A/N: I really have to stop doing these hah! Well anyways I figured I'd give you one more update and then hope for more reviews. I just wanted you guys to read on...I really like this chapter and Chapter Twenty One the most so...if you review we'll get to Chapter Twenty One soon enough. Or maybe it's Chapter Twenty cause I think I numbered them incorrectly, hmm. Well it's in the double digit region. Cheers and happy reading!


Chapter Eleven: A Real Smile

The time had come short and Lucy and Kristen plus a Mr. Tumnus were expected on their way back to the Castle that sat upon the Eastern Shore. Mounted on their steeds Eowyn held the reigns and Lianial stood along with Eomer on the stone steps.

"We thank you for your stay, if you had not come not many of this miracles would have happened." Eomer said bowing as did Lianial and Lucy flashed a brilliant smile.

"Oh I did nothing but sit pretty. Lady Kristen will be credited for all things that have happened on this trip. She has all the dispositions of a true diplomat. I'll have to tell Peter about this when we get back."

That earned a smile from everyone but Kristen who flushed brightly her mouth slightly agape.

"Do come again." Eowyn said as she handed the ladies their reigns and then took her place next to her brother. Lianial then took a step forward as he bore a package that he had retrieved from his homeland along with an escort of elves and belongings. He was going to see to it personally the Lord Marques got better.

Good faith concerning the elves.

"I have a gift." he said and Kristen looked down at it unsure. "It was my mothers, and I want you to have it. It will belong no where but with you."

"I can't, if it was your mom's...that's something I can't take."

"As I said before, it will belong no where but with you. Please. A gift from the elves to a elf friend."

He took her hands and settled the package in it on her lap and Kristen looked down at it then nodded.

"I'll take good care of it. Thank you."

"Thank you. You have done some very great things in my short while of knowing you."

"Not so great. Just good things."

"You are such a humble creature. Namarie."

"Namarie." she bowed her head back and at that two elves...a ellon and a elleth dressed in robes of silver astride two beautiful steeds flanked the Queen and the lady and of course, Mr. Tumnus on foot.

They were to be escorts all the way to the castle to ensure safe passage home.

They said their last goodbyes and pulled their horses about until they started on their way back home where a family waited for them.

They journey back seemed short, as they rode on well through the night even, though Kristen slept in her saddle the package Lianial gave her still on her lap with one hand on it and the other on the reigns. Though when she was awake she conversed lightly maybe with Lucy and shared some insight with the elves whom would only speak in their own language to her...she didn't mind it was good practice. But other than that Kristen remained quiet.

She wondered what Edmund was up to, if he would be glad to see her when she got home...funny how she started calling Cair Paravel home.

When the dawn hit over the horizon they came up to the banks and there standing on a ledge was Cair Paravel and the sea with her. The castle glittered like diamonds in the sunlight and the elves even were captivated by it's beauty. It was then that the elleth whom not said one word of english broke that and spoke in awe.

"It is a beautiful castle." she said and Lucy nodded.

"Let's go home!" she giggled as she snapped the reigns on her horse and darted off onto the moor without a second notice.

"L-Lucy!" Kristen shouted after her.

"Oh dear." Mr. Tumnus said shakily. "Best get going before she reaches the gate before us. Silly girl."

Once they made it to the gates, it was opened for them and they trotted through to be met by the court. Lucy dismounted and people parted for her as she ran for Susan who was standing near the doors to the castle and hugged her elder sister. Edmund was standing there too and Peter not far off. The siblings greeted their younger sister and Lucy looked back at Kristen who was flanked by two elves.

Kristen came to a halt and many people where whispering and staring at the beauty of their visitors.

"Hail Queen Lucy the Valiant and her return with Lady Kristen de Wilde and honored guests." an announcer cried through the court yard and many of the other subjects bowed.

Kristen dismounted and so did the ellon and elleth as Kristen nodded to them and led them before the Kings and Queens.

The elves bowed low their forms billowy, and even more pronounced under their strong robes and their necks craning like that of a flamingo.

"It is an honor to be in the presence of the great Kings and Queens of Narnia." they said breathlessly and in tune.

"Elves?" Edmund question looking from them to Kristen and he smirked knowing she had something to do with this...her and her obsession with them and ability to speak their language fluently.

"This is Ruen and Handaf they are escorts sent on behalf of Prince Lianial of Mirkwood."

"Our prince sends his tidings of peace and prosperity to the Kings and Queens." the elves stood straight. "To honor a call that has been made, where men and elves stand united once more."

"What has brought such an act of good faith?" Peter asked stepping to the forefront looking dashing in his red robes and the sunlight hitting his hair making it shine brilliantly.

"Lady Kristen de Wilde...honored elf-friend. With her kindness and wisdom she has brought our nations together." Ruen the elleth said as she bowed before Peter.

Peter had to be honest with himself the elleth was something else to look at. She was as tall as he with slim limbs and a pretty face. Her hair was long and golden tied back in elegant twists and knots and her face was petite and smooth...not one blemish or imperfection. Her counterpart Handaf was the same. She looked completely normal if it weren't for the fact she seemed to glow with her own eternal light and the slight point to her ears which distinctly gave off the impression she was otherworldly.

Peter then forced himself to look away as he looked at Kristen.

"We shall talk later."

"Am I free to go then?"

"Yes." he said casually and she stalked off giving Peter once last glare before she headed into the castle carrying her own things and refusing to have a servant do it for her.

When she came to her room she was glad to see all of her things had not been moved safe for her books had been stacked and papers too. No doubt Ara had something to do wit it. She settled her travel pack down on her bed and then the parcel that Lianial had given her and gently reached out and untied the silken string. The cloth came apart and opened up as she poked through leafy material that reminded of her packing paper from back home; of course this kind smelled of mint and earth. Her eyes then beheld a beautiful long cloth and she pulled it from its wrappings and held it up.

It was a dress. White, with golden and silver trim and looked as though it was as delicate as glass. Kristen lay it on the bed and ran her fingers over it and then searched the paper once more finding more things.

A crown, and a note.

Kristen opened the note as she sat next to the dress on her bed and placed the delicate silver crown in her lap.

"Kristen," she read aloud. "I am most fortunate to have met a mortal like you. You have changed things and that his a hard thing to do. This is my mothers dress, it was the very same she wore when she married my father...and now I give it to you. You are a close friend, I hope that you feel the same. I wish to give you all the stars, and even take the moon from the sky as to see you happy and comfortable. Alas I cannot, so I hope you can settle for gifts from the heart. All my love, Lianial."

"Well he sure has a pretty way with words." Kristen chuckled to herself and looked back at the dress. His mothers wedding dress? She felt strange that she was the one to have it.

None the less she folded it neatly tucking the crown with it and the letter and went and placed it in her trunk along with various other personal belongings. She'll wear it maybe if the Prince came to visit here at the castle.

A knock on her door brought her out of her revere and she sighed.

"Come in." she said leaning over her pack as she began to undo it.

The door flung open and in came running Ara and soon was brought into a tight forceful hug and a smile with brownish blonde hair.

"I'm so glad you're home!" she said brightly and pulled back taking her hands. "Things have been awful boring without you around."

"You realize I'm not that exciting?" Kristen smiled and Ara laughed.

"Exciting enough for me at least. Oh you must tell me about your journey and all that you saw and did!"

"Calm down, and yeah I'll do that."

Kristen spent near about an hour talking to Ara when there was another knock on the door and Ara looked at Kristen and Kristen shrugged. Ara arose and walked over as she opened the door and then quickly swept into a low curtsy. It had to be Edmund of Susan.

"Milord, excuse me." she said and then Peter pushed open the door more and looked from Ara to Kristen.

"You may leave us now please Ara." Peter said and Ara nodded as she darted from the room like the able servant she was and dissapeared down the hall.

Kristen arose from the seating place at her bed and stood there tense ready to expect anything from Peter.

Peter closed the door and began to pace about the room looking at this and that very silently until he came to a stack of books and took his forefinger and lifted the cover of one peering down at the title page before he let it slip and close shut again.

"How was your stay at Edoran?"

"Pleasant." Kristen said as even as she could.

"How is Lord Marques?"

"Elder or younger?"

"Both." Peter actually let out a small smile which seemed to make him attractive a little more than Kristen had originally allowed herself to think. She would be a fool not to notice how beautiful a man he was...even if he was a bit thick headed and a pig. Weren't all men though?

"Lord Marques the Elder was sick most of our stay and Lord Eomer was patrolling a lot but Lord Eomer uh, joined us at dinners and lunches occasionally."

"Lord Marques is ill?"

"He'll be better. Prince Lianial will see that he'll heal okay."

"Good. Seems you have established diplomatic ties not only in favor of the Edoran states but with the elves as well. My party has been trying for years to establish ties but we had not found a single thing they wanted in return for such ties."

"Elves don't want anything but peace. So, you just need to learn to speak their language."

"Which is?"

"Kindness. Flattery. Appreciation for life and for beauty. To be able to smell a flower and look at a tree and appreciate all that it gives to you rather than what you give to it."

"I'm glad you've learned so much." Peter said as he then walked over to the window and stood in front of it as he gazed out at the sea. "And Lucy, did she enjoy herself?"

"Immensely." Kristen said.

"And your activities."

"We rode on the mark and saw many of the villages. Spent a lot of time with princess Eowyn and things of that nature."

"And the princess, she fare well."

"Fare enough."

"Seems this journey went without a hitch."

"It was good."

Peter looked to her then and walked over and stood before her his hands still behind his back in a regal manner. He looked down at her with a confused face and then looked down to the side.

"I do not apologize well to others, and Susan says that I have not had enough practice. So I hope you can forgive me for being so blunt with you before your leave. You must know how much I care for Lucy's safety and yours. I am a gentleman of my word when I say I will not put a lady in such a position."

"Apology accepted." Kristen folded her arms and dug her foot into the ground awkwardly looking at the progress it was making hoping maybe she could dig herself out of this situation. But the stone floor wasn't going to budge. "I'm sorry. I get really competitive when I'm told I can't do something. I really just don't like be underestimated cause I tend to be a little quiet. I just...I'm not good with people."

"That's a lie. You're excellent with people despite what you think." he smiled more amusement ridden all over his posture now. "You may speak plainly, but when you do it's important what you say."

"Thanks."

"There's a party tonight in honor of yours and Lucy's return. A party of just the household and those from the nearby village. I hope that at least this time I can have one dance with you?"

"I really don't want to dance." Kristen said breathing in tightly and trying to let it out. She dropped her folded arms and played with the flared sleeves of her elven tunic and Peter chuckled.

"I don't know who's worse you or Edmund."

At that Kristen laughed knowing exactly what he meant and Peter looked pleased and sort of surprised at the reaction he got. Sure he was used to pretty girls laughing at what he said but, this was pure amusement and a rich laugh that wasn't girly and giggly. It was a full bravado which matched her almost scratchy mellow voice. He could listen to her laugh for hours and never tire of it.

"I think Ed's a bit worse." Kristen said after she had stopped laughing. "At least when I'm forced to dance I do it...he just makes a big stink about it."

"Well then I order you to dance with me tonight, and if you do not I will drag you out to the dance floor and hold you hostage there until you consent."

"Woah there, uh, no need for that. I'll dance with you, but be warned," she said seriously and he furrowed his brow a bit. "You might want to steel enforce your shoes, in case I step on them." she said meekly now sitting down and Peter this time laughed.

He hadn't laughed so genuinely in a while and he then uncharacteristically knelt before her their gaze now eye level.

"I'll take any brunt of pain you wish to bestow upon me milady."

"Careful I might take you up on that." she nodded and he sighed as he then arose and bowed and walked to the door.

"See you tonight."

"Yeah."

And with that he left her room with the largest smile on his face and it seemed as he passed many servants they too noticed the elated behavior of the High King.