Chapter 11
"Rose!" Annabelle stepped forward and embraced me in a tight hug "Rose, I'm going to miss you. You've been a great friend even though I've only known you for a while"
I hugged her back "I'm going to miss you too Anna"
"When I get back I'll send you a letter and you'll have to visit me one day" Anna said as she stepped into her carriage "Bye Rose! Goodbye everybody!"
We all waved our goodbyes as her carriage drove away. I walked back to my room and opened the thick romance book I had started reading earlier.
I had probably been reading for most of the day because when I looked out the window the sun was starting to set.
"Hey Rose"
My eyes moved from the window to the door. Edmund was there, leaning on the door frame.
"Hi Ed"
"So Lucy tells me you've been in here for the whole day"
"Yes. So?"
Edmund smirked "I'm here to get you out"
"Wait wha- Edmund! No! Put me down!" I screamed as Edmund grabbed me and walked out of the room carrying me on his shoulder. I tried kicking and struggling but his grip on my waist stayed firm.
"Quit hitting me" he complained.
I kept on hitting his back with my fists "Not until you put me down"
Edmund laughed "Not a chance"
I looked over my shoulder and saw that we were heading towards the beach. My eyes widened as I realized what he was going to do.
"Edmund, don't you dare! Put me down" I knew it was the wrong thing to say when I was submerged in waist-deep water. My head broke through the surface and I glared at Edmund, who was laughing at me. I dived under and grabbed his ankles and dragged him under. I could see his face under the water. I smiled and poked my tongue at him before resurfacing.
"Who's laughing now?"
Edmund made a face and spit a mouth full of water at me. I squealed "Edmund! That's disgusting!"
He smirked and dove under the water. Suddenly, he came up behind me. I turned around before I got hit in the face with water. Edmund cracked up laughing.
"That was meant to hit your back!"
I frowned and splashed him back. That shut him up. We continued to keep splashing each other until it got dark. Edmund and I walked out of the water soaking wet from head to toe and collapsed on the sand. I put my head on Edmund's shoulder and we watched the sky silently.
"The stars here are different to back in England, aren't they?" I asked quietly. Edmund nodded.
"I think they're much beautiful here"
"I agree"
"Edmund! Rosalina!"
We both sat up to see Susan walking up to us looking annoyed. I looked at Edmund and he seemed annoyed as Susan came closer.
"What have you two been doing?" Susan asked when she reached us.
"Having fun" Edmund replied casually.
"Well, you two had better go get changed into something dry before King Isaac and Princess Katarina get here" Susan turned and walked away. Edmund scowled at his sisters' retreating figure.
I turned to him "Where are they from?"
"Fredonia Islands but they're coming here from their visit in Archenland"
"Oh, so they're staying here for political reasons?"
"I guess you could say that" Edmund sighed and muttered something incoherent under his breath.
"What"
"I-I could marry the princess if it's absolutely necessary for peace between our two countries"
I felt my heart drop.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I guess I forgot"
I stood up angrily "Right, like something that important just slips from your head"
"Rose-"
"No Ed, Susan's right. I need to go get changed"
I stormed away from the beach and to my room. Ignoring the strange looks I received from people I passed by. When I got to my room a dryad had already drawn a bath for me and set out a new dress for me to wear. I mumbled my thanks and she left my room. Slowly, I peeled my wet dress off me and slid into the bath. I relaxed when the warmth of the water seeped into my skin. I washed my hair and got into a new dress before walking down to the courtyard where we were meant to meet King Isaac and Princess Katarina. Susan smiled at me, clearly happy about my change in attire. I had to stand next to Edmund, which irritated me because I wasn't in the mood to talk to him.
"Hey Rosie"
My heart leapt when he called me by my old nickname.
"Hi Edmund" I said stiffly. I heard him sigh and look at the carriage that was heading our way. It stopped in front of us and a bearded man, King Isaac, stepped out with a young girl with blonde hair who I realized was Princess Katarina.
"Ah, King Isaac, welcome to Narnia!" Peter greeted them "I hope you had a safe journey here"
"Yes, it was wonderful indeed" King Isaac replied in a loud, deep voice. He motioned to his daughter "As you all may know, this is my daughter, Princess Katarina"
The princess smiled and curtsied.
Peter nodded "You have met my brother and sisters, Queen Susan, Queen Lucy and King Edmund. This is our good friend Lady Rosalina"
I did the same as Princess Katarina, smile and curtsey.
"Edmund, why don't you show the princess around and I will discuss matters with King Isaac"
I saw Edmund glance at me before offering his arm to Princess Katarina and walking away. Peter, Susan and Lucy went off with King Isaac and so I walked back to my room. I leaned on the balcony and looked up at the full moon, its light illuminating the grass below. I was like that for a while until I heard talking. I looked down to see Edmund and the princess a little further away, sitting on my favourite bench and laughing about something. I turned and walked back into my room and sat on my bed and started reading again. Berani jumped on the bed beside me.
"You're angry at King Edmund" He stated. I nodded.
"Are you angry at him because he didn't tell you or are you angry at him because you're jealous?"
I closed my book and looked at Berani.
"What?"
"Arani wants to know"
I stayed silent, thinking of why I was angry at Edmund.
"Do you like him, as in more than a friend? Do you think he's handsome? Mind you, these are Arani's exact words and not mine"
I frowned as I thought about the answers to those questions. I did think Edmund was handsome, there was no denying that. But did I like him? More than a friend? I didn't know.
"Tell Arani, I don't know and yes"
Berani nodded and jumped off my bed and curled up in his own corner of my room. I changed into my nightgown, curled up under the blankets and looked out the window until I eventually fell asleep.
AN: It took a lot of thinking to decide what this chapter was going to have in it. At one point it had over 2000 words but it didn't make sense...
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