Disclaimer: I don't own a single thing.
A/N: I haven't read the books in a LOOOOONG time so details might be a wee bit rusty.
Peter awoke to the sun streaming in from the large window and to the foot of Lucy in his face. Somehow during the course of the night, the little girl had turned around, letting her head rest in the direction of the foot board. Gently the eldest Pevensie lowered his sister's leg to rest against Edmund's side. Ed snored loudly, lost in some unknown dream. However his right cheek bore a mark from where Lucy had kicked him during the night. Peter sighed and laid back, not entirely sure of his surroundings in the early morning light. It all came flooding back though, when Susan (who was curled up with all the covers in her grip) mumbled, "But I ordered the chicken. Aslan had toad in the hole."
It was two days ago that they fought the White Witch and won, besides. One and a half days ago they arrived at the long abandoned castle Cair Paravel and just yesterday Peter, his brother and sisters were crowned as monarchs of Narnia. Every thing had happened so fast that Peter could have sworn that he was in the professor's home instead of the dusty castle.
Peter had to admit, he half expected to find a pristine castle, clear of cobwebs and with polished silver. The girls were so certain it would have been that way, Peter had to believe it was so, if just for a moment. However, when they arrived, the children had to face the harsh reality that their capitol had been abandoned for quite some time and the coffers and a good bit of the furniture had been ransacked by the White Witch's minions. What precious few remained was covered in ages of dust and cobwebs.
The siblings had to face the truth, they had a broken nation in their hands and it was their task to mend Narnia. Lucy had eloquently put it as 'putting Humpty Dumpty together again'. They brainstormed of what they could do as they helped make the great hall suitable for the coronation with the youngest sibling chirping in every once in a while. At least until they noticed how close the castle was to the shore and all socks and shoes came off as they frolicked in the sand.
"Blimey," Edmund groaned, "I feel like I've been conked by a giant!"
"Try Lucy." Peter replied with a wry smile.
Edmund attempted to sit up but was weighed down by Susan's head on his stomach in lieu of a pillow. "I've counted it yesterday. Four floors over, a hundred rooms easily for every two floors and here we are sleeping in the same room!" he grumped. They had found a large state bed on the third floor and Mrs. Beaver had made a large hay filled mattress to be made until a replacement of goose feather could be made for each king and queen. Unfortunately, the High King's chambers was the only one that was ready for the coronation. And so Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter went to sleep in the chambers, all curled together like what Mr. Tumnus described as a bunch of wee kittens.
The quiet serenity was broken as Mrs. Beaver appeared at the threshold and said gently to her new kings and queens. "My lords, my ladies, there are a few parties wishing to speak to you in the great hall." Edmund assured her they'd be along and satisfied with that, Mrs. Beaver made her exit.
Outside the room, Mr. Tumnus was pacing nervously down the hall. He did not really want to rouse their Majesties. He saw how content they were at the coronation and over heard their kind hearted ideas of how to rebuild Narnia. Unfortunately, pulling the country together would take more work than just building roads and chasing down the fleeing White Witch's supporters. The citizens of Narnia had lived in almost poverty during the witch's reign and the word still had to be spread that she was defeated. People needed fed, towns needed rebuilt, as did ships and the harbor resurrected. Trade needed to trickle in and out for the coffers needed to be refilled and the boarders needed to be protected for when the Tisroc of Tashbaan heard of Narnia's weakened state, surely he would want to take advantage of the situation. He did not want to awaken them so harshly as this, but the great hall was being filled by those who needed aid.
When Mrs. Beaver stepped out, the faun rushed toward her. "I have it on good authority that their Majesties are coming, Master Tumnus." She paused and regarded his worried look. "The sooner they come acquainted with what needs to be done, the better, Master Tumnus." Mrs. Beaver said sternly. "We can't protect them anymore. Narnia will never be rebuilt if we do." She paused and a warm fondness crept into her voice, "You were right about one thing, though; they are curled up together like kittens."
A/N: please review. More to come. It'll become more exciting soon.