Quick author's note:
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everybody! Now's gonna be a really good time to give me some Christmas presents: reviews! Hahaha... Just joking...
Anyway, I'm not joking when I wish you a Merry Christmas, 'coz I bring you not only one new chapter, but two! Well, here you go… Hope you'll like them!
P.S. Thanks Mira! And also to all of the reviewers, love ya!
ENTANGLED
Chapter Four: The Queens of Narnia
"Warm greetings to Her Royal Highness, Princess Andrantiel of Celestine," said Queen Susan.
Both Susan and Lucy were introduced to Andrantiel right before dinner, just outside their bedrooms. The royals exchanged greetings before walking down to the dining hall together.
"What do you think about Cair Paravel so far?" asked Lucy eagerly.
"It's really beautiful," Andrantiel replied. "Although I find it somewhat rather odd…"
"Why is that?" said Susan.
"Oh, I merely think, Your Highness-"
"Call me Susan, will you? All these talk with royal name calling is really tiring, don't you think?"
Andrantiel found both Susan and Lucy giggling, causing her to crack up too.
"It is, Your- (Susan glared at her jokingly) Ah, pardon me, Susan…"
"There you go," said Susan, smiling. "Now, what's the odd thing again?"
Andrantiel hesitated. She had been bold before, with Peter, encouraged by his acquiescence to her ideas on strategies. Only, using the same approach on the Queens may not be a good idea. However, they were friendly towards her, so Andrantiel thought that she might as well took her chances.
"Nothing," said her, deciding to put it bluntly. "I just think that it's a bit unusual for a palace to have two Kings at the same time…"
"Oh, that," replied Lucy. "Yes, but, you see, Peter is the High King, and Edmund – just King… Do you see the difference?"
Andrantiel frowned slightly upon the first name basis. Nevertheless, she thought, they would have reached the same conclusion akin to the one she had made just then.
Susan laughed at this. "Actually they are not completely different Lu," she said, turning to Andrantiel. "I know it's odd, Andrantiel – may I call you that? - but that's just the way it is. I deem you don't think Lucy and I are Queens by marriage?"
Andrantiel was surprised once again. "No, call me Andra; Andrantiel's a bit too long… Uh, you're not Queens- by marriage?"
"I can't believe you could even think that!" said Susan; she did not sound angry but amused. "No, Andra, can't you see that we're siblings?"
"Our brothers are still free to be taken," added Lucy, smirking, in which made Susan say warningly, "Lu!"
"Well, it is true, right?" replied Lucy back. Susan and Andrantiel laughed, not realizing they had arrived at the dining hall.
Susan stopped laughing abruptly, and then so did Andrantiel. However, while Andrantiel stopped because of Susan, the Queen had just changed into a more dignified person almost automatically.
Andrantiel noticed that even Lucy tried to suppress her childlike behavior and was putting forward her best effort as a graceful queen.
In a corner of mind, Andrantiel tried to figure out why. The only people she could see were only Peter, Edmund, and his second-in-command centaur at the table talking intently.
It was only when the three girls had reached the table, that Andrantiel could hear what they were talking about. Battle strategy. Apparently, battle talks were among the topics that were permitted at the dining table.
But that didn't explain the sudden change, thought Andrantiel, taking her seat. As she ate her dinner that night, she noticed that the Queens formal towards everyone at the table, including to each other.
Peter must dislike informality, concluded Andrantiel, remembering her own father and every other King she had met who did the same. It was a common thing among royals, but she could not hide her disappointment with the High King.
She had thought that the he was different.
Or, she had hoped so.
There were only a few things she was certain about right now.
The first was that she was going to go home with aid. The second was that the High King was a bit unpredictable.