Chapter One

A hollow sort of loneliness filled Caspian as he stared out over the bustling city below his glorious castle. It had taken months to get this far and even now, nearly a year after his coronation, it was not complete. The monstrosity that Miraz had dwelt in, the thing that had been a symbol of the cruelty and power that was the picture of the past nine Narnian Kings had been destroyed days after Miraz's death and the end of the war. Great castles did not just spring up out of the ground; they took work… lots of hard work. However most of his people were happy to honour him in such a way. If only he could be as happy being honoured.

It wasn't to say that he didn't appreciate all that they did for him; he did, immensely. He couldn't have asked for a more loyal group of subjects. But he still felt as though he could hardly compare to the Kings and Queens of old… those four siblings who he had, strange as it had been, come to consider his friends. For he had met them and fought alongside them only a year ago and now he was very much wishing for their companionship once more.

The High King Peter, and the lovely Queen Susan would not return, but the others supposed that they might if Aslan decided that they were needed in Narnia again. How he enjoyed their company, their friendship. None of his subjects understood the responsibility, the difficulties that came with running a country. Especially one so recently at war. There was so much to do, so much to attend to – Caspian wasn't sure it would ever be done.

There was a soft knocking at the door and Caspian ignored it, of the opinion that if it was particularly important, whoever was knocking would enter soon enough. Still the knocking, though growing no louder, grew in insistency. He could hear excited chattering on the other side of the door.

"Come in," he called, not looking back as he ran his hand through his hair. He had considered, on a couple of occasions, blowing the horn of the great Queen Susan in hopes that it would summon either the ancient Kinds and Queens, else Aslan himself. But he knew that to do so would be a great crime indeed, for he had been instructed only to blow the horn when in the greatest of need. Still, it was hard to control himself.

"Caspian!"

A familiar voice tore through his thoughts, causing his heart to give a great leap as he drew in a sharp breath. Could it be true? Could it be –?

Caspian felt nimble arms thrown around him, holding him in place in a great embrace. He turned, beaming down at the beautiful little Queen; Lucy Pevensie. He could hear chuckling as he wrapped her up in his own arms and he lifted his gaze to meet that of the great king Edmund, the Just.

"Edmund!"

"Caspian, how good it is to see you again!" Edmund laughed as he pried Lucy from Caspian, shaking his head as she smiled sheepishly up at him. "How long has it been? In Narnian time, I mean. I never can tell – I was certainly glad to find that you were in fact still King – and not an old one either."

Caspian took Edmund's hand in a firm grasp, bowing before the King of Old. "Edmund, how wonderful it is to see both you and your royal sister once again! Nearly one year has passed in Narnia… how long, pray tell, has passed for yourself?"

"Four months," Lucy chimed in, her face light up with a smile as she obviously struggled to contain her joy. "We were all back home getting ready for Christmas when Ed and I felt that familiar magic calling us. It is a shame Susan and Peter cannot be here; they'll be rather jealous when we tell them we've returned."

"Perhaps it's best not to tell them?" Caspian ventured, frowning slightly. He too wished that they could all return, but who was he to question the mighty Lion, Aslan himself? Of course he could do no such thing. "But, pray tell, how does your brother and sister fare?"

"Peter is doing alright," Edmund said thoughtfully, "though I think Susan is not taking it all as well. She seems rather…"

"Withdrawn," Lucy suggested, frowning. "I do not know how to help her."

"We shall all think of ways to help your sister," Caspian said after a few moments of silence, "Though I wonder if perhaps you might like to see what is finished of the castle? It is, of course, no comparison to the splendour that must have been the great Cair Paravel. However, I think you might find it to your liking."

"Anything is to my liking after a day crammed in a stuffy train car," Edmund said, laughing as he took at turn about the throne room. "From what I can see, this castle isn't far off." Giving a low whistle, he turned to Lucy and motioned to a series of tall statues, depicting different Kings and Queens of Narnia, or different events in the country's history. "Well look at that, Lu! Do you remember that? And look at you, all grown up. You seem to have shrunk a little."

"Very funny," she said, swatting at Edmund playfully. "This room is magnificent, Edmund is right."

They all fell into admiring silence for a moment, and Caspian had to admit that his people had done well. After a couple minutes of quiet, Caspian looked to the setting sun in the window. "I don't suppose either of you are hungry?"

"Famished – we left just before lunch!" Edmund said, pausing when both Lucy and Caspian turned to look at him and laugh. "Well we did," he insisted, a little less enthusiastically this time.

"Unfortunately, you just missed lunch here. However, worry not, my dear friends. We will find you some rooms and someone will be sent up with great platters of food. I'll see about finding you some clothing to wear – Edmund, you look as though you'll fit something of mine. Lucy, however, I will have to have something brought in for you from the town. I will make certain it is befitting of a Queen of your name – and tomorrow we will make your presence known."

"Is that such a good idea, Caspian?" Edmund asked, following the new king down the hall and up a flight of stairs. "We don't know yet why Aslan summoned us here – Narnia, or yourself, could be in danger. Perhaps we ought to find out the trouble first?"

"Perhaps," he said after a few moments of thought, deciding that Edmund did have a point. It would only cause alarm among the people to see them there. After all, nearly everyone had seen the Kings and Queens of old fighting for Narnia in the battle against Miraz. It was an odd thing indeed, that they would be back. Caspian himself couldn't help but feel rather nervous; their arrival couldn't merely be for the enjoyment of both parties. Still, he wasn't going to hide them away and pretend that they weren't here.

"We won't make a formal announcement of it, then," he said, drawing near the end of one of the halls three stories up. "But I won't hide you away from the Narnians either. I'll make it known to the royal guards that you are here – and to double the watch. Obviously you're here for a reason and we're going to want to be prepared."

"Let us not worry too much about it, though," Lucy said brightly, stopping as Caspian, then Edmund, did. "We shall know in time why we are here – Ed, let's do try and enjoy it as much as we can. We haven't any idea how many more times we will be brought here."

"Your sister is right," Caspian added, reaching out to open the door before them. "But we needn't make any decisions yet. First, let's get you settled. Lucy, this room is for you; it is one of our finest." He pushed the door open completely, revealing a beautifully decorated room with a canopy bed on a dais against the center of the back wall. Everything was tasteful, though extravagant, as everything seemed to be in Narnian décor. Every piece of furniture was carved as though it was made solely to tell a story; the legs of an elegant wood writing desk told the tale of the creation of Narnia. Pillars up along the walls told several tales – one showed the hunting of the stag, the event that had taken the Pevensies from Narnia. One told the story of Swanwhite the hare. Everything was so beautiful, so meticulously created and Lucy stood there in awe of the craftsmanship.

Of course Cair Paravel had been beautiful beyond compare. But it had been so long since Lucy had been in the presence of such splendour that she was unaccustomed to it.

"This is beautiful," she whispered, stepping inside with a grin on her face. "Caspian, I love it!"

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied with a smile, glancing to Edmund who also observed the room with amazement – though he tried to hide his enough to maintain a look of regal composure. "Edmund, the room I have in mind for you is just across the hall, actually. I'd like to keep you and Lucy close – no doubt you have much to discuss, considering."

"I appreciate it, Caspian," Edmund said, his attention rather taken by everything around him. "Your castle, by the way, is absolutely amazing."

"Why thank you. Things aren't quite done yet, but they're coming along nicely. Now, perhaps we ought to give Lucy some time to settle in, while I show you where you will be staying? I'd like to get you and your sister some changes of clothes and send up some food –"

"I'm all for that!" Edmund interrupted, barging out of the room and across the hall. "I'm starved!"

Lucy and Caspian both burst into laughter, shaking their heads as Caspian gave a short bow and followed Edmund across the hall after closing the door to Lucy's room. Lucy, finding herself alone but not lonely, began to explore the room that she had been given use of. It was a lovely room, a room hat made her heart feel at home again. She had missed Narnia; it felt so familiar, so soft compared to the harshness of England. When she was younger, she had decided that she would never want to live anywhere but Finchley. However, after spending so long here, she knew that Narnia was her true home. She was created for this place.

Pushing the soft, silky curtains away from her bed, she flopped down on it and ran her fingers over the cool blankets. For the first time in a while, she truly felt like a Queen again.

OxOxO

Edmund had been just as pleased with his room as Lucy had been with hers and he had been glad of that. Now he was off to see about lunch and clothing for their majesties. Moving swiftly down the hall, Caspian acknowledged the castle staff that passed by him. Some of the people who had served in Miraz's great castle had gladly come to serve in his. Some of the others had gone through the Arch, else had found employment elsewhere. But the interesting thing about his palace was that it was not merely staffed by Telmarines. There were Naiads, dryads, fawns, mice, dwarves and all other sorts of Old Narnians. The Telmarines had been intimidated by this for a while, but it seemed as though most of them had gotten used to the idea.

"Your majesty!" A soft, but strong, voice called. "Your majesty!"

Caspian recognized the voice and smiled, looking down. "Reepicheep! To what do I owe the honour?"

"I must speak with your majesty!" The mouse said urgently, bowing in the presence of the king. "I have heard the most peculiar thing."

"What is it Reep?" Caspian asked, bending down on one knee to meet with the mouse eye-to-eye. "Can it not be discussed here?"

The mouse looked thoughtful, and then glanced from side to side. Seeing no one in the hall, and deciding that they were in the King's own castle, they should be alright, Reepicheep frowned. "Your Majesty, I've heard the strangest thing. Can it be true that the great King Edmund and the Queen Lucy have returned to us once again?"

Caspian chuckled. "Word travels fast, I see. It is true, they are here."

"Whatever for?" The mouse asked, looking concerned. "It isn't as though I am not pleased to hear that they have come – I think quite highly of them, as does any true Narnian. But doesn't their arrival mean that something ominous is on the horizon for Narnia? Each time sons of Adam and daughters of Eve have come from their world into ours… there has been some great danger they needed to remedy."

"I know," Caspian replied, frowning slightly. "But I cannot figure out just what it is. Everything seems to be going rightly at the moment."

"Sire, would you request that I go to the guard?"

"I think I ought to, Reepicheep. Nevertheless, your people are some of our most valiant. Keep an eye out – you mice spot things long before us humans… you can get into places that we can't, something I am quite thankful for." He rose and dusted off the knees of his pants. "At the moment, I need to fetch some food for their majesties and see about clothing for them – they look quite out of place."

Reepicheep nodded. "Would your majesty object if I requested an audience with them? I should like to speak with them again."

"Feel free, Reepicheep – I'm sure they will both be thrilled to see you. They're up the stairs and to the right, down at the end of the hall." Caspian pointed and Reepicheep nodded, bowing and scurrying off in the direction that he had directed.

Setting off once more, Caspian smiled to himself. First he'd see to food, then wardrobe. Edmund would be easy enough, it looked as though he might be the same, else a similar size to Caspian. Lucy would be more difficult, but he could send someone down to the city and hopefully find a few things that would do until he could bring in a seamstress. He was thankful it was only the middle of the day, they had plenty of time to get the siblings settled before they sat down and tried to figure out why they were here.