To say it's been awhile would be an understatement. To say I'm sorry for taking so long, wouldn't be saying enough. But, alas, here it is. Finally, a new chapter in the love story of Edlynn. For those who don't want to re-read the last 10 chapters, a brief recap:

After 4 years and 7 months, Aaralynn sailed to the Lone Islands to prepare them for the arrival of King Caspian a year later. She found devastation and tyranny. When Edmund and Lucy arrived aboard the Dawn Treader (after three years passing in their time and with their cousin Eustace in tow) it was to discover that Caspian hadn't heard from Aaralynn in five months. When they landed on the islands and traveled to Bernstead, where they believed Aaralynn to be hiding, they found it was in ruin devastated by a great fire. They were soon captured by the Keepers and taken to the Jail House. There Aaralynn, disguised as a boy, came to their rescue. After freeing them and reuniting with Lord Bern, who had taken Aaralynn (under the name of Estelle) into his household for care, Aaralynn and the Narnians headed towards the Governor's estate to over throw his rule and re-instate Caspian as the rightful King. When she saw that all was going according to plan and well at hand, Aaralynn snuck out and headed for the island of Felimath where Bern's family was in hiding. She brought them back to Narrowhaven, where Bern was now Duke of the islands, and at long last reunited with Edmund.

Whew...All caught up? Good! Now onward to the next installment...

One Fine Day

Chapter 11

The Feast

"He did what?" Edmund exclaimed.

"He didn't do anything," I defended.

"He proposed to you, Aaralynn." Edmund and I had been talking in my room for hours, and I'd finally gotten around to telling him bits of my story. I wasn't going to tell him the whole thing yet, because I knew I'd have retell most of it to Lucy and all of the Lone Islands to everyone else.

"He didn't…were you even listening to me Edmund? His council suggested marriage."

"And he wasn't completely opposed to it."

"Why should he be completely opposed to it? Am I so dreadful to be married to?"

"You're turning my words against me."

"Just as you're turning Caspian's words against him." I sighed. "Caspian would never wish to marry me for the same reasons you did. He sees me as a sister."

"It was never suggested that Lucy and I be married or that Peter marry Susan."

"That's because you had me and Peter had Myranda…sort of. The Narnian council wasn't concerned with the two of you finding wives."

"The council does know that you and I are married, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"But what?"

"I was only a child when Caspian and I began our reign and it is difficult for them to grasp the fact that I was once of a proper age to marry. That, and many of them didn't believe you would return in our lifetime."

"But you did." Edmund paused briefly. "Caspian says you never stopped believing I would return, and you never stopped trying to convince others as well. Thank you." He finished by kissing my temple.

"Well of course, husband. I would rather spend a thousand lifetimes without you then to spend even one with another."

Edmund did not say anything in response; he didn't need to. His lingering kiss was enough to tell me he felt the same. A knock on the door drew us both apart. We knew we'd been lucky to have been allowed so long together alone, and we knew that it couldn't last forever. Edmund and I both brushed out the crinkles in our clothes to make ourselves more presentable.

"You may enter," I called.

One of the ladies from before entered and bobbed a curtsy. "Pardon the interruption, Your Majesties, but your presence is being requested for dinner in the rotunda."

"Thank you, Ivy. Please tell the Governor…"

"Actually it's Duke," Edmund whispered in my ear.

"What?"

"Caspian made Bern a Duke."

"Oh!" I turned back towards the girl. "Well in that case, please inform the Duke and Duchess that we will be down shortly." Ivy bobbed another curtsy and left.

XXX

Edmund and I entered the rotunda together and it was almost like entering an entirely different room, such was the drastic change in atmosphere. The lights were brighter and the walls rung with the sound of merriment. On the long table at which Pug and Gumpas had been sitting at, now sat an elaborate feast. Around the room, the Dawn Treader crew, which I noticed included a few Native Narnians, intermingled with the new residents and workers of the house. Caspian and Drinian were talking with Bern, and Lucy was chatting with Celeste and the girls. As we entered, a herald at the door announced our arrival.

"King Edmund and Queen Aaralynn of Narnia!"

I looked at Edmund and caught the glimmer in his eyes. He too was reminded of other days. We didn't make it very far before Sol saw me and wriggled free from her sister's grasp.

"'Stelle!"she cried as she ran to me. I scooped her into my arms, and hugged her tight.

"And how is my little sunshine?" I asked.

"Papa is back!"

"I see!"

"He's back! You did it, 'Stelle! You brought 'im back!"

I laughed. "Well I did have some help. Here, there's someone I want you to meet." I set Sol back on her feet before Edmund. "Sol, this is King Edmund. Do you remember how we greet Princes and Kings?"

Like a perfect little lady, Sol picked up the corner of her dress and dropped into a low, but shaky, curtsy. "P'eased to me'chew, Your Mag-esty."

"Close enough," I said softly so she wouldn't hear me.

"And I am pleased to meet you," Edmund said as he bowed back. Then he took one of Sol's tiny hands and kissed the back of it. Sol gasped and her eyes grew wider than I think I'd ever seen them, before she ran off.

"Mummy! He kiss me! He kiss me!" she cried out. Edmund chuckled as she ran back to Celeste.

"Easy there King Charm," I said. "Remember whose husband you are."

Edmund laughed even more enthusiastically as he placed his hand on the small of my back and we resumed our walk towards Caspian. "Who was she?"

"That was Sol, Lord Bern's youngest Daughter."

"His youngest?"

"He has three."

"There you two are," Caspian said as we finally arrived.

"What do you mean?" Edmund asked.

Caspian looked curiously at us first and then at Drinian. "We sent for you more than a half hour ago."

Edmund and I weren't exactly in a rush to end our time alone once Ivy left. I could sense that Edmund was quickly becoming uncomfortable, so I took control of the situation.

"Oh bugger off, Caspian. I haven't seen my husband in five years; I wanted some time alone. When you're older, you'll understand." Drinian and Bern laughed rambunctiously.

"It is good to have you back, Aaralynn," Caspian said.

"And it is good to be back in a dress," I replied as we embraced.

"My word," he exclaimed. "Is that bone I feel? You are too thin, Aaralynn. Eat, please, there is plenty."

Recalling that I had not eaten since before the Dawn Treader arrived, I realized I was hungry. And looking down the table I saw that Caspian was right; there was plenty of food. There was more food there than I had seen in a year, and more than the islanders had seen in nearly ten years. My conscious wouldn't let me eat while there were still some who were hungrier than I.

"Oh, that's ok," I said. "I'm fine. I'm really not even hungry."

"Not hungry? How can that be, you are nothing but bone," Caspian insisted.

"I said I'm fine!" I snapped a little too easily. Perhaps I was hungrier than I realized. I tried to ease the resulting tension with a smile. "I ate before the prison break. You know how little it takes to fill me."

Caspian wasn't buying it though, and neither was Edmund. Fortunately, Papa Bern intervened before they could say anything more.

"Estelle, my child," he said. "I was wondering, if perhaps you might like to walk with me?"

"Yes, thank you. I would very much like that."

Bern offered me his arm and we left Caspian and Edmund standing in silence. Bern waited until we were out of earshot of the others before speaking softly to me.

"I believe I understand what has upset you so suddenly."

I sighed. Of course he had; Bern was very intuitive like that. "How can we feast when so many have so little?"

"My first order as Duke was to take stock of all that was in this place. I was surprised, though I should not have been, that this palace housed enough food to serve the islands thrice over."

"What!"

"It is true, child. And so, I then ordered that a feast be prepared in honor of our royal guests…yourself included." Bern eyed me curiously, but I looked away shamefully.

"I am sorry about that bit of deception, but I believed it necessary at the time."

Bern chuckled. "I have always known that there was something more to you than a poor orphaned child."

By this point we had reached a large window and we stopped in front of it.

"Look out there," Bern instructed me, "and tell me what you see."

The streets were ablaze with life. There was a bonfire in the square, and people running through the streets. At first it appeared to be utter chaos and I feared the people were rioting. Then I began to notice there was a method to the madness. They weren't rioting, they were dancing! In and out of homes, up and down the streets, young and old alike were dancing in celebration. Their joy filled my heart, but it wasn't until I noticed that the women were carrying platters of food that I became overwhelmed with joy and began to cry.

"You see, my child, the feast I ordered was not the one spread on the table you see here; it was sent to those who needed it most. They feast in your honor, not I."

"Oh, Papa Bern," I sighed as I hugged his neck. "Is it really over then, at last."

"Over child? I am not sure I can say it is over. Though they are feasting now, it will still take some time to fully gain their trust. And then there is this business with the Calormen Merchants to sort out."

I gasped. "Their ship! It was due to arrive today."

"Fear not, we received word that their ship was delayed leaving."

"Oh praise Asian! What blessings he has bestowed on us this day."

"Yes indeed. His blessings today have been many and great, and I believe they have only just begun. Now, my child, will you join me for a bite of food?"

"Yes, yes I think I shall. Thank you Papa Bern."

"It was my pleasure, Your Majesty."

"Please, none of that. I am still the same girl you first bailed out."

"No my child, you are much more than that."

Lord Bern and I turned from the window then and made our way back to the table where Edmund and Caspian stood with Drinian, all pretending not to wait for us. We sat down to partake in our own feast. Lucy and Caspian wanted to know of my time on the islands, but Elanor and Helene wanted to know of Edmund. So I indulged the girls with the tale of our first meeting and early life.

In the days that followed, hearings were conducted to determine the fate of the Keepers. Some chose to pledge allegiance to Caspian and were sent to work rebuilding the towns. Those that did not, were banished and given passage off the islands with the Calormen vessel.

The Calormen vessel arrived at port four days late, by which point most of the hearings were finished. And when they arrived it was to discover a new regime established. The Calormens feigned outrage at the discovery of mistreatment of the islanders at the hands of the Keepers. For all our efforts, Kohl and I were unable to establish any proof to contradict their claim. So the Calormens were sent on their way, happily granting passage to the banished citizens.

After their departure, we turned our attention to the needs of the people. We held open town halls to hear their claims, and we did whatever we could to assist them. And each night Bern continued to send out food. While Bern and Caspian were held up in town halls, Drinian and much of the crew (including Edmund, Lucy, and myself) went about to the career sailors to ask if they knew of what lay to the east. None knew for certain, but many had great tales of enchanted islands and sea serpents. And though we knew no more of what lay in wait then when we began, we did know that whatever lay before us would be a grand adventure.