A.N: Filler chapter really, but meh. Story favourites and alerts make my day, but reviews make my week :)
Disclaimer: Do we really have to go through this again?
Chapter 13 – I guess it's my forte
The whole group advanced towards the How as they crossed the yellow dotted field.
"What are those flowers?" Evangeline asked, looking closely at them, they looked to be between dandelions and tulips.
"They're Narnian buttercups. I think," Caspian replied, "I have never been so good with flowers…"
"But don't princes have to know flowers well? In order to keep the ladies of their court happy?"
Caspian gave a charming crooked smile, "I have never really cared…"
"So you've never courted anyone before?"
The prince shook his head.
Evangeline tsked, "It's such a shame, a charming prince like you not courting any ladies. Women would fall at your feet."
"I haven't experienced the need to kick anybody in the face yet," Caspian replied.
They both laughed.
As they walked closer, they passed broken down stone columns that seemed to come out of nowhere. More ruins, honestly, how destroyed was this country? Still, ruins always made things look a little more historical. She could tell that this land has been through a lot. Overhead, the entrance of the How was beginning to get larger, and she could see levels of different terraces jutting out from the stone. Whether it was naturally formed or formed by magic, the whole place was magnificent.
The girl gasped at the assemblage of centaurs on the sides of the entrance into the How and watched how the four Pevensies automatically stepped forward, embracing the royal welcoming that they deserved. As they stopped to absorb the grandeur of it all, the centaurs flourished their swords from its scabbards and raised them in unison.
There was no hesitation as the four siblings strode towards the entrance, smiling in nostalgia from remembering their past. Their backs straightened unconsciously and they walked in a regal posture that Evangeline had never seen before. These were the same Pevensies from Finchley that she knew, but everything about them had suddenly changed in the span of that mere half a minute.
For some reason, she had the impression that she would need to start calling them 'your majesties'.
Evangeline stayed back with Caspian who shifted uncomfortably, looking down at his feet. "Don't worry Caspian… You'll get a welcome like that one day."
"I don't think so…" Caspian replied hesitantly, "Not after I betrayed my people…"
She had heard his story from Edmund, but too many details were left out, she wanted to hear the whole story and the reason behind Prince Caspian fleeing from his home, from his mouth, maybe in Spanish, but that was stretching it out a little too much. "If you feel like you've done the right thing, then there's nothing you should worry about."
"I hope that I've done the right thing…"
Evangeline smiled encouragingly at him, walking side by side with Caspian after the Pevensies. She passed the centaurs with their arms raised open-mouthed as her walking slowed. This was all Greek mythology coming true. She suddenly wondered whether sea serpents or Hydras were real.
Bounding with an extra step to catch up to Caspian, she was temporarily blinded by the sudden darkness as they entered through the entrance of the How. She blinked a few times to get rid of the sun spots that were dancing in her eyes, only to make out a large open area that was lit by torchlight. The musical sound of hammer on metal and the sizzle of welded weapons being plunged through cold water hit her ears.
Evangeline stayed next to Caspian, trying not to look too much at Edmund in case Peter caught her, and watched how the Prince graciously nodded his head at each creature who worked there as they passed. If he was worrying about betraying his own race, and of them hating him, then they wouldn't ever know of what a great King Caspian would've made.
Peter and Edmund stood there, taking in the scene in their minds as they analysed the workers and the tools used in each station. "It may not be what you're used to…" Caspian said, addressing the Pevensie kings at he motioned at the forgers. "But it is defensible…"
Peter nodded, conveying the phrase 'Its fine,' without really saying anything.
"Peter…" They heard Susan say. They all looked up, even though it was addressed to the eldest Pevensie, there was a tone of anxiousness laced with uncertainty that caught their attention. "You better come see this…"
Peter's good ol' smiley face that Evangeline had seen an hour earlier was set in a grim line as he walked to his sister.
All of the boys held a flaming torch in their hands as they swept around the corridor, looking at each carved image that was coloured in with pigment. One was of four kings and queens standing behind their throne, another was of two girls riding on what seemed to be a lion. The four Pevensies seemed pretty choked up with what they were seeing while Evangeline had no idea what it was.
"The art is nice…" she whispered awkwardly to Caspian, whose attention was focused on Susan.
"It's… us…" Susan choked out.
"What?" Evangeline asked.
She looked at Caspian who shook his head, "Estoy seguro de que voy a explicar a usted más tarde ..." I'm sure they'll explain it to you later… Caspian whispered to her with a cough, what a mouthful for someone who hadn't spoken in Telmarine in such a long time.
Evangeline nodded and caught Edmund's eyes. What in Narnia is he saying? His eyes seemed to ask her. Then he quirked an eyebrow as if asking, You can understand that?
She nodded while biting her lip with a sheepish smile.
Edmund's eyes flickered to an image that had a dark-haired boy standing before a lady seated on a sleigh. His expression tightened and his eyes narrowed in a split second of hatred before his eyes flitted away, back to an expression of anxiety. Evangeline had the sudden desire to find out why the image made Edmund react that way.
Peter had told her that Edmund had betrayed his family but made up for it, but that was all he said.
"What is this place?" Lucy asked after tracing an image with her finger.
"You don't know?" Caspian replied in his Telmarine accent.
Evangeline rolled her eyes and gave him a pointed look that said, Do you really think so, amigo?
With a slight shake of his head, Caspian lead them down a dark corridor. Their torch lights flickered as they walked and made whooshing noises. It comforted Evangeline in the dark. Dark confined places made her panic rise. Yeah, she pretty much guessed that she was claustrophobic, but she'd never tell anyone about it.
The descended a few stone steps, the sounds of their boots echoing off the silent walls. They could still see nothing ahead of them but watched as Caspian walked to the side and lowered his torch down. There was a strong sound of fire flickering as the fire licked the barricaded wall that stretched across the back of the room. The darkness had soon disappeared as the whole room lit up before their eyes, casting a warm golden glow. Behind on the walls were actual carved out statues of different creatures. They posed like normal people would in family portraits. The faun-husband's arm was around his faun-wife, and they had a little faun-boy standing in the middle of them, smiling happily.
In front of them however, was a stone table that was split in half, and behind it were pillars that looked like the Stonehenge. Peter had told Evangeline about the Stone Table before. That Aslan had sacrificed himself for some reason that Peter didn't explain. The wall directly behind the Stone Table had a carved out picture of a majestic lion that everyone was gazing in respect upon. Evangeline guessed that this was Aslan.
With a few slow steps, Lucy walked to the Stone Table and placed her hand on it, breathing in the memories that washed over her.
"He must've known what he was doing," the youngest girl said.
Peter inhaled heavily and looked at the image of Aslan. "I think it's up to us now."
Evangeline looked at Caspian with a worried expression and he returned the glance with same amount of apprehension.
oOoOoOoOoOo
"These will be your sleeping places…" Caspian said as they stopped in the middle of a corridor, motioning at a large cave opening that looked like quarters. "I wish that we could have given you better accommodation, but…" Caspian drifted off as he looked at the stone ground.
"It's fine," Susan said encouragingly, "we're used to sleeping on hard floor anyway."
Peter walked in and dropped his things on the ground, ignoring Caspian completely. Evangeline narrowed her eyes at him. "Ese cerdo grosero…" That rude pig, she muttered.
Both Edmund and Lucy gave Caspian an encouraging smile, "Thanks Caspian," Lucy said before heading in and laying her sleeping roll out.
"No creo que no me gusta mucho…" I don't think he likes me very much, Caspian said to Evangeline, who was obviously the only other Telmarine speaker there apart from him. He motioned to Peter as he said it.
Evangeline shook her head and leaned back on the wall with a sigh, "No es por lo general les gusta esto, pero que está siendo un culo, que va a venir alrededor de pronto… Ojalá." He's not usually like this, but he's being an ass, he'll come around soon… Hopefully.
"Avisarme cuando lo hace, para que yo pudiera escribir la fecha y hora de cuando el Gran Rey Peter el Magnífico dejó de ser un culo." Warn me when he does, so that I could write the date and time of when High King Peter the Magnificent stopped being an ass.
Evangeline laughed but stopped when she saw Caspian's gaze lingering on Susan.
"Usted debe hablar con ella, ya sabes." You should talk to her, you know, Evangeline told him gently, beckoning at Susan.
Caspian sighed, "No he encontrado realmente una oportunidad..." I haven't really found an opportunity…
Evangeline smiled, "Don't worry, you will," she said, converting back to English.
"If you're sure about it…"
"I am," she replied confidently. "I could help out."
"No, not at this time, maybe after, it would be too much for you, but thank you."
"We could trade stories to get to know each other better," Evangeline suggested.
"I would love to, but there are some things that require my attention. If you'll excuse me, my lady, your majesties," Caspian bowed to them as he said it. "Please, feel free to relax for today as you must have had a tiring journey, for tomorrow we'll need to start working. There are a few things that I need help clearing with, but it can wait."
"Gracias Caspio," Evangeline thanked him with a smile.
Caspian smiled in return, "It's been a long time since anyone has called me that, my lady."
A smile etched itself on Evangeline's face as she watched Caspian walk away. She had made a new friend today and they were getting along very well so far. She guessed that she would have to wait to hear Caspian's story.
Evangeline took a space next to the wall and unrolled her bed-spread, unpacking the few things that she had brought with her. A few reading books, a sketchbook, pencils and charcoals, her armour. The dress that she had brought with her stayed in the bag along with the hairpin that she had brought with her.
"I never knew you spoke a mystical language, Evangeline," Edmund said to her.
"It's Spanish."
"Maybe you could teach Susan," Lucy suggested.
So begins phase one of teasing our dearly beloved gentle Queen.
"Why would I need to learn Spanish, Lu?" Susan asked, looking up from her belongings.
Peter looked at Evangeline and Lucy disapprovingly as he could tell where it was going.
"Oh, I don't know…" Lucy drifted off, "Maybe to… talk to a certain handsome prince?"
"I don't think he's handsome…" Edmund said.
Evangeline put her hand up as she sat crossed legged on the floor. She looked like a kindergarten eagerly waiting to be picked by a teacher. "I do! He. Is. Dreamy."
Edmund looked uncomfortable with Evangeline's shameless words. He wasn't sure as to whether she was saying this just to tease Susan, or whether she really thought Caspian was dreamy. They got along so well though, and it hasn't even been an hour. Was that what she really thought of Caspian? That he's dreamy? Why should I care? It means nothing to me if she thinks Caspian is dreamy. She's just putting on an act to tease Susan.
"Mmm…" Lucy agreed, "Especially with that Spanish accent of his."
"Tall, dark haired, handsome, has a Spanish accent. He couldn't be more perfect," Evangeline continued.
"I'm sure you're bound to fancy him, Susan," Edmund said, picking up where Evangeline had left off.
Susan hid her blush by looking down, "He's not my type," she scowled.
Peter almost smirked at seeing his younger sister's sureness melt away. He did tell Evangeline that he'll tease Susan if he had the chance, even if she may like Caspian. There couldn't be a better opportunity.
"You have taste for boys now little sister? My, that is something to be concerned about!" said Peter
"Oh don't concern yourself too much, I can look after myself," Susan replied sarcastically.
Edmund faked a gasp, "How could you say that Su? After you've been mooning over him in your mind?"
Edmund stood up from his spot and walked over to Evangeline who sat cross-legged. By the mischievous glint in his eyes, she could tell that he was up to something and was unsure as to whether to play along or to defend herself.
"This is you," he told Susan, pointing at Evangeline, "and I'm Caspian," Edmund said, pointing to himself. "Would you care for a dance, my beautiful lady Susan?" he asked, mocking Caspian's Spanish accent perfectly with a bow.
Evangeline gaped slightly at his accent but came back to her senses as she accepted his hand as gracefully and lady-like as she could.
"Why of course, I would be delighted, handsome prince Caspian," she replied in a mock-Susan's voice.
'Caspian' pulled her up, bowing once again to her and she awkwardly curtsied in return.
She held back a blush when Edmund's arm snaked to the small of her back and pulled her closer to him and forced some calmness to wash over her rapidly beating heartbeat as she felt Edmund breathe in her ear.
Evangeline fidgeted nervously as she avoided meeting his dark gaze.
He took her right hand in his and she placed one on his shoulder and they pretended to dance. She felt the soles of her feet landing clumsily several times on Edmund's. She could hear him silently wincing. "Sorry," she kept on muttering with a smile.
Only yesterday she was scheming of different ways to patronise and prank him, and now, she had the perfect excuse to get him back for all of the things he had done to her. There weren't a lot of things that he had done to annoy her, but she could tell that he was going to torture her during training. All the more reason to step on his feet, she thought with an inward shrug.
"I think I'm going to faint," Evangeline pretended to gush, her melodramatic side kicking in after she remembered that they were supposed to be teasing Susan.
"Why is that, Susan?" Edmund asked, still in the Spanish accent.
"Because, I think that I'm going to be intoxicated by being this close to you, Caspian," Evangeline smirked as she added the last word.
Edmund spun her and she almost tripped over her feet, his arms shot out like lightning and fastened around her waist, drawing her into him.
"Told you I was going to faint."
Peter laughed at the pair.
"You're awfully clumsy for a queen, Susan," 'Caspian' remarked.
"I'm sorry," Evangeline replied, trying her best to mock Susan's voice, flustered, "It's just that... I'm just so nervous around you that I- I can't concentrate on my own dancing," she stuttered.
Peter laughed and nudged Susan. "Oh, c'mon Susan, lighten up."
Susan's scowl darkened.
Lucy ran over to Peter and dragged him by the hand, "Peter, dance with me," she said with a grin.
Peter stood up and the two siblings exchanged a bow and a curtsy. With a laugh Peter took Lucy in his arms and began to spin her around. They moved so fluidly that Evangeline wouldn't even stand a chance if she was compared with them.
They heard a cough coming from the doorframe and both Evangeline and Edmund jumped apart.
"What are you doing?" the real Caspian asked, looking perplexed at the four who stood up, and then at the scowling Susan.
"Dancing!" Lucy said brightly, "Come Caspian, you could be Susan's partner!"
Susan's blush was so red that Evangeline and Edmund looked at each other, Evangeline giggled while Edmund stifled a laugh.
"That's a brilliant idea!" Edmund added.
Evangeline's grin broadened as Caspian hesitated, "I've just come to remind you that dinner would be at sunset, outside of the How." The prince bowed again, and left. Why does he keep on bowing like that? We're all the same age…
Edmund did Caspian's crooked smile, getting back into character, "I guess that concludes our dance, your majesty."
"What?" Evangeline asked in surprise as she focused her attention back on Edmund.
"I'm sorry, your majesty, but my feet are suddenly aching," Edmund said with a small smirk.
"Ahh, of course Prince Caspian, I believe that it may be the result of my clumsiness, I apologise."
Evangeline tried to curtsy as Edmund bowed, taking her hand and kissing her knuckle in one smooth motion, locking his eyes with hers as he did it. The girl did all she could to control her breathing as her heart began to beat out of control. All too soon, she looked away as her arm dropped limply to her side, returning back to her sleeping roll, flustered.
She tried to get rid of the blush that she felt on her face and tried to calm her heartbeat. What was wrong with her? Blushing like a fool over a boy. If it never happened in England, then why is it happening here? Well, it shouldn't, Evangeline wanted to scoff. It's wrong to deny your feelings though…
Taking her sketchpad and pencils out from her pack, she sat there, drawing to relieve her mind of crazy teenage thoughts that were shifting too quickly to be comforting. Her pencil made rough strokes, but they were quick and precise. Soon a set of dark, mysterious looking eyes and a tall nose, Edmund, was staring back at her.
"What in the world?" she managed to say, just as she realised who she had drawn without really thinking.
"It's time!" the subject of her drawing said brightly, making her jump. She quickly closed her sketchpad and stuffed it in her bag. Edmund must never see that sketch.
"Time for what?" Evangeline asked nervously. It wasn't sunset yet, so it couldn't be dinner.
"Training," Edmund said with a smirk as he dragged the groaning Evangeline out of the How equipped with their weapons.
"Caspian told us to relax!" Evangeline said as she stumbled after Edmund.
"I'm King, he's Prince, who has a higher authority?"
Edmund laughed as Evangeline mumbled, "Bloody royals."
They positioned themselves in the field where many of the soldiers were training, however they edged further away from the clashing of steel swords so that Edmund could better instruct. Or rather, in case Evangeline decided to throw one of her swords.
"Got both of your weapons?" Edmund asked.
Evangeline nodded and positioned herself with her arms slightly raised in front of her, Eresen and Thaulen in her hands.
"Are you ready?" Edmund asked, taking his unsheathing his sword.
"Are you?" Evangeline challenged, trying to sound confident. Her shaky laugh gave her nervousness away.
Edmund grinned, suddenly having a flashback of the playing cricket on the Old Professors home last year. "I'll attack on three. One… Two… Three!"
oOoOoOoOoOo
"You're getting better," Edmund mused as Evangeline had finally landed a blow on his arm after trying for at least 23 times by her count. She was still pretty useless against him, and she knew that he was going easy on her. Not, easy like he was just dropping his skill down by a level, but easy like he was teaching a kindergarten something new. Evangeline might have degraded her skill level down a little in her mind, but that's how she felt.
"Finally!" Evangeline exclaimed as she paused her attack. Edmund smirked and slapped her on the wrist with his sword, causing her to drop her own. "Ouch! What's your problem?"
"Your wonderful lapse in concentration will be the end of you on the battlefield. Please refrain from your exclamations if you successfully stab a soldier, you'll only draw more attention to yourself."
Evangeline rolled her eyes at his formality as she rubbed her wrists, "Yes, your majesty."
"Don't call me that."
"Apologies, your majesty," Evangeline smirked.
Edmund rolled his eyes in return, "When you're sword fighting, your movements are jerky. It's supposed to be fluid and smooth."
Evangeline scoffed, "I don't think movements are supposed to be smooth if you're trying to hack someone's head off."
"It all has to do with your footing," Edmund continued, "Stepping and moving with a sword is a lot like ballroom dancing..."
Evangeline was silent for a while as she fidgeted with her swords.
"Evangeline?" Edmund asked, looking at her curiously, he had expected a retort from her.
She bit her lip in embarrassment, "Uhh, Ed... I don't know how to dance..."
"What? I thought you could. That you were only teasing Susan when you were stepping on my foot."
Evangeline shook her head, shamefaced.
Edmund smiled, "It's alright, just another thing to add to the list of 'Things to teach Evangeline' which goes along with 'How to properly kill a bear' and 'explain to Evangeline that Narnian water is harmless'."
"Could you add, 'How to shoot Edmund' in it as well?" Evangeline returned.
Edmund ignored her taunt and continued, "A gentleman bows before dancing with a lady," he said, giving her a low bow. "In turn, the lady has to curtsy."
Evangeline tried to curtsy, but it came out more like a bob as her feet shook in their awkward position. Edmund laughed, "Your feet are all wrong, left foot in front, right foot behind. They don't have to be parallel, Ange. Yes, like that," he said as Evangeline adjusted herself. "Much better, see?"
"Wow, I've drastically improved on my curtsy, its life changing, isn't it?" she asked dryly.
Edmund chuckled as he took her right hand, placing it on his shoulder. She tentatively stepped closer, fidgeting as she looked at her feet. Like before, Edmund took his right hand in her left and the other was placed on her hip.
"It's fairly simple once you get the hang of it," he told her, "but until then, I'll try my best to put up with the pain."
Evangeline slapped him on the arm.
Edmund grinned, "The simplest of all ballroom dancing is the waltz, all you have to do is follow where I step. Ready? There's three beats in a waltz, the first beat is stronger than the others, so you have to step further on the first beat." Edmund guided her through some three step movement, "So it's, One… two three. One big step, and then two little ones."
Instead of those normal dark looks that he always wears, Edmund's face was relaxed, which made Evangeline feel more comfortable with him than she usually is. She followed his feet, holding herself out at arm's length to see where she had to step.
"Don't look down, Ange," he murmured as soon as he pulled her in closer to him, warm breath tickling her ear. Evangeline tensed, feeling a slight giddiness come over her, a blush rose to her face and she did all she could to keep it down. When she did compose herself, she looked up and hoped that Edmund hadn't noticed that her palms were sweating.
"You'll be confused with my footing, if you looked at your opponent, you would know where they'd step by the movement of their whole body, not their legs. Look at me instead. I'm a much better view than my feet," he added with a wry smile.
A smile played on her lips, though Evangeline didn't say anything in return and avoided his gaze. She knew that if she looked into his eyes, she wouldn't be able to take them off of his.
"Always keep eye contact, Evangeline. Otherwise you wouldn't know where they'd step next."
Evangeline's eyes creased, was he somehow reading her mind just to tell her to do what she didn't want to? Hesitantly, her eyes scanned from the side of Edmunds face to meet his eyes, where his deep browns locked with her emerald ones.
One… two three, she counted in her mind, repeating it over and over again as she moved with Edmund.
It was almost like she was hypnotised, just staring into his deep brown orbs...
"Good, you're moving more fluidly... Or not," he said, just as she stepped on his foot.
His comment distracted her from her hypnotic state. "Oops... Sorry," she smiled sheepishly.
Edmund smiled back at her in return. It wasn't a smirk, or a grin, it was a genuine smile which made him all the more handsome than he already was. Her legs felt like they were turning into jelly while her heart fluttered.
She stopped staring and snapped back to reality when he said, "It's all about anticipation. You don't know what's going to happen next. That's why you have to be ready."
"That's not very helpful when you are trying to save yourself..." she murmured.
"No, but it does make you more alert," Edmund replied gently as he spun her. This time she didn't trip over her own legs and returned back to facing Edmund without stepping on his feet. Evangeline smiled in triumph.
Edmund grinned, "Much better."
After a few more minutes of what Edmund called 'dancing' Evangeline stepped away. "I think I kind of understand the concept."
Edmund nodded drawing out his sword just as she did. They circled each other for a bit, mimicking the other's foot movements, waiting in anticipation for the opponent to strike. Evangeline lunged for him, and he parried. The glint of excitement was back in his eyes as they traded blows back and forth.
Evangeline laughed as she realised what beat what they were fighting to. One… two, three. Parry… thrust, slash. They paused for a bit when their blades collided, and for the briefest second, their eyes met, where Evangeline smiled wickedly before she took a step back, blocking Edmund's over head blow by bringing her own sword above her head and over her shoulder, spinning like Edmund had spun her. She continued her 360 degree turn as she ducked to dodge his next blow, spinning again for a backhand slash.
She stood back up and side-stepped just as Edmund struck a blow which just narrowly her shoulder. Her eyes widened in alarm but she continued to attack as Edmund advanced. Her foot caught on something and she lost the beat she was fighting to, tripping over in the process. A small shriek escaped from her lips as she fell, only to experience a sharp pain on her arm where Edmund gripped her wrist tightly, preventing her from falling.
The excited glint in his eyes was still there as he pointed the tip of his sword at her throat, unlike her heavy breathing, Edmund's breath was laboured. "Dead," he announced.
Evangeline knew that it was the end of their training session but she couldn't help glaring at him as he pulled her back up. "You're the second best knight that Peter knows of. Of course I'd be dead."
Edmund shrugged, "If it were from a normal soldier, you still would be. You still need to work on your footing."
"I know."
"But you've improved a lot Evangeline. That's good."
"It's not enough to defend myself though," she said to him as they slowly made their way back to where all of the other soldiers were training.
Some were practising their sword skills with their fellow soldiers, while others practised on wooden mannequins. What Evangeline saw as she looked beyond all the slashing was an archery field, with green grass as green as they could be, bright with all its glory. It might have been her imagination, but to her the archery field seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun.
When Trumpkin had shot the bear with his arrow, Evangeline had the desire to try out archery. She wanted to feel the ultimate power of holding someone's life in your hands, and be able to end it just by releasing a string. Power lust, they called it, but Evangeline just felt extremely curious to try out archery just to have that feeling.
"That's what I'm here for, right?" Edmund asked, looking at her, only to see her attention focused on something else, "Evangeline?"
The girl who was staring longingly at the archery range looked back at him. "Can I please try it? Please?" she pleaded, dragging him by the arm past the soldiers.
He would have said no, said that one weapon to learn was enough for now, but her pleading eyes persuaded him otherwise. "Fine, it's not like you'd listen to me anyway if I said no."
"You're right," she grinned cheekily. He could've sworn that he heard a squeal from her as she ran to the archery range. He watched her amused as she looked for a bow suitable for herself, flexing the strings and testing them out to suit her own strength.
There was something different about her, she fought with him from the very start, still fought with him actually, yet they got along so well. Strange isn't it? That he could start liking a girl like that. He had always thought that he'd go for a girl that looked like a movie star and was naturally flirtatious, but now that he thought about it, he didn't really know what qualities he'd look for in a girl. But he was quite sure that back then in Golden Age that he wouldn't fall for a girl who would argue with him whenever she had the chance. Things change I guess, Evangeline's not a feisty person though. She's just opinionated. Edmund thought as calmly walked towards the archery range, watching as Evangeline positioned herself at least 50 metres away from the bullseye.
"Archery isn't as easy as it looks," Edmund told her as she took an arrow from a quiver, fitting it on her bow.
"How would you know?" Evangeline asked, pulling the string back.
Edmund sighed, "Susan is my sister, it's obvious that she made all of her siblings try out archery." He laughed at Evangeline's comical expression. She had her left eye shut, with her tongue sticking out from the side of her mouth in concentration as she took aim.
You're adorable, he wanted to say, but he knew that she would react to it. Besides, stop thinking about her like that, she's your student. "Relax…" he said as he gently pushed her rising elbow down. "Keep your elbow level with the corner of your mouth."
Evangeline took his advice with a nod, breathing out and reshuffling her face in all the calmness that she could muster. Twang! Came the sound of the string as it released the arrow. Thump!
"YES!" Evangeline yelled excitedly, jumping up with a fist pump as she saw that her arrow had landed right in the red circle of the archery board. She grinned triumphantly as she placed both hands on her hips. "Well, what do you know? I got bullseye!"
"Unbelievable! That's a fluke," Edmund said, eyes widening in surprise. He looked down at his feet, shaking his head as he laughed.
"Fine, I will try to prove you wrong," she said, fitting another arrow. She composed herself, took a few deep breaths, took aim and fired. It hit just on the line of the red bullseye before the next ring of white. "How's that for fluke?"
"It's not in the middle," Edmund argued.
"It's on the board," Evangeline retorted with a laugh, fitting on another arrow. She fired it again and it landed on the line of the white ring to the red ring. She laughed, "I guess archery is my forte, this is so much easier than sword fighting."
She fired some more, with Edmund patiently watching her with an amused expression on his face. He laughed with Evangeline every time she got excited about her arrow thumping on the board, which was all the time because she hardly missed. It seemed like her energy was boundless when it came to archery.
"Why didn't Peter just ask Susan to train you in archery? You're a natural, and it would have saved us all of the trouble."
Evangeline grinned, "Maybe because I'm already good enough not to need any training in archery."
Edmund shook his head, "And here I thought you had learnt humility."
"Besides," Evangeline continued, "Peter probably only made you train me so that I could annoy you."
"You're probably right…"
Twang! Thump! Twang! Thump!
"This bow is perfect! I need to mark it with something so that I can find it tomorrow," Evangeline exclaimed.
"Why don't you just take it with you?" Edmund asked.
"Nah, other soldiers might need it tomorrow," she said as she plucked a Narnian buttercup, threading the stem through the string where it was attached to the bow. "There, now let's see if the flower is strong enough to last."
Twang! Thump! Twang! Thump!
After five more shots, she set down her bow, satisfied with the buttercup's endurance.
"I thought you'd be here until midnight," Edmund mused.
She shook her head as she rubbed her stomach, "I'm hungry."
With a laugh, they walked to the fire that was set in front of the How.
A.N: Reviews please, my dearly beloved readers?