Taing and Liberating of Penelope

As weeks went by, Penelope became more and more responsible for the maintenance of the household, taking over duties from Pradeep, including shopping in town and cooking the dishes the Indian woman taught her to prepare. She also improved her Peshtu, so that she could make herself understood among the locals, if not exactly deceive anyone into thinking she was born to the language. The townspeople soon noticed that she had lost the soft, pampered appearance she had arrived with, and one or two mentioned to Mr. Bhuwalliput that he must be putting his servant-girl to work in accordance with the terms of the law and her indenture.

In due course, Pradeep arrived at the 22nd anniversary of her birth, and presented herself to her aunt for examination. Having proved that she had obeyed the ranee's edict, she joyfully received permission to marry, and the very next day was in preparation for that most welcome event. Mr. Krishnamurtmi was invited to the wedding, as were Penelope, Mr. Bhuwalliput's father (a barrister in the regional capital), Pradeep's parents (from their estate on the distant border of the region), Lady Gurdeep (Ranee Indra's equivalent of a lady-in-waiting) and her husband. The whole affair took place at the rajah's palace, where the rajah and ranee both looked on with apparent beaming pride.

Penelope, on being introduced to the ranee later, asked (in her best and most humble Peshtu) why it was that Ranee Indra seemed so pleased at the match, when she had earlier done so much to prevent it.

"But I did nothing to prevent them marrying! It was never my intent to keeping them apart, I only wished to be certain that their marriage would be a happy one. If either of them had been unwilling or unable to forestall a consummation of their desires, I would have had serious doubts of their ability to remain faithful to each other and would have sent her to live elsewhere until she was thirty years of age. I am now assured that they will have a long and fulfilling life together, and wish them much happiness and many children."

The Englishwoman praised the ranee for her wisdom. ( And she also decided to keep what she knew of the circumvention of the royal prohibition to herself.)

For many weeks following the nuptials, the now-busy blonde woman paused during her duties to listen to the sounds of ecstasy coming from the rooms of the newlyweds and to smile at the joy that must have inspired them. If she occasionally stumbled upon scenes such as had earlier distressed her, she quietly left so as not to disturb the bliss that was obviously building. And if, as frequently happened, she was awakened in the night be screams of rapturous delight, her only response would be to bless the love between her charges and (perhaps) feel a little frustration at her own lack of someone to inspire such happiness in herself.

It came as little surprise, then, when Pradeep approached one morning with a VERY wide smile and made an announcement in a voice that seemed on the verge of breaking into girlish screams. "Sister! Oh, sister, I have such wonderful news, and you are only the second to know of it... after my own Prashmahan, of course."

"You mean to say that you are..."

"I am going to have a baby, yes!! Oh sister, I am so, so, so VERY happy! I want this to be the first of many!"

"That is MARVELOUS news, Pradeep! But... should you be so energetic now? Shouldn't you...?"

"Cha, sister... you sound as bad as my dear husband! I have talked with my mother and my aunt, as well as the local midwife, and all have assured me that there is nothing I have been doing that I may not continue to do until my belly begins to give evidence of the life within. And even then, I need not restrict myself over much. Now, please, simply be happy for me."

"I am... I will. But if there is anything you wish from me, you need only ask."

"No, nothing.... well, perhaps a mango. I have had a strong craving for them for the last 3 days."

**************

The next three months were trying for everyone concerned: Pradeep would become angry and sorrowful by turns, followed almost immediately by times of embarrassed apologies. And after each wild swing of her mood, she would become ravenously hungry for the sight and touch of her husband. Having seen her own mother display similar behavior in the second half of her 'confinement' (shortly before her death in childbirth while Penelope was still a young teen), the blonde servant-cum-confidante took it all in stride. But as her 'sister' became more noticeably round in her belly, she noticed a change -- subtle at first, but more marked as time went on. At last, Pradeep called her to the marriage bedroom, and locked the door.

"My dear sister," she said, "I hope that my English has improved so that I can talk freely with you, for I have a request that no male ears should hear and so they cannot translate for us."

"What is it, sister? How may I help you?"

"As you can see, I have become much bigger than I was. I love that my baby is growing strong.... OOH! There he goes again! It must be a boy, because he kicks so hard and is impatient to be out in the world."

Penelope smiled. "Would it be impolite to ask to feel him kick?"

"Not at all. There... did you feel that?"

"Yes! You must be right... such a strong boy, at that."

"Yes, and I hope he will grow to be just like his father. And that is the point I wanted to make. His father.... I love him so, and wish to be with him, and feel his touch, and... the rest. But..."

"What, does he think you less beauti..."

"NO...no, no, no.... you do not understand. It is not that. I do not feel as attractive as I was, but he assures me he finds me as beautiful, if not more so, than I was before. But as my belly has gotten bigger, he..."

"Didn't the midwife say you may have your pleasures until the last month?"

"Yes, but he is afraid that he may somehow injure the baby. I want him so badly... I feel at times I will die without him... but he will only touch me a little...."

"Do you wish for me to try to persuade him? I think the midwife could present better arguments than I, but I am willing..."

"No, sister... it is not that. If I had sisters of my own blood, my people would allow me to ask of them. But as I am the only daughter of my mother, you are the only sister I have."

Penelope hesitated. "Dear Pradeep.... I don't know if I can... if I can provide you with the sort of... touches..."

Pradeep blushed. "NO, sister! I don't wish that! Please, let me explain. It is Prashmahan, my beloved. I have known him so long and so well. He needs me. He is under so much distress. I can see it when he looks at me. He wants me... he NEEDS me. He needs my touch and my caress. But he will not admit it... not even to himself, I think. And yet, he will not let me comfort him, for fear harm will come to me or the baby. He is a strong man, and that is good. But his strength will do him great harm, I fear. He uses his strength to keep him away, when if he would only let me I could make him stronger with my attentions."

"Then how may I help? You... both of you.... have done so much to aid an abandoned woman, alone in a strange land, and I have so little to offer. You have only to command me, and I will do anything I can to return your many favors."

"I thank you, sister, but command you I may not, not in this. I hesitate even to ask, though I will beg your help if I must. Sister... if I call my beloved husband in here, will you stay and listen to what I tell him?"

"Is that all? Most certainly I will stay. I will do much more than that, I assure you!"

"It is more than that. But please, call him first so that I need only say this once."

Penelope did as requested and brought Mr. Bhuwalliput into the bedroom and then sat on the chair beside the bed.

The young bride looked up at her husband, took a deep breath and said, "Prashmahan, my husband, my beloved, my *gurulidh*... please, do not say a word, but listen closely to what I am about to say." Turning toward her serving-girl, she continued, "Dear sister, you have said that you would do anything I asked of you. I ask that you recall those times when you saw my beloved and I in actions that you found, as you said 'disgusting.' I cannot order you to do so, and it is difficult for me to even ask, but... will you...please..."

"Have sex with your husband?! Pradeep! Please don't ask that of me. I wish to go to my own wedding night..."

"No, no, no.... listen... I know that for you, *lingam* is for *yoni* only with the one you love. This I truly believe and would not ask that of you. But those other things....? I do not wish to tempt my husband with you. But I will ask... as a favor to me, because he needs so much... if I look on, so that he can see that I truly, TRULY want this for him, for his well-being... will you put aside your own feelings and help him?"

"I.... I... I will try. For you, my beloved sister, and for no-one else in this world. I cannot promise to do all that you would... but I will try."

"And you, *gurulidh*... my dearly loved husband... will you accept this gift from me... from us both.... this one time?"

The man she had first known only as "Buddy" looked at Penelope for a few moments. then turned to his wife. A deep-seated need shown in his eyes... a need not only for his own relief, but also a need to satisfy the heart-felt request of his only love. Swallowing hard, he nodded.

Penelope dropped to her knees in front of her friend's husband and, with great trepidation, reached out, shifted his garment, and withdrew his engine of creation. She gazed on it a moment, conflicting emotions battling within her: was she outraged and disgusted by this rod of flesh, or intrigued and fascinated by its warmth and solidity? Could she do as Pradeep had asked, or would she be forced to run from the room? As she sat, stunned and undecided, her hand moved seemingly of its own volition, feeling the skin covering the bulbous end slide back to reveal a slightly lighter-colored fleshy bulb beneath. Even as she watched, a small pearl of clear liquid appeared at a small slit at the very tip of this quivering lance and without thinking she leaned forward slightly to place the very end of her tongue in position to catch it. In the background, she heard 'Buddy' suck in his breath, as she withdrew her tongue and experienced the flavor of the drop. It was very slightly salty, somewhat strong in taste, but not unpleasant. Gathering her courage, Penelope leaned forward and engulfed this repulsive/compulsive shaft with her lips and suckled on it as she had seen her dear friend do. She did not know how long she was thus engaged, but in what seemed like mere moments she heard Mr. Bhuwalliput uttering grunts of pleasure, and then he shuddered as a thick liquid poured forth from the end of his *lingam*. Penelope was startled and very nearly gagged as the intrusion and accompanying pungency filled her mouth, but remembering whom this deed was for, she waited for the multiple streams to end before turning aside to deposit the whitish mass of it into a cloth from her work clothes.

Pradeep thanked her 'sister' with her eyes, then gazed with deep satisfaction upon her husband. The man in question seemed to Penelope to be drained of all strength, and he sagged against the wall, only to drop to his knees with his head upon his wife's bed, his face turned toward her with a look of love and adoration. Pradeep stroked his face and hair, and Penelope took that opportunity to leave the two parents-to-be to their privacy.

Back in her own room, Penelope rinsed her mouth and wiped her tongue to remove all traces of the strong flavor. She swore to herself that she would never, EVER repeat such an act. Still, she was left with a deep longing to know the sort of love that would lead her to abandon this oath.

Two weeks later, Pradeep gave birth to a chubby little boy, and with a weak smile she gazed at him with love. Penelope and the midwife, tearfully watching the new mother in mixed concern and elation, ushered in the father of the child and stood by as he beheld his newborn son. The mother raised a sweat-dampened face to his and asked, "My dearly beloved, have I done well?" Her voice trembled with emotion and exhaustion as she asked again, "Are you pleased with your son?"

It was only with difficulty that the young man cleared his throat, and with tears in his eyes declared "He is beautiful, but will never be as beautiful as his mother. Thank you my love... thank you for all that you have endured to present me with this wonderful gift... I... I..." He would have said more, but tears and emotion overtook him as knelt take his wife in as firm an embrace as their positions would allow.

Penelope's labors, already far beyond what she had ever experienced (or had ever expected to experience, based on her previous existence) grew yet again, as she added laundering diapers and cleaning infant clothing to her duties. This she gladly accepted, though she did notice a certain melancholy entering her life. This last did not go unnoticed, and when Mr. Krishnamurtmi made one of his frequent visits, her asked her, "Miss, is there something wrong? You are not looking as cheerful as I am remembering you to be. What can be the cause of this?"

The young woman started to answer with a desultory "I don't know," when a sudden realization began to dawn upon her. Sitting up a bit straighter in her chair, she looked at the older man and said, "Mr. Krishnamurtmi, you know far more of the local laws and customs than I do. Would you tell me something, please?"

"Anything that I may, Miss. How can I be helping you?"

"For someone in my position, is it possible to marry? If, for instance, I found a man who desired me, would I be permitted to marry him, or must I wait until the end of my indenture to do so?"

"It would be at the discretion of the holder of the indenture, in your case Mr. Bhuwalliput. Why are you asking? Has someone in town taken an interest in you? Has he asked you if you are available?"

"There is one man I have met in this town, but he has not asked about my interest in him. I have seen a desire for me in his eyes, and felt a longing for him grow in my own heart, but though we have talked long and often on many subjects, the idea of my growing love for him or his for me has never been mentioned. If I wished to pursue this, what must I do to obtain permission from Mr. Bhuwalliput?"

"In that case, Miss, either you or he would be having to speak directly with Mr. Bhuwalliput. I know that he thinks very well of you, and would not be wanting you to marry a man that he himself did not think highly of."

"I believe he knows the man, and may be well disposed towards him. But... I cannot bring myself to speak to Mr. Bhuwalliput. Mr. Krishnamurtmi, would you perhaps be willing to speak to him on my behalf... *gurulidh*?"

"Certainly, Miss, if you like I...." Comprehension dawned slowly on the older gentleman's face. "You mean that... that you... that I might...?"

"Dear Mr. Krishnamurtmi.... oh please, may I not call you by your given name?"

"It is Jawahindur, Miss."

"Please, if you care for me at all, do call me Penelope... or Penny, if you would rather. It is what my friends in England called me."

"Thank you, Miss... Thank you, Penny. I would be liking that very much."

"Thank you, Jawahindur. It is strange that we have gone so long and not exchanged first names in all this time."

"Yes, Mi... Penny. But... but tell me, when did you....?"

"When did I come to love you? I think it started shortly after I came to know you. You have always been so kind and patient with me, sharing your stories and your language with me. You have grown in my affections for some time, but it has only occurred to me today that what I feel for you is both love and a longing to be in your arms. I know now that I have come to appreciate your intelligence, your steadfastness and your handsome aspect. But perhaps I am over-reaching myself... Am I... am I one that you might willingly waken to each morning, as you once put it?"

"But of course, most assuredly! I had not dared to hope...!"

"Then please, you dear, dear man, my love, my *gurulidh*... won't you embrace me?"

At those words, no further words were necessary for many moments, as she felt his strong arms surround her and his beautiful mustaches tickle her face and neck.

*****************

As soon as the arrangements could be made, the two were joined in matrimony. Mr. Bhuwalliput officiated, Pradeep attended as Penelope's bridesmaid, and (at the latter's insistence) the rajah and ranee appeared as witnesses. It was a small ceremony, with the administrator presenting his clerk with both the funds to purchase the bride's indenture and the deed to a small house outside the administrator's compound in which to set up housekeeping.

And so it was that the bride ceased to be Penelope Elizabeth Smythe-Worthington, instead becoming Penny Krishnamurtmi, wife and lover of Jawahindur Krishnamurtmi... and that night stood trembling in anticipation as her husband approached. As was the custom in his country, he bade his wife remove his clothing. Then -- gently, and with many kisses and caresses -- did the same for her, before picking her up and placing her upon their marriage bed.

She lay there for a moment as he climbed into the bed to join her, reaching up to pull his face to hers for a deep kiss, and opening herself fully to him. What transpired next seemed to go on and on forever, but ended all too soon as he thrust one last time into her, to which she responded with a cry and a crushing embrace with all her limbs. Her husband asked with sudden concern, "My Penny... have I hurt you?"

Her answer was immediate and tearful. "No, my love, no. Never believe that my sweet, my beloved husband... do not ever let yourself think it, even for an instant! You could never hurt me, not even if you tried. Not even if you were to flay me, for it were your hand holding the whip I would be transported with ecstasy. If there are tears in my eyes, they are tears of purest joy. You have given me what I could never in all my life have imagined. When you first saw me, I had been taken from all that I knew and all that I thought I loved. Since then, I have known pain, and sorrow, and deep humiliation. But had I known that it would end in this, I would have welcomed it all and blessed it, for it is far beyond anything I may have dreamed of. You have liberated me from the bonds of bias and cultural blindness, and lifted me up to the very heavens. I might wish that I had always known this rather than the life of privilege I had, and can imagine nothing better than to end my days with you here, in your bed, in your arms. I love you, and I can't believe I will ever stop loving you."

And so she spent the remainder of her life; as a homemaker, as a wife, as a mother, and eventually as a grandmother. She spent her years knowing her place in life, and knowing that place was among the blessed.