"Lucy, I'm begging you, please, let me in so I can explain."
"No!" Lucy's voice was heavily muffled by the many blankets she had buried herself under. She blinked the tears building in her eyes. "You think Edmund is going to hurt us. He wouldn't do that, I know he wouldn't."
This was the moment Peter knew he could- should point out that Lucy didn't know him any better than the rest of them. He just couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Come on Lu. You know I didn't mean it."
Thankfully, for Peter at least, it wasn't in Lucy's nature to be angry at anyone for long and before the hour was up Peter had been granted access to Lucy's room.
As soon as brother had crossed the short distance to her bed Lucy threw herself into his arms. "I'm sorry, Lucy-Lu. I didn't mean it, not a single word. I promise."
Lucy nodded against his chest, breathing in deeply. He smelt of roasted chestnuts and honey. "I think you owe someone else an apology."
"When we find Edmund I'll tell him, I promise."
Lucy smiled. "Yes, you will. Although, I actually meant Lilli."
Peter grimaced, smoothing his expression as Lucy craned her neck to get a better look at him.
"I know." Lucy gave him a final squeeze as he kissed the top of her head quickly.
As he left the room he found one of the dufflepuds making his way towards the kitchens.
"You there, have you seen Lilliandil?"
"Ah, the pretty glowing one that you can't take your eyes off of, son of the Oppressor?"
Peter rolled his eyes at the moniker the monopods had bestowed upon his guardian. "Yes, that 'one'."
"Ahh, have you two had a lover's quarrel, she did seem rather upset."
"Where was she go- We're not lovers!"
The dufflepud wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. "More lies! Such lies from Oppressors."
"Where was she going?"
"Something about a tree- a tree in the gardens. Yes that was it! The tree in the gardens!"
Peter sucked at the inside of his cheek. "Thank you," he muttered tersely.
Darting out into the garden Peter noticed a faint glow coming from beneath the only tree in the garden and sighed, relieved, biting back a smile.
"Lilli!"
"Peter? What are you doing out here? Lucy needs you."
He shook his head. "She's fine. A little hurt but she's going to be back to her usual self in no time."
"Peter, I'm sorry." The half-star blushed as her companion blurted out the word 'sorry' just as she did.
"I am, really."
"You didn't mean it."
"I could never mean it." Before either of them knew what was happening Lilliandil had thrown herself into his arms in a tight embrace he returned wholeheartedly.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Susan had dragged herself from her bed to sit in the arm chair that faced the window. She frowned in annoyance as she caught sight of the pair beneath the tree in the garden.
True though it was that she had no problem with Lilli, she couldn't shake the feeling that her brother didn't deserve to feel the heartache that plagued him every time the half-star left the mansion to return to her father's island. Peter was heir to the throne, he couldn't rule Narnia if his heart wasn't there.
Susan believed with all her heart there was a Princess from one of the far off countries she had read about, just waiting to marry Peter, some beautiful woman who would love him well and provide him with golden-haired princes. She smiled as though she could actually see her future nephew.
She blinked as Lilliandil moved her head from Peter's shoulder to his chest. As she did so it occurred to Susan that her reasons to hate the union of the pair in the garden below were not solely based on the greater good of Narnia. She simply couldn't bear to lose her brother.
Peter and Lucy were the only two people in the world who genuinely loved her rather than simply tolerated her. If Peter left for Ramandu's island he would take a piece of each of his sister's hearts with him. Lucy would leave her soon afterwards, though she was the less visually appealing of the two sisters she was the kinder and fairer of the two, instantly endearing herself to any who spent more than thirty seconds talking to her. Lucy would be swept away by some prince or lord leaving Susan to rot away alone in her cold, stone tower in the mansion, dreaming of the day when her own prince would come and begin to mend her broken heart.
"We have conclusively located the witch's camp and, of course, Prince Edmund."
Coriakin nodded slowly. "What is our plan of action?"
The faun, a young female, stumbled over a few answer before meeting the retired star's eyes. "It has been thought best we send in a party to bring him home. Of course, the plan requires you permission, to bring him to his siblings."
"Do you not think the boy will feel hostile to having been removed so forcibly from everything he has known?"
"We will only remove him if we feel it will be in his best interests."
"Talinusa, what though has been given to how the plan will affect Lucy?"
"The twin sir?"
"Yes, though she is not my own, I have grown fond enough of the little girl to say I love her like a daughter. I don't want this plan to hurt her, in any way."
"She will not be told any details until there has been a decision on Edmund's future."
"What is to become of Peter?"
"He is now fifteen, yes?"
"I believe so, yes."
"Well, the Narnian lords, advisors and ministers have been discussing it will Lord Protector Scrubb. Loathed as he is to give up the throne to anyone but his son, perfectly horrid little boy though Eustace is, he has agreed that, in the best interests of the kingdom, Peter will inherit the throne on his eighteenth birthday."
"Only two years, gracious me."
"You feel he will be unready, sir?"
"No. He is young but I see so much of his father in him that I am certain he will make a fine King."
"I'm glad to hear it from someone who has had the pleasure of watching the Peter mature."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there are some at court that feel that Peter has not experienced life in court for so long that he will have no way of coping. Some feel the Pevensie line should end with Frank, Aslan bless his immortal soul, and give way to the Scrubb line."
"Outrageous. Peter will be king and the best King Narnia will ever know at that."
"Of course, sir." Talinusa paused. "Could I meet the children, it would be such an honour."
"I see no reason for you not to. Susan is a little under the weather right now. She'll happily see you though, I'm sure."
With that Coriakin led the lady-faun towards Susan's room only a little way from his own study. He tapped his knuckles on the off-bronze door of the elder Princess's room.
"Enter."
"Susan, please meet one of the advisors from the Narnian court. Miss Talinusa is working to find your brother."
"It's an honour to meet you, Princess Susan."
Susan smiled at the young faun stood in front of her. "Just Susan, please. I cannot remember a time when I was referred to as 'Princess'. It's a pleasure to meet you, excuse my horrible face. I'm afraid I've been recovering from a bout of flu."
"Horrible face?" the faun quizzed apologetically. "Dear- My Lady, you're so like your mother. Beautiful and yet so modest."
A single tear escaped from Susan's now moist eyes. She wiped it absently with the back of her hand. "Thank you."
"I shan't keep you my lady. It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Susan."
"The pleasure was all mine. I so hope we meet again."
Susan coughed, blushing as she realised how awful she sounded. "Coriakin? Could you send Peter up for me?"
Sometime later, Talinusa had met all the three Pevensie children. She smiled at the retired star as Lucy bid her a fond goodbye.
"They are a credit to you."
Coriakin shook his head. "Not at all. They have grown into wonderful individuals with no help from me, I assure you."
"Yes. Well, whatever the case, they are perfect and so like their parents. I'm afraid I must leave you now."
"Of course."
Talinusa looked at her hooves. "I hope the next time we meet you have a full set." She looked up, smiling shyly as the retired star grinned.
"As do I Miss Talinusa."
XXX
A/N I hope you enjoyed that and I'd love a review, chapter six only got a single one, which was very disappointing considering how much trouble it was to get it uploaded. I hope you guys liked the scene(s) with Talinusa as she was almost chopped out, I hope to give her more storytime but I don't know, it's all up to you guys, so let me know. I currently have a few hundred, dramatic, words written for chapter 8, I hope it will be as exciting as I hope. Please R&R…?