"Aye. Well. These thingshappen," heassured her, then added, "And I want you not to worry. There isnaught for you to be embarrassed about. I'll notjudge youby your cousins' behavior. "

Avelynpaused, feelingconfusion swamp her. Aquick glancerevealed thather parents shared her confusion. "My cousins, my lord?"

"Aye. While theirbehavior is unpardonable, Iwould nothave it distress youto the point that you flee your own bridal meal. "

"Oh. Er... well, actually,my lord, it was not their crueltaunts that sent me from the table,I am quite used to those," she assured him uncomfortably, so embarrassed to have to explainthat she didn't note the way his eyes narrowed. "Iretreatedto repair my... to change outof...surely you noticed the seamsof my gown split?"

"Oh, that. " He shrugged mildly. "As I said, thesethingshappen. I feared you weretaking solong due to distress over those cousinsof yours. "

Avelyn stared at him. He was shruggingaway asinconsequential somethingthat moments ago she had been sure was theendof theworld.

"These thingshappen?" she got out on agurgle.

"Aye. Iam forever splitting the seams on mytunics. Diamanda has mademeone forevery birthday and Christmas sinceshecame totrain with my mother, but she makesthem too small inthe shoulders. Theyare fine whilst I am atrest, butthemo-, ment I take up my swordand flex my muscles, the damn things rip wide open. " He shrugged again. "Hardlyworthworrying over. "

His gaze slid over hernow in theredgown, and Avelyn bither lip, afraidthat without the binding he would be displeased. Shewasdoing herbest not to flinch whenhe announced, "You lookmuch better now. There iscolorin your cheeks,and you arenolonger allsucked up and fishy looking. "

"Fishy looking?" Avelyngasped with dismay.

"Aye. " When hepursedhis lips andsucked his cheeks in to show her howshe'd looked, Avelyn felt herself flush again. She hadn't realized how ridiculous she'd appeared. And she had imaginedherself lookingbetter! Then she noticed with some uneasethat he hadbegunto frown. He was displeased with his bride after all, she thought with distress. Avelyn was allprepared for himto verbalize hisdispleasure when he stepped forward and reachedfor her hair. Within seconds he had tugged out thethong Runilda had justbegun to put in.

"You have lovely hair. I like it better down. Youshallwear it down forme," he announced withanod, then snatched tip her hand and strode toward the door.

Avelyn tripped after him, beaming over her shoulderather parents,Lady Gerville, Gunnora and Runilda.

"He likes my hair. I must wearitdown for him. Rememberthat,Runilda," she cried, then was out in the hall and runningto keep up with her husband's much longer steps. Muchtoherrelief, Paen stopped at the topof thestairs. He turned as if to speak, then suddenly frowned as he caught sight of herflushed and breathless state.

Avelynforcedher gaping, gasping mouth closed and suckedair in throughher nose. She would not normally have beenso out of breath from this little jog, but suspectedshe had stillnot fully recovered from the binding.

"Iam sorry,wife. Iforget you are such a little thing. Imust get used tomeasuring mystepstoyours. "

"Little?" Avelynnearly wept atthe word. Noonehadevercalledherlittle.

"Aye. Well, not as scrawny as most women, thank God. I should fear your getting ill,or my crushing you, werethat the case. Fortunately,you are well rounded andhave somemeatonyourbones,soIwill not lose you in the linens. But you are still muchsmaller than I, and Ishall have to learn to walkslower with you. "

Paen was busy drawing her handthroughhisarm as he spoke, sosheknew he wasnot aware ofthe manyexpressions that flew across her face. Avelyn was not surehow she should feel afterthisproclamation. Wellroundedand with somemeat on her bones did not soundallthat complimentary, but at leasthe did not seem repulsed. Before she could decideifhe was genuinely pleased withher or was just making the best of things,he had finished anchoring her to his sideand started down the stairs.

Avelyn wasfinefor the firstfewsteps, but thenthegreat hall came intoviewwith the trestletablesandcelebrating throng, and she began to slow. Paennoticedat once andwas quicktoguess the reasonfor it.

"You are not to fear your cousins," he ordered. "They shall not trouble you again. "

Her gaze slid over hisfirmexpression curiously, but she didnot question himon how he couldassure that. Instead she took a deep breath andstayed close toher new husband as theyentered the hall. The silencethat fell over thetables as their return was noted was discomfiting. Avelyn feltherselfflush and verymuch feared she wasmost definitely resembling that cherry in her red gown. As she took her seat at the trestle table, she casta nervous glance in the directionof her three cousins, but they were silent, eyes fastened firmly ontheir trenchers. It appearedthey would not bother her again,she realized with somethingclose to awe, and hadto wonder how Paen had managed it. Noamount of threats orbeatingsby Warin or her fatherhad achievedit, yet somehow in just a few moments before chasingupstairs after her, Paen had managedtosilence the terrible trio.

That realization made Avelyn peer at her new husband with eyes shiningwith gratitude. Not that he seemed to notice. Hewasbusy filling the trencher theywere sharing withfresh food. Avelynwatchedwith renewed amazement as he pilediton untilit wasa heaping mountainof food.

Avelyn was just frettingover the possibility that he had concluded from her size thatshe must eat like apig, when she was distracted bythereturn of herparentsand Lady Gerville. She smiledat them alla littlenervously, thenturned her attention back tothe trencher. The man was running through the food like therewas notomorrow.

Almost half thepile was already gone. It wouldseem it wasn'tacomment onher size. She tookinhismuscular physique with new respect andwas caught staring whenhe suddenly stoppedeatingtoglanceat her.

"You are not eating. Are younot hungry?"

Avelyn tore her eyes away fromhislegsand raised her head to nod swiftly. "In truth,I am famished, my lord. I have not eaten sincethe day beforeyesterday. "

He shook hishead. " Tis no wonderyou fainted, then. " Glancing about,he raised a hand toget the attentionof several servants, who immediately scurried forward.

Within moments the trencher containedanothermountain of food.

"Eat," he orderedthe momentthe servants moved away, and even helda piece of cheeseto her lips. Flushing with an oddmixture of embarrassmentand pleasure at this romantic gesture, Avelyn opened her mouthto take a biteofthe cheeseand nearly choked whenhe popped the whole thing intoher mouth. The momentshe'd managedto swallow the cheese,he had more at herlips. Avelyn soon realizedthat this was no romantic gesture. Her husband wasfeeding her asif he feared she would not feed herself. The man was either blindor daft,for anyone else wholooked ather would assume that she ate too much, though they would be wrong. Avelyn often skipped meals and went without - itsimply didn't seem tomake muchdifferenceto hersize.

Paen continued to feed her until she finallyprotestedwith a laugh that she could not possibly eat another bite. He grinnedather tinkling laughterand setdown his latest offering with a nod.

"You did well," heoffered as ifpraising a child. Avelyn shook herhead with bemusement,then glancedto the side ata touch onher arm. Hermother and Lady Gerville stood atherback now.

Runilda,Gunnora and Lady Gerville's maid, Sely, were with them.

" 'Tis time for the bedding. "

Avelyn's amusement vanished and she swallowed thickly at her mother's announcement. She had been so busy with one worry or another since the ceremony thatshe had completelyforgotten about this partof the wedding. Feeling the heat of a blush enter her face, she avoidedlooking at Paen androsereluctantlyto be led above stairs.

Avelyn glided through the preparations in a fog. She felt rather likesomeone heading for their own hanging - knowing it was coming, knowing it would be unpleasant, but helplessto prevent it. They would allsee her naked. To Avelyn this was the most horrible event that couldevertakeplace, and herbrain was completely flummoxed at the very idea that itwould happen and she could donaught toprevent or avoid it.

"Are youall right, dear?"Her mother's concerned voice made it through the fog shrouding Avelyn's mind. Knowing she wouldn't be able to speak, she merely nodded inanswer and slid naked under the bed linens Lady Gervillewas holdingup for her. She had barely settled there whenthe soundofmale voices and laughter sounded muffled through thedoor. Avelyn unconsciously clutched the linen close as the sound drew nearer. Thenthe door crashedopen andatangle of male bodies burstinto the room. Paen was deepin their midst, already half nakedand besetby nearlyhalf a dozenpairsofhandsstripping away article after article of clothing.

Within seconds of their entering the room, the bedlinenwas brieflytorn away. She wasexposed only longenough for Paen to bethrust into the bed beside her, but Avelyn dieda thousanddeaths in that time,those seconds lasting an eternity as she feltherbodyscoured by all those eyes.

"Oh, aye, ye luckysod!"someone cried. "She'll makea fine pillow for yerhead of a knight. "

"Aye, and keep ye warmduring long cold winters too," someone elsesaid. Then Paen was in thebed and Avelyn quickly tuggedthe linens back to her neck.

Theroom emptied outas quicklyas it had filled, the women following themen out, until Avelyn and Paenwereleftalone, though Avelyn hardly noticed. She was in somethingofadazedstate as she marveled over the fact that not a single rude comment about her size had been made. In fact, the men had sounded truly congratulatorytoward her husband, as if hehad gained himself aprize. She enjoyed thatfor afullmoment before some part of hermind suggested thatperhaps not only hercousins had been intimidatedbyhernew husband.

"Wife?"

Avelynglancedtoward Paen andrealized that she had been so consumedwith worry at the being-naked-in-front-of-everyone part that she had not allowed her mind tocontinueonpastthat. Now itstruck her that it was timeforthe bedding. She tried to swallow,but there was nothing to swallow. Her mouth was asdryas dust. She was also having troublebreathing again, although she was most definitely unbound now.

Avelyn's mother had explained all that would happen this night, asa good mother should. Ithadn't soundedterribly attractive or dignified,but her mother had assured herit would befine. Avelyn found that hard to believe at the moment as herhusband shifted to lean over her cringing figure. Her thoughts died abruptly asPaenkissed her. She stiffened under the caress, herlips pressing tighter together as hismouth drifted over hers. She was uncertain whether she liked the caress. Before she could makeuphermind, she felt his handon her breast throughthelinensand gave a start of surprise. She opened her mouthon a protest and foundit suddenlyfilled. Avelyn was pretty sure it was histongue,thoughshe had no idea whyhe would put itinside hermouth. Unlesshe waschecking to seethatshe had all her teeth.

He tasted of the whiskey he'd drunk at dinner, which wasrathernice. She waited for the examination to be over, sure he mustbepleased to learnthat shedid indeed have all her teeth, but it was a lengthyinvestigation and stirred some rather odd sensationsinher. Avelyn had the overpowering urge tosuck on that tongue,and perhaps to examine his teeth as well. Deciding the sucking part might be an aberration while the examiningof his teeth would probably be acceptable, sheleft off the sucking and slidher own tongue forwardto moveit tentatively around inside his mouth.

She didn't gettofeel much in the way of teeth.

The momenther tongue moved in,his began towrestlewith hers. Thisstirred anotherwhole passelof feelings inside hersothat Avelyn did not notice that he was tuggingthelinenawayfrom her breasts until it was almost gone. Shemade a quick grabfor it, but it was too late. Avelyn supposed she shouldn'tbe embarrassedto find herself naked in bed with her husband. After all, he had surely seen herwhen they had whipped the linen awayto placehim in bed. Onthe other hand, thathad been a quick glimpse and surely he hadn'tseen much? She had nointerest in his seeing more.

Avelyn had barelycome to that realization when Paen began to pull away from the kiss. She knewatonce that he would wish to peeratthe breasts he had exposed.

Embarrassed and ashamedat their verylargesize, shepromptly slidher arms around his neck and pulledhimback, kissinghim with an earnestnessthat had been missing earlier. She even gave into the urge tosuck on his tongue as she had wished to do earlier. Anything to distract him from looking at what his cleverhands had revealed.

Avelyn sensedhis surpriseat heraggressivebehavior,and was surprised in turn when hisown kiss becamemoreintense. Shefelt hishand at herbreastagain. This timeshe did notstart at his touch, but arched into the caress as herbody demanded.

His actions were having amostodd affect onher. Avelyn's nipples weresuddenly quite sensitive and tingling as he fondled andpinched at them, something shehad never experiencedbefore. She had neverthought ofher breastsas beingcapable of suchpleasant sensations. She had only ever thought ofthem as something God gave womento feed babes, butit was most definitely pleasure swelling andzinging from hernipples outward.

After several moments in which her entire body became a mass of wanton pleasure, Paenagain attempted to break their kiss. Swamped bythepleasure he was creatingin her, Avelyn almost let him, but then fearrearedinside her. Afraidthat he would be repulsed if he saw her nakedand that he would surely turn away fromher then, she tightened her arms aroundhisneck. He stilled, thenreturnedto caressing and kissing her,apparently ready to woo her abit more,but Avelyn knewthat she could notkeephimso for muchlonger. For a moment, she wasat a loss as towhat to do;then a brilliant idea popped into her mind. Shewouldput out the candle. He wouldnot be disgusted if he could notsee her. Removing one ofthe armsholding him to her, she reached blindly up and tothe side, trying to find the candle her mother had left burning on the chest at the head of the bed.

Avelyn couldn't findthecandle at firstand wassodistracted with her blind hunt thatshe didn't notice her husband'shand creeping lower until it reached and cupped the apex ofherthighs. She jerked beneathhim, amoan slipping from her mouth into his as all the pleasure he had been stirringsuddenly coalesced there. Her search for the candlebecamea bit frantic then, herhand sweepingacross the surface of the chest a tadwildly. She definitely felt it when herhand hitthe candleholder... hard.