Love in Chains

Chapter One - The Ball

Two weeks earlier

It was the day of the annual debutant ball. The world had changed after the great war and those in control believed in simple pleasures and hard work. However, in this new world order they could not stop the desires of men which led to this regular, patrimonial display of issue. The ball was the perfect place for those in control to find the best men and women in their regions. The males, hard and strong were ready to serve at the frontlines and keep the Capital safe. The females were of age. Now ripe and ready to be married, the most attractive women would give their fathers a chance to improve position and gain a small fortune from those seeking new wives. During this ball, heated bidding wars for the best of each s*x were normal as the most powerful men ensured the continuation of their line and protection of their way of life. Although the physical proximity of the young men and women concerned the leaders, it was tolerated under the close watch of those guardians who zealously protected the virtue of the community.

Jescha, the third and most beautiful daughter of Abner and his fourth wife Lydia could not wait to be displayed at the ball. She had turned sixteen many moons ago and hoped to marry before she got too much older. She was low ranking in her family but had always been treated well enough because her father, a distant and fairly powerful man, saw in her beauty the potential for his own advancement. Just weeks earlier, he had called her to his quarters and asked her to turn before him. He declared her a “great beauty, ready to be matched”. These joyous words were his mark of approval and declaration that she would be displayed at the ball.

Her mother, a thin and bitter woman who lived in constant rivalry with her husband’s other wives, sighed with relief at the notion she might soon gain position by means of her daughter. For a long time she had felt overlooked and Jess was not exactly helpful to her position. In Lydia’s opinion Jess was a highly decorative but quite useless child because she was hopeless at any sort of politics or deceit that might help Lydia advance her station in the family. Lydia, like all the women, was illiterate and had no rights, so she often felt cheated by her life. She wanted to rise above her position as a fourth wife. She had tried to win her husband's favour in bed, but he was well served by his many younger wives. Now that she had borne three children, Jess, Tabitha 12 years old and Gabriel 8 years old she stayed in her quarters every night and felt lonely. She felt that without the chance to provide her husband with more children, she had lost position and power in the large family. Now, finally, her daughter’s beauty might pay off if she caught the eye of someone very high ranking in the party. Lydia believed that the right match would move her to the top of the wives and if she became pregnant again, would mean favour for both herself and her children.

 “Stand up straight Jescha!” she chided her daughter as she fastened the corset which pulled her waist in and pushed her large breasts forward.

Jess tried to stop fidgeting and eyed the dress.

 “I have cut the bodice low,” she warned “we need to show off all your best assets.”

Jess reddened but held her head up. She was a proud girl and knew what she could bring to her family. Her sisters had never treated her particularly well, but after the ball and with an elevated status, they would have to act differently. She would have their respect, all of them, even her father.

“What kind of man might I marry?” she asked her mother for the fiftieth time that day.

“Old and powerful,” Lydia replied. “The old ones hold all the power so be sure to keep your eyes down, smile as if being at the ball is a great honour for you and treat them with great respect. Don’t look at the young men. Don’t even bother. The strongest young men go to the frontlines and many won’t return.”

“Pffft” Jess snorted “I don’t want a boy. I want a man with power and a large household. I want to sit by his side and everyone in the community will seek out my good graces. Then my children will also be treated well, they will ensure I am well kept in my old age”.

“Good” her mother nodded “that is exactly what we want. Your power will also help me and your younger sister and brother to advance. Your success will allow your sister to marry well, and your brother to pursue an academic career instead of going to the front”.

Jess nodded agreeing with the plan. It was exactly what she wanted, and nobody would ruin her entrance to society.

Later that day, Jess and her sisters, Chloe and Joanna, were dropped off behind the large hall so they could take their places ready for the grand entrance. All the girls were dressed in their finest gowns and looked beautiful. The dresses were all white, which symbolised their purity and youth. They wore their hair loose and soft, each girl vying for the best place in the queue for their entrance to society.

The grand matron of the ball, named Miriam, was responsible for sorting out the girls and placing them with their partners for the night. Although the girls were all told that her choices were random, many fathers paid Miriam because a handsome partner was the best showcase and often incited greater jealousy and interest. Abner had paid her well as he had three daughters he hoped to offload at this display, with the bulk of his money going towards Jess. Miriam lived very well off her work at the ball and she was a sharp eyed, older woman who did not tolerate bad manners or slovenly girls. She lined the girls up. Their partners were lined up behind a separate curtain, to keep the sexes separated. Only when the band began to play, and the lines moved forward were the partners placed together.

Jess moved forward and found herself beside a tall dark-haired man and her hand placed over his arm as Miriam sent them to the holding area before entering the great hall. She felt his hard, muscular arm as she attempted to glance surreptitiously at him through her lashes. She could feel his eyes moving over her body and face.

“I’m Adriel” he quietly said in her ear. “Jescha, call me Jess” she replied.

“Nice to meet you” he whispered.

She smiled and allowed her eyes to wander to her destination at the centre of the room. The community leaders who were responsible for holding the ball, sat at the great table as each couple was presented. The older men sat higher up on balconies to be able to better watch the presentation. The women, other than the debutants, were not in attendance for these matters.

“I feel like we are animals for auction” Adriel said quietly. Jess sighed. She wondered how she got stuck with someone who might cause trouble with outspoken views.

“shhh!” someone behind them hissed.

“Let’s run away” Adriel hissed in her ear again and when Jess looked up at him, he gave her a cute, goofy grin that made her want to blush but also felt so good. No man had ever looked at her like that and then made a joke about escape. Jess lived in a large household where the virginal daughters were allowed to stay in their quarters or their mother’s quarters. Occasionally they might do chores to help out in the home, but they certainly never socialised with strange men who spoke about running away. Jess felt her stomach lurch. Who could run away? Where would anyone even go? The city was huge, the countryside was vast. The rich households controlled everything and if a couple was caught trying to run off together the punishment was terrible, often a public execution.

“Stop” she swatted him off, “this is important to me!” He stopped smiling at her and quietly said: “if things were different, you would be important to me. You are the most beautiful woman in this place and none of those old men out there deserve to have you.”

Jess wanted to hide from his flirting, it was too much but at the same time she kind of loved it. Just in time, Jess and Adriel were announced and they had to parade out into the centre of the hall. As they walked, the council read out their statistics and family places. Jess realised Adriel was a low son but from a very high family which made him a great partner at this ball. An attractive man from a good family would improve her own prospects with those who were looking on. He was attractive and beside him her delicate features and femininity were highlighted. She imagined if the two of them were a couple, but it seemed so strange to her.

She could feel the appreciative gaze of the many men around the room and smiled shyly, keeping her eyes down as much as possible. It was not respectable to look directly at men and smile, that was brazen, and a brazen woman would not make a good marriage match. However, she quietly thanked her mother that the dress she wore was low cut and her large breasts jutted forward, giving those above them a perfect view of her ample assets. Her fertility was fully displayed, and her bride price increased with each moment.

The debutants performed a simple dance for the pleasure of their audience and as Jess passed below the different groups of men, she could hear her name murmured. She felt elated with her success surely, she would be chosen by someone who was important and very rich.

Soon it was over, and they were filing out of the hall. Adriel let his hand linger over hers for a little longer than necessary and his eyes were suddenly dark and hungry as they left the hall, yearning for something that made her feel weak at the knees.

“I hope to see you again beautiful Jess” he whispered. Jess didn’t reply because it was highly unlikely that they would ever meet again. He was handsome and tall, but she unexpectedly felt fear at the desperate look in his eyes and her own reciprocal feelings of desire. Despite the strong feelings swirling in her stomach and the hot feel of his touch lingering on her arm, she knew her chances of success in the future lay with the best match her father could make. And that match was not this boy.

She gave him a tight smile and said a quick goodbye before moving to join her sisters again.