A/N: The mourning song in this chapter is "The End of all Things" from Lord of the Rings.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the wondrous world that is Narnia. I only borrow the characters then return them.

"Now listen carefully. Your father, in a past life, was a man of great standards. In fact, he was a lord."

Darcy's eyes widened. "A lord?"

Thornton nodded." Yes, now shush. He was a lord, and was very well liked. That was until his parents were killed and he was blamed. Now the only penalty for murder is death, but the king of that country was your father's friend and banished him instead. But he gave him a chance, that if your father could return in 25 years with proof that he was innocent, he would give him back his title."

"Father has the proof, doesn't he?"

"Yes, and the time is nearly up. But the man who framed the Captain doesn't want him to come back, as he is now the lord instead of Dar."

~Flashback~

Sin eriol natha túr
In úgarnen Mi naurath
Oroin Boe hedi i Vín
Han i vangad i moe ben
Túr in úgarnen Sin eriol
Cili 'war boe min mebi Boe min bango
Sin eriol
Úm beleg úgannen Ú cilith 'war Boe min mebi boe min bango
Boe hedi i Vín
Sin eriol úm, beleg úgannen
Si na vethed, bain i wilith úria
I ardhon ban lacha!
Nu da naid bain úe
Rin le regi erin le na
Thi úeri o nin gwanno
Orthannen im vi ôl, coll e dú
Or hiriath naur, na rovail mae sui 'waew
Man prestant i ardhon?
Cerithar aen illiad dim úthenin

Thornton shivered at the sound of the mourning dirge. It was traditional to sing it after anyone, lord, soldier or peasant, had died. Today they were mourning the death of the beloved Lord of Meric Territory, Lord Corrigan. Thornton was privileged enough to have heard the song only once, when his father had died of fever.

Archenland was in poor shape. Warlords and tyrants terrorized the countryside as the King desperately tried to hold the country together. Famine and disease infested the land, yet in all of this, Meric was a bright spot. It was located on the coast of Archenland, bordering Narnia, the result of a treaty between the late Queen Swanwhite of Narnia and King Dain of Archenland. Their lord and lady were a jovial, elderly couple who had been blessed with two twin boys. Dar, the eldest, was fair and kind, and just as cheerful as his parents. He had never been close with his younger brother, Darrin, probably because they were polar opposites. Thornton had been a close friend to the merry Dar, who had given him a job at Castle Meric.

Now all of that was gone. Dar had been accused of murder, his brother had been given the lordship, and the former lord and lady were dead.

And the only person who could somehow fix all this mess was Thornton. And he didn't even know he could. He had stumbled upon some letters, maps, and a journal while cleaning Darrin's room yesterday. Little did he know that they were letters of correspondence between Darrin and White Witch. Darrin had been planning to give the Witch reinforcements, battle tactics, and information of the weaknesses of the Archenlandian army in exchange for his life, title, and land. All that was needed was for him to become Lord, and lay his hand on closely guarded government strategies and weaknesses. And to do that he needed to- eliminate- his parents and brother. The Witch had provided him a poison; one of her agents had implanted it in his parent's food. All that he had to do was to frame his brother. That had been the easiest part- his brother had been eating alone with his parents before leaving on a voyage to the Lone Islands to meet friends. Dar had been arrested the following evening. Nothing would stand in Darrin's way now.

"The prisoner Dar, son of Lord Corrigan, former knight in His Majesties Most Royal Order of the Crow, is hearby charged with treason and murder-"

Said prisoner stood in front of the royal court of Archenland, his eyes downcast.

"How ironic", he thought bitterly.

The last time he had been here he had been a celebrated knight, returning from his first mission. Now he was a prisoner in chains. Bitter Irony. The King Lune sat on his throne, his usually cheerful demeanor grave. The penalty for murder was execution, by the sword, in public view. But the penalty for treason was to be hung by the neck until death. And Lune really did not want to see one of his oldest friend's head chopped off, or for him to choke to death. His most lovely wife had not attended the court because she could not bear to see Dar, a former loyal supporter to the king and most brave and chivalric knight, be killed in such an unhonorable death

"Why Dar?" he silently pleaded, "why?"

"-the sentence shall be made by his most royal majesty, King Lune."

All eyes were on him now. He had to make a choice, public humiliation and eternal shame, or a slow death.

"Do you plead innocence?" he asked Dar. Dar said nothing, just looked at him. And that single look was worth more than a thousand words from Dar, and in his heart of hearts, Lune realized that he had known all along that his friend was innocent.

"Ah."

Now here was the hard part. Lune knew that his friend was innocent, but the other lords might not be swayed as easily. Most of them did not like the usably likeable Dar. And for a prisoner to be pardoned, the entire court had to agree. Needless to say, that did not happen very often.

"The verdict is-"Lune paused, rethinking his decision. It would cause turmoil in the court, but it would save his friend an unhonorable death.

"Banishment."

Chaos broke out among the lords. One, a shifty looking dark- eyed man by the name of Lord Slevin, spoke.

"My lord, with all due respect, I must inform you that you can't do that."

Lune smiled.

"My lord, with all due respect, I must inform you that I can do that. And I just did."

"The law clearly states-!"

"The law can be changed." Lune leaned back in his throne, observing the red-faced man who had spoken with abnormally dangerous eyes."

"And I am king, am I not?"

Lune curtly sat up and banged his fist on the arm of his throne.

"Court dismissed!"

The group of angry lords eventually broke up, and Lune was left in an empty room with Dar. At least, as empty as you can get in a room filled with enough secret cabinets to house a troop. Lune stepped down from his throne and basically ran to Dar, who had acted as an older brother and advisor. The two had been best friends from birth, and had saved each other's lives numerous times. Lune clumsily unlocked the chains on Dar's hands, grumbling to himself as he did so.

"Bloody Dar, getting himself into this mess, banished, pahh!"

Dar chuckled." Glad to see you to, mate."

Lune got the chains undone and grinned.

The two ran down to the stables, Lune informing Dar of his plan along the way.

"I doubt that any of the lords will let you leave Archenland alive, so me and young Thornton here-" Dar looked back to see said young man closely following them. Thornton gave him a solemn nod.

"-concocted a plan. Thornton will get you out of the country and into Terebinthia. That's were all thieves and outlaws go. I have a friend there, his name's Captain Groves of the Phantom. He's a pirate, but a good man. He'll give you a job."

Lune stopped. They were in the stable yard, where two horses, saddled and ready to go, waited. He gripped his friend's arm and looked him straight in the eye.

"Listen, if you come here in twenty years time, once everything has calmed down, if you come with proof that you did not murder your parents or betray the kingdom, I will give you back your rightful title, lands, and knighthood."

Dar and Thornton swung up onto their horses. Lune waited until they were settled to give them a bag of golden coins and swords, as well as a deep-hooded cloak for Dar.

"You do understand now that I didn't- you know, right?"

Lune smiled."Mate, I never believed you did in the first place."

His eyes were becoming misty; he could never manage these goodbyes. Dar opened his mouth to say something, but Lune shook his head furiously. Nothing was left to be said. Dar gave Lune one last toothy grin, before spurring his horse on, Thornton shadowing him faithfully. Lune stood in the courtyard, in the dust the horses had left behind. He obtrusively wiped a tear from his eyes, before cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Tally-ho mates, tally-ho!"

"Blast!"

Darrin swore from under his breath. His agents had just informed him that Dar was gone, and that the King had banished him. And to top that off, his letters and information that had been secretly passed on to him between him and the Witch, were gone. This was not good.