"Father, please don't make me do this." I pleaded as the maids finished packing my bags, which included my wedding dress. It had been an arranged marriage, and I was taking the train into Finchley to stay with my future in-laws: The Pevensies. My father glared down at my petite frame.
"Elizabeth, don't make me repeat myself. You know that the marriage is mandatory-" I interrupted him.
"To a man…boy, I don't even know! I've never met him!" My father's hand made contact with my cheek.
"Do no interrupt me when I'm talking to you. Am I clear?" I nodded while looking at my shoes. One must never upset my father, it did no good. It was either his way or the high way. Captain Andrew Nicholson liked to order people around. It was why he'd joined the army in the first place. As his only daughter, it was my duty to be submissive and obey. It was a shame that I never learned.
We made our way to the train station, where my father would see me off. He wasn't even coming to my wedding, to see his only child get married. As he was in the Navy, he would be leaving the very next day for war, just as his best friend, Alexander Pevensie, had done only a month previous. I would be taking my governess, Lois, with me and she would be with me until my marriage, which would take place in one week.
Lois was the mother I never had, seeing as how my own mother passed giving birth to me. I would bet my life on the fact that that's why my father can barely look at me, because I killed his precious wife. Not to mention I looked like her. I had auburn hair and big brown eyes. I had always been thin, but as I grew into adolescence, my curves began to take form in all the right places. My father had tried since my infancy to raise me to the standard. I had been to finishing school, knew how to sew, read, write, and had been raised with proper etiquette. Problem was, I hated socializing. No, I was typically one who decorated the wall at a party.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth. I'll write to you." Father said without any affection. I nodded, knowing that he might send a postcard from somewhere in a few months. Then I'd probably never hear from him again. He had practically sold me at the age of sixteen to marry a boy barely older than me. I boarded the train with Lois, and it was silent until we pulled out of the station.
"Lois, what do you think it's going to be like?" I asked. My governess put down her knitting to look at me.
"I'm sure you'll be fine. Peter is a very nice boy, or so I'm told. You may not love each other, but that's common in some marriages. Soon, you'll become friends, and love will be the next step." She said.
"Do you really think I'll be happy without you?" She smiled.
"With everything going on in your life soon, you'll forget all about me. I don't think you'll want to remember me when you two are-" I cut her off in astonishment, knowing what she was going to say next.
"Lois!" I cried. We began laughing. My train arrived quicker than I wanted it to. I wasn't sure of where to go, or who to meet, so Lois and I sat down with my two bags, and one large trunk. Then, a tall woman with a friendly face loomed over me.
"Oh, Elizabeth! It's been so long." Helene Pevensie embraced me. Her words were truth, I hadn't seen her since I was nine. She and her husband had attended a promotional party for my father.
I nodded and she smiled. " We have a cab waiting, so we'd best hurry." I got my two bags, and Helen insisted on taking the trunk, leaving Lois with nothing but her purse. "Now, you'll have to forgive the mess in the house." Helene explained. "I'm afraid with Alexander gone at war, we've packed a few things away. And the children are going to be moving to the country soon, along with you and Peter. So there won't be much of a reception."
"Don't worry, Helene. I'm sure everything will be perfect."
Soon upon arriving, I met Edmund, Lucy and Susan, but had yet been introduced to my fiancé.
"Peter, come downstairs and meet Elizabeth!" Helen demanded her oldest son. There was a slight noise and then a low rumble of stairs. Lois was currently putting my things into the room I'd be staying in until the wedding. I looked up from my shoes to meet pretty blue eyes, and mussed up blond hair. He was a good few inches taller than me, and still had a hint of boyishness in his face.
"Hello." He said.
"Hello." I replied. We shook hands while Helen beamed at us. I felt completely awkward, but had no say in the matter.
"Well, I'll let you two get accustomed. Supper will be ready at six." She strode off into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. I took my coat off, revealing a light blue dress I had worn for the occasion. It fell a little above my knees, but my white tights covered my legs, and I wore plain black school girl flats and a ribbon in my hair matched my dress perfectly. There was a dreadful silence that fell between us as we sat on the couch.
"Er, that's a pretty dress." Peter finally broke the tension. Well, sort of.
"Thank you." I replied. I looked around the house. "Your home is lovely." I complimented.
"Thanks. You should have seen it before the war, when dad was here. It was a lot…brighter" I smiled slightly. "Um, what about your father? What's he like?" I paused for a moment.
"He likes to work. He's busy a lot, so I spend most of my time with Lois, my governess." I explained. Peter faltered.
"Is she going to stay with us? After the marriage." I shook my head.
"No, she'll be given a salary for her retirement and sent home to London." I informed him, trying to remain stoic, as if I really didn't care. Maybe the manners my father taught me would finally be put to use. Peter cocked his head.
"You're quite strange." He observed.
"You're quite blunt." I replied. My fiancé smiled.
"Well, you're probably quite tired from the trip, so I'll let you be." I nodded awkwardly and just sat there. So did Peter. We were at a loss of what to do. When he got up to move, I stopped him with a question.
"Why do you think our fathers planned our marriage?" He faltered.
"I-"
"Because we're awfully young and it's not like our marriage would benefit anybody. We're not royalty, after all. We don't have a kingdom to unite." I tried tried to chuckle, but it came out in a nervous breath.
"I think it's because your father wanted you looked after. And this was the only way to do it." Peter told me softly.
"But it isn't." I insisted. "I could have simply moved in with you. Or even with Lois and her sister! "
"But he wanted you out of London." Peter said. "And you need to obey your father." I swallowed hard. So this is what our marriage would be like. Lovely.
Ah! I've finally started revising this. Hallelujah! Anyway, I've changed my character around, though she's still the same personality-wise. And I rearranged some dialogue. I think their interaction is more natural now. And the rest of it is, too. But tell me what you think. I'd love to hear it :D You can do that by reviewing *hint hint* :D