Chapter 4

Anne stared at the warm winter quilt that lay covering her legs, examining the patches of fabric, the stitching, the embroidery, anything to distract her from what would happen.

A rough hand covered her own, and Anne looked up to meet her husband's green eyes. "Y-Yes?"

"I won't force you into anything, Anne." Allistor said. "This is your choice."

"It's my duty…."

"Anne….be honest with me now lass…have you ever done this before? Your father told me you were married before. I'm assuming you went to bed with him."

Anne's lower lip trembled and she covered her face with her hands as she wept, muttering in French.

"Oh hey now. Look at me, bhean." With careful hands, Allistor moved his wife's so he could see her face. "Now, tell me what you're trying to say."

Anne took a deep breath and, slowly, began to explain. "I married Antonio according to my father's wishes. It was a time of war, he had just lost the woman he loved, and he wanted to make sure that I could be taken care of if anything ever happened to him. So, he sent me to Antonio on a ship with a letter saying that I was to marry him.

"I've known Antonio since I was a small child, Allistor. I didn't love him the way a wife is supposed to love her husband. I never will. But he was so kind to me…he treated me more like a daughter than a wife. The Spanish court mocked us behind our backs, calling Antonio all sorts of names and me his child bride. For 30 years I stayed in Spain, travelling with the court, sharing my husband's hurts. We shared a bed, but that was all. He never made a move to touch me, never gave me anything more than a peck on the cheek.

"When it was safe to return to France, Antonio sent me back to my father with a letter and two times my dowry. Papa was furious, at me, at Antonio, it was such a mess…."

Allistor rubbed a soothing hand over his wife's back, remembering not so long ago when he had comforted Arthur this way. "I see why you were reluctant to marry me."

Anne nodded. "I figured since you were a fiend of my father, like Antonio, you would look at me as if I were a child. I didn't want that. I didn't want to be another child bride in a strange place."

"Look at me Anne. Look in my eyes and answer me truthfully. Have your bosom and hips grown outhte last few years?"

"Well yes but-"

"and you've gotten thinner, lost some baby fat?"

"Yes but why-"

"And you bleed once a month, correct?"

"Yes. Why are you asking me all this?"

"You bleed, you've slimmed down, you've grown a grownup body. You're not a child, Anne. You're a woman. You're my woman."

Anne's pale cheeks flushed and she looked away. "I-I won't deny that I'm scared…I don't know…the ways of a husband and a wife…"

"Did your father not tell you?"

"He told me. I just…I'm not sure how it works. Will it hurt?"

"Aye. It may."

Anne's eyes looked up into his, so big, so wide, so frightened. "Will you…will you be gentle with me?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Allistor's mouth. "Aye. I can do that for you mo bhean."

And gentle he was. Calloused fingers began to trace over Anne's features, going over the shape of her eyes, her nose, her lips and cheekbones, like a blind man may try to see what someone looks like.

"Beautiful…" Allistor whispered softly.

His hands left her face, tracing the line of her neck, her shoulders, her arms, down to her thin delicate fingers. "It'll be easier on you if we touch like this. "

"How do you know?" Anne asked. His tenderness had moved her heart and she tightened her fingers in his.

Allistor smiled at his wife in the candlelight. "That's what I was told when I had my first. And so far, it's been helping."

"O-Oh…"

"Look at me, Anne." A slender finger turned Anne's face towards Allistor's, his eyes serious. "I only ask one thing of you tonight, lass. If I go too far, if I'm hurting you, tell me. I'll not make my wife's first time awful. Do you understand?"

Anne blinked, nodded, and shut her eyes when Allistor moved to slowly lift the hem of her nightgown.

"Sit up lass, I can't get it off if you're lying on it."

Anne did as she was asked, letting her only article of clothing be pulled over her head as if she were a child. When she laid back down, she suddenly felt very exposed, and very afraid. Her fingers tightened on Allistor's hand as she turned to look away from him.

This gave her husband the perfect opportunity to start lavishly kissing her neck, adorning the soft white skin with gentle nips, soft kisses, and the occasional soft flick of tongue. This continued for a few minutes until Anne made a small noise, whether of encouragement or impatience, Allistor to this day is still unsure.

But when he kissed where her neck and shoulder met, right under a small freckle, Anne made the noise again. It was this spot Allistor attacked with gusto, nipping and kissing it until Anne's breath came in soft pants and she wiggled under him.

She muttered something in French, a plea, and Allistor was all to happy to provide as he undressed. Anne's eyes, which had watched him as a hawk watched its prey, widened and she blinked.

"Don't worry lass. It'll fit." Allistor reassured as he returned to the bed and seated himself in between her thighs.

Anne nodded, opening her mouth to speak before a noise of pleasure ripped its way from her throat. Never, not in her many years of existence, had she touched herself there. Now, her husband was doing it for her, paying attention to the way her free hand twisted to pillow, and the way her mouth opened.

Anne's voice rose in volume and pitch, before she arched off the bed slightly, trembling softly as her body went tense and relaxed. She blinked blearily at her husband, who smiled at her as if she was his whole world. The secret place between her legs felt twitchy, and her lungs burned for air. The rest of her felt light, and warm all over.

As the feeling wore off, and the crap in her hips ebbed away, Anne looked up Allistor where he hovered over her. She could feel him pressed against her secret area, and his eyes sought hers for approval. Anne entwined his fingers with hers, and nodded her consent.

It hadn't hurt. Not as bad as she thought it would at least. It felt like a sharp pinch, and she cried out, but after that it was nothing. Allistor gave her a moment, or he needed one, Anne wasn't so sure, before he began to move.

It was slow, careful, if somewhat awkward, lovemaking. Anne watched her husband, eyes shut as he tried to work out a rhythm. Once he found one, it was only a matter of time. Five or six strokes and it was done.

Anne felt him have his release, and rubbed his back because that's what her nursemaid said would help him catch his breath.

Allistor removed himself from her once he caught his breath, and laid beside her. He looked at her, Anne looked at him.

God she was beautiful. Her bosom heaved, probably trying to breathe after having a grown man on top of you for a bit, her cheeks ere flushed, and she had a look of surprise on her face.

"What is it?" he asked.

"That's it?" Anne answered. "That's all there is to it?"

Allistor couldn't help but laugh. What kind of stories had this girl been told? "Aye Anne. That's all there is to it."

Anne gave an indignant huff and crossed her arms as she watched her husband move to the washstand, stark naked, and come back with a soft cloth dipped in water. Carefully, he wiped her down, kissing her tenderly on her hipbones before cleaning up himself and coming back to bed.

Anne pulled the covers up around the both of them, turned to face her husband, and yawned. "Goodnight."

Allistor pressed a kiss to her temple. "Goodnight, Anne."

A/N: Hallelujah! My first lemon that wasn't utter crap! Being a virgin, I was worried but it looks fine to me. Review please!

bhean wife in Scottish Gaelic (google translate)