It was surreal to sit there and nibble on cheese and fancy bread with a man so very beautiful and powerful. Antoine was sure he was not properly trained in how to have a meal with a prince.

“I know the first time at court can be very daunting,” Soren said. He reached across the little table and laid his hand on Antoine’s “I was five the first time I came to court. I had a frog in my pocket and it got away. As it was trying to be anywhere else, it ended up hopping in my stepmother’s bowl of soup, then on her lacy decalage. It was quite the scandal!”

“Did you get in trouble?”

“Oh I did, my tutor spanked me so hard I couldn’t sit down for a week. My dad said I deserved it. My stepmother refused to talk to me for months. I was five. I wasn’t interested in her stupid tits.”

Antoine reached out to touch the prince’s hand, without thinking about if that was polite or not. “I’m glad you’re here now.”

“I grew up a little twisted maybe,” Soren allowed, holding Antoine’s hand. “I’d love to spank you.  You have a very pretty ass.”

“Oh,” Antoine said, blushing. “Do you think you could hold me down while you were spanking me?”

“I could, yes,” Soren said, leaning forward. He reached out his fingers to touch Antoine’s lips gently. “Would you like to be held down, my beautiful man?”

Antoine nodded. He’d never let himself share any of his fantasies. He didn’t think anyone had fantasies like that, of being tied up and hurt and loved on at the same time. “What will happen if I turn you down?”

“Nothing. I’ll never let anyone hurt you, not even me, oh I might hurt you a little, but just sensation, not injury. You will have a safe place here for the year that you are here. If you want me to hold you down and fuck your pretty ass, I am very happy to do that, but if you want to be alone in your bed, I’ll respect that.”

“What if I wanted to pretend I was saying no, but I really wanted to you to ... take me, to have sex with me?”

“Sounds like a good time to me, Antoine. Come to my bed. I’ll tie you up and do wicked things to you, unless you say the word frog. If you say the word frog, I’ll stop and take gentle care of you.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.