AN ENCHANTER'S FORETELLING. [NARNIA]

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX | PROPOSITION

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
PROPOSITION

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It was the early morning of their pretend winter ball, and the castle couldn't be any more abuzz. Despite the fact the ball hadn't been intended for the people's own enjoyment and entertainment, there was this sense of anticipation that settled in each of glorious Cair Paravel's residents. For one, Susan Pevensie was up and about as early as six in the morning to begin preparations for tonight's ball—who had been bestowed with the theme of winter wonderland to greet the forthcoming season. It fit rather perfectly, and despite of the early wintertime weather that had taken its residence in the castle, everyone seemed to be just as elated for the ball as they would be if it were a real one. After all, none of them really knew the actual purpose of this rather unforeseen ball, other than Narnia's very own kings, queens, and Royal Court.

The night prior, Queen Susan had made it a point to tell Rose Lovell to not come in the next morning to help prepare her for the day, and only to prepare her for when it was time for the ball that night. Naturally, Rose could not be any more elated to hear this notice, feeling a certain joy she prudently concealed with discretion. Because, not only did it mean she could have the entire morning off and would not have to wake up as early as any other day, but it meant she could spend the night with a certain king—without the vexatious preoccupation she would have to leave him early in the morning.

For it, Rose was terribly grateful. However, that's not to say she wouldn't have to come in after breakfast to lend a hand with the preparations. After all, she still did have her own set of duties to perform, which she was constantly being reminded of.

Still, for the time being, she did not have any sort of preoccupations, or worries tying her back to that bleak mood of hers that had began to torment her for the past few months. No—she didn't have that; for it was this sense of recently revived happiness that trailed after her for the past few days. And even though there were many aspects of her day that contributed to that fact, she would say Edmund Pevensie was her favourite one of them all. That could be credited to the fact she had been seeing him more often than not ever since the day he had ventured to the library.

It was new, exciting, and it was this odd, welcoming sort of feeling that greeted nostalgia for the past back into her life, and made her feel very much like her old self. This old self of hers that never had to fret for anything in her life other than tending to her dear friend and queen; that old self of hers from the beginning. And she couldn't be any more delighted to receive this feeling. It seemed she wasn't the only one experiencing it, either, because this cloud she liked to call was the feeling of being in love followed Edmund Pevensie through all his days.

Granted, neither of them had brought up their short-lived conflict back in the library nearly a week ago. But, it was there, looming at the back of both their minds, waiting for the first one to take the initiative. Regardless of who would be the first to actually do it, they did not feel like they had to, because both of them knew the other felt it. It was the sort of feeling they left unspoken, but could it feel it just the same in the way they cared for one another, expressed it, kissed one another, and bonded in the way they had done back when they first became friends. Those moments were so entirely wonderful, and neither of them found it necessary to part most nights. Which could only trail back to Rose's elation upon hearing Susan Pevensie say she didn't have to come in that morning.