In her tribe, the more money you had, the better you married. Given the wealth of her parents, the fact that she was an only child, and considered one of the most beautiful young women in the village, her parents were able to select one of the most eligible men in town to be her husband. Amongst her tribe, arranged marriages were tradition among the wealthy. Parents of young women selected her future spouse on her sixteenth birthday, and she was wed the day after her eighteenth birthday. Typically the men the young ladies were wed to were many years older than them and, unlike the women, were not required to be virgins on their wedding day.
Fast-forward to the night after her eighteenth birthday. Jemma lay silently on her new husband's bed in the darkened chamber. She waited for her new husband to come into the room while contemplating what lay ahead. Her mother had only given her a slight idea of what to expect. Unlike so many of the girls she had grown up with, her new husband was only ten years her senior, and considered among the best looking men in the tribe. Jemma was a bit frightened and the wait alone did not help to quell her discomfort.
After waiting alone for nearly an hour after her maid had come and helped her dress in her gossamer gown, there was a soft knock on the chamber door.
"Pardon me miss", the maid said softly as she entered the room, "the Master has been delayed and has requested that I ready you further"
"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand" Jemma replied, looking confused. "I'm already prepared, am I not?"
"Not quite my lady" the maid told her, with a sly look on her face.
The maid proceeded to help Jemma lay back against the pillows. As she began to raise Jemma's gown, Jemma pushed her away.
"What are you doing? Does my husband know about this?"
"Yes, my lady, he has asked me to do something for you to prepare you for him"
