Hello! This is a short and sweet sequel to my story Change of Fate. It can be read as a standalone though. Happy reading!

"Father!"

Edmund looked up from his book, shielding his eyes from the sun as he watched his daughter approach. Her dark locks whirled around her, as ferocious as the look on her face. He had no idea what he had done wrong but judging by the expression she sported he was not likely to finish his novel anytime soon. He put it down in the grass beside him and faced his beloved child with a gentle smile. "Yes, darling?"

"Have you seen Mother?"

"I think she went to the library with your Aunt Lucy," he replied, patting the empty spot next to him, "Is there anything I can help you with?" He was given no reply, as Sabina only growled in frustration and took off again. Shaking his head, Edmund picked up his book and started reading again. For about two minutes before he was interrupted. Again.

"Father!"

"Yes, Bennett?" Edmund loved his children. He did. It had been his idea to have them. Some days, though, he dearly wished that Adeline had given him that look she had when she thought he was being an idiot and told him that it would be a terrible idea. Bennett seemed equally as irate as his sister.

"Have you seen Sabina?"

Nodding, but feeling his diplomat senses tingle, Edmund gave his son a calculating look. "Yes," he replied carefully, "You wouldn't happen to know what has her in such a mood?" If possible, Bennett's expression darkened further. Intrigued, the High King of Narnia regarded his heir as the blond boy started pacing back and forth in front of him.

"She has been spending time in the village again," Bennett muttered crossly, "Even though I told her not to."

The two royal siblings could not be much more unlike one another. Both of their cousins, however technical the term was, looked exactly alike and were relatively similar in behaviour. Edmund envied Caspian that. Because his own children might as well have been the next generation of himself and Peter before Narnia brought them closer. Bennett, the oldest at nineteen, had his mother's colouring. Blond, somewhat tanned and with golden-green irises. Sabina was Edmund's daughter, there was no questioning it. The fifteen-year-old had long, dark locks and brown eyes, her skin as fair as her father's.

This particular day, Edmund could not help but wonder if perhaps Bennett was more like him. It did sound like something he would have done to Lucy when they were younger. "Your sister is fully capable of taking care of herself," he reminded gently, unwilling to poke the bear and have his son ignore him for two days, "She is your mother's daughter that way." The High King actually jumped when Bennett rounded on him.

"Yes, well she is a fair lot like Mother when it comes to men as well."

Now that got Edmund's full attention. "Explain."

"Marius is Sir Rook's son," Bennett snarled, mimicking his sister's voice on the name, "Sabina has been sneaking out to see him for months." He loved his sister and he wanted what was best for her. Marius Rook was not that. Not even close. His baby sister deserved someone who treated her like the princess she was, someone who did not see her as a secret to be kept. "I caught her speaking intimately with him during the summer," he continued, "I told her that it wasn't appropriate and I believed she'd stopped until I saw them kissing today."

Edmund jumped up. "Let's go find your sister."

Which was easier said than done. Far easier. Apparently, few attendants were willing to give directions, even to their king, when their princess was in a mood. Edmund knew Sabina had gone to find her mother, but none of the women in his life were in the library where he had thought they would be. They turned the castle upside down, but not even Caspian and his brood were anywhere to be found. It was as though the entire family had decided to leave the castle and not tell Edmund and Bennett about it.

"Where the Witch are they?"

"Do not let your mother hear you speak like that," Edmund warned, even though he was silently asking himself the same question, "By the Deep Magic, she will ground you for a month." It did not matter in the least that Bennett was nineteen and therefore an adult. If High Queen Adeline told you to do something you did it without question.

As if on cue, the woman came walking toward them. She was talking quietly to herself as she read from a heavy tome. "Oh, Edmund, I was wondering where you had gotten to," she said when she spotted him, "I was hoping we could review—" Tilting her head, Adeline eyed her husband critically before turning her inquisitive gaze to their son. Both men shuffled awkwardly under her scrutiny. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Edmund replied, smiling at his wife, "We're just looking for Sabina."

"She's at the waterfalls with the others," Adeline informed them, "She was upset and I thought she could use the time away." Edmund and Bennett both moved to head in that direction. "Stop." They did as they are told. "Turn around." They winced and faced her. "Why are you looking for Sabina, who does not need the two of you putting your noses in her business right now?"

Edmund tried to stand tall. It was not all that difficult, Adeline was a whole head shorter than him. Only he respected her. And was a smidgen terrified of her. He had been since she announced she was expecting Bennett. That pregnancy had taught him that weapons should not be allowed near pregnant women. Not when they were likely to stab you simply because they felt like it. "There is a concerning rumour flying around," he said evasively, "I merely wanted to speak to her about whether or not I ought to believe it."

"No, you do not," Adeline replied sharply, "You are speaking like me, and when you speak like me you are lying." She shook her head and turned to her son instead. She had caught him in a lie enough times in his life to know he knew better than to even attempt it. "Bennett, darling," she said sweetly, "What are you and your father up to?"

Bennett looked apologetically at his father, unable to let his mother down when she gave him her 'I am expecting you to be the good man I raised you to be' look. "Father and I wish to speak to Sabina about Marius Rook," he confessed, eyes downcast, "We were hoping to explain that she is too young to be seduced by the allure of romance." He winced when he heard the heavy tome his mother had been carrying slam shut.

"Edmund, you do remember that we were Sabina's age when we fell for one another, do you not?"

"We were older."

"Only by a year," Adeline reminded him gently, "Sabina is fifteen, Ed, she is fully capable of making her own choices and, should she need to, she knows how to defend herself." Sighing, she shook her head at the two. She knew they wanted to look out for Sabina, but the girl was the daughter of one of the greatest warriors in Narnian history and Edmund the Just. There was no cause for concern. "Marius is a nice boy who treats her well," she promised, patting both of them on their shoulders, "I have little doubt that he will see this courtship through." The High Queen opened her tome and kept walking, leaving her dumbfounded boys in the entrance hall.

"Please," Bennett muttered to his father as they stood rooted to their spots and listened as his mother walked away, "Do tell me that she did not say courtship."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, son," Edmund admitted, as struck by the statement as his son, "It appears your mother, once again, is a few steps ahead of us." They stood in sheepish silence for a while, until Edmund shook himself and turned to Bennett. "I suppose we'll have to leave it alone then," he commented reluctantly, "There is no use defying your mother."

Adeline nodded in satisfaction as she listened to them from the shadows. Neither of them needed to know that Sabina had been permitted to go to the waterfall with Marius rather than Caspian and his part of the family. It was fascinating how much one would believe when there was no evidence to the contrary.