Moonshine

Chapter 26- Alithiní Agápi

αληθινή αγάπη: alithiní agápi
Greek
True Love
-

"Of course." Peter's voice rang out, and Edmund and Sanya's quiet conversation stilted, the couple turning their heads around once again, to see two figures walking towards them. "Edmund has plastered himself onto you like needle-grass on clothes."

Sanya did not want her first words to her brother-in-law after a thousand years to be 'shut up, Peter', so she held her tongue.

Edmund had no such qualms- and, his arm slung around his wife's shoulder, he easily retorted, "Shut up, Peter."

"Just the truth." Peter waggled his brows, and the couple rolled their eyes in unison. "Oh, come on. If either of you had said it to the other, you'd have laughed yourselves sick."

He was not wrong, but Sanya wasn't going to admit that.
She decided to change the subject, and smiled a little.
"The person who's bitchy towards you has returned, Pete."
Should she tell him about her quest, about Ephre?
Well, she knew she should- but was now the right moment?

"I can see that." He said, and then bit his lip. He had no wish to turn things heavy so soon- but he had to ask. He had to know. "Sanya- do you know- if Aura-"

"I'm sorry." She wondered how many times she'd have to say it. "It's just me, Peter, no one else."

"Oh." He had expected it, but it didn't hurt any less. There had been the slightest ember of hope in him, flickering ever since Sanya had collapsed into his brother's arms. "How was she? After- after we left?"

"She was strong. She grieved for you for many years- but she stayed strong through it all. She married someone else, about twelve years later-" She watched his face fall, which she had known would happen, but she did not want to keep such a huge detail hidden, "but she never stopped loving you. You were and would always be in her heart."

"I see." He didn't know what he saw, but he didn't know what else to say. He was glad Aura had moved on- he was grateful she hadn't lost her whole life because her fiancé had disappeared. But still- a small, ugly part of him had wished she stayed devoted to him all her life.
Then he told himself to shut the fuck up. Aura had moved on, and she had learnt to be happy, and she had loved again. Peter loved her, and that was all he wanted for her- that she be happy. He was glad.
"And the little heirs? Did you have another Prince or Princess?"

"Another girl." She then grinned, because- even though she didn't feel like it- it seemed like he needed to see it. "She would've given even you a run for your money when it came to aggression on the training field."

"I don't fancy fighting my baby niece, but I appreciate the thought." He barked out a laugh, before gesturing towards the sword that lay propped up, its blade wrapped in cloth, against one of the cot-legs. "I see you still have Pax."

"Of course, my sword is my constant companion." Her eyes sparkled- it had been such a relief when she had noticed that Pax was still there. She'd never see Laash again- except in dreams- but she would always have her sword. "And I thought you'd have a bouquet of tulips waiting for me?"

"Well, I would." Peter decided to humour her, smiling. By Aslan, it hadn't even been thirty seconds and she was already making him grin. He'd missed her so. "Except that I had no idea you were going to return, San, and Cair Paravel's been destroyed, and thus, so has your garden."

"Cair- what?" She blinked several times, wondering if she had heard wrong- it would not be the first time, her hearing had become worse and worse as she'd become older. She looked to Edmund, who was staring down, and that was when she knew she'd heard perfectly. "Cair's- gone?"