Another chapter for you guys. And the next chapter is one of my favorite parts so far. I'm thinking I may proof it tonight depends if this head ach goes away. Since the last few chapters have been short this one is very long. Still trying to come up with a different title so far just Ladies in waiting but I don't know about that one ( what do yall think) So I'm going to go my our pizza for dinner while your guys read let me know what ya think.

Chapter 9

Emma

It had been three weeks since I came to Cair Parvel. After the ball things feel into a simple rhythm. Lord Caster and his family left and the word got out about what James did. They left very early one morning without telling anyone but Peter. I guess they wanted to protect James I on the other hand was glad to know they left. I couldn't sleep while he was here Peter wound up sleeping on my couch for two nights while Edmund slept there for another. When Peter and Edmund told Lucy and Susan about what happened they were shocked. And when Peter told them about Eliza and Bran they both agreed that we needed to care for her in some way. Peter and Edmund took this time to tell all three of us girls about an uprising that was happing near the witch's castle. If it got to be too bad they were going to have to ride off to take care of it. I had to admit this scared the crap out of me I knew they could take care of themselves but just the thought was horrible to think about.

In the weeks I have spent a lot of time with Peter. Every afternoon after he finished his work he and I would go to the library and read together, walk the halls, he taught me chess as well. Some days it was just an hour while others days all afternoon. It was one of these afternoons that we had an interesting conversation. We were sitting on a balcony a blanket draped over our legs and one around my shoulders. As it always seemed to happen I hand one of Peters hands in mine and I was leaning onto his shoulder while he read from the book. As peter read the last page I decided to ask him something I wanted to for a while.

"Peter." We both looked out over the ocean the waves crashing over the rocks.

"Hmmm." He brushed some of my hair behind my ears even though the wind just blows it again. Since the night of the ball he has become touchier. It didn't bother me at all I needed it after that night.

"I want to ask you something." I looked down at our hand Peters bruises were almost gone just a yellowish tinged was left. Seeing Peters bruise remind me of mine I lifted my hand to my cheek touching the one that still showed signs of a bruise. Mine were healing slower still blue with a yellow outline. I was just happy that my lip had healed. There was a day when we were sitting like this when I smiled and my lip started to bleed. Peter being his wonderful self-held a cloth to my lip until it stopped. This made me blush like crazy the look on Peter's face told me he was thinking more than just stopping the bleeding. That he wanted to place a kiss on my bruised and bleeding lips. It wasn't the last time I saw this look in his eyes.

"Go ahead ask away." Peter placed the book on his knee balancing it.

"Can you teach me to ride. I want to be able to ride by myself next time I go riding with you." I bit my bit hoping hew wold not take it the wrong way. I went with him and Edmund and liked to ride behind Peter it was one of the times I could be closer than what was alright and I knew we both liked that at times.

"Oh course I will teach you. The next warm day we will try. Springs coming but there still a chance for snow." This was true most of the snow had melted and the air didn't have the bitter bite to it.

"Can you teach me to fight with a sword too?" I didn't want to ever be in the position I was in at the ball.

"Why do you want to lean that?" Peter put the book under his leg as he turned to me.

"You don't want to teach me?" I was really disappointed I was hoping he would teach me without a second thought.

"I didn't exactly say that. I just don't want you to be in a fight." I could understand that I knew from both Lucy and Susan Peter hated for them to get anywhere near a fight.

"I'm not saying I will run off into a fight just that if the time comes I want to be able to protect myself." Peter looked like he was thinking real hard. I could image him replaying the night at the ball in his head.

"I will teach you I just don't like the idea of you fighting. But then Lucy and Susan can when needed. Why don't you get Susan to teach you how to shoot? A bow would be better for my sanity." Peter played with my fingers running his fingers over my palm tickling me.

"I already asked her and now when can we start?" Susan already said we could start tomorrow and I wanted to start soon with Peter teaching me. I already knew I was going to have a busy time learning everything. I was excited to learn and I knew Peter could see it.

Peter was smiling and trying to hold back a laugh, "I need to get some things together first."

"Like what?" Peter was smiling at me I could tell he was enjoying this as much as I am.

"Well first off I need to see if we have a sword light and small enough. If not I will need to get one made for you. And I need to find a horse suited for you to lean on." Peter raised his hand up to my hurt cheek I knew he didn't want any more to be added to them.

"What about your horse." I couldn't even think about riding Peters horse he was almost over peters head.

"He's too big for you," thank god he's to huge, "if he threw you, you would get hurt. You need a smaller horse more your size." The smile on peters face told me he was picking on me I shoved my shoulder into his.

"I will try to have patience then." Try was the key word. I could try all I wanted but never knew how impatience I could get.

"Then I will keep you occupied while you wait. Shall we keep reading today?" Peter ran his finger though my hair it had become a habit of his lately. I think it started when he was doing it to help me sleep the few days after the ball. And he just kept doing it it didn't bother me.

"Yes." Peter picked up our other book and we continued to stay like we were. I always enjoyed this time with Peter. But I was so confused about him he would sit with me hold my hand take my arm. Edmund would tease both of us making us both blush. Every day I hoped and waited maybe today Peter would do or say something different. And yet every day was the same.

A week after our talk on the balcony things did change, a bit. After Peter finished with his work for the day he found me in the kitchen helping the baker. Having a loved backing back at home I found that Narnian baking was more difficult. I had been learning from the baker, Jean, a few days a week. We were baking cookies today when Peter walked in. I had on a flour covered apron over my dress when he came in. "You look like you're having fun." Peter walked over to me slipping his arm around my waist giving me a hug.

"Yes," I tapped Peters nose with my flour covered fingers. He reached up and wiped it off and smiled then wiped some flour off my cheek.

"I have something to show you can you get away for a while." I looked over at Jean, "Go child I can't keep you from the king. I will finish the baking and send some to your room." I went to hug the older women. "I will be back tomorrow to help with the bread."

"Very well off you go." I went to Peter and took his hand that he held out to me. He didn't say anything as we walked and finally came to his office door. "It's in here?"

"Yes close your eyes." I had never seen him this excited about anything.

"Really." I was a little worried but not much just more of what's he up to.

"Yes close them." So I closed my eyes as I heard the door open. And felt Peter hands in mine pulling me forward. The door shut and Peter pulled me farther into the room. Peter let go of my hands and I stopped me. "You can open them now." I did and saw his smiling face in front of mine. "I have gifts for you." He turned red as he tried to look into my eyes.

"Gifts as in more than one." Now I was really worried.

"Yes." Peter turned around and took a sward off his desk. "I had this made for you." The short sword was about four feet long. The hilt was just big enough for both of my hands words in a language I didn't know were flowering down the blade.

"What does it say?" Peter had a small smile on his face

"The flowers on the hilt there winter lily's they bloom at night on a full moon on a snowy winter's night. It says Narnia's winter lily. The night I found you it was a full moon and it was a snowy winter's night. I saw a few were you were camped they bloomed while you slept." Peter stopped and I watched as a blush rose up his face. "You came to Narnia in the winter snow and a full moon. You remind me of the flower something beautiful to be found in the dead of winter something to be treasured." I felt tears well up in my eyes. Peter had put so much thought into that sword. I threw my arms around this neck careful not to hurt him with the sword. I buried my face into his chest his arms came around to hug me back. "Thank you I love it Peter." I pulled back long enough to kiss his cheek. Peter's stunned face looked down at me before both our faces turned red.

"Are you crying?" Peter looked down at me looking me in the eyes trying to see if there were tears

"No." I tried to hide my face from him. But the tears spilled over betraying me.

"Yes you are why?" He wiped them away with his thumb the calluses gently scraping my skin.

"I'm happy." I was still leaning on Peters chest my hands on his chest his arms around my waist. This was one of the times we had been this close. I had to admit it felt good to be there.

"I have more for you." Peter took the sword from me. I set it down on his desk and pulled a pair of boots off the desk.

"What are these?" There were brown leather and they looked like they would come up almost to my knees. They were similar to the one Peter wears everyday but shorter.

"Riding boots for when you start riding. Put them on let's see if they fit." Before I could move to sit on the chair Peter turned and took my waist and lifted me up on top of his desk. I couldn't help but swoon a bit and think oh god he strong. Even though I knew it from the night I pounded on his door. Peter helped me unlace my shoes and helped me pull them on. "Wonderful they fit now let's go."

"Go where?" Peter took my hands as he stood between my knees.

"The stables." I couldn't help but smile at what he said and were Peter was.

"We're going riding?" I squeezed his hands and jumped into my set.

"Yes its warm today and spring is coming." I was so close to jumping off the desk and running to the stables. I smiled at him a knock at the door stopped us both." Peter is Ed can I come in." peter just turned around to yell at the door. "Yeah Ed come in." Peter stayed in front of me as Edmund came in.

"Hey Emma." He was smiling and I knew he was in on what Peter had planned.

"Hey" I couldn't help but think how perspective Edmund is and knowing he was taking in every little detail.

"Did you give it to her Peter? The smile on his face told me the truth.

"Yes," a big smile went across his faces as he looked at Edmund.

"Did you like it?" Edmund smiled as he looked at me as Peter moved and sat on the desk next to me.

"Yes I love it." And I did the boots felt good on my feet and I couldn't wait to learn how to swing the sword.

"We're about to go to the stables." Peter picked up my hand off her wooden desk as Edmund came farther into the room.

"I'm really excited to learn." I knew I looked like a little kid swinging my legs and smiling a huge smile that was starting to make my cheeks hurt.

"I'm excited for you can I talk to Peter before you leave." Edmund looked sheepish as he stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels.

"I will go put the sword and my shoes in my room. If am not back soon I may have gotten lost." I picked up my shoes and sword hopped down off the desk still having Peters hand.

"I'll come find you if your lost." Peter held our hands between us running his thumb over my knuckles in the way that was becoming familiar.

"I know you would." I squeezed his hand and went up on my toes to kiss Peter's cheek. I felt a blush creep up my face and watched Peter's face redden. Before I turned and left I saw the shocked face of Peter watching me leave.

Peter

When Emma took my and then kissed my cheek I was stunned. This was different from when she did earlier Ed was standing there and she was overwhelmed with emotions. I brought my hand up to my cheek as she walked out the door.

"Sooo what's going on." Ed jumped up and sat next to me on the desk.

"She kissed me." My hand was still on my cheek I could still feel the soft lips and the feather light touch of them. That then made me think of what it would be like to really kiss her.

"I saw."

"In front of you." I couldn't move my hand from my cheek.

Was that the first time? Ed was confused or at least his face said he was.

"No when I gave her the sward she did." Dose that really count if she didn't really know what she was doing. This was just adding more complications to my feeling about her.

"Really Pete you too have been spending all this time together for a month and she just now kisses you. Have you even tried to kiss her?"

"No that's what surprises me. What did you need?" I moved my hand now feeling like a idoit for keeping it there.

"I wanted to see how things were going with you too." Edmund was sitting next to me swinging his legs like Emma was.

"Fine I guess I have no clue what I'm doing." I didn't I was trying to just let my instincts take over but it was harder by the day.

"My advice as inexperience as I am just go with it she likes you Pete. She kissed you on the cheek but she kissed you."

"I should go find Emma." I turned to the door.

"Tell her pete. You really should."

"Tell her what?" I looked over my shoulder at Ed who still sat on my desk while I was at the door.

"You know what. You can only dance around your feelings for so long."

"I'll tell her when I'm ready." I left Ed in my office to go look for Emma. I found her in a random hall looking back and forth down another hall.

"Did you get lost." I saw her jump as she turned to me.

"Oh Peter it's you, you scared me. I did get lost again I still say you need to draw me a map."

"Maybe I like escorting you around." I took Emma's hand in mine loving the feel of her small hand in mine.

"Maybe I should start doing daily tours for you."

"Maybe you too should stop flirting and get on with it." I heard Susan call down the hall I knew my face was bright red and Emma's was the same I looked over Emma's shoulder to glare at her.

"Su what are you doing?" Besides embarrassing us both.

"Going to the library I thought you two were going riding." She held a book in her hands in front of her.

"We are going to the stables now." I tried to will my face back to a normal color.

"Well don't let me keep you. Have a good ride." Susan disappeared into the library door.

"Well lets go before Lucy shows up and the horse leave without us." Emma smiled up at me as I lead her to the stables.

"I have another surprise for you." I looked down at our feet trying to hide the slight tinged of red.

"You already surprised me. . . twice." The small smile she had with the light in her hair made her look like an angle.

"One more time then." I couldn't help but look at her several times as we walked to the stable once there I took her hand and lead her to the back two stalls. My horse Grant stood there to the left eating some grain. Grant saw me and put his head out the stall door. Reaching up I scratched his head, "you remember grant."

"How can I forget him," Emma reached up and patted his neck. She was beautiful her hair down reaching up to pat Grant up on her toes to be able to reach him.

"And the surprise is right over here." I pulled her over to the next stall, "this is the surprise she's a young mare he manes Snow and she's your horse."

"Really," she was smiling ear to ear "Peter all this is too much. You took me in gave a place to live cloths and now all this."

"You didn't have anything when you came here I only want you happy." Emma took both of my hands in hers. "I am happy Peter more than I have ever been.

"Then". . . oh Aslan how do I say this just say it. "Then let me take care of you I don't know why I want to or how am going to but I want to make sure your taken care of." Why did I say that? What had gotten into me? Its ok she's not mad or yelling at me. Yet. I stood there looking down at her while she blinked and licked her lips.

"Ok Peter I will let you." She bit her lip as I tried to control my happiness.

"Then come met Snow." We walked hand in hand into the stall to meet snow. With my free hand I snow's holster with Emma scratched her between the eyes. "Are you ready to saddle her up and go." She nodded up at me.

I dropped a blanket over the horses back, "now you need to learn how to saddle your horse. Most of the time someone else would do it but you should learn. I'm going to go saddle up Grant I want you to try and do yours." I took a rope and attached it to the hater then tied it to a bar to keep Snow still. I pulled Emma's saddle down and put it on the blanket. "This is yours so you will be the only one using it. I will be back in a few minutes." I left as Emma was scratching snows head and neck. I was glad that they got along together well.

I went to Grant and in minutes I had him saddled up. I check the saddle bags and as asked the stable boy put a blanket and plenty of food for a small picnic. I went to check on Emma she had the saddle on what looked like it was right.

"I think I did it." Emma stopped petting snow and looked over to me. I went over to her and checked the saddle running my hands over everything. "Looks good I'll check it again before you get on."

"You mean I can't go on her now."

"No we are going to a clearing not too far from here in the woods. I don't want anything to be in your way." I could just see Snow getting scared and throwing Emma to the ground.

Emma laughed at me. "Your that worried someone thing going to happen." I could fell myself blush a bit it didn't help that she took my hands in hers. "That's sweet."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt." I couldn't help but look into her eyes. I have become addicted to them they said so much. "we should go." Emma nodded at me and let go of one of my hands. I took snows lead and then went to get Grants. Handing off Snows lead to Emma, "hold on to it and follow us." Emma nodded at me and took the rope. I lead Grant out and Emma followed with Snow. We stopped just outside the stables, "you go up first." I took the lead rope from Emma.

"Why I usally ride behind you."

"I want you to ride in front so you can do everything and if something goes wrong I will be right there."

Peter helped me up on the horse he was just as tall as I remember him being. Peter climbed up behind me and got situated. I pulled my skirt around to have it comfortable and to cover my legs. Peter picked up the reins behind me, 'here take these and hold on to them like this," he showed me how to hold them in my hands. "now slip your feet in the stir ups like mine were" I did and we sat there together while I got used to it. Peter put his hands on my hips, "now grant is easy just give him a little tap with you heels and he should start walking." I did what Peter said and Grant started to move his through me back into Peters chest neither one of us was ready for.

Peter sat behind me holding snow's rope and giving me directions on where to go and what to do. He took us to a clearing that ran through the woods. It was as big as a football field and twice as wide. Plenty of room for me to learn to ride. We both got down and stood there in front of the horses. Peter had me get back on my horse and him on his and he took me through the motions of riding alone.

It was a matter of hours before I was able to ride and not be afraid. Snow and I worked together perfectly she was spunky and steady at the same time. Before long we were glopping along down a trail together. We stopped and Peter pulled out a small lunch for us that he had packed with me knowing. It was sweet; he had some fruit, veggies venison and bread. It was more than what was necessary but that was ok. The water and wine was packed in the saddle bags as well. We sat and ate talked about so many things, how the war went, what happened when Peter and his siblings got here, Aslan, about ourselves.

We laid down on a blanket that peter brought side by side as were stared at the sky. I could feel Peters hand inch towards mine and when he finally took it my heart speed up. Butterflies spin around in my stomach as he slowly intertwined our hands together. I took a look at Peter and he was looking at me watching me wanting to know how I was reacting. All I could do was smile at him a blush creeping up my face.

I didn't know why this was different than all the other times we had held hands but it felt different. It felt like a date and that made this awkward. I leaned my head on to his shoulder watching the sky. Dark clouds came into view as we talked. Peter wanted to leave but I asked him to stay longer I enjoyed spending time with him alone far from other people. The sky darkened by the minute we finally decided it was getting too close to rain and packed up and started to ride home. We were riding not twenty minutes when the sky opened up and poured rain all over us.

We were soaked in a matter of seconds my dress hung in a wet mess around me. My hair hung limp around my shoulders the wind chilled me. Peter's pants and shirt clung to him and slicked his hair down. We got lucky Peter knew were caves were and he quickly headed to it. Once inside we pulled the horses inside and then went farther in ourselves. Peter tried to get me to sit down and try to stay warm and get dry but I just wanted to keep moving. So I helped him unsaddle the horses and tie them to a rock. We went through what was left of our lunch and what was dry. We had enough food for the night if we had to stay and wait out the storm and the blanket somehow stayed dry. The horse blankets were damp but dry enough to sit on.

The only thing we didn't have was a fire but all the wood outside was wet and it would be hopeless to start a fire with it. So we just laid the horse blankets down on the ground and sat together with the blanket wrapped around us. We sat there blanket around our shoulders close together Peter's arm around my waist. I was shivering the wind blowing though the cave was making us both cold and our wet cloths didn't help.

"Are you ok?" Peter looked down at me worried.

No I'm freezing we need to get out of these wet cloths." I stood up and unlaced the front of my dress and started to pull it off. Peter stood up and was in front of me in seconds. "What are you doing?"

"Taking off this wet dress you should take off the wettest things too." I kept trying to pull at the laces of my dress only to have Peter pull my hands away.

"We have no other cloths." He looked at me like I was crazy thinking about this.

"I know but if we stay in these wet cloths we can get sick and we will warm up easier." I pulled my dress off and laid it down on a big rock to hopefully dry. I then went to Peter who was standing there wide eyed looking at me. I went to him and ran my hands over his shirt. "This is soaked you should let it dry."

"I can't you're not wearing cloths just the under gown I can't walk around like that." I put my hand on Peters cheek trying to get him to understand. It was sweet he wanted to be a gentlemen but this called for survival. "I know this is different for you but it's this or we freeze. The longer we stand here talking about it the more we are going to stand here with our teeth chattering at the cold. We need to get our wettest cloths off and get under that blanket together there's no other option. Everything that happens tonight can stay between us."

I could tell he was thinking about it. He finally sighed and pulled his shirt off over his head and laid it next to my dress. Alright come on lets warm up. We pulled the horse blankets over near the cave wall and sat down wrapping the dry blanket around us. This was the closest we had ever been I was leaning on to Peter's chest and his arm around my waist his other arm holding the blanket around us. "Once the storm lets up we will head back to Cair. There probably looking for us."

"Will the horses be fine I'm worried about them." I could see peter looking down at me smiling, they will be fine the handle storms in the stables all the time.