Out of the Bedroom

Von

Sep 04, 2024

“Well, my love,” Ishvi said, “Are you ready to face the world?”

Mehetabel looked at herself in the mirror. “Do you think they will be surprised?”

“Oh, I imagine they will be. You look nothing like the Mehetabel I married.”

“Well, give me a new name, then. That can be part of our new culture.”

“Well then, you will have to name me as well,” he said.

-- When they stepped out a few minutes later and almost ran into a Farmer hurrying across the compound, the Farmer stopped short, starred up at them, and let out a wild shout, almost falling down.

At the shout Farmers came running from all over, grabbing their spears. “I will have to have a special spear made, my love.” Quirinus1 said, “Those puny sticks the Farmers use will hardly suffice for me. Look, it is our Prince and his scrawny bride.”

Camilla2laughed at him, and at the site of the Farmers and Farmwives running hither and thither, and looking at them in fear. She glanced over at her Husband, and took his arm. He towered over everyone in the courtyard, taller than her by a head-- and she herself towered over the tallest Farmer there. Only Wynforr approached her in height.

They both had gained in weight as well. Camilla’s hips had broadened, and the rest of her had thickened, as if each bone had doubled in size. But the effect was more pronounced in Quirinus. His hips were also broader, giving him a wide stance and making him seem as rooted as a tree. But that change didn’t compare with the change to his shoulders, chest and upper arms. He stood, in clothes no one had ever seen before, clothes she had made for him, shirtless, and his upper body compared well with that of a bear in size and strength.

Not only in size or strength, but, like the bear, he was covered in hair − almost fur; a stiff black hair, short but threatening to grow longer; hair from the neck to the hands, hair down the chest and vanishing into his pants. Camilla too, was covered with hair, although hers was of a softer look, and more of a dark brown.

Their facial features were hard, as if chiseled out of granite. His, but even hers, were much thicker than before. The sockets of their eyes bulged out further, and their ears were flatter.

Everyone stood in silence, a silence which deepened instead of breaking when Seth stepped forward to stand in front of Quirinus. Seth paused, and then lightly bowed. Quirinus looked at him, and then gave the full bow of a Lord to his Sovereign. Neither spoke.

After gazing at each other for a while Seth stood slightly back and, while still facing Ishvi, waved a hand over and at the crowd, and the castle.

Ishvi seemed to wake up, and he turned and bellowed, “Get back to work! Here is our Lord and you all are just standing here!”

No one, except Camilla, understood his words. Everyone, without exception, understood his intent, and the young Lords and other Farmers scurried back to work, leaving Seth and his company alone in the courtyard with Quirinus and Camilla. Seth, waved to the others with him, and soon stood alone with Quirinus and Camilla.

//I do not yet know your new language, my friend, so you will have to excuse me// Seth said, in Farmer. //However let me be the first to congratulate you. Shall we go to my room, that I may hear your report?//

“Wow.”

Hadassah and Camilla, sat together at a small table in a corner of the kitchen. Camilla smiled at Hadassah.

"Not what you expected?"

"No, not at all. I don't think even Tristan had any possible conception that this would happen. How did you do it?"

"It was all Quirinus’ doing, really. I think it was something he had been working on a long time, since back at your house, your Father's estate."

"And you. How do you feel about it?"

"Well, he's my Husband. He leads, and I follow." Hadassah looked at her, and she grinned again. "I'm happy with it, really,” Camilla insisted. “You know how it is, once you change. You are the new person, all of you. Right now, I could hardly imagine changing back."

"Really? I mean..."

"Really."

“Well, my love, it has been quite a day,” Seth said, coming into the room where Hadassah waited.

“If I hadn’t seen it, I would not have believed it,” Hadassah said.

“Especially Ishvi,” Seth said, sitting down on the bed and stretching.

“Oh, come love,” Hadassah said. “Don’t you know your people better than that? Of course it was Ishvi… and Met, of course.”

“But, he is a Farmer of Farmers and is not at all convinced about the plan.”

“Of course he was a ‘Farmer of Farmers’, and that is why he is now what he is. He doesn’t do half measures. Did you see him? Walking around, beating people up to teach them…” she grinned. “Poor Farmers, they have no clue what is going on.”

Seth lay back on the bed, “Apparently, neither do I.”

Hadassah lay next to him, “Sufficient unto the day, my love. Don’t worry, Quirinus and Camilla will carry the ball. It might take a while for them to succeed, but they will keep working at it until they do succeed.”

Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.

If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!

If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von

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Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends.

The entire book is scheduled on Substack, and there are several sequels. This is a book I wrote years ago, so it is in a bit of a rough form. Critiques and comments are more than welcome, they are requested.

Out of the Bedroom

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Book 2: Come the day

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