Prince Corin

When I grow up I want to be a little boy.

~ Joseph Heller

The clouds were chasing shadows across the harbor as their vessel stood in and was moored at one of the wharves where it was cleared by the harbor master. They were met on the dock by a representative sent from Anvard, the capital of Archenland. They would be traveling there directly, but first, their things had to be unloaded from the ship.

Sealsport was a city chiseled into the rock, not unlike the cities on Terebinthia. But the thing that struck Gwendolyn the most was the openness of the place. Terebinthia was small, a trading and fishing island, strategically placed between Archenland and the Lone Islands. Nearly all of it was lived on by someone. Here in Archenland, even the people in the city had backyards. The streets were wide, easily allowing two carts to pass each other and beyond the city was open country, rolling almost empty for miles.

Gwendolyn had a strong feeling that she would never be in Archenland again and she suggested that they explored the city before they left. Her mother seconded her idea, provided they could visit Elm Road where all the famous shops were. The king did not comment, but came along happily enough with Gianna, who was already beginning her role as a princess from Terebinthia. The entourage came along because that's what they did.

Gwendolyn led the party as they visited the various landmarks of the city. They saw the marble pillars of a building that had stood during the days of King Col; they trailed their hands in a fountain in the middle of the city and took rides on a pond in boats shaped like swans. The queen had her hair done by a renowned hair dresser and Gianna threw crumbs to the pigeons that came to rest on the statue of King Lune.

They were laughing and eating salted peanuts when they returned to the harbor and boarded the carriage that would bring them to Anvard and Prince what's-his-face.

~o*o~

The horses thundered, breaking into a canter as the driver urged them on. It was a fair distance to Anvard, but it was over good road and the weather was fine. Gwendolyn hung her head out of the window, watching as the land rolled by; fields of wheat and corn – green yet, but rich with promise – deep forests, dancing streams, houses and little towns half hidden in the warm green hollows made by the undulating land.

The carriage rattled into a small hamlet and everyone got out to stretch, the entourage milling around. Gwendolyn stood in the carriage yard to watch while a new team of horses was harnessed and hitched to the carriage, arching their necks and pawing the cobles, their feathers bobbing and livery gleaming.

Then they were off again, drawing gazes from farmers in their fields as they thundered by, mounted guard ahead and behind. Gianna slept, her head heavy on Gwendolyn's shoulder. It hurt, but Gwendolyn was loathed to wake her. The Queen tried to read a book of poetry, but she complained that the carriage bounced too much and the King humored her by discussing her new hair style.

Every inch of this place seemed to be farmland, fields of wheat and hay, stretching for miles. There was a team of great bay draft horses pulling a plow through the bear earth, their white feathers bright in the sunlight. Stone walls raced down the road past them and Gwendolyn saw the tangle of barbed wire and locked eyes for a fleeting moment with a cow philosophically chewing her cud.

It was afternoon when the Queen gave a sudden cry and Gwendolyn woke Gianna in her attempt to look out the window. There, ahead, was a city, sprawled out across the green and rising in the center, on a rocky hill, was the castle.

"It's Anvard?" Gwendolyn asked.

"It is!" the queen cried, "It was my home. We lived in Cair Anvard, my mother, father and I. Anvard has grown since I last saw it."

"It's lovely," Gianna said, poking her head out next to Gwendolyn's.

And it really was. The city was large, not so large as Sealsport, but nicer, quieter and more elegant. Very soon they were in it, the horses trotting on the bit and the carriage wheels clattering. Cair Anvard was beautiful in the goldenness of the late afternoon light. The city was growing darker, but the castle was higher and lit still, almost glowing against the sky.

Gwendolyn's stomach had been tied in a knot through the journey, now the knot tightened and she turned and resolutely stared at the back of the coach. She could not watch anymore.

~o*o~

The handle turned and the door opened and the footman was folding down the steps from the carriage. The King stepped out, then turned to help the Queen and Gianna. Gwendolyn followed on her own steam.

They were standing in a large courtyard, still lit by the sun and the footmen were carrying away their boxes and bags and the entourage was getting off their horses.

A tall young man with fair hair came towards them, a lady on his arm.

"Your majesty, I am Prince Cor," he bowed with ceremony, "we have been expecting you. I am so glad you arrived safely. I trust your journey was not too strenuous?"

"No your highness, thank you," the King bowed, "I, my wife and my daughter, most appreciate your hospitality."

"Think nothing of it," Prince Cor said, smiling, "what is ours is yours."

Without really thinking, the Queen linked her arm through Gwendolyn's. Gwendolyn poked her and looked meaningfully over at Gianna. The Queen smiled and switched arms.

"Do come inside and let me show you to your chambers," smiling, the young lady with Prince Cor took Gwendolyn's arm as she stood to the side, excluded from the others, and lead the party into the castle.

"I am sorry my father is not here to greet you," Prince Cor said to the King behind them, "but he has gone to Narnia for a conference with the High King."

"Oh, I am sorry we missed him," the king said, "is he expected back?"

"In a week."

"What is your name?"

Gwendolyn glanced down at the young lady beside her. She was slim and dark, exotically beautiful, her dark hair drawn back with tiger lilies.

"Gianna," Gwendolyn said, blinking and realizing with shock that they had never discussed what she would be called while Gianna was masquerading as herself.

"What a lovely name," the woman said, "I am Aravis."

Gwendolyn started and looked at her…so this was the Calormen beauty that Prince Cor married.

"Isn't royalty excessively boring?" Aravis asked, leaning towards her as they entered the entrance hall and made their way into a luxuriously furnished sitting room.

"Yes, actually," Gwendolyn said as they parted company and Aravis ushered everyone into the room and invited them to sit down.

"I do hope we will see Prince Corin," the King suggested delicately.

"Oh, Corin is not here," Prince Cor said with half a smile and half a glance toward Gianna.

"Oh dear," the King said, rather flustered, "I do hope we will see him as well."

"He will be here tomorrow I believe." Cor said, "I am afraid we will have to switch places. He will come and I must go. I am loathed to cut our intercourse short, but I am expected at another place today and must leave at once if I am to arrive on time."

"Certainly," the King said, "We are excessively sorry to see you go, but do not let us keep you from your engagement."

Cor bowed and Aravis waved at him as he left. He smiled and opened the door, stepping aside to let half a dozen servants enter with cooling drinks and sweetmeats on silver platters, then he was gone.

~o*o~

Cor was complete when he was on a horse. Riding came to him as naturally as breathing and Corin would often watch him with envy as the horse seemed to move only according to his brother's thoughts. Now he was on a horse, set to keep an appointment with the steward of his estate. He barely noticed the two horsemen coming towards him, racing by the look of it.

"Cor!"

Cor pulled up his horse as two snorting steeds came to a wild halt next to him.

"Hello, Corin!" Cor said, grinning as his brother attempted to keep his horse from rearing. He nodded to his fair haired cousin a few paces behind Corin, "well met, Colin."

"Where're you off to in such a hurry?" Corin asked, his horse dancing in a circle.

"My estate, you?"

"Anvard," Corin said, glancing over his shoulder as his horse spun around again, "I'm starving!"

"You might want to postpone your arrival."

"Why?" Corin asked, "You're always been plotting to starve me."

"There's a girl there all set to marry you," Cor informed him, laughing when Corin's face went red. The horse was starting his fifth circle.

"A girl?" Corin said with disgust, "I thought the world had run out of girls to throw at me."

"Apparently there was one hiding in the recesses," Cor said. "Enjoy yourself!"

"Great jumping horny toads…a girl?" Corin said, shaking his head as Cor spurred his horse forward, waving to them as he topped the crest of the hill and disappeared. "That's cruel."

"We could go back," his Colin suggested.

"And starve to death on the way?" Corin said, "I don't think so, Colin."

"Well it stands to reason that there would only be one of us starving," Colin pointed out.

Corin looked thoughtful…then devious. Colin steeled himself.

"I have an idea."

"I was afraid you might."

"You'll love it."

"I have a feeling I won't."