How did she get into this mess?

She stepped out of the flower scented bath and was dried off my some of the women, trying to cover herself as much as possible but she did not have enough hands. Nakedness like this was not done in J’nanin, but here in Riven for a woman to see another woman naked it was no big deal, but it was just making her nervous. Once she was dried they dressed her in a green gown and began brushing her hair and putting braids in it. She stood there like a zombie, she felt like her spirit had left her body and she was watching everything from above. She would never consider suicide, she barely had the guts to go cliff diving, but right now she wished she had the gall to just cut her throat. She didn’t want this. She never wanted this. All she wanted was to save her people from slaughter by the Rivenese…and now this.

She had thought she was merely coming here as a show of good faith, to let the Rivenese know the Nanites were serious when they said they weren’t stealing from them. She’d thought she’d stay here a few months, longest a year, until the Rivenese anger calmed down and realized it wasn’t J’nanin that was stealing from them. But when the Rivenese came to take her they revealed their true intentions, and Lorelei’s plan that she felt ever so clever and proud of crashed and burned around her. She was to be married to their leader…that was true trust to the Rivenese. When the council members found out they tried to back out, but Lorelei had quickly stepped in and told them she was ready to go. She knew things would be worse if J’nanin backed out of the deal, the Rivenese would be furious so…she had to go. And now she was here.

She had only seen him once and he had scared her enough in that encounter, and he hadn’t even done anything but stare at her. Apparently he approved and normally Lorelei would have blushed and been honored a man found her pretty, but this time she wished he had thought she looked horrid and send her back. But then some other poor girl would have been forced and she didn’t want that. She had set this whole thing up and now she had to go through with it. It sounded so brave in her head, like she was fearless, but it wasn’t true…because tears were running down her face and she just wanted to run away. She kept telling herself all it was was a simple ceremony. Enter the Temple alone with him. Exchange vows. Exit. Big celebration. But it was the after that scared her. What was to happen to her life after all of it? In J’nanin girls didn’t marry till late, she didn’t expect to marry until 25, maybe even 30. Not nineteen! She was still a baby in Nanite culture. She wasn’t ready for this.

They finished and motioned for her to look in an old cracked mirror in the room. She turned to look at herself and she only began crying more. The women stood behind her, giving her pitied looks. They felt for her and knew why she was upset, but to them this was a great honor to marry their leader, any women in the village would want that and now a foreigner was going too. They motioned for her to go exit, moving back the flap that served as a door and she walked out, standing outside the hut nervously as she waited for him. The ferocious looking man she had to marry. Why had she done this to herself? Because she wasn’t selfish. Because she didn’t have the nerve to stand up for herself. That’s why.

War was the last thing that Noel had wanted for his village. He may have looked to be a blood thirsty, vicious man, but in reality was a still river. He was wiser than his years would have let most men be, and knew that war over stolen fruit was a thoughtless war. He had taken his time accepting their apology, but underneath he was a little bit excited. Don’t let that rumor get around, people would start to think the terrifying Noel Louvel had a heart.

He walked with the other’s from the council. Most weddings were not overly celebrated, but it was something special when the bachelor Leader took a wife. He stayed stoic. His wavy hair pulled back into a tight bun behind his head, his eyes painted darker for the celebration, and his body dressed for the occasion. Since it was a warm, beautiful day in Riven, Noel’s chest and arms were bare to greet the sun.

As they came closer to the temple the elders in the council bid him good luck and gestured him to go further. He looked to his petite, beautiful bride and though a smile did not express on his face his mind was pleased. He reached down to touch the small of her back and began walking into the temple with her, silent as a jungle cat. Footsteps and the sound of water were the only thing he listened to as he took his bride deeper and deeper into the temple until they were at the center alter to exchange their vows. But what did you say to a woman you had never actually spoken to?

“Speak, my bride.” The imposing leader spoke with a thick accent in Narayan rather than Rime, a small gesture to make his trembling bride more at ease.

Her gaze rose as he approached, her eyes wet but no more tears were falling…at the moment. She sniffled a few times before he came close to her, feeling her body begin to tremble from the core of her body outward until she felt like she might crumble. If only. If only she could just allow herself to run or just stand her ground and say no….but of course, she did not have the spine to do so. Other girls in her village would have, they would have had to be pulled kicking and screaming to Riven and wouldn’t have given a damn about respect, they would have told everyone to get the hell away from them and they weren’t going to marry no strange man. But Lorelei had never fit in with the other girls, who were bold and strong like women were meant to be in J’nanin. No…she had always been teased she was much better suited for someplace like Uru were women were meek. Or Riven, it seemed.

She felt her skin jump when his hand touched her back, her body stiffening but she did not shy away and merely followed his lead inside the temple. She had read books about the temple of Riven and had seen drawings of it, and oh how she had thought it looked so beautiful and had wanted to see it someday. But not like this…she wished she had never dreamed of seeing it now. Once they arrived at the alter and stopped she glanced around some before immediately lowering her gaze and stared at the floor, tears starting to fall again. She knew a little of Riven’s history and customs and a little of their language, enough to start out she supposed, but not enough to communicate fully or understand them quite at all.

When she heard her native tongue spoken from him she looked up in surprise, the tears shimmering on her cheek “You…” The word came out so softly she knew he probably didn’t even hear it and so she tried to speak more loudly “You….speak…Narayan?” She didn’t expect that. People said Riven was so closed off, they didn’t give a damn at all about other Ages or learning anything about them yet….he could speak her language.

It may not have been in a warriors disposition to care about tearful women, but the tears in his brides eyes turned something in Noel's stomach. he remained stoic towards her and did not look away. he was not in to shy from eye contact. It showed the true leader in him but did little to make him less intimidating.

"Yes." The large man replied surely, though ye only knew enough to make basic communications. He did not always just interpreters and wanted to know what was going on fr himself. "It is time for vows... I vow to protect, honor, and give you a home for as long as I am your husband. I take you as my wife, and vow to give you a home and family." It wasn't romantic, nor was it sentimental, but even through his thick accent it was genuine. Noel was not a false man by any means. He may have Ben stoic, but he did not often lie.

"You speak." His hands extended to usher her to give her vows and hopefully stop the tears once she started talking. He ma have been a brute, but he understood her sadness and tried to distract her from it.

(sorry if words are weird... im on my phone and it likes to make me seem drunk.)

She had expected him to explain more then just yes. How he learned, why he learned....something more then his simple reply. In j'nanin people loved to talk and tell you a good story, but it did not seem that her soon to be husband was interested in elaboration. She would have asked him questions by she was too afraid of him to dare, but all she wanted was to post pone the inevitable. And that's when she realized she had referred to him as her soon to be husband...it made her feel sick and her face grew pale. This was the man she was going to be forced to live with for her entire life. Forever. How could she live with a stranger? How would she be able to stand it? He looked like he could crush her with his bare hands. It made her cry more.

When he spoke his vows she looked down again, holding her breath so she wouldn't sob. She began to bring a hand up to cover her mouth but stopped herself half way and lowered it back down. When it was her turn to speak she was clueless and her heart thumped madly in her chest. What was she supposed to say to a man she felt like running away from? Vows were meant to be sacred, words of love and commitment to a person you actually wanted to be with. She felt wrong in having to lie...but first shed have to come up with one. She was quiet for a while as she racked her brain, then remembered something. Back home they had birds called parrots, beautiful and colorful, they copied words that people said. So she decided to be a parrot.

She took in a deep breath, emotion heavy in her tone "I-I vow....I vow to..to be your wife" A quiet sob broke free from her lips. "I vow to protect and honor you...for as long as I should live" Her voice was so quiet, but the echo of the room helped amplify her voice some do it didn't sound like a whisper "To...to live with you and...give you a family..." All the while she stared at the ground, feeling light headed and ready to pass out.

In Riven it was note entirely uncommon for marriages to be arranged. Most were out of love but it was not unheard of for a man to take a woman from a nearby village t keep the peace between them. Still it felt strange to say such words to a woman he dint know. He watched her sob and gritted his teeth, not liking he sight. No man wanted to see a woman cry. He waited patiently enough for her to finish her vows and shook his head.

"No more tears." His deep voice was calm , but he knew he did little to comfort her trembling. The large man took a breath and touched her chin before giving her a soft kiss. He would have preferred to leave her untouched but it was necessary for the vows, and she would eventually have to get used to him touching her. There was a lonely old council member who had never grown fond of his wife and Noel wasn't going to allow himself to wind up similar. He may not have known how to warm up to her, but he would try... eventually.

After the strange kiss he gestured to the exit of the beautiful temple. "Come. There is a... a gift outside. The people welcome you." They would love her. Such a soft and gentle woman with their large, ferocious leader would cause quite the sight and gossip. "They love a beautiful woman."

Outside the temple there were people of Riven waiting. They gathered only a short distance away from the temple. A feast had been prepared, and many had brought gifts for their leader's new bride. They indeed would welcome her and celebrate her arrival and the continuing peace between Ages. Normally weddings were not so celebrated, but to see their young bachelor leader wed was something many Rivenese would cherish for it meant their leader would have a strong backbone to keep him steady. Women may not have been the rulers like they were in J'nanin, but they were cherished and admired by their husbands. Every woman in Riven knew a happy man had a good woman to thank.

When he told her to no longer cry it just made her want to cry more. She was sensitive, another trait not common of women in J’nanin. She had been scolded by her mother before to not cry, and apparently here in Riven it was not welcome to cry either. But she grit her teeth and took in a shaky breath, trying to calm herself, but it was hard when things were so official. When he touched her chin she jumped and gasped, glancing at her as he neared her face before looking away. The kiss made her wince, as if he had pinched her instead of given her a quick kiss. She had never been kissed before, and the idea that he was the first and now only man to ever do so made her stomach churn. The tears managed to stop flowing, but her eyes and cheeks still were stained with wetness. When he motioned to the exit she merely turned like a robot and followed him to leave.

When he called her beautiful she made a strange face, glancing to him but then quickly away. She did not consider herself beautiful, but then again beauty was measured differently in J’nanin. A woman’s beauty and worth was taken by her strength, dominance and abilities, that was what made her desirable. Her sister for example had been a wonderful fisherman, a wonderful cook and had hosted many festivals and parties that she arranged and handled all by herself. Many men had wanted her, but none had dared beginning to ask for her hand until she was twenty five…at nineteen, none would even consider it and even with the proposals her sister hadn’t found herself ready to wed until she was twenty eight. Arranged marriages never happened either, couples chose each other because they at least cared for one another, this was….this felt all wrong.

Lorelei was used to festivals, J’nanin had one practically every night with music and dancing and drinking…but this was different. As they stepped outside and she saw the celebration, it made her want to hide. When the people saw them emerge there was shouting and chanting and dancing about, but to Lorelei it all looked so…feral and frightening. However she could see some eyes staring her down, wary and untrusting. She didn’t blame them…for she was sure she had the same emotions reflected in her eyes as well, along with sadness and fright. She felt something bump her head and she shouted in surprise, turning her head only to take a few steps back as something buzzed in her vision. When her eyes focused she saw it was a golden beetle flitting in front of her face. She recognized it from a painting in a book…but in her panic could not recall why she remembered reading about them.

It flew in front of her for a moment, passing and pausing in front of Noel before flying away. The people had stopped, staring in wonder and awe before their chanting and dancing grew more furious and elated. Some people began shouting something about Gehn, but she didn’t understand what they were saying and she looked at Noel in confusion before back to what looked like utter carnage to her.

Though it must have been frightening for Lorelei to profess her life to a man she hardly knew, it was difficult for Noel to understand what she was going through. Fear was something he had abandoned long ago as a boy, and now only knew to be sturdy and stoic. Even as they walked out into the bright sun and cheering people he remained sober. His dark eyes roving over the people and periodically he glimpsed to his wife, nodding to the ones nearby that would congratulate them.

As they reached the chairs to sit he turned to her in time to see the beetle. A surprised look overtook his face and a smile cracked his features in what seemed like an eternity. “You are chosen… blessed by the beetle of our God.” He spoke slowly as the beetle passed by and the people began to cheer again. “Blessed.” He repeated and gestured for her to sit in the high chair beside him.

Soon the people of Riven began bringing the pair gifts. Mostly they brought the new wife presents to welcome her to their Age. Jewlery, trinkets, books, and other assorted gifts were brought to her one by one with a wary smile. They were warm to welcome her, though they were suspicious of anyone outside Riven. It would not be long before they accepted their new leader and her beauty, but it would take Noel some time to open up to his beautiful bride.

She looked confused still, trying to rack her brain “B-blessed?” She didn’t understand. She knew she had read something about it and that the knowledge was there, but with everything happening around her she couldn’t think of anything. Her brain pounded like her heart and sitting was welcome to her for the light headiness she felt had only gotten worse. Her hands clenched the arms of the chair and she took in a deep breath, her eyes flicking here and there to different things that caught her attention but it overwhelmed here and she ended up looking down to her lap for a few moments to try and compose herself. She felt fresh tears stinging behind her eyes. All she wanted was the comfort of home, she didn’t want adventure anymore she just wanted home and everything back that was familiar.

When people began to bring them gifts she looked up and offered weary smiles, nodding her head and tentatively thanking them in their language, one of the few words she knew well. Everything was lovely but she couldn’t concentrate on any of it, one gift after the other she would see but forget what it looked like three seconds later. She glanced to her new husband often, trying to examine his face, his body, his hands…she had never had time to really look at him, if she closed her eyes now she wouldn’t be able to paint a clear picture of him in her head. He was so different from men in J’nanin, who were so easy going and smiles, but he reminded her of a statue. She wondered if he even bled when injured with how emotionless and still he was. She could only think he was upset or disgusted by her by his behavior, but that made two of them.

She was very self-conscious with everyone looking at her so shamelessly. They had to think she was hideous…some foreign alien intruding in their land. She wasn’t thin and strong like any of the other women, and certainly was not dark in skin or hair. Why would their leader even want her to begin with? She’d think he be disturbed by the site of her. She frowned and fiddled with her hands, trying to avoid the stares but she could feel them burning on her skin.

"Blessed, child." From behind her in the crowd stepped a woman no more than a few years older than Lorelei. Her raven hair tied back in a braid with flowers for the festive. Riven people may not have done it often but they did it well. "You were touched by a golden beetle. Some believe they are made out of real gold... It is a symbol of good fortune to see one, Let alone be touched by one... and on your wedding day? You are a very lucky girl Miss Lorelei." She paused then, bowing slightly. "I am Israel . Noel has instructed me to tend to you." She had been with her before to help her get ready for her vows but none had spoken to her before she became a Louvel.

Noel stayed stoic as he watched his people brig gifts to his new wife. They admired her but with caution in most of their eyes. When he turned to look at her again he stared fo a moment, then rose and left without a word. He could tell she was frightened but he did little to comfort it. The only thing he did was leave her and prepare a plate of fruits (or have one prepared for him really) and he brought it back to her. The large man offered it to her then set it on her lap before taking his seat. The people smiled at hi show of affection, knowing it was great from someone as stern as Noel.

She turned when she heard a voice and blinked at her, hearing the Rime words and trying her best to catch them as she spoke. Lorelei had only studied words out of books, she did not comprehend sentences. Touched. Golden Beetle. Good. Wedding. Lucky. Her name. That was all she got at first and she shifted in her seat, glancing to Noel before back to the woman. The wheels in her mind began to turn and she filled in the blanks from what she could suddenly remember. That’s right…Golden Beetles were like pieces of their God, messengers, like angels. She realized now why everyone had reacted the they had, they thought their God Gehn had smiled upon her in great favor. She didn’t feel blessed or lucky, she felt doomed. Maybe since she wasn’t Rivenese it was the opposite for her, maybe a sign of the Golden Beetle meant her misery.

She was drawn out of her doom and gloom thoughts when the woman bowed, and Lorelei understood she was introducing her name, Israel. She also heard her new husbands name in the mix and glanced at him again before back to her. She took in a breath “Um…I…small? Rime” She tried to communicate that she knew little of their language. She was surprised someone was even speaking to her however, for her husband knew Narayan and yet he wasn’t saying a single word to her. Didn’t he have interest in knowing the woman he married? Any at all? Apparently not. When she felt his eyes staring at her she turned fearfully and looked at him, wondering if he wanted to say something to her, but all he did was get up abruptly. She frowned and sighed, convinced in that moment that yes, he hated her.

When he returned with a plate of fruit she looked at him unsurely, carefully taking the ends of the plate as he set it on her lap. She wasn’t very hungry, quite frankly the sight and smell of the fruit made her queasy, but she also felt afraid to refuse eating it if he was giving it to her and she looked to Isreal for help, for so far she seemed the only kind person in this mess. His gesture really meant nothing to her other then he was trying to make her eat, she did not see that it was his way of giving affection.

The girl tilted her head at the confusion on Lorelei’s face and in her words. When she spoke she understood and nodded, giving her an apologetic look. “My apologies, my lady. I will speak slower.” Israel spoke the words slowly as promised, and moved herself to stand a bit closer to Lorelei. When noticing the frown she gently nudged her shoulder. “Do not be scared.” She shook her head. “You have nothing to fear. Smile.”

Though there was little she could do to make Noel seem less intimidating. The large brute may try, but he wasn’t very good with women and their delicate nature. Besides, he hardly knew her, so he wasn’t sure what she wanted. He knew what his village wanted. They wanted a strong, stoic leader, just as he had been for the passed few years. They enjoyed seeing a rock like him guide their council and put in his few words to dictate. After he handed her the fruit he watched her for a few moments before looking back to the last of the gift givers.

Their was music and cheering all around them and soon the people of Riven began to scatter and attend to their own enjoyment of the festival. Night grew closer and closer, and soon it would be time to take her home. After what seemed like a few hours Noel rose and looked to Lorelei, then started off towards his horse (the leader was one of the few men with horses). From behind Lorelei Israel gently took her plate and touched the small of her back, giving her a gentle push to get her going. “Time to see your home, Miss Lorelei.”

Smile. She understood the word, but didn’t understand how she could do such a thing. What did she have to smile about? She was taken from her home and family and forced to live in this strange place to a man who seemed to have absolute no interest in her. She would have been far happier and relaxed if she hadn’t been blindsided and told she had to marry him, but she had. She sat there looking like a wilting flower, most of the time her eyes were merely on her lap trying to not break down crying but on occasion she would glance around or look to her new husband. Yes…he was a statue, she was convinced as the night went on. She wanted to be brave and ask him questions, to talk to him just to hear her native tongue around all this foreign language, but he was too intimidating and she feared he would only grow cross with her. If he wanted to talk he would, wouldn’t he? But he seemed perfectly content in ignoring her.

When he rose she looked up quickly at the fact he had actually moved, watching him go towards his horse. Did he…did he want her to follow him? Stay? She had no idea until Isreal motioned for her to go with him and she picked up the word home. They were going to go to his home now. Alone. She felt her stomach twist painfully and she stayed frozen in the seat for a few moments, not wanting to go for she did not know what awaited her when they were to be alone. But very slowly she stood, her knees buckling for a moment but she managed to steady herself though her body shook. She glanced to Isreal with her eyes wide with fear “Will he hurt me?” She asked in a rush of breath, not knowing how to ask the words in Rime so she figured the question was a total moot point to even bother asking her in the first place.

Slowly she turned back to look at him and walked towards him. She didn’t know what scared her more, him or the horse. A few men had donkeys in J’nanin but they had no horses, and the beast was large and frightening just like her husband, but at least it seemed to have more life than him. She came to stand near Noel, eying the horse warily.

Israel began to wonder if it had not been for her guidance the girl would have been lost and scared. Would she have left and retreated back to her home, causing a war between the two ages? The handmaiden clung her dress in front of her, bunching up a little part of it then letting go, feeling the burden with Lorelei though keeping a small smile on her face.

Noel moved steadily to his tall, muscular, black steed. The animal’s head was bowed slightly, it’s long mane falling over it’s eyes as it stared at terrified Lorelei. It’s brown eyes calm as it watched the girl, steady as it’s master. Noel turned to Lorelei and saw her fear, but with all the village watching he could do little to seem soft and comfort her. Instead he took her hand and pulled her closer (though he didn’t jerk or pull her too roughly) then by her waist he lifted her up and onto the animal. “He is kind.” Were the words spoken to her in Narayan just before he lifted her onto the beast.

Immediately after setting her ontop of the horse Noel lifted himself up behind her. Adjusting for only a moment, he wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her steady as they headed off and away from the festival. The people cheered behind them, and would be heard for miles. The Louvel home was not far, and for most of the ride Noel was quiet. He gripped her close to him so she wouldn’t fall as the horse carried them gracefully. He tried to think of something to say to her, but was left speechless. Once his home was in sight he spoke again in Narayan. “Home.” Just as he spoke the horse whinnied beneath them, his body shaking with the sound. From behind the home a white mare appeared, calling back with a softer sound and Noel managed a very small and short lived smile. “She greets you.” The mare paced behind the modest fence. “She is for you.”

She knew donkeys were temperamental creatures, she had seen them buck and bite when they were in foul moods back in J’nanin. She could only assume horses were the same and she wished she didn’t have to get anywhere near it. She stared at the horse with scrutiny when she suddenly felt Noel grab her hand and pull her towards it. She stiffened and resisted without thinking, though the way he moved her was like she was nothing but a feather to him. She whimpered when he forced her close to it then gasped when he lifted her up so effortlessly and placed her on the horse. She went as rigid as a rock, expecting the horse to throw her off or turn and try to bite her for being a foreign person on its back. He was kind? She didn’t think she could trust her husband’s definition of kind. But as Noel got on the horse behind her and the horse had yet to lash out at her she allowed her shoulders to relax, only to stiffen again as Noel’s hand went around her waist.

Her skin crawled to have him touching her and all she wanted was to push his hand away, but she didn’t. She awkwardly held her own hands up so as to not touch him or the horse as they began to move. The ride there felt like she was being taken to her death sentence. They went over a bridge and she looked at the ocean water, missing her home. Somehow the ocean was so much more different here in Riven, but maybe it was just her imagination. When they came into the village she looked around, trying to get a feel of Riven life by what she saw. Small wooden huts on stilts, clothes hanging on lines, firepits, statues of Gehn….yes, far different then J’nanin. Everything seemed so, somber and organized here, when J’nanin was a disarray of so many things. Everyone did things their own way back home, while everything here seemed so uniform. When he said the word home she looked forward and although there were a few huts in her line of sight, she knew which one he spoke of, which was the largest she had seen so far.

She frowned at her new home. It was larger than the others but still smaller than homes in J’nanin. She jumped when the horse whinnied and she glanced back to Noel in panic “Why…why did he do that?” She asked fearfully, tense as she expected the horse to do something she wouldn’t like. She looked back to see the other horse as it returned the males call, watching her curiously for a moment before glancing back at Noel in surprise again “She is mine?” He gave her a horse? Wonderful, he was trying to get her killed by the massive beast. She looked back to the white mare and although she frowned at her, Lorelei had to admit she was beautiful.

The Riven leader could feel the stiffness in his new wife. He could feel her hostility and her anger that she was the one chosen to be sent away from her family. Most men would not have dawdled on what it felt like to be arranged to be married, at least for the woman, but Noel was different. He may have seemed stoic and stern, but his mind was a never ending array of thoughts. He could not silence it even if he wanted to.

When the mare whinnied from beside their home and caused panic in Lorelei Noel felt a smile stir at his lips. It was a brief, fleeting expression. “They greet each other.” He answered her in a deep, husky voice laced with a thick accent. “They mate.” Was that the right term? It was close enough.

The black steed brought them closer and once they were in front of the hut Noel dismounted. He reached up and grabbed his wife’s waist to help her down and set her back on the ground. He unbuckled the saddle and slid it from the stallion, then brought the beast towards the mare. “Come.” He said to Lorelei and released the black stallion into the paddock with the mare. “You like her soon.” She would grow fond of the mare eventually, but he wouldn’t force her now. She was uncomfortable enough as it was, and was about to become more uncomfortable once they went inside. He moved to the rather large hut then, night was fast approaching and he didn’t want to waste time making a fire outside so she could enjoy the evening Riven air. Instead he beckoned her inside to show her their home. It was not J’nanin, but it was comfortable and beautifully decorated with gold and flowers.

She understood what he meant and nodded shortly to show him that she had, though she watched the mare a bit sadly. Lorelei felt like her right now, locked somewhere where she couldn’t escape, only difference was the mare actually seemed happy to see the male return when Lorelei was far from happy being around Noel. She turned into a rock again when he touched her to bring her off the horse and once her feet touched the ground she took quite a few generous steps away from the large creature, still convinced he may try to do something to her. She watched the white horse as he took care of the stallion, a bit intrigued to go near her but she didn’t dare and just admired from afar. She didn’t doubt that she would soon like the pretty white mare…it was her big scary husband she was quite certain she would not like. Between the horses and him she'd rather be locked in the padlock then go into the hut with him.

When he began to move towards his home she frowned, feeling her feet stuck to the ground but she took in a deep breath and followed him obediently. She did not see it as their home, she didn't associate any of herself with this place. She stepped inside carefully as if she expected a horde of monsters to attack her inside and slowly looked around. It was alright, not what she was used too but it wasn’t mud and leaves stuck together like she had envisioned in her head with dirt as a bed. The bed. Her eyes went to it and lingered there for a moment fearfully before quickly looking elsewhere, as if ignoring the bed would make it not exist. She moved along the home, staying close to the wall and when she had looked at everything already three times she glanced over to him “It is…nice” It’s all she could summon up.

Noel had never been with a woman quite so rigid as Lorelei. He did not understand how to ease her discomfort, nor did he understand why she was so uncomfortable. He knew it must have been difficult to be far from home, but she knew her duty… right? The beautiful woman perplexed him and he stared at her as she looked around their home. There were flowers to decorate just for her, even flowers strewn across the bed with the loveliest pedals that the handmaidens could find.

Instead of speaking to her, since he could not find the words, he went and poured her a glass of wine. The wine was white and sweet, and poured in a large cup for her to help her relax. As he went to her he handed her the cup, then brushed her long lovely hair off of her shoulder. The sun was nearly down outside and all that was left was the flicker of light in the hut and remaining colors from the setting sun. They danced across her pale skin so beautifully. He touched her shoulder and trailed his fingers down her soft skin, amazed at how soft it could be though his face stayed stoic. “Beautiful.” He spoke the Narayan word in his husky voice as he stepped behind her to her other shoulder and brushed her hair back there, admiring her once again. He toyed with the golden clasps on her dress and unbuckled them, then removed his own large belt and tossed it aside.

Lorelei was actually quite unsure of her duty as a matter of fact. Her parents she was sure did not think she would have any duty other than to be a wife in theory, but Lorelei had suspected that would not be the case. Once in her village a girl at twenty and a man at twenty six had wanted to be married, but the village had been very, very against it for they felt she was far too young. In the end the couple insisted they were in love and wanted nothing else so the village had relented and given them a exception…on the promise that the man would not touch her for a few more years until she was old enough to be a wife in that manner. On a woman’s wedding day the mother would tell her daughter how a wedding night was like and how she was to perform, what was expected of her and of her husband, but Lorelei had not been given this speech and so she was clueless what was supposed to happen.

She took the offered cup and began to raise it to her lips when she froze before the cup could reach her mouth, her eyes shifting over as he touched her hair and she started to feel her heart hammer in her chest. The one word he said made her frown and she lowered the cup back down without taking a drink from it, her hands beginning to shake and make the liquid inside tremble “I-I do not….think so…” She whispered, hoping maybe if she told him that no, as a matter of fact she wasn’t beautiful, he would believe her and leave her alone. She glanced back at him as he stepped behind her before looking towards the bed. No, no, no…she didn’t want this. She didn’t want to be with this man. He looked like he could smother her! She gasped when suddenly he undid the clasps on her dress and she almost dropped the cup, but found herself gripping it tighter and using her other hand to keep her dress up. Her face crumpled and she bowed her head, tears starting to immediately fall and her body shook with fear and sobs she was holding in tight.

There may have been a language barrier between the two, but there was no barrier when it came to fear. Noel could nearly smell it off his frightened little bride as he drew closer. How did other men handle these sort of women? At one point in his life he may have been a warrior, but she was no woman of an enemy. She was not a woman who lived in the wrong village, or was in the wrong Age at the wrong time and would be raped. She was his wife. She deserved respect… right? Yet she hadn’t earned it yet.

He touched her shoulder again until she disagreed with him. “Yes.” He argued back, saying the word bluntly. He continued to touch her skin gently until she tipped her head and began to cry and he paused. “No.” Finally a word escaped his mouth in a softer, though still husky, tone. He touched her cheek and wiped away a bit of wetness then ran his hand down her neck to her shoulder. “No tears.” He hated tears, they made his stomach tense. As she continued to cry he moved to stand behind her and took the cup of wine, wishing she would have drank it rather than clutching it like a security blanket. He began to remove his shoes and once they were off he touched her hips from behind. “Bed.” With that he gave her a nudge and untied his pants. There was a lurking feeling of guilty in the pit of his stomach though no trace of it showed on his face. They had to do this for their marriage. The men of Riven would know, and the women would talk. Rumors would light like wildfire that their leader could not perform (though the bulge in his pants said otherwise), and he would be shamed.

She flinched when he said yes so forcefully, closing her eyes tight for a moment as fear gripped her strongly then slowly opened them again, as if she had expected him to hit her for disagreeing with him…who knew, she didn’t, she had no clue what he would or wouldn’t do. She had never seen herself as beautiful, there were far more beautiful women in J’nanin. She would have assumed he thought her repulsive, but apparently he was very adamant that she was beautiful to him which was a very small comfort. People did not like to break beautiful things, right? So maybe that meant he wouldn’t hurt her….at least not enough to leave damage she supposed which was again a very small comfort but with the fear she was feeling small comforts felt quite large.

She glanced up at him meekly when he told her to not cry, but unlike before when she was able to stop, this time she couldn’t even though she was afraid in angering him. Her whole body was so rigid he had to more likely pry the cup from her hand and as soon as that hand was free she brought it to her chest where she held up her dress. She could feel her back however was all but bare, but she still clung to keep the dress for as long as she could. Like as if she was walking to the gallows she went towards the bed and sat down at the edge, still clutching the front of her dress to keep herself covered. She looked down to her lap and continued to cry, her body shaking harder and harder by the minute. She glanced up at him but as she saw him untying his pants she quickly looked back down and a sob escaped her before she was able to hold it back in.

It seemed so many things ran through Noel’s head. Was she crying because she missed home? Did she think he would hurt her? Would he hurt her? She was a J’nanin girl, after all, and they were not on the best of terms… No, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t her fault. Thoughts like this and so many others ran through his mind until they were no longer able to construe together. He began to focus more on her bare back and the curves of her body and lost his grasp on thought and speech.

As she moved to the bed he hesitated only to watch her then stepped closer. In a moment of sweetness he placed his hand ontop of her head and touched her hair, then leaned down to kiss her nearly white tresses. “No tears.” Just as the moment of sweetness began to leave him he reached down and grabbed her hips, lifting her in a swift movement and turning her over. “On your knees.” It seemed every warrior knew how to say that in various languages, and though a sweet moment over took him, Noel had no desire to look at her tears. Instead he wanted her flipped over as he dropped his pants and lifted her dress, gripping her thighs as he felt her soft skin. “No tears.” He said once more as he spit onto his hand (for her comfort, of course) then took hold and guided himself into her.

She didn’t think Noel would just hurt her, she thought the man would ravage her into minced meat. He looked capable of it and suddenly all she could keep in her head were the rumors of savage Rivenese men and not the information she had read in books, the same information she had used when she had argued with the council members that they were unjustly labeling the Rivenese as monsters. But right now her new husband was a monster to her, some emotionless creature that did not care about her one bit other than himself and his ugly needs. She was petrified, couldn’t he see that? Why did he insist upon bedding her when it was so obvious she didn’t want him too? This just made her hate him, that he simply just would not leave her be. Once again she wished she had the guts to push him away or slap him, but she merely kept quiet and obedient.

When he kissed the top of her head, she wondered if he was playing mind games with her, some sick pleasure in trying to pretend to give her comfort only to continue frightening her. Her eyes darted up to him after he kissed the top of her head and her lips trembled “Please…” But her voice was so thick with emotion that no true sound come out of her mouth, she merely mouthed the word as her eyes begged him to not do this, but suddenly he grabbed her and positioned her facing away from him, a yelp startling out of her. She tried to do as he said and be on her knees but her body was shaking so horribly she could barely manage it. She gave up trying to hold her dress together as she felt him lift it from behind, covering her face with her hands in dismay. Then suddenly she felt pain and she all but screamed from it, her panic and fear making it a hundred times worse and all she could do was sob, not able to hold it back anymore she just wailed and hoped it would be over soon enough.

Fear was an awful thing to see in a woman. It was something only sick men and war lords enjoyed, but deep down Noel believed no man truly enjoyed it. He hated that his new bride was so frightened by him but at the same time they needed to consummate their marriage. The village would know if it was not done. She could lie, but a man could tell when a woman was pure simply by the way she would blush.

As she trembled he gripped her hips, running his hand over her back side in some sort of comfort but he had all but given up by that point. He guided himself into her, groaning and bending slightly at the intense feeling. She was so small and he so large and he took a few moments of very slow thrusting to enjoy that. Soon he began to pick up speed, but gripped her hips to keep her in place. The old warrior did his best to be ‘gentle’ but was not the most thoughtful, caring man. He moved his hips back and forth, grunting as he thrusted. Soon enough her pain would be over, wouldn’t it? God, in the moment he couldn’t think much about the stranger at his waist and began only to care about himself and his body moved faster. There was a part of him that tried to please her as well, his hand moving down to rub her in a place that made other women groan. Anything to help stop the tears.

She felt no pleasure, not even as minutes passed no pleasure was felt in any bone in her body. How long did this last? She didn’t know. She wished her mother had been able to speak to her about this, perhaps it wouldn’t be as terrible as it was if she had only been prepared…but her mother only knew how to handle J’nanin men, a Rivenese man was a whole different species. The initial pain faded after a few agonizingly slow minutes, but her body continued to be stiff and not receptive to the man moving inside her. Nothing he could have done in that moment would ease her distress, even if he had attempted to be as gentle as possible she still would have been miserable. She continued to cry and cry endlessly, and when he picked up speed she grimaced and pain started again, just wishing over and over again it would just be done. How long would this go?! Would he want to do this more than once? Oh she hoped not.

As he hand moved down to rub her she shuddered in disgust and just sobbed harder. She didn’t want his hands on her, she just wanted him off. She closed her eyes tightly and just tried to think of something else, anything else, though it didn’t do anything to help ease the experience. She wasn’t sure how this normally went but, she thought he was being quite brutal in his thrusts. She gripped at the blanket on the bed, trying to ease her tension, even if just a little.