So here we are, the first chapter of the follow on story from Peace Lost. Any uploads further to this will be reviewer dependant as I only have a basic plan mapped out and very little of the story written and should really be concentrating on my uni work. Please R&R and tell me if you want me to continue.

Usual disclaimer, I don't own anything recognizable from The Chronical's of Narnia but I'm holding onto my OC's for dear life... I get a little attached to them...


Prologue

King Caspian looked down at the sleeping bundle in his arms, a smile spreading across his face as he looked down on his son's face for the first time. He passed the precious parcel to his exhausted wife as the midwife wrapped a second child in blankets, twin boys, the kingdom had two baby princes.

"What are we going to call them?" Caspian asked his wife as he accepted the second child into his arms.

The queen smiled, gazing at her son's face. Despite her exhaustion she seemed to glow with pride as she looked at the baby in her arms. "Ramin." She said quietly, looking to the King for his approval.

Caspian nodded, looking down at his own precious bundle, "And Raoul." He added with a smile. "Princes of Narnia."

xXx

A baby's shrill cry pierced through the exhausted pants of Queen Ariadne as she lay back against the soft pillows. "A girl." announced one of the midwives as she moved to the queen's side, placing the carefully wrapped bundle upon her heaving chest.

"A girl." Echoed the Queen with a smile on her face, looking towards her husband who stood to the opposite side.

The King lent down and kissed his wife gently on the forehead before drinking in the sight of his new daughter. "She's beautiful." He whispered, stroking the child's head gently as he carefully considered the question he know would follow.

"She needs a name." said the Queen gently, as she too looked at her daughter's face.

"Maia." Said the King gently, "Princess Maia." He lent down and kissed his daughter gently on the forehead.

xXx

Queen Ariadne laughed as she watched her three young children race around the great hall. Her twin sons, easily outran their 3 year old sister which wasn't surprising since they were twice her age. In the spirit of the game one of the boys, Ramin, pretended to fall giving his younger sister a chance to catch up and tag him as he pushed himself slowly back to his feet.

A sly grin crossed Ramin's face as he looked at his sister and winked before sprinting after his twin and cornering him against two tables which had been set up for the feast later in the week. "Gotcha!" he cried triumphantly as he tagged his brother, pausing only for a moment before sprinting away, grabbing his sister's hand as he did so and pulling her along with him.

xXx

A series of cracks drifted up to the King's chambers through the open balcony doors. Giving up on the speech he had been trying to write he pushed back his chair and walked out onto the balcony, looking down on his two young sons as they each tried to better the other with their sword skills, despite the fact they were fighting with well battered wooden training sticks.

It was difficult to tell his near identical twin sons apart from such a distance but one definitely seemed to have the upper hand in this battle, repeatedly forcing his brother to block his attacks before finally bringing his stick up under his chin with a flourish of swings which knocked his brother's stick out of his hands.

xXx

The onlookers watched in horror as the young princess fell from the saddle of her horse as it spooked and attempted to jump the fence surrounding the training yard. She sniffled slightly as she rose gingerly to her feet, rubbing her arm as she looked around for her horse which had bolted and was now out of sight. The 8 year old's clothing was dust stained and her pride and dignity more than a little injured but physically she would have only a few bruises to show for her misfortune and nothing more.

"I believe this belongs to you little sister." Called one of the princes from the far end of the training yard, horse in hand. He smiled as she ran towards her brother and her horse before slowing to a more dignified walk.

"I meant to do that, really, I did." She explained with a grin as she took back her horses reins.

xXx

"We're sorry father." Said one of the princes, his eyes down cast as his father, King Caspian stood before them with a stern expression on his face.

"We never meant for anyone to get hurt. It was just a bit of fun." Explained the second, earning an elbow to the ribs from his brother as he described their antics as 'just a bit of fun'.

The King scowled at his sons. "Count yourself lucky that no-one got seriously hurt. You will apologise to Mrs Tierney and clean up the mess you've made of her kitchen. After that you will clean your room, groom your horses and then report to your training master."

The boys nodded their consent before turning to leave, "Oh and boys," added the King causing the twins to pause at the door, "Don't get caught next time." He finished with a glint in his eye.

xXx

The young Princess winced as her mother teased out the knots in her long brown hair. "Well next time maybe you'll think twice before following your brothers out into the howling wind without at least tying your hair up." scolded the Queen as she drew the brush through her daughter's knotted hair.

"I hate being a girl. Ramin and Raoul get to do way more stuff then I do. Why can't I learn to fight like them?" whined Maia, wincing again as her mother found a new knot to remove.

The queen sighed slightly, "You shouldn't have to fight, as your father told me once, war is no place for women. Perhaps we can arrange for some archery lessons, would that do?" she asked her daughter, receiving a huge beaming smile from the eleven year old before being hugged to within an inch of her life. "I take it that's a yes then." She laughed, holding her daughter close.

xXx

"Caspian!" Came the shout from the woods, a tone of voice King Caspian hadn't heard from his wife in a long time. The last time she'd shouted so urgently, sounding so desperately scared was during the civil war nearly 20 years ago.

"Stay with your brothers Maia, and don't you dare move from that spot!" he commanded his children, whatever was happening, it wasn't something he wanted his children to see. Caspian turned his horse around and galloped into the woods towards his wife's panicked shouts.

xXx

Maia sat on her horse between her twin brothers who had drawn their swords and were scanning the trees around them. She'd never heard her mother sound so scared and it had scared her, and the way her father had galloped off into the woods with a frightening look in his eyes. She shivered slightly despite her warm clothing in the late autumn weather, something was very wrong, She felt instinctively for the dagger on her hip as she tightened her grip on her horses reins with the other hand.

xXx

"Ariadne?!" Called Caspian as he raced through the woods towards the sound of his panicked wife. In his fear he didn't notice the soft flakes of snow beginning to swirl around him until he found himself in a near blizzard. He pulled his horse to a halt as whiteness filled his vision rendering him effectively blind. "Ariadne?!" he called again, walking his horse slowly onwards, towards where he'd last heard his wife's voice.

Soon the King emerged into a small clearing in the forest, a clearing which was covered in a thick layer of fresh snow and at the centre stood two figures, both of whom were immediately recognisable. The darker figure was that of his wife wearing her deep green riding clothes, her bow lay discarded at her feet as she struggled in the grasp of the second figure, that of an old Narninan nightmare, the White Witch.


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