"Aibhistín, where are you?!"

"Here I am, brother! What's wrong?"

"Aslan is here. He wishes to speak with you."

"Where is he?"

"He's in the throne room."

"Do you know why he wants to speak with me?"

"Yes, but I will not say. I'll let him tell you."

Aibhistín headed to the throne room of Cair Paravel, where Aslan was waiting for her. King Frank V of Narnia, Aibhistín's brother, was beside himself with joy, but he had to hide it. He could show it if Aibhistín gave Aslan the answer he needed to hear.

"Good morning, Aslan."

"Good morning to you as well, Aibhistín."

"What brings you here, may I ask? I heard reports that you were on the far side of the world."

"I was on the far side of the world, far to the west of here. But there is a very special purpose which brings me here today."

"What purpose is that?"

"To ask you a question."

"Aunt Aibhistín! Aunt Aibhistín!"

Little Robert, the youngest son of King Frank V, was always very fond of his aunt, and would often want to spend his spare moments with her.

"Robbie, your Aunt Aibhistín is with Aslan. Let them talk."

"But I wanna see Aslan too, mommy!"

"It's alright, Queen Duana. Let him come forth."

Robbie ran up into his aunt's arms and she set him on her lap. Robbie reached out his hand to Aslan and Aslan reached out his paw to Robbie's hand.

"Your paw is very soft, Aslan."

His comment made both Aslan and Aibhistín giggle and smile.

"Thank you, little one."

"So, what is the question you need to ask me, Aslan?"

For a lion, you would think he never feared anything. But with a heart as good as his, there were things he did fear. He could not prevent that. Right there, he was feeling like a little cub again, jumping between trees and chasing after creatures.

"Well, I don't know how to say this except, I don't really think about humans, except for their safety. I just came from Lothlórien. The elf-lady Galadriel told me of a prophecy."

"What was the prophecy, may I ask?"

"That my grandchildren would help bring about the end of the White Witch."

"Your grandchildren?"

"That is the problem. I don't even have children. I'm not even married."

"Was that all the Lady Galadriel said?"

"No. She said that the woman I am to marry is from the Narnian dynasty of Bloodworth."

"Did she say what the name of this woman is?"

"She showed me her face in a mirror. That woman's face was yours, Aibhistín."

Her eyes went wide when Aslan said those words.

"Me?! I'm part of a prophecy?!"

At that point, Robbie ran off to find his mother. Aslan never thought he would see the day when he would have romantic feelings for someone, let alone a human.

"That is the question I came to ask you, Aibhistín. If you want to be a part of this prophecy. If you want to marry me."

She had to think about it, of course. She never had romantic feelings for anyone yet.

"I suppose this prophecy can't be prevented."

"No, it cannot."

"I haven't even found myself yet."

"We never find ourselves all at once."

"Well, since I can't prevent a prophecy from coming true, I do say yes."

Aibhistín had wished that every little detail could be prophesied. But then what would happen to the joy and horror of surprise?

"I will inform your brother."

"Very well."

Aslan headed out of the throne room to find King Frank V, leaving Aibhistín alone with her thoughts. She did seem a bit partial to the idea of being the Great Lion Aslan's wife, but what would that make her? He does see her as his equal, that much she knows. But what else would happen? They would obviously have children and grandchildren. But how would they defeat the White Witch?

"Because my duties not only lie in Narnia, but elsewhere as well, even after we wed you will continue to live here."

"I did expect as much. You are not a tame lion. When shall the wedding be?"

"I thought best to leave that for you to decide."

"The end of the week? I don't need anything fancy."

"The end of the week works fine."

She did not dare ask how the wedding night would go. She preferred to ask that when it would actually happen. But she did imagine what their children would be like. If they would all be lions or humans. Could she even give birth to a lion cub? She was glad though, that her father did not enforce marriage on her. That never happened in Narnia.

Aibhistín ran up to her chambers to write a letter to her closest friend, who was Mallaidh, the Crown Princess of Terebinthia. Mallaidh was the same age as Aibhistín, and she was set to be married the next year. Forced marriages did not happen in Terebinthia either.

"My dearest, most beloved friend Mallaidh, just like you, I am set to be married. I just got engaged today. But unlike you, my marriage won't happen next year, and it won't be to any human. My wedding will be at the end of the week, and my bridegroom is to be the Great Lion Aslan. Aslan himself, I kid you not. I hope you can make it to the ceremony, if you can. It will be a simple one. I've never needed anything fancy. Sincerely, your greatest friend, Aibhistín."

She handed the letter off to a gryphon to fly to Dath a Athrú, the capital city of Terebinthia.

"Aibhistín, may I come in?"

"Yes, mother."

"Aslan just told us the news. How do you feel about it?"

"I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. It's part of a prophecy that I marry Aslan, but that just makes me think it's a marriage of convenience. We don't feel anything towards each other, I mean, he feels that sense of protection towards me like he does to everyone else in this world, and I acknowledge his greatness, but that is it."

"You both should hopefully feel things for each other over time."

"But how much time mother?"

"As long as it takes."

"I'm just glad this wasn't arranged."

"It technically was."

"By who?"

"By whoever decided to put you two together before you both were ever born, I guess."

"But who is that?"

"I don't know."

Her mother left her room, and Aibhistín just sat there staring out her window towards the sea.

"From the glistening Eastern Sea comes my future husband, and to the glistening Eastern Sea, my descendant will be given to."