--
"I'm so excited," Queen Lucy whispered as her nineteen year old body shook with anticipation. "We haven't seen her for ages."
"I know," her sister, Queen Susan, said with a smile. "I bet she's grown. Maybe as tall as you have."
"I'm not short," Lucy muttered, her arms now crossed in front of her. "I'm the youngest."
"Still short," Edmund muttered, fidgeting with the sword attached to his side.
"There's the party," High King Peter said, his arm pointed off in the distance. "Maybe another fifteen minutes or so."
"Oh, I can't wait to see her again!" Lucy cried once more. We were only fourteen the last time. She's probably engaged by now," she added, a critical eye on Peter. "Because most women in our country get married before they're twenty."
"There are no other women in Narnia, Luce," Peter said with a sigh. "And I'm not arranging a marriage for political reasons. If you fall in love with a suitor and he falls in love with you then you can have my blessing. But until that time …"
"You and Susan can be spinsters together," Edmund finished with a laugh, ducking the quick slap Susan had tried to bestow upon him.
"I'm not a spinster, Ed," Susan said with force. "The last time a suitor came calling it was that dreadful Calormene Prince Rabadash. I'm perfectly happy being single. I can focus more on my charities that way."
Edmund sighed and dismissed his older sister. "Hey, Pete, maybe you should get married soon. You know, the High King does need an heir."
"If I die, Ed, you get to be High King. Do you really want a nephew to take that away from you?" Peter asked with a sigh.
His hand unconsciously moved up to adjust the crown on his head. Marriage had been entering his mind lately but he couldn't for the life of him, find a suitable candidate. He knew he wouldn't have Lucy's luxury of marriage for love but he didn't want to marry for just political gain either. He cast a quick glance at Edmund. He would have to start working on finding Ed a wife. He was too old to be running so free.
"Here they come!" Lucy shrieked giddily as the first few horses from Princess Grace's party stopped in front of the Four.
Then men bowed and moved on. It seemed like she had brought half the kingdom with her. As the coach pulled up, both Peter and Ed shared a look. Grace had been quite … awkward … the last time they had seen her. She was a great friend to Lucy – and to Susan as well – but the boys never fully understood her. She wasn't like the Ladies that had been sent from neighboring countries or the Isles. She was a little rough around the edges and, for a Princess, did not clean up as pretty as she should have.
When thinking of a girl – well, anyone – with the name Grace, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed vision comes to most minds. But not Princess Grace of Archenland. She had hair as dark as Susan's and eyes a mix of brown and green. And she wasn't graceful at all. Her hair was, to say the least, nothing to talk about, as the princess usually wore it up to keep from her eyes when she participated in sport.
Grace was also keener on wearing trousers than makeup, as the colors ran into her eyes when she practiced her sword-handling.
At least when they saw her last.
This time, however, when the carriage door opened, Edmund shoved Peter over so he would have to help "Graceless Grace" from her carriage.
He regretted it almost instantly.
She certainly doesn't look like a bloke anymore, Ed thought to himself as he watch a woman with curling dark hair step out of the carriage, hand clasped tightly in his brother's. He noticed she was dressed in a deep red traveling dress and couldn't help but praise Aslan for his choice of national color. Though he wasn't sure that red was the national color of Narnia. Either way, Ed was certain that he was going to draft a bill to make it so.
"Grace!" Lucy cried, unable to contain her excitement any longer. She threw herself at the Princess of Archenland with a loud giggle. "It's been so long since we've seen you."
"I know," Grace smiled, her arms wrapping around her good friend. "The five of us need to talk in private as soon as possible," she added in a very soft voice.
"Is everything okay?" Lucy responded in the same tone.
"We shall talk later."
Lucy nodded and pulled back which allowed Susan to hug the young woman. "Welcome back to Narnia," the Gentle Queen said with a smile. "It's been far too long."
"That it has," Grace replied with smile, arms untangling from her embrace with Susan. "Your Majesty," she said with a deep curtsey as she turned to Peter. "Thank you for your assistance."
"It was nothing," the High King blushed as he motioned for her to rise from her curtsey. "We're glad you could come and visit us," he added as he pulled her hand to his mouth and gentle placed a kiss on it. "How long will you be staying?"
"We can talk about it later," she replied before curtseying and turning to King Edmund. "Your Majesty," she said, curtseying once more.
"You've changed," he blurted, eyes wide.
With her head still bowed she was able to hide her blush. "Yes, Your Majesty. I've been told that I've finally started looking like a princess."
"I don't like it," he said before turning and heading back to Cair Paravel alone.
After a moment, when she knew he was gone, Grace looked up with sad eyes.
"Oh, Grace," Lucy said softly. "Ignore him. We've been having trouble with some of the islands and he's been going mad over it."
"It's nothing," Grace replied in a slightly husky voice, thick with emotion. "He's just the first to say I haven't improved."
"Ed's odd like that," Susan interjected. "He's not very keen on change."
"You look beautiful," Peter told her, once again coming to her side. "Ignore him. You'll be in a much better mood if you do." When Grace smiled slightly, Peter turned to the girls. "Shall we head back up to Cair Paravel?"
"That sounds wonderful," Lucy said. "And Princess Grace requested a private audience with the four of us. We can do that, right, Peter?"
"Absolutely. We can use my private study. No one goes in there without an invitation."
--
As Edmund entered the castle he turned and swiftly kicked a suit of armor, not bothering to wonder if someone was inside it. "I don't like it," he mocked himself. "Should've just told her she sold out. She changed herself and now you don't like it? What kind of stupid prat are you?"
"King Edmund?" a timid voice asked.
"Mr. Beaver!" Ed shouted as he whirled around to look at one of Lucy's most trusted advisors.
"Are you quite all right, sir?"
"Fine," Ed said in a clipped tone. "The Princess has arrived. Please make sure her quarters are prepared. I mean," he added hastily, "please make sure one of the servants has her quarters prepared."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Beaver said with a bow before backing away. He was, admittedly, perplexed. Something had the Just King vexed. He quickly found a servant, however, and sent him to make sure Princess Grace's room was completely prepared.
--
"Where's Ed?" Susan asked impatiently. "He should have been here by now."
"I can just tell you all without him, if Your Majesties don't mind," Grace said softly. She hadn't expected King Edmund to show up to their meeting. He had ignored her all through lunch and had disappeared immediately after.
Peter's eyes drifted to the doors for the fifth time in as many minutes. He was worried about Ed. He had no idea what was going through his little brother's mind and he was itching to find out. But first, Princess Grace had requested a private audience and he would focus his attention on her. And then he would find Ed and get to the bottom of this attitude business. "Please, Princess," he said with a nod.
"I won't be staying in Narnia for very long," she told them seriously. "My father has decided to … marry me off."
"What?" Susan cried in surprise. "To whom?"
Grace let out a bitter laugh before responding, "Prince Rabadash of Calormene. The Prince is looking for a young wife to …"
"To what?" Peter asked, already knowing the answer.
"Breed with," she responded succinctly. "I am nineteen and have many more childbearing years. His other wives have only given him girls and my father has assured him that I will give him sons. Many, many sons."
"You can't marry him, Grace!" Susan cried out loudly. "He's … he's …"
"He's awful," Lucy continued for her worked-up sister. "He's manipulative and … and …"
"I know," Grace responded with a sad smile. "But sadly there is no alternative for me. I set off for Calormene in one week. The wedding takes place in two."
"There is an alternative," Peter said slowly, his eyes rising up to meet Grace's.
"What is it?" Lucy asked eagerly. "Anything is better than Grace having to marry Rabadash!"
"No, High King. I understand your thoughts and must decline. I did not come to Narnia for alternatives; I came to inform my friends of what was happening. I figured you would rather hear it in person."
"Wait, Grace," Susan said as she turned to her brother. "What was the alternative?"
"She could marry me," Peter admitted. "It would be an excellent match for our countries …"
"Rabadash has threatened war against Archenland if I do not submit. Our army is weak right now and we could not win. I will do what I am told and nothing less," she informed three of the Four. "Please excuse me," she finished with a curtsey before leaving the room.
--
"Where's Edmund?" Lucy asked over dinner that night. "I haven't seen him all day."
"Gone, my Queen," Mr. Tumnus said with a deep bow. "He's left a note for each of Your Majesties."
"Did he say where he was going or when he would get back?" Peter asked, quite ticked off with his younger brother.
He couldn't believe Ed was acting like this. He had gone on for days how he would show her that he was better with a sword than she was. Peter couldn't help the slight snicker that released from his throat as he thought back on the look Edmund had when Grace stepped from the carriage. But Ed hadn't lied when he said he didn't like the new look; he didn't. Because Ed had liked Grace the way she was, awkwardness and all. And now that she was done-up on the outside, Ed figured she'd gone and changed everything about herself and the carefree, fun-loving Princess of Archenland was now a prim and proper Queen-in-Training.
"He said he was going to one of the Islands and would be back in a week or so," Mr. Tumnus responded.
The King and Queens all turned their eyes on Grace.
"Guess he really didn't appreciate the dress," she said with a slight smile.
--
When the week was over and Edmund still wasn't back, Grace finally gave up. She knew he was no white knight, planning to ride to her rescue. She'd given up on the notion of King Edmund having any kind of feelings for her long ago. She knew she was an unconventional princess to say the least, but they'd had fun together.
She was shocked when he told her he disliked what she looked like. She was the same girl on the inside, she had wanted to scream at him, but she had been trained to hold her tongue and do as she was told. She never regretted allowing her father and his Council of Lords more than she did when Edmund showed how much he truly disliked what she had become.
"We'll come for the wedding," Lucy assured Grace as she hugged her tightly.
"It will be an honor," the princess responded to the Valiant Queen.
"I wish you didn't have to go so soon," Susan said with a tear in her eye. "Maybe one of us should go down with you?"
"Queen Susan," Grace said with a smile, "there's no way. You have your charity ball in three days and Queen Lucy has several important meetings."
"I could …"
"Your Majesty," Grace said as she turned to Peter, "imagine the talk if you arrived as my escort in Calormene. I will be fine," she reassured them. "And now it's time for me to be off. I have quite a long journey ahead of me."
"Be careful," Lucy whispered.
"And don't let him take advantage of you. You're stronger than that!" Susan added.
"We'll make sure to bring Ed along for the wedding," Peter said. "He'll want to be there."
"He'll probably pitch in half of the dowry," Grace chuckled. "He's never been fond of Rabadash and he certainly doesn't seem too keen on me either. It's a win-win for him, seeing us both uncomfortable."
"Gracie …" Peter whispered, "We can still get married."
"No, we can't," she said with a smile. "I won't ruin your chance for love because mine has been."
"Are you?" he asked. "In love, I mean."
"I thought I could have been," she responded as Peter helped her into the carriage.
"What happened?" he asked gently.
"He decided he couldn't bear to look at me anymore," she responded strongly as the carriage door shut and the horses moved forward.
"Damnit!" Peter swore as her horses picked up speed. "I knew it. And that complete wanker had to go and ruin it!"
"Peter, what's wrong?" Susan asked as Lucy's face contorted with worry.
"Edmund," Peter snapped.
"So he's not home yet," Susan replied with a shrug. "He was being positively ghastly to Grace anyway."
"She's just told me she doesn't mind this marriage because she's given up on love. That's right," he added loudly as he began pacing, "she was in love. And you know why she said she's given up on the idea of love?" he asked angrily. "I'll tell you why. She's given up on love because the man she fell in love with decided he couldn't bear to look at her anymore! That complete and utter wanker!"
"Oh no," Lucy whispered. "I knew she … I knew she had a fancy for Edmund but I never thought …"
"Well, Lu, it looks like it was more than a fancy. But it's too late now. And, to be perfectly honest, he doesn't deserve her."
"Don't be cruel, Peter," Susan said as she laid a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Ed was confused. He liked her before they … reformed … her. And he didn't know how to act around a real princess. Because five years ago, she was more interested in playing sports with the two of you than going dress shopping with the two of us."
"And now Ed doesn't know where he stands," Lucy added.
"Well lucky for him he doesn't have to stand anywhere now," Peter snapped again. "Because Grace is getting married to the most disgusting letch in the world and we all know that she'll never set foot out of Calormene again."
"Who's never leaving Calormene again?" a voice asked from behind Peter.
Susan, seeing the look on her older brother's face, grabbed onto his arm. "Grace, Ed," she responded.
"Why not?" he asked dismissively. "And where is she? I couldn't find her in the palace. I wanted to talk to her – apologize, you know?"
"A bit too late for that," Lucy said softly. "She's gone. To Calormene."
"She only stayed for a week?" he asked. "That's not like her. What's taking her to Calormene? I mean, what do those idiots have that we don't?"
"A wedding ring and a promise of no war," Peter said angrily.
Edmund blanched. "Please, Peter, tell me this isn't a joke. For the love of Aslan, tell me that you didn't just allude to Grace going to Calormene to get married."
"I try not to lie to you, Edmund the Just. So I can't tell you anything you've just asked of me. It would be lying," the High King sneered. "Because she just set off for Calormene to marry that wanker Rabadash" – Edmund's eyes grew wide – "and become nothing but a vessel to carry a child in. Or, as Gracie assumes, many children."
"And you let her go?" Edmund shrieked as he rounded on his brother, both kings completely forgetting the queens' presence.
"I asked her to marry me instead, Ed. And she turned me down. You know why?!"
"Peter," Susan called.
"Why?!" Ed screamed back. "Because you're a daft prat who doesn't deserve her?"
"Ed, please," Susan tried again.
"Because she told me she wouldn't have me give up my chance at love because she couldn't have her own chance. And do you know who it is she loved, Ed?" Peter asked as he stepped directly in front of his younger brother.
"Peter, don't!" Lucy cried out, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
"Tell me, Pete, if you know her so well!"
"Ed! Stop it!" Lucy cried again.
"You!" Peter roared. "She was in love with you and you treated her like she was nothing. You ran away from her, you avoided her, you left the bloody country to get away from her! I'm slightly convinced she came here hoping you would ask her not to go – I bet she was hoping you would save her from this disgusting fate, Oh Just King! But you didn't and now she'll be nothing more than a harlot to a Prince with many wives."
Peter'd had enough. With one last growl of frustration he headed towards the palace. "Anyone who wants to go with me to the wedding had best be ready in three days time. We leave for Calormene then."
The girls shared a look before silently following Peter back to Cair Paravel.
Edmund, however, continued to stare at the path he knew took Grace away from him and to the arms of Rabadash the Idiot.
--
The night before her wedding, Grace was pacing back and forth in the small room that her future husband had provided for her. High King Peter as well as Queens Lucy and Susan had arrived several days before. The girls had reluctantly helped Grace prepare while Peter nearly begged her to reconsider his proposal.
She had, of course, declined.
She imagined that most brides nervously paced the night before their weddings, wondering if they would be able to please their husbands, whether they would make good mothers … but not Grace. She didn't really care to please the Prince. She didn't want to marry him in the first place.
But she had been trained up well and would never show her displeasure to anyone. Tomorrow morning, she would be every bit the blushing bride. She would say and do all the right things and tomorrow night, she would consummate the marriage she never wanted.
She continued pacing, deep in thought, before she hurt a grunt and a whispered curse from the direction of the window. She quickly turned and was about to scream when a hand was planted over her mouth and she saw the face of King Edmund swim into focus.
"Shh. Please don't shout. Promise not to shout if I let go of your mouth?" he asked in a nearly silent voice.
She nodded and whimpered out an "MmmHmm."
He released her mouth from behind his hand but quickly pressed his lips against hers. He knew it was wrong, on some levels, because she was engaged to be married – tomorrow, of all days – but he knew it was in his power to stop her from doing so. He figured he would get the stuffing beat out of him when he released her lips so he decided, in the interest of his wellbeing, of course, to continue to kiss her. His arms quickly grabbed her around her waist and pressed her body flush against his. He certainly wouldn't have left Narnia if he knew this was waiting for him.
She was shocked, at first, when King Edmund kissed her. But when she got used to the feel of his lips on hers she decided it was not an unpleasant feeling. When she felt his arms tighten around her waist, her hands moved quickly to his shoulders before one gripped the back of his neck and the other the back of his shirt.
He broke the kiss and gasped for breath. "Don't … marry him," he gasped out.
"I have to," she replied, her breathing labored as well.
"You don't," he insisted. "Run away with me. Tonight. We'll be married by a centaur before dawn," he begged. "Please, Grace. I know I've been awful but I didn't know how to … you changed and it threw me because I spent five years wondering if I would ever see you again. All I knew was that I wanted to. And when you came back … he changed you, Gracie, and I didn't like it. But I'll live with it if I have to because I know you're in there somewhere and I know I can fight with you enough to bring the old Grace back out. Please, run away with me. Marry me. Be a Queen of Narnia."
"I can't," she whispered.
"I'll lead any army against Rabadash. I'll fight them all myself if I have to. Please, Grace, come with me," be pleaded.
"Edmund …" she said softly with tears in her eyes.
"I'll never stop loving you," he told her seriously. "I don't know when I started but I know for sure I'll never stop. Please," he begged again. "I have a horse at the ready. Say the word and we're heading back to Narnia and Oreius will marry us along the way."
"What about your family?" she asked.
And that was when he knew he had her. He placed another kiss on her lips. "I've written them letters to be delivered an hour after we leave. It doesn't say anything about the marriage but it says I have you with me. Now leave your belongings," he said as he watched her move to gather her things. "I'll have more commissioned when we get to Narnia."
He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out the window. He assisted her down – he wished now that she was in those trousers she was so fond of in their younger days – and they ran, hand in hand, to the horse.
"So, you love me?" she asked when they were about half an hour away from the castle.
"Yes," he said, his eyes trained on the trail ahead of him.
"Even if I look like this?"
"I drafted a new law making the national color of Narnia red," he said with a smile.
"Because of that horrid traveling dress?" she asked, her arms tightening around him when he sped the horse up.
"Shall I change it to green?" he asked with a smirk.
"So it matches my wedding dress?" she replied, a smirk of her own crossing her face.
They rode in silence for about thirty minutes more before they stopped in a clearing. Slowly a group of centaur emerged, Oreius with a large smile across his face. "King Edmund," he said with a bow. "And Princess Grace."
"Thank you," Edmund said seriously as he crossed an arm to his shoulder.
Oreius only nodded to the younger king.
"Maybe I'll change the national color back to nothing," Ed mused to Grace as his impromptu master of ceremonies readied himself.
"Why is that?" she asked, a slight light coming to her eyes.
"Because I'm sure that will be my favorite dress on you when we get back to Cair Paravel and I get to make you my wife in every way possible," he whispered as the centaur launched into the ceremony.
--
Three days later, Peter, Susan and Lucy returned home to Cair Paravel. As soon as they stepped through the gate, however, they were met with a shrill scream. Peter gave the girls a significant look before bolting into the main corridor in the direction of the sound.
As he grew closer, however, he had to stop himself from heaving a sigh of frustration.
Giggling. There was a scream and now there was giggling to go along with it.
Before long, he heard a very familiar voice cry out, "Edmund! Stop chasing me around the table," with a laugh in her voice. "I've already told you we can go into the stables after we have a civilized meal!"
"But I'm not hungry for food!" his brother cried with a laugh. "I'm hungry for you and we haven't been in the stables yet!"
"Nor will you be with the girls down there spending time with their horses," High King Peter said with a smirk as he leaned against the doorway of the private dining room.
"Peter!" Edmund cried in shock as he adjusted the crown that was hanging precariously off the side of his head. "You're back!"
"I am," he acknowledged coolly. "And I see Princess Grace is safe within the walls of Cair Paravel."
"Actually," Edmund said slowly. "There's something she and I need to talk to you about." When Grace gave him a stern look, he sighed and turned back to his brother. "Okay, so it's more me who wants to talk because she insists it isn't necessary but I think it is …"
"Get to the point," Peter said roughly as the girls made it into the room.
"Queen Grace," Edmund said.
"Did King Lune die?" Susan asked, a frown crossing her pretty face.
"No," Ed responded with a roll of his eyes. "No one's died."
"Then why would Princess Grace be Queen Grace? The only way would be if she acquired the throne through death of her father or married a king," Lucy said.
"She married a king," Ed said with a smirk.
"You took her away from a prince only to let her marry a king?" Lucy asked in horror. "Ed! How could you?"
"Well I didn't force her into it!" he cried indignantly.
As the two youngest royals began to fight and Susan attempted to break it up, Peter's eyes locked on Grace's.
With a silent conversation, Grace assured him that she was happy, she did marry Edmund, and it was nothing personal against him, she'd just loved the Just King since she was a young girl.
Peter smiled genuinely before turning to Lucy and Susan. "I think when you get to know the king you'll be okay with the match."
"What?" Susan cried. "You're the one who practically begged her to marry you and now you're standing here saying it's all okay?"
"Well, she did have to settle for second best," Peter said with a shrug.
"I did not!" Grace cried out indignantly.
Peter simply smirked at her before offering his hand to his brother. "I see you've successfully removed your head from your - …"
"Peter!" Susan cried.
"Took me a bit," Edmund nodded, not offended by his brother. "But I got it right eventually."
"I don't understand. Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Lucy asked
"You and Susan have to plan a coronation," Edmund said with a smile. "Because I want my wife to be a Queen and not a Princess."
Both girls stared at him for a moment, ready to ask just who he married and then it dawned on them at the same time.
"By the mane!" Lucy cried. "You've gone and married each other!"
The five shared a good laugh before Lucy and Susan excitedly started talking about the coronation plans and Peter turned to Oreius for a troop update, as he was sure Rabadash would not be too happy with the news.
Edmund and Grace caught each other's eye and then grasped hands before slipping quietly from the room and set off in a jog to the stables.
Edmund was still quite hungry for his wife.