Asila bit back a cry.
“I’m very sorry…that you never bothered toaskif I spoke English. You foolishly assumed I was an ignorant savage,” she replied, struggling to keep her voice even.
“You acted like an ignorant savage,” he shot back. “Running around half-naked, flaunting yourself in front of me like a harlot.”
“You’re the one who should be spanked,” she retorted. “I felt your stiff rod poking me while you held me over your lap, striking my body while staring at my nakedness. Punishing me will not erase the burden of guilt you carry.”
“I will be punished by my Maker for my sins,” he announced. “But as head of this household, I must punish you.”
“What household?” she shouted. “I am not a part of your household.”
“You are right now,” he replied, his voice stern. “And unless you want to be turned over to the soldiers – along with that innocent child – you will submit to my authority.”
His hand descended forcefully, again and again. “You will treat me with respect. And you will apologize for your rude remark. I intend to keep spanking you until you do.”
Asila bit her lip. Her bottom ached and burned, but she knew she could bear it for as long as he could dole it out. His threat of turning them over to the soldiers, however, sent a bolt of terror through her. She would survive whatever they did to her. But she dared not risk the life of little Salai. Noya had entrusted her with her precious baby daughter. Asila knew she had to put aside her pride for the sake of the child.
She struggled to keep the fury out of her voice.
“I…apologize.”
He continued his relentless paddling, striking the same tender spots over and over. To her embarrassment, Asila felt tears welling up. She’d never suffered such indignity.
“You will treat me with proper respect in the future?”
“Yes. All right, yes!” she replied, gritting her teeth.
“And you will submit to my authority in all matters while under my roof?”
Asila groaned. Would the humiliation ever end?
“I will,” she answered tonelessly.
“Do I have your word on it?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now that your spanking for rudeness and disrespect is complete, go to the trunk and get the hairbrush. You will come back here and bend over the hay bale again, this time of your own accord, to honor the agreement you just made to submit to my authority. You have another spanking coming.”
Asila jerked her head up, staring at him in horror. “What?”
“You have not yet been disciplined for your deceitfulness. You spent days sleeping under my roof, eating my food, all the while living a lie. You led me to believe you were not following my instructions because you did not understand them. Now I know you were simply being obstinate. I cannot allow that behavior to go unpunished. Go and get the hairbrush…and put a pair of drawers on before you come back.”
Asila rose silently, refusing to look at him. Every instinct cried out for her to flee, run inside to grab Salai and then disappear into the forest. But she knew she couldn’t outrun six men on horseback, not while carrying a child. Had she been alone, she would have risked it rather than allow herself to be subjected to more humiliation. In her present situation, pride was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
Moving stiffly, she got the wooden hairbrush from the trunk. Then she dug out a pair of the hated drawers and stepped into them, pulling them up to her waist. She winced when the rough fabric scraped across her stinging bottom. She was sure the wide, flat hairbrush would light a fire on her backside far more intense than the one he’d already ignited. The thin under drawers would offer no protection.
Although she’d agreed to allow him to spank her again without resisting, Asila decided if she had to endure more punishment, she would see to it that Gabriel suffered too. She walked back and handed him the hairbrush. Then she bent over the hay bale and reached behind her back with both hands. Pulling her skirt up to the waist, she continued with one swift motion, grabbing the waistband of the drawers and sliding them down to rest around her upper thighs.
“I submit to your will as head of this household,” she announced in a soft voice. “I am prepared to accept my punishment.”
Asila knew from his hesitation that her action had had the desired effect on Gabriel. She could feel his eyes on her, taking in the sight of her bare behind. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand move unconsciously to cover the bulge in his pants. If she had to endure another painful spanking, she’d at least have the satisfaction of knowing that he, too, was in torment.
Her momentary satisfaction disappeared the instant the hairbrush cracked down on her bottom. She jerked up, shocked at the pain. As a powerful Medicine Woman, Asila earned the honor of fighting against Cherokee warriors in mock battles at ceremonial gatherings. She’d been knocked down, hit, and bruised. She always gave as good as she got, priding herself on her strength and skill, as well as her ability to withstand pain as well as any Cherokee brave.
But the pain was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Her bottom cheeks still burned from his previous hand spanking. The impact of the wooden brush was made even worse by having to lie there and endure it without resisting. He was no longer holding her down. She’d willingly bent over and allowed him to strike her.
Asila would have killed any man who attacked her and tried to harm her. She had never been conquered, never submitted to anyone. Gabriel’s spanking was a cruel punishment, as much an assault on her ego as on her body. The bruises on her backside would heal long before the wound to her pride.