Andrés gave María a dappled gray mare named Gloria, whose unusual coloring echoed María's own. María felt an immediate connection to the horse and a thrill at its strength, but Andrés rode close and kept control of her reins, limiting her freedom. They traveled largely alone, trailed only by two mounted men, with the rest of the household and carts elsewhere.

Uninformed about the journey, María grew tired until the sight of a city lifted her spirits. She mistook the city and its hilltop castle for Andrés's estate, but he mocked her, explaining it was Burgos, belonging to the king, and only a stop for the night. As they entered at dusk, the city glowed like embers, and María was struck by the oppressive smells of animals and unwashed bodies.

They lodged at a fine inn. Too exhausted to enjoy the fuss over the viscount, María followed Andrés to an upstairs room with a fire and a grand bed. Alone with a man who was not kin for the first time, she felt the strangeness of their new roles—husband and wife—during this in-between moment of travel and transition.

At the washbasin, María began to clean herself, tense as Andrés approached. Instead of immediately undressing her, he took the cloth to wash her, then removed the pins from her hair, reacting with a low growl. He presented a wedding gift, a ruby on a gold chain, and fastened it around her neck as the stone rested between her collarbones. A knock delivered their meal, but Andrés ordered it left untouched.

When María moved toward the food, Andrés seized her wrist and insisted she leave it, making his sexual intent clear. He undressed her and took her to bed without gentleness. María felt invaded and fought the urge to resist by digging her nails into the bedding and biting her lip, turning her gaze to the ceiling to endure the act.

After he finished and collapsed, Andrés placed his hand on her stomach. His only words before falling asleep were, “Let it be a son,” revealing his priority for an heir and reducing María to a vessel for lineage rather than a partner.