The Testing of the Heir
I slept well, despite the belt and some vivid dreams. Cedric woke me with a nice cup of tea. Dressed today in a skintight pair of dark green leggings, his codpiece covering his package neatly, and with a pale ivory latex shirt beneath a dark green ‘bum freezer’ jacket, he moved quietly on the parquet floor as he entered, his feet encased in thick soled boots.
“Good morning, sir.” Putting the tray down on the table next to the well upholstered armchair facing the window, he brought a towelling dressing gown, holding it open for me to slip my arms into the sleeves. “His lordship suggests you join him for a swim and breakfast at the indoor pool in an hour.”
“Thanks, Cedric.” Fastening the dressing gown, I asked, “Should I remove the belt?”
“If you wish, sir, but you can swim in it, and his lordship seldom wears anything other than a dressing gown for his early morning activities. Rubber, of course, once he’s breakfasted — unless he is travelling off the estate.”
“I see.” The tea was perfect. “Then I think I’ll stay as I am.” Hesitating, I asked, “He said there was another ‘test’ for me to submit to.”
“So I understand, sir.” With a smile, he added, “I’m sure you will find it most informative.”
Gus was relaxing in a comfortable poolside chair as I entered the large glass enclosed pool room. He smiled as I approached.
“Ready for the next step, Gil? You slept well I hope?”
“Very well, in spite of this thing I asked Cedric to provide for me.” Opening the dressing gown, I showed off the chastity belt. “Funny, I dreamed very vividly, and I don’t usually.”
“Not surprised.” Gus stood and shed his dressing gown, revealing a rubber thong with a well filled pouch. “Since you’ve already elected to wear a part of the test,” he smiled, “I think we can say the next part should be a formality.” His smile gave nothing away. “Shall we swim? Breakfast will be ready when we’ve finished.”
He beat me into the water. The pool is quite a bit larger than one normally finds in a private house, even one like this, being twenty-five metres in length and eight in width. Long enough for a decent bit of exercise, and wide enough for up to four people to swim together. Together we swam forty laps, and I climbed out feeling fresh, pleasantly exercised despite the weight and drag of the chastity belt, and ready for breakfast. Meredith was waiting for us in what Gus called the ‘sun’ room with a light breakfast.
“You must have been spying on me, Meredith — this is exactly what I usually eat in the morning!” It was, I seldom eat a large breakfast, usually muesli, with natural yogurt, some fruit, and a tall glass of orange juice. Coffee follows when I’m at home, while I read the paper.
“Not necessary, sir. As you’ll discover I’m psychic!” Laughing quietly he placed fresh toast, two hard boiled eggs and a cup of tea in front of his lordship. As he stood back, he smiled, “Actually, not hard to ascertain, sir, Your household cleaner supplied the information as to your usual breakfast.”
“Now you’ve ruined your credibility, Meredith, and given away your trade secret.” interjected Gus. “You should have left him thinking you have his apartment ‘bugged’.” Addressing me, he laughed, “It’s one of the great mysteries to us mere chatelains — how servants keep track of us and discover things they know we’ll want without asking us!”
“You contacted Mrs Wells?” I laughed. “Of course. Damn, I’ll have to watch myself, she’s obviously more observant than I realised.” Then it struck me. “How did you know who my cleaner is?”
“Quite easy, sir.” Meredith smiled. “The agency you contract your cleaning service from belongs to the Fontlebois Trust. They supply cleaners to your gallery as well, one of several enterprises the Trust manages to assist some of our people when they wish to return to ordinary life.” Glancing at Gus, he asked, “Will that be all, Sir?”
It all made sense. The cleaning staff the contractor sent to the gallery were all smart, efficient and one hundred percent reliable. And now I thought about it, all either Gay or Lesbian.
“Thanks, Meredith.” Gus nodded. “I’ll be taking Gil to his next little test after we’ve eaten. Lunch at the usual time I think as Gil will be, ah, tied up.”
Seeing my thoughtful expression, Gus smiled as Meredith closed the door.
“The Trust has a number of small businesses which help some of our ‘lost’ boys and a few young women, get established when they are ready to move back to the societies they ran away from. A few never do, but most spend a year or two with us, find themselves, and then we help them establish themselves often with their own small business.” Seeing my understanding, he continued, “The Estate in some way selects the heir with all of this in mind.” Hesitating, he explained, “That’s one of the reasons for all these ‘tests’. I have to tell you, the ultimate decision is not mine.” He paused. “Ultimately the decision is made by Cadow.”
“Cadow? But he’s …” Frowning, I paused. “You mean … some sort of psychic manifestation?”
“Something like that. As part of the curse, Cadow was given the power to determine who the heir is.” He chuckled. “I have to warn you, he can be … quite inventive. Do you wish to continue?”
“I have a choice?” Taking a long drink of the fresh orange juice, I considered. “I’ve come this far, and I’ve nothing to lose.” I smiled. “Lead me to it. May I keep this chastity belt on? I feel it’s right to do so.”
“Of course. You said you wanted to wear it to go home as well?”
“Yes.” Grinning now, I explained. “Grant, the man I hope will be … well, we had a bet, and he lost, so he’s at home in my apartment wearing a Carrera belt … so I plan to exchange keys with him when I get back.”
“The lad from the Club?” Gus laughed. “Well, well. Come on, Cadow’s waiting. Follow me, we have to walk to his tower prison, and I’ll leave you there for the next few hours. I’ll explain as we walk.”
The walk to the Tower — I recalled walking through it several times on our ‘tour’ — took us through a number of long passages, reminding me how big the house really is and then up a narrow spiral stair, the door to which was small and looked like a wall closet. On the way Gus explained that I would be spending a few hours in the chamber in which the first Guilleaume had initially hidden his stolen youth, Cadow. At a small door near the top of the spiral stair, he stopped.
“This is as far as I may accompany you. Once you enter I shall lock the door and I will return at Noon.” Holding out a hand, he said, “Leave the dressing gown with me. You won’t need it.”
“What must I do?”
“You will know when you see the room. Go in, and do whatever comes to mind. I can assure you it will not be frightening, painful or harmful. Just follow your own thoughts and do whatever comes to mind.”
Stepping through the door into a narrow passage through the thick stone wall I had to duck and turn a little sideways. Behind me the door closed with a solid thud, and I heard the ancient lock engage, then I straightened and found myself in a large circular chamber dominated by a huge canopied bed. Rich tapestry hangings hid the stone walls and the bed had rich hangings and a thick cover of embroidered cloth. Narrow arrow slits admitted light and one had a comfortable seat built into the embrasure. A fire burned in the fire place and the chamber was at a comfortable temperature for me, naked except for the chastity belt. There was a very heavy bondage throne to one side of the fire place and facing the bed, which immediately drew my attention. I ‘knew’ immediately that I must seat myself in it.
Walking to the forbidding seat, with its many heavy rubber straps and iron cuffs, I seated myself, then almost leapt to my feet as the heavy straps began to fasten me to it. Forcing myself to submit, I remained seated as the multiple straps simultaneously secured me in place. As the last straps tightened, the black iron cuffs clamped around my ankles and wrists and another clamped round my neck. A head harness held my head looking directly ahead, so I could not look round as a ‘voice’ drew my attention to the window seat and had to strain my eye muscles to look in that direction.
“So, my namesake, you have come at last.” Now a sort of misty shape was forming in the window embrasure. “You are seated where I bound my beloved Cadow, fastened as I fastened him. Restrained in the place where I demanded his submission and took his being into my possession.”
The figure had taken on a more solid form, and now stood and moved slowly to where I could see him. Tall, muscular and wearing hose that showed off his powerful leg muscles, his groin displayed in a heavy codpiece, and his loose ‘smock’ style shirt fastened at his waist by a plaited girdle, he surveyed me. I stared back, there was no mistaking the face from the effigy in the crypt, the aristocratic nose, the clean shaven face, the heavy eyebrows and the familiar appearance. The figure smiled.
“Yes, I am Guilleaume, the ‘Caresser le Jeune’. An unflattering epithet, but an accurate one until … Not only did I love youths of my own sex, but I loved them bound for my pleasure, and to dress them erotically in leather or other exotic materials — and then I saw Cadow. I knew I could not live without him, and determined to make him mine.” The voice, which had a distant, echo quality, paused. “The page of the Mage Gwyndowr, I lured him here, placed him in that chair where his master could not find him and worked to convince him to become my lover.” Pausing again, he said, “Consider well. The house and demesne must have an heir. Gwyndowr’s curse on me and my descendants cannot be broken, though Cadow gave his own freedom to amend it, condemning himself to sharing our fate. The heir must accept the fetish and bind himself to help those like us in need.”
“I hear you.” I said, the tight head harness making speaking difficult. “But I have only just found the man I love …”
“If he is truly your lover, he will join you here, and will be as happy as Cadow became.” Pausing the ghostly Guilleaume stared into the distance. “It took many months, and I was not always patient. He teased, coquetted, tried to escape, but each attempt simply made me want him more, and bound me to him … He used his own magic to capture and secure my heart. In the end, he sat in that chair, as you do, teasing, daring, and made me his slave even as we shared this bed, I was always his …”
Slowly he shared the full story of their life together. Though Guilleaume had been the instigator, the attraction had been mutual, and when the Mage had finally traced his page, his original intention to kill the man who’d stolen Cadow, was deflected by the youth.
“Cadow persuaded Gwyndowr, to curse us instead, binding us together for ever.” He paused, studying me. “So we are bound to this place. Our heirs are found and must accept the same binding.” He watched me. “You are the descendant of my line. Do you accept this fate?”
“Before I answer, will that bind my lover? I do not wish to speak on his behalf — and do not want to lose him either.”
“No, he must make his own decision. Yours will have no binding on him, and it will not mean you must break your friendship either.”
I considered this carefully.
“Thank you for telling me your tale, Guilleaume. I accept my place as your heir.”
I stopped as a second figure formed, this one naked except for an ornate collar and a chain which he wound round Guillaume’s arm. The figure nodded to me and kissed Guilleaume on the cheek.
“Fear not, Guilleaume, your Grant will not desert you. Go home to him tomorrow, and give him the gift you will find in your chamber.” The figure I recognised as Cadow, hugged his ghostly lover. “We will look forward to your installation as the heir.”
They vanished, leaving me bound to the throne with a lot to consider. Almost a half hour passed before I heard the door open and then Gus was releasing me.
“Congratulations, Gil. I think something to wear, then tea and dinner. I expect you’re eager to get back to Grant, but better to travel in the morning now.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Standing, I hugged him. “I’m not sure what is real, and what not any longer, but,” Kissing him, I laughed, “It sounds like life will never be dull again.”
