#caspainx

Warnings: some mature language

Pairing: High King Peter x Princess Reader

Time: Golden Age Narnia

Summary: Being a Princess from Calormen doesn't necessarily mean you act like a lady. But you yearn for somebody despite that and at the ball Queen Susan set up for your twentieth birthday, you found that somebody. Except it was someone you didn't expect.

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"Your Highness, please get down from there before you fall." Your Lady-In-Waiting, Rosa, called from below you.

You gave her a laugh. "Oh, come on, Rosa. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Down here with me on the ground, where you should be." Rosa huffed as she slipped her slippers from her feet and began to climb the tall evergreen tree you were sitting in. "Your Highness, if your parents were here, you would get a good scolding for this."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing they're not then. Besides I don't need them to scold me because Susan will do it for them." You replied as you gave her a childish grin when she sat beside you.

"Your Grace, we really must get down from here. Queen Lucy is looking for you with King Edmund." Rosa breathed as she clung to the tree. The poor girl hated heights. "Your birthday guests are waiting for your appearance."

You sighed as you looked below you. Your slippers were beside the tree trunk, nestled in a knot in the roots protruding from the dirt. You then looked at your feet and how dirty they became from being barefoot.

"Oh, alright." You were reluctant about it, but you began to climb down the tree. As you did so, you made sure that Rosa was alright. Allowing her to stay right above you, in case she fell you'd be the one to break her fall.

It didn't take more than a minute or two to be safely on the ground. You helped Rosa down the rest of the way before you gave her her slippers. Rosa smoothed out her skirts after she slipped them on her feet. She combed the leaves from her hair and turned to you with her hands on her hips.

You glanced up as you grabbed your slippers. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

"Y/N, how on Earth do you expect to find a husband when you behave like a boy?" Rosa pursed her lips as she glared at you.

You were going to give her a snide reply in return until you heard the sound of Lucy dashing towards you. "Y/N! Oh, we've been looking everywhere for you."

"I told you to check the trees, Lu." Edmund said as he appeared close behind his younger sister.

You rolled your eyes before you stuck your tongue out. "Very funny, Edmund."

"Oh, Y/N, you are covered in dirt." Lucy reprimanded. "You need to go take a bath before the ball. Come on."

Edmund shook his head as he let Lucy drag you back into the castle. "Lucy, leave Y/N alone. Let her have her fun. She's turning twenty."

Rosa laughed as she watched Lucy pull you around. "She does love her childish endeavors."

"If you want to mock me for climbing trees, then from now on I'll laugh at you when you try to sing when you bathe, Rosa." You shot back. Not from anger, but to pick fun at her in return.

"At least I can sing." She shot back in kind.

"I prefer sparring with Edmund and Peter," You'd be damned if Rosa kept it up. "I don't like girlish things, big deal."

"Then don't expect to be married anytime soon, Your Grace." Rosa bowed to the three of you and turned on her heels to inform Susan of your return. Plans had been made and Susan was a stickler about keeping things as agreed. No matter how much you didn't like being at most of them. Council meetings, festivals, balls (sometimes masquerades), even holidays. But you were a people pleaser so you always went anyway.

Lucy and Edmund were stunned at the words that they heard. And even more stunned that you didn't reply. You always had a comeback.

Lucy saw it then. The way you stared at your hands and nails. Lucy watched as she led you to your chambers, she saw the way you dug the dirt out of your nails and then the way you rubbed your hands together, letting dirt particles fall to the floor.

Lucy swallowed thickly before she carefully placed a hand on your own. "Don't listen to her, Y/N. You'll be married one day, I know you will. Even if you don't think so."

You hummed in response and looked at the two Pevensies through the reflection of your vanity's looking glass. "Oh, please, don't feed me that, Lucy. I grew up around boys and now I can barely go five minutes without getting filthy like one. I was sent to Cair Parvelle for your sister to make me a lady." You looked away from your reflection. "What's the point?"

Edmund noticed what Lucy had then. He saw the way you rubbed dirt off your face and pulled leaves out of your tangled hair. He watched you in the mirror and saw just how much Rosa's words stung. Then he felt anger bubble up in his chest, you and Rosa may not think it, but he'd be honored to marry you. Despite your tendency to run around barefoot, roll down hills, and climb trees. He liked that stuff too.

So did Peter.

And Peter was standing beside the open oak door, listening. And he watched from around the door jamb as Lucy combed out your hair. Edmund took the leaves and threw them over your balcony.

Peter didn't believe his ears. How could you ever think you wouldn't get married? Despite your unladylike adventures outside the castle walls, you were someone truly remarkable. You could do anything he could do, but still act like a lady. And maybe you didn't notice that, but he did.

Even at eighteen, you were just as adventurous and spontaneous. Always trying to get your hands dirty with him and Edmund, always doing something to get dirty in the gardens with Susan and Lucy. And Peter was sure he'd join you in your escapades if he wasn't the High King.

Peter took another glance around the door and saw you slip into a silk robe as Lucy led you away to your bath. Edmund sighed and hung his head as you disappeared and Peter turned on his heels and walked away before Edmund saw him.

Peter found the ballroom in no time and made his way to Susan and some other nobles talking to her. When they noticed Peter coming their way, they all bowed. Susan smiled at her brother and dismissed herself. She looped her arm in his and gave him a sideways glance.

"Who were those men?" Peter asked as he walked with Susan around the room, inspecting gifts, foods, drinks, and decorations for your birthday.

"Suitors," Susan replied vaguely, gauging his reaction. When Peter didn't respond, she gave a cheeky smile. "But I suppose you want to know for who, don't you?"

Peter glanced at his sister before he shrugged. "Are they here for you or Lucy?"

Susan shook her head with a laugh. "No, not at all. They're here for Y/N. They all heard she was turning twenty and wanted to meet her."

Peter felt his jaw clench and his teeth grind. He spared a glance to the group of noblemen across the room. Some were chatting and sipping wine, others were watching the entry ways to see you arrive. Peter guessed some were sons of nobles and others must have been divorced or unmarried men who needed a new wife to help them create their line of succession.

Susan nudged Peter's side and he turned his head to look at her. "What is the matter, Peter? She has to be married soon."

"Not necessarily." Peter could make you a better match than those boys and old men. "We could let her stay here and be happy instead of marrying her off to someone who'll force her to change who she is for them to be happy."

Susan stopped walking and made Peter halt. "What's gotten into you?" Susan was far from stupid, let alone ignorant. But she suspected much about Peter and the way he acts when you're mentioned. "Don't you want her to find somebody?"

Peter sighed and turned his head to Susan. "Of course, I do, Su. But they won't love her like I know I can. I'd treat her better than they could."

"Peter," Susan breathed, her smile growing wide. She was so worried about you not finding the love of your life that she hadn't bothered to see that maybe he was closer than you assumed. "You love her, don't you?"

Peter sighed heavily as his heart beat became sporadic. Yes, he did. High King Peter the Magnificent loved you. He didn't know how it happened, but in the two years you've been in Cair Parvelle, something had made him love and care for you.

"Susan, I do. And I don't want her to go. I want her to stay here. With me." He answered, letting Susan see his heart. "I'll marry her instead."

"Marry who?" Lucy interjected as she arrived to stand beside Susan. In the last six years, Lucy grew to become as beautiful as their sister. It always showed when she dressed up. But behind Lucy was you and Peter noticed you walking across the ballroom floor, looking nothing like yourself. Then you got stopped by a pair of hands from one of the princes he saw earlier and Peter felt his hand fall to the hilt of sword.

Susan whispered in Lucy's ear and Lucy grinned at Peter. "Oh, Peter. She'll be so happy to hear that."

Peter wasn't listening, he was walking towards you and the Acherman Prince. Susan grabbed Edmund's elbow as he arrived and pointed to the scene across the room. Edmund nodded and walked on the other side, investigating the scene.

You pulled and clawed as the Prince's hands tried to keep you from getting away. Who did this fool think he is? You turned around and tried to push him away, but nothing worked. This boy must be built like a minotaur.

"Prince Zarek, I must insist you get your hands off of me." You beat your fists against his chest and sighed.

Prince Zarek gave a laugh of pure mockery. "You don't put up much of a fight, do you?"

You scoffed, "At least I don't fight like a girl, you prick."

You swung your head forward and it connected with his nose. You heard a crunching sound and then a shout of pain. You rubbed your forehead and looked at the Prince. "I said to get your hands off of me."

You fixed your skirts and your tiara before you continued to accept and decline dances. Peter watched you exchange pleasantries with your birthday guests and smiled. You were just as remarkable as he always thought. And you certainly just proved that.

As you finished dancing with an older noble, you grabbed a goblet of wine and drank a few swallows. You wiped your mouth with the back of your hand and paused when your eyes met his gaze. Peter chuckled as your face began to pinken. He made his way over as he exchanged greetings with other nobility. He took your wine and drank the rest.

"You are quite the little fighter." Peter mused as he smiled at you. "Who taught you that?"

You snorted as you put your hands on your hips. "Don't make me inflate your ego, you know it was you, Peter."

Peter laughed as he set the empty chalice back on the table. He held his hand out for you to take. "Care to dance with me?"

You felt your neck and ears burn, surely as red as you thought they were. You were just glad that you looked better than you did thirty minutes ago. Lucy made you look as beautiful as Susan and as girlish as herself. In a light green dress with silver linings and trim and high heeled shoes, you looked like the princess you were supposed to be. As uncomfortable as the things were to wear, you supposed you should be thankful that Lucy made you look good enough to have Peter dance with you.

You hesitantly put your hand in his and smiled. "It'd be a pleasure, Your Grace."

Peter hummed as he pulled you into the middle of the crowd. He put a hand on your waist and the other still held yours as he danced across the floor with you.

"You look beautiful, you know." Peter murmured as he twirled you in a circle before pulling you back into his arms.

You scoffed as you gazed at him through your lashes. "As opposed to when I don't?"

"No. You look beautiful all the time, even covered in dirt with leaves in your hair." Peter stopped your waltz and spun you to face him again. His words reached a place in your heart that never thought it'd be filled. You looked away from him then and he smiled at the utter innocence of the action. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"I don't know. Nobody else thinks so, so why should you?" You replied as you stepped away, but still close enough for Peter to touch you.

Peter reached out and tucked a piece of fallen hair behind your ear. "Because I know you and I want you to know that if you decide to marry one of the suitors here for you, I'll let you even if it breaks my heart to see you do so."

You felt breathless as he pulled you closer again and you welcomed it. Peter had always been extremely attractive to you, from the moment you heard stories about the boy to the moment you met the man. Sandy blonde hair that looked soft enough to touch and blue eyes to drown in with muscles in the right places, Peter grew up to be the image of a king and he was a complete gentleman.

"Can I kiss you?" He whispered softly, cupping your face in his hands. And he smiled when you nodded.

The butterflies escaped their cage as Peter's lips met yours. They fluttered wildly as your hands clutched the silky fabric of his tunic, pulling him closer. Peter wrapped his arms around your waist and held you against him.

Peter broke away and stared at you with a grin on his face. You looked as breathless as he felt. Your eyes were closed as you touched your lips and he loved how he was the one to kiss those lips first. But the words you said is what made him weak for you.

"That was my first kiss," you said wistfully as your eyes opened to look at Peter.

"Happy Birthday, Y/N." He replied as he kissed you a second time.

You hummed contently as you felt better about your unnecessary worries from earlier. As much as Rosa may think you weren't a Princess worth marrying to any Prince, it seemed a High King wanted you despite all your unladylike activities. And knowing that was enough for your heart to belong to Peter. And it did.

Peter knew he could love you better than anyone else could. And he knew he'd treat you better. And he'd be damned if he didn't prove it to you. He would. Everyday, he would.

So he danced with you for the rest of the night and he laughed with you and he kissed you over and over again. And across the ballroom, from their place by the balcony, the three youngest Pevensies grinned as they watched you both.

They were as happy as you both felt. You both found the love of your life and it was each other. You were in good hands and so was Peter.

And soon they joined you both, dancing with you both as a family. Letting the night fill with love, hope, and joy.

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Hope you all enjoyed this first piece!

Feel free to request for more for Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian.

If you'd like to be tagged for my Narnia writings, let me know.