Chapter 7

After the Narnian party left, Anvard was eerily quiet. The two princes were miserable. It felt very strange that Aravis was not there, for she had lived with them for the past four years. Even though it was the beginning of summer, it rained all day. As it was too wet to go outside, the twins resorted to playing chess as the rain trickled down the stained glass windows. While Cor was having his go, Corin stared absentmindedly out of the window.

'It's your turn,' he heard Cor say, and turned round only to find Cor was about to checkmate him.

Corin pushed himself back from his seat and stormed out. He slammed the door of his chamber and flung himself down on his bed.

Often when I feel sad, I write a poem or a diary entry. Corin decided to do the latter.

30 April

Dear Diary,

I had porridge for breakfast, gammon with vegetables for luncheon and I don't know what we're having for supper. To be honest, I don't really care. I miss her, though she's been gone for half a day. I can't believe that yesterday was sunny, that I gave her mother's old ring and that we finally kissed. I didn't even care that Cor and Aravis saw us. She's now gone off to Cair Paravel with Aravis and I bet she'll forget all about me.

There'll be other men there, men who will want to ask for her hand in marriage, men who are knights and lords, and I saw how King Peter and Edmund were looking at her. If they both want to court her, there'll probably be a war over her – all of Narnia split over the last remaining descendant of King Frank and Queen Helen. She's the most beautiful creature alive save Queen Susan. And when we do ride over there in June in over a month, she'll have changed and will have turned all haughty, like most Narnian ladies at court, and she won't be the free spirit she was when I knew her. She won't want to run with me down the slopes of Archenland, or splash me when we waded near the waterfall. She'll prefer to stand stiffly in those many skirts and hoops, her heart sighing as she turns dull.

I'm dreading that day in June, but I'm longing to see her. I daydream about her all the time, and she feels the same way too – she kissed me back!

I can't stop thinking about her – she's permanently fixed in my brain. Anyone would think I'm a lunatic, the way I go on about this girl, but she's the only girl I've ever felt about this way. Even though I swore I'd never fall in love, for fear of looking like a complete idiot – but I don't care about that anymore.

And I miss Aravis too – she's a good friend of mine. But I know Cor misses her even more. He's probably writing in a diary too, saying practically what I've written above but about Aravis.

Oh, I hear the bell for supper. I must go.

Later

Dear Diary

Supper was a lonely and boring affair. My brother and I hardly ate anything. Father asked what the matter was. At this, Cor stood up so sharply from the table that the bowls, cups and cutlery clanged together.

'You let them take Aravis away!' he yelled at Father. 'They'll turn her into a lady-in-waiting and then marry her off to some lord, don't you see?'

Uncle Dar stood up and shouted that Cor sit down and apologise to Father. Cor slowly lowered himself back into his chair and looked at his almost untouched soup.

'I'm sorry,' he muttered, turning his gaze on Father. 'I just miss her, that's all.'

Surprisingly, instead of scolding him, Father gripped Cor's shoulders and was about to say something when Cook brought in the pudding, interrupting him. He probably told Cor in private later. Hey ho.

I'm going to try and get some sleep now, though I doubt I will.