Everywhere I went I hoped I would see Edmund. If I did, I became very shy and nervous around him. Caspian noticed the change in me and teased that I was getting 'soft'. Even Susan noticed a change in me, saying I was happier and seemed to be daydreaming more than usual. I told them both that it was nothing. I tried telling myself the same thing.

One night after dinner, I went for a walk on the castle grounds. I didn't really know where I was going; I just followed my feet. They eventually took me to a large tree where I used to read and spend most of my time. Hanging from one branch was a wooden swing that mother ordered to be put up when I was young. It was one of my favourite spots on our grounds. I ran my hand over the wood and tugged on the rope to see if it was still strong. When I was sure enough, I sat down on it and began to swing slowly. I closed my eyes and began humming an old Telmarine folk song, one of many that I grew up with. As I sang, my thoughts once again turned to Edmund. I pictured his hands as he pet Jaya, and I remembered his strength when he helped me to stand up and get back on my horse after I fell. Then I imagined his face before mine, his young face that would soon grow into a man's face, with the hardness of all the struggles that he had seen as a king of Narnia. Even through all that he had seen, his eyes still held a tenderness and depth that one could take years to uncover. His face was surrounded by freckles that gave him such a youthful look. I smiled as I remembered the warmth I felt when I looked at him.

"Asha?"

"Yes?" I breathed. He's calling me. I want him to hold me in his arms so I can feel his heart next to mine. I open my eyes, and there he is standing in front of me. I thought I was dreaming. I must be dreaming, I thought, this can't be real...

"Are...are you alright?" he looked concerned.

"No...I'm not." I said slowly. My head was spinning and I tried to get off the swing, but stumbled and fell into Edmund's ready arms. My cheek rested on his chest and I could hear his heart beating wildly.

"Let's get you inside. You haven't fully recovered from that fall you had a few days ago." He stood me up to my full height. I didn't want to let go of him. He cleared his throat and looked at the ground.

"I'll help you." He gently placed his arm around my waist as if I would break and held my hand in his as we walked back to the castle. We walked through the main doors and when Peter saw the state I was in, he rushed to my side, calling for help and water and a pillow for my head. I turned and saw Edmund backing away from all the commotion. As I watched him walk away, I felt my stomach turn and my heart felt like it flipped over as a wave of recognition washed over me.

I was falling in love.

During the rest of the week I walked down the halls as if I was 'dancing on a cloud' (another one of Susan's sayings). I was happier than I had ever been in my life. Caspian remarked that I looked like a lovesick puppy. Peter noticed as well, and he began paying special attention to me. He accompanied me when I went riding or hunting and even brought me gifts. One day, he surprised me with a bouquet of fresh roses from the garden. A few days before that, he brought me new leather riding gloves. I didn't understand why he was giving me these things, but I did enjoy the attention, I must admit. I didn't think anything of it. This continued on for a while until one day, I realized what was going on.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, Peter. Another one? I have no more room to put these things!" I said jokingly.

"Here." He handed me a black velvet box with a silver latch. I opened it to find the most exquisite necklace I had ever seen with a matching bracelet. Completely made of diamonds, it outshone any other piece of jewellery I owned. They were cut flawlessly and in the center of the necklace there was a tear-drop sapphire.

"Gods in heaven," I whispered.

"Do you like it? It's made especially for you. I chose the sapphire myself," he beamed. I was speechless. I felt the necklace carefully; it looked as if it was made of ice and it might melt if I touched it. I looked at Peter, still shocked.

"Peter, I can't accept this."

"Why not?" he said, his face confused. "You accepted the other gifts."

"Peter, those were different. This...this is too much!"

"You deserve it, trust me." He took my hand in his and stroked it. I looked at our hands, linked together. I had an overwhelming feeling that this was in my future. In the back of my mind, I envisioned Caspian placing my hand in Peter's, almost symbolically.

"Peter..." Suddenly, we were interrupted by Lucy who bounded into the room and jumped on the couch beside Peter. She began talking incessantly about this and that, and the rest of her family joined us, including Caspian. Lucy saw the box in my hand and asked if she could see it. She and Susan squealed with delight at the sight of the diamonds and asked me where I got them.

"They're a gift...for Asha." He looked at me and dared me with his eyes not to protest. I smiled a sweet smile and thanked him. I glanced at Edmund quickly, and saw his face had turned spine-chillingly dark.

"Well, Asha. Now all you need is a matching dress." Caspian said.

"No, Caspian. I have enough dresses."

"It's for the ball!" Lucy piped up. I looked at Caspian questioningly and he nodded.

"We are having a feast, mainly for your safe return to Telmar. And it will be my first as a king!" He sounded excited. This was the Caspian I remember. I smiled as Susan began describing how the girl's outfits should match each other somehow and they determined that Caspian would escort me to the ball and the Pevensie men would take their sisters. It was to be a happy and festive occasion.

Susan (who I learned was a very good artist) designed our gowns for us. She sat for hours one day designing mine.

"You're going to look exquisite!" she exclaimed.

"Susan, it's not right. As a queen, you should be dressed far more lavish than I." I watched her scribble into the large book she held in her lap.

"Nonsense! This whole banquet is for you. And besides…you never know what could happen." She smiled to herself as if she knew something that I didn't. I decided against my instinct to ask her what was going on, and turned back to my reading.

"Look at this mess. Susan, there's paper everywhere!" I recognized Edmund's voice immediately and my head shot up. He was laughing at his sister's attempts to ignore him and walked over to me. My throat tightened and my breathing became faster.

"Good day, Edmund."

"Hello, Asha." I noticed he had a parcel in his hand. He caught me looking at it and handed it to me, shyly. "It's not diamonds, but it's something I hope you can actually use." I smiled at him as I unwrapped the gift and I gasped in surprise. It was a purple, leather-bound journal with the letter 'A' engraved in gold on the front.

"I know it isn't much, but…"

"Edmund, it's wonderful! I love it! Why did you get this for me?"

"I…I thought that you could get some use out of it; I remember you saying that you love to write. Well, this is to write down your private thoughts and dreams…" he looked at the book and added very quietly, so only I could hear, "I hope you will keep this close to your heart."

I could have cried at the compassion in his words. I had to fight the urge to thank him with a kiss; something I wanted to do more than anything. Instead, I moved closer to him and whispered,

"This is better than any diamonds. I will treasure it for the rest of my life." The look of joy on his face was enough to set my heart racing.

"Would you like a pen?" I jumped up at his words and ran to the desk and grabbed one of Caspian's many pens. I opened the book and flipped through the blank, white pages. I began writing furiously; about the day I came home and met the Pevensies. The day I met Edmund.

I was just in the middle of a thought when Peter came bounding into the room.

"Asha! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you!" he completely ignored Edmund and knelt in front of me. "I just spoke with Caspian and we have come to an agreement." He stood up and bowed to me. "It would be an honour if you would let me escort you to the banquet." I stared at him, confused for a moment.

"But, what about Susan?"

"Caspian will take Susan." We heard a clatter from behind us and found Susan clamouring to gather her pens and papers that she had just dropped on the floor. I looked back at Peter.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure, my King." When I finished my sentence, I heard the door to the study slam shut... and Edmund had disappeared.