I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls with vassals and serfs at my side, and of all who assembled within those walls that I was the hope and the pride. I had riches all too great to count and a high ancestral name. But I also dreamt which pleased me the most that you loved me still the same, that you loved me you loved me still the same, that you loved me you loved me still the same ...

Part of Marble Halls - Enya

I've lost my faith, Julian mused, sitting morosely on a chair and looking out at the prosaic scenery. His hands were clutched around a mug of scorching Terran coffee, his mind abroad as he slowly recovered from Garak's recent abuse. His ass was sore, and it was all Julian could do to sit down, tilted sideways to avoid the stabbing pains. His fingers were slowly burning from the cup, but he couldn't have cared less at the moment.

He made me lose my faith; something I'd promised myself to hold onto whatever the outcome. What does a man become when his faith is removed? I should be angry with him, I should be screaming and fighting until someone shuts me up for eternity. But I just sit on my ass, day after day, accepting my defilement and even enjoying it sometimes. His hand strayed to his collar and he caressed it absently. I was trained. I've been born and bred a slave, and I'll die a slave. I just wish my death would come sooner. He lifted the cup to his lips and absently burnt his lips. He swallowed the scalding liquid and resumed his trance, unheeded of anything else but the void in his heart.

A chime broke his thoughts and nearly made him spill his coffee. "Shit," he muttered, slapping at the stain on his blouse. If Garak saw what he'd done - but wait ... why would Garak ring the bell? "Come in please," he called politely as he climbed to his feet, the steaming mug still in his hands. He tried to look natural, but only managed to draw amusement from the visitor as she strode with feline grace into his quarters.

"Julian," she smiled brightly, her eyes raking over the young man's body with nothing but lecherous appreciation. "I was ... hoping you'd be here."

Weak fool. What got into you?

Garak brooded in the dark tavern, his dark mood reflected by the dark kanar in his hands. Experiment? To know what it would feel like to take him equitably? Fool, he berated, draining the glass and slamming it on the table. No matter what you do he will never open the shell he's built around himself. His body may be yours, but his soul is free and wild as salken beasts. It will consume him, you realise that don't you old man? One day he will defy you, and nothing you do to him will make him yield. He will laugh in your face, mock your ways and use you. All because you have an absurd weakness for him. Even when you initiated him you knew it.

Great Gul, I never meant to hurt you so my precious jewel. I was ... angry. At myself for caring for you. Knowing I could never kill you or send you away. That was my power before I met you, my strength; knowing I could dispose of any who defied me without remorse. And now I have lost that skill over you; my beautiful young man.

Yet I was also angry at you for listening to me. For treating me as your deliberator and saviour; you knew I was trouble when you met me. Why did you not run away? Why did you follow me and obeyed me and loved me? And why do I love you? I was never meant for love ... I was not bred this way, nor was I ever taught to throw away my skills and education for a young beautiful, innocent man.

But today proves me -- us -- the contrary. I have opened myself to you, opened my heart; perhaps not long enough for you to realise it; perhaps not wide enough for me to even acknowledge its importance. But I do now. For the first time ever, I realise you may be the single only weapon in the universe able to disarm me ... the first fear to reach me so deeply I shudder at it at night.

Release your power over me Julian. For I will never let you go if you don't. And -that-, my sweet, will be your end.

Staring at the table top, Garak realised his eyes were sheathed with a thin film of tears. As soon as he took notice of it, he blinked them away angrily and left the tavern, even more upset with himself than when he'd stormed into the bar an hour before.

I need to walk, he thought.

Is that the best reason you can come up with? another part of his mind whispered harshly. Why don't you admit it to yourself? You dread seeing him now. You're afraid because of what happened today. Because he knows your weakness now, and you can do nothing about it other than run away. Run away Elim, the voice taunted. That's what you've always done isn't it? Run away from home, run away from your father ... is that why you enjoy hurting people so much? Because you won't be satisfied until everyone suffers through what you went through?

"Shut up," Garak hissed at the elusive whisper. All at once, his usual solitude settled in; a lone soul amidst the bustling crowd on the Promenade as he tried to outwalk his worries, his love for the beautiful man waiting for him in his quarters.

"I'm afraid Gul Garak isn't here," Julian said politely, trying self-consciously to turn away from her. She laughed and walked closer, taking his shoulders and turning him back to face her.

Her eyes slid downward, paused at the dusky chest before finally eyeing the coffee stain. "Oh my. We can't have that now can we?" she smiled lewdly, her fingers working on the delicate buttons of his blouse. When the delicate material coiled to the floor, Julian closed his eyes and ducked his head. I'm a whore, that's what I am. Never mind that I labor around like a slave; Garak turned me into a whore. What should be shocking is routine; what should be embarrassing has become tedious.

"Undress for me," Kira whispered, her hand brushing over his tight black trousers suggestively.

And I know it's you who's responsible Garak, Julian thought as he went through the familiar act of undressing for the woman before him. It wasn't my Trainers; they taught me to appreciate a body; to love it and give it as much pleasure as I was given. But you destroyed all those teachings and instilled in me the values in fucking mindlessly. Scratch that; in being fucked mindlessly.

"Oh Julian," she hissed, sucking in air noisily as she eyed the slender sex resting limply between the dark silky thighs. "Again I see why Garak chose you ..." she whispered as she began unfastening the straps on her catsuit.

A shudder rippled over Julian's skin at the Cardassian's name. Chose me ... purchased me you mean. Bought me. How did you manage to pry me away from my Trainers Garak? Paid them? Threaten them? For all I know you killed them. They were only Terrans after all.

"Lie back my sweet," she smiled lecherously. "Relax; you won't have a thing to do tonight. I want to indulge in a thorough exploration of all the things Garak has so possessively kept to himself."

He did as he was told, lying back in the cushions spread over the floor while she stripped. The act wasn't drawing a reaction though, as Julian merely closed his eyes to prepare his mind before he cast it off to his haven. A sound broke his concentration though, and when he looked up, Kira was naked and facing away from him. When Julian sat up, he realised she was talking with someone. And as he finally stood, he saw that that someone was Garak.

"I would have appreciated it if you'd asked me permission first," Garak was saying, somewhat irritated.

Another one of your weapons Elim. Jealousy. How many people suffered because they'd said the wrong thing to me? Or used my body behind your back?

"Oh come now Garak," Kira taunted, her hand reaching out to trace the stark lines of his uniform with a finger. "I'm sure we can all enjoy this." She glanced back at Julian's long slender body and licked her lips. "I'm sure we can find something to entertain us indeed."

The deceptively Bajoran woman who strode leisurely through the Promenade had a confident sway, and bright cerulean eyes as she took in the action on Terok Nor. She'd arrived two hours ago, aboard her own freighter, with her own agenda.

Silently she slipped into the shadows unseen, pausing next to a bulkhead as she carefully revised her plan. "Computer," she whispered. "Locate Julian Bashir."

"Julian Bashir is in quarters EG/002," the harsh male voice replied.

"Is he alone?"

"Negative. Two other life forms present."

"Damn," she hissed. She patted diverse pockets beneath her cloak, verifying if she had brought everything. When she was thoroughly satisfied, she glided into a corridor, in search of a turbolift. She would reach the room's level, and wait silently for the unwanted occupants to leave.

A wicked light shone in the Intendant's eyes as she considered the two naked men before her. On first inspection, Garak was every bit as attractive as the young human. While his pale greyish skin was a startling contrast to Julian's own dark one, he compromised with power and strength; muscles kept firm with training lining the leathery skin. And those ridges snaked just about everywhere Kira could see. She slid her gaze downward, and licked her lips. The Cardassian's impressive sex was erect, standing proudly in attention and just begging for someone's attention.

To her somewhat chagrin, the Human was not yet aroused. But that would change fairly soon, she promised herself, and grinned broadly. "Gentlemen," she called, and Julian was the only to lift his eyes in attention. Garak was already staring at her, his head ducked forward slightly and giving him a menacing aspect. "I just thought of the perfect way to pass the evening." She chuckled and crooked her finger to Garak. "I want you to fuck me," she said bluntly, and her finger slid sideways to Julian, "while he fucks you."

Both men's eyes widened, shock reflected mostly within the blue pair than the brown one. "What?!" Garak bawled. "I will not allow it!"

Kira frowned. "Surely you've done this before? My dear Garak, that's half the pleasure!"

"No," Garak spat, injecting a full measure of disgust in his tone.

Julian watched Kira, then Garak, and suddenly felt the stirring at his groin. Liar, he smirked inwardly. Or don't you remember the night I took control over you? You were blind drunk of course; you'd never have relinquished power so easily had you been sober. But I didn't care. I had you, I took you and I put you in the same goddamn chains you always put on me. And you liked it; don't deny it.

I was stupid not to use the opportunity to kill you though; I was too weak, too happy that I was finally going to take my revenge. I wanted to take you, I wanted to taste you and make you go through what I suffered through. So I fucked you like a madman, coming before you had the chance to know what was going on. So damned happy that I did too, because I left you there, unfinished. Sweeter torture than a whip my dear, and it showed. You screamed, you growled, you begged for me to bring you off. I laughed, I taunted, and I watched as your erection eventually withered. I paid dearly the next day too.

But Allah, at least I have that moment to relive for the rest of my pitiful life. The night I had you squirming under my fingertips.

"Surely you would let such a delicious creature enter you," Kira went on, raking her eyes on Julian and noting amusedly his swelling sex. She focused on Garak and reached her arms out. "Come here," she asked seductively, and Garak's eyes darkened.

Carefully he did, leaning into her arms and crushing his lips to hers. She gasped into his mouth, letting her hands roam over the tough reptilian body stretched over her. By the Cardassian's few illicit gasps Kira found the more susceptible scales, and committed them to memory for later use.

At last the Cardassian pressed his full weight on her, blindly seeking skin to lick and bite, searching for lips to kiss and nibble. Kira threw her head back, closing velvet brown eyes for a moment as she felt the Gul's cool leathery skin abrade her tender silky one, gasping as the Cardassian's knee reached forward to nudge her moist lips. When she opened her eyes to mere slits, she caught Julian's dark gaze focused on the Cardassian's sinuous ass, his sex hard and his tongue darting to lick his lips. When he looked up to find her staring at him, he flushed in embarrassment, and considered stepping away. But her look drew him in, and when she mouthed, "Fuck him," he could not resist.

Growling viciously, he climbed the bed and grasped the leathery thighs of his master with brute carnal force. Digging his nails into the skin, he dove into him and buried his hardness up to the hilt on the first plunge, oblivious to the burst of pain the sudden act engendered on his unassisted sex.

Kira grinned lewdly as Garak's head snapped up, a mixture of surprise and lust warring across his features. Finally they diffused into pure pleasure as Julian rode him madly, his lips contorting into a smile of ecstasy. Kira reached up and pulled him in, dissolving any hesitation he might still feel with a kiss. When they parted, she breathed, "Now, you fuck me."

No need to be asked twice. When Julian slid partially out of him, Garak plunged deeply into the warm depths of the Bajoran's body, grunting as intense sensations flooded his body. Animalistic with lust and passion, he drove into her hard, touching her in the deepest farthest regions of her body as Julian did the same with his own. Still animated by passion and anger, Julian kept pounding the Cardassian, no trace of fatigue slowing his motions, no thoughts of sentimental drivel to distract him. He kept pumping, using his fingernails to draw stripes of blood across the thick hide, his drives pushing the Cardassian further into Kira and causing both to cry out in utter ecstasy.

"Yes," Kira whispered, opening her eyes to watch the Cardassian's concentration liquefy into pure rapture, feeling his hot seed spilling into her as he came. Behind him, Julian was a heartbeat away. As he reached the peak he pushed into Garak's ass with all his remaining strength, pressing Garak's cock further into Kira's depths. Crying out loudly, both made her come with an intensity she'd rarely ever experienced.

His energy stunted, his breath ragged and erratic, Julian slumped over Garak's back and felt a flutter in the pit of his stomach as he touched the sticky pools of blood his nails had drawn. Both men subsequently pressed heavily onto Kira, but she couldn't have cared less at the moment as she lost herself in the peaceful beatitude that came after sex. All three breathed hard, and as they recollected their strength, Julian's mind drifted off to his haven.

I hate you.

Do you know why I hate you Elim? Because I can't hurt you. If I did to you what you submitted me to, you'd love it. I scare myself sometimes; because often I find myself not wanting to share pleasure with you, but rather give you pain - make you suffer until you beg me to stop. But we both know you'd never beg Elim. You'd rather die than show yourself vulnerable in front of me. Even when I scrapped myself raw fucking you that night - much like tonight - you were laughing. Laughing at my pitiful attempts, laughing at the prospect of repaying me in the morning. And you did didn't you? Couldn't sit down for a week after that. Allah ... make me stop loving you, because I don't have the strength to try and leave you on my own.

"If you'll excuse me Intendant," Garak growled suddenly, shifting away. "But I have something to give back to my Pet." He spilled Julian to the bed as he lifted himself up, and the young man conveniently landed on his stomach, bent over the edge of the bed. Garak circled his waist and pulled him violently against him. "Very nice my Pet," he hissed in his ear. "Twice now I believe. Did you enjoy yourself? You realise I'm obliged to repay you for your kindness of course."

Somewhere deep inside his soul, Julian found the courage to whisper "no".

Garak laughed, and turned to Kira. "My dear," he grinned. "I believe you'll find some interesting implements in the top drawer there. At your discretion," he added lewdly, his sex hardening against Julian's ass.

Julian watched Garak sleep, fingering his collar absently as he followed the gentle rise and fall of his owner's chest. His features were peaceful, and if Julian looked hard enough he could almost picture them smoothing into a compassionate look, a romantic gaze, a warm affectionate stare.

He sighed, and as he continued toying with the leather neck band, he inadvertently touched the clasp. It slipped loosely from his neck and into his hand. His eyes fell to it as he turned it thoughtfully in his hand.

What made it so important? It wasn't the first thing you'd given me. Despite that night - the night you initiated me - despite how I was so sure you hated me, you still held on to me ...

Why Elim? You needed a pet, is that it? You call me one often enough. And this my collar. But I still liked it. It was mine. Something to call my own. My body was yours - my soul forced to a remote part of me I've long since forgotten. But not this. This small material thing ... can you imagine? Nevermind the fact you almost choked me to death when you first put it on - never mind that you use it to remind me that I'm your property. It's mine. And mine alone.

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up. It was the Intendant, back into her leather catsuit. "I will have to leave," she said. Her eyes strayed to the Cardassian's form and she smiled as a light of remembrance shone in her eyes. "Tell Garak he was a most entertaining ... host." She stared back at him, and caressed his bare chest where Garak's marks rose in crimson patterns. "And you, my precious, were a most exquisite sight to see."

You'll excuse me if I don't share your opinion. Being whipped doesn't exactly feel good, in case you hadn't realised. "Thank you Intendant," he whispered raggedly.

Bitch, he threw at her, watching her swaying hips as she left the bedroom.

He turned to Garak again, still deeply asleep. There's a knife in your bag at the foot of the bed, Julian mused. The knife with the jevonite stone you took from Madred after you killed him. I know where it is exactly, and it would be the work of mere seconds for me to reach into it, slide it out and plant it will all my might into your chest. I could do it right now. As you sleep. And you'd never know what hit you. So why am I not turning away from you to take the knife? Why am I not even feeling enthusiastic about the prospect of killing you, ridding myself of your callous hold on me? I've plotted often, alone in my room, for your death. Planned everything to the last detail. Why have I never followed through those plans either?

Have you no idea how strong your grab on me is? It's not your threats that are keeping me here. It's not the fact that I have nowhere else to go. It's because there's something deeper in our relationship. If you'd only stop being stubborn and acknowledge it, maybe we could build something far more meaningful.

Sometimes I look outside, watching the stars dance and flicker in the black of space, and I wonder if somewhere out there you and I are happy. In a different universe, a different time, that perhaps you and I share something beautiful.

I wish I could be there now. Smiling, happy, dissolving into your loving arms as we give each other pleasure - our goal to satisfy the other always heightened with each day passing, so that you and I can be forever blissful.

If such a universe exists, I wish someone could bring me there.

Julian sighed, and curled into a protective ball at one corner of the bed, quickly falling into a fitful sleep.

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