Disclaimer: Still plain, ol' me :D The only thing I own is the whole plot and this insane idea of pairing Hermione Granger with Edmund Pevensie (which you all seriously love so I guess you're insane with me, too :D)
A/N: CHAPTER FIFTEEN IS HERE! And heh, truth be told, this is probably one of my most favorite chapters in the whole story. Remember I told you that Princess Thalia will be back? Well, here she is and I'm quite sure she will liven up the lives of the monarchs of Narnia and Hermione.
Well, without further ado, here is chapter fifteen of "When Two Worlds Collide"! Enjoy, loves!
Chapter Fifteen: Princess Thalia of Calormen
Edmund stared, open-mouthed, as Queen Susan the Gentle and King Caspian the Tenth announced to the whole occupants in the Great Hall that Susan was pregnant.
The reactions of everybody were instantaneous, although they vary in forms.
Peter was the most hilarious because he unregally showered his whole plate (and a part of Edmund and Caspian's plates) with red wine, now uncontrollably coughing. His face was already turning into a color that greatly resembled the said wine and Edmund was torn whether to boisterously laugh or continue to be dumbfounded by the news.
Lucy had released the shrillest scream that he had ever heard in his whole life. Susan slightly glared at his sister and Caspian cringed at the inhumane sound that came out from the youngest person on the table. Lucy did not mind, though, but instead abruptly stood up and jogged towards her older sister to give her a congratulatory hug.
Perhaps, Hermione was the calmest of the lot. She looked astonished, of course, but a bright beam was stretched in front of her face and she was clapping her hands to congratulate the wedded couple.
"Ed… ED!"
He scowled, massaging his now smarting ear, and glared at Lucy. He was surprised that she was able to bound back to him when the last time he checked, she was still in between Susan and Caspian.
"You're turning blue," she said, laughing when her big brother released a loud whoosh. "I was afraid you'd pass out or something."
"Y-you're pregnant?" the just king sputtered out, looking at Susan in bewilderment.
Susan smiled and rubbed her still-small tummy. "Yes, you silly goose," she said, smiling prettily at her younger brother. "I believe it has been a month and a few weeks now. No wonder I kept on feeling odd these past few days. I thought it was merely because of exhaustion, but it turned out that there is already a child residing inside me." Susan paused and chuckled at Edmund's ridiculous expression. "And you better close that mouth of yours before a fly comes inside."
"CASPIAN!" High King Peter roared. All conversations were halted as everybody stared at the head of the table, eyes wide and slightly surprised. "I-I can't… I can't even begin to. I mean… seriously? Susan… you? P-pregnant?"
The eldest woman laughed and stood up. She approached her older brother and gripped his pale hand, giving it a slight squeeze. "Now, now, Caspian did not do anything wrong," she said, sneaking a wink at her husband. Hermione stifled a laugh behind her hand and Edmund scowled. "I did partake on this, too."
"Oh, Susan, stop," Edmund groaned, covering both of his ears. "Please. Spare us."
Lucy smiled and sat back down on her seat. "Well, isn't this a good news?" she asked, looking at each and every person on the table. "A little child is on the way. Perhaps a prince or a princess, we still do not know. But I'm sure he or she will grow up as a brilliant child."
Susan smiled at Lucy. "Thank you, Lu," she earnestly said.
"I can't believe this," Peter said breathily. "Our Susan is pregnant."
"Well, she is a healthy woman, and a married one, too. What do you expect?" Caspian said, talking for the first time ever since the news was revealed. "You know that sooner or later this will happen, yes?"
Peter frowned and soon released a defeated sigh. "I think it is good if we gather all of our people and personally announce it to them," he suggested. "I am sure that they have the right to know that their Queen Susan is pregnant with a child."
Susan bent down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Peter," she said. She walked back to her seat and sat down, grabbing Caspian's hand in the process.
"Well, now Susan and Caspian's news is revealed, I have news of my own," Peter said.
"Let me guess? You also impregnated a woman, too, Peter?" Edmund joked, but the High King glared. To the just king's surprise, a soft snort escaped from the lips of the brunette but she immediately disguised it into a cough. He raised an eyebrow at her and she merely smiled, her eyes once again looking back at Peter.
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Peter said, once again glaring at Edmund's direction, "Emperor Humphrey of Calormen [1] sent me a letter last night and told me that Princess Thalia will be visiting Cair Paravel. She will be staying for three days or more, depending on what his daughter desires."
"WHAT?" Edmund exclaimed, standing up from his seat, indignant. "Peter! And you agreed?"
Peter sighed, already foreseeing the possible temper that his brother would throw after announcing this news, and braced himself. "I'm afraid I have no choice," he answered gravely, his eyes carefully trained on the furious king. "Emperor Humphrey threatened to wage a war between Narnia if I do not agree. You and I both know that his threats are never empty, Ed."
Edmund released a furious sound.
"I am aware of your current… feelings towards Princess Thalia but for the sake of the peace in Narnia, act civil," the high king commanded sternly.
The just king, at loss of what to do, threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Fine, allow her to come here," he spat. "But I'm not allowing you to match us up again, you hear me? Dear Aslan, that woman is impossible and I'd rather spend the rest of my life battling those giants in the north than marry her."
Edmund turned around and stalked out of the Dining Hall, not giving a single glance back at the others.
As soon as the doors closed with a loud bang, Lucy released her breath. "Well, that went well," she said, propping her elbow on top of the table and placing her chin on top of it. "I thought he'd break some glasses or something."
With amusement, Peter shook his head. "Lucy, this is just the beginning."
All of the Narnian guards and servants were lined outside Cair Paravel, waiting for the arrival of Princess Thalia of Calormen. Hermione was standing in between Babbity and Azelma the Head Cook, slightly curious as to why most of the servants were tensed and a little worried.
The Narnian monarchs were lined a few steps in front of them and she could also see the tension radiating from their forms. Edmund was the most anxious of all, as he now resorted to pace back and forth beside Lucy.
'Worrywart,' she thought, shaking her head and smiling. She had no idea how this Princess Thalia acts, but it was obvious that her arrival was making the just king very worried.
"Worrywart," this time, it was Lucy who voiced it aloud. Edmund halted and turned around to openly glare at his sister, but the valiant queen was unfazed. "It's just Thalia. I'm sure we'll be able to handle her until she returns back to Calormen."
"I'd like to see you try, Lucy," Edmund warned, but was soon quietened down by Peter.
"She's coming," the high king announced, spying a small carriage nearing the gates of Cair Paravel. Peter turned around and stared at the Talking Animals and Telmarines. "You know what to do."
All of them nodded their heads vigorously and braced themselves for the coming of Princess Thalia.
"I don't understand," Hermione whispered to Babbity. "Why are they acting like they're going to a war?"
"Wait and see, Miss Hermione," Azelma the Bear said. "Wait and see."
The carriage had finally screeched into a halt. Two men hopped down from the carriage and immediately rushed towards the small door. Their clothes were peculiar. A long, flowing black robe adorned their whole body and a turban was wrapped around their heads. Black beards were seen hanging on their chins and their skins were tanned. Hermione couldn't help but think about the Arabians in her world, their look and their clothes resembling the said people.
The carriage door was then opened by one of the black-robed men and out stepped one of the most beautiful girls she had ever laid eyes on.
Like the two men, her skin was tanned. She was wearing a cropped, off-shoulder red top, baring both of her tanned shoulders and flat stomach. She was wearing matching red, baggy pants almost akin to her own world's harem pants. A light red silk veil covered her face and to complete her look, dangling pieces of jewelry adorned her body. [2]
Hermione blinked, still surprised by the beauty the princess was exuding, and immediately bowed down like what the others did.
"Princess Thalia," Peter greeted, gripping the hand of the princess. He brought her hand close to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"High King Peter," she inclined her head, hastily retrieving back her hand. Hermione's eyes lifted in surprise and watched as Princess Thalia's eyes immediately landed on King Edmund. "Edmund," she greeted, a huge smile immediately appearing on her face. She went by his side and looped her arm around his, much to the fury of the said king. "It's been a while, Edmund."
"I think it is best if you bring her things inside," Peter said to the Talking Animals. "And please, prepare lunch." A knowing look appeared on the faces of the others and it made Hermione curious as to why a look of utter distaste crossed Azelma's features.
"Yes, your majesty," the Bear said, and together with the other staffs, they scuttled inside and bounded to their own workplaces.
Hermione looked at the other monarchs in mild curiosity, but finally decided to follow Babbity back to the kitchens.
She had this inkling that Princess Thalia's arrival in Cair Paravel brought dread to the whole castle.
The workers in the kitchen were awfully somber as they did their usual duties. Hermione was helping Babbity in preparing the soup for lunch today and she couldn't help but look at all the gloomy faces of the other Animals and some Telmarines.
"I heard Princess Thalia has a nasty personality," Babbity whispered to her as she added the onions. "She visited Cair Paravel twice already, I think, and both were one of the most unpleasant days that had ever happened here in Cair Paravel."
Hermione frowned and pictured the princess in her mind again. "She seemed… sweet," she mused aloud, absentmindedly mincing the tomatoes. "A little spoiled, I guess, perhaps because she is a princess and she grew up with extravagant things." She remembered how she greeted King Edmund and Hermione's frown deepened. "Yes, sweet."
Babbity shrugged her furry shoulders and lowered the fire. "Well, we'll see, then," she whispered back, her beady eyes looking all over the kitchen. "I just don't like how they're looking today. It's almost frightening, sweetheart! Usually, the kitchens are alive with chatters and laughter. Today feels as if someone…"
"Died?" Hermione offered. Babbity nodded her head and the brunette concurred.
Head Chef Azelma then rounded all of the servers, numerous trays balanced on their paws, and ordered them to one-by-one bring the food to the Great Hall.
"I must be going, then," Hermione said, giving Babbity's forehead a soft kiss. "I'll be seeing you some time, Babbity."
"Take care, sweetheart!" Babbity called.
With that, Hermione left the kitchens and walked towards the Great Hall.
Their sitting arrangement changed as Princess Thalia now sat in between Edmund and Lucy. The just king mentally sighed in frustration, trying his very best not to glare at the offending woman sitting beside him.
It was undeniable; Princess Thalia was very gorgeous. Edmund could not count how much princes and even men from all over this magical world were lining up outside their castle in Calormen just to ask her hand for marriage. It still baffled him why he, of all people, was suddenly fancied by the most insufferable person he had ever met.
Her personality is, for lack of a better word, atrocious. Since she was the only child of Emperor Humphrey, she was showered with numerous comforts and luxuries ever since she was a baby and she grew up wanting to get everything that she wanted. Too bad he became part of that 'want' list she seemed to have and Edmund would willingly give up all of his books in his library just so she could stop liking him.
She had visited Cair Paravel twice and both always ended up as a disaster. Thalia was awful to their workers, treating them as if they were truly servants and scums under the sole of her shoes. She always had demands that made all of them crazy. It was a miracle that Peter was still able to tolerate this whiny princess, but Edmund knew that his patience for her was running thin already.
And the food every time she visited! Thalia only wanted to eat the food served in Calormen; thus, the kitchen staff had no choice but to prepare them. Simply put, Edmund could categorize the food found in Calormen as exotic ones and just thinking about them made him already sick at his stomach.
"Was your journey here in Cair Paravel well, Princess Thalia?" Peter asked, starting a conversation.
It was obvious that the princess did not want to talk to him. Instead, she nodded her head vigorously and did not say anything at all.
Peter looked a little embarrassed and cleared his throat. He detected the princess' indifference and chose to engage both Susan and Caspian into a small conversation.
Lucy was strangely quiet, too, and Edmund had been trying to get her attention for minutes now. His youngest sister had always been the friendliest of the lot and she believed that everybody had this good side in them. Lucy had been quite good to Thalia before but Edmund knew that his sister was starting to harbour a growing dislike for the princess of Calormen.
'Why am I placed into this kind of situation?' he beseeched the heavens above and tried his very best not to bang his forehead against the table, however tempting it was.
The doors of the Great Hall then burst open and in came the trays of food. Edmund blanched and scowled at his plate, already predicting the starving days to come.
The princess beside him clapped her hands in delight as the Talking Animals placed all of the food in front of them. Edmund sneaked a glance at his siblings and saw the equal distaste etched on their faces. Even Caspian, who had been living in this world for all his life, was sporting the same look.
"Well, let us eat," Thalia declared, grabbing her knife and fork, already readying herself to eat.
"Hold on," Lucy said, stopping the princess. "We're not yet complete."
Thalia raised her eyebrow into a perfect arc and looked around. "We're not?" she asked, this time frowning. "I believe all of the Narnian monarchs are present in this table already."
As if on cue, the doors burst open again and in came Lucy's lady-in-waiting, a little dishevelled due to her kitchen duties a while ago.
"I apologize," she said, bowing her head. "I had to help Babbity and the others."
"It's all right," Peter said with a smile. "Please sit down."
Hermione backpedalled when she saw that her usual chair was now currently occupied by Lucy. The valiant queen smiled at her apologetically and Hermione shrugged. Instead, she strode towards the empty chair beside Queen Susan and sat down on it.
As soon as she was comfortably seated, a loud clang from the opposite side of the table resounded in the whole Hall.
Edmund stared at Thalia in surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth a little agape.
Princess Thalia looked furious, her finger pointing at Hermione's direction. "What is it doing here?" she asked furiously, her eyes blazing as she looked at Peter.
At the corner of the youngest king's eyes, he could see how Hermione's face morphed into sheer disbelief, mouthing the word 'it' under her breath.
"I believe she always dines with us, your majesty," Susan answered, making sure to put an emphasis on the word 'she'.
Thalia made a show of pushing her plates away from her and petulantly crossing her arms. "Well, I am not going to eat until it leaves this table," she said.
Hermione's chair screeched as she stood up from her chair, her eyes ablaze with unadulterated fury. "I believe that that it you are talking about, Princess Thalia, is mere meters away from you," she cried in indignation.
The Calormene princess lifted her chin in defiance and stared at the brunette as if she was scum. "And I believe that I did not give you the permission to talk to me, filth," she retorted back.
The brunette fisted her hands and tried her very best to calm herself. "I apologize for the inconvenience," she said through gritted teeth. "I think I'll be dining with Babbity and the others today."
With an indignant huff, she turned around and marched away from the table and outside the Great Hall, all the while wearing a deeply affronted look on her face.
As soon as she was gone, Edmund had enough. He could see how Thalia's comment had enraged the others, but none seemed to say anything to at least reprimand the insufferable princess.
He stood up with an enraged growl, surprising everybody. He refused to be mollified by Peter's hard stare but instead stared at the astonished princess sitting beside him. "The person, she, that walked out from this room is ten times better than you," he roared, his eyes dark with sheer anger.
Edmund also walked away from the table and outside of the Great Hall, not giving a glance back.
Once he was gone, a deafening silence settled in the whole hall. Caspian and Susan shared a tensed look and it was plain to see that Peter was enraged. To make matters worse, Thalia had burst into loud wailing.
"Why does he always do that?" Thalia wailed, messily wiping away her tears. "Why is he always angry with me?"
Lucy, ever compassionate, immediately consoled the crying princess. "Edmund's day did not start off as a good one," she assured the princess. "I'm sure his anger will diminish if we leave him alone for a while."
Peter stared at the fiasco in front of him and couldn't help but cover his eyes in shame.
Edmund released a relieved sigh once he reached the gazebo.
He plopped down on his usual chair and banged his forehead against the table, not minding how painful it was.
Thalia's presence was slowly driving him insane, and to think that a day had not yet ended! She was constantly flanking his side, even sometimes hanging on his arm, and all Edmund could think of were ways on how to rid himself with the insufferable girl. There were a few suicidal thoughts, but they were fleeting.
"Dear God above, make her leave as soon as possible," he whispered to no one, his eyes gazing upwards beseechingly. "I promise to do good deeds afterwards."
"First sign of madness, talking to one's self."
His eyes landed on the newcomer of the gazebo and almost jumped an inch or two on his seat. "Ah, really," he said, placing a hand on his thudding heart. "Must you always appear out of nowhere, Miss Hermione?"
She shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the chair opposite his. She leaned her elbow on top of the table and placed her chin on top of her palm.
"Why are you here?" Edmund asked.
"Hmm… Babbity kicked me out from the kitchen," she sullenly said, a frown marring her face. "She did not want me to do any of her chores. She thinks I'm some fragile thing or something. Babbity still has this notion that I'm injured and must be properly taken care of. So, what are you doing here?" Her gaze landed back at him, her eyes a little narrowed. "Off evading the Princess of Snobs?"
Edmund raised an amused eyebrow. "Princess of Snobs?" he asked, his eyes shining with slight mirth.
Hermione scowled, her arm now falling on top of the table. Her eyes were intently gazing at her hands, refusing to meet the onyx eyes of the handsome king opposite her. "Now I understand why you were desperate to avoid her during the Welcoming Ball," she sullenly said.
Edmund suddenly remembered the fiasco that had happened during lunch time and for some strange reason, he suddenly felt awkward. "Err… are you all right?" he asked.
The brunette stared at him in slight confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"You know," he said, his cheeks growing a little dark. "The thing that had happened during lunch…"
His voice faltered as he stared at Hermione, waiting for her reaction.
To his surprise, she was smiling. "Ah, being called it?" she asked, intently staring at the king. "Do you think I'm all right, your majesty?"
He glared, his embarrassment heightening.
Hermione shrugged. "I guess it's expected from such a snobbish person," she said. "I walked out immediately to refrain myself from disrespecting her, seeing that she's of nobility while I'm a mere servant. I don't let it get into me, though. It makes me pettier than her."
Edmund was surprised at the simple maturity that was heard from her answer. Unable to help it, he regarded her with slight respect.
"How did you two meet, anyway?" she asked, after a moment of silence. "And why does she take a great liking of you, King Edmund?"
"Well," he started, knitting his eyebrows. "The Calormenes and Narnians had not been in good terms during the Telmarine War. The people of Calormen sided with the Telmarines during this time and were somehow bitter that they had lost. They threatened an invasion against Narnia. Thus, Peter kept on sending people to appease the Calormenes. I was sent one time, bringing a declaration of peace with me, and that was the first time Princess Thalia laid eyes on me. Let us just say that the Princess had taken a great liking on me and the threats of invasion from the Calormenes had lessened.
Unbecomingly, Hermione released a low whistle and looked at him with mirth in his eyes. "Wow," she said, "I could not believe that her affections for you had ultimately stopped another incoming war."
Edmund glared and scowled. "She's just a child," he reasoned out, crossing his arms. "Quite immature, too, if you ask me. I am sure her affections would shift to another person or creature once she starts to get bored of me."
Hermione laughed and placed her chin on top of her palm again. "Well, I am quite sure that that would take years before she finally snaps out of it," she answered back, earning a glare from the king.
A piercing scream was suddenly heard in the peaceful garden. Hermione jerked in surprise and Edmund looked wildly around. To his extreme dread, Princess Thalia came stopping into the gazebo, her eyes blazing as they glared accusingly at Lucy's lady-in-waiting.
"What is this?" the princess demanded, her voice shriller than normal. Her eyes landed on Edmund and with a defiant finger pointed at Hermione, she cried, "What are you doing with it, Edmund? Didn't you promise to listen to my piano lesson today?"
Edmund scowled while Hermione released an exhausted sigh. She slowly stood up from her seat and curtsied at him. "I'll be leaving now, your majesty," she solemnly said. Hermione directed her unreadable eyes towards the fuming Calormene princess and curtsied, too. "Good evening, Princess Thalia."
She was about to go out of the gazebo but Edmund instinctively shot up from his seat and grabbed her arm. Both Thalia and Hermione looked surprised by the king's actions, but he did not really care today.
In front of him were the two most impossible women he had ever met in his whole life. One was a spoiled Princess, who wanted to get everything that she had ever wanted. It was just unfortunate that he was object of her interest now.
The other was an enigmatic lady who just popped out of nowhere, claiming she had lost her memory except for her name. Her tongue was sharp; her words were witty and intelligent. Whenever he engaged her with a banter, he sometimes found himself at loss for words.
Now that he was looking at both of them, he already made a decision on which girl he'd rather spend the entire day with, everything be damned. His grip on Hermione's arm tightened as Lucy's lady-in-waiting struggled to let go, her eyes wide as she stared at him in confusion.
"I believe you promised me to teach you tonight, Miss Hermione," he lied through gritted teeth. Hermione was about to protest but he had cut her off with a glare. Coolly, he looked back at Princess Thalia and tried his best to look at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, your majesty. I think it slipped off my mind that I made some previous appointments."
Princess Thalia looked deeply affronted and immediately latched onto his other arm. "You'd rather spend some time with filth than me, Edmund?" she asked prettily, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.
Edmund almost scowled. 'What do you think?' he roared inside his mind, trying his best not to cringe. Her face was dangerously close to his and he was able to inhale her perfume. It temporarily clouded his mind; therefore loosening his grip on Hermione's arm.
The brunette immediately pulled away and at the corner of his eyes, he was able to see the death glare she sent at their direction.
"I'll be leaving now. Good evening," she hastily said, curtseying once again.
Edmund snapped out from his stupor and cried a loud "WAIT!"
"Oh, let it go," Thalia said, tightening her grip on Edmund. "I am sure that it must mingle with its own kind. Those hideous creatures you call as Talking Animals must have welcomed her warmly, don't you think."
The king glowered at her angrily and then looked back at the retreating figure of Lucy's lady-in-waiting. To his surprise, she had stopped walking, her back still facing the two of them. And then, with a speed as fast as lightning, she was stomping back at the gazebo, the look on her face almost murderous.
Edmund could feel the sudden chill that surrounded the whole place and even swore he felt Thalia shiver beside him.
"All right, I think I've had enough," Hermione snarled, finally stopping right in front of the princess. "Insulting me is quite enough. Hell, I do not even care. But insulting the creatures who work here in Cair Paravel is too much already, your majesty."
Thalia scoffed and looked back at Edmund. "And now the filth defends the other filth," she said scornfully. "How lovely, and I – AHHHHH!"
A shrill cry escaped from her lips as she was knocked back and painfully landed on her bottom.
Edmund stared, open-mouthed, at the brunette who had just punched Princess Thalia on the nose, the sickening crunch produced by the blow still echoing in the dark garden.
Hermione was still fuming, her eyes blazing and her hands curled into tight fists. On the floor, Thalia started to cry, removing her hand from her nose and seeing the blood that was trickling down from it.
The brunette's anger dissipated upon seeing the blood on the princess' hands. Her eyes widened in horror, finally realizing what she had did. "I… I… didn't m-m…"
Her eyes landed on Edmund and if she were not too horrified of the events that had happened tonight, she would have laughed at the ridiculous look on his face.
Hermione bent her head low as she was finally called inside the Throne Room.
All of the monarchs were seated on their respective thrones, with High King Peter at the very middle, regarding Hermione with such sternness as opposed to the usual charming and gentle look that he usually bestowed upon her.
Princess Thalia was nowhere to be found, and it somehow relieved the brunette. She guessed the princess was already resting in her bedchambers after being treated by the Narnian healer.
Inconspicuously, she glared at her hand. She always knew she had some tendencies of being violent. The punch she had given Draco Malfoy on their third was proof enough. Both Harry and Ron always commented that she has heavy hands, always dreading the times when she would either slap their heads or punch them on the arm.
Still, it made her immensely relieved. Secretly, she thought that the princess had deserved it. Of course she was used as being called as 'filth' by rich snobs like her. Years and years of hearing the word 'mudblood' thrown her way had made her immune of such insults addressed to her. But she thought it was unforgiveable when the Calormene princess started insulting the others, especially the Talking Animals who were working diligently and reverently every day. The S.P.E.W. founder in her was offended and thus, she did not just watch and listen to the insults that the princess had given to them.
"Explain," Peter said, and Hermione involuntarily swallowed. Seeing a stoic Peter made her uncomfortable.
"Umm…" she nervously started, wringing her wrist and frowning. "She was being insufferable."
Susan, a little grave and disappointed, shook her head. "Hermione, love, I am quite aware the Thalia has behavioural issues but I don't think it is reasonable to use your fist just to make her aware of it," she scolded, and Hermione bowed her head in shame. "I know that she insulted you, but Thalia is just a child. I am sure that you are quite mature enough not to let her insults get into you."
"That's not it," she reasoned out, her eyes hardening as she remembered the incident a while ago. "I do not care about her insults directed towards me."
"You don't?" Lucy piped in, her eyes wide with slight surprise.
Hermione vigorously shook her head and sighed. "I just… she started insulting the Talking Animals," she reasoned out, petulantly crossing her arms. "They are not filth. They work every day and every night, reverently and patiently. She had no right to insult all of them."
Her answer was met with silence and Hermione thought what she said was unacceptable. The faces on the monarchs were grave and somber and she guessed that it was the very first something violent had happened in the castle.
Her eyes landed on King Edmund, his expression a little unreadable. She scowled at him slightly, annoyed that he was not defending her when he himself was present during that occasion. It was obvious that he detested the Princess of Snobs and Hermione thought that he'd defend her against the annoying Princess.
"I'm sorry," she finally apologized, looking guiltily at her right fist. "I… I did not know what had gotten into me. I guess I do tend to be a little violent when I'm angry."
King Edmund coughed on his throne and all eyes landed on him. Hermione's eyes widened when she realized that he was not coughing but was disguising a laugh by coughing.
His eyes met Hermione's brown ones again and this time, he had lost it. His boisterous laughter echoed all throughout the four walls of the throne room and all of them stared at him, quite startled.
Lucy followed, her giggles softer than Edmund's laughs, but they were still heard. Caspian's face broke into a wide smile and he shook his head, trying his very best not to burst out laughing, too. The stern look on Susan's face had melted into a smiling one and her eyes were bright due to unsuppressed mirth.
And Peter, good Merlin Peter, was back to his charming self and was also sporting a huge smile on his face.
"Why are you laughing?" Hermione demanded, confused at the behaviour of the royalties.
Edmund's laugh grew louder as he slowly stood up from his throne and clapped his hands vigorously. Hermione's eyes widened at the strange display by the just king.
The youngest king then walked down the small steps and approached Hermione, now regarding her with so much respect that Hermione had never seen from his eyes before.
"You," he said, calming himself down, "are incredible."
Hermione's cheeks grew darker with embarrassment and she tried to hide a smile that was threatening to grow.
Edmund looked back at his siblings and Caspian. "Blimey, Pete, she punches like a man," he said, absentmindedly pointing at Hermione. "I am positively sure I do not want to be the receiving end of her fist."
Lucy groaned petulantly and slumped on her throne. "I wish I was able to witness it with my own eyes," she said. "Aslan knows how things are starting to get a little bland here in Cair Paravel."
Hermione's eyes landed on a still amused Peter and blinked. "Wait, you're not going to punish me?" she asked. "I thought…"
High King Peter waved his hand dismissively. "What you did was unacceptable, Miss Hermione," he said, although the stern tone he was sporting a while ago was now gone. "Very unbecoming of you."
"But you did something that all of us had been wishing to do ever since Princess Thalia of Calormen stepped foot in Cair Paravel," Caspian added, winking at the embarrassed brunette. "Of course we will let this slide."
"Be warned, though, that she'd be extra wrathful against you," Edmund said, turning back at Hermione. "I told you she's just a child. There is a petty side in her and I am quite sure she'd regard you as something lower than filth now."
Hermione frowned. "I can handle her," she proclaimed.
She just couldn't shake the feeling that maybe punching Princess Thalia was a bad thing to do.
[1] I've made some background researches and discovered that the leaders of Calormen descended from this family named "Tisroc" (correct me if I'm wrong, though). But for the sake of this story, can we just pretend the Tisroc clan does not exist, although I know that it is blasphemous in the land of Calormen to say so. :D
[2] I kinda envisioned Princess Thalia to look like Jasmine from "Aladdin". Haha, her clothes were kind of inspired from the Disney princess. And, for those who watches "Merlin", Guinevere's clothes when Helios caught her (you know, the purple one) was somehow the same from how I imagined Thalia's clothes would be, too :D
Review Response/s
Vue Lorner: Thank you for loving my story so far! I'll continue to make you love it, lol :D And aww, plot and characters are perfect? Stop making me blush. Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: Good? Bad? Eh? Meh? Tell me in your reviews!
Yipee yay, Susan's pregnant! And haha, I couldn't resist the punching thing. I mean, well, that was SO Hermione (you know, with punching Draco and blah blahs like that). I, myself, was quite amused with how the monarchs of Narnia reacted. So... Princess Thalia of Calormen. Any thoughts/comments about her?*grins*
And, wow, people, TWENTY-FIVE FREAKING REVIEWS. Yeah, well, it's a big deal to me already because as you can see, I actually paired two people of different fandoms (a crackship, I think that's what it's called), so I'm not really expecting too many readers, much less reviewers. But wow, you make me cry and I don't even know what I'd give you to really show you how I'm very, very happy with them. And oh my, your reviews are starting to get so interesting. LOL, the questions, theories, random rants... dear readers, you entertain me so thank you very much.
Random Question that is not really related with the story:
Anyone here who knows a very good time-travel fic? The pairing doesn't really matter, although I prefer Harry Potter pairings. Well, you know, I know most fanfic readers prefer different cliches and it just turned out that I'm a sucker for time-travel fics. Any suggestions? You can put them in your reviews :)
That's all for now! More Thalia madness next chapter, my dearies, so do wait for Monday!
With love,
WickedlyAwesomeMe