A/N: Hello people! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
The rating is 14+ on account of mild angst.
Chapter 4
Mr. Tumnus led Annalissa to Peter's bedchambers where he was being prepared for for supper. He knocked on The High Kings door and a servant opened it for them. Peter was being groomed by a few maids. One was tidying up his hair and the others were fixing his garments. Only some animals were on the bedposts watching him being prepared for dinner. They were birds. One flew to her.
"Good evening my lady! How do you do? Do you find your stay here suitable miss?" The blue bird chirped happily.
"Hello there, this is a very nice home you have here, and yes; I'm enjoying my stay. May I ask of your name?"
"It is Twitterpeck. I know your name."
"Oh? Ok then, what is my name Twitterpeck?"
"Annalissa! The High King converses about you."
Another blue bird came where Twitterpeck was sitting on Annalissa's finger. "Come along Twitterpeck. Go back to the High King and keep him awake with your twitters and your pecking." Annalissa slightly giggled as the other bird flew away. "Excuse her my lady. I am Ritzpeck. My sister is the loud prying one in the family."
"I've seen you've gotten to know these two birds." Peter said as he came up to Annalissa. "Thank you Thilia, you may have the night to yourself." The girl he was talking to had black braided hair with gray eyes. She looked very pretty as she bowed and exited his chambers. "We're going to dine, so I will see you tomorrow bright and early."
"As usual?" Twitterpeck chirped. The High King nodded. "Ok then my king, goodbye and have yourself and the beautiful lady a good night." The birds flew out the window and into the outside world.
"Are you ready, my lady?" He bowed and offered his hand.
"Yes my king." She took it and was courted to the dining hall where Edmund, Susan, Lucy, Lord Frauen, Mary-Anne were already sited and ready for their meal. There were four boys that were unfamiliar to her that were too at the table.
Peter automatically saw the four boys and groaned. "Not them again."
"Is there something wrong Peter?" She looked up at him and then back at the boys. The eldest of the four was eyeing her.
"It's just that those boys are backā¦again. They make my brother go mad." He chuckled nervously.
"Oh, why? Do they taunt him?"
"A bunch; they consider it humorous the way he reacts to their jokes. The one that is talking to your father is Dante; the oldest. We do a good deal of fencing together during the day. The one beside him is Bennett. His sword skills are impressive if I do say so myself. Constantine is the one with the reddish hair. He does a good deal of the practical jokes that makes it get under Edmund's skin. Alistair is the one talking to Lucy; the one in navy blue that's scratching his head. He and Constantine are brothers. Their mother and father passed away when they were younger."
"Are Dante and Bennett related as well?" She asked.
"No, Dante met Bennett while he and I were horseracing in the Dancing Lawn. I wonder when they arrived." They took their seats.
"Good to see you your Highness, and my Lady." Mr. Tumnus said as they seated them. "Your meals will be coming up shortly."
"Thank you very much." Peter and Annalissa said jointly.
"Peter!" Alistair said from across the table. "Who is the lass?"
"Mind your tongue Alistair. This is Annalissa for your information."
Annalissa searched the table hopefully to spot her sister, but no sign of Elizabeth was in sight. She spoke up to Peter. "Peter? Where is my sister?"
"There's another one?" Constantine's eyes grew wide and he grinned. "This should be delightful, huh Dante?" Alistair couldn't help but laugh at his comment.
"Constantine, mind yourself." Bennett warned him.
"That was nice of you, Bennett." Susan said to him and smiled. Her smiled made Bennett blush the color pink. Lucy thought it was sweet.
Peter looked around for Annalissa's sister but no success. "Stay here; I'll look for her."
Annalissa stopped him. "She's my sister. I'll look for her. I will let you know when I find her." She got up from her chair, but before she left, he kissed her hand. She then exited the dining hall to search for a certain missing girl.
"Edmund?" Peter said to his brother who was across the table.
He raised his head, "Hmm?"
"Have you seen her? You were with her last, right?"
Edmund nodded. He looked at her father who was conversing with Susan and Lucy. Mary-Anne was sitting in the toddler seat beside her father. Obviously no one found out Edmund's discovery. He couldn't keep a secret like that! Of course not! He had to take action. "I'll look for her. I'm excusing myself if you don't mind." He had a worried tone in his voice. Edmund got up from his chair and left the room as well.
He walked through the corridors and no sign of her was in sight. He say Mr. Tumnus who was caring a book. "Have you seen Elizabeth?"
"I'm terribly sorry my King, but I have not seen her."
"Thank you anyway." He rushed and tried to think where would she be. He searched the bedchambers and found her on her bed. He saw a bit of blood on the bed dripping onto the carpet and a knife on the floor. "Elizabeth!" He shouted and ran to the bed. "Nurse!" He shouted. "Someone! Help!" He noticed that there was a cut on her arm that was bleeding.
In a few minutes Lucy and the healer came into the bedchamber. With his luck, Lucy had her cordial; it could cure any wound. She poured a drop on Elizabeth's lips and she opened her eyes moments later. Edmund knelt down and examined the knife. When he got up and saw her with open eyes he embraced her with all of his emotions.
"What were you thinking?" He asked her, his hands holding both sides of her head. She didn't say anything. She blinked a few times and yawned. Elizabeth was tired. "Maid, bring her some and water and leave it in my bedchambers." He looked back at her and he knew she needed a great deal of sleep. "Sleep, Liz. Eat when you feel like it; but I have to take action now."
"Take action about what?" Annalissa said at the door. Edmund picked Elizabeth up bridal style and carried her to his bedchambers and placed her in his bed and covered her with the bed sheets. She was asleep already.
He pulled out the knife that he found on the floor from before which has some blood on it and showed it to her older sister. "She tried to kill herself."
