A/N: Iselle and Bergon on their wedding night, only minor innuendo.

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

She could still hear the muted singing from outside, but it seemed to grow fainter as her heart beat faster. She turned to Bergon. He was smiling nervously and fingering the edge of the quilt on the bed.

"I-" The word escaped her in an involuntary exhalation. He looked at her, but she didn't know what to say. She had always known she would marry, and she'd resigned herself to the idea of not being familiar with her husband by her wedding night. But, now that the night was here, she didn't know what to do. It wasn't only the bodice of her dress that was choking off her air supply.

For a moment, she wanted to flee to her temporary room that she had shared with Betriz and Nan, or to go to her mother. For all her bold talk of making her own luck through this marriage and alliance and of saving Chalion, she felt lost. But the moment of panic passed.

"I'm sorry this is awkward."

She was grateful to him for putting it plainly. "It's all right. I think that's inevitable." With that mutual admission it was suddenly easier for her to breathe; the air seemed less dense. She found that they had moved closer together.

Bergon took her hand and settled his free one on her cheek. He paused and his eyes sought her permission. She nodded and he kissed her. His mouth on hers made her heart speed up in a far more pleasant way than it had before.

Paradoxically, as her pulse began to race, she relaxed further. They were equals here. Bergon's kiss was almost tentative. He pulled away slowly and brought her hand up to his lips. Neither made a move for several moments, and time seemed to expand again. Each breath filled an eternity, but the atmosphere was no longer oppressive.

They were acclimating themselves to the idea of being adults. True, in terms of experience, they had probably already lived fuller lives than most gray-haired elders, but they were still young in years. This act would erase the final marker of their childhoods.

Iselle realized that staring at Bergon was probably not reassuring him, so she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him down with her. Looking into his sweet face, she thought that they could do this. Neither of them was truly ready for this step, but they would help each other.

Then, together they entered the unknown.