Southern Discomfort

by Burns, Rachel

  “Now please,” she begged in a very soft voice.

  He directed her how she should take him in her hand and lower herself down on him. He reached up and took her by her hips. Then he made love to her as gently as he could. They reached their pleasure at the same time. Emily cried out his name. Nathaniel whispered that he loved her.

  He held her tightly afterwards. She was so precious to him.

  He held her in his arms afterwards, telling her stories about his childhood. Things that he and his brothers had done to get into trouble. He told her about the punishments he had received for what he had all done.

  Emily could hardly believe that he was laughing about that. She had been a very good little girl. Only rarely had she earned herself a spanking. When she was little her father had spanked her but after her mother had died of pneumonia she had gone to live with her aunt and uncle. They didn't punish her. Sometimes her father still would when he visited, but it was an uncommon occurrence.

  With time both settled into sleep.

  Nathaniel dreamt that Emily was walking away from him. He tried to catch up with her, but she run faster when she saw him coming. He would almost be able to reach out to her, she was so close, but he couldn't get a hold of her. He had a bit of clothing in his fingertips, but he couldn't get a decent grasp on her.

  Emily had a similar dream. The difference was that, he caught her in her dream.

  Chapter 6 Picking Up Snakes

  Katie and Bessie took pity on Emily. They only gave her chores where she could stand. Now they had sent Emily out into the garden to get the beans they needed to make their supper with. She took a bowl with her and went to work.

  The bowl was over half way full when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. There was a snake in the garden next to her. It had stopped moving but as soon as she moved it would attack. Should she run to the house? Would they think she was a baby, like she had been because of her spanking yesterday? They had made her stay in bed all morning. First when her breakfast and lunch had stayed had Nathaniel let her get up.

  Should she grab for it like she had as a child in their garden? Their neighbor boy had dared her to pick up a garter snake. He had teased her something terrible and called her a baby.

  When she couldn't take the teasing anymore she reached out and grabbed it. He had been very impressed with her, so he told everyone about what she could do. She had to repeat the task many times in the next couple of years until her father found out about it. He had put his foot down and said, no, to her touching snakes.

  But didn't they eat snakes around here? Emily didn't care to try it, but she didn't want to just stand there and wait for it to bite her either. She quickly bent down and grabbed it just behind its head. She had learned that that was the best way to do that as a child. The tail was going wild, but she held fast. Snakes out here got a lot madder than the ones back home did.

  She walked back to the kitchen door, holding the snake away from her body, but still tight in her hand. She knocked on the door with the toe of her shoe. Bessie opened the door and shrieked at the sight of the snake.

  Katie had her wits about her. She took the bowl of beans from Emily and set it on the table. Emily had moved in towards the stove with the angry animal whose tail kept rattling and flying in Emily's direction. Emily was reaching for a knife when Katie had a better idea. She held a cutting board over the head.

  “Bessie, take the knife and cut its head off but make sure you don't let it fall. It sure is mad.”

  The three women killed the snake. When they were finished Emily had to sit down, despite her sore bottom. This life was so much harder than she thought it would be. She watched Katie skin it and chop it into pieces. The sight of that was making her feel sick again.

  Bessie was also in shock. She scolded Emily asking her what she had been thinking. Bessie didn't want to lose her friend to stupidity.

  “Emily?” Katie asked, “Did the snake bite you?”

  Emily shook her head and went out to finish filling the bowl with beans. The rattlesnake stew was well under way when she came back in. She quietly set the table. She had a feeling like a goose walked over her grave.

  Emily cut the bread and did as she was told but she was even quieter than she usually was. The men came in and smelled the stew. They all commented on how good it smelt. They sat at the table and the women placed the stew in front of them.

  “What kind of stew are we having tonight?” Edward asked Katie who was in charge of the meals.

  “Rattlesnake,” she answered.

  He thought about that for a bit. When she joined them at the table he said, “Odd we didn't hear a gunshot.”

  “We didn't need the gun.” Katie avoided his eyes as she took a piece of bread.

  “And pray tell why not?” he asked her.

  “It got caught.”

  “Katie, I don't like the way you are answering my questions. Did you catch it?” He stood as he asked his question.

  She shook her head. Edward sat down and Charles looked at his wife. “Bessie, explain how this snake got into our pot.”

  “We sent Emily out to pick beans. She came back with the snake and the beans. We killed it by chopping its head off.”

  “How did you catch the snake?” Nathaniel's tone told Emily that he was displeased with her.

  “I – ” she hung her head. “I grabbed it behind its head.”

  Nathaniel sat still for a while as he thought about that. “How were you able to pick it up while it attacked you?”

  “It wasn't attacking me – yet.”

  He let the meaning of her words sink in. The whole table was staring at her. They all thought she had done something wrong.

  “Emily, go up to our room. I will join you shortly,” He had a terrible picture in his head of her trying to do that, and not succeeding. He pulled himself together. It was time. He had to really punish her even though she had been so sick yesterday. She had put herself in danger. She had left him no choice.

  Nathaniel excused himself from the table. He grabbed the thick leather strap that they had on the way up. He could hear the women's appalled gasps, but he walked on, with purpose, only pausing before he opened the door for his sorry-looking wife. There was nothing for it, this was a lesson she bitterly needed to learn. He reached for the knob and opened it determined.

  He saw her sitting on his side of the bed. Her head was hung. She wasn't playing any games with him yet. He was prepared for everything at the moment.

  “Emily, take your clothes off.”

  He watched her shaking form reached down and remove her shoes and stockings.

  She stood, opening her dress with hands that were shaking so bad, that she could hardly manage the task. She stepped out of her dress and then started to work on her corset.

  Emily was crying and sniffling already. He could probably hear her, she thought. That thought embarrassed her greatly. He already thought she was a spoiled northerner, of that she was sure. Her fingers weren't doing what they were supposed to. She was worried that he would give her extra punishment for not obeying fast enough.

  He thought she was being very brave even though she was obviously so scared. She had every right to be scared. This would be the spanking of her life. She wouldn't be sitting for at least a week after he was finished with her.

  Emily's corset finally opened and came off. She quickly opened her knickers and pulled them down so he could see that the good will was there. She stood next to the bed and hung her head. Be brave, do as he says. Take what he will dish out. You can do it. Take it with as much dignity and pride as you can. She was so busy talking to herself with her thoughts that she didn't hear him calling her.

  “Emily, I won't stand for any of your games! Now come here.”

  “I'm sorry.” She moved over to him. She saw the strap in hands. Panic took her heart and her shaking got even worse. She just wanted to run as fast as she could and as far away as she could but she had done that already, s
he had landed here.

  “I want you to place your hands on the baseboard of the bed. Your hands stay there. If they come back I will give you extras. Trust me Emily, you don't want extras.” He was starting to feel sorry for her but he was resolved to doing this and doing it right. She wasn't fighting him like yesterday. He hoped she wasn't because she knew that what she did was very very wrong. He thought of the snake biting her and him losing her. “Get into position now, Emily.” He was careful not to raise his voice again. He knew they were being listened to.

  She rested her hands on the base board at the foot of the bed. She had stepped very close to the baseboard.

  “Take a couple steps back to me but leave your hands in place.” He watched her take two steps back. Her back was still straight and proud with her long hair covering her back and bottom. “More.”

  She took another step back. Her arms were as straight as they could be. He said more again. She looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a look, showing him that she was confused.

  Nathaniel reached out and moved her the way he wanted her. He pushed her back and shoulders down with one hand and moved her hips back. He took the opportunity to move her hair out of the way.

  Nathaniel hadn't wanted to touch her. He felt stirring in him now that couldn't get in the way just now. That stirring would never be satisfied if she wasn't around to take care of it because she played with snakes or because she had done whatever other foolishness popped into her head. He would make sure that she would be around for a long time. It was his job and duty to protect her, even from herself.

  Nathaniel stepped to the side of her. He meant to make this memorable. He raised the strap and brought it down in an arch that smacked into her behind.

  The force of the blow pushed her forward and she straightened up to the point that she had tucked her tummy in and was arching her back like a bow. Her shoulders had come back and her breasts pointed to the ceiling. She hadn't made a sound other than a gasp of surprise.

  “Get back into position, Emily.”

  She wasn't sure she could. Emily slowly relaxed her back and moved her feet back again. She bent forward, feeling so vulnerable. The heat coming from her backside was like a very uncomfortable bee string. “How many?” she dared to ask.

  “Thirty.”

  She gasped again. She had thought three or five, ten at the most but thirty. Emily was certain that she couldn't take thirty of them. This wasn't one of those moments in life where a person rises about themselves. She knew that she was going to fail desperately. Would she end up begging him to stop?

  As she worried he brought the strap down sharply across her backside again. With the same results.

  “Emily, if you get out of position one more time I will add two more on to your punishment.”

  That broke her floodgates. She was sobbing something terrible. He longed to hold her in his arms but this lesson was just too important. He waited for her to bravely get back into position.

  Once she was he brought the strap down again. Her muscles were tensed up so tightly that she did stay in place. He gave her her next two a little more quickly.

  She wasn't trying to maintain dignity and her pride was long gone. Survival was the name of the game now.

  He gave her her next five quite rapidly. Always moving it just a little so her whole bottom received the same attention. Her feet were sliding into the floor. She would push one foot back and then lift it back into place and then the other went off sliding. He let her absorb her first ten before he started in with the next set.

  Drops of water from her tears were on the floor.

  She couldn't believe that anything could hurt so bad. At the moment she wished the snake would have bitten her. Her bottom burned and felt like the snake had bitten her there several times.

  She felt the strap again and her body went flying again. “No,” she cried out. She hadn't been ready for it and she was so disappointed in herself for moving.

  “How dare you tell me, no. Get back into position, Emily. You just earned yourself two extras.” He had misunderstood her and she was in no position to correct him. He strapped the set very quickly to an end.

  She had received her first twenty and was crying pretty loudly. She didn't even waste a thought if the others could hear her. Embarrassment could come later. She had to concentrate on getting through the next twelve. She was clenched so tightly not knowing when he would start in again and not wanting to earn herself anymore extras. He backside stung something terrible.

  He started in again. She could hardly breathe. Her chest was jerking as it let only tiny bursts of air in or out. He stopped. Was it over or was he just taking another break? Her face was laying on her arms. She didn't remember moving that way. She was too afraid to move into the original position, but what if he was waiting for her to do just that.

  Emily started to slowly move her feet forward. She was in the awkward position of lifting one foot when he brought the strap down again. She fell to the floor.

  Panic racked over her heart. She was clearly out of position. Her hand still hadn't left the bed. She couldn't let go. Her grip was too tight. She sobbed hysterically on the floor. She was so afraid of how many extras he would tack on for this.

  “Emily?” He sat down with her on the floor. She had her eyes squeezed shut so tightly. He reached out to her face and pushed some of her hair away.

  “Emily, we're not finished. I need you to get back up again. No more nonsense. I'll help you up. Give me your hand.” Nathaniel stood up and tried to remove one of her hands from the bed, so he could pull her up. He had to jerk it away with all of his strength. He did the same with the other hand.

  Nathaniel didn't know what to make of her. He picked her up and brought her back into position. She was still sobbing. He wanted to quick, but he wanted her to know that he meant what he said. He needed her to obey him.

  “That's two extras more.” He started in strapping his sobbing wife again, but he hurried. He wanted this to be over with, too.

  On the second to the last her hands shot back and covered her bottom. Emily was hopping from one foot to the other. She knew she couldn't survive this. She just couldn't avoid the extras. They would never be finished. Her disappointment in herself was becoming obvious for him. She was trying to be good, he realized.

  “Emily, put your hands back and hold on tight. I warned you. Do it now.” He watched her shaking hands as they slowly moved away from her backside. Her knuckles turned white as she held on. He continued. Le it be over with soon, she prayed.

  Her legs started to shake after the first blow. She concentrated on staying on her feet. Her knees tucked in and she forced them straight with the last of her will power. The same thing happened after the next blow. The shaking was getting worse and worse. She was repeating straight legs to herself in her head over and over.

  “Emily?” he called out to her. She didn't respond. He went to her side, again. She was as stiff as could be. He pried her hands away from the bed again.

  She just stood there confused and frightened. Had she earned more extras? Was he going to scold her before he continued? He got the blanket from the bed while she watched him wide-eyed and hiccuping. He threw it over her shoulders and moved her with him to the chair in the corner.

  She started crying thinking that he was going to continue with her over his lap again. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap.

  “Don't you ever do anything so foolish again. Do you understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Never make me punish you that severely again.” He pulled her head into his chest. She seemed to roll into a tiny ball on his lap. He pet her hair and talked very softly to her. He loved her so much and wasn't prepared to lose her to silly nonsense.

  Nathaniel picked up a book that was lying on the window sill. He had placed it there before she had even arrived. Someone had wiped away the dust that had started to collect on it. It was a book of romantic poems. He had planned to read t
hem to her, but he had preferred to make love to her instead.

  Nathaniel paged to his favorite poem. He cleared his throat and began to read to her. If things had turned out differently then he would have continued his studies at school and become an English teacher.

  He read She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron to his beautiful wife, who slowly stopped shaking on his lap.

  Nathaniel read other poems to her until she fell asleep on his lap. He laid her naked form in bed and stared at her beauty. His desire was stirring again. He got undressed and laid down next to her. He watched her sleep for an hour. She sure was pretty, he thought.

  He felt lucky to have her as his wife. She had tried so hard to take her punishment like a good girl. His manhood was throbbing as he looked at the curves of her body. She was all curves. The curve of her creamy shoulders, the curves of her breasts and her tummy, those hips the he so like to be in between, even the curve of her bottom.

  “Emily, wake up. I need you.” He cuddled into her as close as he could. He moved under her shoulder.

  She was waking up and when he rolled her on top of him her eyes flew open. He was rock hard and he had already told her yesterday, that he wasn't about to go without love-making, just because she was punished.

  Emily did it how he had taught her yesterday. She reached back and found his hardened penis. She moved so she was hovering over it. Emily slowly lowered herself around him. She whimpered as her bottomed came to rest on his thighs. The pain of that wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It was just an uncomfortable burn now, but it had hurt like the dickens while he was administering it.

  He reached for her hips to guide her and so he could control the rhythm. He held her higher than he usually would. Nathaniel wanted to be certain that his hand wasn't gripping her where the strap had met her skin. He was surprised that she had been so wet for him again today. He had needed her so long and had denied himself so she could sleep that he quickly came.

  Nathaniel pulled her body down on his and held her tight. “You are such a good wife, Emily.”