"Pass the bread."

Liana quietly handed Peter the dish, noticing that each sibling was too busy to hear his demand. Peter picked up a piece of toast from the plate absently, missing his mouth by a few inches the first few times he tried to take a bite, his eyes focused on the letter he was reading. Liana rolled her eyes and nudged his elbow to the left, ensuring that his next attempt meant he could actually eat something. On Peter's other side, Lucy giggled, giving Liana a quick smile and returning to scarfing down her breakfast, her hair neatly tied up with a bandanna: she was going swimming in the river with the beavers and otters on special request of Mr. Tumnus, and she didn't want to be late. Edmund was too busy savagely stabbing his bacon to notice the exchange: he hadn't managed to get much sleep. Susan was languidly playing with her eggs, ignoring another official-looking letter next to her plate.

"When do you start returning to the Houses, Liana?" asked Susan suddenly.

"Tomorrow," said Liana. She ignored Edmund's grunt from next to her. "Dreyna said I could go two days ago, but I wanted to be sure."

"And you are truly feeling better?"

"Much better."

"Can't you tell, Susan?" Peter asked suddenly, looking up from his letter. He winked at Liana. "She hasn't thanked us for our generosity in almost four days."

Lucy tossed her napkin at her brother, Susan rolled her eyes and Edmund glared at him coldly. Liana merely giggled. "Would you appreciate another bout of thanks, Your Highness?"

Peter shuddered. "Spare me. And call off your hound," he pointed at Edmund with his fork. "He should know I'm your favorite Pevensie anyway."

Liana merely laughed and finished her juice, excusing herself from the table and smoothing out her dress as she exited the hall. Edmund had been overworked, since he had finally started accepting back his obligations after Liana's health had bettered. Though Susan and Lucy had tried their best to help, Liana knew that there was no use: Edmund would reread all the documents they had signed, go over finances they had approved or disapproved and write personal letters of apology to all the diplomats regardless of his sisters' help. Liana didn't want to stop him. He worked hard, and though she knew her conversation with him the other night had allowed him to stop belittling himself to an extent, she doubted she had accomplished anything significant. Sighing, she entered her own room, not bothering to close the door. It clicked shut as Lyra entered behind her, and Liana didn't even flinch. The cheetah was a constant presence now, and though it made Liana uncomfortable sometimes, she did not object. It made Edmund feel better, and having Lyra as a shadow was a great deal better than any other guard.

"You are pensive," the cheetah purred as she curled up onto the divan in the corner. "Your own chambers must seem very small, after your visit in the King's."

Liana snorted. "I live in a cottage where the ground floor is the size of his solar. Small does not bother me, Lyra."

"You did not always live in a cottage," the cheetah yawned, showing off perfectly sharp teeth. "You simply like to pretend you did."

"You're very observant today," Liana ruffled through the papers on her desk, half-finished letters to her brother and various forms requesting potion ingredients littering the surface.

"I always am."

Liana sighed. "You can speak freely with me, Lyra. I am not a royal."

"You will not like what I have to say, Healer Liana. Or, should I say, Lady Liana Strom of the Winding Arrow?"

Liana froze. A shiver ran down her spine at the title she had forced herself to forget years ago. Vague memories of trumpets, fanfare, beautiful horses, a house by the river and streams of gold cloth flashed before her eyes, and then suddenly she was back in the tapestried room she had grown to call her own. Lyra had not moved. "You do not deny it, child," her voice was kinder now.

"What do you want to know?" choked out Liana, turning to face the cheetah, who now sat calmly in the middle of the room.

"You like to speak of your background as though it is humble because that is what you have been taught," Lyra spoke softly. "You dance and sing and paint and play music as though it were second nature. You know more about rules and etiquette than even the Gentle Queen, and you fight like one who knows someone will always come to protect her before long. You do not dislike finery because it is foreign to you, but because it reminds you of a time you'd rather forget. I do not accuse you, Healer Liana, but I wonder how long you thought you could keep it a secret from us all?"

Liana remained frozen in place, one hand limply holding the document she had been searching for. She blinked. Lyra merely curled back up onto the divan, resembling a rather large house-cat instead of a guard. "How do you know all that?" she asked finally. She allowed her knees to finally give, sinking to the floor in shock.

Lyra almost huffed, making a noise of disapproval before approaching Liana. The cheetah rested her head on her knee, purring as Liana automatically scratched her behind the ears. "You need not fear me, Healer Liana, I know when to avoid interfering. But you have caused the Just King to open up to you, and it will break his heart to know you have kept such a secret from him."

"It's not a secret that affects neither him nor me now," Liana rested her head against her hand. "Why bring it up?"

"Because he has told you of his past, which neither affects not concerns you," yawned Lyra. "Is that not what people who are in love do, Healer? They share their thoughts?"

"Thoughts and past actions are different things."

"They are a part of you, and thus something that he would like to know, should you decide to tell him," Lyra edged out from under Liana's hand, stretching and licking the back of her paw. "You are due to go to the stables for a lesson with the King now, Healer. We must depart."

"Of course," slightly dazed, and wondering what on earth she had done to be stuck with Lyra, the all-observant cheetah, as a guard, she stuffed the document into one of the many pockets of her dress and hurried out of the room. Edmund was teaching her how to fight.

!

"We should take a break," Edmund took the wooden practice sword from Liana, who threw him a dirty look and stalked off in the opposite direction, towards where he had tethered Philip. Edmund sighed, jogging to catch up with her. Lyra chuckled, easily keeping pace. "What?" he asked finally.

"Perhaps a gentler approach, King Edmund," said Lyra amusedly. "I will go find a patch of grass for your next attempt rather than roots and rocks to avoid bruising the poor girl.

Edmund allowed Lyra to outrun him, arriving at the place where Philip was contentedly chewing grass as Liana leaned against the tree he was tied to. She ignored him as he sat down next to her. Edmund sighed and tugged her into his arms, ignoring her feeble attempts at resistance. "Perhaps I was a little harsh," he murmured.

Liana snorted. "Only a little?" she buried her face into his shoulder. "You knocked me to my feet every other minute and I'm sure my legs are bruised everywhere thanks to your hits."

"I'm sorry," he kissed her temple. "I won't hit you as hard now, I promise. You know I don't want to hurt you."

Liana sighed. "I know," she cuddled closer to him and giggled when he lifted her up and easily deposited her in his lap. "You are taking liberties, King Edmund."

"Hush," he tickled her waist mercilessly, causing her to stifle a shriek of laughter against his chest. "You go back to work tomorrow, and I know I won't get to see you as much as I would like to now."

"Because I won't be there to keep you up all night?"

"I'd stay awake for the rest of my life if I could have you next to me at night, Liana."

Liana bit her lip, feeling the familiar burning sensation behind her eyes. "Do shut up, Edmund."

"Would you like me to lie and say I can't wait for you to leave?"

"No," Liana huffed.

"Then be quiet," he pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head. "Did I seriously hurt you?"

"No, you silly man," Liana turned to face him and gave him a quick kiss. "I just dislike being bad at something, I suppose."

"You're not bad for a beginner," Edmund rested his forehead against hers. "You have good instincts. You'll be a very good swordswoman one day."

"Flatterer."

"I don't need to flatter you," he nudged her nose softly with his own. "Do you want to practice some more or would you like to go back and rest?"

"Whatever you would like to do. I know you are busy."

"I have a meeting with some advisors and Orius after lunch, but until then I am all yours."

Liana smiled. "Only until then?"

"Forever," he corrected himself automatically, making Liana laugh. He smiled down at her. "I've missed that laugh, you know."

"I know," Liana rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Why do we always end up talking longer in the forest than anywhere else?"

"Incorrect. We talk while we are in bed together as well," Liana registered the sly tone of his voice and pinched his arm soundly, causing him to chuckle. "I'm joking. It is hard to find the time, I suppose, and the forest isn't as distracting as the Cair. Though, if you could stay in my room-"

"No, Edmund," Liana rolled her eyes. "I sleep across the hall from you, and you see me every waking minute."

"It will not be that way after tomorrow," Edmund groaned and held her recklessly close. "I don't want you to leave."

"I don't want you to leave either." Liana spoke without realizing what she had said, and immediately slapped herself mentally when Edmund turned to look at her in confusion.

"I'm never going to leave you," he caressed her face gently. "Why would you think that?"

"It's nothing," Liana sighed and buried her face back into his chest. Edmund held her, the confusion radiating off of him in waves. "I love you," she whispered quietly.

"I love you too," Edmund pulled her into another hug. "You know I do, Liana. You are the most important thing in my life, now and forever."

"I know," her voice was very small.

"I hope you do," Edmund sighed and rested his chin on top of her head. "Silly girl."

Liana smiled through her tears at his comment. "I suppose I am rather silly."

"I don't care," Edmund pulled away and grasped her face in his hands, catching sight of her watery eyes. "You're crying?"

"I told you I'm silly," Liana tried to wipe away her tears, but Edmund wouldn't let her. He brushed them away himself, with the pads of his thumbs, and then pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"Please don't be sad," he murmured. "Have I given you a reason to doubt this, Liana? You need only say it, anything, to ask for an explanation. I have no secrets from you, I swear."

"I'm not sad," Liana pried his fingers off her face and entwined his fingers with her own. "You have never given me any such reason, Edmund, I am sorry if you think this is because of you."

"Whatever is the reason, you would tell me if it was something I should know, wouldn't you?" he asked earnestly. "I promise, I haven't done a very good job of it until now, but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy from now on."

"This is not your job," Liana sighed. "But you make me happy every time you are with me. I promise you, nothing is wrong. Everything is just... overwhelming, at times."

Edmund gave her a small smile. "I suppose I should be flattered that I overwhelm you?"

Liana smiled back, a little weakly. "I don't need to flatter you, do I?"

He laughed. "No, Liana," he kissed her forehead. "You don't."

!

"You have decided not to tell him."

Liana turned a page in her book, avoiding eye contact with the cheetah seated at the foot of her bed. "Yes, Lyra. I don't want him to worry."

"Perhaps you plan to tell him after he proposes?"

Liana resisted the urge to sigh, but her lips trembled. "I don't know what the future holds, Lyra."

"I think you do," Lyra yawned and rested her head on her paws. "You are a very strange human, Healer Liana."

Liana smiled, closing her book and setting it on her nightstand. She turned off the oil-lamp and lay back on her pillows. "Good night, Lyra."