"Wait. You *desire* to be gelded?" she asked in disbelief. It was risky enough being an intact male here, but a gelding was property and she didn't want to own him, or have to deal with finding him an owner.

"Yes." he replied, and after a moment's pause continued, "I've decided the method I'd pref-"

She cut him off, by his words only, "I do not perform geldings. Not for entertainment, and not even for payment."

"And I don't expect you to, but I do seek your help. You see, there are some things I cannot do alone. Would you hear me out and then decide if you care to aid me, and decide what your terms are?"

"I will hear you out, but I make no promises."

He explained, first quickly, and then in detail. He could pay. She could do her part and walk away, leaving him to fate, whatever his fate might be. He might even remain intact. That was unlikely, but it was possible.

"Come back in three days, if you are serious. Honestly, the best thing for you to do is not come back. You should leave this land. Now just.. go. Do not come back early, either."

---

The three days had passed and she had acquired a few items. Anyone, even a male, could get most of them. But one item was only obtainable, at least legally, by a woman.

The evening of the third day he came back, with a few items of his own, and with payment. They agreed on a time to get started in the morning, giving him time to prepare and still get everything into place before everyone else woke up.

---

The alarm sounded and he jumped up. A moment later the door to the room he'd been kept in was unlocked. He dealt with the usual morning routines of cleansing inside and out. And the inside cleansing was... more thorough than usual. Then he got dressed, which was not all the usual the usual mode of dress.

By the time he was ready, so was she. They left, and were soon at the gelding stocks in the square. Nothing had been scheduled for today - they had both checked - and so this wouldn't inconvenience anyone. "You know what to do." she whispered, not wanting to make any more sound than absolutely needed.

He stepped into place and tried to position himself. He changed moved the foot restraints a bit, and with great care, moved the head and hand restraints as well. He got into place again. This time, satisfied with the arrangement, he closed the foot restraints. He looked at here and held out his hand. She put a lock in it. He attached that lock, and the sequence repeated.

Now he put his head and arms into place in the pillory section of the stocks. He adjusted his hair so it wouldn't get caught in pieces. He nodded and she lowered the upper piece, trapping him. He moved his head around a bit, checking that his hair wasn't caught and then nodded. She placed the remaining locks into place. The key for all the lock dangled at the end of a ribbon, which she placed around his neck. She moved behind him and did the rest, then returned to his front.

"Your last chance. Think about where you are and what is apt to happen. I can release you and you can leave..."

He nodded "no."

"You really want to be left like this?"

He nodded "yes."

"As you wish." And she walked away, leaving him to his fate as the sky brightened with the coming dawn.

---

When the village awoke, they would find a 'stallion' locked in the gelding stocks. He had a head-harness with what looked like a bit-gag, but it was more a combination of ball and bit - he would not be talking. He had a tail, hanging from a well-inflated plug, but tied off to the side to a leg. He glistened with sunscreen, and some nervous sweat, covering his body. On his rump was written, in bright orange animal marker, "GELD ME." Under him was a nasty gelding tool, of a type that crushed and only allowed increasing pressure at intervals. The crusher also could not easily be released before having done its job in full. It was not for surgery; it was for prolonged torture. It was only almost in place.

Anyone, well any woman, could take the key and release him, choosing whether to free him or own a stallion ponyboy despite the words on his rump. Or she could put the crusher into place and start things. Whoever that was would likely not do more because of the interval timer. It would be several women throughout the day. It would then be a long, painful day for him. Whoever got the final crushing squeeze in would own the new gelding - if he lived though the ordeal.

The ponyboy awaited his fate.