(Published 9/Jan/2020)

September 3, 1002

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're still angry," Peter said to Imira as they did their morning training.

"He betrayed me," Imira replied, trying to stab Peter, but he evaded her sword easily and retaliated with a jab of his own.

"But did he really?" Peter asked, attacking her again. It had been one week since James told her the truth, one week and she still refused to speak to him. He tried writing to her, but she didn't even bother. His letter went straight to the fireplace.

For Peter, this whole not speaking to James was getting old. Especially because he was still there. Every other guest had left already, but James remained there trying to earn his sister's forgiveness. So far it was not going good.

Imira jumped out of the way and taped Peter's back with the flat side of her sword.

"What do you mean?" Imira asked.

As soon as Peter turned around she tried again. "I mean, he wasn't the one who chose to change the facts," Peter said, successfully evading her attack and managing to mess with her footing.

Imira stumbled forward but caught her balance just in time. "Are you on his side?" Imira asked, swinging her sword at him angrily.

"I'm on no one's side," Peter replied, using his shield to block the blow before countering with one of his own.

Imira blocked the blow with her bracers but fell to her right knee and by the time she got back up Peter had the tip of his sword by her head. "Well you should be," she said, throwing her sword at his feet before getting back on her own and starting to walk away.

Peter picked it up but when he turned to give it to her she was already gone. "That went well," Susan said, surprising Peter.

"I told you it was futile," Peter said turning to meet his sister. "He's her brother, she's gonna have to forgive him eventually," Susan said.

"You know, if James wants forgiveness then maybe he should come here and apologize himself," Peter said, offering Susan Imira's sword. He had tried, upon Susan and James' request, to convince her to forgive him. So far it had only earned him rudeness. "Instead of having us do his dirty work," he added.

"He asked for my help. What was I to do? Tell him no? He's my friend," Susan said, taking the sword and getting into a fighting stance.

"Friend, yeah. Some favour he asked," Peter said, waiting for his sister to make the first move. And she did.

"He didn't ask for us to fix it," Susan said, swinging her sword at him. "He just..."

Peter blocked Susan's swing. "Wants us to fix it,"

"No. He merely wants to know when it's safe for him to try and apologize again," Susan explained, jumping out of the way as Peter's sword came at her.

"Well, she's still pissed," Peter said as Susan tried to best him. "You can tell him that,"

September 2, 1002

When Hayley woke up, she found herself alone in the guest bedroom she and James had been assigned upon their arrival at Cair Paravel. She half-heartedly expected to find James beside her, but as usual, there was no trace of him. As she came to her senses and got the sleepiness out of her system, she began to hear a lot of noise coming from outside the door, drowned voices and lots of footsteps. Curious, she got out of bed, slipped on her robe, and went out to figure out what all that noise was about. She opened the door to reveal the little sitting-room on the other side, and, sitting by an empty fireplace having tea while fauns, dwarves and servants carried things out in trunks she spotted James.

"Oh, good, you're up. I was afraid I would have to wake you up," He said as soon as he saw her. He was already dressed, wide awake, and finishing his breakfast. Hayley glanced at the clock. Six-thirty in the morning, it read. What a hideous hour to be awake at, she though.

"What's going on?" Hayley asked as she fastened the cord of her robe while servants carried out trunks of their belongings.

"We're leaving," James informed her calmly as he finished his tea, ready for her imminent questioning of him.

"Leaving? But we only just got here," Hayley asked, walking over to take a cup. It had been over two weeks since James told Imira about her being born first, and since then, she had refused to speak a word to him. It had become rather uncomfortable, not even a hello had been directed at him. Everyone else, of course, treated him normally, bearing him no ill will whatsoever, it was just his twin who had decided to give him the silent treatment as if they were children once again. When James asked Peter about it he only said it was better this way and that she was still very pissed. And when he asked Susan, she suggested giving her more time.

"It's been long enough," James reminded her. "We came for the wedding, and, well, my sister's already wedded. Everyone else left long ago. The only reason we have stayed this long is to see if she'd forgive me, but clearly that's not happening anytime soon. Therefore, there isn't any reason for us to be staying here any longer. She made that very clear the other night. And besides, I've got a lot to sort back home," James said, standing up with a grunt.

Hayley sighed, she was rather enjoying being outside the constraining court. "I suppose this isn't up for discussion," Hayley said. Nothing was ever up for discussion, at least when it came to the big things.

"I'm sorry, but it's not," James said, giving her an apologetic look. "The ship leaves in two hours. That should be plenty of time for you to have breakfast and get ready, I suppose,"

"I suppose it will have to be," Hayley replied, being left with no other option.

"Good. I'll leave you to it then. I've got to speak to Peter before we leave," James said, heading for the door. "And don't go wandering about, please. We're on a schedule here. It's a long way back home," Hayley rolled her eyes.

Two hours later, she was boarding the ship. She had said her goodbyes to the Pevensies, but she didn't get the chance to see Imira. Apparently, she was still sleeping. Lucy her.

"We'll be back again," James said to her as he caught her staring at Cair Paravel.

"Do you reckon she'll forgive you?" Hayley asked.

"Eventually," James said, "She has to, right?"

"Hello," Imira greeted her fellow Kings and Queens in a surprisingly upbeat tone. The four of them exchanged looks before greeting her with hellos and good mornings.

"So, he finally took the hint," Imira said as she sat down or breakfast. James had shown up for breakfast every morning and every morning Imira had ignored him, too angry to talk. It made for an uncomfortable breakfast and everyone knew it.

"You shouldn't be so tough on him. He only did what he believed was right," Peter said.

"Yes, well, doesn't change a thing, does it?" Imira replied, looking around the table for something to eat.

"We saw him early in the morning," Peter said next to her as she stirred her tea. "He wanted me to let you know that he's leaving and that he's sorry. Gave me this," Peter said, sliding towards her an envelope on the table, "for you. His ship should be sailing about now,"

"Sorry, his ship?" she asked, nearly choking on her tea.

"He's going back to Datram," Edmund informed her.

"What, no!" Imira exclaimed, banging her fist against the table before going to the window to try and spot her brother's ship.

"No, you don't want him to go or..." Edmund trailed off.

"Why didn't he tell me himself?" Imira asked them.

"You haven't exactly been very communicative with him," Peter reminded her.

"He should have told me," Imira said, unable to spot the ship.

"I thought you didn't want to see him," Susan said.

"I didn't," she admitted, "but that doesn't matter," Imira said, moving to another window for a tree blocked the visibility.

"So you're not upset at him anymore?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, I am," Imira said. "But he shouldn't have left without telling me himself,"

"His ship's still here," Edmund said, standing by the window next to her and pointing at her brother's ship.

"If you hurry, you might just catch him," Edmund said, returning to the table.

"Take a horse," Peter suggested.

"Thanks," she kissed Peter on the cheek, "I will," Imira said. She went to the table and finished her cup of tea. Mornings made her thirsty.

"So you're not having breakfast?" Susan asked, but Imira was already at the door.

"Does it look like she's having breakfast, Susan?" Edmund asked his sister before joining her and Lucy on the table. Susan ignored her brother's comment and went back to her breakfast, but Peter remained by the window, staring at the ship.

"She's not getting there in time, the ship's already leaving," Peter said staring out the window, for the Datramite ship had just then raised its sails.

"Then maybe she shouldn't have been so tough on him," Susan said. They hadn't said so but they had all sorta chosen sides. Susan was with James, as was Lucy, but Edmund had sided with Imira. Peter refused to choose, he just wanted it to be over.

"He did sorta screw up," Edmund said, he understood why she was angry at James.

"But it wasn't his fault," Lucy said. "I think she should forgive him,"

"I'm going after her," Peter said, making up his mind.

"She'll be back soon enough," Edmund said. "What's the point?"

"None of your business," Peter said before exiting the room.

"Nice talking to you too!" Edmund shouted at his brother's back as the door closed behind him.