The Priest walked up onto the platform with him and handed him a length of yellow rope. It was for part of the ceremony, he had seen it used, though he did not agree with what it symbolized. It was a symbol that he was enslaving his bride. Zachariah's father never treated his mother like the servant that most men of the time did. To Zakarias Rachel was a treasure.
Zakarias had lost his first wife and child to a problem during the birth and an inexperienced midwife. He had mourned her for many years and had said he would never marry. Then one season he had taken ill and a good friend of his had sent his daughter to care for him. Had it not been for her gift of healing Zakarias would have died. After he was well she continued to come by and check on him, saying he was keeping himself too lonely in his little shop and before long a love grew. Rachel and he were married shortly after that. She had become his friend before becoming his wife and that friendship was always a key element in their marriage. It made their love far more special than anything Zachariah had ever seen and that was what Zachariah wanted for him and Lilith.
He would follow the tradition for the sake of the ceremony, but he would follow his father's example when it came to his life with the woman he loved.
In the back of his mind an image rose, he remembered finding Lilith on the side of the road and thinking she had been waylaid by brigands. What if indeed she had? What if she had been raped? Her mother had never checked her maidenhood, and when she said she had never been married they took her to be a virgin. The entire village thought she was a virgin. If she had been raped and he took her to bed and there was no virgin's blood to show her virginity to the village they would demand that she be stoned for lying to the village and to him.
He could not allow that to happen. His eyes began to dart around the platform and he tried to think. There would be nothing in the marriage bed he could use to cut himself or her to fake the virginal blood. Then his eyes caught upon the bag on the Priest's hip. It held that wicked looking blade that they had used to play the joke upon him. He hated the idea of lying more than almost anything else, but he could not let them kill the woman he loved. If he could get the blade then after he had shown the virginal blood he could sneak out and drop the blade in front of his father's house near that block that they had used for the joke. Maybe then someone would find it and tell the Priest where and the Priest would assume he had dropped it or left it after the joke.
That way Zachariah would only be telling one lie and a lie to save a life was worth it.
Zachariah coughed and stumbled bumping into the Priest.
"Are you okay, Zachariah?” The Priest asked.
"I need something to drink,” which was not a lie at all for he had not had anything to drink since breakfast and the thought of what he was trying to do had caused his mouth to go completely dry. As the Priest turned, Zachariah's hand was on the cord that tied the bag closed and it untied. He could see the handle of the blade and he slipped two fingers in and deftly lifted it out while the Priest was asking someone to hand him a cup of water. It surprised Zachariah that the Priest did not notice, but surprised him even more that no one noticed. With a quick toss of one of the cords, a knot was redone and the bag looked sealed again. The blade was small, not like a large knife, so it was easy to conceal. He placed it at the top edge of his breechcloth and with a little roll of the cloth tucked it under and it looked like he was doing no more than adjusting his clothing. Just then the Priest turned and handed him an earthen ware cup filled with wine.
"I asked for water, but all the flasks around are filled with wine for the celebration.” The Priest apologized.
"That will do, Teacher.” Zachariah took the cup and quickly drained it.
The Priest looked at him with wide eyes, “Are you sure you were thirsty or did you need something to enhance your courage for your next few moments?"
Both men laughed and Zachariah said, “I was thirsty, but the added courage will not hurt."
As Zachariah handed the cup back down to one of the men around the platform the sound of a bell was heard, then another, twelve chimes in all rung out across the village, once for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Zachariah rose and turned before the resonance of the first bell had ceased. He looked about the village for he still had no idea to what house Lilith had been taken.
It was not until after the third bell that he saw them coming from the south and he realized that they had taken her to what was going to be their new home. He laughed. How sneaky of them. Of all the places he might have thought to look had he had the chance that would have been the last place he would have looked. Two of the village women were in front and they held the front edges of a white cloth that was covered with some kind of yellow substance. The cloth was then draped over Lilith and he could make out the mound of her head in its center. Then behind her four more women came, two holding the trailing cloth and two holding baskets filled with flowers.
The villagers parted for the women and let them pass unimpeded as they led Lilith to the platform. Zachariah tried his best to see through the cloth but he could not. For all he knew it could be any woman in the village beneath that cloth but when he saw his mother was one of the women holding the cloth in the back he had no doubt that it was Lilith.
Curiously he looked at the yellow substance as they got closer and he realized it was a fine powder. He heard a few people sneeze as they passed and it dawned on him what it was. He was late in getting married according to the village's tradition so they had borrowed from a local custom of the native people and covered the cloth in pollen. Supposedly it was to guarantee fertility and virility. Zachariah smiled at his mother. He had no doubt that she was responsible for this idea. He knew she wanted a grandchild very badly.
He hoped that he and Lilith could deliver one for her as soon as God would allow it, but he also knew that sometimes God kept a woman barren or made a man's seed wither. Judiah and his wife had been married five years, and even though she had given him her servant to try to bring a child into the house they still had no child.
When the women came to the bottom of the platform they dropped the cloth and took Lilith by the hands to guide her up the steps. The cloth trailed the yellow pollen behind her as she climbed leaving a golden ribbon where she had walked. Zachariah smiled for he felt it was almost like God had smiled upon him and given him a true treasure for his bride.
She was led to Zachariah and her hands were placed into his. The moment her hands touched his hands he knew it was her and his doubts vanished. He wanted to throw off the cloth but he knew he could not. That was not for him to do in public. He had heard that the bride was naked under her wedding blanket and he had to wait to remove it until they were within the wedding chamber itself or others would gaze upon what was to be his alone.
The Priest began to say the words that would bind them as man and wife, before all present and before God. Then as he finished his long liturgy he motioned to Zachariah and Zach took the cord and wrapped it around Lilith's wrists. He could feel Lilith tense like she was going to turn and run but she stayed, and then the Priest added a few more words. Zachariah had the feeling deep in his stomach that if Lilith had not seen how his father had treated his mother that she would have indeed turned and fled. He hoped she knew his heart well enough to know that the old custom was not the way he wanted it either. That to him a wife was not a slave. Yes, she would cook and clean the house, but she also could share in many of the things of the husband and not be separated from him and the family.
There were some houses where the women were not even allowed to eat with the men or even talk to them. Some young men had never even seen the faces of their own mothers. Zachariah was thankful his home had not been one of those for he had grown up happy and with the love of both parents. He wanted Lilith to experience that if they ever had children.
Finally the Priest finished his words and the two ladies carrying the baskets of flowers tossed them into the air so that they fell onto the newly married couple. Zachariah lifte
d his bride into his arms, careful to make certain that the blanket was well wrapped around her because it was also a tradition that all the unmarried boys would come and try to pull the blanket off while he made a mad dash to his house.
What they did not expect was that Zachariah was prepared for them. He took two steps back and then with a running jump leapt over the boys and landed a good fifteen feet on the other side of them. He dropped to his knees but did not fall and the added momentum allowed him to push to a good run. The chase was on but even with him carrying Lilith in his arms none came even close to touching his bride's wedding blanket.
Quickly he dashed through the village and down the path that led to his new house. He pushed the flap aside and once inside he held Lilith tight for a moment while he caught his breath and she laughed for the sheer joy of the moment.
From beneath the blanket he heard her sweet voice say, “I cannot see a thing, but I would love to have seen the crowds face when you leapt like that. I could feel your muscles tighten. My husband must have been a sight to behold."
She paused for a moment and then said, “My husband! In truth I never thought I would want to hear my voice say those words but they feel good to come rolling off my lips, my husband.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and added, “Now carry me to our bed, my husband."
Zachariah did not have to be told twice he carried his blanket wrapped wife over near the bed and stood her up in front of it. Slowly he lifted the large pollen coated blanket and was more than a little disappointed to see that the stories that she was completely naked under that one blanket were false. She was wrapped in several more veils that he had to remove from her as well. Yet each veil revealed a little more of her body, and aroused his desire for her just a bit more. It was maddeningly frustrating that it took so long and yet deliciously enticing. Each layer of the veiling revealed hints and subtle curves that lured him further until one layer revealed a single nipple. He gasped at how wonderfully the silks framed the luscious diamond and he had to pause and just look upon it a moment. Then he leaned forward and lovingly teased with his tongue and was delighted by her sweet musical moans.
The next layer allowed her other breast to be completely free and he could not resist the urge to fondle and caress it; kneading it and suckling it like a baby hungry for its mother's milk. He could feel Lilith's body trembling as he made love to just her single breast before removing the next wrapping of silken veil.
Zachariah gasped as this one revealed to him the mound of luscious black fur above the juncture of her thighs. His hand slid down and he softly ran his fingers through the fur and between her thighs. He had no idea what to expect, he had only seen a woman naked from afar that one time and then when he had brought Lilith home but he had never seen her close and the moisture there was very pleasant to his touch. Lilith moaned as his fingers caressed her. She slid her hand over his and pushed his fingers against a hard spot at the front near the fur and near where a slit in her flesh occurred. He pushed with his fingers and separated the two halves finding a treasure of warmth. He was rewarded by a deep guttural moan from his wife. She took his face in her hands and placed her lips to his kissing him hard and deeply. Then she whispered, “My husband, remove the rest of the veils and take your wife, I hunger to have you inside me."
He needed no more prompting. As quickly as he could he tore the rest of the veils from her body. Then she climbed onto the bed and lay with her thighs spread as he undressed himself. He knelt before her and kissed her thigh and looked at her saying, “Lilith, my wife, I love you with all my heart. Today we are one."
She reached out her hand to his and he took it, climbing between her thighs. With her free hand she took his manhood and guided it to her opening and whispered to him, “Do not worry about being gentle, just enter your wife and make me yours."
With one hard thrust he drove his cock deep inside her burying himself fully, but he also felt his heart sink for what he had feared was true. She was not a virgin. It did not matter to him, he loved her with all his heart, but now he would have to lie to the village to protect her and that saddened him for he had never lied before.
Lilith wrapped her legs around his hips and began to grind her hips against his and soon the thoughts of what he had to do vanished from his mind. Zachariah was lost in making love to his wife. Their bodies became as one as they danced with each other. Faster she thrust against him, and harder, for him it was the first time he had ever made love, for her he later learned, it was the first time in almost three thousand years since she had been with a man. She screamed as she neared an orgasm and as the wave overtook her she bucked wildly against him. Zachariah could not hold back his seed with her wild dance of passion and he exploded within her.
He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, the world had changed for him, he was now a man but as he was beginning to think about how wonderful it was to have Lilith as his wife he suddenly felt something he had never expected. Lilith had slid down and her tongue was sliding along his shaft. He looked down his belly at her and started to say something and she held up her hand as she slid her mouth over the head of his cock and began to suckle his cock.
She cleaned all their joint fluids from him but she continued to slide her mouth up and down upon his shaft and her tongue teased the underside of the head of his cock. It did not take long before he was fully hard again, yet she did not stop. She continued to suckle him. Faster her head bobbed up and down. Her mouth sucking, hard and then she would stop and run her tongue over the head and without warning plunge her mouth over his cock again. Zachariah had never even heard of this. If she had heard of it the act must have come from wherever she had come from. He only hoped it was told to her by the women of her village and not taught to her by some man, but he could not help but enjoy what she was doing and was soon thanking whoever it was that had taught her.
He could not hold back his seed much longer and he tried to warn Lilith but she pushed his chest down and he sprayed his seed into her mouth. He did not believe his ears as he heard her hungrily lap and slurp up his seed, drinking it. Then she sat up and looked at him smiling and said, “I hope my husband liked that, because his wife definitely did."
All Zachariah could do was nod his head yes as Lilith laughed a little. Then she climbed on top of him and guided his cock to her opening again. “Lilith, you are going to drain me dry."
She smiled, “Oh no, my love. Yet you are still hard, so one more time should not hurt you."
Another hour passed before Lilith rolled to her side and lay in the crook of his arm, snuggling with him and whispered to him, “I am so happy with you, my husband."
Zachariah looked at her and smiled then he said, “There is one thing I must do."
"What, my husband?” Lilith said with a little fear in her eyes.
"Lilith, you are not a virgin. The villagers are waiting outside this house right now for me to come out with the bloodied blanket to prove to them that you were indeed a virgin."
For the first time since Zachariah had known Lilith he saw true fear fill her eyes. “What will happen if you do not show them that blanket?"
"They will demand your death, for letting them think you were a virgin and lying to them,” Zachariah said. As he saw her lower her eyes and tears come to them he ran his fingers across her face and wiped them away, “Do not worry. I had already devised a plan.
"I remembered the day I found you I thought you might have been waylaid by brigands. Since you do not remember what happened, that is still possible. If that were so it is not your fault you are not a virgin.
"Normally they search the wedding bed and area to make certain that there are no sharp objects so that what I am about to do cannot be done.” Zachariah went to his clothing and pulled out the Priest's blade.
"They had also made certain that I had no knives before I went to the platform for the marriage, but the Priest had this. He had used it as a joke on me earlier in the day. Once I use it I am going
to take it to the place where they played the joke and drop it on the ground. Then perhaps someone will find it and take it to him, telling him where they found it. We will be fine.” Zachariah then took the blade and after taking off his shoe cut the sole of his foot and let the blood drip onto the bed.
Lilith's eyes grew wide; Zachariah had never seen them so large. Then she did something unexpected again. She licked his wound until it had stopped bleeding. “If my husband can cut himself to save my life, I can help his wound heal,” she said.
Zachariah smiled at her then slid his shoe on. Then he stood on the bed and slipped the knife into the thatch of the roof just in case someone came in to search the wedding chamber. Once he was done he lifted the sheet from the bed and wrapped Lilith in the pollen coated blanket. After he put his loincloth on he placed the blood coated sheet over his forearm and guided Lilith to the door and outside where all the villagers were waiting for the news.
With one hand he threw the blood coated sheet down to his parents and said. “She is true, and she is my wife, true and just."
His father held the sheet up for all to see, and a cheer resounded throughout the crowd.
Zachariah and Lilith returned inside and lie down upon their bed cuddled together as they slept for the first night as man and wife.
Chapter Eleven
The first few months of their marriage were blissful. The couple could not have been happier. They were lost in their own little world. Zachariah still helped with the shop and the chores at his parents but the two were so much into each other's love that they spent all their time together in their house. Even though Zachariah was then eligible to attend the elders’ meetings as a member of the audience he was too busy making love to his wife at every chance he got to waste what little time he had there.
After three months Zakarias asked his son to bring Lilith to dinner. Rachel was missing them and wanted to see how the newlyweds were doing. Zachariah suddenly felt a deep pang of guilt; he had not meant to shut out his mother. It had just not occurred to him that he saw his father every day at the shop, but unless he stopped by their house he did not see his mother. So he agreed and that night Lilith and he were at their door a good hour before the normal meal time so that they could spend some real time with his parents.
The Crimson Z Page 53