The girls hit the 'town'
Apr. 13th, 2009 04:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mitochondriaayaMomma woke her up before dawn, not that Brea'd been sleeping well anyway, but predawn from Allison was new. By first light they had the wagon hitched and headed out, and Brea was fidgeting on the bench as they rolled along. She hadn't been allowed to ride her horse, it was an unsettling beast, and not so good in towns.
And they were going to town.
Not the local town down the pass, Brokerock, but another one. One she'd never been to before. She didn't like leaving her territory one bit.
"Relax, Aya." Momma soothed, flinging a comfortable arm across her shoulders. "It won't be so bad, and you'll learn what you need to..."
"Three weeks in a strange town, Momma. That's not learning it's useless. And probably ridiculous." Brea countered, knowing she said it just to be ornery. Momma had the right of it, she usually did. But still, it was a town they'd always circled far around when Nevada was alive.
"You're eighteen girl. Time you figured some things out alright? I know you say you won't have kids, but someone may make you change your mind someday. Best you know what you're doing in case who ever he ends up being doesn't."
Brea just rolled her eyes and tilted her head back, watching the twisted clouds roll through the sky above them. "I've got no business in a duty town."
"I do. Pierce needs siblings, judging by how well he took to you. Plus I do repairs there. If nothing else, you'll bodyguard me when you're not learning."
Learning. The polite way to say 'sleeping around'. She knew she was being unfair to Momma, but some things were ingrained. Nevada had only been dead and gone a little over two years now, it was hard to think of herself as a girl, much less an 'active' one. "Pierce is old enough to have kids of his own now.' she pointed out.
"And he no doubt does. I took him with me when he turned eighteen too. We just haven't found someone we both like to bring back to live with us permanently. Marriage is a tricky thing, gotta get along with the family. So, he does is duty and we keep looking at the women that want a place, not just a baby."
"Hmmm, and what are we marketing me as then?" she lifted the corner of her hat so she could peer balefully at Allison.
"Nothing. You're not for sale sweetie." Momma laughed and flicked the edge of Aya's hat. "You're there to learn, and I'm going to put you into just the right hands for that. You don't have to look twice at anyone else got it? You'll get to wear the veil that says 'I don't want to remember you' all three weeks if you want to."
"...hell." Brea muttered. "You're going to make me change aren't you?"
"A little" Allison agreed "Split skirts so you can still move. Unbinding. A low cut vest to lace up over your shirt instead of your standard vest."
Brea nodded, that sounded tame enough. "And?"
"Switch your hat for the veil and bonnet...and no guns. No guns at all in town."
Brea swore under her breath and just barely refrained from kicking the woman beside her. "That is...irresponsible. You're taking me to a town with no guns in the limits? How long until the beasts show up?"
"The law is armed. They do very well, it's just that they prefer to avoid 'lovers quarrels'. People get a little worked up over sex."
"Can I keep the guns in the wagon? Just in case?" Brea offered. No, she wasn't certain that beasts tended to follow her, but she did know she found more than most people alive. It made for great trade wares...and poor sleep while camping.
"I'll ask" Allison assured, squeezing Aya Brea's shoulder again before taking the reins in both hands. "You'll do alright. You know the benefits of knowledge."
Brea couldn't help but agree with that...but...no one had ever 'caught her fancy' as Momma put it. She couldn't imagine anyone ever would, considering how she lived. It was something to think on as the miles rolled by. Duty, kids...what the hell did a human look for in a mate? Much less a husband?
She had to admit, privately, deep inside...she liked the idea of kids. She was good with them. It's just that...they'd be half-human. Unless they got her quirks they were likely to get sick. To die. Little tiny graves next to Nevada's. Somehow, Brea just knew that these were the wrong thoughts for the moment. "I don't want kids, Momma."
"You won't get any, this time. I promise."
"Alright." Brea left it at that. They stopped a few days later, just outside town so Aya could change. Yes, Aya. She'd be a girl here. No one would see her ears, and they didn't have to respect her...it was strange, breathing without the bindings. It made her chest tingle with each breath, and the skirts cooled her legs as she moved.
Momma tightened the supporting vest then stepped back, an odd smile on her face. "There, you make a fair girl Aya Brea. You'll never have to worry about that."
She wasn't sure why, but Aya felt her face heating at those words. She donned the veil and bonnet a little to hastily for her peace of mind. "Thank you Momma."
"Well now, time to go."
Time to go indeed. The duty town, called Fair, was anything but. It was scorching hot and cramped, so many buildings built together instead of the nice spacing she was used to. So many buildings...and such a constant swirl of people. The people who lined the roads holdings signs looking for permanent wives and husbands. The bold as brass returning customers that went through bare faced and snagged choice tidbits as they could...and just as many more that carefully went through veiled. The children were the important things. Foreign blood for towns that were growing far to familial.
Momma wended the wagon skilfully through, ignoring the whistles and hopeful calls. Aya just stonily ignored it all, snapping her veiled gaze to those that came to close to the wagon, but otherwise unmoved. How...did she find common ground with these people? Was she suppose to? They ended up at a little hotel on the quieter side of town, and Momma slipped down from the wagon to give the hostler a hearty kiss. An action Aya did not emulate.
Other than the hostler, several of the lawmen made their homes here. One of which owed Momma a favor. More importantly, he was sterile since The solution. Not inactive, just sterile. She felt like a cornered rabbit the first night Momma left them alone. Without those bindings on her chest she was almost sure that her heart would burst straight out through her ribs. And damn she hated being afraid. What had she to fear? A little pain? Women survived this all the time.
Fear always made Aya...bold.
She made the first move that night, surprising her older partner with direct questions about how he felt. She wanted, no, needed, to understand. And yes, she hurt, deeply, by the time morning came. It was an aching, distant thing though when compared to the relief of facing down a mental monster.
The stayed three weeks, and despite outside urging, Aya never switched partners. she wouldn't take the risk...plus it was oddly pleasant to learn what made this man happy. What he said would keep most men happy. Every time he smiled, or lost control, or fumbled at her tightly knotted bonnet she felt like she'd passed a test. Like the exams Nevada would give her randomly as she grew up.
By the end of three weeks, she could kiss this man as deeply as Momma had hers...and more importantly, she could enjoy it. She'd...passed. She'd learned. Momma had been right to bring her.
Aya couldn't judge if she'd ever feel the need to come back, but she could say she wouldn't be afraid to.
And they were going to town.
Not the local town down the pass, Brokerock, but another one. One she'd never been to before. She didn't like leaving her territory one bit.
"Relax, Aya." Momma soothed, flinging a comfortable arm across her shoulders. "It won't be so bad, and you'll learn what you need to..."
"Three weeks in a strange town, Momma. That's not learning it's useless. And probably ridiculous." Brea countered, knowing she said it just to be ornery. Momma had the right of it, she usually did. But still, it was a town they'd always circled far around when Nevada was alive.
"You're eighteen girl. Time you figured some things out alright? I know you say you won't have kids, but someone may make you change your mind someday. Best you know what you're doing in case who ever he ends up being doesn't."
Brea just rolled her eyes and tilted her head back, watching the twisted clouds roll through the sky above them. "I've got no business in a duty town."
"I do. Pierce needs siblings, judging by how well he took to you. Plus I do repairs there. If nothing else, you'll bodyguard me when you're not learning."
Learning. The polite way to say 'sleeping around'. She knew she was being unfair to Momma, but some things were ingrained. Nevada had only been dead and gone a little over two years now, it was hard to think of herself as a girl, much less an 'active' one. "Pierce is old enough to have kids of his own now.' she pointed out.
"And he no doubt does. I took him with me when he turned eighteen too. We just haven't found someone we both like to bring back to live with us permanently. Marriage is a tricky thing, gotta get along with the family. So, he does is duty and we keep looking at the women that want a place, not just a baby."
"Hmmm, and what are we marketing me as then?" she lifted the corner of her hat so she could peer balefully at Allison.
"Nothing. You're not for sale sweetie." Momma laughed and flicked the edge of Aya's hat. "You're there to learn, and I'm going to put you into just the right hands for that. You don't have to look twice at anyone else got it? You'll get to wear the veil that says 'I don't want to remember you' all three weeks if you want to."
"...hell." Brea muttered. "You're going to make me change aren't you?"
"A little" Allison agreed "Split skirts so you can still move. Unbinding. A low cut vest to lace up over your shirt instead of your standard vest."
Brea nodded, that sounded tame enough. "And?"
"Switch your hat for the veil and bonnet...and no guns. No guns at all in town."
Brea swore under her breath and just barely refrained from kicking the woman beside her. "That is...irresponsible. You're taking me to a town with no guns in the limits? How long until the beasts show up?"
"The law is armed. They do very well, it's just that they prefer to avoid 'lovers quarrels'. People get a little worked up over sex."
"Can I keep the guns in the wagon? Just in case?" Brea offered. No, she wasn't certain that beasts tended to follow her, but she did know she found more than most people alive. It made for great trade wares...and poor sleep while camping.
"I'll ask" Allison assured, squeezing Aya Brea's shoulder again before taking the reins in both hands. "You'll do alright. You know the benefits of knowledge."
Brea couldn't help but agree with that...but...no one had ever 'caught her fancy' as Momma put it. She couldn't imagine anyone ever would, considering how she lived. It was something to think on as the miles rolled by. Duty, kids...what the hell did a human look for in a mate? Much less a husband?
She had to admit, privately, deep inside...she liked the idea of kids. She was good with them. It's just that...they'd be half-human. Unless they got her quirks they were likely to get sick. To die. Little tiny graves next to Nevada's. Somehow, Brea just knew that these were the wrong thoughts for the moment. "I don't want kids, Momma."
"You won't get any, this time. I promise."
"Alright." Brea left it at that. They stopped a few days later, just outside town so Aya could change. Yes, Aya. She'd be a girl here. No one would see her ears, and they didn't have to respect her...it was strange, breathing without the bindings. It made her chest tingle with each breath, and the skirts cooled her legs as she moved.
Momma tightened the supporting vest then stepped back, an odd smile on her face. "There, you make a fair girl Aya Brea. You'll never have to worry about that."
She wasn't sure why, but Aya felt her face heating at those words. She donned the veil and bonnet a little to hastily for her peace of mind. "Thank you Momma."
"Well now, time to go."
Time to go indeed. The duty town, called Fair, was anything but. It was scorching hot and cramped, so many buildings built together instead of the nice spacing she was used to. So many buildings...and such a constant swirl of people. The people who lined the roads holdings signs looking for permanent wives and husbands. The bold as brass returning customers that went through bare faced and snagged choice tidbits as they could...and just as many more that carefully went through veiled. The children were the important things. Foreign blood for towns that were growing far to familial.
Momma wended the wagon skilfully through, ignoring the whistles and hopeful calls. Aya just stonily ignored it all, snapping her veiled gaze to those that came to close to the wagon, but otherwise unmoved. How...did she find common ground with these people? Was she suppose to? They ended up at a little hotel on the quieter side of town, and Momma slipped down from the wagon to give the hostler a hearty kiss. An action Aya did not emulate.
Other than the hostler, several of the lawmen made their homes here. One of which owed Momma a favor. More importantly, he was sterile since The solution. Not inactive, just sterile. She felt like a cornered rabbit the first night Momma left them alone. Without those bindings on her chest she was almost sure that her heart would burst straight out through her ribs. And damn she hated being afraid. What had she to fear? A little pain? Women survived this all the time.
Fear always made Aya...bold.
She made the first move that night, surprising her older partner with direct questions about how he felt. She wanted, no, needed, to understand. And yes, she hurt, deeply, by the time morning came. It was an aching, distant thing though when compared to the relief of facing down a mental monster.
The stayed three weeks, and despite outside urging, Aya never switched partners. she wouldn't take the risk...plus it was oddly pleasant to learn what made this man happy. What he said would keep most men happy. Every time he smiled, or lost control, or fumbled at her tightly knotted bonnet she felt like she'd passed a test. Like the exams Nevada would give her randomly as she grew up.
By the end of three weeks, she could kiss this man as deeply as Momma had hers...and more importantly, she could enjoy it. She'd...passed. She'd learned. Momma had been right to bring her.
Aya couldn't judge if she'd ever feel the need to come back, but she could say she wouldn't be afraid to.
