Chapter 15: Lady Thea

"Alright, Ed?"

Immediately he swiped the tears off his face and whipped around. It was a natural preference he shared with Peter, that he didn't want anybody to see him cry, but it was only Lucy and he cleared his throat. "Been better."

She lifted her dress so it would be easier to hurry next to him. He was propped on the edge of a precipice, small enough to not cause serious injury but large enough to see the still flaming boat ride off into the distance. In a moment she was next to him, her arm leaning against his. "We've all been."

There was too much on his mind, too much for his own good. Susan's poisoning. Aldred's death. Lune's animosity. Cedany's incapacitation. He felt as if his head was about to split.

"Where's Peter?" he muttered, noticing that amongst the dark sea of centaurs, satyrs, leopards, foxes, few members of the court and Susan, there was no bright blonde.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I can't imagine what it's like for him, Ed. I really can't. I mean, it's hard for all of us, but Peter…." She paused. "He loved Aldred like a father."

"And so naturally, he was taken from us," he said, the sadness in his voice having been traded for anger. "Just like Susan almost was, and just like Titus –" He stopped himself.

Lucy slid a tender hand to his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.

"I just can't believe what's happened, Lu. I can't believe Aldred's dead. I can't believe Lune-" again, he stopped himself. "You think you know someone, you depend on them for the welfare of your country and in a fraction of a second they can just turned against you."

"No, you're wrong," Lucy said, her voice low. "Lune didn't turn against us. At least not by himself. Somebody turned him against us." She released her firm hold. "And we're going to find out who."

"My Just King, my Valiant Queen." The two turned around to find one of the satyrs, his head bowed ever so low. "I am to tell you to report to the council chambers as quickly as possible, by order of the High King."

Lucy and Edmund looked at each other, and Lucy turned back to the satyr. "Please, did he say what for?"

The satyr took a breath. "No, milady. Only that you and your noble brother report as quickly as possible."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o

By the time it took them to arrive back at Cair's council chambers, the council chambers was overflowing with murmurs that Edmund and Lucy practically had to squeeze themselves to the front, where Peter and Susan sat, shining brilliantly against the sunset. Susan's face was sterner than ever, if an expression ever did exist, and Peter stood with his chin high.

Edmund apologized to a Lord before locking a glance with a Lady, a Lady whose name he did not know. Yet even in the dimly lit room he could not deny her beauty; her eyes, still locked on his, were a brilliant grey, wide and imploring; her silky chestnut hair reached her back, woven at the top by what he guessed were the finest dryads, and she wore robes of pink and white floral design, the sleeves just reaching her forearms. She looked away and instead looked to an older man standing next to her, who he supposed was her father.

Finally he reached Susan and Peter, and settled himself next to Susan. Eyes still on the Lady, he tugged on Susan's sleeve. "Susan, who –"

But Susan only pulled away and shook her head, gesturing to Peter.

Peter cleared his throat. "Lady Thea Seethwell. Such an honor." He rose from his seat and presented his hand to the Lady, and she responded by granting him the favor of kissing it. "Such an honor indeed."

He stifled a gasp. Seethwell. Surely not as in – ?

"My Magnificent High King," she said, her voice high, her face pale. Suddenly she was caught off guard and the onlookers gasped as she stumbled; Peter bolted forward, aiming to help her, but she was supported by the older man who was at her side. Immediately she steadied herself. "I am – so – so sorry, my king," she apologized, dabbing her face with a silky handkerchief. "The – the state I am in…"

"Do not apologize, my lady," Peter mused. "That is the last thing all of us would want."

She smiled at this, and dabbed her face with the handkerchief. "Thank you, m-my king. My father would be in such good spirits if he knew the civility I am being presented with."

He could hold his tongue no longer. "You're Aldred's daughter?"

Immediately Peter turned his hand to glare at him, Lucy buried her face in one of her hands and Susan gasped. "Edmund –"

"I am in no shame, my king, you needn't worry," Thea assured them, and she met Edmund's disbelieving stare. "I don't believe we have met, my Just lord, and for that I do not blame you. I am the Lord Aldred Seethwell's only child and only daughter. I am the Lady Thea."

Edmund gaped and looked to Lucy, who was also in shock. He quickly regained himself. "My deepest condolences. Aldred was a figure to all of us and he will truly be missed."

"He will," she replied, her voice high again. "I thank you for the magnificent ceremony. Why, if my honorable mother was still here to witness it, she would be as moved as I am."

Edmund remembered Aldred from years ago, speaking of his only remaining family: the late Lady Aurelia Seethwell, who had died in a terrible road accident, and a younger brother. He looked at the older man at Thea's side, and had to stifle another gasp.

As if almost on cue, Thea continued. "As my honorable uncle Lord Magnus is."

Edmund's eyes flew to the older man; he stood at about Peter's height, perhaps shorter, and was graying. The man, Magnus, stepped forward and bowed before them. "Your honorable graces."

"Lord Magnus," Peter said, stepping forward and giving the man's hand a firm shake. "Aldred spoke highly of you. Very highly indeed."

"As – as he did you, my king," Magnus spluttered, unable to contain himself. "Before his untimely passing."

Peter took a step back and spread his arms, gesturing around the council chambers. "You will join my Just brother and my Valiant and Gentle sisters as Cair Paravel's special guests."

Magnus and Thea exchanged glances, and Magnus took a step back in surprise. "My – my king, we possibly couldn't intrude –"

"You needn't worry, you won't be intruding," Lucy intervened, rising to stand up next to Peter. "We could use some company, given what…what's happened…"

Peter nodded vigorously. "She speaks logically, my Lord. And my Lady," he added, locking a gaze with Thea, who blushed furiously. "Only together will we make it out of this storm."

Magnus raised an eyebrow, not condescendingly, but rather surprisingly, taken aback by Peter's fine words. "If my High King so insists."

"Excellent," Susan said, though when Edmund turned to look at her, he saw her face still stern – unusually so. "See to it two spare chambers are arranged to our guest's liking," she said to a nearby satyr, who bowed and whipped out of sight. "If that's it then, I suppose we can all retire for the evening and get the much needed rest we deserve?" she looked to Peter.

Peter clapped his hands. "Much needed rest. I bid you a good night, my good Lord Magnus, and hope you will be able to join us for breakfast and a morning hunt tomorrow?"

Magnus bowed. "I would be honored to, your grace."

After Peter flashed a final glance and smile at Thea, Magnus took her by the arm and they were escorted from the council chambers, two burly leopards at either side.

So there you have it: Aldred actually has family.

And just a heads up, Cedany hasn't been forgotten. She will appear in the coming chapters.

xx Izzy