The Kings and Queens of Narnia convened that night in their private sitting room, all in their dressing gowns. It was a tradition they'd started as soon as they came to Cair Paravel, when Lucy was still prone to nightmares of a war in a land they barely remembered now.
"Princess Agatha certainly is tough," said Susan. "I don't know that I could do what she has done."
"Indeed, Su," said Lucy. "I doubt you could go without a proper bath that long."
Susan playfully smacked her sister's leg.
"I'm rather impressed by her," said Peter. "She seems intelligent, and focused, and the dwarfs with her seem to adore her."
"Jadis's servants were all dwarfs," said Edmund quietly.
"Yes, but not all Narnian dwarfs supported her," Lucy said. "There were dwarfish fugitives, Mr. Tumnus tells me. Besides, we already agreed to help her. We cannot revoke that help now simply because of the company she keeps. If they are loyal to her, that is what matters. You can hardly say that Jadis's dwarfs 'adored' her, could you, Ed?"
"No," Edmund admitted. "They were afraid of her."
"I like her," Lucy said. "She's strong, and smart. The Talking Animals of her kingdom support her. The Talking Animals are never wrong about people. They're like dumb animals that way—or are dumb animals like them?"
Edmund chuckled. Lucy never let him dwell on memories of Jadis for long.
"She certainly is pretty," said Susan. "Not that it matters, but she looks well for someone who's lived in the woods for four years."
"Are you jealous, Su?" Peter teased.
Susan took off one of her bedroom slippers and threw it at Peter's head. He dodged it, laughing.
"Where's that legendary marksmanship?" Peter said teasingly.
Susan laughed. "You know it's harder with a moving target. Give me my slipper, please. My feet are cold."
Peter tossed it back to her.
"We should have paid closer attention," said Edmund.
The other three stared, not sure what he was talking about.
"The signs were there," Edmund said. "Citrine's presence in Nialba should have been warning enough. I confess I didn't think much of it when trade with them dropped off. I thought perhaps they'd begun a relationship with Telmar, or Archenland. Those are, after all, their immediate neighbors."
"This isn't your fault," Lucy said. "It's hers—Citrine's, I mean. Agatha herself said that she trusted her stepmother until it was too late."
"Yes, but—"
"Yes but nothing, Ed," Lucy said. "Citrine was a supporter of Jadis. You know better than anyone that Jadis could make people trust her. Who's to say Citrine isn't the same?"
Edmund frowned. "You don't suppose Citrine's a Witch, too?"
"I doubt it," said Susan.
"It is a possibility," said Peter. "We should keep that in mind."
"I hope it isn't true," Lucy said. "It would make things harder. This will be difficult enough. I only hope that Oreius agrees to send an army, however small."
"I wonder if the Princess could give us an estimate of Citrine's strength?" Peter said.
"If she can't, I bet her advisers could," said Edmund. "That Sevibrik kind of reminds me of Gniarrbrik, but not as cruel. Gniarrbrik was an observant little bastard. I'm sure the dwarfs can tell us whatever the Princess can't."
"I would imagine you're right," said Susan. "We should go to bed. Tomorrow will be busy. We have to meet with the war ministers, and the ball—"
"You've got the ball well in hand, Su," said Peter. "You don't have to come to the war meeting if you don't want to."
"Well, someone has to run Narnia while you're all off at war," Susan said.