Disclaimer: I wish!

"Ugh. Finally!"

"Took you long enough. Did you take the long way back?"

"Feels like it. Please tell me I have enough time to get cleaned up?"

"Not for the hot soak you've probably been dreaming about for the last several miles, but I am sure the girls would be pleased with any effort you make." He looked over at his exhausted sibling, sprawled across the cushions in front of the fire & chuckled. "Brother, you have luck unlike any other. What happened?"

"Well, I think the rain is a little obvious."

"Which should teach you to pay more attention to Lucy."

"And will make her unbearable for the next fortnight, at least? I know." He sighed & pulled himself into a vaguely upright position. "Did you know the piece of land in dispute was thinner than I am? Argh! Sometimes I wish they would just think problems through before bringing them to Us!"

"So the rain is obvious . . ." Grinning at his brothers antics, he steered the conversation back on course before it could build up steam. The idiocy of most complaints was a topic that his brother could expound on all night if he was allowed.

The first few times, his siblings had dutifully listened as he verbally thrashed the offending parties with his frustration in the safety of their rooms. It turned out, they eventually discovered, that no amount of venting would cool their brother's head on the topic, & therefore, it must be avoided or squashed at the earliest opportunity.

"Yes, the rain." He hauled himself up & started rutting around for some clothes that could pass as clean. "Well, it took so long to make them see reason that Lucy's storm was starting its overture as I set out. There was no way I was going to stay there. No matter who I sheltered with, someone else would take offence & the whole afternoon's effort would have been wasted."

"When the rain started, I wasn't too worried; after all, what's a little rain? A few sprinkles never hurt anyone. I was Not aware it had been raining in the hills for sometime already, so, by the time I made it to the ford, it was completely impassable. So I got to enjoy a delightful detour to the bridge ½ mile downstream headlong in the wind, which had increased seven-fold from the stiff breeze I had enjoyed when I left the offending village."

"You can't blame the entire village."

"Oh, yes, I can! EVERYONE had taken a side in the dispute, & therefore EVERYONE had to agree before I could leave. They were going to hold me hostage with their pig-headedness. Aha!" He yanked free a lovely, green, incredibly wrinkled, tunic; a triumphant look on his face, before diving back into the fray. "Now, if I could only find the matching trousers . . ." The sound of muffled laughter caused his head to shoot back up. "What?"

"You can't wear that to dinner."

"Why not?"

"It's not exactly formal attire, now, is it?" He said gesturing to his own outfit.

"Form. . . since when is tonight's dinner formal?"

"Since the delegation from Galma arrived a day early."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" The gentle breeze became a panicked whirlwind as he tore through the room in a futile search for proper apparel.

"I was enjoying your imitation of a drowned cat so much it must have slipped my mind."

"Your Highness? Your sister sent me with your clothes for this evening." A voice piped through the door. "Shall I leave them here, or bring them ins-"

The door flew open before the page could finish the sentence. "Thank you!" The harried king cried as he grabbed the parcel. "Tell her she is a lifesaver!"

"Of course, your Highness." The fawn grinned as he shut the door.

"Please tell me they at least left all their eligible young ladies at home?" He asked as he began removing his still damp clothes.

"After your appalling behavior last time, I would be more surprised if they had brought them."

"Who knew that ladies would have such a problem with talking rats?"

"You knew perfectly well what would happen. You did it on purpose & we both know it." He frowned as a smear of red on his brother's arm was uncovered. "What happened to your arm?"

"Hm?" he glanced down at his now bare arm. "Oh, during my trek to the bridge, I heard a cry for help coming from the river. A family of porcupines had tried to use the ford, pulling their little ones in a cart of some kind. Fortunately, I was, as always, prepared. Stop laughing, it's true! I pulled a rope that I pu-, alright fine, Susan put in my saddlebag & tied off the ends, dove in."

"Aslan must have had his eye on us, because everyone made it out & no one was hurt. Let me rephrase that: no one was hurt in the river. One of the pups was a little too vigorous in showing his affection & I spent the rest of the trip pulling quills out of my arm.

"Well we better wrap that up. If you get blood on your nice clean shirt, our honorable sisters shall have you added to tonight's menu."

"Heaven forbid." He pulled a towel loose from near the wash basin and set to work as his brother fetched some bandages. "Anything interesting happen while I was away?"

"Besides our honorable sisters' multiple attempts at fratricide?"

"Got in the way did you?"

"Well, how was I to know the Galmians can't read a calendar?"

"They leave any marks?"

"Our sisters would never do such a thing . . . where anyone could see."

"Cracked you on the head, did they?"

"Repeatedly," he grinned, tying off the dressing on his brother's arm.

"Did you at least get all our schedules rearranged?"

"For the most part. Unfortunately, the Duke slipped his youngest son and one of his nephews into the entourage at the last minute. So, we have two potential suitors who'll be running around the Cair causing mischief."

"Because no one else ever causes mischief."

"Exactly."

"Nothing around here is ever easy, is it?" he asked, opening the door.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." The other replied.

AN: Proof that things left in the dark space at the back of the hard drive will g-r-o-w. Please keep in mind I am operating without a beta (she moved) so when you tell me I have bad grammar, I need to know where/how, so I can fix it.

. . . And yes, I am Queen of the Run-On Sentence.