argue philosophy with me... for hours. Sometimes at the top of her lungs.” He smiled, briefly. “It never really occurred to either of us to protest the marriage. Though we shared no passionate love, we got along well. Despite her occasional temper and stubbornness, our clan elders were certain she would make me a good wife. “Once she came of age, at seventeen years old, we were formally bonded. The ceremony was in the spring, just at the equinox. There were flowers everywhere, at the wedding field. Everyone was so happy, the whole clan was out in celebration. I remember Meiran looked glorious in red, she never stopped smiling. She was so beautiful...” He had to stop for a minute, struggling against his emotions. When he spoke again, his voice had taken on harder tones. “The roads had opened not long before, just cleared enough for travel. Lord Khushrenada was making his rounds at that time, inspecting his territories after the last winter. He came... to our village, that day. I can only guess the crowd, the noise of celebration attracted him. He showed up just as soon as we’d both made our vows.” Wufei swallowed, and looked up at Duo, who was sitting, quietly absorbing this story. “Have you ever heard of the Prima Nocta?” he asked, a little sharply Duo frowned, then nodded. “The right of First Night? Yes, I’ve heard of it, but I’m not quite sure what it entails.” “I’m not surprised you’ve heard of it. It is, after all, a western idea.” Wufei nearly spat the word. “The lord has the right to any woman’s maidenhood, on her wedding night. Lord Khushrenada took one look at Meiran, and invoked that right. I protested, our clan elders protested, but he had guards with him. Sixteen of them. He put her in front of him on his horse... she was still in her wedding dress. And then they rode away. “For the rest of the afternoon, all that night, and the next morning... there was nothing. But the evening of the second day, one man came riding back. It was Khushrenada’s lieutenant, and he had Meiran’s... body strapped behind him on the saddle. He dumped her at our feet, like a sack of grain. She was covered with bruises, especially on her arms, and...” Wufei’s voice was wavering, and he fought to keep it from breaking. “The man made such filthy comments. I wanted to kill him. I tried to go for him, drag him off his saddle, but my father held me back. He told me there was no use in it, that there was nothing we could do to help Meiran now, except give her a funeral.
Re: THE DRAGON AS AN OBJECT OF PREY (cont.)
Date: 2006-02-21 10:11 am (UTC)“Once she came of age, at seventeen years old, we were formally bonded. The ceremony was in the spring, just at the equinox. There were flowers everywhere, at the wedding field. Everyone was so happy, the whole clan was out in celebration. I remember Meiran looked glorious in red, she never stopped smiling. She was so beautiful...”
He had to stop for a minute, struggling against his emotions. When he spoke again, his voice had taken on harder tones. “The roads had opened not long before, just cleared enough for travel. Lord Khushrenada was making his rounds at that time, inspecting his territories after the last winter. He came... to our village, that day. I can only guess the crowd, the noise of celebration attracted him. He showed up just as soon as we’d both made our vows.” Wufei swallowed, and looked up at Duo, who was sitting, quietly absorbing this story.
“Have you ever heard of the Prima Nocta?” he asked, a little sharply
Duo frowned, then nodded. “The right of First Night? Yes, I’ve heard of it, but I’m not quite sure what it entails.”
“I’m not surprised you’ve heard of it. It is, after all, a western idea.” Wufei nearly spat the word. “The lord has the right to any woman’s maidenhood, on her wedding night. Lord Khushrenada took one look at Meiran, and invoked that right. I protested, our clan elders protested, but he had guards with him. Sixteen of them. He put her in front of him on his horse... she was still in her wedding dress. And then they rode away.
“For the rest of the afternoon, all that night, and the next morning... there was nothing. But the evening of the second day, one man came riding back. It was Khushrenada’s lieutenant, and he had Meiran’s... body strapped behind him on the saddle. He dumped her at our feet, like a sack of grain. She was covered with bruises, especially on her arms, and...” Wufei’s voice was wavering, and he fought to keep it from breaking. “The man made such filthy comments. I wanted to kill him. I tried to go for him, drag him off his saddle, but my father held me back. He told me there was no use in it, that there was nothing we could do to help Meiran now, except give her a funeral.