Story Summary: One of the monarchs must travel to Tashbaan to discuss trade agreements. When Lucy is the one chosen to go, she finds her adventure in Calormen is not what she had expected. Golden Age fic, set after HHB.
A/N: My hiatus is over, and now I must try to work my dormant short story muscles, so I apologize in advance for any bumpiness as I find my bearings again. Much thanks to Val Evenstar, Dearheart, and H Max Marius for the encouragement and advice in getting this together. Comments are always greatly appreciated.
Chapter One: The Task Is Set
Lucy was happy. It was the first day of the new month, and the girl—who was not a girl anymore, not really, she was a young woman now—always looked forward to the first of the month. Lucy was an early riser, like her brother Edmund, and so was not surprised to find him sitting in their private lounging room despite the early hour. He was sipping a steaming drink and sorting through of a stack of papers. He looked up as Lucy entered. "Good morning," he said, a bit sleepily.
She looked at his stack of papers and raised an eyebrow. "Is that all for today, then?" she asked, pouring herself a cup from the teapot next to Edmund.
"Unfortunately," he replied, offering the sugar bowl. "I have quite a bit of business to go over, with the compensation from the shipbuilders and the disputes among the Naiads and the Bears. I'm afraid this may be a long one."
"I don't mind that at all," said Lucy, blowing into her cup.
Edmund sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You may not, but I spent most of yesterday hearing an earful from the Dwarves, and so things that had needed my attention are becoming a bit neglected." He began to shuffle through his papers again. "Thank goodness for Tumnus. He's the one who found the old cases for me."
Lucy nodded, only half listening. Her mind was wandering as she thought about the meeting ahead. The two kings and two queens of Narnia were so busy dealing with the affairs of their rather large country that it was rare for all four of them to be at Cair Paravel at the same time, except for very important events. They had relied on messengers and such to communicate with one another about this or that, and things had run relatively smoothly until one awful mix-up of the messages which resulted in the new horse stable being erected on the wrong side of the castle and a Galman dignitary arriving for a state visit to find not even one of the monarchs at home.
Since then, the High King Peter decided that it was extremely important for them to meet regularly, so they had agreed that on the first of every month, all four would spend the better part of a day going through all of the goings-on in Narnia. Lucy had especially loved the idea, having had difficulty remembering the last time all four of them had spent more than an hour or two together. The best part was that after the meeting, it had become their custom to eat a private supper, just the four, and have a proper visit like siblings should. Their monthly ritual had quickly become a highlight of Lucy's life at Cair Paravel.
Lucy took breakfast with her brother, and they chatted together as they walked down to the meeting room. Susan joined them very soon thereafter, but they all knew Peter would be the last to arrive. He was a champion sleeper, and could sleep anywhere, anytime, and for as long as time allowed.
As they expected, Peter joined them at the stroke of ten. They dutifully rose when the High King entered, and he kissed both of the girls before they all sat down together. Peter began the meeting, and they spent a few hours going through all of the updates they had each planned: Peter spoke of the army, and the placement of each division, as well as the status of the Northern border; Edmund discussed the Bears and Naiads, who had finally made an agreement over the use of the trees to protect the cubs; Susan relayed the outcomes of her visit to the Lone Islands and the visit of a prince from the Seven Isles; and finally Lucy reported the progress of the new homes being built in the eastern part of the Great Forest, as well as the plans for a celebration of the anniversary of the fall of the White Witch.
The last task was to discuss the following month's agenda, and agree who would be going where or taking on which responsibility. Susan began reading from a pile of notes from their advisors. "The children are coming on the twelfth to tour the castle," she began. "Do try to be here, Peter: you missed the last time, and they were so disappointed."
"I'll do my best, of course," he answered in a very diplomatic way.
"King Lune is hosting a tournament in two weeks, for the princes' birthday," Susan continued, and looked between the two kings. "Shall I write and say you are both attending?"
Peter nodded, but Edmund interjected, "I'll be attending, although I doubt I will participate in the contests. I nearly broke my leg during the last one."
Lucy frowned, "You really ought to, Brother—you know how Prince Corin admires you."
Edmund chuckled. "Be that as it may, I think I would still rather keep both legs."
"But he'll be in a state if he doesn't get to see you fight!"
"Lucy, please stop badgering Edmund about it," Susan said. "If he does not want to participate, then that is—" And here Susan stopped and turned a dreadful shade of white.
Lucy had been readying her defense against her older sister, but it was quickly forgotten when they saw the look on her face. "Susan!" Peter cried, and Edmund leapt up and clasped her arm. "Whatever is the matter?"
With a slightly shaking hand, the queen handed the note to her younger brother. Edmund took it from her and read with a frown. "It's from the Tisroc," he said. "He has invited us to go to Tashbaan."
"Go to Tashbaan!" Lucy cried. "What game are they playing?" They all remembered their dreadful business with Calormen a little more than a year before. Susan had nearly married the Calormene prince Rabadash, but she and Edmund had made a quick escape to save their own lives when she decided against it. Rabadash had then invaded their neighbor and ally Archenland, and Edmund and Lucy had led the Narnian army to deliver their friends.
"It seems," Edmund continued, "that the trade agreements are about to expire, and we all must meet together to negotiate and sign the new version. The Tisroc is hosting it, because Rabadash is—unable to travel, as he puts it." Edmund's mouth twitched, and rightfully so. Rabadash had refused to apologize for his actions, even when face-to-face with Aslan, and had been turned into a donkey for his evils. Rabadash was able to restore himself to his body, but he was not permitted to leave his capital, or else he would change back into a donkey, only permanently.
"Can we not send an emissary instead?" asked Lucy.
Edmund just shook his head. "It must be one of us. The signature of a monarch is needed to make the agreements valid." His face was rather unreadable; a trait of her brother's that frustrated Lucy immensely. "I suppose it was inevitable. It would be foolish to assume we would never have dealings with Calormen again, or with the prince. They are, after all, a part of this world."
There was a long moment of silence. Finally, Susan said, "I think I would rather not be the one—if that's all right with you, Sir," she said, looking at the High King.
Peter looked at her sympathetically. "Of course, Madam, if you are afraid—"
"I am not afraid," she interrupted, color rising in her cheeks again. It was very unlike Susan to interrupt, and even stranger, her voice betrayed a bit of indignation towards the king. "Tashbaan was a beautiful city. But I think it would cause the prince undue embarrassment to have to see me again." She said nothing further. Lucy suspected that Susan's reasons were perhaps a bit more selfish and she was even just a tiny bit afraid, but of course she would never say anything of the sort to her sister.
The High King ignored the transgression and simply said, "You are right, Sister. Your presence in Tashbaan would cause an unnecessary stir. I suppose that King Edmund must be excused from this task as well, for similar reasons. The Tisroc may not be willing to deal with a knight who bested his own son in battle."
Lucy turned to look at Edmund, expecting him to argue, but Edmund said nothing. Therefore, she sat up very straight and said, "Then it seems that this task must fall to me. I will go to Tashbaan and secure the agreement." She looked back and forth between her two brothers, from Edmund's face, still unreadable, to Peter's, which had an uneasy expression.
"Dearest Lucy," Susan said, "are you absolutely sure you wish to go on this mission? Calormen is a country very unlike our own, and you will find the people there and their ways very strange. You must also remember that women are treated differently there, even ones of a noble station, as is ours." Her cheeks were still tinged with color, leaving Lucy feeling rather unsettled. It was rare a thing for her sister to not be completely composed.
Of course, Lucy reminded herself, Susan would have every reason to feel troubled. Even though her courtship with Rabadash had been so long ago, Susan still would not talk about it, and simply pronounce her time in Tashbaan as "that unfortunate business" and quickly change the subject. Knowing this actually gave Lucy a surge of determination, and she smiled at her sister. "I do remember, Susan. If you recall, I was present at the Battle of Anvard, and witnessed the prince's behavior with my own eyes. I do not feel that anything would surprise me after seeing him then." She turned to Peter and said, "With your leave, I will go and represent Narnia."
Suddenly Peter smiled. "Of course, Lucy, if you wish to go, then you shall. But I think I may come with you. It would not hurt for there to be two of us present during these dealings with Calormen. And I must admit: I have grown curious to see the city for myself." With that, the subject was closed, and the meeting continued.
Lucy eagerly counted the days until she would be leaving for Tashbaan. The day after their meeting, she had immediately invited her friend Aravis to visit Cair Paravel and tutor her in the customs and practices of the Calormene court. She also busied herself in studying the expiring agreement and speaking to those Narnians whom it affected—namely, the sailors and merchants who were in the trade. She kept a ledger filled with notes of everything she learned.
Three weeks went by, and the departure date was only a few days away. Lucy began to prepare her things, as well as the gifts she would bring, not only for the Tisroc, but for the other monarchs, most of whom she had met and some of whom were good friends. But three days before they were to depart, the High King began to act strangely. He insisted he was fine, but everyone could tell that something was wrong. Then, two days before their departure, he did not appear at breakfast, and Lucy went to look for him.
She found her brother in bed, looking very pale. "You look terrible," she said in her very straight-forward manner.
"It's no good," he confessed. "Of all the times for me to be ill—and with our trip the day after tomorrow—" But here Peter was forced to stop as he was overcome with a coughing fit.
Peter was still very ill the next day, and after seeing his condition, Edmund pulled Lucy aside. "Are you still thinking of going through with this journey to Tashbaan?"
Lucy looked at him in surprise. "Of course I am! Why would I not? I have all the preparations ready. And you cannot expect everyone else to wait until the High King is feeling better. I'm leaving tomorrow no matter what." Edmund nodded, not surprised at all with her response.
"You are not actually going to allow her to go," Susan said to Edmund later.
"Allow her?" Edmund asked. "Forgive me, but I must remind you that she is a queen, and it is not my place to allow our sister anything."
But Susan could not be comforted. "Lucy, alone in Tashbaan?" She wrung the handkerchief she held in her hands. "Oh Edmund, do you not remember what it was like there? How could we forgive ourselves if something was to happen to her?"
"Nonsense," said Edmund. "What could happen to her there? She has an excellent guard and a head on her shoulders. Lucy will be fine." He gave an encouraging smile, but it was just as much for himself as it was for Susan. Edmund knew he could not stop Lucy from leaving, nor would he try—she was just as much of a monarch as the rest, and she had been selected by the High King himself to make the journey. But the brotherly part of him worried, and he spoke in depth with Lucy's personal guard, a Faun named Hyreus, and gave him very pointed instructions to keep her always within his sight.
The day of Lucy's departure arrived, bringing excellent weather for sailing. Susan tried to make a fuss, but Lucy quickly put an end to it. "You are just being silly," she told Susan. "I'll only be gone a few days! If it was up to you, I'd stay shut up in my room and write to you every five minutes." Susan pursed her lips, but Lucy simply laughed and gave her sister a kiss. Then she said good-bye to Edmund and went aboard the ship. Lucy remembered how she would run onto the ships when she was young, dashing among the men and scurrying from one end to the other, examining every nook and meeting every member of the crew. She laughed to herself at the thought of tearing through the ship now that she was grown up. But the excitement that would always cause a flutter in her stomach was there, just as it always had been.
