11) More Chicken
"Who should go in?" Susan asked Stephen, as they stood outside out Liz's room.
"I will," Stephen answered.
"Don't you think she needs female company right now?" Susan pressed.
"I know her best, whether you believe it or not," Stephen argued. "Ever since Liz's parents died, you know she's been living with my family. We close." Susan nodded, knowing that it was true. Stephen entered the room slowly, seeing Liz face down on her bed. "Liz?"
"Go away Stephen." Liz grumbled.
"C'mon Liz, it's ok," Stephen encouraged.
"No it's not! Stupid Calvin is trying to ruin my only connections to Peter. Who know when I'll see him again?" Liz yelled, sitting up.
"I'm sure he'll come as soon as possible." Stephen tried comforting her. He hugged her tightly. "He loves you, if Peter didn't have to go, he wouldn't."
"I know; it's just so hard." Liz whispered. "It hurts to be apart from him."
"Well, Christmas is in four months, so you have four months to look forward to presents, and I guarantee that Peter will get you some." Stephen laughed. Liz's eyes immediately lit up at the mention of Christmas.
"Will we see each other at Christmas?" She asked.
"Of course, nothing will keep me away from my sister on Christmas," Stephen smiled.
"I am so sorry Liz." Aravis stressed over lunch the next day. "Cor is going to be in Calormen until Christmas and I had him take Calvin with him."
"How do you do it?" Liz asked her.
"What do you mean?" Aravis asked back, clearly confused.
"How do you manage to be away from your husband so often?" Liz explained.
"After awhile you get used to it, when Cor first started leaving, I was just like you," Aravis answered kindly. "How old are you?"
"I'm seventeen, so is Susan, Stephen and Peter are both nineteen, Edmund is fourteen, and Lucy just turned twelve." Liz answered with a smile. She got up and left, she had promised to duel Stephen.
Susan walked in and smiled when she spotted Aravis. "How are you?"
"Great, I just finished talking to Liz, she really loves Peter." Aravis smiled.
"I know, it's the same way with him." Susan said, rolling her eyes slightly. "We've all learned to have selective hearing around him."
"Do you think he'll propose in the next few years?" Aravis asked.
"I hope so, it's our little joke," Susan laughed. "Behind their backs, Stephen, Edmund, Lucy, and I call Liz the High Queen. We said it in front of her once, but it barely registered." Aravis laughed at this. "Thank Aslan it didn't, or we could've been seriously injured."
Lucy walked in after this, smiling widely. "I just visited Mr. Tumnus and his family. Where's the High Queen and Stephen?" Susan looked at Aravis pointedly, as if to say, told you.
"They're dueling outside. We just got Liz out of her room an hour ago." Susan said. Lucy looked at her quizzically and Susan told her the story from the day before.
"Peter would kill him if he knew," Lucy squealed, the other two nodded in agreement.
"Who do you think will win Stephen and Liz's duel?" Aravis asked.
"Liz," Susan and Lucy said in unison, automatically.
"Whom have you been practicing with?" Liz asked, after disarming Stephen for the sixth time. "A pillow?"
"I haven't been practicing," Stephen said. "I don't have the time. What about you?"
"This is the first time I've dueled anyone since Peter left." Liz answered.
"Sorry," Stephen apologized.
"There's nothing to be sorry for," Liz said, shaking her head. "Except for the fact that you stopped practicing and a pillow could disarm you."
"What's up with all this talk about pillows today?" Stephen asked.
"I like pillows." Liz answered cheekily.
"Just like you like chicken."
"Not exactly, you can't eat a pillow." Liz said, rolling her eyes.
"Don't get smart with me," Stephen warned.
"I forgot, when I get smart, you can't understand it," Liz laughed shrugging.
Stephen smiled at first, and then he realized what she meant. "Hey!"
"Took you a while, didn't it?" Liz snickered.
"You're an evil little sister," Stephen grumbled.
"It's what we're made for," Liz smiled. "And stealing their older brother's best friends." She looked up at the clock that was in one of the castle towers. "It's almost time for dinner, c'mon."
"Of course…" Stephen said, as if he had just realized something.
"What?"
"You're grouchy because you haven't done Chicken Zen yet." Stephen said nodding.
"Shut up," Liz replied, punching him in the shoulder.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Stephen whined.
"It was supposed to."
"Liz! Wake up! Let's go for a ride!" Lucy yelled, jumping up and down on Liz's bed.
"Lucy, the sun is not even up, let me sleep!" Liz groaned.
"But Anna and Alex really want to go for a ride!" Lucy complained. "And so do I!"
"And I want to sleep!" Liz snapped.
"Please," Lucy said pouting. Liz made the mistake of looking up, and she saw Lucy's pouting face, the one nobody could resist.
"You get the horses ready, I'll be down in half an hour." Liz mumbled, getting up and heading for her closet. She found a red dress, and put it on before sliding into her riding boots. She started down the stairs to the Dining Hall, praying to Aslan for chicken.
By the time Liz made it down to the stables, she was filled with chicken and in good spirits. She saw Lucy on Anna and Alex waiting for her.
"I didn't think you'd show up," Lucy commented.
"Chicken," Liz answered simply, and Lucy laughed.
"I forgot, you need Chicken Zen to be in a good mood." Lucy smiled. Then she added after an afterthought, "Or Peter." Liz laughed at this, though she knew it to be true.
They left the courtyard, talking and laughing as they rode along. Anna and Alex were having their own little conversation, happily ignoring their riders.
"When do you have to leave?" Liz asked quietly.
"In a week." Lucy replied, Liz nodded in reply.