One faces the future with one's past ~ Pearl S. Buck


Ambushes were common in the canyons. Sometimes the merchant convoys laden with goods for the south were the target; other times it could be a rival band of outlaws. This time, in the wee hours of the morning just before the sun broke over the canyon ridges, it was the group of tents grouped about the lightning struck rock. The bandits creeping towards the camp were merely fulfilling a vendetta. The occupants of the tents had attacked them some months ago and a blood-debt had to be repaid.

But the attackers had not accounted for lookouts and they quickly roused the sleepers in the tents. Fighting, vicious and cruel, broke out in the canyon. It seemed to be evenly matched but, slowly, it seemed like the attackers were gaining the upper hand.

"Rek soi'la mezilak dwa!" a fell voice cried. The fighting stopped as it echoed off the rocks and reverberated back around the canyon. Lightning cracked again over the rocks and illuminated the terrible figure of woman standing in the midst of the fight. She threw her arms out wide, her cloak swirling behind her, and glared at the people attacking her friends.

"Rek soi'la feluna metai!" she shouted and raised her arms to the sky. Lightning cracked again and this time struck one of the enemy bandits. The others stared at her.

"Lafuna chel, sou'na dai," she said, a cruel smile twisting around her mouth. The attackers scarpered.

"What, in the name of every bleedin' ore beneath the ground, was that!?" Tiristor shouted as Caelia climbed down the rocks. She shrugged.

"I politely enquired if they would like some refreshments and a rest but for some reason they ran," she pouted, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"Bu- bu- but... the lightning! You did a spell!" the dwarf stammered, his arms windmilling wildly.

"Etuna soi'la zwalika, sou'na dai," she muttered. Tiristor's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"There! I thought your magic was gone!" he said, pointing wildly at her and looking round at their comrades for support. The Hunter chuckled.

"Hardly, Master Dwarf. A thunder storm has been brewing for some hours now and I think the Princess merely took advantage of the weather to scare our enemies," he said. She inclined her head politely towards the hulking man.

"Indeed. The language I spoke just now was Old Charnish, my mother tongue and the language of the most senior levels of Charnish society. There was another Common Tongue that bears an striking resemblance to your own common tongue," she said. "And I must extend an apology to you for last night. I am willing to accept your instruction in swordplay if you would teach me; and I offer in turn such knowledge, experience and wit as my life and role as Princess has gifted me."

The Hunter smiled. "No need to be quite so formal," he said with a flash of white teeth. "I'll go find you a blade."

He walked off, shaking his head slightly at her formal tone, as a still flabbergasted Tiristor was led off by an amused Larkin. Caelia smirked as she heard the faun light-heartedly explaining that there was such a thing other languages bar the common tongue they spoke. But now she was left only with Edmund and his cunning-eyed friend, Seb. They exchanged an awkward glance before Edmund cleared his throat.

"Your highness, myself and Sebastian wish to apologise for the way we treated you. I was blinded by hatred and I acted foolishly. I didn't understand the situation," he said. Her face was cold and hard as she scrutinised the pair of them.

"Apology accepted, sire," she said with a bob of a curtsey.

"I'm not a sire," he said and she smiled, her face relaxing and becoming much friendlier.

"Yes you are, you just don't understand the situation," she said.


The words of Old Charnish echoed over and over the canyons. The language of Royal Charn held power and it had not been spoken aloud for thousands of years. Even Jadis had not dared to utter her mother tongue as she plotted and waited for her opportunity to strike.

The soul of shadow spun as the words washed over it. It did not understand them but it recognised the language and, more importantly, it recognised the voice that spoke them.

Its Princess.

The words were spoken by its Princess.

It hurried off in the direction the words had come from. It wanted to see its Princess. It needed to see its Princess.


"Need-huh-break," Caelia wheezed, slumping back against a rock.

"We've barely been training," Seb laughed. She glared at him and pulled herself upright.

He wasn't quite the cruel thug she had thought him to be at their meeting. His features and colourings spoke of Telmarine heritage but his accent had a curious lilt usually found in the Lone Islands, something she had not yet had the chance to press him about. He also had the unusual sense of humour the Islanders possessed; he seemed to be happiest when gently teasing others. She understood why he had found such a good bond with Edmund.

Speaking of Edmund, he had just ducked between the pair of them again.

"Your grip is wrong again. Stop holding the blade so weakly or he'll knock it out your hand. Think of it as an extension of your arm," he said, correcting her grip. She pulled a face and swung it wildly as he stepped back.

He and Seb had been teaching her to use the sword since the morning, just as soon as the Hunter had lent her some new clothes to change into. It was a lot harder than she expected. Her muscles ached horribly but they seemed in no hurry to stop. Maybe she should try to distract them.

"This isn't even a real sword," she said disparagingly, swinging it again. Edmund and Seb exchanged another one of their infuriating glances.

"It has a sharp blade, it has a hilt, what more does it need?" Edmund asked drily. She waved her hand at the hilt and wrinkled her nose.

"Runes and stuff. Filigree. This is just an oversized knife," she said. They both laughed at her.

"It's a weapon and a tool; not a tooth pick for some over-privileged lord who has never seen a battlefield," Edmund pointed out. "Now, take your stance and we will start again."

Before she could complain again, Larkin came bounding around a corner. The faun seemed to be enjoying himself immensely and his cheery nature was beginning to grate on some of the more dour members of the men. To try to relieve the tension, Tumnus had given Larkin some lookout duty.

"Two people are approaching from the North," he said now, bouncing lightly on his hooves.

"Go and tell the Hunter that we will deal with it," Edmund said.

"The Princess needs some real practice," Seb added mischievously.

"What?!" Caelia shrieked, her face paling. The pair of them grabbed her and dragged her towards the mouth of the cavern. They pulled her down behind a line of rocks.

"Remember, it's part of your arm," Edmund reminded her, drawing his own sword.

"What?!" she replied and they both shushed her.

Two cloaked and hooded figures appeared around the rocks at the head off the canyon and froze as they saw the camp. Edmund and Seb stood in one fluid motion and sprinted for them. The larger of the figures ran to meet them, drawing its own sword as it did so. The smaller, a boy Caelia guessed, stood frozen to the spot until his companion shouted back "Run!"

He did so.

Edmund pushed past the bigger person and tore after the runner. He was fast but unsure in the terrain whereas Edmund had spent a decade learning how to move quickly in the canyons. He was gaining on the hooded figure when they jack-knifed off in another direction; scrambling up a gravel slope instead. As he reached the bottom, they tried to turn and pull a crossbow from under their cloak. Their foot slipped on the loose gravel and they slid back down towards Edmund. He raised his sword ready to strike but hesitated as the boy's hood fell back.

Except it wasn't a boy. It was a girl.

She was a couple of years younger than him; her face pretty and framed by curly auburn hair. She stared at him fearfully as he paused and then scrabbled for her crossbow when he didn't move. She brought it round and aimed squarely at his head but she didn't fire. They stayed staring at each other for what seemed like an age before Seb and Caelia came running around the corner.

"Oh, you have got to be joking!" Caelia exploded when she saw the girl. "I have put up with a lot since being here but this is getting ridiculous! What on earth are you doing here? Shouldn't you be safely on the Lone Islands?!"

"The Islands?" Seb said and looked back at the girl with fresh eyes. "Haidee?"

"Sebastian?" she replied, her eyes flicking between all three of them. "Oh, sweet Island grasses, I thought we wouldn't ever see a friendly face again!"

She scrambled up and threw her arms around his neck. Jealousy momentarily exploded in Edmund's chest as she did so.

What?

She was attractive, there was no doubting that, but there was no reason for him to feel like that simply because she hugging his friend instead of him. He was staring, he knew he was, he was staring at her pretty face and her slim figure and-

She glanced back in his direction and he felt himself flush.

Caelia was still screeching away behind him, completely oblivious to the fact that no-one was paying attention to her.

"...I've really had it! Between my sister's shenanigans and Mr Beaver's drinking, not to mention the fact I want to wet myself with laughter every time I see Tumnus, and now this! I suppose Orieus is holed up somewhere in a frilly apron making cupcakes for Peridan!" she screamed.

"Are you finished?" he asked her coldly.

"Oh, I have so much more," she snarled but folded her arms and shut her mouth. They walked back to the camp. Haidee's companion had been subdued and was talking quietly with the Hunter and Tumnus. He looked around and hurried towards them as they approached.

"I'm fine, Uncle Alain," she insisted as he fired a hundred questions about her well-being towards her. Caelia made another noise of exasperation and shot a filthy look at everyone as they turned to her with raised eyebrows.

"Everyone, Alain and Haidee of the Lone Islands. Alain and Haidee, everyone! And now introductions are over, I am going for a wash!" she fumed and stalked off angrily.

There was an awkward pause in the aftermath of her exit.

"That was Caelia. She has a tendency to say odd things and be overdramatic at times. Just ignore it," Seb said lightly before making the rest of the introductions.

"I'm sorry we tried to fight," Alain said to the Hunter, "but we've had trouble before and I have to protect my niece."

The Hunter nodded in understanding. "Of course. You are welcome to recuperate with us. We will offer you no harm," he said and the two travellers nodded their thanks.


Caelia ducked under the water again and blew out a stream of frustrated bubbles. There was a pool of water roughly waist deep for her above the canyon and it made an excellent bath. It was glorious to strip down and properly wash away all the muck and dust that clung to her body.

Oh, Haidee... she thought as she climbed out and sat in the sun to dry herself. Why did it have to be Haidee? She still felt guilty about it, all these years later. Well, technically it had been lost for them but she could remember. She knew what had happened.

"But they are going to be married," she said, trying to appeal to Metatron and Uriel. Metatron sighed and looked over his glasses at her.

"If they stay in Narnia, they die. The Telmarines are preparing to move and Old Narnia will fall. We have to send them back to their world while we can. There will come a time when the Narnians try to reclaim their land and they will need the High King and his siblings when they do," he explained.

"I'm sorry, Caels, but we have to do it," Uriel said.

"You will break both Haidee and Edmund's hearts if you do," she said tearfully. Uriel took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"But it will keep him alive," he said.

She hadn't been able to watch as the Four vanished from Narnia and reappeared in their world but she had watched Haidee. She had watched her for years. The poor girl had waited for Edmund, waited for years, but she hadn't lived to see him come back. Caelia should have done something. She should have convinced Uriel to keep them together. Maybe she could have convinced him to let her go to the Four's world. Oh, that never would have worked. Haidee would not have left her sister and her family for anything and there was no way Metatron would have allowed an entire family to move between worlds...

She groaned and pulled her clothes back on. As she was squeezing the excess water out of her hair, a scuff made her look round and she nodded at Edmund.

"Are you finished?" he asked, noting with some confusion the flash of guilt that had crossed her face when she saw him.

"Yes. And I will be in my tent if anyone wants me," she said, standing and jumping down the rocks towards the camp. He stared after her for a moment, then shrugged, stripped down and slid into the pool. He gave a grunt of satisfaction and shut his eyes as the cool water lapped against his tired muscles. The past few days had been strange and he was certain that events outwith his control had now been set in motion.


The soul had travelled for many miles but, at last, it was sure it was in the right place. It slid between the tents quietly and lifted the flap of the one. Excellent.

The object of its desire lay on the bunk. Caelia was even more beautiful than it remembered. It paused for a moment on the threshold of the tent and gazed at her. Her dark hair was spread over her pillow and her brow quivered as she dreamed.

The soul stepped into the tent and froze as she shifted on the bunk. A small moan escaped her lips and her head tossed back and forth.

"Ssh, my Princess," the soul breathed. It closed the distance between them and cradled her upper body in its arms. She seemed to calm and it stroked her cheek tenderly.

"My Princess," it whispered lovingly. "My Queen. My love..."

Lips, lips that burned with the fire of Hell, pressed hers and the soul gave over to the terrible lust that had consumed it ever since it had first laid eyes on her in that tavern, so very long ago. It gripped her chin and forced her mouth open, pushing its tongue inside with fervour.

But she had awoken with a start and she was fighting it. Her hands pushed against it with all her strength and suddenly her head was free and she was screaming. Wild, high screams of horror.

The soul fled and all Larkin saw as he sprinted for her tent was a shadowy figure rising like a great bat up the canyon wall.

Caelia had fallen off her bunk and was lying on her side sobbing in earnest.

"Caelia! Caelia! Are you hurt? What was that?" Larkin demanded. She clung onto him tight and nestled in against him closely. He rocked her and tried to sooth her and eventually she quietened down to nothing but small sobs and a few hiccups.

"What was that?" he asked again in a low voice and, with a small wail of despair, she answered.

"What have they done to him?" she sobbed. "How could they hurt him so much that he became that. That was my best friend. That was Jorne."


Le gasp! Familiar faces indeed! Both Jorne and Haidee?! (And Uncle Alain, we mustn't forget him :P) Ooh, aren't things getting interesting?

For anyone wondering who on earth Haidee is, her full story can be found on my profile (Checkmate) but a quick summary is she was Edmund's fiancée who he left behind when the Pevensies went back through the Wardrobe.

Jorne is from Destiny's Instrument, a simple farmer who befriends Caelia when she promises the common people to protect them by fighting Jadis. He died in the destruction of Charn. Or so Caelia thought.

As always, leave me a review!