Usual disclaimers apply.
There will be spanking of a teen in this chapter. If that bothers you stop reading now and go read something else. If that doesn't bother you, enjoy.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Chapter 17
Mama and I had excused ourselves from dinner early and were spending the twilight time of day leaning on the fence around the corral, watching the horses enjoying their evening meal. Our positions were identical with our left boot steady on the second fence slat while our forearms leaned over the top of the fence. We said nothing, merely taking in what was going on around us for what seemed like hours.
Mama finally broke the silence with a single question, "Why?"
The word was spoken so quietly that I doubted it would have been heard by anyone else. Why, that's all she wanted to know and I knew no matter what that I didn't have a good answer for her. I had been thinking of the answer to that question since my sparring session with Artemis and I had yet to come up with any type of answer that made sense.
Mama waited for me and I finally answered, "Over confidence."
"Explain."
"I was angry, Mama. Tabitha got hurt simply because she knew me. She got hurt because somebody told those men that they would earn the gods' favor if they kidnapped me and took me to the coast. I wanted answers and I figured with my powers I didn't have to fear Ares anymore."
Mama finally moved and put her arm around me allowing me to put my head on her shoulder. "What you did, little one, has so many levels of stupid on it I'm not even sure where to begin. You were not raised to taunt the gods. You have been warned of Ares in this time. You have seen what he is capable of here, and you know not to make deals with him."
"I know."
"And yet you forgot all of this, Samina. You seemed to forget that to owe Ares is to give him a part of your soul. That is something you never want to owe anyone. I should know, little one. I know that you're young and still learning. This is the time to make mistakes because your mom and I are here to catch you and put you back on the right path. I am afraid though that this lapse in your judgment has brought a very serious repercussion."
I turned into Mama and put my arms around her waist, "I'm so sorry, Mama. I wasn't thinking about anything other than wanting to find out who hurt Tabitha. I feel so guilty that she was hurt." I looked up at my mama's gentle face. "It's hard to even go speak with her, Mama. My gut twists in shame every time she shows pain or I notice another bruise healing."
Mama kissed the top of my head, "I understand that, little one. I understand that more than you can possibly know. To know that simply by knowing you, it caused someone that you care about or love pain is a special type of guilt. It never fully leaves, Samina, but you must learn to live with it. You can't live your life trying to get revenge every time someone is hurt because of who you are."
"Mama tell me about M'Lila."
Mama sighed heavily, "You know this story, little one."
I looked up slightly and into her eyes. "I do, but I think I understand it so much more now. I need to know, Mama. If M'Lila had never died, if Caesar hadn't betrayed you that way, would the Destroyer of Nations still existed?"
Mama held my gaze with her own. "I don't know, Sam. A part of me was already broken before that happened. So much happened before I met M'Lila to allow me to forget all that she taught me after her death. I don't want that for you. I will not let you follow my path, little one."
I nodded and placed my head on her shoulder, "I don't plan on following your path, Mama, but maybe if I understood why you followed it I can be sure not to make the same mistakes."
Pushing me back Mama looked at face with a raised eyebrow, "What do you mean, Samina?"
Stepping away I once more settled on the fence and waited for Mama's actions to mirror my own. "In that moment when I called Ares out I understood why you were drawn to him. I understood why your history with him began to happen. If Zivah and Rory hadn't been with me at that moment, I think I could have promised him something very easily, despite my best judgment. That scares me, Mama. It scares me more than I thought possible."
"There's more isn't there, Sam?"
"Despite the fear, I feel power. I like that feeling, the feeling that I can take on anyone and win. The feeling that others are in awe of me or fear me because of what I can do." I turned to her once more. "And that, Mama, scares me the most of all."
I felt Mama's arms around me again and another kiss to the top of my head. "There is so much of me in you, little one." Another kiss followed the statement. "And so much of Gabrielle. I heard so much of her in what you've told me. I am so proud of you for recognizing the power for what it is, for not being seduced by it."
"It's hard walking away from that feeling," I admitted.
"So very hard," Mama agreed as we hugged again. Finally putting her arm around my shoulders Mama began to lead us from the corral towards the weapon's hut.
I nodded and leaned into her, "How bad will it be?"
"If we had a barn you and I would be spending a lot of time in it, little one." Mama moved her arm and grasped my hand. "We'll get through it together, Sam, and remember I love you."
"I love you too," I smiled into the darkness glad that I had so much of both of my mothers in me at times like this.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Entering the weapon's hut I had the sudden urge to turn and flee. I probably would have if Mama's strong grip on my shoulder hadn't been there. "We're not done yet, little one." Mama's firm voice calmed me and I sighed.
"A kid can hope," I gave her a wry smile.
"Yep, a kid can, doesn't mean you aren't getting your tail feathers warmed."
Mama guided me to a bench near the worktable. Pulling it away from the table she then moved behind the worktable and rummaged through a basket of leather scraps. Finally choosing a piece, she pulled it from the basket and returned to the bench.
I gulped at the wide strip of leather in her hand. It was obviously left from making tack and was pliable but thick and I knew my tail feathers were going to be smoking when Mama was finished with me.
Sitting on the bench Mama pulled me between her legs after putting the leather strip on the bench next to her. "I'm not going to lecture you, Samina Ephiny, you know why you are here. You understand why you are being punished. Let's get this started."
Mama reached up and pulled my leggings down before guiding me over her lap. Bracing my hands on the floor I took a deep breath as she lowered my drawers as well. Saying nothing I merely tried to get as comfortable as I could while waiting for her to begin my comeuppance.
Mama's sword hand came down on my backside after what seemed years of waiting, but was in reality probably less than thirty seconds. She wasn't going easy on me but she wasn't spanking the tar out of me either. Realizing that I was going to be over her lap for a long while, I rued the day that I ever thought of calling Ares out and demanding answers from him.
Mama's hand finally stopped its descent and my tears ran down my face unhindered. Feeling her shift I knew she had picked up the leather strap. "This is the last part of your punishment, Samina. Hold as still as you can, I'm not going to go easy on you."
With that pronouncement Mama penned my legs down with her own before bringing the strap down on my already sore bottom. Each strike of the strap was like a line of fire on my bottom and it was all I could do not to try and crawl off of Mama's lap. Finally feeling myself being righted onto Mama's lap I curled into her and cried the rest of my tears.
Feeling a cloth on my face I wondered where Mama had hidden it but brushed the thought away as she cleaned my tears. Feeling a kiss to my forehead I finally caught my breath with a loud last gasp. "Mama?"
"Yes, little one?"
"I think you're much scarier than Ares," I sniffed through my grin and she pulled me close once more.
"And don't you ever forget that, little one." Mama began to rock me and hum my lullaby as I continued to gather myself happy that I could still fit into her lap despite the circumstance.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
"Shut up, Eve!" I was glaring at my little sister feeling as if I could shoot her across the village like a shot putt.
"Make me!" she challenged.
"Yeah, make her!" the twins chimed in dancing around us as Nasa stood by me growling.
"You two stay out of it," I huffed. "Eve, stop teasing me."
"Sam got spanked, Sam got spanked," Eve stuck her tongue out at me and I lunged for her as my mothers' bedroom door opened.
"Everyone freeze!" Mom's voice easily filled the hut and she eyed us all with a frown. "It's too early for this. Sam go get breakfast and go to school. Eve stop teasing your sister and go get dressed, and yes, you have to wear clothes. Zoe and Emily stop jumping and go play in your room. Nasa stick close to Eve."
Grumbling we all did as Mom directed. Glaring at Eve once more, I grabbed my staff and exited the hut as quickly as possible.
"Everyone alive out there?" Xena asked as her wife slipped back into bed with her.
"For now. Eve was teasing Sam about her spanking."
"And Sam?"
"Was trying to kill her sister," Gabrielle snuggled into her wife. "Next time we should just let nature take its course."
Yawning the warrior nodded, "Probably the best thing we could do in the circumstances."
"We can talk to Eve at breakfast," Gabrielle yawned this time.
"Or sooner," Xena sighed. "Trouble, get in here."
The door opened and Eve ran into the bedroom jumping up on the bed followed by Nasa. "I'm hungry."
"We're sleeping," Gabrielle mumbled.
"Come lay in between us," Xena encouraged. "We need to talk with you."
Eve snuggled in between her mothers and shifted until she was on her back. "What do we need to talk about?"
"About you teasing Sam," Xena's voice was soft but serious. "You wouldn't want her to tease you about getting spanked, so do not tease her about the same thing."
"But she's old and she got spanked," Eve protested. "I mean only little kids get spanked."
"Where on Earth did you get that idea?" Gabrielle asked.
Eve shrugged, "Everyone knows that, Mommy."
Xena snorted and Gabrielle groaned, "Eve let your mama and I tell you a family secret."
"What secret, Mommy?" Eve's excited voice asked.
"That as long as we are able you can be spanked in this family no matter your age," Xena responded. "So I wouldn't be teasing Sam too much because that could be you in another ten years."
"I doubt it," Eve huffed.
"And why is that?" Gabrielle asked.
"I'm not dumb enough to call out Ares and ask for a favor. It's not like I have a death wish." Gabrielle and Xena were quiet and caught each other's gaze over their daughter's body.
"Just like her mother," they finally said in tandem as Nasa and Eve began to play on the bed.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Entering the kitchen I grabbed two pieces of bread from the counter along with some meat and cheese. Making myself a sandwich I took a large bite and yelped when Yaya's hand gently swatted me.
"Sit down and eat, Sam."
"If it's all the same to you I'd rather stand." I leaned down to hug Yaya. "Mama wore me out last night and school is going to be torture enough today."
Yaya shook her head at me and pushed a glass of apple juice in front of me. "Well what did you expect her to do after that stunt you pulled, give you an award?"
I shook my head, "I knew that wouldn't happen but I wasn't aware that she could take the gold medal if spanking was an Olympic event."
Hearing a snicker across the kitchen I saw Shay shake her head. "What'd you do this time, Sam?" she asked.
"Forgot that despite being my mothers' daughter it's never a good idea to call out a god."
Shay whistled as I finished my breakfast. "You sure you're going to be able to sit down at all today?"
"I sure hope so," I chugged the apple juice and hugged Yaya again. "Love you, Yaya I need to go." Grabbing my staff I headed out of the kitchen and made my way to school hoping that we might me going on a long tracking expedition or nature hike today rather than sitting all day in the school building.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***