Aravis was reassured, with Ben's visit, that somehow time was passing in Fandom as it was here with her in Archenland. She'd feared that with her visit home, she'd return to school to find a whole new set of people, her friends having graduated. However, Aslan's influence had kept time fluid between the two worlds, and the concerns that had been in the forefront of her mind for much of the first half of summer were now faded.

Which was just as well, as she had far more pressing things on her mind.

( 'Hurry, Hwin,' she murmured, dropping her head low to the Mare's. 'They're gaining.' )

[NFB, NFI, but OOC totes welcome if you should like.]

The day found Aravis inside for once, despite the relative temperance of the weather. She'd woken to find a letter addressed to her from Cor, filled with the usual talk of how much he hated court, and stories of their friends (Hwin sends her love, he wrote, and Bree his questions of the quality of the horses there. He seems to continue to hope that someday you will write back that there are Talking Horses there, but send your assurance that they're still not as grand as he.)

This time, however, the letter ended in a question -- or rather, an invitation to spend the summer in Archenland.

Aravis was inside today, her window open and her dog resting on her feet as she sat at her desk composing a reply. She hoped that by the time she reached the end of it, she'd know the answer, though she certainly had an idea for what she'd respond.

[door open and so is the post, if you'd like!]

Aravis was still quietly, carefully not thinking about the letter she'd addressed to Seely and mailed moments prior as she saddled Trenor, affixing her small satchel of food and gifts before easily swinging up into the saddle herself and adjusting her cloak. It had been the right thing to do, she was sure, and she was positive that if there was anything she'd have in abundance whilst on her break in Archenland, it would be time to reflect.

As she gently urged Trenor into a trot towards the woods, she wished she had thought to pack more chocolate just for herself, rather than to bring to the men of the court. At this rate she'd be through her stash by the time she was halfway through the woods.

[establishyyyyyyyyy.]

On their last full day in Archenland, Aravis decided that cold be damned, she wanted to show Seely the stables. For many reasons, of course, but not enough innocent ones that she wanted it widely known where they were going. So she quietly asked the cook for a few carrots and cut up one of the apples they had left before loudly announcing they were going for a walk and leading Seely out.

When they'd reached the stables and she was fairly certain no one was following them, she quickly moved inside the warmer, red-bricked building. "Still scared of horses?"

It was not Christmas in Archenland, as Aravis had predicted. It was several months later here, in the flat-out dead of winter. Snow blanketed the ground outside, icicles hung from the castle's eaves, and Aravis had begged, borrowed and pled to ensure that she and Seely both had more than enough blankets on their respective beds, not to mention working fireplaces in their rooms.

Because yes, of course he had been shown to separate quarters, which Aravis had insisted upon inspecting. That was the last time she had been in his room, though she'd devised a few plans to amend that, in between checking in on his Christmas gift.

Now, however, she was asleep, and thoroughly oblivious to the date it would be, were they in Fandom.

The hilly, lush greenness of Archenland was a stark contrast to the burning gold of the desert they had just crossed, but the reprieve was nonetheless welcome.

They'd been greeted at Castle Anvard by King Lune and his other son, a very distressed Corin who thought he should have gotten to go as well, and Aravis was immediately tended to by a nurse and sentenced to bed rest until her wounds healed up.

Bree and Hwin departed for Narnia, their families likely worried about a routine visit to their friends turning into a week-long venture.

The other guests were left to their own devices for the most part. The castle, grounds, and city were theirs to entertain themselves.

[for the rescue crew duh, and still NFB. OCD coming up!]

Aravis adjusted the veil over the lower half of her face once more as she watched the stable boy saddle up Hwin and tuck Aravis's relatively small satchel into the saddlebag. She would have prepared Hwin for the short trip to the woods herself, but it had been made exceptionally clear that she was not to do anything to muss her pristine appearance. She meant to arrive at her destination as Aravis Tarkheena - Lady Aravis of Archenland - not the dirty, well-traveled Aravis in her brother's armor that had made the initial journey from Calormen.

( Into the woods, la di da )