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QUEEN SUSAN'S party was in full swing, her efforts to get every detail correct had paid off and there was hardly a word of complaint— even from Amaryllis, who was enjoying the attention of an ambassador from Ettinsmoor. She even heard several compliments about the young queen's inclusion of all the cultures; she'd even had the musicians play their music so they'd have a dance or two that was familiar to them.
Acacia had even danced with Peter— something that nearly too wonderful for words, both because he had a surprising amount of skill and because they got along splendidly. At first she'd been worried that they wouldn't know what to talk about (Peter had mentioned that his brother and the fifth ruler, Queen Cornelia, had had that trouble), but she needn't have done so. He was quite interested in Terebinthian heritage and she in Narnian culture which had been the first of many subjects that they'd talked about.
She had also found that the Narnians weren't as barbaric as her country made them out to be; rather, they were pleasantly civilized and could hold fascinating conversation. While not everyone was so receptive (the Prince of Calormen, Rabadash, was particularly snooty, choosing to only answer to Queen Susan and ignoring everything else as best he could), there had been no major mishaps. King Lune had brought his sons for the early part of the celebration and they'd been the center of attention during their time there.
Now, Acacia had taken a break from the festivities and had left the room for some respite on the balcony where the music was quieter and the voices muffled. The sun was setting, displaying bright colors on the horizon as it turned the water below shades of carnation and daffodil. Mermaids— who were enjoying their own version of the party— played below, enjoying the unity that the celebration brought. Narnia was truly more beautiful than people gave it credit for, the princess thought as she watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon. It wasn't just a land of barbarians but of captivating and honorable people that deserved respect.
"Enjoying the party?"
She jumped slightly, surprised that anyone but a Terebinthian could approach so quietly. She relaxed the moment she turned, seeing as it was only Peter, "yes, very much, Your Highness."
He gave her an amused look as he came to stand next to her, "you don't have to call me that, you know. Just Peter is fine."
