Women. Sex. He’d been here nine months, a full Anyar year, and he hardly remembered thinking about sex. How could that be? Had the Watchers done something to him during the “repair job”? A chill trickled down his arms and back, not only at the thought of a life without sex, but of what else they might have done to him.
“Yozef?” asked Cadwulf. “Are you all right?”
He stared at the others. “I just realized I haven’t thought about women that way the whole time I’ve been on Caedellium,” he said in a tone both wondering and worrying. “That doesn’t seem natural.”
“It’s not!” said a concerned Filtin, as he and Cadwulf stepped back to where Yozef still stood. “A grown man has his normal needs. Uh . . . you say you haven’t thought about women that way, but . . . uh . . . surely, you must have noticed being ‘aroused.’ Maybe when asleep or daydreaming?”
“Aroused? What—? Oh, you mean an erection. Not that I remember.”
“Not at all?” blurted Cadwulf. “I guess the shock of being washed up here and knowing you’d never see your homeland again might have something to do with it. Maybe you should see the medicants about it?”
“Somehow I don’t see myself discussing my sex life with Brother Dyllis or Sister Diera.”
“Doesn’t have to be those two. Brother Alber would be understanding, and no one thinks he’d tell of your confidence,” offered Cadwulf.
“Why go to the medicants when you’ve two perfectly good advisors right next to you?” chortled Filtin.
“Practical advice we might give,” said Cadwulf dryly, “but if there are medical problems, he needs to see the medicants.”
“He can always do that later, after seeing if our advice helps. Right here and now is the perfect opportunity to survey the women of Abersford and see if any gives Yozef a ‘rise’ in interest.”
Both Filtin and Cadwulf laughed. Yozef was less amused.
“Now, now, Filtin,” said Cadwulf, “it’s important to let Yozef know which women might be available. We don’t want our mysterious friend and employer to get into trouble with the magistrates or irate husbands and family members.”
For the next half hour, they alternated between experiencing exhibits and a running commentary on the names, attributes, and availability of Abersford women. At first, Yozef cringed at the degree of detail, although it was all done with good humor, and the ribald nature of the comments paired with an unmistakable undertone tone of respect.
“Cania Narberth. Now there’s a good-looking woman,” whispered Filtin, as they passed a black-haired woman in her late twenties. “To bad she had to get married. She and I had some times.”
“Before he was married,” added Cadwulf.
Filtin continued his running travelogue, as they passed a teenage girl with long auburn hair. “Ah, one of Gerrael Horsham’s daughters. Elwin is her name or something close to it. A little young yet, but in another year or two our young Cadwulf will sniff around her.”
Cadwulf laughed. “No, in this case. It’s best to avoid complications with more than one woman in the same family.”
“You dog,” laughed Filtin, “I assume that refers to the oldest daughter, Rhawna?”
Cadwulf sniffed. “An honorable man does not discuss such details among common louts such as yourself.”
“I’ll have you know I am not a common lout,” declared Filtin. “It takes effort to stay an uncommon one!”
Although Yozef told them he had not had thoughts of women, meaning sex, since he arrived, what he realized was that he had not consciously had such thoughts. He had been noticing females more lately, though he hadn’t realized how much until minutes ago. As it always seemed here, realization of one issue raised more questions and problems.
Trying to sound nonchalant, he asked, “Exactly what are the customs here on Caedellium, as far as men and women are concerned?”
“I assume you don’t mean how they dress different,” replied Cadwulf with a mischievous grin.
“He means how do they undress,” ribbed Filtin. “Or more to the point, how does a man get a woman to lie back and spread her legs.”
Yozef’s face heated. “I mean, if they’re attracted to each other, what are the customs here? What’s considered appropriate behavior?”
“Appropriate behavior?” said Filtin. “That all depends on who you ask.”
“True,” Cadwulf conceded. “The Word sanctions the union of husband and wife but is not clear on non-husband and non-wife. You can get the theophists to argue endlessly over the issue without coming to a consensus. What the Word emphasizes is the responsibility to care for any children that result.”
Filtin’s jovial expression became more serious, as he listened to Cadwulf’s words. “And it must be that the woman is both of a reasonable age and willing.”
Cadwulf nodded. “Definitions and customs vary. What is defined as ‘appropriate age’? Parents will believe it’s several years older than the girl does. There’s also some sense that a person is less respectable if he or she is too frequent or public in relationships with the other sex. On the other hand, it’s a fairly common custom for two such persons to acknowledge the relationship in front of others, in case a child results. That way, there is evidence of fatherhood, if necessary.”
“That sounds better than what really goes on,” Filtin qualified. “Too often, there’s some reason not to want to be public, such as embarrassment or the perceived objections of family or friends. Not to mention that opportunity and urges might not fit with planning or rational thought.”
“True,” said Cadwulf, “which is why, whether fair or not, the burden falls more on the woman to be sure of circumstances and intentions. Especially since she needs to know her monthly bleeding cycle. Unless she’s too much a simpleton, she knows that the chances of getting with child are greatest the sixdays around her time.”
“That gives her at about four sixdays each month when it’s safe, if she wants to avoid getting pregnant,” said Filtin.
Hmmm . . . considered Yozef. That’s interesting. The larger of the two moons here had a thirty-six-day orbit pattern. The month divisions were matched on the same cycle, and women here must have their ovulation cycles synchronized with the moons, as on Earth, except here it was thirty-six days, instead of twenty-eight. So, for maybe two-thirds of each month, a woman here could have intercourse with a lower risk of pregnancy, assuming she was regular and kept accurate track.
I wonder what this means for customs on extramarital sex?
Before he could ask, Filtin answered.
“Mothers teach daughters to be aware once they start their monthly bleedings, but when she reaches her full size, she’s considered an adult and responsible in this matter.”
“That coincides with reaching what’s considered the usual marriageable age of seventeen,” added Cadwulf.
Seventeen? Yozef did a quick conversion. That was about fifteen years on Earth.
“So, if I understand, when she’s of marriageable age she might start to engage in sex. Are there any restrictions for age or position of the man?”
Cadwulf shrugged. “While it’s not considered good behavior for a man too much older to have relations with a much younger woman, that’s her responsibility.”
The two Caedelli continued with Yozef’s sex education class for several more minutes. Yozef listen carefully. It was evident relations were condoned outside of marriage.