Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belong to the Estate of C.S. Lewis.
A/N: Um, the end of this is not meant to be taken negatively by those who use the term 'Royal Guards'. The reason Peter says what he does will be explained in another chapter.
Lucy couched on the stair landing, watching as her brother Peter walked down the hall with Oreius beside him. They spoke softly to one another, Oreius was his hands tucked behind his back and Peter with one hand on Rhindon. They moved past her and she stood up, watching them before she jumped up to sit on the banister. They reached her mental mark and she pushed off, sliding down the banister with a barely restrained whoop of joy. She hit the ground and ran, trying to keep her momentum as she leaped and wrapped her arms around Peter's back.
Peter stumbled, but managed to keep his feet, his crown askew and his sword trapped by Lucy's knee. "Lucy," Peter managed, "what are you doing?"
Lucy freed an arm and smacked his shoulder, "That's for not telling me you were leaving." She told him, and smacked him again, "That's for not telling me you were back." A third smack, "And that's for not bringing me anything." She looked up at Oreius and smiled, "Hi Oreius, how are you?"
Oreius bowed slightly, "I am fine, Majesty. I am curious, how did you manage to sneak up on King Peter?"
Lucy slipped off Peter's back and crossed her arms, "That was easy, I slid down the banister." She turned to her brother and poked him in the stomach, "Telling Susan to tell me is the coward's way out, Pete and you know it."
"Lucy," Peter said, "stop it. I'm sorry, ok? You're right."
Lucy regarded her brother for a moment and then kicked him in the shin again, "Don't do it again."
"Shouldn't you be in lessons anyway?" Peter asked.
"Aelius is so boring," Lucy replied, "I learn more talking to Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers than I do when he's lecturing. All he talks about is history, and he uses books that were written two hundred years ago. No matter what I ask him, he tells me I'm too young to know. For instance, I asked him who built Cair Paravel; do you want to know what he did?"
"What did he do?" Peter asked.
"He smacked me with his cane and told me I didn't need to know." Lucy replied.
"He did WHAT?" Peter said, his hand dropped to his sword, "When did this happen?"
"Yesterday," Lucy replied. "Susan's been busy with the Housekeeper and Edmund's holed up somewhere with that book."
Peter turned to Oreius, "I will meet you on the practice grounds as soon as I deal with this.
"Majesty," Oreius replied with a salute.
"Take me to Aelius," Peter told Lucy.
Lucy led Peter out onto one of the terraces, "He's probably in the Great Library waiting for me," Lucy said.
They were half way across the terrace when it happened. "Majesties, get down!" Someone shouted.
Peter knocked Lucy over and there was a clang of metal and stone. Lucy looked up and saw an odd looking arrow on the far side of a nearby marble bench. Peter got off her and there was a swishing noise as he drew his sword. Lucy started to get up, "Stay down," Peter said. "We don't know what's going on."
"Death to the Human!" A deep voice bellowed and Peter pivoted in time to block a strike from a centaur.
Lucy screamed and scrambled away as Peter fought the centaur and a faun. There was a growling roar, and then a panther soared over the bench to tackle the faun. More Narnians appeared, some trying to get at the Royals and others defending. Lucy curled up under a bench, clapped her hands over her ears, closed her eyes and screamed herself hoarse.
Someone grabbed her arm and Lucy lashed out, "Ow!" Peter yelped.
Lucy opened her eyes and found Peter kneeling beside the bench, ruefully rubbing his eye. "Peter?" Lucy whispered.
"It's ok," Peter said with a smile, "it's over."
Lucy wiggled out from under the bench and through herself onto Peter, who held her close. "What happened?" Lucy whispered.
Peter shifted slightly, "Some people don't like us," he whispered, "that's all. We stopped them."
"Majesties," Oreius said.
"Yes, Oreius?" Peter asked, not moving.
"This is Swiftwing," Oreius said, "the Griffon who spotted the archer."
"Thank you, Oreius," Peter said. "We owe you our lives, Swiftwing."
"You owe me nothing, your Majesty. I did what any true Narnian would have done."
Lucy turned her head so she could see the Griffon. He was grey with black around his eyes and down his face, and scattered across his body. "Nevertheless," Peter said, "you called out." He hesitated, "Oreius spoke with me this morning of a need for guards, Swiftwing. At the time, I told him find someone to oversee the creation of such a group. It would be an honor if you would consent to be part of that."
"It is my honor, Majesty." Swiftwing replied.
Lucy sat up and rubbed her face, "Thank you," she said.
"PETER!" Susan cried.
"Over here," Peter replied.
Susan and Edmund came from around Swiftwing, "Are you ok?" Susan asked.
Lucy burst into tears and threw herself at Susan, who caught and held her. She buried her face into Susan's neck and shoulder, trembling. Warm arms held her close, "I think Lucy's in shock," Peter said. "I'm fine, thanks to Swiftwing here."
"What happened to your eye?" Edmund asked.
"Lucy hit me," Peter replied, "I think she wasn't expecting me to be the one grabbing her."
Lucy turned slightly, "Sorry Peter," she said.
"It's ok," Peter replied. "That's good instincts to have, Lu." He glanced over his shoulder, "We should let them finish cleaning up out here," he said.
"All right," Susan said.
The four Pevensies stood and made their way to one of the galleries that lined the terrace. Swiftwing and a black panther followed them. Peter turned slightly, "Did you need something?" He asked.
"Only to know that you are safe," Swiftwing replied.
Peter nodded slightly and continued, "There's a room just down here, a lounge we can sit down in there."
The room Peter took them to was narrow, but long, with a u-shaped couch and large windows opening to the sea. "What happened?" Edmund asked.
"First thing," Peter said, "we're firing Lucy's tutor. He smacked her with his cane for asking who built Cair Paravel."
"Is that what you were asking me about," Susan asked turning to Lucy.
Lucy, situated between Edmund and Peter in the deepest part of the 'u', nodded, "You were busy though."
Susan reached over and pressed her hand on Lucy's knee, "I'm sorry, Lucy."
"I was on my way there to fire him," Peter continued, "when Swiftwing called for us to get down." He turned to look at the Griffon now standing by the door. "What did you see, Swiftwing?"
"Majesties," Swiftwing said, "I was sent by my clan to the Cair to meet with you on the subject of fishing rights. I was curious, having never seen a Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve, so I hovered for a moment. I saw High King Peter and Queen Lucy on the terrace and then I noticed the archer on the roof. I knew I had the angle wrong for a proper dive before he could fire, so I called my warning first and then dove. It was a dwarf, High King, and he is dead."
Peter nodded, "I knocked Lucy out of the way and that's when the attack really started. There were ten of them. I don't know who the panther was."
"It was I," spoke the Panther, pacing around the couch. "Your Majesties, I am Sláine, General Oreius asked me to keep an eye on Queen Lucy after she was lost in the woods last week. It was my understanding that he intended to speak with you about this."
"He brought it up this morning," Peter said, "thank you. Your actions, like Swiftwing, saved our lives today."
Lucy leaned against Edmund and looked up at Peter, "Why did they want to hurt us?"
"I don't really know," Peter admitted. "The centaur shouted 'death to humans'."
"There were survivors," Sláine said, "no doubt those questions can be answered in interrogation before they are executed."
"Executed?" Susan said.
"Its high treason," Edmund said in a distant voice, "they were attempting to kill the High King and a Queen of Narnia by Aslan's Will. According to the law books I've found, high treason only has one sentence, execution. How it's done is left to the monarch, but beheading is the most common."
"Peter?" Lucy asked.
Peter nodded slightly, "They've proven themselves willing to claim our lives, Lu. I'm sorry, but there is no other recourse for them."
Lucy sniffed slightly, "All right," she whispered.
Someone knocked on the door, and everyone tensed. Peter stood and moved free of the couch, then nodded at Swiftwing who pressed the floor level door latch and let the door open partially, "Yes?"
"Swiftwing, have you seen the High King?" Oreius was heard to ask.
Swiftwing glanced over his shoulder and Peter nodded again, "I'm here, General," he said, walking over to the door.
"Majesty," Oreius said, "this is Patrouse, he is an able commander who I would like to see in charge of the Royal Guard."
Lucy turned to see two centaurs standing just outside the door, "Do it," Peter said. "And if there are any survivors of today's attack, keep them that way. I want to know about who they are and why they attacked us. After that, they will meet the fate of any who commit high treason."
"As you command, Majesty," Oreius agreed.
"And Captain Patrouse," Peter added, "I want you to find a better name than the Royal Guard. Something distinctive, if you would; any monarch can have a Royal Guard."
"I will reflect upon it," Patrouse replied with a bow.