Narnia: The Royal Advisor (Side Stories)

Wedding

Today was the day. I was getting married. To a King. To Edmund.

As Gladyolus and others ran around like frantic buzzing bees, making sure everything with my hair, dress, and shoes were perfect; my anxiety grew exponentially. Both Queen Lucy and Queen Susan were at my side, each holding a hand to comfort me, but I couldn't help it. My knees felt as though they could betray me at any moment and I would fall.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I yelled, "Stop! Stop, please." Everyone froze and I pulled myself away running from the room, "I just need a few moments alone please." I ran through the palace as servants placed the last few decorations up before the ceremony. I ran out into the garden and curled up on a chair trying to find my breath.

After I had found it, I then tried to find my nerves, but I was drawing a blank. My thoughts were finally broken by a familiar set of voices, "Hard to think the young women who came to our door will today be a queen."

I smiled turning around to see my forest friends, "Not a queen, Thuedibrik, but it is good to see you."

Romulus sat down next to me, "Are you alright, Emma?"

"I feel like I can't breathe. I'm scared. What if I mess something up? What if Edmund doesn't really love me."

Phoibos huffed, "Poppycock! The Just King loves you for sure. Once he knew you were gone, he wouldn't rest until you were found and then proposed to you even after several days of you threatening him with a weapon."

"Phoibos is right, Emma," Romulus agreed, "I do not know King Edmund as well as you, but whenever you are in his presence, he cannot look at anything except you."

Thuedibrik then took my hand, "Come now, my lady, let's get you back inside. Keep your chin up, and show everyone the strong woman I know you to be."

I stood up and allowed myself to be escorted back inside. Gladyolus found me and ushered me back inside my room. Soon King Peter came to fetch the Queens and gave me a heart-warming smile, "You look beautiful, Emma. Edmund will definitely be swept off his feet."

"Thank you, King Peter. Before you go, tell me, is King Edmund just as nervous?"

King Peter chuckled, "Even more so. We will see you in there." 

I watched the King leave with one sister on each arm and Gladyolus carefully hand me my chosen bouquet, "Your knightly escorts have arrived, my lady. It is time."

I couldn't help the smile and stepped out of the room to face my loyal knights. They both bowed, "Lady Emmaline."

I nodded and spoke formally, but gave them a warning, "Raise your heads and come escort your lady. I shall warn you my knees are very weak today."

Both knights attached themselves to my side, as they had done when I first returned to Cair Paravel after I fled, and Sir Hector snickered, "Then, please my lady, lean on us for support."

"Thank you. Now then, we best not be late."

With her knights by my side, we walked to the down the halls and around familiar corners to the main ballroom. As we stood at the doors, Sir Kastor whispered under his breath, "Breathe, my lady, and smile. Today is about you and King Edmund, think of nothing, except him."

I did as instructed and closed my eyes to take a breath and allowed my thoughts to drift to Edmund and a gentle smile spread across my face, and as I opened my eyes, the doors opened and my eyes locked onto my beloved's and all the world melted away. He was perfect. His black hair perfectly combed, his white suit with gold trim that matched my own dress, and his mesmerizing eyes that never left mine. 

I drew closer and closer to him, and couldn't tell who was crying more, him or I. As I stepped up to the altar, my knights released me from their hold and I passed my bouquet to Gladyolus and took Edmund's hands as the Great Lion spoke, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Narnians and guests of all regions, we are gathered here today to acknowledge the union of King Edmund the Just and Lady Emmaline the Noble of Narnia. Their time together extends back to when the White Witch ruled these lands and through their trials and tribulations, they have learned to love and accept the love they have for one another. I am honored to be officiating today and know these two who stand before me will have many more adventures together." Aslan then looked up at Edmund and I, both of us breaking eye contact for the first time since the ceremony's start, "I am told you two prepared your own vows. Lady Emmaline."

I nodded and took a calming breath looking back up into Edmund's deep eyes, "Edmund, my love, we have been through more hardships than most couples. From before we came to Narnia when you teased me for my hair, to when we were both under the thumb of the White Witch, to the day you and your siblings ascended the throne, to when I falsely believed you didn't need me anymore and fled, until today when I vow, in this moment, to pledge my life to you forever. Should you fall ill, I vow to nurse you back to health. Should we argue, I vow stay and work out the problem instead of running. Should the day ever come when we are ever separated, I vow to scour the world until I find you again. I promise, as your wife and partner to stand by your side, guard your back, and help guide you, your siblings, and the whole of Narnia into the future. I can say now more except, I love you for eternity, my Just King Edmund."

Aslan smiled, turning to Edmund, "King Edmund."

Edmund nodded, "Lady Emmaline, when we first met I thought of you as just another part of the world around me. I found everything back then to be tedious and annoying and only thought about myself. I do not know when my feelings started to change, but I do know the day I realized I could no longer live without you. It was the day you dismissed yourself from the counsel chamber. I came to look for you on High King Peter's behalf and you said so few words to me and then slammed your bedroom door in my face. I was hurt at not being able to comfort you and how you placed a barrier between us. I spent the rest of the night contemplating my feeling and just why I was so uneasy, angry, and afraid. Then I saw you with Prince Corin and caught myself thinking how wonderful it would be if we had a child." 

Edmund paused, clearly embarrassed, "I realized the absurd and outlandish thought, but it allowed me to finally understand that I wanted no one, but you, by my side as my partner for the rest of my days. When I was told you fled Cair Paravel and I found the letter you wrote to me, my heart sank and broke at the thought of never seeing you again. When I finally found you again, I still believed myself to be unworthy of you when I confessed and proposed to you. Even though there was pain of an arrow in my shoulder, I felt none of it at your acceptance of me. I love you more than anyone and I never wish for us to be apart again. I swear to protect you with my life, respect your thoughts and feelings, catch you when you fall, hold you when you cry, search for you when you are lost, and stay by your side until either death takes you from me, or death takes me from you."

Aslan purred lowly, "Bring forth the rings."Mr. & Mrs. Beaver approached with the rings and I couldn't help but snicker at them. They were just as joyful today as they had been carrying the crowns on Ascention Day. 

The ring Edmund had chosen for me was a silver band with a fire opal accented with small diamonds set in the band and the ring I chose for Edmund was a mix of silver and redwood in the band with small sapphires placed around the band. Both of us gingerly placed the rings on each other's left ring fingers.

The Great Lion continued, " Mr. Tumnus, please bring forth the ribbon." Mr. Tumnus approached the alter with a deep green ribbon and carefully tied it around Edmund and I's clasped hands to symbolically tie the two threads of fate between Edmund and I together.

"Now that you have exchanged your vows of promise with each other, the rings have been exchanged, and the ribbon of fate have bound the two of you together; I invite the Deep Magic to enter this place and wrap these two in its embrace." I froze, feeling the pressure of the Deep Magic enter the hall, swirl around her and all those in attendance before calming and settling over her and Edmund in a comforting embrace and Aslan continued, "By the power vested in me, in the presence of the Deep Magic, and before all those present here; I pronounce you husband and wife."

Edmund brought me in and kissed me. I was in pure bliss and couldn't be more happy than in that moment.