Guilt & Penance

The first lash came as much as she suspected... barely without a warning side from the sound of the whip cutting through the air. A wave of immense fiery pain of the likes she had never felt before shot through her backside as the knot covered corded whip cracked across her exposed derriere. She dug her teeth into her bottom lip, determined to take her punishment with her dignity intact.

Shining Armor might be rusty, but it quickly came back to him as he went to deliver the third stroke. He tapped into that old persona, the one whom commanded absolute respect from cadets when he was the Commander of the Royal Guard. The motions were all too familiar and the stallion found that his delivery was just as good as it was back then. The whip cracked across Princess Twilight's rear two more times, but she seemed intent on keeping the pain inside. He'd break her, they all broke eventually no matter how steely their resolve was. He could see her pull against her bindings, the alicorn reacting on pure instinct to the severe pain coursing through her rear. He had painted several welts across her rear, a few dark spots noticeable where the knots dug into her flesh. They were still far from done though.

All the while, the two princesses had retreated back to the benches where they watched the sight with detached expressions. The sounds of the whip traveling through the air then the reverberating snap as it painfully snapped across Princess Twilight's backside echoed across the field. It was fifteen so far and the Princess of Friendship had since relinquished her dignitary and now howled in pain with every lash Commander Shining Armor administered.

"A rather inappropriate time to get aroused, don't you think, Sister?," Luna addressed Celestia calmly. She noticed that Celestia shot her a side glance, a touch of red on her cheeks.

"I can control a lot of things, Luna. Cycles of estrus, sadly, is not one of those things," Celestia let just the most subtle hint of a smirk stretch across her lips. "Least my excuse is valid. Though, I doubt you can say the same."

Luna just closed her eyes, "I've never denied my masochistic streak, and you've never complained when I've acted out my fantasies with you. By the way, enjoy sitting while you can... you won't have that luxury when we get back to the castle, Sister."

Celestia's eyed widened, eyeing her sister whom now eyed her with heavy lidded eyes and a sly smile that said everything she needed to know. "Of course... Mistress," Celestia acknowledged. The collar around her neck tightened, the pendant resembling her sister's cutie mark glowed faintly. "For the rest of the time, lets resume our regal air out of respect for Twilight and Shining Armor. If you don't mind, ... my Mistress."

Princess Luna ceased channeling her magic, giving her sister a nod as both them returned to observing the lashing being carried out just as the twentieth lick came. They both winced as they now observed the terribly welted and bruised covered backside. What was worse was the fact they both knew there was still another thirty to be carried out.

Twilight had long since submitted to the pain that now was on a level she could've never imagined before. Tears ran down her face freely. She felt her chest heave as she tried to catch her breath between sobbing and the wave of agony that shot through her backside as Shining Armor delivered another crack of the whip. The only real silver lining was that the guilt and all the regret was being washed away with her tears. The heaviness that was burdening her consciousness was no longer there. It was if she felt the weight lifted more and more with every lash.

By the thirtieth lash, Twilight Sparkle's rump was heavily discolored from the bruises and welts. She had long lost the strength to even cry out as loud, but the mare still soundly voiced her pain as Shining Armor tirelessly delivered the last twenty lashes. Even he was wondering if this was too much, but he never allowed his doubts to affect the strength given behind every blow. He was, however, succumbing to more brotherly instincts as he now observed her more closely. She was barely moving, aside from her heavy panting and the occasional choking sob. He stopped after the fortieth of fifty, just standing there quietly as he now found himself pitying his sister and hating himself for letting her talk him into this. He couldn't do it... it was just too much.

Suddenly, a more powerful magic seized the whip as Princess Luna stepped up much to Shining Armor's surprise. She shushed him, then proceeded to quickly carry out the last ten lashes. He only watched, saying nothing as he saw the whip snap across his sister's backside. Every lash elicited a cry of anguish from his sister, her body thrashing against the straps of the pillory. Once the fiftieth strike was given, Luna was quick to surrender the whip to Shining Armor's magic as she swiftly moved back to to the benches and sit next to her sister. He released the whip, letting it fall to the ground. He watched as Luna and Celestia moved out and started to undo the harnesses that kept Twilight in place. Only the fact that Twilight had trusted him with this matter was he able to chase away the self-loathing brooding in his mind as the three approached him.

"The punishment has been carried out... you are hereby relieved of your duty, Commander Shining Armor," Twilight said meekly, her eyed red and the fur on her cheeks damp with tears. "I commend you for making sure every lash was as strong as the first. I must say, those last ten certainly seemed to have a bit more pep behind them," Twilight curtsied.

Shining Armor remained stone faced, only nodding after Princess Twilight expressed her satisfaction. Only after saluting her, did he drop the whole guise and frantically grasped his sister in a hug. "Twilight... I'm... I'm sorry," he whimpers, now allowing himself to cry as she embraced him with her own forelegs tightly.

"It's okay, Shiny... it hurt. It hurt a lot, but you performed admirably as I expected. I feel a lot better than when I did before we started. The pain will go away, but I think my rump is going to take a bit to heal completely of the welts and bruising," she nuzzled into her neck. She then turned her gaze to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, "Thank you for coming."

Luna nodded, stepping up and taking the whip up with her magic. "Of course, I am only happy that you found the peace you were seeking. I must say, I quite approve of the your choice in the method of achieving it." This earned her a rather considerably long stare from Princess Celestia as she wrapped the whip around her own neck.

"Yes.. I am glad we could offer our help. Even if it was just to be a witness," Celestia added, keeping an eye on her sister now. She felt the black leather collar around her neck tighten again as Luna now stared back at her. There was a sudden awkward silence between the two sisters.

Luna giggled, turning away to now address Twilight and Shining Armor who noticed the rather puzzling exchange between the two Royal Sisters. "Twilight Sparkle, how about I invite you to the castle for a night's stay? I have plans in which I think I'd like you to participate in. You're welcomed too, Shining Armor."

Princess Celestia went to protest, but the collar around her neck became so constricting that she felt herself being denied to draw breath. She only eyed her Mistress with concern, in which the sensation lessened and she was allowed to speak. "Mistress," Celestia went red with embarrassment as she addressed her sister with the respectful title,"I wish you would've at least consulted with me before inviting others into... our personal lives."

Princess Luna nodded, but seemed to show no concern. "Oh my most beloved pet... remember your place," she answered, much to Celestia's growing embarrassment the Princess of the Sun now looked down the ground. Twilight and Shining Armor were both looking at her quite gawked. "Yes, I'm her Mistress and she is my pet. You're to tell nopony of this or I promise I'll have both your heads."

Shining Armor and Twilight nodded, both looking quite confused and bewildered by the sudden revelation.

"Explains the collar... I was going to ask, but I had my suspicions when I noticed how Celestia would act toward Luna sometimes," Twilight murmured as the four of them walked off the field. The shield fell and the four of them made their way to the Royal Chariot. Every step made Twilight yelp, even moving was considerably uncomfortable as her rear end throbbed in pain. She was hoping there'd be some standing room.

"Yes, the collar is actually enchanted to normally be invisible to everypony. However, I have been allowing you to see... as well as Shining Armor," Luna explained as they boarded the chariot together. By coincidence, Luna had chosen the chariot with the capacity for four large alicorns for the occasion.

Shining Armor laughed nervously, "Oh boy... I'll need to write Cadence a letter to explain what's going on. Of course, I'm definitely going to leave a few things out. I hope she'll be okay with the baby for just a single night."

Luna smirked, "And what a night it'll be... not often a pony gets to whip two Princesses in a day."

Shining Armor looked confused for a moment, then went wide eyed when he noticed an equally surprised expression on Princess Celestia's face. "Princess Luna... I, I," the stallion was stunned, he didn't know what to even say!

"This isn't a request either, or you'll get reacquainted with this whip of yours. I know you're no stranger to it's sting. For the record, I am nowhere near as gentle as your wife," Luna assured him with a rather stoic expression and stare.

Shining Armor groaned, "Seriously, she's involved with this whole thing too?!," the stallion expressed much dismay about the whole unfolding situation.

Twilight giggled, "Lovely... not only have I found my former mentor is a pet to her younger sister, but my brother seems to have a freaky fetish for whipping." Twilight suddenly went quiet at her own words, then shot Shining Armor a quick scrutinizing glance.

He instantly recognized what she was started to suspect and was quick to defend himself, "Oh that's two totally different worlds, Twily! Besides that, you're my sister!"

The three alicorns laughed much to Shining Armor's discomfort as the chariot was pulled toward Canterlot.

That night, much fun would be had and, indeed, Celestia would not be able to sit by the end of it. The four of them indulged in fantasies they had only entertained in their thoughts. [But that's a story for another time.... maybe the next chapter? ^.~]