"Edmund, stop staring at me."

"Why?"

"You're making me uncomfortable."

"Well, when we're married-"

Liana rolled her eyes at his statement, despite the flutter in her chest. She was curled up with a book in Edmund's solar, researching on the disease that had struck two more towns since her meeting with the council a week ago. Despite the initial wary looks she had received, Peter having announced her betrothal mere minutes before she stood, her sweaty palms had been forgotten once she had begun to speak. Grouchy or not, the people of Narnia gathered in the room all cared too much for their land to see it ruined. It had quickly been acknowledged that Liana was the most knowledgeable in the room, and thus she should lead a team of researchers to begin examining causes for the sudden madness. Centaurs were dispatched to clear the infected areas, once Liana had ensured that they themselves would not be infected. Progress was slow, but she had finally found a tome hidden between books on the White Witch's reign that she thought might contain something useful. A trip to her rooms had shown Susan and Lucy curled upon her bed with dresses and shoes piled high next to them, wicked grins on their faces. Liana had hurriedly excused herself and sought refuge with Edmund, but his wandering hands and lingering stare were not helping her concentrate.

"You say that so much I'm beginning to suspect that's all you think about," she commented, lacing her fingers with his to stop him from absently stroking her knee.

Edmund snorted. "As if you think about much else, my love. I saw you whisper to Susan at the table during supper, and I know I detected the word "lace" in there somewhere."

Liana blushed scarlet, but still managed to give him a look. "There is a difference between lace and crochet, Your Grace, and your sister tends to overdo both. I was merely warning her that I didn't want either."

Edmund frowned. "They know the wedding date is undecided, for now we need to focus on keeping you safe and making a public appearance. Why would Susan speak to you about lace and crochet?"

"She wants to make me a dress for the ball," Liana sighed, finally snapping the book shut and leaning her head against Edmund's shoulder. "I don't want her to, but-"

"But nothing," Edmund rested his head on top of hers and plucked the book out of her hands. "If she wants to make you a thousand dresses, let her. You look beautiful in everything."

Despite her unwillingness to agree, her lips twitched. "Even in white, King Edmund?"

"Specially in white," he smiled and tilted her face up, giving her a chaste kiss. "I'll let you get back to your reading now, if you want."

"Stay," Liana's hands curled around his arm. "I can finish it tonight. I am on duty until sunrise."

Immediately, Edmund's face darkened. "Why-"

"I heard about your decision to alter my schedule and I wouldn't have it. Its unfair to the rest of the healers, Edmund, they have families to get back to and sleep to catch up on," she pressed a finger against his lips when he opened his mouth to argue. "I will have Lyra with me, and you promised that as long as I agreed to that you wouldn't smother me."

Edmund huffed, removing her hand from his mouth to clutch it tightly in his own. "You will return here at sunrise, I hope."

"My room is across from yours. I will return there."

"Liana-"

"Hush, King Edmund, whining does not become you."

"I do not whine," corrected Edmund. He frowned. "And stop calling me that."

"What?"

"King, Your Grace, Your Highness," Edmund trailed off, rolling his eyes. "You would think an engagement would make you keen to take more liberties instead of less."

Liana giggled, turning to face him and running her fingers through his hair gently. "I like calling you by your name, Edmund, don't worry. I never thought I would enjoy saying your name so informally."

Edmund winced. "I can't blame you."

"Do you remember that day?" Liana's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Or were you not yourself?"

"You think you're quite funny, I suppose," Edmund ran a hand through his hair in annoyance.

"Not as funny as you are when you're drunk."

Edmund gave her a sour look. "Hilarious, Liana."

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry if it offends you, but I quite enjoy thinking about it now."

"And I would enjoy forgetting it."

"You want to forget the day we first met?" Liana pretended to be affronted.

"We met the day you arrived in Narnia," said Edmund dryly. "Hardly makes a difference."

"Yes but then I was just one face out of fifty. That day I was special."

"You were always special," Edmund smiled to himself slightly at the memory. "Peter said you were the smartest girl he had ever met, Lucy wanted to be your star student, you were the only one who could take Susan's self-righteousness and I-"

"-hated me with a passion," Liana finished his sentence for him and giggled at his expression. "Its alright, Edmund, I know you didn't like me very much, even before the Gala. You thought I was too uptight and I acted like I knew everything under the sun."

Edmund looked at her warily. "You still act like that, love," Liana punched his shoulder in response. He winced. "At least you didn't try to physically harm me back then."

"Back then, a look was enough, now I'm sure a withdrawal of my company will do the trick."

Edmund laughed at her threat, catching her wrist before she could get up from the sofa. "Yes, it will do the trick nicely. Now, stay."

Liana raised her eyebrows. "Are you commanding me, King Edmund?"

"I am your king," he shrugged, her wrist still securely caught in his hand. "If I am so much a tyrant that you cannot even call me by my first name when we are alone, I suppose I should start acting like it."

Liana's lips twitched. "All this because I continue to use your title?"

"You use it to tease me," he let go of her wrist but caught her waist instead, ignoring her struggles and pulling her tight against his chest, locking his arms around her. "You like to tease me about my money and my love of luxury and my title, but you also say it to remind yourself that you're talking to a king so you can't talk freely. I'm not stupid," he gave her a look when she opened her mouth to argue. "I know when you're using it as a term of endearment and when you're doing it so you don't do something you feel is improper. If I had so much power, Liana, something you continue to remind me of just by saying king before my name every so often, I should be able to command you to stop hiding from me so much."

"Edmund, I-"

"You cannot deny it, because I know you well enough to know there are many things you do not tell me. And I understand that," he sighed and pressed her cheek against her hair. "I do, I understand that trusting me is not something that will come easy to you, and I can wait forever, Liana, but I shouldn't have to," his voice became sad. "I want to be able to tell you everything, and when we are married I do not want any secrets between us. I am willing to do this, but you are not."

"I am."

The words had slipped out before she could stop them. She knew what she was doing was stupid, but she couldn't hurt him more than she already was, more than he already would be hurt once he left her forever. At the very thought of it, her heart lurched painfully and she turned around to face him, grabbing at his tunic and burying her face into his chest.

"I want to trust you," she whispered against the soft cloth. "I want to tell you everything, and believe me I talk to you more than anyone else. But," her conversation with Lyra, what felt like many years ago, flashed through her mind suddenly. "But I have secrets, Edmund, things I am not ready to remember. I need you to understand that."

"I will promise to understand that if you promise to remember that you can come to me with anything and I will always be on your side," he nudged her face up with his fingers and gave her a small smile. "Deal?"

Liana smiled back, but something in her eyes told him she was still unsure. "Deal."


My disappearance is unforgivable, but I am now a freshmen at university studying English Literature, so if anyone is in the same boat as me maybe they'll be willing to forgive me just a tiny bit? I do love this story though and I'm not going anywhere! Much love xx