Embers crackled as deep voices bickered back and forth over the flames between them. Raina's hands twisted in her skirts as her father suddenly turned his annoyed face towards her, studying her for a long moment before returning his attention back to their visitors. A deep feeling of disquiet settled in Raina's stomach as she continued to try to pick up the few words she knew of the strange language the men spoke. Her stomach rolled as her ears caught on the word 'woman' and her father cast her another forlorn gaze. The visitors were talking about her? The atmosphere of the longhouse shifted as the shadows at the edges of the fire seemed to reach for her, obscuring one of the visitor's tattooed faces in obsidian, making him look particularly fearsome.
Shuddering, Raina felt dread clawing its way into her chest as her mother's hand settled on her shoulder, squeezing gently, reminding her she was home. That the fire burning before her was one that had offered shelter and warmth on many a cold night. That she was safe in a place she had grown among her brothers. She had nothing to fear here, surely.
Reaching up, Raina placed a firm hand over her mother's, letting her know her momentary panic had ebbed. It was not wise to show fear in the presence of tentative allies. They would not want to partner with weaklings. She did her brothers grave dishonour by shaking in their presence. They would never allow her to come to harm. As if aware of her thoughts, Anik placed his hand on her knee and patted, tossing her a reassuring smile as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "They only appear fierce, the enemy run seeing their ugliness, so they have never had need of their weapons, they are ill practiced and easy to defeat come real battle," he teased.
Forcing a small smile to her lips, Raina nodded at her little brother who had grown much larger than her in the last few seasons. She didn't believe him for a moment though, the five men opposite her were the most intimidating looking warriors she'd ever laid eyes on. There was little doubt in her mind that every scar on their rough, toned bodies was a sign of a hard-won victory.
Her eyes widened as their leader met her gaze, a challenge in his smoky grey depths. Straightening her spine, Raina refused to look away, her deep blue eyes sharping as her nostrils flared, insulted he would think to so openly appraise her. She was the chief's only daughter, how dare he? A lazy smirk curled the edges of the warrior's mouth, softening his expression some as his gaze dropped to her chest, lingering on her breasts before turning his attention back to her father.
The strong maternal hand tightened on her shoulder as the foreign rumblings continued and Raina turned to see her mother's jaw clenching, her eyes wet with a sheen of unshed tears. "Oma?" she whispered. Her mother's head shook 'no' so slightly it was almost imperceptible. Confused, Raina looked to her eldest brother, Rukh, standing at her father's right shoulder, he too looked upset, white lines forming at the corners of his mouth as he crossed his large arms over his chest, his brows low and sinister over his stormy eyes.
On her right, her father looked disappointed, only Anik on her left was his carefree self. Raina blanched as she deduced it was because only she and Anik had not yet learned the foreigner's tongue. Just what had upset her family so?
Hovering by the door, Marin stared at her regretfully, his hands balled into fists at his side. Raina's fingers flew to the flower he'd placed in her braid only that morning. She pulled it into her lap, caressing the petals, wanting to feel connected to him amid all the tension in the room. Her brows snapped low in confusion a minute later as he held eye contact and pulled the beaded bracelet she'd made him from his wrist, dropping it in the dirt. Her heart clenched in her chest at the sorrowful look he gave her before exiting the longhouse, leaving her alone with her family and the strangers.
"It's a deal then?" the leader of the visiting warriors confirmed in Raina's language.
Raina's father nodded solemnly, "give us the night to say goodbye and I will have Rukh deliver her at dawn," he promised, gesturing at his successor.
Raina's head swivelled from her father to Rukh as he closed his eyes in defeat and nodded, agreeing to his chief's words. "Her?" Raina spat, ignoring the dig of her mother's nails into her shoulder, "Me?" she shouted, the reality of what her father had been arguing with the demon across from her finally clear. This was why Marin was rejecting her? Because she was being promised to another man? She would not have it. Glaring across the fire, anger swirled in her belly as the demon feasted his eyes on her like a piece of meat ripe for gnawing.
"I will not be his! Is that beast even a man?" she shrieked as Rukh's heavy hand circled the back of her neck, forcing her to stay seated as she tried to stand. "Rukh! No!" she objected pleadingly, looking to the brother that had always coddled her for aid. Seeing only regret in his eyes, she turned to her father, "please, Oba!" she begged, "surely he will take something else!"
Caressing her cheek gently with the back of his knuckles, her father shook his head, "be silent daughter, it is your duty to do as I bid," he reminded her.
"You would have him mount me?" she snapped, jabbing her finger at the mountainous man glaring at her as his companions chuckled and grinned lecherously at her.
Her father's next words silenced her protests, the fight leaving her as she stared open mouthed at him, horrified. "Yes. Repeatedly. You are his now. He will have you as many times as it takes to fill you with child, our tribe's survival depends on it."
~ ~ ~
Scowling, Asim tugged at the straps of his saddle, securing them, the horrified look on his bride's face haunting him. He knew he wasn't the most pleasing of men to look upon, but the woman's reaction had upset him. Most would be happy to call a warrior as fearsome as he, husband, wouldn't they? She would want for nothing under his care. Did it really matter if his face was scarred?
He rubbed at the intricate tattoo above his right eyebrow wondering if his branding was what scared her. Then again, her brother was scarred and tattooed, and she didn't seem to be frightened of him. Frowning, he ran his fingers over the bottom half of his tattoo that sat below his right eye and covered half his cheek bone. Feeling ridiculous, Asim whipped his fingers away from his face. Who cared if she thought him attractive? She was to be his wife. It made no difference if she found his visage pleasing or not. A frightening scowl returning to his mouth, Asim fixed his attention on his men, watching as they mounted their saddles in the pre-dawn light.
It mattered little what she wanted, Asim reminded himself, the woman could protest the rest of her life and it would change nothing. His people needed the food off her fields and her people needed his protection. Farmers did not make good warriors and nomadic warriors made even shittier farmers. He could just take their crops by force, but diplomacy would ensure his people acquired the skill to provide for themselves. Hopefully, taking a Shaniri woman to wife would encourage the others to breed with her people, make more connections, drawing their tribes closer until they were one. Grunting, he swung one powerful leg over the side of his stallion, gripping the reins in one hand as he waited for his bride.
~ ~ ~
Raina yanked strands from her braids haphazardly before plucking the beads from the leather wraps binding her plaits, trying to make herself look as unkempt as possible. Her mother had taken great care to prepare her, dressing her before the moon had even given wane to the sun. There had been no need to wake her, Raina had not slept at all, wanting to be conscious for every precious minute she had left with her family as they snored around her.
She'd hoped Marin would come for her in the night. Invite her to run away with him.
He did not.
Dragging her fingers across her lips, Raina smeared the berry tint her mother had applied, staining the corner of her mouth, hoping it went well with the bags under her eyes and her dishevelled hair. Looking down at the rest of her body, Raina frowned, finding nothing more she could do to make herself less presentable other than ripping her own wrappings. "I still do not see why I could not have my own horse," she whined, sliding her hand back around her brother's waist to join the other.
"Your husband insists you ride with him, so you can not run from him," Rukh explained, his voice hard. "After the protests you made last night, I would do no different in his position."
"He's a fool if he thinks my own two feet will not do the job well enough," she snapped prissily.
Grunting, Rukh nodded, "I am not pleased about your union either, but Father did what he feels is right," he sighed, knowing they did not have the warriors needed to fight off the Uruki that threatened them on their own. "The Kurili are strong and their warriors numerous. Your union will save many," he told her solemnly, "take comfort in that."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one that has to lay with him," she snapped, her heart yearning for Marin.
Yanking on the reins, Rukh halted his stead, turning in the saddle to glare at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he took in her tussled appearance. "Promise me you will not fight him, he will have you one way or another, do not encourage him to harm you, his people are savage," he advised her firmly. "And you've done yourself no favours," he warned, gesturing at her hair and face, thinking she looked as though she'd just been bedded. "Fix yourself, now."
Sneering at him, Raina crossed her arms angrily, "let him hurt me and give me more reason to hate him then," she spat immaturely.
Dismounting, Rukh reached up and grabbed his sister by the waist, dragging her down to him. Tugging the bands from her hair, he combed his fingers through her braids, causing the black locks to fall in gentle waves down her back and shoulders. Next, he licked his thumb and wiped at the side of her mouth roughly, cleaning the deep red smears from her tan skin. Cupping her cheeks in his hands, he placed a kiss to her forehead and closed his eyes, "do not fight him sister," he begged, pulling her into a fierce hug.
At the genuine worry in his voice, Raina frowned, prickles of fear teasing their way down her spine as he released her and helped her back onto the horse. "I won't," she promised, planning to run from her 'husband' long before he had the chance to bed her.
~ ~ ~
Doing his best not to give away the excitement he felt the moment a rider appeared on the ridge, Asim bit down on his own tongue, focusing on the discomfort it caused him. He would have his pretty bride settled between his thighs soon enough, his men did not need to know how eager he was for her.
