I'm waiting for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to load on my computer *squee* so I figured I'd do some writing while I wait!

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NATANI'S POV

I honestly don't think I'll ever get use to having this big empty castle all to myself all day long. I sighed and kicked back in the big comfy chair of the library, snatching the book on the anatomy and physiology of the Centaur. It was an interesting read I will say, but it was just far too quiet in this place for my taste. I had gotten so use to having two girls around for so many years that this whole building felt like…kind of like I imagine a tomb would feel.

It had started with gurgles and coos and loud crying, then became giggles from Lucy when her non-talking puppy would come sliding across the floor to get to her, no more constant chatting from Endirah by my side as I did little chores about the place, no more squeals of pain when they would fight and Lucy would get so mad she'd pull Endirah's hair. But as they had gotten older these sounds had become beautiful singing from Lucy and the sounds of Endirah playing the pipe Tumnus had taught her to play, chatter about cute boys they had met that day, yelling at each other because they both came out wearing the same dress. But now…every one of those sounds were gone, stripped away just like that and I was still trying to get use to it.

I sighed and shut the book with a snap. Sitting here wasn't doing me any good. So I got up and walked slowly about the castle, a thousand memories running through my head as I traversed the corridors of two beautiful little girls and the mischief they use to get into. I shook my head, annoyed at my overactive imagination and headed out the large front doors of Cair Paravel.

It was summer and the sun was shining brightly on the branches of the apple trees that had grown impressively since Susan had had them planted. I ran my hand over the bark as walked by and smiled sadly as my eyes fell on the statue of Philip that stood not far from me. I looked around to make sure no one was watching me and I stroked the cold, bronze nose of the wonderful old friend.

"Nothing lasts, does it, Philip?" I whispered sadly, a tear rolled down my cheek and dripped on the ground by my feet. "I don't know what to do with my life anymore."

The soft horsey eyes of the statue simply stared blankly at me and I giggled. Philip had often given me exactly the same look when he thought I should obviously know the answer. I shook my head sadly and continued my walk about the castle grounds.

I admired how the various flowers that grew wild on the grassy fields by the woods made such a beautiful blanket of colour. I walked among them and breathed in their light scent with a relaxed smile, my mind was beginning to clear and I decided I should go back and mend the tapestry of the Battle of Beruna where a Kitten had decided to practice her climbing. Her mother had picked her up by the scruff and gave her a good shake when she found her! I smiled because the Talking Beasts of Narnia had such peculiar and endearing ways.

So I sewed the small tears the Kitten had made with her sharp little claws and was hanging it back up when I felt a very familiar pair of arms slip around my middle from behind me and I felt familiar lips press softly to my shoulder…familiar, but no less wonderful than they had ever been. I relaxed into Edmund's embrace but claimed I was trying to hang up the tapestry.

"What happened to it?" Edmund asked. I guess he had missed that little occurrence.

"Oh, one of Patches' Kittens tried to climb it to show her brother she could climb just as well as he could," I told him with a laugh.

"When will we brothers learn not to doubt our little sisters?" Edmund mused. I caught his hidden meaning but heard no bitterness as I use to when he spoke of his past mistakes. He had come a long way.

"Indeed," I replied, "It is a wise man who accepts the council of his sister."

"Or his wife," Edmund said softly. I turned my head to look at him and he ran a hand over my cheek with a big smile.

"THAT man would be far wiser," I stated with a grin.

"No wonder I'm so successful, right, Love?"

"You better believe it, Sir!"

We both started to laugh and I turned around completely to wrap my arms around him. He held me a little bit tighter and started dancing me slowly in a small circle which slowly became a waltz without music. We danced in the silence for quite some time until tears began to find their way back out of my eyes and down my cheeks, soaking into his shirt as I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Are you crying?" I heard him whisper.

I nodded and he lifted my chin to see my face.

"I don't like it when you cry," he mumbled, "It makes me feel really helpless."

"Well, believe me," I replied, "I'm not a fan of crying either."

He chuckled and ran his thumbs under my eyes, wiping the tears away. I closed my eyes and just soaked up the feeling of having him close to me. He didn't have to say a word to be comforting to me.

"I miss them too," he said very softly, and I couldn't be sure if he said it to me of just out loud to himself.

Then something came to mind that I had never really thought of before.

"I'm sorry we didn't have a son," I mumbled sadly.

Edmund laughed loudly and it made me jump in surprise.

"I'm not!" he said, looking at me like I was crazy. "I wouldn't trade either of those girls for all the sons in Narnia OR England!"

"But don't you kind of feel like you missed out on that father son relationship?" I asked quietly.

"Well, I may haven't experienced that," he admitted, "But I think the relationships I had, and STILL have, with my daughters are the best things in my life. Next to you, of course."

He ended his statement with a kiss on my cheek.

"Plus, keeping Endirah off the battlefield was hard enough without worrying about some small, headstrong and impetuous version of me…or worse, YOU!"

I laughed and pressed my head to his chest with a happy sigh. I had never thought about it, but my goodness…if we had a son he would have been quite a shock to Narnia!

Suddenly, Edmund took my hands in his and smiled in his mischievous way and began to pull me to the kitchen.

"Ed, what are you doing?" I giggled as he sat me down and told me to stay there.

"Hold on!" he called over his shoulder as he went out the door.

I sighed and decided to just sit and wait for him to let me know what on earth he was doing. I waited patiently until I heard his footsteps outside and the door flung back open. My eyes softened and I smiled widely.

There stood my wonderful husband with mud on his boots, breeches, tunic and hands. He had a big grin on his face and he held in his right hand a beautiful bouquet of the wildflowers I had been admiring earlier that day. I stood up and he handed them to me. I took them and giggled at the mud still clinging to the stems. I rubbed my hand down his cheek and burst into laughter at his shocked look and the muddy streaks my fingers left on him.

"Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"I like you dirty," I said with a smile. I grabbed a vase from the counter and replaced the old flowers with the new ones. Then I felt, once again, those arms thread around me…but they were a bit higher this time and I blushed as his fingers began to fiddle with the ties on the side of my dress (yes, I still blushed!).

"I know you do," he said in my ear, his voice heavy with suggestion.

"Oh no you don't," I tried slipping out of his arms but he only squeezed me tighter and laughed. "We both have work to do!"

"Who cares?" Edmund's eyes were full of laughter.

"Oh…" I tried to resist but he was giving me that sad little, 'please, please, pretty, pretty please' look and I just couldn't. "Fine, you big annoying husband. Lead me to thy chambers and I'll show you the meaning of dirty."

The look on his face reminded me of a little boy who woke up and realized it was Christmas and I was pulled out of that kitchen faster than you could blink an eye! I guess I still served a purpose after all, and a pretty great purpose at that!

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Next chapter promises to be interesting. I'll try to get a full chapter out of my idea!

How'd you like it? Let me know :D