Nota Bene: Darzath is the name I gave to "The Tisroc" whose name Lewis kindly withholds…

Truce

"Peace begins with a smile.."
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Edmund's knees felt weak and disjointed as he tried remain standing. His deep grey eyes bored into the Calormen boy's trying to understand what he found there. Anger, sorrow, fear, longing –longing for what? All of them were present, but as he watched something else entered , something that he could not fathom though he had seen it before.

Ashriz stood uneasily before this stranger, wondering.

He was tall, or would have been if his shoulders were not so bowed as though a great weight rested upon them. He would have been fair of face but for the dirt and blood and bruises that marked him. He would have been young but for the wisdom that shone so incongruously in his eyes. And still the obvious suffering could not hide the light that lurked in the depths of his eyes or the nobility of spirit that hung about him.

He stared uncertainly, feeling his control slip away, the youth was outnumbered and alone, probably lost and clearly having been deliberately wounded but the air around him hung heavy with might and power that was not his own and his eyes showed no regret for his decision.

Ashriz supposed that someone who had made through whatever torment had been laid on him with a spirit so unbroken and free would hardily fear what a pack of children could do.

Edmund smiled, reaching down and laying one hand protectively on the child's naked brown shoulder.

Despite himself, Ashriz found himself liking this odd, limping young man with stripes across his shoulders and the bearing of a king.

Edmund sensed the change in the heavy air and breathing a soundless prayer to Aslan, he stepped forward slightly to offer the Calormen boy his hand. The sky went black about the edges of his vision and then closed in on him with frightening speed as he fell heavily to the ground.

Edmund looked about the bright court at Cair Paravel in astonishment as his eyes fell on the forms of his siblings.

Peter looked at him uneasily and handed over the thick, gilt parchment that he held. Edmund unrolled it slowly, taking in the Calormen seal and the arms of the Tisroc surmounting it.

He could not help the smile that twitched at his lips as he began reading.

Darzath Tisroc to the High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund and Queen Lucy.

Greetings and All Manner of Blessings upon the Land of Narnia and her Most Gracious Monarchs,

May the Blessings of Tash, the Inexorable be upon you now and always…

Edmund grinned broadly, "I bet he wishes they were since they would probably leave us dead or dying!"

Lucy laughed but Peter and Susan looked grave and he read on.

In as much as there has been some ill-will between our two peoples for as long as can be remembered and it does not please the gods that such a great evil should be left forever unremedied, We ask you to return this gesture of peace.

To Our inexpressible sorrow it is known to us that Our own son, once called prince most undeservedly has had a hand in the recent degeneration of the mutual respect and good feelings that still existed. It is with great sorrow that We realized his deed though he hid from Our sight at the time.

It pleases the gods that such foolishness should not forever part our two peoples and We ask that you send a representative to conduct mutual negotiations.

Edmund looked up puzzled.

"I know Ed" said Peter, "He is simply repeating what he wrote after the attack, as we know he was well aware of Rabadash's treachery."

"Read on" sighed Susan, "He asks for you in particular…"

As the skill of King Edmund called the Just at such negotiations and his wisdom and honor are known to be without blemish We ask that he give of his valuable time that peace may be established and that future bloodshed and war may be done away with.

Any and all your representatives will naturally be accorded all due respect and immunity while they sojourn under Our protection. In token of our pledge we offer the person of Our own son, Prince Haszen in pledge of the truth of Our intentions…

"And Prince Haszen is here in Narnia?" asked Edmund.

"He is in truth" returned Susan, "I recognized him at once."

"It is unlike the Tisroc (he must be nearing the end of forever) to offer anything without some other motive…" Lucy pointed out, "I feel as though he is hiding something."

"Perhaps" said Edmund slowly, "Yet, could it be that he truly wishes peace? It is possible that our enmity is thwarting his trade in Galma, Terebinthia and the Lone Islands and he is offering his son, the Crown Prince as surety."

Susan winced

"He no doubt knows that it is unlikely that we would exact vengeance should you be harmed."

Peter straightened "We will ask the guidance of Aslan this night and if you are still willing by morning, Edmund, bring peace between our peoples."

The room swirled about him as he knelt before the High King, and then the blackness swept away his memory.

When he surfaced from the darkness there were faint voices around him. He could tell that they were talking but his foggy mind refused to tell him what they spoke of, and he fell again beneath the waves of blackness.

Slowly he gathered up his energy and determination and pushed himself up. This time the soft whispers began to form into words, then sentences and completed thoughts.

"…Northerner?"

"… if he is a spy!"

"He fell over, as though he could stand no longer…"

"Poor boy, I wonder who did this too him?" Edmund smiled inwardly at the soft, motherly voice as he wondered what it was that made such women worry about him.

Narnia was full of them, all ready and willing to feed, "Your Majesty is far too skinny for your age!", nurse, "Don't move a muscle, dear king, I'll have that cut mended in no time at all" and scold "If I catch you on your feet, King Edmund you will be wishing that wolf had bitten your leg off, Majesty or not!" him at the slightest provocation. Unfortunately this Calormen woman had plenty of provocation…

He tried answering, but they couldn't seem to hear him so he lay quiet for a moment and then tried to open his eyes. To his surprise they opened easily.

He blinked, the room was dim and dirty and crammed with people. A kind-faced women sat beside him, her grey hair untidy and bedraggled about her wrinkled brown cheeks.

Her face was conveniently turned away leaving him unhindered as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

He opened his mouth to try speaking again, but a strangled croaking noise issued forth instead of the polite "Thank you for your kindness, might I ask where I am?" that he had intended.

The women turned with a gasp and reached for a misshapen mug. Edmund swallowed gratefully as she held it to his lips. It was warm and rather muddy but it was water and at the moment that was all that mattered.

His mind drifted back to his dream, which was not a dream but rather a memory and he wondered anew at the feeling of rightness that had lead him here to begin with. Was this his purpose in Tashbaan?

To be here among these neglected ones of the city? It would not surprise him, Aslan's ways were not the ways of men.

He finished drinking, smiled at the women, and turned to face the rest of the room.

Thank you to WoodElfJedi, Rose and Psyche, WillowDryad and LadyOfAnfalas for the lovely reviews and to everyone who favorited or is following this story.

Shire Rose