This story takes place after the events of "Contrite," which takes place after "If I Didn't Care," which takes place after "The Ciaramella." If you haven't read those stories yet, you can still read this one without being confused, but it will be better if you read those first.
Disclaimer: Peter and Edmund Pevensie and all the characters and situations in the Chronicles of Narnia belong to C. S. Lewis and not to me.
Chapter One
Long, booted strides as swift and silent as Orieus had taught him, Peter moved from shadow to shadow. Ten yards more. Five. One. He was in the doorway now, careful lest someone on the other side noticed him peering into the courtyard. He frowned, hearing heavy panting behind him.
"Stop breathing so loud," he hissed. "Do you want the whole Cair to know where I am?"
Babur wrinkled his broad nose and hissed back, "Maybe you'd rather have Bast helping you. I can call her."
The Tiger bared his fangs in a grin, knowing as well as Peter did that they'd both be in hot water if the Tiger's formidable twin sister caught them now.
"All right. All right. Just keep quiet." Peter peered out the doorway once more and then ducked back into the shadows. "You remember what to do."
"Leave it to me, Sire."
Babur wiped every trace of smugness off his whiskered face and padded out onto the grass towards the marble bench where Lady Linnet and her maid, Ada, sat enjoying the garden in the cool morning breeze. Ada, as always, was busy with her sewing. Peter had to stifle a laugh as the Tiger stole up next to her.
"Good morning, ladies."
The maid gave a little gasp and then put her pricked finger in her mouth. "You might give a bit of warning, Master Tiger, so please you."
Babur made a slight bow, though Peter could see a hint of a smirk on his face.
"I beg your pardon, Mistress Ada. I hope you are unhurt."
"She pricks her finger at least thrice a day, Babur," Linnet said, gray eyes twinkling, and Ada gave her a grudging smile.
"I fear I do, but, uh–" She made an apologetic little shrug. "It seems I can never quite get used to looking up from my needle and seeing an enormous Tiger smiling at me. Pardon my saying so, Master Tiger, and no offense meant."
Still Babur smirked. "None taken, Mistress Ada."
Linnet giggled and then her expression grew wary. "Where is the High King? He hasn't gotten out of bed, has he?"
Peter cringed. Please, Linnet, don't be difficult now.
"He has been quite restless, My Lady," Babur told her, smoothly skirting her questions. "He says he is feeling very well now and sees no reason he cannot get up."
"Babur!" Linnet put her hands on her hips. "Besides the cuts and bruises and the concussion, those Giants broke three of his ribs and cracked two more. It is a wonder his lung was not pierced. No doubt it will be if he does not take care until all of his injuries are healed." She sighed. "If only I had my ciaramella."
"You should have your new one any day now, lamb," Ada soothed.
"Indeed, My Lady," Babur said. "But until it arrives, we must find other ways to keep His Majesty from growing agitated. He particularly would like to be read to from that book his brother was reading yesterday. King Edmund is meeting with the council just now, but the High King believes he left the book here in the garden somewhere. Have either of you seen it?"
Linnet and Ada both shook their heads, and Babur sighed.
"And he particularly asked for that one. Do you think, Mistress Ada, that you might help me look for it?"
Ada at once put down her sewing and got to her feet. "Of course, Master Tiger."
"I'll help you look as well," Linnet said. "Then perhaps I should go read to him. It may help."
Babur ducked his head, hiding a grin. "I thank you, Lady Linnet. Mistress Ada and I will search over by those trees on the other side of the fountain. If you will check the bench over there by the doorway, that will be most helpful."
Before Ada could protest, Babur herded her away from her mistress. Peter sank further into the doorway as Linnet came towards him, her eyes on the ground, searching for the nonexistent book. When she was near enough, he pulled her into the shadows with him.
"Peter!"
"Shh, shh. Someone will hear you."
She glanced behind her to where Babur was leading Ada on a merry chase through the trees on the far side of the garden, and then she looked at Peter again, a touch of mischief behind her stern expression.
"What are you doing out of bed, My Lord? You know you're supposed to–"
"I'm supposed to not die of boredom. Bast and Susan will hardly even let me feed myself."
Linnet giggled. "Because you are a very naughty boy who will play with Giants."
Peter shuddered. "Not on purpose. But truly, Lady, I am practically well now. Surely a bit of fresh air and a walk will do me a world of good."
He gave her his most appealing grin, and she looked at him dubiously. His head was still bandaged and so were his ribs. He had a colorful collection of cuts and scrapes. His knuckles were a mottled yellow-green and purple from half healed bruises. No doubt she thought he looked thin and fragile and helpless. That was no way to impress a girl.
"Please, My Lady." He brought her hand to his lips and made his voice soft and intimate. "I've missed you, Linnet."
Again she tried to look stern, but he could see her soften. He could see the touch of pink that had come up in her cheeks.
"Just a walk?"
"Just a walk."
"Not a race or a sword fight or a joust?"
He chuckled. "Just a walk. I pledge it."
She gave him a coy look and took his arm. "Very well. But only for a little while. Let me just get Ada, and then–"
"No." He pressed his free hand over the one that held his arm. "She'll think she has to come with us, and then she'll have to tell Susan where we are. And Susan will make such a fuss, I'll never get to leave my bed again."
He tried his best imitation of the big-eyed look Lucy always used to get her own way, and Linnet shook her head in resignation.
"As you will, My Lord, but only for a few minutes. Besides, you know we'll be seen, and your sister will scold you right back into the Cair."
Peter held up one finger. "Ah, but there's where you are mistaken, Lady. Susan thinks I'm asleep, and Bast thinks Babur is watching over me for the morning. Besides, Susan is entertaining one of her suitors from Calormen, and Bast has gone to quietly intimidate him during his visit. I'll be back in bed before they even know I've been gone."
"But someone else will see us."
"Not the way we're going. Not if you're quick and quiet."
There was a spark of intrigue in her eyes. "And if we are caught?"
"I will protect you, Lady." He drew himself up, King, knight and warrior. "To the death."
She clung to him, suddenly doe-eyed and helpless. "My hero!"
He laughed and pulled her closer to his side. "Now come this way."
He took her down one of the back hallways, alongside the kitchens and out a little gate to a path that led through the waving grasses along the edge of the sand.
"Will not someone see us out in the open there?" she asked.
"No, no. Come along."
They skirted the beach and then darted between the two enormous rocks that jutted into the water and marked a sharp curve where the shore turned north. They ducked through a little opening barely wide enough to squeeze through, and then he stopped, smiling at Linnet's reaction.
"Oh," she breathed, squeezing his arm more tightly. "Oh, it is glorious."
It was only a little grotto the Merfolk sometimes used, a nearly circular hollow inside the rocks. The lapping waves had worn the stone into steps down near the water, going deeper and deeper still until they could no longer be seen. Sunlight peeped through the crevices in the rock above and reflected off the water, shimmering and dancing all around the grotto walls.
Peter would never have admitted it, but after so long on bed rest, he did feel rather shaky, so he sat on one of the large boulders there in the sand and pulled Linnet down next to him.
"All we need now is some music. It has been a long while since then, but I still remember how the Mermaids sang for our coronation. It was like nothing I had ever heard before, though Oreius says only the Stars are more gifted in music." Again he kissed her hand. "And you–"
Hearing something scrabbling at the back of the grotto, he leapt to his feet, drawing his dagger and pushing Linnet behind him. "Who's there?"
For a moment there was silence, and then again the sound of something or someone scrabbling over the rocks.
Peter tightened his grip on the dagger. "Show yourself."
The leathery flap of wings echoed in the grotto as a grumbling black Bat flew up towards the rock ceiling and out of one of the fissures. Peter exhaled and sat next to Linnet again.
"I suppose I should have made certain we were alone."
She smiled, loosening her tight grip on his hand. "It stands to reason we would not be the only ones wishing to spend time in such a lovely place."
"You like it?"
She nodded, eyes shining. "Does Narnia never run out of wonders, My Lord?"
"I have not found the end of them yet, Lady." He squeezed the hand he held. "And Aslan seems to always send me new ones."
Her long lashes swept to her cheeks, and even in the dusky half-light, he could see that she blushed.
"The– the Mermaids sang for you?"
"They did, My Lady. But that was nothing like the wondrous music you have played for me."
Her blush deepened. "I wish I could have played for you while you were recovering from these latest injuries. It would have made the time pass more quickly for you, and you would have been much better behaved."
"I wish you had allowed me to commission a new ciaramella for you sooner than you did." He squeezed her hand. "I had no idea they took so long to make."
"Only the good ones," she assured him.
"It is the finest, My Lady, I promise you. It will be good for you to play again."
She ducked her head a little. "I was not certain I would want to, My Lord."
"My Lady, Aslan has given you a great gift. It was not your music that was evil, only the evil use that was made of it."
"After what happened to you. I was afraid–"
She squeezed his hand once more, and his throat tightened with sudden emotion. She had been afraid he would die. It had been late summer, nearly nine months ago, when they had only really begun to be acquainted, but she had cared for him even then. How much more now–
"Linnet," he breathed, pulling her into his arms. "Sweet Linnet, you do love me, don't you?"
She pressed her face against his shoulder, her only answer a quick nod.
"Linnet," he urged. "Me, I mean. Just– just Peter."
Again she nodded, her face still hidden, and he pulled back from her, wanting to, needing to see her eyes.
Those eyes were filled with tears, like the mist-gray sea in a relentless storm.
"Oh, Peter, you know how long I have loved you. Just you. Just for who you are. And no matter where you are or what you do, even if you were still a schoolboy in that Place Aslan brought you from, you would always be a King." She put one soft hand to his cheek. "You would always be my King."
He covered her hand with his and then turned his head, pressing his lips tenderly to her palm. "I hadn't meant to say this yet, My Lady. Linnet." His mouth went suddenly dry. "Linnet, I've had a lot of time to think since I came home from Ettinsmoor. Mostly I've thought how much I want you with me. Not just at the Cair, but– but always."
Her lips trembled into a soft smile, and a tear trickled down her cheek. "Peter."
"Linnet, I–"
He broke off at the sound of more scrabbling and got to his feet. Maybe now wasn't the time. Linnet looked a little puzzled, and he gave her a faint grin.
"Blasted Bat. None of them has a bit of tact."
That wasn't really true. Most of the Bats he'd met were quite polite. Still he'd had to say something.
Her eyes searched his, but she managed a bit of a smile, too. "I did not know that."
"Well," he admitted, "not all of them. Edmund and I met some once in a keep north of here–"
Again he broke off. The furtive little sounds he was hearing were definitely not made by Bats. Not unless they had suddenly grown hooves or taken to wearing boots.
"Stay here."
His dagger was a pitiful substitute for Rhindon, but he drew it all the same. Oreius was going to kill him for leaving his guard behind. And Linnet–
He crept back to her as silently as he was able. "Listen to me, My Lady. This may be nothing. But if there is someone out there, an enemy, do not come after me, do you understand?"
"Peter–"
"I mean it. Go down the steps and into the water. All you need do is dive down a few feet and swim into the sea. You'll come out in the cove. From there, the Merfolk will see you. They'll help you. Do you understand?"
She nodded swiftly and then grabbed both of his hands. "Please, My Lord, let us both swim away. You are not well enough to fight them, especially with nothing but a dagger."
He opened his mouth to protest, but he saw the fear in her eyes and the wisdom in her words. He had more than himself to consider here. Who would defend her if he were killed?
"Right then." With a comforting squeeze, he released her hands and gave her a wink. "I'll just have a look. We'd look pretty silly swimming out to sea if the only ones out there are Edmund and Mr. Tumnus."
She nodded. She knew as well as he did that anyone with friendly intentions would have some while ago made his presence known.
"Now, sharp's the word," he whispered. "If I tell you to go or if you hear a struggle out there, dive in and don't look back."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek and then crept towards the grotto's entrance. He could see nothing through the crevice but blue sky and golden sand. For a moment there was perfect silence, then he heard a faint and nasty laugh. Above him.
He looked up to see the Bat leering over him. "What are you–?"
A heavy blow to his head drove him to his knees. Another across his back pitched him face down on the rocks.
"Peter!" Linnet cried from somewhere in the whirling blackness above him, and he felt her pulling at him, tugging him by the wrists.
No. No, no, no. She wasn't supposed to come to him. She was supposed to vanish into the sea. Into safety.
He tried to say her name, tried to command her to do as she had been told. Instead he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Ribs. Broken again. Aslan, make her go.
A sly laugh came from somewhere behind him.
"Shall I help you, My Lady?" a strange voice said. "Surely that is too great a burden for so delicate a lady."
Peter heard Linnet's muffled cry as she was pulled away from him. He struggled to lift his head, fought to order whoever dared lay hands on her to release her at once. Instead someone took hold of his wrists, someone with large, bruising hands, and dragged him across the grotto floor.
"No!" Linnet shrieked. "No! Peter!"
Again he tried to answer, to struggle free, to fight, but he was half-choked now with blood, hardly able to draw breath for the knife-like pain in his ribs, hardly able to hear Linnet's cries anymore. Why had the motion stopped? Were their attackers gone?
He could not hold back a gasping groan as someone shoved him in the back. Then Linnet's screams were muffled by a sudden, cold rush of water, and arms and legs useless, he sank into the sea.
Author's Note: Here I am again with more adventure, angst, fluff and other mayhem. Many, many, many thanks to Lady Alambiel for her brainstorming genius, pre-reading and all around greatness. Do let me know what you think and if you want more.