Don't own anything...Thanks CS lewis

"King Edmund, the champion needs to be a human, , the passions that have been raised against the Lion Throne by Calorman gold, if I am champion against Ainmast challenge, they will say that you are kept here not by Aslans' will but the endeavors of Narnians."

Oreius words were well spoken and they echoed in the small chapel to Aslan that were used for meeting such as these, intrigue and strategy seemed so much easier to conduct when you sat in a room imbued with love.

It was the eighth year of our rule, we four had hardened and grown, our borders were secured, treaties were in place and we now faced challenges that only fresh peace and good trade can bring. Calormen gold and evil whispers were threatening a civil war.

It was a simple strategy that those opposed to our rule were employing, one I would use in their position as well. We were daughters of eve and sons of adam, our population was not. We reigned with Aslans will, but he was an animal, a lion. The whispers had first reached my ears five years previously and had grown every year since. It was devilishly difficult to counter rumors such as these. I sighed and rubbed my eyes, stories such as these can take their on their own life, especially if you tried to quell them, so I had let them grow.

It had taken five years to culminate to the challenge the high King would be petitioned with tomorrow. Ainmanst, a proud centaur from the South had come to Cair Parvrel to formally petition the High King for hand to hand combat to the death to be returned to the Lone Island tournament. He openly welcomed the chance to fight the lions best with sword and fist

I saw it as an open challenge to the throne from within Narnian borders, Years ago my brothers and sisters had agreed that for all internal tournaments the crown would be represented by my banner. For seven years I had endured bruises both on my ego and my body at each tournament.

"My brother would not in any sense allow any other than my royal self ride into that arena to represent the lion throne" I said with a sour smile, I leaned back against the hard pew " oh Aslan, what would you have me do?"

The "to the death" part had been the mainstay of Jadis tournaments, I sometimes woke myself in the night wondering why so many of our subjects seemed to yearn for some of the more bloodier parts of Jadis rule.

"Just," Oreius voice was trying to be quiet unfortunately he was not good at it "you will fall, Aimmast is stronger and skilled, if you face him you will die" the voice echoed in the small room.

Aslan loves me, was my first thought, followed by the discomfort in my stomach that these statements brought on. Did he really? To what given value of love? I swallowed "Have you ever been bested by a Human, Oreius?"

It was a level of his regard to me, that he did not dismember me there and then, if you ever meet a centaur know that they never discuss their failures in battle and to ask after such information is considered a challenge.

I had asked him to meet me here to discuss just this, my chances against a centaur, but I had to have three brandies prior to get the courage, If I had been able to discuss this with Peter my courage would have been stronger.

My dear Brother, High King Peter, would have none of these intrigues; to him the world was black and white. That was why he was magnificent to me, I lived in a perfect grey, if he understood the implications of the challenge he would raise the army, sweep on the centaur settlement and then the rumors would really start

My brother needed to know nothing about this. Not until I had the solution was underway

"Yes, thrice" this statement from Oreius was accompanied by a slap to the back of the head.

I looked at him, amazed, "how many times have you beaten?" I had truly not considered it possible that my weapons teacher had been bested at any point of his long war history.

Oreius laughed at my expression "three times, did you think I was invincible?"

I ducked my head, I wanted to say "well, yes, actually" but time was at the essence, I had stolen time that was eating time for this meeting and Susan was complaining again that I was too thin.

"Do you think I could be trained sufficiently to best him? " I looked at him; his expression gave me the answer. But still as my teacher he was not ready to limit my skill. "Maybe in a year of dedicated centaur training" he said, "a year you don't have, the tournament is in a sennight"

"And the lion throne will need to accept this challenge, if we mandate it a challenge not to death, he will make it one regardless" I finished for him. "I should have seen this; I did see this, just not so soon."

He shifted uneasily in the confines of the chapel, he looked ahead to the relief that depicted the a brave lion on the stone table, "The daughter of Eve that bested me still lives, in the Mountain kingdoms to the west"

I stood, as Silvo knocked discreetly, I had court this afternoon, Oreius had given me a simple solution I just had to put it in to action. I stood for a moment staring, chewing the inside of my lip as I was apt to do when I was plotting intrigue.

"Thank you, Oreius, your council as ever is sound, perhaps my Queen Lucy's ribbon maid will be interested in a warrior from the west as she is compiling a list of heroic figures of the female gender."

I closed the door to the chapel after carefully making sure Jennifer the spider had time to make her way to her web. The chapel was a perfect place for intrigue not just for I and Jennifer had overheard many conversations that had needed to reach my ears.

I turned and was almost knocked over by Lucy throwing her arms around me, "my Queen, what a surprise to see you here"

It was well known that Lucy was Narnia's sweetheart, she knew it and did her best to maintain it. To everyone but me that is. "I'm here because you ordered me to, you prig" she hissed into my ear.

I told myself it was because she was becoming a teenager, with so many people watching her every move, who else could she rebel with?. She came away from my ear with a smile on her face, not surprising me in the least. There were servants watching.

I also know she loves Aslan with every breath and the heat she felt towards me would pass like a summer shower.

"oh Ed, you should have come to lunch, we had jam tarts" she smiled her words at me knowing that I was starving. I refused to be pulled in.

"Dear Queen, we are well met I wanted to discuss the way sound travels from open windows in the East Tower" I arched my right eyebrow at her. She blushed slowly and tucked her arm into mine.

"I will walk you to court, Ed, you will be late"

I knew about her affair with Tumnus, well lack of actual affair really, while it was all innocent I still wanted her to be discreet. I had tried to have this discussion with her before but Narnia's state affairs kept getting in the way.

"I think perhaps that window could be closed, if there is a difficulty with the latch we must discuss it some other day"

Lucy had put her head on my arm, as we walked and I could feel the heat of blush through my silk Jerkin.

"The tournament is a sennight away" I waited to feel her nod on my shoulder " I have often thought it is unfair it is only the sons of Adam who have a champion for the lion throne at these events"

She laughed gaily, still with her head on my arm "Oh dear sweet brother, It is not that I do not want a champion, It's just that Su and I are not really tournament champion material, besides we have you!" she sounded like old Lucy and despite myself I smiled.

"Nevertheless, I suggest that perhaps some balance is needed this year" I tried to match her light tone we had reached the door to my judges rooms, I brought her ear to mine "before the formal requests to the High King tomorrow afternoon."

She stepped back and looked into my face her eyes now wide "I will give it some thought. Dear Peter is quite set on our current champion"

I held her gaze " Oh, I have no intention of being replaced as a champion of the lion Throne or indeed of not competing, perhaps I need a challenge?" I paused as I picked a ribbon from her hair, "your ribbons are pretty today, my dear queen"

Minovin, the court recorder, opened the door for me. Lucy was smiling with her eyes for the first time that day, she liked intrigues as much as I.

Play nice nice, this is a first for me and any comments are welcome