WBY - Swords and Switches (part three)
The stream pond was glorious, crystal clear. So clear in fact that you could see the fish swimming as long as you didn’t scare them off with big splashing. Jensen had no intention of splashing. He dropped his clothes on the bank, leaving a trail as he slid his blouse over his head, breeches unlaced and pulled down then he hopped along naked pulling off his boots one at a time. He did stop briefly to peal off his stockings. It was too bad he was on this side of the pond. It wasn’t deep enough to jump in here. You needed more a gentle wade until you hit deeper water. The other side was great fun for running jumps. But he didn’t want to run and jump. He wanted to relax.
And that was just what he did. He waded out until it was chest deep and then dove gently under, feeling the sun’s brief heat on his arse as he went all the way down. He’d always loved swimming here; sometimes with other boys, the stable lads and Jared, but he liked it alone too. He floated awhile and then he felt fish nibbling on his toes. He giggled. It sounded foreign to him.
Jensen headed back to the shore, but stopped hip deep when he realized his clothes were no longer strewn upon the bank.
“Whoever took those clothes, you better bring them back! Jared, if that’s you I swear I will kick your arse!”
Jeff stepped out from behind the trees, carefully holding Jensen’s clothes in one hand, his boots in the other.
“Oh, lad, Jared is not the one who is in for an arse kicking.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“I wouldn’t, huh? Well, you’re already butt naked and wet. Believe me, Jensen. Hurts a lot worse when you’re wet. And if any one deserves to get his royal little arse kicked it’s you.”
Jeff didn’t sound particularly mad, but that meant nothing. In fact, it was worse because Jensen knew damn well that Jeff never disciplined anyone or anybody unless he wasn’t mad. He’d seem it many times, especially while riding. He would correct a horse instantly because that’s what horses understood. But it was very purposeful and without anger. He’d never beat a horse for not understanding and he’d never used a crop unless it was necessary. A whip, a crop and spurs were aids…ways to make a horse understand what was expected. Not any different than hands or leg. They were teaching tools.
A few times the correction had been brief and explosive because there were horse behaviors that Jeff would not tolerate.
Biting. Rearing. Not respecting the man’s space. All of those were disrespectful and when dealing with a 1,500-pound horse, respect was necessary.
Not even Magnus was allowed any of those behaviors. He could rear. He’d been train to rear on command, but only when asked. That was a warhorse maneuver. He had several under his repertoire. The rear was actually the Levades or Courbette. Both were used to allow the rider to see above the battle. There was also the impressive Cabriole. It was exceptionally amazing because Magnus would jump into the air and kick his hind legs out violently, effectively disarming anyone behind him. And why in God’s name was he running through warhorse maneuvers?
Jensen answered his own question with his own answer for behaving like an arse all day. For disrespecting everyone he knew. Jensen knew that as well as he knew those damn warhorse maneuvers.
He was doomed. Unless…
“I apologize, Master Morgan, for my behavior today. For Sir Gael, for you, for Volt and even Ian.”
“Ian? He’s at the end of your list? Why? Because he is a stable boy and not a prince?”
“No, I… No, I would never -“
“Oh, yes. You would and you did.”
“But I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Perhaps, but perhaps not. No matter. I don’t think I have ever been so disappointed in you in my life. You make mistakes. You can be as stupid as any thirteen-year-old, but you have never behaved like you did today. You will not ever again.”
Jeff draped the clothes over a slim branch and then the boots next to the very same tree.
“Get out,” Jeff said quietly and low.
Jensen wanted to go back. He could swim well, tread water for a long while. Hell, he could swim to the other side of the pond and trot his naked self back to the castle. He wouldn’t though, not the least of which was because running naked through Lockerby’s forest was certainly not something a prince would do. The ramifications of that were almost unthinkable.
He was the Prince of Locherby, heir to the Throne. He’d said it to himself and everyone else, several times today. It meant something. He thought back to his mother this morning. Her responsibilities and her duties. His responsibility and duties. They all had them, Sir Gael, Ian, and Jeff Morgan.
Master Morgan was more than his Stable Master. He was a surrogate father since the King had died. They’d shared warm laughs and an occasional tussle under the guise of hand-to-hand combat. Jeff was not a knight, but he had been the King’s best friend. He was a friend to Jared and Jensen too. Not the same way, course.
No. Jensen had responsibilities and that did not include running away.
He squared his shoulders and walked out of the water.
“Find a switch. Make it a good one.” Jeff handed Jensen a knife.
Jensen walked into the woods with as much dignity as he could muster, which wasn’t a lot really. Walking naked into the woods, dripping wet to get your own switch was hardly a dignified situation.
He chose one with enough heft to meet Jeff’s approval, thin enough to create quite the stripe on his arse.
He returned to Jeff and handed him the switch. Jeff whistled it through the air. The sound made Jensen shudder just a bit. Then Jeff smacked himself once through his breeches.
“Ow. This is gonna hurt,” he said almost offhandedly.
“Get on with it,” Jensen ground out.
Jeff arched one brow in Jensen’s direction.
“I’m sorry, sir…it’s just waiting here is horrible.”
Jeff nodded his head. “I imagine it is. Don’t worry, I don’t want you to dry off.” Jeff crooked a finger at Jensen and Jensen stepped toward him. Jeff pointed to an overturned tree and for that Jensen was thankful. He didn’t want to be spanked over Jeff’s lap like a little kid. He hadn’t counted on the rough bark making contact with his cock and balls though.
He certainly wasn’t ready for the first lick of the switch on his arse. Liquid fire. Christ, he almost stood up and grabbed his arse to dance out of the way. It was followed by another almost immediately directly below the first. Jensen gasped. Another swish of the switch and he did jump this time. Unfortunately for his cock and balls, the tree was in the way.
“SHIT!”
“Better be a little more still, lad, or you’ll be picking splinters and bark off a place that should never have either.”
“Jeff…Master Jeff, I am truly sorry.”
“You already said you were sorry. I’m sure you are. Be still.”
Jensen gripped his fingers into the bark of the tree ready for another lick. It came, but from the other direction and once again, he wasn’t prepared for that.
Jeff chuckled a bit grimly. “Didn’t know I could be work left handed too, did ya?”
“Master Jeff. Please.”
“Oh, so you do have manners?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you think you can remember them when I’m not behind you smacking your tail.”
“Most definitely…sir.”
“Just to make sure,” Jeff said low.
Two more left-handed strokes and then another from which direction Jensen couldn’t tell.
He heard the switch snap in half and saw it thrown out of his peripheral vision.
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou.
“Get your clothes on. We have a bit of a walk back to the barn.”
“The barn?”
“I should make you finish your lesson, but I’m not a sadist. Still, you will take care of Volt. I want her coat shining like that crown you will wear some day.”
Jensen grimaced as he pulled up his riding britches. They were far too snug for walking with fire burning in switch-shaped stripes up and down his rump, but he had no choice. He sat on the wretched downed tree with a yelp and pulled on his stockings then boots. He was breathing heavy by the time he pulled his blouse over his head. He stood slowly, wiping his shirt-sleeve over his eyes. He wasn’t sobbing, but he couldn’t stop the tears.
Jeff waited quietly, just standing next to Jensen without saying anything, facing the pond, which by now was brilliant gold and bronze in the late afternoon sun. Once Jensen regained his composure he turned to Jeff.
“I once again apologize for my actions today. I am thankful to have such a wise Master who is unwilling to allow me to behave in such a disgraceful manner.”
“And I am thankful to have a future King who can recognize such things,” Jeff said solemnly.
They walked through the forest together side by side. It was a bridle path. There was room for them to do so. Neither said anything for a while, both absorbed in their own thoughts.
“You know how much I disapproved of your behavior today, Jensen.”
“Your displeasure was very obvious.”
“But I don’t want you to think that I feel any less of you for your actions.”
“How could you not? I was reprehensible.”
“True, you were. But you are young yet, just a colt. Which is why it is best to learn these things now, so instead of Gaylord, you become Magnus.”
Jensen couldn’t help but smile. “So you will have me servicing young fillies?”
“What you do when you are of an age is your business. But I hope that whomever you…” Jeff cleared his throat, “service, show her the respect she deserves, not dally with her like Magnus does. While Magnus has many admirable qualities, some that you could certainly emulate, his ability to sire colts and fillies is not something you should endeavor to do. You may have a dalliance or two when you become older, but the woman you love, who you chose to be a wife, should be worthy to become a Queen.”
Jensen looked hard at Jeff. “Are you saying she must be of royal blood? Rich and of good lineage?”
Jeff slowed his pace a bit, “Well, a good pedigree is always nice, but there are some wonderful mares out there who have the best breeding in the world and I wouldn’t use them as a plow horse.”
Jensen was losing the focus between horses and women. He wasn’t quite sure who or what they were talking about any more. “What do I always say about a new horse when they come into the barn? What do I look for?”
Jensen sighed, another test. “Kind eye, spirit and heart. Courage and loyalty, good legs and hooves?”
Jeff laughed out loud. “Well, they all pertain to a woman too, except for the hooves. Hooves on a woman are a whole different thing and probably not what you want.
“You will know when you see her, Jensen. You’ve got a great role model in your Queen. If you find someone half the woman she is, you will be fine.”
Jensen winced as the fabric of his britches rubbed against his wounded rear end.
“Will you be there to counsel me for that decision?”
“If you ask for counsel, I will be truthful. But that will be your choice, My Lord, not mine.”
“Well, as long as your disapproval in my choice does not result in something similar to today, I suppose I can live with that.”
Jeff laughed again. “If you find yourself at the end of my switch by that time, I will have failed as your teacher.”
“Plus, I may have you thrown in the dungeon,” Jensen commented.
“That remains to be seen, lad. Remains to be seen.”
End.