CHAPTER 13- A Montage of Complete Happiness
Well, Ben and I have stayed in Narnia for about...wow, five years, the Pevensies for six. We were gathered around the Christmas tree in the Lounge in our Wing. We were opening our presents from Father Christmas. Narnia was beautiful in winter, and we loved it.

"Merry Christmas!" Ben bellowed as he waltzed into the room, kissing Lu on the cheek. Yeah, they've decided to go out a year ago, and they're in love. Peter and I have been going strong, hardly ever arguing, unless he didn't want me to fight. Then I'd argue up a storm, and he'd always lose.

"Merry Christmas!" I called back. "Hurry, we're opening presents!" He slid onto the floor to join us, just as Ed was unwrapping his present.

"What's this?" Ed asked as he ripped the paper off of the long, rectangular box. He tossed the lid off to reveal a long, slender sword and shield.

"Well, Father Christmas really didn't forget about you!" Lu exclaimed. We all admired our new gifts, all of which more extravagant than the last.

"Well, that was a fun Christmas, wasn't it?" I said, getting up from my position on the floor and helping Lucy up too, who started to pick up some wrapping paper.
"Wait, Soph!" Peter called, a little urgently. I heard Susan mutter something, and then scuffling as four pairs of feet shuffled out of the room. Peter stood and took me into his arms, burying the side of his face in my hair. "I love you, you know that, right?"

I looked up in slight confusion. "I love you too, Peter, but what's that got to do with anything?"

Looking right into my eyes, he said, "It has to do with everything." He reached into the amazingly decorated Christmas tree and pulled out a small, black velvet box. My breath caught in my throat when I realized what this might be.

"Sophie Henderson, I've loved you for five years. Before you, I thought I knew how music sounded, how velvet felt, how beauty looked. But since I met you, I realized that music was your laugh, that velvet was your touch, that you were pure beauty."

He got down on one knee and opened the box, but I could look nowhere but his eyes as he said, "Sophie, will you marry me?"

I jumped into his arms, all the while yelling, "Yes! Yes! Yes, Peter, yes!" I squinted through the wall of tears to look at the ring: there was a big blue sapphire in the center, surrounded by five smaller diamonds. "The big blue one is you, and the diamonds are me, Ed, Sue, Lu, and Ben. Specially made."

I grabbed the back of Peter's head and pushed him into a long, long kiss. He blindly fit the ring onto my finger and cupped my face, never once separating. We stood up, still locking lips, in our own little world. "Oh my god," I muttered, not quite able to process it yet.

"What?" Peter asked, worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh my god, I'm engaged!" I laughed, heavily leaned on Pete, and we both toppled onto the couch. I looked down to my fiancée (how great it felt to say that!) happily, and he returned my gaze with just as much glee. We fell into comfortable silence, satisfied with just staring at each other, when I heard footsteps and a voice say, "Get a room!"

I looked up to find the others coming back into the Lounge. It was Susan who just spoke, and I tumbled off of Peter, landed on the stone floor, and began laughing. "What's so funny?" Sue asked, and I got up chuckling.

"You know it was going to happen soon, anyway!" When she was still puzzled, (and a little appalled) I held up the ring. I was instantly deafened by congratulations and nearly suffocated by hugs. Peter was roped into the mob, too, and we both celebrated along with the others. Eventually, the celebration ended, and we were left alone in the Lounge, again.
"Who knew," I said to myself, a little awed.

"Well, I asked Ben for his blessing, and I needed Sue's help with the ring-"

"Not that, Peter," I said, stopping him and resting my hand on his lap. "I mean, who knew that an amazingly handsome king would ever willingly marry me? Certainly no one on Earth!"

"Well," he said, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

*****
Another year, gone, and I found myself staring into my full-length mirror. I was wearing a beautiful white ball gown. There were glittery silver swirls on the bodice, and the veil went down to my feet. I looked to my two bridesmaids, dressed in beautiful pale-blue dresses. Susan handed me my bouquet, made of white roses and blue hydrangeas, and gave me a hug. Lucy wormed her way in and said, "The day's finally here!"

I heard the door open and glimpsed Ben in the mirror, looking dapper in his kingly robes. I separated from the girls and enveloped him in my arms. "Are you ready to give me away?"

"As ready as you are. I just stopped in to see Pete and Ed. Soph, you should see Peter! He's about to jump out of his skin!"

I rolled my eyes as Susan said, "Typical. He's brave enough to fight giants but is afraid to marry his own fiancée."

"Oh Sue, relax!" Lucy exclaimed. "Can you blame him? He's about to make the longest commitment of his life!"

Sue glanced at the clock. "My Aslan, it's nearly ten o'clock! We have to go!" She grabbed my hand and nearly started sprinting down the hall, all four of us laughing along the way. It took all my attention to make sure I didn't step on my gown as we rushed out of the Warrior's Wing, through Cair Paraval, and stopping just outside the Great Hall. I remembered how Susan decided that the color scheme was blue and white, and how she decorated the hall accordingly: alternating rows of white and blue seats, great blue and white sashes streaked across the hall, the varying shades of blue the wedding party wore. The Archenlandian pastor stood at the head of the Hall, his back facing the warm summer sun. Sue signaled for the orchestra to start playing, and Lucy began her walk down the aisle, looking beautiful in her knee-length dress.

"Susan, thank you so much for your help on this! You did more than I!"
"Don't worry about it, Sophie! I've wanted to do this for years; I just needed someone to get married! Good luck, Soph, I have to go!" With those parting words, she began slowly striding down the long aisle. I was almost afraid to walk down; after all, would Peter at the last minute decide he didn't love me enough to marry me?

Ben, from beside me, read my mind and said, "Relax, Soph. Don't worry. He adores you. He's not going to back out. Now, will you calm down so we can begin?"

A little startled that it was already our turn, I lowered the veil over my face, took Ben's arm, and allowed him to lead me around the corner, through the doors, and down the aisle.

There stood my Peter, my best friend, my soon-to-be husband. He wore a bright white tunic and cape with brown breeches. Ed was next to him, wearing pretty much the same thing, just in a light shade of blue. Sue and Lu stood to the left, grinning brightly. I could feel my own lips stretching into insanity. Ed stood to the right with Pete, looking proud. He flashed me a thumbs-up, looking just as happy as his sisters. Peter stood just to the right of the pastor, looking at me with love in his eyes.

Peter
I couldn't take my eyes off her if I wanted to; luckily, I didn't. She slowly made her way toward me, hanging on to Ben. She was draped in an amazing dress-it was sparkly, modest, and dramatic all at the same time. Finally, she met me at the altar, where Ben moved the facial veil over her head, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left us to stand by Ed. I took her hands, and she looked up at me, beauty radiating from every inch of her. My beautiful bride said to me, "You know, if we go through with this, you're never getting rid of me."

I replied, "It's a risk I'd love to take."

Sophie, the Reception
I sat next to Pete at the High Table, watching the guests get served delicious cuts of meat and perfectly steamed vegetables. Once everyone was situated, Edmund stood to give the best-man toast.

"Peter and Sophie are two of the most compatible people I've ever met," he said. "They both love a good battle, they both lovingly annoy their family, and they can be the two most stubborn people in the world if they set their minds to it. Oh, they definitely have differences; you just have to look hard enough. For example, Sophie has a shred of kindness when she has fun with her brother." This earned a laugh from the audience, and he continued on. "Sophie, you're never getting rid of Peter. I hope you know what you signed up for. Peter, please, don't give her reason to regret loving you. She's the best thing to ever happen to you."

A few tears stung my eyes as everyone applauded his speech. As Ed sat down, Ben stood, and held his glass up as he began his own speech.

"All I can say is, Sophie, I've never seen you so girly!" This earned a laugh from the audience, and I buried my face in my arms to hide my embarrassment. Peter wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and Ben continued on. "Before we came to Narnia, you should have seen her! Our mother would have to force her into a dress, and since they started out, she's worn them with no problem! Before, if any guy but me laid a finger on her, she'd sock him in the gut! Oh, but now that's Pete's here, he can hug her whenever he wants!" Soon, he had the entire Hall laughing, and I said to Peter (my new husband), "It's funny, because it's true!"

"But, most important, before we came to Narnia, well, Sophie didn't give a damn about looks. She...well, she kind of hated how she looked. But Peter, you made her realize she was beautiful. She never even considered herself a match to other girls back home, and they were no prize. She was the belle of the ball, but she never realized it. Peter, thank you so much for forcing her to see just how beautiful she is. And Sophie, by the Lion's Mane, don't stop loving him, please! I need a guy in the family!"

Though his speech ended with a joke, I was still touched by what he said. Even he thought I was beautiful.

After dinner, we were led to the dance floor to begin our first waltz. Peter's arm held my waist close to his as my head rested on his shoulder. The dance was slow and romantic, and we swayed perfectly in sync. The rest of the world faded away, the music radiating around us. I said to him, "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you more than life itself."

*****
The whole reception was amazing. The songs were upbeat, the guests were thrilled, and everything went smoothly. The last dance came all too soon, and it left us wondering how eleven o'clock arrived so quickly. Sue and Lu shepherded me off and had me change from my wedding gown into a shorter, sexier dress. It hugged my body in an attractive way, and Pete's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw his new wife.

We waved to the crowd as they cheered indistinguishable congratulations. He led me to Samuel and Artemis, who were hooked up to a white carriage. Pete held the door and ushered me in, warding off the stinging grains of rice. Sue and Lu know where we're going, but Peter and I have no clue. They decided to keep the honeymoon a secret from us, but they gave a full three weeks to be alone. As we huddled in the carriage (my dress was quite cold,) we whispered sweet nothings to each other and watched the sun dip lower and lower from the sky. It had just disappeared below the horizon when we arrived at the fork of the two Great Rivers, where a small cottage stood. We stumbled out of the carriage and bid the horses goodbye, and when they finally disappeared over the hill, Pete swept me into his arms and carried me over the threshold of the small but lovely house. Once I was upright again, I gratefully kicked off the heels Susan forced me to wear in the closet and turned to get a drink when I was met with soft lips crushing my own. I responded immediately, matching his own desire.

He moved down my neck, and I knotted my fingers in his hair, my breathing becoming ragged with anticipation. His strong hands gripped my hips as he moved back to my jaw, and my pelvis pressed against his. We moved as one to the master bedroom door, and I fiddled with the knob before he, laughing, had to open the door for me. "Shut up and keep kissing me," I muttered.

"Happily," Peter replied. His kisses grew rougher and more lustful, and I could only turn it around and supply my own. We kept moving in synchronization until I felt my back slam against the wall. Bubbling over with happiness, I found the strength to push my husband away from me, across the room, and land on the bed, taking me with him. We kept kissing, and I was able to straddle his hips and rip off his shirt, until he rolled over, picked me up, and tossed me further into the middle of the bed. I got back onto my knees and met Peter, who toppled over, arousing me with his weight. We rolled around for a bit, and I found myself under him again, but we had stopped for a minute, looking each other in the eyes.

And then, ever so slowly, his fingers slipped around my back, clutched at my dress, and slowly pulled the zipper down my back.