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Sem smiles. "I'm glad to see my old Ivy in there somewhere." He pulls me close to him and holds me. His embrace feels so good. What he said before is right. It does feel like home when we're together. I close my eyes and try to force myself to stop wishing this situation were different.
Sem kisses the top of my head, and I look up. Our eyes meet, and my lips meet his. More than anything, right now, I want to make love. I want to feel him against me and know that this is right.
But he pulls away from me. "No, for men, marriage ceremonies are one of the most important days of our lives."
"But we've often had sex one time after another," I remind him.
"Yes, but just because this is the way Alliance people marry doesn't mean I'm not a bit nervous too."
"When will our punishment take place? Right after or?"
"Tomorrow."
The look on his face tells me he's thinking the same thing. Will I survive the pain? Neither one of us say anything. I've never been struck on purpose in my life.
* * *
Thirty minutes before my marriage ceremony is about to begin, Caroline helps me into a silky, loose black maxi dress. "This is what most Alliance women wear," she tells me.
"It's comfortable.” It is the best thing I can say about this voluminous black dress.
"I think that's the point. Alliance men wear tight clothing that shows off their figures, and the women are comfortable."
"And their bodies aren't objectified."
"Exactly," Caroline says. "Has Sem showed you his Alliance social media yet?"
"No, why?"
"They all have nude pictures of themselves there."
"What?"
"I know. If you think human men objectify us, you've not seen the Empire."
"But the men seem to be the only ones out here in the galaxy with big star ships and weapons. Why don't they just rebel?"
"Cultural conditioning is difficult to break. Just look at our own society. Why don't we just rebel and demand one hundred percent equality from men on Earth?"
"Because it's easier said than done," I reply. "And I don't even know what a society would look like one-hundred percent equal or if it's possible or if it would be interesting."
"I agree, and I've come to think Alliance men, or perhaps the nature of most men, that they don't mind being naked. I often wonder if this is why it's acceptable for human men to be half-naked on the beach, etc. That somewhere in their genes, men like showing off their bodies."
I smile thinking about Sem in the gym yesterday naked. "I certainly have no idea. It's an interesting thought."
“I suspect we’ll never know,” Caroline says. “Now look at yourself. Almost finished.”
I look at my reflection with the black dress on.
"You need some jewelry besides this bracelet," she adds while she looks over her work.
"On the table. That's all of Sem's Known Jewelry. I don't know what to choose."
Caroline begins opening boxes. "He certainly was expecting his wife to have pierced nipples. Did he mention that to you?"
"He did, and I said, 'not today.'"
Caroline keeps whatever opinions she has about that to herself and comes over with a few necklaces and some earrings. She holds them up, makes a choice, and then puts them on me. I can't see myself in the mirror anymore because she turned me, so I'm facing her. I'm trying to read her grey eyes as she looks over my appearance critically. "I think this is good. I'm not an expert on Alliance fashion, but I do read their newspapers."
