Page 8 of Married to the Beast

“Very well. But it seems fucking cruel.”

“How is it cruel?” the official sounded genuinely confused. “If you disavow your bride to find another, what of it? That is a male’s prerogative.”

“Not in my culture,” Ambassador Bearick growled. However, he lifted his chin, took a deep breath, and said quickly, “I willkeep you by my side as long as you bring me pleasure. If you cease to bring me pleasure or fail in your wifely duties in any way, I will disavow you and cast you aside to find another woman who…who pleases me more.”

He seemed to have trouble getting the last words out, but he did finally manage, much to Aleena’s relief. She’d been afraid for a moment that the words of the ceremony had so offended him that he would refuse to go on with the Joining. In which case, the bargain she had made with her stepmother would be off and she would never get the money for her mother’s treatment.

“Very good.” The official seemed relieved as well. “And now for the placing of the bands.” Reaching into the pocket of his long, black robe he withdrew a small blue box. Opening it, he displayed two adjustable nipple bands.

They were silver washed with gold—the cheapest bands that could be bought which still looked somewhat expensive. Aleena knew this because she had heard her stepmother saying so—she was extremely proud of preserving theappearanceof giving Aleena a nice Joining ceremony while actually doing the bare minimum for the least amount of credit possible.

“Er…what am I supposed to do with these?” Ambassador Bearick rumbled, looking confused.

“Why—you put them on your bride, of course,” the official said, frowning.

“Yes, butwhere?”The big Kindred looked perplexed. “They’re too small to fit on a finger. Do they go in her earlobes somehow? I don’t see any piercings,” he added, ducking down to examine Aleena’s ears.

“No, no!” the official hissed, apparently running out of patience. “You must put them around hernipples!They are a sign of your ownership of her—so that all other men will know she has been claimed and she is private property!”

A look of dawning comprehension came into his golden eyes.

“Ah—I see. All right then—do I just wrap them around?” He plucked one of the gold-washed silver bands from the box as he spoke and Aleena found that her breast, which had been formerly cupped in his warm hand, was suddenly cold.

“Yes, but first you must make certain her nipples are stiff enough to use the bands,” the official explained, frowning. “Many men also use this time to assert their dominance. Grasp her nipple and twist it as hard as you like before placing the band.”

Aleena bit her lower lip, trying to steel herself for this treatment. Ambassador Bearick looked extremely strong—she just hoped he didn’t make her bleed!

But to her surprise, instead of twisting her nipple or even pinching it hard, her new husband cupped her bare breast again and began to rub his thumb lightly over the tip of her delicate peak.

“Oh!” Aleena’s eyes widened and a soft moan escaped her lips. The way he was touching her didn’t hurt at all. In fact, it felt…good.Sparks of pleasure radiated from the tender tip of her sensitive nipple and seemed to travel all through her body.

The official looked on with a disapproving expression on his dour face. Clearly he didn’t approve of the big Kindred giving his new bride pleasure instead of pain. But the crowd behind them couldn’t see exactly what he was doing and Aleena’s small cry and the moan that followed brought approving murmurs, since they assumed her exclamation had been made out of pain.

“Now I put the band on?” The big Kindred looked from the small gold-washed band to her tight nipple and back again, appearing confused.

“You must put it in your mouth first,” the official instructed. “This will allow the metal to expand so that it will fit on her nipple.”

“Ah…all right.” He slipped the ring into his mouth for a moment and Aleena saw a look of surprise on his face—maybe he could feel the nipple band expanding on his tongue? At any rate, when he withdrew the band, it was big enough to slip over her tight peak.

It was warm at first from the heat of the big Kindred’s mouth but a moment later it cooled and she felt it tighten around the stem of her nipple. It wasn’t so tight that it cut off circulation, but it made her nipple stick out more, exposing the tender tip and making it even more sensitive.

“And now the other band,” the official said.

Ambassador Bearick plucked the other nipple band from the box and repeated the performance—first teasing her nipple gently with his thumb and then placing the second band after first holding it in his mouth for a moment.

“Very good!” The official looked very relieved when the second band was placed. He raised his voice. “This woman is yours now, Ambassador Bearick—you own her and can do anything you wish with her. On behalf of her father and of all the males here assembled, I wish you much pleasure in the use of her ripe young body. Please breed her long and hard when you change the color of her eyes and do your best to plant your heir in her belly.”

The Ambassador didn’t seem to know what to say to that. But at that point the ceremony was over. And since there was no formal reception, there was nothing to do now but mingle with the Joining guests, drink some of the Joining punch and of course, taste the sweet Joining Loaf to symbolize their union together.

Aleena tried not to think of what would come after, once they left the ceremony together. It was better to concentrate on the present, she told herself. She ought to try and get to know her new husband and see what pleased him.

That way, maybe he wouldn’t hurt her too much when he changed the color of her eyes that night.

4

BEAR

Bear was glad the ceremony was over. It was one of the strangest and most off-putting customs he’d ever been part of, and that was saying something since he’d once brokered a trade agreement with the snail people of Borka Four in which he had to stand shoulders deep in a pit of “holy slime” in order to make the deal.

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