Afternoon
Tuesday, June 26, 1855
Kol dressed for dinner and woke up Damon and let him get dressed. Finn intercepted Kol in the hallway.
"How is Damon? I fear I was a little hard on him," Finn said in a low voice.
"He had a pretty good skelped arse, I know he felt bad about this morning. He let his magic get out of control a bit. It happens. I almost poisoned myself with hemlock once. I told him some stories from our past. You know, Finn, there were times when you did take a thrashing for the rest of us, you and Elijah," Kol recalled. "I suppose I never remembered it like that before."
"Is that a compliment, Brother? You know there might have been a lot that happened that you do not remember as well as you think you do," Finn smiled.
"Mayhaps, Also, before she turned us, Mother was not the monster we remember her as...But Father? Was he ever not awful?" Kol asked softly.
"I am sorry, Kol. There was a time, before Freya died, when we were still in the Old World...that he was very different. I do not say this to pain you, for I know you never had this, but he was...wonderful. He used to play with us and Kol, he used to...laugh, throw us in the air. Even when we were naughty, he was never cruel, firm, but still...gentle," Finn mused.
"I cannot fathom it, truly," Kol replied. Damon came out of the bedroom. Finn looked him over.
"You alright now, Damon? Did the cream help?" Finn asked carefully.
"Bloody hell, I forgot to put it back!" Kol gulped vamping back into the bedroom.
When he came out with the lotion, Finn gave Kol a stern look. He reminded him, "Enough with the cursing please. And we still have not addressed your eavesdropping."
Kol looked pleadingly at the cream, "Can we not speak of that later? If Elijah finds out I took this without permission, he is going to be angry with me!"
"Go on, Kol. We had enough hidings today, right, Damon? Put it back. Let us retire downstairs. Maybe Rebekah will play the piano for us?" Finn said putting his arm around Damon.
"I thought you said I was restricted to my room the rest of the day?" Damon asked Finn shyly.
"Nay, you were already punished. I was too hasty. Let us go see where the others are," Finn smiled.
"Right. Wonder where my brother is? It is awfully quiet," Damon said suspiciously.
They found Stefan with the Cook in the kitchen baking a cake. He was stirring a large bowl. Kol came in after Damon and Finn, after replacing the cream back in Elijah's study, and laughed to find his brother sitting on the counter.
"Working hard, Stefan?" Damon asked. His rear end was still a little tender, but much better than it had been a few hours before. He was not sure we wanted to sit down just yet, though.
"Oh yeah, Cook needs my help. She cannot do all this stirring without me! If I do a good job, I get to lick the spoon!" Stefan announced joyfully. He pulled out the spoon to show them.
Kol paled, "Bloody hell! That is impossible. It looks like Mother's wooden spoon. How?"
Damon said, "I thought that was just a story!"
Finn added, "Apparently, Niklaus carves them out of wood and then burns them. Luckily, I found them in the burn pile. They are perfectly good spoons, sanded and useful, too good to burn. Our brother is quite the talent."
"But those spoons hurt like hell! Burn them all," Kol whined. Stefan giggled at the word hell and Damon shook his head at him.
Finn growled, "What did I tell you about the swearing? What would Elijah do if you were disobeying him like this?"
Kol flushed to be reprimanded in front of the human boys. He knew Elijah could walk in at any moment and chose to tell the truth.
"He would probably make me write lines or wash out my mouth with soap," Kol admitted shamefully.
"Well?" Finn prompted, "Go fetch a nib, ink, and paper. I will supervise your punishment here."
"But I usually do it in Elijah's study," Kol informed him.
"It still smells horrible in there. Kol, do as I asked or I will soap out your mouth for arguing with me," Finn threatened.
Kol wanted to protest, but Damon and Stefan were watching with wide eyes. Finn was not sure exactly how Elijah washed out Kol's mouth, but he sensed it was unpleasant.
"When you are finished, you can go play," Finn said kindly. Damon lifted Stefan off of the counter onto the floor and they went out the back door. Soon, they heard Stefan yelping and hollering joyfully as Damon chased him dutifully.
Kol came back in with a writing box filled with paper, nibs, and ink.
"Do I have to do this here?" Kol asked in a high voice.
"Aye, now what do you usually write?" Finn asked.
"It depends on what I did. For cursing, I would probably have to write something stupid like 'I will use appropriate language and not curse in a low class manner,'" Kol griped.
"That sounds good. How many times?" Finn asked.
"Sometimes ten, sometimes more. I guess it depends on how many times I cursed," Kol said ashamed.
"Let us say twice after I warned you. So twenty?" Finn said.
"Aye, Brother," Kol said preparing the nib of his pen and dipping it in the ink bottle. Finn was watching him intently.
"I do not know how to make letters. Maybe I can learn from watching you?" Finn said.
"I can show you, Finn. Here let me draw out the alphabet for you," Kol said writing out the alphabet.
"Thank you. Now back to your lines. I suppose ten should suffice, but do not test me, little Brother. I will not be so lenient in the future," Finn said firmly.
"I know," Kol said looking up to see Jennett washing the bowl and wooden spoon. He went back to his lines. He really hated doing them, but Finn was watching him form every letter with fascination.
Klaus came in ten minutes later, "Brothers, there you are. Kol, what happened? Cursing again? You know what Elijah said about that!"
Finn cut in, "Niklaus, I am punishing him for it now. Plus, he is teaching me how to make some of these letters. I have to learn."
"Well, if you think that is sufficient, Finn. Good news, I think we can move into the new house on Monday. All seems almost ready," Klaus said happily. He leaned back on the counter.
"Great news!" Finn said.
"What the hell?" Klaus said noticing the large wooden spoon drying on the counter. "There are for the fire. Who dug these out of the kindling box?"
Finn stood and filled the kitchen with his large frame, "I did, Niklaus. Your carvings are beautiful. How can you think to burn such fine work?"
"Ayana, remember her, taught me how to carve those spoons? Then, I went on to carve animals and other forms. But the spoons remind me of...Mother," Klaus admitted.
"Me, too. Aye, they are pretty, but I say burn them, too. I just told Damon the story about the first time we all got whacked with that...thing," Kol said careful not to swear again.
Finn picked up the heavy wooden spoon, "I hate to tell you, Niklaus, but I already hid one upstairs. I think this would be effective in reminding some of us how to behave properly. If we really want to blend in as a fine, proper human family then that is going to require some discipline. Mother never had to spank us twice for the same offense with this devil, did she?"
Klaus colored, "No, she did not. I will never forget the day Ayana gave Mother the spoon. Kol, I recall we were playing by the fire...they were talking. Did you remember about what?"
Kol looked up from his lines, "I supposed I was an eavesdropping even then, did she not speak of poisoning Father? Something of Niklaus being a prince...Dahlia, it was the first time I heard her spoken of."
Finn was intrigued, "You both remember all that, but you had to be babes yourselves?"
"I remember it like it was yesterday, Finn, did you remember Freya dying? I am sorry to bring it up now," Klaus added.
"Nay, it is a blur to me. Like it was wiped from my memory. I remember Father spinning her and then Mother telling Father Freya died of plague. Such a wail from him and nothing was ever the same. Why?" Finn asked.
Klaus sat by Kol and stayed his hand, "I haven't thought about that day for hundreds of years, but that conversation...It is like Ester was...now I remember, she said "find Freya again.' It is like our sister was lost, not dead. Kol, do you remember that?"
"Barely, but Niklaus is right. Mother was hiding a lot. She and Ayana were whispering, but she said something about my magic being strong enough to maybe help her fight to find...Freya," Kol breathed. "I do not even think I knew we had an eldest sister until that day. Odd how this all came up from memories of that spoon."
Finn was intrigued, "I wish I could remember. Do you think our sister was made a vampire like us? Could she still be around? Nay, too much to hope for. She has most likely died..."
"If we were human, a witch could try to use our blood to see if we have any kin, but it does not work on vampire blood," Kol said.
"That is to our advantage because Mikael could trace us at any time if not," Klaus added.
"We are also cloaked by magic. Maybe when Damon grows stronger, we can look through Mother's grimoires and see if there is some kind of spell to locate our blood? What if Freya lived a mortal life and had children? We could have witch relatives out there we never knew," Kol said.
Finn repeated, "It is as if my mind is blocked. I can remember all, but her death...I always thought it was too painful."
Klaus said, "Enough of that now, we can look into it, but we should all know that nothing will probably come of it. Now, Kol, back to your lines. I am proud of you for acting so maturely." Klaus patted Kol on the shoulder affectionately.
Finn looked perplexed, Klaus indicted they should head out the back kitchen door.
"Kol usually fusses something awful when he has to write lines. I do not think he ever did it without Elijah whipping him first. I did not notice any tears or squirming so I am assuming he was cooperative," Klaus said quietly.
"Yes, he was after a touch of backchat. But maybe he did not want to get punished further in front of Damon and Stefan. Kol spent the afternoon with Damon. I spanked him for using magic against Kol and me," Finn shared.
"You spanked Damon?" Klaus repeated in surprise.
"Yes, he was a bit out of sorts. I just used my hand, but I did not go easy on him. I really hope I never have to do that again, " Finn admitted.
"Brother, thank you for...everything. Since you have been here, I am seeing Elijah seem to relax like he never has before. Moving here was probably more vexing for him than all the rest of us combined," Klaus admitted.
"Well, allow me to assist you with the move. Do you have a list of things that need completed?" Finn asked.
"I do," Klaus shared.
"I also have Madam Sage teaching me my letters, but she does not write quite as prettily as Kol does," Finn confessed.
"We do have a great deal of shopping to complete. Maybe we could go together this weekend? I will go through the storage shed and she was we have and what we need. Elijah is usually so tightfisted that he argues with me about buying the silliest items. Perhaps if you are there you can settle him down?" Klaus laughed.
"Of course," Finn said, never thinking that he actually would have to do so.
Saturday, June 30, 1855
Town
The mercantile store was in a two-story, rectangular frame building located in the center of town. It had been built around 1850 and had been occupied since the peddler settled down to finally sell from one location. The post office was located to the rear of the store, tucked into the corner. The owner, Mr. Forbes, was the town clerk, the Justice of the Peace, and also the undertaker.
Rebekah and Marcel had promised to take the boys on a picnic near the lake if they were well-behaved the rest of the week. They were, more or less, so they skipped shopping in town and took the picnic baskets Jennett had packed into the forest. Stefan had only thrown two fits the last few days, one about wearing a sailor suit and the other about picking up his toys after he threw them on the parlor floor. Marcel had intervened and got him to wear the sailor suit by promising him a new ball. Rebekah had threatened to throw his toys away if he refused to pick them up. Damon had just rolled his eyes and remained quiet as his brother seemed to get more obstinate each day. Damon dutifully practiced his magic with Kol and obeyed him even when he got frustrated. He knew the other vampire was trying hard to help him patiently.
Finn had left Elijah and Klaus at the mercantile store while he slipped in the Mystic Saloon to see Sage. She had been over for dinner several times. His brothers and sister were polite to her, but slightly cold. It was as if, they thought Sage was not good enough for their brother.
"Hello, my love," Finn said as he grabbed Sage around the waist and picked her up.
"Ah, Finn, you are here. What a lovely surprise!" Sage said patting her bright red hair. "I look a mess."
"You look gorgeous. Here are some flowers that pale in comparison to your loveliness," Finn said putting a bundle of pink roses wrapped in silk ribbons in her hands.
"Ah, it looks like a bridal wreath," Sage blurted and then flushed at her boldness. She held the roses up to her nose to breath in their sweet and spicy scent .
"You would be a beautiful bride," Finn said picking her up and nuzzling her neck and ear.
"I am too old, you silly man!" Sage giggled.
"Too old, my foot. Any gentleman would be lucky to spend the rest of his life with you, my love," Finn said sincerely. Since the Mikaelsons had become silent partners, they had worked on a plan to get the town temperance union off their backs. Business was picking up slowly.
"I wish your family thought so, I fear they think I am not high class enough for you. And Finn, they might be right. With my reputation...," Sage said in shame.
"Dear woman, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You pulled yourself out of poverty by yourself and created this business where you employ others and allow them to work with pride. I am proud to court you. If my family has a problem with you, then they have a problem with me," Finn said strongly.
"I love you," Sage confessed. Finn's eyes widened. He realized he loved her, too.
"I love you back," Finn said huskily. "Now, I must go but may I see you later?"
"Of course," Sage smiled widely.
Finn walked back to the store, he was glowing with happiness over his love, but hurt that his family had treated her so coldly. How dare they judge this woman? She was born with nothing and now was independent and strong? Finn felt himself get irritated and tried to shake it off. He hoped his family would see the good in Sage on their own. She treated her employees like family and fed the extras in the kitchen to the town poor. Her heart was huge and she only saw the good in other people. If only his family could see some good in her.
Finn opened the door to the mercantile and immediately heard his brothers arguing. The store was dark and lined with long counters, glass cases, and side walls lines with shelves filled with everything from buggy whips to ropes, to beans and nails, to fabrics and dishes, and even small farm implements. There were drawers of food stuffs, but also soaps, medicines, spices, and shotgun shells.
"Elijah, you are being pigheaded! We need more than one bloody broom. It is large house," Klaus said sharply.
"Niklaus, we have enough, I say. Why do you always have to buy more than we need? It is folly and foolishness. Every damn time," Elijah snapped back.
Klaus shoved Elijah, "Watch your tongue, Brother. If I say we need it, we need it."
Finn turned the corner into the aisle and saw Elijah shoving Klaus back hard, he stomped over.
"Stop it this instant!" Finn growled into Elijah's ear, he grabbed him by the bicep and pulled him back. Elijah struggled to free himself and Finn raised his hand and swatted him on the behind hard. Crack! The sound echoed through the store.
"But Finn, he started it! I swear it," Elijah spat. He threw back his hand to protect his hind end. But Finn was focused on Klaus now.
Finn grabbed Klaus and jerked him to the side to swat him just as hard on the seat of his pants. Crack!
Klaus moaned, "Oww, Finn!"
"The two of you are acting like spoiled children. Now, fetch the items on the list, no more, no less and let us go. Once more outburst and I am going to ask Mr. Forbes if I can use the back room. Do you understand me?" Finn hissed. There were only two other patrons in the store, two older men playing checkers near the front, sitting on barrels and spitting tobacco into a spittoon. Finn was pretty sure those gentleman were hard of hearing because they had not flinched or looked up during any part of the preceding drama.
"Yes," Elijah said through clenched teeth scowling at Klaus.
"Niklaus?" Finn pressed.
"Fine," Klaus said after a pause.
"What is next on the list?" Finn asked evenly. Klaus told him they needed nails, tobacco, crackers, potatoes, coffee, mincemeat, lanterns, oil, and several types of fabric.
Finn went to near the pot-bellied stove and on a chair nearby found Mr. Forbes nodding off. He helped himself to potatoes and other foods out of the barrels. Finn then decided to get some candy for the children and a small tin of violet cachous for Sage. She liked the imported French candied that tasted of violets and sugar.
Finn heard some arguing again, but before he could get there, he heard the sound of glass breaking.
Crash! Finn winced and turned and walked back to the sound. Elijah and Klaus were standing over a shattered lantern. Oil was everywhere. There were now two other patrons shopping and one woman came over and tutted in disguise.
Another man shook his head and said, "That is gonna cost!"
Finn growled, "What happened?" Both brothers pointed to each other saying, "It was his fault!"
Finn grabbed each brother by the arm and pulled them up to the front. Mr. Forbes was awakened now.
"I apologize, Mr. Forbes, my brothers were fighting and smashed some merchandise. We shall pay for it, of course, but can I use your back room a moment to speak with them?" Finn asked tightly.
"Oh, of course. Use the post office room, ain't no one back there. There is a strap on the wall in the back for misbehaving children," Mr. Forbes remarked with a chuckle.
"We are not...," Elijah started as Finn dragged them both to the back by their ear lobes.
"I have never been so embarrassed," Finn chided hotly.
"Finn, you cannot think to...spank us, not here!" Klaus begged.
"Oh, you will also be getting spankings when we get home. This is just a warm up. Hurry up," Finn demanded pushing both of his younger brothers into the back office and shutting the door. There was a window that cast some light. Finn said the leather strap on the back wall and grabbed it.
There was a barrel in the corner, Finn moved it out and said to Elijah, "Over the barrel."
"Are you serious? Fine, Brother, this ruse is over. We will behave, you can stop now! Surely, you do not mean to whip us here," Elijah smirked. The smirk died on his lips as Finn grabbed him and pushed him face down over the barrel.
Thwap! Without any warning, Finn lifted the heavy strip of oiled leather and brought it down with a snap across the seat of Elijah's fine trousers. Thwap! Thwap! Thwap! Thwap! Thwap! Thwap!
Elijah bit his lip painfully, he did not want to reveal that the strap was getting to him. It was hard to keep still and he felt himself shifting over the barrel.
Finn lowered the strap to catch Elijah's sit spots hard. Elijah let out a soft "owwww."
Thwap! Thwap!
"I am sorry, Finn. Stop!" Elijah begged on the verge of tears.
Thwap! Thwap!
"You do not tell me when to stop, do you hear?" Finn said firmly. He dropped the strap and swatted Elijah once hard on each cheek with his hand. Smack! Smack!
Elijah sniffed and twisted, "Sorryyyyy,"
Finn stopped and let his brother up. To his surprise, Elijah hopped up and rubbed his backside frantically. "It really burns." Elijah was ashamed at his lack of will, but the stinging was intense.
"Go face the wall," Finn said sternly. Elijah continued to rub and marched to the wall to stand.
Elijah pleaded, "Do not use that on Niklaus, please..."
Finn said, "That is enough rubbing, hands to your side. Now think about what kind of behavior got you here."
"Finn...," Elijah wept. "Spare him."
Finn went up to Elijah again and promised softly, "Trust me, Brother. I will not give him more than he deserves. He shall be fine."
Finn grabbed Niklaus and started to position him over the barrel, but he panicked.
Klaus backed away, "Finn, please. we are sorry. We will pay for the lantern! Do not strap me."
"You will. Now over the barrel, young man," Finn said severely.
Klaus balked, "Not the strap please." Finn knew his brothers were some of the strongest creatures on earth. A few licks over their trousers with the leather strip would not be too bad. Then, Finn recalled how Mikael would beat Klaus without mercy. He would show his brother that he had nothing to fear any longer. Finn was not Mikael.
Finn grabbed his brother and sat down on the barrel himself, he leaned Klaus over his left leg and swatted his cloth covered behind hard five times in the same place, right in the center of his backside. Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Klaus whined, "Finn, pleaseeeee."
"Hush, anymore disobedience and I will take down your trousers right here," Finn said picking up the strap from the floor. Finn doubled the strap and snapped it down firmly on Klaus' rear. Whap!
Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap!
Finn could not quite get the swung he had when he was standing up, but it was strong enough to leave Klaus struggling to remain still. Soon Klaus was trying to move and push up. Finn pinned him down firmly with his left arm, but was not going to be able to hold him much longer. Klaus was expecting the punishment to get much worse.
Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap! Crack! Crack!
Klaus felt the stripes of the leather and a slight burning sensation, but no great agony. The fear of the thing was greater than the thing itself. Klaus sobbed with relief softly. He felt ashamed that he had carried on and then barely felt much more than a stinging pain.
With that, Finn stopped the strapping. He heard Klaus sniffling and rubbed his back.
"When I get the two of you home, I think a taste of the spoon on your bare bottom with drive home how to behave in public," Finn announced firmly.
"No, Finn, not the spoon, it hurts," Klaus cried as Finn let Klaus slide off his knee. Klaus knelt and Finn cupped his face.
"Brother, what hurts is when you disobey. What got into you boys today?" Finn said hugging Klaus to him. Klaus let Finn hold him as he rubbed the seat of his pants, but the sting was not easily alleviated.
"We were just bickering and lost our tempers," Klaus admitted.
"Elijah, come here please," Finn said getting up and standing up Klaus. Finn hugged him gently.
"Are you angry at us?" Elijah asked in a whisper.
"No, Brother. But you need a good reminder of what happens when you disobey me. Too long have the two of you gone undisciplined. I will not tolerate any less than the best out of the two of you. Now, let us finish shopping and then get home," Finn insisted. He put the strap back on the hook and moved the barrel back into place.
"But what if they heard...?" Klaus asked fearfully.
"The door was closed and I am sure they could not hear through it," Finn reassured them.
Mr. Forbes had a boy who cleaned up the mess. The Mikaelsons finished their shopping and went up to the counter. There was a cash register, a metal coffee mill, scales for weighing nails and other items, and a place where they could wrap items in paper and tie them with a string.
"You folks got everything?" Mr. Forbes asked Finn. Finn directed his brothers to load the purchases onto the coach. Finn bought an extra potion of candy and put it in his jacket pocket.
"Yes, sir. Thank you. I apologize for any disturbances we caused," Finn said sincerely.
"Nonsense. Boys will be boys. I am going to throw in something extra since y'all is such good customers," Mr. Forbes laughed. Finn saw him toss in a new looking leather strap.
"Oh no, that will not be necessary..." Finn said but stopped at the incredulous look on the man's face.
"You got your hands' full," Mr. Forbes said. "This ain't the first time the younger Mr. Mikaelsons have argued in here. Once, they busted the pickle barrel and then blamed it on old Sam. That fellow is blind and cannot hardly move. I said to my missus that those fellas needed a hiding, if you will excuse me for saying so." Finn smiled and nodded. He was tempted to compel the man to forget about his brothers' outbursts, but did not. Let the town know that the Mikaelson family was just like any other family in town. They were not perfect, and sometimes needed a little motivation to live up to the family name.
"I do, indeed. Thank you for the gift, Mr. Forbes," Finn smiled gratefully. "I am sure it will come in handy more often than naught. I have too long been away from my younger siblings. I am back now and will not abandon my duty."
"My pleasure. If I had more customers like you, this town would be a better place," Mr. Forbes insisted.
"Oh, I do not know about that," Finn quipped laughing as he took the remaining purchases and went to joined his brothers in the coach. He found them both shifting in their seats and sitting gingerly. They did not look eager to get home and face the their eldest brother in the privacy of their home. But Finn could tell that they had made up and were no longer fighting with each other.