under the stars
based on this request by ‘🌷’ anon! thank you so much for the submission despite it taking me almost a year!
an arranged-marriage should have been daunting, but your husband — Peter — does make it seem easy.
pairing/s: peter pevensie x reader (in an arranged marriage)
warning/s: arranged-marriage, other than that - nothing.
genre: just the slightest of angst, mostly fluff
word count: 1442
a/n: based on this ask from anon from ages ago! i can’t wait to be back on the grind!
credits to @dividers-are-us and @sweetmelodygraphics for dividers used on this post.
The grand terrace, you eventually found, was the perfect place to sit and star-gaze from. Something you were happy you didn’t have to let go after leaving home.
You were also glad that you left home for a good cause.
Not that it was the easiest decision to choose.
Your father dearest had tried everything he could. From negotiations to loans, and yet, it was all still not enough.
Marriage also didn’t seem easy to begin with. You suppose you would have gotten the easy route if you had the choice. Already having a few potential suitors.
Hence why you’re here now, on Cair Paravel’s grand balcony, silently thanking the stars for allowing you to settle down in the Kingdom of Narnia. The kingdom and its inhabitants are lovely, welcoming you with open arms upon your arrival. The siblings, too, were nothing but. From Susan personally giving you a tour, Lucy willing to spend her spare time with you, and Edmund inviting you to a game of chess.
And your husband, the High King Peter, had been nothing but respectful and patient. Gentle smiles with gentle touches. Allowing you to take your own time in getting used to their kingdom. And that’s more than you even asked for.
The night breeze started to pick up, your sleep wear simply not enough to shield you from it. You were about to call it a night when you felt a warm presence behind you, not long before it completely enveloped your shoulders. You look up, meeting the eyes of your husband, a soft smile adorning your lips in greeting.
“Do you mind if I join you?” He asks, gesturing to the empty space next to you. You only chuckle and shake your head, moving a bit to give him more space to sit on. The smile that grazes Peter’s face could rival the bright stars of the sky, but you keep that thought to yourself, both of you settling to a comfortable silence. “Have you been waiting long?” You ask, referring to your unspoken routine with Peter to wait for each other at night.
“No, I… uh- actually,”
You wait patiently, looking away from him towards the calm waves of the ocean. Peter curses himself mentally as he stumbles around his words. He usually wasn’t like this. The experience with being the king has helped him smoothen out his speech, but for some unknown reason, something about you has his brain short-circuiting. “Not to be detestable but, uhm, I’ve actually noticed you coming out here a lot more.” He finally lets out. Glancing his way again, you can only tilt your head with your brows furrowed as he elaborates. “Looking at the stars, I mean. You used to do it on the balcony from our bedroom, but lately… you’ve been… here.”
Your expression must have been opposite of what you felt, as Peter’s face turns a shade of red as he frantically explains himself once again. “Again! Not to be weird or anything, I just… noticed. That’s all. You seem fond of doing it,” he slows down, turning his head towards the water.
“Oh…” you only manage to get out.
“Yes, oh…”
You assumed it came with him now being your spouse, but you didn’t think the king took the time to actually look at you. Properly look at you. Noticing things you thought people would just let go without a second thought. Not that you didn’t do it yourself. After all, the only reason you knew his favourite brew and taste of tea was only because you noticed yourself. How he did it during the even earlier days of your marriage before you started doing it yourself.
You let out a soft laugh, giving Peter a chance to finally relax and let out a small laugh himself. “It’s not that you were being detestable. I do apologise if my shock came out the way it did. I just didn’t think… you’d notice.”
Peter hums at your response, silence dawning onto the two of you once again. This time, there seems to be a mutual understanding surrounding you.
Hearing you shuffle from your place, Peter’s lips slightly part as he noticed you were now sitting even closer. You start to point your finger at a cluster of stars, quickly glancing at the man beside you. “Do you see that group over there?”
You both now were so close, that the distant warmth you felt earlier wasn’t too far anymore. “Yes, I believe so,” Peter whispers, daring not to break the quaint atmosphere.
“That’s The Ram. It’s symbolises vitality, courage, and leadership,” you explain. Peter hums, accepting your explanation before looking at you with a glint of wonder in his eyes. “Sounds like someone we know, don’t you think?” You ask, amusedly. Peter wonders who you were referring to as you continue, finding another cluster amongst the millions of diamonds above.
“That there is the Dove. I know it doesn’t really look like it but if you squint, it’ll resemble one. They all do. A bit hard to see it though without a textbook to cross reference.”
“What does that one mean?”
“The Dove is a symbol of peace. Its presence releases a sense of harmony.”
“Do you just… know this stuff?”
Peter couldn’t help himself but ask. After all, this is the first time he has interrupted you during your nightly ritual. And it seems that he had learned more than what he expected. He now feels a bit ignorant for simply thinking that you were looking at the sky. “I do. My old professor, Miss Cuthbert, taught me all I could know about the sky. Told me if I ever needed guidance, the sky and its friends will always be there. The Sun, the moon, and the stars.”
That night brought you and Peter closer. Mornings were now spent getting ready together during the tranquility of the morning. Kisses on the temple and on the cheek are now part of your greetings for each other.
You’ve even started to spend your reading time with him in his office as he goes through his papers. Asking for your input every now and then.
“Why’d you ask?”
“You are the High Queen now too, my love.”
The biggest change however, was your nightly star gazing. Instead of doing them alone, Peter now spends it with you. Not a single night went without him asking a question and admiring you after an answer.
The change especially didn’t go unnoticed. The rest of the palace’s inhabitants have had their few share of words.
Palace staff were found giggling amongst themselves, townspeople were running around sharing gossip. Even the siblings couldn’t help themselves but talk.
In fact, one day during a nice spring day, the younger siblings decided to take the day off and spend it at the palace courtyard. Susan and Edmund busy with a game of chess, whilst Lucy — with the company of Mr Tumnus — went around and studied the natural flora that was growing around the area. The calm atmosphere slightly cracked at the approaching chatter. Looking up from her textbook, Lucy relaxes at seeing Mr and Mrs Beaver approach, laughing lightly at the female beaver’s extravagant hand gestures.
“Oh dear! Aren’t they just wonderful.”
“Reminds me of our younger days, dear.”
They reach the centre, opening up their picnic basket to reveal an array of picnic staples. Susan excuses herself from the game first, getting down to help the beavers lay out the food. “Everything alright, Mrs Beaver?” she asks, putting down the last box of sandwiches. Susan could only laugh at how fast Mrs Beaver’s gaze turned to her, more so at how she had grabbed her hands, almost like she was grounding herself for what she was about to say.
“Oh, it’s your brother, dear. And the darling, Y/N. The two have taken the day to the tulip fields!” She muses, almost tearing up.
The siblings sigh at the beaver’s statement.
Not one of them spoke about it out loud but they all shared the same worries. Whether Peter and Y/N were going to work out.
“Softness looks good on Peter, don’t you think?” Mr Tumnus says, taking a seat on the blanket. Edmund hums, popping a grape into his mouth as he adds, “They do a great deal of balancing each other out. Found the two of them doing a sparring session on my way out.”
Everyone around gave each other a knowing look. As for finally, despite the rather unconventional-convential way of events, their leader has found their partner. One who is also more than capable of being one.
thank you so much for staying till the end! reblogs, likes, and comments are deeply appreciated!