Chapter 3:
(Pov: Lucy)
Our journey to Archenland is more exhausting than I thought it to be. Hopefully we will get there within the next few hours. The landscape surrounding us is gorgeous. Everything looks so alive and fresh. I can't wait to meet everyone there. I've heard so many stories about the princess' beauty and about her amazing character. Before we left Cair Paravel Peter informed us about the Queen's death two months ago. He told us how hard her death was for the Romolo family and that we shouldn't ask any questions about the dead Queen. I really feel for them. I don't know how I would feel, if any of my siblings died. I would be devastated. Even the thought of my family passing away makes feel empty. I can only guess how the Romolo's must feel… Maybe it isn't such a bad idea for us to visit them. I can try and cheer them up. Everyone deserves some happiness in their lives. We will all probably become great friends. Surely Susan, Edmund and Peter think the same. The closer we get to the palace, the more excited I become. I'm more than ready to face the Romolo family.
Back in Archenland:
"What about a short ride in the woods?"My brother Antonio walks up to me with a roguish grin on his handsome face. His eyes show me that he's up to no good, like always. "No Antonio! I'm not in the mood for any trouble right now." Truth be told, I would love to take a ride through the woods, but I'd rather do that on my own. " Oh come on Mia. You know that you want to come with me on a ride. Just admit it, you are scared to get in trouble." He is standing in front of me with a smug grin on his face. "Stop looking so smug or I will personally wipe that stupid smirk off your face! And for your information: . ! Go bother someone else!" I swear to god that boy knows how to get a rise out of me. But I won't let him persuade me, never. "Mia come on, don't be such a buzz kill. Just come with me. I swear we won't get in any trouble. The Kings and Queens of Narnia won't arrive anytime soon. We will be back before they arrive, promise." Actually he isn't so wrong. The Pevensie's won't be here anytime soon. Nothing is holding me back. And even if they would arrive, I've never let anything stop me. "Fine, let's go!" Antonio's smile turns into a big childlike grin when he grabs my hand and runs together with me through the castle's corridors. Carefully, so no one catches us, we walk over to the stables and mount our horses. Grinning at each other we make our way over to the forests. After getting further into the woods, our little ride turns into a competition. We race each other and we jump over fallen branches which leads us to totally forgetting the time. After realizing that we've been in the woods far too long, we race each other back to the palace. Once we got there, we see a carriage standing at the entrance. "Damn it! They are already here! What should we do? Father and Alessandro are going to kill us." Antonio looks at me with a panicked expression. "Don't panic. I thought that you weren't afraid of trouble brother. You can be such an pansy. We will just bring the horses back to the stables and then runs as fast as we can to the entrance. Just pretend that we've been there the whole time. When someone asks where we were, I will take care of it." Antonio smiles gratefully at me and we make our way over to the stables. We put our horses back into their barns and ran as fast as we could to the gate in front of our palace. Arriving there we are able to see the Kings and Queens of Narnia descending their carriage. We run up to Alessandro who already stood in front of the carriage, ready to welcome our guests. He looks at Antonio and I with a disapproving look and turns his attention back to the Pevensie's. My father is already at their side greeting them and introducing himself. Antonio and I just stand next to each other and try to look as innocent as possible. We really did not need a scolding from father right now. Deciding that it I should introduce myself, I walk over to my father and stop in front of the Pevensie's. The first person to notice me, is the smallest of the four siblings. "Hello I'm Lucy. I've heard so much about you and your family. I'm really excited to meet you." She looks at me with a heart melting smile. She reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger. I also used to get excited when meeting new people. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lucy. I'm Emilia. I hope your journey to Archenland was enjoyable." I look at her and smile. "Oh our journey was very interesting. I was really amazed when I saw the beautiful landscape of Archenland. I've never seen something that beautiful, not even back in Cair Paravel. " "Oh, then you will certainly enjoy a ride through the woods in the morning at sunrise. The forest looks magical when the sun starts to rise. I remember how stunned I was when I took my first ride in the woods at sunrise. Maybe we are allowed to go on a ride before dinner, so I can show you my favourite parts of the forest and you can get know Archenland a little better." She beams at me and nods totally ecstatic. I just laugh to myself and move on to the young woman standing next to her. That probably is Queen Susan, I thought. "Hello I'm Emilia. You must be Queen Susan. It's nice to meet you." I smile at her and she returns my gesture. "It's nice to meet you too. I see you and Lucy already got to know each other, she seems to like you." "Yes she is a wonderful girl. I suggested that we go on a ride through the forest before dinner. If you want to come as well, then you are invited to join us and I will show you around a bit." "That is very kind of you. But I must decline your offer. I am really tired and wish to rest a bit. Maybe another time." I smile at her and walk over to the two kings standing in front of my father. Seeing me approaching them, my father takes my arm and introduces me to the two Kings. "May I introduce you my daughter Emilia." "It is nice to finally meet you Princess. We've both heard so much about you. I'm King Edmund the Just, but you can just call me Edmund." He seems to be quite charming if you ask me and he isn't so bad looking either. "I will call you Edmund, if you call me Emilia." He smiles and kisses the back of my hand. Realizing that I started to blush, I quickly step in front of King Peter who already has a smirk on his face. "So we meet again King Peter. I hope you are well." "What did I tell you the last time we met? You can call me Peter. We don't need the formalities." I smile at him and nod. He also kisses the back of my hand which leads me to blush again. Seriously what is wrong with me? After Antonio and Alessandro also introduced themselves, we all walked inside the palace. "Let me show you to your rooms. The maids already prepared everything for you this morning." I walk ahead of them and show them to their rooms. "Dinner will be ready at six, so you still have some time to get settled. Oh and Lucy before I forget it. If we want to take a ride before dinner, we need to leave in half an hour to get back in time." She smiles and nods in my direction and then runs into her room. Before disappearing completely behind her door, she pokes her head out again. "Could you pick me up in half an hour? I don't know where the stables are." I smile and nod. Then I turn my attention back to the two men standing in front of me. "Would you two like to join Lucy and I on our ride?" They look at each other and then back at me and then say simultaneously: "We would love to." Laughing I tell them that I will pick them up as well in half an hour and walk into my own room to get ready for the ride.
I'm sorry for any mistakes but English isn't my native language. I try to do my best at avoiding any mistakes.:)Thanks for reading alice