Chapter 13: Damsel Trudi’s Revelation

Riding back to the rendezvous, Charles told Maggie and Sarah, “I think Monica’s reached a decision, but she’ll have a real job convincing Pēteris.” His two wives nodded in agreement, and Maggie responded, “We’ll be okay with Monica as a family friend – a close family friend – but not a wife. Let’s wait and see what she wants.”

After two days of driving rain, they rode into the clearing on a warm, sunny afternoon. Every possession or item of clothing was damp or soaked. Looking forward to the clean, dry clothing in the packs left behind, Monica was nonplussed when Autumn ran to her and declared, “You’ve got to help me! I think I’m ruined!”

Monica stepped between Autumn and Bron, starting to draw her sword, when Autumn grabbed her arm and yelled, “No! Not that way – well maybe, almost – but I started it. It’s just that I don’t want to go back to my old life.”

Washing, drying, and repacking took three days before the reunited party began the journey back along the long road they had traveled there from Turtle Haven.

A few days after departing, Damsel Trudi Masseuse rode beside Pēteris. Throughout, the day’s ride, Trudi seemed subdued, and her earlier humor wasn’t on display. Compared to Pēteris’s expectations of typical horny Damsel behavior towards a hero, she was withdrawn and standoffish. They rode in silence until Trudi turned to him and asked, “You won’t hate me if I ask a huge favor?”

‘Oh hell,’ Pēteris thought, ‘here comes another!’ But he answered, “I don’t think I’d hate you for asking.”

“But I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you,” Trudi told him, and she blushed – visible even on her beautiful chocolate skin. “I’m different from all the other Damsels. I want my baby, but I like women – not men.”

“Well, that could be an obstacle,” Pēteris told her. “How do you propose to accomplish the deed?”

“Well, originally, I thought I’d ask if my Hero’s Caretaker could help me get hot,” she explained, “then you could – you know – stick it in me. Now, if your Companions join in an orgy, that would be real fun, and we’d get the job done.”

“I suppose we could make that work,” Pēteris replied, “I know Moira Caretaker would love it, and I’m sure Robyn and Miriam could be persuaded it you ask pretty. Actually, those sexy wenches are up for just about anything if it involves some combination of me or Moira. You tell me your story, and I’ll give your request a strong consideration.”

“Well, okay,” she began. “About the time I realized – and it was very early mind you – that I liked girls and not boys, I also figured that I needed to keep it secret if I ever wanted to be selected as a Damsel and have my own baby. I wanted a Hero’s baby, not one from some Cassandrian wimp. That would be adding insult to the process – you know?”

She paused and looked at him, “Keeping my handicap hidden wasn’t as complex as it might be on Earth or here on Chaos. All I had to do was flash a titty or my pussy at a Cassandrian male, and he would shoot and go limp, or maybe even go limp from intimidation. Then I could complain, without contradiction, that I was frustrated and seek ‘relief’ with a similarly frustrated woman.” She added, “Most Cassandrian women are bi-sexual – you know?”

“No kidding!” Pēteris retorted, “But I couldn’t help notice that pussy seems to be abandoned when a cock is waving in the wind.”

Trudi giggled, “Yeah, but on Cassandra, swinging Richards are a rarity. I saw that expression in an Earth movie.” She giggled again.

“So,” Trudi returned to her narrative, “I deceived myself into Damselhood and woke on Chaos with no recollection of how I arrived. Chaos is more of a hell than I ever imagined.” She shuddered and continued, “Sex with a man is repugnant, and for me, not much better than outright rape. A cock burning my pussy goes far beyond anything anyone ever described. Then there was actual rape.” She shuddered again as her eyes teared.

Pēteris reached over and hugged her as much as she and riding saddleback allowed. Trudi responded, “That’s exactly the other part of my need – I need a friend who’ll allow me to learn to touch a man without fear and loathing. I need a male friend who’ll let me cuddle without demanding from me. I need friends who will teach me loving again, platonic and erotic. Will you and your Companions accept me into your bed?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that, but yes,” Pēteris told her.

“So, tell me of these complications,” Trudi requested. “Is one of them that dark haired slip of a girl that rides in your lap?”

“One of them,” Pēteris told her, “but Sarah’s no girl, she’s a full grown woman and one of my wives. When I acquired her, she had suffered even more than you, and her devotion is beyond my understanding. She rides that way, because she knows I will be leaving for some while, and she needs all the closeness she can get.”

Trudi looked speculatively to where Sarah rode beside Maggie and asked, “And the other beside her, another complication? Except for their builds they look much like sisters - and they act like sisters, too.”

“Sister-wives, yes, and I suppose you could call her a complication, too,” Pēteris told her. “She rides with me less frequently – she’s very independent – but it’s a rare night that her cute little butt isn’t snuggled into me. She views that as her right, and my other wives agree with her.”

“Other wives?” Trudi cocked an eyebrow.

“Robyn and Miriam are true sisters and the granddaughters of the Hero Daniel – I think he’s the Hero who decimated Devin’s bunch. In addition to being my Companions, they were the first to marry me,” he explained. “Then on Crossroads, we married Caretaker candidate, Moira Pediatrician – now Moira Boyle Caretaker.”

“We married?” the Damsel Trudi inquired with another cocked eyebrow, “Fascinating!”

“Yes, of course.” came the immediate response, “My wives decide who and if we marry. Robyn and Miriam knew before I ever did that I would be shared – reared by a Hero, remember – and they are more than ready for Sapphic sharing with someone they like.”

“So I have four wives to make nice to here, and another on Crossroads?” Trudi asked.

“Yep, but there’s more,” Pēteris added. “Before we left Crossroads, we proposed to Soo-Min Au-Pair, and her opinion will matter, too.”

“What’s an Au-Pair?” Trudi was puzzled. This was new!

Pēteris explained, and Trudi sighed, “Is that it?”

“Sorta, maybe,” he answered. “You already know Monty is really Monica, but unless she’s told you, you probably don’t know that she’s a Damsel. I think she’s almost decided she’s going to stay on Chaos and not return to Crossroads with us. She’s not my Damsel, but I’d take her back to Crossroads if she wishes.”