A/N: Originally this was meant to be two parts, and it's certainly long enough to be, but I felt like it belonged to remain one piece. So you, my lovely readers, are in for a treat today!

Susan

This clearing is absolutely perfect for a wedding. The spot is as secluded and sacred as an old church, and far more beautiful. The tiny lights, of fireflies or fairies or something else I don't know, float and flicker around the entire space. Thick, towering pines shield the outside world from view. The faint glow of the sliver moon illuminates the fallen needles flattened along the circle's ground. No less than seven graceful, glorious tree spirits, the images of beauty and perfection, float ahead of me and take their places around the edges of the circle, but Caspian's gaze never leaves me. My Caspian stands across the clearing, rugged and alluring in the open-collared white shirt and brown breeches he wears beneath his daytime riding armor. His long, dark hair falls across his stubbled face, but his eyes are what catch my breath in my throat. His dark eyes stare at me, drinking in the sight of my shimmering gold and blue gown, my draping sleeves, my hand-picked pine bouquet, my brown hair resting loose around my shoulders. Openly and unashamed, he stares at me, his bride.

Never in my life has anyone looked at me like Caspian looks at me now.

Peter gently guides me forward, into the circle. I'm certain if he were not pulling me along, I would have simply stood at the edge forever, having forgotten how to walk in Caspian's dark gaze. When I stand only a foot from my groom, Peter kisses my cheek softly, breaking me from Caspian's trance. I turn and hug my brother, then he drops his arms. I hand him my makeshift bouquet before shyly offering my hands to Caspian. He takes them in his rough, warm grasp, but still his eyes never leave mine.

My brother clears his throat nervously. "You'll have to forgive me if I forget anything. I've... well, I've never done a wedding before." He laughs, and Caspian finally turns to look at him, offering a friendly smile of encouragement. I look down, suddenly very nervous. I scuff the toes of my slipper across the pine needles and bite my lip. I'm actually getting married! Right here, right now.

Caspian

I let go of my bride's hand to place it on her chin, bringing her eyes back up to face me. I love you, I mouth to her, sensing the nervousness in her wide eyes and trembling hands. The surreal reality of our surroundings has certainly touched her heart. I'm not sure I've even absorbed it all - magic lights and tree spirits and a strange circle in the woods. None of that really matters to me, not the way it does to Susan. But my beloved bride standing before me is truly a vision. I've never seen the gown draped over her lovely form, shimmering in the glow of the lights and hugging her frame so perfectly. It was clearly made for her, of royal fabrics by skilled tailors. The dark pine needles she carried as she walked in contrasted perfectly against the light glow of her gown and her pale skin. Her hair is mesmerizing, dark as the shadows but still catching the light as it cascades down her arms.

Never in my life have I met a woman as enchanting or endearing as my dear Susan standing before me now.

Her brother clears his throat a second time and begins with the ceremony. "Um, dearly beloved, we have come together... before God and these witnesses... today..."

He continues to stumble through what I assume must be the wedding traditions in their world. Though the wording and odd pauses are long and very different from a Telmarine wedding, I do not care. So long as Susan is happy with this wedding, I am happy simply to wed her.

After a long introductory speech, Peter turns to Susan. "Susan Rose Pevensie, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together after God's... commands?... in the holy state of matrimony? Will you obey him, and serve him, love, honor in sickness and health, forsake others, keep to him only or something like that, so long as you both shall live?"

Susan bites back a smile when Peter gives up remembering the words, but she simply replies, "I will."

With a nod, her brother turns to me. "And will you, Caspian..." He pauses and whispers, "What's your full name?"

Susan sighs with a smile, and I smile back. "Just Caspian the Tenth."

Peter shrugs. "Okay then. Will you, Caspian the Tenth, have this woman to be your wife, to live together after God's commands in the holy state of marriage? Will you love, comfort, honor, and keep her, sickness and health, forsake all others, keep to her, as long as you both live?"

I nod at Susan, who stares up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. "I will."

Peter pauses for a moment. Susan and I both glance at him. His brow is furrowed, and he sighs. "Well, I think the giving-away bit's next, but I'm not sure how that goes. Anyway, I'm giving her away. Take care of her, Caspian, all right?"

His words may fumble, but his look is entirely serious. I nod solemnly.

"Right then. What's next, Su?"

We both look at her, and she rolls her eyes. "The rings. Except... of course, we haven't got any."

I glance at Peter and back at Susan. "Rings?"

"Yes, the wedding rings." She pauses before realizing I still don't understand. "What, you don't have wedding rings in Narnia?"

"No." I pause, a bit intrigued by the idea of rings set aside for marriage. "We have rings, but none made for weddings." I glance at Peter.

He shrugs. "Different worlds, different customs, I suppose."

I look back at my bride, who asks, "Well then, what do Telmarine weddings look like?"

"We have a ceremony of words, a bit like what we just did. Then there is hand-fasting - we use a ribbon to tie the bride and groom's hands together, and the officiant says a blessing. And there is the crowning of the bride and groom. For royal weddings, real crowns are used, but for the people, there is usually a crown of flowers." I grin. "Then there is great feasting and dancing."

Peter laughs. "Well we can certainly agree on the feasting and dancing bit. We haven't got rings, Susan, or ribbons, mate, but we are in a forest. I could get some stuff and see if you or the tree-spirits could make some sort of crown... things."

"No need." Peter and I look at Susan to see what she means and notice that she has turned to look at two of the tree-spirits, who have moved from their positions at the circle's edge to stand beside me and my bride. Susan releases my hands to take the pink flower circle and brown oak-twig crown they offer. I take the pink flower crown and nod my thanks to the tree-spirits. They're starting to grow on me.

Peter shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "So, how does this work?"

"I crown the bride, and say words of my own, called a benison. Then she does the same. Then we kneel before you, and you say the blessing."

He waits a moment to be sure I'm finished, then shrugs. "What's the blessing?"

"It is not a practiced speech. It is more... personal. Something from your heart about the couple. It is always followed by a statement of two souls becoming one, though."

He nods. "Okay then. Guess you two better get to crowning while I come up with something personal."

I gesture to Susan, and she kneels before me. Holding the delicate pink circle above her head, I begin my benison. "Gentle Susan, you who have seen other worlds and known this world of old, who have reigned long and gone down in legend among the greatest of queens, you who have conquered Telmar by my side and the armies of the White Witch before me, have conquered my heart. As I live, you shall reign by side. After death, we shall pass into the afterworld hand in hand. Anxiously I await a lifetime of learning your stories and holding your heart. I hereby crown you my wife." I lean forward and gently rest the soft crown of petals against Susan's even softer hair.

Susan

At Caspian's eloquent, tender speech, I find myself blinking away unexpected tears. The moment is no longer surreal or dreamlike. I am here, kneeling on pine needles, surrounded by magical light, before a man I will tomorrow call my husband. I am getting married, and I am very much in love.

Once the birch crown sits on my head, I stand slowly, carefully, not wanting to lose my balance and knock it off or to fall and crush the thin oak-branch crown I hold. As I stand, Caspian kneels before me, resting his elbow across one knee and bowing to look at the ground. The position reminds me of a cross between a proposal and a prayer. I take a deep breath and pause for a moment, gathering my words. My vow cannot possibly be as beautiful as his, but it will certainly be as personal and heartfelt.

"Caspian the Tenth, Crown Prince of Telmar, we have been through much together these past few weeks. We have won impossible battles and shared moments I never imagined I'd have here. You have fought and celebrated alongside not only me but my family as well, and you have come to accept me and my world as I once learned to accept yours. Thought I do not love easily, I have come to love you. I don't know what our future here will hold, but I have chosen to spend it with you. So I crown you, Caspian, my husband." With another deep breath to steady my racing pulse, I bend down and set the oak branches on his head, brushing the side of my palm against his thick, soft hair.

Caspian stands and surreptitiously wipes one hand across his eyes before taking my hands in his. He offers a smile to me; I respond in kind. Then we both turn to my brother, whose soft, proud expression shines beneath his unkempt hair. He takes a deep breath and mutters, "Well, here goes." Squaring his shoulders, he offers his own blessing.

"Caspian, mate, I don't know you well, but I've seen a lot of you while I've been here. I know you're a good man with a good heart. Take care of my sister, and I hope she makes you happy." He turns to face me. "Susan... I'm really not sure what to say. We've grown up together, you know, but I never really thought I'd be doing this at your wedding. I mean, I never really thought about weddings at all." He laughs, and I chuckle. Caspian releases my hand to wipe a stray tear off my cheek, and Peter continues. "But I can see a difference in you now from when we came to Narnia - even from how you've been all year since we left. I know how it was, growing up just to get thrown back into the old life. Maybe we'll go back to England again, or maybe not. I'm not really sure what's going to happen when we get back to the castle. I just know you smile more and laugh more and are happier now, and if that's because of Caspian, and you want to be happy with him, then that's what you ought to do. I hope you're both happy together for however long you have." He pauses. "Oh yeah! And may your souls become one in... harmony and unity... um, blessed by Aslan." He offers an apologetic smile as Caspian laughs. "Is that alright?"

Caspian just laughs again, and I giggle. "It was perfect, Peter. Thank you." I drop Caspian's hands to pull my big brother into a hug.

He releases me and steps back. "I guess I now pronounce you man and wife! Caspian, you may kiss the bride."

Peter laughs as Caspian dips me back, one hand on my back and the other in my hair, to press a soft, hot kiss to my mouth. In rich and poor, sickness and health, for better or worse... we are married.