A/n:HI everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Remember to Review! Also I'd like to thank Noel Ardnek and Sonny13 for their continued support of this story

HOLY SHIT, I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE MIX UP, I POSTED MY SANCTUARY FANFIC'S CHAPTER 7 INSTEAD OF THIS CHAPTER 8. PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I DIND'T MEAN TO CONFUSE YOU !

Chapter 8:

The following week seemed to drag for the kings and queens. Susan was busy planning Molly's sixteenth birthday part, and Molly as the treasurer was not happy. Thus the poor girl spent her time attempting to keep Susan's spending in check. Peter and Edmund were stuck in meetings with the Archenlanders hoping to hash out some new trade agreements. Lucy seemed to be the only one without a hundred things to do. Instead she split her time between calming her older brothers and Molly down.

"For the last time Sue, we seriously cannot afford to have three hundred guests," Molly shouted in Susan's private office. "I certainly don't see a problem with it. A person's sixteenth birthday is a big deal in Narnia, remember?" Susan responded in a calm voice not even bothering to look up from her menu planning.

"Maybe if it was Lucy's birthday, or Peter's birthday I could understand the hullabaloo you're planning, but for me Susan? It is way too much especially for the treasury," Molly shouted again. "Limit the guestlist to 150 people, or I will do it for you."

Susan looked up from her desk and tried to hold in a smirk as Molly stormed off. She'd probably go rant to Edmund about how unrealistic the party planning was. Sue's smile grew as she thought of Ed and Molly together. They were so blind, it pained the Gentle Queen to see them sometimes completely ignorant of each other's feelings beyond friendship. This was part of the reason Susan felt the need to go hog-wild in planning Molly's birthday party. If she could make them see each other's feelings, the rest of Pevensies would have fewer headaches.

Molly entered her office and released the breath she had been holding in since she left Susan. She looked over at her desk in all of its unorganized glory, no one had seen the actual top of her desk since the third week she had lived in the rooms. She walked around the desk and sat in the red upholstered wing back chair set behind the desk.

Molly looked at the desktop of paper and shifted the hundreds of novel ideas to find the ledger. In that book all official purchases made by Narnia and the royal family were kept. Of course the royal family received an allowance of 200 gold pieces a month. While 200 gold coins did not seem like much, when a gallon of fresh milk could be purchased for three bronze coins, the allowance sufficed.

As Molly went down the list of purchases Susan had made recently she groaned. Sue was really going overboard with this party, especially when she had told the Pevensies a small more family style party was more she speed. Molly groaned again, thinking about the dress Lucy had the seamstress working on for her, and lay her head down on the ledger in the hopes she could catch a quick nap before her next appointment.

The slam of a large book woke Molly up. "What…" she slurred sitting up. A voice started to laugh. "Molly, there is a piece of paper stuck to your face," the voice said. Molly frantically searched her face for the piece of parchment. She pealed the scrap off her face and looked up, expecting to see Edmund laughing at her. Instead, Molly looked up to see Caleb standing there.

"Lord Caleb, I'm surprised to see you here. Is there something I can do for you?" she asked straightening up. "Well, I was wondering if you had a date to your party?" he said with a faint blush on his cheeks. "You mean , you wish to escort me," Molly corrected.

As the person the party was for, Molly would not be allowed to have a date, but needed someone to escort her. Caleb laughed, "whatever the title is my lady," he said bending down to kiss her hand.

There was a knock at the door, and Caleb backed away from Molly. "Come in," Molly called. The door opened to reveal Edmund in his workout clothes. "Ah, Edmund. Thank Aslan you're back. Would you please go talk to Susan. She's trying to bankrupt us with this party." Molly said watching as Caleb slipped out the door that led to her bedroom.

"Molly, I can't control Sue, and more than you can," Ed grinned hugging Molly to him. "Ed, for Aslan's sake, take a bath before you do that," she laughed as Ed picked her up and swung her around.

"Nope, not happening," he said. "Ed, please, let go," Molly said though her laugh. Ed let go of her, literally dropping her on her butt. "Edmund," Molly growled picking herself up off the floor. "What, you said to let you go," He said smiling.

Molly chased Edmund out of her office and into his room. "Alright, Molly, I'll bathe. But I expect to see you in the throne room in half an hour," he called shutting the bathroom door in her face. Molly laughed and went back to her room to get some work done.

Half an hour later, Molly was standing in throne room waiting for her favorite king to arrive. "Why can't he be on time for once in his life," she asked out loud. "Because being on time isn't as fun as an entrance," a voice called behind her. Molly whipped around to see Edmund leaning against a pillar.

Edmund walked up to Molly laughing slightly at her face, on which a cross between a grin and a frown sat. "Don't give me that look," he said, "Now I was wondering if you had an escort to your birthday ball yet?" Molly was surprised Ed had asked. After all for his birthday party in September he had asked Lady Adelaide, a lady from the Lone Islands, to be his guest.

"Not yet, sire, though I have had a few offers already," Molly answered a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Surely, sweet lady, no man could compare to a king," Edmund said an identical gleam in his own eyes.

Lucy and Susan tried desperately to hide their giggles in their hiding spots behind the thrones. Molly and Edmund seemed to resort to this high court banter quite often as a way to annoy each other. The pair watched as the 'couple' exchanged silly blows with one another.

"No man could compare to a King of your caliber, sire, or of High King Peter's caliber. But, a handsome Archenland Lord had already asked about escorting me," Molly said waiting for Edmund's reaction. Edmund's ears began to turn red.

"Ed, don't even think about hurting that man. You didn't ask me to your party and I didn't storm off to go strangle the woman," Molly said obviously angry. Edmund nodded and stormed off, probably going to his room.

Molly stood there dumbfounded, "Lucy, Susan, you can come out now," she called. Susan and Lucy looked downtrodden at the realization they had been found out. "You do realize, we knew you were there right," Molly added laughing at their faces.

Night of Molly's Birthday Party

Edmund hadn't talked to Molly since she told him off in the throne room after he had asked to escort her. Now he sat angrily on the table heads's right waiting for Molly to show up. The centaur that guarded the door to the feasting hall faced the table to announce the new arrivals, "Lady Knight Molly of Cair Paravel, and Lord Caleb of Avalon."

Edmund stood up from the table to watch Molly enter the room. She would have the seat of honor at the head of the table. As he watched her enter he found his gaze drawn away from her face to the dress she was wearing.

Normally when Molly dressed up for parties, her dresses were in shades of blue and silver, much like his royal best. Instead, her dress was a brilliant scarlet a-line skirt dress, with trumpeted sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, and gold trim. She looked amazing in those colors, so amazing in fact and Peter, who was sitting in the chair to the left of the table head, kicked Edmund shin to stop his stare.

Caleb walked Molly to her place of honor and pulled out her chair. "thank you Caleb," Molly said sitting down. "What?" she asked looked back and forth between Edmund and Peter. "Nothing," Peter said feigning innocence. The meal passed in a tense fashion. Every time someone tried to start a conversation they were met with a series of grunts and one word answers from around the table.

Lucy's yell of "present time" ended the tense air that surrounded the meal. The fourteen year old pulled Molly from her chair toward the table of wrapped gifts. "Open mine first," she said shoving a book shaped package. Molly ripped the paper to reveal a beautiful leather bound book. "It's for those stories you are always writing," Lucy said. Molly thanked Lucy and continued on to the other gifts.

As the gifts were unwrapped Molly couldn't help but laugh. Peter gave Molly a sword in the style of his and Edmunds stating that she needed to learn how to fight with one, in case her sword was unavailable. Susan gifted Molly yet another dress, in a lovely shade of blue with brown accents. The Archenland contingent gave her a selection of fabrics unique to the various regions of Archenland. The gifts continued until Molly had a number of books, parchment, quills, and a decent selection of fabrics, but they meant nothing to her because Edmund had yet to give her his present.

Molly thanked everyone for the gifts and excused herself to freshen up before the dancing began. When Molly emerged from the powder room, she was amazed to see Edmund standing there waiting for her. She looked him up and down taking in his form in silver and green instead of his usual blue.

In his hands was a velvet box, about the size of his palm. "Happy Birthday Molly," he said handing the box to her. Molly lifted the lid and gasped. Sitting on black satin was a silver necklace with three opals set in the shining metal. The largest of the three opals was offset from the other two.

"Oh, Edmund. This is too much," she said running her fingers over the cool metal. Edmund ignored her protests and picked the necklace up. He stepped behind her and placed the necklace around her neck. Molly's heart skipped a beat as she felt Edmund's warm breath on her neck.

He fastened the necklace and stepped back around to admire its beauty. "It's perfect" he said softly. Molly reached up and made to kiss Edmund's cheek. In complete cliché fashion, Edmund turned his head at the last minute. So instead of Molly's lips touching his cheek they made contact with his lips. Molly's eyes widened at the contact.

A shock passed between the two, and they separated starring at each other. "Did that just…" Molly asked. "I think it did," Edmund answered. "by the mane," Molly cursed running back to the throne room hoping that Edmund wasn't following her.