Dilemma of Dreams - 9B

Sorry about the slow updates, but my usual 5-day routine is being disrupted as I work with my father who has Parkinsons. This should be only temporary, but at this time I am not as available with my computer time as usual. The story will not be dropped, but will continue. Some of you that have not been able to keep up reading at the 5-day rate might have time to catch up.

An adult speculative Christian post-Armageddon fiction
Dilemma of Dreams
Chapter Nine: Part Two
Growing Up with Peralte

We left the inn to begin our search around the stream that rushed through town. Peralte tried to explain things about the geography, but I really did not follow most of what he said. All I could say was that the water was clear and cold. He mentioned silt levels, soil absorption, evaporation levels, and a number of other factors that I could not understand. He however seemed satisfied that I listened without showing any signs of becoming bored. I guess that he did not comprehend that I had just spent over twenty years listening to nuns ramble on a multitude of topics that I had no concern about, so could easily allow him to speak while I stood pleasantly smiling nearby. The only difference in this day and the multitude of those in the convent was that I had no companions. Leaving town I however realized that I could socialize with Peralte, so considered helping him with his search to have a layer of enjoyment that the nuns in the convent would not have allowed.

As the day progressed I began to open up and speak to my elder more. Some of his words did begin to make sense. I also began to follow his train of thought as we stopped at each area. Peralte listened to my statements, and as he pleasantly responded I began to talk more. After a couple of hours, I guess that I chatted away, but never did I hear the man complain.

I remember stopping upon seeing movement ahead. Deer, squirrels, and even a bear had been witnessed. Petting the animals had been fun, so I wondered what creature I would get to see this time. It surprised me to see a small blue table with some delicate blue wire-frame chairs. Two ladies stood nearby holding thin staves the top of which had a fan made of large blue feathers. I did not advance, although before I could certify my vision Peralte spoke to say that he had seen the sight as well.

“That is Abeyriale and Pezraneeta. They are providing our lunch.”

They were not duplicates. Abeyriale had hair almost as dark as that of Peralte, although it flowed thickly down her back to cover her butt. Coming close I however noticed that her dark eyes were blue. Pezraneeta was dark-skinned with her short hair in a simple page-boy style. They both were clothed in simple outfits of some shimmering blue cloth, a fact that I felt required mentioning.

“I expected to see them naked.”

Neither lady made a comment. While I did hear them both speak at times during the meal, it was not the banter than I heard exchanged between Assadra and Peralte. He spoke in return.

“They are for my pleasure.”

I really knew the answer, but went ahead and asked, “And what would I have to do to get one for myself?”

“Same as anything else, just ask and you will receive. The only problem is that you have no control over what you will get. God does not set his sight upon those he has doomed. You thus have to take charge of what you get in order to have them do what you want and appear as you want. It takes some work, but the effort does pay off.”

Again I really knew the answer, and Peralte had basically already supplied the answer, but I still asked, “So, they did not come to you looking like that?”

“No. A few were made to look according to my desire, but the others I did try to work with the base form. Not to make them comfortable, but just to assure that the lady did not end up looking like the other ladies.”

Thinking of my own existence, I asked, “You did get ladies?”

“Once I got them, they were ladies.”

“So, Pezraneeta could have been a man in her actual life?”

Peralte asked each with each speaking of having been a woman. He went ahead and had each speak of who they had been. One had been the wife of a wealthy Roman soldier, and she spoke of ridiculing those who preached of Jesus. The other had been a wife of a group of cannibals, and spoke of having eaten missionaries.

They served the two of us chili. I had never really ever eaten the food. I recognized it as a dish from the American west, so eagerly tasted it. It was quite spicy, and I found myself glad to have the crackers as the wine did little to subdue the burning in my mouth. I did finish the bowl, although not with the desire for another.

After being told that we now needed to leave to return to town, I asked another question. “They will pick up after us?”

“Yes. They will pick up after us, clean everything, and have things ready for whatever I next might tell them to do. If they do not obey, or please me in the manner that they do obey, they have the fear that I will send them back to Hell. They are thus rather cheerful workers.”

Both ladies had kept a smile on their faces. They had quickly moved to fulfill any request I made, although I did notice that they treated Peralte different than they treated me. They would touch him. If I asked for bread, it was given to me. If he asked for bread, there was a soft touch of hands as the object was placed in his possession. He had requested a refill of his bowl, and the side of a breast rubbed against his face as the lady bent over to perform as requested. I found myself wondering how he trained them, even as I smiled while considering to treat him in a similar fashion once my body developed.

“Why would you leave them? Your home must surely be a most pleasant place to stay.”

“Ah, well, that is where you get into the divine politics. God would actually prefer me raping your young cunt. He wants us enjoying this life and socializing with each other. He does not want to look at, deal with, or generally have in His presence those He has doomed. In short, God is not pleased when I am home surrounded by my lovely damsels. It is nothing major, and He even understands. He would just prefer that I go about and deal with those of a better status. My association with the common people can help them in their hope for salvation. My presence with you is helping you, and you are someone who I can actually share a life and experiences with. Thus, my dear Vetacha, your hope to spend your life with me would gain God’s approval, while my joy at having my ladies grant me my every desire does not.”

I really did not know how to reply. One part of me was very pleased, but I also felt glad that my association with Peralte was not on the level as he dealt with Assadra. I was regularly naked around the man, but he treated me with respect. I was not yet ready for a certain level of interaction, mentally or physically. The fact that he treated me as he did gave me some confidence that I would continue to have pleasure in the man’s company, and I found myself hoping that I would continue to develop as a lady he enjoyed spending time with. Thinking of the joy I heard in his repartee with Assadra, I worked to make a reply of my own.

“All you have to do is ask.”

“I believe that I told you to wait until we reach my home, Vetacha. Still, if you ask, I would consider it. I would not consider it wise for you to go to another. Please, start with me.”

Something about Peralte pleased me even on the first day that I met him in this life. I however could not determined whether it was my present gender or simply my understanding of who this person actually was. While I had memories of not liking Peralte, no rational reason for the distaste could be dredged up from my past. Feeling that my female personality did a better job of rating those I met, I let the man know of the sincerity of my feelings for him.

“I have made up my mind on that, Peralte. I have also considered it wise to allow my body to mature. When I do begin to feel certain urges, do not doubt that I will be coming to you.”

“I feel by then you will know where my house is, although maybe not living in it with me. Still, I will there for you whenever you desire. I am enjoying getting to know you.”

Hoping to gain some substance for my beliefs, I asked, “We did not know each other previously? I believe that both of us have only spoken of passing each other as we went about our separate business.”

“No. I did know Dimerkess, so had occasions to learn about you, but never considered it to have any importance.”

“I remember seeing you smile, wave, and speak politely as we passed. I don’t believe that I spoke to you, as I don’t remember liking you.”

“I am glad that your opinion of me has changed.”

That reply was too distant and polite to please me, so I pressed to gain a deeper response. “I am trying to decide if it is because I am now a woman, or because I have simply come to know you.”

“I would not be ashamed if both had their part. Let me say that if you were a young man, I would be just as helpful, but not as eager to have your presence in my bed.”

“What does it matter? You don’t sleep with me.”

“Ah, but I think about it. When you are there in my bed, trust that I do think about joining you. My only problem is that if I join you, it would not be to sleep.”

I could not help but admit, “I am glad to hear that, Peralte.”

“Well, you just turned ten. You have years before we should consider this matter any further. Should you however consider growing up sooner, remember that we both have eternity looming before us. We have time – you have time. Learn what your body has to teach before you come to me for further lessons.”

Thinking over this day and the number of previous ones, I said, “By then I should consider you a marvelous teacher.”

“And I hope to maintain my reputation with you.”

My jaw dropped realizing that the last few statements had been a form of repartee with the man. It was not on the level of what I heard him say with Assadra, but it had been an otherwise innocent exchange on a mature topic. Feeling that I was indeed learning things about my new life and body, I cheerfully went with the man back to town.

I had never before been to a beauty salon. As a monk, there were regulations about how I wore my hair, but it was done in a thoughtful frame of mind just as I performed my other chores. As a child in the convent, the nuns would occasionally cut my hair back to a length just beneath my shoulders. I thought of Abeyriale’s lengthy hair, and considered that my hair would now be even longer if it had not been cut. I spoke to the beautician about what to do with my hair. She thought of curls, but I considered that it needed to be just given a light curl with more thickness. She mentioned having no control over the latter, although found herself surprised at the wealth of strands that showed themselves when my hair was released from the spools. I left the beauty salon quite pleased with the results.

Thinking of the woman that I desired to become, I did not immediately return to the inn. I spent time shopping about the town. Enjoying having some control of my life, I prepared to surprise Peralte even as I spent time on my own.