A/N: As always, some of the characters are owned by C.S. Lewis and Disney. Now onward and upward…

CHAPTER 11

The day after our engagement was the ball that was thrown for us. It was originally just for Caspian's coronation, but since I was now going to marry him within a month, it became a celebration for my imminent coronation as well. There were more people there than I've ever seen in one place at the same time. But even though it was crowded, we had an amazing time, and we got to showcase our new dancing skills for everyone to see. My apprehension towards being queen was somewhat alleviated when I saw the support of so many people. The day after the ball was left for preparation for our trip to Cair Paravel as well as a meeting with Dr. Cornelius and some of our head servants. It was decided that they will organize the wedding in our two week absence while we are on our journey. I'm a little nervous about leaving for such a long time, but I know that it will be in the best possible hands.

Today, we're on our fifth travel day and I know we are getting close to the new castle. Caspian and I are riding side by side with our guards on horseback behind us. Then, through the trees, we finally catch the first glimpse of white stone. My jaw instantaneously drops when I see it in full for the very first time when we emerge from the forest. As we pass over the main bridge to the rest of the castle, I'm still in awe of its majesty. It looks strikingly similar to the original, so it's almost like stepping into one of our childhood history books that we used to read.

"So, you like it?" Asks Caspian, who looks rather amused.

"It's incredible! It's even better than I imagined. I'm almost at a loss for words, it's that magnificent. I didn't think it would be done yet, but it looks finished."

"Well, I wanted to surprise you. It's complete on the outside, and it is mostly done on the inside. They are still working on a few of the rooms. I have one other big surprise for you too," he explains excitedly.

We get through the gate and enter into the main courtyard. Caspian leads our group over to the stable, and the guards finally part ways with us now that we are within the safety of the castle. Caspian and I then spend the morning exploring the main grounds. He has been here more than I have, but he still hasn't seen some of the areas that are now completed. The architecture is glorious. The majority of the structure is white stone and light colored marble. Windows are everywhere, so the entire castle is bright and filled with a yellow glow. Wide arches are prominent and make every space feel open and free. There are so many pillars strewn throughout and I love the wide grand staircases that are featured in several areas. Gold leafing is also intricately displayed in almost every room. It is truly spectacular.

But one of the most special rooms is our throne room. Caspian had our two thrones made to resemble the ones the Pevensies had, and they sit closely together up on a slight ledge. Almost the entire room is marble, and there are two huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling. We sit down in our thrones and revel in the beauty all around us.

"There's one more room I need to show you," he announces, then stands and takes my hand, leading me out of the room. We walk a little ways and up some more beautiful stairs towards what must be the back of the castle. We finally arrive at two huge oak double doors at the end of a long hallway. He opens the doors and I walk in behind him to see one of the most beautiful bedrooms that I've ever seen. Like the rest of the castle, there is a lot of white and gold coloring; however, in this room, the floors are a beautiful medium tone wood, and there are elements of blue on the fabrics of the bed, curtains, and chairs.

"Is this your room that you designed? It's stunning!" I say.

Caspian comes in front of me and holds my hands in his, "In a way, my love. But it's actually our room. I know it's not exactly the one you helped design, but I figured we would want to live in the largest room, which would have been mine. So I had it made with the two of us in mind. I hope that's ok with you."

I squeeze his hands then pull him into a loving kiss. "This room is amazing Caspian. I absolutely love it. I can't believe it's ours!" I drop his hands and set out to explore it a little. It is situated towards the back of the castle towards the north so it gets sun at all times of the day. There is a balcony on both the north side and the east side so we will be able to see the sunrise and a lot of the sunset. The massive king sized bed is to the left of the balcony on the north side, and there's a door leading to the bathroom on that side too. The furniture is all white with gold accent designs, and the walls are similar white and gold panels. Dark yellow curtains hang down the sides from the balconies and the windows in the room. And we have matching wardrobes, plus I have a vanity with a mirror as well. As usual, I'm excited to see a large chaise lounge by a beautiful fireplace. As grand as the room is, I know it will feel like home sharing it with Caspian.

I go and lay down on the bed. I try to take up as much room as possible to test the size of the bed, but there would probably still be room for several more people. Caspian comes and lies down on the other side and faces me. We look at each other happily.

"We only have about two weeks until our wedding," I say.

His face lights up. "Only two more weeks and you are all mine. I can't wait to marry you. It'll be exactly like we are now, except we will probably see each other more. And there are other things that we will finally be able to do."

I smile, "Well, I think we are both looking forward to that."

He gets serious for a second. "Are you nervous?"

"Not really. I mean, maybe a little. But I trust you more than anyone, so I'm more excited than nervous."

"Good. And you know I'll do whatever I can to make you comfortable."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be in good hands," I say, winking at him, lightening the mood again. "But thank you."

"I'm just starting my husbandly duties, my love."

"Oh—that reminds me, where will we go on our honeymoon?"

"Well, we have a whole week. That's a long time, but we don't want to take too long traveling, so it has to be somewhat close to the Telmarine castle. Plus, it has to be safe. So, I do have one idea…how about the cottage by the lake where we went for our getaway that one day? We won't be able to swim because it'll be too cold, but it'll be cozy and warm. We'll have an entire week holed up in a small room together."

His idea is getting better and better. "I didn't really have a good idea, so that sounds perfect. But I'm not sure what we we'll do with ourselves being completely alone for an entire week," I say in an exaggerated tone.

He plays right along. He moves so he is right next to me on the bed and slowly pushes up my tunic, revealing my stomach. "I have a few ideas that I think you will like," he says. Then he starts kissing across my exposed belly. First, he moves softly, but then starts to lick and nibble some of my skin. I try not to squirm because I don't want him to stop. But after a few moments, he does pull away so we don't get too carried away. He pulls my shirt back down then moves up and presses a few passionate kisses against my waiting lips. I run my fingers through his thick, soft hair. "How did I get so lucky? I have everything. Although you are the best thing that I'm getting out of this whole deal," I tell him.

He presses a kiss against my forehead. "I'm the lucky one, my love."

We arrive back at the Telmarine castle about a week later right on schedule, which is good because both Caspian and I are immediately whisked away to the Professor's study to go over the wedding details. Overall, it sounds like everything has been going smoothly in our absence; however, now that we are back, we have to essentially be available for input all day. It doesn't bother me, because it's mostly just giving my opinion and of course it's my wedding so I want it to turn out like I envisioned, but it does make for many long days for both Caspian and I. There was one day where we hardly even saw each other. I had to pick out a wedding dress then get it fitted. Then Caspian got fitted later in the day after me. I wish we could have spent that time together, but I didn't want him to see my dress and I didn't really want to see his tuxedo early either.

Earlier today was fun, though. It's Christmas Eve, so there's an added buzz and excitement around the castle as people prepare to spend time with their families. It's now just three days before the wedding and we went to the kitchens to choose a cake. Ty had stayed up with some of her decorators and bakers all night to have several options ready to show us. Then we all got to sit around and try the different flavors. It was a fun morning.

After a light lunch after the tasting, I grab his hand and quickly lead him away to our rooms.

I know Caspian has been stressed with preparing for both the coronation and the wedding now that we are just three days away from the wedding ceremony. So, I tell him my idea. "We've both been stressed and busy, so I reserved some time on the indoor practice room—just the two of us. We can go take our minds off things for a little while."

"Really? I've wanted to get out there. Let's get changed then I'll come back and meet you outside your room."

We both change into tunics, pants, and boots then we make our way down to the training room. We're the only ones here, as requested. I think both of us are just excited to be alone together doing something we both love. Swordplay always allows us to let go of everything else and get lost in the moment. You forget everything and focus on each individual move and try to attune to your instinct. Before we collect our equipment, I take a few minutes to tightly French braid my hair so it stays out of the way. Caspian leans on a fence nearby and watches as my fingers expertly braid down the back of my head.

"I love your hair. I've always thought that, but I never said it because I thought it would be strange to say to you."

I finish the braid and tie it off at the end, then I walk up to him and kiss him hard and trap him against the fence. I put my leg up on the fence beside him and press up as close as I can to his body. Our arms are wrapped around each other and we lose ourselves to a different type of instinct. Then suddenly, I pull back and walk to start collecting my equipment.

"Come on. We came here to practice swordplay, right?" I say teasingly.

He walks over to me. "Well we can practice other things too, if you want," he says, snaking an arm around my stomach and holds me close.

I play coy and slip out of his grasp. "Come on Princey…come and get me on the field."

We grab our dull training swords and go onto the field. We are actually a fairly decent match in swordplay, although Caspian still almost always wins because he's so fast. He's also more cunning, while I'm a little too calculated sometimes. For the first half an hour, we legitimately practice pretty hard. We go full speed and pour our hearts into every move. Caspian is supportive and helpful, offering wonderful suggestions when necessary. I know I wouldn't be anywhere near the swordsman I am today without his guidance throughout the years.

The next half an hour is nowhere near as productive as the first. Caspian loses his shirt because of the heat in the room, and then I start getting too easily distracted. He plays it up, too, by sneaking little touches and grabs whenever he can as we continue to practice. I'm finally so wound up that I can barely take it anymore. He wins another round by pretending to stick me in the side with his sword. I grab his free hand and drag him to one of the back corners by the equipment. That way, if someone walks in, they wouldn't see us first thing. I do something completely unexpected when I pull off my shirt. It's cumbersome and hot, and I just want to feel his skin against my own. I still have a bra on, but it's the most Caspian has ever seen of me. I probably shouldn't have done that, but with only three days to the wedding, I no longer care. He looks a little shocked, but in a good way. I step closer and wrap my arms around his neck, and then we attack each other's lips fervently. Having Caspian's chest pressed against my own is one of the best things I've ever felt. Our hands roam each other's exposed skin and I love feeling his back and strong shoulders. I get chills when his hands grasp my sides and lower back. I feel a little exposed, but I'm not embarrassed to be so unclothed in front of him. Besides, it's going to be even more intense in all the best ways in a few days. We get out of breath and I keep my eyes closed in bliss as he kisses my cheek and then makes his way down my neck, sucking a few spots vigorously. I love the things he does to me, and my body always responds so quickly to his.

Somehow, he has enough restraint to finally pull away. He puts his hands on my waist and looks down, admiring my stomach and chest one last time.

"That was amazing, but this is torture," he admits.

"I know. Just three more days."

He throws his head back in frustration. "This will be the longest three days of my entire life."

"Hey, at least we'll be busy. Maybe we'll be so distracted that we won't notice," I say. He looks at me like I'm crazy. "Okay. You're right. Not a chance." I go and pick up my shirt off the ground. Caspian admires the view until the last second when I'm covered again. He groans then goes and puts his shirt back on too.

"So what else are we doing today?"

"I promised Molly and the Professor that we would join them for dinner this evening since its Christmas Eve. So we need to go get ready and meet them in the kitchens in about two hours."

Caspian walks me up to my room, and we part ways to go get ready. It feels so good to take a bath to get all the sweat from practice off. I can't believe it's only three days to the ceremony. I've been pleasantly surprised at how everything has been coming together. Being future queen has its perks, especially when it comes to wedding planning. Plus, we have the support of our friends who are like our family, which has given us some freedom and has made this quick engagement possible.

When it's time for dinner, Caspian and I make our way down to the kitchens. We sit down to a wonderful meal by Ty, and we even make her join us. Molly and Dr. Cornelius are also there, as well as a few other servants that we consider close friends. Even though it's been a hectic couple of weeks for them while we've been gone, they are all cheerful and excited about the wedding in just a few short days. The ceremony will be in the square, on the platform in front of the tree where the Pevensies left. It's the perfect spot so that most of the people from the kingdom will be able to attend. The spot by the tree is also a symbol in the land now of new beginnings, which also aligns with the sentiments of our wedding. Molly will be leading a crew to begin decorations there tomorrow.

We finish up our dinner, but no one gets up to leave. There is nothing left to be done this evening, so it's a nice breather for all that have been involved. I look around the table as various conversations are happening around me. Yes, we are all together now to work on the union of Caspian and me, but our family will be more than just the two of us. These people—Dr. Cornelius, Molly, Ty, and even Glenstorm—are our extended family, and we will keep them with us as long as they are willing to stay. I am so fortunate that they will all be there to support Caspian and me when we become husband and wife.

Molly's voice draws me from my thoughts. "Alright, Princey. Spill."

"Spill what?"

"When did you know that you loved her? As more than a friend, I mean."

I look at him, interested in the answer myself. "Yah, you've never told me that!"

He looks down, slightly embarrassed. Just when I think he's going to refuse to answer, he speaks up. "Well, it was a few months into your relationship with Stephen," he says to me, but the others were listening too. "He was away on a short trip as acting ambassador. You were sad he was gone, so I wanted to distract you. We ended up taking that day trip to one of the nearby rivers, and we had the best time together. It was the first time we had spent the whole day just the two of us since you started courting him, so I think that's why it was more special than usual to me. I just remember seeing you so happy at the idea of his return the next day. I realized that I wanted to be the one you were excited about seeing."

I remember exactly what he was talking about. We did have a lot of fun that day. "I remember that day, only I had no idea what you were really thinking. Now I feel bad. All those months I was with him…"

Caspian cups my cheek with his hand, sending chills down my spine. "Don't feel bad. It all worked out the way it was supposed to."

"That's right, my friends," says Molly. "You were meant to be together. I've been saying it behind your backs for a long time now."

"Why does that not surprise me?" I ask rhetorically. "But seriously, thank you all for your support and all the work that you've been putting in these past few weeks. Caspian and I appreciate it so much. And more than anything, we are glad that each one of you will be there on the big day. You are our family, and it wouldn't be the same without you."

With that, I get up and hug everyone, as grateful for their presence as always. We spend the rest of the evening together as a group celebrating Christmas together since the next few days are going to be the busiest. We trade gifts and tell stories late into the evening. Caspian even plays some music on the piano. That night, I go to sleep so very thankful for how my life could have turned out if I hadn't been allowed to grow up in the castle.

A/N: It's almost wedding time! Yay! I've started a little of the next chapter, which will be the wedding. There should also *finally* be a nice lemon at the end too. Consider yourself warned :)