He led her to the edge of the crowd and spoke briefly to Tumnus, Beaver, and Lucius. She was distracted and didn't pay attention to their conversation. He ducked them into a small door and down a servant's corridor. She had never been this way before and was aware that he was taking them the long way around. What she wasn't aware of was that Peter was having his security forces sweep through their rooms, those connected, and that guards were being posted. He didn't want to worry her, but he needed to make sure the castle was secure in the wake of the new threat.

When they finally came to the door of his chamber, he paused and opened the door. He then came close to her and lifted her in his arms.

She smiled and put her head on his shoulder. "You are truly a romantic, and I love it!" she said in his ear.

He grinned at her. Her dress was so full it would hardly fit through the door. They were both laughing hard by the time they entered into the room. He turned her so she could kick the door closed.

He looked into her eyes and said, "I love you, Mrs. Pevensie. Welcome home!"

"Oh, I like the sound of that!"

She looked around the room. It wasn't too different from hers, but there was more of a masculine feel. It looked exactly like she remembered in her dream, decorated in shades of navy, burgundy and gold's. She knew in the bedroom there was a large four-poster bed with a curtain that surrounded all sides. There were thick rugs with intricate designs woven into them. The sitting room had a long couch and deep arm chairs. There was a desk in the corner and a bookcase. Each room had two large windows that overlooked the beautiful bright blue sea. Both also had high ceilings with ornate stone carvings of Narnian creatures on them.

She sighed. She did feel at home, especially here in his arms. It was a wonderful feeling knowing she could stay there for three whole days. He must have been thinking the same thing, for he set her down gently, drew her close and kissed her. They held the embrace for a long time relishing the fact that there were no more interruptions and no more reasons why they had to stop. Peter pulled back and stepped over to where there was a flask and glasses of water. He offered her a drink and she accepted.

She watched, noticing how he looked today for the first time. He was so regal in his golden crown. His cloak was made of golden fabric that reached almost to his ankles and was secured to his shoulders with gold brooches containing the image of the lion. The doublet he wore was dark navy, almost black, velvet, with thick gold trim around the edges. It was a jacket style where two rows of trim came together in the middle hiding buttons underneath, she guessed. It, of course, had been custom made for him and accentuated his broad shoulders then tapered to his narrower waist.

It was secured with a belt, but he wore no sword. The sleeves were long and had what she guessed were called cut-outs in them with a dark gray blousy material showing through. It was the same color as the trousers he wore that were fairly tight fitting. Black high boots completed his attire. He looked at her, his blue eyes shining and his blond hair waving away from his forehead just in the right way. He smiled and the slight dimples showed. Her heart melted and her breathing increased just looking at him.

She walked over and put her hands on his chest. "You know, you are devastatingly handsome every day, but today you look incredible!"

His eyes lit up even more. He put the water glasses down, and said, "If we are trading compliments, then you, My Queen, are so beautiful, you have taken my breath away more times today than I could try to count."

She kissed him then and he tried to pull her very close, but the dress got in the way. They broke apart laughing.

"Have you seen yourself in the mirror yet?" he asked.

She had not seen her crown. She walked over into his . . . their . . . (she thought with a thrill) dressing room, to find the full length mirror, and there before her stood a queen. Regal and elegant, it was hard to believe that it was actually her. He stepped into view beside her.

"Oh, I would love to have a photograph of us. But, I know that is impossible here," she said sadly.

"Don't worry about that. Tumnus was already talking at the reception about updating the book with our wedding. He will draw us and that will be your photograph."

She smiled and was going to reply. But, a wonderful feeling flooded her senses. He had brushed her hair aside from the back of her neck and was kissing the spot where her neck and shoulder met.

"Oh, that feels lovely," she said. His lips near her necklace reminded her, "Thank you for the pearls, they are the most beautiful thing I have ever owned."

"You're welcome," he whispered, distracted, kissing her neck again. "There's much more when those came from. You can have your pick of the jewels in the treasury."

Again and again he kissed her neck. She leaned back against him and sighed. She was starting to feel dizzy. She grabbed his arm that had come around her waist for support and he looked up at her in the mirror. She turned around in his arms, and instead of receiving his kiss on her lips, she felt it on her cheek, her jaw, her throat.

He breathed into her ear, "I love you as the twilight glows, softly as it comes. I love you with all of who I am, now that we are one."

She had trouble catching her breath and didn't feel like she could stand up any longer, she had to regain her footing or she really might faint from the intensity of it all.

"I think I am going to need help with all these buttons. . ." she whispered, and pulled back to look in his eyes. "That was beautiful, by the way."

"No. . . You are beautiful," he said with a smile. Then he looked at her back in the mirror. His jaw dropped when he saw how many tiny buttons there were. She laughed.

"Guess they haven't invited zippers yet," he said ruefully.

She laughed again. "That's exactly what I thought this morning!"

He turned her around to face the mirror. Then he began to unbutton each button slowly, his fingers caressing her skin as he undid each one.

"What is this?" he asked after the first few.

"They didn't have time to line the dress, so they made a type of slip, or chemise, they would call it here, out of the same material they used for my veil."

It was very sheer and she could imagine his thoughts thinking the entire piece was as shear as the back. Most of it was. But she was wearing the satiny underwear that actually looked more like modern shorts edged in lace. She had worn those when they came to Narnia and she hoped they could make more for her.

At last he was finished and he pushed the dress off of her shoulders and down her arms. It only came to her waist; there were so many petticoats underneath. But he was looking at her in the mirror. The chemise had very thin shoulder straps and was cut low. There they had layered the material, so she was still covered. She couldn't read his expression, so she asked.

"What are you thinking?"

He blinked, and looked at her eyes in the mirror, "I was thinking how beautiful your skin is. So pale and flawless; almost like marble, but yet so warm to the touch."

At this he ran his fingers across her chest and down one of her arms brushing a shoulder strap off as he went. A thousand tingles exploded where his fingers touched. She shivered in pleasure and leaned back against him.

He sighed, "I was also thinking that this is like the adult version of Christmas and a birthday all wrapped up in one. And, you are my present. One I have been waiting for for a very long time."

She smiled and laughed a little, "And, now you get to 'unwrap' me?"

He laughed too, "Yes, but it is a lot like the year Lucy got me something small and wrapped it in multiple boxes. It took forever to get to the actual gift. Now, how do I work these things?"

The petticoats, she thought. There were five of them laced up in the back with ribbons. She instructed him on how to loosen the laces starting with the top one. By the time he was finished she looked like a white Christmas tree with material flounced all around her. As the laces were loosed on the final petticoat, she breathed a sigh of relief. They were warm and heavy. She wasn't wearing any stockings and she slipped out of the cute white little slippers they had made for her.

"Now, how do I get you of that mess?" he asked playfully.

She laughed looking at the swirls of material around her legs, "Maybe if you held my hands I could step over the whole lot?"

He grabbed her hands and she tried to step out, but lost her footing and slipped falling into him. He wasn't prepared for that, since he had been busy looking at her. So when she slipped it almost knocked him off balance. He caught her anyway and she was glad he was finally able to hold her close without the dress in the way.

She smiled, then stepped out his arms, and hung up the dress up noticing as she did so, two velvet pillows side-by-side for their crowns. She placed her crown on the blue pillow, knowing the red was for his.

"Peter?" she asked.

He went to her and noticing her crown, he took his off as well. She loved seeing them lay there next to each other. It meant they were truly together now. She was looking around at the huge closet, well . . . room. They had moved her things into one side, at least the dresses they had made for her. There were some lacy nightgowns hanging there.

"Oh," he said, "Those things have been driving me crazy for two days! They went ahead and put them in here for you. Every time I saw them I thought of you and me and . . ."

She turned to him, "And. . . Now I'm here."

"Yes," he breathed. "Finally!"

Looking in her eyes, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently. He was leaning over to kiss her when she spoke.

"Don't I get to unwrap my present?" she asked coyly.

He grinned at that and sat up. She sat up too and unfastened the cloak from his shoulders. Running her fingers down the fine material of his doublet, she undid his belt smiling at his quick intake of breath. Then she found the buttons, there were only five. She pushed it off his shoulders and laughed. He looked at her curiously.

"Now, I know this didn't come from Narnia!" she said eyeing the white V-neck cotton t-shirt he wore.

He smiled, "They don't put linings in my clothes, either. So, I kept it out. Besides, I thought someone might want to wear it in the next few days."

They both were quiet for a moment suddenly remembering the dream he had been so troubled about in their world.**

"Could it be, Peter? Could your dream have been a vision of the future rather than an image created by desire?"

He shook his head in wonder, "It could be!"

"I've never been able to tell you this before, but I feel free to now," she said, pulling his t-shirt off and running her fingers over his chest.

"I love looking at you. You are so well put together, it is amazing. You have always been able to spark desire in me with the looks you give me and your kisses. But, that morning, on the balcony, when I watched you run, I wanted you. That is what I couldn't tell you in the alcove."

His heart was beating hard under her fingers. He was leaning in, his face very intent, when she noticed his rumpled tunic and cloak. Scooting off the bed she grabbed them and started towards the closet. He tried to catch her arm. She gave him a teasing look knowing she was making this harder for him.

"What?" she said innocently, "It's going to be ruined with wrinkles. . ."

"April!" he exclaimed, almost in a whine.

She turned around and looked at him with wide eyes, "What? Did I just hear the High King of Narnia speak in a whine?" She teased him and he grinned.

She came back and stood in front of him as he sat on the end of the bed. She wasn't sure where this saucy attitude was coming from, but she liked it. She could tell that he did too. The truth was she was not nervous in the least. He had proven to her time and time again over the last year, and the last few days, just how trustworthy he was. Never pressing his advantage and always being sure she was safe from his desire. She knew what would be happening very soon, but she relished the thought of dragging it out a bit more and being able to play together. After all the seriousness and flurry of the last two weeks and all of its changes, this was a relief. His smile told her he agreed.

"Now," she said placing her hand on his waist, "Tell me how to do this. Do I pull here?"

She was referring to his trousers or breeches. There were laces on either side and she tugged on them. When the laces were undone the sides fell back. Amazing! So that was how they worked around not having elastic or attaching a waistband. His breathing increased and he slid off the bed to stand. Placing a hand on each hip, she slowly pushed the fabric off. He was wearing tight white briefs that almost came to the top of his thighs. Those weren't Narnian either. In fact, she wasn't sure what she would have done if he hadn't been wearing anything at all. Her confidence started to fade...maybe she was a little nervous. The trousers caught on something. They both looked down and saw his boots. He hadn't taken them off yet.

They laughed and he started to lean down. Their heads almost crashed together but she pushed him back.

"I'll get them," she said and knelt on the floor to take his boots off. While there, she slid the trousers off of him. When finished, she tentatively touched the muscles of his thigh. He tensed and she stood up, not knowing what to do next. He touched her chin and lifted her face to his.

"No more games," he whispered, and pulled her into him.

Wrapping his arms around her he kissed her with a passion similar to what they had begun calling, their 'midnight rendezvous' from two nights ago. His kisses were the same. She didn't know why she thought they might be different just because they were married. But, it was just him, just Peter. The nervousness left her and the now familiar warmth began to fill her body. She had to remind herself that it was finally okay to share this with him. They didn't have to stop, ever again! She leaned in enjoying his nearness immensely.

He pulled back, eyes intent and reached down to her hips and pulled the chemise up and over her head. He looked at her chest and smiled. He gently ran his hands over her front and down her sides leaving what felt like little trails of sparkles. He reached her hips and slipped off her shorts and then his. It was happening, it was really happening. She took a deep breath, her heart was beating like a drum and she was powerless to stop it. When he pulled her close, and their bare skin touched, a shock ran through her. She had never felt anything like it. He helped her sit up on the bed. She moved to the middle of the mattress and he came up to lie next to her.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed and leaned over to kiss her slowly and deeply causing her to press closer to him. His hand started to move gently over her body. Sensations began spiraling through her. Her breath came quicker and her body was responding to his touch in a way she never knew it would. She was ready, and he sensed it. He tore his lips from hers and moved closer. The weight of him was pleasant in a strange way. There was an uncomfortableness and then it was gone. She had the fleeting thought that they were indeed dancing together. She breathed deep loving the connection she felt with him. She sighed.

He rose up to look in her eyes, "Are you . . . all right? I didn't hurt you did I?"

She smiled and shook her head no. He seemed relieved. He moved next to her and she rolled over on her side toward him. He looked into her eyes and stroked her cheek with his thumb. She couldn't help but wonder, was that it? Are we done?

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and leaned in to kiss her. No, she sighed, relieved. They were not done. She had loved what just happened, but would have been a trifle disappointed if he had gotten up and not continued. She had the fleeting thought that if they had given into temptation before and were worried about being interrupted, or been in a place where they weren't completely alone, that could have been it. Could she say that she had enjoyed it then? She was glad she didn't have to answer that question. As difficult as it was, she was so glad they had waited until they could take their time and have it be right.

She forced her thoughts back to him. His kisses seemed more sensual now or maybe it was just the way she was feeling. He started at her forehead, and then moved to her eyelids and her cheeks. Slowly his lips started to caress every part of her neck, her chest, her. . . Her list! He remembered! The first item on her list that had only been whispered to him once at the very beginning of their relationship was to be kissed everywhere by him. Her eyes flew open and she met his sparkling blue ones. He had been waiting for her to guess what he was up to.

"You remembered..." she whispered.

"Of course!" he said. "How could I forget a request like that one?" he smiled and continued kissing her fingers, her palms. Every coherent thought flew out of her head. She drifted in a world of pleasure with only his soft lips and breath caressing every part of her upper body. When he started to move lower she tensed and shook her head without thinking. He nodded.

"Later," he said, "After . . . the baths."

She smiled. They were children of the 20th century after all. Having running water all of their lives, they felt the need to be clean for some things. But, he didn't stop. He touched and caressed until she trembled, never dreaming it would be like this. It was different this time, slower, more intentional, and more emotional. They were connected now, more than they ever had been. She sighed deeply, content in his arms and in his love.

"April, love, open your eyes," he said softly. She did and saw his blue eyes filled with a depth of emotion she had never seen there before.

In a husky voice, he said, "We are one, now. You are mine, and I am yours! Always, I will love you."

"I love you too, Peter. I always have and I always will!"

Their kiss was long and slow, full of the depth of the feelings and of the sensations that they had both experienced. They pulled apart and she cuddled close to him, putting her head on his chest. His arm was around her shoulders and the other hand was playing with hers lightly on his stomach.

"I never knew it would be like this," she said dreamily. "Did you? You seemed to know exactly what to do."

He chuckled; she could feel it rumble through him. He shook his head and said, "I imagined it about a billon times, but other than getting a few tips from Cor, I just paid attention to your responses. Well, other than at first . . . when I had to move quickly."

She was curious about that and he explained how his body worked. She then asked about the advice he was given. Peter was hesitant to share the details, so she didn't press him.

"Thank you, for caring that much about me, to find out what would make it easier on me."

He smiled and yawned, "You're welcome, but it was for me too. I didn't want to mess up anything this important."

She laughed, "Always the planner, and always prepared. So, My King, what is next on our agenda?" she teased.

"Mmm, sleep," he murmured, pulling her closer.

Sleep? How could he sleep? She couldn't help but think about all that had happened today. Her own thoughts tumbled about and she finally gave up trying to sort them and just relaxed against his warm body. How wonderful it was to be this close to him and know she would never have to be apart from him. Of course, she knew that was unrealistic, but it was a joyful thought. She must have drifted off to sleep too, for when she looked up the sun was much lower in the sky. She stirred in his arms and he woke too. She looked up at him.

"Hi," he whispered stroking her cheek and pulling her in for a tender kiss.

They were interrupted by his stomach growling, and had to laugh.

"Hungry, much?" she teased.

"Are you? All I have to do is ask."

"Yes!" she said, smiling.

~|XxXxX|~

He asked the guard outside and soon a tray of food and drink arrived. Peter had found a silken robe for her and for him. And, they sat on the balcony eating and enjoying the sunset. At one point, she looked over at him.

"You seem so far away," she mused.

"Well, come over here then."

She climbed out of her deep arm chair he had moved from the sitting area and walked over to him. She sat on his lap, putting her legs over him and cuddling her head against his chest. He placed his plate on her stomach and she gave him bites of food, laughing and teasing him. He ate so much!

It was silly, but now that she could, she wanted to be as close to him as possible. While he finished eating she took to running her fingers under his robe, caressing his chest, neck and shoulders. He sighed deeply and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. She imagined he was enjoying her touch as much as she had his. She had a growing desire to touch and to see all of him.

"Can we go back inside?" she asked in a low voice.

He set his plate on a table and she stood up. She started to walk in, but he lifted her up and carried her.

"I don't ever think I will get tired of you holding me."

He kissed her and tasted sweet from the fruit he had just eaten. He sat on the bed with her still in his arms. She deepened the kiss. He sighed and she gently pushed him back. His eyes widened and he lay back on the pillows. His breath increased audibly as she moved the robe off of his body. He did indeed look like a statue and she told him so. He flushed in pleasure and then smiled in delight as she started from his forehead and kissed him all over his upper body as he had her. Eventually she moved closer and felt the pressures of his body so much more distinctly than earlier; and, she loved being in control. The pleasure was intense. She laid down on his chest their breathing rates slowing and matching one another's.

They must have drifted off to sleep because when she woke the room was much cooler and the sky was completely dark. She crawled under the covers and woke him enough to come in with her. She had never felt such deep contentment and security. She fell into a sweet dreamless sleep with him curled around her back like he was meant to be there.

A/N:

(**From Engagements of Narnia, Chapter 11: Peter tells April of the dream that had caused him confusion.) "I had just left you at the door to your room and had gotten into bed. I wondered how I was going to fall asleep after what had just happened with us downstairs, and then I realized I had forgotten to close the bedroom door. Before I could get up, there you were, one hand up high on the door frame and the rest of you leaning against it. You were wearing...my t-shirt and only...my shirt. I sat up in bed and you came over and sat on the edge facing me. You took my shirt off. I asked you what you were doing. You said, 'what does it look like?' You pushed me down on the bed and leaned over. I said, 'But you promised to help me avoid temptation.' The look you gave me made my heart race. You then told me, 'a little temptation can be a very good thing," and kissed me. After a long moment I opened my eyes because the bed felt different. I glanced around and we were no longer in my room here, but in my bed chamber at Cair Paravel. I flipped you over underneath me. There was no return from that. Afterward we cuddled close together talking and laughing, about what I don't remember. But, it just felt so right; there was no guilt, no regret, and no shame.")