Female complications, day 1
Day 182, 26 December.
Morning gift.
My head is heavy, but once my brain kicks in gear I no longer care, because I realise this is my first day waking up as a married man, and my smart nerdy goddess wife is sleeping by my side. She's completely zonked out, one arm up over her head, her long red hair everywhere, including in her mouth. She is cutely snoring and with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth. So beautiful. So very beautiful. My wonderful and gorgeous wife, and I mean every word without sarcasm. I just lay there and gently hold my wife.
The green flashing light from the crown on the bedside table catch my attention, and that battery should last a year or so if it is on all the time. It won't be, so no real need to turn it off right now. I would like to see how she mounted the flashing circuit, but don't want to disturb my wife's sleep. My wife Iselin. I feel a mild headache and need to pee, but I don't want to get up and disturb my wife. My wife Iselin.
My thoughts do a leap, and I feel a wicked smile begins to spread across my face as I gently stretch and grab the compact camera. Someone has folded up the blindfold from the previous night and placed it further away on my bedside table. I take a couple of photos of Iselin ungracefully sleeping, and a couple of selfies of me with her, and then I put the camera aside. Time to wake her up, and after the first grunting protests that I'm moving, she starts to make other sounds as I've gone down on her, and soon she does more than sound.
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As I've planned, I fetch breakfast so I can serve my wife in bed, and find out that most people aren't awake yet. I run into Alith and Hillevi who look unexpectedly perky and fresh, and they are surprised how perky I look. Morning zombie is my default. Alith smile and give me a nudge with her elbow.
"My Lord is looking better than yesterday morning."
My thoughts for a witty reply grinds to a halt, as all of a sudden Hillevi seems a bit moody, so I ask:
"Hillevi, what's wrong?"
I know that evasive non-reply. I'm quite good at those. Alith elbows her and says:
"Someone is regretting she didn't take the opportunity and had a good previous night."
"Alith!"
Hillevi is mad at Alith's directness, but she avoid looking at me. Before I take the stairs up to Iselin, I whisper, but loud enough that Alith will hear it as well;
"If it's just that, it should be easily to fix during a nice hour or two in the future. Just let me know."
Hillevi just stops and looks like a goldfish as she open and closes her mouth a few times as I walk away, accompanied by Alith's poorly restrained giggles.
Why did I say that?
I think about what I said as I continue up to my bedroom and Alith quickly catches up. Why did I say that? I contemplate on it, and it's really not a big deal to me. Not any more. Which is weird. I contemplate and feel some more, and suspect that after the previous night, some mental block or norm in me has broken. As long as it doesn't become anything more than sex, and my wife and girlfriends don't take offence, it's just sex. Sex with no real meaning other than pleasure. Frankly, I'm not even looking forward to having sex with Hillevi. I never did, or dreamed about having sex with any of the guards, Alith excluded. But if it happens, it happens, and that is a damn indifferent attitude. More like something Ciara would say. The sea is wet, the sky is blue, me and some woman near me are having sex. Something has definitely changed in my view about that, and not for the better.
I really should have stopped that orgy from happening. It will have uncomfortable consequences in terms of friends and the staff, but I simply did not expect so many women to take the opportunity. Myrun, Liv, Alith, maybe Jane, Unn and a couple more, yes, because I've seen their looks. But it happened gradually. One by one, and I didn't stop Jalida when she came in. Or Elvira who came right after with a beautiful sinful smile. Or Gunhild. In some twisted way, it just felt wrong to stop when more came, one after another, as if I was being unfair and they would be disappointed if I said no. I was worried about Ima, but she wanted a memory of sex where the man was the prey, so I focused on being soft and gentle with her from 'submissive' positions, much like the first time with Ciara. But mostly I just started having sex with everyone, and tried to do it as well as possible.
I should have stopped the orgy, but hindsight is easy. Accept reality and learn.
Maybe it is easier to admit because I already have sex with so many on an on and off basis, and have so many girlfriends, but the sex itself is no big deal. But the sex is also not an incentive, and it feels more like it hinges on not hurting someone's feelings because they are denied or just used. I am definitely a changed man in many ways and not for the better. That is a hell of a thing to realise as I'm about to serve my wife breakfast in bed after our wedding night.
Alith interrupts my thoughts by whispering that Iselin's morning gifts are prepared and will be brought forth, before whispering that they left me and Iselin alone right after we started having sex, which at least I kept track of. I don’t think Iselin cared. Alith reassures that she stood guard outside until we fell asleep so no one would disturb us, and she made sure to wear earplugs. I frankly appreciate Alith's small gesture to try and give us a more special moment, and that I was just Iselin's. I appreciate Alith's consideration and thought more than anything else. Then she continue by saying that Ciara immediately slipped into her room and was looked forward to lying in her bed listening to us. I should have figured she would. Did Ciara listen to the orgy? Oh well. Now it's time to 'man the fuck up' and give Iselin a good breakfast in bed, so I postpone my thoughts for later.
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Breakfast have been eaten when they arrive to separate us. Iselin will be dressed by the maidens, and then Haera and the other married women, will do Iselin's hair in the traditional braided and set way that only married women are allowed to wear, and Iselin will get her wife's linen. A fine piece of white cloth wrapped around her hair that signals that she is now a married woman. In the future she doesn't have to wear it, but she can. There are many women who wear it every day due to tradition, and it also protects her hair, which a working woman on a farm appreciate. In the past, the tradition has been that unmarried women have their hair loose and married women have their hair up and in braids, but it is no longer a strict rule, although of course there are those who keep to the old traditions. Due to the work we do where hair needs to be kept away, she will probably switch between using her wife's linen, braids or just a ponytail. Iselin likes braids or ponytails. She look damn good in both.
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I sit in the feast hall and wait as Iselin is escorted in, and she is beaming with happiness as she approaches me. It is time for me to give her the morning gift in front of witnesses, which is the final part of the marriage ceremony according to the law and tradition. I have been preparing the morning gift for a while. It can be anything from great riches and land, to more imaginary or symbolic things. I signal to Ida who has been waiting for it, who signals on to Hrappr, who leads forth a horse outside - the horse Iselin prefers and always chooses when we ride.
"Iselin, my morning gift to you is manifold. I give you this horse to symbolise that although you are my wife, you are not trapped in our home, and you have the freedom to travel. With the horse you can ride wherever you want, whenever you want, and the islands now have a ferry."
There is appreciated mumbling and a little stomping by the guests. I take out the stuff I had made, and put aside the document leather tube and the small wrapped packages on top of a wooden box, and give her the box with half a kilo of gold, which she open and displays in front of those gathered. "This gold is yours to secure your own finances and future, whatever happens in our future."
It is appreciated and very valuable, but it is not the richest morning gift. However, the look and reaction Iselin and her parents have towards the gold speaks volumes for their opinion, and it is worth around 140 ounces of silver. For the common man, that is a decades salary. Then I give her the leather tube. Iselin looks curious as she unties the laces and opens it, takes out the document and begins to read. It's kind of cute how her lips moves as she quietly reads her way through, and I see her eyes tear up. She looks up at me, so I nod and she clears her throat before speaking with an emotional voice:
"Robert has just given me a farm outside Borgarsandr. So I always have a place that is just mine, and I can say that I own a farm, with land to farm and live well on, but the primary reason is my own voting right in the Ting. So that ... my voice ... and opinion can be heard. Because it is ... important ... and valuable."
Iselin can barely get the last word out, because she is so moved. It's just the 4 mantal farm outside Borgarsandr, but it is her farm, and 4 mantal is no small thing for someone who was born a slave. Iselin knows exactly which farm it is, and now she also owns land, and receives income from its rent. Sure, it's a small percentage of Kari's holdings, but that's not what it's about. At the same time, the farm is not next to my property, so she won't have to be reminded of me all the time if we split up. Iselin throws herself around my neck and kisses me, not caring that traditionally we should be separated until the ceremony is over. Not that I am complaining. After a minute or so, she has calmed down enough and we have separated, so I point to the pieces of wood that is leaning against the wall.
"Iselin, I know you like to weave, so that is your very own improved horizontal loom. I know you have measured and there is space in your room, so that is all yours to weave on when you feel like it, with no pressure to finish as others are waiting their turn."
This makes quite a few of the women present a bit jealous, because of course they have all taken a closer look at the shared loom, and been shown it by Ciara, whose turn it is to use it. Ciara has proudly sat and woven and shown how quickly it is possible to make a more difficult weave and how nice it turns out. They use all the pedals and Ciara are currently trying out patterns. Jane is about the only one who hasn't bothered with the loom. She has tried, even a tiny bit on a vertical loom, but it is not for her. She'd rather help design patterns. She and Iselin have at least a couple of weaving projects planned. Kari prefer a simple frame rig for producing decorative ribbons. Impressive work can be made with it, but it's pure handicraft.
I give Iselin the next small package. She opens and looks in amazement at the hand width metal and bone creation with inlaid gold and small gems, forming 'Iselin' in runes. She smile as gets what it is, and unfolds the knife blade on the folding knife. Then she depresses the latch and folds the blade back in, and fold out the corkscrew to open wine bottles. Iselin likes to drink wine, and now it will be easier to open a bottle. A lever style opener would be better, but this is better than nothing. Olafr is so very pleased. He is pleased with the folding knives he has made, and this one is beautifully decorated, with a cork screw as extra feature. Iselin shows the guests how beautiful the knife is and the functions, as I talk:
"That is a folding knife with a blade lock, and it has a small clip so you can keep it on a belt or in a pocket. You don't need a belt to carry that knife, and in a pocket the knife is discreet. The lock makes the knife much safer than the regular models, and it's easy to open and close with one hand. The corkscrew makes it easier to open a corked bottle. The knife is a tool, and as you can see, the blade is a 'RobA' steel blade, and with your name on the handle it becomes a whole, so together we can solve problems that life has thrown your way."
Iselin happily and tearfully holds the folded knife to her chest, but gets a sly smile as she tucks the knife into the neckline and lets the clip hold it in place.
"Now I carry you beside my heart!" Iselin spins around and poses a little to cheering and laughter.
I give Iselin a key ring with all the important keys found in the manor, to symbolise that she is now the wife of the manor, both financially and with authoritarian right. The key ring have a small high-quality red-pink aluminium carabiner from my backpack, and are covered by a decorated leather key case to protect and muffle the sound, which is a small novelty, and she hangs them from her belt after showing the guests. Iselin smiles more when I whisper that the keys also have tin leather wrapped around the keys to muffle the sound so they don't give her away when she sneaks around. The giving of the keys concludes the actual marriage ceremony and Iselin is now my wife according to the law, tradition and before witnesses. Iselin and I kiss each other, and of course there are shouts, cheers, congratulations etc., but I'm not done, and I ask everyone to calm down.
I give Iselin the small folded piece of cloth, and when she unfolds it she sees one of the necklaces I had made. It's gold with fine black stones and has the my logo discreetly embedded into the center with swirly patterns around it, and she shows it off before I help her slip it on above her existing necklace.
"Iselin, in addition to the morning gift, you will receive a few more things. This necklace symbolises power and trust, and is something you can wear when you are not wearing your Furstess crown. In the future, the governance of this small furstdom will change, and we will write a new law, but until then, control over the power that my crown means is needed. Iselin; as long as we are married, you have Veto power, i.e. you have the right to block or null my decisions. Your own crown also means that if something happens to me, you will be regent with all that entails."
This was an important declaration in front of witnesses. That my title then is hers, and the Veto power. The married partner of a regent has no real power, and succession to the throne needs to be determined. I have to cold-bloodedly consider the future of the furstdom more than what I wish and hope for the future. Should we divorce, she loses the right, and the Veto power.
"The last thing I give you is related to being my wife. You now have full access to all the information here, and even the knowledge I know. If you ask, I will answer, so we can discuss decisions and you can stay informed or just satisfy your curiosity, but it is also your duty to protect certain information, because as you already know, this world and the people are not ready for everything. But whatever you wish to know, I will try to tell you and teach you what I can, and try to make sure you understand what that means, for better or for worse."
The mood is more sombre and serious, and for those who know I'm from Midgård it's a completely different level, but Iselin understands and she's happy even though she understand how serious it is better than basically just Jane.
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