Pairing: Sage/Elena (F/f) hand, hairbrush
Mikaelson Estate
Mystic Falls, Virginia
August 1855
Same Day, Afternoon
Solomon watched his mother closely as she petted the horse.
"Mama, you're leaving again. It tis alright, I know you have to go," Solomon said quietly. He liked the horses, but they were so big, it scared him.
Emily looked up in alarm. "Baby boy, I do not want to leave you again. I thought I could stay a while...Is that not what you want?"
"I want you to stay forever with me," Solomon said truthfully. "But I know what they will do to you. I dreamt it, remember? They will burn you in a fire. Bad man who are greedy for power and land here, they are the ones who will do it. In my dream, they tie you to a tree...Please, Mama, you go and I will see you again."
"Oh my boy," Emily sniffed. "I love you so much. I know you are powerful, as all of Bennett blood are, but do you know how rare it is to have the Sight? It will protect you and let you have many descendants who will protect this land and our people."
"Not only our people, Mama. I love you so much, too, but I do not want this to come to pass. I will have to protect those who live by their fangs and claws. I am afraid of them, but they have a claim to this land, too. Is that not the way of things here? The right thing to do?" Solomon asked.
"It tis, but that way is not easy. The right way is not supposed to be. You are so brave, so good-hearted, maybe too good for this world. But you listen, you follow the voice inside you. And if you need to, you ask our ancestors for help. There are ways. I will ask the vampire Kol to teach you more magic. He knows spells from all over the globe. But stay away from sacrificial magic. It is forbidden for a reason. With our power, it can go wrong fast," Emily said.
"I know, Mama. I will not ever trade a life for a life. We must be servants of nature, not masters of it," Solomon repeated from memory.
"That tis right. Oh my boy, leaving you is like dying already," Emily cried, she stepped away from the horse and pulled her child to her chest. Her brown face was lined with tears, and she did not know if she had the strength to leave him. But she did not want him to watch her die. Not yet.
Emily said her goodbyes and then made her way to the big house to find Kol.
Main House
Sage frowned as she read the note.
"Elena, you punched this other girl! At school, I must say I am rather shocked," Sage admitted, putting down the note.
Rebekah pleaded, "Sage, do not be too angry. This Kathy is a grave menace. She orchestrated the whole thing. Elena was right to lose her temper! I would have killed the little vixen!"
Finn stepped into the girls' bedroom.
"Rebekah Mikaelson, that is not helping. You run along and attend to your chores," Finn said sternly.
Rebekah huffed and glanced at Elena who was standing primly, with her head down. She would not put it past her prickly brother to spank her right in front of her new sister-in-law and Elena. Plus, she did not wish to make him angry.
"Yes, Finn. I am going," Rebekah said quietly.
"Thank you," Finn said gratefully. "We know you are just trying to help."
Rebekah nodded, winked at Elena, and stepped out.
Sage picked up the note and handed it to Finn. He read it silently.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Finn asked quietly.
"I am sorry. I did lose my temper and the teacher paddled me already," Elena confessed, shame-faced.
"Yes, she wrote that," Sage noted. "You will stay in this room until supper. Finn and I are going to discuss your punishment. Complete your homework, please."
Elena nodded and looked around the beautifully appointed room.
"Yes, ma'am," Elena said dutifully.
Finn and Sage went out to speak in the hallway.
Finn started, "She was already punished in school...and it sounds like this Kathy is the one who needs another spanking!"
Sage let a small smile slip. "Finn Mikaelson, you have a real soft spot for her. Yes, she was spanked at school and rightly so, but did we not warn all the children to behave? And we told them they shall get a worse thrashing if they misbehaved."
"Yes, wife, you are correct but-," Finn protested.
"None of that. You go see to your duties, I will handle the punishment. I am going to let her think and then put her over my knee for another reminder. If we are not firm with these children, they will run amuck. Do you want that?" Sage inquired.
"No, of course not. You are correct, of course," Finn said. "Are you sure you do not want me to spank her?"
"No, you go. I shall see to it. And do not worry, I shall not be too harsh on the poor darling," Sage urged. "Go on. Give us some privacy."
"As you wish, my dear," Finn said, kissing her on the lips. "How did I get such a wise wife?"
"Luck, my dear. Pure luck," Sage jested.
Finn slowly made his way down the hallway, but he looked back to admire the sight of Sage going back in the room.
Veranda
Kol nodded, "Of course, I will teach him. But must you go so soon? I was hoping you could enlighten me on all these hexes that we were cursed with."
Emily frowned, "I wish that only I could stay. But my son's dreams often come to pass. The vision he saw of the townsfolk burning me for a witch will happen if I stay."
Kol put a hand on her arm. "I was a witch once, too. I grieve for you. No mother and son should be driven apart so much. I promise you that I will protect Solomon, as will all of my family. And I will teach him all that I can so he can protect himself and your line. But is there anyway to break this prophesy?"
"There is always a way," Emily noted. "But to do so could turn Solomon from a seer into...something else. It is risky and not advisable. I aim to get far away from these lands. It is best if none of you know where. But I have something else to tell you."
"Yes, another vision?" Kol prodded. He thought through his inventory of dark objects wondering if any of them could help this witch...
"You have a sister out there. Alive. She is your mother's first daughter. Solomon only told me about it today. I am not sure when, but she will be here in time. She will help protect all of you during the dark days to come," Emily said.
"My sister died of the plague? Nine hundred years ago," Kol argued.
"Nay, Kol, she did not. Trust in my son and there is chance you will all make it into through this century. I will leave my grimoire with you. I only ask that you never ask my son to do dark sacrificial magic. The power in it can overwhelm someone of his power," Emily said. She was dying inside, but she blinked the tears away. "I must go now lest I lose my will."
Kol slipped off a gold and ruby ring her wore. "Take this that it may fund part of your journey. I could get you more if you could wait but a moment."
"There is no more time," Emily said, looking off to the west. "But I will take a horse. A fast one."
"I'll tell the stable master. You go," Kol urged. He went to speak with the men at the stables and then hurried to find Niklaus and Elijah.
Girls' Bedroom
Sage told Elena to remove her shirt and skirt and cover over to her. She plucked Rebekah's silver hair brush off the dresser.
"I need to see your backside, Elena. I do not wish to injure you," Sage said kindly.
Elena nodded and stripped out of her school clothes. Sage lifted up her petticoats and slips and tugged down her drawers.
"Your bottom is pink, but not bruised. I think you can take another spanking and then we can put this incident behind us," Sage said evenly.
Elena choked back a sob. "Yes, I deserve it. I do not wish to be a poor example for my brother."
Sage felt a moment of uncertainty, perhaps she could let her off just this once.
Then Elena went on, "But I wanted to claw that bitch's eyes out. She set me up! It is a wonder that she finally told the teacher the truth! I will not fight her again, but she is my enemy until the end of time."
Sage's resolve was strengthened, she said, "Elena, does not the Bible state we need to turn the other cheek?"
Elena stomped her foot and moaned, "But that is foolhardy! Kathy does not deserve my forgiveness. She ought to burn in Hell!"
"Did she ask for it from you?" Sage asked carefully.
Elena thought and felt ashamed, "Yes, she did. I said I forgave her but I really did not..."
"Perhaps this spanking will soften you heart. I know it is difficult, but I wish for you to be the better person. Hatred and bitterness can grow in a person's heart into rage. Seek to forgive her, not for her, but for your own sake. If you can be a person of compassion, then would you not be a model of virtue for this Kathy to look up to?" Sage offered.
Elena thought for a moment and said quietly, "Yes, you are correct. I wish to be better in heart and mind. Rage makes you ugly and cruel and I wish to be neither."
"You are a lovely girl who has been through much," Sage shared. "And you also have a bit of growing up to do. Controlling one's temper will do you much good in the future, I assure you. I have overcome many difficulties through this belief. Now, step out of your drawers."
Elena obeyed and let Sage lead her over to her bed.
Sage sat and guided Elena over her lap and then pulled her legs up to rest on the bed. She did not know how long this would take.
Sage smoothed up Elena's petticoat and patted Elena's bare bottom. It was still pink from her earlier incident with the paddle.
Elena tensed and buried her face into the covers, already crying.
"I want you to recall this the next time this girl vexes you," Sage said slowly. "Because if I know her type, there will be a next time. And hopefully, Kathy will be the only one getting punishment, not you."
Sage set the brush on the bed and begun to spank Elena firmly with the flat of her hand.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
The smacks seemed to echo through the large room. The doors to the porch were opened and a cool breeze eased in.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
Elena shifted as the fresh smacks on her already tender cheeks smarted something awful. Soon, she was kicking up her feet and squirming.
"Keep your feet down," Sage warned.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
But Elena could only grip the fluffy white comforter on her bed and cry into it.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.
"You are doing fine," Sage urged. "But I shall use the hairbrush now."
Sage picked up the heavy silver brush and tapped it on Elena's burning behind.
Tap. Tap.
Whap! Whap!
Elena grunted, "Ahhhh. Owwww."
Whap! Whap!
"Ouch!" Elena exclaimed after every crack of the brush. She kicked her feet into the other side of the bed as Sage held her down firmly with her left arm.
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Elena's grunts turned into ragged sobbing and she tried to shift her backside out of the way unsuccessfully.
"What are you going to do the next time someone angers you?" Sage asked, pausing to rest the cool metal on her smarting rump.
"T-Turn the o-other cheek!" Elena got out with some effort.
"Good, then we are almost done," Sage revealed. She begun to paddle her with a renewed vigor for the closing whacks. She did not want to repeat this lesson anytime soon.
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Whap! Whap!
Sage ended the spanking when Elena lay limp and exhausted over her lap. The girl's bottom was now a bright red and had to be quite sore.
"There, no more spanking," Sage soothed. She rubbed Elena's backside and patted her back until her tears subsided. Sage lifted her up and set her on her feet. Elena sniffed and went to rub her sore buttocks, but Sage stopped her.
"None of that yet. I want you to go stand in the corner for ten minutes. Hold up your slip and do not rub that aching fanny," Sage directed. She pulled Elena's hands in front of her. "Or I will paddle you again. Now, march."
Elena sniffled her way into the corner to the right of the porch doors and lifted up her slip, shifting from foot to foot.
"Stand still, please," Sage said. She walked the hairbrush over to Rebekah's dresser. She slipped out of the room and found one of the maids. Sage came back a few minutes later with a jar of cream.
Though it had only been six minutes, Sage knew that time in the corner felt endless.
"Elena, you may come over to me," Sage said. "Tell me what you learned."
Elena cleared her throat, "To b-behave at s-school and b-be the b-better person. If K-Kathy taunts me again, I shall not f-fall into her trap."
"Good," Sage said. She pulled out her embroidered hanky and gave it to Elena to wipe her face. Sage stood and opened her arms and hugged Elena for a moment.
"There, all forgiven," Sage cooed. "You took your spanking very well. I have something that always helped me after a thrashing."
Then, she had Elena turn and applied the cream to her shiny red behind.
"This should help a bit," Sage said. "I am sure it you will feel an ache when you sit for at least tonight. Now, how about we get you down for a little rest?"
Elena's nodded and let Sage walk her to the bed, which Sage opened and helped her get in on her stomach. Sage patted her back and smoothed back Elena's dark tresses as they talked quietly.
"I shall leave you to it then," Sage said in a low voice.
"No, would you stay with me? Until I fall asleep?" Elena asked in a small voice.
"Of course, love," Sage said, touched. Elena scooted over and Sage lay down beside her.
When Rebekah walked in to call them for supper, she felt a spark of envy. They looked so cozy in the bed. She woke up Sage and let her awaken Elena.
Then, through the open doors to the porch, they heard yelling. It was Damon.
"My horse! Someone stole my horse!" Damon shouted. "Azul!"
Sage uttered, "What in the world?"
"I have no idea," Rebekah replied.