Where the Sidewalk Ends

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kristen, my very own, customize as you wish character.

Chapter Ten: Patience is a Virtue

"That's a horrible idea. I refuse to allow it" Aslan said to the two elder royals. Peter and Kristen hurried down to the hall to find him to discuss the plans for the battle, but as soon as Kristen had mentioned her plan to infiltrate Baldur's camp, Aslan had tensed up and refused to listen to anything else she had to say.

"Told you so" Peter whispered to her as he crossed his arms and gave her an amused smile. He admired her bravery, but maybe she wasn't as smart as they all thought. Did she honestly think that they were about to just let her stumble out of camp and into the enemies arms?

"Oh shut it, would ya?" she sniped back at him sarcastically as she punched his shoulder with a playful sort of hardness. He laughed once and then his attention focused back on Aslan, who was looking at them happily.

"Look it's a magnificent idea. He won't kill me because he'd know you would want me. I'm willing to take this risk and what other purpose am I going to serve? I can't learn to fight in the next 6 hours" she complained to the lion as she slumped to the floor. She crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest and scowled at the lion. She was annoyed that her chance to shine was ruined. This was her battle; she was brought into Narnia to defeat this wizard. Why couldn't they just do it her way?

In her mind the plan was fool proof; Get into their camp, become buddies with Baldur, sabotage their plans. Straightforward and quite inventive, at least she thought so. She glared into the lion's eyes and saw Peter's leg fold as he came down to level with her. He looked at her scowling face and then looked up at Aslan.

"You had to bring a stubborn one didn't you?" he asked sarcastically as Kristen let out a muffled laugh. Her face had broken its harshness and returned to its kindness. She looked at Peter's smiling face and her lips curved upwards into a small smile. He had a way with words.

"Everything will be fine, you just have to have a little patience," the King explained as he looked up at Aslan. Instead he saw the lion retreating out of the hallway and down the hall, leaving the two of them to talk. Kristen's face returned to a scowl at his last word. Patience. She hated that word. She was completely impatient and hated waiting for things to play out. Why wait for her destiny to come to her when she can go out and get it herself?

Standing up, she brushed her robe smooth, waiting for Peter to join her back at their usual level. He stood up to and she nodded at him before starting to leave the hall, her bare feet softly stepping silently on the marble floor. He grabbed her hand and she turned around to face him. His hands were rough and callused, obviously from years of hard work. Her own were soft and gentle, a complete opposite of his. Her eyes found his and he looked at her determinedly.

"Promise me you will stay here. Promise me you won't leave," he asked quietly as for the first time his eyes remained on her's. He didn't flicker his blue eyes off of her brown ones. They stayed locked on her's as he waited for an answer. The sun was growing closer to the horizon and the sky was lighter now, a pinkly glow cascading into the hall through it's many windows. He looked at her with a hopeful yet painful expression on his face. He needed for her to promise her that. Her stubbornness knew no boundaries and he was well aware of that. He wanted to hear her say she wouldn't leave. He needed her to say she wouldn't leave.

"I promise"

She was a coward. A liar. A fake. She hated the fact that she'd lied to him, but she had to do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. Her plan would work, she knew it would. It had to work. There were no variables in the equation. She'd get there, she'd be captured and she'd sabotage him. Maybe once things were over, he'd forgive her.

She pulled on the change of human clothes she had in her backpack when she first landed. A pair of jeans and a black sweater with some skateboarding company on it as well as a pair of black running shoes made her look completely human. In her backpack was her wallet, a bottle of water and some food since she had no idea how quickly the enemy would find her. She'd have to make her escape soon, since the army would be forming at the end of the hour. She went over to her west-facing window (on the same side of the palace as the balcony was) where her bed sheets had been tied together to make a long rope which end 4 levels below her at the ground. It was a long way down and she wasn't a big fan of heights, but she needed to get down there. Everything went silent as she placed 4 envelops on her bed, each one neatly addressed to one of the Pevensie kids. Each of the same said vaguely the same thing; I'm sorry I abandoned you but I'll see you in a few weeks, maybe even days.

Creeping over to her window, she pulled her backpack on and grabbed onto her bed sheet rope, gently sliding herself down it and in a few seconds, her feet hit the ground. Regaining her self-control, she started walking towards the forest, which started about 300 yards from where she had been standing. She walked quickly through the clearing, not wanting to be seen by anyone. As soon as she hit the forest, she looked back at Cair Paravel. Her eyes found Peter's open bedroom window, which was thankfully empty. She looked up at it for a few seconds, thoughts forming in her head. Should she go back? Could she go back? Gathering her courage she took in a breath and found her words.

"Forgive me Peter," she whispered into the silence of the wilderness.

Finally she took her eyes off of the window and looked into the forest, taking another breath before starting her journey inwards. Her stomach began doing summersaults as the silence and uncertainty of the forest surrounded her, yet she continued. It was going to take a lot more then stillness and insecurity to stop her from going through with her plan. She had to do this, because there was no turning back now.

"Kristen? Kristen" he called out loud through her bedroom door. Peter was standing with his ear pressed against the door, searching for any sound of movement. He knocked for the forth time and then he sighed annoyingly. He hated playing games.

"I'm coming in" he announced as he turned the knob and slowly opened the door, waiting for her shrieks of retaliation and protest. When no sound erupted, he opened the door widely and looked in fully. The window was open and the canopy of the bed was flapping in the wind. His eyes went to the unclothed bed and to the 4 envelopes on it. His head started to pound as the cogs in his head started to churn. He already had an idea of what she had done, but as he hurried to the window and saw the rope of white linen cascading all the way down to the ground, he received his reassurance. She had run away.

He swore to himself as his eyes raced around the room, his mind racing faster as he thought of ways he could stop her. His aquamarine's found the letters on the bed and he ran over, finding his and tearing it open hastily.

Dear Peter,

I know you'll probably never forgive me for doing what I have done, but I want you to know that I needed to do this. As much as you might hate me right now, I know that if you were in my position you would do the same thing. You all have become my family since I came here and although it was only a day ago, I've grown so close to all of you. If you had the chance to protect your family you'd take it to, and this one is mine. I'll send word through the trees (Lucy told me all about them yesterday) when he is going to attack so keep the army ready. Things will be fine. I'm truly sorry I lied to you. I never imagined that it would come to this but it has. Please don't try and find me. Keep Susan, Lucy and Edmund safe and give them their letters. Tell them I love them and that I know they'll get through this. Stay strong King Peter.

Please forgive me,

Love

Kristen

His eyes hastily read over every word and as the letter ended, he threw the paper to the floor and sat down, holding his head in his hands as he planned his next move. He wanted to be mad at her for disobeying Aslan and lying to her, but he knew that if he was her he'd have done the same thing. He regretted admitting it to himself, but he knew that if had the chance to protect his family, he'd take it without a doubt.

Maybe they aren't so different after all.

((Author's Note: Thanks again for all the reviews. There's not much I can say about this chapter because it's sort of self explanatory. I know many people are thinking that the romance between Kristen and Peter will end up clichéd so all I can say is that it won't. I can guarantee that things will NOT be predictable. What will happen? Just wait and see. Review it, k?))