Pairing: Elijah/Damon-Stefan (M/mm) hand, ruler

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Mikaelson Guest House

Wednesday, June 6, 1855

Reginald Smith had only been a tutor for two weeks. Before his family fortunes fell, he had dreams of attending "the University of the South": the University of Virginia. But since his father's gambling debts absorbed any hopes of him attending college, he set his hopes on a rich wife. Miss Rebekah Mikaelson fit that ticket, he smoothed his fine brown mustache and waltzed into the house like he owned the place. Reginald was not a tall man, but he felt his large intellect made up for his short stature.

"Mr. Smith here for tutoring, if you please," Reginald informed the maid who opened the door. She was a pretty thing but he spared her no gaze. A poor girl would get him no where. With his brains and ambition, he could run the Commonwealth if he only had a bit of coin again.

"Very well, sir. The young masters await you in the study," the lass said directing him towards the first floor study.

"Is the Mistress here? Miss Rebekah?" Reginald asked casually looking around. Although they claimed this was a temporary lodging, the furnishings were all European and very fine. Reginald wondered how much the silk carpet they stood on cost.

"No, sir. The Mistress has stepped out for the afternoon," the maid replied.

"Oh," Reginald said. "At least I can catch up on my sleep..." He had spend the night gambling and whoring in town last night. The was the one thing vice he had inherited from his father, a love of cards and a penchant for the ladies. Like his father, any winnings he won went to the ladies and Reginald had fallen into debt himself.

"What is that, sir?" The maid pressed.

"Nothing! I said I will catch up with her later. She asked me about an old family recipe for an old custard our cook used to make called Bird's Nest Pudding. She thought the boys would like it since they like apples so much," Reginald covered his slip up, following her into the study.

"Mr. Smith," Damon stood seeing the tutor walk in.

"Hello, boys. I trust you completed all the lessons I set for you?" Reginald said sleepily. The day was warm and the open window provided no breeze.

"Yes, sir," Damon said elbowing Stefan, who was gazing out the window.

"Ah, yes, sir," Stefan blurted out although he had not heard the question.

"Well then, I brought you some new books. You may began quietly as I mark them. I shall sit over here on the couch," Reginald said yawning. "Your guardians are not present today?"

"No, sir. They had business. The house should be quiet," Damon shared innocently. He smiled at Stefan. He gave Mr. Smith ten minutes before he was slumped over the lessons fast asleep.

Indeed, ten minutes later, the young tutor was snoring over the unmarked lessons. Stefan giggled.

"I am going to tell the coachman that I was sent to fetch something from home, I mean, Veritas. You stay here and watch him. If he wakes, tell him that I am in the privy, sick. I shall return with your blasted train," Damon whispered.

"Be careful, Damon," Stefan replied.

"Oh, now you are worried? Just pray that this fool does not wake up," Damon patted Stefan on the shoulder and quickly went out to the coach.

"Ah, Mr. Wilson, I need to go back to Veritas Estates and fetch something. Can you drive me?" Damon asked the older man politely.

"Of course, young master. Let me assemble the team. Less than ten minutes, if you please. Meet ya right here," Mr. Wilson said sending the ostler to gather the horses.

Damon went around back to drink a cup of water from the pump. It was warm, turning into hot and he would not mind swimming at the creek right now. Days when the tutor did not come or there was not business to attend to, the Mikaelsons were generous in letting the children run off and play. Sometimes Kol, Rebekah, and Marcel went with them. Somedays they went riding or hunting. Other days they went into town to shop. On Sundays, they still had to go to church, but their father was not in his normal seat. No one seemed to notice or comment on his absence. The folks of Mystic Falls just seemed to talk it in stride that Damon and Stefan were now Mikaelsons. Damon thought it odd, but was relieved that he did not have to deal with his father. Now, he was stepping back into the lion's den.

Ten minutes later, Damon hopped in the coach and Wilson drove him the few miles to the Salvatore estate. Veritas was a beautiful and grand property. Damon felt odd seeing it. They were few people milling about as he directed Mr. Wilson where to go.

"I shall get out here. I will only be but a minute," Damon exclaimed hoping out of the coach.

"I shall wait here, sir," Wilson promised.

Damon got out and entered the mansion from the side door. There was a detached kitchen and then an indoor small dining area, Damon slipped in the open door expecting to see Marie putting about, but it was empty. Where was everyone?

Damon quietly crept upstairs to Stefan's room. He went in and the room looked exactly like it did the day they left, a fine layer of dust covered the bureau. Damon dug in the toy chest and found Stefan's train. He then went in his own room and packed a bag full of his journal, a photograph of his mother, some of his books, and anything else he considered valuables. Damon heard a sound from downstairs.

The house should have been filled with people by this time, yet it seemed almost empty.

"No! Let me go," Damon heard. Was that Stefan? Dammit? The little rascal never listened.

"Stefan!" Damon shouted running to the sound.

He found Giuseppe holding Stefan at arms length. Giuseppe was in his study, but the shutters were all closed and the room was plunged into darkness. Damon could barely make out his younger brother squirming in their father's iron grip.

"What the devil are you doing? You little thief!" Giuseppe growled at Stefan.

"Father, stop! He's not a thief. It us, your sons," Damon shouted.

"Sons?" Giuseppe said. "I have no sons. What do you want?"

"Where is everyone?" Damon asked grabbed a terrified Stefan and pulling him over to the other side of the room.

"Everyone? Whom do you mean? I have no children. I have dismissed all the servants that survived yellow fever and my wife is dead," Giuseppe said in a flat voice.

"Dead?" Stefan intoned. "What do you mean dead? Mother is dead?" Stefan began to wail pitifully and loudly.

Damon staggered and sat on the chair nearest to him, "Mother! No!"

"She has been dead for months. What is it to you?" Giuseppe slurred.

Damon realized his father was drunk. He got up and opened the shutters.

"We used to be your sons. Do you not recall? Why did you not tell us about Mother?" Damon said shakily. He know it was true, he felt it in his heart that Lily Salvatore had found the peace she never had in life.

Giusseppe squinted, "Oh yes, but the man said you were theirs now. Mikaelsons. Better off, I suppose. I did not want to deal with your grief and tears. My mother died in childbirth. We were never allowed to carry on so, I just could not...hear it. I loved her once, more than myself. And you boys, she wanted to take you from me. I could not let her, but now I have nothing."

Damon watched in horror as Giuseppe took out a pistol from his desk, "Father, no. Not in front of Stefan!"

But the man seemed to be moving in slow motion, Stefan got up and threw himself over Giuseppe to knock the gun out of his hand. Damon cried out, "No!"

There was a loud bang and then darkness.

Saturday, June 9, 1855

Mikaelson Guesthouse

Boys' Bedroom

Afternoon

Stefan yelled, "He's waking up! He's waking up!"

Damon's eyes fluttering, "Where am I?"

"In Hades, lad. At least, you will be, when we get through with you," Kol growled.

Elijah smacked him lightly on the arm, "Kol, stop, please. Let the boy have some air!"

"What happened?" Damon croaked.

Finn, who was sitting in a chair in the corner, said, "There is a lot we need to talk about, boys."

Klaus sat by Damon's bed and took his hand, "I am sorry we did not tell you about your mother."

"It is true?" Damon gasped. "I was hoping that part was a bad dream."

Stefan shook his head, "Mother is at peace, Damon. I guess we both felt that. You saved my life, though."

Rebekah came in and ushered out Stefan.

Elijah said, "Do you remember how you saved Stefan?"

Damon tried to sit up, "I seemed to fly across the room. I am not sure how I got there so fast. I knocked him away from the bullet and it...went in me, did it not? How am I still alive?"

Kol cleared his throat, "I came home early and found that fool tutor sleeping. The staff said you had left and your little brother stowed away in the coach as a jest. I took my horse and raced to your old estate. At soon as I got there, I heard the gun shot. If I had not have been there, you would be dead."

"Are you a doctor?" Damon asked in surprise.

"Nay, but we are the thing your father feared the most, vampires," Kol said carefully.

"Is my father alive?" Damon said ignoring the vampire comment for now.

"Yes, he is at an asylum for now. But did you hear what Kol said, do you know what we are?" Klaus said slowly.

"Vampires, yes. I think I always knew. From the first day, I knew you were magical to get Giuseppe away from us. Then, I saw Kol drinking from the maid, I saw fangs, I saw the coffin Finn came out of...Sometimes I smelled blood in your mugs," Damon admitted. "After a few days, I knew I was not dreaming."

"Why did you not panic?" Elijah asked in surprise.

"After dealing with my father, who was the real demon, I could not fear any of you. You were all so kind to my brother and me," Damon confessed.

"Damon, do you know what you are? How you saved Stefan?" Kol asked slowly.

"I am a witch. I believe my mother was one. That is why Father used to rant that they were going to burn her at the stake when he was drunk. He knew and he was afraid we would have power," Damon said suddenly understanding.

Finn stood, "We were once witches, before our mother turned us into vampires. We can help you with this power, if you like."

"Yes, I can feel it in my body, but I do not know what to do with it. Saving Stefan just happened. How did you save me from that bullet, I felt it tear through my flesh," Damon questioned.

Kol smiled, "Our vampire blood heals humans."

"Thank you. I am grateful I am here for Stefan," Damon admitted.

"We are, too, Son. However, it was foolish for you to go back for a toy train. Many of your father's estate staff died from yellow fever. The rest, like your Marie, were driven off by his insane behavior," Elijah added.

"But Marie is alright? Thank God," Damon choked out.

"She is. But you both could have been killed," Klaus lectured.

"I am sorry. I put Stefan in danger again," Damon said in frustration.

Klaus stood and left with Kol and Finn, after saying, "We'll let you get some rest. Again, we are sorry for your loss."

Elijah stayed, "Have some broth. You have barely eaten. Here is some tea. We are going to insist that you rest another day or two."

"Are Stefan and I going to be punished?" Damon asked.

"Oh Son, I think the shock of finding out about your mother like that, saving your brother, and finishing out about the supernatural are probably punishment enough," Elijah said taking the tea cup back and putting it on the side table. "But when you recover, I do have a good mind to put both of you over my knee for leaving your studies. Stefan also had no business sneaking into the coach. Old Wilson almost had an apoplexy attack."

"Stefan? Why would he try to save Father? He almost killed himself!" Damon spat out bitterly.

"He loves your father. That is the worse thing about mistreated children, you do not stop loving your parent. Take our father, he was a mean, cruel man most of the time. Oddly, he was kind to our mother and there were little slivers of time when he was bearable. I always told myself that he just wanted us to be strong and that is why he was so harsh, yet when he almost beat Niklaus to death, I was forced to swallow the truth," Elijah revealed.

"And that was?" Damon pressed.

"That our father was just brutal for the sake of brutality. He hated my brother, an innocent child, for no reason. Damon, I cannot even say when I stopped loving him, but I felt hatred mixed with love. Then, just repulsion. A man who treats his family like that is no man," Elijah said with a passion Damon had not seen in him before.

"I do not ever want to be like that," Damon said sleepily.

"You will not be. Now, sleep," Elijah said tucking the boy in again.

Monday, June 11, 1855

Morning

"Look who made it to breakfast," Marcel smiled.

"I felt fine yesterday, but I was not permitted out of bed," Damon complained.

Kol grumbled, "Well, I did have to dig a bullet out of your gullet to save your life a few days ago."

"I think you, Kol," Damon smiled. "I hear my dear horse is here, Azul!"

Rebekah smiled, "You are a lucky boy to have a blue roan. She's a beauty."

"It was a gift for my 15th birthday. Father said it was the rarest kind of horse," Damon smiled. "I know he only bought it to impress his business partners, but I just loved her right away."

Klaus grinned back, "You have good taste in horse flesh. Marcellus will have to tell you how much he wanted a pony when he was a boy."

Kol smirked, "Aye, do tell the boys what a spoilt brat you were!"

Marcel groaned, "To make a long, painful story short. I begged for a pony for weeks. Papa got me one and I decided I did not want it because I was afraid. But Uncle Elijah here made sure that I rode my new pony, even if I had to do it sitting very gingerly."

"Even though you had a sore behind, you ended up loving that pony. It just took a little encouragement," Elijah laughed.

"Well, I got that for sure. Damon, we can go riding later," Marcel said reaching for the toasted bread for Stefan.

"Can I go also?" Stefan said.

Elijah smiled, "I am not sure today is the day you want to ride. We have some unfinished business and then I am going to be your tutor. Mr. Smith had been let go," Elijah shared.

"Oh, what a shame!" Rebekah cried with a faint blush.

"Come on, you thought that gentleman was a dolt," Marcel prodded.

"I did, but I just like to vex you," Rebekah admitted.

Klaus said, "Well, progress on the new house is rapidly advancing. The school house shall be finished by the time September rolls around. We have several applicants to choose from. Finn, would you accompany me to town today? There is a lady I would like you to meet."

"A lady, how intriguing," Finn replied.

"Her name is Sage, she runs the saloon in town. Some of the good Christian ladies are giving her pushback and want her to close down shop," Klaus explained.

Finn grunted, "Hmm, yes, I would like to help you more with business matters. That is as long as Elijah has business here, well in hand?"

Elijah nodded, "I believe I do. Marcellus and Kol can attest to how much I enjoy tutoring our young people. We also must make sure we have a piano in the new house. Boys, I want your education well-rounded."

Kol grimaced, "I already know the piano. Elijah, you were all jesting with me about going to school, right?"

"No, Kol, we were not. I am not going to argue with you again about it," Elijah said sternly.

Finn chimed in, "Kol, you and Rebekah are going. You are 16 and 17 years old and both of you have a lot to learn. I wish that I were of an age that I could attend. Now, we shall hear no more about it."

Elijah stammered, "But Rebekah has duties here. We were not planning on sending her."

Finn was incredulous, "Why not? If Kol is to go, then Rebekah said also. Is that clear?"

Elijah flushed, "Yes, Finn. It is just that the staff needs a firm hand during the day...-"

"Then, you provide it, Elijah. Our sister will be attending school-daily, with the others. Is that clear?" Finn repeated in a firm voice.

"Yes, indeed," Elijah said quickly. If Finn could take over his business duties with Niklaus, Elijah could devote more time to the household. Perhaps, Rebekah would benefit from more formal lessons. At any rate, it was settled.

After breakfast, Elijah directed Damon and Stefan to his study.

He sat behind his desk and directed them to sit in his two guest chairs.

"Boys, I know you have been through many trials and tribulations this past month. I thought to spare you a spanking for all your other pain, but then I realized that to keep you safe, we have to follow through with punishing you anytime you put your life in danger. Do you understand that?" Elijah asked carefully.

Stefan was swinging his legs back and forth in nervousness, "Yes, I should not have tried to do what I did with that gun."

"No, you could have been killed. You should not have even been there without permission. Do you both understand why I have to spank your backsides for this?" Elijah asked kindly.

Damon nodded, "We disobeyed and one of us could have died."

"Yes, I shall not lecture you anymore. I am going to give you a taste of my ruler today. It is going to smart, but then you are free to go play for a while before I call you into lessons this afternoon," Elijah informed them.

"Thank you!" Stefan said, he loved to play outside. Father used to restrict him to his room for days at a time when he failed to memorize bible passages or copied them out in poor handwriting.

Elijah could not help but smile. "Now I am going to ask you to take off your trousers and stand in the corner a while. While in the corner, you are to keep your hands at your sides and stand still. After a spanking, if I catch you rubbing your bottom, what do you think I will do?"

"Give us another spanking!" Stefan whispered in horror.

"Yes, young man, or at least a hard smack on your behind to remind you not to do it. I know getting a spanking hurts, but I expect that both of you are big enough to behave during a licking. That means no biting, scratching, cursing, or getting up. If I hear a curse word, I will soap out your mouth and spank you again, no warnings," Elijah said getting his solid ruler out of his center desk drawer.

Stefan's eyes got wide, "That is going to hurt!"

"Son, that is the point of a spanking. How about this? I shall do what I used to do with Marcel when he was your age. I will warm up your behind with my hand and then give you your age in whacks with the ruler. However, they will be hard smacks which you will feel when you sit down at supper tonight," Elijah warned. "But if you fight me and misbehave during the spanking, I will paddle you harder with the ruler and swat you again before bed."

"We will not fight you. We know we deserve it," Damon confessed sadly.

"I know you mean that, Damon, but the ruler stings quite a bit. If you need some to recover or a break, tell me and I will do that. But if you are reaching back and unable to stay still, I will have to restrain you and then spank you harder later. I do not want to hit your hands or something else I do not mean to strike," Elijah warned.

Stefan frowned, "Can you not just spank me like Rebekah did when I was naughty? She just used her hand, but it still hurt!"

"I wish I could. But I am a bit more firm than Rebekah, especially when it comes to your safety. Damon, Stefan, remove your breeches. Damon, you can put your nose in the corner. I am going to spank Stefan first. Our mother always spanked the oldest first, but I can Stefan is a bit anxious to get this over with," Elijah said kindly.

Stefan whined as Elijah grabbed him and unbuttoned his breeches and pulled them down. He could tell the boy was afraid by listening to his heartbeat speeding up.

"I am going to bare your bottom because your drawers were not the ones to misbehave, were they?" Elijah prompted.

Despite his nerves, Stefan giggled, "No, I was the naughty one."

"Oh dear, you are a good boy. All children make mistakes. We shall take care of it and all will be forgiven," Elijah reassured him as he bared his bottom and flipped him over his lap.

Elijah patted his chubby white backside lightly and then began the spanking. smack. smack, smack, He swatted Stefan with short little smacks that covered his whole seat as Stefan squirmed and ! Smack! Stefan began to cry loudly although Elijah was barely warming up his rear end. The smacks were loud in the small study. Crack! Crack! After twenty lighter smacks, Elijah picked up the heavy ruler and lined it up with Stefan's behind.

"I am spanking you with the ruler for leaving your lessons without permission," Elijah reminded him.

"Sorry!" Stefan wailed.

"Nine whacks!" Elijah said as he cracked the ruler down hard. Whap! Whap! Whap!

Stefan screamed out a protest and cried louder. Whap! Whap! Whap! Elijah paddled him a little lower below the crease of his bottom so he would remember this when he sat down.

"Last three," Elijah said as he whacked the ruler down on Stefan sit spots. Whap! Whap! Whap!

Elijah put the ruler to the side and gently stood Stefan up. He replaced his pants over Stefan's sore behind and then brought him back on his lap to cuddle.

"We love you, Stefan. If anything would happen," Elijah drifted hugging the boy tightly.

"Love me? Even when I am bad?" Stefan sniffed.

"Dear boy, you are not bad. If I hear that away, I am going to get you another spank on your sore behind, do you understand. Now you are forgiven for everything," Elijah said kissing him on the top of the head. Stefan let himself be comforted and rocked for a few more minutes until the sting of the spanking faded. Elijah wiped his face and had him blow his nose twice.

"Can I go play now?" Stefan asked eagerly.

"Yes, is your bottom feeling better already?" Elijah asked. He had not spanked him that hard, but he was little and Elijah was sure it stung at the time.

"Yes, but I do not want another spanking!" Stefan informed Elijah seriously.

"Good, then behave. Have fun," Elijah said sending him out of the room with a light pat to his behind.

"Damon, it is your turn, my boy. I thought you might want some privacy," Elijah shared. "Drawers down, too." Damon shucked his drawers down to his ankles.

"Yes, thank you for letting him play.. It upsets him to see me getting a licking," Damon said as he shuffled over to Elijah. His shirt was long enough to cover his front, but get in case, Damon used his hands to shield himself. His pants were bunched at the ankles.

"He loves you dearly, as we all do. You are a fine, Brother. But leaving tutoring for that fool mission was very silly of you," Elijah said putting the much taller over his knee.

"I can lean over the desk," Damon said urgently.

"I know you can, but I prefer to have you close. You know I am loathe to do this, but I meant it when I said we love you. Sometimes we have to do things that we do not like to keep our family safe," Elijah explained.

"But I am not family," Damon squeaked as he got the first smack on his bare behind. Crack!

"You are family, Damon. Now hush and think about why you are getting your behind spanked," Elijah said swatting him over and over in the same spots until Damon was wiggling and trying to squirm off Elijah's hard thighs. Smack! Smack! Smack!

After thirty firm smacks, Elijah gripped the ruler. "I guess this is going to be sixteen smacks with the ruler. I know it stings. Let it out."

Damon was rigid and biting his lip to take the strong smacks stoically. Thwap! Thwap! Thwap!

Elijah worked his way down the back of Damon's thighs. After the sixteenth whack, Damon was relieved that he had made it through the spanking without losing his composure. He went to get up and felt Elijah smack him hard against the center of both cheeks.

"Son, let it out. You cannot hold all that emotion in," Elijah prompted. Smack! Smack! Elijah smacked in the exact same spot until Damon broke into soft sobs. Elijah immediately stopped and began to rub his back. Damon's behind was bright red with a few marks from the ruler that were a faint pink.

Elijah stood Damon up and pulled up his drawers and breeches carefully. He lead him over to the velvet couch and sat down with the boy in his arms so he could sooth him and comfort him. He let Damon cry and sob against his shirt, Elijah knew it had nothing to do with the punishment, just the emotions of all that had transpired the last month.

"Good boy, yes, it is going to be okay. You are all forgiven," Elijah said over and over in a whisper. After the loud smacks of his hand and the crack of the ruler, the soft sniffles of the boy sounded too quiet.

"You are free to go see your horse. After our tutoring, Kol has offered to arrange some magic lessons for you, if you are interested. Would you like that?" Elijah asked still rubbing the boys back lightly.

"Yes, it is just hard for me to believe all of this. It explained a lot. Father must have been terrified that I would start doing magic. Tt was such a taboo to him in his old village in Italy," Damon shared.

"I am sorry you had to find out the way you did, but everyone is safe now. Magic can help protect you and the ones you love. Even witches can fight vampires, if their magic is strong enough," Elijah said softly.

"Really, I cannot imagine. Yes, I would like to learn. Do you think Stefan is a witch, too?" Damon pressed.

"Yes, but not all witches are what we called triggered. If you do not practice, the magic stays within the earth," Elijah informed him. "Now, you go get some fresh air, also."

Damon hugged Elijah tightly one more time and Elijah smiled at him proudly. He put the ruler away and then sat down at his desk. He looked through the pile of applicants for teachers. He had been planning to keep Rebekah home. Niklaus would not deal with it well if she fell in love with a boy at school, or God forbid even the teacher. Elijah made a note to only hire a female school teacher. He weeded through all the men in the pile. There were three women applicants. One had no degree, the other's application was illegible, and the third one was perfect. Elijah immediately wrote to the young woman inquiring how soon she could take the train to Mystic Falls.

He began his letter, "Dear Miss Hayley Marshall, I hope this letter finds you well. It is my great pleasure to extend the position of Mystic Falls school teacher, Grades 1-12 to you starting immediately..."