The High King and Lillie had spent quite a few hours outside with the mermaids before retiring. Lillie went to sleep promising herself to figure out what was wrong with the younger king. She dreamed the night away, having a few short memories pop up from her old live in England. Of course she couldn't remember England as the name of the land; everyone believed it to be Spare Oom.
"Lady Lillie, time to wake up. You have already missed breakfast, which the royals seemed to be okay with knowing you were up late. But honestly we can't have you missing supper as well; afterwards you must be ready to greet your guests. I hear Aslan might come tonight to the celebration, and Susan has ordered for a royal gown to be made for you. Oh this is exciting; I wonder what the dress is for though. Don't start fretting now, you'll do fine. I'm sure it is nothing. She might just want you to look your best tonight," a talkative Mrs. Beaver said as she went around her room and to the wardrobe looking for the dress that was made for today.
Lillie stood from her bed and allowed the few dryads who helped her dress everyday to change her into the dress the female beaver took from her wardrobe. Lillie smiled, still slightly tired, as she sat down in the chair for her hair to be braided back. She heard Susan talk about doing her hair and face tonight, and Lucy had already informed Lillie on the last time Susan helped Lucy. The whole deal ended up with a satisfied Susan and a pained Lucy. Once the dryads were done with her hair Mrs. Beaver escorted Lillie down to the Royal Gardens, where the royals were gathering.
The family greeted Lillie, well almost all the family did. Edmund stood off to the side looking over the balcony to the road coming from the harbor. The Pevensies had been planning a celebration for the fall harvest for months and friends from all over the Narnian world planned on attending, now with the addition of Lillie, Susan managed to change the festival into a celebration for Lillie as well.
"Lillie, you look wonderful and Good Afternoon to you," the graceful Queen Susan said as she moved over to greet Lillie as soon as she entered the garden. The two shared a brief hug and soon Lillie felt her waist being hugged as the short Queen Lucy gave her the usual greeting.
"Of course I look wonderful, you designed the dress, and it is fantastic. I thank you for it," she replied to the older girl. She turned feeling two pairs of eyes on her person. Smiling up at the high king her gaze turned slightly and caught the Just King looking at her. Turning back to Peter she smiled once again.
"I must thank you again, um, Peter for last night. It was marvelous." She blushed like a young school girl as she whispered his name; it had been his request last night to just use his name when she talked to him, no matter who was there. The others watched the two with interest, although Edmund kept his back on them but anyone could tell he was listening.
Peter smiled at her and nodded his head in reply. They soon sorted themselves into a line with Lillie in between the two kings. Lillie could barely think as to how it happened, and her words could barely form as Peter introduced her to the many visitors they had for the fall celebration. The so called Just King just ignored her the entire time. Lillie became more agitated with him every time he would look away from her glances.
Lillie was whisked away before she could even say a word to the young king. Susan and Lucy brought her gown into Susan's chambers so they could both help her get ready, which for Lillie was better than having the old Dryad help her. Lucy laughed loudly as Lillie was presented to her with her hair done in another ridiculous style by Susan.
"Oh please Susan, stop. I can't take much more laughing, and we only have a little while longer to get ready. Please just let handle her hair and you go make yourself beautiful," the young Queen said to her older sister. Susan agreed and moved into her sleep room to change into her gown and fix her own hair.
"Thank you Lucy. I was beginning to wonder how long we were going to be here for," Lillie told Lucy as she settled back down into the chair. Lucy nodded and began to take out the hair pins and redo Lillie's hair in a much more simple style that would suit the dress and Lillie. "You know there's something I've been meaning to ask you about," she stated as she watched the young queen in the mirror.
"Yes?"Lucy asked as her hands picked up a brush from the table. Lillie settled in her chair as she planned how to bring up what she had been thinking about.
"Your brother, Edmund. Are you very close to him?" she asked the young queen, who had become her greatest friend in Narnia. Lucy nodded her head in reply, as seeing her mouth was full of the pins.
"Would you happen to know why then he dislikes me?" She openly asked, suddenly regretting her frankness she blushed and began to stammer an apology. Lucy looked up to the mirror to meet Lillie's eyes before turning away stating she was finished with Lillie's hair and she had to go and do her own. Lillie watched as the young queen marched herself from the room and down the hall. Feeling out of place in the elder queen's room and made her way back to her own room. She made herself comfortable on the armchair near the window.
Never in all my days would I have thought myself to be in this situation. For one, I think in asking a simple question I have possibly ruined the greatest friendship I have here in this land. Honestly, I didn't think Lu would leave the room when I asked; I started to apologize for my utter stupidity after I did ask. If she ever brings it up to King Edmund I'll be mortified, never able to look at him again. Then again, this magical land can't all be bad; I'll have to talk with Lucy at the Ball during the celebration of my birthday and the Fall Harvest tonight. I keep telling myself that I did nothing to offend him, but it seems I have. Tumnus is no help whenever I ask him about the so-called Just King; I get no information from the faun. Peter has been very nice to me, however. It's said he is looking for someone to fulfill the place as his queen, I don't know what to think of this. Many of the creatures say I'm his lady, but he hasn't said anything about it, just spends his free time entertaining me, like his sisters do. Still, whenever I start to think about him my thoughts shift to…
Her writing had been stopped short as a knock sounded from her door. Looking at the paper she placed the quill down and positioned a paper weight on her paper so it could dry. Lillie walked the room's door and opened it. A greatly dressed faun stood in front of her and she smiled as she noticed the usual red scarf was replaced with his dressy blue one.
"Tumnus are you here to escort me?" she asked smiling at the faun; her thoughts however were dark with anger at the lack of information he was willing to give her. He nodded his head and held out his arm, she glanced back to her paper where her thoughts had been placed for the world to see. Shaking her head she placed her arm on Tumnus' and watched as he closed the door to her room; Lillie could only hope that no one would see the paper before she could hide it away.
A/N: Alright I lied, this isn't the festival just yet butttttttt that's the next chapter. This one is the beginings of her realization of certain feelings for certain people...or is it? time will tell. I wonder what exactly is going to happen at the celebration...hmm lot's of harvest food eating for sure! Next chapter there'll be a dinner and dance, for Lillie's birthday and the Fall Harvest now I just ahve to come up with some narian sounding meals...
