A Narnian (K)night

Summary: On a cool spring night under the starry Narnian sky, Medeha, daughter to Count Medane of the four Terebinthian lords, has an encounter with a Narnian knight that she's not likely to forget.

Disclaimer: Same as always (check my profile)

Author's Notes: You'll find them at the end. Enjoy the story!

Many thanks again to Lydwina Marie for editing this again and erasing typos and grammar mistakes and anything else that didn't belong there ...

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It was a windy day in early spring when the royal ship of Narnia, the Splendour Hyaline, sailed upon the Terebinthian coast. She was the most beautiful ship Medeha had ever seen, and in the faint evening light she looked even more impressive. Elegant and slender, her wooden hull was sleek, and the dark wood looked almost golden in the late afternoon sun.

The cool breezes blew through her long hair, and Medeha's excitement grew as she watching the ship dock in the harbour.

The ship had come from Cair Paravel to pick up many who had accepted the Narnian Royals' invitation to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their coronation with a grand feast. Days earlier a herald had been sent out to announce the upcoming celebrations, and to give invitations to the people of Terebinthia, Galma, the Seven Islands, and the Lone Islands.

Not all had accepted. It was a risky undertaking to travel across the sea at this time of the year. Many lords and ladies feared the great storms that were known to raid the sea in early springtime. So it came to be that the group of people who had accepted was small enough to be picked up by one ship only – the Kings' and Queens' ship herself. The port at Cair Paravel was small, anyway, and there was too little space for each island to send their own ships.

After settling herself on board, Medeha found herself bunking with seven other young ladies of her age. And all the unmarried young women – girls, really, for the oldest had just turned nineteen – spent their evenings chatting. They had only a very few main topics: the upcoming feast at Cair Paravel, the dresses they would be wearing, and, of course, the chance to meet in person with the High King of Narnia himself – and maybe even get the chance to share a dance with him.

Or more...

As Medeha leaned back on her bunk (it wasn't nearly as comfortable as her bed back at home, but she wasn't picky because it was the royal Narnian ship she was travelling on), the eldest girl, Sofia, was just saying, "I've heard that he has golden hair... and a smile to die for ..." She was talking about King Peter, of course, and her eyes were dreamy.

"And they also say he's quite tall; an average women would reach no further than his shoulder," said another girl, by the name of Elif. She originated from the Lone Islands, and she was the next eldest among them. Her nineteenth birthday was only a few days after the feast, and apart from that, marriage was the only thing she seemed interested in.

"And he has blue eyes, bluer than the sky," Maria joined in. She was the youngest, only fifteen, and certainly no match for the High King, if Medeha was to be asked. All the same, she idolized the man as much as the others – or rather, if truth be told, the image they had of him. Of course, none of the girls had met King Peter in person yet.

"And he's such a fierce warrior... He defended the borders of Narnia against giants, almost single-handedly!" and so the chatter went on.

Medeha smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and tried to imagine what Narnia would be like. As many times before, she chose not to take part in the excited chatter that came up when one of them brought up the name of the High King. All the same, she was curious to see him, as much as she was curious about his sister, the Queen Lucy. She was known to be the most courageous, sweet, kind, and faithful young lady all across Narnia, Archenland, and the islands associated.

Medeha knew, of course, that there were four sovereigns who ruled in Narnia, but there were far less stories told between the girls about Queen Susan or King Edmund. Medeha knew that the Queen Susan was known to be the most beautiful lady, with long, black hair and the fullest lips a man could dream about. But that was not what the girls felt like talking about.

Listening to the others chatter, Medeha fell asleep.

The Splendour Hyaline arrived at its destination only a few days later. Already from afar, Medeha had been mesmerized by the beauty of Cair Paravel. The palace sat regally upon the cliff, all white marble and shining, with a perfect white beach down below. While excitement grew among the other girls, Medeha found herself sitting on deck, contented as she watched the castle grow closer. Blowing with the moaning sigh of the wind, she could hear the singing of the merpeople, welcoming the guests to Narnia. It was beautiful.

When they all disembarked, they were greeted by a welcoming party of two centaurs, several fauns, and even a gryphon. Next to the girls stood a group of young noblemen, who no doubt were interested in winning the heart of Queen Susan. Medeha knew that guests from Archenland were also expected – and many Narnians of all kinds. She was so curious about them; talking beasts and dwarfs; the latter being rather ill-tempered and impolite at times, as Medeha knew, but she still couldn't wait to meet them.

It was late in the evening, however, and she wasn't going to make any acquaintances that night. The welcoming party led all the guests up to the castle, informing them that they would all be accompanied to their quarters. Everybody had been invited to stay in the castle, and so Medeha got to see the inside of it that very evening.

As they passed by the main gate, a man stood in wait. He looked at them with a warm smile and called out: "Welcome, Lords and Ladies from Terebinthia, from Galma, from the Seven Island and from the Lone Islands. I am Lord Peridan. In the name of High King Peter and his royal brother, King Edmund, as much as his royal sisters, Queen Susan and Queen Lucy, I hope you had a safe and comfortable journey. Unfortunately the four are still engaged in the preparations for tomorrow's feast and cannot welcome you themselves, so the honour falls to me. Our valets will now show you your accommodations within the castle. Afterwards a meal will be served in the great hall and then you are free to do as you like. You may go anywhere within the castle, and enter any rooms if they are unlocked. But in case you are too tired from the journey, do not worry. There will be a tour around the castle for everybody in the morning."

Like the other girls, Medeha was led through the main hall, which was as splendid as she had imagined it to be – shiny, white marble covered with tapestries stitched with the lion emblem – up a few staircases, then down a long hallway into a small, cosy room. There was a wide bed in one corner, flanked by a wooden dressing table. On the wall hung a slim tapestry that read the lines of a prayer, no doubt dedicated to Aslan, and the elegant chandelier that lit the room was positioned in a way that its light fell directly upon the tapestry.

One of the things Medeha had learned about the four sovereigns was that they were all very devoted to Aslan, the great Lion who had helped them defeat Narnia's greatest enemy – the White Witch – and who had made them the Kings and Queens.

If there was anybody Medeha wanted to meet more than the four royal siblings, it was the Great Lion himself. But there was little chance, she knew, because from the stories she had heard, all said that now that he was not needed, he rarely came to Narnia.

He is not a tame lion.

Although she was tired, Medeha was too curious about her surroundings to sleep. After the evening meal, she slipped into a warming cloak that had been hanging by the door for her and some silky slippers, and wandered along the hall for a while until she came upon a door at its end. Wondering if it was locked, she gently tried the knob, and the door swung open.

A cool wind greeted her as she peered out, finding that the door led to one of the many terraces that dotted the castle's high walls. Breathing in the salty tang of the sea, she gently closed the door behind herself and walked meditatively over to the stone railing. Down below her were several other terraces like this, and – on the very bottom – lay the breach. Gentle waves flowed over the sands, while above her was the starry sky and the moon... it was a bright night...

"It's a breathtaking view, isn't it?" said a deep voice next to her.

Medeha looked up, startled. She hadn't heard anybody come; either she must have been so lost in thoughts or the person must have come up very swiftly. She turned to look at the young man who had startled her and who was now standing beside her with a lopsided smirk on his face.

He was about her age; maybe a little older, tall, and very slender, though in a strong wiry sort of way which Medeha found to be quite attractive. In the moonlight she could see that he had dark hair with a rather too long fringe – the wind kept whipping it into his eyes. They seemed dark, too, although Medeha wondered if they just seemed that way because it was night and too little light fell upon them to see their real colour.

"I beg your pardon, my lady, I startled you," he said, coming yet another inch closer to her.

As she took in his attire – elegant but comfortable-looking as well; a dark green tunic with light breeches, paired with dark leather boots that came up almost to his knees – Medeha wondered if she had seen him before. On the ship maybe?

With a smile, she replied, "You needn't worry, my lord. I was just so lost in thought, I didn't realise there was anybody else out here with me. That is not to be blamed on you."

She wondered if she should ask him for his name, but something elusive told her that she should probably know who he was. As it was, she didn't dare asking, for fear that her not knowing would offend him. So instead she gave him another surreptitious look over, taking in his handsome, clean-shaven features for a moment. As her eyes moved down towards his neck, she noticed a pendant fastened to a thin leather strap that held the lion emblem, a tiny copy of what she had seen on the tapestries in the castle. So he was Narnian. And from the way he carried himself, although she could see no sword at his hip, she thought he must be a knight.

A Narnian knight.

"So tell me, Medeha, daughter to Medane, duke of East Terebinthia – what is it you are doing out here all by yourself on this beautiful evening?" he enquired genially.

Medeha's head jerked up. "You know who I am?" she blurted out, too surprised to do anything else.

The smirk remained on his face, even wider than before, brightening his features. "It's common for us in Narnia to inform ourselves on our guests before we welcome them. Your father sent us a most accurate painting of you, and the Queens – Queen Susan and Queen Lucy, that is – have hung that in the banquet room among the other paintings that have been sent, to honour our guests. Yet, it also helps greatly to learn about who is who. And I say, I remember your picture very well."

Now Medeha was even more sure that she would just have to pretend to know who he was. To make sure he didn't notice her blushing, she turned her face away and towards the stars that lit the sky. Her hands gripping the railing, she tried not to tense up when the knight came even closer, leaning down on his elbows right next to her. When he bent over slightly so that his mouth came very close to her ear, she couldn't help feeling a little excited. It was a kind of excitement she hadn't known before, and she wondered where it suddenly came from.

"Want me to tell you the names of the star constellations?" he asked in a soft voice.

She could only nod as she breathed in his scent, spicy and pleasant, that mixed with the salty sea breeze.

His arm went up to point at a truly marvellous constellation "That one there is called the Leopard. It is the first of the summer constellations that can be seen in spring, but it's a little pale, still. You should come back in summer; then it will be absolutely amazing."

He pointed at a different constellation. "That one is called the Arrow... and it's quite obvious where it got the name from. They say Aslan himself arranged it in the sky, and from wherever you look at it, it will always point at this place, at the castle of Cair Paravel."

"It's beautiful," she breathed. Why had she never looked at the stars from the Terebinthian coast? Maybe it was because there was nobody who had shown her the stars and told her their names and their stories.

The young man next to her laughed and moved a step away from her, hopping up and making himself comfortable on the railing. Medeha forced down a shriek as she noticed the ground below was at least fifteen feet below. She didn't want to sound like her mother did when she scolded Medeha's younger brother for doing something unreasonable.

"Now tell me, Medeha. What else do you expect from Narnia?" asked the young knight.

"Oh, I don't really know what to expect, my lord," she admitted. "There are so many tales of the magic of this country – I just can't wait to get to know it."

"Where have you heard those tales?"

"Most of them from the lords and ladies of Terebinthia who have been here before. My father knows a few stories, actually." And then, shyly, she added, "And the girls on the ship when we were brought here. They have been talking a lot about King Peter... and the valiant Queen Lucy, of course. She must be amazing. I want to be just like her."

"Like the Queen Lucy?" he asked, his face warm and gentle with appreciation. "Yes, I guess she makes a good example."

"She must be my age," said Medeha. "Eighteen."

"True, she is."

"And she's been in so many adventures already," said Medeha, dreamily. "I haven't been involved in any yet myself..."

The was a friendly smile on the knight's face when he said, "Adventures are only good when you look back at them after you've come through – preferably unharmed. It's not so good when you're right in the middle; you'll only find yourself wishing out."

"But afterwards you'll have a story to tell," argued Medeha.

He looked thoughtful. "I suppose that's true."

Medeha remained silent for another moment, then she said, "In all the stories I have heard of the royal siblings, it is said that they are all brave and strong, fighting many battles to keep Narnia safe. They never stay behind and leave it to others to fight – and High King Peter is said to be the bravest and the strongest among all knights in Narnia."

The was a hint of amusement in the young man's voice as he said, "Really ... that is what you've heard?"

Medeha blushed. "No offense to you, my lord," she hurried to say.

He was grinning broadly now. "None taken."

Shyly, she eyed him once more for a little while, then dared to ask, "Do you know him well? The High King, I mean. When I was on the ship, the other girls wouldn't stop talking about him. They told me he has golden hair and that he is very handsome and truly imposing – "

She paused. Had she just heard him snort?

Her eyes found his, seeing amusement in them, but she couldn't imagine that he had just snorted. Still feeling a little uncertain, she repeated her question from before. "Do you know him well?"

"Well enough, I should say," he replied as he hopped off the railing.

"I cannot wait to make his acquaintance," Medeha admitted.

"Then, my lady," the knight replied, putting his arm around her shoulder, "you should see to it that you go to sleep quickly. The sooner you sleep, the sooner it will be tomorrow, and at the upcoming feast you will surely get the chance to meet our beloved High King personally."

His arm still around her, he guided her back towards the door. It was getting cold – it was only spring after all – and it was all she could do to not snuggle a little deeper into his warming embrace. It was a breach of protocol that he had made physical contact with her like this, and without even asking her, as well. But she just couldn't bring herself to mind.

She shivered a little. He must have noticed it, because he did pull her a littler closer, and held her that way until they were back inside, where it was nice and warm. Then he let go of her, but still accompanied her down the corridor and back to her room.

In the light of the torches that lit the hall she could see him a little better, and she noticed that, just as she had thought, his eyes were indeed of a beautiful dark brown intensity. He returned her gaze, and Medeha felt herself blush. He was incredibly handsome. The warm light was reflected by the golden lion emblem on his pendant which hung above pale skin just below his collar bone. Another shiver ran through Medeha but this time it had nothing to with being cold.

She realised that she was sincerely disappointed when they reached her room, where he said, "Well, then, Medeha, I should say it's time to bid you good night. I must admit, though, when I came out for some fresh air tonight I never expected to find myself in such lovely company."

Before she closed the door of her room, she dared to ask, "Will I see you at the feast, tomorrow, my lord?"

There was that smirk again. "I bet you will," he said with a friendly wink. He bowed to her and turned around to walk down the hall until he reached the end where there was a staircase that led up to the castle's highest level. Soon he was out of sight.

It took Medeha a long time to get to sleep that night, and when she finally did, it was not of King Peter that she dreamt.

XXX

Author's Notes: Pity sweet Medeha didn't ask for his name - for she is in for quite a surprise now when she will attend the feast next day ... :)

When it comes to the stars I took the liberty of inventing my own star constellation in the Arrow, which is never mentioned either in the book nor the movies (as far as I am concerned). The Leopard is mentioned in Prince Caspian as one of the summer star constellations.