I'm back from my inactive state! I'm going to get my current stories done so I can start my next one :D

So here is the next chapter.

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NATANI'S POV

Edmund and Edirah had been almost inseparable for sixteen years. They had done everything together and she had learned everything she knew from him. He had taught her to swordfight, to ride horses before she could even walk, to hunt, to swim, to box, to shoot the bow and arrow, to fish…every skill she possessed had come from being with her father.

But there was one skill she had that no one had to teach her. Nature just naturally instilled it in her. It's called flirting and it's not always a good thing to know.

Endirah was beautiful at her tender age of sixteen. Her dark brown hair hung down to the middle of her back and perfect waves and her dark eyes held most people captivated (she often used those eyes on me and her father to get what she wanted). Her smile was fetching and her figure was perfect from her hours of training with Edmund. Not a boy in the kingdom had failed to notice her and this was becoming very clear to Edmund and I.

But Edmund did not view it with the same eyes I did.

"I don't like it," he muttered yet again as Endirah rode off double on a horse behind a young man from the nearby village. They had been getting rather close and I had a feeling something would come of it. He seemed a nice boy too.

"Oh, Edmund," I said with a smile, holding his arm comfortingly, "You don't like ANY boy that comes within ten feet of her."

"That's not true!" Edmund denied.

"Yes it is," I replied. "But it's expected. No one is quite good enough, are they?"

Edmund shook his head stiffly. His jaw was clenched and I saw he was grinding his teeth together.

"Edmund, for Aslan's sake," I mumbled, reaching up to give him a light slap, "You're going to have no teeth left if you don't stop that. They won't do anything too crazy."

"Don't be too sure," he muttered darkly.

"Edmund…" I started but he shook his head.

"Natani, take it from me," he cut me off, "I KNOW what's going on in that boy's mind."

"And that would be…?"

He gave me an "are you serious?" look.

"I can spell it out for you if you want," he said sarcastically, "S. E. X."

I snorted with laughter.

"So THAT'S what goes on in there," I mused, tapping him on the temple.

He grabbed my hand and gave me a wicked grin.

"Far more than you think," he said, kissing my knuckles.

"Bad, Edmund," I giggled, pulling my hand away. "But honestly, she'll be fine. Endirah's been trained in combat by the best of the best. Trust me, if he tries anything…he'll lose a hand."

Edmund smiled proudly.

"Yes he will," he chuckled. I think he probably would have been perfectly happy if that happened.

"Now, can you please relax and come have dinner," I begged, pulling him by his arm toward the castle doors.

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EDMUND'S POV

I paced the floor of the kitchen nervously. I hadn't told Natani or Lucy because I didn't want them to worry since they were both comfortably sleeping, but Endirah wasn't home. And it was two in the morning.

I had every single scout, Horse, Faun and Centaur out looking for her. Mr. Tumnus had refused to let me go myself because he said my mental state wasn't very clear and that I wouldn't be able to think logically. I guess he was right because right now all I could think of was ringing that boy's neck when my daughter was finally found. My hands were clenched tightly by my side and I just imagined them around his scrawny little throat. My goodness…my mind WAS compromised.

"Your Majesty, please sit down," Tumnus murmured from behind me. I shook my head angrily and continued my pacing. I hard Tumnus sigh and sit down, the clink of ceramic on wood and the smell of peppermint told me he was drinking tea. My gosh, my senses were on edge.

Finally, oh sweet Lion's mane, finally I heard the creak of the front doors and I took off at a run. I skidded to a stop on the stone floor and nearly cried out with relief at the sight of my daughter in one seemingly unhurt piece.

She looked livid, however and she ran past me toward the stairs. But I reached out and snagged her arm as she passed and pulled her into a crushing hug.

"Endirah!" I gasped, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

She looked at me for a second in pure hatred and then she blink and her brown eyes cleared. Then suddenly she threw her arms around my neck and began to sob into my shoulder. I walked her to the kitchen and just held her until she gained a little self-control. I set her down in a chair and pulled one up for myself, facing her and holding her hands in mine. She was shaking all over.

I took a steadying breath to calm my anger.

"Endirah, tell me what happened, " I said, seriously but calmly. "Did he…Endirah did he…?"

She shook her head with wide eyes.

"No, daddy, no!" she gasped, shocked at my accusation.

"Thank Aslan," I sighed, "Did he hit you?"

Again she shook her head and I calmed down and sat back in my chair, suddenly drained from hours of worry.

"Then why are you crying, baby?" I asked, still concerned at my daughter's obvious mental anguish.

"Oh daddy!" she blubbered, "Why are boys so stupid?"

I didn't really know how to respond to that.

"In what way, exactly?" I asked.

"He rejected me!" I saw a big tear roll down her cheek. "He said he didn't love me. And he said I obviously didn't love him either or I would…"

"Give him what he wants?" I finished darkly. I was going to kill him anyway even if he DIDN'T touch her!

"Yes," Endirah whispered sadly. "But I do love him, daddy! But you and mom always taught me to hold on to my virtue and be strong. You said that men would admire me for it."

She looked at me accusingly.

"Endirah," I leaned forward to emphasize my point about to be made, "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I just told you that to keep you from getting in trouble but that's not it. I meant what I said and you'll find out that it's true; men will respect you. But, baby, he is NOT a man and he never will be if he maintains that attitude. A real man cares for a woman and treats her with as much respect as himself."

She looked at me with an awed expression.

"Like you and mom?" she asked softly, smiling slightly through her teary eyes.

"I do my best, Endirah," I replied honestly, "But…I've had some downfalls too."

"Than what are you saying, daddy?" she stared at me expectantly.

"Endirah," I thought carefully, "No one is going to be good enough for you in my eyes…but he needs to be good enough in your eyes. If he can't love you for who you are and not for what you can give him, he's not good enough. I just don't want to see your heart get broken."

She smiled and threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Thank you daddy," she whispered, "Suddenly, it doesn't seem like such a major loss when I see you and mom together. There's someone out there for me, I just know it, and he wasn't him!"

"Just know, Dirah," I whispered back as she stepped back from the hug, "That even if you get burned, stepped on, rejected, or scorned, your old dad will never let you down."

"Daddy, you're not old," she giggled, "But…I'll never forget that. Goodnight, I love you."

She kissed my cheek and left the kitchen, leaving me alone to think about the night's events. Oh how I wished at that moment that I could stand between her and the heartaches I knew her young life would bring along. But since I couldn't, I planned on being her shoulder to cry on when it did. This, I decided, is what being a father was all about.

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Ok, so I have to go do homework now so…no more for now but more to come soon! Possibly later tonight.

Reviews are awesome!