Note: So I got this idea to retell classic fairytales using characters from the Narnia series. I originally had a plan to retell 'The Snow Queen' using The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (I'm sure it's been done before, but I wanted to do it myself), however this story popped into my head and took hold of me, and so this one got finished first. I wanted to use Caspian the Ninth because he has no backstory, so could do what I wanted with the story.

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Once upon a time, in the faraway country of Narnia, a prince sat on the window seat of his bedroom, gazing out of the window of his room. He was unhappy, not because of some mysterious magic, but because of his family.

His parents told this prince, Caspian, that he had a year to find a wife. That year was almost over, and he had yet to pick a wife. His younger brother, Miraz, was already ahead of the game and was engaged to a noblewoman. Miraz must wait until Caspian married, however, as was custom in their culture – the oldest son must always wed before the youngest. And that was the reason for Caspian's marriage arrangement, fr his parents didn't want Miraz to wait forever.

Miraz was getting impatient, meanwhile. He was putting more pressure on Caspian than his parents, for who would want to wait to marry because of their slowpoke, choosey brother?

Caspian sighed as he watched the wind ripple through the field below him. He wasn't being picky…he just wanted someone to talk to, someone who could understand him. All of the noblewomen were fair and lovely, yet they were petty and shallow – they would never make good soul mates, let alone queens. As for the commoners – well, Caspian didn't know any. He rarely went around the towns, for he was always treated differently, much to his chagrin. It seemed that no one saw him as a person, just a prince.

A slight clatter came from his door. He turned to see a maid, Ornella, cleaning supplies in her hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry Your Majesty, I'll come back later," Ornella apologized, rushing to close the door.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Ornella," Caspian rushed, getting up from his seat. "You can clean. I won't complain. Besides, there's nothing I can rush to do – everyone's too preoccupied with the ball to want to do anything else."

"If you're sure," Ornella replied. She dumped her armload of supplies on the floor, picking up a dust rag and going for his family portrait. "As long as Master Janeco doesn't find out about me cleaning while you were still here."

"Nonsense – I wouldn't tell," Caspian sighed, sitting back on his window seat. "Everyone's too worried about that stupid ball, no one would care anyways."

"I take you're not too excited about this ball," Ornella observed, continuing to dust the portrait.

"It's just…do I have to get a wife in such an artificial way?" Caspian sighed.

"No…but your parents can't think of a better way to find a wife for you. That and Prince Miraz is itching for you to get married," she smiled, going for his assorted knickknacks for her next dusting conquest.

"I don't think forcing every single known bachelorette on me is the answer," he muttered, picking at the curtains on his windows. "None of the Telmarine noblewomen are worth the time – why would the Princess of Archenland or a simple Telmarine country maiden?"

Ornella smiled. "I can't tell you, Prince Caspian. My stepsisters will certainly want a go at you, though." She wiped her brow, smearing dust and soot on her face. Ornella was not homely, but her profession certainly inhibited her looks. She was pretty, with dark, ebony hair and lightly tanned skin, but she was always sweaty and dirty and dressed in worn clothes.

Caspian chuckled. "I don't know if I can stand the Fabulous Clondoze sisters again."

"They just want what's best for them – more money, a better title, infamy. But for all their preening, they don't even know your birthday." She threw her dusting cloth in the pile with the rest of her supplies. "The third of November, by the way," Ornella tossed over her shoulder, smiling as she picked up a fresh pair of bedclothes.

"I'm just picking a wife based on first impressions. Not very wise, I think," Caspian said, turning away from the window to face Ornella.

"So ask your mother to have some time to court the girl," she suggested, tucking the sheets under the bed.

"Mother says I must be married by the end of the month," he gloomily replied. "It's an agreement we had. I had to be married by the end of the year. And it's almost the end of that year."

"Oh, dear. You've been slacking, haven't you?" Ornella joked. "I certainly don't have that pressure. My stepmother could care less about marrying me off."

"I remember when you first came here ten years ago," Caspian smiled. "You were a very small thing, not much taller than the broom. But you loved to talk to me. You were 'ever so glad to be working in the castle, since that's where everything happened.'"

"I was a little cheeky, wasn't I?" Ornella remembered, as she smoothed out the comforter. "There. You should be set for today, Prince Caspian." She gathered the used bedclothes in a heap in her arms, and folded the cleaning supplies into the bedclothes. She held them close to her, enveloping her in cotton. "Hope the love quest goes well for you," she wished, winking at him. She closed the door behind her, leaving Caspian smiling.

Caspian got up from his seat and flopped on the bed. Why can't ladies be more like Ornella, Caspian thought.

Ornella was Caspian closest friend. When they were very young – Ornella twelve and Caspian fifteen – they grew close out of their loneliness. Ornella had to work to keep her family income steady. For years she was the one of the youngest servants working at the castle. Most of the other, older servants ignored her, and she often found herself alone. Caspian was a sensitive, overly mature boy who had a hard time relating to the young noblemen his age. He found them to be either boring or mischievous.

A year after Ornella came to work, however, her widower father managed to marry a noblewoman, Lady Deronda. She was a prim, proper lady, and felt that though her new husband now wore the title of nobility, her new stepdaughter didn't. Ornella, therefore, continued to work in the castle, while her shallow yet unaware stepsisters Mirabella and Verelle got all of the finer things of life.

Ornella was a smart girl – she went to the village school before having to drop out because of her job. She had the potential to become a schoolteacher, she said, but her hopes were dashed when her merchant father lost all of his trade ships at sea. Yet she always kept a happy face, hiding how sad she would be. She would try her hardest to cheer Caspian, for he was prone to bouts of sadness.

He was only friends with Ornella – he didn't want to become lovers. Yet, he felt that a marriage of friendship would be more reasonable than one of convenience.