A/n: Merry Christmas, folks! Here's my gift to y'all.
By the way, you do need to have read "Always & Forever" and "Some Kind Of Loving" in order to read this spinoff. After reading this, proceed to read "The Story Of Us" or other companion pieces to this trilogy; just click on my profile page for the full list!
It was Christmas time. A time of reunion. A time for students staying at boarding school to go back to home sweet home and spend the season with their families. In a compartment on the express train from Saint Finbar's to the countryside were Lucy, Edmund, and Marina. Susan said she'd be joining them "shortly" but by that she actually meant an hour of silly, pointless gossiping with her loud friends.
"Father will see if he can make it home, but chances are he'll be spending yet another Christmas on the battlefield." Edmund solemnly reported, reading from the letter he just received from Mrs. Pevensie. "Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold will probably be travelling to America with Eustace for the holidays, so that means we'll be staying at Professor Kirke's mansion until mother and Peter return from America. Pete might be bringing his girlfriend. He's been talking about her non-stop."
"He certainly won't be the only one bringing his girlfriend." Lucy smiled, eyeing Edmund and Marina impishly. It bugged Lucy a little bit how Edmund and Marina never actually dated even when it was rather obvious, at least to her, that they really, really, really, really, really liked each other. (If it were up to Gael, she would have added at least a dozen 'really'.) Even Susan – although she, unlike Lucy, did not outwardly comment on that topic – agreed that the chemistry between the two of them was evident when they danced at the homecoming ball, having the time of their lives. Perhaps they felt no need to rush with love. They were so young and had all the time in the world.
"Oh, shut up, Lu." Edmund muttered and tried not to blush. "We agreed on introducing Marina as a friend only."
"I'll never shut up!" Lucy laughed. "Marina, tell me again how exactly you got your last name."
"Well," Marina began, "Aslan decided that it would be best if I stayed with someone who knew of Narnia, so that my existence wouldn't be an occurrence that went without logical explanation. So of course the Professor's the best choice. He understands everything; after all he witnessed the creation of Narnia. We talk about Narnia too. Unlike the dense Mrs. Macready." Marina rolled her eyes, scowling. "She never gets anything at all. I wasn't bothered with changing my accent, but I did make up a back story about myself: my father, Major Mendez, is fighting in the Royal Air Force, and my mother's a nurse working in the frontline. So I'm all on my own. Thank the Great Lion for giving me enough money. It took me a bit of time to get the exchange rates figured out. Sometimes I still get pounds mixed up with Narnian Crescents and Archenlander Crescents."
"Did you get the Professor anything for Christmas?" Edmund inquired.
"Yeah, I knitted him a scarf." Marina replied. "I embroidered a lion here as well, see?" She pointed at the scarf.
Lucy beamed. "We're sure going to have a great Christmas with lots of insider jokes."
Mrs. Pevensie and Peter returned as promised, bringing a guest, Krysta, an American racecar driver about Peter's age. They certainly were pretty outward with their affections, which got on Mrs. Macready's nerves. Marina concluded that it was because Mrs. Macready was never loved by anyone and her disgust at young couples stemmed from jealousy. So everybody ignored her – nobody was willing to let her spoil the fun.
Although the Pevensies were pretty English, they did quickly accept Krysta's American-ness because she had a great sense of humor and during her stay, Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Marina told her about Narnia and unlike most people, she didn't laugh at them. She was a very optimistic and open minded woman and as much as she was mature, she didn't consider Narnia a game that kids played, unlike Susan who was beginning to push Narnia away. And Susan frequently had to leave the table when the others wanted to talk about Narnia, which made Peter feel bad because he hated to have to leave out one specific member of the family.
Krysta, when asked why she had so much faith in Narnia, replied that frankly she was surprised at how she had no trouble believing in Narnia. She felt instinctually that the signs of battle and adventure and sovereignty radiated from the Pevensies, and that Marina's existence was proof enough that Narnia was a hundred percent real, so it was no surprise that she and Marina quickly got along so well. Her belief that Narnia was not children's imaginations was reinforced by the stories of Narnia Professor Kirke told. (Surely no old man would speak of childish jokes and describe them with such detail.)
For Christmas Eve, everybody was having a blast, except, of course, for Mrs. Macready who was sulking. After a big meal, Lucy, Susan, Peter and Krysta went out to play in the snow, while Mrs. Pevensie and Professor Kirke were talking in the library, leaving Marina and Edmund alone, bantering.
"You said you'd rather not play chess with Peter because you're scared that you'd lose the game!" Marina laughed jokingly, not maliciously. "You're a coward! Man up!" She smacked Edmund's arm playfully.
"No I'm not!" Edmund insisted, pretending to be serious but he couldn't help but smile. "I'm a man. I'm brave. I've got guts. You wouldn't understand."
"Really?" Marina giggled. "Prove it then."
"How do you want me to? I've already saved your life once; want me to do it twice?" Edmund reminded Marina of how he hauled her up when she nearly fell off the bridge on Ramandu's Island.
"I certainly wouldn't mind, if you want to play hero," Marina chuckled. "But why do you insist on overanalyzing everything?"
"I'm not overanalyzing." Edmund murmured. "You're one to talk. You're just oversimplifying."
Marina shook her head lightly. Neither of them spoke a word for a moment, until she leaned in naturally, closing the distance between them two. When her lips landed on his, he made no effort to fight back. Normally Edmund would have pushed girls away at their slight attempt of embracing him, but he felt no need to do so around Marina.
It was short. It was sweet. He still didn't quite know how to react.
"Only a brave man allows his heart to stand on equal grounds as his head." Marina whispered. "It takes a great deal of courage to fall in love, does it not?"
"It does." Edmund confessed quietly. "It does."
Marina looked up for a moment then spoke. "Look. We're under the hemi-santalales." She chuckled.
Edmund looked where Marina pointed at then chuckled. "It's called mistletoe, silly."
"You're the silly one! 24th century Archenlanders call it the hemi-santalales." Marina laughed, poking Edmund playfully but eventually letting him hold her hand.
"Nope. 20th century Brits call it the mistletoe." Edmund corrected.
"Fine. You win then." Marina gave in, rolling her eyes.
"Of course. It looks like Peter isn't the only one who's magnificent." Edmund snickered.
"Yeah, yeah. I know I'm magnificent too." Marina laughed it off, earning herself a glare from a slightly indignant Edmund. "What's your Christmas wish?"
"Isn't it supposed to be a secret? If I gave it away, it wouldn't come true." Edmund avoids the question, something he's used to doing.
"No," Marina argued harmlessly, "you give and you get." She nuzzled her nose against his affectionately.
"All I want for Christmas is you." Edmund whispered. He wasn't trying to be romantic; he was merely speaking his mind.
"If you want me, you'd better come and get me." Marina had the same mischievous glint in her eyes again.
"Please don't make me run after you again." Edmund pleaded, and hated himself a little bit for how weak he'd got. He'd never had to plead around girls; it was usually the other way round. But with Marina he knew that it wasn't the same. After all, she was special.
"In fact, that's what I just might do." Marina said in a sing-song voice before running away. Edmund ran too, and soon caught her by hugging her from behind. The winter might be cold but they didn't mind it a single bit because the fire of passion and love was ignited, and their hearts were warmed.
"Gotcha again," Edmund laughed. He didn't expect to find happiness ever since Aslan told him that he couldn't go back to Narnia again.
"O hail, Edmund, for thou art the High King of Narnia!" Marina joked, giggling and enjoying herself.
"You haven't told me what your Christmas wish is yet." Edmund murmured.
"Will you grant me my wish if I told you?" Marina beamed.
"Anything for you as long as it's in my power," Edmund replied, "consider it a promise."
Marina smiled. "I've recently learned this phrase from Lucy, and I'd like," she twirled her hair in her fingers, "a piggy back ride!"
Edmund rolled his eyes. "When we were little, Lucy used to request those all the time. Susan would laugh and find Lucy's innocence adorable. Peter would usually oblige, because she's Lucy, but I didn't miss out on this fantastic chance to mock her childish demands."
"Well, Eddie, you promised." Marina pursed her lips.
Edmund scoffed. "Do not call me that horrid name. It is a stain on my honor."
"Okay, Eddie. I won't call you Eddie anymore." Marina grinned.
Edmund pretended to be cross, and so he outstretched his arms to tickle Marina. "Ouch!" Marina exaggerated, stumbling in pain as if she'd been shot.
"Well you've got to pay if you want a ride. This isn't a carnival; no concessionary ticket for you." Edmund raised his eyebrows.
"Not fair," Marina rubbed her arm. "Anyway, comply with my childish demand, Eddie."
The two young lovers ended up settling the matter by means of a snowball fight, but a few minutes later, Lucy could see, in the distance, Edmund carrying Marina on his back into the house.
Indeed, as the saying goes: love is in the air.
A/n: Whee! Review, please? I wasn't too sure how the parts about Krysta's belief in Narnia turned out…was it too simplistic? I also hope you liked my depiction of Susan's character. Please tell me in the reviews below!