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nascar-freak

Chapter 11: Narnia's Folly

Aravinia stared at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled in satisfaction at her appearance. She was in casual wear today. A simple long-sleeved winter dress and skirt puffed up by a thick petticoat, both were the color of cream, and a dark gray vest to keep her warm. Aravinia had also tied her hair neatly into a half-ponytail. She locked the chain of her ruby necklace around her neck, "Let us see now, my friend," she said, "Do not deceive me."

Aravinia walked out from her chambers and down the aisle to the library. As she passed, she heard humming coming from the staircase. She cocked her head to see a maid strutting up the marble. Aravinia smiled. The maid was carrying an armful of freshly washed sheets. She smiled when she saw Aravinia and rested her load on her hip. Aravinia's ruby began to glow, "Good morning, maid!" she said cheerfully. The maid nodded with a glint in her eye, "Good morning, Mistress Giovane!"

The two parted ways and Aravinia came to the library door. She knocked quietly and entered.

Lucy sat at the reading table, flipping the pages of the Narnian Book of Legends. She looked up to see Giovane enter the library. She smiled, "Hello, Giovane!" she cried and jumped from her seat to hug her friend around the waist. Aravinia stared at her in disgust but hugged her back nonetheless. She stared down at the young queen, "Hello, Lucy!" she said heartily. Lucy stared back at her expectantly, and this was making the Argouran quite uncomfortable, "What?"

"Have you forgotten?"

"The-?"

"Your promise!"

"My promise?" Aravinia gulped. Lucy stared at her, "You promised me to take me horseback riding again," she said slowly. Aravinia giggled, "Oh! Yes, silly me! Come, let's-"

Just as Aravinia was about to take Lucy's hand the library door opened. Peter poked his head inside and smiled to see Giovane and Lucy, "Good morning, ladies!" he said. Lucy ran to her big brother and hugged him. Peter lifted her from the floor and set her on the reading table, "What have you been talking about?" he asked mischievously. Aravinia watched the siblings and leaned against a bookshelf. Lucy laughed, "Tell Giovane she made a promise to me and go horseback riding today!"

Peter sighed, "If you don't mind, Lu, I'd like to speak with Giovane," he said. This made Aravinia jerk from her position. She stared at Peter with concern in her eyes, Oh no, she thought, That can't be good!

Lucy looked surprised at Peter's request but she dismissed herself to their privacy and left the library. Peter walked to Aravinia and cupped her chin in his hand. Aravinia avoided his eyes. Peter frowned, a concerned frown, "Giovane," he said gently, "Is something the matter?"

Aravinia's ruby flamed red. She shook her head, "What makes thee think thus?" she asked. Peter kissed her cheek, "You were acting quite unusually last night. I was worried that something was bothering you."

Aravinia placed her fingers gently on Peter shoulders, "Nothing is the matter, Peter," she smiled reassuringly, "I was tired yesterday,"

"And you still seem to be."

Aravinia shook her head, "Nay, love. I am peaceful."

With that Peter smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. He finally pulled away after a few moments, "Go now," he said, "You might want to have breakfast before you take Lucy on a ride."

Aravinia smiled and left the library.

Giovane cringed in bed. She let out a groan. One of her hands clasped the fabric of sheets. The other was left on her heaving chest. She let out a small and soft scream, her face pale and sweaty, her eyes closed tightly in an unending nightmare. Giovane shook her head. Her heart began to ache and pound. Her knuckles whitened under her grip over the sheets. Her sweat dripped down the sides of her face.

Thou art within my grasp,

Thou cannot escape me.

Thou art my servant,

My slave, my Lady.

Pain, and torture,

Thou will learn to see.

Feel my wrath,

Feel me.

Thou art within my grasp,

A tight and agonizing grasp.

It kills thee, it swallows thee

Yet, it comes from me.

Thou art my servant,

My slave, my Lady

Thou art within my grasp,

Thou cannot escape me.

Thou art within my grasp,

Thou shall never escape me.

Aravinia walked down to the dining halls, her ruby catching the faintest of light forth of the windows. In the dining halls were the different royal families having their breakfast. They smiled at her and greeted her. She smiled at them and greeted them back. When Aravinia finally got her food she seated herself at the end of the table. She wanted to avoid as much people as possible. Soon though, someone had seated himself next to her. Aravinia looked up to see Edmund. He muttered to himself and plopped down on the chair. He stirred the food on his plate at munched away on the sausage and egg on his fork. Aravinia looked amused, "Good morning, Edmund!"

Edmund stopped chewing and looked to his side. He let out a surprised, 'Mmm!' and covered his mouth with a napkin, and forced his food down his throat, "Giovane! A pleasant morning, it is!" he smiled. Aravinia giggled, "You seemed to have been in deep thought,"

"Yes, I have received news from the border's woods that there are suspected subjects of Jadis's dwelling about,"

"Oh my! That is not very good news,"

"Nay, it is not. I have to send men at once to find them,"

"I see," Aravinia finished the last of her breadcrumbs. Edmund seemed to be staring at her, so she looked at him, "Yes?"

Edmund shook his head, "I am sorry about your friends, Giovane," he said solemnly. Aravinia started, "Pardon?"

Edmund stared at her with an unusual expression on his face, "Your friends. The Crying Nymphs? The nearest inhabitants to the border's woods?"

"Oh, yes…um… Thank you," Aravinia stammered. She new that she had to make an excuse to leave at once, before things got any worse, "My, my!" she laughed as she looked out the window. Edmund did not seem the least bit distracted and continued to stare at her. Aravinia jumped up from her seat, "I made a promise to Lucy to ride out with her, I'll see you soon!"

Edmund nodded slowly, "I suppose you'll be riding Duke?"

"Duke?"

"Giovane," Edmund said carefully, "He's your stallion, remember?"

Stallion, Aravinia shivered. She never did well with stallions, "Oh, yes! My steed! How silly of me to forget!" she laughed and ran away. Edmund stared after her, What is the matter with that woman? he thought, Peter should know. I'll talk to him later.

Tristan walked patiently through the crowd of the Narnian Village. Her rider, Queen Lucy, seemed to be in deep thought, "Little one, is something the matter?"

Lucy bent in her saddle to whisper in the mare's ear, "Do you notice anything unusual?"

Tristan nickered, as she looked around the Village Square, "Nay, Your Majesty," she replied, "The people art acting the way they usually do."

Lucy caressed Tristan's mane, "Not the village," she said quietly, "Giovane."

Tristan looked to her side to see Giovane riding Duke, "I think," she said secretively, "The princess of Celestia doth present unusual behavior this morning."

Duke threw his head up and down. His ears were slightly pressed against his head, and he once in a while flashed the whites in his eyes. Aravinia silently prayed to herself, Please don't buck! Please don't buck!

Lucy pursed her lips, "Giovane," she asked carefully. Duke reared but Aravinia managed to hang on, "Oh Arg- Celestia!"

Lucy raised her eyebrows. Aravinia looked at her, "Yes, Lu?"

"Is Duke always that way?"

Aravinia searched for an answer when she remembered that she was riding a stallion, "Yes, he's quite ill tempered."

Lucy nodded, "He seems worse today, though," Lucy said, "You were handling him really well when you arrived from Celestia."

Aravinia blushed, "Oh, thank you."

Duke jerked his head and pawed impatiently at the ground, If only I was a Talking Beast of Narnia! he thought menacingly, I will tell Queen Lucy that this is not my rider! She looks like her, but she is not Giovane. Something has happened to my mistress!

Lucy shook her head. Something was definitely wrong. She had to speak with Peter.

For the rest of the day Aravinia wore her ruby necklace wherever she went. She never took it off, and for that she would be mistaken for Princess Giovane. This evening Lucy ran down the hall of chambers. She was meaning to get to the library to have a word with her dear brother, the High King. When she turned the corner to the staircase, Lucy had failed to hear incoming footsteps and she crashed right into, "Ed!"

Lucy tripped on her skirts and Edmund caught her just before she hit the ground, "Lu!"

Lucy stared up at her brother, "What in Aslan-?"

"I need to speak with, Pete!"

"I do as well!"

Edmund leaned over to Lucy, "Is it about Giovane?" he whispered. Lucy's eyes widened, "As a matter of fact, yes!"

Edmund nodded, "Let's go then," he said.

Peter stared down at the parchment in from of him. It was yet another complaint from the inhabitants of the Shuddering Wood. It was that wolves believed to be those of the Witch were prowling about. Orieus and his Centaurs had already seen to the matter, but Peter was anxious of the outcome. The Shuddering Wood wasn't very far off of Beaver's Dam, and Peter was worried that Mr. and Mrs. Beaver might be in danger, "I certainly hope not," Peter murmured to himself. Just then the library door creaked open. Peter half hoped that it was Giovane. He could use some calming down. Edmund and Lucy's heads poked inside. Peter smirked, "Yes, dearest siblings?"

Lucy ran inside while Edmund closed the door behind him, "Pete, we need to talk," he said seriously. Peter furrowed his brow, "Is this about the Ettin Giants again?"

Lucy climbed onto Peter's lap, "No," she said, "It's about Giovane."

Peter raised his eyebrows, "Pardon?"

Edmund walked to the reading table, and pushed some parchment and scrolls to clear up enough space to rest his hands on, "Your Giovane was acting quite unusually today," he said. Peter looked at his brother, "How so?"

"Firstly, I was having breakfast with her in the Dining Hall. I told her about some commotion in the border's woods and offered condolences for her friends, The Crying Nymphs,"

"And?"

"She didn't seem to remember them at all! I said, 'I am very sorry about your friends, Giovane' and she stared at me like I had said something obscure. When I mentioned the Nymphs all she said was a stuttering 'Thank You' and jumped into a conversation about taking Lucy riding! Not to mention she forgot all about Duke, and who he was."

Lucy nodded, "Secondly, was when she forgot that she made a promise to take me out riding today!"

Peter stared at his younger sister, "Lu, people tend to forget things," he reasoned. Lucy threw her hands up, "But that is unlike Giovane! She never forgets her promises! Lest her commitments!"

"Well-"

Edmund sighed, "Pete, since when was the last time Giovane broke a promise to you?"

Peter fell silent for a few moments. Why, Giovane never broke a promise to him! Edmund watched him expectantly. Peter shrugged. Edmund slapped the table loudly with his palm, "And there you have it!"

Lucy nodded again, "And thirdly, Giovane handles Duke extremely well, right?"

Peter tried to remember the last time he saw Giovane on Duke. It was a little bit before the Masquerade Ball and he watched her take Duke through his paces. Not once did she give in to the stallion's temper and excitement. Her expression was never of fear but of determination to keep Duke under control. Peter nodded, "Right,"

"Well earlier in the Village Square Duke was acting unusually hot, but Giovane managed to keep him under control, except for a light rear,"

"But she kept him under control,"

"Peter! There was fear etched quite noticeably in her face! She never wears that expression! The last time I saw her use that face, it was months ago when you were leaving for the Land of the Crying Nymphs."

Peter bit his lip. He wasn't sure what to say. Then there was a knock at the door. The siblings looked up to see Susan enter, "Well," she huffed, "Having a conference, are we?" she asked. Peter sank into his seat, "Is it about-"

"Giovane? Yes, it is, brother dear!"

Peter sighed, "What about her?"

"I took Giovane through archery training today, and guess what?"

"What?"

"She kept on missing the center target! She always gets the target at least thrice in every session we have!" Susan sounded completely furious and Peter was worried that his sister would completely lose it, "Calm down," he said. Susan stared at him. In her hand were her quiver, bow and arrows, and she was not afraid to use them, "Peter," she said, "Are Lucy and Edmund complaining too?"

Peter nodded slowly. Susan walked to her brother, and with every step she took; she said a word, "Then… What… Are… You… Sitting… There…" she said and yelled, "For?"

Lucy jerked on Peter's lap. Susan looked ready to strangle her brother. Peter remained calm, "Su," he said, "I'll talk to her."

Susan took a sharp intake of breath, "That's all?"

Peter looked sternly at his sister, "And what dost thy Gentle Queen wish?" he asked, "Giovane be thrown into the dungeons?"

Susan was silent but Peter swore he heard Edmund mutter, "Maybe you should consider the idea."

Author's Note: I find this a bit fast-paced. What say you? haha!

The reason behind why the title of this chapter is 'Narnia's Folly' is because nobody realizes that the Giovane they see is actually Aravinia! Still don't know how? Well that ruby that Aravinia wears all the time is actually bewitched to allow ANYBODY to see her as Giovane! How did that happen? Remember Aravinia cast a spell on Giovane and caused her to fall ill? Yup! So evil!

I'll try to upload the next chapter as soon as I can! I am so sorry if this chapter has a lot of flaws! I promise to do my best to improve in the coming chapter: Peter confronts Aravinia! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Anyway, please check out my new website/homepage found in my profile!

It's pretty lonely out there! I have seen to it that ALL visitors will have lodging, and you can get a chance to have your Narnia Fics published there (Just browse around until you find a form)! Also, if you visit the Royal Library, and Periodicals, you'll have an idea of what it's like to be a guest at Cair Paravel! haha! I hope to see you there!

One more thing, I apologize to those, who received e-mail alerts of my Chapter 11 more than twice! I had some problems and I had proofread the chapie again and again. So sorry!