Favorite of the King

Chapter 15

"Yvaine, wake up!" Evolet shook her roughly.

Yvaine blinked her eyes open with a groan. "What time is it?"

"Later than I realized. Come on. Get up. Mrs. Beaver came by and said the Kings and Queens want to talk with us this morning." Evolet pulled her upright before she could protest. Ev shoved a tray of breakfast onto her lap and grabbed a brush.

She combed the tangles out of Yvaine's hair as she ate. Yvaine passed a few strawberries back to Ev. She finished eating just as Evolet finished up her hair.

Yvaine leaped to her feet and entered the closet. An array of clothes met her sight. It seemed that Mrs. Beaver had found even more clothes and had brought them in sometime. Her mouth quirked to the side as she thought.

Finally, she grabbed a dress, the shade of periwinkles. Yvaine slid it on and laced up the side with no difficulty. She stepped back out of the closet, eyes wide. "I'm never wearing a Telmarine dress again."

"Narnians know how to live in comfort, apparently. These dresses are suited for dancing, riding, hunting, fighting, you name it!" Evolet giggled. "Maybe we can buy some and take them home when we leave. I'm burning all of my dresses as soon as we get home."

"Burning them?"

"I'll need room for my new gowns." Ev flared her skirts out and twirled. Yvaine laughed and looped an arm through Ev's.

"Come on. If they want to speak with us, we should go." They stepped out the door quickly and made their way down the stairs.

Mrs. Beaver met them at the bottom. "Ah, there you are. I had just been on my way to fetch you. Their Majesties are in the Great Hall." She motioned for them to follow.

Two fauns guarded the throne room doors and let them in without question. The four siblings were seated on their thrones. The only one wearing a crown, Yvaine noticed, was Peter. I wonder why they did that. Maybe it's because he's the High King? Or maybe Susan, Edmund, and Lucy just didn't want to wear their crowns.

The faun, Tumnus, was standing at the foot of the dais. Mrs. Beaver curtsied and ducked back out of the room. Evolet took her place behind Yvaine. The two of them curtsied and waited.

"Before anything else, I thought it would be wise if we all discussed this treaty," Peter began. "Edmund has told us all that he can. I'm hoping you have more information that could be beneficial to us."

"I only know what I've been told and what I've read from the treaty, but I'll gladly try to explain a few things," Yvaine replied.

"The treaty mentions that no Narnians are allowed beyond the foothills of the mountains, and that no Telmarines may cross into Narnia. How does King Hakan intend to send and receive messages between countries?" Peter asked.

Yvaine pulled her copy of the treaty out and unrolled it. She skimmed over it until she came to the appropriate segment. "It says here that none may cross the border unless it's absolutely required and is done with great caution and reason. Messages are only sent between our countries during times of need. I think that would fall under those descriptions."

"How would you suggest we go about sending messages in the future?" Susan asked.

Are you joking? They must know all of this. They're trying to test me or something, Yvaine thought, rather annoyed. She hoped her expression hadn't betrayed her thoughts. "I would suggest appointing an official messenger to Telmar. I could include it in my report to King Hakan. In turn, he could appoint his own messenger. Those messengers would be allowed to cross the border provided they have a legitimate reason. Messenger birds are always an option, as well."