Finding the Queen of Old

In the Garden

The six young persons spent quite a few hours in conversation. Leah and Edmund kept sending each other glances, though Leah's were mostly of confusion, and question.

After Lucy and Susan had told stories embarrassing Edmund and Caspian (for they spoke of things that had happened in Narnia and related them to England), Edmund couldn't take being away from Leah.

"Leah, would you care to accompany me to a walk through the community gardens?" Edmund asked.

"Why yes, John, that would be lovely," Leah replied with a smirk after emphasizing the name John. "But first, could you please wash that oatmeal out of your hair? It is rather disgusting."

Edmund blushed, forgetting completely that he had not washed that sticky mess of oats out of his hair. He quickly excused himself, to the laughing sounds of his friends.

"Is he always like that?" Felicity asked, as she watched him scurry out.

"My brother is quite forgetful," Lucy said with a joking smirk. "Now,remind me, where did he leave his flashlight?"

Caspian chuckled and Susan joined in, much to the confusion of the others.

"What's so funny?" Edmund asked as he re-entered the room.

"Something about you loosing a flashlight," Leah spoke with a questioning tone.

Edmund scowled. "Well, none of you reminded me... How was I supposed to know it would take a whole year before we went back!"

Susan's laughter stopped. "Just be glad you got to go back," she murmured.

"Hey, now. You will be going back," Caspian gently pulled her closer to him.

"But will they all still like me...Will I still be accepted? Can Asla- he forgive me enough to allow me entrance?" Susan asked in a defeated voice.

"If he didn't want you back, why would he have sent us here? Susan, everyone misses you. Even Polly misses you, though she won't admit it," Lucy comforted.

"I feel as if we are missing some information," Felicity whispered to Leah.

"Well... Come on Ed-...John. I have a lot of questions for you," Leah said, pulling Edmund with her and leaving Felicity by herself to be confused.

Edmund retrieved his and Leah's jackets from the front hall closet and held her's out to help her into it. Leah smiled a thanks and headed out the front steps.

-

"Excuse me, Susan, but may I speak to you in the kitchen?" Felicity asked suddenly in the middle of the conversation. She sent a look toward Caspian, then back to Susan.

"Sure," Suan said, standing up and stretching out her back.

Felicity followed Susan into the kitchen and shut the door tightly behind them.

"Three months ago you were dating James! You lied about the engagement!" Felicity said in a deadly tone.

"Felicity, I had too," Susan emphasised. "Or else there would be far worse things happening."

"Oh really? Well, then speak," Felicity snapped.

Susan flinched at her tone then started telling Felicity what had happened, starting with James. She left out how she had known Caspian before, and anything to do with that land.

"Oh Sue! I'm so sorry! So then I guess the baby isn't his, is it?" Felicity said, motioning towards the living room.

"What baby?" Susan said innocently.

Felicity slapped her arm playfully.

"It's so obvious I'm surprised the neighbors haven't started talking," Felicity said with a laugh.

Susan chuckled and pulled her friend into a hug. "I've really missed those mood snaps of yours. Now let's head back out into the parlour, shall we?"

-

The unusually chilly May air nipped at the noses of the two. While Edmund tucked his hands into his coat pockets, he was waiting for Leah to start the questioning. However, Leah didn't speak. She just walked next to him silently until the reached the community gardens.

"So, umm, strange weather isn't it?" Edmund spoke first.

Leah spun around, her hands on her hips. "Edmund Pevensie! How in the name of Vivien Leigh are you living! I was at your funeral! And why the gumdrops were you blond at first when I saw you?" 

Edmund was taken aback by the tone that she suddenly took on. "Leah I-"

"No excuses. I want answers," She said impatiently. 

Edmund sighed in defeat and preceded to tell Leah the tale that started back when he was staying with the professor and ended with them coming back to England. Leah at first looked rather skeptical, but him being there in the flesh was good enough proof for her. 

"So Caspian caught her after she fell and we took her home. The doctor said she was lucky the baby didn't..." Edmund trailed off after he realized what he had just said. 

"BABY!" Leah exclaimed! "Who's baby!"

Edmund put his head in his hands. "I wasn't supposed to let you know..."

"Edmund  Pevensie! Susan is pregnant and I demand to know who did that! If I find out it was Caspian, no matter how much Susan loves him, I will give him such a..."

"Leah settle! It wasn't Caspian! It was James," Edmund said silently.

Leah gasped. "James!"

Edmund then told Leah what he knew.

"That's awful!" Leah breathed, sitting down on a near bench.

"I know," Edmund replied, sitting next to her.

"Your friend Caspian must really love her," Leah said with a smile.

"He always has loved her. He loves her so very much. Someday, I hope I'm as lucky as he and Susan are," Edmund honestly spoke.

"Me too," Leah said.

Edmund turned and looked at her closely. Her blond hair was curling slightly in the wind, and her green eyes where deep in thought, and he felt as if he should move closer.

At the same time, Leah was doing the same thing. She felt her eyes sweep across his face, taking in his dark tousled hair and deep brown eyes. 

As Edmund reached out to take her hand, Leah suddenly sighed away.

"Ed- I..." She trailed off.

"Shhh," Edmund said, and he leaned in and kissed her.