She swore to wait for his return. She vowed her heart would always be his.

I Will Wait...

Chapter 1: Now that the time has come...

One Year-Three Months Missing

2346 September 19

I thought of Rilian often in the days that followed.

I tried to remain busy to keep my mind from thinking of him, but it had little effect. I had already been the Princess' Lady's Maid for more than two years when Rilian disappeared, but since she was also the Naiad Princess she spent most of her time in the river and had little need of me. That all changed after the King made his announcement. Rhea was now the only child of the King, and thus she became the Crown Princess and heir to the throne. Now, she spent most of her time as the Royal Princess and not the Naiad Princess as she desired.

I was always at her bidding. I thought it would keep me busy, but really I mostly just stood around and waited for when she needed me. As a result my mind was left to think of Rilian frequently.

I remembered clearly the first time we saw each other.

XOXOX

2343 September 10

In truth, I'd known the Prince since we were children and while we may have been childhood friends, there came a time when I lived outside of Narnia and did not see Rilian for many years. My family and I, including my grandparents, had sailed to the Lone Islands to visit my grandmother's sister. While we were there we discovered that she was quite old and her health was weakening. My mother and grandparents tried to convince her to return to Narnia with us where she would be well looked after. The woman refused.

I was ten at the time and with two younger, annoying brothers and a baby sister, I found our living conditions crowded. I had learned at a young age to take care of others. I was always helping Daddy take care of my siblings, since Mum was Lady's Maid to the Queen. The thought of living alone, on a strange island, did not frighten me in the least. I found the idea rather enjoyable and thrilling actually.

Of course, I wouldn't tell my parents that. As far as they were concerned, I had become very fond of my great-aunt in the three weeks that we visited, and I couldn't bear to leave her alone while she was ill. I insisted that I stay behind to care for her. In the week that followed, I heard my parents discussing it continuously. I think I nearly revealed my true intent when at last they said I could stay.

It wasn't without its conditions though. I was to write home once a week in great detail. I was to obey every word of my aunt. And, the hardest part, I had to prove to my father that I could handle myself in a duel. Fortunately, my father was an excellent instructor and I passed easily. As such, about two months after the rest of my family had returned to Narnia I received a package. My father had a sword and two ten inch daggers forged especially for me. They were Dwarf made, making them extremely durable, and they were light enough for me handle without a problem. Though the sword was a bit difficult to carry around on a daily basis, the daggers were small enough to be strapped about my calves without causing attention. For six years I lived with my great-aunt Halona on Doorn, in the outskirts of Narrowhaven.

It was in the back alleys of Narrowhaven on my way home after shopping in the market, that I saw Rilian again. I was carrying a large, round, wicker basket; when it sat on the ground it came up just past my knees, and it was full to the brim with groceries. On the bottom there were various meats: cow, lamb, chicken, stag, and fish. It was just enough meat to last us the month. Sitting on top of the meat, separated by several layers of thin cloth, were the grains rice and wheat. Finally came all the fruits and vegetables we would need for the next week or two. This was how I always did my shopping: in bulk. Aunt Halona was ill and too weak to go outside for long now, so I had to get as much as I could alone in one trip.

I took the back alleys because it was the quickest way home, and like I said, Aunt Halona was ill. I knew that taking the back alleys was potentially dangerous—Mikael and his followers liked to prowl there—but I was in a hurry that day. The market had been in a great bustle and it was unusually crowded. Apparently His Majesty King Caspian had arrived late the previous evening for a visit. Many of the young, single ladies (and a few married ones too) were in the market hoping to get a glance of the King and his knights. I believe many of them were delusional enough to think that one glance would be all the King (or one of his knights) needed to fall madly in love with them; it mattered not that the King was very happily married and had two children already. I believed love like that, love at first glance, was a bunch of codswallop.

I was in such a hurry that day I failed to hear the footsteps or see the shadows until it was too late.

"Well, look who it is: Miss Penelope." His arrogant voice was enough to turn my blood cold and halt me in my tracks. It's not that I was particularly afraid of him or what he might try; I just knew that he was arrogant enough to try and connected enough to get away with his crimes.

It was a mistake, I know, but I couldn't stop myself. I turned around to face him.

"Mikael," I said. "How…ghastly it is to see you."

"Why, Miss Penelope, it is always a pleasure to see you."

"I'm sure."

"Your basket looks heavy. Please allow us to help you with it." With one small gesture, Mikael and his followers stepped in closer and began to form a circle around me. I quickly stepped back out of the circle.

"I've got it. Thanks," I said brusquely.

"What sort of men would we be, my Sweet—"

"I'm not your Sweet!"

"—if we allowed you to carry something so heavy?"

"To be quite honest, Mikael, I'm not so sure any of you could carry it. It is, after all, rather heavy." Big mistake!

The pompous smirk that had been playing on his lips vanished and the dangerous glint in his eyes hardened. His followers quickly closed in around me, sealing off any chance of escape. He walked towards me slowly; the two of us stood alone in the circle's center.

"Now, now Penelope. Is that any way to treat your escort?"

"I didn't ask you to escort me."

"We're volunteering."

"I don't need an escort."

"I'm afraid you don't have much choice in the matter. Now put the basket down and let's get this over with, shall we?"

"No."

"Penelope, don't make this difficult. Hand over the basket."

"I said no."

"Hand me the basket!" he said vehemently as his hands reached out for the basket in my arms. I pulled it away from him, but I wasn't fast enough. His fingers managed to grab hold and when I pulled it back it only served to pull him closer to me. His smirk returned.

"If you wanted me closer all you had to do was say so."

I tried stepping away, and as I did he tugged on the basket. I held on as tight as I could, but admittedly he was stronger than I. The basket slipped through my fingers. Unfortunately he didn't have a very good grip on it either and it fell to the ground. Many of the fruits and vegetables I had on top rolled out and splattered on the ground.

"I'm sorry about that, Penelope, truly. I tried to be nice about all this."

"Do you even know the meaning of 'nice'?"

"Watch it. You have such a pretty face; I would hate to blemish it. So, so pretty." His hand reached up and he stroked a finger down my cheek.

"Don't touch me!" I said, slapping his hand away.

That of course, did not help my situation at all. I stepped away from him and took note of my surroundings. There were six of them plus Mikael, making a total of seven and they all had swords. Some of them, like Mikael, also had a dagger, but I thought it unlikely that any of them knew how to fight properly with two blades. I did and I had my two daggers strapped to my legs. I knew that on any given occasion I could easily beat them. Alone. It was when they all stood together, like they did that day, that they held the advantage.

The circle began to close in around me and I could feel the cold taste of fear beginning to set in. As I worked to keep my breathing steady and easy, I remembered my dad's first rule of fighting. Analyze. Analyze your opponent. Study their behavior. When you analyze them you'll know how they fight and you'll know their next move. Then you can beat them at their own game and outwit them. Outwitting Mikael and his followers would be no problem.

Unfortunately, I was so busy thinking about analyzing that I neglected to take out my daggers. And I had come to the back of the circle. My back bumped into the chest of one of the followers; he grabbed my arms tightly, and prevented me from going anywhere. I was officially trapped.

"What's the matter, Penelope? Has the lion swallowed your tongue?" Mikael asked mockingly.

"Don't you speak of Aslan! You know nothing of the Great Lion!"

Mikael laughed and his followers did the only thing they knew how to do; they followed along and laughed as well. Mikael opened his arms and before I knew it I was thrown forward. Mikael's hands replaced those of his follower's and his lips crashed onto mine, smothering me. To say I was appalled wouldn't even begin to describe the amount of disgust I felt. Not only was he holding me so tightly against his chest that my lungs had no room to expand, but the revolting stench that emanated from him was activating my gagging reflex. It didn't help matters in the least when he suddenly forced his tongue in my mouth.

I did the only thing I could think of at the moment. I bit down. Hard. Then I kneed him in the stomach. Hard. Mikael gasped out his pain and doubled over, releasing me from his grasp. His followers didn't waste any time in coming to his rescue though. One of them grabbed my arm from behind, and I swung around and elbowed him in the face. I'm not really sure who that hurt more, him or me, but since I wasn't the one bleeding I told myself it was him. I barely had time to sidestep the next one; I did though and pushed on his back so that he fell into the one I had elbowed.

I might have been able to make a run for it then, but there was no way I was leaving without my basket. So, before anyone else could get a hold of me, I stooped down and pulled out my two daggers from underneath my dress. Apparently, one of Mikael's followers thought that the daggers were just for show and that I didn't know how to use them. He came at me. With little to no work on my part I gave him two quick, short cuts to both of his arms.

"She cut me," the boy said as though he couldn't believe it. The blood seeping through onto his sleeves was a clear indicator that I had.

"You're going pay for this, you little Wench," Mikael said as he finally regained his air and stepped forward. "No one makes a fool of Mikael and gets away with it."

"I believe I just did," I replied. I held my blades up ready to fight.

"You've just made your final mistake, Penelope. It's such a shame that such beauty will be wasted." Mikael pulled out his sword; the sound of metal sliding on metal echoed through the alley as Mikael's six followers pulled out their swords too. My eyes darted quickly between each of the followers and Mikael as my feet moved backwards slowly. I was watching closely, looking to see who would be the first to strike. I believed it would be Mikael, but there was no telling.

"What's going on here?" someone suddenly asked from behind me. I wasn't foolish enough to turn around to see who it was.

"Nothing that concerns you, so leave," Mikael instructed the stranger. His eyes never left me though.

The stranger didn't listen. "Are you alright, Miss? Are these…gentlemen bothering you?"

I huffed a laugh. Gentlemen indeed. "I can handle these vermin," I replied.

"My Sweet, that mouth has already caused you enough damage. Why don't you shut it now? It's for your own good," Mikael said. "Or should I shut it for you?"

There was another ring of metal sliding on metal as I assumed the stranger pulled out his own sword. "Leave the lady, alone."

"I assure you, Mister, she's no lady. Now go mind your own business."

"Leave her alone, or I shall make you."

"Who do you think you are?" Mikael asked as his eyes finally lifted from me. I watched as Mikael's eyes widened slowly in surprise. There were few things that surprised Mikael into speechlessness as he was now.

"I am Rilian, Crown Prince of Narnia, and I command you to leave the lady alone."

Just so you know, I will try to post a new chapter every Friday, but I started a new job just before Christmas (YAY! :D ) so you may have to bear with me as I try to find the balance between working and writing. If, for whatever reason, I feel I won't be able to post on the next Friday I will let you know. Other than that, I look forward to our weekly visits! :D

Feel free to leave me any questions, comments, concerns, or corrections. I'd love to hear from you!