Exspectare
Latin: to wait for, to expect
'Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].'~ Psalms 37:34 (KJV)
~o*o~
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Shard, Equus, Flavis, Martin, Trevelyan, the four children and the king and queen took luncheon together. It was a rather long and drawn out affair, because King Lune, a big man, liked to eat and Edmund, a thin wiry boy, ate nearly as much. King Lune won in the end, but admitted it a near thing.
They took luncheon in a large airy room with tall marble columns, potted plants and a view of the garden, now covered with snow. The room was decked with holly and evergreen and in the corner Narnian fauns played flutes and Narnian Centaurides played harps. For, as King Lune said, there are no musicians that can match the Narnians. Centaurides are almost as spectacular as Centaurs. A beautiful woman, fused with a beautiful horse's body is breath taking in the least.
A slender little girl Centauride, who was serving the drinks, was completely adorable with her head of golden curls and ready smile.
They feasted on venison the King and his courtiers had killed that morning. It was the second day of Christmas, a day of hunting.
After they had finished eating King Lune pulled four small parcels wrapped in paper out of his pocket and placed one in front of each of the children.
"Open them." King Lune said.
They looked at each other thoughtfully, then began to open their packages. Peter broke the strings around his, Susan untied each knot, Edmund bit through his and Lucy ripped the paper and whatever it was inside slid out of the string. Therefore, she was the first to see what it was.
It was a small, slim dagger, beautifully made, yet unornamented.
"It's very nice…" She said slowly.
"It's for your protection," King Lune said, "All of you, keep the daggers on your person at all times. One must always be armed, especially you people."
"Thank you," Peter said.
"Now," Deidre said, looking at the girls. "You said something about wanting to see the weaving rooms?"
"Yes we did!"
"Mrs. Beaver," Deidre said. "Would you grace us with your presence? I've heard you know a great deal about weaving."
"I'd love to come." Mrs. Beaver smiled.
The girls left the room laughing. Flavis, Equus, Mr. Beaver and Shard went away to who knows where and Treve went to the kitchen, because he hadn't been able to find it the first time. Martin left with a very preoccupied look on his face.
King Lune marked that look and turned to the boys, who were the only ones left.
"Now I have to see about the business of ruling." He said, "Go do as you like; heaven knows that you won't get to do much of that when Martin gets of hold of you."
With that said, he left and Peter and Edmund decided to explore. They found their way outside, walked out onto the battlements and looked down at the town of Anvard, a now very busy place.
Edmund leaned over the parapet and watched a cart drive through the gates of the castle. The wheels were caked with snow and vapor rose from the horse's nostrils.
"Ed," Peter said, startling Edmund out of his reverie. "I'm not sure I can do it."
"Of course you can!" Edmund said looking over at him; to Edmund Peter was fail proof.
"But I've never led an army before!" Peter said kicking at a chunk of ice, "I guess I didn't know what I was getting myself into."
"Aslan picked us," Edmund said.
"Who is Aslan?" Peter asked.
Edmund looked back over the town, "a lion."
Peter snorted.
The cold wind blew and numbed their faces.
"I wish he'd come," Peter said. "I mean, I'm far too young to do this! Lucy'll probably be the youngest conqueror in history. No one that young has ever done something like this before."
"Which," Edmund said calmly, "Is why we are too young to realize it's impossible."
~o*o~
It wasn't hard for Treve to find his way to the kitchen, he just followed his nose. The kitchen door itself was closed, but a ring of animals, mostly dogs, were in a circle before the door.
"Good morning?" Treve said, slowly.
A jackal from near the door burst into fits of laughter, "Have you ever heard anything like that, Ray?" he gasped, "He says good morning and it's really good afternoon!"
The other jackal, who was apparently Ray, rolled on his back, laughing. Treve retreated into a corner, embarrassed.
"Don't let them disturb you," A big bloodhound panted, "They're always like that."
This sent the jackals into fresh spasms.
"What are you all doing here?" Treve asked.
"Same as you," A pointer said.
"What's that?" Treve asked.
"Do you know?"
"No."
"That's it."
~o*o~
"Your majesties?"
Peter and Edmund spun around to see Lord Paladin coming towards them. The lord was middle aged, his hair graying, his eyes green flecked. He had the appearance of a wolf, always watching, always wary.
"Lord Paladin," Peter said.
"I wish to congratulate you," Lord Paladin said, bowing before them. "You behaved impressively. You did not let them bully you and you now have their respect."
"Thank you sir," Peter said.
Paladin inclined his head, "If I may make so bold, I would be fascinated if you told me your story."
Peter told it as briefly as he could, Edmund adding a few things here and there. When he had finished Lord Paladin looked over at them, for he had been looking over the city during the story.
"It is well told, sire," He said, "Truly remarkable."
"Tell us your story." Peter said.
"My story, or the story of my family?"
"Perhaps both."
"Very well," Lord Paladin said slowly, then began: "Our line is very old, descending from King Frank the first king of Narnia's youngest son who married a dryad. Our family was very well established when Stormrunner, Equus's grandfather, prophesied that four thrones must be built in Cair Paravel. The king, King Xenon, was very weak and very proud. At first, he would not build the thrones, then my father, who was very dear to the king persuaded him that he must. It was that year that the tree of protection between Narnia and the western wilds blew down. Jadis, the witch, had already taken Telmar, the country just to the west of Narnia, and she invaded Narnia too. My father was nearly killed in the fighting that followed and my mother, sweet lady that she was, tended his wounds and helped him escape to Archenland. Others were not so fortunate; a quarter of the humans that lived in Narnia were killed and a quarter were turned to stone.
"Kind King Cor of Archenland, grandfather of King Lune, gladly took in the Narnians that escaped. My father and mother were married and my older brother was born, then I. My father died young and my brother sat in his place in the great Narnian council. They decided that I too should sit with them, because they were lacking one member. Those were the days when the council was sane! My brother and his wife died three years ago of an illness, leaving behind their infant son Baeth, Peridan and their daughter, Clyte. I myself have never married and I will strive to raise Baeth as my own. Then it is as you see us now, hoping, watching and waiting."
~o*o~
The weaving rooms were a very interesting place. They were large rooms with high ceilings and many looms. The ladies didn't just weave in those rooms. They sewed, embroidered, carded wool and spun thread as well.
The first room they went into was the weaving room. It was filled with looms as high as the ceiling and looms as long as the room. The ladies sang and joked while they worked and the thing they were talking about as Deidre, Mrs. Beaver and Susan and Lucy came into the room were the mysterious children that had arrived two days ago.
Susan and Lucy wandered through the room with Deidre behind them, telling then what different things were and how they worked and talking to Mrs. Beaver about different fabrics.
They came to the largest loom in the room where the weaver was singing in a high soprano. She stopped and smiled at them as they approached.
"Your majesty!" she stood up and curtsied.
"That's not necessary, Lyon." Deidre said.
Lyon sat down again and began to weave. They watched as the shuttle flitted back and forth behind the smooth golden fabric.
"It's beautiful," Lucy said softly.
"It is," Susan said.
"I think it looks just like Peter." Lucy said.
Deidre snapped her fingers. "Come, let's go where we can talk, I have an idea!"
They followed her out of the weaving rooms to her own room. She shut the door, then turned to them.
"I have an idea!"
"Really?" Lucy asked; she adored ideas.
"You four will become kings and queens someday!" Deidre said. "You will each need your own banner! If I teach you how to embroider and sew, then, you might as well do something useful with it. You can sew the Narnian banner, then you can each come up with your own."
~o*o~
That night was the second feast of Christmas. Deidre had a splendid time trying dresses on Susan and Lucy and finally introducing them to everyone in the great hall. It was a blaze of lights, laughing and dancing. It was a night that the four children remembered for the rest of their lives. It was so utterly perfect, so peaceful, so joyful.
The floor was smooth in glowing streams of wood. The room whirled by like the time, too fast, too exhilarating.
Perhaps they remembered it so well because it was the one night remembered when there was nothing they had to do, nothing to be finished or completed, it was done. There was nothing left to do. Their goal was reached.
Until, of course, the next morning.
A/N: It was so fun to research the Christmas feasts of the Middle Ages, not to mention how wonderful the clothes are! The minor characters are all such fun, especially King Lune, the Queen and Treve. Treve is exactly where I've wanted to be for years.
~Rose