From the Ashes of Love

Chapter 31

Li-Hua anxiously looked over her possessions that lay scattered around the small house she shared with her mother. She had to pack them all as compactly as possible. Her wedding was tomorrow!

Outside the house, by the gate, the cart lay waiting. All of her precious potted plants were packed inside of it, carefully padded so as not to fall over in transit. There should be enough room for the wooden cases that held the Bride Price that Runyu had paid. Those would be brought back to her house tomorrow morning. The Lord of this region had generously agreed to guard them for her.

She still needed to pack all of her clothing and bedding, and the precious items required for a dowry. Mother had bought her a pair of scissors to take with her. Scissors were supposed to symbolize that the new couple would never separate. She also needed to pack her ruler, her purse with silver coins in it, a slab of sugar, and her new vase.

She was very proud of this vase, rounded at the base, with a skinny neck and two large handles carved to look like dragons. It was glazed green, like the color of jade. For her dowry it represented richness and honor. She packed it very carefully amongst her quilts, and Mother sprinkled them with lotus petals. She said they would symbolize many children for the new couple.

"Speaking of children" Mother began. "Li-er, I have something very important to teach you about your duties as a wife."

Li-Hua looked up from the chest she was packing. "What's that Mother?" she asked curiously.

"This won't happen to you immediately, because your future husband has promised to wait until you come of age, BUT, when you do come of age, you will be expected to perform your wifely duties." Mother paused, it looked like she was searching for the right words.

Li-Hua tilted her head to one side and looked at her Mother, intrigued. It was rare to see her Mother tongue-tied. "These duties involve having many children?" Li-Hua asked.

"Yes, Li-er" Mother nodded. "The process of making children is a bit embarrassing and messy, I'm afraid. You see, the children grow inside of you, inside your body, and the man has to put his seed inside of you for that to happen."

Li-Hua felt her eyes grow round. She looked down at her body. How on earth did a man crawl inside of a woman and plant seeds?

"You know how bees pollinate the flowers to make fruit?" Mother asked her awkwardly.

Li-Hua nodded.

"So... a man uses his 'stinger' to inject the seed inside the woman" Mother stated.

"Does it hurt like being stung?" asked Li-Hua in alarm.

Mother nodded. "The first time it will hurt. You will bleed a little bit for a few days, but after you heal, it won't hurt anymore. Your body is designed to accept your husband inside of you."

Li-Hua tried to swallow with a dry mouth. "Where... where does he sting me?" she asked nervously.

Mother looked down at her abdomen and pointed. "Where the blood comes out when you menstruate" she answered. "There's a hole there that is next to the hole that urine comes out of. It's plugged right now, but the man's 'stinger' will remove that plug on the first night."

Li-Hua thought about that for a minute. She looked down at her clothes. "Can he sting me through my clothing?" she asked with trepidation.

"Uhhh... no" Mother answered. "You have to remove your clothing. He will remove his clothing as well."

Li-Hua felt herself blush. This whole thing sounded so embarrassing. She sat down on the bed, trying to process all of this new information.

"It's natural, Li-er" her Mother tried to console her. "All babies are made this way. All married couples do this."