Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia. C. S. Lewis does.

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"How dare you Edmund?" Peter hissed, jumping to his feet. "How can you say that?"

"You know why I'm saying that!" Edmund shot back, a venomous glare on his face. "You've gone crazy!"

"Edmund-" Susan interrupted, her expression livid. "Are you actually supporting Isabela against your own brother?"

"And why should I not?" Edmund uttered contemptuously. "You're fools! All of you are!"

"Don't talk to me that way!" Susan snapped, losing her temper. "I'm your sister."

"Isabela is my sister too, Susan." Edmund said softly. "Have you forgotten what Aslan said to us?"

Sitting by the window, head in her hands, Lucy looked up, eyes red-rimmed. "What did he say?"

"He said that we are to unite together if we truly want to defeat evil." Edmund said carefully. "He also told us to take care of Isabela, treat her like a sister."

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sick of Aslan!" Susan cried out and three pairs of bewildered and shocked eyes turned to her. "He left us in such a mess! Where is he now anyway?"

"Susan!" Peter said quietly. "I will not have you insult Aslan."

"Oh will you have me insult your wife then? She's a liar and a sneak and-"

"Susan!" Peter roared drowning her shrieks. "You will not insult Isabela again within my hearing."

"Oh-?"

"Yes!" Peter cut in. "This business is mine and Isabela's. You have no right to talk about her like that."

Susan stared at him, eyes narrowed and with an angry scowl she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Now Su's mad." Lucy sighed. "I just don't know what's wrong with us."

She threw one last look of sadness to her brothers and left the room after Susan.

Edmund stood breathing hard, staring after Lucy's red mane. All of this was going so wrong. He had never imagined that his siblings would be fighting like jackals over such a trivial matter. He was about to snap at Peter when he twisted around and saw a lone tear slip down his brother's face. Shock coursed through him as swift and sudden as a lightning bolt.

Peter was crying. His elder brother. Peter never cried.

Edmund's heart gave a painful tug and he remembered how Peter would comfort him when he used to cry. Those long nights with bombs falling overhead and their father away at war, never knowing whether he was alive or dead. And now when it was Peter's turn to be comforted, Edmund stood there looking like a foolish puppet.

"Peter." He clasped his shoulder. "Peter. Don't cry."

"I tried so hard, Ed." Peter's voice was thick. "I tried so hard to be good but in the end I failed."

"Peter, you are good." It was true. Edmund could have gone down a whole, long list of honorable deeds that made Peter a far better man than Edmund was and loyalty and love was just one of them.

"No. I'm not good at all. I never gave Isabela a chance. I never tried to get along with her. Edmund, I wanted her to be happy. I truly did. But in the end, I made the unhappiest woman in the world."

Not knowing what to say, Edmund stood motionlessly, desperately wishing for someone, anyone to relieve him of this.

"At first I was angry." Peter gave a bitter laugh. "I could not understand why Aslan had ruined my life. But then, I realized that Aslan hadn't ruined my life, he had made it brighter. Isabela is everything I could ask for. But then-"

"But then?" Edmund prompted.

"Alexander." A snarl twisted Peter's handsome face. His eyes darkened and he turned away. "I wanted to exile him but then Isabela-"

Peter stopped abruptly and stood up. "Ed. Go to sleep. It's late."

Edmund stared at him, unnerved by the sudden change in his behavior. "But Peter-"

"Don't argue." Peter's voice was dangerously calm. "I am your elder brother."

And just like that Edmund realized what Peter was doing. It was the same when they were children. If there was a shortage of rationed food, Peter would worry, the others wouldn't even know about it. If their father was wounded Peter knew it and he never let anyone else know. It was his way of protecting others. He always channeled his pain on himself.

"For God's sake Peter!" Edmund shouted, losing his temper. "Let someone share your burdens for you."

"My burdens are mine alone." He said flatly. "Why should somebody else suffer for them? Go. Now."

Recognizing that he was beaten, Edmund stiffly walked out of the room. Outside, he slumped against the cold wall burying his fist in it in an angry punch.

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It was late when Peter slipped out of the room and made his way to the balcony on the highest tower. It had become his refuge since his bitter argument with Isabela. He slept there, under the cloak of shimmering stars, lying there, unblinking as sleep slowly took over.

Moonlight spilled into the quiet hallway as Peter slumped through it. He was tired. Achingly tired of everything. He did not know why Aslan had given him this responsibility. He could not bear it. He was too weak to do so.

Reaching the glass doors that led to the balcony, Peter wrenched them open and they flowed out effortlessly. Shaking his hair out of his face he stepped outside.

All was quiet and then a piercing scream shot through the hallway. Peter jumped up, alarmed, drawing his sword. But there was no one there. Thinking he had imagined the scream, Peter sat down breathing hard. A few moments of silence and then another scream rippled through the hallway.

Although he had not heard that voice for months, he would have identified a hundred miles away.

Isabela.

Peter's throat closed and he ran own the length of the hallway. He didn't know that Isabela had changed her room. Finally, with his keen senses, he detected the door behind which the sound was being emitted. Violently wrenching the door he flew inside, glancing around for the source of the commotion.

He was prepared to confront an enemy but what he was not prepared to confront was Isabela thrashing around in her seven poster bed. He strode over to her bedside and gently tugged her.

"Isabela….Isabela….It's just a nightmare." He said in his best soothing voice. "Wake up."

But Isabela did not wake up. Instead she shouted out again and Peter recognized the same: Lorien. Another scream: James. And another: Dane. It went on and on and in desperation Peter shook her brutally, caring only that she should come out of the dreaded nightmare.

"Isabela!" With a start, she sat up. The slight moonlight that filtered into the room, allowed Peter to see clearly the pallor of her bloodless skin as she looked up, her eyes widening.

"Peter?" She gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Waking you up." He replied shortly. "You were having a nightmare."

Isabela looked at the veins that traced over the smooth skin of her slender hands, her mind whirring.

What had she been dreaming about?

"It's nothing." She said and looked up at him through her veiled lashes. "You should go to sleep."

Tossing the covers she fell back on the bed but then Peter gripped her arms and propelled her out of the bed.

"You are not going to sleep unless you tell me what you were dreaming about." He said firmly. Isabela rounded on him.

"Where are you taking me? And what business is it of yours what I dream."

"We're going to the balcony." He glanced sideways at her and smiled at her furious expression. "And I'm your husband by the way."

"Of course you re." Isabela mustered as much sarcasm as she possibly could for the heck of it. She could see that Peter knew it by the way he rolled his eyes.

"Glad to know." And steered her towards the glass doors he had stood by just a few seconds earlier.

Outside the stars twinkled down on them, dotting the night sky and illuminating it with small specks of beams that fell here and there. A slight wind blew, rustling up the leaves.

"Is it cold here?" She held up her emerald eyes. "Is it comfortable here?"

"Where?" Peter asked confused.

"Here, of course. You've slept here for the past few weeks. You should know."

For a slight moment, Peter feared that she had lost her mind and he reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. "Are you alright, Isabela?"

She flinched away. "I'm quite fine, thank you." She said pointedly. Color flushed into Peter's face.

"Sit." She indicated the spot next to her and slowly Peter sank to the ground, shaking his head. "What are we doing here? We'll get a cold."

"It was too hot in there. I wanted to go out." Isabela's brilliant green eyes turned on Peter with such an intensity he flinched. "It's so cool out here. You can even see the stars. How bright they look, how beautiful and how free."

Peter said nothing.

"I thought I saw my father out in the grounds." Isabela whispered. "My mother, my brothers, Ginevra. They waved at me to come out. I leaned over the balcony and I felt my mother caress my face. I thought I heard her say: "You are coming to us, darling child." I blinked and she was gone."

Dread

"Me too." His eyes shot open and he glanced sideways coursed through Peter and he swiftly turned to Isabela. "What do you mean? Did you really see them?"

"I thought I did." Isabela said softly. "Maybe it was just a dream."

"You've been having these dreams of quite a while." Peter noted quietly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have believed me?" Her eyes glazed over. "And as for me dying, I think you would be happy wouldn't you?"

For a moment Peter imagined Isabela dead. Her small hands clasped over her dead body. Never hearing her voice, never fighting with her. Never watching her from afar, never seeing her brilliant emerald eyes. The fear that shot through him surprised Peter. He felt his heart twist around.

No, he did not hate Isabela. He might not love her but he did care for her. And see was a part of him. A part he treasured, a part he would protect with his own life.

"I would die too."

Isabela blinked owlishly, her expression uncomprehending. "What?"

"I would die too." He repeated curling back against the window, his eyes closed. "I could not bear for you to die."

He expected a sharp reply in return but there was none. Instead Isabela said.

at her.

"I would hate for you to die." She confirmed. "Who would fight with me?"

For the first time in ages Peter was laughing. It felt so good, so exhilarating to laugh freely, to be truly happy. Isabela joined in and both of their faces were flushed with cold and humor by the time they stopped.

"Peter-" Isabela hesitated. Should she tell him or not? Peter looked up at her, his face gentle. "Peter, I-we….."

She trailed off and instead finished. "I've never laughed so much in my life."

Peter laughed. "Me neither. And I live with Edmund, the greatest joker of the century."

Isabela smiled softly. "I wish my brothers were here."

"They're here, you know." Peter told her. "Watching over you, guiding you. No one is dead as long as they are never truly forgotten."

"I never knew you to be so kingly, my dear lord." Isabela teased.

"And I never knew you to be so complimentary." He retorted dryly.

"How very funny."

"That's because it is."

They laughed again. Suddenly both of them fell quiet and the silence was bitterly awkward because both of them were remembering the fights they had previously.

"I'm sorry that we argued." Peter started. "I'm sorry that I said so many awful things to you."

Isabela looked at him. "Why did you do that?"

Peter sighed. "I don't know… I never wanted to get married. It was too much of a responsibility. And I wasn't ready to handle all these responsibilities yet." He smiled wryly. "And I took out all the tension of you."

"I didn't mean those fights." Isabela looked down on her knotted hands. "I meant the incident with Alexander."

Peetr's face dropped and he whitened slightly. "Why do you think?"

Isabela sighed, brushing back her hair. "If I knew that I wouldn't have asked."

"you honestly don't know?" Peter looked at her oddly, his expression queer. "Edmund says it's so obvious but you don't know. He said you would take a lot of convincing."

"What?"

"Nothing, Isabela." Peter turned his head away but Isabela thought she saw a slight glint in his eyes. "I never liked Alexander. And I didn't appreciate you standing up for him."

"What about…..Heidi?" Isabela said hesitatingly, venturing further. "What does she mean to you?"

"Nothing." Peter said truthfully. "I didn't feel anything for her. And that…incident was an accident. I never willingly took part in it. I didn't even understand why she did that."

"Really? You were pretty convincing during that….incident." Isabela said sharply.

"Isabela…." Peter said stiffly. "I don't want us to argue. I just want us to be on good terms again."

"We were never on good terms." Isabela said pointedly. "Do you expect me to forgive you so soon?"

Peter laughed. "You still think that everything was my mistake? Come on, Isabela. Don't deny that you too made my life miserable."

"Comparatively lesser than you made mine." She snapped.

Peter stared at her.

"I don't believe this." He said in a low voice. "I want us to get along and you won't even give it a try?"

"I already gave it my all." Isabel stood up, her voice fading. "And we lost Peter. We lost. Both of us."

And then she was gone. For a long time Peter sat there, staring off in the opposite direction.

I tried Aslan. I tried. I tried so hard and yet I failed. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry that I wasn't able to fulfill your wishes.

Peter edged back and heard footfalls outside. Pricking his ears he glanced back, careful to avoid drawing Isabela's attention. In the fall of shadows he saw Heidi's face, tense and pale. And then it was gone in a flash as Peter blinked rapidly.

Suddenly, his mind went blank with rage and anger. All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Heidi. Alexander. Both had been visitors to the palace. And both had destroyed Isabela's and his fragile relationship.

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Outside the balcony doors, Heidi leaned back into the shadows and hissed in irritation and annoyance. She could not believe it. All those efforts down the drain.

'What am I going to do now?' And hurried off, her hand clutching a bloodied knife. The hallway was filled with moonlight as she turned sharply and headed into the chambers present in the far left corner.

"What is this?" Heidi asked, holding up the moonstone and the dagger. They gleamed smoothly in the darkness and Alexander's quick eyes caught their luminous beam immediately.

"Why, Heidi, I thought despite your low IQ level you would be able to identify these as a moonstone and a dagger if I'm correct." He sat up. "A bloodied dagger."

Heidi hissed angrily.

He gave her a slanted, mocking look. "Have you been out on a murdering quest."

He jumped as the dagger sailed remarkably close to his face and the moonstone crashed at his feet breaking into millions of pieces.

"On the contrary, what is the meaning of this?" Alexander growled. "Do you mean to murder me?"

Heidi stepped up to him, her face level with his and tossing back her wine-red curls she said: "You know full well what this is. You put it there."

Alexander held up his hands and coiled up like a snake.

"Where did I put it?" He asked mockingly.

Heidi's dark eyes snapped like coals in the fire. "You stupid idiot. You meant for Isabela to have nightmares but instead she's having a beautiful time."

"Actually I heard some terribly beautiful screams being emitted by an equally lovely lady." Alexander said smoothly. "Do try not to kill me, Heidi. I'd hate to die so young."

"Are you even listening to me?" Heidi screamed throwing her hands around. "You do know what this means don't you?"

Pacing the room, she looked like a prowling jungle cat.

"Vladimar will kill me when he finds out. His plan relies on disagreements and arguments and betrayals and instead we have a happily ever after?"

"We have disagreements everywhere. I heard that the pretty Queen Susan lost her temper with her fool of a brother. And Peter and Edmund are not on very good relations either."

"But Peter and Isabela are patching up."

"Is that jealously over the High King's attention," Alexander murmured silkily. "Or worry over Vladimar's reaction?"

"Of course the second." Heidi snapped. "The only reason I showed any attention to Peter was so that I could tear him and Isabela apart."

"How very selfless of you."

"Shut up." She said desperately. "And do you know the faun Tumnus knows that we practice sorcery. He is gifted by Aslan or so the Narnians say."

Alexander snorted. "Of course he is. Aslan? Bah! Riddles and legends and mths and fables the lot of them!"

"But he knows." She cried.

"Then why hasn't he told the monarchs yet?" Alexander asked.

"I do not know." Heidi bit her lip. "All the same it is not safe here anymore. We're of more value to Vladimar alive than dead."

"I am, of course," Alexander snorted. "But you…. Not so much."

"I was the one he sent to Cair Paravel." Heidi said fuming. "I was the one he trusted with this mission."

"And what mission would that be?"

Heidi whipped around, hand coming to her throat as Alexander too rose up.

Good Lord. It was Peter Pevensie, his eyes flashing. And beside him, Edmund Pevensie.

"You know Peter, " Edmund began casually, drawing his blade out, I was thinking that our hospitality is at wit's end."

"It certainly is, Ed." Peter agreed, moving closer to Alexander. " Some people do not know how to appreciate generosity."

Heidi backed away, colliding into the desk which clattered violently. "My lords-"

"What do you think such people are called?" Edmund continued, moving still closer until Alexander too was backed up against Heidi.

"Why traitors, of course." Peter emphasized. "And do you know what punishment traitors get?"

"Especially those who practice sorcery and witchcraft and try to destroy the monarchs?" Edmund questioned, grinning madly. "Why definitely death."

"You think you can challenge us?" Alexander hissed, flaring up. "Why I'm the right hand of my liege Vladimar. I am-"

"You are dead meat." Peter snarled and jumped at him. Behind him, Edmund came, lithe as a cat, springing on Alexander's other side and slashing brutally at him."

"You destroyed my family." Peter growled at him. "You made our life hell. You hurt my wife, tried to ruin her with your lies. You-"

Alexander swung away and muttered curses under his breath . Petrified Heidi threw open the door and fled out.

"After her, Ed."

Alexander, too followed, in her wake dodging the brutal hits. They thundered down the castle. Reaching the window sill, Heidi glanced back.

She saw Peter lunge forward with years of warrior training as Alexander collapsed. One arc of the shining blade and she knew that Alexander was dead. Without glancing back a second time she flung herself over and dived, landing effortlessly.

"She dived over the window, Peter!" Edmund yelled. "What do we do now?"

"The trap door." Peter pointed, panting heavily. "Hurry."

Pushing their way through it they rushed down the steps but when they stepped out there was nobody outside.

Heidi was gone.

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"You should talk to Isabela."

It was three days after the fiasco on that night and Edmund was leaning against Peter's desk.

"I will." Peter replied tiredly. "I just don't have enough time."

"Stop making lousy excuses." Edmund said. ""You know what you did was wrong."

"Yes." Peter put the quill down and unfolded to his full eight. "I know I did wrong. And it is for that very reason that I cannot talk to her."

"But you were getting along fine just three days ago." Edmund protested. "You said so yourself that you guys laughed together."

"I don't even know how that happened." Peter admitted. "One day ago we were screaming at each other and the second we are laughing together and the third we're fighting again. I don't understand."

"Well obviously," Edmund rolled his eyes. "You've fallen in love."

"I think I fell in love a long time ago, Ed." Peter shook his head ruefully and Edmund let out a whoop before sinking to the ground, tears of hilarity in his eyes.

"Oh dear Aslan. Did Peter Pevensie, the stuck-up High King Peter who no one dares to question, whose authority is limitless, who never smiles, just admit that he's fallen in love?"

"I do so smile." Peter retorted. "And I'm not stuck up."

"Well I think Isabela would beg to differ." Edmund pointed out, sticking his tongue out. "And so would I."

Peter laughed, lightly slapping Edmund on the back. "Shut up, Ed."

Edmund opened his mouth to reply but at that precise moment, Lucy tumbled into the room, her auburn hair glinting and her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Guess what? Mr. Tumnus tells me that there has been a sighting of the White Stag!"

"What?" Edmund sat up straighter. "The White Stag, you say?"

"Yes, yes." Lucy said enthusiastically. "Let's go after it. Do hurry up."

Peter shook his head. "Do you really believe that legend, Lu?"

"What legend?" Edmund asked confusedly. "Is there a legend about the White Stag?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh Ed. It wouldn't hurt to open up some history book once in a while. And yes, Peter, I do believe that the White Stag can grant our any wish."

"The White Stag is a sorcerer?" Edmund yelped. "I thought it was a stag."

"It's a magical stag, Ed." Lucy sighed. "What would you wish for?"

"Why would I want anything?" He asked pompously. "I already have everything."

"Less arrogance." Peter nodded. "That's what you should wish for. And a smaller head and less inflated ego."

Lucy giggled and said softly. "I'd request a chance to meet Aslan. What about you Peter?"

"Why he'd wish for Isabela to love him, of course." Edmund teased. "Yes. I think that's a good wish. White stag, white stag-"

"If you keep on talking, we'll never catch it." Peter said standing up and flourishing his glittering cloak. "Who else is going?"

"Susan. I asked Isabela to go but she says she prefers to stay here."

"Oh."

"Cheer up, Peter." Edmund clapped him on the back. "When we get back Isabela will want to go everywhere with you."

He ducked to avoid the fist that flew at him.

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The emerald green leaves fluttered as the four riders tore past them on their magnificent steeds. The thin slanting rays of sunlight flew here and there specking the forest with light.

"Come on Ed!" Peter laughed as he flew past his brother who scowled at him. Behind him Susan and Lucy exchange gleeful looks as their hair streamed behind them like smooth banners.

"Hurry up, Philip!" Edmund shouted. "We're falling behind."

As his siblings disappeared in the thick greenery, he reined to the stop. "Are you alright, Philip?" He asked concernedly.

"I'm not as young as I used to be, my lord." He snorted tossing back his thick brown mane.

Edmund looked up as he heard the sound of rustling leaves.

"Come on Ed." Susan said loftily, breathing hard.

"Just catching my breath." He said.

"Well that's all we'll catch at this rate." She retorted.

"What did he say again Susan?" Lucy asked, her voice high as she smiled widely.

Susan opened her mouth and in a credible imitation of Edmund's most pompous manner said. "You girls stay back at the castle. I'll get the stag myself."

All of them laughed. Edmund glimpsed Peter throwing his head back and chuckling.

"At least you can support me, Peter." Edmund said in an injured tone.

"Look." Lucy said, pointing to a glowing light.

"What's that?" Peter asked jumping off his horse.

"It's an uncommonly huge firefly." Edmund said sarcastically.

"I've seen it somewhere." Lucy breathed.

"Like a dream." Peter added. "As if I saw it from a dream."

"Or a dream of a dream." Susan breathed out.

Suddenly Lucy jumped up."Spare Oom!"

"What?"

But Lucy was off into the thicket, her red hair bright as the sunset.

"Lucy!" Peter called as Susan muttered. "Not again."

All three of them followed. The braches scratched against their faces as they held up their hands to shield their faces, pushing each other. Peter gritted his teeth as suddenly something soft rubbed against his cheek. "These aren't branches."

Susan thoughtfully fingered one, her face luminous. "They're coats."

Shoving each other, they made their way forward and as they neared the darker end, Peter felt an odd weight on his heart as if he were leaving something behind.

He saw Aslan's golden face and heard him say, rumbling: "What belongs to Narnia, always returns to Narnia."

He caught a glimpse of a pale face shielded with silky black locks. And when that face was raised he saw startling emerald green eyes. This was the last thing he saw before everything went dark and he tumbled out of the closet.

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Outside the gates of Cair Paravel, Vladimar raised his blood red eyes. His expression was filled with savage joy and he breathed in the night air. Behind him stood a huge army of creatures of the dark, humans and sorcerers: some his own, some the remains of Jadis' army. They shuffled silently, gathering around him, waving their weapons in the shadows.

Turning to his them, he called in a clear cold voice: "Breathe this wind. For it is one of victory. Now we conquer Narnia!"

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So my dear readers as you probably guessed we are approaching the end of the story. With regards to the scene between Isabela and Peter, I wanted them to have a finally conversation before Peter went back to his own world. Their relationship remains complex as ever. And yes, Isabela is indeed with a child.

Many apologies for the late update. But since this is the longest chapter yet, it kind of makes up for it.

Please do review this chapter, telling me your thoughts, feelings, any queries, any complaints…. I welcome it all….. So review!

L. Potter.