The Back of the Wardrobe
Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.
Disclaimer; I really wish I'd own all of Narnia, but I don't. Damnit...
Zeldy: Yeah, I kinda felt it was time to have Susan and Peter make up, especially now that this is the last chapter. And people were nagging about it, so I was like 'Yeah, I might as well have em make up'. There was nothing left to make Susan miserable about anyway :P
Silent Cobra: YAY:P Thanks.
Aminuleen: Much closer.
GryffindorQueen92: Thanks :)
KibumiWong: Yes! Ed is definately cool! Edmund's my man, hell yeah. Too bad I didn't get to do much with him in this story but I'll probably write another story about him particularly but I'm not sure. Anyway, he'll be in this chapter a lot more. Please keep an eye on me and reviewing and stuff, cause I can't miss you! I'm gonna die without your reviews:P
CiceroGuided: Glad you liked it :P
Cherryblossomlittlewolf4ever: Yeah, that's what you'd expect, isn't it? That's exactly the reason why I didn't do it. And you're reviewer nr 50!
Perfectangel9000: Thank you. Last update (:
So, this is the final chapter! All my love and thanks for reading and reviewing.
X Marieke
For the party it might be fun to listen the songs Selfish Man and/or Devil's Dance Floor and/or Saltydog by Flogging Molly. It's like irish, and I found it rather fitting for Narnian Parties.
X. The Coronation and how Edmund and Fae stay teenagers, no matter what
The moment Lucy and her siblings (and Peter and Aslan) stepped into the Great Hall, all beautifully dressed up, her heart skipped a beat. Gosh, the dryades must've worked so hard! she thought, and she was right. A great number of dryades had been busy all day to decorate the Great Hall with flowers and leaves and big red flags with golden lions on them, and Lucy loved it. She loved it. Lucy walked next to Susan, who walked next to Aslan, who had Peter and Edmund at his other side. They were walking on a red carpet, onto the four thrones at the end of the Hall. Behind them Lucy saw the blue sky and the sun, and she could hear the sea and the singing and laughing of the mermen and mermaids. The Hall was filled with people who were all silently staring at them with smiles on their faces. Lucy always secretly kind of liked standing in the spotlights. She was smiling like a lunatic, staring at the thrones. This was the day. The day she would become a Queen. It all felt so irrealistic; Lucy had never dared to dream of becoming a Queen of a land like this, let alone the dress she was wearing! It was of a lightblue velvet, with white satin sleeves that were wide, and beautifully fell down her arms. One of the waternymphs called Annick had taken care of Lucy's hair and now it was all silky soft curls. Lucy felt very pretty today.
They had come to the end of the steps, and Aslan took them up. The children stood before their thrones, and Aslan stood in the middle. Then Lucy noticed mr and mrs Beaver coming forward, each with a velvet cushion. What interested Lucy even more were the things that layed on the cushions. Mrs Beaver was carrying two lovely tiara's and mr Beaver two beautiful crowns. Then Lucy saw mr Tumnus, who took a step forward and stood next to the Beavers. He smiled widely at her, and she smiled back, struggling to restrain herself from jumping up and down and singing and dancing. But then Aslan began to speak.
"To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant," he said, and Lucy almost exploded with excitement as mr Tumnus took the silver tiara from mrs Beaver's cushion, and walked up to her. It looked like one of the crowns she used to make at home in summer with daisy's in the garden, and Lucy couldn't believe it was hers. She bowed and mr Tumnus gently put the tiara on her curls.
"To the great Western Wood," Aslan continued, "King Edmund, the Just."
Edmund bowed too and Mr Tumnus got him a silver crown, ingraved with leaves. When he stood straight up again, he had the most shining smile on his face he had ever had. It did Lucy good to see him smile like that. He looked so much like her own brother Edmund now, back to how he used to be.
"To the radiant Southern Sun; Queen Susan, the Gentle,"
Mr Tumnus gave Susan the golden tiara. It looked like wreathed daffodils and the golden color matched her shining face. This was how Lucy most liked to see Susan; happy and untroubled. Her big sister smiled at mr Tumnus as she raised her head, and mr Tumnus gave her an encouraging wink.
"And to the clear Northern Sky," Aslan said and he raised his head higher, "I give you King Peter, the Magnificent!"
As Peter stood up from kneeling, the golden crown on his blonde hair, all the eyes were on him. Also Lucy couldn't keep her eyes off Peter. She smiled; Peter really was Magnificent.
The new young monarchs sat down in their thrones and Aslan turned around to them.
"Once a King or Queen in Narnia, always a King or Queen," he said, "May your wisdom grace us, until the stars rain down from the heavens."
"Long live King Peter!" the whole crowd then exclaimed, "Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Susan! Long live Queen Lucy!"
After that everyone yelled and whistled and clapped until then Peter stood up again, with a very nervous look on his face. As the only one, Lucy immediatly knew what he was up to, and she smiled widely.
"If I can have another few minutes of your attention, please," he said, but everyone had already silenced. Peter swallowed, obviously having a hard time getting hold of the nerves.
"I am in love," Peter said, "And I want you all to witness the big step I am about to take."
Oh no, Susan thought pessimistically, though unable to really feel sad for some reason, he's going to marry her. She had seen them, making up right after Fae caught them kissing. First Susan thought he was breaking up with her, but when Peter left without greeting after that, she knew that she had been wrong. Susan hated to be wrong. She looked at Peter, talking to the people in the Hall and promised herself not to be wrong about him ever again. That promise was broken five seconds later. Peter suddenly turned around and sank down on one knee, hopefully gazing up to her. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, his lips lingering a bit longer on the skin than necessary.
"Susan, will you marry me?" he then asked. Everyone present was holding their breath. Susan looked to her left at Lucy, and Lucy motioned for her to get up, so Susan did. Everyone in the Hall was waiting for her to say something. Edmund stared at her. Come on, Sue, you know you want it.
"I..." Susan started, looking away from Peter, "I - I don't... think I..."
She looked out of one of the tall windows on her right and saw the Sky and the Sun she and Peter had just been given to. She felt the wind of Lucy's Sea on her face, encouraging her, rushing through the leaves the dryades had taken from Edmund's Wood. Then the widest smile ever witnessed broke through on her face, and she turned back to Peter.
"Ofcourse I will," she then said, and the whole Hall bursted out in cheering. Peter jumped up, pulled her closed and kissed her more passionate than he had ever done. Everyone was yelling and whistling and suddenly, music broke loose. The ball had begun and everyone started dancing while Peter and Susan were still kissing. When they finally separated, the first person Susan saw was Fae. She stood in the crowd, watching them, laughing through her tears.
"Oh, come here," Susan exclaimed, and she ran towards the dryade, warmly taking her in her embrace.
"You're never ever ever going to let him go," Fae said sobbing.
"Ofcourse not," Susan snivelled suffocated. Peter looked at the hugging girls and wondered smiling where the sudden change of attitude towards eachother had come from. Susan and Fae separated.
"Never," Fae repeated.
"Never," Susan replied vowing. They were both crying and laughing, and there was so much to be said yet nothing to say. Peter walked up to them, and exchanged a quick look with Susan. Susan nodded almost invisibly, and they took Fae outside to the balcony.
"Fae," Peter said, "Will you please marry us?"
"Err – what?" Fae asked confused, "What are you talking about?"
Susan poked Peter in the ribs and giggled.
"You just asked her to marry us, Peter," she said. Peter laughed.
"No no, I mean, do you want to make us husband and wife? Do you want to marry us?"
For a moment Fae's face cleared up.
"Am I allowed to do that?" she asked. Peter nodded smiling. But then Fae's gaze dropped to the floor and she shook her head.
"I'd love to," she said softly.
"But?" Susan asked. Fae looked at the sea and then at Peter.
"You can't ask this from me," she said, and Peter nodded understanding.
"I'm sorry," he said. Fae smiled.
"But I can get you a party," she said, with a rathermischievous spark in her eyes as if she was already full of ideas.
"Deal," Peter said, and they shook hands (Fae liked to shake hands).
"Excuse me," Edmund walked their way, and layed an arm around Fae's waist, "Am I interrupting?"
"Not here, idiot," Fae whispered chuckling, and Edmund quickly took his hand back and even took a step away from her.
"Oooops," he said, chuckling nervously and avoiding eyecontact with Peter and Susan. Peter snickered and winked at Fae.
"Come, Sue," he then said, and they left them alone. Fae sat down on the railing and allowed herself to lower her smile.
"What did he ask you?" Edmund asked, holding her legs only to prevent her from falling backwards (he ignored the fact she was a dryade and travelled by changing into a cluster of leaves).
"To marry them," she said. Edmund shook his head and snickered. One of Peter's weaknesses had always been his tactlessness.
"Not funny, Edmund," Fae chuckled.
"I'm sorry," Edmund said, "That's just so like Peter."
"I suppose so,"
It fell silent and Edmund felt Fae needed some cheering up. He threw her a playful look.
"Come on, let's go dancing," he suddenly said, and he grabbed her hand.
"No," Fae replied.
"Come on!" Edmund exclaimed laughing and he pulled at her arm.
"No!" Fae said whiney, trying to look mad. But the smile that started to make his way to the surface didn't escape Edmund's noticing. Suddenly he shot forward and lifted her up in bride-style.
"Edmund!" Fae could no longer hold her laugh. Edmund took her inside and pushed a glass of wine in her hands. She looked at it with a hesitating look on her face.
"Oh come on, dear," Edmund said joking, "It's not like you have no experience."
"I just promised myself I wouldn't..." she started and she looked at Edmund. Then she grinned, "Ah well, it's a special day."
"Let's drink for this special day," Edmund said and he raised his glass, "Cheers."
"Yes, let us drink," Fae replied, "You're a king now!"
Peter watched the younger boy and the dryade with a smile on his face. Susan wrapped her arms around his waist and followed his gaze.
"What is it, Peter?"
"Nothing, I was just wondering..."
Peter's gaze dropped to the floor. He felt a sting of jealousy, but his smile never left his face.
"What?" Susan asked. Peter looked again at Edmund and Fae, who had a refill and now started dancing.
"I don't know, I guess I was just wondering why Edmund..." he stopped to search for the right words.
"Why Edmund understands her better?"
Peter looked at Susan and nodded.
"I never had any idea of what was going on inside her head," Peter explained, "I was practically always wondering what she was thinking, what she really thought of things, why she made certain actions."
"Which is probably what attracted you at first," Susan said. Peter snickered.
"Yes, it did," he said, "But after a while it gets rather annoying."
"I can see that," Susan laughed. They both searched for Edmund and Fae and found them in the middle of the dancefloor, Edmund obviously making jokes and Fae screaming with laughter.
"If you look at them like this," Peter said, "Do you understand what I mean?"
Susan watched for a few seconds in silence how Edmund made the dryade laugh.
"I never managed to make Fae laugh,"
She looked aside at Peter.
"Or at least, not like Edmund can," Peter smiled, "Like I said, I never had any idea what was going on inside her head."
"And Edmund seems to know it all," said Susan, and Peter nodded.
"Where do you think that comes from?" he asked. Susan smiled mysteriously.
"They had a couple of – moments. Alone," she said, thinking about the stories Edmund told her. Peter threw her a startled look.
"What, she cheated on me?" he exclaimed.
"No, no! Nonononono," Susan said, "No ofcourse not. Even Edmund wouldn't do that to you. No, Edmund just told me about some time they have spent together."
"I spent time with Fae too," Peter said, "Nothing special."
Susan snickered at the rather jealous tone in his voice.
"Have you ever seen her cry?" she then asked Peter. He raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, she was crying a few minutes ago, together with you," he said.
"No, no, I mean, have you ever seen her cry because she was sad? Have you ever seen her frustrated? Have you ever really seen how young she is?"
Peter thought of it for some time, while watching the dancing people.
"No," he then said, "I have seen her frustrated, but I have never seen her cry because of that. And no, I must admit I never really saw that she is so young."
"Edmund does, what I just told you are exactly his words," Susan said simply, and Peter understood. It was silent for a while, and Peter wanted to talk more about it, although he was afraid Susan was getting a little annoyed by his whining.
"You're bored, aren't you?" he asked rather embarrased. Susan shook her head.
"No, no, not at all, I was just thinking – you can make up thousands of reasons why it didn't work out between you and Fae. Maybe dryades have this cool dryade-skill to fake the chemistry between them and humans so all men fall in love with them –"
"You think she wanted to make me fall in love with her?" Peter asked startled. Susan laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder.
"Please! I'm just joking! And even if it would be true, she could never have made you fall in love with her, cause she would never have known she had the skill. She has never seen a human before us, remember?"
Peter slightly flushed at his own stupidity.
"I wasn't even really in love with her anyway," he muttered.
"You were Peter," Susan said and Peter blushed deeper, "And it doesn't matter."
"I'm happy it doesn't," Peter said, "I guess sometimes people just aren't right for eachother, no matter how deeply they're in love."
"Yes," Susan turned to the dancefloor and smiled as she watched Fae and Edmund dance, "And sometimes they are."
Peter looked at her.
"Just because she didn't fit me, doesn't mean Edmund immediatly has to marry her," he said. Susan turned to face him and raised an accusing finger while trying not to laugh.
"Are you jealous?" she asked, unable to completely hide her smile, "Who are you going to marry anyway?"
"You," Peter said. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry."
It was silent for a moment, until Susan could no longer hold it.
"Aww! LOOK at them!" and she pointed at Fae and Edmund, "Isn't it SO sweet?"
Peter nodded.
"Come on, let's go dancing too," Susan said.
"What? No!" said Peter startled.
"Yes! Come on! I want people to find us cute too!" Susan whined, and she dragged Peter along. They danced and Susan slowly danced them towards Fae and Edmund, who were very difficult to keep up with because they danced wild and quickly. Suddenly, when Edmund and Fae were close enough, Susan pushed herself away from Peter and threw herself in her little brothers arms and danced on, while Fae started dancing with Peter.
"So, what's this thing between you and the dryade?" Susan asked.
"It's nothing," Edmund said, smiling wider than Susan had ever see him smile.
"Are you sure?" Susan asked, "I think she has a thing for you!"
"She has a thing for Peter," Edmund corrected her.
"Aw, that is not true," Susan exclaimed, "And even if it would be true, I have Peter now. So it's time for something new for her."
"Yeah right," Edmund replied laughing, "And you think that's me."
"Yeah! Right! Why not?" Susan laughed, "I mean, you like her, don't you?"
"No,"
"I smell denial!" Susan said, "Oh yes you like her, sweet little babybrother of mine! Oh yes! Oh yesyesyes, you do!"
"Okay! So I do like her!"
Edmund laughed and shook his head.
"Hell, who's life is this anyway!"
Susan laughed before she was pushed back into Peter's arms.
"What was that?" Peter said.
"Oh, I just had the nicest conversation with Edmund!" Susan said, and Peter raised an eyebrow.
"So that's why you put me up with my ex,"
"Oh, stop it. Don't be a baby," Susan said, "You're ruining my mood!"
"What mood?"
"I'm happy, Peter!"
"Why?"
"Oh, come on," Susan laughed, "Okay, okay, look what I've done!"
Peter looked around him.
"I see nothing,"
"That's the point!"
"What's the point?"
"Who's missing here?" Susan snickered at Peter's stupidity.
"What, Aslan? Wait, where are – ooooh!" Peter said, and he winked at Susan, "I get it."
Edmund and Fae were gone.
"Come on!" Edmund dragged Fae after him.
"Where are we going?" Fae exclaimed, chuckling like a madwoman.
"I don't know," Edmund laughed, "Somewhere quiet."
"Somewhere quiet? I know exactly where to go," Fae said, and she turned around, this time dragging Edmund along. Then they came to the DancingLawn. Edmund took a good look around. He had been here once, and then it had been full of dancing people, music, decoration... and now it was silent. Silent and empty, with a beautiful sky above, coloured by sunset. Edmund sat down, and Fae sat in front of him.
"Close your eyes," Edmund said cheerful. Fae chuckled and did as she was told. Edmund opened the bag he had with him, and took two bottles of wine out of it.
"Open,"
Fae opened her eyes and started laughing when she saw it.
"Haha, you boozer," she exclaimed. Edmund slid close next to her and opened the bottles. So they sat, together, drinking and laughing and talking and watching the sunset.
"Aah, the sky is so beautiful," Fae said, and she laid down on her back. Edmund followed the action.
"Yeah," he said. There was a comfortable silence between them. In the distance they could hear a calm melody coming from the castle.
"Let's dance," Fae suggested.
"Okay," Edmund said enthusiastically, and they stood up. Fae laid her arms around Edmund's neck, and he put his hands on her hips. Edmund snickered.
"You little prostitute," he said. Fae raised an eyebrow.
"What? What's a – prostitute?" she asked.
Edmund chuckled.
"Nevermind,"
"No, no, tell me,"
"No, it's not interesting,"
"Why not?"
"Because! It's just not important, leave it,"
They both chuckled.
"Maybe I should ask Peter what it means?" Fae then said.
"NO!" Edmund exclaimed startled.
"Then what does it mean?"
"It doesn't matter, just promise you won't ask Peter,"
"Okay, I won't,"
They stopped talking and danced. It was a lovely dance and Edmund felt dreamy. There was the taste of wine, the smell of flowers, the silky feeling of Fae's hesitating arms around his neck, as cool as a spring breeze. Suddenly Edmund lost his balance, and they both fell to the ground with a yell. Then they bursted out in laughter for what felt like hours. When they were finally done, Fae glanced at Edmund with a mischievous smile. Then she turned to lay on her stomach, resting her head on her hands so she could look down on him. He had closed his eyes. A happy smile slumbered on his lips.
"Ed?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you like me?"
Edmund looked at her mischievous smile through his eyelashes.
"I guess so," he said, "I never stole wine from Peter for anyone else before."
Fae laughed.
"Do you like me?"
"I suppose," Fae said shyly, "that you should find that out yourself. I mean..." she looked at the ground and then back at Edmund, "is it okay if I-"
Suddenly Edmund shot up, and the world stopped spinning as lips met lips. Human met Nature that night, in the most natural human way possible.
FIN
That was the end of the Back of the Wardrobe! Peter & Susan got married, Edmund got some love of his own, and Narnia lives happily ever after (or at least for now). Thanks for reading!