Tavaar - 20th Edition

When we left Tavaar she had just been caught - by her mother - giving Wheylin a specific kind of pleasure. They weren't laying together, but they were close. In Taylich's mind (Tavaar's mother) there was no difference.

Before continuing, I will clarify a few points of possible confusion. Tavaar and Wheylin are near cousins. We would say first cousins. Today, we are inclined to think of romantic relationships between first cousins as a little - twisted. We make jokes about it. But remember, the idea that first cousins should not marry is a relatively new concept in our own history. Just over one hundred years ago it was more than common, and no one thought anything of it. So, within the Swords of Fire Saga, first (near) cousin relationships were neither twisted nor unusual.

The next point of clarification deals with parent-child relationships and how they evolved. In many ways Khirsha's family (remember, this is several thousand people) are behind us socially. For many in our society, dating, sex and things of that nature begin in our mid-teen, or even early teen, years. Not so for Khirsha's family. Sexually, they take longer to mature. This is both a result of culture and the water they drink. Remember, the water they drink is tainted by the ore in Fire Mountain. The power of the ore retards the aging process. This means Tavaar, at twenty-five, is physically much closer to an eighteen-year-old. Culturally, this would be true as well. So, while the punishment Taylich inflicts on Tavaar is extreme, it is less so than it would be were it to happen in our culture.

Now, as to today's passage. It is actually a continuation of the previous entry, and so it suffers from the same flaws. There were important points that needed to be raised, but I was in a hurry to get to another place in Tavaar's history. I think some of what I wrote worked, and a few isolated sentences/paragraphs actually work well. But it needs a rewrite. But backstories often don't get rewrites.

Formatting: Text notes; Text narrative; Blog notes.

Taylich looked angrier than Tavaar could remember. It radiated from her like heat from the hearth. She turned a look of pure fire onto Wheylin, who melted like ice before a raging fire.

“I will deal with you later,” she said. “Get you gone to your room. And you had better be there when I come.”

Mumbling something respectful, Wheylin grabbed his books and bolted from the room. Taylich slammed the door shut behind him, locking Tavaar in her room with a very angry mother bear.

“Put your tunic on.”

Like a flash, Tavaar bent over the bed and retrieved her tunic from the floor.

“Pull up your pants and tie those laces.” Tavaar began to obey, but Taylich spoke again. “Or should I just have you pull them down all the way so I can give you a good swat?”

Tavaar swallowed. She was twenty-five, and well beyond the years of corporal punishment. However, Taylich looked more than ready to act on her threat.

“Mother…”

“Shut up! And pull those britches up like I said!”

Relieved she was not going to endure the humiliation of a spanking, Tavaar ignored the uncivil order to be quiet and did as she was told.

“How long has this been going on?”

“It isn’t like you think. We’ve never done this before. We’ve never even kissed before. Wheylin hasn’t even been here for almost a year. He just got back today.”

“And you thought you would give him a welcome home present?”

“No! It isn’t like that, Mother. I was showing him how…”

“You certainly were! I see he learns quickly. You, however, do not. I have tried to warn you, Tavaar, about wanton behavior. I told you it would only bring trouble. But will you listen? No! Over and over again you take chance after chance. I would have though what happened with Mehngen would have taught you something, if my words don’t. But you refuse to listen to advice, and you refuse to learn from close calls. You leave me no choice, Tavaar.”

Tavaar took a fearful breath. “What are you going to do?”

Taylich didn’t answer. Instead, she went to Tavaar’s desk and began opening drawers. Tavaar jumped up to protect her private things.

“Mother, what are you doing?”

“Get back into bed!”

“Mother!”

For an old woman, Taylich could move quite fast. She was also strong. She grabbed Tavaar, spun her around and slapped her hard on her rump. Tavaar cried out in pain.

“Now, get back on that bed or I shall make a complete job of it!”

Fuming at the indignity of being swatted at her age, Tavaar obeyed. Her eyes were watered, not from pain, but from anger and frustration. Taylich continued to rummage. She took out an inkwell and a scribe.

“Where do you have parchment?” she asked. When Tavaar didn’t reply she ceased all motion. “I asked you a question.”

Too angry to speak, but too afraid to ignore her mother, Tavaar went to her desk, opened the lower left drawer and produced several sheets of new parchment. Then she returned to the bed, sitting with her back in the corner and pulling her knees close in to her breast. She glared at her mother’s back as Taylich bent over the parchment. Whatever she wrote, it wasn’t long. She rolled the parchment into a scroll and searched the desk again, producing a small candle stub which she took to the hearth and lit from the small fire. She dripped the wax onto the scroll to seal it and stamped it with her ring. She blew out the candle and put it on the desk. Then she went the door and looked around. Tavaar continued to glare. Clearly impatient, Taylich turned to Tavaar.

“Where is your servants’ bell?” she demanded. Tavaar remained silent. Taylich took an angry breath. “If you make me repeat myself again, I swear I am going to drop your britches and tan your hide with a leather strap. Now, I asked you a question: where is your servants’ bell?”

“I don’t have one!”

“You will keep a civil tongue in your head, young woman!”

“You aren’t talking civil to me!”

Tavaar would have liked to have added, ‘old woman’, but she wasn’t that stupid.

“I am your mother. I do not have to speak civilly to you; especially when I catch you engaged in wanton behavior.” Taylich opened the door and started to leave, but then she stopped and turned back. “Stay put!”

She exited and Tavaar heard her calling for one of the young servants the family had. Tavaar could hear her mother doling out instructions.

“Take this to the healer’s house,” she said. “Give it to Bolar and no one else. Wait, and come back with him. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Lady Taylich.”

“Then get you gone.”

Taylich returned and slammed the door shut again. She went to Tavaar’s dresser, opened a drawer and took out a thick, black leather belt, which she folded in half. Then she stomped to the desk, turned the chair so it faced the bed and sat down, all the while giving Tavaar a very threatening look.

“Now, young lady, we are going to have a long talk, you and I. We will begin with your manners. Take those britches down.” Tavaar’s eyes widened in horror. Her mother was quite serious. “Now!”

Obediently, but slowly, Tavaar did as she was told. Once done, Taylich had her lay on her stomach.14 (I wrote a long note here which I am not going to post. In essence, it states I knew Taylich was out of line, but her own fears were affecting her judgment.)

“Now, I have things to say, and you are going to listen. I have questions to ask, and you are going to answer. If you do not listen when I speak, or do not answer when I question, I will use this. And if I don’t like your answer, I will use this. Do you understand?”

Fearfully, Tavaar nodded her head. The strap came down across her rump and Tavaar screamed.

“Silent answers are not answers! So let me ask you again: do you understand?”

Tavaar gently caressing herself. “Yes.”

“I suggest you cease your caresses and use your hands to take hold of your bed frame. I doubt either of us is going to enjoy this much.”

Weeping, Tavaar dropped her face into her pillow and reached out to take hold of the bed frame. Right now, she didn’t know who she hated more: Wheylin, or her mother.

She didnt khow long the inquisition lasted, but she was convinced it was more than a full turn. More than once her anger and frustration sounded in her voice, and more than once she felt the strap on her backside. It hurt. Every time. However, fairly early on, her mother allowed her to pull her britches back up. This only partially cushioned subsequent hits, and it only was allowed once Taylich was convinced Tavaar gained enough control to keep her anger quiet. It was quiet, but it wasn’t gone. To be given the strap at twenty-five was horribly demeaning, and Tavaar wasn’t convinced she would ever forgive her mother for it. What she was grateful for was a soft, feather bed. For when a knock sounded on the door, Taylich had her sit up.

It had been an intensely punishing ordeal. Her bare bottom had been struck without mercy no less than a dozen times (most because of her attitude). Her covered bottom had been hit at least half again as many times. The skin had not broken, but there were plenty of welts. Fortunately, Taylich had confined her examination to Tavaar’s behavior with Wheylin (present and past), and her proud and defiant manner. Had she elected to explore Tavaar’s behavior with other males, Tavaar was convinced she would need a healer. The fact that her mother had sent for Bolar concerned her.