Chapter Ten: What is Love, Lucy?

(Corin)

6 months after the duel

We are watching the stars after sneaking out of the ball thrown in honor of Peter's birthday. Her head is on my chest and I can smell the sea lavender in her hair as she points out the constellations. For a while we are silent, but then I feel the little box in my pocket and speak.

"Lucy, what is love?" I whisper. She stirs.

"What?" she mumbles, half-asleep.

"What is love, Lucy?" I repeat. She looks rather thoughtful before slowly replying.

"Love…is when you can't see life without someone…or when you know you would die for someone. Love is doing little things for someone that mean a lot. It's…when the loved person's pain is your pain, and you would do anything to make them happy." My jaw just about hits the ground on this one. How does she sum up things that are just emotions to the rest of us like this?

"That's…amazing, Lucy." I whisper. She shifts, curling her arms around me.

"There's a saying from Spare Oom that I can just barely remember, so I wrote it down." Lucy murmurs. "It says, 'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.' I think that it applies here."

I wrap my arms around her tightly and we watch the stars with the soft strains of lutes and the crash of waves on the shore drifting the air. Then I sit up, holding Lucy to my chest, and fumble for the box in my pocket. Pulling it out, I say,

"Lucy, all of those things you just said…I can't see life without you. I will always protect you, I promise. I love you. Will you marry me?"

She presses a trembling hand to her mouth, nods, and chokes out,

"Yes, Corin, yes!"

I slide the golden ring on her finger and she kisses me.

We slip back into the ball and Lucy pulls me along as we rush to look for her siblings. We find Susan first. She squeals when Lucy shows her the golden ring set with sapphires the color of her sea.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you! I can't believe it! You two are going to be so happy together!" she says excitedly as she hugs Lucy and then me. Then she steps back and looks serious.

"You might want to tell Peter last. And be ready to run." I chuckle nervously at this.

It turns out Edmund is very accepting of our engagement, although he does make the usual, "You hurt her and I kill you" threat. Which I'm pretty sure he would follow through on.

Peter is another matter entirely. We both spend several minutes stammering as we try to break the news gently when candlelight glints off of Lucy's ring. I wince, waiting for the explosion.

Sure enough…

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" he roars, pointing at Lucy's hand. The ballroom goes completely silent.

"I'm engaged to Corin, Peter." Lucy says calmly. Peter's face is nearly purple.

"But-but-but you're too young!" he stutters. Lucy raises a golden eyebrow.

"I'm almost 18. I believe my first suitors came at the age of 12?" she says.

"I..I..I.." he trails off. Suddenly there is a rich, golden chuckle. Lucy whips around.

"Aslan!" she shrieks, wrapping her arms around the giant Lion. He nudges her softly.

"Hello, Dearest One." He murmurs. Then he addresses Peter.

"Peter, why do you not approve of Lucy and Corin marrying?" he asks softly.

"They're too young. She's still so little, what if this isn't what she really wants?" he blurts out in a rush.

Aslan sighs, a deep, wind like sound. "I could see their love for one another before even they, Peter. They will be happy together. Do you wish to tear that apart?"

Peter looks defeated. "No..." he sighs. He looks at Lucy. "You have my blessings. May I walk you down the aisle?"

Lucy smiles. "Of course, Peter." He then turns to me.

"You have my blessings, but if you EVER hurt Lucy I will make you hurt just as much." He threatens.

"Thank you, Peter." I nod.

He claps my shoulder, Aslan laughs—a golden rumble—and the gaiety resumes for the night.

Lucy is beautiful, twirling and leaping in the Faun's lively dances. She dances only with her brothers and I, patiently teaching me the complicated steps.

As she throws her head back and laughs at my sarcastic comment, I cannot believe how lucky I am.

I'm marrying the love of my life.

(A.N. I am making the next few chapters a series of one shots and then it will resume as a continuous story. Is Peter too overprotective? I tried to copy my Dad's reaction when I told him I had a boyfriend. Hilarious. LOL)