So, VERY IMPORTANT. I would like to apologize and thank "crayonrose" for pointing out my mistake. I hate making an important plot mistake like this because it is careless and can cause confusion, so let me clear some things up. In chapter 2 I previously had that Miraz knew who Edmund was and announced it, but in chapter 3 he was just figuring it out, so *EDIT* I changed Chapter 2 so Miraz didn't know who he was but he has figured it out on his own, which will play a part in the next chapter. So overall, I would like to apologize for my stupid mistake and I hope something like that doesn't happen again, but I am human and I am usually rushed when writing these so mistakes will probably come up again and I just ask that if you notice a mistake point it out- I promise it doesn't hurt my feelings. Again, thank you "crayonrose" for paying such good attention and noticing that error! I owe you :) Anyway, here's another long chapter.
"So tell me what they're like—the Narnians. I'd never heard of them before this, but apparently my people believed them to be extinct? I saw some of them, but I didn't recognize…what they were." Mary sat beside Edmund, her legs crossed while she carefully propped part of her back against the wooden beam trying to avoid his arm that wrapped around to the back of it, tied to the other. She sat close to him in a way that allowed her to avoid his gaze.
"You've never heard of them before? The centaurs, the minotaurs, or the fauns?" He asked in disbelief, turning his head in her direction but unable to see her. As if giving up, he sighed and returned to looking forward, trying to shift his arms to a more comfortable position, but struggling. "They're smart, not like your people think of them. They can talk, just like us—they actually share many qualities with people. In some ways they can even be better. More loyal, I've found. They came here after all, despite knowing the danger." He moved again in an attempt to loosen the rope, his arm brushing against Mary's back and causing her to jump forward. "Sorry, it just hurts."
"You know I can't do anything about that. I really am sorry. But the cut on your face looks better—well, better than yesterday, despite the bruising." Mary stood and walked over to her basket, squatting and removing supplies. She walked back to Edmund and knelt in front of him, looking at him for a moment with uncertainty before placing the wet cloth on the cut. "Your cut will be fine in a few days. I'm glad to see they haven't added anymore injuries since I was here last."
"Well, actually, no one has come in here since you. It's strange, but no one has even talked to me." Mary lowered the cloth and looked at him, figuring this wasn't something he would lie about, but instead worrying that her father had found out about her visit and was playing some kind of game now.
"Yes, strange." She stood back up and placed the dirty cloth back into her basket, finding another one slowly as she thought.
"Should I be worried?" He asked, leaving a long silence between them.
"You should be worried as long as you're in here. I've never witnessed the way in which prisoners are dealt with, especially in this kind of situation, and with my father having been crowned recently; I honestly don't know what will happen. Women have never been involved with political issues like this, which is why I'm not supposed to be here, and also why I don't know how to help you."
"Why do you want to help me? Sure, I didn't kill you, but I was part of an attack on your home. Shouldn't you be worried about me, about the Narnians like everyone else?"
"How can I be worried about something I don't understand?" Mary approached Edmund again with a clean cloth and sat on her knees behind him, taking hold of his shirt and then stopping, looking at the back of his head. "I need to look at—do you mind?"
"Oh, no-" he mumbled, shaking his head. Mary lifted up the back of his shirt and observed the cut, happy to find it hadn't gotten any worse and may even be looking slightly better. She still went through the process of cleaning it gently then lowered the shirt back over it, staring for a moment at how tense his muscles were under the given circumstances. There was no denying the fact that he was nervous, even scared, but his face had been hiding it well.
"Why did the Narnians attack? No one seems to be explaining this," Mary asked, remaining in place. Edmund glanced over his shoulder at her, causing her to quickly look down at her dress and nervously run her fingers over the design, knowing this was a question her father would prefer she ask him. However, lately she had been questioning the blind trust she had given her father so long, and she was intrigued to hear the boy's explanation.
"Because the Telmarines are trying to kill them. The Narnians are finally trying to fight back, but your father wants their extinction more than anything else."
"That can't be true," Mary countered, gathering her things and placing them back in the basket, standing tall but unable to keep eye contact with him. "He isn't so cruel as to wish for the extinction of anything-"
"Did you not hear him? You were in the room, you heard him asking for it-"
"But he—he just felt threatened, vulnerable in the protection of his people and he said things out of anger that I know my father could never mean. He can be harsh, as I've witnessed recently, but he isn't heartless."
"Then what do you suppose he would do if he found where we've been hiding? Do you suppose he would welcome us back to our land and offer peace? Face it Mary, he wants to kill every one of us, especially me. And I fear he will succeed if I stay here much longer without answering his questions-"
"But I won't let him." Mary seemed surprised by her own words and quickly covered her mouth as if it would help take the words back. Edmund smiled and looked down at his feet, the smile lingering on his lips. Mary quickly knocked on the door and alerted the guard that she was ready to go, rushing out of the room and scolding her own foolishness as she hurried back to her room.
"We found nothing, sir."
"Nothing? Are you all worthless? A heard of animals left no tracks? Unbelievable! Maybe you should look harder!" King Miraz shouted, throwing his glass across the room in the direction of his soldier and turning away as it shattered near the man's head. The soldier flinched and bowed, accepting the king's order and returning to the others waiting outside. "We are not safe until they're all dead, yet we can't even find them! They have to be close, but that stupid boy isn't talking and I don't know where to begin."
"Well maybe we need a different approach," his wife offered, placing her hand on his arm gently, only to be shaken off.
"You think I haven't already considered other approaches? Fear didn't seem to affect the boy, so I've allowed another emotion the chance to develop."
"You speak as if I know what you're referring to. Dear, I haven't any idea, and it worries me."
"Our daughter has taken a dangerous interest in this boy, and one of my men informed me the other day that she has actually been visiting him and caring for him. At first I thought about immediately having him executed, but then I wondered if Mary might prove to be a weakness for him—an unexpected weapon that may lead to him giving away their location without even realizing it. So I waited—but now, I see things may need to be pushed into moving faster since we aren't getting anywhere in our search and it is only a matter of time before his siblings come for him."
"And what makes you think the Narnians will risk their lives when they don't even know if he is still alive?"
"He's very important to them, my love. More important than I previously realized, so we must be even more careful than before." Miraz sat on the edge of his bed and sighed as his wife sat behind him, gently touching the side of his face.
"I don't like the idea of involving our daughter like this. Not only does it put her in danger, but she's going to get hurt if she becomes too attached."
"This is a war—sacrifices have to be made by everyone."
"I fear you have taken it too far." Miraz turned and faced his wife, holding her face in both his hands.
"These are necessary measures, and one day Mary will come to understand that. But for now, I have to ensure her safety even if it causes her pain. I need her to get to this boy in a way no one else can, and we don't have much time."
Mary sat looking in her mirror trying to pin fallen strands of hair back into their appropriate place, but she found herself unable to do so. As she dropped her arms in frustration and looked angrily at the mirror, her lady-in-waiting entered the room quickly, closing the door behind her.
"Ana, I need you," Mary said laughing, smiling appreciatively at her closest friend. Ana smiled and took the pins from Mary, twisting each strand back into its place. "Ana, is there something on your mind?" Mary watched Ana silently work, glancing up quickly upon hearing her question and pinning up the last piece of hair, moving so she stood in front of Mary's chair.
"You have to be careful."
"Excuse me?" Mary asked, caught off guard.
"You don't understand your father's true nature, and you don't know the things he has done. I wanted to tell you for some time now, but I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it. But I can't keep it any longer, not with everything that is happening—Mary, your father is the reason Caspian ran away." Mary's eyes widened and she stood, moving past Ana and looking her over, noting the state she was in and wondering if something had happened.
"What do you mean?"
"Mary, the King tried to have Caspian killed."
"But why?"
"Recently the doctor told the king and queen they aren't able to have anymore kids, so he knew he wouldn't have a son to be future king, and he wanted you to marry and become queen. Caspian was in the way, so he ordered for him to be killed, but Caspian escaped-"
"Ana, stop. I've heard too many things about my father today to hear this too. I know things have been kept from me since I was little, but the person people are describing my father to be isn't familiar to me. I know he has a temper sometimes, but these things—well these things are horrible!" Mary approached Ana and held both her hands, trying to feel comfort in this act. "I need some time to figure these things out on my own, okay? I'm glad you told me, but I ask that you be careful. Saying these things could have you punished as a traitor, and I couldn't bear losing you. I ask that you speak about this to no one." Ana nodded and breathed deeply, watching Mary drop her hands and turn to leave.
"Then I must ask the same of you. Mary, you have to stop seeing him. You're doing so behind your father's back—you too are in danger of being labeled a traitor." Mary stopped before her hand touched the door and looked back at Ana, worried upon seeing the deep concern on her face. Mary nodded in agreement for the sole purpose of watching the concern drain from her friend's face, knowing she couldn't keep the promise.
"I have to go now, Ana. My father gets angry when I am late for a meal. Thank you." Mary left the room, her heart racing and her mind bombarded with thoughts of her father. He had always seemed so loving, she had thought, but the image of him hitting Edmund and leading his people in the desire for bloodshed left her considering the accusation about him. She decided it was a topic she must confront with him at a better time.
She opened the door to their dining room expecting to see her parents waiting in their usual seats, but her eyes were automatically drawn to their absence and the addition of a chair across from where she sat.
"Edmund?" she whispered, looking around her and confirming they were alone. He looked quickly in her direction but didn't try to move, as if he knew something she didn't. She approached him and found that one hand was tied to the arm of the chair while the other was free, his ankles also bound to the legs of the chair. "Edmund, what are you doing in-"
"Well I invited him to eat with us." King Miraz entered the room and observed his daughter's position next to Edmund. He drew his eyebrows together for a moment then motioned for her to sit in her chair, taking a seat himself followed by Mary's mother. "He is our guest, after all, and I figured he might enjoy a meal fit for a king."
Just to show you guys a little of my plan, the next chapter will probably be mostly about the tension that is going to go on during this meal and maybe another glimpse into how the Narnians are dealing with this issue. Next will be more focus on Edmund/Mary development and I promise they will have some closer interaction soon ;) I hope you enjoyed, please review if you can!