Bells were ringing all through the town. The sound of horses returning men from battle. Yells and shouts of joy could be heard from the men, long before they could be seen. A town that was built from the plunders of others had become quite normal for Elyann. She joined the women of the town in the square just inside the gates. The only men who stayed in town during battles were a small company of gatekeepers, just enough to defend the town, and to get the women and children to safety, in case of an attack. Elyann watched as men on each side of the gate turned the geared doors to allow entry for their warriors.
The warriors at the front of the group were on horseback. This showed their rank in the group. The newest warriors were usually on foot, and the hardened warriors were on horseback. The men of the town were feared across the peninsula of Moldoth. It was said that they had never been known to lose a battle. Elyann noticed as they got closer that she could see three riders riding out in front of the group.
The customary way for the townsmen to enter was for the captain to come first, with the men who helped them most in battle. After these men, the rest of the warriors would enter. Katain, the captain, entered with one new warrior on his left, and his seasoned companion Lewrio on his right. Lewrio has been with Katain for as long as Elyann had known. The new warrior appeared to be in his late teens. He looked far younger than the older seasoned warriors who were in their early to mid thirties. Elyann was interested to learn about what made this young man special in battle over the last few weeks since the men set out.
As the warriors entered the square, they were greeted with shouts and cheers. Katain, Lewrio, and the new warrior made it to the middle of the square, and the others gathered in around them. The cheers grew louder as the crowd joined in to the warrior shouts and claps, until Katain brought the noise to a stop.
He raised his hand signaling silence in the crowd. "A warrior never feels victory quite like he does when he returns to his people," Katain said smiling at the crowd.
They began to clap and cheer again, praising their leader. Again he raised his hand to silence them. "My people, behold one of the bravest men in all of the land," he said as he put his arm around the young man. "This is Draiki, son of Drokeon, and he saved our people many tears. Without his loyalty to our warriors and our people, we would not be here tonight. He stopped an attack from our blind side near the crossroad point. Because he saw the attack coming, we were able to maneuver around and face the enemy head on," Katain's voice was growing louder to get over the noise of the crowd.
"Tonight my friends let us celebrate with each other. Wives show your husbands what they have been missing. Whores, well, do what you do best. Let's make the next generation of warriors to protect this place," Katain finished his speech with a bow.
As he finished talking to the men still gathered at the square he saw Elyann, and smiled. Elyann smiled back and gave a small courtesy to the greatest warrior in the village. She continued to look at Katain's impressive muscular physique. His large arms, with deep cuts that were poking out from his armor. His huge legs, built from years of fighting and running through the sandy regions. After the last warrior had finished his congratulations, Katain began walking toward Elyann.
Elyann embraced her husband's strong body. He lifted her as he hugged her back. No words were spoken, he simply carried her toward their home at the northern most point of the square.
Elyann had become accustomed to what events took place after he returned from battle. It was said that warriors were always made the night after men returned from battle. Her husband had almost always taken this ritual forcefully, as Elyann was not always a willing wife.
Elyann was originally a gift from her land. It was the furthest Katain's people had ever conquered. Elyann was sitting with her father overlooking their lands when the warriors entered their village. Her father was the king of this land, and was not about to have his people killed by these warlords.
"Please save me, I do not want to go with these evil men," Elyann pleaded to her father. "They will make me one of theirs," her voice began to shake.
"I fear they shall do much worse than that my dear," her father told her as he took her in his arms. "These men are known to forcefully mate with their women. They believe the harder fought the mating is, the better the chance of getting a strong son," her father was tearing up saying this.
"I must do what father needs, our people are what is important," Elyann was praying these thoughts to herself as her father led her out of the bedroom toward the conquerors. Her father brought her out into the courtyard, and she got the first glimpse of her captors. The man in the middle was handsome and strong looking, the other two were mere boys in comparison. Being just over 18 herself, Elyann was scared that she would end up with a much older man for a land agreement with her father.
"So this is the princess eh?" Katain said as he chewed on a piece of wheat like flower native to the land.
"This is my only child, Elyann. She is everything to me. I mean for her to be yours if it will keep us at peace," her father said trying to hold back the fear in his voice.
"She is beautiful," Katain said, as he looked Elyann up and down. "She is a maiden as well?" Katain asked, still surveying Elyann's body.
She recalled looking very beautiful that night. Her long red hair was in a tight elegant braid.
"She is a maiden of 18 sir," her father wiped what looked like a tear from his eye. Elyann had never seen her father shed a tear, even after her mother died. "She has hardly ever left this village to be quite honest," her father smiled at her.
"We shall have the ceremony here in your town square tonight," Katain said cheerfully. "I'll expect your best room for the bedding of my new wife," he said as he gathered his men and started back toward the rest of his company.
Elyann watched as her father nodded. If only her mother were still around Elyann was thinking. She had no one to explain to her what was required of her with her new husband. They returned to her home, and she was gifted her mothers wedding dress. She put on the dress, said her goodbyes to her friends in the town, and headed out to her wedding ceremony.
Her fathers house keepers had done a great job at decorating. The town square looked beautiful. As she walked up she noticed that her suitor did not appear to have changed his attire, other than taking off his top armor. She still admired his handsomeness, and his rugged looks. She had seen very few attractive men outside a few who lived in her village. As she walked up to meet him, he smiled at her and kissed her hand. "It could be worse," she thought as she took his hands and said the words.
After a lot of wine for the men, and a lot of awkward silence for herself, Elyann was escorted back to their room for the night. This was the night she had always thought about since she had become a woman. She dreamed of being taken by a large strong man who would kindly show her the ways to love. Her husband did not set her kindly on the bed, and he did not kiss her gently. What he did do was more animalistic, and primal.
Katain looked at his new wife in her dress. "Mmm," he licked his lips as he was eyeing her body. He grabbed her dress by the shoulders and pulled it down hard.
"Ow," Elyann let out a shriek as Katain was ripping the dress down her. She began to think that this night may not go as she had envisioned.
He continued pulling and ripping her dress off. He took down her under clothes to reveal her bare body. She was very pale as she had not been able to be out in the sun very often. She covered up her breasts as they were released from the under garments, but Katain slapped her hand away. He squeezed and grasped at her breasts as if he were trying to burst them.
After his hard squeezing session Katain took her right nipple in his hand and slightly twisted it. Although this was very painful to her virgin breasts Elyann enjoyed the feeling. Katain began tugging on her nipple and releasing, watching the waves it made on her breast.
"Am I what you wanted in a wife?" Elyann asked as she tried to catch her breath. All the pain and pleasure had made her breathing difficult. She was feeling sensations in her private area she had never felt before.
No words were spoken by Katain. His actions spoke for him. He pulled of the shirt that covered him, exposing his hard, hairy, muscular physique. As he turned to toss his shirt on a table near the end of the bed Elyann saw the scars that adorned his back. She didn't have a chance to ask of them, because as he turned he was already pulling down his blackened trousers.
