A/N: I do not own anything but a few side characters. The main characters and places belong to C.S. Lewis.

And a special thanks to Warrior of Virtue, rock'n'rollbitch and the ever loyal HeLl HaVe No FuRy LiKe A wOmAn. I am so glad that you like my writing, English is my second language, so I am really grateful for your support! I put a lot of thought into making Aravis feminine, so great you noticed, plus I love your interesting theories very perceptive.

Thanks and keep reviewing!

Chapter 5

Being swept upon the road

When Anvard was but a light coloured speck in the distance, Corin came up to the front of the travelling group. Aravis could not keep her eyes off the wonderful surroundings and all plants in bloom. Violet bushes of lavender boarded the road, woods of flowering cherry and apple trees surrounded the valley and a rich smell of spring wafted amongst the travellers. She could sense though, that something was bothering her stepbrother but she knew better than to push the matter. He would come out with it sooner or later.

Corin had always been the happy medium when it came to Aravis and her fights with Cor. He was seldomly on any side and more often a mean of loosening the tension that often set a humourless mood in the castle.

On the other hand, Corin was happy within his role as a troublemaker. He often sought out fights in the outer village that surrounded Anvard and everyone grew to know him as Corin Thunder-Fist. Today though, Corin's brow was furrowed and he kept looking at Aravis from the side, as if about to say something but then thinking the better of it.

By the afternoon, the company had reached the end of the 'pass into Narnia' and was gazing upon a most magnificent landscape. The long plains and woods of Narnia stretched in front of them, wide and far until the wood stoped suddenly on the horizon and gave way to the bluest sea you have ever seen. The strip of water glittered in the distance, promising wonderful happy days of merriment. Aravis felt her heart quicken as she saw that strip of blue. How she had missed the sea, swimming in blue waters at midday and inky blackness at night. Grinning happily, she remembered the secret excursions Lucy and herself had undergone in the depth of some unbearably hot summer nights, ending with swimming rather naked in the small inlet half a mile south of the castle of Cair Paravel. If Susan had found out, they would have been in such trouble!

"Five days, seven if we hit bad weather or other disturbances," Corin gazed towards the sea as well. "It doesn't look that far from here," he remarked and then gazed at the joyous look on Aravis' face. "I see you can't wait to leave Archenland for a while," he smiled and the party began to move down the mountainside.

"Oh yes, it will be wonderful to have a break from…everything," she answered.

"Everything being my dear twin?" Corin had hit the nail on its head.

"Yes I suppose so," Aravis looked at him and saw that peculiar expression once more. But Corin seemed unsure of what to say, so she sat back and let herself enjoy the journey, bathing in the wonderful feeling of anticipation.

The first camp they built was still on a slope. Aravis tried hard not to fall off her small bunk, which was built in her white tent in the small woods near the border, but she managed to roll off twice, always awakening with a bump and a pang of pain. They were all glad, when on the next afternoon the mountains slowly turned into rolling hills and then into the rather even woods of Narnia. They travelled on the road next to the Archen River until they reached the legendary Fords of Beruna. This was the fourth day of their travels and the company decided to make camp near the Fords in order to feast their eyes upon the beauty that lay before them.

"So, it is quite the stunning place," Corin moved towards Aravis when the camp had been built and the fire was roaring and cooking a roast on the spit. They both sat at the grassy bank of the river, gazing towards the east and towards Cair Paravel. The top of the majestic palace was barely visible in the failing light.

"Yes," Aravis sighed and flung a twig into the water. She felt a melancholy that was spreading through her whole being, the calmness she had been hoping for. "Yes it is."

Corin sat there for another while then he moved and coughed. Aravis looked at him expectantly, he was about to tell her what was bothering him, that she was sure of.

"So I saw Cor on the day we left Anvard," Corin's voice seemed a bit raspy, as if his throat had suddenly gone dry. "He told me about how you, ehm… saw him with Dorcas de Lebra near the kitchens." Aravis could feel her face grow warm as she remembered that encounter. She had been thinking about it a great deal, though mainly asking herself why she felt such a bizarre sensation of pain in her stomach whenever she pictured Cor's hands around that cow's body.

"We talked and he asked me, no, he begged me to beg you not to tell anyone." Corin's voice gave away a certain amount of embarrassment for himself and his brother. Aravis knew that Cor's behaviour went against Corin's morals, but he was his brother and blood was still thicker than water. Aravis looked away and bit her lip. She hadn't planned on telling anyone, certainly not King Lune or King Peter but it would be hard keeping such an upsetting secret from Queen Lucy, her trusted friend.

"I won't," Aravis murmured. She knew it was important for Corin that she said this.

"You promise?" he asked.

"Yes."