I should probably mention that my chapter titles don't really have a lot to do with the plot of the chapter. I take my chapter titles from the last words of the chapter or my favorite subjects from the chapter. So, you should be warned that there are no arranged marriages in this chapter. The topic is only discussed jokingly at the end of Chapter 5. :)

I woke up the next day feeling awful. I dreaded having to face any of the Pevensie's with the knowledge that I not only bore a striking resemblance to a deceased friend of theirs, but I also shared a name with the same deceased friend. And, I was sleeping in her room.

The sun was bright when I opened the doors to my balcony and stepped onto it. I smelled the ocean before I saw it. When I did see it, I was filled with a contented happiness for just a moment. That happiness was ruined when the dryad from the previous day flitted into my room and started shouting at me for being so improperly dressed. I was only in my tank top and boy-shorts that I had been found in. I had washed them the day previous and set them to dry before I went to dinner.

The dryad the proceeded to whisk me away to the bathroom area where she scrubbed me until I was red. She then forced me into a light blue dress and shoved pretty slippers on my feet. I complained when she attempted to put makeup on my face, so she didn't do so.

"At least allow me to fix your hair." She demanded. I allowed her to do such and she braided and plaited my hair into a beautiful, yet casual ponytail. She insisted upon interweaving flowers into my hair so much that I allowed her to do so, explaining to her that she would be the one to remove them from the tangled mess before I went to bed later that night.

I found I wasn't hungry that morning and decided to skip breakfast and go straight to the castle grounds. Merie, the dryad, took it upon herself to give me a tour of the grounds. She was so giddy and happy that I found I could not resist the happiness radiating off of her. I laughed and smiled along with her as we walked through the gardens causing mischief.

"Watch this, Miss Ashlynn." Merie called. I turned and watched her as she touched a blue flower and her petals changed colors. I laughed loudly.

"You can change colors?"

"Did I not just answer your question, Lady Ashlynn?" Merie broke into another fit of giggles and floated away from me and towards another flower bush.

"Miss," A small voice asked me. I looked down towards the voice and saw a small mouse looking up at me with big eyes.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are you Aslan's daughter?" It squeaked.

"Um, no." I replied with a confused look. Why did everyone keep bringing up this Aslan character around me?

"It's just that you have his eyes, Miss. And the color of your hair is like his mane. And as I stand here near you, I am comforted." The little mouse replied bashfully.

"Isn't he a lion?" I asked, smiling slightly at him.

"Oh yes, Miss. A great big lion with the kindest heart."

"Well then, how could I be his daughter if I am a human?" I logically asked him. He smiled a whiskery smile up at me.

"Aslan can create anything he wishes. He created Narnia. And if he wished to have a daughter, he could make her whatever he wanted." He replied, before bowing his little head and scurrying away.

I had several more encounters such as that before Merie and I left the garden.

I sat down on a stone bench outside of the castle and sighed, closing my eyes and breathing in the perfumes of the garden.

"I don't understand how I can bear a striking resemblance to a lion." I commented to Merie.

"It's in your eyes and aura, Miss Ashlynn." Merie replied. "You bring comfort to those around you, and no one can mistake those eyes. And he's not just a lion. He is the true King of Narnia, the Creator. He makes all things in Narnia possible. He defeated the White Witch during the Battle of Beruna and brought peace back to Narnia after the Hundred Year Winter."

For some odd reason, everything that she had just mentioned seemed familiar, as if I had heard the story once before.

"Good evening, Miss Ashlynn." I heard a familiar voice call. I turned and saw Lucy approaching me with a wide smile.

"If I may, Lady Ashlynn, take my leave?" Merie requested. I rolled my eyes at her with a small smile.

"Get out of my sight." I replied jokingly. She giggled and flitted away with the wind.

I stood up at the approach of Lucy and bowed before her. She laughed at me and told me to get up.

"Honestly, Ashlynn, are we not friends?" Lucy gave me a coy smile and I laughed at her.

"What brings you to the castle grounds this fine evening, Oh Queen." I asked teasingly.

She smiled, "I was searching for you. You weren't at breakfast!"

"I wasn't hungry this morning, and I was hoping to explore the castle and grounds." I replied.

"Did you get to do so?"

"Merie showed me the grounds, but I have yet to see the castle." I replied thoughtfully.

"Well, allow me to give you a tour then! Come along!" I followed Lucy into the castle and she gave me her grand tour. After climbing many staircases and running down many hallways, Lucy and I finished our tour in front of two huge and grand doors. She pushed them open and I followed her into the huge room.

Natural light illuminated the room through an enormous set of bay windows overlooking the sea. In front of the bay windows was a dais, and upon it were four ornate thrones. There was such a ethereal appearance about the thrones that I couldn't help but gasp. Lucy smiled at me.

"Aslan, himself, created our thrones. And he designed our crowns." She commented, lightly touching the circlet on her head. I smiled at her and approached the dais.

I turned to her. "May I?"

She giggled. "Of course."

I walked up the steps and towards the thrones. They were absolutely beautiful. I couldn't resist running my hands along the arms of one.

"That is Edmund's throne." Lucy commented with a small smirk. I glanced at her and removed my hand, wondering why I had automatically approached that particular throne.

"And which is yours?" I asked.

"The one over there." Lucy responded, pointing at her throne. I gave her a coy look before plopping down in it.

"I have overtaken your thrown. You must now bow down to me, oh Fallen Queen." I stated comically. Lucy laughed at me and shooed me away from her thrown. I danced away from the dais and approached the floor in front of it. Lucy took a seat in her thrown casually and watched me, giggling softly to herself.

"Is this where you lot hold balls?" I inquired loudly, my voice echoing off the walls.

"Yes. And other ceremonies." She replied. I smiled up at her and twirled around, pretending to be a part of a ball. She laughed at me.

"Were you a dancer on Earth?" She joked, as I continued to spin and dance around in a silly fashion.

"Oh yes, I was the best dancer Earth has ever seen. I can do all sorts of dances." I replied back with a goofy grin.

"Earth must have been lacking in dancers then." A male voice called from the doorway. I stopped dancing and turned to saw Edmund leaning against the wall with a playful grin on his face.

"Obviously you have no taste in dancing, Edmund. As you can see, she must be the finest in all of Narnia!" Lucy called out playfully, jumping from her throne and joining me once again in twirling. We were both red faced from laughing and dancing by the time we stopped playing around.

"Perhaps you should consider dance lessons before the ball later this week." Edmund stated from his position against the wall.

Instead of taking offense to his jab, I turned to Lucy. "A ball?"

Lucy smiled widely. "Yes. The annual Fall Ball. We celebrate the changing of the seasons." She explained.

"Do I have to go?" I asked with a frown.

"Don't even try. I've been trying to get out of them since we first took the thrown. It's no use. Susan will have your head if you don't go." Edmund explained, pushing up from the wall and approaching us. I glanced at him. The light from the bay windows behind Lucy and I were casting such a light on him that he seemed to glow. His silver crown gleamed in the light and he truly looked like a king. My heart fluttered and I wondered why it would do such a thing.

"They wouldn't be so bad if you participated in dancing during them Edmund." Lucy berated him.

"I do dance!" He defended. "I just don't accept every maiden's hand when she comes batting her eyelashes at me and asking me if I could "spare a dance with a lonely girl."

I laughed at him and this seemed to please him more than aggravate him.

"I don't think I could say yes to that either, Edmund." I agreed with a smile.

"You really need to start lightening up, Ed. Peter is now starting to consider accepting suitors for himself and Susan, and that means you and I will be next, sooner than you think." Lucy stated with a small frown. Edmund paled and looked to the floor. Lucy, having obviously regretted what she had said, put an arm on her brothers shoulder.

"It won't be for a while, I'm sure. But, I'm just acknowledging the fact that it is our duty to do whatever it is Peter asks of us." She said softly.

Edmund nodded his head and muttered. "The duties of a king."

"And a queen." Lucy added.

There was a pregnant pause before, "So, about these dance lessons. I think they're a great idea. I have no idea how you people dance and I would rather not make a fool of myself in public. Besides, if Peter is how you two say he is, then I'm sure he's trying to arrange a marriage for me as well. I need to be tip top so I don't have to marry some old fat guy."

Lucy and Edmund stared at me with blank looks for a few seconds before laughter burst from the two of them. I smiled, feeling accomplished.

Thank you so much for reading! Please review. :)