Chapter 21

Narnia

"Lena," Lucy called waving her arm wildly.

The celebration for the newest Princesses had been going on for a few hours. It was a lovely ceremony with many components that cumulated in a banquet and a ball. There was rather a good bit less of the traditional dances though as most of the attendees had more than two legs. There was, however, an abundant flow of wine; this helped a good deal in relieving Lena's anxiety.

Lena smiled and waved back to her young friend. Lucy made her way through the throng to a back corner where Lena was trying to stay out of the way and hugged Lena's neck tightly.

"Isn't this wonderful?"

"Yes. It's quite something," Lena replied. "Did Susan orchestrate all of this alone?"

"Well, I tried to help but you can probably imagine how that went." Lucy laughed.

Lena nodded. "My thirtieth birthday comes to mind." Lena took a sip of her wine and grinned. "You insisted on planning a week-long trip alone. It was just the four of us, no husbands and no children allowed. You got us a French villa near several illustrious vineyards; we were going wine tasting."

"Well, that doesn't sound bad."

"We burned the villa down the first night and we were banned from all the local vineyards by week's end."

Lucy's eyes went wide.

"We stuck to Italian wines after that."

Lucy laughed. "Wait. The four of us? You, me, Susan, and who was the fourth?"

"Holly. Peter's wife, well… girlfriend at the time. We were so sure we'd scared her off that we had our apologies ready, but in the end, she asked when our next trip would be. We told Peter not to be an idiota when it came to her."

Lucy laughed again. "Sounds like fun, but I do hope I made it up to you somehow."

"You took the girls for two weeks that summer so Ed and I could get away. We went to Barcelona. Private cottage. Private beach. Very little clothing." Lena smiled at the pleasant memory.

"Ugh," Lucy rolled her eyes.

"What? It was a very hot summer that year."

"Yes. I'm sure. Come! I want you to meet some of my dearest friends," Lucy said as she suddenly grabbed Lena's hand and led her back through the throng of guests.

"I thought I was your dearest friend."

"You are my dearest human friend."

Oh boy. Lena thought. She quickly finished off her wine and grabbed another off a passing tray. Lucy led them right to a group of three Narnians waiting eagerly, a Faun and two Beavers.

"Lena, this is Mr. Tumnus and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Our first and oldest friends in Narnia."

"It's so lovely to meet you, Dear," Mrs. Beaver said taking Lena's hand in her furry paws. "Queen Lucy has told us so much about you."

"Oh, well, I do hope she left out some of the poorer qualities."

"Like burning down a French villa?" Lucy said slyly.

"Who says that I had anything to do with that?"

"Because I've gotten to you over the last few months."

Lena grinned and took a sip of her wine. "It was a joint venture," she admitted. "Susan was appalled. Holly laughed hysterically."

Lucy laughed again and Lena turned her attention back to the Narnians. "It is nice to meet you as well. I have heard many things about you; most of them were good." Lena was at least ninety percent sure they had been mentioned at least, especially if they were Lucy's first and oldest friends in Narnia.

Lena stayed and talked for a while with the Beavers; they were a rather adorable pair. Lena even managed to hold a conversation with Mr. Tumnus without staring at his horns or being unnerved by his legs. Perhaps the solution to dealing with the Narnians was to walk around in a perpetual wine-haze. But Lena didn't think that was practical.

"Mamma? Where's Mamma?"

Lena instinctively looked around at the sound of her other name. Meri was standing near the front of the room, looking for her, with her lute in hand.

"Mamma!" Meri smiled as she spotted Lena, and waved her over. "My mother is the best Alto you've ever heard," she said to the attendees. "*Vieni a cantare, Mamma."

Lena knew she'd had too much wine when she willingly made her way over. Yet still, her eyes searched the room for Little King on habit. He came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I can explain to Meri," Edmund whispered in her ear.

Lena smiled at the offer. How did he always know? "Just promise me I won't have to dance with anyone for information afterward."

"I swear, on my honor, there will be no dancing except for pleasure and only if you want to. … And only with me," he added as an afterthought.

Lena laughed. "If you wish to dance with me, you need but ask… Little King." She smirked and handed him her cup of wine before taking the last few steps to Meri alone.

They sang a familiar tune with ease, sometimes singing solo sometimes in harmony. And when they were finished there was a mixture of clapping, hoof-stomping, and baying. The applause was followed by numerous shouts for another song. So, they obliged. They sang several songs until Meri's hands became too sore to play.

"She's really very good. You'd never know she only just picked it up a few months ago," Edmund said after Lena and joined his side again.

"I know; it makes me worry for Sara a little," Lena confessed.

"Why?"

"Well, Meri is exceptionally talented and graceful. It makes me wonder if she took all the grace and talent I had to offer and left nothing for Sara to claim."

They looked to where Sara was attempting to dance with a Dryad but she kept tripping over her own feet and falling flat on her face. She never once cried though. Instead, she got back up and did it all over again.

"You have to admire her determination though; she doesn't let anything keep her down. And, I would like to make it known that the stain on her dress was not of my doing; she was under Peter's supervision at the time."

From across the hall, Peter looked up and around as though he knew his name had been said. He narrowed his eyes at Edmund and Lena as they both laughed.

"I will make note of it," Lena said.

The music changed to something suited for a more traditional style of human dancing. Edmund turned to Lena and held out a hand.

"Would you care to dance with me?"

Lena smiled and turned her eyes to the floor, but she remained silent for too long. Edmund dropped his hand.

"If you don't want to, that's all right."

"No, it's not that…" Lena sighed. "I would very much like to dance with you, Edmund. It's just…I'm not really good at this sort of dancing. The dancing in the other place is very different; it's…less choreographed, more intimate. And I was never the sort of girl that Lords danced with in my Narnia."

"Well then, all the more reason why you should dance with me now."

Edmund held out his hand again and Lena slowly accepted.

"See, it's not so bad now is it?" he asked after spinning her.

"Yeah, except everyone is watching."

"So let them. Do we ever dance in the other place?"

Lena smiled and nodded. "Quite often actually. It's a way for us to be close, to be…intimate…without risk of waking the girls."

He grinned. "Ah, yes. You are not the type to keep your opinions to yourself."

"Certainly not," she replied.

Lena nearly tripped as Edmund spun her again, but he quickly steadied her with a hand on her waist. There was a beat or two when the rest of the world disappeared; they stopped dancing. Edmund found himself very content at that moment, something he'd never quite felt with anyone else. And he rather wished they could take this moment to the bedroom early, but something caught his eye over her shoulder.

"What is it?" Lena asked

"See for yourself?" Edmund spun her about and Lena saw Meri talking with two boys, or rather, young men by the looks of it.

"Lord Rohl's sons," Edmund explained in her ear. "They made the crossing with him from Galma. The eldest, Reymar, is twenty-two; his brother Royce is twenty."

Lena gasped. "They are far too old for her."

"I couldn't agree more. With your permission?"

"Yes, of course. What are you still doing here?"

He smiled slyly and kissed her cheek before making his way over in full kingly-swagger, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Guests, Narnians and otherwise, cleared a path for him. Lena could practically hear his introduction of himself from where she stood.

"King Edmund, known as the Just, Count of the Western March, Duke of Lantern Waste, Wandbreaker, Knight of the Order of the Table, and the best swordsman in Narnia, how can We assist thee?"

Meri maintained her polite smile, but her eyes grew more furious by the second. Until, at last, the young lords walked away and Edmund's thwarting was complete. Meri looked over Edmund's shoulder at her mother. Lena simply smiled.

The celebration carried on until one-by-one the human guests began to disperse to their rooms and the Narnians began to drift outside, the music followed them.

"Lena, we're going to continue on outside. Please say you'll join us," Lucy asked.

Lena was quite intrigued. Apparently, there was still enough wine in her system to feel at ease around the Narnians even though she had started drinking water two hours ago. But then she caught sight of Sara. She was sitting at a table, arms sprawled out, and head face down on the hard oak.

"Maybe next time. It's way past her bedtime. And if she doesn't get a full night's sleep she will be cranky."

"Oh, all right. But if you change your mind, just follow the sound of drumming." Lucy hugged her neck before following after Mr. Tumnus and the others.

Lena made her way over to relieve the Dryad of her watch over Sara. The Dryad fluttered away with a brush of air through their hair, and Lena bent to pick up her daughter's discarded shoes. There was no telling how long they'd been off and she was very grateful for the Dryad keeping up with them. Sara's tiara had also fallen off into a plate of discarded pudding; Lena wiped off what she could but a more thorough cleaning was needed.

"Sarina, mi amore, it's time for bed." Lena tried to gently wake the sleeping princess, but there was no stirring. Sara would have to be carried.

"Allow me to help."

Lena looked up at Edmund. "Are you not going to go continue the celebration with the others?"

"Not tonight I think. But don't worry; in addition to Kou, I have put Swift on Meri Duty. He's a very formidable Centaur. Lords Reymar and Royce won't dare go near her with a Tiger and a Centaur at her side."

"And you and I will incur her wrath for it."

Edmund seemed to consider it for a moment, but only for a moment before he shrugged. "Worth it. I'll carry her if you grab her things."

With effortless ease, Edmund picked up the still sleeping Sara. There was a little movement as she wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. Their climb up to the Monarch's wing was a silent one as neither wished to rouse Sara too much. Once in her rooms, Lena directed Edmund to lay Sara on the bed and find her a sleeping gown while Lena stripped her of the coronation one. Lena wiped Sara's hands and face before slipping the gown over her head. Then she tucked her under the covers and began to leave all without Sara waking up.

"Mamma," Sara called just as Lena and Edmund reached the door. Lena motioned for Edmund to remain where he was while she walked back to the bed. Sara's eyes were barely open.

"Shh, my Little Princess. It's time to sleep." Lena kissed her forehead.

"Mamma? I miss Babbo," she said sleepily.

"What about Eddie, Sara?"

"I like Eddie, Mamma, but I still miss Babbo. When can we see him again?"

Lena blinked away her tears as she kissed Sara's head. "Soon, Topa. Very soon. When you close your eyes, he will be there in your dreams. And when you open your heart, you will find him there too. Always."

"Always, Mamma?"

"Always," Lena repeated. "Sleep now, Sarina. It is very late."

"Will you sing for me, Mamma? Pweeease?"

How could Lena refuse? Sara was out before Lena reached the refrain.

Lena quietly crept into the hall where Edmund was waiting and shut the door behind her. There was a strange look in his eye and Lena knew he had heard every whispered word.

"I'm sorry."

"There is no need to apologize," he said, trying to mask his hurt.

"She…she doesn't often speak of him you know. She speaks mostly of you and what fun she had that day."

Edmund smiled. "Thanks."

"It's true. I'm not sure what she remembers of London or our life there."

"Well, that…that makes sense actually. She is young; Lucy was the first to forget amongst us. Peter and Susan retained the most. For me, it has always been difficult to remember…but I find it less difficult when I'm with you."

Edmund took her hand as they walked back to their room. Their room. He rather liked the sound of that, and he couldn't stop the smile on his face. "You did very well tonight, I know there were more Narnians than you might have liked there."

Lena shrugged. "I'm not sure my behavior tonight warrants any praise when others can do it so easily."

"Because it is so difficult for you is the very reason why you should be praised." He rubbed his hand over her back in comfort. She smiled softly before leaning in to kiss him just as softly. She removed his cape with ease, her lips forming a smile against his as she went to undress him more. The thought was tempting, but there was something else he wanted to do first.

"Will you dance with me again?" he asked, pulling back slightly. "Here, like we do in the other place?"

Lena smiled. "I'd like that."

"You'll have to help me a little though."

She laughed and placed his hand on her waist. She put her right hand on his shoulder, settling in at the base of his neck, and took his other hand in hers.

"Think you can lead if I provide the music?"

"I think so."

And so she sang as he led them gently to the rhythm. The dance, though unfamiliar to him, came almost naturally. He grew bolder and gave her a spin which brought her in closer. With each new phrase she sang and each bold spin he gave, they drew closer still until her arm encircled his neck and they danced cheek to cheek. When she finished that song, she sang another and Edmund was pleased with this new level of intimacy.

1958, London

Susan stood on the outside looking in. The curtain was partially drawn, blocking out the light of the hallway, but she could still see her brother through the thin sliver that remained. His head rested on his arm that was stretched over the bed; his bottom still sat in the chair he'd been occupying for the last several hours. He would pay dearly for the position later, but that was later. For now, she would let him be.

Peter came up beside her. His hand slid across her back to rest on her shoulder. She bent her cheek to brush a kiss to his hand.

"How is he?" he asked, his own voice thick with sleep and worry.

"Sleeping it seems. Finally," she replied. She raised her hand to wipe the tear that fell under the guise of pushing back her hair.

"Sleeping? Should we wake him, do you think?" Lucy asked as she stepped up on Peter's other side. Peter wrapped his arm around her as well.

"No," Susan said shaking her head. "I don't think so. It won't be long now. This may be the last bit of rest he gets for a while. Let him have it."

Lucy whimpered and Peter drew her in closer. Susan had to wipe away another angry tear. How could Aslan take Lena from them again, and so soon?

Meanwhile, Edmund's eyes burned with weariness. He'd only meant to close them for a moment, to rest them just for a second. He never meant to fall asleep. And he certainly didn't mean to sleep for three hours. But in his sleep, he dreamed.

He dreamed of Narnia. He dreamed of meeting his daughters for the first time. He dreamed of their first Christmas together. He dreamed of their coronation. And he dreamed of Lena, from their first meeting to their first dance, and every moment in between when he fell in love with her. He knew, after that first dance, that he would search far and wide for her in the other place, and he'd let nothing come between them. And when they said the words, he felt it through his whole person.

"Ti amo."

"E ti amo…Luce."

*Translations

Vieni a cantare: come sing