Arthur and the Consequences of Being with the Faeries
After setting the now whimpering boy down, he shut the door. "You heard Steward Hugh. The whole castle will be hearing this, so they'll know Justice has been served and we can all move on," he said as he sat down on his favorite chair and motioned for the rascal to approach. "You caused such trouble for everyone, you're fortunate I don't do this at breakfast tomorrow in the great hall." That had been done to him when he was ten and he still burned with shame. True, he had stolen tarts from the kitchen so none were available for the feast, so he had deserved it. It still didn't negate how bad it felt to have to choke out an apology to the household, before demonstrating his penance.
Arthur obeyed, looking very nervous. "Please, don't," he begged. "I won't do it again!"
"Accept your punishment, unless you want that second dose in the morning."
As he predicted, Arthur surrendered and stood before him. Kai was grateful the little rascal was so short and slight. It would have been far harder to corral a bigger boy into compliance, but Arthur was a featherweight. "Stand still, I need to undo your trousers," he said. He wouldn't bare the boy entirely as had been done to him, but the thick woolen trousers would negate any punishment.
A tearful Arthur complied, standing only in the long thin stockings that would provide no protection. He kept giving Kai pleading glances, looking like a lamb before a wolf. It was adorable, but Kai hardened his heart. He patted his lap meaningfully.
Arthur froze in fear. "Elder Brother…" he begged, turning up all the charm of youth.
Kai took the boy's tiny wrist and pulled. Arthur whimpered as his elder foster brother guided him over to tuck his squire over a knee, locking him between his thighs.
Kai gently folded up the boy's tunic and wondered how he, the worst troublemaker of the castle, was now doing this. "We will talk later about your foolishness, but for now, I thought you could learn a lesson on how to deal with a disobedient squire. It will be a very practical lesson." He had a great deal of personal experience.
Arthur gulped. "I am truly sorry," he pleaded.
"I have no doubt you will be far sorrier when I'm done. So, let us begin. This will be a very thorough punishment, so we need to warm you up so you won't be too bruised up. Now you start with some light smacks." He demonstrated, administering ten slaps that would sting, but not deeply wound. Arthur whimpered but managed to keep it in control.
"Now, the next layer can be harder." Kailaid down another ten smacks much more sharp and painful. Arthur jerked but couldn't move much due to being pinned. Kai gave him an especially sharp smack that made him loudly complain.
Kain noticed that through the material, he could already see the flesh pink and bright. Well, it would match the color of an apple when he was done.
"It hurts!" Arthur protested, his backside already feeling quite warm and sore. "Please, mercy!"
"Mercy? Little brother, you are new to this so I must complete your education. You are only now finally warmed up and ready for the actual punishment." Father would check and finish the job if Kaididn't.
"That was not it?" Arthur pleaded. "But it hurt so much!"
"We have barely gotten a good sear on this disobedient little rump," Kai explained, patting the target. "Right now, it's just a fine shade of pink but for your misdeeds, I will dye it as scarlet as the setting sun."
"Mercy," Arthur pleaded again, turning up his angelic eyes with those girlish lashes that melted Mother's heart. "I learned my lesson."
"You disobeyed and put your life in danger, little brother. You deserve this," Kaireminded. "Far worse could have happened to you. This will make sure you stay safe." He did wish he could let the boy off but had he done the same, he'd still be wearing the bruise till the age of sixteen. "I expect you to conduct yourself as a young warrior."
Arthur's voice mewled thick with tears. "I'll be brave."
"Good lad. I'm warning you, this is going to be very painful. Clasp your hands together, you do not want to reach back and make me start over. Just lie still, your bottom is getting roasted no matter what, but I'll make it easier on you if you cooperate." He began slapping down five hard, bruising smacks, making sure to equally redden every area. Arthur yelped, clearly trying to stay brave but on the verge of weeping.
Kai briefly paused his hand. "I won't judge if you cry, little brother. I've been where you are and it's natural. You're getting quite toasted. Just be brave and don't try to fight back." Kaihad cried quite a bit under his father's hand and knew exactly how painful the next slap to the crown of Arthur's rump must have been.
Allowed the release, Arthur began sobbing. Kai hardened his resolve and kept giving Arthur a reason to cry, laying down an additional five meaty slaps. He had to make sure Arthur never risked his life again. "Now, you want to make sure you get the sit spots," he said, pushing Arthur's head down more to reveal the tender area. He then provided a hands-on demonstration. "Don't forget the thighs. Both are very sensitive and effective for punishment."
Arthur didn't seem to appreciate the lesson very much. He yelped and wailed miserably as Kai continued his symphony of flesh on flesh, providing a fine tenor accompaniment. Even though he had switched back to light sharp swats, Arthur had been sufficiently tenderized so that even a feather felt like a burn. The boy's skin was hot as a fire and red as a spring apple.
"Well, that wasn't pleasant, but we still have a little way to go. " He said, pulling the boy up off his knees and standing him up before him. Arthur was sobbing, having never been punished so harshly before. "Do you have anything to say?"
"I'm sorry, Brother." Arthur could barely get the words out.
"This will ensure you won't do it again in the future. What will you do if a strange person asks you questions while you're alone."
"Run away to safety."
Kai patted his head. "Good lad. I see we can finish up. Sadly, this is the most painful part of all," he said, standing up and removing his belt. Father would insist on such a sanction for this offense and if he didn't do it, Father would do it in the morning. "Come on, show your mettle and finish your punishment."
"Brother, not the belt!" A terrified Arthur gave him pleading looks. "I won't ever do it again."
"You earned this," Kai said, doubling the leather into one hand. "You were gone for twelve hours. I'll call it square with six if you take it well."
Arthur was sobbing even worse as he was bent over the chair. "Hold tight, we're almost through. Legs straight and backside out. Come on, up on your toes. Since I reduced the number, I need to get those tender areas we discussed." Arthur groaned miserably. His bottom almost glowed, it was so red and hot. "It's best if I have an easy target and can finish quickly."
Kai would need to make it brief but memorable. Happily, as tender as Arthur was, even mild swipes would be agony and he wouldn't have to be too harsh.
He landed two light strikes across the tender thighs. Arthur's cries must have carried to the entire castle. The third on the tender sit spot, and Arthur shrieked in pain. Kai decided to end it. He quickly administered two more across the crown and finished with one more coup de grace to the sit spot. Arthur lay limp across the chair, sobbing his poor little heart out.
"Okay, we're done." He should scold the boy and remind him it was his own fault, but his hysterical form was so pitiful that Kai decided to help him up and hug him. "You were very brave, you did so well, little brother."
Arthur wept into his shirt, shivering in pain. For a first thrashing, it was a memorable one. Kai rocked him back and forth until the boy calmed down. He could force him to sit for a lecture, but that seemed too cruel. When the weeping lessened to a trickle of tears, Kai finished the punishment. "Now, you'll go to the corner while I get ready for bed. Hands on your head. If I see you rubbing, you won't like what happens," he warned.
Arthur complied, his backside glowing brightly. Kai winced in sympathy and got up to wash himself in the basin and got into hose and a nightshirt. He kept an eye on his foster brother and was pleased a wriggly Arthur was obeying and keeping his hands on his head.
After fifteen minutes, a woebegone little foster brother was allowed out. Kai helped him remove his hose and tunict. "Let's see the damage," Kai said, turning his little brother around to check. He hoped he hadn't been too cruel.
"It hurts," Arthur complained. His backside was indeed red and shiny, with a few welts, but Kai knew he'd be mostly fine by morning and completely fine by morning after.
Kai slid the nightshirt over his head. "I hope I never have to do that again, but just know, every time you misbehave or put yourself in danger, your backside and my belt are going to have a very painful meeting," he warned him.
"I'll be good," Arthur sniffled, still quite miserable.
"I'll hold you to that." He pulled out the trundle bed but decided to be kind. "Come, you can lie down next to me and I'll read to you. I don't want you sobbing alone into your pillow alone, you've been punished enough." It had been a hard punishment and he needed comfort.
Arthur nodded. "I am sorry," he hiccuped as Kai picked him up and gently laid him on the bed, stomach down.
Kai got in after him and ruffled his hair. "I am so glad you are safe, little brother," he said. "You are very precious to me and I will do what I must to keep you safe. "
"Yes, brother,' Arthur sniffled, lying his head into Cai's shoulder as he always did when needing comfort.
"Now…where were we? Ah yes…the Prince touched his vassal's shoulders. "I, Aodan, High King of the Realms named you, my dear friend, as Duke. As the premier Noble of the Ream, you and your family shall forever have a place of honor at my side," he read. "He had no idea that he had been betrayed and his younger brother was already in the dungeons of the Dark Lord."
He continued reading the stories of the great kings and queens and knights of the past. "High King Aodan searched desperately for Prince Angus." Kai smiled, feeling sympathy with lords and wayward little brothers. Suddenly, he felt a hand pat his arm. "Yes?" he asked.
Arthur was looking up at him, looking heartbreakingly sad. "I'm sorry."
Kai smiled. "I know. You paid for it. The matter is closed."
"I didn't apologize for scaring you. I realized you are like King Aodan. I didn't think someone as brave as you could be scared, but King Aodan is brave and he's very scared for Prince Angus."
"Yes, i was very scared. Do you know what Father would do to me if I lost you, you little ball of fluff?" he teased. "Mother would do even worse. I'd have to hunt you down and throw you into the millpond."
"You wouldn't!" Arthur squeaked. "That's not fair!"
"Maybe I should do it now. Cool your little backside off," Kai said, ruffling his hair. "What do you think?"
"No!" Arthur protested, but he was giggling. His little face turned serious. "I really am sorry for scaring you."
Kai smiled. "I know. I'm not mad at you anymore. Just relax," he soothed. "Elder brother will keep your safe. " He continued reading until the exhausted boy fell asleep. Then he began his own Greek translation work. Before bed, he'd move him to the trundle bed.
Father and Mother walked in an hour later. "Thank God you found him," Mother said, kissing Cai's head. "Where was he?"
Kai bowed his head. "Playing with the fairies."
Both his parents were startled at that. "What?"
"Nothing happened. He claimed he was a falcon, but I imagine he was just wandering through the realms, poor dear. They weren't the truly bad kind. Once I called out to him, he was returned. Of course, he knows now he was lucky this time." Kai said darkly. "I made sure of it."
"You punished him?" Father asked.
"Oh yes, I'm surprised you didn't hear him hollering from the road, his wails almost took the roof off,"
. "You strapped him?" Mother said, seeing the welts on Arthur's bare thighs. "You were so hard on him, dearest. He's just a little boy."
"Farher would have done the same to me," Kaisaid. "In fact, I was gentle on him. Had I wandered off with the faeries, Father would've turned me over his knee every night for a week."
"He's right, my dear Enide. Kai did his duty and I'm proud of him. Arthur had to learn a lesson. Besides, it's only fair he get in these licks. Had our Kai lost Arthur, he knows there's a fine barrel waiting for him in the cellar, and after I tracked down the little one, they would have been punished side-by-side.."
Kai wished his father was joking. He loved the little scamp, but being punished before Arthur's eyes was a horror he could not stomach. There was a natural order to things, after all.
"Ector, my love, you are too hard on them. Who can boast of finer sons than you and I?"
"It's true, Father. We are great sons," Kai said, with a wink.
"I am hard on you both, because you are such fine boys. I know you have a great destiny before you. The seers foretold it the night Arthur was brought to the castle. You can't be allowed the liberties of others. You must be better."
"I will train hard, Father. I'll be keeping our little wolf cub on a short leash till he has more teeth. I don't think he'll wander far again, but I'd still rather he stay close until we know the faeries are no longer near. We almost lost him today. We can't make that mistake again."
"Wise." Father's single word of praise felt like a medal. "Kai, my boy, someday you will understand, but I want you to promise me, you will not go easy on Arthur. He must be raised to the highest standards. Promise me you will not spoil him, but work him hard."
"I promise, Father. I know, he's a poor relation and he'll have to make his way in the world, so he must earn any position. Still, we'll protect him. He'll always have a home here."
Father nodded and exchanged a look with Mother. Someday, Kai would learn the secret of Arthur's birth but not now. "You are a good brother, Kai. I'm very proud of you both."
Kai knew when to change the topic. He had asked once about Arthur as a child and been told to never discuss it again, at pain of a good hiding. "How did the meeting go?"
"Very well," Father said, launching into a discussion of sheep breeding that was starting to put Kaito to sleep.
"Father?" a small voice suddenly whispered. Arthur had opened up his sleepy eyes. "Mother?"
"Hello, little love," Mother said affectionately, kissing the top of his head. "We didn't mean to wake you."
"I heard you gave everyone a good fright today," Father said, smoothing Arthur's messy hair.
"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered, looking quite sad. "I didn't mean to worry everyone. I know I was naughty."
"Well, you paid for your crimes and we shan't dwell on it anymore," Mother said, quickly before Father could launch into a lecture. "Your Father and I are just glad you are well. Back to sleep, we can talk more in the morning."
Final Chapter: Arthur and the Sword