"Well, if it's so important to shore up our relations with Terebinthia, why don't you get married?" Edmund paced across the marble floor. Arms clasped behind his back, the young man cut a somber figure in his dark blue tunic of heavy velvet. Ten years had passed since Edmund and his siblings had been crowned as rulers of Narnia, the memories of England becoming more dreamlike as each year passed within the magical world. Aslan had not made himself known in the same way during their stay in Narnia but the Kings and Queens kept a special place open in their hearts for him.
"I've already explained. As High King, I am required to travel across the realm. Even you cannot expect me to drag some poor lady along in the caravan. Cold nights in the open, long days in the saddle is no way to treat a princess of Narnia." Peter knew how to press against the chivalry which Edmund held close to his heart. "Even if she was proficient in horse riding and can bear the pains of outdoor life well, it is no place for a lady. But you. You are the man I trust most. I know when I ride out of our gates that Cair Paravel will be ruled with a Just hand, that our people will be heard. The lady bound to you would need not worry about the hardships I would land her with." As Peter stood there, his eyes grew soft and pleading. Edmund had often seen the same look on Lucy's face when she would wheedle his dessert away from him. Edmund had always thought that Susan had taught the younger girl the trick but apparently it had been the oldest playing professor.
"Are you sure that Susan wouldn't be the better one of us to marry? She has so many suitors already, surely one is from Terebinthia."
"You know there is, Captain Ithal. He nearly unhorsed me in the last tournament. She likes him just fine, but it's not love. And really, with the number of men looking for her to stand at their side, it is simply political for Susan not to marry. No matter who she chose, there would be seven who viewed it as an affront to their own claim."
"So Susan, who the entire land desires, cannot get married. You, as High King, are too busy to get married."
"Yes, Susan needs to keep up her juggling act and I am simply unfit at this point in time."
"And Lucy?"
"Lucy's heart belongs to Aslan. And to a lesser extent to the faun, Mr Tumnus. She is wed to the land and sun of Narnia. What man could compete?"
"So this unknown woman will be stuck with me. A Terebinthian bride to secure their navy against those upstart Telemarines. A report of raids on Latern Waste came to me just yesterday, the brigands grow bolder with every month that passes." Edmund grew silent as he mulled over his anxieties of the Telmar problem. He must remember to share those concerns with Peter at a more proper time, instead he asked, "The Terebinthian dignitaries we met at the coronation, they were part of the royal family, weren't they?"
"Yes, two uncles of the current Prince, I know at least one has children of reasonable age. But your bride needn't be too close in line for the throne. I'm sure we can branch out further to find one that is compatible with you, Ed. There has to be one with a sense of humor and the patience of a saint. One that can weather your stormy moods." Peter grinned to lessen the jab.
Edmund began to get nervous, this marriage seemed likely to happen. Ed knew he would do his duty, but how would he choose a life long companion from a group of strangers. "Are you sure this is 100% necessary? I don't even know how to date a girl, let alone find one for keeps."
"I've told you for years to explore the possibilities available, but you always bury yourself in treaties and petitions."
"Treaties and petitions that run this country. Would you rather I had left all that paperwork for you?"
"Oh, no. You're very good at that part of running Narnia. But I wouldn't've minded if you had gone and found a nice nymph to spend the odd afternoon. In fact, Susan and I think it might be a good idea. Some practice to make yourself more amenable to a woman's company. You're surrounded by advisors all day long, if you inquired about your situation I'm sure they would agree that your conversation skills could use work."
Edmund bristled, resigning himself to his fate. "My current conversation skills will have to be enough, I'm not going to throw some local girl over when it comes time to marry. Lucy and Susan haven't been outraged by anything I've said in ages. And it would be unsporting to change now, my future wife will need to know what she is getting, come into the marriage with open eyes. Invite whomever you want, queens or peasants, and tell Susan and Lucy not to hound me into a decision. They can make suggestions but the final choice has to be mine. Now, I'm going down to the practice yard, Captain Laslo will have me mucking stalls rather than drills if I keep him waiting any longer."
Edmund didn't bother asking the High King's leave as he rushed from the room, ready to resume his usual responsibilities. He would worry about his future wife only when his siblings could catch him.
/\/\/\/\/\
The next month passed very quickly, there was much to be sorted out to be ready for their guests. Peter and Susan penned letters announcing the intention to marry their brother to a Terebinthian daughter, sending the fastest vessels filled with messengers to the island nation to deliver the words. Without fail, the messengers returned to the ships with new letters expounding the virtues of daughters, nieces, granddaughters and orphaned wards. Proud guardians wrote in glowing terms of gentle voices, unmarred beauty, quick wittedness and easy humor.
Upon finishing one such letter, gaudily embossed with many colored inks so it was actually quite difficult to read, Edmund remarked with a smirk, "With woman so spectacular around every corner, it's a wonder the Terebinthians get anything done in a day."
Susan, who often read through the letters alongside Edmund, rolled her eyes, "I wonder at how disappointed you will be when we finally see the 'unprecedented example of feminine beauty' which each writer promises. Oh, look, this one has a charcoal drawing of the young lady." A heart-shaped face with wide eyes and dimples was swallowed by artistic swirls of hair. "Maybe she will bring the artist in her retinue, it could be a welcome diversion to have an evening where we all had our pictures made. Did you look at the drawing? Lady Eliandra, daughter of Lord Bastion. Oh, dear, I didn't like him very much, he seemed a hard man to please." Susan frowned as she handed the letter to her brother.
"Lord Bastion?" Edmund, who had moved on to the next description, paused to remember the dignitary which the four rulers of Narnia had hosted years ago. "Yes, he certainly saw the world in only his way. Grew quite disgusted with Peter and I when we wouldn't allow Terebinthia to annex the Lone Islands, claimed to have historical rights."
"Maybe ten years of fatherhood will have tempered his thinking." Susan glanced at Edmund's stormy expression.
"It is possible, or he might be using his daughter as a bargaining piece to get what he wants." Edmund sighed and placed the letter on the read pile. "I need to withhold judgement on Lady Eliandra until I meet her, ten years is a long time and a daughter does not automatically ape her father."
"Yes, please keep an open mind." Susan smiled to herself and dove into the next possibility.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lucy was busy during the month as well. With Mr Tumnus at her side, she made arrangements to house her many possible new sisters and their families. A veritable army of fauns painted, fluffed and freshened the many rooms of Cair Paravel which were not used daily. Lucy herself tied her hair back, as she hefted large piles of linens, collected fresh bouquets in the fields surrounding the castle, and did all that was needed with a smile on her lips and a kind word to those around her.
Mr Tumnus stopped in the doorway of Lucy's solarium, he had found her checking one of her many lists, muttering about everything yet to be accomplished. He allowed one of his hooves to sound on the stone floor to alert the young queen to his presence without taking her concentration. He busied himself pinching wilted buds off of the many flowering plants that dotted the cosy retreat, waiting until Lucy reached a stopping point.
"Mr Tumnus, please, would you join me for some tea?" Lucy was gathering her papers together, clearing the table for her afternoon snack.
"Of course, my queen, it would be an honor." Although the two had known each other for many years, they maintained formalarity as a private joke. Lucy knew that the faun would always join her for meals or outings, but she always asked anyway. It wouldn't be right to assume Mr Tumnus would join her, it wasn't as if he was a tame creature of Narnia.
Mr Tumnus took his seat at her side, lightly resting his hand over hers, while they waited for the tea. "Couldn't someone else go through your lists to remove some of your burden? One of the dryads, perhaps. Or I would gladly help you, I do hate to see you so tired, Your Majesty."
"When the work seems overwhelming it will please my spirit to know you care so much, but if I am tired, it is a happy tired. My future sister could be coming to Cair Paravel in a matter of days, it is my duty to Edmund to make sure she is as comfortable and welcome as I can make her."
"Well, if she bases her opinion of His Majesty on your splendid appointments, Edmund will have a high mark to live up to indeed." The gold tipped horns, a gift from long ago, glinted in the sunlight as Mr Tumnus dipped his head to hide his smile as the servant brought in the tea tray.
Lucy didn't quite catch the joke, "I'm sure he'll be alright. Ed is just, just more difficult to...oh I'm not saying it right." She took a drink of tea and nibbled on a scone before she continued. "Edmund is dutiful, Peter would not be half the High King he is if Edmund was not here to bolster him, Ed is very sturdy." This time, Lucy caught the repressed giggle from her friend. "I know, it sounds like I'm describing a building. But he is. Edmund has worked diligently to to keep us all high and dry." Lucy giggled herself at this. "But really, someone has to be responsible."
"And he certainly is that, Queen Lucy. His Majesty takes every hurt and triumph to heart, anyone who has sat in on the audiences with King Edmund, would come to the same conclusion."
"Ever since," Lucy looked anxiously around to make sure no one can over hear, even so she lowered her voice to a whisper before continuing, "Ever since Aslan, sacrificed himself, took Edmund's place on the Stone Table, my brother has attempted to repay the debt. Once, I tried to explain that no debt was created that day. That Aslan is a fount of eternal love and that love survives death if given freely. I fear that Edmund will never fully wrap his head around the concept." Lucy gave one of her rare frowns again checking to make sure they were still alone. "But since then, Ed has taken it upon himself to be his best, for which he gave up most of his fun."
"He deserves someone in his life." boldly she squeezed Mr Tumnus' hand. "You might not know it from his current temperament, but he used to play pranks and laugh hard enough he would snort. But that was in Spare Oom, before," she whispered again, "the White Witch."
"I'm sure we can find someone to restore his good humor. There are few who can resist the charms of a Pevensie, even the glum-faced one."
