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"It was fun when we were young and now we're older
Those days that are the worst, they seem to glow now."
Rollercoaster
Jonas Brothers
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Chapter XVII - Last Night
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Twelve hours. Narnia was in pieces after only twelve hours. Seven hundred twenty minutes, Forty-three thousand seconds and one of those seconds filled with Allie's screams. Another was invaded with the last promise two people would ever make. Hundreds drawn out with emotions and painful memories. And every second without Ashton felt like a million to Peter Pevensie. Once the King of everything but now would offer it all up for a chance to have her in his arms.
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Everyone reacted differently to the ins and outs of life. The crowded ballroom floor after the ceremony was a perfect example of the confusing coping mechanisms of the human brain. In all my years as a spy, I could never be a hundred percent sure how someone would react. I could make estimates or calculations but the odds were not always in my favor.
Peter and I found perfect company with each other, swaying on the dance floor. He let go of his kingly duties for the night and I dropped my guard to the world around me. I rested my head on his chest, letting my thoughts be fascinated by the reactions of the people. Edmund, overly maturely, went to bed to get a good night's rest before the battle.
He wished his family a good night, waving to Peter and I to not interrupt which we returned. Then he straightened his coat sleeves and marched to say good night to Allie's family. There was a certain pleasure watching him shake the hands of Allie's five brothers. Each Hood sibling walked the line of respecting him as a king and killing him for dating their sister. Robin Hood showed less control than her brothers, laughing and grabbing Edmund's shoulder. Leaning in without a hit of humor, surely respectfully warning the near eighteen-year-old King against anything less than honorable around his daughter. Well, at least Mariam was kind. Allie mouthed an apology, kissing his cheek and giving him a wink before he retreated for the night. As soon as Edmund turned around, heading to bed, Mariam lightly backhanded her husband's arm and chastised the boys. They backed down, but still wouldn't let Allie out of their sight for the night and even then, they might stand guard at her door
Susan was lingering on the outskirts of the upper balcony for once not trying to entertain her the entire party. She stared into space and for the first time since I met her she seemed... unfocused. She oversaw the guests but never seemed to care at all. Only Susan's thoughts resided in the room with her. I fear she worries for the country, knowing once the battle comes she can do little with man to man fighting. Her bow could only get her so far. Theo and Lucy founded tonight as the night to be bold. They hadn't left each other's sides for most of the night, someone asked Lucy for a dance and as the lady she was, he had to accept. Theo hated every moment of the dance, but he had no room to complain as he had not made anything official between them.
The simple similarities between Theo and Lucy stayed along the lines of personality traits and values. Both valued their families above everything else and did not have a shameful bone in their body. Their differences I think are what intrigued each other. Lucy loved being queen and serving her country, and Theo was the boy that selflessly avoided it. Theo walked into a room and lit it up, making sure everyone felt special around him. He was a natural-born leader while Lucy was perfectly happy to sit back and observe, calculating from behind the scenes. She looked into people deeper than what they showed on the outside. She trusted her gut, Theo would go seek evidence. Theo's confidence built him up but when he was around Lucy, he feared every step. Lucy was safe around him, wanting to match his bravery and prove herself. They created a great balance.
He begged for the opportunity to break them up, and when the song ended Theo chugged the rest of his drink which I'm sure was not approved for his age, but then again, if a sixteen-year-old is legally allowed to head into battle, I believe he can drink something stronger for one night.
The song ended and before Lucy could even bow to the boy that just danced with her, Theo already had his hand out for her to accept. She mumbled something about being rude. But he just melted her with a smile.
Theo did something to surprise both Lucy and I. Instead of breaking into a fun and cheerful dance, he grabbed her hand and pulled her close. Lucy's head rested on his heart, closing her eyes as she gave him full control of the dance.
"I'm going to vomit." Peter interjected my thoughts making me laugh.
"Ahh don't spoil the moment." I hushed him, returning my focus to the young queen and the only boy I'd ever approve of her being with.
He dipped her slowly, showing both strength and grace, and I'm nearly sure every girl in the room swooned.
When he brought her back up, Lucy was blushing immensely. She didn't even notice when her crown shifted before.
"May I?" Theo asks cautiously with a pink tint resting on his cheeks.
Little Lucy Pevensie shyly nodded.
Theo placed the crown delicately back on her head, making little Lucy smile mercilessly and mutter out a small, "Thanks."
"Anytime," Theo smirks lightly as he slyly tucks a small piece of hair behind her ear. In this moment I saw something hidden in Lucy's eyes that I myself had only found when Peter was looking at me. A little twinkle that I could never explain.
"Oh, that was smooth," I comment to Peter who looks like he is trying to throw Theo across the room with his eyes as Theo began to lean closer to his little sister.
"Maybe, we should go over there." Peter implies beginning to step towards the two teenagers.
"Oh no, you don't!" I say, stubbornly pulling him back to the dance floor. "First kisses are awkward enough. She doesn't need her brother spoiling it."
"As a brother is it my duty to stop that." Nonetheless, Peter smirks down at me, "And from what I remember, we did alright."
"Prove it," I challenge selfishly wanting him to kiss me but also hoping to buy Lucy a moment of time.
Peter shook his head with a smile, spinning me around on the dance floor, lifting me at the waist before bring me back down to earth to kiss me.
Every damn time I get butterflies.
"I love you." I whispered, still getting used to it.
He lightly bites his bottom lip, "As I love you."
I peered over to see both of Theo's hands cupping Lucy's face. I smiled, adoring those two more than I could've ever imagined.
I looked above into the balcony and noticed some Anti-heroes throwing the greatest celebration of the night. If Theo wanted to play it cool, his friends surely ruined it for him. Lucy heard the celebration and looked up, she giggled burying her face in Theo's coat to hide her embarrassment. Theo shook her head, violently motioning for them to get out. By the end, the teens were all a fit of laughs.
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As leaders, Peter, and I headed off to their night chambers at a reasonable hour. I let Peter go on, telling him I would find him soon. He smiled and kissed my temple, and we two split for the first time that night. I smiled back, hiding the sick feeling in my stomach. I walked over to Robin Hood, who remained looking over all the people.
"I don't know how people can party on a night like this?" Robin questioned, feeling my presence beside him.
"I was never able to sleep the night of a battle, sometimes multiple nights." I told him, "I would be more worried if everyone was acting normal."
He nodded, half heartedly agreeing.
"Robin, I have something to ask of you. It's frightening, and I dearly hope it won't come to this. But if we lose, if they take me. I need you to put an arrow through my heart."
Robin looked up from the ballroom for the first time. "Ashton!"
"Hood, my power can not lie in the hands of the enemy. And with no queen then they have nothing to fight for. You have seen it abused first hand." I persuaded desperately.
He shook his head violently. "You can't expect me to do that."
"I do. Ben would go to the grave with me. Edmund won't be able to and Peter would fight every attacker single handedly." I explained, "It's more dangerous to have me alive than dead."
"Ashton, I will not kill you." He denied again.
"She'll come after me, Allie. She's one of the few friends I have made in court. The Kings and Queens will come too. They'll go into enemy lines and stupidly risk their lives for me. At that point, I might already be dead. You need to do this to protect them. If I have to reject the crown, I will be labelled as a traitor, the witch supporters will restore to her own ways. They'll torture me, taking my fingers and eyes while slicing cuts in my body that will be just small enough to keep me alive. A quick death would be a mercy."
He cursed under his breath, "Don't let them kidnap you."
"If everything goes to plan, we will never need to speak of this again. For both of our sakes, I pray it does." I proceed, "But you'll do it?"
"If and only if, in the extremest case, with no hope left in sight and no alternative, I will do it."
I nodded, relieved to have the burden off my chest. Before I could turn around and head to my room, Robin pulled me in to hug me. I froze.
"You deserved better than this, girl of marble." He sighed.
I fell into the hug, allowing my walls to break, "Once life is given to you, you have already been given more than you deserve." I quoted.
"Who said that?" He asked curiously.
"My mother actually." I rolled my eyes and he lightly patted my hair in a way I imagined fathers would. "I always viewed it as a threat coming from her but now that I think about it, I got a second chance, a second life. I found the most incredible people and someone to love. That's more than I ever knew I needed. I can hate my upbringing, but I would never change it. Not if it didn't lead me here."
"You still have your entire life to live, Ash, this is only the beginning." He assured me.
"I hope you're right." I said, taking a deep breath and pulling away from the hug. "You're a good man, Robin Hood."
"You will always be a queen of Narnia to me, even if your reign only lasted a few minutes, Ashton."
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I'm apologizing now.
my heart and soul, B