Disclaimer: Nothing owned by me, all by C.S. Lewis
A/N: Apologies for the long wait! Writer´s block, along with still working on The Way Things Are, took most of my time and finishing out the semester. So here we go, round 2!
Enjoy!
As always, reviews, comments, suggestions, fav parts/characters are very appreciated and extremely welcomed!
Preparations
The 2nd Day of Month Shino
Diary, my brother has really outdone himself this time. Farian and his foolish plans! They always end up getting us in trouble and now I fear that this quite possibly may be the most insane thing I have ever done. The ship departs at noon and it is only seven, yet I cannot sleep. My mind wanders constantly, thinking of everything that could go wrong. I´m not nearly as talented as Farian is when it comes to dealing with pressure, royalty, or those matters. Yes, I know, Diary, I can fight. But that is about all I can do. My things are packed, everything is ready, and Farian has taught me some things. When we arrive on Galma, we´re both going to the castle with Princess Shaloa, who will be helping in the final preparations for this plan. And then it´s off to Narnia, Diary, and I would be lying if I didn´t say that I was nervous. Though, at the same time, I´m excited as well. This will be the opportunity of a life time and I never would have had this chance if not for my brother. I think it will be good for both of us, for I will get to fight, and he will get to do his studies.
I just hope that no one finds out.
Tara closed her diary, placing it within one of her smallest bags. Her parents no doubt believed that the many bags she had packed were full of fancy dresses and other such things that were necessities of being a princess. However, they were only partially right. She did have two of her dresses in there, but they were only to hide what she was really taking: her weapons, clothes that Farian had lent her, a sharpening stone for her sword, healing balm for bruises, and a few other items that Farian had given her to help prepare her for page training.
A knock at her door startled her out of her thoughts and she stood up quickly, nearly turning over her chair in the process. She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. Why can´t I just, for once, not trip over everything in my path? "Come in," she said after regaining her composure. Her heart was racing still, though, and she prayed that it wasn´t her father coming to tell her he knew of their plans, or Sofia coming to prattle on about how Tara just wasn´t fit for society.
The door opened and Tara let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding. "Farian," she said in relief.
"That nervous?" he asked with a grin as he closed the door.
"No, of course not," said Tara quickly, trying to pass off as being more calm than she really was.
"Mhm," he said, giving her a knowing smile. "I came to check and make sure you had everything you needed."
She arched an eyebrow. "At seven in the morning?"
The look on his face proved that she had caught him. He gave her a sheepish grin, running a hand through his hair. "Well…blast, all right, you caught me, but I really was going to check later."
"What do you really want, Farian?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well…" He grinned, sauntering over. He nudged her in the arm, eyes glittering mischievously. "Ivla just baked a batch of fresh cherry pies and she´ll be gone for an hour to the market. What say you help me nick one for breakfast?"
"How do you know that?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. And then she pushed him away. "No, Farian, the last time I helped you out with one of your plans, we nearly got caught."
"But we didn´t get caught, dear sister, and that is the entire point." Farian grinned. "Cherry is your favourite, Tara. You know you want to do this."
"Don´t you even try to play that game with me," she said, jabbing a finger into his chest. "I said no."
Having failed in the first attempt, Farian decided to use phase two: the puppy eyes. "Please?"
"Farian!" she said exasperatedly, turning around and crossing her arms over her chest. "No."
She felt him begin to poke her lightly in the back and while, normally, that wouldn´t do anything, he knew the one spot where she was ticklish. "F-Farian!" she laughed, springing away and facing him. "Don´t do that!"
"Or what?" He grinned.
"If I wasn´t in a dress right now, I would knock you down."
"That´s never stopped you before."
That was true.
And so she proceeded to tackle her twin brother, a rather difficult action given that she was in a floor-length dress, but she managed to do it. They wrestled for several minutes before she pinned him to the floor, grinning triumphantly. "You were saying?"
"How come you win every time?" he groaned.
"Because I´m better," she said as she stood and offered him a hand. He took it and stood, brushing off his jerkin and trousers. "On the subject of those pies, you do realise that they are for the banquet tonight."
"They won´t miss one."
"If they do, they´ll blame it on you."
"So what if they do?" he asked, laughing. "We´ll be in Galma."
"True." She sighed, running a hand through the tangled nest that was her hair and attempted a small smile. "So where are these pies exactly?"
"Yes!" He grinned, clapping her on the shoulder. "I knew you would come around, dear sister. Follow me." She smoothed her dress, shaking her head, and followed her twin brother out of her room, wondering why it was that he always managed to convince her to go along with his pranks.
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Tara and Farian sat on top of a wide stone wall, their legs hanging over both sides so that they straddled the stone beneath them. The nicked cherry pie sat between them, still steaming hot. This was one of Tara´s favourite spots to go, a place only she and Farian ever went. Since the castle on Terebinthia was situated on the coastline, they had an incredible view of the ocean and the dark spots in the horizon that marked the mainland and other islands. The wall that they sat on marked the outlying edge of the castle, situated directly on the rocky part of the coast. Huge, boulder-sized rocks were piled along the outer edge of the wall, the waves crashing up against the stone, creating white foam and mist. With the ocean spreading out to their right and the castle looming over them from the left, Tara and Farian had one of the most spectacular views in all of Terebinthia.
The cool sea breeze washed over them as Tara took a helping of the pie, wincing slightly at the feel of hot cherry filling on her fingers, and promptly ate the piece she held in her hand. "Mmm," she murmured with a smile, closing her eyes. "All right, you´re right Farian, that was completely worth it." She opened her eyes and grinned at her brother.
"Told you so." He laughed and took his own helping of cherry pie. "Perfect breakfast."
"However unhealthy it is."
"It has cherries and those are good for you."
Tara laughed. "Rationalising deserts now?"
"I rationalise everything," said Farian with a grin as he took another helping.
"This is true, but only if it works to your benefit."
"Is there any other way?"
They both laughed and withdrew into silence as they continued to eat the pie.
The sound of sword-fighting drew their attention away from the pie and the ocean, and they looked of to their left and down towards the castle. Below them, between the wall they sat on and the looming western wall of the castle, was the largest courtyard, where most of the soldiers, as well as Farian, practiced their weaponry. Tara could only practice at night or when she could post Farian as a look out for her, since she knew that the rest of her family did not approve of her knowing how to fight with a sword.
However, what Tara saw surprised her, knowing that it was uncommon for female royalty to fight. Unless you were Queen Lucy the Valiant of Narnia, whom Tara had heard her parents and the other nobles talk about. A fighting Queen, I would love to meet her some day, thought Tara.
"Isn´t that Princess Shalamane?" asked Tara, pointing to the girl who was currently fighting against two soldiers wearing armour of the Seven Isles.
Farian whistled. "So it is. I didn´t know she could fight like that. She´s quite good."
Tara glanced at Farian, who was watching the princess with interest, obviously impressed. "Does her brother fight? Prince Rouffian?"
Farian snorted. "That ruffly twit? I don´t think he even knows how to hold a sword properly."
"Farian," chided Tara, nudging her brother lightly with a hand. She took another bite of the cherry pie, swallowing before she spoke again. "That´s not nice."
"It´s true," said Farian, looking at her. "His speech is fluffy and while I gather he´s a decent chap, he´s bloody annoying. And there´s the fact that I have never seen a man wear as many ruffles as he does."
"Still, you should be respectful of other royalty. Perhaps he´s like you and prefers the studies over weaponry."
Farian looked at her as though she had grown a second head. "Tara. I might love books but I also love to fight. Rouffian might read books, but I´m sorry, he doesn´t look much like the fighting sort to me."
"Speaking of him," said Tara, motioning with a hand towards one of the many archways that surrounded the courtyard. Prince Rouffian had just stepped out from beneath one of the archways, chatting with, who else, but her older sister, Sofia. He was waving his hands in large gestures, probably saying sappy things to Sofia, who took it all in. Tara just shook her head, eating another piece of the pie. Sofia would like him, thought Tara with a sigh as she cleaned her fingers of cherry pie.
"He looks like a large present, complete with all the bows and wrappings," smirked Farian.
"Farian –" began Tara and he just grinned. She sighed and then chuckled, despite herself. "Yes, he does, but we really shouldn´t be making fun of him. It´s not polite."
"As you´ve stated, but dear sister, we´re up here and he´s down there, and –" Farian gestured dramatically at the near-finished cherry pie. "- we have cherry pie."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It´s the best part."
Tara just shook her head, smiling, and began to watch Princess Shalamane fight. "I hope I can fight like her one day."
"I´m sure you´ll be able to. No worries."
The clock chimed from the distant tower, signalling that it was past eight. Tara looked at Farian. "I should make sure I´m finished packing," she said as she climbed to her feet. Farian did the same, picking up the remaining cherry pie.
"I´ll come by your chambers around ten to see if you have everything."
"Thank you."
"What are brothers for?" he asked, grinning as they made their way back onto the large stone platform that served as a lookout.
"Other than driving their sister mad?"
"Yes." She just laughed, hitting him in the arm as they walked down the stairs, heading back into the castle. "If only you were a chap, this would be so much easier. I could hit you back."
Tara smirked. "Race you to the Great Hall."
Farian set the pie dish on a table in the corridor, grinned, and then took off.
"No fair! Head start!" Laughing, Tara took off after her twin brother.
Gotta love sibling rivalry (grin)
If you´ve read The Way Things Are and Switched, you´ll recognise Prince Rouffian and Princess Shalamane.
And if´you´re coming here from The Way Things Are, still trying to figure out the mystery of who Sheridran is, well, this story will help!
They´ll arrive in Galma next chapter.
Thanks for reading!
Thoughts are appreciated :D