"Alec!"
"Hm?" The teen boy continues staring out the window, watching the gulls wheel back and forth over the turbulent sea.
"If you'd care to weigh in," Peter nearly growls, gesturing at the papers spread all over the table between them. Edmund knows he's more frustrated with this conversation than with Alec. He's supposed to be half-way to the northern border by now with the rest of the army, but Susan dragged him into this mess just like the rest of them.
Peter leans forward, the leather of his armor creaking as he narrows his eyes and Alec looks away from the window at last. The front legs of Alec's chair fall back to the floor with a thump that makes Susan wince while Lucy ducks her head to hide a smile. He stands slowly and leans over the table as well, eyes scanning the large map at the center of the table and the loose pages around the edge. With no apparent concern for time, Alec shifts some correspondence off the Bight of Calormen, peering at the islands and coastlines. Peter's hands tighten on the edge of the table and he lets out a heavy sigh.
"If you're set on going," Alec finally says, casting a glance at Susan, "then the sea is the best route."
"But Tashbaan isn't that far from Anvard," Lucy argues, pointing to the bare patch of the map between the two cities that they'd been discussing for the past half hour.
"It doesn't look far," Alec corrects, "but there's nothing but burning sand from the Winding Arrow to the city. Even the Calormenes don't cross the desert." Peter frowns down at the map while the other three siblings look on.
"Not quite the time of year for sailing," Edmund observes. Alec looks across the table at him and rolls his eyes.
"Just stick near the coast. That's what the islanders do." Edmund drops his gaze back to the map, tracing the winding coastline from Tashbaan to Cair Paravel. "Besides," Alec adds, "They wouldn't have sent an invitation if you couldn't easily get there and back would they?" It's phrased like a question, but Edmund doesn't know what to make of the wry grin on Alec's face when he looks back up at him.
"It could work," Peter decides, ignoring Alec's statement.
"And it would be easier on the Horses, surely," Lucy adds. A trek across the desert wouldn't have been the most pleasant journey for anyone, really, and Edmund is relieved to be avoiding it.
As soon as Peter and Susan start planning in earnest— discussing timelines and supplies and who should accompany Susan to the Calormen capital– Alec plops back into his chair, returning his gaze out the window. He tips his chair back again, earning a half-hearted scowl from Susan, and sighs heavily while the others argue about which ship should be taken.
Edmund's eyes stray to the window as well. He'd much rather be out on the training grounds today, too, but the same winds whipping the sea into white-capped peaks would no doubt make the training grounds bitterly cold on this early spring day. Yesterday had been hard enough. Even Alec couldn't aim with any accuracy in this weather, anyway, but it's clear he'd rather be anywhere but here.
"And Alec, of course," Susan says suddenly. Alec's chair drops to the floor again, drawing all eyes to him as both he and Edmund return their attention to the group around the table.
"What?"
"You'll come with us, won't you?" Susan pleads. Edmund and Lucy share a subtle glance as Alec leans back in his seat.
"To Tashbaan," Alec says flatly, scowling at his boots. He pushes out of his seat after another moment and peers down at the map again, his arms crossed over his chest.
"You've been there before, haven't you?" Alec glances at Susan but doesn't answer. "And you know more about the Calormenes than any of us," she continues, glancing at the turban wrapped around Alec's head.
"Su," Edmund whispers sharply. His sister realizes her mistake slowly as she watches Alec, who continues to glare at the little dot on the map that indicates the Calormen capital.
"I mean," Susan amends, "unless there's some- er, or if you, you-"
"It's fine," Alec says, cutting off Susan's uncharacteristic rambling. He reaches up with his right hand, touching his fingers to part of the turban near his ear, but then he quickly drops his hand. "It would be my honor," Alec adds with a sharp bow, after which he quickly excuses himself on the pretense of packing for the trip.
— • 6 years ago • —
"Are you alright?" Alec quickly turns to face Lucy. He forces a smile and stands straighter, turning his back on the garden and facing the bright ballroom that Edmund and Lucy have just escaped from.
"Quite alright," he says, but Lucy frowns as she leans her palms on the railing behind him. She looks out over the gardens, glowing in the last rays of sunlight. The night is cooler now, but only just. Summer still holds sway over the land, and the light breeze coming from the sea is very welcome after the still air of the ballroom.
"And that's why you're hiding out here, alone, instead of joining us inside," Edmund says sardonically. He raises an eyebrow as he leans his forearms on the railing, taking up the position on Alec's other side. Alec studies the ballroom for a moment before facing the garden again, mirroring Lucy's posture as he settles his palms on the smooth stone rail. Lucy levels her stern gaze on him, but Alec just clears his throat and shrugs, affecting an unconcerned posture.
"Not so stuffy out here," he says, lifting one hand to the collar of his shirt. Despite the white turban settled securely on his head, the rest of Alec's clothing is very similar to Edmund's— dark tunic, dark pants, dark boots– and all in the Narnian fashion. With his dark coloring and black brows too, Lucy has always thought Edmund and Alec would look like quite the pair if Alec ever went without his religious head covering. Or they would have if Edmund wasn't getting to be taller than Alec, though they were nearly the same height last year.
"Stuffy," Edmund repeats, tilting his head toward Alec, clearly unconvinced. Lucy turns to face him too, letting one arm drop from the railing as she studies Alec's face. Alec just shrugs again and ignores them, but she notices his eyes tracking some of the guests walking through the garden below them. And when Alec winces and steps back from the railing, she raises up on her toes to lean over the railing and see who he's been watching.
"Oh," Lucy says softly, spying another distinct white turban winding through the rapidly darkening garden paths. "Alec," she says, reaching for his arm. He backs up another step, though, dodging her hand.
"In fact," Alec says, "I think I'll leave all this boring stuff to your majesties." With a wink and a smile to Lucy, followed by a quick bow, Alec turns and glides off down the wide stone stairs. Lucy and Edmund watch as he skirts around toward the back of the Cair, expertly avoiding both the crowds in the ballroom and the wandering groups of partygoers below on his way toward the coast.
"I can't believe we didn't think of the Calormenes," Lucy says softly. Edmund's eyes meet hers and she nods to the group below. He turns then and watches as three Calormene men and their brightly colored women pass the central fountain. This is the first Calormen has accepted a Narnian invitation for the summer festival, and Edmund hadn't considered what Alec would think of that either.
"I know Peter suspected…" Lucy trails off, and glances toward the sea. She doesn't want to repeat the unkind words Peter had once uttered about her friend: Calormene, heathen, spy, traitor. Edmund knows them, though, and she sees his shoulders tighten. "But Aslan said he could be trusted," she finishes. Edmund sighs and runs a hand through his hair, mussing up the dark locks his manservant had worked so hard to tame this afternoon.
"Actually," Edmund corrects, "He said 'Alec's story is not for you to know'. Or something like that." Lucy smiles and Edmund's lips turn up in a smirk, the tension loosening from his shoulders slightly.
Having spent the most time with the other boy, Lucy suspects Edmund actually does know more of Alec's story than the rest of them. Edmund is a private person, though, and she knows he would never betray someone's confidence. Besides, after nearly two years, Alec surely would have slipped up by now if he was attempting to deceive them.
"Something like that," Lucy whispers. She shifts closer to Edmund and leans her head on his shoulder. "But what if he left Calormen for a reason?" Edmund shifts to lift his hands to his chin and continues to watch the Calormene group in the gardens. Their guests have been allowed nearly free reign of the whole of Cair Paravel during their stay despite the tense relations between Calormen and their northern neighbors.
"Of course he had a reason," Edmund says quietly, pushing off the railing. Lucy stands up again and turns toward her brother. "But that doesn't mean he can't be trusted."
— • —
"Alec!" Edmund jogs down the steps to where Alec has halted at the bottom. When Edmund reaches him, Alec raises an eyebrow and waits for Edmund to catch his breath before starting off down the corridor.
"Sounds like you could use a bit more training, your majesty," he throws over his shoulder. "All those winter months inside haven't done you much good." Edmund rolls his eyes when he sees the self-satisfied smirk on Alec's face.
"Very funny," he replies, "but I seem to recall finishing my laps quite a bit quicker than you last week." Alec frowns and glances over at Edmund, but then he just shrugs.
"An off day," is all he says before setting a slightly quicker pace down the hall. Edmund grabs his shoulder, though, yanking him around.
"You know it wasn't a command," Edmund says earnestly. Alec presses his lips together and looks off to the side. Edmund follows his gaze, seeing two fauns engaged in their own conversation as they carry a laundry basket between them. Edmund and Alec step aside to let them pass.
"You don't have to go to Calormen," Edmund clarifies once the fauns have disappeared around the next corner of the hallway. Alec's jaw tightens, but that's the only sign of tension Edmund registers before the other boy's face relaxes into a grin.
"And let you have all the fun? I think not!" Alec backs up a step and Edmund's hand falls off the other teen's shoulder. "Besides," he continues, "I can't wait to see Rabadash make an ass of himself in front of Susan. Maybe she'll finally come to her senses about this whole proposal." Alec sighs dramatically and starts down the hall again. With a sigh of his own, Edmund falls into step beside him.
"We can only pray," Edmund grumbles. Ever since that Rabadash visited last month, his once rational, responsible sister has been such a soppy, sentimental girl— always giggling and sighing over the pages of correspondence from Calormen. Susan has had plenty of suitors over the years, but he's never seen her actually fall for one of the lovestruck lords like this.
"I almost miss the old Su," Alec remarks, the smirk reappearing on his face. "Alec, do sit up straight," he continues in a convincing approximation of Susan's tone. "Alec, you can't possibly mean to wear that shade of red with your complexion." Edmund snorts, remembering the exact doublet Alec is referring to. Alec's smirk grows into a mischievous smile when he glances at him. "Edmund, you're bleeding all over my expensive embroidered cushions."
"If I recall," Edmund says loftily, "that was your fault, really." Despite his smaller frame and leaner muscles, Alec has a habit of slipping inside one's defenses quicker than even Edmund could react at times. Orieus often pairs them for sparring even though Alec prefers daggers to swords.
"Should've blocked it," Alec says with an unconcerned shrug, but Edmund sees Alec's eyes dart to the spot he'd nicked Edmund's side– right where there was the slightest gap in his armor.
"Because pulling your blows– in a training match– clearly wasn't an option," Edmund grumbles. Alec laughs then, a short burst of noise before he cuts himself off, but his eyes still shine with amusement when he reaches his door and turns to lean against it.
"Of course not," he declares. "And it's not like you pull yours," he adds, swiping his hand over where Edmund knows there's a still-healing gash on his forearm. Edmund winces, but when Alec rolls his eyes Edmund knows he's not actually mad about it. They've both traded their fair share of bumps and bruises over the years with no hard feelings. Edmund isn't sure Alec is even capable of holding a grudge. Everything just seems to amuse him rather than anger him. Even now he's joking about a fairly serious injury. Edmund rolls his eyes at the smirk on his friend's face, and he nearly turns to leave before he remembers why he'd come after Alec to begin with.
"Alec," he says, suddenly serious again. Alec pauses with one hand on the door latch, not pushing the door more than a crack open. "I mean it. If you don't want to go to Calormen, you don't have to. We can manage." Alec shakes his head, though, and Edmund sees that slight tightening of his jaw again.
"It's fine, Ed." Alec's hand twitches on the door latch, the movement so slight that Edmund only just notices it. Alec blinks hard then, and suddenly all the tension slips off him. "I'm not the one that will stick out like a sore thumb there," Alec says, his voice lighter and teasing once again. He finally pushes the door open and backs into his room with a wave at Edmund. "Don't forget to pack burn salve," he adds cheerily, just before he shuts the door on Edmund.