The Line of Duty

Chapter 9

Cair Paravel was a picturesque view, quite possibly one of the most beautiful sights in all of Narnia. Inside the Narnians were lined in rows in the Great Hall before the four thrones the Kings and Queens would sit upon. Together, the Pevensies walked along side Aslan and up to their respective chairs. 

Following them up the isle were the Beavers holding cushions with two tiaras and two crowns, and Mr Tumnus and Aras. As Aslan began to speak, Mr Tumnus took a silver tiara from Mrs Beaver's cushion.

"To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant." 

The fawn gently placed the tiara on Lucy head. Aras in turn took the silver crown and walked towards Edmund.

"To the great western woods, King Edmund the Just."

Edmund gave her a nervous grin as she placed the crown on his head, to which she answered with a wink.

 "To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan the Gentle."

A gold tiara was placed on Susan's head by Mr Tumnus.

"And to the clear northern skies, King Peter the Magnificent."

Aras raised the gold crown and placed it on Peter's head. The smile he gave her was one of pure happiness and something else hidden.

"Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen. May your wisdom grace us until the stars come raining down from the heavens." Aslan proclaimed.

"Long live King Peter! Long live Queen Susan! Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Lucy!" The Narnians cheered.

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The celebrations were in full swing as the newly crowned Kings and Queens were thanked and congratulated by many of the Narnians. Aras, who was standing off to the side, a goblet in hand looked across the throne room with a sense of peace. In the midst of her solitude, Peter walked up to her and looked over the many people talking, laughing and dancing. The two made eye contact and smiled before quickly finding somewhere else to look around the room.

"W-would you care to dance, Aras?" Peter asked, his voice shook with nerves.

Aras placed her goblet on the table beside her and turned to Peter and placed her hand in his outstretched one, "I'd be honoured, my King."  

Peter grinned and rolled his eyes at her teasing. The walked to the dance floor where other couples were gliding around in graceful circles. It wasn't until Peter and Aras faced each other that he realised he had no idea how to dance any Narnian dance, of course he had been forced to learn dances back home but they were nothing like these. 

Aras gave him a knowing smile, "I'm afraid you are going to have to let me lead."

Peter laughed halfheartedly and let her place his left hand against her between them so their shoulders were aligned. He looked at her feet and watched how she stepped and mimicked her movements, and slowly but surely he gained confidence in his steps and lifted his eyes from their feet to trail up her body length, taking the opportunity to admire how she looked. The dress she wore was a deep red and sat just off her shoulders. The bodice was tight over her curves and platinum coloured armour was woven within the detailing and finished in angled peaks over her exposed collar bones. The dress flattered her greatly and any man would have to be blind not to notice. Her wild hair was braided back and the rest still fell in it's wild mane down her back. Is the young King's eyes, she was a vision.

"You look beautiful, Aras." 

Aras bowed her head, "Thank you, Peter. You look very handsome as a King."

Peter ducked his head to hide his blush to which Aras chuckled. There was an unspoken chemistry between the two, the way they glided around the dance floor as though they'd done this a million times, the way they became so close after knowing each other for such a short time, a chemistry that could be seen by all around them. While many watched them with happy smiles and knowing looks, there was one who watched with a sad smile knowing in time the Pevensies would leave and hearts would be broken, but not even he the great lion could change that.

As the song came to an end, the two disappeared out to the balcony both in a need of fresh air and a little quiet. The silence that encompassed them was comfortable, and did not need to be broken. But Peter felt the need to.

"What will you do now? Since the Witch is defeated and there is peace in Narnia, I mean."

Aras pursed her lips in though and leaned her elbows on the stone railing that overlooked the beach below. "The Witch is gone yes, but there are some who still follow her in other countries, and others that will look to Narnia, debating if its new leaders are worth challenge. There may be peace now but it will not be long until those game enough will look to challenge you and your family."

Peter frowned at her words, there are other countries that would challenge them? Aras took not of the doubt on his face.

"You need not worry, I know the ways of the other kingdoms, I can and will help you defeat them if the challenge arises."

Peter seemed to calm at her words, if only slightly. But when her warm and comforting had rested on his forearm, he felt his heart jump and leaned into her touch. He worried she might have felt or heard his heart pound within his chest, but her touch disappeared so quickly he couldn't be sure.

"I-ah, excuse me I-I have to go." Aras was gone before Peter could protest let alone process what just happened.

Why had she fled so suddenly? Did he do something wrong? A million other questions and doubts flooded the High King's mind as he looked for any sign of the young woman, instead he found his brother walking towards him.

"Are you alright, Peter? You look lost." Edmund observed.

"I-ah-it's nothing, Ed." Peter stuttered, his brows drawn together above his eyes.

Edmund raised a sceptical eyebrow, "It's Aras, isn't it?"

"What would make you say that?"

"Well I saw you dancing with her and she was standing her with you a minute ago and poof she's gone and here you are looking like a stunned mullet." Edmund explained.

Peter squinted at his brother for a moment then looked in the direction Aras had disappeared. "I think I may have done something wrong, but I have no idea what."

"Maybe it's her." Edmund shrugged.

At Peter's confused expression, one that seemed to becoming permanent, he continued. "Well maybe she's nervous, or I don't know, maybe something she did?"

Peter half nodded, thinking Edmund may have been on to something and he was just overthinking himself. What they both did not know, was that Edmund was right. When Aras had placed her hand on Peter, she hadn't been thinking, she was distracted whether by Peter or something else - most likely Peter - and for that second she completely forgot what she was doing, and what these actions could lead to. 

Aras weaved through the crowds and out of the throne room and down the corridor until she could no longer hear the sounds of the celebrations. She slouched against the stone wall and heaved out a few breaths. What was she doing? Falling for him? Nope she couldn't let that happen, it would just end in a broken heart, most likely hers. She knew from the moment the Pevensies arrived, they would have to leave again, he would leave her. If she was to avoid getting her heart broken like that, then she would have to ignore the racing of her heart around him, the rush she got when he was next to her, the flipping in her stomach when he said her name. She'd have to block all those things from her mind, and it wasn't going to be easy, but it was better than a broken heart, wasn't it?

I'll give you all a few minutes to recover from the shock of me actually updating, I know it's been forever!!! But I've had no inspo for this story and university is being an absolute *few colourful words* by giving me 24 assignments!!!! Yep 24 assignments!!! But on the bright side I only have 3 weeks left so once term's finished updates will be a little more regular... hopefully. Vote, comment, you know the drill, stay awesome!!