The soldier was on his feet in a blink, standing at attention with the strap held flat across both hands for his father to take.
Carlisle unbuttoned his cuffs and carefully rolled his sleeves up and out of the way before accepting the offering. Easing himself into the chair the boy had recently vacated, the patriarch motioned with the strap for Jasper to take his place in front of him.
"Son, I know that they provide very little in the way of protection, but the pants have to come down."
Though it had been expected, the youth swallowed nervously as he turned his large, sad eyes upon his father while he struggled with the knotted drawstring of the flannel pants. Silently, he cursed himself for the slight tremor in his hands. This was nothing new. He had been here many times and he held complete trust in his father to treat him fairly, but the nervousness still claimed a hold of him. After all these years, it just never got any easier.
The sorrow in Carlisle's features was proof enough for the soldier that the man felt the same. Jasper could feel his father's doubt, grief, and fear as clearly as he experienced his own. The elder didn't want this any more than he did, but they both knew it was the course that needed to be taken.
"I'm sorry, Papa," the boy whispered, as the worried knot finally gave up it's stubborn hold, sending the thin protective cloth sliding down his legs to gather at his ankles.
"I know, Jasper. So am I," came the equally soft response.
Placing the tawse on the end table beside him, the patriarch patted his lap. "You know the drill."
With a quiet groan, the soldier leaned down and allowed himself to be gently guided across his father's knees.
"I sorta expect the strap to be easier to swing from a standing position."
"It is," Carlisle answered while shifting Jasper forward over his straightened left leg to lower the youth's torso further. "That will come soon enough."
Jasper felt a tinge of bitter regret come from his leader before a much more powerful sense of justice and resolve settled over him.
"Jasper, you have run out of warnings with regard to this type of transgression. Your behavior a few minutes ago not withstanding, you are not a child who is prone to tantrums. You are a sensible, responsible young man and I expect your behavior to reflect those qualities. You will treat your mother with the care and respect that she deserves, or God help you, son, because you and I are going to have major issues. Am I making myself clear enough for you?"
The question was followed by a sharp stroke to the youth's rear that caused his breath to catch before he was finally able to mutter a halting, "Yes, sah."
"Excellent. I want you to focus on the damage that you could have inflicted upon your mother by going off like you did. You must always think of the consequences of your actions before you take them. You should protect you mother, not be the cause of her suffering. I expect much better from you, Jasper Whitlock Cullen, and you will meet with those expectations. I want you as my second, son, and that means that I need to be able to trust you with what's precious to me. Do not let me down like this again."
Another blazing crack of Carlisle's hand echoed through the room, forcing Jasper to grit his teeth as he held back a yelp, but it was his father's words that caused the most pain. The elder continued to lecture for a few more minutes, but the soldier barely registered them. There had been something said about Esme being his superior which was true enough and made an impression on his military mindset, but Carlisle's voice was muted by the thoughts that swirled in the soldier's head.
He had let his father down. The realization stabbed him in the chest like an icy spike. Jasper had made a promise to himself and Carlisle. After that horrible confusing incident when he had bitten Esme, he'd sworn that he would never treat her roughly again, but he had broken that promise. This time wasn't anywhere near that same caliber of unjustifiable violence, but he had still gone back on his word, something that a Whitlock never does. Not only had he let Carlisle down, but he had also let himself and the memory of his human father down.
An all encompassing sting across his behind dragged him momentarily from his self depreciating thoughts. It appeared that the lecture had been completed without his notice, and now his father had moved onto the act of vigorously discouraging future misbehavior.
The pain built quickly as layer upon layer of hard and fast strokes canvassed the Major's rump. Grinding his teeth suppressed the majority of his vocalizations, but a particularly sharp swat to the lower edge of his right cheek forced a mewl of pain from his throat.
When he felt his boxers being whisked down his thighs, the youth whimpered, but forced himself to remain still. His leader had rarely denied him the meager covering that only really served to preserve a fraction of his dignity, but somewhere in the back of his mind, Jasper had expected this. He had crossed a line that must never be crossed. Now he was facing the wrath of a furious coven leader instead of his loving father.
He had been fully aware of this fact that night in the rain when he disclosed his crime and was ready to face death for it. Carlisle would never harm him, but the leader of the Olympic Coven was a different story. It was the leader who was responsible for the safety of their close knit group. That leader could not afford to show mercy when rules were broken. It was his leader who he had directly offended, and any amount of suffering that he was required to endure would never truly be sufficient to right the wrong he had committed.
Unbidden, the soldier felt his body stiffening as it prepared to fend off this attack. Physically, he needed to defend himself, but mentally he crushed the urge as swiftly as it could rise. He deserved this, and he wouldn't make it any harder on Carlisle than it already was.
The elder's flashing hand drew to a sudden stop, coming to rest on the back of his son's thigh. Carlisle's soft voice filled the youth's head. While his tone was meant to provide comfort, the underlining acceptance of the boy''s fault deepened his guilt.
"I know that it's hard for you to control your emotions," the patriarch stated, his hand gently stroking the soldier's skin to ease him while also holding the lad's attention. "That task is a challenge for the rest of us as well, and I realize that your gift makes it more difficult for you, but it's something that must be done, Jasper. There is nothing that is beyond your abilities. I know that you have overcome great adversity to become a fine young man." Carlisle lightly touched a crescent shaped scar that marred the southerner's haunch. "I can't imagine standing in your shoes, son. I have a huge amount of respect for you and your survival instincts, however, it is the actions caused by those instincts that have us at odds. You will temper them, Jasper, because..." The doctor's caressing hand froze as his tone hardened. "I will not have Esme's safety compromised!"
The vampire roared his final words and delivered several harsh blows to the tender junction of Jasper's rear and thighs before he swiftly renewed his efforts to leave a permanent imprint of his hand on the soldier's backside. Carlisle fell into a rhythm that paused just long enough between strokes to allow the pain to fully bloom before landing the next.
Jasper continued to struggle to stifle his yelps, but there was no way for him to halt the thick venom tears that soaked the carpeting near his father's foot. The viscous fluid filled his mouth and ran from his nose while he tried in vain to sniffle it back. The scar decorated, battle hardened soldier was no more. In his place, strewn across his father's knee, lay the sad, frightened child that Eleazar had alluded to; the child that Jasper fought so hard to keep hidden from the world.
The boy sobbed pitifully as he gasped for a breath while his father's hand stoked the inferno across his bare skin. The memory of the flash of fear across his mother's face churned up raw regret in the youth, which overflowed to tint the patriarch's emotions. The onslaught of Carlisle's hand slowed as guilt encased his silent heart.
Inhaling deeply, the elder shook his head to clear himself of his son's influence before tipping the youth further forward. A quick series of rapid-fire strokes to the most sensitive portion of Jasper's posterior drew a muffled cry from the boy before the tension in his muscles evaporated, leaving him limp and whimpering against the doctor's leg.
Listening to his son's ragged breathing and cries, Carlisle felt the vampire within him slowly withdraw, his need for justice appeased. Grimacing, the doctor noted a faint fissure bisecting the half-moon scar on the lad's pale rump. Jasper's skin had not torn, but it was plain to see that a few more seconds of pounding punishment and venom would have seeped from the wound.
The hard hand that had inflicted such damage now slipped beneath the Major's shirt to gently rub his back and heaving shoulders. It was a gesture meant to sooth, which also served to reconnect father and son, and to remind the soldier that he did not suffer alone.
Eventually, the youth's tears ceased to fall and his breath came in slow easy draws with only the occasional hitch. In the silence of the room, Carlisle had just begun to wonder if Jasper had slipped into an altered state of consciousness, when the boy began to stir.
"Papa, don't take this wrong, but I think I would rather face Eleazar when he's pissed off than you," the soldier muttered as he wiped the back of his hand across his eyes.
Carlisle smiled sadly while he loosened his hold around his son's waist.
"I take your mother's well-being very seriously."
"You should. I would lay down my life for Alice in a second. I wouldn't expect you to react any differently to a threat to Esme," came the muffled response from the still prone boy.
"As accurate as that statement is, I still regret being so hard on you," the patriarch commented before heaving a sigh. "And I'm sorry that there is more to this lesson."
It was several seconds before the soldier's own sigh was heard along with a nearly silent, "I know, sir."
"Can you stand?"
"I believe so."
With his father's gentle guidance, Jasper slipped off the elder's lap to stand shakily before him, his head bowed submissively.
Nearly a minute lapsed before the youth realized that he was still bare from the waist down. Tugging on the hem of his shirt, Jasper glanced up at Carlisle through his long dark lashes and cleared his throat.
"Um, Papa? Do you think...? I mean, would it be alright with you...? Well, you see, my boxers...?"
"Please redress, son, but may I suggest that you forgo your boxers for now? For the sake of comfort."
Jasper quickly gathered his discarded clothing and slid into his sleepwear with only a slight groan to indicate his discomfort.
"Jasper, you're going to be bruised for a few days; at least you'll feel bruised," Carlisle quickly amended. "I would never restrict your feeding, but I have to admit that I would appreciate it if you didn't overindulge in an effort to speed your healing."
"I understand, Papa. You want me to give it time to sink in so I don't fuc..." Catching himself, the Major shot his father an apologetic look before coughing lightly and continued. "So I don't forget my manners around Momma again. I'll kep myself fed, but no gorging."
Absentmindedly, Jasper took a moment to rub his aching backside then straightened up with his hands settled neatly against the small of his back. Coming to attention, he looked his father in the eye and gave a brief nod.
"I'm ready to continue when you are, sir."
In a single easy motion, Carlisle stood and picked the tawse up without breaking eye contact with his son. Carefully trying to judge the youth's emotional state, the patriarch brought the strap down against his open palm with a hearty snap.
"Jasper." The elder spoke in a strong, sure voice as he continued to study the boy. "Should there be another incident with your mother, there will be no discussion or leniency offered. You and I will immediately make the trip back to Denali and your punishment will be much like today's with one exception — the entire chastisement will be administered with this tawse. I have no wish to do that, son, but I will and I can guarantee that you will remember every stroke for a very long time."
The physician's voice was calm, soft, and business-like. There was no hint of anger or threat in his tone. This was very clearly a promise he was making to his errant child; a promise that he hoped would serve as warning enough to keep the Major in line.
"Right now, I want you to have a little sample of what your future will hold if you don't mend your ways, young man." Motioning towards the chair with the stiff strap, Carlisle quietly commanded, "Take your position, Jasper. Forearms down on the seat."
"Do you think this is really wise, Papa?" the boy questioned as he turned his back to his leader and bent down, leaning against the chair for support. "I know it's Ele's, but what if I bust it up? He's easy going, but he sure won't be happy."
"I suppose we would both be in trouble with Eleazar if you break his chair, and then I won't be happy. I think you just need to make a conscious effort to not destroy it."
Carlisle took his place at Jasper's left side and lightly rubbed his lower back as he spoke.
"Just think of this as a test of your self control. If you can rein yourself in here, I feel certain that I can trust you to control yourself around your mother."
A light smile came across the elder blond's face as he heard his boy groan, but Jasper offered no further argument. Instead, the soldier bowed his head and closed his eyes, hoping that it would be over quickly.
The Major felt the brush of leather against his thinly clad thigh and froze.
Carlisle continued to rub the youth's back, gradually beginning to increase the pressure he applied until he felt that he had the boy pinned. Quickly. the elder cracked the leather hard against the crease between Jasper's rear and thighs.
With a blood curdling yowl, Jasper shot upright as his hands flashed back to shield his battered hide.
The doctor took a step back and folded his arms. The tawse dangled from his hand as his son battled to control himself. The humiliation on Jasper's face staved off even the mildest rebuke from his father. Instead, Carlisle remained silent as he patiently gave Jasper a few more moments before softly ordering, "Retake your position, son."
"I'm sorry, Papa." The soldier glanced down, but not quickly enough to prevent his father from seeing the tears of shame glistening in his dark eyes.
Carlisle hooked his hand behind the boy's neck to draw him into a supportive hug.
"You're doing well, Jazz. We're almost done here." Releasing the lad, he allowed his son to pull away and take a step back as he wiped a lone tear from his cheek. "Now maybe you'll have a better appreciation for the position I prefer to have you in. I don't put you over my knee to humiliate any of you. That option simply gives me better control so I can prevent this from happening and get through with punishments quicker."
Jasper nodded while angrily flicking another tear away.
"I do get it, and I'll do better this time. I just wasn't expecting it to hurt so badly. I mean, I figured it would be just like any other belt."
"It's a good deal heavier so it has more bite and leaves a more lasting impression upon your psyche."
"Not sure about that, Papa, but it has already left a lasting impression on my tail."
Carlisle patted his boy's shoulder then gave it a light squeeze.
"Three more strokes, Jasper, and then your rear can take a break."
Twirling his finger, the elder indicated to the youth that he was to turn back around.
With a little huff, Jasper turned and leaned back down as he squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. Carlisle's hand pressing firmly against his lower back was the only warning he received before the tawse bit into his already tender rump.
Three hard strokes fell in rapid succession. Three strokes that caused Jasper to cry out and swear as the burning pain reached its peak. Three strokes that shattered Carlisle's heart and brought tears to his eyes for his son. Three strokes and the patriarch tucked the handle of the strap into his waistband as he gently encouraged his son to rise.
Quickly wiping away the sticky venom tears that stained his cheeks, Jasper blinked to clear his vision while trying to focus on his father. With considerable effort, the soldier forced himself to quiet down while he mentally prepared for the final leg of this journey.
Suddenly conscious that his hands had balled themselves into protective fists, Jasper shook them out before grasping his wrists firmly behind his back. A glance at the strap near his father's hip chilled the venom in his veins, but the band of tooled leather that nestled itself around his left wrist helped fortify his courage. As his fingers closed tightly around it, he considered what it meant — an unbreakable family bond. He would endure this trial to reaffirm his commitment to his family.
A shift of his weight caused the normally comfortable pants to brush against his stinging, sore skin and Jasper's breath caught in his chest. Sliding his hands a little further up, he tightened his hold on his forearms to prevent himself from trying to rub out the burning, bruised sensation.
As if reading the boy's mind, Carlisle quietly offered, "Go ahead and rub if you wish, son. I know you're hurting. You might as well do it while you can because once we're through, that option isn't going to be available to you."
The Major shivered at the warning even though he felt that he was prepared for what was to come.
Drawing a breath, the southerner shook his head then mumbled, "That's not necessary, sah. I'm fine."
The doctor studied the boy with the eye to detail that his profession required. The slight shudder of his body and Jasper's shallow breathing indicated that the soldier's current condition fell well short of fine.
"Jasper, I have no choice but to see this to the end, however, there's no reason why I can't give you a little break before we conclude."
"No." Jasper spoke with intensity. "I would like to complete this ritual now. We both need to be certain that the lesson has been learned, Carlisle. I never want to be the cause of Esme's fear again. Seeing that look in her eyes was more painful than anything you can physically do to me, but I need this. I don't want leniency, and I sure as hell don't want your pity. What I need is to bear your wrath so I can know that you won't allow this to happen again. Maybe I can begin to trust myself if I can draw from your commitment to protect Esme, no matter what. Knowledge that severe consequences await me should keep me from acting like a fool in the future."
"I am prepared to prove that to you, Jazz, but I really think you need..."
"NO!" A deep growl rolled from the youth's chest while his dark burgundy eyes flashed angrily. "You always think you know better, but I know what's needed. Now continue, Carlisle, or are you too afraid to stand up for your mate?"
An oppressive silence cloaked the room as the vampires stared at each other without breathing. Carlisle's eyes had gone from dark gold to ebony in an instant, but Jasper continued to hold his father's fierce glare.
With his inner beast so near the surface, the elder knew he had to tread cautiously and remain vigilant, but there was no way that he could allow the youth's challenge to go unanswered.
"Jasper Monroe Whitlock Cullen Hale, who do you think you are to tell me, your father; no, your commander, what to do? You are not in charge here, boy." Carlisle's voice was low and carried the deep guttural growl of the alpha vampire. "You are trying to push me to anger so I do what you want. Well, I have news for you, lad. That is not how this game is played." Carlisle took a step towards Jasper, his eyes shimmering with barely controlled fury. "ON YOUR KNEES, BOY!"
The Major's stiff-necked resistance lasted several more seconds, leaving Carlisle wondering if the youth meant to fight him over this, before Jasper finally lowered his gaze.
"I SAID KNEEL!" the beast bellowed through the guise of the compassionate doctor.
The tawse struck with the speed and ferocity of a viper, laying down a line of white fire across the back of the boy's thighs. The sharp, unexpected pain buckled the soldier's knees to neatly drop him to the floor.
"Hands out, palms up, and keep your head down. You will not look up until given permission."
"Yes, sir," he ground out in a tone that lacked his usual respect.
The heavy strap lashed across his shoulders and Jasper mewled softly in pain.
"I did not give you permission to speak. You will submit fully, Jasper. I will not be challenged."
The boy bit back an apology while he knelt at his father's feet in front of the dancing fire.
Carlisle continued to watch his son until he had confidence in the youth's compliance.
"You are not allowed to move or speak until I release you." The leader placed the tawse across the soldier's palms. "Don't drop that. I want you to think about what you've just done, in the middle of being corrected for disrespectful behavior at that. Think long and hard, son, then come up with an appropriate consequence for your insolence."
The patriarch retired to the opposite side of the room and settled onto the sofa with a book snatched from the nearby end table. The sight of his son in a submissive posture kept the raging beast appeased, but Carlisle wasn't sure how he wanted to proceed from there.
He knew what he wanted. He wanted this business to be over and left firmly behind them. He looked forward to being able to continue to build upon the foundation of the relationship that he and Jasper had laid over this past week. It was a relationship built on mutual trust and respect; a relationship build on friendship instead of interactions between a commander and subordinate.
The elder sighed heavily as he flipped to the next page of the book while being fully aware that this one would go as unread as the previous page. A glance towards the boy seemed to show that they were right back where they had started. Carlisle was once again filling the role of dictator while Jasper was reduced to little more than an indentured servant. Had they really made so little progress? Maybe he had just been fooling himself into believing that they had built up a bond because it was what he wanted most.
One thing was for certain; this was not what Carlisle wanted at all. He might need Jasper's obedience, but he wanted his friendship and love much more.
Flipping another page, he continued to study the soldier. Though not a single muscle moved, Jasper seemed more relaxed, and, Carlisle was happy to note, he was breathing again. Those breaths were coming in slow easy draws, proving that the shock and pain of punishment had ebbed to some extent.
That was all Carlisle was aiming for with his suggestion of waiting a few minutes, but Jasper insisted on being bull-headed. The doctor wanted to give the boy a short reprieve to let him catch his breath before moving onto the final portion of his correction. He was trying to set a pace that wouldn't damage his son. There was no need to break the youth by pushing too hard, and he needed Jasper's head calm and clear so he would more readily assimilate this lesson. If the lad had only accepted the ten or so minutes being offered instead of challenging Carlisle's authority, they would have been done by now. At times like this, the Major was most certainly his own worst enemy.
Carlisle began to turn another page when something caught his eye and caused him to freeze. As he looked on, a tear splashed onto the carpet near Jasper's knees. The boy's shoulder's shook as another tear fell.
Getting up, the patriarch dropped the unread book onto the chair and crossed over to his son. Kneeling beside him, Carlisle cradled Jasper's chin in his palm and gently brought his face up and around until he was staring into tear clouded dark ruby eyes.
"Unless I miss my guess, I believe it's safe to say that you've done some soul searching, mo bhuachaill."
Jasper nodded.
"You may speak, son."
The Major inhaled deeply while his body trembled. "I don't know what came over me. It wasn't my intention to tell you what to do."
"But that is exactly what you attempted."
"Yes, sir, and I know better."
"I know that you do, Jasper." Carlisle shifted his hand from supporting the youth's face to light on his shoulder. "So what should we do about this?"
"I think you already have the answer to that question," Jasper stated with a mild stutter as he hazarded a glance at the tawse in his hands before looking back to his father.
"No, Major, I don't have an answer; not yet. I know what you deserve for such rude behavior, but something tells me that isn't the same thing as what you need."
Carlisle stood and, after taking the tawse, extended his hand to his boy to help him to his feet.
"I'll tell you what we're going to do," the elder said as he brushed the hair out of Jasper's eyes. "We are going to finish addressing your disrespectful behavior towards your mother, then you are going to go to your room and lie down while I call the rest of the family home."
Jasper immediately hung his head as he swallowed the hard lump in his throat. Carlisle was going to discipline him in front of his family to use him as an example and warning for the others.
A light tap beneath his jaw brought the humiliated soldier's head back up to reluctantly seek his father's eyes.
"You are free to do as you please, but my advice is to rest for at least a couple of hours. I'm sure we can find a nurse or two who will be willing to tend to you until you feel better." The doctor gave the boy a faint smile before continuing. "At some point next week, when you feel up to it, I want a hand written apology for your behavior this evening."
Jasper lowered his head, but Carlisle simply dipped his so he was looking into the youth's eyes as his tone turned stern.
"If you ever growl at me again, young man, I will blister your bare backside on the spot regardless of where we are or who's around."
A creased formed between Jasper's brows.
"I thought that was the current plan. I know that I more than ..."
The patriarch raised his hand to quiet his son.
"You do deserve it, but I feel that you have enough on your plate right now. Besides, I know that you are repentant and that's enough this time, just be more mindful of how you speak to me in the future. That's never been a problem, but it seems that being around Eleazar has promoted a few bad habits in you that I would like fixed."
Jasper wilted under the man's stern gaze and glanced away before nodding.
"Given an inch... I can straighten myself out, Papa. Sorry."
"I accept your apology and forgive your transgression, son."
When the grave expression remained on the lad's face, Carlisle reached a hand behind Jasper's neck and pulled him close enough for their foreheads to touch. Looking in his boy's troubled eyes, the patriarch spoke gently.
"It was a slip, Major. You were overzealous. That is something that we can and will work on together. It is not the end of the world, and honestly, I was more shocked than angry."
"Kinda shocked myself."
Carlisle smiled lightly and kneaded the tight muscles of the soldier's neck before releasing him to take a step back.
Much to his father's dismay, Jasper's head remained shamefully lowered. When he finally spoke, his drawl was more apparent, but his voice was smooth and strong.
"Esme said that shoving her was just a mistake on my part — just a simple accident, but it wasn't."
"Are you saying that you meant to harm her?"
"No. Oh, God, no. I would never want to hurt her, but ... Nothing I do should ever be dismissed as 'simple.' When I get 'overzealous' as you said, I can be dangerous, and that might as well be the end of the world. You and Momma need to understand that and act accordingly."
After a lengthy silence, Carlisle issued a heart broken sigh as he raked his fingers through the hair at his temples.
"I do understand that, Jasper, and to an extent, so does Esme. You must realize that when she looks at you, all she sees is a little boy who needs her nurturing. It's who she is. She loves you and can't help wanting to protect you, even if it's me she's trying to protect you from. You will always be her baby, so you might as well make peace with that fact since it's not going to change."
A light tap of a knuckle under his chin brought a slowly drawn breath from the youth before he looked up at his father.
"You also need to understand that when I look at you, I see a much broader picture. Esme is not wrong. There are times when you are that hurting child who needs his mother's love to make things better, but I also know that you are an extremely capable warrior. You are a man who will defend himself and his mate by whatever means necessary. I accept and respect that quality in you, Jasper, but I also know that there are times when it has to be tempered; times just like this."
Carlisle slipped his hands into his pockets and glanced down as he thought for a moment. When he looked back to his boy, there was a dark sadness to his features.
"I do know what you are capable of, son, just like I know that your heart will always stop you from causing pain to the ones you love. You don't have to believe that if you don't want to. I have enough faith in you for the both of us, but that doesn't mean that I won't take you to task the instant you step out of line."
The patriarch freed his hands and withdrew the tawse. Turning away from his son, Carlisle paced the room thoughtfully while slapping the strap mildly against his open palm. Halting before the hearth, his gaze fell to the fire which blazed cheerfully while his spirit sank.
"In normal cases your punishment would be complete, but this circumstance is anything but normal, and I believe you know what to expect."
"Yes, sah."
"To be effective, the punishment should fit the crime, Jasper."
"And my crime was an offense committed with my hands," the Major muttered while finding it difficult to look away from the vicious belt swaying gently in the elder's hand.
"That's correct, son, and it is your hands that will suffer the most for your shortsightedness."
The southerner drew a shaky breath and shuddered, but nodded his understanding.
The steadfast soldier found himself wanting to run. He wanted to try to bargain his sentence down, but he knew that would be pointless; this was going to have to happen if he ever wanted to return to the true status quo.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, sah."
"Very well, son, then I need you to come stand here and hold your right hand out flat, palm up. You may support it with your left if you feel the need. This will not be easy to endure, Jasper, so do whatever you must do to keep that hand steady."
"I can hold it up fine without any extras," came the response from the warrior's insulted pride.
"If you say so, but then please place your left arm behind your back where it won't be tempted to interfere."
The Major stood straight and proud before his father with his right hand extended. Determination shone brightly in his dark crimson eyes as he stared over the patriarch's shoulder at a fixed spot on the far wall.
A subtle shiver ran the length of his spine as the tails of the tawse were lightly laid on his palm.
"Because this is a repeat offense, and due to the grim nature of the potential outcome of such behavior, I feel that six strokes per hand will be appropriate. I had hoped to get by with half as many, but recent events make me question the true extent of your penitent reaction. When we are done here, that will no longer be a concern."
Looking down at the splayed strap, Carlisle groaned inwardly while vehemently hoping he would never find cause to use it again.
"Jasper Monroe, you already know that you should keep your hands to yourself, but on several occasions you've had to be reminded of this fact. Let this be the last reminder that you ever need."
Placing his left hand on the boy's shoulder, Carlisle quietly commanded, "Take a deep breath, son."
Unblinking, the youth inhaled deeply as the leather was whisked away only to be brought back down with a powerful snap. Searing pain exploded across the soldier's palm and radiated outward as the nerve endings screamed in protest.
"Holy shit!" Jasper shouted as tears sprang to his eyes. Jerking his hand away, he blew on his palm for a few seconds to cool the fire then thrust it safely under his arm, pressing it tightly to his body.
"Mind your tongue unless you cherish the idea of having it scrubbed," the elder reprimanded in a strong soft voice.
Jasper's expression was one of wide-eyed disbelief as he stared at his father and quickly shook his head.
Carlisle eyed the boy in silence as he continued to guard his hand. Flipping the tawse over his shoulder for safe keeping, he reached out to his son.
"Give me your hand, Jazz."
Jasper shook his head again, but with gentle persistence, his father's patience finally won out. Tentatively, the boy extracted his hand from his protective embrace and allowed the doctor to examine it.
Carlisle carefully prodded the raised welt that crossed the youth's pale flesh, causing Jasper to gasp before he bit his lip firmly. Turning the hand over, the physician gently ran a thumb over the smooth skin as he surveyed each of the small bones in the Major's hand.
"Can you wiggle your fingers?"
Grimacing, the lad waved his fingers stiffly in response.
"Good. You're okay, son. I can assure you that there's no injury apart from superficial bruising."
"But it hurts like a..."
"Jasper." Carlisle growled the name in warning.
"It really hurts, Papa."
"It should hurt, and I'm sorry to say that the remaining strokes will more likely than not hurt a good deal more considering their placement," the doctor confided as he turned his son's hand back over to expose his tortured palm. "I can hold your hand steady if you want so we can proceed without further interruptions. The faster we get this over with the better."
"No. I can do it myself. I'm not a child."
A bit of the southerner's stubborn streak flashed through his ruby eyes while he gritted his teeth and offered his hand up for further punishment.
"Ready when you are, sir."
In a blur of brown, the tawse flew from its resting place across the doctor's shoulder and crashed down across the base of the boy's fingers, leaving a line of fire in its wake.
Jasper bit his tongue to muffle his cry while his breath hitched in his chest.
The patriarch waited a few seconds for his son to breathe again before cracking the harsh implement against the youth's sensitive finger tips.
The soldier yelped and yanked his hand away while tears rolled down his cheeks. After trying to shake the stinging sensation away, Jasper pressed his hand against his chest before angrily wiping at his tears. The Major mentally castigated himself for his weakness in once again breaking his position. He had endured far worse than this at Maria's hands, so why should a child's punishment rattle him like this?
When he trusted his voice, he muttered a quick apology that his father just as quickly dismissed.
"It hurts, Jasper. That is the point, after all. The purpose is to leave a lasting impression that will serve as a deterrent."
"It's doing a bang up job," the youth grumbled. "I don't get how a human child can handle this."
"A human child would not have been belted by a vampire, let alone a vampire with knowledge of anatomy." Smirking slightly, Carlisle ruffled his boy's hair as Jasper bemoaned his predicament with a nearly inaudible curse.
Clearing his throat, the man returned to the seriousness of the situation.
"You still have three more strokes owed this hand. Would you like to switch and come back to it? It's not much, but will give you a little recovery time."
As tempting as the offer sounded, the soldier shook his head.
"I'd rather finish with one before moving on."
"As you wish, son, but at least let me keep it steady."
The Major's hurt pride took a backseat to his aching hand. With a defeated look, he offered the hand over to his father.
Holding his son's wrist firmly, Carlisle wasted little time in completing the terrible task.
It was over before Jasper knew it. Without interruptions, the tawse was able to complete its same three stroke pattern over previous welts within seconds.
The youth's silent sobs broke his father's heart further, but Carlisle pressed on. After giving his soldier a few moments to try to shake the sting out, the physician grasped the wrist of Jasper's dominant hand and drew it towards him.
With a violent shake of his head, the boy pulled back, but the man's hold was unyielding.
"It's nearly over, Jazz."
"I can't."
"Yes," Carlisle encouraged quietly. "You can."
Jasper continued to shake his head while tears clouded his vision.
"Trust me, son. Trust my judgment and the fact that I have never lied to you. You can do this. You've already done exceptionally well. You're an extremely brave young man, Jasper, and I couldn't be any prouder of anyone."
His father's heartfelt praise yielded the desired effect as Jasper stilled and slowly unfurled his clenched fist. Drawing a halting breath, the youth closed his eyes tightly before nodding in response to an unspoken question.
In a matter of seconds, six blazing strokes devastated his left hand, leaving the appendage throbbing, swollen, and nearly useless. The pain in his hands eclipsed anything he had experienced over the last few decades under Carlisle's rule.
Jasper's mind began to cloud as the intense bone deep burning became too much for even the stoic vampire to bear. His father's voice echoed and grew distant seconds before his legs failed. The Major was headed towards the ground when a pair of strong arms caught him. For a moment, he would have sworn he was flying as he found himself whisked into the air before finding himself clutched tightly against Carlisle's chest. The familiar, comforting scents of his parents filled his head before the lights dimmed and blackness finally claimed victory over the southern soldier.
AN: Those nerve endings in the hands are very sensitive. Jasper did his level best, but it was just a little bit harder than he expected. Luckily, he will heal pretty quickly with just a little help. Carlisle, on the other hand, now has to worry about his own behind once Esme finds out what happened.
My sincerest thanks to all of y'all for hanging in there with me. Long story, but the end is in sight. Just a little more to go.
Special thanks to my always supportive and extremely helpful beta team of Splinter and Jasper1863Hale. Kinda sad that it now takes a team to handle me, but I could not be without them.
Until next time...