Before the banquet got started they were presented with the vast array of suitors. Edmund and Peter glared at them all and Lucy looked thoroughly bored. Susan however smiled at each one prettily and when a certain one approached her face lit up and she gave him an even prettier smile. Edmund and Peter exchanged looks. Edmund's was triumphant; Peter's surprised.

Edmund caught Lucy's gaze and nodded. The crystal in her staff glowed for a moment and the suitor was walking like a penguin as he retreated.

Edmund had to fight to keep his face straight as he saw this.

When everyone was assembled in the hall for the banquet and standing at their places waiting for the High Kings and Queens to enter and take their places, the four serenely strolled in and took their places at the head of the table. Only when they had sat down could the others sit as well.

Their majesties sat down and the others went to follow suit…except all of the suitors fell onto the floor because their chairs had been pulled out from under them. The siblings laughed into their napkins and Susan, still chuckling, motioned for the fawns to start serving.

"Lu," Edmund hissed at her halfway through the meal. "Can you clear the room a little? We don't want to have to entertain them all night."

Lucy grinned at him and nodded. One by one the goblets of wine before the suitors toppled over and spilt on their rich clothes. Cries of horror came from the mouths of said suitors. It had the desired effect though and several of them were rising and bowing to the royals before rushing out of the hall.

One was proving resilient however. Lucy noticed that Susan had kept her eye on him all through the meal. This explained the lengthy preparations and her peculiar behaviour.

"What's his name then?" she asked Susan.

"Cornelius Featherstone. Son of a wealthy merchant. He's quite a charmer." Susan avoided Lucy's demanding gaze. Instead she kept sneaking glances at this Cornelius Featherstone.

"I'll bet. Why hasn't he left then?" Lucy trailed off as she worked out why Susan was being odd.

Slowly anger began to bubble up inside her. The stone in her staff began to pulse several different colours before settling on blood red. Edmund noticed this and his eyes widened.

"Peter! Help me get her out! She's gonna blow the ceiling off!" he hissed.

"Get her up to her room. I'll get everyone out and join you in a minute."

Edmund grabbed the staff and then Lucy's hand and dragged her out of the hall.

"Edmund, got off me! I'm gonna kill him!"

"No, Lucy. You are not committing murder here. Come on!"

Edmund locked the door of her bedroom and deposited Lucy and staff on the bed.

"Susan's in love!" she burst out.

"Excuse me?"

"The guy…Cornelius something…she's in love with him! That's what's wrong with her! She's in love!"

"What shall we do about it?" Edmund stared at Lucy.

"We need Peter."

"He said he was coming up once he'd seen off the guests. Well, at least I win the bet."

"Focus Edmund!"

"Sorry. Well, I don't think there is anything we can do about it. She'll marry him and maybe we can persuade her to live here."

"She is not marrying him! I'm not losing her to some merchant's son!"

Edmund rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long night.