Out of Fealty

Disclaimer: CS Lewis and his estate own the characters and places mentioned and recognised herein. I make no money from this, and mean no disrespect.

Summary: As the two Kings make for Archenland on a quest for peace, their journey is thwarted by a band of dwarves. When all seems hopeless, will fealty and love win out, or will the Kings and their sisters' fall into an even darker trap?

Prologue

As Court matters drew to a close for the day, I sighed in relief, stretching a bit on the throne, seeing Lucy grin at me and rolling my eyes back at her. I was beginning to realise just why Peter usually found these things so tedious. Though we all had our duties, most of our subjects generally seemed to want to see Peter, as he was High King; and I vowed to myself (quietly), that never again would I feel jealous of this, for now I could see the pressure he was usually under. However, he and Edmund had gone on a journey to Archenland, to try and hasten the possibility of a friendship between our countries that would be mutually beneficial. Though Peter had tried to convince Edmund to stay behind, our younger brother had won the argument, and honestly, I was thankful. Peter alone could be dangerous; but with Edmund at his side, the two were unstoppable. Hopefully, the Archenlanders would think better than to cross them.

With a sigh, I pushed myself from my throne, seeing Lucy do likewise, and graciously accepted a bouquet of lilies from a passing dryad. Such presents were kindly meant, and flowers were always beautiful to have, especially as they were not often picked in Narnia, for fear of insulting the parent plant they had lovingly grown from.

Watching, I smiled as Mr Tumnus tottered over to Lucy's side, slightly amused at how the two seemed to be drawn to each other. I shook the thought from mind, moving over to one of the great windows of Cair Paravel, and looking out to the Eastern sea, wondering if Edmund and Peter were safe, wondering just how the Archenlanders would take to our brothers, and they to the Archenlanders. Lucy was barely out of the room when in galloped the General, Oreius, mane streaming out behind him as he panted for breath. He stopped before me, all but collapsing into a heavy kneel, his body shaking. Concerned and more than a little terrified, I stepped towards him, commanding a nearby faun to give the Centaur some water, which he downed gratefully, sweat beading upon his flank. "Majesty," he gasped out, trembling in the aftershock of the run. "The Kings, … the Kings have been ambushed. Forgive me, Majesty."

"What happened, Oreius?" Lucy was suddenly there, and thank-goodness, for I could barely talk, my brain thinking of all the horrible, dreadful things that could have happened. The General swallowed hard, consistently shaking his head, begging for apology.

"Oreius!" I snapped, unable to stand it a minute longer. "What happened?" The Centaur looked up at me, shocked, as well he might, for it was well known that Lucy and I barely raised our voices – indeed, often we had our brothers to do that. But they were not here. They were very possibly dead, from Oreius' reaction, and my heart quelled in fear as to what might have happened to them.

The Centaur bowed his head, ashamed and nervous as he pawed a little at the ground. "Forgive me, Queen Susan," he whispered. "I believe they have been taken,"

"Taken?" I whispered, swallowing hard. "By whom?"

"The Southern Dwarves, my Lady." The Centaur's voice was grim, and finally he met my eyes. "We believe they have taken them to Her house."

I closed my eyes, knees buckling at the thought. After the Witch's destruc tion, Edmund had been very clear against any of us going to that place again, and I had never questioned him, though I had always wondered at what he must have faced there. Now, it seemed that my brother was doomed to return there, and my heart ached in fear for him, and for Peter.

"Ready the horses, General," Lucy's voice had my eyes snapping open, and I stared at her, with bated breath.

"What?" I spluttered.

She met my eyes calmly, though her words held a challenge to them. "We're going after them. We're bringing them home."

(*)(*)(*)(*)

"O Aslan, take us to thy sight, bring us home and keep-"

"Ed?" The world slithers in and out of blue conscious, and Edmund's voice is like a tidal wave crashing against the rocks of my mind. Closing my eyes against the strange light, I take a slow breath, trying to calm my thoughts, trying to understand. Where are we? How did we get here?

"Peter?" My brother's voice cuts through, worried and nearing panic, though he is obviously trying to hide it. I hear a slight shuffling noise, then the sound of metal – chains, - clashing closer, closer… no, leave me be, don't' … but then, there is Edmund's touch, his hand is squeezing mine. "Peter, open your eyes. Please. Open them." Unwillingly, I do as he asks, blinking a few times before he is brought into focus. He gives a somewhat crackled laugh, swallowing hard a few times. "Thank Aslan," he breathes softly. "I thought…"

"Eddie?"

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "Nothing, nothing… you're alright… we'll be alright." He seems relieved, and I wish I could understand. Blinking hard, I cast my eyes about this strange place. It does not ring any bells…

"Edmund, where are we?"

"You don't remember?" he asks, and I shrug, wincing a bit at the weight of the action. He sighs quietly, biting his lip. "We weren't to know, Peter… " I frowned, shaking my head, but as Edmund began to quietly, regretfully, retell what had happened, the memories swept over, and I bowed my head, ashamed for having let such a thing happen.

The sun burned heavily upon our backs as we moved at a jaunty pace through Narnia's woods, feeling the trees murmur at our passing, nodding our heads to the yews and oaks that lived herein. We might be Kings, revered by some, but these ancient ones had been here long before us, and deserved every respect. They were, after all, some of our first allies. I tossed a look over my shoulder at Edmund, lagging behind just a little, as he spoke with one of our guards, the Leopard, Amil. "Come on, Ed," I goaded, with a smile. "Archenland won't wait forever, and we're already a day late."

"I just don't understand why we have to go there, " he admitted with a sigh, gently urging Phillip forward to meet with me. The Horse gave a snicker and greeted my Unicorn with a nudge of the nose. Edmund raised an eyebrow at me, and I smiled in return. The two had been courting for some years now; we were both privately betting on who would suggest mateship to the other first. "Surely, if they want peace, they should come to us?"

"It's good manners, Ed," I argued, though I could reluctantly see his point. "Show of sportsmanship, and all that… we need to show we trust them."

"That's just the point," he argued with a sigh. I shook my head, about to say more when a growl of thunder broke out overhead. With a soft curse I urged my steed forward, eager not to get trapped in the downpour that was likely to follow.

"Come on, Ed," I called behind me. "Last thing we need is to get caught in this,"

"Peter, watch out!" The desperate cries of my brother had me whipping round, but too late as I was thrown from my steed, the horse galloping away in blind panic. Behind me, Edmund seized his sword, looking beyond enraged as a band of dwarves seemed to appear from the trees behind us. "Phillip, steadfast!" The horse dug his heels into the ground, obeying Edmund for perhaps one of the first times ever, snorting heavily at our attackers as they bound towards us. Sensing that we were in more danger than he had first assumed, my brother murmured a word to the Horse, before dismounting, making his way towards where I had been thrown, but before he could get to me, a knife whipped its way about my neck, holding me fast and stopping my brother in his tracks.

"Well, well," Sneered a grating voice, and I shuddered, keeping my eyes on my brother. "Look what we have here."

The loud whinny of Phillip's was all I heard as a painful thump clashed to the back of my head, and the world went dark.

As Edmund finished the tale, I could see him trembling – whether in fear or in rage I was not sure – and I swallowed hard, resting a hand on his shoulder. He flinched a bit, before relaxing into the touch, though when his eyes turned back towards me, his gaze was steel. "They killed Phillip," he stated quietly, murderously. "They would have killed you, too, had they not found our Seals." – The royal seals, I realised. Our Rings, which declared us both Kings, for formal reasons, of course. Whether this was a good or bad thing I wasn't entirely sure, but Edmund still looked rather grim. "Once they realised who we are, they were quiet happy to drag us here." He swallowed, hard, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Pete… if we hadn't taken the route I suggested-"

"Don't, Ed. This wasn't your fault," I blinked, wincing a bit as my head thumped, and sighed softly. "We'll be fine. The girls will know something was amiss, and Nura hopefully managed to escape," I said, thinking of the unicorn I had become so fond of. Dumb animal she might be, but a braver and more loyal beast I could never find.

"You haven't realised where we are yet, have you?" Asked Edmund, raising an eyebrow. I sighed, shaking my head. "I can't place it," I admitted. "Should I?"

"It's Her house, Pete. Jadis'… home." A chill set through my bones at the very thought, and I subconsciously moved away a little from the ice behind me – for now I realised that was what it was, and gave an involuntary shiver. Swallowing hard, I nodded. I should have known, should have been able to understand that that was why Edmund seemed so… tense. I was about to speak again when we were interrupted, the unpleasant stench of dirty earth – thousands of miles away from the clean Narnian earth we knew so well – overwhelming as a dumpy, short dwarf with greying black hair and a mean mouth moved into the space, his eyes assessing us both, arms crossed over each other.

"Which of you is King?" He spat, and we both looked at him, bemused.

"We-" Edmund hesitated, glancing at me and taking a breath.

"We both are," I spoke softly, before Edmund could. I wasn't entirely sure if he had been about to say the same as me, but from his expression, he had had something in mind, something I would not have liked. The dwarf gave a nasty smile, flicking his gaze to me.

"You. With the straw-like hair. Which of you is the Traitor, hmm? Which is Hers?" Again, I spoke before Edmund could, before he could even open his mouth, knowing that whatever sped me onwards to do so, was enough to spare him whatever these creatures had planned.

"I am." I barely heard Edmund's moan of anguish and protest as I was hustled out of the enclosed area, praying he would find strength, for who knew what these dwarves would do to us?

A Note: Thoughts, criticisms, and general musings are encouraged – I'd love to know what you all think. Should I continue? Should I leave it?