Author's Note: Can you guess what this chapter is going to be about? If you don't, you must be challenged. I happen to like a jealous Peter. I think it builds up on the drama of a story. Beware of exagerrated thickness, jealousy from a blond king, story telling, people tripping over people and pillow fights. Yes, I said pillow fights.

Lady-Mystique: No, it's not too late. I need lots of OCs. Trust me. -nods-
Queen Emily the Wise: I'm going to use your character later on in the story, so don't be surprised if you don't see her until chapter twenty-five or somewhere around that.
KOKO: It's going to take a while for that to happen, but it'll be worth the wait. Like maybe ten years later. No, just kidding. It won't take that long.

P.S. I may not be able to update as often since my computer's been acting funny. Oh, and I think - I'm not really sure - that I used about one or two swearwords in this chapter. Just warning you if I did.

Quote from Chapter: "What are you two doing?"


Chapter Nineteen: The High King's Jealousy

"Come on, Princess, let's dance," Darrin said. Aceline, who after her five dances with Peter, had no desire to dance. But the boy was looking beseechingly at her. She sighed and placed her hand in his.

"Wheedler," she said. "Excuse me, Peter." She passed a glowering Peter, who picked up a wine goblet and drank deeply from it. The young Archenlandian lord placed his hand on her waist and led her in the waltz.

"Why, I never knew you could dance," the Princess said as, quite suddenly, he dipped her.

"I'm full of surprises," he declared. She laughed and looked up at him. His eyes were twinkling merrily.

"You're a decent chap, you know that?"

"Chap?"

"Fellow."

"Oh. Thank you." He seemed to be quite pleased with her comment, for he dipped her again. The song ended on a long note and the lord kissed her hand in a mocking manner. She curtseyed in the same way. Out of the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw Peter looking at her. Aceline looked in that direction, but by some means of Narnian magic, he had disappeared.

"Ah, Lord Tynan," Darrin said, looking at the approaching lord. Her attention turned to the Lord Tynan. He wasn't alone however. A mischievous-looking girl of fifteen stood beside him. She had a long, black plait and golden eyes. They curtseyed to each other while the lords bowed.

"Evening, Lord Darrin, Your Majesty. This is my sister, Lady Artymis Wolfe," Lord Tynan said, gesturing towards the girl.

"Hello," she said, a smile on her face.

"Pleasure to meet you," the Princess said.

"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty," Lady Artymis said. The Lord Tynan had left the three alone to go dance with a Dryad. An uncomfortable silence followed. The Lady Artymis didn't look like - nor wasn't, as she later found out - the type to have small talk with. She fiddled with the laces on her dress. Dar appeared suddenly at Aceline's shoulder.

"Hello," he said, bowing to Lady Artymis. "I'm Dar."

"Artymis," she said, staring at the boy. Her golden eyes seemed to glitter in enthusiasm.

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"So there he was, facing a Giant with a broken sword and no shield," Lady Artymis said. The twins, the monarchs, and, surprisingly, the Lord Tynan were crowded around her as she told a story about a legendary Archelandian character named Sir Col Giant-Slayer and how he - yes, you guessed it - slayed a Giant.

"He was just about to give up when he spotted the very thing that would save his life - a dagger left under the maple tree by his late sister, Anvard. Col threw it wildly at him and, by some sheer, dumb luck, the dagger went inside the Giant and killed him instantly. Sir Col was crowned King of Archenland by right. He named the nation's capital 'Anvard' after the help his sister gave him."

"That was an excellent story, Lady Artymis," Lucy said, nodding.

"Very good," Dar added.

"Thank you," she grinned. Darrin and Aceline looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

"Your Majesties?" Out of nowhere, a nymph appeared. She was carrying five boxes. One of the boxes was much more different than the others.

"Yes?" Edmund asked.

"I hope you don't mind, Sires and Madams, but the nymphs and Dwarfs would like to give you gifts," she said, bowing.

"Oh, thank you!" the Queens chorused as they examined the two crowns ("For everyday reasons," the Dryad said.) The Kings looked in awe at the two swords.

"You haven't opened yours yet, Ace," Susan said. The Princess nodded and gasped at what she saw. Indeed, everyone was staring at the present.

A stunning necklace that had two chains of silver and gold entwined together. As a pendant hung a small, white opal stone. She stared at it in wonderment. Unconsciously, her hand went out and touched the opal.

"It's beautiful, thank you," she croaked. Aceline didn't care how un-princessly (There's no other word for it.) she sounded. She picked up it and the stone flashed different colors as the light hit it.

"Try it on," Lady Artymis said.

"Manners, sister," the Lord Tynan said.

"Try it on. Please?" she corrected meekly. The Princess nodded.

"Could someone - " But the words were barely out of her mouth as Dar unceremoniously held her hair while Darrin fastened it around her neck.

"It looks beautiful!" the sisters chorused. Edmund nodded in approval while Peter simply looked moody as he looked at the twins. The High King stood up suddenly.

"Where are you going?" Lucy asked, her forehead creased.

"To..erm...dance. I like this song," he said vaguely. Aceline, however, found him eating grapes a minute later.

"You like this song, eh?" she asked. He choked on one and thumped him on the back, which didn't really help. He looked at her for a moment, staring at the gold and silver necklace.

"That's very nice," he said airily.

"Thank you," she smiled. He grinned, but it wavered as someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around, the opal flashing different colors. The Lord Tynan was staring back at her.

"Would you grace me with a dance, Your Majesty?" he asked, bowing. Why is everyone suddenly wanting to dance with me? Look at Lord Tynan. He's twenty, I'm thirteen! Must be because I helped get rid of that prick. He must have hated him too. She nodded. She turned back to see Peter walking away, his back uncommonly straight. She had no time to wonder about that, however, for the song that she was dancing with Lord Tynan was rather high-spirited.

"Is this a reel, Lord Tynan?" she asked as he twirled her.

"It is, my lady. An Archenlandian one, in fact."

"Then you must be expert."

"I am not an expert, but I am not a novice either, Your Majesty."

"I should think not." Wait. Am I...flirting with him? Oh bother! I am NOT flirting with him. I doubt I even know how to flirt. The lord twirled her once more. She masked her confusion (She felt confused with herself, imagine that!) with a smile.

Now, unkwown to the Princess and her dance partner was that a blond boy was staring at them with his arms crossed. He was looking at the couple in contempt. But Aceline didn't notice. She curtseyed as the dance was over, feeling overwhelmingly tired. The Lord Tynan, being the gentleman he was (he noticed that she was tired during the dance), merely bade her goodnight.

"Goodnight, Peter," she said, passing. He merely nodded.

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"Where's Dar?" Aceline asked. Darrin had just arrived in her room as she was putting on a red shawl.

"He's running a bit late. I think he had a bit too much wine last night, he woke up with a headache," he said, plopping down on the loveseat in front of her bed. She sat down next to him.

"So what can we do to pass time?" she asked.

"We can talk about how our little Dar is becoming a drinker," he suggested. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Little? Last time I checked, he's the older twin."

"By thirteen minutes!"

"He's lived thirteen minutes longer than you." The boy grabbed a pillow and smacked her over the head with it. She lightly put a hand to the back of her scalp. Then she picked up a pillow and whacked him. Her shawl fell to the floor as they 'dueled', the pillows moving so quickly that they seemed to be a white blur. Feathers flew through the air as they laughed/screamed loudly. But then, Darrin tripped over the fallen shawl (he was clumsier than his twin) and fell over Aceline. Ther was a great thump as their bodies hit the floor. The twin's face was a good four inches above hers.

Out of nowhere, Peter appeared.

"Aceline, are you alright? I heard scre - " He stopped dead as he looked at the disarray and the fallen lord on top of the Princess. Darrin leaped up, looking truly embarrassed. She sat up slowly, shaking slightly.

"What are you two doing?" the High King thundered. She gulped as her eyes darted back and forth between the boys.

"N-N-Nothing, Peter," she said tremulously.

"It sure looks like nothing," he said derisively. A sigh threatened to escape her lips. She stood, facing Peter.

"Excuse me, Darrin," she said. She pulled the High King in the sitting room and closed the door on the lord.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed.

"Me? You're the one barging into people's buisness," she snapped back quietly.

"You're the one with a guy on top of you in your room," he said, his eyes narrowed. Impatience seemed to boil in every nerve of her body.

"So? It's my life, Peter, not yours. I can live it whichever way I please," she said. Aceline turned her back on him and went into her bedroom. Darrin was seated on the loveseat. He handed her her shawl.

"Thank you," she said. He nodded.

"Let's go to the S.S.," he said quietly. She nodded. She didn't care that the High King looked annoyed as she left arm-in-arm with the twin. She merely nodded curtly at him. He regarded her with something very close to contempt.

As they approached the second floor, Dar came up to them. He immediately noticed Aceline's anger in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his forehead creased.

"Peter!" she exclaimed loudly, making the twins jump.

"She had a row with the High King," his twin informed him. Dar's eyebrows flew up.

"A row?"

"Yep, but I'd rather not talk about it," she said calmly. Her tone unnerved both of them. But the twins shrugged it off and they went to the swing set.


Do you not like a jealous Peter? I still need lots of OCs like I said before. Anyway, I'm thinking of bringing back Lady Artymis and Lord Keagan in the next chapter. How? I have no idea, which is why I need suggestions from you guys.

Characters used:
Lady Artymis Wolfe - Dark Wolf Goddess of the moon