Alice said, “Well, it could be helpful, I suppose.”
Lucy said, “To have the legendary hero of Sturgil’s Mark come and declare his love for their mothers and sweep you all away to a better life? I should say so!”
Brenda smiled and said, “Alice, all three of them stare at him and the ladies as if they were royalty. The boy wants to follow in his footsteps already, and the girls have fantasies of their own about a prince falling in love with them someday.”
Alice beamed and said, “It’s true. It’s very true. We could do it just like that. We haven’t told them who we are working for yet. He could appear at our door and demand that we become his widow-wives and we will consent and the children see it. Or, he can ask us and then we ask the children if they think that we should, and of course they will beg us to do it. It’s a good plan. We won’t have any arguments or tears or fighting the idea that way at all.”
Dawn said, “Ronin calls it the art of fighting without fighting. It’s how we beat the kobolds and Delilah.”
I said, “Oh, I hadn’t thought of this in terms of tactics. But, now that I do, that is the way that I would suggest it, if we expected some battle in this situation.”
Chapter 17 - Another Third Woman
The rest of the dinner was very pleasant. When we were done eating, Brenda and Alice cleaned up the table, and Lucy and Dawn went away for another talk in private. They weren’t gone for very long, and joined us at the table again after just a few minutes.
I tried to protest about Brenda and Alice doing all of the housework, now that they were with me the same as the girls, but they shut me down quickly. They insisted that it was there role within the household to take care of meals and the house. Everyone had their roles, and housekeeping and meals was their role. My role, and that of the girls, was to provide for us, in whatever manner my profession dictated; their role was to care for us so that we could in turn provide for them. I was told to get used to it and to quit questioning it and to stick to my own role. If something was out of order in the house management, it was Val’s role to correct it, not mine, anyway.
I was happy enough with that arrangement once I accepted it. The less that I had to be concerned, the better. And the ladies had it all taken care of. I didn’t need to protect Brenda and Alice from the very role that they were most excited to be doing. That was my insecurities, not theirs. And yes, Val was supposed to be in charge of those things, not me. Val was a wonderfully sweet woman and she would always make sure that everyone was taken care of and respected as they should be. I didn’t need to worry about it. Was I afraid that Val wouldn’t care for them? That she would let them feel mistreated, abused, or disrespected? Of course not. I just wasn’t used to being on a team yet. On this team, we all had our roles and we trusted each other to act accordingly. If we, I mean, if I, were constantly trying to make sure that everyone’s roles were taken care of by me, it would be a problem. If it was up to me, I might insist that I do the dishes and that would make Brenda and Alice very unhappy. I had to trust them. If something was wrong, we would discuss it at our morning or evening meeting and we would correct it together, with everyone functioning within their roles and responsibilities. It was going to take practice for me, but it would ultimately make me the happiest. It would make all of us the happiest.
We sat together after the meal was cleared away and Gerald brought up the subject of the woman Anne, again.
He said, “So, Anne? We do want her to be happy. And you’re sure that she isn’t? And that the man would prefer her to find a different arrangement? I was so sure that they would be happy.”
Jean smiled and said, “That’s why Lucy is the matchmaker and not you.”
Gerald laughed and said, “I suppose so. I suppose so, indeed. So, from now on, I leave all decisions about those things to the, what was it? The Guardian Council of Women in Charge of Happiness and Whatnot?”
Harmony said playfully, “No, you leave the decisions up to the Chief Matchmaker. The Guardian Maidens of the council simply enforce her decrees.”
Jean said, “But Gerald, you still get a say in it. You decide how and when you will speak to her. It’s entirely up to you. As long as it happens tomorrow.”
Gerald laughed and said, “Well, then I have all the say in the world. As long as it happens tomorrow. But for my sake, can we talk about it for a moment? So that I can get used to it?”
Jean said, “Of course, Dear.”
He said, “And, I want to do it with all of you, so that you can all give me council about it. Ronin, what do you think of it?”
I said, “Father, all I can tell you is that I love Brenda and Alice, and my house is so much more wonderful because of them. The custom was new to me, and I still don’t understand some of it, but as far as a man who can afford it, in both material, emotional, and yes, mutually satisfying sexual ways, for him to take a wonderful woman, still full of life and a large capacity for loving, to take her into his house, if his other women love her as well, it does seem to be our duty if the custom allows for it. But that is about duty. Now that I am happy and know about it, I feel very presumptuous in saying it this way, but let me try. Should I deprive Brenda and Alice of the love and care that I have for them? What kind of man would I be? And, on the other side, should I deprive myself of gifts so freely offered to me? Brenda and Alice loved me and because of it longed to give me themselves as gifts to their chosen lover. Should I refuse those gifts? Whether I deserve them or not? You tell me yourself that I need to be a better hero. Should you be a better hero as well?”
Jean laughed and said, “Well said! Ronin, you are a persuasive philosopher! Asking questions that make the wrong answers seem ludicrous and the right ones so obvious.”
Lucy laid her hand on Gerald’s arm and winked at me and said, “And, Gerald we wanted to tell Ronin something, didn’t we?”
Gerald said, “Did we? What was it?”
Lucy smiled and said, “I love Ronin, don’t I?”
Gerald said, “Of course you do. You love him in a very special way. You should.”
Lucy said, “And, you don’t mind if I hug, or even kiss him when I greet him. Even if it seems like I love him more than anyone but you?”
He said, “Of course not. He’s your family. You love him.”
She smiled again and said, “And even if we go swimming, and the girls and I are all naked and dripping wet, and I get frisky and hug him excitedly and a little moment of intimacy passes between us? You don’t mind that do you?”
Gerald said, “Of course not. Lucy, we talked about this. Ronin isn’t some other man, and I will never feel jealous or worried about your relationship with him. You and he would never do anything inappropriate. And what could be inappropriate between you? If love passes between you, even if it would be scandalous with some other man, with Ronin, between you too, it’s always fine.”
Lucy winked at me again, telling me that she had apparently had a very persuasive talk with Gerald about this, and that some of that persuasion was probably a bit magical in nature. The implication was clearly that she could do the same with this matter regarding Anne, if she wanted to. All of it was a private joke between her and I, and possibly Jean, at this point. I wondered if she was hinting that I could do the same thing, be unusually persuasive because of my elveness, but I had no intention of trying. This decision about Anne and his house was purely up to Gerald.
Lucy said, “OK, I just wanted to review that, so that Ronin wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. And neither would the girls.”
Gerald said, “Lucy, if you want to stay and bathe with them, or teach them about sex, or whatever, it’s fine. We talked about that. And Jean says so too. Oh, and I was supposed to tell Ronin that, wasn’t I? OK, so Ronin, I know all about it and you should learn whatever lessons Lucy has for you. And if Jean needs to examine you or teach you something, or if Lucy acts flirtatious toward you, put up with it. They both love you very much, more than a normal son-in-law, and I am ver
y happy about that. And with Lucy especially for very good reasons that she and I have discussed. You have a special connection. I’m sorry that I forgot to tell you. And to think that a few days ago I was begging you to stay out of my way and not take Lucy for yourself. We will talk more soon, but be assured that I feel good about her love for you.”
Jean grinned and said, “But Gerald, what if something happened to you? If you died and left us widows?”
Gerald said, “We talked about that. If I die, you and Lucy will be widow-wives with Ronin. If that’s what you want. And, some would say that because he has Val that it would be awkward, but it won’t be. Ronin will care for you, and it will be all for the best. And how could it be any different? Ronin, you better hope I live a long time,” and he laughed.
The he said, “But, we were talking about Anne. Let me think about this. OK, Anne is a fine woman. If Lucy and Jean say that she will accept me, then I believe that she will. Well, I half-believe it, anyway. And if she isn’t happy already, then she should be. And if she can be happy with us, then it’s our obligation and pleasure to have her. But, I never thought about the other thing that you said. About a gift to ourselves. I never considered more than my lovely Jean all these years and have been very happy. But now Jean tries to convince me that we are even happier, now that Val is gone, if we have a bigger house than we did.”
Jean said, “Gerald, you’re a wonderful lover, I am satisfied many times every week. We have room for another. And Anne is a good woman. You can make her happy.”
Gerald said, “And what about what Ronin said? Would we be depriving ourselves if we don’t invite her? I may be a fool for not seeing what is in front of me. Am I a fool if I don’t see Anne? Is she a gift, like Ronin says?”
Lucy smiled and said, “She is. Gerald, you’ll see that she is a wonderful gift to your house.”
I asked, “Lucy, is this woman Anne from a…well, does she have any special background?”
Lucy understood that I was asking if Anne had elven blood, and said, “No, not especially. Her parents were both fine human beings, and she is a voluptuous woman in both body and spirit. Gerald should want her, not because of her heritage, but because of her heart.”
Gerald said, “Lucy, did you know her parents?”
Lucy said, “No, not personally. But I can tell from the kind of woman that she is.”
Gerald said, “Then, it’s settled. You two want me to do it. She will be happier. And she is meant to be a blessing to our house. All neat and tidy and no two ways about it. She and the man that she works for will both be at the farm with the workers tomorrow, and we will find a way to talk to them then. All neat and tidy and no two ways about it. Oh, but one more thing. Val, you’re my daughter, what do you say?”
Val said, “Father, I am so happy that Brenda and Alice have joined our family that, like you, I swear that we would have been fools to ignore what was clearly meant to be. Brenda, Alice, I mean it. Thank you for coming to us. We are the ones who are blessed, even more than you are. We all love you. Be in our hearts and in our beds. If Ronin’s bed isn’t available, be in mine.”
Dawn said, “Or mine. But, you have your own house. What can we do about that? It won’t be right that you are away at night.”
I said, “I have some thoughts about that myself. We’ll talk about it later. We should all sleep in the same house, as least some times. I have a plan.”
Val said, “So, Father, you have the chance to have even more love in your house, so take it. Be happier.”
Gerald said, “We will. Does Anne have children at home?”
Lucy said, “She has a young boy. The same age as Brenda’s. He lives with her.”
Gerald said, “So, he would come and live with us at the farm and be a son. Good. We have plenty of room. I’m talking like it’s already done, but you say that you haven’t spoken to her yet.”
Harmony said, “But, the Matchmaker has spoken, even if not to the woman. She will see the wisdom in doing what she’s told. If not, the Guardians will convince her.” Harmony grinned and then said, “Of course, I’m teasing. She’ll love it. I know she will. Lucy knows. So does Jean. Anne is ripe and ready for picking.”
Lucy sighed and said, “Anne is special. Gerald, you’ll see. Jean, don’t be jealous of her. When she is awakened, she will be a lover. We have nothing to fear from her, trust me. So, don’t be afraid of her.”
Gerald said, “Lucy, what do you mean?”
Lucy said, “Gerald, Anne has a specialness that you don’t recognize yet. Neither does she. Her first husband was a normal man. You are an exceptional man. My sister wouldn’t have chosen you for herself otherwise. And when Anne is awakened, she will be very special. Did I say that she is voluptuous in both her body and her spirit? She waits for her awakening. She doesn’t know it, but inside her is a dormant angelic being, and you will have a gift that you can’t imagine. Even I can’t wait to hold her in my arms, and even to sleep with her on special nights. To teach her what I know about lovemaking and then see how she blossoms. You will be in one bed, and two days will go by and you will swear that it was no more than an hour. Gerald, I didn’t intend to say so much, but I’m in the mood now, and I can’t help myself but to tell you what I see. Gerald, Anne is your version of Harmony. Harmony was the third woman who completed the first tier with Ronin, Val, and Dawn. She brought wholeness to them with her skills in battle and her way of thinking and acting. Anne is the same with you. She is the farmer’s wife version of Harmony. Jean, I didn’t tell you this before either. Maybe I just realized it. Trust me, Sister. As good as it has been for you all these years, and this past few days it has been even better, but when Anne is awakened, it will be better still. She doesn’t know it. She has never felt it. She wouldn’t believe it if I told her. And she doesn’t expect any of this. But trust me. She is special. And because we are all special, we will be more special when Anne is born again.”
All of us stared at Lucille, none of us daring to speak. The way that she talked was so reverent and somehow holy. She had called Anne angelic, and she talked as if it were absolutely true.
Brenda said quietly, “We have all been born again, haven’t we? I am a new woman. So much different than I was this morning. It’s like that woman moved away and I came from some far place and took her name.”
Alice said, “That’s it exactly. It’s like I was never alive like this before. When I was with Ronin, someone died, and someone new was born.”
Lucy said, “And Anne is the same way. The person that she has been is not who she will be.”
Gerald said thoughtfully, “Then if she doesn’t come with us, would we say that she won’t become who she is supposed to be?”
Lucy said, “Exactly. An angel will stay imprisoned for eternity. Gerald, in a very real way, we are rescuing a beautiful princess from a prison. She will be a new and more wonderful person than she has ever imagined when she is with us.”
Gerald said, “And if not, she stays how she is, not knowing true happiness. We can’t let that happen. Ronin, what have you done to us? What if you hadn’t come? We would be worse off than Anne. Val would never have a husband who truly suited her. Dawn would be dead. Harmony would be as odd as ever, and never what she is now. Lucy would make clothes and teach classes, but never fulfilled in love. Brenda and Alice would be in dire circumstances. And the village would have starved and died at Delilah’s hand. I would have tried to carry the burden by myself, and eventually it would have crushed me. It was crushing me. I was jovial for the sake of others, but now I see that I was crushed and on the edge of despair. I think that there is the lesson for us. None of us should carry a burden that’s too heavy, not if we have loved ones to help us. At one end, we let Brenda and Alice clear the dishes. At the other end, we let Ronin and the Guardian Maidens save us from monsters. And it’s all the same, isn’t it. It’s all the same. So, we invite Anne, not to live with us, but to live a new life.”
We were quiet for a while, a
ll thinking about what Gerald and the rest of us had said.
Chapter 18 - About The Custom
Finally, I said, “Can you answer a question for me? Remember, this was knew to me. What is the distinction between a wife and a widow-wife? I know that one is always a widow, but is there some other distinction?”
Lucy said, “Let me try to answer. I probably know it best. And it’s not what you think. It’s a custom that people know, but never really think about the way that Ronin is. We grew up with it, so we think that we know it without really understanding it. Ronin, and all of you, even Brenda and Alice, you should understand this too. Ronin, the custom is that a widow can be taken into a home and called a widow-wife. And she loves the man and his other wives, and he loves her, and he provides for her materially, emotionally, and sexually. And she does her best for him. Often, because she is older, she focuses on the home. You all know that. And that’s all we ever think about it. We make a distinction between a wife and a widow-wife, but the reason for the distinction is customary, and nothing else. The distinction comes from the idea that it makes it easier for a family to include a widow in their home. By thinking that it is different, it makes it appear that there’s a special circumstance and that it is an easier decision because of it. I’m not sure that I’m making it any clearer. But, I can keep trying.”
Gerald interrupted and said, “Let me. If what you are saying is true, it makes it easier for me to agree to a widow-wife than a ‘regular wife’. If you said to me, Gerald, you need another wife, I would say that I don’t, and I don’t think that you could convince me otherwise. Of course, with Lucy, there was no talk about widow-wife, even though she is a widow. But she had no children, so there was no need for a distinction. If you said, ‘You need another, so take Anne’, I would say, I’m not in love with Anne, the way that I am with Jean, so no. This is a very good question. Why, because we said widow-wife, was I more agreeable to asking Anne to come with us, even though I didn’t love her yet. I will love her, and it is growing in me as we talk, but I don’t really love her that way yet. With a widow-wife, because she is different, I don’t expect to love her until later. I will take care of her and even have her as a lover, but I don’t make loving her emotionally as much of a requirement. I can learn to love her.”
The Edge of Harmony: The Guardian Maidens Book 2 Page 16
