Chapter 29: Chanah

Time: May 2, 8238 10:07 AM

I didn't think it was possible to perform a nuptial ceremony in less than twenty minutes, but the Dakar Nikahaldi did mine in seven. The chief priest running the cathedral's morning Prayer service had dismissed the congregation a few minutes early, allowing me to reach the nuptial chamber at 10 AM sharp. And then the Nikahaldi performed his lightning magic.

As I walked to my bride's holding pen, I glanced at the time, 10:08 AM. No question, I had plenty of time to tell Chanah she was not an eternal virgin before her forced sleep cycle. I resolved at that moment to do it. It felt deceitful not to tell Shephatiah when I had the chance, and my lack of courage had caused Sheffie to run an elaborate deception when she woke up. Even Abby was so frightened by her memories that she tried to conceal them. I was determined not to put Chanah through that ordeal.

I entered the marriage pen and stood before my bride. Tall, I thought, about Abigail's height perhaps. I reached up and released the hood and veil.

"Oww, it's so bright in here!" the young woman exclaimed, squinting with her eyes. She tried to focus, and managed well enough to see my arm insignias identifying me as a CL-27. She let out a gasp and fell on her knees, holding out a hand sign that pleaded for forgiveness.

Damn! What an idiot I am! So soon after the eternity injections, the preparation drugs were still dilating her pupils, and the room was very brightly lit. "Here," I said, loosely draping the black hood over her head as she knelt. "Stand up. Take my hand. I'll lead you home. We'll dim the lights there."

Sightless Chanah held out her hand and together we made the short trip to my... no, to our quarters. She was very trusting, walking without hesitating were I led her, relying on me not to walk her into a wall or off a cliff. My mind flashed back to my one brief glimpse of her. Short hair, just off her shoulders. And freckles! Lot of freckles, especially on her scrunched-up nose as she squinted. Gosh, she's cute!

I led Chanah home, sealed the door and satisfied myself with the security display for a moment, and then led her to one of the comfortable reading chairs in the library. I set the lights very low and then sat nearby. "Okay. Try removing the hood now."

Chanah nodded and pulled off the hood. I could dimly see her very large pupils in the low light, and she sighed and relaxed.

"Comfortable?"

She looked surprised at my concern. "Yes, Glorious Mufeto. This lighting here is very comfortable for me."

I nodded and tried to look friendly. "Ah, I have your marriage book in a nearby bedroom. Chanah, when we're alone together, you have permanent permission to be completely informal with me. Just call me Ilias."

Chanah blinked with surprise. "Really?!" And then she grimaced. "Oh! Apologies! I didn't mean to doubt you Glorious... Oh! I mean Ilias!"

I made a hand gesture of dismissal. "Chanah, relax. I have so much to tell you, but you must also have so many questions. What would you like to know?"

"What would I like?" she whispered. Clearly this was not the wedding reception she had been expecting. She was silent for a moment, and then asked quietly, "Ilias, why were the lights so bright in my holding pen?"

"Uh, it wasn't the lights. One of the preparation drugs you got this morning dilates the eyes. Your pupils are monitored during the... during the medical phase of the marriage. When they reach a certain size, it's a confirmation that your brain is fully prepped and receptive. That's when the first eternity drug is administered."

Chanah grimaced for an instant, and then the grimace disappeared. In spite of the risks I was taking to save her, I still felt awash in shame, so embarrassed by my gender. I reached across and offered her my hand. She nodded at once and held it firmly.

"Thank you Ilias. And thank you for forgiving my outburst in the holding pen."

"Huh? Oh, that was no matter..." I looked at her and smiled, trying to offer friendship. She was quiet. I thought she must have a thousand questions, but was too shy to initiate a topic for conversation. I was asking her to behave way out of character. Perhaps I could get something started...

"I guess you just found out yesterday, about getting married I mean."

Chanah nodded vigorously. "Yes. My sabbatical was complete. I woke yesterday expecting to meet with an execution council at 11 AM. Instead I was hooded and led to Ur's train station. We caught the 5:50 to Halab, and then picked up the northern run at Tyre. My chaperone was kind enough to call out the stops for me." Chanah smiled. "The trip took just six hours, so amazing! We arrived before noon yesterday."

I nodded back at her and smiled, thinking of the ancient locations of the cities, Houston Texas to Wichita Kansas to Sioux City Iowa, and then west on the northern run to Provo Utah. It must have been... oh, 2800 kilometers I guessed. And Chanah had made the entire trip blindfolded so the sight of another man wouldn't defile her before she was safely sealed by the eternity drugs. I grimaced at the horror she endured, was still enduring...

"Chanah, there's so much I want to tell you, about why I choose you, about why I had to wait till the last moment to select you. I'm sorry... Chanah, what?"

Her jaw was agape. "Ilias," she whispered, "are you apologizing to me?!"

"Don't you feel angry about it?"

Her body quivered and she said in a stiff voice, "It's not my place to have such emotions, Glorious Mufeto... uh, Ilias. Sorry." She bowed her head to hide her fright.

Damn! My mind flashed back to my plane ride with Mudar, the day I married Abigail. Chanah thought I was trying to trap her into saying something disrespectful.

In a quiet whisper, she croaked, "Would you like to have sex with me now? There's still time to break me before my first cycle."

"Huh?"

Chanah looked up and saw honest confusion on my face. She looked confused back. "This is Dakar. I know the township's reputation. Dakar brides are broken before their first sleep." She blushed. "I'm well trained, and completely willing. That's why you selected me, isn't it? I hope I'll be able to please you." She began untying her burqa.

"Chanah, stop."

My bride looked up startled and then dismayed. "You don't find me attractive?"

"Oh, it's certainly not that. Chanah, you think I selected you for sex?"

She nodded. "Well of course. In my last years at the monastery, I was warned how stupid I was to study information theory, how the eternity drugs would wash away all the value of my studies. I foolishly ignored the warnings. My world came crashing down at Judgment, when I completed my training and was told no one bid for me."