Author's Note:
Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, indian paintbrushes, roses, orchids, or any other type of flower/already published book.
Chapter 12- Indian Paintbrushes
Davina hadn't gotten a proper look at the gardens since she'd moved into Cair Paravel- a fact that was obvious to anyone in view of her face at the moment. Right now, though, Peter was the only one looking at the half-stunned, half-awed expression currently displayed on the young woman's face. And all he could think of was how beautiful it was.
Blast it all, Ed, he thought, trying to shake his thoughts loose, If you hadn't pointed out the fact that she was pretty it would've taken me longer to notice and make me feel less like an awkward schoolboy right about now.
"What do you think of it?" he asked, managing to gain control of his tongue again.
"Oh, it's gorgeous!" she exclaimed, puling away from him to inspect a bunch of crimson climbing roses spilling over from an ivy-covered wall. "I adore flowers."
"I can tell," he laughed. "Which are your favorite? Roses?"
"No, those are too cliché, but they do come in second- just before tulips." she answered. "Orchids are my absolute favorite, though."
"Orchids?"
"Oh, right- Narnia. Hmm . . . I don't know what y'all call them. I guess I'll have to figure that out. Are tulips and roses the same here?"
"I don't rightly know, but I remember those well enough from our world. I've never been much for remembering the names of flowers in this world or that one, though."
"Figures." she laughed. "Which are your favorites, then?"
Peter took her hand and led her to the edges of the garden where the wildflowers were allowed to pop up freely. He picked a red one that he'd always felt held an unusual beauty. Petals of red spread from the green stem, with patches of white peeking out between them.
"Back home, they call these Indian Paintbrushes. I suppose you wouldn't know what they're called here, by any chance?"
"Not a clue," he smirked.
"Why am I not surprised?" She picked another and peered at it. "It's very beautiful."
"I'm glad you agree."
"My mom used to pick them en masse when they first bloomed in the summer. Isaiah and I would tease her mercilessly for loving weeds, but we both secretly enjoyed it. It always made spring that much more beautiful in our house."
"You must miss her terribly." Peter remarked as she took his arm again and they continued their little stroll.
She spun the little wildflower between her fingers as she pondered her answer.
"Yes, I do- in a way. It's funny, though. I feel as if this place has dulled it some." He saw her nose crinkle as she thought of it, clearly running it through in her mind. "Of course, it could also be the fact that my life has constatly been in danger here . . . . Still, I feel as if it's part of the magic of this place, ya know?"
"I can attest to both. Narnia seems to not give one much time for homesickness of anyone outside it. Perhaps because you're so quickly thrust in to danger. It does become rather distracting." he conceded.
"So what about you? What was your life like before Narnia?
He had to think about it for a few minutes. Dredging up memories of a time before he led armies and learned the art of diplomacy, it felt like it had been years since he'd been in England- rather than merely one. The memories were hard to reach- like pulling a muddy boot from the suction of a deep patch of mud. He had put quite an effort into the squishing and pulling before they could come freely.
"It was wartime when we left. Dad was a soldier and had been gone for months. He told me I was to take care of everyone for him while he was off. I think I took the job rather too seriously. But Mum needed me to help keep some semblence of order, because she already had a heavy enough load wondering if we'd live to see another day. Now I see that Ed and my squabbling only added more trouble to her worries. She spent half of her time trying to make sure Ed and I didn't knock the living daylights out of each other.
"That's another thing. Ed and I were rather . . . potent whenever put in the same room as one another. He didn't cope well with Dad's absence or my trying to fill his shoes. He tried to buck me with every breath. I thought I was making it better for everyone. We each only made it harder for each other.
"Ed will admit that he was rather a git, but then I was a monstrous prat; so there's no pointing fingers between us.
"Aslan's helped us a great deal, though. I do hope Mum's coping well enough without us. The air raids must be over now for sure, so she must realize we're missing. And now doubt the Professor has written to her of our disappearance."
He grew silent, internally praying that his father and mother, those loved ones whose memories seemed to be rapidly dimming in his mind, yet never far from his heart, would cling to one another and somehow know that their children are both happy and safe.
"A pity she's not here to see how well y'all get off now." Davina commented, now stopping to admire a purplish-blue lily. "She sounds like a wonderful woman."
"Yeah, that would've been grand. And I'm sure she would've liked you too." he smiled, seeing the way she blushed at the compliment. "What about your-"
Trumpets sounded from a distance and grew both closer and farther away as the sentries on the castle walls alerted the kingdom that guests were now arriving. As if on cue, a faun came skipping quickly across the garden, immediately apologizing for interrupting the lady and the High King during their stroll, but the Archenlandian royal party had been sighted and would be arriving on castle grounds within the hour.
As the faun lad trotted away with orders to be certain the guest chambers were ready, Peter turned back to his friend apologetically, "I am so sorry, Davina, but I have business I must attend to before they arrive. Perhaps we could finish this at a later point?"
"Certainly," she smiled. "Go prepare what you need to. I think I'll stay here until supper."
"I'll see you tonight, then." Peter smiled in response. He started to walk away, then turned back suddenly. "Oh, and watch out for Prince Corin. He's quite a handful."
"I'll keep that in mind." she responded with a smile, before turning back to the flowers.
Peter watched her for a moment, noting her genuine love for the beauty before her. She tucked the Indian Paintbrush behind her ear and looked down at the one he still had. He truly needed to confer with Susan about it's Narnian name . . . and about the orchids.
"They're here!" Lucy squealed, trying trying to contain her girlish excitement beneath a royal façade.
Peter couldn't help but smile at his younger sister's antics. The official greetings had already taken place and Corin had already managed to threaten the well-being of two courtiers.
Supper was now being servied in the sunroom overlooking the Eastern Sea for the Four and their guests. When the next envoy arrived, they would have to move to the Grand Hall, but for now they could enjoy the intimacy of close company together.
He seated himself across the table from his youngest sister, the two of them having arrived a bit later than the others and gave King Lune the honor of lifting a prayer to Aslan before they all dug in. Currently, Isaiah and Edmund were taking turns arm-wrestling with Corin (whom they were clearly going easy on) with Lucy playing referee. King Lune was asking Davina about her time in Narnia, no doubt throwing in subtle and well-humored hints of Archenland's superior beauty, as he's apt to do.
"It has been pretty eventful since I've arrived." she was saying. "I'm afraid I haven't gotten much opportunity to go beyond castle grounds."
"Unacceptable." he bellowed with a bright smile. "You must visit Owlwood, my dear, especially at this time of year. It may not be quite up to par with our Parina, but it's really such a lovely wooded area and the locals are nearly as lovely as the nature itself. Susan, we must venture there on the morrow, if you all aren't too busy."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Sir. At this point in time, it would be very unwise to allow Davina outside Cair Paravel. You may have heard about the recent attacks on her life?"
This caught Corin's attention immediately. The boy always had an ear tuned to pick up on news ofthis nature.
"I had heard something about there being a tad bit of trouble lately, but I had hoped it was nothing serious." King Lune seemed intrigued.
"Besides both Isaiah and Davina being attacked by Fell wolves when they arrived, Davina has been attacked within her quarters and is nearing the final stages of recovery from an arrow wound she received while picnicking with us a few weeks ago." Edmund explained fluidly.
"Wow!" Corin cried. "Can I see the scar?"
"Sorry, Lad," Ed laughed, "But it's on her stomach- almost exactly where mine is. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to see it."
Corin colored slightly, muttering about how very unlucky it all was.
"We're twinkies, then." Davina laughed.
"Twinkles?" Edmund took on a very bewildered expression and Isaiah burst out laughing at the misunderstanding. Davina sighed.
"I'll explain later."
"Well, I'm very sorry you've had such a rough go of it, love. I can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt such a lovely young woman."
"Let us discuss something a bit less distressing, shall we?" Susan asked as she poured a tad more cream into her coffee. "It's turning me off of my supper."