My wife has much to learn about her new life as a Euthenian princess. The fact is, she cannot get to our planet acting anyway she wants. It is considered treason to disrespect my father or me for that matter.

“You’ll need to undress now so that I can administer the punishment, Kataline. Stand and disrobe.”

Her eyes are filled with fear, and it makes something inside me fill with pain. “Kerr, what are you going to do to me?”

“To disrespect the king or me is punishable by jail or even death, Kataline. You have to be taught to never do what you did, walking out of a room without permission from me. You’ve left me no choice but to make sure you remember. I don’t wish to see your head rolling away from your body after all. I have grown to care for you, and I would miss your company.”

She surprises me as she stands and does as I’ve said. I honestly thought she’d fight me on this.

Kataline looks at me as she pulls her deep blue dress off her shoulders and lets if fall in a puddle of silky fabric at her small feet. “I had no idea, and perhaps a rule book could be made for me. If you have to punish me then just do it and let’s get it over with.”

In seconds, she stands before me naked and waiting. This is going much smoother than I thought it would. I take a cord and run it around her wrists and then take her to face the wall. Pulling her hands up I loop the cord over a hook.

To the side of the hook hangs a long strap. The hook and strap are in every home on my planet as women are to look at it and know what will come in case of behavior not allowed.

I pull the strap down and ask, “Do you understand what it is you did wrong and why you are being punished?”

“I left the room without your permission, thus disrespecting you and your father. I will not be doing that again.” She takes in a deep breath, and I find myself not wanting to do this.

“Kataline, this is the first time I’ve ever had to do this. I want you to know this isn’t easy for me. I have no wish to cause you pain. Please let me know when you feel you can handle no more lashes as I have no idea of what your threshold is.”

My heart is pounding, and if it weren’t for the damn surveillance everywhere and my father’s words to me before I left him, I’d let her get by with this. She was unaware of what the outcome of her action would be after all.

But Father told me either I can punish her or he will, and I can’t have that. Women must always disrobe before any punishment is rendered. The thought of anyone laying their eyes on her body, which belongs only to me, is a something that makes my blood boil.

I also have to admit it heats me to think of anyone laying a hand on my wife. It would take everything in me to allow such a thing and even then, I don’t think I could.

Her voice is strong, and I know she’s upset with me as she brings my attention back to her. “I will let you know, sir.”

With a loud crack, I lay the strap across the pristine skin of her ass, and she makes a little scream. I hesitate to see if she’s going to say that’s enough, but when no words come, I slap the strap across her skin again. This time, no sound comes from her.

Another strike I give her. I hear a loud sigh. Another one I give her and see the strap leaving welts on her skin. “Kataline, is this enough?”

“I can take more.” Her voice is still strong, and now I feel her stubbornness affecting the discipline.

I lay the strap across her ass again and her body jerks. The welts are growing angrily red, and I decide she can take no more. “That’s enough,” I say.

Taking the cord off the hook, I quickly pull her down and release her wrists from the cord. Her eyes are glassy with unshed tears. “Thank you, sir, for teaching me my place.”

Placing a long, white robe around her to cover her naked body, I close my eyes and pull her to me. “Kataline, please just do as is expected of you. That gave me no pleasure. Quite the contrary, it hurt me far worse than it did you.”

Inexplicably her hands run through my hair. Her words fall soft near my ear. “Kerr, it is my fate to be with you. I was bred to fall into place with whatever alien race I was awarded to.”

“You are more than I deserve, Kataline.” I pull her back to look at her.

Guilt plagues me as I should’ve given her something that would tell her of all our rules and customs. “I am what you deserve, Kerr. Teach me all I need to know before I’m unleashed on your planet to help me stay away from the strap. That is all I ask of you.”

“I will, I promise.” I pull her back into my arms and hold her tight to me.

This woman may very well be the best thing that’s ever happened to me or my planet and hers.

My father appears at our door, his face ashen and he looks almost as bad as when my mother died. “Father, what is it?”

“The settlers from Earth have taken advantage of our absence it seems. We just received word from Euthenia that the Earthlings have risen up and are trying to take over the capital.”

“No,” Kataline says with a quiet sigh.

My father’s eyes dart to her. “Was this the plan all along, woman? To get the royal family and the majority of their guards away from home so they could overtake it?”

“Not to my knowledge, sire. No, sir,” she responds. “This is terrible news to me as well, sir.”

“Son, she has to be locked up until we know the truth.” My father snaps his fingers, and two of our guards appear.

I shake my head. “That will not happen, Father. I will stay with her if you want her watched over.”

“Son, we have no idea what she’s capable of or has been told to do. You may be in danger.” He looks at the guards. “Secure her.”

“No!” I shout, and in a split second I find myself paralyzed and falling to the bed as a guard pulls back the syringe he used to stop me. I can only watch as they bind my wife’s hands and take her away from me.

Her deep blue eyes haunt me as they are full of fear. “Are you okay, Kerr?” She struggles to get away from the guards and come to me. “What did you do to him?”

My father doesn’t answer her as he tells the guards, “Take her to the holding chamber.” He looks at me and frowns. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, son. I truly am. You’ll be kept in here until I decide you understand what I expect from you. Complete cooperation is what I must have from you. We are at war son, and you are married to the woman who may have started it all.”