Chapter 18

When William returned home, he was only slightly surprised to find his lieutenants were still waiting for him. He was substantially more surprised to find that of the three women, only his mother was wearing so much as her panties. "Lady's," he said with a nod. He noticed that Rose was looking a little shy as she greeted him. As soon as she acknowledged him, she dipped her head slightly in (a likely unconscious) attempt to hide and looked at him out of the top of her head. He locked gazes with the large woman and deliberately ran his eyes down to her exposed breasts before slowly returning to her eyes and wetted his lips slightly.

The large young woman perked up somewhat at the show of arousal and approval.

Alexandria watched the byplay and mentally snorted. She'd be willing to be money that her master knew exactly what he was doing. "Milord, may we talk?"

The young King held up his hand, "In a bit. I need to speak with Rose first."

The redhead blinked. It wasn't quite a dismissal, but it was a pointed reminder that he was in charge. She bowed her head, "Yes sire," before she went back to her study.

Miranda's eyes were sparkling merely at the way her son had reminded the young woman of her place. While spirit was vital to a good majordomo, it was just as important that they never forget in whose service they were in.

For her part, Rose simply rose at her master's inclined head and followed him to the office the King's maintained, "Yes milord?"

"Are you otherwise occupied tomorrow afternoon?"

"Only the dance lessons sir," the young woman said.

He nodded, "Very well, tomorrow after school you have an interview at the town dojo with a perspective teacher." At her surprised look he laid out the same chain of logic he'd used earlier. He caught the faintest traces of disappointment in her expression before she properly schooled it into a smile, "Is there a problem?"

She looked at him levelly for several seconds, "Just that I was planning on using the lessons to seduce you."

It was William's turn to blink, "Okay, that was more blunt that even I would expect. On the subject of sex, you need only ask and I'll at least consider it." He smiled slightly when he saw a hint of color on her cheeks, maybe they were going to be able to train her out of blushing. "So, is there anything else?"

Rose shook herself, "Yes, a few items if you will sire."

The young man nodded as he looked at her intently.

"First and foremost, are you going to tell me what's happening between you and Lexi."

William blinked, "You're going to have to expound on that."

"There's something strange going on between the two of you, something you both know but aren't letting me in on. It started after..." Her eyes suddenly narrowed and she seemed to be focused beyond her master for several seconds. Then her gaze suddenly seemed to lock back onto him, "He didn't die in an accident did he? You killed him for daring to harm Lexi."

Even as William racked his brain for possible answer, he already knew what his response was going to be. He looked her in the eyes intently before he nodded firmly.

Rose nodded, "Good." She smiled at his arched eyebrow, "I know Lexi doesn't think anybody knows, but mom and I both know her home life isn't good. That's one of the reasons mom's been so willing to offer her a place to stay. I'm guessing that it was actually worse than we thought, that you found out about it, and took steps to stop him?"

The young man looked at his lieutenant for several seconds before he shrugged his shoulders, "Essentially correct. If you don't mind me saying, you're taking..."

Rose spoke up when he paused, "The fact that you murdered a man in cold blood a bit too calmly?"

He snorted a chuckle, "Correct."

"Part of it is that I can believe that he'd hit her, and knowing how protective you are, you were not going to tolerate that; which kinda makes me feel nice and fuzzy since I'm inside your protection as well," she added with a shy smile. "Still, since no one's poking around, it's a safe bet I'm the only one who's really got a clue. Besides, as you told me a while back, I trust you."

William looked at her for a moment longer before he rolled up onto his toes in order to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, "Now, next question?"

Rose frowned, "When you had Lexi and I eat each other out, she stuck her finger up my butt and had me lick it clean. That's nowhere near her style, so I'm guessing it was on your orders. I'd like to know why."

He looked her in the eye for several moments; while the wording could use a bit of work, the tone had been respectful enough and she had a right to the information. He shrugged, "Rose, you and Alexandria have purportedly been friends for a very long time. While you are one of my lieutenants, she is to be my second in command, a voice second only to myself and my mother. This means you will be required to submit to her. I wanted to make that point painfully clear; to both of you."

The larger teen nodded slowly, "Alright, I guess I can see that. In the future, I'd prefer it if you told me about such thing beforehand, but I can understand why you didn't. Continuing that thought however, I'm guessing you're trying to think up something else for me to do that will drive home the required submission," she said as she looked at her master questioningly. When he nodded, she continued, "Maybe, instead of licking her..." she blushed slightly, "pussy, I could lick her..." the blush intensified radically, "butt."

William looked at her intently for several seconds before he smiled and leaned up to give her another kiss on the cheek, "I'll let the two of you figure it out between you. Now, next question?"

She grimaced, "Less a question and more a minor issue. My failure to tell you about the bullying."

He arched an eyebrow; whilst he had a good idea where she was going with this, he wanted her to say it herself, "What about it?"

"I failed you and while you were willing to forgive me for it, I still feel the need to atone for it."

"And what, precisely, did you have in mind?"

Rose swallowed slightly at the menacing tone, but she'd started this game, so she had to finish it, "A spanking?"

William arched an eyebrow, "You do realize that the evidence of this will be, painfully, visible to both my mother and to Alexandria?"

The corner of Rose's mouth ticked upwards at the pun, but she nodded, "Yes I do milord."

"Very well, a spanking it is to be. However, I am going to bring Alexandria in on this as well." He could read the surprise in her eyes, along with a touch of trepidation. However, she clearly heard the declaration rather than request or suggestion, and merely bowed her head meekly. He nodded, "Very well, brace your hands against the seat of the chair. I'll be back momentarily."

Rose assumed what she hoped was the proper position. She licked her lips tentatively as she head her master clear his throat.

"Rose, you've come to me to seek atonement for a perceived failure. As such, you are to receive a hand spanking, to continue until such time as I so choose to end it. Do you have anything you wish to say?"

The bent over young woman briefly considered asking for mercy, but instead went with, "Please sire, punish me in accordance with thy will."

The King arched an eyebrow before he drew back his hand.

Rose yelped slightly as she was struck on one cheek of butt. She yelped again as the other cheek was hit. She took a total of fifteen swats before there was a pause of several seconds. When the sixteenth came, it was a great deal lighter and from a different sized hand, "Guess I know why he wanted to bring Lexi in on this."

William looked sternly at his Alpha Female and arched an eyebrow at her.