The castle stood tall over all the buildings in the nearby town. The capital was a thriving metrolopolis that grew every year. The social health services wiping out all but the most virulent of common sicknesses. The quietly thriving sheepskin industry kept the spread of lover’s pox in control and the national work on sexual education went well.
King Crownbearer, self named, had a different view on the nature of human sexuality. Of course, his harem of two dozen wives had produced more children than he knew what to do with and rumor was that his royal highness had become more exasperated as his supply of sheepskins seemed prone to failing. Some speculated that it was even sabotage, mainly by the wives he held. With a bevy of heirs he had made so many deals with neighboring kingdoms in exchange for marrying his children that he had folded two entire empires into his fold through the untimely deaths of some husbands. Who would have guessed how that happened.
The acquisition of the fabled Gorget of The Hero was maybe his grandest acquisition in his collection. The King’s mighty horde of artifacts were said to be meticulously cleaned and studied by even the greatest of arcane minds that the kingdom possessed. The jewel at the center of it was the Crown of Unending Vitality, said to be the reason he could go wife to wife each night he desired. The second most was the gorget.
The reason it is said to be so important is that the very skills of The Hero of old was tied to the artifact. Whoever it accepted as its wearer would eventually be able to get his godlike skill that would be able to bridge the gap of power that had yet to be seen since the Demon King was vanquished.
Wizards declared this was due to the very spell that was said to have been cast. That the very nature of the world was put with a cap on power instead of the walking Gods that had existed once. Unless that was all just exaggerations in the myths. The outermost of the kingdoms said though that the cleaved mountains, the crushed stone sea, the great footprint valleys were proof that such things existed.
Today was yet another annual attempt to find someone that would be accepted by the strange gorget. Which the King prayed that it would be successful instead of being another disappointed.
King Crownbearer stood in front of the gorget. The fact that it looked like a collection of ivory carved hands settled in such a way that when it was placed around you it looked as if it was ready to strangle its wearer had scared more than a handful of prospective men from wearing it. The cracks of golden veins in the stone had tempted the previous king from melting it down when the thirty fourth attempt came up as a failure. That was before they figured out that it was easier to charge people for the attempt to wear it. A clever little suggestion by the current king.
His youngest prince stood next to him. His small, feminine body took after his waifish mother. His least favorite queen for she didn’t have the plush cushion he loved to pound into with abandon. Instead he had to be gentle, for the fragile woman had brittle bones and skin that bruised like soft fruit. The prince has long golden hair like his father. Reaching down to the small of his back. Thin frame with hips that could have been on a girl. The fact that he hadn’t even taken his first woman didn’t bother the King. He had plenty of more virulent heirs.
Sighing, the King picked up the gorget. Though it looked like it was made of ivory it was light as a pillow stuffed with the finest of down. With the pure hardness of diamonds. His deep baritone rumbled from his chest, “Let us go to the choosing chamber. It would be better for the morale of the wearers to feel more important than a plain line.”
The tenor of his son pitched high, “We have the ball ready for all the prospective wearers. Their fee has been paid for and we have a list of all that could be chosen father. I have it right here if you want to peruse it.”
”No boy, just tell me how many repeat attempts do we have.”
”Two dozen from the Sword Academy of his Royal Blade. And my guardian wanted to try so I gave him leave. Mr. Royalsworn might just be skilled enough to wear it this year.” His son took the burden of the gorget in his hands as he struggled to keep up with his much taller father as they walked through the royal hallways.
The King pondered at this. Maybe they would reach the level of skill that the gorget would accept. The fortune teller that had divined and spoken to the soul of The Hero had said something about it needing to be a wielder of such particular skill before it would accept them. Though, that had led down a particularly fruitless path. He had found masters of every sword style known to the twenty three kingdoms of old. Even reaching into the foul and perverted republic of Greasewheel. With their same sex relationship embracement spitting into the very God that Crownbearer’s kingdom believed in. The sacred drive to produce the children of the earth taking a precedent than even love.
”Well, may God had mercy on us and find a wielder for this blasted thing. The omens are in place. The stars and planets are aligning and we might have another portal to the Abyss opening to invade our lands once more.” The labyrinthian hallways would have confused even the most studious of people. If not for the second nature of being raised in them the invaders would find themselves separated easily.
”Well, maybe with the inventions of the aether arquebuses and the new ceramic armors would be able to cross the gap that we had reached before. Five hundred years is a long time of study and our understanding of magic and the use of the arcane stones they left behind last invasion could be what makes this invasion a cakewalk.” The Boy stumbled and caught himself as he tired from speed walking.
”Do you think the enemy has been so disorganized that they haven’t had the chance to do the same. And they had the time to do so without harassment and infighting from all those that wanted the blasted stones left in the tainted lands.” Finally they arrived at the appropriate room. The great appointed chamber had the proper stand for the gorget. The long and comfortable fainting couch to lay on while the armor did its strange tests on the prospective wielder for those that progressed beyond the first minute.
It was a dangerous thing. A half dozen guards stood nearby to pry the gorget off the wearer as it often began to choke its prospective wearer should they displease it greatly. It was a strange artifact. The first year it had claimed the life of the second prince that had tried to wear it. No one around for him to be saved from its strangulation.
The six strongest guards stood without weapons and instead had clamps and crowbars to pry the blasted thing open should it prove to be particularly ornery this time.
”Everyone ready?”
”Yes Your Highness!” The guards shouted in unison as they saluted palm over hearts.
”Good now, let's not lose anyone this year. It has been three years since we’ve had a fatality so lets make that four!” Shouted the prince ass he set the gorget of hands on the pedestal with a sigh and stepped back. “There we go father. We’ll tell you how everything goes?”
”Yeah, take notes as well. The time of wearing to the time of the choking seems to be getting shorter every year.” The King pulled his long royal cloak right around his shoulders as he looked at the gorget and shuddered. He remembered the portrait his father had made about the dangers of the gorget to show to all his children. The purple face with its bulging eyeballs haunted his dream every time it came to one of these rituals.
….
Prince Allguard stood in the ball as all the sword masters in the kingdom mingled and talked about who would be the one to be selected this year. So many boastful and rugged men made the prince’s cock grow hard enough that he was glad he had his codpiece. The thoughts of someone just grabbing him by the hair and railing him from behind until he sprayed his sheets like when he used his toys on himself coming to mind. Though the bravery to ask for such treatment would never be in his spine.
Even in the privacy of his room when he asked for no one to bother him he would don his stolen dress and panties. Daydream about being forced like some maiden to feel the hot blade of a rugged man prying him open. Then use him like their personal cock sleeve until they blasted their own hot load deep in his guts, it made him ache. The one he really wanted it from was his guardian. The first time the man had saved his life from an assassin and the spray of the enemies blood on his face while Terrance growled in the man’s ear that no one was going to take “His Prince” away from the mortal coil had been his favorite imagined moment.
To be honest the thought of Terrance being tested and putting his life on the line made Allguard worry. He would have to live with the fact that he would never be able to satisfy his rod with his mouth as he claimed the prince for himself. His eyes gazed at the strong shoulders, square build, and bulging codpiece with drool filling his mouth. He knew he was a pervert. That God would disapprove of such things. But mother always said to follow ones heart.
Another man’s name left from his lips as he mindlessly went down the list. The previous disheartened man stepped from the testing chamber. His throat unmarked, not even lasting long enough in selection to displease the gorget. Probably got afraid as soon as the hands clasped his throat. It was when most people decided it wasn’t worth it.
Looking at the next name on the list Allguard promised himself that he would watch. He would root for his personal savior and crush. Taking a deep breath, “Sir Terrance Royalsworn. It is now your duty to don the gorget of The Hero and see what you can do for your kingdom.”