Disclaimer: I don't own this, I know it, you know it, we all know it. I only own the second verse of the second bit of song. That is all I can take credit for. Thank you.

Anya spent a year liberating her province from the iron vice of the Calormenes. She made alliances with Archenland and Narnia, and, with their help, and the help of not only her own people, but the Mylti and the Sileancians as well, she freed her province from the Calormene empire. During this time, word spread of a beautiful young princess, living unmarried in a fabulously luxurious palace, and so young suitors came in their hundreds, wanting to marry her. But Anya never found among them one that she could really care for, and so would send them away with perhaps a few priceless trinkets for their pains.

And every evening, Anya liked to sit on her balcony, and look down at the courtyard below, and to watch the sun set. This evening, however, she was not alone. For, down in the courtyard, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched, the young gardener was hard at work. He was singing to pass the time, and Anya thought that perhaps his voice was the most perfect in all the world. So she sat completely still, and listened as he sang snatches of an old Lithosan tune;

Saw you not my lady

Out in the garden there

Shaming the rose and lilly

For she is twice as fair

Surely you heard my lady

Go down the garden singing

Silencing all the songbirds

And setting the alley's ringing

Presently, the young gardener felt he was being watched, and so he looked up. He never quite saw who it was that was watching him, for Anya immediately hurried indoors. The young gardener just smiled, and turned back to his gardening.

For the next week, Anya was too shy to venture out onto the balcony at twilight. But she would sit by the door, and listen to the young gardener singing. Eventually Anya discovered that his name was Corann. Perhaps Anya would never have said anything, if, one evening as she sat by the balcony door, she heard Corann sing something new;

Though I am nothing to her

Though she does rarely look at me

And though I could never woo her

I love her til I die

If only she knew I love her

If she could only see me

If she could only hear me

She'd come to the balcony

Anya all but jumped with shock. But within seconds she regained some form of composure, took a deep breath, and walked out onto the balcony. And there in the courtyard, in the dim, purple light of dusk, amid all the spring-time blooms, stood Corann. He was grinning from ear to ear. Anya blushed slightly, and smiled. "Did you like it?" he asked anxiously. "Yes," Anya replied, still with a shy smile on her face. "How did you know I was there?" she asked presently. "One of your ladies-in-waiting is my sister," Corann replied cheekily. "Oh," Anya said, for want of something to say.

Over the months to come, awkward first meetings turned to all-night conversations, until finally, the happy pair were engaged. The entire province was overjoyed at the news, though there were some old women who would say that a gardener was not fit to marry their princess. But then their friends would remind them that their princess was once the orphan slave of a Tarkaan, and all reservations about the match would disappear, for they were indeed a fine pair. Some ladies-in-waiting even boasted to have heard the two singing a duet in the parlour one rainy Wednesday afternoon, though as no one had ever actually heard Anya sing, this was never proved.

Meanwhile, amid the gossip and the rumours, the wedding preperations were in full swing. Dancers needed to be hired, and there seemed always to be a never ending procession of merchants, tailors and cooks coming in and out of the palace. Corann and Anya determined that, in keeping their alliances in the North strong, they should like Narnian fauns to be their musicians and strong Archenland wine should flow freely. In order to see that all these errands were properly carried out, Corann decided to travel to the Northern lands himself.

"Must you go?" Anya asked, forlornly, as Corann prepared to set out on his travels. The gardener-turned-Prince laughed good-naturedly, and cupped Anya's chin in his hands. "Come my love, there is no need to worry like this," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it." "Will you?" Anya asked in a small voice. Corann wrapped his betrothed up in a hug. "Of course," he assured her. "Good," Anya replied. "Then I shall count the minutes until you come home." Corann laughed again, and Anya kissed his cheek. "Promise me no one else will kiss your cheek," she said, still worried. "Darling," Corann said, mounting his horse. "I swear with everything that I have." Then he rode off, and left Anya feeling rather alone.

A/N: Well, there's chapter two done. Rather sweet, if I do say so myself. What do you all think? Stay tuned for Chapter Three!