A/n: its a shorter chapter I know. I officaly have the entire story planned out, now that I threw this little wrench into my original plans. I hope ya'll enjoy! Please remember to review, flames welcome ...
Chapter 12
When Molly awoke the morning after Christmas, she felt a weight around her waist and a pillow that seemed to move up and down. She tilted her head up to see Ed's sleeping face, his hair falling over his closed eyes. Molly let her hand that lay on the other side of Ed run along the lines of his torso allowing the memory of the previous night to sink in.
Ed squirmed beneath her fingers sleepily opening his eyes to see Molly still splayed over the bed beside him. "Morning," she whispered pushing herself up to kiss his lips. "We should probably get up," he said. Molly sighed sitting up grabbing the sheet that had bunched at their feet taking with her as she rolled out of bed taking the sheet with her. "Oi, bring that sheet back here," Edmund joking called as Molly walked to her wardrobe.
"Alright," Molly sighed allowing the sheet to fall from her form. She laughed as Ed whistled at her. The pair got dressed and left Molly's chambers for a late breakfast. As they entered Susan and Lucy shared a knowing look, lost on the men around them.
Rabadash and Caleb were dining with the royal family so that they could grow accustomed to the Narnian way of life. Rabadash was silent, while Caleb seemed rather talkative comparing Avalon and his castle to Cair Paravel.
Molly and Edmund shared an uneasy glance as they sat across from one another in their usual spots. "Lady Molly, perhaps you'll come to visit Avalon some time. I'm sure you would love it there," Caleb said as the girl loaded her plate with fruit and eggs. "Perhaps Caleb, but I'm sure no place in the world could compare to Narnia," she said.
Caleb's face grew red at her comment. "If my lady feels that way, might you return to Avalon with me after the holiday season, and show you the marvels of my lands," he said violently stabbing a sausage on his plate. "I might do so, that is if Queen Susan is making a trip to Calormen. It would unfair for Susan to have all the excitement." Molly said simply intending it to be a joke.
"But, my lady, Queen Susan will not leave for quite some time. After all, my people do not know of you, and will not give you a proper reception," Caleb pressed. Molly recoiled in her mind, maintaining her happy go lucky front as nearly three years as a knight had taught her. Caleb was being pushy, like he was desperate to separate her from the Pevensies.
"That is a very forward proposition for the beginning of courtship," Ed said coming to Molly's rescue, " One might think you mean to take her away from us." Molly let a breath loose she didn't realize she had been holding. Caleb glared at the dark haired king across the table.
After that comment breakfast remained a rather quite affair, expect perhaps Rabadash making comments about the help. Molly, like Peter and Edmund, was having issues controlling her anger.
As Rabadash talked about the economic benefits of slavery Molly's hands visibly gripped her cutlery harder and she cut her sausage more savagely. She could see Ed's face across from her trying desperately to hide his disgust. Peter, too, seemed to be regretting giving his blessing to this man courting Susan.
Finally breakfast ended allowing the royal family and guests to go about their business. Although they were techinically on holiday, each king and queen had things they wanted to get done. Molly, per usual retired to her office to finally look at the ever-growing pile of requisition forms.
As she read through the various forms Molly felt her eyelids grow heavy and her head droop. She called for a cup of coffee to be brought to her office. The steaming cup arrived to be drained in only a few minutes.
Molly suddenly alert returned to the forms in front of her. As she steadily dealt with the pile she came to a rather thick request for funds to build a bridge over the River Rush. Inside the request there were hundreds of other small requests from the same area. Molly sighed picking up her new pen, dipped it into the inkpot and began to cross items on the list out. Halfway through Molly began to feel herself nodding off.
Realizing it was nearly two in the afternoon and that she had missed lunch Molly entered her adjacent bedroom for a nap.
In her dream, Molly found herself standing on a balcony overlooking the sea, but it wasn't any balcony at Cair Paravel, she was sure of it. Molly looked at herself feeling as though something was off about the whole seen, when her eyes landed on her very swollen stomach. "Fuck," her said to herself. Hearing a voice behind her, Molly whipped around to see an older man, perhaps in his late 40s or early 50s storming towards her.
"You little whore," the man yelled at her pulling her from the balcony by her hair. "You lied to my son. You've been with child since before you arrived here." Molly felt tears falling from her eyes. As she was pulled back into a library-like area, she fell. The man, his little red eyes seething at her, turned around and bank handed her. "You will tell me who the father of this bastard child is, or you will never leave this room alive," he threatened.
Molly instinctively curled into a small ball in an attempt to protect her prone stomach while reaching for the dagger that lay strapped to her upper thigh. "Maybe the father is someone you've been writing too. I had my steward check all your letters. The only people you've been writing to are King Edmund and Queen Susan. Perhaps it is the King's bastard son," the man said pulling a piece of parchment from his pocket and opened in to read the contents to her.
Dearest Ed,
Remember when we first came to Narnia, how you would always from sit by my bed every time my sickness came. Well perhaps you ought to ask Susan what that sickness is, have her tell you why…..
The old man stopped reading. "It seems you are very fond of this King Ed," he said throwing the letter into the fire. Molly yelled for him to stop scrambling for the parchment, the paper barely touching her finger before being consumed by the flames. "You will stay here and you will marry my son," the man seethed as he watched Molly cry, " then perhaps I will allow your whelp to live." As the man back handed Molly again, she woke up.
"Calm yourself dear one," a familiar voice cooed. Molly sat up looking for the regal lion. She didn't see him anywhere in her bedroom. So Molly slid from her bed bare feet touching the soft carpet and walked to the door to her office which had been left slightly ajar. Sitting in front of her oak desk was Aslan. "We have things to discuss dear one," he said motioning in a way only he could for her to sit in her wingback desk chair.
"You and Edmund have committed a sin Molly," Aslan said plainly. Molly held back her tears thinking of the passion Edmund and she had shared the night before. "I'm sorry Aslan, please forgive me. It was only because I love him. Peter is allowing someone else to court me, and I fear that we shall be separated for a long time before we can express that love again," Molly said her voice cracking through her pleas.
"Of course I forgive your trespasses dear one. It is only natural to want something that fate may prevent you from having. But it not all I wish to discuss with you," Aslan said breathing over Molly.
"There exists an archaic prophecy made long ago when Narnia was first made. No one, not even I remember the words exactly. It spoke of a knight and a ruler torn apart courtly duties. It is said that this pair will produce one of the wisest and greatest kings Narnia will ever know and that this child would be born during a time of great despair," the great lion explained.
Molly gasped remembering she was pregnant in her dream. "That dream I had, it wasn't a dream at all was it," she asked her hand drifting to her stomach. Aslan shook his head, "It was a promotion dear one, one of many you will have in the coming months. But be wary my child, everything in those dreams must come to pass, or you will be playing with Fate herself, and she is not someone to be toiled with."
Molly nodded watching as Aslan disappeared through her bedroom door, wondering why Aslan had refereed to Fate as a real person.
