As Jon crossed the courtyard back to the castle, he felt like they were crossing to another world. Living a week with the smallfolk of the stable yard was refreshing, despite the mishaps the boys had gotten into to. It did feel good to be in his regular clothes, leather and fine linens instead of the rough garb they had worn in the stables.
Theon asked a few of the kitchen girls walking past what cook was making for sup this eve. They replied it depended on if the hunting party was back or not, maybe wild boar. Anything sounded good after the simple fare they had been served.
They said Hodor brushing Bran's pony and saying, "Hodor" in his happy voice. Mayhaps they would be back today?
The hot springs piping through the castle bedroom chambers made their quarters seem almost hot compared to the shack.
Jon remarked, "I will miss the lads down there, but not that cursed brush, seven hells, my arse feels hot."
Theon laughed and tried to playfully whack Jon, although he admitted, too that he still felt the after effects of last night. Hullen really had a strong swing. No more foolishness, they promised each other.
The boys crawled into their bed and feel into a deep sleep.
Jon did not wake up until he heard a soft tapping on the door.
"Jon, it is me. Are you back?" Arya whispered, still tapping.
He padded to the door in his stocking feet and gently opened it as Theon was still sleeping.
"Jon!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
"Hush, Theon is still sleeping. We had quite a week of work down there," Jon confessed.
"Aye, I can smell the horse smell on you. Best wash before Mother comes out of her sick bed or she'll have you dunked in the hot springs in your clothes," Arya said seriously.
"I meant to wash, but we fell asleep. Wait? Is your Mother still ill? Rickon? Is he better?" Jon said concerned. He and Lady Stark did not get on, but he did not want her to be carried off by some fever.
"Aye, Maester says they are getting better. But Septa Mordane and a few others are now ill...which is..." Arya started slowly.
Jon squeezed his eyes shut, "What happened, Arya? Theon thought you were up to something."
She burst into tears and hugged onto his legs.
"Jon, I got my revenge and it was terrible. I do not know what to do," Arya sobbed.
"Tell me all from the start," Jon said almost afraid to hear the tale. Did she try to sheep-shit Sansa's bed again? Gods he hoped not.
"So Sansa kept getting me in trouble with Septa Mordane at lessons, she was laughing at me, and saying ill things towards me," Arya started.
Jon nodded. Sansa was never nice to him either, but he knew better than to cross her.
"I overhead her and Septa talking about these rare raisins they liked in scones that were a gift from someone in the Summer Isles or someplace far. I thought why not put them in Septa's bed and make it look like Sansa did it. They didn't know I knew about them as I missed tea time and was listening through the door. So I did it. The next I knew..." Arya stopped disturbed.
"What happened, Arya?" he said in a low voice.
"Septa came in the other night and strapped Sansa right in front of me. I swear Jon, I did not know she was going to get in so much trouble. I mean, my plans do not always work out, but this one did," Arya confessed quickly.
"Wait? Septa, Septa Mordane, took the strap to her? The one Father used...," Jon was horrified by the thought. After all, Sansa was innocent of any of this.
"Nay, I think it was a small thing that she must have shoved in her cloak, but she really tore her up with it. Maybe ten lashes, but I saw the welts, Jon. I feel awful," Arya wept.
Normally, he would be comforting her, but this was unacceptable.
"Arya, I warned you not to do anything, did I not? Can you not learn from my stupid mistakes that it is not worth it to get into mischief, little sister?" Jon said sadly.
"Oh Jon, I wanted to tell Septa the truth, but she is too ill...Plus, it would only be right if I get the strap, right in front of Sansa. I cannot, Jon...," Arya continued.
"Nay, just give me a moment to think. Did you tell Sansa?" Jon wondered how Sansa would react to this news. He'd been punished a few time wrongly and it still angered him. In truth, there had been more times he had gotten away with small wrongs and behaviors.
"I tried, but she will not look at me. At all," Arya admitted. Aye, she was her mother's daughter. She did not resemble her much, but she had a core of ice when needed.
"Let us go see if we can speak to her now," Jon suggested, putting on his boots.
"Alright, but she will not forgive me," Arya said defeated.
"Let us find out," Jon said leading her by the hand out of the room.
A few moments later, Jon knocked on the girls' chamber door. Sansa was in there, doing her needlework. She was surprised to see Jon. Arya hung back in the hallway.
"I did not know you were back so soon," Sansa said in a cold voice.
"We were gone for about a half of fortnight, Sansa," Jon replied evenly.
"Well, I am busy, what do you want?" Sansa said sharply. Jon did not think this was going to be easy, but she was making this more difficult. Of course, a strapping was nothing to laugh at. He would take that butter paddle or brush at the stables any day before a strapping again.
"Arya needs to tell you something," Jon said quickly before she had a chance to say nay.
"I know what she has to say, let her tell it in front of you. Mayhaps you can see what your sweet little sister is really like," Sansa said bitterly.
Jon was stung by her tone. But a part of him wondered if she was jealous of his closeness with Arya.
Arya slowly opened the door, tears streaking her dirty face. Gods, that child's face was always dirty.
Arya's story in whole came gushing out. Sansa listened quietly, embarrassed that Jon knew what Septa had done to her.
After she said, "Well, I know you are sorry now, but you cannot take it back. It is over. So let us forget it." She turned back to her needlework.
"Sansa, she is sorry. It was wrong, can you not forgive her? We have all make mistakes," Jon pleaded at seeing the devastated look on Arya's face.
"I said forget it, you cannot help, Jon. Septa and Mother are sick, and I do not even want to think about the shame of what happened again. I cannot forgive her, I will get my revenge in time, I promise you that. So you both should leave, now," Sansa said coldly. She was thinking of the mistake her father made bedding another woman and shaming her lady mother all these years. Indeed, you could not take back some ills.
"Damn, dear sister, what do you want me to do? Thrash her myself in front of you? Seven hells!" Jon exclaimed, frustrated. He had not meant it as an idea, but suddenly Sansa smiled.
"That is exactly what you needs do. Being put over her favorite brother's knee in front of the sister she wronged sounds like a start," Sansa said in a smug tone.
"Nay, I was not serious. I could never...I am not Father. And a strap, I am sorry you had it, it should not be used on gentlewoman," Jon blurted.
"I did not say for you to strap her, but a good spanking should make her pay a bit. You know how much she gets away with. She has done twenty times the tricks and pranks and slithered out of almost each punishment. But if you do it here, then no one need know. She need not even tell Septa. You spank her misbehaving backside hard or I will prove what she did to me to Father," Sansa confided.
"What do you mean 'prove'? Who else knows?" Jon asked, glancing at Arya, who had gone pale.
"Oh, your baby sister had some help in stealing the raisins. It turns how that the kitchen staff can be bribed and coerced into treachery," Sansa said now triumphant.
"Is this true, Arya?" Jon said harshly. If she left this out, he might not feel quite as bad about putting her over his knee.
Arya nodded, ashamed of herself. She had never lied to Jon before. She could not look at him.
"You know, at first, I thought this was a bad idea. However, I am starting to think that our sister had the right idea, hmm?" Jon emphasized our, maybe he had never given Sansa much of a chance. He raised Arya's chin with his hand gently.
She glanced at Sansa, "You will not be mad, or tell anyone else what I did?"
Sansa said solemnly, "I swear it by the old gods and the new." Jon did not follow the new gods, but the girls did due to Catelyn's southern upbringing.
"And Jon? I expect you to do your duty and not stop until she is properly chastised, as I was, but I agree, no strap" Sansa cautioned. She would not put it past Jon to give her a few soft pats and consider her sorry.
"Aye, I think this may do her some good. But let us get it over with, Arya might need to recover a bit before supper. Can you bar the door?" Jon asked Sansa.
"Good thinking," Sansa said putting the bar down on the latch. The walls were think stone and with the hot springs piped through, sound did not carry much. It would not do for a maid to burst in and spread this story all over the castle. They would all have a lot of explaining to do.
Jon sat down carefully on Arya's bed. His own backside was still tender and wanted to avoid the hard wooden chairs at the small table by the fire.
He gestured over to Arya and stood her in front of him. For a moment he wanted to back out, this was not his place. But she needed this over and done with, they both did.
"We are doing this because we love you. You did an awful thing, but you are goin' to pay now and then it is over, alright?" Jon said, purposely saying "we." Half the time these girls were at each other's throats, but they were of the same blood. In a few years, for all he knew, these girls would be married off in separate kingdoms. That made him sad. Arya's behavior was in sore need of correction. She was turning into an awful brat.
"Over now," Jon said softly, bending her over his lap so her upper body rested on the bed and her legs were slightly supported.
Jon steadied her with his left arm and looked at Sansa, mayhaps for some support. She nodded and made a swatting motion with her hand. He panicked as he wondered if he know what he was doing.
Arya felt the first swat barely through her layers of clothes. The next series of smacks were like taps that sounded worse than they felt. She was able to stay silent and keep still. This was going to be a breeze, she thought. She knew Jon would never really spank her hard, she was his favorite. After all, he just had to put on a show for Sansa, right?
Jon put a little more strength into the whacks and noticed his hand was probably feeling worse than her backside. He glanced at Sansa and she gestured for him to flip up her dress. Jon hastily did so and starting whacking over a shift and layer of small clothes.
Arya was starting to jerk her legs a bit, but still did not seem to be much affected. Did she just giggle?
"Are you feeling this, young lady?" Jon said sternly. Swat! Swat! Swat!
"Yes, Jon. It hurts," Arya whined.
"I think you are fibbing," Jon stated, flipping up the shift.
Whack! Whack! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
Her hand was almost numb. Arya did seem to whimper slightly, but did not seem much affected. Crack. Crack. Crack.
Jon took a break and tried to shake out his hand. Sansa cleared her throat and gestured to the dressed beside the bed. There was a hairbrush. He had not planned to use it, but he also did not expect his hand to ache so quickly.
"We know you made a mistake.*Swat* But we also need to know you will not *spank* repeat this behavior," Jon said as he brought his palm down hard for the last time. He took a breath and picked up the brush.
Jon snapped the brush down on the area beneath Arya's small clothes smartly. He didn't use much force, but that area immediately turned pink. Arya's leg kicked and she let out a grunt. He applied the brush quickly to the other side on her upper thighs. For the first time, she seemed to be in distress. Jon paddled her backside all over in quick, but firm swats.
He looked up at Sansa, about to stop spanking, when she gestured for him to continue.
"Ow, is that the brush? Stop! I have learned. I am too old for a spanking. I am not a baby. owwww. Stop it, damn you both," Arya cursed. Pop. Pop. Pop. A few hard pops to her sit spots caused her to groan and thrash around, but he heard her tightly.
"Do you have something to say to Sansa?*whap* Arya, be still and listen," Jon chided as he continued the spanking.
Arya threw her hands back to cover her bottom and started kicking her feet hard. Jon anticipated the hands and was able to grab them before accidentally cracking them with the brush. He finally heard Arya cry out, "I am sorry, Sansa. Jon, stop. I learned. I changed my mind. Stopp!"
Jon swatted her slightly harder, but slower. Snapping the brush in another random pattern all over so she couldn't guess where the next swat would be. He arranged her so he could put his right leg over her legs.
"What is going to happen the next time you lie, cheat, or deceive someone? Hmm, Arya?" Jon asked firmly. Crack! Crack! Crack.
"Ouch! Owie. Arghhhh. I get in trouble," Arya sobbed.
"And?" Jon pressed.
"I get another spanking! It hurts. Stop. Please let me up," Arya pleaded. Jon was really to wrap it up, but another glance at Sansa indicated that he should pull down her small clothes. He really couldn't tell how red her bottom was, but he was not sure this was appropriate at all. Removing his leg over her legs, he slipped down the last protective layer to right below her behind. Her bottom was a bright pink, but could certainly be redder.
Arya howled when she felt the cool air on her bottom. Swat! Swat! Pop! In truth, Jon did not spank half as hard as her lady mother or even Septa did, but the fact that she had caused him to have to discipline her like this was hard to take.
"Keep still now. Almost done," Jon said gently, hoping it was true.
Jon paddled down with the brush quickly making one last pattern. Despite her efforts, Arya kicked and squirmed and got a few whacks on her tender thighs. Jon put the brush down and used the flat of his hand for the last ten spanks. They were much lighter and slower but to Arya they felt like the hardest ones yet on top of the previous swats.
Jon glanced at Sansa and she finally nodded. He let his hand rest on Arya's bottom prepared to give her a few more swats if needed.
"Are you going to try to behave from now on?" Jon asked with a smile.
He popped his hand down lightly.
"Answer me, unless you want me to start your spanking over again," Jon said firmly.
"Yes, I will behave! I swear!" Arya shouted.
"I know you will, sister," Jon said fondly. Sansa was smiling now and looking fondly at him.
He rubbed her stinging backside a few moments until she stopped crying and stood her up. He pulled up her small clothes to protect what was left of her modestly. Arya hissed and brought both hand to her stinging behind.
"None of that yet," Jon said pulling her into a hug.
He whispered, "I hope I never have to do that again, but I will if you need it, understand? And next time it will be a lot harder!"
Arya nodded, soaking in the affection.
Jon grimaced and went on, "And I owe you an apology, when you mentioned that bucket at the stables, I lied. It is exactly as Father said, and yes, I got whacked three times in the last week, so you are not too old for a spanking," Jon said truthfully, his face coloring at the admission.
"Did ya deserve it, Jon?" Arya asked touched that he admitted he too had just been disciplined like this.
"Oh gods, yeah, I did. Truth be told," Jon admitted, kissing her forehead. "Now go see your sister."
Arya ran over to Sansa and threw herself at her. Sansa murmured she was forgiven and that they were now even. She then helped Arya into bed to rest as Jon stood to the side.
"Jon, thank you. You did the right thing," Sansa said, surprising him with her gentle tone.
"You know, you are just as much my sister as she is. I do not like for you to be hurt either. I am sorry..." he left off, not knowing how she would react.
"Oh Jon, you have nothing to be sorry for. I know I am hard to get along with, I swear I will try harder," Sansa said hugging him suddenly.
This was a first. Jon did not think this was the sister he would shed a tear over today, but he did. He clasped Sansa and kissed her forehead as he did Arya.
"Do you think we'll ever have to do this again? Gods, I hope not," Jon asked suddenly.
"Jon, she is probably dreaming of locking me in the privy or shaving your head. This is Arya we are talking about," Sansa admitted.
Jon agreed and went to take that bath he sorely needed.