Chapter One

 

Maja was born in Budapest, Hungary in early 2000. She was a child of the New Millennium who had a positive and hopeful outlook. Her father worked in banking and her mother was a housewife and part-time translator.

Since 2004, Hungary had been in the European Union, and Maja's parents took every opportunity to let Maja travel, to see other cultures. From being twelve she had been on exchange visits through school to a small town, just across the Danube, in Slovakia. Maja got to know a girl called Kristina of a similar age through these visits. They became good friends and began to spend time with each other's families in the school holidays. Language wasn't a problem. Kristina's family were all fluent in Hungarian because of the area's historical ties to Hungary. Maja also learned Slovak. She seemed to have inherited a feel for languages from her mother.

Her parents also sent Maja on exchange visits to England and Germany, stressing to her how these two languages were key for business in the European Union.

When Maja was fourteen, she went to stay with Kristina's family over Easter. On Easter Sunday, Maja went to church with the family. Maja and Kristinas' families were nominally Catholic and went to church for the main festivals.

Maja didn't like the rituals of the church. She preferred to sense 'God,' as the transcendent reality, within and beyond nature. At one point in the service the choir, accompanied by the pipe organ, sang an anthem. The voices were beautiful, the harmonies exquisite. Maja felt a thrill as the vibration caused by the deep, bass pipes of the organ passed through her body. Then the flute and other reed pipes played a triumphant melody as the anthem came to its climax. As her heart was being touched by the music, Maja noticed how the sun shining through a stain-glass window was casting a coloured pattern on one of the stone pillars. The coloured light almost seemed to be vibrating in sympathy with the music.

Maja had a deep sense of the connectedness of things beyond the outward appearance of every-day life. She held a deep intuition, that, somehow, 'Love,' was holding it all together at the most fundamental level.

After church they all spent the rest of the day at home, chatting and relaxing. Maja found Kristina's family easy-going and fitted in well.

"Have you told Maja about our Slovakian Easter Monday tradition, Kristina?" asked Nina, her mother.

"No Mum. Not yet."

"There's no time like the present," said Natalia, with a broad smile. Natalia was Kristina's grandma on her mum's side,

Natalia was approaching sixty. She was slim, had a pretty face and thick, wavy grey hair, which had once been blonde, cut in a bob. There was a glint in her eye when she spoke, and Maja found her vivacious. Not like a granny, at all.

"Oh, it's something we do here on the day after Easter Sunday," said Kristina, going a little red. "Lots of the women and girls wear traditional clothing, and we spend the morning making cakes and snacks and decorating Easter eggs. Then the tradition is that the local boys and men can visit any house, knock on the door and ask to see the girls and women. The guys have willow sticks bound in bundles and tied with ribbons, which they make for the occasion. They smack the girls' bottoms with their sticks and in return get served snacks and drinks in the house."

The comment about what the willow sticks are for caught Maja's attention. She began listening intently.

"And sometimes the guys take the women outside and throw cold water over them," added Nina.

"Do you mind them doing all that, Auntie Nina?" asked Maja. Her tone didn't indicate disapproval but rather a genuine desire to know.

Nina smiled and Maja was aware of how pretty she looked. Her teeth were lovely and white, she had an angular face with a pleasing bone structure and her long, braided hair, which was brownish blonde, was tied with a blue ribbon.

"Not at all, Maja. It's just fun, and it's done respectfully. Even Mum enjoys it, don't you?" she said looking at Natalia, with a grin.

"Of course," replied Natalia. "What's not to enjoy about dressing up and having male attention?"

She said this with panache, which made everybody laugh. Natalia gave Maja a warm smile which felt like sunshine to her soul.

"Maja, you'll have to forgive Granny. She's a lot to handle sometimes," said Kristina giggling, as her cheeks flushed.

Granny Natalia crossed her legs and rested her palms around one knee. "And what of it? I'm approaching sixty, but there's life in the old dog yet."

This made everybody, including Natalia, burst out laughing.

"Yes Maja, since Grandpa died, Grandma decided to make the most of life which is what Grandpa would have wanted. She's very sociable and loves going dancing," said Kristina.

"Yes, that's really what Grandpa wanted. Ladislav had a long talk with me about that before he died." There was a brief pause, then Natalia continued after that serious comment. "The problem is Maja, men of my own age can't keep up," she said with a cheeky grin.

Nina smiled. "It's true Maja."

"Yes. Granny needs a toy-boy," joked Kristina.

This led to more laughter.

"Oh, and Maja, just so you don't feel left out, we've hired you an outfit for tomorrow."

"Oh, that's so kind Auntie Nina. Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Nina with a warm smile.

Later that afternoon everybody went out for a walk. It was cold so they all wore their winter coats. In the market place, in front of the Town Hall, there was a raised stone platform. A group of men and women were there in traditional folk costume. The men were playing fiddles and accordions and the women were dancing. A small crowd were watching their performance.

Maja thought the women looked lovely. She noticed how their skirts were made so that when they turned their hips and twirled, the skirts rose right up. They had white petticoats underneath and wore a straight cotton underdress, which came half-way down their thighs and hugged their legs. That way, it was the petticoat and white underdress which people saw when they twirled, not their knickers. All the women also looked smart in their leather boots.

The next day passed in a bit of a whirl for Maja. After breakfast, she and Kristina helped clear up and then went and got changed. Kristina's mum had hired a traditional black skirt and white blouse for Maja. The lovely, white silky blouse framed Maja's generous bosom nicely. As she pulled her own black, leather boots on, which came just below her knees, Maja loved the way they felt so snug and enjoyed the noise made by the leather as it enveloped her legs. She had tights on and the traditional black skirt, which came just above the knee.

"Oh Kristina, you look lovely in your blouse. And I love the black skirt with floral prints, and your boots are classy," said Maja, inflecting her voice.

Kristina smiled as she put her flower wreath on her head then handed Maja hers.

"Okay, we should go help in the kitchen now. There's about an hour before the boys will arrive," she said.

The kitchen was a hive of activity. Kristina's mum was there along with two Auntie's and their teenage daughters and Grandma Natalia. It was a girls-only affair in the kitchen. One of the neighbours was sat at the table with her two young children, decorating chocolate eggs.

Maja and Kristina helped by getting plates ready and cutting cakes which Kristina's mum was taking out of the oven. Her long, brownish-blonde hair was beautifully braided, and she wore a traditional dress with a white petticoat and red leather boots. Maja thought she looked really lovely with her stately nose, high cheek-bones and hazel eyes. Some lively traditional dance music with Zither and Accordion, was playing in the background.

Maja was told that in some places the tradition was that the males could go to any house and request that the women come out. "That's how it's done in the villages, but here that isn't practical. So, we invite friends and neighbours to come instead," Nina said to Maja.

A few minutes passed, and Maja heard a loud knock on the door.

"They're here," shouted Nina, cheerfully.

Maja felt butterflies in her tummy because she didn't know what to expect. Nina opened the door and welcomed in a group of four teenage boys, two men and a boy of around twelve. They were neighbours and friends. Then the girls and women began squealing and holding on to each other as the guys began to chase them and flick their bottoms with their sticks. Kristina grabbed Maja's hand and they ran out into the garden.

"Ouch," said Maja as one of the boys flicked her bottom on the way out. It stung a little, but she was too busy running and having fun trying to get out of the boys' way to pay much attention. Then the boys cornered her and Kristina in the garden, and suddenly Maja gasped as she was covered in cold water. Kristina had momentarily escaped. As Maja wrung the water out of her skirt she watched as Kristina was cornered by a couple of the boys. They held her as another one poured a bucket of water over her head. The water ran down her hair, face and blouse and all Kristina could do was squeal. One of the younger boys then came and gently flicked her bottom over her skirt with his stick. Kristina was struggling to know whether to laugh or yelp, so she did both in equal measure.

Then suddenly, the boys turned on Maja and it was her turn to be restrained and have her bottom flicked which made her giggle and squeal, helplessly.

After having their fun, the boys left Maja and Kristina alone. With that, out came Natalia and Nina carrying plates of cakes and Kristina's dad with a tray of drinks. The group all ate and drank together, and Maja and Kristina dried themselves with towels.

The boys were about to leave, but Kristina's father said "Wait." Looking at his wife and the other older women, he said, "It's their turn now."

He took hold of Nina, knelt, and put her over his shoulder. He lifted her skirt up, showing her petticoat and undergarment, and gently slapped her bum. She was kicking and squealing and going pink in the cheeks. All the boys thought this was hilarious. They were all encouraged to give her a few slaps.

As Maja stood there next to Kristina, they were both laughing gently. Even though she was a little cold because of being drenched, Maja's body began to tingle and feel warm all over as she watched.

Then Kristina's father put his wife down and the boys were encouraged to chase the Aunties and the neighbour. One by one they were cornered and held and spanked as they squealed. The boys only gave gentle smacks to the Aunties. One of them was a little more into it than the other one, but the boys were sensitive about that. The neighbour with the two young children was another matter. Her husband and Christina's father had great fun, 'driving' her round the garden as she helplessly tried to evade them. But she just ran into the boys who were waiting for her. She was wearing jeans, but the loud slapping noises, her yelps and giggles, and the way she was wriggling, told Maja that she would be feeling it.

Then Kristina's father's mother, who was around sixty-five, bravely volunteered to let a couple of the young boys give her a few slaps. Then she tussled their hair and cuddled them and they all had a good laugh.

Kristina's mum looked at Natalia with relish.

"So, Mum. It's your turn now."

Kristina's Grandma, Natalia, was still in good shape, despite her age. She was of average height, slim, and had lovely, wavy grey hair.

Kristina's mum held her by one hand and her father by the other, and they stretched them out. Grandma had a wry smile on her face as one of the younger boys came behind her and began to flick her bottom over her traditional skirt with his cane. With each stroke, she twisted her hips after the impact as if she wanted to escape. But she was being held firmly in place and all she could do was push her hips forwards and wiggle her bottom in a vain attempt to escape the cane. She was blushing but still had a smile on her face because she was having fun. Grandma even got one of the youngest boys, who was around twelve and a bit shy, to come and 'whip her bottom.'

As Maja watched she began to feel the beginnings of an excitement she had never felt before. There was something about seeing helpless women that stirred her up. It was related to how boys made her feel, but it definitely had a quality all of its own...and Maja liked it.

After that Maja and Christina got dried and changed. Then they went and joined everybody else, eating cake, Easter eggs and drinking. It was a light-hearted and fun-filled occasion.