Borgarsandr, day 2
BH
I wake up with Iselin snuggled under the duvet next to me. Ninja. She seem to feel safer and more comfortable in my presence as time goes by, and take liberties I didn't expect. But since I haven't punished her or even been angry at her, I've sort of brought this on myself. As if I were to complain about it. I should, but it's hard to complain when I would rather have her here with me even more. And more sex. But no sex this morning, just cuddling and holding each other.
Iselin have seen them before, but asks why I have underwear, and why I have some kind of runic writing on my underwear, black shorts etc. Underwear is quite easy to explain even if no one here uses it, but I have to think to explains logos. That a logo is a way to mark who made a product, because if its good, more people will want the same. If its a name or special brand on the goods, then people know who made the product and can be sure of getting the same thing, and Iselin sees it as a bomärke. A bomärke is a form of house mark, a glyph or special rune as a sign of ownership for a person or a family. Its used on houses, goods, crafts, documents, to mark cattle and so on. Its quite logical that in a time when few can read and write, a bomärke is used. For everything. But they're used to it being a single complicated glyph, not a combination of 'runes'.
I'm in a world without Trademark protection or international logos, so no checks on counterfeits, but it's apparently a crime to mark something with someone elses bomärke. It's dishonest and deceitful, which are really bad things in this culture. Hard to prove that its a counterfeit, but bomärke are very important. There seem to be trading groups or artisan guilds and I assume that they don't look kindly on a competitors trying to push their way into their market, so there is a strong incentive to mark things, and some protection if people should notice it being wrong. Well, not 'protection'. More duels, daggers in the dark and feuds that are 'justified'. Justice here seem to involve a lot of steel and blood.
Maybe I should start stamping or marking what I make with a logo? Something short and simple? Cursive/italic version of 'RobA' is enough, because they mostly use slightly differently shaped glyphs, and mostly in shapes that are easier to make with a knife or stamp. But cursive style is hard to do in many cases, so I should make it more run inspired. So I sketch on a slate board where I lie in bed with Iselin cuddling up against me. Lying in a bed with a nice, smart and gorgeous woman next to me, sketching things while we talk and just letting time pass. I can get used to this. It's so damn nice.
Hum, they have no panties or bras here, and use fabric wraps for their breasts. Maybe I can do something about that. Alith in particular had probably liked it, but maybe also Iselin. Bodil probably doesn't even wrap, and if she weren't so feminine to the face and manner in general, she would probably have been taken for a man under more clothes. Why not try to do it today? Ciara seem willing to help me with anything cloth related, and Ciara herself may also need it, as she seems to be quite close to Iselin.
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During breakfast I ask how it is and Alith uses wraps that she's so damn tired of, but she needs to stabilize and hold her breasts. She really dislikes her breast size when she tries to shoot a bow or try on armour, but she still likes her breasts and is obviously proud of Iselin's praise for her bust. Iselin thinks wraps are uncomfortable and avoids it if she don't have to run errands or have far to walk. Alith doesn't like to run. It mostly hurt if she isn't wrapped, and it can be difficult to get it right and might need to re-wrap, which is a chore, and can get extra hot and sweaty in the summer with days like these. Ciara and Bodil don't think much about it, it is as it is and have always been so, and Bodil is obviously used to hearing Alith complain about it. Ciara has never used a wrap, even though she says she has had bigger breasts before.
When they understand I have a possible solution, and I explain by showing on Iselin's clothed breasts - where I'm the most embarrassed about it - then it becomes a motivated company when we go to buy things. We find a blacksmith to follow my template and make eight small hook solutions in bronze, really just twisted thicker wire that is properly bent and shaped. We will try both a single and a stretched triple loop chain so it can be adjusted a bit, and we can pick them up in the afternoon as the blacksmith can put an apprentice on it. He will also manufactures thin bronze D rings for adjustment and a couple of large semicircle support arches with rounded ends. We find nice thin linen to sew a couple of prototypes; a more sports-like one that supports and stabilizes, and a more... sexy design.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Back at the tavern, I explain more carefully, and Ciara with Iselin starts to sew the sports model for Alith first, but has to wait for the buckles so they have time to do Iselin's as well. It's primitive with simple seams, but functional for prototypes. Bodil protests a bit with an annoyed 'Alith!', when Alith quickly undresses on her upper body right in front of me, but she or the others don't seem to care, and Ciara begins to measure to figure out the shape of the fabric. I give her a sheet of paper to cut templates and prototypes of. I try to sit with my back to them at the table and make the last details on my map while they measure and sew, because Alith is still naked on her upper body. It's hot both outside and inside, so she is enjoying the coolness.
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Bodil accompanies Iselin and they disappears for a while during the afternoon and return with the small bronze buckles. The design I suggested is without a support arch with the buckle at the back, although I told them it can be in the front between the breasts as well so the buckle doesn't feel uncomfortable or gets in the way if it's a problem with armour or something.
The buckles were the last thing missing on their bras, and after a couple of corrections of the shoulder straps and the back strap, Alith and Iselin both look satisfied. Ciara ask why I called them BHs, which is a good question. I have always only known the garment under that name, or bra for brassiere. But I just say that BH is an abbreviation for breast holder; easier to say and less rude? Who knows, it might be the original in some language, and it even works in both Swedish and Norse. In any case, Ciara and the others bought the explanation. I ask them to try it for a couple of days, then it can be sewn in better materials, and try to adjust the shape a bit if they need it. I suspect that small differences can in the long run make a big difference in comfort, so the first real bra's will still only be the beta test.
Iselin doesn't really like its visibility under her thin dress, and I can admit that I prefer to see her without a bra, but she can live with it, and of course so can I, and if the edge is moved a little and the shape is changed a bit, it will be better. She's not alone in being satisfied that the bra works well with a deeper neckline, and she really like it when I point out that a small padded cushion can be added underneath. Alith is just happy in the more sporty bra, and she disappears for a short run and comes back happier. Wraps supports a little better, but this model supports well enough for most use, is more comfortable, much cooler and so much easier to put on and take off, although Alith thinks it can be improved a little more. Too bad there isn't better materials here.
I explain what the U frames are for, that they should be sewn into fabric etc, to give support and lift up, maybe with a little padding, and steam formed thin wood might be used instead, and I ask them to try with different placement of straps, fabric shapes, where seams are placed, etc. My desire to improve and figure out a better solution means that I soon find myself holding up a U against Alith's bare breasts while Alith, me and Iselin discuss improvements, relief or uplifting support, and how cutting and size can be changed to become something sexy, and it's possible to sew small gemstones or jewellery into the fabric or leave parts free. When I realize that I'm actually sitting there with Alith's breast in my hand, and try to see if thin fabric straps can improve lift and profile, and find myself staring at her breast piercing...
I take Bodil with me and go out for a walk in the town. Bodil seems to find it both entertaining and tragic that I'm so close and comfortable with Alith and have had hand and mouth sex with her, and I understand Bodil. We talked about it a few days ago, but Bodil really seems to dislike it. I understand if it goes against her principles for how a female guard should behave in the company of and towards the master she serves, and that the master might take the guard as sexual partner more than a guard.
That I tell it to Bodil seems to calm her down a bit, but at the same time both me and Alith are adults, and I don't look down on her or Bodil because we had that limited sexual contact one evening. Bodil doesn't like it but accepts it. Bodil doesn't react, so she certainly doesn't know how far it has gone between me and Alith. We laugh a little at the fact that I technically look down on Alith all the time, because she more than two decimetres shorter than me and there are no high-heeled shoes here, although there are a bad form of wooden clogs. Clogs are just terrible for a warrior to wear. Maybe I should introduce classic Swedish Träskor? Wooden sole but with leather tops. Or a form of Crocs?
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The rest of the evening is spent on the women cutting, sewing, measuring, adjusting, etc. Ciara, Iselin and Bodil help while Alith is on guard duty. I don't know how much they sew, just that they run out of buckles. I take a couple discreet pictures when they are lively and discussing how the seam should be laid. In the end, Ciara has also been measured and given a bra, and she seems to be more busty than I thought, though I avoided more than quick peeks. Ciara's far too skinny body probably needs 10kg or more. Hopefully she will be better over the next half a year or year as she eats more and better food, and does less hard work. I've tried to avoid looking too much at her body because she would feel uncomfortable, and she seems dissatisfied and ashamed with her shape and skinny body in front of the other women.