~Hey guys! I hope you are having a great holiday season! This is my first fanfiction story so I would love any feedback. I really have no clue what I am doing. :) Anyways I hope to update at least once a week for now. Hope you enjoy!~
"Susan...Su wake up!" Peter shouted. Susan shot up.
"Oh Peter," she choked as she sobbed more. Peter stroked her hair gently.
"Shh, it's okay Su. Whatever the great emergency is we will get through it. We always have before." Ed smiled at her over Peter's shoulder. "How did Lucy take the news? Oh how I wish I could have said a proper goodbye." This only made Susan cry more.
"Come on Susan what is it?" Susan looked up at Peter's kind eyes. It shattered her heart as she told him the story of the argument and the man. When she was finished, Peter turned to the window and stared out silently. She looked to Ed. Tears were glistening in his eyes. This must hurt him so much. He and Lu were the closest.
"It makes sense," Peter whispered his voice shaking. "We fought the Telmarines for a very short period of time. Then they all fell away at once. They knew their target all along."
"Peter," Ed broke in. "Our suspicions were confirmed. They have a man in Cair Paravel. How else could they have known about the tunnels?"
Peter's mind went back to the conversation of three days back.
"It's the Telmarines. We are all in great danger."
Peter stared at Susan unblinking. "What?"
Ed sighed and told their tale. "Su and I were in the village of Tawena. We were going back and forth, discreetly asking villagers if they had seen any Telmarines about. For a few days nothing turned up. Then, there was this one elderly woman. Her arm was broken. When we politely asked her what happened she said nothing. She would only cast her eyes to an old shed in the back."
Edmund paused. "When we went back there to investigate a man jumped out at Susan-"
"What?!" Peter shrieked. His gaze flew to his sister.
"Peter really. I am fine," Susan replied gently. Peter was quite protective over her and Lucy. If the sleeves of her dress weren't covering the minor wounds, Susan was certain the High King would personally declare war on every Telmarine in the region. "A couple or scars and bruises but nothing more. Thanks to Ed." Peter looked at her doubtfully. "Please let him continue. There is more to this story that you need to hear."
Peter clenched his fists and reluctantly nodded for Edmund to continue. "As I was saying," Edmund started, "a Telmarine attacked Susan and I defended her. After a brief scrimmage he fell to his knees." Peter smiled inwardly. As protective as Peter was, Edmund might just pass him.
"We had the soldiers tie him to a tree. About a half-hour passed when he finally gained consciousness. When I asked him what he was doing in Narnia he refused to answer. It was only when Susan threatened his life that his tongue began to wag." Peter raised his eyebrows at this. Susan was called Queen Susan the Gentle for a reason. He looked at her.
"Please Peter," she commented, rolling her eyes. "It was obvious I had no intention of following through with it."
Edmund shook his head. "That was not obvious to our Telmarine friend however. His eyes were about to fall out of his head, for our dear sister can be quite intimidating."
"Oh Edmund," Susan interjected, frustrated. "Stop with your tales of nonsense and get on with what the man said."
"Very well. Do you remember the Battle of the Green Falls, Peter?"
The High King nodded. How could he forget? It had been such a glorious victory against the giants and trolls. The hideous creatures had been attacking farmers who went out to their fields. It was Peter's duty to defend his people.
"Well, Prince Damien of Telmar was in the region at the time. Apparently he never returned home, and King Jerez blames his death on us."
"That's absurd!" Peter shouted angrily. "For one, the King has no proof that he is dead. Also we were not even informed that he had entered Narnia. We could have welcomed him at Cair Paravel if he had followed protocol."
"I agree," Edmund consented, nodding. "There is something quite fishy about this whole thing. It is almost as if the King was seeking an opportunity against Narnia."
"But that's beside the point Ed," Susan sighed. She glanced at her older brother. "Peter. King Jerez has taken a Lyroc vow."
The High King fell into the chair behind him. A Lyroc vow was a vow Telmarines took very rarely. When the correct ancient words were spoken, they swore they would take revenge on their enemies or die trying. In this paticular instance it meant a life for a life. The Telmarines were going to kill one of the Pevensies.
"So now what?" Peter questioned hopelessly.
"That is what we were arguing about. The only way the Lyroc vow goes away is by King Jerez's death. That would start a war against Telmar."
"What do you think Mr. Tumnus?" Susan asked. Peter had not previously noticed the fawn in the shadows of the room.
"Well Your Majesty," Mr. Tumnus began, "your brother was only partly correct. A Lyroc vow would go away at King Jerez's death it's true. However, there may be a different way. The ancient laws behind the Lyroc vow states that if there was no death the vow is invalid. If we can prove that Prince Damien is truly alive King Jerez could not go against us. He would be forced to abdicate his throne by his own court."
Peter closed his eyes and sighed. "Okay. That is where we will start for now. Send out some of our men to investigate into the prince's disappearance."
"Yes, but only the men we trust the most. We ought not to make a great ordeal out of this. The Telmarine we interrogated hinted that there may be a spy in our midst," Edmund added.
"Wonderful. This just keeps getting better and better," Peter whimpered.
"So who is going to tell Lucy?" Edmund asked. "I can. We were going to spar this evening."
"Oh, so you're the one," Peter realized. "Anyways at the first sign of trouble I am sending Lucy back to Spare Oom."
"What?!" Edmund cried. "Peter you cannot do that. We have always fought these struggles together. If it wasn't for Lucy none of us would be here right now."
"Edmund she is only a child," Peter responded sternly.
"Peter," Edmund pleaded. "This surely cannot be Aslan's will. We have not even asked Him for wisdom on this matter."
"I am the High King and you shall remember that, brother. I only want what is best for our sister. If something goes wrong Aslan will show up. He always does."
"So," Edmund replied coldly. "You will knowingly make a mistake and just wait for Aslan to clean it up." Edmund, more than anyone, understood that actions have consequences. He felt the sacrifice that Aslan's gave for his mistake all those years ago on the stone table. "Do you not know any better after all these years?"
Peter slammed his fists on the table. "You are out of line Edmund!"
Edmund stared at him. For a moment all was silent. Then, in barely a whisper Edmund said, "So are you." With that Ed marched out of his own chambers and slammed the door behind him.
Peter's mind was drawn back to the present. Oh Aslan. Please forgive me. I may have caused my sister's death by not turning to you. Please. Please. If she is still alive, look after her.
"Not all is lost yet, Peter." Edmund declared. "If the Lyroc vow was fulfilled the King would throw a great celebration. As our spies have not reported that he has yet done so, Lucy may still be alive and well. We must pray to Aslan on our next course of action."
Peter looked between his brother and sister. "Yes. We must."
Lucy woke up to shouting. Her head was hurting so much. She remembered the tunnel. A man had attacked Susan. When Lucy had lunged at him with her dagger the man had held up the elder queen's limp body. He had a dagger of his own at Susan's neck. Lucy didn't know if her sister was alive or dead, but he threatened to slit her throat if Lucy didn't drink a vial filled with a green liquid. What choice did she have? It must have drugged her, but at least she was still alive... for now.
"No way are we going to Jerez after what the Red Dwarves told us," someone was shouting. "We are not murderers."
"Perhaps not, but we may be murdered if we do not carry out the deed," another argued back. "What do you propose we do?"
"Let us give her to Angus. He will know what to do."
"Angus? Why he is a slave trader. I suppose she looks strong enough for a good sale. If she knows what is good for her, she won't reveal her identity," the man paused thinking it over. "Very well. If Angus will cut us a share of the profit we will give the little queen to him. Should I wake her?"
"Nah. She will need all the sleep she can get. If she survives the Lyroc vow her life will be hard until the day she dies. Which, given the life span of slaves in Telmar, will be quite short." The voices faded away and Lucy was left alone with her thoughts.
Oh Aslan. Please. Help me.