Chapter 8

Narnia

Edmund left at first light with only Nalsa and a small guard accompanying him. For though he believed Ileana to be telling the truth, he was not ready to face what that truth meant. The sooner they could find a way for the girls to return home—if they could find a way for them to return—the better it would be for everyone. The only thought he or his Siblings had in returning Ileana and her daughters, was to send them back the way he and his siblings had come. He needed the aid of Mr. Tumnus for that.

It was a five-day ride to Tumnus' den near Lantern Waste. There was little Edmund loved more, though, than camping out under the Narnian stars; he was entrusted to the Great Western Wood, after all and he took that to heart. Still, he was rather glad to reach Tumnus at last. After a brief luncheon, during which Edmund filled the Faun in on all the details of the arrival of Ileana and her daughters, Tumnus led Edmund back to where he first found Lucy.

"This is it?" Edmund asked, looking up at a strange iron tree upon which sat a flaming light.

Mr. Tumnus nodded. "You once called it a lantern."

"Hence the name, Lantern Waste. Yes, I remember that now." Edmund ran his hand around the pole, now covered in vines and foliage, as distant memories seemed to play through his mind. "There was a war. We had to leave our home. And there was a large country estate, and…"

Edmund stopped his thoughts abruptly. This was counter-productive. He wasn't here to remember; he was here to find a way to return Ileana and her daughters to the world from which they came.

"Which way did Lucy come from? Do you remember?"

"I do indeed, very well. It was this way, not far." Tumnus directed Edmund to the thicket beyond the lantern. "King Edmund, do be careful. I would not like to be the one to tell The High King or your Sister Queens of your disappearance."

Edmund smiled lazily. "Nor do I wish to disappear. I will simply look for the door, but not step through it."

Edmund slowly began picking his way through the thicket; it was not easy going and the Narnians with him were not suited for the task either so he went alone. He was careful to keep a line of sight on them however and open communication between them when that sight failed. After nearly twenty minutes of trying, he finally broke through into a densely shaded wood but there was no door nor any sign that there had once been a door.

Edmund felt His presence behind him so suddenly there was no time to prepare, such was the way of the Great Lion. Edmund swiftly turned and dropped to the ground laying his sword over one knee and bowing his head.

"Aslan," he whispered in reverence.

"Arise, my Chosen," the Lion replied. Edmund obeyed. "Why did you come here?"

Edmund knew the Lion already knew the answer, but he responded anyway. "I came looking for a way to send Ileana and her daughters home."

"It is not yet time for them to leave."

"So you do have a plan for them here? Any chance you care to share that plan with Us?"

The Lion smiled but did not answer.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Edmund sighed wearily.

"Why are you troubled, my King?"

"Why? Because I have a wife and two daughters I do not know."

"And how can you begin to know them when you are here and they are at Cair Paravel?"

"And, what if I am uncertain in my desire to know them?"

There was a low rumbling growl that Edmund felt throughout his entire body; again, he dropped to one knee. "Forgive me, Aslan. I do not mean to question Your judgment."

The Great Lion stepped forward and nuzzled his nose against Edmund's cheek. Edmund reached up to curl his hands in the Lion's mane.

"You must be brave, my King and patient, for she will try them. Trust in the plans I have for the both of you."

"I will, Aslan. I will trust in You always."

XXX

It was another five-day ride for Edmund to return to Cair Paravel. He knew in order to keep his promise to Aslan, he had to find a way to forge a co-existence with Ileana and her—his –their daughters. He thought it would be easiest to start with the oldest daughter as she could help with the youngest and the relations his future self would have with Ileana were far too intimate to tackle now. He found Meri one morning in the music room alone. Her fingers were dancing across the harpsichord, striking with delicate ease tunes and chords he'd not heard before. He could do little more than stand in awe until she was finished.

"That was beautiful," he praised with a clap. It was clear by her wide-eyed look and jump that she hadn't known he was there. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's…it's all right… your Majesty. It wouldn't have mattered if you came in with a full army. I'm so engrossed in my music when I play that the world could be burning around me and I'd have no idea. Mamma says I need to pay more attention to my surroundings, but I believe music should be felt as much as it is heard. And how can I make others feel when I do not?"

"I think I would have to agree with you," Edmund said. "However, there is a certain logic…"

"…to my mother's words. That if I were to see their emotion, then I could expand on it, manipulate it to my own satisfaction," she finished for him. "We've had this conversation before."

"I see. Well then, it must be exceptional advice if I'm so inclined to give it twice." Meri ducked her head in a poor attempt to hide her smile. "Who was that composer? I don't recognize the piece."

"You wouldn't. It's one of my own," she said.

Now Edmund was truly surprised. "That is quite remarkable."

"Thank you…your Majesty."

Edmund moved in closer while Meri kept her head down. Her fingers were trailing lightly over the keys once more. Edmund felt music was the way in, but he wasn't quite sure how.

"Did your mother teach you how to play?"

Meri laughed loudly and abundantly. "I'm sorry, Sir. But if you knew Mamma the way Babbo does, then you too would see the humor in that question. As beautiful as Mamma is on stage and as easily as she captivates and enslaves her audience with her voice, she cannot play an instrument for anything. Her fingers are too short for the piano. She hasn't the lips for the flute. Neither can she sustain the embouchure for any of the brass instruments."

"I just assumed, you play so well. Surely she found you an instructor then."

"No…not exactly anyway." Meri almost seemed to hesitate before elaborating. "The flute, clarinet, and lyre I taught myself. Mamma taught me voice, but… it was Babbo who introduced me to the piano."

And there it was: his way in, but perhaps not the way he was hoping for. It had been years since he last played for the Narnians.

"May I?" he asked, pointing to the bench she sat on.

"Yes, of course." Meri stepped aside, allowing him access to the keys. It was slow going at first, and the tempo remained unsteady as his fingers struggled to find the correct notes, but he doled out an old familiar tune. Or part of it at least; he couldn't bear to make her suffer the whole thing.

"That was…"

"Horrible? Atrocious? Unbearable? And painful to listen to? You can say it, truly. You won't offend me."

"I was going to be a bit nicer about it. I'm not as blunt as Mamma can be."

Edmund smiled. "It appears I'm a bit rusty. I shall have to resume my practices if I'm to teach you one day."

"To be perfectly honest, if I may?"

"By all means."

"You were never really that good." His mouth opened in shock. "But! You taught me the basics and your constant encouragement pushed me to succeed."

"Well then, in that I shall not falter." He smiled up at her. "Is there anything else I have encouraged or instructed you in?"

"Dueling, or fencing with a twist as you call there."

"Ah. Now that is something I am not rusty in. Would you like to go a few rounds?"

Meri bit her lip. "Maybe. There…there's something else I'd like to try; I haven't been able to do much of it there, well any of it actually."

"Name it. If it is within my abilities and it's not too dangerous, we will see it done."

"I'd like to learn how to ride a horse."

"Alas, at that I'm not so great at teaching." Meri's face fell; Edmund rushed to correct it. "But, I know the perfect instructor. How would you like to meet my friend and my Horse, Philip?"

Meri's face was ablaze with excitement. "The talking Horse?! But I thought it wasn't proper to ride a talking Horse?"

"Ah," Edmund stood. "It's not, but Philip is the exception. And who better to teach how to ride a horse than a Horse? Are you in?"

"Yes, please! And thank you… your Majesty."

"Let's drop that, shall we? Call me Edmund."

1952, London

Edmund followed the nurse down the hall. His heart was pumping, blood racing, hands shaking. Couldn't she walk faster? Edmund thought irritably.

"Here you go, Mr. Pevensie."

At last, the nurse stopped at a door and stepped aside. Lena was already in the room. She was sitting up in the bed, hair wild with bits of it sticking to her face, and a tiny bundle wrapped in her arms. Edmund's throat ran dry as he approached the chasm between them. Wordlessly, Lena looked up at him as he stopped beside her. As she began to shift her arms, Edmund furiously wiped his clammy hands on his pants; he didn't want to take any chances. The bundle was smaller than he thought and yet he felt the weight of the world as it was placed in his arms.

"She…she's so beautiful." His voice was breathy, almost like he'd been running a marathon beforehand.

"She? How did you know?" Lena asked, voice dreamy; she was already beginning to drift off to sleep. After fourteen hours of labor, she had a right to be tired.

"I…I just had a feeling." Edmund tore his eyes away from his new daughter to look at Lena. Her eyes were half-closed. He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Oh, *Luce, you did so well. Sleep now. Sarina and I will be here when you wake."

"Sarina? I like that."

Edmund smiled. "We'll call her Sara; she'll be our littlest Princess."

Narnia

Lena and her daughters had been in Narnia for nearly three weeks when an abnormally warm day in autumn came around. They decided to take advantage of it by spending the day at the beach. Meri and Sara were playing near the water's edge, while Lena sat on a blanket on the sand between Lucy and Susan. Her friendship with Lucy was easily and effortlessly established. Establishing a friendship with Susan wasn't hard either, and usually involved learning another language.

"All right, let's try this one," Lena said. "Beviamo qualcosa."

"Say it again, please, a little slower," Susan asked.

"Be-vi-amo qual-co-sa."

"Bee-vee-amo…"

"…qual-co-sa."

Susan and Lucy tried a couple of attempts without Lena's aid. Susan picked it up fairly easily; Lucy struggled.

"Kahl…"

"Qual…"

"Kal…"

"Qu-wal," Lena corrected again, unable to refrain from laughing.

"No, it's all right. Go on and laugh at me. I don't think I'll ever be able to speak Italian," Lucy said.

"*Beviamo qualcosa."

"*Sì! Ben fatto, Susanna."

"Thank you, now what did I say exactly?" Susan asked.

Lena laughed. "Let's have a drink."

"Ooh! Sì, let's!" Lucy shouted as she reached for the jar of wine they'd brought out. They were laughing so hard they only had a second's warning.

"King Edmund and Nalsa approach."

"You ladies sound like you're having a good time. What's going on?" Edmund asked. Lena took a sip of her wine.

"Lena is giving us Italian lessons," Susan replied.

"I didn't realize language lessons could be so entertaining."

"Listening to Lucy trying to speak Italian is what's entertaining. You never know what she's going to say. What did you call Todric again?"

"I'd rather not repeat it," Lucy replied looking abashed. Then she turned around to look at her Fox guard. "And I am sorry, Friend." The Fox, who was sitting with Bea and Baja far enough away to keep Lena at ease but close enough to hear, gave his assurances to his Queen that offense had not been taken. Meanwhile, Lena had yet to speak or even look at Edmund, but that was soon to change.

"Lady Ileana," Edmund said; Lena swallowed roughly. "I was hoping to have a word…with Sara."

Sara? Lena was surprised but slightly relieved at the same time. She took another quick sip of wine. "I cannot guarantee your success in that," she said looking at him at last. "For try as I might, I still cannot control her reactions. So know that you do so at your own risk."

Edmund nodded. "She does appear to be a fierce opponent, perhaps the fiercest I've faced, but I think it is a risk I'd like to take."

Lena fought her smile; he really had no idea what he was about to get into. "As you wish." Then she called out to daughters in Italian. "Meri! Bring Sara here please."

Meri looked to her mother before turning her focus to Edmund. A bit of silent communication passed between them that did not go unnoticed by Lena. She was curious about it but pushed the exchange to the back of her mind while Meri brought Sara over.

Meri did not take Sara to Lena, however, but instead led her to Edmund who met them about halfway. Lena watched the exchange that followed with wary apprehension; she was ready to sweep in should Sara become upset again. Sara, however, simply withdrew behind Meri's leg, partially concealing herself. Edmund, for his part, bent down to Sara's level.

"Hello, Sara; my name is Edmund," he began. "I know I may not be the person you were hoping for or wanting to see, but I have a very important question that only you can answer."

Sara stepped out from behind Meri's leg in curiosity. Edmund took that as a sign to continue.

"Would you like to be my friend?" he asked.

Sara looked up at Meri, who nodded encouragingly at her.

"I don' know," Sara replied with a shrug of her shoulders as she looked back at Edmund.

"Well, it would make me really happy if you did want to," he said.

Sara looked back up at Meri. Then she cocked her head, pinched her lips to one side of her face, and furrowed her brow as she studied Edmund. After a long pause, she asked, "Do you know how to play Princesses and Pirates?"

"Do I know how to play Princesses and Pirates? Do I know how to play…" he huffed dramatically. "That's only my favorite thing to play."

Sara's eyes went wide. "Mine too!"

"Yeah?! Who wouldn't love to play Princesses and Pirates? Do…do you want to play now?"

Sì! Sì! *Jo'camo! Jo'camo!" Sara shouted gleefully.

"Wait! Wait, I have another question," Edmund said. "Am I the Princess or the Pirate?"

"Silly, Eddie," Sara giggled. "I'm the Princess!" Then Sara turned and ran to Lena, throwing her arms around her neck. "Jo'camo, Mamma! Jo'camo!"

Lena hugged her back tightly, swallowing back the tears that rushed forth. "Not today, Topa," she replied.

"Mamma?" Sara's face fell. Lena smiled.

"You will need someone to bear witness to all your noble deeds, and I shall sing the tale of each one," Lena said, and Sara's smile returned. "Now go, mi amore. Play with King Edmund."

And off Sara ran.

XXX

They had been playing on the beach for hours without pause. Sara's laughter rang through the air until Lena went down to break it up.

"Mamma, I don' wanna go," Sara whined.

"I know. I must be so cruel to break it up. But the hour is getting late and the warmth has gone; I will not have you catching cold, Topa. If he is willing and able then maybe you can play again tomorrow."

"I will make sure I make time for it," Edmund said. "But you should listen to your mother now."

"Go with Meri and Aunt Lulu," Lena added.

"Mamma..."

"Sarina, smettila!"

"Princesses don't whine," Edmund said.

"Come on, my little darling. It's time for me and you to have some fun," Lucy said, sweeping in to pick up Sara. They left, with Sara's laughter ringing through the air once more, leaving Lena and Edmund alone on the beach. Things were tense and awkward for a moment before Lena broke it.

"I would like to thank you for what you are attempting to do in establishing a…" Lena paused. She was unsure of how to describe it properly.

"A co-existence?" Edmund offered. Lena smiled despite herself; he still knew what she was trying to say.

"Yes. A co-existence. It will make things much easier for my daughters."

"I thought they were our daughters, my Lady." Lena bristled but did not speak. "I have upset you, or offended you perhaps. Please, speak freely; there is no other way you and I can co-exist."

"It was…unintentional I'm sure. There are certain turn of phrases that do not sit well with me. Cuore knows to avoid them. In this case, it would be, 'my lady.' It only ever served as a pungent reminder in Telmarine court that I was no true lady."

"Then the infraction was unintentional, and I will make sure it is not used again by me nor anyone else in this Narnian court," he emphasized. "But I sense there is more."

Lena nodded. "Meri and Sara. They are not your daughters. Not yet. You have no responsibility to them here."

"In that, I disagree. A father's duty does not waiver with time and space but remains constant. I am sure your, what did you call him?"

"Cuore."

"Cuore," he repeated with ease. "I am sure he would agree with me. But that was a test, wasn't it?"

Lena paused. "Would you think less of me if I said yes?"

"You are a mother trying to do what is right by our daughters. Who could fault you for that?" Edmund sighed when Lena still did not appear to be at ease with him. "It is obvious that I cannot approach what you have with Cuore the same way I approach what the girls have with Babbo. So, can we try this a different way?" He held out his hand. "I'm Edmund."

Lena pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked up and to the side, but a tear fell regardless. She hated the very notion of starting over. What she and Cuore had was too precious to treat so casually. And yet… the suggestion of starting over is the very thing Cuore would have done in Edmund's place.

Lena took his outstretched hand. "Ileana."

"May I walk you to the castle, Lady Ileana?"

"You may walk with me if that is your wish, but I do not need an escort."

Their walk began in silence, Edmund struggled to break it. "Who…who taught you how to fight?" he said at last. He was ninety percent sure of the answer already, but it was starting point at least.

Lena looked at him through the corner of her eye. "Why do you ask?"

"You have good form; you must have had a good instructor. And given the views of Telmarine men, I doubt it was one of them."

"The only blade a Telmarine would give a woman is the knife to cut his meat with because he is too much of a *culo to do it himself."

"Culo?"

"An arse," Lena explained; Edmund grinned. "Cuore taught me the basics in defensive knife-wielding soon after we met. I thought it silly when he began, but…" Lena had to pause as she shoved aside the image of a bloody knife in her hands and a body at her feet. "When he began instructing Meri years later, I took a more serious interest in it. I was tired of feeling weak."

"How long have you been studying the polearm?"

"Only about four years. Well, three; I haven't done much of it in the last year."

"No. Truly? It must be longer than that. You were very good in our duel."

"I'm a quick study; the perfectionist in me demands it and it has served me well in the past with the ability to adapt. Also, I had the best swordsman in Narnia to instruct me."

Edmund grinned again and Lena smirked. "Peter is very skilled."

"Oh, now that is just cruel."

*Translations

Beviamo qualcosa: Let's have a drink

Sì! Ben fatto, Susanna: Yes. Well done, Susan.

Luce (mia): Light of mine

Jo'camo: Sara's take on giochiamo, let's play.

Culo: ass/arse

So...wow... this was a long chapter. I added some, then cut some, then added it back, then considered breaking it into two separate chapters before finally leaving it as one massive chapter. Hope you don't mind. :)