{"id":3432,"date":"2019-04-22T19:40:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T23:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/?p=3432"},"modified":"2022-08-04T16:14:44","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T20:14:44","slug":"taden-and-i-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Taden and I &#8211; Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/castle.jpg?w=900\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Author\u2019s Note:<br>This is an unedited, ongoing serial that may eventually be published in novel form. Plot\/characters\/elements are  subject to change as it is being written. <strong>Read at your own discretion and take note of story tags below<\/strong>.<\/em><br><br><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Historical Fantasy <br><strong>Tags:<\/strong> general abuse, sex acts, age gap, bisexual, master\/servant, angst, archaic terminology\/style<\/p>\n\n\n<ul id=\"menu-taden\" class=\"menu\"><li id=\"menu-item-4648\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4648\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-1\/\">Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4649\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4649\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-2\/\">Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4650\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4650\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-3\/\">Part 3<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>It had been over a week since my\nreturn and still I had not called Taden to my side. I had seen little of the\nman, busy as I was finding ways to shirk my newfound duties, and that suited me\n<em>just<\/em> fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You\u2019re still a child<\/em>.\nHis words were like beetles under my skin. The <em>brass<\/em> of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMilord?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I broke from my reverie and looked down at the young court musician\nkneeling before me in the empty minstrel\u2019s gallery. \u201cYes? What is it?\u201d I\nsnapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDo my methods not\u2026 please you, milord?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I realized that my manhood had entirely lost its spine in my\ndistraction and now drooped like a lifeless brown serpent in the harpist\u2019s\nhand. To hide my embarrassment, I curled my lip and cuffed the young man on the\near.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour methods are <em>boring<\/em>\nme,\u201d I told him as he ducked his head, his cheeks pink with chagrin. He looked\nlike he was going to cry at any moment, and I felt bad for mistreating him so; I\u2019m\nnot normally prone to violence and the fact that I\u2019d employed it to cover my\nown failings shamed me. \u201cUse your mouth instead,\u201d I suggested gently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes, milord,\u201d he replied and eagerly took me into his warm,\nwet mouth. Almost instantly, I was revived, and I sighed, kindly stroking back\nhis bright blond curls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMuch better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The harpist mumbled something that sounded like, \u201cthank you,\nmilord,\u201d around the growing burden in his mouth, and I leaned an elbow against\nthe balustrade overlooking the Great Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the young man\u2019s somewhat clumsy work\u2014a flute player\nwould have been more suitable\u2014I felt myself swiftly rising towards the\npinnacle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou <em>will<\/em> swallow,\u201d I told him, my breathing uneven. He nodded, eyes beginning to brim in his efforts to accommodate me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At that moment I heard voices below and looked down to see\nTaden briskly enter the Great Hall with a messenger at his side. The two of\nthem stopped at the empty dais and from Taden\u2019s terse gestures, I gathered he\nwas annoyed at my absence, bidding the messenger to remain while he hunted for his\nerrant lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The harpist was clearly tiring and growing careless with his\nteeth which, coupled with my preoccupation, had delayed the moment such that it\ntimed nearly perfectly with Taden\u2019s sudden about-face. Eyes on Taden\u2019s stormy visage,\nI gasped, holding onto the young musician\u2019s head as I prepared to empty myself\ninto his mouth; the sound either carried or Taden became aware of my gaze\nbecause he chose then to raise his eyes to the gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I let out a rasping cry as I peaked, helplessly staring into\nTaden\u2019s shocked eyes as my seed burst the dam, choking the unfortunate harpist\nservicing me. It was over in seconds, Taden still as a statue for the length of\nmy performance, and when I was done\u2026 I fled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>+++<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was sitting in my chambers, mere minutes later, when the\nknock came. Still winded from my exertions, my voice failed me on the first\nattempt to call out, so I cleared my throat and tried again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pen held in one hand, I made as if to pore over the document open on my \u00e9critoire, but my mind was not yet done revisiting those final, quivering moments, the intensity of which I\u2019d never felt the like... though I could not credit the harpist\u2019s meagre skills. I thought of Taden\u2019s burning gaze and felt my cheeks warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The subject of my thoughts came to a stop in the middle of my room, his eyes on the toes of his boots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA messenger has arrived with news from the Autumn Lands, my lord,\u201d Taden said as if he hadn\u2019t just witnessed me making thorough use of the young court musician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd what is the message?\u201d I asked, needlessly darkening the\ndots above a letter on the parchment. Ink dripped from my hastily dipped pen,\nobscuring something that I hoped was unimportant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI do not know, my lord. The message is for your ears.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Annoyed, I looked over at Taden and saw that he had lifted\nhis eyes to me. I read disapproval in his expression and that rankled me\nfurther. \u201cCan\u2019t you see I\u2019m otherwise occupied?\u201d I said, my tone high and\npeevish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour father was customarily in the Great Hall at this time\nof day,\u201d Taden said, lowering his eyes. His jaw muscles rippled; he was restraining\nhimself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am not my father,\u201d I replied curtly, setting my pen down\nand marring more of the trade document. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo, you are most definitely not your father.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The chair fell back as I shoved myself to my feet, face hot\nwith equal parts anger and humiliation over the obvious censure in his reply. I\nfaced Taden, fists at my side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou speak to your lord this way?\u201d I asked, measuring out\neach word so that it carried the full weight of my contempt. \u201cI ought to have\nyou whipped for your insolence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To this, Taden raised his head and fixed me with his fathomless black eyes. I steeled myself for anger\u2026 but all I saw was disappointment in his steady gaze. I stood pat, trying not to wither under his scrutiny, but I had to turn away, lest he see the results of his displeasure; I was on the verge of tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a moment, Taden spoke again. \u201cYou could be like him,\neasily, if you made the least effort,\u201d he said, his voice softly intimate. \u201cWulfie,\nyou\u2019re better than this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By \u201cthis\u201d I assumed he meant both my truancy and penchant\nfor indiscreet acts of lust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could have relented, just then. I could have drummed up enough humility to acknowledge my defects, but his condescension just fed the demon on my shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\"Tell the messenger I shall be there presently to receive this... mysterious message.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\"Yes, my lord.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd then you will order the hangman to administer ten lashes for your impertinence,\u201d I said, making my words cold as I faced the window, seeing nothing beyond. \u201cIt will take place in the courtyard at a quarter hour before the even\u2019bell.\u201d At that time, there would be plenty to see him take his punishment. Ten lashes would do little to harm the man; my desire was for the humiliation to sting harder than the whip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes, my lord,\u201d Taden replied, all vitality stripped from his voice. \u201cAs you wish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was only when he had left to order his own flogging that I\ndared turn back to the room. My eyes burned and my stomach felt like it held hot\nvinegar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Who is he to say I am\nless than my father<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I knew the answer, of course: a man who gave the best years\nof his life to serving at my father\u2019s side. My own mother couldn\u2019t hope to have\nknown my father better than Taden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. <em>Am I such a disappointment?<\/em> Unfortunately, I knew the answer to this one as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<ul id=\"menu-taden-1\" class=\"menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4648\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-1\/\">Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4649\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-2\/\">Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4650\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-3\/\">Part 3<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It had been over a week since my return and still I had not called Taden to my side. I had seen little of the man, busy as I was finding ways to shirk my newfound duties, and that suited me just fine. You\u2019re still a child. His words were like beetles under my skin. The brass of it. \u201cMilord?\u201d I broke from my reverie and looked down at the young court musician kneeling before me in the empty minstrel\u2019s gallery. \u201cYes? What is it?\u201d I snapped. \u201cDo my methods not\u2026 please you, milord?\u201d I realized that my manhood had &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Taden and I &#8211; Part 3\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/taden-and-i-part-3\/#more-3432\" aria-label=\"Read more about Taden and I &#8211; Part 3\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[72],"tags":[822,220,826,557],"class_list":["post-3432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beys-tales-writing-2","tag-angst","tag-historical-fantasy","tag-master-servant","tag-serial"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4sexs-Tm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3432"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4630,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3432\/revisions\/4630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}