Chapter 01: The Wedding Night
Upon the command of his father, Adi prepared to consummate his marriage to Ilyana Ivanova, daughter of a merchant trying to curry favor with his father. The Governor of Aqaba's connections with the Zuagirs assured the safety of those wanting to cross the Eastern Desert. Of course, a trader desiring to traverse the aforementioned wasteland must cultivate a friendly relationship with the governor in order to obtain his protection. While the herd of horses from Bhalkhana impressed Governor Hassan of Aqaba, he thought an additional gift might persuade him to extend the hand of friendship to Ivan Yuriev.
Reluctantly, the merchant returned with Ilyana, a child he originally planned to wed to a count whose pedigree and Bhalkhanan estates might elevate him to higher status in Zamoran society. Since her value lay in her virtue, Ivan the Horse Trader strove to isolate Ilyana from the vices of his people. Educated in etiquette and other social refinements, Ilyana spent the majority of her eighteen years of life learning to please her future spouse.
When he presented her to the governor, Ivan thought that Hassan may wish to take his daughter into his seraglio. However, the Governor of Aqaba surprised him by declaring that his seventh son -- a boy of twenty-one years named Adi -- will have the honor of deflowering the beautiful maiden on her wedding night. The exact reason of Hassan's decision to marry Ilyana Ivanova to his son, hidden to Ivan Yuriev, supposedly came from the desire to remain among the living (for the women of his harem planned to send him to Erlik if he ever added another maiden to their ranks).
After sacrificing a Bhalkhana stallion to the Everlasting Sky, Adi formally abducted his bride from her residence, accompanied by his trusted blood brothers. He liked the fear she showed, or at least pretended to express, when they bashed through the front gates and beaten the servants that attempted to defend their mistress's honor. Given the relative peaceful nature of this event, Adi made his men refrain from using steel during the wife taking ceremony. However, he gave them free reign to employ their fists (and some also took liberty by carrying off much of the Horse Trader's property).
Departing Ivan Yuriev's home in ruins -- with male slaves and servants beaten to unconsciousness -- the company returned to the camp they established near the oasis; laden with loot and slave girls. Depositing his bride in the nuptial tent, he rejoined the celebrations while Ilyana awaited her fate inside the lavishly furnished pavilion. She willed herself not to listen to noises from without her shelter, but her fancy created horrible scenes that preoccupied her thoughts. Hysteria threatened to overtake her mind and she welcomed her husband's silhouette when he reentered their shelter.
Perspiration caused by the heat of the Eastern Desert forced Ilyana to discard her wedding dress during the day. With the chill of night, she regretted her previous action as she shivered in her shift. Unfortunately, her spouse even denied that small amount of comfort when he ripped her remaining garment from her body. Naked before her new master, she instinctively covered her bosom and loins from her husband's lustful gaze.