Chapter 37 - Turkish Delight

"Good morning beautiful."

"You scared me!" Aline almost jumped at the pair of arms sneaking around her right as she sensed the scent of cinnamon and musk. She allowed herself a smile.

"Do I have something on me?" she questioned self consciously while the King who'd ambushed her only stared with a faint smile on his lips.

"No. But least now I can steal glances off you without fear of being caught."

"Well, truth be told, that's never stopped me before."

"I know. I've noticed. And I've enjoyed it a lot to be honest, thank you love." Edmund replied. Of course he'd caught her, he was always hyper aware of his surroundings at all times and especially so when it came to her. And not to mention Aline was comically bad at hiding it- except when she is mad at you, noted the voice in his head, the girl could be downright stone hearted when she wanted to be and quite a pro at ignoring him. Otherwise at least, she stood no chance at going unnoticed.

Aline rolled her eyes with a laugh as she smacked his arm.

Yet the couple came to a stop as they simply stared at each other. Edmund's gaze skimmed her quite figure hugging outfit obviously tailored for her feminine form. She had on breeches that hugged her legs perhaps a bit too tight and a leather corset on top of her white inner shirt it's sleeves which should've reached her wrists rolled up to expose her forearms instead. A belt for her sword sat on her waist. Her hair was pulled back up the exact way he preferred it, in a high tail on the top of her head as it sleeked down to her waist. She looked every part a formidable warrior.

Aline bit her lip, partially from his intense gaze sending blood rushing to her cheeks and partially from what awaited them.

"Are you sure you want to accompany me on this?"

"Yes," Edmund replied tersely breaking their gazes.

Aline did not seem convinced and it showed on her features. "I am sure, Al." he further reassured her forcing a smile on his lips as his hands grazed hers before taking them into his own. "Shall we?"

"We shall."

And so they made their way to the stables where awaited Philip and Destiny as ever present Lora bounded to Edmund's side. Aline ran her fingers through her mare's mane. She cooed softly as she took in the girl's troubled expression.

"Are you alright, m'lady?"

"Yes, yes I am fine. Let's go Destiny." she replied as she mounted her stead her gaze set to the back of Edmund's head as he led the way ahead.

"What is he doing here?"

The Just King raised an eye brow cockily to the boy who only seemed to have a mocking smirk on his face, but before any of them could do not say anything further, Aline put herself in between the two, with her arm on Edmund's chest getting in between the two of them.

"That's enough! Both of you, better behave or I'll-" she paused here lost on a suitable threat to fit the two men towering over her small form, despite all of her fierceness.

Aline sighed giving up, "Please least try being civil to each other while we're doing this?"

With the two men still glaring at each other, the King with a ferocious almost protective look on his face as his arm snaked around his lover whilst Samuel simply watched it with a growing smirk as if he was testing the King.

"Sam, he knows." Aline called ignoring their staring contest, "in fact, everyone knows everything."

To Aline's surprise, Samuel did not protest anymore. Instead he shifted on his feet as he replied with a simple, "Cool, so we don't need to sneak around anymore."

She glared at him as she moved in close. Something definitely seemed off, the short fused control freak of a brother she'd always known would've thrown a fit at this, her eyes slitted "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing!" he denied vehemently. "Why?"

"Something's.. different about you. I just can't put my finger on what exactly yet but something definitely is "

"I do not plan on attempting to kill you again, sis if that's what you're worried about."

"Aslan," Edmund spoke almost too low to be heard from beside the fighting siblings. "You met Aslan."

"..yes. I did." Samuel replied, "your Majesty." He couldn't help but sarcastically add on to while the Just King only rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's that's great!" Aline couldn't help but feel a kind of relief wash over her nevertheless. If Aslan did stop by Sam that meant the great Lion's blessings would least serve to Sam's favour and keeping him away from the dungeons.

Sam shrugged.

"Alright then, sister. Let's see how much you've improved." then with a goading smirk that Aline rolled her eyes at, "if you have that is."

Then, without any warning Sam simply chucked a stone at her. Aline yelped as she held her hand up in front of her face to shield it but instead, it was the stone that stopped, mid air right in front of her outstretched arm, hovering for a whole second before it dropped down to the ground.

Edmund stared marvelled.

"Not bad," Samuel commented a sideways smile on his lips.

"How do you know of anything to do with magic?" the Just King interjected.
"How do you know exactly how to train Aline?"

"I'm no expert nor can I perform magic in itself outside of maybe the mundane, but I think in between the three of us, I do have the most knowledge of it."

"Exactly. How do you possess that knowledge?"

"Edmund-"

"It's alright Aline. His Majesty is right to be concerned." he interrupted her as he placed an arm on his sister's shoulder. One that Edmunds slitted gaze followed. "Let's just say that a certain Lady in Green was not too pleased when she found she had the wrong sibling, though not for her lack of.. trying to get me to wield a power I was clearly not made for."

He visibly winced at that.

"But as it turns out," Sam held out his arm as a wisp of smoke formed, even more frailer and without form as Aline's had been the prior night, "this is the most I could manage."

"Why.. did you not disclose us this?"

"Because I did not trust you. As you did not trust me, I was merely protecting myself given Narnia's dark history with magic."

"Besides.." Samuel continued his otherwise careless gait now held a certain weight to it, as if some kind of darkness shadowed his entire demeanor, "do you see this? What is there to disclose about something I'm clearly pathetic at."

"Sam you're not-"

"Save it Aline. I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm only here to help you with this, so let's get started."

And so they began...

It was impressive, Edmund had to agree. She was impressive. Apart from her previous haphazard control over the wind around them, and the ball of light in her hands she'd progressed to making it bigger, fuller, thicker.. Despite his aversion towards anything magick, of course discounting the elemental nature's of the nymphs and the Fae folk- he couldn't help but feel impressed especially when she'd glance towards him each time she began a look of doubt on her face as the the same wispy smoke from before pooling around her as she tried to make it gain form, and he'd shoot her an encouraging smile to which she'd then look down a clear blush on her face.

"Alright that's enough you two. Aline, FOCUS!" Sam yelled, as they both flinched.

The wind rushed furious among them as Aline visibly tensed a look of anger in her eyes. It shuffled through the tall thin cedars at the edge of the clearing, parting Edmund's hair on each side.

Samuel seemed to notice only to look down pinching his brows instead, "No, not like that. Not around you but from within you. Do not let it control you Aline, you need to take control of it. Feel it rise and fall within you, and when it comes out of you let it be to your bidding. Or else when you're done there will only be chaos and destruction in your wake. Focus."

"I'm trying Sam I clearly am can't you see? We've been at this for the past week I can't do anything more."

"You aren't trying enough." Samuel shrugged, "Or maybe you're right. You're just as or even more so useless as you think I am."

Aline glared. The wind around them in the clearing only whipped more furious.

"Hey-" Edmund called, "don't talk to her like that."

"I can fight my own battles Edmund, thank you," Aline cut him off much to Samuel's now amused smirk. He was riling her up alright if there was anything Aline hated the most it was being compared to her ruthless brother.

"I am nothing like you," she warned for not the first time. "And you know it,"

"Oh yes you are. You very much are. You are every bit as rotten as I am,"

That was enough for the King watching from the sidelines but something prevented him from interfering, even as he watched on the small ball of wispy light began taking a stronger form in her arms.

"You killed him after all."

"I did not-"

"You took him away from us. You ruined our lives."

"Mother was always right." he continued.

"You drove mother to madness. You made me a monster. I used to think her ramblings were that of a mad woman craving her fix but maybe she was right. There was always something wrong with you. I mean.. look at you. Wherever you go, bad things follow. Heck you're worlds away and still-"

"ENOUGH!" Edmund's voice rang past the howl of the wind that was now heavily whipping around them.

Samuel had no intention of stopping.

"Even now look at you, so pathetic, all of this wasted on you. So much power, potential, yet you're too weak to wield it. You aren't worthy, never were."

The Just King had enough, Edmund understood what he was trying to do yet despite whatever he was eliciting out of her this was not the way for it. "Cut it out Samuel," he grabbed the man's collar.

"There she is," Samuel almost whispered wistfully instead, the smile of a mad man on his lips. The wisps of smoke now seemed to engulf her entire form in a cocoon as lightening seemed to fork out of it periodically.

"Tell me Aline, do you not wish it was you instead who died that night?"

Edmund swore under his breath at the sight. It scared him the wày she simply stood behind the smoke screen only her unmoving silhouette visible. Fuck, Edmund swore again, as he made his way towards her, he did not care what was happening or what could he just needed to let her know that nothing Samuel said was true. She was precious, she was worthy and she is one the strongest people he'd ever met.

Aline looked up, for the first time since Samuel began speaking she opened her mouth, "Every. Godamned. Day." she replied. Her eyes glinted like an emerald stone. Edmund absentmindedly noted, so I hadn't imagined her eyes glinting like a cat's all those times?

He was close to her now, he could see inside the cloud that had surrounded her. Edmund put his hand through to reach out to her, static seemed to course through his body but it wasn't too bad.

"King Edmund, you need to get back!" he heard Samuel's voice call out to him, "take cover. Now!"

He tuned the man out.

Edmund's hand grabbed on to Aline's.
"Aline," he called her, "Al, my love listen to me."

He could not say if she did hear him or not. But by now Edmund was close enough to make out her entire body shiver slightly as in sobs and he simply put his arms around her. The chaos inside seemed violent threatening to rip his arms right off of him but for all his aversion to magick the Just King did not care.

That was when she raised her gaze to look at him. A feline's eyes. Her green irises glinted like emerald stones catching the sunlight inset in her pale tear streaked face. Only then did Edmund notice the glinting tears in them as he cupped her cheeks, "Al you need to stop. Please, come back to me.. None of what Samuel said is true nor will it ever be-"

Before Edmund could finish, a high pitched ringing almost sent him to his feet as he closed his eyes shut just as Aline's arms grabbed him pulling him towards herself and the King could do nothing else than hug her right back through all the chaos and the static.

Time stood still.

By the time he finally opened his eyes he saw her back to normal, standing there looking around her to only find chaos, destruction and death all around her except.. for the tiny circle of still green meadow grass they were standing directly on.

"Oh my gosh, Edmund," she cried as she fell to her knees beside him, "what have I done?"

"What have you done?! You've finally got it! That's what you've done I'll tell you." Sam celebrated.

Where did he even come from? Edmund thought groggily as he sat up.

"Shut up!" both the King and the girl exploded at the same time.

Aline rose up rapidly. She looked around her to only be met with dead blackened grass reaching almost to the ends of the clearing. The horses they'd come on were neighing at the distance and she felt a little bit of relief despite it all. Without a second thought she sprinted towards them, she needed to get out of here.

"Aline, stop!" she faintly heard Edmund call from behind but she couldn't spare him a notice. Not after what she'd done. You could've almost killed him! a scary thought chided her as she swung herself on top of Destiny.

"Go, just let's go please. Anywhere but the Castle. I don't care." and Destiny complied with her mistress as she simply rode off into the dense thick woods around them as Aline's eyes clouded with tears and she could barely see instead trusting her mare to guide them. A streak of yellow flashed passed her sight as Aline heard a roar she'd recognized as Lora but the girl ignored it perseverant in her flight.

However before long, Aline heard her name being called. With a pang in her heart she ignored it, instead only spurred Destiny to pick pace ahead.

"Stop." they heard the distinct call but this wasn't at Aline, it was directed towards her mare instead. And coming from a King, it was more of an order.

"I am sorry, my Lady. I cannot not comply to the orders of a King,"

Aline breathed in deep as Destiny came to a stop and the other set of galloping hooves neared them.

He spared her not a second glance once he reached her. Edmund knew pity was not what Aline was looking for, now or ever. So he wouldn't be showing her any of that, he decides.

"Your Majesty," Destiny bowed her head in respect.

His stead Philip neighed in response as Edmund acknowledged her with a nod of his head.

"Follow us," he called out more so to the girl on her back rather than to the mare. Aline averted her eyes from his intent gaze as she simply spurred Destiny into a move.

The King turned, riding deeper into the woods as she followed slowly. It wasn't before long that they came across something that she realised seemed familiar. It was the rock! The tricky one in which concealed the meadow. The one that hid Circe's Circle until a little Edmund had stumbled there of course.

They dismounted and Aline couldn't help but wonder why he'd brought her here, especially after what he'd just witnessed.

Edmund stood in front of the sliver of an opening that was barely big enough for them to cross. He extended his arm towards her, as he gazed gently. His eyes were void of judgement, simply adoration and it stirred something within her. No one had looked at her that way, definitely not that gentle not since her father at least. She was nothing but a burden, Sam's words rang true to her once more.

The King seemed to sense her inner turmoil at her hesitance to take his hand- something she'd never hesitate on before. Edmund could understand what she'd felt, he knew her better than most after all. As much as she put on a tough exterior Aline was someone who felt a lot. And the brief conversation in between the siblings only gave him more insight into why she is the way she is. Yet nothing changed in the way he felt about her. Heck, not even seeing her perform deathly magic deterred his heart from her. It was this moment that the Just King knew, he was falling completely and irrevocably in love with this enchantress. And so as Aline tangled their fingers together and allowed Edmund lead her through the meadow he revelled silently in his discovery.

"Should I even be here?" she questioned hesitantly, "after what just happened, I shouldn't- Edmund we should go- I should go, I don't want to cause any more damage than I already-"

He shushed her instead as Aline's gaze lowered to their now intertwined fingers.

"I almost hurt you," her voice cracked into a sob.

"You wouldn't hurt me," he stated confidently.

"I almost did,"

"But see," he brought her hand up to his cheek, "I'm right here. You did not hurt me. You stopped before anything happened, you're more in control than you think and you should give yourself more credit Aline."

"Besides-" Edmund continued, "Magick is a fickle thing, something that silly boy knows nothing about." his features creased into a frown at this remembering Samuel's not so orthodox "tactics". "You should never have gone to him. You could've come to me about this."

"I am sorry," she murmured out an apology.

"There's no need for any of that, my love," Edmund corrected her instead as he gazed into her eyes suddenly becoming aware of the space- or moreso the lack of it- in between them.

"Besides, Samuel couldn't be more wrong-" Edmund continued tentatively never breaking his gaze as his fingers slid beneath her jaw to tilt her gaze upwards to match his. She needed to know he meant every word that came out of his mouth. She needed to see that he meant it.

"And no matter what happens, or happened in the past, you Aline are the best thing to have happened to me and I wouldn't change a single thing. Not for all the Turkish Delight in all the worlds."

Aline shifted. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. Edmunds hands went around her holding her close. "Turkish Delight," Aline murmured into his chest. "I can't remember the last time I had some. I didn't know Narnia had Turkish delight."

"Well, about that.."

A/N: So our favourite Narnian King is finally going to drop a truth bomb... OR would they be interrupted this time as well? I guess it's a good thing you're in for a treat today with *drum rolls* DOUBLE UPDATES! So click on that Next button to find out what happens without any more waiting. But before you do, please do leave a review and follow/favourite if you haven't done them already. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you!