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P E T E R
"Nerissa!" Lucy unmistakable voice squeals as soon as I step out of the room behind Nerissa the next morning.
Nerissa barely turned around in time before Lucy comes barrelling into her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist and causing her to stumble back.
I reach out, placing my hand at the small of her back to steady her.
"Calm down, Lu." I say with a laugh, "Let's not accidentally hurt Nerissa."
"I can't believe you didn't tell us that Nerissa's here." I haven't even noticed that Susan had joined us, having had my eyes glued to Nerissa, what I ever did to deserve this incredibly breathtaking specimen of a woman.
"Nerissa's here." I deadpan, earning a chiding glare from my fiancée.
My fiancée. I repeat the words over and over in my head, still not being able to wrap my head around how I got so lucky.
Nerissa hugs Susan next and then Edmund as he comes out of his room.
Then, the girls chat excitedly amongst themselves- as they normally do- leaving Edmund and me to walk in silence behind them as I resist the urge to wrap my arm around her waist and tuck her against my side, or simply hold her hand in mine.
"You proposed, huh?" Edmund breaks the silence nodding to the girls as Nerissa shows off her ring to my sisters, filling the room with high-pitched screams in excitement.
A smile graces my lips just at the thought of it, "Yeah, I did." That's when I notice my brother smiling back at me just as brightly.
"Congratulations. I'm happy for you, Peter." He says, clapping me on the back.
It doesn't take long for us to find our way to the Stone Table room. We were early for the meeting I've called and so, it was still relatively empty.
I greet the few Narnians that bow as I pass, my eyes set on the head of black hair in the corner of the room.
Nerissa has brought me up to speed with what had happened during the years that we've been gone, including how Caspian and his father found her buried in ashes in the ruins of Cair Paravel and how they took care of her like she was their own.
"Caspian," I call as I approach him.
His eyes snap up to meet mine. It was hard to miss the surprise they held to see me speaking to him. I couldn't blame the guy, we didn't exactly start off on the right foot.
"I'd like to thank you," I say, holding out a hand for him to shake. Although I can't say I was entirely fond of the guy, he still had my gratitude for saving Nerissa. "Nerissa told me about how you and your father took her in. I really appreciate that. I don't what I would have done if she..." I trail off.
Just the thought of it causes bile to rise in my throat and I quickly swallow it down, "Thank you for that." I say again.
Caspian looks from my face to my hand and back again in confusion, before finally slapping his hand into mine with a firm shake.
"It was no problem," He shrugged, "I gained a sister that day too." He narrows his eyes at me, "You really care about her, don't you?"
Yes. Why else would I ask her to marry me? I bite my tongue before I could say anything I would regret. I didn't think Nerissa would appreciate me talking back to Caspian.
Instead, I merely replied, "I do." I don't tell him about the engagement, simply because I thought Nerissa would want to be the want to tell him about it. They were closer than I was with him, after all.
I shift awkwardly between my feet, before clearing my throat and excusing myself.
It didn't take long for the room to fill up with Narnians.
The mutters that came along with the crowd fell silent as I strolled to the center of the room to address the people.
"It's only a matter of time before Miraz's men and war machines are on their way." I spoke, "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."
"What do you propose we do, Sire?" Asked Reepicheep.
"We-" Both Caspian and I spoke at the same time.
We glared at each other for a minute, before Caspian concedes, clamping his mouth shut and nodding for me to continue.
"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."
"But that's crazy, no one has ever taken that castle," Caspian argued.
"There's always a first time." Said I confidently, unlike him, I had faith in our troops.
"We'll have the element of surprise." Added Trumpkin.
I glance at Nerissa from the corner of my eyes, watching as she swallows nervously.
"But we have the advantage here." Caspian protested, gesturing around the room but it looked like there wasn't any use. Everybody was already on board with my plan.
"If we dig in deep, we could probably hold them off indefinitely." Said Susan.
"I, for one." The badger started, "Feel safer underground."
I let out a sigh, "Look, I appreciate what you've done, but this isn't a fortress. It's a tomb."
"Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart they'll just starve us out." Edmund pointed out.
"Nerissa?" I call and her eyes snapped up to meet mine, "What do you think?"
"I don't know, Peter." Nerissa lets out a sigh, straightening out her shoulders, "We don't have to make a decision now. Maybe it's best if we stayed here and thought it through in more detail."
A hint of disappointment fills my chest that she didn't agree. Her opinion mattered most to me after all.
"We could collect nuts!" A small voice suggested before I could get a word out, "That way we wouldn't starve."
"Oh, yes, and throw it at the Telmarines! Shut up!" Reepicheep scolded the squirrel before turning to me.
"I think you know where I stand on this, Sire."
I nodded firmly, now filled with a smudge of uncertainty as I glanced at Nerissa who pleaded with her eyes for me to not make a decision now.
"If I could get your troops in," I say to Glenstorm, "Can you handle the Guards?"
Glenstorm glances at Caspian, an apologetic look in his eyes before his eyes landed on me again.
"Or die trying, my liege."
"That's what I'm worried about." Lucy interrupted.
"I'm sorry?" I turned to my sister.
"Well, you're all acting like there are only two options; dying here, or dying there."
"I'm not sure if you've really been listening, Lu."
"No, you're not listening," Lucy answered, frustration lacing her tone. "Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch?" She finished.
"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," IÂ replied, hating the look on Nerissa's face as the words leave my mouth.
I wrap up the meeting and soon, the crowd filters out, leaving just me and Nerissa.
I close the gap between us and draw her into my arms. I lean down, planting a slow kiss on her forehead.
"You're with me on this, aren't you?" I ask against her skin.
"Peter, I-" She pauses, inhaling deeply, "Honestly, I'm not sure about this."
"Nerissa, I need to know that you're on board with this."
"You don't know the castle like Caspian and I do, Peter. We don't have the numbers or the weapons to take them." She warned, "Look at all the lives we have at stake. Your life. Are you really willing to risk that?"
I take her face in my hands, begging her to see reason. For her to understand that I'm doing this for her, too. For us.
After seeing her breakdown when we first reunited, thinking that she would never see me again. The sorrow in her constricting my chest.
I couldn't have that. Not again. I vowed to myself that day that I would do everything in my power to keep us together and I planned to keep my promise.
"If that's what it takes to keep everybody safe, to keep you safe. Then I'll do it."
"I don't want that, Peter. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. I don't want you risking your life." She sighs, "We need to think this through."
"I know and I have no doubt you that can." I say, brushing my fingers through her hair, "That's why I need you to help me. You know the castle, Nerissa. It'll be a huge advantage on our part."
She glances away, but not before I catch the glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes.
"Nerissa, please."
"Fine." She gives in after a beat of silence, "But promise me, Peter. That you'll keep our people safe and you wouldn't do anything that would put you in too much danger. I can't lose you again."
"I promise," I mutter, snaking my arms around her waist to pull her closer to me before bringing my lips to hers in a deep kiss. "I love you."