I don't own any characters other than Delaney. All other characters, plot, and fictitious lands are property of their respective owners.

"You took my heavy heart and made it light."

Relient K : High of 75

20

"You realize this means we'll be spending more time together?"

Delaney was shaking with laughter, both hands covering her face to smother the sounds of her giggles. Edmund smirked and looked over his shoulder at Whiff and Grim. The Wolves were following behind them, deep in conversation, and oblivious that their charges were listening.

Whiff rolled her eyes. "Clearly. Especially if they stay joined at the face like that."

Grim laughed. "So much for spy work. We're going to be watchdogs instead. What would mother think?"

"And Aslan forbid there are pups! Can you imagine? Brooding, dark-eyed little things with sharp tongues and bad attitudes!" Whiff sounded horrified.

"Don't be boring, Whiff," Grim chided. "That would be an adventure."

Delaney finally cleared her throat, blushing furiously. "If you two wouldn't mind shutting up! There will be no 'adventures'."

Edmund chuckled and kissed her cheek. "At least not yet," he said devilishly. He was rewarded when her blush deepened.

She scowled up at him. "You just try it. You'll be the one with stitches."

The four of them were walking back up to the castle, though Delaney felt a bit like she was floating. Edmund was a surly, troublesome, pain in the ass, but he was her surly, troublesome, pain in the ass. His arm was wrapped around her waist, a smirking smile on his face.

"You'll come with me to tell Pete?" Edmund murmured against her neck. "It will be gratifying to see him stunned speechless. It happens so rarely."

Delaney sighed. "Is your family going to be angry at you?" she asked. She pulled away from his embrace only to be tugged back in.

Edmund grinned into her hair. "Angry? They are going to be ecstatic." He mentally pictured the reaction. Hugging. Lots of hugging. "I do what to change first, though. No point in getting everyone all wet." He pointed to where Delaney had been held up against him and, sure enough, Delaney's jeans and tunic were soaked through.

"So it's alright to do it to me?" Delaney grumbled as they reached the steps of the Cair.

"Well, yeah. You're special." Edmund smirked. He watched her eyes narrow and Edmund felt a thrill of glee. She was an absolute pleasure to taunt. And, given her nature…

"Aren't you suddenly a laugh-freakin-riot."

…Edmund would never, ever be bored with Delaney Carter. He shrugged as though it was all very matter of fact. "Well, I've decided I just might like you."

Delaney turned her dark eyes to him and planted a fist on her hip. Before she could get out whatever snarky remark she had planned, Edmund pressed his mouth over hers. Delaney sighed and he shivered as her fingers grabbed at his hair. He followed suit, fisting his hands in her dark curls, ensuring that she wasn't going anywhere.

Her tongue darted to the corner of his lips. Edmund growled, delighted by her responses to him. Then, treacherous girl that she was, Delaney broke free, and darted up the steps. "Stop that this instant. I have a reputation to uphold here."

"What reputation is that?" Edmund asked. He nodded to the centaurs on guard duty and followed Delaney into Cair Paravel. They kept their voices soft, so as not to send their conversations echoing off the marble.

"Um…I'm a notorious badass," she reminded him. "And last time I checked, you were a He-Man Woman Hater."

He rolled his eyes at her nonsense. "I'm not much in the mood to keep up appearances," Edmund mumbled. "Not when I've finally discovered a way to keep you quiet." She scowled at that, but allowed him to sling his arm over her shoulder. Edmund reveled in her compliance.

When they reached her door, Edmund pressed her up against it briefly, holding her there while he claimed her mouth. Delaney tried to hold it back, but the tiniest moan escaped and Edmund's arms were suddenly wrapped around her, lifting her to a more accessible height. One of his hands scrambled behind her, looking for the doorknob.

"Alright, that is enough of that!" Grim forced himself between them, nearly knocking Delaney into her room. Whiff had a hold of Edmund's cloak, holding him back. Grim bumped the door shut and Delaney heard Edmund's angry growl from the hall. "Go on and get, Sire. She'll be here when you've…calmed down." Grim barked through the door, his voice stilted with laughter.

"Come, Sire, you need to change." Whiff's voice was light.

Grim turned to Delaney. She was looking at him like a spoiled child who had just had her toys taken away. "So much for not being 'adventurous'," the Wolf said lightly.

"So much for not being a chaperone," Delaney fired back. She crossed her arms angrily, but Grim stuck his nose into her ear again.

"You're being courted by a king, Lane."

Delaney smiled. "Not a king," she said dismissively. "Edmund." She squealed and threw herself at the Wolf catching him in a hug. "I'm being courted by Edmund!"

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It took her longer than usual to clean herself up and get dressed, because she was having a panic attack. Delaney tore through the wardrobe until Grim couldn't take it anymore. The poor Wolf was dodging dresses and slippers.

"For Aslan's sake, Lane, pick something! Edmund's never cared what you've worn before. You were dressed like a boy today and it still didn't stop him from handling you at every turn." The girl blushed, but calmed down considerably. She pulled out a pale amethyst dress and slipped into it, lacing the bodice up the sides and examining herself in the mirror. The dress was as close to simple as anything else in her closet, with tiny blue embroidery that crept up from her hips to the square neckline. It was a bit lower than she would have liked, but nothing was overly displayed. She quickly clipped her hair back and tried to get her bangs to behave themselves. She sighed. She would never be a beauty like Sessili or Susan, but she wasn't completely unfortunate looking, either. She'd pass.

Grim rolled his eyes at her primping. "Lane, you are being silly."

"I know, but what if he changes his mind? What if he was kidding?" Delaney paled. "God, what if someone dared him?"

"Stop that before I bite you." Grim head butted her and she nervously began to pet his silver-gray fur.

There was a knock at the door and Grim kept her from running to it. She cracked it and stared up into Edmund's dark eyes. "I'm sorry, did you want something?" she said icily. Grim chuckled behind her. This girl would forever keep his king on his toes.

Edmund's eye brow arched at her tone and he forced the door open the rest of the way. He looked her over carefully and tried not to lick his lips. "Well, I do now."

Delaney's head tilted to the side and he tried to avoid looking at the pale curve of her neck. He could feel heat settle in his stomach and spread outward as she watched him, a challenging glint in her eyes. "You think it's that easy?"

"Don't answer that, Sire, it's a trap." Whiff laughed from the hall. "Come along, humans."

Edmund ushered Delaney into the hall before he pushed his luck and they started toward the royal wing. She was visibly nervous, her hand buried into Grim's shoulder. Edmund took her other hand and kissed it gently. "It's alright, Lane. Do you really think that Lucy isn't going to be annoyingly happy about this? And Susan will get to throw a party, so you know she'll be on board. And Peter made it very clear that if I didn't hurry up and do something about you, he would."

Delaney made a sour face. "King Peter?" she squeaked. Edmund grinned delightedly when her grip on his hand tightened and she moved closer to him.

Edmund laughed. "Only you would think Pete is the scary one, Lane."

"Not scary, just intimidating." She was remembering how cold he had been in the infirmary and Delaney shuddered. "He's not you."

Grim and Whiff had to intervene again before the young king and the New Yorker got out of hand.

"The two of you!" Whiff chastised after she had pried them apart. "Don't make me separate you permanently."

Edmund put his arms around Delaney as they reached Peter's room. "Aslan forbid," he muttered against her hair. "You ready?"

"No."

"Oh, well." Edmund knocked.

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