When night arrived, everyone went back inside the how for dinner. Some of the centaurs finished fishing and picking up some fruits and nuts then got it all ready for everyone. Everyone seemed to be tired with all the practice and they can't wait for dinner even though it didn't seem enough. While waiting for the food to be served, Lisa was talking to Caspian, Peter, Susan, and Lucy. Fortunately, Peter and Caspian have settled a truce already and were actually laughing together. Susan and Lucy were excitedly sharing embarrassing moments of peter which were really funny. Lisa was also laughing out loud and it has been awhile since she did. She only laughed this way when her father was still around.

Hours later, the Narnians served the humans. Each of them got another long banana leaf as a plate with two pieces of grilled fish, blueberries, and walnuts. When they started to eat, Lisa saw Edmund go out of the how quietly without anyone else noticing.

"Is Edmund okay?" Lisa asked, nibbling on a small piece of fish.

Susan looked around for Edmund then to Lisa, "Hmm, he's not here. He's acting pretty weird, isn't he?"

"Very much"

"Maybe he's going through puberty" Peter joked.

Caspian, Susan, and Lucy couldn't help their selves and snickered.

Lisa merely showed a smile.

"I'll go see if he's all right" Lisa said and stood up, bringing her food with her.

Peter smiled when Lisa left. He was actually excited for his brother to meet a girl he would like.

Just outside the how, Edmund was sitting all alone. The field where they were practicing earlier was very dark and only the silhouettes of the swaying trees and cone shaped mountains could be seen. The dark sky was filled with beautiful sparkling stars like diamonds. Edmund could hear the faint noise of cheers coming from the how but, heard the chirping of crickets mostly. He looked up at the starry sky in a slouchy way when everything turned dark.

Someone had covered his eyes.

Edmund sighed and didn't seem to be in the mood for jokes, "Peter, I don't have time to joke around"

Almost instantly, Edmund could see again. He turned around and didn't see peter but, Lisa. She looked annoyed with her arms folded around her chest.

"How dare you, I don't have a man's hands!" Lisa argued.

Edmund tried to smile and looked back at the stars, "I was just teasing"

But he still looked serious.

Lisa sat beside him and put her banana leaf on her lap and also watched the stars.

"Why are you here outside?" Lisa asked.

Edmund sighed, "Just to think"

"What are you thinking? About what happened during the battle?"

"No, it's not that. It's something else which isn't related to it"

"Well, do you want to talk about it?"

"No"

"Okay" Lisa said, respecting his privacy, "Well, I brought you some food"

Edmund looked at the food she brought and smirked, "You didn't have to. I could eat later"

"But you'll eat alone and it's very boring to eat alone you know. So I decided to join you here outside" then Lisa took a small piece of blueberry, "Say ah"

Edmund's eyes crossed when he looked at the small fruit raised between his eyes. He slowly opened his mouth and Lisa popped it into his mouth and grinned. She took a small piece for herself too.

"Anyways, I have a new hairstyle" Lisa boasted with a grin.

Edmund looked at her braid and smirked, "Yeah, I've noticed"

"I've been dying to show it to you but, you were too busy practicing"

"Oh, sorry"

"But now that you're not busy, I could ask you for your criticism"

Edmund smiled, "You look beautiful"

On the other hand, Lisa didn't seem to be amused, "Edmund, I told you that you don't have to be nice to me. Be true to yourself and me"

"But it's true, I think you look really beautiful—like a princess"

"Oh, well, thank you. I bet it's hard for you to tell the truth, that I'm beautiful" Lisa said with a grin.

Then the two of them became quiet.

"Would you get mad if I asked you a few things?" Edmund asked with a very soft voice.

Lisa looked at the sky as if she was thinking, "It depends with what questions you have. If it's about school, it's quite all right. If it's about my future, well, I probably can't answer that. If it's about boys, I don't know what to say either"

"How about something connected to your dad?" Edmund actually thought that Lisa would burst into tears and run back inside the how but, she didn't.

Lisa actually smiled.

"Sure, what do you want to know about him?" she said, nibbling on another piece of blueberry.

"Well, how he became a soldier"

"Oh, that. Well, he's been a soldier even before he met my mum. At the age of seventeen, he already joined"

"Seventeen? Does that mean that he changed his age?"

"Yeah, he did. He wanted to become a soldier badly so he could be with his dad, who was then the general. And so, he got in. Mum said that grandpa was furious when he found out but, dad still didn't want to leave. Grandpa allowed him to stay. While he was on duty patrolling London then, he met my mum in an ice cream parlor. Dad was so head over heels for mum that he constantly patrolled near that ice cream parlor. By the time he was twenty one, he asked my mum to marry him. They wed blah blah blah. They had me when he was already twenty nine and mum was twenty seven. When I was already two years old, mum wanted dad to leave the army because it was already getting dangerous. But dad refused. He said that it was a big honor to serve the country and that he wanted me to see him as a hero. And so he continued. Every vacation, he'll be home to be with us. He'll also make some time for my birthday. But this year, it was just horrible. He didn't come back home and mum was very devastated. He was her one and only love. Grandpa actually saw how my daddy died and because of it, he already retired"

Edmund was astonished with her father's story. For some reason, he pictures himself just like him. He wanted to be in the army to be with his dad also.

"Your dad is very brave…and so are you" Edmund muttered.

Lisa looked at him with an eager smile, "You think I'm brave?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, you've handled the lost of your dad pretty cool and you never showed your weaker side"

"That's called pretending"

"But you know, you don't have to pretend"

"I know but, I have to. For my mum's sake" Lisa sighed and looked at her food, "I miss my dad a lot though. I considered him as my best friend. He understood me more than mum"

"Really?"

"Yeah. For my mum, the antiques my dad collected are just rubbish. But for me and my dad, they're like treasures that hold the history's secret. I bet he'll like you if he ever met you since you're into history and chess too"

"I think so too"

"Too bad he died early" then Lisa patted Edmund with a smile, "You guys are lucky to still have your parents. So, always cherish your moments with them while they're still around"

"I will"

Lisa then took out the letter her mum gave her days ago then handed it to Edmund, "My mum wants me to celebrate Christmas with her in America. Personally, I don't want to go. I hate riding planes or ships. What do you think I should do?"

And they became quiet again. Edmund didn't really know what to say to her question.

Lisa yawned and got up.

"I think I'll sleep now" Lisa said with droopy eyes.

She was always tired with the routine Narnians did—practice, go out for battle, look for hiding places, etc.

Edmund smiled at her, "Goodnight"

"Yeah"

As Lisa was almost at the entrance of the how, Edmund quickly turned around and called her, "Hey Lisa"

Lisa turned around curiously, "Hmm?"

"I think… you should stay in England for Christmas" he said softly without looking at her.

It made Lisa grinned and nodded, "Yeah, I thought so too. We should bond again soon?"

"Yeah, soon"