the girl from archenland | narnia

Chapter Seven

When Nenya finally collapsed into bed that night (or rather earlier the next morning) her head was spinning. Despite her earlier hesitations, the night had been lovely. Her dancing may not have been perfect, and she may have fallen a few times, but the night had been amazing nevertheless.

She had danced several more times with Corin, once with Cor, part of a dance with Edmund (not by choice, of course, they had simply accidentally been switched with each other during a larger dance) and once with Peter. She had only gotten one dance with him because he had to dance with his sisters at least once and greet guests the rest of the time. But she felt special because he had chosen her for one of his limited number of dances.

Maybe she wasn't crazy, maybe there was really something there.

But then, unbidden, Corin's smirk flashed before her eyes and she found herself smiling. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him. It was always just so... easy with him. There were no complications, no awkward moments, it was just them, simply friends.

She had lived in the castle almost her entire life, as her mother had been a handmaiden to King Lune's wife. Her father was a soldier in King Lunes closest guard, but he had been killed when she was only a baby. She had grown up with Corin, raised almost like a member of his family, although she had always known her place.

She enjoyed her friendships with Lucy and Susan, but it was of a different sort than hers and Corin's.

As she brushed her hair, pulling it back into a braid for sleeping, her hand caught on the chain of her necklace, and with a popping sound, the chain broke.

Frowning, she picked the pieces off the floor. The necklace had always seemed so important. It had been given to her by King Lune after her father died (for the necklace had been her father's) The chain was thin and made of some sort of silver metal, and the charm was an icy crystal looking pendant that was worn and chipped.

By the time she was eight, she had discovered the strange enchantment of the necklace, no matter how hot the summers, or how warm the fire burned the necklace always stayed cold, and she never could figure out why.

She put the necklace on the table beside her bed, deciding to ask Susan about mending it in the morning, and burrowed under her covers, ready for sleep.

                                                                      *                 *                   *

The first thing she noticed when she greeted the others for breakfast the following morning was Edmund, the moment he noticed her he gave her a funny look, one she couldn't quite understand the meaning of. She ignored it though and set about eating breakfast.

"So did you enjoy the ball after all?" Lucy asked, smiling.

Nenya nodded and smiled back at the younger girl. "I did. You were right, and I'm glad I went."

"And how was your time with Cor and Corin?" Susan asked somewhat innocently.

Nenya rolled her eyes. "It was good, I've enjoyed my time here of course but it is strange to be away from Archenland so long."

"That's only normal." Peter nodded, buttering his toast. "You know you can go back anytime you wish."

Nenya nodded. "Yes."

"We would miss you of course." said Susan, "but we wouldn't want to keep you here if you wished to return to Archenland."

Nenya sighed. "I know. Sometimes I'm not sure what I should do."

Susan exchanged a glance with Peter. "Maybe Corin could come for a small visit?"

Peter nodded. "I don't see why not. Would you like that Nenya?"

Nenya froze. Would she?