Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia or any of its characters or fictional land/lands; I am not C.S. Lewis, sadly. I only own the plot and characters not featured in the original books.

Author's notes: Guess whose back?! So, here is the long awaited chapter. I won't keep you waiting any longer. Enjoy!

Ryder was roused from her deep sleep by a soft whispering, his warm breathe tickled on her cheek, and his strong hands were gently shaking her awake. Ryder's eyes flutter open and focused on his beautiful face in front of her, his dark brown eyes boring into her bright ocean blue eyes.

She blushed as she pulled her eyes away and quickly detached herself from his chest, which she was clinging on to tightly. If she could have she would have took a step back but the slight problem with that was that she was sitting sideways on a horse and trying to move away would mean toppling backwards off the horse, so Ryder was still pressed up against him no matter what.

"Did you have a nice sleep?" Edmund asked, he dismounted from the horse then, placing his hands on her waist, he lifted her off the horse.

Ryder was still quite dazed by their closeness, Edmund hands were lingering on her waist and hers were lightly on his chest and her back pressed up against the horse, all she could do was stare up at Edmund, breathing quite fast.

She finally managed to nod her head and pulled away from Edmund.

"Well I better get Philip and Cemal to the stables and then we'd have to have our dinner late."

Ryder shook herself out of her daze and replied "But it's not even noon yet."

Edmund smiled and took the reins of his horse and hers and lead them over to the stable, where he handed them to the stable hand. "Its way past 12 now Ryder. It's nearly 1."

"But it was only around half ten when we left and we got there at eleven, though me nearly drowning meant we left for just after half past and it only takes half an hour to get back, so you must been wrong." Ryder said matter of factually.

He called over the stable hand and asked him the time."Just coming to one 'o'clock now, King Edmund."

"Thank you, that is all." He turned and smiled at Ryder.

"I told you so, and before you ask why, I will tell you." He began to walk in the direction of the castle entrance and Ryder quickly ran to his side. "You falling asleep prevented me from riding quickly, otherwise you would have fallen off or awoken you, and I've done enough damage for today, meaning that the slow pace I was riding at meant double the time it took to get back." He smiled at her as a look of realisation came over her face.

"Oh." was all that came from Ryder's mouth.

Edmund laughed and linked his arm through hers, as they walked through the courtyard.

Once again, Ryder seemed to lose breath and her heart hammered in her chest. Butterflies had risen in her stomach and were fluttering around in there. Ryder's thoughts wondered to her last night in the cell and remembered Edmund smooth, toned body and how close they had been on the dungeon floor. Then her thoughts went to today's events, though drowning wasn't a positive thing, she was glad of it. It showed that Edmund wasn't at all cold hearted as he liked to seem, but caring and capable at being worried but also fun. He'd actually fooled around with her and even possibly flirting, at the thought of the possibility heat rose in Ryder's chest and her head felt hot.

Edmund left her at the stairs and said that she should change. Ryder had to restrain herself from saying something very inappropriate and flew up the stairs to her room with joy.

Once she had gotten changed out of her damp clothing and managed her tangled mess of brown hair, she skipped down to the dining room. When she entered Peter was sitting at the table reading something and to his left was Edmund. Edmund was silently eating and looked up at the sound of a guard announcing her arrival.

Ryder thought a look of happiness shot over his face when his eyes landed on her but it must have been her imagination as it was no longer there when she looked again, it had been replaced by the same distrusting stare.

"Ah, Ryder good to see you are feeling up to eating." Peter said, without looking up.

"Yes, King Peter." Ryder answered, taking the seat to Peter's right and the one opposite Edmund; he didn't even glance up at her presences. "Where are Queen Susan and Queen Lucy?" She asked, worried by their absence.

"Oh, don't look worried, Ryder!" He said glancing up at her. "They are in the garden, concocticing some plan for your stay here. They don't want you to get bored, see."

Ryder smiled and tucked into the meal that had been placed before her. Half way through her meal, Lucy and Susan came barging into the room.

"Ryder! We had such a hard time trying to find fun was to entertain you. But Jason and Lycuson have given us such an idea." Lucy exclaimed, running to Ryder and dumping herself on the seat next to her.

"Though at first, I thought it was a bad idea. You only just escaping from a near death and that nasty cut on your stomach, which I hope you've been taking care of, because Galena wasn't happy when she found out it was infected, nearly killed Edmund for just passing the information on, didn't she Ed?" Edmund grunted in agreement and continued eating.
"Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I thought it was bad but then Lycuson said you could handle yourself and that you would have fun. And Jason thought that you were a capable young lady, I do think he has taken a liking to you in fact." Lucy rambled on.

"Spit it out, Luce." Ryder said, putting her knife and fork down and turning to face Lucy.

"Oh yes, sorry." Lucy blushed slightly then carried on. "We thought you could have a duel against our Ed."

Edmund nearly choked and sat there coughing for a while, Ryder stared at Lucy in surprise.
"I know it's silly at first but then if you give it some thought, Ryder seems happiest when she is fighting and Ed here is our best swordsman.

"Yes but surely," Edmund finally said, "you don't want any harm to befall Ryder again."

"But it won't, you'll be using practise swords, not really ones." Susan finally spoke.

"Well, it's really up to Ryder. We are planning to keep her entertained not you Ed." Lucy replied.

"I must say, it doesn't have to be Edmund; I can face any of your other knights or Peter if he obliges. But I won't force Edmund to." Ryder said.

"Thank you Ryder." Edmund glared at his sister.

"I mean, if he feels he could be beaten by a girl, a Telmarine girl, then I won't force him to. I know how much that'll hurt his pride."

Lucy, Susan and Peter erupted into laughter and a grin spread across Ryder's face at the sight of Edmunds angry face.

"I do not doubt that I will beat you, Ryder. Telmarines have a very bad style of fighting."

"Well, our style seems to defeat the majority of your guards."

"You just got lucky."

"Of course I got lucky; it wasn't because I'm very skilled. No I must have got lucky to be able to fight off about 15 of your guards."

"Shut up."

"Why don't you?"

"I'll take that as a yes then." Lucy butted in, smiled at the two of them. "Then it's set, tomorrow at noon."

"Let the best man win."

"Sexist. Let the best woman win."

They glared at each other but in both Ryder and Edmunds minds they were smiling. Ryder thoughts were muddled with happiness of fighting and of fighting with Edmund. And Edmunds, he just wanted to spend more time with the girl without asking to.

* * *
The next day came quite quick, and soon it was already half eleven. Lucy sent Ryder some clothing fit for fighting. A white shirt and leather tunic and black trousers and boots. Ryder pulled her long hair back out of her face and into a ponytail.

At a quarter to twelve, Ryder met Lucy at the entrance and followed her out into the grounds. She took her behind the castle and to a deserted part of Cair Paravel.

She finally led her to an old ruin. It had four tall long pillars in each corner and was quite large, over the top was a sort of cement roof and along the sides were engravings of pictures and writing in a different language. In the centre was nothing but dry dirt, perfect for a duel.

Ryder didn't really know what to call it but an old ruin. And Lucy didn't elaborate much on the place. "This is where you'll duel, it's were Pete and Ed come to practice, so it's perfect for a duel." She handed over the practice sword Ryder was going to use, it was much lighter than a normal sword and Ryder wasn't use to it.

Noon soon arrived and went but there was no sign of Edmund or anyone else really. Lucy was getting angry. "He is always ruining my plans; I mean he couldn't just come for an hour and have a bit of fun." She was pacing up and down angrily.

Suddenly, Peter, Susan and Edmund appeared accompanied by Jason, Lycuson and a few other knights. Ryder suddenly became quite self conscious and worried. She'd never fought for entertainment before and it made her nervous.

"What time do you call this?!" Lucy shouted at Edmund, oblivious of everyone else.

"I slept in." Edmund simply said, stopping in front of Ryder. Everyone else stood around the old ruin, waiting.

"I don't care if you slept in, Ryder was here when she was meant to be and we've been waiting for half an hour!" Lucy voice was on the verge of screaming.

"It's alright, Lucy. He was probably having second thoughts, contemplating forfeiting. He is scared of being beaten by a girl. Chicken."

Edmund frowned at her as the knights erupted in laughter. "Don't be so cocky, it's not attractive."

"I didn't know you thought I was attractive Edmund. Trying to soften me up with compliments are you?" She teased.

"In your dreams." Edmund replied coolly.

"Don't flatter yourself Edmund. I have better things to dream about."

The knights were nearly on the floor with laughter and now Edmunds cheeks were a rosy red.

"Let's get this over with." He growled.

Ryder smiled prettily at him and Edmund heart jumped into his mouth at her smile and he suddenly became very hot.

They positioned themselves at different ends of the old ruin with Lucy, Susan, Peter, Jason and Lycuson, the Wolf, at one side and the knights on the other. Edmund rolled his shoulders and Ryder stretched her arms across her body, warming up her muscles.

"Are you ready?" Peter asked. They both nod and Peter shouted for them to go.

Edmund lunged first and his sword met Ryder's, he hit again but once again only hit her sword. He swung across her and Ryder dropped to her knees and swung her sword across his legs but he quickly jumped up and she swiped the air instead. She jumped back to her feet and for a couple of minutes all that happened was the clanging of swords and movement across the dirt.

Ryder made a swipe at Edmund but his sword collided with her wrist and she dropped it. He swung his across her body but she leapt back and then kicked him hard in the stomach and he fell back onto the ground, dirt rising up as he collided. In this time, Ryder gathered up her sword and positioned herself in a protective stance.

"Hit him while his down, girl!" A knight shouted but Ryder didn't listen, she kept her eyes on the now risen Edmund. He weighed the sword in his arm then attacked her again.

Once again there were minutes of clanging of swords and nothing more. Edmund made a swipe and Ryder ducked and grabbed Edmunds middle and pushed him back but he grabbed onto her and as he fell she did too but she gambled back over his body. Both their swords fell from their hands and out of reach, they clambered up onto their feet and made no attempt for their swords, they stood looking at each other. Ryder lunged first this time and her fist collided with his hand. She blocked his hit with her hand and pushed him back, he swiped his fist at her but she ducked and punched him hard in the abdomen. He keeled over and Ryder then punched him in the face, there was a loud crunching nose and gasps from the people around.

Edmund stumbled up, clutching his nose, his face covered in blood. He wiped away the blood and picked up his sword. Ryder did too but she didn't need it, she'd already done enough damage with her bare hands.

"Ed, you can't keep fighting! You're injured." Lucy exclaimed.

But Edmund wasn't listening, he was going to win, he had too, though she had drawn first blood, that was with her fists, with a sword she wasn't as good as him. Now they both had swords he would be sure to win if she surrendered.

And he did. She wasn't good at defence and as she swung her sword across his body, he used her technique and pushed her to the ground. He positioned his sword across her throat and growled, "Surrender."

Ryder's was exhausted, she hadn't used her muscles this much in days, her chest was heaving up and down, gulping in large amounts of air. Edmund's body was pressed up against hers and his face quite closed. "I surrender."

Edmund raised himself off of Ryder and collapsed next to her. They lay there for a few minutes, breathing heavily, then Ryder lifted herself up and looked at Edmund. "Well, that was fun." A huge smiled spread across her face and her eyes twinkled with happiness. Edmund, too, lifted himself up and smiled at her.

"Yes it was."

"Glad you didn't chicken out then?" She laughed and he did too. He got up and pulled her to her feet and shook her hand.

After, everyone congratulated Edmund on his win and praised Ryder for her brilliant show of skills.

"And for punching him in the face." Lucy whispered to her.

Everyone ventured back to Cair Paravel where Edmund and Ryder were sent off to the Narnian healer, Galena, to treat Edmunds broken nose and Ryder's many bruises and to check how their wounds were holding up.

She wasn't happy when they told her, vaguely, of what had happened.
"It'll be your own fault when you get seriously hurt and then I won't do anything to help you." She complained to the two of them.

Edmund nose had to be moved back into place and that meant Galena had to crack it again. Ryder watched how Edmund squirmed around in the sit while Galena tried to break his nose back.

"If you don't stop squirming, King Edmund, I'll have to restrain you!"

So, Edmund sat quite still with Ryder holding his hand as Galena broke his nose back into place. He let out a shout of pain, and his hand clenched tightly around Ryder's hand and the arm of the chair, he screwed his face up in agony when Galena wiped away the blood with antiseptic.

"Baby." Ryder teased him as Galena was tending to his shoulder wound and the bruise that was developing on his stomach, his hand still in Ryder's hand.

"Shut up." He mumbled, his eyes screwed shut.

Once Galena finished with Edmund, Ryder sat down and showed her the healing cut along her stomach. "I see you've been taking care of it now, keep it up." Galena told her, cleaning to wound and bandaging it up again. She applied some ointment on Ryder's bruises along her arms and legs then Galena nearly threw them out, screaming after them to keep out of trouble.

"Mad old centaur." Edmund grumbled to himself.

Ryder laughed at him then said, "I'll see you at dinner."

He nodded and she turned to walk away when he pulled her back. They were exceptionally close, his hand covering hers and was pressed lightly up against his chest. Ryder's breath was ragged and she noticed the rapid heartbeat of Edmund while her hand was pressed up to his chest.

"I just wanted to say that I... that I trust you. What I said yesterday about not trusting you because you were a Telmarine, I was wrong and I'm sorry for that. After spending yesterday and today with you, I've noticed your close bond with my sister and that you don't act in the same way as a Telmarine. I'm sorry for judging you, I can't... I don't trust many people; don't ask me why but again I'm sorry."

If this wasn't Edmund, Ryder would have expected them to cry, he was looking at her intently, still clutching her hand.

"Thank you and I'm sorry, for saying that stuff yesterday, I shouldn't have as it wasn't all that true." She smiled at him and surprisingly he smiled back.

Then as if he suddenly realised what he was doing, he dropped Ryder's hand and stepped back. "I'll see you at dinner then." and he turned on his heel and left.

Ryder stood staring at the place Edmund had disappeared to, puzzled by his changing behaviour. But Ryder knew one thing, Edmund knew how to get her heart racing and a sudden realisation came over Ryder.

"No, can't be." She mumbled to herself. "I do not... I could never... I can't be..." She stood still for a few minutes gaping after Edmund, she couldn't say the truth out loud so she completed the sentence in her head. "Falling in love with Edmund."

She stood silent for some time, lost in thought, then she shook herself out of it, exclaiming out loud, "I can't be." and she stormed to her bedroom, confused in what to think.

Edmund sat sulkily at the table, stabbing at his food, while Lucy, Susan and Peter happily chatted away about the day's events. Ryder hadn't joined the table yet and some part of him was glad but another was longing to see her again. After their conversation in the corridor, Edmund felt different, like a huge weight had been lifted but then soon after been replaced by the horror of what he was feeling about the girl.

When Edmund had arrived at his bedroom, he had bolted the door shut and flung himself on his bed and thought about what had happened in the corridor.

Edmund knew of his previous thoughts on Ryder, when he was riding back with her and she had mumbled his name in her sleep, it made his heart swell with love. Though after, he shook the thoughts away, he wasn't in love with Ryder, it was too soon to be, he didn't know her, and he was in love with her beauty that was all. He convinced himself of this but today, he doubted his reasons.

Yes, she was beautiful. The most beautiful woman in the whole of Narnia, even more breathtaking than Susan, which was impossible because every noble man known had asked for Susan hand and no one for Ryder, though she hadn't yet been exposed to men, he didn't doubt that Ryder could get any man she wanted.

At that thought Edmund snapped his knife in two. Lucy, Susan and Peter stopped talking and looked up at Edmund with worry.

"What is it Ed?" Peter asked, looking intently at him.

Edmund set the broken cutlery on the table and shook his head, "Nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing. You snapped a knife in two, what's got you so worked up?" Susan replied.

"It's nothing, sorry. Just carry on with what you were talking about." He frowned down at his plate.

He resumed his thoughts on Ryder. Yes, beautiful but what else did he know of her, other than the fact she was a brilliant swordsman. This part of her was what made him less trusting, he wanted to know where she had learnt to fight so well, it was part of her past but she didn't know anything of it. Amnesia, that what Galena had told him and the others. She didn't have a recollection of who she was and as they didn't know where she came from or who her family was, they didn't know how to help her get her memories back.

Edmunds thoughts were interrupted by a guard announcing Ryder had joined them. He looked up and his eyes fell on Ryder. She'd changed out of the dirty, men's clothes she had used to fight in and was now dressed in a silvery blue dress made of silk that tucked in at the waist and flowed past her feet. The dryads, he suspected, had plaited her long hair and given her a solid silver band that rested across her forehead. She looked lovely. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were that sparkling blue, with full, delicate pink lips.

Imagine kissing them, Edmund thought to him.

She took her place next to Lucy, which just happened to be opposite Edmund. She smiled prettily at Edmund and he reluctantly smiled back too. Her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink and Ryder averted her blue eyes from Edmunds brown.

"We were just talking about you and Edmund." Lucy told her, Ryder's cheeks seemed to darken again and Edmund felt himself get hot.

"What about us?" Edmund asked, trying to seem casual, but in the pit of his stomach, butterflies were erupting out of nowhere.

"Just about today that's all and Peter was saying, well you tell them Pete." Susan said.

"Oh right, weren't you listening Ed? That's alright I can explain it to both of you together." Peter looked at Ryder. "I was watching you today, obviously and I must praise you on your brilliant show of skill, but whoever taught you to fight didn't elaborate much of different defence strategies; I think from watching you that was your only flaw. So, I thought, Edmund here could teach you defence, as he is the better swordsman and has more spare time than me." Peter finished his sentence with a smile at the both of them.

"You want me to teach Ryder?" Edmund asked.

Peter nodded. "Well, if she wants me to."

Everyone looked at Ryder; she was staring in surprise between Edmund and Peter as if they just sentenced her to death. "Well, I guess. But what use would it be?"

"Well, you wouldn't really need to use it. I just thought it might pre-occupy you, and give you something to do while you are here." Peter replied, hurt by her answer.

"Oh alright then. I don't know what else to do around this place so that'll be fun." Ryder smiled at Peter. "Also, means I'll be able to beat Edmund next time."

"Next time? I didn't know you wanted to humiliate yourself even more than you already have."

"Who said I was humiliated? I think it makes me quite threatening, nearly beating King Edmund." She grinned at him and he smiled back.

"I'll see you at the practice room tomorrow evening."

"Yes you will."

They smiled at each other with the same thought that they were going to be alone together. Ryder's heart jumped in her chest and the thought and Edmund stomach began to do flips and twists that prevented him from eating anymore.

"No, you are doing it wrong!" It was Edmund and Ryder's fifth training evening together and Edmunds patience was wearing thin. "You're suppose to hit like this, not like that." He thrashed his sword forward and knocked Ryder's sword from her hand once again.

"Well I'm sorry but you're a bad teacher!" Ryder exclaimed.

"You're a bad listener that's what it is."

Once again Ryder swung her sword and it clanged against Edmunds, she struck again and Edmund blocked her.

"Will you stop fighting and listen to me?!" Edmund shouted as he had to duck Ryder's flying sword.

"Urgh, I hate you." Ryder shouted back and watched as his sword collided with Edmunds.

"Defend yourself!"

Ryder and Edmund fought for time then for the first time Ryder blocked Edmund's stab and knocked his sword from his hand.

"I did it!" Ryder screeched.

"Finally!"

"Shut up." She was grinning happily and Edmund couldn't stay mad at her, so he smiled too.

"Let's try it again."

"But I'm tired."

"Practice makes perfect." Edmund position himself for a duel and Ryder, though reluctant, did too.

She disarmed him quite quickly but she didn't want to stop fighting, so with them both disarmed she took a swing at Edmund with her fist and it just missed his cheek. She jumped back as Edmund made a swing at her and then he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her into him, grabbing her other arm and pinning them to her sides, restraining her.

Ryder looked up Edmund; his face was bent low and was inches away from her face. She felt his mint breath on her face and couldn't help but lean in, his lips inches away. Her breath was ragged and so was Edmunds, his hands were gripping her wrists, their bodies pushed against each other. He let out a deep breath and leaned in.

Suddenly, there came a great crash and Ryder and Edmund looked up. The hanging swords had fallen down. Ryder let out a disappointed sigh, then kicked Edmund hard in his groin and watched as he fell to the ground in pain. She positioned herself on top of him so that he couldn't escape or attack her.

"Well, this was fun." She sat with her hand gripped around his throat. "Looks like I win."

Edmund laughed then rolled over so he sat on top of Ryder. He positioned his knees around her waist and placed her hands above her head, pinning them down. "I think you are wrong there." Ryder giggled and looked at Edmund.

Her eyes were as blue as the ocean and a lovely leaf shape so that they flicked out at the end. She had a set of thick black eyelashes and parted slightly petal like lips; full and pink. He bent low, hovering over Ryder, his eyes were fixed on Ryder's and Ryder was fixed on his liquid dark brown eyes, she noticed his movement forward and she bent her head up. He let go of her arms and place his hand on her cheek. His heart was racing, the air thick and hot, Edmund felt slightly sick, his stomach doing flips again. Ryder's hand moved to his chest and gripped onto the fabric of his shirt, pulling him in.

Their noses brushed and they felt the breath of each other on their lips. Then the door burst open and Edmund toppled off Ryder. A guard came bustling in, looking awkward at the sight of his King and a lady on the floor.

"Sorry, your highness but High King Peter needs to see you urgently." The little faun stared at the ground.

"Peter? What for?" Edmund asked, gathering himself of the floor his cheeks and ears a deep scarlet and Ryder did too blushing slightly.

"He didn't say your highness. He just told me it was urgent."

"Alright, thank you. I'll head there straight away." He turned to Ryder and they both blushed slightly. "Ryder, you should come with me." She nodded and Edmund walked quickly out of the room, Ryder at his heels and the little faun trotting after them.

Peter was pacing the throne room with Lucy and Susan quietly in their seats. They all looked up as Edmund and Ryder barged in. Edmund looked at his brother and registered the worried look on Peter's face.

"What is it?" Edmund asked, approaching his brother.

"King Sergio is coming to visit." Peter gulped and looked at Ryder. "He says his niece has been kidnapped."

Author's End Notes: Just to clarify King Sergio is the Telmarine King. See I haven't kept to the books so this is all kind of in the middle. Anyway, who is his niece? I'm sure you can guess.

This is my longest chapter ever, under 5,000 words. It took me forever when I was on holiday because I kept writing this chapter but it always leaded to them kissing s but you ain't getting any of that just yet. And then I went completely off track that I deleted most of the thing (I have this cool app on my phone which lets me write loads, like a notebook, I downloaded it while I was on holiday as my parents are really nosey so I couldn't write in a notebook because they kept asking what I was doing and trying to read it and with my phone they just thought I was texting a mate not writing a 5,000 word chapter.) Anyway, the next update will be in a week's time as I struggled writing Chapter 9, it a pain in the ass that chapter and then I'll update ever week on Saturday I think.

Review if you like it, review it if you hate it.

I appreciate the criticism or praise.