Highest of Queens
Summary: (A little taste of what is to come, moviebased.) Peter's wife, Virginia, and Peter in Narnia with their first child… Fluff before I (finally) manage to post its prequel, sequel, and prequel to the prequel… Be patient, my friends!
Peter knew that it wasn't going to be a good day for him. After all, he had a court meeting today, and the King of Archenland was coming to discuss the apparent rise in temperatures along the borderline of Archenland and Narnia. But still…
He had only been married for 3 years, he had a beautiful 1-year-old daughter, and he'd like to be able to spend time with the family a bit. Especially with Virginia, she always had queen duties and such that bored her, but she had to do them.
Virginia had previously been a lady of Narnia, entering the domain through a forbidden closet in their old boarding school where she was staying since her house had been blown up in the blitz. She had been found by her long-lost schoolmate and his brother, and all three went back to Cair Paravel and she became a Lady of Narnia. Virginia and Peter had been best mates back in school, and were delighted to be reunited once more. Virginia had always loved Peter, of course, and when Peter discovered his love for her, things grew till they married at age 16, even early for Narnia. (In Narnia, you traditionally marry from ages 17-21.) But nobody cared, after the battle of Carmania everyone saw how much they were in love.
So, now at age 19, Peter knew that his time with his wife and best friend was growing smaller and smaller by the minuet. He was upset with the Narnian government for keeping him away from his love, Virginia Donata Borotti Pevensie.
Growling to himself and getting out of bed, Peter heard the distant cries of his daughter, Margaret Helen Pevensie. Walking groggily over to the crib in the corner, Peter picked up the bundle of pink from the crib and rocked it.
"Shh shh little princess, shh shh, you don't want to wake Mummy up, she has a busy day," Peter didn't mention that he did too.
Margaret's eyes opened and stared up at Peter. Peter and Margaret had identical eyes, while Margaret was destined to have Virginia's long black/brunette hair. Peter immediately smiled, and he was reminded of how Virginia often talked of how she couldn't tell the eyes apart, how when she looked into Margaret's she sometimes thought she was looking into Peter's. Both baby blue with a dash of seafoam green, it was like looking into an ocean in the right light.
"Da!" Margaret called and raised her hands up, attempting to hug him. Peter smiled at the little girl.
"Yes, it's Dad, my favorite princess," Peter smiled at the bundle.
"Da!" she cried again, making Peter laugh. All the words she knew were Da, Ma, Ed (Edmund), Su (Susan), Lu (Lucy), Tum (Mr. Tumnus), Ron (Ronald, Virginia's twin brother and Susan's fiancée), Sar (Sarah, Virginia's little sister and Edmund's sweetheart), and Asla (Aslan- this is the closest she's ever gotten to a full word yet.)
"Come now, Margaret , I should get you dressed before it is time for breakfast."
Margaret squirmed and attempted to escape the elaborate dress required, but Peter managed to slip it on her just as Virginia woke up.
The young women, recently turned 19, her long dark hair down to her hips, her tallness and slight wideness, walked up to Peter.
"Hello, Peter-love, how is how young one?" she smiled. Although only able to run, other than that she is not athletic at all, Virginia was witty and smart, but highly impertinent. Sometimes she even insists on kissing Peter in public functions, embarrassing everyone but herself (and Peter-but we won't go into that.)
"Crying and disturbing my sleep. I'm 19-kids my age back home sleep in."
Virginia chuckled, "Peter, you're forgetting that I have an older brother. I know, he was 20 when I came here."
Peter smiled, "I always liked Antonio, he's cool."
"And the only one of us 5 who wasn't born in England, as you should remember," Virginia smiled, her parents had moved to England from Venice, Italy when Antonio was 1.
"Still, he was the only one of your siblings older than you- must have been horrible, sometimes," Peter smiled, set down the now dressed Margaret back in her crib, and kissed Virginia.
"Mmm," Virginia moaned as she pulled away, "now I must be getting ready, Peter. I'll see you at lunch," giving him a farewell kiss, Virginia turned to her closet. Peter sighed; it was going to be another normal day.
Normal days for Virginia normally consisted of bringing Margaret to day care (the nurses took care of the Royal Babies), going to the Royal Women's meeting every morning (her, Susan, Lucy, Sarah, and Mrs. Beaver,) and then doing whatever Queenly duties she must, and these events were punctured by a lunch and dinner. Finally she would go get Margaret from day care and spend a quiet evening with Peter, unless there was a party, where she would leave Margaret with Lucy (who never went to those things) and go with Peter.
Tonight there was no party; tonight there was a royal council of all the people who had important roles in Narnia. This was basically Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy (the kings and queens,), Virginia, Ronald, Sarah, Tumnus (who was the leader of the police,) the Fox (who was the leader of the spy ring,) Orieus (Military leader,) and the Griffin (air police). Sometimes Aslan himself would even be there.
Another boring evening. Virginia sighed, just great, she thought.
How she just wished to spend an evening with Peter again, really get to know her daughter, run… not since she became Queen those three years ago had she been able to run.
Run, how she loved running… It was as if she was loosing all her troubles with each stride, racing time itself… If only she didn't so tired so quickly, she'd do it her entire life, no breaks. It was her dream, her greatest along with her childhood dream of being able to finally love Peter, for she had loved him all her life, but Peter didn't realize that he loved her until she came to Narnia. Narnia did that kind of thing to you.
Suddenly, quietly slipping into running shoes left carelessly in Peter's closet, Virginia had a very impertinent thought in mind. Staring out in the direction of the walkway, Virginia put on a pair of pants that she normally reserved for heavy riding through the countryside, and the shirt she also reserved for those occasions, Virginia climbed out of the window and jumped down.
It wasn't that much of a fall, really, and Virginia stretched a bit before taking off towards the trees. Hopefully, no one who cared would see her, since she was Queen and all.
Running. Letting her hair down out of her elaborate bun, she ran. Ran through the forest, letting her true self go before her, and she, trying to catch up.
Virginia actually didn't know how long she got to run before she heard hoof beats coming up behind her and she had to hide, but she knew that she definitely missed the early morning meeting. Hiding in a nearby bush, Virginia crouched and waited, hoping that the rider would pass her by.
Seeing the legs of the horse stop in front of her bush, Virginia's breath was caught in her throat. The rider slid off the horse, then called, "Queen Virginia! Are you here?"
Virginia stayed crouching.
"Its me, you know. Its Peter, it hurts you can't recognize my voice."
It can't be Peter, he never calls me "Queen" Virginia.
"Come ON!" said the voice.
Its not Peter, that's not his voice… you'd think I'd know his voice.
"Fine, then I'll tell the truth. Its Mr. Tumnus, and Peter couldn't come out himself, because he needs his running shoes back… but when I've told him that I didn't find you he'll come out in your shoes… And you should know above everyone else how painful they are…"
Virginia nearly blew her cover and laughed.
"So, off I go. He's really worried about you, you know. You didn't show up for lunch."
Virginia stayed crouched as Mr. Tumnus left.
Peter rode out to the forest. Virginia! Where are you? He was seriously worried, Virginia might be impertinent at times, but she never shirked her Queenly duties… Where was that woman?
Riding in her shoes wasn't fun either.
So Peter rode out to the spot where Mr. Tumnus thought he saw her, but she didn't come when he called.
"Virginia? Where are you?" he called, "Come on, it Peter, and I'm really worried about you…"
He heard footsteps coming in his direction down the path… running footsteps!
"You know, I'm not worried if you just wanted a break from everything and went running, that's fine…"
Running, running, running…
"So please come back, we can go running together once I have proper shoes…"
Running, running, running…
"Or maybe just go barefoot! Come on, Virginia!"
Running, running, running… The footsteps were coming closer, so Peter decided to hide behind a bush and grab her when she came along.
Yup, no doubt about it- his shoes.
"Peter?" Virginia called, and Peter reached out and grabbed her legs, making her scream.
"PETER! Why did you do that?" she wailed. Peter stood up and held her.
"You scared me, I scare you," he whispered in her ear.
Virginia laughed, "Of course, how impertinent of me."
"What you've been doing this morning? Have you just been running?"
Virginia laughed and nodded.
"That's the old you I know and love so well! God, it was like you've transformed into another person…" Peter stroked her hair.
"Like you did when you Dad left for the war, if you remember correctly," Virginia laughed, but Peter's face darkened.
"I hate England compared to Narnia."
Virginia stared at him, and then nodded, "most people feel the same."
Peter gently kissed her, "Do you wish to spend an afternoon with me, only me, and not going to anything else?"
"It would be highly impertinent…"
"Just like you, Highest of Queens."
Virginia smiled happily, "Thank you, my love."
And as Peter kissed her once more, his words echoed in Virginia's ears.
Highest of Queens!
(1,705 Words)