Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, and Lucy Pevensie are all property of Disney® and of C.S. Lewis as are the places such as Narnia and Telmar. Only the new characters and plot line belong to me. This story takes place around the fifth year of the golden years of Narnia.

His Letters

Lucy nervously paced her room, letter in hand, at a complete crossroad at what to do. She knew she had to tell the others of the contents that lie within the letter, but if she did so, that would mean she would never be able to see him again. She looked back down at the letter and re-read it for what seemed like the eight thousandth time:

Dearest Lucy,

As unfortunate as this is, I must tell you that all thoughts on the subject concerning my elder brother and your sister were true; he simply sought means to control Narnia. He saw and marriage between your sister as a set way to challenge your brother, High King Peter for Narnia's throne. And due to High King Peter's latest correspondence with Telmar, demanding that Cedrych no longer see Queen Susan, has made him realize someone has told Narnia of his plan. Needless to say, he is not pleased and will be returning to Narnia shortly.

I miss you terribly, but am afraid of what will come on our next visit; Cedrych has insisted we come with a small guard force, and despite my refusal, I am to come with them as well. I have a foreboding sense that simply talking will not be enough.

All my love,

Lysander

Lucy's tears sprayed on the letter again before she moved over to her dresser and opened the top drawer. After removing the contents, she lifted the board to reveal many other letters sent by Lysander, each one expressing concern for her and her sibling's safety and his love for her. She placed the final letter atop and set the board back in, before filling the drawer back up and closing it.

No one had known or could know. Not with how public the relationship between Lysander's brother Cedrych and her own sister Susan had been. No, they had kept their love secret. Not even her closest sibling, Peter, knew about them. If he found out, especially when they started seeing each other which was around the time Susan had begun seeing Cedrych. Peter would have accused Lysander of using Lucy to just get closer to the Narnian throne like his brother and that would have just given Peter another reason for ending correspondence with Telmar. That was the last thing she wanted.

Still, she had little choice in the matter. Composing herself so that no one would know of her tears she left her room and headed for Peter's office. After a moment's hesitation she knocked.

"Come in," her elder brother's voice came from inside.

Lucy timidly opened the door and stepped inside, careful to close it behind her as she took in the scene. Peter, as usual these days, was sitting at his desk, papers everywhere form advisors and ambassadors from other countries. She felt so sorry that he put up with all of this on his own without her, Edmund, or Susan's help. Then again, he had stubbornly refused it.

"Lucy," he said with a smile. "To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

Lucy slowly walked over to him, attempting to smile but only doing so meekly. "Peter, I need to talk to you. I received another letter."

Peter sighed. "From your secret correspondent I suppose?" he asked, looking at her. Lucy simply nodded before he continued. "What did they say this time?"

Lucy felt tears swimming in her eyes. "He's on his way here. It seems Cedrych is wanting to fight for his right to continue courting Susan. Either that or he's already attempting to challenge you..." She trailed off.

"Well, he won't be courting Susan," he concluded, then added, "with or without my say. Once she found out the entirety of the situation, she rampaged for about four hours about how she wanted nothing to do with him or Telmar ever again. My ear still hurts from all her screeching." He chuckled slightly, as if attempting to lighten the mood.

Lucy couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Susan the Gentle they called her. Unfortunately, whoever 'they' were obviously didn't know of her talent of turning into a raging dragon when provoked.

"As for them comming," he stood up so quickly that it made Lucy take a few steps back. "We'll just have to prepare for that now."

Lucy shook her head and pleaded. "Please don't let this come to fighting! Isn't there a better way to settle things with Telmar? I'm sure if we talked and sorted things out everything will be okay to continue-"

"If Cedrych is coming to fight," Peter cut her off, heading out of his office with Lucy close on his heels, "then I'm not standing around waiting for him. I'm preparing." He stopped and knocked on a door. It opened and Lucy's other older brother, Edmund, popped out.

"Hey, Pete. Something wrong?" he frowned at the grim look on Peters face and Lucy looking like she were about to cry.

"Cedrych is on his way here. I want you to prepare what is necessary. I will meet you at the front gate." He waited for Ed's nod and retreating back into the room before turning to Lucy. "I need you to stay with Su, Lucy. She doesn't need to be caught up in this after all she's gone through."

"But-"

"No 'buts,' Lu. This is serious, and I need you to do what is asked of you." Without another word he strode off to do what he had to, leaving Lucy where she was. She stood there, feeling completely helpless before running off to find Susan, as expected of her as Queen under her brother High King.

The entire journey to Narnia couldn't have been more dreadful for Lysander, what with the twenty guards behind himself and his brother as they continued onward, Cair Paravel in sight. His stomach gave a huge jolt. As prince under his brother, his father made him go as support. Unfortunately his father hadn't known of Cedrych's true reasons of courting Queen Susan. If he had attempted to tell his father, Cedrych would have known it was he who had told Narnia of his plot. He felt a coward for not telling now, so that it wouldn't have to come to this.

They approached the gates of Cair Paravel, he could clearly see the High King Peter awaiting them, crown on his head and sword at his belt, as well as King Edmund at his side, sword also at his belt. As sad as it was, Lysander had a great deal more respect for those two rulers than for his own brother.

"King Peter," Cedrych's voice came from his side, making him jump slightly. He looked over as Cedrych dismounted his horse and took a few steps forward. "I demand to speak with Queen Susan."

Lysander could see no good could come of this and quickly slid off his horse to follow him. He knew he would loose all respect from Narnia for doing so, but Cedrych was his brother, no matter how stupid he was.

King Peter stepped towards him, hand close to his sword in case needed. "You are not welcome here, Prince Cedrych," he commanded fiercely. "Go home."

"Not until I get what I came for. I demand to speak with Queen Susan!"

"She doesn't wish to see you," King Edmund called sternly back, coming up just behind his brother. "After she found out what you had been plotting this entire time, she wishes nothing more than to forget you ever existed."

"How dare-" he unsheathed his sword but had to stop as Lysander had run forward and grabbed his arm.

"Think of what you're doing," Lysander whispered urgently. He didn't want it to come to this.

King Peter had also drawn his sword and King Edmund's hand was on the handle of his. The High King whispered and order to his brother, who let go of his sword handle, but didn't stop glaring at the two of them.

"Get off me!" Cedrych growled at his brother, elbowing him in the chest. The force made Lysander stumble back slightly in pain, but he caught his balance once again.

"If that's the way you treat your brother, I'd hate to see how you treat the people of Telmar," Peter challenged.

Lysander's eyes were on the ground, but traveled up, looking at King Peter and King Edmund and continued up to a balcony overlooking the scene. His breath caught in his chest when he saw who was standing there, watching. Lucy...

Oh, what he wouldn't give to just hold her for one moment, run his fingers through her beautiful sunset hair, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight and the intoxicating scent of her perfume. He pulled his eyes away from her back to the scene, where his brother and King Peter were still going at each others throats, both two stubborn to give in to one another: Peter with the need to protect his family and Cedrych in his greed for Susan and Narnia.

"I challenge you!" Cedrych shouted, pointing his sword threateningly at King Peter. "You give no authority of what your sister does and doesn't do and what's best for her. You broke us up. You put those stupid ideas in her head!"

This was pushing it too far, Lysander knew. Before he could say anything to stop it, King Peter challenged Cedrych right back. "You have no right tricking my sister as you have done, using her as a pawn through your greed and cowardice. Leave Narnia." With that he turned to leave.

Cedrych, growling in rage, took the chance to swipe at the High King's exposed back.

"Watch out!" yelled King Edmund.

There was a clang as King Peter hand turned just in time to block his attack.

Lysander looked fearful. "It doesn't have to come to this-!" but he was too late. The sound of metal on metal had signaled the beginning of their battle.

Commotion outside had drawn Lucy, from the sitting room where she had been comforting Susan, out across the hall onto the balcony. She left her sister in the comfort of a dryad, and saw the beginnings of something very dreadful. Both Cedrych's and Peter's swords were drawn and looked ready to spill one another's blood. Her eyes traveled to the young man beside Cedrych, his brother and the love of her life, Lysander.

Her heart was torn when she saw him standing beside Cedrych, not because he was standing opposite her country Narnia, but because she knew he had been forced into it, something he didn't want. She knew Lysander too well to think otherwise.

She winced as she saw Cedrych elbow him in the chest, tears filling her eyes. How cruel Cedrych was! Lysander didn't deserve a brother so wicked as him.

That was when she realized that Lysander was looking up at her. Her heart skipped. She would have given anything, anything to be down their in his arms, to comfort him. Then his gaze was back on what was happening where he was, and her heart sank again. He looked so sad to be caught up in this.

Lucy peeled her eyes away from her beloved, looking back at the scene. Her eyes grew wide, as the sound of metal clashed through the air. Peter and Prince Cedrych looked like they wanted to kill each other.

"No! Stop!"

If they did that this would ruin things between Narnia and Telmar. She'd never see Lysander again. The mere thought of that shattered her heart into pieces. The young men below, however, didn't seem to hear her. Quickly, she ran from the balcony, heading toward the front gate. She had to stop that fight!

The Telmarine Prince and Narnian High King were swinging swords at one another. Lysander stood rooted on the spot, too horrified at the scene. It wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening!

Luckily the battle wasn't long lived. As good as his brother was with a sword, he was no match for the High King appointed by Aslan himself. Lysander watched as a swipe to the leg caused his brother to fall to the ground. King Peter, in his rage at what Cedrych had tried to do to his sister, combined with his pride as High King to finish this, aimed another swipe at the fallen Prince.

Lysander could take it no more and drew his own sword, running up and blocked the High King's attack, but made no move to attack himself.

"Lysander!" Cedrych roared. Whether he was scolding his brother, encouraging him on, or thanking him was unknown. Lysander's heart was broken, as was the relationship between Narnia and Telmar and any chance he had of being with his one love.

"Lysander," Peter said warningly, holding his stance and his sword. "This is your brother's battle. I don't want to hurt you."

"This battle is over," Lysander said simply. "Telmar forfeits." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lucy near the front door, held fast by Edmund. When she had gotten out here, he wasn't sure, but it still broke his heart, he turned and faced Peter again.

"What?" Cedrych cried outraged. "Telmar does not forfeit!"

"I interfered!" Lysander called back. "Because I did so Telmar automatically forfeits by default."

King Peter watched him, as if calculating him as if wondering if he interfered to stop the challenge and forfeit automatically or if for another reason.

Lysander sheathed his sword and turned, to help his brother up. Cedrych, pushed him away, clearly outraged. "You idiot!"

Lysander knew he was in trouble, but he didn't care. It was over between Cedrych and Susan, his plot was stopped. Lucy and her family were safe.

"Leave," King Peter ordered to Cedrych.

Cedrych stood up, pulling Lysander close and growling, "I'll deal with you when we get home." He mounted his horse and turned away. He was done with Narnia.

Lysander mounted his horse as well, looking back one last time at his beloved Queen Lucy. His eyes were glossed over, but he refused to cry just yet, sending a message only she would read before turning away, his heart destroyed, but refusing to look back, no mater how much he knew he had hurt her. He knew it was for her own good and for her family. A single tear fell from is eye as he and his brother along with those they had brought headed home.

Lucy had run out the front door just as she saw Lysander dart forward to protect his brother. "No!" She couldn't let Peter harm Lysander. She ran forward, only to be stopped by Edmund.

"Stop Lucy," he said, holding her fast no matter how much she tried to break free. "You can't be involved in this."

Lucy watched from Edmund's arms. She was relieved when she heard Lysander's forfeit of Telmar. Thank goodness no one had been seriously hurt. However her heart sank as the scene continued to play out, things continually going downhill. Cedrych yelling at Lysander, them both mounting their horses. But worst of all was when Lysander looked back at her. She looked into his eyes and clearly read what he was saying to her.

Goodbye.

She shook her head in disbelief. "No..." They couldn't just end it. Her heart shattered, her eyes pleading for him to take it back, mean anything but goodbye. Goodbye would mean no more letters. Goodbye would mean no more moonlit strolls. Goodbye would mean never seeing one another again in secret. Goodbye would mean... forever.

She couldn't take her eyes off him as he rode away, refusing to look back. Tears filled her eyes. No, make it all a nightmare, she screamed inside of her head. Some horrible nightmare that she could wake up from!

"Lu?"

Unable to look at her brothers she tore herself from Edmund's arms and ran into the castle, unable to stop the tears from falling. It was over; all over. Her dreams, her wishes, it was all taken from her because of Cedrych's greed for the Narnian throne!

Once she came to her room she slammed her door closed and locked it, throwing herself onto the bed and weeping loudly. She was alone, and he was gone for good. All that was left to remember his comforting presence now was the memories they had shared and his letters in her drawer.