Britamund is left alone

Britamund had already stood naked before her sister and even before Gwynn on many occasions, but Ana and Ogive had never seen her so. However, that was not what troubled her.

This was different from all the baths, all the tryings-​​on of dresses, all the costume changes in their little games. This time her naked body was not a temporary condition, but the goal.

This time her naked body was the center of attention, and she knew they were all looking at her as they had never before looked at her. They were all wondering what she would look like to a man.

The girls were still wearing the smiles that had come with their giggles when the dress had been lifted from her body, but they were not giggling now. For a long moment, no one made a sound. The younger girls seemed at last to have understood the portent of what was about to happen to her.

“Do you have any questions?” Ana asked gently.

Britamund knew that Eadie had sent Ana with the other girls because she was the only one who had been married. Aside from the priest, there was not one among them over the age of twenty, gentleman or lady, so thoroughly had this farce of her abduction been played.

She felt helpless enough at that moment to believe it was truly happening to her. Her ladies had accompanied her, but they could do no more than comfort her now and afterwards. They could not protect her from this pack of men. She could hear them howling all the way down in the hall, and she was happy she could not understand the words of their savage songs.

“No,” she heard herself say. She felt her quaking legs begin to move, carrying her towards the bed.

Her ladies could not protect her, so she wanted them gone. Their smiles were like grimaces, and their gowns only made her feel more naked.

“Shall we put out the candles?” Gwynn asked.

“No,” Ana said before Britamund could speak. “The gentlemen will need light.”

“Oh.”

Britamund sat on the bed and slipped her legs between the white sheets she had been promised. They were absolutely spotless.

Ana took a deep breath. “Trust him, Brit. That’s all you need to know tonight. He will be good to you.”

“Good night,” Britamund said, hoping they would understand and leave her alone.

Ana did. “Let us return to the hall, girls.”

At last she was alone.