Glad you like it so far, pleaseXdontXstopXtheXmusic! I'll try to update often, but since tomorrow starts off a new week of Microbiology, Anatomy, and assorted other Nursing major classes, I have to be sure and focus xD Can't be daydreaming about Edmund all day…dang it.

I decided that my best bet would be to play along with this little façade they all seemed to want me to put on, so I told Edmund the next morning that I accepted his offer of being his servant.

"Wha…I never said you had to be MY servant!" he said in a shocked tone.

We were sitting in my cell as Edmund had come to bring down my breakfast and get my answer to his proposition. But what was funny was…we had been here for an hour or more just talking. Like civilized people, but I knew Narnians were NOT civilized no matter what airs they put on for show.

"Well you made the offer so I assumed you wanted me to be," I stated simply, sensing his discomfort as being viewed as someone who NEEDED a servant. "A king does need servants, correct?"

"I'm not fond of making other people do my work for me." Edmund said, standing up to leave and taking the tray he had brought my food on with him.

I looked at him with thoughtful eyes. It wasn't something she was use to hearing. Lyalis definitely wanted all the servants she could ever get her hands on. I shuddered at the thought of my queen. She was to be feared, not like these Narnian leaders. They were too weak to even kill me, a single soldier who was obviously guilty in their eyes. However, I had to respect the independence of this young king.

"Say," he said suddenly, turning on his heel to look back at me, "I don't even know your name. How can you be my servant if I don't know what to call you?"

I caught a playful sparkle in his eyes when he said this and I had to fight back the smile that threatened to tug the corners of my mouth.

"My name is Natani." I said simply, not looking at him.

I heard him very quietly repeat my name to himself, almost as if trying it out on his tongue. Then he smiled.

"It's a beautiful name."

I looked up at him quickly, but he had already started walking down the hall. The iron-barred door clanged shut and I huffed in annoyance. So I was to be a personal maid to some king who looked like he was barely 20? It would be a tough part to play…but I felt sure if I fooled him long enough I could escape without being caught. Earn their trust, the young one was a pushover, the High King was too busy to care, Susan probably spent most of her time in front a mirror and wouldn't even notice me missing. No, it was Edmund I would have to worry about. He would notice…he would probably notice in time to catch me too. There was only one solution…I would finish what I started and kill King Edmund the Just of Narnia.

"Are you insane, Queen Lucy?" I fairly shrieked at the monstrous thing she had handed me. It was all…bright colored and…frilly…and…ick. It was a DRESS!

"Not at all, Natani!" Lucy giggled, "I know you're not use to dresses but you can't wear this old armour forever, can you?

I looked down at myself and then I took a whiff of myself…ok, she may be right.

With a sigh, I slipped out of my armour and was about to pull the dress on when Lucy shrieked.

"No, no, no!" she said excitedly, "Get in the bath first! Silly!"

I looked at her like she was a whole new discovery. A bath?

"But..." I stuttered, not knowing quite what to say.

"No buts!" Susan, who had just come in, said sternly, "You smell like the back end of a minotaur in the middle of summer!"

I sniffed angrily at her…but she had a point. I sighed and allowed Lucy to lead me to the bathtub in the small room that adjoined my bedroom. A dryad drew the bath water for me and I just stood there for a moment as I admire the little steam curls that rose from it.

"Well," Lucy said, looking pleased at my radiant grin as I dipped a hand in the water, "I'll be back in a bit to help you get going on your duties."

She left me in the room with the big tub full of hot water and I did something very childish…I jumped in. I mean I JUMPED IN. Water splashed all over the dryad who had filled the tub and she laughed as she left me as well. I sighed as the water soaked through the dirt and grime and days old blood from the battle that seemed so long ago, it felt so good.

I was settling in nicely when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I said, not bothering to look up. My eyes were closed in relaxation.

"Um…I can come back later…" my eyes flew open at the sound of King Edmunds voice. I nearly stood up and then checked myself before I did something so stupid.

"No, no," I said quickly, trying not to blush. I could already see in my mind the blush he must have right now, "Just tell me what you wanted."

"Uh, Lucy told me you should have been done by now…with your…" he trailed off.

"Would you stop sputtering like a 12 year old who got caught peeking through a hole at the bath house?" I snapped and turned to look at him. He looked highly uncomfortable but he started to smile. Something about that statement amused him.

"Different worlds do different things, I guess…" he said quietly, more to himself than anything. He leaned against the doorframe.

We stared at each other for a long time before he finally asked me what I was staring at.

"If I was done I couldn't get out of here, could I?" I asked, annoyance apparent in my tone, "Please give a girl some privacy!"

"Oh! Right!" Edmund stood up straight and backed quickly out the door.

I wrapped the towel the dryad had left me around my chest and tucked it so it would stay and walked back into my room. Edmund's eyes got so big I swore they were going to pop out!

"Natani, you should really put some clothes on." he said, quickly glancing at the door.

"Why?" I asked, smiling at his obvious discomfort. He got up and shut the door quickly and I frowned. "What are you doing that for?"

"Ever heard of a thing called 'scandal'?" he asked sharply, but I could see the smile making its way to his lips.

Maybe this killing him wouldn't be so hard. Typical male…a sucker for a pretty face and a half-dressed female body. I could get him alone in some secluded place in a second! I would be galloping my way out of Narnia by nightfall on HIS horse just to add insult to injury…or insult to…fatality?

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