I didn't have the chance to tell you the title of the sequel before, so this update's to tell you the first chapter's been posted & it's called Behind Glittering Gold. But this website has rules again author's notes chapters, and I've gotten multiple requests for Corin/Pheneus interaction which doesn't really come up too much in the sequel. So here's some friendship fluff to make this into more than just an author's note. And I added a few more teasers for Behind Glittering Gold at the end. :)

Takes place the day when Susan and Pheneus first arrive in Archenland, right after the boys are officially introduced.

"Do you box?" was the very first question Corin asked as soon as he and Pheneus were out of the Throne Room.

"I – ah – what?" Pheneus said, thrown off by the strange question.

"Box," Corin said eagerly. "I've been hoping for a boxing partner for awhile. Father doesn't particularly approve. But he doesn't say no either."

"Um, forgive me, but no, your Highness," Pheneus said nervously, not sure how to act around the hyperactive, young prince. He had been rather expecting a young boy grieving the death of his mother, not… this. "I am trained in swordplay though."

"Oh, bother titles. Besides, I'm not even sure what to call you if it comes to that. Since Queen Susan said something about you not really being a prince. But then she said you were her nephew."

"I'm the High King's and Queen Aiyanna's ward," he said, biting his lip. He really didn't want to get into it.

"Whatever. Politics. I can't believe I eventually have to learn and be serious about all that stuff," he groaned dramatically.

Pheneus raised an eyebrow. "As Crown Prince, shouldn't you be learning such things already? For the good of all the country."

"Blah, blah, blah. You sound like one of Father's advisers," Corin interrupted. "Maybe I don't care about the good of the country. Besides, what's the harm of letting a few details slide here and there?"

"Mother might not have died if Archenland didn't have soldiers so easy to bribe," Pheneus blurted out. He then realized what he said and covered his mouth quickly. "I…Forgive me, your Highness. I didn't mean to imply – "

"What happened?" Corin said, suddenly serious for once.

Pheneus explained what had happened.

"I…I'm so sorry. I can't believe that happened!" Corin exclaimed. "I want to go track down those soldiers and box every one of them until they realize what they've done!"

Pheneus just stared blankly at the prince who had completely missed the point. "Why not make sure you have loyal, trustworthy soldiers in the first place? Or that your Lords are sober enough to make halfway decent decisions?"

"I'm really not sure what Father does. Although I guess you have a point. I really ought to start learning about such things so I can eventually help. But everything Father does is just so boring! I just want to stay a prince forever! Princes have all the fun," he said.

"I actually find what the Hi- I mean, Peter does rather fascinating," Pheneus said slowly.

"Seriously? Even all like, paperwork thingies? I'm not even sure what it is. But it looks like the absolute worst thing ever!" Corin exclaimed.

Pheneus was rather annoyed by this attitude from the prince. He could easily think of an entire list of worst things he had experienced. Starving, living off of no money, hearing his little sisters crying because they hadn't enough to eat, fearing for his uncle's life, his mother dying… but wait. The prince may have had a coddled life, but the last one was true for him as well.

"Worse than your mother dying?" he said incredulously.

Corin shot him a look. "It… that wasn't mean literally. Of course not. Not even close. Same with my twin dying. Oh, wait. Do you know about that?"

Pheneus nodded. His mother had mentioned it in her attempts at teaching him when he was young and he had studied it in lessons at Cair Paravel. No one knew exactly what the prince's fate had been, but he was unlikely to have survived this long.

"You take everything too seriously!" Corin whined. "Why?"

"I… I've always had to. Otherwise my sisters might have not survived," he said gravely.

"Well, let's go have fun then! Loosen up!"

"You want to have fun even with your mother so recently dead?" Pheneus asked incredulously.

"Mother loved life! And she loved to see me happy. She wouldn't want to see me mourning. What about yours?"

"I…I guess the same."

"So come on! Let's go," Corin said, grabbing Pheneus' hand and dragging him out to the stables.

"Why aren't we going through the door?" Pheneus whispered as Corin began crawling through a hole in the wall in the back.

"Because if we go in that way, the hostlers'll see us, and they'll never let us ride the good horses!" Corin exclaimed. "Don't you want to have some real fun? No silly ponies."

"…No," Pheneus said. "I really don't want to actually."

"Oh, buck up. You'll love it," Corin insisted. Pheneus considered returning to the castle, but then Corin would be left alone with his recklessness. Shaking his head, Pheneus wondered what in the world he had gotten himself into. He could only hope they didn't get into too much trouble.

And now for the teasers I promised….

He pulled out the knife. His face darkened as he recognized it. There was no mistaking it, as much as he wished he was wrong.

"So you've come to chat and have tea with me?" he said dryly.

She shot him a glance. "I would have visited you before um..."

"Before I wound up in prison again?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"I'll go," he offered, much to her relief. But that did not seem to settle the issue. The other man's face was turning several shades of red in disbelief and anger.

"What do you mean you'll go? No, you will not!" he said furiously.