A/N: This is most definitely not what I'm supposed to be working on right now. I have so many unfinished works in other fandoms, I could cry. BUT I have no motivation to work on those, so here I am, dipping into the waters of yet another fandom.

This story will be much more than just a conversation, I promise, so hold on to your hats; you're in for a wild ride!

Fits both movie and book verses, despite the setting.

Disclaimer: Not a dead Englishman, so obviously I don't own anything you recognize. I'm just filling in the gaps C.S. Lewis left.

Prologue

That which has been Lost

Year of Narnia 2306, Abroad the Dawn Treader

"What is all this anyway?" Edmund asked as the current king of Narnia entered the ship's cabin.

"Ah, those," Caspian answered, moving to the table cluttered with parchment. "A bit of studying, if you will. I've been trying to compile a complete history of Narnia, but it had been proving difficult. Much of the oldest history is written in Old Narnian, which was lost to knowledge well before I was born. Most everything in English was destroyed before my time, as well, and as it was forbidden to speak Narnian history, it passed out of knowledge. Even the Narnians themselves have forgotten much of their history. I have managed to find bits and pieces, but I'm afraid much of it may never come to light."

"It's a shame the library at Cair Paravel was destroyed. We had much of it in the common tongue there."

"Yes, well, where do you think I got what I have?" Caspian chuckled.

Edmund smiled, sitting down in the nearest chair. "Well, would you like to hear the rest?"

Caspian stood stunned for a moment before finding his voice. "Why hadn't I thought of that? Of course you and your sister would have learned the history of your country!"

"All the way back to King Frank the First and Queen Helen, the first rulers of Narnia, ordained by Aslan Himself on the very day Narnia came into being."

Caspian pulled up a chair beside the younger king. "Yes, I do know some of that. My professor taught me what he could, but even he didn't have much knowledge of the time between. I know about Col founding Archenland, and that outlaws from Archenland flew south and founded Calormen. However, everything between the founding of Calormen and your reign is much a mystery. I have Telmarine history, of course, but that doesn't tell me the goings-on of Narnia."

"What have you managed to piece together?"

"Well, from a great tapestry that survived the fires at Cair Paravel, I found that the Lone Islands were once delivered from a dragon, most likely at the hands of a Narnian king. Texts I found in the archives on Arva confirmed this was true."

"In the year 302," Edmund added, nodding. "King Gale was made the first Emperor out of their gratitude."

Caspian nodded. "Other than that, I can't tell you much more. I found a shred of parchment about colonizing Telmar, and another about the felling of a great tree which has only intrigued me as to the tree's historical significance, but that is really all I have found."

Edmund nodded thoughtfully. "I would bet anything that refers to the Tree of Protection."

"Tree of Protection?"

"Yes. It was planted to keep the White Witch out of Narnia. But there is much before came about."

"Then, please tell me, so that I might record it again so that it may not be lost to all any longer."

Edmund paused a moment, then began. "It all began when the Calormenes colonized Telmar…"