2) Dinner And Aslan's Orders
"Wow, you actually lived there?" Elizabeth asked in awe. Stephen's jaw was dropped in astonishment.
"C'mon, I haven't seen my room in forever!" Lucy said running toward the castle.
"Lu, do you think they still have my favorite green dress?" Susan asked. Lucy was already several yards ahead of them though. Peter quickly caught up with her and scooped her up.
"Our youngest Queen is just a tiny bit excited." He said with a grin. Peter set Lucy down and she skipped ahead towards the castle. Edmund joined her at the front of their line. Peter and Stephen were a few feet behind them, Elizabeth and Susan behind them.
"You like Stephen," Elizabeth said in a teasing voice.
"Do not!" Susan retorted (not very queenly might I add).
"Do too!" Elizabeth shot back.
"Fine! If I like Stephen then you like Peter." Susan said simply. Elizabeth's blue eyes widened and she stuttered.
"I do not!"
"Let's not go through this again. It could take a few hours, since you are the most stubborn person in Narnia." Susan said with a grin. She eyed the black-haired boy in front of them before saying, "Do you think he likes me? I know Peter likes you; he stares at you all the time. He also said he loved your hair."
Elizabeth smiled and pulled a hand through her long, thick and curly black hair. "Yes, Stephen likes you, he told me a week ago." She said.
Meanwhile, the boys were talking about something quite similar.
"You like Liz." Stephen said, right in the middle of Peter's description of the war.
"I know I do, it's just, and I don't think she likes me back. I really love her hair, it's all wavy and curly and long-Wait! You tricked me!" Peter accused his friend.
Stephen grinned, "I wasn't sure if it would work. She likes you back, just don't hurt her." He said this like a true brother.
"I wouldn't dream of it. Now, you like Susan."
"I know," sighed Stephen, looked out towards the sea.
"Well, she likes you, I approve, don't hurt her. I think I covered everything." Peter said with a laugh. All of a sudden, they saw six horses galloping up to them. They stopped in front of Peter and bowed.
"We heard of your arrival High King. We are here to take you to the castle." Said the leading horse, a dapple-gray.
Edmund approached the chestnut of the group and tilted his head to the side. "What's your name?"
"My name is Phil." Answered the horse.
"You don't have a relative named Phillip, do you?" Edmund asked with a smile.
The horse whinnied with joy, "He's my father. He always told me stories of carting young King Edmund around!" Edmund laughed and mounted the horse.
Stephen was having trouble getting up on his horse (a bay named Tom). Susan trotted up to him on her horse (a palomino named Lacey) and laughed.
"Put your left foot into the stirrup and step up. Pull yourself up, and swing your right leg over the horse's back." Stephen finally managed and started off toward the castle with Lucy, Edmund, and Susan in tow.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth, who was unusually short for her age, couldn't reach the stirrup on her horse (another bay named Anna). Peter walked over to her (he hadn't gotten onto his horse yet).
"Do you need a leg up?" He asked quietly.
She jumped in surprise, and turned around. "I hate being short." She grumbled. Peter kneeled and cupped his hands.
"Step up." He said with a grin. She stepped lightly into his hands and managed to get into the saddle. They took off together toward the others.
"Welcome back, King Peter." A centaur approached Peter, bowing with this greeting. "I am Sirius, grandson of Oreius. We have long awaited your return."
"Rise Sirius. I take it that you are general to the armies of Narnia, correct?" Sirius nodded at Peter's question.
Five fauns approached, four of them bearing the Pevensies' gifts from Father Christmas (and Edmund's stuff from the first war). The fifth had two bundles, and approached Stephen and Elizabeth with them.
"Aslan said to give these to the friends of our Kings and Queens." The faun said simply. He gave a purple silk bag to Elizabeth and a blue silk bag to Stephen. They were both extremely big bags.
Elizabeth and Stephen both pulled out a sword, scabbard, and shield. Stephen's sword was slightly shorter than Peter's and all the colors were blue and silver. On his sword was a tiger, instead of a lion. Elizabeth's sword, scabbard, and shield were identical to Peter's, except that everything was purple and silver.
"Next time Aslan comes, I'm asked why I don't get a sword! Liz got one!" Lucy pouted.
"I'm sure Aslan had a special reason to give Liz a sword." Peter said calmly, though he too was wondering why Elizabeth had received a sword. What happened to "battles are ugly affairs" he thought angrily.
Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy went back to there old rooms. Peter was in the North wing, Susan in the South wing, Lucy in the East wing, and Edmund in the West wing. Elizabeth got a guest room in the South wing, and Stephen got a guest room in the North wing.
"Look at this! It's my green dress!" Susan exclaimed, showing Elizabeth a pretty light green dress. "Look in your room, you should have clothes too. The outfit that you are supposed to wear tonight will be on your bed." Elizabeth walked swiftly to her room and put on the dress and ballet-like matching slippers. She ran gracefully to Susan's room and twirled.
"Look at this dress!" Liz said excitedly. The dress was a deep royal purple that went down to her ankles and it had a v-neckline. She looked radiant in the dress, her blue eyes sparkling.
"You look beautiful Liz, Peter's going to love it." Susan said with a smile. She had on her favorite green dress on, and she looked like a queen.
They started to walk to the dining hall and met up with Lucy, who was in a navy blue dress. When they got there, the table had six places, four of them with crowns on the plates. There was an empty spot next to where Susan's crown was placed and where Peter's crown was placed. Elizabeth automatically sat down next to Susan, and Stephen automatically sat next to Peter.
A few fauns entered the room and surveyed the scene. All of the Pevensies had put on their crowns and had started to eat.
"Excuse me, your Majesties, but Aslan specifically requested that the Daughter of Eve sit next to High King Peter and that the Son of Adam sit next to Queen Susan." One of them announced awkwardly. Liz stood up and moved to her place next to Peter, as Stephen did with Susan. Lucy and Edmund (who were seated next to each other) looked at each other and grinned.
Lucy leaned over and whispered in Edmund's ear, "Aslan knows what he's doing." Edmund laughed and started to eat.
"What do we have to do tomorrow?" Liz asked Peter as they ate.
"You don't have to do anything. I have to survey the lands, get updated on our security, borders, and armies. And I have to schedule a meeting with the surrounding countries." Peter replied nonchalantly.
"Is that even possible?" Liz asked in a joking tone.
"It is for a King." Peter grinned back.
"I will do something useful, I don't want to just sit around. Are you going to teach me how to use my sword?" Liz asked.
"If you wish me to teach you."
"So, what do we do around here?" Stephen asked Susan.
"Well, I'll probably have to help organize a meeting, and a ball of some sort, to announce our return. Then I'll have to conference with Peter, Edmund, and Lucy and see to anything that needs to be done. You can just enjoy yourself." She answered.
"I'm sure I'll find something to do."