Please know that this chapter contains mature content.

You were alone
Left out in the cold
Clinging to the ruin
Of your broken home
Too lost and hurting
To carry your load
We all need
Someone to hold

~"Someone to Stay" by Vancouver Sleep Clinic

Ira sat on the edge of the beach, her eyes closed as she listened to the crashing of waves. The moon glimmered on the sea and the heat from the day was still evident as the warm water splashed over her toes. She smiled to herself, relishing in this moment of peace.

It had been nearly three weeks since Rabadash's trial. For the time being, Ira had traveled back to Cair Paravel with the Pevensies and Evelyn. Things with Edmund seemed to be less tense, but they had still hardly spoken a word to one another since their return. Aliena had begged Ira to stay at Anvard, but Ira knew she needed to bury her old memories there. Even after all these years, her reputation was still ruined at court. She couldn't bear to spend her days waiting on Aliena while listening to courtiers gossip behind her back. She longed to return to the desert, but Lucy had asked her to return with them for just a few weeks so she could learn healing techniques from Ira. Lucy's experience at the Battle of Anvard excited her, and she knew that if she was able to learn Ira's healing abilities in coalition with her cordial, there would be far less loss at future battles.

Evelyn and Ira had also grown fond of one another, spending their free time dancing and playing music. She was aware that Evelyn was beginning to look up to her as an older sister, almost as a replacement for the one she talked about constantly back at her homeland. Ira merely pitied her, but played along. She didn't have any family and it was nice to pretend for a moment to have one.

On this particular night, Ira had managed to sneak away from that evening's festivities. She'd already had enough of court life and Susan and Lucy couldn't convince her to wear any of the normal court dresses that were piled in the wardrobe in her room. She preferred her bare feet and loose skirts, but she'd had enough of the rude stares and comments behind her back of the other ladies at court.

Ira studied the stars above, pleased to see she could see the same ones she had studied back in the desert. She laid on her back, stretching her arms, when a voice caught her off guard.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Edmund had seen her escape from the banquet that evening. He had slowly come out of his sulky behavior, but he knew the damage had been done between Ira and him. Ira refused to speak to him, let alone stay in the same room. He had been trying for weeks to find an opportunity to apologize, but none had arisen. He had seen this as his last chance and slipped away as well while no one was watching.

Ira barely glanced over her shoulder at him before returning to stare at the sky. "King Edmund," she said curtly.

Edmund let out a sigh, coming to her side. "Ira, please. I'm sorry. I know I've been an ass, especially after you saved my life in Anvard. I'm just not accustomed to—"

Ira sat up, flipping her dark hair over her shoulders, sending sand flying towards him. Her hazel eyes took Edmund's breath away. "Rejection?" she said coldly. "Not used to being turned away?"

"Ira," Edmund said, his voice so harsh it instantly silenced her. "That wasn't what I was going to say."

Ira studied him. Oh, why was she so hot headed whenever he was around? She had let her temper get the best of her during her time at Cair Paravel, letting her wounded ego rule her heart and fleeing whenever they were together. It was clear he had been trying to apologize and make amends.

"I'm not used to giving my heart to others," he continued. He took the crown from his head and the cloak from his shoulders and tossed them to the side. He ran a hand through his dark hair before kicking off his boots and rolling up his pants and sleeves before sitting beside her. He looked much more relaxed and Ira laid back down, unable to stay focused when looking at the muscles lining his forearms. "The only people I openly show affection towards are my siblings. You know my backstory with Jadis… it's very difficult for me to trust anyone. It took every ounce of courage I had to tell you how I felt that night on the river. To hear you deny me like that after struggling to tell you how I felt was unbearable."

Ira remained silent, but stared up at him, admiring the way the seabreeze moved his hair about.

"I don't blame you," Edmund said, keeping his eyes focused on the water before them. "I know I'm merely a shadow compared to Peter."

"Edmund," Ira said at last, placing a hand over his. His eyes widened at the gesture and his fingers twitched ever so slightly feeling her soft skin against his. Something in Ira's heart ached upon hearing his words. She had meant to drive him away that night on the river, but she was now realizing just how badly she had broken his heart. "I didn't reject you because I think you're a lesser man compared to your brother. I rejected you because you claim to love me, but you don't know me. I won't do to you what I've done to so many other men."

Edmund focused on her, his dark eyes shining in the moonlight, sending chills up her spine. "Ira, I do love you. You can say what you want, try to convince me otherwise, but it's true. I can't deny how I feel."

"You shouldn't love me, then," Ira said, taking her hand back. She wore an angry expression that made Edmund's heart drop.

"Why, Ira?" Edmund pleaded. "I know I'm younger than you, I know we come from such different places, but why can't you let me in?" He watched her eyebrows knit together. "Is it because of Rabadash?"

Ira stood up, her breathing becoming shallow. She looked like a wild animal, ready to pounce. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Edmund stood as well and came to her. "Don't play naive. Aliena told me what happened, about your child—"

Ira's eyes hardened at the mention of her baby. The memories were too painful and she didn't have the strength to suppress them in front of Edmund.

"Don't, Edmund," she said softly.

"Ira, I would never do that to you," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Rabadash is a monster. Just hearing about what he did to you makes me wish I had cut him into a thousand pieces back there on the battlefield."

"It's not just Rabadash," Ira said, doing her best to hide the tears in her eyes. "I'm sure with being at Anvard you heard of my reputation."

"It doesn't matter," Edmund said. The physical closeness between them was becoming too much for him. He brought her close, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her hair. "That was then, this is now."

Ira hesitated against his embrace. She could feel the hard muscles in his arms and chest as he held her tightly, similar to how Rabadash had held her during their time together. But there was a tenderness in his touch that had been lacking in all her other affairs. At last, unable to fight the wave of emotions, she leaned into him and felt him smile into her hair. Her body felt like it was on fire as she remembered what he had looked like without his clothes all those weeks ago. She longed to remove his shirt and trace his muscles herself…

Damn, she thought. Could she take this man's innocence so easily? But this wasn't another man at court who would elevate her status or pay her in gold. This was Edmund. And deep down, she knew she loved him. She wouldn't be able to fight him much longer. He had been too damn persistent.

Before either of them knew what was happening, Edmund was leading her back to Cair Paravel, his crown, boots, and cloak forgotten on the beach. Ira followed him blindly, confused and dazed in her realization of her feelings for him. Their bare feet padded noiselessly on the marble floor of the palace until they reached Edmund's sleeping quarters. The room was abandoned, lushly decorated with a large, four-poster bed in the center.

"Edmund," Ira moaned when he closed the door and began to kiss her fiercely. She recognized that even though he may be inexperienced in bed, he may not have been as inexperienced with women as others had led her to believe. He buried his hands in her hair, kissing her neck, jawline, and at last her lips. She couldn't help but respond, holding him close and pressing her body against his.

"Ira," Edmund said, breaking the kiss to look into her eyes. "I want you. I've never desired a woman the way I desire you."

As Edmund said this, images of Ira dancing in the desert floated through his mind. He longed to hold her hips that so easily swayed to music, see her legs which moved so lightly, and expose her bosom which heaved at the end of every song. He had to suppress the memories of their night on the river, otherwise he would certainly lose control.

"Edmund," Ira said, unable to tear herself away from him. She brought her forehead to his and closed her eyes. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Edmund swallowed hard and nodded. "Please forgive me. I love you, and I may be a king, but I'm also still just a man."

Ira looked into his eyes. "It's dangerous to do this with someone you love. I had to learn it the hard way."

Edmund couldn't help but smile. Without knowing it, she had just admitted that she loved him as well. But he heard the warning in her words. There was a reason he had never been physically intimate with a woman before: there had never been a woman before Ira he'd been willing to tie himself to. He was well aware of the consequences of the inevitable fire they were walking into together.

"Please," he said. "Please, Ira. Show me how to love you."

Ira dropped her arms and stepped back. She stared at him with those gorgeous hazel eyes for a long moment, making Edmund suddenly afraid she might leave. But instead, to his shock and delight, she removed the dress she had been wearing and tossed it to the side. She hadn't been wearing any undergarments and stood before him fully nude.

For a moment, Edmund nearly lost all control. It took everything he had to not lunge at her and drag her to the bed. But to fight against himself, he fumbled at his shirt, tearing it over his head before also fumbling with the laces of his trousers. Ira felt her heart begin to pound when Edmund had also removed all of his clothes. With other men, this moment had been hurried, a necessary step to get to the bed. Never before had Ira considered this to be a part of the act they were about to do. But Edmund had ignited a fire within her, making it difficult to control her own womanhood. When Edmund locked eyes with her, he seemed like a boy once more with his nervous glances and fidgeting hands. It was clear he was unsure of what to do next, so she stepped forward to take his hand.

"Come to the bed," she said gently. His eyes remained on hers, not even realizing they had lied down until he felt the soft mattress beneath them. His eyes widened when she climbed on top of him, allowing him to marvel at the wonders of her body. His own breathing became shallow and he cursed his hands for continuing to twitch at the sight of her. He didn't want to frighten her away or emphasize his inexperience with his lack of control.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Ira asked once more, her hazel eyes burning into his as she leaned down to gently kiss him. "You know who I am. Just me being in your room is enough to ruin your reputation."

"I don't care," Edmund said, deepening the kiss. He could feel himself pressed against her leg, letting out a gasp when she touched him. He allowed his hands to grab her thighs, for it was all he could bear at the moment.

"Ira," he gasped.

"Shh," she said, kissing him on the collarbone. He couldn't help but let out a moan when he felt her touch him in places no woman had touched him before. She brought his hands to rest on her hips and before he was aware of what he was doing, they were roaming every inch of her body. He was delighted to see this bring her pleasure from the way her lips parted and her breathing became unsteady. He was beginning to feel heat build between them.

She was slow, showing him how to touch her, all the while bringing him close to the edge but never letting him fall. He had to focus all his attention on pleasuring her, otherwise he would never make it.

"Let me do it," she said at last, guiding his manhood towards her. "If you're in control we won't last more than a minute."

He blushed at her statement, but knew she was right.

Ira had been surprised by Edmund. She had been with inexperienced men before, but they were usually too focused on their own pleasure to give her any attention. It was always quick, sloppy, and never enjoyable. This was different. Edmund's dark eyes seemed to bare into her soul and every moan from him sent heat pooling through her body. She could tell he was teetering on the edge and she admired his ability to remain focused on her. No man had ever given her such attention during intimacy, not even Rabadash.

She brought him to her entrance. Edmund's eyes were wide, his breathing heavy, sweat glistening on his chest. Somehow, they both knew that there would be no going back. Unlike the other men she'd been with, she knew that she would be joined to Edmund forever.

"Please," Edmund croaked. His hands were on her hips, his fingernails digging into her skin, feeling like he was going mad.

"Breathe, Edmund," Ira said softly, stroking his dark hair from his eyes. "You'll remain in control. Just relax."

He nodded and she let him enter her. He immediately dug his fingers further into her skin, even breaking the surface and drawing blood, gasping wildly.

"Relax," she cooed, kissing his forehead.

Relax? How could he relax with this enchantress over him like this? He was becoming afraid of himself. He was losing all control, all ability to think clearly. But he focused on Ira's voice and loosened his grip. He breathed slowly until he felt himself fill her completely. When he was able to regain his senses, he looked up to see she was struggling with control as well. Her bosom heaved as she tried to control her breathing as well and her dark curls stuck to the sweat on her back and forehead. She began to move up and down at an excruciatingly slow pace, but Edmund knew if she went any faster he would finish much too soon. Wordlessly, she began to pick up speed, and Edmund began to tune in with her rhythm. He could tell she was holding back, trying to keep them in this moment for as long as possible.

"Please stay," he begged as she continued to increase the tempo. "Stay with me here. I can protect you! I won't let any man hurt you ever again."

"You know I can't," she panted. By Aslan, how long had it been since she'd been with a man like this? She'd never felt this way before. "I'm too accustomed to my way of life. I don't fit in anywhere."

He sat up, kissing her deeply. He was beginning to finally gain control. In fact, he wanted to take control. While never leaving her, he flipped them so that he now lay on top. He found great pleasure in setting the tempo himself, listening to his own desire while satisfying hers.

"I think you fit in just fine here with me," he grunted. He picked up the tempo, surrendering himself to their intimate dance. Ira could feel herself losing control as well. What was happening to her? She was shocked to hear moaning. Wait, had that been her? There was a pressure building in her core that no man before Edmund had brought forth without her help.

"Slow down," Ira panted, trying to hide the wanting from her voice. "You'll never last—"

Edmund continued to increase the speed. He had found the perfect rhythm, the perfect dance that Ira could never perform on her own. He knew he was finally in control of his body. It was Ira who was now teetering on the edge and it only made him long for her more.

"I'll last," he said, kissing her neck.

This did it. Between the love in his dark eyes, his wandering mouth, the hardness of his muscles against her soft curves, and the feeling of him inside her, she cried out. Edmund felt her quiver beneath him, tighten around him, before he threw himself over the edge as well. He couldn't help but collapse on top of her, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she clung onto him, almost as if she was afraid they would go tumbling off the bed together. They remained like this for a while, letting their breathing and the pounding in their hearts return to normal. Edmund propped himself up, drinking in her hazel eyes which were still lost in pleasure. He kissed her gently, before rolling off.

"Edmund," Ira gasped at last. He brought her into his arms, kissing her neck lightly.

"I'm here," he murmured into her hair.

Ira was suddenly overwhelmed. The tears began spilling over her cheeks and a sob left her body. For the first time in her life, she had not just lain with a man.

She had made love.

Edmund, confused at her tears, held her away. She turned to face him, continuing to cry. She took his face in her hands and kissed him gently.

"I love you, Edmund. I love you."

Don't forget to R !

If you haven't listened to the song "Racing in Your Heart" by Aaron Krause, please do. It's so lovely and I listened to this song many times over while deliberating how to write this particular chapter. There's no lyrics... hence why this song isn't at the top of this chapter, haha!