Arranged Marriage [Wendy Darling x Peter Pan]

Arranged Marriage

Well I wrote this late last night and it doesn't really have chapters or anything, so it's just one big story. It's a cute fan fic I guess. Hope you like it!

"Married?" she repeated, her smile faltering. "To whom?"

Wendy's parent's happy smiles seemed to slide off their faces, and they exchanged glances. Mr. Darling cleared his throat and sat her down on the couch, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I can see you're less excited than we thought you'd be," he sighed. "Oh my dearest Wendy, I know that this may have come as a surprise, but you're sixteenth birthday is in a month, and you know that sixteen is the age for any proper young lady to be married. You mustn't worry; we've chosen an excellent suitor for you. He comes from a very noble bloodline, and he's extremely wealthy. Many a young maiden have blushed about his features, too. " he said, giving her a wink.

"Do I even know him?" Wendy asked, trying her best not to let her voice shake.

"Well, you will," her mother said gently, sitting down next to her daughter and tenderly brushing a piece of hair back from her face. "Your father and I have arranged for the Panettieres to come over with their son for tea tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully you'll get to know him. He's a delightful young man, very courteous and such a gentleman. Please, Wendy, give him a chance."

Well I'll have to, won't I? Wendy wanted to say. Since you've promised me to this boy I've never even met before! But she held her tongue and gracefully bowed her head, murmuring, "It would be my pleasure."

Mr. Darling beamed. "Such a wonderful young lady. Mary, we must congratulate ourselves on her excellent upbringing. Come, my wife, we shall have a glass of wine to celebrate! To think, my little Gwendolyn grown and engaged. I couldn't be more proud." And he gave her smile that seemed to take place many years ago, perhaps in a nursery room as he was tucking her into bed.

Mrs. Darling glanced at her daughter one last time before she followed her husband out of the sitting room. Wendy's face was arranged into a much too polite smile, her hands were much too daintily folded on her lap, her ankles much too perfectly crossed. Mrs. Darling sighed quietly and closed the door behind her carefully, and then walked away as quickly as she could.

As soon as Wendy heard her mother's footsteps turn around the corner, she jumped up from the sofa and rushed to John and Michael's room, bursting through their door frantically, and wringing her hands.

"My God, woman!" John's voice said loudly, sounding amused. "What's happened to you?"

"Mother and Father have arranged for me to be married!" Wendy cried, flinging herself into his arms.

John and Michael exchanged shocked glances.

"Married?" Michael whispered. "You're going to be married, Wendy? Does that mean that you'll have to leave?" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"I'm afraid so, Michael," Wendy said, placing her hand on his smooth, round cheek. "Oh, how I wish they would have let me have a say in this!"

"Wendy - I don't know what to say," John admitted. Ever since Mother and Father had sent him off to Academy, he hadn't been very good at using his words to comfort. Wendy had supposed that it was the behavior of his juvenile friends that had gotten into him.

"Oh, John," Wendy sighed, releasing her grip on him and dropping her face into her hands. "That's alright. Most boys your age don't. I just - I don't know what to do now. Father was right, I did know this was coming, I just didn't believe it. And now it's happening. Oh, John, what if he's horrible?"

John puffed out his chest dramatically. "Any chap who even dares to be horrible to my sister will have to answer to me and my intimidating demeanor."