Swore that two lives should be like one
As long as the sea-gull loved the sea,
As long as the sunflower sought the sun-
It shall be, I said, for eternity
'Twixt you and me!
-

-

Bonnie whistled to herself as she strolled along the pathway to the church, two bouquets held loosely in both her hands.
She felt in extremely high spirits- and then they became even more so, as she spotted her girlfriend standing by the front door.

"Hello, beautiful." She grinned as she reached her- Susan was resplendent in a blue dress with puff sleeves, her hair set in curls, and with a blossoming smile as she saw her. "I see the contest for prettiest person in the wedding has been resolved in your favour. Really the epitome of tall, brunette, and gorgeous."

"I could say the same for you, dearest." She said, reaching a hand out and fingering the petal sleeves of her pale purple dress, which her long waves of hair kissed as they fell down her back. She wished and wanted terribly to kiss her lips.
Then, shrewdly, she asked, "You weren't this smooth when we met, were you?"

Bonnie shrugged, "I'm still not smooth. I've been practicing that compliment since Sanya told me you're one of Edmund's bride- er, groomsmaids."

The smile immediately gave way to the frown that had haunted her face the entire morning.
"Where is Sanya? She was supposed to be two hours ago to get into her gown!"

Everyone, knowing of Sanya's clumsiness and her propensity to not care about the state of her clothing and hair, had decided that her makeup would be done at home, but she would have her hair and dressing done at the church itself.

'Everyone' here meant Susan. But Mrs. Rainsford had agreed!

"What? She's not here?" Bonnie blinked in consternation. "She left for here two hours ago, saying she'd enjoy the walk on the way."

Susan opened her mouth, and then closed it again.
What exactly was one supposed to say to that?
No, seriously, what could one say to that!? She would have to tell Edmund if she didn't show up!

She didn't want to talk to him- mostly because he had made it plain that he did not want to talk to her, as Peter had as well. Even Lucy- their conversations were hardly a few sentences long, and full of difficult silences.

She would have apologised, but she had done nothing wrong.

"I can't believe we lost the bride."
Nothing wrong except for that.

At the same time, the other girl asked worriedly, "Do you think she's pulled a runaway bride?"
She remembered what her best friend had said a couple of years ago- that she didn't know if she wanted to marry Edmund, but that she knew that she had to marry him.
When Sanya had told her that they were going to get married, she had brought that up, after the initial hugging and congratulations. Her best friend had shrugged, and said that if the Fates existed, then marrying Edmund was decreed by them for her, and it was one of the few parts of her fate that she was incandescently happy about.
But what if she had been lying?

"No." Her voice was firm. "Sanya would never leave Edmund."

"But-"

"Trust me." Susan took Bonnie's hand, clasping it in hers. "Even if Sanya got cold feet, no matter how scared she'd be to voice her fears- she would tell Edmund, or you. She would not run away."

A new fear woke in Bonnie suddenly- as she realised that, while she had asked Sanya if she had feelings for Susan, she had never asked Susan if she had feelings for Sanya.

"I know Sanya, is all." Susan squeezed her girlfriend's hand, understanding what her little frown was about. It didn't bother her- it amused her. She couldn't believe Bonnie was jealous. "Kindred spirits, like that Anne of Green Gables book says."

That mollified her, but not as much as she wanted it to. Why would Susan like Bonnie instead of Sanya? Did she even deserve her?

They'd had spats before, small arguments, because of Susan's attitude or Bonnie's insecurity- but Bonnie knew she loved her.
That she was in love with her.

She had not told Susan, or even her best friend, and had barely admitted it to herself- but she did.

She just didn't know if Susan felt the same.

Part of the reason that Bonnie worried about that was because- because with her, there was something Susan might want to forego. She could make love with Sanya- or Claire, because she knew her girlfriend had had a slight crush on their former history tutor.

In fact- Susan had wanted to make love with Sanya, and she had done it.

But did she want it with her? They had kissed many times, and, of late, their hands had a tendency to wander inside their blouses, or even strip them of it- but, more than that?

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as the sun rises, ma chérie." She promised, kissing her cheek quickly.
It was a friendly gesture- one even siblings did- but she wasn't risking it.
She wished she was bold enough to risk it.
"Can we find the bride first, and then talk things out?"

"Yes. Yes, of course." This day was not about them. "Is the rest of the wedding party here?"

"No, it's just me, and that Clarke fellow- and Meghan, but she's busy with teaching her baby sister to throw petals properly-"
Honestly, teaching the toddler that on the day of the wedding! It was something that ought to have been done long before.
"And Mina telephoned yesterday to say she might be a teensy bit late-"

"Oh, she'll come at the last second because she's pissed that Sanya made sure that everyone's necklines are high."

'If I can barely show cleavage, that means no one else can show any cleavage', were the not-so-chaste bride-to-be's exact words to her bridesmaids and to the groomsmaids (Bonnie had clamped her hands over Meghan's ears as the bride had said this, and Peter had tried to do the same to Lucy's).

"Your family's still at home?"

"Yes- Mum wanted to come with me, but she said settling the groom's hair is as important as the bride's." She rolled her eyes. "Even Dad didn't come! He said he has to help the Rainsfords' driver to put the 'Just Married' sign on their car- but I distinctly heard him put a record on when I was leaving."
Did her parents dislike her, too?
Perhaps this was the beginning of her story about being the black sheep of the Pevensie family.

"I suppose that's something." Bonnie wished she had braided her hair, purely so she could bite it and calm herself down. She had used to bite her hand before she had had long enough hair. "Because that way at least Edmund won't get to know that Sanya's missing-"

"Sanya's missing, is she?" Someone spoke with a laugh- and the two girls turned to see Sanya herself there, clad in a St. Finbar's skirt and one of Edmund's shirts, the subtle makeup on her face pristine. She was grinning widely, too. "News to me."

"Where have you been!?" Susan demanded, the hand that wasn't holding Bonnie's on her hip. "We thought you'd run away or got lost-"

"Why ever would you think that?"
She'd woken up on time. Earlier than that, in fact. Partly out of anxiety- but mostly because she was excited for the 'big day', as a wedding was called here. Why would she feel that if she had plans to run away?

Bonnie gave her a look, "Many reasons, many. One of which is that you left saying you're off to the church, and then two hours later, you were not at the church. Did you go off to London, or something?"

"No." The bride rolled her eyes, and held up her hands, the sleeves falling down as she did. "I went to get mehendi done."
On her hands, from her fingertips till half her forearm, intricate patterns of deep sienna were drawn- a mosaic of art etched on a golden canvas.
"I know, I know-" She started, mistaking their silence as disapproval, "I should have done this before the wedding day-"

"It's beautiful!" Bonnie burst out, moving forward to inspect it better. The design was gorgeous, and it had been drawn by a steady hand- and she instantly needed to know who had done this, so she could fall at their feet and beg for artistic blessings. "Who drew it?"

She turned and nodded to two people standing by the fence of the church, looking at the building warily.
Before the girls could ask her who they were, she launched into the story, "The first time I was wandering alone around Finchley, I found a shop- it was a standard corner-shop, but the name on it was Mustafa."
An Islamic name here- a Rihaayan name in her world.
"I didn't have the courage to go in the first day, but when I did, I found out that a father and a daughter lived there. He's from Syria, but spent most of his life in India, before moving here when his wife- she was Indian- died."

"They're whom you got the henna from." Susan spoke, the dots connecting as she remembered how her soon-to-be sister-in-law had fallen into trouble at school because she had put henna on herself. "And when we were looking for you that day after the lunch with my parents- you weren't there at the park at first."

"Yeah, I was at theirs. Khaled Uncle- uh, Mr. Mustafa, that is- he was making this aloo pakora-"

"Aloo is potato!" Bonnie interrupted, giddy that she had remembered. "Right?"

Sanya nodded, "Yes. Anyway, Aafiyah- the daughter- she's a tailor, but she's good at drawing, so she offered to do my mehendi for the wedding when I invited them."

"I- I didn't know-"

"No one did." She shrugged again.
It had been nice to have a secret that didn't make her miserable and push her into the depths of despair. And, apart from Sarah, they were the only brown people she knew- there was a semblance of comfort there, and the teensiest feeling of belonging. She hadn't wanted the world to somehow tear away at that. She didn't go meet them often- they were still people, and she hated interacting with all people- but it was very nice on the rare occasions she did.
"I told Gran that I'd have two extra guests, and I told Edmund a few months ago, but that's it."

The girls nodded, looking very unsure, and Sanya rolled her eyes.
Honestly. What was it to get so confused about?

"Bon, can you bring them in?" She asked, looking at her best friend. "They don't trust churches- and, oh, is Ed here yet?"

"No." Susan said mutedly- before gasping, and grabbing Sanya's hand. The drive and fervour of the organiser had wakened as quickly as it had calmed. "He'll be here soon, though- as will the guests- and you're not AT ALL ready-"

"Excuse me!" Sanya took offence at that. She had worked hard to make sure her facial makeup- 'understated, elegant, and enhancing', the elder of her sisters-in-law had assured- did not get rubbed off or disturbed, and she hated hard work!

Ah, she had to remind Susan that the scar on her chest had to be concealed- in her gown, her tits would not be visible, but that would be, and she couldn't have that. The powder she usually used to cover it up had just finished the week before, and she'd forgotten to ask Ella to buy some more. Hopefully Susan would have some...

"My make-up-"

She started to drag her inside the church, "It needs to be readjusted- the henna best go with the wedding dress, or so help me- and what have you done to your hair, I'll need to shampoo it myself-"
--

The Wedding March began to play.

Edmund was not the one playing it- he was the one standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for the bride, the love of his life, his Moonshine.

That was sickeningly sappy, but it was his wedding day- again- and so he felt like he was entitled to a good amount of sap.

He adjusted his tie, and wished he was able to meditate.

"I gave the rings to the boys." Lucy whispered to him for the sixth time since they had reached the altar a few minutes ago. "Are you sure about it?"

His reply was hushed, his eyes darting to the filling seats- his parents were at the very front, alternating between smiling encouragingly at him and sharing worried glances with each other- and to the doorway through which Sanya would enter. He wasn't even sure which part of the church she was currently in- his mother and elder sister took the tradition of not letting the bride and the groom see each other very seriously.
"Yes, I'm sure."
What he wasn't sure about, was the decor. It should've been done up more- a trellis or arch where they would exchange vows, floral arrangements along the high walls, something.
They'd never had a wedding with everything- something was always missing- but he wanted to have as much as was possible.

His sister tugged at his charcoal suit-jacket, "But I thought you'd use-"

"Lu, please!" Edmund turned towards her, on the verge of begging her to keep quiet until he and Sanya said 'I do'.

He had asked her to stay with him, instead of walking in along with the rest of the wedding party.
He would have asked Susan, too- but he couldn't really stand more than a few minutes with her nowadays, mostly because he felt such a deep sense of grief whenever he looked at her.
Whenever he even thought about his elder sister, it kept hitting him again and again that she had turned her back on their home, and had squashed the memories of it.
He wasn't sure if that was how Peter and Lucy felt- the other friends of Narnia mainly felt betrayal and anger, and Jill had actually banged the table with her fist when the three Pevensies had let them know- but it must've been something similar.

At any rate, not asking Susan to stay with him had been a good idea from her point of view, too, because it meant that she would get to walk down the aisle with her girlfriend.
Tense and strained though the siblings' relationship had become- they wanted her to be happy, to find love.

Lucy was lovely company on her own- which was why he had asked her to stand with him, but he was starting to think he should've just stood here alone- well, as alone as possible with the overly-chatty Reverend.

Before he could actually ask his sister to keep quiet- it was the whole hall that went quiet, the doors opening.

A tiny girl in lavender, hardly two, walked through first, a basket of flower petals in one hand.
With the other, she threw the petals on the aisle, eliciting soft 'aww's from everyone gathered.

Two boys came after that, one with a shock of blond hair and the other with brown hair- eleven-year-old Bobby, the budding photographer boy from years ago, carried the ring that Edmund would give to Sanya, and fourteen-year-old Alfie, Bonnie's brother, carried the ring that Sanya would give Edmund.
They would hand it over to the respective best man and maid of honour once they reached the altar.

After them, came Meghan, focused on Rosemary, the flower-girl and her little sister, and arm-in-arm with Eustace, who was focused on smiling- then, Mina and Clarke, shooting scowls at each other, almost tripping once as a result- then, Bonnie and Susan, holding hands loosely and smiling tenderly at each other as they crossed the room.

As they took their places on their respective sides of the altar, the music began louder- and, apart from the music, the silence in the room was such that one could hear a pin drop.

"This hair makes me look old-" Sanya complained under her breath, not realising the doors had opened, "I already look older than I am, and this-"

A low bun, seriously! She wasn't in a nunnery, she was getting married! Just because Susan had dressed it up with a fancy French name- chignon- didn't mean she liked it!

At least she had her mehendi- and her gown of lovely white lace over the bodice, and a long, cascading skirt of chiffon, with a slightly open back- and the little tiara-like headband that held her veil in place. Oh, and her bouquet of tulips and roses, too!

The tiara and gown were new- the mehendi was borrowed- and there were splotches of blue ink under her ear.

Those were the three superstitions requirements for this world, right? She gave no fucks about superstitions- but she saw no reason to invite unnecessary misfortune.

But Edmund would be there- all the superstitions of the multiverse fulfilled would not compare to having him by her side. He wouldn't care that her hair made her look old, either.

"You look fine." Peter cut her off, holding his arm out. "Beautiful, in fact. Don't tell anyone I said that, and come on!"
Yes, he should have noticed that the doors had opened- but his hair was falling into his eyes, and he needed his eyes visible, because they matched his tie, and somewhat his suit, and-

Oh, it didn't matter. It wasn't his wedding.

He watched Sanya as she clutched his arm, staring straight ahead and nervously biting at her lip.

"You alright?"

"Yes." She was ready to marry Edmund- to be his wife and partner in every possible way again.
But the thought of walking through the entire hall...
"Just don't let me fall."

"I won't." He promised reassuringly, and they began to walk.

Sanya was painfully aware that whispers had erupted in the hall- it wasn't full, thankfully, but even a small gathering terrified her- the moment that she walked in.

But she held her head high, glad to have Peter's arm to hold onto- and the moment that her myopic eyes found and focused on Edmund, smiling and standing at the end of the aisle, she started to smile, too.
And the smile did not drop after that- it grew, with every step she took, as she saw the love in his eyes, in his smile, all over his face- just as was written all over her, too.

Her smile wavered only once- as she let go of Peter, who grinned proudly at his brother as he took his place between his baby siblings, and little lovely Lucy passed the ring along to him as he did so, still smiling widely.
She was letting go of a brother again.

But her beloved anchor was the one who took her hand next, and that revived her smile.

Sanya moved closer to her betrothed and beloved, coming to stand next to him, on the altar where their souls would once more be joined in holy matrimony- and her expression of adoration turned confused as she gazed at Edmund.

Her smile would falter one more time, as Edmund slid a ring that she had never seen before over her finger- but that wasn't important at all. Besides, the ring was pretty, so there was no need to complain.

For now, though- her confusion.
"Why are there hearts on your tie?"
She was glad she had said that, instead of just dreamily sighing over how gorgeously handsome her soulmate looked- even more than usual. Her Eros, indeed. If she ever did write a poem- not that she was trying, or ever would try- it would be about him.

"Because there's hearts in my eyes." Edmund answered without skipping a beat, and he clasped her hand tighter. "I don't even have words, Moonshine- you look- you are breathtakingly s-shundor. So shundor."

That- that was in the Rihaayan tongue. He had called her beautiful using the-
Sanya flung her arms around Edmund, and kissed him passionately, and the hall erupted into gasps and wolf-whistles.
"Sorry." She glanced at the ancient-looking Reverend as they broke apart, silly smiles on their faces. "Had to."

"Young love is truly something else." The Reverend said cheerfully- and to the groom, he added quietly, "Perhaps you might want to wipe your mouth, my boy."

Edmund blushed furiously, and rubbed the smudges of Sanya's lipstick off him.

Reverend Atkinson chuckled a little, and began, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today-"

Sanya had perfected the art of disassociating from her surroundings during meetings in her old life, and then during school in this one, and she put the skill to use again.

As the Reverend spoke of the sanctity of marriage and went on about the Lord sealing and strengthening their love and more unnecessary things- Sanya only had eyes for Edmund, as Edmund had eyes only for Sanya.

An alliance. A tragedy. A fairytale.

Their union had been so many things- and it had gone through so much, suffered so much, lost so much, grown so much.

But their love for each other carried on and burned brighter than the sole flicker of flame in a cave of darkness.

Some things never changed, and the adoration in Edmund's eyes as he looked at his soulmate was one of them.

Some things never changed, and the tenderness in Sanya's smile as she looked at the love of her life was one of them.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." The Reverend said- his voice was loud, booming, but there was something soft in it. "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

That was oddly true, Edmund felt. While there were arguments, while wrongs and mistakes were committed- even ones that would never be forgotten- it didn't matter, eventually. Unless they were of a genuinely heinous nature, of course.
Love, especially a love like theirs, so deep and true and requited, outweighed everything else.

"Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Love could be bad, Sanya thought- but their love had and would persevere. Their love was good, far more than it was bad- and no matter what, they would always find their way back to each other, two souls who had not been made to be meant to be, but had grown to be so.
Their love would survive for eternity.

"Do you, Edmund Arthur Pevensie, take Sanya Reza Rainsford to be your wife?"

Edmund had never been surer, "I do."

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?"

"And even after." He nodded solemnly, and felt Sanya squeeze his hand. "I do."

The Reverend turned to Sanya, "Do you, Sanya Reza Rainsford, take Edmund Arthur Pevensie to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Sanya did not stutter, "I do."

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?"

"Forever." She promised immediately, and she knew that Edmund was smiling. "I do."

"Excellent- oh, I'm half to tears." Reverend Atkinson said, actually dabbing a handkerchief over his eyes. "Now, have you two lovebirds prepared vows?"

Edmund and Sanya always said such lovely things to each other. Sentences and phrases and paragraphs, all born out of their love for each other, which showed how they cherished each other.

Vows would not have been difficult to write. Difficult to say, certainly- for Sanya- but to write, it would have been like breathing.

But the lovely things were for their ears, only. No one else ought to know them.

"I love you." Edmund said simply.

Sanya smiled, "I love you."

And then they looked back at the Reverend, who was sniffling.
"Is that all?" He asked in bewilderment- he'd expected something longer and poetic. Ah, well- perhaps they would renew their vows someday, and then... "Very well. By the power vested in me by the Almighty and the Holy Church, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
He reached out, and patted both the bride's and the groom's shoulders, smiling at them.
"You may now kiss the bride."

Edmund looked at his wife, a shy smile on his face.
"May I?"

Sanya threw her arms around her husband for the second time that afternoon, answering his question and sealing their third wedding with a kiss.
--

Maude Gregoria Rainsford sat on a chair, her hand clasped over the head of her cane as she watched the reception with a small, satisfied smile.

She'd wanted it at the Claridge's Hotel- it had quite literally been fit for Kings and Queens, and that was what her granddaughter deserved- but Sanya had asked for it to take place in the backyard of the Rainsford house.

The decision made sense, unfortunately. The backyard was spacious enough, and it would have been difficult for everyone at the wedding to make their way to London.

And it did look fetching, especially in the light of the approaching twilight.
There were lights and lanterns strung over the trees, a marquee tent next to the large maple- under it, the guests who'd been invited to the reception sat and conversed contentedly.
She'd had the gardener position rose-bushes in a circle, like red ribbons scattered over a floor of green.

She had never been very good at decorating- one of her few flaws- but she felt that she'd outdone some of the finest decorators with the arrangement.

And at the centre of it all, within the circle of roses, the bride and groom shared their first dance, holding each other as they swayed to Beethoven's music.

The silly children had wanted one of Beethoven's melancholy pieces first.
It had apparently been of some significance to them, and she was pleased that they had wanted classical music instead of some infernal song from this decade- her granddaughter quite liked those, painfully enough- but the one they had chosen was just so very mournful!

She had scolded them into choosing another- not because of her disapproval, but because starting a marriage with a tragic song was hardly auspicious.
She was not asking them to swing around to something like 'Figaro'- she was only asking them to choose music that was hopeful. Happy.

They had ended up going with another of Beethoven's pieces- 'Romance'- which was far more suited to the first dance of a wedding.

It was unfortunate the composer had died a century ago. If he had been alive, Maude would have made him play their wedding himself. It would've been another wedding gift to the couple.

For that boy, she had bought a pianoforte to keep in their new home, and for Sanya, the lease to a space in Great Shelford, where she could open her bookshop. Bonnie had given her the idea for the latter.
She had also got them a record-player, because- quite frankly- the radio was quite annoying. At least one could control the music with a record-player!

Where was the dear girl? She had not seen Bonnie since the wedding-

Maude craned her neck, searching the backyard. Her eyesight was not what had it had been twenty years prior, but she could certainly suss out the one she was looking for...

"Mrs. Rainsford."

She turned sharply- no, it was not Bonnie. It was two people she would now have to be in-laws with.
"Helen. George." She inclined her head gracefully at the couple. "What is it?"

"We just wanted to tell you that it's a lovely reception." Helen smiled anxiously, touching her hat as a nervous gesture. "And we're very happy to now call you family."

George grinned at her, very obviously just as nervous. "The more, the merrier."

"Yes, well." She was on the precipice of saying something that they would realise was an insult after a week.
But- she ought to be nice. If not nice- at least, not rude. For a few hours, for her granddaughter's sake.
Even though it was because of them that she was forsaking the Rainsford name.
"Your family is very much full of the joys of spring." She said politely, and she nodded to the youngest Pevensie child, who was weaving crowns of flowers for Bonnie's brother, Bobby the neighbourhood boy, and for the toddler who had been the flower girl. "Your son makes my granddaughter happy."

That boy had made her sad, too, and she'd never forget that. But he also made her the happiest she could remember seeing her.

"That's what is important to me."

"As with us." Helen nodded with a small smile. "Sanya has our son's heart, and she's treated it most kindly."

"They'll be happy together." Her husband said, and the old lady nodded in agreement. "Thank you again, Mrs. Rainsford."

Maude almost smiled, "Go enjoy what you thank me for, you two. Put the young bones to use before they become feeble and brittle like mine."

The Pevensie parents did smile at her, before they walked away.

All three guardians kept looking at the bride and the groom, throughout the reception. And, despite their reservations and the ill feeling they had had for the other child- they felt happy, purely because it was clear that Edmund and Sanya felt exactly that, too.
--

Unbeknownst to the old lady, Bonnie was not in the backyard at all.
She had been there just a few moments prior, as Edmund and Sanya had been persuaded to go through with the first dance, and she had seen the first few steps.

But then she had felt Susan's hand slip into hers, and she had whispered a reminder in her ear, about how the house was empty, and perhaps they might take full advantage of it.

Bonnie had not moved for almost a minute. Just a few hours ago, she had been worrying about how Susan likely did not desire her like that.

And now this. The opportunity for what she wanted, with whom she loved.

So she currently lay on her bed, once of Susan's legs thrown over her and her fingers in Susan's once-meticulous hair, their lips fiercely working together.

Susan pulled away suddenly, just as Bonnie had found the courage to put her other hand on her thigh, and she giggled.

Bonnie stared at her- well, gazed was probably more accurate.
"Are you drunk?"

"No." She said, and shifted so she was properly straddling her girlfriend. "I'm happy."
She bent down, and kissed her again.
"And I've you to thank for a large part of that."

"Really?" There was a shy smile on her face, and she traced patterns on her girlfriend's bare calf. "I- I- thank you."

"Technically speaking, I'm the one thanking you."

"You being logical makes me want to kiss you again."

Susan's heart fluttered. Her logic usually drove other people away.
"You should." She spoke softly, reaching a hand out to touch her hair. The brown of it contrasted so prettily with the pale pink bedsheet. "And more than that, too."
She'd already unzipped the back of her dress- if she tugged at it, it would all come down...

Bonnie swallowed.
"Could you get down? This position is a bit uncomfortable for me-"

She nodded, refusing to show her dismay that Bonnie had not responded to her 'proposition', so to speak.

They had had their first kiss a year and a half ago, and had been officially together for six months- did she just not want to have sex?
Susan, for her part, wanted it, very much.

Perhaps it was because the medicines that she took- medicines could have strange side-effects, after all.

She slumped down next to her, as she sat up, resting against the headboard.
She should ask her about it.
She had never been in a relationship before, but the phrase of 'honesty is the best policy' applied for everything, did it not?

"Bonnie, honey." She started, and the other girl looked at her, nervousness shining in her eyes. "Do you want-" me, "to go further with me? Physically?"

Yes, of course she did.
"Do you?"

Susan was thrown, "Obviously. I would not be asking if I didn't."

"I-" that was a surprise, "I want you, too- so much- but- but I'm- I have-"

Oh, that. She should've known. It wasn't the first time that her unconventional gender had sparked issues in their relationship.
But there was no issue here and now, because Susan did not care about that, she wanted and cared deeply for Bonnie- and she had to let her know that.
"Do you have a tongue? Fingers?

She knew she did, but she stupidly looked at her hands still.
"...yes, I do, but-"

"And you have tits, right?"

She nodded mutely.

"That's enough. More than enough." Susan meant it with all her heart, whenever she told Bonnie that she didn't care that she'd been assigned a boy at birth. She had always, always seen her as a girl- a woman- and a very beautiful one at that. "I want you, Bonnie Berkeley. All of you. I swear to you, I do."

Bonnie's lips parted, and Susan leaned forward, thinking she was about to kiss her.
But she did something else instead.
"I love you."

Susan blinked, feeling confounded once more. It was a feeling she disliked, but- but, somehow, she didn't mind it very much with Bonnie.
"What?"

"I love you." She repeated, and could find absolutely nothing to say that explained why she had chosen now to say this. "I think I've loved you since that time you snorted so loudly after Claire spilled ink on her notes, and hardly a second later, you looked so flabbergasted because that meant that you'd not be able to use her notes for the exams."

"You love me?"

She sounded too quiet, and Bonnie already started readying herself to walk out- after the break-up.
"Very much."

She needed clarification.
"You mean-" Susan sat up as well, her silvery eyes cloudy with- with doubt, "you're- in love with me?"
No one had ever been in love with her, she thought- as far as she could remember.

"Yes." She nodded, pressing her lips tight together. "I love you like Dante loved Beatrice, like Penelope loved Odysseus-"
She paused for a moment, and Susan looked nervous.
But then Bonnie smiled, remembering something on a train platform years ago.
"Like Mr. Bingley loved Jane Bennet."

For a moment, she looked puzzled.
But then- she remembered.
She remembered what she had said.

And Bonnie here could be your Mr. Bing.

Edmund and Sanya had proceeded to correct her- and Bonnie had said that she didn't fancy dating Peter, who would've in this case been Jane, since Ed was supposed to be Elizabeth.

But Peter wasn't Edmund's only older sibling.

Susan was, too.

If Bonnie was Mr. Bingley- she was Jane Bennet.

Susan had never been more sure than in that moment that she did have a heart, and it was extremely prone to melting.

But she had another comparison to make, too.

"Like Emily Dickinson loved Sue Gilbert?"

She smiled slightly, the act as nervous as her eyes showed, "'Susan, I would have come out of Eden to open the door for you if I had known you were there'."

Ever since Sanya had realised that Emily and Sue were lovers, she had bought every edition of the poet's letters and poems- which Bonnie had often perused.

They had inspired her to paint more- and it was from one of her poems, the one about wild nights and a heart in port- that she had found the inspiration for the painting she had drawn for Susan on her birthday.

Eden. Susan had had her Eden, once. It had been part of her imagination- but it had been real to her siblings and she. The love she had imagined- it had been real, in a way.

But Bonnie was real, as well.

Real, in every single way, even though she made Susan feel like she was in a dream- the nicest dream there was.

"'A little overflowing word'."

That phrase was from Emily's letters, too.
She supposed she shouldn't be surprised that Susan had read them, too. After all, her best friend had said that it was because of Susan that she'd begun to probe into the poet's life.
"What- love?"

"Yes."

"You don't need to say it back." Bonnie spoke kindly. She would never force someone to feel what they didn't. "It's- it is a difficult- oh, goodness, I don't know what to say."
Her assurance felt so- so feeble, so false. If it was difficult for Susan to say it, it was difficult for Bonnie to not hear it! And it hurt. Of course it hurt.

Susan didn't know what to say, either.
But she knew what she felt.
"I love you."

"Yes, that's what I said-"

"No, Bonnie." She took her hand in hers, and moved closer to her, as they faced each other.
Her heart beat wildly- and she knew it truly was love. It was a risk, which was why her heartbeat was so erratic.
After all, wasn't love perhaps the riskiest and boldest thing in the world?
"I'm telling you. I love you."

Bonnie's eyes flickered to the calendar on top of her dresser.
No, it wasn't April Fool's.
She looked back to her girlfriend- she was smiling faintly, her eyes shining, spots of pink on her cheeks. They were not because of make-up.
"Really?"

Susan nodded, wrapping her arms around her.
"I'm in love with you." She whispered, and Bonnie's heart felt like it could explode in utter euphoria. "Really and truly."

"Oh." She began to smile, too- she felt so odd, which meant she must have been feeling so happy! Susan loved her! Susan Pevensie loved her! Her feelings were wholly requited! "That's- I'm- I- I- I love you."

"Say it as many times as you like." That would make it even more real. "It's music to my ears."

"I love you." Bonnie said again, and this time, her lips parted and she did kiss her. Her lips, her skin, her heart, they all tingled with utter joy and adoration.
But-
"Su-Susan-" She pulled away, already out of breath, "can- can we take a raincheck on the- the more?"
She just needed a few days to- to prepare herself, mentally. And she would prefer if they had an entire night to themselves, as opposed to a mere hour when everyone was distracted with the wedding reception.

She tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, and nodded, smiling, "Of course."
Her zipper was already down, though. It seemed like an awful waste to let that effort be for nothing.
"But-" She rolled her shoulders, and the top of her dress fell down, cascading as though in the slow-motion of a film, "how about some topless snogging?"

Bonnie grinned widely, her fingers reaching out to dance their way up to the creamy skin of her girlfriend's rather splendid breasts.
"I love topless snogging as much as I love you."
--

"I love you much too much, you've never really known," The wedding band crooned the Andrews Sisters lyrics, "I love you oh so much- I'm yours alone-"

After the first dance of the newly-married couple, there had been uproar for loud, fast music, something to dance to- and, as John Patterson had yelled succinctly, "Something with words!"

And that music had reigned for the next hour. Peter, in particular, had been very enthusiastic during the hour, and everyone else gave the corner he was in a wide berth.
The music had gone on until Sanya decided she had stepped on Edmund's feet enough, and had told her husband to ask the band to sing something slow again.

Seriously, she had stepped on his feet twelve times, and they had barely danced for five minutes- they had retired to sit down as the fast music had started, and only joined once more when the band had started playing 'Oh, Johnny', which Lucy had requested.

"Mina is going to commit double homicide today." Edmund said conversationally, as he pulled his wife closer to him. "I don't see why Clarke and Peter aren't realising that."

Sanya spared a glance to where the three stood.
Mina had her hands on her hips, yelling something- Peter was frowning, shaking his head repeatedly- and Clarke moved his hands around animatedly, very enthusiastically countering whatever the other two said.
Right next to them, Eustace and Jill stood, laughing quite openly at the trio.

"The battle of the blondes." She giggled, turning back to Edmund, who laughed as well. "Anyway, Mina likes arguing, so she's probably keeping them around for her own amusement."

He hmm'ed, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, the music changing to 'Dream A Little, Dream Of Me'.
"You know what I just realised?"

She lifted her head, curiosity in her bright eyes.

"That this is our third wedding-"

She smiled widely, "Indeed it is, husband."
She could finally call him that in public now. They were married again- in heart, in soul, in law.
And it would rain in about three hours. It was truly a most wondrous day.

His heart fluttered.
"But this is our first wedding dance, Mrs. Reza-Pevensie."
Calling her that felt as right as being called 'husband' by her. That should have been her last name from the very first wedding- not only Pevensie, not her taking his name and giving up her own, but their names together.
He might adopt the same- he had to think about it.

She thought back. Their first wedding in Azraq- she'd barely held his hand as they had exchanged rings, and that had been the only contact they had had. Their second wedding- they had held hands and they had kissed and they had made love later that night, but they had not danced.
"Who knew we still had some firsts left in us?"

Excluding the thousand years of her waiting- the December of this year would mark the fifteenth year of their marriage and togetherness.

Fifteen years!

Although she had gone through things that were much, much more fantastical- it was this that she found hard to believe.

He smiled as well, and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
"I've come to expect the unexpected when I'm with you, Moonshine."

"Speaking of unexpected-" Sanya lifted her left hand from his shoulder, the stone of her ring shining on it, "what's this? I thought we agreed that I'd just wear my old one."

"I know, but I saw this in a pawn-shop that Mum took us to a few months ago-" to give away some old family heirlooms she knew full well her children would never want and she herself disliked, "and the owner saw me looking at it, and he told me to set my sights elsewhere, for it was not a diamond ring."

Of course it wasn't a diamond. It was apparent even to her. Diamonds were transparent, and the way they shone was very different to the bluish-purple sheen of the milky gem in her ring. Both stones were stunning- but if she had to choose, she would prefer the latter.
"Isn't it opal?"

"I thought it was, too. But-" Edmund smiled again, and he bent his head to kiss her ring, "it's moonstone. And that sheen you see is called- hang on, I know it-" it was a difficult word, and one he was sure he had never heard before until he'd read up on the stone, "adularescence."

She gaped at him, "A moonstone?"

"Haan."

That was in Rihaayan, and a smile tugged at her lips.
Still, her surprise overcame that.
"A ring of moonstone?"

"Haan, and yes."

"Moonstone?"

"Still yes." He said, rolling his eyes. "It reminded me of you."

Sanya fell quiet. She had known of the gem's existence- but she had never seen it in any jewellery, not here and nor in her home.
It was unique- and it glowed- and it reminded her husband of her.
A smile began to tug at her lips, "A moonstone for your Moonshine?"

"Cheesy, Moonshine." He chuckled, and his wife stuck her tongue out at him. "Very cheesy."

"Well, I've heard that you white people love cheese." She spoke with a shrug, mischief in her eyes. "So I'll take it as a compliment."

"I won't even argue with that, because you look so beautiful."
Seriously. He'd actually had to have the lights twinkling over the Rainsford backyard pointed out to him, because he had had eyes only for his Moonshine.

She blushed. She had taken off her veil and undone her hair- Susan had asked Lucy to pass on the message that she would not be speaking to Sanya because of that- but, otherwise, she looked the same as she had most of the day.

She'd probably never understand how and why Edmund found her so beautiful, but that didn't stop her from going red as roses.

"So do you." She murmured, brushing her fingers against the hair that fell into his lovely dark eyes. The stars shone in them. "I can't believe you're mine."
Her Eros, her Edmund.

He gently took her hand that was touching his hair, and he brought it down to his mouth. He kissed her palm- and her scars. His eyes flickered to Sanya's face- she was smiling softly at him, her brown cheeks still tinted pink.
"Likewise, Moonshine."

They swayed together in silence, the music almost fading away as they gazed into each other's eyes.

A few more couples joined them in the dance ring.
His parents were one of them, and they smiled at the young couple as they passed them, as did Professor Kirke and Lady Polly- Lady only in Narnia, perhaps, but it counted to Edmund and Sanya- who laughed more than they danced, like old friends were wont to do.

"I'm sorry I have to leave in the morning." Edmund spoke in a hushed whisper to his wife. "And that we have to delay the honeymoon for a whole month."

He wanted to go on their honeymoon that very moment, whisk Sanya away to somewhere it was just them encased in a bubble of their love- but he simply could not miss two weeks of classes. He'd have to wait until the summer break started from the middle of June- and then they would have twelve weeks of togetherness in their new home...

And he would have a lot of time to catch up on his university work, too.

"Our last honeymoon was delayed by years. I think this is fine, by comparison." Sanya had been slightly upset that she would have to let go of her husband the very day after their wedding. She'd also been upset because she wouldn't see him till the weekend- they had not yet moved into their cottage, and so she still lived at the Rainsford home. She would probably be staying there, with her husband at his dorm in Cambridge, until the beginning of July, when they'd return from their honeymoon.

She did not know where the honeymoon was. Edmund had kept his pretty mouth firmly shut.

Besides the fact that she would be getting to stay in her room for a month more, the delayed honeymoon also meant she could keep her job at the Zoo for the time-being. She really liked the job, because there were no people to talk to, and only animals to interact with. Even the timings were very flexible, because the animals preferred to throw their tantrums later in the day.

"I am sorry that I made you-" and most of the other guests who were enrolled in any educational institution, "miss class today."

"Are you kidding? I'd take getting married to you on a Monday over attending class at eight in the morning on a Monday a few billion times."

"I mean, anything is better than a Monday morning class."

"Very true, my wife." He conceded easily, because she was right. They both shared the extremely correct opinion that Mondays were the absolute worst. "Perhaps I can miss class tomorrow, too-"

Oh, she wanted that. She wanted that so badly. She wished he could miss class every single day, and just stay with her.

But she wasn't everything for him, either. Cambridge was important to him, and his interest in law was his vocation.

As it was meaningful to him, it was meaningful to her, too.

"We have tonight." She reminded him, pressing her body close to his. "Maude's off to spend the night at a hotel- Bonnie is going to stay with her parents at the inn they're staying at- it'll be only the two of us."
She had been tired since she had woken up, and she'd progressively become more exhausted throughout the day. But now, with the prospect of a whole night alone together- she felt like she could swim an Ocean.

"It sounds like Heaven."
She was Heaven, if Heaven could ever be a person.
Divine, in more ways than one.
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Going to fuck you against the piano, wife."

She giggled, her darkening eyes flicking to his, "Going to suck you off in every single room, my love."

"Will make you moan so loud we won't be able to hear the rain, my shundor darling."
He was never going to stop calling her that. Who else? In his heart and in his eyes, she was the most shundor of them all- rather, the only shundor, for he had eyes for no one else.

Every time he said that word in relation to her- oh. She didn't know whether her heart felt warmer or her vagina did.
Honestly, it was probably both. That was the usual effect Edmund had on her.
"Oh, husband, you'll get hickeys in places you've never dreamt of."

His voice was hoarse, and he devoutly hoped no one could see his growing hardness, the clear effect of her words and her body, "You won't be able to walk right for a month, Moonshine."
He felt so hot.

Her brown cheeks were flushed now, and she could feel a familiar tightening between her legs. The need was turning quickly unbearable.
"It- it's been a very tiring day, though." She said, because- as much as she wanted to be fucked senseless, and fuck him senseless- what if it was too much? Wasn't it a common adage that too much of a good thing was bad? "I don't- I don't want to force it, you understand? Sex has always been so natural for us, it would be a shame if we let the expectations of a wedding night control us."

"We can just get into bed, and cuddle, then." He truly did not mind. He just wanted to be with her, and be warm together. "You can put on those pyjamas with stars on them- hopefully because you're happy-"

Sanya interrupted, "What?"

"Your star-and-moon pyjamas."

"Yes, what about them?"

Edmund didn't understand what she meant. They were her pyjamas, she ought to know, shouldn't she?
"Well, you wear those pyjamas when you're upset or if you're very happy."

"What are you talking about?"

How could he make it plainer?
"It has stars and moons on it- I think that comforts you when you're sad, and it adds to your joy when you're not."
He hoped that explained things enough- but there was blankness in her beautiful features, with little sign of dawning comprehension.
"Did you not know?"

She shook her head, feeling stupid. She did that? Did she do that? Oh, she did do that! And utterly unconsciously.
"I- I didn't even realise. How did you-"

"Because I see you." His voice was soft, and they had not been this physically close throughout the entire day- except for the few occasions they had kissed, mayhap. "Even when you try to hide. I didn't see you that night before our wedding- but I've seen you almost every day since."

"What happened to you forgetting I existed at that time?"

"Why else do you think I said almost?" The former Just King said teasingly, and dipped her low- even though the lyrics of 'It's Been A Long, Long Time' asked for kisses, not dips. "We'll spend tonight exactly however you like, Moonshine."

"With some of what you like, too." She said, looking at him pointedly. "Marriage is a partnership, husband."

"Is it?" He asked, his tone of mock-doubt. "I thought it was just an alliance."

"Well-" The once-True Queen appeared to look thoughtful, "it may begin as an alliance. But over the years-"

"Thousand years or fifteen years?"

"Both." She winked at him, and he laughed out loud. "Over the years, it becomes so much more."

So much more. Indeed. They really had grown- both together and apart, as a couple and as individuals- since that fateful winter's day in the capital of Rihaaya.

Edmund smiled down at her, and Sanya smiled up at him, their arms around each other, and they shared another kiss- as they would share a life. No matter how many years- fifteen or thousand or anything else- it would be a life together.

And that was what mattered.

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-✧･: °*✧*°:･✧-
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Richard Harris as Reverend Albert Atkinson

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(🎶 It was just like a movie, it was just like a song... 🎶)
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(Sanya being comfortable to dance only with her beloved husband Edmund, and Edmund being an excellent dancer who could dance with anyone but still chooses his darling wife with two left feet 🥺🥺🥺)
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(They look so in love ajsksksksk- BECAUSE THEY ARE)
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(It's not HER fault, someone should have specified what kind of bird is acceptable!!)
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(They were held at gunpoint to get this done. I mean, just look at how tightly they're holding hands.
Also, Sanya's back gave out approximately 0.2 seconds after the photograph was taken.)
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(Amethyst Gang and Sapphire Gang.
I know, the manips are horrible, I just made it for an idea of what the bridespeople and groomspeople look like and are wearing at the wedding 😭)
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(their development, both negative and positive and backwards and forwards>>>>>>>>>>>>)
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This chapter is only 9K words. Tiny, really, compared to the last few 💀💀 But wedding chapters that deal solely with the wedding are like this. There's only so much else I can stuff in.
Lots of pictures, though. 🤷‍♀️

I know we haven't had a lot of Bonnie and Susan scenes, except for many mentions of them, and I feel really bad about that- but can we just. Please. Appreciate how cute they are? Calling each other pretty and complimenting each other and being so open??? The way Susan went absolutely un-Susan and so confused when Bonnie said ily? And the comparisons that Bonnie made in relation to her feelings for Susan? Penelope and Odysseus, Beatrice and Dante, JANE AND BINGLEY???
(Side note, I had once thought that it would be Edmund as Elizabeth, Sanya as Mr. Darcy, Caspian as Mr. Bingley, and Peter as Jane. Bonnie-Bingley and Susan-Jane has confused me now.)

AND THEN BONNIE QUOTING EMILY DICKINSON (WHOSE BELOVED WAS ALSO NAMED SUSAN)????? DURING HER LOVE CONFESSION? Tears.

I adore them. I adore them so much. Berkensie (????) my beloveds.
Susan doesn't remember her Eden (Narnia) or the love she had there- but Bonnie is real. She's a dream that is real. She's utterly real and in her arms, and she loves her.
They love each other so much. They'll get a happy ending- they absolutely MUST.

The mystery of where tf Sanya is finding mehendi/henna in 1940s England is solved! I'm sure the question of it has been aggravating Headmistress Graybow for years now, so maybe the new-old bride should send an explanatory letter.

Aight, coming to the wedding.

The ring.
Edmund is supposed to wear the ring that Sanya gave him for his sixteenth birthday, since his actual wedding ring was lost due to wardrobe shenanigans. And that's the ring he DOES wear.
Sanya was supposed to wear her old wedding ring- not the original, gaudy one from the first wedding, but the one that Edmund gave her prior to her coronation as High Queen of Rihaaya. That's the ring she's worn for a thousand years.
But another ring is slid onto her finger- a new one, one of moonstone.
I don't even have a reason for it, except for MOONstone. How great. Besides, new world and third wedding. Why not new, third ring as well?

And Edmund wearing a tie with hearts over it? Down so absolutely bad, and we love it.

Their vows. I suck at writing vows, for one, but I actually had two ideas for their vows.

One was that they say things that sound utterly and completely batshit to 99% of the people around them, but are actually very true- that is, they talk about their past life.
The other was that they say nothing. That they say only what everyone else knows- that they love each other.

I love funny stuff, so I thought of going for the former- but their weddings aren't funny stuff. They're genuine, they're serious, and they're heartfelt. They've come about after so much effort.
Their weddings are a celebration of their love, that's all.

So, simple 'I love you's it was. That's all that matters in that moment, that's the reason for the wedding, that's the reason for everything- their love.

Edmund calling Sanya beautiful in her native tongue actually has my heart. What a man. I think I forgive him for the break-up now.

Sanya saying she's invisible multiple times in this book, and here Edmund saying that he always sees and notices her- soulmates.

Ngl, I suck at writing weddings, which is why I always usually overview them, but I quite liked this one. Mentioning the songs that play during the wedding was cool research.

Maude hates Helen and George so much, it's fucking funny 💀💀💀 the fact that they're the reason that Edmund is in the world is reason alone to hate them, in her eyes.

And, yes, Peter being a bad dancer is true for events in all worlds. No Huldra-charm to save him here.
It's fine, it's funny.

Back to Edmanya for the last bit of the author's note.
Alliance, Tragedy, Fairytale.
All their love has overcome and become.
Now for more of it 🙌🙌🙌 They'll just be so happy from now on. Yes, I am as shocked as anyone at that.

And, as always- I humbly and unashamedly ask you to vote on the chapters, and perhaps comment, too :)