ROSES HAVE THORNS-Chapter 96 - The Responsible And Unreasonable Prince

Chapter 96: Chapter 96 - The Responsible And Unreasonable Prince

The afternoon bustle of the street had suddenly come to a stop, as if it had been bumped into a physical wall.

A blacksmith’s hammer froze just millimeters away from hitting the iron hot ore. The flower seller’s bouquet of lilies slipped from her hand, scattering across the wet stones. And a couple of passing guards all stopped in unison, armour clinking, when the words "Spank us!" echoed their way.

Then, as if everybody’s minds were collectively in-sync, they all turned to the source of the commotion.

At the center of the cobblestone street stood the royal twins and an utterly bewildered one-eyed man. Maxwell Jr. had his chest puffed out and face flushed with a brand of defiant logic that only a muscle-brained one-track-mind simpleton could wear.

Right beside him stood Kiana, who had been mid-lunge about to clap a hand over her brother’s mouth, but her fingers only brushed his cheek as the final syllable echoed off the stone walls. She froze in a half-crouch as her face turned into a shade of crimson so deep it rivaled the silk sheets of Diana’s bed.

"P-Prince Maxwell. What are you doing shouting such... things... in the middle of the street." Kurt sheepishly asked as he noticed everyone staring at him judgmentally.

Kiana slowly pulled her hand back, tucking her head into her shoulders as if she could physically disappear into the weavings of her own cloak. She was going through a total systemic collapse. She wouldn’t look at Kurt, nor would she look at the crowd. She simply stared at a specific crack in the pavement as her eyes shimmered with the desperate wish for the earth to crack open and swallow her whole.

"What do you mean?" Junior raised an eyebrow and turned his butt at Kurt. "You and Emelie won the fight! Therefore, according to our punishment, you get to spank us! So go on! Do your worst–!"

"Junior, shut up!" Kiana hissed, her voice a strangled squeak. She grabbed his sleeve and tried to fly away, but her brother held his weight down, staying firmly in place.

"Why?" Junior shouted back and turned to face Kurt with a taunting swagger. "A deal’s a deal! You won the duel, didn’t you? You’re the big hero! So go on! Spank us! Or are you going to back out now that there are witnesses?"

"Why are you so gung-ho about this!? Excuse the pun, but you were so chill back when we first met!"

"Why?! Because I lost, that’s why! Even after all my training! The blood sweat and tears I put into strengthening myself! And yet still I lost to Emelie Herst! But that’s not even the worst! The worst is that I couldn’t..." Junior looked painfully at his sister who was still trying to fly away with him. "I couldn’t protect my sister..."

"Junior..." After seeing the painful expression of her brother, Kiana floated back down and pulled him into a hug. "Please Junior. Don’t blame yourself. You did your absolute best, and I wouldn’t blame you for it."

Kurt noticed that the crowd of people stopped looking at him and that they all had smiles on their faces as they watched this heartwarming sight.

"... What a beautifully wholesome they’re relationship is."

"... I kind of miss my own sister. Perhaps I should pop in and say hello."

"... Yeah. Seeing the kind heart of the Princess and witnessing the prince not running away from his responsibilities, puts my heart at ease knowing I can trust the future to them."

’This is my best chance to use my assassin skills to slip away unnoticed.’ Kurt slowly backed up to a nearby alleyway.

"Wait, Kurt Rosanna! Where do you think you’re going!?" Junior screamed at him so as to not let him get away.

’This mother–! Grrrr’

"Prince Maxwell, I was uhm... only joking. I admit that it’s something I said on the spur of the moment. We really don’t have to do this. So let’s forget that any of that happened and–"

"NO!"

"Junior, just let it go! He said he was joking!" Kiana pulled on him again but still he wouldn’t move.

"Joking?! It wasn’t a joke when the stakes were on the table!" Junior turned to the gawking crowd while gesturing wildly at Kurt. "He was perfectly happy to take the bet! If he’d lost, he would’ve had to lick our feet and be our personal servant for a whole year! But he won, so now he–"

"What’s going on here?" Emelie and Amy squeezed through the crowd while eating crêpes.

"Emelie! Just in time! Here!" Junior pointed his butt her way. "Spank away!"

"... Huh?"

Kiana finally found her strength, but only enough to cover her own face with both hands. Her muffled groans of agony could be heard even over the murmurs of the crowd.

"I want to die," she whimpered into her palms. "I actually want to be dead right now."

A much bigger crowd began to form now that Emelie, who is also technically part of this whole bet, entered the picture. To them, this didn’t sound like a quirky sibling bet; it sounded like a deranged, high-stakes psychological war. The mental image of the local idol licking the twins’ feet or delivering a public spanking was currently being seared into the town’s collective memory.

"Alright, let’s get this over with. Kurt, I’ll take Junior while you take Kiana."

"... My goodness! It’s actually happening!"

"... The royal twins are about to receive a royal spanking! In public!"

"... S-Should I look away!? B-But the scandal!"

"... Where’s my recording tag!? This is about to make the headlines!"

"Emy, are you serious!?" Kurt suddenly appeared in front of her. "Can’t we just let it go? The Princess looks like she’s about to faint at any moment! Also, why do I have to spank her!? Can’t we switch places?"

"You’re giving me mixed signals here, Kurt. One moment you’re telling me to let it go, and the next you’re telling me to switch places with you. Pick one."

"Let it go!"

"No."

"Aw c’mon!"

"I still have a lot... of pent-up frustrations. And it would seem that the Goddess has blessed me with an opportunity to release them all in one go. Besides, Junior has been annoying me non-stop in the years that I’ve known him. Spanking him without any repercussions from the King is something I could only dream about." Emelie smiled maniacally as she rolled up her sleeves and slowly walked to Junior.

"H-Hello Kurt..."

"Oh Amy. Hey. It’s good to see you’re okay after that little incident in the park."

"Y-Yes! You too... uhm..." Amy blushed as she felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.

SPANK!

’Just act normal, Amy! Be! Cool! He doesn’t even know you like him! So just act natural–’

"Hm? It looks like you got a little something right here. Cream from the crêpe." Kurt pointed towards his upper lip area.

SPANK!

"O-Oh! Haha! How embarrassing..." She wiped her hands on the area he was gesturing to. "Is it gone?"

"Nope. Aim a little lower. That’s your nose."

SPANK!

"O-Ok..." She wiped her nose again, but still she missed it.

"Is it gone now?"

SPANK!

"No. Here let me get it."

SPANK!

"W-Wait–"

But it was too late.

Kurt swiftly, and gently, wiped the cream off her. His finger accidently brushed her lip in the process, causing her brain to short circuit.

"Y-You... t-touch... l-lip..."

"Hmm~ This cream is pretty good." Kurt licked his finger. "You should show me where you got it next time."

SPANK!

"D-D-DATE!? FINGER?! LIPS!? MAGICAL MOMENT!?" Amy covered her mouth as she blushed furiously and spouted random words.

"Kurt! What are you standing around for!" Emelie yelled. "The Princess is still waiting for her turn!"

SPANK!

"OW! Can’t you be a little gentler! My booty can only handle so much!"

"Didn’t we just agree to ten slaps!? Then stop whining like a little bitch and take it like a man! Here comes number eight! AHAHAHA!"

SPANK!

"OW! CRAP!"

"J-Junior... *sob*" The crowd and Kiana watched with bated breath as Emelie spanked the bare ass of the prince.

SPANK!

"Dammit! I shouldn’t have suggested that stupid condition! Do I really have to dish out a royal spanking to her?" Kurt looked away with a heavy heart.

SPANK!

"Haaa. That felt good." Emelie walked away from the prince, who’d long since lost the natural colour of his ass cheeks.

"Kurt Rosanna! *Sob* Be a man and spank my sister!" Junior pulled up his pants with tearful eyes and walked towards his sister. "She knew what she was getting into when we made that deal. Now stop being a bitch and so that we can wash away this shame! Do it! Just do it!"

"Fine! You want me to spank her in public?! Then I’ll spank her in public!"

"Junior, please! I don’t want to–"

"Shhh! My precious sister. It’ll be over soon. Go on and show him why we Dorothy’s are the leaders of this country."

Kiana then covered her face with her hands out of sheer dread. Junior caressed the hand over her face and looked towards Kurt.

"Ten slaps and that’s it. You will not be punished by our father seeing that this is what we brought on ourselves. Now show me your convictions."

The crowd turned their collective, burning gaze at Kurt and Kiana. The girl was trembling, her hands still over her face, but the social contract of the "deal" had been sealed by her brother’s big mouth. The pressure of a hundred judging eyes. Some disgusted, some strangely expectant.

Kurt stepped forward, his heart hammering against his ribs. He didn’t want this. He looked at Kiana, who finally dropped her hands. Her face wasn’t just red; it was radiating heat, her eyes wide and unfocused. She turned around slowly and held onto a streetlamp for support.

"I’m ready." Kiana tensed her shoulders and closed her eyes.

"Now hold on a minute." Emelie interrupted her. "Kiana, what are you doing?"

"... What do you mean?"

"I mean, your skirt."

"W-What about my–"

"Drop ’em."

"... Huh?"