the golden age

[deepest_magic]

When the party has died down, Isabella, for one, is well and truly exhausted. She explores the palace until she finds a room with a bed in it, and into this bed she flops, still in her clothes and holding her staff and carrying the cordial in her pocket. She sleeps late, because the party kept her up so late and she hadn't really slept the night before; but around noon, she stirs, and gets up, and goes looking for James and wherever her backpack may have got to. The backpack she finds in the great hall where the principal mass of the party was; some enterprising creature took both bags from the battlefield at Beruna up to the castle for them, and she only wishes she knew who it was. She takes her bag to her room and carries James's with her and continues looking for her friend.

Comments

[deepest_magic]

"So do we announce ourselves, have the herald go around with a proper announcement and a guess at a wedding date, or do we just stop being discreet?"

[neverbeatme]

"We could do both. So the announcement isn't completely out of the blue, but people don't spend too long being confused by unofficial rumours."

[deepest_magic]

"Sounds like a plan. Immediate cessation of discretion and have an announcement go around by the end of the week."

[neverbeatme]

"Perfect."

[deepest_magic]

Banana slice.

[neverbeatme]

Nom!

[deepest_magic]

"You're so cute."

[neverbeatme]

"Thank you. I try. Coincidentally, my future wife is also very cute."

[deepest_magic]

Is it okay if Isabella puts this fondue a little farther away so it does not get knocked over? Isabella thinks it is okay if she does that.

[neverbeatme]

Yes. Yes, that is perfectly okay.

[deepest_magic]

And the next morning after breakfast, when the household is dispersing, Isabella and her air-walking shoes creep up behind James for neck kissing purposes.

[neverbeatme]

Squeak!

Giggle.

[pythbox]

And from the visiting knights' table: "Oh my goodness!"

[deepest_magic]

Giggle.

[neverbeatme]

...Yeah, James is now laughing too hard to properly return kisses. She settles for hugging Isabella instead. And giggling on her. That too.

[deepest_magic]

Hugs! And giggles.

[neverbeatme]

Giggly hugs.

[pythbox]

"Oh my goodness oh my goodness!"

[deepest_magic]

That just cracks Isabella up all over again.

[neverbeatme]

James likewise.

[pythbox]

Between the gossipy creatures and the excitable ones like Flit, the news is well on its way to all corners of the kingdom by midday.

[deepest_magic]

And Isabella writes a proclamation:

Be it known,

That Queen Isabella and King James are engaged to be married on the eleventh of July in the year 1008.

Narnian citizens are welcome to hold celebrations of the event in every settlement in the land. A copy of the wedding's intended menu, musical selections, and decoration scheme will be provided closer to the date for any organizers who would find this useful. A transcript of the ceremony will be distributed after the King and Queen have exchanged vows.

[neverbeatme]

It's a good proclamation. James sends it out after a few days, when she judges the time is right.

Many creatures are delighted to congratulate their majesties on their engagement.

[deepest_magic]

Which is quite delighting itself.

[neverbeatme]

Delight abounds.