Ch: 32 An Unsteady Mast

As the music wound down, so did Gary’s smile. It drifted off, replaced by a grim determination. “Thanks guys, I was really crawling up my own ass there.” He winked at Becky and the band with his old crazy smile. “If you wanna explore solo projects that’s fine… Just remember where you got your start when you make it big.”

 

“Shai, Esperanza! Workshop now! Liam, Tawny, please chaperone for us.” Gary barked, in a tone that was new to all of them.

“What’s a shapperuune?” Liam asked Tawny, who shrugged.

 

“I think our job is to hose them down if things get weird.” She whispered as the group headed for the workshop door.

Just off the stairs, the open space now hosted lamps, a rug and several wing chairs that seemed designed specifically to only accommodate one person. 

 

When everyone was seated in the carefully spaced chairs Gary spoke first. 

 

“Tawny, Liam, thank you for coming along, I hope you won’t need to do anything at all.” He turned on the two other women. 

“What happened last night was not cool. I thought we had an understanding. Shai, you can ‘take your liberties’ as you say, but you can’t give them out!” His voice rose a bit there, seeming pained. Shai squirmed under his glare, shifting in her seat as though it were heating up. 

 

“Esperanza, this is not an attack or an accusation, but no touching my penis without permission from me.” 

He shot a glare at both women. “Permission from me, when I am awake and not drugged out of my skull on pollen.” He sat back in his chair with a grunt of discomfort. “Some lines were crossed last night, we got distracted before I had my say, now I will.”

 

“Some of you guys are free and easy with sex and freelove, great, whatever. I’m not there, I can't navigate that and this crazy place all at once.” He grunted again, settling lower. “I am coming to terms with how you do things here, but don’t treat me like that again.” His voice was almost gone now.  “Respect my boundaries, like I respect yours… Tawny, I may have popped some of your stitches.”

Liam and Shai dragged him out of the chair and onto a low table summoned by Shai. His chair’s gray upholstery was stained pinkish with oddly pale blood. 

 

“Why is it that color?” Esperanza asked, from where she hovered nearby, fretting and twisting her hair round and round her fingers  nervously.

 

“His blood is still mostly water and magic, he left most of the red stuff back in the swamp.” Liam supplied helpfully, while Tawny dug in her medical pouches. “That's why he falls over… well ok, he did that some before, not the same though.” 

 

“Liam, quit jabbering and poke Shai with this. She might hit you, so be careful.” Tawny handed him a short rod with a pointy pink crystal on the end. “Hurry, stick her and run away.” Tawny went back to unpacking supplies onto a cloth stitched with a multitude of tiny embroidered runes.

 

Shai had been focused on holding Gary still for Tawny, even his weak thrashing still threatened to bowl over the tiny woman. Liam circled the smith carefully, watching for an opportunity to strike.

 

Gary gave a wrenching heave and a strangled groan when Tawny’s gently probing fingers found what she was looking for, almost hurling the burly smith woman aside.

 

When Liam stabbed her in the ass with a pointy rock on a handle, she swung out on instinct. Her iron hard fist clipped him on the ear as she collapsed onto the flailing boy with a sigh.

 

Liam picked himself up off the floor and rejoined the battle over Gary’s lower abdomen. Trying to restrain the half conscious musician was a real struggle, even in his current state. He was as big as Tawny and Liam together and unrestrained by rational thought.

 

With eyes closed, he was swatting feebly at anything that moved near the seeping wound in his side. That was enough to keep Tawny at bay until Liam took both of his friend’s arms out of action with a double thumb lock.

 

Esperanza joined by flopping bodily across his lower half, adding herself to Shai’s dead weight. 

 

“I have to do a little cutting Gary, hold still if you can. I can’t put you out for this, try to stay awake ok?” Tawny shouted in his face, while slapping him briskly several times.

 

She muttered a quick incantation over her cloth covered with tools and supplies. A bright golden light suffused the whole arrangement briefly. “Hold him please, I have some work to do.”

 

Ten solid minutes of Tawny snipping and stitching his insides to his outsides and outsides to undersides later, she let him slip unconscious with a grateful sigh.

“Liam, be a dear and fetch some people to help drag these two upstairs, they are both abnormally large.” She glared at Esperanza, who was struggling to roll Shai off the boy’s legs. “They really are an extraordinary pair. If you hurt them we will be having a conversation.”

 

#

 

Shai woke in the grotto with her boy, he was still unconscious and paler than she liked, but whole. She staggered out into the late morning sun by the bath and squinted. 

 

Talllum was beside the fire, sitting on a stool, thumping quietly on his bass. Busy keeping time while Becky, Yuzef, and Dannyl practiced along. “Where be the others?” She croaked as she prepared tea.

 

“They went into the village to trade and look around. Annie says she will take us if you wanna catch up, they left a few minutes ago.” Becky said, setting down her harp. “I’m gonna go too, I was just waiting for you.”

 

Esperanza vanished into the grotto with a wave as Shai landed near Tallum. Gripping a mug of tea so big and strong it could start a career in professional wrestling, she sighed deeply. “How long were I out?” She asked, dreading the answer.

 

“Liam stuck you with some magic tool of Tawny’s, you were asleep for like, an hour. Wimp.” He grinned. “Tawny thought you might not want to be awake for the sewing after last time.”

 

“After last time she could peel me face off an sew it back on upside down an t’would nae leave an impression. That were summat I‘d nae experience again.” Shai downed her tea and the two women headed to the stables, both eager to see the village.

 

#

 

Gary only stirred as Esperanza slipped in beside him and curled up, bringing a sense of well being with her, soon she was asleep peacefully.

 

Gary, wonder of wonders, woke up alone. Half submerged in flowing hot water and under a mossy coverlet that was velvet soft, he just lingered, half dreaming. Esperanza came in, gently nudging him in the steam and spray.

 

“Wake, you must eat, dress yourself, we have guests in the house.” The voluptuous trader said, while yanking away his covers. “Come come, yes, you are very pretty, now get up!”

 

“I’m sensing some changes in the wind… what are you girls up to?” He asked while staggering upright. The sexy boat captain just smiled and swept out the door, leaving him alone to dress.

 

There were strangers in his home, he could feel them moving about, places he couldn’t see like shadows against a window shade. They were mostly in the common room and bath. Perhaps two dozen of them, men, women and children, all milling about. 

 

With company over, Gary conjured a razor and made himself as presentable as he could. He dressed himself, cinched up his insides and prepared to face whatever was going on with a fake smile.

 

Even with Familiar Stranger dialed up to maximum sneaky, there was no way to slip past Shai or Becky. Those two zeroed in as soon as he stepped out of the grotto.

 

Shai was going full innkeeper, with a long checked apron and a flashing smile for all the patrons. She danced between tables just as she had in the cafe in Wheatford. Adding in a tray of food or pitcher of wine seemed a natural fit, since she couldn’t help making the rounds anyway.

 

Tallum and Ivy were on stage, backing Dannyl’s blues improvisations. Gary was no longer surprised that Shai could use most of his gifts on herself and the gang at will. The trio were wound together tight, the music wasn’t going anywhere but nobody seemed to mind.

 

Becky slid up beside Gary, looked him up and down before giving him a shove. When he tottered, squawked a mild complaint and didn’t fall over she nodded and shot a thumbs up to Shai.

 

Becky pushed him into a chair by the fire and shortly after pressed a mug of something hot into his hands. Gary smiled at her in thanks, unable to compete with the noisy room. 

 

He took a big sip of the dark liquid and nearly choked. “Beef and rusty nail broth!” Becky almost shouted in the din. “It builds strong blood!”

“It tastes like ass!” Gary tried to shout.

“That too, for flavor, shut up and drink!” Becky danced away, joining Shai in waiting tables.

 

Liam eased in beside him as Becky danced off. “Who are all these people?” 

 

“Most of the village of Tingly, they don’t have an inn. We’ve been stuck here while you were out cold. I guess Shai got bored?” He waved abstractedly. “She and Becky went into the village after lunch, came back with all these people.”

 

Becky swanned by again, dropping a plate of something steaming in front of him and another mug of that dark swill. “Eat and drink it all, Shai and Tawny’s orders. Then off to the bath, your face could curdle milk.” She scolded, while fluttering away, bright colored skirts and apron twirling. 

 

Esperanza danced by, winking at him saucily from the arms of a craggy looking man who was probably a fisherman, if not, he missed his calling. After a moment she took her surprised partner back around and steered the hapless man up to Gary’s table.

 

“Eat all that boy,” She said, orbiting him with her confused but still swaying victim. “my people swear by liver and onions to build strong blood and loins!” She let the fisherman take the lead again and they swept away.

 

Liam’s smirk was infuriating. “You don’t stand a chance, most of the grandmothers in the village have been by. They each had a look and a poke and gave Shai a recipe for your blood, loins or both.” He smiled so wide his face started to go pale around the ears. “They said loins a lot. Does that make you uncomfortable? To hear that the whole village was discussing your loins?”

 

“Liam, why are my loins on your lips?” He asked before turning to his plate.

 

Gary ate the thick slab of beef liver, it was coated with a spicy sweet glaze and grilled til it was tender enough to eat with a spoon. A mound of sauteed onions and braised greens reminded him of his few experiences with soul food. I was a surprise and delight. 

 

When the last bite tumbled down the empty chasm in the center of Gary, he staggered for the pool. “I am nothing if not obedient!” He declared, grinning weakly. 

 

In the pool, a group of unfamiliar old women were supervising a dozen young people, who were splashing about and having a grand time in the hot water.

 

As he lowered into the pool the old women seemed deeply disappointed in him for having the temerity to stand up and move in his condition. They swarmed around giving sage advice. 

 

“Ah’ see yer’ been stitched up mighty fine, ah’ hav’n a poultice a’ mustard, onion skins ang cod liver oil. Smear it on yer’ loins ang s’e will brace yer’ yard arm fit ti’ wit’stand a nort’ern gale!” One woman said, pointing to the ‘timber’ in question without shame.

 

 A vigorous debate started on the merits of pine tar and castor oil on male equipment. Mustard and onion skins seemed beyond reproach as a sovereign cure for an ‘unsteady mast’ or ‘flagging sails’. These grandmotherly nightmares were enthusiasts, debating a favored topic.

 

After learning several more amusing nautical euphemisms for cocks and balls, their chatter lulled him into a semi dream state. There, he considered his own stores of alchemical and herb lore. 

 

The  things he had learned from Liam and the girls, and from his own explorations had been stacking up and needed sorting in his internal filing system.

 

Their talk of mustard, cod liver oil, and onion skins brought to mind grandpa and great aunt Joan. They were forever going on about old folk remedies for this or that complaint, all of that was in his skull somewhere too. If the girls could find his mom’s recipe songs, what could he scrape up from the depths?

 

Just digging through old messages he had ignored, quickly yielded a treasure trove of info. There was nothing immediately useful, but onion skins, mustard and pine tar were indeed listed as reagents. It was time to really start thinking about alchemy, healing potions would be a game changer.

 

Mental exhaustion soon caught up with physical exhaustion and formed an alliance, together they threw him down a deep dark well.

 

Shai had Falco and Otho drag Gary to the edge, to be fished out by strange hands and hauled onto a sofa by the fire to be fed. Steak and kidney pie with more rusty nail water, thankfully this time without beef. 

 

One of the aged grandmothers from the pool took charge of loading the food into him. She handled her spoon like a stevedore, heaping him full so quickly he had no clue what was happening until he was nearly bursting. 

 

When he grunted and tried to resist, the old crone turned out to be made of sterner stuff than expected. “Hehehe!” She cackled. “Can’t draw hot iron from a cold forge, girl!” She said to Shai in a voice made harsh by decades of coal smoke. “You better fuel the fire if you want a sturdy rod!” She mauled and man handled him in humiliating ways, before handing him off to Shai like a sack of meal.

 

“Aye, ye hae the wisdom of it, we shall buy cod liver oil an sea salt taemorrow.” She grabbed Gary by the shoulder and steered him into the grotto. “Aye, asking a smith were the answer true enough! Back tae sleep, I would have ye walking tomorrow.” She chuckled, while tucking him in.

 

Gary woke briefly, when Shai joined him. Just Shai thankfully. When Gary cracked his eyelids before dawn, it was still just them. That was a miracle, he scooched in closer, relishing some unimpeded, mixed pairs snuggling.

 

Shai woke just enough to really get a good cuddle in before they slipped away again.

 

They woke together in the dream house for the first time in a while. Becky was downstairs, up to some mischief with Knowledge no doubt. “Oh!” Gary exclaimed. “I can’t deal with Knowledge right now, let’s be sneaky.”

 

“That were beneath ye boy, tae skulk about in yer own home. Fie!” Gary did notice she made no special efforts to get Knowledge’s attention as they crept by the pair and into the garden.  

 

“What are those two up to?” Gary asked quietly, once they were in the yard.

 

“Becky do wish tae master ritual and spiritual spells, an she has access tae divine magic now.” She said with a satisfied smile. “I have begun tae dabble a mite meself, through yer mana since mine be almost naught.”  With a short phrase, a spray of sparks leapt from her fingers, disappearing before they hit the ground. “An yer forge were nae magic, I could light it with ease now.”         

 

“Ooo, neat trick, can I learn that?” He asked

Shai cuffed him lightly across the back of his head. “Nae till ye stop quarreling wi yer god like a wee bairn what nae would nap.”

 

“That’s mean and hurtful, you know what a little shit he is…” He complained.

“And so ye do be a big shit back? That be a winning game plan boy.” She griped cheerfully. “Tis good to see ye moving, even if tis here… say, do me favorite toy work here?” 

 

She pawed good naturedly at his front side, breaking his foul mood with the unique kind of stupidity they shared.

 

They tumbled to the grass tickling each other, laughing and kissing until they rolled onto their backs gasping for breath. “Oh, I have missed this boy. I shall dance thee into pieces an ye be fit again.”

 

Her smile died a quick death, replaced by a muffled shriek of primal fear, as Thirp scampered out from under a nearby gardenia bush. 

 

“Oh, terribly sorry, I did not wish to interrupt…” He sang in embarrassed tones. “I thought your mating rituals were complete, excuse me!” 

 

“Uhh, we weren’t mating bro, just being affectionate. It’s cool, right Shai?” She was regaining color in her face and looking less terrified as he hugged her close.

 

“Aye, tis well Thirp, ye do not intrude. Though ye could help me by no scuttling through the shrubbery like that. Tis unnerving.” She said softly to the gentle arachnid.

 

“Forgive me, my paper on human mating habits and domestic life is going to be very important when I reincarnate, I did not wish to influence your behaviors.” His harp sounded almost contemplative and excited at once. 

 

“If I may, since you are both here after so long, this thing you do with your mouth parts and limbs, it is not mating, this is clear, what then does it serve?” He asked, genuine interest and thoughtful concern in his voice.

 

“Well intimacy feels good, we can’t really live without it. Humans are pack animals at heart. We need each other, especially our mates.” Gary said, reaching out to hug the spider, making Shai tremble just a little. 

 

“Ohh, is that what this is… that feels very odd indeed.” Gary pulled his furry friend closer, hairy legs and fangs and all. “So physical closeness, without mating engenders trust and interpersonal attachment… interesting.” He hummed softly in pleasure as Gary rubbed his thorax. 

 

“Yes, by allowing you into my personal space, this opens our auras to each other as well. That is one of your aura’s primary effects Gary, it lowers inhibitions and barriers ever so subtly.” He murmured through his harp, sounding relaxed and sleepy.

 

“We have long term pair bonds among my people too.” Thirp cooed. “Though only between sentients, males of my species are simply animals. A blessing considering their fate.” He sighed.

 

“Wait, you’re female?” Gary asked, deeply puzzled. “And that whole chest bursting thing?” Now Shai was paying attention… she had zoned out when he started hugging and petting the spider.

 

“Yer what?” She asked, not liking ‘chest bursting’ in such close proximity to her boy.

 

“Gary requested I not explain my species’ reproductive pattern to you, he said you would be distressed. I see now why. He is surprisingly wise at times.” Laughter filled the harp and made the nearby leaves dance like a soft breeze. “I am usually female in the living world, though souls truly have no gender, only tendencies. I do not have memories of those lives I lived as a male, blessedly so.”

 

“Souls have no gender?” Gary asked, pointedly groping himself. “Feels like I do.”

 

“Only because that is how you perceive yourself, just as you see me as male by default, since we are similar in nature. Now that your perception of my gender has changed you may begin to notice things about me you had not before. The mind is a funny thing, and you are mostly mind here.” She sang wistfully. 

 

 “So you had relationships with other females only?” Gary asked in a strange way. His eyebrows bounced very interestingly.

 

“Oh, yes, I saw this in your memories, your species differs very little between biological phenotypes. Size, skin color, and such differ slightly, regional differences only it seems.” She chirped happily. 

 

“While your two genders also remain quite balanced in abilities. Overall, most non primate sentients will have difficulty recognizing the differences at all.” He, or rather she scampered in a circle excitedly. “Yet many of your people set great store by who others form bonds with. I find that interesting.”

 

“Forgive me if this is impertinent, which of the pair of you is the dominant one?” She asked. Without hesitation each one mutely pointed at the other.

 

“Interesting… is that common for humans? In Gary’s memories the pair bonds he has observed seem to be uniformly… unpredictable.” She chuckled. 

 

“I will interrogate each of you fully before it is time for me to return to the world of the living.” She almost giggled with excitement. “If my lord permits I might even sneak over to your world, with your permission of course. We have important matters to resolve before I can satisfy my curiosity.” 

 

She focused up with an effort of will and sang out on her harp. “Your world’s god of Beasts has been quite insistent on meeting with you for several days now, I suggest you meet with that one sooner rather than later. Lord Marduk has some interesting news to relate, but I see you are waking already.” 

 

The pair woke together, with faint morning light slipping through the loosely planked door. Gary stretched and yawned mightily, while Shai tried to delay getting up with aggressive cuddles.

 

“We never did find out if li’l Gary works there.” He grumbled.

Shai just grinned wickedly and pointed down to the coverlet, which was nicely tented where one would hope.

 

“I’m Back Baby!” Someone shouted through the quiet morning stillness.