CHAPTER FORTY THREE
WEDDING
The small echoes of conversations from the Throne Room echoed softly for both lovers to hear, and if nothing along the weeks that had passed could have made the reality of their coming marriage a clearer truth, then the many voices that reached both of them at the opposite sides of the room definitely finally did; it was there, it was time, the Throne Room had been completely decorated in ways it never had before, the Great Hall was decorated for the party afterwards, the guests were talking amongst themselves, and the bride and groom were waiting specifically at doors opposite to one another for the moment the ceremony would begin. Indeed, Edmund Pevensie waited behind a door that would lead to the Northern side of the castle, talking with nervous words to his brother and Right Hand (the Narnian title given to those that on Earth would have been called best man or maid of honour, the lovers came to learn), and Juliet Capulet waited behind a door that would lead to the southern side of the castle, with Lucy Pevensie, Athena Ashdown, and Juno Laelia fixing whatever little last things needed to be fixed of her dress or her hair; yet still, as the two remained apart for the last moments of the week, the voices at the other side of each of their doors made it clear for them both: in only a few moments, when the bells of the tower rang announcing the second hour of the afternoon, they would see each other again, and they would become husband and wife.
It had been an especially interesting week, with Edmund and Juliet sleeping in separate beds unlike they had done for months; each of them accompanied by their respective Right Hands to every single place of the castle and even sleeping in their bedrooms, for one of the many differences of the customs in Narnian weddings was that, even if the bride and groom knew each other before the ceremony (which had been about more than half of the weddings as far as the books recounted), they were to not see each other at all for the duration of the whole week prior to the ceremony. Of course, both lovers had tried disagreeing with the tradition, but simply for the reality that their wedding was the very first given in the new age of Narnia (and the first one in a little more than a century), Peter, Susan, and even Lucy insisted that all traditions must be kept at least until the wedding day; and so it had been that the two had been truly separated for the first time since their found romance. "They say separation is the best test for a relationship, you know?" Queen Lucy said one night while Juliet stared up at the canopy of her bed and sighed for what felt like the millionth time; but no matter what Queen Lucy said, the distance between her and Edmund felt almost even torturous, knowing he was so close but so unable to be reached for the silliness of a Narnian tradition. But, of course, both groom and bride to be had been absolutely busy during the days that the separation wasn't entirely felt until the night, when the two would have usually rested together if they had not found a moment in the day to be together in the first place; on the one hand, Juliet had had to manage as many of the details of her own wedding as Susan herself, because while Queen Susan was the one to handle the logistics of all events to take place in the castle, it was Juliet Capulet who had to make sure all the Queen's commands were followed to the smallest detail, and so it appeared that having to be Head of Household whilst planning her own wedding had the two stern-headed women knocking heads for the first time since they met. Of course, it had been during moments like those that the continuous company of Lucy Pevensie along the week was perfectly welcome, for she was able to make them see how ridiculous they sounded as they argued about the exact position a flower-pot should be placed or the colours to lead the whole ceremony; eventually all would break into a wave of laughter and a brand new amount of patience would be tried within the heart of both Queen and Lady.
On the other hand, Edmund Pevensie had been taking special advantage of his time with his older brother to perfect the design of the ring he would present to Juliet upon the ceremony, asking questions to the jeweller, and managing to only argue with Peter while they slept, when the High King thought it a good idea to tie both their wrists together and, just like Lucy and Juliet did at the opposite side of the castle, sleep on the same bed, "I am not a child," Edmund had explicitly told his brother the first night.
But Peter had only rolled his eyes and forced his brother to stay still while he tied the rope around his own wrist, "You may not be a child, but I don't trust you to not try to sneak out of this room to see Juliet while I'm asleep; and since I also need a good rest to deal with my own duties this week, this is the next best solution, now stop moving." And so it had been for every single day of that week; the High King was sure to reveal a bruise or two on his legs by the avenging kicks his younger brother feigned during the night, simply for the spite of being tied by a rope to his older brother.
All in all, more than a couple of people had had a lot of fun during the week leading to the wedding; Athena Ashdown most of all, who teased the young King repeatedly merely for having to be followed about by his brother, or the many tales Peter himself told her about the nights they spent tied by the wrists. In the end, the castle had been adorned, the colours agreed upon, and every single detail planned and secured for a good first wedding of the Pevensie reign; and so it proved by the time the bells of the tower finally chimed the expected hour and the gentle echoes from the greatly adorned Throne Room began to quiet down. With each chime Juliet's heart tumbled within her chest in a speed almost worrying, which the three other girls noted with a curious query about her well being, "You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Athena wondered a second after Juliet's hands lifted to rest gently upon the lace that covered her chest and a shaky breath escaped from her lips.
Of course the Lady's head shook regardless of how breathless she suddenly felt, "About being breaths away from becoming Edmund's wife, nay, not even a bit; though about having to be part of such a ceremony as to which awaits for me out there, indeed."
Athena's head shook shortly in soft amusement as she reached for Juno shortly beside her, "Well, the ceremony's necessary for you to be his wife, so take a breath and think of him only," she advised, urging the Archen Princess in the direction down the hall that would take them towards the door guests were supposed to go into the Throne Room from. "Good luck, we'll see you out there." She comforted; but the moment Juno opened the door to the great Room, the sound of those from the village who had not been able to fit inside the castle to see the ceremony cheering outside for its beginning reached Juliet wildly enough to make even her amber eyes go wide.
"O, dio ti prego, dammi la forza che nececito; o, la mia regina, cosa pensi che succederà se—oh, do forgive me," she said the moment she looked in Lucy's direction and noted the questioning look upon her otherwise kind features; it was perfectly easy to forget that anxiety wildly forced her native tongue to suffice even when she thought she spoke English, and for it her Queen and friend giggled as she tried handing her the little box where Edmund's wedding ring rested. "I mean to say…" The Protector continued, finally lowering her hands to take the little blue velvet box from the young Queen's hands, "What will come to pass if I, so foolish I, forget the words I must speak? Nay a speck of help I will have, and—"
"Ah, shh. Breathe!" Lucy said lifting her only free hand by the time she had reached to take Juliet's bedroom pillow and daggers from where they had been resting on a chair near them. "I'll be there, and Edmund will be there, and you're not alone, okay? I'm your Right Hand because you trust me, so do that and trust me that whilst I hold that title I won't let you fail, I promise." It was all the Lady could do to nod her head, hold the little box with both hands and take as deep a breath as she could; Lucy, meanwhile, rested a hand on the soft lace covering Juliet's arms, smiled, and squeezed comfortingly before speaking again, "Just remember, after I go in, listen to my words for the cue to head inside and don't step too close to Peter when you see him, stand just a step behind the pillow," Whilst releasing the deep breath, the amber eyed girl nodded once again. "Okay," and with that, Lucy was gone, taking the couple of steps toward the door, opening it, and closing it behind her to leave a beautifully dressed Juliet completely alone in the hall for the first time.
Finally among the guests, Athena found comfort on her seat at last upon the very front row of the nobles by Princess Juno's side; unlike weddings on Earth there was no aisle from which the bridal party would enter, just rows upon rows of prettily adorned chairs for all the guests to sit neatly enough to almost make the scene look like an audience awaiting for a play to start, and at the wall before them, just as it had been wished, the sun shone beautifully through the upper windows covered by soft blue and silver tulle, symbolising the Great Lion's own approval of the match by the brightness shinning through the bride and groom's favourite colours, high enough to spread the colours among the guests, yet low enough that it wouldn't blind any of them as they faced the eastern side of the castle. Just centred under the lower windows that so displayed the great eastern sea for all to see, was the high marble platform that had been finally discovered to be for that specific sort of occasion, to place the ceremony high for all to witness; that day it rested adorned with white daisies (for the lack of a silver flower), blue forget-me-nots and blue and white morning glories placed in silver pots to decorate the otherwise bare bit of wall under the great arches that made the windows, with many different designs of silver and blue fabrics, paints, and embroideries to cover every inch of the marble platform in match to the flowers themselves. On top, of course, for being the place where everyone would be walking, instead of fabric or something so slippery as flowers, there was a beautiful pair of blue and silver roses knotted by their stems made of an impossibly thin layer of wood in breathtaking art; the very centre of which was orderly occupied the moment King Peter and Queen Lucy slipped into the room by the doors at each side of the hall, climbed the steps, and faced each other to mark the start of the ceremony at last. "Who are you," Peter began in Lucy's direction as was the custom for both Right Hands to do; he was dressed in silver garments that matched the exact shade thrown upon ribbons, paints and plates all over the room, around his waist rested a pretty green and gold belt of matte leather that Edmund could have been remembered to be seen wearing a lot during the last year; his personal choice for the trinket taken from the younger king's room to wear as was his right by his title of Edmund's Right Hand; "and what proof do you have of your purpose?"
"I am Lucy Pevensie," the youngest Queen responded as if the two had never met before, looking her older brother in the eye and smiling as softly and seriously as only she was able to do; she was dressed in a blue to match the rest of the decorations, silk flying with her every move whilst upon her hair she wore the little diamond star embellishments Juliet Capulet had many a time worn upon her hair; the little personal trinket from Juliet's that Lucy had chosen to wear as symbol of her title of Juliet's Right Hand; and just like Peter, the Valiant Queen did not wear her crown, for upon only the length of the ceremony, both Pevensies were not in representation of their royal right simply because Narnian weddings made of all those involved in the ceremony equals to the one person that held the lowest title, in this case, Juliet herself. "Standing here by Juliet Capulet's leave as her Right Hand," the young queen continued, "And with presentation of these daggers—her most beloved possession—I prove her trust upon me to claim that title; thus I set them before the eastern sun, so Aslan may watch over this union and protect the owner of this symbol from this day until the day the skies rain fire and the waters run dry," So Lucy moved, holding onto a pillow with one hand and easily placing the sheathed daggers Athena had once given Juliet softly on the floor upon the right side of the platform with the other, just at the top of a silver platter that lay adorned with the letters E, and J, tied together by a pretty red ribbon; and then she stood straight, returning to her spot to face her older brother once again, "And pray, sir, who are you?" Her words came again, matching the very question her brother had given and thereafter finishing the first part of her duty as Right Hand, "And what proof do you have of your purpose?"
Peter's shoulders squared, and he responded to the query as he was supposed to, "I am Peter Pevensie, standing here by Edmund Pevensie's leave as his Right Hand," one of his hands lifted, showcasing the perfectly recognisable crown that Edmund wore whenever he left the castle grounds, "And with presentation of this crown—his most beloved possession—I prove his trust upon me to claim that title; thus, I set it before the eastern sun, so Aslan may watch over this union and protect the owner of this symbol from this day until the day the skies rain fire and the waters run dry," Just like his sister had done, he moved swiftly enough to place the silver crown upon the platter on the left side of the platform, one matching the one where Lucy had place Juliet's daggers; the very plates, in fact, that both Edmund and Juliet would eat from during the party alter on; then Peter stood again, returned to his place, and faced his sister. "Then, thou, Juliet's Right Hand, therefore agree to witness this union to happen, knowing your Juliet to be worthy of he who trusts me?"
Lucy nodded once, and lifted her right hand to rest upon her heart, "I do, in the name of Aslan, for in his name I stand, and to his name I shall not lie."
Peter nodded, "Then I stand aside so you may place your Juliet's pillow behind me, may it comfort Edmund from this moment until the day they both might rest by Aslan's side," His steps led him to the left, and he stood to watch Lucy place the pillow she had been holding on the right side of the platform, centred perfectly on the wooden art, a step behind the place Peter had been standing only a moment before.
When she returned to the place she had been standing a moment prior, she directed her words to Peter again, "And thou, Edmund's Right Hand, therefore agree to witness this union to happen, knowing your Edmund to be worthy of she who trusts me?"
Peter nodded alike, lifting his right hand to rest upon his heart, "I do," he said with a smile at last, all hint of any sort of nerves he had been holding clearly dissipating with the lift of his lips. "In the name of Aslan, for in his name I stand, and to his name I shall not lie."
"Then I stand aside so you may place your Edmund's pillow behind me," Lucy said with a smile much brighter than it had been before, complicit to Peter's own relief. "May it comfort Juliet from this moment until the day they both might rest by Aslan's side," Just like her brother's, Lucy's steps led her to the left, freeing the path for Peter to rest the pillow he had been holding at the opposite side Lucy had placed Juliet's pillow, only a couple of feet away and therefore leaving the two siblings resting side by side, facing the door opposite the one they had come from at the beginning of the ceremony.
"With this agreement," both Pevensies said, holding hands and standing shoulder to shoulder, "I call for the one who intends to marry the one who trusts me to step forth, so these eyes may observe and these lips may allow you the path onto the rest of your joined lives." And so, almost in unison, the doors at southern and northern sides of the hall opened, and in stepped Edmund and Juliet clad in the same colours that adorned the rest of the hall; Edmund's garments were of the softest cerulean blue, with specks of silver to contrast, like the hems of his trousers or the shine of his blue cape embroidered with hints of silver; Juliet, on the other hand, was clad in the most beautiful silver dress Athena and all the guests had ever seen, with a big skirt that flew beautifully from her waist, which was accentuated by the soft fabric of a blue ribbon belt, and made most gasp in absolute awe; it was a gown of silver fabric with a square neck that ended on straps slightly below her shoulders and lay completely embellished by the lace embroidery of many flowers and details that at the upper part served as the sleeves of the gown and reached all the way to the immortal's neck, and beautifully adorned the skirt and the train as it continued long after she had stepped through the door, sparkling under the sunlight for the silver of the main fabric and making a soft swoosh sound as she went, making the entire creation look like a piece of art wrapped in a pretty blue bow than a dress. Still, Juliet held the fabric of her tick silver skirt (with small difficulty from the hand that held the velvet box) and went, in unison to Edmund's own steps, up the stairs that would lead her to the middle of the platform, where she faced Peter Pevensie's smiling face; just as her young Queen had told her, though, she stepped only a step away from the pillow lain before her, centred on the beautiful wooden design she had to step on to finally be in place.
Only when a beat of silence filled the room after Edmund and Juliet had stopped, Peter and Lucy spoke again, the smiles clear upon their words, "You stand before me with the intention of marrying Juliet this day,"—only Peter said Edmund, of course—"do you deny it?"
Sometimes this very moment was where the trouble began, for those who regretted having said yes to a proposal countered with a simple "I deny it" to end the ceremony before it could ever truly begin, but of course, this day, which would come to be known as one of the three most beautiful of the Golden Age, both Edmund and Juliet wondrously said at the same time: "I do not deny it,"
The relief was happily felt along the room, and the smiles of all those who witnessed were matched by Lucy and Peter alike; still, as their next-to-last duty as Right Hand, the two of them spoke again, "I then welcome you, and thereafter step aside so you may wed this man,"—Lucy said woman, of course—"He who has entrusted to me with the task of setting the path to your new life, hoping that this match will prosper, from now until the stars rain down from the heavens." And thus, with a gentle lower of their frame in a bow and curtsy respectively, Peter and Lucy finally stepped aside, moving to stand at the very edges of the platform on the opposite side to where they'd come in from, and therefore finally revealing Edmund and Juliet to each other at last.
It was easy to say that their hearts might have beat along the same tune upon that moment, for a whole week had passed since they had last seen and spoken to each other; Edmund's eyes focused on the amber of Juliet's and he held onto his own little velvet box with a little more strength than he had used before, because there she was, looking as beautiful as she always did, glistening in the fabric of her clothes and smiling at him the way he had wished she could have so many times during the week. Indeed, there she was, and the previous words he had spoken, where he had confessed his intention to marry her for the millionth time yet with the same conviction as the first one, didn't feel at all like enough. "Finally," he said because of it in a voice so soft that only those in the front row or near behind them could possibly have heard, "there you are."
Were those tears that made the young king's eyes glisten? Oh, if they were Juliet was sure to be quick to match them, for the moment her eyes set on Edmund she could have sworn her heart had stopped, and a strong need to reach in his direction came over her so wildly that she had to make her hands hide in the many folds of her big dress to serve as shield against the urge that nearly drowned her, "Aye," because there he was, her impossible fate, her impossible truth, the impossible reality that she was allowed to never give him up, her Edmund, her love. "Finally," she agreed, "for it has been years since I have last seen thy face."
The gentle breath of Edmund's agreeing laugh reached her, and his own hands had to tighten on the box he held so he wouldn't reach for her alike; tradition dictated they simply should not touch until the ceremony requested it, so they had to hold themselves back, "Yeah, so what do you say we get on with it so we never have to be apart again?" He easily told her, and truly, that alone became enough for a few men and women upon the first few rows begin tearing up or coo in absolute adoration to the evidence of love there presented; the only thing Edmund cared about, though, was Juliet, who shortly took a breath and very much began to nod in a motion so wild it made the couple of loose locks of her hair dance with the motion. It became enough to encourage the young king to finally continue with the ceremony by lowering his frame before Juliet until his knees rested on the pillow Lucy had set for him, leave the little velvet box beside him after reaching in for the ring, and place his hands on his heart the way Lord Peridan had taught him to do; and then, at once, with the nervousness beating like a crescendo upon his heart, and his eyes perfectly set on Juliet's above him, the young king began to speak: "I, Edmund Pevensie, under this, the sun of old and new, by the heart which I hold and the love which I give you, I ask you, Juliet Capulet, humble, loyal, and kneeling at your feet, to accept me as your husband, with the promise that I will protect you from harm, treat your heart better than I treat my own, and evermore carry your dreams on my shoulders as if they were my own," And so much more; oh, he would have said so much more if his own vows had been allowed, for he promised to trust her much more than he already had, to reach for her when his nightmares were unbearable, to let her into the deepest corners of his soul and come undone forever in her arms, which were the arms he loved more than he ever thought he could love anyone.
But tradition remained, and because of it, for his role in the kingdom, and the promises he had done to stick to the ceremonies of old, no more than a single pause could prove his wish to say anything else; the pause, and the absolute candour with which his eyes focused on hers. "Letting go of my heart, I leave it under your hold," he continued, then. "Trusting you to carry it every day and protect it better than you protect yours, which I dare hold forever as my world." Just like Peridan had taught him, Edmund's hands moved in a soft circle upon the place they rested, guarding his heart with her love, according to what the Lord had said, and soon after physically offering his heart to her by finally doing as he had wished from the moment he had seen her, and reaching for her left hand with his. "Under the authority of the Great Lion, Aslan, creator of this world, our kingdom, and the Magnificent, Gentle, Just, and Valiant crowns, I take your hand to lead and be led by it, to support and be supported by it, to comfort and be comforted by it, from this, the eighth year of the new Summer, until the very last day you will have me, hoping it will be the last day I draw breath, for in his name I ask to become your husband, and to his name I shall not lie: will you accept me?"
Oh, would she, she wondered, she who had thereafter thought love to be nothing more than her duty, she who had welcomed the Just King's love with an expiration date, she who had thought her heart was meant to break and suffer for the rest of her days of eternity, would she accept him the way she thought she would never be allowed and end all sorrows with two simple words? By her own god, by Aslan, by the gods of all of Narnia, and by anyone else who could have been listening: "I will," she said, because there was absolutely no other way she could have replied, not now, not ever, regardless of the little tear that felt freely down her cheek and she swiftly forced herself to wipe it away.
It was impossible to keep the smile away from his lips as the young King tightened his hold on her hand and so easily pushed himself away from the ground, standing once again level with Juliet and fighting against every single instinct that told him to reach and wipe her tears away himself; instead, clearing away the knot his heart had formed upon his throat over the joy that there led him, Edmund spoke again: "I stand, then, at your side," which he did, walking around the pillow his knees had rested on and stepping exactly by the side of the pillow Juliet would use, no longer letting go of her hand. "As your husband, carrying alike your sorrows, joys, and aches, giving you this ring, which I made by love, sweat and the help of Peter Pevensie, my Right Hand, who stands behind you, with the hopes that it will remind the world of our love," He had to force himself to look away from the beautiful amber eyes he so dearly loved so he could look at her hand and place the ring he had been holding for the past few moments upon her finger; it was a beautiful band of silver and red that beautifully matched her engagement ring, and the moment the material whispered its settlement into its final home, Edmund smiled widely once again, released all the nerves and happiness that had been making his heart impossible to tame in a relieving breath, and looked into those amber eyes he had loved for much longer than ever he would admit out loud, "For your are mine as I am yours, under the name of Aslan, who allows this match, for in his name I take you, and to his name I shall not lie." He concluded, ignoring the extreme rule of their touch for a second to lift her hand up to his lips to kiss; a couple of people in the rows of guests gasped in surprise at Edmund's little rebellion, but most of them, Lucy included, tried wiping away their tears at the adoration proven before them; thankfully, that single indiscretion took only a few moments, for Edmund returned to his place now in front of the pillow he had used and forced himself to let go of Juliet's hand at once.
With a nervous breath, willing her own mind to focus on the words she had to speak, Juliet held her skirts and moved to softly kneel atop the pillow resting before her; it was a task easier thought that done, for the fabric of her dress made it so she had to kneel without truly seeing what she was kneeling on, but eventually she did, placed her own little velvet box beside her after taking the ring from it, looked up at her husband and placed her hands upon her heart with all the will she could have ever thought of having, "I, Juliet Capulet, under this, the sun of old and new, by the heart which I hold and the love which I give thee," She began the way he had; with a voice so steady she almost even wondered whose it was. "I ask thee, Edmund Pevensie, humble, loyal, and kneeling at thy feet, to accept me as your wife," It was hers, it most definitely was hers. "With the promise that I will protect you from harm, treat thy heart better than I treat mine own, and evermore carry thy dreams upon my shoulders as if they were mine," It was hard for the echoes of her voice to continue so steady, but they did, even as she gulped down the knot her nerves had placed in the middle of her throat; because if she did not, if she let the nerves take over her, she would forget the words, she would forget them like a bad actor upon a play and all her happiness would be ruined.
But she continued on, breathing softly for a short moment and wetting her lips against the dryness that her nerves so easily brought; because he was there, standing in front of her, already her husband, and she simply refused to let him down, to fail where he had succeeded, so she smiled and continued speaking instead. "Letting go of my heart, I leave it under thy hold, trusting you to carry it every day and protect it better than thou wouldst protect yours, which I dare hold forever as my world." Indeed, she had remembered, because she had been taught by Peridan as well, and even in a ceremony so serious and happy as her own wedding, her gentle sense of jest competition with Edmund Pevensie remained by reminder of his smiling eyes, and so, just like he had done, her hands moved in a soft circle against the lace upon her chest, guarding her heart with his love and swiftly offering her heart to him by reaching to the very hand he offered and so wonderfully held for the beauty of the ring that made him hers. "Under the authority of the Great Lion, Aslan, creator of this world," She continued, then, unable to remove the smile from her pretty lips, "our kingdom, and the Magnificent, Gentle, Just, and Valiant crowns, I take thy hand to lead and be led by it, to support and be supported by it, to comfort and be comforted by it, from this, the eighth year of the new Summer, until the very last day thou wilt have me, hoping it will be the last day I draw breath, for in his name I ask to become thy wife, and to his name I shall not lie: wilt thou accept me?"
Barely even a beat had passed before Edmund replied as personally as he dared: "What a silly question, of course I will." Tradition be damned, he would refuse to sound like a robot when he would rather scream to the skies that he would take her then, next month, next year, and next lifetime if he bloody well could; and, if anything, the gentle giggles from many of the guests only encouraged him. And why should they not? It was his wedding to Juliet, her wedding to Edmund; tradition surrounded them in so many ways already.
Therefore, with the same encouragement Edmund felt upon his heart, Juliet's smile brightened her face completely as she reached down to hold her skirts and began the great manoeuvre of getting up; of course, it took a little longer for her to rise, but in the end she did, just like he had done, without letting go of his hand, "I stand, then, finally, now that this dress hast thus allowed me," She jested for the sake of the freedom she thereafter felt; not only because she had remembered all the words, but because her wedding to Edmund had become a traditional version of wild, alike their love had seemed to be, that it even brought the giggles back, and all the royals even joined in that time. By the time the giggles subsided, she stood at the very centre of the platform, and finally she continued the words she knew she had to speak: "At your side, as thy wife, carrying alike your sorrows, joys, and aches, giving thee this ring, which I thus made by love, sweat and the help of Lucy Pevensie, my Right Hand, who stands behind you," Softly she slid the ring she had been holding onto Edmund's finger, a band of equal silver and ruby hints that matched the one she wore, "With the hopes that it will remind the world of our love, for thou art mine as I am yours, under the name of Aslan, who allows this match." She had done it; she had remembered, she had breathed, she had done what she was supposed to do, and finally, she could stand and evermore be Edmund's wife. "For in his name I take tee, and to his name I shalt not lie."
It was the cue of the end of the second part of the ceremony, and for it both Peter and Lucy turned around and walked away from the platform, their duties done, leaving Edmund and Juliet, facing each other and holding hands, entirely on their own by the end of every single thing expected of the Right Hand; only when Peter and Lucy found their seats by Susan's side (the only Pevensie who was wearing her pretty crown atop her head), did Edmund and Juliet take a step forward to begin the third and last part of the ceremony. They stood with their feet almost touching, and though their hands did not part, they did twist and lift until their forearms were touching as well, and their palms faced them, leaving the back of Edmund's hand facing Juliet, and the back of hers facing him alike; once their hands rested in the position they were meant to, their eyes did the counting for them, and together they spoke again: "And thus we stand together, as husband and wife, equal to the world, sharing of one heart and one soul, from now united, until the stars rain down from the heavens, by Aslan's approval" yet another little tear felt happy down Juliet's pale cheek. "For in his name we wed, and to his name we shall not lie." Finally, all the words were done, and only two things remained for them to do; the first was done gently as they leaned forward and pressed their lips to each other's rings, sealing, as Peridan had taught them, the vow that they had taken that day and making it official in the eyes of all, for their lips became the last acknowledgement against the rings that then forever belonged to one another, and as long as those rings and their love remained their bond could not be broken even by Aslan himself.
The second thing to do, of course, was the one the newly married couple would claim to have been waiting for during the entirety of the week they had spent apart, which was to lower their held hands without ever letting them part, and finally closing every single speck of distance between them so their lips could meet in a kiss as deep as they dared make it in front of so many people, leaving them so close indeed that the fact that their hands remained attached made the back of each other's hand ended up resting almost exactly upon the place the other's heart rested. The cheers from outside the castle were loud, and they mingled with the cheers and applause coming from every single person in the room; finally, the country rejoiced at the first royal match made, and though they would not be able to call Juliet their Queen until her coronation a few days later, they all still cheered for her as well as if she already held a crown upon her head.
Indeed, that was another thing Juliet would have to worry about; but for now, as she parted from the kiss she shared with her husband and turned to face all those who so quickly wished to move to congratulate them, Juliet Capulet felt like everything in her world was right together at last.
To Be Continued
