After the ball, Lucy bade the guests and Caspian goodnight and left on the arm of Edmund, who looked quite smug.
"What are you so pleased about?" she asked him, curious.
"Caspian found a princess for me to dance with. She was quite beautiful and she was from Archenland. I think her name was Margaret."
"Edmund and Margaret," mused Lucy with the two names. "Yes, I suppose that could work."
"There is a problem though," said Edmund as they continued to walk down the candlelit hallway to Lucy's bedroom. My old bedroom, thought Edmund a little sourly.
"What's that?" inquired Lucy, her skirts swished as she moved closer to Edmund's side.
"She is two years younger than you."
"She's only 13!" gasped Lucy. But Edmund, you are…"
"17, I know. But she's so lovely that I don't care. Anyway, Caspian is five years older than you."
"Yes but we've known each other for a long time and I have been 24 years old here before. And if we're getting really technical, I am more than 1300 years older than him. So there," Lucy finished lamely, dropping her arm from Edmund's when they reached her bedroom door.
"So, my dear sister, what have we determined from this conversation?" asked Edmund with a confused chuckle.
"That I am a cougar and you will die alone," said Lucy with a smile before she reached up and kissed her brother on the nose. "Goodnight." She turned and knocked on her bedroom door and her ladies-in-waiting opened it, ushering her inside. Edmund looked up at the ceiling of the corridor.
Why me? he thought. Why did God have to give me such an annoying little sister when I wanted another brother? He knew though that he loved Lucy and wouldn't trade her for one thousand more brothers. He had Peter and Peter was enough. Walking down the corridor, Edmund turned to enter his and Eustace's bedroom. Opening the heavy doors, he walked in to see Eustace looking in awe at the open window that led to the big marble balcony.
"What are you doing?" asked the High King of his cousin. "And why weren't you at the ball?"
"Aslan was here," said Eustace in a whisper. "Just now."
"That doesn't explain why you weren't- hang on. Aslan was here?" repeated Edmund while running over to the balcony as if to see paw prints.
"He disappeared. No need to jump for joy like a kid at Christmas," scoffed Eustace, sounding like his old self. Edmund shook his head at his cousin but shut the windows and turned to face him.
"What did he say? Did he say anything?" asked Edmund, apparently choosing to ignore Eustace's comment.
"He said to tell Caspian and Lucy that until the wedding three months from now, they are not allowed to see each other. You know… the whole "bride-before-the-wedding" superstition," explained Eustace. "Except at meal times."
"Well that won't work. The two of them are inseparable," sighed Edmund. "We should go tell them."
"Right now?" moaned Eustace. "But I'm tired and I'm already in my bed."
"Well I'll drag you out of it," said Edmund and he made to lunge at Eustace, who squealed like a pig.
"No, no! No need for that!" Eustace exclaimed hastily, hopping out of bed and donning a night robe.
"Honestly, you are very cowardly for a Lord," said Edmund. "I don't know why we gave you a title anyway." But he smiled so that Eustace knew he was joking. "Let's go."
Leaving their bedchambers, they turned the corner and knocked on Lucy's door. A lady-in-waiting, the one called Lydia, opened the door and blushed at the sight of the High King and Eustace.
"I'll go and announce you to her Majesty," she said, closing the door again. Through the door, Edmund and Eustace could hear her patter away and say "Milady, your brother and Lord Eustace are here to see you."
"Send them in please, Lady Lydia," came Lucy's tired response. The steps of Lydia's slipper-adorned feet grew louder as she came back to open the door.
"She was just about to go to bed, milords," she whispered. "You caught her at a good time." Letting them pass her, Eustace swept his hand across Lydia's cheek, out of impulse.
Lydia smiled at him and ducked her head, blushing.
Walking into the main bedchamber, Edmund was shocked to see that other than the different bed sheets and the fact that the lavatory was on the other side of the room, Lucy's arrival hadn't affected his old bedroom at all. Lucy rose out of bed, a night robe overtop of her night gown and curtsied to her brother and cousin.
"What can I do for you?" she asked them, sleepy but happy. "Eustace, why weren't you at the ball?"
"I was getting ready to go but then Aslan came into mine and Edmund's bedroom and talked to be about something."
"He did?" Lucy asked, suddenly wide awake.
"Yes… about you and Caspian."
"Oh?" said Lucy, going from happy and light to dark and hard.
"You can't see him until the wedding," Edmund finished for their cousin.
"Pardon?" asked Lucy, looking furious.
"Except for at mealtimes, you are not allowed to see Caspian. And you must always have an escort." Edmund added the last part because he knew that Lucy could be sneaky when she wanted to be and if she didn't have an escort, she could potentially meet Caspian.
"Aslan said this?" Lucy demanded of Eustace.
"Yes, Lucy."
"Very well. If He said this, then I am more than happy to oblige. Lady Lydia and Lady Chantale, could you please show his Majesty and his Grace out?"
"Yes, your Majesty," came the voices of the requested ladies, who nodded before ushering Edmund and Eustace to the exit. Edmund returned to the room straight away but Eustace stayed until Lady Chantale left.
"Lydia, I wish to see you again," he said, meekly. "May I kiss your hand?"
Trembling, Lydia raised her hand and Eustace took it in his. After kissing it, he bowed low to her and then left, following his cousin. Lydia look at the top of her hand in awe. The moment she head their bedroom door closed, she rushed back inside to Lucy's main bedchamber to the surprise of everyone.
"You will not believe who just kissed my hand!" she squealed. All the ladies-in-waiting instantly oohed and aahed about Eustace. Lucy groaned and pulled her pillow over her head.
Now I have to hear about Eustace all night, she moaned inwardly. Great.