John and Argent by cmsix

Chapter 9

When Georgo and I made it back to the camp it was still a whirl of activity. It did seem that the bison processing was winding down though, except for the drying of the meat and the continuing work on the hides. It would still be a couple of days before the meat was dried.

Gema and Merita spotted me almost as soon as the wagon stopped. They dropped their work on the lion skins and rushed to me. Maia was working on a lion skin also but she seemed undecided as to how she should act.

"John, where have you been?" Gema asked, sounding like a wife already.

"I had to go to my cave with Georgo. He and I had some things to talk about."

"Is it true. Is what Geera told us true?" Merita asked.

"What did Geera tell you and the others?"

"She said that you wanted Maia for your mate also." Gema said excitedly.

"Yes it is true then, I would love to have Maia as my mate also. Are you and Merita disappointed?"

"No! No we are not disappointed, we are thrilled." Merita said in answer.

"Do you think that Maia will accept me as a mate. I am much older than Maia."

"You are much older than Gema and I also and we are very pleased that we will soon be mated to you. Maia can hardly believe what Geera told us. She is afraid to even hope that it is true." Merita told me.

I knew the cure for that so I walked over to Maia and asked her if she would consent to mate with me.

"Yes John, I will consent. I would beg if it would help. I can barely believe that you would mate me also." Maia told me.

"Do not sell yourself short Maia. It is I that will be proud to have you for a mate, as I am proud that Gema and Merita will also be mated to me. I am the one that is lucky."

"But why did you offer twenty-five bison for me also John. The women would have agreed to much less." Maia asked.

"I offered twenty-five bison because you are worth that to me. You are worth much more than that. You all are. I feel like I am stealing you for only twenty-five bison each. I am sure that the women of the camp do not realize how valuable Gema, Merita and you are."

Maybe I was finally getting the hang of talking to women. I was doing a good job in this time and place anyway. Gema, Merita and Maia nearly swooned at this.

"I think you three had better go back to work on your sleeping furs now. You will want them in just a few more days."

They all seemed so excited but they went back to the furs and began working on them with a vengeance. Geera caught my eye then and signaled for me to come to her and I did.

"John I guess that you have already talked to Gema, Merita and Maia but for formality I will tell you that I have talked to all three of them and to all the women. Gema, Merita and Maia will all accept you as a mate and the other women think that your offer is more than fair. Especially if you will agree to help carry the bison for us with your wagon and horses." Geera told me.

"You should know that I would be glad to help with the carrying and in any way that I can. More bison wait only for your word that you are ready for them."

"I am convinced of that now John." Geera told me.

Dieta walked over to us then. I was glad she had because I wanted to meet her in person. From what I had seen on my spying trip and from what Geera had let slip this morning I thought that meeting her after dark might be an even better experience.

"John, this is Dieta. She was the mother of Merita and Maia." Geera told me.

"I am very pleased to meet you Dieta. Now I know why Gema, Merita and Maia are so beautiful. It is because their mothers are so beautiful."

I was batting a thousand so far. Even though Geera and Dieta tried not to show it I could tell that my compliment was more than well received. Apparently the ancient men were stingy with their praise.

"And I am beginning to get an idea how you have caused our daughters to be practically panting to mate with you. I assumed at first it was because you would mate Gema and Merita both so they would not have to be separated. After the bison hunt I assumed that it was your skill as a hunter. Now I know that your greatest skill is probably going to be as a mate." Dieta said.

The way she said it made me wonder if there was a double meaning that she was using with their word for mate. I was sure that there was a double meaning for the way she was looking me over and I was all for it.

"Be careful in your teasing of him Dieta. He might get the wrong idea. Even if he gets the right idea we might find that he is more than we can handle." Geera said and then she blushed at once over her own boldness.

"Well Geera, what good is a mate if he isn't more than can be handled." Dieta said, almost issuing a challenge.

"I assure you both that I can be as meek as a lamb if I need to."

They both smiled at this and seemed to decide that we had flirted enough. Geera told me then that she has something important that she needed to discuss with me. Dieta said that she would tell the others where we were if we were needed. Geera thanked her and led me back up river to the spot we had used this morning.

"John I think I should warn you that your mating may cause some trouble for you." Geera told me.

"Georgo has told me that Gembo will not be pleased. He has also told me of your custom that would allow Gembo to take all my belongings and my mates if he kills me."

"I am afraid Georgo might be correct John. I am also afraid that Gembo's mother's mate and his uncle might try to help him." Geera told me.

"I hope they do not. If it is only Gembo that tries to kill me I will only have to take one more mate. If Jabo and Jenbo try to help him then I will have three more mates. I'm not worried about feeding them but I do worry that they might begin to argue among themselves."

"But won't you be worried if they all try to kill you?" Geera asked.

"We will be using the furs of the last three animals that tried to attack me at once as our sleeping furs. I am not worried about Gembo, Jabo and Jenbo. I haven't even seen them yet and already know that I will be the last thing they ever try to hunt if they try to hunt me."

Geera looked directly into my eyes for a long moment then. I'm sure she could tell that I meant what I said. Finally she shuddered a little and looked away.

"Gema and Merita were correct when they first saw you. You are a stranger. For the most part you seem like any other man but in some ways you seem like you know many things that other men cannot know. You do not brag and swagger like some men but I know that you are more than most men. It will be an experience to know you." Geera said.

Sunset was approaching and I decided to lighten the conversation a little. I thought that Geera needed a little humor.

"Geera don't you think that we should go back to camp. You might not want to be here alone with me when the sun goes down and it becomes dark."

Geera gave a little start and looked at me again.

"You could be wrong John. I might want to be alone with you after dark. You are right that the time is not now though. We should go back." Geera told me.

Curiouser and curiouser. We did get up and walk back to camp then though. Food was almost ready and tonight I would have three prospective mates to feed me. What a change from frozen dinners alone in Longview Texas.

We had fresh bison for supper tonight along with many small vegetables that I didn't recognize. They tasted good and that was all that mattered to me. I nearly laughed out when I thought about the first time I would show Gema, Merita and Maia how to fix Ranch Style Beans. I was sure that it was going to be a novelty with them even if they didn't like the beans. Hell the cans they were in would be completely foreign to them.

Thinking about the bean cans started me wondering about canning and preserving food. Of course I hadn't let the Aliens off with just sending me here with normal canned beans. All the canned food I had was in special Alien cans. They were titanium of course and the lids were secured with some mechanism of Alien design that allowed them to be opened or resealed with no trouble.

This led to thoughts of the irradiated food. It was technology that was not new to earth even though it was only used for specialty items so far. I wondered how much a unit that could preserve food this way would weigh. If we had a unit now that could preserve the bison meat we could save days of labor and trouble. I would be asking Argent about a unit like that as soon as he contacted me again.

I finished my meal and put next year's goodies out of my mind. Gigo came out of the dwelling carrying a bag of the beverage that I now knew they called bruga. He offered me a taste and I let him fill my cup. I tasted it. It was like a strong beer and it was a little too bitter for my liking. I didn't inquire as to its manufacture but I was curious and decided that Georgo would be the best one to ask about it. I did notice that tonight seemed to be Dergo's night to get shitfaced. Lo and behold he was drunk and in bed inside the dwelling even before Gema, Merita and Maia came to show me to my bed for the night.

"Did you enjoy the bruga John?" Merita asked me as we got to my sleeping place.

"Yes I did. I must tell you though that I will probably never drink as much as Dergo did tonight or as much as Gigo drank the night after the deer hunt that I watched." I told them all.

They were silent for a moment and they passed a look between each other. They didn't comment on what I said but I could tell they were wondering how I knew how much Gigo drank at the feast after the hunt. They let it pass though and after looking around to make sure that no one was watching they all gave me a kiss. Maia surprised Gema, Merita and me by stealing her kiss off my lips. I gave her a big grin as all three of them blushed because of her boldness. Then they all ran away giggling.

I slept soundly until morning.

I woke at sunrise and after a visit to the pisser I encountered Dergo as he was headed toward it. He looked hungover and since I had taken time to grab a few aspirin when Georgo and I visited my cave I gave him one and told him to swallow it and then drink three cups of water.

"Why would I do that?" Dergo asked.

"Do you enjoy the pounding in your head that the bruga has given you?"

"No. I like the bruga but I do not like the pounding." Dergo said.

"Then swallow the pill as I have told you and drink the water. The pounding will fall silent shortly after you do it."

Dergo looked at me strangely, almost as if he didn't want to believe me. He said that he would do it though and then walked off toward the pisser.

When I reached the fire breakfast was nearly ready. Gema, Merita and Maia were fixing my plate. I sat on the rock ledge and soon they brought me the food and sat talking with me as I ate.

"They will begin preparing for our mating feast tomorrow. We are all very excited. Georgo has said that there may be two hundred people here to watch our mating." Merita told me.

"He also said that since there would now be three of us mating you that there might even be more people coming." Merita added.

"I guess we will have to stay and party all night long then."

"Everyone else will stay and party all night long. They will drink very much bruga and will all eat until they can hold no more. We will leave after we are mated though. We will be going back to your cave. Dieta and Geera will come with us to make sure that we know what to do." Maia said.

"That is very thoughtful of them. We want to start our lives together the right way."

"I should not tell you this but I don't care what others say. It is said that when a woman mates for the first time that it can hurt her. I do not care if it hurts, I am very excited that I will be mated and I know that Gema and Merita are excited also." Maia told me and then blushed, as did Gema and Merita.

"I will tell you that it can hurt the first time but I will be as gentle and careful as I can. Causing pain for any of you is the last thing that I want to do. I will also promise that I will make it worth the trouble you suffer on that first time."

"Geera and Dieta have both told us that later we will be glad that we went through the pain. We are all ready and they will be there to help." Gema said.

"So we will leave the guest to celebrate after the mating an go at once to my cave?"

"Yes." They all said.

"We will be glad for the wagon then since we will not have to walk."

"I didn't even think of that. You mean that we will all ride to your cave in the wagon?" Merita asked.

"Of course we will. That way we will not be tired when we get there."

"That will be better. The wagon is large also and we will be able to put all our bedding, furs, clothes and other belongings in it won't we?" Gema asked.

"Yes we will. You will find that the wagon and the horses are much better for traveling and carrying things than you think. I will have to catch some more horses and train them also. You will each have a horse of your own so you need not walk for miles just to get somewhere. When you are out gathering you will ride the horses and let them carry back what you have found."

"That will be exciting John. We will probably be able to do our work much easier and faster with the horses to help us." Maia added.

"You will be, but it will take time to catch and train more horses. Until I have done it you can use Sally and Jane to ride and gather. Ben is a stallion and I do not think that you should try to use him. Sally and Jane will be able to carry two at a time until we have more horses. Horses are not without their own price though. We will have to cut grass for them to eat in the winter and we should also try to find some oats to gather for them also."

"Will it be more trouble to care for them over the winter than they will be worth?" Gema asked.

"No. You will see that they are worth the trouble. Unless the snow is very deep they can still graze on the standing grass. I have blocked off a small canyon to save them all its grass for the winter. We will only have to feed them when they can't find food for themselves. Remember the wild horses are able to live during the winter without any help. We only have to help our horses because we make them stay close to us which keeps them from roaming over larger areas to find food."

"It sounds like it will be different from what we have known." Merita said.

"Being mated will be different but I think that you are going to like it. I know that I am."

They blushed and giggled a little then. Breakfast was finished and we stood and separated to help with the last of the meat processing and with the beginning preparations for our mating ceremony.

The rest of the day was spent working in and around their camp. There were in ground pits for cooking that had to be cleaned out. A large table built of small trees and covered with hides was erected. It was to hold most of the food after it was ready. Many smaller fires had to be made also for other cooking. I can't even begin to guess how many times I saw women heat stones in the fire and then put them into skin bags of liquid for heating.

Basically the whole camp was given a once over, cleaning and repairing and making things look neat and tidy.

The next day was more of the same. Georgo had returned and about noon new arrivals began. I guess Georgo, Gigo and Geera had known what they were talking about. There were many more people than I'd expected. Before sunset there were more than a hundred new faces around and I felt like I had been introduced to each of them twice. If handshaking had been one of their customs my hand would surely be bruised from it by now.

Cooking started in earnest the next morning. All of the new arrivals had fires going where they were camped and all the women seemed to be cooking something. By three PM I estimated that there were over one hundred and fifty guests here.

The feast started at sunset and there were mountains of food on every table that had been erected. Gema, Merita and Maia were first in line and they'd told me that I was to wait at our usual spot on the rock ledge while they prepared my plate. When they came with a plate and large cup of tea for me I wondered if I could eat it all. They'd brought their own plates also and we sat together and had our last meal as unmated people. They laughed and talked while we ate but made no mention of the upcoming mating ceremony. Taking a cue from them I didn't mention it either.

Georgo waited until everyone had eaten before rising and speaking. He went on for some time with a speech extolling the virtues of being mated, going over how the man must provide for his mates and how his mates must see to his comfort.

By the time he'd wound down all the fires had been put out except the main one. He stepped to it and threw some kind of flash powder into it causing it to flare brightly. He called Gema, Merita, Maia and I over. He gave us a little speech and then extracted a promise from me to provide for and protect my mates, then he made Gema, Merita and Maia promise to make a comfortable home for me and to keep me clean and well fed and that was it. I guessed that the feast was the main thing.

After the ceremony Geera and Dieta gathered us up and we headed for the wagon. It had been one of the main curiosities during the last two days. When I harnessed the team this afternoon and tied a saddled Ben to the back I'd had hundreds of eyes on me. Loading all of the girl's things into it had also been the subject of much scrutiny. It had all been silent scrutiny from a distance though. The cubs had complained loudly any time a stranger got near it. All in all the whole process had been fairly organized and went off quietly.

Gigo had pointed out Gembo, Jabo and Jenbo to me earlier. They had made no effort to meet me and I hadn't bothered to introduce myself to them. They didn't cause any trouble but each time I noticed them I could tell that they weren't really into the spirit of the proceedings.

Fuck 'em. I didn't give a rat's ass what they thought. If they came later looking for trouble I was sure that I could help them find some. I was confident that it would be the last they ever found.

There was room on the wagon's seat for all of us and we were soon headed to my cave. All the women were quiet at first as they got used to riding. After a while Gema, Merita and Maia began to talk among themselves and they were soon whispering with Geera and Dieta. Finally they got around to me.

"John, shall we begin the mating nights tonight." Gema asked timidly.

"At first I was hoping so but if you all promise not to be disappointed I would rather wait until tomorrow night. I am tired and I know you must be. We will need to unpack at least a few things tonight and we are still an hour from my cave."

"We will be disappointed John but we think it is best to wait until tomorrow night too. We are tired also." Merita said.

"Tomorrow night it is then. Surely I can at least get a proper goodnight kiss tonight though."

"Yes you will get a goodnight kiss tonight. You will get many." Maia informed me.

The talk fizzled out and we just rode in silence. Suddenly Argent was talking to me in my head. That's what it seemed like anyway.

"John, first let me congratulate you on your mating and secondly let me tell you that we are pleased with your conduct in your new situation. We are very pleased in fact." Argent told me.

I didn't know how to reply to him so I just thought what I would like to say.

"Thank you Argent. I may like it better here than I would have ever imagined. I'm glad that you approve of my actions since I came here but I really don't know what I was supposed to be doing."

"Just make a life for yourself John and interact with the others as you see fit. That is all we ask.

"The reason I contacted you tonight is to tell you that we requested special permission to transfer a wedding gift for you and your new mates and we have received that permission. We are putting a bed into your cave. It is a rather large one seeing as you have three mates. We believe that you will be pleased with it. Good night now." Argent told me.

That was unexpected but it was certainly thoughtful of him. A bed would be welcome, especially if it were big enough for my mates and me. I was surprised though. I hadn't realized that Argent and his crew were still up there somewhere watching over me. They must be though if they knew that I was mated tonight. I was pleased but also surprised about the extra freight too.

When we finally arrived I told the women to stay seated as I got down and opened the big door. I then led the team through it and once inside I circled the wagon and headed it out. After I helped the women down I went to unhitch the team.

"John, what is that?" Merita asked pointing to a large cloth draped shape in the shadows near the back wall.

I nearly said I don't know but stopped myself. It had to be the bed that Argent had told me about, and it would have sounded very odd to all the women if I had said that I didn't know what it was.

"It is a surprise. I will show it to you in just a moment after I have put the horses in the pen. Will you put the cubs in their pen?"

"Yes, we will do it." Maia, who had come to like the cubs in the last few days, said.

I went out leading all three horses at once and turned them into the pen. Then returning to the cave I shut the big door and turned on the big light.

"What is that John?" Geera asked.

"It is a light. It is bright isn't it?"

"Yes it is, how did you get it and how did you light it so fast when it is so high?" Geera asked.

"It is not fire, it is light. It is turned on here with this switch."

I showed them all how to turn the light on and off. I also showed them where the wire for it was buried and explained that it would not light without the wire. I also told them that if it did not light when they moved the switch to let me fix it. They were amazed by the light and seemed to forget about the large covered shape.

I went to it then and they followed me. I grabbed the cloth covering and pulled it off. I don't think that they were as surprised as I was. The bed was enormous. The mattress was at least ten by ten and the bed was a four-poster with a canopy top. It was all made of some dark and beautifully stained wood. There was a huge headboard with shelves and drawers and a small cupboard on each side. A cabinet door on each side let down to form a bedside table. I nearly laughed when I looked up into the canopy and saw that the entire inside of the top was one giant mirror. Argent was getting a little kinky.

"It is beautiful John, but what is it." Merita asked.

"It is our bed my mates. It is where we will sleep. Lie down on it."

She seemed hesitant so I took off my boots and lay down. It was the most comfortable bed I had ever been on. I found out later that the mattress was made of a super high-density foam and that the box springs were nearly normal but with Alien modifications. They were wonderful no matter who made them.

The coverlet was of a design more nearly normal for this time. It was beautiful though. I was sure that the Aliens had fabricated it but it looked and felt like one giant tiger skin. Under it were more normal linen sheets and there were linen pillowcases on the pillows, which were also made of the high-density foam. Merita bucked up her nerve then and lay on the coverlet with me.

"It feels wonderful John. I have never seen a bed before and I have never felt a sleeping place like this. How did you make it?" She asked.

"I must have some secrets even from my mates. If I didn't you would all leave me and make beds of your own."

"We will never leave you John, surely you know that." Maia said.

"I was just teasing you. You must all try it. I think that you will like it."

They all lay down then and they did like it. There was more than enough room for all of us. I noticed a few small switches on an inside panel of the headboard. I flicked one and it turned on indirect lighting in the canopy. When I did this they all noticed the mirror.

"John! What is that?" Dieta asked excitedly.

"It is a mirror. When I look into it I can watch my beautiful bedmates without turning my head."

Dieta blushed crimson then and Geera did also after a few seconds. Gema, Merita and Maia all giggled and then blushed also.

"Will we all sleep in the same bed?" Maia asked.

"I hope so, I do not want to be lonely at night. Would you rather sleep somewhere else?"

"No, I think it will be grand if we all sleep together. Some mated couples sleep in the same furs all the time and some don't. I will like sleeping in your bed John." Maia said boldly.

"It is our bed Maia, not my bed."

This won me some smiles from all my mates. Even Dieta and Geera seemed to like the idea. I suggested that we should all try to sleep now and got approval from all of them. I got up to turn out the light and when I came back to the bed all the women were taking off their clothes. I started removing mine also. I soon learned that sleeping in the nude must be their custom as they never mentioned a thing but were soon completely naked. I couldn't decide where to look first.

I followed suit. The women had no trouble deciding where to look. They seemed to want to ask questions about the chain mail but none of them did. When I finally stepped out of my boxers all ten of their eyes were on my dick. It could tell too and it began to rise. Gema, Maia and Merita were wide eyed and their mouths were hanging open slightly. Geera and Dieta were also wide eyed and Dieta unconsciously licked her lips.

"Since your mating nights will not start until tomorrow Geera and I will sleep on either side of you tonight John." Dieta explained.

"Very well."

Nothing could suit me better. My mating nights, whatever they entailed, might not start until tomorrow night but I planned to get in some practice with Geera and Dieta a little later tonight. Just to let them know what their daughters were in for you understand.