Oh my God, you guys, here it is! The chapter that I have been dying to write since I first started this story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!
After about two months of destruction and construction according to Aslan's plans and accounts of what it looked like from creatures that were alive 20 years ago, Cair Paravel was restored to its former glory, just as it had looked before the Winter. The Pevensie's and I had all moved in, and I as Crown Princess (that was my new title until my coronation) had made sure that they had everything Kings and Queens could need, including all new wardrobes full of royal, regal clothes. The next thing I did after the castle had been restored was to pay the workers. While working we had found Mother's massive vault underground. There was enough money in there to compensate the kingdom comfortably for many, many years. Finally, I also had the villages reconstructed and hired the best staff I could get for every job needed for a castle to run smoothly and effectively. I also gave Mr. Tumnus a job as a butler to Lucy and moved him into a much more spacious cave. I did the same for the Beavers; restoring their dam. They promised to visit as often as they could.
I suppose it was safe to say that the Pevensie's were happy with their new life; especially Lucy. She was ecstatic over getting to spend the rest of her life in a big castle with more room than she knew what to do with. Edmund was excited to finally be in a position where he could speak his mind and heart freely (although I believe he just liked telling people what to do sometimes). Susan was happy to just rule over a country that was at peace and she wanted to keep it that way. And Peter...every time I asked him he just said he was delighted to rule by my side. We had all moved in to our respective chambers, given to us by Aslan. Lucy had a room decorated all in a playful, but charming pink with a view that looked out to the cliffs and the Eastern Sea. Ed's was definitely fit for a man, draped in a handsome shade of deep green that saw the Western Wood. Susan's was all an elegant dark purple that matched her class and grace. Her room had a view that saw the great stretch of plains and the Southern Sun. Peter and I had the biggest room. Our huge bed, like most of our room, was fitted in red and gold. The curtains were too, and the windows gave us a wondrous view of the ocean and the Northern sky. There was also a majestic fireplace, along with chairs and a table in front of it. I noticed that there was also several books on top of the fireplace. Those were useful, for I knew I would have to teach the Pevensie's every little thing about Narnia, from its geography and the surrounding countries, to customs and the all around culture. But I had confidence in them, and knew that they'd learn quickly. However, Peter and I couldn't share our chambers until after we were married. I was given another room a few hallways away, which would do for the time being. Peter and I had taken some time to get to know each other more, and we quickly found out that we had a lot in common, but just enough differences to keep too many arguments at bay.
It had been two weeks since we had moved in to Cair Paravel, and the day of the wedding had finally arrived. I had asked Susan and Lucy to be my bridesmaids as soon as the planning had started. Aslan had also already given Peter and I his formal blessing, for he had stayed in the castle with us. The sisters woke me to a late spring day that was perfect. The sky was blue and cloudless, a slight breeze blew gently through the trees, and the sun was high and bright. They were already dressed in the bridesmaid dresses that Adelaide, the young Narnian mother (she was actually only a few years older than I) whom I had met during the war and promoted to my personal lady-in-waiting, had made. Susan and Lucy's dresses were perfect matches, and were quite beautiful. The dresses were a gorgeous light turquoise blue and made out of crushed velvet. The sleeves turned into lace at the elbow and they draped in a most elegant way down to their wrists. The square neckline was trimmed in silver satin, studded with small diamonds and was decorated in a knot pattern The belt, which was designed the same, circled the hips in a V shape before draping down in the front in a single line. The lace up back was the icing on the cake.
"Come on, Diamond, wake up!" Lucy said. "You need to look perfect!"
"That won't be hard to do, Your Grace," said Adelaide coming into the room with Lacie, who I learned was the young boy Phillip's sister. Their father, Damon, survived the war and Peter had promoted him to one of his personal knights. Lacie was to be the flower girl and Phillip was the ring bearer. Lacie's little dress was a simple light blue satin decorated with flowers. I had given my butterfly crown to her to keep, and she was wearing it now. "She already looks perfect."
"Thank you, Adelaide," I responded, getting myself out of bed.
"Anything for you, My Lady," she replied with a curtsy. I stretched and yawned before climbing out of bed and opening the curtains.
"Ah," I sighed. "A perfect day."
"Well, we have to make sure that all eyes are on you, not the weather." said Susan, coming over to me and grabbing my hands in hers and smiling. Lucy came over and the two of them guided me to my vanity. They sat me down and immediately began working on my hair, with little Lacie as their assistant, handing them brushes and tools as they needed them. Adelaide had gone down to the kitchens to fetch a breakfast platter for all of us to nibble off of and she soon return with eggs, salt pork, porridge with cream, and toast with butter and jam, as well as Narnian cherry juice. I sat patiently, conversing with my fellow women as the sisters worked on my hair. What seemed like seconds passed by before the two declared that they were finished and I could finally look. When I did, I was awestruck. They had curled very little strands of my blonde hair and piled some of them on the back of my head. The rest of them cascaded down my back until the very ends were tied together. They had also woven a sparkly silver ribbon all throughout my hair and placed tiny bunches of baby's breath in random places along the ribbon. I thanked them and as soon as I did, Adelaide crouched in front of me. She put a powder that blended into my skin and made it look flawless. A gold shadow dusted my hazel eyes and a black liquid lined them. My lashes were extended to a most attractive flutter and my cheeks were flushed a pleasing pink. Finally, red rouge filled my lips. I looked in the mirror and saw that Adelaide's work had defined my features, especially my eyes, and I felt beautiful. I hugged her in thanks, and was finally allowed to stand. Now one task remained...
My dress.
I stood in front of the mirror looking at my reflection, tapping my chin in thought, trying to think of the perfect design. "Diamond," Lucy said. "Maybe you should just let your powers decide." I smiled at her.
"Maybe you're right, Lu." I said, readying my powers. Waving my hands and letting the magic swirl, I began. I made most of the dress out of white snow silk with lines of pale blue thread that shimmered when the sun caught it. The sleeveless bodice was this same pale blue, so much so that it was almost white, and I covered it with thousands of small diamonds. I gave the dress a sweetheart neckline and covered the ball gown skirt in a few layers of pale blue tulle to make it fuller. The tulle was almost see through so one could still see the white silk. As a few final touches, I added a very long train, made a cape of tulle attached to the shoulders of the bodice that also had diamonds scattered in bunches near the top and lining it on the edges, and finally, I completed it by making pumps on my feet out of ice and adorned my body with an exquisite diamond tiara, matching earrings and bracelet and necklace. I attached a white veil to the tiara and let it flow freely over my face and down my back, stopping at my ankles. When I was finished I stepped back and turned around, eliciting gasps from the others.
"Diamond..." Susan said, her voice trailing. "You look...beautiful." Lucy and Adelaide voiced their agreement and I smiled with pride at the compliments and my hard work.
"Peter is going to die when he sees you," Lucy said, making us giggle.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Lucy," I joked. "After all, I need him to be alive to marry him." We all shared another laugh, and as soon as soon as it fizzled out, we heard a heralding trumpet blast. I took a deep breath. It was time. Placing the veil over my head and conjuring a quick but beautiful bouquet of red roses covered in a thin layer of frost, I did the same for Lucy, Susan, and gave little Lacie a basket full of petals. The three girls rushed out of my room and to the throne room, where the wedding would be held. Adelaide then took me out of the room and led me to the entrance of the throne room, where Aslan was waiting. Susan, Lucy, and Lacie were already halfway down the isle and I began taking more deep breaths.
"Diamond, I sense you are nervous," Aslan said.
"I don't even know why I am," I said. "I know Peter loves me and I love him."
"I trust every bride is nervous on her wedding day, dear one," he said. "Your mother was." I lowered my head and thought of her wedding to my father. Was she happy? For one moment while they kissed and said their vows? Shaking the thought out of my mind, I turned back to Aslan.
"But I'm more happy and excited than nervous," I said smiling at him.
"As you should be," Aslan chuckled. "Diamond," he continued, his tone turning more serious. "Listen to me. I am very proud of you. You've accomplished things most can only dream of. You've shown courage greater than a kings, and have stood strong and loyal to me in the face of temptation and evil. I could not ask for a better daughter." Putting my bouquet in one hand, I bent down to hug him around his neck.
"And I could not ask for a better father," I said to him before a trumpet blast made me straighten up.
"It is time," he said. "Are you ready?" he asked Susan, Lucy, and Lacie, who had appeared over my shoulder without looking. They all nodded and as the music began, a tune which Peter had said was traditional in his world, Susan and Lucy walked into the Hall, side by side. Lacie waited until they were halfway down the isle before walking, or rather skipping, her way down, sprinkling flower petals as she went. Finally, on the second round of the music, I looked at Aslan with a smile and placed my left hand on his mane. Together, as father and daughter we moved our way down the isle. I saw Peter, who was dressed in a groom's robes fit for a king. (Just look at the Cinderella wedding scene from the animated movie. He's basically wearing the same thing Prince Henry is except its black, cause I'm a traditionalist.) My heart melted, but at the same time swelled with love because of how handsome he looked. All the guests in attendance either bowed or curtsied as Aslan and I walked past. We reached the alter and I handed my bouquet to Susan, who smiled. I turned to face Peter, and Aslan used his muzzle to join our hands together. He moved to the front of the alter in between us. Peter let go of my hands for just a moment to lift the veil off my face. He gasped quietly and his face held a look of sheer awe and his eyes were full of love. Smiling he took my hands again and Aslan began the ceremony.
"Citizens of Narnia and friends of neighboring kingdoms, and esteemed guests, welcome. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Crown Princess Diamond of Narnia and Sir Peter Wolfsbane Pevensie in marriage. If anyone objects to this marriage or if anyone thinks these two should not be married, please speak now or forever hold your peace." A few seconds passed and nobody said a word. "Very well," Aslan continued with a smile. "We shall proceed with the vows. Which of you want to go first?"
"I will," Peter said without hesitation. Aslan nodded and Peter looked to me and squeezed my hands. "Diamond," he began. "You are my one true love. When I first landed here I knew that there was some reason that I wanted to stay here. I felt like I belonged here, and not just from a King standpoint. Now I know that that reason is you. I never thought that I could love someone or something more than I love you. You're beautiful, smart, powerful, and have kindest heart of anyone that I've met. There is no one that I'd rather share the rest of my life with. Now I'll admit that when I first found out we were betrothed, I had no idea what to think. I was honestly shocked and didn't know what to do. But now that I'm standing here with you, I can say that you shattered all expectations I had of you. You are more than anything I could ever ask for, and I swear on my life that I will give you everything I deserve...for you have every single ounce of love in my heart." Everyone in the audience sighed with a chorus of 'Awws'. I smiled at Peter and blushed before giving him my vows.
"Peter," I started. "It was my destiny to become a Queen, from the first day of my existence. However, I eventually learned that you were a part of my destiny, too. And from the first time I saw you, I fell head over heels for you. There is no one else that I would rather have by my side as my husband and my King. I'll never know what I did to deserve someone as perfect as you, but if I did, I'd do it over and over again if it meant that I could keep you in my life until the end of time. My only regret is that I never met you sooner. I can't wait to rule with you, live with you, laugh with you, love with you, and grow old with you. I will never forget the first time I saw you, how handsome and strong and most of all, how perfect you looked. I honestly can't believe that I am standing here right now, about to become your wife. And even though we literally had to fight against all odds to get here, I wouldn't have it any other way. Peter I love you so much, and I will spend the rest of my life reminding you how much." I could see tears in his eyes and they were delicately sliding down my cheek as well.
"Thank you both," Aslan said, smiling even wider. "Now, the rings, please." Peter and I looked back down the isle where Phillip came strutting into the hall with his head held high. Everyone in attendance gave a lighthearted laugh. Phillip reached us and we each took our rings before he walked over to join his parents and sister. I went first this time, saying the traditional "With this ring, I thee wed," before sliding the golden band onto Peter's finger. Peter repeated my saying before sliding my engagement ring with the addition of a diamond wedding eternity band on mine. Then we joined hands again. "Now," Aslan continued. "Sir Peter Wolfsbane Pevensie, Knight of Narnia Under the Most Noble Order of the Lion, do you hereby take Crown Princess Diamond of Narnia to be your royally and lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health and to love and to cherish so long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Peter said, not taking his eyes off me.
"And do you, Crown Princess Diamond of Narnia, do you hereby take Sir Peter Wolfsbane Pevensie to be your royally and lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health and to love and to cherish so long as you both shall live?"
"I do." I smiled, looking at Peter just as intensely .
"Then," said Aslan. "To all of Narnia and the universe, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife." Peter pulled me in by my waist and connected our lips in a romantic but passionate kiss as the hall exploded in cheers and applause. I put my hands on both sides of his neck and deepened the kiss. We broke apart after several wonderful moments and as Susan handed me back my bouquet, Peter and I linked arms and proceeded to lead the way out of the hall and to the ballroom where the reception would be held. I knew in that moment, there was no way I could feel happier. Peter and I were joined together forever, bounded by love.
Finally, he was my husband, and I was his wife.
AAAAAAAHHHHHH you guys, it's finally done! I adored writing this chapter. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy, but also jealous of my own character! Now before I go, I have to say, the next chapter after this will be the last. But for the next installment of this series, I want the help of all of you! I want to hear your ideas of what adventures and misadventures I should have take place in the next story. You can do this by reviewing this story or PM me! The Golden Age story will probably be 20-25 chapters so be sure to leave the best ideas that you can! Oh, and another thing...it won't be just one-shots, but will have somewhat of a plot. And if I select your idea, I'll give you a shoutout, follow and favorite you! So stay tuned for the conclusion coming soon!
XOXO -Blue
