Hello, hello! I'm back with a new chapter! A little bit of adventure, but mostly loads of interesting conversations going on, I hope you don't find them too boring. As always, please read and review! Your comments make my day!
Enjoy!
Chapter 15: Whispers of the Past
Scorpio was put on a stretcher for his return to the tents, and was currently ferried around Cair by Zeph and Gemini, followed by Caspian, Susan and Tairin. The blond Prince had a sour expression on his face, causing Tairin to roll her eyes as she held his hand. The cause for the Prince's miff were his thwarted attempts to get off the stretcher, judging he was well enough to walk, and the Princess' insistence that he was not.
"I heard the armoury was transferred here" Zephyr said conversationally, hoping to lighten the mood. Scorpio's head jolted up in complete disregard to his migraine.
"Oh! Metalworks! I need to see that!" he exclaimed, wriggling about in the stretcher.
"No you won't" Gemini told him with a bossy tone.
"It would be very irresponsible of us to let you go, Scorpio" Caspian told him, his eyes serious despite his smile.
"Come on Caspian, you won't go as far as grounding me" Scorpio replied, contesting Caspian's gaze more out of amusement than actual challenge.
"I may if I have to" Caspian told, categorical in his refusal. "After all the stunts you performed today, letting you around weapons and burning coals would be attempted murder" the King said wickedly, eliciting laughs from the others.
"The Prince I knew had a more adventurous approach to fun" Scorpio glowered, huffing childishly.
"The King you know thinks there is a difference between adventurous and suicidal" Caspian retorted with a chuckle.
"We better take this wind-head back to the tents, lest he would be tempted to crack his head open elsewhere" Zephyr told, shaking his head at Scorpio's antics.
"I will check on the children" Tai said, winking mischievously at Susan and Caspian.
"Sometimes I am afraid of my sister's wicked thoughts" Caspian commented lightly as he stared at his retreating sister's back, a grin dancing in his chocolate gaze.
Nabeela paced around her tent, rubbing her temples. What was it with this blasted place?! She had managed to convince Peter to postpone their tour around that pile of rubble he affectionately called 'his true home', to stay in the tent with her, seeing as they were alone in their camp. She had indulged in listening to his stories about this place and had faked all her interest, asking questions, underlining his exceeding courage and saying all those things men liked to hear about themselves. It had worked to a certain extent, she had managed to get the King very confident, and from there it was quite simple to steer him down to temptation. The Magnificent King was but a man and, like all men, his confidence fed his pride, and his pride was powered by his ego. Manipulate his ego into thinking he is a hero, and he will accept the reward he believes he deserves. Whoever said men should be played by their insecurities had no clue on how much easier it was to play them through their ego.
She had arranged the perfect ambiance, the dimmed light of the tent, the luxurious silks she had insisted on bringing, and a touch of relaxing incense for good measure. That last detail was one of her favourite secrets; an exotic ingredient with a pleasant sweet smell that produced a sensation similar to the early stages of drunkenness. This effect, paired with the surge of confidence of her compliments, made the King act boldly, and Nabeela had been closer than ever to getting what she wanted. Items of clothing had been discarded, and she could feel his desire burning on his skin. Just when she thought she would succeed in her plan, he stopped, pushing by her and leaving abruptly, babbling some sort of apology.
She screamed in frustration. She had done everything right! It could only be the strange effect this place had on him, all those stupid memories! What kind of sorcery did this ridiculous piece of rock had on him! How dare him leave her like this! There were dozens of men who would kill for her attention, and she had chosen him, only to be rejected?! No, the Magnificent idiot did not have a clue who he was dealing with.
Nabeela tried to calm down. This was perhaps a good thing; she could use this rejection against him and maybe threaten him with a scandal. She would not give up; her efforts would now turn to convincing him to return to the castle sooner, all while still trying to break whatever resistance he had left.
Peter barely registered grabbing his shirt on the way out of Nabeela's tent. His heart pounded loudly on his ears, his skin burned and his sight was unfocused, blurry. Guided by instinct, he reached the river and walked straight into it, clothes be damned. He allowed the water to cover him completely. It was so pleasantly cold, and the temperature contrast between his body and the water brought some clarity to his mind. He opened his eyes, still underwater, and at last the blurriness was gone. His heart was still racing when he resurfaced, his breath still jagged. What had taken over him? He felt as if he had been put in a sort of trance, a trance of his own doing. Telling Nabeela all those stories, he had reminded himself of the man he once was. He had felt that raw basic need on the pit of his stomach, that burning desire; he wanted her. And she wanted him. But just as he thought of crossing that line, Nabeela had tugged the lion shaped medallion he carried around his neck, and something prevented him from giving in to temptation, something felt wrong.
But was it? He had not forced her into it, on the contrary, this whole situation had been her own doing, and it was not like he had never bedded an unmarried woman before, sometimes without much of an acquaintance. And yet he felt decency scream inside his chest. Nabeela was a Princess, a guest left in his care by her father, a man who was both a friend and an ally. And he cared for her more than he ever cared for any if his old affairs.
Peter groaned and sunk underwater once again, the water muffling his frustrated scream. His fingertips still tingled with the feeling of her silky skin, and whenever he closed his eyes he could see the contours of her body. The few pieces of cloth he had not removed had left very little to the imagination. He resurfaced once more and decided to do a few laps across the river; he needed to occupy his mind and let the cold water rid him of that burning sensation once more. He had been able to stop himself this time, but he was not sure he would have much self-restraint left next time.
After a few laps, he swam back to the riverbank, where he sat, allowing the current to wash his feet. The golden lion medallion caught his eye once more and he took it between his fingers. It had been a gift from Lucy in the Golden Age, when he was about to set off to quell the Ettinsmoor Giants' rebellion. She had given it to him as a reminder that Aslan was always with them, guiding them. She had been right then, and she was right now. Perhaps this was his heart telling him to wait, because this was a woman worthy of his love, not just of his desire. Maybe this was another lesson from the King of Beasts to teach him true love from mere attraction, and to make him realise his current situation laid halfway between both.
Content with that conclusion and no longer feeling feverish, he got out of the water and grabbed his shirt from the ground. He dried his face with the garment and patted some of the excess water from his trousers, but he was still too drenched to make his way back to the camp without making a mess. It was still early, and throwing his shirt over his shoulder, the King decided to take a walk around his old home and hopefully dry up before meeting the others.
Back in the tents, Ed and Myr had engaged in a game of draughts, many of the black and red pieces tossed at each other in playful indignation.
"You seem lighter" Myr commented airily, clear gaze attentive to her friend's reaction. Edmund shot her an enquiring look, his dark orbs fixed on her for a moment before returning to the board under his hand.
"I mean that your spirit seems lighter, you smile often" she explained.
"You think so?" he commented nonchalantly, making a move and taking three of her pieces. "I guess I feel at home" he breathed, fiddling with the bright red chips.
"The landscapes are certainly awe-inspiring" she told kindly.
"You haven't seen anything yet" Edmund told with a wink.
"I can only imagine how amazing the parties must have been" Myr sighed dreamily. "Peter and I used to get so drunk, I once had to half carry him to his room, but accidentally ran him into a pillar, and we both toppled over, laughing like maniacs" Edmund told with a sudden thrill, causing her to laugh.
"Accidentally?" Myr asked, squinting her clear eyes at him suspiciously.
"Purely" he added honestly, the permanent spark of foxiness in his expression not quite allowing his words to be entirely convincing.
"I remember I used to sneak to the Throne Room sometimes at night, just to lay down in the dark, looking at the uncountable stars in the clear sky" he said in a deeper tone.
"Speaking like that, one might mistake you for a romantic" she teased, bringing him back from his memories with a scowl.
"I believe the word you are looking for is 'nostalgic'" he argued and Myrina laughed.
"I'm quite sure I meant romantic" she told.
"You take pleasure in insulting me, woman" he replied with a smirk.
A moment later, Edmund yawned, putting the board away in its box. They had played several games and the final score stood three to five to his advantage.
"Tired much?" Myr teased.
"Well, you were not much of a challenge, if I am to be honest, but what can I say, I am a great strategist" he replied with a smirk.
"The way you lost our last game was shameful, but sure, great strategist" Myr argued.
"And yet, the score reflects my mastery, so it was a worthy sacrifice" he dismissed and Myrina rolled her eyes.
"Alright then, what do we do now? I don't think I can stand any more of your competitiveness, so games are not an option" the Archen commented.
"I was about to suggest we went for a walk, but your wound could reopen and I'm not willing to risk it' he told. "Speaking of which, let me check if your bandage needs to be changed" he added, patting her knee softly.
"If you want you can go on that walk, I don't mind staying here on my own" Myr told as he busied himself replacing the bandage.
"Nah, it's fine. I brought a couple of letters with me, so I think I'll be doing that while I keep you company" he told.
"A letter to Casarah?" Myr asked, trying her best to make it sound like a tease.
"That is none of your business" he replied, tapping her nose with a bandage roll.
"Do you still miss her?" Myrina she asked quietly. Edmund exhaled loudly.
"I try not to think about it, life goes on, does it not?" he replied with the smallest hint of sadness, and she caught her clue to change of subject.
"Right. Then tell me, how is this world you and your siblings come from? Spare Oom" she asked curiously, catching Edmund by surprise. Tensing subconsciously, he dropped his eyes to the ring he had snatched from her finger earlier and now twiddled with in his hand.
"Oh, just forget I asked anything, I shouldn't have. I'll go get some tea" Myr told guiltily, waving her hands in front of her.
"No, please, stay. I will tell you, just not today" he explained seriously, grabbing her hand and slipping the ring into her open palm, his hand remaining on top of hers, a fact she ignored with fierce determination.
"And where did you get that name from? It must have been one of Tumnus' chronicles, surely" he told with a bright smile, remembering the hilarious misunderstanding between his sister and the faun. Myr flushed bright red.
"Spare Oom, happens to be a spare room in which there was a wardrobe or Ward Obe, if you wish. All this was at a country house we once stayed in" he explained, engaging into a long tale on how they had tried to explain to Tumnus about his mistake and how he was stubborn enough not to believe them.
"Myr, what do you know about Ejdelhaegen?" the King asked a moment later, taking Myr by surprise with his question.
"Not much, I am afraid, but then again, it is a fairly small and recent country" she admitted. "Most of what I know is hearsay, but it seems that their lack of diplomatic connections is due to them focusing on creating a solid structure for their small kingdom; until fairly recently they had been a union of small clans, so I suppose there was much to see to before they could bother worrying about foreign relations" she explained.
"What about their economy, population, geography?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, it is a mountainous region north of Tarnova, across the Sabrian Sea. I don't know about agriculture, but again, I don't think people are as excited about farm animals as they are of precious stones and minerals, which Ejdelhaegen is said to be made of. Still, the sources are not that many nor that reliable, mainly travellers who occasionally had to detour through there from and to Tarnova" Myr replied, making an effort to remember any more details.
"All those riches and none of those travellers met an army?" Ed inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"Good point, but if the mountains are anything like the ones in Tarnova, then they don't need much of an army; the cliffs and peaks are pretty much a natural fortress" Myr explained.
"Right, mountainous ground and strong mineral activity. So, where do they get their produce? I mean, the land surrounding mines and precious stone deposits is usually quite tough and not easy to farm, and if they indeed have as vast a reserve of diamonds and else, that means not much grows there other than some types of tuber, some herbs, bushes and perhaps a few fruit trees" Ed mused, completely enthralled by the subject.
"Well, with all that wealth, surely imports are not hard to come by. Maybe this is what they want to discuss with the Narnian representatives" Myrina pointed out.
"Maybe, but why us? Surely Tarnova and the other surrounding nations would jump on the opportunity" Ed enquired.
"To my knowledge, Tarnova already does. Perhaps you should ask the Tarnovan ambassador when we return to the castle, or even send a letter to King Trojka" the Duchess replied.
"I think I'll write those letters first, and one to your uncle too; I have a feeling Narnia was not the only country the Kaiser wrote to" Ed told, grabbing a piece of parchment and some ink.
Myrina opened her book and gave the King some space, the scratching of Edmund's quill on parchment filling the otherwise silent tent. A few pages later, she looked up to find Edmund rereading something he had just written, a frown of concentration on his face. There was a flagrant excitement in his eyes as they darted through the page, his thirst for more information quite evident. Ever since they had received the letter from the Kaiser, she had noticed he was particularly interested in the western kingdom, and she had dared think the King was craving some adventure of his own; what better then than a nation virtually unknown, whose riches seemed to take precedence over any other kind of information. She smiled and returned to her book.
"You are smiling" came Ed's comment.
"I am, always so observant, My King" she bantered.
"I'd complain on how you always seem to turn my comments into banter, if I myself didn't do the same" he replied with a smirk.
"What, is this some sort of acknowledgement?" she replied.
"Whatever gives you pleasure, pumpkin" Ed noted, blowing on the letter for the ink to dry faster.
"If I didn't know you better I'd say you are quite captivated by Ejdelhaegen" Myrina commented after a small pause.
"I am merely curious to learn more about a potential commercial and diplomatic partner" he replied nonchalantly.
"You will have to lie better than that to fool me, Edmund"
Edmund put the letter down and threw a challenging look at the Archen Duchess. Myrina closed her book and moved to sit across him.
"Look at me in the eye and tell me the idea of a whole country sitting on mountains of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and more is not exciting to you" she said, her grey blue eyes piercing into his. Edmund took a moment before answering.
"Of course it is, and that is exactly why we have to come up with a clever proposition for commercial treaties" he told.
"Alright, and how about you negotiated those treaties, in person?" she parried. Edmund stared at her for a moment and put his quill down.
"What are you saying, woman?" he finally spoke, running his fingers through his hair.
"Simple: I can see it in your eyes that you want to go there, see everything with your own eyes. And who better than you, skilled a diplomat as you are, to negotiate this deal? Also, the Kaiser would take it as a great gesture that a King of Narnia visited him in person" she argued. Edmund took a moment to ponder on her words and then chuckled.
"I pity the man who will marry you" he said.
"Why this now?" she asked, not quite understanding.
"Because there is no way the poor bloke will ever win an argument against you" the King replied with a lopsided smirk.
Myrina's breath got caught in her throat at the King's compliment and she could feel her cheeks burning.
"I shall talk to the others about your idea on their return" Edmund told, returning to his letters, which he folded and sealed. "I'll pop to the construction site real quick, see if I can get these sent still today" he then said, waving loosely before disappearing though the tent flap an instant later.
Myrina exhaled loudly and fanned her face. She then smiled, his words echoing in her head; with luck, she would marry someone who would enjoy arguing with her.
Tairin's search for the children had been fruitless, given her limited knowledge of the palace of Old. Luckily, before she had time to grow restless, she had met with Tavros who informed her that Rainidan had taken to watch over the four youngsters. Feeling relieved, she decided to do some exploring of her own; with luck, she would cross paths with Rainidan and the kids and they would return to the camp together.
Choosing to stay outside, she took a series of turns around the construction, moving away from the active sites, the noises of the reconstruction growing quieter. Her steps were padded by the bright green grass and she sighed contently, thinking of all the people who had walked through the very same path and allowing herself to be lost in her own imagination of how life had been like 1300 years before.
She stood there for a moment, simply feeling the magic and enjoying the astonishing view of the Eastern Ocean, until a rustle caught her attention. Curious by nature, she followed the sound, peeking behind an overgrown vine which had taken complete possession of the façade of the decrepit building. The source of the noise turned out to be Peter, dressed very plainly, the ties of his shirt undone and hair still slightly damp. The King looked visibly relaxed, whistling to some tune unknown to her, coming to a halt in front of a crumbled wall. Tairin first impulse was to turn on her heel; she did not want to engage into another exchange of un-pleasantries with the man. However, her resolution crumbled when Peter pushed a large stone to reveal a narrow door and her curiosity sparked vividly. Could it be…? The secret Treasure Room in Cair Paravel had been the inspiration of many stories and legends, but no one had ever found a hint to its existence; many greedy Telmarines and Telmarine Kings had unsuccessfully tried to find it, their failures only feeding the myth.
"If you want to come, you better do before I seal the entrance again" Peter spoke loudly, spooking Tairin, who gasped.
Conflicted between irritation and curiosity, the Princess revealed herself, finding Peter busy in the process of lighting a torch.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked, unable to keep her tone from sounding cross.
"Call it battle-trained instincts; I would not be a good warrior if I didn't notice someone spying on me" he replied, smiling to himself as he lit the torch.
"Believe me, I would not have bothered to investigate had I known it was you" Tairin argued.
Peter shook his head but said nothing, walking over to the decaying door and pushing it open. Tairin's temper flared but she chose to remain silent, her curiosity winning against a witty reply burning in her tongue.
"We need to get in fast before anyone sees us; very few people know of the existence of this chamber and I'd prefer it remained that way" he said seriously, gesturing for her to go in before him. Nodding, she walked in and he handed her the torch, sealing the entrance behind them.
"Normally I'd say ladies first, but the last time we discovered a few broken steps and I'd rather not have your fiancé pointing his sword at me because you got hurt" he told, grabbing the torch from her hand.
"Well, as long as you hold that torch high enough, I think I can see exactly where to put my foot, thank you" she retorted, pushing past him and holding her skirts, testing the steps as she descended. Peter rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly, following her.
Tairin's irritation at the King was short-lived, vanishing as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Incredible" Tairin exhaled, leaning over the stone railing separating both flights of stairs leading down. Under their feet, sparks of gold glimmered as the flickers of the torch reflected on the surfaces of the treasures kept there, hidden in this room for 1300 years. Caught in her excitement, she rushed down the stairs.
"Tairin, no!" Peter yelled after her.
Cursing under his breath, Peter placed the torch on a holder and went after her; the flight of stairs she had chosen had been particularly damaged both by the Telmarine invasion and by the passing of time. The echo of cracking stone reverberated in the vaulted chamber soon after he had taken a few steps.
"Tairin, don't move!" Peter exclaimed, pressing his back to the wall and stepping very carefully on the following steps. However, the weight of his body was too much for the fragile old stone, and the steps begun to crumble, forcing the King to hurry. He had barely had time to think when the step Tairin was standing began to crack.
"Stay still!" he warned. The flight of stairs had started crumbling behind him; he had no choice but to jump. Peter landed safely beside Tairin and grabbed her by the waist, using the impulse of his jump to bring them both to the small landing at the base of the stairs. Had he taken a few seconds longer, the step would have disappeared from under their feet. Tairin's breath hitched in her throat as she stared wide-eyed as the whole flight of stairs crumbled with a roar, looking over Peter's shoulder at the empty space left behind them. A thick cloud of dust rose with the weight of the fallen rubble and Peter pushed her face against his chest, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and looked around.
"Are you alright?" he asked in a hoarse voice, his breathing laboured. Tairin nodded, her breath equally jagged. It was then when she noticed she currently stood with her back pressed to the wall, his heaving chest pressed against hers as his body shielded her from the debris of the stairs. She could feel his breath against the side of her face, his arm still coiled around her waist.
"Well, if that wasn't a grand entrance..." he whispered. He felt his chuckle reverberate on his chest.
Tairin smiled, the wave of shock starting to ebb away and she laughed, unable to feel any irritation at the King due to the immense relief she felt that they were both unscathed, Peter's rich laugh joining in an instant later. He then became aware of their closeness and stepped back, clearing his throat.
"Anyway, welcome to the Treasury Room" he told awkwardly.
Four steps had previously connected the landing to the ground, but those too had fallen to pieces. Stepping over the now isolated landing, Peter landed with ease and turned towards Tairin, extending his arms to help her down. Tairin opened her mouth to argue, being perfectly capable of jumping such a short distance, but decided against it. He was covered in a thin layer of dust, his shirt no longer white. He had saved her from what could have been a deadly fall and nearly got buried in the rubble himself; her pride had landed them in this mess, it was only fair that she put it aside now and allow him this act of gallantry.
"Thank you" she whispered once he had put her down and he nodded.
He then went to retrieve the torch, lighting the ones on the walls before walking to a large shelf on one of the corners of the room and she understood this as an indication for her to occupy herself as she pleased.
A few moments later, her hands were covered with a thick coat of dust from all the objects he had held or traced with her fingers. She could not believe everything she had seen and she had not been able to hold back a giggle as she had dipped her hand into a bag full of sapphires. But better than the jewels were all the engravings, the drawings, the books, images of Aslan painted in gold, sculpted in medallions and marble pieces, long tapestries telling of the battles fought by the Kings and Queens, of their coronation here at Cair Paravel. Everything had been sorted and organised more or less, and she recognised this as Susan's doing, although a more meticulous organisation was needed, one she would be happy to help with.
Patting her hands clean on her dress, she shot a discrete look at Peter, who was leaning over a map he had unrolled atop a huge wooden chest. The Princess did a double take, this time turning fully around. She had been so engrossed flipping through the pages of books she had not noticed the four marble statues at the back of the chamber, bathed in the few beams of daylight that seeped through the ceiling. She walked over the closest chest to her – Lucy's – and traced the beautiful carvings with her fingers. She looked up at the marble figure and found the Valiant Queen's kind smile. It was Lucy, there was no doubt of that, but at the same time, it was not; there was a spark of childishness but also an air of wisdom in her grown up features. Tairin smiled; if the statue was anything to go by, Lucy would bloom into a beautiful young woman.
Edmund's made her giggle, and she made a mental note to tease him about the convenient lack of freckles in his statue. The Just King of Old had a small smile, the hint of impishness present even in his stone expression. Tairin had some trouble imagining Edmund as the young man posing for this sculpture; his hair was longer, and his lean figure allowed a peek of a well muscled body, but it was not the slightly lanky teenager who had become her brother's closest friend.
Susan's was anything but a beautiful woman, but this Tairin needed not be told, having read it described most eloquently in every book she had read about the Narnian royals. Susan's sculpture was the one she thought looked most like the Queen she knew and loved like a sister. The sculptor had managed to capture the aura of gentleness of the aptly titled Gentle Queen, but also her fierceness and determination. Tairin felt silly; this was only a statue, but her friend's personality seemed to irradiate from it.
And finally there was Peter's, staring solemnly at her, kindly and guarding, almost like a shepherd. The statue stood tall, imposing, watching her with a stone look of wisdom, courage and strength, a small smile tugging at his lips of marble. His hair was longer, she noticed, and his shoulders were broader, though not much more. This Magnificent King was not much older than the one currently poring over a map at his feet, but it was almost as looking into another person, someone quite familiar but not immediately recognisable. A voice in her head wondered what the older King would think of his younger self now, of Nabeela. With a quiet chuckle, Tairin thought King Peter the Magnificent, High King of Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands, Lord of Cair Paravel, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion would most likely look in horror at younger Peter's foolishness.
Tairin ventured a glance at the King. She had seen another side of him today, more carefree, more relaxed. She had half expected him to berate her for nearly getting them buried under the crumbling stairs. Instead, his reflex was one of chivalry, first by running after her and shielding her with his own body, then helping her to the ground. Tairin looked at his statue again. It was the sort of behaviour she would have expected from the older King; perhaps Cair Paravel had worked its magic on him.
"By all means, keep staring at my statue. Although I am not sure your fiancé will like the idea of you fawning over a sculpture" Peter teased, a satisfied smirk on his lips. Tairin scowled at him. The statue had managed to imitate his handsome appearance, but thankfully not his conceitedness.
"By the Tail, what on earth happened here?!" someone exclaimed above them.
The King and Princess turned to look at Edmund, who leaned over the balustrade to look at the missing flight of stairs.
"Oh, that. Well, let's say we had a bit of a shaky arrival" Peter explained.
"Are you hurt?" Edmund asked. Peter and Tairin shook their heads.
"Right, now I understand why the workers said they had heard a rumble, but we all thought it was a new load of stone being unloaded" Ed told, joining them through the remaining block of stairs.
"Well, I should return to the camp, check on Scorpio and see if Rainidan and the children are there already" Tairin told, dusting her hands. Edmund and Peter looked surprised.
"It is a bit of a long story, I'm sure Scorpio would rather tell you himself" the Princess explained, catching their enquiring looks.
"Right, well, if you find Lucy, tell her to bring some of her cordial to Myr" Edmund asked. "It's nothing serious" he added before Tairin could ask.
"Fine, but I better not hear of anyone else getting hurt, there had been too many accidents for just one day" she huffed.
Her gaze lingered a little longer on Peter as she waved them goodbye, and Peter followed her with his gaze until she disappeared at the top of the stairs. Edmund observed the whole exchange, arching an eyebrow; this was definitely some weird behaviour from two people who never spent too long without tossing insults at one another.
"How long were you two here?" Ed asked.
"I don't know. About two hours, I reckon" Peter replied, taking another roll of parchment from the shelf.
"You know, brother, in other times I would have thought something happened between you and Tairin" Ed teased. However, the Just King's smirk soon faltered; Peter had shot him an icy glare.
"I am not in the mood for your malicious comments, Ed" Peter replied coldly.
"Relax, Pete, I was only joking; it is clear to anyone who knows you that you and Tai hate each other's guts with a passion" Edmund told, slightly taken aback by the strength of his brother's reaction.
"Hate is a bit too strong a word" Peter replied. "I'd say strong mutual dislike and utter lack of interest in each other's doings" he added. Edmund arched an eyebrow, not quite convinced about the last bit, but said nothing.
"Fine, whatever. Anyway, I was actually looking for you" he told. Peter made a vague noise for him to carry on.
"I have sent a letter to King Gaetan and to the Tarnovan ambassador asking them for more information on Ejdelhaegen" Ed explained.
"Well, since we know nothing about it, I guess anything they can tell us may help us draft our commercial strategy" Peter commented. "But why the hurry? It could have waited till we were back at the castle" he asked.
"Actually, no" Ed replied, and Peter looked at him curiously. "You see, I have an idea regarding who should be sent to Ejdelhaegen" he told.
"Great, who?" Peter asked.
"Me"
Peter looked at his brother in surprise, and the Treasure Room fell silent for a moment.
"Whenever you're ready, Pete" Edmund told, looking at Peter expectantly.
"I think that as a King you have a great responsibility and duties here in Narnia" Peter told gravely.
"That would be more worrying if I was the only king. If you are concerned about paperwork, I am sure Tairin and the Professor would gladly take care of my share while I'm absent, and foreign relations are part of my duty; I doing this for Narnia" Edmund argued passionately, much to Peter's surprise.
"You did not let me finish" Peter explained calmly, seeing as Edmund had opened his mouth to speak again. "As I was saying: you are a King of Narnia and although there is still a great deal of issues to solve here, I believe there is no one more suited to take care of this matter than you; other than Caspian I don't know anyone with as much talent for diplomacy and trade than you, brother" Peter told genuinely, patting Edmund's shoulder.
Edmund's expression relaxed visibly. He had feared Peter would be against the idea, but had been taken aback by his heartfelt compliment.
"Thank you, Pete. It means a lot" he told.
"I may not say it often, but I am very proud of you, Ed" Peter noted. "I made mistakes the last time, and one of them was not giving you the recognition you deserve; you are every inch of a King of Narnia as Caspian and I" he added. Edmund looked into his brother's deep blue eyes and frowned.
"Thank you, but why this now?" he asked, hinting there was more to the Magnificent King's words than simple brotherly affection. Peter exhaled loudly and ran a hand through his hair.
"I.. it is silly but when I look at my statue, I do not see myself in the man standing before me, the man I once was" he breathed.
"If it is of any comfort, I don't either" Edmund told, taking a good look at his own statue. "I think it is perfectly normal" he added a moment later. Peter shot him a puzzled look.
"We will never be the men we were again, I think that is the whole purpose of us coming back; if it was for us to pick up where we left, why bring us back 1300 years later? This is a new life, Pete, with new mistakes to regret, new lessons to be learnt and new memories to be made" Ed argued.
Peter pondered on the subject for a moment, during which the two brothers remained silent.
"I just… sometimes I think that I am not making him justice" Peter admitted, making a vague gesture at the statue with his head.
"It is hard enough to live up to the expectations as it is, we should not make it worse by imposing it on ourselves" Ed replied. Peter took a deep breath and nodded.
"So, have you spoken to Caspian yet? I would have thought you'd rather hear his opinion on your trip to Ejdelhaegen" he told, suddenly remembering why Ed had come talk to him.
"And I will, but I wanted to ask you first" Edmund replied, tracing the carvings of his wooden chest with his fingertips. "I mean, you are my brother and you knew me back then; you, better than anyone, know I wanted to travel the world, I still do" he told, looking up at the statue of his older self.
"Let us discuss this with the others after dinner. I am pretty certain they will all agree to your idea" Peter suggested and Ed nodded. "Well, I found everything I needed, should we get going? I think I need another bath" he added, dusting off his hands on his trousers and grabbing a few rolls of parchment.
"Another?" Ed enquired.
"You don't want to know" Peter replied, marching towards the stairs. Edmund grimaced; that could only mean Nabeela was involved.
Caspian and Susan took a detour through the forest on their way back to the tents. Susan was telling Caspian how the four of them had arrived in Narnia and had crossed the snow-covered forest wearing the not-technically-stolen coats that were much too big for any of them. She made a pause in her description of Mr and Mrs Beaver's home when she noticed the absence of steps and rustles other than her own.
"Caspian?" she called, her voice and concern echoing through the trees.
"I'm here, I'm here, sorry my love" Caspian called back, jogging back to her with a dashing smile. "I thought you'd like this" he explained, producing a flower wreath he was hiding behind his back and gently placing it atop her hair, arms dropping to rest on her waist.
"There, you look like a fairy of the woods, the most beautiful of them all" he added. His gaze met hers and a warm shiver grew in the pit of her stomach. The emotion contained in his dark orbs made a breath tremble in her lips, catching her in subtle surprise. Tenderly, he claimed her lips in a sweet yet ardent kiss. And returning to the camp, or any other thought in fact, was soon forgotten from their minds.
"We should go back, before it gets dark and we no longer find the way" she whispered, slightly out of breath after the passionate kiss.
"One more kiss and I shall follow you to the end of the world, My Queen" he proclaimed and she laughed, happily indulging in his request.
"Oh, I am so sorry" Lucy exclaimed, having run into them mid-smooch.
The King and Queen pulled away and grinned bashfully at the young Queen, the dim light of the late afternoon not covering the redness in their faces.
"Oh, hi Lu. Sorry, we didn't hear you coming" Susan told.
"Lu, are you alright?" Caspian asked, noticing the Valiant Queen looked upset.
After the usual round of questions on Lucy's physical well-being, Caspian and Susan grew worried as Lucy seemed to be growing increasingly sadder.
"Lucy, it's alright if you don't want to tell us" Caspian told her kindly, crouching in front of her.
"Is not that I don't want to tell you, is just that- that- that woman is infuriating!" the little Queen told, surprising Caspian with her outburst.
"What woman?" Caspian asked.
"Nabeela" Susan and Lucy replied in unison.
"When we returned to the tents, she was in a foul mood, and pretty much demanded we told her of Peter's whereabouts" Lucy explained. "She was fuming when I told her I had not seen Peter all afternoon. I know I should not have to, but I told her she should have gone looking for Peter herself" she added, looking guiltily at Susan. The Gentle Queen sighed and squeezed her sister's hands.
"You should have seen the way she ordered Rainidan to go after Peter; I got so angry and blurted it out without thinking!" the little Queen argued.
Caspian was torn between frowning and smiling at her cute fury, but decided the latter would only get his little sister in an even worse mood.
"Perhaps the title of Just should have gone to you, little Lucy" he told, accomplishing a smile from the girl.
"If only I were a grown up again. I mean, I am 1300 years older than her, she seems to be forgetting that" Lucy replied, her cheerful self resurfacing a little.
"I bet she is jealous, Lucy, you don't look 1300 at all, not even fifteen if you ask me" Caspian joked again, narrowing his eyes pretending to examine her face for any traces of old age.
"That is because I'm only twelve, Caspian" the young Queen told, giggling loudly. "Alright then, Queen Lucy, let's forget about this bad episode and enjoy our stay, shall we?" he suggested with a smile, to which she nodded and hugged him.
"Should I leave you two alone?" Susan joked. Caspian and Lucy looked at each other in shared complicity and soon seized the older Queen's hands, pulling her into their embrace, Caspian and Susan squeezing Lucy in between them.
"Well, isn't this cute" came Peter's voice behind them.
"Is this some family reunion we were not invited to?" Edmund teased.
"Come now, Justine, if you want a hug you only need to ask" Caspian replied, opening his arms and walking towards Edmund. Lucy giggled and imitated Caspian, Susan and Peter soon joining in as well.
"Stop it!" Edmund cried as they ambushed him and squeezed him in a group hug. He could have ran, after all they were in the middle of the forest and he was a fast runner, but he had decided to humour them.
"Anyway, what were the three of you doing out here?" Peter asked once they had tortured Edmund enough. Lucy and Susan shared a look, a gesture which caught Edmund's interest.
"I was not feeling very well and ran into Caspian and Su" Lucy told. Edmund shot a look at Caspian, who replied with a pointed look of his own.
"Oh? Are you ill? Was it something you ate?" Peter asked, immediately concerned.
"No, no, I am fine. I was just a little sad, thinking of all our friends who are no longer with us, you know, all the memories" Lucy told. It was not really a lie; she still felt a little sad after her conversation with Rainidan earlier. Caspian and Susan were visibly relieved at the little Queen's explanation.
"I feel sad too when I think about it, you know? But then I think that Tumnus, Mr and Mrs Beaver, they would have all wanted us to be happy and remember them with joy. We owe it to them to enjoy our time here" Peter told, embracing his little sister and sent a meaningful look at Edmund.
"I'm sorry to break this tender moment, but it is getting dark and I'd rather not sleep in the forest, again" Edmund told. He was right, the sun had nearly extinguished behind the ocean, and the stars were starting to shine bright in the darkening sky.
The three Kings resumed their banter as they walked, their laughs echoing in the forest. Lucy pulled Susan back and allowed a small distance between them and the boys.
"I was not going to tell Peter the truth, obviously" the little Queen whispered.
"I know, Lu, I was just worried Peter would see through your story; he always knows when you're hiding something" Susan replied.
"Well, what I said was not a lie; I am sad about our friends" Lucy argued.
"Oh, Lu, I am sorry, I didn't mean to say I didn't believe you were" Susan apologised.
"Rainidan asked me about the bridge on the cliff" Lucy breathed, her dark blue gaze searching her sister's. Susan's eyebrows shot up for a second before a sorry expression took over her face.
"Oh, Lu!" she whispered, squeezing Lucy's hand.
"He told me about how he asked to be buried with my letters so no one else would read them" Lucy added, talking about Peridan's final wish.
Susan brought her closer in a lose embrace and rubbed her arm soothingly.
"Somehow that truly does sound like Peridan, he always was so protective of you" Susan told with a smile.
"It must have been physically painful to him when Corin had that absurd idea of flirting with me" Lucy told, the Queens laughing at the memory.
"So that's why you were in the forest?" she asked. Lucy nodded.
"I didn't want the others to ask questions" she told.
"I am sure Peridan wanted you to be happy, Lu" Susan whispered, kissing the top of Lucy's head. "Maybe even that you find another love" the Gentle Queen added casually. Lucy laughed and shot a look at her sister.
"Oh, I will, at the right time. Contrary to dear Eddie, I developed an interest in boys quite early, remember?" the little Queen told with a smirk.
"Much to Peter's disappointment" Susan laughed.
The girls walked in silence for a moment, just listening to the boys' banter.
"I am fine, Su, I promise" Lucy murmured, lacing her arm with Susan's. "The love I felt for Peridan still beats in my heart, but it will not prevent me from a new romance; if anything, it is waiting for that one person who will make my heart beat as wildly, and I intend to go looking for that person" she added confidently. Susan smiled.
"I'm glad, Lu. You know, sometimes I think you are the strongest of us all" the older Queen noted.
"Come on, ladies, don't lag behind, I don't want you getting lost" Peter called, beckoning them with a wave.
"He still thinks we are incapable of keeping a map in our heads, doesn't he?" Lucy whispered and the two Pevensie sisters giggled as they passed their clueless older brother.
They reached the camp a few minutes later, where Gemini and Zephyr were working on lighting a fire. Tai and Myr could be heard inside one of the tents, talking to the children.
"There you are at last, we thought we'd have dinner without you" Gemini told with a grin.
"Justine here would never skip a meal" Caspian bantered.
"Especially if there is chocolate cake for desert" Peter added with a snicker.
"I'm right here, you morons, stop slandering me and my title!" Edmund protested.
"How about no" Caspian retorted with a laugh, he Just King replying with a small profanity for which he was penalised by a sharp nudge in the shin from Myr.
"Come here you, let's get your bandage sorted and some of Lucy's cordial" he told with a frown, putting one of Myrina's arms around his neck and letting her put her weight on him.
Caspian and Susan then set off to help Rainidan with the food, the smell of stew soon drifting around the camp.
"I'll check on Scorpio, maybe he'll be well enough to join us for dinner" Tairin told, walking towards one of the tents. She took a peek inside, opening the flaps wide the next instant.
"Guys? Scorpio is not here" she called a moment later.
"What?" came several voices in unison.
However, before they had time to fret, there was a rustle nearby, the youngest Prince of Archenland revealing itself an instant later, swaying lightly as he walked between two tents.
"I'm alright, dear family, do not fear" he spoke in his usual boisterous manner.
Everyone gaped at him aghast. The Archen Prince had – by unknown means – reopened the healing wound on his eyebrow and had acquired a black eye and a bloody lip to match.
"Oh, it is not as bad as it looks, it doesn't hurt much" Scorpio waved with a lopsided grin.
"I'll get Lucy's cordial" Susan whispered stunned, blinking several times before disappearing through the flaps of one the nearest tents.
"You are going to loooooooooove the story" the Prince told them proudly, wincing as he smirked.
"I seriously doubt it" Gemini glossed, rubbing his temples.
"Unbelievable" Caspian muttered, unable to keep a smile from spreading on his lips.
"Yes, whatever. So, I went to the forest for a little walk, as you recommended," he began, pointing to Zephyr and Gemini. "And I saw this tree, an imposing oak – dare I say majestic – and I decided to climb it to have a different view of the forest. Nothing wrong there-"
"Nothing wrong?!" Peter interrupted, utterly dumbfounded.
"-except that it happened to be a Narnian Oak, and it didn't quite appreciate me climbing on it, or at least, I think so, because it shook me off with such violence, and I kind of landed badly this time" Scorpio told, positively thrilled about his adventure.
"You always land badly" Gemini corrected tiredly.
"Oaks don't like to be climbed on" Caspian explained, amused by his friend's knack for accidents and disposition to endanger his own life.
"Is that really all you have to say? 'Oaks don't like to be climbed on'?!" Tairin complained. "Am I the only one here who thinks this lunatic could have died?!" she exclaimed.
"Tairin, sweetheart, with Scorpio that is a recurrent scenario" Zephyr argued. Tairin exhaled tiredly.
"Why do I even bother" she murmured, leaning into Zephyr's embrace.
The subject of Scorpio's misfortunes became the main topic of discussion, the Archen Prince taking full advantage of being in the spotlight, his story suddenly becoming full of the most heroic details on how he had been hanging from the banister before dropping himself on the patch of grass when he saw falling was inevitable. Rainidan – contrary to Lucy and Coralee who were gasping at the climax of the tale – was sceptical, and shot a glance at Gemini and Zephyr. Zephyr rolled his eyes and Gemini shook his head, reacting as they usually did at Scorpio's innocuous bragging.
Peter kept throwing glances at Nabeela's tent, expecting her to join them for dinner, but she did not. With a sigh, he thought it was better to give her some space; he could understand she was mad at him, but could not help but feel a bit angry as well. Focusing on his meal, he decided to bring her some stew later and try talking to her.
AN: It felt good to write some Peter-centred scenes for a change; I feel like I've been neglecting him a bit lately.
Also, I always loved those statues in the Treasure Room and I wanted to explore what they meant/symbolised to each of them; I think I'll have some other scene with those in the future.
For all Suspian lovers, I'm sorry, I know this chappy had little of them, but more is to come in the future.
Anyway, up to you guys to tell me what you thought, what you'd like to read, everything!
Until next time,
Cheers!