Page 42 of Papa's Captive
A shudder ran through her and she nodded into the covers, mumbling so low he couldn’t quite discern her words. He lifted the belt and brought it down across her cheeks with a resounding blow. She cried out, but she did not attempt to move out of position. Even if she tried, he would simply hold her down and finish what must be done.
Another strike, and another. Three red markings bloomed across her bottom cheeks. He continued on, applying the thick leather implement from the tops of her thighs to the center of her bottom with swift, hard strokes. Her cries soon turned to softer sobs, and her shoulders heaved with her emotion. His heart contracted at the sight, but he kept going, kept giving her the punishment she both deserved and needed, deep in her soul.
“Spread your legs, Rosie. Wider. A bit wider still. Good girl. Now keep holding like that. Papa’s going to punish the insides of your thighs as well.”
* * *
Agony consumed her.But beneath the physical pain, a strange peace started to bloom. Rosie had been exceptionally naughty, but Papa was chastising her and soon she believed all would be forgiven. The slate wiped clean. Well, as clean as it could be wiped under the circumstances.
She felt awful for lying to him about her reasons for visiting the forest and getting covered in dirt. But those untruths paled in comparison to the tragedy of Papa discovering her secrets. He couldn’t find out about the box she’d buried or her family’s shame. Not yet.
Regardless, she was sorry she had disobeyed him. Sorry she had worried him. Sorry had risked her safety. Most of all, she was sorry she had disappointed her loving, kind, and patient papa.
The sting of the belt soon became her absolution, from misdeeds Papa knew about and for those of which he still remained in the dark. She focused on each hard blow as she breathed in and out, lost in a trance of repentance.
She didn’t realize the punishment had ended until Papa spoke. She lifted her head and listened, and when the sound of leather impacting upon flesh didn’t reach her ears, she finally heard what Papa was saying.
“...love you and only want the best for you, my sweet.”
Suddenly she was in his arms. He sat on the bed and held her in his lap, practically crushing her to his chest with a fierce embrace that resounded with his endless affection for her. The rapid beating of his heart thumped against her ear. She nestled further into his arms and hugged him back, thankful the punishment was over, but even more thankful he was offering her comfort and forgiveness.
She winced as her bottom brushed against his trousers. Her backside was still aflame, but she didn’t try to shift her position. She was right where she wanted to be. Next to Papa’s heart.
“My dear Rosie,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He brushed her hair from her face and hugged her tighter. “Shh. All is well now. It’s over, and I forgive you. A thousand times over, I forgive you.” He reached underneath her and caressed her aching bottom. His gentle touch was a balm to her stinging flesh and her tender heart.
A feeling of utter warmth descended upon her. She felt safe with her papa, as if nothing in the whole wide world could hurt her.
“From this day forward, you are not to leave the castle without me,” he added. “If you want to venture outside, Papa will accompany you, Rosie. I will not risk losing you. You are too precious to me.”
“I understand, Papa.”
And she did. More than he could ever know.
* * *
To Rosie’s great happiness,Papa remained at her side for the rest of the day after her punishment. He allowed her to rest in his bedchamber and called for their meals to be brought upstairs, which she appreciated as she didn’t quite feel like having to get dressed and go to the formal dining room.
No doubt the servants had heard her cries and mayhap even the sound of the sword belt lashing her, and she was glad she did not yet have to face most of them just yet. The butler had given her a sympathetic look when he’d placed her dinner tray before her, though he’d quickly fixed his face when her papa cleared his throat and asked for a bottle of wine to be brought up from the cellars.
Evening had finally arrived, and with their final meal enjoyed and already cleared away, Papa guided her back to the bed and helped her lay down on her stomach. He joined her and flipped up her dressing gown. She tensed for a moment, but soon realized he only meant to sooth her sore, punished flesh. He rubbed her bottom cheeks in a gentle manner and then paused to retrieve something from a dresser. It was a jar of ointment and she gulped hard, supposing he meant to train her hiney hole before bedtime. She hadn’t endured a session with the plugs yet today.
But to her surprise, Papa commenced rubbing the ointment all over her chastised parts, from her upper thighs to cover her entire bottom. “This will help with the pain, my sweet. I want you to get a good night’s sleep tonight.”
She peered over her shoulder and glanced at her bottom. It was still reddened with several individual lines from the belt still showing. She wondered how long it would take for all evidence of her punishment to fade. She sighed and snuggled back into the covers as the pain began to lessen.
“Mm. Thank you, Papa. It feels better already. You are too kind to me.”
“Nonsense, my love.” He wiped his hands on a cloth, then grasped her hand and kissed it. “You deserve all the kindness in the world.”
“Not when I’ve been naughty,” she mumbled.
“Especially when you’ve been naughty...after a sound punishment, that is.” He kissed her hand again, then tucked it against her side and fixed her dressing gown back into place.
She felt his eyes upon her, even though she couldn’t see his face from her current position with her head turned to the side. He stroked her back and brushed a hand through her long locks—he had taken her hair down not long after dinner.
“Papa?”
“Yes, my sweet?”
“I was wondering,” she said, feeling shy about what she was about to ask him, even though it was something they had done daily together for a while now. “Um, I was wondering about the plugs. Are you going to—”
“Not tonight. You’ve had a difficult day. We both have. I think I would rather get under the covers with you and hold you in my arms all through the night.”
She smiled. She would not have argued over the plugs had he wished to train her back hole this evening before bedtime, however, she was so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open and she appreciated Papa’s keen perceptions and understanding.
“Thank you, Papa, I would like that more than anything—to be held in your arms all through the night.”
“Then let it be so.” After undressing, he climbed into bed and pulled the covers over them both. Still allowing her to rest on her stomach, he gathered her close and held her tight.
When the sun filtered in through the partially open velvet curtains the next morning, rousing Rosie to full wakefulness, she was still ensconced in Papa’s strong arms. And in the light of the morning, a brand new day, he made gentle love to her under the covers, drawing gasps of pleasure from her as he made her come again and again. He kissed her and uttered flowery phrases of love into her ear, some so poetic and sweet that her eyes burned with emotion. Her heart had never felt so full.
