The wanderer, p.7
The Wanderer, page 7
part #1 of The Nogud Legacy Series
I said, “Perhaps. So, we’ve settled it. I’ll contribute three coins per day to your house and when the time is right, another 100 to help with the ones that you plan to take in. And I still need to pay for the clothing, and for two more dresses besides. Oh, and two more night dresses as well. And please, make the negotiations easy on me and tell me a fair price and nothing less.”
Paul said, “The clothing that you and Viola have, plus two more dresses and two more night dresses is twenty coins. You drive a hard backward bargain, my strange friend.”
I said, “I’m happy with this. Susan, what about shoes? I’m not going mountain climbing, but what about shoes?”
She laughed and said, “A pair of slippers for each to walk in while they’re outside the house is fine when a man can afford it. I’ll take you before we go home. For the other girls, I’ll need to know what size they are. For Viola, I had to use the smallest size and it sits large on her.”
I said, “Viola tells me that the other girls are similar in proportion to her, but one taller and one shorter.”
Susan said, “That will be easy. We’ll choose dresses like the one that Viola has and I’ll have hem altered to the correct length if necessary. I’m not trying to sell you even more, but do you want a second dress for each of them for washing days?”
I said, “Certainly. And anything else that you think they would want or need.”
She smiled, “One is good for today and tomorrow. When we see how things go, we can decide what else you want.”
I said, “Paul, let me count out some coins now for what we have today.”
I counted out twenty coins and asked if there was anything else and he assured me that there wasn’t.
Susan said, “Good. This evening you and Viola will come to our home and have dinner. Stay at the inn tonight since you’ve already made arrangements, and tomorrow before noon we’ll take the others to our home and help you get established here in our village. You’ll all stay with us tomorrow night and until we decide otherwise. Joshua, you and your women should treat our home as your own. You are a brother to us and have come for an extended visit and we want you to stay and relax with us.”
I smiled and said, “I was very much alone when I came here. I have no other home to go to. You are very kind to me and to these women that I love already.”
I glanced into the street and saw Viola hurrying toward us. As she reached me, I instinctively caught her up in my arms and lifting her off the ground, kissing her on the mouth. I set her on her feet and smiled.
She said, “Oh my. Joshua! Oh my!”
I said, “I’m happy to see you! Did everything go well?”
She was breathing hard and said, “Yes. It’s all done. Here,” and she handed me a bag of coins.
I said, “My friends, point me to the cobbler and this love of mine and I will buy slippers and we’ll return to you when you’re ready to go home for the evening.”
Paul said, “It’s right over there. Across the street in that direction. I can go with you.”
Susan laid her hand on his shoulder and said quietly, “Husband, stay here. They can go alone.”
Paul started to protest and then, seeing the look that his wife gave him, said, “Oh! Yes, you’ll find it fine. It’s right down that way. Have fun. We’ll see you at closing time.”
As we started to walk away, I could hear Susan saying to him, “They want to be alone for a bit. Aren’t they precious? Did you ever look at me that way?”
Paul said, “I’m starting to look at you ‘that way’ right now. Perhaps you should show me the new night dresses you have and model one for me.”
Susan giggled and said, “Here at the shop? In the middle of the day? You’re joking, But I like it!”
Chapter 6 The Truth of The Nogud Revealed
Viola and I were out of earshot after just a few paces; Paul and Susan had been nearly whispering to each other.
I said to Viola, “Hello. I really am very glad to see you.”
She smiled and said, “I can tell. Master, that was very nice. I will fail the examination though.”
I said, “Viola, you keep saying that. What do you mean?”
She said, “I very nearly failed it just now, when you held me and touched me with your lips.”
I stopped and turned her to face me and placed my hands on her shoulders.
I said, “Viola, the examination that you had was wrong. It’s not you who needs to be tested, but me. If you don’t have several orgasms tonight before I have one, I’ll be the one to fail the test, not you. Paul says that I do everything backward, but I think that is this village that does things backward. You’ll see. When we get the chance, you’ll do whatever I ask, and what I’m going to ask is that you let me give you pleasure until I get to tired to keep trying. And when you’ve had as much pleasure as you can take, then I’ll show you my love for you and have my pleasure as well. Can you believe me?”
Viola stood with her mouth open and a look of shock on her face.
Finally she said, “I…um,…I’ll do whatever you want, Joshua.”
I said, “I kissed you and held you because I long for you!”
She said, “And you want to buy me slippers?”
I laughed and we began walking again.
I said, “Yes, but not only for you. We need to talk.”
I had my arm around her and she snuggled into me.
She whispered, “Joshua, I hope that you’re right and that you know what you’re saying. My thighs are moist already. Is that really what you want?”
I said, “That is what I want more than anything. I’ll show you very soon. About the shoes, Viola, we need four pair.”
She said, “Four. Why? One is enough for me.”
I said, “You told me…well, you said that…we need four pair. One for you, a pair of shoes for me, and…two pair for the others.”
She asked, “The others? Did you find two good women? Oh, that’s marvelous. I knew that you would. Oh you’ll be so happy. Where are they?”
I said, “I paid the fee and I have left them with the Merchant of Women until tomorrow.”
Viola looked puzzled and said, “The Merchant of Women? But he doesn’t have any more women. He found arrangements for all of them.”
I said, “You told me that you’d be happy if I was kind to the other two. The little sisters. I paid the fees and they are ours.”
Viola stopped where she stood and closed her eyes and shuddered. I thought that she was going to cry.
After a minute she said, “Joshua, is your examination truly different?”
I said, “Yes it is. Why do you ask me again?”
She started walking slowly and awkwardly, as if she were a bit weak.
She said, “Because I just failed the old one again, just now. And you didn’t even touch me.”
I said, “O, that’s wonderful. Now you can understand. This is perfect. Listen to me. Why did you have that reaction? Was it because you felt that I truly loved you? Was it because your body screamed that you love me? Or was it for some other reason?”
She held onto my arm to steady herself and said, “I don’t know. It just happened. It was when you said that you had heard what I asked and you said that you already care for the other Nogud the same way that you care for me.”
I said, “Think. Tell me why.”
She said, “I think that it was, like you say, when I feel like you truly love me, my body becomes aroused with passion and that passion quickly boils over and I lose control.”
I said, “So it’s when you feel that I love you and when you feel that you love me. Tell me, do you want me to orgasm when we go to bed?”
She said, “Of course! Always. As often as you want.”
I asked, “And how would a woman feel if she was never able to make her husband feel so much love that he never loses control of his body? It would be a shame, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t she feel like she was doing something wrong? That she could never please him? But, what if she knew that every time that they were together, that he would love her and feel great pleasure from being with her? Would she be pleased with herself and even feel pride that she was so loved that her man would be so excited by her?”
Viola said, “Of course! That would be wonderful to be so loved and so skilled at sex with her mate.”
I said, “Then, how would you feel if as we walk along right now, holding hands as we are, if your touch, even of just your fingers, caused me to pause in the street and ejaculate from nothing more than me thinking about how much I love you and how much I desire you and how thrilling it is to even walk down the street beside you?”
She whispered, “Joshua, I would be happy beyond measure to be desired and loved that way. Will that happen?”
I smiled and said, “Probably not, but that’s not the point, is it? Would I be defective if I love you so much that my senses are overwhelmed? Now, if a man did that every time woman passed him on the street, it would be terrible and we would consider him to have no self-control, and maybe he would have some defect of character, but if I do that for my wife, who can blame me? And, if a woman responds to every man she sees with arousal, then it would be wrong, but if she never responds to her husband that she loves, it’s even worse.”
Viola said, “My love, is that really how you feel? You find pleasure in knowing that I desire you? And the leaking of my thighs is a sign to you that I do want you and no other and I can’t help myself if you touch me and say loving things to me? If that’s what you want, I’ll do it always.”
I said, “Viola, you already know this. So does every woman of this village. I asked about underwear and you told me that even the Nogud hope against hope to be ready if the man that they love comes near them. Can a woman be ready for her mate if her little lips are closed and dry? Don’t all women know that the moisture is their body’s way of telling their lover that they’re ready for him? Didn’t you say that’s the reason that you don’t wear anything under your dress?”
She squeezed my arm closer to her side and whispered, “It is. It’s true. But we were told differently.”
I asked, “Who was it who told you those things and who is it who performs that examination? I think that I know the answer, but tell me anyway. What was it like?”
Viola said, “When the time came, a class of girls was taken to a school and we were taught to take care of things and how to be good to talk to and how to do chores. We were taught about sexual practices and how to please a man and some and positions and the use of our mouths for kissing his lips and his body, and things like that. At the end of the first level of training, we stood naked and the odd looking among us were separated. The instructor stood and put her hand between our legs and if we squirmed or showed arousal, we were rejected and told our results and dressed in the tunic and hood.”
I said, “And tell me about the instructor.”
She said, “She was a very harsh woman. She had once had a mate, but she was a widow. There are other assistant instructors and examiners, but they were all harsh. They are also very large and very strong women. They say that they know how to please a man and how to make him a success in business. They’re often widowed and many are in need of a mate themselves.”
I said, “That’s what I thought. Viola, they lied to you! These were selfish women who lie and curse. Did one of them ever bless you and say that she wished for happiness for you?”
She shook her head and said, “No. They told us that it was unfortunate for us, but there was nothing that could be done. How did they lie to us?”
I said, “Did they tell you that you were untouchable? Is that true?”
She held my hand and said, “That’s what they told us, but it isn’t true, is it?”
I said, “You were crushed against my chest and kissed on the mouth by a man who loves you today. Is that what they promised you?”
She said, “No.”
I said, “Did they tell you that you were ugly and that no man would find you attractive? Today, didn’t even strangers like Paul, Tobias, and the Merchant of Women say that you were pretty?”
She said, “They did. Hey all told us that they liked me and that I wasn’t hideous. But the old woman told us that because I would likely respond too eagerly to a man sexually, that I would never be loved like a true woman.”
I said, “Viola, I love you and I hate to even ask this, and like I say, I think that I know the answer, but tell me: what did they say about you because you responded sexually.”
Viola lowered her head and said, “They said that if we were allowed to walk down the street, that we would lift our skirt for every man that we saw and that we would become harlots. But, my love it is not true! I swear it. I have never loved a man or given myself to him and I have never played the harlot and I never will. I have never loved any man but you and I have never felt desire until today. I swear it! Do you believe me?”
I said, “Of course I believe you! I know the truth. You’re a fine woman and your desire is for your husband and it’s for him alone. And, you must believe that a man wants a wife who does want to lift her skirts for her husband whenever possible. To desire your husband is an honor to him.”
She cried and said, “Joshua, why did they say those things? Why did they lie to us?”
I said, “I know why, but let’s not talk about it too much. Let’s say that they made a mistake because they were ignorant. They did what they thought was best, but in your case and the case of the other two who join us tomorrow, they were very mistaken. I think that I’m a man who doesn’t get angry often, but these women had better be hoping that our paths never cross. I wouldn’t be kind to them. I will tell you this: they called you harlots because they were jealous of you. They wanted the kind of sexuality and beauty that you have in abundance, but because they’re twisted and sick in their thinking, they couldn’t truly please a man and they hate beautiful girls who can.”
I thought, what a horrid travesty! This explained all of it. The examination, and the very existence of the Nogud, was to separate out any true competition for the plainer, less responsive women. No, not the plainer. It was for the selfish benefit of the bitter and harsh, who don’t know what happiness was. Viola had been excluded from society to make it possible for these old crones to justify not being able to find a husband who’d put up with them. And even the ‘accepted’ and ‘sturdier’ girls were lied to about what they should be and how they should act. I didn’t know the origins of this custom, maybe at one time the Nogud really were disfigured and had some medical reason that they shouldn’t be taken as mates, but not as it was being applied now.
I said, “Here, let’s buy the slippers and then I’ll tell you something that will make you happy. But wait, let me ask you something. Be honest with me. Now that you know the truth, that you are beautiful and not defective, do you still want me, or do you want to look for someone more to your liking? Now that you have options?”
Viola said, “It wouldn’t have mattered even if I’d thought that I was most beautiful woman on Earth! If I’d thought that, well, it would have been stupid and arrogant, but even so, um, especially so, I still would have waited for the one man who could own my heart. Master, I’m yours forever.”
We smiled at each other and I gave a sigh of relief.
The cobbler’s shop was run today by a pleasant older woman who was excited to show us her wares. The ‘slippers’ that we needed for the girls were a sturdy leather outer sole, a soft inner sole, and a suede covering that encased the foot. It was a simple design, but looked comfortable enough. People here were used to walking barefoot much of the time, and these were designed for people who were used to walking bare footed.
The leathers were dyed in various colors, the least expensive being the natural un-dyed leathers. The woman first washed both my feet and Viola’s in a basin. It was a new sensation for both of us. The woman was very interested in my shoes and socks, but also made remarks that she would be more interested if she were still in her younger days when she cared more about interesting things.
When it came to washing Viola’s feet, Viola started to balk and pull away, but I reassured her and as the washing began, I could see that she was starting to enjoy it. It seemed that she could get used to being ‘touchable’, given the opportunity.
A pair of dark brown men’s shoes were chosen for me and we tried on several for Viola. It appeared that most of them were too big for her foot, but a few pair were finally found that would fit her. We put on the shoes that we’d chosen and picked out two more pair for the Nogud that were still with the Merchant. Viola assured me that the other girls were very close to her size, but the woman said that as long as we brought them back in good condition that we could exchange them if the fit wasn’t right.
I had Viola pay the woman and we said our goodbye.
As we walked away, I said, “Viola, I like how you handle the buying and selling. Let’s take some of our money and put it in a bag for you and you can use it to buy what we need.”
She agreed and I put the bulk of our funds in one bag and Viola had me put 50 coins in a bag for her. This was about a month’s wages for an average worker.
I smiled when we had it sorted out and said, “Well, now to the jeweler.”
Viola asked, “The jeweler? What do you want?”
I said, “I have a wife and I have a license, so I need a token for her.”
Viola said, “Joshua, though it’s customary to wait for the license until after the first mating, it is acceptable to have it before. You can go to the merchant and have the license revoked if a mating doesn’t occur. But, the token is different. It must wait until after. You’ll tell me that it doesn’t matter, but it does. I’ll trust you in so much, and you’ll trust me in this. Agreed?”
I said, “Of course!”
She laughed and said, “Your eagerness makes me eager as well. I can’t believe that this is happened to me. You came and took me and said, ‘Be my friend’, and I felt the world begin to swirl and change. It’s only been a few hours and the world has changed so much.”
