A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry it's taken me so long to update but I've been rather busy with both of my jobs and organizing vacation time (I'm going to Disneyland and Seattle) so I'll try to update on my vacation. I also want to let you guys know I've run into a sort of writers block with the story...it's not that I haven't anything to write, it's that I have way too much to write. In fact I have so much I pretty much have started on a sequel and have already written my ending to this series. But I digress. I have written a lot for you ladies and gents that like my stories. It's my most popular and it's been received with such enthusiasm and grace. So I'll try to update two in Disneyland, and three in Seattle...I think that should make everyone happy. I know it makes me happy because I just really want you all to read this story. Hope your summer's have been well! happy reading...

Chapter Twelve: For Want of a King

That night the party was set up not in the banquet hall but in the throne room. There was food, wine, many villagers and people all ready to dance the night away and in wait of the Kings and Queens and the ever growing popular Lady Kristen de Wilde who brought elves and men together once more.

Kristen paced her room dressed naught in a dress but in her best elvish clothes that weren't gifts to her from Lianial but from Aven. Aven had given her many things doting on her like an older sister the one hour they had to get to know each other. Upon parting Mirkwood she had packed neat parcels of clothes, food, books and jewelry much like the square perfect package Lianial bestowed upon her.

She was wearing a silver tunic that fit around her waist better than the men made ones and the high collar was beaded and coiffed with silk. The sleeves flared out revealing lace and the hem went down to mid calf and split at the sides. Her leggings where of the same grey and she wore her grey boots. Her hair had been brushed back by Ara and braided...maybe not so elegantly as Lianial had done it, but it looked beautiful, and the crown Lianial had given her had been put around her forehead.

She looked at herself in the mirror and brushed the velvety silky material of her clothes to flatten them and tried to stand taller and look more like the fair-kind but it wasn't working. She slumped forward once more and there was a knock on the door.

"Enter." she said and then Lucy popped her head in through the crack in the door and smiled.

"You ready? Susan told me to come get you."

"Yes I think so." Kristen said and looked at Lucy and slumped more. "Do I look okay? Is it alright that I'm not wearing a dress?"

"Of course!" Lucy said like it was ridiculous. She walked in and then grabbed Kristen's hand and pulled her towards the door in a rushed state. "Come on or we'll miss the opening dances!"

Kristen could honestly say that this was one of the more enjoyable balls; though probably because it was smaller. She was praised on, to her expense, at how accomplished she had become during her stay at Cair Paravel and that she looked quite lovely this evening. Kristen actually spent most of her time entertaining her elven escorts, coming to know Ruen and Handaf well and that they served under Talon and were marchwardens themselves. It was nice for the elleth and the ellon to have someone be exclusive to them for festivities of men where scarcely known to them.

"Kristen, Lady Ruen, Lord Handaf." Peter said coming to join the group and Kristen smiled.

He was dressed in a different tunic, maybe one of a blood red all fashioned in gold and his large cape stretched behind in in the same color. Kristen was reminded of a more regal Julius Caesar (except Peter wasn't a tyrant.) But Kristen noticed he was not wearing his crown, nor was any of the royalty.

"High King Peter." Ruen bowed and so did Handaf who remained silent. "Your festivities are lovely. We thank you for inviting us."

"With pleasure. Would either of you like to try some wine? It's the best in all of Narnia and grown from our own grapes in the orchards."

"Your kindness is immeasurable sir." Handaf said.

"I shall immediately get you both a goblet each."

"Oh do not go to the trouble your majesty we shall ourselves. After all we are not a stranger to drinking out of a cup." Ruen smiled and then winked at Kristen before walking away so elegantly with Handaf behind her.

Kristen caught Peter staring after her and inside maybe she was a little jealous. After all what was she compared to Ruen who was magnificent and naturally beautiful. Kristen was just clumsy and awkward and tripped over every little crack in the ground.

"I'll just uhm...go." Kristen said breaking him of staring at the elleth and Peter watched her start to leave before he grabbed her hand and held her back.

"Why?" he asked and she glanced over at Ruen and then back at him and shrugged.

"No reason."

"You promised a dance."

"Uh, I'm not...uhm." she licked her lips trying to find the right words as she stared into his hopeful face. "You should ask Ruen to dance first. It'd be unkind to neglect them and maybe Susan can dance with Handaf."

She slid her hand out of his grasp and then clenched her teeth as she walked away, as she found herself out in the gardens. She walked over to a fountain and sat down on the edge and leant on her knees feeling all of the sudden sullen and unable to enjoy the party.

Soft patter of footsteps fell and soon came to a stop before her, and Kristen dreaded that Peter might have followed her. She braved a looked up to see Edmund in a blue tunic looking very handsome. He smiled at Kristen admiring how pretty she looked and then placed his hands on his hips getting into a scolding form.

"How rude, you haven't even said hello to me yet since you've returned and here I find you moping in the gardens. What am I going to do with you Kristen?"

Kristen grinned as she sprung up from her seat at the fountain and hugged Edmund tight. He picked her up twirling her around before he then hauled her over his shoulder making her scream.

"Ed let me down!"

"No, you gotta apologize first for neglecting me."

"No! Let me down first! This isn't funny Ed!"

"Oh really, from my position it's extremely funny." he chuckled hopping up and down and tickling her sides.

"Oi I'm sorry!" she laughed and Edmund then let her down but refused to relieve his arms around her and looked down at her with a triumphant look.

"Better." he said and made the mistake of staring into her eyes too long and he just began to absentmindedly stare. They were like flecks of gold in her eyes shining in the evening light and flecks of green swirling in blue. It was like watching dye in water as it swirled around to create one color. "Did anyone ever tell you, you have the most beautiful eyes?"

"Stop kidding Ed." she scolded

"I'm not kidding." he said with a smirk and then relieved his arms from around her taking her hand in his. "Come on. You owe me a dance."

"What is it with me owing dances to everyone?"

Once back inside Edmund spun her around and led her into the succession of dancing. Kristen smiled up at Edmund and swayed back and forth with him to a jovial tune but couldn't shake the shiver she got up her spine...like she was being watched.

Her eyes traveled the room until they caught Peter's who was sitting on his throne leaning on the arm rest and he looked as though he was glaring at her. She looked away quickly and then stared at Edmund's chest her lips pulled down in a frown and Edmund made a concerned face.

"What's wrong? Did I step on your foot?" Edmund looked down at their feet, but there was no error to be made. He was for once leading very well.

"No."

"What is wrong it has to be something, or is it really your foot?"

"Neither." she said finally looking up at him. "No, there is something..."

"You can tell me."

"Peter." she finally said. "He's staring at me like he hates me."

"Oh don't worry about Peter. He's just probably jealous I danced with you before him."

"Maybe."

"Chin up. Come on let's get you some wine, maybe then it'll loosen those tight nerves of yours."

"So you want me to get drunk?"

"No just happy." Edmund grinned and they parted dancing form as they walked arm in arm over to the long table that had a fountain of wine and many platters of different and wonderful smelling food. Edmund got her a goblet and handed it to her and Kristen sniffed it and looked at Edmund unsure. "If it makes you any happier, I'll stop you before you start looking like a fool."

"Uh, yeah cause I trust you to do that." Kristen nudged him and then sighed before she brought her lips to the brim of the cup and tipped it back letting a couple sips of the wine trickle down her throat.

It wasn't bad...she had drank before but this stuff was far stronger. But the taste was tangy and she took another sip and this time it was more enjoyable. Edmund led her off to the side as he and her talked about many things, not necessarily important but just talked. And she talked normally with him, more normally than she did with anyone else.

Peter watched them, and watched them in jealousy. And he wished with all of his might and power that he could be to her what Edmund was to her. He watched Lucy and Susan come up and hug her and Lucy refused to part with her arm as the young girl only wished to keep her on a leash and show her about. Susan was always observant and careful but even the High King saw just how much she had become apart of their lives and to top it all off...he had fallen in love with her.

No longer did any pleasurable company swag his lust and soon he gave up all together. His bed had not seen a woman in weeks...since that maid she had seen him kissing in the hall. It was like Kristen's presence made all other female's around him seem dull...even the beautiful elleth, Ruen would be more than easy for him to spend lustrous time with.

No.

Only her.

He stood up from his throne, jaw clenched, his eyes never stopped their bee line stare right at the back of her head. He walked down the steps and down to the floor and people bowed before him but he ignored them...he did not mean to but he was on a mission.

He came up behind Kristen and Susan, Edmund and even Lucy looked at their brother and stopped talking and Kristen who had not noticed Peter looked at them all strangely and then followed their stares. She turned around to see Peter and she jumped a bit back having to look up at him.

"Hello." Kristen said and he took a deep breath in and then opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out and his eyes then dropped to the floor instead of at her face.

"I still would like that promised dance if that's all right. Lady Ruen holds no interest for me and well, you wounded me last time refusing a dance, and the second even more. So please wound me no further Kristen."

Kristen stared at him and his eyes met hers once more and Kristen suddenly felt more shy and introverted and she started playing with her sleeves again her back muscles tensing.

"I-I uh, uhm..."

"Oh stop it Pete, don't force her." Edmund said and Peter's gaze shot up and glared at his younger brother.

"Oh so it wasn't forced when she could dance with you but naught I?" his voice sounded calm however the rage that was pooling in his gaze...too calm to be normal.

"Your embarrassing her." Edmund said plainly.

"Do I embarrass you Kristen?" Peter asked looking down at the woman before him and she licked her bottom lip looking off to the side and refused to meet his gaze.

"It's not that. I just, uh...I really– we fought a lot Peter. I don't know what to do. So, sorry."

"Well. If it's a matter of propriety then I say it matters naught and what matters is things will be different for us. I only want the chance to start over and show you how kind I can be. That I can be a friend."

Kristen couldn't argue with that, nor deny it of him since she'd feel guilty. So she nodded and Peter held his hand out and she took it as he slowly pulled her forward and him stepping back until they reached the dance floor. It was a slow song, and the fauns and sytar's where playing all their flutes and strings making it seem all the more like a dream.

Peter was very tall compared to her. He towered her and could easily encase her small form. He placed her hands correctly and they moved in small confined movements (the kind of slow dancing you would see at your school Prom...of which Kristen attended and did not enjoy one bit of it at all.) but the two moved along and in silence.

"Not so bad hm?" Peter asked and she shook her head. "Am I so horrible to be around."

"Sometimes." she said with a smile and he smiled too. Granted she just insulted him but he also made her smile and that outweighed anything at the moment. "But I haven't been around you enough so..."

"What is it about people that scares you so much?"

Sure she had been asked this question before, but she wondered why Peter would just shave this one off the many he could ask her.

"I dunno. I don't like conflict and I think sometimes they're a big dissapointment."

"I suppose that's a valid reason. Well I wont disappoint you...and no more fights."

"Did anyone ever tell you not to make promises you can't keep?" Kristen raised an eyebrow at him but mirth was in her eyes and Peter pinched her side making her squirm and then trip which cause him to laughed his beautiful laugh that made a lot of people look over to see that their king was happy and it was because of the woman he had in his arms.

Though one was not looking on in contempt as the others as his brown eyes watched like a hawk the couple move about the dance floor. It was Edmund's turn to feel jealous and eventually it became too much to bear and he left to retire for the evening.