Silbermond und Honigwein

52. Audience on the Throne

Smut warning, slight D/S, pet play, exhibitionism

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Cleaning was going well, and everyone found the motivation to help. Seonghwa took some time off in between to go the throne room and listen to the concerns of the people populating his lands. They brought various matters before him, about law and justice and their personal worries. Seonghwa mitigated their needs and made sure everyone departed with satisfaction, leaving no elf enraged.

By the time he finished and the last person left, the castle was spotless, apart from his throne room. He sent the servants away, happily scrubbing by himself to sort the added information in his head. Busy catching up with his hobby more than it was work while everyone else got to take a break, Seonghwa sunk deep into his thoughts about trivial concerns. When voices got loud in the hallway, he didn't pick up on them until the noise of the door opening drowned out the song of the castle.

Seonghwa lifted his head, and his eyes widened when Hongjoong came strutting inside. Behind him on his knees and dragged along by a chain made of shadows in the sorcerer's hand, was Wooyoung.

"I said I was sorry," the gryphon-born whined, hands and knees scrambling to hold up his body and yank at the chain. His wings flailed, not helping him as Hongjoong shut the door with the flick of a finger. Dressed in an elegant suit of black and gold, he halted in the middle of the room to throw Wooyoung at Seonghwa's feet. With a frown, Seonghwa let his broom sink.

"What is this about?"

Wooyoung shrieked when he heard his voice. He sat up instantly, wanting to crawl closer to grasp at Seonghwa's legs, but his leash yanked him back to Hongjoong's side. The sorcerer's hiss made him whimper, but didn't still his hasty mouth.

"Hongjoong is being mean to me! Look what he did!" Futilely, he tugged at his invisible collar.

"I apprehended a criminal," Hongjoong replied with dignity. Wooyoung's offended gasp irked not even a brow.

"It wasn't me! Buddy stumbled his way inside and-"

"Left a trail of your feathers, yes," Hongjoong finished with a roll of his eyes. When Seonghwa put his broom aside and dusted off his hands, the sorcerer made the effort to an explanation.

"I came into my room after our cleaning duties and found several of my cauldrons and vials toppled over. Thankfully, everything that could spill is harmless, but it could have ended in disaster. Especially if this clumsy dimwit stepped into something. Are your talons not important to you? If you don't need them anymore, I have a much better use for them." He jerked on the chain unkindly and Wooyoung fell before his feet.

"I told you I was sorry, please- Take it off." With his best puppy eyes, Wooyoung pleaded at Hongjoong.

"Just earlier you tried to blame it on Buddy," the sorcerer sneered.

Seonghwa knelt before Wooyoung for yet another audience. The gryphon-born avoided his eyes until a gentle hand on his chin asked so daintily to be looked at that he couldn't resist any longer.

"Is it true? Did you make a mess in his room?"

Blunt teeth worried Wooyoung's lip between his teeth. He didn't try to worm away again, but the defeated lowering of his lashes was all the reply Seonghwa needed.

"Oh, Wooyoung, what am I supposed to do now? I can't protect you if you mess with his things."

Petulant eyes widened over pouty lips. Before he got to talk himself out of his situation, Hongjoong cut him off.

"I demand he gets punished."

Wooyoung's head snapped up. His pleading hands reached for Seonghwa once more, but Hongjoong nonchalantly yanked him back.