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TEN | THE LINA AND CASSIE CHRONICLES: THE TALE OF TWO 'FRIENDS'

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EDMUND PEVENSIE WASN'T SHORT OF CONFUSED.

The main thing he noticed about Angelina was how quickly she could shift through her emotions, how one minute the two could be having what outsiders would call a 'moment' and the next the girl was storming off as if Edmund had angered her. 

Honestly Edmund couldn't understand it and it irritated him. 

There was something about Angelina that drew Edmund too her and she wasn't sure if it was positive or not. In a lot of ways she reminded herself of him, the old him who didn't quite understand the potential he had in his life. Though he didn't know about her and her encounters with the Enchantress, he recognised the same anger and fear in her eyes that he had all those years ago when he first realised the true intentions of the White Witch and that worried him.

What if the White Witch wasn't really gone?

"What are you doing?" Edmund asked irritably as Angelina stopped on the way back from the How, taking a small satchel from one of her cloak a started picking at various shrubberies and placing various berries into her satchel.

"What does it look like?" Angelina asked as if it were obvious, which it obviously was. "I'm collecting berries."

"Why?" Edmund asked as he rose an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"It may have slipped your mind your majesty but I'm not supposed to leave the How unsupervised." Angelina sighed as she picked a few more berries and put them in her satchel before smiling at Edmund. "If I have proof that I had spent my time getting food, I'm practically off the hook."

"I don't understand the need to be supervised," Edmund sighed as he sat down on a nearby log and let her pick berries. "you're not a child."

"Quite right but I'm not an adult either." Angelina smiled before a big smile broke out on her face. "Ooh, apples."

"I don't understand the high security Trumpkin has around you. Why does he want you around so much?" Edmund asked as he took one of the apples from her satchel and took a bite out of it. "It's weird.""

"What can I say, I'm just a delight to be around." Angelina chuckled as she attempted to snatch the apple back but instead Edmund dodged her. "As royalty you should be honored to be in my presence."

"Oh yes I'm so blessed." Edmund muttered sarcastically with an eye roll. "You're so full of yourself."

"On the contrary, I just know how to push peoples buttons." Angelina shrugged as she gave him an honest smile. "It's one of the many reasons Trumpkin likes to keep an eye on me, to stop me from endangering others."

"Ah yes, because you are so dangerous." Edmund teased sarcastically with a chuckle, Angelina stopping as she turned to him and rose an eyebrow.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Well I certainly don't see how they can find you to be so dangerous." Edmund smirked as he took another bite of his apple and shrugged. "The Narnians adore you so how bad can a hopeless girl like you be?"

"The Narnians are my family, they just want to look after their own." Angelina glared at him, personally offended at what he had called her and got in his face. "But even people can be afraid of their family at times your Royal Dickness."

"It was just a question," Edmund scoffed as she turned away, beginning to pick more berries and apples. "you don't have to be a bitch about it."

"Zip it and hurry up," Angelina stood up, putting her cloak back on as she refused to look at Edmund and scoffed. "the sooner we're back the sooner this bitch can get away from you."

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"Where were you?" Trumpkin asked furiously as he saw Angelina and Edmund walk out of the woods, the dwarf had a less than happy look on his face as he approached her. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Berry picking," Angelina smiled sweetly as she showed him the satchel. "I also found some apples."

"You know you're not supposed to leave without someone." Trumpkin gave her a pointed look, a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

"I took Edmund." She stated with a smile, though Trumpkin knew it was forced as she pointed to the raven haired King behind her who was lingering, knowing that the girl would need him to clarify her point.

"No," Trumpkin shook his head in annoyance as he looked at her. "I sent Edmund on a search party to find you."

"But Edmund found me having some time for myself behind the How and I suggested that we should go berry picking." Angelina lied through her teeth, Edmund subtly shaking his head at her before Trumpkin turned to look at him. 

"Is that true?"

"Yeah, it's true." Edmund breathed out before he grunted and began to walk away. "Now, excuse me."

"Drama Queen." Angelina muttered as Edmund glared at her, nudging her roughly on her way past 

"What's up with him?" Trumpkin asked as he looked back at her, the girl rolling her eyes at Edmund.

"Some people just can't handle a hopeless girl like me." Angelina played the part ass she dramatically pretended to be a damsel before scoffing.

"He called you hopeless?" Trumpkin asked her, a chuckle leaving his lips as he shook his head at the retreating king. "If only he knew."

"That's the thing," Angelina sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "they don't know about her."

"Her?" Trumpkin questioned the girl, Angelina giving him a look before realisation hit him. "Oh right, her. Are you sure you want them to know?"

"Of course I don't want them to know," Angelina muttered as a frown settled on her lips, her eyes darting to Edmunds retreating figure as she let out a large sigh. "but they need too."

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Angelina sighed as she sat down on the branches at the top of of a tree outside the How, blowing the hair out of her face as she attempted to have some time to herself. Angelina in a way felt and for Edmund because she did have a tendency to lash out on people but it wasn't her fault and while what he said would barely affect others, it affected her immensely. 

I suppose it couldn't be helped because her stress levels had increased dramatically in the last couple days. The girl had been feeling more anxious and cautious around others because she was in so little control of her emotions that she feared she may lose control unintentionally and let the Enchantress loose again and that couldn't happen.

She wouldn't let The Enchantress destroy her new family too.

Angelina ran her hands over her face as she let out another large sigh, trying to clear her mind and calm herself before she found herself in another fit of anger that she couldn't stop. The girl studied her arms for a moment, noting as the prominent black marks on her arm began to fade before her eyes but still stuck faintly to her skin - reminding her that she would never be normal.

That she would always be a monster.

"You know if you wanted to run away without anyone knowing, you could have told me or taken me with you." Angelina looked down from her branch and let our an irritable sigh, looking at the boy beneath her as she attempted to give him a smile but her defeated mood left it forced and unrequited. 

"I think that defeats the purpose of 'without anyone knowing'." Angelina clarified before she scrunched up her nose and met the boys eyes. "Besides, you're annoying why would I want to hang out with you?"

"Ouch." The Prince held a hand to his heart, pretending to be dramatic as he went to turn around. "If that's how you feel, I guess I'll go."

"Caspian if you move another step I swear I will never speak to you again." The girl shouted after him, a frown settling on her lips as she watched Caspian turn around with a smirk. "I hate to admit it but I could use your company."

"I knew you couldn't resist my charm Lina." Caspian smirked as he turned around and climbed the tree, taking a seat opposite Angelina as the girl scoffed at him.

"Your charm?" She asked in bewilderment, chuckling as Caspian rose his eyebrow at her. "Darling the woods are a dangerous place. Why have a sword when you can have a human shield?"

"Or a Prince who can save a damsel such as yourself with his charm." Caspian joked though Angelina knew that he thought there was some truth behind it as she shook her head.

"Oh yes," Angelina pretended to reminisce, a sarcastic tone in her voice as she dramatically pretended to be a damsel in distress. "I remember how well that worked when you started a duel with Peter and yet I, the damsel had to save your arse."

"You're overly feisty today aren't you?" Caspian asked as he raised an eyebrow at the girl, noting the far away look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"I just have a lot on my mind." Angelina admitted to him but her voice was small, Caspian not quite believing her as he pushed her to carry on.

"Anything I can help with?" He questioned in a concerned tone, unaware that his offer would be counted as useless to Angelina who in herself didn't quite know her issue.

"Are you any good at keeping secrets?" Angelina asked him after a moment, Caspian shrugging as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I suppose so."

"Good," Angelina said simply as she kicked his legs and jumped down from the tree. "get down we're going for a walk."

"We can't, Peter wants to call a meeting." Caspian stated immediately, not leaving the tree as he instead laid down on the branch - unaware that Angelina was rolling her eyes at him.

"Peter also wants to pretend he's in charge," Angelina started as she climbed back up the tree and pushed Caspians legs so he was in a sitting position. "but we all know that's not true."

"What did Peter ever do to you?" Caspian asked as he rose an eyebrow at the girl, climbing down from the tree after her - offering her his arm as they began their walk.

"Nothing, he's just such a sour puss." Angelina grunted as she shook her head. "I don't like him."

"You don't like anyone." Caspian told her with a smile, Angelina shrugging as a faint smile tugged on her lips.

"That's very true but regardless," Angelinas smile fell as she shook her head. "there's something about him."

"You don't have a secret crush on him do you?" Caspian asked as he disconnected their arms and gave her a serious look. "That hate turns to love storyline gets old."

"Of course not." She denied as a grimace fell on her face, much to Caspians relief. "He just unsettles me."

"How so?" Caspian asked her as they both sat down on the grass, looking over the How from a while away so that they could make it back quickly if they were needed.

"He's been sending me glares and weird looks and countless of times I hear him asking around the How about me." Angelina admitted, Caspian raising his eyebrow at her as he noticed the conflicted look on her face.

"Maybe he likes you?" Caspian counted weakly, not quite believing the words that left his mouth and he knew Angelina didn't either.

"Unlikely," Angelina scoffed as she shook her head. "I didn't exactly give a good first impression."

"So? You didn't give me a good first impression and yet," Caspian wrapped an arm around the girls shoulder. "here we are."

"This isn't the same." Angelina chuckled as she nudged him. "You're not overly irritating." 

"Thanks, I guess." Caspian laughed for a moment, looking at Angelina and noting her sagging shoulders. "What's really your issue with Peter? He's a good guy."

"He doesn't trust me Cassie," Angelina grunted as she sat up, Caspian's arm retreating from her shoulder as she turned to look at him. "so why should I trust him?"

"What's this actually about?" Caspian asked her, not truly buying what the girl was saying before she sighed dramatically and laid down on the grass.

"I'm scared Cassie," She whispered after a moment, a frown settling on her face as she looked up at him to find his eyes already on her. "I've been feeling weird."

"How weird?" Caspian asked in concern, sitting up straighter as he noted the sad look on her face - staring at the faint runes on her arms that seemed to get darker by the second.

"My emotions are all over the place. One minute I'm smiling and happy talking to Trumpkin and the next minute I just feel so angry for no reason and this happens." Angelina spoke as she showed him the runes on her arms, then noting that the bottom of her hair was turning black as she took a deep breath. "I don't know why but I think it's related to her heart."

"Enlighten me on that." Caspian took the girls hand, rubbing small circles on the back of it to try and calm her as tears welled up in her eyes.

"If I'm right and the Enchantress knows who has the heart, we're screwed because the next time she takes over-"

"-if she takes over." Caspian interrupted, Angelina giving him a look to back down as she shrugged.

"- when she takes over," Angelina clarified to him as she sighed once again. "she will take Narnia as her own and she will have no use of me."

"What if you don't transform into her?" Caspian asked, Angelina rolling her eyes at his question as she took her hand from his and wrapped her arms around herself.

"It's inevitable Cassie." 

"It's not Lina," Caspian insisted as he put his hands on her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him. "we can break this curse."

"Yeah right," Angelina scoffed as she stood up, brushing herself off before she wiped her tear filled eyes. "and Peter's going to stop being a self-absorbed prick who thinks he's better than everyone else."

"Harsh." Caspian muttered as he stood up, a small smile gracing his face as he nudged her. "Remind me to never get back on your bad side."

"Cassie please," Angelina stopped as she cupped his cheek, giving it a pat before walking off. "we both know you never left."

"Rubbish," Caspian laughed as he began to follow her. "you know you love me Lina."

"Love you?" Angelina laughed as she turned and began walking backwards. "Where did you ever get that idea from?"

"Admit it," Caspian shouted after her. "you love me."

"In your dreams Cassie." She shouted back, Caspian stopping as he watched her go as a small frown settled on his face.

If only she knew.

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