"Well, it sounds like all we need is an orchestra!" Gregior sounded excited at the prospect of another gathering at the castle by the sea and Peter looked on in utter boredom.
"It looks that way." The days activities had worn the young monarch smooth and he felt ready to drop, but dinner hadn't even started yet. As his blue eyes roamed the table, only two people were missing, and he suspected by the footsteps in the hall beyond that they wouldn't be missing for very long. Taking a sip from his goblet, he nearly choked as Elsa's slender frame waltzed into the room, on the arm of his brother. His brother of all people, politely led Elsa into the room and as Peter tried to analyze the situation, he found it to be utterly impossible. Both parties held an unyielding mask of apathy as they sat at the table.
What he found unnerving was that instead of sitting with the girls, or next to him, Edmund had placed her between Gregior, and himself. Peter felt worlds away from her, instead of only a few seats away. Trying not to glare, he looked around the familiar dining hall.
Weird as the situation was, Peter found his eyes straying back to Elsa. Her platinum blonde curls were pinned to the back of her head in a slightly unkempt but none the less pretty bun and the dusty rose color of her gown highlighted the ivory of her skin tone. Beautiful as the rest of her was, her striking nearly white eyes caught his own blue orbs and he swore for a minute that she saw him staring.
Looking around the table, Susan wore a bemused look on her seasoned face and Lucy, aloof as ever was staring at Gregior's wizened brow in utter wonder. Gregior's wife Amele wore a confused look on her weathered face. At last, his gaze settled on his younger brother, who instead of the smug, self appreciating look he usually wore, Ed's face had relaxed and he looked genuinely happy.
What had happened in the short amount of time that they were separated that her and Edmund had suddenly become friends? His train of thought was quickly interrupted when Gregior had begun to speak again.
"And you must be the most enigmatic Elsa whom I have heard so much about."
Elsa smiled, smarm leaking into her voice. "Well, you mustn't believe half of what you hear."
Gregior laughed and turned to Peter, his eyes full of mirth. "Peter, she is charming! You must introduce her at the midsummer festival."
Elsa nearly choked on her food and she turned to Peter, slightly miffed that no one had said anything to her before this.
"I'm sorry, the midsummer festival?"
"Oh it's the most wonderful time of year, save for Christmas. Narnians from far and wide come to the castle grounds to celebrate the beauty of life. There is a tournament, and lots of good food, and music. And at the end, there is a grand ball!" Lucy's excited voice washed over the table and Elsa silently took in all of the information.
It was vastly different from the way she celebrated it with her family in Austria. "That doesn't sound anything like a midsummer festival."
"You think you do it better?" Peter teased, and Elsa was once again, sent down memory lane.
"Oh yes, we do it best. Every midsummer, we go to the Wachau valley, and just when the sun sinks under the hills and night has taken over, a procession of ships flow down the river. They are all decorated and the crew is so proud. You can see bonfires lit in the vineyards and the hills. Fireworks are shot out of the castle ruins surrounding the river, and the light is so bright, you can see the countryside for miles in any direction. The whole country shows up, and for one evening, we forget about what separates us, and everything just feels right."
"It sounds lovely, Elsa."
"It does, but give ours a chance, you may like it too." Amele smiled
"Even if you don't we will need your help preparing," Peter pointed out as the waiters padded into the room with the dinner service.
"Well then, Susan we have plenty of work ahead of us to prepare." A graceful smile fit her features as a simmering plate of meat, potatoes and vegetables was set before her.
"Indeed we do," Susan murmured in agreement.
The rest of dinner passed in awkward silence and Elsa was only too glad to escape the table as she stood up.
"It is getting quite late, I must be off." Elsa nodded in the direction of Susan and Lucy.
"We understand, love. It was a pleasure to meet you." Elsa could hear the smile in Amele's unusual alto voice.
As Elsa made her way down the hall, the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching her confused her slightly. Only until she smelled the unique scent of sandalwood did she identify who it was. Slowing to a stop, she soon felt Peter's familiar hand wrap around her forearm.
"Something wrong, Peter?" Peter's arms coiled around her and she smiled, her hands coming up to play with his hair.
"No, it's okay now." She heard the smile in his voice and she chuckled. "I never got the chance to tell you how ravishing you look tonight, Elsa."
She responded with a surprised hum. "You came all this way to tell me I look nice?"
Elsa missed the deadpan look on Peter's face. "I came to ask you something else, but for the life of me, I can't remember.
Elsa smiled, her fingers tangled in his soft locks.
"Peter, what color is your hair?"
Peter smiled before correcting her just slightly off stare. "Sandy blonde, I believe is the color."
Her head cocked sideways as her fingers retracted from his hair. With her heart pounding in her throat, she let her fingers sweep over his brow slowly. Part of her waited for Peter to recoil, shocked or disgusted, but he stayed still. As her fingers traveled south and found his nose she found herself chuckling.
"Peter, have you ever broken your nose?"
Peter's response about a fight at school was muffled through her fingers. As her hands dropped down to his shoulders, trailing along the column of his throat, a smile fixed itself on her features.
"Lovely, Peter."
Peter wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "No more lovely than you."
Embarrassment flamed in her cheeks and her head lowered slightly.
Remembering what he initially wanted to ask her, he pulled back to make eye contact. "Elsa, what did Edmund say to you?"
Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"You were fighting, now you come to dinner on his arm. It was a tad bit odd."
"Strangely enough, he apologized." It came out of her mouth with slight hesitation, like she questioned it herself.
The pair started again down the hall, arm in arm. "That is rather odd."
"Peter," she started, a hint of uncertainty coloring her usually sure voice. "What is the midsummer festival really like?"
Peter thought about it for a moment as they strolled slowly down the marble halls towards the monarchs private apartments. Thinking of how to equivocate it to something she might understand, he chuckled instead, bringing her to a stop in front of her door.
"Like nothing you have ever experienced before."
She hummed again, her hand coming to rest on the heavy oak door. "I'll give it a shot," she decided.
Peter laughed, "That's good." Peter's hand came to rest on her jawline, tenderly stroking it with his fingertips. He felt elated as she leaned into his touch, and just like he had earlier in the afternoon, he brought his lips down on hers gently.
After the initial gasp of shock, Elsa kissed him back, her hands winding around his neck. Separating from her, he nuzzled her nose, feeling her sweet breath on his face.
"Elsa, I like you. A lot."
"Mm, Peter I had hardly noticed." The sarcastic tone was back, and Peter bit back a laugh.
"I want to do this the right way,"
"There is a wrong way?" Elsa chuckled, waiting for him to finish.
"I could scare you off, but I'm trying not to."
Elsa smiled, her eyes fixed straight on him. "Peter I would encourage you to try to scare me off."
"You brave woman," Peter muttered, crashing his lips against hers again.
Elsa lost herself in Peter's lips and felt elated, even after his soft lips separated from hers.
"If I don't leave now, I never will."
"Narnia's king needs to be rested up," Elsa teased, letting her hand run down his arm.
"As does it's beautiful ladies." Peter caught her hand in his and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "Goodnight, Elsa."
Elsa offered him a smile, "Goodnight, Peter."
Elsa closed the door behind her with a sigh of satisfaction. It wasn't love, not yet. But all the same, the butterflies in her stomach didn't let up, even as she laid in bed, waiting for sleep to claim her.