Chapter 12: More Preparations

As Sarah and Cherry returned to the porch, Miriam asked, “You two are familiar with plants and herbs other than kitchen garden variety - am I correct?”

“Oh yes,” responded Cherry, “Momma was well known for her unusual herbal flavorings when she cooked, and she taught us. Not so many folks knew that she used some of her herbs in healing.”

She paused and explained, “Momma was afraid of being accused of witchcraft.”

“We grow most of her herbs and spices out in the kitchen garden,” Sarah added, “but some only grow in special places in the woods or in marshy places. We can show you what we know.”

“I’m helping Robyn look for plants she needs for healing,” Miriam explained. “I have some drawings. Let me show you, and you can tell me if you know where to find any of them.”

After their evening meal, Pēteris sat with Alvin head to head. Each was honing a knife. “Listen, son,” Pēteris started, “this is beyond important. That knife is your life-or-death knife. It has only one purpose and that is to kill. You use it only when your life or your mother’s will be lost if you don’t kill someone or something. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Alvin nodded, and then he said, “I won’t play with it. I won’t use it to cut meat, and I won’t even test it by cutting something. I will hone it every night. If I must draw it - either an enemy or I will die.” Having witnessed two deadly fights, it was clear that the boy understood his commitment.

Pēteris was happy with the response and told the boy, “That knife will be so sharp that if you aim for the crotch and rip upwards, it will cut muscle and bone until you will it to stop. No man could survive that.”

Rosie watched the two interact with a happy eye. She couldn’t hope to be an additional wife to Pēteris, but the time he was spending with her son was very good for the boy. Sarah and Maggie weren’t the only ones in their party caught up in hero worship.

For his part, growing up with only sisters left Pēteris ambivalent on the gender of any future child he might father. The time spent with Alvin showed him the pleasure of having a son to teach and love.

The three spouses were lying in their bed, a blonde head on Pēteris’ right shoulder and a red head on his left. Sarah’s reaction was heartbreaking when they sent her off to sleep alone or with Cherry.

Robyn looked over at Miriam and, revisiting their earlier discussion, spoke, “You know, Pēteris, it wouldn’t hurt for you to have a wife here on Chaos - as long as you keep planning to have adventures. She’s sweet, she’s past marrying age here, and it isn’t much different than having a wife or Caretaker on Crossroads.”

“But,” countered Pēteris, “we’ve only known her - what - maybe thirty hours and change?”

“And...” Miriam sat up and gave him ‘the look’, “you were sure about Moira in a lot less time than that. Plus you were boffing my sister within a few hours of meeting her. Fess up boyo! We watched you cuddle her up in front of you while riding out here. You like her a lot. A lot, we say.”

“Well, yes,” the beleaguered man confessed, “but what about you? What about children? I don’t know if Earth and Chaos sex produces children. And I would want to help raise them.”

“Well, we want children, too,” exclaimed Robyn. “And we won’t be able to be a Companion while we are pregnant. And then, we’ll have to take turns so the kids will have someone if something bad happens.”

Miriam added, “I’d want to be sure that you have a wife or Companion or Caretaker here for you if I can’t be here.” She paused, then explained, “We’ve known about Chaos and the rules and the conditions most of our cognate lives. Maybe your having another woman would bother other Earth women, but not us. All you need to do is love us and thoroughly sex us, and we’ll be happy.”

“As for children,” Robyn whipsawed him, “I think I read in Papa’s stories, or maybe in the rules for Heroes, that Earth men are fertile with Chaos women. That’s why you aren’t supposed to sex them. If not, we’ve already seen that there are plenty of kids to adopt.”

“And if you marry her - I didn’t see a rule against that - then any rule against sex would have to go.”

Then the clincher, “You know, as far as the locals are concerned, she’s tainted. She might have a chance to be married but not likely to the type of man she deserves. And think of the mother-in-law’s leverage.”