The Former Whipping Boy (for Azel)

[Said]

The former whipping boy of the prince stood in front of the king, who had summoned him especially. He had not been told why, only that he had a special task for him. One that he trusted he would be able to handle well.

The king was a man in his early fifties now, but apart from the greying of his beard and the wrinkles around his eyes, he still seemed as vigorous and strongly built as he had been ten or twenty years ago. He had a rather severe appearance, but he was known as being a good and fair man, and an even tempered ruler. However, the one thing this didn't seem to apply towards was his son. Perhaps because Prince Leon was his only child after years of trying, the boy had been spoiled more than one might even expect for a prince. He had grown up being told how brilliant and talented he was, never reprimanded once. Whenever he had misbehaved or threw a tantrum, it was the former whipping boy who had been made to endure the prince's punishment.

"I suppose you are wondering why I called you here," The king began, his voice deep and grand, like you might expect of a king. "Firstly, let me apologise. I know it has been many years and to suddenly call you away from your family must have been startling, but as the messenger told you, there is something I want to ask you to do. As my son's former whipping boy, I feel that you would be best equipped to do it."

He sighed deeply. He believed that the former whipping boy would know his son's nature well enough, having been close to him and seeing his behaviour for himself for many years in their childhood. But the prince and this young man were twenty now. A lot may have changed since then. They had sent the former whipping boy away when the prince had reached fifteen, so it had been five years since they had last laid eyes on each other.

"To be frank, Leon has not grown up into the young man I had hoped. You endured many punishments on his behalf as a child and a teenager, so I expect you are well aware of the kind of mischief he would get up to then."
'Mischief' was a generous word to use. Leon had been the sort of child who put tacks on teacher's seats just to see them yelp and pushed ladies into fountains if he was bored.
"He has not put away such behaviour now that he is older, and rather than having you endure his punishments again, I want to enlist your help in dealing them out to Leon himself. You see, I thought someone who knows what he is like would be best suited. As well as someone who is not from too noble a background, for you see, they are all too afraid of me to do such a thing to the prince. Even if I told them to."

The king looked the young man over, waiting for his response. He had more he needed to explain of course, but he wanted to hear his answer first.

[Azel]

Elliot had spent most of the conversation instictively holding his bottom. He expected that he had been called so he could resume his job as whipping boy. Right now he was somewhat skinny young man in his early twenties with neck lenght blond hair. As a minor noble he was clad in some fine clothes, but he did't carry much prescence other then that. He certainly did't have the same powerful image as the king before him had.

"I um y-your majesty i'm afraid I do not understand." He said in a nervous tone. For years he had received many whippings and spankings for his prince's behaviour and no one ever had ever felt the need to see that the prince was disciplined himself. "And am I really the right person for such a task....I mean i'm.' Elliot's job as a whipping boy hadn't been good for his self esteem as many saw him as a laughingstock for getting constantly spanked.

[Said]

"I have thought this over for some time. Of course, I didn't want it to come to this at all, but I would rather my son be disciplined now than have him inherit my throne and make a mess of it all." The king explained. He stepped towards Elliot, seeing the young man's nervousness.
He put a large hand onto the youth's shoulder. It was meant to be encouraging, but was probably actually a little intimidating.

"You are the right man for the job." He assured him sincerely. "All you would have to do is act as my son's companion, as you used to. However, when he acts cruelly or insensitively towards others or neglects his duties, you have the authority to dish out punishments to him, ones similar to what you yourself underwent."

[Azel]

The former whipping boy turned very pale and closed his eyes when he saw the hand coming towards him. He stopped and opened his eyes again when he heard exactly what the king was telling him, but he still shook nervously.

"I i-it would be my honour to serve. It really would, but what if he doesn't comply with my attempts to discipline him?" Elliot asked not being gifted with great strenght. He had been more suited for administrative tasks. Despite that his hands where itching for this. At some point the two may have been friends, thanks to spending a lot of their time together, but prince Leon's disregard of what would happen to his whipping boy had soured the relationship on Elliot's end.

[Said]

"I suppose he might, but he will have little choice to comply. My son might be mischievous but he isn't a fool. If you tell him that you have authority from me, he will know that if he doesn't comply more serious consequences might befall him." The king concluded.

Of course, he didn't want it to come to that, but he doubted it would.

"Is that all? Do you accept?" He asked, giving his shoulder a squeeze. It wasn't a painful one, but it was one of encouragement, as the king wanted him to say yes.

[Azel]

"Um y-yes your majesty. I Elliot of house Redwood, humbly accepts this task that you are willing to entrust me with. I will...I will try to live up to your expectations of me." Elliot nodded as he quickly kneeled. His style of speaking still needed to have a confidence boost, but at least he accepted the king's request.

[Said]

"Very good. I am glad you have accepted." The king smiled broadly, genuinely. "A servant will take you to meet him now, if you like. I think it might be wise for you to reintroduce yourself, but you needn't tell him everything about your role before you need to. If you don't wish to that is."

He had to admit, he had high hopes for this. Leon badly needed a companion, as well as discipline. He had companions of course, but he treated them all badly. While they had to be polite as he was the prince, the king wasn't blind and could tell that they secretly resented the young man despite they're assertions otherwise.

[Azel]

'Yes your majesty. I will first observe the situation before I will tel the prince about my new role." Elliot nodded both because he wanted to see if the prince had matured a bit, but a small part of him also wanted to see the look on Leon's face when he not only told him he was allowed to spank him, but that he would also do so immediately.

"Ahem i'm ready. Please bring me to the prince." Elliot walked to the servant so they could start with this.

[Said]

The servant, a young mousey looking woman, led Elliot out into the palace gardens to Leon.
The young prince had grown up into a good looking young man. He had been a handsome youth, but at twenty he seemed to have been dealt a fortunate hand by nature. His hair, which had been a lighter shade as a child, had matured into a darker, chestnut brown and was slightly wavy. It reached the nape of his neck and was neatly cut. His eyes were blue, but of a dark shade that almost looked black in certain lights. He was neither tall nor short, but of a lithe, slender build that made him look taller than he was. Like Elliot, he did not look particularly strong, but he looked healthy and lively.

When he saw Elliot, he recognised him immediately and put down the lute that he had been toying with and sat up on the intricately decorated metal bench that he had been reclining on. He smiled in the same way he had as a child, somewhat deviously but also rather charmingly.

"Elliot! It has been a long time!" He exclaimed. "Your clothes look awful, but you almost look the same." He gestured to Elliot's garments which were not as fine as the ones he had been allowed to wear when he was the prince's whipping boy. but were by no means shabby. He was not from a peasant family by any means.

[Azel]

Elliot briefly looked at the now grown prince and could't help, but be a bit envious. Neither where very muscular, but Leon's confidence made him look taller and stronger then Elliot whose skinny build was only strenghtened by carrying himself with little confidence. At least he was also a bit relieved to see the prince being in reasonable good spirits towards him.

"Oh Leon. Yes it has been almost five years now has it. Ahem and my apologies I lost access to the royal dressing room when I returned to my estate." Elliot was wearing a red tunic with a pair of black shorts. His tunic was decorated with the seal of his house and both seemed to be of high quality, although still of lower quality then what Leon was wearing. Of course he did spend some time as a whipping boy in his underpants whenever the prince had felt very mischievious.