Author's Note: I know this chapter is a bit short. And yes, I know the title gives the chapter away, but I promise you, the next chapter will be worth it. To The Lady Pirate and Jackie: Thanks for the advice. But after the coronation, nearly everything will be mine. (People are prone to give suggestions.)
Quote from Chapter: "I'm sorry, Peter."
Chapter Twelve: Interrupted Apologies
"You wanted to see me, Aslan?" she asked, bowing to him as she entered the tent. The Lion nodded.
"I have known that you and Peter have been fighting." The girl blushed suddenly.
"You-You have?"
"I have. It is time that you apologize to one another," he said. Aceline looked into his amber eyes. They were sorrowful, as if he were the one that she was fighting with. She bit her lip and looked down.
"I know, sir. It's just that--"
"Just what, Dear Heart?"
"I just don't if he'll accept it. What if he doesn't? Or what if he just ignores it? Or what if--"
"Your mind is filled with questions. Come, let me breathe on you." She obediently went forward and felt his tongue touch her forehead. Her head cleared and determination washed over her like a cold shower.
"Thank you, Aslan. I'll apologize as soon as I see him," she said, nodding. The Lion looked satisfied.
"Come with me." They left the tent, attracting looks from the soldiers, who seemed curious that the girl had entwined her fingers in his mane.
"Look before you, Daughter of Eve," Aslan said. She looked and saw Edmund and Peter talking a short distance from her.
"I'll go now, sir," she said.
"Before you do, listen to these three things, for they will help you later on." Aceline nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"First, spend time with the others, especially Lucy. She looks to you as another sister. Second, help around as best as you can. They rely on you as much as you rely on them. Third, do not grieve for me." The girl gave him a puzzled look at this.
"Aslan, what do you--"
"Edmund is waving to you," he interrupted. She looked back at the brothers and saw that the younger one was waving her. She gave him a small wave back. She bowed to the Lion and walked over to the boys, her eyes fixed down on the ground. She stopped in front of Peter's brown boots.
"I'll leave you two alone," Edmund said. Before either of them could stop him, he walked away. She glanced at Peter, who was examining his boots. He looked at her.
"Aceline, I want to apo--"
"Peter!" Lucy's voice yelled. The girl gave a disgusted sigh as they were interrupted. Peter's sister stopped in front of them.
"Peter, Oreius wants to speak with you," she said. She flashed Aceline a smile, but the black-haired girl noticed that it wasn't as good-natured as usual.
"Thanks, Lu. I'll talk to you later?" The question was directed at Aceline. She nodded and gave him a small, hesistant smile.
She was surprised to receive one back.
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"How do I look?" she asked. She was standing in front of a mirror wearing a suit of armor. It clanked slightly as she looked over her shoulder to address Reulel. The Dwarf grinned at her.
"Strange," he answered. She laughed at his frank tone.
"I bet Dwarfs rarely get Daughters of Eve who ask you to fit them into armor," she said.
"Yes, we rarely do. Not even the two other Daughters of Eve have asked." Aceline thought for a moment.
"That makes sense. Susan's a bit proper while Lucy's too young to fight."
"That does make sense. Let's get you out of the armor. I have to make a few adjustments," Reulel said. She nodded and he turned away to give her a bit of privacy. Once she was out of the armor, she said goodbye to him. She nearly crashed into Peter on her way out.
"Oh, hi, Aceline," he managed to stammer out.
"Hi," she replied. Then she took a deep breath. "Listen Peter, I'm sor--"
"Aceline, could you come here for a minute?" Susan's voice asked. The girl was standing a little way from them, Lucy by her side.
"I'll be right there," she called back. "Peter, I'm s--"
"Aceline!" She ignored the girl.
"I'm sorry, Peter." But it seemed that some higher being enjoyed tormenting her, for at that same moment that she had uttered her apology, both sisters had yelled, "Aceline!" She was sure that he hadn't heard her.
"You should go," Peter said quietly.
"But Peter--"
"Go." His tone was forceful and she unconsciously gave him an injured look. She turned away just as he bit his lip.
"Aceline--"
"Just leave me alone, Peter," she said. She walked away from him, her arms folded across her chest.
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Hours passed before Aceline saw Peter again. She had joined the sisters in archery, a sport that she was no novice at, but not exactly an expert either. The girls were laughing at something Lucy had said when they came across the boys.
They were riding their horses, Edmund on Phillip and Peter on his unicorn, Saeran. They seemed to be riding just for fun.
"Come on, Peter!" Edmund yelled. The older boy laughed at his brother's energetic tone. She smiled at the thought of the brothers getting along. The sun was setting, its rays making Peter's hair look golden and Edmund's hair brown.
She finally notices that she's staring too long when the sisters start to giggle behind her. Aceline turned around, her ebony hair whipping snappishly over her shoulder and her pale face twisted into a confused expression.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," Lucy said.
"But if you like my brother, you should apologize to him," Susan added. She opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when she heard hoofsteps behind her. She glanced over shoulder and saw that the boys were trotting over to them.
"Had fun doing...whatever you were doing?" Edmund asked.
"Yes, actually," his older sister answered.
"I hit the bull's eye twice!" Lucy said proudly. The sisters looked over at Aceline, but she wasn't catching anyone's eye. Peter was staring down at her. She glanced up when she felt all five (Saeran and Phillip stared at her too.) eyes looking at her.
"I think I'll be going to bed," she said, faking a yawn.
"Aren't you hungry?" Susan asked, her brow furrowing. She shook her head. She started to walk away, still catching no one's eye when suddenly, Peter got off of Saeran and followed her. She ignored him until she felt his hand grab her arm as she pulled open the flap to her tent. She turned to him, a questioning expression on her face.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Look, Aceline," he began, "I want to apolo--" She suddenly realized that she didn't want to hear it.
"Good night, Peter," she said, trying to keep the curtness out of her voice. The boy looked confused at her sudden change of attitude. She walked into her tent, closing the flap on a rather hurt Peter. Aceline felt tired and collasped on her bed, asleep before her head hit the pillow. But not before a thought entered her mind.
He wanted to say that he was sorry. We were interrupted so many times I thought someone was going to interrupt us again. And I was the one who wouldn't let him finish. Oh, the irony.
I, unlike Aceline, do love irony and couldn't help but put that in. I'm getting tired of Aceline and Peter fighting. So, they'll make up in the next chapter.
