For the First Time in Forever

"Don't worry, Ella."

She stirred from slumber.

A strand of hair was brushed away from her eyes before her cheek was caressed.

"You'll be alright... we won. There's nothing to worry about now... just you getting better, so we can celebrate our victory."

Her brows furrowed as her mouth curled downward into a frown, but her eyes never opened.

A soft kiss was then placed on her forehead.

"Get better, Princess Ella."

She awoke in a large, cozy room in which she could hear joyful voices and laughter seeping in through her window.

"Good morning. Or should I say, afternoon," came the voice of Aslan.

"Where am I?" the girl asked, starting to sit up.

She knew exactly where she was, though it felt like a dream, and she did not want to find out it was.

"At ease, child," the Lion replied, gently pushing the girl back down onto the bed with his big head. "You're in your bedchamber at Cair Paravel."

The girl's face showed her hesitance. "Am I really?"

The Great Lion nodded his head. Ella found herself smiling for a moment before she threw her arms around the enormous feline and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"It's over! It's finally over!" she cried out joyfully.

"Indeed, it is. You should rest now, young one."

Ella pulled away and gave her grandfather a playful yet slightly disbelieving look. "Are you jesting, grandpapa? I've been out for... how long have I been out for?"

The lion chuckled and nuzzled his big nose against her cheek, affectionately. "Merely a fortnight."

"A fortnight?!"

Aslan gave her a small smile. "Be glad it wasn't years; your mother once over-exhausted herself while practicing her magic and ended up falling into a deep three-year long slumber."

That made the young woman crack a smile before it faded. What now? The war was over now, but what did that mean? Over the years, she had become a girl of two worlds, both of which just so happened to be at war, so she had no idea what the war ending meant to her now. Was she going to return to the world where sexism existed? Where war was still amidst? Or was she going to get to stay in her real home this time? But then... what of the people who were dear to her in the land where there was no magic? She was not like the Pevensies; her absence would not go unnoticed.

"They think you're missing," said Aslan, answering her silent question. "Some believe you have suffered the same fate as the rest of the Kirkes, but most still believe you're somewhere, alive. They've been sending search parties for you, thankfully not thinking you wouldn't be there."

She didn't reply. She brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face in between them.

"You've been given a great gift, Erella. The ability to give hope to those who think very little of life."

Ella scoffed softly. "There is no bloody way I bring hope to people. Even I realize how cold I've been in the past few years. I'm... I'm a Missus Medlock in the world's secret garden."

Aslan chuckled, causing Ella to look up and scowl at him.

"You find my misery amusing."

"What I find amusing is how confident you can be one moment, then overly self-conscious the next. You are a peculiar child, but that's one of the many reasons that only makes me care for you even more. That's why many care for you, in fact. Like your grandfather Kirke, Missus Macready, Mason." Ella looked away at the mention of the boy's name, her face flushing slightly as she recalled their last encounter. "He is a very charitable young man; he, too, brings hope into people's lives. Hope that they will live a better life... but you are his hope. You were his first friend. His first crush." Ella blinked, surprised. "His first love, and, upon your reunion, you've given him hope that his life just might get better."

She looked up at her grandfather with tears in her eyes. "Hope..."

Aslan smiled. "Yes, hope. As a friend, and as the girl in his every class who always stuck by his side." Her cheeks flushed bashfully, making Aslan chuckle. "Do not feel embarrassed about it; your mother and father were like two ducklings in a pond, never leaving either one's side."

"What should I do then?" she whimpered. "I know it's been a long time since I've left, and... I'm not going to lie— I miss it over there. But... I don't want to leave. Is that bad?"

Aslan stepped forward and nuzzled his big nose against her cheek. "What does your mind tell you?"

"That it is very dangerous to be this close to a lion," she replied automatically, earning herself another chuckle from Aslan, causing her to sigh before she answered honestly. "My mind is telling me that I should go back. Grandfather Kirke is getting older, and so is Missus Macready; they need me— someone who isn't paid to clean the house but will voluntarily keep them company and take care of them when needed."

"And your heart?"

Ella pursed her lips. "My heart... it's beating loudly," she mumbled, placing a hand on her chest. "My heart is telling me to stay. Stay and live the life that was taken from me. To take my place upon my throne and rule with purpose to, not only care for my people but also honor the ruling of my predecessors, my parents."

Aslan hummed, content with her answer. "It's good to listen to our minds because they come up with the best and most logical plans one can come up with, but when it's life... love, the heart's the one you should follow," said the lion.

Ella's brows furrowed as she thought hard, her focus wavering slightly when Aslan nuzzled her cheek once again.

"I will leave you to yourself now, Henig," (My child) said Aslan before he began to walk toward the door.

Ella watched him for a moment before calling out to him. At the door, the lion paused, waiting for the girl's next words and felt warmth in his chest when they came.

"Grandpapa... thank you. Thank you for choosing me."

After that, she was left alone in her room where she chose to stay for the rest of the day. The only moment she had gone out was after she had eaten her midday meal; she'd gone out to the balcony of her room and had chuckled to herself when she'd noticed the Pevensies together on the stone platform in the enormous revived garden, being taught by a few elleths how to dance. She guessed the latters were preparing them for the coronation. She'd been surprised, however, when she found Edmund participating as much as his sisters while Peter sat on the side, looking rather broody.

Later that night, she came out of her safe haven and decided to go for a walk. Humming one of the beautiful melodies that often haunted her dreams, she gracefully strode across the marble floors of the long corridor, only stopping when she suddenly bumped into an unusually warm body. Looking up, she blinked in a slightly owlish manner as she found herself staring up at Peter Pevensie; she had almost forgotten what the blond boy looked like up close.

"Ella!" Peter almost shouted in surprise as he looked down at the beautiful princess standing before him. "You're awake!" And without further warning, he pulled her into his arms, holding her in a tight, yet gentle and somewhat sweet embrace.

"Oh!" she mumbled, taken aback by his unusual forwardness.

Peter stood there for a moment, Ella pulled flush against his chest, his arms holding her tightly in place. After a few more seconds went by and he finally realized what he was doing, he quickly pulled back as though she had burnt him, and looked away, face red with embarrassment as he stuttered his apologies for his act.

Ella simply looked at him, amusement swimming in the depths of her hazelnut eyes that were shining ever so beautifully with that hint of forest green and gold. "No need to be shy about it, Peter; s'alright. I'm... flattered to find you worried about me."

The red tint began to slowly dissipate from his face, but small flushes of it, however faint, remained on his cheeks as his nervous gaze softened upon her, his eyes giving her the fondest look he'd ever given anyone. "We all were; you gave us all quite the fright. Don't do anything stupid like that again," he added, trying to sound as stern as possible, but failing miserably as he found himself returning the broad smile she gave him.

She let out a small laugh, momentarily glancing down at the marble floor, before boring her gaze back into his sky-blue eyes. "I'll try. As long as you promise to not do anything as stupid."

The pair of young royals shared a laugh, eyes never leaving the others'. When the genuine and innocent laughter died out, Peter finally mustered enough courage to ask her to walk with him. It wasn't like he was asking her to court him, but it seemed as though asking her... anything, really, made him nervous. She made him nervous, but that was probably just because of the feelings he had begun to have for her. For a moment there, he thought he would start sweating and would be ridiculed as she stared at him with that usual intense gaze of hers, but he found asking her, in the end, was well worth it as he was rewarded with another bright, charming smile.

"Of course," was her soft reply.

She then slipped her arm through his, and let him lead her down the hall, down the stairs to the main ground, and out into the gardens, where they could faintly hear the younger Pevensies still out and about, laughing and running around with childling nymphs and elves. Their stroll remained quiet for a while, both simply enjoying each other's company; something they hadn't found themselves able to do until now. A few more minutes passed so before Ella embarked them into a small conversation, asking what she had missed in the two weeks she'd been comatose.

After passing gardens after gardens, she finally decided to bring up the earlier activity she'd caught his siblings participating in and him avoiding. She laughed heartily when he'd complained about Borneth's strict attitude regarding their lessons.

"It's an Aldaelon thing," she then told him. "They get really serious about something they're passionate about, in her case art."

"I thought she was a seamstress!"

Ella snorted in a very unladylike manner. "She is a terrible seamstress. I've lost count of how many holes she's poked into my skin while fitting me in the dresses she's designed."

"She's made them all alright," Peter argued.

Ella stopped short in what she was about to reply and, after grasping what Peter said, a faint pink blush began to tint her cheeks. She looked away from the boy, clearing her throat before she said, "She's a fashionista, and fashion is art. Just like music and dancing. Plus, if anything, she is an elleth. They're all about art, though they're not as bad as giants when it comes to music." She stopped short in her step, a small grimace making its way onto her face. "Actually, they're almost as bad. Not as bad as the woodland, though. They're good, but they're also the worst."

"Truly?"

The princess nodded. "Oh, yes. Not a word leaves their mouths without it being sung. It's fun to watch and listen to the first song around, but when you find they sing a song for literally everything, it gets rather annoying."

Their pleasant chatter suddenly died out when Peter finally realized something: they'd been walking for a little over an hour now and he had no idea where they were headed. When he asked Ella the about, she merely smiled at him, a strange glint twinkling in her hazelnut eyes, before she grabbed his hand and dragged him into another direction. He couldn't find it in himself to try and stop her, or demand for an answer as he was so lost in the feeling of her soft hand in his like the lovesick boy he was becoming.

They were suddenly back inside the palace, walking down the long gallery. The walls were lined with portraits of the previous rulers and their families, their faces looking down upon the pair.

"You wanted to bring me to a gallery?" Peter asked dubiously.

Ella's head snapped his way, blinking in confusion, before looking around them, letting out a chuckle when she realized where she had led him through; she had been so focused on her destination that she had not realized what was around them on the way there as her feet could take her there without her mind even being set to it.

"Sorry, no," said Ella. "Honestly, I had actually forgotten about this place."

Peter chuckled slightly, though his small laughter soon faded when he found himself once again captivated by her beautiful features. Nervously, Peter looked away, his gaze landing on the portrait in front of them. It was a sizable painting of a very much younger Ella riding a majestic horse. She was larger than life, her hand holding a sword high in the air, her eyes trained on something in the distance. He was surprised he hadn't noticed before, when he had first met her: she was every bit a princess.

"Is that you?" Peter asked.

Following his gaze, Ella found herself blushing slightly as she regarded the portrait of herself. "I hate myself in paintings," she said sheepishly. "Don't you?"

Peter let out a nervous laugh. "No one has ever painted my portrait."

"Well, they will," said Ella.

Peter felt his face flush. He looked back up at the wall. "What were you doing?"

"That?" said Ella, pointing at the picture. "I haven't got a clue." She laughed. "Honestly, I have no idea when this portrait was even painted. In all my time I've spent in Narnia before, never have I ever posed for a self-portrait. But here is one."

Her gaze shifted around the gallery, and her face seemed to redden even more as she saw many other portraits of herself, some of her younger self, and others of her as of late— leading the battle against the White Witch, which really wasn't the whole truth. Peter did most of the leading; that's why she trained him. Granted, she did battle against the Witch and ended her, but even then, she did not kill her. Aslan did. She shouldn't be given so much credit for something she did not do alone.

"And... plenty others, from what I can see," she mumbled, swiping her glance away from the paintings around as she knew, sooner or later, she would find some of her parents, and she really didn't want to be saddened upon coming across them. "They should really stop making portraits of me without my permission."

Peter smiled, amused. "But if you were asked all the time, and you refused, Narnia would have nothing to remember their rulers by... even though it is quite terrible to find people have been musing over you for their paintings without you knowing..."

Ella cracked a smile. "You're right. It is terrible. It really is."

Before Peter could ask her any more questions though, Ella took his hand in hers. As he looked down at their interlaced fingers, all other thoughts left his mind once again. He followed as Ella led him out of the gallery and into the plain gardens behind the palace.

There were seemingly plenty of gardens, he mused; in front of the palace, out the east and west wings of the castle, and now, behind it as well, he discovered.

The princess led him into what appeared to be a maze. Two turns to the right, and one to the left, they halted upon a well-rounded oak door covered in earthly green vines. A bird seemed to fly in from nowhere and began to happily chirp at Ella, who chuckled and smiled brightly at the bird.

"It's nice to see you again too, Robin."

Peter had grown used to the fact that he was in a magical land by now, but the fact that Ella could speak to and understand animals who didn't speak like the other Narnians still baffled him quite a bit. How was it that she seemed to hear words, when others merely heard tweets and chirps?

Suddenly, the bird flew away, and Ella followed it, heading towards an oddly shaped tree. A willow, Peter guessed. He watched curiously as Ella walked over to it, then reached a hand inside a hollow of the tree, searching a bit until she finally pulled back, revealing herself to be holding a slightly rusted, golden key. Noticing his stare, Ella merely smiled at him— something he was still trying to get used to— and went over to the door hidden within sight.

Beyond the oak door, the moon, now full and high in the night sky, bathed everything in a silver glow. Being led further in, Peter gazed ahead in awe as his eyes caught sight of a large ornamental fountain standing in the middle of the grounds, water spraying out of the mouths of ceramic fish, and several people who once held high importance standing captured forever in stone, the statues being the memories of the good they had once done.

One statue in particular— one that oddly resembled Cupid, one of the many gods of love and desire— trained his bow in a way that seemed to be aimed right at Ella and Peter as they walked past, though neither noticed.

Ella smiled to herself, admiring the beauty surrounding them. "My father grew this garden with the help of my aunt, Marjory. For my mother. He wanted to find a way to express his love to her, and Aunt Jory, the herbalist in the family, thought a garden would be the perfect way to portray their blossoming love. It was dying when I first found it, but with the help of Robin and a few others, I got to heal the tree nymphs guarding this haven." Her smile turned to said Narnians sprinkling water to some flowers around, who smiled as well upon seeing the princess. "And they've worked wonderfully at keeping it alive ever since."

"With whom did you heal the nymphs?" Peter asked, growing even more curious when he noticed the faint rosy tint coloring her cheeks anew.

"Well... there were quite many, let's leave it at that."

"Ella..."

The princess huffed, avoiding his gaze. "Alright, fine." She sighed. "There were squirrels, rabbits... sheep and geese, which I still wonder how they even got in..." Ella bit her lip for a moment before saying, "And there were mice too, who are rather excellent listeners."

Peter looked at Ella, trying to see if she was teasing him. When all he saw was mere embarrassment, he smiled; this girl continued to amaze him. She portrayed herself as a strong young woman. And she was. She was strong, wise and well held together, but there was also an innocent side to her, one she perhaps did not even know she possessed. It was so genuine and sweet, though neither hid nor overthrew the incredible strength she had within herself. Peter felt as though he'd only scratched the surface, and he longed to find out more about her.

They continued to walk around the grounds, past rosebushes, a grove of trees with ivory petals blooming on the branches, and various other well-manicured plants and flowers.

Passing a particularly lovely ornamental urn, Ella smiled to herself. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she murmured. "Sometimes I wish I had known my parents, and that they had shown me this place, rather than I having stumbled upon it. What better feeling of being gifted such paradise by someone you love, rather than finding it alone and not being able to share the discovery?"

"Do you suppose heaven is real?" Peter suddenly asked.

Ella shrugged lightly. "I don't see why not." Then she smiled again. "If it were though, I think heaven would be like a ball," she declared.

"How so?" Peter asked curiously.

"Everyone is always invited to balls."

Peter laughed, liking the sudden sweetness she let out.

"Everyone missed you, you know," he said softly, gazing sadly at the ground, his hand absentmindedly fiddling with her fingers. "You were... so cold and pale, and your breathing kept stopping— we were afraid you wouldn't make it."

It was silent between them for a long moment, Peter's eyes remaining firmly set on the blades of grass beneath their feet, trying hard not to look up upon feeling Ella's hazel eyes gazing intently at him.

"And you?"

The sudden softness and uncertainty in her voice made his eyes snap up to meet hers. Again, he was at loss of words and all other feeling, for all he saw and could think of was this beautiful warrior princess standing before him.

"I was afraid I might lose you," he whispered, his honesty surprising Ella.

Ella felt her heart to lurch and somersault, causing her to feel perplexed with herself, for never had she ever felt this way before. Not knowing what or how to respond to this, she reached out her free hand and gently touched his arm. There was comfort in her touch, but the hint of awkwardness in her eyes only dampened it.

Poor Ella. As cold and distant as she put herself out to be, she truly was a good person— a sweet and caring girl, seemingly full of knowledge and wisdom beyond her years. And yet, romance was something she remained completely innocent and oblivious about.

"Would you like to see my very favorite spot?"

Ella's question caught Peter off guard. He had been so lost in his own thoughts he'd forgotten to enjoy the moment while he could. He nodded, and, so, Ella led him away from the more formal gardens. As they headed farther down the path, nature seemed to take over. The bushes grew wilder, the trees' leaves hung lower, and the grass grew higher. It was a romantic garden, full of life and wild beauty.

"A secret garden within a secret garden," Peter mused softly.

The awkwardness leaving as it came, Ella gave him a small genuine smile. "I've never shown this to anyone," she said, pulling aside a few branches to reveal an old wooden swing.

Eyes lighting up upon seeing it, Peter looked at Ella and gave her a slightly mischievous grin. "Princess," he said in a horribly posh accent as he motioned her forward to take the seat.

Ella laughed. "I'm too old for this!" she exclaimed herself, backing away slightly.

"No one's too old for this!" Peter countered, stepping closer to her.

"Then you should do it."

"It's your swing."

"You're my guest here."

"I'm afraid I don't remember how to use one of these, perhaps you can show me."

Ella looked at him, wide-eyed upon hearing his lame excuse. Suddenly, she burst into a loud fit of laughter, Peter joining her within mere seconds upon realizing what he had said. After a few more minutes had passed, and their laughter finally began to die out, Ella spoke again, her voice shaking from the fading laughter.

"I shouldn't," she protested weakly.

But Peter wouldn't listen. "You should."

"I really shouldn't."

"You really should."

"Fine. I will." Ella gingerly took a seat, the wood creaking beneath her.

Peter moved behind her and placed both hands on the small of her back, his touch hesitant. "May I?" he asked, his voice a whisper in her ear.

Ella's heart fluttered again, and she felt goose bumps rise on her arms. "Please," she said softly.

Ever so gently, Peter pushed Ella forward. She tucked her knees under the seat, sending the swing back to him. As the swing squeaked, Ella let out a slightly childish laugh. She hadn't been on a swing in years, and she felt foolish and alive. It reminded her of riding her stallions in the forest, the cool wind rushing past her. Peter gave her an even harder push and Ella flew high into the air. As the seat reached its peak, one of her shoes flew off and landed in the grass a short distance away.

Ella let out a surprised "Oh!"

Peter raced to retrieve the shoe as Ella slowed the swing until she was still. "It's made of... gold," Peter said in a tone of wonder. He was holding the shoe very carefully in his hand.

"And why not?" Ella replied with a twinkle in her eye. "It's not what I would've personally chosen, but I do believe it's better than glass."

Peter laughed softly at her subtle reference as he walked back to Ella. "Allow me." He then knelt down in front of her and gently slid the slipper back onto her foot. Their eyes met, and the garden suddenly seemed hushed. Ella felt herself holding her breath, lost in the sudden beauty of the moment.

"There," Peter finally said, his voice full of unspoken emotion.

"There," she echoed breathlessly as he stood and helped her back onto her feet.

Face-to-face, they lingered. The moment was pure and simple. Beautiful and surprisingly romantic. It was perfect. And then Ella spoke again, and Peter realized it was not altogether real.

"For some reason, I felt like Cinderella just a moment ago," she murmured, her hazel eyes never leaving his bright blue orbs. "I wonder why..."

"Perhaps it was because you both lost a shoe," Peter offered, his voice just as soft.

"And a prince returned it to her."

Ella couldn't seem to catch her breath. She felt as though her ribs were tightening around her heart. This was it... but what the hell was this?

"We should probably head back inside," Ella then blurted out, her words tearing through the mood like nails on a chalkboard.

Peter stared at her for a long moment before he protested teasingly, "But it's not midnight yet!"

Ella blinked owlishly, then felt her eyes widen and her face redden upon understanding his reference. "Oh, shut up, Pensive!"

"As you wish, Princess Cinderella."

The pair of teenagers then fell into another fit of laughter, almost falling over their own feet from how hard they laughed. A few more minutes passed, and the pair had yet to leave as they had planned, when, suddenly, a loud ear-piercing shriek tore through the air, breaking their joyful and peaceful moment.

"What in Aslan's name is that?" Peter exclaimed himself, covering his ears in attempt to stop the loud shrieking from piercing his eardrums.

Sobering up, Ella looked up at the darkened sky with furrowed brows, her eyes slowly shifting toward the grass-covered wall separating her secret garden from the rest of the palace. It was night already— everyone, including those who worked at the palace, should be getting ready to sleep.

"That sounds like..." Ella's eyes grew wide upon realization. "Oh, no!" she cried. Peter gave her a questioning look. "It's hard to explain. Fairies, magic stones—" She was cut off once more by the same ear-piercing shriek. "Glavrolel!"

Peter gave her a puzzled look. "Glavor... what?"

She didn't bother to elaborate. Instead, with one last look at Peter, she turned and ran. Ella ran as fast as her golden heels would allow. She heard Peter call out to her to wait, but she merely pushed herself to run faster.

Through the garden, to the terrace, and up the stone steps, she soon found herself standing in front of the door to the gallery where their walk had begun. Moving through the doors, she disappeared into the darkness of the gallery. She raced past the portraits and burst through the doors on the other side, running along long hallways darkened from the night.

Finally reaching the room from which she had heard the shriek coming from, she slowed her run into a quick pace, merely glancing behind her shoulder when a breathless Peter finally caught up to her. The pair entered the throne room, where a very tired Lucy clung to Susan, Edmund rubbing the equal exhaustion from his eyes as they all stood before a clearly panicked girl. At first glance, one would have thought it was a little girl, but as Peter and Ella neared the group, the eldest Pevensie could see the almost transparent wings fluttering in the back of the petite female who was clearing a grown woman, he discovered, when they finally reached them.

The Pevensies were utterly confused as the petite creature babbled on, a frightened look etched on her face as she repeatedly bowed before Ella. The eldest child of the bunch merely raised her hand to hush the creature.

"What are you?" Lucy was the first to blurt out upon finally noticing the wings on the female's back.

Ella sighed through her nose, tiredly removing the tiara from her head before running her hand through her loosened hair. "Jukka sa da bainwen," (She is a fairy) she said automatically, speaking softly. "Jukka sa da Naladris a vell Elendilmir." (She is the Guardian of the Arkenstone.)

"What?"

Ella's cheeks flushed upon realizing her mishap. "Sorry... I forgot you lot haven't gotten much time to learn the Narnian language yet," she apologized. "Pevensies, this is Glavrolel. She's a fairy. A Clurichaun, to be more specific. Her family has been guarding a very precious totem of my own for centuries on end. She was the latest to be chosen to be the guardian of the Arkenstone."

"What's an Arkenstone?" Edmund asked.

"It's a very powerful crystal. Dangerous, if fallen into the wrong hands," Aslan explained.

With a hardened look on her face, Ella added, "It can bring destruction upon lands, but it can also heal earths. There is seemingly always a war before the next coronation-to-be in Narnia. The Arkenstone has been used by each crowned royal of my family to heal all destruction caused by recent wars. Glavrolel's family hid it somewhere safe, where no one could find it until it is time to bring it out."

"There is a slight problem regarding that, Your Grace," said fairy spoke up, her English coming out slightly broken as she struggled to communicate with the royals in their common tongue.

Ella's brows furrowed upon hearing this. "Strod sa nistai?" (What is wrong?)

"Vell elessar, Hiril vuin..." the fairy whispered. "A-an sa taldra." (The stone, My lady... I-it is gone.)

Ella's eyes widened upon hearing this. "What?! How?!" she demanded.

"I-I—"

"Do not patronize her, child," said Aslan.

"I am not patronizing her," said Ella defensively. "I'm demanding to know how a fairy with a dragon for a partner in guard could have lost one stone." Looking back down at the fairy, Ella asked, "Where is Daildrir?"

"Vi tuon nid traf, Hiril vuin." (I do not know, My lady) Glavrolel glanced down at her feet, timidly. "Melt vi yidda dhess, juk der melearith quasa Alzror, Nyriss dro Zannays." (Last I saw him, he was fighting against Alzror, Nyriss and Zannays.)

"Na van der mannel, henig?" (When was this, child?) Aslan asked the sobbing fairy.

"Kei vell kaldar." (During the war.)

"And you've waited two weeks to tell us?" Ella groaned.

"Well, you were unconscious that whole time," Edmund pointed out.

"My family sent our other two dragons to look for Daildrir," the fairy said. "The stone, however, had been here this whole time."

"Until?"

"Today, Hiril vuin," Glavrolel whispered. "I know not how it was taken. With the help of my parents and sisters, I placed a tracking charm on the crystal that would show us its destination if it were ever to be taken."

"And yet no one thought to place a protection charm on it, so no one could actually take it," Ella said quite sourly.

"Enough, Erella," Aslan said quietly. "It is late; you should all retire. We will continue this discussion on the morrow."

No one dared to argue with the Lion. The Pevensies and the fairy did as they were told, Ella heading back to the gardens rather than retiring to her room to cool off her temper.

"You're planning on leaving."

Ella couldn't help but sigh from where she sat on a bench, near a fountain. It had been so quiet and comforting being alone in the gardens. His presence was by no means unpleasant... not anymore; she really would have appreciated being left alone to her thoughts, though.

"I need to find the stone. If not for the sake of Narnia, but for the sake of my own mind," she said softly.

Peter walked up behind her placed a hand on her half-bare shoulder. "I'll go with you." His voice was as soft as hers, though demanding as he knew if it were otherwise, she would say 'no'.

"No." Apparently, she would say it either way.

"Ella—"

"No Peter, a ruler must always remain in Narnia."

"My brother and sisters are rulers—"

"But you're the eldest. I may have trained each one of them in battle, but you're the eldest; they will follow you." She turned to look at him as he sat down beside her. "Peter, you led my people into battle and ensured our victory. You're meant to rule. You're the High King."

"And you're the High Queen."

She groaned at his stubbornness. "Peter..."

"Teach me how to dance," he said suddenly.

Puzzled by his deflection, she asked, "What?" Her voice had risen slightly up an octave, mirroring her disbelief filled with every ounce of confusion she felt.

"Teach me... how to dance."

For a moment, she looked at him with an unsettling intensity. "You do know I won't go easy on you, right?"

His lips quirked slightly. "Yes."

"Fine."

"Good." Peter smiled as he stood, offering her a hand. "Will you sing something?"

Ella took his hand and let him lead her to a more open space in the garden. "There's already no music."

"I'm sure the Nymphs won't have any problem following along."

"And you wonder why I call you Pensive." Ella rolled her eyes at him as they came to a halt and faced each other. "Alright... so." She brought the hand she held up to her waist. "This hand goes here," she mumbled.

Peter glanced down at their feet for a moment before he felt a finger under his chin, tilting his head back up.

"Don't look at your feet," said Ella. "You lead with your eyes."

"How do I lead with my—"

"You asked me to teach you," Ella cut him off, her tone suddenly flat with annoyance. "I'm teaching you."

Removing her finger from under his chin, she took hold of his left hand, holding it gently in her right, as her own left settled on his shoulder. She explained to him the basics of the waltz, telling him it was almost like a simply sway to any music playing. Almost. The differences were that the waltz had a three-beat count and was meant to be danced gracefully. To dance gracefully, one had to loosen their body, something Peter wasn't exactly good at.

"Oh, Lord," she grumbled. "You're as bad as when I fist taught you to wield a sword."

"Hey!"

"Loosen up and I won't insult you."

So, he did. He listened to her every word, very attentively, following her each command until, suddenly, she stopped speaking. Her eyes fluttered closed as she took a very deep breath before she opened her mouth anew, though, this time, not to speak.

"Whenever I was frightened..." she started singing, her eyes fluttering back open, though not meeting his gaze. "Or ever felt alone."

A feathery light step was taken with a turn.

"I turned to the night sky... and a star I call my own."

A couple of smaller steps were taken as the first drops of rain had started to fall, but neither of them noticed.

"Somewhere I could run to... just across the Milky Way..."

Her hazelnut eyes shone only more beautifully with that hint of forest green and gold they held as the moon reflected itself upon them. Shifting her gaze to meet his own, she smiled softly.

"If you like I could take you..." this phrase came out in a slight whisper before she sang a little more loudly. "It's just a light year and a day."

Their steps grew wider and more natural as they began to dance around the garden. The imaginary music that seemed to suddenly audibly materialize began to play louder in their ears, and Ella sang along with it, with a soft smile on her face that mirrored the one on Peter's as they danced, finding each other after every twirl seemingly closer to one another.

"We can sail away tonight... on a sea of pure moonlight. We can navigate the stars, bring us back home!"

Peter pulled back and spun her around and held her at arms' length for a moment.

"In a place so far away..." They paced so, still at arms' length from each other. "We'll be young that's how we'll stay..."

Peter then pulled her back toward him and the distance between them reduced to inches, their lips nearly brushing against each others'.

"Every wish is a command," she continued to sing softly as their dancing reduced into a simple sway of their feet.

Peter found himself breathing hard as her breath fanned against his face. He pulled her even closer, his arm wrapping completely around her waist as they danced. Their chests were pressed together, and neither did anything to change that. The rain was falling steadily now, individual drops tracing their way down their faces. They were getting soaked, but neither one seemed to notice.

"When we find ourselves in never... Neverland..."

Peter then did something he would have never dared himself to do. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers as her words trailed off into a whisper. Just a little more pressure would have turned that little brush into an actual kiss, and both Peter and Ella found that they didn't mind if that actually did happen.

Before their thoughts could go any further, however, thunder echoed through the night, startling the pair of adolescents. They both glanced up just as the steady rain turned into bucket-loads of water pouring down on them, soaking them to the bone. Rather than being upset at the sudden turn of events, they both laughed then ran back toward the castle, neither letting go of the others' hand.

When they finally reached the door to her room, a sting of reality hit Ella when she found herself standing alone inside her room, her back to her now closed door. She had a nice awakening— finding out the war is over, the Witch is gone, and she had lots of fun with the eldest Pevensie, not once regretting having shared with him her favorite secret spot.

But then why did she feel so restless, all of a sudden? Perhaps it was the fact that a very dangerous family heirloom was missing, and she had no idea how she was meant to go about it.

"I can't seem to open up my doors…" she suddenly began to sing, her voice soft, almost a whisper. "Though it's not like I ever could before..." She chuckled softly under her breath. "There's always just been so much on my plate..."

"For years I've roamed many empty halls… always tried and would avoid the balls," Ella giggled this time as she momentarily remembered the many balls she clumsily managed to avoid attending in her past visits to Narnia, her smile gradually vanished as soon as it appeared as, once again, the reality of it all seemed to set back in. "… though I realize I can't go on this way!"

Pushing herself away from her door, she made her way over to her wardrobe and grabbed the first riding attire her hand fell upon.

"I'm a human… and must act so," she continued quietly. Slowly, she reached a hand up and took off her crown. She stared at the rhinestone-jeweled royal accessory for a moment before throwing it onto her bed along with the attire she would change into as she let out another chuckle, though more humorless this time. "Though it'll feel totally strange."

She ruffled her hands through her wet, tangled hair as she spun on her heels and marched her way over to the door-sized windows leading out onto her balcony. "But I've been prepped my whole life for this change."

Throwing those doors open, she stepped out into the balcony, ignoring the light drops of rain still pouring from the sky. "Now for the first time in forever…" Her eyes closed as her head titled upward, relishing the feeling of the raindrops splashing softly against her skin. "I feel good, I feel alright…"

Her eyes fluttered open, bright with a sudden fierceness and life. "For the first time in forever," a sudden dreamy look momentarily crossed her face; "I feel like dancing through the night…"

Again, she spun on her heels and marched back into her room, closing the doors and curtains behind her with a flick of her wrist and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Don't know if this being too carefree," she sang admittedly with a shrug. "Maybe it's somewhere in that zone!"

"But for the first time in forever!" She sat at the edge of her bed, a fond smile curled onto her lips as she said, "I don't feel so alone…"

Jumping back onto her feet, she rid herself of the white gown she was wearing, struggling slightly with the laces of the corset she wore. When she finally managed to take it off, she began to dress herself in the riding attire she grabbed, sliding on a pair of brown leather trousers that seemingly matched with the blouse she wore above her chainmail.

"Can't wait for the grand night of the ball," she then found herself saying with sincere anticipation. "This time I won't just stand by the wall— a statue stock-still that's clearly in pain!"

Pulling her hair out from where it was stuffed between her neck and blouse, she spun on her heels and aimlessly stared at her reflection in her mirror as another dreamy look crossed her face.

"I'll suddenly see him standing there, that beautiful stranger, tall and fair—" Her eyes widened, snapping her out of that quick, bizarre reverie; quickly, she reached out to the night table beside her bed and grabbed a handful of chocolate from the box of 'get-well' sweets that had been left there for her. "I think I'll stuff some chocolate in my face!"

What's with these strange, sudden feelings? she wondered, wiping the smudge of chocolate on the corner of her lips. "This is totally bizarre— nothing like what I have felt so far!"

Rushing back to her wardrobe, she pulled out a cloak over her shoulders and grabbed her weapons, strapping her sheathed sword around her waist.

"For the first time in forever, I'll share this magic— I'll have fun. For the first time in forever, I'll feel warm beside someone… "

A small smile curled its way back onto her lips as she subconsciously hugged her arms around herself at that mere thought. "And I know it is totally crazy to think I'd find romance… but for the first time in forever, this feels like that kind of dance."

Her smile faded as she suddenly reminded herself of what she was meant to do.

Slinging her quiver full of arrows over her shoulder, she grabbed her bow and, with a shake of her head, she made her way to the large doors of her bedchambers.

"Must be on my way…" She opened the door slightly ajar and peaked out into the hallway to make sure there was no one around. "Can't let them see…"

With a deep breath, she pulled the hood of her cloak and carefully closed the door behind her, ever so quietly making her way down the hall.

Her eyes widened into saucers when she noticed a few guards making their rounds.

With another deep breath, she forced a smile as their eyes fell upon her; she often went out to practice on her own, so they wouldn't be likely to suspect anything.

Act like the girl you've always had to be…

The guards smiled back at her and bowed before continuing their rounds, leaving her to her own devices.

Exhaling a breath of relief, Ella tightened her grip on her bow and hurried down the large staircase, her chest tightening as she came upon more of her people, some just cleaning around, and others merely conversing, all stopping to bow or curtsy upon noticing her.

She nodded back at them, a tight smile on her face as she continued to make her way toward her destination, not once speaking out of fear that she might give herself away.

Conceal, don't yield— put on a show... make one wrong move and everyone will know…

Once she had reached outdoors, she all but ran for the stables. With a strong shove, she removed the wooden door bar on the large doors and opened them, making her way to the saddles first, before turning toward Midnight.

The stallion in question looked at her questioningly, tilting its large head to the side. With fond eyes, she reached forward and gently caressed his muzzle after carefully fastening the saddle onto his back.

"We must leave right away," she said quietly. "Can't wait another day…"

The stallion seemingly whined but made no further protest when she made move to mount his back. When she was comfortably settled atop the unicorn, she gently tugged on the reins and Midnight sped out of his stole, sprinting toward the closed gate where he came to a halt, waiting for a further signal from his rider.

With a loud booming voice, Ella lifted a hand and said, "Guards, would you please open up the gate!"

With a rear on his hind legs, Midnight was soon sprinting into the night, the wind blowing against his hair, and flipping Ella's hood back off her head, but she didn't seem to care one bit. She had felt so stiff upon her awakening, her body aching all over, insatiable for action and adventure.

"For the first time in forever, I'm fighting for what holds my fate," her voice rang in the night, loud and clear and as beautiful as ever, shaking slightly from the rough and rapid movement of the horse moving beneath her, taking her to where she led. "The chance to take away the pain that once chased me from my reign…"

Bringing a hand up to hold her close closer around her, she continued. "I must do this before it is too late—yes, I must move forth today! 'Cause for the first time in forever…"

Halting mid-run, the black stallion ridden by the princess backed up a little and started whinnying.

"For the first time in forever..."

Ella smiled as her hands subconsciously tightened their grasp on Midnight's reins as he shifted his weight strongly to his hindquarters and, with a balanced rear, much like that day of the Battle of Beruna, Midnight let out the strongest neigh. It was strong, loud and powerful.

That was how she felt as well, in that exact moment as her chest warmed with anticipation of what this journey withheld ahead of her. She wasn't afraid, however. She fought in a war and she fought bitchy Witch— she was ready for this. At this moment…

"Nothing's in my way!"

Quickly, she leaned forward, bringing the stallion back to the ground before tugging on his reins as a signal to go on forth, and Midnight wasted no other second as the pair was off, speeding into the night.