Pairing: Elijah-Klaus/Tristan-Lucien (M/MM) hand, switch
*Special thanks to Jazmine F., the character of Lucie and the plot development are all hers. Thank you for your contributions!
"Who knows why we were taught to Fear the Witches
And not those that burned them
Or those who stood by watching."
― Affinity Soul
1002 A.D., South France
Castle of the Count de Martel
Castle Grounds
Mid-Morning
Ethelred found the girl by the southern wall as he was coming back from the privy. He saw the flaxen-colored hair first and thought it was Landina, the laundress' niece. Yet when she turned her head, he saw a face covered in heavy bruises and scrapes, almost hiding her freckles.
"W-Water," the girl begged. She looked a little younger than he did. Mayhaps twelve or thirteen summmers old.
"Lady, are you alright? Who did this to you?" Ethelred demanded, leaning down to sit her up. "Can you walk?"
"Aye," the girl croaked. "I t-think I can..."
Ethelred helped her to the nearby well and got her a cupful of water. She drank it hastily, spilling some on her filthy shift.
"Who did this to you?" Ethelred said, helping her to stand up.
"The abbess," the girl said. "I need speak to the Lady Aurora. They are coming..."
With that, the girl fainted into Ethelred's arms. He scooped her up, finding her as light as a feather, and carried her to the kitchen. Maybe Cook would know what to do?
Chambers of the Lady Aurora
"But I am hungering now!" Aurora shouted at the top of her lungs.
Rebekah winced, "My dear, if you drink more, you shall fall into a more terrible gluttony and wantonness. Now, do as my brothers say and take your rest now. We shall hunt tonight. I give you my word."
Aurora picked up the heavy metal candlestick near her bed and smashed it against the stone wall. It exploded into pieces, taking part of the wall with it.
"Lady, you must calm yourself. You have great strength now, but you are no match for those stronger-," Rebekah tried. As she had feared, Elijah came storming in.
"By God's bones, what is going on in here?" Elijah thundered, pinning Aurora with a steely glare.
"She did it," Aurora whined, shrinking back into her bed. She lamely pointed to Rebekah who shook her head.
Elijah looked at Rebekah in annoyance.
"I did no such thing, Elijah. The lady is much out of sorts. I cannot seem to calm her," Rebekah explained, casting a wary look at Aurora.
"Mayhaps a good spanking would settle the lady down," Elijah warned.
"You touch me and I shall have your head," Aurora shrieked, burying her head under her bed covers. "Where is my brother? Tristan?"
"Elijah, please, give her another chance. She is hungry and cannot go out for the rays of the sun will destroy her," Rebekah argued. "Tristan is at his duties, Aurora. He shall be back soon."
"Rebekah, if we spoil her, no good shall come of it," Elijah retorted, moving towards the beautiful newly-made redheaded vampire. She had grown frantic the night before when Tristan informed her that he was sending her back to the Abbey. She stabbed herself with a sharp blade and Rebekah healed her with her blood, revealing herself as a night creature. Aurora was transfixed and wished to be made strong and fast. Rebekah said no and Aurora had thrown herself from her casement window. She turned during the night and fed from a stableboy. They could barely tear her away from him before she drained him, such was her great hunger.
Rebekah stamped her slippered foot hard.
"Elijah, I made her, not through my own will, but she is mine. I will not see her thrashed on her first day as our kind!"
"Am I to leave her discipline to you? Dear Sister, you have not the heart for it. Your softness will leave her tearing through the countryside ravaging all she meets. Do you not recall when we first reached these shores?" Elijah shared.
"Of course I do-," Rebekah started.
Lucien burst in through the chamber door.
"Pardon my intrusion, but Cook sent me. There is a girl here. She said her name is Lucie," Eira gasped. "She needs speak to the Lady Aurora. She said is of life or death."
Aurora uncovered her head. "Lucie? Bring her in. She has come many leagues to see me. Please, I shall not harm her."
Elijah nodded, "Please her in. I will protect her."
Friar's Study
"I wish you to teach Tristan more of the accounts and the business of this manor. From now on, he shall be at his studies in the morn and then with me after noon to see to his duties," Klaus stated. "Lucien will join him on most days. I am looking for some duties for him to take over."
"Aye, it shall be done," Friar John agreed. "We need a new chamberlain, the previous one died of the pox."
"Mayhaps. And Friar, did my brother, Finn, ever mention that we, too, are of witch blood?" Klaus asked casually, flipping through a religious manuscript.
The heavy, balding friar, wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead.
"Nay, my Lord Niklaus, I did not know that," Friar John breathed. Finn had told him that he would keep his secrets from his brothers.
"It is true. From now on, you will give me your upmost loyalty. I may not have your powers of spell craft but I have no problem feeding you your own guts. You now only answer to the Lord Elijah or myself. Is that clear?" Klaus went on.
"Aye, v-very c-clear, sir," the Friar stammered.
"And you will tell me everything you know about the goings on in the nearby villages. Everything your coven thinks they know," Klaus demanded.
Kol's Chamber
Kol folded his arms across his well-muscled chest.
"It tis not fair, Finn. Why are we to be punished? We were allowed to go hunting!" Kol whined.
"You were to be hunting for food, not villagers," Finn snapped. "Elijah and Niklaus know now about the witches. It is only a matter of time..."
"So you are covering for your own deceit? And I am to get a hiding because of it. What else is nigh? What blasted folly!" Kol cursed, he put his shoulder length brown locks behind his ears and groaned.
"That is not the worst of it, I am afraid. Elijah tasked me with whipping you," Finn admitted. "And Rebekah."
Kol grinned, "You are to give us our due? By the blood of Christ, have you ever even taken a lashing. I think you may not know what to do."
Finn paled, just thinking about it. "I have been punished before. And you best watch your language. Our brothers or the Friar hear you curse like that and you shall be eating lye soap!"
"Soap? I would grind up their bones of they made me taste such foulness. I prefer the sweet, pure taste of blood. Come to think of it, I grow hungry. May I take my leave to hunt or am I too be confined to my chambers to rot? I would not put it past our siblings to torture me so," Kol grumbled.
"Go," Finn said, in frustration. "But you shall get your whippings after the feast tonight. Do not leave this castle after. I mean it, Kol."
Kol let out a harsh laugh, "I almost am looking forward to this. You would not raise a stick to a rabid dog!"
Kol stalked out, leaving Finn to slump down and the bench.
He moaned, "What have I done?"
Chambers of the Lady Aurora
Ethelred had never been in the lady's bedchamber before. He looked in awe at the tapestries and rich decor for only a moment before turning his attention back to Lucie. Cook had let Eira clean her up and feed her properly before letting her come before Lady Aurora.
Elijah saw her fragile state and whisked over a heavy chair for Ethelred to seat her on. The young girl winced.
"Thank you, Lord," Lucie coughed.
"My dear, you are not well. May I ask what circumstances brought you here?" Elijah asked. "Your face is covered in marks."
Lucie looked up as Aurora slowly approached. Elijah had compelled her to not harm the girl, but Aurora was glowing with a new light. She looked radiant.
"Oh my dearest friend, what did they do to you?" Aurora wept. Tears dripped down on her fine gown.
Rebekah stayed close to Aurora. "She's lovely and not many summers. Did you recently part?"
Aurora gently embraced Lucie and soon they were weeping together. Aurora heard the girl's fast heartbeat and could smell her blood. But the compulsion stopped her from changing into her new persona.
Elijah looked at Ethelred. "Are you not to be at your training, young man? I believe you have more important duties to attend to."
"Yes, Lord Elijah," Ethelred said respectfully.
Lucie turned and looked at the handsome young man, "Thank you, sir. He saved me, he was very kind."
Ethelred blushed and backed out to find the steward, he was training under. He would be lucky if he did not get sent to muck out the stables for his tardiness, but it would be worth it. For Lucie had captured his heart.
Elijah looked at Rebekah and smirked.
"Now then, I for one, should like to hear what is going on here. Someone said there was danger afoot?" Elijah prodded.
Rebekah pulled Aurora back.
"Aye, after my lady fled the Abbey, the Abbess thought me guilty of assisting her. I was...accused of witchcraft. She had me beaten," Lucie said in a low voice. "They said if I did not bring her back, they would have me burned. But I am innocent, my lord. I am not a witch."
Aurora covered her face with her hands. "Of course not. That Abbess is the witch! My dear Lucie is a decent and good girl. I should have taken you with me. Forgive me."
"Tis not your fault, dearest Aurora. You needed to be free, but they are coming. They suspect a foul presence here and want to purge the devil's handprint from this land, as did your lord father, the count," Lucie went on.
"The church believes there is a coven of witches here?" Elijah asked mildly, as if it were preposterous.
"Aye, I am to bring the lady back or they will damn my soul to hell," Lucie confessed.
Rebekah knelt down to speak plainly to the battered girl.
"Listen to me, Lucie, is it? We shall not let them take you. Trust me that you are safe here. I swear that to you," Rebekah vowed, as she took the girl's slender hand.
"I thank you, lady...," Lucie said sweetly. "You are most kind."
"Aye, us girls must stick together," Rebekah quipped. "They fear witches? Good. We will give them something to fear. Now tell me more of this convent. How did you come to be there at your age?"
Great Hall
Tristan slumped over on the uncomfortable chair and his eyes glazed over.
"My Lord Count, are you listening to me?" the steward asked again.
"Aye, the taxes must be collected or...In truth, I need visit the privy," Tristan lied. He could not take another moment of this dull man's instruction. He should be at his sister's side. Making sure she was alright. Finding her now a vampire had his mind spinning. She could not die, but the future he had envisioned for her was over. Their family line would never continue, yet they would. He did not know what to feel but his mind could not focus on the mundane tasks the steward was going on about.
"Again? Does something ail thee? Perhaps the lamb last night went foul. Ethered never returned from the privy himself!" the steward recalled.
"Oh, there is Ethered now. He can take heed of your counsel and relay it to me post haste. I believe I should go inspect the grounds," Tristan announced.
"But the Lord Elijah said you are to...," the steward corrected.
"Steward, who is the count here?" Tristan asked sharply.
"You are, my lord," the steward answered nervously.
"Aye, and I am taking my leave," Tristan said loudly. He made it to the entrance of the great hall before Klaus caught him.
"I believe they call what you just did, pulling rank," Klaus snapped. "Now, before I take down your hose and spank your lazy behind, tell me where Lucien is!"
Tristan groaned, "I am the Count, my Lord Niklaus. I need not answer to you."
"That tis it," Klaus growled. He grabbed Tristan by the arm and marched him to his own bedchamber. He was dismayed to find Lucien in there bedding Eira.
"My lord!" Eira cried out, as she hopped out of Klaus' large bed and begun to throw on her shift.
Klaus ignored her and snapped, "In my bed? Lucien, this is a bit much, even for you!"
Lucien sat up and groaned, "Nik, I thought you were in studies with the friar?"
"I was working, unlike the two of you. Eira, please go back to the kitchen. I will speak to you later," Klaus said dryly.
Tristan snickered as Lucien got out of the bed naked and started to dress.
"Nay, you might as well stay in your natural state," Klaus corrected. "You will not need clothes for what comes next. Both of you need a trip over my lap."
Tristan stopped his laughter. "But Niklaus, my dear sister was killed last night. How can you expect me to work and act normally? I am beside myself."
Lucien frowned, "Aurora was so pure, so perfect. Now, she will be a fiend, like us."
Klaus sighed, "I am sorry about your sister, Lucien. I know what this means and if I could take back what happened, I would. But alas, we cannot. There are workings going on that are dangerous to us on all accounts. Did you hear what the witches are want to do?"
"Witches? There are no more witches here. My father had them killed," Tristan shared.
"Nay, there are many amongst us of magical blood. They believe that a beast has been killing humans in nearby villages. They mean to...remove those beasts," Klaus intoned.
"What of it? What do we care?" Lucien snarked. "Kill them all."
Klaus' face grew dark. "It is clear that you two know nothing other than your own greed. Tristan, free yourself from your clothing and the two of you face the wall until I return. I shall teach you the price to be this callous."
Lucien whispered to Tristan carefully as Klaus left. "Beasts? What do you think he knows? He is going to flog us without mercy. We have angered him."
Tristan spat on the floor as he stripped. "He is always angry, as well as full of secrets. If there are witches near, perhaps they can cure Aurora of this affliction."
Lucien agreed, "She was never meant for this. I curse myself for not protecting her. But Niklaus has never been this angry with me..."
"We are doomed, Lucien. Yet I care not, I only care about the fate of our Aurora. We have had many differences, but I know your love for her has always been pure," Tristan stated.
"Aye, I thought at one time that she would be my wife...," Lucien fumed. "What say you we get out of here and take her and flee?" Tristan blurted out, he had joined Lucien's stance near the wall.
"But you would forgo your title and lands?" Lucian demanded, his voice rising. "They are your birthright. These small people are yours."
"Not anymore," Tristan said flatly. "Elijah is the real count now and his family the nobles. We are but mere dung upon their boots."
Lucien was shocked. "But will Aurora go with us? She does not have a ring yet to defy the sun. She can only travel at night."
"Nay, they had the traveling witch who made our rings, make several more. I know as I supplied the lapis stones, at great cost, I may add. We just have to find the rings and go," Tristan said.
Elijah opened the door and both young vampires turned in shock.
"Faces against the wall!" Elijah shouted. "My brother went to go fetch a switch for the two of you. He asked me to look after you as he could sense a bit of naughtiness in you. More than usual, I should say. Yet I hear you are going to abscond, from your own castle?"
Tristan's knees almost buckled in fear, "Elijah, we were just speaking in jest! I am upset about my sister. It was just wild talk, I swear it."
Elijah vamped over and swatted Tristan's bare thighs once each. Whack. Whack.
"I hope so," Elijah growled. "Do you understand that the three of you would be dead in a fortnight? My father, once a great Viking warrior and now one of our kind, hunts all over these lands looking for us day and night. Do you know what they say he feeds on?"
Lucien whimpered, "We do not know, sir."
Elijah reached over and swatted Lucien bare buttocks swiftly. Crack!
"On vampires! *crack!* He only feeds from vampires they say. Now, I am sorry about the Lady Aurora. Her reaction to your request to send her back was unfortunate, but from what I see, *crack!* she is a spoilt brat," Elijah roared, making both men jump. "Just like the two of you. And I for one grow tired of your games."
Crack!
Lucien whimpered and started to cry. The spanking he just got hurt and he knew it was just he start.
Elijah took a deep breath and calmed himself.
"Now, I think I ought to warm you up with a hard spanking before Niklaus gets back. You are both long overdue for some discipline," Elijah spoke.
"You have neglected your true duties for too long. That is not something you can cast the blame on me for. Is that not correct, Tristan?"
Elijah gently took Tristan's arm and began to lead him over to the armless chair near the wall. He moved the chair nearer to the bed and sat. Holding Tristan in front of him, Tristan responded, "No, my lord. It was my folly. I am sorry...Truly, the blame is mine."
"No, you are speaking at the count. I assure you, I do not wish to rule your lands. I only wish to protect my family, always and forever. You, Lucien, and Aurora now fall under that, if you want it," Elijah said with emotion.
Tristan was ashamed of his earlier outburst. "I do. Forgive me."
"I already have. Now, lay yourself across my lap so we can sort out this mischief," Elijah said firmly.
Tristan bit his lip, but obeyed the older vampire. His hands lay flat on the stone floor leaving his legs to hand freely in the air. It was a childish position, but he supposed it was fitting.
Elijah wasted no time in starting the brisk spanking.
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
His hand felt solid and hard and Tristan did not even bother to try to bottle up his tears. He wept from the first crack to the last several minutes later. Elijah stood him with his hands on his hand, this time directly in the corner, while he took Lucien to the chair to spank.
Lucien fussed and kicked more as his pale bottom was reddened. He threw back his right hand and Elijah ended up pinning it and giving him an extra hard slap on the thighs.
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
Klaus came in with the switches and was surprised to see Elijah had already started the spankings.
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
"They gave you some trouble, Brother?" Klaus asked.
Elijah nodded and explained the conversation he had overheard.
Klaus frowned, "If the two of you ever speak of running off again, I will smack your sorry behinds every day for a week right in the great hall before and after supper! Do you understand?"
Tristan choked out an affirmative answer as Klaus had him pressed his hands against the wall.
"Stick out your posterior further. These switches are treated with vervain and you are going to learn a good lesson," Klaus warned.
"Y-Yes, L-Lord," Tristan blubbered.
Whappp!
Whappp!
Whappp!
Klaus laid down several licks of the willow switch before Tristan broke position and grabbed his bottom with his hands.
"Move your hands," Klaus warned. Elijah was still spanking Lucien over his lap. Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
"Nooooo, it h-hurts," Tristan wailed.
"It hurts us when you disobey and plot to leave. We have come to care about you all a great deal. How would we feel if something ghastly happened to you?" Klaus lectured. This made Tristan cry harder, but he moved his hands back against the wall.
Klaus held him this time as he lashed his behind down this his thighs with the slender stick. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooosh!
Tristan tried to dance away and stomp out the sting, but Klaus' hold was tight.
"I-I am s-sorry," Tristan yelped, as Klaus gave him a few more lashes.
Whappp!
Whappp!
Whappp!
He put aside the switch and spanked Tristan's behind with his hand a few times.
"That is for your behavior in the great hall," Klaus said. "Now, let us get you in the bed. You are going to sleep."
"I am n-not a babe," Tristan sniffled.
Spank. Spank. Spank. Spank. Spank.
Klaus turned him and spanked him five more times until Tristan almost ran to get into the bed. Klaus tucked him in on his stomach and then handed the switch to Elijah. Klaus had snapped it in half to shorten it, but made sure the untreated part was in Elijah's hand. The vervain stung fiercely, even to the Original vampires. Klaus patted Tristan on the back and rubbed it until he felt into a deep sleep.
Elijah swatted Lucien's rapidly healing buttocks with the vervain laced stick as Lucien bounced and thrashed over his knee.
Whappp!
Whappp!
Whappp!
"P-Please d-don't w-whip me," Lucien fussed.
Elijah smiled up as Klaus. "You want to do the honors?"
"Nay, you seem to be doing a fine job," Klaus said as he watched Elijah give Lucien another ten licks right over his lap.
Whappp!
Whappp!
"Owwwwwww," Lucien wailed.
Whappp!
Whappp!
"I shall not l-lie with Eira a-again," Lucien blurted out.
Whappp!
Klaus said, "It tis not that. But you were to be at your studies, young man. You are not to disobey us again. That is finished."
Whappp!
Whappp!
Elijah was having trouble holding the young vampire, who was kicking wildly.
Whappp!
"Almost finished and then you can have a nap also," Elijah stated.
Whappp!
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Ohhhhhhh," Lucien wailed hoarsely.
Whappp!
Elijah gave the young vampire a moment before standing him up. Lucien hopped up and down and rubbed his striped behind rapidly. Elijah took the switch and tossed the broken one in the fire. He leaned the others against the wall as Klaus opened his arms to the boy he had sired.
"Come now," Klaus said, Lucien sobbed in his arms and Klaus wiped away his tears. "Not in the bed. We shall have a long talk later but for now, you must rest. Last night was taxing."
"I-Is the L-Lady A-Aurora in g-good spirits?" Lucien asked.
Elijah answered, "Aye. But Niklaus, there is much we need to discuss. Let us leave the boys to their sleep and go speak."
Klaus let go of Lucien and steered him to his bed.
"You only get up to use the privy. Anything else and you will get another spanking and this one shall not be a light," Klaus warned. Lucien's handsome face nodded and he turned on his stomach.
Elijah patted him on the back and then followed his younger brother out of the room. He was not even sure where to start.
They had to come together and develop a plan.
The castle was in danger.
