Possessions Ch 05

WARNING: This chapter has a much harsher version of Non-consent.

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Without further ado, here is Chapter 5 of Possessions!

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Excitement made her hands shake. For the first two decades of her life, this is what she had been waiting for, studying for, preparing for. So many women attempted this path, and so few were successful. She would not disappoint her father. Finally, she would look into his eyes and see pride there as he gazed at her, instead of the disappointment and disgust that normally filled them.

Today, on her 20

th

birthday, Alaliya would meet her future husband.

The King had arrived, along with his second in command. The King didn't always take notice when young women were married to foreigners. The fact that Alaliya's betrothed was not only extremely rich, but also brother to his King's future bride made her impending marriage of special import. This marriage would not only create a financial bond for her family, but hopefully a political bond for her country.

The morning had been tedious, her stepmother, a normally demure, quiet woman, had been relentless in the pursuit of perfection, snapping at the servants and slaves, even reprimanding Alaliya, something she had never done before. Finally, after hours standing still to be dressed and have her cosmetics flawlessly applied, Alaliya was deemed ready to be presented to her fiancé.

Butterflies in her stomach made her walk more slowly than normally. She noticed that the entire hallway had been cleared of all slaves and servants. Finally, after what seemed like the longest walk in her life, she stood outside the doors to her father's private study. Her stepmother knocked once and, at a command from inside, entered, leaving Alaliya alone in the hallway, nearly shaking with excitement and nerves.

The door opened again several minutes later and Alaliya was summoned inside She was shocked as she walked through the door to see the King seated with one of his Generals standing at his back. She knew that the King was present in the keep but had not expected him to be personally interested in her presentation, especially as her fiancé's strange customs dictated a private showing instead of public. Of course, Alaliya had seen the King before, but she had never had a reason to speak to him. She dropped into a low curtsy, bowing her head in respect as she spoke a proper greeting.

"Come, Alaliya, sit by me." He gestured to the empty chair next to him.

As she moved forward, her eyes slid over the others in the room sitting in a circle, each with their personal guards standing near. Her father sat tall, confident. His eyes were blank, but hard. As expected, her stepmother sat at her father's side, her head dropped and eyes downcast, hands folded gracefully in her lap. The perfect picture of a submissive wife. The King sat in the most comfortable chair. His eyes were warm and welcoming. The man she assumed was to be her husband sat between the two, across from the empty chair. His eyes were critical, calculating, obviously assessing her.

The man who seemed to draw her attention, though, was the General at the King's back. The King's second in command. She had never met him, never seen him, but she had heard many stories. He was the youngest soldier to be promoted to General in their history. He already ran his own keep that flourished under his regard. He was known to be kind and fair. He was also known to be swift and deadly, cruel when necessary. As the King's second in command, he had great power. It was said that he had a brother a few years younger than him, who was swiftly rising in the army under his brother's instruction.

He was a handsome man. His body large and hard with muscle. Somehow, though, he seemed welcoming, like those strong arms would shelter his woman from the world. His eyes were pure molten silver, mercurial. They swept over her once, before resting on her face. Whereas her father and fiancé's gazes were critiquing in a critical way, his eyes seemed warm, as if gazing at something he was fond of, taking note of its many assets. Their eyes met for a split second, and he smiled at her, almost a smirk.

She sat across from her future husband, between her father and King, her back to him. Even so, she could feel his gaze on her. It nearly made her shiver.

"Alaliya, we've many things to discuss, and I'm afraid little time to discuss them." The King spoke directly to her. He smiled as he spoke, but it did not reach his eyes.

"Yes, my King." Alaliya bowed her head in respect, but her pulse jumped in trepidation.

They spoke for what seemed like hours. The King questioned her on her desire to marry outside their nation, her knowledge of the customs of her future husband's country, her knowledge of the man himself. Alaliya answered respectfully, in the way she had been taught, assuring him that she was agreeable to the marriage. She had spent years learning of his culture and she was prepared to leave her family and her country.

They took a bread from the discussion as midday meal was served to them. Her father tried to convince them to convene to the great hall for a proper meal, but the King demanded food be delivered to the study, so they could continue their conversation more swiftly. The King even demanded that the guards be brought meals as well. As they ate, the King took a few moments to speak to General Ehrik apart from the rest of them. The General responded, and as he did, he looked at those in the room, leaving no doubt about who he was speaking about. When his eyes landed on her, he grinned at her. The King followed his gaze, frowned, and said something that made the General look at him with a smirk.

When the King moved to speak to her father about matters of state, General Ehrik came to stand in front of where she silently waited with her stepmother. She respectfully kept her eyes lowered as she bobbed a curtsy and greeted him.

After a moment of him simply standing there without speaking or moving, she raised her eyes to his face in curiosity. She focused on his chin, careful not to be so bold as to meet his eyes.

When she did, he finally spoke. "It is going to be magnificent."

"What will be, Sir?" She asked, hoping she wasn't being too bold.

"The first time you scream my name as you orgasm."

She gasped, her eyes finally snapping up to meet his. They were practically glowing, the heat they contained making the silver seem to shift. She got caught in that heat, unable to tear her shocked stare away. She was so trapped in intensity of that gaze that she couldn't even think to respond. She lost track of what else was happening in the room, her sense of time and space, as he stepped closer to her. She had no idea if her stepmother spoke out at the man's audacious comment or if anyone else in the room had even heard it.

After what seemed like an eternity drowning in those eyes, they left hers to make a slow, thorough perusal of her body, starting near her feet. They swept up her legs, which offered little to see covered as they were in the layers of her dress, to linger on her hips. After a moment they slid up her torso to rest on her breasts.

He grinned as he spoke, his eyes heating even more. "These will be glorious when they are filled and swollen with milk to nourish my child."

That comment was what snapped Alaliya back to reality. Of its own accord, her hand flew out. Almost in the same instant, before she even realized what was happening, a sharp slap rang throughout the room, General Ehrik's head snapped to the side and a redness blossomed over his cheek as her palm stung.

"You will not speak to me in such a way!" Alaliya had never snapped in such a way, or spoken so harshly. Her eyes bore into his. She refused to back down, even though all of her schooling taught her to genuflect and retreat into proper, demure behavior. She didn't even try to hide her anger at his disrespectful words, at the disrespect he showed her fiancé by speaking them in his presence! When his eyes returned to hers, there was amusement in them.

"Ehrik." The King's voice dripped sarcasm. "Your incredible ability to make friends is truly spectacular."

Ehrik nodded once as he continued to gaze down at her.

Her fiancé was not amused. "I would appreciate it, Sir," the word was doused in contempt, "if you would move away from my fiancé."

Ehrik slid his now significantly less amused gaze to the man. His eyes held pure venom, his smile sharp and unwelcoming. "Of course."

The men moved back to their seats, as if the incident was some unspoken signal to resume discussing the topic of her marriage. She did not fail to notice the anger in the eyes of both her father and fiancé. She didn't know her fiancé well enough to be sure, but there was no doubt that her father's anger was directed at her. She was almost relieved as they took their seats and the King again turned to her and began to question her with what seemed to be very similar questions as the morning. The main concern, it seemed, was whether Alaliya wanted to leave the country. She reiterated over and over again that she did, with her husband, as his wife.

Several times throughout the conversation she heard the man behind her shift. Only once did she hear him make a noise, snorting in derision, but a sharp look from the King kept him otherwise silent.

Finally, seeming to be satisfied, the King rose. All others rose as well, dipping their heads in submission and respect as he left the room. His General, with one last sweeping look over her, followed closely at his back.

When the door clicked closed they again took their seats. Alaliya smiled at her husband, sure that her answers had pleased him. A servant was dispatched to retrieve refreshments. Alaliya remained silent as her father and fiancé spoke of different matters to do with her marriage.

She felt her cheeks heat when they discussed her hip and breast size. Her fiancé voiced his concerns over her ability to easily birth a child, then properly nourish it with the modest size of her teats, as he referred to them. Her father assured him that breast size was less important than the size and sensitivity of a woman's nipples in feeding a child.

When the door opened again, Alaliya was shocked when several slaves stepped through, all male, all large, all muscled. All barely dressed. She looked to her father and fiancé, who seemed unconcerned with the slaves' arrival. A servant set out a padded bench and quickly left the room. Finally, her father's "personal slave", as he called her, entered, and kneeled gracefully at his feet, nuzzling against his though.

"Alaliya, stand." Her father's voice was clipped, demanded instant obedience. He motioned to the center of the room, in front of the semicircle of slaves. "Strip."

Alaliya froze, her muscles refusing to move, her mind screaming at her. He couldn't mean that. She'd misunderstood. He couldn't mean for her to bear her naked body in front of a man who was not yet her husband and a group of slaves. She had spent her whole life trying to conform to her husband's customs of modesty. Her father would have her throw such effort away now?

Her fiancé's eyes narrowed on her, but he spoke to her father. "You claimed she was obedient. I forgave the outburst earlier because there is no doubt in my mind that that animal provoked her, trying to goad me into dissolving our contract. His anger when it didn't work proof enough." He finally turned his angry gaze to her father, who was glaring at her with pure venom in his gaze. "But this blatant disrespect by ignoring an order-"

"Apologies." All eyes snapped to her stepmother, who until now had remained perfectly silent. "I fear such reaction is my doing. I have taught her to never lessen her value to her betrothed by allowing those beneath her to witness her body. Such a delight was to be reserved for her future husband alone." She dipped her head in shame, avoiding her husband's gaze.

Her father looked disgusted as he glared at his wife. Alaliya's stomach churned. She understood perfectly what had just happened. Her stepmother took the blame to protect Alaliya. She would be punished, harshly, so that Alaliya would seem blameless. Her marriage would not be compromised and she would remain unscathed.

Though he looked far from placated, her betrothed simply said, "Understandable." He turned his attention back to Alaliya. "Now, obey."

Slowly, hands shaking, Alaliya began to strip away the layers of clothing covering her body. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself somewhere else, anywhere else. She didn't know who took the fabrics from her hands a she continued. When she stood with a single layer left over her breasts, she took a deep breath before allowing it to fall way. Finally, when she stood naked before those in the room, she opened her eyes to gaze directly as her future husband.

He swept his gaze over her, making her shudder. But unlike when the General had done it, her shudder was one of discomfort and fear.

Her fiancé stood and walked to her, his face unreadable. He walked in a slow circle around her twice. When he stopped in front of her, he lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. She couldn't hold back a small whimper as his large palm cupped her breast. When his thumb flicked her nipple, she flinched away.

Before she could correct herself, her fiancé gripped her upper arm hard and spun her around. She slapped her buttocks three times. Hard. Hard enough that she cried out with each slap. He pulled her back to her original position.

"You will stand still and allow yourself to be inspected." The words were clipped and harsh, promising more severe punishment should she disobey.

She stuttered her apologies and fortified herself for whatever was to come.

Her fiancé and father discussed her body as if they were discussing a piece of merchandise. As they discussed each body part, her fiancé would run his hands over it, slap it, pinch it, whatever he desired, and gauge her reaction. He slid a finger into her channel, making her whimper. It seemed to satisfy him. Trailing his fingers, he moved back to her breasts, again voicing his concern over her ability to nourish his child. He received the same reassurances.

"Tell me, girl." He began to flick at her nipples again. This time the prolonged treatment made an odd tingling shoot from the pink tips to her channel between her thighs. "Are these sensitive? Would they do well in feeding my child?"

"Yes, Sir, they are sensitive. I will nourish-"

Before she could finish, her fiancé's fingers clamped down on the buds, crushing them in his grip. Alaliya cried out, her hands flying up to grip his wrists in a sad attempt at self-defense.

The grip tightened. "Put your arms down."

Even after she obeyed, that crushing pain didn't let up. Alaliya pressed her lips together in an attempt to remain silent even as tears gathered in her eyes. Only after a single tear fell down her cheek did he release her.

She sucked in a shaky breath as the men continued talking. Her fiancé inquired about her training. Her father answered that she had none. But that wasn't right. She had studied her whole life, putting all of her effort into her lessons. When her fiancé asked about her natural talents, her father told him he hadn't sampled them. But she often played instruments for him.

Her fiancé turned back to her, instructing her to open her mouth. She did so without hesitation. She had good teeth, none missing, none rotted. He tapped her front tooth with his finger nail. "Don't bite, girl."

Before she could assure him that she wouldn't, he slid a hand behind her neck to hold her head immobile and pushed his fingers into her mouth. When they hit the back of her throat she gagged, tried to pull away, but he held her still. Tears sparked in her eyes of their own accord. Her fiancé pulled his fingers out and allowed her to take one gasping breath before shoving them back in. This time he pushed them in farther, angling them down her throat. Again he pulled them out. He did it several more times, each time deeper and longer. She thanked the sweet Goddess when he moved back toward his seat.

She looked at her father to see his reaction. His eyes were on her, and for once didn't hold anger or disgust. His slave was kneeling up directly in front of him, facing him. Her hands were in front of her, doing something that held her full attention, but didn't seem to warrant his. Her stepmother sat next to him, silent as always, her eyes closed and tears on her cheeks.

"Prepare her." Her fiancé's voice stole her chain of thought.

The words sent a shock though Alaliya. Prepare her. Did that mean he was satisfied with his inspection? Was she to be prepared for their wedding? Was it over? Such hopes were soon destroyed though.

Two of the slaves moved forward, physical arranging her body to kneel on the floor bent over the bench, with her knees spread. Her face blazed fiery red with humiliation. Her head was toward her father and fiancé. There was no coving her body, giving the slaves a view of her most intimate body parts.

Her fiancé displayed no empathy, expressed no sympathy for her predicament. "Do not move, girl. So many women die during the birthing because they are unable to bear the pain of bringing a child into the world."

Alaliya didn't know if that was true. She had never heard such a thing, having been taught that women died due to hemorrhage, but didn't dare to contradict him.

As he spoke, a finger smeared an oily substance over her intimate parts. She gasped, terror in her gaze. This couldn't be how they proved her virginity! Surely, a healer was required for such an examination?

The large fingers, obviously belonging to one of the male slaves, slid higher to her crinkled hole. Those relentless fingers pushed inside a place where nothing was meant to enter. Even with the copious amount of oil coating the finger, the intrusion burned. Her body jerked, earning her a disapproving scowl.

Her eyes moved between her father and fiancé, silently begging for this to end. Her future husband watched her reaction as if critiquing a purchase. Her father looked amused and... something else. He sat back in his chair, his eyes meeting hers, unflinching and uncaring.

"So, we will test your pain tolerance. It is simple, girl. Do well in this final test of your worth, and you will be my wife. Express your pain as you require, but manage it somehow if you wish be wed."

Alaliya sensed more than heard a man behind her. A pressure against her still burning hole made her gasp as denial finally gave way. She screamed out her agony as she felt the hard length forced inside of her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the vicious assault began. Everyone in the room ignored her screams. The pain made her nauseous. Yet the viciousness continued.