This is Home

In the midst of all the preparations for a bloody battle, the only spark of happiness seemed to be the preparation of the wedding.

Dwarfs were preparing the rings and the jewelry. Centaurs gathered tools and rocks to make a proper area for the wedding. The nature gods and goddesses prepared a feast. Anything to keep their minds off of a battle where lives would be lost, they did.

Caspian was readying himself in the How. He’d seen traditional Telmarine weddings, and he’d started to memorize the vows (with the help of Cornelius). But there was something still, a feeling lingering inside of him. Not fear for how the wedding would turn out, but fear for the battle to come.

“My prince,” said Cornelius suddenly, from behind him. “Do not forget that you do not have one heart, but two, when you marry your love. And may you personally have all the luck I can give you with your marriage.”

“Many thanks,” Caspian sighed. He was then left alone, as quickly as the company had come.

He paced. He tucked his hair behind his ears, and then mussed it up. The fire around him made him sweat. He wondered if his clothes were good enough. He sighed and paced some more, until Edmund came to tell him that they were ready outside.

“What’s it like?” Edmund asked. “Loving someone.”

“I do not know how to explain,” Caspian replied as they started outside. He could see the stars sprinkling the sky, and he grew even more nervous.

“Well, it ought to be good, if it causes this much of a racket,” Edmund muttered, more to himself. Caspian shrugged and sighed and breathed out deeply and couldn’t breathe again.

He’d been brought to a clearing well behind the How, somewhere where he knew that the Narnians had planned so that the Telmarines wouldn’t find them. Some Narnians, though, stayed behind to watch out for any attacks.

The trees had candles hanging from the branches, and there were seats of tree stumps and rocks where the creatures sat. There was a small dirt path leading up to Estella and Doctor Cornelius. A small archway of vines and leaves and flowers leaned over them.

The mice started playing some music that sounded more Narnian than Telmarine. Still, Caspian walked slowly up the pathway and met with Estella.

“On this very day,” began Cornelius, because he was really the only one who knew how to perform Telmarine traditional marriages (besides Caspian, but he could not speak for his own wedding), “We witness the joining of two lives, Caspian the Tenth, and Estella.”

Caspian looked out into the crowd and saw the Pevensies’ faces lit from the candles. He saw the centaurs in the back with the Minotaurs. He saw the dwarfs and the mice and the Talking animals all abuzz with glee.

“Caspian?” Cornelius offered, and took a candle from a tree and placed it in the sweaty palms of the prince.

Caspian gulped. His lips formed the words of the vows he’d heard and been taught. He wasn’t quite sure if it was loud enough. Soon after he finished, he let out a shaky breath and the flame burnt out. He took out a ring from his pocket and placed it on Estella’s finger.

Estella was given a candle. She repeated Caspian’s vows, with the added of others, and blew out her candle. She too took a ring and placed it on Caspian’s finger.

“By the power of all the Telmarine kings, and Aslan,” Cornelius spoke softly (he had added that last part in and wasn’t too sure if it was acceptable or not), “And by the witnesses of this marriage, you both are now married.”

The crowd clapped, unsure of what they’d seen. It seemed happy altogether and Caspian smiled out and Estella smiled. Lucy and Susan giggled and Peter and Edmund were secretly wondering what it was like to be in that position.

“May we now feast in celebration of this marriage,” Cornelius announced, and everyone cheered.

At least they’d forgotten about the battle for a little while.