Favorite of the King

Chapter 21

    Early the next morning, Yvaine walked through the castle halls with her notebook in hand. She'd woken earlier than usual and had begun to write her fifth weekly report to King Hakan, but had grown bored of it. Now, she was reviewing her notes, trying to piece together what to say.

    Yvaine stuck to the side halls of the palace, hoping to avoid anyone else who might be awake. Not that anyone but servants would be. The sun was barely starting to rise. Raised voices caught her attention, suddenly.

    She paused, listening. The voices came again from down a set of stairs. Yvaine hesitated a moment before setting down her notebook and tiptoeing down the stairs. There was a small open room at the foot of the stairs. A wall panel was pushed to the side, revealing a sturdy wooden door that was slightly ajar.

    She crept closer and slunk into the room. If I get caught, they'll most definitely think I'm a spy, she scolded herself. Still, Yvaine didn't leave. She found herself at the top of another flight of steps. From her vantage point, she could see into what looked to be a large treasure room. Four chests lined one wall, with statues of Edmund, Peter, Susan, and Lucy behind them.

    "You aren't listening to me," Edmund said, suddenly.

    "And you're not listening to me," Peter retorted.

    "She's not a spy, Pete. Why can't you just accept that?"

    "Why are you so quick to trust? She's a Telmarine. Her loyalty is to Hakan, not Narnia, and not you. We don't know how many secret messages she might've sent."

    They're talking about me, Yvaine realized. I was right. Peter really doesn't trust me. I was hoping he might've started to come around.

    "You and I both know that we would've found out by now, if she'd been doing that," Edmund scoffed. "Besides, what spy would tell their so called enemy that they're a spy?"

    "Maybe she told you to get you off her scent." She heard Peter sigh, before he spoke again. "She seems like a nice girl, Edmund, but we can't trust her. Not until Narnia is safe. Maybe she isn't spying for Hakan, but she could be used against you."

    Edmund crossed his arms. "Not wittingly."

    "No, maybe not wittingly. Still, though. Suppose things become more serious between the two of you and King Hakan found out? He wouldn't hesitate to use Yvaine as leverage against us. Would you really risk Narnia for her?"

    "Of course not, but I'd risk my own life."

    "That would still leave Narnia vulnerable. It's four of us or none of us, Ed. You know that."

    "I think there's something more you're forgetting. We have Aslan to help us. You always rely on yourself and never on the help of others, or on Aslan. Just once, stop relying on your own judgement. Get to know Yvaine and stop judging her."

    "I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want her to be used against you, pawning you into a war."

    "I know what it's like to be a pawn, better than anyone. I won't be one again. You need to trust me and you need to trust her."

    "Ed..."

    "I'm done talking about it, Peter. Let's talk about it when you're going to talk about it as my brother, not a king."

    Yvaine scrambled back out of the room as Edmund's footsteps approached the staircase. She snatched up her notebook and sprinted back into the hallway. Yvaine ducked down a side hall just as Edmund appeared.