Tavaar - 7th Edition

We continue with Tavaar. Sorry for the long posts. You should try reading the entire narrative. Even I have trouble finishing that in a day.

I'm giving up trying to keep these things short. It isn't possible. Not if I'm going to give you any of the actual story. Although it isn't really a story. It's a series of vignettes.

We left off yesterday with Tavaar and Klarissa having tricked Shello and Khaiu into, as Tavaar put it, "A very tender moment." I am including some notes I added about the text. They have to deal with the kissing joke of yesterday, and with Tavaar and Klarissa in particular.

We learn a lot about Klarissa. For one thing, not only was she far more wild in her youth than one suspects (from reading Book I), she is not exactly truthful in her response to Khirsha when he asks how she and Shello came to be married (Klarissa and Shello are Khirsha's parents). This is understandable when we see that despite her playfulness, Klarissa is really unsure of herself as regards males in general, and Shello in particular. We learn why she reacted the way she did when Khirsha asked her if she had kissed Kiembah. They weren’t completely wanton, but they clearly did more than just kiss.

That Tavaar is much more at ease with Shello clearly bothers Klarissa. In time, their roles will reverse and Klarissa will learn just how easy it is for her to ‘control’ Shello, while Tavaar becomes the uncertain one. Still, Klarissa will always remember that at least for a time, Tavaar had control of Shello.

The kissing scene between the two women was an accident. It’s simply the way my humorous mind works. I had not thought of it until Khaiu uttered his fateful words. Then it struck me as funny if the girls used it to prank the guys. I confess to debating how ‘involved’ I was willing to go with Klarissa and Tavaar. Klarissa's hesitancy to talk about Tavaar (in Book I) may, or may not, be solely restricted to Shello. But even Klarissa admits they were "friends - of a kind" (quoted portion taken from Book I). I may (probably will) write more. I think more is warranted. However, not today.

In fact, I did not write anything more about Tavaar and Klarissa's relationship, although I wrote more about Klarissa, and tons more about Tavaar.

What I will add today is part of the interaction between Tavaar and Klarissa after the guys left. Klarissa confesses that she has never kissed Shello. Tavaar asks about tournements and Klarissa points out that she always lost to Khaiu and never had to fight Shello. When asked about congratulating Shello after his victories, Klarissa makes excuses. So Tavaar confronts her.

“Klarissa, are you afraid to kiss him?” she asked.

Klarissa looked like she wanted to deny it, but no words came out.

“You are. Why?”

Klarissa mumbled something inaudible and Tavaar pressed her. She became annoyed.

“Well, weren’t you afraid? The first time?”

Tavaar’s eyes grew wide. “You’ve never kissed a boy before? I mean, for real?”

“Of course I have! I’ve kissed lots of boys. But we’re not talking about lots of boys. We’re not even talking about any boy. We’re talking about – him.”

“So, it’s just Shello who scares you? Why?”

“Well, weren’t you? You never said.”

“Oh. Well, no. To tell the truth, I’d never even thought about it. It just kind of happened.”

“How does a kiss just happen?”

Klarissa’s tone was scornful. Tavaar didn’t begrudge her. She just didn’t understand.

“It wasn’t meant to be a kiss. Not a real one anyway.”

“So Shello and Khaiu go all the way to Gahrem for the bonfire, but they had no intention of kissing you?”

“It didn’t happen at Gahrem. Not the first time.”

“What do you mean? I thought you said they came to Gahrem.”

“They did, but that was after. The kiss happened at the tournament. I had just won and he came up to congratulate me. When he kissed me it was like being struck by lightning. It was quite thrilling, really. But I didn’t have time to be afraid. What is it that scares you? You said you’ve kissed other boys. Did you – you know - enjoy it?”

Klarissa blushed. “Yes! I enjoyed it. Okay? Well, maybe not with every boy. Some are just trouble. They just try to put their hands up your tunic, or undo the laces on your britches. Don’t ever wear a dress when you’re with them.”

“How do you handle them?’

“You slap their hands and threaten to leave.”

“What if they don’t listen?”

“You grab them by the throat and threaten to break their fingers.”

Tavaar laughed. “What’s the next step?”

“Well, I’ve only had one boy force me to the next step.”

“What did you do?”

“I broke his fingers.”

There is more. I'll add this bit because I think it's kind of cute. It also ties in with revealing more of Klarissa's nature, and who it was who contributed to Tavaar learning how to get a reputation.

“So, you let the boys – touch you?”

Klarissa blushed. “Not all of them, but some. For most it isn’t a question of ‘letting’. They just think they can and have to be taught otherwise.”

“By breaking their fingers?”

“If need be. It usually doesn’t take long. Males are very teachable. After getting slapped up a time or two, they fall into line. There are several, who demonstrated some skill, who I see from time to time.”

“Do you grant them any freedom then?”

“No. Not those. They can’t be trusted. But for Kiembah, and those like him, I grant a little bit more. Not all the time. They also have to understand who’s in charge.”

“Wow! I never would have guessed any of this about you.”

Klarissa shrugged. “Well, we are supposed to experiment, try out the various males, so we will know who to court. Once courting starts, that comes to an end and we only get one or two, or maybe three. Then we pick one of them, get married, and we’re locked in for life.”

“You make it sound like imprisonment.”29 (this note says it is interesting that Klarissa’s marriage is filled with joy and happiness while it is Tavaar who feels imprisoned).

Klarissa laughed. “Well, right now it kind of does seem like that. I mean, there are so many males to choose from. But I expect I will pick out one or two over the next year and begin courting.”

After this, Tavaar gives Klarissa the "low down" on both Shello and Khaiu. Klarissa confesses her fear about Shello's manners.

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Yes. I can handle most males. I avoid those I can’t, or suspect I can’t. Shello is willful and strong. I like that, but I’m not sure I can control it. I mean, I can’t even beat him at swords. What happens if he undoes my laces?”

“You break his fingers.”

“What if I can’t?”

“Then you’ll be married before you like.”

“Exactly! I don’t want that. Who wants to be married to a brute?”

“He hasn’t given me any trouble. Not really.”

“What do you mean, ‘not really’? What does he do?”

“It only happened once. Khaiu was holding me over his head and threw me for Shello to catch. He did, but one hand grabbed my breast and the other went between my legs.”

“He did that at a bonfire?”

“It was an accident.”

“Yes. Well, maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t”