Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: One hundred years of winter. One hundred years of suffering and sorrow. One hundred years of resistance.

Chapter Two

"From this day forward none shall live in this city, this Cair Paravel. It is not your home. You belong to the land and to me." The Witch stood in front of the slain humans, uncaring as their blood stained the hem of Her skirts. Her eyes glittered with a cold sort of victory as She idly twirled Her wand and added in a deadly sweet voice, "If anyone attempts to enter Cair Paravel, I will execute them and their family down to the last child."

The crowd whispered in horror and fear but stilled as soon as She looked toward those speaking. A cruel mockery of a smile twisted Her pale lips. Then Her gaze returned once more to Cadfael. He did not move nor did he allow himself to flinch as She approached him and rested Her wand against his folded arms. "You were one of the warriors I saw on the battlefield. You fought very well."

He did not respond. Everything in him sang out to kill Her, to avenge the loss of the Royals, of those little foals who had been his charge to protect but still his spirit was checked. It was not Jadis' time to die. Not yet at least.

The Witch laughed but there was no true mirth to it. It was as though She only knew how to imitate any emotion that did not involve pain and suffering. Her pale hand rested on his forearm and She nodded to Herself. "Yes, this will do very nicely for my plan."

She whirled away, putting distance between them again much to Cadfael's relief, and then She sat upon the chair once more. The Cyclops lifted Her onto their shoulders once more and Jadis gazed down at the crowd. "Leave here at once. Anyone who attempts to remain or to take anything from this place will be killed. The Centaurs are to bring their herds down to the youngest foals to the Dancing Lawn in a fortnight's time. If you resist or fail to come, my army will remove that herd from the very memory of Narnia."

There was little time to properly close up Cair Paravel, to store away precious books, scrolls, or other treasures of the Line of Frank, of Narnia's history. Cadfael managed to steal the opportunity to record the end of the royal family before Her soldiers found him and forced him out of the library. The mix of Fell and Narnian who served Jadis kept close watch over the former members of the court as they filed out of the palace and down to the gates but Tuulea took advantage of being sheltered between her husband and Cadfael to scoop something off the ground. He caught a glimpse of silver before the Black Elder Nymph tucked it out of sight. The Princess Royal's necklace. Sorrow filled him at yet another reminder of the tragedies Narnia had already suffered and he feared only greater sorrow lay ahead for them.

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The Witch's demand and threat were impossible to forget, especially with Harpies circling overhead and a pack of Wolves trailing behind, as Cadfael returned to his herd. They had twelve days. Normally the sight of his herd's central village, of his home, filled him with peace and the knowledge he could lay down his burdens as soldier for a while to enjoy the simplicity of aiding his sire in looking after the herd and raising his colt with Selene. Today he felt only the heavy yoke of the news he must carry to his sire and to the rest of the herd.

"Da!"

Cadfael looked up at the excited cry and a faint smile appeared as he noticed his little colt galloping toward him from the school. Still small, having just turned three a few weeks past, Oreius was only just beginning his formal schoolwork but his son did not hesitate to jump over a stack of baskets as tall as he was in order to reach him. "Da!" The colt beamed up at him and grabbed his hand. "Mama and Grandsire said you weren't coming home until the King said you could. They thought it was going to be past Midsummer's Day. Grandam says I can show you my first paper, my letters aren't falling over this time, oh and I'm only supposed to call her Teacher in school. I haven't forgotten but Winddance did. She turned red. We had to write about a hero. I picked you."

He listened to his son's chattering with only half an ear as he looked up to see a dappled grey Centauress, long thick dark hair in tight curls and an expression of hidden amusement in her yellowish green eyes, approaching them. The amusement turned to worry as she drew near and he knew his dam had realized what his young colt had not; something terribly wrong had brought him home this time. Cadfael bowed slightly then he looked around at the others in his herd who had stopped in their work and play to look at him. They would find out soon enough.

Oreius had fallen silent, quick now to realize something wasn't quite right and he gazed up at him with a serious expression too old for such a young colt. Cadfael squeezed his hand then touch his dark head. "Go find your mother, colt, and let her know I've returned."

As the colt galloped away toward their family home, his dam touched his shoulder. Alcippe's gaze was serious as she asked quietly, "What has happened?"

"It will be best if I inform Father at the same time as you, mother. It is not news that is easy to repeat."

She nodded. "Androcles told us he had a disturbing dream a sennight past but the Great Lion did not share the meaning of it this time and the stars have given no answers."

The counsel of his uncle, one of the seers of their people, would be most welcome. "Is he still here?"

"Yes, shall I find him?"

"He will want to know about this as well."

"Cadfael!"

His heart gave a painful wrench as he turned to see Sybil making her way toward him as fast as her advanced pregnancy permitted. His second youngest sister laughed as she rushed to hug him, her yellowish green eyes so like their dam's. "Your return is unlooked for, brother." She clasped his hands looking up at him with eager excitement. "And does Xerxes return with you? Or must I look for my husband another day?"

She should have been with her husband's herd but, as her pregnancy advanced, his sister's husband had decided that staying with her own herd would be a better choice for his wife than staying in the north. He had wanted her to be around family when she gave birth to their first foal, especially if he wasn't able to return home in time. Cadfael stared down at his little sister. Her smile faded as the silence stretched then she asked in a more tremulous voice, "Cadfael? Where is Xerxes?"

Flesh turned to stone. Stone that was then shattered by a malevolent Giant. He swallowed. "I'm sorry, Sybil."

"No!" she screamed. "No! He has to come home! He has to! For our foal! He has to come home!" Then she fell against him, sobbing and still uttering the futile protestations.

Cadfael looked helplessly at their dam. He wished he could have found a way to save his brother-in-law but there had been too many foes and Xerxes had bravely fought to protect King Lew before Jadis murdered them both. But those words he would save for when Sybil was ready to hear them. When she wanted to know how her husband fell in battle.

By now the rest of the herd living or visiting the village had gathered around, parting only when his father and the rest of their immediate family appeared. Cadeyrn came up to them and gently pried Sybil off of him, pulling her into a strong hug and wiping away her tears before he handed her over to their sisters, Alcyone and sweet Charis, who quickly guided their sister through the solemn crowd. His sire looked at him. "That news is not the true reason you have returned."

He shook his head. "No. The Line of Frank has ended. Jadis has declared Herself Queen by right of conquest." The rumble of horror shook the adults and some of the older colts and fillies but Cadfael ignored them. He glanced at Selene once, taking comfort in reassuring himself that his little family was safe, before he continued, "The Centaur people have twelve days to gather at the Dancing Lawn in an audience before Jadis. All of us from the elders to the youngest foal must be present or She will send Her army to wipe out any herd that does not present itself."

His sire stared at him. His dark eyes were solemn but he nodded once then ran a hand down the length of his beard. His gaze shifted to his wife and then to Androcles who had also drawn near before returning to Cadfael. His father lowered his hand then stated in the same sonorous tone that had always carried across the fields with ease, "We will go to the Dancing Lawn and we will send messengers to every herd urging them to join us."

As the crowd dispersed, Selene slipped her slim hand into his, twining their fingers together. Cadfael rested his forehead against hers, unwilling to voice the fear that whatever they did would not appease the invading usurper.

Selene's breath tickled his lips as she whispered, "Aslan is still with us."

He prayed it was true even as he nodded. "He is."

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The Dancing Lawn was crowded with Centaurs from the very old to the very young. Cadfael kept one hand on his son's head to ensure the colt did not see some outrage that must be corrected such as a colt teasing a filly overmuch. He scanned the crowds then inclined his head toward his sire and whispered, "Darkmoon, Achilles, Firerain, and Zeus have not come."

"Nor any member of their herds." Cadeyrn shook his head, looking grave.

"She will destroy them."

His father raised a hand. "Guard your words, my son."

The time for talk had ceased as harsh horns sounded, frightening a number of the youngest foals into tears, and then the Fell army appeared through the forest around the Dancing Lawn. Jadis was not present but Rangi was. Whips and charges by the Fell forced the Centaurs to move. Cadfael kept an eye on his colt and on his sister. Sybil was in her last two months of pregnancy but she remained listless and pale, silent tears coursing down her cheeks, during the forced march not even caring when some of the larger stallions narrowly avoided walking into her. She had not spoken to Cadfael since the day he had to tell her she was now a widow.

Through the day and into the late watches of the night they marched. Cadfael, like many of the other sires, had had to pick Oreius up and carry him when the foal showed signs of his waning strength. The stronger Centaurs supported the old, weak, and young. No one was left to fall behind to the Fell's nonexistent mercy.

Finally they stopped just after dawn in the northern plains where there were few Divine Trees and Sacred Waters between two hills. Jadis stood on the left-hand hill. She raised a pale arm. "I have given you the chance to redeem yourselves after you fought against me but some of you have scorned my offer. Look and see what happens to those who defy me."

"Cadfael," Selene whispered as the four missing herds of Centaur were marched into the plain before them.

Cold dread wrapped itself around his heart and he stepped in front of their colt. Selene placed her hand over his eyes, ensuring Oreius could not see, as Jadis lowered her arm and the Fell attacked the Centaurs who had been chained and gagged. No mercy was shown and some of the Fell consumed the foals.

In all his years as a soldier, he did not think he had seen as many atrocities committed as he had in the last fortnight. When at long last the Fell's exultant cries ceased, Jadis again called out to the Centaurs. "This is the fate for any who resist my will. And next time I will make you watch as the youngest are killed first. I have brought you here to build a new castle for your new queen as a testament to your loyalty to me. Every able-bodied Centaur stallion will work here until my castle is complete. The mares and foals may remain in your villages under guard so you will not have to fear their safety."

Hostages. She was going to hold their families hostage until they finished Her work even though she had to know it would be much better to enlist the Dwarfs (some of whom were on Her side) as they had a way with stone not shared by other creatures. So this was how She planned to begin breaking them to Her will.

Cadfael looked around as Centaur stallions were being forced from the herds. He stole a moment to kiss Selene and then whispered in her ear, "Keep your heads down. Do nothing to draw attention."

His wife nodded, unshed tears in her eyes. "Be safe."

He touched Oreius on the head, causing the colt to look up at him. "Look after your mother."

Then Cadfael joined his father, his uncle, and his sister Alcyone's husband along with the rest of the stallions from their herd and walked toward the latest bitter fruit of the new era. Aslan preserve us.

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A/N: Please Read and Review!