Odalisque
Author: aeris444
Title:Odalisque
Rating:PG13
Pairing/s:Arthur/Merlin
Character/s:Arthur, Merlin
Summary:Arthur is visiting the Sultan who wants to offer him a present.
Warnings: Mention of sexual slavery
Word Count:881
Prompt:108.Exquisite
Author's Notes:Thanks to the lovely derenai for the beta! Also inspired by awyvern 's prompt here.
Arthur knew that, when visiting a noble from another country, you shan’t despise his customs whatever you may think about them. So when the Sultan offered to let Arthur choose one of his concubines to enjoy a night of pleasure, Arthur accepted even if sharing the bed of a woman wasn’t what made him happy.
He followed the eunuch to the seraglio. They stopped in a small patio. There was a door on each side, both firmly closed by chains.
“My Lord, my master, the Sultan, enjoy pleasure in every way. What are you preferences?”
Arthur didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry but…”
“We can offer you everything, my Lord, whatever you prefer. Are you inclined toward women or men?” The eunuch asked without any embarrassment.
Arthur blushed even if that was pleasant news. After all he was perhaps going to enjoy the Sultan’s present.
“Men,” he answered trying to be sure of himself and not letting his trouble show.
The eunuch nodded and led him to the door on the right. Two guards appeared then and removed the chains barring the door.
When Arthur entered the room behind the door, it was like coming to another world. The smell of incense was intoxicating. There were veils falling from the ceiling keeping him from seeing more than a few feet in front of him. He heard giggles from behind them. Manly giggles. Then, he spotted a movement and saw a very nude men running to hide behind a carved wood screen.
“They are playful, my Lord, “ the eunuch explained. “But they will be more than pleased to serve you tonight.”
Arthur nodded and the eunuch continued.
“Just choose the one you want to spend the night with and the guards will lead you to your room.”
Arthur went further in the room, slaloming through the veils. The men stopped trying to hide and wherever Arthur looked he could see men. Lying on opulent bed, leaning against carved marble columns, standing and watching him with lust-filled eyes.
They were all beautiful. Their skin was glistening with oil, bringing out their muscles. Most of them were wearing a golden belt with a small piece of cloth hiding their private parts but some of them were completely nude.
Arthur noticed the ink drawings on the bodies, enlightening their beauty even more.
It was heady and the Prince wondered how he was going to choose only one of them.
That’s when he spotted the man standing next to the windows. The sun was shining outside and the light reflected in the raven hair of the man… No, it was only a boy. His body was lean and he looked like he would still grow. Arthur came closer and the boy looked at him. His eyes were bluer than the sky. His smile, shy and hesitant, made Arthur want to touch his plump lips.
He was exquisite. Arthur had seen lots of men and boys but none was half the man he was.
“Him,” Arthur murmured. He turned to look for the eunuch and repeated more loudly. “Him.”
The eunuch looked at the boy and his eyes widened.
“Oh, my Lord, I’m sorry.”
The eunuch went for the boy and took him by the wrist, talking fast in a language Arthur couldn’t understand. He was clearly mad with the boy.
A guard came and led the boy to a small door on the other side of the room.
“What’s going on?” Arthur asked when the boy disappeared.
“I’m really sorry, my Lord. Merlin shouldn’t have been there, you see… He’s one of the Sultan’s odalisque.”
“Odalisque?”
The word sounded strange on Arthur’s tongue.
“He’s… He’s not a part of the harem. Not yet. He’s still a virgin you seen.”
Arthur shuddered. The boy was untouched? How could such a beautiful boy be still pure?
“He’s currently being taught everything he needs to know. Then, the Sultan will deflower him. If he’s good enough, he’ll stay in the harem. If not, he’ll be sold to a
nobleman.”
The eunuch said that without any emotion showing on his face and Arthur realized it was probably a very ancient custom. That didn’t prevent his stomach to tighten. He couldn’t imagine that beautiful boy used and sold like this. That boy needed to be treated like a precious thing not like a slave. He needed to learn what making love was not being deflowered by an old man who had more than twenty boys and probably as much girls waiting to pleasure him.
“But he’s the one I’ve chosen,” Arthur said, hoping his Princely word would be enough.
Of course, it wasn’t.
“I’m sorry my Lord but he’s reserved to the Sultan.”
“Can’t I buy him?” Arthur heard himself say without having really thought about it. He hated the idea of buying a human being but if it was the only way.
“I don’t think so. But look at the others. The harem holds a lot of beautiful men.”
“No… I wanted that boy. I think I’ll spend the night alone then.”
Arthur turned to exit the room.
He didn’t know how but he’d find a way to have that boy. He was going to do everything in his power. Even start a war if that was what it would take.
Title:Odalisque
Rating:PG13
Pairing/s:Arthur/Merlin
Character/s:Arthur, Merlin
Summary:Arthur is visiting the Sultan who wants to offer him a present.
Warnings: Mention of sexual slavery
Word Count:881
Prompt:108.Exquisite
Author's Notes:Thanks to the lovely derenai for the beta! Also inspired by awyvern 's prompt here.
Arthur knew that, when visiting a noble from another country, you shan’t despise his customs whatever you may think about them. So when the Sultan offered to let Arthur choose one of his concubines to enjoy a night of pleasure, Arthur accepted even if sharing the bed of a woman wasn’t what made him happy.
He followed the eunuch to the seraglio. They stopped in a small patio. There was a door on each side, both firmly closed by chains.
“My Lord, my master, the Sultan, enjoy pleasure in every way. What are you preferences?”
Arthur didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry but…”
“We can offer you everything, my Lord, whatever you prefer. Are you inclined toward women or men?” The eunuch asked without any embarrassment.
Arthur blushed even if that was pleasant news. After all he was perhaps going to enjoy the Sultan’s present.
“Men,” he answered trying to be sure of himself and not letting his trouble show.
The eunuch nodded and led him to the door on the right. Two guards appeared then and removed the chains barring the door.
When Arthur entered the room behind the door, it was like coming to another world. The smell of incense was intoxicating. There were veils falling from the ceiling keeping him from seeing more than a few feet in front of him. He heard giggles from behind them. Manly giggles. Then, he spotted a movement and saw a very nude men running to hide behind a carved wood screen.
“They are playful, my Lord, “ the eunuch explained. “But they will be more than pleased to serve you tonight.”
Arthur nodded and the eunuch continued.
“Just choose the one you want to spend the night with and the guards will lead you to your room.”
Arthur went further in the room, slaloming through the veils. The men stopped trying to hide and wherever Arthur looked he could see men. Lying on opulent bed, leaning against carved marble columns, standing and watching him with lust-filled eyes.
They were all beautiful. Their skin was glistening with oil, bringing out their muscles. Most of them were wearing a golden belt with a small piece of cloth hiding their private parts but some of them were completely nude.
Arthur noticed the ink drawings on the bodies, enlightening their beauty even more.
It was heady and the Prince wondered how he was going to choose only one of them.
That’s when he spotted the man standing next to the windows. The sun was shining outside and the light reflected in the raven hair of the man… No, it was only a boy. His body was lean and he looked like he would still grow. Arthur came closer and the boy looked at him. His eyes were bluer than the sky. His smile, shy and hesitant, made Arthur want to touch his plump lips.
He was exquisite. Arthur had seen lots of men and boys but none was half the man he was.
“Him,” Arthur murmured. He turned to look for the eunuch and repeated more loudly. “Him.”
The eunuch looked at the boy and his eyes widened.
“Oh, my Lord, I’m sorry.”
The eunuch went for the boy and took him by the wrist, talking fast in a language Arthur couldn’t understand. He was clearly mad with the boy.
A guard came and led the boy to a small door on the other side of the room.
“What’s going on?” Arthur asked when the boy disappeared.
“I’m really sorry, my Lord. Merlin shouldn’t have been there, you see… He’s one of the Sultan’s odalisque.”
“Odalisque?”
The word sounded strange on Arthur’s tongue.
“He’s… He’s not a part of the harem. Not yet. He’s still a virgin you seen.”
Arthur shuddered. The boy was untouched? How could such a beautiful boy be still pure?
“He’s currently being taught everything he needs to know. Then, the Sultan will deflower him. If he’s good enough, he’ll stay in the harem. If not, he’ll be sold to a
nobleman.”
The eunuch said that without any emotion showing on his face and Arthur realized it was probably a very ancient custom. That didn’t prevent his stomach to tighten. He couldn’t imagine that beautiful boy used and sold like this. That boy needed to be treated like a precious thing not like a slave. He needed to learn what making love was not being deflowered by an old man who had more than twenty boys and probably as much girls waiting to pleasure him.
“But he’s the one I’ve chosen,” Arthur said, hoping his Princely word would be enough.
Of course, it wasn’t.
“I’m sorry my Lord but he’s reserved to the Sultan.”
“Can’t I buy him?” Arthur heard himself say without having really thought about it. He hated the idea of buying a human being but if it was the only way.
“I don’t think so. But look at the others. The harem holds a lot of beautiful men.”
“No… I wanted that boy. I think I’ll spend the night alone then.”
Arthur turned to exit the room.
He didn’t know how but he’d find a way to have that boy. He was going to do everything in his power. Even start a war if that was what it would take.