Of Kings And Protectors (An Edmund Pevensie Love Story)

Ladia was sitting on her bed trying to decide what she should do now, get dressed part of her said, the other half said go back to bed. Finally she got off her bed and walked to her large dresser, she found a blue based dress with a gold lace overlay on the top, it stopped right below her knees. Dresses where rather mandatory at breakfast, then you could wear whatever you pleased for the rest of the day. Up until dinner that is. She found her shoes and pulled them on, a fawn trotted in and said "Malady, breakfast will be served in 30 minutes." Nodding she stood up and began to walk down the stairs, Lucy ran past her in a flourish of red hair. Most likely to go wake up His Lord Crankyness, namely Edmund. Making her way to the dinning hall Ladia found Peter, Susan, and Marcus seated at the table. She sat down and noticed Susan and Marcus where in a conversation, moving a few chairs away she sat across from where Edmund sat usually. Lucy skipped in, King Edmund the Just trudged behind her. Lucy sat next to Ladi as usual, Ed sat across from her scowling at his baby sister. Even though Lucy was now 19 she was still thought of as the baby. Smirking at Edmund, Ladia commented "Oh look the dead has risen." He kicked her under the table, she winced and said "Dear Aslan, you are still a child at heart." He glared and then scowled down at his empty plate. A centaur was carrying a bounty of food with a couple of fawns following her. Edmund devoured his bacon and toast with only two breaths, Ladia however picked at hers until it was all gone. Edmund was making snarky comments, that began to tick her off. Finally she snapped "I challenge you...again!" He smirked and said "Why, so I can win like all the other times?" She glared at him and said "This time it will be different, I'm going to win." Edmund laughed and said "If I had a nickle for every time I have heard that, I wouldn't know what to do with all the money!" Pushing away from the table Ladi stormed up the stairs Lucy at her heels. Making her way to her bed chamber she growled insults under her breath, she found her training clothes. Lucy was laying comfortably on her bed wondering if she knew how silly she looked. Ladia walked behind the changing screen, pulling on the clothes. She took a black ribbon and pulled her hair into a rather high ponytail. Lucy looked up and asked "Ready?" Ladia grabbed her sword and sheathed it "Ready." She said to the excited queen. They walked to the training field and Ladia saw Ed hacking a practice dummy to pieces. He was wearing a dark green tunic, brown leggings, and his jerk (kinda a breastplate) clasped tightly to his chest. She was dressed similarly with a long dark blue tunic that fell near her knees with splits up to around her hips to help movement, black leggings, her jerk was fastened around her waist so as not to crush her breasts. Lucy went to join the others next to the fence, she walked to him. He was wearing wrist guards, and a shield, looking at Ladia he asked "What are your weapons?" Holding up her sword Ladia said "This is it." He looked like he wanted to laugh, then he looked like he didn't want to fight her uncovered. He shook his head and said "Alright, same rules I presume." Nodding she struck. He parried her attack and ducked as she went up, he slashed at her legs but she jumped. It carried on like that for a while, suddenly she tilted her to the side and gave Ed a small rather flirty smile. He let his arms fall, as soon as he did Ladia kicked him in the chest and he fell back. Pressing her blade to his neck she said "I do believe I have won." He gulped and said "I guess so." All the bystanders look shocked, she had never won. He was still quite dazed by the way she had smiled at him, she looked quite pretty. Even if she was sweating, her long black hair was falling out of her ponytail, her side swept bangs where in her eyes now. She moved her sword and allowed Edmund to get up. He smirked and said "Well, Edmund: 212, Ladia: 1. Well done, you be caught up in no time." She pressed the blade to his thought again, he laughed nervously. Peter came over and patted her back saying "Well done Ladi! You finally beat him!" She let the hostile expression melt from her face, it turned into a cute smile. After congratulations where given, Ladia looked at Ed and asked "Would you like to go to the beach with me? You know after we change." He hesitated, beaches meant sand in every fold of his clothing. Lucy piped up and said for him "He would love to, wouldn't you Edmund?" Confused of what had just happened he slowly nodded. "Great! You two go change!" With that the Young Queen sprinted away with Ladia. Edmund walked to his room, finding a pair of brown trousers and a white button down shirt he pulled them on. He grabbed his brown boots and yanked them on, walking down to the parlor he sat on the bar stool waiting. Ladi walked into the parlor in a dark brown skirt that stopped at her knees, a white button down blouse, and dark brown boots. Her hair was hanging near her shoulders, laughing she said "Ha ha, where a matching set." Edmund's cheeks reddened and he said "I suppose so. Say where's Lucy?" She looked around but didn't see her "I don't really know." As the words escaped her mouth the Valiant Queen came down the stair case saying "Oh dear! I have almost forgotten Mr. Tumnus is expecting me! I am terribly sorry, you two should go on without me." The two young adults exchanged nervous glances and Lucy pushed them towards the door. Ladia smiled and extended her hand to Edmund, he awkwardly took it. Pulling him to the beach she said "Come on Ed, it will be fun." She took off her boots and left them on the sand near the sea-side. She smiled and sat on a large rock, Edmund looked at her and wondered how she could be so calm. "Do I have something on my face?" She asked nervously. He laughed and said "No, nothing. How can you stand to get sand in your shoes." Smiling she said "You take them off. Here lemme help you." She took hold of his boot and began to pull, the feat wasn't as easy as it sounded. After several minutes of pulling the boot gave way with a 'pop' sending her back a few feet. Laughing she stood up and said "See not so hard, your pulling off the other one right?" Smiling he got it off on the first pull, she gasped and said "Stupid boot." He helped her up and said "Well, there's only one thing to do at this time." With that he picked her up, she squealed and said "You wouldn't dare!" He smirked and said "Oh but I would!" He tossed her into the Eastern Sea, before she was out of reach she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down with her. After they landed laughing she said "I figure if I go in, you do as well." Rolling his eyes he noticed her blouse had become rather transparent. Her face reddened intensely she covered the top of her body, she knew her chest was covered perfectly by her corset but it was still quite embarrassing to have your best friend look at you like that. He was now looking her in the eyes, she slowly lowered her hands smiling. His dark eyes where soft and kind, usually they where hard and unforgiving it was a lovely transition. She stood up offering him her hand saying "Well, my shirt is going to get ruined if I don't have it washed soon." Edmund's shirt was beginning to stick to his chest, not thinking he unbuttoned it. Ladia caught herself before she was caught staring at his perfectly toned chest, since when was he so handsome both inside and out. He laughed and saw her looking a different direction blushing. Buttoning his shirt they walked to Cair Paravel, they both laughed as the guards looked at them sceptically most likely wondering why they where soaked from head to two and shoeless. Edmund raised his hand meaning 'Not one word.' The minotaur shrugged and nudged the red dwarf who cleared his through and looked the other way. Trudging inside Marcus was going to say something but he fell expressionless when he saw the water dripping off them. He burst out laughing, Peter followed in his example. Ladia glowered at them and said "Not funny! Ugh, oh grow up 'Your Highness'!" Peter smiled and asked "What did you two do?" Edmund looked up from his feet and said "Oh well, we went for a swim." With raised eyebrows Marcus asked "With your clothes on?" Ladi changed the subject and asked Peter "What are you two up to?" They smiled and said "Oh nothing much, just planing the gala for the Three Great Kingdoms. It is suppose to be in one week, participation is mandatory...Edmund." Adding the last part due to Ed's animosity towards dancing. Ladia said "Well, I am going to go change. I smell like salt water now." Edmund was forced to watch her walk away, things stirred inside of him. Even sopping wet as she was, she was adorable. Things like that had never occurred to him until now. Why now, he had always looked at her in the best friend way. Ed didn't want to admit it, but he hated gala's because he couldn't dance. Sighing he began to walk down the corridors to his bed chamber, he found a light green tunic with white leggings. He pulled on another pair of boots and walked down the halls with nothing to do, he came to his library. Inside he found Ladia drawing a picture, she looked up at the now open door and saw Edmund. He was in some dry clothes, as was she. A Dryad had insisted upon braiding her hair, she was in a red blouse and a black calf length skirt, with a pair of black flats. Her drawing was of the Eastern Sea, two people where splashing around in it. Not really focusing on them yet, she made the waves perfectly. Seeing King Edmund she smiled at him, she asked "What would bring you here?" He laughed and said "I was quite bored so I came here to read a book, instead I found you sitting in here with only a candle lit. How can you draw by that light?" She shrugged honestly not knowing, he came over and looked at what she was drawing. She felt very self-conscious about her artwork now. He had never taken an interest in her art, why now. He smiled at pointed to the faceless figures asking "Is that us?" She shook her head and said "I honestly have no clue, maybe they are. It just started as the Eastern Sea but they somehow got added in there." He laughed softly and commented "Well, what are your thoughts on the gala?" She shrugged and said "I think it should be pretty fun." He looked embarrassed, his voice dropped so low it was close to a whisper "I-I can't dance. Can you help me?" Ladia looked up at the king and said "You cant dance? Of course I will help you my King." He blushed as she said that. She smiled and said "Meet me here at midnight." Edmund was confused "Tonight? Why tonight?" She said "Because, if your as bad as I think you are, your going to need all the practice before next week. Now anymore redundant questions?" He laughed and said "No, but should I bring anything?" She shook her head and muttered "No, I think if.....no you wouldn't want anyone knowing. Oh! I got it, I have an old Pandora Box you gave me ages ago for my 15th birthday!" He nodded and said "I almost forgot I got you that so long ago. Does it even work anymore?" She nodded and said "Yes, it still plays The Nutcracker. I remember when you gave that to me, you where so embarrassed when you handed it to me. Lu pushed you towards me. God we where so young and naive." He smiled and said "Yes we where, I think we still are quite naive." She nodded again and turned her attention back to her art, she took the pastel colors as she used them her fingers turned gray, blue, green all the colors of the Eastern Sea. Edmund watched as she avoided finishing the couple, finally he demanded "Aren't you going to finish the people?" She looked up and said "Yes, after I finish coloring the sea." She finished the last stroke on the water, he leaned in expectantly waiting for her to complete the figures. She began, soon the male was near done. He had messy extremely dark brown hair, dark eyes, and a soft smile on his face. Edmund recognized himself in the piece of art. He felt his face get hot, she worked on the woman. After a while it looked quite like Ladia, her rather long black hair with the bangs swept to the side, piercing blue eyes, and pretty red soft lips. She was done, it looked amazing. The Narnian sky was as blue as it was in real life, the sea was as magnificent, but the picture of her wasn't as beautiful as she was in real life. Stop it! He told himself, She probably doesn't like you back moron. She stood up and took a piece of cloth from the desk drawer wiping off her hands she smiled. He extended his hand and said "Well, dinner is in an hour. Ready to go?" She nodded and took it, the walked through the halls and to the garden. Sitting under a tree in silence, it wasn't awkward silence though. It was a peaceful, calming silence. A black dwarf came out and said "My King, malady. Dinner is ready." It hadn't felt like an hour, but apparently it had been. Edmund helped Ladia up and they walked to the dinning hall. Seeing a large spread of dinner Edmund ate as much as he could, remembering he had to dance tonight. Finally he couldn't eat anymore, Susan said "Dear Aslan, you where really quite hungry weren't you Ed?" He swallowed the last gulp of his water and said "I guess I was." Marcus was talking to Lucy about the gala. Lu was practically shaking in anticipation, Edmund however would have been overjoyed if it was canceled. Finally 12:00 rolled around, tip-toeing down the halls he came to his library. He was carrying a candle to see in the darkness. Quietly he opened the door and saw Ladia sitting behind the desk, candles lit 10, 11, 12 maybe more. The room was perfectly lit to see everything, the music box was sitting on the desk. She jumped and said "Oh, Edmund it's just you." He set the candle down and asked "How do we want to do this?" She stood up and instructed "Place your left hand on my waist." He hesitated, he set his hand on her waist after a second of her glare. She took his hand in hers, he was standing about 6 or 7 inches away from her. She said annoyed "For the love of Aslan Edmund, stand closer." Edging closer he moved about 2 inches, she rolled her eyes and said "Closer." Another 2 inches inward, now quite annoyed she pulled him almost 1/2 an inch away from her saying "This close, your so hopeless." His ears where red, hopefully she couldn't see in the dim light. She began leading him, 1, 2, 3, 4 she would repeat over and over keeping a rhythm. After about the 4th time he apologized for stepping on her toes he said "Ugh, I can't do this!" She looked at him and said "You can do anything you set your mind to, your the great Edmund The Just." His features softened and he took position again. After about 1 hour he said "Alright, we'll work on this later today. It's already 1:00 in the morning." Smiling she said "Okay, goodnight. My King." She began to blow out candles. He had insisted on walking her to her bedroom, she smiled and hugged him before walking into her room. Edmund stood there shocked and very happy. She was now the candle in the darkness of his life.