Plesantries with a Prince | Rilian and Aravis
Cair Paravel had exceeded even her wildest imaginations. Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, the towering walls that were both welcoming and foreboding shone with an almost blinding intensity. It was a great contrast from the deep red stones that made up Anvard. No matter how much she loved the rich hue of her present home, it was undeniable that Cair Paravel was more magnificent. Even Tashbaan, the great bustling capital of Calormen, dimmed in comparison. There was just this sense of serenity that riddled the salty air, the gentle waves of the Great Eastern Ocean were never absent, and the vast greenery was breathtaking for a Calormene. Still mesmerized, Aravis stood there, her feet planted firmly on the ground, her head craned as much as possible. She had always though that Shasta was simply being lazy whenever he described Narnia to her but now, she found herself thinking the same exact word: beautiful.
Fingers absentmindedly toyed with the frayed hem of her tunic while she contemplated about going inside. Were the four Kings and Queens of Narnia present? Perhaps she and Shasta—Aravis gasped, immediately snapping out of her revere. She had absolutely forgotten by the Prince. The girl then looked down. Even if she was daring enough to go inside without Shasta, it would take much more than that to appear in such inappropriate attire—a muddy shirt and trousers were not the kind of clothes one would wear when standing before Kings and Queens. Biting her lower lip, she turned to leave. Shasta must be looking for her by now. Not that she should care if she worried him or not.
However, instead of running off to find her way back, she came face to face with a slightly older male who did not seem to bother to mask the frown that marred his otherwise pleasant face. The two locked eyes for a brief moment. Questioning, measuring. Waiting for the other to move out of the way. Aravis, dismissing her embarrassment of her appearance, crossed her arms and returned the frown.
