"And neither of you thought to ask Martel what his wishes might be regarding an intimate matter between husband and wife."
"I knew he would want to follow the Wyteen way," Elondelle insisted.
Martel shook his head. "I have no preference, but if I did, I would work it out with Janys without your involvement."
"But Martel!" Elondelle protested. "You have to follow the practice! It promotes honesty, openness—"
"We have been over this before, Elondelle," Zellin broke in tiredly. "Just because something exists in the 'rules' does not mean every couple follows it to the letter. Martel and Janys can decide what promotes honesty between them. You should have respected him as both a man and your son to make his own decision."
Janys huddled against her husband. While she enjoyed hearing Elondelle and Yagote get dressed down, she wanted him to take her home, especially as Elondelle began, "But Janys said to me—"
Martel cut her off. "I am sorry, Mother. But I have no choice but to ask Father to correct you for wrongfully punishing my wife."
"I still do not believe what I did constituted punishment," she insisted.
Zellin's face darkened. "I know how this can be resolved. Is there any wax left?"
After a long pause, Elondelle admitted, "We have another large candle."
"Then go and melt it down." For a second Elondelle looked afraid. "Yes, my dear. If what you did was not punishment, then you should not object to my seeing if it works better than your usual routine. Or if as I believe, you punished Janys unjustly, I hope she agrees a waxing would be suitable as one part of your limiton."
Elondelle's face went completely white, but she turned and left without saying anything more. Zellin focused his attention on Yagote. "You may have the guiltier conscience because you recognized you did wrong, but you were not the driving force. Unless you would prefer the wax, fetch the rod so I can give you a thrashing before attending to my wife."
They watched Yagote scamper off. "Do you wish to stay and watch the limiton being carried out?" Zellin asked Janys.
She shook her head… "I just want to go home."
"Then you shall." He leaned over the couch and clasped her hand. "I apologize for what happened here today. Be certain it will be fully addressed so it will never happen again."
"Thank you." As she got up, Yagote reappeared by the door leading to Zellin's study, a long polished stick in her hand. Zellin met her there, putting a hand on her shoulder as they moved inside shutting the door firmly. A few seconds later, Janys heard a swish and a low cry.
Martel nodded towards the study. "I expect my mother will get the same after the waxing is completed. Under the circumstances, we will now consider your lessons here concluded."
"Thank God," she whispered. The tunic scraping against her bare skin reminded her she'd left her prander draped over the spanking bench. In a low voice she told Martel her problem, and he immediately brought it to her. Wincing, she pulled it on not knowing which hurt worse—her behind, her thighs, or her bikini area.
Slowly they made their way back to the cottage. He offered to carry her, but she declined, although she leaned heavily on him most of the way. Once there, he helped her lie down on the bed, then sat beside her stroking her forehead and hair.
"Shalimerie may have something to make you feel better. If you rest now, I will go over to their place and see."
"That would be good." No matter what other things Shalimerie might have, Janys intended to slip a few drops of the sleeping potion into her drink tonight.
"I will hurry back." He kissed her cheek, then left her to her thoughts. If only she could shove aside the bad memories in favor of the few good ones. The way Martel took up for her against his mother and foster sister. For once, they'd been in the wrong, and he hadn't hesitated to tell them so or demand justice on her behalf. If he'd just gotten home a few minutes sooner, she knew he would have rescued her. Curling her aching body under the quilt, she wished she hadn't let him go on the errand when she so wanted him simply to stay with her.
Somehow she dozed, awaking to find him again by her side sniffing the contents of a small blue jar. "Shalimerie promised this would reduce the redness and soreness. May—may I help you put it on?"
Janys looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. Very gently he removed the quilt and folded up her tunic, then eased the prander slowly until it was off entirely. His fingers dipped into the jar, then gently began spreading the creamy substance between her legs, working it into each crease and down her striped thighs.
God, it felt good! Not just the coolness or the way the pain started dissipating after a few seconds, but the stroke of his hands. She could tell how hard Martel worked to keep his touch light so as not to cause her further agony. Closing her eyes, she surrendered to his soft massage, her legs parting to welcome him.
She opened them to find him sadly gazing down at her. "Janys," he breathed. "I am so sorry. For all the things today that never should have happened. My mother thought it would help me, because she knows how much I want our marriage to succeed. But to do this—"
"It's not your fault," she whispered.
"I love you," he said simply. "But I understand how you can never love me when being my wife brings you nothing but pain."
"Not all of it is pain," she replied looking up at his troubled face. The face of the man who had given up his future to save her life. The man who fought for her again today the same way he'd done at her trial. The man she wanted.
Reaching over, she caught his hand and placed it on her right breast. The nipple stiffened under her tunic as he gently squeezed her, smiling uncertainly. Slowly she edged towards the opposite side of the bed giving him room to lie down while still holding him to her. She could tell immediately from the hardness against her leg how much he desired her. Her hand fumbled with his tunic, seeking first the smoothness of his taut stomach. then the curve of his hip as she pulled him to her. Fortunately Demetian clothing came off more quickly than her Institute uniform.
Although she wanted to wrap her arms around him and hug him to her, she could still feel the marks left by the Men's Gathering. Instead she clasped him around the neck, her tongue burying itself in the warmth of his mouth. Then she felt his cock seeking between her legs. She reached down and took it firmly, her thumb lightly rubbing the shaft before she guided him in.
Yes, the entry hurt slightly as it always did, plus the friction on her denuded skin stung, but she didn't notice it as the waves of pleasure continued building. For the first time she felt as though every cell in her body had come alive. Just as she felt she would die from the sensations, a thrust carried her over. Seconds later Martel cried out as he came inside her.
Sleepy and spent, Janys laid her head on his chest. Her last thought before drifting off was that he smelled good even without the tunic.
Shortly after midnight Martel stirred. "We missed dinner," he remarked. "Let me get something to keep us until morning."
Although he urged her to stay under the quilt, she padded along with him down to the kitchen. Whenever she'd made love with the Professor, one of them had always left as soon as they were done so they wouldn't be discovered by early-rising students. Afterwards she'd always felt empty. Now she basked in the joy of keeping Martel in her sight, prolonging their closeness.
They ate fruit and the last of Shalimerie's bread, washing it down with corittan. Janys remembered her earlier intention to dose herself with drops. But that was when she'd intended sleeping alone. Now as they sat at their table in their sleep tunics, which they'd slipped on to protect them from drafts, she wanted nothing more than to be fully awake and in bed with him.
Martel must have caught her thoughts, because he grinned at her as they made their way back upstairs. "Did I behave well enough to spend the night, or do I have to go back sleeping down the hall?"
"You can stay," she smiled back. "But only if you continue to behave that way a second time around."
"I will try my b
est," he promised as he pulled down the sleep tunic and kissed the tops of her breasts.
They went slowly, with less urgency than before but greater communication. For the first time she could remember, Janys felt completely satisfied as she spooned with her husband, his hands circling her waist.
Who would have known that someone who warmed her backside so well could also keep her feet that toasty?
Chapter 8
She woke curled under Martel's arm. The soreness from the waxing had worn off, leaving only the familiar twinges from Elondelle's switch, but she ignored them as she admired her husband. For over a decedonner she'd been waking and dressing alone, but last night brought an end to their awkward arrangements as they finally consummated their marriage. For the first time since her arrest at the Men's Gathering, she looked forward to the day.
When he slept, the stress lines disappeared, changing him back into the man she'd met when she first came to Demeter. They'd lost their original selves so quickly as a result of her trial and sentence that she no longer clearly remembered either the handsome and helpful trade minister or the overeager sociologist. "I'm his wife," she whispered, meaning it for the first time. No matter what she thought about his planet or its customs, last night she'd finally allowed her body to express both her desire and gratitude.
Leaning over, she pressed her lips to his eyelids, then moved to his mouth, her tongue tracing the line between his lips. He woke quickly with the same surprised look as when she'd reached for him the previous night. Could he still not believe she wanted him?
She kissed him hard and he reached for her immediately, letting his fingers play across her smooth mound, then tickle between her legs. While she'd never admit it to Elondelle, she actually liked the novelty of his hands touching the hairless skin, as if she'd come to him as something new, different from the woman who'd made love to the Professor and other men.
This time he found his way into her quickly, their bodies discovering natural ways to fit together. Afterwards they lay together in a tousled heap, watching the two suns grow higher in the sky. Finally he gave her a last hug and stood up. "I wish I could take off today and tomorrow so that we could finally have a proper honeymoon. But things are still difficult at the office."
Janys refrained from asking for details, knowing any problems undoubtedly stemmed from publicity about her case and pending appeal. "Not even a half day?" she teased.
He looked away. "I have arranged to do so on the afternoon of Karala. Now I need to spend the next two days preparing for that time away."
Despite the warmth of the quilt, she shivered. Although she'd pushed the thought out of her mind since the previous morning, she knew Martel referred to her upcoming forbinner. On Karala, the same hands that had just given her such pleasure would mete out severe punishment…
"What are you going to do today?" he asked gently. "Now that I have cancelled the lessons with my mother, you finally have time for yourself."
Wrenching her thoughts away from the forbinner, she tried to think. "First I'll take care of the housework." Thank God she would no longer have to worry about Yagote using that as an excuse to check up on them. "Then figure out what to do about dinner."
"You mean we need something more than fruit and bread tonight?" he grinned.
"Maybe we can keep the same appetizer and dessert courses.". While the impending punishment still lay heavily on her mind, she couldn't bring herself to draw back from Martel.
They ate huge breakfasts, laughing as he brushed crumbs off of her nose. Only as he kissed her good-bye did Martel again turn serious. "I will ask stop by and ask Shalimerie to come over tomorrow. Or perhaps you would prefer going to her house. There are things you should know about what will happen on Karala, and you might prefer hearing them from her."
"All right," she replied somberly. As soon as he left, she buried herself in cleaning, the same way she'd once used compiling reports to keep from thinking about things bothering her. However by midday she'd put everything in order. What had Shalimerie mentioned about working as a teacher? Although she enjoyed this oasis of unstructured time, Janys knew she had to find something else to fill her days.
Still it was fun testing her new cooking skills without anyone looking over her shoulder. he experimented with a few herbs she'd never seen before, creating a unique pot roast. Fortunately she timed it for later after his arrival as their hunger for each other exceeded their interest in food, significantly lengthening the normal interval between homecoming and dining.
The next day Shalimerie showed up while Janys was changing the bed linens. "I know Martel said you might come visit, but my mother arrived last night to stay with Chardontal for a few days. If you want to get outside, we can go walking or shopping, but I thought it would be easier starting from here."
Again Shalimerie's voice tensed up when speaking about her mother. Janys wondered if her friend would share the story, which she gathered hinged on the decision of a Lycarta daughter to marry a Wyteen man. After all, Martel had urged her to inquire about Shalimerie's courtship with his brother.
But today again different things dominated the agenda. The other woman bobbed her head with laughter as she flicked a glance at the soiled sheets. "I bet Kronitin I knew why Martel looked so happy, but he said it seemed unlikely. Something about problems with Elondelle? Anyway, I am very glad to see I was right after all."
Janys blushed slightly, though she probably would have revealed the story herself. She thought briefly of trying to swear her friend to secrecy, but realized it wouldn't work. Martel would eventually tell his brother, then Shalimerie would be punished for withholding information. Besides, did she care if Elondelle and Yagote knew about the change in her marriage? While she didn't want Elondelle to believe her interference had brought it about, she wouldn't mind seeing Yagote's face when she realized Janys's marriage was no longer in name only.
They chose to go walking, with Shalimerie leading her to one of the few streams cutting through the arid countryside. The two women sat on the bank and dangled their feet in the warm, slow water. "Our version of a hot tub," Shalimerie commented, kicking drops towards Janys. "One time after I had just taken my bath, Chardontal spit up milk all over me. Waiting three days before another washing seemed unbearable, so that night I sneaked down here after Kronitin and the baby had gone to sleep. I took off my tunic and laid back in the water, looking up at the sky."
"Sounds heavenly." How wonderful it would be to lie back and let the water flow over her body, dissolving all the aches and soreness.
"Yes," Shalimerie sighed. "It was. At least until Mistress Donawirt reported to Kronitin she saw me naked in the stream, after I had taken such care to dry my hair before I returned to his bed.".
Janys remembered the rat-faced woman who'd made life so unpleasant for Mistress Plettigan the day of the trial. "What did he do?"
"What do you think?" her friend countered. "He asked Alicitia to look after Chardontal, then he brought me down here. Down the way you can sit on an old log while the stream runs over your toes. Before I knew it, he had my prander off, then he put me over his lap and splashed water over my bottom before spanking me. Every once in a while he'd scoop up more and pour it on. Let me tell you, wet skin makes even a bare palm sting like crazy."
"And you forgave him?" Janys tried to imagine how she'd act if Martel punished her that way.
"Of course!" Shalimerie laughed. "He was right. Except for discipline, we have laws against public nudity. If Mistress Donawirt had taken the matter to Council, he would have been forced to cane me. His way was much more appropriate. Besides, Chardontal could have needed something, and Kronitin would not have known where to find me."
She reached down and lobbed a small stone across the water. "But now that Chardontal has become old enough for his father to take care of in emergencies, I still come down some nights. I am just careful not to be seen."
"I don't understand," Janys confessed. "I don't see how you can talk so e
asily about being punished. Or why it doesn't affect the way you feel about your husband. For that matter, I can't imagine deliberately breaking a rule knowing someone would want to cane me for it."
"Oh, there are a few rules that scream to be broken." Shalimerie tossed another rock after the first. "Those that are silly. Such as bathing nude in a remote place at night, or suffering scars rather than applying balms. Or only falling in love with people from your own little community. And most punishments are endurable, at least when fairly given. When I step over the line, I know exactly what will happen, so I have no reason to get upset over it."
"As for loving Kronitin—I would think by now you would have noticed one type of attention to our posteriors often leads to a more enjoyable kind. After Kronitin hauled me out of the water that time, we spent quite a while longer lying under that tree." She pointed towards one so large its roots reached into the creek bed. "Fortunately, Mistress Donawirt did not come by."
They chatted some more about Mistress Donawirt, who seemed like Yagote's honorary twin sister in her ability to stir up trouble. Finally Shalimerie brought the subject back to the one Janys dreaded. "With all this talk of bathing, I hope tomorrow morning you plan to take a full one."
"No, not really." Confused, Janys stared at her friend. "I had one yesterday, so I'm not permitted another until the day afterwards."
"But you are having a forbinner tomorrow afternoon," Shalimerie pointed out gently. "Most people bathe immediately beforehand, knowing they will not feel like it for several days thereafter."
"Oh." She'd never even considered that might be one of the consequences. Wrapping her arms around her damp legs, she hugged herself. Despite everything Shalimerie told her, she couldn't imagine calmly lying down on the spanking table to receive the worst whipping of her life, much less wanting the man who delivered it to touch her afterwards.
"Janys, have you ever asked Martel how he intends to carry out your punishment?" Her friend's eyes shimmered with concern.
Captive Discipline Page 12
