Accidentally Falling | Narnia

16 | twists

Before Peter led Susan to the center of the dance floor, the Great Hall was so bright, thanks to its enormous chandelier, that it almost felt like it was daytime.

But as the blonde-haired King and the daughter of Eve got to the middle of the Hall, right underneath the chandelier, the lights dimmed, suddenly enveloping them all in a bluish light. Although it wasn't completely dark (Susan could still see Rabadash standing immobile by the table, still on the same position when she and Peter left him), but it definitely wasn't bright either.

It made Susan uncomfortable.

Peter gently turned her to face him. He put a hand on her waist and grasped her hand firmly while Susan placed her other hand on his shoulders. Then the fauns playing the lutes started a new song and the dance began.

At first, Susan was worried that she might accidentally step on Peter's toes, considering that she wasn't from Narnia and not quite familiar with their dances. But as she moved to Peter's lead, she realized that it was just waltz.

They danced in time with the music, both feeling a little awkward. Peter was looking at a spot above her head. Susan was staring at something on his shoulder.

The both of them were archenemies. However hard Caspian tried to make them get along, they couldn't find it in themselves to refrain from driving the other person crazy. Neither of them could stand the annoying presence of the other. So the both of them waltzing that evening in the middle of the Great Hall with almost all the pair of eyes turned their way was the last, like the last last, thing on both of their minds when they woke up that morning.

Peter was keeping distance from her, feeling jittery. He convinced himself that it was because he didn't want her to freak out and call him a maniac just because he had an awkward hand on her waist. But a small, irritating part of his brain was suggesting that it might be because of what he felt earlier that night when he saw her descend that staircase.

Yep, he thought. I'm drunk.

He tried to concentrate on other things to calm his nerves- like the panicked expression on Rabadash's face when he had intimidated him and how good the food during dinner had tasted- anything but the fact that Susan looked really beautiful, and that the hand that was gripping hers were so sweaty and maybe disgusting, and--

"Thank you," Susan said suddenly, interrupting his wild thoughts. "For getting me away from that prince."

"Oh, that?" he replied, etching a smile on his face. "It's nothing. I couldn't let him bully you, could I? I'm the only one that is allowed to do that."

"Still, he could've hurt you. That scimitar looked pretty sharp."

"He's a jerk." Peter said, twirling Susan around. "He couldn't beat me in swordfighting. Even his father couldn't. He'd be lucky if he'd ever manage to leave as much as a scratch on my skin."

For a moment, Susan studied him, looking at him very hard that he felt anxious, wondering if he had something on his face. Considering the amount of pudding he had consumed before going to Susan's rescue from Rabadash, he might had. He had half the mind to bring a hand to his face and wipe off whatever it is he suspected was on it.

"What?" Peter asked, eyebrows raised.

"Exactly how much wine did you have at dinner?" Susan asked seriously.

"Why?"

"Because you're acting so nice to me."

Believe me, I'm asking myself the same thing.

"Normally, you act like a douchebag--"

"Hey!"

"But now," Susan fought off an amused smile. "It seemed like you're not the Peter I had almost shot with my arrow a few days ago."