While it's a relief to be reprieved from boot-cleaning duty, what follows isn't exactly an improvement. His voice needs training? There's another flicker of expression across his face, concern and bafflement, before he drops his head in a nod.
He hurries to the indicated drawer and surveys the fine collection of tools of sadistic torment inside. He's familiar with... pretty much everything in here, so he knows what he's doing when he selects a steel cable loop flogger from the drawer.
Returning to Heber, he goes against to his knees in front of him, and offers the flogger on uplifted hands.
As Devero reaches for a tool, Heber reaches in to a pocket for a small remote, presses a button, and waits. The eyebrow arch is unreadable; is he impressed with Devero's selection? Disappointed? Either way, he accepts the flogger, turning it over with a thoughtful noise just as there's a soft knock at the door.
"Enter."
A young slave - perhaps just out of their teenage years? - enters, head bowed. Heber glances at them, briefly, then stands, voice calm and conversational; "There's no better way to learn than through a demonstration, in my opinion. Remove your shirt and stand at the wall," he orders the new face, who swallows nervously but hurries to obey.
Wait, what? Devero twists to watch the newcomer obey, though his knees remain right where they landed. He twists back to Heber immediately, mouth opening--
Don't ask questions.
He closes his mouth and grips his knees tightly, bowing his head and waiting for his instruction in turn.
A beckoning gesture indicates Devero should follow Heber as he moves over to the new slave; as it turns out, some of the wall fixtures serve a dual purpose. Decorative fabric doubles as ties, which are brusquely secured about the slave's wrists before Heber turns
and offers the flogger back to Devero.
"Consider this an honor. You've never been on this side of things, have you?"
Cautiously, Devero trails after Heber, startling visibly when the flogger is held out to him. He looks from the man to the implement, then back to the man, before finally reaching out to take it with fingers that are definitely shaking a little. He grips the handle tight, drawing the flogger to his chest and straightening up.
He, uh, has been on this side of things, actually. Part of being Madame's consort had involved meeting the needs of whoever she assigned him to, no matter what those needs were. He wavers for a moment, weighing whether it would be impertinent to correct Lord Heber....
No. Better to be honest. He licks his lips again, bowing his head as he says, "I have some experience, my Lord. My training with Lady Valdana was...extensive. It will be an honor to wield this for you, if you still wish me to do so."
"Oh? Then you won't need me showing you how to do this, then." Apparently, the answer is yes, Heber still wants him to wield it. "How thoughtful of the Lady - now, show me what skills she imparted."
A gesture of the hand towards the bare back of the young slave, whom is already trembling. Said back is already covered in scars - some, quite recent.
Fuck. Fuck. Everyone he's ever whipped has wanted it. He was never an enforcer, just a fuckslave. The last thing he wants is to lay into the narrow, shaking back of the slave helpless in front of him, especially for no other reason than another man's sadistic pleasure.
But what choice does he have?
Another nod, then he steps up behind the shaking kid. Adjusting his grip on the handle minutely, he draws back and lets fly without hesitation, striking the younger slave across the shoulders.
The sound that emits from the slave's throat is not quite a scream, but it's no more held back than Devero's strength. Heber allows himself a thin, satisfied smile before ordering, "Again."
And again.
And again.
The ties on the slave's wrists quickly show another purpose; to actually hold them up and in place, as their legs quickly give out under them. The slave gasps for breath in between blows, weeping freely.
A sound that Heber seems to be drinking in like fine wine, by his expression. Though he seems to be paying just as much attention to Devero as he is the other.
Another Devero, in another life, might have faltered once the kid's legs gave out. Another Devero's heart might not have been able to handle the needless pain he's inflicting. Another Devero might have tried to put himself between Heber and this wretched slave.
Not this Devero. This Devero's arm rises and falls, again and again and again. And his training with Valdana shows-- he knows how to give an effective flogging. The loop of steel cable quickly reddens the slave's back, leaving curved welts everywhere that it lights with particular strength.
But he doesn't always use excessive strength. Better to sting and redden a patch of skin before he hits hard enough to welt. Better to vary his timing and his pattern, so that Heber's slave can't anticipate the blows. Better to here hit with the full length of the flogger, and there to snap just the tip of it against shuddering flesh, and there to turn it sidelong and whip hard enough that the skin-- splits.
Shit. Only then does he pause, rocking back a step and looking over for Lord Heber's reaction.
There's just something about it that's - enchanting? Mesmerizing? Something about this situation that draws Heber's attention like a moth to flame. The sight of blood - it has his tongue flick out, briefly tracing his lips in further appreciation, but Devero stopping...
An eyebrow raises, and whatever humor he had been drawing from this vanishes in an instant. Narrowed eyes are the only warning Devero has before he's backhanded once more, the CRACK briefly silencing the other slave's wretched noises.
"Is your arm tired, slave? Or have you another excuse for stopping?"
Devero lets the sound of pain escape him as he's hit again, head whipping to the side. Too late, he remembers Master Samir's advice to let Heber tell him when to stop.
He licks his lips, tasting fresh blood. It shows on his teeth as he says, "I didn't want to presume to damage your property." He bows his head, eyes on Heber's feet. "Shall I continue, my Lord?"
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chiming
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Date: 2022-07-27 01:24 am (UTC)From:He hurries to the indicated drawer and surveys the fine collection of tools of sadistic torment inside. He's familiar with... pretty much everything in here, so he knows what he's doing when he selects a steel cable loop flogger from the drawer.
Returning to Heber, he goes against to his knees in front of him, and offers the flogger on uplifted hands.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:29 am (UTC)From:"Enter."
A young slave - perhaps just out of their teenage years? - enters, head bowed. Heber glances at them, briefly, then stands, voice calm and conversational; "There's no better way to learn than through a demonstration, in my opinion. Remove your shirt and stand at the wall," he orders the new face, who swallows nervously but hurries to obey.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:32 am (UTC)From:Don't ask questions.
He closes his mouth and grips his knees tightly, bowing his head and waiting for his instruction in turn.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:35 am (UTC)From:and offers the flogger back to Devero.
"Consider this an honor. You've never been on this side of things, have you?"
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:45 am (UTC)From:He, uh, has been on this side of things, actually. Part of being Madame's consort had involved meeting the needs of whoever she assigned him to, no matter what those needs were. He wavers for a moment, weighing whether it would be impertinent to correct Lord Heber....
No. Better to be honest. He licks his lips again, bowing his head as he says, "I have some experience, my Lord. My training with Lady Valdana was...extensive. It will be an honor to wield this for you, if you still wish me to do so."
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:48 am (UTC)From:A gesture of the hand towards the bare back of the young slave, whom is already trembling. Said back is already covered in scars - some, quite recent.
"And this one will show you how to scream."
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 01:53 am (UTC)From:But what choice does he have?
Another nod, then he steps up behind the shaking kid. Adjusting his grip on the handle minutely, he draws back and lets fly without hesitation, striking the younger slave across the shoulders.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 02:01 am (UTC)From:And again.
And again.
The ties on the slave's wrists quickly show another purpose; to actually hold them up and in place, as their legs quickly give out under them. The slave gasps for breath in between blows, weeping freely.
A sound that Heber seems to be drinking in like fine wine, by his expression. Though he seems to be paying just as much attention to Devero as he is the other.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 02:09 am (UTC)From:Not this Devero. This Devero's arm rises and falls, again and again and again. And his training with Valdana shows-- he knows how to give an effective flogging. The loop of steel cable quickly reddens the slave's back, leaving curved welts everywhere that it lights with particular strength.
But he doesn't always use excessive strength. Better to sting and redden a patch of skin before he hits hard enough to welt. Better to vary his timing and his pattern, so that Heber's slave can't anticipate the blows. Better to here hit with the full length of the flogger, and there to snap just the tip of it against shuddering flesh, and there to turn it sidelong and whip hard enough that the skin-- splits.
Shit. Only then does he pause, rocking back a step and looking over for Lord Heber's reaction.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 03:48 am (UTC)From:An eyebrow raises, and whatever humor he had been drawing from this vanishes in an instant. Narrowed eyes are the only warning Devero has before he's backhanded once more, the CRACK briefly silencing the other slave's wretched noises.
"Is your arm tired, slave? Or have you another excuse for stopping?"
no subject
Date: 2022-07-27 05:16 pm (UTC)From:He licks his lips, tasting fresh blood. It shows on his teeth as he says, "I didn't want to presume to damage your property." He bows his head, eyes on Heber's feet. "Shall I continue, my Lord?"