𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇
⸻ Cordelia Winterbourne's ordinary life with her mother was shattered by the onset of war, prompting Cordelia's mother to make a gut-wrenching decision by sending her daughter away for a while to keep her safe.
However, fate had a di...
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Caspian's grin widened as he pivoted towards a cabinet, retrieving something before turning back to us. With a mischievous glint, he revealed Edmund's torch, tossing it to him.
"Thanks," Ed acknowledged, opening it to inspect the contents.
Caspian then shifted his attention to me. "Oh, and Cora," he said, pulling out a small box from the cabinet once again. Opening it, my breath caught as I gasped—it was my necklace.
Stepping forward, I stood in front of Caspian, a mix of gratitude and surprise in my eyes. With a gentle touch, I retrieved my necklace from the box, feeling the weight of its familiar presence in my hands.
"Thank you for keeping it," I expressed my gratitude, casting a glance at Caspian with an appreciative smile.
"My pleasure, Cordelia," he replied warmly, prompting a chuckle from me.
With a subtle gesture, Caspian retrieved another small box from the cabinet, unveiling Ed's necklace—the one I had given to him.
Edmund extended his gratitude to Caspian as he retrieved his necklace from the box. Caspian nodded in acknowledgment before ushering us to the meeting room located on the other side of the current room. As Caspian departed, Lucy followed suit, but Edmund and I lingered behind for a moment.
"May I?" Edmund's voice reached me, and I turned to face him.
"Of course," I replied, a faint smile gracing my lips as I handed him my necklace. With a gentle touch, I released the clasp, allowing the necklace to rest in his palm. Turning around, I lifted the low ponytail from the nape of my neck, granting him easy access to fasten the necklace in place.
The unspoken gesture held a deeper significance between us, an unspoken understanding that transcended mere words.
As he secured the clasp of my necklace, his fingers delicately brushed against the nape of my neck, sending a subtle shiver down my spine. Turning around, I let my hair cascade down my back.
Taking a deliberate pace, I gently retrieved his necklace from his hand, slowly wrapping it around his neck while our gaze remained locked. Once I fastened the necklace, my arms lingered around his neck, our eyes holding an unspoken conversation as we lost ourselves in that intense moment.
"I love you," he started, breaking the tranquil silence. I hummed softly in response.
"I love you more, Ed," I whispered before closing my eyes. The space between us lessened as he leaned forward, his lips meeting mine in a tender, heartfelt kiss.
As our embrace softened, I sensed the curve of his smile against my lips just before he withdrew, grinning at me. Our faces stayed intimately close, my arms embracing his neck, as I tenderly played with his chocolate brown locks. Simultaneously, his hands found their place on my waist, drawing us even nearer.
"What's on your mind now, Pevensie?" I inquired, mirroring his grin. He shook his head, maintaining the smile on his face.
"Nothing at all, I'm simply delighted to have you in my arms again," he mentioned before leaning in for another kiss, and I eagerly reciprocated the gesture.
We lingered in the room for a moment before finally breaking away.
"Alright, it's time to make our way to the meeting room," I chuckled, observing the boy in front of me puffing out a small sigh but nodding in agreement nonetheless.
Exiting the room, our fingers instinctively entwined as we entered the meeting space. Inside, Lucy and Caspian were gathered around a table adorned with a detailed map. Lord Drinian stood alongside them, patiently waiting for our arrival.
"Took you two long enough," Caspian remarked, a smirk playing on his lips while Lucy snickered.
"It wasn't too long," I retorted with a huff, moving to stand beside Edmund, who was positioned next to his sister. We took our place across from Caspian, while Drinian occupied the left side of the table.
Thankfully, Caspian refrained from further teasing as he began explaining, gesturing toward the map spread before us on the table.
"Since your last visit, the Giants of the North surrendered without conditions. Additionally, we triumphed over the Calormen armies at the Great Desert," he detailed, and we listened intently.
"There's now peace reigning over all of Narnia," Caspian announced, surprising me.
"Peace?" Ed queried, equally surprised.
"In just three years," Caspian proclaimed.
Lucy chimed in, delicately tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And have you found yourself a queen in those three years?"
"No, not one to compare with your sister," Caspian replied, a smile gracing his lips before Ed intervened.
"Hang on," he interjected. "If there are no wars to fight and no one is in trouble, why are we here?"
"Well, that's precisely what I was about to ask," I added, my gaze still fixated on the map before me.
"It's a valid question. I've been asking myself the same thing," Caspian admitted.
"So, where are we sailing to?" I inquired.
"Before I reclaimed the throne from my uncle, he attempted to eliminate my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters," Caspian explained, turning to glance at the illustrated portraits behind him. Ed moved to my side to examine the drawings.
"The seven lords of Telmar," Caspian disclosed before continuing, "They fled to the Lone Islands. No one has heard from them since."
"Do you suspect something has happened to them?" Ed inquired, his attention fixed on the images.
"Well, if it has, it's my responsibility to investigate," Caspian replied. At that moment, I spoke up.
"I believe it's our responsibility now," I asserted, drawing their focus towards me. "I think that's why we've been brought here. To assist you."
A hush fell over us as Caspian nodded in agreement with my words. Lucy, seizing the moment, posed her question.
"Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?" she asked, indicating the map where The Lone Islands were marked.
"Uncharted waters," Drinian finally contributed after his silent observation. "Realms filled with things you can scarcely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and far worse."
Edmund's grin widened at Drinian's description. "Sea serpents?"
But before Drinian could elaborate further, Caspian intervened, biting into his apple, signaling an end to the discussion.
