Hello, again. So, if anyone is actually still reading this story, I would like to send out my sincerest apologies on not having updated in months. I simply lost all interest in this story, and have been trying to find some inspiration again. That has thankfully returned.

Now, I would like to say that I am posting a somewhat different version of chapter eleven because as I was going over my previous chapters, I noticed that the idea for the next two chapters has already been taken care of, so I need to rework the coming chapters. Therefore, I need to change things in this chapter, or else people will just be lost.

I would just like to thank everyone who has stuck with this story for so long, and again, I am sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia because, well, I'm not C.S. Lewis.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Chapter Eleven: I am Not Jealous

"Are you sure you are alright?" Lucy asked me, for the tenth time.

The present moment found Lucy, Jenn and I sitting on my bed. Susan had gone to find a healer to get something for my headache.

"Yes, Lu. I'm fine. Besides some possible bruises, a sore knee, and a wicked headache, I'm fine," I said, pressing a damp cloth to the cut on my head, trying to dab away at the dried blood.

"I was able to track something down to help with your headache, Christine," Susan said, coming into the room, carrying something in a goblet.

"Thanks, Susan," I said, taking the glass and trying to inspect its contents. All I could see was a green looking liquid. "What is it?"

"I am not sure," Susan said, sitting on my bed. "The healer just gave it to me when I requested something to help with a headache."

"Great," I said, eyeing the goblet in my hand for a few more second before downing the liquid. It tasted really bitter.

"Doesn't taste good?" Jenn questioned, seeing the face that I pulled after swallowing.

"No. It tastes awful, but, then again, anything that helps a person get better isn't going to taste good."

"I still can't believe that you were chased through the woods," Jenn said after a few moments of silence. "That seems to be something that happens only in the movies."

"True, but I am pretty sure this place," I said, gesturing to everything, "would be considered something out of a movie. Actually, more like some kind of fairy tale."

"All we need is for you to fall in love with a prince," Jenn said, grinning. "Then it would really be like a fairy tale."

"Why me?" I asked, "Why not you? Or Lucy? Or Susan?"

"Because I already have Cody," Jenn said. She said it so matter-of-factly, that I couldn't help but smile. "Lucy is already living a fairy tale life, but she could fall in love with a prince, and Susan likes Caspian."

"Well, why wouldn't I like Caspian? He is a good friend," Susan said. I would have thought what Jenn was implying had gone right over her head if not for the fact that she was blushing a bit.

"Really, Su, because the fact that you are blushing indicates something else," I said, smiling. I think Susan and Caspian would make a very cute couple.

"I am not blushing," Susan said, "It is just very warm in here."

Jenn, Lucy and I looked at each other with yeah-right looks.

"Okay, Su, whatever you say," Lucy said, putting an end to the discussion.

Climbing off the bed, I walked over to the mirror to inspect my cut. It wasn't deep enough to need stiches, which means that it wouldn't scar, and all the blood was whipped away. Picking up my brush, I gave my hair a quick run through with it, before throwing it into a ponytail.

"So, Chris, you and Ed seem to be spending some time together," Lucy said, in a tone that sounded weird.

"Yeah, so?" I asked, changing into the first dress that I was able to grab.

"So, I've never seen you spend that much time with a guy who wasn't Cody," Jenn said, looking at me.

"What? Friends can't spend time together?" The trio just looked at me. "Would someone just spit it out?" I knew they were trying to get at something, and I was not in the mood for guessing games.

"Tina," Jenn said, looking really serious, "do you like Edmund?"

"Huh?" I was completely caught off guard by that question. "Why would you ask me that?"

"So, is that a yes?" Jenn asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"No!"

"Why are you blushing then?" Jenn was enjoying this way too much.

Thankfully, I was saved from answering by someone at the door. Hallelujah.

"Come in!"

A female faun opened the door, and poked her head in. "Please excuse the interruption, your majesties, ladies, but I have been sent to inform you that supper will be served soon. The kings are entertaining the Calormene royals in the dining hall right now."

"Thank you, Aria. We shall be there shortly," Lucy said. The faun, Aria, bowed than left the room.

"Do you two normally get told when supper is going to be?" Jenn questioned.

In the whole time that we have been in Narnia, I couldn't once recall someone coming to tell the queens when supper was going to be ready.

"Not usually," Susan said, standing and smoothing out her dress. "The boys probably just don't want to have to deal with all the royals by themselves."

"Really?" I asked, somewhat amused.

"Yes," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "I don't think they have much patience when dealing with those royals. They can be quite bothersome."

"Lucy!" Susan said, giving her sister a disapproving look.

"Oh, come on, Su!" Lucy said, exasperated. "You can't honestly tell me that you actually like these royals, especially not after what happened with Rabadash."

"No, I do not care for the royals, but that does not mean that I am going to bad mouth them, even if it is true," Susan said, looking stern, but not as stern as she actually is when scolding someone.

"Who's Rabadash?" Jenn asked at the same time that I asked,

"What happened?"

"We can tell you on the way down to supper," Susan said, shooing all of us out the door.

"During our reign over Narnia, which Narnians' now refer to as the Golden Age, Rabadash, a prince from Calormene, came to the Cair to court me," Susan explained, as we made our way to supper, but not at a very fast pace.

"Court means to be involved in a romantic relationship before engagement," Lucy explained, seeing the confused looks on mine and Jenn's faces.

"He was able to impress, and fool, me," Susan said, continuing with the story. "It wasn't until the return trip that I took to Tashbaan, with Edmund, that I saw that he was a proud, but cruel, man. He intended for me to be his wife, be it by my choice or his force." She paused to take in our reactions. We both looked at her in disgust at the fact that he would try that.

"Well, that obviously didn't happen," Jenn said.

"No. It thankfully didn't," Susan said, smiling. "Edmund and I, along with our party, were able to escape from Tashbaan. Angry, and with a hurt pride, Rabadash led an army to invade, and take over, Archenland. The king at the time was warned about this attack, and was able to escape into Anvard, the capital of Archenland. Rabadash than tried to attack the castle, but was defeated because Edmund, Lucy, Shasta, the person who alerted the king, and some of the Narnian army took them by surprise. Rabadash was captured and was brought before the king's judgment."

"What happened to him?" Jenn asked, when Susan didn't continue. I saw that both Lucy and Susan were smiling.

"It has been said that when Rabadash refused the king's mercy, Aslan transformed him into a donkey," Lucy said, smiling.

"A donkey?" I asked, all the while giggling. Jenn looked very amused as well.

"Yes, a donkey," Susan said, smiling. "He was able to regain his human form, but Aslan had made a condition. Rabadash could not leave a ten mile radius of this temple in Tashbaan, so when he ruled, it was the most peaceful time between the Calormenes."

"So, the saying of what goes around, comes around, really is true," Jenn said. "Who would have thought?"

"Are all Calormenes like that?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Thankfully, no," Lucy replied, "but they can have their moments."

"Wait, what do you mean by when you ruled?" Jenn asked Susan. "Aren't you ruling right now?"

"How about we tell you the story after supper, in the library?" Susan asked, but it was more of a suggestion. We were approaching the doors to the hall."

"Sure."

"Hey, hop along, how are you feeling?" Cody asked, right when we walked through the doors. Well, more like yelled considering he was sitting at the table, and we were by the doors. I swear, that boy forgets how to use his inside voice sometimes.

"I'm fine, and I'm not a hop along," I said, as we approached the table. "I'm not even limping."

When we reached the table, I noticed that Cody wasn't sitting next to Caspian. Instead, the Tisroc was sitting there. I also saw the Tarkaan, as well as an older female and two younger females; one was about my age, and the other was a year or two older. If I had to guess, I would guess that they were the queen and the princesses. My guess was proved correct when Peter made the introductions.

"Jennifer, Christine, I would like to introduce you to Tarkheena Mariah, and her two daughters, Assiya and Tarleen. Tarkheena Mariah, Assiya and Tarleen, I would like to introduce you to Lady Jennifer and Lady Christine," Peter said, once we were all sitting. Jenn, Cody and I were sitting closer to the end of the table, with the Calormene royals seated between us and the Narnian royals.

The conversations during supper seemed to be split down the table. The Calormenes were having different conversations with Susan, Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Caspian, so that left Jenn, Cody and I to talk.

"Edmund doesn't seem to be having a good time," Cody said, looking at Edmund.

Turning my head, I saw that Edmund was trying to keep some personal space between him and Assiya, who was leaning closer to him as she talked. Edmund was leaning so far over, he was practically sitting in Susan's lap!

Now, a part of me was amused at what I was seeing, but I was mostly annoyed. I mean, was it really necessary to get that close to someone when you are talking to them? I think not. As the three of us watched, I saw her place her hand on his arm. Okay, now she had crossed the line into flirting territory.

'But why do you care?' a little voice inside my head asked.

Why did I care? I cared because he was my friend, and it didn't look like he enjoyed having his personal space invaded.

'Then why are you so aggravated that she is touching him?' the little voice asked again.

I'm not aggravated. I am just annoyed. There is a difference.

'Are you sure? Are you sure you aren't jealous?' the little voice asked in a patronizing way.

I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts by a piece of bread hitting me in the face.

"Was that necessary?" I asked Cody, rubbing butter off of my nose.

"Considering the fact that I've been trying to get your attention for the past two minutes? Yes."

"So, what did you want?" I asked when he didn't say anything after that.

"I just wanted to make sure that you hadn't fallen asleep or something. Also, you were giving your plate a rather intense death glare. I thought I should save it," Cody said, taking a sip of water, while smirking at me.

"What a hero," I said, rolling my eyes.

I picked up the piece of bread that Cody had thrown at me, and threw it right back at him, hitting him between the eyes.

"I have heard many wonderful stories about the beauty of Cair Paravel's gardens. They are said to be even more beautiful at night. Would you like to accompany me for a stroll in the gardens, King Edmund?" Assiya asked, batting her eyes so much, it looked like she had something in them.

"That would be a wonderful idea," the Tisroc said.

Edmund opened his mouth to reply, but I quickly jumped in. "I am sorry, but Edmund, I mean, King Edmund has already made plans for the evening."

"Doing what?" Assiya asked. I noticed that some of the sweetness had disappeared from her voice.

"He has agreed to teach me how to play chess, and I am a very slow learner, so I am afraid that it may take a better part of the evening," I replied smoothly, keeping a straight face. I mentally gave myself a pat on the back for coming up with this.

"That is right. It must have slipped my mind," Edmund replied, going along with my little white lie. "Thank you for reminding me, Christine."

Nodding my head, I knew that the thank you was for something else. Turning to talk with Jenn and Cody, I noticed Assiya shooting me rather nasty looks from out of the corner of my eye. Satisfaction rose in my heart.

'Are you sure that you aren't jealous?' asked the little voice in my head, but I just ignored it.

"Edmund, what happened with Lady Assiya?" Susan asked, as the Narnia royals, Jenn, Cody and I lounged around in the library.

"What do you mean, Susan?" Edmund asked, not even looking up from the game of chess him and Peter were playing. I was observing the game, and from what I could tell, Peter was winning.

"She looked rather putout near the end of supper."

"I simply told her that I was unavailable to give her a tour of the gardens tonight."

"I wasn't aware that you had any other plans tonight, Edmund."

"Well, according to Christine, I am teaching her how to play chess tonight," Edmund said, looking at me before returning his focus to the game.

Gee, thanks for throwing me under the bus.

"What does that mean?" Lucy asked, looking up from her book.

"It means that he is going to teach me how to play chess," I replied. "After he is finished with his game against Peter."

"You're going to learn how to play chess?" Cody asked, in a way that made it seem like the most ridiculous thing that he has ever heard.

"Yes, I am. What was with the tone?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

I didn't really believe him, but let it go. After what happened today, I just wanted a nice, relaxing evening. I don't know how that is going to turn out since I am now learning how to play chess. Oh well. I just pray that Edmund has lots of patience.

"So, what is the Golden Age of Narnia?" Jenn asked Lucy.

"Well, back about 1300 years ago…"

"1300 years?!" was the reaction that came from Cody's mouth. Jenn was stunned, and so was I.

"Yes, that is a long time, but I will explain," Lucy said, before giving us the many tales of how they had come to Narnia once, the Golden Age, and again, to aid Caspian.

So, what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Meh? Let me know in a review. I am sorry that there isn't much romance going on between Edmund and Christine, but I am taking this story a little slow because I want to make the romance believable. I don't really care for stories that have two characters falling in love with one another after the first three chapters.

Anyways, until next time, which won't be as long as this time.

Sweet Country Girl