Hello! This chapter is shorter than the previous ones; it is all part of an experiment to see how shorter chapters work for me, and ideally, it should also mean more frequent uploads, but we'll see.

I haven't done a disclaimer in ages so here it is: I don't own anything except the OC's and plot.

Enjoy and review!

Chapter 13: The Art of Diplomacy

Susan exhaled slowly and let go of the arrow, smiling at the pleasant and familiar feeling of the fletching tickling her cheek as the arrow cut across the air and hit a perfect bull's-eye.

"Oh, I have missed you, old friend" she said as she rubbed her bow affectionately. It had been quite some time since she last held it, her time consumed by the preparations for the ball and before that, by paperwork and duties. She had missed the relaxing silence of this corner of the gardens which she had chosen as her training grounds. She had missed the careful precision of archery, but also its simplicity; she just had to draw the arrow and shoot, no diplomacy, no strategy, just timing and breathing. Her next arrow hit the target once more, a hair's breadth from the first one. Grabbing yet another arrow, she noticed what looked like a pine cone dangling from a tree some distance away, a pine cone someone had painted like a target. She chuckled, knowing this was Caspian's doing. Ever since that time at Aslan's How, Caspian would sneak in painted pine cones whenever he knew she would be practising her archery, as a reminder of that little moment they shared. She took a deep breath and readied her bow.

"Very good morning to you, Queen Susan"

Susan was startled by the sudden noise and missed her target by far. She turned around, ready to give whoever had interrupted her a piece of her mind.

"I am sorry, Your Majesty, I did not mean to disturb you" the man apologised with a curtsy. Susan blinked, slightly put off her admonishment as she did not know the man before her.

"Well, you have, and I believe these are private training grounds, sir" she told sternly.

"I assure you, it was not my intention. I am here for a hearing with the Kings and I must got lost. And then I saw you and I couldn't help but to observe" he explained.

Susan took a good look at the man, her annoyance at him still etched in her frown. He was clad in fine cloths under his cloak, his eloquence and bearing indicating a privileged upbringing.

"I don't believe we have been introduced, allow me. My name is Navir, I am the Earl of Dalir and your most humble servant" the man told, curtsying elegantly, although a bit flamboyantly. Susan replied with a nod.

"Well, I hope you enjoy you visit, Lord Navir" Susan said with a small smile. "However, I suggest you hurry if you want to make it to your audience on time" she added, calling for a guard passing nearby and instructing him to accompany the Earl to the Audience Hall.

"I hope I have the honour of speaking to you again before I leave, Your Highness" the Earl said before the guard signalled him to follow him. The two men stopped briefly to bow at Tairin, who had just reached the garden from the armoury, a crossbow strapped to her back.

"Who was that?" Tairin asked, pointing behind her.

"The very foolish Earl of Dalir" Susan replied.

"Oh?"

"He startled me just as I shot an arrow" Susan explained.

"I see, foolish and suicidal, I'd say. Let me guess, he conveniently got lost and ended up here?" Tairin told with a smirk. Susan nodded and rolled her eyes.

"Right, so not only is he foolish but also has no sense of direction for someone who has crossed the country to get here" the Princess noted with a laugh.

"Even more curious, he said he had a hearing with the boys" Susan commented.

"But today's audiences are exclusive to commoners" Tairin pointed out.

"Exactly" Susan agreed.

Caspian stretched his back as the grand elm doors closed with a heavy thud. To his left, Peter was rubbing his eyes, trying to shake off the drowsiness that had taken over him. He could not blame him; the last petitioner had droned about a most boring matter for a whole hour. To his right, Ed was banging his head lightly against the back of his throne, muttering something along the lines of "Grass length... I wouldn't be interested in grass even if it started spurting off his-" and "Bloody audiences".

"Oi, pretty boy, there is a dandy noble wanting to have a word" Trumpkin's surly voice carried to them, his head peeking from a small door on the side of the room.

"Tell him we are dead' Caspian said flatly, covering his eyes with his hand.

Trumpkin only grunted and left, grumbling about not being a stupid housekeeper and uttering a few small threats involving boots and a royal behind.

Morosely, the three Kings resumed their previous regal positions just as the heavy doors opened again. A thin, young man strode inside, the confidence in his step and posture bordering on arrogance. Edmund raised his eyebrows in mild amusement. The man seemed to have quite a high opinion of himself.

"Your Majesties" he greeted with a low bow, slightly pretentious yet kept within the boundaries of formality. "I am grateful for the honour of a private word" he added, looking at them with a satisfied smile. The Kings inclined their heads in acknowledgement.

"Well, we had no choice" Caspian heard Peter mutter under his breath.

"My Kings, Navir, the Earl of Dalir, a Narnian town very close to the border with Calormen" Caspian introduced courtly. "Is it business what brings you eastward?" the King then asked. From the diplomatic tone in his voice, the Kings gathered that Caspian was not particularly fond of the man.

"Not this time, sire, I come for a personal matter" the Count answered politely. Upon looking at the three Kings for an instant, the man cleared his throat and spoke again.

"I do not wish to waste your precious time, so I will be straightforward: I have come to petition for the hand of Queen Susan the Gentle in marriage"

There was a long pause during which the Kings looked at the Earl as if he had sprouted another head. Edmund had more of an amused glint in his eyes as one of his eyebrows shot up inquisitively. Caspian's relationship with Susan, although not yet formalised, was very much in the open by now; how far south could the man live not to have heard the gossip about the royal couple? Maybe he was just thick.

Peter and Caspian, however, glared darkly at the man, making hardly any effort at hiding it. Peter, as expected, was positively glowering, scanning the man with a look that suggested he had more than one objection to what he saw. Caspian was plainly simmering under his mask of serenity, yet the dangerous throb in his jaw muscle did not pass unnoticed by Ed. The Just King's chestnut orbs glided over to Navir, who was still standing bravely, maybe a bit too rigidly, but definitely a few shades paler.

Silence fell weightily around the room for a long while, none of the four men saying a word. Peter finally cleared his throat, and, still looking rather ferocious, spoke.

"You wish to marry my sister, you say?" he asked, his grave voice startling the man, who jumped lightly. Ed knew what his brother was doing; he was giving the man a chance to pretend all to be a misunderstanding and leave.

"I do, My King, it is my deepest wish" the man answered politely. Caspian's eyebrows shot up.

"Have you met Queen Susan before?" he asked coldly.

"I have, yes, when Your Majesty was crowned King of us all, and I was blessed with the opportunity of an introduction when I arrived to the castle earlier this morning" the Count answered truthfully.

Edmund risked a look at his brothers, having to contain a bubbly snort immediately. Peter seemed determined to set the man in flames just by looking at him, while Caspian's eyebrows were twitching unhealthily. Ah, this would be fun to watch.

"If I understood correctly, Queen Susan is not aware of your intentions towards her?" Peter asked severely, piercing the man with his glare. Edmund's lips curled into an imperceptible smirk. If there was someone who loved taunting – say, torturing – suitors more than he did, that person was Peter.

"I thought right to come to you first, Your Majesties, for Her Highness is more likely to warm up to my proposal if she knew I have your permission and blessing" came the Earl's reply, a hint of pride wavering in his voice. Apparently, he thought his argument to be quite convincing. Edmund's expression hardened. Wrong, wrong answer.

"Despite having barely crossed a few words with Her Majesty, you claim that you love her, because if you desire to marry her, you must love her, right?" Caspian asked. It was evident that he was making an effort to keep his voice down. If anything, the Earl looked surprised.

"I loved her the moment I laid eyes on her, sire" the man replied after staring at them stupidly for a split second, as if not understanding why he was being questioned on this implicit subject. There, he had outdone himself.

Instinctively, and to Edmund's surprise, both he and Peter pushed Caspian back into his seat, yet Ed had the sneaky sensation Peter had done it so he could pounce on Navir first.

"It seems to me, brothers," Edmund spoke, his cool, logical tone stopping both Caspian and Peter from further movement. "That Lord Navir has been, as many others before him, enchanted merely by Queen Susan's fair beauty" he stated calmly, eyes resting on the Earl once more. Had the nobleman known the young King any better, he would not have felt relieved by the impassiveness of his voice. Caspian was fuming at Ed's side, yet held himself together with impressive determination. Peter exhaled loudly.

"I see what you mean, love for the legend but not for the woman inspiring it" he said simply, almost tiredly; Edmund made a side note to ask him if he managed to see anything from under his deeply furrowed brows.

Ed shot another look at the Earl of Dalir. His bravery appeared to have been drained from him. The young King accounted it on having Peter and Caspian – whose fierceness in battle and warrior skills inspired a few dozen legends each – looking particularly murderous at him. Navir cleared his throat shakily.

"My Kings, do not be hasty in your decision. My lands in Dalir are prosper, a-and my family's affairs in Calormen are very successful. Her Grace would be s-surrounded by g-gold and comfort, and I can offer a dowry that is very w-worthy of con-consideration" the man spurted, his voice coming out as a croak. The Earl was positively trembling now, trying, and failing, to smile encouragingly. Edmund's smirk faltered and his expression lost all trace of amusement.

"DOWRY?!"

Peter and Caspian had leapt to their feet, seething.

"Get out!" Peter hissed. Navir looked affronted.

"Your Highness, I hardly think-" the man argued, his objection choked by Caspian slowly walking down the few steps leading to the thrones.

"Doesn't look to me that you practise it frequently. Thinking, that is" said Caspian sombrely, looking down at Navir.

"Or you wouldn't be attempting to buy Queen Susan" Peter added in an icy, sharp tone that would stop a cavalry dead on its tracks. Ed was almost expecting the man to wet himself now.

"Merchants, that is the problem with you, you think you can buy anything and everything" Caspian stated, looking at the aristocrat in front of him with a look of unmasked disgust.

Navir opened his mouth to say something, having taken a deep breath as to get a hold of his shaking body. Yet, Peter chose that very moment to take Rhindon in his hands and unsheathe it, the silver blade glinting under the light bathing the stained glass windows. Nothing but wet sputtering came out of the Earl's mouth, and Ed had no choice but to pinch his leg to prevent himself from doubling over with laughter.

"This is a tough situation you've put yourself into, Earl of Dalir," Peter spoke casually, polishing Rhindon inattentively with his sleeve. Edmund knew that tone, it was the one Peter employed whenever he was feeling murderous. "My sister is already being courted-"

"By me" Caspian stated, squaring his shoulders, towering over Navir from his position on the stairs.

It was an impressive sight. Even if he was not wearing his armour, the High King looked as fearsome as the voices of battle told him to be. Navir had quickly turned a sick green shade and looked about to faint. Much quicker than they thought, the Count had started moving backwards, issuing a yelp as he stumbled his way towards the door – Caspian had moved forward. Peter rolled his eyes at Caspian and threw a disapproving look at Edmund, who had just chortled into his cup and was wiping the front of his shirt, cackling loudly.

"What?" asked the Telmarine, feigning innocence. "I just stretched".

The heavy doors closed with a thud, and muffled screams could be heard on the other side; Navir had finally lost it.

"Twat" Peter spat, strapping Rhindon to his belt.

"I second that" Caspian agreed, climbing the few steps back to the thrones. Edmund's laughter got louder by the minute.

"Oh- Aslan- need- tell- Myr-" he gasped between heavy guffaws, clutching his sides as he marched out, succumbing to another fit of bubbly laughter as he reached the corridor. "I always said he was a bit unhinged" Peter commented, staring at his brother's shaking back.

"Pray tell, why was Lord Navir running and screaming like he had seen a ghost just now? I recall him mumbling something about a 'dark demon'" Susan enquired, having met the Kings as they left the Audience Hall. Her hands rested on her hips in a motherly fashion that was matched by her stern look. The look the Kings shared did nothing to reassure her.

"The man is completely loopy" Peter explained simply. Susan's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"He came to us with a load of nonsense" Caspian added, nodding lightly.

"Nonsense... right. What did he want?" said Susan, eyeing them suspiciously.

"You" the Kings replied, identical wolfish grins on their faces.

"Ah"

"So, we kindly told him to keep some of his dignity and go home, see if I he can buy any of the local girls" Caspian explained, his eyes shining with a darker gleam.

"I tell you Caspian, we should have a set of guards for moments like this, a Suitor Dumping Brigade or something" Peter proposed, turning to Caspian, who seemed to consider the idea for a moment.

"No, we shouldn't and you won't pull Caspian into your Overprotective Prat Squad, Peter" Susan told, grabbing Caspian by the arm and pulling him towards the garden amidst the laughter of both men.

Tairin and Susan sat in the glass parlour in the early afternoon, a steaming tea-pot and cups of their favourite tea blend sitting in the middle of a paper-strewn table. Earlier on, both women had been confronted to the pile of unanswered mail and decided to sort it out for once and for all.

Tairin tossed the papers in her hand on top of a small pile, exhaling loudly.

"I wish I didn't know how to read" she sighed, causing Susan to look up at her with a smile.

"Is it that bad?" she asked, an amused grin pulling the corners of her mouth.

"I have ran out of ways to decline the most ridiculous stuff" Tairin answered. "This one, for example, asks if there is any chance for us to lend them a group of dwarves so as to help retrieve things from under furniture. I mean, can you imagine Trumpkin's reaction?" the Princess added, showing the letter to Susan, who joined Tairin in laughter.

"Oh, I have a most vivid idea of his colourful retort" Susan noted, still laughing.

"How is it that the pile of unsorted mail and paperwork never shrinks no matter how much we all work on it? I don't think I remember what the surface of Caspian's desk looked like, or any other table in the study, for that matter" Tairin complained, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"And to think I give Ed an earful when I heard him asking the printers if they could do a mould of his handwriting, now I find myself considering the idea" Susan chuckled, folding the letter of and old lady who complained about the grass in her garden growing too fast. "We could do with a break" she then added, accepting the steaming cup Tairin offered her.

"Say, I am amazed your brother found the will to tear himself from Nabeela long enough to attend this morning's audiences" Tairin commented.

"Not to Nabeela's content, I assure you; I heard the servants commenting she was not at all happy about it" Susan replied with a sigh.

"Is she ever happy about anything?" Tairin noted rolling her eyes.

"What I find most curious is that I don't remember Peter ever having trouble choosing between his flings and his duty in the past, but then again, I don't think he ever was this... intense" the Gentle Queen explained.

"For some reason I always thought Ed to be the heart-breaker" Tairin told, eyebrows lightly raised.

"Oh, back then Ed was a big flirt when he put his mind to it, but he rarely – if ever – got involved with someone. Peter on the other hand let himself go with the motion and it meant he left a few broken hearts along the way, sometimes even his own" Susan told, shaking her head. "My brothers' intimate life is not at all appealing to me, so I never really asked about their escapades" she whispered as Tairin laughed.

"And to think that the chronicles of the Golden Age forgot to mention this" Tairin commented with a snicker.

"A most convenient oversight for both sides" Susan agreed with a shudder.

"I knew Mr Magnificent could not possibly so saintly" Tairin added, rolling her eyes.

"Neither of them were. I mean, Ed seemed to have a better head atop his shoulders but even he made a fool of himself a few times, although not nearly as much as Peter; countless bruises and black eyes given by angry fathers and/or brothers attest to his foolishness. The only reason he never got badly beaten up was probably him being a King" Susan explained, and by her expression Tairin gathered the Queen did not approve of her brother's behaviour.

"I have no problem imagining that last bit" Tairin replied with a wicked smile.

"You dislike Peter that much?" Susan asked. It was no secret that her brother and best friend clashed almost every time they spoke to each other. Yet, Susan had a feeling that deep inside they appreciated each other, but were only too comfortable quarrelling to admit it.

"Not more than I dislike Nabeela, that should reassure him" Tairin replied before looking apologetically at Susan.

"I know he's your brother, but-"

"He can be a pain in the buttocks, yes" Susan filled in, patting her friend's hand.

"Well, it would seem your brother has found someone to help him remember old habits" the Princess snorted, moving her head in a vague gesture towards the garden, where Peter and Nabeela were engrossed in some heavy displays of affection. Susan groaned while Tairin stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"I didn't think breeding between species was even possible" Tairin noted flatly, causing Susan to snort inelegantly into her cup.

"Tairin!" cried the Queen, both women exploding in a loud batch of giggles.

They were then interrupted by a guard carrying a letter on a silver tray, which he handed to Susan.

"Thank you, Vasir" Susan told with a smile. The young guard looked surprised at her for a moment then smiled, bowing elegantly before leaving them to themselves once more.

"Please tell me is not another one of these" Tairin groaned, waving the letter she was currently reading.

"Looks like a royal letter, do you know this seal?" Susan said, passing the letter to Tairin.

"That's the seal of Haegenbürg, the royal family of Ejdelhaegen, a small kingdom north of Tarnova" Tairin explained, carefully opening the seal and scanning the immaculate slanted writing. "Oh, I think the boys need to read this" the Princess added a moment later, passing the letter to Susan, who agreed.

Two hundred and sixty three. Edmund sighed. He had been lying on his back in the lush carpet of the shared study for some time now, finding no better entertainment than counting the stone tiles on the ceiling. The head of his best friend then caught his attention as the older King glanced at him from a standing position, a mix between a curious, worried and mocking expression on his dark features.

"Now I see what Peter meant when he said you are a bit unhinged" he teased.

"I am bored" Edmund told flatly.

"I stand by my statement" Caspian replied, producing a small bag from behind his back and popping a biscuit on his mouth.

The door creaked softly as it opened and a quiet rustle was heard next, Myrina's head popping above Edmund an instant later.

"Are you alright?" she asked kindly, cocking her head to the side as she usually did when she was concerned.

"He is just bored" Caspian explained, offering the bag of biscuits to the Archen Lady, who declined politely.

The wooden door opened once more, several people entering the room this time. Susan, Tairin and Lucy were chatting lightly, their conversation left unfinished as all three of them focused on Caspian, Myr, and the pair of legs sticking from the side of the coffee table.

"Oh, Edmund, are you chronically bored again?" Lucy giggled, dropping on the sofa and peeking at him, propped on her elbows. Edmund gave an approving grunt, eyes still stuck on the clear stone ceiling. Susan let out a long breath, sitting in one of the settees and curling her legs under herself.

"You are bored only because you're too lazy to find something to do" she admonished, far from stern, shooting him an entertained glance.

"Correction: I am bored because said attempt to find something to do was fruitless" Ed countered.

The sound of muffled voices reached them before anyone could say anything else, and the door opened once more, revealing Peter speaking enthusiastically with Gemini, while Scorpio was explaining something foolish to a very unconvinced-looking Zephyr and Rainidan. After another round of curious wondering on Ed's choice of activity – or lack thereof – they all sat down, engaging themselves in several little talks, most of them interacting in several conversations at once.

"Oh, I almost forgot, this came in the mail today" Susan told, taking the foreign letter from in between the pages of her book and handing it to Caspian. The Faithful King cleared his throat and read it aloud.

To the Kings and Queens of Narnia,

Your Majesties,

Greetings from Ejdelhaegen! Our small kingdom rejoiced in the news of the return of the legendary Kings and Queens of Oldto Narnia, as well as to learn that King Caspian was restored to his rightful position and crown. A new Golden Age begins in Narnia, brighter and grander than the last. It is my sincerest wish that this new era brings with it a growing and prosperousfriendship between our nations, and it is in the spirit of diplomatic relations that I address this letter to you all.

As you may be aware, Ejdelhaegen is a small and fairly young realm created after the natural separation of the Haegenbürg and Glenlagh clans. Since the beginning of our history, the Haegenbürg family has tried, unsuccessfully, to strike trade and diplomatic treaties with Narnia; this as the result of the restrictive trade laws of the Telmarine Empire. It came as a relief to learn that this was among the first laws to be abolished following your ascension to the throne.

I write to you today to humbly request, as my ancestors have before me, for Narnia to consider Ejdelhaegen as a commercial and diplomatic partner. I am convinced that both our nations stand to benefit from a closer relationship. I am aware that my request may appear sudden, if not exceedingly straightforward. Thus, I am prepared to send an ambassador on my behalf to Telmartown to answer all your questionsat your earliest convenience; likewise, I shall be most glad to welcome a Narnian ambassador, should you choose to send one.

I shall end this letter by reassuring Your Majesties of the unconditional sympathy of both the Haegenbürg family and the people of Ejdelhaegen.

Until we finally meet personally, may Aslan guard your path.

Your loyal friend,

Joachim of Haegenbürg, Kaiser of Ejdelhaegen.

Caspian folded the letter once he finished reading it and looked around the room.

"Well, wasn't that a formal letter" he exhaled.

"I'd be too if I had to write a letter not to one but five monarchs at once" Gemini argued.

"Glenlagh… that name sounds familiar.." Peter muttered, scratching his chin.

"I believe it was still part of the Kaleic Empire during your last rule. Little before the arrival of the first Telmarines to Narnia, the Glenlagh and Haegenbürg families took over the Empire and ended all disputes among the smaller clans. They ruled together for a short period of time before the split into their own independent countries. Tarnova and Camden adjoined some of the territory of the migrating clans" Caspian told, pointing to the area on a map.

"I see. And do you know the Kaiser?" Peter then asked.

"No, at least not personally. As he says in his letter, the former Telmarine kings had a very narrow diplomatic spectrum which derived directly from their mistrust of foreigners" Caspian explained with a frown.

"I find myself quite interested to hear more about the Kaiser's ideas" Edmund piped in, still laying on the floor.

"Remember we had planned to visit the Kaleic Empire, back then? We were supposed to work on it after we came back from hunting the White Stag" Peter noted, a hint of old excitement resurfacing in his features.

"Must we really talk about this now? I'm in such a lazy mood and the weather is just so nice!" Lucy whined, looking longingly through the window. "Ah! I want to go for a swim!" she then exclaimed.

The four Pevensies sighed loudly, instantly remembering the countless days they had spent at the beach in Cair Paravel, days they spent continuously drenched in sea water.

"Oh, I'd love to dip my feet in the Eastern Ocean" Susan breathed dreamily.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea to check on the progress of the reconstruction of Cair Paravel and take a few days off under that excuse" Tairin suggested, eliciting several hums of agreement.

"For once, we don't have any Council meetings or audiences this week, we should use the opportunity" Caspian told, something in his voice hinting he was more excited about this little holiday than he let on.

"Definitely. I crave a good swim and Ed needs a tan" Peter agreed, grinning impishly at the pair of legs on the rug, not able to see Ed completely from his current seat. The young King's hand popped up, contorted into a gross gesture towards his brother, for what he was duly scolded by Susan. Meanwhile, Lucy could be seen trembling excitedly in her spot on the sofa.

"Alright then, a few days at Cair it is. We will decide on the Kaiser's letter on our return" Caspian declared with a grin.

The young Valiant Queen finally lost hold of her excitement and burst in squeals and clapping, wriggling her legs happily. Soon, she was blabbering wildly to an equally bubbly Scorpio, who was positively beaming at the prospect of the trip.

"Can Cora come with us?" Lucy asked a moment later, once she had answered in detail to all of Scorpio's questions.

"Of course she can, but you have to ask Glozelle first" Susan told her.

"Want me to come with you?" Tairin offered. "Glozelle may need some convincing, stubborn man" she added. Lucy laughed and nodded.

"Well, we better go now, before it gets dark" the little Queen noted, pulling the Princess by the hand.

"I'll come with you, there could be thieves on the road" Peter stated, getting to his feet.

"It's such a short trip, we will be fine" Tairin replied.

"Better be safe than sorry" Peter shrugged.

"Don't you have someone to snog or something?" Tairin spat pointedly.

"Nabeela is writing a letter to her mother, I'm sure she doesn't mind; after all it is such a short trip, right?" said Peter, crossing his arms smugly, not giving in a single inch.

"If you're going to bicker all the way there, I'd rather go with someone else" Lucy interrupted, looking annoyed at both. That did the trick. Tairin sighed and shrugged, glaring at Peter as he motioned her and Lucy to go before him.

Glozelle welcomed them politely yet warmly, hurrying to light some lamps as they sat in the living room. The house was still in an ill state, yet both the General and his niece had tried to make it more homely, and the old living room had a cosy feel to it despite its shabby state. Peter, visiting for the first time, seemed genuinely surprised at the decadence of the house.

After they had exchanged a few pleasantries over a cup of coffee, Peter introduced the object of their visit.

"I believe it is quite obvious to everyone that my sister and your niece have become very close in the past few weeks, and it is for this reason that we would like to invite Coralee to join us in our trip to Cair Paravel" the King explained. The General listened attentively but did not look very convinced.

"With all due respect, I don't think this is a good idea," Glozelle spoke. "It is not right for Coralee to be seen with Your Majesties, people may get the wrong idea". Lucy huffed irritably.

"For the tenth time, General, there is nothing wrong with it!" she exclaimed, blue eyes piercing the man. "She is my friend; being a Queen doesn't mean I cannot have friends like anyone else" she vented, always preferring sincere, open-hearted conversations.

"Your Grace, I know, but-"

"But nothing, General, you are being narrow-minded" Tairin interrupted, putting her cup down on the rickety table. Peter shot her a pointed look, which she ignored.

"You still think along the lines of old Telmarine mentality of classifying people, royalty only mixing with those 'worthy' of their company. Absolute piffle. Well let me tell you, you and Cora are worthy of our company! Honestly, General, you of all people should know how insignificant birth rights and social status is for us" spoke the Princess, opting for a direct approach she knew would work better with Glozelle.

"What Princess Tairin is trying to say," Peter interjected, bumping Tairin with his knee in a dissimulated move. "Is that Cora won't be a bother at all, on the contrary, and we will take very good care of her. The invitation extends to you as well, if you wish to join our company".

Glozelle took a deep breath, dark brown gaze jumping from Peter to Tairin.

"I- thank you, sire, but I am afraid I have business to attend to here in town" the General declined in perfect courtesy.

"General, I am perfectly capable of sitting here and arguing with you all night if I have to" Tairin stated, looking determined. Glozelle exhaled deeply, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Your persistence precedes you, My Lady"

"I am only as good as my opponent" Tai replied, smiling with self satisfaction.

"Alright, you may go, Coralee, but behave and be careful with the ocean. And above all, do not cause any trouble to Their Majesties" he said strictly, in that special loving way of a parent, despite not being one. Coralee beamed and promised she would stay planted on the shore, in the shallowest part of the sea.

"I don't know how to swim" the girl confessed embarrassedly, grinning despite her blush.

"That is an easy fix. I taught you well, didn't I, Lu? I assure you, you'll be swimming like a mermaid in no time" Peter volunteered, smiling sweetly.

"Yes, we will all help you!" Lucy beamed, and both girls soon disappeared upstairs to get Cora's things packed.

After shaking hands with the General, they bid their goodbyes, Cora and Lucy promising one more time to be on their best behaviour.

"I would have never thought the house would be practically in ruins" Peter whispered a few minutes later as they stepped into the cobbled street, Lucy and Cora already waiting for them by the horses.

"I am afraid it will crumble over their heads without warning. I don't even want to think about winter and all the gaps on the walls and roof" Tairin agreed gravely. Peter made a noise of concurrence, his mind still on the mangled house as he hoisted both Cora and Lucy up on the Queen's horse.

Nabeela aimed a furious kick at a cushion laying on the floor of her room. There she was, alone, while he was who knows where, attending to yet another whim of that sister of his. Annoying little child, always needing attention from her siblings! The other two she did not care much about, at least not unless they decided to meddle in her plans. But that Lucy was becoming an annoyance, always insisting Peter did this or that with her.

The Princess huffed, stomping her foot in tantrum; Peter had left without letting her know and she did not like to be ignored. But that was not important right now, she would make Peter feel bad about that later. She had to think of a way not to go on that ridiculous field trip to Cair Paravel. Who on their right mind would willingly spend some days in open forest! It was a nightmare, having to sleep in the middle of the woods with all sorts of insects and wild animals around, no civilised comforts whatsoever! The worst part was they had sent a servant to tell her she had to pack for the trip, a servant!

She could suggest that she and Peter stayed behind and use duty as an argument, but she knew Peter loved that blasted piece of rubble and all the dumb memories he had of the place. The damn palace is in ruins and she could not quite see the point of visiting a pile of crumbled stones. And yet, she had no choice but to stick to the stupid trip and pretend to love the idea; she was not crazy to let him go without her, she could not, not so early in their – how to call it – relationship.

She let out an irritated yell, slamming her fist on the bed. She hated tents and hated sharing them even more. As if the whole thing was not bad enough, these Narnians seemed keen on associating themselves with all kinds of people, for some reason completely foreign to her. Not only had they invited the former General's niece – the reason Peter had ridden to town so suddenly – but it was nearly certain they would be interacting with all sorts of lowlife during their ill-conceived holiday.

She bit her lip, planning a strategy. There was no other way. She will have to pretend to be indisposed during most of the trip and trick Peter into staying with her. The idea of having Peter getting distracted from her was not at all appealing. Humph. She hated when things did not go as she wanted.

Right after dinner, Peter asked to talk to Caspian, both enjoying a glass of good wine while sitting in the library lounge.

"Caspian, you have been to Glozelle's house before, haven't you?" Peter asked. Caspian nodded.

"Falling to pieces, isn't it?" he noted with a wry expression.

"Is there anything we can do?" Peter asked, and Caspian recognised in his expression the same indignation he too felt at the General's living situation.

"I am afraid that not much can be done for the house itself. I spoke to some architects and they reckon the structure is not solid, so we risk it falling on us if we attempt to do any substantial repairs" Caspian explained. Truth was, he had been expecting Peter to come talk to him the moment he saw the state of the house.

"I am sure we could find him somewhere decent to live" Peter suggested.

"I have a place in mind, but convincing Glozelle to move, let alone accept the gift, is a much tougher task" Caspian exhaled.

"You think he won't change his mind even after knowing the house is a risk to both him and Cora?" Peter wondered.

"I think he is aware of this to some extent" Caspian agreed. "But you see, Glozelle is a hard-working but proud man, and one who thinks he does not deserve kindness, which makes it really hard to help him; he will not accept anything he has not worked to obtain. That being said, if we could find a way for him to move out on his own, or at least make it seem like he is not being forced to do so, then I think we have a chance" Caspian argued.

"Well, you told me you were considering him for the post of Army Secretary, right? Well, we could always tell him the house comes with the post and he cannot refuse" Peter suggested.

"That may actually work" Caspian told appreciatively. "This scheming side of yours comes as a surprise" he added with a smirk.

"You forget I spent months dealing with mountain giants; tricking them into thinking they chose to what I wanted became a second nature. Not to mention that I dealt with several a pesky diplomat in my time" Peter replied.

"Your time? What are you, seventy?" Caspian quipped.

"Why, thank you" Peter replied, playing along, the two Kings bursting in laughter seconds later.

Edmund squinted as he crossed the entrance, the sun starting its day-long trip across the sky. Apparently, they were already late, and breakfast – along with a generous half-morning snack – was being loaded into the carriages. Grunting, he dragged his feet towards Myrina and Rainidan, annoyed at how both looked impossibly awake. Myr smiled warmly at his sleepy state and handed him a steaming cup, the pleasant smell of freshly brewed tea improving his mood slightly.

"Not a morning person, I see" the Archen Lady noted conversationally, earning a vague noise as all answer.

The Just King had been halfway through his tea when the rest of their expedition came. The men, with the exception of Zephyr and Gemini, all looked quite disgruntled and puffy eyed, sharing Ed's views on waking up early. Scorpio was keeping himself awake with much effort, focusing on walking straight only because he had Taril – or Ameril, impossible to know – asleep on his shoulder. Gemini carried the other half of the Archen twins while Peter toted a very sleepy Lucy in his arms. Coralee had been trailing very sleepily behind Caspian – out of respect most likely – until he decided that she was still too much in dreamland and picked her up, the General's niece not even putting much of a fight and quickly resuming her sleep. Ed looked at the youngsters longingly.

"No one will carry you to the coaches, so forget it" Myr taunted quietly at Ed's side. Edmund scowled in sleepy outrage and rested his head on her shoulder, eyes closed. Myrina shook her heard lightly but made no move to shake him off.

"Feel free to shove him aside if your shoulder hurts, Myr; Edmund has a total lack of chivalry and consideration" Peter told Myr a few hours later, noticing his brother's head was comfortably leaning against her shoulder.

"Be thankful I'm just too sleepy to deal with you, Peter" Edmund noted, still not opening his eyes. Peter rolled his eyes at his brother.

"You've been whining about it being too early for over an hour" Peter pointed out. "Says the man who whimpered about it being too dark" Edmund stroke back swiftly, proving to be fully awake now. "And I don't whine, I express my dissatisfaction" he added matter-of-factly.

"Which is called whining, Justine" Caspian piped in, brown gaze trained on his best friend's reaction. The effect was immediate. Peter burst laughing loudly while Edmund sprung into a straight position, glowering at Caspian, who was chuckling mirthfully.

"You may mock me but leave my title out of this!" the young King protested, tossing a chunk of bread at his traitorous best friend.

"Caspian, good friend, you are just brilliant!" Peter praised, leaning over to shake Caspian's hand, wiping tears from his eyes. Edmund huffed very crossly, turning over and giving them the cold shoulder. Myr patted his arm kindly.

"You've done the same many times" she reminded him.

"Whose side are you on?!" Edmund exclaimed, sulking even more to everyone's amusement.

Still chuckling, Peter turned to Nabeela.

"Are you enjoying the scenery?" he whispered. Truth was, she had never been so bored and the constant noise and chatter were driving her mad, but she mustered her best natural smile and nodded.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked, a hint of concern in his dark blue eyes.

"I am, yes, I am just a tad sleepy. Sorry, darling" she hurried to say, employing her best sweetened tone. Peter smiled warmly and caressed her cheek, immediately offering his shoulder for her to lean on for the rest of the trip.

It was the early afternoon when the carriages stopped upon a cobbled path, very close to the main construction site. And there, standing tall in front of them, even if still halfway crumbled, stood the Palace of Cair Paravel, welcoming them warmly. It was not just ruins any more, no, the main structure was rising strong and proud from the ground. Under the golden rays of the afternoon sun, a murmur of its former glory could be felt, promising to be a view to behold in the future. For a long moment, all they did was stare at the stone building, some with the excitement of a first meeting, others with the warmth of encountering an old friend. Peter smiled, reaching to give Susan's hand a squeeze. Cair Paravel was reborn, like a phoenix born from its ashes.

AN: I have to say, the audience with Navir was my favourite scene; I was laughing out loud as I imagined the whole thing. I am also quite excited about the new country, Ejdelhaegen (pronounced EI-DEL-HEY-GEN). I have a sweet idea involving the whole thing which I hope to introduce soon.

Please let me know how you liked/disliked the chapter length and the chapter itself, obviously :D

Until next time!

Cheers!