The Humble Queen

Hide and Seek

I awoke to a loud set of banging on my door. Groaning, I buried myself under my sheets as it continued.
"Hurry! Get up!" Mrs. MaCready screamed. I'm quite sure that the entirety of England could hear her by now! Whining, I crawled out of bed and hurried to change into a simple yellow day dress. I brushed through my hair and slipped my clip into place before rushing down the stairs.

Naturally, I was the last to arrive to the dining hall. I smiled brightly as I waltzed in.
"Good morning everyone!" I explained with a giggle. Mrs. MaCready rolled her eyes as she shoved some food onto my plate.
"Sit," she told me sharply. Rolling my eyes, I sat beside Lucy and stretched my arms.
"Did everyone sleep alright?" I asked softly as Edmund ate his fried egg.
"Splendidly!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Rather well," Susan said.
"Peter slept wonderfully too," Edmund smirked, "after chatting about a certain someone for-"
"Eat your bacon!" Peter said as she shoved some bacon into Edmund's mouth making Susan and Lucy laugh. Edmund scoffed
"But yes, I did sleep wonderfully," Peter said, his cheeks pink, "did you?"
"Indeed I did," I smiled, "did you sleep well Edmund?"
"Well, I tried," he said after he swallowed the bacon, "but someone kept talking-"
"Stay hydrated Edmund!" Peter said as he held a cup to Edmund's lips. Susan chuckled as Lucy giggled.
"Pete, are you perhaps in l-" Susan began.
"Not at all Susan! What an odd thing to ask!" Peter said and Lucy giggled as Edmund laughed. My heart began to ache. They got along so well. I've never had that with anyone except Grandfather.

"Miss Arabella, are you alright?" Peter asked and my eyes widened. I smiled and nodded.
"Of course I am, thank you for asking Peter!" I stated as I chewed on a piece of bacon, "That's a rather nice shirt by the way, the colour suits you."
His cheeks grew redder causing Edmund and Susan to smirk.

"What on earth did I miss?" Grandfather asked as he walked in. I waved happily as he sat down.
"Good morning Grandfather!" I smiled brightly.
"Good morning Little One," he chuckled, "say, the weather is rather horrid today, I expect that you will all be staying indoors?"

🐵🐵🐵

We were all sat in the playroom. Lucy stared out the window in bordem as Edmund stared at the table. Peter lounged on the floor as Susan sat holding a dictionary on the couch. I was reading a book which I'd borrowed from Susan (who kindly shared).

"Gastrovascular," she stated, awaiting Peter's reply, "come on Peter! Gastrovascular!"
Peter sighed, "Is it Latin?"
"Yes," Susan stated causing Edmund to scoff.
"Is it Latin for the worst game ever invented?" he asked. Susan scoffed as she glared at him.
"Actually, it's latin for 'serving for digestion and circulation, as a cavity'," I replied. Everyone looked at me and I smiled sheepishly.

Huffing, Lucy walked over to Peter and tugged on his arm.
"We could play Hide and Seek," she suggested. Peter sighed.
"But we're already having so much fun," he said, his voice dripped with sarcasm as Susan slammed the dictionary shut.
"Please Peter, please, please, please!" she said, her eyes like that of a puppy's.
Giving up, Peter began to count.
"1... 2... 3... 4..." he began, a smile upon his face.

Everyone jumped up and began to run around hiding. I ran and hid behind one of the suits of armor in the hallway. A terrible choice really.

Finally, Peter reached 100 and stepped out of the playroom. I held my breath as he walked past. Once he passed, I sighed in relief.
"Aha!" he cried as he jumped at me causing me to scream in shock, "Oh, I am so sorry for frightening you Miss!"
"Oh no, it is quite alright Peter!" I cried, "And I told you to call me Arabella!"
"My apologies," he smiled, "shall we go and find the others?"
"I suppose we should," I nodded as we walked down the halls searching.

All of a sudden, Lucy over screaming.
"I'm back, I'm back! It's alright!"
Confused, I tilted my head to the side as Edmund stood from where he was hiding.
"Shh, he's coming," he scolded.
"You know, I'm not quite sure you two have gotten the idea of this game," Peter said.
"But weren't you wondering where I was?" Lucy asked, her cheeks were pink.
"That's the point! That's why he was seeking you!" Edmund cried. Susan walked up behind me.
"Does this mean that I win?" she asked.
"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore," Peter said. I glanced at Lucy.
"Do you have any other game in mind Lucy?" I asked.
"I've been gone for hours!" she cried.
"Lucy, it's only been a few minutes," Peter said.
"But I was the wardrobe! I met Mr. Tumnus and had tea with him! It's been hours!" she looked close to crying.
"Which wardrobe were you in Lucy?" I asked as I held her hand. She pulled us into the room.

The floorboards squeaked as we walked across them. Susan climbed into the wardrobe and knocked on the wood. She sighed as she climbed out, obviously agitated.
"The only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe," she said. I pursed my lips as I thought.
"One game at a time Lu, we don't all have your imagination," Peter said.
"But I wasn't imagining!" she cried.
"Well, I believe you," Edmund said with a smirk. Peter and Susan sent him a look of warning.
"You do?" poor Lucy sounded so hopeful.
"Yeah, didn't I tell you about the football field that I found in the bathroom closet?" he asked. Lucy began to cry.

"Why don't you just stop it?" Peter snapped, "You always have to make everything worse! Grow up!"
"Shut up!" Edmund snapped, "You think you're dad, but you're not!" Edmund ran out of the room.
"Well that was nicely handled!" Susan snapped as she followed Edmund.
"It really was there," Lucy whimpered.
"I believe you," I said with a smile.
"What?" Peter asked, "Susan was right. That's enough."
"But it all makes sense Peter!" I said.
"None of it makes sense Arabella," he said. I grasped his hands.
"Remember the story that my Grandfather told us? About a wood? About Narnia?" I asked.
"Do you really believe in stupid fairytales?" Peter spat. My eyes widened as he walked off.

Fighting back my tears, I gently hugged Lucy. She hugged me back.
"I do believe you Lucy, I really do," I whispered.
"Thank you Arabella," she said.