Strange Bedfellows

Shara's heart fell. She had been hoping that Kalus would refuse, or even that the luminar would use her fake name so perhaps she could reveal later that Katia wasn't her real name, and thus possibly get out of the marriage on a technicality.

Alas, it wasn't to be.

The luminar apparently didn't consider her name worth mentioning and Kalus had said yes. She couldn't even use the fact that they didn't have her father's permission to nullify the marriage since she was a prisoner of war, and a man could legally marry a prisoner without her father's consent. All that remained now was her side of the vows. She would be expected to stand there in yesterday's clothes and bind herself to a man she was beginning to despise.

Okay, not quite despise.

He had been far too good for her to truly despise him, but she disliked him because he was the enemy. Kindness notwithstanding, nothing could make up for his part in conquering her father's kingdom. Nothing. She was determined to hate him until the day she died. It might be hard because of how good he had been to her, but she was determined to try.

The luminar turned to her. "Do you, with full knowledge and consent, give yourself to this man to be his wife in the covenant of marriage? Do you swear to follow and obey him in everything--" he paused to leer at her, leaving her in no doubt about what he meant by 'everything'.

She shuddered.

This couldn't be happening. She felt her eyes begin to grow watery and her throat tight.

The luminar continued. "--and keep yourself only for him for all of your days, committing to treat him with honor, love, and respect in all circumstances to the best of your ability, and allow only death to separate you?"

This was it.

The moment of truth.

She had to say yes. If she didn't... She shuddered again. She didn't even want to think about the fate that awaited her if she said no. But if she said yes, she would be bound to this man for the rest of her life.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

She was supposed to be wearing a perfectly clean, white dress with her mother there fussing over her clothes and hair. There were supposed to be hundreds of guests waiting and her father to give her away. Most of all, a handsome man she loved waiting to marry her. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

She looked at Kalus and blinked several times. That finally pushed a single tear out of her eye as she resigned herself to her fate. All thoughts of a happy marriage fled from her mind. This would be something to survive and endure, not to find happiness in.

"I do." She whispered.

It felt like her heart was being ripped into a thousand pieces and crushed at the same time. Inwardly, she cursed the king, she cursed Kalus, she cursed their whole damn army, she cursed the circumstances that had brought her here; she cursed everything. Save Illuminar Himself, she hated the whole damn world.

"Then by the power vested in me by Illuminar, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kalus, you may kiss your bride."

Shara turned to face Kalus, more out of habit from the million times she'd imagined these words than anything else. She could feel that single tear silently snaking down her cheek. It wasn't supposed to be like this; a wedding wasn't supposed to make the bride cry. It wasn't supposed to make anyone cry unless they were happy tears.

Kalus looked down at her. His eyes widened slightly as he saw her tear, then his expression softened. He gave her a sympathetic look, then reached up and very gently, very softly, and very carefully wiped the tear from her cheek.

Why?

She didn't understand; why was he being so nice?

Kalus gently -- almost lovingly -- brushed a few errant strands of her amber hair out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. His expression was strange; at once sad and comforting, yet also displeased and disappointed. She hoped he wasn't disappointed in her, though it made no sense for her to think that. Yes, he was now her husband, but she was determined to not care what he thought. She might be forced to obey him but her mind was her own. She would never let his opinion influence hers.

Of that, she was determined.

She looked down, not wanting to see her husband's face anymore. She could barely stand the sight of him. She desperately wanted to hate him, but couldn't; he'd been too nice to her. She settled for extreme dislike instead.

He reached down, and using the side of his index finger gently touched the underside of her chin. He applied gentle but inexorable pressure, lifting her head so her lips were presented to him. He looked into her eyes, then began to lean forward.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Her first kiss was supposed to be special; magical. It was supposed to be with someone she loved, not a man she barely knew and wanted to hate.

He was inches away.

She held her breath. She almost wanted to close her eyes, but didn't want to give anyone the impression she was enjoying this. She kept her eyes open and unblinking, staring daggers at her husband, who was coming in for their first kiss.

Their lips met.

His lips were surprisingly soft as they pressed gently into hers. He made more than light brushing contact, but he wasn't forceful either. The kiss was firm but gentle; like the man himself. It lasted barely a second and she didn't find the sensation wholly unappealing, the man who gave it to her notwithstanding.

He stood up straight.

"There you are my boy!" the king said. "Now you've got a wench to warm your bed at night, and I know you'd never enjoy her fully without the marriage." He said the last part as if it was an afterthought, like marriage was something barely worthy of his attention.

"Sire." Kalus nodded his head.

"And the bride is--" The king stopped as he finally looked at her, obviously noticing wetness on her cheek from her the tear that had fallen. "What's wrong with you woman?" The king said loudly. "Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your place?"

Shara remained silent and looked down.

The king shook his head. "Stupid girl; I'll give you something to cry about."

He reached his hand out and Shara flinched. She closed her eyes, waiting to be grabbed, struck, or something equally unpleasant.

Nothing happened.

She cracked one eye to see the king's hand poised for a back-handed slap and inches from her face...

...and Kalus's hand closed around the king's wrist.

"If it pleases Your Majesty." Kalus said with a tone of extreme respect. "I would ask that you not strike my wife."

The king looked at Kalus like he was a favorite pet that had suddenly turned and bit him. The king then seemed to realize just how outmatched he was. Kalus wasn't a giant by any means, but he was several inches taller than the king. The king was slightly overweight while Kalus was fit and trim. Judging by his appearance, he could've competed in any number of athletic competitions and not fared poorly.

The king jerked his hand away with difficulty. Shara got the distinct impression that Kalus had held on for the tiniest fraction of a second to let the king know he was the stronger of the two.

"How dare you lay a hand on your king!" He thundered.

"My apologies my king, I thought only of you." Kalus said with a deep bow.

"What the fuck are you talking about!?" The king roared.

"Illuminar says in the Book of Light that no man may lay his hand on another man's wife, except in a properly adjudicated punishment for a crime, as the luminar here can confirm."

Kalus gestured to the luminar, who looked like he was caught flat-footed. Shara guessed he didn't know the Book of Light half as well as Kalus. However, the luminar nodded his head, probably not wanting to look ignorant.

"I know how pious you are my king." Kalus continued. "I know you wish to do right by Illuminar in all things; therefore I was merely attempting to help you walk the path of light, as The Book of Light also says."

The king spluttered for a moment. He had been completely outmaneuvered and everyone knew it. The king's attendants, the few advisors present, the luminar, and the few other people in the king's tent as well.

Everyone.

Shara herself was stunned.

She couldn't believe that Kalus had defended her like that. Yes, they were married, but he had just defied his king for her sake. Laid his hand on his king for her sake; men from Tyso's country just didn't do that. They had a reputation for being brutes. Why had he done that? It didn't make sense. She thought back to the previous night and his insistence on doing right. Was he truly that serious about it?

The king finally seemed to get control of himself and then put on a genial smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You are so right my boy. Good catch there. Now, run along and play with that new wife of yours; I'm giving you the entire day off, free from your usual duties. Take her to bed and get started on that family."

Kalus bowed and made to leave.

"Oh, and one more thing Kalus." The king said with a wicked smile on his face. "I wouldn't do this for most of my commanders, but I will for you. If she's not heavy with child by the end of the year, I'll assume she's ill-fit for breeding and find you another wife... you know, to make sure you get that family."

Shara didn't miss the veiled threat. She wasn't sure if the king meant he would give Kalus a second wife in addition to her, or -- more likely -- that she would be taken from Kalus.

She didn't want to find out.

Kalus bowed, then turned and strode out of the tent with Shara following close behind.

* * *

Kalus strode through the camp purposefully, trying to keep his rage out of every step. He wasn't sure how successful he was. Soldiers who usually greeted him with a smile and a laugh moved out of his way without a word. At this precise moment, he didn't care.

His wife followed closely behind him, probably realizing that she had no friends, allies, or protection in this camp save for him alone. He would have to remedy that. A few words to his men would pass the word around camp that anyone who laid a finger on her would answer to him. That would keep her safe from anyone save the king.

The king...

Kalus growled low in his throat as he reached his tent and held the flap open for his new bride. She entered, but gave him a wide berth while doing so. He shook his head at himself; she shouldn't be suffering from the king's actions or his mood. Once inside, Katia looked around and finally settled into the chair next to the desk.

Kalus took several deep breaths. "I am not angry with you."

Katia seemed to relax slightly. She had been shrinking away from him and he wanted to reassure her now before he broke the news to her. He guessed that she didn't fully understand the malice behind the king's threat and what they must do to avoid it coming to pass.

He sincerely hoped that she wouldn't hate him once he explained what they must do.

He took another deep breath, then turned and knelt next to the chair so his head was level with hers. "I wish to apologize for my king's conduct and for placing you in this position. I never wished to cause you harm in any way."

She nodded, though from her expression she still wasn't very pleased with him and she clearly had something on her mind.

"Speak." He said.

"I..." She hesitated. "I'd rather not say."

He considered her for a moment and then nodded. The poor girl had been through enough in the last twenty-four hours. This time yesterday, she was probably waking up to the alarm bells being rung in the city. Less than a day later, she was married and had caught the ire of the invading king.

"Very well." He said.

He stood and began pacing. The king had been very specific. If she wasn't visibly pregnant by the year's end -- a mere seven months away -- then the king would try to take her from him. He couldn't let that happen of course. However, she would need to be pregnant in the next month or two to ensure she was 'heavy with child' by the end of the year.

The only way to ensure it happened was for him to take her to bed every night for the next several months, save when she bled. He knew she wouldn't like the idea; she would hate it. He had little fondness for the idea either, given that the girl would be less than willing to share his bed. He knew the king had known this, which was probably why he had issued the threat.

King Tyso was malicious, not stupid.

He had purposely planned to ruin Kalus's marriage just because he had made him look foolish once. It galled his soul to undertake what must be done, but it would probably save her life if the king was as angry with him as he suspected.

He hoped Katia would understand.