Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Chapter One Jak
   Jak brushed down Brell Gill's mare Gaisey as his Uncle Dram prepared her
stall.  "So Dram, are you going to the dance tonight with Cess?"
   Dram shook his head as he finished filling the feed trough and headed to
the well to fill the water trough.  "Nah, she turned me down, I so I asked
her younger sister Casey."
   Jak shook his head as he finished up with the brush and began to check
her hooves and shoes.  "Casey is a cutie for an ten year old, she
definitely has some potential once she starts budding, have you laid with
her yet?"
   Dram drug the bucket out of the well in the inn's rear courtyard and
unhooked it from the rope.  "Nope, she does not seem too interested in that
stuff.  Bay Hunter won her laying day wreath and he never breaks them in
right.  But I plan on showing her what he did not after the dance.  Her pa
said we could use the old stableman's room in his barn.  He said that
someone needed to break her in right.  It is a shame that boys like Bay and
Mel can earn a chance to lay with a girl on her laying day.  They don't
know what they are doing and always end up turning the poor girl off to
laying with others."
   Jak shook his head as he began to check Gaisey's rear hooves.  "Yeah but
they seem to win a lot, they are good at convincing the poor girls that
they know what they are doing, you would think that the older girls would
warn the younger ones, oh speaking of laying days, Nell Collins's laying
day is in two weeks.  You going to compete for her wreath?"
   "I am thinking about it, but she is a little plump for my taste, she is
only eight, and is more stubborn than old man Croge'rs lame mule." Dram
replied as he poured the water into the trough.  "And her paw almost
attacked Ted Windsor when he lay with her older sister Fran for the first
time and made her cry.  He objected to every one of his girl's laying days,
said it was not right and that just because all the girls were forced to do
it fifteen years ago does not mean they should still do it now."
   "Yeah, Ted told me about that, Ms.  Collins had to stand in front of the
doorway and Ted and Fran ended up crawling out the window and heading over
to Ted's house to finish." Jak replied as he finished up with Gaisey and
led her into the stables.  "We should compete though, I only have six more
months until I turn sixteen and can no longer lay with a girl for the first
time, and I for one want as many first lays as I can get.
   "Mr.  Collins really had no reason to object, the girl chooses when she
is ready up until her fifteenth year, then her pa has to set a day before
her majority and pray she don't become an old maid, and Fran was eleven
which is prety old for a first laying day." Dram said as helped with the
final preparations for Gaisey's stay in the stables.  "Besides you just
like being the first with the girls," Dram Joked as he punched Jak on the
arm.
   Jak shrugged.  "They all seem to enjoy it when I am, and and it is a lot
of fun watching them learn how much fun lying with a boy can be, especially
when the boy knows what he is doing."
   Dram patted Gaisey on her flank as they headed out of the stall behind
Jak.  "Well if you're going to try for her laying wreath, then I have no
reason to, I have never beaten you once in the last three years since we
became eligible.  Besides old man Gisley has announced Ginger's laying day
and old man Harper has announced the twins Gell and Gram are going to have
one wreath.  We are only allowed to compete for one laying day a month and
I think I would rather try for them."
   Jak shook his head.  "The Gisleys have banned me from further laying
days since I got Hailey Gisley with child on her laying day, and after I
laid with the Boll twins six months ago, I never want to do two at once
again it was more work than it was worth."
   "OK, you came back from the Boll twins smiling and whistling like one of
Ms.  Cralls pet canaries, so don't give me that it's too much work crap.  I
think you just have a thing for Nell." Dram said as he mussed up Jak's
hair. "Well I for one am looking forward to the next few months, spring
always has a lot of laying days and I like the selection this year.  Unlike
you I have full year left of eligibility.  So have you decided who you are
going to ask to accompany you to your Majority Ceremony?"
   "Jak stopped and looked around the courtyard to ensure no one was
listening.  "First off, I do not have a thing for Nell, she is only eight,
second Dram, you know that is who a guy is going to ask to his majority is
to be kept between the man and his bride." Jak whispered.
   "Yeah, but it's me Jak, I promise I won't say a thing to anyone.  The
anticipation is killing me.  Half the girls in the village are hoping it's
them." Dram replied.
   Jak looked around the courtyard once more before responding.  "Ok, but
you better keep your trap shut, if her Pa finds out he will try and stop me
from askin' her."
   Dram nodded excitedly.  "I promise Jak, I won't say a word not even to
her."
   "I was going to ask Hailey Grisley.  I felt bad about what happened to
her, and she is the only girl that I know for a fact the baby is mine." Jak
replied.
   Dram looked at his nephew in shock.  "Dude, no one has ever asked a girl
he had laid with on her laying day.  It is just not done.  Her father will
kill you, and I don't think she will say yes.  You are a hunters apprentice
and she's a city girl, I can't see her being happy living in a hunters
lodge."
   Jak shook his head.  "I know, but I feel bad, I know the baby is mine
and her father was so mad.  It's going to be hard on her and I want to
help."
   "Jak the law is clear on that, until a man has his Majority Ceremony no
child that comes from him lying with someone is his responsibility and
after that only those he bears with his wife are."
   "I should never have told you.  I know the law but it still makes me
feel bad that she got with child on her laying day." Jak growled.  "I have
seen Bell, Hailey snuck her into the stables a few weeks ago.  She is my
baby Dram and I don't want old Man Grisley raising her to hate me."
   "Old Man Grisley will try and stop you if he finds out.  He might not
even let his family come to the ceremony." Dram replied.
   "That is why it is kept a secret you moron, everyone from the village
and the outlying farms and lodges are expected to come with all their
daughters of laying age.  The boy who wishes to be a man steps forward to
the village elder.  The elder asks who wishes to support him in his
manhood. The boy's parents step forward, then the elder asks who wishes to
support him in his life and the girl who was selected and agreed steps
forward.  Once she does no one, not even her father, can object.  The elder
will bless my majority, she will say the bridal vows and the elder will
bless our union.  At that point she is my wife and all children born by her
are my children," Jak replied.
   "Oh wow that's nice, so no one has any say but you and her?" Dram asked.
   "Well, her family can choose not to come to the ceremony so as not to
risk one of his daughters stepping forward, but it is a grave insult to our
family if they do.  If anyone finds out about it I am going to be standing
there alone."
   "My lips are sealed." Dram said as he crossed his fingers over his
heart. "How are they going to do this next year though?  There are over
twenty young men reaching their majority within a few days of each other.
That's going to be a lot of ceremonies, and I am sure a few guys are going
to fight over girls."
   "Probably why the guy can choose any girl of laying age and up, that way
there will always be more girls than boys." Jak replied as they started
into the inn's kitchen.
   Dram nodded as he held the door open for his nephew.  "So who are you
taking to the dance?"
   Jak smiled as he looked towards the main serving room.  "Else Coopler."
He replied.
   "Else?" Dram exclaimed.  "But she is an old..."
   Jak rounded on is Uncle raising his fist.  "Don't even say it.  Else is
a sweet lady it is not her fault she never got chosen."
   Dram raised his hands defensively and apologized.  Jak lowered his fists
and grinned at Dram.  "Besides, she is a lot of fun to lay with, and you
don't have no worries of her getting' with child."
   Jak pushed open the door separating the main room of the Inn and the
kitchen to catch a glimpse of the woman who was now the center of their
attention.  Else was a beautiful woman with long flowing reddish blond hair
and a well-endowed bosom.  She had come to the Inn three years ago looking
for work.  Her father had cast her from the farm after reaching her
majority and having no boys ask her to accompany them on their majority
celebration.
   Her father felt there was something wrong with her as she had been
laying with men and boys since her laying day and had not once gotten with
child.  Her sisters all had at least one child since their laying day
except for her youngest sister who had only just had hers.  It was a sign
of a good union and fertile marriage if the girl you asked to accompany you
had a child.  Since Else had reached her majority without mothering a child
she was considered to be barren.  Her father had no use for a woman who
would produce no young, with so many other mouths to feed he sent her on
her way.  Jak's grandmother Jess felt sorry for the girl and gave her work
as a serving maid.  Over the last three years Else has worked hard for the
Inn drawing customers from the outlying farms for both her serving skills
and her skills in bed.  She still has yet to be with child, and Jak was
worried that her father's predictions would be true and the beautiful young
woman would never know the joy of being a mother.
   Jak and Else always got along well and she was the reason he had a
reputation for performing so well on a girl's laying day.  She taught him
how to please a girl with enthusiasm, answering all of his questions from
the first day of his eligibility.  He felt for her as much as he felt for
Hailey and Bell.  If the rituals had allowed for him to claim more than one
girl he would happily claim both Hailey and Else.
   Jak did not realize he had said the last part out loud until he heard
his grandfather behind him.  "There is nothing that says you cannot.  Sure
it does not go with tradition, but I see no reason why two girls can't step
forward when you do.  She is a beautiful and intelligent girl and Hailey is
only twelve even though she is a mother, Else can teach her a lot about
life in the lodge, having grown up on a farm.  In the end the choice is
yours."
   Jak spun around at the sound of his grandfather's voice.  "Granpa, I am
sorry, I did not mean to..." He started to say.
   "It is ok Jak, I know you did not mean for anyone to hear you, though do
be careful in the future.  Your choice is between you and her.  Others may
make moves against you if they learn of it."
   Jak nodded as his grandfather, Tal Robins, stood wiping his hands on his
apron.  His grandfather was the Inn's chef.  Tal had come to the Inn from
the Lands of the Desert Empire to the north.  He had been head cook for a
merchant caravan that had a run in with bandits in the mountains.  What was
left of the caravan had made its way to the village and while recovering
from his injuries in the inn Tal had met and fallen in love with Jess.  She
was only sixteen at the time and Tal was in his late twenties.  Jess's
father gave Tal a job as under cook in the inn and they were married a few
months later.  They had three children.  Their oldest son Carl went to
serve in the military of the Great Desert Empire thirty years ago and never
returned.  Their daughter Liz married a caravan master, and lastly there
was Dram.  Jak and his mother Mel were not actually related to Tal and
Jess. His mother had come to the village fifteen years ago when she was six
months pregnant and was unable to leave the inn when her traveling
companions had to move on.  She was only just turned twelve and so Jess and
Tal took her in and raised Jak as their grandson and Mel as their own
daughter.
   Jak nodded to his grandfather as he headed into the main room to see if
Else or his mother needed anything.  He spent most of the afternoon running
errands for his mother and Else, getting food platters for customers or
running around the village for supplies.  As the day's activities were
completed and Jess ushered the last of the dinner crowed out the door, Jak
and Dram helped Else finish the last of the cleaning so they could all
partake of the festivities of the Spring Festival.
   Jak joked with Else as they cleared the evening's dishes from the tables
and Dram swept the floor.  Jak loaded his pile of plates into the sink
where his mother was busy washing, then turned and took Else's stack as
well.  Once the last of the dishes were cleared and the tables wiped down
Jak and Else headed to their rooms in the servant's quarters while Dram
headed out to finish cleaning the stables.  As they approached Else's room
she quickly grabbed Jak by the front of his tunic and pulled him into her
room.  As the door closed behind them she pulled him into her arms and
gently kissed his lips.  "Can you help me with the buttons of my dress?"
She asked as she broke the tender kiss.
   Jak gave her a wicked grin as he spun her around and deftly undid her
bodice and slipped the dress from her shoulders.  Else let out a moan as
Jak's fingers caressed her breasts as he slipped her bodice down her body
letting it drop to the floor.  She turned around slowly and gently kissed
his lips.  "You bad boy, we haven't even danced yet and you're already
trying to get me into bed."
   Jak smiled up at her as his fingers continued to play with her nipples.
"Not into bed, not yet, just having a little fun before we go.  Besides,
you pulled me in here." He replied as he pulled back from her embrace and
brought his lips to her already erect nipples.
   He sucked and licked on her breasts as she pushed his head to her chest
and she ran her fingers through his hair.  "God you have gotten so good at
that.  If you keep that up much longer we won't make it to the festival and
half the village girls will want to kill me for monopolizing you all
night."
   Jak reluctantly pulled his lips from her breast and kissed her one more
tenderly on the lips.  "Yes, many girls wish to lay with me tonight, and I
may lay with a few, but you will be the one I bring to my bed." He said to
her as he opened the door and stepped into the hall.
   Jak heard a squeal of surprise as he backed into the hall and ran into
his mother, Mel, as she was coming down the hall towards her room.  Jak
quickly caught her before she fell to the floor and helped her to her feet.
They stood there in the hall staring eye to eye for a few seconds before
Jak realized that it was his mother he was embracing, he broke eye contact
and quickly apologized to her.
   Mel smiled at him and gently ran her fingers through his hair.  "You are
looking more and more like your father every day." She said as she brought
her hand around and ran her fingers along his cheek.  "So, getting an early
start on the spring festivities?" "Just having a little fun Ma," He replied
as his face turned red.  "I need to go get ready."
   Jak turned away from his mother and was surprised to find that he had an
erection, he was sure that he had not had one when he left the room.  "It
had to have been Else," he thought to himself as he opened the door to the
room he and Dram shared.
   Jak had the room to himself, so he quickly pulled off his work clothes
and grabbed the bucket of water that was set next to his bathing tub.  He
poured the water into the tub and the climbed in.  He took a quick breath
as he felt the chill from the water, however after the busy day in the
stables and running errands it was nice to get the sweat and grime washed
off.  The door opened as he grabbed the rinsing bucket and began to wash
the grime and soap from his body and Dram stumbled into the room.  "Man I
am so tired, this was a busy day.  I think everyone from the village and
outlying farms came for dinner tonight.  I don't know if I have enough
energy to go to the festival, let alone the dance after."
   Jak laughed as he continued to rinse himself off.  "Casey will be very
disappointed if you don't show.  She gets excited about these festivals. 
She might not be too big on the dances, but she loves the festivals."
   Dram groaned as he rose from the bed and started removing his boots. 
"Well then hurry up.  I need a bath too and I don't want to keep cute
little Casey waiting."
   Jak climbed out of the tub and emptied it out the window.  After setting
down the empty tub he grabbed the towel from his bed and started drying
himself off as Dram grabbed another set of buckets and filled the tub once
more.  Jak quickly got dressed and headed down the hall to Else's room.  He
gently knocked on the door.  "Come in Jak, you can help me button up," Else
answered.
   Jak opened the door and stopped short at the sight in front of him. 
Else was standing in front of a mirror holding the front of her dress in
place as Mel, wearing a beautiful summer dress was standing on a stool
doing her hair.  "I'll be done in a second Jak, and then you can do up her
dress while I go help Jess with her hair." Mel said as Jak stood there and
stared at his mother and Else.
   They both were breathtaking in their festival dresses.  Mel's was low
cut revealing a lot of her ample cleavage.  His mother was a beautiful
woman despite the little weight his birth and the years had put on her.  At
twenty seven she was still able to turn heads and took Jak's breath away.
Else was equally gorgeous and he knew she would be turning a lot of heads.
Every man and boy in the village would be jealous of the beautiful girl on
Jak's arm tonight and over the fact he was going to be taking her home.
   As she finished the intricate braid of Else's lovely full blondish red
hair, Mel stepped down from the stool.  "Oops." She said as she bent over
to pick up a pin that she had dropped on the floor.  As she leaned over to
pick up the pin the front of her blouse fell open and gave Jak a perfect
view of both her lovely full breasts.
   Jak felt himself growing hard at the sight and he could not bring
himself to look away.  As his mother stood up he noticed Else watching him
stare with a knowing grin.  Mel pushed the pin into her pillow and smiled
at her son as she exited the room.  Jak walked up behind Else and helped
with the buttons and strings for her bodice.
   "Jak, I get the feeling you would like to dance with your mother a few
times tonight, maybe even accompany her to her room," she whispered with a
grin.
   Jak stopped tying the last of her strings for a second before replying.
"She is my mother."
   "Yes she is," Else replied as he finished doing up her bodice and she
turned to face him.  "But she is also a beautiful woman who has not been
with a man in fifteen years.  Have you not ever wondered why no one ever
asked your mother to accompany him on his maturity, have you never noticed
the no one ever asked your mother to dance or to accompany her home?  No I
guess not.  She loves you very much Jak, and she is right that you look
exactly like your father."
   Jak stood staring off into space as Else headed for the door.  She was
right he cannot remember anytime anyone had ever spent any time with his
mother, she was always working, even at the festivals and she always went
home before the dances started.  "But she's my Mom." He said once more as
Else took his hand and led him out the door.  
  
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