gently about his neck, then lay back herself, pulled the covers up to her neck as well,
and sighed.
Amaury lay silently beside her for a moment, then glanced at her curiously. His brides
eyes were closed, a serene smile on her face. Lady Emmalene? he asked uncertainly.
Her eyes fluttered open. Aye?
What are we doing?
Consummating the marriage, Emma whispered with a reassuring smile and closed her eyes once
more.
We are?
Emma frowned at the perplexed tone in his voice. Aye. We are sharing a bed, sleeping
together, lying together.
Amaury groaned as her words tumbled out. His bride, it seemed, was more innocent than he
had thought if she believed this to be consummating the marriage. How was he to tell her...
My lord?
Eyes popping open, he nearly jumped out of the bed when he saw that she had sat up and was
now leaning worriedly over him.
You groaned. Are you in pain? I had heard there could be some pain the first time.
Amaury groaned again and turned his head away. How was he to tell her
A pounding at the door scattered his thoughts to the wind, and Amaury sat up
instinctively, knocking his head with Emmas as he did.
Sorry, he muttered as the pounding sounded again. Is the deed done yet? The question was
called anxiously through the door.
Emma rolled her eyes as she recognized her cousins voice. Truly, this was going too far.
Aye!
Nay!
Emmas head swiveled, her mouth dropping open at Amaurys negative answer. Why would he lie,
she wondered in dismay.
Well, get to it, Rolfe roared impatiently.
Get you back to the celebrations and leave us be! Amaury thundered, then turned to his
wife and sighed. My lady, he began carefully. I fear you have misunderstood... He paused
to frown. You do not seem to... You appear to be a bit lacking in knowledge of what
consummating the marriage entails, he got out finally.
I do? Emma worried her lip uncertainly.
Aye, he announced heavily. There is more to it.
There is? She was definitely anxious now, and Amaury cursed her cousin, the bishop, the
king, and Bertrand, along with her husband, for this situation. Especially her husband.
Had Fulk attended to his duties as he should have
A pounding at the door distracted his thoughts again and Amaury sighed. Damn me! Can a man
not have a little privacy on his wedding night?!
There is a party approaching! It was the bishop this time. We fear it may be Bertrand come
from the King!
Damn! Amaury cursed helplessly, seeing his dreams of owning this castle slipping away. Get
the deed done! Rolfe bellowed. My lord? Emma clutched his bare arm anxiously. Is there
truly more? Aye. He sighed miserably.
Then we must do it, she said firmly, and Amaury turned to her in surprise.
We must?
Aye, my Lord. Of course we must. I cannot allow my people to suffer under the rule of Lord
Bertrands mother. She would misuse them horribly.
Aye, my lady, but
There are no buts, my lord. If there is more, we must do it.
When he simply stared at her in an agony of uncertainty, she twitched the bedclothes away
from her body and began dragging her black gown off.
What are you doing?
I am naive of what is expected, my lord, but I am no fool. You came to this bed nude, so I
must assume that whatever is required necessitates our both being so, else you surely
would not risk a chill. The gown flew over her head as she concluded that statement, and
Amaury was left staring at quite the loveliest chest it had ever been his pleasure to
view. And it was all his, he thought with greedy glee. Then he frowned. It was his if he
could consummate the marriage before
Tis Bertrand! The dismayed bellow shook the door. He is flying like the wind. Do the deed!
Muttering under his breath, Amaury wasted a moment glaring at the door, then turned back
to his bride. My lady. As you said, the first time is usually painful. But not for the man
Prithee, my lord, do not waste our time on niceties. Simply
and sighed.
Amaury lay silently beside her for a moment, then glanced at her curiously. His brides
eyes were closed, a serene smile on her face. Lady Emmalene? he asked uncertainly.
Her eyes fluttered open. Aye?
What are we doing?
Consummating the marriage, Emma whispered with a reassuring smile and closed her eyes once
more.
We are?
Emma frowned at the perplexed tone in his voice. Aye. We are sharing a bed, sleeping
together, lying together.
Amaury groaned as her words tumbled out. His bride, it seemed, was more innocent than he
had thought if she believed this to be consummating the marriage. How was he to tell her...
My lord?
Eyes popping open, he nearly jumped out of the bed when he saw that she had sat up and was
now leaning worriedly over him.
You groaned. Are you in pain? I had heard there could be some pain the first time.
Amaury groaned again and turned his head away. How was he to tell her
A pounding at the door scattered his thoughts to the wind, and Amaury sat up
instinctively, knocking his head with Emmas as he did.
Sorry, he muttered as the pounding sounded again. Is the deed done yet? The question was
called anxiously through the door.
Emma rolled her eyes as she recognized her cousins voice. Truly, this was going too far.
Aye!
Nay!
Emmas head swiveled, her mouth dropping open at Amaurys negative answer. Why would he lie,
she wondered in dismay.
Well, get to it, Rolfe roared impatiently.
Get you back to the celebrations and leave us be! Amaury thundered, then turned to his
wife and sighed. My lady, he began carefully. I fear you have misunderstood... He paused
to frown. You do not seem to... You appear to be a bit lacking in knowledge of what
consummating the marriage entails, he got out finally.
I do? Emma worried her lip uncertainly.
Aye, he announced heavily. There is more to it.
There is? She was definitely anxious now, and Amaury cursed her cousin, the bishop, the
king, and Bertrand, along with her husband, for this situation. Especially her husband.
Had Fulk attended to his duties as he should have
A pounding at the door distracted his thoughts again and Amaury sighed. Damn me! Can a man
not have a little privacy on his wedding night?!
There is a party approaching! It was the bishop this time. We fear it may be Bertrand come
from the King!
Damn! Amaury cursed helplessly, seeing his dreams of owning this castle slipping away. Get
the deed done! Rolfe bellowed. My lord? Emma clutched his bare arm anxiously. Is there
truly more? Aye. He sighed miserably.
Then we must do it, she said firmly, and Amaury turned to her in surprise.
We must?
Aye, my Lord. Of course we must. I cannot allow my people to suffer under the rule of Lord
Bertrands mother. She would misuse them horribly.
Aye, my lady, but
There are no buts, my lord. If there is more, we must do it.
When he simply stared at her in an agony of uncertainty, she twitched the bedclothes away
from her body and began dragging her black gown off.
What are you doing?
I am naive of what is expected, my lord, but I am no fool. You came to this bed nude, so I
must assume that whatever is required necessitates our both being so, else you surely
would not risk a chill. The gown flew over her head as she concluded that statement, and
Amaury was left staring at quite the loveliest chest it had ever been his pleasure to
view. And it was all his, he thought with greedy glee. Then he frowned. It was his if he
could consummate the marriage before
Tis Bertrand! The dismayed bellow shook the door. He is flying like the wind. Do the deed!
Muttering under his breath, Amaury wasted a moment glaring at the door, then turned back
to his bride. My lady. As you said, the first time is usually painful. But not for the man
Prithee, my lord, do not waste our time on niceties. Simply
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