The Perfect Man

By cenagurl

A/n: Chronicles of Narnia does not belong to me. Wish it did though. :D Anyway, my fic occurs about five years after The Horse and his Boy, so that would make Cor and Aravis about eighteen years old. That said, enjoy:)

000000

Chapter 1: Bloody Gossips

"I heard she was once betrothed to the Grand Vizier of Calormen,"

"But she ran away, didn't she? That's how His Highness says he met her,"

"Lucky girl, that one. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever imagine journeying with the handsome prince through a desert, or being saved by him from a lion! I sure wish I had nobler blood so as he would notice me!"

"Oh, he wouldn't lay eyes on you even if you were a princess from some old country, Isa. I think he prefers brunettes with pale skin,"

"Hah! I wonder how he kisses… owning lips like those would surely be a sin!"

"And those eyes… I get this melting feeling in my heart every time those silvery irises gaze into mine!"

Aravis Tarkheena was just passing by the kitchen to go to the yard outside the castle where the knights practice archery when she overheard the scullery maids with their gossip.

Usually she didn't pay attention to their animated tittle-tattle but when her person came into the topic, she couldn't help but listen.

And when she heard that bit about Cor, she couldn't help but blush. So the maids had also noticed his handsome looks, she realized.

But then again, who wouldn't? The future king of Archenland looked too striking to be ignored. With his powerful presence and royal stance, he was every bit the prince charming every girl dreamed of to marry. And there was of course, the mysterious air around him that made all women itch with curiosity about what lay in that cool and quiet exterior.

"My dear, what are you doing with your ear pressed against the scullery door?"

Aravis nearly yelped with fright as someone tapped her on the back. She spun around and found herself face-to-face with Cor's twin brother Corin (she knew immediately it was only him because Cor wore his hair longer, right below the shoulders), who was wearing a puzzled look on his face.

"I—ah-I was just—I was just trying to see if there's someone inside plotting secret reprisal against your country," she burst out without thinking, and when what she said sank into her mind, she gave herself a mental slap for feigning such a stupid excuse.

Apparently, Corin also seemed to think the same thing, as he burst out laughing. "And pray tell, who in the world would discuss such things in a scullery? Besides, our country is in peace," he said when he was able to control his laughter.

Aravis could feel herself blushing still for her stupidity. "Well you never know! You'll thank me someday for saving your kingdom from plotting spies who prefer the scullery as their meeting place," she mumbled, making Corin laugh all the more.

"The only people there are the scullery maids, and I don't reckon they would be plotting evil plans to bring the downfall of Archenland. I mean what would they use, pans and ladles and radishes?" as if to prove his point, he opened the door before she could stop him, revealing the female servants gathered around the table, all talking spiritedly about their fantasies regarding Prince Cor.

They all halted in their tracks when they saw Corin and Aravis standing at the doorway, and one maid who was brave enough asked in a squeaky voice, "What can we do for you, Miss Aravis and Your Highness?"

Aravis saw that Corin's cheeks were flushed with what seemed to be embarrassment. It seemed that he had also heard the lurid whimsies the servants had about his brother.

"Nothing, my fair ladies, Miss Aravis and I were just checking all the rooms," he said gallantly when he regained his composure. "Now, we'll leave you to your… talk,"

With that, he swung the door closed and gave a lopsided grin at Aravis. "Now I know why you've got your ear pressed against the door," he said triumphantly. "Beginning to take an interest in becoming a grapevine in the castle, are you?"

"I am not!" Aravis said huffily. "I was just passing by when I heard them mention my name,"

"Oh?" Corin raised a brow at her challengingly. "And I suppose your name is somehow connected to those… um wild daydreams they were having about my poor, unsuspicious brother?"

"Well maybe they changed the topic!" Aravis answered irritably.

"Or maybe…" Corin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "They found out you were also fantasizing about Cor so you were included in the topic!" he said as though the thought was purely genius, his gray eyes alive with mirth.

Aravis hit him on the head for such impudence. "I am not fantasizing over Cor, ever!"

"And why not?" Corin asked playfully. "He's the most eligible man you'll ever meet, even better than I am, I must admit. Or maybe… you haven't taken a fancy on me, have you?" he asked with mock seriousness, batting his lashes at her like a shy boy.

Aravis couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "Oh, Cor, you are such a boor! You know perfectly well that you're like a brother to me, and an annoying one at that," she told him, and he gave her an affectionate peck on the cheek.

"And you're like a bratty sister to me as well," he said as she hugged him, and the two of them froze in their tracks when they saw that the scullery maids had opened the door and were watching them with huge eyes.

000000

"…and Miss Aravis was embracing him like a lover would,"

"Really? Such a shame I didn't see it! Prince Corin had also kissed her, I heard Flora tell Ivy last night…"

Cor had been walking downstairs to the main hall when he heard the two servants cleaning the banisters talking in hushed tones. He stopped short when he heard Aravis' name, and he felt his heart plummet to the cold stone floor as the maid's next words sank into his mind, right down to his heart, cutting ever so brutally.

So Corin was the delight of Aravis' eyes all along! Now he knew why she never even spared him a glance when he tried doing everything for her to take notice of him. Why, he even beat Corin a time or two at boxing, which would be quite an exemplary accomplishment for anyone, and still she wouldn't look at him!

It couldn't possibly be Corin's looks, he thought. Corin was his identical twin after all, and the only difference they had in looks was that he had longer hair, whereas Corin preferred it short and trimmed. Or was it the way he styled it that she liked him more?

Cor's train of thoughts halted abruptly when he saw the lady in question walking briskly towards the dining hall, her long ebony hair braided and swept up in a rather messy coiffure, and her yellow summer gown swishing delicately against her trim ankles with every step.

She did not seem to notice him standing there at the foot of the huge staircase, as she had continued walking on in the same pace. That realization again brought a stinging blow to his ego, and of course, his heart. He had fancied Aravis since their return from Calormen three years ago, but it seemed that she would never come to like him back. To her, he was just the poor and stupid slave Shasta.

Just then, he caught sight of Corin walking from the training hall, and Aravis spotted him as quickly as he did. "Corin!" she called out in a rather anxious voice. "Goodness, Corin, you wouldn't believe…" she rushed over to him and together they walked towards the dining hall, while Cor watched them with pained gray eyes.

Poor Shasta indeed.

000000

"Have you heard the gossip?" Aravis asked Corin breathlessly as they entered the dining hall, where the royalty ate their meals. King Lune seemed to have finished his breakfast already, for his chair was empty. So was Cor's, she couldn't help but notice.

"Aha! I knew you were already beginning to become a gossipmonger!" Corin said with mock surprise. When he caught sight of Aravis' dark face, he quickly sobered up. "Why? From the look in your face, it seems quite serious," he told her.

Aravis let out a sigh. "Corin, the maids are gossiping that we are lovers, and the news has spread all the way to Cair Paravel," she announced with all seriousness, and Corin laughed.

"That's it?" he said, quitting his laughter as Aravis was giving him another deadly glare. "Well I thought that the maids really were plotting secret revenge in the scullery,"

Even Aravis couldn't resist a small smile at his last comment. "But what are we going to do about it?" she wailed out when she remembered the gossip again.

"Wait for it to die down, I suppose," Corin said thoughtfully. "If we deny it, the more they would make a fuss about it, but if we act casually about it, they might think it isn't true at all,"

"No, they might think it's actually true!" Aravis said miserably. Corin gave her a slightly hurt look. "You sound as though being thought of as my lover is like an embarrassment or something," he told her, a hand on his heart. "Oh, the pain! You wound me, Aravis,"

Aravis swatted him playfully on the arm. "I just don't want the people here in the kingdom having a wrong impression on me," she responded.

Corin was about to say something when Cor suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking very surly. The future king of Archenland walked on as though he did not see them, but then after a few steps away from where Aravis and Corin were standing, he glanced back briefly at them with cold gray eyes.

"The hallway is not a place for trysting," he said in a low, irritated voice before continuing on. Aravis and Corin looked at each other confusedly. Cor was never that cold towards anyone, the two of them especially. Even when he and Aravis quarreled, he was only quiet but never cold.

The two jumped in alarm when Cor pulled out his chair with a rather loud thump, as though he was releasing his anger on the poor furniture.

"What is up with him?" Aravis asked, totally baffled.

Corin gave her a grin. "I think I know," he said. "But I'm not telling,"

"Fine," Aravis said, sticking out her tongue at him. "I think I'll ask him, then."

"You do that," he replied cheerfully. "But I don't think he'd give you a straight answer… at least not now,"

000000

A/n: and that's chapter 1 for you guys. :) please review!