Hey guys, welcome to the chapter sequel of Rising Above. These chapters are going to seem a little like oneshots and drabbles, as they will skip around in years of the Golden Age. Like you see in chapter one, they will go by year. Again, thank you Witchy Pixie for the edits.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything accept Alexa, my OC.
~The In Between Times~
Chapter 1 – Year One
Month Four
"Sires, I suggest we start weeding out the fell beasts that still lurk about the forests, particularly in the Lantern Wastes, and some of the more wild parts of the Shuddering Wood," said Orieus. He stood, cool and controlled, as he gave his input. The Kings and Queens had, for the most part, settled into their new home and royal duties, but they still welcomed the advice from their head general. He had been saved from the Witch's wrath, having been turn to stone, and served his Monarchs with strong dedication.
"Yes, I believe it would be wise to send patrols along the borders," replied High King Peter.
Peter was especially grateful to the centaur, who was something of a mentor to the king. He found Orieus's advice to be just the thing he needed as he grappled with the task of High King. Learning the angles to approach while helping problematic subjects, sending formal letters to officials of such a province, or country of so and so, became trying, and required much of his energy and patience. More often than not, he found himself so worn out that, after having dinner with his family and Alexa, he would retire early for a nap. But an hour or so later, he woke up to resume the ever mounding paper work he seemed to be drowned in day after day.
At least he had Edmund, Susan, and even Alexa to help him—more so Edmund than anyone else, for which he was also grateful. Lucy, he exempt from their meetings of things such as this, at least for now. He felt she was still too young, even if he might be a little bit biased, being that he was her older brother. She, especially, nagged him about overly exerting himself. Peter did, however, reserve time for training up his swordsmanship with Edmund and Alexa as his faithful sparring partners.
"Maybe a daily run through with a team through the Lantern Wastes and the Shuddering Wood," suggested King Edmund, who shifted the book entitled, Narnian Law: Knowledge in Depth IV, away from him on the desk so as to not be distracted. He had surprised himself while picking around in the Cair's library. The first book in the series had attracted his interest, and he hadn't the heart to put it down. Edmund was now thoroughly hooked by the Narnians and their ways of keeping of order between neighbors or even between countries. It fascinated him, as did the ways of political diplomacy and economics, some of the only things he had been good at in school.
'School, such a faraway memory now. It took me a moment to think of the word,' he thought.
"Yes, that would be a good idea, I think," Peter said. He looked to his sister, who apparently was taking notes, and then to Alexa, who shifted her thoughtful gaze from her quill pen, to the occupants of the room.
"Alexa, you look like you want to say something. Do you have a suggestion?" he asked. She looked slightly surprised at being addressed, but hesitantly cleared her throat.
"Reports back from Talia, the dryad ruler, state that she has spotted the Giants traveling to somewhere east of the Western Wild, past Owlwood. As to the Western Wild itself, we're not sure what it is, or what inhabits it," Alexa began, all signs of her previous nervousness washing away with the comfortable task of relaying new information.
"But, we do know that all the Giants are leaving, including some of the minotaurs and other fell beasts that wish to escape Narnia. It is my opinion…" Alexa paused, not entirely sure if she should continue.
"Go on," Peter encouraged. This was sounding interesting.
"It is my opinion that there's an inhabited land in the North we have no knowledge of, besides the Wild Lands of the North," she finished.
"Do you have reason to believe so?" asked Susan with a frown.
"Well, Talia explained that the mountains shield much from our view. So, I thumbed through the library for research on the Giants. In the ancient days, apparently the Ettins, Northern Giants, were rumored to have built a city for themselves, using those mountains as cover." As Alexa explained, Peter grew more and more uneasy. A whole land of monsters could be running amuck, doing as they so pleased in their boorish, savage ways. Also, he couldn't help catch how well Alexa took up on Narnia's geography. He spotted the map spread out upon her desk, color coordinated with x-marks he made a mental note to enlist her help in anything involving geography.
"We should investigate this, Peter," Edmund said.
"I agree, your Majesty," commented Orieus. Peter nodded in agreement.
"Yes, though the thought is a bit unsettling. I can't help wondering what else we don't know about in this land," Peter replied, muttering the last part almost to himself.
Month Five
Alexa sat in the study once more, three textbooks surrounding her map as she studied from one to the other. However, a lit candle as her only source of light made it difficult to see the pages. 'Damn, I should have brought another to light,' she thought with a frown as she squinted. 'How late is it anyway?' Alexa looked up in surprise when her area at the desk became more illuminated, and the map more easily seen. Peter smiled as he set a candle at the corner of her desk, holding another with his other hand.
"Thought you could use some more light. Is that a map of Narnia?" he asked, coming around the desk to get a better look.
"Yes, I'm trying to add more to it as I go along. That's why I have these," she said, gesturing to the books laid open on the table.
"Ah, I see. You're very good at that, you know," he replied.
"Good at what?"
Peter motioned to the map in front of them, glancing at the many marks and doodles of regions.
"This country's geography—studying it. You may have just found your niche."
Alexa smiled, though she felt a little embarrassed.
"Thank you…I think so as well. But anyway…what are you doing down here so late?" she asked.
"Just thought I would get some work done. I swear, the work never ends around here," he said, taking a seat at his desk and rifling through the papers. Alexa hid a grin by looking back down to her books.
"I can attest to that, though you probably shouldn't be overworking yourself." Peter glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Says the one who was here before even me in the middle of the night, working on a map," he mumbled.
"What was that I heard?" asked Alexa, playfully.
Peter sighed, a grin playing on his lips.
"Nothing, nothing. You can go back to doodling," he replied.
"Doodling?" Alexa smiled in amusement.
"Doodling, drawing lines on paper, same thing." Alexa chuckled before resuming her task, a comfortable silence falling between the two.
Month Twelve
"Wow, Father Christmas outdid himself this year!" Lucy said as she examined the chain bracelet that now hung from her wrist, adorned with an amber stone attached at the clasp.
"Yes, it's lovely isn't it," Susan agreed, admiring the silver chain she wore on her own wrist, a ruby charm hanging from it.
"I love the stone. He knew exactly what would match us," Alexa commented as she marveled at her own wristlet, with an amethyst.
"So, all three of you got a bracelet?" Edmund asked, polishing his new, brandished sword he hadn't had the chance to receive when the rest had gotten their first gifts from Father Christmas.
"That's nice, though I think Ed and I got the better end," Peter said, examining the new sheathe he had received: thick, brown leather carved with intricate designs of the Royal Arms. As a side gift, he also received tea leaves that when brewed, were said to revitalize and relax the muscles in the body. The other three thought it a funny joke on Peter, and perhaps a reminder to relax.
A few hours later, when the Christmas party came to an end, food eaten and dances finished, Alexa reflected. She lay in bed, exhausted from the day's events, but content because she had spent it with her dear friends. 'The music was so alive, I've never felt more like dancing the night away,' she thought with a smile, remembering her animated conversations with Susan and Lucy, and also her almost topple to the floor.
"I'm sorry, you know I'm not very graceful," Alexa said with an apologetic smile as she righted her feet. Peter laughed, taking her hand once more.
"It's alright, you are a good dance partner. You just need to relax. Stop thinking about your feet," he instructed, moving us along once more. The beat quickened, and just as she felt herself about to trip up, Peter spoke again.
"Keep your eyes on me, don't look at your feet," he commanded. She looked up sharply, focusing on his eyes. If he thought it strange, he didn't let it show, but they continued in this way for the remainder of the dance: eye to eye, matching step for step.
She had also danced with Edmund, an awkward experience, but a friendly one, full of laughs and merciless teasing. Alexa smiled to herself at the memory, and couldn't help thinking that there would be many other memorable dances to come in the next years, perhaps with someone new.
Chapter one, complete! Hope you guys liked it. ^_^