Every Man's Fantasy Ch. 11

Adarna stopped to listen.

"I hear the wind rustling the tree-tops," she said. "It's a warm wind and gentle. Back home, the wind races down the valley, biting cold, forcing us to stay in the cave for days, unable to risk going out for fear of being blown away."

"Yes, the wind is bracing at home, but I meant the birds. Here they sit on branches and chatter all day long. I miss the lonely screech of an eagle. I don't like all the chirping and jabbering."

"Are you sure it's the birds you mean?" Adarna asked.

"Ha! You think I'm criticising the Woodlanders for being too clingy and loud?"

"We've lived on our own too long, Darling," Adarna said. "Society is something else we need to acclimatise to."

"I suppose you're right. ... Yael likes it here; and you seem to want to stay."

"It's too hot for me, too, but I would endure it for the chance of having a child. It was only a fantasy before for me, but seeing how Annela feels, and Dipti and Sharne, I'm thinking it could be a reality."

"Would you stay if I left?"

"No, I'll go wherever you go."

"I'll try my best to like it here," Eloise said, after a pause, "for your sake and for Yael's, but I can't give an answer yet."

They headed back to the camp through cultivated plots planted with potatoes, carrots and beetroot, where they met Casti and offered to carry her harvest of eggs to the camp. Lenta and Parvinder were weaving when the women passed their hut.

"Good morning, Ladies," Parvinder said. "Help yourselves to breakfast. If it's cold, let me know and I'll cook you some more."

"Thank you, Parvinder, but we're not hungry."

"Of course you're hungry and it's no trouble."

Sharne saw the women approach and got up, stoked the fire in the stove and set the pots heating again. She took plates and spoons and silently invited the women to take seats, indicating the sleepers.

Annela slept sweetly on Ezra's lap. Dipti and Urulla slept side-by-side, arms around each other, heads resting together. Freya gurgled peacefully on Dagma's lap, sucking on her fingers, making milk bubbles in the corners of her mouth.

Taking plates loaded with food to a bench, Adarna whispered to Eloise:

"These are good people."

"I know," she whispered back.

"Not very chatty, either."

"Not at the moment," she admitted, smiling.

The morning was wasted recovering from the party but by the afternoon, everything was back to normal. Ezra, for instance, left the newly-wakened and perpetually hungry Freya at Annela's breast and went off to work on his special project.

5 Ezra's project

Even before the girls returned, Ezra began to construct the equipment he needed to salvage his sunken spaceship, so confident was he that they would come back and would lead him to where they first met.

That afternoon he sat on a bench by the river, surrounded by bamboo poles, strips of cloth, pots of glue, leather bags and wooden paddles. Back from the pigeon hunt, Tamar skipped up to say "Hello."

The old Tamar would have launched into whatever topic had captured her versatile interest, chattering gaily. The new Tamar simply sat down beside him and watched him work. He was whittling the ends of bamboo poles to fit them together, making water-proof seams with bands of cloth dipped in glue. Unobtrusively, at first, she began to help, taking over parts of the task until, working side-by-side, they produced a dozen long poles with flexible joints in them and u-shaped ends.

Then they started on the leather bags and paddles. The bags had a large opening at one end, tied off loosely with string, and a small opening at the other, into which a bamboo tube was fastened. Two wooden paddles were glued to each bag on opposing sides.

Only now did Tamar ask what he was doing.

"They're bellows," he said. Then he explained what bellows were.

"The whole contraption is designed to allow someone to breathe underwater. Here, I'll show you."

He fastened some poles together in a line, fitted a bellows to one end and an end-piece to the other, knelt in the river and got her to pump the bellows. There was a good stream of air out of the u-shaped end and a few bubbles from the edges of the seams.

When they'd tested all the bellows and poles, Ezra was pleased.

"Thanks, Tamar. That was good work. I think it's ready. ... Now, young lady, what do you want to ask me? Is it a serious problem?"

"Yes, very serious. I'd ask Annela but she's busy with Freya."

"Thank you for the confidence. So what is so serious that I'm your second-best choice?"

"It's just a feeling. It's hard to explain but everything's changed since I came back. I feel all twisted up, like there's something wrong."

"In what way wrong?"

"I don't know."

"Is it because of your mother?"

"No. Well, a little bit; but not really. Mum's sweet and kind and she doesn't cling to me the way Erin clings to Carlin. I wish she'd cuddle me more. I like it when she brushes my hair after a bath but she doesn't hug me the way Annela does."

"You and Carlin should swap mothers. I'm sure Erin's going to suffocate the poor girl one day."

Tamar smiled at the thought of Erin as her mother.

"However," he continued, "I notice we all still call you Tamar."

"I know. Only Mum and Adarna call me Yael. I was thinking of telling everyone to call me Yael but I've never been known as Yael, not that I remember; I've always been Tamar. Do you think she's unhappy with me?"

"Your mother is a wise woman. I doubt she minds what you're called, so long as you're safe and well. ... As for being unhappy with you. I'm certain it's not so; but would you understand me if I said she might feel a little disappointed?"

"Disappointed by me?"

"No, not by you. Maybe 'disappointed' is the wrong word. But this is what I mean: your mother pined fourteen years for you. She missed you, loved you, yearned for you and wept for you. Then you found her. There you were, 'Large as life and twice as handsome,' as my old Grandma would say; but fourteen years of yearning doesn't dissipate over-night, nor in a week, nor in a month."

"I think I see. It's like what you said when the pipe didn't fit into the bellows. It needs adjustment."

"Exactly! You and Eloise need to adjust to each other. ... I have an inkling that adjustment is also going to be the answer to what you're feeling when you say you're all twisted up. Do Wildchild and Carlin feel the same?"

"They feel it too, but not as much. I don't know how to describe it but it's like I can't get comfortable, that I'm itching or I've got too much energy."

"You're restive, unsettled, agitated."

"Yes."

"I can guess what it is because I've often felt the same when I returned from a prospecting trip. If you're like me, then things happen at a different pace when you're away from home. On your adventure, did things go more quickly and were they more intense? Did you feel you could do twice as much in a morning there than you can do in a whole day here?"

"Yes, that's exactly it!" she exclaimed.

"Well, it takes some time to settle back into everyday life. You feel out-of-sorts when you're back, even disappointed that everything's so normal and slow."

"I knew you'd understand!"

"I do indeed. And because your quest was such a large one - finding the lost Miner tribe and your own mother - and because you were successful, I expect you feel the change much more strongly than the others. It's been a big 'high' to come down from."

She pondered this explanation for a minute.

"What can I do?"

"Well, there are two answers. With time, you'll naturally settle back into the normal pace of life but, to distract you while you settle, take up a new task, especially a difficult one, something to concentrate on. Maybe you could learn to use a bow and arrow."

Tamar had been too small to learn before but with her spurt of growth while she was away, maybe she was big enough now. However, she was still so thin she made a rake seem obese.

"What's the other answer?"

"Go on another adventure."

Tamar smiled with relish at this idea. Then she frowned with thought, a beautiful sight he always liked to see.

"What adventure?" she asked.

"I'm interested in those mountain caves. You say rabbits breed normally there? I presume that male rabbits (or even only one) avoided the effects of the cosmic rays by living in caves. Maybe other male mammals also survived; even a man. There may be people on the far side of the White Mountains."

Tamar sat quietly, thinking.

"It's a long way and there's nothing to eat on top of the mountains."

"But is there another way around the mountains, maybe from the south?"

"I don't know."

"So that's one thing to think about. There are other places to explore, as well. I don't suppose the Woodlanders have explored all the forest. Who knows what there is to see if you set off eastward and just keep going."

"Mountains. There are mountains east of the forest. You can see them from the plain."

"You can see their peaks; but what is there in the forest before you reach the mountains and what kind of mountains are they?"

"I don't know."

"See, there are lots of adventures left."

She mulled it over as she helped Ezra tie up the poles in a bundle and pack the rest of the contraption into baskets. When they finished, they sat back down. Ezra had some questions of his own for Tamar.

"Why does Wildchild hate her mother? ... Don't answer if it's a secret."

"It's no secret among the Herders. Everyone knows that Galatea was training Wildchild to be a chief. She gave her extra tasks and punished her when she failed or disobeyed. Then Wildchild would do things wrong on purpose but Galatea punished her more. She was often sent to her tent without supper. I took her food, until one time they caught me. She never let me help with her extra chores though I offered to share her punishment."

"Why did you do that?"

"Wildchild always loved me, since I was little. And I loved her back. She used to fight with all the other children and some of the adults but she never fought with me. The Herders are rough and the bigger girls sometimes bully the smaller girls but Wildchild never let anyone bully me."

"I see a real connexion between you girls, something almost psychic."

"What does psychic mean?"

"Mind-reading, communicating by thought alone, without speech. Like the way you always know what she's thinking or the fact that you can pacify her when no one else can."

"I can't do that. I can't always understand her but we do usually feel the same things. We both know what it's like to be loved, to have someone always look after you. When I'm bigger and stronger, I'll look after her as much as she looks after me."

"I see. So why didn't Wildchild want to be trained to be chief?"

"I don't know. She just didn't. She thinks I should be chief, but I don't want to, either."

After this talk, Tamar began to feel better. Beside her chores and spending time with her non-clinging mother, she devoted the rest of the week to archery lessons and practising with her bow. She went on pigeon hunts and was always unsuccessful but never stopped trying.

As usual, Tamar told her mother everything. She reported her conversation with Ezra when she and her mother were drying off after bathing together in the river. Eloise, who was braiding Tamar's hair, nodded wisely but said nothing.

She was disappointed that her daughter seemed to reject the name her own mother gave her; at least, she never corrected anyone who called her Tamar. However, Adarna had persuaded her to be philosophical about it. Yael wasn't insulting her but was merely a girl unable to decide exactly how she feels or what she wanted. On every other matter, she was a dutiful daughter.

"Yael," Eloise asked, "do you want to stay in the forest?"

"I want to be with you, Mum, wherever you go."

This was the answer Tamar gave every time she was asked and, this time, Eloise accepted the truth and made up her mind.

* * *

When all the tribe was gathered around the camp-fire for dinner, Eloise told Mirselene that she and Adarna had made a decision.

From her seat on the dais, Mirselene called for silence.

"Madam," Eloise said, "Adarna and I think it's best that we come to the Cloner Fair with you. We haven't seen any of the Miners for a few years and we've lots to tell them."

"A good choice. It will be a merry trip, with good company. ... Anything else?"

"Yes, Madam. ... We are conscious of the great kindness the Woodlanders have shown us and we admire how you live. We would like you to accept us into your tribe."

"A very good choice!," Mirselene exclaimed. "Ladies!" she addressed the tribe in general. "Eloise and Adarna would like to join us. Does anyone object?"

No one did. Mirselene beamed with pleasure but Tamar was the more delighted and hugged her mother.

There were formal matters to agree, of course, to which Mirselene happily proceeded:

"We know you're good workers. Do you agree to perform any reasonable task required to contribute to the commonweal?"

"We do. We also have skills we can teach that the Woodlanders may appreciate."

"Excellent! ... I have told you the rules of the tribe. Do you agree to abide by our laws?"

"We do, Madam."

"One rule applies to you in particular, Adarna. Can I assume you're content to become Ezra's bedmate?"

"Not only content, Madam, but willing!"

There were understanding smiles all around, which made Adarna self-consciously realise she'd spoken too boldly.

"I mean, that is, if Ezra will have me," she added, meekly.

"Don't worry about that," Mirselene imperiously reassured her. "Ezra will do as he's told!"

"Oh, Mother, really!" Dagma was exasperated.

"What is it, Darling? What did I say?"

"Ezra's a man, not a machine. He doesn't copulate to order."

Mirselene stopped short and thought for a minute, blinking.

"Of course, Darling. Thank you. ... Ezra, I apologise. I have been over-bearing and thoughtless. I hope you're not offended."

"Not at all, Madam. I'm honoured that you treat me just like any other Woodlander."

"Well then ..." she started, then stopped, realising that Ezra's statement was double-edged. For a short-sighted woman, Mirselene was capable of a penetrating stare, which she turned on him. Then she relented and smiled.

"I see what you mean, Ezra. You think I'm over-bearing toward everyone. You're right. It's a fault I don't try hard enough to remedy. I will try harder in future."

"Mirselene, I assure you..." Ezra started to say.

"Mother, Ezra didn't mean that at all," Dagma tried to interject.

"Nonsense, I'm not above criticism. Now come on everyone, we have two new members of the tribe to welcome: there is celebrating to do!"

The feast got underway. The kindly Woodlanders did everything they could to assure Eloise and Adarna they'd made a good choice. Nor did Ezra have any complaint about taking Adarna as his bedmate. She was a good-looking woman: brunette, curvy, middle-height with a deep chest and a beckoning smile.

The night descended and the feast finished before the rain came.

* * *

Although she didn't know when she would become Ezra's bedmate, Adarna was keen to learn what sex was like with a man. Before Urulla and Ezra arrived at breakfast next morning, Adarna asked the others what she need to know to do it right.

Sharne, Annela, Dipti and Dagma were present and were happy to give their answers, which conflicted in many details. As always with the Woodlanders, however, this led to a lively discussion. What was shaping up to be an informative morning was unfortunately interrupted by the arrival of the man himself and his current bedmate; so Sharne announced that they were taking Annela foraging. It would be her first long trip away from the camp, where she was going stir-crazy.

The foraging party, armed with empty baskets (and a full one for Freya), left on a hot day to wander in the forest. They found a good spot where Freya could be left, swaddled in light sheets and a blanket in the shade of a tree, and Annela (never out of ear-shot) could help the others pick nuts and berries.

They talked as they worked and whenever the topic tended to stray, Adarna brought it back to sex with Ezra.

They discussed everything, from favourite sexual positions to clitoral versus vaginal orgasms, from going on top or bottom to a man's tongue compared to a woman's. Each bedmate had her own opinion and experience, which was not always enlightening for Adarna. A case in point was the size of Ezra's penis.

Here was a serious debate. Dipti said she wished it were larger; Annela said she didn't want it any larger; and the relentlessly loyal Dagma couldn't be shaken from her conviction that it was the exact perfect size. The women had a merry half-hour arguing until Sharne used her casting vote to decide the matter by agreeing with Dagma.

It so happened that, in another part of the forest, while the women were discussing Ezra's cock, he was stuffing that very organ balls deep into Urulla's warm wet pussy. They had gone foraging on their own, away from the main group, but luckily found some soft bracken to lie on and make love.

When the women were discussing their favourite positions, Urulla had already sucked Ezra to hardness and was riding him slowly. When the women had exhausted the topic of orgasms, Urulla had already lost count of the number of climaxes she'd enjoyed, moaning and gasping in response to Ezra's tongue and fingers.

When everyone agreed that they liked best going on top, Urulla had turned around on all fours, pushed up her bottom and invited Ezra to take her from behind. And by the time Sharne had settled the argument, Urulla's final squeals of pleasure as she hunched and relaxed were Ezra's reward for his hard work ramming her.

* * *

Finally the month was over. Next day was the trade-meeting, after which Ezra would be gone for another two months. It seemed unfair on his bedmates but he intended to come back before Dipti gave birth. He felt guilty about leaving Annela alone with Freya.

"I'm not alone," she said, in her 'Don't be so stupid' voice; so he resigned himself to leaving and made his preparations.

The Woodlanders were the last to arrive at the trade-meeting and they came in force. There was so much to transport that almost the entire tribe was loaded up with the largest baskets they could shoulder, leaving only Lenta, Annela and Freya behind. Ezra and Dagma between them carried the stack of bamboo poles and the other equipment for his project.

Waiting for them were six Mariners and four Herders with eight horses, who had already made their exchanges and were seated on logs, enjoying a friendly chat. They looked up when the Woodlanders trooped into the camp. Then the Herders stood up, seeing golden-haired Tamar and raven-haired Wildchild (whom they recognised as Samothea, of course, despite her peculiar clothing) march boldly into the camp, followed by a taller women who was unmistakably Tamar's mother and another stranger.

When the Woodlanders were all assembled, the surprise was dying down and Mirselene, puffing with exertion, let down her heavy load with a sigh and gratefully took a seat by the other chiefs.

"Ladies, I have some new members of the tribe to introduce to you," she said, inviting Eloise and the others to come forward (but Wildchild hung back).

"These are Eloise and Adarna, formerly of the Miner Tribe. You know the others, of course. Ladies, this is Solange, chief of the Herders, and Calliope, chief of the Mariners. These are their deputies, Galatea and Ferne."

The women greeted each other. Then there was an awkward silence, until Solange said:

"Hello, Tamar. You're looking very well."

"Thank you, but my name is Yael."

Eloise smiled with pride.