Nervously I paced in my room, my long dark hair up in curlers, and wearing the bathrobe offered to me after I took a "soothing" bath. Susan said it, the bath, would help…it didn't.
"Stop pacing or you'll ware a hole in the floor," Lucy said.
"I can't," I whimpered, "what if this isn't the right thing to do? What if it's a mistake?"
She laughed and put a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her giggles, "You're so nervous, it is quite funny."
Taking deep quick short breaths I said, "It doesn't feel funny! I feel like I'm going to throw up!" I started to hyperventilate.
Lucy grabbed my arms and stopped me, "Calm down. You love Edmund right?"
I nodded.
"Then you'll be fine." She let go of me.
Letting out a scream I fell onto my bed. "I feel like I'm going to explode, but I don't want to move. I'm not sure if I am excited or going to be sick…maybe a little of both."
Susan rushed into the room waving around the silver lacy tiara that would finish my outfit. "I got it!" She sang. "Will, what are you doing lying on the bed, get up! We have to get you ready."
Maybe it was a mistake making Susan my maid-of-honor…
"I can't, I think my feet are getting cold."
"Oh no!" Susan said, "Not today." She pulled me off the bed. "You love Edmund and you are getting married in two hours. That gives us little time to do your hair and makeup so by the lion's mane you are going to stop moping!"
Lucy giggled at Susan's stern attitude.
"A-Alright…"
Quickly she sat me down in the chair and began to unravel the pieces of cloth they had put in my damp hair the night before to make it curly. It fell nicely and on my head Susan placed a sort of tiara with white leaves and diamonds creating a halo effect.
My dress wasn't that big. And it wasn't quite white; it was a kind of silver with a blue ribbon around waist tying into a bow in the back.
"You look beautiful," Susan said, almost crying.
"She's right," Lucy said.
I couldn't say anything, they were right. I looked pretty.
Susan pulled me up and held my hands, "Edmund is going to faint when he sees you."
"I hope not."
They looked at me strangely.
"Then we wouldn't be able to get married," I said trying to smile, "that would be a terrible story to tell our children."
We laughed.
Quickly I was ushered to the great hall where the four thrones sat.
"Are you ready?" Peter asked.
"As I'll ever be," I chuckled. "Funny I said the same thing to Ed at the Battle of Beruna." I turned to him, "Hopefully this will go better than the battle."
Peter smiled.
Susan and Lucy walked down the aisle first.
Peter was going to walk me down the aisle as he was the closest thing I had to a brotherly figure.
We did.
Ed looked so handsome standing to Aslan's left, his hands folded in front of him. He wore an outfit of silver and dark blue. His expression was that of awe.
Peter gave me to Edmund.
"We are gathered here today to witness the union of these two people who love each other and wish to never be without the other for the rest of their lives," Aslan said. "Edmund…"
"Will...Willow…you are my best friend. You are my protector. I love you so very much," Edmund said taking her hand in his. "When you left for that seven years all I could think of was the moment when you'd return. I wished that we would end up here, and I am so glad we have."
Lucy handed him the ring.
Aslan then said, "King Edmund of Narnia, do you take Lady Willow to be your wife? To have, to hold, to protect, to cherish, to love in sickness and in health for better and for worse for richer, for poorer, now and forever?"
"Now and forever, I do," Edmund said, "with this ring I thee wed." He spilled a silver band with a sapphire gemstone onto my left hand ring finger.
"Willow…"
"Ed," I took a deep breath and continued, "for the longest time I ran. I ran from you. I ran from me. I ran from my feelings. But I'm here now and I am so happy that you asked me to be your wife. I love you Edmund, now and forever, and am eager to spend the rest of it with you."
Aslan then turned his head framed by the golden mane to me, asking me the same question, "Lady Willow, do you take King Edmund of Narnia to be your husband? To have, to hold, to protect, to cherish, to love in sickness and in health for better and for worse for richer, for poorer, now and forever?"
"Now and forever, I do." I slipped a silver band onto Edmund's finger, "With this ring I thee wed."
Aslan smiled, "Your souls are joined for all of eternity." The light in the room seemed to grow and grow like the light was coming from the lion's smile itself. "Once joined together in love, always joined. Be patient, kind, and content, and humble. May you honor each other and be selfless in your actions. Be not easily angered and keep no record of wrongs. Take delight in each other. Always protect, trust, always hope, always persevere. May your love, never fail." Aslan then turned his great head to Edmund, "You may now kiss the bride."
Our lips joined together at last. Faintly I could hear the applause and cheers of our guests, but in the moment I didn't care. Ed's lips were warm and soft against mine. In that moment I knew that this was going to just be the beginning of our happily ever after together.
With this final sacred act of love our hearts were joined together. We were finally together forever.
