The following day, as Aofie began the preparations for the wedding feast, Ead lingered around the table, watching her mother knead bread dough. "All right child, what is it? You never choose to stay in here with me if you can be outside."

"I…" Ead faltered, not quite sure how she should begin the conversation. Aofie paused what she was doing and settled her dark blue eyes on her daughter. "Better to speak now then face any surprises after the wedding."

"It's just, well… remember when we went to the wedding of Leowine's daughter?"

"Yes."

"Well, it was all very nice and she looked very happy until…" Ead paused again. Aofie tilted her head, trying to gage what was bothering her daughter about a wedding in a village that was a full day's ride from them. "Until?"

"Well, when they went to their …." She hesitated again. "Well, it seemed half the guests followed them to watch, to see…"

Understanding flickered into Aofie's eyes. "The witnesses, you mean?"

"Yes. I…. I don't want that, so many people when …. When Arnporr and I… when we… during our wedding night."

"Well, it isn't something that happens at every wedding, usually only when the couple comes from different villages. That's why the people followed Leowine's daughter and her husband, to witness that she was indeed a maiden on their wedding night."

"Yes, but Arnporr and I are from different villages, tribes even. Are we expected to follow that custom?"

"Well, it is really more up to him and his people, I would think. No one ever questions the man's virtue, or even expects it. And since we know he was married before, there is no doubt about him. Would you like me to have your father speak to him about this?"

Ead blushed. "I… I'm not sure. I mean, I can't imagine Papa being willing to speak to Arnporr on such a … private matter."

"True. But I also doubt that he would be comfortable with half of Arnporr's village watching him take your maidenhood."

"Would… would it be wrong for me to speak of it to Arnporr, instead of Papa?"

Aofie's brow gathered in consternation. "I…. that would be very …. Unusual. But you and Arnporr seem to have developed a very unusual rapport. Is he coming to see you today?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you choose to speak to him about it, let me know. Otherwise, I will speak to your father and have him talk with Arnporr tomorrow.

Yes, oh yes; thank you, Mama. Yes, I'll try today and if I can't then yes, tomorrow Papa can speak to him about it."

Arnporr did collect Edith that afternoon. They walked back to the clearing by the stream where he'd first discovered her identity. Sitting under a large tree, they remained quiet for a few minutes. Only the sounds of nature intruded on their thoughts. Ead's mind was filled with the question of how to approach Arnporr on her delicate subject. Arnporr's mind was centered on controlling his desire to further discover Ead's delicacies.

Ead sensed where his mind was. It wasn't difficult, as their last few meetings had been rather amorous. She also sensed he was deliberately not touching her, so she reached over and took his hand in hers. "I have something to ask, a question?"

Squeezing her hand lightly, he smiled down at her. "Question?"

"Yes. It is customary with our people that after a wedding and feast, when the couple goes to their home for …. Well, to be together…. It is customary for at least some of the villagers to be there to witness, to ensure the bride is… pure. "

Arnporr frowned. "Pure?"

"Yes, mmmmm… untouched. "

His frown deepened. "You pure. I not…touch you, in that way."

"Yes. And no one ever will except you. But, it is practiced, especially with unions from different villages." Arnporr's lip curled, giving Ead courage to ask her question. "But I would rather we not have witnesses. Will your people want it?"

Arnporr shook his head. "No. It is not our custom. I not allow it."

Relieved, Ead threw herself into his chest, her arms wrapping around him. "Thank you."

Arnporr returned her embrace and then kissed the top of her head. "I… defend… erm, no…. I… you are treasure. I let no hurt come to you. No one hurt body, no one hurt Ead…. Inside."

She looked up into his worried face and smiled. "I know." And that was the end of his control over his desire to touch her and taste her. They spent a long while kissing and touching and being as intimate as two people can be without actually being intimate. Despite Ead's desire to take things further, and truthfully Arnporr's as well, he did pull back eventually and insist that particular pleasure be left until after the wedding. It was a somewhat disappointed Ead that he walked back to the village.

"Two more days," he told her as they stood at the entrance to her home. "Two more days and then we have the night." He kissed her and then stepped away, smiled at her one last time, and walked quickly from the village.

Aofie came out of the door and smiled at her daughter. "I heard what he said," she told Ead. "He is keeping his word to respect you."

"Yes, he is. Although I very much wish he would not."

Aofie chuckled. "Oh my girl, there will be plenty of time after the wedding. I feared for you marrying this man. But I see now that you chose wisely. He treats you with respect and from his expression when you are nearby, I believe he cherishes you. That is always a good beginning to a new life together."

"Oh Mama, I am so happy that you see his value. He is a good man."

"Yes, I see that now. I do regret that you will leave with him to live in another place. But your father says the place he believes your new people will settle is not terribly far, so perhaps we can visit sometimes."

"Oh yes, I want that." The two women went inside to continue working on the wedding plans. "And Mama, I did speak with him. There will be no witnesses." Aofie smiled. "Good."

That night as her elders sat talking, Ead laid in her bed, her thoughts on Arnporr but an ear turned toward the conversation in the other room.

"I am coming to like this man," Aofie was saying. "He seems to respect our daughter."

"Yes, he does seem to be an honorable man," Heaviu replied.

"Well, I still do not see the sense of it," the grandmother said bluntly. "He will take her away from here and he is too old."

"All of that may be true," Aofie said. "But Ead has made her choice and is happy. And I think in one way or another, she would leave us anyway. At least this way we know she is being cared for someone who values her."

"Hmph," the grandmother. "Values her for breeding, I'm sure. She is young and he most likely wants children."

Ead had heard enough. Standing up, she charged into the other room, astonishing the elders. "As a matter of fact, he does want children, as do I. I want his children. And he does value me, much more than I could ever hope to be valued here. And he respects me. He doesn't think I am foolish, as so many here believe. And he doesn't care that I want to learn to be a warrior. He wants me to do whatever I wish. And he has vowed to always protect me, not just my body but what's inside too. And Granny, I do wish you'd quit speaking against us. We will marry, whether you like it or not. And if you try to stop it, I will go to his village on my own and give myself to him freely." She stared at her granny defiantly before storming off, back to her room.

Settling back into her bed, she heard her Granny huffing in the other room. Her father chuckled. "Well you did rather ask for that, you know." Ead relaxed. Even if her granny had misgivings, her parents were on her side.

The wedding will be soon, so this will probably move an M rating, just as Fascination has done. I do hope you are still enjoying.