Chapter 11: Apologies


Cordelia had been running fast and strong for a while now, everything just seemed to whizz past her to the point that all she saw was green around her until suddenly the next thing she knew Cordelia was out in the open speeding along the open valley towards the How in her sights straight ahead. On the other side of the field there were camps as well but Cordelia recognized the color and knew. These were not Narnians, the Telmarine were here, uncle Miraz would attack. Cordelia heard a nay from behind her and looked, Carden was speeding towards her and as soon as he got next to the girl she grabbed hold of the reins and leaped up onto his back.

"To the how as fast as you can Carden!" Cordelia yelled over the howling wind

"Got it!" a deep voice replied to her surprise. Did Carden just speak? Before Cordelia could say anything to him he stopped in front of the How. She leaped off Carden and walking in front of him with wide eyes.

"Carden..." she said "since when can you talk?" Carden snorted and looked away.

"Well..." he started "when you left I kept thinking about what you said and I was worried that you would try to prove that Peter fellow wrong so I tried to follow your tracks but I could not find you..." Cordelia's eye softened under the horses words. Awe Carden, she knew he was a sweat heart that find a Horse that can talk comment "but you were right I did think you were being a coward" at the Cordelia glared slightly even though she knew this to be true "so there I was wandering about and looking for you when I heard this loud roar"

"A roar?" Cordelia repeated now very interested in the horses story "did you see what roared? Was it a lion?"

"I do not know, I am a horse and I would be a right tasty meal so like the noble horse I am I honorably ran away as fast I could possible run" couple with the way held his head high his words made Cordelia giggle "by the time I stopped running I could talk" he ended before adding in a slight mumble "besides... you kind of hurt my feelings" at this Cordelia's giggle became a laughed and she patted his head before hugging it.

"Do not worry Carden" she said still laughing a bit "you are the only Horse for me"

"I better be" Carden replied making Cordelia laugh more.

"Cordelia!" The princess whirled around to see Susan running towards her from the How. She pulled Cordelia into the tightest hug she had ever been in. "where have you been? We thought you'd been kidnapped!" Susan yelled still hugging Cordelia tightly.

"Susan... I...I can not...breathe" Cordelia managed out gasping for air.

"Oh" Susan said pulling away from the girl and smiling sheepishly "sorry" Cordelia simply shrugged.

"It is alright" she spoke, she couldn't help but notice that others around were taking notice to her return, was she really that missed? "I went out for a little..." she trailed off thinking for a minute "realization" she finally summed up getting a confused look from Susan "and I saw Aslan..." the girl said quietly. Susan's eye's grew wide "Aslan!" she yelled and Cordelia quickly covered Susan's mouth before she could yell more.

"Shhhhh" she said looking around hopping no one heard and luckily no one did. "Do not do that" Cordelia whispered harshly.

"h-how" Susan started with still wide eyes "w-where? Why?" Cordelia slowly shrugged.

"I guess I needed some guidance" she said and then remembered what Drusilla had said to her "where is Edmund?" she asked Susan open her mouth to reply but then Smirked.

"Do you like my brother?" she asked. Cordelia's eyes grew wide again and her face a hot pink.

"n-no" she said shaking her head "not at all!"

"Yes she does" Carden spoke behind her making Susan laugh. Cordelia glared at him.

"Hush you" she said

"There he is" Susan said nodding her head in one direction, Cordelia's eyes followed. Edmund along with Glenstorm and a giant walked across the field away from Miraz camps and towards them. Cordelia walked forward, what was he doing? Was he out of his mind going over there? Arthur was over there! Arthur the man who probably wanted to kill him for taking her!

"Cordelia" Edmund said a bit surprised when he saw her but Cordelia didn't reply. She nodded meekly to Glenstorm and the giant; the two got the hint and continued walking leaving Cordelia to stand there with this stupid boy. Before she knew what she was doing Cordelia's hand curled into a fist and she punched Edmund in the jaw as hard as she could. Narnian's around including Susan, Carden, and Peter who had come out with Caspian a moment ago either winced, gasped, or looked at the princess as if she had lost her mind. Edmund was knocked to the ground by the punch but quickly sat up and rubbed his jaw "I...probably deserved that" he said standing up but he didn't get half way up when Cordelia punched him yet again this time she heard Peter let out a moan expressing his brothers pain. This time Edmund stayed down holding his hand to the space Cordelia had punched "okay" he said "I have no clue what that was for" Cordelia stared down at him in silence for a moment before kneeling in front of Edmund. There was a tense silence between both before Cordelia attacked Edmund wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. Edmund not expecting this fell onto his back with her holding onto him "Cor-Cordelia-"

"Do not do that ever again" Cordelia said still holding onto him. He turned his head and looked at her.

"What?"He said

"You want to get yourself killed? What were you doing over there you fool" Cordelia scolded the boy. Edmund stayed silence for a moment before speaking.

"...Sorry, I won't do it again" he said making Cordelia nodded and pulled away sitting in front of him. Edmund looked her up and down and went pink "why are you wearing my clothes?" he asked Cordelia laughed at him but the laugh was cut short as the girl quickly quieted down, her eyes drooped and the next thing Cordelia knew she was falling sideways onto the grass exhausted.

Though most panicked because Cordelia had once again passed out, she appeared to be doing that a lot, Edmund remained calm, one could tell from looking closely the princess was sound asleep, all that Running would wear anyone out after all. He scooped her up and carried her away to rest with ease.


When Cordelia did wake up she found herself in a familiar situation: Lying in a bed surrounded by comfy blankets and pillows. Cordelia groaned rolling onto her stomach and pushing her face deep into her pillow to block out the light shinning in her face.

"If you do that you're going to suffocate yourself" Cordelia's head shot up after hearing this and the girl looked about dazed and wildly. Sitting in a chair to her right was Edmund smirking at her.

"You know" the otherwise sleepy girl spoke propping herself up on her elbows "I find that by some strange chance I am always left alone with you" Edmund shrugged at this.

"Problem?" he asked and Cordelia shook her head

"No" she replied

"Alright then" Edmund chuckled shifting in his seat. "We have a plan and your brother wants you to go with Susan and Lucy to go and find Aslan tomorrow" Edmund said making Cordelia tilt her head in curiosity.

"Why can I not stay here?" she asked Edmund winced and made a face as if to say he wished she hadn't asked that.

"Well" he started "Susan told us that Aslan had found you when you got lost in the woods-"

"She told?" Cordelia practically yelled and Edmund slowly nodded. The girl groaned letting her face drop back on the pillow. Silence dropped on the two like an unwelcome guest for three long minutes before Edmund shuffled in his seat making it creak loudly. He cleared his throat slightly before taking in a breath to speak.

"Cordelia" he started, Cordelia responded with a hum but otherwise showed no signs of lifting her head from its place "I uh...I owe you an apology" Edmund spoke pausing as the young girl peeped an eye out from her pillow silently urging him to go on "what I called you the other day" Edmund said nervously, would she accept his apology or just get furious all over again? "I have no excuse for saying such a word to to-"

"Harlot" Cordelia's muffled voice interrupted Edmund. "I believe Harlot was the term you so easily called me" she said with an unreadable expression the parts of her face Edmund could see making him all the more nervous.

"Right..." he swallowed down hard before going on "I had no right to call you that" he said hanging his head in shame "I'm sorry, really sorry for calling you what I did.." Cordelia didn't respond to his apology so Edmund, thinking she didn't forgive him, kept his head hung. Finally Cordelia sighed pushing herself up so she was sitting on the bed. She let her feet brush against the floor and gently took Edmunds chin and made him look at her.

"It is alright" she nodded briefly "the fault is mine as well. I should have told you about Arthur and for that I apologize..." Edmund shook his head at this.

"You dont have to, you were right it was none of my business I had no right to be upset" he started babbling. Cordelia smiled slightly butting down on her bottom lip as she did.

"But you do have a right" she corrected him "while I was away I discovered some things Edmund. Things about myself, my fears, my doubts and most of all about how I feel about you" this peaked Edmunds interest for now Cordelia didn't have to make him look at her. The princess's cheeks turned a shade of pink under his stares. Edmund shifted in his seat again and leaned closer to Cordelia putting his hands on the bed on either side of her.

"And?... How do you feel?" he asked, under the stare of those glorious eyes of his Cordelia felt her face heat up and her stomach twisted tightly into a knot.

"You..." she took a deep breath "you really want to know?" she asked trying to sound like she was the one leading this conversation but the expression on her face made Edmund fully away that he was calling the shots. In the short time that Edmund had known this girl he knew that she was the kind of girl who liked to be in charge, it should only be natural when one grows up in royal standings where they decide almost everything on a daily basis. At this very moment he was in control and he would take advantage of that fact if only to get Cordelia's answer. Cordelia leaned back as Edmund got closer until she had to hold herself up on the bed by her elbows and Edmund was looming over her. He nodded his head.

"Yes, I do" he said leaning his face closer to Cordelia's and this time she didn't move away. She was too captured by his eyes to move.

"..I like you Edmund... And very much so..." she said finally. Silence came again like it always seemed to until finally Edmund smiled and leaned in closer but just a bit closer is about as far as he got for the moment was quickly ruined when Susan knocked on the door to the room.

"Ed" she said while opening it and heading into the room "Could you help me out here for a moment-oh!" she said in surprise when she spotted both teens, her face went bright red "I'm sorry did I..." Cordelia looked at Susan with a blank expression for a moment; she had been so hypnotized by staring into Edmunds eyes she was certainly too out of it to react to Susan when she looked away. However when Cordelia did come back to her senses her eyes went wide and she quickly tried to cover up what Susan was seeing.

"I-It is not what it looks like!" the Telmarine sputtered out, and then mentally smacked herself yes like she will believe that.

"I'm sorry I'll..."Susan trailed off and smirked backing up until she was standing in front of the door "I'll ask Peter to help me" and with that she quickly ducked out of the room. Cordelia and Edmund looked at each other before Cordelia quickly pushed him off her and stood up.

"i-i should head to bed" she said nervously making her way to the door certain that this was his room. "I have a long travel ahead of me tomorrow, i-i will see you tomorrow Edmund, Goodnight!"

"Wait!" Edmund took hold of the girl's wrist and pulling her back to him. "Stay here tonight?" he asked. Cordelia looked back at him bug eyed.

"Excuse me?" she said nervously. How could he think of such things at a time like this or at all really! They were not wed, the very thought of it made Cordelia want to panic. Edmund gave Cordelia a slightly innocent smile.

"I don't mean to do anything" he said "just to...stay here...please?" Edmund said holding onto her wrist. Cordelia didn't reply for a long while and spent that silent time looking at everything but Edmund. Tomorrow they would be fighting and Cordelia didn't know if she'd ever see Edmund again after this. He could die in battle or something could happen to Cordelia in her search for Aslan.

"..Alright" she said slowly looking down at Edmund with a smile that he returned.


The next morning when Cordelia woke she was more than surprised to sit up and only fall back down on the bed because of someone's arms tightly wrapped around her. She looked over her shoulder slightly and saw black hair. Now here was what was going on in this groggy girls mind at that moment: the only black hair person Cordelia had ever slept in the same bed with was Caspian when the two of them were small but that was ruled out because first off he never held onto Cordelia's waist when they were young and second, Cordelia really didn't think at their ages that either of them would suggest or agree to sleeping together because let's face it, it's cute when you're little but when you're a teenager it looks a bit weird and wrong, the next thought was one Cordelia would rather not think about but it was the only one that made sense, that Cordelia had actually married Arthur and she now lay with him in bed as husband and wife. Not only that, if that didn't make waking up worse enough, but all the things that had happened before, running away from home, meeting the kings and queens of old, Aslan, Drusilla, the Narnian's it was all a dream. Cordelia mentally groaned to herself sitting up again trying to pry Arthur's arms from around her but he grunted in his sleep and pulled her even closer to him holding on tightly like a little kid holds onto a toy he doesn't want to share. Cordelia fell back down on the bed when he pulled her this time. She felt his breath on the back of her head as he nuzzled her neck with his face giving Cordelia chills. When she got over this she tried again to pull the arms holding her apart yet again and gasped as they held on tighter than before.

"No" Cordelia heard behind her "this is my Turkish Delight" she stopped her pulling and looked over her shoulder again trying to get a better look at who just spoke but she felt very familiar with the voice and like she had hope it wasn't Arthur holding onto for life. However Cordelia's face grew red when she saw Edmund's sleeping face and remembered that she agreed to stay in his room last night.

She sighed to herself, faced forward again and let her head drop back down, if someone caught her coming out of Edmunds room or like this there would be no way of getting out of it alive. As if on cue Edmund stirred, Cordelia could hear him yawn and loosen his grip on her at last to stretch. When he was done with that he stopped and went stiff realizing that he was holding onto a person. "Cordelia?" he asked with a drowsy tone in his voice.

"Morning" Cordelia replied give him a slight wave from over her shoulder.

"What...What are you doing in my room...and my bed?" he asked

"uh well for starters I was going to get up and leave a minute ago but you're kind of clinging onto me" she there was a moment of silence before Edmund said "oh" and quickly pulled his arms from the girl's waist. Cordelia sat up quickly and turned to face him, he laid on his side looking up at Cordelia, his hair was a mess which she didn't at all find surprising.

"So how did you end up in here?" he asked Cordelia snorted and rolling her eyes.

"Well you asked me to stay in here last night" she said, Edmund made a face and then slowly nodes.

"Oh yea..." he said

"Right" Cordelia said getting off of his bed and heading for the door "now if you will excuse me" she said "I have to get ready for the traveling I will be doing today" Cordelia gave him a slight smile and then snuck out of the door and hurried down the hall to her room.


Later on Cordelia changed getting out of Edmunds clothes and into a dress she had found left in her room that had been made for her, it was lined with chain mill and thick leather perfect attire for a lady in battle. She soon after found herself seated on atop Carden next to the horse that Susan and Lucy sat on together, Caspian noble horse. Caspian stood in between the two horses and Cordelia tried her very best to pretend she wasn't paying attention as he talked to Susan. He held up her horn for her to take.

"Here" he said "maybe you should keep this" Susan smiled and shook her head.

"You keep it, you might need to call me again" Susan said in a way that made Cordelia almost snort with laughter but she kept it in tight and composed herself as Caspian now turned to her.

"Cordelia" he started but Cordelia held up a hand.

"I know, I will be careful. I will listen to Susan, I will come back if we find nothing" she said with a slight smile, Caspian's mouth hung open for a moment so Cordelia knew she had said everything he was going to say.

"Yes well-"

"No Reckless actions at any given situation at any time at all" Cordelia interrupted leaving her brother speechless Lucy and Susan laugh at this.

"no" Caspian and motioned for Cordelia to lean forward which she did, she thought he was going to tell her a secret or ask an embarrassing favor of her, like trying to put in a good word about him to Susan but instead Caspian put a hand on Cordelia's cheek and while she looked at him confused he looked at her with the love only a sibling could show on rare moment.

"What?" Cordelia asked tilting her head a bit.

"Remember I Love you Cordelia" he said Cordelia's eyes went wide as her expression turned to one of pure worry. She realized now, like last night with Edmund, that this might be the last time she would ever see her brother alive, the very last time Cordelia hear his voice, and the last time she'd ever hear those three words come from his mouth. Cordelia stared down at her brother with sorrow as he planted a kiss on her forehead before having back at her face. Cordelia him warm smile.

"I love you too, brother" she said and sat back upright on Carden looking ahead "but we shall have plenty of time to tell each other that after we win, come!" she said and before Caspian could speak the three girls were off.

"You might need to call me again?" Lucy couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her sister as they rode through the tunnel leading to the back of the How. Cordelia chuckled as Susan went pink in the face

"Oh shut up" she said