Page 91 of The Toymaker
Nawson straightened up at his desk. “I think this proves right here that Riju and Kit are innocent. Both are also victims of abuse. Trig, the lord will have to decide your sentence, and I think you’ll have plenty of time to sit in prison and think about what you did.”
Trig’s face turned red. “Excuse me?”
Nawson held up the parchment. “Having anyone sign and agree to be a slave for a year with no safety word or signal is illegal. It’s also illegal to forbid them from leaving. It shows ill intent. The only slaves here who have no choice are the rapists and murderers used for certain practices at The Edge. A pleasure slave canalwaysleave if they choose to, and you can’t demand anyone hand over their freedom. That goes for everywhere in the realm, not just Eveningwood.”
“It’s only for the cock cage spell I’m working on, which is stated there,” said Trig. “It has to stay on for a year.”
“It doesn’t matter what you’re working on,” said Nawson. “I don’t care if you’re making an item for the Goddess. If he wanted to leave and be done one second before it’s ready, it would be Kit’s choice. Considering there was a puddle of piss in the basement, it seems he was chained, and you didn’t even give him a way to relieve himself.”
“Kit isn't well in his head, and he obviously peed there on purpose.”
“Kit seems fine to me, and peeing on the floor to make it look like he was locked up all day is a bit extreme,” interrupted Nawson. “But if you agreed to take him as a pleasure slave, and he’s truly unwell-”
“I didn’t say he was completely gone in his head or anything like that,” said Trig. “Even totally normal people will do dumb shit to make someone else look bad.”
“You’re normal, and you did something pretty dumb,” said Nawson. “I don’t personally know you, but I’ve never heard your name mentioned in a bad way in this city. Obviously, the college has kept you there as a shopkeeper and an occasional instructor. There’s nothing wrong with having a pleasure slave or using them for demonstrations if they’re agreeable. Both parties can agree to whatever they want. You’ve shown an unpleasant side of yourself. This contract gave Kit no choice in the matter, and you had yourself above Riju too which shows you chose to break the law entirely on your own. Not only is it against the law in general, the college has strict rules about safety words and consent.”
“Riju signed it too! You can see his signature right there. Are you going to arrest him?”
“Riju explicitly stated several times that he was against me being pierced,” said Kit. “He also didn’t like the contract. Trig ignored his concerns the entire time and did what he wanted. Anytime Riju pushed back on something, Trig ignored him, and the contract states how Riju is only the secondary Master. Trig was to make all final decisions, and he did.”
“Then Riju’s not in trouble,” said Nawson. “Or I don’t think he will be once the lord goes through everything. I wonder what would have happened if Riju had absolutely refused to go along with the contract.”
“You’re going to pile a bunch of shit on me, and that’s it?” Trig pounded his fist on the arm of his chair. “Do you realizehow fucked up this is? I wasn’t going to do anything to Riju if he refused.”
“I doubt that,” said Kit. “Maybe you would have shown your true colors earlier and hit him or whatever.”
“I do realize how fucked up this situation is,” said Nawson. “You broke the law, assaulted your submissive, and while technically locking up your slave in a room all day isn’t against the law, I’d say it’s abusive to leave them with no way to relieve themselves. Oh, and you didn’t feed him or give him water. You’re fucked in the head.”
“He pierced Kit’s nipples too and didn’t give him a choice in the matter,” said Riju. “Modifying someone’s body without consent isn’t allowed. Fairline’s Essays mentions it.”
“You helped,” said Trig.
“After you forced me. I told you several times it was wrong and gave you the reasoning for my thoughts.”
“How come you didn’t walk out then when I told you to go upstairs and wash your hands?” demanded Trig.
He probably wanted Riju to sit in a prison cell too. If he couldn’t get out of this, he’d try to tear down Riju. If Trig had anything in particular he could pin on Kit, he’d do that too.
Nawson cleared his throat. “Riju, did you help Trig with this contract?”
“He wrote it, not me. I didn’t like some of the things he did, like not allowing a safety word. I said so, and he didn’t listen.”
“But you did aid him in the treatment of Kit, correct?”
“Y-yes.”
“I don’t think you’re guilty,” said Nawson. “Considering the circumstances, I think the lord will see things my way too.”
“He just declared his guilt,” said Trig. “This is bullshit.”
“Shut up for a minute. Riju, has Trig ever held you down or forced any kind of sexual interaction on you?”
“No.”
“Has he ever guilted you or threatened you in ways to where you felt you had to have sex, so you did and verbally agreed, but only because you felt forced?”
“No.”
