by Sara Fields
The sky was incredibly blue overhead with only one or two clouds. The leaves rustled around them in the wind and birds sang their songs not far in the distance. As they passed nearby farmsteads, she gasped in wonder at all the animals she saw, including other horses, sheep, goats, cows, and even a cat sitting atop a white picket fencepost.
The further they rode, the busier the road seemed. Other riders guided horses along the road, some pulling carts and some guiding livestock. Other people walked to the side, giving the horses and wagons going by a wide berth.
Very few people spoke to them and even when a few yelled out a greeting, they quickly stopped upon recognition of Darrius, or so she thought. Some of the women they passed seemed to look at her with a sense of pity, but she didn’t understand why. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to push those weird feelings to the back of her head.
Instead, she focused on the sights and marveled at the local merchants selling wares from stands on the side of the road or from traveling carriages.
“Where are you taking me?” she wondered out loud.
“To the best dressmaker in town. She’s made plenty of clothing for me and I have no doubt that she will make you some beautiful outfits. She always has ready-made dresses as well, which I want you to look through first. There’s also a few other merchants in the area where we can pick out new shows for you too.”
“I’d like that very much.”
“I want at least four more dresses than the one you have on now. That way, you have plenty to wear for any occasion and for everyday tasks.”
She smiled and snuggled back against him. A short while later, they arrived in front of the seamstress’s shop. Darrius dismounted and lashed Regan’s reins to a nearby post. He reached up, lifted her off the back of the horse, and gently placed her on the ground next to him. They walked in together with his arm around her waist. It felt nice to be with him out in public and to see that he still only had eyes for her. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy.
“Now don’t wander off. That’s an order, little one,” he said firmly as they entered the shop. She nodded, quickly forgetting his instructions as she saw all the pretty gowns and fabrics inside. She ran to a nearby rack, reaching out to touch the soft cotton and velvety cloth before her.
A woman was behind the counter and looked up as they entered. She was older, with her long straight gray hair tied up at the back of her head. Slender and welcoming looking, she smiled at Irena and then at Darrius.
“Good day, Necromancer,” the woman said while nodding her head. Irena looked back at her, a bit confused. She still didn’t know what the word necromancer meant and turned toward Darrius with a puzzled expression, but he shook his head. With a shrug, Irena went back through browsing the rack of dresses.
“It’s good to see you again, Rowena. Business doing well?”
“As well as I can expect for the times. Things started to pick up after that goblin horde was taken care of. I hear you and your men were the ones that resolved that little problem,” Rowena said thoughtfully.
“You heard right. I took the contract in Renvale,” Darrius responded, placing his hand on the counter.
“And who’s this girl you have with you?” the woman asked, curiosity clear in her tone. “Have you finally decided to take a mate?”
“She was prisoner of that legion of goblins that have been terrorizing the surrounding territories. I rescued her. Problem is that she retains no memory of anything that happened prior to her kidnapping. I’m her guardian for the time being until we can figure out where she came from. In the meantime, I need you to make her some dresses for everyday wear.”
Darrius said a few more things to the woman, but he lowered his voice so that she couldn’t hear any more of what he was saying. In the meantime, she pulled out a beautiful rose-colored dress, as well as a black lace-lined red one. Excitedly, she skipped over to the counter and the two of them stopped talking upon her approach.
Rowena smiled at her softly, her eyes hiding a sense of sympathy that left Irena feeling a little unsure. She looked over at Darrius; he grinned broadly upon seeing the dresses.
“Those are great choices! I’m going to leave you with Rowena and will return for you in about an hour. She is going to take your measurements and help you to choose fabrics so that she can make you a few more gowns in your size. Be good. Remember what I said, no wandering off. I mean it.”
Too excited to care, she nodded. Placing the dresses on the counter, Irena smiled up at the older woman.
“We’ll start with these,” Rowena said, her eyes sparkling.
Darrius nodded and exited the shop in some semblance of a hurry. For the next hour, Irena tried on dress after dress, including a blue and white checkered one in a cotton. She ended up picking three ready-made garbs from the rack, and chose different fabrics for three more. The one she was most eager to see was a beautiful long-sleeved design in purple velvet, but Rowena had to sew that one up for her. It was bound to be the most elegant dress she had ever seen, or at least, remembered seeing.
Rowena inquired as to how she was doing a few times, but Irena waved off her concern. The woman’s visible apprehension waned over the time she spent with Irena. Toward the end of the hour, the two of them were becoming fast friends. Rowena felt like a wonderful motherly figure to Irena, but a good friend as well.
Finally, Rowena put all her supplies away and the two of them waited for Darrius’s return. Looking out the window, Irena watched for him, bored out of her mind. With a gasp, she saw a jewelry cart stop across the street. Maybe Darrius would buy her a necklace or a ring too!
“I’m going outside across the street, Rowena. Be right back!”
“Irena, that’s not a good idea. Stay here until Darrius returns,” the older woman warned, but Irena ignored her dismay.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be far!”
Without a care in the world, Irena dashed out of the shop to the merchant’s store. Without looking, she ran across the road and cried out when she was very nearly trampled by a rider on a horse.
“Look where you’re going, stupid girl!” the man yelled angrily as his horse reared up into the air. He held on tight and glared down at her, until the beast finally settled. Backing up, Irena tried to get out of the way best she could, but another wagon driver yelled at her too, causing her to trip and fall to the ground. Looking up, she saw a horse cantering toward her and she closed her eyes in terror. She didn’t want to die. At once, a pair of sturdy arms grasped her about the waist and pulled her out of the road with alarming speed. Her eyes whipped open as she tried to see what was happening. She yelped at the firm touch and tried to wiggle out of the arms that held her captive.
“Let me go,” she screamed and broad hands whirled her around to see Darrius’s face and he did not look very happy. In fact, at first his expression was one of fear, which quickly changed to one that looked rather angry. There was no doubt that it was very clearly directed at her.
“Irena, what did I tell you when I left you in the dress shop?”
Worrying her lip, she began to feel awfully small and wound her arms around her waist nervously. Her bottom instinctively clenched, almost as if it knew that she was probably in a heap of trouble.
“You told me to stay with Rowena and pick out some outfits and fabrics,” she whispered.
“What else did I tell you, little girl,” he continued, his eyes narrowing firmly as his mouth tightened into a straight line.
“You told me not to wander,” she said, her voice even lower than before. Her tummy began to tumble inside, having never been subject to such a firm look from him before. He was cross with her and she chewed at her lower lip even harder.
“And did you go wandering?” he pressed.
“I just wanted to go look at the jewelry across the street over there. I didn’t think it was that far and it would be alright,” she tried explaining, hoping he would understand. Nervousness flitted in her belly at his hardening gaze.
“You could have gotten killed. You didn’t even think to look for anyone coming down the road before you crossed. Not only did you wander when I specifically told you not to, but you put yourself in unnecessary danger to do it. You and I, little lady, are going to have a very clear discussion tonight before bed when we get back home.”
“But sir! I didn’t mean for it to happen! I swear!” she begged.
“You’re going to get quite the bedtime punishment this evening. I’m going to paddle that backside until you’re well and truly sorry for what you’ve done.”
“Please don’t spank me,” she begged, her voice dropping an octave with worry. Inadvertently, her hands dropped to cover her backside, knowing that she was soon going to regret her behavior, whether she wanted to or not. She hoped he would hear her plea.
“It’s decided. There will be no arguing with me. I am your guardian for the time being and if that means I have to spank that naughty backside to teach you to obey me, then so be it. Naughty little girls that live under my roof who misbehave will get their bottoms paddled until they are well and truly sorry.”
“Yes, sir,” she said pitifully, dropping her head.
“Now, let’s go over to the jewelry cart together. Then, you and I will head over to the nearby woodshop. I’m going to buy you something that will most certainly help you to remember to behave.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Don’t worry, little one. You’ll find out when we get there,” he said ambiguously and she narrowed her eyes and pouted. He tugged her hand and guided her across the road, this time avoiding any passing wagons or horses. Upon arriving at the cart, Irena promptly forgot her troubles, enamored by the beautiful silver and gold jewelry.
Hesitantly, she reached forward and touched a black choker toward the center of the display. To her surprise, it was made of thin leather, and adorned with a simple red gemstone at the center. Black lace surrounded the jewel and she gasped at its beauty.
“Do you like that piece, sweetheart?” Darrius asked, his voice no longer angry and hard, but soft and understanding. She nodded and he picked it up so that he could clasp it around her neck. He conversed with the merchant and before long, the two of them were walking away, the necklace still around her throat. Smiling, she took Darrius’s hand and skipped next to him as they walked down the street.
They reached the woodworking shop and he led her inside. She breathed in deep, enjoying the scent of freshly sawed wood in the air. It wasn’t until Darrius brought her up to the counter and pulled her close that she began to feel a little nervous. Something was about to happen and she wasn’t sure she was going to like it.
A big man walked out from behind a cloth door and smiled at them. He was a rather large man, with a big pot belly covered up by a long brown leather apron. A gigantic brown beard hung low to his chest as he smiled back at the two of them.
He bowed his head a little before beginning to speak.
“What can I do you for, Necromancer?”
She’d heard that word several times now. When they were alone, she’d have to ask Darrius again what it meant.
“Do you have any small paddles made for naughty young ladies?” Darrius asked, and she could have sworn her stomach catapulted into a free fall toward the ground.
“A paddle?” she questioned, disbelieving what she’d heard. He couldn’t mean to spank her with something other than his hand, could he?
A broad smile crossed the wood maker’s face as he chuckled.
“Boy, do I ever. You’d be amazed how many paddles for misbehaving wives I sell here. Dare I ask, have you taken this lovely young maiden as your own, Necromancer?”
“I’d rather if you’d just show me your collection,” Darrius growled dangerously and the man nodded, clearly understanding Darrius’s warning.
He led them over to a nearby shelf, where a wide variety of wooden paddles were on display, both large and small. Darrius picked up a few and she watched as he tested their weight, and flinched when he smacked a few of them against his palm. He picked up a small one, made of beautifully stained cherry wood that was about the size of the back of her hairbrush. It was thin and didn’t look too scary. She yelped when he grasped her around the waist suddenly and flipped up her skirts, so that her drawers were showing.
“Darrius! Wait! What are you doing?” she cried out in dismay.
“Testing the goods before I buy them. Now be a good girl and stay still. This will be a small taste of your punishment to come.”
The paddle rained down on her awaiting bottom and she yelped as soon as it made contact. It was much stingier than his hand and her feet pounded the floor in protest within the first few strokes. It really hurt!
“Guaranteed to teach naughty wives a memorable lesson. My work is matched by no one here in town. That paddle will last you a lifetime, no matter how many times you must put her over your knees. I use the same one on my wife from time to time and her behavior always improves after we have a lengthy discussion, if you know what I mean,” the merchant said with a wink and Irena whined at his words.
The paddle smacked her bottom a total of ten times before Darrius put her down and righted her skirts. Without being able to help it, her hands flew back to massage her aching bottom cheeks, trying to rub the hurt away in the process. She pouted and looked up at Darrius, who had a very satisfied look on his face.
“Now that right there,” he paused and looked pointedly at Irena, “that sells it. Wrap it up for me. It’s going to teach this naughty girl here a lesson before bed tonight and you can be sure her bottom is going to be entirely bare when it happens.”
Her mouth hung wide open as she stared back at him. Butterflies seemed to dance inside her stomach. She felt herself flush and she could have bet that her face was probably as red as an apple.
Watching with a sense of doom, she frowned as the shopkeeper wrapped up the paddle in paper and handed it over to Darrius. The implement was bought and paid for within moments, and Darrius finally led her out of the store. Her face still hot, she didn’t say another word. They walked back over to the dress shop to retrieve Regan.
They mounted the horse and rode some short ways down the road before she could finally muster the nerve to ask Darrius about the entire exchange.
“Why did you have to tell him I’m getting a spanking?” she pouted, grumbling with her displeasure.
“Irena, you’re lucky I’m waiting till bedtime to punish that naughty bottom of yours. If I had my way, I would have sat down on a stool, bared your ass, and spanked you there in the shop until you were very sorry for disobeying me.”
Her eyes opened wide in shock at his words.
“But, I want to be the only one to ever see those naked cheeks dance under my palm. I would rather no one else see that part of your body other than me.”
“Oh, I kind of like that then, I guess.”
“But be warned, disobey me again on this matter and I’ll paddle that bare bottom of yours no matter where we are. Do you understand, little one?”
Miserably, she nodded. They rode a short while longer before Darrius stopped and bought them dinner from a food wagon. She ate everything, realizing how famished she was. When they finished, they rode on back to his cabin and her bottom clenched in anticipation of her future punishment. The sun was beginning to set, so she knew it wouldn’t be long now.
Chapter Seven
When they arrived home, he told her to go into the house and wait for him. She opened the door and looked back to see him unsaddling the horse. He would put the big stallion out to pasture for the night. Entering the cabin, she closed the door behind her.
With a sigh, she sat down on the bed and clasped her hands together and waited. Her mind in turmoil, her backside tingled as she thought about what was about to happen. She knew he had told her not to wander, but she did it anyway because she wanted to look at jewelry. Even after he had found her in the road, he’d bought her the necklace around her throat. She lifted her fingers to touch it and her heart warmed a little.
She felt guilty. She wished she had waited for him before leaving the shop without his permission and now she was going to get punished for her rash decision. She sighed and reached behind her back to undo the sash around her waist.
Slowly, she undressed, still a bit unsure at times of what to do. She pulled her dress over her head and took the shoes off her feet. She stood then in her drawers, chemise, and corset. Unlacing the tight bodice, she took a deep breath once freed of its steel boning. She folded everything neatly on the bed and pulled her drawers down her legs. Now in only her chemise, which fell to mid-thigh, she sat down on the bed and waited.
The door creaked open, and he walked in.
“Good girl. I know tonight is going to be very hard as I haven’t punished you before. Come, I want you to stand in the corner and think about what you’ve done,” he said softly as he took her hand. In a bare corner of room, he bent her forward a little so that her bottom was sticking out.
“Hold your blouse up so your backside is on display. When you are ready, I want you to ask me to punish you. If you move or fidget while in the corner, there will be consequences.”
She nodded, feeling awfully vulnerable and tiny. He stood so tall over her and her bottom trembled slightly as she thought about her upcoming punishment. Her bare skin felt so vulnerable, knowing it was soon about to be spanked.
“Sir?”
“I’m going to give you a new rule tonight, little one. You are to call me Daddy instead of sir, especially when you have earned a punishment. It would please me.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said, testing the words on her tongue. It felt right and it also drove home the lesson that she was in a whole lot of trouble. She was quickly becoming his little girl and she knew that she would soon be disciplined for ignoring his instructions.
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