Author's Note: So here's the real Chapter 16. Hope its long enough to make up for the big break in updates. As I said before the Prolouge to Bella Luna is gone. You'll see it again when I get to that part. Hopefully sooner than later. So enjoy and try to look over the glaring spelling and grammar errors. I'll fix them. One day. :D

Chapter 16
Let Us Dance

The room was just far too large for her, too much space, and too much furniture, too much everything. She missed her small little room, with the bed barely big enough for her and the small dresser and armoire that had held her modest array of clothes. It not been decorated unless you counted the vase that sometimes sat on the corner side table, with and without flowers. She missed how everyone used to crowd into the small home, human and Creature alike.

If you had asked her when she first arrived in Narnia Sarah might have told you that she would, if given a choice, preferred the grand room she now occupied and the fancy dresses (though she would still grumble about them) that she now wore. But it was probably a good thing, she would later think, that she was not given this rich life style first as it made her appreciate everything she had been given since arriving even more.

Ulley had presented the Kings and Queens of Narnia with his completed history book, condensed in form, but she had not been able to attend the court ceremony for it as Auntie Larra said as she was not currently ready to be presented before royalty. Ulley said they asked him to stay as their archivist, but of course he refused on the grounds that his family needed him. They could not deny that though he did suggest that they consider Zoran as he knew just as much as Ulley about Narnian, if not more. The little Fox had been humbled at his teacher's recommendation.

Yesterday the Kings and Queens formally asked Zoran to be the Royal Archivist, to which he graciously accepted. The Fox had gone out to celebrate with Jensen, Mark and a few others of his friends. He had come back, per Jensen, stinking drunk and spent the rest of the day moaning and hissing at bright light and loud noises.

Jensen then became Ulley's senior apprentice though for how long that position would remain was in question. Ulley was going to keep teaching the boy on the proper ways of preserving history until his brother Kad passed away, which seemed more likely as time went on than him actually getting better.

She felt out of place at the palace, for more than one reason, which was why she was currently hiding in her room. She thought she would be seeing more of Peter once they came to stay, but he had been elusive, at best, to find. She was happy to see Edmund again. The young king seemed genuinely happy to see her too and had invited her to have lunch with him and his sister. Sarah had felt very nervous about the lunch thinking that perhaps it was going to be his elder sister, Queen Susan, who would be joining them. However it turned out to be Queen Lucy. She was instantly charmed by the young girl's spirit and was not surprised to hear that she had befriended Mark. Nor was she surprised to have Mark join them along with a Faun called Tumnas. It was a nice lunch and she was glad she had been drilled in all sorts of manners. Not that the king and queen noticed if she used to wrong for utensil or did something out of turn, or if they did they did well to hide it, but it did make Sarah feel, afterwards, more at ease at court among the ladies to have survived lunch with the royals.

That was the other thing didn't like. The ladies that were staying at Cair Paravel reminded Sarah of the popular girls at her high school that used to whisper behind her back as she walked by because she had been dating the star running back (aka Mark) of the football team. Now the whispers were for different reasons. While dark hair was common, her tanned skin was enough to begin the whisperings. She pretended not to hear them or ignore them when they were trying to get her attention but some things stuck. She had heard them say they thought she was a spy. Some speculated that she was not human, or at least not fully, at all, they would say anything from Dryad to Mermaid. The worst, and the one that wedged itself in her mind the most, was that she was a courtesan. At first she thought that was rather nice thinking they thought the word was a fancy way of saying she was a countess or something. But something kept nagging at her that it wasn't what it meant. So she asked Ulley one day if a courtesan was what they called a countess in Archenland. Ulley had laughed and told her no, it was not what they called a countess in Archenland. It was a term that people at court "politely" called prostitutes.

After that she made sure to stay far away from the ladies and prove them wrong. How exactly she was going to prove them wrong she was not sure but she knew she had to find a way.

Her mind digressed. She was hiding, in her room and not at all wanting to come out. It was the day of the ball. Everyone through out the castle was excited. The servants were running around attending to last minute preparations while the lords and ladies could be heard laughing and giggling through out the halls. Even Ulley was going, but he opted for no mask saying that such things were for the young. She had no idea what anyone else was attending the ball as, save for Mark. She helped him come up with costume. It was a popular theme, apparently, to be attending disguised as some animal. Mark did not want to follow suit saying if he was going to a ball in a monkey suit he was not going to actually look like a monkey doing it. So they had come up with the idea of a pirate and to have him wear a simple black mask that covered his face from his nose up. Normally those of low rank within the Royal Guard did not attend such functions but Queen Lucy had personally invited the pseudo Telmarine.

It was amazing to have such a friendly relationship with Mark. They had come to realize that, yes, when they had originally started dating there was an attraction but had to admit that towards the end, before entering Narnia, they had both felt that disappearing. Now it was a just a friendship and Sarah like that a lot.

There was a knock on her door and it startled Sarah, making her jump in the chair she was sitting in by the window. "Coming," she called, straightening her dress and answered the door.

It was Jensen and he had a smile splayed across his face when she answered. He had his own room but spent most of his time engrossed in books in the sitting room that separated her and Ulley's rooms. She had a feeling that the apprentice liked her as more than a friend by the way he was always going out of his way to compliment her. Either that or he bought into the rumor she was a courtesan and was looking for something else. While she did not necessarily want his attentions she hoped that out of the two it was former.

"Oh, hello Jensen," she said sweetly.

"You look lovely today, Sarah," he replied.

She decided to ignore the comment. "What can I do for you, friend?"

"Wynn is here to see you, to help you get ready for the ball."

Sarah sighed, "Might as well get this over with." She stepped around Jensen and into the sitting room.

There the Hare was tapping her foot impatiently, as Sarah came out. "Goodness, child, you look like you haven't even started to get ready!"

Sarah laughed, "I don't know how I am supposed to, other than washing myself, especially when my dress isn't here."

"Excuses, excuses," Was the only thing Wynn said in reply with a wave of her hand. "Well, you don't have any now. Her Majesty Queen Susan has been kind enough to lend me one of her ladies-in-waiting." Wynn turned and looked up to the girl standing next to her. It was the first time Sarah noticed her. She was tall with long wavy blonde hair and very pretty. While her clothes were appropriate for court fashion they had a sense of airiness about them. "Lady Sarah this is Lady Aliana." Sarah gave her seamstress a look while Aliana did a little curtsey. Wynn only smiled good-humoredly at her knowing that Sarah did not like to be referred to as a Lady.

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Sarah," Aliana said coming up from her curtsey.

Sarah smiled at her. "Please, call me Sarah."

"Likewise," Aliana replied her light eyes sparkling.

"She'll be helping me to hold you down to get you ready," Wynn joked. The Hare turned to Jensen. "Now, off with you. You'll be surprised like the rest of them. Now shoo!" Jensen laughed, bowed to the three of them and turned and left.

"Let's get started," Wynn said, pushing Sarah into her room. Once the door was closed Wynn had Sarah disrobe all the way down to her shift.

"Auntie Larra would find this highly improper," Sarah mused as she did so behind a screen.

"That old bat?" Wynn said as she was puttering around the room. Aliana had brought in the dress and that the seamstress's instructions placed it upon a stand.

Sarah was laughing heartedly at the comment about her Telmarine tutor but abruptly stopped when she saw the dress. It literally stole her breath away.

"Breathe," Aliana reminded her and she gasped in the air.

"I-I can't wear that," Sarah said, her eyes still glued to the dress.

"Oh, yes you can and you will. My best work I've done in years. You will wear it and flaunt it and be proud that I made that for you," Wynn said taking Sarah by the hand and leading her to a nearby chair and forced her to sit in it. "You, Aliana and I are the only ones that have seen it. Aliana has been sworn to secrecy not to reveal who you are at the ball. You in that dress shall be the talk of the ton and when you are unmasked everyone will know who you are."

Sarah tore her eyes away to give the Hare a look of horror. "I don't want anyone to know who I am!"

"That's something you will have to deal with child. If you're going be saying you're from Telmar you've got to at least look the part."

Sarah made to open her mouth then closed it. No one had ever let Wynn in on the secret of Sarah's, and Mark's, true origins. It was the closes that anyone had come to saying they knew the truth. Aliana looked between the two of them, slightly confused, as she knew something was going on but was not sure what exactly.

"Fine," Sarah finally said allowing her eyes to go back to the dress. It was truly beautiful. The dress, a shade of red seen rarely at sunset, had graceful lines and on the shoulders there were cut outs so you could see her skin. The sleeves were long and it seemed the closer they came to the wrist the more sheer they became. She was not sure how Wynn had accomplished that as she was fully aware of what technology was available in Narnia. There was beading and feathers of shades of orange, red and yellow arranged in such a way that they looked liked a flame on the skirt of the dress that led up to the corset part. Aliana saw that Sarah was looking at the dress again and went to it to turn it around so she could fully appreciate it. It was nearly backless and she revealed a small train, no longer than a foot long. It looked very form fitting and Sarah wondered how she was going to pull that off.

"What am I supposed to be anyway?" she finally asked, looking at Wynn who was adding some last minute feathers.

"A phoenix," Wynn replied with a needle in her mouth. "I thought that a phoenix would be good for you seeing as that Narnia is a new start for you." Sarah just nodded.

"Are you ready, Sarah?" Aliana asked.

"Ready for what?" Sarah replied, looking up at the blonde.

The girl laughed and it sounded bubbling brook. "I am here to help with your hair."

"Oh," was Sarah's answer. Aliana turned Sarah away from the dress and undid her hair from the braid that was holding it back.

"Where are you from?" Sarah asked when Aliana started to run a brush through her hair.

"I am from the River Rush," she replied and before she could be asked more she added. "I am a Naiad. Please, sit back while I attend to your hair." And with that Sarah shut her mouth and did as she was told.

Peter stood in front of a floor length mirror as his valet, a dwarf by the name of Fricklin, made last minute adjustments on his costume. He wore a dark brown leather vest over a black shirt and dark brown pants. His boots were just below the knee and black. Susan had thought it would be funny to have him wear a furry tail so as to actually have him look like he was a wolf. His mask, thankfully, had no fur on it but was made of silver and crafted by Fricklin's own brother-in-law. To make it a little more comfortable to wear it had been lined in a soft black fabric.

Initially he had been a little scared when Susan and Lucy and had told him and Edmund that they were going to go in costume. He had imagined a big, ridiculous wolf suit he would have to parade around in. This was a little more refined, though still silly if you asked him.

Susan had been hidden away most of the day preparing for it and only recently was Lucy found and taken to her room by her maids to get ready.

Edmund had tired to hide but unfortunately had run into his own valet who had dragged the young king away to get ready. Peter had been mature enough to not throw a tantrum, but grumbled under his breath nonetheless.

"There you are, sire," Fricklin said as he cut a stray and brushed it away

"Thank you," Peter replied.

He looked himself over in the mirror that he stood before and wondered, with the mask on, if Sarah would be able to tell who he was. He hoped so. Susan, before she had cloistered herself to her rooms, had informed Edmund (who had groaned) and Peter of the game tonight. If someone guessed your identity correctly than the prize was a kiss upon the cheek and while that seemed fine for Susan, who had a knack for remembering people's voices and did not mind giving out kisses (chaste kisses of course) freely, Edmund and Peter did not look very forward to the idea. Lucy seemed excited about the party though Peter suspected it had more to do with staying up later than usual more than anything.

There was a knock on the door and Fricklin went to go answer it. A moment later Fricklin was back. "Her Majesty, Queen Susan, is waiting for you to escort her, sire."

"Thank you, Fricklin," Peter said with a nod and went to greet his sister.

Susan was wearing a dress the exact shade of blue found on a male peacock. Her mask, held in her hand, was done in semi-precious stones of blue, green and gold colors and had a few feathers attached to it. "Really, Peter, one would say you take longer than a woman to get ready."

Peter lifted an eye brow in response. "Dear sister, I was not the one who started getting ready at noon today for a party this evening."

She rolled her eyes and was going to say more when she was interrupted.

"I. Hate. You." A surly voice said from behind them. They turned to find the youngest Pevensie brother throwing daggers at them with his looks while Lucy giggled next to him, her arm looped through his

"I hope you do not mean your dear elder brother, Ed," the High King said, laughter in his eyes.

Edmund only grunted and looked directly at Susan. "No. Susan. I hate you."

Susan only laughed, went to him and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Ed. Now, don't be so sour. You look splendid."

Peter looked at this brother's costume and nearly laughed but checked himself not wanting to embarrass Edmund further or anger Susan. Edmund was wearing a tunic that reached his knees and it looked to be made out of green leave of various species. Of course they were not real leaves but ones crafted by the talented Wynn. Peter didn't suppose that was too bad until you looked at the bottom half of his brother and saw the matching green leggings and pointed shoes. Edmund did not wear his mask, but held it in his free hand. He hid his laugh with a cough and earned a reprimanding look from Susan.

"Come Ed, it's not that bad." Peter said once he recovered.

"Easy for you to say."

Lucy just giggled. Her costume was simple, just a brown dress, but there was a thin tail coming out of the back of the skirt and her mask which she wore had a little round nose with whiskers. "This will be a fun night." Edmund shot Lucy a look.

Susan huffed. "Really, must you be like this Edmund? You need not be little black rain cloud on everything."

Her younger brother looked appropriately reprimanded. "I still won't like it," Edmund said as he looked broodingly at the floor. Peter rolled his eyes and Susan told them that they needed to be off.

He could kill them. At any moment, these sheep that danced and laughed could find themselves in great pain as he watched them die. That was not part of his plan, however. And right now he had to stick to his plans or else he would find his path to the throne blocked at his every turn.

Looking over the crowd he found he was surrounded by Creatures. He shivered. He hated them. A nymph went dancing by with a satyr and he felt queasy in his stomach. These foul creatures were the cause of his family's woes. The reason why those four children where sitting on the thrones and not him.

"Hail King Tumnus! Hail Queen Aliana!" shouted the crowed as a Faun and Naiad walked by. A game at this masquerade was to name two subjects King and Queen for the night on reputation alone which was why the most famous Faun and Naiad were chosen. He thought it a bit ironic that the majority of humans would pick Creatures for their mock rulers. Perhaps they were secretly teasing them. Everyone knew that Aslan, that fiend, had placed the first man on the throne of Narnia, and Narnia would never be right lest a Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve sat upon it (or said the Lion).

"My lord," an old creaky voice came from behind him. Slowly he turned to find an old woman, Auntie Larra as she was called, facing him. She wore no costume, but was still finely dressed. He wanted to sneer at her. She did not wear her years well, but at one time she had been what men would call a great beauty. He should know, as he knew her back then. "The girl was cloistered in her rooms all day. I was not able to see what she was coming disguised as."

If they had not been in public he would have reprimanded her, physically, but as was too many witness would have seen. Besides, the old woman was trying her best. She would do nearly anything for him, especially since she believed he knew the secret to eternal youth as he had no aged a day since he met her while her once lustrous black hair had turned gray, her tanned skin became covered in wrinkles and her figure had lost its shape a long time ago. What she did not know was that his ability to stay young was something he was born with, no spell was cast to keep him so young. Still, he knew how to reverse the effects of age. For entertainment he could restore her youth, toy with her heart (as he did so many years ago) and have her do his bidding. Go places where he was not granted access.

That was too much work, though. He had his fun with her. Looking at Larra he gave her his most dashing smile. "That is well, dear one, though I am disappointed. Maybe you do not have the strength that is need, after all, to with stand the spell. For surely someone of stronger will would have no problem to accomplish the task I had set to them."

"No, my love," and she took his hand. He wanted to shiver and pull his smooth skinned one from her sandpaper's grasp. He was a great actor and neither his face nor his body language betrayed this. "I am of strong will and of able body to withstand the spell. I would do anything for you."

He gripped her hand firmly, doing his best not to break her brittle bones (no matter how much he wanted to) before releasing it. "I am glad to hear that. Now go before anyone suspects anything or hears us."

She slowly backed away and gave him a formal bow. "Yes, my lord." She waddled off, soon disappearing into the crowd.

Behind the mask that covered the top half of his face he rolled his eyes. He had forgotten how clingy Larra could be. One would think age would have changed that but he was sadly disappointed. Still, she had one simple task she had to perform and she failed. All she had to do was find out the costume Sarah would be wearing tonight and report back to him. He knew the old hag thought that somehow he was going to take the girl's youth and give it to her. It was not true but he did not discourage it as he still needed Larra and knew he had a reason to have let her live all those years ago.

Still, how hard was it to learn that one small bit of information? Usually he would not need to have a servant find those types of things out but Sarah seemed immune to most of his tricks. That was frustrating.

'You could always try to win her over the old fashion way,' a voice said in the back of head. He pushed the silly notion away. That would get him no where. He knew there would be no winning Sarah over in the traditional sense. He could feel the Deep Magic and knew what was happening. The Deep Magic was not going to be a match for his dark magic though once he had the Fell Beast on his side. Then Sarah would not be able to withstand his workings.

He said a small spell under his breath that allowed him to hear peoples, and Creatures, thoughts. Perhaps he could graze her mind and find the information he needed that way.

As the night went on someone else's thought caught his attention. It was that Naiad's, the one that had been made Queen for the evening. Intrigued, which rarely happened, he made his way over to her and asked her to dance. He could see why she had been elected by the masses. She was beautiful; more so than Larra had ever been and the only thing that gave away her heritage were the sea green color of her eyes. The words that went past her lips were nothing compared to the string of questions her mind contained.

I wonder where King Peter is. What would he think of my dress tonight? It matches his eyes perfectly. Would Queen Susan be angry if I danced with her brother? And the drivel went on. He found it entertaining though, to say the least, and knew she could be useful in the future. When they stopped dancing he bowed to her, but still held her hand in his. "Would you care to talk a walk with me, my lady?"

She looked hesitant for a moment but nodded her assent. He walked out of the hall with Aliana, Queen of the Ball, and when they would return later he would be coming back with Aliana, a Naiad willing to his bidding.

He stood there, talking to a man dressed as a badger. This was highly ridiculous. Peter was not sure how he had let his sisters' convince him that this was a good idea, to go parading around in costume and pretending. The fur that was his collar scratched and his mask made his peripheral vision horrible. He would seek his revenge on them, he decided. It may not happen soon, but he would have it and he was sure Edmund would join him in exacting it.

The younger king had a mask that looked like leaves covering most of his face. The only distinguishable feature was his dark hair, but many other guests had that. While it wasn't uncommon to have light hair like Peter's, very few had it at court, but thankfully man of the men had decided to wear wigs of blonde color to match there costumes (which were mostly lions).

"Let me guess who you are!" said a woman coming up behind the man with the badger costume. They both looked at her. She, like many of the other women, was dressed as lionesses. "You're High King Peter!" she giggled, speaking to the Badger-Man.

"Sorry, lady, I am not, but I dare say you're a little tipsy," he said pushing her lightly away as she had leaned in too close to his face. "Perhaps the lady should sit for a spell."

Giggling she waved him off and twirled away, grabbing another glass of wine from a passing servant.

"Lively spirit," said Badger-Man.

"In deed, too silly for me though," Peter admitted.

He laughed and adjusted his mask. "She'd be easy though." And Peter knew what they man meant by "easy" and didn't think any woman should be thought in that context so he just hummed and took a drink of his own wine.

"If you'd excuse me," his badger dressed companion said after a moment and greeted a man dressed as a Calormen warrior, who had been unmasked.

Seeing this as his opportunity to escape he turned around to make as if to leave but saw a man dressed as a pirate unmask Lucy. His youngest sister laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "You must be Mark!" she cried.

He laughed and took off the black mask that had hidden his features from his nose up. "Aye, Majesty." She laughed again and kissed him upon the cheek and he bowed and kissed her hand. "You promised me a dance, or two, my lady. Care if I claim that prize now?"

"Not at all," the ten-year-old said and taking his arm they went to the dance floor.

Peter was surprised. He knew Mark had met his sister, for she had mentioned it once, but he did not realize they were on more familiar terms. He felt he had to talk to them both, but was not sure why. He shook away the thought and instead imagined them dancing and thought it would be very comical to see them dance together.

At that moment he decided he wanted to dance to see if it would be as funny as he imagined. Finding Susan, still masked as a peacock, he asked her to dance, if only to talk to someone whose identity he was sure of.

"Have you seen Edmund?" she asked as they went to the dance floor.

"Probably hiding, he's a wise man," Peter replied. "Wish I could do the same, but I know you'd have me flayed."

Susan huffed. "Oh, come Peter, its not that bad. I am having a wonderful time. I don't think I haven't missed a turn on the dance floor."

"Yes, but that's because all the men here know someone beautiful must be there, behind that mask." If couldn't see her face but he knew she would be blushing. "I should prepare them though, seeing as once they do unmask you they are going to be sorely disappointed."

"Sir!" she said and smacked his arm. Peter just laughed. "So, have you unmasked any ladies tonight?"

"No," he replied. "Don't want to either."

"You're lying, well, that is if Edmund is telling the truth."

Slowly he said, "What has Edmund said?"

"Oh, touchy subject, perhaps I shouldn't say anything," the Gentle Queen teased her brother.

"What did he say," Peter said a little more sternly. What was his dear brother exactly saying?

"No need to get upset," she said, trying to calm him. "Ed just said that you didn't always go to Professor Ulley's for history lessons." Peter stopped in his place on the dance floor. Susan hadn't realized that he was not moving until she went to turn and stumbled. "What?"

"Edmund said that?" he choked out. Edmund! Forget revenge on Lucy and Susan, it was Edmund who was going to pay!

"Oh, really Peter, it's nothing to get upset about," Susan said trying to reassure him. "It's perfectly normal and I'm quite relieved that you've found someone."

Peter's eyes grew wide. Susan's thoughts were not nearly as bad as Edmund's had initially been but they were not correct. He had not realized till very recently that he cared for Sarah as more than a friend but did not want to rush things with her as she had just broken off her courtship with Mark. Right? "Susan, her name is Sarah and she is just a friend."

She raised an eyebrow (though her mask hid it), but said nothing more. The dance ended and they parted with smiles on their faces. Luckily no one had heard them use their names or their conversation. Susan walked off and was quickly inundated with a mass of would be dance partners and gentlemen trying to guess who she was.

Peter decided to find his brother. Who knew a thirteen-year-old could create such trouble? He never did find Edmund that night. Instead, while he was on the hunt, something red flickered and he probably would have seen more clearly what it was but the eye cutouts in his mask did not allow it. Later he would admit he was drawn to more than the color. Turning he found a woman dressed in a red dress upon which the flickering candlelight made the embellishments on her outfit shimmer making it look like flames danced around her. Her hair was dark and tumbled down her back in dark curls. Her mask was small and only covered her eyes and nose and the same pattern of flames that was on her dress was upon it. She wore no jewelry and Peter really did not think she needed to. She turned around and this gave Peter a glimpse at her smooth, tan back that the dress so elegantly revealed. Red, shimmering wings were painted on her skin and while they were artfully done he felt they marred her skin.

He knew who it was and was glad it was Sarah in the costume who took his breath away.

Taking deliberate steps he was there to bow in front of her when she turned around. "My lady," he said, "may I ask you for a dance?"

She hesitated but her would be protest was interrupted. "She would love to dance," a voice from the floor said. Peter looked down and found Zoran peering back at him. The Fox wore a thin gold chain with red-orange feather attached to it around his neck, but nothing else. The king did not know if that was supposed to be his costume or just a decoration.

Peter held out his hand to take hers. "I promise, my lady, I may be dressed as a wolf but I don't bite."

Exchanging a look with Zoran she took the proffered hand and he led them to the dance floor. It would be the first of many dances. He saw men around the floor eye the Phoenix-woman, but he was not going to leave her side. A few of Susan's admires flocked to the newcomer (which Susan looked slightly jealous of), but Peter did his best to discourage them. He did have to be polite and sat out a few dances. He could hear quite a few try and guess her identity. One even asked if she was Queen Susan. He only laughed at those times.

What Peter found interesting was that she was how shy she was. For most people a mask seemed to allow them to be braver but for Sarah it was the reverse. Though for Peter his mask had the right effect. He had never been keen on dance lessons back in England but here the dances seemed more entertaining and he was showing off the Narnian steps he had learned.

It wasn't long before she was breaking out of her shell and she was laughing. "You, sir, are going to burn this Phoenix out before the night has ended," she laughed after her sixth dance with him.

Peter smiled, "Oh, I can't have that. Perhaps we should sit for spell." Sarah nodded in agreement and they went to one of the sofas that dotted the walls of the great ball room. A servant came by as they sat and offered them drinks, which they gladly took.

The High King took a drink from his while Sarah looked at hers as if she wasn't sure. "Does a Phoenix not drink wine?" He asked, a smile playing upon his lips.

She looked at him and gave him a small smile. "No, it's not that. I've never actually had any wine before. This may sound silly to you, but where I come from we are not allowed to drink anything strong till our twenty first birthdays. I know others who have had it before, but I always was one to err on the side of caution."

Without another word Peter called over another servant and handed him their two drinks. "Could we please have some pumpkin juice instead?" he asked for pumpkin juice because he knew they had some set aside for Lucy, as Peter and Susan felt she was still to young for anything stronger.

The servant looked startled for a moment. "Is the wine bad, sire? I was told this was a good year from Archenland"

"No it has nothing to do with the wine itself, but my lady companion does not wish to drink it tonight and I do not want to drink alone," he explained. Nodding the servant said he would get their new drinks.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Where are you from, Phoenix?" he asked.

She smiled, "Can't give tell you that, sir, it may give away who I am."

"Well, I can tell you I am not from Narnia," he said.

"I doubt many people here are, besides the Creatures, but not many humans if the stories are true," she laughed.

"So are you from Narnia? Are you one the native citizens?"

"No, but that's all I'm going to tell you about where I'm from. I intend to keep my mask on all night."

Peter found that odd and could not avoid pressing the issue. "Why? I'm sure are just as dazzling as a nymph, if not more so."

Her face began to match the color of her dress. "Your words are kind, but you have not seen the rest of my face. You don't know if I'm hideously scarred underneath this or have some unsightly mole."

"If you took off your mask I could make an honest appraisal." He knew what she looked like but as was the case, Sarah seemed not to know he was hiding behind the wolf mask.

"For that, you would need to know who I am, for isn't that the game tonight?" Sarah said, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. "And as I said I'd rather err on the side of caution, and I do not wish to upset any royal personage either."

Peter stood and held out his hand to her. "Come, I want to show you something." She took it and not letting go as he guided her through the party out into the night air.

"Oh!" Sarah said once they were outside. "It's cold." She wrapped her arms around her middle and looked at him and smiled. "I forgot it was fall."

"I promise we won't be out here more than a few moments." He motioned her to stand next to him on his left at the balcony wall. "Come, look."

She went to his side and peered over the edge and found they were very high up. Down below was a beach and water was being disturbed by more than just waves. "What are those?"

"Mermaids, and well, mermen too," he replied. "Have you ever seen one?"

"I think once," she said as she watched them swim and play to the music that reached them from Cair Paravel. "I wasn't very…awake at the time. I don't remember the experience all that clearly."

Peter put a hand on his chin. "I think I may know who you are."

She took her eyes from the beach and looked up at him. "Oh, and what is your guess?" She leaned left side against the short wall and put her hand on her chin.

"You must be Lady Sarah, the Telmarine daughter of Lord Ulley of Archenland," he said and hoped he did not sound like he knew more than he ought too.

Sarah sighed and took off her mask. "You found me out, Sir Wolf. Which cheek shall I place your reward?"

Peter smiled, "Right here." With his index finger he tapped his left cheek.

"Very well," she replied and pushed herself away from the wall and had to go on her toes a little to reach his cheek.

He had not been planning it but at the last moment instead of her lips meeting his cheek they met his own lips. It was quick and rather chaste but it sent shivers through his whole body. Her hands came up to his chest and she pushed him roughly away.

"How dare you!" She shouted at him and he was glad he had asked her to come outside. "I don't know what you've heard about me but I am definitely the opposite of whatever you been told if you think you can take advantage of me like that." She held her head down and looked at the stone beneath her feet. "Now, please, go back inside before I do something I regret, sir," she spat.

Peter almost listened to her. Almost. Instead, he took off his own mask and stepped forward again. Placing his mask on the stone wall he placed both hands on the side of her face and could feel the heat of her anger through his palms. Her dark eyes, when they met his, were indeed angry but hurt was mixed in them as well and a few tears had slid down her cheeks. Once she recognized it was him the emotion in them changed to that of mainly confusion. "Pete-"

She never finished saying his name or the rest of the sentence. He kissed her again, a little less chaste this time however. His hands moved from her face and instead he wrapped her in arms. He could feel her hands slide up to his shoulders. Her lips were so soft and warm it made him want to kiss her harder just thinking about them but tried to keep it gentle. Peter had never kissed a girl like this before. The closes he came to was when he was ten and little Jenny Allison, who used to live next door, sneaked behind their homes for a week and would steal little kisses. At the end of the week they both had seemed to have lost interest and resumed in just being friends.

Gently he pulled away at their last kiss. "Sarah, if you don't think me forward, I would like to ask your Lord Ulley to formally court you." His arms were still wrapped around her when he spoke.

She laughed. "If I was any other girl, I think, I would say you were already a little forward, but yes, I think that would be proper, that is, to ask Ulley to court me." Her face was flush still but it had nothing to do with anger now.

Taking her hand, allowing his fingers to entwine hers, he took them away from the part altogether leading her up several flights of stairs to another balcony that held another wonderful view of the ocean. "This is where I come when I like to get away from it all. During the day you can see forever."

She closed her eyes, smiling, "I can imagine the sun shining down on us right now."

He had forgotten that she was cold and the corner of his mouth went up. "Come," was all he said and took her hand from his and went to the arm he was offering. She curled her arms up to her chest as he wrapped first his free arm around her then his other arm. He could feel her fingers moved against her chest and his as she settled her head on his shoulder.

Peter was struck, to the core, as the events of that night began to settle in. Everything was…all right, was the only think his mind could come up with. More than all right, but could this all really be happening? The king looked down and saw that her eyes were closed once more. His breath rustle a few loose strands of her hair and that's when he realized he had known from the start, the moment he saw her come into Wynn's little shop that every little event was leading to this moment.

"Don't fall asleep," he warned her, thinking of day he had "rescued' her from Auntie Larra's lessons. "You seem to always fall asleep we are alone together."

She laughed, "I can't help it. I feel so comfortable when I am with you. Like being in a warm bed I never want to leave. I think my brain believes that if I fall asleep that you'll stay longer."

"I'll stay as long as you want me around," he replied.