After their talk, Ruby felt that she saw Susan's arrangement in a different way. She knew it would take some time to change Peter's mind but Ruby was sure that if she kept telling her husband that his sister was happy, then he would leave it be. Now that the Pevensie's were back in the Castle, Mrs. Beaver was more lenient on Ruby's strict bedrest. She, of course, had to have a little bit of help from Lucy to let Mrs. Beaver understands that Ruby wasn't the same as her, although she was still restricted from flying. Still, Ruby felt thankful for the sudden freedom to walk around and be with everyone else in the Autumn air.

Goosebumps tickled under her skin but she tried not to show it as she sat on a stone bench, waiting for Peter. A couple of fauns approached them, reporting for their duty which only takes a brief moment. Ruby wrapped her shawl closer as she glanced up towards the sky, still not a cloud in sight but already starting to give off a chill in the early evening. Ruby sighed as she wished she could fly off and around Cair Paravel once more.

A movement came from the corner of her eye as she looked over and saw Edmund making his way towards the pair. Ruby smiled at him politely, but got a little bit more pleased when he chose to sit next to her on the bench instead of joining his brother with the small group. Edmund leaned in and playfully nudged his sister-in-law as if that would send her off balance.

"Are you not going to see what the briefing is about?" Ruby asked.

"Peter can handle those" Edmund leaned in, "He loves to hear himself talk"

Ruby giggled, "I'm still surprised to see you out of the library. Ran out of people to play chess with?"

"I could just move my chess board out here" Edmund suggested, "Bug other people to play with me. You know my last birthday we hosted a grand chess tournament-"

"Which I heard you lost-"

"Because I wasn't ready" Edmund straightened himself up, "Now, I am"

"Good for you" Ruby patted Edmund's leg, "Now all of your hours indoors has proven yourself, but I am afraid you are too late, King Edmund"

Edmund looked to her confused as Ruby continued, "Autumn is almost over and Winter is coming, which means you will not be able to enjoy the sun rays for some time"

When Edmund realized that she was joking, he let out a laugh which caused Ruby to join in as well. She thought Edmund would be the one she'd have the most difficulty in getting to know but to her surprise, he was just as open to her as Susan and Lucy were.

"I'll manage" Edmund stated, "But I don't think you will"

Ruby sighed, "You are quite right about that… Some days I just can't bear it. I just want to stretch my wings out and fly hard and fast until I am tired"

"No one told you that pregnant harpy's can fly?" Edmund asked.

"They tell us stories" Ruby explained, "Even warned us of this feeling, but I never knew it to be so… challenging. Some days I just wish my mother were here with me to help me-"

"You always know that your family is welcome to come and help you" Edmund objected, "Why do you act as if it is such a burden?"

"Because it would be a burden to them" Ruby sighed, "I can not just tell them to fly across Narnia and stay here for a couple of months until the baby is born and then more when it is a newborn. They have their jobs and lives there"

Ruby looked over to Peter to see if he was almost done, but just as Edmund predicted, he was now in a conversation with the guards.

"I think you are just nervous" Edmund mentioned, "You do not like to wield command because you are still new to this High Queen Consort thing. Are you ashamed?"

Ruby furrowed her eyebrows and looked to Edmund, "Of what?"

"Of this" Edmund nodded over to Peter, "Of winning Peter's heart"

"No! I would never be ashamed of that!" Ruby quickly objected, "We love each other, or emotions are pure"

"Then there is nothing to be worried about" Edmund shrugged, "You can deliver orders because you are a High Queen Consort out of love"

Ruby thought for a moment before turning to Edmund, "You know… you are smarter than you look"

"Thank you" Edmund leaned in, "It's because I make people believe that Susan is, don't tell her that"

Ruby couldn't help but let out a laugh as this time, she used her wing to push Edmund off the bench. Edmund let out a sudden yelp but laughed off her action. Their shared laughter finally caught the attention of Peter as he turned and glanced back toward the pair before saying his goodbyes to the guards. Ruby couldn't compose herself at all when they turned and bowed to the other royals. Edmund seemed to have done it effortlessly as she was still wiping away tears from her eyes.

"Did I miss something?" Peter asked, amused with what he was seeing.

"Just telling her the secret to this sibling dynamic" Edmund waved off, "That I have both brains and beauty"

"Really?" Peter scoffed, "That's the first time I've ever heard of it"

"It's okay, Peter" Edmund winked, "You can't have everything since you're the first born"

"Oh, hush now" Ruby waved Edmund down, "That's enough"

To her surprise, Peter didn't react in a harsh way but laughed it off as well, "It's okay, my love, I'm just glad to finally see my brother out of his cave, is all"

"Am I really in the library for that long?" Edmund looked between the two of them, "I swear, I only go in there because it is nice and cool"

"Which is why you are now the palest among your siblings" Ruby told him"

Peter chuckled as he reached out and pinched one of Edmund's cheeks as they immediately turned red on one side. Edmund batted him away but rubbed his cheek in protest. Peter turned to Ruby and offered her help from her seat as the three of them continued their evening walk. Ruby's heart shrank as she noticed that Peter was making his way back to the castle.

"Already?" Ruby asked, "But we have not even gone down to the beach yet"

"Another time, my love" Peter said, "I can feel how fast it's getting cold, we'll start our walks earlier, how about that?"

Ruby denied it, "I'm not cold"

"Oh really?" Peter asked, "Then why are you wrapped around my arm so tightly?"

Ruby didn't realize it but then noticed that she was wrapped around Peter's arm, so close that her head was nuzzled perfectly on his shoulder. She tried to protest further by moving herself away but a sudden chill washed over her. Her husband was right, she was ready to turn in for the night.

"If it means that much to you" Edmund said from the other side of Peter, "I will take the patrol meetings around this time so that way you and Peter won't be disturbed"

Ruby smiled, "Thank you, Edmund"

Peter turned and nodded to Edmund, "I am going to assume you will give me a duty of yours that you don't like doing, I suppose"

"I've got to think about it" Edmund smiled, "The options are still limitless"

"Do you two ever stop bickering?" Ruby asked.

"No" two female voices came from up the stairs as they realized that they walked right up to Susan and Lucy.

"Unfortunately, not," Lucy giggled.

"You will learn to drown it out, "Susan smiled, "Eventually"

Peter and Edmund gave mocking laughs towards their sisters as three became five. The crowd then started to make their way towards the smell of warm food.