Gwenvair blinked in surprise when she felt Joe’s immediate relief, then in shock when he began laughing, great bellowing cries of relieved joy, “That is all? OOoh… oof. I was worried. Garnedell told me and… yeah… now I’m here. Glad I did know… so it was good that… yeah… OK. That’s…”
Joe rambled on for a bit more even as Gwenvair stared at him aghast surprise, uncertain why he was so happy, but also shocked that he would be willing to so easily mock Kilniara’s pain. As she sat there, Joe reached forward and ripped Kilniara from Gwenvair’s arms. Kilniara fought back ever harder, pushing and even beginning to scratch him, her despair turning to rage when he began mocking her in laughter. But Joe found her strength to be nothing, and he pulled her in, grasped her chin, turned her face up to his and kissed her, deeply and intimately. Gwenvair’s face flushed and her breathing deepened to watch Joe’s kiss. Then, her flush vanished before her shock. He… He’s kissing her! He…Yes! He… means… yes! He still … it wasn’t just … ooh…
Her shock left her unable to respond, her own thoughts grinding to a halt, just as Kilniara also froze in his lap before melting into him under his embrace. The kiss lasted forever. The kiss ended suddenly. Gwenvair found herself frozen for a lifetime, yet only a short moment later, Joe pulled back, staring intently down at Kilniara and brushing a thumb across her cheek while he waited. Kilniara finally opened her eyes, looking up at Joe with hope and confusion.
“Why would I ever reject you for something like this?”
Gwenvair felt her lungs empty of all air and Kilniara stared up at Joe in utter shock, blurting out her reply without thought, “I am bred!”
Joe harrumphed, “No you are not. And even if… never mind. One at a time. Pull up your status.”
Kilniara blinked then rapidly pulled up her status, following Joe’s instructions to press on another new section of the status. The new page showed up empty and Joe laughed.
“See. Empty. No curse. You are not bred.”
Kilniara’s relief began fighting to the fore, even as her hope grew, “You… will not reject me?”
Joe shook his head and rolled his eyes, “Even if you had been … bred,” Joe said the final word with extra distaste, grimacing as if he tasted something vile, “You know what… no… the breeding … this… ok… I guess there are two parts, but this is not simply being bred, but it is also forcibly-taking-of-another-against-their-will-for-the-purpose-of-sexual-enjoyment-or-power-enjoyment-of-the-one-in-control. This…” Joe ended his statement, sighed deeply as he paused cautiously in thought then began speaking again, “This is… look, even if this actually did happen, you had no desire or want for this. This was forced upon you. How could I hold you accountable… how could I blame you for this. Only a fool would do so. No. I do not… I will not reject you. I will not give you up so easily.”
Kilniara’s relief released her hope and the hope shattered her control and sobs of joy began erupting from her as she leapt at Joe, burying herself in his arms once again, seeking comfort from him. Gwenvair found herself confused and shaking, her feeling’s a roiling confusion of relief, joy, disappointment, and a small tinge of disgust. She struggled for a time, her entire being fighting against her own revulsion before she finally calmed even as Kilniara’s relief and Joe’s rage, upset, and confusion roiled above and around her own emotions. So… many… I’ll have to do well.
She sighed with relief, but also warred with her own thoughts, disliking that her husband would still marry a breeder. The thought warred wildly with the knowledge that it was actually Kilniara, a true sister and one that was closer than even Gwenvair’s own brother. The thoughts twisted and she finally ended her removal of Kilniara from the bind. The effort took a bit of time, but finally she ended it, grateful and relieved that Kilniara would not be rejected, but still struggling with her own emotional response.
Gwenvair escaped from her thoughts and turned to look as the two held on to each other. Despite her focus on the other two, she still struggled to come to terms with her own thoughts. Joe held Kilniara but was still concerned enough to see Gwenvair’s struggles and looked up at her before smiling softly, relief evident in his smile. With their gazes locked, Gwenvair found herself also unable to restrain from questioning him.
“So, you would be willing to have other men take your wives?”
Joe shock was immediate, “What? No! Of course not?!”
Gwenvair waved at Kilniara, her gesture encompassing the situation, “But you said, even if she…” Gwenvair could not continue the sentence but she could see that Joe immediately understood.
“She had no control. I would not do so to her. If a person came to her and tied her up, then stole all my cores, would I blame her?”
Gwenvair blinked at that, “No, of course not!”
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“Then why would I blame her for what is essentially the same situation. What would have been lost was… well… it was horrible. A horrible thing, despicable and utterly vile, but she had nothing to do with it. Why would I punish her for another’s actions?”
Gwenvair felt resolution forming, hearing the words and coming to some agreement but still concerned, “But then… you would… share her?”
Joe’s face hardened, the cold rage returning, “Never! She… I… never. As I said before, I desire a complete lifetime commitment.”
While the two were speaking, Kilnara’s sobbing cries had calmed, listening carefully to their conversation although she still clung to Joe avidly. She shifted at this, looking up with tears running down her face past a beautiful smile gracing her lips. Gwenvair saw her smile and returned it as well.
“So, if it is not…”
“If it is beyond a person’s control, that person is not to be blamed.”
Gwenvair felt the knot untie and relief come to her, although a question remained, “But… what of… if a child…”
Joe sighed and his firm composure fell to despair, his shoulders dropping and head dipping down, “I would raise the child as my own. I think… it would be a struggle… for some time, but… I would attempt to raise the child as my own.”
“You would accept the child!?” Kilniara looked up at him in surprise, shock loosening her lips.
Joe looked at her and smiled, “If the woman is not to be blamed, then how can the child?”
Kilniara fell silent at that, and Gwenvair found herself deep in contemplation. She looked at Kilniara, both looking into each other’s eyes and Kilniara’s eyes widened, understanding immediately. They fell silent after that for a time before Kilniara began speaking again, looking at Joe cautiously.
“Then, you wish me to be committed entirely to you.”
“Yes, permanently, for a life time… after we make sure that we truly desire one another and can live with each other well.”
Kilniara giggled at that and turned away, “Then your people are… forgiving of forced … of a woman who is forced against her will.”
Gwenvair watched on as Joe’s face leapt between several different emotions before looking at Kilniara with concern, “There is nothing to forgive a woman for. My people are deeply concerned for a woman who has experienced this while also trying to be very protective. But there is no need for forgiveness for she has done nothing wrong.”
Gwenvair shifted on the bed at this, looking at Joe with curiosity, “Then, is there forgiveness if she chooses to seek out another?”
Joe raised an eyebrow, “To cheat?”
Gwenvair cocked her head, “Cheat?”
“It is the word my people use to describe a man or woman who does not remain true to their spouse.”
“Ah. Yes. To cheat.”
“Hmm… Is a man forgiven if he does so?”
Gwenvair frowned at that, “Some forgive him. Some have no choice but to forgive him.”
Joe nodded, “And the reverse is also likely true.”
Gwenvair nodded, “Yes, some men must forgive as they have no choice if they wish to maintain their status especially if their wives are well positioned in society.”
Joe nodded, “My people are similar, and some … some people forgive. Some do not. Some are worthy of forgiveness and their failure is… truly an honest singular mistake. Some,” Joe shook his head, “Some are not worthy of forgiveness. They are… selfish evil people who desire only their own pleasure or gain, even to sacrificing others. Those… everyone is different, so, you must wisely understand and make your choice in it.”
“Would you forgive … would you forgive?” Gwenvair asked with some worry.
Joe sighed at that and dropped his head back, “I… would like to think I am a strong enough man that I could forgive… at least once. But, honestly, I would hope that I would find a woman who would never do such a thing to me at all. If I believe a woman would do such a thing, I would never marry her… I would not even date… uh… court her. I would immediately end the relationship. I do not desire that kind of relationship at all.”
“You seek permanent and closed relationship for life.”
Joe laughed but hid a slight annoyance that Gwenvair could feel echoing from his spirit, “Pretty sure I explained this quite clearly before.”
Kilniara remained silent but Gwenvair continued, “Yes, you did, but your … today was a surprise for us.”
“It was?”
Gwenvair nodded firmly, “A woman lost to the breeders … well, they are often killed because of monsterization, so… but now, I’m not … I fear no one will have them anyway, as they are … tainted.”
Joe frowned at that, “What… will happen to the others?”
Gwenvair shook her head, “You have changed… much. I am not certain. They … they are often abandoned by family and friends, most accepting a quick death. Those few who do not are often simply kept caged until the core has formed, then killed in hopes of gaining a core. Now, I … I don’t know.”
Joe’s frown grew, “Their family will not take them?”
Gwenvair frowned in response, “I… I do not know.”
“But you can guess?”
Gwenvair nodded reluctantly, “Yes… they will all likely be abandoned.”
Joe heaved a sigh, “Bring them to me. I will attempt to find a way to care for them.”
Gwenvair felt her heart spasm, even as her eyebrow twitched, “You desire them?”
Joe chuckled, “That is a strange way to say it. But, yeah, I will help them as best as I may. I’m quite wealthy, it seems, so I can at least offer them a way to survive… maybe… I hope. Maybe find them a place to live and somehow find them some kind of job.”
Gwenvair’s hid her concern, “You seek to provide for them.”
Joe nodded, “Hmm… not so much in the long term. I hope to be able to integrate them somehow so that they can… they can find a job and a future, and hopefully even a husband of their own, if possible.”
“It will be difficult,” Gwenvair almost sighed audibly in relief when she understood.
Joe smiled and glanced up at Gwenvair, “Doing what’s right is rarely easy. It still needs to be done.”
Gwenvair’s smiled at that, nodding, “You… are a good man.”
Joe laughed and shook his head, “I try… and only try. I do not know how good of a man I really am.”
The three fell silent at that, Kilniara still burrowed into Joe’s side. She was not longer crying, simply giddy in Joe’s acceptance of her and Joe sighed at that before pulling back from her.
“You still need to release your pain. I’m glad that you are… doing… that at least you do not have to worry about this anymore, but you still need to let out the pain and rage… the fear, or maybe helplessness. If not, then rage if you must.”
Kilniara looked up at him and nodded, “Maybe I will… later, but I’m… too happy right now. I am in my fiancé’s arms.”