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THIRTEEN | THE "MAGNIFICENT" APOLOGY

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ANGELINA MURPHY COULDN'T STOP SMILING!

The girl didn't quite understand why Edmunds words had mattered so much to her for he had told her what Trumpkin and Trufflehunter had told her a hundred times before and yet she never believed them. But something about the way Edmund spoke to her, the sincerity in his voice and his eyes as he held her in his arms made her truly believe him - made her think that maybe she wasn't a monster like she had thought.

The two were laying on the grass of pixie hollow, their hands still latched together as they watched the blue pixies go along with their days - every so often extracting a memory from the two teenagers laying on the grass before taking them to be stored. Neither of them had said so much as a word to each other, both enjoying each others company as they laid silently in their own thoughts with wide smiles on their faces.

Angelina honestly didn't understand why she was so happy nor why her emotional state had suddenly improved when in his presence but she didn't mind that it had. Laying down with the Just King in the hollow surrounded by pixies that once reminded her of her past, Angelina had never felt happier and more in control and that pleased her immensely. 

She quickly turned her head to look at Edmund, the Just King had his eyes closed and he looked so peaceful that Angelina wouldn't have know whether he was alive or not had it not been for the constant rise and fall of his chest that told her he was alive. She hadn't meant to stare of course, the girl caught in such deep thought that she hadn't realised that the King had opened his eyes and caught her staring - a cocky smile forming on his face before he waved his free hand in front of her.

"What're you thinking?" Edmund asked her after the girl blinked a couple times, her cheeks dusting pink as she realised exactly what she had done before she turned on her side and sighed.

"I wish things could stay this way forever." Angelina admitted as a peaceful sigh left her lips, Edmund moving to sit closer to her before he grabbed her other hand and smiled.

"They can." Edmund told her but Angelina only shook her head at him and looked away.

"No," She denied as she took her hands away from his and settled them in her lap, looking down at them as a sigh left her lips. "they cant."

"Angel," Edmund lifted Angelina's chin to get her to look at him, one of his hands cupping her cheek as he smiled at her - watching as a light pick dusted her cheeks with a smirk. "when this war is over my siblings and I aren't going anywhere."

"You don't know that." Angelina sighed as she met Edmunds eye and a frown settled on her lips. "You left last time without meaning to."

"Well even if we do, we'll be back." Edmund promised her removing his hand from her cheek as he intertwined their fingers again but Angelina rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say Edmund." She whispered as her frown got harder. "At the end of the day you're going to leave and there's nothing you can do about it."

"You could always come with us," Edmund suggested to her, not quite looking her in the eye as he spoke with embarrassed sincerity in his voice. "I'm sure Susan wouldn't mind sharing her room back home."

"And risk the Enchantress ruining your world too?" Angelina asked as she rose an eyebrow at him before she squeezed his hand. "I could never do that to you Ed."

"I'll find a way to stop her," Edmund told her, a serious look in his eye. "to get rid of the Enchantress."

"In this world there are some problems that just can't be solved," Angelina sighed before she squeezed her hand again and smiled. "don't worry about me."

"I promise you I will Angel," Edmund promised as a pained smile forced it way onto her face. "I'll stop her."

"Come on," Angelina dismissed his promise as she stood up, pulling him up with her as she attempted to joke around. "Peter is probably wondering why I'm not in my cage."

"Angel," Edmund stopped Angelina from walking as he held onto her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I promise you I'll stop her."

"Okay." Angelina muttered even though she didn't believe him as the two of them walked hand in hand out of Pixie Hollow, both with huge smiles on their faces. 

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When Angelina and Edmund made it to the How, the two weren't surprised to see Peter and Lucy waiting outside - the Magnificent King glaring at his brother who walked out of the woods towards him clutching the blonde haired girls hand tightly. Angelina bid him goodbye as they reached Peter, trying to ignore Peters piercing glare as she waved to Lucy and walked into the How - looking for her best friend so that she could talk to him about her encounter with Edmund.

The Just King watched the girl leave, a smile on his face and for a moment he forgot Peter was in front of him - glaring at Edmund with an unamused look. Lucy giggled as she looked at her brothers love struck look, knowing that she could tease him about it later before she nudged him in his chest, Edmund looking at her as she pointed towards Peter who was glaring at him.

"Really Ed?" Peter asked as he rose an eyebrow at Edmund. "You let her out?"

"She's a person, not an animal." Edmund replied as he glared back at his brother. "She doesn't belong in a cage."

"I thought we agreed-"

"I agreed that we needed to question her, I never agreed to put her in a cage Peter." Edmund sneered as he stood up to Peter and pushed his chest lightly. "That was all you."

"Edmund-"

"That girl deserves an apology and you need to start treating her better and with more respect because she is not the scum under your shoes." Edmund shouted angrily before he stood back and stared at his brother, lowering his voice. "She is a person just like you and me, have some respect."

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked Lucy as Edmund stalked off into the How, likely going off to look for the blonde haired girl he had spent the morning and the majority of the afternoon with.

"It's obvious Peter," Lucy sighed before she turned to her brother and smiled. "can't you see it?"

"See what?" Peter looked to Lucy with a raised eyebrow, the young girl chuckling as she took Peter's hand and led him inside the How.

"Edmunds got a crush."

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Angelina Murphy couldn't find Caspian anywhere.

She had searched almost every neck and crook of the How and yet the Prince was nowhere to be found and it was beginning to frustrate her. Of course she was aware that nothing could really bring down her mood, for the girl was still smiling brighter than she had in years and the Narnians had began to notice - Trumpkin himself having to stop her on her search to ask if she were okay, for the girl usually wore as bright a smile on her face in the six years he'd known her.

Angelina soon found the boy in the stone table room, the girl hiding behind the wall as she saw Susan approach her best friend with a smile. She could already see the bright smile on Caspians face as Susan approached him and she smiled at the thought, raising her eyebrow at the two as she sensed definite tension in the room.

"Caspian," Susan spoke as she smiled at him, Caspian already smiling at her. "Peter told me to tell you that the attack is tonight."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Caspian sighed as he sat on the cracked table, Susan joining him immediately as she noticed the worried glint in his eye. "the castle's never been taken."

"Caspian, have a little faith." Susan asked him as she placed her hand on top of Caspians, giving him a weak smile. "Please?"

"Okay." Caspian smiled as he looked up at Susan and sighed. "I trust you."

Angelina hid behind the wall again as Susan left the room, the blonde girl smiling as she slipped into the room after she left with a spring in her step. Caspian hadn't noticed her yet as he sat on the table, looking at the hand Susan had recently squeezed with a smile on his face - a look of awe in his eyes.

"I saw that." Angelina teased as she walked further into the room, Caspian jumping at her voice, flustered that she had caught him but nevertheless tried to compose himself.

"Where have you been?" Caspian asked her as he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to change the subject but Angelina wasn't having it.

"Nevermind me," The girl laughed as she sat down on the broken table and patted the space next to her, Caspian joining her before she nudged his shoulder. "what's going on between you two?"

"Which two? Us two? I don't know what you're talking about." Caspian rambled as he refused to the look the girl in the eye, Angelina raising an eyebrow at his odd behaviour before she rolled her eyes.

"You and Susan, I saw the look she gave you." Angelina teased as she nudged his shoulder again. "How long has this been going on?"

"I have no idea what you're on about." Caspian tried to ignore the girl but Angelina rose her eyebrow at him again and giggled.

"Oh really?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "So if I were to ask Susan-"

"Look, she's a nice girl okay." Caspian rushed as he held a hand over Angelina' s mouth, his tone angry and stressed before he removed his hand and stood up. "What more do you want me to say?

"Watch the attitude your highness," Angelina warned as she also stood up, a frown on her face as she noticed that Caspian was refusing to look at her. "I was only teasing."

"Whatever." He scoffed.

Then he walked off.

"What's up with him?" Angelina questioned herself as she turned around, almost jumping out of her skin as she saw the Magnificent King stood at the entrance of the room and held a hand over her heart. "Christ Peter, you scared the life out of me."

"May I have a word?" Peter asked her as he stepped foot into the room, the girl crossing her arms over her chest as she rose an eyebrow at him.

"Are you going to put me back in a cage?" Angelina replied with another question, the Kings shaking his head as a scoff left his lips.

"Of course not." He retorted, Angelina pretending to think over it for a moment before she shrugged.

"Then sure, I see no harm." Angelina caught a glimpse of a smile on the Kings face as he walked over to the table and took a seat, patting the empty space next to him.

"Sit down." He demanded but the girl stayed put, the boy raising an eyebrow at her before he repeated himself. "I said, sit down."

"I think I'd rather stand." Angelina shrugged as she smirked at the boy, Peter rolling his eyes at her as his fists clenched in frustration.

"Fine, do whatever." Peter huffed, clearly irritated. "I don't care."

"Is this an interrogation?" She asked him as her gaze shifted between her nails and him. "Because I told Edmund pretty much everything."

"Somewhat," Peter admitted before he cleared his throat, a serious look on his face. "there are some things I would like to hear from you myself."

"Can't you just ask Edmund?" She questioned as she looked at him and sighed in frustration. "It'd be so much easier."

"Look, you don't like me." Peter stated the obvious, Angelina raising her eyebrows as she gave him her full attention. "I get it, I'm not the fondest of you either but at the end of the day we're on the same team and we need to be able to be civil with each other."

"I have to be honest your highness, I have always acted civil with you and the only reason I would ever be uncivil is if someone acted in an inhuman manner towards me such as..." Angelina drawled off as she circled the boy, pretending to be thinking in an act to irritate him. "I don't know... locking a human girl in a cage like an animal."

"I was trying to protect my family." Peter stood up as he shouted at the girl, Angelina refusing to flinch as she stood her ground and glared at him.

"From what? From her?" 

"Who else would I be protecting them from?" Peter asked and Angelina's look hardened, the girl pushing the boy down onto the table with a harsh glare.

"Listen to me when I tell you this Peter Pevensie and listen good." She sneered, anger bubbling in the bit of her stomach as she frightened the boy before her. "She will only ever destroy anything that I love to get back at me for keeping her trapped for so long. She would never harm anyone else than those I can deeply about so I don't think that you and your precious little family have much to worry about."

"Except Edmund." Peter mumbled and Angelina stopped herself as she stood back, an alarmed look on her face at what Peter had said.

"I don't know what you're insinuating but this isn't about him." Angelina sighed as she took a deep breath and sat next to him on the table, clearly frustrated with the King. "Get on with your questioning before I leave."

"Look," Peter sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, Angelina giving him her full attention as he spoke. "I'm sorry for locking you in a cage okay. It was inhuman and it was selfish of me to do so but I hope you understand that I didn't it for the better of my family. It wasn't about my feelings you or towards the Enchantress it was so that I could protect my family until we knew all the facts. I'm really sorry."

"That was almost heartfelt," Angelina sighed before she smirked at the boy and shrugged. "I would applaud you but I feel that goes against everything I stand for."

"You're impossible." Peter grunted as he crossed his arms over his chest, a grunt leaving his lips.

"Yeah I get that a lot." The girl giggled before she turned to him and gave him a serious look. £I would never intentionally put your family in danger Peter, I would never want to harm anyone. I've just been unstable recently."

"The attack is tonight," Peter spoke again after a moment before he stood up, turning to look at her. "you're not coming."

"Like hell I'm not." Angelina stood up after him, not agreeing to his decision. "I am going to be there."

"You said so yourself," Peter sighed as he dismissed her. "you're unstable."

"That doesn't mean I'm not good with a sword." Angeline attempted to fight her case, but Peter was having none of it.

"I'm not arguing with you on this." He sighed again as he gave her a serious look. "You're staying."

"I'm the best swordsman you've got Peter," She stood up to him again, getting in his face to tell him how serious she was. "I'm going."

"You really want to go?" Peter asked as he rose an eyebrow at her, a plan formulating in his head while she nodded.

"Well I'm not going to just sit here," Angelina replied as she smiled at him. "you need all the swords you can get."

"Fine," He smirked before he turned around and started walking away. "but you're up top with Edmund."

"What?" Angelina froze as she took in his words, not quite believing that he had given into her.

"You heard me." He smirked at her, turning around to give her one last look. "Get ready, we leave in an hour."

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