Wedding Night

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 17th October 2010

Characters: Parale, Ioven
Description: Parale and Ioven's first night as a married couple.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 23 of Turn 5
Notes: Follows "Wedding Bells"

It had been a long day. She had said her thanks to Briata and returned
the dress. Parale was now married. While Ioven was tending to the girls
(she had already said her goodnights), she had stripped down to her
sheer shift and climbed into bed. River Bluff was way too hot. Drinking
a bit of water, she turned the glows over and curled up, ready to sleep.

Ioven had agreed to allow her to sleep in his bed that night. After
all, it did look a little strange for them _not_ to spend the night
together after being wedded, though they had discussed waiting to
consummate their marriage until after they had arrived in Sun Stone. It
was easier to give in than to have a fight about it. The bed was small,
but they should both be able to get a decent night's sleep and keep up
appearances. Though Faranth only knew who would care in the Weyr. The
riders were all probably out screwing each other right now anyway.

But as much as they had agreed to this arrangement, he still hesitated
outside the door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked softly.

"Who is it?" came the drowsy voice from within. She had a set schedule
most days, which involved getting up with the girls so Parale was used
to getting up early. The Weyr had her all turned around.

"It's me," he called softly, then realized she might not recognize his
voice. "Ioven."

"Come on then," she replied, not even bothering to get out of the bed.
There was a light sheet over her, but no heavy furs due to the heat. She
was lying on her side, facing away from him.

He opened the door carefully, peeking his head inside. "Were you
asleep?" he asked softly, feeling a little guilty if he had woken her.

"No, I just laid down. Now hurry up before you let all the hot air in."
She was already imagining every part of her body covered in slick sweat.

His eyebrows raised slightly. Ioven still didn't know her well enough
to know when she was being direct, or upset. He knew she had wanted
this to be her _real_ wedding night, but he just didn't think he had the
heart for that. It still felt like a betrayal of some kind.

Closing the door behind him carefully, he made his way over to the side
of the bed. "The girls are asleep," he said softly, more to cover the
uncomfortable silence as he sat on the edge of the bed to pull off his
boots than to pass on any real information. She was sure to have
guessed as much.

"Mmm it's been a long day. But now it's done and we can rest." Most of
the glows were out in the room, though she had left a few turned for
him. The moonlight shone through a tiny porthole.

"That's something we could use a lot of before we get on that boat."
Faranth, he hoped she didn't get seasick. Setting his boots at the
foot of the bed, he realized how small the little room actually was.
Barely room for a bed, a chair, and his luggage. And nowhere to hide
and change. Thank Faranth her back was to him, he thought as he began
loosening his belt.

She listened to the sounds and realized what he was doing. Parale had
seen naked boys in her youth from time to time, but she had never seen a
naked man. The rustling noises he made while dealing with his clothing
made her toes curl, just knowing he was back there doing _that_. "So how
long does it take to get from here to the Hold again?"

"Uh... Maybe a sevenday and a half?" He pulled on his sleeping pants,
but was debating about the shirt. It was just so sharding hot! He had
forgotten how hot it could be when one came down from the mountains to
the ocean coast. In the end he decided to ditch the shirt. It was dark
and they'd be covered by a sheet anyway.

When he came into the bed, she felt the weight and the mattress
shifting. She found herself tensing slightly, then forced herself to
relax. Parale shifted and then settled, slipping into sleep.

Ioven envied how quickly it seemed she could fall asleep. Curling an
arm under his head, he stared up at the ceiling. He always had a hard
time sleeping in a new place, but having a body in the bed beside him
that didn't belong to one of his daughters was... unnerving. It had
been a very long time since he had shared his bed, and his space, with
another person. It would probably be a long time before he would drift
off to sleep.

He turned his head to look at the woman, though all he could see in the
dark was the dark outline of the back of her head and the glow of the
white linen she wore. Light and simple, very different from the ornate
dress she had worn that day. His mind invariably drifted back to the
ceremony that day and the words she had said. It was far different from
the words he and Narys had spoken to each other. Their vows had been
full of romantic harper dribble, of love and the way they complete each
other. They had dreams of growing old together, watching their children
grow and start lives of their own, being surrounded by generations.
There was no end to the life they'd share. It would just keep going
forever and ever, and if death ever came, it would come for them both,
old and grey in each other's arms.

Shards he had been so young then.

This wedding had been much more practical. The word love hadn't even
been uttered once, though why should it? They both knew what this was.
But the more he thought about it, the more he admired her for what she
said to him that day. She didn't demand romance or affection from him.
She surrendered herself completely and willingly to her fate with no
childish dreams. Just that she would take care of his needs, and trust
him to take care of hers. And even now, there she lay, quietly
accepting his need for time even though this was her wedding night. If
she had been anything like Narys, her wedding day was a day she had
dreamed of since she was a young girl. She probably imagined a handsome
husband, a ceremony with her friends and family surrounding her, love
shining from the groom's eyes as he declared his undying affection for
her for all the world to see, and then that night they would truly come
together as man and wife.

What a disappointment this must all seem to her, he thought with a deep
sigh. Of course there was nothing he could do about his looks, or how
he felt about her. He had offered to marry her at Garnet Valley, but
she had made her choice to wait for her friend. She had put herself
completely in his hands, left everything, was following him thousands of
miles from all she knew, showing his daughters incredible tenderness
that he could not have dared to dream of from a step-mother...
And he couldn't even give her a wedding night.

**Shards, what a tunnelsnake I am,** he thought as he lifted the sheet
and swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and cradling his
face in his hands.

She felt him moving and stirred. Rolling over to face him, she saw his
outline, sitting up. Curious as to why, she spoke softly. "What's wrong?
Can't sleep?"

"It's the heat maybe," he lied, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Mmm it is hot." Parale's shift was clinging to her, though it wasn't
quite that obvious in the darkness. "You know..the real pain is when
beads of sweat go right between your.." She stopped herself, realizing
what she was about to say.

"There's no air in this sharding room..." He wasn't really listening.
Ioven was thinking about that day when they had talked about the
wedding, their first day at the Weyr. Parale had looked so disappointed
when he asked her to wait. Though Faranth only knew why. He would have
thought that would be the part of this arrangement she dreaded most.
But perhaps it all came back to that dream of a wedding night, when a
woman truly became a _woman_... He owed her that, at least.

"Well no..do you need some water or something?" She scooted up, brushing
up against him and put a hand over his forehead to make sure he didn't
have firehead or some awful thing. "You don't have a fever."

Great, and now she was worrying about him... taking care of him...
Being the good wife... "Water, please."

She got up, and uncovered one of the glows to see by. Without thinking,
she quickly illuminated herself in the very sheer shift that was now
sticking to her, so that there wasn't much of her body left to the
imagination. Walking carefully, she retrieved the waterskin kept in the
other room and returned to offer him a cup. "Here, drink."

He stood up and took the glass with one hand and her hand with the
other. Drinking it down he steeled his resolve. He had needs, but so
did his new wife, and as much as she had sacrificed for him, the least
he owed her was to try! Setting the glass down on the chair beside the
bed, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, pressing
his lips to hers.

His actions surprised her, but she wasn't one to look a gift runner in
the mouth. Parale was inexperienced, but she didn't lack for curiosity.
Leaning into him, she pressed her body against his, trying to get to the
heat she had complained about moments ago. She kissed back, though it
was timid, trying to know if she did it right.

Ioven could feel her timidness, but also her willingness. It was
surprisingly easy to respond to, especially since the sheer cloth
between them was like having _nothing_ between them when she pressed
herself against him. Pulling back slightly he whispered, "I don't know
that I want to wait anymore. If you're willing..."

"Make me a woman, Ioven." It was a simple statement, but it was
what she wanted. Parale, even at her turns, really wasn't a woman. Not
yet. He had the power to give that to her. Her hands travelled over his
bare chest and shoulders, tracing the muscles so unlike her female
frame.

He could feel his head spin with the sudden urgent need to do just as
she asked. With not an ounce of hesitation left, he lifted the shift
over her head, and without any further words necessary, pulled her
gently down to the bed.

Last updated on the November 7th 2010

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Wedding Night