First off, thank you browniepoints and musicgeek17 for your reviews.
Also, I know I didn't really tell anyone what Riley looks like so just imagine her the way you think she should look.
Riley stood up and both of them walked out of the room. They walked for a few minutes until they reached the main entrance. Susan found Edmund and Lucy and dragged Riley over to them.
"I'll be right back. I need to speak with Peter." Susan told them. She walked off, leaving Edmund and Lucy with Riley.
"She going to tell him about what I did, isn't she?" Ed asked, worried. Lucy nodded and laughed. Riley watched Susan walk up to a tall blonde man. He wasn't much older than her, and was very handsome. Susan was telling him about something and they both turned to look at her. Riley turned her attention towards Lucy who was making fun of Edmund.
"He is so going to kill you. You better make for the hills." Lucy said.
"It isn't funny Lucy. Peter doesn't have the best temper these days, and what I did will throw him over the edge," Edmund replied.
"There's a simple solution to that," Riley added.
"What's that?" Edmund asked, hoping it would help him.
"Don't hit anyone in the head again." Riley told him. Lucy laughed. Edmund glared at her and Riley. He turned away from them and began talking to a faun. Riley really hadn't noticed all the different creatures until that moment. It was like something out of a fairy tale. Susan walked back over to them with the guy she was talking to.
"Riley, this is Peter. Peter, this is the girl I was telling you about." Susan announced.
"Your highness," Riley said as she bowed. Peter laughed a little.
"Please, don't be so formal," Peter told her. Riley gave a nervous laugh and looked at him.
"Sorry, this is new to me." she replied. Peter smiled.
"That's understandable. How's your head, by the way? Edmund didn't hit it too hard did he? I swear, he can be such an idiot sometimes," Peter ranted.
"Hey, I'm right here," Edmund pointed out as he joined the conversation.
"Oh, so do you want to have the talk now or later?" Peter asked Edmund, obviously angry.
"Later," Edmund mumbled.
"I'm doing good. I don't have a headache. There's a small bump where he hit me but that's it," Riley told Peter in order to steer his attention away from Edmund.
"That's good. Should we head inside and have some breakfast. I'm sure Riley could use something after the night she had," Susan said. Peter nodded. He glared at Edmund before walking inside the palace. Susan and Riley followed him. They entered the dining hall and sat down at the table. Peter sat at the head of the table and Riley and Susan sat across from each other. The servants brought them food and they ate. Lucy joined them, sat down beside Riley and told them Edmund decided to go to the Library, insisting he wasn't hungry.
They all ate and Lucy was telling Riley about all the different creatures in Narnia, and which ones are friendly or not. Peter cleared his throat and the girls turned toward him.
"So, Riley, Susan told me that you're from 2009," Peter said.
"Uh…yeah."
"Really? So you're from the future?" Lucy exclaimed.
"I guess so," Riley replied with a smile. Lucy looked at her with wonder in her eyes.
"I'm sure that if Aslan was here, he'd tell us what was going on," Peter told them. Riley looked at him. He smiled at her and she returned it.
"Lucy, why do you come with me to archery practice," Susan suggested. Lucy huffed, stood up and followed Susan. Riley and Peter sat in silence. Neither one knew what to say.
"So…what is there to do here?" Riley asked, breaking the ice.
"Well, uh, we have an amazing library. There's horseback riding. We have a marketplace. And, I don't know what else. I really don't have a lot of personal time."
"Sounds like being king has its low points." Riley replied.
Peter nodded. "Yeah, but I love Narnia. So, my personal time is worth the sacrifice," he told her. Riley smiled.
"I probably should get going. I have a meeting with the centaurs." Peter added.
"Okay, I think I'm going to take a look around and get a feel for it," Riley told him.
"Do you need someone to escort you? I'm sure Mr. Tumnus or someone would be happy to accompany you," Peter asked.
"Well, if you weren't busy you could join me. But, since you can't, I think I'll be able to navigate myself just fine," Riley answered. She pretended to be sad and Peter laughed a little.
"Okay, if you're sure. I promise that sometime I'll show you the true beauty of Narnia," Peter promised. Riley smiled, got up, and began walking around the palace. There were so many rooms, each more beautiful than the last. She then came to a room that took her breath away. The library was filled with hundreds of books. Riley walked through the cases. So many different titles.
"And the others wonder why I like this place so much," a voice said. Riley turned around to see Edmund.
"It's gorgeous in here. I could live in here forever," Riley replied. Edmund laughed and walked up to her.
"I know what you mean. But, you haven't seen anything yet," he told her as he took her hand and led her up a staircase. There, she saw a magnificent view of Narnia.
"Wow.." was all she could say. Edmund smiled and stood next to her.
"See, told you," Edmund said. "Is Peter still angry?"
"He seemed fine at breakfast, but maybe he was just being polite," Riley answered. Edmund sighed and looked out at Narnia.
"I wish he would stop treating me like a child. He's always criticizing everything I do. Sometimes I wish he had never become High King," Edmund said.
"Listen, I really don't know what's going on with you two, but my eldest brother is the same way. I can't do anything right in his eyes."
"How do you deal with it?"
"I ignore him. It's my life, not his." Riley told him.
"You're pretty smart."
"I try. So, is there anything else that's special about this library?" Riley asked. Edmund scrunched up his face to make it look like he was thinking. Riley began to laugh. Edmund grabbed her hand and lead her back down the staircase. They walked through a few cases and reached the entrance.
"Is that a yes?"
"It's a no." Edmund answered. Riley was confused. "But, I know a secret passage that leads to the conference room where Peter is."
Edmund exited the library and Riley followed him. He reached a tapestry and lifted it up revealing a door. He opened it and lead Riley inside. It was dark, but Ed was still able to navigate his way through. They reached the end of the hall.
"Ed.." Riley was cut-off when Ed put his hand over her mouth, indicating to be quiet. He grabbed a small loose stone from the wall. Behind it was an opening just big enough for sound to get through. Edmund and Riley and Edmund sat there and listened.
"Your highness, the stars have indicated there is a new daughter of eve in Narnia. Is that true?" someone said.
"Yes Orieus, it's true. That was one thing I wanted to ask you about. Did the stars say anything else? Why she's here? Is there something coming?" Peter asked.
"No, my King. We will be watching them closely for the next few nights if you like," a female answered.
"Thank you, Mina. That would be nice. So, is that all for the day? Is there anything else we need to discuss?" Peter replied.
"Just be careful my liege. Until we know for sure why she is here, best to keep a close watch on her." Orieus told him. "We must be off. Take care your highness."
"As with you," Peter responded. There were footsteps and then all was silent. However, more footsteps were heard headed toward the wall Riley and Edmund were behind.
"Ed, I know you're back there," Peter said through the opening. Ed huffed.
"I guess it's time for that talk?" Ed replied.
"Yep, get in here." Peter answered. Edmund huffed again and walked down the hall. Riley decided to stay and listen in on the conversation.
"You wanted to see me?" Ed asked.
"I specifically told you to stay here yesterday and take care of everything. I gave you one simple task, and you ditch it and hurt an innocent lady. What the hell were you thinking?" Peter was mad, Riley could tell. She bit her lip, not wanting Edmund to get in trouble.
"I wanted to go for a walk. So I went into the woods. I was only gone for an hour before I found Riley. I'm sorry for hitting her."
"That's the part that really gets to me. I can't believe that you would be stupid enough to not have the sense to stop yourself," Peter told him.
"Riley forgave me. She knew it was a misunderstanding," Edmund defended himself. Riley felt sorry for him. He was in trouble for an accident.
"You know what, just get out of here. It's not worth my breath to talk to you about this," Peter said. Riley heard footsteps so she decided to leave the passageway. When she got back into the main hallway, she bumped into Peter.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Riley said.
"No, it was completely my fault. Were you listening in on me and Ed's conversation?" he asked realizing where she came from.
"Oh, uh, no. I was just admiring the tapestry. It's very stunning," Riley tried lying. Peter just gave her a look that told her he didn't believe her.
"I swear, one of these days I'm going to either seal off that passageway or make a different room the conference room." he replied. Riley laughed a little and looked at him. She could tell he was trying not to look angry.
"Listen, I'm not mad at Ed for what he did. You shouldn't be either. It was an accident." Riley told him.
"I know. It's just that I still can't trust him. No matter how hard I try, I just can't," Peter confessed. "So, how was your walk around the palace?"
"It was wonderful. I got lost once or twice but it was a good thing," Riley told him.
"How is getting lost a good thing?"
"Well, I find that you can get to the best places by being lost. That's how I found the library."
"Really? So, that's why Edmund came out of hiding. It's surprising that he's opened up to you so quickly," Peter pointed out. "I'm still trying to get him to talk to me."
"Well, when you pull a stunt like what you did in the conference room, expect to be treated that way," Riley told him. Peter was a little taken-back by her comment. No one ever talked to him like that. Riley could tell Peter was upset by it, so she began to walk away.
"Wait, where are you going?" Peter asked.
"I'm going to get some lunch. Good day your majesty," Riley responded. She walked off without looking back.
