Chapter 7

There were always many, many things happening in Anvard. Unfortunately, not many of them happened to Anna. Lucy was busy in a meeting, and Cada was nowhere to be found. Anna had already written to Edmund, practiced archery, and walked in the garden some and it still wasn't time to meet Peter yet. She decided to head for the library and look for something to read.

Anna roamed aimlessly among the aisles of endless books, waiting for something to catch her eye. Titles like Nymphs and Their Ways, Fledge the Flying Horse, and Col the First: The Birth of a Kingdom stared up at her from every shelf, but nothing stood out. Then she spotted a book entitled Jadis and Other Assorted Northern Witches.

Anna's heart skipped a beat. Other Assorted Northern Witches? There were more creatures like Jadis? Anna inched away from the thick book until her back was pressed against the shelf behind her.

I'm being silly, she told herself, It's a book. It can't hurt me. I'll just leave now and forget this ever happened.

But she found herself unable to. Her gaze was locked on the leather spine of the book, wedged between Jackdaw and the First Joke and Jadis's Secret Police on the bottom shelf. I can't unsee it now, she thought, And if I ever do meet one of the Northern Witches, I'll need to know as much about them as I can... Anna moved forward cautiously, and extended her hand until she could feel the hardcover book between her fingers.

Then she let out a short scream.

Anna closed her eyes and pressed her hand against her rapidly-beating heart. "Corin!" she scolded, "What in the world are you doing hiding in the bookshelf?"

"Shh!" the young prince said, holding a finger to his lips. "I'm hiding fwom Cada."

"What? Cada? Why?"

"Because we'we pwaying hide-and-seek," Corin said. A smile illuminated his little face. "Anna, do you want to pway with us?"

Anna grinned affectionately and ruffled his hair. "That sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm tired. Maybe later."

"Pwomise?" Corin asked earnestly.

"I promise." Anna scooped up the book and made for the doorway. She passed Cada on the way out. "He's in the J's," Anna said in a low voice.

"Thanks," Cada said gratefully. "I did not want to have to tell Uncle Lune that I lost the only son he has left."

Anna grinned. "Stuck with babysitting duty?"

"I offered," Cada admitted. "You probably think it's lame, wanting to play children's games with someone too young to even read."

Anna smiled and shook her head. "You're never too old for hide-and-seek."

"Well, this is boring," Mary remarked.

"We know," William said from where he was sprawled out on the floor. All of them had been sitting around for quite some time, and had shifted into different positions. Michael was stretched out on the floor on a different side of the coffee table than his brother. Mary's legs were tucked under her in the armchair and her head rested against her palm. Anna lay diagonally on the couch, with her feet on the top of the back and her head dangling off the side, causing everything to appear upside down to her.

"Why don't we do something then?" suggested Michael.

"Like what?" Anna asked.

Michael shrugged as best he could, which was not much since his arms were folded under his head. "Whatever we want."

"What I want is to go home," Mary said drily.

"Don't be such a pessimist," Michael chided.

Mary sighed. "Well can we at least go into town or something?"

"Not in this weather." Thunder boomed outside as if to prove his point.

"We could play hide-and-seek!" William suggested.

"That sounds like fun," Anna agreed.

Mary rolled her eyes. "Don't you think that hide-and-seek is just a little childish for people our age?"

William scoffed. "Age eleven?"

"Come on, now," Michael said, climbing to his feet. "This will be fun. You're never too old for hide-and-seek."

Mary made a face but stood along with William and Anna.

"I'll be 'It'," Michael volunteered. "I'll count to one hundred while you guys hide. Ready?" He covered his eyes.

"One, two, three..."

Anna and William ran out of the room and Mary stomped along behind them unhappily.

The halls and rooms passed in a blur as Anna tried to put as much distance between herself and Michael as she could. Anna remembered playing hide-and-seek with her cousins when she was young, and Michael had always been the best at the game. He seemed to be able to follow their tracks, like a detective.

When the sound of her cousin's counting finally faded away into the distance, Anna allowed herself to slow down. She quickly slipped into a trunk. Not more than a minute later, the creak of the door and the pat-pat of footsteps alerted her to another presence in this room. Anna held her breath as the top of the trunk swung slowly open.

Mary's face looked down at her. "Anna, I was going to use this hiding place."

"I'm already here, though."

"Alright," Mary said with a sigh, "It's fine. I'll just find another hiding spot. I just really had this image in my head, of Michael opening the trunk and me lying there, being beautiful... like in Snow White. But it's okay, really it is. I'll just use that spot next time." Mary began to move toward the door.

It was too late, though. Now Anna felt guilty. She got out the trunk quickly and held open the lid. "No, it's okay, Mary. You can have this hiding spot. I'll find somewhere else. I don't mind, even if I lose. You can have it."

Mary flashed her triumphant, I-knew-I-would-win-in-the-end smile. "Thank you, Anna. You're a good friend." She laid down in the bottom of the trunk and did her best to look beautiful and dramatic. Anna shut the lid gently and hurried out of the room to find another hiding place.

She stopped outside the door and looked both ways down the hall. Which way would take her farther from Michael, and which would take her closer? She'd been so turned around in her haste that she couldn't even remember. Anna opted to turn right, and darted away.

To her distress, the sound of Michael's counting soon reached her ears. "Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred! Ready or not, here I come."

Anna turned a corner and tried the first door she saw. Locked. She rushed to the second door, flung it open and tumbled inside. Anna kicked the door shut and scrambled to her feet. The room she had chosen to hide in was, unfortunately, mostly empty. Anna sighed in frustration. She couldn't be found sitting in the middle of the floor. William would never let her hear the end of it.

The wardrobe. The only thing in the room was a wooden wardrobe. That would work. Anna darted over to it and slipped inside. She left the door open a crack, because she knew it was foolish to shut oneself in a wardrobe.

Anna sunk down among the fur coats and waited.

Anna stepped outside into the cool night air. Peter had to be around here somewhere. She decided it would be best to start looking.

The moon was full, which was good. Anna might not have been able to see her way around if not for it. There were torches placed all around, to provide light for the many parties that took place there, but none of them were lit. The bushes formed strange shapes in the moonlight.

How long have I been out here? Anna wondered as she delicately picked her way around a cluster of flowers, It could have been hours.

A sudden sound pierced the silence. "Hi."

Anna jumped and cried out. "Ah! Oh. Hi Peter."

She was surprised she didn't see him before. A few of the lanterns were lit, so that there was light to see by. Peter sat on a stone bench, looking handsome as ever. He smiled and motioned for her to sit next to him.

"I'm glad you came," Peter said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so sorry that I've been so busy."

"That's fine. I know it isn't your fault."

"Here," Peter said, fishing through his pockets, "I got you something." He handed her a small wrapped package.

Anna shook her head. "Peter, you didn't have to get me anything!" But she took the box anyway and tore off the wrapping paper. Anna lifted the lid, and gasped. Lying among silk cushioning was a delicate silver chain, from which hung an emerald disc. The necklace was simple, but beautiful in its simplicity. Anna stared at it, breathless.

"I remembered Susan saying that green was a good color on you," Peter said, if for no reason than to fill the silence, "I saw this and I thought you would like it."

"I love it! Thank you!" Anna cried, throwing her arms around Peter's neck.

"I'm glad," he replied. "Here, do you want me to help you put it on?"

"Yes please!" Anna handed him the necklace and turned. She lifted her hair so it was out of the way. Peter's gentle touch as he clasped the necklace sent shivers down Anna's spine.

"There," he whispered, "You're beautiful."

"Lies," Anna said, smiling at him playfully.

Peter pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

Anna jumped back suddenly, looking frightened. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Peter asked.

"Footsteps, over there. I thought I saw a shadow, too."

"It's probably only a squirrel," Peter said in between kissing her forehead distractingly.

"It had better not be a Talking Squirrel," Anna muttered with the part of her brain that was not thinking about the High King.

"We're in Archenland," Peter said, "There aren't any Talking Squirrels. Don't worry." He leaned in to kiss her again.

Peter was interrupted by the sound of a distinctly Narnian sounding bugle in the distance.

Anna leapt up. "Edmund's here!" she exclaimed, and rushed off to meet the new visitors.

She tore through the garden, thankful for the full moon to provide her some light. Within only a couple of minutes, Anna was at the gate as the Narnian visitors came inside.

"Susan!" Anna cried, throwing her arms around the girl.

"Anna!" The Gentle Queen returned the embrace. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. Where's Edmund?"

Susan shook her head. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I got one letter from you for every ten for him...?"

Anna shrugged apologetically. "Sorry?"

Susan laughed. "Don't apologize. There are no hard feelings. I'm not sure where Edmund is. He rode ahead of us as soon as we came in sight of the castle."

"I wonder where he went," said Anna, looking all around as though he might pop out of the shadows.

"I'm sure he'll turn up," Susan said. "What a beautiful necklace!"

"This?" Anna asked, raising her hand to the emerald. "It's new."

"When did you get it?"

"About ten minutes ago."

"Where?"

"From me," Peter said, coming up behind Anna and putting her arm around her.

"From you..." Susan repeated. She looked back and forth between the two, then grinned knowingly. "Oh!"

Anna smiled and nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me you were together?" Susan cried.

"We didn't really tell anyone," Anna said, "We just let people figure it out for themselves."

"Well, I want to hear all about you two later," Susan said, "But right now, I want to see Lucy."

"I think she's still in the castle," Peter told her, "Come on."

"Hopefully, Edmund will be with her," Anna said.

Susan, Peter, Lucy and Anna had spent several hours catching up. This was the first time since the defeat of the White Witch that any of them had been apart so long, and they missed each other terribly. The four of them talked well into the night, until Anna had one of those unhappy moments when she remembered she wasn't really part of the Pevensie family. She left the siblings to have some time alone together on the pretense of needing fresh air.

Edmund had never shown up. Anna was beginning to get quite worried. The best course of action, she decided, was to see if he made it at all. After she left the queens and the high king, Anna went outside to the garden where she'd met Peter earlier that night. She was making her way around to the gate to question the guard when a shadowy figure caught her eye.

"Hello?" she called tentatively.

The person said nothing, but turned and walked away. Anna hurried after them on a whim.

"Hello?" she asked, "Who are you?"

"Have you forgotten me that quickly?" replied the figure drily.

A grin crossed Anna's face. She knew that voice. "Edmund!" the Lady cried, dashing across the garden and throwing her arms around him. "You're here! Why didn't you come see me? And what's this nonsense about me forgetting you?"

To Anna's distress, Edmund neither said hello nor returned the hug. "It seems you haven't forgotten me, but you seem to have forgotten something else."

"Like what?"

"Something you want to tell me."

Anna thought for a good minute. "I missed you?" she guessed.

Edmund spun on her, his eyes flashing angrily. "Why didn't you tell me you were courting my brother?"

Anna put her hands on her hips. "Why didn't you ask?"

"Well it's not exactly a common question, now is it? Dear Anna, How are you? What's Anvard like? Are you and my older brother romantically involved?"

"You weren't even here. How was I supposed to tell you?"

"You wrote me every single day. You couldn't have added one paragraph about you and Peter? A sentence? A post-script?"

"Well if my letters were so terribly inadequate, then how did you find out?" Anna asked.

"The hard way," Edmund said, with a look of disgust on his face.

"Meaning?"

"I walked into the garden, only to see you eating Peter's face."

"It's called a kiss. Something you wouldn't know about, because you've never had one."

Edmund glared at her. "Oh yeah? Maybe because I don't go around with anything that looks good."

Anna's mouth fell open in outrage. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not seriously in love with Peter, are you?" Edmund asked, looking like he already knew the answer.

"If I don't love him, I like him very, very much."

"Ha."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you think you're going to marry Peter, have lots of babies and live happily ever after? That's not going to happen, Anna. He is not the right man for you."

"And why not?" Anna asked indignantly.

"He's too old!"

"Two years! Mary and Michael liked each other when she was eleven and he was thirteen. They didn't date, but they were only in middle school."

Edmund looked very exasperated. "What are you even talking about? Who cares if your friend and your cousin had crushes on each other? I'm talking about you. And Peter isn't the right one for you." Edmund gave her a disgusted look. "You know, Anna, I never thought you were like those stupid girls who throw themselves at him."

"Excuse me, but he kissed me first!" Anna said.

Edmund's eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm going to kill him."

Anna stepped forward and glared up at him. "You do anything to him and I'll -"

"You'll what? You'll challenge me to a duel? You know you've never been as good at me in fencing, Anna." He crossed his arms and looked smug. "I know about your extra lessons."

Anna gasped. "What?"

"You practice fencing with Peter. Is that when you started falling for him? When he taught you new ways to hurt me?"

"He and I did not get together until the day before we left for Archenland, and just so you know, I liked him way before then."

"Really."

"Yes, I first started liking him when he saved my life."

"And just when did this happen?"

"Don't you remember? I fell off a cliff. I 'scared the living daylights' out of you."

Edmund's face was a mask of calm, but his eyes showed his fury. If Anna wasn't so angry, she would have been terrified. "Anna," Edmund said, "Peter did not save your life that day. I did."

"No, you said -"

"I lied. Don't ask why. I don't know either."

Anna was outraged. "How dare you take credit for what he did."

"Ask him," Edmund said, pointing to the castle. "He'll tell you the truth. Ask Lucy and Susan. They were there."

"How could you have saved me? You aren't a good swimmer."

"Diving was always my strong point."

Anna rolled her eyes. "You seriously expect me to believe that you dove off a cliff to save me?"

"You were willing to believe Peter did. Why can't you believe the same of me?" Edmund asked. "Oh, that's right. I'm not as handsome as he is." He turned and strode away quickly.

"You brat!" Anna screamed after him, "I hate you!"

Edmund whirled around. "You shouldn't say that. I saved your life, remember?"

"Well maybe you shouldn't have. Then I wouldn't be with Peter."

Anna and Edmund both spun and marched away. As soon as he was out of eyeshot, Anna burst into a sprint. Tears spilled down her face as she ran through the halls of the castle. She darted through the sitting room and straight to her bedroom without acknowledging Peter, Susan, and Lucy's confused stares. Anna slammed her door behind her, flopped on her bed and sobbed. The Pevensies (the three that weren't angry with her, at least) knocked, their worried voices asking if they could come in and what was wrong. Anna sent them all away. Only one person could make her feel better, and he was the one person she couldn't turn to. Finally, they gave her some space, and she was allowed to cry herself to sleep in piece.

Anna had one of her nightmares that night. Not having Edmund to comfort her made her feel worse than any number of bad dreams could.