Chapter 39 #2
Scarlet nodded then launched into a disturbing explanation of some torturous biological process called the 'menstrual cycle'.
Donivi and Atem listened with matching looks of horror as Scarlet, with calm, detached professionalism, explained a twenty-eight day average cycle of hormones that began with the shedding of the womb, centered around the ovulation of an egg, and ended with either fertilization and implantation of said egg, or collapse of uterine tissues in preparation for more shedding.
Literal shedding, like their wombs were coats to be removed.
And the result was an outpouring of that unused tissue and the bleeding that accompanied it through their vaginas.
Scarlet spoke with the easy and informed tone of a medical professional.
Peony just stood there, comforting Hattie who looked like she dearly wished someone would come run her through with a blade to escape this situation.
Atem and Donivi listened quietly, then shared a look of absolute confusion and dismay.
“And this process... is natural but somehow also harmful?” Donivi asked when Scarlet finished and opened the discussion for questions.
“The contractions of the shedding process can be painful,” she said.
“It's based on a similar system as labor, and so can cause cramps that can be uncomfortable.
But it's different for each female. I don't really get cramp symptoms myself. Instead, I get headaches, breast tenderness, and sweet cravings. Peony?”
Atem's water eyed female looked startled at being addressed. Her face turned pink, but she realized that they were being open and honest with communication right now and, to help spare Hattie her strange humiliation, she volunteered-
“I get some cramps, but they're not bad. Headaches too. But it's not really the same symptoms twice.”
“You are going to go through this?” Atem asked, gesturing to Hattie.
“Probably soon,” she nodded in confirmation. “It's been a while. I'm irregular. I told you that, remember? So, it's harder to say when my cycle will come back around.”
“You neglected to mention that, with this increased fertility of yours, you also have to endure self-mutilation,” he growled, angry at the idea that, soon, and approximately once or twice every turn of the lesser moon, she would need to take to her bed to bleed and just be in pain.
“I kind of figured that periods were a common thing,” she shrugged. “And men, er... human males don't really like to talk about periods, so I probably would never have thought to bring it up with you.”
Atem frowned, confused. Why didn't their males like to talk about periods?
Donivi interjected before he could ask, “This process, Hattie, you knew it was coming? Why did you not seek medical aid?”
She sighed, tucking herself deeper into her blankets. “Why would I seek medical aid? It's just a period.”
“But you said you are too pained to get out of bed?”
“Trust me, it's not nearly as painful as this conversation,” she grumbled.
“Why didn't you tell us your period was about to start?” Scarlet asked, cocking her head curiously. “We could have probably prevented this from happening if you had told us.”
Hattie grimaced. “I kind of didn't want to be the first girl to have her period here. I guess I just hoped I could use towels as pads and wait to see how you guys dealt with it later so I could do that next time.”
Scarlet shook her head. “Sorry, honey, I'm on the shot. I won't have a period for another couple months. And I think Alanna is on the same.”
Hattie sighed. “And Holly and Peony are both irregular. I'm the only regular girl here, so of course the humiliation is mine.”
Atem frowned. “Humiliation? Why are you humiliated, Hattie?”
“I mean, come on...” She gestured randomly around the room as though the answer should have been so obvious that she didn't even need to properly point to it.
Atem looked at her oddly. “I've never been humiliated to bleed.”
“Yeah, but you don't bleed out of your vagina, so...”
“I can't see why that would matter. You said this is a natural part of your biology. Why should you then be embarrassed about it?”
To Atem's confusion, three sets of human eyes stared at him, as though he had said something remarkable. He frowned.
Peony chuckled, coming around the bed to hold his hand. “You're sweet.”
“What?”
“That's not usually the stance guys, er, males, take.” She straightened his shirt with a happy smile on her face. “Human males tend to think periods are gross. Or embarrassing for themselves.”
“Huh?” She was making even less sense.
But Scarlet was nodding along with her words. “I had a boyfriend once who said I couldn't throw my tampons away in the bathroom trash. Said it was nasty and I should go down to the corner store to change them if I had to do it.”
“He said 'if'?” Peony asked, laughing as though it were funny.
“He didn't last long,” Scarlet chuckled.
“Ugh, my high school boyfriend was like that,” Hattie frowned, leaning back on her hands. “And my last boyfriend? He wouldn't even sleep with me on my period. Like, actually sleep, on the same bed. Said he was scared I'd bleed on him.”
To Atem's horror, neither Peony nor Scarlet looked surprised by the anecdote.
They just laughed with an attitude of 'it is what it is'.
But it sounded like they were saying that their males were rejecting them or shaming them for a biological process they not only couldn't help but was tied to their extremely high fertility.
Something that would be a blessing to any other sapient species.
But those inconsiderate views were so common that none of the females were surprised or even dismayed.
It was just a fun, short tale to share and commiserate over. Like the annoyance of a broken claw.
“So, your females don't bleed? At all?” Peony asked, pulling him from his musings on the male matches to these perfect females.
“They definitely do not,” Donivi assured her, calming down now that the shock of the revelation had worn off.
“Our females come into estrus only once a year, and the rest of the time their uterus goes through a similar cycle.
But their uterus doesn't shed its lining. It recycles it for the next egg.”
“What?!” Hattie yelled in dismay. “Lucky!”
“Seriously,” Peony pouted. “That sounds way better than our set up.”
“It's not luck,” Donivi frowned. “It's how most species females react.
Recycling or resorbing uterine linings is the typical response.
I've never heard of a single species that violently expels theirs.
I suppose it's because you come into your fertile periods more often, so your bodies don't have time to go through the other processes.”
“Woo.” All three females said at once, with dull, unimpressed smiles, putting up a fist in mocking celebration of their uniqueness.
“Go team,” Peony chuckled unhappily.
“I'm glad we got all that settled,” Hattie said with false, strained cheer. “Now can you all go away so I can bleed out in peace!”
Donivi frowned. “Is that a genuine concern?”
Hattie groaned, head dropping back. “No, not for me. My periods aren't that bad. I'd just like to be alone to suffer, okay?”
“Why?” The healer looked baffled. “I can probably expedite the process at the healing center, so you won't have to bleed or suffer at all.”
“Wait. What? Seriously?” Hattie brightened immediately. “You can, like, end it early? No way!”
“Your people have not figured out ways to ease the suffering of this cycle?”
Atem's eyes widened when all three females burst out into laughter. As though the very idea was hilarious.
“It's a natural process,” Scarlet shrugged. “Why mess with it if you don't have to?”
“Because it's harming you?” Donivi frowned.
“You guys are my favorite,” Peony beamed, resting her head on Atem's arm.
Hattie was willing to try turning off her period, as she said, so Atem and Donivi left the room so Scarlet and Peony could help her dress in a way that would keep her blood from dripping down her legs since they didn't have access to the products to control such things as they did on their planet.
He talked with First Healer about scanning Hattie again to learn more about this cycle before they dealt with the matter of her shedding.
It seemed that he finally found the cost of Peony's perfection.
A female that was built for sensuality and sexuality, but who paid the price in blood.
It was a warrior's price. And apparently one that pained them a great deal.
He couldn't imagine being forced to endure labor once every twenty-eight days, though apparently that was so common for them that they didn't even seem concerned.
And their males did nothing for them in this time? By the way they spoke, it seemed that their males outright rejected them while they had this period.
He had thought that human males must be incredible to deserve such females, but seeing Peony's adoration at the simple suggestion that they just stop the pain made him uneasy. And angry. And baffled.
What even were human males?
A few minutes later, the females emerged – Scarlet escorting Hattie who was groaning, the pains in her abdomen such that she was hunched over slightly.
She waved away their assistance however, assuring them that it was just her worst day and that it wasn't anything to fuss over.
Donivi led Scarlet and Hattie away – the latter to be scanned and helped and the former to be questioned to learn more about this period process so he could be prepared for it coming from the other females.
Peony stayed behind, smiling at Atem.
“Well, that was embarrassing,” she said, laughing.
Atem frowned, pulling her into his arms. “It was not. Her embarrassment was misplaced. And do not feel embarrassed about bringing this topic to my attention when your time begins. I wish to know when it starts so we can end it immediately. And I do not care if you need to bleed in our bed or our privy or cleansing room. It is not embarrassing or gross or any such thing.”
Peony blinked at him, surprised by the vehemence in his voice before her face softened in a smile, resting her hands on his chest.
“You're the best, Atem.”
“It really seems like the bare minimum,” he said, his heart aching for his female. What kind of males did she have to deal with on her planet that this was remarkable?
“When will this happen for you? Soon, you said?”
She nodded. “My period tends to be between like thirty and forty days. That's still not abnormal, it's just hard to predict. But yeah, probably soon.”
Atem stood tall. “Then, I shall have Tilii prepare something to allow you to bleed conveniently until we can take you to the healing center.”
“I would rather bleed, if we're being totally honest here.”
“Ah. Right.” He frowned. “Surely, your phobia won't extend even that far?”
“Atem,” she gave him an indulgent smile. “I've been dealing with my period since I was thirteen. It's fine. It's really not this big thing. Unless it's the sex that's bothering you?”
“Sex?”
“Yeah. Men don't like having sex with a girl on her period.”
“Why not?”
“Because... it's gross?” She was giving him that look again, like he was being strange.
He growled, his tail curling around her thigh to hold her tighter. “I just told you, it is not. And I meant it. If our bed becomes a battlefield, then that just calls to the warrior in my blood.”
She laughed. “Silly. I mean, I'm okay with it if you are. It's not like we don't have a mess every night anyway thanks to you. If the blood isn't a turn off for you, then I'm happy to join in. I've heard orgasms even help with the cramps.”
Atem jerked back. “You mean your males could help you with this and they do not?! Peony!”
“What?” She looked at him, wide eyed.
“You don't see how that's insane?”
She just shrugged and, after a moment, he pulled her back into his arms.
He wanted to find this Earth even more now. To protect its fragile females and now also to find these males and question them for their disregard for said females.
In the excitement of the evening, he didn't get a chance to ask Peony to be his mate.
But he certainly didn't forget, and he was more determined than ever now to claim her.
No way would he allow her to return to Earth and to the arms of a male that wouldn't even help her with this supposed natural process that hurt her so frequently.