"Thimbles and thunderstorms!"

The cry coming from the Lord Regent resounded in the halls of the castle wing where the King's quarters were. The outraged Dwarf was yelling at two innocent Fauns, whose only fault had been trying to accompany him and provide him with a walking cane and, hopefully, a trumpet. Unfortunately for them, the more his ears became defective, the more his vocal cords strengthened, and he had no difficulty in using them. In fact, he seemed to find a secret pleasure in doing so.

"Is that what you think of me? That I am a poor, useless old Dwarf, who needs constant assistance? Well, I don't, neither I'll use those useless accessories. And I most definitely don't need anyone's help to see my Master."

With a smile, Caspian, took the opportunity to remove himself from his duty, as paperwork and documents seemed particularly boring that day, maybe because his mind was set on something else. Had he truly encouraged Drinian to bring a foreign, unknown woman here at Roac Ferunel, in the loving bosom of his own country? Well, it was done now, and maybe for the best. It was his son, his only son, after all, they were talking about. Knowing he was wandering alone in the wood, where he could be assailed at every step, like the Queen herself had been, wasn't good for Caspian's health. He had known for ages now that his heart could not take much more.

The Regent raised his voice again, remembering the King that his subjects needed his prompt intervention.

"Lord Trumpkin," he greeted, "I thought I heard your voice."

The three Narnians bowed, and the Fauns looked relieved. If the Dwarf thought his Majesty's voice was getting weaker than it used, he kept it to himself. Instead, he said, "My King, I have something for you."

"So I heard," Caspian repeated.

One of the Fauns couldn't help himself, as he replied with a smile, "Your Majesty has a very good hearing."

His companion nodded, and the King merely added with a meaningful look, "I'd rather say our little friend has a very good voice."

Still lightly laughing, the Fauns took their leave, while Trumpkin looked at their backs suspiciously, "Young ones," he snorted.

"So, Master Dwarf, which deal do you have with me?" the King asked, leading his old friend in his study.

"Lord Drinian left me a note to deliver to your Majesty as soon as possible. In his letter to me he explained what would happen today, namely a possible guest coming to the Roac, and encouraged me to be my usual self, putting into practice the infamous Dwarfish attitude... Beards and bedsteads, I really don't know what he's speaking about. I would never distrust your Highness's guests, not to mention old friends of yours, such as he is. My loyalty to you and yours, my King, can't falter. I would tell him, if he was here. Yet he seemed eager to depart and even more eager to suggest a traitorous presence in this castle..."

Caspian let Trumpkin talk, well aware that deaf people tended to speak a lot. He didn't know what to think of his Captain, and this secrecy was frustrating him. Had Drinian been younger, the King would have believed him enchanted by some mysterious beauty, but that was not the case, of course. He could not see any harm coming to Narnia. He would have someone keep an eye on the Lady of the Wood (he still didn't know her name) to be safe, but he didn't believe it necessary, and he was grateful to Drinian for being so thoughtful of his and his son's needs. Rilian would woo his maid in the safety of the castle, and Caspian would still be able to see his son, in a way which wouldn't involve the King on the balcony and the Prince on horseback in the courtyard below, ready to leave.

At last, he interrupted the dwarf, "Maybe reading his message would help me."

"Leading his carriage? Your Majesty ought not think of such a thing. Moreover, whose carriage? Why am I not informed about it? I wonder why people..."

"His message! HIS. MESSAGE," Caspian repeated, before the Dwarf could start blubbering once more.

"Of course, your Majesty. Here you are." Trumpkin handed over a note to his Master, wondering why everyone liked repeating things twice. Maybe he should start doing so, too.

The Seafarer took the envelope and broke the seal carefully, being met with his friend's familiar handwriting. The letter was both formal and informal, at the same time, and it was clear the Lord had written him in a hurry, probably just after their morning conversation.

Drinian to Caspian, King of Narnia, the Tenth of that name, greetings my Lord... And my apologies for omitting your other titles, but they are simply too many.

The weak attempt at humor was not wasted on Caspian, who slightly huffed, but couldn't relax. Being around Drinian himself or some of his assets (such as this parchment), gave the King a strange feeling, as if something in his mind was trying to surface, but wasn't allowed.

Be it known to you that I'm the most loyal subject of your Majesty, and I beg you to trust that no action of mine aims to harm your or your son's person, but I find myself in a situation which requires desperate measures. I hereby caution you, as evil is lurking in Narnia. You, my King, are courageous and honorable, and certainly find it hard to believe that the enemy often is not an army in place, battle standards and flags wavering, the horns sounding. Sometimes the enemy takes the shape of a snake, a treacherous snake, which, silently slithering through the grass, attacks the rear.

Caspian felt somehow relieved: Drinian was just speaking about that venomous worm. That his young son sought vengeance on a witless brute could be excusable, but he didn't expect this from the calm man Drinian was. The Lord should have led the young Prince, not the contrary.

Caspian, I'm begging you to be weary of anyone and anything, when darkness will fall, trusting only in Aslan, as only the Lion can know when the sun will rise again. My experience taught me this, though: the sun always rises in the morning, never in the evening.

Now I close this letter, swearing this oath to you: that whatever it may come, I'll watch your back.

May Aslan's grace be with you always.

Completing his lecture, Caspian addressed again his Regent, briefly explaining the content of the letter, and repeating that there was not need to worry. Drinian and Rilian, searching for the witless killer, had met a sweet maid, whom they would probably bring to the Roac soon. Talking as loud as he could, the King –suddenly unable to remember what had happened in the morning– instructed Trumpkin to ask the Narnians to have the castle ready for their guest, as he himself would finish his letter to the king of Archenland.

As the door closed behind the Lord Regent, Caspian relaxed and took the quill, quietly humming, not knowing he was not alone and would never be for a long time to come, for some words still resonated in his heart without his wariness, as if someone kept whispering them: sometimes the enemy takes the shape of a snake, a treacherous silent snake...

Unbeknownst to him, that very same snake, which would soon destroy Narnia, binding her and her inhabitants with its lethal coils, was currently slithering around the fountain where the Queen lost his life, and where the Prince was leading.

A quick rustle and hiss were the only warnings every creature got, before an unnatural silence filled the air, and the most beautiful woman ever seen appeared, sprinkled some dust around, and suddenly faded away. Only then, the call from a courageous great tit reawakened the wood.


It was high noon and the sun, having reached his halfway point of its voyage, was now taking a little rest, playing with the crystal water of a fountain. At the north side of it, a green snake, curled up in the last shadows and hidden in the grass, was trying to avoid those annoying rays of sunshine.

It was noon and the human was unusually late. Had he been restrained by that intrusive friend of him? Was it possible that the old man had held back the young man against his – well, her – own will? She didn't think so, for the spell she has started casting on him, even though needed to be reinforce daily and wasn't enough to bind him to her, couldn't be broken: he would always find his way to her. She was just waiting for him to finally capitulate and answer her last call: her spell brought him to the fountain, but she needed him to close the distance between the two of them of his own free will... which didn't happen yet. His bound to whatever was keeping him back were too strong. It would take more time than she had previously thought, especially with the Queen dead, whom she knows the human Prince held great affection for. Yet something preventing him to truly give up.

And now that further complication... She had handled it, in the end, but it had taken her by surprise, that the Prince wished to share his goddess. Because of this, her spell on the second man had been hasty and weaker than it probably should. Yet no man could undo it. And for good measure, she had also ensured that the spell was contagious, so that the listener could not truly listen to what the speaker could not truly say.

Those measures and the spell on the young man himself should have prevented any other surprise, but no rider was in sight yet.

She started to think of her next step to take, suddenly aware that the old human's previous, unexpected visit might as well ruined everything she had worked for until then, as she was wasting on the Lord some of her magic, instead of focusing entirely on her prey. She realized to have no other choice than kidnapping the Prince, which angered her beyond words, as it would mean at least 10 more years of brainwashing, and some enchanted object to retain the human, whenever his consciousness would surface, for she knew it would, had she imposed her rule upon him. Had it not been for the old man, Rilian would have freely offered himself to her, and would have been hers... forever. A quick rustle later, a mouse had disappeared in the snake's jaws, not to ever seen again... alive, at least. The reptile hissed with fury and recoiled once more into the shadows, while the sun shone brighter than ever. But the inflamed orb would have never wasted his light rays on that slithering, vile creature, as much as she tried to avoid them.

In a few seconds, she felt her body shaken, as the earth trembled and pebbles started dancing in front of her eyelidless eyes, due to the full gallop of an approaching horse. When a voice called out for her, she knew it was time to change back to her human form, but the sight she was met with was not the hoped one: it was two horses whose gallop had shaken the earth, and now not one, but two riders stood in front of her, one of whom was her prey, but the other was the old man, and he had just got himself a very lethal enemy, she thought grimly, thinking of the best way to get rid of him without losing her Prince and, more important, her future reign.

She felt burning anger growing in her chest. How dare they? She couldn't be defeated so soon, so easily... In fact, defeat was not a word she had ever applied to herself. Defeat, such a little, innocent word... But no, it was not a thing she could tolerate. If anything, she defeated (active) but was not defeated (passive).

"Hail, Lady of the forest," Drinian greeted her, stubbornly refusing to refer to her as "his" Lady, for she was not Drinian's Lady, never has been and never will be.

He swiftly glanced at Rilian to ensure himself about his young Lord's safety, but a flash of disappointment crossed his face when he spotted Caspian's son's glassy gaze. It couldn't be helped for now, and when the Captain himself met the woman's evil eyes, he found himself unable to divert his own.

It was past high noon. The hotness was unbearable.

Beneath the burning Narnian sun, the horses neighed and stomped, showing their nervousness. Their tails flogged their own flanks restlessly, trying to keep away the tireless flies. They were foaming at the mouth but neither of the men noticed their horses discomfort, as they were drawn to the enchantress... hopelessly.


A/N I'm so sorry this is late. Hope you all enjoy it and everything makes sense! And thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited. You're all wonderful!