--Chapter 4: A Very Long Summer Indeed--

"Your king is most welcome, and our hope is that he and his children will enjoy their stay at Cair," I replied automatically, tossing my dark hair out of my eyes.

"If your highnesses will excuse me, I'd like to have a word with King Edmund," Peter said, grabbing my arm—ouch!—and pulling me away.

"Certainly," Iliea murmured, glancing at Corin with a gentle smile. "And what is your name, sweetheart?"

I shot a triumphant grin at Corin, who was looking rather green at the term 'sweetheart'. Peter pulled me aside and said:

"Ed…would you show Eric around? I'm certain he'd like to see the armory, and maybe you could teach him a thing or two about using a sword. I get the feeling that his father, King Gavin, is hoping that I will knight him later on in their visit here. Will you get him started?"

I bit back a moan.

"I'd love to, Peter. You know I would, but—"

"Great! My thanks, Edmund; I really owe you one," Peter interrupted before I could finish.

Then, he whirled around and returned to the princess, her brother, and the Lord Chancellor.

"Princess Iliea, I have some matters of state to attend to. Would you like to return with me and join my sister, Susan?"

"Actually, High King," the princess crooned, batting her long lashes at him, "I think I'd rather stay here with your brother and speak with yon adorable Prince Corin!"

Peter chuckled at the sick look on Corin's face, and bowed a farewell.

"Until this evening, my lady," he said gallantly.

"Until this evening, High King," Iliea replied, almost swooning at the words.

The High King turned to leave, but then hesitated and looked back.

"Be careful, Ed," he said, glancing first at me, and then at the princess. "That assassin may still be in the castle. Don't go anywhere without your sword."

"But Pete—"

I wished my brother would open his eyes and look beside him. The Lord Chancellor looked awfully suspicious, especially since the Galmians had arrived on the very day of the attempted murder. Unfortunately, someone else spoke at the same time.

"Assassin?" Princess Iliea asked, swaying a bit as her eyes opened quite wide. "Are we in danger?"

I bit back yet another groan. Of course she would act out the damsel in distress. Lord Irwin frowned, seemingly for no reason at all.

"Merely a precaution, milady," Peter said, smiling gently at her, and then sending an impatient look my way.

"We'll be fine, Peter. Or should I say Mum?" I added the last bit just loudly enough for my brother to hear.

Peter shot me an exasperated look for my teasing, which was due to his tendency to be overprotective, and then nodded at us, turning to leave.

"Good day, brother."

Lord Irwin watched Peter go, and then decided to follow the High King, giving me a distrustful look as he left. All four of us watched Peter and Irwin go, and then Corin pulled at my sleeve.

"Can we throw her in the well?" Corin whispered, just loudly enough for me—but, thank Aslan, no one else—to hear.

I flashed him a grin and shook my head sadly.

"I'm afraid it's quite against the Narnian code of chivalry. Besides, our political position with the Galmians might change drastically if we took your advice and disposed of the fair lady in the castle well," I replied in matched tones. "As it is, I'm afraid you're just going to have to bear it like a man and let her call you 'sweet adorable Corin'."

Corin stuck out his tongue, and then punched me lightly on the elbow.

"Careful," he said as I bit back another yelp of pain, clutching my still tingling arm. "You might want to watch what you say, or I'll tell that 'fair lady' that this 'sweet adorable Corin' knocked the fight out of a king three times his age."

"Only a bit more than twice your age," I replied crossly. "I'm not that old yet."

"King Edmund?"

I gritted my teeth into a sort of smile, giving Corin a warning glance, and turned to face Prince Eric.

Why do we have so many princes here at the same time? I wondered absently.

"Yes, Prince Eric?"

The prince's hazel eyes darted around the courtyard, glancing at the buckler on the ground from where I had thrown it after Corin had hit my elbow, and then at the sword at my side.

"I…I'm not sure if the High King has told you, but I am training to become a knight."

"He told me," I replied, rather shortly.

Eric's eyes brightened.

"King Peter said that you were one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom."

"He's the best," I commented dryly. "Though I'm sure he was much too modest to tell you so. I'm not nearly as good as he is."

"All the same," the prince continued, "do you think you could show me…you know…the Narnian style of handling a sword?"

"Oh do, Prince Edmund," Princess Iliea said sweetly, batting her eyes at me and smiling brightly.

"It's King, actually," I replied, somewhat annoyed. So many people simply assumed that a country could have only one king at a time, naturally demoting me, the younger brother, to the rank of 'Prince'.

"Father would be so much obliged," continued the princess, ignoring my comment entirely and thus annoying me further. "Eric learned the basics in Galma, of course, but he's been just longing to learn how to properly use a sword for as long as I can remember."

Eric shot his sister an irritated glance, which I noted with some curiosity.

Sibling tension? This might be interesting.

"Oh do, Prince Edmund," Corin whispered, batting his eyelashes and mimicking Iliea. "I'm sure the fair lady would be so obliged!"

I shot him a yet another glare, only just restraining my temper and rubbing my aching arm absently.

"Princess Iliea …I don't think that I am the right one to teach your brother swordplay."

"You mean you can't fight?" Iliea asked with a slight frown.

"No," I exclaimed hastily. "It's not that I can't…"

"He's just afraid to," Corin put in.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, and tried not to think about throwing Corin into the well.

"Afraid?" Eric asked, a quick grin crossing his face as he exchanged a mischievous glance with Corin. "Is that it, King Edmund?"

I held back a growl with some difficulty.

"Prince Eric," I said coldly, "I believe our dear Prince Corin is merely trying to provoke me. He enjoys fighting with people for apparently no reason whatsoever. I am not afraid, merely…unable, to fight you in a duel."

"Unable?" repeated the princess. "What-ever do you mean?"

"Never mind," I said quickly, changing my mind as another tingle ran up my arm. It was beginning to throb, but at least I could feel it again. "Allow me to show you the way to the armory, where we have dozens of swords you can choose from to begin your training."

This is going to be a long summer, I thought with a sigh as I led the three others to the armory. Prince Corin, a mysterious murderer, and now these Galmians…

I sighed again. A very long summer indeed.

To be continued….