Hey everybody! I was bored so I started typing and finished this chapter... so I thought, why not post it?

Thank you to all my reviewers! You all rock! :D

Ok, so there is this part about Irene and Alys... which wasnt really important but this actually happened with two of my cousins recently and when I told my friend about it, she suggested that I put it in the story and I did. So that bit is for you, and you know who you are! :P

Anyways, go on - read, enjoy and REVIEW!

Disclaimer: Narnia is not mine. This fanfiction is.

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DEFINITELY DESTINY

– – CHAPTER 28 – –

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"Are you alright?" Edmund asked Estella that night while the two were sitting in the guest bedroom that Estella was staying in.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"You were awfully quiet at dinner."

"We all were."

He sighed. "Your story has given us all much to think of."

"I'm –"

"Don't say you're sorry. You shouldn't be. None of this is your fault."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything that you did and for everything that you're doing for me."

"I'm not doing it for you," he replied. "I'm doing it for myself."

She looked confused.

"Seeing you happy will make me happy," he explained. "Simple."

She slowly leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

He sighed contently. "This feels right."

She looked at him with her warm brown eyes. "When you almost proposed me this morning, did you mean it or was it out of anger?"

He looked back at her. "What do you think?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

He took her hand in his. "I meant every word of it, 'Stella. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"But I'm Alfred's wife."

"You shouldn't be."

"I am."

"I know, but that will not last."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really think that I'll let you live with that man after all this?" he asked. "You deserve so much better, 'Stella."

"I'm a coward, Edmund," she said, her eyes on their hands.

"A strong one."

She chuckled. "What do I deserve then?"

"A happy life where you get the respect that you are worthy of, and a man who knows how special you are and loves you more than anything in the world," he paused. "I can give you that, Estella. I want to."

She looked up and her eyes met his. "I'm a scarred woman, Edmund." The words were barely a whisper.

"Even then," he said firmly, "Even after knowing all that Alfred has done to you, I love you just the same."

She was silent.

"I don't get it," Edmund spoke up, his eyes on Estella. "You've been going through hell, literally, so why didn't you tell me or the others else about it?"

"I told you the reason," Estella said.

"Being scared is not reason enough."

"I'm just not strong enough to go against him. I was scared of him, still am. And I don't want Alys to grow up without a father," she said. "I want Alys' future to be nice."

"And how exactly growing up in the presence of a father who abuses her mother brightens Alys' future?"

"I couldn't run away," Estella said. "I couldn't just leave."

"Why not?"

"I had no money. I had no where to go"

"You could have come to us."

"I didn't have the guts to." She told him. "Besides, I was brought up this way. This is what our society is – when a girl marries someone, she dedicates her life to him."

"That does not mean that she doesn't have a life of her own."

"Sure, but he matters. And she loves him with her heart, mind, body and soul."

"I don't think that is a bad thing," Edmund said. "A wife should love and respect her husband. And if she serves him in the sense that she takes care of his home, or his needs, or his children – that is not wrong too. But she deserves respect and honor and love in return too."

"I didn't have the strength to go against Alfred," Estella said. "Call me insane, but I always thought that maybe one day he would change."

"Hope?" Edmund asked, both incredulous and angry, "You were letting him ruin your life because of some feeble hope?"

"I loved him!" she said. "A small part of me still does. When I said 'I do' that day, I promised myself to him and it is really hard for me to just cut him out of my heart."

"This is… confusing."

"That is just how we women are, Edmund. You men fail to see that."

He blinked. "I know how you women are. I would never hurt –" and he stopped as an image of Adeline crying flashed through his mind.

"What?"

"Nothing." He sighed. "Listen to me, Estella – you lived with Alfred even after all this is because you loved him. And you hoped that things will be fine. That just tells how nice a person you are. But as a woman and as a human, you deserve some respect and when circumstances get so extreme, you should fight for it."

"... You're right."

"Of course I am. I can't believe I'm going to say this – but if a man hurts you and if he really is wrong, you should stand up for your self-respect. Let him realize what he is missing," Edmund said, thinking of how Adeline walked away from him. "Let him hurt too. Let him realize how much he had made you suffer and how incomplete he is without you."

She took a deep breath. "I really don't want my life to affect my daughters."

"It won't," Edmund promised and walked over to the small baby cot where she was fast asleep, "If you let go of Alfred. Alys doesn't need a father like him anyway."

"But she needs a father! Every child does. You also say how disturbed you were when your father went away to fight," Estella pointed out. "I don't think I'm wrong if I want my marriage to work for my daughter. I don't want her to grow up without the love of a father."

Edmund picked up Alys in his arms and then looked at her. "She won't."

"What are y –" Estella began and then stopped, her wide eyes on Edmund. "You –"

"Marry me, 'Stella," Edmund said. "Marry me once all this is over. I promise to love you both all my life. I'll be the best husband to you and the best father to Alys. I'll treat her as if she is my own daughter and I'll always keep you happy."

Her eyes became wet. "Oh, Edmund…"

"I love you, Estella."

"I know," she said, walking over to him.

"Do you love me?"

She was quiet for a while. Then – "I do."

He blinked. "You do?"

"I-I always did," she told him. "Even before I got married. In the midst of all that teasing, those pranks, those jokes, I fell for you."

"W-Why didn't you tell me?"

"I never thought you would feel the same way," she said. "I always thought that everything was a joke to you. And come on, you were a Casanova – most of the times."

He shook his head. "I don't believe this."

She smiled slightly. "Me neither." She paused. "Can you put Alys back in the cot because you are holding her too tightly?"

"Oh, sorry," he said, laying the child back in the cot and pulling the small blanket over her. "She looks so at peace in her sleep."

"She does," Estella agreed, slowly tracing a finger over her daughter's cheek before straightening up.

And Edmund took hold of Estella's arm and pulled her to him, placing his lips atop hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back.

His heart soared until he felt it was going to burst out of sheer joy. And he couldn't help but smile against her lips.

"This is right," he murmured.

"No, it's wrong," she said, pulling away.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm married to Alfred. I'm scarred. I'm probably scared of most men. I've nightmares. I'm a coward," she placed her hand on his cheek. "The Just and Handsome King deserves so much better than that."

"I deserve someone I love and someone who loves me back," he said. "And that is you, 'Stella."

She kissed his lips chastely. "You're a wonderful person, Edmund."

"I know," he grinned.

"Oh don't get all smug now!" she slapped his arm playfully and walked over to sit on the couch. "I hate it when you do that."

"You admitted that I'm wonderful, I have a right to be smug," he stopped. "And you also called me handsome."

"I didn't," she lied.

"You did, you did! Ha!" he laughed. "And about a year ago you would never have admitted it."

She buried her face in his hands. "Oh, Aslan! Why did I say these words?" she wondered out loud. "Now he'll never let me forget this till the end of time!"

He grinned, his eyes on the woman before him. Her face was hidden behind her hands, but he knew that she was laughing. Her smooth brown hair fell on her back and shoulders. Her wedding band shone on her finger, but he didn't care.

He'd make sure that it didn't stay there much long.

And then she looked up and smiled at him, her chocolate brown eyes twinkling.

"Come on," he held out a hand. "Let's get you in bed."

She raised an eyebrow.

"To sleep, I mean!" Edmund rolled his eyes. "You have a dirty mind, 'Stella!"

She laughed, placing her hand in his.

Together, they walked over to the bed and Edmund tucked her in.

"No bed time story tonight?" she asked.

He smiled. "How about I continue the last one?"

"I'm listening."

"Well, umm… the girl realized that she loved the prince and not her husband, who turned out be a very evil person."

"Oh, wow!"

Edmund glared at her.

"Sorry, I won't speak now," she said.

"Alright," Edmund nodded before continuing. "So one day when the prince was visiting the girl's huge home because of his duties, he found out how evil her husband was. The prince got really angry and wanted to kill her husband – but he tried to control his anger. He decided to bring back the girl instead."

"He husband must have been really angry at this."

"You know what? Forget it – I'm not telling you the story," Edmund said. "The end."

"No, no!" she whined. "I cannot help it! Continue, please."

"No."

"Please?"

He laughed. "I don't know what happens next. I guess we'll have to wait until I do and then I can finish it."

"Oh, alright," she pouted.

"You have no idea how welcoming your lips are." He said and leaned forward to kiss her gently. His hands held her face while he hovered above her.

And her hands were on his shoulders while her lips moved with his.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Edmund pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"Go to sleep, 'Stella," he said.

"You too," she replied.

"This isn't my room," he pointed out.

"Stay here with me."

He blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

She pushed him on his back and rested her head on his chest. "Go to sleep, Ed."

He smiled, wrapping his arm around her. "Don't use my line back on me."

"Sue me!"

He chuckled. "I might."

She pinched him.

"Ow!" he said. "Don't do that."

"This?" she did it again.

"'Stella, you know better than to challenge me, especially when I know that you're very much ticklish."

Her smile faded. "Oh no."

"Oh yes." He said as his fingers found her sides and he tickled her.

She shrieked. "Don't!"

"You asked for it!"

"Ok, stop it!" she gulped air. "You win your highness!"

He stopped, grinning. "I win and I'm absolutely amazing; the most talented person at tickling, and not to mention wonderful and handsome according to some women."

Estella rolled her eyes as she looked up at him. "Show off," she muttered.

He ran his fingers up and down her back. "You say as if you hate that about me."

"I do," She said leaning closer to him until their lips met in an intoxicating kiss.

Holding her firmly against him, Edmund deepened it, his heart jumping with joy when he heard her moan and when her hands clutched his hair.

"You really don't know how to lie, Adeline," he murmured and then pulled away quickly.

"And also, Duke of Lantern Waste, Count of Western march and Knight of the Noble Order of the Table," he had said, a smug smile on his face.

"Show off," Adeline muttered.

He chuckled, kissing her shoulders. "You say as if you hate that about me."

"I do," Adeline had closed her eyes and tilted her head backwards, giving him a better access to her skin.

"You really don't know how to lie," he smiled and moved his lips along her shoulder to her throat.

He blinked, Estella's frowning face coming in focus again.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Edmund coughed. "I-I didn't mean to say that."

"It's alright," she said, understanding flooding in her eyes. "You've been with her for months."

Edmund sighed. "Amazing months that I cannot bring myself to forget," he told her honestly.

"You really hurt her, Edmund," Estella said. "I saw how she acted today. She is sick, yes, but she is truly hurt and heartbroken."

"I know," he agreed. "And I apologized for all I did."

"She won't forgive you so easily."

"I don't expect her to," he replied.

She snuggled closer to him. "But she will, eventually."

"How do you know that?"

"She loves you." Estella said simply. "It's pretty much like what I did when it came to Alfred. In love, you're always ready to give it another chance, hoping it will work."

"Adeline is not stupid. She knows I love you, she knows it will never work."

"Well then, her love is more pure than I imagine."

"And that doesn't make me feel any better."

"Don't worry, Edmund," Estella said. "You're just a human. Everybody makes mistakes, even the big ones."

"You're right," he said, hugging her close to him. "I made a huge mistake."

"And it will take time for everything to return to normal."

He nodded. "I made a mistake. But being with Adeline was not my mistake," he said. "I do not regret that. Hurting her was the mistake. I'll make it up to her, I don't know how, but I will."

She pulled back just so she could look at him, her face inches from his. "You're really a good person with a deep heart," she murmured. "Adeline was right."

"Did she say that to you about me?"

Estella nodded. "Back when we were in Daelhr."

He was quiet.

"Do you love her?"

Edmund blinked. "What kind of a question is that?"

"Do you love her?" Estella repeated.

"I love you," he told her.

"I know," she said. "But do you love her too?"

Edmund looked into her chocolate eyes, his mind deep in thoughts. And then –

"Yes," he breathed.

She blinked. "You do?"

"I do," he said. "But that doesn't matter."

"Oh, this is so wrong. You love Adeline and Adeline loves you, I'm just coming in between the two of you."

"You've always been in between us.'

"No, I cannot do this," she said, getting up. "This is not right. You should be with her."

"No, 'Stella," he pushed himself into a sitting position too. "I was happy with her, yes, but you were always there somewhere in my heart when I was with her."

"And now that you're with me, she is there somewhere in your heart. Isn't she?"

"Este –"

"Isn't she?"

"Yes. Yes, she is," he admitted with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. "I cannot help but think about her. It must be the guilt."

"It's the love, Edmund," she told him. "Wake up."

"It doesn't matter, she wouldn't talk to me."

"You should –"

"It's you, 'Stella, it has always been you," Edmund took her by the shoulders firmly. "You're the one for me. And Adeline knows that."

"Are you sure?"

"… I am." He paused. "Let's just go to sleep."

She nodded and let him pull her down with him. The two lay there for a while, not even trying to close their eyes, deep in their thoughts.

"Edmund?"

"Hmm?"

"Think about it."

"'Stella, I told –"

"Still, think about it."

"I will," he promised.

"I love you."

He smiled. "I've wanted to hear that."

"I'll say it again then," she smiled up at him. "I love you."

"I love you too," he kissed her brow and pulled her to him. "Good night, 'Stella."

"Good night, Edmund."

[][][][][][][][]

"Ahhh!" Estella shrieked and jumped up when icy cold water hit her face. Blinking to clear her vision, she saw Edmund grinning at her with an empty bucket in his hand. "What the hell was that?"

"I woke up and looked at you," he replied. "You looked so peaceful and cozy… and I really wanted to see your reaction when I did that, so I did."

"Edmudn Pevensie, you are in deep trouble!" she shouted and got off the bed.

"Oh I'm so scared." His tone made it clear that he was not.

"You know what I'm going to do?"

"No."

"I'll show you!"

With that, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the washroom.

"What are you – whoa!" Edmund slipped when Estella pushed him into the huge bathtub and turned on all the taps of cold water. "It's cold, 'Stella!"

"You should have seen that coming!"

He shivered. "It is freezing outside and now you throw me in icy water!"

"You deserved that."

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

"Alright," he held out his hand. "You win. Pull me out of the tub now."

She slapped his hand away, giggling. "I'm not going to fall for that."

"No?"

"No."

"I have other ways then."

"What other – eeep! " she shrieked when Edmund took hold of her leg and pulled her into the water too. "This is c-cold."

"Told you."

"I'm going to kill you, Edmund," she warned.

Laughing he jumped out of the tub and when she tried to get out, he pushed her back in and then ran out of the wash chambers.

Soaking wet and shivering, Estella turned off the taps and walked back into the room to find Edmund standing nearby, drenched and shaking too, a laugh on his face.

"You're dead."

"Catch me first!"

"Oh I will!"

And the two ran around in the room, laughing, pushing, jumping – and for once in a long time, Estella felt truly happy.

And from the looks on his face, Edmund felt really happy too.

[][][][][][][][]

"Estella?" Peter knocked on the door of her bedroom.

"Yes?" she asked from inside.

"It's Peter and Irene."

"Come in, the door is open."

Peter walked in and smiled at her. She was sitting on the bed, Alys lay fast asleep next to her.

"Did I disturb?" he asked.

"Not at all," she replied. "Please have a seat."

Peter walked over to the bed and sat down. Irene quickly jumped out of his arms and onto the bed.

"'S'ella aunty," Irene said, pointing towards Estella.

Estella smiled. "Aww, she called me 'S'ella!"

"'S'ella aunty fat," Irene said matter-of-factly.

Estella blinked.

Peter laughed. "Irene, don't say that!"

"Eda says S'ella fat!" the girl clapped.

"Is that what Edmund has been teaching her?" Estella asked incredulously. "Wait till I get my hands on him today!"

"He's in his study right now and he has to go to an important meeting in an hour so I suggest the best time to attack him would be after forty-five minutes."

"But then he would probably be late for his meeting. Or he would attend it looking bad."

"Exactly."

Estella chuckled. "It won't be a problem if he is late?"

"No, I'll handle it," Peter said and leaned forward. "But I told you nothing."

"I didn't even meet you," she said.

"Good." He paused. "Estella, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was being rude to you and I shouldn't have been so sarcastic."

She waved her hand. "Don't be, Peter. What you said was true. I did make a mistake when it came to Alfred. And I completely understand that you wanted Lucy to understand your point."

"Still, it was out of line."

"It's alright," she smiled at him. "But I think you should give Chad a chance. He is different and it would be a sin comparing him to Alfred. They are nothing alike and they don't share a single trait."

Peter nodded. "I know but I can't help it. Luce is my little sister."

"Your reaction is completely valid," Estella said. "And I expect you to try to scare Chad a bit whenever you meet him. I'm just saying that don't decide anything about him before you get to know him."

"Alright." He smiled. "And thanks."

"Daddy," Irene said, her big blue eyes on a sleeping Alys. "Who?"

Peter turned to Estella. "Irene has been asking me and Isabel about Alys for some time now. So I thought I could bring her over so she could play with her."

"Oh," Estella pouted, "You just missed it. Alys was in a full playing mood some time ago but then I guess she got tired so I just put her to sleep."

"It's alright," Peter said. "Some introductions would do."

"Sure."

Peter turned to Irene. "My princess," he said and pointed towards Alys. "That is Alys."

"No!" Irene shook her head, her little auburn curls bouncing.

"No?" Peter raised an eyebrow.

Irene pointed towards Alys. "That baby. Baby!"

Estella chuckled. "Yes, Irene, that is baby Alys."

"Baby Alysh," Irene said in her adorable voice and crawled over to the child. "Pway Baby Alysh!"

"Baby Alys is sleeping," Peter told her. "You can play with her later on."

"Baby Alysh sweeping?"

Estella made a face.

"She means sleeping," Peter told her.

Irene shook Alys a little but the baby didn't wake up.

"Baby no wakey!" Irene pouted.

"Should I wake her up?" Estella asked Peter.

"No, let her sleep," the High King said and was about to pick his daughter when –

Slap!

"Baby wakey!" Irene slapped Alys' arm.

And Alys' cries filled the air.

"Irene!" Peter said, "You don't hit others. It's very bad."

Estella laughed as she picked up her daughter. "That was so cute!" she cooed. "Irene really wants to play."

"Baby Alysh cry?" Irene asked.

"She is crying because you hit her," Peter told Irene.

Irene looked at Alys who had calmed down and slowly kissed her brow. "Shorry Alysh."

"It's alright, sweetie," Estella pinched Irene's cheek. "You both will make great friends, I'm sure."

"Baby Alysh small, Irene big," Irene said smugly.

Peter made a face. "Mum used to tell me that I used to pride myself on being bigger than Susan too."

Estella laughed. "Your daughter is a lot like you, Peter."

"And yours is like you."

"I know."

"Well then," Peter picked up Irene. "I guess I should go. I'll see you later?"

"Sure."

[][][][][][][][]

Lucy was sitting in the library, her drawing pad in her lap, staring blankly at the roaring fire at the hearth.

"Somebody is thinking about a certain someone!"

She looked up to see Susan sitting down on the armchair across from her, a teasing smile on her beautiful face as she opened the book Adeline had given her.

"Oh don't!" Lucy said.

Susan laughed. "You were thinking about Chad."

"So what?"

"So, you're madly in love!"

"I never disturbed you while you had your fantasies about Caspian, did I?"

"Susan had fantasies about me?" Caspian, who walked over to them with a novel in his hands, asked.

"Of course she did," Lucy said. "And I cannot even explain the expression that used to be on her face while she did so."

"Please try to explain," Caspian said, sitting next to Lucy on the couch. "I'm most interested in knowing that."

"I think I'll go and read while the two of you share embarrassing stories of me," Susan moved to get up.

"No, no!" Caspian shook his head, grinning, "We were only joking."

"Gosh, Su, you'll be a mother in a few months and you still act like that proud little girl you used to be," Lucy said.

"I wasn't proud." Susan said, opening the book that was in her hands. "I just had a really high self-esteem and different attitude than you all when it came to matters."

"Sure," Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Enough about me," Susan winked. "What were you thinking of?"

"Chad, as I'm sure you have guessed."

"Just don't say that in front of your brothers," Caspian warned.

"I was wondering if Chad had got the letter I sent him this morning," Lucy said. "I invited him and Kayla here. It was Peter's idea, actually."

"A wise idea," Caspian commented.

Susan nodded in agreement. "It is safe for them to be here and Peter will get to meet, and perhaps scare, the boy too."

"Edmund already did that back in Daelhr once. It worked but then I told Chad that he shouldn't take Edmund too seriously."

"You did the right thing."

"Although, Chad and Edmund have a strange kind of relation," Lucy recalled. "One minute they would be challenging, angry the next, comforting the next and then thankful."

Caspian chuckled. "In any case, you will be happy once Chad gets here."

"Of course I will be," Lucy said, her hand on her throat. "I miss him."

Susan frowned. "What are you touching?" she asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You are wearing a pendant."

"Oh, this," Lucy quickly slipped off the chain and handed it to Susan. "This is Chad's pendant."

"It was his mother's," Susan remembered. "But why do you have it?"

"He gave it to me," Lucy said, her mind wandering off in the past.

"Lucy!" she had heard his voice a couple of minutes after she had taken off.

Heart beating wildly, she brought Dusk to a stop and turned around and saw him leaning against a tree, breathing heavily.

"Chad," she said, getting off the horse.

"Lucy," he was still panting as he walked over to her. "I wanted to tell you that I don't know if we will end up together or not. I don't know if we will have a happy ending or not but I want you to know that…"

"That?"

"That I love you," he said, looking into her eyes. "And you mean more than the world to me."

She smiled at him.

He took her hand in his and dropped something into her palm.

"What is that?" she looked and her eyes widened. "Oh my."

In her hand was the pendant that belonged to Chad's mother.

"I want you to have it," Chad said.

"I-I cannot."

"Why not?"

"It was your mother's," she said. "It is the only thing you have of her. And you love this pendant. You told me so yourself."

"I know," he agreed. "And since you're more important to me than anything else, I want you to have it."

"Oh, Chad…"

"Lucy, will you please accept it?"

She looked at the pendant and then at him. "I will," she held it out to her. "Why don't you put it on yourself?"

He smiled and obliged.

"It looks beautiful on you," he said.

"Thank you," she replied, touching it.

"You're welcome."

Lucy placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"Me too," he replied. "You should go now."

"Alright. I'll miss you."

"Me too." He said, letting go of her hand. "Take care."

"He must really love you if he gave the only thing he had of his mother to you," Caspian commented.

"Hmm," Susan said, staring at the locket intently.

"What is it, love?"

"Wha –" she looked up, "Oh, nothing."

"You seemed to be in some thought."

"It's nothing," Susan snapped, handing Lucy back the pendant before getting up and walking away. "You two won't even let me read in peace!"

Caspian blinked. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Lucy replied. "It's her mood swings."

"I hate her mood swings," he groaned.

"But you love her."

"I do."

"Just hold on to that," Lucy patted his back. "I gave Peter the same advice when Isabel was in such state. It worked for him."

"Yeah," Caspian nodded. "Peter didn't commit suicide, even though he wanted to."


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