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The corridor was lit by the candelabras, yet Gaius' tired eyes were unable to see the end of it in the dimmed light.
He sauntered on towards the King's chambers, encountering no one on his way. His mind wandered to what the King might ask him for, especially after the last eventful days when they had finally managed to reveal Lady Catrina’s true form to the King.
He had brought with him a vial of sleeping mixture, even if it was rarely requested. He figured that after finding his beloved was actually an ugly magical creature tricking him, even Uther might have the need for something to soothe his nerves.
Gaius' steps resounded in the empty corridor, not by virtue of being loud, but in comparison to the complete silence surrounding him –which was only disturbed by the faint sound of candle wicks burning.
As he walked in the last section of the corridor, he let his mind wander, fantasizing about the possibility of the King admitting he had been wrong, admitting he should have trusted Gaius from the start, asking him for forgiveness.
The King had always been a proud man, too proud to say he was sorry as often as he should have… But even these rare admissions, which he reserved for the few people he still loved, were becoming rarer and further in between.
No, Gaius should hold no hope to get any apologies or thanks. Uther was his King and Gaius had no right to expect a different treatment. He was loyal, had to be loyal, no matter how harsh this treatment was becoming.
He shook his head to disperse these cloudy thoughts, as he approached the door, and knocked.
"Come in."
The King's voice sounded distant.
Gaius entered the room and saw him gazing outside the window on the opposite side of the chambers, still stunningly beautiful after all these years, kissed by the moonlight making him appear more far away than he physically was.
"I'm here, sire, as you requested," he said with a small bow.
Uther turned, his expression unreadable, but troubled.
"Gaius…"
The physician waited patiently as the King searched for words.
He seemed unable to say what he wanted to.
"You know what I need," he huffed, finally, turning back to the night sky.
"I don't, sire, unless you tell me."
Uther stared at the dark blue outside for a long time. His mouth in a tight line, body stiff and tense, almost in a show of physical pain.
"You know what the troll said…" Uther grimaced, but managed to follow up, "About me and it… sharing a bed."
Gaius schooled his expression to remain neutral, while everyone laughed or felt disgusted at the mention, he could only feel possessiveness. How foolish of him: to want to protect Uther. To want to keep him only for himself.
It hadn't been quite the same since Ygraine died.
The three of them had an arrangement. After all, Uther and Gaius' bond dated to before they met her.
Gaius had loved and welcomed her in his own way, even if he never felt for her as strongly as he did for Uther. Or as Uther did for her.
Now that she was gone, something had shattered.
No matter how hard Gaius had tried, nothing could mend their bond.
Uther would not even accept his love, now, despite occasionally requiring Gaius' assistance. Gaius welcomed it and would have done more if Uther had just asked him again.
"As you know, I've not laid with anyone since… since Arthur's birth."
"I am aware, sire."
The older man straightened up, remembering all too well the few times since Ygraine's death that he had been allowed to actually touch his lover, if he could still call him so.
Only with his hands, only when Uther couldn't find relief any other way.
To have been with another, even in an altered state of mind, must have been dreadful for Uther, he seemed to be taking it worse than it had first seemed.
"I have bedded that troll, I have dishonored my wife's memory!" The King spoke with resentment, his voice filled with pain and bitterness. Gaius noticed how his bare hands clenched at his sides.
"I don't think the creature had any intent to go through with that, sire," He tried to assure with his best soothing tone.
"You don't know that, Gaius!" He thundered, looking at the physician for a moment.
Their eyes met, before Uther lowered his gaze. Gaius had to concede he couldn’t really know what had happened these nights.
"Do you have… memories, sire?"
"No," Uther looked out again, his shoulder slumping ever so slightly, "I can't even bear to think about it. I'm guilty Gaius, I…"
Uther's voice cracked and he looked back at Gaius, his gaze steady now, waiting for Gaius to take his role, knowing Gaius knew what he needed.
"Very well, sire." Gaius moved to Uther's cupboard and started opening it, "I trust you have already cleaned yourself thoroughly."
"Yes," came the breathy reply.
A false back was removed, revealing a hidden drawer. Gaius' fingers quickly worked the mechanism that kept it secured.
Inside it, among many objects and envelopes, he selected a bundle of silk cloth, inside which metal tingled as he took it out of the wooden drawer.
"Undress and sit," he told the King as he took out the fine metal pieces, the lock and the key. The elaborate chastity device was showing small signs of the passage of time, but the metal rings still shined as bright as when Uther first wore it.
He clicked the lock closed and back open, when he was satisfied the mechanisms still worked, he laid the silk back in the drawer.
When he turned, Uther had stepped into the warmer light of the candelabras and had his pants unlaced, now sitting on the daybed, waiting.
So pliant when he wants to, Gaius thought. A shiver ran through his back at the sight of having Uther execute his orders. That felt good, so good. He had almost forgotten about it.
It was one of the few earthly pleasures he still felt as strongly as he did when he was younger.
Thankfully in his old age his body didn't respond as quickly, having to take care of that alone, when Uther was refusing to touch or be touched, would have been troublesome.
He got closer and inspected the soft cock.
"It seems your cleaning was sufficiently appropriate."
Gaius ignored Uther's whimper at the remark and lifted him to click the first ring shut in place securely around the ballsack and the base.
He could feel how tense Uther was. If he had been a lesser man, he would have been trembling, which made Gaius truly think the troll had not gone all the way after all.
He gently turned the ring in the proper position before sliding the cock inside the second set of rings, which slightly curved downwards, ending in a cross over the head.
Uther let out a sharp exhale as the cold metal touched him on the sensitive hot skin.
During all the proceedings Gaius never looked at Uther’s face, but he could feel his heated gaze on himself. Uther was relishing every movement, every touch.
The mechanism set in place easily, the sound of the metal parts connecting barely audible, Gaius locked it and looked lovingly at the view before his eyes.
Uther was his King, but more importantly, now he was his.
He couldn’t resist sliding a finger between the bars and then over the soft skin below, then lifting the constrained cock and enjoying the added weight of the cage.
"Done," he whispered, and finally looked at his lover’s face.
Uther looked perfect, he always did like this: so full of trust, so full of need. Desperate but never admitting it, even to himself.
Gaius continued, "You have been with Catrina for eleven days, it is only fair you keep this for twice as long."
"Yes, as you order."
Uther's eyes were dazed and his face flush already.
"You won't be needing this," Gaius said, showing the keys tied to a silver chain and putting them around his neck, hiding them under the collar of his robes.
"You'll behave, or the time will be doubled."
Uther nodded, "As you order."
In a distant time, Gaius would have moved to seal the pact with a kiss.
Now, he glanced briefly at his King's lips before dismissing himself.
"That will be all for tonight, then. We’ll check again in two days, understood?”
“Understood.”
The slight tremble in Uther’s low voice made electricity spark again in Gaius’ old nerves.
“You can dress. I will go back to my chambers now… sire."
If he saw Uther staring at his lips in return, that was just probably a trick of his old foolish mind.