CINDE, The Kings Mate (boyxboy) ✓

Chapter Eighteen

        When we where done Veldore saw to it that I was properly dried and warm before leaving me in the hands of the ceremonials from which I was to learn from them exactly how to hold myself in the ceremony, what to expect and how I was expected to present myself.

        "When he finally bites, do not close your eyes." A ceremonial gushed condescendingly. "Remember! Eyes open! Now, whether you experience a strong pain or desire, or both, keeping your eyes open should keep you awake from most of it." One told me from behind as he rearranged the beads on my necklace over and over.

        "Keep your left arm behind your back, bent, like this." He said, bending my left arm behind my back at a right angle so it was horizontal against my spine. "And your right similarly so in front."

        Another ceremonial, who was adjusting the creases in my light white thin ceremonial outfit, spoke up.

        "When the priests have finished their words drop your arms to your side."

        "Not too quickly!" Another piped up.

        "Yes, gracefully."

        "And he will approach from behind too bite so it is crucial you do not pull away! Do not let your instincts kick in or they may be inclined to do so and it will not land you in such a reverent spot with his majesty, or so to speak, his people."

        "Try to keep your head lowered throughout the ceremony until of course he approaches from behind. When he does so allow him to tilt your head higher and to the right, that is for accessing the necessary space of neck required."

        I glanced down feeling somewhat miserable. So many rules, so little time. It felt as though a hundred different men where shouting a hundred different things at me at once. In fact most of what they told me seemed hypocritical of the previous thing. It left me so muddled.

        I fumbled with the edge of the white material only for my hand to be slapped away by the man tending to my trousers.

        They where soft and gentle yet an unnatural unnerving white. They fitted me loosely and felt, as I'm sure they looked, more than a couple sizes too big.

        Over my trousers I wore a white dress like shirt that was so long it fell to my knees and on both wrists I wore a tight bead bracelet. A man was apparently praying to Luna that my good luck would be with them by repeating an odd sequence of moving the neck beads back and forth and forth and forth and back and back again.

        They almost clambered over each other as one came from the side to brush my hair once more, though my hair rebellious as ever kept bouncing back into its untidy standing.

        "Stay rigid, when he bites. Relaxed and rigid. No squirming! Make sure not to embarrass our majesty or you will not hear the end of it." He snapped as I for the last time jolted uncomfortably in my seat as he tightened the top lace of my shirt from under my arms.

        "The king calls for us!" Another yelled, panting from lack of breath as he waved the other ceremonials from my side and out the door.

        "Wait!" I shouted slightly. I was surprised to see them stop immediately and turn to my bidding. "I just... What am I doing till the ceremony begins... How long..."

        A flushed ceremonial stopped me with a raised hand and motioned for his brothers to run along as he gave me his last words of instruction.