Disclaimer: If they weren't in the Chronicles, they're mine. Except James. He's on loan from a friend.

AN: So, I realized that I had an idea…but it required a revision of this chapter. BUT, before you get you're rocks out to stone me, I'm on break and I actually have time on my hands…and an urge to write. So look forward to new chapters soon!

Chapter 3

"Found anything yet, Ed?" Peter called brushing dust off his breeches.

"Nothing, Peter." The younger king said with a frown. "You're sure this isn't just some Narnian myth?"

The High King shrugged. "I'm not sure, Ed. The plans of Cair Paravel show that there should be something here…and King Franks journals say that the Pillar Room was located here…I'm just not sure anymore."

Earlier that month, the two kings had been exploring one of the older sections of Cair Paravel's library, and stumbled across a copy of the journals of several Narnian kings, including that of her first king, King Frank. When he built Cair, it was said he built a hidden room somewhere in case there was ever an assault on the castle.

Edmund stared at the hall about them. "Why call it the Pillar Room?"

Again Peter shrugged. "No idea."

"You obviously know a lot about this room." Edmund said sarcastically. "Check near the pillars that are scattered around the hall. If it's the Pillar Room we're searching for, perhaps it will be near one of those."

After a few minutes, Edmund called out to his older brother. "Pete, I think I've got something!"

Soon the two were kneeling at the base of one of the massive pillars, inspecting a small carved fruit that Edmund instead was a trigger of some sort. After a few minutes of fiddling, it indeed did turn and a small door popped open on the side of the pillar.

"Well done, Ed!" Peter said, "Let's get the girls, and see what this is all about."

"It's dusty up here." Lucy said wrinkling up her nose.

"Of course it is, Lu." Susan said with a very a laugh "No one's been up here in ages."

"It looks solid enough." Peter said, stomping on the floor a bit.

"Look!" Susan said, "These panels pull back, you can into the Great Hall!"

"That's handy." Edmund commented. "And we're high enough up, that no one can really tell we're here. So, now that we've found this room of yours, Peter, what do you plan to do with it?"

"Stock it." Peter said "If there's ever a battle, or we can't escape for some reason, we can retreat here."

Edmund nodded his approval. "I'll have Oreius see to it."

Peter nodded. "And lets try to keep this quiet. We don't want a mob descending here during a crisis and giving us away."

"Fine with me." Susan said, tossing her long dark hair, as she brushed a bit of dirt off her skirt. "Now, let's go, I promised Serena a tour today."

Peter stretched out on the couch in his private study, eager to take a long peaceful nap. He had just settled in, when the door creaked open. Suppressing a moan, he rolled over, burying his head in the fabric, praying that the intruder would think him asleep and not disturb him. He listened closely and heard a soft ruffle of fabric as the person tiptoed toward him.

"Peter? Are you awake?" a gentle voice called softly, and the High King rolled over, grinning in delight.

"I am now." He said, sitting up and pulling Serena into his lap. "Where have you been all day?"

She leaned against him, toying with the hairs of his beard as she spoke, "Susan took me on a tour of the castle…at least a good portion of it."

Peter chuckled. "Need a map yet?"

She laughed. "Maybe. It was adventurous to say the least. I know I'll get lost far too easily."

"Then I guess I'll just have to come rescue you." Peter teased. "Though I don't think you'll have too much trouble. Any of the Narnians will be happy to point you in the right direction, I'm sure."

"I'm sure they will." Serena agreed. "What did you do today?"

Content to simply hold her, Peter told her about the events of that morning, a light breakfast in his rooms the meeting, dealing with several quarrels between a family of Rabbits and their neighbors the Foxes (something to do with the last carrot being eaten, from what he remembered), the private meeting with his siblings, concluding with the surprising meeting with Charis. As he told her of the kiss, her blue eyes began to blaze in fury.

"She did what?!" Serena yelled, jumping from his lap.

Peter stared at her. "She kissed me."

"And you just let her?!" Serena snarled, storming about the room. "A fine position this puts me in Peter Pevensie! Two weeks to the wedding and I find you kissing other women behind my back!"

"Now just a moment, I never kissed her! I pulled away immediately!" he objected. "I've never kissed anyone but you."

"Oh, and I'm just supposed to take your word for it?" She shot back. "How do I know you don't go kissing every pretty girl you meet?"

Peter stared at her, shocked. "Do you honestly think I would do that?"

"Maybe I don't know what to think." she shot back. "I never thought I'd be hearing you confess you'd been kissed by another woman"

"I think you're overreacting a bit-"

"Overreacting?!"

"I didn't do anything wrong! I barely know the woman!" Peter insisted, reaching for her hand. "She kissed me, yes, but you know I don't go around kissing with every woman I meet."

"Do I?"

The High King froze and stared at her, disappointment etched on every line of his face. "You know I don't. I thought you trusted me, Serena, trusted me enough to know that I wouldn't lie to you. Not ever."

Serena pulled away form Peter and turned to stared out the window sullenly. "Maybe I can't trust you."

Peter stared at her back, hurt. "Serena, how can I fix this? What do you want me to do?"

She didn't answer.

"Serena?"

"Maybe I don't want to fix it, Peter." She said, coldly. "Maybe I just want to go home, and leave you here with your girl from the North."

"Break off the engagement?" he said, feeling as though someone had struck him in the stomach. "Are you serious?"

Again she didn't answer.

Aslan, how can I fix this? Peter prayed silently. You know what truly happened, can't you make her see that?

Sighing, he walked up and put his arms around her, heart breaking when she stiffened in his embrace.

"Promise me one thing, Serena." He whispered softly "Talk to Aslan before you do anything. If you truly wish to be free of this engagement, then I won't stop you. But wait. Don't make any rash decisions. Calm down, and pray. And above all, know that I will always love you. Not a skinny girl from the North. You." The High King waited a moment to see if there would be any response, and when there wasn't, he reluctantly pulled away, and left the room, closing the door behind him.

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Your Majesty?"

Peter looked up from his paperwork, face tight. "Yes, Lassel?"

"Dinner is beginning shortly. Would you like me to have the cooks delay supper so, Your Highness can prepare?" the faun said hesitantly.

Peter sighed. "Is it that late already?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Shall I send word?"

"No, that won't be necessary, Lassel." He said after a moments thought. "I will be dining in my own quarters tonight."

"It shall be done, King Peter." The faun said bowing.

"Thank you." Peter replied, standing and pulling a book off the shelf. I'll read for a while. Perhaps Serena will want to talk after dinner. But he severely doubted it. And there was no way he was going after her, not tonight. In all likelihood his presence would only anger her further.

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Something isn't right. Lucy thought, glancing around the table. The table was quiet, unnaturally so. Serena sat at the center of the table picking at her food lifelessly, occasionally looking toward her left where Peter's empty chair sat. Edmund was watching Serena, trying to discover what trouble the princess no doubt, and Susan alternated between eating her food, and scanning the crowd below for some unknown being. Frowning, she turned to Serena, ready for answers.

"Serena? Do you know why Peter isn't here?" she asked sweetly.

The princess shook her head mutely. "I know nothing more than you, Lucy."

"He's probably just tired from a long day." Edmund interjected.

"But he never misses dinner!" Lucy argued. "Especially not after missing lunch."

"Perhaps he isn't-"

"There she is!" Susan hissed, jabbing Edmund in the ribs in a rather un-queenly manner.

"Who?"

"Charis!" Susan hissed, pointing. "She just came in the door."

"Where?" Serena questioned, looking where the Queen pointed. "The one with the long black hair?"

"That's her!" Susan said "Self-centered little prat."

"Susan! Don't speak of our guest so!" Lucy scolded

"Even if it is true." Edmund whispered, earning a sharp glare from his youngest sister.

"She's very beautiful." Serena said softly, staring at her soup.

"I suppose." Susan said "I wonder what she was so keen on telling Peter this morning…"

Only Lucy saw Serena's knuckles whiten as she clutched the spoon in her hand tightly, and the pained expression that crossed the princess's face before she smiled at Susan.

"I doubt it was anything of importance, Susan." She said. "But I do think I'll head to bed for the evening. It's been a long day."

"I'll come too." Lucy said, standing. "I'd best check on James, anyway."

"Is something wrong with him?" Serena questioned as they walked away.

"A slight cold, nothing a little sleep won't cure." The youngest queen replied as she surveyed her soon-to-be-sister. "Serena, did something happen?"

Her gentle tone was too much for Serena to bear, and she burst into tears.

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hours later they were curled on Lucy's bed, Lucy gently brushing the other girl's hair as they talked.

"I honestly don't know what I was thinking," Serena confessed. "The whole situation really just too me by surprise."

"I can imagine." Lucy said. "So what are you going to do?"

Serena shrugged. "I need to apologize, that much is obvious. But I'm afraid that…"

"That what, Serena?" Lucy prodded.

"That he'll take me seriously…and call off our engagement." She whispered, pulling her knees to her chest.

Lucy looked appalled at the very thought. "Serena, he wouldn't! Peter loves you far too much to send you away after a simple argument."

"I suppose you're right, Lu." Serena said, biting back a yawn. But I'm afraid I can't do anything tonight. He'll be asleep by now."

Lucy laughed. "Not if he's as worried as you are."

Serena smiled, and pulled herself to her feet. "I wouldn't be surprised. Should I talk to him now?"

Lucy nodded. "I doubt either of you will get any sleep until you talk anyway. Come, I'll walk you there…so you don't get lost."

"Or so you can listen at the door?" Serena teased, "After all he's right down the hall isn't he?"

Lucy looked slightly miffed at being discovered, but led Serena out just the same, saying that one could never be too sure in a castle as large as Cair Paravel. When they reached Peter's door, Serena knocked, but received no reply. Lucy stared at the door impatiently, and after waiting a moment longer, shoved the door open and pulled Serena in.

"I know he's awake, he must not have heard us-oh! Look!" Lucy said pointing toward the bed. There Serena saw, Narnia's magnificent High King, asleep in the bed. He was fully clothed right down to his boots, and a variety of books and papers spread across the bed.

"He looks so sweet!" Lucy crooned, tiptoeing closer and clearing away the papers and books.

"That he does." Serena said, brushing a hand through his hair. "Let him sleep. I'll talk with him in the morning."

Lucy nodded, and blew out the candles in Peter's room, leaving only the light from the massive fireplace, and the door itself. Smiling, Serena gently brushed a kiss across Peter's forehead, and tucked a spare blanket around him. Then she tiptoed to her room, bidding Lucy good night, content that all would be made well come morning.

Which is why she was as shocked as everyone else when the High King Peter announced to the court that following morning that he was no longer betrothed to the Princess Serena of Archenland, but Lady Charis of the Northern Realms.

AN: Hehe.