A/N this chapter is mostly dialog. Thank you again for all sticking with this story and for waiting so patiently. Also a huge thank you to my awsome reviewers. :)

Edmund gave the slightly younger woman a look over. She looked even more beautiful then he remembered. Her brown eyes shone bright in the light of the half moon above, and her long hair was blowing carelessly in the salty breezy. "I've seen better days. Of all people my lady, you should know me better than that," he replied in a sour tone. "I'm never in a good mood after losing so poorly in the joust. But you're right, Lord Peridan preformed very well indeed. I will always give credit to those who've earned it, and Lord Peridan did beat me soundly. I think he may be sweet on Lucy, and I think he'd make a fine match for her."

"I know Lucy's very fond of him as well, after fighting beside him in battle, they have formed a bond of arms. Your sister does like spirited men. When I was one of her ladies, she used to watch and giggle at all the dandy men who'd come for Susan. Lu would whisper to me, about how not one of them could beat her in a sword fight, or Susan in an archery contest. She finds the charms of men amusing and shallow. Your wild sister, oh, how I've missed her. All those warm summer days, and the crisp fall." Edmund nodded and was about to speak but Embelle continued. "For a while she had me believing that it was normal to run barefoot through the rain, and jump in the piles of freshly fallen leaves. When I returned home, my father let me do nothing of the sort." She laughed as Edmund took her arm and the walked slowly down the beach. "Speaking of sisters, I hear you're about to gain a new one."

"Yes, Perna Duchess of Farmington."

"I met her briefly at dinner tonight, but I was pulled away. She seems lovely, a little shy if you ask me, then again, I think I probably talk enough for both of us. Are you excited?" Edmund forced a smile that seemed to pinch his face.

"It's a very exciting time in the castle. Susan's nearly pulling her hair out trying to figure out where everyone's going to sleep. Perna and her mother Countess Carlyn have been arranging flowers and coordinating with the chefs. It's been very busy. Lucy, Peter, and I arranged for most of the tournament details, and saw the all the invitations were sent out properly," Edmund evaded.

"Wedding plans are difficult to make, there are so many decisions."

"That's right, I almost forgot congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding." Embelle blushed slightly. "I was out on… campaign when the news arrived. I found out much later than my sibling."

"Lucy wrote after you were…" She inhaled sharply. "She told me what happened this past Christmas. Bad news travels quickly, sometimes too quickly, and when we thought you were dead—it nearly destroyed me. You were, well are, probably the closet friend, I've ever had. I was up all night in tears. But my fiancé helped comforted me. He proposed to me right there, that night, to try and make me happy. It seemed so odd, but somehow… He'd been planning on asking for sometime, he already had my father's blessing, but wanted to wait, and then it just kind of happened. You would really like him Ed; he's an artiest who does beautiful paintings and sculptures. My father invited him to stay with us after he was commissioned to do my mother's portrait, that's how we met. I wish he could have sailed with me here, but the Duke of Galma commissioned a marble statue and he's been working so hard to finish before the wedding. I sailed in company with The Lord Blaque and his son and daughter." She looked over Edmund as the two strolled down the now darkened beach. He looked paler than usual; normally his skin glowed from his time spent in the sun. Now it seemed to take almost an ashen pallor. All was not right, he may not be a man of small talk, but was always polite and would listen and consider every word spoken to him. Right now he seemed almost distracted. In fact, he seemed distracted during the tournament as well. "Edmund is everything alright, are your siblings well?" Suddenly Edmund stopped and looked at Embelle.

"Emmy, I'm in love with a woman who's promised to another man," he blurted out quickly. She looked speechless for a moment and then gave Edmund a look of almost pity.

"Oh Edmund! What we had between us was exhilarating, but it wasn't love. It was more like animalistic passion and raw emotion. It was amazing but…" Edmund looked almost horrified for a moment, and let out an embarrassed laugh. "What?"

"I completely agree with you. We were just two people who were highly attracted to each other and nothing else. It was as you said, lust and passion. While yes, it was…exhilarating, very exhilarating, but it was as it was. I'm sorry if I have offended you my lady, but I meant Duchess Perna, my brother's fiancée. As much as I try to suppress and avoid my feelings for her, I cannot." Embelle's face formed a silent Oh, and she sat down and motioned for Edmund to sit down next to her.

"Edmund, Edmund, Edmund," she sighed and shook her head. "Does Peter know?" He shook his head.

"No, the only other who knows is Phillip, and I know he will never tell my secrets. I didn't even tell Susan, though, there were a couple times I wanted to and almost did."

"Does Duchess Perna share you're feelings?"

"I'm afraid so. At one point I questioned it, but her feelings are sincere and probably stronger than my own."

"How, if it's not too bold of me to ask, did this happen?"

"When I was injured in battle, I was poisoned and I guess it put my body into a death like state. Peter thinking I was dead, tried to give me a king's funeral. I floated down river and Perna and her maid found me and took care of me. It was several weeks, more than I can remember, before I was able to gain enough strength to make the journey back to Narnia and Cair Paravel. During that time Perna looked after me, and I, I taught her how to hunt. At some point we- bonded with each other, and then fell in love."

"Did you…" He nodded.

"Yes."

"Oh." Something flickered on Embelle's face, but then she placed a comforting hand on Edmund's back. "Well, what are you going to do about this?"

"Honestly, nothing. I would never put my brother in that kind of situation. I may love her, but, he's my blood. But I every time I pass her in the halls, I want to throw her up against the wall and kiss her. Whenever I sit next to her or across from her at dinner I want to run my foot up her leg. I miss her body in my arms although, in truth, she's been Peter's fiancée far longer than she was ever my lover. Now I feel every action, even in thought, betrays him." Embelle seemed to consider this; she knew what had happened so many years before, when Edmund had first arrived in Narnia.

"Well, may I ask you this, does Peter love Duchess Perna?" She was trying to be reason the situation, but the question was like a dagger.

"What is love?" Edmund spat with venom. "While I think Peter may have developed a fondness for Her Grace, he doesn't love her. He loves that she has good genetics, and if you saw her mother you'd understand. While it may have been Perna's father who held the power, it was most certainly her mother who governed the relationship. Anyone with two eyes could see that. The power a woman can hold over a man, it's madding." Edmund's fist slammed down and he stood up abruptly. "Even you with your soft words, and your graceful movements, you still hold a power over me as well. I still dream of our nights together. But I'll ask you again, what is love?" Embelle stood up next to Edmund and pulled him in to a deep kiss. It felt comfortable and familiar, right down to the faint taste of wine on her lips. But it was missing something he longed for. She pulled back and searched his eyes for a moment.

"Mm, that tells me much," she said with an eye brow raised for a moment in realization. "What is love?" She asked in a quite voice and pressed his lips together in a tight line before continuing. "Edmund, love is different between different people. My love for you now, lies in the purely platonic realm. This kiss, just lacked everything my fiancé's kiss has. Your right, raw passion and pure carnal attraction cannot sustain love. But make no doubt; I still love you, in my own way. Your love for Peter is probably one of the most powerful forces I've ever seen. It has kept both of you alive in battle and allows you to rule along side each other with little discord. From everything I've seen of you and Peter, your relationship is like the sun and the moon. There's Peter, golden as the sun and shines so brightly. Wise with his relationships and unyielding in his love for his family, which includes the whole country of Narnia, but the sun needs his companion. That's you Ed. You are the moon, quite and unassuming; you take your place right beside the sun. Though, you may not get quite the notices and praise that the sun may receive, you still guide Narnia, especially thought her darkest hours. Yes, you and Peter, the sun and moon, each ruling in your own ways, but your love runs deeper than some of the oldest magic." She paused for a moment as if to continue on but then looked back at Edmund. He looked almost lost. His eyes were down cast deep in thought. "Words cannot describe love; it's a powerful, mature emotion that should never be trivialized with simple words. My thoughts on this matter… you need to weight out your relationship with both Peter and Perna. If what you feel is true love…"

It was just past midnight as Edmund entered Cair Paravel. He made his way to his apartment before hesitating and making his way to Duchess Perna's apartment. He quickly slid in to the room and gently shook her awake.

"Mmm," she yawned and stretched out like a cat. "Peter it's a little early to be getting up to watch the sunrise," she said quietly her eyes not yet open. "I don't even hear the morning dove." Her eyes opened and jumped back startled for a moment when she realized it was Edmund. He stood just as still looked back at her with his eyes filled with fear and guilt. Finally he got his wits about him.

"Grab some of your things; we're going to run off back to the Mountains. If we leave now, we have it'll at least be a couple weeks until Peter finds us, we may even miss the wedding day. At least it'll buy us some time together. Maybe even give me some time figure out how to explain to Peter…" Perna placed a finger gently to his lips to quite him.

"Shhh, Edmund please, don't do this now." She pleaded. "You were right when you, our time together has passed. I may not love your brother, but he his good and kind, the least I can do is not take his brother away from him."