"And then he said 'I'm sure you can command her to teach you'," Lucy snickered as Liana rolled her eyes and cut the excess bandage, securing it tightly with a pin. She patted Lucy's head once she was done.

"As much as I've enjoyed your tales of King Edmund and his opinions of me, you still haven't told me why I see you so often as a patient and not a student, Queen Lucy."

Lucy smiled bashfully. "I went swimming again, and-"

Liana held up a hand to silence her, a frown puckering her brow. "I thought I told you no more swimming two days ago."

"Well, yes, but I felt ever so much better!"

Liana sighed and shook her head. "You are free to go now, Queen Lucy, but please try to avoid hurting yourself in the river again," she picked up the bandages and the salves and returned them to their respective drawers before turning to face Lucy again. "I have had to clean your cuts at least three times since I have come back, and you will soon get a serious infection if you keep this up."

"So does this mean I can't go swimming again?" pouted Lucy.

"Not for another week. If the cut is healing nicely then you can. And I mean it this time!" she added, raising her voice to be heard since the young queen had already run out of the cubicle after giving Liana a quick hug. Liana allowed herself a small chuckle at the younger girl's antics. Lucy reminded her more of herself than she was keen to admit, of a time when she hadn't been so responsible or so proper. Sighing, she exited the cubicle and tossed her apron into one of the bins, donning a fresh one and checking up on the two soldiers that Peter had specifically sent for her. Both had been on a scouting mission for a regiment deployed not six months ago, and had returned with unexplainable bleeding from the mouth and high fevers. Despite their grim circumstances, Liana wasn't worried: she had seen worse, and she had no doubt that once they were exposed to their native air and not breathing in the poisonous fumes of the marshes, they would go back to normal.

"Healer Liana?" Lias poked his head into the section that had been cordoned off for the soldiers. "Might I have a word?"

"Of course," Liana followed him out of the ward and towards his small office, absent-mindedly wiping her hands with the antiseptic leaves she always carried in her pocket. Lias offered her a seat in front of his desk, which she took willingly, and seated himself opposite her.

"We have another case of this illness, Healer Liana, in one of the villages close to where the soldiers were found," Lias offered her a parchment with what looked like a summary of events. Liana scanned it quickly as Lias continued to speak. "I know that it is not contagious, since you have been in close proximity to them for many days now and you show no signs of the disease, yet this man suffered from it and died within a few hours. The symptoms, as you will read, are the same."

Liana bit her lip. "These men should be dead by now, Lias. Their bleeding upon arrival was severe, and we had to bleed them several times before their fever went down, you will remember."

Lias nodded. "Of course, the only explanation is that these men have some sort of immunity to it, and since Orius points them to be both from a nearby village, I suppose the only explanation is that there is something there which is saving the men."

"Or prolonging the inevitable," Liana leaned back in her chair and regarded the parchment thoughtfully. An idea was creeping into her head. "This village is merely a day's ride away."

"Yes, the head of the village sent a rider who reached us within the night."

"I could go and take a look around, sample some of the local herbs," said Liana. Lias looked horrified, and she rolled her eyes. "I am the best you have when it comes to dealing with plants, Lias, and it makes sense for me to go and test them there rather than having them transported here."

Lias protested immediately. "Yes, of course, but after the trauma you just endured-"

"I have fully recovered and if I am able to work in the Houses I can go on a ride and return without any problem. I have not concocted the disease myself, so there is no fear of that happening," Liana stood up and gave him a smile. "I will make the arrangements and try to leave as soon as I can."

Lias waved his hands helplessly. "You have my blessings, Healer Liana, but the blessings of the King will be harder to come by."

Liana didn't need to ask which King he was referring to.

!

"Absolutely not."

Liana didn't flinch. "All due respect, King Edmund, this was not a request."

Peter ignored his brother's ferocious growl, as did Liana. Lucy, however, looked like she wanted to agree with him and Susan simply looked annoyed. She was the first to speak. "Liana is her own person and is at full liberty to do as she wishes, Edmund, you cannot stop her if this is what she feels she needs to do."

Liana gave her friend a grateful look. Susan's perfect mask of composure did not crack, but she did give Liana a subtle wink. Peter interjected before Edmund lost his temper. "Liana, we appreciate your informing us of the situation, you don't owe us this and for that we are all grateful. I don't doubt your intelligence, and I'm sure you're aware of the risks of such a mission?"

"I am, Your Grace."

"That is good. You will understand why we are all against your going, but we will not stop you if this is what needs to be done. You save lives, and we are eternally grateful for that."

Liana smiled. "Thank you, High King. I will leave by the end of the week, as soon as Lias receives a response to his letter to the village head."

"I will write to him myself, to tell him he must take good care of you," Peter smiled at her kindly and picked up a quill, signaling the end of the conversation. Edmund stood up from his favorite arm-chair and brushed past Liana without a word, slamming the door on his way out. Lucy bit her lip.

"Must you go, Liana?" she asked fearfully. "What if something happens to you?"

"We all must die one day," Liana shrugged. Seeing that her comment did nothing to comfort Lucy, and that even Peter looked uneasy now, she hastily corrected herself. "Of course, its very rare for such diseases to kill someone like me, who is about as health-conscious as one can be. You know I will take every precaution, Lucy. Nothing bad will happen."

"Do you promise?"

Liana sighed. "I promise I will try my best. When I come back after a few days, you'll realize how silly you were to worry."

"Let's hope that's what we see," muttered Susan to herself. Liana gave her a pointed look, and Susan sighed. "You know Ed will be impossible while you're gone, he can barely stay away from you as is."

"I will write to him and ensure that he has nothing to worry about."

"You will take Lyra with you, of course," said Peter. He did not look up from the letter he was writing, clearly meaning that it was not a request.

Liana huffed. "If she is willing; though how she will accompany me on horseback I have no idea."

"Who said anything about horseback?" Susan frowned. "This is a royal mission, and it will be treated as such. You will go in a carriage and you will have attendants, and Peter will send another letter with you to be shown at the tolls so no one bothers you."

"That is not necessary."

"Perhaps not, but it is the way things are done," Susan's tone was final. "Lyra can easily travel with you in the carriage, and Mr. Tumnus will accompany you, if the disease is as harmless as you say."

"It is anything but harmless, Susan, but I have already been exposed and since I have not gotten sick it means it will not affect me in the area it originated as well. I cannot say the same for anyone else."

"You're not going alone," said Peter. "Edmund would kill us, and we will not risk your safety that way. We will see whoever is willing to go with you at their own risk. You will not be responsible. Now go," he looked up and smiled grimly. "Your hound is loose and he is quite dangerous when he is in a temper."

!

Liana approached the armory warily, hearing the sounds of a scuffle and wondering if Edmund was angry enough to engage in a fist-fight with whoever was inside. However, a quick peek showed her she was mistaken. He was throwing daggers at a dummy, whose head was leaking of sawdust. Liana winced.

"You need a better outlet for your anger," she entered the building and kept to the side, not trusting his anger and aim at the moment. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. Liana sighed. "I know you're worried, Edmund, but I promise you I will be fine."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," he answered shortly. He threw the last dagger, not even bothering to look and see if it hit its mark or not, and reached for his discarded shirt that was lying at his feet. Liana saw that his hands were shaking with rage. She crossed the room towards him and took it out of his hands, undoing the ties and helping him put it on. He didn't resist, but he refused to look at her. Liana was tying the front of it close when he finally spoke. "I want to keep you safe, and I keep trying to ensure that no one hurts you, but you seem to deliberately put yourself in situations I can't save you from. Forgive me if that makes me angry."

"There is nothing to forgive."

"Alright."

Liana knotted the string just below the base of his throat and caressed his face, grateful that he didn't try to move away. "I know you want to protect me and keep me safe, but I have a job that I love, Edmund. I can't let people die just because I'm not brave enough to take a risk."

"There are other people who can do what you want to do, Liana," his hand caught hers before it left his face. "I don't want you to leave me."

Liana shook her head. "That is like me stopping you from leading an army into battle because I am afraid of you dying. Of course I am, and I would probably try to stop you regardless of what I say now, but you know what you would say to me in such a situation. It is what I am saying now. You need to trust me. I will always come back to you, Edmund, never doubt that."

"You can't come back if something happens to you. I can't-"

"You can live without me, and if something happens you will," Liana's eyes burned with unshed tears, but she didn't look away from Edmund's face. She wanted to commit every feature, every expression to memory, even the one of pure anguish that was on his face now. She knew she was hurting him, but she needed him to know, even at this moment, that a life without her would be possible, because that would be his life one day. "I don't want our last days together to be like this, Edmund. I will not be gone long, I will write you letters and you can send however many guards you want with me. I will deny you nothing, but you cannot deny me this."

"I never want to deny you anything," he clenched his eyes shut and leaned his forehead against hers. "I want you to laugh and dance and sing as you've been doing for the past weeks, I want to see you every time I pass by the Houses, and I want you to stay with me. What I want isn't so wrong, is it?"

"No, but it is idealistic," said Liana gently. She kissed his cheek. "Don't fret. I will come back and we will laugh over this soon enough. But I can't go without your blessing, Edmund. I want your support in this."

Edmund sighed. "You have my unconditional support in everything and anything, Liana. But if anything were to happen to you-"

"Nothing will happen to me or to you," Liana ignored the lie that escaped her lips. She squeezed his forearms comfortingly, praying that he would believe her. His eyes, though sad, were resigned. She knew he wouldn't fight her on this. "I'm not reckless, Edmund, you know that. I want to come back to you, and I will."

"I know," he sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her closer. His lips touched her neck. "I know."

!

"I love you."

"I love you too, Edmund. Good night."

"One more page, please."

"I've almost finished it, and I know you don't even like this book."

"I'll find another book."

"You'll also have to find a better excuse than a head-ache," Liana's lips twitched in amusement as she smoothed Edmund's hair off his forehead and wiped his brow with the cool cloth. She had been spending extra time with him, juggling her duties and meetings with Peter to discuss her trip so that Edmund would be satisfied with her undivided attention. It had only been three days since his resignation to her trip, and he had taken to acting like it was not happening. Usually, she was grateful, since the thought of leaving him made her uncomfortable no matter how dutiful she was being. Tonight, however, she wished he would stop trying to be subtle.

He had summoned her to his chambers almost three hours ago, and Mr. Tumnus's haggard face had made Liana think something terrible had happened. Instead, it was only a slightly tired Edmund complaining of a headache. Liana had given him a vial of the pain-killer she always carried, but after fifteen minutes it hadn't worked and Edmund had grown irritable. She had volunteered to read to him until he felt better, and had bathed his forehead in cold water. However, it was now well past midnight and Lyra was asleep in one corner of the room with her back to them, and Edmund and Liana were seated on the divan, his head in her lap. Despite the medical reason for their proximity, Liana knew his motives. She kissed his forehead. "I have to go."

"I know," he sighed and sat up, giving her a small smile. "Would it help if I admitted I really did have a headache, but it went away as soon as I saw your face?"

"Yes," Liana smiled and accepted the gentle kiss he gave her. He had grown more affectionate since she had started working again, perhaps missing the easy access he had had to her when she had been ill, but once her trip had been finalized he rarely kept his hands off her. She found him outside the Houses more and more, sometimes when she knew he should be meeting with other nobles. Though she couldn't bring herself to reprimand him, she did not want him to get on Peter's nerves, and resolved to speak to him of it. Later. When he wasn't kissing her quite so nicely.

"If you're trying to seduce me, its working," murmured Liana as Edmund's lips trailed lower, just grazing her collarbone.

"Good," he whispered back. "I don't want you to leave tonight."

"What will Mr. Tumnus say when he comes to wake you?" Liana bit her lip to keep her voice down as Edmund nipped at her neck gently.

"We fell asleep because my headache wouldn't go away, of course," he nuzzled her neck lovingly. "I can't sleep without you anymore, Liana. If you leave now, I'll have another headache in the morning."

Liana hummed in reply. Edmund nudged her back and she sighed, laying back down willingly and turning on her side so she could face him. He caressed her face, twisting a lock of her hair around his finger. Liana kissed his cheek. "I have to be up at sunrise."

"You never sleep when you have a shift at sunrise."

"I do like to rest."

"You can rest with me," his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Liana raised an eyebrow. Edmund merely grinned. "You are adorable when you sleep."

Liana's eyes widened in horror. "I don't talk, do I?"

Edmund snorted. "I wish. You mumble, but I've never understood what you mean. But when you're having a bad dream, you cuddle," he bumped his nose with hers affectionately. "Its quite endearing."

Liana rolled her eyes. "Of course I cuddle. I sleep surrounded by pillows. I probably think you're a pillow."

"Trust me, you don't think I'm a pillow."

"You're very huggable, I can definitely imagine you as a pillow."

"Good, imagine me as one now and sleep," he kissed her forehead. "You've been working too much."

"I like working. I like to feel useful."

"You are indispensable."

"You are a flatterer."

"A very honest flatterer. You need to rest."

"I can hardly rest with your hands have a habit of wandering," Liana raised her eyebrows pointedly, feeling Edmund's fingers absently tracing patterns on her thigh through the thin material of her dress. She shivered when he didn't halt his movements.

"I hardly consider it wandering. That would indicate that I didn't know what I was doing," he leaned closer, his lips just brushing hers as he murmured, "I know exactly what I'm doing," before kissing her hard, his hand now grasping her thigh and hitching her leg over his hip into his favorite position. Liana whimpered, knowing resistance was futile and faintly registering, in the back of her mind, that Edmund was an incredible kisser. His lips were firm, but soft, coaxing her mouth to relinquish control and enjoy the experience. One hand remained at her waist, ensuring she couldn't pull away while the other had somehow managed to reach her hair. His fingers gently massaged her scalp, erasing all of her previous misgivings and effectively turning her brain to mush.

"You're incredibly unfair," she managed to whisper once he had moved down to her jaw.

"You don't make playing fair easy," Edmund continued to press kisses along her neck. "Seduction is the only route I have left."

Liana giggled, then gasped as he deliberately bit down on her neck again. "That will leave a mark!"

"I should hope so," he raised his face back to her level and grinned wickedly. "There should be some trace of my efforts left."

Liana rolled her eyes. "Very mature, King Edmund. If I agree to stay tonight, will you stop with the smart comments?"

"Only for tonight," he winked, and Liana resisted the urge to giggle again. He was being ridiculous. "You love my wit."

"I love you," Liana finally let out a small laugh and cuddled closer to him. "Now shut up."

Edmund chuckled. "Point taken. Good night, my love."

For all those who have been worried that the White Stag will soon come and tear away Edmund from Liana, rest assured that that point is a long way away. The summary stated that this was a selection of one-shots, but now it has turned into so much more. While my ideas are flowing, there will continue to be chapters of fluff and goodness. I have the ending written out pretty clearly, actually, and I have plans for many one-shots to follow of other ideas that I may miss once I finally decide to end this story. So don't worry, guys, true love conquers all!

Warning: shorter chapters, frequent updates, and loads of letter-writing to come!