- Chapter 2 -

The days passed by slower and slower, or so it seemed to Lucy.

The poor girl could barely stand the wait. The past few months of loneliness had not done her well at all. She was even beginning to have dreams of her friends and flashbacks of old times with them.

It was late on one May afternoon. The sun was setting over the cliffs at the back of Cair Paravel, and beyond that was the wide ocean. Lucy was enjoying the view from the window in front of her desk. Her head was on her hands, her elbows on the desk, and her back slumped.

"Your majesty," said a voice that could only belong to Twinklewing.

She turned around to see him flapping his wings outside of her bedroom door.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She stood from her chair quickly with much enthusiasm and waved him inside. "Of course!"

Twinklewing flew to the end of her bed and landed on the bedpost. Lucy stood across from him and reached to pet his black feathered head.

"What's that in your mouth?" she asked.

"Well, you see," he said, dropping the letter from his beak and into her hands. "I thought you'd want to read this letter as soon as it came. Have you gotten it open yet? Dearness, my Queen, allow me to tear the envelope for you! Do you see who it's from? It's Duke-"

"Camden," she finished for him. A smile spread across her face at the speed of light. She turned to the bird. "Thank you, Twinklewing."

"It's no problem at all, your majesty!"

She unfolded the paper and sat on the edge of the bed. Her left leg was bent beneath her and her right leg was hanging off of the side of the bed. She began to read.

To My Dearest Friend, Queen Lucy of Narnia,

I would like to personally thank you and your family for the invitation to his and her royal highness' birthday party. I will be there. Please be sure to give my thanks to the rest of your family.

It will be the greatest honor to attend such an exclusive and lavish event.

I do sincerely hope to see you next week,

Duke Camden of Durham

Future King of Archenland

Lucy could barely hide her disappointment. After months of waiting for some form of contact, it was hard to read Camden's letter and know that that was all he could manage to say to her.

They had used to be such good friends. Narnians and Archenlanders alike were convinced that the two would someday marry, and that it would bring the two countries closer in terms of alliance. And to think that such a small thing would cause this sort of silence between them...

Shortly after the war, the family returned to Cair Paravel. Camden joined them. His father had died in the war and he wanted to give his mother space to mourn before he returned home. A brief argument on his sleeping arrangements resulted in him staying in Lucy's bedroom (he slept on the couch; don't judge).

Soon after the twins' coronation, Camden had decided it was time for him to return home to Durham. The only problem was the feelings that he was beginning to form for his friend.

It was a cool October afternoon. The sun was beginning to set. Autumn leaves fell from the trees, spreading red, orange, and yellow colors over the ground.

Camden and Lucy were walking along a stone path in the garden of Cair Paravel. They moved slowly so as to stall the goodbye they both knew was to come.

"Have I ever told you how much I love daisies?" Camden asked, breaking the silence.

She looked up at him. "You told me you didn't like flowers."

"That would be true. They give me the worst allergies! But I recently began to love daisies. They're that beautiful mixture of creamy white and light yellow. It's the epitome of innocence. They're petite flowers and they're wild in Narnia."

"Goodness, I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about daisies!" Lucy laughed.

He joined in her laughter, admiring how it sounded distinctly like small, ringing bells. "I suppose you don't know a lot about me."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'll admit that you do know me quite well. Better than most anyone else in this world. But there's one thing that I've been trying to find the perfect timing for."

"Now sounds like a good time," she grinned, attempting to coax the words out of him.

"I'm not sure how you'll take it."

"I don't see how I could negatively interpret what you're going to say."

Camden stopped in the middle of the path and took a deep breath. Lucy stopped in front of him. She watched him closely.

"I don't want this to be the last chance I get to tell you this. I've been waiting for about a month to make sure it was real before I told you. But since I'm running out of time..." He trailed off.

Lucy nodded in an effort to show that she was listening.

"Lucy, I love you."

She smiled and touched his cheek. "Aw, Camden, you didn't have to be scared to tell me that. You know that I love you, too!"

"No, I mean... I actually love you."

Lucy froze in place. Her smile faded. She exhaled a sharp breath through the opening left between her lips.

"Camden, what-?"

"I knew it," he muttered under his breath.

"No, Cam, where did this come from?"

"What do you mean?" he asked. He read her eyes in a way that only a best friend could. "You think I'm making this up."

She didn't answer.

"What, do I have to prove myself to you?"

Still no answer.

"Fine."

Without warning, Camden took Lucy's face in both of his hands, holding tight. Then, he kissed her. The chill of the oncoming night's air practically froze her. The warmth of his lips spread throughout her body, making her shiver with the difference in temperature.

Lucy had never been kissed before, but something about the way Camden kissed her made her feel as if she was a seasoned professional. At only sixteen years old, with the weight of Narnia on her shoulders, she had never had much time to think about boys in that way.

When he finally pulled back, Lucy couldn't seem to open her eyes. Her lips were still parted. Finally, she looked back at him.

"Does that prove it?" Camden asked. Try as he might, he couldn't keep his grin away.

The realization of what he had just done hit Lucy like a brick wall.

"Why?" was all she could say.

"What?"

"Why did you do that?"

He put his palm against his forehead and began pacing up and down the stone pathway. Lucy stared at him absently. She looked as confused as he did angry. After a moment of pacing and muttering to himself under his breath, Camden came to a stop in front of her.

"I'm guessing that means you don't..."

"No," she replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

"No, I should be sorry. Lucy, I didn't mean to force myself on you like that. I should have-"

"I actually have to go," she said. She began backwards walking toward the back door to the palace. "I hope you have a safe trip."

And that was the last time they'd seen each other. They hadn't communicated since.

Until now.

Lucy's eyes were brimmed with tears. She blinked rapidly, willing them not to fall. One escaped her careful hold and slipped down her cheek like one quick raindrop holding back a downpour.

The only thing Lucy could get from the letter was the one thing she didn't want to confirm. She now knew where they stood.

In a situation like this, there had to be boundaries. She couldn't discuss the kiss with him. She couldn't talk about romance of any kind with him. All of that was okay, she had all the explanation she wanted on that.

But there was one thing she desperately needed to tell him. One thing she had to get off her chest. She had to tell him that she finally returned his feelings.

Love, how little it means when you're a little too late.

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Avaline made her way through the third floor of Cair Paravel. The open windows allowed the fresh, spring air to flow throughout every room. It gave everyone in the palace a feeling of cheerful enlightenment.

She was headed toward Adela's playroom. When she reached the door, she was surprised to find it was unlocked and left alone. Usually, a guard stood on either side of the door, which was locked.

Brushing it off, Avaline turned the knob. When the door swung open, she found Adela sitting on a bright red rug playing with some wooden blocks. The child looked up when she heard the door opening.

"Mommy!" she exclaimed. She stood - with a bit of trouble - and walked to her mother.

"Hey there, sweetheart," Avaline greeted her. She picked her up and placed her on her hip. The toddler was grinning from ear to ear.

Adela's nurse interrupted the mother/daughter moment. "She was very well-behaved today, your majesty. She is truly a brilliant child. Very advanced for her age."

"Thank you, I appreciate-"

"Hello, my beautiful girls!" someone had said. Avaline turned to find just who she had suspected.

"Hey, Edmund," she smiled as he gave her a quick kiss. "I thought you were working. You're never free at this time."

He smiled that goofy smile that only Edmund could pull off. "A man can come surprise his family, can't he?"

Avaline only laughed.

"Daddy!" Adela called. She wiggled in Avaline's arms.

She put Adela down on the floor. "Okay, wiggle worm!"

The young princess walked only a foot forward to her father and looked up at him excitedly. He leaned down to envelope her in a bear hug.

"Sweet princess," he said.

"Daddy, take me to Aunt Leesy."

"Aunt Leesy? Why do you want to see her?"

"'Cause that's where the cousins are!"

Avaline interjected. "You can take her down to Ana. I have a meeting to go to."

Edmund's face was questioning, but she ignored him.

"I'll see you later, beautiful," she told her daughter. After kissing her forehead, she left.

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"Hey, folks!"

Peter, Analiese, and Susan turned in their chairs to see who was at the library door.

Susan spoke first. "Edmund, I haven't seen you all day."

"You have too. I was at breakfast."

"I'm pretty sure I would have seen if you were at breakfast, Ed."

"Well, sis, that can only mean one thing. I suppose you're going blind."

He turned to Analiese.

"Ana, this kiddo has been nagging me for the past ten minutes to see you."

Analiese stood to take the toddler from his arms. "Aw, has she? How are you, Adela?"

She smiled smugly. "Happy!"

Analiese laughed lightly. "You're happy?"

"Mhmm!"

Peter looked up from his book. "Pretty content with herself, isn't she, Ed?"

Adela answered for him. "Mhmm!"

Her uncle chuckled and continued reading.

Analiese took Adela toward the bookshelves in the back of the library to look for something to read, so Edmund sat down with his siblings.

"So, who else is at this little meeting?" he asked casually.

Susan looked up from the thick novel she had her nose stuffed in and raised an eyebrow. "What meeting?"

"The meeting Ava had to go to."

Peter and Susan exchanged a confused look.

"I haven't heard of a meeting," Peter said.

"That's weird," Edmund muttered.

Susan suggested, "Perhaps she's speaking with Adela's nurse."

"They were speaking when I came in."

"Maybe you interrupted them."

Edmund shook his head. "I don't know."

He didn't know what made him suspicious, but there was something about the way she avoided his look in the nursery that made him wonder what sort of meeting she was attending.

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A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter a bit more! We're getting into the story a bit further now. Boy, oh BOY do I have some amazing ideas for this story! (There was a bit of foreshadowing in one part of this chapter. See if you can guess what it was!)

Blimeylimey21 asked if there's going to be a story focused on Susan and Caspian. I won't completely rule out that idea because I have considered it, but I don't think Susan will have her own story simply because I have things planned for her in this one. And you will hear about Edmund's crown eventually! Also, I promise that all the other characters and romances will not be left out of this story. I still love them too :)

Please review and leave your thoughts! I love to see you all ramble btw, just let all of your feelings out!