Chapter 25: Explanations
I led her through the long hallways and stairs before we finally reached the gardens. Her eyes casually scanned the gardens before they fell on the bushes I'd hoped they would. She looked up at me shocked. "I had them planted after our first trip to Archland. I found I missed Archland very much but when I came out here it was like I was right there in that garden again" I told her honestly. A heated blush crossed her light colored cheeks. I smiled at that, this was going the right way. I needed to get her uncomfortable. I hoped if I did the garden like the one in Archland it would make her happy. A little less homesick. "Is that why everything is happening out here?" She questioned, and I nodded.
"It was actually going to be surprise but I don't see taking a little peak would hurt" I chuckled leading her forwards around the bushes. Once we did the turn she gasped, her hand letting go of my arm as it went to her mouth. Her eyes wide and I could see they were getting wet. "I hope you like it" I smiled at her. She looked up at me. "You did all this?" She questioned me, "With some help of course but yes. I thought it might help with the home sickness" I told her softly. "Oh Peter….that's….so thoughtful" she said softly before moving forwards to inspect every flower.
"But you surely couldn't remember the placement" she questioned, "I drew up the plans while I was in Archland and sent them home for the dryads to start working on it" I told her thankful that she was taking this so well. It had been a while since I had seen her so happy. She had refused to do Archery with Susan, refused to sword fight with Edmund and barely spent any time riding with Demetrius. But instead she'd just sit out there in the fields with him reading.
It was nice seeing her smile again. Even if it was flowers that put it there. With her happily distracted I figured this was my time to make my move. "Aria I owe you an apology" I said softly, she looked over at me and furrowed her eyebrows slightly but she knew what I meant. I opened my mouth to continue only for another feminine voice to interrupt me. "It's actually I who owes the apology" Princess Arland said softly. We looked to her. She wore her traveling cloak. It was obvious that she had snuck in.
I looked back to Aria and her eyes had turned murderous. "It isn't the High King's fault Aria, it was me. Rabadash had come up with a plan to break up you and his majesty so he could take you to Carlormene. I didn't know he was going to kidnap you or what he did to your father. I swear I didn't know Aria." She said softly stepping forwards towards her. "And why should I believe you?" She growled, "because I can tell you who the spy is that poisoned you're father" she said. That was valuable information.
"Name first" Aria growled, "only after you've listened to me and guaranteed me safe passage back to what's left of my country" she bargained. Aria's eyes narrowed at the terms before she looked at me. Her eyes softened but only slightly before they looked back at Arland. "Out with it then" she growled. "Everything you saw that night of the gala it was staged. Rabadash had caught word that something important was going to happen at this gala so he had to separate you two before it did. I threatened Peter with information," she started only for Aria to interrupt. "What information?" Aria growled, she wasn't going to leave any stone unturned. "Rabadash and I saw the two of you in the gardens after the spring festival." Aria said softly. Realization crossed her face. "I threatened the High King that if he didn't kiss me like he kisses you then I would tell everyone and it would ruin you and Archland. I made him swear that he couldn't tell you what was really happening. And Rabadash brought you in time to make you think you saw something else." Arland explained.
"It was enough to provoke you into leaving Narnia and to staying away from him. But I didn't know that Rabadash had planned to kidnap you" he said. "And why now? Why tell me now?" I demanded, Princess Arland took a shaky breath. "Rabadash ruined my country, for you, and after seeing the great lengths that King Peter would go to just to get you back I knew it wouldn't be long before he came after me too." "So you're turning yourself in as it were?" She questioned, but she wasn't. She had one last bargaining chip to get her out here safely.
A smile crossed Princess Arland's face at that questioned. "What's the name?" Aria questioned, Arland took a breath. "The wolf leader you call Barium. He came to Rabadash and included him in his plot to kill the King of Archland." My eyes widened. Barium? He would do this? Aria's eyes went to mine alone. I looked towards the garden's entrance. My eyes met Exander's as he quickly left the gardens to inform Edmund as well to find Barium. "I suggest you leave now Princess while you still can." I growled moving to Aria's side, wrapping my arm around her waist. "Yes your majesty. I am sorry Princess" she said softly before leaving in the shadows.
"Barium couldn't have planned this on his own." I growled, "then who?" Aria questioned, as Edmund came racing into the gardens followed by Cor and Susan. "He's not in the castle, I've brought the pack in. They're in you're study Peter so we can keep this quite" Edmund said I nodded. "I'm gonna kill him" Cor growled, Aria went to younger brother immediately to reassure him. "I should have known. He said he was sent by you Edmund to be a point of contact when Aria was taken" Cor growled, "he said we were all on the same team!" He growled only for Edmund to freeze. "He said what?" He questioned, "He said that we were all on the same team against Carlormene" Cor said, in an instant Edmund had turned on his heel and ran out of the garden. We chased after him. Aria's hand finding her way into my own as we ran. I smiled down at her squeezing her hand. She gave a small smile back as we raced into my study.
The pack was around the room and they're heads snapped up to us as we burst into the room. Edmund was at one of the many bookshelves before he pulled one off. "Edmund what's going on?" Susan questioned him. "Teams, it's the exact same thing she said" Edmund muttered flipping through the pages before setting the book down on the desk. It was a picture of a plant. "That's the poison that killed you're father" Edmund said bluntly. "And it's only found in the northern mountains of Narnia. Giant and Polar Bear territory" Edmund said. I tensed my eyes closing. "Who is she?" Aria demanded, "The White Witch" Susan said softly. Edmund flinched at the name slightly.
"But she can't be back I thought Aslan killed her?" Aria demanded, "she has a way of creeping back into people's lives." Edmund growled. "You're majesties" a deep voice said, looking over we had all forgotten about the wolves. I didn't say anything. "Half the pack is gone, they left with Barium. We now assume to the North" he said. I recognized him as the beta, Xeasar. "You understand that all of you will receive a thorough interrogation?" I questioned, "yes your highness" he responded. "I'll take care of this Peter, the two of you need to get back to the gala before someone's noticed you're missing" Edmund said. "But.." Aria started, "No he's right, if we're not there it will only cause a stir and that's not what we need right now." I told her. She sighed but nodded. "Come on Cor we should go too. Edmund can handle this" Susan told him. His face hardened. "No I'm staying here" he said. I watched as Aria's face turned into pain at her brother's expression.
"Cor there's nothing that you can do here, Edmund can take of it and we need to provide a strong front. We can't let any rumors start spreading about half of our wolf pack gone missing" Susan told him her hand taking his. He sighed but let her pull him out of the room. I glared at that only to hear Aria's giggle. My head snapped to her and she couldn't stop giggling. "You should see your face!" She laughed before heading to the door. She paused and looked over her shoulder at me when I didn't follow.
She giggled.
She finally giggled.
"You coming?" She questioned, I shook myself out of the stupor I was in and quickly chased after her. My hand taking hers as I led her through the hallways. "That's the first time I've heard you giggle since last summer" I told her. Her cheeks colored red at that. "I missed that too" I told her quickly leaning in and kissing her cheek. Her blush darkened but she stopped us before we entered back into the Gala. "Why didn't you tell me?" She questioned, I sighed. "We could have figured this out a long time ago!" She questioned me. "I wasn't going to risk it" I told her softly brushing my fingers against her cheek. She still had a light scar on it from last spring.
"Risk what? Losing me? That's a pretty big risk" she said questioned tears starting to build up. "I'd rather risk losing you then you losing you're reputation that you and you're father worked so hard to remain intact. I can deal with you hating me because I know I'll find a way to make you smile at me again. But if you reputation was ruined it'd remain ruined and nothing I did would be able to fix it." I told her. The tears ran down her cheeks.
Damn it she wasn't supposed to cry at that!
"Aria don't cry" I begged her trying to wipe the tears away, she shook her head holding my wrists. "How could I have forgotten that you were so sweet?" She questioned before wrapping her arms tightly around me burying her face into my chest. I was shocked at her reaction. At having her arms wrapped tightly around me again. I couldn't help but lean forwards and hug her back as tightly as I could. "I missed you and I'd rip Carlormene apart all over again if it means I get to hear your giggle again." I told her. I heard her steady crying and just held her tighter. This was probably the first time she cried. Racking my brain I didn't remember see her cry about her Father, about leaving Archland. Never.
She was holding it in. She was holding everything in.
"It's okay Aria, it's okay to cry every once in a while" I told her running my fingers through her hair as I rocked her back and forth. "I miss him" she cried, I clenched my eyes closed trying to keep from crying. "I know Aria, but the twins look so much like him it's like he's still around. Besides with your hard headed quite witted tongue he never left." I told her. She let out a small giggle at that.
She lifted her head from my chest and I quickly wiped her tears away. "Oh the gala! Now I look horrible" she groaned rubbing her cheeks. I smiled moving her hand and wiped the last tears away. "You still look beautiful, if anything you look more beautiful because you actually looked relaxed for the first time since you got here." I told her, she smiled leaning forwards holding the nape of my neck as she moved to the tips of her toes. I smiled letting my hands hold her cheeks as I kissed her.
Before I knew what happened I had her pressed up against a wall. I felt like we were back in Carlormene, kissing for the first time, seeing each other for the first time in months. I couldn't stop my hands from gripping bunches of her dress, her waist, back, the long honey brown locks of her hair. I needed her so badly right now. My tongue grazed her bottom lip and she quickly opened them her tongue meeting mine before I could even move it closer. I felt her body curve against mine and I groaned. At hearing the creak of the door opening I broke from the kiss quickly looking over my shoulder. Thankfully it was just Lucy as she smiled at us. "Having fun you two?" She teased, I gave her a look. "We're coming Lucy" I told her. She nodded, "we're about to start eating" she told us. I nodded turning back to Aria. Her eyes were closed as she tried to catch her breath.
"Ready?" I questioned her, she nodded running her fingers through her hair fixing the loosened strands before fixing her dress. Checking her eyes in a glass mirror she smiled at me. I held my arm out to her and she happily took it. Now this I could get used too.
For the first time in months I was looking forward to the next two months.