The Golden Age - Narnia fanfiction (Edmund x oc)

11. The ball

Diana was shaking as she walked through the castle. She had no idea where she was going and what she was gonna do. She still refused to cry as she was scared that she might run into one of her siblings. Suddenly as she turned a corner she hit something, or someone. She quickly apologized and stepped away flustered.

"Don't worry about it, it was just as much my fault." Diana heard Peter's calm voice and looked him straight in the face. Suddenly she could not hold back her tears anymore when she saw the worried look he was giving her. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder.

She knew that this would not be considered appropriate behavior by any of her family members if they came, but she didn't care, she had come to know the Pevensies during her stay there, she knew they cared about her and that they were willing to help her whenever she was feeling down.

She felt Peter's arms wrap around her shaking shoulders in a tight and comforting hug. "What's wrong Dina? Did someone hurt you?" He asked but she could not answer, she couldn't get a word out between her sobs. Peter then decided just to let her cry for a bit, before he then suggested that they go somewhere they could talk.

They both sat down on a sofa, and Diana eventually calmed down enough to explain everything to Peter. She was not sure how he would react but she needed to tell him, or at least someone, who would be able to help.

She told him everything about how her family had treated her since her mother died, and how she was the expendable one so they had sent her off to the arranged marriage to the king of a country that was considered savage by many of the surrounding countries. And she told him how terrified she was of her family, and about her father threatening to hurt Carissa if she didn't get the wedding over with so that they couldn't change their minds.

She went on like this for a while and Peter just listened, being used to having two sisters who also rambled whenever they had problems that they wanted to tell him about.

When she was done, Peter scooted closer to the princess and put an arm around her shoulder. "You don't need to follow his orders anymore now that you live here. We will be here to protect you." He reassured her. "But what will he do to Carissa if I don't?" She looked up at Peter. "I'm scared." She admitted, "he might not be able to hurt me anymore, but he can still hurt her, and he would, she is just a lowly servant in his eyes, but he knows how much she means to me and will use that to get what he wants."

Peter grew frustrated with this, thinking of what he could do to save the poor servant girl. "Well he did say that she would be staying here with you when they leave." He said, trying desperately to cheer the princess up. "Yeah but he won't leave until he has what he wants either." Diana said, looking defeated and on the brink of tears again.

At this moment Lucy walked into the room where Peter was comforting Diana, and immediately ran to sit down at the other side of her, throwing her arms around her. "What's wrong Dina? Did someone hurt you?" She asked once she had settled. Diana smiled at the young queen's care and leant her head on Lucy's head that was resting on Diana's shoulder.

Susan entered after Lucy and Peter then rose to give her his space next to Diana. "What happened?" Susan asked with her usual worried motherly tone, as she sat down and also wrapped her arms around the princess.

Diana explained everything to them and they comforted her, trying to think of ways that they could keep the servant girl safe. "We could set her to work in the kitchen among our own servants, she would then have to move to the servant's chambers, and they would not be able to get to her." Lucy suggested. "He wouldn't allow that, he would say that she should remain a guest servant, as long as they were still staying here." Diana said with defeat painted on her face.

"So there is really nothing we can do for her?" Susan said also starting to feel the defeat. Diana shook her head. "Only one thing. Setting a date for the wedding." "Yes, but..." Lucy started to protest but there was nothing she could say.

Diana was raised with the mentality that it was always the man that had to propose, so all she could do was try to give him hints, and make herself look pretty for him, but Edmund was not getting it, he of course noticed her making more of an effort in her appearance, but it made him too flustered to look at her properly, much less talk to her, and he was enjoying the time he got to spend with her, to get to know each other better, almost forgetting his duty in the process.

This caused Diana's father to become impatient, and lash out at Carissa, and Diana was getting desperate.

The ball that they had been preparing for, for months was now finally happening. It was the excuse that Diana's father had used to come to Cair Paravel in the first place. Diana was getting ready with the two queens and they giggled while telling stories and teasing each other. They all picked out their absolute best ball gowns and their hair was put up in magnificent braided hairdos, by the maids that were helping them get ready. Diana's hair had grown longer throughout her stay at the castle, and the two queens gushed over how beautiful she was, making Diana blush.

"I have something for you, I don't know if now is a good time to give it, but it's nothing special so I didn't want to go up in front of everyone when the official gift giving starts..." Diana was fiddling with her dress, blushing slightly as she handed over a piece of paper to each of the queens. On each of them was a beautifully drawn pencil portrait of the queen receiving the gift.

"I didn't want to get you something with your own money and since I do not have any money of my own, this is all I could do." She tried to explain the humble gifts, still fiddling and red faced. The two queens showered her with thanks and praise overwhelming the princess.

Once they were done Diana went to give the two kings their gifts, and they were equally as excited about their gift as the two queens had been. When she was done, she went straight to the ballroom but the kings and queens stayed behind to make their grand entrance once all the guests had arrived.

Diana was standing awkwardly in a corner actively trying to avoid being seen by her siblings or her father. She quickly ducked to hide behind a table that was beautifully decorated and many of the best beverages Narnia had to offer was on display, free to take from, as many of the guests had already done so.

"Who are we hiding from?" She heard a male voice next to her ask. She jumped and turned to look at him and saw a brown haired boy with blue eyes. He was crouched behind the table next to her. "My family." She answered slightly embarrassed. "Right, and which ones would that be?" He said looking slightly over the table to see the guests. Diana also looked over the table and pointed them out to him.

"I see, honestly I would hide too if they were my family. No one would ever believe that you were related, you are on a whole other level than them. Their beauty cannot even compare." He said slightly teasing. She giggled,  feeling at ease and suddenly they heard trumpets.

"Enter the kings and queens of Narnia!" A voice shouted out over the crowd.