Chapter 82: Something About Mary

I looked at my raging princess and smiled. Then I leaned to the side and looked past her at the lodge entrance where Banshee stood with her mouth hanging open. I smiled and Mouse glanced back and started to panic, she was caught flat out throwing a tantrum while nude.

I casually tossed her dress back to her and asked Banshee, “Yes?”

Well Banshee did her thing and started to babble so I firmly said, “English”, and she went to stammering as she tried to think of the English words for whatever she had to say.

I simply pointed at the floor and said, “Sit”

Turning to Mouse I said, “Sit please”

She started to sit on the floor and I said “No” and patted the bench next to me, wife sits here. With that I had made clear my view of the pecking order. Everybody settled and I breathed for a moment collecting my thoughts. How long had it been since I had a drink? It was obviously way past time in my current life.

“Banshee, what is it you need?” I asked. Mouse helpfully translated and babbling woman began to babble again. Mouse eventually broke in and replied to her then turned to me and said “It is my fault, I was supposed to measure you for stick.”

Well her English was still a bit rough but improving by the hour, I think it was coming back to her with use. So we measured me for a walking stick and Banshee took off again, Mouse began to prepare evening supper and I dug into my pack looking for my bottle.

I had finally located both bottle and cup only to have them both taken from my hands and Mouse said, “Wife do for you.” Well I could live with that, I think. So I dug out a cigarette, accepted the cup of bourbon and waited to see what could possibly go wrong next.

Meat was sizzling and something was boiling when Banshee and Mary showed back up, supper was a simple affair of beans, corn and meat. Most of it I suspected was the remains of the left overs which suited me just fine and my belly had absolutely no complaints.

I was basking in the glory of a warm meal with Mouse sitting next to me and Banshee sitting at my knee when Mary took center stage. She was blushing brightly and had something hidden behind her back. So much for my quiet evening, I had a sneaking suspicion this Mary thing was about to get a lot more complicated than I was interested in.

I held my cup out to Mouse and she refilled it for me, I then passed it to Mary. “I think you will probably need this”, damn my gut instinct. Mary took the cup and drained it, damn that was two full shots.

“You have something to show me Mary?”, and so it started.

Mary was agitated, clearly nervous, ashamed and excited at the same time. I really expected her to break out in either sobs or song in any moment and that was the problem I needed to at least but a band-aid on. Tonight was as good as night as any and I had two women next to me I hoped would help me if things got to messy. I just needed Mary to be somewhat stable and predictable until I got her to Rulo.

I motioned Mary closer, she knelt in front of me and offered up her hand-made switch with both hands. She kept her eyes downcast and was shaking just a little, I reached out and took the offered creation.

It was actually an amazing work, practically a work of art. She had intricately woven multiple lengths of willow together with thin strips of brightly colored cloth and what appeared to be a thin strip of white sapling skin. The handle was what felt like well worked rabbit leather attached with the same white sapling skin. The business end made me shudder, it had obviously received the most attention and was shaped like a flat whisk. It was in the shape of a flower and had bright colors woven into it as well, it also included a nasty looking ring of thorn vine.