NEW CHAPTER, PEOPLE! I know it's been long and I'm so sorry (we have a bit of a crisis at work and I've been working like mad)! But hey, the new chappie is here and you can read it through the weekend!
The ball is still going strong in this chapter and it's full of fluff and fun moments, as well as some interesting bits concerning a certain foreign Princess… Please review and tell me what you thought!
Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, you made my day!
Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Scenes of a Ball
Caspian and Susan sat on the grass behind a neat row of bushes, shading them from the curious looks of passing guests. They were facing the vast darkness that stretched in front of them, stars being the only to tell apart the sky from the pit surrounding the castle. The glinting lights of the ballroom and the distinct noises of chatter, laughs and music were a quiet murmur behind them; the party felt like it was miles away. They had been there for a few hours, or had it been only a few minutes? He could not tell. All he cared about now was the feeling of Susan leaning on his chest, her warm back pressed against him. Certainly, he thought, their current arrangement was not exactly proper for a Queen and a King, but it could not matter any less; right then and there, they were only a couple in love, enjoying each other's closeness. Formal trivialities could be left for later, for another life.
Susan sighed and pulled him out his thoughts. He looked at her, still in disbelief that she was there, in his arms, and that it was not another dream. Her eyebrows were knitted into a faint frown, the very same she had when she would be dealing with some pesky piece of paperwork.
"A crescent for your thoughts?" he whispered lightly, causing her to sigh again and smile, wriggling softly in his hold so she could look at him. Her eyes were so beautiful, as if made of the purest crystal, their silver swirl now strengthened by moonlight, shimmering as if they were a mirror of all the stars gazing at them from the heavens.
"Nothing escapes your notice, does it, my King?" she spoke, and he smiled, leaning to place a delicate peck on her rosy lips.
"Not when it concerns you, my darling" he murmured, resting his forehead on hers. "Now, do tell me, what were you thinking about?" he insisted. Susan looked away and bit her lip lightly, leaning her head on his shoulder again.
"It is rather silly, and although I'm aware of this, it keeps popping into my mind" she began her explanation as he listened attentively. "It is quite strange, I keep going back to the moment when Prince Tarik greeted me and I cannot shake the unpleasant feeling that seemed to radiate from him. For a moment I thought this was just a reaction to the bad experiences we had with Calormenes in the past, but I did not feel this constraint when talking to the Tisroc, his wife or the rest of their children. I know that as a Queen I shouldn't let this cloud my impressions on people, and he was very courteous in his actions and words, but there is definitely something in him that didn't convince me of his intentions being the best" Susan told, looking at him as she finished. Caspian was frowning, his light scowl adding graveness to his features, his smile fading completely.
"Furthermore, the way you, Gemini and Scorpio tensed when he approached us only stresses my belief that there is something wrong with him and that there has to be a very good reason for the three of you to dislike him so much" she added, eyeing him closely.
Caspian took a deep breath, looking aside at the moving shadows cast on the terrace floor.
"Well, you know that neither Scorpio nor I, and definitely not Gemini, would have such a reaction without a strong motive" the King told gravely. "You see, some years ago, the Tisroc and Tarik paid a visit to King Gaetan in Anvard, when my sister was already living there. Tarik immediately grew attracted to her and uselessly tried to lure her with into becoming the future Queen of Calormen. Tairin, as you well know, is not interested in riches or social status, so Tarik's advances were pretty much pointless. One would think that after the categorical refusal my sister issued towards him he would have given up, but Tarik is not the kind of man who accepts being denied something he wants. Imagine my surprise when I received a message from the hands of a Calormene merchant, in which Tarik asked me to grant him Tairin's hand in marriage in exchange of absurd quantities of gold and other riches; as if I were capable of selling my sister to him! Tairin's refusal only seems to have fuelled his obsession with her and he wants to have her at all costs; I don't doubt he will try to convince me of reconsidering his proposition, again" Caspian explained, disgust dripping from his voice as he spoke. Susan listened attentively to his tale, looking more and more alarmed as the story unfolded.
"His ill temper is famous, and his easiness to get carried away by anger and absolute disregard to others is what makes us wary of him. The smallest of flickers in his mood suffices for him to wreak havoc. I've been told many celebrations almost ended in tragedy when he brutally attacked those he knew had the intention of courting my sister. I get the distinct feeling that his thoughts are never pleasant, always moving the pieces of his plans, ready to act on them. He is arrogant and unstable, and does not hesitate to insult and humiliate those he considers below him; you saw how he treated his brother earlier today. I fear he will try something against Zephyr tonight, or against anyone for that matter, his mood so volatile he may become violent at any moment. He is a very good swordsman, quite gifted with the scimitar, and as much as I trust Zephyr to be good too, Tarik doesn't play fair; a clash between them must be stopped at all costs" Caspian told, heaving a deep breath. Susan stared at him, gobsmacked.
"Who would think that behind his well-polished exterior hides such a beastly maniac! It is quite unbelievable, and yet, I do not doubt it to be true" Susan noted, still quite astounded.
"He is a very good actor, Susan; he can pretend to be a saint and make it believable. But it all changes when he is angry, he is blinded by rage. As I said, he is unpredictable, that's why I want you to stay away from him. I am no one to forbid you anything, my love, but I'm afraid he does something to you with the intention to harm me, and if he does, I- I don't know what I'm capable of doing" he said fervently, sending a chill down her spine by the passion of his words. His eyes were so full of love and concern for her, warming her up entirely. She smiled, knowing his protectiveness came not from doubting she could defend herself, but from the fear that she would have to do it at all.
"Rest assured, my love. Despite being bound by diplomacy, my initial uneasiness towards him is enough for me not to willingly seek his company, not today and not ever" she told him, embracing him and pecking him lightly. "Nevertheless, don't you think it's too early to be overprotective and jealous? We have been together only for a couple of hours, you know" she teased him then, earning a throaty laugh from the King.
"You will have to get used to it, my Queen, because I'm not bound to get any better; you are far too important to me" he retorted wickedly, leaning forward to kiss her. The kiss then evolved into a smooching session, party and guests forgotten yet again.
"I must remember to praise the others on their hosting abilities, no one has come to look for us yet" Caspian told a moment later, eliciting a chuckle from Susan.
"I agree, I was actually expecting Peter to burst outside in one of his overprotective fits, but it seems he is otherwise engaged" Susan replied, rolling her eyes.
"In other circumstances I would be glad for it" Caspian told with a small grin.
"You have told me about Prince Tarik, but you have not mentioned Nabeela. You all act strange when she is around as if you knew something we don't" Susan commented, eyeing the Telmarine King enquiringly. Caspian looked at her for a moment, his eyes betraying his hesitance on telling her his thoughts.
"My love, the last thing I want is for you to grow restless, Nabeela's deeds are a long story, after all" Caspian said apologetically.
"All the more reasons for you to tell me, especially since it now concerns Peter" Susan argued and Caspian had to admit she had a point.
"Alright, alright, I will tell you, but keep in mind that I do not know much and most of it is gossip; Tairin should be able to give you a more accurate account. What I can tell you is what I have learnt from experience, that is, to be cautious around her. You see, one of her uncles is a well known merchant who keeps close friendship with several Narnian courtiers, including Zirid's father. Given their personalities, it didn't take long for my good friend to find himself in her bed. Later, it came to light that, not content with Zirid, she had also charmed Cyprian and he had fallen madly in love with her. As bad as it was already, she goaded Cyp into finding her and Zirid in a very compromising situation, leading to a most violent row between the brothers" Caspian told, disgusted. "I have known the brothers for ages, and never had I witnessed them fight like that" he resumed, the tale leaving Susan utterly aghast.
"How vile! To cause a rift between brothers! I fear for what she could do to Peter!" Susan replied after an instant, covering her mouth with both hands, her expression one of deep concern.
"We have all thought of alerting him, but I'm not sure he would believe us if we did; I fear he would take it the wrong way" Caspian said, and Susan nodded lightly in agreement.
"Given the state of things, I would not doubt he would misunderstand your warnings, and this is what pains me the most: knowing that he will have to see it for himself and probably have his heart broken in order to learn the truth" the Gentle Queen told with a heavy heart.
"Unfortunately, there is little we can do, if nothing at all; getting into a fight would only strengthen Nabeela's effect on him" Caspian reasoned, pulling Susan into an embrace and kissing her temple tenderly.
"Did she ever try something with you?" Susan asked after a brief moment of silence, taking Caspian by surprise.
"Um, well, she tried, but we were still children and the thought of kissing anyone was still quite revolting to me. She was already wicked then and managed to steal a kiss from me; I remember feeling extremely annoyed by it, a fact that seemed to amuse the Professor greatly" Caspian reminisced, his lips turning upwards at Susan's huff. "Oh, my love, worry not, she is not my type, you should know better than anyone" Caspian added playfully, winking at her in nonchalant fashion.
"Good, cause my opinion on you, good sir, would have been terribly damaged if she were" Susan played along, nuzzling her nose with his. "Nonetheless, however much I understand Peter has to make his own mistakes, I can't help being worried for him" she added, sighing heavily.
"And so you should; it is normal that you do not want your brother to come to harm. We can only hope for the best and trust that when the time comes, Aslan will guide him" Caspian reassured her, caressing her cheek. "Now, I suggest we go back inside; I'm starting to feel guilty for leaving the others to mind the party without us for so long" Caspian said, standing up and offering her his hand, both King and Queen returning to the party moments later.
Tairin smiled warmly at the Riminian ambassador who had bowed politely at her across the room, a kind smile on his face. She had spent the last hour and a half talking to various people, praises and congratulations evolving into pleasant conversations on the most varied topics, which she enjoyed immensely. Inevitably, she had lost Zephyr while she was performing her hosting duties and she was now scanning the room for him, searching for his familiar handsome face. Nevertheless, her eyes met another familiar face, one that made her tense and which caused a cold chill to run down her spine. Tarik was looking at her with the same old intensity and desire, his gaze tracing her movements hungrily. She ignored his disturbing stare, and concentrated on finding her fiancé. However, she was growing distinctively more frantic as she swept the crowd with her gaze. Tarik would not dare to try anything with so many people around, with his own father and family at such close distance, or would he?
She had known there was something wrong with him ever since the beginning.
From the very moment he greeted her for the first time, she had noticed the sparkle of lust in his eyes mixed with a hint of deceit, both of which she found disturbing. The Tisroc had come on an official business visit to Anvard and had brought his eldest son along, presumably for him to see for himself the sort of obligations he would have in the future. Nevertheless, the Calormene Prince was the least interested in commercial deals and price negotiations, and spent most of his time riding around Anvard or finding excuses to keep her company. He was polite and gallant, and she had to admit that his foreign good looks and confidence had appealed to her at the beginning, although this admiration was short-lived. Upon a brief conversation, his intentions towards her became quite clear, either because he was bad at hiding them or he did not care about doing it at all.
"I have heard of the atrocious circumstances of your arrival to Archenland, Princess" he had commented one morning, both of them sitting in a stone bench in the courtyard. "I was outraged when I heard about it, even before meeting you, it was just barbaric!" he continued, furrowing his thick eyebrows darkly. "It angers me to no end that you were treated so unfairly and I cannot believe someone would treat a delicate woman with such cruelty; only a truly evil being would be capable of such brutality" he told, his voice acquiring a tone of ire, surprising her at how bothered he seemed at the matter.
"One word from you, Your Grace, and I won't hesitate to gather the Calormene army and lead them to Narnia, force your uncle to surrender and free your brother from his tyrannical ways" he spoke, fervently and passionately. He had taken one of her hands and stared deeply into her eyes, putting her into a tight spot.
"I would personally kill this man, make him feel sorry for all he did to you, if that is what you wish" he added, dropping to his knees, his earthy eyes vibrant.
"Prince Tarik, I- I thank you for your concern, I really appreciate it, but I don't think it's fair nor correct to risk the life of all those soldiers – both Calormene and Telmarine – over a private matter which does not concern them at all. War would not be a good move either; Miraz could try something against my brother if he feels threatened" she explained, trying her best to convince the Prince not to do anything rash.
"Your compassion is unique, Princess. Only a great person would leave personal matters aside for the welfare of others" he told her, kissing her hand gently. He then leaned forwards, his eyes darting to her lips, unveiling his intentions. Her hands pressed to his chest softly but firmly, preventing him from getting any closer. He apparently understood her reaction and sat back, his penetrating gaze still on her.
"I apologise for my forwardness, Princess. I assure you, I didn't want to cause you any discomfort" he spoke, grabbing a spool of brilliant red thread that had fallen and placing it back on the bench. "Truth is, I have felt a compelling attraction towards you, Your Highness, an attraction that has grown into undiluted fascination and love the longer I've gotten to know you. It is for this very reason I ask you to consider my humble petition for you to become my wife, not only for my heart's content, but for my father's and Calormen; you would be the perfect future Queen of the Calormene Empire" he added then, leaving her perplexed.
"You flatter me, Prince Tarik, but please understand, I barely know you and marriage is something that needs to be thought carefully. I appreciate your high regards towards me, but I have no interest in being queen, not from Calormen or from any other country" she told diplomatically, her dark gaze firm in her decision.
"Absolutely, but please, it would mean the world to me if you at least consider my proposition" he replied, his calloused hand stroking her hair, once again shortening the distance between them. Her reaction must have shown her discomfort, for before Tarik could get any closer, a calm voice interrupted them.
"My Lady, is everything in order?" a grave manly voice asked, her heart relishing the relief that was brought by the approaching Rainidan. The Prince of Calormen clenched his jaw and turned towards the knight, his glare tracing him from head to toe, filled with contempt.
"Everything was fine before we were interrupted, and as far as I remember, neither of us called upon your presence, knight" he said pointedly, his grave voice carrying a strong ring of arrogance.
"I am only performing my duty of guarding My Lady's wellbeing, Your Highness" Rainidan answered, not a single bit intimidated by the Prince.
"Prince Tarik, Sir Rainidan is my escort, he is only doing his job" she intervened not at all liking the tone the Prince had employed with her friend.
"A service you are not in need at the moment, Princess; you are very safe in my company" Tarik spoke, not even looking at her, eyes still piercing the knight. "A knight like you should know better than to irrupt into private conversations like that" he spoke again, rising to his feet, standing face to face with Rainidan.
"And as a Prince you should know how to act like one, Tarik, so please, gather yourself, you are constraining Her Highness" another voice said. Gemini joined them an instant later, impassive in his warning despite his grave tone. Facing such situation, the foreign Prince inclined his head lightly at her and left, irritation exuding from his expression.
"Consider what I told you, Princess" he said once he had reached a small distance, resuming his walk as soon as he pronounced the words.
"Consider what?" Gemini enquired, his brows furrowed.
"Being the future Queen of Calormen" she answered, the look in her eyes telling Gemini she was nowhere near paying any thoughts to said proposition.
"I must say his proposition does not surprise me, he makes no effort in hiding his preference for your company over anyone else's. But you should be careful with him, my dear, he is not someone you can trust; he is a skilful liar and prone to violent reactions" Gemini spoke darkly, looking deeply into her eyes.
"I know, for a moment I thought he was going to attack Rainidan, he seemed so angry! I've had a bad impression of him all along, and your words only confirm my suspicions" she replied, sighing deeply. "Thank you, both of you. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't intervene, I was having a hard time keeping his hands off me" she added, smiling at both men and squeezing Gemini's hand.
She took a deep breath in an effort to shake the annoying memory. She continued to search the crowd, not only for her fiancé but for any friendly face, anyone whose company could dissuade Tarik of approaching her. She had avoided Tarik all night, managing to stay close to King Gaetan and her Archen friends, people she knew she would be safe with. She looked for Scorpio or Gemini, and found the latter talking to a foreign diplomat. What a relief! And yet, no sooner had she found him, she noticed Tarik was gone. Her heart beat a cold pulse; he was teasing her, hiding in the crowd only to approach her silently and without warning. This fear was insane and irrational, yes, but then again, so was he. She did her best to keep her composure while throwing careful looks over her shoulder hoping to take a peek of his unmistakeable figure, but found nothing; the tingle of fear constricted her throat tighter.
And then she saw him, only a few feet away. He looked at her with an amused smile, his vibrant eyes intense, his smirk making him look almost macabre. She looked around, desperate for some diversion, any excuse to walk away, but found nothing. She straightened herself. If she could not avoid him, then let him come; this was her home and she would not be intimidated. She almost snorted at the confidence in his expression, the smug pace to his step; he was as arrogant as always. And then, just as she braced herself for the inevitable encounter, someone pulled her arm, causing her to turn around completely so that the Calormene Prince was now staring at her back.
"My Lady, you have been requested by His Majesty" Rainidan said in a grave tone, brows furrowed deeply.
"Alright, sure, take me to him" she answered, a bit perplexed – but immensely relieved – at the sudden turn of events. Rainidan's lips curled into a small satisfied smirk as he threw a glance to the Prince; his sneer faltered and his jaws were clenched: he was definitely incensed.
Rainidan led her to a small sitting room which had been set up in one of the corners, cleverly avoiding the groups of guests scattered across the room. He politely offered the Princess a seat before sitting down himself.
"Are you alright, My Lady?" he asked, stopping one of the passing maids and handing her a glass of sweet wine.
"Yes, I am. You arrived just in time, Rainidan, thank you" Tairin breathed, taking several large gulps before offering him a sweet smile.
"I saw the way he was looking at you, Your Highness, I couldn't let him put you under any more discomfort. I had half a mind to ask him not to inconvenience you any further" Rainidan spoke, glaring at the Crown Prince of Calormen; the knight's outrage could be felt from afar.
"No, please, don't. The last thing I want is for a fight to ruin this celebration; he would most likely react violently and I prefer you to remain unwounded, Rain. Nevertheless, thank you for your concern, it's very sweet" Tairin replied, squeezing his forearm lightly.
She made a few jokes and comments on mutual acquaintances so as to distract them both from the near-incident with Tarik. They had succumbed into a quiet fit of laughter after Rainidan made a particularly scathing comment – an extremely rare and unusual reaction from the ever-formal knight – before he checked himself, failing partially as he too started laughing.
"Have you seen Zephyr? I've been looking for him" she asked, the ghost of laughter still heavy on her voice.
"He is over there, talking to Duke Perlith – obnoxious man, sure wanting to sell his daughter again – but by the looks of it, the least Zeph is interested in is Perlith's talk" a familiar voice answered and they looked up to find Scorpio walking nonchalantly towards them, glass of wine in one hand and his trademark jackanapes smile on his face.
"Then again, I suppose Perlith is too thick to realise Zeph has been glaring at Tarik for some time. Honestly, I don't know how Zeph does to keep the diplomatic act, I mean, look at him, it's obvious he is burning with anger" he added, proceeding with his description of Zephyr's current situation. Tairin threw a small stern look at her self-titled brother before looking at her fiancé. A deep sigh escaped from her lips as she confirmed Scorpio's blunt remark. She knew that posture: tensed muscles, squared shoulders, arms crossed, fists balled. And his eyes, the clear orbs that normally were calm with kindness, were darkened, frozen as ice, the gentle glints hardened by irritation; yes, it was the one, although rare, posture he took whenever he was livid.
"I don't blame him, we all know what Tarik is like. I hope for his sake that he does not try anything stupid; there are a few people around here that are itching for an excuse to beat the living lights out of him" Scorpio said gravely, biting the inside of his lip as he patted the hilt of his sword lightly.
"You know as well as I do that Tarik loves to unsheathe that scimitar of his at the smallest provocation, and despite that, you actually want to give him a reason to do it. Listen to me well Scorpio, if you get into a fight with him, I will be very, very disappointed at you; you are much better than that, don't lower yourself to his level" Tairin told him, deathly serious in her statement, her eyes contradicting the coldness of her tone. Scorpio looked away and had the decency to look abashed.
Gemini joined the group shortly after, having finally been able to free himself from a rather clingy Kalmykian lady.
"I never thought I'd say this, but Perlith's absurd talking has finally found a use: it's keeping Zeph from jumping at Tarik" the Crown Prince of Archenland mused, causing them all to chuckle.
"I don't think is Perlith, it's Zeph's extreme politeness and diplomacy what's keeping him from shoving his fine Archen boot in Tarik's fat royal ass" Scorpio added with a snort, yelping when Tairin pinched him, disgusted at his words.
"Yes, Scorpio, the last thing we wanted to imagine was Prince Tarik's behind" Rainidan told him, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, but you'd love to kick it, I know you do" Scorpio replied, and his three companions had to agree it was true.
"I was thinking, Tai – on the risk of sounding over-cautious – that it would perhaps be a good idea for you to share a room with Queen Lucy or Queen Susan tonight; I do not think it is beneath Tarik to try and invade your room at night" Gemini spoke, looking at Tai from above the rim of his goblet as he took a sip.
"Do you really think he'd be that foolish? There are too many guests and your own rooms are not far; it's too much of a risk, even for him, don't you think?" Tai argued.
"Maybe, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure Caspian will agree with us" Gemini told her, her deep sigh serving as an indicator that he had convinced her.
"Alright, you bunch of overprotective fools, I'll talk to Lucy and see if she agrees to share her room with me tonight. Now, if you allow me, I'll get Zeph to take some fresh air" Tairin said, rolling her eyes at the men and leaving in Zephyr's direction.
"Mind you, we should have asked Zeph's opinion. I'm sure he thinks Tai would be much safer sleeping in his room" Scorpio noted with a smirk.
"Shut up, Scorpio" said Gemini and Rainidan in unison, both throwing the blond Prince an annoyed look.
On another corner of the room, Edmund frowned. He had caught Tarik's fervent and rather disturbing glances at Tai; if what Caspian had told him was true – and he was certain it was – this man was not to be trusted. A light hand on his shoulder brought him back from his thoughts and he smiled at Casarah, who had just returned from talking to an acquaintance.
"Is there anything the matter, My K- I mean, Edmund?" she asked, biting her tongue at the small slip of formality.
"Nothing much. I just noticed that your cousin, Prince Tarik, seems quite taken by Princess Tairin" he commented, his hand gesturing over to a small sofa.
"Ah, yes, he's been besotted with her for ages now. Uncle is not happy about it, he says that this obsession of his will be his undoing" Casarah told lightly, sending a sorry look to her oldest cousin.
"Oh well, then let's hope he meets someone else tonight" Ed told casually, swiftly changing the subject by paying another compliment to his companion.
He could not ignore the feeling of déjà vu, this was too much of a coincidence. Honestly, was this some twisted joke of Destiny for Calormene princes to be so attracted to Narnian noblewomen?
A deep breath. The former general breathed in the fresh air, gazing at the grand doors in front of him. Out of simple habit, he straightened himself to a more elegant position. He was dressed in a fine suit, dark blue of elegant linen, silk threads of a lighter shade of blue entwined in a neat decorative pattern. How long it had been since the last time he wore fancy clothes... He took another breath to get rid of all the bitter images of the past and focused on the celebration happening in the ballroom next door. With a smile that almost disappeared behind his beard, he offered his arm to his niece, who had been quietly looking around, her mouth hanging open at the opulence of the corridor. He chuckled silently, knowing she would be much more impressed with the richness of the ballroom. Sweet child, she had never been somewhere so lavish.
The double doors opened, revealing them to the people inside. The General blinked, perhaps the first time in his life, in confusion and surprise. He had expected to meet a wave of political tension, conversations done mostly in whispers, people glaring at others across the room while murmuring with their companions. Instead, there were laughs, merry conversations, lively chatting and sincere expressions in the multitude of faces. Definitely, King Caspian had brought to life something that had been lost for a long time, lost perhaps, for the last 1300 years.
Remembering his etiquette, he searched the room for his King, and found him with no difficulty, his eyes well trained by war – a fact he would like to forget, especially in moments like this. The young King was talking to a group of noble men and women, among which were his royal sister and Queen Susan With a smile, Glozelle noticed the King's hand courteously wrapped around the Gentle Queen's waist. He waited for the group of guests to leave before he approached the royal trio, his curtsy impeccable.
"Greetings, Your Highnesses" he said gravely, returning to his perfectly straight position.
"Welcome General, and you too, Coralee, I am very glad you came" Caspian responded, nodding to Glozelle and offering a kind smile at the young girl. "You are looking particularly pretty today, I must say" the King complimented, inducing a strong blush in the girl's cheeks.
"I have to agree, my dear, you made a very fine choice of dress, and so did you, General" Princess Tairin noted. Glozelle nodded, his face perfectly straight as always. However, behind his spotless politeness, his eyes betrayed some shy surprise at her comment. Coralee was then snatched by Tairin, who waved at Caspian and Susan, saying something about needing to find Lucy. Royals and General were left staring at the Princess' enthusiasm, mortification soon finding its way to the General's face.
"Do not worry, Glozelle, Cora is in very good hands. Princess Tairin and my sister will take excellent care of her" Susan said kindly, delicately touching the man's shoulder with her hand. The gesture was so delicate, so kind in its simplicity, and the General smiled, unable to keep himself from doing so; the Gentle Queen's bearing was of a warmth that could not be ignored. Her approach to him was not one from a Queen to her subject, but most welcoming and disregarding of position or titles, and this brought an undefined sentiment to his chest, pleasant and uplifting. The King and Queen then were forced to leave, summoned by some ambassador, and Glozelle was left alone to watch the crowd.
A long breath, a sip of wine. There was something in the air, something pure and light, ridding his mind and soul from heaviness. And the General realised he now knew how peace truly felt like.
"Lucy! Ah, finally I found you!" Tairin exclaimed, stopping in front of the Valiant Queen, who had been picking some sweets at one of the tables. "Lu, I need to go, Scorpio did something really silly to impress a girl and I need to go check on him, could you take care of Cora for me? Show her around?" the Princess hurried to tell, stretching her neck to look over the mass of people searching for the Archen Prince.
"Oh, of course! I've wanted to meet you for a long time now!" Lucy said, turning to address the Telmarine girl, who smiled shyly and looked at her shoes.
"Great, see you girls soon" Tairin told, disappearing into the crowd once more, frowning lightly.
"So, Coralee, I'm Lucy, nice to meet you!" the Queen said, smiling brightly at her new acquaintance.
"Hello- I mean, good evening, Your Majesty" Coralee said awkwardly, trying to imitate her uncle in a bow, causing Lucy to giggle lightly.
"Oh dear, my friends call me Lucy, and you are my friend already!" Lucy said, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.
"Oh- um- alright- Lucy" Coralee said returning Lucy's smile.
"Do you want some?" Lucy offered then, pointing to the table where the silver platter she had been filling with sweets laid abandoned. Coralee nodded and both girls inched over the pastries and confections, eyes roaming over the glazed sweets.
"I'm glad you and your uncle came, Coralee, Caspian and Tairin have told me so much about you two" Lucy commented, reaching over to take a miniature lemon pie.
"My uncle didn't want to come at first, this whole thing has been very tough on him and I know it was hard for him to come back to the castle, he remembers too many things" Coralee told, her voice acquiring a tinge of sadness as she spoke.
"Your uncle is a brave man with a strong conscience and sense of what is right, it's always the good men who have it harder, because they are the noblest. I know he will get over it, he believes in the new Narnia and Aslan will show him the way; if he came today, it means that he is starting to break free from his self-blaming" Lucy told. Her voice, despite being the same, sounded older and her eyes gained a glint of wisdom, ocean blue becoming more intense. Coralee only nodded, smiling warmly; in her eyes, the hope for Lucy's words to be true.
"Alright, I think we got enough sweets. Come, let's introduce you to the others; they are so much fun, I'm sure you'll love them!" Lucy chirped, her tone becoming cheery and excited again.
Glozelle smiled without realising it, his reflection on the glass door in front of him betraying this to his eyes. He had been watching the garden terraces and the nightly sky when the little Queen's words reached him. She spoke so warmly of him, her words free from judgement of any kind, but full of hope, believing in him. It filled his chest with a glow he had not experienced in a long time. Suddenly, he felt lighter, his reflection staring back at him with a gleam, with a confidence that had not been there for so long.
And he believed. Because his Queen believed his future was bright and her faith was all he needed to be confident on it.
Susan was back in the room, Peter noticed after letting his eyes wander around for a moment. She was surrounded by a small group of nobles, men and women who were animatedly chatting to her, all of them laughing occasionally. He smiled at his sister, who was once again charming everyone with her intelligence and subtle humour. He was relieved to see that she seemed fine, no illness or discomfort troubling her. Yet she seemed different. There was a certain freedom in her movements, and her laugh was more relaxed, it was finally reaching her eyes. It had been at least several weeks since he had seen her so genuinely happy, with that brilliance in her gaze, and a quick look to her side confirmed his suspicions on who had caused this change. Caspian was standing close, a hand placed on her lower back in a polite gesture, a soft gaze in his eyes as he listened to her as she spoke.
Peter frowned. In a way it was only fair that Caspian was the one to return joy to her, since it was because of him that she had been in such state of distress. However, his brotherly concern kept warning him about the naughtiness the Telmarine was capable of, about all the disrespectful things he could be thinking on doing... No, no, no, this was not the time to think about that; he would address such brotherly concerns to the Telmarine King some other day. The important thing now was that Susan was alright and happy, and if it was because of Caspian, then he had to thank him. Still, this did not mean he would not kill Caspian if he did anything improper to Susan...
"Peter? Are you listening?" a voice asked accompanied by a light nudge, and he looked at the source of the voice. Nabeela had an eyebrow raised at him, and he could not help thinking she looked beautiful even when annoyed. He smiled sheepishly and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer.
"Sorry beautiful, I was only checking on my sister" he half whispered, leaning in to steal a soft kiss from her.
"Your sister can take care of herself, I am sure" Nabeela said, her cinnamon eyes boring into his. "I was thinking, what do you think about us going out, you know, take some fresh air" the Maharabian Princess added, the last words whispered to his ear, her hand entwining with his. Whatever ghost of hesitance he could have had vanished, and he let her lead them outside, anywhere she wanted.
Tairin rolled her eyes. The look Nabeela had on her face said it all, like a hunter that had found a big, fat prey. The Maharabian Princess had a proud glint in her eyes as she walked around the room; of course, she had caught herself a king – a famous one at that – and was revelling in the envious glances she was getting from other women. To an extent, this was no surprise: it was to be expected from her. But for someone who claimed to be so good at seeing through people with wrong intentions, Mr Magnificent had fallen into her trap almost too willingly. Well, perhaps it would do him some good to be knocked off his high horse; Aslan knew the man needed a lesson of humility. And yet, what really bothered her was Nabeela's look of triumph, the way she pranced around with that air of victory, her eyes betraying some wicked plan taking shape; every single one of her movements told no good was to come.
She was startled by an unexpected tap on her arm, her reaction causing her companion to snicker quietly.
"Oh, shut up Ed" she whispered, glaring at the smirking King.
"I'm sorry, but let's agree that glaring at Peter's choice of companion is hardly something unworthy of interruption" the King pointed out casually, pouring some more wine into Tairin's glass before topping up his.
"At least it's clear to you that it's not your brother who has my attention" she added quietly, taking a sip from her drink.
"Quite. And yet, it is curious to notice others seem to share your feelings regarding Peter's new friend, to put it nicely" Ed replied, earning a questioning look from Tairin. The young King smiled at her curiosity and nodded casually to the side, discreetly pointing at two men across the room. Gemini and Prince Taabish stared darkly at the terrace doors, their previous conversation interrupted; Prince Taabish had a cold, hard, almost grim look on his eyes, while Gemini had tensed his jaw and shoulders.
Tairin exhaled loudly, causing Edmund to look at her.
"I was hoping you could tell me the reason behind this most interesting phenomenon" he told, causing her to snort and roll her eyes.
"Hold on, I'm interested in this story as well" a voice said close to them, and they turned to smile at Susan.
"You lost dear Caspian, sister? You seemed so attached last time I saw you" Edmund teased, brown orbs glinting impishly.
"No, he was snatched – quite rudely, I must say – by some nobles" Susan replied, ignoring the tease behind her brother's comment. "And you, Ed? Did Lady Casarah grow bored of you already?" she asked then, stinging the King with a bit of her own mocking. Edmund's ears turned red at her words. Ed cleared his throat before speaking again.
"Quite the contrary, Susan dearest, but her aunt asked for her and I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't let her attend to family matters" he explained, his chest puffing slightly as he straightened his posture stoically.
"Oh, Caspian will love to hear about your gentlemanly ways" Tairin teased, causing Ed to pale and Susan to laugh.
"Weren't you going to tell us some story, Tairin? It seems to me you're trying to change the topic" Edmund urged pointedly, hoping to stop the two women from teaming up against him.
"Alright, alright, if you're so keen on hearing about it..." Tairin told with a chuckle. "To be honest, truth and rumours are too many and too tangled for me to even know where to begin, but I do know a few to be true. Prince Taabish, for instance, was to be married to his childhood sweetheart, a girl he was madly in love with, until Nabeela plotted so that they were found in bed together. She had sedated him with some herb so he did not remember a thing. His fiancée could not be convinced of his innocence and broke off the engagement before moving to Rimini. Poor Taab was the picture of heartbreak for weeks after the incident; he was so absent, he looked as if he had lost his soul along with his heart" Tairin told, throwing a sad look at the Calormene Prince, who had resumed his conversation with Gemini once again.
"Gemini too had a similar experience with her, which is the main reason of my distrust for her. And mind you, she even flung herself at Zephyr in her aim to annoy me, but her plan backfired because Zeph is an absolute gentleman; bless him, he was even ashamed when he told me about it. To top it up, when confronted about it, the devious snake had the little shame to feign innocence! She tried to seduce Scorpio into taking her side but he only laughed in her face, told her he didn't mate with snakes" the Telmarine Princess pointed out with a laugh. "One thing is clear, I don't like her in the slightest, and the feeling is mutual" Tairin summarised, leaving the two Pevensies astounded.
"Another clear example of how a book can't be judged by its cover" Ed told gravely. "The Raj is such an honest and transparent person, who would have thought that his daughter likes to play in the dark" he added, disgust making its way to his voice.
"Indeed, the Raj and the rest of his family are among the nicest and most decent people I know, but, as they say, there is always one rotten apple in the batch" Tairin added shaking her head and exhaling a long breath.
"My heart is restless for Peter, because he is oblivious to all of this. I fear to what her intentions with him are, I mean, for all we know Peter could be just her newest distraction and it is only time before she grows bored of him. Meanwhile, Peter may very well fall truly in love with her" Susan breathed, her expression betraying her heartache for her older brother.
"I understand your concern, but your brother is his own man and needs to learn his own lessons. It is up to him to open his eyes to Nabeela's true nature or pick himself up from the fall if he doesn't" Tairin commented, the seriousness in her tone not hiding a slight satisfaction at Peter learning the bad way, a hint Edmund caught with some interest but kept aside to ponder on some other time.
The subject stretched into further conversation, Tairin adding other bits and pieces of tales she had heard about the Maharabian Princess. Lucy joined them shortly after, deep in thought and looking slightly upset.
"What's wrong, Lu?" Susan asked; it was unusual for Lucy to be so quiet, particularly during a ball.
"Oh, nothing, nothing, It was just- nothing" the young Queen told, shaking her head rapidly, her tone unconvincing.
"Lu, you're not a good liar" Edmund pointed out calmly, his brown gaze allowing a peek of warm concern. Lucy exhaled loudly.
"It's Peter, I mean, nothing is wrong with him, I just- well, you know the two of us always have at least one dance together in parties, like we used to in the Golden Age. Well, when I asked him, I noticed how Nabeela made a face and rolled her eyes, but then smiled when Peter looked at her" Lucy explained, her gaze switching among her siblings and Tairin.
"Oh darling, she is selfish and I'm sure she didn't want your brother's attention to be shared. Don't let her silly attitude bother you, she doesn't deserve it" Tairin told, leaning over to look into Lucy's eyes.
"Oh, I know, it's not her I'm upset about, it's Peter. He hesitated when I asked him and I felt he accepted out of obligation, almost. He looked at Nabeela with an apologetic look, as if this was something he had to do rather than wanted to do. He has never done this before; he was always happy to dance with me, now I'm not so sure" Lucy replied, disappointment shining in her deep blue eyes.
"I can understand that his- um- priorities have changed, but this does not justify his attitude. I will talk to him tomorrow Lu, but for now, we will let him be and not think about this anymore, alright? He's had a few drinks, he's not thinking straight" Susan told, rubbing Lucy's arms comfortingly.
"Well, he's not thinking with his head, if you know what I mean" Ed noted under his breath, causing Tairin to snort and Susan to send him a pointed look as she pulled Lucy into a hug.
"I don't understand what's so great about it, really; they way they kiss is kind of gross, arms everywhere, ugh!" the young Queen then added with a smile, all four of them bursting in laughter, the mood light and merry again.
Caspian spared a thankful thought at this small moment of solitude, having just spent the good part of an hour talking to a group of Tarnovan and Koperski diplomats. His thoughts immediately turned to Susan as he searched the crowd looking for her. Nevertheless, before he could even get a hint of her whereabouts, he noticed Zirid walking in his direction, looking positively irritated, a glass of what he recognised as strong Telmarine whisky in his hand.
"What is she doing here?!" the Telmarine Lord asked crossly, waving his hand in Nabeela's general direction. Caspian drew a long breath, looking apologetically at his friend.
"Believe me, I wouldn't have invited her if I had the choice, it would have assured us less problems in the future" he said, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. Zirid replied with a snort, not at all surprised at the undertone in Caspian's words.
"Especially since High King Peter has fallen into her trap so magnificently" the young Lord spoke, his lips curling into smirk at his own pun. Caspian let out a laugh.
"But, say, shouldn't you be worried for him? I mean, she can end up being your sister-in-law" Zirid added casually, his amber eyes trained on his friend's face, ready to catch his reaction.
"What?!" Caspian exclaimed with a strangled voice, his eyes bulging wide.
"Don't look at me like that; you think I didn't notice you and Queen Susan? Sorry to break it to you, but you're not fooling anyone. Too much for someone who claimed not to have fallen for her, huh? Come on, say it, who was right?" Zirid teased, leaning forward and bringing a hand to his ear.
"Shut up, pillar-smoocher!" Caspian replied, growing very hot all of a sudden. Zirid let out a throaty laugh. Their friendly – and at times hugely out of line – bantering quickly faded back into the previous topic just as Cyprian joined them.
"Someone needs to tell the poor man who he is dealing with" Cyprian stated, glaring at Nabeela, who had just leaned in to whisper something on Peter's ear.
"Not the first one to suggest that today" Caspian replied dispiritedly, shooting a meaningful glance at his friend. Cyprian snorted, his honey-coloured gaze dark with anger, an uncommon sight for anyone who knew the Telmarine Lord. Caspian could only remember one instance he had seen his friend so incensed. With a sigh of relief, he welcomed the sight of Susan and smiled at her.
"Ah, Queen Susan, how are you on this fine night? I must say you look ravishing, if you allow me" Zirid sprung, plastering his best charming smile.
"Lord Zirid, kind as always" she replied with a chuckle as he kissed her hand. Cyprian excused himself shortly after, leaving the three of them staring at his retreating back.
"Did I interrupt something?" Susan asked puzzled, sincerely taken aback by Cyprian's unusually cold behaviour.
"Of course not, my darling, Cyp is just feeling a little under the weather" Caspian hurried to explain, sharing a look with Zirid.
"I only hope it is not because of Princess Nabeela; I fear she may have upset many among our guests. If only we had known…" Susan lamented, heaving a sigh.
"Oh? So you've told her?" Zirid asked, turning to Caspian.
"Yes, although I did not go into too much detail" the King replied, looking a bit apprehensive.
"You mean to tell me there is more to that horrible story?" Susan interjected.
"May I interest you in the whole account?" Zirid offered. Susan nodded.
"My darling, are you sure? I don't want you to grow even more upset about this" Caspian intervened, deep concern pouring from his dark orbs.
"I'd feel worse not knowing. I'd rather have as many details possible so as to be able to have a clearer idea of whom we are dealing with" Susan replied, placing a delicate hand on his forearm, touched with his sweet apprehension. She then gestured for Zirid to begin his tale.
"My father keeps several good relations and business connections with a few important Maharabian noblemen, and in one of those occasions, the Raj had allowed his daughter to accompany one of her uncles on a business trip here" Zirid started, looking into his glass as he spoke, his tone indicating he was not particularly pleased with the memory.
"And being the shameless charmer he is, he immediately began an affair with her" Caspian added, patting his friend's shoulder.
"Your description places me in a very bad light, Caspian, I would have used other words" Zirid commented, pretending to be offended. Caspian laughed, totally unrepentant.
"But yes, we got involved and I can assure you, My Queen, there is nothing I regret more than this thoughtless misstep" he added seriously, remorse swirling in his gaze. "We kept in touch over time, and we met in Maharayab when my father took me along with him. It was a mindless affair, and I think it would have caused fewer problems had it remained that way. Yet, during her second visit to Narnia, Cyprian caught us in a less than fitting setting. Imagine my surprise when my brother threw himself at me in a violent outburst, yelling all sorts of incoherence and managing to aim a couple of good blows to my face before I even had time to understand what was happening. We were eventually separated by some guards and servants, and it was then when I learnt – from Cyprian's own mouth – that he had been in love with Nabeela all along. That wicked woman had seduced my brother pretending to be a sweet, chaste maiden, all while flirting openly with me. I could see in her eyes how amused she was by our fight, relishing each insult, each punch; she caused a rift between us only for her sick entertainment" he told, his expression hardening as he spoke of the Maharabian Princess. Susan listened wide-eyed, unable to believe what she had just heard.
"Never before had I even considered the thought of hurting a woman, but for a moment all I wanted was to snap her neck in two! I had never been so angry, nor have I ever screamed like when I demanded to know why she had done this. That viper had the nerve to laugh at me, revelling in the delight of having hurt one of the few people I care for the most" Zirid told painfully.
"That same day, Cyprian burst into the training grounds looking for me. He wanted to know if I knew about your fling with Nabeela – which I didn't although I had my suspicions – and told me what happened" Caspian spoke, relieving Zirid of his role of narrator. "I told him that you may be a charmer, but you're not a scoundrel to the point of doing that to his own brother; your moral compass may be a tad off, but you have limits you wouldn't cross. Thankfully, Cyp knows this well, that's why when he cooled off he came to reason. You should be grateful that your brother actually listened to me and saw Nabeela was not the damsel in distress but the dragon" he added, looking at his friend.
"I am astounded" Susan breathed. "That woman is a psychopath! Tairin told me some truly disturbing stories earlier and now this! Nevertheless, I have no trouble believing she is indeed capable of such atrocities, which is what scares me the most. The way she plays with people, how she manipulates them so coldly, it is frightening! I can't help to be troubled for Peter, Aslan knows what she could do to him, or indeed, make him do. And yet, he is too besotted to listen" she said, still perplexed.
"Your royal brother is no fool, Majesty, I believe he will soon realise her true wicked nature" Zirid intervened, offering a hopeful smile at her.
"We are all worried for him, my sweet, but we are also here to help him. The fact that so many among us know the real Nabeela means she must tread carefully. Sooner or later she'll make a mistake, and we will be there to open Peter's eyes to her nastiness" Caspian told, squeezing her hands reassuringly. "Now, please, let's not worry about this, not right now. We are here to have a good time, right? So how about a dance?" the King, added, successfully changing the topic and brightening Susan's mood.
"You do well. Go, have fun and enjoy the party, I shall do the same!" Zirid exclaimed merrily.
"Zirid, please behave" the King said over his shoulder as they were leaving.
"I wouldn't hold too much faith on it" Zirid replied with a wink.
Cyprian took a deep breath and poured himself some whisky. He was trembling as he grabbed the bottle and sighed, he had to calm down. The strong drink shook him a bit off his angered state, the burning in his throat surprisingly soothing. He closed his eyes for a moment, enclosing the offending memory back in a distant corner of his mind. The clink of glass on his side caught his attention and he looked up, blood freezing in his veins.
"Hello Cyprian, it's been so long, have you missed me?" Nabeela spoke brazenly, her smirk telling just how much she was enjoying the moment.
"How dare−"
"No, no, I'm not here to chat, so you're going to shut up and listen to me" Nabeela interrupted, her tone becoming serious and dangerous.
"You'd be clever to keep your mouth shut about me around Peter, if you value your life, that is" she hissed.
"Oh, so you are afraid of just how revolted the High King will be once he is told how much of a slut you are?" Cyprian replied, a smirk curling his lips as Nabeela tensed, doubtlessly irritated. Her annoyance lasted only an instant, for she then smiled, only a spark of annoyance left in her dark orbs.
"Be nice as to pass the message to King Caspian and your brother, I know you are all talking behind my back" she said, pointing carelessly towards where Caspian and Zirid were standing. She then turned to leave, not before blatantly blowing a kiss to Cyprian.
"Oh, yes, one more thing" she added before turning completely. "Tell your brother I'm missing him terribly, will you?" and having said that, she left, laughing viciously. Cyprian shook in anger, his glass giving under the pressure of his grasp.
Ed had joined Caspian and Zirid in conversation when Cyprian passed by them, bolting out of the room through the nearest door. The three men followed shortly, making sure they drew no attention to themselves, their chase after the young Lord ending in front of the widely open door of Caspian's study.
"Cyp, what happ-" Zirid voiced, but his question was left unfinished as his brother vented his anger by throwing a porcelain vase at the wall, a loud crash echoing in the room.
"There goes Prunaprismia's favourite vase… Oh well" Caspian murmured, his ill-timed comment earning him a weird look from Edmund.
Cyprian was still breathing heavily when they managed to get him to sit on the sofa, his normally careless gaze now blazing with anger.
"Here" Caspian murmured, passing Edmund some bandages and a glass of a strong liquor meant for cleaning the wound. However, Cyprian got hold of it first and downed it on one go, hissing as the liquid travelled down his throat. He then handed the empty glass back at Caspian who stared at him for an instant before blinking and refilling the glass, making sure he placed it in Edmund's hand this time.
The Just King inspected the gashes covering the Lord's palm, wiping the blood away to get a better look, while the other two men tried unsuccessfully to get some explanation out of the injured man. After a moment of groans and glares from Cyprian, they gave up, waiting for him to calm down a bit. The task proved to be difficult because of the winces and hissing caused my Edmund's intervention on his hand, several small fragments of glass needing to be taken out before a proper bandage could be placed. The King then tipped the alcohol in the wound to avoid any possible infection, causing Cyprian to yell a long throng of profanities, both Caspian and Zirid surprised that he knew so many.
After downing another glass of the strong drink, Cyprian finally seemed willing to tell them what happened.
"She came to talk to me" he said after short moment of silence. His three companions remained silent. Their puzzlement must have shown in their faces for Cyprian then added:
"Nabeela"
Zirid tensed immediately at hearing the name. Caspian sighed, sharing a look with Edmund, who frowned.
"She came slithering like the snake she is, all arrogant and confident. She is afraid of us telling the High King about her rotten deals and threatened me, all of us, actually" he told, glaring at an empty space. Caspian, Edmund and Zirid listened carefully, eyebrows sometimes abandoning their frown to shoot up in displeased surprise. The story was heavily interrupted by Zirid's whispered cursing, his hand banging the nearest surfaces as he walked around.
"...and then the glass broke in my hand" Cyprian finished, shaking his hand lightly.
"That whore!" Zirid exclaimed, aiming a kick at the nearest armchair.
"There, there Zid, no need to mistreat the furniture" Caspian told him off absentmindedly. "Well, if she felt the need to place a threat it means she is scared, and scared people make mistakes. I wouldn't' make much of her threat, she hasn't got the means to back it up" he added seriously, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You're right, I know you are, but her boldness still manages to make my blood boil. As you said, she is scared, which means she is not confident in her hold on High King Peter, not yet" Zirid reasoned, dropping himself on the sofa next to his brother.
"Threat or no threat, there is no point in telling Peter, he won't listen" Edmund told then, throwing an aggravated glance at Caspian, seeing in his stance that he had had the same thought.
"King Peter is a noble man, but perhaps too noble. I don't think he would believe us, not without concrete proof. Nabeela is a master in manipulating others, she can easily put him against us by placing herself as the victim" Caspian observed, tapping the surface of his desk absentmindedly, leaning on it.
"Exactly, Peter's chivalry makes him prone to believing her and will prod him to come in her defence; she can invent all sorts of intrigues to make us look unfair and conspiring" Ed agreed calmly from his seat.
"He needs to see it for himself, he will trust her until she makes a faux pas, which she will, as soon as she gets confident or scared enough" Caspian affirmed, a small certitude glistening in his eyes. "In the meantime, I think we should return to the ball. Tairin must have noticed our absence and she may start worrying if we take too long" he added, pushing himself off the desk and stretching.
The four men returned to the ballroom, glad to notice that people had been totally oblivious to them being gone. As he had predicted, though, Tairin approached them immediately, visibly relieved.
"Good to see you back, I thought some tipsy lady had scared you lot into hiding" she joked, smirking lightly.
"I wouldn't hesitate if it were Lady Almira, rumour has it that after she became a widow she's got a taste for young, handsome men" Zirid told, eyeing the woman in question with a shudder, causing everyone to laugh. Susan then joined the group, her smile particularly bright as she looked at Caspian.
"Was your absence the result of one of those moments you men have when you are in need of a gossip?" the Gentle Queen taunted lightly. Her crystal clear eyes sparkled with harmless teasing, causing Caspian to lose himself in her silver gaze for a moment.
"Something like that" Edmund replied, sending an awkward look at Caspian which did not pass Susan's notice. The Gentle Queen, however, refrained from enquiring further.
"Take it from me, my dear, stories involving these three can be harrowing to hear" Tairin joshed, pointing at Caspian, Zirid and Cyprian.
As conversation went on, Susan noticed the bandage in Cyprian's, curiosity finally getting the best out of her.
"Lord Cyprian, did you hurt yourself?" she asked politely, trying not to sound prying. Cyprian nodded and smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, this? This was the result of my own carelessness, Your Majesty, nothing to worry about" he replied with a smile.
"More like a snake bite, actually" Zirid commented under his breath, earning a pointed look from Caspian.
"A snake?" Susan asked, confused.
"Nabeela" Tairin replied, guessing the meaning behind Zirid's comment. Susan looked alarmed.
"Please, Your Majesty, Tai, do no worry about me" Cyprian told sincerely. "A glass broke in my hand, but it was nothing serious. King Edmund was kind enough to patch me up" he added, patting Edmund in the back with his uninjured hand.
"Aw, Cyp, you're too sweet, she is definitely not worth your forgiveness" Tairin told affectionately, patting the Lord's cheek kindly.
"Oh, Tairin dear, if only you knew how pained I am at her reappearance! She has opened old wounds and I need love to close them up again" Zirid said lamented, looking at the Princess with his best stray-puppy eyes.
"Reading drama novels again, Zirid?" Tairin joked. "Mind you, I would not poke Zephyr's temper if I were you. Plus, if you are in such need, you should go ask Lucy, I was told you're rather fond of her" she retailed, her fox-like smirk betraying her delight in mocking the young Lord.
"You're a dead king, Caspian!" Zirid exclaimed in a hiss, turning to glare at his old friend. Caspian had been laughing under his breath until that very moment, but was unable to contain a loud fit of cackles at his friend's outrage, joining Cyprian's tearful guffaws and Edmund's quieter chortling.
A long moment was needed for all of them to stop laughing while Zirid glared at them sulkily.
"Well now, if you excuse me, the night is young and I want to share a few dances – and perhaps a few kisses – before I can call it a night" he said once conversation had started again, pairing a mischievous look with a cocky smile.
"Stay away from the married and engaged women, would you?" Caspian badgered.
"If you're talking about our beautiful Gentle Queen, worry not; I've seen enough of your skill with the sword to be forever discouraged of trying your temper, my friend" Zirid replied cheekily before waving and walking into the crowd.
A few hours later, the Narnian royals had dispersed around the room, graciously taking on their hosting duties.
"Ah, we get to speak at last, King Caspian" said a pleasant voice behind him, and Caspian turned to address the person with a smile.
"King Trojka, Queen Zarina, welcome! Are you enjoying yourselves?" Caspian greeted, shaking hands with the King and placing a polite, charming kiss on the back of the Queen's hand.
"Oh we are, greatly! A truly exceptional celebration that could only be held in a most exceptional place, of course. You are the King of a marvellous land, Your Highness, spectacular as it is unique" the fellow King praised. Caspian thanked the compliments with a nod of his head, a flash of shyness and pride dancing in his eyes.
"The compliment means so much more coming from you, dear friend. I hear Tarnova is a most beautiful country as well" the Faithful King replied, sincerely meaning the compliment even though he had only heard stories about the beauties of the land of the west. "Also, one look at your charming wife tells me you are a connoisseur of beauty" he added, smiling at the Queen.
"If by connoisseur you mean lucky man, then yes, very" the Tarnovian King told, looking lovingly at his wife.
"Oh, look at this, barely three minutes in your company, King Caspian, and my husband is already more charming" Queen Zarina joked, earning a reproachful look from her husband before they burst in laughter.
As conversation went by, the foreign King hinted his wish of meeting the rest of the Narnian royal family, a desire he expressed almost coyly, causing Caspian to smile at his kind demeanour. He quickly threw a look around the room, hoping to find any of the four royals. He spotted Edmund across the room, and the young King seemed engrossed in a conversation with Lady Casarah: judging by their closeness, there was more than mere diplomatic interest involved. Peter, of course, was nowhere to be found – kidnapped by Nabeela most likely. Thus, he appealed to the Queens, finding them both conversing together. Susan caught him looking at them and smiled, causing him to forget for a split moment what King Trojka was talking about. She was just so beautiful and radiant that his attention was captured every time he laid eyes on her.
"Queen Lucy, Queen Susan, it is my greatest pleasure to introduce King Trojka of Tarnova and Sabri, and his wife, Queen Zarina" he explained formally, not able to contain an enamoured smile at Susan, who mirrored his gesture.
"Your Majesties, what a pleasure! What a pleasure indeed! The legends, the stories, the tales that have travelled to our country, even if magnificent, do not suffice to tell the grandness of your presence and beauty" the King complimented ornately. The Queens let out a pleasant laugh; the monarch's sincere flamboyance was a welcome change from the more classic formality of other nobles.
"I was told you have a little daughter, I hope you found the nursery to your convenience" Susan told, earning a warm smile from the foreign royals.
"Oh, it was just perfect and the nursemaids are truly adorable. Dear Tizane is still too young to properly enjoy balls, although I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for you to meet her" Zarina explained with a motherly gleam to her eyes.
"Meanwhile, this young man insisted to be allowed to come to the ball, he was most excited about meeting Aslan" Trojka told, patting his son's shoulder. The Tarnovian Prince – a young boy about Edmund's age with dark brown hair and caramel coloured eyes that he appeared to have inherited from both his parents – shot a look at his father and cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment at being put in the spotlight.
"Father!" he whispered awkwardly.
"Your Majesties, allow me to introduce you to my son, Prince Cyrek of Tarnova and Sabri" Trojka said then, a spark of amusement dancing in his amber eyes. The young Prince bowed elegantly and greeted them with impeccable formality, his manners perfectly gallant as he kissed both Queens' hands. His eyes, however, remained on Lucy once the introductions were over, a fact that Caspian found most interesting. The little Queen then engaged in conversation with the Prince, both excitedly talking about Aslan.
"You must forgive my brothers, Your Highnesses, it appears that they are otherwise engaged" Susan said apologetically. "I am certain you will meet them before the end of the evening, although I do hope you will grace us with your presence for a few days" she added warmly. Caspian admired her for a moment. Her natural way to be perfectly inviting made her an effortless hostess and caused people to be drawn towards her. And such was the case of the Tarnovian royals; both King and Queen had surrendered to the charm of the Gentle Queen, and their growing affection was duly reciprocated by the Queen of Old. Susan then shot him a small pointed look and he looked away, conscious that he had been smirking at her statement about her brothers, knowing exactly what kind of engagement was keeping the two Kings.
"Are you sure it would not be any trouble? I think I speak for all of us when I say we are thrilled at the prospect of exploring more of Narnia and learning more about its people" Zarina told, the glint in her eyes betraying her excitement at the prospect.
"Absolutely not, it will be no trouble at all, on the contrary!" Susan replied warmly.
"Indeed, this castle is so big and we love having guests around" Lucy peeped in, interrupting her conversation with the Tarnovian Prince for a moment.
"In that case, how can we possibly refuse such a kind and generous offer! We are flattered, Your Highness and it will be our pleasure to accept your invitation" Trojka commented with a grin.
"Excellent! Although, I must insist that you call me Susan" asked the Gentle Queen, from what they all engaged in a conversation about the disadvantages of titles on daily life.
A few moments later, Caspian caught a familiar set of robes and a mop of messy hair out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to grab Edmund's arm, successfully stopping the King from scurrying by.
"Ah, Edmund, there you are! You ought to meet King Trojka and his family" the Telmarine King said with a smile. Ed tensed at the wicked gleam dancing in Caspian's eyes, a gleam that promised a round of painful teasing in the near future. How exactly did his blasted best friend do to see everything that happened, most particularly what he should not be witnessing?!
The Tarnovian Queen was then called by a nursemaid about her daughter, and Edmund reminded Caspian with a nudge that he needed to return to Casarah, so they each took to a different direction. Lucy, having warmed up to Prince Cyrek, invited him to join her and her friends. With a wave to Caspian and Susan, she was off, the Prince trailing behind her.
"It seems it's just you and me again, My Queen" Caspian said in a low, raspy voice, spilling shivers down Susan's spine.
"At last, we've spent almost the entire night hosting people. I must say, I would quite like to take a break for a moment" she replied, her eyes slightly narrowed in an impish look, thrilling him to no ends. Without another word, he took her hand and guided her to the nearest exit, Caspian's knowledge of the castle taking them to a more secluded area. Once they made sure that they were completely alone, the King and Queen shared a passionate kiss. And another, and another.
AN: there you have it peeps! The ball continues in the next chapter and there will be more of Prince Tarik. I'm quite excited about the things I have planned and I hope you like them! As always, reviews are most welcome; I love reading your comments!
Also, I've received a few messages concerning the ages of the characters, so here we go:
Caspian: 18
Susan: 15
Peter: 16
Edmund: 14
Lucy: 12
Tairin: 15
Gemini: 22
Scorpio: 19
Zephyr: 21
Rainidan: 20
Myrina: 13
These are their ages so far in the story; I'll be updating this every now and then :) If you want to know how old any other character is, ask me in the comments!
Until next time!
Cheers!