Excerpt from True Love's Kiss

"I found a blacksmith who specializes in...exotic wares." She stopped for a moment and looked Charles in the eyes. "I do apologize in advance, but I did need to be forthcoming about some of your personal information. The blacksmith does not know who you are, but he does know about your particular....situation."

Charles frowned. "It was not your place to reveal my secret, Nurse Eileen."

She bowed her head at his gaze. "I'm sorry, my prince," she said in a whisper. "It is unforgivable, I know, but I did it all in the protection of your secret."

"And what if the blacksmith identifies my face?"

"That's why I brought this along." She pulled out a masquerade mask and handed it to Charles.

He took it and his frown deepened. "You can't be serious."

"Please, Sire. Your bearing and speech will peg you as nobility, but he will not be able to deduce your identity. Especially if you..." She cleared her throat. "...speak in your natural voice."

Eileen referred to, of course, the fact that Charles voice did not change with the others boys when he reached puberty. He'd practiced for months getting the correct pitch and tone. Fortunately, she'd been able to practice even in public, for if she slipped up it could easily be concealed under the guise of normal behavior for a boy whose voice was in the process of changing.

"Is this more like it?" he said, dropping the baritone he had perfected over the years in lieu of his natural alto.

"Yes, my lord."

"My throat feels funny when I speak this way."

"I will try to do most of the talking, Sire." She walked up to the door of the blacksmith shop, knocked twice, and let herself in.

Charles followed.

He had been in a smithy before. His father felt it was important to his education to know where weapons and armor came from and how they were made. While they were a peaceful kingdom, the world was a dangerous place, and the king wanted his people ready for war if it came to them. This smithy looked to Charles like any other. A forge, where the smith heated his metal for shaping it, several anvils, and a variety of tools used by the blacksmith to craft his wares.

The smith himself stood in the workshop, a massively built man who was not quite as tall as Charles would have expected, but his arms and chest were well formed, from all the years of lifting heavy tools and the work involved in his craft. He was clean shaven with a mess of hair going down to his shoulders.

He beamed as he walked up to Charles, extending his hand.

Charles took it and shook.

“Good,” he said. “You have a nice, strong grip. Very manly. You've learned well.”

Charles flushed. He was not used to being around people who knew his secret.

“My name is Hector. I know that you'll not share yours with me—either of them—and I understand. You don't know me, and you certainly don't know if you can trust me, but rest assured, your secret will always be safe with me.” He smiled broadly. “I am to understand that you're young still, but reaching that age when you're starting to become interested in all manners sexual, but you don't have, shall we say, the proper equipment.”

Charles scowled and glared at Eileen. This smith knew entirely too many details of his private life for his taste, but he merely nodded at the blacksmith.

“Excellent,” he said rubbing his hand together. With a gleam in his eye, he looked Charles over. “I don't mean to presume, but I would like to see what I am working with here. Would you mind opening your robe so I can see your body? The mask can stay on to protect your identity.”

His flush deepening to the point where he felt hotter than the smith's forge, Charles opened his robes.

“Magnificent,” Hector said. “You've done quite well for an amateur. If I didn't know any better, I would be convinced of your manhood. There are a few things you could work on. One is your height, you're a little too short for a man. I would recommend shoes with a thicker sole. It gives the illusion of extra height without being too obvious. And suddenly gaining some extra height would not be too noticeable at your age, as many young men still have growth spurts. I know a cobbler who you can work with to craft some shoes.

“The other is your cock. Or rather,your lack of one. A casual observer would not notice you lacking there, but anyone who is looking might come to be suspicious—or assume that you are quite small. Either is not good, as anyone looking down there is likely to be a suitable partner.” He winked. “Normally I would suggest you stuff down there, but I have something for you that should make that unnecessary.” He approached Charles with his hands out. “If I may, would it be alright if I pat you down?”

Charles took a step back. “You presume too much,” he said in his alto.

The smith stepped back and put his hands behind his back. He bowed. “My apologies, Sir. I just wanted a better understanding of the methods that you use to bind yourself. It will help me to help you craft the illusion you're looking for. I figured that you'd be more comfortable with a pat down than to strip off your clothing.”

Charles sighed and extended his arms. “Very well.”

The smith moved toward him and patted him down. “Oh very nice. Did you craft this harness yourself?”

Charles nodded.

“I think it will work well for you. If you have any spares you can afford to lend, I may be able to make a few improvements for your comfort. I know that it must not be very comfortable to wear that.”

Charles nodded. He only wore it when he reasonably expected to appear manly. In the privacy of his chamber, he would remove the harness to improve his breathing and circulation. It did make getting ready for anything a bit more time consuming.

The smith finished his inspection and smiled. “Good, good. You're well on your way already, and with my finishing touches, you should be able to live a full life as your chosen gender without anyone being the wiser. Come, let me show you my other workshop.” He gestured and walked to a back door. As he moved to open the door, he turned back to Charles. “I assume coin will not be an issue. A man does need to make a living after all.”

Charles nodded. “No problem at all. You'll have whatever you ask for.”

“Excellent,” he said as he opened the door and waved them through.

The new room was smaller by far than the smithy, but there was a work desk cluttered with gadgets of which Charles had no idea of their functions. He and Eileen walked in and stepped aside as Hector closed the door.

He rubbed his hands together. “Oh isn't this exciting? Let me show you the device that I think you'll be interested in.” He walked over to his desk and removed an item from it. It looked like some form of harness for the upper legs and hips, probably meant to be worn as an undergarment. There was large hole in front of it with two smaller holes on either side of it. This part of the harness appeared to be able to swivel up and down.

“Isn't it magnificent?” Hector said. “It is my own invention. I'm rather proud of it.” He handed it over to Charles to inspect.

“I am not certain as to its function,” he said, examining it and handing it off to Eileen.

“Ah,” Hector said. “It is because you have not seen all of it.” He went back to the table and pulled off a large metal rod, about 7 inches in length with a rounded tip. The base of the rod was flat and extended out, with two small holes on either end. “Here, let me show you. Hand me back the harness.” He extended his hand.

Eileen handed over the harness and Hector placed the rod through the large hole in the garment. He screwed the two pieces together by using the smaller holes on each piece, which lined up perfectly. “It is currently locked in this position, which is what you would want when using it to fuck. It wouldn't do for it to slip out of place. However, you can release this switch here...” He demonstrated by pressing it. “...and the whole thing swivels up like this so that you can wear it under your trousers without your cock sticking out like a sword.” He laughed. “Pressing the switch again, locks it in the upright position until you need it again.”

Charles was amazed. He would never have thought such an invention possible. “But the rod is made of metal. Won't a woman realize that it is not flesh inside her?”

Hector smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “And that, my good Sir, is why this device is so costly. There is an enchantment woven into the rod that makes it feel like flesh.” He handed the device over. “Here, see for yourself.”

Charles took the harness from his once more and put his hand on the rod. It was warm to the touch and did indeed feel like flesh. It even throbbed as if blood flowed through it.

“See?” Hector said. “It feels just like the real thing. No woman would ever know the difference.”

Charles, who has never touched a cock in his life, said, “I'll have to take your word on that.” He handed it over to Eileen.

He watched fascinated as Eileen wrapped her hands around the rod and stroked it up and down. As she did so, Charles noticed that the rod itself moved up and down with her hand. “Oh yes, this definitely feels like the real thing.”

Charles blushed at the thought of Eileen with her hand on a man's cock. He turned back to Hector. “Why does the rod move up and down like that?”

The gleam in his eyes grew brighter as he rubbed his hands together. “This is what makes this device so exciting. The rod is actually composed of two pieces. It is hollow in the middle with a solid tube inside. Between them is a spring and when pressure is applied to the rod at the right angle, it pushes the solid rod back. The harness is positioned in such a way that the rod sits right over your clit, so when the solid rod is pushed back, it stimulates pressure on your clit, giving you pleasure along side your partner.” He laughed. “No faking orgasms for you.”

Charles felt hot again and knew his blush must be covering his entire face.

"It's beautiful. It's a piece of art, if I may say so myself," Hector said. "A device fit for a king." He paused as both Charles and Eileen looked at him shockingly. But he continued as if he hadn't realized he'd identified his customer. "That is if the king were actually a queen. A real king would have no need of such a device, being properly equipped if you get my meaning." He paused again. "You'll not find a finer piece of equipment in any of the kingdoms. I assume you'll take one?"

Charles nodded.

The smith rubbed his hand in glee. "Excellent, let us begin, shall we?" He grabbed some measuring tapes from his workshop desk. "Now, I do apologize, Sir, but you will want a harness that fits properly, and unless you're planning on wearing it outside your clothes, I will need to take measurements of you without your clothes."

Charles flush spread from his face to his neck, and he could swear he could feel it cover his entire body. "I....I...." He was at a loss for words. He couldn't abide a man he didn't know being that close to his crotch, especially when he'll be naked. He was already ashamed enough of that area for not having the right parts. He looked to Eileen and had a thought. "Could Eileen take the measurements for you? Under your direction, of course. I would be much more comfortable with her near my intimate place."

He smiled and bowed. "Of course, my lord. It matters not how I get the measurements, as long as I have the proper ones."

He handed Eileen the measuring tape and instructed her on how to take the measurements he needed, showing her by using a sewing mannequin. When he was satisfied that she had it down properly, he excused himself from the room.

As Hector turned to leave, Charles said, "Why would you invent such a thing?"

He smiled as he turned to look at him. "Did you think you were the only one?" Hector said in a perfect alto. He laughed and left the room, leaving Charles to wonder if Hector were a woman impersonating a man or a man who sometimes impersonated a woman.