Part 6

Lucy and Altaira were enjoying lively conversation on the way down to the stables. They had found

common interests in a lot of areas. They both liked to read, had older brothers (Altaira's was currently

away, touring the Archenland countryside) and enjoyed riding for pleasure. (Lucy had NOT enjoyed the

ride she had been forced on to find Aslan and put Caspian on the throne.)

As she asked for help from the stable hand in picking two mounts that would give a good ride and the

area in which TO ride, Lucy and Altaira saw Caspian's steed, Destrier, snort and nicker. Lucy picked up a

carrot from the bag they had brought and gently offered the vegetable to the horse. To both women's

surprise, the horse took it happily, then nuzzled Lucy's head. She laughed delightedly. She had been with

the horse just a few days ago, but Destrier was notoriously picky, only allowing a select few near him

without major problems. Apparently she was one of the few. The Queen did not want to test the horse's

patience, however. Lucy gave the big horse a hug and kiss on the nose, then moved to the one she had

ridden last time. Shortly, the two females were on the trail that led around the castle, and conversation

REALLY got lively.

It started when Lucy mentioned that she needed to practice her archery. She was very good, but she

knew she could be better.

Altaira preferred fencing to archery, and both bemoaned that these were activities not usually encouraged for females by society.

Altaira enjoyed some of the plants she saw, and mentioned she liked gardening. Lucy admitted she had

a brown thumb, but "I'm REALLY good at cutting the flowers and arranging them."

Lucy shyly confessed, "I can carry a tune," to which Altaira immediately challenged her to a sing-off. The

Talking Birds of the glen surprised Altaira by being there and agreeing to judge. They declared a tie.

Lucy laughed and lightly accused the birds of Narnian prejudice. Altaira roundly disagreed, claiming Lucy

the better singer.

They decided to accept the birds' decision.

Lucy jokingly said, "Were we separated at birth, Princess? We have a lot in common!"

Altaira laughed. "I don't think so. You're too short to be my twin!"

Lucy swatted at her gently, then looked at the sky, and said, "It's almost past time for lunch! Shall we?"

They raced the horses back to the stable, Altaira winning by a nose, and quickly groomed their mounts,

thanking them. They decided they did not have time to change, and went into the dining area great

friends.

They found the rest of their party almost halfway through, and Lucy apologized, saying, "I lost track of

the time."

Her attire attracted attention; Teddy gave her a very flattering once-over.

Teddy spoke. "You look very…different, Queen Lucy. Very…nice."

Lucy smiled. "It's Lucy, please. And thanks. I simply gave myself no time to change."

Tracey sniffed. "Did you and Ter race back here? SO undignified!"

Altaira spoke before Lucy could. "Yes, Tracey we did. And I appreciate your stables, King Caspian. That

black horse in the corner especially."

Caspian reacted, looking at Lucy. "You didn't…"

She interrupted. "Of course not! I promise I'm not as dim as all that."

She looked hard at Altaira, silently asking the other girl not to mention the carrot and the nuzzle.

Caspian had only once let Lucy near the animal without him close by; the day of the second Battle of

Beruna. Both before that, and since she'd been back, Caspian had been careful not to let her get hurt,

despite her claim of being a "decent" horsewoman (and offering subsequent proof).

The other girl nodded, and they were served their meal.

CoN CL CoN LC

After lunch was finished for all save Altaira and Lucy, most of the party retired to various pursuits. Teddy

stayed at the table with his cousin and the intriguing Ms. Pevensie. He was not interested in anything

but lounging, he claimed, when asked what he planned to do. Lucy smiled his way, undemanding and

understanding.

When the women were finished, they and Teddy walked to the garden to show Altaira some other

plants she might have missed. Altaira wandered through the space enraptured, and agreed to meet the

other two at the far end of the garden.

As they strolled through the vast expanse, Teddy took hold of Lucy's hand and threaded it through his

crooked arm, surprising her into silence.

He winked. "What use is it to walk with a pretty girl and not touch her?"

Lucy looked suspiciously at him. "Are you having me on? What are you up to?"

He looked innocently at her. "What do you mean?"

She gave him her "no-nonsense, learned from Queen Susan the Gentle," glare. "I have two brothers.

And a very beautiful sister myself. They taught me well the ways that men court women. Why are you

doing the same?"

Teddy looked at Lucy, astonished. Did she not see how vibrant and radiant she was? Was King Caspian a fool? He rather thought the man so, to allow this rare treasure to be so free.

Theodore Deveraux, heir to the royal duchy of Archenland, was not known for steadfastness. Oh, he

never played a lass false. He had never courted two women at once, but he was known to have his

attention diverted by any pretty lady that looked his way. He was used to flattery and admiring looks

from women. But THIS one was different. She had not played coy to gain his favor. He didn't think she

even knew what coy WAS! She was refreshing and direct, and he knew he had better be honest with this

woman, or she'd likely cut him off at the knees, never mind what her brother or the king in love with

her would do! He decided to tell her the simple truth.

"I like you, Lucy. You deserve to be courted and cherished by a man, not overlooked, or worse, not seen.

You deserve to HAVE a man's favor, even one such as mine, especially if the man you favor with YOUR

attention doesn't return that regard."

Lucy was not sure WHERE her ATTENTIONS should BE directed. She had only that day had the thought

that she MIGHT be in love with the man she called best friend. She wasn't quite willing to grasp the

thought and run with it.

She alone knew what Aslan had told her. She could be a part of Narnia's future happiness. But she didn't

know how, and she didn't know if that meant she would be staying. But she had the nagging fear that,

stay though she wanted, or go back to England she might, she would be headed for heartbreak.

Lucy badly wanted to avoid THAT option; however, she had a sinking feeling that heartbreak was inevitable.

She looked at Teddy. "So… you've appointed yourself my suitor, is that it?"

He laughed. "Well, let's just say there's many a time when another man's attentions have woken a

would-be lover from complacency and shown him that the female of his choice may not choose him."

Lucy shook her head, laughing. "You think…what…that Caspian has feelings more than friendship for

me? With your cousin around?"

Teddy didn't see the need to tell her that Caspian's eyes had seen them from the doorway of his study

and followed them to the garden. He figured that would be HIS little secret. Those same dark brown

orbs had barely LOOKED at Tracey over lunch, a fact that his spoiled cousin could use to try to hurt this

special young lady. But Teddy had a feeling Lucy could more than hold her own with the virago he called

family.

"She doesn't stand a chance with you here," was all he said.

Lucy looked at him, wondering if Teddy was thinking straight. "I don't think this will work," she warned.

"Caspian doesn't feel romantic love for me." 'And if he does, he doesn't WANT to,' she thought. 'It will

just complicate things in the short term.' While she knew more about the long run than anyone else here did, but she rather thought the complications would spill over into that nebulous time as well.

"So, let me get this straight. You want to pretend to court me so that Caspian will…what…get jealous and

possessive and make a move on me?"

He corrected her. "I want to spend TIME with a fascinating and lovely woman whose would-be soul

mate is scared. In the hopes he will become jealous and possessive and make his move on her, yes. How much and what happens during that time…"

"Is entirely up to her, cousin?" Altaira's voice shattered the discussion they were having. She had heard

most of what they were saying, and actually approved. She liked this young Queen. She wanted to see

her happy. And she rather thought the King of Narnia could USE a shake-up. She smiled at the other two.

"Hugs are okay." Lucy was inordinately fond of hugs. She loved giving and receiving them, especially

from Caspian… Blast it! She gritted her teeth. "Kisses on the lips are not."

Lucy had a secret wish, one of several she'd had since they had come back to Narnia. She wanted her

first true kiss to be from Caspian. She didn't know if that would happen, especially now, with all the

confusion and silence between them. But that didn't stop her from dreaming about it… or wanting it.

But she DIDN'T want that first kiss to be out of jealousy or expediency, even if it wasn't Caspian. She

wanted love to be behind it. With that knowledge, she finally accepted that what she was feeling for Caspian was love. It was going to be painful, it was going to be beautiful, but it was indeed love.

Therefore, with her heart fully engaged, telling Teddy there were boundaries not to be crossed sounded like a good decision to her.

He sighed but nodded. He held out his hand. "Deal?"

She shook it. "Deal."

Altaira looked off to the side and saw the man of the hour approaching. He was far enough away that he

hadn't heard the discussion but close enough to see so…

"Good. Start now," she whispered to her cousin and new friend.

Teddy immediately got into the spirit of things, lifting her hand to his lips. Lucy smiled, a simple curve of

lips that nevertheless hit both men in the heart.

"You are a good sport, milady. Allowing me precious time in your company," he was saying. Caspian

heard this as well as Lucy's response.

"And YOU are a terrible flirt, Lord Theodore. Now, if you don't mind…"

"The lady needs her hand back, Deveraux, if she is to make it to her appointments this afternoon,"

Caspian said as politely as possible through clenched teeth.

Lucy looked startled. "Caspian, what…?" She then brought her other hand to her mouth, looking guilty. "Oh, THAT appointment. Would you join me, Altaira? The seamstress's set to fit me for my gown in…she glanced at the clock tower… "Now! How did YOU remember, Caspian?"

"She stopped by my study to inform me that she was here," Caspian explained. He was now looking

pointedly at the hand Teddy still held. Reluctantly, the other man let go of the Valiant Queen's hand.

Altaira was looking fascinated, but responded.

"Sure. I want to see the style you're going for, anyway."

The girls said goodbye and departed the premises.

While Altaira would have stopped to eavesdrop, Lucy, though rampagingly curious, was unsure she

WANTED to hear what the two would say to one another. Plus, she wanted to look beautiful for the ball

being held three days from now in Archenland's honor. And in her opinion, THAT required work.

She would have loved and hated to hear the conversation that occurred, for it would have surely

shattered fantasies and built up hopes in the same length of time.

"She is not a bit of fluff, Deveraux," Caspian warned, turning to the other man after watching the ladies

hurry off. "She won't just fall into your arms like others I have heard have done for you."

Teddy looked bored. "And what makes you think I expect her to fall into my arms, Atencourt? Maybe

I've grown and matured. Maybe I want a bit of chase."

Caspian saw ruby. "Then you'd be better off CHASING some other girl. Lucy is not like the other women

you've known. She is like her title, Valiant. Kind and sweet. She doesn't deserve to be "chased" just so

somebody like you can stave off boredom. She deserves to be courted."

Teddy raised a dark honey brow. "And who's going to do that? You? Who is foolish enough to leave her

heart unclaimed?"

"I didn't say I was going to court her. She is not…" Caspian ran his hand through his brown locks.

Teddy smirked. "Your type? Please, Caspian. That fine figure of a woman is every man's type."

If it hadn't been for the training Caspian had spent long years learning, Teddy would have been sporting

a bloody nose at that point. Instead, the young King clenched his fists tight at his sides.

"Don't play games with her, TEDDY," Caspian hissed. "If the young lady herself doesn't take offense and

knock you down to size, her brother, cousin and I will be more than happy to do it for her."

Teddy looked intrigued. "So, tell me, what kind of man loves a woman that much and yet won't claim her

hand?"

"She's a FRIEND. I know that's hard for you to believe, but Lucy and I are just that."

"So you say." Teddy threw up his hand to stave off further comment. "Look, Your Majesty, let's do this. I won't mess the young woman in question about, if YOU won't attempt to poison her against me. We let HER make the choice."

Caspian was not satisfied with that answer, but knew that Lucy would make up her own mind anyway.

Besides, if she had given in to that raging curiosity, she could have heard the conversation, and both he

AND Teddy would be sporting bloody noses for trying to arrange her life without her input.

"Just…DON'T mess her about. She's having enough issues right now as it is," he muttered.

Teddy wanted to ask what 'issues' she was having, and then decided to go straight to the source.

"Pact," He said instead.

Caspian glared, then stalked off.

Neither man saw the eavesdropping Pevensie on the other side of the hedge, fists clenched in his OWN

attempt to keep his anger in.

End Part 6