This is the second last chapter! For all the lovers of this, don't be sad, there is a sequel! It should be out soon and leads into Prince Caspian! So keep your eyes pealed! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I wrote most of it smiling! Some of it's just a bit of fluff, but that's the best kind! Please keep rating and reviewing! Thanks to all my loyal readers! Hope you enjoy! :)x
Daisy5414: I'm so glad you like my story! I hope you read the sequels too!
"Hey Alexea, wake up! You can't just sleep while the rest of us pack up," she said poking me.
"Sorry Su, I'm just so tired," I said groaning.
"Yeah, serves you right for being up all night with my brother," she said giggling, and folding up her cot. I followed her and did the same, within twenty minutes our tent had been packed up and stored away for the next battle.
"It looks so different," I said turning to Su, her face was racked with sadness.
"I'm going to miss the days we spent here. But I'm sure we'll be back," she replied. We looked around, the camp was mostly empty, only a few tents still stood, those being the infirmary. They'd be packed up when all the wounded healed. Even though Lucy gave them all the fire flower juice, some injuries were just too big for it to cure.
"Hey Lex," said Peter walking up to me. I gave him a smile as he stood next to me.
"Oh hello, Peter," said Susan, a little angry she'd been ignored.
"Oh, hey Su, I didn't see you there," Peter said, Susan huffed and walked away.
"You're riding with me Alexea," she said. Peter shot her a glare. He was obviously coming to ask her that.
"It's time to go. Are you going to ride with Susan then?" he asked.
"I spent last night with you, so I'll just spend the ride with her. Anyway, I'll come and find you when we get to the Cair," I told him smiling.
"Well if you don't you won't get your surprise," he said cheekily and walked away. He turned to look at me and laughed. I could feel the most confused expression on my face.
It was a peaceful ride to the Cair. The land we passed through had the greenest grass you could've imagined; and the sea was shimmering under the sun's rays.
"So what happened last night?" asked Su and she rode next to me, Lucy behind us.
"We just talked. He thanked me for helping him stay alive yesterday, that's all," I said.
"Did you tell him you don't love him?" Susan asked.
"What?" asked Lucy from behind us.
"Susan!" I yelled giving her a glare. "You can't just say that! Why would I tell him anyway? And Lu, don't worry. I like your brother, my feelings are true. I just don't love him yet," I said explaining to Lu.
"Oh, alright," said Lucy, her smile reappearing.
"You didn't tell him did you?" I asked Susan.
"No, why would I ever," she said not making eye contact. We rode to Cair Paravel the rest of the way avoiding that subject completely.
My promise to Peter to see him once we arrived flew away with sea breeze. As soon as we got to the castle we were ushered to our rooms, by our new guards. I was the only one left standing in the courtyard waiting for my guard when Amira came up to me.
"Hello Alexea," said Amira.
"Hey Amira, you haven't seen my guard have you?" I asked her, eager to see my room.
"I actually have," she said smiling at me.
"You have? Who is it?" I asked.
"Me! Aslan himself asked me to do it, I couldn't say no," she said smiling opening her arms welcoming me into her embrace. "Shall we see your room?"
We walked up many flights of stairs; our chambers were on the fifth floor. Away from all the dining rooms, and ballrooms and noise pretty much. My room was on the eastern side of the floor. Amira and I stopped outside two mahogany doors. They towered over us. I looked at Amira with a gleeful grin on my face. She opened the door for me and I walked in.
What I walked into wasn't a room; it was more like a suite. I looked around no bed in sight.
"Where's the bed?" I asked Amira. She laughed at me question. She led me further into the room with many chairs and a big glass window that looked out over the sea.
"This is your sitting room," she said, and then started walking into a corridor. "Down here leads you to your library, and this door here is your study." I opened the door and walked into the study, I had a desk of the same mahogany the doors were and beautiful painting on the wall. I closed the door and walked down into the library. Every wall was covered with bookshelves, except the one that had a big mirror and a fireplace. The seats were a cream colour and were very plush.
"This door here leads to King Peter's study. We made sure you all had adjoining rooms."
I walked over to the door, about to open it when I was interrupted by Amira.
"Not now, my lady. You have yet to see you sleeping chambers." I walked away from the door regretfully but followed Amira out of the corridor, walked through to the sitting room and into a corridor on the left side of it.
The first doors lead to my dressing room, the second set led to my bathroom, and the third led to my bedroom. I opened the doors greeted by the beautiful view of the sea on the furthest wall. The walls were a cream colour that had silver framed pictures and mirrors on them. The wall opposite my bed, had bookshelves filled with books and frames or others, and had a fire place with two seats in front of them. My bed had for posts and was adorned with a beautiful light pink bed spread.
"This is beautiful!" I exclaimed as I ran and jumped onto my bed. Amira laughed at this gesture and then said, "The fourth door leads to Queen Susan's library, and you can visit her now. I understand she's is waiting for you to go to the dress makers."
"Typical Su," I said laughing. "Thank you Amira, I can take it from here." And with that the centaur nodded and made her way out of my room. I walked out into the corridor and down to the fourth door, and tapped on it. The door was pulled open fast from the other side!
"Alexea! I was just coming to get you!" Susan exclaimed.
"Can I meet you there, I promised to see Pete," I begged.
"We have no time, you can see him tonight," she said a pulled me into her library, leading me to the dressmakers.
We stood there getting our measurements. I didn't know what my dress would look like because Susan had taken the liberty of designing our coronation dresses.
"Oh please Susan," Lucy begged her older sister to see her dress.
"No Lucy, it's a surprise," she said. Lucy and I had both been pestering Susan and she was getting quite frustrated. After me measurements had been taken she looked to us both.
"Get out. You're both annoying me. You go and have tea with Mr. Tumnus and you can go see Peter!" she yelled at us. Lucy turned to me and high fived me, she ran out of the room so fast.
"Goodbye Susan," I said laughing at her flustered face.
I opened the door in my library that led to Pete's study. He wasn't there; I walked through the door and found him in his library. He was sitting with his back facing his window, reading a book. I crept up to him slowly, trying to be as quiet as I could.
"Boo!" I yelled putting my hands on his shoulders. He jumped off his chair in such speed and fright, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Sorry I'm late," I managed to say through my giggles.
"Don't do that Alexea!" he groaned but smiled anyway.
"I'm sorry, I had to," I said walking over to him and hugging him. He hugged me back and placed a kiss on my forehead.
He opened his mouth about to say something but was interrupted by Oreius, "Your highness', my apologies for interrupting, I didn't know you were in here my lady."
"Joined rooms, remember Oreius?" Pete said laughing, I joined with him.
"You're both needed for preparation," he said and then left the room. Peter and I both sighed.
"I doubt we'll ever get a moment alone together tonight, so meet me at the pavilion in the rose gardens, after okay?" he asked me smiling.
"Where else would I be?"
"Are you ready, my lady?" asked Amira as she stepped into my room. The dryad's had just finished putting my hair into a bun and letting little curls fall around my face.
"Do I look okay? My dress isn't too un-Narnian?" I asked her conscious. Susan had designed my dress so it was a strapless. It had a sweetheart neckline and was white. It was embroidered with silver vines and cherry blossoms.
"You couldn't look more Narnia if you tried," replied Amira, coming over to me and placing on my cape. And with that she escorted me down the stairs and into the hallway were the Pevensie's were waiting.
"Oh Alexea, you look wonderful!" exclaimed Lucy who wore a light blue dress, that made her look like a true Queen.
"As do you, Lu," I said hugging her.
"There you are, come on!" said Edmund as he ushered the two of us into our positions. I stood behind the four of the Pevensie's and Aslan. The trumpets blared and the doors opened, and we started to walk. As we reached the thrones we kneeled in front of Aslan.
"Bring forth the crowns" he bellowed. And Mr and Mrs. Beaver bought up the crowns, Mr. Tumnus following them ready to place them on our heads. We stood up and walked to our thrones. Peter was in the middle, Susan to his left, me to his right. Lucy sat next to Su and Edmund next to me.
"To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant." And Mr. Tumnus placed on Lucy, her silver crown, that resembled the waves of the ocean and had sapphires pressed into it.
"To the great western woods, King Edmund, the Just." Mr. Tumnus placed on his crown as well. It was silver and had emeralds pressed into it.
"The the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan, the Gentle." Susan's crown was gold and resembled the sun's rays, and had a ember pressed into it.
"To the clear northern skies, King Peter the Magnificent." Peter's face was humble as he knelt down for Mr. Tumnus to place on his crown of gold and yellow stones.
Aslan then walked over to me, "And now, in her return home, to the earth and water that is Narnia, Princess Alexea, the Guardian." I kneeled for Mr. Tumnus. On my head he placed a silver crown that resembled the vines of tree and waves of the on my head. It had diamonds pressed into it.
"Once a King, Queen and Princess of Narnia, always a King, Queen and Princess of Narnia."
Then the congregation before us started the chant. "Long live King Peter! Long live Queen Susan! Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Lucy! Long live Princess Alexea!"
"Now, keeping with Narnian tradition, all royals must have a first dance," said Aslan smiling at us. Peter stood, offering me his hand. I took it and went to the floor, suddenly thankful to my mother for all the waltzing lessons. Susan danced with Ed and Lucy danced with Mr. Tumnus.
"You look wonderful Pete," I said as we danced in circles. He was wear a dark blue top and had a golden cap. They both matched his eyes and hair.
"As do you, my lady," said Peter kissing me on the cheek, much to the Narnians pleasure. I laughed at their oh's and ah's.
"You're a really good dancer!" I exclaimed, "Why didn't you ask me to dance at all those bonfires?" I teased.
"Don't look so surprised! And as I remember, you'd already been asked," he said cheekily.
"I'd been asked for once dance," I said nudging him playfully.
"Well, I'm happy we can start our reign dancing together. Who knows maybe we might end it dancing together too," he said smiling at me. After that danced had finished I didn't see Pete until the night ended and everyone returned to their homes or rooms.
I saw Peter walk out of the ball room and into the gardens, without Amira noticing I followed him five minutes later.
There was a warm breeze in the rose garden. I took off my cape and walked in delight. When I got to the pavilion, no one was there. Where could he be? I followed him out here. Suddenly the worst ran through my mind. The I heard a twig snap, I looked around, no one would hear me from here.
"Rah!" yelled Peter as he jumped out from a bush. I screamed from the shock and clutched my heart. It was beating faster than it did during yesterday's battle.
"Peter, what is wrong with you!?" I yelled at him.
"Payback," he said amused at my shock.
"Was that my surprise?" I asked him sarcastically regaining my breath.
"Do you really think I'd drag you all the way out here too scare you?" he asked sitting down on the pavilion steps.
"Oh that's right, you're a romantic," I said giggling. "But really what's my surprise?"
Peter pulled out a white velvet box. My eyes shot open. "It's not a ring, calm down," he said chuckling at my response. I opened the box, inside was a necklace. It was white gold chain, with a pendant. The pendant was a round sapphire, a boy on one side a girl on the other. "Oreius said that in Narnia, when one person wants to court another, gifts are given from the side who initiates it first. And after what Susan told me, I knew we had a long way to go. I know what we have isn't love or if it will ever turn into it, but I know how I feel about you isn't just a school boy crush." He finished and looked at me nervously. I was going to kill Susan.
"It's beautiful Pete." I said turning around so he could put it on me.
"What I'm really trying to ask is if you'll court me," he said once he finished.
I smiled, "Yes, of course!" I said.
"Would you like to dance?" he said standing up and offering me his hand.
"Always," I said. We danced to our music for a little while. Only to be interrupted by Oreius and Amira who came looking for us. They looked at each other and then Oreius said, "Because you two remind me of us, I'll let you stay up a little longer." We all chuckled at his comment and they left.
We danced until the breeze lost its warmth, all the while never taking our eyes of each other.