AN: OK, no one has reviewed or anything, but I'm just going to continue in the vain hope some one likes this… Also, the reason I haven't been uploading is because I've been in hospital, so… (So totally not milking that fact for all its worth….)

Chapter 2

Lucy absentmindedly brushed her brown hair in the mirror as a maple tree nymph fussed with a silk gown spread on the bed behind her. She turned

"Mira, do you know if everyone will be there tonight?"

"Yes, milady. The Peringal girls and the Faringdays were the last guests. Oh, but Lord Arthur still isn't here." the nypmh said. Lucy said slightly, then stood up.

"I wish he was. Keep the green dress for when he does, Mira."

"Of course, milady." Mira said, smiling. Lucy shook her shoulders, then admired the dress on the bed.

"Beautiful." she stepped forward and held it against her, then looked up at Mira, her eyes full of mischief.

"Are you sure Sir Ivar didn't mean to send this to Susan, not me?" she said and Mira rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Don't worry, Susan received one too." Mira said and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Of course. I wonder which one she promised to wear." Lucy said, as she pulled on the dress Ivar had sent her and asked she wore on the first night of celebrations. Lucy liked Ivar. He was the only one of the Daroon family that didn't think the world of themselves. Ivar was one of Lucy's best friends, even if he was a little solemn.

"I think she's wearing one she had made." Mira said, as she sorted through Lucy's jewellery, preparing them for the young queen. Lucy giggled as she pulled on the purple dress. She shook out her hair, then glanced in the mirror. She smiled. Ivar had chosen well. The skirt was light and floaty, embroidered with little flowers in a darker purple stitch, the bodice was panelled and the sleeves were made of gossamer and where see through and floated around her. She gave an experimental twirl and giggled as the skirt whirled around her and her sleeves floated. She picked up a purple ribbon from her dressing table and took a section of her hair and tied it up.

"There. I'm ready." she said.

"But! You haven't any jewels! You're hair!" Mira protested.

"What about my hair?"

"It's a mess! I haven't styled it, and I had the perfect style!"

"Don't worry. No one will be looking at me. Everyone will be looking at Susan and Serina and Miriam Peringal." Lucy said. She turned to her maid "You know, I think it will be the first ball Susan won't be stared at by everyone in the room!" she mused and the nypmh sighed.

"No. they'll be staring at you, because you're hair is a mess. Now go and wait for your sister." she said and ushered Lucy out the room. She then grabbed hold of Lucy's arm.

"And if you ruin that dress I will never talk to you again. Understood?"

"Don't worry Mira." Lucy giggled and she slipped out the door.

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Cora waited patiently as Miriam yet again straightened her fringe, then re-adjusted her bodice. She turned to Serena.

"This low, or is it too low?" she asked. The blonde girl slipped out of her pleasant reverie and looked at her sister.

"For Edmund?" she asked. Miriam sighed.

"Well of course!"

"A little too low. Here." Serena moved over and adjusted her sister's dress. She stepped back and admired her. She wore a silver, sleeveless, muslin dress. From the bodice three strans of pearls at each shoulder lay decoratively over Miriam's white skin. The pearls were woven into the bodice and encircled her slim waist. From her waist, scraps of silver muslin and gossamer floated around her. Her hair was up and interwoven with strands of pearls. She looked simply stunning.

"Perfect." Serena pronounced. Miriam surveyed the golden-haired child. Serena's dress was made of gold satin with a plain, sarsnet bodice. The sleeves where light gossamer puffs at the shoulders, trimmed with gold beading. Serena's skirt was full and covered by a light gossamer layer and trimmed with gold beading. Her hair floated around her, kept back from her eyes with gold beading. Overall she looked like a princess.

"Beautiful. As all ways." Miriam said. The girl smiled. "We'll have the two boys easily." Serena smiled back, blissfully unaware of what her sister really wanted. Miriam turned to Cora, her face cold. Cora wore a patterned bronze dress that shimmered when she moved. "You look acceptable." Miriam said, then swept past her. Serena followed, blissfully imagining herself as a princess with Peter deeply in love with her. Cora rolled her eyes.

"Why thank you Miriram dear. You could have at least lied and said I looked pretty." Cora said under her breath, before she followed her prettier sisters. As she walked along the marble corridors she bit her lip. She hated balls. She loved dancing and she loved all the people, but she hated being in her sisters shadow. She knew she wasn't as pretty as her sisters, but no one bothered to look beyond that. Everyone judged her against her sisters, then didn't bother to look behind her plain exterior. Cora looked up in time to collide heavily with a handsome boy as he came down the other way. She stumbled and he placed his arm in front of her waist so she didn't fall.

"Careful." he said and Cora turned and nearly died with embarrassment as she saw she had fallen, literally, into the arms of King Edmund. She stood up

"Sorry!" she apologised and he smiled, then frowned.

"Oh. I've ruined your dress!" he said and Cora looked down to see that her dress was ripped right across her waist, revealing her white underdress. Cora blushed, mortified. Edmund winced as he saw her blush creep up.

"Don't worry, its my fault. I'll get you one of Lucy's. You're about her size."

"No. No. Don't worry. I'll be fine." Cora said, feeling even more embarrassed as she felt tears well up behind her eyes. This ball was going to be her chance. She was going to smile and dance and get noticed and now it was ruined.

"Don't be stupid. Come on." He took her arm and began to lead her down a corridor.

"No!" Cora said. Miriram would kill her! Edmund was meant to be in the ball admiring Miriam, not talking to her. "Don't worry about me. I'll just change."

"Stop it. I ruined your dress and now you're being too nice to me. Come on." he then walked down the corridor and Cora followed him, miserably.

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Edmund examined the panelling as Lady Cora changed behind a screen behind him. He knew he didn't have to face the wall, but he somehow felt better about it. He heard a rustle of fabric.

"I'm done." Edmund turned and smiled at Cora. She was wearing one of Lucy's old dresses, as she was slightly thinner than Lucy, even though she was a year older. It had a light blue bodice that had a middle section of cream, a light blue skirt that had a middle panel of cream and little cap sleeves of light blue that had floaty sleeves of cream.

"You look lovely." he said and he meant it. She might not match up to the beauty of his sisters, but she was a nice girl and that smile made her look pretty. She shrugged.

"You don't have to lie. I know I only look plain." she said. Edmund frowned.

"Don't be so mean on yourself!"

"But it's the truth." she said simply. Then her smile dropped and she bit her lips.

"Are you sure Lucy won't mind?"

"Of course not. Susan would. No one touches her clothes." Edmund said, smiling.

"We should go back." Cora said, remembering Miriam. Edmund rolled his eyes.

"It won't be anything special. All of these balls are. We're all too busy being diplomatic and polite to have any fun." Edmund complained and walked over to the window and sat down, looking out into the murky twilight. "It's not like they used to be. We used to have the most amazing parties. And we didn't need the fireworks and the ballroom and all the extras. We used to just need our friends, back when Peter wasn't stuck being so kingly. We used to dance on the lawn and the fauns would play for us and Peter would have Lirriantia and Susan would have one of her nicer suitors, maybe Aodh or Aroz, and Lucy would have Arthur and I would have one of the nypmhs, or one of my friends and it would be fun. And no one cared and then we would talk about home and then we would talk about what we were going to do here and every one would have fun." Edmund stood up, angrily. "But now we're having celebrations for winning the war with the northern giants and then we're having everyone for the season and Peter's being all kingy and Susan's being all pretty and polite and, of course, jealous over Serena and Miriam and Lucy's just listening to tales about Aslan and now I don't fit in and-" he turned and blushed. "Sorry. I don't what I'm saying. I'm talking nonsense." he said and Cora smiled.

"Of course." she said. Edmund smiled and inwardly cursed himself. What had got into him? What was he doing saying all that stuff to a girl who was nearly a perfect stranger? By the lion's mane he hadn't even told Fakir some of that stuff! It was something about the way she listened. It made you want to continue. Suddenly the door burst open and Peter came in with Lirriantia. He stopped dead when he saw Edmund and Cora.

"Edmund! What are doing here? You are meant to be at the ball! And you two are alone! That could ruin poor Cora's reputation, you know how some people talk!"

"I could say that about you!" Edmund protested and Peter's mouth flapped open like a fish for a moment as he realised.

"Stop it." Peter said and Edmund folded his arms.

"You better have a good explanation." Edmund said and Peter stepped forward.

"I am telling you off, not the other way round and don't you forget that. I have a perfectly good explanation, you however?"

"Cora slipped I caught her but I ripped her dress in the process. I took her in her to get her a new dress."

"So that's where you have been! I have had gaurds looking for you! Guards, Edmund!" Peter hissed and Edmund rolled his eyes.

"You still haven't told me why-" he was interrupted by the door opeing again and Lucy walking in. She stopped when she saw Peter, Lirriantia, Edmund and Cora.

"Oh great! Is Susan going to turn up soon? Then none of the hosts will be there! Brilliant!" Peter yelled and he strode off. Lucy gaped after him, then turned back to Edmund, Lirriantia and Cora. She paused on Cora as she recognised one of her dresses. Edmund noticed her gaze.

"Oh! Long story, but I ruined Cora's dress and I thought you wouldn't mind if I gave her one of yours." he said and Lucy smiled.

"Of course. Now I think we had better get back, or Peter will blow a fuse." Lucy said and she opened her door wide to let Lirriantia out. Cora followed soon afterwards and Edmund and Lucy were about to leave when Lucy suddenly ran over to her dresing table and opened her jewellery box and grabbed a strand of pearls.

"For Susan." she said by way of explanation, before the siblings left the room.

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Ok, a little longer than I thought it would be, but hey! Oh well, hope you enjoyed and please review!