To Defend Our Land

Chapter 2 Tension

I get the spiders with no problem, I seal the jar, trapping them, mainly to kill them so they'd be easier to clean up. After all it was a dead spider Lord Vervan was afraid of.
That night, I put on my cloak and hid under the covers, waiting for Susan to come inside to see if I was asleep.
She always did that, cause if she didn't I'd fall asleep with the candle still burning, while I was writing.
"The last thing we want is fire," she'd warn me.
I, Queen Verity the Faithful, was none as the intelligent one by the Narnians. I was involved in every international dispute other countries had with us. And I was a master mind at planning battles and skilled with the sword. I had always been the smartest in school, except for Peter. But when it came to everyday situations in life, I could be scatterbrained.
Susan was quite different. While I was full of adventure, she was sensible. No wonder she's Queen Susan the Gentle.
King Edmund the Just was just like me. Head in the clouds, a lot of the times. Only when I was thinking of nature, life, and stories I'd one day write, he was full of adventures and schemes. Well, I thought of schemes, too, and I was better at it. We were alike in personality, almost twins, he only a year and a half older. We were comrads in mischief not in business, as Edumd's brain needed mine to help him in that area of life. But he is not as stupid like he used to be.
Ruth is the closest to me in age, barely a year younger, but we don't always get along. Queen Ruth the Humble fits her perfectly. Although sometimes get her to help with our schemes it doesn't always happen. She  always seems to know about them and she tries her best to stop us. She's the quietest of all six of us siblings. I talk the most.
Queen Lucy the Valiant is one with the faith. She's the closest to Aslan than all of us. And she's understanding when I need a confidant.
And I haven't forgotten about my oldest brother, High King Peter the Magnificent. As the oldest he is more of a father figure to me and the best brother in the world! No offense to Ed. He and I are quite close and we think the same. Well, almost, he doesn't get into trouble. We look the most alike, too, except for his blue eyes and my brown eyes. He's the High King, so he makes the major decisions. And he's protective, mostly of Susan, who has her eyes on every young man who she meets. I tell him not to worry about me, I don't care about boys, except for my brothers. Anyways I'm only fifteen.
"Verity!" I heard Edmund shout from outside.
"Coming, Ed!" I slip on my boats and head outside, grabbing my jar of spiders. Thank goodness none of the servants heard me.
The cool night air met me with a chilly breeze. Edmund met me at the door and grabbed my hand and we ran over to Lord Vervan's window.
"Wonder if he noticed there is a rope on his window!" I laughed, as I climb up after Edmund, jar in hand.
"I don't think so," grinned Edmund, as," grinned Edmund, as he helped me up.
We open Lord Vervan's window and climb in. I hear snoring come from his bed. He was lying on stomach on his bed, with his blanket deposited on the floor. His arm hung aimlessly from his bed.
"He's a sound sleeper!" I whispered to my brother.
We walk over and dump our dead spiders all over the fellow's bed.
"He'll wake up to find dead spiders on his bed," Edmund chuckled.
"And then Cair Paravel will be Vervan-free," I giggled,"So long Lord Vervan."
We climb down the window and head back to our rooms. I finally retired to my bed, satisfied of tomorrow's outcome.

"Despicable! Selfish! And foolish!" Peter barked angrily. He marched about the room with his hands behind his back.
Lord Vervan had left, as Edmund and I had hoped. But I hadn't really figured out how to get past my oldest brother's wrath.
Now all six of us were in the meeting room. Susan, crying over her departed crush at the table and Lucy beside her. She was watching Peter lecture Edmund, Ruth, and I.
Why, Ruth, you might ask. Well, as you know she'd do anything to keep us out of trouble, so she admitted she knew about the plan.
"Verity, as you started all this in the first place, you also can be the first to explain," Peter said in a more kinder tone.
"He deserved it," I retorted.
"Nothing about he deserved it. Do you have an idea about how many people you could have hurt," scowled Susan, glaring at me.
"Only you and Lord Vervan," I answered,"But I don't care. He was a scum and he made fun of me, just because I was different. Because I was involved in political matters. He laughed at the idea that I was smart. He called me an idiot!"
"Verity!" Exclaimed a shocked Susan.
"That's enough, Susan," Peter looked back at me,"I'm disappointed in both of you and Ruth. Susan's right, you could have hurt more people than you know. How will we ever be able to make peace with Archenland now that you've ruined our reputation?"
"They were only spiders," scoffed Edmund.
"And they were dead," Lucy added.
"And he doesn't know," I replied.
"Verity, that doesn't matter. Now, you two listen to me. Putting our nation's welfare before our honour is the right thing to do?" Peter explained,"And Ruth, I know you want to keep Edmund and Verity out of trouble, but it's best to tell us before they do get into trouble."
"I'm sorry, Peter," she hung her head.
"I forgive you," he replied, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, I was defending more than my honour," I came up with an excuse.
"You were?" Peter asked.
"Edmund was too," I looked at my other brother, who nodded his head.
"It was Susan's honour as well. He was madly in love with her, Peter," Edmund explained.
Susan lifted her head, staring at us in bewilderment.
"He was!" Peter was now getting in his over-protective mode.
"Such as man as him would do anything," I nodded,"We didn't want him to hurt Susan."
Susan jumped to her feet, anger written on her face,"How could you, Verity!"
"What?" I asked confused.
"He's a perfect gentleman, he would never...." She burst out.
"Susan, maybe...." Lucy protested.
But she ignored her,"You deceitful wicked girl, you need a lesson and a good one!"
"I'm not deceitful, it's the truth!" I yelled back.
"Peter should send you away, where they'll teach you to become a proper young lady. One who never says such things! Or I'll teach you myself!" She shouted.
"I'm a queen, I don't need to...and Peter would never..." I retorted.
"Oh, yes you do," Susan shook me vigorously,"You need a proper upbringing. One that you've missed. You're 15-years-old and you act like a 2-year-old!"
"Stop!" Cried Ruth.
"Stop, both of you!" Lucy added,"Why can't you just get along?"
Free of Susan's grasp, I walked towards the door,"Because it's impossible, Peter," I turned to my older brother,"I will dine with the rest of you until Susan realizes that I was helping her. Tell Mrs. Beaver that I wish to eat in my room."
"If you do that, I'll make sure you will starve," Susan glared.
"Then I shall starve," I answered solemnly.
"Verity!" Exclaimed Lucy,"You wouldn't!"
"Yes, I would," I told her abruptly."I think I'll go riding, to let my anger cool down. Maybe I'll even change my mind. Until then, Good day." I closed the door and walked out to the stable.