Fortune, something up in her sleeves again, was playing tricks on people. Trust her picks, they were the usual wrong ones.

"Okay, here's the plan…and the choices," said Peter, calling on in an emergency meeting reserved for him, Susan, and Caspian in the dining room, precisely 8 hours before their parents' arrival, "Either the truth or nothing at all."

Or nothing but the truth, huh?

"Oh," sighed Susan, "Why does it always have to be like this?"

"Why not tell them the truth?" suggested Caspian, "There's nothing wrong with that."

"The fact that there's nothing wrong with that is what's wrong with it," Susan said, groaning.

Peter shook his head. "I figure we should just say the truth…the Professor's on our side."

"Sure, and I bet our parents would believe us right away," said his sister, tightening her grip on Caspian's hand.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Su. Nothing's bad about marriage…"

From a bird's eye view, one could sight a young couple walking on the road leading up to a hill nearby, difficult to distinguish the girl or boy, for both were dressed in the boys' fashion, complete with shirt and trousers, one of them, a few meters behind, ran huffing after the lead.

"Anna! Wait, let me catch up!" yelled Edmund, right hand up to for a better grip on his hat. 'Boy, was today windy!'

His date looked back at him with her usual Anna grin, "Then follow!" before increasing her speed and headed left, out of sight.

"Oh, don't you know you're competing against the 500m school champ?" Edmund shouted after her, laughing as he did really run this time. Serious running…

After all, as a post note, running after girls and running with girls were, beyond the universes, different.

"Ta! Got you!"

Edmund's hand tapped Anna's back, both of them taking deep breaths, steadying. "Well, you made it," said Anna, straightening herself up and drawing imaginary circles in the air, "This is Curlus Hills and the beaches beyond. Take a look."

His breath caught up with him, Edmund whirled around in a circle, taking in the, well, breathtaking views he had never expected to see after all his stays in the neighborhood. His unconscious running trip had taken him to the hill's top, green, fresh grass and colorful flowers—Lucy's favorites—growing every square meters. Below, he could see the pure white sand of the beach that went by the hill's name, surrounded by dark, mysterious caves, the never-ending sea stretching next to the beach into the carefree blue horizon.

"Wow," was all he could say, "I'd…never know…without…you."

Anna winked, "Trust me as your guide, and you'll never lose, Ed," taking out a piece of red-and-white checkerboard cloth from her sack, "How about a picnic?"

Edmund's stomach rumbled involuntarily—just the one thing he couldn't control.

A moment of brown eyes staring at each other before Anna broke into a giggle, "Guess that says it, then," Edmund rushing in to help her with the setting up.

"You've lived here all your life?" he asked once they had settled down, sitting opposite each other, munching on the sandwich she brought. "Isn't that a bit boring?"

"Boring?" Anna's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out, "No!" Edmund cringing as her voice reached the same octave invisible on the piano keys as Peter's did yesterday—the sarcastic tone. "Why, if you're ever going to define a village, never put boring in."

"But I thought…" He leaned into the basket beside her, his hand touching hers a bit, though she brushed it off, quickly.

"Yes, you thought…" Anna imitated his incredulous sentence, crossing her hands over her chest, and shaking her head at the same time.

Edmund now rather thought she had nailed the Professor's impersonation quite neatly…even though she may (or may not?) know it yet.

"Life here's perfect fun," said Anna, breaking out into a smile, "I mean, where else could you steal berries and not get caught, win a race against the boys, and kick some ass?"

'Yes,' said Edmund's mind, 'Where else could you find a butt-kicking girl?'

Oh, was the chance on him.

He had never laughed so much since he had been with her. "Really, you enjoy those kinds of things?"

Anna shrugged, "Who says girls can't? Anyways," Finished with her quota, she started cleaning up, "Are you up for the cave exploring?"

Hmm, another day, another adventure, wasn't it, Anna?

"Sure, why not?"

Ding…Dong…

It only took two notes for anxiety.

"I'll get it!" yelled Lucy for the whole mansion to know, running as if her life depended upon reaching the door, her siblings, whose lives indeed literally depended on her opening the door, were holding their breaths.

The door revealed Mr. and Mrs. Pevensies, dressed in their business wear, coats and hats still in tact. The three beamed at their parents excitedly, Mother leaning down to hug Lucy.

"Hi, everyone, we're home," they announced, Mrs. Pevensie adding, "Well, close to home, anyway," cracking the rest of the Pevensies and even Caspian up.

Lucy slowly led them to the dining room, finding them a seat to settle down.

"So," began their Father, "Where's Edmund gone off to?"

Susan tried to hide her giggle, "A date, Father," while the others nodded in agreement.

"A date!" Mrs. Pevensie clapped her hands in surprise, "Why, what a change!"

Completely opposite reactions to his wife, Mr. Pevensie, in sending Peter a knowing glance, noticed Caspian, the young 17-year-old, for the first time. "And Susan," he said. "A little introduction for this gentleman?"

The second oldest Pevensie, blushing, replied, "Ah…Father, this is…Caspian, my—"

"—Suitor," filled in Peter, Susan mentally thanking him.

Mr. Pevensie's eyebrow rose the same time Mrs. Pevensie turned to 'get a good look' at the boy, "Good evening," they chorused.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Pevensies," answered Caspian, shaking hands with them warmly and naturally—thanks to little Lucy. "I'm Caspian X, the—"

Caspian stopped in mid-sentence, when Susan silently mouthed, "We'll take care of this."

"The sailor," said Lucy, "We'd known him while we're here, you know, along the beaches."

'I have a feeling this conversation's somewhat improvised,' Mr. Pevensie whispered to his wife, before turning back to the topic at hand.

"Great, great," said Mrs. Pevensie, "Susan, dear, was what the Professor was telling me of your—wedding—" Mr. Pevensie coughed involuntarily (Caspian noticing the same habits in Peter), "True?"

Susan nodded, "Yes, Mother, we love each other…"

"We feel like we've known him forever," supported Lucy, "And it's a difficult choice, Mother. He's supposed to be at sea for long, so, I'm a bit worried, but Susan won't be able to stay here with us."

"You made the choice?" asked Mr. Pevensie, "Peter?"

Peter quickly explained of Caspian, roping in the Professor's bits. "Yes, Father. Susan's going to have to travel out there and back here now and then, but she made it clear to me, that after he came back to find her, how she can't live without him. Honestly."

Honesty and facts were undeniably related, causing Susan's to cringe at Peter's unplanned 'choice of phase.'

Both the parents had their eyebrows stitched up in thoughts.

"I'll need to see you, Susan, and you, Caspian," Mr. Pevensie motioned, Caspian nodding at his inclusion into the family, "Alone, in a moment."

Peter and Lucy slowly tip-toed out of the room, "Come on, Lu, they'll let us know the news, good or bad," said Peter.

"I hope so," answered Lucy, eyes never leaving the four figures in the dining room.

After all, nothing's bad…about marriage…wasn't it?

Yes, Fates, sometimes, just sometimes, three words of agreement, whether 'yes, sure, of course,' could get you involved in some big trouble.

Like, unfortunately—or should he say fortunately—being stuck in a cave.

"Oh, yes, and the tides came up," Anna's hands were thrown up in the air in disbelief, "Huh, right. You can't be serious!"

Edmund stopped, not realizing he had been walking around in circles for the past five minutes, since she started. "Uh, it is, Anna," he told her, "Now we might as well find something to do—for the next, I guess, two or three hours."

Disappointed, she sat down, hugging her knees, on one side of the cave, "Fine, if you say so."

'Nothing worse than an almost-perfect-turned-disastrous-date,' mused Edmund, taking his seat beside her. "Can't be that bad," said he.

Funny, he used to be the impatient, grave one, yet now, assuming Peter's role, he realized how much alike him and Anna were.

Anna was starting to hum herself a familiar tune, when Edmund prompted, "If you're so bored, want to hear something?"

She nodded.

"Once upon a time—"

"Hey, you're not telling me a fairy tale at this time, are you?" interrupted Anna, her soulful pupils looking deep into his.

"Oh no, and for your information, my Anna," he searched for the faintest sight of blush on her face at the word 'my,' but no luck. "It's a date. Promise you won't interrupt."

She smiled at his joke.

"Once upon a time," Edmund continued, "There were four ordinary kids, Peter, Susan, and—the coolest one—Edmund,"—he felt a light punch on his shoulder, "and, of course, Lucy. Because of the London Air Raids, they were sent to live with their uncle the Professor in a very old mansion, and there, discovered a Magic Wardrobe…"

Stories, young or old, told through our lives often lasted a lifetime, as far as Edmund's tale went. All the while, Anna listened attentively, adding in occasional appropriate responses usual to her nature, like "Huh, why?" or "Yes, go Peter—oh, um, I mean, go Edmund!" which, other than his own jokes, made Edmund laugh once more.

Once he was finished, Anna asked, "You mean this whole world, Narnia, is real? And you were Kings and Queens?"

Edmund tapped his heart, "Sure, but only Peter's High King. It's King Edmund, actually, for me."

"That is so…so unbelievable…"

He took her hand, "So what would you say if I tell you a Narnian's here, right now?"

"Hm?" Anna looked up, "Honestly? No way. You're pulling my legs!"

"'Cause not," grinned Edmund, "It's my sister's—" pausing to whisper near her ears, acting secretive, "Soon-to-be fiancé."

Anna nearly jumped at his voice, "Uh, huh, and take me there to meet him, sure. It's Caspian, right? The one you just helped to the throne?"

What were this girl's other abilities—sports, charms, and psychic too?

Oops.

Her 'nearly jumping,' had caused them to tumble over…and when Edmund knew it, their faces, lips, were inches away from each other's, him feeling Anna's short breaths on his face.

"…"

No words between the two of them.

Kiss her.

Kiss her.

Oh, Aslan, the stupid mind at work, again.

Think, Edmund, think!

Chasing the thoughts off to clear his already cloudy, confused head, Edmund edged his face away from Anna's, offering her his hand to get up.

"Thanks."

"Anna, I know this may seem like the worst ending to a date, but, believe me, I couldn't have much more fun in years hanging out with you. Here. The beautiful beaches, hills, marvelous sandwiches—" he chuckled, "—lunch, and, yes, just spending time with you. With you. Do I like those words…"

He stopped when, unlike her usual self, Anna did not interrupt, only to turn and discover a peacefully sleeping Anna, her head resting on his other shoulder.

Edmund simply smiled.

This was as good as it could get.

What more could he ask for?

A/N: WOOT! Two chapters in two days! YES!!

Next chap: Prepare for the final decision on Caspian—stay or nay? :)

Also the scoop on Edmund/Anna: First Kiss?

All coming right up, (as well as my summer's ending…oh well.)

Million thanks-a-lots for doing all those rockin' things you do—(you know the basics, stopping by, reading, reviewing…as have been repeated…:P)

Rock on,

Your ever humble fanfic writer :)