would like to see a demonstration." Mulsae inclines his head. Quiet returns.

"Perhaps tonight," she says.

Mulsae inclines his head again. "Yes, Your Radiance." Damion’s stomach churns. He doesn’t like the sound of that.

Gradually, eating stops. Silence reigns. Soft sniffles echo.

Zudaeshi stands. "Thank you all for attending dinner. You will each be retrieved shortly and escorted to your rooms. The Sanctum Masters will attend a breakfast meeting with me in the morning. Further instructions will follow."

She hooks an arm around Garrick’s. "Garrick, you’ll be joining me privately before heading to your room." He and Zeven exchange a look. Zeven nods and steps away. Zudaeshi leads him out a back hallway.

Shinran soldiers begin escorting guests. Mulsae stands with a proprietary hand on Damion’s head while he kneels.

Eventually, one of the escorts approaches. "Heel," Mulsae says without looking back. Damion stands and follows.

They are led down bright white hallways that do not reflect the somber and stunned mood. They arrive at a door and the guard escort opens it and ushers them inside. "You'll be fetched in the morning, Master. Be ready," he says gruffly, then shuts the door. There is a loud ominous click of the door locking.

Mulsae spins to face Damion and pulls him into a tight hug. They have never hugged before. It's just not what they do. They don't hug or kiss, it's their unspoken boundary.

Mulsae pulls back and frantically looks Damion over, "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? What about you?! What the fuck is happening, Mulsae?" Damion presses.

Mulsae turns to pace, nearly panting, and running both hands through his hair, "She stole our powers. We're powerless," he looks up at Damion in an expression of shocked grief, "I'm powerless."

Damion's jaw drops. That's why he hasn't been talking to him in his mind. He can't. His powers are gone. And they're trapped.

Damion notices a flicker of rippling light spill from the open doorway to the bathing chamber. It's soft and undulating like moonlight on water.

"Mulsae," they hear a soft voice call out. Mulsae spins toward the sound and they watch Nori step out of the bathing chamber.

Mulsae marches up to her in a fury, "I specifically told you NOT to come, Nori!" Mulsae snags Nori by the arm and drags her back into the bathing chamber. Damion follows.

"I didn't hear that, Mulsae. All I heard was 'Zudaeshi stole all our powers' and then you were garbled. Of course I came with a message like that," says Nori calmly.

Mulsae runs his hands through his hair, "It is absolutely imperative that you and your Veilwalker abilities stay hidden until this is over. From everyone, absolutely everyone. I wiped everyone's memory of your existence. " He paces in a circle with his hand in his hair, "At least I tried to anyway. It probably isn't complete. There's probably going to be rumors of your existence."

"You did... what?" Nori says, clearly struggling now to maintain her emotionless demeanor.

"Zudaeshi cannot know that you exist, therefore no one can know you exist," Mulsae grabs her by the shoulders and looks her right in the eye, "You must stay a secret. Zudaeshi cannot get her hands on you. She will use you and all of Harmura will lose hope."

Then Mulsae pulls Nori into a tight hug and Nori stumbles into it. "Your life is at risk, too. And I just wouldn't be able to stand it if anything happened to you. We've been friends since we were kids, Nori. I can't lose you," he pulls back to look Nori in the eyes, "You must keep hidden, do you understand?"

Nori nods, "I understand."

"Do not come here again," orders Mulsae.

"Mulsae, why don't we just leave? I can easily take you out of here," points out Nori.

"We need to protect Lirae." While he paces in a circle.

"How does you staying protect Lirae?" asks Nori.

"She's going to pillage all of Harmura. I need to keep her eyes off the Water Sanctum. She cannot discover Lirae. So, I'm staying. I'll keep her distracted," Mulsae explains.

Nori ruffles her wings, "Okay. Whatever you think is best."

Nori waits a beat then continues, "I'm going to leave a mirror with each of you." She pulls two small mirror pendants from her pocket and hands them over, "I'll keep tabs on you. If you need help just call out for me and the Veilspirit will hopefully get my attention. Hopefully. If it's in the mood to." She sighs. The parasitic Spirit that is attached to her is moody.

Mulsae nods, "Understood. But it will be dire circumstances if I'll call for you. Do not come unless I call you. Do not presume, okay? Wait for me to specifically call you."

Nori nods, "Understood."

"Now go, they're coming to collect us soon and I don't want to risk them finding you here," Mulsae orders.

Nori gives a curt nod, "Good luck, Mulsae. Damion," then she steps up onto the counter and puts her hand on the mirror. It ripples then steadies and now shows a dimly lit room. She crawls into the mirror and it ripples again to show the actual reflection of the bathing chamber.

"I failed so miserably tonight," Mulsae is back to pacing and combing his hand through his hair.

Damion doesn’t interrupt. He just watches Mulsae pace, and quietly slips the mirror pendant into his pocket.

"I was so busy running through my plans to get her to use the truth bowl that it didn't occur to me she would lay a trap for us the moment we showed up," he stops pacing and looks up at the ceiling, "I thought I was the one laying a trap. Instead, I walked us into hers. Gods, I was so fucking stupid."

There's a knock on the room's door and the door opens. Mulsae's expression turns blank and he strides confidently out of the bathing chamber and into the other room. Damion tentatively approaches and peers from the doorway into the other room.

"You've been summoned. Come," a soldier escort says.

Mulsae nods and walks out the door. Then the soldier escort points at Damion, "You, too." Damion steps forward and follows after Mulsae.

The soldier escort leads them through the many turns of the brightly lit hallways until they reach an apparent wing of the palace which has a suite of opulently decorated rooms. They're led into the bedroom with a grand four-poster bed on one side and two chairs in front of a hearth on the other side. Zudaeshi is sitting in one of the chairs.

Zudaeshi looks over at them, "Ah, Mulsae. Do sit, please," she gestures to the chair opposite her. "Yes, Your Radiance," Mulsae says as he strides over confidently and sits.

Damion has no idea what to do. He stands near the door awkwardly. He direly misses the mind-to-mind communication he has had with Mulsae. Zudaeshi looks at Damion, then shifts her eyes back to Mulsae, then back to Damion. Mulsae gets what she wants.

"Damion, come. Sit here," he gestures to the side of his legs furthest from Zudaeshi. Damion sits on the floor leaning against both the chair and Mulsae's leg.

"Mulsae," she levels him with her gaze, "I called you here this evening to discuss your secrets on how to successfully break someone."

"How may I be of service, Your Radiance?" Mulsae says as if nothing is wrong at all.

"Stop being coy," Zudaeshi snaps, "You've been dancing around the subject all these years. Tell me how you do it."

Mulsae inclines his head, "Apologies, Your Radiance. I'll try to be more forthcoming," he leans back in his chair and places an ankle on the opposite knee, "The key to breaking someone is stripping them of their sense of dignity. This needs to be tailor designed to the individual being broken."

"Painful torture has generally been successful to break someone because of the stripping of dignity, not because of the pain itself," Mulsae continues to explain, "The pain eventually becomes so overwhelming that the individual loses control over their bodily functions which in turn strips them of dignity."

Zudaeshi hums, "And how did you strip Damion of his dignity?"

Mulsae looks down at Damion and shifts uncomfortably, betraying his emotions.

"Is there a problem?" she asks with impatience.

"I promised Damion I wouldn't divulge the details."

Zudaeshi sits back, "So much for stripping him of his dignity," she sneers, "He still apparently wants to keep some."

"Things changed when the nature of our relationship turned consensual," Mulsae picks some lint off his knee.

"I see. Well," she glides a nail down the arm of her chair, "I am your Harmonarch. Secrets needn't be kept from me. Secrets shall not be kept from your Harmonarch."

Mulsae looks down at the back of Damion's head and says nothing. Zudaeshi's ministrations on the arm of her chair stop and her nails start to dig into the fabric betraying her anger. Damion looks up at Mulsae and sees the questioning look on his face. It warms Damion's heart that Mulsae is asking his permission to speak. He softens and looks adoringly up at Mulsae and nods his head.

Mulsae looks back up at Zudaeshi and says coolly, "Sexual torture. I used sex, pleasure, pain, exhaustion, and humiliation to strip him of dignity."

Zudaeshi gets a glint in her eye, "Do continue," she rolls her wrist to encourage him.

"Pain would have bolstered his sense of dignity. So I used sexual humiliation to great effect. I combined it with exhaustion and provided a pathway he could take to relieve the exhaustion. He wanted to recuperate his energy so he could better fight to escape. I opened a pathway for him that if he submitted to humiliation, then he could recuperate his energy."

"You enabled him to try to escape?" she asks incredulously.

"Not quite. The hope of escape was used as a carrot to lead him towards the path that would strip him of dignity with every step he took. In order to keep him under control and obedient, he had to make the choice himself to sacrifice dignity in order to get closer to the carrot of escape," explains Mulsae.

"Are you purposely trying to obfuscate things? This isn't making things any clearer," Zudaeshi comments with a sneer.

"Apologies, Your Radiance, I have no intention of being unclear," Mulsae tries to say with as open and honest expression he can muster.

"How about a demonstration?"

"Your Radiance?" Mulsae inquires.

"The moment that Damion was in your possession, what was the first thing you did?"

"I strung him up by his arms to the ceiling so he could only just barely stand on his feet."

Zudaeshi twirls a finger and a rope of water appears in the air. It rapidly snakes around Mulsae's wrists and whips them together. His water bound wrists raise up in the air, drag him out of the chair and backwards to the center of the room. His arms are pulled taut upwards allowing him just the ability to stand without raising his heels.

"Like this?" Zudaeshi coos as she stands and approaches Mulsae. Damion is flabbergasted, remaining where he sits on the floor with eyes as wide as saucers. She's using Mulsae's own powers against him.

Mulsae swallows and attempts to maintain his composure, "Yes, Your Radiance, just like this."

She places a nail on Mulsae's chest and slowly circles his body while dragging her nail around.

"Does this interest you, Your Radiance," he says in a low sultry voice.

She hums, "It interests me greatly." She circles around to face him, "What did you do next to Damion?"

"I stripped him of his clothes." She takes her nail and uses an ember of magic to slice down the front of Mulsae's clothes. She slices down the sleeves and pant legs then shoves the ruined articles of clothing off his skin and to the floor. She reaches down and slices through his boots and kicks them off his feet. Mulsae is now hanging by his arms completely naked.

Zudaeshi takes a moment to admire his form. "Is there anything you see that you like, Your Radiance?" he asks in a low voice.

She hums in satisfaction. "And then what happened?" she purrs in his ear.

"I put a cock cage on him," Mulsae says calmly.

She hums, "I do not have one," she turns to Damion, "Do you still wear yours, Damion dear? Could we borrow it?"

Damion clears his throat, "I do still wear one, but it can only be removed on the new moon."

"What a strange restriction..."

"We have an Agreement that we renegotiate every new moon. I choose every new moon to have the cock cage magically locked until the next new moon."

"How unfortunate, Mulsae," she drags her nails gently down his growing cock.

"I am sorry to disappoint, Your Radiance," he says in a low deep voice, "How may I make it up to you?"

She wraps her hand around his cock and strokes gently. He closes his eyes and tips his head back as if he is enjoying it. His cock gradually grows to attention.

"Perhaps it's better without the cock cage," she says softly to Mulsae. He hums in affirmation, "It feels better, certainly," he confirms lustfully.

She draws close and runs her nose along his jaw and to his ear, "What did you do to him next?" she whispers.

He takes a few breaths before answering, "I fucked him," as a whisper in her ear.

She hums in understanding. She runs a nail up the back of Mulsae's thigh, up the cleft of his ass and over the rim of his hole, "You fucked him here?" she whispers.

"Yes," he breathes.

She gently presses the tip of her nail into Mulsae's hole. He hisses and screws his eyes shut. "I don't have a cock, Mulsae. And you've caged the other cock in this room. Whatever shall we do?"

Mulsae pants shallowly, "I'm not sure, Your Radiance. What would you like to do to me?"

She looks him dead in the eyes, "I want your dignity stripped."

"Strip away, Your Radiance," he coos.

"So obedient. So generous," she says. Then suddenly she grabs his cock and squeezes tight. He hisses and throws his head back. "I don't believe a word of it."

She releases her grip and gently strokes his cock, "But I do believe I can get you there." His head falls forward and he pants openly.

She raises a hand and looks at her long talon-like nails, "My hands are just not for penetration play," she turns and strolls towards Damion. She crouches and picks up his hand and examines it, "These fingers, on the other hand, are quite appropriate for penetration play."

She holds his hand tight while she stands dragging him to his feet with her. She pulls his hand as she walks them both over to Mulsae's hanging body.

"I want you to fuck him. With your fingers," she demands.

Damion's heart rattles in his rib cage. He's never touched Mulsae that way before. He has an idea of how to do it based on what Mulsae does to him, but, this is a whole new experience.

And it's not like Mulsae wants Damion to fuck him with his fingers. He doesn't want to be fucked at all, that's a guarantee. This is crossing so many lines. This is too much, too far.

Damion looks up at Mulsae wishing for some advice. Mulsae locks eyes with him and simply nods. 'Go ahead,' that nod is expressing, 'You have my permission.' Zudaeshi is insane. She killed the Ground Master's husband with a flick of her wrist. He just fell to the floor, dead. What would she do if Damion didn't listen? Didn't obey her?

"Damion dear, don't be shy," she presses against him to usher him closer to Mulsae.

Damion swallows and clears his throat, "I need some oil."

"Oil? Whatever for?" she asks, surprised.

"The anus, it needs oil in order to be fucked," he says meekly.

"Did he use oil on you that first time?"

"Yes," he croaks.

She rolls her eyes and marches into the bathing chamber. They can hear drawers and cabinets opening and closing. She comes back out and tosses Damion a bottle, "Will this do? I use it on my hair."

Damion inspects it. It looks like a regular bottle of simple oil. He opens it and smells it. It doesn't smell like it has any additives. "Yes, it looks to be appropriate," Damion says softly.

Zudaeshi gestures to Mulsae, "Go on, then," she demands of Damion.

Damion takes a deep breath and approaches Mulsae. He looks up into his bright blue eyes and Mulsae returns a sympathetic gaze. He seems to feel more bad for me than himself, Damion thinks.

He circles behind Mulsae. He gently uses one hand to spread open his cleft and the other hand to pour the oil. He works the oil into Mulsae's hole gently. He can feel his hole is tight. What can he do to help Mulsae relax? Would caressing him relax him or disgust him? He doesn't know what to do and Mulsae can't talk to him directly into his mind.

Godsdamnit. Damion prefers life with a Dom because he hates this shit. He hates making decisions. He hates this anxiety. He hates the uncertainty. He likes being the good soldier and doing as he is told to do.

He continues to gently massage Mulsae's hole and it's still so tight. Damion's panic is rising. What the fuck am I going to do? What the fuck should I do? He takes a deep breath and holds it. Then he exhales and holds it. That's what Mulsae always told him to do to calm him down.

Mulsae always comforted him right from day one, so maybe Mulsae will like to be comforted. Damion takes a deep breath then snakes his free hand around to hold Mulsae's chest. He whispers into his ear, "Relax, Mulsae. I've got you," then grazes his nose behind Mulsae's ear.

Mulsae expels a long breath and Damion can feel his hole loosen a bit. Maybe this was the right decision. Maybe this is what Mulsae needs.

Damion kisses along Mulsae's shoulder then gently presses a single finger into his hole. It's tight, so he goes very slowly. He's never been affectionate back to Mulsae. It's always gone one way, Mulsae lavishes Damion with affection and Damion only accepts it. He's never actually kissed Mulsae's skin before. But maybe Mulsae likes to have affection poured on him, too.

Damion licks up the edge of Mulsae's ear and he shudders and relaxes a little further. Damion's finger is fully inside now and he slowly begins to thrust.

Damion's hand on Mulsae's chest drifts over to a nipple and circles it. Mulsae's breath hitches. He plays with the nub while gently exploring inside Mulsae's hole. He's trying to find The Spot, something that will hopefully make Mulsae feel good. Damion feels a small bump and Mulsae sucks in a breath.

Damion plays with a nipple, nibbles his teeth along Mulsae's neck and shoulder, and gently pulls on the rim of his hole to try to loosen it further. Mulsae's cock is high at attention and dripping.

Damion looks up beyond Mulsae's shoulder and sees Zudaeshi has turned her chair to face them and is sitting there watching attentively. He looks away trying to forget she's there.

Damion gently tries to press in a second finger. It's tight again, but with gentle firmness it gradually slides in. Mulsae's chin drops to his chest and he pants. Damion thrusts the two fingers and he swipes over The Good Spot causing Mulsae to thrust his hips in response.

"You're doing so well," Damion whispers in his ear, "You're almost there. I've got you."

Damion languidly thrusts his two fingers in Mulsae's hole. When it feels looser, he gently scissors his fingers and Mulsae's head tips back and he gasps. He thrusts his hips so Damion hopes it feels alright.

Damion gently presses in the third finger. "You're almost there. You're doing great. I've got you," Damion whispers. He runs his free hand up and down Mulsae's torso.

Mulsae is getting looser with the three fingers. Damion picks up his pace. Mulsae's chin falls back to his chest and he pants deeply.

Damion finds The Special Spot and focuses on it. Mulsae groans lowly but long. He thrusts his hips. Damion guesses if he just keeps this pace going with this angle that it might be enough for Mulsae to cum.

Damion nibbles down Mulsae's ear and earns a moan. They get into a rhythm of thrusting fingers, thrusting hips, and panting groans. "Cum for me, Mulsae. I've got you. Relax, let go, and cum for me. I'll catch you," Damion purrs into his ear.

Mulsae thrusts a few more times then throws his head back and moans as his body convulses and his cock spits seed high into the air. Damion keeps going to help ride Mulsae through all the waves. Mulsae's legs collapse beneath him and he hangs loosely from his wrists. His head falls forward and he pants.

Zudaeshi claps her hands, "What a great demonstration." She stands and strolls towards the limp Mulsae. Damion holds him tight and gently removes his fingers. "I have you," Damion whispers into the back of his neck.

Zudaeshi places one nail under Mulsae's chin and he lolls his head upwards as her nail pushes against him. "Is that what you did to Damion that first day?"

Mulsae swallows, "Yes, Your Radiance."

Zudaeshi turns to walk away and Mulsae is suddenly torn out of Damion's grip and dragged across the room again. He's dragged to the bed and up and over on top of it, his wrists slamming up against the headboard. His wrists separate, spreading his arms wide and pinned.

Zudaeshi casually strolls over to the bed and begins to untie her dress. "That demonstration was... stimulating. I'd like to have a bit of a taste myself," she says with a lustful gaze across Mulsae's nude form. She finishes untying her dress and lets it fall to the floor. She's wearing nothing underneath. She stands naked before them both.

She crawls across the bed towards Mulsae and he coos, "Whatever Your Radiance desires. I've pledged myself to you."

"So willing," she purrs.

She straddles Mulsae and takes his cock in her hand, stroking it a few times. She then releases it and positions herself so his cock can glide between her folds already soaked in her slick. She grinds against his cock keeping an intense stare into Mulsae's eyes. He stares right back and thrusts a few times where appropriate and earns moans from Zudaeshi.

She leans forward and positions his cock at her entrance. She slides down slowly over his cock and fully seats him inside of herself. He bucks and she groans in response.

"How's it feel to be inside your Harmonarch? So close to her. So intimate," she coos as she scrapes her nails down Mulsae's chest.

"You are divine, Your Radiance," he bucks again, receiving another groan.

She grinds on his cock, closing her eyes and milking her pleasure from him. She stops and turns to Damion, "Come and help, Damion dear."

He approaches the bed and clears his throat, "What would you like me to do?"

"Straddle Mulsae behind me. Give my breasts the attention they need."

Damion gives a curt nod and crawls onto the bed and positions himself behind her over Mulsae's legs. His actions are shy, tentative. He doesn't want to touch her. She reaches back and takes his arms and brings them in front of her encouraging him to cup her breasts. He holds them. He hasn't touched breasts in seven years. He remembers the softness and weight of breasts, but hers are cold.

She places her hands above Damion's hands and has him squeeze her breasts. "You know what to do, Damion dear, you know how to please a woman," she says softly.

Damion flashes back to his life before Mulsae when he prided himself on pleasing women. He remembers a time when he was in a position similar to this, behind a woman and trying to elicit as much pleasure from her breasts as he could grant her.

He closes his eyes and puts himself back in time to that moment. He lightly massages her breasts then gently pinches her nipples and rolls them between his fingers. Zudaeshi moans and tips her head back to rest against Damion's shoulder as she grinds on Mulsae's cock. Damion pinches a nipple hard, earning a gasp then gently circles the sensitive nub. Zudaeshi moans approvingly and begins a languid bounce on Mulsae's cock.

She takes one of Damion's hands and brings it down to her folds. He knows what she wants. He runs his fingers through her wetness to lubricate his fingers then finds her bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. He circles the nerves and Zudaeshi writhes in his arms and grinds against Mulsae.

She leans her back against Damion's chest and glides herself up and down Mulsae's cock. Damion gently rolls her nerve bundle between his fingers and she gasps and thrusts more fervently. Mulsae thrusts his hips in time with Zudaeshi to drive his cock deeper and harder into her.

Zudaeshi seems to be close, she seems lost in chasing her pleasure. She writhes and bucks and moans with abandon. She suddenly gasps out, "Don't you dare fucking stop, either of you." Shortly after her body wracks in convulsions and Damion instinctively holds her tight to his chest to keep her aloft as she rides her pleasure. Mulsae continues bucking his hips to drive himself deep inside her with an expression of dire concentration on his face. She slowly stops writhing and becomes limp in Damion's arms. Mulsae eases back the power of his thrusts but continues at an easier pace.

Zudaeshi hums, "That's enough," she says softly through deep breaths. Mulsae stills his hips.

She rests her head back on Damion's shoulder and just breathes in contentment. Damion merely holds her, having no idea what else to do. He looks into Mulsae's blue eyes and finds Mulsae is looking right back into his. Mulsae is wearing an expression of lustful contentment but Damion can see beyond that mask. He's pained. Damion's heart cracks open for him.

Zudaeshi caresses her fingers along Damion's arm, "You're the only one who hasn't cum yet," she says softly. He returns the soft voice near her ear and says, "It's alright. I don't need to."

Zudaeshi turns in his arms to face him with a serious expression, "Yes, you do." Damion gulps.

She extracts herself from Damion's arms and slides off Mulsae's cock. She lays down next to Mulsae and runs her nails across his chest. "Since you have that cock cage on, you're going to have to ride the only other cock available in this room."

Damion breathes heavily. He's done this before, but not often. Mulsae is the one always in control. He's the one who knows how to make him cum. And Mulsae keeps him so satisfied Damion hasn't even learned how to masturbate properly through his hole.

Damion slides off the bed and picks up the bottle of oil from where he had dropped it to the floor. He gently tosses it on the bed next to Mulsae then proceeds to untie his pants.

He starts to lower his pants and then feels the Heavenwood parchment Deryn had given him scrape along his skin. He freezes a moment thinking how he can keep the parchment hidden. He readjusts his grip to pinch the parchment under his thumb and then carefully lowers his pants all the way to his ankles so he can tuck the parchment in the folds of his pants.

He carefully steps out of his pants and crawls onto the bed to straddle Mulsae. He looks into his blue eyes and Mulsae nods almost imperceptibly. Damion's heart is breaking for him. Mulsae always tries to defend Damion, and here he is powerless to return the same for Mulsae. His body is being used and there's nothing Damion can do to help.

Damion reaches a hand behind himself and begins to work his anal plug free. He closes his eyes and tries to relax. He tries to imagine they're back home in Veilstone Manner and they're just having some fun together. He relaxes and pulls on the plug and his breath hitches as the flare pops out. He carefully pulls it all the way out.

Damion now doesn't know what to do with it. Mulsae always handles logistics like this. Damion looks around and decides to just place it on the bed. He lowers it down to the bed covers slowly just in case Zudaeshi objects. She says nothing.

Damion takes the oil and drizzles it on Mulsae's cock. Zudaeshi tsks and Damion freezes still. "The reliance on oil," she shakes her head, "An asshole is no replacement for a real wet pussy."

Damion nods slowly, then grasps Mulsae's cock to cover it entirely in the oil. Mulsae looks him in the eyes. It looks like he's trying to get lost in Damion's eyes. Damion had used that coping mechanism before, staring into the eyes and getting lost in them when closing his eyes and disassociating wasn't an option. Damion decides to keep his eyes locked on Mulsae's to allow Mulsae the opportunity to get lost in his eyes.

Damion shifts forward to straddle Mulsae's abdomen. He positions Mulsae's cock at his hole and pushes it in. This has been effortless for years. Mulsae had successfully stretched out his hole so they could start fucking without prep. Damion still wears the anal plug to keep him loose and make it more straightforward to fuck whenever they want.

Damion slides down Mulsae's cock and fully seats Mulsae inside himself. He still stares back into Mulsae's eyes who stares back with growing intensity. Damion glides himself up and down Mulsae's cock.

Damion is too overwhelmed by Zudaeshi to feel any pleasure. He's numb. He's scared. He shifts his angle in hopes that rubbing Mulsae's cock against his p-spot will spark some pleasurable feelings.

Damion shifts and searches for pleasure while Zudaeshi gazes at him with lust filled hooded eyes and grazes her nails up and down Mulsae's chest and abdomen. Damion finds a spot that sends a spark of pleasure echoing through his body. But it's muted. He's not into it. Not with Zudaeshi staring at him.

Damion doubles down on his focus to stare into Mulsae's eyes. He refuses to close his eyes and leave Mulsae alone. He tries to get lost in those blue eyes, too. He tries to remember all the pleasure and bliss he has felt over the years while staring deeply into those eyes.

The trick works and pleasure blooms unmuted in Damion's core. His lips part and he breathes deeper. Damion lifts himself to glide up and down Mulsae's cock. He grows warmer as the pleasure spreads throughout his body. Mulsae starts to thrust to meet with Damion to drive himself up deeper and harder. Damion lets a hum of satisfaction leave his lips.

Damion stares into Mulsae's blue eyes and begins to bounce on his cock. Mulsae thrusts up to meet him. "Good boy, Damion, you're such a good boy," Mulsae coos. The sound of those words has Damion's tension rapidly melt away. The outside world starts to disappear. It's just him and Mulsae doing what they do best, fucking each other senseless.

Damion lets go of his worries. He lets go of his concerns. He loses himself in Mulsae's blue eyes and just feels. Feels the pleasure reverberating throughout his body. He pants and his eyelids grow heavy.

"Cum for me, Damion," Mulsae purrs. Just a couple more deep thrusts from Mulsae and Damion shatters. He moans loudly and his body writhes as he grinds himself hard into Mulsae's cock. Mulsae thrusts up and deep to ride him through his orgasm.

Damion's grinding slows to a languid pace. He resists the urge to close his eyes and continues to remain locked onto those blue eyes. He recaptures his breath and returns to normal breathing.

Damion's cum drips down Mulsae's lower abdomen. Zudaeshi dips a nail into the seed and pulls a trail of it up Mulsae's torso. "What a show," she purrs.

She sits up and gingerly picks up the anal plug by the base, "You need this don't you, Damion." He nods. "Lean forward then, I'll put it back."

Damion's breath hitches. The last thing he wants is this frightening female with talon-sharp nails near his ass. She places a hand on his back and presses him forward, and forward, until Mulsae's cock pops out of him from the angle and he is mere inches from Mulsae's face, sharing breath.

They continue to look into each other's eyes. Mulsae's expression has turned to pure sympathy. Damion grimaces as Zudaeshi presses the anal plug into him. She isn't too fast, but isn't going slow, either. Plus she didn't put more oil on it. It's uncomfortable, but he can handle it. And thank the gods, her nails did not touch his sensitive hole.

Once she's done she admires her work a moment then slides off the bed. "Thank you for the demonstration," she says as she strolls towards the bathing chamber, "You may go back to your room. The guards outside the door will escort you," she pauses at the chamber door and looks back at them, "Damion, you can put your pants back on, but Mulsae, I have no replacement clothes to offer you. You'll just have to return to your room as you are."

"Yes, Your Radiance," he answers. His arms suddenly collapse off the headboard.

"I'll see you tomorrow night to continue the demonstration," she says just before she slips into the bathing chamber.

Damion rolls off of Mulsae, and Mulsae sits up and slides off the bed. He gestures at Damion's pants, and Damion hops over to them to put them on. He carefully pinches the parchment under his thumb so he can pull it back up with his pants and have it securely pressed under his waistband and against his hip.

Mulsae jerks his head towards the door and heads over there himself. He opens the door and the guards turn to face him. They gaze up and down at his nude form and snicker.

"The Harmonarch would like you to escort us back to our room," Mulsae says confidently, as if he isn't nude with his crotch dripping with cum and slick, and oil streaking down the back of his thighs.

The guards escort them out of Zudaeshi's private wing and down the many hallways to their room. Mulsae walks with a courtier's confidence and bored expression. Fortunately, the only individuals they pass on their journey are other guards, who each take a moment to snicker and laugh at Mulsae.

The soldier escort opens their door and ushers them inside before closing it. The loud click of the door locking seems to boom in the silence. They're trapped in their gilded cage.

Mulsae stumbles back into the door and unceremoniously slides down to the floor. His knees are propped up with an elbow on one knee and his hand buried into his brow. He's taking slow deep breaths and holding between each inhale and exhale. He must be trying to avoid a panic attack.

Damion sinks down to the floor at Mulsae's feet and softly utters, "Mulsae..." as he places a hopefully comforting hand on his leg.

"I'm sorry," Mulsae croaks, "I'm sorry I can't help you right now. I just... I need a moment. I'm sorry."

"Mulsae," Damion says sympathetically as his heart breaks even more for him, "I'm not asking anything from you. I'm here to see if I can help you."

Mulsae stills, his breath stops. He lowers his hand and peeks up at Damion from above it. "It's not your job to help me," he says in a grave tone.

Damion shakes his head, "We need to put The Agreement aside. We're in a life and death situation right now. We need to work together. As equals."

Mulsae lowers his hand from his face completely and his lips part. "I promised," he says in a strangled whisper, "I promised to take care of you."

"You did. And you've been doing a great job," he takes Mulsae's hand and squeezes, "But right now it's time for us to work together, and help each other. Equally."

"I need some time," Mulsae says as he stands up, "I need... I need to get cleaned up," he stumbles a bit as he starts towards the bathroom. He goes inside and closes the door, followed by a click. He locked the door. Mulsae never locks the door.

Damion sighs and paces around the room. This is a fucked up situation. And Nori probably just listened to the entire thing through the mirrors she left with them. He remembers the parchment in his pants that Deryn gave him. He takes it out and opens it up, and there in the top left corner are the words "Are you alright?"

He sits at the desk and pulls out the writing tools. He dips the pen in ink and then writes back "We are alive. Are you OK?"

Deryn writes back. At the end of the conversation the parchment reads as follows:

Are you alright?

We are alive. Are you OK?

We've been locked in our rooms
since dinner. We overheard
that she planned to meet with
you after dinner.

She did.

What happened?

We survived. She wants to meet
with us again tomorrow night.

What is she doing to you?

She wants to learn how Mulsae
broke me. She demanded a
demonstration.

Fuck. Are you OK?

The demonstration wasn't on
me. She wanted it on Mulsae.

Maybe this is his penance for
what he did to you.

No one deserves what he did
to me.

You're a kinder man than I am,
Damion. Valena also has
Heavenwood parchment from me.
I don't have any more
parchments, though. But at
least the three of us can
coordinate. We are going to
need Mulsae's cunning to beat
her.

I understand.

I'll write to you later. Good
night.

Good night.

He folds up the paper. He needs to put it somewhere safe. He can't carry it on him since Zudaeshi could strip him naked. He searches around the room. He decides that under the rear foot of the wardrobe may be the most secure place for it.

After hiding the parchment, he realizes he hasn't heard anything from Mulsae in the bathroom. He goes over to the door and tries the knob just in case. Nope, it's locked. He knocks softly, "Mulsae? Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Mulsae, please answer me."

Silence.

"Can you make some sort of noise so I know you're alive?"

Silence.

"I'm getting worried. I'm going to break the door down, okay? Just make some sort of noise, any noise at all if you don't want me to break the door down."

Silence.

Damion takes a deep breath and steps back. He snaps a kick to the latch and the door pops open with some wood splinters from the jam falling to the floor.

Damion carefully steps into the bathroom. Mulsae is on the floor right next to the door. He hadn't gotten far at all before sinking to the floor and curling up into a tight ball. Mulsae is staring glassy eyed looking at nothing.

Damion kneels by him and runs his hand through Mulsae's hair. No reaction. "I'm going to clean you up, okay?" No response.

Damion stands and looks through the cabinets. He finds some small cloths and pulls them out. He turns the sink on and runs the water until it's hot then soaks the cloths.

He returns to kneeling beside Mulsae. "I'm going to first wipe down your thighs and cleft, okay?" No response. Damion reaches behind Mulsae and wipes up the oil from him. Mulsae is limp and pliable allowing Damion to shift his leg so he can be thoroughly cleaned.

"Next I need to clean your crotch. I need you to roll over so I can get there."

"Why?" Mulsae whispers.

"We need to get you cleaned up before going to sleep."

"No... Why are you helping me?"

"We're in this together," Damion says firmly while pushing on his hip so Mulsae will turn onto his back. Mulsae allows his body to be pushed over. Damion takes a fresh hot cloth and wipes up the slick from the front of his thighs and now-flaccid cock, then wipes his seed from Mulsae's skin.

"Okay, all done. Let's get you up and into bed." He stands then bends over to take Mulsae's hands and lifts his limp arms up. Mulsae remains limp and pliant for a moment before sitting up and allowing Damion to help him to stand.

Damion ushers him into the other room and to the bed. Mulsae pulls back the covers and crawls under them then immediately curls up tight into a ball again.

Damion gets into the other side of the bed under the covers and scooches over to be right next to Mulsae. Damion runs his fingers through Mulsae's hair.

"I was so evil to you," Mulsae whispers.

"Yes, you were," Damion confirms softly.

"Why are you helping me?"

"We're in this together, Mulsae."

"I don't understand," he can barely be heard.

"It's okay," Damion whispers into Mulsae's hair, "I've got you anyways, even if you don't understand why."

Mulsae closes his eyes and takes a shuddering breath. Damion watches as Mulsae's breath becomes deep and even betraying his sleep. He closes his eyes and dares to sleep himself as well. He's going to need his energy for tomorrow.