Inequity

Strength and Defiance

"You must be joking" Christine, as I've come to learn, is a fickle woman. Shrewd, intelligent, gifted, and well traveled. But fickle. She's an herbalist, all healers of note are. I've seen firsthand her study of herbs and their healing abilities, and I've been on the receiving end of this knowledge after my beating. She was able to send me to sleep with a simple tonic "I ask you this because I trust your skill, and...I'd rather not admit to my kinsmen that I haven't-that Stevie and I haven't-" they'll see it as a sign of weakness. I should, by all accounts, have taken my husbandly right the night of our marriage. If not willingly then by force. I won't. I'm not a monster or a brute, I like to consider myself more gentle than some sloppy hard cocked warrior.

"For Goddess sake...your people are some of the most primitive backwards, hairy mongrels I've ever had the misfortune of being acquainted with. All except sweet Johnny. He's a drunken little sod, but a sweet one" her eyes go misty at the mention of John. I'm sure he'll be pleased to know she speaks so softly of him "Well, for the sake of her modesty I don't discuss our marital bed. I've never taken a woman's innocence before but I know it can be painful-I don't want her to have to suffer" Goddess forbid.

"Well, there are ways of course to make her first time more pleasurable. Oils, certain tonics and potions, if you really want to spare her I could give you a sleeping draught and she won't remember a bloody thing" she laughs to herself lighting a slender pipe with some of our sweet herbs in the bowl. She takes a puff then passes it to me. Per custom I take a small puff but hand it back quickly "I don't want to ravish her while she's unconscious. What pleasure could I gain from that?" or her for that matter. It seems as wrong to take advantage of her while she's unable to say anything as it does to rape her while she's wide awake.

"Men don't need to worry about the pleasurable bit when it comes to fucking, you'll forgive the expression but you always get off. Women require more work, more finesse. Some men don't have the patience or desire to do that, hence sleeping potions" my body recoils at the idea. Out in the street I hear hoof beats approaching, they're slow and heavy a cart horse. It's market day, and Christine is staying at our temple advising and assisting our own healers. They find her ways funny, and are cautious of her. But just as she saved me after my injuries, she's saved a dozen young men and women from illness and wounds that would never have been treatable with our current techniques.

She's not liked, but she is respected.

"I don't lack in finesse, or patience. I love Stevie, Meryl teaches us that a husband should cherish his wife just as he does his own flesh. To make her happiness my happiness." At the mention of the goddess Christine looks off at the clouds shaking her head "Well Meryl also teaches us that forcing a woman into marriage is a sin" my patience with Stevie is infinite, with Christine it's wearing thin "What is your price woman" flipping a page in her massive tome of remedies she gives me a long suffering sigh "Anything too strong and she'll be completely numb to all feeling, too weak and she will still feel pain. The only remedy I can recommend is a goblet of wine and a few bowls of sweet herbs to relax her muscles"

That's not helpful, nor guaranteed to work "Healer, I beseech you. I'm in love with Stevie, she's my wife. I wish to satisfy her in all things, including in our bed chamber" the only other person I could ask is my mother, and I can't risk any of my uncle's spies overhearing us. Besides, I want to give her grandchildren. Strong and clever ones like Greg and Jeff "There is a concoction of herbs that will enhance her sensations, if you are capable enough you might override her pain by imparting a greater portion of pleasure to her body" I can endeavor to do that, from my experiences in the past I know what women enjoy. And judging by her response to my mouth and hands it's a universal truth.