Key to Survival
Piers Anthony
Chapter 1 Opaline
"Candor: I'm frightened," Opaline said as they approached the local Traveler's Exchange. "I've never been away from Sourberry before."
"We know, dear, and we're frightened for you," her mother Silver said, hugging her fondly.
"We'd rather keep you at home," her father Copper said. "But you'll need to find employment and get married, and there are no local prospects. You should do better at Triumph City, where folk are more liberal."
"But it's such a big city, and so far away," Opaline said. "In between are strangers and brigands and strange magic. It daunts me awfully."
"That's why we want you to travel in company," Silver said.
"A man who will guide you and protect you," Copper agreed. "No fault."
"But no fault means I'll have to give him sex."
"Not necessarily," her mother said, a bit primly.
"Nine and a half times out of ten," Opaline said. "And the others are skipped because they are repulsive."
Her parents exchanged a helpless glance, not able either to deny it or call her repulsive. It was the commonly accepted price of traveling. At least it didn't count on the record. A virginal girl who traveled no fault remained virginal when she arrived, by definition. It was certainly better than being robbed and raped by brigands.
A man approached. He was tall and solid, with a floppy hat and bright checkered shirt. He wore a large backpack, and carried a long wood staff. He spoke to Opaline's father. "A greeting, villager. You have the look of a man who dreads sending his nubile daughter on the trail alone. I am Hayseed the minstrel, traveling to Triumph City and looking for a companion. May we have a dialogue?"
"Negation," her father said. "Minstrels are notorious lechers."
Hayseed laughed. "Confirmation! And I am surely among the worst. But I detest traveling alone, and am no hand at foraging for meals. How might I persuade you to let me travel with your daughter?"
"Make a oath of brotherhood," Copper said.
Opaline bit her tongue. The idea that such a man would ever agree to that was laughable.
Hayseed focused on Opaline. He nodded. "So made. No fault brotherhood."
Both parents stared at him, astonished and unable to answer immediately.
Opaline could not let this happen by default. "How can we trust a stranger? His oath could be worthless."
"Request," Hayseed said to them. "I wish to talk to you separately."
He thought he could persuade Copper and Silver to let him travel with her? Opaline turned away and walked a short distance, signifying her willingness to let her parents settle the matter. They were not at all credulous.
In a moment Copper called to her. "Opaline! We have agreed."
Opaline whirled to face the three. "Disbelief!"
"Trust us," Silver said. "This man will keep his word."
How could this be? It was baffling. Yet she knew that her parents would never betray her.
Somehow the minstrel had talked them into trusting him. She had no choice but to agree.
Her mother kissed her tearfully, and her father hugged her. Then they stood back, in effect turning her over to Hayseed. Opaline hoped they had not somehow been dangerously deceived.
Hayseed started walking, and Opaline accompanied him, ill at ease. Soon they were beyond the village, and she knew that if she looked back she would not see her parents. She was on her way, and not at all easy about it.
They were on the path that wound between Chroma zones, avoiding the magic of the many colored regions.
NonChroma folk like them could not afford to intrude on Chroma zones, because all the people, animals, and plants of the zones had magic that could make considerable mischief. But here in the nonChroma section nobody could do magic, making it safe in that respect. The zones were all colors, and as a general rule it was best to stay clear of any of them.
She had to know the worst. "Minstrel Hayseed—"
"Just call me Hayseed," he said. "And I will call you Opaline. We are siblings."
She would not be diverted. "Question: What did you tell my parents?"
"The truth," he said easily. "That my oath can be trusted, and I will see you safely and unmolested to Triumph City. I can see you are wary of me; I hope to satisfy you that I will do you no harm, or allow harm to come to you."
"But you talked with them less than a minute."
"Concurrence."
"But no fault—men and women—"
"Have no concern, Opaline. I am a married man, with three grown daughters older than you and one younger. I love my wife, who I think is still the most beautiful woman on the planet."
"Doubt. I mean, about your age. You look twenty five."
"Appreciation. I try to stay fit."
Was he being evasive? "How old are you?"
"Forty one. My wife is 40."
"Disbelief."
He laughed. "Perhaps I will seem young forever."
There was a mystery about this man that did not reassure her. "Relevance: Married people travel no fault sexually. Even older folk. Why not you?"
"Opaline, I do, and so does my wife. But neither you nor your parents desire that for you, so I accompany you as your older brother. I will not violate that convention."
This irked her, for some reason. "Am I unappealing to you?"
"Negation."
"Then why so ready an agreement?"
"It was necessary. I need to travel with you."
"Why? I am nothing."
He paused. "I see this question bothers you. May I step out of role for a moment to make a demonstration?"
Opaline was wary, but wanted to know the truth. "Affirmation."
"If I had my free choice, I would do this with you." He stopped walking, took her by the shoulders, drew her in to him, and kissed her. The kiss was stunning in its impact; he was ten times the man she had supposed.
As she stood stunned, he continued. "And this." He slipped his hand into her blouse and squeezed her left breast.
The nature of the touch made it evident that her breast was full and firm. Somehow, oddly, this surprised her; how could she feel that about herself? "And this." He put his hand under her skirt and inside her parities and squeezed her left buttock. The touch established that her buttock was similarly full and firm. By some weird device she was appreciating it as he did. "And this." He took her left hand and passed it inside his trousers, which opened of their own accord. He closed her fingers around his rampant male member, which seemed to pulse with eagerness. This was really full and firm. How was it that she was neither terrified nor repulsed? "And more, plumbing the delightful depth of you, becoming a fountain of rapture." And she felt illicit delight in the notion of that fountain jetting within her.
Which was strange, as she was not at all that type of girl. She did wear the wire, so could not conceive, but that was a standard precaution for all nubile girls, especially those who had to travel. She was a virgin, and promised to remain so for this journey.
Then he disengaged. "But I am not your lover. I am your brother. I will do none of these things. It is not because you are unappealing. It is because I made an oath." He turned and resumed walking along the path.
She joined him automatically. It was as if she were in some other world. That gave her a certain boldness she would not otherwise have had. "Appreciation for not doing those things. They might have alarmed me." Somewhere on the horizon was a lining of mirth. Certainly he had satisfied her that she was not unappealing to him. She was not versed in sex, but knew that a man could not fake such an erection.
"Welcome."
"But why is it necessary to travel with me?"
Hayseed shook his head. "Observation: you are like a dragon with its jaws locked on the leg of a cow. You will not let go."