Welcome back to Narnia. I know I am glad to be back at least. So book two after 'Home Is Where The Heart Is', just to recap for you what happened was that The four pevensies were transported back to Narnia on Lucy's 18th birthday. they found that the usurper Sorugyn was in charhe of Narnia. Eril, the leader of the rebels along with his daughter Ama decided that the four monarchs must collect an army to fight against Sorugyn. Lucy and Susan went south and collected an army there, they also befreinded a mgician called Mahaid who fell in love with Susan. Edmund was accompanied by a star Acontia to go west - Acontia was later revealed to be Sorugyn's wife, but edmuund continued to believe in her. They also collected an army and the two also fell in love although they never admitted it. Peter and Ama went north and collected an army as well as meeting the cocky Lune who proved a great asset to them. Eventauly the battle began and after Ama was believed to be dead and then came back to fight alongside her love Peter - Peter then proposed to her and she accepted. Meanwhile Lucy and Lune were out on a mission to rescue Aslan. Lune was injured but Lucy contniued on. Acontia eventually managed to kill her husband Sorugyn in revenge for her brother's death, but was gravely injured in the process. Aslan was finaly awoken and returned to Narnia where he healed Acontia and blessed Peter'smarriage. the four of them were recrowned.

Hope you enjoy part two of the story.

Don't forget to tell me what you think of it.

The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth

Chapter 1 – Six Years On

The swords clashed and shimmered in the delicate sunshine of early spring, birds fluttered around the two duellers, eager to watch the outcome of the bout which was fairly matched. A few feet away stood their mentor, or so he was in his free time, little as it was.

"Stop!" Edmund shouted over the clatter of their swords. "You need to be able to kill your opponent fast if you wish to be a spy. Defeating them in a battle of stamina is no use – they would have called guards."

The two figures stopped fighting and listened to Edmund – who was training them for the Narnian Secret Service. Both of his pupils today were extremely gifted and probably did not need tutoring, yet they both enjoyed these sessions and Edmund enjoyed teaching them. The pupil on the left – Acontia, she could kill a whole room of people without drawing a sword, if you watched carefully enough you would see that she did not walk on the ground but rather a fraction above it – nobody could hear her footsteps. On the right stood a werewolf – but he normally took his human form, sweat was dripping from his forehead and he wiped it away. Lune had supernatural hearing and smell – both of which came useful in assassination and eavesdropping.

"There are so many other ways in which to kill an enemy other than that of the sword." Acontia argued back, "There is a poisoned drink, a knife in sleep and even in my case doing nothing more than shining. Why must be learn how to duel?"

Edmund sighed. Both of them were very good but sometimes he wished they would just get on with doing what he told them to. But before he could retort to Acontia's statement he heard an angelic voice ring out across the training grounds.

"Uncle Edmund!" The pure voice shouted.

A smile unthinkingly bridged Edmund's face. He wheeled around and saw his nephew running at full pace towards him, Edmund opened his arms as the little boy crashed into him with all the might a five year old could possess.

"Morlaeth! I missed you." Edmund said picking up the young boy and spinning him above his head, the boy's white curls bobbed up and down as he laughed. He looked a lot like his mother Ama but had Peter's eyes which burned brilliant blue in his dimpled face. Edmund loved his nephew dearly, as did all at court – one could not help falling in love with his bubbling laughter, naive remarks and enchanting smile.

"I missed you too Uncle Ed!" The boy said planting a kiss on Edmund's forehead. "Being away from you was so boring. I want to do something exciting when I grow up – not things that daddy does."

As if on cue Peter walked in at that moment and smiled when he saw his brother and first son embracing. Edmund put Morlaeth down and clasping the boy's hand walked towards Peter.

"Ed, it's good to see you." The High King said patting his brother on the back. Then turning towards Acontia and Lune he said "Lady Acontia, Lord Lune."

Acontia and Lune had been granted great honours for their roles in the battle which had taken place almost six years ago. Both of them had refused the honours at first saying that what they had done was only their duty and that anybody would have done it in their positions. However with a continuous argument coming from all four of the monarchs the two of them finally gave in. They were given noble titles and both given some land of which they were in charge. It was a meagre amount but the two refused to take any more.

"How was the tour?" Edmund asked Peter.

"Really boring." Morlaeth answered for his father, who just gave him a mock disapproving look.

"It went well, thanks. The flood washed away a few properties but apart from that they are all coping well. Some of what the villagers had to say about our rule was interesting; I'll tell you more later."

"Daddy lies." Morleath said his blue eyes engaging Edmund's, "It was so boring it put me off being High King. I don't want to be High King anymore. I want to do something exciting."

"Being a spy is pretty exciting." Lune added his comment, grinning at the small boy who had bewitched his soul also.

"Daddy, can I be a spy?" Morlaeth asked his father. Already he had learned the art of persuasion and he opened his eyes further making the blue-grey orbs look all the larger, his bottom lip stuck out slightly and he looked straight into his father's eyes.

"You can't be a spy; your duty is to become High King after me." Peter replied resisting Morlaeth's plea.

"Why would you want to be a spy anyway? I can't see why anybody would want to go into that profession."

All five of them turned to look at the voice which had declared this harsh mark. Their eyes rested upon a finely dressed boy who must have been about ten years old, but somehow his deep brown eyes made him look older. They all knew what this boy, Bradir, had been through - he had seen his parents murdered by Sorugyn's cruel hand at the mere age of three. He was Ama's nephew and she had insisted upon adopting him, therefore the boy spent most of his time around the royal family. He bore no resemblance to neither Ama nor Eril, who both had fair hair and the characteristic violet eyes of the shape-shifters.

Morlaeth gazed at his cousin and puffed up his cheeks. "But being a High King is so boring – all you do is look at papers, talk to old people and go to boring gatherings. Being a spy would be so much more interesting, you get to kill people!"

Bradir sighed and rolled his eyes – trying to act older than he was. "If you don't want to be High King, I'll happily take your place." When Morleath didn't reply Bradir carried on talking, raising his chin and drawing back his shoulders so that he almost appeared to be patronising, "Anyway you shouldn't want to be a spy. Spies aren't to be trusted; you never know when they might stab you in the back. All spies are selfish people, bloodthirsty people who care nothing for honour or pride. Those who train spies are especially distrustful." Bradir flashed a glance at Edmund who heaved with a suppressed fury.

But luckily before Bradir caused any more trouble he turned on his heal and marched off towards the castle. Acontia and Lune burst into laughter behind the royals, who turned around to watch them snickering.

"Did you see his face?" Lune said, in between bouts of laughter. "He acts as if he is an old grandpa chastising young children. I can just imagine him becoming an old man."

"You shouldn't say such things about a prince." Peter said although he also had problems stifling his laughter also.

Edmund and Peter left the Lord and Lady, who were still chuckling at Bradir's behaviour, behind and Edmund picked up Morlaeth and the three of them strolled slowly towards the castle.

"I am glad I am home." Peter sighed. "How is everyone?"

"Well, Eril arrived a week ago to be with Ama while she gives birth, Lucy went to the east along with Mahaid. She will take care of the Lone Islands while Eril is not there to govern over them, she's sad that she will not be able to see your second child when it is born, but she accepted the duty soon enough."

"Mahaid accompanied her. I am glad; he is an accomplished sailor – is he not?"

"Indeed." Edmund said, looking at Cair Paravel where he could faintly see Susan waving from one of the balconies to them. "Perhaps we can make him commander of the Narnian navy, after all he is engaged to Susan, she ought to marry a man of some stature."

"A Calormen in charge of the Narnian navy." Peter scoffed, "I wonder how that would bode with the Narnians?"

"It might ease relations with Calormen though – our relations with them are still uneasy." Edmund said, always thinking of political affairs.

"How is Ama?" Peter asked after some silence.

"Well enough, her stomach swelling to a great size. Your next child should be enormous." Edmund jested but then his face turned serious and turned to Peter, still holding Morleath in his arms who had fallen asleep with all their boring talk of politics. "Can I ask you something about Bradir?"

"You two certainly don't get along." Peter said, smiling slightly at his brother.

"No, I don't know what I did to upset him. Do you think that it would be better if, only for a while, Bradir left the Cair and went with Eril back to the Lone Islands? I get the impression sometimes that he doesn't enjoy himself here, too many people fuss over Morlaeth and not him. He has become rather arrogant here. "

Peter took a deep breath as he thought of what to say. "Ama wouldn't be pleased – he has been through a lot you know, he did see his parents die."

"Ama will be busy with the new born; she will barely notice his absence." Edmund reassured.

"As you wish brother." Peter said looking wistfully towards the castle. "Speaking of Ama, I will run and see her. Can you put Morleath to bed? The trip tired him out."

"Sure."

Peter muttered his thanks and ran off to see his wife. Edmund sighed and following in Peter's footsteps headed towards the castle that dominated the surrounding land, the weight of the young prince still in his arms.

Susan sat in front of her vanity as her maids flitted about her making final adjustments to her hair before she went down for dinner. Her face was pale from the long winter months that Narnia had born, yet all her maids admired her pale complexion which was the current fashion in Narnia. To herself she just looked in dire need of sun.

"Tighten my corset will you," She said to one of the dryads who was fusing over her plentiful hair, "I should appear beautiful to all those nobles down there which have collected to see Ama and her ever swelling stomach."

"As you say, Your Highness. But even if you tried to appear ugly you would fail, milady." The dryad replied, "You are so beautiful, milady that I am surprised that you have found no husband yet."

Susan smiled to herself; she had only told her siblings that she was to be married. Mahaid and Susan had agreed that their wedding should be held in the cooler months of autumn and they would announce their wedding sometime during summer. She had not seen Mahaid for some while as now that he had joined the navy he was away from the Cair far more often, but she was glad that he had found some purpose in his life – apart from her of course. He had left the Calormene court and for a while had spent time in Narnia's capital. But Mahaid with his nature could not stay in one place for too long and so he had taken to the sea and proven himself a fine seaman.

"Your Highness, are you feeling all right?" The dryad asked, bringing Susan out of her thoughts.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Susan replied smiling at the dryad in the mirror.

"You did not answer my previous question, Your Highness." The dryad said bowing slightly as she began to leave.

"What was your previous question?" Susan asked turning around so she could look at the dryad.

"I was just asking whether you liked your new hairstyle."

Susan assured her she did and the dryad departed in a swirl of leaves. Susan sighed, making her breathing more shallow as her corset was slightly too tight.

"Oh well," Susan muttered to herself, "Pain is the price of beauty."

Susan stood up slowly, careful not to exert herself too much and cause herself pain from the tight corset. She heard a knock on the door and without waiting to be asked in, Edmund strolled in casually, dressed in his fine suit of dark green. For once somebody had managed to tame his hair and his crown rested gently on his head, he looked so different from the Edmund rolling around in muddy fields or even the Edmund pouring over books in the library. Susan had to admit, he did look rather stunning and handsome.

"Are you ready for dinner, my royal sister?" Edmund asked.

"Indeed I am." Susan said taking his hand as he escorted her down. "I haven't managed to talk to Peter yet, how is he?"

"Well enough." Edmund replied, "He has spent all his time doting over Ama. Please Su, when you are married, don't spend all your time with Mahaid, spend some time with your lonely brother who will feel most abandoned when two of his siblings are married off."

"Oh Edmund, don't tell me you are upset with me marrying Mahaid."

"No not upset, just increasingly lonely."

"Then find yourself a wife." Susan retorted, though not unkindly. Edmund laughed with her as they approached the immense doors that were the entrance to the banquet hall. The rest of the royal family were already waiting by the doors impatient to enter.

"Where have you been?" Peter asked.

"Late as usual." Bradir added his unwanted comment to Peter's simple question.

But before either Edmund or Susan could answer the doors swung open and the six royals were greeted with a cheer from a large group of nobles who had gathered to the Cair for the birth of the second of the High King's children. The first to enter were Peter supporting Ama with her swollen stomach which was now so large she could barely stand, let alone walk, after them followed Edmund and Susan smiling gracefully as they entered the crowded hall and finally Morleath and Bradir followed them. Morleath looked round at the great Lords and Ladies with a daze that made him all the more adorable, however Bradir kept his chin high yet his nose was wrinkled with disgust – at what, nobody knew.

The guests were seated and the royals were the first to be served. Across the table Edmund saw Acontia sitting next to Lune. He knew she hated such large gatherings and when their eyes met he gave her weak smile. She smiled back but soon lowered her eyes in respect – it was rude to stare. Edmund was seated next to Morlaeth who was seated next to Bradir. The young brown-haired boy had taken great care not to sit next to Edmund. Why, Edmund did not know. Bradir was a mystery to many. Morlaeth was still yawning, his afternoon nap having been too short.

The food that was served them was rich and filling and soon enough even the greediest of their guest were full. Susan looked around at the guests who varied from tiny woodland animals to large and noble centaurs. Susan had eaten about as much as any of the mice as it caused her too much pain from her corset to stuff herself with the food that had been served. She hoped dearly that the cooks wouldn't mind – it was bad manners not to finish a meal.

Susan looked once again at her unfinished food and a strange voice echoed in her head.

Finish up your food Susan dear, the rationing is getting harsher. You don't know when your next good meal may come.

Susan looked around the room, as if expecting someone to own up to invading the privacy of her mind. Often Mahaid would do such things as a joke – but he was not here and as far as Susan knew there were no other magicians at court. The voice had sounded soft and caring in her head, like a voice of a mother. Had Susan ever had a mother? It was hard to remember. She racked her brains for some sort of answer but she was soon disrupted from her thoughts as Ama let out a soft wail along with a deep, low breath. It was so low that only those closest to her heard it.

"It's begun." Ama muttered.