theas : Updates would be on a weekly basis up until Chapter 37 because I've already got the basic skeleton of it typed out.. however after that, I really cannot promise about the timings. I recently picked up this story again after it being abandoned for years, so just keeping things realistic and don't want to give false hopes aha though I think I could commit to finishing it this time around (hopefully!)

Queen of Narnia : Hey! Thank you SO much for the support! Your prior reviews literally got me off my ass and made me write the previous chapter aha so thank you so much for the motivation and I really hope you like this! Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

wildflowerchildGrace : I really hope you enjoy the direction the story is taking right now tho!

apbassestt : Thank you so much for the support for even back then! Means a lot!

Chapter 19. we are family

The sword they'd got her yesterday sat on the side of her bed, safe in it's scabbard. Running her fingers along the length almost warily as the events afterwards rushed to her memory. Aline recalled Galladrion telling her to choose the one that spoke to her. And she did. He said the perfect fit was supposed to be an extension of one's own limb, and that was how it felt but in some ways even more. She was in no way an expert in the art of swordplay, and she knew it though she did reckon herself a quick learner and given the fact of her trainer being the Blade of Narnia himself, yet Aline could not for the life of her figure out how she could not only block his blows and deliver her own so easily and still stay on her feet with not a scratch on her person.

It was like, she struggled to come up with a way to describe it- it felt like she'd anticipated his moves a split second ahead and the sword in her hand moved seamlessly to counter his own.. almost like all she had to do was think of it and her sword obeyed. She felt powerful and strong, a shot of courage shooting through her. It had been ages since she had felt this way.

Now her dilemma was, should she let Edmund know she suspected something was off and that she wasn't entirely sure it was even her. But the way he'd looked at her, almost like he was proud of her... Though Aline was in no way to be considered a coward, with her tiny frame and petite gait she'd always felt predispositioned to be perceived more of a damsel in distress and more often than not, she also felt no different. But no, not anymore she thought an unfamiliar warmth washed over her as she thought about it. No. She decided smartly, she was going to keep this one to herself. Besides what if this was exactly what Galladrion had meant? Yesterday, she'd felt in control of herself for a change, rather than just turning with the tide of people pushing her and for once she wanted it to last. She wasn't ready to let go.

Aline couldn't help but wonder how different would her life have been, if in some way she could've been able to defend herself early on, maybe she could've defended herself against Sam all those times he'd come after her. Maybe she could've done something to protect herself.. maybe she could still be alive, back in the comfort of her own world. Maybe..

With her thoughts swimming in a pool of what-ifs and maybes, Aline somehow found herself in front of her mirror, and staring back at her fully dressed in a simple Narnian gown bunching at her waist before flowing in unrestricted waves. Aline patted some powder beneath her eyes hiding the fact that the girl on the other side of the mirror barely slept a wink last night her mind on one thing in particular that she completely refused to acknowledge today. Just about then she heard a knock on her door Aline saw her reflection frown and roll it's eyes as she realised who it was with a start!

Just yesterday during dinner, the youngest Pevensie brought up how long it had been since the girls had spent some time together and promptly declared they clear their respective schedules for some tea together. Not that she complained, anything to get away from etiquette lessons from Mrs. Beaver was welcome.

"A minute please, Willoa!" she called out to who she knew was Willoa waiting outside for her. Since she had been introduced as an official resident of the Narnian Court, Willoa had been appointed to be her 'lady-in-waiting' though very much to the shock of the faintest green tinge skinned dryad with blonde hair and beautiful ebony eyes, she'd turned the offer down at the very notion of it. Now Willoa instead settled for alerting Aline to her schedule and hanging out in the kitchens with the her faun beau.

Deeming herself ready she finally opened the door to a surprise- "You're not Willoa."

"Right. And, you are late," Lucy accused her just as a smile lit up the youngest Pevensie's face the same.

"Lucy! Walk don't skip!" she called out in laughter trying to keep up after the teenage monarch as she half-ran, half-skipped through the hallways before they burst into the private drawing room. Private as in, reserved for the Royal Family alone which they now considered Aline a part of.

Susan was already there sipping on her tea, and even carelessly sprawled across the divan she exuded a sense of regality and grace, her hair perfect curls that fell to her waist and her purple gown in perfect pleats falling off her waist that Aline couldn't help but sit up straighter and run an absent hand through her hair. With greetings exchanged as dryads flitted in with trays of goodies and tea they settled into comforting conversation. The girls spoke of a lot of things ranging from Lucy's new favourite florist downtown to Aline's new sword and politics and else. They'd discussed Susan's proposal to rename the Welfare of Talking Animals to the Welfare of Sentient Creatures as the former sounds selectively excluding sentient creatures that aren't exactly animals but in humanoid form such as the tree spirits, naiads and even the tiny faeries. The girls thought it was a brilliant idea and Aline came to see the qualities that the young Queens despite their tender ages were popular throughout the lands for. They cared about their citizens, fiercely loyal to every single one of their subjects as they were to the Monarchs. Not to mention how knowledgeable and vocal about issues the Queens were on par with the Kings which was rather progressive and quite influential especially amongst the neighbouring nations provoking debates, controversy and even change in many places.

"Well Aline, what do you think?" Lucy's voice broke her out of her reverie, "Do you think Narnia should align herself with Telmar or Calormene in case tensions in between the two nations escalate?"

"I think a treaty with Calormene would prove beneficial to Narnia at this time considering our trades with the Citadel's bringing in income in comparison to an almost non-existent relationship with Telmar. Moreover with the ascension of Genreal Aynes to the Telmar Throne, and his newfound liking to expand territory, an alliance with Calormene would make sense since it would also give Archenland protection from Telmar and her forces on the South."

"You're right," Susan stated in approval, seeming to look deep in though.

"Anyways," Lucy cut in, "I've had it with politics! Susan, why don't you tell us about the mysterious gentleman I spied you taking a stroll in the gardens with last night?"

"LUCY!" The Gentle Queen's face turned visibly red.

"Come on, Su! No secrets when it comes to ball gowns and beaus!"

Susan sighed.

"Actually, about that Aline, I was going to talk to you about it. That wasn't a beau Lucy, it was Sam."

"Susan-" she started, not knowing exactly how to break it to her friend, "look, I know he is my brother- but there are things you don't really know about him. He isn't really what he seems like he's dangerous and frankly not the kind of guy any girl ought to be dating." Aline knew her brother better than anyone, she knew how manipulative he could be and how his looks did not help but only add to the illusion. Susan was a woman of her own and would do what she wanted, but Aline wasn't for a fact going to sit by and let him ruin her especially when the Royals have been so kind in adopting her as their own. She shuddered to think what would've happened if Edmund hadn't found her when he did or she had been greeted by something else much more sinister.. her mind ran to the Minotaur she'd encountered in the woods on the first day here. They had done so much to her and she was not going to let him ruin this perfect family the way he did hers.

"No! No, it's nothing like that," Susan amended. "He requested an audience with me since he couldn't get to you. Aline, I know how hard it must be considering the fact that he shot you with a poisoned arrow, and everything that had happened before you have a legitimate reason to avoid him, but I firmly believe that he regrets all of it and after all, he is family and dare I say I think he is a changed man now. It would mean a lot to me if you considered giving him a second chance."

A classic Samuel, Aline thought. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted. She shuddered at the very thought of giving him a second chance yet Aline saw no way to convey why exactly she would very much prefer not doing so to Susan without completely bringing her walls down like she did with Edmund.

I will not let him hurt you ever again, I promise.

The memory caused a shiver to run down her spine and try as she might Aline couldn't help this deep yearning she'd learnt to ignore over the days for a certain Just King, ever since he'd essentially friend-zoned her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts instead, no good would come out of brooding over him since he did seem like he wanted to make good on the "friends" part of their agreement if yesterday was any indication.

"You're right, Su. I shall."

The Centaurian guards stationed outside his room-slash-prison nodded as she clarified she didn't need them to escort her inside, instead opening the door to let her in before taking up their previous positions.

The room looked almost identical, if only a little smaller in proportion to hers though it was in an entirely different wing isolated from the Royals and sparsely furnished.

"Aline!" Sam stood up with a start, from where he had been sitting the chair behind him almost rocking off before he steadied it. "I knew you'd come to see me.. I knew you'd finally forgive me." the false enthusiasm in his voice made her want to retch her guts out.

"No. Sam, the only reason I'm here talking to you is at Susan's behest-"

"Queen Susan! Yes of course, as Gentle as her title suggests. I'd tried contacting you first of course but everyone said you didn't want to see me, you gave me no choice. I'd hope she'd get to you and I'm thankful she did." he cut her off as he very often did.

Aline took a deep breath to calm herself before talking, "Listen carefully Samuel. I will never, ever forgive you and that is it. Susan, or none of them know you the way I do. And they mean something to me Sam, now I know for a fact you've never cared for any thing else other than yourself, but trust me when I tell you, you even think of hurting the people I care about the most, I can and I will make you regret the day you stepped foot in Narnia. Stay away from them and don't ever try to contact me again."

Just as she turned to leave, to her utmost surprise Sam.. started laughing? "Seems like your boyfriend is rubbing off on you after all." he said amidst laughter. "Oh, Aline you poor thing. They might be people you care about but I am your family. We've only got each other left and who else knows you better than me? We aren't all that much different from each other as you think.."

"I am nothing like you," she raged. How dare he even compare?

"Oh trust me sis, you very much are. In fact, maybe even worse."

A shiver ran down her spine as the exact words of the spirit or demon or whatever that had possessed Sam during the interrogation, echoed in her head..

"NO." Aline half screamed. "And you stay away from me, you understand?"

"We shall see about that sis." he replied moments after to his empty room and now closed door a crooked smile creep onto his lips at the sight of a jagged crack right in the middle of the wooden oak door.

A/N : This definitely is a filler chapter however, it did set the scene to a lot of things to come so do pay attention to the details! I wanted to build up the other sibling's characters and give them a proper relationship with Aline as well since I've read so many fics only focusing of the main character and the OC and wondered what the others were doing. I think I did Susan and Lucy's characters justice though cause that is how I've always pictured them but do let me know what yall think! I really hope you guys don't find this too boring since there's no Ed/Aline (Edaline? Help me figure out a ship name please?!) action, but I CANT PROMISE YOU, NEXT IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY REWARDING TO MAKE UP FOR IT! Like oh my gosh, I can't wait for y'all to read the next chapter! Anyways, until then toodles, stay safe and practice social distancing!

oH, p.s don't forget to follow/favourite and recommend to your friends please! And do review, I'd love any kind of input :)