Ch 38: Matchmaker

Susan's talent with foreign relations came in handy when Peter responded to Caspian's request that he marry Ines. Peter knew that Caspian would be loath to lose Corisande when she'd become such an important part of his domestic defenses. Peter was no more willing to give up Cori than the Telmarine king. Less so, he was certain.

Susan, with her usual astuteness, had suggested that Caspian might be more receptive to the idea if Peter established trade with Telmar--something that had never been considered before, due to strained relations between the countries and mountains that were difficult to pass along their borders. Both countries would benefit from such a plan. Telmar would receive grain from Narnia's expansive farms and fields. Narnia would obtain some of the steel for which Telmar was noted.

As for Peter... Well, he thought, I'm definitely getting the better end of the deal. I get her.

"Time to go in, brother," Edmund said beside him. Ed gave him a knowing grin and pushed open the soaring door to Cair Paravel's great hall. Sunshine poured through the glass roof, lighting the beaming faces of the hundreds of guests gathered there.

At the hall's other end, on the dais, stood Aslan, Peter's sisters, Asha, and Cori. Looking at her in her pale-blue gown, Peter ceased to breathe. He wouldn't have cared if she chose to marry him wearing a grain sack, but she'd wanted to dress for the occasion.

As grand as the ceremony was, he couldn't wait for it to end. When Aslan finished speaking and Peter kissed Cori at last, the roar of applause from the guests thundered in his ears.

The celebration afterward went on for hours. Everyone wanted Cori's ear for discussion, or her arm for a dance. Peter hardly saw his new wife. "Lucy, where's Cori?"

"I don't know," Lucy said. "I last saw her by the buffet with Nalis." Lucy paused in her dance with a young faun to look around the hall, but she shook her head. "Check with Edmund."

Peter approached his brother, who stood at the end of the hall whispering into Asha's ear. Asha giggled, and Ed's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Where's Cori?" Peter asked again.

"Married not five hours, and already lost your wife?" Ed grinned and grabbed Asha around the waist to twirl her in a laughing circle. "You ought to keep a better hold on her, brother, lest someone steal her."

Peter smiled. "You're no help at all." He slipped back into the crowd.

Five minutes. No Cori. Ten minutes. No Cori. Twenty minutes. Still no Cori. Peter groaned. Were weddings like this for every groom?

A hand snatched his. Peter spun around to find Susan smiling at him. She put a finger to her lips and towed him toward the side of the hall, where Peter spied the door leading down to the orchard. "Didn't I tell you before to leave it to me?" she said with a nod toward the door.

Peter kissed Susan's cheek and raced out the door as if the castle were on fire.

He found Cori at last sitting at the far end of the orchard. She stared upward through the branches of the tree under which she sat, the skirts of her gown spread out around her and her bare feet peeking out from under the hem. Peter saw stars blinking into being in the darkening sky. "There you are," he said. "A moment more, and I might have sent out a search party."

She smiled. "I've been waiting for you."

He sat down, intrigued by the playful expression on her face. "Really?"

"M-hm." She leaned toward him for a lingering kiss. "That's much nicer without everyone staring at us."

"Well, far be it from me to hamper your enjoyment," he teased, then stole another kiss.

Peter sat back against the tree. She laid her head against his chest and sighed. "Has King Caspian written to you?"

"He has. I think I've hit him where his heart is. He's positively foaming at the prospect of trading with us." With one arm around her, Peter reached his opposite hand up to a low branch and plucked an apple down. He split it in two and handed half to her. They ate in companionable silence.

"Well, your evening is complete, then," Cori said finally. Amusement laced her voice.

"Not quite," he said.

She arched back to look him in the eye. Her brow furrowed. "What more could you possibly want? You rule Narnia."

"No, I don't, my lady." He caught her hand and kissed it, then placed it over his heart. "You do."

~ The End ~

A/N: I hope you enjoyed Peter's story. (I think he might just stop grumbling at me now that he got his own book. *wink*) Thanks for following along. I appreciate every single review you took the time to write. Thanks again, and long live Aslan! :)