As I stand before the tailor I try to keep still. He is the best tailor in the village but at is ripe age he often misses with his needles. My ba sits in a chair out of reach as he watches me. He has been staring at me like that all day. He has not said much today besides his usual niceties, and I do not know what to make of his demeanor. I hope that over the next three days we can find a common ground since my ma cannot be here for this part. Per custom it is meant to be a time of bonding for father and son.
The fabric that has been chosen is the whitest I have ever seen. My ba has chosen the design and I am not to see it until the week of the wedding. I really hope it will not be I wear to wed Shee. Her letter is meant to arrive tomorrow. I will then need to send another gift to her. I hope she was able to sway her parents so far. One of us needs to have some luck and soon. By my count there are only twenty-five days left.
The tailor begins to remove the fabric from my skin. As I am free to move my muscles I gift a stretch to remove the tingling in my limbs from standing still so long. I dress back into the attire I brought and wait for my ba to stand and leave so I can follow. However, he just sits there looking at me. When I grow tired of the staring contest I take a seat on the opposite end of the table.
“Is there something else we are to do here” I ask him.
He rubs his finger on his chin thinking. “No nothing else here but there is a conversation I want to have with you. Your mother has deemed it necessary.” He informs me.
“All right. What is it about” I question.
“Have you ever taken a woman to your bed” he says not beating around the bush. I feel my draw drop at his question. That is not at all what I expected. “From your expression I am going to take that as a no.” We both sigh. This is a conversation neither of us wants to have. “Well, I will just speak plainly. Your…well your manhood enters her womanhood. If she is untouched it will hurt her. You …uh move it and see how she responds. Your body will erupt into hers. Then the deed will be finished” he states.
When I look at his face I laugh. I really do not mean to, but he looks so uncomfortable. I feel the same. When he looks at me, for once there is no anger. He actually laughs with me.
“Well…. that went better than I thought” he says after we are done laughing. “Do you have any questions?” He asks. When I shake my head no in reply he clears his throat. “Please tell your ma it went well. She is under the impression that you need to have things…well explicitly explained to you. However, I believe that a man must learn what each woman he beds likes” he continues. “Enough of that, we shall take our leave now” he rises with.
My expression falls. For just a moment I saw something in him. Something that might make me feel more than contempt. However, the general is back, and I must obey. As I follow him from shop to shop, we make our purchase. Little else is said and the general stays in command the rest of the day.
Laying in my bed that night, I cannot help but to wish to know the man my ma loves. I believe my life would be better if I did. I wonder if he feels for her as I do Io. Today I have missed her terribly. There are only two days left of this separation I think to myself as my eyes close.
The second day of preparing for the Shinto celebration of marriage goes much like the first. My father and I share no laughs this time. Just command and obey. We return home early in the evening. Through the doors I am informed that my first letter has arrived. I take it to my room to read it.
Draco,
Thank you for the jewelry it is beautiful. It will look great on our wedding day and will match our ceremonial white. I look forward to being your bride. I await to see what you will gift me next.
On the matter we discussed when you were here, I remain steadfast in my approach. It has been decided and we look for a way to break the news. You will receive notice soon. I wish you luck in your journey and I love.
Sincerely, Shee
I almost scream joyously at what the letter says. She has found a way to end this marriage before it began. We just have to wait for them to break the news. I will get to make a love match. I just have to convince my father, so he will not arrange someone else. Things are finally coming together.
Io
These last two days have been a dreadful bore. To occupy my time, I chose to work longer hours in the fields. As I walk into my hut I feel my body regretting my choice. I ache all over.
I head straight to the bathing room to wash for supper. It hurts to lift my arms to wash. I hear my bones cracking as I dress. I thought that working longer hours would be a god distraction from how long I would have to wait to see him. It worked somewhat to ease the pain. However, the pain I feel on the outside has finally lessened the pain I feel within.
I sit heavily at the dinner table. I slowly lift my fork and begin to eat. With the way my body feels, it takes forever for me to clear my plate. By the time supper is complete I can feel myself fighting to keep my eyes open.
“Go rest Io, I will take care of this dishes this night. Perhaps you have over done it these last few days. Would you like me to run you a bath to ease your pains?” He offers.
“No father. I am afraid I would fall asleep and drown in the bath with the way I feel. I will just head to bed. The aches and pains will go away with a night of rest. I can sleep in tomorrow since I am off” I inform him.
“Very well off to bed you go” he says. He helps me from the chair and guides me to my kang. As soon as my body is still I slip into a long deep rest.
When I awake I am groggy. I thought I had heard a noise. When I listen for a moment there is no sound but the breeze. I stretch and turnover so I can go back to sleep. I know it is early and do not wish to open my eyes.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
There is the noise I heard. I sit up on my kang and stretch my arms above my head as I rise to my tippy toes. My bones crack and some of the aches in my muscles release with the stretch. As I blink the sun is too bright.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
As I hear the noise this time. I realize someone is knocking at the door. “Just a moment” I yell. I reach for my robe and tie it around my waist as I walk to get the door. I crack it open a few inches and lift my hand to my eyes to block the rays of the sun. When my gaze meets Draco’s. I hurriedly close the door in his face and throw my back against it.
“What are you doing here so early” I say speaking through the door.
“It is after midday when we normally meet” he answers simply. “Have you fallen I’ll?” He adds.
“Uh …. No, I just slept in is all. Would you give me a few moments to dress?” I ask him. As I begin to walk away from the door he knocks again.
I take a deep breath and peer my head out to see what he wants. “Perhaps since that may take a while, may I wait inside where I can have a seat” he says smiling.
“I’m afraid I look a mess. I will rush if you promise to wait out there” I answer shyly.
“From what I see you look beautiful just as at any other time but if it makes you more comfortable I will wait here” he says bowing.
As I read his gaze I contemplate if I should let him in. I am not indecent for I wear a robe. I also do not believe he try anything untoward. I nod to him as I open the door fully and gesture for him to come inside. He ducks his head through the entry and walks past me to stand next to my father’s chair at the table near the door.
“You can have a seat there while I ready” I say. For a moment I search his face to get a gauge on his reaction to me in such a state. When he looks at me with that normal shine to his eyes I nod to myself and head to my room to change.