The end of the week arrived, which means the day of the wedding arrived.
"Aibhistín, I have a surprise for you."
"Come in, mother."
Her mother opened the door and in stepped Mallaidh, the Crown Princess of Terebinthia.
"I don't think it's fair that you're getting married before me."
"Mallaidh! You came!"
"Of course I did! You asked me to! And my fiancé is here as well. I want you to meet him. But Aslan. You're really marrying Aslan?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Are you in love with him?"
"Not yet. But I'm hoping that I grow to love him. And I'm sure he feels the same towards me."
"Aibhistín, you need to finish getting ready."
"I'll help her, Queen Ránallín."
Aibhistín chose a simple yet elegant silk dress. It was floor-length, with hanging sleeves. It had simple embroidery on the front, drawstrings, and a bow on the back to keep it closed.
The ceremony was at Dancing Lawn, which was a bit of a way away from Cair Paravel, so Aibhistín had to set out early to meet Aslan there.
"Are you ready to set out, Aibhistín?"
"Yes, mother."
"Engaged for a week. Ionatán and I wish we had that much time. But I think his father is waiting until my Mamaí dies. No matter how hard we try to prevent it, a man will always want to rule Terebinthia. Even though only a woman can rule."
"Men don't like to be told what to do."
"Especially by a woman. And a woman with the powers that a Terebinthian queen holds is a man's worst nightmare. Turning a man to ashes in the blink of an eye, for example."
"I've been meaning to ask you. Where does your firepower come from?"
"It was originally meant as a curse put on the first queen of Terebinthia, Micheáilín, when she was violated by the dark lord Morgoth. He cursed it with it an impulse that she, nor her descendants would be able to control. But Eru Ilúvatar himself turned into a blessing to protect the people of Terebinthia. He also made it to where only a woman can rule, but we've come close a few times."
Aibhistín knew that marrying Aslan would make her Queen of Narnia. Queen of their whole world even. But she did not want to claim the title.
Aibhistín and Mallaidh arrived at Dancing Lawn, where the whole of Narnia was waiting for the ceremony to begin. As she stepped off of her horse, her brother King Frank V was waiting to walk her down the aisle.
"You look beautiful, dear sister. Father would be so overjoyed to see you right now."
"I know he would."
Frank latched his right arm with her left, and they walked slowly and gracefully down the aisle.
"I know with Aslan, there is no worry of him ever hurting you."
"No, there is no worry of that."
"And you aren't really leaving home."
"No, I am not."
Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond were there from their far side of the world. They headed out for Narnia as soon as Aslan left Lothlórien.
Aslan was waiting at the altar, with a centaur who would be presiding over the ceremony.
"You look beautiful, Aibhistín."
"Thank you, Aslan."
The centaur Ciran signaled for the ceremony to start.
"People from across this land, we are gathered to witness the union of Aslan, ruler of all this land, and Aibhistín, Princess of Narnia. King Frank, are you giving your sister away?"
"I am."
"Do you, Aibhistín, Princess of Narnia, take Aslan to be your husband? Will you honour him in all ways, and be truthful and faithful to him?"
"I will."
It surprised Aslan a bit to hear her say those words.
"And do you, Aslan, High King of all this land, take Aibhistín to be your wife? Will you honour her in all ways, and be truthful and faithful to her?"
"I will."
"Who has the ring?"
Since a ring was not practical for the digits on Aslan's paws, a ring was made for Aibhistín. Little Robbie was the ring bearer. She held out her hand to Aslan, and he placed the ring on her finger.
"You may now kiss the bride."
It was also not practical for Aslan to kiss Aibhistín on the lips, so he kissed her on the top of her head.
"May the prophecy come true soon."
Aibhistín looked at Ciran with shock. How could anyone expect something of her so quickly? Aslan did not.
The wedding feast was also held at Dancing Lawn, and it reminded King Frank of a story that his great-great-grandfather King Frank I brought to Narnia from the other world, the story of the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. He hoped no unwanted soul would show up at his sister's wedding. Luckily for everyone there, Jadis could not come, for she could not come within a hundred miles of the Tree of Protection, which was in Lantern Waste.
"Aibhistín, come meet my fiancé!"
"I'm coming, Mallaidh! I'm coming!"
"Aibhistín, this is my fiancé Ionatán de Caomhánach."
"Congratulations are for today I believe, Princess Aibhistín."
"Thank you. Do I call you Prince Ionatán?"
"You can just call me by my name."
"Well then, the same goes for me."
"Oh, no. Unlike my father, I respect a woman's title. If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked Mallaidh to marry me."
"We weren't even courting, but it made his father happy that he proposed to the Crown Princess of Terebinthia."
"Are your parents here, Mallaidh?"
"Just Mamaí, but not Athair. With Athair being Jadis' nephew, he feared his presence here would draw her here."
"When you get back to Terebinthia, tell him we say thank you for that."
"Aslan!"
"I will tell him that, Aslan."
As the day dragged on slowly and the closer to the night it got, and the more nervous Aibhistín became. She knew what was supposed to happen. She was not just scared that it was happening, she was more scared that it was happening with a lion. Animals and humans were not supposed to come together like that. Even though Mallaidh had ancestors who were a snake, a bear, and a dragon, the brides were transformed into those creatures for the wedding night. She hoped Aslan would do the same for her.
Her mother Ránallín, her sister-in-law Duana, and Mallaidh came into her chambers to give her words of wisdom and comfort.
"Aibhistín, I can't tell you how exactly it will be with Aslan, but-."
"Mother, Duana, please don't give me any details of your wedding night. I will find things out for myself. This is something between me and my husband."
"Wise words."
"I'll find out when my time comes as well."
"Mallaidh, what are you even doing in here?"
"I just wanted to talk with Aibhistín about some of our greatest childhood memories. She's growing up before I am."
"And I'm not telling you any details of it either, mother."
Her mother and her sister-in-law walked out of her chambers and into their separate ways.
"What's your fondest childhood memory, Aibhistín?"
"The day I became an aunt. The day Little Frank was born. Though, he's not so little anymore. He's taller than me. I was only four when he was born. That moment also made me realize I would not be a child forever."
"I realized that the day I was born. The first daughter is automatically the Crown Princess, and if something happens to her, then the next daughter has the title."
"What if there is no next daughter?"
"If there is a son, then his wife would become the new queen. I better leave. I think I can hear Aslan coming."
"We still have more growing up to do, Mallaidh."
"Yes. And it's all too soon."
Aslan walked to the bedroom, with himself just as nervous as Aibhistín.
"How will this happen, Aslan?"
"Close your eyes."
She closed them, expecting him to touch her.
"Now, you can open them."
When she did, she saw that she was not a human, but a lioness. They then let the night begin.