Chapter Four

"Flaming hell!"

"Peter!"

"What?" said Peter exasperatedly. "Weren't you listening? Did you or did you not hear that girl go on for the entire half hour about the latest hair styles?"

"That's not the point, Peter," said Susan, primly. "Frankly, I wish I had thought of attending these interview sessions sooner. I can't believe you made that one girl cry."

"I only said that I didn't like blue!"

"But she was wearing a blue dress!"

"She was? I hadn't noticed."

"Exactly, Peter. You don't notice anything except the bad. Give the next one a chance, will you? Not just for me or for Narnia or because the council told you to. Do it for you." Susan finished her emphatic speech with a flourish.

Peter merely shook his head at her. "Where did you learn it?"

"Learn what?"

"How to pack on the guilt," answered Peter.

Susan rolled her eyes and picked up her cup of tea.

Mr. Tumnus poked his head into the small sitting room. "Lady Solwyn of Telmar, your majesties," he announced.

Peter sighed a little, but stopped when he saw the look that Susan was giving him. Soon his attention was diverted to the woman that was walking into the room, and his heart stopped. Standing before him was one of the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen, and she wasn't wearing blue. Peter stood up, and bowed a little at her.

"Welcome my lady, to Cair Paravel," Peter said. The lady Solwyn nodded her head at him.

"I thank you, your majesty, for taking time to meet me," she said. Peter smiled at her and offered her a seat.

"The pleasure is all mine." The afternoon turned out to be the best that Peter had ever experienced. Solwyn was not only beautiful, but also intelligent.

"I believe that Narnia should adopt more of the Calormenes ideals," Solwyn stated. Peter looked at her, a little shocked.

"What do you mean my lady?" Lady Solwyn took a deep breath.

"I can't believe that you let these disgusting creatures roam free. I think that you should follow the Calormenes and enslave them. After all, that is the only way to control them." After she had said this there was a silence in the room. Peter stared at Solwyn, and anger began to boil within him.

"My lady, I think that you should leave," Peter said in a barely controlled voice. Lady Solwyn stood up primly.

"My father was right; you are barbarians." With that she swept out of the room leaving behind a storm. After she had exited Peter leapt up, and started pacing. Susan clutched her hands together, anger brimming off of her.

"How dare she say such a thing? I have never been so angry in my life," Susan said.

"I cannot meet anyone else today. I need to get out," and with that Peter stormed out of the sitting room. A few minutes later Edmund walked in casually. He looked around with a puzzled look on his face.

"Where's Peter?"

"He left." Edmund chuckled a little.

"That's the second time he's done that. He really needs to control his temper." Susan didn't say anything and Edmund noticed the look on her face.

"What's the matter, Su?" Edmund sat down next to Susan and took her hand. Susan began to explain what had happened, and Edmund felt the same rage. After Susan had finished with the scene the sat in silence thinking over what had happened. Suddenly Susan turned to face Edmund.

"Ed, you need to find Peter." Edmund nodded.

"You're right of course, and you should find Lucy. Tell her what happened." Susan nodded. They got up, and Susan hugged Edmund.

"Thank you for listening to me."

Edmund nodded. They left together and than parted ways.

It took Edmund an hour to find his brother. Peter could hide quite well when he wanted to. Edmund found him in the gardens, and sat next to him.

"Soooo," began Edmund, "rough day?"

"You could say that," said Peter bitterly.

"Susan told me what happened."

"It's the same thing that's happened every time I meet a girl. Everything's going alright and then suddenly you find out she's racist! Or she hates horses, or she's just a plain ninny! Oh, and there was the girl who fainted twice a day. That was exciting."

"No one's perfect, mate."

"Who said anything about being perfect? I just want someone I can stand to be around!"

"Well, if you hadn't known me and Luce and Susan all our lives, would you be able to stand us?"

Peter shrugged. He smiled a little. "Well, Luce is alright," he said, with a glance at Edmund. "I can't say how I feel about the others."

"Hey!" said Edmund mock indignantly. "I cannot allow myself to be so insulted. Sir, I challenge you to a duel!"

"A duel, huh?" said Peter. He suddenly leapt and grabbed a stick off the ground. "En garde!"

"Haha!" Edmund said when he had found his weapon. "En garde yourself, sir!"

Meanwhile, Susan was having the devil of a time finding Lucy. She walked into a small study on the third floor and saw Mr. Tumnus. "Oh!" she said. "Mr. Tumnus, have you seen-- oh Lucy, there you are! I've been looking all over for you. Perhaps it's best that I talk to both of you at once."

Lucy and Mr. Tumnus, who had been enjoying their afternoon tea, looked at each other with raised brows. Susan seated herself and looked at both of them sternly.

"It's Peter and this marriage business," she began.

"Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Tumnus. "Are the arrangements not satisfactory?"

"Oh, you've done wonderfully, Mr. Tumnus," said Susan, "and on such short notice, too. It's only that--" Susan briefly explained what had happened that afternoon.

"Oh dear," said Mr. Tumnus.

"That's awful!" chimed in Lucy.

"I was only wondering, Mr. Tumnus," said Susan, "what method you've been using to select which ladies are allowed an interview with Peter."

"Well," began Mr. Tumnus, "it was all so very sudden, you see, and the ladies nearly appeared overnight it seemed, so I've only been using the most superficial of criteria, sending in first the ladies from the oldest families. I haven't had time, I'm afraid, to conduct interviews beforehand to see if there might be any objections to the ladies."

"Oh, it's not your fault, Mr. Tumnus," said Lucy reassuringly.

"Of course not," said Susan. "I'm sorry if I had implied it was and you really have done such a wonderful job, but perhaps it's time to turn over the organization of the interviews and events to someone else. It would allow you time to do interviews beforehand."

"I'll help!" said Lucy eagerly.

"Yes, that would do perfectly," said Susan. "Lucy's known Peter a long time and you, Mr. Tumnus, would know what kind of, er, political type questions to ask."

"And you can organize the interviews and events!" suggested Lucy.

"What?" said Susan.

"You'd do so well at it," said Lucy. "You've always been good at that sort of thing."

"Very well," said Susan resignedly as she stood to leave. "For today I believe it would be best if the rest of the activities for the day were cancelled. That would give you two time to begin your own interviews and for me to begin planning." Susan paused at the door and turned around.

"I've just had a thought, Mr. Tumnus," she said. "Well, a question, really. Who do you think the council would choose for Peter to marry? Should we worry that they will pick someone like Lady Solwyn?"

"If I had to guess, milady," said Mr. Tumnus, "they would choose the next in line out of the oldest family."

"And who would that be?"

"Why, Princess Amira of Archenland, milady."

"Thank you, Mr. Tumnus," said Susan, turning once again to leave.

"Incidentally," said Mr. Tumnus before Susan could make it out the door, "Princess Amira has a twin brother. Should the council likewise choose to force you into matrimony, Lady Susan, Prince Damien is their likely choice."

Susan paused. "I--? Wha--?" Then she shook her head. "I have more important things to worry about, right now," she snapped and finally departed. Lucy giggled.