AN: After some mixed reviews, I've gone back and tweaked Chapter 16. No need to really reread it, unless you just want to. And just a head's up... this story is far from finished. No worries!

P.S. Don't hate me.

Chapter 17

The crowd roared with cheers for their new princess, who stood before them wearing a smile so wide it began to hurt her cheeks. Caspian offered his arm to Georgie, which she took, and led her to her throne on the left side of the dais where his and the Pevensies' thrones sat. She sat, finally feeling like the princess she was. Her vows, the weight of her crown, the adoration of the Narnians, all had made her new role feel complete. To her, it was more than just her new title, Princess Georgiana. It was knowing she was a part of something bigger than herself, put there by someone greater than she could ever imagine. Aslan had seen something in her she had never known and, with his trust, she had begun to believe he was right.

Caspian walked back to his throne and turned to the crowd, holding up his hands to quieten the noise before he said, "Fellow Narnians, it gives us," he motioned to the four Pevensies, "great joy to present to you a future queen of Narnia," he looked at his fiance, giving her a warm smile, "and a princess of Narnia," he finished, looking at Georgie with a friendly smile. Turning back to the crowd, he said, "With Aslan's blessing let us celebrate the crowning of our new princess!"

Cheers rang out again as Caspian walked to his fiance, who was seated in a throne similar to Georgie's, placed to the right of the other thrones. Georgie, who had not noticed her until that moment, saw she was dressed elegantly in white and gold, making her golden hair nearly glow even more. Her crown was made of bronze, similar to Georgie's, but intertwined with gold rather than silver. It must be because she will one day be a queen, Georgie thought. Peter stood and walked towards Georgie and, in a move that had been rehearsed all week, both kings offered their arms to the girls, who accepted them and stood. Caspian led his fiance first to the center of the Great Hall and Peter followed with Georgie. As with all the balls Georgie had been to, the first dance was led by the hosts, signaling the beginning of the ball. As the two couples twirled, the onlookers clapped before joining in. Soon the room was filled with swirls of color as dancers whirled about the room.

Peter looked down at Georgie, laughing to himself over the enormous smile on her face. "So how does it finally feel?" he asked.

Georgie laughed, remembering him asking the same question when she first sat in her throne and how she had told him it felt regal. "Susan was right. With my crown I feel indescribable right now. Having it has finally made me understand my place here, as a princess, and the responsibility I have. It feels wonderful!" she exclaimed, her smile growing impossibly larger.

Peter smiled and said, "Spoken like a true princess."

When the waltz was over, Edmund came up behind Peter and Georgie and bowed. "May I have this dance, Your Highness?" he asked.

Georgie curtsied to him and said, "You may, Your Majesty."

Peter stepped back to allow his brother to dance with Georgie, chuckling at the formality of the two as he walked back to where his sisters stood. Or where they were standing, he thought. Where are they? Scanning the crowd, he saw both of them dancing with two young men he did not know.

Edmund put his hand on Georgie's waist and clasped her hand as the dance began, both stepping in time with the music. "Well?" Georgie prompted after the two danced silently for several moments.

"Well what?" Edmund asked with a smile.

"I know you have something to say," she returned.

"Ah yes," he began. "There has never been a more wonderful and lovely princess of Narnia."

Georgie giggled before saying, "Have you actually ever seen a princess of Narnia before, Edmund?"

Edmund cocked his head to the side and thought before answering, "Now that you mention it, no. I guess I haven't ever seen one before."

"So then how do you know there's never been a better princess of Narnia than me if you have nothing to compare me to?" she asked teasingly.

"Well I have known a few princesses in my time," he started but was cut off by Georgie's snort.

"Oh you have, have you?" she asked.

"Well, I was a very eligible bachelor. Scores of ladies sought me out to be their husband," he said, mockingly arrogant.

"So this is who you compare me to?" asked Georgie, pretending to be offended.

Edmund's eyes softened towards her and he said quietly, "G, there is no comparison. That's how I know there's never been a more wonderful and lovely princess of Narnia."

A warmth filled Georgie at hearing this and the two resumed their silent dance.

Hours later the ball was still lively and Georgie felt as though she had danced with every man in the room. When she was not dancing, she was being introduced to and embraced by every guest that had been invited. Everyone was eager to greet and welcome the new princess, and although Georgie was happy at how easily she was accepted, she was exhausted and longed to take a break and enjoy a few moments of time alone. She was currently dancing with a prince of Terebinthia, who was younger than she and spoke of nothing but how much he enjoyed her dancing. She found it insufferably annoying.

Edmund and Peter, seated in their thrones, watched her, quietly chuckling over the Terebinthian prince's awkward dancing. "So have you told her about her crown?" Peter asked.

"No," Edmund said seriously. "And I would prefer it to stay that way for now," he added, shooting a warning look at his brother.

Peter smiled and said, "Don't worry. That issue is between you and Georgiana." The two brothers turned back to watch Georgie, both scowling as they saw the young prince's hand move slightly lower on her waist. "You do know that several of these men here are soon going to start asking for her hand," Peter pointed out. He glanced at his brother and saw the murderous glare on his face. "Unless," Peter began slowly, smirking, "she's already spoken for."

Edmund turned to his brother, glaring at him before saying, "That would be up to her." He stood and stalked off, leaving behind Peter quietly chuckling.

"Where's Ed off to?" Susan asked, stepping up to the dais and sitting in her throne, one seat down from Peter.

"Who knows?" he replied.

"Did something happen? He looked angry," she said, worried for her younger brother.

"I would expect he is. I pointed out to him that men are probably going to start asking to marry Georgiana," Peter explained.

"Oh Peter, why would you do that? Not tonight of all nights!" Susan exclaimed angrily.

"I brought it up so maybe he would take some initiative and stop this ridiculous dance the two of them are doing. He's obviously in love with her. He needs to tell her so-" he stopped suddenly, glancing at his sister. Her face had drained of color, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"So what happened to me doesn't happen to him?" she finished quietly.

"Susan, I'm-" he started, but was cut off by Susan's waving hands. "No, no. It's alright. I agree. I don't want either of them to miss their chance. Maybe it's good that you told him," she said softly.

"This is still eating you inside, isn't it?" he asked, referring to Susan's loss of Caspian. She nodded, a small tear escaping and rolling down her cheek before she could quickly wipe it away. "It's getting easier to accept, but then on nights like these, the wound reopens," she explained.

Peter stood and stepped towards his sister, holding his hand out to her. "Let's go dance, Su. A queen of Narnia shouldn't be sitting on her throne crying over some lout," he said. She smiled and placed her hand in his, allowing he brother to lead her to the floor. "Besides," he added as they began dancing. "I think we need to keep an eye out for Lucy. I think she's danced with more men than Georgiana tonight, if that's even possible."

Edmund leaned against a tall column in the back of the room, a glass of wine forgotten in his hand. He nodded to passersby as they acknowledged him, but the look on his face told them he was not in a conversational mood. His gaze was focused on a couple dancing, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the girl smile at the man and when she laughed at his apparent jokes. She's certainly enjoying herself, he thought sardonically. Georgie was dancing with a man he didn't recognize, but who he instantly hated. Edmund's anger at Peter's comment about men asking for Georgie's hand in marriage had attacked him out of nowhere. He had never experience jealousy of this magnitude for something in his entire life. Both lives, he thought. The idea of another man having Georgie made him see red, and that feeling confused him. Georgie was his friend, neither had led the other to believe otherwise. Of course, you don't tell your other friends they look 'wonderful' and lovely', he mentally scoffed, rolling his eyes over the ridiculous poetic nonsense. Although, she is wonderful. And she does look lovely.

He recalled the nights he had lain in bed awake on the Dawn Treader, missing her company and laughter. He thought of how he had felt, fearful and angry, when she told him of how she saved his siblings, fearful that she may have been taken from him and angry that he wasn't there to protect her. And finally, he remembered how he felt when she told him Aslan made her a princess and finally understood his fears behind his feelings. She may want someone else, now that she can have whoever she wants, he thought, sadness filling him as he thought this.

The music stopped, signaling that the dancing had stopped. Edmund realized he had lost sight of Georgie and quickly scanned the room for her. He saw her walking towards the large glass doors which led to a balcony. Pushing against the column, he walked after her, setting his wine glass on a table.

Georgie stepped onto the balcony and took a deep breath. That dance could not have ended soon enough! Her last dancing partner, a lord something-or-other (she hadn't paid attention enough to remember his name), had been horrible. He had made ridiculous jokes that were not funny, had reeked of wine and constantly stepped on her toes. It had been a struggle for her to keep her composure and pretend to laugh at his jokes.

She walked to the edge of the balcony, taking in the view of the ocean it overlooked. The moon, which was full and very high in the dark night sky, illuminated the ocean, casting a silvery glow upon it. The stars seemed to twinkle brighter tonight, as though they were congratulating her and happy she was a princess of Narnia. Georgie remembered Coriakin and Ramandu, the two stars Edmund had told her about, and smiled up at the stars, giving them a slight wave. The cool night air blew around her as she closed her eyes, listening to the gentle music coming from inside the Great Hall. Moments passed and Georgie became entranced with the music, slightly swaying to it, when she suddenly heard a low roar from below her. It must be the waves, she thought, slowly coming out of her trance and looking down at the beach. She smiled as she saw the silhouette of a Lion walking the beach away from Cair Paravel, leaving large paw prints behind him. Aslan, she thought. "Thank you," she whispered, noticing the Lion slightly pausing and giving a slight shake of his mane before continuing to walk.

Edmund stood in the doorway of the balcony's doors and watched Georgie, smiling as he saw her swaying to the music. He saw her stop and look down at the beach, a breath of a whisper too quiet to understand coming from her. He cleared his throat and she gasped, turning to him.

"Oh, it's you!" she said, visibly relaxing.

"Who did you think it would be?" he laughed, walking towards her.

"I feared it was that horrible man I was dancing with before I came out here, probably to entertain me with some of his terrible jokes," she replied. She joined in his laughter for several moments, both quietening as their eyes caught the other's.

"G, I-" Edmund began. "Tonight has-" Georgie said at the same time. They quickly laughed before Edmund said, "You first."

"Tonight has been wonderful. I'm happier than I ever thought possible," she said smiling up at him. They were standing close to each other, comfortable in their closeness.

"I'm glad to hear that. You're supposed to be happy on your day," he said, lifting his hand to push a loose curl behind her ear. She glanced sideways at his hand's closeness to her face, her heart beginning to race.

"What did you want to say?" she asked quietly as she looked into his dark brown eyes.

"I-" he began, seeming to struggle to find the right words.

"Just spit it out!" she laughed kindly.

"You can't marry those men in there!" he said abruptly, his face going red at his words.

"What? I'm not planning on it, Edmund. I hardly know any of them, much less want any of them to be my husband!" she said confusedly.

"Oh, I'm making a mess out of this," Edmund muttered, pinching the bridge between his nose and stepping away.

"Edmund, what's wrong? You know you can tell me," said Georgie, softly, coming behind him and placing her hand on his arm. He turned towards her and looked at her, a strange longing in his eyes, one she had never seen before. "I don't want us to end up like Susan and Caspian," he said.

She looked at him curiously, confused at what he was saying. "I don't understand," she whispered.

"G, I don't want to lose you to someone else. You're everything to me," he said quietly, placing his hands on either side of her face.

"I don't want to lose you either," she replied. Edmund leaned down, closing the gap between them, their lips coming together in a soft kiss. Georgie leaned into him as the kiss deepened, her heart beginning to race.

No! she cried silently. She put her hands on Edmund's chest and pushed away, breaking their kiss. "I-I can't," she whispered, tears flowing down her face.

"G?" he asked, worried he had pushed too hard and upset that she had broken the kiss.

"I need a moment," she said, turning to leave and rushing back towards the door.

"G!" he yelled after her, but she was gone. He turned and walked to the edge of the balcony, his fist coming down on the rail as he swore. He looked down at the beach and saw paw prints on the sand, those of a Lion. A wave rushed in, wiping the prints away, making it as though they had never been there in the first place.