A/N: Hello everybody! Smurf here with a brand new chapter! This will be my last update of the year. So, look for chapter four sometime next year! Well, I have nothing to say, so, enjoy chapter three!

Disclaimer: I do not own House of Many Ways. Diana Wynne Jones owns it. If I owned it, well... I'd rather not say.


Chapter Three: In Which Charmain Rejects Peter

Charmain was a little surprised. She didn't understand why Peter loved her. He was a Prince after all, he could have any girl in the Kingdom he wanted. Still in a daze, Charmain pulled her arm out of Peters grip and headed to her room. Waif and Steffy followed her happily, not realizing that something was wrong with Charmain. After Waif and Steffy jumped up on the bed, she closed the door and leaned against it. What was she going to do? She didn't think she could handle a relationship. Besides, she had never thought about Peter in that way. She had never even thought about being in a relationship with him.

Charmain climbed into bed and huddled underneath the covers. She heard Peter go into his room and heard the door shut. Peter was her best friend. How does one go from being best friends to being in a relationship? But, did she want to be with him? She didn't know what to do. She rolled over onto her stomach and groaned into her pillow. She tossed and turned all night. She hardly slept at all, so when the sun rose, she was so tired. She didn't know how she was going to stay up. Even hours later, her mind was buzzing with the events of the night before. How was she supposed to face him? She decided to act normal and not bring it up.

She got dressed and headed toward the kitchen with Waif and Steffy following her. As she came upon the room Peter used, she heard movement on the other side of the door and then it flew open and Peter came into the hall, almost bumping into Charmain. Peter's face turned red and Charmain felt her own grow hot.

"Good morning," Charmain whispered.

"Yeah. Morning," he answered.

Charmain pushed past him and went into the kitchen, Peter not far behind her. She ordered the dog food, then placed her own order. Breakfast was quiet. Maybe it was because they were both too embarrassed to talk. Or maybe it was because they were both lost in thought.

"Charmain, there is something I want to tell you," Peter started.

"What is it?" she asked without looking at him.

"I just want to know how you feel about me. I made it quite clear how I feel about you," Peter said.

Charmain was quiet while she thought about it. How did she feel about him? Did she really have feelings for him?

"To be honest with you, I have no idea if I have romantic feelings toward you. I like you, I really do. But, my feelings do not go past 'best friend'. You are the best friend that I could ever ask for. I just don't think we would be good together. Besides, I know I am not ready for a relationship," Charmain said. "I do have one question for you. Why me?"

"You were the first girl that I was able to get close to. You make me happy. I love hanging around you. I mean, you are the only girl I actually like. I have met other girls, and they have tried to get with me. But, every time they talked to me, all I could think about was you. I love you and I only want you!"

Silence followed Peters little speech. Charmain wasn't sure what to say to that. She just knew that the feeling she had was not feelings of love. She didn't really want to say anything, but she knew she had to let him down.

"I'm sorry, Peter, but I can not return your feelings. I may later, but not now. I have never really thought of you as a boyfriend."

"So, basically, you are rejecting me," he said.

Peter stood up and opened the door to the living room. He went into the living room and went out the front door.

"Where are you going?" Charmain asked, following him out the door.

"I'm going for a walk," he said, not looking at her.

Charmain stood in the front garden and watched him walk away. She felt bad for rejecting him, but she had to do it. She had to make it clear to him that she had no romantic feelings for him. She cared about him, but not in the way he cared about her. She sighed and looked up at the sky. It looked like it might rain. She heard the distant rumbling of thunder and saw a distant flash of lightning. Charmain looked the way Peter went and saw that he was just a distant spot on the landscape. She went inside and closed all the windows and doors and went back into the front garden. The thunder was louder and the flash of lightning was closer.

She looked around for Peter and didn't see any sign of him. She was starting to get worried. She sat at the table in the yard and watched for him. She continued to sit there until it started to rain. She went inside and sat down on the couch and before she knew it she was asleep.

The dream Charmain had was a happy one. She dreamed about her and Peter. They were in a relationship and she was happy in her dream. She was awoke by a load crash of thunder and the rain had increased. She could hardly see out the window. She didn't know if Peter was back yet. She went through the house, looking for him and couldn't find him. She sat down in the chair he usually frequented and stared out the window. She hoped he would be home soon.


A/N: Well, what did you think? I know it's not as long as my other chapters and I am sorry. I had a hard time writing this chapter. Maybe I should read the book again. Well, I had writers block and I am working now. I don't seem to have for anything. I don't even have time to play my Xbox 360. I need to finish playing Tales of Vesperia, then I have a game called Enchanted Arms and I am getting another game from my boyfriend. Wish I had one day where I didn't have to do anything but sit around and play my games. I miss those days. Anyways, constructive criticism is welcome, but please, no flames. Merry Christmas and happy new year! See you in chapter four!