The Kingdom Of Asterin

Chapter Fifteen

"Very well." Caspian nodded as he excused Arthur.

Caspian rubbed the back of his head, finally realising the tension within the air as he looked between everyone.

"Have I missed something?" The King had asked looking at Edmund.

"No My liege," Aurora shook her head. "But I must admit I seem to have found myself in the same position." She expressed, faking a yawn to which Edmund scoffed at.

Caspian slowly nodded his head, gesturing for her to leave as he smiled sweetly.

"Then there were two." Ed smiled. "What an honour to be dining with the King." He sarcastically spoke.

♖♖♖

Arthur sat in his chambers as he sulked about his recent meal. There was no denying that Caspian had feelings for the Princess too. Who was he kidding? He couldn't possibly beat the love of a King. Truth be told he was scared, frightened even. He never showed an actual interest in anyone, in his youth the only reason girls paid attention to him was for his looks, not for actually who he was; the rest of the time Edmund was trying to get him to get with anything with a pulse.

But there was only one girl that ever had a chance with him, and that girl was Aurora Lannister, Princess of Asterin. He loved everything about her, from the way she could defy to her looks and her devoted personality. He'd never met anyone like her, and he couldn't believe that he had reunited with her once more.

"Boo."

Arthur had jumped out of his skin to such a simple word. Looking from his ceiling to the end of his bed, Edmund chuckled.

"It's just me."

"Sorry, I didn't see you." Arthur divulged.

"Clearly," Edmund remarked as he flopped down next to Arthur. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Arthur nodded.

"You seemed distant at dinner."

"I did?" Arthur lied.

Ed rolled his eyes, "Listen, I'm not stupid, I know what's going on." He beamed as he leaned on his hand, facing his friend.

"You do?"

"I may seem like I don't pay attention but secretly I observe intensely," Edmund answered honestly.

"It's nothing." Arthur sighed as he played with the fray ends of his pillow. Edmund narrowed his eyes as Arthur rolled his. "There's a girl."

Edmund wriggled his eyebrows as Arthur struck him lightly. "Ed, I'm serious... I think I love her."

Edmund gagged, "don't be disgusting that's my sister."

Arthur groaned loudly, "this is what I mean, it's stupid. I shouldn't be talking to you about this."

"No. No. Go on, I'm listening." Edmund apologized.

"The problem is I don't even know if she feels the same way."

"God." Edmund exhaled. "Oh, to be young and in love."

"Shut up." Arthur teased as Edmund laughed.

"Even a blind man could see she's in love with you."

"Really?" Arthur wondered.

"YES!" Edmund shouted. "She's fancied you from the day you two met, she never stopped talking about you. The day you left was the most heartbroken I had ever seen her, she wept over you, lost rest over you, she never got over you." Edmund clarified as Arthur listened closely. "Until the day she saw you again, she acts all tough but deep down she's just a fragile soul. I haven't seen her this joyful for a while." Edmund concluded. "And subconsciously I believe you have always felt the same way. Now, I know I have had my fair share of ladies, but I know love when I see it."

Arthur smiled wildly at the thought of her until it slowly faded. "Yet, I am no Prince or King or part of any royalty, we could never be."

"Tell me you aren't this stupid?" Edmund groaned as he hit his brother. "Do you really think she cares about that?" Arthur shook his head. "Then what's the issue?"

Arthur sighed once more. "King Caspian. I believe he has eyes for Princess Aurora."

"Oh," Edmund responded blankly.

"Oh indeed." Arthur recited. Standing up he began to pace up and down his room. "And if she was to love him back, I would not get in between."

Edmund kneeled up on the bed. "Well, she obviously doesn't like him back, what if there is nothing to get in between?"

"We don't know that for sure, it is possible to have feelings for more than one person," Arthur announced. "And even if there was nothing, I couldn't break his heart like that, he has been nothing but nice to me. He took me in as his own and made me a knight."

"I see." Edmund pondered. "Why don't you speak to him?"

Arthur shrugged his shoulders. "I don't want to have that conversation."

"Surely it's better than to keep it bottled up."

"I'll see, let's just give it time." Arthur ended.

"Fine." Edmund smiled. The Prince and Knight sat in silence, both reminiscing the conversation they had had a few seconds ago, until Edmund let out an ear-piercing laugh, startling Arthur once more.

"What?" Arthur had grinned, looking at his brother.

"You know..." Edmund cackled. "I thought you had eyes for another gender."

"What?" Arthur scoffed. "As in... I liked men?"

"Nineteen years." Ed grinned. "Nineteen years for you to finally tell me you like a girl."

"My skills are not for everyone to see," Arthur smirked. "My body is a temple."

"I'm sure your body carries cobwebs." Edmund laughed aloud, Arthur trying his best to refrain from his smile. "So you're telling me... you're a virgin?"

"Shut up Ed."

"You've never felt the warmth of a woman?"

"Only your sister." Arthur winked. Edmund bit his tongue, he knew he had set himself up. Without another word, he jumped on top of Arthur, keeping him in a headlock as the pair began to roll around play fighting.

There was a fit of chuckles and giggles, the pair doing their best to outshine the other. It was nice. They felt like children again with no worries in the world.

"Sometimes I wonder how you get away with that tongue." Edmund cackled.

♖♖♖