Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters and plots. The original universe and everything in it belong to C. S. Lewis. All photos used of film characters belong to Walt Disney Pictures. The content I have written is fanfiction and its only purpose is to inspire creativity and to further immerse oneself in the universe C. S. Lewis has created.

"Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny."

- C.S. Lewis, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (1950)

Chapter 8 – The Wedding of the Century – October 1004 – May 1005 – Narnia

October

Golden red and orange leaves easily slipped off barren trees along with the chilly wind as autumn swept through Narnia once more. The leaves were piled softly in the cobblestoned streets for children to play with as everyone went about their usual business. Merchants inhabited the harbour to sell their foreign goods, healers were gathering herbs in the forests and the blacksmiths worked tirelessly to forge new weapons for their army as the war against the Giants was slowly, but steadily won in favour of the Kings and Queens.

At the palace, the atmosphere was slightly different as High King Peter had just announced his impending marriage to lady Philippa. The news was surprising to few, but exciting for all as a royal wedding meant a great celebration was in order. Whilst servants and other noblemen were whispering amongst themselves about the reaction from the other members of the royal family, squeals of happiness could be heard from the private quarters of their majesties.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Sang Lucy as she jumped around in ecstasy. With a satisfied smile on her lips she reached out a hand to her elder brother. "Pay up Edmund!"

Disgruntled Edmund reached for some coins in his pocket and placed them in Lucy's smaller fist. Peter and Pippa shared an amused look as they stood, arm in arm, in front of a pleased Lucy and a frowning Edmund.

"You made a bet?" Peter asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Of course!" Lucy responded gleefully. "I bet you would ask her to marry you before the new year, while Edmund had his money on next year!" She elbowed Edmund teasingly.

"They weren't even courting! How was I to know Pete would skip all that?" Edmund defended sourly.

Susan smiled apologetically. "If it makes you feel any better, I stopped them from betting on when you have children."

"It doesn't." Pippa joked half-heartedly – the thought of having children was equally terrifying as it was exciting, and it made her miss her mother terribly.

Peter leaned down to whisper into her ear as he pressed a kiss to her brow. "For the record I want lots of children. I bet if we start practicing now, we'll be ready for one before next fall."

Pippa blushed instantly at his bold statement and pinched his arm lightly. "Stop it." She mumbled, unable to keep her smile from growing wider and the butterflies in her belly fluttered in anticipation. Lucy and Edmund bickered back and forth as Susan clapped her hands together to silence them.

"Now, we must talk about making the official announcement to our allies and friends of other countries, the wedding date, the location, the dress, of course, the guests – a mix of noble and commoners I presume?" Susan spoke hurriedly with her hands on her hips. "I do hope you're considering a spring wedding at the earliest, we simply haven't got the time to plan a larger event with the war going on-"

Edmund rolled his eyes and made a face at his older sister as she kept prattling on about the awful timing of Peter's proposal, and the tight schedule they would need to keep to make sure everything could be done in time.

Lucy shook her head and walked to stand in between Peter and Pippa, hugging her arms around the couple. "Good luck with that. She'll go batty before Christmas if she doesn't reign it in a bit." She stated amused.

Edmund perked up at his little sister's statement as he eyed Susan carefully and lowered his voice just in case she was paying attention. "Want to bet on it?"

November

Ever since he was a young child, Edmund had had trouble sleeping peacefully throughout the night. He would awake several times in the darkness of his bedroom shaking with fear from dreams he could never remember. At first his mother and father thought it was because he ate too much before bedtime causing him to get bellyaches, but then, when feeding him less supper did not make any difference in his sleeping habits, they took him to see a physician. The physician had poked him with peculiar objects and spoke in terms Edmund couldn't understand, and when his parents had finally taken him home, he had a small jar of white little tablets to ingest every evening before going to sleep. The tablets lessened his nightmares and he could sleep undisturbed, but they also made him sleepy during the daytime and his brain would forget even the smallest of things.

When Edmund and his family came to Narnia, he obviously did not have his tablets with him, and he once again found himself haunted by sleepless nights. Lucy and Susan took turns in comforting him as their rooms were closest to his own, and they could easily hear his screams of terror. Edmund found he enjoyed Lucy's comforts the best as she'd taken to reading him books of old Narnian fairy tales she and Pippa had discovered in one of the libraries. Sometimes he would feel ashamed of himself for needing to be comforted during the night like a child; he was almost eighteen years old for Aslan's sake! Almost a man…

On this particular November night, the cold set in, and frost spread throughout the soil of the earth, and the trees shuddered one last time before going to sleep for the winter. Drops of dew froze on the glass of the windows in the young King's bedchamber as Edmund woke abruptly, drenched in his own sweat and his heart beating wildly. He took a deep breath as he sat up in his bed and tried to take notice of his surroundings in the dark. He found it calming to observe his belongings – his favourite chair, his polished armour, his golden chess pieces, his books and clothes – and once he was done his heartbeat was slower and he knew he was safe.

The odd thing was that for the first time in many years he could remember the dream that had disturbed his sleep. The images of the White Witch had been so vivid and curiously life-like to him, and when she had reached for him, held him close and slapped him across the face with pale fingers; the chill of her beauty and power had beckoned him to her. She called out to him and he, desperately, wanted to come to her. Edmund quivered and pulled the fur blanket closer to his naked chest as he tried to forget his lingering hallucinations. The feeling the White Witch stirred in him was disgusting.

His eyes were drawn to his chamber door as it creaked open and Susan popped her sleepy head through the door.

"I heard a noise, Ed. Everything alright?" She asked, concern evident in her voice and as she stepped through the door her neatly braided hair swished close to the floor.

Embarrassment coursed through his veins as he barked his reply. "Fine. I'm fine, Su." Edmund waved dismissively as he crept under the covers and closed his eyes.

Susan laid down beside him, covered in her own blanket, but she said nothing for a change. How refreshing, Edmund thought to himself. He couldn't quite shake the feeling the nightmare had left him, but surely it was nothing, right? The Witch was dead. Dead and buried many years ago. She could hurt him no more. Edmund opened his eyes and stared up at the canopy. Surely, it was nothing, he reassured himself.

December

"So," Lucy began one morning as she joined Pippa for some tea in the sunroom in the east wing. "I've been speaking to Peter, but apparently, he seems quite indifferent to the matter, so I figured I should be talking to you about it instead."

Pippa faced Lucy with a puzzled smile.

"Since you're the bride, and a woman, I don't know why I even bothered my brother in the first place." Lucy laughed and fiddled with her curled blonde hair. As her fifteenth birthday drew closer, Pippa had noticed Lucy had become increasingly concerned with womanly things such as dressing up and styling her hair, but also in the physical aspects of the changes her body was going through at this stage. Pippa felt a sense of gratitude and pride that Lucy often came to her, as well as her older sister, with questions or concerns, but as of right now she was utterly confused as to what Lucy was referring to.

"Now, I know, we've all been occupied with the war in Ettinsmoor, but that is simply no longer an excuse to put the planning of this wedding on hold." Lucy clarified.

Pippa blushed at the thought of her upcoming marriage to Peter. It was true, the war had pushed the wedding to the back of everyone's minds. The fighting in the north wore on and even with the support of their allies they had yet to truly defeat the giants. All efforts were put into preparations for the final battle they all knew would soon be upon them.

"We need a distraction, and so," Lucy paused as she pushed their cups of tea aside to set a wooden crate upon their table. Pippa watched in amazement as Lucy laid out cut outs of luscious fabrics in varying colours such as deep violet, sky blue and forest green. Next, she laid out samples of white roses, pink tulips and rich sunflowers before she arranged another set of fabrics, these all in white, upon their crowded table. Pippa eyed the lace with interest as Lucy smiled looking quite pleased with herself.

"Wow." Pippa let out a held breath.

"I know, right?" Lucy giggled. Pippa opened her mouth to thank her profusely for thinking of all this, but Lucy beat her to it. "Don't thank me yet please, wait until you see what Susan is bringing with her."

"There's more?" Pippa asked astonished just as Susan paraded through the door followed by seamstresses carrying more fabric and servants with arms full of cloths, cutlery and even more vibrant coloured flowers. And, oh, so many glittering jewels. "Well, obviously." Pippa breathed, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

"Not to worry." Lucy tried to reassure her with a pat on the arm. "Su and I, we've got a vision!"

Susan winked at her as Pippa giggled. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

The hours flew by quickly as the three women discussed colour-schemes, fabrics and gown silhouettes as the servants measured Pippa thoroughly from the crown of her head down to her toes. Susan was in the midst of divulging the others in her idea of mixing Narnian and English wedding traditions when Mr. Tumnus and a flock of distressed robins entered the room in a hurry.

"Your majesties, lady Philippa." Mr. Tumnus puffed out as he tried to catch his breath. "It is upon us." He spoke gravely. "Our armies are gathering at the border. High King Peter and King Edmund sends their word. We must sound the drums of war."

Pippa's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach, all happiness forgotten. War was upon them.

January

The final battle between the Narnians and the Giants of Ettinsmoor was bloody and violent. A month after the Narnians had sounded the drums of war and called upon their allies to join them in their fight; the battle still had not been won. The Narnian soldiers who were still fighting were close to exhaustion, but they could not give up now. Not now that the battle was almost over. High King Peter had driven the Giants and the dark creatures still loyal to the White Witch further into the mountains. The terrain was difficult to navigate, and the giants had the advantage of height and greater weight than the Narnians, but they were fewer in numbers and too dim-witted to know when to call for a ceasefire. No, the Giants of Ettinsmoor would fight to the death.

"Oi! Duck!" Edmund hollered at Peter, whilst narrowly avoiding a spear aimed at his head.

Peter barely managed to roll to his left as a minotaur and two dwarves came crashing down after an unsuccessful attack on one of the remaining giants. He quickly got to his feet and drove his sword through the back of the creature attacking him.

"Ed!" Peter ran to his brother's aid, and together they rallied the closest Narnians to defeat the rampant giant trying to stomp on them with his enormous feet. Out of breath Peter pushed his body to run further up the hills and into the crevices of the mountain, desperate to push their enemy away from his family and his people. He knew Pippa and Lucy were somewhere in the back of their army, desperately working with their healers to save lives during the battle, but he could not think of them now.

"Peter!" Edmund exclaimed wondrously, a faint smile ghosting his lips. "Listen! The horn!"

Peter nearly fainted as he stood by the corpse of the giant and listened as the deep, thrum of a horn could be heard over and over. Oh, how he'd yearned for the sound of that horn since coming to stay within these rocky hills of the Northlands this past month. And now here it was. They've surrendered, we've won, his mind cried out in joy.

The cheers of their army nearly drowned out the voice of Edmund quickly commanding their troops to seize the enemy soldiers before they could flee further into the withered landscape. Peter nodded tiredly, allowing Edmund to take charge as he leaned heavily on a large boulder. He silently inspected the dead laying around him, there were fewer than he'd remembered in the heat of the battle, but he knew the worst fighting had happened further south. Out of the corner of his eye he spied a dirt and blood-covered brown-haired woman running towards him.

Pippa threw herself into Peter's arms and he caught her with ease, hugging her tightly to his chest as she sobbed in relief.

"Are you unhurt?" Pippa asked as she turned in his embrace, her soft hands stroking both of his cheeks tenderly.

"Yes." Peter answered shortly, his gaze roaming her form, looking for any injuries. "You?"

"Yes, yes I am fine." Pippa spoke quietly, enjoying the feel of his strong arms around her waist as her fingers sifted through his hair, pressing his forehead to her own.

Peter pulled away abruptly. "Where's Lucy and the other healers? Shouldn't you be helping them rescuing survivors?" His stomach plummeted uncomfortably by the sudden look of sadness in her grey eyes.

"Oh, Peter, my love, I'm so sorry," Pippa began, her voice trembling. "but there are no more survivors."

Shock coursed through Peter's veins as Pippa embraced him, her scent calming him as he cried tears of grief over the many lost lives. The final battle had indeed been vicious and hard-fought, and the bloodstained victory came at a terrible price. But they were safe now, in Aslan's country, Peter reasoned. Their sacrifice for the safety of Narnia's future would not be in vain, he would see to it as long as he ruled this country. Peter stared into the blackening sky and made a promise to himself and to Aslan the mighty lion; the dead would never be forgotten.

February

The High King had gone missing – again. Pippa sighed as she stood at the bottom of the stone steps leading into the chapel at Cair Paravel. Soon she would climb these steps in her wedding gown, ready to marry the man she loved. The man who coincidentally kept disappearing, forsaking his duties as king in the process. Pippa hurried up the steps and quietly entered the chapel. As she walked past the wooden benches that would soon seat her wedding guests, and moved across the beautifully tiled red, black and gold floor, the man she was looking for appeared in view; kneeling on the red carpeted steps in front of the altar.

The light from the red, blue and green stained-glass windows lit up Peter's golden hair making his appearance look almost divine. Pippa was certain he had heard her enter, but he did not look up as she kneeled beside him, took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. Together they sat in silence for a while; a simple need for a moment of peace amidst the wedding planning and aftermath of their war with Ettinsmoor. Terribly many lives were lost, and Pippa knew Peter blamed himself for the bloody outcome. If only he had been better, quicker, stronger … anything.

Pippa broke their silence after a while. "Do you know what I discussed with Mr. Tumnus this morning?"

Peter did not look up, nor did he answer.

"He wanted to discuss my new title." Pippa continued. "For when we're married, I mean." She paused. "If you still want to marry me that is."

Peter's startled blue eyes met her grey ones. "Of course, I do. You know I do."

"Do I?" Pippa sighed. "Peter you've been absent for weeks, and you won't speak with anyone, not even me, you know, your future wife."

Slightly agitated Peter pulled his hand from hers. "I just need some time."

Pippa felt her demands were unreasonable, but the stress of dealing with everything on her own had taken its toll. "We're all grieving still, Peter. Lucy cries almost every night because she feels guilty over not saving more of our people. But I can't go through this alone. I cannot plan a wedding, rebuild our community, international relations and comfort everyone else without you by my side." She was standing straight now. "You're the High King - the people need you!"

"How can I possibly look my people in the eye when I should have done more?" Peter rose from the floor and spoke angrily. "How many wives lost their husbands? How many children lost their fathers? Don't you realized how silly it seems to get married at such a time?"

"Peter, please, you know the people are happy for us! And don't you think we all need more love in our lives at a time like this?" Pippa pleaded, her hands shaking Peter's tense shoulders. "If anything, wars prove that life is too short, and we must celebrate every day we live and breathe!"

Peter spun away from her embrace. "I just need some time." He repeated sharply.

Pippa swallowed her tears away. "No one blames you for the outcome of the war Peter. Just come back to us and you'll see." She turned to walk away when Peter stopped her with a gentle tug on her arm.

"Tell me, what did you and Mr. Tumnus decide? For your title?" His question was an obvious distraction from their argument, but also a half-hearted attempt at involving himself with the wedding preparations.

Pippa shook her head, her eyes never leaving his as she spoke steadfast. "I told him there was no need for a fifth sovereign. Four are more than enough. I just want to be married to the man I love."

Peter's grip on her arm faltered and Pippa waited for a response that never came. As Peter turned his back on her once more, she quietly left the chapel as tears slipped past her eyes and down her cheeks. Her heart burned for the man who would not let her help him.

March

Pippa tried to stand as still as she possibly could to avoid the needles pricking into her lower back and her arms. The final adjustments to her gown were being made by two elegant seamstresses currently hovering over her ribcage and the skirt of her dress. Susan had done most of the embroideries on the veil, and Lucy had helped hand stich together the lace that embellished her skirt, bodice and half-sleeves. Pippa herself had picked out most of the garments, but as she was rubbish at sowing and embroidering, she left it to the handmaidens and her soon-to-be sisters-in-law.

Pippa felt the familiar feel of butterflies tumbling in her belly as she smoothed out the silken underskirt and stepped in front of the full-length mirror in the middle of the room. Tears filled her eyes as she gazed upon herself for the first time in the finished gown.

"Oh, my goodness. I'm a blubbering mess." Pippa excused herself as the older ladies gave her reassuring smiles. Her ballgown was the perfect blend of traditional English lace and design made with Narnian fabrics, and although it was a bit dramatic for Pippa's personal taste, it was modest, beautiful and soft to the touch. She nervously bit her lip as she thought about walking through the chapel to join Aslan and her new family. New family.

The only thing missing to make it perfect was her mum, dad and brothers. Pippa had to acknowledge that she did not think of them as often as she thought she would when she first came to Narnia, but this was supposed to be the most important day in her life, and not having them to support her left a sorrow in her heart. Edmund had shyly offered to walk with her, which she gladly accepted, but she had always imagined it being her father walking her down the aisle, clutching her arm with an emotional grin on his ageing face.

One of the seamstresses offered Pippa a handkerchief to dry the tears pouring down her reddened cheeks. She blew her nose in a very un-lady-like fashion and cleared her throat stiffly, a giggle escaping her rosy lips.

"Thanks."

April

"Oh. My. Dear. Lord." Edmund plopped down in a chair unceremoniously. "Who knew planning a wedding would take so much time and effort?" He complained.

"Oh, but it's not just any wedding, dear brother." Lucy gushed.

Susan joined her sister's sentiment with a sigh. "It will be the wedding of the century."

Edmund shook his head in frustration and groaned. "Girls."

Susan's grin turned downwards as she crossed the room, peaked out of the doorway before closing the wooden door heavily behind her. "Have any of you seen Peter lately?" She asked concerned.

Lucy shrugged. "I think he went to the throne room to greet our newly arrived guests."

The Pevensie siblings had been surprised at some of the Narnian traditions concerning weddings. Typically, the betrothed couple, especially royal ones, were to host their guests a month ahead of the matrimonial service for luck, health and prosperity in their love life. In turn the guests brought useful – at least to some extent – gifts intended to ensure the couple the best possible start to their union. Both Edmund and Peter had thought the hospitality had extended a bit too far but seeing as the treasury could afford it and it brought much needed joy to their countrymen, it was a relatively small personal price to pay.

In addition to their personal friends such as the Beavers, the Snow Leopards from the North and King Lune with his young son Corin, other guests travelling a long way to Cair Paravel was a company of esteemed horse lords from the Western Wild, and, to Susan's muted displeasure, numerous suitors come to seek her hand in marriage. Pippa and Lucy had more than once during these nights needed to shield their giggles with elaborate hand gestures as Susan's eye rolls became less subtle as she drank more dwarfish wine and tried to ignore the men desperately seeking her attention.

"Why? You need him to check lady Lavinia's pleased with her bathwater, again, instead of me?" Edmund asked his sister hopeful. Lady Lavinia was at least twice his age, but she clung to his arm nonetheless as if she hoped he would press his suit if she was insistent enough. Bleh, thought Edmund.

"No, I'm worried about him. He hasn't been himself since the war, and when we spoke last night, he seemed unsure about wanting to go through with the wedding." Susan answered. "And you can tell the lady Lavinia to bugger off, the old hag." She added as she rolled her eyes impatiently.

Edmund snorted improperly in response.

"Why, what did he say last night?" Lucy asked, nervously curling a lock of hair around her finger. "He loves Pippa, doesn't he?"

"Of course, I doubt that's it, I think he's just scared." Susan added, seemingly deep in thought.

"Scared of what?" Lucy pressed.

"I don't know Lu, of mucking it all up? Of not being worthy of love after all the death he witnessed? It wasn't like when he fought the White Witch and Aslan came to rescue us all. This time he did it alone, and it didn't go so well."

"But he's not alone!" Lucy called out softly. "He needs to realize we're in this together. We stand together, and we fall together."

"I know, Lu. I know." Susan tried to comfort her. "He will realize it. We won't give up on him."

"Pippa won't either." Edmund added earnestly.

"Of course not." Susan gave Lucy a reassuring hug. "We'll speak with him tonight, yes? As a family?"

Lucy nodded anxiously. "Agreed."

May

The church bells chimed so loudly it nearly drowned out the cheering Narnians crowding the streets as Pippa and Edmund trotted past on horseback to reach the chapel. They waved and smiled as the people waved banners and bouquets of flowers, colourful confetti filling the sweet and warm air. Reaching the chapel, Edmund helped Pippa dismount and straighten the train of her dress and veil. Pippa smiled at him, grateful for his help and support as her nerves nearly got the better of her.

The chapel's inside and outside was decorated with green, lush ivy and ivory coloured roses and lily of the valleys, the same flowers adorning Pippa's chocolate curls in a magnificent flower circlet. Her left arm joined Edmund's right arm and together they slowly entered the chapel in tune with the beautiful piano and violin music. Whatever Pippa thought of the guests watching her glide across the floor, or the decorations Lucy had put so much effort into, she promptly forgot as she spotted the blonde man waiting for her at the altar beside the Great Lion.

Peter was wearing a white tunic with golden embroideries matching the ones on Pippa's gown. His fair hair had received a haircut and his golden crown rested neatly atop his head. He sported a boyish grin, but his blue eyes were emotional and tearful. Edmund placed Pippa's right hand in Peter's left as they reached the altar before he sat next to Lucy and Susan to the right.

"You look beautiful." Peter whispered in her ear. Pippa blushed and mouthed a small thank you, not trusting herself to speak without bursting into tears.

"Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to bear witness to High King Peter and lady Philippa of Narnia join their hearts and souls in holy matrimony." Aslan began. Pippa heard nothing, blood rushing through her ears and excitement clouding her eyes.

They had decided on traditional English vows, and although Pippa slightly stumbled through hers, the "I do's" rung clearly through the church as they promised to love and honour each other for all their lives in sickness and health, in good times and bad. Unable to keep the grin off her face, Pippa smiled widely at Peter as they exchanged simple, gold wedding bands.

"I now pronounce you; husband and wife, king and queen of Narnia – you may kiss your bride." Aslan declared with a toothy grin of his own.

Peter stared down at her intensely, his fingers stroking her chin as he bent his head and kissed her passionately in front of the applauding crowd. Pippa responded enthusiastically, wrapping her hands around his neck. As they broke apart Aslan spoke gently to the newlyweds:

"I am so happy for you, little ones. May you find endless happiness."

Pippa thought for a second she could spot a sadness in his golden eyes, but her thought was gone in an instant as Peter pulled her to walk with him and join their friends, family and people in celebration.

"A toast!" Shouted Edmund for the fifteenth time as the evening slowly, but steadily bled into the night.

Lucy giggled as she took the goblet from her brother's hand and drank deeply. "Oi, dunderhead! They're not even here anymore!" She informed her older brother.

"By Jove, you're right dear sister!" Edmund exclaimed in bewilderment. "Wonder what they're up to?"

Lucy tutted and ruffled his dark locks. "I bet you could guess, if you thought about a little longer, dummy."

"Eugh." Edmund proclaimed noisily, a red tint spreading across his freckled cheeks. He did not need such images stuck in his head, thank you very much.

Not too far away stood Pippa with lord Talon, thanking him for his wedding gifts to her and Peter. Lord Talon had gifted Peter a proud, purebred steed from Archenland and Pippa a beautiful, wooden chest to keep her belongings. Hand-carved himself, he claimed, although Pippa suspected him of bluffing, she thanked him nonetheless.

"You did not have to gift us anything, you know." She said. "Your efforts during the war more than proved your loyalty to us. Whatever doubt I had about you last year has been proven mistaken by now."

Lord Talon chuckled in a way that made Pippa slightly uneasy. Reading him had always been difficult.

"To loyalty." He raised his cup to hers, green eyes twinkling brazenly.

As she drank, she could feel an arm grab a hold of her waist and looked up to see her husband had joined them.

"Mind if I steal my wife away, my lord? It's getting late and we're leaving early in the morning for our stay at the Summer Palace." Peter spoke quickly, making it clear he still had no love for the lord from Archenland.

"Of course, your majesty." Lord Talon answered, a mask of indifference haunting his features.

For the second time that day, Pippa felt as though her nerves would get the better of her as Peter pulled her gently toward their new bedchambers in the south wing, further away from the other's rooms, insuring them more privacy as royal couples were privy to. She had read in her romance novels about what were to happen next.

Peter kissed her softly as soon as they were locked away in their private quarters. Pippa responded shyly to his lips before his kisses fluttered across her neck and to her collarbone. He suddenly pulled away.

"I-" He began hesitantly, and Pippa was pleased to notice he was nervous too. "I've never, you know, been with anyone." Peter's blush evident on his cheeks as they stood in the middle of the candlelit chamber.

Pippa mustered up some courage, and kissed him fiercely, allowing herself to feel the excitement his hands and kisses brought her as they continued to explore each other through their clothes.

"Neither have I." Pippa reassured him, breathless and eager to kiss, feel and taste more of him.

Peter turned her around to undo the small, velvet buttons on the back of her bodice and skirt. His eyes burned with desire as he tenderly caressed her neck and buried his nose in her flower-scented curls.

"I love you, Philippa Copland, my wife."

"As I love you, Peter Pevensie, my husband." Pippa responded as his fingers pulled carefully at the delicate buttons holding her dress together. Soon, she would experience one of the most intimate pleasures a husband and wife could share.

"Your highness?" An elder dwarf approached Susan as she listened to the singing nymphs where she stood away from the crowds – the way she preferred it.

"Yes, kind sir?" She answered, a gentle, but tired smile grazing her full lips.

"There is a newly arrived guest in the throne room. Says he's sorry he missed the shindig, but that he was invited."

"Oh?" Susan was intrigued. "What is this gentleman's name?" She inquired, allowing the dwarf to lead her toward the throne room.

"Prince Rabadash of Calormen, your highness. Says he's very eager to make your acquaintance."

TO BE CONTINUED.

Songs for this chapter:

Dance of Love – Ronan Hardiman

Mariage D'Amour – George Davidson

Courage and Kindness – Patrick Doyle

Let's Run Away Together – Johannes Bornlof

Wedding March – Irish Film Orchestra, Mark Suozzo

Peter Pevensie – Born 19th of January 1924 (21 years old)

Susan Pevensie – Born 2nd of June 1925 (19 years old, turning 20)

Edmund Pevensie – Born 6th of March 1927 (18 years old)

Lucy Pevensie – Born 25th of December 1929 (15 years old, turning 16)

Philippa Copland – Born 7th of July 1924 (20 years old, turning 21)