In the village of Damansk, Fall was a time of rejoicing for the village, at least for most. For anyone with a daughter or loved one of marriageable age not yet promised, it was a time of secret fear. Fall was the time of sacrifice for the people of Damansk. Each year the dragon who lived on the mountain would take one young woman and 5 head of cattle. Ann thought it fitting that the dragon demanded young cattle too. Anyone who had money gave dowry and married their young women off as soon as they could.
The atmosphere of dismal gloom was particularly intense at the moment. The lottery for the sacrifice was slotted for today. Ann came from a large family, she was the fourth daughter born and there was little money for food, let alone dowry. Her biggest worry was this was her third year on the lottery and the first year for her younger sister, Kayla. Ann was large breasted, had long brown hair down to her waist that she braided and put up daily, her green eyes were attractive but that was the extent of it. No one came panting to the door for Ann.
Her older sisters had made hasty marriages, to men who either did not need the money or were so unattractive that only the truly desperate would risk it.
Ann had seen the outcome of her sisters marriages. One was often bruised, one had a husband who made her a laughing stock by cheating on her with anything in a skirt, one was pregnant with a 6th child of her own and the last was dead of fever. Ann believed her sister choose to die rather that live with the strange man she married.
Ann had not been able to agree to any marriage after seeing all that. She was most concerned for her sister Kayla. Kayla was pretty, with red hair, curvy figure and was bright and cheerful most of the time.
Last year her best friend had been chosen, all they had found of her was one shoe and her shredded clothing. They even said that she had peed in her clothing at the sight of the beast. She just thought that was the most humiliating thing about her friends death the year before, her friend would have hated that everyone knew that.
Ann had worked hard doing extra chores for some of the widows and widowers in the neighborhood. She had stayed up long hours after her chores at home were done to do mending and cleaning. Ann had walked miles and saved for three years for dowry money of her own.
Kayla, her most beloved sister, had a childhood sweetheart that was supposed to have offered for her last week. His family had decided that he would hold out for a dowry. Ann's parents had sadly told Kayla that there was no money for this of course and perhaps she should look else where for a husband. There were plenty of choices, the (fat smelly and over 50yr old) butcher was looking for a wife to mother his four brats after all. Kayla had begged her sweetheart but he wouldn't go against his family.
"Choices..." Ann sat in the barn, smelling the fresh hay, listen to the chickens scratch and talk among themselves. And really, what were her choices. At 18 she was not really top shelf goods anymore. All her dowry money did her no good without someone to sell herself too. She was honest about this, selling herself was what she would have to do. And there was not a single man here she wanted to sell herself too, she would have done it by now if there had been. That sort of made the choice much easier didn't it?
She got up and went to the house. She ignored her parents, they would be no help and may even hinder her. Kayla was sitting on the bed she shared with her three other sisters and staring out the window.
"Kayla, take my dowry money to John and marry him." Ann said bluntly and she put the money in Kayla's lap.
Kayla, eyes wide, shook her head, "Ann, this is your money, for your dowry. You worked so hard for this. I will do the same as you now, I will work for a dowry and find a nice man to marry."
"It took me years Kayla, the lottery is today."
"I should have been working and saving my money like you, I trusted John when he said he would marry me. He lied. You find a nice man and marry him Ann. You should have done it last year."
"Kayla, please take the money, I want you too. John is rather weak where his mother is concerned but he loves you."
"Love," said Kayla bitterly, "isn't worth a hill of beans."
Ann looked at her sister, concerned. "You can't risk the lottery Kayla, I won't allow it. I pretty much raised you and I have decided to do this. I am going to John and give him your dowry right now."
Kayla stared at her sister for a long moment. "Not John then."
