Author's Note: This Was suppose to be the last chapter... but it got really long so there will even be one more! woohoo! yeah you're probably thinking, "How many times are you going to change the number of chapters?" Don't worry this is the last time.
Outside a Bedroom Door
"Okay who's stupid idea was it to have the ball be a masquerade on Christmas Eve?" Edmund yelled walking into Susan's room where the three girls were getting fitted for their Christmas dresses, and waving a mask around.
Scarlet was about to spin around and try to hit Edmund, but she remembered the game was on hold until tomorrow morning. Then all the girls realized they were in their under-dress and it was unfit for Edmund to see them. So they quickly wrapped themselves in their silk robes.
"It was actually Susan's idea," Lucy answered.
"Susan, you just ruined the whole Christmas ball!" Edmund yelled.
"How?" Susan asked not really caring why Edmund hated the idea.
"Because that means I can't tell which one Scarlet will be. Then that means I can't win," Edmund answered fuming with anger.
"Please, it's not like you were going to win anyhow," Scarlet replied coolly.
"I've about had enough of you," Edmund said taking a step forward.
"Well I've had about enough of you. Barging in on us in this unseemly fashion!" Scarlet replied taking a step closer to Edmund.
"Oh, like I care what any of you look like!" Edmund stated taking another step.
"Whatever, but you know what, Edmund Pevensie? I think you're scared I'm going to beat you!" Scarlet said with another step.
"Stop it! I'm going to win and you know it! I do have the upper hand!" Edmund shouted taking another step.
"Yeah, what is that?" Scarlet challenged with another step.
"I'm a boy, and boys are more smart and better at things than girls," Edmund answered with one more step.
"You think I can't win because I'm a girl?" Scarlet asked indignantly.
Soon Edmund and Scarlet were only two inches apart. Peter could hear the argument from the other room and he quickly came in to see what it was about this time.
"Stop both of you," Peter ordered. "I want both of you out of here and go straight to bed."
Scarlet and Edmund obeyed orders for the umpteenth time that week. However, before leaving Susan's room Edmund threw his mask on the ground and stomped on it.
"I refuse to wear that!" Edmund yelled. Then looking down at his work of smashing the mask he saw he had crushed it. Then he added, "Well, at least not that one."
Scarlet walked to her room, but she didn't go to bed for some hours later. It was very dark out in Narnia and she needed a candle as she undressed and got ready for bed. She was walking over to her bed when she heard something outside of her door. She crept to her door. She didn't know who was there, but she had a pretty good idea.
"Edmund, go back to your room," Scarlet ordered as she opened her door.
Edmund sprang up in surprise.
"How did you know I was here?" he asked.
"I know your footsteps when I hear them," Scarlet answered.
At least she doesn't know why I'm here. Edmund thought with a sigh.
As if Scarlet could read his mind she said, "I bet I have a pretty good idea why. You came here and were going to sleep by my door so you could either sneak into my room or just stay out until the morning. Then when I woke up to the early bird game bell you would hit me. Then you would be declared winner."
"How'd you know?" Edmund asked shocked on how she knew his whole plan.
"One. I'm smarter than you. Two. I'm a girl I know these things. And Three. I had the same plan," Scarlet replied.
"Oh," Edmund said.
"Now go to bed, Ed, or I'll call Peter," Scarlet warned.
"You wouldn't do that," Edmund stated bluntly.
"Yeah you're probably right," Scarlet agreed.
"Mr. I'm right and I have authority over you, might send us to our rooms without dinner, again," Edmund replied.
Scarlet and Edmund both smiled and laughed. They quickly realized what they were doing and their smiles abruptly disappeared.
"Night, Scarlet," Edmund said awkwardly. Edmund stood in front of Scarlet awkwardly not knowing what to do.
Should I kiss her? Walk away? Say something else? Hug her? Punch her? Beat her up? Wait did I just think punch her, and beat her up? No I shouldn't do that. Edmund thought.
Sensing his awkwardness Scarlet spoke quickly,"Night, Ed." then she leaned over and gave Edmund a hug. Not a big hug, but it was a hug. Edmund returned the gesture by giving her a small hug back. With that she gave him a little, playful push and closed her door.
Edmund lingered a little while and just stared at her door. He felt happy and almost like he had butterflies in his stomach. He couldn't figure out the feeling in his stomach, but he had had this feeling before. However, he hadn't felt that way for awhile. And it seemed when Scarlet had hugged him every nerve in his body tingled.
Scarlet put her back against her door and sighed. She gracefully slid down to the floor and held her knees against her chest. Her heart was beating oddly fast, and when she had hugged him it felt like her blood started to rush in her veins. For some odd reason Scarlet felt warm and happy after speaking and laughing with Edmund. It was a feeling she hadn't had since the games began.
Christmas Eve, three hours before the Masquerade...
"Okay people we have to move, move, move! If this masquerade is going to be a success it has to be perfect! Did you hear me? I said perfect! And when I say perfect I mean PERFECT!" Susan ordered the servants.
"Susan, relax. Everything is beautiful," Lucy reassured.
"Beautiful, yes. Gorgeous, maybe. Perfect, never!" Susan said flinging her arms up in exasperation.
Lucy rolled her eyes and left her sister to make everyone nervous.
"Scarlet, can't you talk to her?" Lucy asked Scarlet who was helping put the last decorations up.
"Lucy, she's gone. No one can talk to her now," Scarlet answered climbing down from a ladder and wiping dust off her hands on her old dress.
Lucy looked over at Susan. Susan was yelling at a poor Minotaur because he had brought in six poinsettias instead of seven.
"I told you seven! Not six! Seven! Do you know what seven means?! A child of three even knows the difference!" Susan yelled.
Lucy shook her head. "Yep no one can save her now."
"Or that poor Minotaur," Scarlet added.
"He's likely to get his head ripped off," Peter added coming into the conversation.
"Look at the time! We barely have enough time to get ready!" Susan exclaimed while rushing over and grabbing Lucy and Scarlet's wrists.
"But the masquerade is three hours away," Peter yelled.
"Exactly! We need at least four!" Susan yelled her answer as she pulled Scarlet and Lucy up the stairs.
"You're not ugly, you know!" Peter yelled.
Two Hours and fifty-five minutes (to be exact) later...
Susan was tying the strings of the back of Scarlet's dress when she noticed Scarlet had a pained look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Susan asked.
"Well, Susan, your nails might possibly rip my skin if you don't let up on your grip soon," Scarlet said.
Susan looked down at her hand. She now noticed what Scarlet was talking about. Her nails were digging into the poor girl's skin that drops of blood might come out soon.
"Sorry!" Susan exclaimed pulling her hand away.
"It's alright," Scarlet replied.
"Let me take a look at you," Susan ordered.
Scarlet twirled around to show off her dress. It was white, Simple, a little puffy, and It was strapless. Scarlet wore her hair in loose curls that went about two inches below her shoulders. And to complete the outfit she wore a white with black lace mask.
"Scarlet, I can barely recognise you with that mask on," Lucy exclaimed.
Lucy was wearing a green dress that flowed to the floor. It had a gold ribbon crisscrossing the front and it was strapless. Lucy looked much older. Especially with her hair in a messy bun.
"Lucy, where did you get that dress?" Scarlet exclaimed.
"Susan gave it to me," Lucy replied.
"Susan, will Peter approve of that dress on his little sister?" Scarlet asked.
"She just had a birthday! She's thirteen. She can wear that," Susan replied.
"You didn't answer my question," Scarlet said.
"Well about Peter. Then no. He would not approve, but he will never know once Lucy puts on her mask," Susan answered nervously.
Lucy quickly put on her pretty gold mask. Susan was right, Lucy did look different.
Susan twirled around and looked at herself in the mirror. Her dress was dark red and it had little diamonds and was strapless as well. Her hair was in a very neat bun with a few curls coming out.
"Time to go downstairs," Susan exclaimed after hearing many voices trail up to her room.
Author's Note: The next chapter will definitely be the last. I hope you liked this! The next chapter will be about the masquerade! And who wins. Well leave a review if you want!