Theon and Jon continued the week at the stables with little incident. They got to know Pig, or Petyr, as they started calling him, and Yellen better. The boys were learning more about training the horses after they mucked out the stables.
Some of the younger boys got into an argument that escalated into punches right in the training area. They rolled around in the mud and muck, screaming insults and curses, causing the horses in the training yard to become nervous. As sure as snow fell in the north, Hullen appeared and dragged them off to the barn. Just as other boys had done on their first day at the stables, Theon and Jon could not help but running up to watch through the slats in the wood. The miscreants were stripped and washed with buckets of water and hastily scrubbed with wooden brushes. The fighting boys were leaned over the bucket and whacked with the brushes one by one until they were howling. After Hullen explained that the first rule of the training yard was to keep the horses calm. They would never trust the boys if they were scared by tension and strife. The horses needed calm and if he had to "do this every dammned day of his life" he would. Hullen then came out and soothed the restless mare and the other horses. Like people, horses would not work with you well, unless they trusted you.
The boys all rode and worked hard the rest of the afternoon. It was not a bad life here, if you followed the rules and worked hard, Jon thought. There was not much time for leisure or debauchery. Sitting in the saddles almost all day left the boys sore and aching. Yellen had an idea.
"There's this new salve that Hullen got in Wintertown that is supposed to be wrought with magic. He bought at least ten jars of it. If I take a small one, no one will notice it gone," Yellen said simply.
Petyr agreed, "Only if you know we will not get caught."
"Let us guess, the penalty for thievery is...," Theon postulated.
All answered, "...over the bucket" with nervous laughter. Yellen again assured them that there was no way for them to be caught.
Jon realized that this was there last night staying over night at the stable, Father and his hunting party were due back the next day or so. They would still come after their lessons and training to help muck out the stables. He had to admit that Petyr and Yellen had made this little experience bearable. Jon and Theon wondered if they could visit the sables and mayhaps have their new friends come up to the castle. They thought that Robb might be impressed with their new found knowledge of horse training and care. Theon was sure that they had also gained a great deal more bulk and muscle, but Jon was skeptical about that one.
After dark and the evening chores were finished, the boys lay down on their pallets sore and waiting for this special salve. True to form, Yellen appeared with the small jar and a triumphant smile.
"So no one saw thee, truly?" Petyr inquired.
"Of course not, if they did, I would not be here right now, would I?" Yellen laughed.
The boys all dipped their eager hands in the liniment and started rubbing it in. They helped each other do their shoulders and backs. They lowered their own trousers and did their lower parts themselves. Just as they lay down to sleep, the door of the small shack opened. It was Hullen.
"Aye, lads, I just come in to say that ye fancy lords impressed me. I did not think you could make it through this week without a bit more hands on training," Hullen said kindly.
Yellen's face froze when he realized that he had left the remaining salve on the rough crate used as a table. In the dim light of the fire, Yellen thought he might not notice it.
He might not have if he hadn't noticed the nervous glances and odd manner of the lads. Then, before Theon or Jon could answer, his eyes fell on the evidence of their small bit of thievery. His rough features fell.
Hullen's large rough hard picked up the small jar that he had recently purchased for the rare mare and stallions.
Yellen blurted out, "It was my idea, stable master. They are blameless."
"Well, let us see who used this salve. Pull down those trousers lad. I know a day in the saddle can be rough, but they is no excuse to steal," Hullen said disappointed.
The boys slipped down their rough garments and Hullen could see the sheen of the medicinal salve, meant for the animals.
"We are sorry, Master, it was stealing," Petyr.
Hullen nodded and said, "Aye, but not from me. Ya stole from the Lord Warden, who provides for all here. Enough talk, you know what needs to happen now."
Yellen rose from his sleep pallet and handed Master Hullen the brush that he had used on the other three boys at the start of the week.
Hullen took it with a deep frown and sat heavily on the only chair in the shack, near the rough table. He did not picture having to do this. Mayhaps he was getting too old to be the stable master? He could always join his son and switch to wood work or some such. In truth, he had worked long and hard to run this place. He had hope that Yellen and Pig would start taking more responsibility, not causing him more work.
Mikken had his apprentices make this particular tool to clean some of the horse brushes. The bristles were a bit too short and it was unwieldy as a cleaning tool, they found it worked well as a paddle for misbehaving boys, such as these. He hastily set the wooden instrument on the table and rolled up his sleeves. Jon flinched to see the huge forearms on the man.
Since Yellen was already up, Hullen grabbed the boy and guided him into the familiar position. Without any fuss, he pulled his britches just down below his well-oiled backside.
"I guess ya do not need much of a warm-up since ya got a good dose of salve, eh," Hullen said with mirth, picking up the large round brush. He firmly brought the flat down down with a solid satisfying whack. Thwack!
Yellen clamped his mouth shut, cursing himself for his latest foulup.
"A boy who steals *swat* gets a lot worse *swat* in most places," Hullen lectured paddling in a slow and measured pace.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Hullen picked up the pace and add a bit more force, he did not want to be here all eve. Yellen was gripping the rails on the bottom of the wooden chair. His feet were starting to tap the floor with each fresh whack on his backside.
"When are ya goin' to start thinking things through, *swat*eh? Ya lads are gettin' too old *whap* to be constantly over my knee. Soon, ya will not get the paddle, but the dungeon, or worse! *Whack! Do ya understand, me? *pop*" Hullen snipped.
Yellen cried, "Aye, Master, it was stupid. Please, stop!"
The rest of the boys tried to avert their eyes, know their turns were next.
Hullen cracked the paddle down a few more times, finally setting Yellen to his feet. With his trousers still down, he was ordered to his bed to lie prostate. His backside was red and still shiny from the salve that was certainly not worth the cost.
Petyr was chosen as the next victim. The large boy trudged over and was quickly pulled over Hullen's hard legs. He was tall enough that his palms rested on the dirt floor as his trousers were shucked to his knees. Hullen was disappointed that he had not talked his friend out of the petty theft. He intended to make that clear to the boy's cheeks.
Whack! Whack! WHACK!
With three tremendous cracks, Petyr started to feel the level of his master's displeasure.
"I am sorry, Master. We should not have partaken," he cried.
Pop! Pop! Pop! POP!
Petyr tried to keep as still as possible, but he failed with the next ten swats applied to his well-salved posterior. That may have protected his skin, but it also seemed to make the sting more intense.
"Pig, ye think ye would have learned yer lessons by now, lad," Hullen said honestly. Hadn't he done his duty by these boys? Stealing could land a poor lad like these hand-less, or worse headless. If he had to thrash them daily, he guessed he would have to do it.
"Forgive us, master," Pig moaned as his feet started tapping a pattern into the floor. Hullen whacked the lad until no area of his behind was untouched.
No sooner than Petyr was abed, it was Theon's turn.
Unless the first spanking, a few days before, the ward of Winterfell knew what to expect. He allowed the stable master to bare him, and a brief hesitation bending over, awarded him a series of bare handed cracks on his behind. His hands went to protect his rear, which only got them pins down. Hullen picked up the light wooden brush and brought it down smartly.
Theon was unprepared for the fury of the first whack and cried out. For a moment, he was embarrassed. Then, a quick barrage of swats caused him to forget the childish position he was in. All he cared about was the powerful sting he felt on his behind. Would it ever end?
"Stealing will get ye here every time at this here stable. You should know better, he?" Hullen said routinely. This was not the first young lord he had to correct, and it probably would not be the last.
Hullen made sure to pay special attention to Theon's sit spots. The boy would remember this punishment when supping tomorrow up at the castle. With a flurry of firm whacks, Hullen wrapped up the paddling. He stood up Theon and led him back to his pallet crying softly.
Hullen gestured to Jon to follow him to the chair of doom. He did not bother trying to plead his way out of the punishment, not after his three companions had already feel the wrath of the light, but stingy brush.
Jon dropped his trousers without delay, just hoping to get this over with hasily.
Hullen glanced up at the sullen boy and said, "It is a shame to end your last night in such a manner, unless ya boys are startin' to enjoy these rides over me knee."
Jon went over and felt his hair cover his eyes. Theon was right, he did need a haircut.
"No, master, we are just...stupid," Jon admitted. Whack! Whack! Whack!
Three hard paddle swats knocked the excuse out of his head.
"Ouch!" Jon blurted, starting to struggle already. Gods, that salve before the spanking, instead of after, ready smarted.
Pop! POP! POP! POP! Hullen seemed to be going harder and faster, mayhaps to finish up the order faster.
Jon was kicking and shifting his hips to move his backside out of the paddle's path unsuccessfully. Hullen's arm held him firmly in place. The swats were blurring into one maze of pain. Jon felt tears streaming down his face.
"Ye boys best learn to behave or ye will be right back here soon enough, ye understand?" Hullen asked swatting the boy's entire rear firmly. In truth, it was but a little salve, but for many lords, stealing was a serious crime. He could not have let this slide.
"Sorry. I will not ever steal again, Master. I swear it," Jon wept as the spanks continued to pepper his now red backside.
Hullen put the paddle down and deciding to finish this spanking up with the flat of his palm. He briefly missed the days when his own boy was here and safely in his grasp. He considered all of these boys his, when they were under his care. Hullen always did his best by them, like he did for the Lord Warden's horses. That was his job.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
With six hard spanks, Hullen stopped swatting and took a breath. Unlike the other boys, he rubbed this boy's back a moment. It had been a long eve for them all.
"It is all over, ye did fine. It is forgotten, lads," Hullen said tiredly. He stood Jon up and with his pants still down, he led him to his pallet. With their backsides' exposed, they looked like red-bottomed lads that had learned a fine lesson.
"G'night, boys. I am sorry to say but I am taking the salve with me. Ye all had enough for the night," Hullen said, picking up the jar. He left the paddle on the table. Mayhaps it would remind these boys to behave for a day or two more. Lads being lads, he wondered if even that would stop them from their capacity to get in trouble. Only time would tell.