5c: Mabellyne Owlbears

[Scene: A small ship's wardroom. There is a small table with five chairs. The walls are wooden, with portholes, and on them are a variety of fantastical tools, devices, and weapons, and several large bear furs. MARY, SOFONISBA, RA FAL, GLADYS, TSINTA, and MABELLYNE are scattered around the room, relaxing and talking.]

Ra fal: So then I said, "Well, if you are going to be like that, the contract never specified where you were taking delivery, so when we were back at the pit trap..."

[All six women laugh heartily.]

Sofonisba: And he just let you walk out?

Ra fal [grins]: What else could he do?

[More chuckling, then brief silence]

Mary: So, there is something I have been wondering. All of you are really badass women. If I didn't know that before, it was so obvious after seeing you kill all those giant horrible owlbears. Anyway, there you are, living a great life. You are interested in a guy, and propose to him. Fine, so far so good. But then he responds with this weird test, pitting you against other women. Why would you put up with that? Why didn't you all just throw the letter away and get on with your life?

[The other women think about this for a bit.]

Gladys: That sounds like the instinct for social games of status and dominance. Don't really think like that. When see a chance for awesomeness, just kind of go for it and hope for best.

Sofonisba: I think you do not fully appreciate the value of the prize to be won here. One does not simply throw away such an opportunity out of childish pique. And Martin is known for harebrained schemes like this. They are part of his charm. It was a breeze of fresh air to learn that he was interested in us in any way.

Tsinta: In its own strange way, this contest sign of respect. Seeking the deep truth.

Ra fal: This test is not so strange. Think of the stories of your own culture. Imagine that we were all men, knights-errant, seeking the hand of a princess. Would it be so unusual for the princess's father to send us on a quest to prove our worth?

Mabellyne: And if you were this princess, what would you think of a knight who arrogantly refused to go on the quest and be tested? Might you send suitors on a quest just to get rid of those who see themselves as too good to be tested?

Mary: But that is my point. Men are supposed to prove themselves to women, not the other way around. We should be courted, not ordered around like sellswords.

Sofonisba: Your culture tells you that the job of a woman is to look beautiful and be attractive, while the job of a man is to strive mightily for great accomplishments. But you will eventually find that 'looking beautiful and being attractive' is a much harder and less rewarding job than being an agent who strives for glory. At some level you realize this already, with your distaste for being dressed up in ball gowns.

Ra fal: As Tsinta was hinting at, being ordered around like this is a sign of respect for us as adventurers. It shows that Martin sees us as potentially valuable agents and assets, not just arm ornaments. You must have some idea of how refreshing that is.

Mary: But shouldn't marriage be about more than just recruiting an agent or an adventuring partner? It should be something special, sacred. He obviously does not see you as special, isn't that insulting?

Sofonisba: Your mind has been infected with the social norms of the agency-draining culture you seek so desperately to escape.

[MARY looks insulted and confused]

Mabellyne: Maybe I can help explain. Martin's behavior obviously offends you because it violates one of your social norms or sacred values. I am not sure exactly what the norm is, but I can form a hypothesis. You have a belief that a woman should be courted, and that marriage should be a special sacred thing that results from a man somehow magically choosing one woman to profess his undying love to. Is this correct?

Mary: Well, when you say it like that, it does sound kind of dumb. But it seems that it should be more than just a business arrangement or an adventuring partnership. I mean, what about, well, um...

Sofonisba: She does bring up a valid point. Am I the only one who actually wants to have sex with Martin?

[MARY blushes.]

Gladys [shrugs]: Human men are expected to pleasure their wives for free. If can give him the right scent and teach him how to satisfy a goblin woman, then suppose it would be nice to save the money.

Tsinta: Deep love, but no lust. Goddess-willed joined destiny, including children.

[MARY is horrified and confused and cannot find words.]

Ra fal [haughtily]: Of course we will have sex. I am going to show him the time of his life.

Sofonisba: That is not what I asked. I asked if you wanted it.

Ra fal [hesitantly, uncomfortably]: Of course.

Sofonisba: I doubt that. From what I have seen, you have spent your entire life using your sexuality as a weapon, and have never learned to appreciate or enjoy it.

Ra fal: I appreciate and enjoy all of my weapons.

Sofonisba: Yes, but only as tools to achieve what you really value. You do not treat tools and weapons as true values, nor should you. I know that this is what I want.

Ra fal: Do you really just want sex? Would you be happy being a kept woman on the side and not the official wife?

Sofonisba: I care nothing for those labels. I desire that Martin and I share a physical, spiritual, and emotional connection. If the label of 'wife' is necessary to claim that connection, then I will take it.

Mary: So this is just a fling to you? You'd claim Martin just for a bit of shallow fun?

Mabellyne: Potential unnecessary conflict due to unclear definitions, please specify terms.

Mary: I mean, what about true love?

Sofonisba: There are times in life for many types of relationships, none more true than any other. There is a time for flings and boy-toys and experimentation. There is a time for brief intense loves like spring flowers after a rain. And there is a time for the slow deep love of souls in the autumn of life. As much as I might wish it, Martin and I can never share that last type of love, for he will be dead while I am still young. But I assure you that this is more than a fling. I love him, with intensity even greater for the knowledge of its brevity. When he dies I will mourn him deeply and then move on. Maybe if my soul has matured in my time with him I will be ready to marry an elf and experience fading-autumn love.

[Awkward silence]

Gladys: Thought we were talking about sex.

Sofonisba: That is a key ingredient in intense-springtime love.

Gladys: Okay so basically this is the practice-child part of your life.

Sofonisba: There is much wisdom in your cultural traditions, and the analogy is reasonable.

Mary: Wait, so, about the three types of love, wouldn't it be better if you could have them all with the same person? Like, by holding the person constant, you would appreciate the differences more without any, what do the goblins say, confounding factors?

Sofonisba: There can be great beauty in that approach, but it is rarely available to women who move around for education and adventure and career.

Mary: So, um, I am guessing that you all have, well, ah, ... been with ... lots of men?

Mabellyne: Not really, just a few dozen. I have better things to do with my money.

Gladys: Same here.

[MARY covers her mouth and gasps.]

Sofonisba: I have experienced sexual companionship with over four hundred people of various body morphologies. You really must let go of...

Ra fal: Stop that.

Sofofnisba: What?

Ra fal: Do not patronize her and act all superior. We all have our cultural hang-ups. How would you react if I casually talked about being a nanny to a dozen children?

[SOFONISBA and TSINTA flinch, close their eyes, and cover their ears. MARY looks at them in confusion. They recover, and look at RA FAL with a cold and distant expression.]

Mary: Ok, so what just happened?

Ra fal: Elves believe that raising children is sacred, and must only happen within the family. Entrusting the care and development and teaching of children to anyone other than parents or close kin is considered dangerous and immoral.

Mary [thoughtfully]: Huh. That...actually...kind of makes sense. If the parents are good. But I would have been really miserable if I was stuck with my parents and did not have Belen and Soaring Eagle to...[looks at elves] Okay, so I do not want to hear you say anything bad about them. If I had been raised by only my parents, then I would have turned into a horrible person. If you like that I actually try to be good to everyone, you can thank my nanny and teacher.

Mabellyne: And if you like that I am not usually needy and neurotic, you can thank my man-whores.

Mary: Oh, um ... I think I see what you all mean. Um, Sorry.

Ra fal: No problem, it was not your fault.

Mary: I'll do my best not to be weird about it.

Gladys: Enjoy your neuroplasticity while you still have it.

[awkward silence]

Mary: So, um, what is the goblin hang-up?

Ra fal [to the goblins]: Do you want to tell her, or should I?

Gladys: Medical care. Ditched that taboo long ago. No other choice when adventuring.

[MABELLYNE blushes]

Mary [quietly]: Oh, So if Mabellyne ever gets hurt...

Gladys: Best just let her grab a healing potion and have some time alone in her bunk.

[MABELLYNE sinks down in her chair]

Mary [quickly]: So! What is the orc taboo?

Ra fal [proudly]: We believe that self-defense and law enforcement must happen within the kin group. Those who require outsiders to defend themselves and their values are pathetic, and those who would do such things for outsiders and weaklings are despicable villains who threaten both the foundation of civilization and the genetic fitness of the race.

[MARY, MABELLYNE, SOFONISBA and TSINTA all look at each other and say nothing.]

Gladys: But you are an adventurer, so you must have ditched that, right?

Ra fal [Slams her fist against the table]: I am not a sellsword! I have never taken any contract to [sneers] defend or protect anyone. I move goods to people who can pay for them. I fight when my life or livelihood is threatened, or when my kin are attacked.

Gladys [oblivious, guileless]: Did you have kin in Torreon?

[RA FAL raises both fists, then takes a deep breath and calms herself.]

Ra fal [Icily, Proudly]: That coven of hags threatened my trade route and my profits. I know you are just being ignorant, but I will not sit here while my honor is being attacked.

[RA FAL gets up and storms out of the room.]

Mary [quietly]: Is she really embarrassed about being a hero? How can it be a bad thing to rescue a village of enslaved gnomes?

Sofonisba: For the same reason that humans consider it a bad thing to offer sexual comfort to a crowd of poor and lonely men. Orcs see a 'defender of the weak' the same way you see a 'cheap whore'.

Mary: But..that...no...how?

Mabellyne: I should go try to calm her down.

Sofonisba: Thank you. May Ioun guide your words.

[Exit MABELLYNE]

Next (Gladys)