Chapter 2

Natalie helped Jenee settle into her own room the next day, it was a lovely room, with lots of sunlight streaming in through the windows. Jenee was surprised to find the drawers and wardrobe had clothes in them, thinking they belonged to someone else Jenee started to remove them. Natalie smiled explaining that those were for Jenee to wear; as she put on more weight they could be easily adjusted. Jenee trying very hard not to yawn thanked Natalie for being so kind and thoughtful, Natalie seeing the yawn chuckled saying it looked like Jenee needed a nap. Nodding Jenee simply said she was a bit tired, she didn't want to say that she had not slept well the night before thinking over and over again the things Hank had said out in the garden.

A few minutes after Natalie left Hank knocked at the door, smiling he said Natalie had given him orders not to stay long; he had just come to see how she liked her new room. Jenee assured him the room was wonderful, then mentioned how kind Natalie had been to even give her some new clothes to wear. Hank wanted to know if they were all shirts and breeches, Jenee shook her head with a small smile. Hank smiled back pleased to see her smiling, without thinking he reached out to brush a lock of hair that had fallen down the side of her face. Jenee seeing a hand coming towards her face cringed and jerked back, Hank stopped his hand in mid air then brushed the hair back behind her ear "there that's better, although you look awfully pretty as a ragamuffin." Jenee wanted to say something but no words would come out so she simply nodded. Telling her he would see her at dinner Hank smiled and left the room.

Curling up on the bed Jenee felt like crying, if only she hadn't pulled back like that, she knew Hank wasn't going to hurt her. Closing her eyes she sighed, she would get better she knew she would. This time when Jenee felt the soft fur and heard the purring she didn't feel anything but comfort from the soothing sound. "You don't like my poppet, why ever not? He is sooooo verrry delicious." Jenee didn't move, had the cat really talked to her? Laughing silently she thought why not, in a house with dragons, fairies, elves and magic why not a talking cat. Jenee looking at the cat curled up on her shoulder replied "Your poppet? Do you mean Hank?" Nedra purred "but of course, there was fear on your face, this Nedra doesn't understand, did you think my delicious one was going to hurt you?"

For some unknown reason Jenee found herself telling the cat of her feelings, her fears, about the fortress and what had happened there, the cat purred as it listened on occasion hissing loudly when Jenee said something particularly painful. Nedra purred deeply rubbing against Jenee, licking her face and gently padding her paws on Jenee's chest "sleep now, this telling has released your ohhh so deep emotions, this is good, later Nedra will help make things better for you and the delicious poppet." Jenee heard herself give a tired giggle "is he really delicious?" Nedra purred deeply "without a doubt he is an ohh soooooo tasty morsel."

Jenee woke to find the cat stretched out against her side, reaching down she gently stroked her hand over the cat named Nedra. She smiled as the cat stretched out its body even more purring deeply, scratching the cats stomach, Jenee listened to the cat make noises of pleasure. Nedra purred at Jenee "you are feeling rested now, this is good a tired body does not think well, now you will listen to Nedra say ohhh so many things. Jenee nodded wanting to hear what the cat would say next, "when you were a tiny thing you hide from the monsters under you bed, in the night you heard noises sure it was the monster under the bed, scared you wouldn't look, Nedra knows these things, all little ones hear monsters under their beds or in their closets, in the drawers late at night. You hide under your covers until your mama or papa came to do your bidding and look where the monster must be, mama and papa said the monster was all gone, this you believed until the next noise came and once again you hide under your covers. Finally you have to look for yourself, you want to be brave and chase away the monster, so you take your candle and shaking you look under the bed, no monster, you look in the closet, no monster, you peek in every drawer, no monsters. You go to sleep proud that you have chased away the monsters." Jenee still petting Nedra nodded again,

Purring Nedra went on "Your fear of the delicious poppet is the same as the monster under the bed; the fear won't go away until you peek in the drawers chasing it away. Ohhhh but this is sooooo scaryyy a thought to look at this fear you say to yourself, yes Nedra knows, soooo what you have to do is take each tiny monster scaring it away or take the big monster sending it on its way taking with it all the little monsters that lurk with it. It is not our poppet you fear but what he will do, sooo we tell the ohh sooo delicious poppet to say what he is doing, yes this is good, by saying it out loud you know, see and feel what it is he does." Nedra laugh purred "this will not be easy for our poppet he is not the one to talk of such things sexual, soooo you learn together, this is good I think."

Jenee looked at Nedra curiously "you know what Hank does, errr I mean what he enjoys, have you talked to Hank also?" Nedra purrred "ohhhhh little sweet one, you do not need to worry about Nedra, the poppet and Nedra we are lovers ohhhhh many times, always we give each other ohhh soooo much pleasure this is true Nedra knows, but always Nedra has known of Jenee the one who brings a shine to the poppet's eye's and heart. Nedra wants to see the shine in your eyes and heart also, this is good for both of you." Jenee blinked suddenly finding herself lying next to a very exotically beautiful woman "oh my" with a giggle "I should have known, everyone else around here seems to be many things, why not you."

Jenee gasped as Nedra put her hand on Jenee's breast, purring Nedra asked "does Nedra hurt you?" Unable to say a word Jenee shook her head, she watched and felt Nedra move her hand to the other breast. Nedra caressed Jenee's breast "does Nedra hurt you?" Once again Jenee shook her head, Nedra slide her hand up to caress Jenee's face then leaned close gently kissing her lips "does Nedra hurt you?" Shocked Jenee shook her head "Nedra is a stranger to you, yet she does not hurt you when she touches you, then why would the delicious poppet who you have known for ooooohhh soooo long do anything to hurt you." Jenee felt the heat in her cheeks "you're not a man, Nedra, ohh goodness, you're not a man also are you?"

Nedra laughed with a light airy laugh "As to that Nedra she enjoys the pleasure of being a woman, she enjoys receiving the pleasures only a man can give to a woman, would it please you for me to be a man? This Nedra can do." Jenee shook her head quickly, "soooo it is the fear of what a man will do to you as a man, yes Nedra understands this, what you must do is take the pleasure from your lovers remember that sweetness instead of the other." Jenee almost in tears told Nedra there had been no lovers, the only thing she knew was what had happened at the fortress. Nedra hissed frowning "no lovers? Ohhhhh this is not good my sweet one, you must have at least one lover such as our poppet, it keeps you young, makes your skin glow, your eye's shine, your body must sing with the pleasure of loves delight."

"Soooooo my sweet one, just like the monsters under the bed, you must have our poppet chase them away, he will bring you screaming to your pleasure, this Nedra knows, you would want Nedra there to help? She will give you both pleasure and make sure the poppet does what is right the first time." Jenee felt her face go scarlet at the thought. Nedra kissed Jenee again "you think on this, if you want Nedra there, yes Nedra will show you that sexual love is a delight one must enjoy. Nedra she would suggest you take a trick out of the ohh so silly Trink's book, a few small glasses of wine to relax will make things easier, but not to excess this is not good, Nedra knows."

A banging on the door startled Jenee making her jump, looking at the door with a gasp, she looked back at Nedra but she was gone. Brax yelled through the door that dinner was ready, he would wait for her. Jenee got up, splashed some cool water on her face, straightened her blouse and skirt, quickly checked her hair in the mirror and went to the door. Brax was leaning against the wall with a hurry up look on his face, seeing Jenee he stood away from the wall smiling "you're looking better, got some color in your cheeks." Brax helped Jenee down the stairs saying Hank would be down shortly, he had just returned from Cairin.

Jenee sat listening to the light banter around the table, following some newly established tradition Harriett's daughter Margaret had been hired as the new cook, Harriett was the cook at the Keep still ruling with a wicked wooden spoon after more than 40 years as cook there. Mary's daughter Jessie had been hired as the Housekeeper, her husband John would be handyman, butler or just filling in where he was needed. Hank talked about the tree's he was planting around Cairin, smiling at Jenee he told her how much he thought she would enjoy Cairin, although he had to admit it didn't have much of a garden but it did have a large orchard filled with all sorts of delicious fruit.