Dionysus was watching his elder brothers thrive while he was living like a wild animal at the wilderness. He was 16 years old when Constantine decided that it was time for him to marry. Constantine had already made up his mind about the bride who was worthy of his youngest son and would join him at the stable.

Her name was Noola. Noola's mother had died shortly after giving birth to her. Her father remarried and Noola had two step brothers. Her destiny was sealed by Death who waltzed with her throughout her life. A few years later Noola's father died too. Her stepmother once she became a widow kicked Noola out of the house and left her on the streets to die. Noola was playing with other kids and each night she was sleeping at a different friend's house, eating her only meal of the day before going to sleep. Her only possession was a small bag where she kept her few clothes. She was simply surviving one night, one meal at a time keeping her fingers crossed that someone would invite her for a sleep over the next day.

Noola already knew to be quiet, obedient and thankful for whatever was on her plate but above all she knew that as an orphan was a pariah and didn't held her hopes high for a better life. One night when she was thirteen years old and she was at a friend's house, Catherine showed up and offered her a new dress. Noola was thrilled because she couldn't remember the time that anyone has offered her a gift. Catherine asked her to wear it and Noola cheerfully complied with her request.

She returned wearing her new dress only to find out that Dionysus was expecting her along with a priest. They announced to her that it was her wedding night. There never was a marriage at the church, a celebration or even any question about her consent. She was a thirteen year old, homeless orphan with no future so others had already made that decision for her. Her new dress was her wedding dress and she was oblidged to do the only thing that she had ever learned in her life; survive one night at a time.

They weren't married at the family's house. The family wanted the marriage to be kept away from the villagers' preying eyes. There were no guests apart from the house's owners  and there were no gifts either apart from her dress. At dawn Dionysus took Noola to the stable where their shared life started. Bit by bit they started building a house next to the stable using the stones they could find around but it looked more like a childish project than a real house.

It didn't matter to either of them though since none of them had a real one for most of their existence. Noola was clueless about housekeeping, cooking and chores, so she kept burning their meal and destroying everything.  Dionysus was used to living on his own for over a decade. He was never cruel to her. He never raised his voice to berate her. He was more patient with her than anyone could ever be under those harsh conditions and he truly respected her till the end of his life.

Catherine who never stopped caring for her son, realized that her daughter in law had no idea of households so she took it upon herself to teach her. Noola was walking for hours daily to Catherine so that she could learn how to cook a meal and wash clothes at the spring. She was a slow learner yet Catherine was determined to teach her all that she knew so that they could have a proper life.

Sometime after the marriage their first baby girl was born and she was given the name "Catherine" to honor Dionysus' mother. The people who wished to the new born "may this one live" weren't enough and their first born died a few years later. Regardless of how many times Death strikes, life goes on and Noola gave birth to three more children who got to live; Ray, Mary and Constantine.

Noola wasn't learning only about how to be a wife before puberty but how to take care of the animals at the stable as well. Dionysus doubled their combined productivity and he was given a warehouse at the village which he turned into a primitive creamery. Philippe was trading with his cheese at the free lands. Dionysus wasn't getting any money back for his work but he knew that everything came with a price, including the things that most people take for granted but weren't for him.

He had bought his expensive ticket of return to the village. Noola hardly ever left the stable. On the other hand he was free for the first time to walk throughout the village without the constant whisper behind his back. This wasn't enough though. It was just a starting point.

He knew that it was his birth right to live on that land and he wasn't willing to give up on that. The ticket for his permanent return would be way more expensive. No matter how much cheese he could make with Noola, it still wouldn't be enough since all that it was left for him was nothing more than cramps falling down from his family table.

Being smart and having learned to read and write on his own at that point wasn't going to grand him what he desired. He had to be wicked and there is no wicked man than can even close to someone who was marked by a daemon.

He needed money and his family would never give him more than what's needed for their survival. There was only one alternative left. His elder son had to marry the daughter of a local royalty. The money that her parents would offer him for the marriage would be enough to start the new chapter of their life.

This seemed preposterous for a sane mind. No father, let alone a well respected, wealthy one of the local aristocracy would ever agree for his beloved daughter to marry someone who was born and lived all his life at a stable.

They were slaves no more. They had survived years of ruthless wars and each time a master realized that he could rule the slaves no more; he burned everything to the ground before leaving. The land of the wandering souls was destroyed more times than anyone could imagine. The names of the rulers changed but their wrath upon the villages was always the same.

"Kill as many as you can. Burn whatever can be burned. Leave them nothing to survive."

A local loyalty which not only survived but thrived in those harsh times would never agree to that wedding unless they were tricked. Dionysus didn't call for a witch's power. He had a better plan in mind...