Sulim 19, 0529

	I walked into the house and the first thing I saw was Aaden, 
walking by rather quickly and holding a hand to his mouth.  "Shh..." 
he said quietly.  "I just put Elizabeth to bed."

	"Didn't you put her in the center nursery?" I whispered.

	"Yeah, but something's wrong with the privacy fields; they're 
making an annoying hum.  Dave ran diags and he says it'll be a few 
hours until the hardware he needs is ready.  So," he shrugged, "We'll 
live without being able to make much noise until then."

	He turned and walked into the kitchen, nearly swatting me with 
his tail.  That surprised me, since he's always very careful about 
his tail.  I eased down onto the sofa and let out a sigh.

	"Can I get you something?" Aaden asked.

	"Yeah, an --" Something about him stopped me.  He was walking 
about the house naked, but that's the way he usually walks around.  
He knows I adore the way he looks.  "What is that?"

	"What?" he asked.

	"Come here."  He stepped out behind the kitchen counter and 
wandered over to stand in front or me.  "Kneel," I said casually.

	"What?"

	"Kneel," I repeated myself, just a little louder, with a slight 
curl of the lip.  Much to my amusement, he obeyed.

	"What is that?" I asked, pointing to his right arm.

	"It's your armband.  I thought you might like it... this way."

	"It's very attractive," I admitted.  "But you're wearing part of 
my leathers without permission, and I don't like that.  Do you 
understand what I'm saying?"

	"Yes," he said.

	"Yes, what?"

	"Yes, M'Lord."  I remembered the first and last time he had said 
that to me; it had been over a year ago, before the kids were born.  
I had been expecting a 'Sir' at the time.  But I liked that term.  
"M'Lord."  It had a very pleasant feel to it.

	"Better," I said.  I leaned closer to him and said, "But if 
you're going to wear it, you've got to wear it properly."  I reached 
down and pulled on the strap gently, pulling it loose from around his 
arm.  I took extra care to make sure his fur didn't get caught as I 
did so.  Then I reached around his neck and inserted the strap 
through the buckle, locking it down on the first hole.  He was 
completely still through the entire procedure.  "Better," I said 
again, leaning back against the couch.  "Rub my feet."

	"Sir?"

	"Aaden, this is the second time you've made me repeat myself.  
Rub my feet."

	"Yes, M'Lord," he said quietly, unlacing my boots and starting 
to ease them off.  His paws stroked my feet carefully, but I noted 
that he needed practice.

	"You know, lad," I said.  "Don't stop," I ordered him when he 
looked up.  "You know, you need a good teacher on that."

	"I am sorry, M'Lord."

	"Did I ask you to speak, either?"  I shook my head and "Tsk'd" 
quietly.  "I can understand Borodir not having you learn massage, 
sugarfur, since he was always 'The top never needs' type.  But I 
thought you knew when silence was required of you."  There was no 
answer, but I could feel the shame coming off of him.  I smiled.

	"Easy," I said quietly.  "Use the entire palm around the edges.  
Yes, better."  I smiled as I spent the next half hour teaching Aaden 
how to massage feet better.  He was getting it, slowly.  I was 
especially pleased at his complete servility.  "Stop," I said.

	He leaned back away from me, and I stood up.  He followed me 
with his eyes as I dropped into the bedroom and returned with my 
hiking staff.  Wood, round, well-smoothed with no sharp angles.  
Completely functional.  And like a cane (which I did not have at the 
moment) also quite silent.  "You remember this?" I asked.

	"Yes M'lord," he said quietly, his eyes wet and slightly 
frightened.

	"Do you want to be forgiven for your mistakes?"

	The frightened look intensified, but there was no mistaking the 
smile trembling on the edge of his muzzle.  "Yes M'Lord."

	I placed my hand on the back of his neck and slowly pushed his 
head down onto the couch.  He complied without complaint.  "Keep your 
tail out of my way," I ordered.  He reached back and held his tail.  
"Good lad." I reached over to the other end of the couch and put a 
throw pillow by his head.  "If you must scream, scream into this; 
wouldn't want to wake the baby."

	I leaned over him quietly and whispered into his ear.  "Are you 
ready for this?"

	"I've waited for you to do this for years," he replied.

	"Good," I smiled, standing back up.  I held the staff at about 
its midpoint and brought the flat side down onto the couch, gently.  
He jumped, just a little.  Again, on the couch, harder.  And harder.  
I felt as if I had a measure of my weapon.

	I slowly trailed the wooden tip of the staff along his ass.  I 
pulled the staff back, and brought it down with just a little 
strength.  Again, and again.  Not increasing my force at all.

	I reached down and gently stroked his buttocks.  He wasn't at 
all warm; then again, with his lush fur it's difficult to tell.  I 
straightened up and began again.  One, two... twelve.  Stronger, this 
time.  He began flinching.  I leaned over and said, "How are you 
doing?"

	"Fine," he whispered.

	I brought the staff down again, and again.  He was moaning; 
every strike elicited a scream.  I could see him trying to keep his 
body loose, relaxed.  "Don't fight it," I said as the staff came down 
yet again.

	The staff fell a dozen more times.  I was up to sixty.  I leaned 
over his form, pressing my body to his chest.  "Okay?"

	"Not... not sure."

	"Want to stop?" I asked.

	"NO!" he said in a breathless roar.  "More, please M'Lord?" he 
asked.

	I smiled, and brought the staff down another dozen strokes.  
There was no pause, and I delivered another dozen.  He was screaming 
into the pillow with every stroke, and sometimes between strokes.  I 
stopped again and leaned  over.  "More?" I asked.

	"I..." He breathed heavily.  "Ken..."  A pause; his eyes were 
shut tight.  "I don't think..."

	I dropped to my knees and hugged him close, from the side.  "You 
did good," I said.  "Thank you."  I dropped the staff; it made a loud 
clunk as it fell to the ground.

	"I'm sorry," he said, burying his face into my shoulder and 
crying.  I cradled his head in my hands and waited it out.  He sobbed 
heavily for a few minutes and then he repeated, "I'm sorry."

	"For what?"

	"I... Ken... I wanted to go further... I used to be able to go 
further.  Borodir would do much worse to me, all the time.  I don't 
know why..."

	"Was it me?"

	"No!" he whispered.  "No, I don't think I could have gone as far 
as I did if it hadn't been you."

	"Then what?"

	"I don't know."

	"It's just been a long time, lover.  It's okay.  I've never 
taken a cane to a mel before, so I didn't know how to read you very 
well."

	"You were wonderful," he said.  "Trust me; you're better than 
some people who've been doing that for decades."

	"Still feel..." There was a sound coming from through the door.  
Crying.  I looked into his eyes and said, "Elizabeth."

	He nodded, then broke out laughing.  I leaned over and kissed 
his nose, laughing along.  "You woke the baby."

	"I woke the baby?" he objected.

	"You were the one doing the screaming."

	"Into the pillow!  And you were the one doing all the 
thwacking."

	I picked up the staff, aimed for the couch and brought it down 
as hard as I could.  "It's not that loud.  C'mon.  I'll get her, you 
get the milk."

	"She probably needs a hiaper," he said.

	"Probably," I replied, getting up off my knees and stretching my 
back.  I walked quickly into the center unit of the house and 
descended into the nursery.  No, she wasn't soiled, just hungry.  
"Daddy's here," I said, smiling quietly as I picked her up.  I 
returned to the upper level, cradling her in my arms, her tail 
descending below.  Aaden smiled as he brought over the bottle and 
slid it into her mouth.  She sucked down on it hard.  "She's hungry," 
I said.

	"Very," he observed.

	"Stripes of her father."  It was becoming an old joke, but he 
smiled anyway.  "How are you doing?"

	"Fine," he said, kissing my cheek.  "I won't be able to sit down 
for a while."

	"Nonsense," I said.

	He kissed me again, this time on the forehead, and said, "Wait 
until next time."

	"Next time?" I asked.

	"I get to turn the tables."

	"In your dreams, lover."

	"Maybe so," he said.  "Maybe so."  Elizabeth just yawned.
 
--
"Aaden's Punishment"
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