A/N: So believe it or not this file has been sitting on my computer waiting for some edits. Now that they're finally done (though I didn't make all the changes my beta suggested), I'll post. And lest you think this is going the way of the original, I'll let you know that the next 3 chapters are already written...they just need to be typed. Enjoy this one, but let me know either way--love or hate.
How Eustace Learned of Narnian Courtship
(Eustace)
21 March
Today we opened Lucy's birthday gift. It was rather fun to watch her open nearly priceless jewels and pull a face because she didn't like them. Lucy's a strange fish—even if she didn't like them surely she could see the use of having something valuable? Edmund said no, that she never concerns herself with wealth, and even when she was queen she never knew what was in the treasury. I wonder if that's what it really means to be rich (money rich, of course, I know the difference between that and spiritually rich), to have so much money that gold and jewels don't really mean anything. She got a great lot of jewels she didn't care for. With one of them was a note, more than the usual tag of who it was from. Lucy read and groaned, passing it on to E. who read it and snorted. "So it begins," he said and crumpled the note and tossed it away. I was a bit annoyed—it's not v. polite to comment on something and not let other people in on the secret. But I couldn't very well demand to see the note, could I? Caspian looked confused too, and I saw him clench his hand in a fist.
L. liked her other presents, though. Drinian and Rhince gave her the compass they used on the Dawn Treader, and even though it was beat up and water stained, she loved it. E. gave her a new scabbard for her dagger and the promise to teach her to swordfight "Now that Peter and Susan can't have my head once they know about it." L. was v. excited about this and hugged E. He pretended to hate it and cried "Ugh! Get off!" but he was laughing so I think he was quite pleased. E. does not make a lot of sense all the time, even though I'm forced to admit he's quite intelligent. Perhaps even cleverer than me, though I get better marks in school. Got. When I went to school and there were marks. Now we go to lessons just for the sake of learning things.
Lucy quite liked my present as well, a carved ivory quiver for her arrows. I didn't tell her but am forced to admit here that C. helped me choose it. Am trying to be more honest. I did talk with the faun who carved it about the design though, and L. particularly commented on that. C. got her a dryad-woven cloak which can make you almost invisible in the woods. She was v. pleased and put her arm round his neck and kissed his cheek. She's always doing that, hugging and kiss people, even E. and me. Nobody seems to think it strange, even though in England it would be very bizarre. C. went all red and started to stammer, which is v. odd for him in general, and especially when it's Lucy. Why should he care if she kissed him? They do things like that a lot, hold hands and such, and think nothing of it.
Am just now realizing though—Lucy's old enough to be thinking of love and all that rot, at least by Narnian standards. Does C. still remember that conversation in Coriakin's house? Is he still thinking of marrying Lucy, and is he thinking of doing it now?
22 March
L. asked me if I want to join her in sword fighting lessons. I think I will. Sword fighting seems to be the sort of thing that comes in handy here. Besides, am sick of people telling that stupid sea serpent story and making fun of my swordsmanship. Especially C. He keeps ribbing me about breaking his second best sword. If he keeps on at me I shall start teasing him about L.
23 March
Hate ruddy sword fighting. I carry around a sword of course, mostly for show, so I know how heavy they are. But whenever I watch E. and C. with their swords they never seem like it's hard to swing or move their feet. It's a lie. I could barely swing my sword at all and I fell half a dozen times. I'm sure I shall have bruises.
If only Lucy wasn't so good by comparison! When they gave her the sword I thought for sure she would fare worse than I. After all, in three years she's hardly grown. She's so tiny it looks as if she could be broken very easily. Aslan's mane, though—as soon as she picked up the sword she started slashing away. She wasn't as good as E. or C., but she was good enough. Didn't fall or get whacked with the flat of Caspian's sword. She even disarmed C. the first time because he was so surprised. He couldn't take his eyes off her the whole time. Am really going to start teasing him if he doesn't stop teasing me. Even E. has begun to notice. I caught him looking at C. while he was admiring L.
24 March
L. convinced me to come to practice again. She said what I didn't realize is that she's had twenty years of secret practice. Twenty years! I always think of her as a kid like me. But then she's lived all these extra years. It's hard to follow.
I promised L. I would go only if C. stopped teasing me. She swore he wouldn't, and when he tried she glared at him v. ferociously. He was quite cowed. I guess she does have some practice being a queen.
1 April
Sword practice all week. Am v. sore, but am getting much better. C. took three whole minutes to disarm me. L. still better. She has already disarmed C. four times total. I might be more upset if she weren't so funny about it. She imitates Peter when he was High King (even I can tell) and makes him beg for mercy. And he does! V. funny to see kingly Caspian behaving so.
No one has disarmed E. yet. He was v. smug about that fact until L. reminded him that he used to get beaten by Peter nearly every time. E. grew frustrated, then thoughtful.
3 April
More practice. Mastered a new move and E. was impressed.
Later I caught him and L. talking in whispers about Peter and Susan. They do this quite a bit, as they used to talk about Narnia. Don't know why they need to be secret—it's not as if I would make fun of them. Besides, around here everyone always mentions Peter with reverence. It's a bit odd to think of Peter like that. He's just an ordinary kid to me—perhaps a bit bossier than average. In the old days I would have said the Narnians have their heads turned, but now I wonder what I'm missing. Of course L. & E. won't let me find out, will they?
At least I'm not the only one they keep out. C. is right there with me. He gets just as annoyed when they go off by themselves to talk about the Golden Age. He says he wants his reign to be like Peter's as much as possible, but how is he to do that if they won't let him learn?
11 April
V. bizarre day. It started out normally enough with breakfast and meetings and sword practice and became something which I've never seen the like. Have been here three years and realize every day that I do not understand Narnia at all.
Today we watched E. and C. match each other. Now that I know a bit about sword fighting, I know why E. beats C. nearly every time. E. is trickier. C. is v. good, but he has a way of telegraphing his moves, I think, and E. picked up on it. Doesn't make him easy to beat though. L. made them go round after round, swearing she was learning, but I suspect she was simply egging them on.
Finally they stopped and demanded a rest. E. said if she wanted to learn so much she could practice with me and they would coach. E. called instructions to me while C. guided L. With E.'s instructions, I did a good job of staying in it. L. hadn't even come close to beating me when the herald appeared in the doorway.
C. saw him first and got up. The herald bowed and said there were visitors for Queen Lucy. Everyone stopped at this, and we noticed that behind the herald was one of the lords who had been at her birthday party. He was very dressed up, as if he were going to another party. Telmarine fancy clothes look so uncomfortable.
C. blinked and gestured for him to enter, but he didn't look v. happy about it. The Lord was carrying a bouquet of very smelly flowers, and he walked up to Edmund. For a second I thought he would give the flowers to E. Instead, he asked "My dread lord king, who has twice conquered Narnia, I am Lord Andarillo. My family is a very ancient Narnian family, and we have long held our lands at Beaversdam, until usur—" he paused in his speech and saw that Caspian was on the verge of looking thunderous and L. and E. both had one eyebrow cocked. He cleared his throat and wisely changed his tack. "Until his Majesty in his wisdom declared the Partition. I have much to recommend me, and I therefore humbly ask your permission to court your fair sister, the Lady of Narnia, Queen Lucy."
L. was next to me and I could feel her stiffen with surprise. C. was across from me, and I Could see the fury building up in his face. Am not usually good at reading people, but Caspian telegraphs absolutely everything. You would think a king would be a bit more subtle. Meanwhile, the corners of E's mouth were twitching as if he was trying not to laugh. "My fair sister has a mind of her own. Why don't you recommend yourself to her?" He gestured to Lucy.
The fellow turned and nearly jumped out of his skin to see the Fair Lady of Narnia dripping with sweat and dressed in her brother's breeches. She smiled at him the way she smiles at everyone. "Hello, Lord Andarillo. We danced together at the feast, didn't we?"
"Er—yes. Yes, I had the honor that night," he stammered, still eyeing L.
She tilted her head. "I heard you have much to recommend you in the way of lineage." I could have sworn E. snorted with laughter, but then he coughed so could not be sure. L. continued. "Are you a swordsman?"
He bowed. "Since I was six."
"Excellent! I'm always looking for sparring partners," L. replied, sounding genuinely pleased.
The fellow's face went absolutely green. "Fight you? I could never fight a lady."
L. tossed her hair. "You must either refuse a lady or fight a lady." His horror at this dilemma made me want to laugh. In my opinion she relented all too soon. "Never mind. Do you ride, sir?"
He nodded and Lucy proposed a ride. He coughed delicately. "Wouldn't your Majesty prefer to freshen up before we set off?"
"Oh, no. I'll only get all sweaty again riding."
"The Queen is a lady adventurous," C. put in. "You will not find yourself on a decorous ride through the gardens with her, but rather a wild gallop through the forest."
At the mention of the forest, the young Telmarine Lord blanched. They're supposed to be afraid of the forest and the sea or something, though C. has tried to discourage that. I've been on the sea though, and I say their fear not entirely without reason.
L. smiled and wrinkled her nose at C. "I don't always ride through the woods. Come. We'll all go for a ride on the beach."
Andarillo's horse was tired, so C. offered one from the stables. He tried to offer one of the wildest ones but E. put a stop to that. L. patted C.'s arm and said "Be nice. I have my own ways" in a low voice so that only he could hear. But I heard anyway. I did wonder what she meant. Was a bit annoyed that this Andarillo had cut our lesson short and was now running our entire day. I began to fear I was caught up in a romantic intrigue or similar.
That's when I began to see what's going on. C. is upset this Andarillo is here for L. (is he still pining for her??) and perhaps L. doesn't want him here either.
We went down to the beach and L. suggested a race. I wasn't at all in the mood, but C. glared at me so hard I had to agree. Andarillo continued to look astonished. We started off, and I could see him pulling back on the reins. I snorted, knowing that L. hates it when you let her win. C. of course galloped as hard as he could. Soon it was obvious that only C and L were in the contest, and the rest of us hung back to watch C. pull ahead and win by a length.
Andarillo gasped when he saw this. "He has no sense of chivalry," he murmured.
"He has," I objected. "He's giving her what she wants. She wants a fair contest."
Andarillo looked abashed and E. snorted. L and C started to ride back to us. They were laughing, and L. looked particularly happy despite just having lost. Dunno how she does that—losing always makes me sour.
Next L wanted a shooting contest. Am worse at archery than I am at swordplay so I sat on the sidelines with E. while the other three faced off. C looked thunderous as he loaded his bow.
"What's the matter with him?" I asked.
"Isn't it obvious? He's jealous," E. answered.
"Because he wants Lucy for himself? Still?"
He gave me a grim smile. "Now you're catching on."
I shook my head as I watched then. C. was angry so he shot poorly. Andarillo was trying now so he fared somewhat better, but L still beat him. He seemed v. surprised at this, but he told her graciously "My lady is an excellent archer."
"Not as good as my sister," she said. Then she proceeded to explain how Susan was the greatest archer in Narnia. He looked surprised, but he wasn't half so surprised as me. Susan, an archer? Stuffy, girly, motherly Susan? I still don't understand about what Narnia does to people.
13 April
Andarillo is gone. He left this morning stammering some stupid excuse, but it's pretty obvious he's gone off L. C has been smug all day, even after L. chided him for not being nice. Am glad that business is over as we can get back to training now.
14 April
More mysteries. This is v. aggravating. E & L will say I was eavesdropping, but I wasn't. Who has a private conversation with a door wide open? This is what I heard:
L: Well, that was easily managed.
E: He's only the first. You know there will be more.
L: Oh, don't, Ed. The very idea…
E: What on earth did you expect? You seem even more marriageable this time around.
L: (silence. Then) I hate it when you talk about me like I'm property.
E: You know I don't feel that way. It's how they think.
L: (explodes) I hate the whole business. I can't bear to go through it again. And how could I do that to Corin?
Now you see, I quite forgot I had been listening for so long. It's just that Lucy has mentioned Corin's name several times over the three years we've been here and she's never explained anything about him except that he lived during her first time in Narnia. Any reasonable person would have strolled in and asked quite politely for a resolution to the mystery, which is just what I did.
Of course they didn't understand and got upset with me. I told them that I wouldn't have to listen if they would just tell me things. Then L got up and went to the window and said "Not everything concerns you, Eustace." Of all the cheek!
Then E ushered me out of the room, saying he and L wanted to be alone. Then he snapped the door shut in my face!
I went to find C. After all, he's King. According to Narnian law, he should be able to tell them what to do. I found him in the library, draped over a chair and flipping the pages of a book roughly so they made a crisp sound.
"I can't do anything about them," he informed me. "I swore allegiance to them; I can't command them. Though sometimes I wish I could.
What good is being king, then?
