When Time Stands Still

Edmunds Return

Jadis' eyes followed Edmund almost magnetically. He reached up, pushing his dark hair away from his eyes, and the whole world seemed to slow. She hoped she wasn't blushing too hard. Edmund turned slightly, noticing her. His escorts, Jadis' guards, surrounded him, keeping him nice and safe.

Right where she wanted him.

She hoped he liked her new dress. She'd gotten it just for this day; Edmunds 25th birthday. His face showed a glimmer of that ruggedly handsome annoyance he only ever used around her. Jadis felt like she was glowing- Edmund must have thought so too, for he turned away.

This was the moment.

The one she'd awaited for hundreds, no thousands, of years. She pushed back a stray curl and swayed her body towards Edmund. He glanced over at her as she made her way to his side. He was obviously uncomfortable, which was good. It meant he clearly loved her, just as she'd always hoped he would. She smiled at him.

"Edmund dear! I've missed you!" She reached out touching his arm.

He tensed, slowly shrugging away. "Hello Jadis."

A hint of irritation edged his voice. Her heart nearly stopped, though that was impossible, immortal as she was. She bit back her delighted squeal. His voice was beautiful. So much older and deeper... perfect. Someone cleared their throat behind her, shattering her dreamy moment. She turned, annoyed as heck.

She brightened quickly, like an icicle absorbing a single sunray, noticing Peter Pevensie. Jadis smiled at him, blinking her snowy lashes. This was no trouble. No trouble at all. She'd already accounted for this.

She signaled Keyskar, Maugrims' lousy thousand year descendant. This day just kept getting better. A snowflake fell on to her nose, her smile growing.

Better and better.

                            ♡ ♡ ♡

Jadis pushed the last piece of her crown into place, glancing at her reflection once more. She dusted some more makeup over her cheeks and smiled at herself. She hoped she looked perfect- this was her wedding day after all.

Her most special wedding day.

Better than her first.

This one was for love, at least for her.

Now that Edmund had returned to her, their marriage would finally take place. She had always known he'd come around, though he might be sort of under her influence, that hardly mattered. When she had heard Edmund had come and was now twenty-five, she'd seized her opportunity.

She had been ruling, of course, as queen alongside her late husband King Caspian X. She used the term "alongside" loosely, meaning she ruled while keeping Caspian at her side. For appearances mostly. The people liked him more than her, which she never understood.

After his recent unfortunate death, she hoped to have Edmund take his place as king beside her. Caspian had been a miserable king anyway. A mistake even. If she hadn't needed him so she could be queen, she never would have married him. She shook her head, attempting to clear those dark memories from her mind. Edmund would be better, and she couldn't wait to finally start their life together.

Somewhere along the way in her marriage to Caspian, around two years, she guessed, he had shaken off her mind control, and he'd no longer loved her. He had been nothing but a problem ever since. Jadis could not let that happen with Edmund. Unlike Caspian, though she did FINALLY get to touch his hair, she really loved Edmund.

Mostly.

The thought of losing him terrified her. She wanted Edmund to live freely with her, not become a prisoner like her now dead previous husband. She hoped they would be married forever, happily, and have many children- unlike her miserable sixteen years to Caspian with none. Things would be different this time. Better.

A knock sounded on the door, and Hag popped her head in. "Ready, my queen?"

She smiled, or at least Jadis thought she smiled. With Hag, you could never quite tell.

"You look stunning." Hag shifted, her cloak rustling.

Jadis smiled and nodded, getting to her feet. She wobbled a bit on her icey heels, briefly wondering if she should have chosen flats. Her dress swirled and floated around her, and she straightened her veil. Her crown sparkled clear and tall, barely missing the door frame as she exited the room.

As she made her way to the ceremony, she caught a glimpse of King Edmund through a window. He stood handsomely, awaiting her arrival, and for a moment, she could actually believe that he cared, maybe even loved her. Ah, what a dream.

Once through the doors, after all else in her party had finished, she walked down the aisle- right for Edmunds open arms. This was quickly becoming the most joyous moment in her mind, even beginning to outshine the memories of her first meeting with Edmund, the time she finally saw Peter, and the look on Caspians face just a few short weeks ago.

Edmund smiled at her.

She smiled back, her heart nearly bursting. The door banged open, and Jadis whirled with a start. The music screeched to a stop as a shout rang out. Jadis felt disgusted, and she was quite sure the emotion showed on her face, but she didn't care.

Eustace C. Scrubb.

Edmunds freaky little cousin was crashing her wedding. Second wedding or first, it was still rude. She looked at Keyskar expectantly, eyebrows raised. He leapt to his feet, scurrying to the intruder.

Jadis tapped her icey heels impatiently, a clinking of ice on ice filling the air.

Edmund stared at her.

With a little fuss, Keyskar and his weird little pals backed Eustace out the door. Hag slammed it shut, shaking her head and clicking her tongue. As the music started up once more, drowning out the sounds of fighting and yelling outside, Jadis resumed her showy parade. Sadly, this meant Keyskar would miss the wedding, but Jadis wasn't sure she actually cared.

Forget that small complication, this was her wedding day. She was getting married.

And she intended to do just that.