Alex Strenson's Story

To say that Alex was excited would be an understatement. Masses of people were streaming in from all over the country to watch something that would benefit them in no way, but only to increase their false standings with Alex. Friends, family even people he had never even met before. They were all here for one thing and for one thing only.

For him.

The groom, the man of the hour, the devilishly handsome governor. He was it, he is it. The godly man that woman desire and the man of all men the even young children strive to be. It was exactly as planned. Right now, right here in this mansion of his that roared elitism, were three hand picked brides. The single most beautiful girls the gatherers could find and they were all his. Sure there was ceremony and rituals to follow, but Alex didn't care about that. He cared about the influence he would have over the people. The spot light that was now his, through out the whole night! He would use his charisma to enhance his standing with people of power and to bring his name into every household. He would soak up the attention like a sponge in a hot bath and he wouldn't stop until there was nothing left for them to give.

And then after the ceremony, the brides would be his and his alone. Each one a different class of woman. Alex was eager for them. The mere thought of their soft, untouched skin sent shivers down his spine in pure anticipation. Their soft voices whispering or in some cases screaming his name. Three brides. Each one to be his new wife. They should be happy with what's about to happen. They could have rotted on the street as a prostitute or used in slave trade. Some were just killed out-right for defiance. These three woman should be thankful for Alex's intervention and after tonight's wedding when they were on their honeymoon, they would be thankful. Oh so very thankful...

Alex shot him self his trade mark smile in the large mirror he stood in front of. He was alone in one of the many bedrooms, busy preparing himself for the great onslaught of people to come. He was dressed in a Jet black tuxedo and a creme dress shirt underneath.

"Sexy as ever." He said to him-self as he checked over his tuxedo for the umpteenth time. He needed no domestic to dance around him in an attempt to make him look better. He had maids who cleaned, cooks who created fine foods and guards to protect his property, but only he could create the image he was known for. After finally being pleased with the way the tuxedo looked he stepped away from the large mirror, only to grab a comb that sat on elegantly carved dresser. He soon returned to the mirror and began combing his thick black hair into a fashionable style.

"I am what people want and I am the person that will have his name written down in the history books."

This was his mantra and he lived by it. No matter the cost.

A moment later, Alex found himself in impeccable order. Everything was perfect. He walked towards the bedroom door, lifted the heavy latch that held it closed and gently opened the door. His radiant smile already poised on his face.

A wave of noise hit Alex as he left the bedroom, but he expected it. There were, after all, hundreds of people in his mansion and each on talking to one another. But that would change, soon they would be speaking of him and his magnificent wedding, his showmanship and of course, his brides.

There was a smile on Alex's face. It exuded brilliance, intelligence, but most of all happiness. Everything had gone perfectly, there was no crying no shouts of outrage. Just a beautiful ceremony. But right now he was searching for his brides. Something he as a person of such a high caliber should never have to do and his smile was slowly turning a neutral look. His mouth becoming a thin line as he pressed his lips together.

Right now Alex was walking around the garden of his mansion, searching for his brides. A wedding photographer had set up and was waiting for them. He passed by a waitress and grabbed her stiffly by the arm.

"If you find my wives before I do, please tell them to meet me at the fountain. The photographer is there waiting for us." Alex said, his calm tone contrasting his stiff body language.

He then continued to walk through the garden passing by people he'd never met before. Usually he would stop and great them with his trade mark smile, but right now he had other things to do. He quickened his pace, his mind racing through all the things he still needed to do today. He rounded a corner of his mansion and for the first time since he had been wed, saw one of his brides. It was in fact Bailey. Her head down as she moved quickly through the garden. Luckily for Alex, she was heading straight for him. He quickened his pace even more, bringing him to a slow jog and allowing him to quickly close the distance between him and Bailey. With an outstretched arm he wrapped his right arm around her waist as the two passed. Picking her up and settling her down on his left side, facing the same direction he was heading.

"Ah, Bailey my dear so glad you could join us. Come, we still have to find the rest of my brides." Alex said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he began to walk at a reasonable speed.

A moment later a Alex spotted a large crowd surrounding something, or someone. Quickly he turned to Bailey, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Stay here, I'll only be a moment."

With that he turned and walked into the large crowd, gently pushing some of the less important people out the way, while smiling at those who were more renowned. There in the center of the crowd sat Alyssa a flustered look on her face. He stepped forward towards her, his hand held out to her. The crowd that had gathered had now slowly began to disperse not wanting to meddle in the conversations of the newly weds.

"Come my dear, we have things to do." Alex said as he shook his hand at her to signal his eagerness.

Two wives down, one to go. That waitress better find here before I do. Alex thought as he led Alyssa by her hand towards Bailey.

"Alright, thank you for so graciously helping me to find you both. We've got a photographer waiting for us by the fountain and I will not have my name made a fool of by making him wait." Alex scolded the two brides with dripping sarcasm. His friendly demeanor now slowly morphing into a more serious and angry tone. Alex sighed, anger was not a great way to start of a marriage. But these wives needed to behave them selfs and not be so extremely hard to find.

"The two of you look phenomenal by the way" Alex said with sincerity. The two looked gorgeous and there was no denying it. Quickly and firmly Alex began to lead the two around the last corner of the garden, hoping to find his last wife. As Alex rounded the last corner he was no longer needing to search. The last wife seemed to be the most excited of all. See was easily spotted among a group of on lookers. Each one seemed utterly enticed by her. She was defiantly the show woman and Alex liked it, but there was no time for pleasantries.

"Wait here... Please." Alex said curtly, before adding a polite gesture, he might as well. These were the woman who were going to bare his children.

Quickly Alex made his way over to Arielle.

"My dear, sorry to interrupt but I need you to come along with me. Alex said, cutting off the conversation his wife was having. His hand outstretched to his she-devil of a wife

"Good God you look beautiful." He blurted out, forgetting the anger he had harbored for her being the hardest to find, as he lead her to his other wives.

Bailey glanced down at her dress when Alex complimented her, using this movement to hide the slight roll of her eyes at his words.
"You know what else looks phenomenal? The garden. You know...the one I was just in. So...thanks for your enthusiasm and all, but...I'm not going to take you up on this offer. I'm just not photogenic, and I don't wish to put myself through the embarrassment. Although it would be LOVELY to take a wedding photo with you, Alyssa and Arielle...something I would truly treasure for the rest of my miserable existence." She replied, giving Alex a bitter sweet smile and taking a small step back towards the doors. "Come find me when all of this mess is over and I can have time to myself in peace, would you? Now, that...is something I would be interested in."
She was going to test his patience. She was going to make him suffer, for all the suffering he'd already made her endure by bringing her here. And she wasn't going to show mercy.

Arielle lifted her eyes once more to search the crowd for her husband and froze mid-conversation with an elderly first generation couple when she saw him there, stood with his two other brides - she refused to call them sister wives, they were nothing but competition for their husband's affection - and she felt her charming mask drop. The fury sparked up in her eyes, truly completing her she-devil image. How was she not the first one he noticed? Those other girls were merely children playing dress up…They were nothing compared to her. She swallowed her rage and returned her gaze to the couple, giving them another forced but believable smile and excusing herself. Then with a tight-set jaw, she began to make her way through the crowd towards her husband.

((this happens when Alex is about to find Arielle))

"Come find me when all of this mess is over and I can have time to myself in peace, would you? Now, that...is something I would be interested in."

Alex listened silently, nodding his head as Bailey spoke. Then once she finished he smiled at her.

"Well thats a shame isn't it?"

Suddenly, Alex raised his hand and slapped Bailey in one smooth movement. There was no warning whatsoever, the smiled Alex had on his face stuck throughout the entire moment. He slowly waited for Bailey to recover as he stood tall over her.

"It really is." His voice now calm but menacing.

"I have no time for bull shit. I'm a busy man. You do what I say or I throw you to the street and I will make sure that the men who throw you out leave out on the streets naked and alone. With nothing to protect you and no one to save you."

He chuckled before continuing on around the garden with his wives.

"Congratulations by the way. You know know how far my patience goes before I get slightly annoyed."

Arielle smiled at her husband and gracefully took his hand, her face relaxing and the fury disappearing from her eyes when she heard his compliment.
"Well thank you..." she practically purred and followed him to join his other two brides. As she looked at the both of them, she couldn't help but wonder if Alex had complimented them with the same sense of admiration. She guessed not, noticing the red mark on the blonde one's cheek. Her eyes suddenly lit up with a slight gleam of satisfaction - if she had already given herself cause for punishment, it was a slim chance she would be chosen for Alex's First Wife...and the little brunette didn't appear to be much of a threat, so the position was already as good as hers.

Bailey lightly rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand, glaring over at Alex as she did so. How dare he bring any form of bodily harm to her...
She hated him even more now.
Forcing herself to look away and focus her attention on something or someone else, Bailey looked over at Arielle, giving her a quick look up and down, then turned her nose up slightly and looked away again. She wasn't going to attempt to converse with someone who looked as if they'd like to hit her as hard as Alex did...to be honest, they were probably suited for eachother. And with that, she began to look around the room, sighing quietly as she tried to keep her mind off what was going on.

There was something about the way that Arielle almost purred as she thanked Alex for the compliment that made him want to not only whisper sweet nothings into her ear, but also made him lust for her. More so than with any of his other wives. But all that was for later.

"Right, now that you're all here. We have a photographer waiting for us at the fountain. He is extremely professional so please, behave your self around him." Alex said as he shot Bailey a look.

"So, follow me. Oh before I forget. Alyssa I want you on my right side, your hand on my shoulder. Bailey, on my left. Same thing as Alyssa."

Alex paused for a moment as turned to look at Arielle. A smile on his face as he thought of the best position for her and then chuckled to him self as his mind drifted off to that of the bedroom.

"Arielle, I want you on my lap. You're arm around my neck." Alex then checked his watch. His smile now changing to frown.

"Come, we can't make the photographer wait any longer." With that he presented his arms for two of his wives, before moving on towards the fountain.

Arielle's smile brightened ever so slightly when given her instructions. Yes, she was well on her way to the prestigious role of Alex Strenson's First and favourite wife. First there was the admiration in his voice when he complimented her, then the lustful way he looked at her, and now she had been awarded the most intimate position in this photograph...Things were falling into place for her so soon, and she found it hard to repress the joy and flutters of excitement she felt in her chest of things to come in this new life as she threaded her arm through her husband's.

Glancing at Alex and Arielle as they spoke, and then into the rest of the garden and all that was around her, thoughts raced through Bailey's mind. And at that moment, she struck gold.
She had a plan.
Quickly picking up her posture and striding after them, she smoothly and gracefully slipped her arm through Alex's other, flashing him the most dazzling smile she could manage and playfully fluttering her eyelashes as she looked up at him.
"...Just to keep up the good image...we wouldn't want people to think that I wasn't happy..." She remarked as she did so, lifting her dress with her other hand so it wouldn't trail along the ground. "I'd suggest we forget things ever happened and start over, but...there'll be time for that later on tonight, won't there?"
She smiled seductively, gently twisting a lock of her hair around in her fingers and looking Alex up and down slightly.

It was a rough start for Alex, at least in his world, but finally things were now falling into place. Alex smiled as Arielle gently took his arm, he could feel how she was warm, excited and most of all ready for her future with him. But with Bailey it cold, harsh but strangely something else was there that Alex couldn't quite put his finger on.

He turned to Bailey, looking her dead in the eye.

"I may be the man of the house, but I'm not daft. You may try your luck with the domestics and see how far you can get with them. But you will not test my patience and you will not rebel against my authority."

Alex said, his eyes unblinking while he spoke, the venom is his speech extremely prudent. Alex liked Arielle's warm touch, her obedience, but there was something in Bailey he just could not take his mind off of and then as an after thought he added;

"and yes there will be time."

Alex turned to face Arielle, a warm smile on his face

"more than enough."

Soon they were at the fountain with the photographer fussing about them.

Standing in her place ready to take the wedding photographs, Bailey was not entirely pleased. But still she smiled and posed the way she had been taught to do by her mother when she was a young child if such a day arrived, before she had moved out and left her father. She flashed a smile and a wave at numerous groups of people who had decided to come over and watch the photographs being taken, simply to make up for the lack of time she'd spent talking to any of them since she had arrived. And to prove that she wasn't entirely made of stone, like they would have previously thought.
In the back of her mind, she knew there was something there - something that, despite all of Arielle's attempts to draw the attention towards her - something that Bailey had that Alex had noticed. And she would do whatever she could to bring that out more. She was seemingly a challenge for him, constantly hot and cold, and she knew that made her interesting. And with any hope, she would get that little bit of freedom she so longed for. She wasn't happy with her current situation, but...maybe, just maybe...things would start to get better. She was counting on that.

Arielle returned Alex's warm smile, trying to ignore the little blonde thing that had attached itself to her husband's other arm. She was irrelevant. She would not get in the way of her plans, and if she dared try, Arielle would crush her like an insect. She would be the one with all of the attention, she would be the one with all the affection, she would be there on Alex's arm at every party and ceremony, riding through the city in limousines, being praised and admired by other governors and their wives. She would be the one Alex comes to every night. That is what her life will be, and she'd never let anyone take that from her.
After these thoughts passed through her mind, she realized she needed to improve her ability to ignore...Because at that moment, all she could think about was Alex's other bride and her obvious attempts to steal Arielle's rightful title away from her.
She snapped out of those thoughts as soon as they arrived at the fountain, though, as soon as she laid eyes on that camera.

((sorry for my lack of posting im helping family and im so mad this will be my last short post))

Alyssa watches as the whole thing went down,staying quiet not wanting to get hurt.She watched as the other wive...the older one was getting more attention..Alyssa didn't care but,she was getting ticked off."So, follow me. Oh before I forget. Alyssa I want you on my right side, your hand on my shoulder. Bailey, on my left. Same thing as Alyssa."
Alyssa eyed bolth Alex and the other wives and nodded."Arielle, I want you on my lap. You're arm around my neck." She rolled her eyes and watches as Alex put two arms out for the other two wives.Greatshe thought,I'm just gonna try along like a little lost puppy now arn't I.Alyssa followed them to the fountain and put her arm on Alex's shoulder faking a smile.

*Flash* *Flash* *Flash*

For a moment Alex was blinded by the bright light of the camera flashes, but quickly the world returned to normal.

"Alright, now for the singles. Just a photo with just you and me." Alex said, his voice taking a more demanding tone than that of asking.

"Alyssa, you'll be first." Alex looked at the timid girl. He thoughts beginning to wonder if she would be any good as a mother to his heirs.

"Come now, shoo you two." A smile making its way across Alex's face as he jokingly shooed his wives away.

"So... Tell me about your-self Alyssa." Alex began as the photographer began to take photos of the couple in different positions.

"Who you are, what you do and where it is they found you." Alex's voice now catching a slight edge as he spoke. He knew how it is that he came to get his wives and he loved it.

Alyssa watched as the other two wives left.Alex said it was time for single picture but,decided for her to go first.She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck ,giving the camera fake seductive,flirty smiles."So... Tell me about your-self AlyssaWho you are, what you do and where it is they found you." she heard a slight edge in his voice wichita made her quickly respond."I once was a prostitute,." she said "Uhm one of my customers felt bad for me so he ended up giving me a place to stay.All I had to do was do what he asked."She said in a slight whisper,posing in different positions ."And 'they' found me at his house.They took me away from the scarlet district and....well now I' m here.Nothing else really except both my parents died but,that's about it." she said then quickly kissing Alex's cheek for the photo.

Alex smile fell off his face in the last photo as he heard Alyssa's answer, his face showing nothing but a blank expression. Alex was surprised with Alyssa's answer. In truth he was shocked. The fact that Alyssa was a prostitute before entering his home disgusted him. But there was merit in her honesty and at least she knew her way around the bed room.

"Did he feel sorry for you before or after he ruined your beautiful body?" Alex asked rhetorically as he signaled that he wished for Alyssa to be off his lap.

"Thank you Alyssa, can you call Bailey for me?" Alex asked, the shock from Alyssa's answer causing him to become move civil with his wife.

While he waited for Bailey he recovered, falling back into his usual demeanor. As Bailey approached Alex posed the same question. A subtle hint of doubt as to if the answer might be pleasant or not.

"So... Tell me about your-self Bailey. Who you are, what you do and where it is they found you."

The smile faded as Alyssa walked away from Alex,passing Bailey.She was smart,she knew her husband was
ticked off with her about being a protitute.Well fuck him,he is going to have to deal with it. she thought,sitting down by Alex's other wife and starred daggers at Alex but,quickly stopped.Alyssa then eyed Arielle up and down.She then turned her head and scoffed.Yea she was older but,she wasen't scared of her...just Alex.She saw how Alex was 'favoring'her earlier.She seemed like like first wife material wich made Alyssa giggle.let her have first wife Alyssa thought.She will get more attention than me so....I want really have to talk or see him much. That thought made a half smile return to Alyssa's face as she starred out into the garden.

Bailey tried desperately hard not to flinch when she heard Alex's words. She hated being asked about her past...and she had no idea whether he didn't know that, or if he just wanted to watch her squirm. And that just made her want to hit him even more than she already did.
But...she had to be civil if she wanted to be First Wife. She had to be desirable. And she wanted First Wife.
Approaching Alex with a small, seductive smile on her face, she lightly draped her arms around his neck, turning to pose for the camera.
"Well...in all honesty, Governor Strenson...that's pillow talk...or at least...the details are, anyway..." She said quietly, leaning in and lightly brushing her lips against his for the camera. "But...basically...I'm Bailey Grace Ha-Strenson," She quickly corrected herself as she remembered her surname change. "And...I was mostly raised by my Dad, but...he died when I was eight, so...after that I had to fend for myself...I never had to make myself a prostitute, thank God, but...my mother told me that part of me needed to be saved for marriage, so...I'm sure you'll reap in the benefits of that...and then the Gatherers eventually found me when I was fifteen while I was just walking around outside, and...lucky me...picked from the bunch on the first time round..." She glanced around her, giving a small giggle. "And here I am..."



"Well...I don't think that should really ever happen..." Valentina said quietly, glancing back over at Decker. "I mean...I hope you don't think me being rude, but...the last thing I want here is for any of my sister wives to have any reason to resent me...and as both Lacey and Raven are both very attached to you already..." She sighed quietly. "It would just feel wrong of me to do anything...I know it shouldn't, because...well, you're my husband...but...it just feels like something that I shouldn't do..." She glanced over at Decker's home once again, then looked back at him. "I mean...since I was the last bride you conversed with, I just feel like...well, like you've already been claimed, in a way...and that I should just fade into the background...I don't have a problem with doing that, because...well...I think you and Raven would make a lovely couple, because she is by far the most beautiful woman here tonight..." She smiled slightly, taking another sip of champagne. She couldn't technically called Lacey a woman, as she was still only a child, and she knew Shelby probably wouldn't appreciate her compliments. There was still time to bring Shelby around, though.
"In my beliefs, I just struggle to understand how women can deal with sharing a husband, so...before I came here, I'd just planned to stay in the background and let the other wives have you...and, before I came here, I'd never really felt pretty, per say..." She looked down towards the grass, remembering how her mother used to deliberately dress her to hide her beauty and protect her from the Gatherers. "And...now I do, so...actually feeling that people will look at me and think I'm beautiful, well...that's enough for me..."