What's Expected of a Wedding Night?
Prince Roald of Conte and Princess Shinkokami of the Yamani Islands walked silently through the deserted halls of the palace. Everyone else was still downstairs at the ball. They could faintly hear the music and laughter wafting up the stairs. Their steps were cautious; they stood a few feet apart from each other, staring straight ahead with blank eyes. Shinko glanced at Roald. He is quite attractive, she thought, eyeing the way his shoulders filled out his blue tunic. A blue that matched his eyes . . . But we don't even know each other. What's going to happen once we get to his - our room? What's expected of a wedding night? She sighed, causing Roald to look up at her. Their eyes locked for a moment, causing them both to blush. The princess quickly looked down again, trying to keep her cool. Roald kept looking at her, admiring the way her long black hair swished whenever she took a step. She isn't like I expected her to be. She's smart, and she fights well. We might actually get along. But what about tonight? We haven't really talked all that much yet, how are we going to sleep in the same bed, or *coughcough* do anything in the same bed? What's expected of a wedding night?
A/N: Yes, I do mean to use the phrase "What's expected of a wedding night?" repeatedly. That's why it's called that. Because that's what Roald and Shinko are wondering. That's the point of the story. So don't yell at me! *Hides behind hot pizza guy*
Keladry of Mindelan and Neal of Queenscove tiptoed up the winding stairs, careful to skip the ones that creaked. They had left the ball unnoticed, most people were drunk and those who weren't were having too much fun anyway to notice two squires slipping through the back door. They were slightly drunk themselves, having been guests instead of serving. Kel involuntarily let out a soft giggle, which escalated to a laugh, until she was laughing so hard she was crying. By this time, Neal had caught on and they were doubled over, nearly falling down on top of each other. "Ssshhh," Neal put his finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. "Okay!" she replied in a loud whisper. "Oops," she added as an afterthought. "No, I'm serious, Kel. We don't want them to hear us," he whispered. "You're right, Neal. They've probably reached the room by now, though." He nodded in agreement. "Let's go," and they went back to silently creeping toward the hall.
They stopped dead in front of the door. After a moment they looked at each other. "Is this it," Shinko asked, her voice weaker than she had planned. "Ye-" Roald's voice was no more than mouthing. He cleared his throat. "Yes," he replied, slowly taking a key out of his pocket. She kept her eyes pasted on the key as Roald slowly fit it into the lock on the door. Their eyes widened when the key was all the way in. Roald swallowed and carefully twisted it to the side to unlock the door. As it clicked, they both winced. He pushed the door open to reveal a large room furnished with dark mahogany furniture.
Roald motioned for her to go in first, and she smiled, though it was strained, and some of the tension broke. She carefully stepped into the dark room, surveying it through the dim light from the outer corridor. He made is way to a desk in the corner of the room, fumbling for mini-matches to light candles. He found some in a drawer and tried in vain to light it with the box. Shinko saw his trouble and purposefully stepped over, glad to have something to do. She gently tugged the box and match out of his grip and with one fast stroke lit the match afire. As she handed it back to him, their fingers touched for a moment. They pulled away instantly, as if their fingers touching had made its own spark. Nervously, Roald started lighting candles, and as he did so, Shinko could see more of the room. It was beautiful, with big windows and a high ceiling. There was a desk, a wardrobe, two dressers, and - a bed. Shinko stared at it; it was huge, dark wood, with plush silk sheets and covers. She apprehensively ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think of something to do with her hands. Why do I have to be so shy? Why can't I just talk to him? If we're going to rule a country together we might as well be friends at least. But she couldn't bring herself to utter a word. Shinko turned around to see Roald had finished lighting candles. He turned around and stared at Shinko. She stared back. They stared at each other for who knows how long, until a random blast of wind out of nowhere slammed the door shut. They started, snapped out of their space-out. Come on, Roald. You can do it. Talk to the pretty lady. Talk to your wife, the woman you're going to see practically every day for the rest of your life. It can't be that hard. Come on! But Roald, like Shinko, was shy, and couldn't think of anything to say. They had another little staring contest, and before they thought they were going to scream from the tension, they heard muffled voices outside the doorway. Curious, they crept toward it. When they were near, Roald crouched down and saw two pairs of feet in front of the door. "We have an audience," he mouthed to her. Shinko smirked and peered through the keyhole. What she saw didn't surprise her. "Kel and Neal," she mouthed back. "An unstable Kel and Neal, from the looks of it." Roald smirked too, amused. They leaned into the door when they heard whispers. "You think they're here?" "Of course they're here. Where else would they go?" "It seems awfully quiet in there. I'd expect more noises, from what I hear about wedding nights." Roald and Shinko looked at the floor, faces red. "Kel! I never thought I'd hear you say something like that!" "Yeah, well, you know what they say about wedding nights. Everyone goes a little crazy." A pause, then they heard a thud, and Kel and Neal's suppressed (or so they thought) laughter. "Here Kel lemme help ya up." "Aw, Neal. You're sweeeeeeeeeeeet! Heeehee! *Hiccup!*" "Now let's see if we can hear anything." "Okay!" They could hear the drunken squires position themselves leaning on the door, so their ears were close as possible to it. Those two. She let out a deep sigh, and heard Kel - or was it Neal? - Giggle on the other side of the door. This gave her an idea. Looks like Neal and Kel know what's expected of a wedding night. We wouldn't want to disappoint them.
Prince Roald of Conte and Princess Shinkokami of the Yamani Islands walked silently through the deserted halls of the palace. Everyone else was still downstairs at the ball. They could faintly hear the music and laughter wafting up the stairs. Their steps were cautious; they stood a few feet apart from each other, staring straight ahead with blank eyes. Shinko glanced at Roald. He is quite attractive, she thought, eyeing the way his shoulders filled out his blue tunic. A blue that matched his eyes . . . But we don't even know each other. What's going to happen once we get to his - our room? What's expected of a wedding night? She sighed, causing Roald to look up at her. Their eyes locked for a moment, causing them both to blush. The princess quickly looked down again, trying to keep her cool. Roald kept looking at her, admiring the way her long black hair swished whenever she took a step. She isn't like I expected her to be. She's smart, and she fights well. We might actually get along. But what about tonight? We haven't really talked all that much yet, how are we going to sleep in the same bed, or *coughcough* do anything in the same bed? What's expected of a wedding night?
A/N: Yes, I do mean to use the phrase "What's expected of a wedding night?" repeatedly. That's why it's called that. Because that's what Roald and Shinko are wondering. That's the point of the story. So don't yell at me! *Hides behind hot pizza guy*
Keladry of Mindelan and Neal of Queenscove tiptoed up the winding stairs, careful to skip the ones that creaked. They had left the ball unnoticed, most people were drunk and those who weren't were having too much fun anyway to notice two squires slipping through the back door. They were slightly drunk themselves, having been guests instead of serving. Kel involuntarily let out a soft giggle, which escalated to a laugh, until she was laughing so hard she was crying. By this time, Neal had caught on and they were doubled over, nearly falling down on top of each other. "Ssshhh," Neal put his finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. "Okay!" she replied in a loud whisper. "Oops," she added as an afterthought. "No, I'm serious, Kel. We don't want them to hear us," he whispered. "You're right, Neal. They've probably reached the room by now, though." He nodded in agreement. "Let's go," and they went back to silently creeping toward the hall.
They stopped dead in front of the door. After a moment they looked at each other. "Is this it," Shinko asked, her voice weaker than she had planned. "Ye-" Roald's voice was no more than mouthing. He cleared his throat. "Yes," he replied, slowly taking a key out of his pocket. She kept her eyes pasted on the key as Roald slowly fit it into the lock on the door. Their eyes widened when the key was all the way in. Roald swallowed and carefully twisted it to the side to unlock the door. As it clicked, they both winced. He pushed the door open to reveal a large room furnished with dark mahogany furniture.
Roald motioned for her to go in first, and she smiled, though it was strained, and some of the tension broke. She carefully stepped into the dark room, surveying it through the dim light from the outer corridor. He made is way to a desk in the corner of the room, fumbling for mini-matches to light candles. He found some in a drawer and tried in vain to light it with the box. Shinko saw his trouble and purposefully stepped over, glad to have something to do. She gently tugged the box and match out of his grip and with one fast stroke lit the match afire. As she handed it back to him, their fingers touched for a moment. They pulled away instantly, as if their fingers touching had made its own spark. Nervously, Roald started lighting candles, and as he did so, Shinko could see more of the room. It was beautiful, with big windows and a high ceiling. There was a desk, a wardrobe, two dressers, and - a bed. Shinko stared at it; it was huge, dark wood, with plush silk sheets and covers. She apprehensively ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think of something to do with her hands. Why do I have to be so shy? Why can't I just talk to him? If we're going to rule a country together we might as well be friends at least. But she couldn't bring herself to utter a word. Shinko turned around to see Roald had finished lighting candles. He turned around and stared at Shinko. She stared back. They stared at each other for who knows how long, until a random blast of wind out of nowhere slammed the door shut. They started, snapped out of their space-out. Come on, Roald. You can do it. Talk to the pretty lady. Talk to your wife, the woman you're going to see practically every day for the rest of your life. It can't be that hard. Come on! But Roald, like Shinko, was shy, and couldn't think of anything to say. They had another little staring contest, and before they thought they were going to scream from the tension, they heard muffled voices outside the doorway. Curious, they crept toward it. When they were near, Roald crouched down and saw two pairs of feet in front of the door. "We have an audience," he mouthed to her. Shinko smirked and peered through the keyhole. What she saw didn't surprise her. "Kel and Neal," she mouthed back. "An unstable Kel and Neal, from the looks of it." Roald smirked too, amused. They leaned into the door when they heard whispers. "You think they're here?" "Of course they're here. Where else would they go?" "It seems awfully quiet in there. I'd expect more noises, from what I hear about wedding nights." Roald and Shinko looked at the floor, faces red. "Kel! I never thought I'd hear you say something like that!" "Yeah, well, you know what they say about wedding nights. Everyone goes a little crazy." A pause, then they heard a thud, and Kel and Neal's suppressed (or so they thought) laughter. "Here Kel lemme help ya up." "Aw, Neal. You're sweeeeeeeeeeeet! Heeehee! *Hiccup!*" "Now let's see if we can hear anything." "Okay!" They could hear the drunken squires position themselves leaning on the door, so their ears were close as possible to it. Those two. She let out a deep sigh, and heard Kel - or was it Neal? - Giggle on the other side of the door. This gave her an idea. Looks like Neal and Kel know what's expected of a wedding night. We wouldn't want to disappoint them.