Welcome back I hope you liked the last chapter, I worked my butt off on it. I do not own Narnia or any of it's copyrights. Well, here we go to the next chapter! AWAY!
Peter struggled to get into a standing position but someone pushed him back down gently.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Your Majesty," the voice said again.
Everything went fuzzy in front of Peter's eyes as he did as he was told. The silhouette of someone became visible in front of him. After a moment, the blurriness started to disappear and his sight was caught by flaming red hair.
Ember's eyes were trained on Peter's as she watched him get the hang of being right side up again. Finally, Peter's eyes focused on his surroundings and Ember backed up and sat on her knees.
"Better?" she asked.
"Much, thank you, but how did you find me, I was going to drown," Peter asked incredulously. He began to look around and saw that they were on a large bank beside a river with clear blue water. The golden rays of the sun shown gracefully through the leaves of the trees.
Ember pointed up toward the opposite side of the bank, "You fell from up there and dropped into the river," she answered, her hand following the trail of Peter's fall, "and I was over there," pointing to a tree not even five yards from their current position.
As he shifted his position to make sure nothing was broken and Peter noticed that his clothes were completely drenched so he could tell he hadn't been unconscious long. Then he looked up at Ember.
"You're dress is completely soaked!" Peter exclaimed and he was right. Her dress was soaked from the bottom hem all the way up to her mid-torso and her sleeves were completely soaked as well.
Ember arched an eyebrow and smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, it's a dress I believe I can afford a new one if necessary. However your life we cannot. Now, could you tell me what happened and why you came tumbling down the hill like a boulder?"
Peter was silent for the moment as the memories from his fall came back to him.
"The horse. It slipped and I fell," he explained slowly.
"You mean that horse?" Ember asked, pointing behind Peter.
Peter turned his head and saw the mare he had been riding earlier and stared for a few moments shocked. "But how did…"
The path I'm guessing you were on leads in a larger circle and ends here," Ember explained, drawing Peter's attention back to her.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess that's what I get for wanting to take a challenge."
"Well, if I were you I would try the second trail. It may look uncomplicated but there is a path about a mile down that will lead you so far out you won't know if you're in Narnia or Archenland," Ember answered.
"Huh, I'll have to remember that next time."
This time, Peter stood, the headache that had began earlier when he had awoken eased away and he felt much better. He walked around a little and went to the mare and patted her gently on the neck.
"May I ask you something, Your Majesty?" Ember asked as she strode to her own horse and began checking something on the side of her horse's saddle. "Why is it you want to test yourself?"
Peter turned and looked at the girl in front of him. "My people need a king who can protect them," he answered.
Ember nodded then smiled a little, "Then next time we'll have to try harder to keep you away from cliffs won't we?"
Peter smiled at her and nodded. "And now I think we should get you back home and into some dry clothes, Your Majesty," she said as she climbed onto the horse.
"Peter," he blurted out. Ember, who was halfway on and halfway off the saddle, looked at him curiously, "Pardon?"
Looking down slightly Peter answered her, "You saved my life, I am in your debt and the least I can do is let you call me by my name."
Smiling, she slid onto the saddle, "I am in no debt of yours, but as you wish, Peter. As long as you use my first name."
Peter strode forward and held out his hand to her, "Is it a deal then?" he inquired.
"It's a deal," Ember stated as she gripped his hand tightly.
"What the bloody hell happened to you two?" Xander exclaimed as he saw the drenched king and princess.
Ember scratched her head nervously, "We both had a bit of …complications on the trails," she laughed nervously.
Xander stared at her in a menacing manner, "Ember?" he questioned.
"Yes?" she answered softly and innocently.
"What did you do?"
Peter stepped forward, "Actually, Xander, if Ember hadn't been out there I wouldn't be standing here," he admitted, "You see, I went riding and the horse I was on slipped and I fell over the cliff and into the river. Ember here jumped in and saved me."
Xander turned his gaze to Ember in amazement, "You did?"
Ember shrugged, "It wasn't that big of a deal."
"She's being modest," Peter intervened again.
Xander was quiet as he watched his sister, "Alright, I'm proud of you, Ember, but I hope for the both you that Gabriella doesn't see you."
Peter got a confused look on his face and Ember's eyes just grew wide, "So do I," Ember agreed. Then she grabbed Peter's arm and drug him down the hall.
"Come on let's hurry," she urged him. Peter didn't say anything because at that moment a voice boomed through the hallway.
"EMBER! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
Ember froze and sighed, "Great, I'm doomed," she muttered to both herself and Peter.
The two turned to face an angry looking Gabriella. Ember smiled innocently, her eyes hard as stone, while Peter stood there completely confused.
"What in Narnia happened?" Gabriella nearly screeched.
Wincing, Ember said, "Well, you see…"
"I went cliff diving and Princess Ember just happened to be there and got splashed," Peter jumped in.
Both girls turned to look at him, but then returned to their staring match. After a few silent moments, Gabriella spoke again, "Very well, Your Majesty, why don't you two go put some fresh clothes on and Ember I'd like to speak with you later tonight," and with that she spun on her heel and strode down the hallway.
Ember gulped audibly, "Well, I guess we better dry off," she waved then disappeared down the hallway. Leaving Peter to be found by Edmund who dragged him down the hall to get him cleaned up
*~*Two Days Later*~*
Peter sat and watched as Mariana painted on her canvas and Serena played her harp in the corner but candlelight. Two days had passed since the royal family had arrived at the Elemental Castle. Gabriella and Ember had disappeared along with Edmund and Lucy.
After a few more moments Peter stood and stretched then excused himself.
He walked through the darkened hallways blindly and without thinking. He lost himself in thought then when he finally looked up and found himself in the back of the throne room against the back wall. the moonlight was pouring in through the stained glass windows at the front of the room, behind the four thrones. The windows were arranged with four long, vertical rectangles on the bottom and a large round window on the top. Each of the four rectangular windows had a picture symbolizing one of the four elements while the one on top had a face of a lion with a mane of flames encircling his head like a sun.
Peter looked at the lion for a long moment lost in thought again, then he jumped at the sound of a large door bursting open. Peter had to squint but he saw the door to the right of thrones on the far wall hanging open and then a figure rushed in quickly, but smoothly. The figure was followed by another silhouette that walked slower that the first and not as agitated looking.
Peter pushed his back against the wall and gripped his sword but never removed it.
"I can't believe you!" a voice broke out. Peter recognized it as Gabriella's but he couldn't see her. "Why were you out there?" she shrilled in what Peter presumed what was supposed a whisper.
Then another voice sounded, "I was riding you can't blame me for that, it isn't a crime." Peter blinked at the sound of Ember's voice that sounded calm but he could almost see her eyes being hard and determined in his mind.
"It should be!" Gabriella voiced again.
Peter heard footsteps start to pace on the hardwood floor.
Finally the pacing stopped and Gabriella's voice sounded again. "Where are you?"
"Here," Ember said.
Peter looked to where her voice came from and he saw her step into the light by the glass of fire. He could see the outline of her pale face in red and her hair turned a darker red.
"Why are you standing there?" Gabriella asked, when Peter looked he could see Gabriella's figure move to sit in her throne to the far left.
Ember shrugged, "I fell like it that's all."
Gabriella stopped moving and Peter could see the out line of her face which was turned toward Ember. "Tell me what happened?" she demanded.
"There is nothing to tell, he fell, I saw him and went to get him, the same as I told you three hours ago," Ember said quietly.
Everything was silent for a few moments and Peter crept forward a few steps then stopped when he saw Gabriella slide off her throne and walk to the window beside Ember's and face her. Gabriella's face was drenched in a green light. she looked formidable and dangerous.
"Then you will listen to me very closely and obey. You are to stay away from him. I will be Queen of Narnia and I will not loose to my younger sister." With that Gabriella slid past Ember and walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her to put emphasis on her words.
Ember remained motionless for a few moments and Peter began to creep out but then thought against it. He kept silent and in the shadows. Ember looked out the window she was beside the window and then turned and disappeared out of the same door that she and Gabriella had entered.
Now it was Peter's turn to be alone and silent. Slowly, he walked out of his hiding spot in the shadows and up to the front of the room toward the thrones. He looked at each throne in turn then looked at the windows. Peter walked to the window with the image of fire and touched the red glass gently.
For a long while he was still then he smiled and made his way out of the room through the door the girls had exited and shut it behind him.
But he failed to see the few flakes of snow resting on the red plane of glass.
OMG! I am so sorry it has taken me so long. I got a new job and I've been so bust with that and vacations and all that stuff. Well I hope you all like it. I'll try and make the next one more interesting. Well, tat for now!