Amie gave me this idea and it's been eeating at me so I have written this for her. By the way HAPPY NIRTHDAY AMIE! Okay so everyone tell me what you think of it.
Mark stood in front of Commanding General McCath and General Taylor. He had just been told that he had been chosen.
Chosen to get a spouse.
Hope Plaza had set up a system of human growth. Arranged marriages between civilians and male soldiers were made to ensure that. The female soldiers being excluded to walk the streets of Terra Nova and guard the colonists, plus they were not needed as much outside the gates.
But the system was put in place to keep the army boys from getting distracted and use the soldiers as breeding tools to help the colony grow. General Taylor scowled, as he always detested this system, even going as far as getting arrested for insubordination against the barbaric act.
But it made no difference. Mark was excited to have someone other than his army buddies and to actually see a civilian up close for the first time since he ever arrived in this place.
And because this was one of the few things given to him, having grown in a boot camp from the age of twelve and coming here at sixteen because of his promising work. He would have a wife, someone he was sure would be beautiful and kind, and he hoped would love him.
The male soldiers were kept in barracks separated from the colony so they were called out only to protect and go on missions. And kept them at a distance from civies, but to keep them in line and breed, spouses were chosen for the soldiers, especially if they were good.
Mark couldn't wait to meet his future wife whoever she was…
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Maddy stood next to her family as they heard the welcome speech form Commanding General McCath. His eye would find her every once in a while and he would wink, sending a shiver up her spine.
Once done a woman in uniform with black hair came and took her parents away. She knew they were in trouble for sneaking her little sister and father through the portal, but she was happier than she could remember ever being. She smiled and tilted her head to the sky to breath the fresh, clean air.
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Mark sat at the window of his room, staring at the colony and hoping that he could see his soon-to-be wife, his was so anxious to meet her he had asked advice from his friends, and only the married ones.
They told him to relax but he couldn't he wanted to meet her but that would be a week from now. He just stared out and locked his eyes on a small, undetailed figure next to a tall one and a very small one. And just stared.
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Maddy waited for her parents and felt a shiver run up her back as she turned towards an ugly gray building separate from the colony. Her eyes locked on the window and she could almost see the shadow of a figure.
"Maddy," He mother called with a shaky voice, "I need you to come up here, just leave your bag."
She did as she was told and climbed the steps to enter the office and sit in an offered chair. When her eyes met her parents for the first time since entering the room she gasped. Her mother was pale and shaking and her father was furious, red faced with veins popping out.
"Miss Shannon, we are so glad to find you," the smile the Commanding General gave her was unsettling.
"She slowly looked to her parents as she asked, "Sir, did I do something wrong?" He laughed and she fought down the shivers.
"No dear actually we need you," he cleared his throat and continued. "We have been arranging unions between civilians and soldiers to ensure the growth of the colony, and secure futures of young women such as yourself."
She felt her heart drop. What was he talking about?
"Are you saying you're going to marry me off to someone I don't even know?"She was quiet, but the silence in the room made the words echo. When no one spoke she said with more force, "You are going to use me like cattle."
"Now cattle is-"
"Sir, it is exactly that, no say of chose is just like slavery or cattle." She felt her face grow hot, she had never cut someone off in a conversation before, but right now it wasn't her top priority. McCath frowned and nodded to Taylor. General Taylor ushered her parents out and left himself, leaving McCath and Maddy.
"Miss Shannon you can either agree to this and live happily, or you and your family can be banished to live in the wilds and be eaten by Slashers."
"Slashers?"
"Nasty buggers who will begin to fest on your body before you have died. Would you wish that upon your family?" He stood and walked around the desk to take her limp hand. Maddy felt her heart sink, she had to protect her family, even if it meant being caged.
"Besides," he continued, "you and your husband will live together in the barracks for three weeks of every month and the last week which he will have off, you'll both spend with your family. And during the day of the three weeks you are welcome into the colony to work a job, or learn-"
"I'm already finished with school," She said numbly, not looking at him. He smiled.
"And Sergeant Reynolds is a gentlemen as they come."
Maddy fought back tears and nodded, "When do I go?"
"A week from today, just so you can settle in," He pulled her to her feet and led her to the door. "I'll send Taylor for you then." He squeezed her hand and let her go to her family.
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Mark had waited a week, as insanity started to creep at him from curiosity. He could wait to have something beautiful in his home and heart.
He had spoken to his married friends about what he would do the night of his wedding, not at all surprised that he would be a virgin, many soldiers were, because they were taken so young to just be powerful grunts.
They told him that she needed to be pleasured first and to be gentle around her, that she was weaker than him. Mark nodded and tried to keep all the tips to memory and now ran over them in his head. He stood up and walked to the closet, pulling out his dress uniform and getting ready to meet his wife for the first time.
Now as Mark sat on his bed, dressed and ready, he counted down the minutes of the last hour before her arrival. A pleasant smile on his face.
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Maddy stared at herself in the mirror of her room, a tingly numbness in her heart, she could barely breath.
Wearing a white dress that stopped just below the knees and knee high black boots, she was ready to go. Even though she desperately stalled from leaving. Her hair was curled and laying down her back and over one shoulder, but she wore no make up.
After all how many times will her husband see her without make up. A tightness in her stomach squeezed impossibly tighter, and she took shaky breathes.
"Maddy," her mother's soft voice was thick too, a sadness evident."General Taylor's here for you."
Maddy left her room, hugged her family and tried not to cry as Taylor walked her through the streets and out the gates, to the barracks. They stopped at the door and Taylor looked at her, "I'm sorry, I never wanted this for anyone, much less you."
Nodding she looked into his eyes, "I'm scared." It was all she could say and absolutely true. He walked her in and left her at a desk while he strode off.
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Mark opened the door for whoever was banging on the other side and saluted General Taylor.
"Soldier, you'll be getting a wife today," He started immediately. "But you will not be having sex with her tonight, no this week at all."
"Uh…Sir-"
"I know most of you don't know what you're doing, but she is a child and must be handled with care. You need to form a bond, be gentle with her, woo her. Everything will be better if she loves you and you love her." Mark nodded vigorously as he listened carefully to his superior. "And most importantly, if you move to quickly or with to much force, you will scare her and will hurt her." The thought horrified him, he didn't realize how gentle he would have to be until then.
He might not have met his wife yet, but he would never want to hurt her.
"I promise to be gentle, but Sir, I've never dated before, I don't know how to get her to love me."
Taylor huffed and fished a small book from his pocket, "This will help." With that he left, Mark trailing behind slowly as he read the first few pages.
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Maddy sat in one of the two chairs on her side of the desk, staring at a painting beside them.
She was studying it so closely that she squeaked when she felt a large warm hand on her shoulder. She snapped her head around and gasped.
The soldier with his hand on her shoulder could only be described as gorgeous. Tall, well built, dark hair and tanned skin. Though his most arresting feature was his blue eyes. All in all not bad, but that didn't make things a whole lot better.
Looking over his uniform, her eyes widened when she read his name tag. Sgt. M. Reynolds.
Oh dear God. She thought as McCath walked in with a plex. "All you have to do is sign this, and you two will be officially married." He smiled at each of them and Maddy noted that Reynolds tensed slightly.
She reached out and signed it, before watching him do the same. And McCath nodded, "Well, she's all yours son," And left them like that.
"I'm Mark," He said softly, as if he would hurt her ears. She smiled shyly and gave her name before standing.
"Guess we should just get this over with." Her voice was low and sad. Was the rest of her life going to be sad?
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Mark offered her his arms like it said in the book and walked her to his room. When they stepped inside, Maddy sat on the bed, a look so sad masked her face. Though she was very beautiful, and all Mark wanted to do was get her to be happy now.
He reached out and brushed some hair behind her ear, "Uh, I was hoping, if you don't mind, that I date you first?" She looked up with an eyebrow raised in confusion.
"What do you mean?" She said softly, but a light came to his eyes that made him smile.
"Well, we are married, so we should get to know each other, personally and emotionally, I want my wife to be someone I can love and who loves me." A smile grew on her face and she nodded.
"Now Madelyn, will you allow me to court you." He smiled as she nodded, relief evident on her face.
