White Christmas {A Narnia Fan Fic} (ON HOLD)

18. Unexpected Surprises

              "Thank you. You may go now."

     Edmund stood next to Vania on the platform in the throne room, watching. Empress Mai had just finished another debate with a general.

     A royal guard walked in.

 "Your majesty, I have a few guests that I hoped you would see. My sister and I found them yesterday." He said, kneeling in front of the platform.

    "Bring them in, Luke. I will not turn anyone away." Empress Mai nodded. Luke bowed his head and left the room.

  "Why do the guards and soldiers have their weapons on their backs?" Edmund whispered to Vania.

     "Easier. Especially when sitting. You don't have to take your sword out and place it on your knees while sitting... much more comfortable." Vania explained.

     "Hmmmm... maybe I should try that." Edmund smirked, stroking Lance who stood next to him.

    He and Vania didn't notice that Luke had returned with the guests.

        "Your majesty, the guests." Luke announced.

   Edmund turned and gasped, going slightly pale.

    "Peter?!" He gasped.

     "Ed?!"

*~~**~~**~~*+*~~**~~**~~*

      "Ed?!" Peter's eyes went wide when he spotted his brother standing up on the platform.

   Edmund just stood there, pale and unmoving, staring at his brother and sisters.

    "Edmund?" Vania said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

         Edmund snapped out of his daze and looked at Vania before he dashed out the room.

    "Edmund!" Vania called after him.

           "Vania, dear, give him a minute. He needs some space." Empress Mai told her daughter before  turning back to the guests who stood shocked, looking in the direction where Edmund disappeared.

     "Welcome to the Kingdom of the Ice Fairies. I am Empress Mai, and this is my daughter, Vania. I'm sorry about all this. Vania found Edmund yesterday in the woods, shortly before the storm and brought him here. Since we are protected by a barrier, the storm cannot reach us." Mai stood up gracefully from her throne.

     Peter bowed. "We are thankful that we were found and brought here. I apologize, I wasn't expecting my brother to be here and safely out of the storm. It was... a shock to see him." Peter said.

      "It's alright. Edmund told me that he ran away. You are welcome to stay for as long as necessary. This storm may go on for weeks." Mai smiled, "I'll have rooms prepared for you. Vania, you may go and check on him." She added, seeing the look on her daughters face.

    Vania curtsied and started to leave.

      "Wait!"

   Vania turned.

     "Please tell him we're asking for him. And... tell him we're not mad." Peter requested.

  Vania nodded. "I will."

    "And Vania, dear, lunch will be in a couple of hours. So when you're both ready, come to the dinning room." Mai said.

*~~**~~**~~*+*~~**~~**~~*

    "Edmund? You in here?" Vania entered the palace armory and weaponry.

        "Yeah." She heard him mutter.

  She found him staring at some of the weapons on the wall.

   "You okay?" She asked, coming to stand beside him..

     "I guess... I didn't expect them to find me so soon." Edmund mumbled.

          Silence fell, both looking up at the wall.

  "Hey! You said you wanted to try having weapons on your back? How about you dress and arm yourself like a protector?" Vania turned to look at him, excited.

    "A protector?" Edmund looked confused.

       "There are no more protectors in the kingdom. But decades ago, there were protectors who protected the kingdom. The protectors were the most advanced suits ever made, and the weapons are advanced as well."

     "Okay, I'll try." Edmund smiled.

  Vania opened a door and led him to a huge room.

    "Wow!" Edmund gasped.

          Suits of various different colours lined the room, weapons and bits of armor were mounted up on the wall and a model of what looked like a battle was right in the centre.

     "So, what colour would you like?" Vania asked, already inspecting the suits.

   "Oh, ummm.... I don't know... blue?" Edmund shrugged his shoulders, not really paying attention to what she was doing as he inspected the battle model.

     It showed ten protectors, five girls and five boys, fighting an army.

  'They're... children!' Edmund thought, realizing that the former protectors were the same age as him.

    "Great! Try this one on!" Vania pushed him into a separate room and handed him the suit before shutting the door.

      Edmund soon appeared dressed in a blue and silver suit. It was all blue with silver and black straps and buckles, white shoulder guards and weapon strap. It looked like something out of the future.

      "Wow! This looks so cool!" Edmund looked down at himself.

   "Agreed! Let's fit you out with some weapons!" Vania clapped her hands as she dashed to the weapons.

    "Ummm... what about armor?" Edmund asked.

  "Oh! The protectors never needed armor after they got those suits." Vania explained, gesturing to the suit he was wearing. "Here's a coupe of swords, three daggers and a pouch of throwing stars." She said, putting the swords in the weapon strap on his back, the daggers in the front of  his belt and the pouch on the back.

      "Wow! This is great!" Edmund said, looking at the mirror.

  "Practice grabbing your swords." Vania suggested.

     After a while, a guard came.

  "Your majesty, your highness, lunch is served in the dinning room."

       "We'll be right there." Vania smiled. Turning to Edmund, "Ready to see your family and show them your new look?" She grinned.

     Edmund took a deep breath. "Let's go."

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!! I got the idea and design of the suits from Ninjago Prime Empire...

    I'll update as soon as can!!! Next chapter's going to be really interesting with Edmund seeing his brother and sisters....

(Word count: 955)

    Thanks for reading!!!!!!

xxx Claire :)