I'm back! Here's a little Christmas two-shot, complete with more of the insanity that you all love! This is a companion to King Edmund the Matchmaker. Peter and Rebecca are courting, and Ed is getting tired of waiting for them to get engaged. And, Christmas at Cair Paravel is an ordeal on its own...
As always, I only own Rebecca and this story. The Narnia characters and all the rest, of course, are not mine.
Enjoy!
Christmas with the Pevensies
Edmund walked down a hallway in Cair Paravel, singing at the top of his voice, "DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY! FA-LA-LA-LA-LA LA-LA-LA-LA!"
Lucy suddenly came running down the hall behind him. "ED! Is everything all right?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"Because it sounded like an animal was dying."
"So I'm not quite good enough for Royal Albert Hall! Are you going to hold that against me?"
"Edmund, you can't even pretend that you know how to sing."
"Well, it's not like you're any Vera Lynn yourself, Lucy."
"Fine, have it your way."
Edmund shrugged as he walked into his brother's study. "Hey, Pete! Happy Christmas! So, where are you hiding my present?"
"I didn't get you anything," muttered Peter, scribbling away on some papers.
Edmund laughed, before starting to go through a filing cabinet. When he found nothing in there, he walked over to a large chest and went through that as well. Once again, he found nothing.
"Say, Pete, when you said that you didn't get me anything, you were just joking, right?"
"Maybe."
"Well, you better have gotten me something. I'll have you know that I already have a present for you."
Peter stopped writing for a moment, considering this, before he looked up. "You didn't make a recording of me talking in my sleep, did you?"
"Why Peter, what do you think I am? Some insensitive claud? I am wounded!"
"You've done it before."
"Well, that was the less mature me."
"That would imply that you're more mature now."
"Well, I am!"
"It's not obvious to the rest of the world."
"Um, excuse me, when did this become 'Let's Trash Edmund Day'? Remember, I'm the guy who has a present for you."
Peter sighed. "Sorry, Ed."
As Peter went back to writing, Edmund stared at him. "So?"
"So, what?"
"Aren't you going to ask me what I got you?"
Peter shrugged. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm working and I'm not really interested."
"Bah humbug, Scrooge. Just for that, I'm telling you."
"Fine."
"I got you mistletoe."
Peter looked up. "You what?"
Edmund smiled. "I have rather strategically hidden – if I do say so myself – much mistletoe throughout this castle. And, with the help of my elf, who shall remain anonymous, we are going to arrange it that you and Rebecca just happen to meet under the mistletoe about four times a day."
"What did you use as blackmail to get Lucy to help you?"
"Who said anything about Lucy?"
Peter leaned back in his chair. "I'm sorry – who is the assistant to Edmund's Matchmaking Corporation?"
"So you took a lucky guess!"
"Ed, why the fascination with mistletoe?"
"I'm trying to encourage you to propose to Rebecca."
"You're what?"
"You're helplessly in love with her, right?"
"Well, yes."
"And she's in love with you."
"Yes."
Edmund sighed. "Then what's holding you back?"
"Is this just the whole nieces and nephews thing, again?"
"That's just a small part of it. My mistletoe and I are an unbeatable pair. You should be thanking me. I'm going to make all of your Christmas dreams come true."
"Fine. Thanks, Ed."
"Gee, don't get overly emotional or anything!"
"I'm really quite busy here."
"Don't let it be said that I don't know when I'm not wanted. I'm going. Keep an eye out for my mistletoe, lover boy!"
"ADESTE FIDELES!"
"Ed, it's bad enough when you sing in English. Don't slaughter another language," Lucy called from her position in front of the tree. "Shouldn't you put that red one over there, Susan?"
"I'm going to put a gold one over there. Then we won't have the two gold ones too close together," she replied.
"What is with all of this colour coordination," sighed Edmund. "It's not as though Father Christmas is going to walk in, see two gold ornaments too close together, and declare that Christmas has been ruined!"
Deciding to ignore her brother, Susan asked, "I wonder if Rebecca ever managed to find the ornaments that King Lune sent us last year."
"Maybe she and Peter found the mistletoe! I'll go check." Edmund jumped up and rushed over to the door, stepping back when the door opened and Peter walked in.
"Edmund," Peter began, "I need to talk to you. I understand that you are trying to capture the spirit of the season, but there comes a limit. Covering the entire ceiling of the hallway outside of my office in mistletoe? Was that necessary?"
"Well, I don't know where you and Rebecca tend to meet. I don't follow you everywhere you go."
Lucy chuckled. "No, not at all."
Rebecca suddenly arrived. "I found the box of ornaments from Archenland, Susan."
Peter hurried over to her. "I can carry that for you, Rebecca."
She blushed slightly as she handed him the box.
"Sheesh, Pete, next time will you at least try to act even a little more enthusiastic to help her," Edmund teased.
Rebecca followed Peter as he walked over to the Christmas tree. "It certainly is a lovely tree," she commented.
"Of course it is," Edmund said. "I picked it out!"
Rebecca shook her head slightly as she began to unpack the box.
Edmund began to rummage through the other boxes of ornaments, selecting an ornament with a portrait of himself painted on it. "Oh, here's a good-looking guy!"
Lucy took it from him. "Susan, I don't think that this one should go on the tree. It wouldn't do to scare every Narnian who enters the Great Hall."
"Ha ha, very funny. You don't exactly look like a Michelangelo sculpture yourself, Lu."
"You're just jealous."
"Of you?"
"Who else?"
"Please!" Susan exclaimed. "This is Christmas. Do try to get along."
"Yeah Lucy, you twerp!" Edmund stated.
"Ignoramus!" Lucy retorted.
"Prissy Puss!"
"Well, you are an abomination to the singing world!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY! FA-LA-LA-LA-LA LA-LA-LA-LA!" Edmund bellowed.
"Edmund, enough!" Peter exclaimed.
"But Lucy-"
"Is a child."
"I'm twelve," she mumbled, unimpressed.
Edmund and Lucy sat on the floor of Susan's wardrobe, a small candle giving them light.
"Susan will murder us if she finds us in here," Lucy stated.
"How often does Su open her wardrobe in the middle of the day? Besides, I took all of her clothes out so that we can't set fire to anything."
"We're in a wooden closet!"
"Listen, the candle is on a stand made out of brass. What more do you want?"
"Fine. So, what did you drag me in here for?"
"Lucy, tomorrow you and I are going to go on a little trip."
Lucy squealed. "Oh Eddy! Are you finally taking me to Galma?"
"No. I'm taking you to the market place. We are going to look for engagement rings."
Lucy squealed even louder. "Ed! I didn't even know that you were courting! I mean, sure, you're a bit young, but that's so exciting!"
"Lucy, we're looking at rings for Rebecca."
Lucy furrowed her brow. "What? I thought you wanted Peter to marry Rebecca?"
"I do."
"Then why do you need a ring?"
"I DON'T! I don't need the ring – the ring is for Peter."
"Oh."
"Now, tomorrow, we are going to town. We will make note of sizes, diamonds, and prices. Then, we will report back to Peter. Kapeesh?"
"Kapeesh. Does Pete know about this?"
"Of course not, that's half the fun."
Shrugging, Lucy said, "All right. If you say so."
And thus ends part one. Part two will be up by the end of the week.
I hope that you enjoyed this! Please review and let me know.
Merry Christmas!
R12Fizzy