Stacey covered her face with her hands. Ugh. So embarrassing. She was truly and properly married - or she would be by this evening.
Looking at the clock, Stacey could read the numbers but she couldn't understand what time it was. It had been so many months and she had yet to learn to tell the time. It was still more reliable for her to tell the time by the position of the sun and moons in the sky.
Out the window, the sun was high in the sky. It was either late morning or early afternoon. No wonder he had gotten her dressed. They were likely to be about to take the dreaded walk in public as husband and wife once he was ready.
Stacey's empty tummy gurgled a plea for food and she rubbed it with a sigh. The table with the water jug and cup was too far away to reach. There was nothing else to eat. Water was better than nothing for now.
With a grimace, Stacey stood up and felt her entire body protest at the movement. Her legs still felt weak and numb. Her back ached fiercely.
Stacey managed two steps before her legs gave way on her.
A flustered sound emerged from the bathroom and Thieren rushed out in a flurry with half his body still covered in white foam. The sight of his family jewels dangling free made Stacey avert her face with a flush. How had such a big thing even been able to fit inside her? It looked too huge.
"Stacey, are you alright?" Thieren asked, patting her all over as if to make sure she hadn't hurt herself. "What happened? Did you hit your head?"
Stacey dumbly shook her head, not daring to try and answer vocally. Her throat was too sore to speak anyway. She pointed at the water.
"Ah," Thieren chuckled, picking her up. He kicked the chair over to the table where the water was and put her down in the seat. Pouring her a cup of water, he hurried back to the shower without another word.
Stacey had barely finished her cup of water when he returned once more, having washed himself clean. Dripping wet, he placed his towel in Stacey's hands and held his arms out wide.
Making a face, Stacey roughly towelled his hair and body dry so that the water would stop dripping into the carpet. She stood carefully to reach his head, keeping one hand on the table for balance. Thieren guided her hand to help him dry between the legs while Stacey turned her face away, trying to pull her hand back.
Thieren let her hand go with a smirk and returned the towel to the bathroom. Instead, he took out his traditional clothes. Slowly, he taught her how to dress him, insisting on making her undo and redo his costume until he was satisfied.
But when he started walking, all the material came undone and slithered to the floor. Stacey covered her face with a groan.
By the time Thieren was properly dressed and his costume no longer fell apart after a few steps, the sun was well on its way toward the horizon.
"We're walking to the venue," Thieren told Stacey after helping her to and from the toilet. "I know you're hungry. You'll be able to eat at the banquet there tonight. Don't worry, I'll be holding you up."
He held her tightly around the waist, pressing her body against himself to give her extra support. He slowed his pace down to match her small and weak steps, holding her up with his arm.
The Huo guards outside the door had all cleaned up and were waiting for them the moment they left the bedroom. Anna and Elsa quickly brushed some makeup onto Stacey's face to make it glow even brighter. Then they walked in a procession, with Jansen and Ning leading the way in front, Thieren and Stacey and then the rest of the guards behind.
Every now and then, Thieren paused for Stacey to catch her breath. He would release her for a few moments to shake out his arm. Stacey saw that it was just as tiring for him and felt conflicted. If he took his arm away when they were walking or released his grip, her legs would give way.
People on the streets pointed and whirled around them, shouting their congratulations. The guards offered the well wishers a candy from the baskets on their arms. Stacey was so tired and felt so sweaty that she just wanted to find a bed, close her eyes and sleep. Why was the banquet venue so far away?
Bit by bit, she shuffled down the busy street. The pain between her legs was throbbing again. The man hadn't been gentle with her at all. Maybe he didn't know how to be gentle. He'd worked her into this condition. She could barely move.
Many of the men looked at the way she walked and guffawed, slapping Thieren on the back.
"Well done," they told him. "Good job."
Good job, her foot. She really wanted to kick Thieren and punch that smug look off his face but she could barely lift a leg, let alone kick with it. If she couldn't stand steady on her own feet, there was no way she'd be able to give a good punch.
The sun was beginning to set when they finally arrived at the banquet venue. It appeared to be some sort of a fancy restaurant with a domed roof and a domed and adorned ceiling inside the hall.
Stacey was led to a side room where women fussed around her, wiping her sweat away with a moist cloth and changing her clothes into another traditional costume. Her sore parts were lathered with a thick ointment and her hair done. Careful makeup was applied and Stacey was able to fall asleep for a few minutes while everything was happening. Then she was yanked to her feet once more.
The pain wasn't so bad but Stacey kept tripping and stumbling over her own feet. She recognized the pinching, bony grip on her covered arm and looked down. Sure enough, it was those expressionless, pointy black high heeled shoes.
She'd finally met the woman who had been bullying her so much these past few weeks to the point she'd almost completely snapped. It wasn't just a dream. Although she couldn't remember everything the woman had said and done to her she knew it hadn't been good. How Thirteen slapping her had managed to bring her senses back was a mystery.
The sharp voice didn't say anything to her but she could feel the hatred and disdain from this woman. This woman whom Stacey recognised vaguely as one of Thieren's people, although not exactly who she was. They'd never formally been introduced. She had the impression that she was one of his many secretaries.
The woman shoved Stacey into the toilets and into a cubicle, pinching her side and twisting the flesh. Stacey batted at her hand but couldn't dislodge its grip from her skin.