A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited, however I won't be having much time to address you guys individually cause right after posting this I gotta rush back to completing assignments I typed this on my phone so apologies for any errors and do point them out if you notice any!

Chapter 22

Edmund looked around at his siblings now in their respective places around the wooden table giving each other skeptical looks.

"So this informant of yours," Susan began gingerly, "are you sure they are reliable?"

"Very." he confirmed.

"No!" Lucy barged in suddenly, not at all helping the sombre looks on her siblings faces. "We are NOT dangling Susan around like bait for that Calormene scum. There has to be another way around this. This is just ridiculous!"

"Lucy-" Susan began as she placed an arm around her younger sister's shoulders, but before she could say anymore the younger girl cut her off.

"We've got proof right here! Why not just turn it in to King Lune? Or even the Tisroc, surely even he would not dare risk losing the favor of two nations especially with everything brewing in Telmar."

Edmund sighed wistfully, if only things were that easy, "This letter alone proves nothing. It does not contain the official seal or any of the Prince's sigils nor is even in his handwriting to support our case. Mute servants write it upon his diction, clever if you think about it since it absolves him of everything."

A copy of Carissa's letter, however omitting any identification factors lay in front of them atop the table for Edmund felt the need to protect her identity for some reason at least until his Royal siblings reached a decision. Susan reached for it gingerly as she read through it's contents herself.

In the letter, Rabadash confirms his plan of requesting the hand of as he put it- the fair, Queen Susan the Gentle in marriage, detailing how he would whisk her away to the Citadel under the impression of courting her. Such was his ego and sense of entitlement that the Prince hadn't even paused to factor in her answer into his plans, Susan thought disgusted.

As she read on he further states of his self-proclaimedly "most ingenious" plan, though sparing specifics to lay siege to Archenland, cutting off their main trade routes with which the nation would wither. His bethroal to the Gentle Queen would put Narnia in adelicate position diplomatically. However, with Archenland under control of the Prince, the Tisroc, who until then would have had to give his son the benefit of the doubt turning a blind eye in case he failed, would now be obligated to publically support the "daring" Prince or face a public outcry from his war-loving citizens, thus sending in the full might of the famed Calormene Cavalry to station at Archenland to take their stand against Narnia.

"What if Susan just says no?"

"Susan can and will say no, of course. But to deny the proposal the courtesy of consideration as was customary in those lands would be seen as a direct insult to the Crown Prince, especially with no concrete reason as to why so, and the Calormene are known to hold a mean grudge. Moreover with Telmar stretching its claws like a power hungry dragon, Narnia cannot stand her own. We need all the help we could get. Any way you look at it-"

"Trouble is inevitable." Susan finished for Peter in a small voice. It was enough. Her people had gone through enough, if there was even the tiniest hope that sacrificing herself to the barbaric Calormene Court could hold any sway on Rabadash's plan of invading the North.. she had to go through with it. An idea formed itself in her mind, something she had read up on the previous week.. a to-be-bride could demand her betrothed anything and if it was in his power to provide her he is customarily obligated to. Knowing the Calormene to be a people absolutely engaged in their traditions, she knew the Prince could not deny anything, especially if it were to be made publically... right?

Lucy stomped her feet. "If all of it is going to end up with inevitable war against someone or the other, I'd rather prefer we deal like we usually do all else. Together. I see no sense in sending Susan to Calormene to play marriage."

"Which is exactly why Luce, you need to hear the rest of my plan." the smirk on Edmund's lips could only mean something. The Just King had something up his sleeve. And as he elaborated on his extremely detailed plannings, the sombre mood that had set in amongst the Royals couldn't help but feel like it was being lifted off.

"So essentially the plan is, Lady Carissa-" Peter shook his head at this as if it was unbelievable that the prim and proper lady was their main source of information on their enemy nation, "-is to accompany the Royal Entourage to Calormene along with you Ed, and Susan on the behest of considering Rabadash's proposal. Carissa is to act the scorned lover threatening to expose the Prince to his soon-to-be betrothed," Susan bristled at that, "Which gives us our reason to be indignated and rightfully so calling to terminate the proposal. This alliance means as much to Calormene as it does to Narnia and we're willing to bet the Tisroc would do all in his power to save it, if only to save face from his increasingly troublesome disappointment of a son. Moreover, matters of honor are taken seriously and once Lord Gregory finds out would be indignified enough to stop treaty talks right away and that would cost him the element of surprise with Rabadash's private cavalry being sparse, and our warning to King Lune, the element of shock is the only chance he's got against Archenland's might. Once Carissa exposes him, the Tisroc would disown Rabadash in order to save face and keep up alliances and Susan allowed to evade the betrothal."

Despite herself Susan felt a relieved smile find it's way onto her lips, "And Lady Carissa would be reinstated as an official Lady of the Narnian Court in honor of her services."

Queen Susan's gazed at her younger brother in fondness. With a few strides to his side she engulfed him in a huge hug, uncharacteristic of a Queen known for her courtly diligence, yes but Edmund's awkward reaction and Peter and Lucy's laughs that echoed through the stone chambers entirely made up for it.

"Thank you," she whispered, "you just might have saved Narnia. And me."

Just then, the doors to the Chamber swung open and in rushed Lord Pittertweet followed by the guards.

"Leave him be," Peter commanded and the advancing soldiers stood their ground.

"Your Majesties," Lord Pittertweet, the jack rabbit half panted, "It's the dryads. They're fading, and fast at that."

Lucy stepped forward as she got down to her knees facing the Lord eye to eye, "Calm down, my Lord. Take in a deep breath and tell us what you saw."

He pondered not a lot on it instead let his feet lead him the direction he wanted to go. Edmund took a swing out of the pewter flask he held in his hand before he came face to face with another one of the Cair's wooden oak doors.

Edmund raised his hand ready to knock but something stopped him at just the last minute. Doubt swiveled in the depths of his heart. He hadn't be able to think as clearly since, well everything, but maybe he was making a mistake by doing this? Edmund clenched his fists as recollections of how he'd felt earlier today resurfaced at the back of his head. He took another huge sip at his flask. Well, it was now or never he thought for he was leaving, the case of the dryads required investigation and for a matter of this much importance he needed to be there and see for himself. And not to mention he would also have time to check up on their diplomatic situation with the Giants up North while he was at it. And the Just King knew not how long it would take, a week maybe if he was lucky? A month? A few months? How much more would things between them change, how much more would she hate him or rather should he be more concerned about exactly how much more fonder would she grow of another certain King who surely was not him. A pair of green eyes floated in front of his alcohol addled vision. Edmund drained the pewter flask this time.

Just as the Just King was about to turn back, giving up he heard the turn of a lock just as the door before him swung open.

"It's you!" surprise coloured her features.

"Good evening to you too, Aline." he greeted sarcastically, or as much he could muster himself to sound like with his heart going crazy at the sudden confrontation he knew he wasn't ready for and thinking of the million ways this could end. A few appealed to him, but surely most of them did not.

Even in the dark, the Just King could make out the blush covering her pale cheeks as she glanced at the book in her hands before her eyes met his form.

"I was just going to look for you," she stated though yet not meeting his gaze, he did not fail to notice.

"You were?" He was mildly surprised at this. This definitely was not what the Edmund had expected, especially considering their run-in with his Royal brother just a few hours earlier.

"We need to talk."

"Yeah, we sure do." Edmund replied. Surely she wasn't thinking the same thing he was? Or was she? A glimmer of hope seemed to show itself, or maybe its just the alcohol, "I- I need to tell you something." he managed.

Aline's gaze finally landed on his face as she looked on curiously that he couldn't help but shift slightly under its intensity.

"Have you been drinking?" she questioned softly instead as she noticed the flask in his hand.

"Maybe a little?" he conceded.

"Ed, you can barely stand!" and there it was, the concern in her voice almost like she cared for him. But he knew better than to believe it. How could she care for him, surely not after the way he treated her. He remembered the utter disappointment that had masked her features at his harsh words towards her today. And he'd noticed the way her eyes lit up when Peter had kissed her hand, treating her like the lady she deserved to be and then he remembered the way her voice had shifted on that one ill fated night as she told him, 'it was nothing but a mistake.'

"Come in," she called after a while of staring at each other as she seemed to make sense of his intentions. Yet Aline ended up holding the door open wide for him. A part of him knew he ought to turn her down. Speak his peace, tell her what he'd felt when he'd seen her with Peter today. Tell her what it made him realise. Tell her that he wanted her bad, but that he understood if she didn't want the same. That he wanted her to choose him and yet if she didn't it was alright because at least now she knew how he felt.. Tell her and leave, before it ended up turning into something that almost ripped whatever it was they had left between them like the last time..

Edmund pinched his brows, the alcohol definitely hit his system.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me?" he questioned instead.

"You first." she insisted. Ever stubborn.

Edmund allowed himself a look around her room. It looked the exact same as it had the last time he was here. A frown distorted his features as that particular memory unraveled itself before his eyes. His arm gripping hers so tight that he knew for sure he had left behind bruises and not to mention the look on her face.. Edmund winced.

Instead of replying her he just picked up the book she held in her hands, much to her chagrin.

"Still not over the habit of grabbing books right out of people's hands, I see." Aline rolled her eyes only to be met with silence on his end as he flicked through yellowed pages of what seemed to be a trade catalogue? he thought confused what in hell was she doing with something like this even he barely understood it without a headache.. "I'm sorry what exactly are you here for?" she crossed her arms her voice coming off as irritated.

Edmund looked up at Aline, "Because you invited me in." he said, his gaze now turned harsh and cold that Aline couldn't help but flinch at the sudden change in the Dark King's demeanor.

"Edmund," she called, her voice soft and small as she looked at him through half hooded eyes,"whatever it is that you came here to tell me, say it. Please."

She was testing him. It took everything he had in him to not grab her right there and pull her close to him and put themselves into the very position he swore he would never again.

"It's nothing important," Edmund instead brushed it off as he forced his attention back to the book he held in his hands though never really noticing what was in it for all he needed was a distraction against his mind stuck in a battle against itself. He heard her sigh, almost defeatedly and he dare not look up to only be met with what he knew would be a disappointed look on her face.

"In that case," her voice came out harsher than she'd intended "Let me tell you what I wanted to and then you should leave, perhaps to go see to more important tasks as am pretty sure you've been pretty occupied with lately."

Aline gave him no time to react instead snatching the book right out of his hands as she turned pages trying to find whatever it was she was looking for.

And then she did as she pointed it to him, looking at him almost expectantly but all that was there seemed to be nothing but a jumble of names and dates and numbers that ought to have been budgets and a goods catalogue.

"What am I supposed to be seeing here?" he questioned confused.

"Look at the date." Aline pressed on, "Its the year Tsun 687, the very year King Gale passed away and Swanwhite ascended the throne and though the," she blew away at particles that clung to the old document, "date is quite unclear- but this ship Eletia's Wind, left port and here is mentioned-" she pointed so that he could see for himself.

His Royal Majesty, King Han the Blessed, of Narnia and a twenty and four Knights of the Morning Star, in his company- which then proceeded to list out the names of the men.

He could only looked at her dumbfounded, and she continued as he did so.

"And here, checked under the King's name in the harbor records aside from all the weapons, under precious cargo is-" an emerald gemstone ornaments set, followed by something unintelligible that was lost to them due to the ages.

"So you think.." he trailed off.

"It all checks out!" Aline exclaimed in excitement her eyes gleaming that Edmund couldn't help but admire her more for it. "If this necklace truly were from Narnia there would be some record of it, especially in the Royal Vault and it's catalogues that had survived Jadis, but I could find no mention of anything of the sort in the public records of it. And since King Han was not of Royal blood and the illustrations of Swanwhite wearing this one piece of jewellery alone existed only after her ascension and their marriage.."

"But what possessed you to check at the harbor's cargo logs?"

"Actually it was something Peter said, about the gemstone trade and some problem with stolen jewellery from the harbor records so I guess I just put one and one together.. and thought why not give it a shot?"

"Aline," he called ignoring the jolt of hurt that hit him as his brother's name came out of her lips so casually. "You're a genius."

And he meant it sincerely, though he couldnt help but feel a nagging sense of guilt that, he should've thought of this first. If only he hadn't been so distracted as of lately.. But his admiration for her was only short lived before he glanced at where the Eletia's Wind was bound to. Calormene.

Edmund couldn't shake the feeling that as impossible as it may seem, everything that went down was in someway connected and he had a suspicion that only seemed to grow clearer with each day that the girl who stood before him, was right in the middle of it all. And despite it all, he wanted nothing more than to protect her, hold her by his side and strike down at anything that dared hurt her.

He looked at her only to find her looking back at him.

"So," she began, was he imagining it or did her gaze rest right on his lips, "that's all I wanted to tell you. Whatever you do with this information is on you though I'd expect you to keep up your end of the bargain and let me know of whatever you decide to do with this or any new information that you might find."

"I will." he assured her, realizing that somehow within this time they had grown somewhat closer. Not as close as he'd wished her to be but close than he had been to her in two long weeks. Heck, two long weeks of doing his best to ignore her and at one loose thread he came unravelling. "You've earned the right for it."

"Well then," why was she biting the side of her lip so seductively? "unless there is something else left for us to discuss, I-" her voice cracked right here, "I suggest you leave."

He couldn't help but take a step closer to her. Almost as if she was a magnet and he nothing but a piece of iron in her wake. "I do have something to say to you."

"Then tell me."

"Goodnight."

"What?"

"Goodnight Aline. I wanted to wish you a good night." Edmund took a step back before turning away.

A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter felt too condensed with a lot going on in it plot-wise. I'd love to hear your opinion on Edmund's POV and his thoughts about Aline though. Initially when I had started this back in 2014, the plan was to take an After (the Harry Styles fanfic that kinda stormed the internet aha) like approach but it's been 6 long years since and I realised that that's not how real life works lol and I feel like I needed to let Edmund's perspective be seen and truly hope this does him justice.Anyways as usual RR even if its criticism, I'd love to hear it, see y'all next week! Now off to my assignments :(