Hello! I'm back with a new chapter and it is a goodie! I can't wait to read you guys' reviews!
Enjoy!
Chapter 14: Of Past and Present Wandering
It did not take long for their presence to be noticed by the cheerful workers, and the royal visitors were soon pulled off their quiet contemplation of Cair Paravel by the waving and cheering as every worker halted their activities in order to greet them from their posts.
Caspian felt his heart swell with joy at the scene before him. There upon the ladders, harnesses and scaffoldings were Telmarines and Narnians alike, working and helping each other, laughing and fooling around as if the past 1300 years had never happened. The Faithful King let out a chuckle as he caught out of the corner of his eye, a dwarf playfully tripping his Telmarine friend into falling on some sandbags before breaking into a run, laughing merrily. This small prank, the whole construction site actually, was the living proof that those who said coexistence – let alone friendship – between both peoples was impossible were, in fact, wrong.
"Ah, Tavros" Caspian welcomed, noticing the sturdy, tall minotaur approaching them. Behind him, obscured by the imposing minotaur's shadow, trailed a faun – the head architect, Caspian guessed – carrying several parchment roles.
"Yikes! A minotaur!" Scorpio whispered excitedly, looking at the dark Narnian with big eyes.
"Your Graces, welcome" the strong grave voice of Tavros greeted them, stopping a few feet in front of them to bow as he did. Distracted by his rolls of parchment, the architect faun tumbled against him, plans and designs rolling in every direction.
"Oh, oh, my clumsiness always ready to make a first impression" he murmured, quickly gathering the parchment rolls. "Your Majesties, we meet at last" he bowed, spilling the parchments on the floor once again, and Edmund had to dissimulate his laughter with a badly faked cough.
"It would be better if I gave you a hand with those, Eriol" Tavros spoke kindly, taking some of the rolls from the faun's hands.
"Oh, yes, yes, a good idea, indeed. Thank you, thank you, my friend" replied the faun, patting his clothes to shake off the dust from his fall.
After the introductions were made, they turned towards the building site, Tavros and Eriol explaining several interest points to them, signalling and gesturing towards the structure.
"... and I was thinking of adding a fountain here, in the centre of the pathway, so carriages round it elegantly, and-" Eriol was rambling excitedly, apparently needing a few more arms to point everything he wanted to show them.
"I think we all agree that it all sounds breathtaking, Master Eriol. However, I'm afraid we are too hungry to pay your explanations the attention they deserve" Peter apologised. As if on cue, Ameril's – or was it Taril's? – belly produced a loud growl in perfect timing to the King's words.
"Oh, but of course Your Highness, how indelicate of me! Please, please, do take a rest, I will alert the cooks of your arrival!" Eriol hurried to say, and with a flourished bow, he sprinted into the opposite direction, holding his woollen hat not to lose it on the way.
"If he weren't such a gifted architect, he could be a comedian, he is a hilarious character" Edmund commented, and despite Susan's half-hearted chastise, everyone agreed with him.
A few moments later, Tavros led them to the workers' canteen, where a table had been laid out for them. Their arrival had coincided with the workers' meal break, and many were already trotting inside, plates and cutlery at the ready. As they reached the door, they were greeted by the boisterous sound of different conversations and banter going on by those already enjoying their meals.
"Reminds me of my time in the barracks" Rainidan reminisced.
"Meal times were carnage, if I remember well" Zephyr added with a snort.
"Filthiest jokes I've ever heard" Scorpio piped in, his comment met by a hum of agreement from the two men.
"Which you're keen on repeating" Gemini noted.
"Which you also enjoyed" his brother replied, not missing a beat.
"Ah, I long to set camp with some troops; soldiers always seem to have the most hilarious stories to tell" Peter sighed.
"The stories they had to tell on their return from your expeditions were equally hysterical" Edmund added, throwing a mischievous look at his brother, who shot him a glare.
"You'll have to tell me about this" Caspian whispered to Edmund, whose wolfish smirk held the promise of some good laughs at the Magnificent King's expense.
"Why is it men yearn to be in large groups, preferably in some expedition, the smellier, dirtier and more uncomfortable the better?" Tairin commented, throwing a dismayed look at the men in their company.
"Susan calls it the 'alpha male syndrome'" Lucy chipped in, grinning widely.
"Huh?" Myr voiced.
"It defines the need men have for exploration and inhospitable outdoors in the company of other men with whom they can compare their prowess. It is ridiculous, I know" Susan explained, and the four girls shared a nod of agreement before bursting into laughter.
The canteen fell silent as they were shown inside, many of the workers raising to their feet.
"Please, carry on, we wish not to disturb you" Lucy hurried to say.
"On the contrary, we hoped we could join your merry party. Please, a round of ale for everyone!" Caspian added, signalling Tavros to bring the kegs of ale they had brought with them.
"Long live the Kings and Queens!" shouted someone in the crowd, inspiring a loud wave of cheers accompanied by mugs and cutlery knocking against the wood tables.
The royals enjoyed their meal amongst laughter and cheers, workers leaning over their tables to add to conversations going on all over the room, mostly to banter with their neighbours.
This had to be a joke. Nabeela looked at her surroundings and contained the urge to scream in frustration. They were at a bare construction site, dust and all sort of disgusting substances surrounding them, and worst of all, workers covered in filth. Had they not been warned of their visit? She nearly gagged when they were told they would be eating in the same canteen than all the sweaty and smelly construction workers. Good lord, had these people no idea of how to treat royalty?! A separate marquee would have been a minimum! She threw a discrete look at the Archen princes, expecting them to be as disgusted as she was, but found them to be enjoying the rusticity of it all. And to make matters worse, these, these... creatures kept leaning in on them, patting Peter on the back and barely missing staining her clothes with their blackened hands. What had she done to end up in such an uncivilised place?!
Caspian smile stretched wide across his face, the warmest feeling spreading on his chest. Amidst the banter and joking, there were no titles or rank. Despite their initial reserve, the workers soon resumed their usual ways and opened up to them, throwing some well-meant jokes at the royals, their witty replies only adding to the general amusement and informal ambiance. His heart beamed at the closeness with these men and women, Narnian and Telmarines; these were his people, despite his initial fear of being seen as nothing but a traitor to the Telmarines and as another Telmarine tyrant to the Narnians. However, in their warm welcome it was clear both peoples accepted him as one of them. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a gentle squeeze to his hand, his fingers immediately curling around the soft and familiar hand of Susan. The Gentle Queen beamed at him and his heart skipped a beat.
"They love you" she whispered, leaning in a little for him to be able to hear her amidst the cacophony of voices.
"Not more than they love you, all of you" Caspian replied, throwing a quick look around the table. "Although, I must say, you shall not find anyone in the whole of Narnia who loves you more than I do, my Queen" he told, pressing the back of her hand to his lips. Susan felt her cheeks redden at the passion of his statement.
"I can easily believe that" she replied, smiling brightly.
Lunchtime, although lasting a little longer than usual due to the royal visit, soon ended, and the canteen grew quiet once again as the workers resumed their activities.
"Well, I think we should not keep Master Eriol waiting much longer or he may collapse in anticipation" Peter suggested, downing the last of his ale.
"I think Master Eriol can wait until we get the tents ready; it would be unfortunate if we get carried away and have nowhere to sleep tonight" Susan argued.
"The tents, of course! I nearly forgot about them" Peter told with a grin before getting on his feet, stretching as he did.
After thanking the cooks for the meal, they headed towards the carriages, where they were surprised to find Tavros and a group of workers already unloading their trunks and luggage. A few moments later the Kings and Archen nobles had joined them despite the several objections from minotaur and workmen. Susan quickly got into sorting the luggage with the girls, grouping together what was to go in each tent. Nabeela was furious at having to carry her own luggage, but convinced herself it was for the best, lest something got stolen. She took her bags – which were not few – trying to juggle them all in her arms.
"Let me give you a hand, Your Highness" Coralee volunteered, reaching to take a couple of cloth handbags dangling from the princess' arm.
"Stay away from my things!" Nabeela hissed, snatching the bags from her. Her violent movement caused her to drop several boxes, their contents spilling everywhere.
"Look what you made me do! If something goes missing, I will personally ensure you are flogged for it!" the Princess screeched.
Coralee blinked as fast as she could, trying to force the tears back in. She was not a thief! She would never...
"What is going on?" Lucy enquired a small distance away, attracted by the ruckus of the falling boxes. "Cora? Is everyth- oh, Cora, why are you crying?!" asked the Young Queen, finally reaching her friend. The General's niece looked at Lucy in shock, tears rolling down her cheeks. Finally, she whispered:
"I am not a thief"
Lucy frowned, not quite understanding. She looked at Nabeela, who was furiously picking up her belongings, and things became clear.
"Did you accuse Cora of stealing?" she asked in disbelief.
"I did not say such a thing, Your Majesty" Nabeela replied, picking up one of the boxes.
"You may not have said the words, but you implied the meaning" Lucy said sombrely.
"Your Majesty offends me with your insinuations" Nabeela argued.
"And you offend me by insulting my friend" Lucy retorted.
"Children sometimes get carried away with their imagination, I am sure you will come to realise this, Little Lucy" Nabeela told. Her patronising tone made Lucy's blood boil.
"I remind you, Princess Nabeela, that I am Queen of this land, land on which you are a guest, and as such, you ought to observe etiquette and diplomacy. You tread a dangerous path if you think that being my brother's favourite exempts you from minding the way you speak to me, or my guests for that matter" Lucy warned, dead serious.
"Lucy, what is happening?" Susan asked, a frown knitting her eyebrows together as she noticed Cora's tearful expression.
"It's alright, Su. Princess Nabeela has just finished picking her things" Lucy said gravely. She then turned to Cora and led her away. Susan caught Nabeela's gaze for a moment before the Princess walked away.
"Alright, someone will have to fill me into what just happened" Susan told, walking over to where the girls were. Lucy frowned and pursed her lips.
"Cora, honey, what happened? Come here" Susan spoke again, kneeling on the soft grass and pulling Cora into her lap, embracing her comfortingly.
"I- it is nothing, Your Grace"
"Susan"
"Oh, yes, yes, Susan, sorry" Coralee spoke, sniffing pitiably.
"It's alright, darling, but I still need to know what happened" Susan explained kindly, rocking softly back and forth. Coralee took a deep breath, looking up at both Queens, and with a shaky breath, told Susan what had happened, tears rolling copiously down her cheeks.
"Oh, that witch!" Lucy spoke indignantly as soon as Coralee had finished.
"Who is a witch?" Tairin's voice asked a distance away, her curious expression becoming graver the closer she got. "What happened here?" she enquired, kneeling next to Susan.
"Nabeela accused Cora of stealing!" Lucy briefed her, squeezing Cora's hand soothingly as she summarized the incident.
"Is this so? Oh, that viper! Ah, but this won't stay like this, the hell it won't! She will have to hear me, I will make her swallow her threats along with some truths I've had stuck on my throat for a while now!" Tairin fumed, springing up furiously and turning to walk away. Susan seized the hem of her dress, preventing her from going any further.
"I think Cora needs us more right now, don't you agree?" she told, successfully convincing Tairin to stay. Lucy shared a look of mutual understanding with her sister; the last thing they needed right now was for Tairin and Peter to get into another of their epic fights.
In a little time, Coralee was smiling wetly.
"I feel so bad for inconvenen- iconveinien- bothering you like that. My uncle always told me to be tough and not to cry" she told embarrassedly.
"He is a soldier, sweetie, I would have been surprised if he taught you any different. And you shouldn't be ashamed of crying or letting us pamper you, alright? You can come to us whenever you need to" Tairin told her sweetly, brushing the tear streaks of her cheeks, lifting her face to look into her amber eyes.
"And if Nabeela, or anyone for that matter, is mean to you again, don't be afraid to stand up to yourself; she may be a Princess, but it doesn't give her the right to say whatever she wants. Promise you will tell us if you feel threatened, yes?" Susan added. Coralee nodded and smiled again, blushing at all the affection she did not feel she deserved.
"Alright, ladies, we need to get going, the boys will be finished soon, and everything needs to be ready by then, so, chop, chop!" Tairin exclaimed cheerfully, the four girls getting up from the ground and back to work. Susan made a note to herself as she heaved a couple of bags. She and Nabeela would have to have a chat much sooner than she had expected.
Tents standing and items properly unpacked, they were finally free to explore the construction and surroundings, something they were all very much looking forward to. The Archen part of their expedition could be heard eliciting sounds of amazement very often, mostly Scorpio and the twins, whose eagerness was palpable. Soon they all split into little groups, following the direction of their own interest, spreading inside the unfinished building.
"She really said that?" Caspian asked astonished as he and Susan strolled through one of the open eastern corridors. They followed no real direction, just allowing their feet to take them anywhere at random.
"I am much more willing to believe Cora than I would Nabeela. We are talking about a woman who has total disregard for the feeling of others, so insulting an innocent child is not beyond her" Susan spoke, still very cross. "She seems to have upset Lucy as well. I don't think Nabeela has ever seen Lucy have one of her 'Queen of Old' moments as Edmund calls it" she added.
"I wouldn't put it past Nabeela to be prejudiced against those she considers inferior, and to be condescending with Lucy just because she is a child" Caspian noted, stealing a glance at Susan. "You also appear to have taken this to heart" he added with an enamoured smile.
"Hard not to. Coralee is such a sweet girl, and this is so unfair; she came to have a good time, not to be targeted by prejudice" Susan told, rounding his waist with her arm.
"I agree and we will all make sure she has a wonderful time" Caspian told, kissing the top of her raven hair. "What I find most astonishing is that Nabeela should be cleverer than to make such a flagrant faux pas. Peter's sense of fairness is very strong, and he would definitely side with Coralee – or with any other child for that matter – if he is ever confronted to this. She also appears to have underestimated the closeness between Peter and Lucy" Caspian noted, pulling Susan closer with the arm he had draped over her shoulders. "At least the viper has decided to stay in her den" he added an instant later with an impish look on his face.
"That is a very mean thought, King Caspian, but I have to admit, I feel more relaxed knowing we won't see her around, however un-regal it may be. The diplomat in me is dying in despair" Susan told with a wolfish smile very similar to Edmund's.
"I don't mind un-regal behaviour" Caspian smirked, his chocolate eyes glinting brightly with mischief. "Especially if it involves you and me, My Queen" he whispered in her ear and claimed her lips the following instant, his kiss fervent and knee-weakening, erasing all coherent thought from Susan's mind.
They stood in the middle of the half rebuilt corridor, sharing many more kisses hidden behind a pillar, like two teenagers sneaking off to see each other. Lips swollen and eyes glinting, they resumed their stroll a few moments later, thieving glances at each other and bursting in silly laughter when they caught each other's gazes. Then, Susan got hold of Caspian's hand and changed their route briskly, their surroundings familiar to her, and after a few more turns, they squeezed through a small space between some scaffoldings covering a door.
"Welcome, Faithful King, to the Room of the Four Thrones" Susan spoke with grand pomp, extending her hand towards the large open space, walls towering on the sides, still roofless. Caspian had been there before, when it was still in ruins, its crumbled state not taking an inch off the feeling of wondrous magic and nostalgia that seemed to be infused into the floor tiles and columns. No matter how many times he would visit this place, it would still take his breath away. Feeling Susan move beside him, Caspian turned to find her climbing the few steps to the thrones. Blinking, he realised there were no mere piles of stones and stubs of rock, but were standing tall and proud over the room, their high backs casting long shadows on the floor while the white marble was tanned with the burnt orange of the afternoon sun.
"Oh, look, they added your throne, Caspian" Susan whispered; speaking any louder felt almost wrong. Indeed, there, resting silently atop the steps was a fifth throne, no different than the other four, yet unmistakeable his.
"It must have been one of the first things they rebuilt" Caspian murmured, barely registering his words, staring at the throne still, his heart gripped by strong emotion. Susan only nodded and stretched her hand to trace the smooth surface with her hand, memories vivid in her eyes. She heard Caspian's steps close to her and turned her misted eyes to him, a sheepish smile spreading on her lips.
"I am sorry, sweetheart, for a moment there I remembered – saw – everything so clearly, I could almost hear the music of the parties held here" she explained, her cheeks colouring lightly. Caspian's warm loving eyes were spiked with some imp as she looked into them, shaping into that look Peter had described as foxy. She looked curiously as the King skipped the steps of the podium and extended his hand to her, bowing lightly as he did.
"Would my Queen join me for a dance?" he asked elegantly, pearly teeth peeking behind his handsome lips.
"Right here? Caspian, we are surrounded by scaffoldings" she argued, yelping when Caspian seized her hand and pulled her towards him. And they danced, music playing in their heads, steps improvised but in sync with one another. Susan let go of Caspian's hand and got hold of her skirts, moving her feet to an old Narnian dance, clapping here and there. Her carefree movements soon inspired Caspian to join her, meeting some of her steps and encouraging her with his own clapping, adding a Telmarine twist to her dance of Old. She grabbed his hands and they both started hopping to the soundless notes, the pats of their shoes echoing in the stone room. Caspian then took over, holding her waist and guiding her with strong yet gentle steps, Narnian and Telmarine dance moves merging into a beautiful dance of which they were the only participants. After what felt like a whole ball, they stopped, panting, Caspian's arm draped firmly around Susan's waist, her palms on his chest. He looked at her with so much love in his eyes, the chocolate hue made more intense by the lively dance.
"I feel like we were in the Golden Age" he exhaled.
"Perhaps, but I very much prefer the present, because here I have you" she whispered back, smiling radiantly, taking his breath away as no dance would ever be able to.
The sound of clapping broke the silence in the room, and they looked around startled, finding about a dozen workers clapping enthusiastically at them — had they been there all the time?
Caspian let out a mirthful laugh, his surprise and perhaps a hint of embarrassment ghosting his face for a flash of an instant, and turned to address all of them with a cheeky naturalness, taking her hand in his.
"You are all a wonderful audience, thank you" he spoke, bowing as an actor would at the end of a play, Susan imitating him with a wide smile, cheeks burning scarlet.
They exited towards the nearest terrace still taken by laughter, feeling silly for not noticing the workers and providing such a silly spectacle.
"Everyone needs to do something foolish once in a while, keeps the soul alive" Caspian said, taking a deep breath of the salty air.
"Yours and Edmund's souls are immortal by now, then" Susan replied, bringing the King into peals of laughter once more.
His strong arms then sneaked around her from behind in a loving embrace. The Eastern Ocean extended its mantel of deep blue in front of them, stretching as far as sight allowed. Mermaids played in the surface, splashing and swirling, their scales coloured in the palette of the afternoon, waving at them merrily. The sight of such a beautiful open space, the crystalline water, the burnt shades in the sky, it made Caspian feel free and insignificant at the same time, standing in between the infinite greatness of both the sky and the sea. Susan turned to look at the King, careful not to disturb him. He seemed so at peace, eyes closed and facing the limitless view, calm seeping from his relaxed expression. One dark eye cracked open, the handsome King smiling at her.
"Tut, tut, Queen Susan, gaping at others is not something you should be doing, as understandable as it is, of course, I am not exactly hard on the eyes" Caspian scolded, his flippant smile doing poorly to complement his chastise.
"Not exactly humble, are we, King Caspian" Susan replied casually, poking his chest with a finger, sighing contently as Caspian pressed his lips to hers.
"So what were you thinking?" the Gentle Queen asked him after a moment, or several.
"Of everything and nothing at the same time. I thought of how pleasurable sailing would be. Maybe I should commend a vessel. Nothing too grand, just enough for us to travel around, spend some time surrounded only by water and sky, roasting under the sun" Caspian spoke, his voice wishful and full of excitement.
"I like that last part best of all; Aslan knows Ed needs a tan, even if he has a tendency of becoming a Lobster King" Susan joked, remembering the time when poor Edmund had a major sunburn on his back, arms and legs, and could barely walk without hissing in pain.
"I've heard that story a few times, it must be one of Peter's favourites. Ed of course has always avoided addressing the incident" Caspian chuckled.
"I bet both Peter and Ed will love the idea of a ship, you should tell them. They loved to set sail in the Splendour Hyaline" Susan told him, and he nodded, pushing the idea aside for when he met the Kings again later.
He then blinked at a sudden thought and looked around, eyes stopping on the railing, a smile of realisation stretching the corners of his lips.
"This is the place where you cut your hand last time we came" Caspian briefed, taking her palm in his and tracing the pale, barely visible scar. "That was also the first time I ever thought of kissing you, my love" he confessed.
"And why didn't you?" she asked.
"I ask myself that very question quite often, actually. Fear, hesitation, it is hard to tell" he told, drawing a long breath. "Would you have accepted the kiss?" he enquired.
"I will happily accept it now, on behalf my past self" Susan told, biting her lower lip.
"Then I shall kiss you many times, on behalf of my past self and the kisses he did not dare give you, and a few more for good measure" Caspian replied cheekily, wrapping his strong arms around her before claiming her lips.
On another wing of the palace, Tarin, Zephyr and the Archen Princes were walking around, chatting animatedly about the past held between the walls – or the lack there of – surrounding them.
"Even in shambles this place is beautiful. All my fantasies of the parties held here fall short to how truly breathtaking it all must have been" Tairin sighed dreamily, looking about, completely mesmerised by the details of the room they were in – a vast rounded room, still unfinished, a magnificent set of carvings lined on the largest wall, like a painting embedded on the white stone.
"King Lune's diary describes many of them as events full of music which could last for days without a break" Zephyr said, smiling at her and kissing the side of her neck, having hugged her from behind as they both leaned to take a closer look at one of the carvings.
"Yeah, yeah, we have all read the books and we have all spent hours daydreaming the grand celebrations at Cair Paravel. And this is exactly why, given that we are on the fabled palace itself, we should go explore deeper; I'd be content if I see the north and west wings, and most particularly the balcony overseeing the Eastern Ocean, before we call it a day" Scorpio said with a hint of annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Are you hinting that we are keeping you from it, little brother?" Gemini remarked, arching an eyebrow playfully at the blond Prince.
"To put it nicely, yes" answered Scorpio unfazed, presenting his best smile. "You stay here and admire to your hearts' content, I'm off to take a glance into the forest and further up in the building" he stated then, grinning excitedly.
"Then, by all means, go explore. I will make sure to send search parties to look for you for when you get lost, cause you will" Tairin told with her usual calm teasing, earning a scowl from her brother of heart.
"You mock my perfect sense of direct– woaaah!" Scorpio argued walking backwards, facing Tairin as he did. Yet, before he could finish his thought, he tripped onto a dragon sculpture and subsequently knocked against one of the many scaffoldings populating the room. Consequently, the whole structure shook violently, and the faun painter who had been – until then – minding his own business, was thrown out of balance and was now bracing himself against one of the wood supports, hanging a good seven feet above the ground. The bucket of pearly white paint he carried with him toppled over almost instantly, covering the young prince's left side. Gemini and Zephyr hurried to aid the dangling faun, who, despite his precarious situation, was ranting long apologies to Scorpio.
"You are a walking hazard" the Princess stated flatly, extending a hand for the Prince to stand up.
Once the poor faun was back on the floor, Scorpio apologised for the accident. The poor Narnian, however, appeared more alarmed by the state of the Prince's clothes.
"M'lord, your clothes… I should have been more careful" he told, distraught.
"Oh, that is an easy fix" Scorpio told, unbuttoning his coat and dropping it unceremoniously on top of the dragon sculpture, walking around just in his white cotton undershirt. "I was starting to get warm anyway" the blond added with a shrug.
At last, after reassuring the young faun that no harm was done, the young Archen Prince set off through the nearest door – or rather, door-shaped hole – leading outside into one of the main terraces overlooking the forest. With a jolt of excitement he moved forward, stopping only to wave at the workers on the top walls and on the scaffoldings.
"Please be careful when approaching the railing, m'lord, the stone is very old and unstable" one of the dwarves warned.
His kind warning however fell on deaf ears, as Scorpio had already leaned over the old railing to take a better look. Not content with his current position, the Prince stepped onto the banister, exhaling an excited breath as he gazed over the forest of green in front of him, nearly as high as many of the surrounding trees. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, extending his arms as if to embrace everything around him. Once he opened his eyes again, he allowed his sight to get lost on the dark green leaves and branches ahead. That is when she saw her, a fair beauty made of airy petals and leaves, floating, twirling, dancing, curtsying at him. The young Prince – who had proven time and again to be accident-prone, particularly when a lady was involved – was completely mesmerised and decided to walk the length of the banister and get closer to her. Scorpio grew confident after the first few steps, but alas, his luck did not last long. In his excitement, the Archen failed to notice a fissure on the stone, which wobbled and cracked as he stepped on it. In a matter of seconds, the large piece of railing detached itself from the rest, taking the Prince along in the fall. A loud gasp of horror echoed among the workers who, unable of any quicker reaction, yelled warnings at him uselessly. Those closest to the floor hurried to his aid, shouting for the others inside to help.
"What was that?" Gemini asked, taking a peek outside, having heard an echo of the commotion caused by Scorpio's accident.
"Your Highnesses, please come quickly. His Grace has fallen!" a young elf explained, signalling for them to follow him. Tairin Gemini and Zephyr bolted towards the terrace immediately.
"Scorpio! Talk to me!" Tairin screamed over the railing, having strode across the terrace. "My Lady, please be careful, the structure is not at all solid. Let us prevent another royal accident" a centaur told her kindly, holding her arm and preventing her from leaning over any further. Tairin spared him a look of gratitude and looked over the railing very carefully once more, holding Zeph's arm tightly. There, a few feet under them was a small patch of grass hosting a sprawled Scorpio.
"I'm good!" the Prince grunted. "Wait, no, I'm not" he hissed a second later, his efforts to move proving to be fruitless and painful.
Quickly and efficiently, Scorpio was brought back up, one side of his face stained with the blood pouring richly from his eyebrow. In spite of his wounds, the blond had a smile plastered on his face.
"What in the Mane happened here?!" the voice of Caspian reached them from inside the palace. The Faithful King joined them in the terrace an instant later, followed by Susan, both wearing concerned expressions.
"Scorpio fell" Gemini informed them briefly, both he and Zephyr hurrying to support the dazzled blond as he tried to stand.
"You must have seen my fall, it was spectacular! I tell you, I was suspended in mid air for a moment! I felt light, like the wind could carry me away, it was incredible!" Scorpio told proudly, blue eyes sparkling a bit dazedly.
"That is what I call a fall from grace" Caspian noted with his usual wit, earning a dark look from his sister, but was rewarded by an amused smile from Zeph and Gemini.
"I am tempted to put you in house – well, tent – arrest, my friend, at least you would return to your father in one piece" Caspian said, unable to contain a smile of relief.
"Not to worry, this is but a small setback. I shall be at my top shape by this eveni-ouch!" Scorpio spoke hissing in pain as he tried to walk. At least his usual jesting nature was intact, a fact that relieved them all.
"If you ever frighten me like this again, it will be me pushing you off a cliff!" Tairin chided, twisting Scorpio's ear.
"Evil sister, mistreating an injured man!" the Archen complained, trying to loosen her grip.
"Worry not, I shall let go of your ear soon enough, as soon as we get to the physician's quarters" Tairin replied sternly, pulling his ear to reinforce her point.
They could hear Scorpio babbling enthusiastically as the doctor, a faun, checked on him.
"I fear he could have head-damage" Tairin admitted, her worry the result of the deep love she felt for the wreak-breaking Archen.
"Head-damage, you say? He has permanent head-damage, born with it" Gemini snorted, earning several throaty laughs from Caspian and Zephyr.
Finally, after thoroughly examining the Archen Prince, the doctor helped Scorpio out.
"His Highness was lucky to have survived such a fall virtually unscathed; the wound on his eyebrow is healing well and other than a few bruises, he should recover fast, given that he rests" the physician told them, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"We will tie him to his hammock" Zephyr suggested with a smirk.
"That may not be a bad idea" Caspian noted. Scorpio shot them a scared look for a moment, unsure on whether they were joking; with those two it was hard to tell.
"Rest is boring! We are here to explore!" argued the Prince.
"Rest is important, my Lord, to make sure there is no risk of a concussion" the faun recommended, earning an unhappy wince from his troublemaking patient.
At the orchards, the young ones were running between the trees, playing a mix of tag and hide-and-seek and climbing the ancient apple trees to grab their fruit. Cora giggled loudly as she amused herself by catching the apples thrown by Taril and Ameril in her skirts, making a pile for each of the boys. Lucy caught Rainidan discretely watching over them from a distance as well as enjoying the views himself. Grabbing an apple from her pile, she walked over to him.
"Surveillance duty is never very interesting. I hope you are enjoying the place and that we are not tiring you" she told, handing him the shiny fruit.
The Archen knight appeared surprised for an instant and broke into a small smile, accepting the gift from the young Queen.
"It is my duty to guard and protect, Your Grace, and although there is no threat here, I have seen enough of the twins' mischief to know one can never be too careful. I shall retreat if you wish me to, My Queen" he replied politely, taking a bite of the juicy apple.
"Of course not, I only thought it unfair for you not to enjoy yourself while in here" Lucy replied, her cooper eyebrows pulled upwards at the thought of having offended him.
"You are very kind, ma'am, but I do not think it is possible not to enjoy oneself while in here; this is truly a beautiful place. Even the trees seem to be infused with magic and no matter where one one's eyes fall, there is always something to be admired" Rainidan noted, allowing himself a moment of candour. Lucy looked at him with a bright smile.
"I am afraid you have not seen anything yet, my dear Rainidan. Just you wait until Cair is completely rebuilt, with all its turrets and balconies, spreading far on the cliffs and glowing under the scorching sun. That is when its real magic can be felt. Even under the rain and snow, this stone appears to hold the warmth of summer. I know it will never return to what it was, but I am confident it will be even more magnificent, to be worth the effort of all those who have worked on it and all those who ever wished it to stand tall once more" Lucy commented, letting herself be taken by memories and by the romance of a new beginning.
"And when it does, will you be my guide, My Queen? I shall be anxious to see its best views and you seem to know them all" Rainidan asked, unable to resist being taken along Lucy's descriptions.
"It will be my pleasure" Lucy beamed.
"I wonder if they will also rebuild the secret passages; I remember reading about one, not really a passage, more like a bridge carved on the cliff and which oversaw a small cove. I saw a sketch and even after all these years its beauty has stuck in my memory" Rainidan noted. Listening as he described the place, Lucy froze, knowing exactly the place he was talking about.
"May I enquire where did you find this sketch?" she asked quietly.
Rainidan took a deep breath. He now remembered where he had read all this and understood why the young Queen had lost her smile so suddenly.
"I am sorry, Your Grace, I should have kept my thoughts to myself" he apologised.
"Not at all, Rainidan, it was me who asked" Lucy told, waving his apology away. "You read about the passage in Peridan's notes, right?" she asked, turning around to look at the orchards. Rainidan nodded and Lucy smiled.
"Peridan was the first person other than my siblings I showed that bridge to" the Queen told. "Ever since then, we met there whenever he visited Cair"
Rainidan felt guilty. It was a well known fact that the legendary Sir Peridan and Queen Lucy had been in love, and would have married had she not disappeared.
"Sir Peridan never forgot you, Your Grace, and he died with the strong conviction that you would return one day. It is said that upon his death, he was buried with his trusted sword on one hand, and on the other, right above his heart, a stack of letters to and from you; he had asked to take them to the grave, for those were words for his and your eyes only" Rainidan told, reaching over to hold Lucy's hand.
Lucy sniffed and chuckled, wiping the salty streaks from her cheeks, her ocean blue eyes still glossy with tears.
"That does sound like him" she told, sniffing once more. "Thank you, Rainidan. What you told me has made me quite happy; now I am sure Peridan knew I had not forgotten him and thought of him everyday. In my heart I wanted him to be happy, and I believe that our thoughts were transmitted to each other somehow" she added, smiling wetly, squeezing his hand back.
"Forgive me, My Queen, but I feel I have caused you more pain than happiness" Rainidan told with a frown. Lucy shook her head.
"Don't beat yourself up, please. This is an old scar of mine; sometimes it hurts, sometimes not that much, but lately it's mostly the latter. Aslan taught us that it is useless to think of what might have been, rather than what can still be. The fact that we did return means Peridan was right in his certainty and for his sake, I shall enjoy this new chance with every fibre of my being" Lucy spoke with calm determination.
Rainidan looked at her in silence as she gathered herself and the spark of childish excitement returned to her eyes. His eyes were staring at the young Queen Lucy, but for the past few moments, he had gotten a glimpse of the Valiant Queen of Old.
A loud shriek shook them both off their thoughts, and Rainidan sprung into action, running towards Cora and the twins, Lucy hot on his heels. Taril – Rainidan thought it to be Ameril, but was quickly corrected by Lucy – had placed an apple on top of his head and had dared his brother to kick it off. Having accepted the challenge, Ameril went in confidently until his booted foot collided against his brother's face. The collision had sent Taril to the floor, where he sat, quite disoriented, his nose bleeding profusely. Rainidan took the injured twin on his arms and carried him towards the infirmary, Cora and Ameril having ran to ask the workers for a doctor. There, a faun physician motioned them to the examination room, murmuring something about Taril being the second injured guest he had treated that day. Lucy and Rainidan exchanged a curious look. Second?
Having headed south, Edmund had volunteered to serve as a guide to Myrina, showing her the most famous corners of the palace as well as his favourite spots. Currently, he had taken her to a large rounded room on one of the turrets, two of its walls standing to a medium height, clearly still under reconstruction.
"There will be a dome here, we still haven't decided if it will be glass or marble, but definitely round" Edmund spoke, pointing to the open sky. "It used to be dark marble, and Lucy insisted on having the centaurs paint stars and planets on it. Sometimes in summer, fairies and light worms would float inside and it was as if the stars were not just painted any more" he explained.
Myr closed her eyes to imagine what he was just telling her, making a side note to praise him on his story telling; she had never heard him speak with such calm excitement, if such a thing was even possible.
"When you're done with your nap, I'd like to call your attention to this corner over here" he teased, a small smirk pulling on the corner of his lips.
"I was only picturing everything in my mind, not all of us have vivid memories, King Edmund" she scowled crossing her arms across her belly.
"Only a gentleman's question, please don't be offended" he replied, his teeth flashing an impish smile. "Anyway, you will love it here once it is finally completed. You must come for a long visit so you can explore without a hurry" he invited nonchalantly, looking at her sideways, curious of her reaction.
"What is this, Majesty, the nostalgia of your old home bringing a sudden loveliness to you? Mind you, we should station you here permanently" she mocked him.
Edmund smiled inevitably, very much enjoying the witty teasing of his friend, noticing the warmth in her eyes; she had loved and accepted his invite.
"That's where you're wrong, I am always lovely, it is you who fails to notice" he retorted flawlessly. "But, pray tell, what is this insistence on addressing me so formally? How would you like it if I started calling you 'Princess' or 'Your Highness'?" he asked, suddenly very cross.
"Only a lady's politeness, please don't be offended" she replied, echoing his early statement. Edmund's smile stretched at her clever poke.
"And, if you must, 'Lady Myrina' should do just fine" she added, biting a smirk.
"Well, aren't you a smart-ass, Lady Myrina" Edmund told, unable to keep a straight face at their banter. "And you are a Princess, aren't you? I mean, your father is the King's brother and thus a Prince" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, technically, I am a Duchess. Duchess of Algrave and Cormell, if you must know; in Archenland, the title of Princess is reserved to the King's daughters" she explained matter-of-factly.
"Duchess of Algrave and Cormell, sounds grand" Edmund noted.
"It was my uncle who gave it to me upon my birth; he said he wanted to gift me with the most beautiful flowers in Archenland, and both places are known for their flower fields, which can extend for miles" Myr continued her explanation.
"A sweet gesture from a doting uncle" Edmund told with a smile.
"Indeed, I get hundreds of flower arrangements every year on my birthday; there is a whole wing of the palace gardens which has been planted with all the flowers I've received through the years" the Archen Lady told with a chuckle.
"It would be tragic if you were to marry someone with an allergy" Ed commented, his smile turning into one of mockery. Myr tried to shoot him a stern glance, but her smile betrayed her.
"Not a chance, I shall lose my title upon marriage in order to adopt my husband's, if I were to marry a noble. If he is not, then he'd be made a Baronet, in which case I'd become a Baroness, so no more flowers for me" Myr noted.
"And you are ok with it?" Ed asked, surprise making its way into his tone.
"Well, it is a lot of flowers" Myr chuckled, her laughter faltering as she caught Ed's serious expression.
"I don't have to be ok with it, it is protocol" Myr replied. Ed shook his head, disapproval clear on his features.
"Well, there is a good reason for it, otherwise there would be a long line of men wanting to marry me just for my title" Myr explained.
"Alright, that does make some sense, but I still find it is extremely unfair to women. You should be able to keep your title without regard to your husband's position" Ed argued. Myr chuckled derisively.
"You forget, Edmund, that women in my position are raised to make good marriages that allow for strong political alliances, titles are just there to attract the right sort of suitor" she commented bitterly.
Edmund remained silent, watching as Myr walked towards a nearby window and took a peak outside. He had always disliked the idea of marriage as means of political advancement.
"Tairin and Zeph will marry out of love" he told, joining her and sitting on the edge of the window.
"Tai and Zeph are the exception" Myr replied. "My father has promised I will not marry against my will and only a man I find suitable, but I do not entertain dreams of mine being a love match; love is rarely an option in this business" she added with a sigh.
"Well, I think you deserve better than a loveless political marriage, for all it is worth" the King told with a small smile, which the Duchess returned.
"Now, back to our tour, this is why this room is my favourite place" Edmund said, pulling her closer to a crumbled flight of stairs, very narrow, leading upwards to a hole on the wall.
He started climbing, telling her about the many nights he came here in the late hours, only to enjoy the splendid view waiting for them on top of the stairs, Myrina close behind him. As they got closer, the hole revealed itself to be a window, a railing cutting through it, transforming it into a balcony but also preventing people to mistake it for a door and steping into thin air.
"Just be careful, the steps are a bit wobbly" Edmund warned, resuming his descriptions. He cut his speech brusquely, a foot on the very last step, when a rustle and a yelp reached his ears. He quickly turned around to find Myrina bracing herself, her whole body laying flat on the stairs. Jumping a few steps at a time, he rushed down, hesitating between concern and laughter.
"Weren't you listening when I told you to be careful?" he told, kneeling next to her.
He quickly scanned her for any bruise, and other than being covered in dust, she seemed fine, thank Aslan. Oh, wait...
"Let me take a look at that" he murmured, reaching over to her calf, where a long gash could be seen and blood had started to seep through her dress. She hissed loudly as he cleaned the wound with his handkerchief, the sound muffled by her hands as she covered her face. Despite the jolt of pain each stroke sent through her leg, she noticed Ed was taking extreme care in being gentle.
"I'm sure Susan packed some first-aid stuff, let's go back to the tents" he spoke, patting her knee. She nodded, face still determinately buried in her arms.
"Hey, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked, trying to pull one of her hands away from her face, unsuccessfully.
"Myr, let me take a look!" he insisted, grabbing her forearms and giving them a strong pull. Her face came into view again, uninjured, but disappeared almost as quickly behind the curtain of bright ginger tresses. With a small grunt of irritation he pulled her hair away with a soft gesture. She was biting her lower lip, wet streaks cutting across her cheeks. Her greyish blue eyes were brimmed with the tears she was stubbornly trying to hold back, her breath shaky as she exhaled.
Edmund was always one to react calmly to things, keeping his cool even under the most stressful and dramatic situations. Nevertheless, when it came to comforting someone, especially a crying someone, his calm evaporated. Such being the case, he did the only thing he could do: he panicked. His whole body frozen, he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Please don't cry" he pleaded, eyes wide in distress. He reached over to hug her cumbersomely, his arms stiff.
"There, there" he whispered, a disgusting croak of panic in his voice. He desperately tried to remember what Peter told Lucy every time she fell, cursing his memory's lack of cooperation.
"Did you close your eyes again? The eyes of your imagination sure didn't see that wobbly step, did they?" he breathed then, causing her to laugh and smack his chest.
"No, I tripped just when you were warning me" she sniffed.
"Alright, alright, but we better treat that wound soon" he added, relieved to have her smiling, even if wetly. He then ripped a strip out of the rim of his shirt and tied it around her leg, hoping to staunch the bleeding a little.
They walked slowly, Edmund half hoisting Myr on his side, supporting her as she hopped each step. Halfway through, however, he grew irritated at their pace. Letting go of her, he kneeled, looking at her over his shoulder.
"Come, we'll arrive faster if I carry you" he told. She threw him a hesitating look.
"Come on, up!" he insisted, and blushing, she rounded his neck with her arms, accepting his piggy-back ride.
Once in the girls' tent, he spotted the first-aid bag and quickly busied himself with cleaning the gash, surprising her with his skill and light touch. He caught her gaze a few times, a hint of a smirk pulling the corners of his lips as he did.
"We all fall, Myr" he told simply, guessing embarrassment was the cause of her blush, half correct in his assumption. She made a vaguely affirmative noise, looking aside, desperately trying to ignore his warm hand brushing against her calf.
"There" he said a minute later, tapping the bandage. "This will do until Lucy gives you some of her cordial, tomorrow you won't feel any pain at all" he added, standing back up.
"Thank you, I didn't know you were so good with bandages" she praised.
"Peter is not the only who has flipped through medical books" he told with his usual spark of harmless conceitedness.
"Out of need?" she enquired, a tease on the back of her voice.
"I've been injured lightly a few times, yes" he spoke honestly, parrying her tease.
Once he had put everything back on the first-aid box, he sat next to her.
"Well, since the wonderful and insightful tour I had prepared for you was cut short so brusquely, how about you make it up to me with a game of chess, or several?" he added after a moment, looking at her sideways.
"I shall settle for several, as I intend to win a few" she challenged, poking the King's ego, and he let her.
"We shall see, pumpkin, we shall see" he said, readying the board.
AN: Hands down, my favourite moment was Lucy and Rain's conversation. I wanted to add a bit more of Lucy's character in this chapter; I had the impression that I was confining her to her childish side and it is unfair to her. Also, Rain doesn't get that much 'screen' time, so yeah. XD
Also, I had great fun writing Nabeela and Lucy's little clash. Nabeela had it coming!
Remember, reviews only take a minute and they make me super happy, so please revieeew!
Until next time!
Cheers!