Disclaimer- I do not own Narnia.

So, so sorry for the long wait. School started up, I got a job, and I have been sick. I have barely had time to breath let alone write. So finally, the chapter is up. It's a little rougher than I would like but once I get back into the swing of things the chapters should come faster and in better condition. I hope you enjoy it just the same.

I walked into the breakfast hall at the castle ten minutes later. It was bright and the mood was cheerful, that is true for all but Edmund. The king sat in his chair as if death itself was upon him. I understood that he was angry with me but to this extent? Why would he seem more sad then angry? I didn't know and if I tried to think about it I would only cause myself a headache that would detract me from my most ingenious plan. Okay, the plan was not genius but it was my best bet right now so I would count it as such.

"Hello, Lady Lina." Rabadash greeted me. Ed's hand tensed up on his fork but his eyes did not come up to look at me, as he said the day before, he could not lay his eyes on me. "Susan said you were feeling under the weather and would not be joining us this fine morning. Did you change your mind?" He asked. I snapped out of my trance and pulled myself into this new role I was going to be playing.

I looked over at Rabadash and smiled. "It was more of a change of heart than mind, my lord." I meant the statement to have a double meaning. One that everyone sitting at the table would take as a simple explanation and the other, reserved for Rabadash, that was flirtatious and scandalous in nature. The prince raised a surprised eyebrow at my comment. This led me to believe that he wasn't a total idiot and understood what I meant by my words. Unfortunately, Edmund understood perfectly well too and his grip on the fork tightened even more. "Ah, what an honor it is for us, then. Please take a seat, my lady." I smiled once more and took the seat next to Tumnus. The conversations started up once more when I was settled. I began to help myself to some food as everyone talked.

It wasn't until that moment that I realized I was starved. I hadn't eaten in a long while and I felt famished. I remained quiet as I ate. The people around took no notice of me as I sat quietly, ignoring all talk and commotion that was happening. I had to stay focused with my eye on the prize. Every so often I would look up at Rabadash through my eyelashes and he caught my glance every time. I didn't have to fake a blush at those times. Blushing was easy for me to do, it happened all the time. A smirk played on the prince's face, too. Making me feel as if I had accomplished a little something this day.

The breakfast ended a half hour later and the royals and I were to return to our lodge for the rest of the day. I never thought I would feel this way but I was sad to leave. I had only made a small dent in what I wanted to achieve with the prince today. Reluctantly, I made my way back to the coach where Susan and Edmund were waiting. Susan, as always, looked happy and exquisite as Edmund waited with a scowl on his face that was meant for me but directed towards the gleaming, bright sun. The expression was terrifying but I had to make sure I did not let it faze me on the outside. If Edmund saw me cower at the look he would know something was up. I am pretty much an open book to him, but then again the king was not looking at me at all anymore so who knows if he would notice a thing or not?

I walked up to the two of them confidently and stood my ground as if nothing had happened last night and I wasn't scheming against the most powerful prince on this planet. I took a deep, soothing breath and smiled warmly at them.

"How are you feeling?" Susan asked. I wrinkled my eyebrow for a second before realizing that I was supposedly ill earlier that morning. Mentally kicking myself, I gave my brain a scolding for being so forgetful of something like that.

"Oh, I am fine now. Thank you. I think it was just my body attempting to get over the sea sickness from the long journey." I lied. Okay, it was a really bad excuse but I never had to lie to anyone before. My parents never cared where I went, what I did, or who I was with so lying just didn't come naturally to me. The lie felt strange and foreign on my tongue, I hated that feeling but I would endure it.

"Lina, we have been here two days. Why didn't you feel the sickness yesterday or the day before?" She asked. Her eyebrow was raised as it had been doing more and more frequently since we arrived in Tashbaan. Deep down I knew that Susan was starting to trust me less and less but I still didn't have the heart to tell her the truth after the way Edmund reacted to it and he was not even the one being courted Rabadash either. Susan's reaction would be one of two things: sorrow or complete and utter fury. I had never seen that side of her but I knew for sure that it would be horrifying. I have seen her skill with the bow and no one would want to be on the receiving end of it. "Lina?" She prompted me to answer.

I shook my head to clear it and looked up at her. "You know, I'm not really sure why I did not feel it before. Silly, don't you think?" I chuckled a little before turning away from the queen and looking out at the horizon. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" I asked, changing the subject. Susan nodded and took the bait.

"It is." She paused a moment as if thinking intently on something. The Gentle Queen then looked from me to Edmund and smirked. A yawn escaped her mouth and she gracefully placed a hand over it. "Well, I am exhausted. A nap is in order for me but why don't the two of you go explore the city some more? Then we could meet at lodge for dinner? Just the three of us?"

Edmund tensed up as he turned his dark eyes down to look at those of his sister. He squinted his eyes as if narrowing them before folding his arms behind his back and facing back toward the sun. "I do not think it wise to have Lina out and about when she is not in full health. The city is warm and she could become faint." The young king said reasonably. Susan's face fell and she nodded solemnly.

"Yes, I suppose you are right." A pause. "Let us head back to the lodge then to spend the day resting."

I nodded and so did Edmund. The carriage ride back to the lodge was hot and uncomfortable. The uncomfortableness, however, did not spring from the heat but more from the tension between the three of us. Susan had no clue what was going on but she was a smart woman indeed. She didn't have to know the details or even the sparks note version of the events that caused my and Edmund's falling out but she could sense that it was there.

The clanking of the wheels against the stone streets was deafening to my ears as we all sat silently, looking out of our respective windows. Finally, we arrived back at our 'lodge' that could really only be described as a mansion. Like the whole city, the lodge was designed by the people who created Arabian Nights, well at least I think it was them but I couldn't be sure. It had clay walls of dusty red and towers that ranged from green to bright red to yellow. It was a stunning building if I must say.

The three of us walked up the stairs into the main living area where a Calormen woman was waiting. She gave a low curtsy before walking over to me.

"A letter for you, my lady." She talked with her faced bowed and eyes lowered. I smiled a friendly smile for her.

"Thank you very much." With those words, I took the crisp envelop from her hands and ripped it open. My breath caught in my chest at who it was from. I began to read.

My dearest Lina. Peter started.

It has been little over a week and already I miss you... along with my dear brother and sister, of course. It is very forward and silly of me to say but you have only been in my life for a month and I cannot seem to think up a future without you in it anymore. You, beautiful Lina, are all I can think about anymore.

I wanted to say this all to you in person but seeing as we are on opposite sides of the world it would not be easy to do. So for this letter I apologize. I hope it does show my affections adequately none the less.

I know you will anyways but please do not worry about me, Lina. All is well with the giants and I should be returning to Narnia in a month's time, perhaps sooner. I hope you are enjoying your stay at the Calormen capital and that the prince is being hospitable, I am sure he is.

Lina, I do hope to see you soon. Be safe.

Yours truly,

Peter

I smiled at the letter and fiercely wiped a reluctant tear from the corner of my eye. Peter, how I did miss him now that I read the words he had wrote. They were beautiful, poetic even and they were meant for me. He could not think of a future without me in it, he had said. Did I feel the same about him? I was pretty sure I did but I was having a hard time thinking about the events of today let alone the events of a distance future so I could not tell one hundred percent. One thing for certain was that I cared deeply about Peter. Heck, his letter even made me think about something other than what was going on in Tashbaan right now which made me feel ever more grateful for him now. My eyes began to fill with more tears.

"Lina?"

I looked up at Susan with watery eyes and smiled. "Peter says hello and that he misses the two of you." I told her. Susan's face lit up at the sound of her brother's name.

"Peter!? Oh, how is he?" She asked excitedly.

"He's just fine and things are going well with the giants. He should be back at Cair Paravel in a month, he hopes." I explained.

Susan smiled. "That is wonderful news, isn't it Edmund?" She asked her brother. The dark haired boy's eyes flickered ever so slightly to me before he nodded. I knew what he was thinking, it wasn't hard to guess. Edmund thought I was going after kings now. That since I got caught with Rabadash I would now set my sights closer to home, to someone he would not dare tell the truth about me to. All I wanted was a crown in Edmund's eyes and it hurt me deeply that he thought that. "Did he say anything else?" The Gentle Queen asked me impatiently.

I pulled my eyes away from Edmund and smiled at her. "No. That was all."

She looked disappointed but I wasn't about to tell her nor Edmund the rest of the letter. It was private. Although I would love to share everything with Susan, it seemed to weird now. I could not shake the dream from the night before from my brain. It was silly, I knew, but the look of complete distaste Susan showed to me in the dream was horrible. I never wanted her to look at me like that in real life and my gut feeling was telling me that I had to keep to myself for the time being. Lay low while I tried to right what I had done wrong. It was all I could think to do at the moment.

"You know, I think I am going to lie down." I informed the queen, ignoring her brother. "I shall see you later?"

Susan smiled. "Of course. Get some rest, Lina."

I patted her arm in a friendly manner before taking my leave of the two of them and heading to my chambers. I crossed paths with Eve on my way. She curtsied low and gave me a hello before going back on route to where ever it was she was headed. Seeing the faun gave me an idea. "Eve!" I called after her. The faun stopped and turned back to me.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Could you bring a pen and paper to my quarters, please?" I asked.

Eve gave me a confused look. "A pen, lady?"

Oh! I felt like an idiot. There were no pens in Narnia, I should know that by now. "A, um, quill?"

The faun smiled as recognition crossed her face. "Yes, lady, I shall bring what you requested." I thanked her and she was off.

I walked the last stretch to my room and Eve arrived moments later with the quill, ink, and paper in hand. I thanked her one more tome and sat down quickly to scribble the note I would have her send out shortly.

Your Highness,

Meet me tonight in the maze, you know where. I'll be waiting.

Lina

I folded the note in half and slipped it into an envelope. I wrote Rabadash's name on it as legibly as I could before handing it to the faun. "Send that to the palace, please. It's urgent." She nodded, curtsied, and left me alone.

I took a deep breath and leaned into the back of the chair, my blond curls fell into my face and I blew them away fiercely. I sighed. Here goes nothing.

Ooo, next chapter gets juicy. I promise. I hope you enjoyed it. If you feel inspired to, leave a review. Thanks for reading! =]