༄ ⍴һ᥆ᥱᥒі᥊ ᥕᥲrrі᥆r sһ᥆r𝗍 s𝗍᥆rіᥱs ༄

A Just Warrior

This is specifically for my Edmund/Ana (Edmana) shippers! I know there were a lot of you who shipped them prior to book 3 so I wanted to make it "canon" for you. I've provided titles to show which books the scenes take place in "canon" as well as references for time. Some dialogue I took directly from my stories but it has been changed a bit to fit their adjusted relationship.

I've also done one for Peter/Ana as I know some fans shipped them instead. It will be mostly the same as this one with changes made specifically for Peter. If you ship them instead, you may want to skip this one (spoilers otherwise). If you're an Edmana shipper, probably skip the next story (mostly a repeat). If you're a Caspian/Ana (Caspana) shipper, read whichever (or neither!) one you want. This is a really long one because I refused to split it up. (I know the POV switches around a bit, but I hope you'll notice that there's a pattern/reason for it). Enjoy!

᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽

Summary: In which Ana falls in love with the Just King and both learn what happens when you're destined to live in different worlds.

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༄ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 ༄

It had been well over a year into their reign. She hadn't expected it, not really. He was a King and her duty was to protect him. So it came as a surprise when Ana realized she was beginning to develop feelings for him. She tried to distance herself but given her position that was quite difficult. So she kept it hidden and tried not to make it noticeable. She thought it worked—as no one had teased her like she assumed they would if they knew. She was afraid her affection for him would lead to her getting distracted from her job. Besides, he was a King and as such, it was unlikely he would feel the same way. And even if he did, it couldn't last. He had duties to the Kingdom after all.

However, he had started to notice her distancing. Although it wasn't much, she started to speak only when addressed by him personally. Never offered advice unless he specifically came to her and asked for it. Ana did it with the others too, so it wasn't as obvious. But he—they—had caught on and he was just the one to call her out on it. And from there, things just... spiraled.

Ana was in the library, reading to distract herself. She found herself there more often nowadays. It was a good place to escape her feelings and to hide away. It brought her serenity and helped her to focus on something other than her conflicting emotions. She had to work through them or Ana was afraid she'd be too distracted to properly do her job.

Unfortunately, the library wasn't actually a good place to be if one wished not to be found. The door opened softly and she didn't look up, but the footsteps told her who it was. She'd recognize those footsteps anywhere and her heart started beating faster as they approached. He sat down beside her, but she didn't dare look at him for fear that her face was red. She was lucky her hair had fallen to cover her face and she refused to tuck it away. Instead, she pretended to continue reading, absentmindedly turning the page. Perhaps he had come to get away as well. No need to disturb him.

"Have I offended you in some way?" Edmund said and Ana felt her heart flutter at the sound of his voice.
"No, sire," she answered, a little puzzled but still afraid to look at him.
"Am I doing something wrong as a King? Something to make you doubt me?"
This time Ana did look up, startled by the question. "No, sire! You're doing wonderful. The Narnians love you!"
"But do you?" he asked and she was taken aback. She couldn't say no but she also couldn't say yes. Luckily, he didn't wait for her answer. "Because it seems like you don't. That I—we—have done something you disapprove of."
"Nonsense," Ana replied.
"So why have you pulled away?"
"Excuse me?"
"In the past, you were always ready to offer your input on policies or decisions. You always offered advice without us having to ask. But lately, especially within the last few months, you only speak when asked directly and we have to seek you out for advice. Me more than most," he told her. "So I was wondering what we had done wrong."
"You've done nothing. I just—" she cut herself off, looking at the book as she wrung her fingers. It was a bad, nervous habit of hers. Why am I like this?