The Golden Age - Narnia fanfiction (Edmund x oc)

22. Why?

Diana was running down the halls of Cair Paravel. She didn't have a clue where she was going, she just needed to run. She heard Edmund's voice call out to her but it only made her want to run faster. She was too embarrassed to face him right now.

She turned a sharp corner and bumped into someone. "I'm so sorry, excuse me." She said trying to get around the person quickly. But the two goat hooves she was looking at stepped sideways as she did, once again blocking her way. She looked up flustered. "Sorry Mr. Tumnus." She tried to get around him but he stepped in her way again.

"Excuse my rudeness your highness but you look like you need a warm cup of tea." He said with the friendliest smile. Diana finally stopped trying to run, and let Tumnus lead her into the servants kitchen.

Diana sat on a wooden carved chair, watching the servants as they bustled about trying to get the dinner ready on time. She was handed a warm cup of fragrant tea, and was sipping on it when Tumnus, who had been sitting in silence next to her, finally decided to ask her what was wrong.

"I just... I saw Edmund..." Diana trailed off in her thoughts. "Was he such a horrible sight to behold that you had to run?" Tumnus teased. Diana giggled. "No, of course not, he was just... well he was with my sister." Diana continued. "And well, she was... too close to him." Diana's eyes started to fill with tears at the memory. She finally looked up from her tea to look at Tumnus. "And, well I didn't like that very much, so I shouted for her to get off..." She looked back down at her tea. "But then I got embarrassed and ran away."

Mr. Tumnus was silent, and if Diana had been looking up at him, she would have seen a sympathetic smile on his face. "Well your highness, you can sit in here for as long as you would like, but I would suggest that when you are ready, it might be a good idea to talk to the king." He said placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him. "I know you are right Mr. Tumnus. Thank you." He smiled at her again. "Anytime, your highness." He then had to go back to his duties.

Diana had been sitting in the kitchen for a while, when she heard a familiar voice that made her heart sink into her stomach. "Dina..." Edmund said quietly, looking cautiously at her. "Why are you here?" Diana stood up from her seat in a panic. She tried to go backwards but there was nowhere to go, she bumped into the table, and before she could turn and run around the table, she was trapped between Edmund's arms.

"Please... don't run from me." He whispered, his voice hoarse. Diana looked down, unable to bear seeing him look so hurt because of her. "S... sorry." She stammered, holding back tears. "No, you don't get to apologize." He said bringing his hand up to her face. He tipped her chin up, so that she would look at him. "You have a right to be angry. I should be the one apologizing." He was looking her in the eyes as he said that, and tears started to well up in her eyes. No matter how hard she fought against it she could not stop the tears from falling.

Edmund wiped the tears from her cheeks with both hands, holding her face between them. Diana could not speak through the lump in her throat, so for a while, Edmund just held her close to him, kissing the top of her hair, repeating in soft whispers the he was sorry.

Diana was squeezing her arms tightly around him, and holding the back of his shirt tightly in her fists. Her face was buried in his chest, and her eyes were tightly shut, as if she was willing the images of her sister being close to Edmund to disappear from her mind.

She knew it was foolish of her to think about it, but it was true what her sister had said; that it was normal for kings to have multiple concubines. But Diana couldn't help but be selfish. She wanted Edmund to herself, and she was ashamed to admit it.

"I assure you, I do not intend to ever take a concubine, as long as I live, I will be faithful to you only. I might be a king, but I am a king of Narnia, and we do things differently here. I love you. And only you. Remember I promised to make you believe that you were worthy of love." Edmund kept talking and reassuring her, as though he had read her mind.

Diana relaxed again after a bit. "Is it selfish of me to want you all to myself?" She asked in a shaky voice. Edmund chuckled. "I don't think that is selfish. And even if it were, I still think that would be a good thing. I suppose that means that I would be selfish too." He said stroking her hair as if comforting a child.

They stayed like that for a while, until it was time for dinner. When they had eaten Edmund and Diana quickly went back to Diana's room where Carissa was sleeping. Diana sat down in the bed next to her dearest friend, and carefully pulled the cover up over her shoulder, and brushed her hand over her hair.

Edmund sat next to Diana and they sat like that in silence. It was not an awkward silence, it was actually rather pleasant. They did not need to talk to feel comfortable together. Edmund leaned his head against Diana's shoulder, and she leaned against him.

"I should probably go to bed now." Edmund said, but made no attempt to move, in fact he hugged her tighter, and nuzzled his face closer to her neck. Diana giggled. "That tickles." She tried to shake him off, but suddenly froze. She could feel his lips against her neck. He placed feathery kisses on her neck, trailing up towards her cheek, and eventually he kissed her lips.

"I love you." He whispered, as he pulled away and walked back to his own room.