Skipping Heartbeats [Peter Pevensie] III

On the other side of the kingdom, the four Pevensie's were out and about the castle. Lucy Pevensie was having her afternoon tea and crumpets with her dear friend, Mr. Tumnus, while Susan sat in their elaborate garden reading the newest novel she had picked out from Narnia's vast collection in their library. Edmund Pevensie sat at the shoreline drawing circles in the sand and grumbling to himself about how boring being a king was.

Peter, however, was hard at work in a secluded room surrounded by books, papers, forms, and a single, solitary lamp to light his desk. The Pevensie children have been running the land of Narnia for some months now, and Peter had taken it upon himself to undertake the most difficult of tasks.

He ran his hand through his golden locks as he stared at the parchment before him.

"Impossible..." he whispered to himself. "That oaf, Dalziel, thinks he knows everything."

He sighed and sat back in his chair, weighing his options. Just at that moment, a quiet knock sounded on the door, diverting Peter's attention.

"Come in," he said, rather dismissively.

"Your lordship? A messenger has arrived from Mr. Beaver. He says it's urgent news."

Peter nodded to faun and asked for him to be sent in. The faun bowed and quickly receded to the other side fo the door only to reappear again with another.

"Your Highness, Beaver sends me to retrieve you for a few moments."

Peter raised his eyebrows and ran his hand down the face of his face after a moment. He licked his lips and quietly stood up, watching as the faun instantly bows before him.

"Yes, well, I suppose it's important enough if Beaver's the one that's calling. And no more of that bowing."

The faun slowly stood back up and looked to the desk at which Peter had been sitting. Peter followed his gaze and smirked lightly.

"Yes. Beaver sure can time them right. It's much like he can read my mind. This work is absolutely mind-boggling to say the least."

He returned his attention to the faun in front of him and smiled genially. The faun returned the gesture and chuckled a bit. Peter grinned at him and said, "Now, my dear fellow. Show me the way..."

The faun nodded and moved towards the door.

"...but not until you give me your name."

The faun halted in his steps and peered curiously at the High King. After a moment's hesitation, the faun conceded and said, "It's...it's Lanza."

Peter smiled at him and nodded his head as he began to follow the young faun out of the study. Peter remembered his brother and sisters and suddenly stopped, calling to Lanza to wait for a moment.

"Rouga!"

The faun from before swiftly appears before Peter.

"Rouga, if my siblings ask of my whereabouts, tell them Beaver has called upon me to visit him."

The faun nodded and bowed before rushing off into the distance.

"That's only if they ask!"

He sighed and shook his head, laughing slightly, before looking to Lanza and telling him to lead the way.

[At Beaver's]

They arrive at the dam and Peter thanks the faun before entering through the door.

"Beaver? Beaver, are you here?"

He doesn't hear either of the Beavers, Mr. or Mrs. but hears instead a slight and faint whimper. He pokes his head around the wall of the dam and sees that everything's in order...except for the bed. It was currently occupied with something or someone about his size but sightly shorter.

"Uhh...Beaver?"

Peter took a few tentative steps towards the bed and saw that there was indeed a person within its confines. And it was a she. And she was about Peter's age.

At that moment, Mr. Beaver walked out holding a tray and saying something directed to the person in the kitchen whom Peter deducted to be Mrs. Beaver.

"I don't know why we're doing this, dear. She's not going to eat when she wakes. She won't have the stomach for it." He turned and almost lost his balance when he saw Peter. "Your lordship? You're here, already?"

Peter soon shook himself from his thoughts and turned to Beaver and glared playfully.

"You know I don't like you calling me that, Beaver."

"Yes, well, one must do what is expected of them."

Beaver moved beside the girl in the bed and placed a tray of toast and a mug of some drink beside it. He stood there for a minute, staring at the girl and then sighed, turning around to meet Peter's gaze.

"Poor girl. She's completely out of it. Had the scare of her life, I believe. She's fainted twice now in a matter of two hours."

He clicked his teeth and shook his head. Peter looked from him to the girl and then back to Beaver.

"She's...she's a she."

Beaver chuckled and nodded his head.

"Yes, I suppose she is. Very observant of you, Peter. And she's very pretty, too."

Peter nodded his head and managed to find his voice. It had felt like ages since he had seen a girl other than his sisters.

"What is she doing here? How did she come to..."

"Now, be patient, Peter. You'd better sit down for this one."

"The last time you told me to sit down you told me I was going to save a kingdom..." Peter mumbled.

"And was I wrong?"

"Well, no. But you didn't warn me what it would take to do so."

Beaver chuckled and said, "I figured that was implied."

Peter rolled his eyes and smiled kindly at the animal.

"Now, what's this all about? Did you call me here because of her?"

Beaver nodded solemnly.

"Yes. Peter. Peter, there's been another prophecy..."