A/N; Welcome one and all to my first multi-chapter Narnian story. I of course own nothing of Narnia that belongs to C.S. Lewis, Disney, and Walden Media. Also I don't own a very many of the characters in this tale. Many belong to the wonderful elecktrum and Thalion King's Daughter. Permission to use said characters has very generously been granted me from both authors. So sit back, relax, and enjoy.
1.
Snow Dropped
"Mother! Mother! There's some good ones over here!" Rien dashed forward to where the small patch of white snowdrops was just barely pushing up through the snow.
The tiny flowers had bloomed early. Queen Lucy had overheard one of her ladies-in-waiting discussing the sudden appearance of the flowers, which was all that was needed for her to plan a full out expedition to find them. Lady Saera, Lady Marion Fox, and their daughters Rien, Helene, and Sarai had all welcomed the chance to escape Cair Paravel for an afternoon to gather the flowers. Queen Susan had also decided to join her sister and friends for their botanical foray. Along with a small detachment of the Royal Guard the ladies were well off two days after Christmas. The celebratory air of Narnia's first White Armor Ball in over a century was still very evident. As the Christmas season continued the festivities more and more overlapped each other until it was all but impossible to tell when one banquet finished and another began. Narnia was at peace and her citizens had much to celebrate.
Though many still feasted and sang a day of relative ease was announced. Queen Susan gave instructions for the serving and kitchen staffs to set out what remained of many previous feasts and then to enjoy the respite as much as any other. Thus the Queens, Ladies, and children were able to escape the events of the Cair in order to hunt snowdrops.
The two vixen kits, Helene and Sarai, dashed forward to where Rien had called out. The small foxes bounded through the snow drifts playfully yipping at each other. Together they all but dove into the snow to start digging for the pale flowers.
"Rien! Please don't run! You'll ruin your new dress!" Saera called out to her daughter.
"They'll never hear you Saera," Marion said as she looked up at her friend. "They're having too much fun. And why shouldn't they? It's Christmastime after all." The Vixen had just set out a small afternoon tea for the party.
"Did I hear what I thought I heard?" Susan asked in mock formal tone. "Vixen Lady Marion Fox saying her daughters can run, jump, and play without a word of reproach?"
"Indeed you did my Queen," Marion answered her. "How else do you think my daughters will learn what it is to be proper Vixen Ladies?"
Susan thought on the question for a moment before she answered. "I must admit it is something I don't think has crossed my mind."
"Perhaps you'd be kind enough to explain what you mean," said Lucy as she sat down on the thick blanket that had been spread out.
"Of course my Queens. As you know we Foxes pride ourselves on our ability to be sly and subtle. Having a rival or foe believe one thing while secretly achieving a different goal is one of the greatest skills a Fox can master. However before we can master the nuances of subtlety it's important to dismiss the urge to delve straight into a problem without thinking about all its various angles. Something Giles and I have been striving more and more to teach our kits since this past spring."
"You want them to get their childhood energy out early?" Saera asked.
""Yes," Marion answered. "And, it's Yuletide; they're children, what reason could there be to deny them the chance to have a little fun?"
"None and all good my Vixen," Susan said. Turning to where the other girls were busy in the snowdrift she called out to them. "Tea is ready! Hurry up or it'll get cold!"
Quickly the girls tromped through the snow carrying the spoils of their efforts. Brushing snow off their cloaks they sat down to tea.
"We found the prettiest flowers we could mother," Sarai proudly told her parent as she dropped her bunch of flowers next to the piles collected earlier.
"Very good my dear. Now sit still both of you. You'll spill your tea if you prance around so much."
"Yes mother," both Vixen kits chorused.
"Oh Rien those are lovely," Lucy exclaimed as the other girl sat down. Being very near the same age the two girls had formed a strong friendship. "You must let me braid some in your hair."
Rien clapped her hands as she turned so Lucy could begin delighted by the idea. The prospect of picking more flowers and a warm tea was stimulating to them all. Warm cloaks, good friendship, and a rare sunny day made the mood light and joyful.
"How are we going to get past the guards? Those are well trained soldiers that don't look like they'll miss much."
"Quiet whelp! Let me deal with the guards, you just worry about yourself. Not that many would worry about an ungrateful dog like you."
Cold eyes continued their careful watch of the party from Cair Paravel as they set aside their tea set and resumed their activities.
The short winter day was swiftly drawing to a close. The sun was just above the trees in the western sky when Susan felt a tap on her shoulder. It was the Faun sergeant that was in charge of the Royal Guard detachment that had accompanied the ladies.
"Yes Oris, what is it?"
"The sun bends low my Queen. We have set up camp and we don't want to get caught out here after nightfall."
A memory of her first day in Narnia flashed in the Gentle Queen's mind as she addressed the Faun. "Of course sergeant, we're just finishing here."
"The Guard has found a small cave nearby that will serve as a cozy shelter for the night. That is if your Majesty has no objections to spending the night in a cave?"
"None at all good my Faun," Susan replied. Seeing her companions had joined her she motioned for the sergeant to continue. "Please lead on. A warm fire and a thick blanket for all would be most welcome I daresay."
Oris smiled as he bowed, "La, my Queen. We have already kindled a fire for you."
Soon the campsite came into view. At the base of a rock outcropping a warm glow came from the mouth of a cave set in the stone. The playful kits bounded into the shelter and immediately shook the snow from their fur, earning a slight reproach from the mother for doing so. The fire blazed warmly as the Narnians settled down to enjoy a calm night.
The night fell softly. The Royal Guard patrolled the surrounding woods for any possible threat to the Queens and their party. Inside the cave the fire was kept well fed as the ladies slept. Marion lay curled up with her daughters while the Humans were comfortable over and under thick woolen blankets. Outside the cave clouds slowly swept over the sky obscuring the pale moonlight as the night wore on. Had the moonlight remained the Guard might have seen the shadowy forms moving from tree to tree. As it was they didn't see or hear anything as the soft snow muffled the footsteps of the figures. Nor did they have time to dodge the flights of arrows that flew in and cut them down. As the Royal Guard fell the figures raced in from their hiding places.
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"Make a move and you all die." The harsh whisper woke Susan from her sleep instantly. Snapping her eyes open she saw several large men standing over her companions with drawn swords. The shock of what was happening was just beginning to register as her eyes darted around the cave. Rien, Helene, and Sarai had all been dragged to one side of the cave away from their mothers. Saera and Marion's expressions of fear needed no explanation. They dared not make any movement that would endanger their daughters. Lucy also had been woken at sword point. While Susan was certain her sister was secretly scared for all their lives Lucy only showed the calm grace of her crown. Lucy's eyes though shone with a burning courage that Susan knew would never waiver. Fighting back the terror that tried to crawl up her stomach the Gentle Queen took a deep breath and addressed her captor for the first time.
"What is the meaning of this?" Her calm tone seemed to take the invaders by surprise. Susan was sure they were expecting the women to cower in fear before them. Not for the first time was Susan glad that Narnian women were made of sterner stuff than most lands.
"Prisoners don't ask questions!" sneered one of the men. "Now get up and outside with all of you. Now!" The sword tip pointed directly at their throats left the ladies no choice but to obey the harsh command. As they slowly got up the firelight exposed the men for the fist time. Dark cloaks covered them from head to toe. Only a small slit over the eyes left any skin uncovered. The men were all well built and spoke in accents Susan and the others had rarely heard before. Susan thought she detected a trace of the dialects from the countries to the south of Calormen, but she couldn't be certain. The five men she could see all seemed like the sort she knew wouldn't stand for any nonsense.
When the men seemed to be intent on having the women leave their cloaks behind Lucy became indignant. "It's the middle of winter! Whatever plans you have for us you'll not accomplish them if we freeze!"
"How do you know that's not our plan?" one of the men.
"If you were going to kill us you would have done so already," Lucy said defiantly.
The man she had addressed gave a sneer and raised his sword. He brought it down directly at Lucy's head. While his arm was in mid-motion another of the men caught his arm and delivered a hard blow straight to the face of the man who had swung his sword at Lucy.
"You've got some cheek to you," he told Lucy.
"I am Queen Lucy the Valiant of Narnia and I tell you this, whatever your plans they will not be accomplished. The whole of Cair Paravel knows where we are and when to expect our return. When we do not and your deeds are discovered there is no where you will be able to hide to escape justice for these crimes."
Rather than being impressed by her bluster the man just laughed in her face. When he recovered himself he looked down on the young Queen. "Maybe so little queen, save for the fact that a storm is swiftly approaching and I mean to drive straight through it. Your court will think you late due to the weather and by the time they realize something is wrong we shall be far enough away to avoid detection. I hope you have enjoyed your rule, for it ended as the sun set this night. Gag and bind them all!"
As the other men stepped forward to obey the command several more men entered the cave. The women knew they had no hope of crying out or putting up any sort of fight. Thick ropes bound their hands and paws and foul rags were stuffed in their mouths or tied around muzzles. The women were led outside to waiting horses. The arrow filled bodies of the Royal Guard were already beginning to be covered by snow as a cold wind started to blow. Looking around Susan saw she was surrounded by at least twenty heavily armed men before a black hood was thrown over her head and she could see nothing.
As the men set off they didn't realize their one mistake. Two of the Royal Guard had been on a more distant patrol when the camp had been attacked. Hiding behind a tree they saw the men carry off their prisoners.
"Ruffians! Vagabonds! Cads and cowards all! I'll teach them what happens when they dare risk the displeasure of Narnia!"
"Quiet Meep! I don't think there is anything we can do now. They've got the Queens and Ladies. I'm think the High King would want to know about this."
Meep the Mouse looked up at his Hyena companion. "Neville it is our sworn duty to protect our Queens! We can't just retreat like...like…we just can't!"
"Who else is going to tell the Kings then? Because if we go after them I don't have any idea who might and I am sure the Kings would want to know about this."
"Fine we'll go back to the Cair, but since it was your idea to tell the Kings you get to tell them. I'll tell them it was my idea to rush them all and save our Queens and their friends right away."
Neville nodded at the logic of his friends' suggestion. "Of course Meep, that seems fair. Now it might be best if you climbed on my back. We'll get back to Cair Paravel faster if I do all the running."
As Meep climbed onto Neville's hairy back the Hyena began to run through the winter forest. Quickly the winds picked up and covered any tracks to be seen. Soon the only sign that anything had been amiss that night was the small piles of snow that covered the bodies of the slain Guards.