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Lucan gave him an incredulous look.
“Sire, we are fighting for your very survival. An edict has almost certainly gone forth. You are being hunted like a young stag, and like a young stag, you have little instinct for self preservation.”
“I am the king of this country if my father is dead, and I will not go about the place looking…” Sebastian curled his upper lip in disgust. “Common.”
“There are worse things than being common.”
“Like what?”
“Being dead.”
A half-shrug dismissed that dire warning. “If you say so.”
A slightly rested and somewhat fed Sebastian quickly proved to be petulant, tempestuous and spoiled. Lucan looked at his charge and realized that without discipline, the prince would be dead within the week.
The prince had been raised in a world of cruel words and callous dismissal, but Sebastian had never been disciplined. Mockery was not discipline. Dismissal was not discipline. Being sheltered was not discipline.
Lucan knew what he had to do. He also knew Sebastian would loathe him for doing it. He moved the pan to the side and reached for the prince with a truly regretful sigh.
“I apologize for what I am about to do, sire. I hope you understand I do it only because I believe this is the best way to preserve your life.”
Sebastian looked thoroughly confused as Lucan took hold of him by the upper arm and drew him down over his thighs as he sat before the fire. Sebastian did not put up much resistance, perhaps because he did not know what was going to happen. Had he already forgotten the whipping he got outside the training yard? His innocence was rather charming, at least, until it tuned to shrill complaint once more.
“What are you doing, man!”
Lucan’s palm swept through the air and made sharp contact with the prince’s golden breach-clad rear. It was not a particularly hard slap, but the prince reacted as if he had been mortally wounded. He let out a wail so powerful and mournful it was as if the woods had come alive with the spirit of a regretful royal brat.
Lucan worked very hard not to laugh at his reaction, knowing it would seem like mockery, and that was the last thing Sebastian needed. Sebastian would never sense contempt from him. He would receive guidance, discipline, and the appropriate amount of devotion and love.
The appropriate amount, Lucan reminded himself sternly, shifting the prince so his hip did not rub against the hard ridge of his cock.
“You are killing me!”
“I am not. I am giving you a consequence to remember, so next time you defy me, you will have some reason to obey.”
“I am the fucking king!”
Lucan was glad to hear the rage in Sebastian’s voice, as well as a spoken claim to the throne. He had seemed ambivalent about the future until Lucan’s palm met his ass. Suddenly, he was not just the prince. Suddenly, he was king. If this was what one firm swat brought out in him, what would a full spanking do?
Deciding to drive the message home, Lucan tugged at the prince’s britches, drawing them down to reveal two pale and under muscled cheeks. The single slap had already left a faint pink hue across the center, but he was very much not yet done with the recalcitrant prince.
Lucan yearned to properly redden this ass. He had to be careful, though. Just because a little was effective, did not mean that more would be better. Sebastian still seemed breakable.
He followed the first slap with two more solid blows, one to each of Sebastian’s cheeks. They both instantly reddened, and the prince howled so loudly Lucan was concerned that he would draw any potential trackers to their location. It was unlikely anybody was close enough to hear, but he could not have his prince screaming like a banshee nonetheless.
“Listen to me,” he said sternly. “You are being hunted ruthlessly. You are a dead man walking, and if you do not obey me, you will die long before you are able to enjoy your coveted jewels again. What good are trinkets on a corpse’s fingers?”
That seemed to give Sebastian more pause than the punishment.
“You might have a point,” he admitted sullenly. “But this is unacceptable treatment. How dare you handle me so roughly!”
Lucan showed no signs of remorse whatsoever when he replied. “Are you going to listen to me and allow me to save your life? Or are you going to be beaten long and hard and then allow me to save your life?”
“You have some nerve making such threats and laying hands on my person.”
“You have some nerve talking back to me,” Lucan rejoined. “You have become my ward, Prince Sebastian.”
“I am a grown man. I cannot be another man’s ward.”
“You are just barely grown. You are utterly inexperienced in all matters of the world, and you are in danger. There is much to be done, Seb, before you are able to take the throne.”
