Pig's behind smarted something fierce. In truth, it had been a good while since the stable master had walloped him over that dreaded bucket. But when Hummel gave an order, he expected it followed exactly. There were no excuses permitted. He had said for Pig to dress the young lords in the exact same uniform that the rest had worn. No one in the stable yard wore them small clothes. Those must be what them castle folk wore. The young lords was to be treated as a common stable boy until they learned their lesson, aye, that's what the master said.
"Pig, can I have a word?" Yellen called out as Pig was putting away the bucket and stick. He was going to let the fancy lords stew in the corner another minute.
"Aye, Yellen, what is the word, eh? Did ya see that show?" Pig asked without embarrassment, as he walked out to the training yard. There was no stableboy here who hadn't gotten a public whippin' The older hands even told a story where Master Hullen strapped his own son, Harwin, when he tried to break a stallion that was deemed dangerous. Hullen said he'd die in the stable, probably to a wild stallion, but he'd be damned if his son would. Harwin sound left to work in another keep a few hours away, they heard he was doing wood work.
"Gods be good! I didn't know the old man still had it in him, he really reddened their rumps. And yours, eh?" Yellen laughed, trying to swat Pig's behind. It was a thing all the lads did to jest after some boy got a lickin.
"Aye, and it still smarts like an army whore's twat," Pig said finally rubbing some of the sting away.
"So, should we rub down those ponies in the old barn or let your fancy lords have the pleasure?" Yellen asked, hoping the lords would have to do his job for a bit.
"I think the young lords need more to do," Pig confided, "They worked about an hour this morn before they fell asleep. Did ya ever hear of stuff a thing?"
"Nay, I guess we never had that luxury. Must be quite the life in that castle, I reckon," Yellen speculated. "Those boys really howled like they had never been spanked. Sensitive or something."
"I know. What pillow biters! Master wants me to give them the full treatment. Turn them from lazy prats into stable man in a fortnight," Pig confessed. "I do not think they will make it."
"Aye, well, gods be with you, I best get to breaking those fillies before I am next over yer damn bucket," Yellen jested.
"You ought to be, bastard!" Pig joked back, swatting his friend's rump.
Pig and Yellen had both starting working as younger lads. Yellen was from Wintertown and Pig a farm not far from the castle. His parents and siblings had died from the fever. Then, the widow he was staying with also passed. Hullen had discovered him trying to pickpocket him on a supply run. After almost given the boy a thrashing, Hullen noticed how thin he was and told him back to the stable yard. The master was rough at times, but taught him all he knew. In truth, he had saved Pig's life. If he had to get a few swats over a bucket for a full belly and a warm bed, he would take it.
Pig walked back into the stable and said roughly, "Turn around now, lords, we got work to do."
The boys did and yanked up the trousers. The rough fabric stung as it rubbed again their raw behinds. Pig felt a moment of pity.
"Aye, it hurts. I tried to warn ya, but all ya did is get me over the bucket, too," Pig said without malice.
"Sorry, we did not know, we didn't mean to get you in trouble too," Jon said, wiping his face with the hem of his shirt.
Theon was glancing behind him at his rear with concern.
"Gods, my arse is raw!" Theon said with alarm.
"If ya can behave a bit, we do have some salve we can use later. It's time for luncheon now, then I'll show you how to rub down some horses," Pig said leading them to the food tent.
"Can we stand?" Jon said seriously.
"Aye," Pig grinned, "I might also."
After a rough lunch of bread, cheese, apples, and water, Pig showed the boys were the privy was, where the bath house was, and then took them to the next barn for their chores.
Although sore, Jon and Theon worked hard. Jon really did like the horses. Theon mentioned that he heard that the Dothraki could fire their bows while standing on their horses. Neither Jon nor Pig believed him.
Yellen came in to see if they needed help. He introduced himself.
"Do you lords have names?" he said with a laugh.
"You don't have to call us lords," Jon started, "I just a bastard, the son of a lord, but no lord."
"But ye father is the Warden of the North, I think you are still a lord, if you do not mind me saying," Yellen said earnestly.
"I'm just a ward. His father's ward, not longer a prince, just a ward," Theon said with a touch of sadness. For a short time, he father was a king, almost a king. His brothers were slewn and he was a ward.
Pig interjected, "Seven hells, we're orphans, so be glad ya got fathers, kings or no. Truth be told, Hullen, is the closest thing we got to a da."
"Sorry, lads, you must think us spoiled and daft, us living in the castle and all," Jon said, a bit ashamed at how he had never come here much to the stables.
"Nay, we do not have time to think because if we do not get our chores down its..." Pig started.
The other three chimed in, "Over the bucket." They quickly finished with the horses and went back to the small barracks that the boys were to bunk in.
It was a small wooden structure with a fire place and straw pallets on the floor. Pig had already set up the rough beds the best that he could the night before. They all rested for a bit before going to the evening meal. Then, Pig ran them through the evening chores, took them to the wash house, and then back to the barracks.
He was starting to like the boys and this could prove difficult.
Pig asked Yellen to get the salve. It was something they used on the horses hooves and sometimes teats. Over the years, the boys found it more than effective on that backsides after a hard spanking.
Yellen said, "This should help, all ya do is..."
"Oh, we know," Jon blurted out.
"You mean, you get spanked, at the castle, too?" Pig asked fascinated. He thought lords were pampered and only treated gently.
"You could say that, we got into a little trouble last month, and the maester had to cook us up a special batch," Theon confessed reddening.
Jon and Theon told them the story about their misadventure to the whorehouse and all the folly that resulted. Pig and Yellen had to admit that they were impressed. They could never afford the cost of the brothel, but they could dream. The boys, except for Yellen, slaughtered the horse salve over their backsides. It did soothe some of the remaining sting.
After the boys stopped laughing, Pig turned serious and said, "I am really sorry about this, but the rule is that after going over the bucket, a lad had to get another spanking before bed. If I don't do it and Master Hullen checks, I'll get caned myself."
Yellen concurred, "It's true. Since we are older now, we're in charge of smacking the ones who got it during the day. We felt sorry for this little brat who had started a fight and Hullen really lit into him. So we skipped his bedtime spanking and oh gods, did we get it. Hullen then took the stick to the lad even worse than we would of."
Theon and Jon turned pale. "Well, we don't want you to get it again on our account. Can you do it in here?" Jon asked afraid to hear the answer.
"Aye," Yellen answered, "not to spare the boy, but to not stir up the horses. It is the truth."
"Wait, Pig, are you going to get another licking because you got spanked today?" Theon asked with concern.
"Aye, he's going to get it and I'm going to get it to him good," Yellen said with affection.
Pig smiled and said, "He is just happy to get revenge because he got the stick for..."
"Sleeping in! Pig said he tried to wake me, but next I know I'm over the bucket getting the stuffing spanked out of me," Yellen mused.
"I tried to awaken you, you fool. He was out half the night sneaking around with a lass," Pig spilt.
"Enough with the talking, we need to get this done before the master comes in checking," Yellen urged.
"Fine," Pig said. "Where do ya want me? I'll be first to show you what to do."
Yellen went and got a flat, round brush. It wasn't heavy, but it was larger than his hand with bristles on one side. It was used to clean some of the horse equipment. They found it made a fine paddle for misbehaving lads in the stable. It wasn't too harsh to leave marks and bruises, but it left a sting.
"Ouch, I do not know if I can take that after what we got today!" Jon exclaimed.
"Ya don't have a choice," Pig said sadly. "Ya know, you were getting a sore behind even if you were as pure as a septa? Right?"
Theon and Jon looked at each and nodded.
Theon said, "I cannot even say we do not deserve it. Even before the mare incident, we were fighting and at each other's throats in blame for the sneaking out event. It is hard to admit, but we have been spoiled rotten at the castle. I am a bit ashamed."
Jon nodded, "Really, lads, Theon is right, we do not deserve mercy. You will only get yourselves another hiding to spare us."
"Well, mayhaps, I will wear me arm out on Pig and you will get off easy," Yellen joked. He was on his pallet. He told Pig to come over and get in position. Pig shucked down his pants to his knees. His bottom was as white as the snow on the ground, but a bit shiny from the salve. He laid over Yellen's lap.
Without a warm-up, Yellen picked up the brush and brought it down with a loud pop. Pig's legs kicked but he stayed in place. Yellen said, "We'll start with 20."
Pig clasped his arms in front of him as his friend spanked him smartly with the wooden ! He seemed to take it well, but couldn't stop from crying. Silent tears ran down his face. Pop. Pop. POP!
"Relax your cheeks," Yellen commanded, giving his friend a light swat with his hand. Pig always clenched because he tried so hard to remain still.
"You can kick*pop*," Yellen said giving him the last five hard whacks. The paddle had stung and turned his behind a bright pink.
Yellen said softly, "I'm going *smack*to finish with my hand." He brought the flat of his hand down firmly until Pig was sobbing and kicking harder. If Hullen came in, they had to be obeying his orders.
Jon and Theon watched with fascination. Yellen was tender but firm with his friend. He rubbed his backside a minute and with a firmer spank told him to go to his pallet and think about what he did to earn the spanking. Yellen said it in jest, but the intimacy between the boys was palpable.
Yellen said thoughtfully, "I think Pig's bottom is going to be too sore to sit to paddle the both of you lords, I'll take care of it. Jon first."
Jon knew that Yellen was doing this out of kindness and necessity. He was still embarrassed to take down his pants, but did it without being asked. He looked back and to his surprise saw that his bottom was not even pink.
"Aye, let's show you what happens to boys who slack here at the stables, young lord," Yellen joked, as Jon climbed over his knees. Yellen patted his behind a minute.
Jon was feeling more relaxed than he ever had before a spanking. That ended when Yellen's hand swatted him.
"I'm going to spank you with my hand to warm you up before the paddle," Yellen explained. Jon wondered why Pig got the paddle first, but didn't care a moment later when he got a flurry of swats. First on one cheek and then the other until his whole behind was feeling heated. Yellen again rubbed his behind. The salve seemed to have soaked in but made his rear end more sensitive.
Jon felt a pause and then heard the first whack of the paddle before he felt it.
"Ouch!" he cried. Pop. POP. POP. POP. Whack.
Yellen popped his pink behind hard another five times until Jon was wiggling and kicking his legs. Since Yellen was seated on the pallet near the floor, he was tempted to push himself up. However, he knew that he deserved this spanking. He had been rude, sullen, and disrespect to Theon and others at the castle.
Swat! SWAT! SWAT.
"Are you going to behave from now on, hmm?" Yellen asked, not really expecting a response.
Jon started to sob and kicked like a small lad. He pounded his fists against the floor and let it all out.
Yellen paddled him until his behind was red and swollen. He felt the boy needed this release of emotion. Yellen put the paddle down and rubbed Jon's sore behind shushing him.
Theon came over. As Yellen helped Jon up, Theon hugged him.
"Jon, I am sorry. About everything. I think I know why Father sent us here, don't you?" Theon said choked up. Jon nodded and hugged Theon back. Theon almost never called Lord Stark father, although he was a father to him.
Jon choked out, "We need to be there for each other and Robb as brothers." No more stupid fighting and angst, that was a waste.
Theon helped Jon lay down with his bottom cooling in the night air.
He pulled down his trousers and got into position.
Yellen was touched by what he saw, but he had a job to do.
"You need a good spanking, too, eh?" He said as he swatted Theon with his palm. Swat. Smack. Spank.
Theon nodded and tried stay still.
"Relax, no tensing, young man. Do you hear?" Yellen lectured. These boys didn't just need spanked, they need a release.
Smack. Smack. Smack.
"I am not sure my hand is making an impression," Yellen admitted.
Theon moaned, "Not the paddle. It smarts, really, your hand is good."
Yellen picked up the round implement, surprisingly light, and spanked the cheeks, now starting to pick up some color. Pop. pop. . Pop.
"When was the last time you just got a hand spanking, hmm. Those are for little boys," Yellen said paddling Theon a bit more firmly.
Theon thought about how had mooned Mikken, the blacksmith, a few months ago. Mikken caught him and spanked his bared behind for all to see right in the armory. He had been a right brat also. Spoiler and foolish.
"This paddle smarts on a bare bottom. But the stinging is to teach you to behave yourself," Yellen warned. "If you don't, any misbehavior will get you right back here." Yellen started swatting harder, he paddled lower on the sit spots.
" . Oww," Theon was shifting and kicking, trying to avoid the swats but Yellen held him fast. Crack. Crack. Swat.
Theon's hand flew back and Yellen caught it and pinned to his back.
"You do not get to cover your behind while you are gettin a paddling," Yellen scolded. He spanked his upper thighs a few times causing Theon to howl.
"Next time, I'll swat your hand." He released Theon's hand.
His behind was looking swollen and red. He put the paddle down and rubbed his sore backside. Looking over, Yellen noticed the other two were almost asleep. He lifted the young lord up and cradled him in his arms as he cried. Yellen rocked him back and forth, carefully trying to avoid pressure on his rear. As they both fell asleep in each other's arms, Hullen cracked open the door. He smiled to see three bare bottomed lads and one with pants on, sleeping. Hullen knew that sometimes healing and forgiveness was hard and painful work. He thought he would check on the restless mare one more time and then turn in himself.