I'm so happy to be able to continue with Fantasy Friday. When I stopped posting every week I was afraid it would die out completely. But thanks to readers who still send me wonderful stories it continues! I love this story and I'll let the author introduce herself.
My name is Adrienne. I've been married to my hubby Jeremiah for almost 10 years. We have two sweet kiddos. I've had a variety of professions, but right now I'm a teacher at my kids' school. I've loved Sci-Fi since the first time I watched a re-run of Star Trek (the original) years ago. I'm also a spanko. To me it seemed only natural to combine the two into a story. This one's been chasing around my head for quite a while. I know you might not be "into" Sci-Fi, but maybe you can derive a bit of satisfaction from the story anyway. :) Thanks for reading!
Another World
Mom, when did you first fall in love with dad?”
Allie cut her eyes to her husband and suppressed a giggle. Phillip grinned in return. Allie sidled over to her husband and sat down on his lap. He gave her a peck on the cheek. Even after nearly thirty years of marriage, Phillip and Allie acted like newlyweds.
“Well, Harmony,” Allie answered with a twinkle in her eye, “I fell for your dad the first time he ever put me over his knee.”
Harmony furrowed her brow. She was well aware that her father spanked her mother. She could not, however, imagine how spankings could be endearing. “How could dad’s spanking you make you fall in love, Mom?”
Allie grinned mischievously. “I didn’t say anything about spanking.”
For the first time in the conversation, fourteen-year-old Marcus chimed in. “You mean that there was a time that dad put you over his knee but didn’t spank you? How is that even possible?”
Phillip grinned and goosed his wife’s sides, making her jump and giggle. “She tricked me.”
“I did no such thing, Phillip Matthew,” Allie said with mock indignation.
“C’mon, guys. One of you tell us, please?”
Suddenly stern, Phillip said, “Marcus, Harmony, you both have homework to attend to.”
“Yes, Sir,” both kids intoned. They knew better than to argue with their father.
“Come here you two and kiss me, then get up to your rooms,” Allie beckoned. “We will have to tell you our story another day.”
As the kids made their way upstairs, Allie was starting to anticipate a quiet evening with her husband. She sighed contentedly as Phillip began to kiss her all over her face and neck. “I love you so much, Phillip.”
“And I you, my darling, Allie.” Their pleasant interlude was interrupted by a knock at the front door. Moments later, the butler ushered a well-dressed man into the sitting room. “Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty. An urgent matter requires your attention. Your father, the King, asks for your presence in the main courtyard.”
Phillip stood and placed Allie on her feet in one fluid motion. “Henry, my coat and hat, please.” Henry had anticipated the Prince’s request and already had his winter garments at the ready, including the Prince’s boots and gloves. Phillip smiled in acknowledgement of Henry’s timely and thoughtful service. With a quick kiss on his princess’s cheek, he followed the messenger out the door.
Allie looked around her abandoned sitting room and harrumphed. So much for her lovely night in with the family. Oh well, at least they’d had dinner together. Finding nothing immediately presenting itself for her attention, she acted on a whim. Soon she was curled up on the oversized chair in the library reading through her diary from a bygone era. She rang for tea to be brought in and she settled in for a cozy night with her memories.
From the time she could remember, she, Princess Angelica, the King of Zophar’s only daughter, had been groomed to be a peace bride between her own planet and Sentia. Her marriage to Prince Phillip was to be the end of decades of conflict between their peoples. For the first twelve years of her life she had grown up with her own family, her own castle, her own servants. On her thirteenth birthday, she was shipped off to her new planet, complete with new culture, language, customs and family. Even sitting in her idyllic space tonight she could still feel the terrible fear and loneliness that had gripped her young heart the day she’d first stepped foot on Sentian soil.
For two years she had been groomed in the finest finishing school in the Sentian capital, learning the language, customs, and history of her new people. One of the most striking differences between Zophar and Sentia was the treatment of wives. By both culture and law, Sentian wives were subject to their husbands and to their husbands' discipline. The type, form, or severity of the discipline did not matter. From what little she had seen and heard, even she knew that women here were routinely beaten simply for their husband’s pleasure.
Allie looked up from the old book, old feelings again gripping her heart. How she had loathed such a culture where women were so devalued. At the time she had not been willing to admit it, but the idea that she would be one of these wives had terrified her. How thankful she was for the changes she had seen in thirty years.
Allie shifted in her chair and flipped several pages of the diary. Tired of reliving the terrible feelings of those first few years, she flipped to the entry regarding the day she had truly fallen in love with Phillip.
“I had my second outing with the Prince yesterday. He seemed nice enough in a stiff, formal way. Truthfully, luncheon was just awkward. How I wish I could talk to Mom about it.
After luncheon, we walked together in the park near the river. It was actually relaxing, and I was starting to feel less awkward until I heard screaming on the other bank of the river. I turned to observe a man holding a young woman by her hair, yanking her head backward. He began to drag her away by her hair as she screeched. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I wanted to rescue the woman who couldn't have been much older than I am. I turned toward Phillip, expecting to see outrage in his affect.
I was shocked to see the look of unconcern, even boredom, on his face. He motioned toward the path and said, "Shall we?" I don't remember exactly what I said, but I remember insulting his culture, his morality, indeed his whole planet. The thought of marrying this veritable monster made me want to scream or be sick.
But then he did something that changed everything . . . he ordered me over his lap. He sat down on a bench—in the middle of the park no less—and ordered me to lie across his lap for a spanking. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I just stood where he’d left me and stared at him. I think he thought I was going to bolt. Truthfully, I thought about it, but where would I go?
Before I could figure out what to do, he changed his demand, cordially requesting that I sit with him on the bench. I was scared to death, but I forced myself to sit with him. He turned to me and said, “Princess, has your father ever spanked you?” I couldn’t speak, so I just nodded. “So you understand that getting a spanking on your bottom end will hurt but will do no permanent damage?”
I was so angry I wanted to spit at him. What did he think, that I was an imbecile unable to understand even basic concepts? Of course, I knew that spankings were painful not harmful. I turned away from him, but apparently not before he saw the look on my face. I don’t know what he saw on my face, but I know what I saw on his: rage (probably because he isn't usually challenged by 15-year-old girls). He immediately shot out of his seat as though from a cannon and stalked off, followed closely by his bodyguard.
I was alone. Before our outing, the Prince had picked me up at school and had said that bringing my guard was not necessary. Now, with neither vehicle or bodyguard, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, so I stayed put. It was probably an hour or so later when I realized that no one was coming for me. I didn’t know my way back to the palace. I panicked. I began wandering trying to figure out what to do. It was starting to get dark and I was not dressed for the chill in the air. I had no money. I sat down on a stoop and cried.
A kindly older gentleman found me and brought me inside his shop. It was probably not wise of me, but I told him who I was and that I needed to get to the palace. He brought me a cup of tea and said not to worry. After what seemed like hours but was probably not more than thirty minutes, my frantic fiancé rushed through the shop door and scooped me up in his arms. One of his men paid the proprietor as Prince Phillip swept me out the door and into his vehicle where he wrapped me in warm blankets and tucked me under his arm. I have no idea how long it took to get to the palace. I fell asleep on the man’s shoulder almost immediately. I vaguely remember someone (I am mortified to think it may have been him) dressing me in my nightgown and slipping me into bed under a nice warm cover.
This morning, I awoke to the sun streaming into the window and Prince Phillip’s sitting in a chair beside the bed. He looked as though he hadn’t slept. He noticed me stir and reached for the bell pull. Then he touched my face. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, “How do you feel?”
Allie’s stomach flipped again even thirty years later as she recalled the first time Phillip had called her “beautiful.” She laid the diary aside and let the rest of the scene replay in her head.
“I’m fine.” She answered, bewildered. “I was just a little tired and cold last night.” She had wanted to add “because you left me alone” but decided not to ruin the sweet moment.
“Princess Angelica, I was wrong to walk off angry and leave you alone. It was foolish of me and dangerous for you. Will you please forgive me?”
The girl sat up, sure she must be dreaming. The high and haughty prince was apologizing? To her, his future wife? Instead of answering, she looked out the window. She had no desire to forgive him. She had been so afraid, alone, and helpless last night, and it was his fault.
A waiter appeared at the door. “Excuse me, Your Majesty, breakfast for you and the lady.” At the smell of food, Allie’s stomach had rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in many hours.
“Thank you, Thomas. Just set it on the side table,” the prince had replied. “I’ll serve.” The prince had then buttered a biscuit and handed that and a cup of tea to Allie. The girl bit off a chunk of biscuit and slumped back against the headboard, groaning appreciatively. Phillip waited a few moments while Allie ate before again broaching yesterday’s events. He decided to ignore the fact that she had yet to answer his earlier question.
“Princess," he said sternly, "You must never go with a stranger anywhere. The man who helped you last night is very kind and has been friends with the royal family for years, but what if he hadn’t been? He could have kidnaped you or hurt you or worse.”
In a moment, the fire returned to Allie’s eyes and she turned on him. “What was I supposed to do? I was in a strange city, I was alone, I had no money, no contacts, no protection, no way of returning to you or the palace or even letting you know where I was. What do you suggest I do instead of trusting a kindly stranger? Sit on the streets and freeze?” Her tone was caustic and accusatory, but she didn’t care. By the look on his face, she knew she had hit a nerve, and it felt good.
Rage again boiled within Phillip, but he tamped it down. There would be time enough to deal with disrespect. “One issue at a time, old boy,” he told himself.
He took a deep breath and tipped his head in acknowledgement. “I know that yesterday there was little you could have done differently due to all of the factors you’ve described. However, in that situation, the best thing to do is to stay put.”
She raised her voice and practically yelled, “I did! For an hour. No one came!”
Phillip knew she was about to cross the line. He barked, “Princess. You get over my lap right now.”
She narrowed her eyes and hissed, “You really think that after the disregard you’ve shown for my safety in the last two days that I would let you touch me? No. Absolutely not.” She shook her head. "If my father had any idea . . .”
Phillip's anger got the better of him. He leaned toward her, his eyes flashing, and he nearly spat out the words. "What? He'd call off the truce and send hundreds more soldiers to their deaths so that his little girl wouldn't get her bottom spanked?" He said the final word in a mocking, sing-song voice.
Allie sunk down under the covers and covered her head. She felt utterly humiliated.
Phillip took a deep breath and stood. He began pacing up and down the room, trying to cool off. It was time to confront the issue they had been dancing around. He knew that his words had been cruel and before he could lecture her, he would first have to apologize, even if he was having a hard time stomaching the idea of apologizing to this self-righteous teenager.
Schooling his features and his emotions, the prince sat on the edge of the bed. He reached for the covers and inched them down until he could see her eyes and nose. Allie's fire had been extinguished. Her eyes looked empty, hopeless. Phillip stood and cleared his throat. He paced to the end of the bed to put some distance between himself and her heartbreaking eyes.
He deliberately made his voice as gentle as possible. “I apologize for losing my temper . . . again." He gave her a crooked smile. "I know that I have a bad temper, and for that reason, I have three promises to make to you that I’ve already made to myself and to God." He ticked them off on his fingers. "First, I will never spank in anger. Second, I will always listen to your side before I decide on punishment. And third I will only punish you when it will benefit you.”
Allie pulled the covers back over her head and thought about his words for a long time. Allie knew that Phillip had been right. She knew that if she called upon her father right now, he would indeed rescue her, but no doubt her refusal to fulfil the marriage contract would mean a renewal of hostilities. How many Zopharians—and Sentians for that matter—would end up dying because of her choice? Could she be so selfish to sacrifice lives literally to save her own butt? She imagined her older brother, lying face down in the mud of a battlefield, lifeless. She could not let that happen. Allie felt hot tears dripping down her face.
She knew she had to act, but her pride would not allow her to acquiesce to this insufferable man. When she heard Phillip moving away from her toward the other end of the room, she felt panicky. She had to do something before he left and contacted her father to send her home, setting in motion those unthinkable events. She pulled the covers off her head and asked, "Don't leave . . . please?"
Phillip stopped in the middle of the room, pivoting to face the girl.
Allie tried desperately to think of something to say. Almost before she realized it, she found herself accusing rather than placating him. She could not make eye contact and spoke so quietly he could barely hear her words. "You were angry in the park yesterday. And you were angry again just now. Both times you wanted to spank me without any request for ‘my side of the story.’”
He felt his hackles rise, and he wanted to tell her that his anger had been because of her insolence. But any such answer would just cause another fight, and whether she realized it or not, he wanted this truce between their peoples to last. He answered very humbly the question she had implied, if not actually asked. "If I had spanked you in anger without listening to your explanation, I would have been violating the promises I have made."
His admission emboldened the princess. She sat up. Her tone was a bit louder now, though still very soft. "How would a spanking today have benefited me? It seems like it would only have served to shut me up."
Phillip realized that her questions were meant to show him that he had not made a good start on keeping his promises. She was right, of course. He moved slowly back to the chair where he had been when she had awakened, and he sat down. He abruptly changed the subject. "I've heard that your family's name for you was Allie. May I call you Allie?"
She laughed out loud and looked him straight in the eye. "I don't know where you got your information, but my family calls me Lica." She shrugged. "You can call me Allie, I guess. But you’re avoiding the question."
"Thank you, Allie.” He reached over and took her hand. To his surprise she didn’t pull away. Encouraged, he explained, “When I asked you to lie across my lap today, it was to help you calm down. I've seen my father do it with my mother many times. Usually it happens when mom is about to become disrespectful and dad wants to keep her from crossing that line."
The princess looked at him askance. "So spanking her makes it better? You people have very strange customs."
Phillip shrugged. "I don't know why it works. It just does."
Allie pulled her hand back and again looked out the window at the beautiful landscaping of the palace grounds, but her thoughts were in much less pleasant places. “I have been spanked before and survived,” she thought. “My duty is to marry and bring peace. If spanking is part of the deal, it can't be helped.” She let out a shuddering sigh. Phillip noticed a change in her demeanor and immediately feared that she was going to call off the wedding. He was surprised to realize how disappointed he felt at the thought.
A moment later, she’d gathered her courage. “All right,” she whispered, determined. She remembered even now the feeling of terror and humiliation she had felt as she slowly lifted off her covers and padded across the few steps to Phillip’s chair. She hesitated for a split second, but knew that if she didn't act quickly, she would lose her nerve. Quickly and unceremoniously, she flopped across his lap.
Phillip’s stomach turned a flip as he realized what this woman, his bride to be, was doing. The trust she showed in surrendering herself voluntarily to him made him feel immediately and intensely protective.
For one heart-sickening second, Allie second guessed her decision, wondering if she had just made a terrible fool of herself. Then she felt Phillip relax and put his hands on her back. When his right hand slid down to her bottom, she shivered. She felt him begin to rub her back gently with the tips of his fingers. “I’ll take care of you, Allie,” Phillip whispered very gently. And Allie began to sob—long, racking sobs. She felt all the tension, fear, and loneliness of the last two years sloughing off. Finally, for the first time since she had turned thirteen years old, she felt loved and protected.
Poor Phillip sat there in absolute confusion. He hadn’t even patted her bottom. What happened? What was wrong? He sat her up quickly. “Are you ok, Allie?" She didn’t answer. Instead she grabbed the front of his shirt in her fists and buried her face in his neck, still sobbing, sniffing, and gulping big breaths. Phillip just put his arms around her, patted her back rather awkwardly, and let her cry. It wasn’t until much later that he learned that his reaction had been exactly what she had needed.
“My Love, wake up. It’s late. Time to come to bed.” Phillip patted her shoulder. She blinked trying to figure out where she was. She heard her husband chuckle. “Rereading our rocky start, were you?” He was holding her diary.
“I certainly was. And I’ve realized something.” She stood and put her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply.
When they broke the kiss, Phillip whispered against her skin, “What’s that, My Love?”
Allie looked up innocently into his brown eyes. “You still owe me that spanking.”
“Hmmm. Indeed I do.” Phillip grinned and took his wife to bed.
~o~
Thank you Andrienne! I do love a good love story in every genre. And I thank you for helping me keep Fantasy Friday going. If there are others willing to help, if you're willing to write out that story that is swirling in your head, we'd love to read it. Send any stories to elisspeaks@yahoo.com
