Chapter 8

“Well, what is it man?”

“I was told that a man does not fuck a baby into a woman, as is popularly thought, but the woman produces an egg like animals and birds, and the man fertilises the egg to make the baby. Is this a known fact from your world?”

“It is, dammit, but how the heck did a local tribe know that biological knowledge? Is there some other between-worlds traveller around here?”

“My visions showed a black-skinned man in charge of another group of between-world travellers; could it be them?”

“I don’t see how they could have got such knowledge to that tribe unless ... Cormoro, was this tribe on the coastline?”

“Why, yes. How did you know that was where they were?” Cormoro was surprised that High Chief John should know the coastal location of the tribe.

“Shaman Cormoro, I don’t actually know where this tribe is situated, but if it is on the coastline, then the tribe probably trades with sea merchants who sail in very large ships. These merchants are linked to the black-skinned man’s group, so the knowledge probably trickled down that way. Now you are bringing it to this tribe, so you can see how such knowledge drifts from one place to another.”

Cormoro suddenly saw what John was talking about, and wondered aloud, “Does all new knowledge slip from one tribe to another in the same way; telling it as tales or news from merchants?”

John replied, “Not all knowledge moves like that, but a fair amount is passed on by word of mouth, Cormoro. Some knowledge is passed on by education, where an older person passes it down to a younger person, making useful techniques pass to the next generation. This can be done in the way that trade knowledge is given to younger members of a trade, or it can be more general knowledge passed on to the young people of a tribe as soon as they are old enough to absorb it. This can be how to kill a wild animal, how to cook your food so that it is eatable, or how to make your wife pregnant!”

Cormoro’s face reddened at the last item. John saw this happen, and remarked, “Would you like to have children of your own, Cormoro? I have about eight children on the way, but I have many wives. Once you have two wives of your own, you might be able to see two babies each year added to your household. Does that attract you, shaman? Does it appeal to your manly background, to become a father?”

“It does, High Chief. The idea of my own children makes my heart leap with joy. I have not dared to think in terms of children until now.”

“I was told you were considering joining this tribe instead of moving on.”

Cormoro assented, “That is so. I can bring knowledge of a lot of countryside which I visited during my wanderings, and about the tribes I met on my travels. Much of it you might not know about, I thought.

Also, if I trained as a warrior, I know a lot about surviving on my own, finding my own food and water, and places to shelter. You have to know what berries are dangerous to eat, and so avoid them, and so on. I never saw as big a cave as this, though I did see some huge holes in the ground, with water inside them, far below.”

The High Chief saw the advantage of this mention of cenotes; it showed his words were true.

“That could be useful, if we have to venture a good distance in future. We have depended so far on hearing things from travelling merchants about locations far distant.”

“So do I have a chance at joining the tribe, High Chief?”

“Joining this tribe is Chief Numa’s decision, so ask her; but I doubt it will be a problem. She is pleased that you are taking on Dramata and Dramala. They came to us as rescued captives, and had to take time to recuperate. I think that both women are now fully restored. I was pleased to discover that Dramala has recovered her hearing, and is rapidly learning to speak again. They are both attractive and delightful women. You are lucky that they have agreed to be your wives.”

“High Chief, I now have developed the impression that they chose me in advance, or at least Dramata did. Dramala told her sister that what was good enough for Dramata was good enough for Dramala. and so I was inveigled into offering marriage to both; but I am pleased at that outcome. They are indeed delightful to be with.”

“Good, good. A man needs at least one happy woman to keep him satisfied with life; two is a bonus, as I found with Numa and Noma. Go and discuss with your women when you want to have your wedding, then arrange the details with Chief Numa. She has done enough weddings that it is second nature to her now.”

“High Chief, can I enquire about a connected matter?”

“Of course, man. What is it?”

“Dramata told me that she was married before, but didn’t have any children. How could that be, do you know?”

“Oh, you are worried that she might be barren? Unlikely. It is more probable that she took herbs to prevent pregnancy. Most women know of such medicines. Why don’t you ask her? Make it out as purely a matter of lack of knowledge of such mysteries on your part – which is true!”

“Thanks, High Chief. You are a man with excellent advice, as I expected.”

Cormoro headed back to his women, and found them sitting on the sleeping furs, having an animated conversation, giggling together.

“If I can interrupt, ladies?”

They ceased their talk and looked up at him questioningly. He said his piece.

“I was puzzled at what you told me, Dramata, about being married but not having any children. I had the idea that a married women would get pregnant and have a child. Can you help me out?”

Dramata chuckled, “Oh, you poor man. You don’t know the extent of women’s knowledge, do you? When I got married the first time, my husband wanted to establish himself and me as strong members of our tribe, striving to do good things, so children would be a drawback in the first year or two. I consulted the wise woman of our tribe, and she recommended certain herbs that prevent pregnancy as long as you take the herbs in your diet.”

“Oh. I see. So you still use these herbs?”

“Until I was accepted into this tribe as a freed captive, I continued to use the herbs in case I had unwanted sex, and that happened with the pirates: it was horrible and I want to forget that event.

Once I felt safe here, I ceased taking the herbs, as did Dramala, though she was not raped, merely verbally abused for being deaf and not hearing commands given to her. Even the pirates were slightly afraid of her as she looked down on most of them. They seemed to equate height with innate power, for some reason.”

Cormoro concluded, “So you are both off the herbs, and can get pregnant?”

“Yes, Cormoro,” said Dramata coyly.

He grinned. “So during our practices with having sex, you may have already become pregnant?”

She shrugged. “It is possible, though unlikely. It takes a while for the herbs to stop working in you. Often a couple need to have sex lots of times before pregnancy happens. It probably has something to do with the time of the month for a woman. There are certain times of the month when a woman is more likely to start a child inside her during sex.”

“I see”, said Cormoro thoughtfully. “So we will require to have sex lots of times before you will probably get pregnant with my child?”

She looked him in the eye. “You are correct in that assumption, Cormoro. The same probably applies to Dramala, so the sooner your and her tuition starts, the better. I suggest the first lesson be done tonight. Before or after your second lesson with me?”

“Ah, yes. I am looking forward to that lesson, but I also think Dramala deserves that early start to her own lessons, don’t you? You can be her adviser as we make a start.”

Dramala had been listening carefully, trying to be sure what she heard was correctly understood.

“Dramata? Are you saying that Cormoro will have sex with me tonight?” She stared wonderingly at her sister, with a quick glance at Cormoro after.

“That is the idea, Dramala. He is almost a beginner, but he learned enough last night to introduce you to the basics tonight. We can work on the more advanced techniques in days to come. You don’t need to be married before learning the basics, young lady, as many women have discovered.”

Dramala was annoyed. “I am not a young lady; I have been a grown woman for the last few years. I am just unlearned in the arts of marriage, much like Cormoro. I like his size and shape: I think we will fit together well.”

Dramata confirmed, “He is certainly tall enough for you, Dramala, luckily enough, but tallness is not the important factor. It is how well your parts fit together. That sometimes need practice to be enjoyable.”

That evening, the three of them prepared for bed before the light went, stripping naked. Dramala stared at their husband-to-be’s physique, in particular his boner sticking out rigidly. Dramata commented, “It looks like you have got his attention, Dramala!”

She said nothing, being mesmerised by the sight of a close-up cock. Naked men could be seen around the tribe at times, as they changed clothes or went to bathe, or prepared for sleeping, but never very close-up. Cormoro’s man-rod appeared huge to her, and she asked Dramata, “How can a thing that size fit into me, Dramata? I may be tall, but my bleeding hole is very small.”

Dramata explained, “Your body will adjust, sister dear. When you are ready for his cock, your hole will become wet and slippery, to enable his tool to slide in more easily, once your hole’s skin lid is pierced and torn. That will cause a little bleeding, and might be a sharp pain when it happens, but that will soon be over and you will enjoy what comes next. The process is what is known as losing your virginity, just like Cormoro lost his last night with me. It is nothing to be afraid of.”

“Do I just go on my hands and knees for him to do it?”

“Cormoro has just learned the High Chief’s way of fucking in his world, dear. They usually do it face to face, either with the man on his back or the woman on her back. He and I tried out the man on his back version, and he is now fairly good with that, for he doesn’t have to do much: it is the woman in control. Tonight he has to try it with me on my back and him doing the work. What would you like to happen with you?”

“I don’t know, Dramata. Could you do it with Cormoro first, so I can watch and learn about him on top, then I will know if I want that to happen. I wouldn’t know what to do if I am on top, so you will have to demonstrate that as well.”

“Dramala, once we have tested out all the possible ways, you will have a great time trying them all regularly. I don’t think it will be long before you are expecting a baby.”

Dramala eyes opened wide. “I never dreamt I would become married and then have a baby! I thought I would always be a liability to you, Dramata. This change is wonderful!”

Tears came to her eyes, and Dramata patted her shoulder. “It is all coming right in the end, eh, Cormoro?”

He shook himself out of his daze, and moved to put his arms round Dramala. “You are a lovely woman, Dramala. I think you will be a great wife alongside Dramata, and we will have wonderful children later.”

She heard every word of his speech, and hugged him back. “Thank you, Cormoro. I will be a good wife to you; perhaps not as special as Dramata, but I will do my best.”

Agreeing to Dramala’s request, the evening began with Cormoro having sex with Dramata from on top. Dramata explained to him again how to get her juices flowing to make penetration smoother for both, and how he could use those juices to dip inside and coat his man spike to make the whole process gentler and better. Dramala watched every move, so that she would know what to do when it was her turn.

Surprising herself, she found herself getting damp down there while watching Cormoro and Darmata perform. Cormoro soon got the hang of performing from above his woman. He had to do most of the effort of plunging in and out, but it was very much an enjoyable effort as he plundered Darmata’s welcoming hole. She encouraged him to go even faster until he found himself shooting his seed into her body. She in turn was shuddering with some massive response and they shortly collapsed together. Darmata pulled him to her, to remain inside her for longer, and he was too exhausted to pull out anyway. He was also shocked that during his plunging sex some image flashed before his eyes then vanished before he could make note of it.

Eventually he managed to pull out and collapse beside her, panting. Darmala was worried about him and crawled over to look at his tired face, but Darmata found the energy to lay a hand on her arm.

“Don’t worry, Darmala. He will recover soon, but it will take him some time before he can deal with your needs. Let him rest for a while, dear.”

Dramala waited patiently for Cormoro to recover. At last he raised himself up and stared at the cave roof as if looking into eternity. Dramata noticed and asked, “What is it, Cormoro? What do you see?”

A tear slipped out of an eye as he responded, “Nothing. I thought for a moment earlier that I saw something, but it has gone as if had never been there. Curses! It may have been a new vision, but it was so fleeting that I missed it.”

“Don’t let it bother you, my darling man. If it is meant for you, it will come back. Now, are you up to showing Dramala the method we used earlier?”

He glanced down at his male parts, and found himself limp. “Not yet, I am sorry to say. I could possibly show Dramala what we can do to get her ready for fucking, and we can see if that encourages my male member to stiffen up.”

Dramata chuckled, “I think she is well on the way, simply through watching us, but do what you can to get your own self ready again, particularly your seeding rod.”

A few minutes later, Cormoro started by kissing Dramala on the face and on her lips; and acknowledged his delight at her breasts by fondling and kissing them for a while. He then moved to nibble her nipples. She liked this, judging by her hardened nipples sticking out proudly. His hand then moved down to between her legs, and started manipulating her nether lips, sliding up to her clit. That was enough to get her to gasp sharply, so Cormoro moved his fingers to what she called ‘her bleeding hole’, to see about piercing her guard skin with his sharp fingernails. Dramata had told him about this thin barrier that virgin women had until penetrated, a barrier that Dramata had lost years ago.

His fingers found the barrier, and he applied pressure until he felt it give way. Dramala gasped with the pain that came from this unknown cutting but the sharp pain was soon past and she relaxed. Cormoro was hard again, he noticed, and asked Dramala if she was ready for his tool to enter her. She whispered, “Yes”, and he angled his member to touch the entrance to her hole.

She have a small gasp when she felt this presence, and Cormoro whispered back, “Are you sure, my darling wife?”

“Yes, I am sure. Do it now.”

He pushed forward and in, sliding fairly easily into her virgin depths. He was suddenly aware of two things: one was that she felt a bit different to Dramata’s own exciting orifice, and the other was a glimpse of a vision. He tried to hold to that vision and managed, but with difficulty.

As he was covering Dramala, so his vision saw this tribe covering a wide area of territory like a leather cape. He was unsure what it meant, simply that this tribe was in overall control of a wide expanse of land. It could be military control, marriage alliances, trading influence, or shamanistic pressure; it was too diffuse to define more exactly. It was merely control of some kind over a number of tribes.

His mind switched his attention to Dramala’s needs in this possible conception of a baby. He remembered his tuition from yesterday, about angles to move his member so that it made the right connections within her channel. He did his best to achieve the best response, and was pleased when at last she gasped with that shudder of bliss that Dramata had asked him to seek for her. This was followed by a shudder of release from his own loins. His lessons had taken in his mind and body, it seemed.

While his mind had been interrupted by his own orgasm, he had not lost his vision of the future this time. It was stuck firmly in his memory, ready for him to reveal it to the High Chief; but that vision would forever be associated with his sex with Dramala. He smiled to himself: a good memory to have.

He now lay on his back with Dramala on one side, so he gathered Dramata to his other side and bent his head to kiss her. She kissed him back, saying, “All went well?”

“Excellent. You taught me well, my wife-to be. I think we will make a good family.”

“Well, if we both get pregnant, we will indeed make a good family. Dramala has had no need of protection before, and I stopped mine yesterday in the hope that I might find a good father for my child. I am new at this motherhood potential.”

“You mean we may have started two babies?”

“It is a possibility, no more; that is all I can say for now. If we can get married tomorrow, we can make a start on regular baby-making attempts, until it takes. Even then, there is nothing to stop us continuing for months ahead.”

“Wow. That could be fun...” Cormoro was keen on that thought. “I mean, it would be fun to get married tomorrow.” He hoped that this reinterpretation of his first words were acceptable.

Dramata was happy to confirm that plan.

“I will see if Chief Numa can do the wedding ceremony tomorrow.”

Come morning, Cormoro was not keen on getting up, as both ladies wanted another try at this sex business that he and Dramala were new to. Dramala asked her big sister if it was always as good as this, having enjoyed both evening and morning times. Dramata told her, “It depends. If it is what you want at the time, and with this man, then I think the answer is yes. However, if he gets drunk on the beer that some tribes make, then it will not be much fun; more a chore, so we should let him know that drunkenness is a turnoff for sex.” She spoke loudly and clear so that Cormoro would not miss it.

In case they thought he was still sleepy, he opened an eye and grumbled, “No need to tell me this. I don’t drink beer; I don’t like the taste. I tried it once.”

Dramata informed him, “There is good beer and bad beer, depending how it is made and how it is flavoured. My late husband liked his beer, that is why I am not keen on a drunken husband wanting sex. I still have to look after my younger sister; that is why I want her sex experience to be good. Remember that and we will all be happy, Cormoro.”

Cormoro had not realised until now how his life would be changed by having wives. He would have to take their needs and desires into account in any decision he made that affected his family, but he could live with that, if he got good sex as the outcome.

“My first thought in every action I take will be, how will Dramata and Dramala see this? You ladies are both my responsibility and my pleasure, I assure you. Now, I must go and see when Chief Numa will be available to perform our wedding ceremony.”

He dragged himself erect, then sniffed at his body odour. He smelled of recent sex, he admitted to himself, and began his day by going to the stream and bathing, collecting a lump of that soap stuff from the guardian of the soap supplies. He was warned not to lose it, and to make it last as long as possible, considering the effort that went into making it. He promised to be careful with it.

When he was clean and dried, he dressed and went to find the Chief.

He failed.

She was nowhere in his sight, so he asked the female duty guard where she was.

“Oh, you are too late. She and the High Chief left some time ago. They have gone to examine sites that have been found as possible new locations for the tribe as we expand our numbers.”

“Damn!” he exploded. “We are waiting for a time when we can have our wedding.”

“Oh, yes. I heard that you were to marry Dramata. You have to drag her younger sister Dramala along with her, I gather, until she learns to speak correctly.”

Cormoro jerked his head up and snapped, “I am marrying them both! Dramala is fine enough at speaking now, and is her own woman. She decided that if I was good enough for Dramata, I was good enough for her. We have proved this to be correct, so I have agreed to have them both as my wives.”

The lady guard let her eyebrows rise in pretended astonishment.

“You are to wed both of them? Good for you, sir. That is one less widow and one less incapacitated woman for the tribe to look after, but of course the deaf woman is not deaf anymore. John’s magic has more or less cured her, just like the others.”

“John’s magic; is that what is was? I heard that people living in this tribe became healthier, but what kind of magic caused it, I was not sure and didn’t like to ask.”

“It is no secret. John, as our Shaman, has a magic within his body that helps people who he touches recover from most of their ailments. Oh, if it is something caused by an accident, warfare or animal attack, the magic has trouble coping, but slightly broken bones and minor scrapes and bruises heal quickly and become strong again after a while, and deeper wounds heal more quickly than in the past, but it is most apparent in diseases and wounds that used to kill people. Now, they get well instead of dying: a miracle gift from High Chief John.

It seems to be passed from person to person, for if a cured person remains close to an ill person, that ill person gets well. That is what I hear, and I see no reason to disbelieve it. There too many examples to deny it.”

“This applies to all illnesses, does it?”

“More or less. Childbirth deaths have dropped away, but there is still a risk of death if the baby is in the wrong position and cannot be born in the normal way. That usually means death for the woman, but one of the pale-skinned wives of the High Chief demonstrated a technique of persuading the baby to move and turn head down so that it can be born correctly. That was marvellous to watch, I can tell you. If we can use such methods again, we will save more women from that fate, enhancing our reputation as a tribe, our shaman’s prowess, and as a result the population of our tribe will continue to rise.”

Cormoro was keen to discover more from this guard.

“Is there more happening as a result of High Chief John’s presence here; since he arrived at this tribe?”

The guard started at Cormor. “You ARE new, Cormoro. This was called John’s tribe for the simple reason that he founded this tribe, and brought more and more people to join it, to make it stronger. He scrapped old traditions, brought new ideas about men and women, and introduced new methods of fighting and hunting. He even has magic knives made of what is called metal. These remain sharp much longer that flint or obsidan knives. Obsidian knives are as sharp or sharper than his metal knives, but are more easily damaged.”

Cormoro told her, “I have had a vision of a cape spreading from this tribe to cover many other tribes, but as yet I cannot explain it. Can you help me understand the image?”

“I am no shaman, stranger, so I doubt it. High Chief John is also a Shaman. He is responsible in overall terms for this tribe and the Farfarers tribe. Both Chiefs are wives to High Chief John, so there is no quarreling between the tribes, but a wider spread? Unlikely in my eyes.

I have no idea what your cape might represent; perhaps shamanistic arms stretching out under the cape to reach the far tribes?”

Cormoro nodded, “That is possible. All I saw was a long reach of some kind, out to many tribes as far as the big water on both sides. I saw it as a cape of power from shore to shore. Are we on a giant island?”

“How would I know, Cormoro the stranger?”

“I am no longer a stranger. I am about to become a member of this tribe. I am knowledgeable about tribes and places far from here. That is how I will help the tribe; me and my new wives Dramata and Dramala.”

“New wives? Did you have a wife before, Cormoro?”

“No, I was a wandering shaman, seeking the source of my visions. I no longer search, for I have found what I was seeking.”

“With Dramata and Dramala, you certainly have what you need, sir. They will make you a happy man.”

“Thank you. When should I expect Chief Numa to return?”

“She is expecting a child soon, so will not be walking far. I think having seen one possible site, she will return and leave it to others to report to her on what remains as comparisons.”

Several hours later, Chief Numa returned with a guard of two warriors who helped her up the slope to the cave. Watching from the sidelines, Cormoro and his two intended spouses saw this and decided to postpone their wedding request, in deference to the Chief’s tiredness.

So it was another day before they were able to ask Numa to perform the wedding formalities according to the tribe’s practices. She was quick to agree a time, and when it arrived they made their promises to each other, then Chief Numa pronounced them both married to their man. Cormoro kissed them each in turn, starting with Dramata, and they made an official retiral to their furs to formally consummate their marriage with lovemaking.

They surfaced in time for the midday meal, when they sat near the fire as a married trio, Cormoro touching his wives often, as a proprietary gesture of affection. They made a point of feeding each other a spoonful from their bowls to indicate their togetherness and the sharing that a marriage was supposed to mean.

By this time High Chief John had come back to the cave after completing the site surveys with two technical advisers and his second wife Noma, who would report the outcomes to her sister to enable Numa to determine which site would be preferred.

Cormoro signed to the High Chief that he need to speak with him, and was eventually given the gesture to come and meet John to one side of the cave entrance, looking down on the almost completed huts. John seated himself with a sigh of relaxation.

“High Chief and Shaman John.” Cormoro greeted the leader. “May I report on a new vision?”

“Please do, Shaman Cormoro.” He indicated the ground in front of himself.

Settling down facing the High Chief, he started.

“It began with a brief flash of something when Dramata and I were having sex, but it was over before I could see what it was, and it was gone. It came back when I and Dramala were learning how to have sex. In the climax of our activity the vision shot through me, and I was able to pin it to my memory before it was gone. Like most visions, it was indistinct, but I believed I knew what it said to me.”

The High Chief gestured for him to go on, so he did.

“What I saw was an image of a wide range of tribes on this land, with big water at one side and big water at the other side, and the impression was of a cape being spread over all of it; a sign of control or strong influence. I gained the impression that you, or your tribe, would be in charge of, or in control of, or have power over all these tribes. The image I got did not say what kind of control; whether it was military, economic, social, or religious, but my vision indicated that you were in charge, with power of some kind.”

“That was it?” asked John. “That was all you saw?”

“Yes. It made me wonder if we are on a large island, with me seeing water at two of the sides, and the water at top and bottom being farther distant so not in the image I was getting.”

The High Chief looked at Cormoro and asked him, “How many of these tribes have you visited?”

“Perhaps half of them, but mostly those on the eastern side of our island, if it is an island.”

“So you have not see the shore on the west side?”

“No, High Chief. I am only going by what my vision told me.”

“Thank you. Your vision spoke true about the big water at both sides. Our land lies in a narrow connection between two large bodies of land to north and south of this connecting area. To the east is what I call an ocean: a big water that stretches almost for ever; and on the other side of our land is another ocean that stretches almost for ever in the opposite direction.”

“Your knowledge is vast, High Chief, if you know that. My mind has difficulty thinking in such terms. Are there people in the lands to the north and south of us?”

“There are people amost everywhere in the world, Cormoro. We are inveterate seekers after new lands; we are never satisfied with what we have, or else we do not believe our land will support all of us in the future, or perhaps we are trying to get away from others who are trying to hurt us and take away what we have.”

“What are the lands in the great north body and great south body like, High Chief? Do you know?”

John gazed back at him, trying to judge what his reason was for asking. He decided it was mere curiosity.

“The north is a mixture of forest, desert and grass plains in large quantities, with some high mountains to the western side. The south body has a huge forested flattish area with a giant river, one of the largest rivers in our entire world, plus an extensive mountain range of fire-breathing hills on the west side. The mountains that are not now breathing fire are capped with snow and ice; the hard white stuff that comes with bitter cold, such as you hardly ever see here. At the ends of both bodies are lands of snow and ice, and beyond them a nasty water that often has huge chunks of ice, taller than any tree, floating on top of the water. You would never want to go there, for you would soon die.”