Cats In the Cradle

13. Emma

After supper, Father pulled me into his room and informed me that I'd be going to stay with Orion for a month. Father was best friends with Mr. Allen, and he was convinced that the man he'd chosen for me would be perfect. He'd assured Father that he would've chosen him for one of his own daughters, if he had anymore to marry off.

So it was time for me to learn how to become a wife. Tonight would be my last night living at home, which was the real reason Mama had decided to make her famous lasagna, and why Lars had joined us for supper tonight.

I was horrified, but not because what he'd said was entirely unexpected. More so because I had no idea what to expect when I went to live with Orion. Nobody ever spoke about what happened during a woman's pre-marital training. Nobody ever spoke about what happened when a wife failed to please her husband when she was overcome with dark spirits, and she was sent to live with Orion.

I'd heard rumors in passing. Rumors about Mr. Allen's wife, and how she'd tried to escape after giving birth to Abigail's husband, Michael. How after she was punished, she was unable to have anymore children. So she went to live with Orion for a while, who tried to heal her.

And how, after her time with him had ended, she was sent back to Mr. Allen, finally free of the dark spirits, but unfortunately still barren. But still, she smiled. She was the perfect wife and mother after she returned. She always seemed so happy, and she told everyone it was because The Great Spirit had healed her, that Orion had shared some of his Light with her.

It didn't sound so bad, to be healed from the dark spirits and given Light from The Prophet.

Yet everyone feared being sent to live with him.

As if there was some unspoken truth. Some silent warning in the way Mrs. Augustus always seemed so happy, smiled so brightly.

Perhaps too brightly.

But I told myself it would all be ok. As long as I did my best to learn during my training and prepare myself to be the best wife I could be, everything would be ok.

And all my fears were eased when Mama and Father walked me to Orion's mansion and he opened the doors with a kind, fatherly smile. He was radiant, bursting with The Good Light. He was the tallest, strongest man I'd ever seen, even though he was around my father's age. His kind, pale blue eyes were like crystals, and his thick, salt-and-pepper hair was tied up into a neat bun.

He was friendly and allowed Mama and Father to stay for a little while, so I'd feel more comfortable.

He was soft-spoken and surprisingly funny, and he didn't threaten to whip me when I accidentally laughed too loudly. He even encouraged me to drink some of his special iced tea, which was by far the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted. It was fruity and sweet, and it made me feel relaxed and happy.

After dinner, he took me into his office and sat me down on his fluffy, luxuriously soft couch.

And we just talked.

It was so nice. For the first time in my life, I felt like maybe being married wouldn't be so bad. I certainly knew how to cook, clean, and take care of children.

I looked forward to being allowed to enjoy that delicious tea more often, to have pleasant talks at night with my husband. If my husband was anything at all like The Prophet—and I prayed he was—I was certain I could be happy.

Maybe I'd even end up doodling his name on scrap pieces of paper like Abigail.

"Now Emma, I hope you feel comfortable? Did you get enough to eat? Would you like more tea?" He asked after our lighthearted conversation about how annoying chickens were had trailed off.

I smiled happily. "Yes, I feel comfortable and dinner was very delicious...I would love another cup of tea." I blushed. He smiled widely, then stood up to grab some from a little fridge near his desk. I felt a little guilty as he handed me another glass; I didn't think I'd ever been served by a man.

"Thank you," I whispered shyly.

He smiled at me again, then sat down next to me, waiting patiently as I finished my drink.

"You're very welcome, my darling girl. So demure and polite. I can already tell you're going to be a wonderful wife." He took the glass from me and set it on the side table, then placed his hand on my leg.

"And tonight, I'm going to teach you your first lessons. The very basics of what every woman should know on her wedding night."

I tensed up a bit, suddenly feeling a little woozy. Maybe I'd had too much of the tea.

"I'm going to take your clothes off, and then you're going to take my pants off. And we'll go over some places that your husband might like you to touch, and some places he'll want to touch on you, too. Ok, darling?" He said gently, watching me carefully.

I nodded shakily, not entirely sure if it was ok. I'd never seen a naked man before, much less touched one. And he was around the same age as my father.

But the tea was helping me to feel more relaxed, albeit a bit woozy.

"Now stand up, and let me undress you, Emma." His voice had changed a bit, sounding deeper, huskier...making me shiver.

But I stood up and allowed him to remove my dress and undergarments.

His hands skimmed down my back, and over my hips. One of his fingers accidentally slipped between my bottom cheeks, but I clenched, and he quickly removed it, chuckling a bit.

"Beautiful. Your father thinks you're too skinny, but I actually prefer it. Women tend to have a hard time keeping the weight off after having a few children. You'll fill out perfectly, I bet." He murmured, still skimming his hands over my hips, bottom, and thighs. He delicately cupped my breasts, gently rolling my nipples between his fingers.

I was still shivering, unsure of what he had planned for the rest of the night.

"Now, now, no more of that shaking, darling girl. You don't have to be scared. Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you tonight. I won't penetrate your pretty little cunt. That's for your husband to take for the first time. I won't have the pleasure of doing that to you unless your husband sends you to me for more training. I'll keep away the dark spirits." He said softly, now skimming his lips across my stomach. He pressed a featherlight kiss just below my bellybutton.

"But I'm going to teach you about how to pleasure your husband with your mouth. And your hands. I'll teach you how to cum. Husbands really like that. But it takes some practice, so you'll be getting lots of it. And I'll help loosen up your ass a little so it won't be so bad when your husband fucks you. It might be a bit uncomfortable at first, but I'll be gentle. And we have a whole month alone together, so we have lots of time."

Somewhere in the back of my mind, alarm bells were ringing. Some part of me told me this was wrong. Told me to run and to never look back.

But the delicious tea was settling in now—I hoped he'd let me have more tomorrow—making me feel relaxed and sleepy and happy. My body felt loose and tingly, and there was a strange, pulsing feeling between my legs.

And now the room was spinning a bit, and it was hard to focus.

So I just smiled and nodded, swaying slightly.

The Prophet was wise and kind. He was blessed by The Great Spirit. He was filled with The Good Light. And he had trained every single woman in our community to be prepared for marriage.

And he said he wasn't going to hurt me.

He was a good man.