Obscene Symphony

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

_{Bride of Azilon Dantanath @WeepingLiberty, sister-bride to Rya Mire @Ellion
Reacting near the new fam and taking note of Rynek Darion @NarcissisticPotato}

Lienna had not been kneeling more than a few seconds before a new voice came from above her, this one distinctly female. She dared not look up, but she could feel another set of eyes boring into her, and the newcomer's words and cadence made the hair on her neck stand on end.

“My oh my. Seems you scored an alright girl after all, I was half expecting them to hand you the leftovers. A bit uptight for my tastes, but she’ll suit you just fine dear brother.”

It seemed as close to a compliment as she could have expected, given the circumstances, and Lienna couldn't help but feel a tiny hint of pride beneath the tightness in her chest. If her husband's sister (as she seemed to be, judging by her words) approved of her, perhaps her husband would as well. Perhaps, she dared to hope, there was a chance she could find a place in this new life.

Her husband's own comment was somewhat less glowing, but Lienna considered it a win nonetheless. If "just fine" meant being safe from cruelty, anyway. Still, she couldn't help but notice a twinge of... Was that disappointment? Surely not, she thought. "Just fine" was perhaps an even better response from her new husband than a more interested one; after all, it could mean that he wouldn't force himself on her, or at least not often. So why did she feel so slighted?

Azilon asked her to stand and Rya offered a hand, albeit looking more like she did it for her own reasons than because she was told to do so. While Lienna would rather not have taken it, deigning instead to rise on her own, she touched Rya's hand nonetheless as she stood. She had never been much for affection, but this girl looked as if she needed every friendly gesture she could get.

Once on her feet, Azilon took hold of her left arm, much gentler than it looked like his huge hands could have been capable of, and produced the dreaded silver chain. Deftly, he tied the fragile-looking leash around her wrist, thus linking her to Rya, before releasing her. Lienna froze, and for a moment, could only stare at the chain. It really would have been beautiful had its purpose not polluted it; it looked delicate, but she could only imagine that somehow it was stronger than it looked. She could probably have untied it if she wanted to, but she dared not even move to touch it, for fear of punishment. Sure, her husband seemed calm enough, but one could never be sure. She'd seen girls mutilated for smaller offenses than what would have looked like an attempt at escape.

Eventually she peeled her eyes away from the chain and looked toward Rya instead. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly lowered her arm, the chain, light as it was, feeling like a lead weight on her wrist. She willed herself to calm down, to stop making a fool of herself with this doe-eyed display. So she was tethered to her sister-bride, so what? Surely it was a kinder fate than many of the other girls in the room. Some of them had already been struck to the ground. And perhaps this was not a permanent arrangement, but temporary; a way for her husband to mark them as his. At Shadow Worth, they'd been told that some Drakken opted to brand their brides as a proof of ownership. This, she told herself, was a far preferable alternative.

It wasn't until Azilon addressed them again that Lienna started listening to the conversation around them once more. It seemed they wouldn't linger here, and would be embarking on the long journey to her new home. However, Azilon was scarcely allowed to finish before a commotion, in the form of a cloaked man, entered the room.

"So who does a guy have to talk to around here to get one of those pretty little Gems?"

Lienna whirled around to get a look at the newcomer. There happened to be no one between him and her little group, so she had full view of him, not that there was much to see. A tall Drakkan figure (albeit they all looked tall to her) in a heavy cloak, brandishing a spear like a staff. Lienna would have thought him an old man, by his posture and attire, had it not been for the young man's voice booming out of him.

A Drakkan female - the same adorned one who had delivered Lienna to her husband mere moments before, stepped forward to reply. Her challenge had an air of mockery, but she was clearly tense; if she thought this man was a threat, she appeared prepared to deal with him. Meanwhile, the newcomer seemed entirely relaxed. His ensemble even started making bets.

Despite the newcomer's airy response, Lienna could feel a tension in the air - whether it came from the newcomer, the female, or the rest of the room, she couldn't tell. Azilon seemed ready to react, as did many others, but the intruder was not disturbed.

Tense as it was, the intruder's display was fascinating. It reminded her of the territorial displays of certain more... flamboyant birds up North. He had every Drakkan in the room ready to jump on him, and yet he approached the female unarmed and undaunted. His tone was light, but had an undeniable edge to it. He was confident, cocky even, but it didn't seem altogether unearned. Surely he was either very skilled or very stupid.

He had Lienna's full attention. The room seemed to hang on his every word. He threw off his cloak to reveal himself, a tall, lithe specimen, black-clad and topped by a mess of white hair. He wanted a bride.

No, wait. He wanted her.

"That one. I want that one. I'll kill anyone who begs to differ."

Suddenly, the world jerked sideways. The edges of Lienna's vision darkened, and the distance between herself and the intruder, this Darion, seemed to lengthen. Her next heartbeat hit her like a blow to the chest, and time resumed once more. Luckily, she kept her footing, and the wave of dizziness passed away as quickly as it came.

For the briefest of moments, as he pointed her out, Lienna caught a glimpse of his eyes. This man was no flamboyant arctic bird. No, not at all. Lienna was reminded of the time she'd been out looking for a certain species of pine needles, and had crossed paths with an enormous arctic wolf. It had eyes like ice, and a bristling coat that blended into the snow near-seamlessly. It had the sort of stare that defied translation, and betrayed nothing of the soul within but danger. The resemblance was uncanny.

Lienna didn't move. She barely breathed. That day in the forest she had stared down the wolf for what felt like hours, knowing a sudden move could mean her death. The intruder looked away after only a second, but Lienna kept her eyes trained on him, not daring surrender an inch. Would Azilon defend her? Throw her to the wolf? Despite the fear that gripped her, an excitement boiled in her as well. Dangerous or not, this one seemed like something she could work with. Whether she would need to, she couldn't yet tell.

Summary

Lienna is both pleased and disappointed that she'll be alright for Az. Lets him tie her to Rya, but is a little freaked out by the chain. When the new guy bursts in, she's all ears. Until he points her out. Waxes poetic for a second. Now she feels like she's in a territory dispute with a wolf. But why is it so exciting?

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Lienna Orhneaht

Bride of Azilon Dantanath @WeepingLiberty, sister-bride to Rya Mire @Ellion
_{Interacting with Rya Mire @Ellion and Azilon Dantanath @WeepingLiberty}

Even though their time at the hot springs had been short, Lienna had taken advantage of it nonetheless. She had been to hot springs a few times at home, where they spouted from the frozen mountains. She had always thought of them as a gift from Naia to her Northern children. The unique smell of the water and the softness it lent to the skin were familiar, but as it enveloped her, she couldn't help but feel as if she were in the presence of strangers. Not just the many naked Gems around, nor the leer-eyed guards along the edges; no, whereas she could feel the gentle touch of Naia in the springs at home, she didn't feel her presence here. It was hard to tell if there was a different presence, or if it was just the lack of one that felt so alien. Nonetheless, Lienna could tell that Naia could barely reach her here, and it unsettled her.

She'd managed to get herself scrupulously clean, wasting little time basking in the warmth and instead focusing on her skin and hair. By the time the guards cut their bathing short, she was already finished. On her way out, she saw a few obvious water gems whisking the water away from their skin with fluid motions. Lienna did the same, but her movements were quick and precise: she flung one arm out, as if throwing off a cloak, and all the water on her flew off with enough force to audibly slap against the stone wall beside her. She left her hair down, as opposed to braiding it like usual, so it would dry pin-straight, falling to her waist.

Upon returning to her chamber, she found a dress laid out for her. Unlike the grey tunics from before, this was a delicate, beautiful thing, made from layers of sheer white linen and lace. With it was a rich brown sash which shone a bit in the light. Beautiful as it was, the dress was so foreign - it felt alien on her skin, and light and airy on her lean frame, a stark contrast from the furs and leathers she'd been wearing all her life. Lienna couldn't help but remark that this dress would freeze her to death in minutes back home.

Yet, despite its oddities, Lienna couldn't help but admire herself in the dull mirror provided for her. The dress fit loosely, but it did wonders accentuating her curves nonetheless. It made her look like the other Gems at Shadow Worth, with their delicate features and grace. Her furs, as attached as she was to them, were not known for flattering the body.

A ghost of a smile wafted over her face. If finery like this was what awaited her, perhaps she could find beauty in her new life.

~ /// ~

Lienna had not been excited to get back into the carriage, but she wasn't so rash as to disobey. Still, she had spent the entire ride to the capital with her knees tucked to her chest and her face as close to the window as possible, doing her very best to steady herself through the waves of sickness that washed over her every time the carriage hit a bump.

She was actually thankful when they arrived, forgetting for a moment her purpose in her relief at stepping out of the carriage. The air in the capital was cold and damp, a combination which was actually quite foreign to Lienna (seeing as the air up north was dry enough to cut skin, as the saying went). She could hear a distant pattering, like hail, but softer. Stranger still, the ground was sandy and warm. Drakka grew ever more odd the longer she stayed there; it was as if the elements were confused without their divine masters to guide them.

Soon the Gems were led in a procession to where their future husbands awaited, tall and looming over them, with hard eyes and an air of savagery, like hungry mountain lions in wait. Lienna kept her gaze decidedly forward and her head high, sparing barely a glance at the leering onlookers as they were led on. As she passed under a torch, her skin briefly reflected the yellow light as if it were covered in frost, the light bouncing off in pinpricks like tiny crystals.

It wasn't long before girls were plucked from the line and half-dragged (or in some cases, entirely dragged) to their new masters. She even saw one girl whose keeper had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop her from shrieking. Lienna couldn't help but glare disapprovingly; such a scene was not only unbecoming of a Gem, but also as stupid as it was fruitless - she was only making things harder for herself.

The one who came for Lienna was a female, much taller than herself but not as large as most of the males she'd seen. She carried herself with the sort of swagger that came from either cockiness or status, and with Drakken it was impossible to tell which. However, she was dressed well and wore a great adornment on her head, so she guessed at the latter. She grabbed Lienna by the arm, not gently but not violently, and Lienna followed obediently, but not fearfully, as she was taken to her fate.

That wasn't to say Lienna was without fear. Quite the contrary, fear swirled in her gut like a gathering gale. But she steadied herself nonetheless. She willed the ocean inside her to calm. Water does not fear a coming cliff, but rushes for it.

Her keeper stopped in front of a pair, a Drakkan male and a squirrely little gem. The Drakkan was tall, like the rest, but rather more lean than some of the others. Lienna dared only a quick glance at his face, and was mildly pleased to find that he was half-decently attractive. To her, he looked young, but she knew Drakken did not age the same way Gems did. Still, he seemed to take good care of himself and Lienna supposed that was all she could have hoped for.

She did become more apprehensive, however, when she got a good look at his existing bride. The poor thing looked like she hadn't slept in days, and (most importantly) had... was that a leash?

Indeed, around her waist was tied a thin silver chain, which would have looked like fine jewelry had the other end not been held in the Drakkan's grip. Was this how she would be treated? Like some sort of dog that needed to be tethered? And what about the poor girl's condition? Had her husband been denying her sleep, or was she haunted by harsh treatment?

A stone formed in Lienna's gut, for she did not know.

In her examination of the pair, Lienna had missed the brief conversation between her keeper and her new husband and being pushed to him caught her off guard. She stumbled, only for a second, and regained her posture with as much grace as she could muster. She kept her eyes forward, not down but certainly not up at her husband's face. It took a lot of willpower to tear her eyes away from her new sister-bride's chain.

As soon as the female was gone, the tethered girl hissed out an insult that Lienna did not understand. Then, it was her turn to be examined as the girl's tired eyes flicked over her. She reached out for Lienna's face, who flinched back at first like a startled deer. Suddenly, the girl flung her arms around her, drawing her close. Lienna's eyes widened, and for a moment she held her arms out, not sure what to do. After a second, she gently rested one arm around the girl's back, still more uncomfortable than anything. Soon she withdrew, and Lienna was thankful, though the girl did remain quite close.

Despite her apparent lack of boundaries, the girl's words were kind. "I’m sorry you’re here,” she said softly, "But I hope you’ll find some happiness. I’m Rya," she paused for a second before continuing, ”Oh...this is Azilon. What are you known by?”

Lienna's brow furrowed despite herself. This girl didn't seem fearful or resentful of her husband at all. She introduced him like a friend. Why, then, did he feel the need to tether her?

After a few beats, she remembered to respond, folding her hands neatly in front of her and adjusting her posture once more. "My name is Lienna Orhneaht," she replied, Northern accent becoming clearer than usual as she carefully pronounced each syllable.

Then, realizing that she had forgotten herself and that it was likely more appropriate to address her new husband before she addressed her sister bride, she turned toward him and, not knowing what else to do, sank to her knees like the Drakken at Shadow Worth had instructed.

"It is an honour to meet you, my lord," she stated, eyes downcast, demure but not grovelling, "I hope that I can serve you well."

Summary

Lienna was luckily clean by the time they kicked them out of the hot spring. She finds she likes the dress provided for her more than she would have expected (same dress as in her character sheet). She gets motion sickness in carriages, notices that Drakka is weird, is freaked out by contact from Rya, and kneels before Az with some generic new-wife talk.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

I have... a lot of catching up to do XD

I’m sorry! Hell month started a little early, and with the plague!

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Obscene Symphony Discord always says I do not have permission to post 😭

@Belle

waaaaaat? Did you land in the adult only chat? or the important chat? i'll see what I can do

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

I edited my latest Arden post to include the bruising from her beating!

@Pupperr

That's always an important detail for feel-good stories like this one

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Obscene Symphony I'll post it when I get home from work. 😁

@Belle

By the way, did you ever get discord figured out? We do a lot of talking in there, we'd love to have you.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Belle Should I edit my post to send Amalia and Lienna to the spring or are you gonna do that in your post? If I don't then you'll have to, 'cause we need to get down there lol

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Lienna Orhneaht

_{Interacting with: Amalia Solair @Belle}

Lienna woke with a start when a guard jolted her awake with his banging, no less surprising than it had been the day before. However, after the pounding of her heart subsided, Lienna was actually grateful for the awakening. It wasn't quite like waking from a nightmare, but a similar sense of relief washed over her when she realized that the things she'd been dreaming about - blasphemous words, vile, horned infants clawing their way out of her abdomen - she was almost happy to be met with harmless cold air and stone walls.

She shuffled to breakfast as usual, making a point to move with purpose despite the maddeningly slow pace these terrified girls insisted on taking. After all, a spring may flow along the path of least resistance, but it did so of its own accord.

Much of the exotic Gem foods from before had been replaced by Drakkan foods, Lienna noted, and while she was disappointed (after all, she wasn't thrilled about going back to dried meat after two straight weeks of the stuff) she wasn't nearly as forlorn as some of the other girls appeared to be. She supposed she could understand; for many of these girls, the colourful foods of Gemmenia were probably a precious remnant of home. As for Lienna, meats were as ordinary as it could get.

Soon after she sat down, as she looked over the table in search of choice morsels, the girl she'd spoken to the day before sat across from her, looking pained. Lienna could guess why - she'd seen the treatment she'd gotten after standing yesterday - but it piqued her interest nonetheless. Was it only the pain in her feet that was bothering her, or something else?

To Lienna's surprise, Amalia apologized profusely for her attitude the day before - something Lienna hadn't even given a second thought. Of course she'd been preoccupied! The poor girl had her heels seared and was forced to stand all day. And it wasn't as if Lienna had gone to great lengths to reach out to her. And yet, she apologized. It was a deed so odd to Lienna's ears she almost didn't know what to say.

"Don't you dare apologize," she replied, perhaps a little coldly, "Your first priority should be yourself now, tending to your own needs and seeing to it that you survive this ordeal with as little strife as possible. Don't you be casting yourself aside to worry about me."

Despite her tone, Lienna held no ill will toward Amalia. In fact, she found her empathy to be admirable, if a little misplaced. Perhaps she just had the tendency to come off a little harsh.

Amalia wasted no time changing the subject. It was as if she were as uncomfortable with apologies as Lienna was.

"Have you... ever eaten this?" Amalia asked, "My home was by the sea. We ate fish and vegetables and sometimes fruit. I have never had meat before," she explained, poking at it with her fork. "Will this make me ill?"

Lienna had to fight down the urge to furrow her brow in confusion. This girl had never eaten meat before? In her life? She almost laughed out loud. Meat was almost all there was in the North, aside from the occasional fish and the valuable herbs which could be wrenched from the frozen forests.

She couldn't help but smile, and picked a few strips of dried meat from a nearby platter, as well as some much fresher, steaming cuts of what looked to be some sort of wild dog. She heaped most of the fresh meat onto her own plate, glancing longingly at the juices that quickly flooded it, and handed a strip of dried meat to her friend.

"Unless Drakkan meats are uniquely toxic, I am sure none of this will hurt you." she gestured with the dried meat, beckoning Amalia to take it. "Here, start with this. It will be easier on your stomach at first."

Lienna then took a bite of her own food, taking a moment to savour it. Drakkan or not, she had to admit it was good. "In fact," she added after swallowing, "You're probably better off eating this than some of the food in Hima. Do you know it's a delicacy to bury seal flanks in the ground all winter and eat them in the spring?"

She laughed. "The elders of the Council swore by it, but I could never get past the rancid fat. Awful stuff." She screwed up her face for good measure.

Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately for Amalia), Lienna's best excuse for banter was cut off by an announcement by the head Drakkan of Shadow Worth. Apparently, in their boundless kindness, they were offering the Gems a day in the hot springs.

Lienna's gut reaction was optimistic; Amalia's was one of fear.

"What if they lie?" Amalia whispered, "What if this is a veiled cruelty? Lienna," she said, reaching across to take the other woman's hand. "I am afraid. I do not want to be. I want to be strong as I was trained to be. My whole life my parents were preparing me for this, for the time I would be taken by the Drakken. But now that is has actually happened... I am so afraid."

Lienna couldn't help but be moved by the poor girl's plea. She grasped her hand, placing her other on top of it. She paused, unsure of what she could say to ease Amalia's mind. It took her a moment to come up with an answer.

"There are things in life which no one and nothing could ever prepare us for," she replied finally. "You can't just wish away your fear. I don't know what's to come of this, of any of it, now or in the days to come. All I know is that fighting a riptide will only serve to drown you."

She locked her eyes on Amalia's, making sure that Amalia met her gaze. "All you can do is take things as they come. Don't fight it. Comply, and in doing so, preserve yourself.

"You wish to be strong? Some of these girls think they are strong with their acts of defiance, their petty outbursts which only serve to hurt them in the end. No, the strong choice is to do everything in your power to help yourself." Lienna squeezed Amalia's hand. "If you bend, they cannot break you. There is nothing shameful in that."

Summary

Lienna tells Amalia she shouldn't be sorry, explains that the meat won't hurt her and goes into an existential speech about compliance or whatever. Between you and me, I think she forgot the original point to her speech by the time she was done XD

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Belle If it's all the same to you, my reply is about to go live. Would you rather post yours first, or wait till mine goes up? Honest to god, it'll happen this time XD It's in my Scratchpad if you need proof!

Obscene's Scratchpad

Lienna Orhneaht

_{Interacting with: Amalia Solair @Belle}

Lienna woke with a start when a guard jolted her awake with his banging, no less surprising than it had been the day before. However, after the pounding of her heart subsided, Lienna was actually grateful for the awakening. It wasn't quite like waking from a nightmare, but a similar sense of relief washed over her when she realized that the things she'd been dreaming about - blasphemous words, vile, horned infants clawing their way out of her abdomen - she was almost happy to be met with harmless cold air and stone walls.

She shuffled to breakfast as usual, making a point to move with purpose despite the maddeningly slow pace these terrified girls insisted on taking. After all, a spring may flow along the path of least resistance, but it did so of its own accord.

Much of the exotic Gem foods from before had been replaced by Drakkan foods, Lienna noted, and while she was disappointed (after all, she wasn't thrilled about going back to dried meat after two straight weeks of the stuff) she wasn't nearly as forlorn as some of the other girls appeared to be. She supposed she could understand; for many of these girls, the colourful foods of Gemmenia were probably a precious remnant of home. As for Lienna, meats were as ordinary as it could get.

Soon after she sat down, as she looked over the table in search of choice morsels, the girl she'd spoken to the day before sat across from her, looking pained. Lienna could guess why - she'd seen the treatment she'd gotten after standing yesterday - but it piqued her interest nonetheless. Was it only the pain in her feet that was bothering her, or something else?

To Lienna's surprise, Amalia apologized profusely for her attitude the day before - something Lienna hadn't even given a second thought. Of course she'd been preoccupied! The poor girl had her heels seared and was forced to stand all day. And it wasn't as if Lienna had gone to great lengths to reach out to her. And yet, she apologized. It was a deed so odd to Lienna's ears she almost didn't know what to say.

"Don't you dare apologize," she replied, perhaps a little coldly, "Your first priority should be yourself now, tending to your own needs and seeing to it that you survive this ordeal with as little strife as possible. Don't you be casting yourself aside to worry about me."

Despite her tone, Lienna held no ill will toward Amalia. In fact, she found her empathy to be admirable, if a little misplaced. Perhaps she just had the tendency to come off a little harsh.

Amalia wasted no time changing the subject. It was as if she were as uncomfortable with apologies as Lienna was.

"Have you... ever eaten this?" Amalia asked, "My home was by the sea. We ate fish and vegetables and sometimes fruit. I have never had meat before," she explained, poking at it with her fork. "Will this make me ill?"

Lienna had to fight down the urge to furrow her brow in confusion. This girl had never eaten meat before? In her life? She almost laughed out loud. Meat was almost all there was in the North, aside from the occasional fish and the valuable herbs which could be wrenched from the frozen forests.

She couldn't help but smile, and picked a few strips of dried meat from a nearby platter, as well as some much fresher, steaming cuts of what looked to be some sort of wild dog. She heaped most of the fresh meat onto her own plate, glancing longingly at the juices that quickly flooded it, and handed a strip of dried meat to her friend.

"Unless Drakkan meats are uniquely toxic, I am sure none of this will hurt you." she gestured with the dried meat, beckoning Amalia to take it. "Here, start with this. It will be easier on your stomach at first."

Lienna then took a bite of her own food, taking a moment to savour it. Drakkan or not, she had to admit it was good. "In fact," she added after swallowing, "You're probably better off eating this than some of the food in Hima. Do you know it's a delicacy to bury seal flanks in the ground all winter and eat them in the spring?"

She laughed. "The elders of the Council swore by it, but I could never get past the rancid fat. Awful stuff." She screwed up her face for good measure.

Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately for Amalia), Lienna's best excuse for banter was cut off by an announcement by the head Drakkan of Shadow Worth. Apparently, in their boundless kindness, they were offering the Gems a day in the hot springs.

Lienna's gut reaction was optimistic; Amalia's was one of fear.

"What if they lie?" Amalia whispered, "What if this is a veiled cruelty? Lienna," she said, reaching across to take the other woman's hand. "I am afraid. I do not want to be. I want to be strong as I was trained to be. My whole life my parents were preparing me for this, for the time I would be taken by the Drakken. But now that is has actually happened... I am so afraid."

Lienna couldn't help but be moved by the poor girl's plea. She grasped her hand, placing her other on top of it. She paused, unsure of what she could say to ease Amalia's mind. It took her a moment to come up with an answer.

"There are things in life which no one and nothing could ever prepare us for," she replied finally. "You can't just wish away your fear. I don't know what's to come of this, of any of it, now or in the days to come. All I know is that fighting a riptide will only serve to drown you."

She locked her eyes on Amalia's, making sure that Amalia met her gaze. "All you can do is take things as they come. Don't fight it. Comply, and in doing so, preserve yourself.

"You wish to be strong? Some of these girls think they are strong with their acts of defiance, their petty outbursts which only serve to hurt them in the end. No, the strong choice is to do everything in your power to help yourself." Lienna squeezed Amalia's hand. "If you bend, they cannot break you."

Summary

Lienna tells Amalia she shouldn't be sorry, explains that the meat won't hurt her and goes into an existential speech about compliance or whatever. Between you and me, I think she forgot the original point to her speech by the time she was done XD