Seven: Dance with Me
Lilith sat atop a now healed Rising, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees as she walked near the middle of the procession of Narnians. The Pevensies were at the front of the procession with Aslan, the beavers, Mr Tumnus and Oreius’s successor, Dorian. She knew that she had every right to join them, however she had chosen not to in fear of Peter bringing up the kiss.
It wasn’t that Lilith didn’t care for Peter like that. In fact she did care for him very strongly and although they had not known each other for very long, what they had been through together had brought them very close. No, the reason Lilith was reluctant to return his affections was fear. Faeries could love but once, and when they did love they loved with all of their being. If she admitted love of Peter she would be connected to him with powerful magic. She would loose the ability to age independently until he renounced love for her or until he died. For a faerie to love was a commitment far bigger than marriage and it scared her that she might be committing far sooner than she thought she would.
“Lady Lilith,” a faun addressed her, snapping her out of her thoughts to look down at him.
“Yes?” She asked kindly, directing Rising to halt so as to be able to talk to the faun more easily.
“Finnel has requested help with the non-speaking horses,” the faun stated, glancing even further back along the procession.
“Thank you,” she nodded at the faun before rounding Rising towards the end of the line of Narnians. Lilith had befriended the head of horses when she had found Rising and took him to the makeshift stables after the fighting. They had spoken for hours while Lilith groomed the gelding and avoided Peter. She had found it difficult to separate herself from him after Lucy had saved her. He had refused to leave her side until she had insisted that she must tend to Rising and that he must speak with Aslan. Peter had yet to find her again since they had set off towards Cair Paravel and Lilith had every intention of keeping it that way.
“You requested assistance,” she greeted Finnel, bringing Rising to a halt where she saw Finnel struggling with two fighting stallions. Upon seeing the struggle Lilith felt a hint of minor worry in her. Although Narnian stallions could be good mounts, when they set their minds towards a mare or towards fighting they could be deadly, to each other or to someone near by.
Swiftly she demounted and stepped towards Finnel and the stallions, casting her mind out and sending soothing thoughts to the two horses. They quickly calmed and backed off from each other to separate sides of the herd of horses.
“Thank you Lilith,” Finnel muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. “The fight might be over, but there is still work to be done.”
Lilith nodded, opting to walk beside the housemaster while Rising followed behind her. Her mind once again drifted towards Peter. She would have to face him eventually as she was to be living in the castle as a lady, and while Cair Paravel was large it was not large enough to go on avoiding the person you cared for forever. Not to mention that Lilith suspected that Peter would set his mind to speaking with her, no matter what.
“Fret not my girl,” Finnel spoke up, guessing what was on her mind since she had spoken about it when she had groomed Rising after the battle. “Everything will turn out.” Lilith nodded, not looking at him as she stared ahead to where she knew Peter was.
Peter had been unable to find a moment to speak to Lilith since she had slipped from his side after the battle. She had been avoiding him and while he did not know why he had made it his mission to find out.
He had hoped that he would be able to find a chance to speak to her when they rehearsed his and his siblings coronation. She was to join Mr Tumnus in crowning him, meaning she was going to be forced to look him in the eyes. However he did not get a chance since as soon as it was done she had disappeared once more to the forest to ride Rising.
Now as he walked down the aisle of centaurs beside Aslan, he caught a glimpse of her beside Mr Tumnus and the Beavers in a dress of deep green and bright white. She seemed to be glowing. But as he stood in front of the steps to the thrones he lost sight of her again as she moved to prepare to walk up the aisle. Moving to stand, facing the crowd in front of his throne he smiled, chin up.
“To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant,” Aslan addressed the crowd as Mr Tumnus and Lilith walk up the aisle behind the Beavers with the crowns. Gently Mr Tumnus lifted Lucy’s silver crown and placed it on her head nodding at her. “To the great Western Wood, King Edmund the Just.” Lilith took Edmund’s silver crown and gently placed it on his head. “To the radiant Southern Sun, Queen Susan, the Gentle.” Mr Tumnus place the gold crown on her head. “And to the clear Northern Sky, I give you King Peter, the Magnificent.” Aslan proclaimed as Lilith softly placed his crown on his head, smiling at him as he rose as if she had not been avoiding him for the past few days. Peter grinned at her and then at the gathered crowd as he and his sibling sat on their thrones and Lilith stepped away.
“Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen.” Aslan turned to address them. “May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.”
The lion turned to face the crowd once more and together everyone, including Lilith proclaimed, “Long Live King Peter! Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Susan! Long live Queen Lucy!”
Lilith stood quietly, off to the side of the celebrations which were to last three days. She held a silver goblet in her hand, wings out and dropped slightly so as to to be a hinderance to any around her. She was happy for the new Kings and Queens of Narnia, however she feared that now the war was done she would loose herself without an immediate threat to protect them from. In addition she had the matter of her heart and the reluctance she felt to so quickly give it away.
“What’s wrong?” The said boy asked, walking up to Lilith and placing a tender hand on her shoulder. She snapped her head up, momentarily stunned by how regal he looked in his the Narnian finery and crown.
“Nothing,” she brushed off his comment, taking a chaste sip from her goblet.
“Why have you been avoiding me?” He asked, decided to come out with it right away. Like ripping off a bandaid he thought.
“I haven’t,” she tried to play innocent. “I’ve just been busy.”
“Yes you have Lilith,” he stated, growing frustrated at her lack of response.
“Fine,” she gave in, looking down at the liquid in her glass. “I’ve needed time to think.” She explained. “About the kiss we shared.”
“What have you been thinking about?” Peter asked softly, staring down at her.
“I care for you,” she started and Peter felt his heart lift. “I do, but I am afraid” Peter almost laughed. She was afraid and she cared for him. He had thought it was something much worse than that.
“You have no reason to be afraid. I wont hurt you,” he reassured her. Lilith simply looked up at him, capturing his gaze with her bright green one.
“Faeries can only love once in their lifetime,” she explained, not smiling. “And when they do they connect with that person. They no longer can die of natural causes so long as that person is alive, and they no longer can age independently.” She continued. Looking down again. Peter didn’t fully understand, however he did not let it phase him. He gathered that she was unwilling to commit at that time, and he was perfectly okay with that. He himself wasn't eve sure if it was love that he felt, or just strong like.
“I understand,” he smiled, placing a finger under her chin so as to make her look up at him again. “I will not rush you into commitment.”
Lilith felt a weight lift off her chest as she looked up into Peter’s sure gaze. Smiling she stood on her toes and placed a light kiss on his lips, enjoying the tingles she received from the contact before pulling away and towards the party as Peter stood there shocked. He hadn’t expected that to be so simple.
“Come,” Lilith called, pulling on his arm gently. “Dance with me.”
Peter stumbled after her and onto the dance floor, placing a hand both on her waist and into her hand. She in turn placed a hand on his shoulder and allowed him to lead her in the dance. He was glad he knew the steps, as was she. She could not imagine what she would do if Peter knew naught of dancing. However she pushed the thought aside, closing to enjoy the music and being in Peter’s arms for the festivities. She would dwell more on the thought of whether she would admit a love of him later, for now she would just dance with him.
~*~
Sorry, this is considerably shorter than previous chapters. I was unsur of how to make it longer without seeming to drag it out.
Before I had decided to do four more chapters and an epilogue. However I feel that ending the story here and then doing an epilogue would be better. When I rewrite this story maybe I will add on to it and make it longer, however for now having it short works just fine for me.
Anyway. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.
-Z