A/N: I love this chapter. It was so much fun to write! I might update tomorrow, I'm not sure, since it's Christmas Eve and all. But I might! I have a lot in store for this story(: R&R please!

P.S. Charlotte's picture, her first day dress and her ball gown are all on my profile! Picture her hair for the ball like it is in the picture.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Narnia, or any characters of Narnia! Just Charlotte.

Chapter Two

King Edmund The Just (Plain Stupid)

A few weeks had gone by since I started my sewing job. I had patched up, sewed up, measured, and fitted so many things that, eventually, my fingers were numb due to all the pricking.

It was a week until Christmas, and they were throwing a Christmas ball tonight, along with celebrating Edmund's winning of the tournament. There was a tournament about three days ago, and Edmund won against his brother.

Recently, Susan had given me one of her cloaks that needed stitching. As I sat there working away, listening to the chirping of birds, I heard the clicking of shoes outside the door.

"Edmund, please? Just ask her."

"No! Lucy, I'm sure you want to play Matchmaker and all, but asking her to the ball won't do either of us any good. I promise you."

"Please? For me?"

I heard a sigh outside the door and realized that Edmund had given in. "Alright, fine," a voice said that I knew to be Edmund's. As the door creaked open I whipped my head back to my sewing so as to not cause suspicion. I heard the boots come right in front of my chair and I looked up from my sewing.

"Can I help you?" I asked. He didn't suspect a thing, and that was good news for me, knowing that I had earned that A+ in drama back home.

"Alright. For Lucy's sake," he said through gritted teeth, obviously not enjoying this, "Will you…will you please give me the honor of…of attending tonight's ball with me?" I laughed lightly and went back to my sewing.

"What?" I looked up and saw Edmund, still standing there.

"Nothing it's just, I can't believe you would ask me after all that has happened between us," I said, starting to laugh more.

"I told you! It was for Lucy's sake! Just answer." He crossed his arms and tapped his foot. My, my, is he impatient?

I sighed and said, "No. There, you happy?" He looked taken aback that I turned down the King of Narnia but shrugged it off.

"Fine. I didn't want you to come with me anyway. It would be embarrassing."

Those words hurt. Sure, I had been teased back home but no one called me embarrassing to be with out in public. I scoffed and waved my hand, telling him to leave. He walked out, glancing back at me over his shoulder.

I huffed out a long, irritated breath and continued patching up Queen Susan's cloak.

"Charlotte! Charlotte, oh Charlotte you must come here!" Lucy burst into my sewing room, her face red and her breathing heavy as though she had run the entire way.

"Lucy! You know better than to be running around the castle!" I grabbed her shoulders, and she did not shrug out of my grip because she had become a little sister to me, and vice-versa.

"Yes, yes, I know! But you must get changed! The ball starts in an hour. Susan sent me to fetch you." She grabbed my arm and tugged me out of my haven. We went through twisted corridors and spiral staircases until, eventually, we got to my room. I could walk that path blindfolded, granted all the time I've been in my workspace.

"Lucy, must I really go?" I groaned as I began to strip out of my work clothes.

"We've been over this! Yes!" She mumbled something inaudible.

"I'm sorry…what?"

"And you have to go with Edmund!" She clapped a hand over her mouth. I gaped at her.

"I'm sorry! Peter says that since it's being held in his honor he has to go with someone and he chose you, hoping that you two would get along!" She bit her lower lip as I groaned and flopped on the bed, just in my corset and underskirts.

"What's going on, Lu-" Edmund stopped mid-sentence as he was in the doorway, gazing at what I was wearing. He blushed scarlet as his eyes widened. "I-um…I…uh…" he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. I looked down at myself. My white corset showed too much of my chest for my liking and my underskirt was basically see-through. I grabbed the nearest blanket and covered myself. "Um…I'll just be going." And with that, he turned out the door and walked away, cursing himself.

Lucy stifled back a giggle as I threw a pillow at her. "Oh, come off it." She grabbed a dress that was laid out on the back of a chair. It was beautiful. It was green, mostly, with a square neckline, and trumpet sleeves. It was split down the middle showing a darker green cloth underneath, lined with gold trim, in the shape of leaves, along the sides of the split part and around the upper part of the arm. It laced up with a light, emerald green, and the inside of the sleeves were the same green in the split part.

"It's gorgeous…" I said. I quickly put it on and Lucy helped lace up the back. I put some dark green slip-ons and looked at myself in the mirror. Now, what to do with my hair…I smiled and looked at Lucy, knowing exactly what to do with my hair.

After doing my hair and make-up, I couldn't recognize the girl in the mirror. She had full, red lips and black, full lashes around her eyes. Her hair was braided on each side to go around her head, while the rest hung straight on her shoulders. She looked tall, and skinny, and well…beautiful.

"Oh, Charlotte. You're beautiful." I blushed under my rosy cheeks and whispered a, "Thanks," in return. Lucy offered me her arm, and said, "Shall we?" I nodded as we headed toward the Great Hall, ready for a night of fun.

I saw Edmund standing there, outside the doors waiting for his entrance. "It's almost time!" Lucy said, and rushed me towards him. He looked towards us, surprise on his face.

"What's she doing here?" He said, gesturing towards me. I was shocked. No, "Hello" or "You look nice"? No, of course. This was Edmund.

"'She' is right here!" He ignored me, and looked at Lucy for an answer.

"She's going with you!"

He looked at me, wide eyed, and said, "What?" I glared at him and said,

"My thoughts exactly." He glared right back at me.

"Just get along," Lucy said, staring at us both.

"Fine. Take my hand," Edmund said, holding out his hand.

"What? I'm not taking your-"

"Just take it!" And so I did.

"And now! I present to you, the winner of our tournament, King Edmund the Just of Narnia!" A voice blared through behind the doors. The doors creaked open and, as music played and girls swooned, Edmund and I walked through the doors together. I nodded to a few people, and Edmund just stared straight ahead. I heard a few whispers along the way.

"But she's the seamstress!"

"What's she doing with the King?"

"She ought to be making gowns for our Queens!"

I grit my teeth, and put on a fake smile. After what seemed like an eternity we finally reached the front and as I was about to walk away, Edmund caught my hand in his, and put his other on my waist. "What are you doing?" I hissed at him.

"We're supposed to dance." Realization hit me. I was going to dance with Princess. This was probably the closest I've been with him, let alone ever will be. I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled up at him.

The orchestra played a wonderful tune as Edmund and I whirled around the dance floor, as other couples joined in. Edmund stepped on my toes many times, and I was getting tired of it. "Quit it!" I finally growled at him.

"I can't help it! I'm a horrible dancer!" I giggled and looked around the room, avoiding the glare that Edmund gave me.

The song ended, he bowed, and I curtsied and walked away from him. I turned as I heard someone say behind me, "That was lovely."

I smiled and replied, "Hello, Peter." He was wearing a blue tunic, with a gold imprint of a lion on it. He wore a gold cape, and his usual gold crown. He held out his hand for me to dance with him. I accepted.

"So," he started, as we danced around other couples, "how are things with you and Edmund?"

"Well, if you count him stepping on my toes thousands of times and me yelling at him for it good, then things are going well." Peter laughed, and we continued talking for two more songs until the bandleader said they were taking a break. I curtsied to Peter, and he bowed back, being polite. I walked out to one of the dozens of balconies and looked up at the night sky. The stars looked so different here. I could make out different constellations. I saw a leopard…and a centaur. A tap on my shoulder interrupted my daydreaming. I turned around, expecting to see Peter, but I saw a boy about my age, maybe one or two years older. He had shaggy brown hair and piercing gray eyes. He was tall, and lean.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Damian. I am a Tarkaan from Carlormen, of one of the highest ranks." He bowed to me, and I, for the millionth time that night, curtsied back.

"So, are you enjoying the party?" I asked him. He looked at me and smirked. There was something I didn't trust about this man.

"Well, not really. Not until now." He stepped closer to me, and now we were a mere foot away from each other. I stepped back, and my back hit the balcony. I clutched on to it as Damian came closer with each breath he took. He was inches away when a voice called out.

"Charlotte! There you are! I know you told me to meet you on a balcony but I wasn't sure which one." And it was Edmund to the rescue! This might be the one time I would actually thank him.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" He stepped between Damian and I, and, without warning, captured my lips in his. I certainly was taken aback by this, and would've smacked him too if Damian weren't there. Edmund pulled away, and put an arm around my shoulders.

"I guess I'll just leave you two alone…" and with that note, Damian walked away without a second glance.

I stepped away from Edmund. "Um…Thanks…I guess," I said awkwardly. I blushed and Edmund muttered a "You're welcome," before stalking off to God-knows-where. I rejoined the party, chatting with people but all I could think about was the kiss. Had he meant it? I felt a little, itty-bitty ounce of feeling but I doubted it to be true. No boy had ever liked me. At least, not in that way.

"Charlotte?" I snapped out of my thoughts and gazed at Susan, who was talking to me about something that I wasn't paying attention to. "Were you even listening?"

"Um, yeah," I lied. "Hold on. I need to do something real quick."

"Alright." Susan walked off, leaving me to find Edmund. I peeked around fauns, and dwarves, and foreigners to see if I could find Edmund.

Ah, ha!

I found him! He was sitting in a corner with a bottle of something in his hand. "Ed?" I asked, looking curiously at the bottle. "What are you doing?" I said, taking a small step towards him.

"What does it loooook like, milady?" He slurred. Alright, Princess, you're drunk. I ran a hand over my face, frustrated.

"Ed, you're sixteen. You shouldn't be drinking." I grabbed the bottle from his hand earning a, "Hey! Wassat forrr?" from the drunken king. "It's for your own good! C'mon, I'm taking you to bed." I hoisted him up, giving him support on my shoulder. I practically dragged him out of the hall, and as we got to his room he started dragging metowards my room.

"What are you doing?" I asked, laughing. I might as well enjoy it while I can. I can tease him about it in the morning. He tugged on the door handle trying to open it, when I reached over and pushed it open. He fell inside, but got back up with help from the armchair. He went over to the bed, flopped down and patted the spot next to him. I shook my head and laughed as I went over to pull the covers over him. I tucked him in, like a mother and went over to the armchair to sleep. But before I could he pulled me back down on the bed by my waist.

"Ed! What are you doing?" I giggled. I hadn't had this much fun in ages.

"I'm not lettin' you sleep on thhaat chair.."

"What if I want to?" I said teasingly.

"Well I'm still not lettin' youuu…" His grip tightened on my waist as I lay next to him. I kept laughing as he whispered huskily into my ear, "I've always loved you. And, I'm sorry for throwing you against the wall." I stopped laughing and turned to look at him. He sounded completely serious, and not at all drunk. Was he though? He couldn't possibly love me. I didn't love him. Did I? No, of course not. Why would I think something like that? I hated him, and he hated me.

"You're joking," I said seriously.

"Not one bit." And he kissed my cheek and rolled over to unconsciousness.