"The charges are dropped," Susan walked into Liana's room briskly, not bothering to knock. She set down the pile of books she had been carrying on the bed and gave her friend a look. "And this is everything I could find in the library that you haven't already gone through. Have you spoken to Edmund yet?"

"I have not," Liana put her quill down and leaned back in her chair, surveying Susan thoughtfully. "My nieces come back tomorrow. I should move back."

"I'm moving you into a larger room with a sitting room for them to play in during the day. The nurse can stay in the village and walk back and forth easily enough," Susan acted as if she had not heard her. "You will go see my brother now, Liana, you've put it off long enough. You asked for a few hours, and I gave them to you. If he hasn't killed anyone yet, I'm sure he won't do so when you tell him."

"The only person he would want to murder is already dead," said Liana dryly. Susan glared at her. Liana sighed. "Sorry. Fine, I'll go see him. Where is he?"

"How should I know?" Susan rolled her eyes. "Probably off getting drunk somewhere, Aslan only knows where since I've confiscated all the alcohol within this castle."

"If you left it out he'd have drunk himself to sleep by now and it would be easier to find him."

"Or he'd have killed himself!"

"He'd be asleep before he could," Liana shook her head. "Don't worry, I'll find him. I have a shift at the Houses tonight, I'll get Lias to stay in instead and go look for him then."

Susan nodded, hesitating for a moment. However, Liana's sardonic expression made her change her mind and she merely left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Liana turned back to her desk, quickly finished writing out the request for new ingredients for the pain relieving potion, folded up the paper and stuck it into her sash as she got up and reached for the books. Selecting two, she tucked them under her arm and opened the door, nodding to Lyra. The cheetah looked a little confused, but didn't not question Liana as they began their walk to the Houses. Wordlessly, Liana entered the building, nodded to a few Narnians attending to patients, and made her way to her office. She dumped her books onto her desk, sat down in her chair, and promptly burst into tears.

She heard Lyra made a noise of disapproval and felt the soft fur at her feet as she rested her head on Liana's knee. "We both know the truth, child," the cheetah's voice was kind. "You saw how Queen Susan reacted. Surely King Edmund will not do anything rash."

Liana merely shook her head, burying her face in her hands and making no effort to control her sobs. She had bottled it all in for over three years, it had been bound to happen, but she had expected someone to be there for her when she broke down, perhaps to hold her hand or hug her, at least offer more comfort that Lyra could. However, she knew it was her own fault that she was practically alone in this. She had wanted to tell Edmund when he asked, but she couldn't make herself speak. The almost was what always made her hesitate, always made her reluctant to tell anyone her story. She had told Susan, because Susan would never judge her, and to be morally loose in Susan's eyes was something Liana would hate to be but she had quickly realized it was something she would be willing to deal with if it meant she could just talk. Fortunately, Susan had been more than understanding and hadn't forced her to explain herself at all. All she had said was that she would fix everything else, but Liana had to talk to Edmund herself.

But how could she? The thought of his face brought another round of tears. He had gotten drunk, something she knew he only did when he didn't feel in control, when he felt helpless. She had made him feel lost, and then had approached him intending to fix it. Instead, she had probably ruined whatever relationship they had left, since she was sure it had been hanging on only by a thread after the incident at the interrogation. After all, it wasn't everyday your fiancé got accused of murder. The thought made her laugh hysterically through her tears. However, she quickly realized the noise wasn't only her strangled laughter but the sound of someone entering the houses and muttering quietly.

Liana hurriedly wiped her eyes and strained her ears, hearing the clang of metal on metal. Frowning, Liana got up and walked out the door, her hand resting on the dagger that she still kept hidden in her dress, ready to take on any intruders despite her shaking hands. What she did not expect to see was Edmund confusedly staring at the bed closest to the door, his head tilted to one side as he looked at it with something akin to distrust. He was dressed in full armour, minus a helmet, and his hair was tousled as if he had just gotten off horseback. As Liana's footsteps stopped abruptly upon seeing him, his head jerked up and they locked eyes. Liana stood still, frozen in shock and confusion, until he spoke. "I think I broke the bed."

His sentence would have been comical had it not been for the slight slur in his tone. Liana bit her lip. While she normally did not mind dealing with an intoxicated Edmund, she doubted the best way to come face to face with him after their last meeting was in such a state. Nevertheless, she squared her shoulders and approached him, gently resting a hand on his back. "I'm sure the bed is fine. Perhaps you should lie down."

"'m fine," he waved her hands away, sitting down heavily on the bed he had just rammed into and looking down at himself in confusion. "Why am I dressed like this?"

"I don't know," said Liana softly. "Why don't you take it off and get some rest?"

Edmund held up a finger, his hand slightly unsteady, as he closed his eyes thoughtfully. "Went riding. Philip brought me here. No idea why. Told him I wanted to see you."

Liana's heart sped up. "See me?"

"Yes," he nodded seriously. "I need to take this armour off. I think its broken."

Liana blinked in confusion. She glanced behind her, only to see Lyra slink back into her office, obviously giving the two some privacy. Deciding against arguing, she tugged at Edmund's arm until he was seated on the bed. Avoiding his eyes, she began to remove his armour methodically, mentally thanking Aslan she had the necessary knowledge to carry out her task without having to speak.

For the most part, Edmund was docile, even motionless as she tugged at straps and undid knots. When she was done, he ran a hand through his hair and lay back onto the bed, his eyes fluttering close. Liana bit her lip, her hand resting on his forehead briefly before she flitted away, returning as he sat up and looked around in confusion. She put a small bottle down onto the side table near the bed, knowing it would be useful for the morning. She smiled down at Edmund. "You should sleep now, I think."

Edmund lay back hummed in agreement, his eyes drifting shut. However, his hand curled around her wrist, and one quick tug caused Liana to trip and, in quite a haphazard form, end up lying half across and half beside Edmund. She raised an eyebrow at his slightly mischievous look, clearly unamused. He didn't look ashamed. "I'm not letting you run away from me this time," his slur was gone, and Liana was surprised to see his eyes were much clearer than she had at first thought. However, before she could voice her confusion, his arms were tightening around her, adjusting her so she could be more comfortable on the small bed. His lips pressed against her forehead gently as his grip became more comforting. "I love you," he whispered, nuzzling her hair. "I promise you, I do."

Liana froze. "Edmund, I –"

"Let me finish," he hushed her, his lips still warm against her skin. "I do love you, Liana, never doubt that. But you have hurt me, more than I ever thought you capable of even though I gave you that power the day I told you I loved you."

"I know," the tears that had barely finished falling sprung to her eyes again, and she buried her face into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Edmund, I-"

"We can talk about it tomorrow," he quieted her again, his tone still gentle. His hand rubbed soothing circles against her back. "But we do need to talk about it, Liana. Promise me you won't run away from me now."

Was it a promise she could keep? She doubted it. "I promise to be honest with you."

"I suppose that's all I can ask of you," his voice was sad, but he kissed her forehead again nevertheless. "Rest now."

She nodded, accepting the comfort she knew she didn't deserve. Edmund's rhythmic movements against her back made her drowsy soon enough, and she slipped into unconsciousness just a few minutes before he did, his free hand tightly clasping hers.

!

"Would you dance with me, Lady Liana?"

Liana bit the inside of her cheek to avoid wincing at the title and curtsied at the man opposite her. "It is merely Healer Liana, Duke."

The Duke raised an eyebrow. "You are King Edmund's betrothed, are you not?"

Liana balked. "Your Grace, I really do not see how that is a pertinent question."

"Well, surely you must-"

"Liana!" Lucy hurtled out of nowhere and threw her arms around Liana, giving the Duke a brilliant smile and completely diverting his attention. "Oh, Duke Soleby, I have missed your stories terribly while you've been away! Have you met the Lady Evesham? She's been dying to be introduced to you and I just know…"

Liana backed away slowly, inwardly praising Aslan for Lucy's uncanny ability to judge whenever she was in a fix. She took out her fan and fluttered it in front of her face, more for the sake of formality than because of the heat. The ice sculptures that the fawns had delicately arranged were scattered throughout the room and hadn't even begun to melt, which of course meant that Susan's ball was a success. Forcing herself to smile at an approaching nobleman, Liana felt her skirts flutter and caught sight of Lyra winding between people's legs and going towards one of the terraces. Breathing a sigh of relief, she followed her.

The cool air outside was slightly uncomfortable, but Liana ignored it and closed the door behind her quietly. The warm hand that suddenly touched her back caused her to jump, and then relax as Edmund pulled her against his chest.

"Good evening, my love," he pressed a kiss to her hair, careful not to disturb the single white rose that he himself had tucked behind her ear when they had finished their first and only dance. "How has your time been spent so far?"

Liana snorted and turned around in his arms, smiling at his crooked crown and shining eyes. "Much better now that I have seen you, King Edmund. Was one dance all that you owed the woman who has saved your life on numerous occasions?"

Edmund chuckled. "I apologize for my scarceness. I had to make the rounds, and Susan advised that I do so once without you by my side. She saw that quite a few men wanted to dance with you."

Liana smiled slightly. "Yes. They thought I was a noblewoman, with a title and lands and money, so of course they wanted to dance with me. They stopped asking once they realized I had probably helped their wives give birth or something of that sort."

Edmund's smile faltered. "Did anyone-"

"-insult the woman everyone thinks the King wants to marry? Perish the thought," Liana rested her head against his chest. "They didn't need to say anything. I knew what they were thinking. I've thought it all before."

"When you were at court?" his arms wrapped around her protectively. At her nod, he sighed. "Liana, I-"

"This is the price I pay for having no money," she interrupted him. Pulling back, she kissed his cheek. "I have made my peace. I just wanted to be bitter for a few moments. I wish I could bring something more to you."

"You have given me all that I want."

"Aye, King Edmund, but that is not all that Narnia wants," she sighed. "We should go back inside. It will not do to disappear together for so long. Are you still making rounds?"

Edmund blinked at her sudden change of mood. "Yes, but-"

"Good. I can steal your brother for a dance and then make my excuses." She linked their arms and tugged him towards the door, her face set in the mask of a perfect smile. Edmund stopped her, however, and pulled her back into his arms. He held her questioning gaze with one of his own, his thoughts wandering. The girl who acted and dressed like a peasant knew more about court etiquette than anyone he had ever met, yet he knew that, by her own description, she had been a frivolous girl with little or no interest in the affairs of state. She dressed in the simplest gowns he had ever seen a woman wear, yet when she was decked out in jewels she carried them as if she had been taught to do so her entire life. The question he had wanted to ask since the day he had met her was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. There was a sadness in her eyes that hadn't left since her accident, no matter how much she laughed and how much he tried to show her he loved her. It crushed him every time, and this time he couldn't take it. He bent down and gently captured her lips in a soft kiss, running a hand through her silky hair and ignoring her fumbling as she tried to catch the rose that had slipped and wrap her arms around his neck at the same time. He focused on her, the feel of her soft hair and small waist, her mouth as she granted him access and swallowed the small sounds of pleasure that he always liked to hear when she would let her guard down, he loved everything about her and yet she was still always so sad.

He pulled back finally, but she didn't open her eyes, not did her arms loosen from around his neck. "What was that for?" her voice was breathless.

"I love you," he whispered hoarsely. He hadn't realized how important it was to him that she start being happy. "More than anything else, Liana."

"I love you too," she let out a shuddering breath and opened her eyes. The sadness was gone.

!

Edmund's eyes opened abruptly as he inhaled sharply, his mind unwillingly dragged back to the last ball they had attended together, after which Peter had demanded a formal announcement lest the not-so-honourable nobles continue to harass Liana. He let out a sigh he hadn't realized he had been holding in, his grip tightening around the lithe figure of the woman he loved as she slumbered peacefully against him. He had carried her back from the Houses to his room shortly after they had fallen asleep and Lias had awoken them, his face carefully blank of any disapproval or surprise. Edmund supposed it was a testament to Liana's exhaustion that she had not even stirred when she was moved, merely curling her fingers around Edmund's shirt once they were safely in his room again. The impropriety of his actions was clear, but he was beyond caring.

"You were having a nightmare," Liana's voice was heavy with sleep as he felt her lips lightly touch his neck. "Your heart was racing," she added, her slender hand caressing his chest through his shirt where it had been resting since he had woken.

"Did I wake you?" asked Edmund, reaching for her free hand to press a kiss to the back of it.

"Yes, but I am glad you did," Liana angled her head up and gazed at him with eyes full of sorrow and regret. "I have to tell you everything."

"We should wait, Liana, Peter wants to –"

"You can tell the High King the story, if Susan has not done so already," Liana shook her head, her voice uncertain and full of hesitation. "I – I can't relate it so easily, Edmund, and I need – I need your attention, and there are moments when I –"

"I would not dream of making you do something that distresses you so much, my love, if it wasn't absolutely necessary," soothed Edmund. He sat up in bed, a quick glance at the window confirming it was not yet dawn, which meant they would not be interrupted for a few hours. Liana sat up with him, wrapping her arms around herself and keeping her eyes downcast. Edmund caressed her cheek, coaxing her face up and giving her a wan smile. "Remember what I said last night. I love you and I will try and make this painless for you, if I can, but you must be honest with me. You can promise me that, can't you?"

"Yes," Liana bit her lip and nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears. Edmund offered her his hand, which she took, only slightly hesitant. He kissed the back of it and rested it on his arm, angling his head and indicating that she could begin talking. She took a deep breath and began to speak.

Edmund and Liana have been sorely neglected of late, and I can't help but blame the British higher education system for it all, since I've been analysing Keats and Chaucer instead of focusing on my beloved Narnians as I would have much preferred! But fear not, I'm attempting to create a schedule for at least weekly or fortnightly updates to continue. And on that note, I need help!

Any idea on how I should make Liana tell her story? Since its not about just one single day/event, I wanted her to narrate it, but I feel like I could give her one chapter and tell the story from a sixteen year old Liana's perspective as well. It'll be a challenge, since I would have to change her personality drastically, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

Much love xx