A.N. Wow, it has been a very long time since I updated!
Emeth wished he had a bit more common sense; perhaps then he wouldn't have been standing behind a tapestry in the Great Hall. His old nurse, who'd looked after him as a child, had often informed him he was far too curious for his own good. Emeth was only just now beginning to suspect she had been on to something.
He'd only been poking around, honestly. And all of a sudden, he was hiding while Archenland's sovereigns discussed important family matters. Emeth knew he had no right whatsoever to be listening in, but it wasn't as though he could exactly leave. The shame and dishonor upon him and his family! There was also the sound beating that would be sure to come when the ambassador got wind of the affair, and frankly Emeth cared more about that than anything. Let it never be said that all Calormene boys are stoic and unafraid of pain.
"And the Narnians will be arriving in time for your anniversary," the scribe finished.
"All of them?" Corin asked excitedly. He had retained his child-like enthusiasm, despite his other, drastically less child-like qualities.
"No, your Highness, only King Edmund and Queen Lucy will be coming of the Four, along with their attendants. We have been informed that High King Peter is once again in the North, and of course, one of them must always remain behind."
"Of course, of course," Emeth heard the elderly king say. "Still, I should have liked to see King Peter again. No matter. It will be enough to be soundly thrashed at chess by King Edmund. Thank you, Lord Evin, you may go." Through his place behind a tapestry, Emeth heard booted feet making their way out of the room.
"And now, my little lady," King Lune said, obviously to Aravis, "Your birthday approaches. The celebrations must be planned."
"Can we not just combine my birthday and the anniversary?" Aravis asked, almost desperately. "I mean, they are so close together, after all."
"But Aravis!" Prince Corin said with mock surprise, "What greater delight can there be than to be the center of attention at two gatherings within two weeks of each other?"
"Corin," Aravis growled warningly, sounding almost comically like a man. "You do not want to start this."
"But Aravis, the preparations are already underway as we speak! You wouldn't want to disappoint the Calormene ambassador, now would you? And think of the children!" While Aravis had sounded like a man, Emeth was given the impression of his old nurse when Prince Corin spoke, and he fought to control his laughter.
"Corin's right, Aravis.." Prince Cor said wearily, as though he knew he was stepping into dangerous territory.
"Ha!"Corin said in triumph.
"Much as it may surprise," Cor continued.
"Hey!"
"It doesn't mean I have to be happy about it," Emeth heard Aravis mutter. "Promise me at least that I won't have to dance with any Calormens."
"That I cannot do, my dear," King Lune said mournfully. "We must all do things we dislike. Why, when I was your age..." The king continued his narrative until they'd all walked out of the room. Breathing a sigh of relief, Emeth stepped out from behind the tapestry.
"I'd wondered which one you were behind," Prince Corin said. Emeth started, blushing beet-red.
"How did you-"
"Know? Why, my young lord, I spent my entire childhood- no, scratch that- I've spent my entire life eavesdropping. My brother only managed to save us all by eavesdropping, much as King Edmund has warned us against it."
"King Edmund?"
"Surely you know of King Edmund? He's one of the Four, the rulers of Narnia. He has been a friend of my father's since he first became king, he and his siblings. What do they teach you in Calormen?" The last bit the prince spoke was more muttered to himself.
"Honestly? That the northern countries are inhabited by demons and barbarians." Once again, Emeth blushed, realizing he'd committed a serious breach of etiquette. When in other countries, do not inform the princes of said countries what others think of them.
And then Prince Corin did something unexpected. He laughed, loudly, fully, and without any inhibitions.
"You are the oddest Calormene I've ever met. Please don't change."
"Would you mind not informing the ambassador of what I just said. He might not take it as well as you, your Highness."
"No trouble at all, young lord, none at all."
OoOoOoOo
The time remaining until Aravis's birthday party passed in a whirlwind of Emeth struggling to remain out of sight from the Calormenes and the Archen people alike. He was moderately successful, as his own people ignored him when they saw him, and most of the Archen people ignored him as well.
The exceptions to this were, of course, Prince Corin, Prince Cor, and Princess Aravis. These three all had different reactions to him. Prince Corin brightened whenever he saw him, Prince Cor usually looked at him in confusion and interest, and Princess Aravis looked at him with a pained expression.
Emeth in turn tended to scatter every time he saw her. Despite feeling certain she was of his blood, he really had no desire to broach the subject. If she was indeed Aravis Tarkheena of Calavar, she had obviously seen fit to abandon Calormen, and probably did not want to see him as anything but a member of the Calormene delegation.
Putting the thoughts out of his mind until after supper, he exited his rooms and descended into the banqueting hall.
A.N. I am going to begin seriously messing with the timeline soon. As in, I will soon be bringing in Edmund and Lucy. Picture someone practically screaming they're so excited, and you might get an image of how pumped I am.
I'm on break now, so I may fit in a couple more chapters before I go back. Let me know what you think!
Oh, and in case you didn't know, Corin's line to Emeth after Emeth embarrasses himself is a variation of a line that is both book and movie verse. I like it too much to pass it up.