Author's Note: Hello there! This is my new Chronicles of Narnia fanfiction! I really hope you enjoy it, just remember to drop a review and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: None of the characters, locations or names which you recognise belong to me! All honours and the greatest respect to CS Lewis.

The Promise- Prologue

The air shimmered from the heat and as we trudged along the road, I could feel the sweat trickling down my back. Letting go of my sister's hand, I wiped my sweaty palm on the fabric of my dress and then pushed my damp hair from my face.

"I'm tired" she moaned as I took her hand in mine again and pulled her along, not bothering to acknowledge her.

"Ceri!" she said indignantly, tugging at my arm.

"Tara, come on!"

"But I'm tired! Can't we sit down for a little bit?"

"No Tara" I responded; "we need to get to the gates before nightfall."

"Please Ceri" she whimpered, beginning to cry; "I'm so tired!"

Sighing, I led her off the road to a patch of shrubs clustered around a large cypress tree. We sat with our backs to the trunk, sheltered from the sweltering sun by the foliage and protected from unfriendly eyes by the shrubs. We drank from my water skin and after we had both quenched our thirst, I began to nod off.

oOo

I woke to the feel of a cool breeze caressing my face and my surroundings painted an inky black.

"Oh no!" I whispered horrified and shook Tara awake; "We need to go Tara!"

I got up and pulled her to her feet. I felt like slapping myself, for my stupidity. The chances now of getting safely to the city gates were next to none and even if we did, they would have been locked hours ago at sunset.

"Oh Tara" I said quietly; "what have I done?"

By this time, the slave traders would be everywhere, scouring the surrounding area for any unlucky traveller stupid enough to travel by the light of the moon. They liked to travel at night, so as to avoid the daytime heat.

We kept of the road as we walked, picking our way through the undergrowth. I felt as if a thousand eyes were watching us and once again, fear took refuge in my heart.

I could feel Tara lagging behind, her feet dragging on the uneven ground.

"Tara!" I hissed; "Tara, come on!"

That's when she began to cry; loud sobs that seemed to echo through the night air. I clamped my hand over her mouth, picked her up in my arms and began to run. They had heard us though, I could see the shapes of five horses coming towards us and deep in my heart, I knew there was no chance of escape.

I came to a halt and put Tara back on the ground. Kneeling down in front of her, I hugged her and let her sob in my arms. From behind me I could hear the sound of the horses and the jeering voices of the slave traders as they approached us.

"Be brave for me Tara" I whispered into her ear and stood up, standing proudly, with a look of defiance on my face as we faced the Calormenes.

"What have we got here?" one of them sneered.

"If you would be so kind as to move to one side" I said; "my sister and I will be on our way!"

The sound of their laughter echoed through the night and fear clenched at my heart.

"Looks like we found ourselves a fox!" jeered another in a heavily- accented voice and dismounted his horse.

He walked over to me, watching me with hawk-like eyes as if I were his prey.

"Take the young one and throw her in the cart, I want to have a word with this young beauty here." He said silkily, stroking my abdomen.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted as Tara was ripped away from me; "Give her back!"

Tara screamed as they carried her off into the darkness and I tried to go after her, but the slave trader grabbed me by the arm and pressed himself up against me.

"They won't hurt her" he said grabbing me by the chin and forcing me to look at him; "they're just giving us a bit of privacy!"

He pressed his lips down onto mine and stroked my body from hip to chest. Gagging with repulsion as he pushed his tongue into my mouth, I bit down hard, causing him to cry out.

"You bitch!" he screamed as blood dripped from his mouth and he slapped me across the face.

Falling to the ground, he held me down with one hand and began to untie his breeches with the other.

"Oh yes!" he panted as he pulled up my skirt; "you're just what I need! A little virgin bitch to keep me satisfied!"

"Rabdan!" said another of the slave traders approaching us uncertainly; "If the girl is a virgin, then you better keep her that way! You know they'll pay more for her if her maidenhead is intact!"

I let out a strangled scream, earning myself another slap to the face. What was going to happen to me? To Tara? They got me on my feet and dragged me over to the cart which stood a little way off from where I had been abused by the man, Rabdan.

Tara was curled up in a corner of the cart, surrounded by a dozen other people who looked at me with frightened eyes, as I was shoved onto the vehicle. My whole body was trembling and the impulse to retch kept coming, when my mind wandered back to the Calormene's treatment towards me. Despite this, I put on a brave face and picked my way over to my sister.

"Ceri!" she cried and launched herself at me; "I thought you had left me behind!"

"I would never do that!" I choked, my voice cracking with emotion. I knew I couldn't promise her anything. I had no idea what tomorrow would bring and yet the thought of my seven year old sister worrying, was something that I couldn't stand; so I lied.

"I promise you Tara, that I will never leave you!

"I want to go home" she mumbled, cuddling up to me; "I want Mama and Papa!"

"So do I Tara" I responded; "So do I."

Author's Note: I really hope you enjoy this! I've missed writing Fanfiction and all I'm asking of you to tell me what you think; I would really appreciate it!