Hi there - so sorry that it has been a while since I updated - study and work and family keep getting in the way.

I've managed a short chapter to keep the story going until I can manage longer. Hope you enjoy

Maedhbh

Aria tossed and turned on her bedroll by the fire. She was dreaming again, dreaming of what had been, dreaming of one hundred years ago. Dreaming of Jadis.

Aria had been with Queen Swanwhite, trying once again to persuade her that Lady Jadis, as she insisted on being called, was more than she seemed. Aria had disliked and distrusted Jadis from the first instant that she had met her.

She had been convinced that Jadis's arrival now, just after the Centaur's prophecy, in the period of unrest and rumour that had followed, had been at the very least suspicious in its timing. And she had not believed for a minute that Jadis was sincere in her attentions to the Crown Prince.

But Swanwhite had not listened. No … that was not true. She had listened, she always listened. But she had not agreed.

"Put it out of your head Aria" she had advised. "The prince is happy and so should you be. Be happy for him for he believes himself in love."

And so, Aria had left, frustrated once again.

Storming out of the throne room, she found herself face to face with the last person she expected, the last person she wanted to see … Jadis.

Jadis towered over Aria, so much so that Aria had to crane her neck to look into her eyes. Those eyes – they were so cold. If eyes were the windows to the soul, then Aria could see only pride and cruelty in Jadis's pale gaze. It was so clear to her that she could not fathom how others could not see it.

How could the Queen not see it – was she so blinded by the chance to inject more human blood into the Royal line?

How could the Prince not see it – was he so blindly in love?

The corners of Jadis's lips twitched up in a semblance of a smile as she glanced back towards the throne room as if guessing all that had occurred there – she was well aware of Aria's dislike and distrust of her for Aria had made no secret of it.

"Aria …"

But Aria did not wait to hear what Jadis had to say.

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The next time she saw Jadis was when she found her standing over the body of the Prince.

Her stone knife bloody.

A cruel smile upon her face.

Aria whimpered in her sleep, remembering the blood on the Prince, his pale face as he lay in the moonlight gardens, his last breath as he looked with shock to the woman who he had thought loved him, who he had thought himself in love with.

Aria felt herself shaken awake and woke to find tears streaming down her face and Edmund kneeling beside her concern written on his face.

"Aria" he said gently "you were talking and crying in your sleep … what did you dream about … are you alright?"

Mutely Arai shook her head.

Finally, she managed to whisper one word.

"Jadis."

She was shaking, trembling so much. But she couldn't tell if it was from her dream or from the cold, the cold that had steeped into her bones from Jadis's touch. But whatever the cause, she could not stop.

Looking into her eyes, Edmund could see her pain, see the same pain that remained in himself from his time with Jadis. Looking into those soulful green eyes, he couldn't bring himself to believe that this girl could have been in the pay of the White Witch, she couldn't have been ...

Slowly, gently as if he was unsure if it would cause her to bolt, Edmund lowered himself to sit beside Aria and brought his arms around her to gather her to him and, when he found that she didn't resist, started rubbing her arms in an attempt to calm her, to warm her.

Gradually he felt her relax into him and there they both sat, neither able to sleep again. But they sat through the night and waited until the sun rose over the camp.

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"So … I think that now would probably be a good time to tell me."

Edmund started. Aria had come up behind him as he stood looking out at the view. When the rest of the company had woken, they had gotten up and helped to break up the camp for this the final march of their journey. No mention had been made by either of them. Not of Aria's dream, or of the fact that they had spent the better part of the night in each other's arms.

They had just crested the last hill on their journey, and he was looking down at the magnificent view of Cair Paravel nestling on the cliffs above a sparkling blue ocean. It was one of those bright clear winter days which reminded you that Spring would soon follow.

Edmund turned towards Aria.

"Tell you what?" he asked innocently.

Aria raised an eyebrow.

"You mean there's more than one thing that you're not telling me?"

She smiled at Edmund's chagrined look.

"All right then … I'll clarify.

I want you to tell me why everyone begins to address you by title, and then stops at the last minute.

I want you to tell me why Oreius, a general, defers to you in all things,

Why Lupa seems to nearly bite his tongue off in the effort not to call you Sire … and Edmund?"

Edmund looked at Aria questioningly, choosing to ignore the use of his full name. She smiled wryly as she continued.

"I think it's time you admitted to me that you are King, before one of your subjects wrenches his back trying to stop himself from bowing to you in front of me!"

Oreius, who had crested the hill just in time to hear the last of this let out a rare chuckle.