This story will contain the following: two women as life partners and mothers, spankings to minor children, and anyone else whom the author deems needs it.

The rights of Xena, Gabrielle, Cyrene, Argo, etc. belong to REN pics and whomever else makes a profit from using them. I own nothing.

All that said, enjoy.

I figured it was time to post that disclaimer again since it had been so long since I've posted. Let's just say that health and computer issues have now been resolved and I'm going to try and ease into a steadier routine of posting.

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Chapter 68

Standing in front of Ephiny I watched as Daphne shuffled from foot to foot. She was nervous and I was acting in the role of the royal house. I wasn't going to dole out her punishment, but I was going to be witness in Mom's stead and be sure that aunt Ephiny did a good job in punishing Daphne and Layla.

Ephiny was pacing in front of the girls, looking every bit of regent as she could, her curls bouncing. "Well, girls. What have you got to say for yourselves?"

"We're sorry, regent." Layla began. "I had no idea it would go south so quickly."

"If you had, would you still have gone and attempted to speak with Simon?"

"No, Ma'am." Layla spoke again.

"Daphne?"

"Of course, I'd try it again. Why not?"

"Because you'll end up back here, Daphne." I said quietly. "And you saw what happened when you tried to get Simon to leave."

"Stay out of this, Sam." She retorted.

Running her hand down her face, Ephiny stifled a groan. "Oh, for the god's sake, you two, knock it off." Turning to Layla, Ephiny pronounced her sentence. "Four swats with a striped arrow shaft. Hands on knees."

Assuming the position, Layla waited quietly and accepted her punishment like a true junior warrior. "Dismissed. Go home and tell your mother why you were punished."

"Yes, your majesty." Layla bowed respectfully and took off as quickly as she could move.

"Assume the position," Ephiny spoke curtly to Daphne.

"Why?" Daphne's voice had more attitude than Eve's goat running scared from the troubling trio.

Sighing heavily, Ephiny turned and got into Daphne's face. "Because I told you to, young lady. You instigated the little party in Simon's village, tried to get him to leave and caused his death. None of which needed to happen. Vanessa had to fight Roland and he ultimately died as well, from that wound to his leg. And her little brother is truly mourning his father's death."

"And?"

"And why did you do it?"

"Because I thought we could get him to leave! And I want my first feather. Sam is getting hers soon. What do I have to do to get mine? Call out gods?" Daphne shouted at Ephiny.

"Not if you know what's good for you, I seethed." Looking at Ephiny, I sighed too. "Can I please kick her ass?"

"No, that's for me to do, Princess." Ephiny shook her head and tried again. "You are getting paddled with the wooden sword, Daphne. Assume the position."

"That's not fair!"

"Be glad it's not the flat of my sword, young lady!" Ephiny glared at Daphne and I saw Daphne gulp at that pronouncement.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

I held my laugh only by bending down and pretending to tighten my boot laces. "Daphne, I would do as the regent says."

"Of course, you would." Daphne rolled her eyes in my direction and I crossed my arms and shook my head deciding against saying or doing anything to draw attention to myself.

A sparkling of silver suddenly enveloped the queen's hut and I immediately bowed down as did Ephiny. Daphne was the only one dumb enough not to even bow her head to Artemis. "What is going on here?"

"Ephiny wants to paddle me." Daphne tried.

"Then she shall," Artemis' voice was low and dangerous. "What you did in Simon's village was beyond dangerous, Daphne. Ephiny is acting in the place of our queen and I trust her judgement completely. There is a reason those girls under the age of 16 rarely, if ever achieve junior warrior status. Judgement. You were very short sighted and had no idea on what to do today when your plans did not work out the way you thought they would. If you had not been bailed out, what do you think would have happened?"

Daphne looked at the goddess with the most incredulous look on her face. "I don't know, Artemis. I guess we would have kicked some butt and saved things before seeing it through to the end." Rolling her eyes, she was unprepared for the half dozen stinging swats from the goddess that lifted her off the ground.

"I've had enough of this attitude, Daphne. Now, I do believe it's time for you to assume the position and allow Ephiny to finish your punishment."

Wondering why the goddess would take such an interest in Daphne and her punishment, I sighed and waited until Ephiny retrieved the sword from the wall. Moving back to Daphne, Ephiny pointed to her goddess before removing the wooden practice sword from the wall. "Thank you, Artemis." "You are welcome, Ephiny." Artemis disappeared in a flash of silver once more.

Ephiny moved back with the sword and faced Daphne once more, "Assume the position, Daphne." Waiting for the girl to do so, Ephiny then moved and put Daphne's hands on the table in front of her. Pulling down Daphne's leggings Ephiny brought the wooden sword down exactly 6 times before replacing it with the striped arrow shaft. "Had you listened to me in the first place, your punishment would have been over." Ephiny began, "but since you chose to disobey me and got Artemis involved, I thought four with the arrow shaft would help as well." Bringing the shaft down in rapid succession, Daphne's tears were overflowing just as Yaya burst into the hut.

I was waiting for Ephiny to release Daphne from her punishment when I shook my head and let out a low whistle. Grabbing my grandmother, I merely nodded to Ephiny as she took her own sword from its sheath. Daphne had had the good sense not to move when she saw Yaya enter the queen's hut but was still in the position that Ephiny had placed her in. "And two more from my sword, Daphne. Then we shall continue this matter closed. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my regent." Daphne could barely speak but at least her manners were back and she locked eyes with Yaya and nodded.

Ephiny's sword arm came down twice and Daphne jumped at both swats. Putting her sword on the table, Ephiny moved and squeezed Daphne's shoulder. "You may right yourself and go to your mother. You took your punishment like a true warrior, Daphne."

I saw the briefest of smiles on Daphne's face. She had received the highest praise from the regent over a punishment and knew it.

I watched as Yaya and Daphne moved towards home and I sat down at the table and waited for Ephiny to join me. She put a glass of cider in front of me and I took a sip of it. "Nice job, regent." I smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "It's exactly what the queen would have done."

"And the Princess and future leader of the nation?" She asked.

"Agrees completely." I finished my cider and looked at her with what I hoped was a rough look. "I know that when Mom first came here that her empathy with punishments was a real hinderance and it took Mama setting her straight for anyone to really learn to respect her and take her seriously. I don't have that problem. I understand completely. And you should have seen Daphne's smile when you squeezed her shoulder and told her to go home. She knew that you were being sincere. You did good, aunt Ephiny, Regent."

I got a small smile from the praise. "Oh gods, did I really just smile at that?"

"Yep. You've been hanging out with Mom too long," I teased.

"I guess so," she laughed and finished her cider too. "Get out of here, kid. Time for both of us to get home. It's been a long day."

I nodded and got up to head home.

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I know it's been a while. Amazing what a brain tumor, and an almost 6 month stay in a nursing home recovering from brain surgery without your things does. I'm still in the home and don't know when I'll be back to my house, I still can't live alone unfortunately, but am working on getting better. I'm having issues with insurance and some other stuff… but now that I have my laptop, I want to continue with my writing, it will help me, I think, in my recovery and I've reread my stories and have a new spark on things. For those of you waiting on Glee that one is next on my agenda. I'm thankful that I can still write and the only residual effect from the surgery is a shorter haircut and an eye issue.

**Update: Eye issue- I am now wearing reading glasses- no prescription needed and a new pair of contacts. I also have cataracts but the eye doctor wasn't sure when they would need to come of using surgerylmmidwddddddddwww