The Wish - M/F

[beguiling]

Gwen pushed her hair from her face, puffing out her breath in frustration and disappointment. Even with juggling, she was going to be late on this month’s repayment on her loan. Okay, late with last month’s repayment. She had no idea how she was going to come up with this month’s at all. The worst part was that she had no idea what she was doing with her money. It wasn’t like she was splurging on clothes. Gwen looked at her comfortable, yet torn, jeans with a curled lip. Obviously not.

Leaving the pile of bills, notices, and demands for payment spread on her desk, Gwen headed out behind the cottage to the garden her Grandmother had planted and taught her to tend. Her chaotic, disorganized life always felt better to her when she could ignore it and sink her hands into the warm soil of the earth, caring for the vegetables and flowers – her legacy from her beloved Grandmother. After a while, though, the worries about bills crept up on her again.

“Oh, what am I going to do, Gran?” murmured Gwen as she weeded the next little patch of ground. “Sometimes I wish you’d left me a genie bottle in with all that stuff you’d collected. That way, I could have everything fixed up in a snap.” Gwen laughed to herself. “That’d be perfect, Gran. All I need is three wishes, and no more worries.” Sitting back on her heels, Gwen realized that more than two hours had passed, so she sighed, wiped her hands on her now-grubby jeans and headed back into her cottage.

But, though she’d been talking to the memory of her Grandmother, another pair of ears were listening. “Ho ho ho. Three wishes you’re wanting is it,” whispered the strange, small man in a voice just reeking of mischief. “Well, and I’m sure I can do much better than some genie.” Giggling to himself, the elf – for that’s what Puck is – rested himself comfortably in the curve of a branch, shamelessly listening again to Gwen’s words and to her thoughts.

Drying her hands on the back of those same grubby jeans, Gwen determinedly seated herself back at her desk, intent on figuring out some option to dig herself out of debt. “I will not declare bankruptcy,” she muttered. “I just wish I had someone who had some idea on how to manage money. Because I certainly don’t have a freakin’ clue.” Disgusted again, even though she’d not spent more than 10 minutes on her finances, Gwen tossed her pen down and went into the kitchen to make a snack.

“And that’s one wish … granted,” Puck whispered dramatically, then giggled again. Letting himself sink deeper into Gwen’s thoughts, a face forms itself in his mind. Then a name adds to that face. Connor. Connor Alan Bryant. Gwen’s …. banker? Puck is himself surprised by how well that concept fits. “So, Connor Alan Bryant. Ye have understandin’ of money that our fair Gwen doesn’t. Wish number one ye will be.”


****

“Not again,” Connor groaned to himself as, once again, his computer signaled him that Ms. Cateras was on his list of “reminder” phone calls. “I wonder what her excuse will be this time.” Not wanting to put it off, Connor dialed her number, then sat and listened to it ring incessantly. Frustrated, he slammed the phone down. “Can’t that woman get an answering machine?!”

Connor turned to his computer and clicked to another screen, pulling up Gwen’s bank balance. “Well, she certainly doesn’t have the funds here. What does she do with her money?” he murmured, stroking his chin as he thought. In a small town, everyone knows everything about everyone else. So Connor knew that Gwen had a well-paying job, and that she’d recently received a settlement that should have allowed her to pay off her loan. Or allowed her money to invest and supplement her income, if she wanted – foolishly – to keep the loan active and make regular payments. But Connor could see no proof of either the settlement or Gwen’s supposed good salary. “What is she doing?” he asked no one again.

Shaking his head, Connor closed out of his computer and turned to files on his desk, making a note to call Gwen later. After all, his job was to politely remind the bank’s customers to make their scheduled payments, trying to avoid dealing with collection agencies, threats, coercions, etc. etc. etc. It wasn’t Connor’s job to personally visit customers, to check on him or her and ensure their well-being. But something about this case … something.

Connor gave up. Something was tickling the back of his mind about Gwen Cateras, and it was making him crazy. All this morning, he couldn’t seem to get her off of his mind. He picked up the phone and tried calling her again, but still no answer. “Fine. Maybe, if she won’t answer the phone, she’ll answer the damn door.” He decided to take his lunch break now and drive out to Gwen’s cottage.

As he strode out the front door, Connor didn’t notice the small, slight little man with pointed ears standing in the shadow, giggling to himself.


*****

Six months later:

Gwen had, indeed, answer the knock on her door. And, when she’d finished gawking at the gorgeous man standing on her doorstep, she had time to be embarrassed at how she looked. And then had the sense to invite him in. Connor, for his part, had a brief moment to be embarrassed at how much he stuttered upon seeing the beautiful woman before him, and found himself accepting the glass of tea he didn’t really want, just for the excuse to come in.

For the next six months, Gwen and Connor got to know each other, and found they truly liked each other. She enjoyed and came to rely on his strong, steady nature. He loved, and looked forward to her impish sense of humor and off-beat way of looking at life. Connor did his best to – tactfully – help Gwen with her finances, and Gwen did her best – stubbornly – to ignore the fact that she desperately needed his help. The situation annoyed Gwen, and her approach to the situation annoyed Connor.

And two stubborn Irish folk do NOT deal with annoyance well. Puck happily giggled to himself as he watched the foolish mortals arguing more and more often.


****

“AAARGH!” Gwen swept the latest set of bills and ledger pages that Connor had arranged for her onto the floor beside her desk in frustration. “I hate dealing with this crap!” Paper not being enough of a release for her temper, Gwen tossed the stapler to the floor as well.

“Someday, Gwendolyn,” Con almost growled when he saw what she’d done, “I’m gonna treat you like the child you act like when you throw those tantrums.”

Gwen’s eyes narrowed a bit, but she’d figured out that when Connor called her by her full first name, he was already past annoyed. Somehow, she hadn’t worked up the nerve to push him past that point. Yet. “Besides,” she thought to herself as she picked up the papers she’d just thrown down, “what’s he going to do? Spank me?” Unbidden, the image of herself bare-bottomed over Con’s lap appeared in her mind. But Gwen stubbornly refused to acknowledge either the image, or the dull ache of hunger it created within her.

But Gwen wasn’t alone in her mind at that moment.

From deep in the shadows came a near-inaudible chuckle. Puck was very happy to hear how confused this foolish mortal is. She imagined being treated as a child something to be happy about. No one liked being disciplined, and Puck was more than happy to make sure Gwen finally learned that fact. “Second wish … granted,” whispered Puck. Wrapping the shadows about him, he moved closer to Con’s side, and murmured an idea right into the tall man’s mind.

“In fact,” Connor continued, “you throw just one more tantrum, and I’ll do just that, Gwen my girl. Treat you like the child you behave as. Got it?”

Gwen sat back on her heels and gaped at Connor. Surely he didn’t … he couldn’t … no way! She stared at him, wide eyes shocked and questioning. Calmly, Con returned her gaze, one raised eyebrow answering that question.

From his shadow, Puck watched the confusion and shock and … was that fear? on Gwen’s face and barely restrained gleeful giggles. See? He was right. She didn’t really want what she thought she did. Only now it was too late, and Gwen might just experience an actual spanking. Not something horrible enough to make her truly unhappy, but certainly something she wouldn’t enjoy. Puck had never realized how much fun was to be had, playing these little games with mortals. All sorts of ideas passed through his mind, but then something about Gwen caught his eye. What’s this? Already?

Gwen stared at Con, and, as the shock faded a bit, her eyes narrowed in near-anger. She hefted the stapler in her hand, for all the world looking as though she was going to throw it at him. Connor merely stared back at Gwen, not challenging, but letting her decide her own fate.

But no. Puck sighed as some stray bit of maturity had Gwen setting the stapler down on the desk. Granted, she set it down very hard, but she did set it down rather than throwing it at Connor. Connor, for his part, accepted that, and turned most of his attention back to the book he’d been reading.


****

Two months later:

Puck knew he’d spent more time with these two mortals than he had in ages. But it had been so much fun for the mischievous elf. Neither was truly unhappy, but – he was sure – neither was Gwen so very happy with her wishes. Gently, Puck had started prodding Gwen’s temper a bit more. And just as gently, he pushed Con to lose his patience a little more each time. Truthfully, Puck realized, it hadn’t taken a lot of meddling, either. Gwen really did have a horrid distaste of money management, and Connor really did have a dislike of her cavalier attitude toward money. But, it was that much more fun, seeing as Puck hadn’t had to work hard.

“I don’t care, I … DON’T … CARE!” Gwen’s loud angry shout caught Puck’s attention firmly. “If you don’t like the way I handle my bills and money and whatever, then do something about it!! Otherwise, just shut the hell up!”

There it was! Puck nearly danced about in glee. “And now ye’ll be havin wish number three, Gwendolyn Faye,” Puck giggled to himself. Quick as a snap, Puck popped a thought into Connor’s mind, and that was all it took.

“Alright,” growled Con. “I don’t feel like shutting up, so I guess I’ll be doing something about it.” Stalking – there really was no other word for it – to Gwen’s side, Con lifted her from the chair she’d been sitting in, taking her place in it. Without pause, he pulled Gwen over his lap. “These jeans,” he said, striking her bottom sharply once, “can stay where they are for now. For now,” Con emphasized with another crisp smack.

Gwen had no idea what’d come over her to utter such a challenge. And she certainly hadn’t expected Connor to take her up on it. He’d been threatening her for months now. But this ... this … she didn’t think he would actually spank her! As she felt yet another hard sting on her bottom, Gwen realized Connor really would actually spank her. But she didn’t intend to let him.

“Connor Alan Bryant,” Gwen yelled. “You unghhh! let me up. OW! This is OWWW! ridiculous!” She refused to admit that the demand lost more than a bit of strength when interrupted by yelps.

“You’re right, Gwen,” Connor said. “This is ridiculous. Stand up.”

Gwen blinked, not having expected to win quite that easily. Still, she wasn’t going to turn down a victory. Especially when her bottom really was starting to sting. Quickly, Gwen stood and turned away. Or tried to. Before she could go anywhere, Con’s hands were busy unbuttoning her jeans.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said, tugging them down, “to try to teach you any kind of a lesson through these pants. Now,” he added as he pulled down her panties, “let’s try again.”

“Connor!” Gwen gasped, grasping at her quickly lowering panties. “NO!”

“Gwen!” Connor mimicked. “Oh, most definitely yes!” With that, he tugged her back over his lap, raised his hand and began landing hard, crisp smacks to Gwen’s very pale bottom. Only after covering her bottom twice, turning it to a nice shade of pink, did Con start talking again.

“I’ve been as patient as I’m going to be with your temper tantrums, Gwendolyn,” Con said, pausing with his hand resting on Gwen’s very warm bottom. “I’m through with being patient. It’s not helping me, and it’s certainly not helping you.”

“Well this won’t help!” Gwen yelled, jumping on a possible ‘out’.

“Perhaps not,” Con said, raising his hand again. “But I’m willing to try.”

“I’m nottt!!!” Gwen’s declaration became a wail as Connor’s hand smacked hard into her bottom, the gentle sting of the previous smacks nothing compared to this burn. Con ignored her, and blended a lecture with the spanking, interspersing his words with hard blows thudding against her bottom.

“I will not allow you to continue behaving like a spoiled child! You are a beautiful woman, with a beautiful spirit. Not a spiteful careless little brat.”

Gwen had begun twisting to try to evade his smacks, forcing Connor to take a better grip on her waist. Pulling her in tighter to him, he continued her spanking, ignoring her ongoing struggles to escape his hold, and get out of his reach. “I mean it, Gwen,” Con said, resuming his solid slaps to her obviously sore bottom. “You’re going to control your temper and stop these tantrums!” Connor targeted her sit spot with several vicious slaps that had her tossing her head back and wailing. He waited for Gwen to calm down a bit before he continued. “I’ll help you with everything I can, but I swear I’ve had it with you throwing things.”

“OKAYYYY!!!” Gwen wailed, still kicking and twisting and finally crying. “I’ll stop! Please, Con … PLEASE!!! You’re killing meeeeee!!”

“No I’m not,” Connor replied calmly as he shifted his attention to Gwen’s upper thighs. “I’m spanking you. Rather thoroughly. And I’ll do it again if I see just one more thing thrown in this house.” He had to raise his voice to be heard over Gwen’s banshee shrieks as her thighs started to take on the same sunset hues as her bottom.

“Please, Connnn,” she begged, “please no morree!! I can’t take ittttt. Oh Goddd, I won’t throw anythinggg!!! EVER! Pleaseeeee!!” Unsuccessfully trying to kick her way out of Con’s grasp, Gwen finally gave in and just sobbed. Connor paused, debating continuing her spanking, but he stopped, and let her squirm as he realized she was trying to ease the ache in her bottom.

“I mean it, Gwendolyn,” Con said calmly. “I’ll haul you right back into this position, and do it again. I’ll do it five minutes from now if you throw a tantrum. I’ve had it, girl. You hear me?”

Gwen nodded miserably, and Connor started to let her up, but an idea struck him – almost as if it’d been whispered into his ear. He landed two very hard smacks to Gwen’s sit-spot, wincing as her wails returned to full volume.

“I asked a question, girl. Answer me,” Con demanded.

“YESSSS,” Gwen wailed, tears finally falling as her humiliation peaked and she fully gave in. “Yes, I hear you.” Con nodded to himself and finally did let her up, standing Gwen in front of him. He looked up into Gwen’s beautiful, tear-filled blue eyes. “I love you, Gwen,” he said calmly. “That’s not changing. All that’s changing is what I’ll accept. And I won’t accept childishness. Deal?”

There was a flash of anger in Gwen’s eyes, but as Connor’s eyes narrowed on hers, Gwen lowered her head and nodded. Remembering the last part of her lesson, she found her voice. “Deal, Con,” she murmured in a low and very subdued voice.

Connor reached out and took Gwen’s hand, tugging her onto his lap. As he cuddled her, and she realized he did mean it, and that he did still love her, Gwen burst into tears afresh, holding Con tight while she cried.

Riding his shadows out of the house, Puck giggled, listening to the pain and upset in Gwen’s teary voice and to the heart-pain in Con’s. He paused, wondering if maybe he could wring another wee morsel of mischief out of this moment, and prepared to dart back inside.

But something stopped Puck. Something that had a VERY firm grip on his pointed little ear. With a squawk, Puck twisted, and looked up at a mildly annoyed – and mildly amused – Titania.

“Playing with mortals again, my Robin?” queried the queen of the Fairies as she smiled at him. “I thought you were done with that?”

Realizing his Queen wasn’t truly angry, Puck flashed a grin and shrugged charmingly. “Ahh, but mortals are so much fun in their foolishness, Milady. Look at that one,” he said, gesturing to Gwen as she stood up and adjusted her pants with a wince. “Thinks she wants something, and goes for it, only ta be unhappy. And him,” Puck gestured to Connor. “Doesna really love the girl for what she is, but only for what he thinks she should be. Foolishness. But not really harmful. Just a wee bit of fun, Milady.”

But Titania had looked where Puck and gestured. And, with the insight of a female added to the not insignificant powers of the sidhe, Titania saw what Puck had not. Instead of misery, she saw joy in Gwen’s eyes. Instead of domineering control, she saw concern and true love in Connor’s heart. Instead of unhappiness, she saw peace and contentment.

Titania released Puck’s ear, and rested a hand on his head. “Go, Robin Goodfellow. Your mischief here is done. Leave the mortals to their own fate now.”

Laughing, Puck scampered away, fading into a passing mist. Titania smiled indulgently for a moment, knowing he would certainly continue with his meddling. “As long as it’s not with these,” she murmured to herself. She turned back to the two mortals, watching a long moment. Looking into their spirits, Titania saw that they would each step away from what they had created this night with Puck’s interference. Without his continued meddling, Gwen and Connor would convince themselves to hide their desires and thoughts – even from their own hearts. And that, Titania knew from her own bitter experience, would lead to true misery. No, such a giving love deserved to be felt and embraced, not hidden in the depths of one’s soul.

Wanting to do her best to help them continue to explore their new-found desires and expressions, Titania began to weave a small bit of magic. But, to cement the magic, she needed action. So, mimicking Puck’s antics, she deftly prodded Gwen just enough to have her snapping at Connor. To her surprise, however, Titania didn’t need to prod Con a’tall. As soon as Gwen’s temper surfaced enough for her to pick up something to throw, Connor’s arm snapped out to grab Gwen’s. And, as he promised her, Con disregarded the thorough spanking she’d already received and began landing hard smacks to her bottom as she danced in place. Titania moved immediately and wove her magic between the two, using Connor’s determination and Gwen’s trust and the love the two shared to bond the spell.

Letting the magics calm, Titania breathed deeply, watching the dance of discipline and repentance before her. While she watched the two, she also remembered some of her own dances. Her life with Oberon had many tempests, some his doing, some hers. After that affair with the ass – Titania still had to fight against the anger that rose in her whenever she thought of it – Oberon had taken to using other measures to deal with his errant wife. She glanced again at the couple inside, thinking of some of those measures. And thinking, too, of the love that had bloomed in the oft-warring couple. Watching Connor and Gwen, Titania recognized that her magics would fade in time. But, she hoped, that would happen long after they were on their life’s path together.

Stepping back, Titania turned to head to the wood, there to fade and return home. Seeing something taking stronger form and coming toward her from those same woods, Titania froze.

“Taking Puck’s place, my love?” Oberon stepped into clear view. “I thought he had claimed meddling with mortals as his own little hobby.”

Titania wasn’t fooled by her mate’s relaxed tone or stance. His magics surpassed hers, and she wisely backed up. “’Tisn’t meddling I’m doing, my lord. ‘Tis repairing Robin’s meddling. This needs doing.”

Oberon merely stepped closer. “Does it now? I know something else that needs doing, my lady. Well you know you were to avoid mortals. Is this,” he gestured to the magics visible to their sight, “’leaving the mortals to their fate’?” Too late, Titania realized Oberon knew exactly what had been occurring.

Just as Connor had done moments before, Oberon flashed his hand out, grasping Titania’s arm. “Since you’ve chosen instead to meddle in the affairs of mortals, I will follow the very example you’ve laid out and see how well it does for us.” To Titania’s great dismay, Oberon easily turned her, swiftly crashing his hard hand into her bottom and quickly causing her to wail just as Gwen did.

And, as the firm discipline was meted by two hands … as cries of regret and pleading fell from two mouths … Avalon and the mortal realm again shared one purpose.

And none but Titania heard Puck’s giggle.

[goodgulf]

It's always nice to think that Robin Goodfellow yet lingers in this increasingly mundane world.

Goodgulf

[beguiling]

<grin> I like to think that some of my impishness is from his influence :>

Thanks for reading, Goodgulf. I love your stuff ;>

[ken791]

Great story, very ceative. I enjoyed it.