Tranquility (Chronicles of Narnia fan fiction)

Chapter 24

As Natalie woke the next morning, she lay still in bed, staring out unseeing into her room, her thoughts on what had transpired the night before. Had that really happened? She got up, shivering from the cold and slipping a robe on and walked over to her wash room. As she prepared for the day, she felt both nervous about how she would face Edmund, and anxious to see him again. She had never felt this connected to someone, not even her beloved brother an best friend who she missed with all her being. Deciding thinking about those types of things would just make her more anxious, she put it off her mind and got dressed.

She met her friends in the hall and smiled when Caspian joined them that morning. As they walked down the hall, she glanced over at Edmund, catching his eye, and smiled shyly at him. He smiled back just as bashfully and it strangely made her feel better. At least she wasn't the only one feeling awkward about what had happened between them, or what could have happened, anyway. Caspian and Lucy, on the other hand, could tell something had definitely changed between them and throughout breakfast they could sense a sort of tension between them again, however, it wasn't the bad kind. They noticed a happiness between them that told them that whatever changed was a good thing.

"Come on, Nat, we'll train in the barracks again, okay?" Edmund said after breakfast.

"Alright," Natalie nodded and stood from her seat. "Either of you want to join us?"

"I was actually going to go visit Professor Cornelius today, so no, I'll see you two later," Caspian answered.

"And I wanted to see how the villagers are doing in this dreadfully cold weather," Lucy told them, smiling conspiratorially with Caspian.

"...You guys aren't plotting something, are you?" Natalie asked dryly.

"No," Caspian laughed. "We just thought you two wanted some time alone, seeing as you're getting along so well... especially after that fight you had?" Lucy nodded in agreement.

"Well... thanks," Edmund blinked. 'Why does it feel like they're always playing match-maker with us?' He sighed inwardly but shrugged and gestured for Natalie to follow him. He was glad that Caspian had so much insight. He did want to spend some time alone with Natalie, now that she was more receptive to his affection, he was going to make sure she didn't retreat behind her walls again. He cared too much for her to hurt herself that way. Now that he knew she felt the same way for him, or at least a fraction of what he felt for her, he wanted to see how far he could take his "relationship" with her.

"Something on your mind?" Natalie asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Just thinking about our future," Edmund smiled enigmatically.

"We have a future now?" She grinned.

"Sure we do... for example, our future holds us training some more in swordsmanship, does it not?" He grinned back.

"True," Natalie nodded. "Something tells me you're planning something else, though..."

"Nonsense!" Edmund chuckled, leading her passed the courtyard and toward the barracks. "I'm not at all not planning anything..."

"Wait, isn't that a double negative?" Natalie raised her brow.

"Come on, I asked the men to give us some privacy..." Edmund instead replied.

"Hmm..." Natalie narrowed her eyes but didn't push the subject.

"So have I introduced you to my wooden sword yet?" Edmund grinned as he walked over to the training wall and got them some practice swords. He tossed her a sword and made to attack in a slow but wide arch.