Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to The Chronicles of Narnia. That belongs to a bunch of other people, not me. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here is the first chapter of the second part of my Narnia trilogy! Thanks so much to all of my readers and reviewers for sticking with me this long! I hope everyone enjoys reading this, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 1: A Lady of the Court:

Rushing down the hall, I quickly tied my hair back and narrowly avoided a head-on collision with a group of servants. The mix of men and women grinned, bowed their heads, and made way for me, knowing that I was running late.

"Thank you!" I called, rushing past them for the courtyard. They all chuckled or laughed as Fang called for me to hurry. Rolling my eyes, I ran out the large entry doors and down the dozen steps to the courtyard. "Alright, I'm here!"

Caspian chuckled and nodded towards Roan. "It's about time you got here. Come, the food in the basket is getting cold, and you know how I adore venison on warm bread."

Trying not to sigh, I went and mounted Roan. I had introduced the Narnians to the sandwich, which was a favorite food of mine, but for some reason, the word 'sandwich' didn't appeal to them. Caspian said it was because the word 'sand' was in the name, and people found it unappetizing. Silly, I know, but at least they liked actual concept itself. They still hadn't come up with a different name for it yet, though.

"Well, you know I'm still getting used to finding my way through the halls," I said, gathering up the reins. "The old castle was smaller than this one is, and it's easy to get lost without a map."

After two years of hard work, Cair Paravel had finally been completed only a few months ago. Well, the walls and buildings had been completed; it had taken nearly a month to get the citizens moved there, and another two months for them to settle in. Meanwhile, during those three months of moving about, the Royal Housekeeper and Steward had bossed around hundreds of servants in order to make the palace itself ready for the King and his Court. This, of course, meant that the entire Court had been forbidden to move into the new palace until it was deemed 'fit' by the Steward.

Since I was considered part of the Court, I had just moved in two weeks ago, and spent most of that time getting not only myself settled in, but also Roan and Fang, who had grown used to the old palace. Still, Roan now had a spacious, shining stable to dwell in, and Fang liked the fact that we no longer had to go up a secret flight of stairs to get to our rooms. Instead, we were a hallway away from the new library, which was easily three or four times the size of the old one. Professor Cornelius was thrilled, particularly since his room was in the same corridor as the library, so that he didn't have to go far to get there.

Considering how quickly the new Cair Paravel had been put together, I had to be impressed. The Giants and Giantesses had done a wondrous job in putting up the main outer walls, while hundreds of other workers put up the inner ones that were inconvenient for the Giants to attempt. As soon as the buildings had been complete, dozens of artists poured into the city, to decorate everything within sight.

The whole thing turned out exactly as Caspian had hoped. I had thought the Cair Paravel shown in the movie had been majestic, but this one beat it by a million. Perhaps it was because I was actually seeing it in reality rather than on a movie screen, but it was still beyond impressive.

The columns, doors, buttresses and archways within the castle itself were engraved with vines, flowers, and leaves, giving the place a touch of the forest indoors. Windows had elegant wave patterns that soothed the eye, and called to mind the sea that was so close. The walls were made of white polished stone that softly, not blindingly, reflected the sunlight up and down the hallways. The floors laid with white, black and gold marble, giving the castle an inward welcoming glow that lightened the heart.

But the crowning achievement had to be the grand throne room. Here, the most careful effort had been taken, for the roof was of stone and glass, which in Narnia was very hard to make. And it wasn't ordinary glass, either; it was glass tinted a subtle yellow color, to keep everyone in the throne room from being blinded by the reflection of the sun on marble during the day. It had taken nearly a year for it to be crafted, but the result was breathtaking.

The differences between the Telmarine city and Cair Paravel were clear: Where the old castle had been stark and intimidating, Cair Paravel was bright, warm, and open, almost like a beacon of hope to the people. Those who lived within the new city were proud of it, and more than pleased with how beautiful it was compared to the old city. Those who visited always left feeling uplifted from the experience of seeing the new capital of Narnia, and always swore to return one day in the near future.

"Race you!" Caspian challenged, urging his horse forward in a leap.

Crying out in protest, I sent Roan after him, with Fang, Silvermane, and a few other guards racing to catch up.

In the two years since the Calormen war, things had changed so much, it was mind-boggling.

Not long after our return from battle and my subsequent 'reward' for saving Caspian's life, things had settled into a stable peace within the kingdom. The Giants were of great help in building Cair Paravel, and the peoples of Narnia were getting along well together, thanks to the soldiers working well with one another during the Calormen war. If the army hadn't been such a mish-mash of different races, and if they hadn't come back with tales about the bravery of their comrades-in-arms, I rather doubted that the humans would have mixed well with the other peoples.

But peace had come, at last. The Calormen ruler had kept his word and stayed in his own lands, not even daring to cross the great desert that separated his empire from the Northern Kingdoms, and as such, Caspian could at last focus on the interior development of his realm.

And so, six months after the battle with Calormen, the first thing Caspian did was focus on creating a naval fleet.

Ever since I had planted the idea of a fleet, Caspian had been obsessing over the idea of sea navigation. The Telmarine people had always been afraid of the sea, and that was partly because the Narnians had been so connected to it. Legends told of how Aslan's Country lay beyond the eastern edge of the sea, and since the Telmarines did not believe in Aslan (and even feared the idea of him), they had built their castle/fortress far away from it. Now that the two peoples were one, there was no longer any need to avoid the ocean.

So, with building of Cair Paravel underway, Caspian had gathered his Councilors (including me, much to my surprise) and asked for their thoughts on building a fleet. The ships would be for sailing and exploration, as well as trade with our neighbors. The ships would also act as a barrier against sea attacks, and for enforcing the King's laws among the Lone Islands.

He made sure to play his hand, claiming that the Lone Islands had long been allowed to run free without oversight from Narnia. The Islands also owed a vast amount of tribute to Narnia, and since any kingdom needed cash in the treasury, this idea caused the Council to see a navy in a more appealing light.

There had been the minor detail of the Telmarines not knowing how to construct ships, but the Narnians had always kept to the Old Ways of King Peter's time, and many had records showing old ship plans from those days, as well as a few books on sailing. With a good deal of research done by me and Professor Cornelius, as well the army of assistants pressed upon us by the Council, we managed to create a sort of manual on sailing and shipbuilding.

At last, with the builders and future sailors equipped with all of the information they needed, work began last year on the construction of the fleet. Two had been finished with a great deal of effort, and the first one done had been called The Lion's Mane, for Aslan. The second ship was the crown of the navy, the infamous Dawn Treader, which had been named for the task Caspian had sworn to perform upon his coronation.

I knew of that grand adventure, of course, from reading the books, but few others besides the King and Council knew of it. Upon his coronation, right before my arrival, Caspian had taken an oath to find the Seven Missing Lords who had supported his father, but without a ship to try and find them, he had been unable to do so.

"The only way those men had managed to sail eastwards was because they had journeyed to Archenland and purchased a ship from someone there," Caspian had explained after the completion of the Lion's Mane. "The Lords had been ordered out of Narnia, and they had fled with only what they could carry. According to a letter from King Nain of Archenland, they managed to barter some of their gold and jewels for a ship and supplies, then sailed eastwards. No one has heard from them since."

Now that there were completed ships sitting in the tiny harbor, and with peace at last in Narnia, I had a feeling that the legendary journey eastwards was only a matter of time. Caspian would be heading off to see if he could find his late father's friends, and bring the surviving ones back to be part of his council. It was going to be dangerous, at best, but he was excited to go fulfill his oath.

However, there was a tiny problem: I wanted to go with him.

My desire for adventure was probably due to restlessness. I'd been working in the library for three years now, and after two of them with nothing to do but the usual, I was starting to become bored. Well, okay, and I probably just wanted to be aboard the Dawn Treader when Lucy and Edmund dropped into the sea, but could anyone blame me? The chance to meet the legendary King Edmund the Just and Queen Lucy the Valiant was just too tempting for me!

But there would also be danger, magic, and more adventure than I could ever want on the voyage, which is why it required so much careful thought and consideration. It wasn't merely a matter of wanting to go –it was also about whether or not I should go. Who knew how my presence aboard the ship would change things, either for better or for worse?

Well, that was something to consider another day. Today, there was a picnic at hand, and a chicken sandwich calling my name from the lunch basket!

Seated upon a blanket, with several of the King's guards and a few of his servants around us, Caspian and I sat on a spread out blanket and savored the warmth of the spring sun. Winter had ended, and the ground was finally dry enough to picnic on.

"I've missed these outings of ours," Caspian said, accepting a cup of wine from a servant. "Winter was beginning to drive me mad, and not even our fighting lessons could distract me."

I chuckled and sipped my cup of chilled cider as another servant brought our sandwiches. Our twice-a-week picnics were a tradition Caspian had thought up not long after our return from the desert, and it was an indulgence of his that the Council had approved of. My guess was that it was to keep Caspian from overworking himself, and having some time outdoors made him relax and let him be himself. Sometimes, Professor Cornelius, Reepicheep, and Trumpkin joined us, but more often than not, it was just me, Caspian, and his usual retinue of guards and servants.

Personally, I didn't know why we bothered with the servants, but I suppose a King is suppose to go out with an entourage, so I tried to let it slide. I also had a nagging suspicion that the servants and guards were also there to act as chaperones, which was absurd –Caspian didn't think of me as anything more than a friend and confidant, as well as the occasional advisor. That was it.

"So, how are your plans going, the ones for sailing eastward?" I asked before taking a healthy bite out of my sandwich.

Caspian sighed. "Not well. The Council may have liked the idea of a navy for defense and obtaining tribute from those that owe it to us, but they do not approve of me going to sea, though they know I must fulfill my oath to Aslan. Many fear what might happen if I don't, and I think that's what's keeping them from outright forbidding my leaving on that journey."

Swallowing my mouthful of food, I shook my head. "Well, you know how I feel on the matter. If you swore to Aslan that you would search for your father's lost friends, then I fully support you going."

He sighed again and reached for his own sandwich, which had thick slices of venison on it, the bread beginning to fall apart from the meat drippings soaking into it. "I think it is the fear of what might happen if I do not return from the voyage. Without an heir to follow me, they do not wish to see Narnia plunge into civil war again."

He took a large bite out of his meal, chewed, and swallowed. "I believe they also wish to know who will direct the kingdom while I am gone. It will be a very long voyage, and a year and a day at sea means that whoever is left in charge must have wisdom and experience in governance."

I nodded. "They must also be trustworthy, and patient," I put in. "The last thing you need is someone who gets a taste of power and finds that they like it. You could come back to another Lord Miraz, and the people won't thank you for that."

Caspian closed his eyes, food forgotten. "Oh, no, I hadn't thought about that," he groaned.

Feeling bad, I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Stop that," I told him firmly. "You have many advisors who love you, but I can think of only a handful I would trust to run Narnia for over a year."

He blinked at me in surprise. "You do? Who?"

I rolled my eyes. "Why, Trumpkin and Professor Cornelius, of course," I retorted, smacking him slightly on the arm. "Trumpkin won't let anyone bully him into doing things, and he's respected enough that others will listen to him when he gives orders.

"Meanwhile, Professor Cornelius is not only wise, but he's learned in both Narnian and Telmarine laws, so he will be able to help with any sort of legal matters that come before the Council. He can also provide a fresh set of eyes and ears on matters Trumpkin might be stumped on."

Caspian shook his head and grinned. "You are too clever for your own good," he said, tossing a bit of venison to Fang, who had been waiting for handouts. "You know that, don't you, Ali?"

"Of course," I replied, smiling sweetly. "But then, where would you be without me to talk some sense into you?"

"You mean knock some sense into him," joked Silvermane, who stood over us protectively. He had recently become one of my weapon teachers, and it was still a challenge getting used to his techniques in the practice yards. "You have come far in learning weaponry, and it is good to see the King's ego brought down, once in a while."

Caspian pretended to look wounded at the comment, but it quickly turned into a laugh. "It does seem to be Ali's job to keep me in my place," he agreed, taking another bite of sandwich. "And I appreciate it, more than anyone knows."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," I chided him as Fang came to beg something from me. "Oh, no you don't," I told my canine friend. "You had your own lunch! I saw the large beef bone they gave you, so don't think for a minute that you're getting anything from me!"

The others around me laughed as Fang's ears drooped. Since I couldn't stand to see him so disappointed, I gave him a sound scratch behind the ears, which satisfied him immensely. Content with his little 'hand out,' Fang went and flopped down beneath the large oak tree that provided the shade for our group.

"So you are to undertake the journey eastwards, sire?" Silvermane asked, shifting from hoof to hoof. "If I may be so bold, may I ask when that will be?"

My friend shook his head, his long brown hair flopping back and forth adorably across his face. "Not for some time yet," he sighed regretfully. "I must choose a captain for the ship, as well as the crew I think would best suit it. It will not be an easy task, particularly given the length of time we will be away from Narnia. I doubt many men would want to leave their loved ones for so long."

"You are going to include more than just human men, aren't you?" I pointedly asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm sure there are other races who would like to join you on your quest. In fact, I know that Fauns, Minotaurs, and even Dwarfs who have tried and studied sailing as eagerly as the humans have."

"Hmm, yes, I had heard of that," Silvermane muttered, accepting a pear from one of Caspian's serving attendants. "If Centaurs cared to sail, you would have many of us volunteering for service aboard the Dawn Treader, sire. Unfortunately, with our having four legs instead of two, and our bulk, we would not fare well at sea."

I chuckled. "Still, it is good to know that, if your people were able, they would support His Majesty on his voyage."

Caspian, meanwhile, looked thoughtful. "A very good suggestion, Ali," he muttered, rubbing his short beard. "Minotaurs are known for their strength, and Fauns are quick on their feet, so having them aboard would be a good idea. But Dwarfs aren't known for their love of the sea, which rather troubles me…"

"And don't forget Talking Beasts," Roan put in around a mouthful of grass. I hadn't known he was listening. "I know there are some who want to see lands beyond Narnia's borders."

"Well, there you are," I said, feeling rather smug. "With all of those people at hand, you should have a crew picked out in no time."

"But I still need a captain for them," Caspian reminded me.

I shrugged. "What about Lord Drinian?" I casually mentioned, trying in every way to keep things in the Narnia storyline. "He is one of the few men who studied seafaring, isn't he? I've heard people at court mention it, and he is also a good friend to you. Why not have a trusted friend and learned man lead the crew?"

Personally, I had never met Lord Drinian, but then, I spent most of my days training with Caspian, working in the library, or with Fang and Roan. I almost never hung out at court, and never with Caspian's personal circle of close friends, because I knew I wouldn't 'fit in' with them. Besides, Caspian's friends were all men, and they probably wouldn't welcome me into their circle.

Even though I didn't have friends at court, I managed to get Caspian to myself at least once a day, every day, and as such, our friendship had grown. We talked during weapons practice, or over the occasional tea or evening meal, and sometimes played chess against one another, or against the Professor. At least once or twice a week, Trumpkin and Reepicheep would join us, and I considered them as much friends as Caspian.

'True, the court thinks me odd for having male friends and almost no females, but I just don't like the conversation the women provide.'

I kept away from the noblewomen mostly because chatting about dresses, jewelry, and other frivolous things was not my idea of fun; in turn, talking about anything that required deep thought and much consideration was not much fun for them. I couldn't make friends with the servants, either, because my 'place' was high above theirs. As for the townspeople –well, I knew none of them well, even if I still made the occasional visit there for things the Professor needed. Oh, they treated me very kindly, but they were the Professor's friends, not mine. Besides, having the friends I did was good enough for me; one didn't need a sea of friends when you already had a few close ones.

But, anyway, in regards to Lord Drinian, I had heard he was a good man, and Reepicheep seemed to like him, too, so that was enough for me. That Mouse could be a very good judge of character.

'Note to self: try and meet Drinian in person.' He seemed like good man, and I would like to meet someone with such a good reputation. Who knows, perhaps I could make friends with him as well.

Sitting back on the blanket, I finished my lunch. Somehow, I managed to keep my fruit tart away from Roan, though Caspian seemed to not be so lucky –he seemed to have a difficult time keeping Fang away from his other sandwich. I found it hilarious, watching him and my wolf friend chase each other all around the oak tree, all while the guards watched and laughed.

Altogether, not a bad picnic, I'd say.

AN: There's chapter one! Chapter two will be up next week; it's a bit early this time, since I'll be out-of-town tomorrow. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!