Pairing: Finn/Elijah (M/M) ruler
Monday, June 11, 1855
Late Afternoon
Town
"Now, if I may, Brother, allow me to do all of the talking. Since the local inhabitants are a stubborn lot, they seek to curb much of the enterprise from Mystic Falls. They are calling the saloon an exercise in vice and moral turpitude.. This saloon owner is quite upset, as you may imagine," Klaus said opening the door to the dark wooden structure for his older brother to step through. It was cooler and much darker inside. The weather did not bother vampires as much as humans, but they could still feel changes in temperature.
"Yes, was that square where the natives used to worship? And was not that our home...?" Finn said pausing to look out of the blurry glass into the street.
"Aye, that was our family home. The farm land reached clear past the city block. Looks a bit different, eh? Progress. I feel like where we are standing now is where the barn was," Klaus said as a boy rushed over to get their order.
"Can I be helpin' you, good sirs?" the boy asked nervously. They did not get such finely dressed customers since the leading citizens took a stand against drink, gambling, and girls.
"Thank you, lad, but we are here to see the proprietress, if you please," Klaus said grandly. The saloon was smokey from a cook stove burning and almost devoid of customers. There were two older gentleman sitting at the large bar, but all the small tables were empty.
"It is early in the day for drink, is it not?" Finn asked seeing Klaus' frown.
"Not in particular. In every town in the world, there is always a day drinking clientele," Klaus explained in a low voice.
Finn guffawed, "You do not say?"
"Nay, not me. It has been many years since I have had time to indulge in wanton pleasures and drink. Now, we have had to drag Kol out of these establishments a few times. Truth be told, Marcellus went through a wild period, but we got him straightened out, I believe," Klaus said checking his pocket watch for the time.
Finn reached out to touch it, Klaus unclipped the chain and gave it to his brother.
"A time piece, every man of worth should have one. We shall show you how to look at it later. Keep it," Klaus said folding the gold watch into Finn's hand. Finn slipped it in his pocket and looked up to see the most beautiful creature in the universe approaching them.
"Mr. Mikaelson, thank you for coming," a shapely red-haired woman in a green linen dress purred.
"Enchanted, madam. This is my brother, Finn Mikaelson. Finn, may I present the lovely and clever Madam Sage?" Klaus said taking her gloved hand and kissing it.
Finn, to Klaus' astonishment, did the same. "Lovely to meet you," Finn uttered looking the blue eyed beauty straight in the eye.
"Are you the eldest brother, Mr. Mikaelson?" Sage asked letting Finn still hold her hand.
"Why, yes, I am? I just recently arrived in town. I am sorry to hear that the locals are trying to shut you down. Do you perhaps have a list of the...rabble-rousers?" Finn jumped in. Klaus was surprised at how quickly Finn was picking up advanced vocabulary. His memory was extremely sharp, as if his mind etched everything said in his presences in its' recesses.
"Why yes I do. The first one is a Fell, of course. They are always a pain in the arse, excuse my course language," Sage replied as both she and Finn laughed and walked off to sit at a small table.
Klaus looked helplessly around, so much for his brother letting him do all the talking. Finn seemed to have this situation well in hand.
"Brother, I am going to check on the progress of the school house. Call for me, if you need me," Klaus said walking back out into the afternoon heat. Finn waved him off and went back to the lovely jewel in front of him.
Klaus continued down the street for a block or so until he came to the almost finished school house. It stood on a plot of land that was quite cheap to purchase. The building itself was replete in Greek revival style with two entrances, one for girls and one for boys. There would be a wood-burning stove for heat, an outhouse for both girls and boys, as well as separate cloak rooms. Typically, school sessions ran for about eight weeks in the summer and eight weeks in the winter. Some places were talking about extending the school sessions for children who did not have to help as much with farm chores. Children, who lived on farms, were needed for haying in the spring and the harvest in the fall. Elijah had talked about hiring a teacher who would be willing to teach almost year around, if the pay was increased.
The building itself was one story, but topped with a bell. The workers were painting the whole building white. The Mikaelsons added on a bell to call the children to their lessons. It was more expensive than the plot of land itself, but they got a good deal from the town bell maker.
"Ah, Mr. Maxwell, how goes the bell?" Klaus hollered to the bell maker. He was on a scaffold on the roof.
"Very fair, Mr. Mikaelson. We should have her up and running this week," Peter Maxwell shouted down. A blond teen was helping the man attach the bell.
"Good news. Keep up the good work," Klaus called. Klaus walked back to main street and entered the mercantile store. He bought marbles for Stefan and a blank leather book for Damon. He got Kol some cigars and Marcel a type of hard candy he liked. For Elijah, he bought him a cleaning brush with an attached tray. For Rebekah, he bought her some scented stationary. Klaus bought him a bottle of cologne. Maybe his new lady would like it, he laughed to himself.
Klaus eventually made his way back to the Mystic Saloon only to find Sage's hand on his brother's arm and the two of them still chatting away. They were drinking some type of bourbon by the smell of it. Klaus missed New Orleans for a moment. He was sure there was no absinthe in this town. And if there was, it was not be the same.
"Ah, Brother. Forgive my intrusion, but we might go home and see to the children," Klaus reminded him politely.
"Of course, so I shall see you for supper on Sunday?" Finn asked the redhead.
"If you insist," Sage giggled as Finn kissed her hand goodbye again. Klaus had never felt as if he were so invisible. When they finally got outside, Klaus laughed, "Madam Sage is coming over for dinner? Is that wise, Brother?"
"What should it not be? I am sure you will all be on your best behavior, correct? When do you see us moving into the new property? The guest house does seem to grow smaller each day," Finn prodded.
"Soon, they are putting the finishing touching on it now. It should be quite worth the wait," Klaus offered. They got into the carriage and Klaus tapped the ceiling to prompt the drive to return home.
"I am sure it is quite nice. She is a handsome woman, is she not? Madam Sage," Finn questioned. He jolted as the team of horses lurched out into the street. He still was not used to this mode of travel.
"Very. So did she give you a list of names? These new temperance unions are popping up all over. Drunken workers do not show up to the factories on time, that is the crux of it. Perhaps we could compel them to leave her alone, typically then the grateful business owner, pays us tribute," Klaus confessed.
"Is that how we get funds? That seems dishonest," Finn spat.
"That is how Elijah has instructed us. We need a lot of income to keep the household running," Klaus defended. "And dishonesty? Brother, we live on the blood of the living. There is little honesty in that."
"I may need to have a word with Elijah about our financial practices. He does take on quite a bit for himself, does he not?" Finn professed. "And you have taught me how to live without killing or taking human life. It is a better way. Can Elijah not learn a better way of funding our family?" Finn watched the landscape pass quickly by. He was not sure if he would ever get used to this world.
"That is just his way, Finn. Elijah deals with many things. If you can think of something more clever, I am sure he will be interested," Klaus assured him.
"Actually, the lady offered to make me a parter in the saloon. Would that not be a good investment?" Finn suggested.
"Speak to Elijah, Brother. I defer to him in these matters," Klaus smiled. He handed him the cologne. "Here a little something for your date?"
"What is it? A drink?" Finn said sniffing the strongly scented liquid.
"Nay, Brother, it is a scent man cover themselves with to mask their stench. Ladies use a more flowery type where as men prefer a scent of musk," Klaus informed him.
"Ah, clever. Just like covering your scent when hunting. I suppose I am on the hunt then. Madame Sage is my quarry," Finn professed.
"She is the first lady you have met, Finn. There are many other suitable ladies. We could find you a respectable widow or a blushing virgin...Madam Sage has been well-used by this world," Klaus added.
"Niklaus, please. It is my concern. I will take care of the temperance union and see if we can improve our family fortunes. But do not interfere in this, if you will," Finn asked.
"As you wish," Klaus said as they arrived home. Klaus went to deliver his little gifts and wash up. Finn went to find Elijah. He knocked on his study door.
"Come," Elijah said. Finn opened the heavy door and found his younger brother pouring over ledgers. "Ah, Finn, how was town? Any progress?"
"Yes, Madam Sage would like our family to back the saloon and become partners. These, what do you call them, temperance folks are threatening to burn down the place. I think it is a fine idea," Finn admitted. He put the paper bag holding the cologne on Elijah's desk and sat in the guest chair.
"But does she not run girls out of the back? We cannot peddle flesh! It is one step up from slavery," Elijah spat.
"Girls? I do believe there are a few girls working out of the back. From what I picked up on, they were there of their own free will. I believe Madam Sage also did that particular job when she was younger," Finn said innocently.
"Brother, you were gone a long time. A house of ill repute is rather, ah, looked down up by the good townsfolk. And a lady who has sold her body can never be called respectable again. I am sorry," Elijah said with a hint of embarrassment.
"So the lady is to be shamed? What of the men who pay? You are right, Elijah, I was gone a long time, but I do not understand why things are so. Do not the good men of the town visit the saloon themselves?" Finn pressed.
"I am sure they do, but only out of the sight of their wives. It is a great hypocrisy, Finn. But to buy that saloon would sully our family name. We cannot do it. It is out of the question," Elijah said simply.
"But it is a fine thing to help a business and then take gold for killing or maiming their enemies? What honor is there in that? Tell me, Brother!" Finn retorted.
"I did not say it is right. But this is the way it is. Our siblings have rather fine tastes and all of these properties and donations cost money. At times, I have had to do some things I am not proud of to sustain us," Elijah admitted.
"You look tired. I noticed that you do not sleep well. Allow me to share your burdens, teach me your methods and I shall try to help thee, Brother," Finn begged.
"Thank you, Finn, but I have everything under control. I wrote to hire a new teacher today. Really, I appreciate your offer but-," Elijah rambled.
"It was not an offer," Finn stated simply. "I will help you, Elijah. Even if I have to do it the hard way. Now, when our siblings live this extravagant and expensive lifestyle, did you ever try to rein them in? Perhaps cut down costs?"
"Cut back? Of course. I have tried many times, but Niklaus likes his fancy houses, our Rebekah needs her beautiful clothes and jewelry, Marcel has to have his expensive horses, and Kol likes to drink fine wines...I have also developed a taste for luxury, Brother. It is a weakness," Elijah confessed.
"When we lived here on these lands as a family, we had almost nothing. The land was our richness, our livestock, our family, that was the only thing we valued. This new world is shiny and new, but better. I know not. If you cannot clamp down on this excess, perhaps I can?" Finn wondered.
"Oh Finn, we have to keep up appearances. If we do not live as the others of our class, humans talk. They grow suspicious. We must blend in and live as the others do. Trust me," Elijah said wearily.
"I do, Elijah. But I do not trust that you are not wearing yourself out with this facade. Let me help," Finn repeated.
"Dammit, Finn! Are you daft? I said I do not need help. It takes me longer to train someone that to just do it myself," Elijah said in a fit of anger. He swept everything off his desk including Finn's new cologne. They smelled the cologne as it oozed from the bag into the silk persian carpet.
"Elijah!" Finn thundered.
"What was in the bag? It smells like muskrat. Oh God, that carpet is silk!" Elijah said dropping to his knees and pulling out his handkerchief to scrub it out.
"You just smashed the only gift Niklaus ever bought me," Finn remarked in a quieter tone.
Elijah fell back, "I am sorry. I do not know where that came from. Forgive me."
"No," Finn said.
"Excuse me," Elijah said in shock.
"You are long overdue a punishment yourself. If one of our siblings behaved as you just did, what would you do? Tell me the truth, Elijah," Finn questioned.
"You know what I would do," Elijah said pushing himself up slowly and sitting in the other guest chair.
"I do. But I need you to say it," Finn said putting his hand on Elijah's knee. "You have needed this a long time, eh?"
"For the stubbornness and the fit of temper, I would probably put them right over my knee for a good spanking. For ruining the carpet, I would thrash them vigorously with my ruler," Elijah said in a near whisper.
"You cannot continue to carry all this guilt...and the weight of the whole family. It will kill you someday," Finn said gently.
"We cannot die," Elijah reminded him.
"Not physically, but we can die in other ways. Fetch the ruler. I am going to give you a hiding now and then a more thorough one tonight when everyone is sleeping. I will lock the door," Finn said getting up. He did not turn to see if his brother obeyed, but he knew he would.
Elijah dragged himself to his center desk drawer and pulled out the heavy ruler. "I just spanked Stefan and Damon with this earlier today...I never imagined it would be used on my backside, too."
"How many strokes did you give them?" Finn said as Elijah handed him the ruler.
"Their age, so nine and then sixteen," Elijah smiled fondly.
"So I owe you a 850ish more swats? Very well, let us get on with it," Finn continued.
"It would be less than what I deserve. Not saving Niklaus, leaving you in that coffin, leaving Kol and Rebekah daggered, letting them all get spoiled...I am disgusted by my own behavior," Elijah confessed gruffly.
Finn put down the ruler and grabbed Elijah by the arms, "Brother, you were made a vampire by Mother. Before that, did you not try as hard as possible to do the right thing?"
Elijah teared up, "I barely recall being human, I have the memories of human life which are fresh, but the feeling of what it felt like to actually be human...I have failed you all."
"You are not listening. Breeches down and over the desk that you have nicely cleared for our purpose," Finn said.
Elijah blinked away his tears and took down his trousers to his knees and grabbed the other end of the desk. He felt Finn taking down his drawers and lining up his heavy ruler over his naked backside.
Wham!
"Ah, Brother, that is my ruler, you know. Perhaps, we could talk more about this?" Elijah tried as a second strong blow caught him on the top of his thighs. Wham!
Wham! Elijah sucked in his breath and gripped the desk harder.
Wham! Wham! Wham!
"Enough talk. I will speak to you with the ruler you find so effective," Finn said Wham! Wham! Wham!
Elijah began to shift his weight to his other foot and twist slightly. The blows were sharp. When Finn whack him hard right below the crease above his thighs, Elijah grunted and bit his lip.
Wham! Wham! Wham!
As tears coursed down Elijah's face involuntarily, Finn braced his left hand on Elijahs' back.
"You are a good man, Elijah. Do not forget that. You always do your best. If that is not good enough, try again another day," Finn said as he laid down a volley of the hardest smacks yet. Wham! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
"S-Stop, I c-cannot," Elijah moaned. "Please!"
Finn stopped and put the ruler on the desk. Elijah was sure his behind was swollen and bruised. He wiped away the tears that he found on his cheeks hastily and took a deep breath.
"We will finish tonight. I know you have still have supper to attend to. Elijah, I have not wish to usurp your position in this family, nor could I, even if I wanted to. No one need know that I am helping you in this way," Finn said patting him on the back. "I cannot see you suffer like this anymore, even if it pains me to do this."
"It is just odd that you never did this when we were human or even after we were turned. You very often acted like you could not stand the sight of us, no less be bothered to discipline us, your siblings. Why now, Brother?" Elijah said as he pushed himself up and gingerly pulled up his drawers and trousers.
"I was a coward then. I put my own fears about my family. I was so afraid of Father than I could not cast myself out of the shadows. You know, every time you blame yourself for not protecting Niklaus, you bring shame on me. I was older, bigger, and stronger and I was not even there. I was traipsing after Mother while the rest of you saved him," Finn revealed.
"No, Finn. Rebekah saved him by jumping in front of Father. She comforted Niklaus and tended his wounds carefully. I wept alone in shame. I will let go of my guilt if you do the same. Perhaps it is long past time," Elijah said bitterly.
"I will, but you are still getting that hiding tonight. This was just a warm up. There will be no more of you martyring yourself for this family. If you do it, there will be consequences," Finn warned.
"But Brother, you damn near welted my behind. You will not use this ruler tonight, will you?" Elijah asked with a spark of fear.
"No, of course not," Finn said pulling Elijah into an embrace, "I will find something that imparts a good sting without blistering your hide. I shall ask that pretty cook if she has anything sufficient." Finn held Elijah tightly, surprising the younger vampire. He found himself wanting to sob into his shoulder, but held himself together. He was sure if this was any indication of what he was in for later tonight that he would be sobbing. Elijah's mind scrambled for a way to get out of his upcoming punishment. What did Finn want?
Elijah laughed despite himself, "What if I agree to purchase the saloon? Would that at least buy me a hand spanking?" He pulled away from Finn and managed to maintain some dignity and not rub his behind.
"Bribery, now? Little Brother, you are bargaining? That is going to add on to the 830 or so whacks you are still owed. It is near supper time, is it now? Can you sit or shall I fetch you a pillow?" Finn jested.
"I believe the number is much lower...but I think I can manage without the cushion. So the saloon? A good investment you say?" Elijah started as he and Finn walked out of the study together.
Elijah made a note to get the rug removed. You really could not wash silk. They could begin to be frugal next week, he could not abide by that horrid musk smell. It might even be worth another hiding to get a new carpet. Surely, there could be nothing worse for Elijah than sitting in his study recalling the day he got whipped with his own ruler by his eldest brother. Elijah made another note to get rid of the ruler, he would need to add a hiding spot to his new study in the new house when they moved in.