Chapter Text
Indentured Servant
by Ciejye
The door opened to the cell and emitted a harsh bolt of light, that cut through the darkness like an avenging a ward. The boy in the cell winced and shielded his eyes.
"On your feet scum, the Magistrate will see you now."
The young man was hustled out of the cell and into the sunlight. He was pushed and cuffed along the dirt streets to the court house. The manacles that encircled his wrists and ankles clanked a warning of his arrival.
He stood before the be wigged magistrate and reeked of the cell in which he had spent the last several days.
"All rise, his eminence Magistrate Pendergast presiding on this the 23rd day of September, the year of our lord 1748." There was a rustle in the courtroom as the people present stood then sat back when commanded.
"Case before the court, Consortium Shipping VS Walter Skinner. Walter Skinner you have been tried and convicted of the crime of stowing away to avoid rightful payment for passage from England. You have been sentenced to 7 years as an indentured servant., unless you can pay the passage plus court costs. Amounting to some." There was a pause as the Magistrate checked his papers. "174.26 You have stated you can not pay. Your contract of indenture has been purchased this day by Captain Devlin Kuipers, land owner late of his Majesties navy. Captain Kuipers will have full right to you for the next 7 years. He will provide food shelter and suitable clothing. Discipline is entirely at his discretion. Any escape attempts will add on one year to the sentence. May God have mercy on your soul."
The gavel banged, and caused poor Walter to jump and with that sound his fate was sealed. Almost immediately a hand clapped down on his shoulder.. he startled again and looked up, and up and up. the man was a giant. 6' 4" tall with black hair tied back in a queue Steel gray eyes that seemed to pierce though him. Walter felt the room spin as he got dizzy and fainted. Devlin caught the boy as he fell and lifted him easily into his arms. Walter was still growing at 5' 7", his thick brown wavy hair was too long, it hung in his brown eyes.
Devlin frowned as the manacles were removed and the thin boy in his arms became lighter. Too like by Devlin's reckoning. He carried the lad out to his wagon and set him in gently.
Walter woke to the smell of hot soup and the crunch of an apple. He opened his eyes and was in a bright clean though small room. He looked to the source of the crunch, and saw a beautiful little boy, 5 or 6, with a mop of brow curls and vivid hazel eyes. the boy smiled and spoke around a mouthful of apple. "Oh your awake." Then the little tike jumped off the chair and ran to the door and yelled out way too loud "UNCLE Devlin he's awake!" Walter winced at the shrillness of the lad's yell.
"I said come and get me not yell the house down young man, now run along and tell cook to send up hot water for his bath." Devlin popped the land on the rum to send him off then closed the door and turned his piercing gaze on Walter. "Your awake I see, and none the worse for ware. Do you have to use the chamber pot? You might want to before cook gets up here with the hot water."
"Yes Master." Walter said. Devlin helped him to stand and do the necessary. Walter blushed a stunning shade of rose before he was finished. Then Devlin handed him the cup of warm broth. "drink this while we wait, slowly now." He cautioned. When Walter tried to gulp it..
Walter sipped the broth as he was told to . and finished the entire mug by the time a knock sounded at the door. A bearded man stepped in the door.
"Walter this is my cook, John Byers. Cook, our newest addition, Walter Skinner. Term of indenture 7 years. He needs some fattening up so he can work in the kitchens for a while then we will see what he can do"
"Looks too skinny for farming." Byers said as he looked Walter over. "can you read boy? and write?"
"Yes sir," Walter said quickly, " I am told I write with a fair hand, and I can do some ciphering too."
"Good, good." Devlin exclaimed. "After we fatten you up I'll see what kind of hand you have and we will go from there."
"Yes Master," Walter said as he nodded his head.
"Cpt. Not Master." Devlin corrected firmly.
"Yes captain." Walter repeated.
"We out of those rage and into that tub with you laddie. You stink of the jail."
Walter tried to protest, "But Cpt. Its not seemly to be in my altogether. I could catch my death getting wet all over this late in the year."
Devlin put his massive fists on his lean hips and glared at the boy. "You STINK! And I'll not have a slovenly young man working here. You'll bathe twice weekly and wash daily or I'll know the reason why! Now get out of t hose filthy rags and unto that tub before I lose my temper."
Walter glared back at the giant in total willful defiance. He was feeling much better now that he had something that was not maggot ridden in his stomach and he was rested.
"One." Devlin said ominously, Walter just stood there.
"Two," came the next count, Walter was curious but he was NOT going to back down, he glared at the huge man who glared back.
"Three!" Devlin spat out and before Walter could move the large man grabbed him in a vice-like grip, he pulled the shocked boy over to the bed and sat down. Then he tossed the lad over his lap, the ragged britches ripped away easily. To reveal two very pale if very dirty cheeks. The smell was even worse now. Devlin again made a mental note to see about proper facilities in the jail.
Walter felt his britches part and come away, at that moment he realized what position he was in. the first swat stung like a swarm of bees. it was soon joined by a second and a third. Walter found his voice then and began to yell and fight. Devlin simply wrapped an arm around his waist and continued to thoroughly redden the boys squirming backside. Walter yells soon turned to cries of pain then tears and sobs as the boy went from demanding to be released to begging to be. He soon promised anything just to get the pain to stop. Devlin he had to make a lasting impression on the boy to establish authority. And nip this defiance in the bud.
Walter's bottom went from white to pink to red as the fire was lit in his rump.
Finally, just as Walter thought his bottom would catch fire, the fall of the hand stopped. Walter sobbed hard as he lay over those massive thighs. His bottom hurt more than he ever thought possible. How could this man have done that to him it wasn't fair!
Strong hands lifted him up, his hands reached back to rub the sting from his burning bottom but they were held away as his shirt and shoes were removed. Walter blushes as red as his bottom as he was taken down to his birthday suit. The ragged clothing was tossed to Byers with the command. "Burn them."
Byers picked up the rags then gasped and dropped them again. He peered close at them. "They're infested captain."
"THUNDERATION!" Devlin roared and stripped off his own clothing quickly as Byers stripped the bed.
Walter just stood there still crying as the two men moved around the room. Devlin was in his drawers when he pointed at Walter then the tub, "GET! IN!" he commanded and stalked out of the room. Byers was right behind him with the clothing and bedding in his arms.
Walter stood there for another minute, red faced and red bottomed. Bare as the day he was born. "Who the hell does he think he is ordering me around like this, I am not his servant .. okay I am but that doesn't mean he can just beat me any time he wants. Well okay he can but I don't have to bathe, and I WON'T!"
Devlin came back in the room. "Boy, I told you to get in the tub."
"No," was the small but defiant reply.
"What did you say?" Devlin asked he couldn't believe the audacity of this child. To talk back after the spanking he had just gotten.
Walter swallowed twice and looked into his Master's steel gray eyes. "N-no" he repeated.
"Boy, this defiant streak is going to get you in a world of hurt, now get in that tub before you find yourself over my knee again."
Walter's breath caught in his chest, he really didn't want another spanking but to get wet ALL OVER?! That was NOT going to happen. He folded his arms over his chest, in imitation of the large man who glared at him. Devlin growled out "ONE!"
Walter didn't even move though he knew what would happen "TWOOOOOO" Devlin drew out the word, warningly as Walter shifted . but didn't even look at the tub "Three!" Devlin reached out and Walter again found himself over the mighty tree trunk thighs. The hand rained down the fire on his defenseless bottom. 10 swats burned over his red cheeks before he was set back to his feet. Devlin scowled at him as the boy cried the tears of pain. "GET . IN. THE. TUB." Each word was spoken separately for effect.
Even as he sobbed hard, Walter shook his head. "N-n-n-no." he said again.
"One, two. Three" the count went by faster this time and again the boy was face to the floor while the hand seared his rump again. 10 more whacks spaced out over his bottom and upper thighs. "I can keep this up all night" Devlin said sternly as he set the boy to his feet again and pointed at the tub.
Walter felt like his bottom had been set on fire, but still he shook his head. "N-n-n-n" he couldn't even for m the work for a minute.
"Boy" Devlin warned, he didn't want to spank the child again. But he could not allow the boy to get away with this defiance.
"NO!" that was loud and clear.
Devlin pressed his lips together and turned him over again. He wasn't spanking with full force, there wasn't a need , he didn't want to harm the boy just teach him to obey. 10 more singing swats on the deep red bottom. The last two hard right on the crease of the thighs and bottom. Walter shrieked and when he was set to his feet again he took a step toward the tub. Devlin landed one more stinging swat to the burning bottom to help him along.
Walter got in the tub his bottom on fire. His face was a mess tears streaked a clean path down his cheeks, his nose all runny.
Byers came in with a large bar of lye soap that he trust at the boy. then he left with the infested clothing carried out on a stick.
"Wash," Devlin commanded, Walter obeyed, he soaped the cloth and washed after a moment Devlin realized this boy was just not used to taking an all over bath and knelt by the tub, he took the cloth and for the next few minutes Walter was subjected to the most thorough scrubbing of his entire life.
Byers came back in again and between he and Devlin they went over every inch of the protesting youth, they removed all the parasites and then they shaved all the hair from his neck down. Finally they finished and Walter was deposited in a clean nightshirt in the corner to "contemplate the necessity of obedience."
Walter's face was crimson, his hair damn his thin body was hairless but very clean, his spirit was dampened down but not broken.
After 30 minutes Devlin sat on the one chair in the room and called Walter over to him. Walter shuffled over and stood where he was told to stand
"Young man you have a stubborn willful streak that will not do you well here, you are my indentured servant for the next 7 years. This means you are to live and work here, now you can do so comfortably or uncomfortably. The choice is entirely yours .. but understand this. you will be obedient .. I am a fair man, I expect an honest days work, I don't tolerate disobedience as you have seen you if you disobey an order or you don't do a task your told to do, if its done sloppily you will be punished, your only 14 so I will not take the whip to you. I will generally just take you over my knee and use my hand or a hair brush on your bottom . if you try to run away, or you steal from me, then I will take the strap to you. as I said before starting tomorrow you will be working with Mr. Byers in the kitchen, his work is low there .. after that we'll see what you can do. My nephew the little boy you saw earlier also lives here, so I will not tolerate profane language and if I even hear one work of profanely come from that child's mouth I will wash out your mouth as well as his. And no one will every harm that boy"
Walter looked shocked and disgusted at the thought of harming that child. Devlin nodded he saw the look and was satisfied that the boy would not do anything to have his nephew. It was the look he had been hoping for.
"Now young man, I want you to hear me and hear me good, defiance will not be tolerated, if you have a reason not to do something then speak up. I will always listen to you, but I expect you to do what your told other wise .. is that clear?"
"Yes Master" Walter said sarcastically, who did this man think he was, spankings and baths, and to even think he would ever harm the child. Disgusting.
"Captain, not Master," Devlin said, and wondered if the boy was slow.
Walter colored and sighed "Sorry, Captain."
Devlin nodded and handed the boy a robe and slippers "put these on and we will go down to supper." Then when he caught Walter's shocked look and chuckled." Yes you will eat with me although that can change . I expect proper manners for the boy.
"Yes captain." Walter looked like a little boy in the too big slippers and robe. Devlin suppressed a grin but didn't offer any help, it would be good for the boy to remember he was still a child himself and dependent on Devlin for everything. Devlin was not a cruel man, but he knew when lesson needed to be taught.
Supper a quiet affair, Walter was introduced to the others who ate at the table, besides Devlin, his nephew and Byers, there was Frohike the foreman of the farm and Langly the overseer, Walter had always though the two jobs were the same but he soon found out that a foreman oversaw the whole farm while the overseer was mainly in charge of the workers. Walter ate like he hadn't had sustenance in months. he packed away more food than the other three men and the boy put together.
Finally the teenager was stuffed to the gills, he blushed deeply when he saw the looks of the other men. "I" he started.
"That's fine Walter," Devlin raised a hand to stop the apology, "I said I wanted you to be fattened up, though I didn't really mean all in one mean." The laughter around the table was easy. Even Walter joined in after a moment.
After supper he started to help Byers clear the table but Devlin stopped him. " There'll be time enough for that tomorrow, right now I want you up in bed, you'll need plenty of rest for tomorrow."
"But captain, its still light out and I don't want to go to bed yet, I'm perfectly capable of clearing the table." Walter protested there was no way he was going to be sent to bed before a child less than half his age. "now Walter" Devlin said firmly, as he clicked his fingers at the steps. "NO, its not fair, I'm not sleepy."
Devlin's face changed at the out right defiance. Maybe this boy was slow. Slow or just too willful for his own good. "all right, you just bought yourself a spanking when you get up to bed, Now MARCH" Devlin issued a stinging swat to Walter's bottom. Walter set his jaw and shook his head he had always been a stubborn boy, often his willfulness had gotten him in trouble, he really believed this was just not fair . it was just too early for bed, he'd never sleep this early no he would work and work hard for this man but he would go to bed when HE decided and NOT before.
"One, two three" Devlin counted quickly then put one foot on the chair and flipped Walter over his thigh, Walter's nightshirt and robe were pulled up and 10 stinging swats were issued on the still red bottom. Then Walter was set back to his feet.
"NOW go to bed." Devlin commanded, Walter shook his head of long hair, the tears fell down his face. Devlin sighed, this boy was going to be difficult Devlin didn't want to punish the boy but he had to be firm not matter what, He had to get the boy past the willful defiance.
"NOW Walter" he ordered again, Walter didn't move, "One two three" and over Devlin's knee he went again, his red bottom on display. This time Devlin didn't move his hand around the sore red bottom. He spanked all the swats right on the sit spot of each cheek, the whole ten swats rained down one on top of each other. Walter cried and yelled out at each swat. As the fire in his bottom burned brightly again.
"Now UP!" Devlin commanded again,. Walter just sobbed, his bottom hurt so bad, but he just couldn't do this, he couldn't he was almost a man and men didn't get sent to be like little boys. He almost didn't hear the count and before he knew what was happening, he was flipped over again., this time all the spanks went on his slender thighs. He tried to levitate off Devlin's knee, but Devlin held firm till the swats were done.
This time the moment Walter's feet hit the floor he ran for the door. Devlin watched with a sigh of relief as the boy stumbled up the stairs one hand on his stinging bottom the other holding tight to the handrail.
"A very willful young man" Byers said as he walked back in the room.
"Yes, he reminds me of me 20 years ago"
"You were never that compliant" Byers quipped
Devlin grinned "I know," he said easily. " I would have been spanked 5 times before I complied"
"If them" Byers said as he leaned against the wall. "Are you going to spank him again when you get up there?"
"I don't see that I have a choice john, that boy is indentured for 7 years. I have to establish discipline and obedience in him how before he settles into any defiant patterns."
Byers looked sharply at Devlin, " You plan on treating him like an indentured servant?"
Devlin chuckled" I plan on getting him on the straight and narrow again, do you think it was a coincidence that a 14 year old boy was indentured to me till he was 21?"
"No I didn't think it was a coincidence, I know you better than that. you gonna tell me why he's here?"
"Eventually." Devlin smiled " but right now I am going to go up and blister his defiant little butt and tuck him in bed. Where's my other little brat?"
Byers laughed, "he's off with Langly seeing to his chores I expect"
"Good, that should keep him busy for a while." Devlin said and went up the steps.
Walter was laying on his stomach on the bed. When Devlin came in he stood up quickly.
"You know you could have saved yourself a lot of punishment if you would have done when you were told the first time"
"Yes Sir" Walter whispered like a little boy as she stared at his feet, his hair was tousled and fell in his eyes.
"don't make things harder on yourself Walter, I told you before I would listen to reason but I will NOT tolerate disobedience or defiant, I wanted you to go to bed early because your exhausted, you have had a rough time and you need the extra sleep, your still a growing boy, now come on and get over my knee young man"
"Please, no more" Walter whispered even as he complied.
"You brought it on yourself boy." Devlin said as he raised the nightshirt hem. The round cheeks were still red from the other spankings. Devlin ached to be lenient but he understood it would not be right. He wrapped his arm around the boys waist and drew him in tight. Walter clung to his leg his bottom tensed in anticipation for a long moment Devlin did nothing, then he brought his hand down sharply on the red cheeks. The spanking he delivered was sharp and painful. Devlin covered the scarlet flesh three times from hip to mid thigh before he was done.
Walter cried and screamed and yelled, he promised anything and everything if only the spanking would stop. finally as Devlin landed the last few swats to the sit stop Walter stopped struggling and just lay there. He accepted the spanking Devlin rubbed Walter's back gently as he let the boy cry .. his bottom was dark red but not bruised at all.
Devlin finally lifted Walter off his lap, he knew the boy would need to sleep now. He was surprised when Walter grabbed him in a hug that threatened to cut of his hair. The boys head on his chest as Walter sobbed his heart out. Devlin instinctively wrapped his arms around the weeping youth. Just as he would have his nephew., and hugged him. he whispered nonsense words to soothe and one hand stroked the wavy hair, the other kept him tight and close.
They stayed like that for a long time. Before Walter calmed down enough for Devlin to get him in bed.
Walter was asleep almost before his head touched the pillow, Devlin stood there for a moment and stroked the damp hair back off the lads brow. Then he tucked the covers up around the boys chin and blue out the lamp, pausing in the dim light. He turned back to the boy and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. "we will get you past this little one. You are safe now, no one can harm you here" then Devlin slipped out the door.
end part 1