Chapter 13

Lena and Meri remained in Peter's study and finished off the tea and biscuits; Meri tried a cup of coffee, with Lena's permission, but decided she wasn't much of a fan of it.

"How was Sara?" Meri asked.

"I'm not sure."

Meri pinched her face. "What do you mean?"

"I entrusted her care to King Edmund. I thought you needed me slightly more at the moment."

Meri smiled at her mother, touched and slightly surprised that her mother had gone after her rather than attend to her sick sister. She reached for the last biscuit. "Wait; should we leave one for Uncle Peter do you think?"

"I am sure your Uncle Peter had some sent to wherever he went. But, I do think we should split it." Lena took the biscuit and tore it in half before handing part of it to Meri and keeping the other for herself. "They are very good biscuits after all."

"Yeb bey are," Meri said, mouth full of biscuit.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth, Merina," Lena scolded lightly. Then she stood up and indicated for Meri to do the same. "Come, let's go see how your sister fares. She probably needs more willow bark. But what do we do with this?" She pointed to the empty tray.

"Leave it; Mr. Kof will be by soon to collect it."

"Who?"

"Mr. Kof, the housekeeper, the Faun who tends to all the residents and guests of the castle, who makes sure everyone is satisfied and has what they need or desire, who oversees the day-to-day dealings and keeps things running smoothly, he delivers your morning tea every day. That Mr. Kof."

"Oh." Lena thought for a moment. "He's a Faun, you say?"

"Yes. You do recall what a Faun is don't you?"

"*Non fare il furbo con me."

"*Mi dispiace."

"Yes I recall what a Faun is; I just usually try to avoid them still."

"Mamma, it's been nearly three months."

"I know, Topa. I know. I am trying. It took quite a while for your Babbo to get through to me as well."

"Speaking of…" Meri linked her arm through Lena's as they walked. It was a poor attempt to play innocent and to keep her mother from running off. Lena knew the tactic well enough. "Do you like King Edmund?"

"What sort of question is that, Meri? Of course, I like him or I would not entrust Sara to him."

"Yes, but do you like him?"

Lena sighed. "That is a complicated question."

"I don't think it has to be. I know he is not Babbo, but he is more like Babbo today than when we first met him. And that has me wondering…what if Babbo is only Babbo because he first met us here?"

"But we didn't meet here first; we met in France."

"No…You met him in France, and I met him when he brought you home; but what if he met us here first? I mean, this is real isn't it? We are in Narnia?"

"It feels real enough."

"I know. And the other day when I fell of Philip…"

"Wait, what?"

"…it actually hurt just a little, and you can't get hurt in a dream, right?"

"No. Go back. You fell of off Philip? When did this happen? And why am I only hearing about it now?"

Meri sighed and rolled her eyes. "It was nothing, Mamma. Sto bene."

"Merina."

"It was a few days ago. I was learning bareback and I slipped."

"What? Edmund let you ride bareback?"

"It was his suggestion."

"What!"

"Mamma! I'm fine. It was barely even a scrape; you can't see it now, and I got right back on and did just fine. Don't be so *tesa, Mamma."

"This still should not be the first I'm hearing of this, Topa."

"I am sorry Mamma, but I knew you would make a bigger deal out of it than was necessary. My point is, we're really here; this isn't a dream. So, don't you agree that this would be the first time that Babbo met us?"

"No, I don't," Lena said stubbornly. "He never mentioned any of this to me."

"Well of course not, Mamma!" Meri nearly laughed. "If Babbo had told you that one day you would not only return to Narnia but return to its Golden Age thirteen hundred years before you were born with both of your daughters, you would have called him a mad idiota."

Lena snorted. "I would have used a term a bit more colorful than idiota."

"Exactly, Mamma! He couldn't tell you," Meri exclaimed. "Look, Mamma, I… I just wanted to say that I think it's ok if you do like him."

"I can't, Meri," Lena said, almost sadly. "Not like that. I am married…"

"Yes! To him! And besides…he likes you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm not an idiota. I've seen the way Babbo looks at you, and I see the way King Edmund looks at you. They are very similar if not identical. And…I know Babbo would want you to be happy."

"Babbo would want me to be with him."

"But you would be with him. That's the whole point, Mamma. It's just…a slightly younger version of him."

"He is not that much younger. He is actually about the same age as when I married him."

"Dio mio, Mamma! You are not even separating the two in your sentences. Why can't you just admit that my reasoning is justified?"

Why couldn't she? Lena couldn't answer that right away, and she stopped to contemplate it. However, they stopped just outside Sara's bedroom. The door was cracked as it usually was, and laughter was emanating from inside of it. This curiosity puzzled Lena; Sara's colds usually lasted about three days.

"Do you hear that?" Lena asked.

"I do," Meri replied.

They pushed the door open together. Sara was in the middle of the room playing with Edmund and Bea. Even stoic Nalsa seemed to be more of a participant than an observer. The fact that they were playing wasn't shocking, but Sara's demeanor was. She was smiling, laughing wildly, and moving about with the ease of one who wasn't suffering from a fever and respiratory issues.

"Mamma!" she shouted gleefully, running over to Lena.

"Good morning, my sweet," Lena said gathering in her arms. Sara provided a great hug while Lena checked her forehead. There was no sign of a fever. "How is this possible?"

"I…er—" Edmund began uneasily.

"It's because of this," Meri said. She was holding up a small crystal bottle. "This is Aunt Lulu's cordial, isn't it? The one she got from Babbo Natale? One drop of this can cure any wound."

"It works on colds too apparently," Edmund said.

Sara wriggled in Lena's arms so she put her down and let her run off to play. Lena looked at Edmund.

"I know you told Lucy only as a last resort, but when I found Sara this morning her fever was back. She was awake, but she was just lying there. She wasn't playing; she didn't even smile or greet me when I walked in. She looked miserable and I couldn't stand to see her like that. I might not have a choice when she gets sick in the other place, but I can do something about it here." Edmund took in a great heaving breath at the end of his explanation.

Lena sighed. "It's all right, Edmund; I understand. Sometimes I wish I could do the same." She smiled softly and lay her hand on his arm. Their eyes locked and Lena found herself once more contemplating what Meri had suggested. Why couldn't she let her feelings for King Edmund become as real as her feelings for Cuore?

1951, A secret location in central Europe

Lena walked alongside Edmund through the drab halls of the mobile headquarters. It was in a different place and set in a different layout every time Lena went with Edmund to check-in; Lena wasn't sure how anyone could keep up with it. Edmund said that was the point, that there was a permanent one in London but that the mobile one had to remain, well, mobile. Such was the life of a spy.

Lena pushed all that from her mind. In just one hour she would be spy-free for two whole weeks. They had just closed a case together and now she was set to take a bit of leave. Her passage had already been booked for Sicily where she would see Meri and Caterina, after nearly two years, and not a single sleazy guy on hand. She was eagerly anticipating her departure.

"Pevensie," a thick voice bellowed across the hall. Edmund and Lena turned to see Daniels hanging out of his office. He waved Edmund over. "And bring the dame with you."

"He is aware that I have a name, right?" Lena asked.

"Probably," Edmund replied, then after consideration he amended. "Possibly." There was more consideration. "I know I've used it around him before, but whether or not his thick head has absorbed the information is another matter entirely. Come on, though. We better go see what he wants, and we better hurry; we wouldn't want you to miss your flight."

"No." Lena returned his smile. "Certainly not."

Daniels' office was small and cramped. Most of the space was taken up by an obnoxious wooden desk. There was only one chair available for sitting, which Daniels indicated for Edmund to take. Edmund, however, abdicated the chair to Lena and chose to stand himself.

"Excellent work on the McGuffin case," Daniels began looking only at Edmund.

"Thanks," Edmund said after a slight pause; he was trying to give Daniels sufficient time to do the right thing. "But Ileana did all the work."

"You played your part though." Still, Daniels did not look at Lena. "Have you had a chance to look over the report?"

"You know I don't have clearance for that," Edmund replied diplomatically.

Daniels smiled. "Pevensie, you disappoint if you let a thing like the proper clearance level keep you from information."

Edmund hesitated before replying. "I may have glimpsed it, purely by accident."

"Purely, of course." Daniels paused. "And what are your thoughts on the matter?"

Edmund's face turned grim. "If the report is accurate, then it is grave news."

"Ah yes. Very grave indeed." Daniels paused again and still, he did not acknowledge Lena sitting directly across from him.

"With all respect, Sir, if you wish to discuss the report in more detail I would be happy to oblige. But Ileana doesn't need to be present for that, and I really must see that she makes it to the airport on time."

"Ah." Now, Daniels finally cast a brief but wary glance towards Lena. "I'm afraid there really isn't time for that. This matter must be resolved promptly."

"*Che cosa?" Lena was asking in regards to this report that she had not seen, but Daniels thought she was asking about their conversation as a whole, as he believed her understanding of the English language to be a very rudimentary one.

Edmund looked at Lena. She could tell he was tense, but she wasn't sure why. He sighed and proceeded to explain to her in Italian. "We have a rat amongst us."

"Sì. His name is Marvin; he likes the bread I leave for him."

Edmund smiled. "Not an actual rat. A mole. A spy."

"We are all spies here."

"Yes, but one of our spies is leaking information to the Soviets."

"Oh." Her mouth formed the shape of a little 'o,' then she furrowed her brows. "Do they think it is me?"

"No. We know it's not." Edmund at least knew it wasn't her, but he couldn't attest to what Daniels thought, and that unnerved him. He turned back to Daniels.

"You are right; this does need to be resolved quickly. So, let me take her to the airport and then you and I can sit down and devise a plan to catch the rat." He placed his hand on the back of Lena's chair to help her stand.

"A plan has already been put in motion," Daniels replied.

"Excellent. Then you can inform us of it when she returns in two weeks."

Daniels did not respond but merely looked at Edmund in a way that said 'sit down, you're not going anywhere.' Technically, Edmund and Daniels held the same rank of Supervisory Agent, but Daniels was considered the Senior Agent because he'd been with the division longer. Edmund had to reluctantly concede to Daniels' authority. He looked at Lena, silently communicating his apologies; she sat back down but her eyes flittered to the clock on the wall.

"We have a lead," Daniels began, once more only addressing Edmund. "A Polkovnik has pertinent information pertaining to the leak. We need her to extract it." His eyes briefly fell on Lena.

"Sì. I egg-tract. I always egg-tract," Lena said keeping her accent thick and heavy. "In two week." She stood to leave, turning towards Edmund. He wanted to let her go, but couldn't.

"The same simple song and dance routine won't work with the Polkovnik," Daniels continued. "He will require more persuasion."

"How much more?" Edmund asked grudgingly.

"Substantially so."

Edmund did not like the way Daniels let his eyes hover over and linger on certain areas of Lena's body.

"No," he said firmly. "Out of the question."

"That's really not your call, Pevensie."

"We are not in the business of making occasioni and trades like that." Edmund made sure he used a term Lena was familiar with so she knew exactly what Daniels was requesting. Her eyes widened at the word.

"We will not rent her out for a night for a little information. We will find it another way," Edmund continued.

"It's already done, Pevensie. This is the job. If you cannot see to it, then you will be removed as her handler ad we will give her to Jackson."

"Jackson is reckless. He will get one or both of them killed."

"Then your hands will finally be free."

Edmund's face turned to stone.

"It's one night. A girl like her should be used to it by now."

"Che cosa? Girl like me!" Lena turned to Edmund then and ranted in Italian with the occasional slip into Telmarine. "Girl like me? No! No, I won't do it. I won't make occasioni with this rat. If he wants the information so much, then he can make occasioni with rats. Not I."

"Ileana…Ileana, I know." Edmund had to speak loud enough in order to speak over her. "I know. You won't. I won't allow it. We'll find some other way. Let me handle it, please."

Lena calmed down slightly and Edmund turned to look furiously at Daniels.

"The answer is no. There must be another…"

"I've already told you, Pevensie, it is done. If you cannot oversee it then you will be removed, and any refusal to cooperate with this investigation will be seen as an act of admission."

"Admission?" Edmund pulled back.

"All monies and personal effects will be confiscated, forthwith."

"What? No. That money is for my sister," Lena said.

Daniels grinned cruelly. "And now she speaks without the accent." Lena's eyes went wide as she glanced at Edmund. She was angry and she had slipped.

"I knew there was more to you. And we can drop the sister act, Doll. We know what the girl is to you. If you have lain with men before you will do it again, or forfeit our protection and be tried as a traitor to the crown," Daniels continued. "And lover-boy here will go down with you."

Lena turned back to Daniels, eyes clouded, limbs trembling with anger, and she spoke in Italian.

"Men are all the same in any world. F &*ing pigs with no honor." Then she stormed out.

"I'll take that as a yes. Oh!" Daniels raised his voice to call out after her. "And the party is this weekend, so pack your bags. You fly out in the morning! Pevensie," he stopped Edmund at the door. "This is why you don't get involved with your assets."

*Translations

Non fare il furbo con me: Don't be smart with me

Mi dispiace: I'm sorry

Tesa: uptight

Che cosa: What?