A/N: Hey, everyone, I'm sorry that I took so long to update… it's a long story about why I didn't. Long story short, I was going through a rough patch at the beginning of this week because of some issues with a boy I like; it really upset me. So yeah, just a random tidbit into my life. Haha! I'm sure y'all didn't really want to read that, but too bad.

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, no matter how much I wish I did.

-Chapter 2-

The ball was spectacular. Held in the Great Hall, which was decked out into a full ballroom, there was plenty of room to hold the hundreds of guests that had come to celebrate the return of the four kings and queens of old. There were guests from all different countries visiting Narnia, some to see the kings and queens, and some for the bragging rights of having been at the party. Whatever the reason, everyone was having a great time. Let's hear the story of the ball, shall we?

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The trumpets blew a short, yet majestic tune as the kings and queens assembled themselves at the top of the staircase. Peter took a deep breath. It was about to be time for him to go downstairs. From here on out for the rest of the night, there would be nothing but a few drinks and crazy fangirls following him around.

"Announcing the entrance of his Majesty, High King Peter, escorting Queen Lucy," the head trumpeter announced loudly when the tune came to an end.

Peter rounded the corner and, with Lucy's arm hooked with his; they made their way down the grand staircase. Lucy's shoes surprisingly made no sound on the white marble flooring of the stairs. Her bright orange dress was nothing too fancy; Lucy didn't believe in getting dressed up, nor did she believe in "special occasions." However, Peter's youngest sister would always be beautiful in his eyes, no matter what she wore.

They reached the end of the stairs, made their way to the thrones, and stood facing the crowd in front of them.

The trumpets played their few short notes yet again. "Announcing the entrance of his Majesty, King Caspian, escorting Queen Susan."

Caspian counted to ten in his head. He wasn't as used to so much attention as the Pevensies and Avaline were, and such large crowds made him a bit nervous. Susan rested her hand on his right arm and squeezed it lightly. "Come on," she whispered, and her gentle voice was all Caspian needed to face his fears.

And so they strode down the steps, the train of Susan's red-violet gown trailing behind her in an elegant fashion. Caspian did not understand how a woman so normal could be so perfect. He also didn't understand why she wasn't his. Those thoughts disappeared from his mind as he stood in front of his throne and Susan in front of hers, facing his guests.

The majestic tune played for the last time. "Announcing the entrance of his Majesty, King Edmund, escorting Queen Avaline."

Neither of them was nervous. Avaline knew that nothing could go wrong with Edmund next to her. If she tripped on her dress, he would steady her. If she twisted her ankle, he'd support her for the rest of the walk. There was nothing to be worried about.

Avaline was just about to hook arms with Edmund when he took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "We're going to do this a different way," he said quietly. She nodded and their fingers twisted together as they began down the staircase. Avaline's black dress glittered when she moved, and hugged her body perfectly. It didn't reach the ground like Susan's, and it only showed the very bottoms of her black flats.

When the six rulers of Narnia had entered and were standing before their thrones, the trumpeter announced, "Their Majesties shall now be seated." And so they sat in their thrones.

Peter's gold crown shined against his blonde hair and his red, long puffy-sleeved tunic with the gold-stitched lion brought out the color even more. He wore gold trousers and brown boots. Edmund and Caspian's silver crowns shone also. Edmund wore a dark blue tunic, his favorite color, and black trousers and boots. Caspian's attire was the same, but his tunic was a cool purple. The men were dressed in a way that was truly fit for such respectable kings.

The queens looked gorgeous, as always. Their hair was unique, their dresses were new, and everything about them looked flawless.

"I now wish to introduce to your Majesties the following lords and ladies," the trumpeter spoke. A line formed in front of the three steps leading to the throne, and the trumpeter introduced the people's names from a list. Only the most important guests were introduced. "Lady Cimerene Tarkheena of Tashbaan. Lord John of Calormen. Lady Morgana of Calormen. Duke Camden of Durham."

The list droned on and on for what seemed to Edmund like hours. All he wanted to do was start the party already! He had promised Peter he wouldn't touch the wine at this party, but maybe he could sneak just one. Peter would never have to know...

Caspian just wanted to have all of his awareness left so he could reach Queen Susan for the first dance, but with the way he continually was dozing off, he figured that someone else would get to her before he could.

Peter was glad; he wanted to stall dancing with the fangirls for as long as possible. When the list finally ended, he was suddenly overcome by nausea at the sight of the girls grinning sickeningly at him. If he wasn't the king of Narnia, he probably would have slapped those silly smiles right off their faces. But unfortunately, he couldn't. So when the trumpeter announced that the party could begin, Peter sucked it up and plastered a fake smile onto his face, preparing himself to endure them for the rest of the night.

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A group of twenty or more girls surrounded him. Peter had been standing at the refreshments table for at least two minutes now and still hadn't figured out what he was going to do. If at all possible, he would avoid dancing with any of these girls. But the way they had packed themselves around him, determined to trap him in, he knew he couldn't get away.

He looked up and searched the group, trying to spot someone, anyone, which he knew. There had to be at least one girl who he had danced with before! After a few moments of desperately trying and finding none, he gave up... until his eyes became focused on a girl sitting alone at a table nearby, drinking some red punch through a straw. Peter couldn't see the girl's face clearly, but yet from what he could see of her, she looked familiar. He didn't know who she was or where she had come here from, but he felt he had seen her before.

Just then a new song started playing and the girl looked up. Feeling someone staring at her, she glanced toward King Peter only to find her gaze locked with his. Then something happened that confused her greatly. He started walking toward her.

"Excuse me," Peter muttered, making his way around the guests, eyes focused on the prize. When he finally reached her table, he sighed. He held out his hand to the blonde-haired girl seated at the table in front of him, and her eyes widened.

"Me?" she asked, motioning to herself. Peter nodded. She slowly raised herself from her chair and stared at him in shock while placing her hand in his.

Peter led the girl to the dance floor. "May I inquire whom it is I have the pleasure of dancing with this evening?" he asked as he placed his hand on her waist.

"Uhm..." the girl said, looking up at the king. Her first mistake. Any girl who has ever danced with the High King knows never to look him in the eyes before speaking. She immediately lost her train of thought.

"Lady Analiese!" a young boy cried, rushing to the blonde-haired maiden in Peter's arms.

"Is that you, milady?" the Magnificent King asked her.

"Oh," the boy said. "I see you are currently engaged in other things. I am terribly sorry for the interruption, your Majesty." And he bowed and ran off again.

The girl looked back up at her king. "Yes, your Majesty. My name is Analiese Welch." She placed the hand that wasn't being held by the High King's on his shoulder.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful Lady." Analiese blushed slightly.

"Thank you, my King."

They danced around the dance floor, always keeping to the rhythm of the slower-paced song playing. A couple of times Analiese would find a girl, sometimes a large group of girls, glaring at her as she twirled with the blonde-haired king under the light of the dance floor. She ignored them, however, and attempted to keep a smile on her face for the sake of the man before her.

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"May I have this dance?" Edmund asked goofily, extending a hand to Avaline. She smirked and he added, "You wouldn't dare refuse."

"Or would I?" she replied jokingly.

The Just King raised an eyebrow at her and, when she took his hand, he wagged his eyebrows. "Take this as a warning to all asked to dance with King Edmund the Just!"

"What do you mean?" Avaline asked through laughter. Despite this, she placed her free hand on his shoulder as he placed his on her waist.

"I mean, even when I begin to decline my invitation, I can put my eyes to work and flatter you into dancing anyway."

"Edmund, that made no sense," she laughed again at her friend. Since they weren't officially courting yet, they also weren't officially boyfriend and girlfriend. So they called each other friends so as not to create gossip between maids in the palace and people in the town.

"Which is why we're still discussing it?" he asked.

"I don't get you!" she exclaimed, bursting into more hysterics.

"Psst," Edmund said, leaning in to speak in Avaline's ear. "People
are staring at us like we're crazy."

"Oh, what do I care?" she said. "They would've thought I was crazy anyway."

"True, true." Edmund nodded, chuckling. "I'm going to tell you a secret," he whispered, leaning in closer.

"Go on," Avaline said eagerly.

"Caspian is about to-"

"Ladies and gentleman!" Caspian announced loudly. The music stopped and everyone paused their dancing to watch him. "I would like to share some very exciting news with everyone tonight. Is everyone ready?"

The guests around us nodded and murmured anxiously.

"King Edmund and Queen Avaline are courting!" Caspian exclaimed happily.

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"King Peter," Analiese said after a few moments of silence. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose me as your partner?"

He was thoughtful for a moment. If he was telling the truth, Peter didn't exactly know why he chose her. After trying to remember for a few moments, he answered, "I think... I chose you because you look familiar."

Analiese stared at him in confusion. When had he ever seen her? She had definitely never met the High King, and had only seen him the year before during King Caspian and Queen Avaline's coronation ceremony. Surely he hadn't seen her. And even if he had, he wouldn't remember her now... would he?

"I had a dream last night," Peter said quietly to her. "There was a girl... she was running from something, or someone, rather. I caught up with her and asked her what was wrong, and she told me she was-"

But the High King never got to the chance to share the rest of his dream with the beautiful woman before him, because at that moment the song ended. Just as Analiese was about to pull away from him and allow someone else the honor, the trumpets played loudly again. Only, was it just Analiese, or did they seem louder and merrier this time?

'Who could this be?' Peter wondered, looking to the staircase to see.

The joyful trumpeting stopped and the head trumpeter again spoke. "Ladies and gentleman of Narnia, before you leave, we have an exciting announcement for all of you. We have just received a message from one of the dryads that Aslan has sent important word."

The room got silent as they anticipated their Dissentient King's next words. "Our very own High King Peter is to be married to Lady Analiese Welch of Narnia!" Caspian exclaimed throwing his cue cards in the air in excitement and running down the steps where the trumpeters played to embrace his friend.

But the High King, while subconsciously shaking hands with guests and embracing good friends and close family members, was in shock. No, he wasn't in shock. He was appalled at the sudden plans that someone else had forced upon his life. He had only just met this girl, how could he possibly be expected to become happily married to her? And how could Peter expect her to bear their children and future heirs to the throne happily, willingly, and lovingly, when there would be no love in their marriage? It simply wasn't possible.

And as Analiese and Peter locked eyes, their expressions were mirrored. Peter didn't want to marry. The twenty-one-year-old was perfectly happy being single the way he was. Analiese did not want to marry, either. The eighteen-year-old thought herself much too young, but her uncle had insisted. Her father was away on a two year business trip in Terebinthia and her uncle was left to care for her. It had been Analiese's Uncle Fredrick that had made the decision for her.

No matter how much Analiese loved her uncle, she would never forgive him for this. Her own mother was fine with it, thinking it was just the chance her daughter needed to show her face to the world. Analiese thought this wrong, though. Shouldn't the High King marry someone he loved rather than someone wanting to win over the throne?

Uncle Fredrick and Peter's advisor had always been close friends, and when Analiese's father spoke to his brother about getting his daughter married off, he took matters into his own hands. Peter's advisor was more than happy to betroth his king into marriage; it would look good to have a beautiful woman such as Analiese as his wife. But there was something that none of the three men understood. Analiese and Peter were not in the least bit interested in marriage.

But it was done now. The High King and Narnian Lady were to be married.