Defying the Sheikh

by Michelle Hughes

  Sliding her feet onto the cool floor, she only nodded, understanding immediately that last nights' events had upset Gertrude more than she had considered. She had never demanded an audience before breakfast, even when Michaela had sold her silver serving set to purchase a stallion without permission. She allowed the servant to help lace her corset and stepped in a pale green dress. She managed to sit at the dressing table patiently as her hair was arranged, something she normally hurried as it took more time than her restlessness allowed. Michaela was not looking forward to the disappointment in her aunt's face.

  When she was fully prepared for an audience, she made her way downstairs in haste, not wishing to cause any more discomfort to Gertrude than she already had. She felt her hand shake slightly as she knocked on the study door, something she could never recall having happen to her before. Remorse was not a feeling she was well acquainted with, and it did not sit well on her shoulders.

  "Enter," Edwin spoke firmly, knowing that it would take a sternness of character to guide his young niece down the right path.

  At the sound of the Baron's voice, she immediately understood that her actions last night had been even more serious than she had imagined. She walked inside the room with her eyes lowered, hoping she was showing the proper amount of respect for the seriousness of the situation.

  "Please sit down Michaela," Edwin appreciated that she understood her position and seemed humbled by her disposition at the ball. He could only hope that understanding would make the choices he would deliver upon her easier to accept.

  She sat down in front of the large wooden desk and lifted her eyes to the Baron, then noted the sadness in her Aunt's eyes as she stood at his side. Her stomach tensed in anticipation of the news he was about to deliver, for her aunt to seem so sorrowful, she knew immediately that there was an ultimatum about to be issued.

  "I will not bother with expressing how disappointed I am in your behavior last night Michaela," Edwin knew that the punishment he was about to deliver would be enough of a consequence. "You have shamed the Sheikh and this family, and retribution must be given to keep relationships between our two countries intact."

  "Of course my Lord, I understand the errors of my ways and will be glad to issue a letter of apology to the Sheikh." She hoped the tone of her voice did not show how ill at ease the thought of apologizing to that infuriating man made her feel.

  "I'm afraid Michaela that will not be worthy enough to gain his forgiveness." Edwin shook his head at his niece watching her emerald eyes widen in confusion.

  "I have no monetary gift to offer my Lord, so please explain how I can make this more tolerable for him." A swift kick in the backside would be her choice, but she wisely kept that comment to herself. Just the thought of having to be in his company again made her physically sick.

  "The Sheikh has demanded your hand in marriage, and I have accepted his offer," Edwin spoke the words quickly, not enjoying having to throw such a shock at his own family member.

  Michaela tossed back her head and laughed at her great uncle's jest. "I do believe your humor is a little tainted this morning, my Lord." If he wanted to capture her attention, he had certainly managed to do so.

  "I am afraid Michaela that this is nothing to laugh about, the offer and the marriage are very serious." He watched the color drain from her face and knew that from the fire brewing in her emerald depths that this was not going to be an easy turnover. Perhaps he had indeed allowed the girl to run wild too long, he thought with a shake of his head. Leaving her with Gertrude had obviously not been the right decision on his part.

  Michaela stood up and her hands went to her small waist as she fought for control. "I would never marry that barbaric swine, you may tell him you have made a horrible misjudgment, my Lord!"

  "You will sit down at once and refrain from telling me my place again girl, do I make myself clear!" Edwin rarely spoke to a lady in such a way but his niece had indeed gone too far. It was apparent she needed a keeper, and perhaps the Sheikh could tame her rebellious nature.

  Michaela found her seat, still fuming at the thought of being pawned off to the demon. She would not meekly walk into marriage with someone like him, no matter how much it offended her family. "Forgive me for speaking so disrespectfully, my Lord, I can only say that you have given me quiet the shock."

  Edwin felt his own ire cool at her words. "I understand how upsetting this must be for you Michaela, but we cannot afford to have tensions with the Sheikh at the moment." He was feeling much more secure in her containment, now that she had changed her tone.

  It was readily apparent that Edwin expected her to go through with this farce and she needed to divert his attention. "Perhaps I could speak with the Sheikh, my Lord?" She would willingly offer him an apology if it meant her freedom would still be hers.

  "You will speak to him at the wedding vows in the morning," he saw the anger fill her eyes again and knew she was preparing for another argument. "There is no room for discussion here Michaela, you have dishonored him and now must suffer the consequences." He took a deep breath and shook his head before speaking again. "The minister will arrive at first light and you shall become his wife."

  Michaela looked to her aunt, hoping for some help in this nightmare of a situation. It was apparent that she would not be getting that from Gertrude as she simply lowered her head and sobbed softly before walking from the room, attempting to keep her dignity.

  "Surely there must be another way, my Lord," Michaela looked toward the door and felt her heart ache at her aunt's sorrow.

  "The decision has been made Michaela, do not dishonor this house more than you already have." He stood and prepared to leave. "Say your vows in the morning, and comfort your aunt this night, you owe her some solace after all she has done." With those words he left her to consider her fate alone.

  Michaela sat in the chair for long minutes after he left, shocked at the situation she was being placed in. She knew little about the duties of marriage, but the little she had heard made her shiver in revulsion. The books that graced their libraries had given her little information in the matrimonial aspect, but the servants did whisper among themselves when they thought she was not listening. The thought of that man sleeping in her bed did strange things to her heart and she could only assume it was fear that made her heart race in such a way.

  There were no options before her, she was a lady and as such had no skills that would allow her to make her own way in this world. Even if she had that opportunity, she could never dishonor her aunt in such a fashion, leaving her a social outcast. Not one normally given to tears, she felt her eyes fill and swiped at them angrily. She would find a way to make him suffer for this arrangement, she vowed while refusing to allow self-pity to fill her heart.

  With her resolve firmly in place, she stood and went to find her aunt. She had little time left to spend with her and was determined to put her at ease before she was taken away. Michaela could not force a smile, but she managed to not cry as she found her aunt and they embraced. "All will be well Aunt Gertrude," she promised softly," I know my duties."

  They spent the rest of the day preparing for the ceremony in the morning, and she forced herself to remain distant from the situation. Michaela had no desire to cause her aunt any further pain, and she tried her best to put her at ease. It had been the most difficult test she had ever undergone, because her own emotions were close to coming unraveled.

  Her aunt's wedding dress had been unpacked and the servants prepared it. She wanted to refuse the garment, but knew it would only upset her aunt. This was not a marriage in any true sense of the word, she thought and she hated sullying the dress with such a farce. As night began to fall, they took their evening tea in Michaela's room. Her aunt had requested to speak with her before she went to sleep.

  "There are some things I must explain to you about the marriage bed my dear," Gertrude felt her face flush not sure how to explain to her young niece what would be required of her. She remembere
d her own wedding night and the fear she had felt. She had vowed to never allow her niece to suffer such a shock should she ever choose a husband.

  "Truly Aunt Gertrude, we need not discuss such matters," she felt her own face flush at the thought of such intimate conversation. She had no plans of ever letting the man touch her.

  "I would not have you going into your marriage unprepared," Gertrude spoke softly, not wishing any servant to overhear their conversation. With a small shiver she remembered how terrified she had been when her husband had come to their bed the first night.

  "Is it so horrible?" Michaela had seen the tremor and decided if her aunt had found it that abhorrent she never wanted to lay with a man."

  Embarrassment flooded her at the words she was about to use and it took her a few moments to continue. "Being undressed before you husband the first time can be a little unnerving," she had only spoken with her husband a few times before their ceremony and remembered being mortified.

  This conversation was not helping Michaela's nerves, but she reminded herself that she had no intention of allowing the Sheikh to touch her. "Please do not feel that you need continue, I have read some on this subject." She would say anything to steer her aunt away from this topic of conversation.

  "We have books on," Gertrude lowered her voice substantially, "the marriage bed?" She was shocked that such words were even written in books.

  Michaela nodded, feeling a little guilty for the small lie, but unwilling to allow her aunt to continue speaking on such a sensitive issue.

  Gertrude sighed in relief. Her husband had been very patient and as their marriage was one of convenience he rarely subjected her to the situation. "I am certain that the writer of such knowledge could explain it much more intuitively than I could." With a smile she stood and kissed her nieces cheek. "I will see you in the morning, sweet Michaela". She was close to tears again and had no desire to show such weakness when her niece would be forced to alter her entire life tomorrow. She could only hope the Sheikh would be as considerate as her beloved.

  After being helped to undressed, Michaela slipped into bed even more convinced that she would never allow the Sheikh to touch her. It was apparent the act was so abhorrent that her aunt could barely bring herself to speak of it. She refused to call that insensitive brute her husband, and was determined to remain innocent for the rest of her days.

  3 Claiming

  Armon sat in his bedroom, his mind deep in thought as he enjoyed a cigarillo and brandy. Thoughts of his soon to be bride raged through his mind in varying emotions between anger and desire. Tomorrow she would belong to him and he would teach her proper respect, and the thought of being the one to train her filled him with desire. She would submit her body to him willingly he envisioned, and that mouth that had spouted off such disgust would whisper words of worship upon him.

  The thought made him smile and he knew bending her to his will would be a challenge he would enjoy immensely. He had thought of little else, other than her lying in his bed with her rich red locks splayed upon the pillow. He would pleasure her body in ways he doubted she even knew existed, and through his touch her body would burn for him so deeply she would demand completion. There was no doubt in his mind that she would willingly bow to him after their vows, and he would cherish her submission until he grew bored with her attentions.

  She would be well maintained when he grew tired of her, and as his first wife she would know luxury above those that would come after her. He put out his cigarillo and slid off his clothing, not bothering to call the servant for assistance. Finding his bed, he folded his strong arms under his head and relished the night to come.

  He made the decision to have her fully subdued to his way of life on their voyage home. There were many facets to her new life that she would need to learn, and he could only hope she had the knowledge to embrace the ideals of his country quickly. For her to gain the respect of his people, her education would need to be thorough. Their customs would come as a shock to her, of this he had no doubt, but as his wife she would learn to accept their ways as was her place. As sleep overcame him, he dreamed of her body beneath his and the ways he would tutor her.

  As the suns light peered through the curtains he awoke still smiling. He was a serious man for the most part, but he knew that some things must be savored, and today was one of those days. He had planned on extending his stay until the end of the week, but he knew that his wife would have much to learn and he preferred it to be away from the customs here. Sending a servant with a note to his ship's captain, he ordered that the boat be ready to depart as night would fall. He summoned another servant and demanded that he prepare the master cabin for his bride and himself before their departure.

  The home that he had been given during his stay turned into a swarm of servants as they prepared for the nights events. He sent a message to his future wife, informing her of his plans, knowing that she would probably need to pack her belonging as well. He doubted there was little in the way of clothing he would allow her to keep, but they would discuss this on the voyage home.

  He wished there had been time to arrange a new wardrobe for her before they left, but time was just not on his side. As soon as their feet touched his homeland soil, he would demand that need to be filled. He prepared himself for his new bride, a feeling of contentment running through his veins that he had not felt before. All would be well with his world after this night, he vowed. He had made plans and they would not be varied from.

  4 Vows

  Michaela tried to keep the panic from her face as her aunt walked in her bedroom waking her with the news from the Sheikh. She was supposed to have a few more days to prepare, and was furious at how insensitive the man was for making such hasty changes. Her aunt was in tears, and she was not far from allowing herself to give in to the same emotions. She would make him pay for his rude conduct, she vowed internally.

  Needing to at least give comfort to her aunt, she stepped out of bed and lifted her head proudly. "We will just have to see this through," forcing a smile she breathed a sigh of relief as her aunt relaxed. There was no need for this wonderful lady to suffer, she thought and was determined to make this transition as easy as possible for her.

  Taking over command, she allowed the servants to dress her quickly and began giving orders to the staff on preparing her belongings. Instead of feeling like her wedding day, she had the sensation of not even being part of what was going on around her. Her bath had been drawn and she barely registered the soft scented oil in the water. She washed her body in a daze and allowed herself to be dried off then ushered into her room to sit at her dressing table. Her long thick curls were artfully piled on top of her head and she barely noticed the stream of servants surrounding her placing everything she owned into chests for her trip.

  As her dress was slid over her head carefully, for the first time she allowed herself any semblance of human emotion. The beautiful gown fit as if it had been made for her. The soft material barely grasped her shoulders and the sleeves had a billowy puff to her elbows where it was tied with bows. An ample amount of cleavage was visible as she stared into the looking glass, and she felt the urge to cover herself but fought it. A row of beading fit securely under her breasts and moved around to her back, before the flowing material fell to the floor softly.

  A white cape was attached to the back of the dress and trailed behind her. Small flowers were placed into her hair, crowning her with their fragrance. As strands of large pearls were secured around her neck she had to force herself to not pull them away. She felt as if she were suffocating, as she allowed fear of what was to come fill her mind. Forcing herself to breathe, she knew there was no more time. Only her aunt and great uncle would be present, perhaps the servants as there had been no time to truly prepare. Michaela knew there would be talk after she left of the hasty marriage, and had a moment's regret that her aunt would need to deal with that gossip on her own.

  "You are so lovely my dearest heart," Gertrude st
ood back admiring her niece as her heart filled with grief. Fighting back her tears she attempted a smile.

  "I will write to you," Michaela felt on the brink of tears herself and knew she had to be strong for her aunt. It could be a year before she saw her again, and the thought was nearly her undoing. Without thought she took the few steps and embraced her aunt tightly.

  Gertrude returned the embrace briefly, knowing her niece needed her strength at this moment, she pulled back to glance into her beautiful face. "God has a plan for all things child, be strong and hold true to your belief." Her chin lifted and she strained to smile, needing Michaela to go into this union without fear.

  Pulling her shoulders back in resolve, she gave a small nod. "I will not dishonor my family again, let this be done." There was nothing to do but move forward, at least she thought, she could have some dignity about her as she did her duty. A subtle knock on the door gave her heart a quick start, as she knew it was time.

  She felt her knees nearly give way at the enormous step she was about to make and was glad that her aunts hand had moved under her elbow as they walked toward the door. She doubted her legs would have been able to move on their own at that moment. The Baron smiled reassuringly at the other side of the door and held out his arm for her to take. She hated the trembling of her hand as she wrapped her arm in his nervously.

  "A more beautiful bride has never been seen, my dear, you honor your family name." Edwin smiled down into the eyes of his great niece in pride. He knew the Sheikh would care for his great niece, it was a matter of honor, and he was a man that would not shirk his duties. As they made their way down the long staircase, it was one burden lifted from his mind.

  Armon stared up at the lovely vision walking toward him and felt his body respond strongly. There was no doubt that his new bride was extremely lovely, but today she appeared almost ethereal in her beauty. The soft flush of color on her porcelain cheeks made her seem so vulnerable and the trembling of her full lips had him aching to reassure her. She appeared almost breakable as she was led to him, but he knew first hand beneath that seeming frailty there was strength of spirit that would help her through this adjustment.