It's early evening when we get back to the ship, and I just eat a little and drink water to relax in the cabin, think about the future and think of a plan. It's so nice that most of the sailors got a day of when Danr is away, and it's almost empty here on the ship. All except one are in a feast hall further down the harbor, and we can hear it from here. I'm pleased that I don't have to visit it.

It was a nice farm with maybe 0.4 x 1km of land, with a lot of wooded hills and cliffs. It could be a good place for the Academy, probably up among the hills by the lake with a view to the sea so that the farm can be used as is and be used for education. Sadly no good place for a waterwheel. Jarl Skiringe is a woman who knew what she wanted, and she was very straight forward and open when we were alone. It was just no strings attached pure sex. Not even a hint about any kind of agenda except wanting to have really good sex, and Liv had obviously told her what I like to do and how.

I seem to have fulfilled her desires, maybe a little too good. Even I noticed her references and topics of conversation, and it would probably be a good future in a year or two given the world I'm in, but I'm not keen on marriage or children, although Jarl Skiringe certainly is an incredibly desirable wife. If I got to know her more socially and who she really is, it might be tempting, but I care more about Iselin, and I don't think I'm ready to have a 10 year old stepdaughter and a 17 year old stepson. Skiringe didn't seem to have anything against more children, but I don't even know if I can have a health child with an Elf.

I also don't know how to handle so much sex in such a short time, with such willing partners. I need to take it easy, otherwise I'm going to die in a couple of years. Iselin comes in and seems quite pleased as she rest on her bed, but Alith has probably informed her that I have avoided Skiringe's approaches. Ciara is out on deck somewhere with Alith and Bodil.

Ciara finishes embroidering Iselin's bag and looks at her craft. Shades of blue, green and red frame Iselin's rune name. The runes are made exactly according to how Iselin wrote them, and it's so easy to copy since it's just straight lines. The colors match Iselin's red hair, green eyes and that blue dress she usually wears. It's a pity Ciara has nothing new to embroider. It was nice to have something to do, something to focus on. Bodil wondered if she doesn't get tired of embroidering, sitting hour after hour and just doing nice detail work, but Ciara appreciates it and likes to just complete it. It's ... satisfying, when you finish and look at it. To feel a job well done without small mistakes or carelessness and it makes time go by. Bodil understood that. She also likes doing crafts, just not sewing or embroidering.

Apparently it was a good and educational night for Robert and also for Alith. In several ways. Ciara is happy that another couple of women understand how to appreciate Robert - there are so many who are living in the dark. Jarl Skiringe has apparently seen the light and it's good that Robert now owns land here, and Ciara wouldn't mind staying here and serving Robert even if they get married.

Robert.

Ciara wish that she could use Robert's name in address just as Iselin can, but she hasn't deserved it yet. Robert's name is such a clear sign from the Gods, that the realisation struck Ciara like lightning when Iselin jokingly said that it sounds like someone combined the word for a person with glory, with the word for light. Such a terribly fitting description of her master, as one last piece of the puzzle for her future. Robert.

It's hard to hear exactly what Bodil and Alith are saying when birds or wind sometimes hide their words, and they use words she don't understand, but she understands that Robert isn't an Elf but a man from heaven, a better place than here, an angel sent by the Gods here in the north, that saved her on his divine goal of trying to make the world a better place for all. Teach knowledge, gather scholars and make everything better. A noble goal.

Bodil's angry with Alith that she went to bed with their Sir, and has several times discreetly admonished Alith, but Alith thinks there was no real sex between them - he never penetrated her but it was absolutely wonderful. Ciara doesn't doubt Alith's words, but becomes curious how Robert can give good sex even dressed. It's the first time Alith has been with a Sir in any way, and that experience was worth Bodil's annoyance, and the more she thinks about it, the more confident Alith becomes that she would actually do it again, and go further, and just hope that Robert is good enough that she can continue as a guard. Which irritates Bodil more. Bodil is still lost in the dark, but Alith sees the light.

Apparently brighter than Ciara expected, because when Alith starts telling Bodil about Liv's experiences and how much Alith learned from Liv, Ciara can't help get a little embarrassed. It's probably good that they don't understand that Ciara can sometimes hear and understand them even when they speak softly. Liv gave Alith a wooden stick of the kind Ciara knows some women make to satisfy themselves, when they don't have a man who does, but this one is special and is made to be worn around daytime in the buttocks under the clothes. Alith's there right now. When Alith begins to describe what it feels like to walk around with it, or stand leaning against the wall outside Sir's cabin with it in the butt, it becomes too much for Bodil who storms off to the pier and the sailor who guards there, while Alith laughs behind her.

Ciara doesn't understand that. Why would a woman want anything there? She can understand why a man would force his manhood into the buttocks of a woman, because they are creatures that force it in everywhere and in the buttocks there can't be children. But why does Alith walk around with a wooden stick there voluntarily? It just hurts and must be in the way?

Ciara leave those thoughts and just sits there with Iselin's finished bag next to her, and contentedly looks out over the city. There's much in the world that she doesn't understand, but it isn't important. It is important that Robert sleeps in the cabin again tonight, so everything will be fine. Last night was... anguish. Even in her own bed with Iselin's snoring body next to her, she had difficulty sleeping. The cabin felt just empty, cold and not as safe as it used to be. She wanted to sneak over to Robert's bed and try to sleep there, but didn't dare.

When Robert and Iselin visited Jarl Skiringe, she lay down in Roberts bed and pressed her head into Roberts pillow and could faintly smell him, and then it felt a little better. But his light and warmth were lacking, and it was just empty within her. Not dark. Just, no light.

A warm bath would be really nice, and we are in a big city so there is certainly a good bathhouse here. Everyone wants to go to the bathhouse, and it's been several days since we all bathed, and some of us had a sweaty time, so everyone brings bags with extra clothes.

There's more than one bathhouse, so I pick the best one. It's not just luxury, it's a circular status thinking thing. By using the best I sort of claim I belong there, and it's cheap anyway, as long as I'm not paying for penetrating sex with a slave. Actually quite cheap then too. Slave women really is a commodity here, and this is a big trading city.

The bathhouse isn't closing for a while, and as 'honored guests', the madam says that they will stay open for us if we want to stay longer. It's almost the same style as the other bathhouses. This one is the largest, has a pond in the middle and a couple of wooden statues, looks like Thor and Freya. Really luxurious. Again, one bathroom each for me and Iselin-Ciara, but Alith and Bodil refuse to let me be alone with them far away in another room. I have said I will take their advice when it comes to guarding so I just accept. They quickly make a plan that they'll use the public female bathroom one at a time. Alith guards outside my bathroom while Bodil washes herself, then they switch. A good solution, and I inform Bodil to take her time, I like to lie in the bath for a long time, often until the water is cool, so they will both have plenty of time.

It's a good solution until Alith of course come in with the maid who is going to scrub me and guards the room while I sit in the bathtub. I really hope I get used to this soon. I can manage on my own, but beside that everyone just assumes that maids will help with simple things, Iselin have told me that I need to get use to it. A man of high status must have maids and servants help him, and refusing or not paying for it will give the impression of not really being rich or powerful. Iselin would love to do it, and bath in here with me, but that would just feel bad and is such a bad idea. Ciara's not much better even if she just scrubs me, and it's better if I spoil them with a shared bathroom.

Why is it more uncomfortable with Alith in there than an unknown maid who scrubs my back and want to wash my hair? Why do I get extra embarrassed and uncomfortable? We have done more than just seen each other naked, but it's uncomfortable when she stands there with an attentive smile, although it is starting to feel quite good about having her close by, and knowing she cares about my safety, and the same applies to Bodil. Under Alith's watchful eyes, the maid is thorough, efficient, and fast. When I'm clean and the maid leaves, Alith doesn't follow.

"I hope Sir can accept that it must be my choice, and that it doesn't change my service in the future, but Liv gave me a wooden plug that I've carried around for a while and it has been... effective. If Sir lets me wash my groin as fast as possible in Sir's bathing water, we can quickly enjoy each other and test it's effect before Bodil has time to return."

I didn't see this coming, and it's starting to get too damn much, and I'm starting to let sex control way too much. How absurdly much sex have I had the last 24 hours? Would it have been easier to resist if everyone had been ugly? I will be dying within a couple of years at this rate. What was it Astrid said a couple of weeks ago? Sejdwomen, Powerful women and Shieldmaidens will be drawn to me like bees to flowers?

Check, check, and check.

But it's so damn hard to say no when she stands there with an anxious, and impatient sexy smile...

So I nod and with a smile show that there's room in the bath tub. Alith's quick to hook the door, get her pants off and join me in the bath, where I help her wash her not-so-private-parts, and she's extra careful around and in her ass and takes the opportunity to clean the wooden plug as well. It's funny how erotic it feels considering how fast and efficient she is, or it's just me who gets excited by the view in front of my eyes.

Then she seductively and like a sinful goddess steps out of the bath tub, picks up an earthenware bottle of oil I recognize from her bag, and stands a little wide-legged forward leaning against the bench and look expectantly over her shoulder, while using one hand to touch her buttocks. I'm so glad I didn't say no, and the show and play has definitely made me ready.

A few short sinful and intense minutes later, Alith quickly gets dressed and stands outside as if nothing have happened, but I saw her pleased smile and how she made an effort to keep the sound down. I wash my groin once more, before I put on clean clothes and go out and sit on the bench outside next to standing Alith. I just take a couple of controlled breaths, and hear a quiet giggle from Alith.

I've just sat there for a couple of minutes when we see Bodil come walking, so we both try to play it cool, and it helps that Bodil panics a bit that I'm already done, but I calm her down and ask her to sit down while we wait for the others. Alith quickly leaves to wash herself - all of herself this time, and also to wash out of her butt again so she doesn't have to pinch - and I tell Alith to take her time. She has definitely deserved it, and honestly - that feels like a better experience than all the time with Skiringe. Maybe a bad idea, but I can definitely live with it, and respect Alith's wish.

I calm Bodil by saying I just couldn't relax in the bath as usual. So much has happened in the last day. Usually I stay in the bath much longer, which is confirmed by Iselin and Ciara who are also surprised when they show up after a while, since they heard my voice with Bodils outside and hurried up. Alith arrives shortly after, fresh and clean with a satisfied smile. I can't help but agree; a night is nice, but that felt sinful and intense on another scale.

My inner nerd gets extra happy when I realise I just had a real life Sexy Spa episode.

Achievement Reached!

I take the opportunity to talk a little with Bodil in the evening, and it requires methodical questioning. As I already knew, she has known Alith all her life and she has been trained in battle by Alith's mother, but in retrospect Bodil knows it was mostly since her friend Alith enjoys it. Her best friend have always been Alith, and Bodil knows she can be a little shy, quiet and often need Alith's more straight forward aggressive drive. So she tend to let Alith take the lead and handle the talking.

It's more important for Alith to experience adventure, gain respect and be known than it is for Bodil, but Bodil also doesn't want to work on a farm, and one thing she has in common with Alith is that they both just like being out in nature, and hunt etc. Something Bodil otherwise likes to do in her spare time is crafts, carving some wood or the like. Being a guard limits it to small things, but it's a good pastime on a guard post when there isn't any real threat, and it's often possible to barter for a meal or mug of mead or two.

Her father is a craftsman, mainly woodcarving and builds furniture etc, and her mother is the daughter of another craftsman, so she seems to have it in her blood to enjoy doing something with her fingers, and grew up with crafts around her. She can carve wood and build furniture, and have learned both her father and her mother's crafts. And of course the usual farming stuff and wool preparation, spinning, weaving and sewing even if she doesn't like it. Her older sister enjoy that, and her older brother works as a carpenter. They're both married with children. Bodil have a younger brother too, and he is just 14 years old and a carpenter. Bodil can read, write and count quite well, and seems the best of all of my company, and has tried to teach Alith to become better.

Bodil is unhappy that Alith went to bed with me, but she is happy that it didn't involve any penetration, and seems extra worried that Alith will become pregnant. If she only knew what we did, and how Alith avoids that. I don't have much choice so I try to reassure Bodil that we're two adults who voluntarily had limited sexual contact with each other, and I don't respect Alith less for that. But it happened. They are both still my guards and I respect them both just as much. I respect Bodil because she is adamant in her attitude that you don't do such a thing with the Sir you work for, and I respect Alith because she doesn't seem to let it affect her in her guard service.

Bodil is reassured when I offer to swear on which ever god she wishes, that I don't use galdr - spells - to seduce women, and that it's important she understands that it goes against my principle of free will. Galdr is a type of sejd I don't do, and to claim I use it is an insult. But I can't stop that some women find me attractive just because I am the man I am. I also don't want to be rude regardless of the social status of others. It costs nothing to be polite, but it can cost everything to be rude.

Alith obviously wants to keep it a secret that we're already gone further, and I'll really try to keep that as a separate thing and never ask Alith to bed or sex. That would just feel wrong on principle. If, on the other hand, Alith wants us to have a sinful moment at some point in the future, I can accept it. I can definitely accept it.