Cor and Aravis

Cor and Aravis

Chapter I

The Dance

         “Five years,” Thought Aravis. “It’s been five years that I have been living here.” It was late evening as she looked around her at the feast. It was a feast in honor of the birthday of Cor and Corin. Their father wouldn’t have prepared a feast like this for his own birthday but he insisted on it for his sons. The lady Aravis looked at the dancers and thought. “No one will dance with me. I’m of foreign descent and what is more one who is of a people that is an enemy of this land.” She saw Cor approach and realized that she was wrong. Cor smiled, bowed, and said, “Might I have the honor of this dance.” Aravis knew the traditional way one answered in Archenland but couldn’t help but answer as she always had heard as a child: “If his lordship desires it.” The only words she changed was his lordship as where she grew up it was of course the Tarkaan. As the dance began Cor said, “Normally you should answer, ‘It would be my pleasure’” Aravis looked at him and saw the twinkle in his eyes. “Stop teasing me. You know why I answered the way I did.” He answered, “Yes I’m sorry Aravis.” She smiled and said, “You are forgiven.” She then concentrated on the dance steps and realized how good he was. “You dance well.” She couldn’t help but say. He answered, “My dancing instructors are good. Though they have taught me the steps they haven’t taught me how wonderful it would be to dance with you.” She looked into his eyes expecting to see another twinkle but what she saw made her take a deep breath for although there was a smile on Cor’s face he seemed sincere. She then smiled back and said, “Neither did my dancing instructor prepare me for dancing with you.” Cor’s smile seemed to grow but just then the music stopped. The rest of the evening went by without much event except it seemed to Aravis that Cor was eyeing her a lot although she told herself that she was just imagining it. Cor also seemed to be talking with a centaur later in the evening which intrigued Aravis since Cor was usually quite shy around centaurs.

Chapter II

Corin

         But the next day as Aravis came out of her room she was met by Corin. “I saw Cor looking at you last night.” Aravis shot him a look of fury and said, “Shut up Corin I don’t want to hear about it.” But Corin was not one to be dissuaded. “He is my brother and if he thinks you’re beautiful then I think I should know. Twins should know everything about their other twin, wouldn’t you agree?” Aravis was too angry at Corin to tell him that if she had a twin she definitely wouldn’t want her to know everything about Aravis. The main difference between arguing with Corin and arguing with Cor was that Cor and Aravis always made up for it afterwards while she and Corin rarely did. Corin continued, “Anyway you argue so much that you definitely wouldn’t make a team.” That was the last straw. Aravis opened her mouth and said, “Listen if I want marital advice from you I will come and ask you about it but until then shut your mouth.” Corin said, “Marital advice I didn’t know that you were that serious.” That was too much and Aravis swung her hand to slap Corin but the thunder fist caught it. “Hey slow down. If you want to know something important know that my brother still feels insecure about becoming king. He needs someone to make him more sure. You’re a confident person Aravis, give him some confidence.” With that Corin turned and left. This made her think for a while, “Still unsure about taking the throne? After five years of getting ready for it?”

Chapter III

A Discussion about Stars

         That night after dinner Aravis walked out of the palace and into the garden. It was cooler in the evening and this was the time she liked. Suddenly she turned as she heard the noise of footsteps and saw Cor. She was not alarmed. She knew him well enough to know that he was honorable if nothing else. He said, “Shall we look up at the stars?” They did and he said, “They say the centaurs can read the future in the stars or even hear them sing. I sometimes wish I could.” She smiled and said, “Is that why you were talking to a centaur last night? You wanted him to teach you how to read the stars?” He answered, “No he told me that the prediction for my year was romance and blood. I don’t know what he means.” Aravis was looking up at the stars. Then she said aloud, “I don’t know about blood but I hope if there is romance I might be included somehow.” She blushed when she realized what she said but she had said it and Aravis wasn’t about to take it back. It had all began the night before when he had danced with her. Although before that he had been friends with her for five years. Then he leaned forward and so did she and the two kissed. Finally Cor pulled back and was silent for some time then he said, “That was nice.” Here he made his first mistake as a lover. “Nice!” Aravis was outraged, “A girl kisses you and by doing so opens her heart to you and all you can say is that was nice?” He was about to reply when she cuttingly said, “And if you’re hope to be a little more confident in becoming king know that I don’t intend on helping you.” She turned and ran back towards the palace. Cor called out, “Aravis, come back.” He wanted to say, “I’m sorry.” He just didn’t want to shout it. And there under the stars Cor wept. Aravis wept in her room. The evening which had seemed so promising seemed to have taken a downward turn.

Chapter IV

Forgive

         The next day both Cor and Aravis were particularly quiet at the breakfast table. No attempt to make them talk was successful. The only answers given were nods or shacking of the head. They also seemed to have lost their appetite. One after another the other occupants of the table left. Cor spoke for the first time that morning, “Servants, would you please leave us?” They left one by one till only Cor and Aravis were left. Cor turned to look at Aravis and she noticed that he was trying to fight back tears. “I’m sorry Aravis.” She was torn in two. On one hand she didn’t want to forgive him the lady she was insisted that she had been not just hurt but insulted. The other hand the young woman inside of her longed to… kiss him again and say of course I forgive you. For a moment she looked down at her plate of unfinished food not sure what to say. She finally decided to buy time, “I forgive you. Will you forgive me for the cutting remake I made about your becoming king last night? Shall we be friends again?”  Cor’s disappointment was evident in his eyes. But she didn’t feel ready to start again on the romantic road. She stretched out her hand and he shook it and so they became friends again.

Chapter V

Battle

         Weeks passed into months. And then news came of ships of Tisroc coming from the south. The king said, “He is ungrateful that we sent his son back. I’m getting too old for this.” Corin smiled and Cor frowned. The older twin said, “Who will lead our army next to the Narnians if you don’t come with us?” The king looked at him and said, “You of course.” That day they worked on the logistics of such a battle and the amount of ships necessary to set sail. How many men would be going etc… But before he left Cor had to talk to someone.

         “Aravis where are you?” Cor called. Then he saw her and smiled. She was cleaning her face near the river. He came in sight and she nearly jumped. “Why do you have to scare a girl like that?” She nearly shouted. He answered gravely, “I need to talk with you.” Her voice changed to concern, “Is everything fine back home?” She meant the palace of course. He replied, “There is going to be a battle. Ships have been sighted in the south.” She lost some of her natural color. “Your father wants you to go to war that’s it isn’t it?” Cor hesitated then said, “More then that he wants me to represent him on the battle.” She then said, “Promise me you will come back.” He answered, “I will try. Is there anyone who wants me back?” She looked at him almost fiercely and said, “Don’t try that on me. Of course I want to see you again you’re my friend.” He looked away for a second then returned his gaze to hers. “I will try my best to come back without dishonoring my country and my father.”

         The ships on both sides threw fire at each other finally there was two ships where close enough that the two armies could engage each other. It was the royal ship of Archenland and a Calormen ship. No one could equal Cor’s sword with their scimitar. For about ten minutes the fighting continued. Then an arrow struck the heir of the throne in the left arm. Thankfully he was right handed. Corin was unto it. “Pull back my brother you’re wounded.” But Cor said, “If I withdraw the part of the army that is under my command will loose heart.” And picking up the banner where he let it fall when he was wounded and he charged to the next Calormen with his brother next to him. He killed several enemies but then began to fight the Tarkaan of the ship. Cor lifted his sword to block the blow that would have severed his head. But he was loosing control and he knew it. The next blow hit him in the forehead and blood ran down his face. Just then his brother (who had just finished of a bodyguard of the Tarkaan) plunged his sword into the Tarkaan’s throat. Then he dragged his brother of the ship. Just then news came that the battle was a victory.

Chapter VI

Tell Him

         Aravis was walking in the garden alone again. She missed Cor and even Corin. It had taken her a week to tell the difference in face between the two. Not that the character wouldn’t tell you right away who was who. Just then a female servant came and said, “Corin has returned from the battle.” For a second Aravis smiled. Then she realized something and asked, “What of Cor?” The servant answered, “You should come back to the palace my lady.” She didn’t like the sound of this but followed anyway. There she saw Corin. His face was down and he had a strange sadness in it. This wasn’t good Corin was rarely sad for long. “Corin where is Cor?” She asked. At an abnormal speed he said, “I tried to make him leave the battle but he wouldn’t he said it would make the men under his command loose heart.” Aravis said, “Please don’t tell me he is dead.” The twin answered, “He is not dead.” She breathed in a deep breath that she hadn’t realized she had been withholding. He continued, “He is wounded.” She asked, “Where is he?” Corin answered, “Near the shore.” This was the worst news of the day. Near the shore was where they kept those whose injuries were the worst. She called a male servant and said, “Would you prepare my saddle?” Corin said, “Father wishes to go tomorrow. Don’t you want to wait for him?” But Aravis knew that tomorrow might be too late. She would see him today. So she was soon gone on a gallop. She quickly arrived at the spot. There where quite a few wounded but she asked the physician who soon showed her to the right bed. The physician said, “He might live days he might live hours. Who knows? He lost a lot of blood.” When she saw him so pale with a bandage around his forehead and another around his left arm she shouted, “No! Aslan please no.” Suddenly the physician was on his knees. Aravis turned to see the Lion. The high king above all kings. Once again his paws didn’t seem to make a sound which explained why she hadn’t heard him approach. “Daughter what is it?” Aslan asked. She answered, “I’m going to lose a friend.” He answered, “Is that really how you feel about this dieing son of mine?” She hesitated and looked at the physician who took a few steps backwards. She answered, “No that’s not the full truth. I’m in loved with him Aslan. But that only makes it worst.” Aslan said, “Tell him what you just told me.” So she looked at him and said, “Cor I love you. I want to be your lover.” She didn’t know what else to say. Aslan moved closer and said, “Now daughter move back.” She did and Aslan blew. And the wind moved the hair of Cor and color began to come to his cheeks and he began to breath normally. Then he opened his eyes and said, “Aslan?’ But the Lion was nowhere in sight. Aravis wanted to jump at Cor’s neck but the physician having foreseen that stood in her way. “He still needs to recover. Give it time.” She managed to say, “Cor I love you.” And he answered, “I know you even said you wanted to be my lover.” Satisfied that he had heard her she let him rest. The next few days went by fast and to the surprise of the physician Cor seemed to regain his strength at an incredible speed. Three days later he was riding to the palace.

Chapter VII

Will You

         Aravis looked at the main hall. Was it really only a few months since she danced with him here? It seemed like a year or more. She heard steps behind her and turned to see Cor. He said, “You know if you want to withdraw what you told me then you…” She interrupted, “You think that I just tell that to everyone?” Cor answered, “No! I’m not stupid. It’s just that I was dying and…” She finished for him, “You want to know if I just said that because you were dying or if I was serious?” She stuck her chin out and said, “I was as serious as could be.” He stepped forward and the two’s lips met for the second time. It could have lasted longer than it did except that they heard footsteps. Before they could get a respectable distance from each other Corin walked in. His face showed his disapproval as he said, “How could you Cor? She isn’t a person of real noble blood. You would make her queen of this land?” Cor’s hand went for his sword when Corin added, “What would Father say?” A voice boomed, “What would I say about what?” Corin spun around and Cor looked behind his brother to see the king. The younger twin answered, “Cor just kissed Aravis.” The king said, “Corin leave your brother alone. He has the right to be in-loved with Aravis or even to marry her. She is of our royal house.” Corin said, “Is she?” The monarch nodded, “I finished the adoption papers while you and Cor were away.” Aravis smiled and the two twins looked surprised.

         Three days passed and the feelings between the Cor and Aravis increased. Sure they argued once in a while but they didn’t stay angry for very long anymore. Today the two were walking in the garden. They stopped to kiss. Then Cor fell on one knee. The young woman’s heart began to beat faster. “Aravis will you marry me? Not because I’m a prince, just me Cor.” She hesitated then said, “Cor… I love you. I want to spend the rest of life with you. I will marry you.” He got up and was so happy that she couldn’t help but add, “How could you think I would marry you because you’re a prince? Am I an ambitious person?” Cor shook his head and added, “No, if you were you would be in Calormen married to the vizier.” Then after a second or two of silence while both though this through Cor added, “Come we must inform our family.”

Chapter VIII

Marriage

         Aravis had wanted to wear red. “White is for burials.” She had insisted. Cor answered, “Father says the marriage will go according to the laws of Archenland. He says you live here you will learn to follow the customs here.” She answered, “I will follow the customs here. I can wear any color of dress except white.” Cor replied, “Do you want to marry me or a Calormen?” She hesitated knowing how he would answer. Finally she answered, “Alright I will wear white. On one condition that once we are married you never choose what I wear again.” He promised and regretted forever after that promise.

         The old monarch had agreed to walk Aravis down the aisle. The hermit of the Southern march would conduct the ceremony. Cor had chosen Corin as a best man. Corin had insisted the whole time that he as one who disagreed with the marriage shouldn’t be chosen. But Cor had insisted that as his closest friend Corin was the man for the job. The marriage went smoothly the king having insisted with Corin to make no objections at the requested time. And with the kiss the marriage was sealed.

The End