A Taste of Sweet Narnian Snow

Peter was the first one to meet them. As Saedra and Talia tiredly guided their horses up to Cair Paravel's gates, he was waiting for them, grinning crazily.

"Father!" Talia exclaimed happily, hopping off of her horse as soon as they reached the doors. Despite the early ankle-deep snow, she quickly ran up to him. He laughed and hugged her, twirling her around.

Saedra clambered off of her horse, smiling at the sight of them. Peter put Talia down and looked up at Saedra, and her insides lurched unexpectedly as she walked over to them. Now that he was right in front of her after months of letter writing, she felt happy to see him. She had never been more optimistic about their future than she was at this moment.

Saedra felt her cheeks become heated as she walked up to him and looked up expectantly. What would he do to greet her? They hadn't moved their relationship forward physically—at all—so she wasn't sure how they should greet each other. But things were not the same that they had been last time they had been together, so...

To her very pleasant surprise, he cupped her chin in his hand, bent down, and kissed her lightly on the lips; Talia giggled in embarrassed delight to their side. He held that position for a moment, then pulled back and said, "I trust your stay was as successful as you conveyed in your letters, my Lady?"

"Moderately," Saedra replied in a playful tone.

Just then, Susan and Lucy came squealing through the doors and gave Saedra and Talia bone-crushing hugs.

"It's about time you came back!" Susan chided. "Peridan and I have been impatiently waiting for you two and Ed to return, because we are aching to be married!"

"Is Ed here?" Saedra asked, beaming at Susan's enthusiasm. After all of the stress that had been prevalent last time she was in Narnia, it was wonderful to come back and feel so happy, content, and hopeful. "I want to hear all about his investigation."

"He hadn't come back yet," Peter replied.

"But it's been over three months!" Saedra exclaimed.

"We know," Lucy said, "and we're becoming a tad concerned about him. We haven't had word yet."

"We've decided to see if he comes by Christmas. If not, we will start inquiring about his whereabouts," Peter added. "For all we know he could be completely safe and healthy, so there's no need to worry yet. If anyone can take care of himself, it's Ed."

Travelling up to Narnia on horseback took its toll on Saedra and Talia. After a late lunch with Peter, Susan, and Lucy, they went straight to bed. Saedra slept long and hard, and didn't wake until around midnight when her growling stomach jerked her out of her dreams.

She sat up in bed and looked around. A warm fire was roaring in the fireplace, showing that someone had come in while she was sleeping. She crawled off of the high bed, threw on a robe, slipped on her shoes, and left the room. She wandered through the quiet halls of the palace, headed for the kitchen. When she reached it, she opened the door and went through. She saw a light around the corner and heard some voices, so she headed to that area. She hadn't expected anyone to be awake, but she was glad for the company.

As she neared the voices, she realized that it was Talia's childish voice and the deeper one of a Dwarf's. She smiled and started to round the corner, but then she overheard what the Dwarf was saying and ducked back around the corner.

"Then you do think your mum loves your father?" the Dwarf, who Saedra now knew was Stamprin, said.

"Of course!" Talia replied. "She was very excited to come back here and see him."

"Then why did she stay away for so long?" Stamprin pressed.

"She had work she had to do back home that took up all of her time."

"Home?" he asked. "You're referring to Archenland?"

"Yes…of course!" Confusion was creeping into Talia's voice at all of the questions.

"So your mum makes you call Archenland your home, as opposed to Narnia?"

"Well, we live in both places, so they are both like home to me. But Archenland was my first real home and my best friends are back there, so I call it home."

"Your mum doesn't make you call it home?"

Talia tittered uncertainly. "No. Why are you asking me all of this?"

Stamprin paused. "Just doing my job, little Princess. It is my job as advisor to the High King to look out for his best interests, that's all."

"But what does that have to do with Mum?"

"Nothing, child. I see you're done with your treats, so off to bed with you."

There were sounds of Talia getting up from the table, and Saedra hid herself in the shadows as her daughter passed. She didn't know if she wanted Talia to know that she had heard that interchange yet, but she did know that she was furious with Stamprin. Not only was he trying to spy on Saedra, but he was using Talia to do it! She didn't want Talia to be put in a situation where she doubted her parents' affection for one another, especially now that it looked like she and Peter would be all right after all.

When Talia had left the kitchen, Saedra went around the corner. Stamprin was sitting on a stool and sipping a drink thoughtfully when she went over to the cupboards and gathered some food.

"Good evening, Princess," Stamprin said properly, nodding his head at her.

Saedra ignored his greeting as she brought her food to his table with a stern expression on her face. She sat down, leaned towards him, and said, "If you have anything that you would like to ask me, go right ahead. But if you ever bring my daughter into your apparent distrust of me, you'll regret it. I don't want her innocence spoiled by the curiosities of a bored old Dwarf. "

The White Dwarf didn't bat an eye. "Her innocence won't be spoiled if there's nothing that you're hiding from her."

"What are you insinuating?"

"That you have only married the High King for your own personal gain, and not for his benefit."

"You presume much," she scoffed.

"It's common knowledge that Ahoshta Tarkaan of Calormen asked for your hand in marriage just before you became engaged to his Majesty. Very convenient, your Highness, very convenient."

"Ahoshta is almost a king himself! I could improve my status just as much by marrying Ahoshta as marrying Peter."

Stamprin's eyes narrowed. "My point exactly. You are too modern and have yet to produce an heir. In Narnia we have become weary of women who think only of their own desires."

Saedra raised her eyebrows, deciding not to give in and ask him what he meant by that. She didn't see how his statements connected, but she didn't want him to know that!

"How in the world do you expect me to produce an heir so soon? We haven't been married a year yet!"

Stamprin stood up and said, "I would watch myself if I were you, Princess. All of us true Narnians are fiercely loyal to our High King." He inclined his head to her, then left the room.

Saedra sat in silence, finally starting to eat her snack of fruit and bread. Lucy had been suspicious of her before, and now not only Lucy had reason to distrust Saedra. How far did the misgivings spread? Did everyone in Narnia view her as a fiend?

She stayed in the cold kitchen long after she finished her food, staring at the dying fire.

The next day, Saedra, Talia, Peter, Susan, Lucy, Peridan, and some other creatures with spare time trudged through the snow, dragging sleds. They were headed over to the mainland to spend the day sledding. A light snow had been falling all night and the snow was half-way up to their knees, making Saedra glad that she had put on men's leggings underneath her dress.

As people talked happily around her, she chewed on the inside of her mouth and thought about what Stamprin had said the night before. Talia had come to her that morning to tell her everything and Saedra had been able to ease her mind about it, but she had to stop the rumors or more than just her dignity would be at stake; Peter would look incompetent for so poorly choosing a wife.

She didn't notice Peter sidle up next to her, so she jumped when he said, "You look preoccupied, my dear."

"Oh! It's nothing. Just a bit tired still."

Peter saw through her reply and said, "Anything you want to talk about?"

She sighed. "Stamprin doesn't trust me."

"Oh?"

"I came across him trying to get information about me out of Talia last night, and when I confronted him about it, he was unapologetic. He seems to distrust me because I seem too 'modern,' whatever that means."

Peter chuckled. "Good ol' Stamprin."

"What do you mean, 'good old Stamprin?'" she demanded, not liking how casually he was treating all of this.

"He gets a little over-zealous in his position as an advisor. Don't worry about him, Sae. We've nothing to hide anymore."

He looked down at her with a twinkle in his eye, and Saedra blushed.

Saedra's face continued to burn up for the rest of the day, and it wasn't because of the chill in the wind on the sledding hill. It was because somehow, through the thoughtful letters she and Peter had exchanged, she had reverted back to the way she had been when she had first fallen for Peter. She didn't hate him anymore, and even if she wanted to she couldn't.

Peter was charming and funny and stayed near Saedra and Talia the whole day. Saedra found his attentions to her and her daughter irresistible, and the last crumbs of resentment toward him were falling away, even as the rest of her body felt like it was freezing. Talia had never seen her step-parents so happy around each other and was basking in their happiness all day.

As the sun tilted towards the west side of the world, Peter said, "How about one more ride down before we leave, Tal?"

"How 'bout you and Mum go down together this time?" she replied. The twelve-year-old was getting to the age where she could sense what was going on with her adopted parents, and had been trying to encourage them all day.

"I don't think we'll fit, my dear!" Saedra laughed.

"We can try it," Peter said, getting down on the sled. "Here, you sit between my legs and hold onto my knees."

"This isn't going to work," Saedra giggled, but sat as her told her to anyway.

"Ready?" Talia asked.

Saedra tucked in her skirts and said, "Ready!"

Talia pushed them, and they sped down the hill. The wind whipped at Saedra's face as they careened around on the sled, which was too small for the both of them. When they were three-fourths of the way down, they toppled over with Peter landing draped over Saedra's stomach.

"Ugh!" she said, spitting snow out of her mouth. When she took in their hilarious situation, she half-laughed, half-gasped, "Get off, Peter! I can't breathe."

Peter laughed and crawled back off her, his face dripping with snow and his hair a complete mess. Saedra was no beautiful sight either: her hair was in knots and going every which way, and she had water dripping out of the corners of her mouth.

They looked at each other for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. They clutched their stomachs as they panted for breath.

"Are you all right down there?" Talia called.

"We're fine," Peter gasped, reaching out to grab the crown that had fallen off of his head.

Their laughter died down, but they continued to look at each other. Slowly Saedra's heartbeat started to quicken; snow was melting through her clothes, but she didn't care.

She gave him a small smile and said softly, "I missed you." Even as she said it, she realized that it was truer than she had originally intended. She had missed this Peter, the one who was playful yet responsible, affectionate and steady. This was the Peter she had fallen so hard for once upon a time, and she was falling for once more…faster than she thought was possible.

Peter leaned in and said, "I missed you too. More than you know."

They were in their own little world, and a strong, very pleasant sort of tension was palpable, cracking around them. Saedra's whole being was alert, waiting. This was it.

They stared into each other eyes, and Saedra's breathing quickened. Peter slowly moved his body closer to her, put his hand on the back of her wet head, and leaned in slowly, looking into her eyes until the very last second. Their lips met in a kiss that tasted like the sweet Narnian snow. The slow kissing quickly deepened; they were oblivious to the people above them and the darkening sky.

They pulled apart when Susan called down (was it seconds or hours later?), "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but we're heading back to Cair Paravel now. I don't know about you two, but we're freezing up here!"

Peter called back, "We'll follow you!" then he smiled back at Saedra. "Shall we be off?"

Saedra nodded happily and stood up with his help, trying to brush off the wet snow. She was soaked to the bone, but she didn't care a bit. Peter picked up the sled, and Saedra smiled to herself when he reached over with his free hand to intertwine his fingers with hers. As they trudged up the hill, shivering with cold, her heart continued to pound as the reality of what had happened hit her. She and Peter had taken a step into another realm…a place there was no going back from, and a place that she very much wanted to go to.

A smirk played at the corner of her mouth at the thought of it. It had definitely been something she had thought about a lot, even when she had thought she hated him. He was her husband, he was incredibly handsome, and she was extremely curious. Her stubbornness had gotten in the way before, but now she had even admitted that she didn't mind sharing sleeping quarters...

"What is that look about?" Peter asked, looking down at her as they walked through the snow-covered trees.

"What look?" she asked innocently.

"That look," he replied. "That cute little grin you have there."

Raising her eyebrows, she said, "I'm just enjoying the scenery."

He gave her a look that clearly read, "I know you're lying," and then winked at her.

Is it possible to die from being too happy? she wondered giddily, but then thought, Who even cares?

The sun had set and the wind was utterly freezing when they finally stumbled inside the castle doors, chilled to the bone.

"No one's around," Saedra observed.

"Everyone must be in dinner now. Let's get changed and go eat," Peter said.

They went to the hallway that led to their bedrooms, and the first one they came to was Saedra's. They stopped at the door and she looked up at him, ready to thank him for the fun time.

But as soon as she saw his face, all thoughts were banished from her mind. He was staring at her so adoringly even though she knew she looked ridiculous with her moppy hair and dripping clothes.

To her, he looked adorable with his blonde hair dripping with water, his cheeks and nose red, and his eyes shining. She reached up and brushed some hair out of his face. He instantly grabbed her raised hand, reached his other arm around her waist, and pulled her to him. She looked up at him, the wind sucked out of her. It was different than earlier in the day, even more electrifying. Being inside, in the quiet…alone…

She was almost trembling-but not with fear-as she looked up into his eyes. Time slowed down as he leaned down and she lifted herself onto her tip-toes, their lips reaching for each other…

Their lips met in a hard kiss that lasted until Saedra was breathless. They pulled away for a millisecond, then smashed their lips together with an urgency that hadn't been there when they were sledding. As they moved their mouths over the other's, in his zealousness Peter moved them forward so that she was smashed between the door and him. It was a new, wonderful sensation, being trapped in such a way. It was thrilling that Peter was so attracted to her, for the way he was kissing and touching her, there could be no doubt that he had been waiting a long time to do this.

Saedra suddenly became aware that if spotted, they would be in quite an embarrassing situation. She freed one of her hands that had been gripping his shirt and used it to search the space behind her to find the door handle. When it was found, she opened the latch, and she and Peter stumbled back into her bedroom.

They quickly regained their balance, and Peter moved in to kiss her again, but she exclaimed, "Wait!"

She released him and stepped around him to close the door. She turned around with her hand on her hip and said cheekily in response to his raised eyebrows:

"Wanted a bit of privacy."

They missed dinner that night, but it didn't matter because neither was hungry for food anymore.