" Trouble, that's what I'll call it", Edmund said, turning to look at his older sister, Susan. They exchanged looks and glanced back to the messenger. The man glanced at Susan and nodded his approval at her.

" Let my brother and I talk in private please", Susan said to him in a tone, which meant that she was talking business here. The man nodded once again and walked out of the room.

Once he was gone, Edmund faced his sister.

" Susan, you have to be crazy if you are willing to except the Tarkheena's offer!", he said.

" Of course I will not go to Calormen to save my life, dear brother! But out of courtesy, shouldn't we at least invite him to Cair Paravel?", she asked.

Edmund rolled his eyes, " If only I could fix your mind a little, Susan".

" Ed!"

" Look here, sister. If you invite him over, he might think that it is a possibility that you are considering of accepting his proposal of marriage. Worse still, he might declare war if he gets enraged or something", Edmund explained, persuading his sister.

Susan looked at him, thinking hard.

" I agree, but won't he just do the same if I don't go?", Susan asked.

" That", Edmund said, " would be highly unlikely because it's a perfectly unreasonable reason of declaring war against Narnia".

Susan nodded, than she said, " Very well Edmund. But you will have to politely decline it, alright?"

Edmund stood up from his throne and straightened his robe.

" Should I write it out or tell him?", he asked.

" If it bothers you, then lets write it out", Susan replied, walking with him towards the door.

" I'll tell him", Edmund grabbed hold of the door handle and opened it.

The man stood straighter as they turned towards him. He looked at Susan expectantly with gleaming eyes.

" Please tell your master that Queen Susan declines his proposal, but hopes that he will find a woman more appealing to his heart than our Queen, from his own country. And please give him our regards. Thank you, and good luck", Edmund quickly added. Than, bowing, he motioned for a centaur to escort the messenger to where his horse was stabled. Edmund started to walk away.

" But wait, King Edmund…", the messenger said. Edmund and Susan turned around again.

" He will kill me if I deliver that message, your honor", he whispered urgently.

Susan rubbed her brother's shoulder and walked back into the throne room, hoping Edmund would be able to solve the problem.

……….

" Peter! Peter!", Queen Lucy called out to her brother, the High King over all kings in Narnia. Peter turned his horse around and ordered his counselors to halt. Lucy urged her horse to gallop towards the royal party. She pulled slightly on the reins, not wanting to hurt the talking horse she was sitting on.

" What's wrong, Lucy?", Peter asked, " You could have caught the white stag riding so fast".

" Peter, Susan has just refused a marriage proposal from the prince of Calormen! Edmund has just sent the messenger back, but they fear that the messenger won't deliver the correct message. They called me to get you back to Cair Paravel as quick as you can. Though I don't know why that would help", Lucy explained urgently.

Peter frowned as he took all this in. Then, he turned to a centaur by his side and said, " What do you say, Orieus? Should we return or stay? Queen Lucy is right, what good would it do?"

Orieus stamped his hoof on the ground and replied, " An order is an order. But I will follow you, the High King over all kings in Narnia whichever way you decide to go to".

Peter smiled in agreement, glad that he had a loyal centaur on his side.

" Peter, there is something Susan wanted to talk to you about also. It was…", Lucy frowned hard, trying to remember what Susan had told her, " It was something about new royal blood at Cair Paravel".

" Royal blood…", someone murmured.

" You know what that means?", the Raven asked Peter.

Peter shook his head, puzzled.

A faun leaned forward to whisper into Peter's ear, saying in a hushed tone, " It's the saying, High King. Perhaps you should study the codes and sayings of the royal families of Narnia so long ago. But what your sister is trying to say is that someone from the hundred-year winter has survived and is now at Cair Paravel, waiting for his revival, and maybe his throne".

" That cannot be right!", someone else exclaimed, " Only High King Peter, King Edmund, Queen Susan, and Queen Lucy can be our kings and queens rightfully by prophecy and law!".

" Discussing all this will not help anyone if your just sit there. Let's go now", Lucy urged.

Peter hesitated, than nodded at Lucy.

" PLEASE R&R