Chapter 09; just not yet

A lonely girl seated on the stone bench silhouetted against the pale moonlight could've been seen, if one had bothered taking their leave away from the ball room bustling with an assortment of both humans and mythical creatures alike. But alas, no-one had, but she seemed to be quite fine with that.

She'd somehow managed to evade involvement in any of the festivities, since her oh-so-kind hosts attention being mainly focused on entertaining their guests and not the girl who was trying to sneak outdoors.

Aline stared at the twinkling fairy lights fluttering around the bushes, in a trail of gold that followed their wake. She'd long given up trying to examine the tiny fluttering creatures who stood no more than her handspan, up close. For no sooner she neared one of them, they scattered away further from her than before. So she'd given up resigning back to her place on the stone bench.

The calm Narnian breeze that blew through the courtyard fluttered the folds of her gown as her hair flew in an unruly halo around her face. The sweet melody of Narnian music drifting in from the Ball Room reached her ears. It was faint, almost like a calm lullaby soothing her to sleep. She smiled fleetingly, wondering when was the last time she'd felt this peaceful. Oh, the irony, since she was expecting this to be the single worst day since entering the magical land.

Lost in her thoughts, Aline failed to notice the golden glimmer that followed the wake of a fairy until it flashed at her side. She suppressed the urge to turn her attention completely towards the mythical creature, which she knew would only scare her off. Holding her position for what she deemed a sufficient enough time, the girl turned her gaze hesitantly towards the fairy. This time, the tiny creature did not flutter away, instead she was met with a glazed eyes set in a perfect face bathed in a golden halo, staring into her own dreamily. She was dressed in a green outfit which could not be mistaken for what it was. A leaf, twisting in an elaborate way around her small body. The fairy turned her face away in an embarrassed, shy manner almost as if she was ashamed to be caught staring. Aline smiled reassuringly, and the fairy turned her attention back to the girl's face. Hoping it wouldn't scare her off, Aline reached her fingers hesitantly at first. The tiny creature didn't seem to mind, settling her feet on Aline's outstretched fingers. She could now see the source of the fairy lights. It was her wings, shimmering a sheen of gold and whenever the fairy flapped them sparkles seemed to shoot forth.

Aline was so engrossed in her little victory that she did not notice someone watching the whole scene from behind. Neither did she feel it, when the said someone drew closer, until a whisper cut through, somewhere from above her shoulder.

"I've never seen one so friendly before."

Aline recognized to whom the voice did belong instantly and was almost going to reply before she sensed the change in the creatures expression, which quickly transformed from adoration into something akin to fear. The creature drew away quickly from her palm, her wings flapping wildly spewing golden sparks from her back as she stood suspended in the air for a while before fluttering away.

"Great, now you scared her away." she said in a disapproving manner crossing her arms. Turning behind to face the Just King, Aline did not realize the state of their close proximity until her head collided with something that she later realized was his.

"Ouch!" The girl exclaimed, just as Edmund complained the same his knuckles pressed at the point of contact. The two paused for a moment, before breaking out in laughter because of the pure stupidity of what just happened. She moved further down the bench as he occupied the space she'd just vacated.

At most times, Aline would have avoided any form of circumstances she'd have to interact with the Just King, but since yester-night, something had changed. Though she couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was, she could sense it, infinitesimal as it was. It was there, and she wasn't sure exactly how she felt about it.

"Is it hard?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"What is?"

"All of this?" he said gesturing around them.

"I had spent the first half of my life indulging in fairy tales and dreaming about that picture-perfect life where you get the happily-ever-after you always deserved. And then I spent the other half convincing myself otherwise. Because," she paused, taking in a deep breath, "that's all it'll ever be. Just empty fantasies and broken dreams. Life is no Disney movie, and guess I had to learn it the hard way. No Prince Charming is going to come sweep you off your feet, and no such thing exists as an 'happily ever after'. So was it hard? When the world you've strived so long to build comes undone at the seams, crashing down before your very eyes, I guess you could say it was.. hard."

She felt his gaze on her but refused to meet it with her own. "What about you?" she asked, steering the subject away from her. "What was it like when you came here?"

"It was.." he paused. Edmund hadn't expected her to turn his own question towards himself. He closed his eyes briefly. He did realize that this was the perfect time to tell her all about what had happened. But the selfish side of him argued. He did not want her to know all about the things he'd done. He did not want her to judge him according to his past, like most Narnians did. He did not wish to keep her in the dark either, but yet he did not want her to look at him with that same look he'd seen in most of his subjects eyes, when they thought he wasn't looking. Doubt. "-not easy." he concluded.

He felt her raise her eyes towards him as she nodded a brief gesture of acknowledgement, her eyes lacking any signs of doubt or mistrust.

Edmund had never felt more debased before in his life, than he felt right then. Someday, Aline. He silently swore to himself. Someday, I'll tell you everything and more.

"Do you miss them?" she questioned, and even though she didn't specify whom, he knew she meant his parents.

"At times," he accepted. "Do you?"

Her lips lifted in a smug smile, "How could I miss someone whom I've never met before? Not to mention lived seventy years prior my time."

It took him a moment before he could decipher what she'd meant. And when he did, he smiled. "Not mine. I meant yours."

"No," came the simple reply, spoken with ease and utter conviction like she had no doubt in what she said.

He did not mean to pry but he couldn't help but give her a questioning look, which to her credit, she did a good job ignoring. And although he was itching to know what it was that invoked such a reply, Edmund did not dare pursue the subject for he knew better than anyone else that somethings were best left unspoken. He felt the urge to take her hand in his and give it a gentle squeeze. He had to fight that urge, to assure her that if she wanted to talk, he would be there to listen. But he didn't. Edmund Pevensie never made promises knowing the burden of upholding them.

Silence encased the two of them, but it wasn't the awkward sort. It was the warm, welcome sort that was comforting and soothing at the same time.

For a rare moment, Aline felt at peace, her mind void of any of the problems they were usually occupied with. She'd almost expected him to ask her what it was that caused her answer to his previous question, but he did not. Though she suspected the reason for it being far beyond personality but rather from experience, her respect for him just hiked up notch. But that inevitably lead towards the next question. What was it that made him that way. But she did not dare tread on his personal space, when he had respected hers.

Aline suddenly felt the weight of a hand envelop her own. She almost flinched away before she heard his whisper in her ear, her heart beat spiking up for an unknown reason, or maybe it was just the unexpected contact.

"I'm going to put my arm around you," he stated coolly much towards the astonishment on her face. "Try not to flinch." he added with a smug look. And that was what he did, his arm snaking around her shoulder.

At this her jaw dropped open as she pulled away. "What the-?"

He leant closer, "Trust me, Aline. I know what I'm doing. Don't look now, but behind me, to your-" He didn't have to specify, for just then a shrill voice rang out into the still night air, "King Edmund, there you are!"

Aline did not need an introduction to recognize the person to whom the girly voice did belong to. Lady Carissa of Archenland.

The girl Edmund twirled away in his arms for almost half the night. She immediately disliked the snobbish Archen lady with her all too princessy attitude. Edmund closed his eyes in exasperation, choosing to ignore her. An amused smile flickered on Aline's lips. She couldn't blame him though. One could stand her all too cheery presence only for so long. No matter how beautiful everyone seemed to think she was.

The King in question pretended to ignore the Lady with whom he had- or rather been compelled- to share the dances of the night. Edmund instead focused on the face of the girl in front of him. Amusement lit up her eyes, as the edges of her lips curled up as if she were supressing a smile. Edmund had wished, and not once that the one in front of him was the one who had been in his arms all night. But alas! Oh-so-dear little Lucy had to come and spoil the fun.

Edmund hoped that Lady Clarissa wasn't dense enough to not take such a blatant hint, but his luck, she did just that.

"King Edmund?" the Archen lady called out again, and this time he did turn around an annoyed look on his face. "What is it you want, Lady Carissa?" And for the first time Lady Carissa seemed to take notice of the girl who sat next to the Just King whose hands were wrapped around her shoulder as if in an intimate embrace. And at least the Archen lady had the decency to blush.

"Nothing, my Lord. Was..was just wondering where you had left to so abruptly. I.. I'd probably best take leave."

"That'd be best, for I'm in the middle of something here." Edmund watched not at all unfazed as the Archen lady spun around her heels and made her way off. He knew he ought to feel slight guilt in the least, but he knew he had nothing to be guilty of."Well, that was quite an impressive show, Pevensie. No wonder they call you the Heartbreaker King," Aline was laughing now, and Edmund couldn't help but reflect how contagious her laughter was. Or.. maybe it was just all that alcohol talking.

"Heartbreaker King?" Edmund faked offense, "Might I ask who dared tell you such a blatant lie, my lady?"

She leaned towards him dangerously close, her voice a little more than a whisper, "Not a lady. And most definitely not yours."

Oh, don't fret sweetheart, just not yet.

She smiled smugly standing up, taking his hand into hers from where it was resting; around her shoulder before moving it back to where it belonged. "So, my king are you going to ask me for a dance like any gentleman would, or perhaps you'd prefer sitting there with that ridiculous smirk on your face for the rest of that night?"

A/N : This chapter is definitely shorter than expected due to it being a filler, but rest assured the next is for sure.. eventful to say the least! Please do R R.