Chapter Seven
Out for a Stroll

Peter stood there looking between the seamstress and the girl. He had heard arguing and had come out to inspect. Seeing that they weren't going to continue on in front of him he was going to turn and leave, but his eyes found those of the girl.

She was pretty, dark hair and eyes, her skin tan. She was shorter than he was, but didn't bother him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was asking himself why he should care or be bothered by how tall she was, but he didn't listen to it. It was the same part of his mind telling him that staring was rude. It kind of sounded like Susan to him, vaguely.

He watched as her cheeks turned pink. She broke eye contact with him and looked down, not at the ground, but what he felt the middle of his chest would be. He followed her line of sight and found that indeed she was looking at his chest, for it was bare.

Now it was his turn to blush. He felt the heat ride up the back of his neck, making was to his ears, slowly creeping onto his cheeks and finally to his nose. Quietly he excused himself and left for the changing room.

He had come to Mrs. Hare's because, as Mrs. Beaver put it, she was the best seamstress in all of Narnia. He and his siblings had tried to convince the Hare to take residence within the castle, but she refused saying that the walls were too thick for her liking. She preferred her little hut in the woods and whenever any of the nobles dwelling at the castle required any fine garment they went to her.

Peter had come to her because he had another growth spurt. He had grown at least three inches since coming to Narnia, he wasn't complaining though. So Mrs. Hare had been taking his new measurements and having him try on new tunics when the knock came at the door and she left him to answer it, leaving him standing there with no shirt, as he was to try on some that would possibly fit and tide him over till his new ones were ready.

Once he started to get properly dressed again he could hear calm voices speaking from the front of the house. Deciding it best to leave he put on the tunic he worn originally and strapped his sword to his belt once more.

He emerged from the back to find the girl sketching something on piece of paper and Mrs. Hare nodding at whatever it was.

The girl looked up, her dark eyes meeting his once again. He felt himself flush again. "I will leave you ladies to discuss your business." Giving them a polite bow he made as to leave but was stopped.

"Oh, no. You stay, I'll go." The girl said, rising. "I didn't mean to interrupt you." Turning to the Hare the she smiled. "I'll see you later Wynn. Remember, no dresses, just that," and she pointed to paper.

Mrs. Hare nodded. "Yes, dear." Within seconds the girl was out the door. Mrs. Hare turned to look at Peter as he watched the door close. He wasn't aware he had been looking at her retreating form until Mrs. Hare spoke to him. "Highness, she does not know who you are. She is newly arrived and has never been to court," she said as if to explain the girl's behavior. Peter just nodded, staring at the close door. She sighed, "Sire, if you wish to follow her, I will be more than happy to make another appointment with you."

Peter finally looked at the Hare. That seemed like a splendid idea. "Yes, how about in two weeks?"

"Tsk. You'll have grown another two inches. Very well, Highness, I will see you in two weeks." And with that Peter excused himself.

Once outside he looked around and found the girl walking very purposely away from . . . something. Quickly though he caught up with her as his longer legs carried him quicker than her shorter ones could carry her.

"Lady, where are you off to?" he asked once he was just a few paces behind her.

She scoffed at this. "I am no lady."

"If I knew your name I could address you by that then." Peter's stride matching hers now as he walked beside her, his hands behind his back. He looked as if hadn't speed walked to catch up to her. Very casual.

She looked at him, "I am Sarah."

"Peter," he said simply, feeling no need to give her his full title.

"Peter, then, I am out for a walk." Looking straight ahead now she went.

"Mrs. Hare said that you are new to Narnia. Where are you from?"

Still looking ahead she said, "Telmir."

"You mean Telmar," he corrected her.

"That's what I said." There was something in her voice, but he couldn't place it. "Where are you from? Archenland?"

Blinking in disbelief he lied, "Yes." Peter was surprised at finding that Sarah had no idea who he really was. Mrs. Hare was telling the truth. This girl had no idea. He felt his something flip in his middle region.

Looking at him again as they walked she said, "Staying at the castle?"

"Yes," he answered, "Just some minor lord's son." He tacked on the last part for good measure though he felt the comment was out of place. He wasn't sure why, but he felt the need to keep his true rank a secret. Correction: not a need, more of want. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, just . . . his very confused mind at the moment. "May I walk with you?"

Pausing in her step she looked down at the ground, then studied his face for a moment. He wasn't sure what she was looking for as her dark eyes studied him but whatever she found turned out to be good enough. "Yes, I suppose so."

He nodded and they began walking again. It was silent for a while between them. Just the nature around them communicating with itself and leaving the two alone. Peter took this opportunity to examine his walking companion a bit more. Her hair was dark, with a slight wave to it, her eyes not as nearly dark as her hair. When the sun shone on them he caught a glimmers gold and rust in them. Her skin was the perfect shade of light copper. She held herself with no air of formality or rank, like other girls her age he met. Sarah was…ordinary in the fact she didn't seem to be of high birth and for whatever reason that made him extremely happy.

Finally he broke the silence. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere, I don't care, as long as it's away from my house." She said her voice short and her eyes slightly narrowing, though not at him.

"Why?"

"Because my father wishes me to act in a way I just can't stand anymore," she said, sounding frustrated. "He wants me to be a perfect lady, to wear dresses and be proper. That's just not how I brought up! I mean I have manners, but nothing like he's expecting of me."

Furrowing his brow in confusion he asked, "Did you not father help bring you up?"

She sighed, "No, not exactly. My uh, mother just died recently and we lived in Telmar. My father has been away at some university or another in Anvard."

"So you are upset at your father for leaving you and your mother in Telmar?"

Shaking her head she said, "No. Not that. It's just as I said, I was not brought up with all the pomp and circumstance he's expecting of me. I am not some noblewoman." Looking at him she gave a small smile. "Sorry. I don't even know you but I am laying all my problems at your feet."

He shrugged. "No matter. If I can help than I would be more than happy to." They walked in silence once again and Peter was grateful that she was too caught up in her own concerns to ask him about his background.

Peter wasn't sure how long they walked, but they finally stopped under a large tree at a top of a hill. They shared the quiet together, not speaking. Sarah sat down, not caring that the skirt of her dress caught on her knees. While he had seen girl's calves before, here in Narnia, anything shone above the ankles was considered immodest. He did notice they were well shaped before he turned his attention elsewhere not letting his thoughts continue.

"I want to go home," she said, her voice soft. Her eyes were focused one something in the distance.

He sat down next her, adjusting Rhindon so it did not get stuck in the grown. Sitting cross-legged and with his arms behind him he said, "Do you have family in Telmar to stay with?" Peter looked at her, but she was still staring off.

She shook her head. "No, but I have friends there. My best friend Lydia will be going crazy by now. We've never been apart more than a few days and now it's been almost two weeks." A smile spread across her lips. "And then there's Mark."

"Mark?" he inquired, somewhere in the back of his mind hoping Mark was a dog or relative.

"Yeah, he's, uh, courting me I guess you could say," she replied. "I miss everyone."

Now he leaned forward and folded his hands in his lap. "Well, perhaps you could stay with your friend, Lydia until you wed this Mark."

Looking at him she laughed, and he smiled. "I don't think so. One, I can't live with Lydia. I wish I could, and two, I am far too young to get married anytime soon."

Peter laughed with her now. "That's nice to hear. My, uh, own father keeps trying to get me to marry, and I tell him the same thing." In truth his father didn't tell him anything, of course. It was true though those nobles coming to visit were doing their best to press their daughters upon him and Edmund as potential brides. They politely refused all of them, feeling they were still too young to even consider marriage, especially his brother. "What would be an acceptable age of marriage for you then?"

Sarah shrugged. "Dunno. Ask me when I'm when I'm eighteen and I'll tell ya then."

Peter smiled widely. He changed the subject and tried to talk to her of other things, anything to keep her mind off of her troubles and Mark. He wasn't sure why he was trying to keep Sarah's mind off of her suitor, but he felt the need too. They were talking for a very long time when his stomach began to growl.

"I know that noise," she said and stood up. "You, my friend, are hungry."

"It appears so," he replied with a sheepish smile and stretched his limbs before getting up. "What are we going to do about it?"

Tucking a strand of dark hair behind her head she pondered it for a moment. "Well, I think I've cooled down enough that we could go back to the Pr-my Papa's. I did leave them in a hurry; I should probably be heading back anyway."

Peter nodded, "Then to your father's we shall go, but do you know the way back?" He only asked, because from their conversation under the tree (while he was trying to distract her) she had said she did not know the area that well yet.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. "If you get me back to Wynn's I think I could manage. If not we could always ask her for directions. I'd feel a little silly doing so, but hey," she shrugged, "what are you going to do?"

"Yes, well, lets go then," he said and began leading the way. "I hope you can find the way, or Wynn knows the way back, because if you can't I fear I'll end up starving to death." She laughed and followed him and Peter couldn't get the smile off his face.