Thanks to all readviewers!
I've stretched the definition of "Narnian" to refer to the world rather than the country for this one, because I wanted to elaborate on something. Much like Prompt 9 was a prequel/sequel to part of 3, this is a prequel/sequel to part of 2.
Prompt: There's a Narnian wedding; what happens, what's it like, and who is getting married?
For All Those Left Unsung, Chapter 2:
She would be delighted to both stand as Aravis' trainwinder (and her groom's, an innovation on the Calormene ceremony that Lasaraleen found fascinating)...
It was a private ceremony, for while none said it to his face, there were few who entirely approved of Kidrash Tarkaan taking another wife so soon after his first had died, and he had thought it prudent to establish the contract quietly.
Certainly his children were unimpressed. Chered was but a toddling babe and did not understand, but at seventeen and eleven, Mornoz and Aravis did. They did not care for either the haste of the marriage or the woman chosen as their stepmother, and they had made their displeasure known in various ways—some more subtle and some less.
Yet despite this, they obeyed their father. Mornoz bore the tray on which lay the bracelets, and if his carefully blank face was not filled with enthusiasm, at least it was not filled with hate. Aravis, serving as trainwinder and whose temper had always run thrice as hot as her brother's, was having a more difficult time keeping her expression neutral.
The priest droned his way through the chants of the wedding contract. As a contract between nobles, and a second marriage with living children on one side, there were more stanzas than usual. At last the golden bracelets were exchanged—for Shareth, a sturdy bangle on the left wrist connected by a decorative chain to a ring on the center finger, and for Kidrash, a thick patterned cuff on the right wrist. The priest ceased chanting and instructed Kidrash to take his bride's hand. Then he nodded to Aravis.
Aravis stooped to lift Shareth's long, narrow train from the ground. As the priest began to chant once more, something about "so you will be bound to this man to serve and obey him", she brought it up and carefully wound the fabric three times around the joined and braceleted hands. With great effort, she stopped herself from pettily yanking it tight.
Then she returned to stand by Mornoz. He reached down and squeezed her hand once. Without taking his eyes from the couple, who now knelt for the final chant, he said under his breath, "I commend your restraint, sister. I wot not if I should have managed the same."
Aravis checked to make doubly sure none of the three adults were looking at her, and then made a face.
It was a crowded ceremony, for there were many personages from several different countries who had an interest in seeing the Crown Prince Cor of Archenland and the Lady Aravis of Calavar securely wed.
Of course, the court of Archenland made up the greatest part of the guests. But the regent of Narnia was there to see his brother married, as were the Horse Bree with his family and the Horse Hwin with hers, and many other Narnians. The heiress presumptive of Galma had come with a small party, as had the Queen of Terebinthia herself, and even the Lone Islands had sent an ambassador. The guest list was rounded out by a very few Calormene friends of the couple.
One of these, the tarkheena Lasaraleen, had been asked to assist with the ceremony. As both the bride and groom had been Calormene for many years, and still remained thus in certain ways, they had naturally chosen to adopt and adapt a few Calormene traditions into their wedding.
"Darling, really?" Lasaraleen had said when told of the changes. "How perfectly fascinating! But are you sure?"
Aravis had only shrugged. "Things are different here, Las." And that was that.
It was not unheard of for Aslan himself to preside at the marriages of Northern royalty, but it was uncommon, and it did not happen on this occasion. The ceremony was conducted by King Lune, wearing a long golden sash around his neck with its ends hanging down to his knees in front—one of many wedding traditions said to have been handed down from King Frank and Queen Helen. Likewise, much of the ceremony itself was of the typical Northern kind, with solemn vows of fidelity and perpetuity taking pride of place. The couple, however, wore typical Calormene outfits, all but the groom's cape.
It was at the exchange that the adapted traditions made their appearance. Northern tradition was for both bride and groom to wear a ring on the fourth finger of the left hand. This they did, but the rings were accompanied by a golden band around the wrist as well. Then the couple clasped both their hands, left to right and right to left, fingers interlaced.
"Aravis of Calavar," said King Lune, as Lasaraleen wound the train of the dress around the joining of Aravis' left hand and Cor's right. "As thy hand is bound, thus thou wilt be bound to this man to serve and obey him, for good or for ill, in sun and in storm, until ye twain be sundered by death."
"Thus do I bind myself," replied Aravis.
Lasaraleen stepped to the other side and took up Cor's cape, though she could not help slightly raising her eyebrows at Aravis over his shoulder.
Lune went on. "Cor of Archenland, as thy hand is bound..." (Lasaraleen wrapped the cape around Cor's left hand and Aravis' right) "...thus thou wilt be bound to this woman to love and honor her, for good or for ill, in sun and in storm, until ye twain be sundered by death."
"Thus do I bind myself," said Cor.
Lune extended his hands, one above each head. "Then, by mine authority as king under Aslan, and as thy very, very proud father, I do hereby bear witness that thou art covenanted man and wife. Thou mayest—"
Aravis did not care who was looking as she leaned in to kiss her husband.