"Shalimerie," Kronitin joined in, his voice brittle. "Fetch the hairbrush, and we will go upstairs."
"No, if you want to spank me for speaking my mind, you will have to do so right here." It sounded like she stomped her foot. "And because I do not deserve it one little bit, I will not cooperate with you."
"We can take of that," Tadewidan said quietly. Shalimerie squealed as Janys felt a group driving towards the couch.
Consequences or not, Janys whirled around. "Stop it! You can't punish her! She's just trying to make me feel better—" Within seconds Martel materialized behind her and turned her back towards the wall while delivering ten hard smacks on her buttocks.
Although she couldn't see, she had no problem imagining the next few minutes. Suddenly the first rhythmic slap rang out along with Shalimerie's reaction. Although the other woman started out more quietly than Janys, she grew louder as the process continued until Janys began crying with her.
Finally it stopped, and Shalimerie stepped beside her in the corner, her face still dripping tears. "Why—" Janys started, but her friend shook her head. They stood silently for what seemed like forever as the party mingled and mixed behind them.
Two hands touched their respective shoulders. "We can go now," Martel told Janys, as Kronitin murmured the same to his wife.
Janys started shaking. "How can we go out there—"
"Like this, love," Shalimerie interrupted. Taking out a piece of cloth from her laniter, she offered it first to Janys, then mopped her own cheeks. "We go as if this never happened, holding the arms of our husbands. If Tadewidan is still here, we say good night to him politely, and we thank our host. Then whether it will be another decedonner, or four, or the full ten before we celebrate again, we come back proudly."
Can I really do this? Although Janys wanted to run the other way, she let her friend lead her through the gathering, stopping along the way for nods and goodbyes. To her amazement, no one stared at her behind or paid any attention to her tear-streaked face. In fact, most seemed to greet her even more warmly than when she'd first arrived.
Rodogan and Nila waited at the door. "I believe you have some books to retrieve before we go home," Martel told her huskily. Janys nodded, letting him take her hand.
"We'll walk with you," Nila smiled. Skillfully the others maneuvered Janys and Shalimerie away from the other guests.
"I put them on the table," Rodogan pointed out as they stepped through the library door. Janys hurried over and picked up the one that intrigued her. A quick examination failed to reveal any bent pages from their use as missiles. "Good choice—I look forward to your thoughts. You will be back soon?"
Janys looked over at Shalimerie, whose hair had fallen into an uncharacteristic disarrangement. Thanks to her sacrifice, she no longer felt she'd been thrown out of their society before ever joining it. "Yes, I will."
"Good." Rodogan said nothing more other than to wish them a joyful Planetfall. Yet when his hands clasped hers goodbye, she remembered her time on the couch. The pain became more bearable when she'd held his hands, just as Martel's arm around her now made the emotional sting fade.
Yet would she ever be like Shalimerie? Deliberately provoking a punishment to help a friend? Or stranger yet, Nila, gleefully accepting Rodogan's ministrations.
With the head rolling with images from the party, Janys didn't notice the uncharacteristic silence among the other three until Kronitin stopped at the point they would normally have turned towards his house. "Martel, does the offer still stand?"
"Yes," he replied. "Janys and I will walk down by the stream for a while so you may have privacy."
In the starlight, she saw Shalimerie shiver as Kronitin reached in under his tunic. An object Janys knew from her reading to be a riding crop glinted in the starlight. Holding it in one hand, he took Shalimerie's hand with the other and started towards Martel's cottage.
"What are they doing?" Janys took a step towards the departing couple. "He's not going to—"
"Yes, he is." Martel tried to pull her in the opposite direction. "We discussed it while both of you were on display. He needs to settle with her tonight about her conduct with Tadewidan, but he did not want to do it with her mother in the house. So I told him if Rodegan could lend him something suitable, he could use the cottage."
"But that's not fair!" she exploded, wrenching away. By cutting through a small patch of trees, she managed to land in front of Kronitin. "You've already punished her once tonight, and she didn't do anything other than try and make things better for me."
"I know what she was trying to do." He tightened his grip on Shalimerie's hand. "But it is never smart nor safe to bait an Elder. Both of you should learn that before you end up on the whipping block."
"Then Martel should be correcting me instead. I'm the one that started it. How could she bear knowing Shalimerie would be going through hell again on her behalf? The words burst out before she fully understood what she was saying. "Instead let him use that thing on me while you two go home."
The two men exchanged glances as Shalimerie stepped towards her. "Never mind, love. I can take more than you can, and—"
"But it's not right," Janys insisted, training her eyes on Martel. "Please don't make me responsible for her being hurt anymore."
For the first time, Kronitin looked at her without wariness or distrust. "You would take her punishment?"
"Yes," she got out, more shakily than she intended. Don't think about the riding crop. Just do what you need to so you don't have this on your conscience as well.
"Well," he began thoughtfully. "I believe my wife still needs a few strokes to remind her not to talk back to the Elders. But I intended to give her fifty. If you would be willing to take half of those from my brother—"
"I will," she promised, feeling faint. Martel nodded.
"Then let all four of us proceed."
Later Janys would wonder how she walked the rest of the way home. Mercifully the details blurred, though she remembered being asked to kneel by Shalimerie on the couch, holding up her tunic as she leaned over the back. The rustle of cloth as their undergarments once more gathered around their knees. The swish of air as Kronitin took the first swing, and Shalimerie's sharp cry. The line of fire across her own backside as Martel took control of the crop. The alternation of sounds and sensations as the brothers delivered their respective twenty-five strokes, all the while telling them over and over to watch their mouths around the Elders.
Afterwards the good byes went on forever, accompanied by more tears. Even Kronitin hugged her fiercely, murmuring "Good night, sister" into her ear. Could this really have become her family? For once the idea didn't seem ridiculous.
As soon as they were alone, Martel began covering her face with kisses. "Janys, despite everything happened, you made me very proud tonight. Are you going to be all right?"
"Well, I don't think I'll be sitting down again until Planetfall, but—"
As she folded herself into her husband's arms, she knew she would definitely be all right.
Chapter 11
Considering what happened to her at Master Rodogan's party, Janys wasn't sure how to approach the upcoming Planetfall celebration with her in-laws. On the one hand, her happiness with Martel and newfound closeness with Kronitin and Shalimerie made her believe she would share the holiday with family. On the other, she might unknowingly insult Zellin or deliberately say something catty to Zagote and again find herself on the wrong end of a hairbrush.
But things went surprisingly well. Most of the credit belonged to Master Lewital, the recent returnee to the trade office whom Martel persuaded to join them. The young man's grin lit his broad face as he entertained them with offworld adventures. Although Janys predicted Yagote would show no interest in him, she caught the two exchanging smiles several times during the meal.
"I didn't think she could move her mouth except to say something nasty," Janys confessed to Shalimerie afterwards in the kitchen. Taking a fresh dish towel
, she tackled the large pot where the traditional muclokin, a hare-like game animal, had been stewed. "I swear one time she almost laughed."
Shalimerie nodded as she dried off the silverware. "I almost laughed myself when Lewital commented on her spilling the sauce."
They both chuckled over how Yagote blushed when she jiggled a few drops on the tablecloth. "Good thing you are not my wife," Lewital told her as he caught her hand. "In my house, wasting food as wonderful as this would be a spanking offense."
Shalimerie checked again to make sure they weren't being overheard. "Do you think they might have a chance together?"
"I hope so. Anything to get her mind off Martel." Though Janys had to admit she'd seen little of Yagote in recent days, as if the girl were avoiding her. Could his "sister" have finally given up expecting Martel's marriage to fail? Or maybe being around Janys served as an unpleasant reminder of the whipping she'd received for her role in the waxing.
Her friend tucked the last fork into the drawer. "Would you like to come over to our place later this evening? We always open a special bottle of winnotal in honor of Planetfall."
"I'd love to," Janys sighed. "But remember, I start teaching tomorrow. I'm almost done with that book Rodogan loaned me, but there's still a lot of things in the textbooks I haven't gotten to yet."
"You will do wonderfully," Shalimerie assured her. "It may take you a little longer to catch up on all our literature, but you have seen places and things beyond what many here can imagine. If you run into problems, be like Lewital and tell them tales of another world…"
I bet the Elders will love that. Although she had to acknowledge censorship on Demeter applied only to information about the planet's disciplinary structure being released to outsiders. While the residents had abandoned electronic implants and other retrieval systems along with other high tech gear, people could freely share whatever knowledge they had about other societies and lifestyles.
The next morning Janys woke up before Martel, watching his back move slightly with each breath. Several Earth years ago she'd faced another starting day alone on her narrow cot at the Institute. In fact the Professor hadn't noticed she'd made the transition from student to researcher until she asked him to validate her hours at the end of the first pay cycle.
I can't think about him anymore, she reminded herself. That part of my life is over, while a new one begins.
"Big day for you." Her husband turned over and reached for her, hugging her tightly. "If you wish, we can walk together to the school."
She shook her head, then kissed his nose. "No, that would be out of your way. Plus I think it's important I do this by myself."
"As you wish. But seeing as we still have a little while before either of us needs to leave—" he returned the kiss, then moved to her lips, proceeding to parts below. Despite her best intentions to be early, she ended up rushing through breakfast and running part of the way in order to make it to Mistress Meisin's office before the starting bell.
Although Janys spent hours worrying about the gaps in her knowledge of Demetian literature, she'd completely overlooked one element of the teaching life likely to cause more distress than her unfamiliarity with Master Dardannon's opus. After a brief orientation lecture, the principal handed over a grade book, calendar, and three items that made the new teacher shiver. "What am I supposed to do with these?"
"This?" The director picked up the metal ruler. "Of course you can measure things with it, though I doubt you will find it necessary unless you teach math someday. Around here it sees much more action smacking palms and the backs of legs. Great for the little ones—stings at the time, but no marks."
Nervously she ran a finger along the edge of the smaller of the two paddles. "You expect me to use this as well?"
"On the younger students. If you want to be quick about it, just turn them around and give them a few whacks standing up, or if they need more of a lesson, it works very well over the knee."
Janys closed her eyes. She couldn't imagine taking anyone across her lap to experience the type of pain and humiliation she'd experienced since her trial.
Meisin picked up the larger paddle, gripping it by the handle and swinging it back and forth in the air. "The oldest groups gets this one. I prefer asking them to bend over the desk, but some of the other teachers around here just have them grab their knees or ankles."
She took a deep breath. "Meisin, I really don't think I can do this. I've never paddled anyone in my life, or used a ruler that way—"
"You will find it easy enough to learn," the principal interrupted. "If you wish, come by for a few minutes after school. Alicitia and her boyfriend played hooky last week. I decided to postpone their punishment so they could still sit down with their families for the Feast of Planetfall, but tonight they will be getting blisterings. Once I show you the techniques, you can assist me."
Alicitia? Under no circumstances could Janys participate in punishing Chardontal's babysitter, or the boy she'd seen laughing with her at Rodogan's party. "Look, if I have to spank anyone, I don't think I can take this job after all."
Meisin's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying you do not believe the school should correct them in this way, or only that you do not want to administer the punishment?"
Both, Janys wanted to reply. If it were her school, she'd discipline using time outs and suspensions. But she knew she could never win that battle, at least not as a newbie teacher. "Just that I can't be the one to do it."
"So if someone broke a rule, you would refer the student to me?" the principal persisted.
She thought hard about it. "Yes, I could do that." But I probably wouldn't. No matter how she tried, she couldn't visualize sending someone off to be paddled.
"All right," the principal told her briskly. "I think you will change your mind after being with us for a while, but we need you enough at the moment for me to take on that responsibility. Now that we have that solved, let me show you to your classroom."
As they walked down the short hallway, Meisin described the schedule. Janys would teach the middle graders in the morning, the smallest ones right before lunch, and the oldest directly afterwards. "That will get you home in plenty of time to prepare dinner, or you can stay here and go over lesson plans for the next day," the older woman noted as she ushered them into a room crammed with desks and chairs. Minutes later, squirming bodies filled in the remaining space.
Somehow Janys got through the first two sessions, trying to match names and faces while getting some understanding of each child's skills. By the time the last group filed in, she felt she'd been there for a decedonner instead of a half day. Fortunately the final class was the smallest, containing only three students besides Alicitia and her boyfriend Jernonon. She immediately recognized Vilding, the boy who'd gotten switched by his father for stealing dessert from Mistress Milner.
Knowing what Mistress Meisin had in mind for the truant couple, Janys couldn't help keeping an eye on them. Jernonon appeared unconcerned, joking and talking with Vilding and the other boy in the class, but Alicitia twisted her hair as she watched the clock. After Janys's class finished, the girl would still have to sit through math and social science before keeping her painful appointment with the principal.
As the bell rang and the students made their way out, Janys slumped back in her chair. Yes, she'd made it through the day without any major mistakes, but she'd never dreamed how much energy it would take keeping up with all those arms and legs and voices. A soft tap made her sit up, expecting the principal had dropped in for a report…
Instead a scarecrow leaned in her doorway, his gray hair spiking out around his thin face. "Pannolorian" he said, thrusting out his hand. "I teach science and physical education. You may not remember, but you probably saw me at the party."
"Oh," Janys blushed as she squeezed his palm. If he'd been there, he'd already seen more of her than she'd ever want to share with a colleague. But his gray eyes showed no awkwardness as he came in and perched on one of h
er desks.
"First day is the worst. You think you will never be able to juggle all these subjects and class levels and students. But trust me, tomorrow will be better." He rolled his eyes. "And at least for a few days, you can count on these scoundrels being on good behavior while they scout out your weak spots."
"That's comforting," she laughed. "But they seem like a pretty good group to me."
"Oh that they are. But they can be a handful. I should know—Jernonon is my son." He chuckled and shook his head. "You would think a boy would know better than skip school where his father teaches, but I guess spending a day with a pretty girl seemed worth the consequences. Though he might think twice about doing it next time after both Meisin and I wear him out tonight. Are you planning to help her as well?"
Janys stared down at her desk. "I've told Meisin I have a problem with—correcting the students that way."
"I am sorry to hear that," he told her gravely. "If you wish, I can fill in as a disciplinarian when necessary, but I hope you will decide to do it yourself." Pannolorian pressed his fingers together in a triangle, resting his chin on the peak. "Our children thrive on structure. Most come from homes with simple rules that are strictly enforced, and they expect the same from us. If we can be fair and consistent without being cruel, we help them learn much more important things than just the subjects we teach."
"I just don't think I could bring myself to hit someone."
"Nor could I, if you mean striking in anger." he agreed. "Or any place other than those suitable for correction, such as a backside or hand. However I think you will find a few well-placed taps on those areas get attention, and a few more make a point a lot faster and more effectively than scolding or shouting."
"Maybe." Janys shook her head.
Pannolorian stood up. "I have to round up the ingredients for our experiment this afternoon, but tell me if you need anything. I know you are new at this, but if you end up enjoying the work half as much as I do, you will be very happy here."
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