Narnia: The Royal Advisor (Side Stories)

The Red Abscence (1.4) Part 3

True to his word, Edmund came back the next day and the day after with my former knights and steed to try and convince me to return. However, every time I shot them down they would return. Finally after three more days of this cycle, Edmund came back bringing with him the rest of his siblings and I would be lying if I said that seeing all of them together didn't hurt. "Emma, please, I am begging you to return to Cair Paravel with us. We need you," Edmund announced confidently.

I saw Queen Susan nudge Peter who shouted up, "I'm sorry for what I said to you Emmaline. I really do care about your advise and need it now more than ever. Please I beg you to return with us."

I scoffed, "The Great King Peter begging for my return? I never thought I'd see the day, but then again I never imagined that I'd ever leave in the first place."

Susan then stepped forward, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder, "We never wanted you to leave either Emmaline, the way I see it, and I believe the rest will agree that you are a part of this family and we only wish to bring you home."

I felt my heart clench, not knowing that I would ever hear those words. If they truly thought of me as family then I had to return. Suddenly Lucy called up, crying as she spoke, "Do you know how worried we were when we came to your room only to find that you were not there?! I thought you could trust me with your insecurities and problems, not leave with only four handwritten letters to remember you by! Cair Paravel just isn't the same without you, please come back!"

I felt tears come to my eyes as well and responded, "Oh, Lucy, you do not know how much I have missed you. I never meant to hurt anyone, I just believed that you four and Narnia would be better off without me."

Edmund climbed off his horse and approached the arrow I had shot days before, "You may not have wanted to hurt anyone, Emma, but your absence left a hole in all of our hearts." I raised my bow, ready to shoot only to have him stop and take out my letter that I wrote to him, "Is it true what you wrote in this letter? Because if it is then I wish to give you my reply." He paused for a moment before speaking, "Dear Lady Emmaline, First Noble of Narnia and Royal Advisor to the Kings and Queens. You revealed in your letter to me that you loved me; that you heart would always be mine. You might not believe me, but I feel the same way."

I froze watching as Edmund got down on one knee and pulled out a ring, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and have you never leave my side again. Emmaline will you marry me."

Stunned I accidentally loosened my grip on the arrow I had knocked and it lodged itself in Edmund's shoulder. I screamed his name before Running down the cliff and over to his body. I held his face in between both of my hands, worried sick, but he only coughed and smirked, "You finally came down; does that mean you say yes?"

I was suddenly overrun with a plethora of strong emotions, fighting for the chance to shine through. But the two that ended up winning were frustration and overwhelming joy as I shouted, "YOU IDIOT! You shouldn't propose to a woman who is pointing a weapon at you!" Once I had made my point, I kissed him in order to answer his question, but also to prevent him from saying anything else, so as not to ruin the moment.

Once I pulled away he slipped the ring onto my finger before being taken to the healers to remove the arrow and bind the wound. Lucy tackled me in a hug, crying, whether in tears of sadness of joy I couldn't tell. Susan joined the group hug letting her regal grace fall just for a moment. Last was Peter who wrapped his arms around all of us saying, "I'm so happy that you're back."

By the end of the day I had said goodbye to my friends, promising to visit them as soon as I could, stayed with Edmund the entire ride back to Cair Paravel, and went to sleep that night dreaming of my future with the man I loved.