Katya lifted her head and felt the cool breeze hit her face.
Her honey blonde hair blew in the wind behind her as she urged her reindeer to gallop faster.
Spring was coming to Siberia but it was still cold.
Still, she enjoyed the opportunity to race Yuri across the plains.
She saw a stream up ahead and decided to stop so that Yuri could drink from the waters and she could rest.
They hadn’t been there long when she felt the Earth thunder beneath her feet.
She looked around in confusion.
She saw men on horseback approaching.
Soon they had her surrounded and their swords were drawn on her.
“In the name of the Emperor of Russia, you are hereby ordered to come with us!” One of them ordered.
“What is the meaning of this?
Do you know who I am?
My father is the leader of our nomad tribe.
You cannot take me!” Katya protested with the dignity her station had afforded her.
“That is precisely why you’ve been chosen by the emperor.
Enough delay.
Make haste and come with us immediately or we shall be obliged to use force.” The commander of the group insisted.
Katya, never one to yield to anything or anyone unless she so chose, leaned down against Yuri and spurred him into the fray of soldiers, rushing right past them and out across the plains.
She urged him into a gallop for their very survival.
Soon, however, they were overtaken by the soldiers.
The commander easily plucked her off of the reindeer as he came alongside her.
She screamed and fought him with all her strength.
He slapped her hard across the face and sat her on his horse in front of him.
One of his hands held the reins while the other groped at her breast.
His breath came hot on her neck and his words whispered in her eyes sent chills down her spine and stopped her fight cold.
“I have been instructed to bring you with your maidenhood intact, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways that I can’t have my fun with you.
If you want to be left alone during this journey and have my protection then you will be compliant and not try to escape.
However, if you resist I will do things that you will not soon forget.
Am I clear?”
She nodded her head but felt revulsion at his implied threats.
When they made camp for the night he placed her in iron shackles “just in case.”
For days they traveled like this.
She wasn’t even given privacy to tend to her private needs in the forest, so afraid were they that she might attempt an escape.
And they were right to fear it.
If she’d had a moment alone she would have ran, iron shackles be damned.
They even followed her while she bathed, so she only undressed down to her shift before washing.
It was humiliating.
The men made jeering comments and smirked at her when she came out of the water with her shift dress clinging to her skin.
She was thankful that someone, somewhere prized her virginity enough to demand that it be maintained along the journey or she would’ve been in danger, she knew.
She had demanded to know where they were taking her and why, but no one had answered.
She would have to wait to find out.
But knowing in advance would give her time to mentally prepare herself, adjust her mindset.
And perhaps give herself time to plot an escape.
Finally after several days traveling they approached a walled city.
It was not like anything she’d seen before in Russia.
Were they even in Russia anymore?
She suspected not.
The people in the city didn’t look Russian.
Everyone had dark, straight hair, and dark eyes.
They spoke a language she didn’t understand.
“Where are we?
Where are we going?” She tried one more time, turning on the horse to look back at the commander.
“The Jing Dynasty.
We’re headed to the Imperial Palace.” The Commander told her.
“Why?” Katya asked with confusion.
The Russian emperor had requested her capture so why did the Emperor of the Jing Dynasty want her?
“Just do as your told.
You’ll find out soon enough.” He told her.
They entered through a palace gate, one in a secluded area so she wouldn’t draw as much attention.
The Commander dismounted his horse and plucked her off as if she were little more than a leaf.
“This is the end of our journey.
From here you will be taken by servants and prepared to meet the Russian Ambassador’s convoy.” He explained.
Then he turned and led his horse away.
She shook her head in confusion but true to his words, palace maids swooped in on her and pulled her away.
They chattered on in an unfamiliar language that she had no idea of.
They put her in a tub of hot water and scrubbed her until she was sure her skin was coming off.
They poured water over her head without warning and she screamed.
“Are you trying to drown me?!” She shouted.
The maids looked at her wide eyed and then looked at each other.
Finally they resumed their chattering and their preparations of her.
They dressed her, but not in her wool dresss and furs she had arrived in.
They were nowhere to be seen.
They dressed her in something that Russian aristocracy would wear.
Heavy and cumbersome, the dress felt awkward to her.
Then they took heated rods and curled her hair to impossible heights, sticking pins in all manner of places.
They painted her face with cosmetics and applied perfumes.
When she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror she could hardly recognize the woman staring back.
Gone was the free spirited girl, the nomad leader’s daughter.
In her place appeared a refined and elegant woman of sophistication.
She snorted in disbelief.
Just then a woman entered the chamber.
She was perhaps old enough to be Katya’s mother and appeared decidedly Russian herself.
She was regally dressed.
She approached as though gliding on the floor.
Katya suspected she could not walk so gracefully in the confines of such clothing.
The woman wore a slight smile.
“Hello.
I’m Yevgenia Muscovy.
My husband is the Head Ambassador of Russia to the Jing Dynasty.
I know that you wonder why you are here.
I will explain.
The Emperor Wengzong has plans to invade along his Northernmost borders.
In other words, into Siberia.
If he does so, your own village and nomade group would be at risk.” Yevgenia said.
Katya was horrified and fearful for her family and people but didn’t know what she could do and said as much to Yevgenia.
“My husband and the emperor of Russia decided that we should give gifts to appease Emperor Wenzong in hopes that he might change his mind and not expand his kindom into ours.
But he’s never been known to be merciful or give in when he makes a decision.
So in addition to the gifts, my husband suggested giving Empeor Wenzong a beautiful young Russian woman.
He has women in his harem but none that look like you.
We hope you will so captivate him that his desire for enlargement of his borders will be ceased before it begins.
You are the daughter of the nomad group in an area that would be affected, so it is in your best interest, and in the best interest of your family and your father’s people, if you help us.
You are also young, beautiful, and virtuous, so we believe you will be the best candidate for this position.” Yevgenia explained.
Katya jumped to her feet.
She felt revulsion roll over her in waves.
She was being sold, no, given away, for political gain.
A pawn in the hands of emperors of two dynasties.
She did not want to become the property of any man.
Certainly not a man who played such dangerous political games, who was older than her father, and who didn’t even speak her language!
She was convinced that she must somehow escape.
She must!
Her wild eyes darted around the room frantically.
Yevgenia, seeming to read her mind told her simply, “Running will do you no good.
This palace is as fortified as a military garrison.
You will simply be caught and then placed under lock and key.
The sooner you submit to your fate the better life will be for you here.
And really, you’re lucky.
You’ll be dressed in jewels and silks and pampered all your days if you play the game well.
Who knows, if you manage to win the emperor’s favor or bare him a son, your status could rise higher than you could ever imagine!
All you have to do is obey the eunuchs and Nannies sent to instruct you, defer to the Empress, and Please the Emperor.
Don’t do anything foolish or you’ll lose your head.
Emperor Wenzong is a very strict, stern and no-nonsense ruler.
He won’t tolerate your temper or anger.
So calm yourself and learn to keep your inner thoughts to yourself.” Yevgenia said.
“You will be presented to the emperor in the morning.
My husband and the diplomatic convey will take you to the throne room to be presented to the Emperor after he meets with his ministers.” Yevgenia said as she was leaving.
“You won’t be with me?” Katya said in a panicked voice.
“No, of course not.
I cannot stand before the Emperor!
You couldn’t either if you weren’t going to become one of his women.
Remember what I told you tomorrow.
Be on your best behavior.
Just stand there quietly.
You’ll be presented and if he accepts you, you’ll be taken to the harem to begin your palace education.
You won’t even see him again for weeks.
He won’t want to interact with you until you learn palace customs and some of the language so you have nothing to worry about for now.” Yevgenia reminded her.
Katya rolled her eyes.
As if that was a consolation!