A/N: its been too long i know, but i just got my sem break so do expect frequent updates. i cant apologise enough for leaving this for so many months but i fully intend to make it up!
Chapter 29; of Kings, halflings and peasently attires
It was a couple hours passed midnight and as much as she loathed the fact Aline found herself in front of the doors that guarded her nemesis, she had no choice.
"Well, come on in Sister." his distinguishable voice called out almost as if sensing her presence through the shut doors, "you'll catch a cold standing out there in the corridor." And thus with a nod towards the guards at his doorstep to permit her in, Aline stepped inside his room for the second time.
And as she did, Aline saw him seated in front of an aisle, an assortment of brushes and paint lying in front of him, along with a white canvas. He held a brush dipped in black ink, though the canvas before him lay bare, as if contemplating what to draw.
"Sam," she greeted him, and while he did nothing to reply her instead choosing to stare at his blank canvas, Aline faltered. What was she even thinking? If anything, the weirdness she felt had all to do with her the state of he emotional turmoil instead of some stupid thing he'd mentioned the last time she'd met her deranged brother.
"You feel it don't you?" he called out to her and Aline bristled. "Of course you do, that's why you're here."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Sam turned to her. His green eyes very much the shade of hers boring into her. "You've always been a bad liar, Aline."
"And you've always been a very good one."
He chuckled at that, "Yet you'd always somehow see right through all of it."
"I guess it's a gift." Aline almost rolled her eyes
"Well then Aline, look into my eyes. And tell me if I'm lying, when I tell you, you're not losing your mind. It's real. It's all real."
Aline held in a sigh. He was not. And she had the vaguest idea what it meant for her, but hell, she was about to find out.
"Well then," she said, despite her best effort a crack in her voice evident, "help me figure out whatever the hell is wrong with me."
You simply cannot go out, My King!" Lora insisted as she gave him her firmest glare.
"It's just for a couple of drinks. I'm going crazy in this creepy Castle, Lora." Edmund argued. "Besides, how am I to figure out what's going on in Ettinsmoor if I'm cooped up under Rynelf's thumb. I can handle myself, ease." he scoffed.
"Oh fear not Shield Lora, I'd protect King Edmund with my life if it comes to it, no harm would come to his Majesty!" Silver proclaimed just as the crew around him burst forth in laughter. Ever since Edmund had saved him from the marshes the wolf pup had been trying hard to compensate, very much to the amusement of everyone around him.
"What?" Silver questioned grumpily.
"Silver its passed our bedtime," Speed his brother called, "come on, that's enough adventure for today."
With a grim yet defiant look on his face, Silver turned to Edmund instead. For some reason, something in him softened at the sight of the pup's face. Edmund in no way put up with impertinence, especially with his regiment of soldiers. But Speed and Silver were just too young he couldn't help but wonder again why in hell he'd even brought them along. And the face of innocence looking up at him as if he was the only authority in the world, Edmund felt it reminded him of something else.
"Your brothers right Silver." he called out resisting the sudden urge to pat the pup's head as if one would a pet dog. But Silver was not a pet dog, or even a dumb Animal for that matter. "Now run along, the two of you."
And so they did.
A couple hours later, under the safety of his cloak, sneaking passed his company and menacing Sworn Shield, Edmund grinned toothily at his success of evading attention as the cold night air of the North Courtyard ruffled through his hair. Well, it wasn't like he had a choice, there was simply no way Lora was letting him go out of that dreary Castle. Sneaking out seemed to be the only way out, and he'd taken it.
It didn't take him long to find himself in the familiar servants passage that he and Susan had discovered the last time they were in Ettinsmoors and voila! Edmund mentally high-fived himself as he emerged out of the tunnel and into fresh air on the opposite side of the Castle that they'd come in through. Now off to the Tavern on the outskirts of the woods.
Without much event, the Just King, his hood drawn over his head concealing his identity and his sword abandoned as to not draw attention, but instead a dagger hidden deep within the folds of his cloak made his way in. No one stopped him nor even seemed to pay attention as he walked into the crowded Tavern.
Good. he thought as he ordered a jar of mead to a balding, grumpy, old man who seemed the only person sober and hating that fact.
"That would be seven Crowns and throw me a ten and you could have my best girl Bianca over there for the night." he said monotonously almost as if he was tired of repeating the same thing over and over again throughout the course of the night. Edmund looked over to the direction the man pointed, at Bianca- though his thoughts stuck onto one thing, seven crowns for one jug of mead? Things weren't this expensive even in the Cair.
"Seven Crowns? You just be making a mistake sire, that price for a jug of mead in ridiculous!" Edmund exclaimed.
"A trader, are ya? I can tell yer types, come laden with money yet spare none." he spat out, "You ain't mistaken kid, it is ridiculous but you know what's more ridiculous? The taxes the Usurpers have placed on every damn thing while they waltz away in their fancy Castle throwing balls for no good reasons with the money of the good common folks I tell ya, things were so much easier under the White Queen.."
Edmund was taken aback. So Rynelf did indeed hike up taxes and worse.. blame it on them.. That was it, despite it all Edmund grinned, that was enough to strip him off the Lordship and appoint someone worthy.
Edmund pulled out ten Crowns as he slid them across to the bitter old man as he took a sip off his mead. Watered down and bland, he winced upon trying it, well seems he'd be for sure spending more than ten crowns tonight.
"No need for the girl," Edmund clarified hurriedly, as the old man raised his hand up to call towards Bianca. Though upon looking at the girl, Edmund almost choked. Black hair ran towards her waist and her pale skin inset with sharp features looking towards him so intently if he had a couple drinks more he could almost picture this Bianca being someone else entirelt. And then she smiled, a lop sided thing that felt anything but genuine, to reveal crooked teeth behind ridiculously over lined lips and Edmund woke up from his stupor. No, this wasn't her. No-one would ever be her.
"I'm only here to drink," he clarified to the old man, "Keep the change." he managed to grunt out as the man rolled his eyes moving on to his next customer. A hooded figure that took it's place on a bar stool right beside him.
"I'll have your gin." a distinctly feminine voice called out from under the hood, and the Just King couldn't help but sneak a glance towards this mystery woman. "And make it strong old Joe, not that watered down crap you push on everyone else."
The old man grunted out an almost satirical laugh, "And what are you paying with? That pretty mouth of yours?"
Edmund felt anger course through him as the innuendo in the old man's words made itself clear with the vile grin that spread on his lips to reveal yellowed teeth underneath.
"You wish your wenches were half as-" before the mystery lady could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the clinking of coins across the counter towards old Joe much to the surprise of both the lady and the old man. Her jaw fell open as if she wanted to object but Edmund beat her to it.
"Get the Lady what she wants," he commanded, authority seeping out his voice that the old man couldn't help but sink away mumbling under his breath.
"I can fight my own battles." She turned to face him, her hood falling off her face to reveal golden blonde hair and an oval face. She was pretty, he noticed. And then he saw the distinct silver streaks on her cheek bones. Not that it made her any less prettier, in fact if anything the opposite, but tell tale sign that marked the rare offspring of human-fae folk, did explain the need for the halfling to seek cover under her hood.
"I had it handled," she grumbled, almost under her breath.
Edmund chuckled. "From where I am seated, it sure did not look so," she turned to face this time, curiosity glinting in her eyes as she glanced over to him. "I haven't seen you around these parts," she commented after a while as she sipped off her gin, scrunching her features a bit as she did so.
"That is because I am not from these parts."
"A merchant I see," she assumed, as she turned to face him this time letting the hood on her head slip down completely. Now usually, in any other part of Narnia, halflings would be welcome, even celebrated for creatures as rare as they were. But not in Ettinsmead, the last stronghold of Jadis's insurrection it came to almost no surprise that the humans, and dark creatures of these parts seemed to despise their fae kin. Thus, a few grunts and gasps echoed throughout the bar as the few patrons nearby noticed, much to the halfling's unbothered amusement.
Instead, she moved closer, curiosity lighting up her pale eyes, "What glories does your trade bring to this forsaken bleak corner of Narnia? Gold? Silver? Rubies?"
Edmund held back a laugh as he drained the pint, Justice, he wanted to say but thinking twice of it, he held back instead. "I'm afraid, nothing so glamorous, m'lady." he replied instead.
"Hmpf." she sighed, as she stood up before proclaiming, "well then in that case I have no interest in you." and so she stood up, shakily at first definitely off the gin she'd just gulped down as she hurried towards the door. Maybe in a bit too much of a hurry, Edmund couldn't help but think as he turned to the old man to order another pint.
"Fuck." the Just King cursed out loud.
He should've known. He could no more feel the weight on his side where his bejewelled dagger sat. One that Susan had gifted him and insisted he have it on his person at all times. Especially, when he had not his sword on his person. No questions, as to who swapped it right off him.
The old man looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he shrugged, "Well boy, least now ye know better than to make company with these cursed witches."
Without losing a breath, Edmund bolted, she couldn't have gone far, and just as he'd predicted as he got out Edmund could make out a rustling in the trees which could've been none other than the halfling. Edmund bolted right in, "Stop!" he called out. "Halt. Thief!"
As predicted she halted not, instead a panicked face turned to look at him right before she bolted.
Edmund wasted no time in following. The trees here weren't as thick, making pursuit easy. "Stop!" he called again, "I do not want to hurt you,"
In an instant however, that seemed to work. She came in to an abrupt stop as she spun on her heels now to face him, "You," she scoffed, "hurt me?"
Before the Just King could respond, the ground beneath his feet shook, as Edmund couldn't help but fall to his knees. And out of the moonlit semi darkness that surrounded them, Edmund could make out two glowing feline orbs, looking right at him. It was her.
And before he knew it, vines shot up seemingly from the ground as it wrapped around the young King's ankles, arms, wrist and torso. And while that happened, something, significantly gold in color and glinting against the moonlight fell out of his cloak.
The dryad half-ling, looked at it, a look in recognition in her eyes and that's when realisation dawned on the trapped young King, "You're Drea."
"That I am," Drea's eyes turned to slits in suspicion, "Who are you?"
"Your.. mother.. sent me," Edmund struggled against the vines that had now wrapped themselves against his throat.
"Do not lie!" she screamed. "Where did you find that brooch?"
Before the King could respond an arrow came whizzing past him, narrowly missing the dryad by inches and before she realised it in a huge bound Lora had tackled her onto the ground, teeth barred in her face as a gasp left Drea's lips.
"In the name of the Crown I command you release the King!" Lora growled.
Drea's eyes widened at that, "I did not-" she never got to finish that thought as another one of Lora's menacing growls interrupted her just as Edmund felt the vines around his throat loosen before they withdrew completely back into the trees.
"Your Majesty," the dryad halfling dropped into a curtesy instead, "Apologies, I wasn't aware-"
"You're pardoned," Edmund wasted no time, cutting her off when it was clear she had no ill intention in mind and only defending herself, "I was told you have something I need."
"If my mother had sent you, as you claim she did, I believe I do know exactly what you're looking for."
Great, Edmund thought. Now time to find out what's really going on in Ettinsmead.
"Meet me tomorrow at mid-day by the statue of Lord Ryn-hell at the marketplace."
"Oh and, dress in your most peasantly of attires." she smiled slyly, before adding an almost sarcastic, "Your Majesty."
A/N: I know yall here for and miss Edaline a lot, but please bear with their seperation for the next couple chapters for the sake of plot, please.. it'll be worth it ;)P.S I have a surprise for yall today so go REVIEWWWWW (like please do they legit motivate me to write more) and like and favourite thank you *-*