Three weeks.

That is how long Danielle and I managed to get along without any incidents. Longer than I expected.

At first, I believe we were genuine in our attempt at friendship. The first week went by pretty well, but ultimately it all felt forced. We were trying too hard and we both knew it. And we did try, the gods know we tried, but ultimately it all boils down to one simple fact. A fact as unchangeable as the colour of the sky or the taste of sugar: Danielle and I do not like each other. And that's alright. Honestly, I couldn't care less. I've made my peace with that. 

What I have not made my peace with, however, is her relationship with my cousin. Oh, the horror! I saw them kiss once and had the urge to gouge out my eyes. 

Time went by, weeks, turned into months, months turned into years and they were still together! It baffled me how they managed to do so, theirs is the strangest of relationships.

Every time he goes to Datram, he acts as if she didn't exist. Rumours of how he was seen kissing another girl or of how a maiden was spotted leaving his quarters early in the morning are quick to make their way to our court. Rumours I know to be true because sometimes I have had the misfortune of witnessing said events when I go to Datram. Rebekah has confirmed the rest. All the cavorting he takes part in. But it never extends further than his stays in Datram. No, the second he returns to Cair Paravel she goes back to being the light of his eyes, as the Calormen put it. I don't know what he sees in her. 

As a fellow woman, I cannot help but feel... compassion for her. But it is a feeling that dissipates rather quickly at the first sign of impertinence from her. And she just can't help herself, can she?

I believe she must either turn a deaf ear to the rumours or she simply must not care because their relationship remains ever unaltered. Nauseating, but unaltered.

He just acts so differently when he's around her. I can't explain it, but it makes me uneasy. I get this feeling in my gut every time I see them together. She has him wrapped around her little finger and he's too blind to see it.

I tried talking to him on several occasions, but he got all defensive and left. All I managed to accomplish was to push him further into her arms.

"It's been two years, I think it is time you accept the fact that Darren, in his own weird way, loves her," Susan said as we eyed her from the other side of one of the many yards found around Cair Paravel. She is chatting with her cousin, Danisse -who I find more bearable- while Susan and I wait for Peter to be finished with his conversation with Lord Leandus, one of the most influentials fauns of court. 

It's been two years and they're still together, that is a long time. "But do you honestly see a future for those two?" I just can't picture her staying around forever. "Don't you think it would be better for them both to just end it?" 

"Maybe. But you can't make that decision for them," 

I hate it when Susan's right. 

"But can't I?" Maybe if I got one of Darren's latest conquests to show up here... that would stir the pot. Might even make the pot explode! 

Susan gives me one of her disapproving looks and uses the cautioning tone she saves for whenever Edmund's up to something. "Imira," 

"Alright," I give up far too easily. I do not wish to get into an argument with her. 

"And who knows, perhaps this trip will change his mind," she says optimistically. 

"That's what you tell me every time he goes away," I remind her. 

Peter's finally heading our way, but he stops to talk to a dwarf. At this rate we are never going to reach the beach. 

"I was right that one time, remember?" Susan says with a sly smile. 

"How could I forget," I say with a sigh, thinking back to that one time. 

He got off his horse, asked me if I knew where Danielle was so he could end things and left to break up with her. I started ordering preparations for a feast, but just a few hours later Thea was telling me of how she saw him kissing her in the courtyard. I ended up throwing Philip, Edmund's equine friend, a surprise ball for his birthday. The surprise being the party was one week earlier. "It wouldn't be a surprise if it was on his birthday now would it?"  I felt like an idiot, but everyone said it was a brilliant idea. I think they were just being polite. A birthday ball for a horse?! Horses don't even dance! 

"But that didn't last very long, did it?" I remind her. She was very helpful in getting everyone to attend Philip's birthday ball. 

"Maybe they are meant to be together," she suggests. 

"That is unacceptable," I say, but before she can add anything else, Peter returns. 

"Any update on Edmund?" she asks him. 

Edmund embarked on a trip to the Western Wood a few weaks ago on account of a haunting. He asked me to accompany him, but I'm afraid of ghosts and I can't have anyone other than Peter finding out, so I said I was very busy teaching the princes new words. Which I am doing, so it's not a lie. 

"No. But you know how he loves to keep us guessing," he says dismissively. No news is good news. If we had any news... that would mean trouble.

She nods, seemingly satisfied with Peter's answer. 

"Sue, could you give us a moment?" Peter turns to her. 

"Sure," she says glancing at me for a second. "I've got to find Lucy anyways. I'll see you both at lunch?" 

"Yes," I reply.  

"So?" I ask once Susan has gotten out of earshot. 

"Have I told you who beautiful you look today?" he asks. 

Suspicious suspicious suspicious. I doubt he asked Susan to go away so he could compliment me. But I'm not about to stop him from calling me beautiful.  

"No, you have not," 

"You look beautiful today," he says and I can't help the silly grin spreading across my face. I feel a sudden burst of energy. I could do a cartwheel across the grass or tackle him into a hug, or jump up and down like a twelve-year-old giggling. But I won't do either of those things, they are not very Queenly. What I can do is control myself and channel my emotions into messing with him. 

"Did I not look beautiful yesterday?" I ask, feigning sudden offence.

His eyes widen and he stumbles through his words. "What? No. Yes. You are. You were. Of course. I meant-" 

"I know what you meant. I just love your reaction," I admit and he just shakes his head at me as he smiles nervously. I love making him nervous, keeps thing interesting and makes for a good laugh. 

"Thank you," I add, brushing a non-existent strand of hair behind my ear. He just called me beautiful! He's so cute. 

Aslan's mane, I'm ridiculous. We got married years ago and I still scream internally whenever he calls me beautiful. 

Perhaps I have spent too much time around Lucy. She gets excited about everything: the dancing trees, the blooming flowers of the garden, a bird she saw perched on a branch outside her window. But that's a good thing. She is free to show all of her emotions. Something I can't always do. We're all Kings and Queens and supposedly represent the kingdom equally, but we all know Peter is the face of the monarchy, the role model. His title is, after all, High King Peter The Magnificent, and now that I am married to him, I have to live up to the same standards. And after I saved Danielle's life they started calling me Queen Imira The Great, so there's that. I mean, that's a lot of pressure to live up to! The rest have it easy. Edmund has to be just, something that comes naturally to him; Susan has to be gentle, she just needs to work on being less bossy; and Lucy is already brave and pretty much perfect.  

I struggle a bit with the self-control part. Don't go jumping into frozen rivers or charging into battle without a plan, or making a plan without sufficient evidence, or riding a dragon when you're pregnant, or insulting powerful witches to their face. As if it were that easy. It's a tough balance. Show empathy but not too much empathy, be happy but not overly excited, be sad but never weep or cry for them to see, scare them with your anger but just enough to keep them in line (you don't want them to think you're crazy), be helpful but not too much or the rest will get jealous, be morally right but never sanctimonious. It's exhausting! I'm not perfect, I don't know why everyone expects me to be. Okay, I know why they expect me to be perfect, because I'm the Queen, but that's silly, I'm just a person. The title changed nothing. Sometimes I'd just like to scream at someone, but I can't do that. I'm the Queen and I need everyone to like me. No, that's not right, I don't need everyone to like me, Peter keeps telling me that. I don't need everyone to like me. Agh, but he and I know that just applies on a personal level. Publically, we both need everyone to like us. The more the people like their rulers, the more peace we should have in the kingdom (and the easier they'll be willing to fight for us -not that I'm planning a war any time soon-). It's just so complicated sometimes. It's like... like there's two of me. The Imira who is Queen of Narnia, Empress of the Lone Islands etcetera etcetera, (the one who needs to be perfect and pretty and polite and strong), and then there's just me, the sometimes loud, occasionally rude and impetuous Datramite who just wants to stay up until two in the morning and wake up until noon. Luckily I have given Peter two heirs and everyone is still grateful over me dying eleven years ago, so I think I'm fine for now. 

"Imira," Peter waves a hand in front of my face. 

"Huh?" Shit, I zoned out talking to myself. Where were we? Oh, that's right! He said I was pretty and I was suspicious. "What do you need?" I ask. There's usually some sort of request or delivery of bad news after a random compliment from him. Well, a random compliment in the middle of the day in a somewhat crowded area.  Random compliments at night mean a completely different thing. 

"Can't I just tell you you look beautiful today?" he asks and we start walking again. 

"You can. But you and I know there are two ways you complimenting me can go. It's noon and we're in a public space so my guess is you have some sort of request," He smirks a bit, he knows what I mean. 

"There is something," but he hesitates. 

"Well? Go on, I won't stab you. I left my knife upstairs," I joke. He laughs a short dry laugh before glancing to the other side of the garden. 

"Don't get upset," he says, eyeing those who surround us for a moment, "But we are having dinner tonight with the Doningers," 

Not the Doninger! I feel my right fist clench in anger and I find myself eyeing her. Braided red hair and pink dress. I wonder how she'd look like if I accidentally chopped off her braid. Aslan's mane, I am so mean! I don't hate her, I don't hate her, I don't hate her. See? I told you I was not perfect. 

"That was not a question," I point out. He's not asking, which means he spoke as the High King, which means I can't refuse, which means, this is a matter of state, not a social event. I guess I won't be receiving any random compliments this evening.

He gives me an apologetical look. "I'm afraid not," 

Trying to get out of this one is futile, but hey, there's no harm in trying. "Have I told you how handsome you look today?" I say in my flirty voice, but he just laughs. Completely aware of what I'm trying to pull. 

"I'm afraid you can't get out of this one," 

"But can't I?"I stop walking and try to wrap my arms around his neck only for him to stop me. 

"If I'm going, you're going," he says holding my hands before letting go. I groan internally and follow after him. "Come on. You can practice your diplomatic smile, on our way to the beach." 

"Are there any news from Datram?" I ask Henry as I interrupt his reading of whatever document he holds on his hands. It is signing hour o-clock, which means it is also briefing hour. But today it's mostly going to be complaining hour. Unless he has something juicy to share, then I'll listen and complain afterwards. 

"Your Majesty," he stands up politely. "There is. Prince Darren left Datram seven days ago," he announces. 

"Seven days you say?" That doesn't add up. "He should be here by now," 

"He has decided to join King Edmund on his quest to vanquish the western wood ghost," Henry tells me. 

"That sounds exciting," more like terrifying. I'd rather fight a minotaur than a ghost. At least you can fight a minotaur, how do you even get rid of a ghost? They're already dead! "I'm sure they'll return with a thrilling tale," The sort of tale I am sure I'll hear about almost daily for the rest of the month. "Anything else?" 

"There's... rumours," Henry says.  

"Rumors?" So he does have something juicy to share. This should be interesting. 

"Court gossip from Datram," 

"About?" Gossip from Datram is the best sort of gossip. 

"Prince Darren," Ooo, spill the tea, Henry! 

"What has he done now?" I ask expecting something big. 

"Less of a what, more of a who," Henry says. 

I audibly gasp. This is HUGE news. Not unexpected, but huge nevertheless. This could be it. This could break them up! "Well, go on," I urge him. He's doing the dramatic pause he does when he has information I want. 

"It appears he has spent a lot of time with Princess Dæsella," 

Dæsella, Dæsella... "Acanthæan?"

"Indeed," 

Oh. Getting involved with an Acanthæan is a no-no unless you really mean it. The last time a member of the Datramite royal family got involved with an Acanthæan (excluding that time my father secretly betrothed me to my very distant cousin) did not go so well for Datram. Nearly started a war. "Romantically?" 

"That's what they say,"  

I ponder about this for a while. If he's seeing an Acanthæan princess he must know what he's doing. Acanthæans are as scary an enemy as they are rich. "Good. He must have finally seen reason and decided to leave Lady Danielle," 

"Let us hope so. Otherwise, things in Datram are about to take a complicated turn," 

Yes, James is going to find himself in a bit of a pickle if Darren doesn't break up with Danielle. "You mean tensions may arise for my brother if Darren keeps up his gallivanting ways," 

"It could be seen as an insult," Henry says. 

"Yes, indeed," It will most definitely be seen as an insult. Darren must have seriously made up his mind then. Why else would he get involved with such a dangerous girl? 

"I have a letter from King James here," he says procuring said letter. "He urges you to speak with Prince Darren and make sure he lets one of them go. Preferably the Galmian," 

I take the letter and examine it. "Gladly. I shall speak about this upon his return," I fold back the letter and place it inside my dress pocket. "Anything else?" 

"From Datram, no. But there is the matter of tonight's state dinner with the representative of Galma," Henry starts. Great, he's going to give me a lecture about playing nice. I better sit down for this one and practice my polite smile on him.

"So you know about that," How does he know about that? I only just found out. 

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't," 

True. "Isn't it dreadful?" Maybe he can get me out of it. 

He smiles at me a little before sitting down. "I wish you the best of luck," So I'm stuck. "However-" 

But before he can begin what I assume is a well-practiced speech about playing nice, I reach for the pen and ask what I should sign first. 

He hands me the first document and explains what it's about. A dwarf is being granted land somewhere in Owlwood. The next, a Marshwiggle is being knighted. Marshwiggles have funny feet. The next, a soldier (satyr) who fought in the battle of Beruna for our forces has died and we're sending a condolences letter commending him for his bravery. 

Henry hesitates before handing me the next. "May I say something honestly?" he asks a bit worriedly. 

"I should hope so," 

"Make your peace with her. With Lady Danielle. She will either be your ally or your foe, there is no in-between. Any quarrel you may have with her during dinner will be regarded as an insult to Galma. The crown has no need for that,"

I know this already. I don't need him to remind me of it every time there is a public function she'll be present at. Don't snub her. Be polite. Maybe you should invite her to your dinner party. Who is he, my mother?  Well, maybe I don't bloody feel like spending extra quality time with the girl. Ugh, now I'm upset at Henry. Great. Damn you, Danielle! 

"The crown has no need for an insolent brat," I reply and make a dramatic exit only to remember I still have to sign a stack of documents. Hmm... I can always come back in an hour. 

The first thing I wasn't pleased with was the seating arrangement. I always always seat next to Peter. Usually to his right, sometimes to his left, but always next to him. Now for some reason, he is to sit on one end of the table and me on the opposite end?  Hmm, I don't like this. The table isn't very long, but they separated us. 

Divide and conquer. That's what my brother would have said. 

The other thing I wasn't happy about with was who they sat me next to, though maybe that's part of the first...  meh, I'll count it as a separate issue. 

While Peter had the Chancellor and his wife next to him, I had Danielle and her cousin, Danisse. I would rather have dinner with the stable satyr. At the stable. Eating stale bread. He's actually quite pleasant, I have nothing against him, but how come I am sitting out of earshot from where the important conversation is being held? I can't hear any of the important matters they are discussing over Danielle's incessant chitchat about dresses and hair and balls and shoes. Life's greater than your wardrobe, Danielle! Oh, and the music players are not helping. Piano (I can play better than that), violin and some flutes playing a formal melody. 

I'm trying to decide whether the seating arrangement qualifies as rude behaviour I can complain about later on when Lord Doninger makes a toast. Ooo, yes, wine should help make this bearable. 

How I managed to get through two hours talking about nothing, I have no idea, but my face was starting to hurt from all the fake smiling and I was itching to go. 

The evening had gone without incident. Danielle had somehow found it within herself to not be impertinent and I had no reason to call her out on it, so it was all going brilliantly. That is, until the very end. 

We were saying our goodbyes and I guess she just couldn't manage to keep her mouth shut. 

"This was a pleasant evening," Lady Doninger said to me while Peter sorted something out with Lord Doninger. 

"Yes, indeed," I lie. I have nothing against her, and the evening has been alright, but my idea of a pleasant evening involves happier music, lots of people and dancing, and no Doningers in sight. Alright, maybe Danisse can come, she's not half bad. 

"It was lovely seeing you here tonight, Lady Danisse," I turn to the girl. And it was lovely. Without her presence I fear I might have gone mad with dullness or overindulged with the drinks. 

"It was a pleasure having you here, Your Majesty," she curtsies with a small smile. 

See? This girl knows how to behave! Alright, I'm inviting her to my next gathering. 

I turn at last to Danielle and her mother turns away to speak to Peter. 

"I'd say tonight went rather well," I said, hoping for a quick, dramaless departure. 

"I'd say so," Danielle replied. 

"I hope we'll be able to keep this up for... future encounters," I add. 

"I hope so as well," she replied. Ah, but she couldn't just leave it alone, could she? "Especially for Prince Darren's sake," 

Sorry, what? "For Prince Darren's sake?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow. "What does that mean?" I ask carefully. 

"Merely that, well, the Prince has grown fond of me and has expressed deep feelings for me. It would be unfortunate for when our relationship inevitably evolves if the two of us didn't get along. If we are to become familiars, would it not be best to get along with one another?"

Oh, the nerve of this girl! Familiars? Familiars! What sort of silly idea does she have brewing in that scrambled brain of her's? Has she been deprived of oxygen lately? Perhaps she has fallen into another river. Or maybe a heavy object has fallen on her head. Why else would she voicing to me about her silly fantasies? 

But I know what she wants. She wants a big reaction from me. She wants me to make a fool of myself, no doubt so she can make some stupid comment about me drinking to much. I know she criticises me behind my back over that. Well, excuse me for having a high tolerance for wine! It's not my fault you can't handle a few glasses. But before my emotions can get the better of me and prove me a fool before everyone, I restrain myself from calling her out on her insolence and answer with a smile. She gets very pissed when I do this, answer with a smile instead of raging, which is incentive enough not to scream at her for being rude. 

"Men's hearts are easily swayed, especially my cousin's. You might find the Prince's attentions faltering before you know it. So don't get ahead of yourself," I warn her in an eerily happy tone. 

She seems taken aback by my lack of anger, but she's not done. "Do you speak out of experience, Your Grace?" she whispers with that venomous tongue of hers. "I hear High King Peter has been spending an awful lot of time with Lady Ellexis lately," Lady Ellexis is the one before me. I do not like what she's implying. Is Peter really spending time with her? No no no, she's just saying this to mess with me. Focus, Imira, the real enemy is Danielle. Oh, how I'd love to slap the smug smile off her face. That would show her some respect. But violence is the answer for the witless, or so Susan says. A phrase clearly directed to me every time she uses it. I'm trying to make violence my second option, but sometimes it's just to bloody difficult. Slapping her would be easier. 

"Out of experience yes, but not my own," I reply calmed, even though my blood is boiling and my brain screams fight. "You are not the first woman who has claimed my cousin's heart. And you certainly won't be the last. So don't get too comfortable," 

Peter must have sensed how close I was to snapping because the next instant he intervened before Danielle could say anything else that would drive me over the edge. 

"Good Evening, Lady Danielle," Peter said and placed a hand on my back to gently lead me away from her. 

I give her one last scrutinizing look, said good evening, and left with Peter. 

If she wants to play a game, then let's play.