School Grounds, Saturday Morning

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund had had a particularly good night, even though it hadn't started out that well. He rose early, despite not having another nightmare, and quickly dressed with the intention of an early walk.

[OOC: Open for beings big and small.]

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[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Lou knew she needed to find her daddy, but it wasn't like that was going to be hard. She always could find him growling about something.

Instead she sat under a tree, Narnian skirts bunched up around her knees as she concentrated very, very hard on a floating pencil.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund hadn't been expecting to see a small child (well, she was small to him) crossing his path, let alone a small child that was wearing recognisable Narnian garb and making a pencil float.

He watched from afar as he walked slowly, then eventually changed his path to move a little closer. "Hello," he called from a safe distance.

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The pencil fell to the ground as Lou looked up then bounced to her feet, smiling hugely. "Daddy!" she cried, running towards him, her arms wide for an attempted hug attack.

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Edmund stepped out of the way at the last moment, reflexes kicking in more than wanting to dodge a little girl. "No?"

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She looked hurt for a moment, her lower lip poking out in a bit of a pout. But maybe Daddy just wanted her to have better manners. He always went on about that and then Aunt Lucy told him he was being a stick in the mud.

Gathering the very shards of five year old dignity, Lou tottered into a shaky curtsy. "I bring you greetings from Narnia, Father," she said solemnly.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

He was all confused, as was to be expected in such a situation, but nonetheless courtesy reigned and he bowed in return. As he rose from his bow, Edmund frowned. "I think you have me confused with another, my lady. I have no children." He was still a boy himself, not that he would admit that to anyone else.

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"'Course you do," she argued, courtesy half-forgotten now as her hands found her hips. She paused for a moment. "Well, fine, you don't have children, you have me."

Lou obviously thought that was good enough.

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Michael finally decided that he might possibly, probably, be just the tiniest bit lost. This wasn't Narnia, and it wasn't Chicago.

Talking to one of the teal deer hadn't helped.

So, like any good Prince, he pulled his sword and prepared for battle, just in case.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

This wasn't how he'd planned to spend his morning. Edmund wasn't used to dealing with children, so he didn't exactly know how to react to such a brazen argument from someone he couldn't exactly snark at. "No, I really don't." It was best to go with the straightforward way of doing things. "Who are you?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

When Edmund saw the second child, a boy this time, wandering about, he almost - almost - made a run for it. Sensibility kicked in instead and he calmly gave a small wave when the boy looked in his general direction.

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Michael paused oh-so-briefly, weighing the fact that his dad would probably yell at him for not being where he was supposed to be (because no matter where he was supposed to be, this wasn't it) against being in a strange place and finding his dad.

He ran towards Edmund, dragging his sword (which was a little too long for him), then stopped in front of his father, slightly out of breath, and bowed, listing slightly to port. "Good morning."

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

She made a face at him, and this was really taking manners too far. "I am Princess Louisa Petrina George Pevensie." The duh was implied though she did give another curtesy. "And you are King Edmund the Just - and my daddy."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

George? George?

Edmund got down on one knee to get a better look at her. "My lady, it's really not good manners to make up stories. Well, not all stories. Some are okay, but others are bad. It would be bad for me to do the same. I am King Edmund the Just, but it would be wrong for me to say I'm your father when I'm not."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Good morning," Edmund replied, bowing in reply. He was hoping, silently, that the boy wouldn't claim Edmund was his father like the George girl had. "That's a nice sword." Well, he had to start somewhere.

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Oooh, so far no yelling. Eeeeexcellent. "Thanks. Gramma made it for me."

Which his dad knew already, but if there was correction, then there might be yelling, and that would be bad. His dad was a very grumpy yeller. "The deer here don't talk properly."

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Lou's lips wobbled a little bit, and her eyes started to fill with tears. She wiped them away defiantly with her hand. "Auntie Lucy said you might be stupidheaded. Why don' you believe me?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"How do they normally talk?" Edmund asked, feigning ignorance.

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Michael gave him a look that might look somehow familiar. "Like people. None of the ones here could give me directions, but then I found you. Not that I was lost, because I wasn't. Princes of Narnia don't get lost."

Except for when they did, and it was really probably better he didn't bring up that time on the El when Uncle Harry had had to find him.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Auntie Lucy. Oh Aslan this wasn't good. "Please don't cry. Please? I just wasn't expecting to see you here."

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

"That's cause it's a surprise," she told him, looking woebegone still. "Are you surprised?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

When the boy said 'Princes of Narnia,' Edmund just about whimpered, except he wouldn't do that. At all. Under any circumstances. "Right, of course." Not wanting to get into a tearfest like with the girl, Edmund had a plan this time. "Princes of Narnia also know how to do formal introductions. Why don't you show me how you do yours?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

At least he could tell the truth about that. "I can assure you I'm about as surprised as I've ever been." Not including the time he walked into a wardrobe and found a whole country in there. That was hard to top. "So you said Aunt Lucy," that was weird to say, "knows you're here?"

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

Formal introductions didn't generally begin with an eyeroll and a sigh, but there they were anyway. He adjusted his tunic, tucked his sword properly against his side, and bowed at his father. "Prince Michael Peter Harry Pevensie, at your service."

[weenarnians.livejournal.com]

"A'course," Lou said, hoping he couldn't check the sorta lie. "Aunt Lucy knows everything."

The hero worship was just a leeetle bit obvious.

She leaned forward to whisper to Ed. "We were exploring."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund tried his best not to look too sceptical. "Where's Lucy now?"