The Lost Chronicles of Narnia: The Beast of Witherby
Chapter Eleven
The High King was escaping.
At least, that's what it felt like to him. Peter had spent the better part of the morning overseeing the loading of wagons that would bring fresh supplies to the workers at Aslan's How. Now that he was finally satisfied with the loads, he was ready to go. He couldn't be happier either, because the least few days in the castle had seemed so oppressive. All Peter wanted to do was get out in the fresh air amongst the people he knew, and do the kind of work that he could see real progress on. One could sit in stuffy rooms deliberating all they wanted, but it didn't give the same feeling of satisfaction as watching the How get rebuilt by his own two hands.
Peter was a touch guilty about leaving, especially since he was taking Lucy with him without explaining why to anyone. But since both Caspian and Susan were still remaining, he figured that between the two of them they could handle just about anything that might come up. Caspian might be wet behind the ears and Su a bleeding heart, but together he had to admit they made a pretty good team.
"Lu, we're ready," Peter called over to his sister, where she stood talking very seriously to a concerned looking Caspian. At his side, Susan looked quite amused at the list of directions Lucy was giving Caspian. He was listening intently, as if afraid to forget a single one, his brows furrowed when he asked for clarification. At Peter's call, Lucy gave both Susan and Caspian a hug before pulling something out of the folds of her skirts. Peter grinned as he walked up to them, realizing what the littlest queen was about to do to the Telmarine.
"Here you go," Lucy said to Caspian, who found himself now holding a scrawny little kitten (or Kitten) in his arms. The kitten looked dubiously at him, as if she didn't really believe he was up to the task, then promptly dug its claws into his arm and went to sleep. Caspian winced.
"Are you sure, Lu?" Caspian wondered, adjusting it uncomfortably. "I am not good with small things. They tend to break."
"Might not want to plan on having kids with this one," Peter muttered to Susan as he gave her a goodbye hug. She was trying to look offended to cover her laughter. Caspian overheard and went pale.
"Does that happen?" he asked worriedly, causing Peter to snort and swing up on his waiting Horse. He pulled Lucy up behind him and grinned.
"Think of it as a test run, mate," he told his friend. "You'll get in a lot less trouble for breaking my sister's kitten then my nephew or niece."
"He's going to break my kitten?" Lucy asked in dismay. "Why didn't anyone tell me that?!" she could be heard exclaiming as they rode out of the palace.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me," Susan said with a grin. Caspian grimaced and held the kitten up in one hand at eye level.
"And this too," he added, sounding quite nervous.
The kitten mewed.
The Lady Gerdi was dressed in her finest riding apparel, and would have looked quite fetching if it hadn't been for her tendency to squint every time she looked at him too closely. Caspian tried to ignore the habit, as everyone else seemed to. But it still distracted him, and he wondered briefly if a drop of Lucy's cordial would help the poor girl. Gerdi seemed oblivious to his distraction, choosing instead to ride quietly beside him.
"It is a pleasant day, is it not?" Caspian finally asked after a long period of silence, unwilling to be rude. Gerdi smiled shyly at him and looked down at her mount's mane.
"Yes, your Majesty."
Silence. Caspian suppressed his overwhelming desire to spur Destrier ahead, knowing Gerdi's mare could not keep up. However that would have been unkind, and it wasn't at Gerdi's insistence that they were out here riding. Unfortunately that didn't make it any less uncomfortable. They had been here amongst the orchards for the last half hour, and besides exchanging a few pleasantries, they had not said much. Finally, the girl seemed to gather up enough courage to speak plainly.
"I apologize, your Majesty," she said softly, sounding very embarrassed. "I am well aware of your feelings for the queen. But as my father's loyal daughter I could not disobey him when he ordered me to invite you on this ride."
"And as a gentleman. I could not refuse," Caspian replied drolly, unintentionally making Gerdi flush.
"He refuses to allow me to drop my suit," Gerdi explained. "If given the choice, I would press it no further."
Caspian gave her a rueful smile.
"I admit that it does make things mildly uncomfortable with Queen Susan," he said. At the distressed look on her face, Caspian reined in Destrier, indicating that Gerdi should do the same. The King took her by the gloved hand, reassuringly.
"I do not take insult, dear lady, and neither does the queen. You have been a gentle and pleasant guest. Despite my differences in opinion with your father, the Duke, you are always welcome in my home."
Gerdi positively glowed beneath his words, then blushed and looked away when he set down her hand.
"I do enjoy being here," she admitted. "I have found her Majesty, Queen Lucy, to be delightful. And Queen Susan has been nothing but kind."
"Aye," Caspian smiled at the change in subject and set Destrier walking again, Gerdi half a step behind. "She is as kind as she is brave, and both as she is beautiful."
"If I may be so bold?" Gerdi waited for his nod before she continued. "Your Majesty seems to love her very much."
"I am courting her," Caspian said softly, voice full of pride. Then he shook his head, once more a rueful smile on his face. "Although I believe I am not as charming as she is used to. I blunder quite a bit around her."
He half expected Gerdi to deny it, as most of his subject would have, but she just laughed.
"Is it not the privilege of beautiful women to make even kings unsure of themselves?" Gerdi joked lightly. Then she sighed, obviously enjoying how the wind blew gently across their faces as they made their way through the trees. "They say that no other woman was as sought after as she was. It is a hard thing to do, to earn the love of one so beloved. The King has succeeded where others have failed."
"Have I?" Caspian asked himself quietly. "I would not suppose to say what the Queen feels in her heart, although I may hope that she holds me as dear as I hold her. I probably should not be speaking of this with you, considering your suit. I apologize if I have given offense, my lady."
Gerdi just laughed again, looking almost pretty as a strand of windswept red hair fell across her cheek. She pushed it back with gloved fingers. "No more offense than I have given you, sir, with my father's blatant attempts to press me upon you. Be thankful that I have ignored some of his more… pointed suggestions at how I could get your attention."
Caspian's face showed his outrage at that comment, but Gerdi shrugged as if it was nothing.
"My father loves me, your Majesty," she defended the Duke dutifully. "He would never force me into a compromising situation. Although he would not be above simply turning the other way should that situation occur."
They emerged from the orchard and saw below them on the plains a small group of Galma's knights. The Duke's entourage had taken to practicing there together when not expected at court.
"What do you want, Lady Gerdi?" Caspian asked her, dark eyes on her as she watched the riders below. She smiled shyly, as if she had never been asked such a question before. In truth she had not.
"Me, Sire?" Gerdi breathed out and rested her hand on her horse's mane, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. "I want to read. I want to learn. I want to know everything about this land and the people in it firsthand. I want to see more than just the inside of a sitting room or a great hall."
Caspian smiled at her enthusiasm. At one time, when he deemed what was appropriate by his Uncle's standards, her desires would have sounded unseemly for a woman of status. But Caspian had spent the last few months in the constant presence of two very strong women that always did as they pleased, and his mindset had changed drastically.
"But I shall be a wife," Gerdi finally added, as if there was no avoiding it. "I am my father's most precious commodity to trade… that is until I am too old or ugly to attract suitors."
"He would force you into a marriage against your choosing," Caspian stated, knowing there was no question. Gerdi just smiled crookedly. Caspian shook his head. "This is not the Narnia it once was. And as King, I intend to change many things back to the ways of Old. One of those is that no man or woman must marry against their will."
"I do not think that my father will agree to that, your Majesty."
Caspian's expression darkened. "He will if I say he will," the King said firmly. "Or if he will not, then perhaps his gentle daughter should remain here, where she is appreciated."
Gerdi stared at him, and then looked away quickly. Caspian thought perhaps to hide the tears in her eyes, knowing from Susan that the woman had found little support in her father's house. Her gaze went to the knights gathered below, but to one in particular. Caspian recognized him. It was the knight that had nearly defeated him in the joust. Truly, the knight had deserved to win, and had only lost to Caspian because of the benefits of the King's ailment. Caspian had intended to rectify that but had yet to find time. Gerdi watched the knight long enough that Caspian started to smile to himself. Caspian pushed Destrier ahead, catching the knight's eye and waving him forward. The Galmarian approached them at an easy lope, his charger snorting.
"Your Majesty," the knight bowed his head respectfully, then glanced at Gerdi. "My lady."
"Sir Toman," Gerdi said politely, but she did smile overmuch at him, considering her suit to the King.
"Toman, I have a favor to ask of you," Caspian said, sounding apologetic. "Unfortunately I have urgent business that has come up, and I must attend to it. But the Lady Gerdi is enjoying her ride and it is unfair to insist she return straightaway." He left the comment open ended to see if the knight would bite. Indeed, he did.
"I would be honored to escort the Lady, Sire," Sir Toman declared, a smile lighting up his face. "And if might say, I would be pleased as well."
"Then perhaps you should say it, good knight," Caspian joked lightly as he turned Destrier around. Gerdi was staring at him in amazement. "You have no objections, my lady?"
"Nay, sir."
"Then good. I hope to see you both at court later. Good day." And with that, Caspian rode off, leaving his two wide eyed subjects behind him.
Feeling pleased with himself, Caspian waited until he was out of eyesight, and then spurred Destrier. The horse leapt ahead, and Caspian galloped back all the way to the castle, only slowing to jump off and give the reins to a waiting groom. Caspian took the front stairs two at a time, knowing exactly where he was going, and eager to get there. Hornabret had timed the ride during the Queen's usual tea time, in an attempt to come between the two monarchs. Therefore Susan was seated demurely at the dining table, alone as she sipped from a delicate bone cup when Caspian stepped into the room. She set the cup down just in time, for then she was swept to her feet and spun about.
"Caspian!" she laughed. "I thought you with Gerdi. What are you doing?"
"Attending to urgent business," he replied with a smile. Then he set her back down and kissed her softly. "Have I told her Majesty how much I treasure her today?"
"Why no, you have not," Susan grinned, and then she leaned up hugged him about his neck. "But I shall forgive it just this once. What has you in such good humor?"
Caspian thought about it. There were many things. Not being poisoned. Not sitting before the aggravating council. Not standing between two nations trying to kill each other. Not being in the shadow of the High King, who always seems to know just what to do, even when Caspian thought him wrong. Only worrying about the safety of three Pevensies, instead of four because the fourth was right in front of him. Not riding with Gerdi. Finally Caspian just smiled and took her in his arms.
"Just you, my queen. Just you."
For Susan, that answer was good enough.
The Town was empty.
Edmund looked around the cleared streets and closed up shops, searching for any sign that life was still there. But he could find none. What confused him the most was after all the dark descriptions of the Town, the actuality of it was not nearly so bad. The sun shone across the main street, and he could see all the way to the shadowed boulders on the other side of town where it ended.
"A little anticlimactic, isn't it?" Trumpkin muttered, raising an eyebrow. "It wasn't like this twenty years ago."
"What was it like?" Edmund asked.
"More… everything."
"Fa! There is nothing here," Reepicheep spat, looking aggravated. "A grand adventure of just us three and the only action we've seen is a few Telmarine ruffians in that tavern."
"A few?" Edmund shook his head ruefully. "Try thirty, friend Mouse."
"A paltry few, and not a Giant to speak of. And here our Town is abandoned." Reepicheep sighed. "Well, perhaps I shall find satisfaction within the White Witch's castle."
"Could we please not ask for more trouble?" Ed begged as he started them walking down the main street towards the other side. "I for one am perfectly happy without the extra fighting." Even as he spoke, the king made sure to keep his hand on the hilt of his sword, just in case this place was more dangerous than it looks.
"I wonder what happened here?" Trumpkin looked completely befuddled. "I swear this place was of the worst sort, with the evilest fellows you'd ever set your eyes on."
"That looks like it might have been evil once," Edmund could help but joke as they passed an abandoned cart with a broken wheel. "Or certainly evil-ish."
"Have I ever said how much I preferred the company of Queen Lucy?" Trumpkin mentioned, making Edmund grin. Already they had almost made the far end, and he was growing easier. Maybe this place cleared out when the hag and werewolf failed to raise the White Witch.
"What and miss my rugged good looks?" Edmund made a show of peering at himself as they passed a mostly dried up old fountain.
"Is there truly nothing here for me to slay?" Reepicheep couldn't help but complain. "I have not drawn my blade in four days against foe!"
"That tree root wasn't a foe, Reep," Edmund chuckled, letting go of his sword. "It just tripped you."
"You never can be sure who to trust in these times…" the Mouse declared as they stepped out of the Town. "And I for one will not be caught unawares--"
Reepicheep's words died in his throat. Then he turned to the king in confusion. "Sire?"
"Beards and beardsticks!" Trumpkin stared in front of him in horror. Oddly enough Edmund began to laugh humorlessly as he looked down the street before them. It was the same street he had just travelled, complete with cart and fountain and boulders in the distance.
"And I say it again," Edmund said. "Can we please not ask for more trouble?"
This time even Reepicheep kept his mouth shut.
It was a lovely little afternoon tea, with music and dancing, but the King was quite content sitting off by himself.
Caspian watched Susan across the great room, where she sat speaking to Hornabret, the Duke of Galma, and General Tenneth. The general was as stiff and formal as ever, and it was obvious that he was splitting his attention between her words and scanning the room for any signs of danger. He met Caspian's eyes and nodded briefly, before turning back to the queen. Caspian shrugged. After much convincing on Peter's part, Caspian had ordered the general's duties lightened. But that being said, it seemed that if he was off duty, the general could almost always be found shadowing the queen, as if still her bodyguard. Caspian found it odd, but encouraging. It was good that others cared about the queen's safety as much as he did. Because to Caspian, keeping Susan safe and happy was one of his most satisfying tasks.
"She is quite beautiful, is she not?" he said quietly to his companion that currently rested on his knee. The kitten (or Kitten, we must continue to say so not to give insult) mewed sleepily and looked around. Caspian turned the kitten carefully so that it was facing Susan, although it seemed more interested in turning back around and curling up on his leg. Caspian scratched the kitten lightly behind its ears, making it tip its head sideways so that he could reach the proper place.
"I think sometimes that my life changed the day I first laid eyes on her." The kitten, sensing the import of his words, yawned pointedly and ducked its head. Caspian chuckled, once more turning the kitten so that it faced Susan. "In the forest that day, after fighting with Peter. I looked at her… never before have I looked at someone and realized that I had to look one more time."
Deciding to humor him, the kitten mewed, its round eyes focusing on a Faun playing his flute off to the left. Several pairs of dancers swirled past, including Lady Gerdi with a courtier and Rosetta the pretty young Dwarf with a second Faun. The Fauns danced any chance they could, Caspian had realized.
"We are not counting my surprise at meeting the Narnians," Caspian corrected with a smile. He looked down at the kitten, who was batting its little paw in the direction of the Faun. "If you were a Kitten, would you let us know? Because Lucy is desperately curious, she just does not want to rush you."
The kitten gave up attacking the Faun and rolled over on its back, presenting its belly and giving Caspian permission to scratch it. But Caspian was unfortunately distracted once more.
"I think sometimes that I am in love with her," he said softly, so that only the kitten could hear. Still upside down, the kitten craned its head around so that it too was looking where Caspian was looking. "I have not told her, it seems so forward. And she had never spoken of her affection for me. She has shown it, but not spoken of it. For such a brave Queen, I believe that being with me frightens her quite a lot. She has been hurt before."
The kitten mewed askance.
"I do not know," Caspian replied. "It was a very long time ago. I doubt that she is inclined to tell me." (Caspian was quite right about that. It is an interesting tale, but another story for another time, should anyone wish to hear it.)
"Aslan was going to send her away, you see," Caspian explained, eyes drinking in the queen as she stood up gracefully. "The people wanted them to stay. Aslan left the choice up to me… I could never send her away. I think even then, part of me was already deeply fond of her. Perhaps one day I will tell her that."
The kitten blinked, then eyed him warily.
"You think I'm foolish," Caspian chuckled. "No matter. There are many in this kingdom that think the same thing, for many different reasons. Dear kitten, I am merely doing the best that I am able." With that he picked the kitten up and tucked it in his arms. It burrowed in and happily went back to sleep almost immediately.
"Are you having a conversation with that kitten?" Susan asked with a teasing smile, having come over to him. Caspian shrugged, an easy grin coming to his face.
"Yesterday I spent three hours conversing with a Warthog," Caspian informed her with mock seriousness. "There is nothing abnormal about taking counsel with a kitten."
"Then his Majesty is beginning to understand his kingdom," Susan remarked sagely, her eyes twinkling. "I was wondering, would the King like to dance? The Fauns are preparing to play a favorite song of mine from the days of Old."
"Is that alright with you?" Caspian asked the kitten politely. It responded by digging its claws in more tightly, not inclined to lose the warm body it was snoozing against. Caspian sighed regretfully. "I am sorry, my queen. My attention has otherwise been properly engaged."
"It is fine," Susan said with an airy shake of her hair. "I shall just have to go ask the Duke of Galma. I'm sure Hornabret will have no such objections."
"That man does not touch you," Caspian growled, although he was surprised a bit at his instantaneous reaction. Susan laughed outright, and Caspian grinned ruefully. "Perhaps the general? I would not expect him to become overly friendly."
"Are you telling me no?" Susan asked, looking surprised. "Truly?"
Caspian blushed a bit, and then muttered so only the three of them could hear. "I cannot dance."
"How is that possible?" She didn't believe it. "As Prince, they would have had to teach you."
"Oh, they certainly tried," Caspian nodded emphatically. "They just failed. Miserably. And I am much too fond of you than to put you through the humiliation of dancing with me. Should your feet survive, your pride would not."
Susan grinned and took his hand, pulling him up to his feet despite his reluctance. The kitten found itself being left on Caspian's chair, and it decided that that would have to do. Chairs are not nearly as fidgety as humans anyway. Susan led Caspian out to the center of the room, where the other dancers gathered, waiting for the next song. All eyes were on the royals as they made their way to the floor. Gerdi curtseyed to them both, with a smile on her flushed face. She had obviously been having quite a good time.
"They are all looking at us," Caspian muttered to Susan as she took her place in the middle of the floor, turning and facing him. The soft haunting sounds of flutes permeated the air as he bowed politely to her, as did the other males to their partners. He at least was good at that part…
"No, Caspian," Susan shook her head, and then she gave him a very tiny smile. At some signal unknown to him, Susan curtseyed deeply, the other females doing the same. Her bright eyes never left his. "This is something you are going to need to learn. When we dance, they are all looking at me."
It was perhaps the most conceited thing he had ever heard her say, and it took him by surprise. But then as the queen rose and grinned at him, spinning away on light feet with her skirts swirling about her, he realized that it was very true. He only barely remembered that he was supposed to be stepping towards her in time to the music, and then she was back, her hand on his chest as she turned about him. Susan caught both of his hands, positioning them crossed in front of her and slipping inside the cage of his arms, allowing him to hold her as they moved across the floor.
"I do not know this dance," Caspian whispered in her ear. Susan was laughing and once more slipping out of his arms.
"Neither do they," she said archly as she spun, her feet quick and her hair swinging freely about her shoulders. It was true. None of the others knew her dance, except for the Fauns, who know every dance. Therefore Caspian was not the only Telmarine standing a bit lost, eyes on the Queen of Narnia. The Telmarines had always called the Narnians savage before their extinction, and Caspian had never quite understood it. They were as polite a lot as any. But as he watched Susan move, the Narnian song seemed to overtake him, blocking out both thought and reason, and he began to understand. His blood pulsed through his veins in time with the music, the haunting chords growing in pace and tempo. The Fauns were the only ones that could keep up, in fact they seemed to realize that this dance was for them and their Queen only, and they spun about her on hooves that never missed a step. Even in such a place as this, their movements were free and wild, part of the earth that sprang them forth. And in the center was their barbarian queen, starkly beautiful, gloriously dangerous, her eyes locked on Caspian's as she proved as she danced just how unlike these Telmarines her and her people were.
Caspian had never wanted anything so badly in his life.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped forward, the Fauns shifting to allow him and only him through, for he was their King and only he had the right to approach their dancing Queen. Caspian reached for her hand, touching fingers only before she disappeared in a swirl of red skirts and dark curls. Around and around him she danced, now circling him as the Fauns circled her. Light caresses against his arms and shoulders, laughing and teasing him and daring him to catch her. Caspian's eyes darkened and he forgot that there was anyone else that existed but her. As the music reached a fever pitch, the King finally lunged forward, his arms coming about her waist. Her momentum was such that he had to turn, lifting her up as he did so that she would not fall. When her feet touched down once more, he crushed her to him, bending her backwards as if to kiss her.
"You are truly a creature of Old…" he told her, voice thick with desire.
"And you have caught me, my lord," Susan whispered meaningfully, face flushed and her chest rising and falling with heavy breathes. Then as the music suddenly stopped, and the Fauns parted away from the pair, Susan slipped from his arms and slid down into the standard post dance curtsey. Her eyes dropped demurely before the King, as if she any other lady and it any other dance. There was a moment of silence, and then the assembled began to cheer. The Narnians especially because they recognized the tribute for what it was, a dance of Old. The Fauns knew that there was even deeper meaning to it, but they were too polite to say anything.
"I told you they would be looking at me." Susan said, a touch of a smirk to her lips as Caspian offered her his hand and helped her to rise. She gave him a polite nod. "Thank you for the dance." And with that the Queen of the Narnians swept out of the room, all eyes on her and then on Caspian. The King looked awestruck as he watched her go. That was probably what she had been going for.
The kitten yawned and went back to sleep.
It was a really big hole.
"You know," the High King murmured. "Collapsing the tunnels seemed like a good idea at the time."
Peter tipped his side to the side, staring down at the massive hole that he and Caspian had created. It had been the first time the two had worked together in concert, coming up with an idea to save their army. True it had been Lucy's appeal to Aslan that had really won the battle of Aslan's How, but at the time Peter had been proud of their plan and how successfully it had worked against the Telmarine army. But now as he stood next Glenstorm, who was patiently awaiting his decision on how to fix it, Peter was left scratching his head. The Centaurian General and the other Narnians surrounding him weren't helping much.
"That's a really big hole," Lucy echoed Peter's thoughts, staring in awe around her. This was the first time the youngest monarch had journeyed to the How since the battle. Her eyes were wide. "You and Caspian did this? Why?"
Peter thought about explaining, and then decided against it. "Why don't we just try and figure out how to put it right, Lu?" he suggested pointedly. Lucy grinned up at him.
"Didn't think about this part?" she asked. Peter rolled his eyes.
"I was a bit busy at the time," he told her flatly. "Now, what do you lot think we should do?"
"We could always just leave it," Trufflehunter suggested mildly. "It's not that unsightly." Uncomfortable in close contact with most humans, the Badger had elected to spend his time here with Glenstorm, directing the rebuilding of the How.
"Depends on your idea of unsightly," Peter said with a sigh. "It was so nice here, and we just had to mess it up with our war. I think I'm going to ban wars from now on."
"Would that work?" Pattertwig asked excitedly, forgetting himself and grabbing onto the High King's hand. "I would like a Narnia without war. I lost half of my nuts in this last one."
Trufflehunter looked shocked at the Squirrel's audacity, but Peter just gave Pattertwig a gentle smile and squeezed his tiny paws in return.
"It is what I am trying for," he assured the Squirrel. "It is what we are all trying for."
"They were my very best nuts…," Pattertwig confided sadly, the first unhappy expression they had ever seen crossing the little Narnian's face. Peter knelt down in the grass so that he was at eye level with the loyal and devoted Squirrel, who looked about in tears. He had been very brave and quiet about his loss until now, but in the presence of his king, Pattertwig couldn't contain his personal tragedy any longer.
"Then when we are done, my friend," Peter replied very seriously. "We shall have to go find some more, you and I."
Pattertwig sniffed, and then looked up hopefully with round eyes. "Truly?"
"Truly, good Squirrel," Peter nodded then stood up again. Lucy grinned at him and hugged his arm, as the now overjoyed Squirrel jumped from person to person, telling each that he and the High King would be looking for nuts together.
"Have you ever looked for nuts?" Lucy asked him when the Narnian was out of earshot. Peter just shrugged.
"No, but there are worse things. It made him happy, and if I can go through a day making at least one of my subjects happier than he was the day before, then it was a day worth spending. Even if it is spent gathering acorns."
"The High King loves his people," Glenstorm rumbled praising words from Peter's shoulder. "As it has always been, as it always should be." Peter flushed a bit from that. Compliments from Centaurs were few and far between, and Peter had always had the impression that this one was uncertain about him. Glenstorm had pledged to Caspian before Peter had shown up, and even though he conceded to Peter's rank, the High King had always wondered if the Centaur would have been happier just following Caspian.
"Too bad love can't fix a hole," Peter joked, but he gave Glenstorm a grateful glance. The Centaur simply nodded.
The High King moved to the edge and slowly climbed down, using rocks and half buried tree roots for handholds. He brushed the dirt off his palms as he reached the bottom. Lucy had decided to follow, so Peter stretched up to take her about the waist when she was close enough. Setting her down on her feet at his side, the two monarchs proceeded to pick their way through the wreckage. One of the reasons that Lu had not been brought out here until now was that it had taken a long time to clear out the remains of those fallen on both sides of the battle. The heat of the summer sun had made the How a miserable place, and burying your friends is never fun. Peter had a memorial planned for Narnians lost (New and Old) but he wanted the How finished beforehand. As it was, there was no hiding Lucy from the destruction that had occurred here. The grass was still stained dark with blood, and her eyes grew sad as she looked around. Here and there a Narnian arrow or a Telmarine spear could still be found, and Lucy paused at one.
"I think this is one of Su's arrows," she told Peter, holding up the red feathered arrow for him to see. "She had said she couldn't find two after the battle and was really upset about them."
"Then best keep it," he replied, settling down on his haunches and staring around. "You know how she is about losing those. Has to get back every sodding one no matter what she used them for. Remember the drunken Minotaur that Christmas?"
Lucy started laughing as she tucked the arrow into her belt.
"And Su almost got run through before she climbed the Christmas tree? I've never seen Edmund that mad in my life," she remembered. "I thought he was going to punch Logan."
"He did punch Logan," Peter smirked. "He just waited until you left. Ed didn't want you to know and use the cordial on him when Ed broke his nose. As it was, I think Tumnus snuck him a drop when we weren't looking. "
"I remember the Faun Tumnus from the stories, but who is this Logan?" Trufflehunter asked curiously as he finished climbing down himself. Peter and Lucy just shared a somber look, one of friends long lost.
"A rascal," Peter said quietly. "A card cheat, a thief upon occasion, and once a pirate. But despite that he was a good man. He saved Narnian once, although no one knows about it. Too bad, that, he should have gone down in the histories for it."
"Your Majesty never insisted?" Trufflehunter seemed confused.
"My Majesty never did." Peter looked like he wanted the subject changed, and so change it he did. "What was the purpose of these caverns that we collapsed? Were they catacombs?"
"No one was ever buried here, Sire," the Badger replied. "The How was created directly after the four Kings and Queens of Old disappeared, and never finished."
"You can just say 'us'," Lucy reminded him, stepping closer.
"Yes. My apologies, your Majesty." Trufflehunter paused, thinking about his words before explaining as best he could remember. "When you four disappeared, the Narnians were at a loss. The Steward, Tumnus, did the best he could, but the country was falling apart long before the Telmarines came. The Narnians searched for Aslan, but when he refused to show himself in their time of need, many began to lose faith. The last thing Steward Tumnus did was order the How built. He had hoped it would restore the people's faith, maybe even return Aslan to us. He died before it reached completion and directly afterwards Cair Paravel was attacked. The true purpose of the caverns was never known."
"How extensive are they? Do they stretch behind the How as well?"
"The unfinished tunnels have not been explored, Sire. I could not say."
Peter stood and called up to Glenstorm. "I don't like the idea of just leaving it like this. We're one nation now, not Narnians versus Telmarines. A lot of them died in here, and I don't want that thrown in their faces when the How is finished. We need to try and rebuild the supports, and if it can't hold dirt on top anymore, then maybe we can fake it."
"Fake it, Sire?" Trufflehunter tipped his petite nose up towards his king.
"He means we should build a structure and cover it with grass," Lucy explained, understanding what her brother meant from years of working alongside him. Then she briefly seemed confused. "Right, Peter?"
Peter gave her shoulders a squeeze, knowing what was happening in her head. It was the hardest for Lucy, to have gone from an adult back to a little girl and sometimes the confliction left her unsettled.
"Right, Lu." He directed her back towards the side of the hole. "Now come on. I need you to help me with something, and you're the best at it." Her face brightened and she took hold of his hand.
"What's that?" Lucy asked as Peter lifted her up into the waiting arms of Glenstorm.
"We're going to need some wood to help build this," he told her. "And there's no one better than you at convincing the Trees for help."
"Except for Aslan," Lucy piped up loyally, and Peter grinned as he accepted a helping hand out himself.
"Except for him," Peter agreed. "And if Aslan wants to show up, then I would be more than happy to see him."
"Do you think he will come back? Or be gone a long time?"
"I don't know Lu. You know what Tumnus always said. Now let's go see about some Trees."
And so they did.
By the fifth time they had travelled through the Town, only to find themselves back at the entrance, Edmund had a brilliant thought.
"You know," he said as he stood panting (they had tried running this last time). "I think I would be alright with finding another way around the Town, besides going through it. Let's just go back out and go around the outside."
"Good idea, Sire," Reepicheep agreed a bit breathlessly. "We can handle any obstacles thrown at us, and this is getting us nowhere."
"You decide that all on your own?" Trumpkin asked Reep sarcastically. The Mouse ignored him, instead leading the way back through the front entrance of the Town. His decisive little footsteps faltered when instead of stepping out onto the rocky path that they had travelled to the entrance, he found himself stepping out from the boulders at the far end of town, facing the entrance. Edmund and Trumpkin had hesitated, seeing Reepicheep disappear, and they swung around. The little figure of the Mouse could be seen darting towards them, looking quite uncomfortable with being down at the far end by himself.
"Any more bright ideas?" Trumpkin turned to the King.
"Why are you looking at me?" Edmund asked. The Dwarf grinned.
"Because you're in charge. I think I'll just wait until you decide what we should do, Sire." With that Trumpkin settled down and made himself comfortable, with Reepicheep doing the same. This situation was beyond the Mouse but he had full confidence in the brilliance of his King, and he made sure to tell Edmund so.
"Great," Ed muttered as he walked away from the two, trying to think. Then he stepped over to where Reepicheep had disappeared. Taking a deep breath, Edmund made a fist before he stuck his hand through the spot and watched it disappear up to the elbow. Then he craned his head over his shoulder. From across the Town his hand was waving jovially back at him.
"Oh bloody hell."
Caspian was watching her. He had been doing that a lot since yesterday, and while it had been the effect that she had wished, Susan was ready for him to… well stop. It was making her a bit uncomfortable.
"Do you wish to say something?" she finally asked, raising an eyebrow. Caspian blinked, as if surprised, and then he looked down at his stew.
"My queen?" he sounded as if he didn't understand the question. But by the tiny curve to his mouth, she knew he was simply playing with her.
"Coy doesn't quite suit you, Caspian," Susan remarked, but her amusement grew as he held her gaze with twinkling eyes. "What is it?"
"The High King returns soon, does he not?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Well, I was thinking…" Caspian drifted off. Susan leaned forward in her chair, now very interested.
"What?"
"I was thinking that if he is to return, then I will have to muss you completely before he does." Caspian said it as if speaking about something as normal as tea, and he took a bite of his stew. Susan's eyes widened, caught off guard. It was not often he caught her off guard.
"Wha… what do you mean?" she asked. Caspian just gave her a fond smile, but not a desiring one.
"Muss you. I will have to do it rather well before Peter comes back." He took a drink of wine and continued with his meal.
"You mean now?" Susan's voice had become a touch nervous. She was used to kissing Caspian, but usually in the moment of passion, not after an announcement. It made her heart race a bit faster, but it also made her uncomfortable.
"Hmmm?" Caspian scraped his bowl then set it aside. He stood up, making his way to her chair. Caspian leaned down as if to kiss her, his breath hot on her skin. She was about to turn her mouth towards his, but instead he shifted and whispered in her ear. "No, my dear queen. Not now."
Caspian straightened, giving her a light kiss on the top of her head. Then he turned to go. Susan sat back in shock.
"Caspian?" She was completely confused by his behavior as he strolled to the door.
"Yes?"
"When?" she couldn't help but ask. His eyes twinkled and he smirked.
"Soon. Good day, your Majesty."
With that the King just left Susan alone in the dining area, still holding her spoon halfway to her bowl. After a moment of silence, she said to the empty room.
"Well, that's not fair!"
"I know you're doing this!" Edmund called to nothing. He was standing on the fountain, yelling at the Town. "And we're running out supplies, so if you lot want to keep this up, then at least give us some water!"
After a moment of silence the fountain beneath him suddenly burst into life, soaking the monarch from head to toe. His language started to go downhill at that point.
"Your Majesty. May I speak with you?"
Caspian looked up from the large stack of papers strewn about his desk and saw Lord Tenneth standing in the doorway. The usually stoic man looked oddly uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong, Tenneth?" Caspian asked cautiously. Anything that rattled the general made Caspian instantly wary. The General stepped one single step into his office, very obviously keeping his distance.
"Yes, your Majesty. Well, no, not anymore. But somewhat, yes."
Okay, anything that had the general that thrown certainly had his attention.
"What is going on, general?" Caspian asked point blank, setting down his quill and giving the man his complete attention. "Is everyone alright?"
"It's the Queen, sire." At Caspian's expression, Lord Tenneth plunged right ahead. "She was missing, but now she has been found."
"Why was I not informed?" the King demanded. "Is she unharmed?"
"Sire, we did not want to alarm you unnecessarily. Her… Badger could not find her and set the palace staff searching. When Queen Susan could not be found, they came to me. One of my men has located her, but he felt that it was not his place to… remove her from the situation."
"What situation, General?" Caspian growled, impatient with the vague answers. "What is going on with the Queen?"
"Well, you see, she is a bit…
Susan was drunk.
In the effort to be fair, it should be said that the Queen had not intended on getting drunk, nor did she make excessive wine consumption a habit. She had not, however, taken into account that the wine drunk regularly by the townsfolk was not of the same composition as that drunk at the palace. Fine wine was weaker, mainly because the nobles tended to drink it at most of their meals, and it is no fun being in your 'cups before breakfast is even over. But down in the city, the commoners usually drank water, (which was sweeter than any water we have ever drunk here) and it did not empty their pockets. This meant that when the commoners did decide to drink, they did it with a purpose, and that purpose had been fulfilled in the Queen. Sitting with a group of fine Telmarine locals in the back room of a tavern, Susan found herself quite drunk.
It made her very bad at playing cards.
"Go fish!" she said with a giggle, laying down her hand of cards across the table. It was the third time she had said it, and each time she laughed harder, thinking herself quite funny. The men around the table exchanged amused glances, still having no idea what she was talking about despite her having tried several times to explain it. In reality they were playing a game very similar to poker, and had yet to figure out what fish had to do with it. Susan had been here all evening, having dismissed all her guards but Peepicheek, eating and drinking and enjoying herself immensely. It had started out as an attempt to get to know these rough Telmarines, the friends that Mari had brought to her the other day, and unlike most of the ones at the castle they were quite open about their opinions. Susan had learned a lot this evening, although at some point the learning had stopped and the fuzzy happy had started.
"Three aces," the man directly across from her said, laying down his own hand to show it was true. Everyone in the room groaned, except for Susan, who hadn't realized she'd lost again, and Mari, who was in the corner trying to convince a distraught Peepicheek that wine was good for him.
"I do not drink on duty, Madam," Peep told her with great dignity. "Especially in a crowd of ruffians such as these. Nor should you, for the queen might need you," he added. Mari just snorted, being one of those girls who unfortunately snorts when she drinks. She waved her hand over at Susan, who was paying more attention to figuring out why she had lost again then the pair of them.
"Do you need me for anything, my lady?" she stood up unsteadily. "The Mouse thinks I am shirking my duties."
"You are shirking your duties, Mari," the nearest man laughed, and he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her onto his knee. "The Queen needs more money, for she has lost all she has to Drinian over there."
"Have I?" Susan looked around for her pile of coins. "Oh dear. More coin, please, Mari."
Mari, anchored firmly to her companion's knee for balance, seemed at a loss. "I had the purse here…" she checked her waist, and then patted her bodice, making the men grin. "Somewhere. Some…where…" As she continued to root through her bodice, Peepicheek chose that moment to implore his monarch.
"Your Majesty," Peep tried. "If you have run out of money, perhaps you would have me escort you and your lady back to the castle?"
"Nonsense Mouse," a heavily bearded man named Rhince said, grinning devilishly at how uncomfortable the Narnian was. "We were just starting to have fun!"
"Dear sir," Susan wobbled a bit in her chair, and seemed to be unaware of it. "I am quite capable of responding myself. Now then. Nonsense, Peepicheek. We're just starting to have fun. Woops!"
The Queen fell sideways, for no apparent reason, and Peep grabbed her wrist with both paws, trying to right her with his little body. It only managed to slow her enough for Rhince to catch her and help prop her up.
"Oh dear," Susan repeated, looking around. "I believe I have misplaced my drink. Could I have another one?"
"Your Majesty might want to slow down a bit," Drinian suggested, exchanging grins with Rhince. "You have already had quite a lot to drink, and the purse in question was emptied two hands ago."
"Don't tell her that!" the man holding Mari guffawed, enjoying how the poor girl kept trying to find the purse in her bodice.
"Somewhere…" Mari was still patting away, certain it had been there. And it had, at one point. "Somewhere…"
"For Aslan's sake, woman, stop groping yourself!" Peepicheek had finally had enough. He drew himself up to his full height (which wasn't much height at all). "You are the Queen's lady! Now I must insist that we leave here at once! Taverns are no place for a queen, and I am ashamed I have allowed this to have gone on so long. Your Majesty, I must insist that we retire. What would your royal brother say?"
"If you are speaking to Edmund, he would say I better win back the money I have lost," Susan laughed, her face reddened from her evening's consumption. "Which I intend to. Deal on, good sirs, deal on! And more wine please. I seem to have misplaced my drink…"
Peepicheek sat down next to her chair, looking quite miserable as Drinian once more dealt out a hand. The King would kill him, he was sure of it, and if he didn't then Captain Reepicheep would have his tail. But Peep refused to leave to go get help; he could not abandon his queen to these men with no one but Mari there. Another man handed her a glass of wine, this one watered down heavily, although it was too little too late.
Now," Susan said as she held up her cards. She squinted at them for a moment, turned them right side up, and tipped her head sideways. "How do we play this game again?"
One of the good things about being High King of Narnia is that if you decide that you must go in search of nuts, the rest of your subjects tend to feel as if they should as well. Not that all the workers at Aslan's How were obliged to assist in replenishing Pattertwig's supplies, that is to say the Dwarves and Minotaurs. But the others didn't seem to mind that much when they saw that Peter had every intention of keeping his word to the Squirrel this evening, despite how deliciously tired everyone was. Lucy of course decided to go too, and under specific instructions from Pattertwig as to the kind of nuts they were in search of, she found herself walking along with her brother in the dimming forests surrounding the How.
"I wonder what Edmund would say about all this," Lucy wondered as Peter helped her down from the acorn tree she had climbed. "He never did like eating these very much."
"Ed would probably say we'd all gone nutty," Peter chuckled. "But he would help too. You know how he gets."
"I miss him." Lucy gripped Peter's hand tightly as if the contact would bring her other brother back. "I have nightmares about him being in a bad place."
Peter gave Lucy's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Ed's been in bad places before, but he's always come through," he told her.
"Don't you worry about him?"
"Of course, Lu," Peter said. "I worry about him all the time. But I know why it was important that he go, and I don't regret sending him off."
"Do you regret not going too?" she asked softly. "Because I do."
"Don't you think you're still a little young to be off fighting?" he teased. "You haven't grown up all the way yet."
"And Edmund has?" Lucy tipped her head, looking uncertain. Ed was only a bit older than her, and if she was still considered too young, then he should be too. Peter fell quiet for a while, stopping every few feet to check random branches for suitable nuts.
"Edmund is different," Peter finally said. Lucy was tempted to stick her tongue out at him. She settled for eating a nut instead.
"Why, because he is a boy?"
"Lucy, Edmund hasn't been a boy since Aslan died for him on the Stone Table." Lucy looked up at Peter, seeing the expression on his face that was usually reserved for serious matters.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean he changed that day. Think about it. Everything he has ever done since then has been him trying to make up for who he was. The way he took care of you growing up, the first time I mean. The way he protected Susan, the way he never leaves my side no matter how much of a git I am being… He's trying to make up for it."
"That's silly," Lucy declared. "Aslan forgave him."
"But that doesn't mean he forgave himself."
"Is that why you let him go alone, so that he could make up for it?" Lucy sounded appalled that Peter would do such a thing. "Haven't you forgiven him?"
"Of course I forgave him," Peter shook his head. "But I know him, Lu. Ed wants redemption, and until he has driven himself far enough and hard enough, he won't feel as if he deserves it. He needs to be the one going after the Beast. He needs to be the one to get back your cordial. He's got to protect us because that one time he didn't, and it almost killed us all. Just because I don't agree with him doesn't mean I don't understand it. And I would rather support him in it then spend my life fighting with him. I've done that enough."
"But Aslan forgave him, Peter. That's all he needs." Lucy would not be budged. The High King gave his sister a smile and nodded acquiescence.
"Not all of us learn our lessons as fast as you, Lu. Perhaps that's why Aslan comes to you the easiest."
"It's not about learning, it's about love," she said resolutely. "And Aslan loves us all, especially Edmund."
"He'll understand one day. When Edmund learns to love himself, he'll learn that what Aslan did was his redemption. Until then, all I can do is let him go when he needs me too."
Lucy was quiet, soaking in his words, and then she smiled.
"When will you let me go?" she teased, ducking out of his reach. "When I'm all grown up too?"
"You, Lu?" Peter grinned and began chasing her around, the littlest queen shrieking as he caught her and tickled her mercilessly. "You, little sister, are stuck with me forever!"
If she hadn't been unable to speak from her gasping laughter, Lucy would have said that was just fine with her.
Susan had lost a lot of money, and even as tipsy as she was, she was aware of it. Not only had she lost her coins, she had lost the silk purse the coins came in, the gold bracelet on her wrist, a tiny sapphire coronet that at one point had held her now loose hair up, and her left shoe. Now it should be said that Drinian had no intent of actually taking the Queen's shoe. He might have considered it (since they were very nice shoes) had they come in a pair, but since Susan had managed to win the right one back and refused to bet it again, then it was just needlessly cruel.
The queen would have a lot of explaining to do as it was.
"I think my lady in waiting has disappeared," Susan said to the men, whose numbers had dwindled. Now there were just four of them: Susan, Drinian, Rhince, and the man that had been holding Mari. Peepicheek remained steadfastly at her side, wishing that this night could just be over.
"I believe, your Majesty, that she is preoccupied in the back alley," Peepicheek said curtly, sounding very disapproving. Susan's eyes widened.
"Oh," then she giggled, a bit scandalized. "I didn't think she had it in her," Susan murmured to the grins of the men.
"Oh yes, she had much in her," Peep declared, looking disgusted. Drinian choked on his wine, and Rhince's jaw dropped. Both looked at the Queen, to see what she would say. Susan the Gentle was speechless. True she had learned to keep company with the roughest and the most genteel of men, but still… No one spoke that way in front of her. Finally the only thing she was able to come out with was this.
"Uh… is she alright?"
"Doubtful," the Mouse said, taking his opportunity. "Perhaps one of these fine men would go out and assist her." Peep didn't understand why everyone was staring at him so. Somewhere a Cricket chirped. Becoming aggravated, the Mouse stood up and put his little paws on his hips defiantly.
"Well, it is not as if I could assist her," he snapped, drawing his sword and hopping onto the table, his sweet temper near an end. Rhince started coughing, desperately trying to contain his laughter and not get a tiny sword through his throat as it waved his way. "Is there not a gentlemen in you lot? A lady ill with drink is nothing to ignore!"
He just did not understand why everyone was laughing, and he found it quite offensive. He was about to challenge them all but the Queen, as any noble Mouse should, when the men he faced grew suddenly very quiet. Susan was still laughing a bit overmuch, finding this all quite funny, when she realized that the Telmarines were staring past her at the door. Drinian lurched to his feet, grabbing Rhince roughly and pulling him up with him. The third man followed suit, with less grace, considering he was almost as gone as Susan was. Confused as to why they all looked suddenly so… guilty, she turned around.
"Oh! Hallo, Caspian!" Susan said brightly, weaving a bit in her chair. Turning had stopped being so easy a while ago. In the doorway stood the King, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. He was dressed casually, but his sword hung at his hip. He took in the scene, from the obviously drunken Queen to the offended Mouse (who was now more relieved than ever before in his life), the three scruffy and slightly dirty men, and Susan's shoe on the table.
"Good evening, my queen," Caspian said softly, nodding his head respectfully. But his dark eyes were cold as he looked at the Telmarines. They gave awkward bows, and looked very nervous. Although technically they had done nothing wrong, they still had gotten the Queen of Narnia quite pissed and taken her money and everything else of value she had. Just because she had volunteered meant nothing. It looked… bad.
"Caspian, I want you to meet some of my friends," Susan said happily, waving him over as she tried to stand up too. Everyone else was and it seemed like the thing to do. Unfortunately skirts and wine and chair legs and Susan weren't working in concert at the moment, and she pitched face first out of her seat. Having seen it coming before she even tried to move, Drinian made a grab for her, catching her about the waist to steady her. Then he went pale as he realized he was holding the Queen of Narnia against him in front of the King, now her suitor. But Drinian couldn't do anything about it because it was obvious if he let her go, then Susan would end up on the floor. Drinian glanced helplessly at Rhince, who was cringing.
"Her Majesty has had too much wine," Drinian muttered as his King stepped forward and removed the Queen from his arms.
"I can see that, sir," Caspian said in a hard voice. "Perhaps the wine barrel should have been empty long before now." Rhince cringed again, understanding. Caspian was saying they should have cut her off. Technically they had tried, but being men they hadn't realized so little would affect her so much.
"Oh no, it's not empty," Susan informed him merrily as Caspian helped her back to her seat. At this point any ideas of taking her out of here immediately were gone. She was way too intoxicated to be riding, even behind him. "There is still plenty. Have some of mine."
Susan shoved her glass at Caspian, who took it without complaint. Not one to share drinks, he wanted to see what they had been giving her, and no matter what it was he wanted to make sure she had no more. Fortunately the wine was well weakened with water, although he doubted it had always been that way. The men watched him uncertainly.
"These are my new friends," Susan repeated, oblivious to the tension in the room. "Drinian and Rhince and… and I can't remember his name. He likes Mari's bodice, though." Caspian's head snapped around, and Susan, catching his expression, decided to clarify. "Oh, don't be silly, Caspian. He doesn't like my bodice. At least, if he does he has not said anything about it."
It was possibly the worst thing she could have said and the man in question groaned audibly. Susan plunged on blissfully.
"I don't know where Mari is. Peep knows, although I can't remember if I should be knowing." Susan leaned in as if telling him a secret. "I think perhaps I shouldn't." Then she giggled a bit drunkenly.
"Your lady is on her way back to the castle, your Majesty," Caspian said, pointedly disapproving. Peepicheek looked smug. "She was sick in the alley. Although I do not know why she was unaccompanied." The look he gave the Mouse made the smug expression slide off Peep's face. Once again the poor little Narnian looked quite miserable.
"We were just calling it an evening, your Majesty," Drinian said gruffly, trying to work himself out of the situation. "By your leave?"
"Not by mine, Drinian!" Susan declared. "You scoundrel, my honor will not be appeased until I have once more reclaimed my shoe."
"Your Majesty may have it back," he said uncomfortably. "A single shoe is not necessary to make this night a success."
"Nonsense," Susan said firmly, weaving a bit and reaching for her glass without looking. Caspian moved it a few inches out of her grasp. "You won it fair and square, and I shall do the same. Caspian, would you like to play with us? I would lend you some coin but I seem to have misplaced all of mine. All of yours, really." At that Susan started to laugh again, finding it quite funny.
"May I ask how much?" Caspian saw Drinian flush and then noticed the large pile of gold in front of him, along with Susan's things. Now it was Caspian's turn to wince.
"The Queen had too much drink," Drinian said gruffly, pushing the money back across the table. "It is not fair to keep it. The company was sufficiently pleasant."
Caspian might have grown up wealthy, but he knew exactly how much money that was to this man, and did not miss the pain of its loss in Drinian's eyes.
"The Queen is right," Caspian said firmly, sitting down next to Susan. "You won it fairly, and if we want it back, we shall have to do the same. What is the game?"
"Oh, swell!" Susan clapped her hands happily, reminding Caspian of Lucy. "We shall show them what Kings and Queens are truly made of." She promptly fell out of her seat. It had become a habit. Thankfully both Caspian and Drinian reached for her and between the two managed to upright her. Realizing that she would not be capable of successfully playing, Caspian squeezed her shoulder gently.
"Perhaps my queen would allow me the pleasure of reclaiming her belongings?"
It was a valiant try, but Susan would have none of it. She insisted Rhince deal, and had a bit of a time arranging her cards until Caspian helpfully turned one of them over to face her. She proudly bet another round, using his purse this time, and Caspian inwardly groaned. At first the Telmarines had been very nervous about the situation, but quickly they grew amused watching as Caspian not only tried to keep his own money, but also tried to win back hers. Unfortunately she was simultaneously losing as much of his money as he was getting back of hers, and therefore the pile in front of Drinian didn't change, but the piles in front of them did. Caspian questioned the three men as they played, in a seemingly polite fashion, although it was obvious why he was asking what he was asking. Caspian wanted to know who they were and why they were with the Queen. It was only by chance (and perhaps some cheating on Drinian's part) that gained the Queen back her shoe.
"Aha!" Susan cried as she held it up for them to see. Then she bent to put it back on. "See? Never cross blades, or cards with a Queen of Narnia—oh, I believe I am going to be sick…"
She wasn't, although for a brief moment Caspian's boots were a bit concerned as she stared down at them, the King's arms supporting her as her face went from red to green, then settled on pale. Caspian decided that enough was enough. It was time the Queen head home.
"I believe that I should call it an evening, Caspian," Susan decided as he picked her up in his arms, already heading for the door. "I should say goodbye to my friends."
"You already did, my queen," he reassured her. "And do not be concerned. I do not plan to retire just yet."
The table of men, who had stood hopefully, now sat back down again and slumped dejectedly. Obviously the King was not through with them yet. Peepicheek gave them a victorious look before following the monarchs out the door. Caspian carried Susan outside, where General Tenneth and Caspian's guard stood waiting.
"Place her in front of you, Tenneth," Caspian ordered quietly, not wanting his words repeated in every home tomorrow morning. "She will not be able to hold on properly."
Tenneth silently shifted backwards so that he sat behind the saddle, holding Susan tightly when Caspian set her down before him. The Queen slumped against Tenneth's chest, looking half asleep already, her hand resting on his shoulder. Caspian shook his head exasperatedly. Out of all of them, she was the last he would have expected this evening to have been caused by.
"Take care of her Tenneth," Caspian told his general. The older man raised an eyebrow.
"And you, Sire?"
"I am not done here yet," Caspian said with narrowed eyes, turning to head back into the tavern. The general nodded and rode off, signaling for half the guard to remain and half to follow him.
Now that the Queen had gone, the polite Caspian left as well. What remained was a very irritated King in his place. The men sensed the change immediately when Caspian returned and sat back down, and they began shifting nervously.
"I am tempted to pull all three of you out in the alley and show you my feelings about this," Caspian told them flatly the moment he walked back in. "Be thankful she was unharmed or your lives would not be worth a silver right now."
"The queen came here of her own accord, Sire," Rhince said quietly. "We have done nothing wrong."
"Then why do you look so guilty?" Caspian snapped back. "And why did you allow two ladies of their status to become in such condition?" They had no answer for that, and he seated himself once more, taking the stacked deck. It was obvious he intended on continuing the game.
"I have a question for you lot," he continued, dealing out this hand slowly. "Why is it that the Queen of Narnia was in a tavern with you three? How did you even meet?"
"Her Majesty informed her lady in waiting that she wanted to hear what the Telmarine people thought about things," Drinian spoke up, sounding unapologetic despite his discomfort. "Mari brought us up to the castle to speak with her. This time she came down here to us."
"And what do the Telmarinesthink about things?" Caspian voice was a touch acidic. He was not pleased with this man and was making it known.
"I cannot speak for them all, sire," Drinian shot back, toeing the line of respect. "But this one has not been too happy."
"And why is that?"
Drinian ignored the panicked looks Rhince was throwing his way.
"When the Queen of the invading army is the first one to care what the Telmarine commoner thinks, then maybe we have a problem."
"The Lords represent the people, and take their issues to the throne," Caspian said, laying a card flat so he could be dealt a replacement. "Do you believe that this is not working?"
The men exchanged a look, as if even Drinian was afraid to speak his tongue.
"You have little to fear," Caspian told them quietly. "The royal palace guard has been here outside the building for the past two hours. If I intended you harm it would have already taken place. I am simply asking what my queen did… albeit with less wine in the asking." He added the last part with a touch of a grimace.
Rhince leaned forward, tucking his cards down as he did.
"Here's the thing, your Majesty," Rhince said frankly. "And it's what we told the Queen as well. The people are supposed to go to the Lords with their problems, right? Well I can tell you one thing that's for sure, Lord Donnon couldn't care less about what his people have to deal with. We just got out of a war, right? And instead of supporting those who lost fathers and sons, breadwinners for their families, he's taxing them more. It's like he's trying to squeeze every last coin out of them without going so far that the throne notices."
"Are all the Lords doing this?" Caspian interrupted, eyes narrowed. Under Peter's guidance he had lessened taxes to try and ease the suffering of his Telmarine subjects. Caspian noticed that the honesty of these men was causing his irritation to lessen. He had enough double meaning conversations from the council.
"No, Sire, just the ones that stand closest to the throne." Rhince hesitated, then at a nod from Drinian, he continued. "Truth be told, there's rumor going about that the Lords are just waiting for you to get tired of dealing with the Telmarine throne and abandon us, leaving with the Narnian monarchs after they rebuild Cair Paravel."
"We think that someone's trying to cause trouble for you, what with the fire and the poisoning," added the man who enjoyed Mari's bodice.
"They even say that someone's trying to force Lady Galma at your Majesty so that you will be tempted to run off with the Narnian Queen," Rhince chuckled. "Not that anyone would blame you."
"Careful, sir," Caspian said stiffly to Rhince. "The Lady Galma is a personal friend, and I will not hear her slandered."
"My apologies your Majesty," Rhince paled, realizing he had offended the King. "It is just the rumors that we hear."
"How do you hear such things?" Caspian asked them. "And can you put stock in their truths? It is a dangerous thing to imply a Lord of the Council is trying to overthrow the throne. Miraz died for that very reason."
"Miraz was a bastard and not our true king!" Drinian snapped, and then visibly tried to calm himself. "Not all that followed him did so because they believed in him, Sire. And there were those on the field at the How that would have changed sides given the chance. I'm as unsure of talking beasts as the next man, but to take down Miraz I would have saddled that Lion myself."
Caspian kept the smile from his face as he pictures Aslan's response to that, knowing that it was not the time to be laughing.
"And who would you have had in his place?" Caspian's eyes drilled into Drinian's. The roughened man never looked down.
"You, your Majesty, ever since your father died. You are the true King. These Kings and Queens of Old are right enough, but in the end, the one we follow is you. And I hear such things because I listen, which is something the commoner feels the throne has not done since Caspian the Ninth died."
Caspian remained silent, then folded his hand and laid it facing down in front of him. When he spoke, it was as if he was changing the subject.
"What is your trade, Drinian?" The question caught the other man by surprise.
"… My trade? This is my tavern, Sire. Rhince is my right hand."
"Then if I am your true King, I need you to do something for me," Caspian said. The men looked at him curiously. "Do it and I will forgive tonight's occurrences. I need to know just how deep the corruption of these Lords goes. I need to know if what I hear from them is half truth or outright lie. I need you to listen, and when you feel something is worth my knowing, I need you to come tell me."
"That's easier said than done," Drinian shook his head. "The king is harder to see than he realizes."
"Actually that has been recently pointed out to me," Caspian grimaced. Then as he thought about it, a touch of a smirk turned his lips.
"You said you are originally from the island of Galma, Drinian?"
"Sire?"
Caspian's smile grew as he leaned forward and turned over his hand. It was a Royal Flush.
"How good are you at sailing?"
"I think that perhaps I will be ill," Susan commented to herself, unaware the comment had come too late. She had already been nearly sick twice on the ride home, and the general had stopped his horse both times for her. But it was the third time, when she had not spoken soon enough, that found the poor Queen busily ill before the words were completely out of her mouth. Afterwards she apologized profusely, feeling much better, but the general said little. They rode into the castle, where a very aggravated Mrs. Badger was waiting for them, a sleepy Rosetta at her heels.
"To think, that Mari letting your Majesty go off like that…" Mrs. Badger fussed as she helped Susan back to her rooms. "Serves her right to be so sick."
"Technically she couldn't have stopped me," Susan reminded the Narnian, to which Mrs. Badger huffed.
"Well, I don't think there was a King or Queen that ever ruled that couldn't be told they were being silly, Queen Susan, and tonight was your night. Poor dear, you look so pale, Rosetta go get some water, I do think you'll have such a headache tomorrow, and that Caspian going out and getting you, now that's the kind of King I like, taking matters into his own hands…"
And on she went, up until the point Susan gratefully collapsed into bed and pulled the blankets over her head. Mrs. Badger could still be heard through the door as she and Rosetta left. It was the first night that Susan didn't think about her brother Edmund, or the Beast, or her own worries before falling asleep. And she slept so deeply that she barely woke when the door of her chambers opened, and a soft kiss was brushed across her brow as the intruder was satisfied that all was well with her.
"You were supposed to muss me," a sleepy Susan said, holding out her hands. "I waited all day." A chuckle came from above her and she found herself folded in strong arms.
"I had intended to tonight, dear," Caspian informed her gently. "But you had other plans."
"I am free now," she smiled up in the darkness, but he only gave her a light second kiss on the temple.
"You are full of drink as well," he reminded her. "I prefer my mussing to be remembered."
"I'll remember," Susan promised, but she was already almost asleep again.
"Another time, my queen."
"Did you thump them?" she asked, causing Caspian to laugh outright. "That would be unfortunate, they liked me and I have so few Telmarine friends…"
"Nay, my queen, but I gave them something more pressing to think about then taking your shoes."
"I knew I liked you for a reason," Susan murmured, then she yawned. "Will you stay with me until I go to sleep?" she begged, burying her nose into his chest and hearing his agreement rumble in his chest.
"Of course, dear lady." Susan hummed happily and burrowed in closer.
Caspian held her until her breathing deepened and slowed to that of peaceful dreams. And then, just because he wanted to, he held her a little longer.
"Okay," Edmund curled his feet beneath him, settling down against the gently running fountain. "Let's be reasonable about this."
He had run out of curse words some time ago, but it had taken him this long to calm down and stop trying to climb out of the Town. One has never experienced frustration until they have scaled a three story building only to find themselves back on the ground again. Edmund's choice of phrases had made even Trumpkin wince, and Reepicheep was still in shock. But now the monarch once more had control of himself, and he tried to reason with the Town.
"Obviously someone here is using magic," Edmund said. "And obviously this can keep going on until you lot decide it's not fun anymore or we die of starvation. That being said, I don't hold it against anyone. But I am King of Narnia, I have pressing business involving the White Witch, and I am a Son of Adam. So you can play with us all you want to, or you can find out what we're about."
Silence.
"I doubt that this Town is as empty as it appears, and our swords are awfully sharp," Edmund added. "We could always just start swinging around until we hit something soft."
"We?" a smooth voice said from behind Edmund. Ed swung around, drawing his sword as he did. There was no one there, but he didn't lower his sword just yet. "I don't see any we, young king. I only see you."
Edmund didn't even have to turn around to know that Trumpkin and Reepicheep would be missing, but he couldn't help himself. Seeing nothing but the empty street, Edmund sighed and leaned back against the fountain.
"Alright," he said tiredly, closing his eyes. "I give up. You win. Har har."
And with that the illusion lifted. Spreading all around him was the Town, dark as twilight and pulsing with life. The main thing Edmund could hear was laughter, and he was sure it was directed at him. When he opened his eyes, he saw before him the thinnest man he had ever seen in his life, well dressed and white haired with the Townsfolk gathered behind him. Werewolves and Bats and Boggles and Incubi and Hags and Dwarves… everything was here. There was even a Cat or two. But Edmund found himself unable to focus on anything but the man, who leaned down and offered him one slim beautiful hand to help him up.
"See?" the Warlock laughed, his tone silky. "Was that all that hard to say?"
"Funny," Edmund muttered, accepting the hand up, wondering where Reep and Trumpkin were but unable to form the words to ask.
"Just because we're evil, Son of Adam and King of Narnia, doesn't mean we can't have a sense of humor." The man bowed mockingly, but then grinned and took him by the hand.
With that, Edmund Pevensie was drawn into the Town.
Something ice cold touched his toes. Caspian jerked straight up, reaching for his sword instinctively, and kicking off the blankets. Too many nights he had slept clutching the weapon, in case they were attacked by surprise. Too many nights he had needed it, and so it was second nature to have the point of his weapon poised at his assailant's head before he was really fully awake.
"Mew."
A round ball of fur looked up at him with large eyes. Then it batted its paw at his sword, trying to push it away. Realizing that he had drawn steel on a tiny kitten, Caspian sighed exasperatedly and dropped his sword back by his bedside. He had put the thing in a blanket filled box in the corner for a reason. Obviously that wasn't good enough. Caspian was now sure the thing was a Kitten, it was contrary enough.
"You," he said, picking up the kitten by the scruff of its neck and raising it to eye level. "Are as much trouble as she is."
The kitten continued to stare at him, so Caspian groaned and flopped back down on the bed, the kitten on his chest.
"You can sleep here if you promise to be quiet," Caspian said tiredly, closing his eyes. The kitten curled up in a ball, purring loudly. Caspian opened one eye.
"That's not quiet," he admonished. The kitten ignored him, flexing its feet and digging claws into his chest. Caspian winced and rolled over, tucking the thing in the crook of his arm. "Am I to spend the rest of my days at the mercy of you females? Go to sleep, kitten." It began to purr again, even louder this time.
"I am King, kitten," he reminded it sleepily. "You must do as I say."
It ignored him pointedly, although it did open one eye to see if it was working. Unable to stop the smile on his face, and knowing that this was as good as he was going to get, Caspian drifted back to sleep, unaware of the smug expression on the kitten's tiny face.
A/N Obviously I'm not updating as fast. The biggest reason why is that I've been busy with real life stuff, but another reason is that with all these different subplots, the chapters have to be larger to get anywhere. So yay for big chapters and boo for slow updates. :(