"Eric, what's a birthday spanking?"
Never in a million years would have Eric thought he would hear this question from Ariel.
It was the 27th of March, Ariel's 18th birthday, and the married couple was lying in bed, facing each other.
"Who even told you such a thing exists?" Chuckled Eric, blushing and a bit embarrassed at the mention of this curious tradition.
"Scuttle." Ariel replied, smiling.
"Of course it was Scuttle." Murmered Eric, turning onto his back and staring at the ceiling, then turning his head towards Ariel. "Why do you wanna know?"
"Because..." Ariel scooted closer to her husband. "I don't get the concept of it. A spanking is supposed to be a punishment. But why would someone get a spanking on their birthday? Like... if they do something bad, they get spanked? I don't get it."
Eric gave another chuckle.
"It's not like that. Birthday spankings are a tradition. Unlike punishments, they're not supposed to hurt. They might sting a teeny bit, but that's it. But it's a dying tradition. I haven't heard about it since I was a kid."
"Hmm." Said Ariel. "Have you ever gotten a birthday spanking?"
"Never." Replied the prince, shaking his head. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Ariel moved even closer to Eric, lying her head on his shoulder. Eric smiled and ran his fingers through her hair.
"I love your curiousity." He said, sighing contently. They laid together in comfortable silence for a while before Ariel asked another question.
"Will you show me?"
"Show you what?" Eric snapped out of his daydreaming. In his mind, he was on a boat with Ariel, on uncharted waters. Ariel started giggling.
"Why the birthday spanking, of course." She replied, waiting for his answer. Eric stopped stroking Ariel's hair, his face suddenly becoming serious.
"I..." He blushed. "I'd rather not."
"Why?" Ariel asked. "You said it yourself, it wouldn't hurt. I'm curious what it feels like. You really won't show me?"
Eric shook his head.
"Nope." He popped the p, a small smile playing on his lips. Ariel sat up.
"Come on, Eric, I won't break" She insisted, a playful smile on her lips as well. "There are so many things to experience in this world and I'm only asking you for one."
"Ask for something else..." Eric sat up as well, quickly pecking her lips. "I shall give you whatever you desire."
"You know me, Eric." Ariel giggled. "I'm not giving up when there's something that I want. And if you won't give it to me, I shall get revenge." With that, she lunged at him and began to tickle him, his sides, which were a major weak point of his. Eric's laughter picked up, and soon he was rolling around on the bed with flailing limbs.
"A-a-ariel!" He giggled, trying to push her hands away but she was too good at this. Growing up with a lot of siblings she knew the ins and outs of a tickle fight, and would not let up until she got what she wanted. "S-s-stop! Stop it!"
"I don't think so, Eric." She laughed as well, finding his chuckles adorable. "I'm having way too much fun."
"B-b-but I can't breathe!" He stammered between fits of laughter, squirming harder. "Please!"
Ariel stopped, seeing he was indeed having a hard time breathing, and Eric pushed himself up into a sitting position, wheezing.
"That was mean, Ariel." He complained. "And it's so unfair that you're not ticklish!"
Indeed, Ariel wasn't. And she was very lucky she wasn't, otherwise Eric would have gotten tantalising vengeance by now.
"There are other ways to get back at me, you know." She laid down and playfully shook her bottom, looking back at Eric with a cheeky smile, who was, by the way, still trying to calm his breathing. He couldn't help but laugh again as Ariel teased him, deciding he'd give her what she wanted.
"Very well." He sat on the edge of the bed and patted his lap. "Over my knee, young lady. You're getting that birthday spanking."
"Wait, really?" Before Ariel knew, Eric gently tipped her over his knee and they both burst into a fit of giggles. "Wait, I'm not ready!"
"You seemed pretty ready to me five minutes ago." Eric looked down at Ariel's gown-covered bum and gave it a gentle rub. "So." He patted her bottom, grinning. "How old are we today?"
"Well. "Ariel looked over at him with a cheeky smile. "I don't know how old you are, but I'm 18."
"Getting cheeky, I see." Eric chuckled and rubbed her bum again. "Do you think that's smart, given that your lovely bottom is at my mercy?"
"Well, it is a birthday spanking." Ariel replied with a smile of her own. "It isn't supposed to hurt."
"Fair enough." He agreed, his hand still massaging her buttocks. "So, Ariel. Are you ready for this well-deserved spanking?"
"You know I am." Ariel winked at him, making him blush again. "Don't hold back. I was a naughty girl."
Eric started giggling again, his hand at rest on her bum.
"Naughty girl indeed. Alright. Here it comes." He sing-songed with a grin, then lifted his hand high in the air.
"One." His hand came down on her bottom, barely harder than a tap and Ariel gave a giggly squeak.
"Ow." She said very unconvincingly, and Eric couldn't help but chuckled again.
"Two." He gave another swat with the same strength, then another, alternating cheeks. "Three."
Ariel squirmed a bit, a huge grin gracing her lips. Eric was gentle as he always was, and the slight tingling of his smacks felt good on her bum.
"Four, five, six, seven." Eric counted, chuckling as Ariel raised her hips, encouraging him. "You're a feisty one, you know that?"
"Oh, I know." Ariel giggled. "And I'm all yours."
"All mine indeed." Eric agreed before laying another gentle slap on her bottom. "Eight."
"Mmm, that feels good." Ariel sighed contently, and her husband shook his head with a grin.
"You're so weird." Pop, another smack. "And I love it." Pop, another. "Nine, ten."
Ariel giggled, resting her head on her arms. She was having so much fun, and she hoped Eric was, too.
"Eleven, twelve, thirtheen, fourteen, fifteen." The swats came down at an equal pace, a second between each one. "Sixteen, and... oh my God, wait a second."
Ariel looked up at him, and saw genuine worry in his eyes, the playfulness leaving his face. She immediately sat up, stroking his face.
"What's wrong?" She sat beside him, her bum still tingling in the best way possible.
"Nothing, I just, um..." Eric blushed, staring at the ground. "I just remembered the special rule about birthday spanks."
"Oh?" Ariel giggled. "And what would that be?"
Eric didn't seem to be so dandy.
"There's an extra swat after the last one." He replied. "One to grow on. And that one's supposed to be hard. Or at least harder than the rest."
"Oh." Ariel thought a bit, then asked. "Just one though?"
"Yeah, just one." Eric replied, then sighed and took Ariel's hand, placing a light kiss on it. "Look, can't we just call it a day? You've had your fun, and I guess... so did I." He admitted, red-faced.
"Ugh, come on, Eric." Ariel sat on her feet and laid her head on his shoulder. "I won't break. Besides, you've only given me sixteen spanks so far. I want the whole experience."
Eric once again sighed, shaking his head.
"Why are you so headstrong?" A small smile played on his lips. "Why is this so important to you?"
"It's simple." Ariel replied. "I don't quit in the middle of things, Eric. You should know that by now."
"Alright, how about this?" Eric turned towards her. "We finish your spanking and the harder swat goes away. I just can't... I don't want to hurt you like that."
"Eric, you won't hurt me!" Ariel sighed. "I'm not made of glass! Come on, let's do this. Before somebody barges in and asks what on Earth we are doing." She giggled.
"Oh, I would die of shame." Eric shivered at the thought, then shook his head again. "Alright, fine. Back over my lap, young lady. We're almost done."
Ariel didn't need to be told twice, eagerly laying across his knees and shaking her bottom in the air, making her husband laugh.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." He gently rubbed her bum again. "Are you ready?"
"You know I am." She sing-songed.
"Alright then." He once again raised his hand high, and gave two light spanks, one on each cheek. "Seventeen, eighteen."
Ariel waited, her bottom cheeks clenched in anticipation. But the last smack didn't come, and she soon looked up at Eric, whose hand was resting on her bottom. Eric looked back at her.
"I can't, Ariel." He said quietly, rubbing her backside. "I just can't."
"Ugh, you're such a scaredy cat." Ariel shook her head, but didn't get up.
"I'm not a scaredy cat." Opposed Eric, his pride a bit scarred. "I just don't want to hurt you."
"How would one spank hurt me, Eric? How?" She smiled at him. "Come on, it's my birthday. I need a reminder to be good this year. It's just one spank. Please?" She pouted, and Eric shook his head.
"You are good, Ariel." He replied. "You don't need a reminder."
"Please?" She stuck out her bottom lip, making him laugh involuntarily. "Pretty please?"
Eric sighed.
"You little weasel, you." He giggled, once again rubbing her bum. "I can't say no to you. Alright, let's get this over with. Are you ready?" He raised his hand, a bit higher than before.
"Are you ready?" Teased Ariel, and he narrowed his eyes at her.
"One to grow on!"
The last smack echoed through the room and Ariel yelped before bursting into laughter. It wasn't a hard swat by any means, but it did sting, and, asif Eric was reading her mind, he immediately began to rub the feeling away.
"Are you okay?" Eric lifted her up, making sure her bottom didn't touch the mattress. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, that must have stung. I shouldn't have done it. Come here." He engulfed his giggling wife in an embrace.
"It was nothing, Eric, really." She returned the hug, then pulled away, taking his face in both hands. "I love you, even though you're a cruel, cruel man." Her voice became playful. "Spanking your own wife, how terrible!"
Eric chuckled, pecking her lips and wrapping his arms around her torso.
"Well, whose wife am I supposed to spank then, huh?" He challenged her and she giggled.
"Fair enough." She sighed, then laid down on the bed. Eric followed her with a deep sigh of his own and a shake of the head.
"I can't believe I just gave you a birthday spanking." He spat those two words out like they were curses. "Are you sure you're okay? Didn't the last one hurt?"
"Oh my God, Eric, will you stop?" Ariel rolled her eyes, poking him in the side to make him laugh. "No, it didn't hurt. It was actually quite nice, to be frank."
"Nice?" Eric's eyes widened. "You're unbelievable."
"I know." She grinned, scooting closer to him. "And you love me for it."
"That, I do." He smiled, leaning in for a kiss. "That, I do."
Once again, they laid together in comfortable silence before Ariel spoke up, her voice playful.
"So... do this again next year?"
Eric burst into laughter.
"Not a chance." He turned towards her. "Except if that's what you want you weird, weird little girl."
"I do." She giggled, snuggling into him. "It was fun."
"Your definition of fun is strange." Eric retorted, though a small smile played on his lips. "But your wish is my command."
"Thank you, my prince." Ariel watched Eric turn onto his stomach, then, driven by a sudden idea, she raised her hand.
"Come on, we're going to be late!" Sitting up, she gave his shapely bum a firm smack, then jumped off the bed. "Race you to the dining room!"
"Ow!" He complained, his hand flying back to rub his bottom. "Come back here, you!" Laughing along with her, he quickly ran after her. "You'll never outrun me!"