NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE
PETER PEVENSIE X READER

WARNINGS: none really
NOTES:
set in the time where the Pevensie's are aging in Narnia and ruling as Kings and Queens before they re-find the wardrobe. Peter and the reader are supposed to be about 19! <3 also it got too long so part 2 (:

— b.

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Bowing your head slightly as you curtsied, you peered up slightly at the faces of the queens before you.

The younger, Lucy, had a kind smile — and she greeted you with enthusiasm as you stood properly, eyes twinkling as she looked over you, "Oh, wow! I've never met another queen before. You're beautiful!"

You tilted your head, allowing your lips to pull up in a bashful way. "Thank you; that's very kind of you," You told her, "But I must say, I'm only a princess."

It was true, you were still only young, and you weren't even set to inherit the throne from your parents (being a female). The only way you could, was if you married — and while you still lived in an autocracy, you weren't expected to be married quite yet.

The second sister, Susan, was closer to your age. She had a gentle appearance, with rosy cheeks and amiable eyes. "It's so nice to meet you," She remarked simply, "If you'll excuse both of my brother's lack of punctuality, they're late from their afternoon training. And please, sit," She gestured toward the seats behind you, and you gladly accepted, sitting across from their lounger.

The room was white, and the marble sparkled with the afternoon sunlight that shone from the balcony. Below was the expanse of the glimmering ocean, the horizon only able to be seen from your position

"Oh, it's really no problem," You waved them off, only glad that you could seek refuge in their company while your father consulted with their military strategist, Orios. While he did have a man that could do it, he preferred to handle it himself — you respected that about your father.

"I've never been to your country. Is it as beautiful as Narnia?" Lucy asked inquisitively. You were similar to her when you were her age, and it lead you to explore, and read as much as possible. You wanted as much knowledge as you could get, and your parents encouraged you to learn so fervently as you inherited different responsibilities within your kingdom.

"Very much so. I would love for all of you to come visit, but it seems you have your own country to govern," You laughed slightly, eyes flickering between the two queens as smoothed out the material of your dress.

Lucy looked up at her older sister, as if disappointed.

Susan immediately peered over to you, shoulders pushed back, "I'm sure we can make a plan."

At that, Lucy grinned, and you couldn't help but admire how well the siblings seemed to get on. The way the younger looked to the elder for guidance, and how Susan wanted to make her sister happy.

Opening your mouth to reply, you were cut short by the large doors behind the girls' seat opening. Two boys bumbled in, laughing and chatting as they were caught up in each other.

Finally noticing the three gazes on them, and the silence in the room, the boys stopped, only to find a stranger they weren't expecting. While Susan had told them about your father's coming, they didn't know about you, who in Susan's defence, was a last minute addition to the trip.

You'd always wanted to see Cair Paraval in all its glory, after reading about its majesty in textbooks, and hearing about it from travelers. Your mother eventually allowed you to leave instead of staying with her. Though you felt guilty, she assured you that she'd be okay by herself. She'd survived without your father for many years.

"And who's this?" The dark haired one blurted, hand on the hilt of his sword, other swiping through his hair.

"This is Princess (Y/N) (L/N), of Belladonna," Susan introduced, and although you couldn't see from the way she'd turned to look at them, she was making 'dont be idiots' eyes at them.

"Oh," The elder stood up just a little straighter, the breast plate on his armour rising as he stood tall. "I apologize for mine and my brothers entrance," He told you, moving around where his sister's sat to properly see you, his brother trailing behind.

"That's perfectly alright," You smiled kindly, for the first time taking in his features. With broad shoulders, a slight smile, and blue eyes that shone like the ocean below you all; you were immediately struck with his beauty. "I understand that my presence was a surprise," Your eyes flickered to the now clearly younger brother, who, while handsome, did not catch your attention like the elder did. You thought it was perhaps because you were the closest in age — and there was a maturity to his stride.

"More like a happy accident," The younger mumbled, you not catching it completely. His brother elbowed him, watching intently as you stood to be eye-level with them.

You extended your hand for the younger with an amicable smile, and he introduced them both, "I'm King Edmund, and this is High King Peter."

You nodded with understanding, and shook Peter's hand second. Peter was absolutely enamoured with you, like no one he'd quite met before. Your simple and elegant beauty struck him from the moment he'd laid eyes on you. Your stature, your friendly features, and the wreath of olive colour ed leaves wrapped around your crown serving to make his heart thump faster than he'd anticipated.

________

"She's beautiful." Peter's lips parted in quiet astonishment, his eyes trained on you like you were giving him air.

"She's untouchable." Susan corrected shortly afterwards, Edmund snickering at his siblings' interaction.

You were on the other side of the room, adorned in a dark gown that dripped with beads and golden accents. Your hair was pulled back to reveal your face, but you seemed bashful to be so completely in the spotlight next to your father — your head bowed slightly as you avoided people's gazes from the crowd, your more modest wreath replaced by a metallic tiara that glinted in the ballroom's glowing chandelier light.

There was a welcome banquet being held in honour of the alliance between your family in Belladonna, and Narnia — and during the welcoming speech, all Peter could seem to notice or see was you. Edmund wasn't letting him live it down, and Susan was watching him with a begrudging look, her arms crossed over her chest.

He'd stuck to his one spot for the rest of the night, chatting to whoever seemed to wander up — nursing some kind of alcoholic drink in his goblet. Even Ed was more social, spreading out across the party to get slightly rosy-cheeked from the drinks, and loudly discuss war strategy with his centaur and fawn friends.

Peter heard someone clear their throat across from him, and he was nearly inclined to wave them away and just go to bed early. Susan's words had been weighing on his mind while he minded his time, and he was starting to thinking that maybe she was right. She had a way of making him doubt himself that probably came in handy at some points.

Peering up from studying the tiles, he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised to see you across from him. The ceremony was half-honoring you, too. And suddenly, everything his sister said was disappearing from his head — replaced by the sight of you.

"Good evening," You remarked, the words tumbling from your lips like you were tired of saying them. And after a long night of meeting new Narnians, you kind of were. He could understand, though. "I was hoping I would see you, High King," You admitted, hands delicately wrapped around a glass filled with an unknown liquid.

The way you looked at him through your lashes, his heart was fluttering — and he found himself speechless at your beauty now that you were up close. Not that you weren't before; it's just that you looked so pretty in the light, your dress contrasted to your skin as it was tailored just for you.

"Is that so, princess?" Peter held humour in his voice, and you admired his accent and tone. It was nothing like anyone from your world, and the way he said your title almost felt like a pet name. His blue eyes twinkled when they met yours, lilting his head, "I had a similar thought."

He admired the way your face filled with a glowing blush, only serving to make his pulse quicken as you tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

"Well, I'm glad," You admitted, "How has the party been for you, then?" You pried, a smile tugging at the corner of your lips as you took a sip of your dark drink. He noted the way you did it, the curl of your mouth enigmatic and enchanting.

"I hope you don't find me rude when I say it's been quite dull—" You seemed surprised by his words, your cup pausing near your chin as you hid an amused smile. "But it seems to be looking up now," He added pointedly, and you didn't miss how his gaze cascaded over you — the subtext of his words rather easy to read as you met his vision.

"Oh? No ones having a better time that Edmund," You chuckled (ignoring your own pink cheeks), and he seemed let his chest rumble with a warm laugh. Happiness looked good on him, and the glow of his kind blue eyes was attractive and inviting.

Peter pried his vision from you so that he could check in on his brother. Luckily, Oreius was keeping a begrudging eye on his from the corner — which didn't mean he wasn't most definitely drunk, and languidly gesturing through his conversation. "Yeah. I might have to deal with that later," The words came out like he was wincing, and you found it funny — but also couldn't really relate. You didn't have siblings, so you didn't really understand their interactions fully.

"I wish you luck," You tilted your chalice up toward his, as if to make a toast, "I'm sure you'll need it."

"Thanks," Peter scratched the back of his neck, not sure what to say in front of you when you were being so nice. He didn't feel like a High King at all — he felt more like a school boy than anything. With a big fat crush on someone out of his reach.

But then you were taking a half step closer, voice dropping so that he could barely hear you over peoples loud banter, and the jovial music being placed by the band. "Hey, um . . . are there any places near here where I can go to get some air?" You queried, the look on your face making him weak at the knees. And of course, he would give you anything you asked for.

"Don't you think they'll miss us at our own party?" A laugh escaped him — it was deep and good—natured, and you couldn't help but enjoy the sound.

"No. Not really," You peered around, and no one seemed to notice the two of you off to the side. Everyone was having a good time in their own sense. Your father was even distracted in a talk with some Narnian law-makers, and Susan wasn't there to judge him for what he was about to do.

"Then — I've got just the place."

_________

He took your hand, leading through empty hallways — with high vaulted ceilings and ornate stained-glass windows. You wanted to ask him where you were going, but he hushed you with his finger to his lips. Soon, you were near the entrance of Cair Paravel, bounding down the marble steps that lead to the beach.

He was about to pull you onto the sand, when you stopped him, "My shoes!" You exclaimed, and he couldn't help but laugh as you stopped just short of the beach. "Do you mind helping?" You queried. He seemed to raise an eyebrow in reply, but offered his hand out to you nonetheless.

You help it to steady yourself, removing your left heel, and stepping to the floor. The path you were on was stoney and cold, but it didn't stop you from removing the other, and then tearing off your stocking so that they wouldn't get dirty or wet.

When you finally looked back up at him, Peter's lips were parted, surprised that you'd do something so bold in front of him. As royal, you mainly had to follow quite strict etiquette — so when you could break it, you generally took the chance. And who was going to fight you when you were the princess? All that happened to you usually, was that a guard guided you back to where you were 'supposed' to be.

He blinked, and you were running towards the water, lifting the layers of your skirt with a laugh tumbling from your lips. Peter hurried to get his shoes off, too — joining you with a goofy smile and a chuckle as you let the cold water of the ocean wash around your ankles together.

There was a moment of silence as you both breathed into the cool night air. It wasn't too frigid, and you swore there wasn't a breath of wind. From where you stood, you saw an expanse of crystal clear water, meeting the inky sky near the horizon. The stars were scattered across it in constellations, and you could see all of them perfectly with no clouds to obscure them.

Enraptured, you could help but whisper: "Narnia is beautiful, you know?" Peter bit back the obvious, and decided not to tell you that 'you are, too', "If the world is all like this, I'll have many adventures — I think."

His lips quirked at your words, and the way your eyes were filled with utter wonder. Peter was beginning to learn more about you, and he enjoyed every bit — curious as to how you ticked. "You haven't been any other places?" He asked, unabashedly staring at you while you were distracted by your surroundings.

"No, unfortunately not. This is the first time I've ever been allowed outside Belladonna," You admitted, finally glancing over at him, noticing his attention on you. Despite the dark, he observed how you flushed — noticing that you were rather easily flattered by him (which he was quite openly enjoying).

"It was like that for me . . . before I came to Narnia, that is. I didn't ever think I'd see more than the city I lived in. And then I made my way here," He told you, a hand running through his blonde hair as he tried to ignore that he'd just let something so personal slip out. You just made things easy. "And it's done me good."

"I'm actually trying to avoid inheriting another royal title in a foreign state," You laughed slightly, taking a step further into the salty water, the small lapping waves wetting the bottom of your dress ruffles (but you didn't seem to care). He nodded his head in understanding, knowing just like you that being royalty was difficult as it was. "Where were you before? Is it far?" You asked, turning with your back to the ocean so you could coax him deeper with you.

Peter followed, despite the way the sea foam spluttered at his pants. "London. Yes, I'd say it's quite far from here. We fled a war," He told you, knowing that you wouldn't understand what he was talking about.

London. It wasn't familiar to you, but you assumed there were many places you hadn't ever heard of. "Only to fight another one here?" You tilted your head, and the blatant honesty of your question took him aback.

"No —  more so to end one here," He admitted.

"Yes . . . I'd say you're doing quite well. Narnia hasn't been so peaceful since my grandpa was young. He'd tell me stories about visiting when he was a child . . . before the Ice Queen," You divulged, and he loved to hear you talk. He didn't know anything about you — and asking Susan had lead him to a dead end (mostly because she didn't play along with his shenanigans). But hearing it all from you was working out to be a bit better.

He paused, choosing his words carefully as he watched you in front of him — glowing in the pale moonlight and twinkling stars, "I hope it lives up to your expectations."

"The people have been quite lovely so far," You admitted looking down as you swayed, fluttering your dress, "And all the animals, of course!" You added with an enthusiastic smile that he couldn't help but share upon seeing it. There was something about your energy that was contagious to him. "Not to mention the view," You peered up, (e/c) eyes almost intentionally flickering between him, and Cair Paravel, which was behind his shoulder.

He was relatively star-struck by you, not able to help the way his heart swelled when your pretty eyes met his, and the words that slipped from him: "If the people in Belladonna are even half as pleasant as you are — then I'd love to visit it for myself one day."

Peter adored your red cheeks, and the way you let out a little laugh, hand pressed to your lips as you tried to hide how shy you were because of him. "You flatter me, King," You said, voice just above a whisper.

"Well that was kind of the point," He divulged, a cheeky smile on his lips, laughing as you only reddened.

You waved him off, but you felt warm and fuzzy inside as you shared looks. Peter hadn't had much experience with anyone, but if whatever he felt inside was wrong for some reason — then he wasn't sure what love or attraction meant at all.

___________

When the beach started to make you shiver, and you were sure people would be leaving the party sooner or later — both of you decided to venture back into the castle. You walked in mostly silence, and he lead you through the many winding hallways back toward both of your chambers. Majority of the bedrooms were located on the one wing, so the two of you didn't have to part until you stood in front of his large door.

You peered behind you, and although candles illuminated the white surfaces, they were nearly burned down to their wick because everyone was at the gathering in the large hall — even their servants and gaurds. Wax dropped to the floor as you paused in front of each other. When you looked back up to say goodbye, he reached out his two hands to you — linking your fingers with a look in his blue eyes like he didn't want you to leave. And you had to admit that you didn't want to either.

"Really, it's gotten quite cold. I have a hearth in my room if yo'd want to get warm before you sleep."

"Isn't that a rather improper proposition?" You were blushing, and you wanted to retreat shyly, but you couldn't bring yourself to let go of his touch. He was smiling smally, tilting his head as his stomach brimmed with what was becoming a familiar sensation around you.

"Only if I had improper intentions," He informed honestly, letting you decide whether you wanted to believe him or not. Peter wasn't someone that seemed like he'd imply something like that.

"Hmm, as long as you don't try anything—"

"I would never, Princess," Peter bowed his head slightly, flustered that you thought he was suggesting anything like that with you. From his time in England, to leading Narnia for the past few years, he'd barely had time to have a crush — never mind sleep with someone.

"I suppose I will — but I have to be back when everyone else retires," You warned, though you were smiling despite yourself.

"So be it."