A/N: Hello friends! I am back with another chapter! I have gotten a few more lovely reviews which make my heart sing with happiness! I hope you enjoy this chapter (PSA gets a teeny bit steamy, but what are ya going to do?)! Drop me a review or a PM to let me know your thoughts!

xoxo

CH21.

REYNA POV

The rest of the night was a complete and total blur. When Edmund and I finally emerged out of the castle everyone else was hard at work already, sorting weapons and bodies, carrying the wounded away, guarding and herding prisoners, etc. Peter was nowhere to be seen, though my eyes searched the courtyard ravenously for him. Edmund sent me to the medical tent declaring that I helped him recover so well I could do the same for any other wounded men.

I went, still feeling like I was walking in a dream. Everything felt a little bit hazy and I still wasn't sure whether I'd simply dreamed Peter's death up or what had happened. From what Edmund said, he might've experienced something similar to me…but he wasn't confused and he had complete memory about what happened. It wasn't like he felt like he'd lived almost an entire week before waking up to realize no time had passed. I was hoping after a night's sleep things might become clearer. Unfortunately, none of us managed any sleep that night. Everyone was busy working until well after sunrise.

I hadn't caught any sign of Peter throughout the night, probably because I was cocooned inside the medic tent making beds, cleaning wounds, and nursing our soldiers. I'm sure he and Edmund were some of the busiest of us all. I know they (along with Susan and Clayton, for Lucy was helping me in the medical tent and directing where the wounded should go) met with the mercenary men to discuss terms of surrender. At first, we had focused all of our attention on the wounded men who had been part of our company, but after a time we started receiving foreign soldiers from the Witch's army. I assumed Peter and Edmund had struck an accord with the left-over leaders of the enemy army and the boys, being merciful, had offered our medical services to their wounded men as well.

It was about mid-day when things finally started to calm down and everyone was able to take a sort of rest. It was amazing how fast we had set up camp inside the Witch's castle. It made me a little uneasy, at first, being in her home but as I got to work I quickly put those thoughts to the back of my mind, reminding myself that she was gone. I had killed her. The thought both delighted and chilled me to the bone so I continuously shoved it away.

I was sitting in the medical tent beside a sleeping badger who had obtained a bad blow to the head. I was supposed to be monitoring him and noting any changes that occurred. He'd been unconscious since he was brought in, but his breathing was steady. My eyelids felt so heavy. I had to keep jerking myself or shifting my position to stay awake. Finally, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw another nurse - a tall, lanky woman with blonde hair, blue skin, and pointed ears: naiad, definitely.

She smiled at me with a look of understanding and said, "Why don't you go get some rest, milady? I can take over from here. You've been up all night."

I nodded slowly and stood. I'd somehow managed to find a coat during the night. I had no idea whose it was, however. I looked down at my clothes that I'd worn the night before. I must look an absolute fright.

My dark brown trousers had been ripped in several places and were showing little bits of pale skin. There was one rip on my thigh that had been torn when I got sliced by a knife jab. The fabric had become crusted to my skin and the scab that had formed over the wound. It wasn't deep, but deep enough. I knew it would scar. The red shirt I was wearing had done a good job of hiding any bloodstains, but I knew that when I took it off I'd find places where I'd been cut and bruised. I felt an ache in my shoulder from when a mercenary had twisted my arm behind my back, threatening to almost dislocate my shoulder. I had given him a solid kick to the groin before slicing his throat with the dagger I'd pulled in my other hand. My boots were covered in mud, grass, and bloodstains but had held up well. They fit my feet comfortably and had enabled me to move with speed and agility during the battle. My vest that I'd worn over the shirt I'd been given had made it through mostly unscathed, but for a medium-length cut on my right side. Someone had been attempting to take out my fighting hand and thrown some kind of weapon at me that sliced my side. That was probably my biggest wound. I hadn't taken a long look at it, but I could feel that it went from my back pretty much all the way around to the side of my right breast. I cringed in pain as I pulled off the jacket I had been wearing. The reaching motion tugging on my barely healing wound.

As I stepped out of the tent I was hit with a burst of sunlight and fresh air. I hadn't realized how stuffy inside the tent had been until now. I closed my eyes and tilted my head towards the sun, drinking in the crisp air of the day. The seasons were just beginning to shift from winter to spring. The snow was gone from the ground and the day was mostly warm. It felt like the perfect spring morning. I shivered involuntarily, remembering another spring day similar to this in my "dream-state." I guess that's the best thing to call it. I still wasn't even sure it'd actually happened at all.

As I took deep breaths, I could smell the first beginnings of blossoming flowers. I could hear the chirping of birds in the forest close by and the rustle of small woodland creatures. It was like every being knew that we had won the battle last night; that peace had been restored to Narnia again. As I stood, slightly to the side of the medic tent, simply enjoying the peace of this moment I heard a voice shout from across the camp. My weary eyes opened and a smile lit my face.

"Reyna! I've been wondering where you've been!" Exclaimed Susan, taking me into her arms in a tight and loving hug. We stood hugging for a few moments. My face resting in the crook of her neck breathing in her floral scent. When we withdrew, her hands went down my arms and took hold of my hands, her eyes giving me a cursory glance, checking for injuries.

"Are you quite well, my dear friend? You look like you've been through hell and back." I laughed.

"Haven't we all?" She shrugged, nodding. "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Sleeping, I suppose! The only reason I'm awake is because I'm on my way back from Pete's tent. He has been running around all night talking with the enemies, making sure the weapons are accounted for, counting our losses and directing the burials of our men and the enemy soldiers, the list goes on! I finally had to go and tell him he needs sleep, just like the rest of us! I swear, if he didn't have you and me to keep him in line, he'd run himself into the ground working."

My mind had become alert when she'd mentioned Peter's name. I suddenly remembered my horrible alternate reality where he'd been dead. All the painful and terrifying emotions flooded back over me and I almost staggered with the weight of them. I had barely been listening to the second half of Susan's speech. I was too focused on trying to get a hold of myself. I had to keep telling myself he's fine. He's fine. He's fine. He's fine. Yet still, the panic inside me wouldn't calm down. I knew I had to see him and make sure he was actually alright.

"Well, I'm about to fall over with exhaustion myself. You and I better get some rest. Peter said we'll be spending another day here to rest and recoup before we start the long journey back to Cair Paravel." I absentmindedly nodded and squeezed her hand as she began to walk towards our tent.

She looked back at me and asked, "Well? Aren't you coming?"

"I need to see Peter." I said trying to quell the anxious urgency within my voice. She looked a little concerned but only said, "Edmund's not with him. He's in the tent with Clayton."

"I need to see Peter." I said again before turning and beginning to walk (as quickly as I could without alarming anyone) towards Peter's tent. After I was out of Susan's sight, I broke into a run and dashed between the tents to where Peter's tent had been set up near the castle's entrance. I burst through the entrance towards where his bed usually was positioned and abruptly halted, panting.

"Rey! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Hearing his husky voice calmed me a bit, but I still whirled around, my eyes searching for him. They found him standing by his desk, shirtless and holding a rag in his hand. He must have been cleaning off all the blood and grime from the night before. He had many cuts and bruises all over his chest. None of them appeared to be serious, excepting one that spread from his side down his hip towards his groin area. His boots and trousers were still on, though there was no belt buckled around his waist, so his pants hung low about his hips. He was looking at me with a look of concern, his brows furrowed and his blue eyes sincere. His hand holding the rag, which must have been reaching around towards his shoulder where a nasty looking bruise was glistening with liquid, was moving towards the table to lay the rag down. His other hand hung loosely at his side.

Though he looked at me with concern in his eyes, I could still see a guardedness in them. He was keeping his emotions in check. At this moment, I didn't care that I'd chosen Edmund. I didn't care that Peter hadn't been speaking to me. I didn't care that He was trying to distance himself from me and offer his brother some respect. All I could think about was the fact that he was alive. I had thought he'd been dead, gone forever. My heart had literally been shattered into a million pieces. I'd felt like my life would never be the same. I'd regretted all of the things I hadn't told Peter; all the times I'd wanted him to kiss me or hold me; all the times we'd talked together about life and our dreams and I'd never told him how much that meant to me. I had never explained what he'd seen in the medical tent between Edmund and me. I had felt so many regrets and 'what ifs' that my brain was screaming at me to TELL HIM. TELL HIM EVERYTHING.

At this moment, I needed him. I needed him more than air. I needed to be close to him; to feel him hold me in his arms and comfort me, because I had been sure that he'd never do that again. Relief and fear were mingling and fighting for dominance of my heart. I was still so unsure that the man who stood before me truly was Peter. I kept telling myself that the witch was dead and this was no trick of hers. But my heart wouldn't listen to my brain. My heart just kept swelling with joy and falling with fear and sadness as I looked at him. My eyes took this all in within a few seconds before I lurched forwards.

He barely had time to ground himself and extend his hands slightly before I flew full speed into them. I basically jumped into him and my legs wound around his waist crossing at the ankles. My face was buried in his neck and I felt hot tears start to leak from my eyes onto his bare skin. My arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and shoulders holding him against me. I felt his arms hesitantly begin to wrap around my waist. I knew he was probably feeling very conflicted about being this close to me, but I just needed him to hold me. I adjusted myself slightly and held onto him tighter. His hands now wrapped all the way around me and held me tightly attempting to keep me upright and from falling. I knew we couldn't stay this way forever, but I was just enjoying every second of it that lasted.

I felt him shift and he loosened his hold on me. My legs slid down his until the reached the ground again. I still clung tightly to his neck so he bent over as my feet met the ground and I returned to my normal height (much smaller than him). I loosened my hold, letting him pull away a bit from me, but not too much. His arms had fallen away from me and he was pulling back. I knew he was going to step away from me and ask me what was going on, but I couldn't let him leave yet. I couldn't.

My left hand wound from his shoulder back around to his neck and my right hand came to the side of his face. Before he could continue his backwards retreat, I pulled him in, took a deep breath, and kissed him.

xxxxxxx

Peter's POV.

She was standing there looking so beautiful. More beautiful than I've probably ever seen her. Her hair was tousled and tangled and strands of it floated around her face, blowing gently from the warm breeze entering through the tent opening. Her face was flushed and her breath was coming fast – it was clear she had run here. Her violet eyes were wide with a mixture of fear, anxiety, misbelief, joy, and wonder. She had bloodstains and dirt on her clothes, but they fit her so well; accentuating every curve of her feminine body. Her red shirt had been unbuttoned partially and was showing just the tiniest hint of her perky pale breasts. I could see her chest rising and falling with every breath. Her hands clenched and unclenched by her sides a few times. She looked like a frightened deer; ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger.

All of the sudden she was in my arms. My breath caught as my senses were overwhelmed with all of her. Her face nuzzled into my neck and her hair flew into my face. Her arms were gripped so tightly around my neck I thought she might choke me. Her legs had wrapped themselves around my waist holding her petite frame close to mine. My arms surprised by the rapidity and suddenness of her movements still hung loosely by my sides. I didn't understand why she was here and not with Edmund or what had caused her to behave this way, but I knew that she came here for a reason and that, for now, I needed to be her friend and hold her tightly.

My arms slowly slid up her legs and to her waist. My right hand continued up her back to cradle her head as my other hand held her waist and torso tightly to mine. I could feel her tears dripping onto my neck, but I didn't quite care at this moment. It felt so good to hold her; to be so close to her. I'd been trying so hard these past few weeks to keep her at a distance. To shut out all thoughts and feelings about her, but with her closeness all of them suddenly sprung up from the place in my heart where I'd locked them away.

My heart was beating so quickly, it was threatening to burst straight from my chest. I could feel every part of her body that was touching mine. Every minute movement she made, whether she was blinking her eyelids, her fingers moving slightly in my hair, her thigh muscles clenching around my waist, I felt like a shock of electricity. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed being close to her. My brain felt hazy and intoxicated from her presence. She smelled like roses and fresh air mixed with a bit of sweat and dirt, which on anyone else might've been disgusting, but it made me just want to hold her closer and breathe her in deeply. I wanted to cradle her in my arms and never let her go. I wanted to pause this moment forever.

I felt her take a shaky intake of air. I could feel her breath calming and her tears slowing. It was time. Moment over. My arms, whose muscles had been flexed in exertion of holding her tightly, slowly started to relax. She felt it. Her legs slid down my sides and I began to pull away from her close embrace. My body ached at the distance and it felt cold where she had been; empty. My arms slid from around her back and fell to my sides tingling from where she'd touched me. Her arms were still around my neck but were loosening as I straightened to my full height. I looked at her again, my eyes searching for the answer as to why she was here. My eyes closed and I turned my head slightly to the side, pulling back even more. I prepared to completely untangle myself from her - steeling my heart for the ache of loss it was about to feel - when I felt the muscles in her arms flex again. My eyes opened when I felt her hand on my face and before I knew it her lips were touching mine.

I can't fully describe how it felt to kiss her. My arms which had been at my sides immediately pulled her closer, wrapping around her tiny waist and gripping the sides of her shirt. She let out a small grunt of pain before biting my lip roughly. I felt her raise herself on her tip-toes as she attempted to pull herself closer to me. It felt like we were two halves of a broken vessel that were trying desperately to be reunited as one. Every inch of my body burned with excitement. I could feel my lungs bursting in need of air, but I didn't want to break our embrace even for a moment. Her kiss started out urgently, crushing her lips to mine so hard it hurt a little bit. It was like she was clinging to me for dear life. Slowly, her lips relaxed a bit of their pressure and opened slightly. I took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, sliding my tongue over her bottom lip before biting down gently. She let out a small noise in between a gasp and a moan. That sound lit an even hotter fire within me. I felt all my blood rushing through my body and my heart pounding in my chest.

My hands moved southward from her waist. Taking hold of her firm behind, I pulled her closer to me. Her dainty feet lifted off the ground. A throaty sort of sound, similar to a growl, came from my chest. I picked her up, guiding her legs around my hips again. She clenched her inner thigh muscles attempting to stay in place. My hands settled on her buttocks as I walked her over to my desk. I sat her down and leaned into her without breaking our kiss. I could feel the heat bursting from both our bodies. Another one of her buttons had come undone during our urgent embrace and as the top of her corset pressed into my chest, my desire increased tenfold. I felt her hands on my back, her nails digging into the bare skin on my shoulders, scraping down my arms and then coming around to my back urging my hips closer to hers. My hands moved involuntarily as they pushed the vest she was wearing off her shoulders and down her arms. She had one leg wrapped around my right hip and the other she was using to steady herself on the desk. My trousers had dipped even lower during all of our activity, barely resting on my hips at all.

All I could think about was her. I drank in every inch of her. Our mouths moved in sync. Her hands set off sparks of anticipation wherever they touched. Her body pressed flush against mine fanned my desire so hot I felt I might burst into flames. I had been yearning for a moment like this for what felt like ages. Our sexual tension had been building ever since we first set eyes on each other on the beach. We had been so close to a moment like this so many times, yet we had always been interrupted by someone else or something had stopped us. I remembered then what had been stopping us… Edmund.

My hands abruptly stopped their roaming and found their way up her arms to her neck. Our fervent storm of kissing soon calmed to a tender and gentle pace. She still pressed herself into me, but not as urgently as before. Reluctantly, I pulled back my forehead resting on hers. My hands holding the sides of her face and neck. Our breathing was heavy and labored and came fast as we tried to catch our breath. Her hands were still positioned lightly on my hips. Our eyes were closed and we stayed there like that for a few minutes trying to recompose ourselves. Finally, when I had regained enough of myself, I pulled away from her abruptly. I walked away from her and stood on the opposite side of the tent, my back facing her. My hands brushed through my hair as I took a few more deep breaths.

"Rey… We…" I cleared my throat, "we can't do this."

Silence.

I turned around to look at her, still attempting to keep my desire in check. She sat on the table, her hair disheveled, vest thrown haphazardly on the floor, and one corner of her shirt was falling over her shoulder – teasing me with the view of pale delicate skin. I swallowed. She was looking down at her hands which were in her lap. I took one step towards her then halted myself, knowing I wouldn't be able to trust myself being close to her. I saw her nod silently. She looked at me then. Her eyes looked glossy like they were full of tears. A momentary stab of pain went through my chest seeing her in distress. Again, I had to stop myself from going back to her side.

"…I know…" She said at last.

"Its not fair to Ed." I said.

"…I know…" She said again, whispering this time. We remained in silence for a few moments. I scuffed my boot on the ground, awkwardly, my eyes downcast.

"Rey… why did you come here?" I heard her slide off the desk and her feet hit the ground with a light thump.

"To see you." She said simply. I looked at her again.

"But, why?" She took a shaky breath, and I saw a single tear drop from her eyelid.

"I thought you were dead." The tone of her voice sounded so broken and distressed. I took a step towards her.

"The witch did something to me… Before… in that room. She played with my mind." My heart ached for her. I saw another tear drop. Another step.

"It felt so real. I saw you die. I spent days grieving you. I went to your funeral." As she spoke, her words came out slower, like they were being pulled from her. Another step.

"I had so many things I wish I'd said to you, but I thought I'd never get to say…" She looked about ready to burst into tears. Another step. I reached out my hand and touched her fingertips lightly with mine; barely a whisper of a touch. Her eyes found mine again.

"I needed to see you; to confirm you weren't dead; that I wasn't still living in a nightmare reality that some witch had conjured. I needed to tell you… that… I…"

A rustle at the tent opening drew our attention. Edmund poked his head in with a cheery look on his face.

"There you are!" He exclaimed. "Peter, why haven't you got a shirt on? It might be the beginning of spring, but its still too bloody cold to be running around with no shirt!" Edmund said laughing as he came up and gathered Reyna into his arms. He bent his head to her neck. Clearly, he hadn't taken in her completely disheveled appearance. I felt my neck grow hot at Edmund essentially walking in on us. I walked back over to the desk and picked up Reyna's discarded vest. I saw her look at me out of the corner of her eye. A single tear fell. I threw her vest onto my chair behind my desk and grabbed the grey shirt I'd placed on my bed before I'd begun cleaning my wounds. I swung it over my shoulders and began to button it up while leaning back against the desk, feet crossed in front of me.

When Edmund finally pulled away, he took Reyna's hand in his and interlaced their fingers. Again, I felt an increasingly familiar pang of pain and jealously run through me. Nothing had changed. Reyna was still Edmund's girl.

"So, mate, how does it feel knowing we finally defeated that old bat?" Ed quipped, smirking.

"It feels great! But, I'll tell you brother, I can't wait to get home. I'm so tired of being up north!" I said laughingly, shoving my feelings of disappointment and jealously down.

"I know what you mean. When do you think we'll be able to leave?" He asked.

"I should think as soon as tomorrow morning. At least, that's when I'd like to leave." I replied.

"You know, I'm excited to go home as well!" Exclaimed Reyna. My eyes met hers. She was leaning into Edmund's side, a sad smile on her face. I smiled weakly back.

"I'm glad you've come to think of Cair Paravel as a home for you." I said.

"Yeah! Once we get back, we've got a wedding to start planning!" Cried Ed. My eyes shot to Ed's and then to Reyna's. I could feel a sense of panic well up inside me, but took a breath and tried to shove it down.

"I'm sure Susan and Clay don't want to waste any time in having their wedding. I think its due time for some good news and excitement, don't you guys?" Edmund laughed again.

I let out the breath I'd inhaled, internally kicking myself for my reaction. Of course, he was talking about Susan and Clayton… But, sooner or later there would be an announcement like that involving him and Reyna. Her father is anticipating a betrothal by the time he returns, which in all honesty was not too far off.

"Well, hey. We've all been up all night. I don't know about the two of you, but I'm shattered. Why don't we all get some rest, eh?" I nodded my approval of that plan.

Edmund started to lead Reyna towards the tent's entrance. She looked over her shoulder at me. I just smiled and nodded at her. She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes – then she was gone.

I let out a long sigh before sitting heavily down upon my bed. What am I going to do? I'd already had a difficult time keeping my feelings in check before I found out how good it felt to kiss Reyna. Now, it would be almost impossible to be around her without my thoughts constantly straying back to what it felt like for her to be so close. I knew now, however, that I'd really have to make a conscious effort to get over myself.

Reyna being with Edmund was a fact that I was just going to have to accept. He'd declared his intentions towards her – more than declared his intentions. It was understood by everyone for the past few weeks that they are courting now. I mean even in the way he is constantly touching her is his way of asserting his claim on her. It would be unforgivable to try to pursue her now. I'd basically forgone any claim on her affections when I saw them kissing and didn't put up a fight for her. She was essentially already betrothed to Edmund. She was 110% OFF LIMITS. But…why did she kissed me like that? That question was harder to answer, but for all intents and purposes, it didn't matter. She was Edmund's. Not his property or anything, but I just can't see how romantic advances towards her would end well.

I'm getting my wish. I never wanted to lose Reyna. I wanted her in my life forever. I'll just have to find a way to deal with the fact that Reyna will be in my life for a long time: as Edmund's wife.

A/N: Hello, hello! So...? thoughts? Love it? Hate it? Please stop writing, I'm so tired of this story? Drop me a review and let me know! xx