BRIA'S DEMONS

Priyah stopped on the outskirts of Telmar City to dismount. She rubbed her dear horse's face and spoke in a low voice.

"You can't come in, Josie," she murmured into the wet snout. "It wouldn't help my cover story if I came back with you. You have to go home..."

Rose whinnied as if she knew what Priyah was telling her.

"Go on," Priyah said, guiding her to face the northeast again. "Rory will take care of you once you're back at the Keep. Go on, you know the way; you always knew how to lead me home."

A couple hard pats to the back flank of the horse and it was off, trotting back north. Priyah watched the horse disappear into the wood with a sinking feeling. If she didn't do this right, it would be the last time she ever saw her horse again.

She turned and trod down into the valley of Telmar's main city with a heavy heart. Every step she took towards the mansion she had grown up in meant a step away from the free life she had cultivated with the people who had been her dearest friends in the world: Rahai and Rory. Truly, they had been her only friends; she had never known real friendship until fate brought them together.

If Rory hadn't insisted on protecting them when they ran away from Telmar, they would have never gotten to know the kind, devoted man. He was funny and kept their spirits up when things got tough. He knew how to survive in the wilderness, which was something they had planned for before they left, but never actually experienced. He was the voice of reason when Rahai and Priyah occasionally spat like sisters, like a brother would. He was the voice of common sense to the Princesses who had never had to work for a living.

Would she ever see Rahai and Rory again? What would she ever do without them?

She entered the city just as the morning rush began. She ducked out of the way of wagons full of products from the towns, headed for a day of selling in the city markets.

The city was bigger than she remembered it. Maybe it was because she had been in the wilderness for so long, but the crush of people going to and fro around her was numbing.

At noon, she ducked into a little restaurant pub to buy a small lunch. She sat up at the counter so she could make small talk with the server to get an idea of what had been happening; she knew very little of what was going on in Telmar, aside from what Cor and Aravis had told her about the troops entering Archenland.

She dipped into her soup and smiled widely at the middle-aged, round bartender. "So, any news from the troops in Archenland?"

He set a clean glass down on the glass stacks and nodded. "Aye. It seems General Caspian and his men are returning this week to give an update on the war in person to the King. At least, that's what the guards around here are saying. You know how everyone wants a piece of the action. Those guards are hoping the General will be recruiting when he comes."

Caspian. That was a name she hadn't thought of in a long time. So he was General now, was he?

She complimented on the soup then took a chance by saying, "I heard there's a rumor that Meridian will name Caspian his heir, what with Priyah long gone and all." She didn't know that at all; it was her knowledge of her father that gave her a guess about what Caspian's future was.

"It's more than a rumor!" the man said. "In fact, word's coming down that Meridian will make it official when the General brings back the spoils and presents them to the King!"

"Spoils?"

"You know, spoils of war."

"What kind of spoils?"

"Gold, jewels, the usual. I hear they found Anvard's vault and ransacked it. But what I'm keeping my eye on is this news of slaves. I could sure use some help around here!"

"Slaves."

"Yep, oodles of them. I hear the Crown is going to sell them to pay for this whole military operation. Should make a nice profit in the end, I'm thinking."

Priyah swallowed. "I see. Then Meridian must have made sure not many civilians were killed, eh? If he wanted to have slaves brought back here?"

"Naw, it was a slaughter in that capital Anfart or whatever-it's-called. But there'll be more than enough slaves to go around once we herd them Archenlanders up from the towns and such. We've got complete control of Archenland now, ya know. Just gotta make sure those Calormenes keep their noses outta our business."

Priyah had been on the point of deciding that she had heard enough—quite enough. But: "Calormenes? What do they have to do with all of this?"

"Nothing officially announced, mind you. All this is hearsay that I pick up working here. Being on the main road I hear a lot from the travelers such as yerself, son. But supposedly there's some underhanded deal that that fancy Lord Reine brokered between Meridian and Rabadash's woman."

Priyah was so surprised that she pushed aside the strange way he had called her "son." "What's the deal about?"

"They're splitting Archenland and Narnia. We get Archenland, they get Narnia."

Her mind was racing. Narnia had to be warned! "When is this supposed to happen? Are the Calormenes moving on Narnia soon?"

"Sonny, the Calormenes already have Narnia. Cair Paravel was overrun a week ago!"

Priyah's stomach dropped. "A week ago...?" She thought of Rahai, who had agreed to go to Narnia to let them know that Priyah would be spying for them and to send a Bird so they could communicate easily. Had Rahai walked straight into the hands of the Calormenes?

Priyah was immensely grateful she and Rahai had kissed and made up after the last big fight they had had; if anything happened to Rahai and they had parted on bad terms...

The bartender continued, looking pleased to be sharing information that was completely new to Priyah. He obviously prided himself in his knowledge of gossip. "They say the Calormenes have a secret weapon, too. Something magical and powerful. Some say it's the White Witch herself, returned from the dead, in the body of a little girl."

"Now that sounds a bit outlandish," Priyah said doubtfully. "Aslan himself killed the White Witch! I don't think he'd let her just return."

The bartender shrugged and straightened. "Just telling ya what I know, son. Want a refill on that drink?"

While he went to refresh her glass, Priyah frowned. Why did he keep calling her son? Did she really look like a man? True, she was wearing layered clothing with leggings, a big tunic, and a thick cloak on top of it all. Her hair was tucked into her brimmed hat. But did she really look like a man?

She pulled out some coins to pay him, which she laid on the counter, and said, "Sir? I'm about to have an interview for a job. I've been travelling from my town all night; would you mind if I took a look at myself in a mirror?"

"Not at all, there's one by the window there," he pointed.

She thanked him and went to the small, cracked window by the window. With chagrin, she realized that if one didn't know she was female, she could easily pass for a man. Over the years her grooming habits had changed (for Rahai and Rory didn't judge her) and so she had stopped caring if her eyebrows were trimmed or her face was made-up. She looked plain, and had some dirt on her face from the road. She looked as much like a thirty-year-old man as a thirty-seven-year-old woman.

She left the pub and kept her eye open for some clean snow with which to wash her face: there was no way her father would ever accept her back looking like this! Unfortunately, in the city the snow was all brown and slushy. She resorted to peeking into alleys, hoping that some snow had drifted there and had been untouched. Finding some relatively white snow, she scrubbed her face and let down her hair. She adjusted her clothes so it might show off her figure better, and then went back on to the road that led to the palace.

When she finally arrived, her heart was pounding. She kept reminding herself that the worst that could happen was that her father reject her and throw her out into the street. Then she could go look for Rahai in Narnia with the knowledge that she had done her best.

With that in mind, she knocked on the gate. In the past, the gate had always stood open during the day, but now it was shut.

The slit opened and the eyes of a guard looked through. "Yes?"

She cleared her throat. "I, um, have some to see my father."

"Your father?" he asked in a bored voice.

"Yes, King Meridian."

"I think you're a little confused, ma'am." He began to close the cover.

"Wait! I'm Princess Priyah!"

He opened it again with an annoyed roll of his eyes. "Lady, Princess Priyah has been dead for seven years."

"No, I haven't. I was kidnapped by Giants."

"Uh huh." The slit closed.

It was infuriating to be told that you're dead when you're really not, no matter who it was! Her voice rang with a tone she had rarely used in her life, but came back with surprising ease: the voice of a spoiled, entitled Princess.

"Do you really want to be known as the one who rejected Princess Priyah entrance to her own home after seven years as a captive in the North? You want the whole of Telmar to remember you, sir, as the foolish dip-wad who turned away the Crown Princess, the once-betrothed to General Caspian, the delight of her father's eye?"

His eye peeked out at her again. "You've been practicing that one, haven't yeh? I tell ya, the Princess is long dead!"

"Ask me anything, and I will prove that I am her!"

He pulled back and muttered to someone by him. Then he was back: "How old are you now?"

"Thirty-seven."

"Where have you been living?"

"With the Giants."

"Why haven't you come back?"

"I was trapped there."

"How did you get here now?"

"I escaped after many years of planning."

"Describe your old bedchamber. I've seen it, so don't lie!"

"It is in the northeast corner of the house on the second floor. I don't know if it looks the same now, but it used to be covered with my drawings. Most of the drawings were of Narnian creatures and of—" her voice broke.

The guard's eyes widened. He disappeared, and a moment later, the door was pulled open to reveal the vast, snow-covered courtyard.

"I'll be bringing you to the King," he said. "But if you make a fool of me, I'll make you regret it!"

She assented, and they crossed the yard and entered the palace. Once inside the warm building, a flood of emotions washed over her: of old familiarity, of entrapment... She blinked away unsuspecting tears while the guard glanced uneasily at her.

"The King'll be in session. This way," he said.

"I know where to go," she said, ignoring his guidance and leading them to the throne room.

"Wait out here," he said once they were by the doorway. "I'll see if I can bring you in."

She nodded. She studied the bear head mounted in the wall above her while she waited. She remembered a conversation she had had with Caspian so long ago about how the Telmarines had killed anyone trying to escape the White Witch. Was this poor bear a Talking Bear that had run afoul of the Witch and merely tried to create a new life for himself? How horrible it must be to be judged based only on your species and not whether you are good or kind...!

"You may enter," the guard said, shaking her out of her thoughts.

She stepped into the old, familiar courtroom, walking slowly down the center aisle. The court was fuller than usual today; perhaps the nobles were attending in case Caspian himself made his rumored appearance. The high roof was glass, but now was covered with snow, so a dim white light filtered into the room.

She looked up to the dais. There sat her father, so much older-looking than she remembered. His flaming red hair and beard was mostly white now. He was much thicker, and had begun to be hunchbacked from years of bad posture. Beside him was her mother, her hair grey and body rounded, staring off into space in a disturbing way; it was if she couldn't focus on anything in the room.

She stopped before the stairs and curtseyed to them in the smoothest way she could manage; it had been a while since she had moved in such a way.

Meridian stared hard at her. "So, I am told that you claim to be Princess Priyah."

"I am Princess Priyah."

"I am also told that you claim to have been kidnapped by Giants."

"Yes. I was."

"Do elaborate before I have you thrown out here for mocking this Crown!" he growled.

"You recall the night I disappeared, don't you, Father?" His eyes flashed at her calling him that. She quickly continued. "It was a week before my wedding to Caspian. He was a Captain then, remember? Well, my lady-in-waiting Panalia and I rode into the woods in the middle of the night. You see, I was very much into reading Runes at the time, and I read that if a woman rides out into the forest on a full moon, it would give good luck to her marriage and she would bear a son.

"I might mention that we were accompanied by a certain soldier by the name of Roren. If you search your records, you will see that he also disappeared on that very night. Well, while we were in the woods—we travelled north, you see—we were attacked by Giants. Roren was killed defending me, as was my loyal lady-in-waiting. Because they could see I was royal by my crown, they kept me and took me back to their caves in the north to decide what to do with me.

"While they argued back and forth, I managed to entertain their young ones, who were being very unruly. I did some silly things that quieted the younglings down, and the parents noticed. In the end they decided to keep me as entertainment for their children. I spent the last seven years earning their trust and planning my escape, because they lived very far north and I need to store up rations to survive the journey back."

Meridian didn't look fully convinced. "What were Giants doing in Telmar?"

"I think they got lost. They weren't very good with directions, I learned."

Meridian studied her, stroking his beard. The court hadn't been paying attention closely when Priyah had entered, thinking her another desperate sod looking for aid, but they were now watching with the utmost fascination.

Priyah stepped before Bria, who had yet to focus on her—or anything—yet. "Mother," she said, "please look at me. It's Priyah, your daughter."

Bria's eyes twitched in her direction.

"Please, Mother. I've come home."

Bria finally fixed her lost gaze on Priyah. The court gasped. Recognition slowly registered on Bria's face. Meridian looked stunned.

"Mother?" she prodded, going up a step. "Do you remember me?"

Suddenly, a high pitched scream erupted from Bria's mouth. Horrified, everyone in the room involuntarily moved back.

Bria jumped up and pointed to Priyah while glaring accusingly at Meridian. "We did this to her! We did this to her! Look at her! My baby!" she wailed. "We used her, we sold her, we traded her, we ignored her! We scared her away! And now look at her! She is old, wasted, because of us!"

Bria clasped her hands together and threw herself at Priyah's feet. "Forgive me, daughter! I wasn't strong enough to protect you!"

Horrified, Priyah knelt to caress her mother's thin hair. "Mother, it's all right. I'm home!"

Meridian muttered to the guards near him, "Get her out of here."

The guards didn't bat an eye. They went to Bria, each took an arm, and practically dragged the screaming woman out of the court. A door banged shut behind them. The room echoed with the screams, then was silent. The onlookers were holding their breath.

Meridian exhaled. "So, daughter, you see what has become of your mother in your absence? She has gone insane. She blames me for imaginary crimes, as you saw."

Priyah blinked. "You believe me? You believe I am your daughter?"

"Yes. Only the real Priyah could elicit such a response from her mother." He signaled to the servants. "Have my daughter attended to. She looks like a vagabond. And afterwards—" he locked eyes with her "—we need to talk."

"Princess Talia, you are needed immediately."

Talia had been staring into the sky, where Cor and Aravis were riding the Gryphons. They were practicing going from one Gryphon to another without falling; a skill like that was vital if they were to go long distances. A Gryphon could only go so far with a grown human riding it, especially if there is nowhere to land when it's above the sea.

Talia turned to see a Marshwiggle looking down at her with a frown on...her?...face.

"What is it?"

"It's the little girl," the Marshwiggle said. "They can't wake her up. Though I don't know the use in trying. There's nothing out here worth waking up for."

Talia was surprised. "Caulitha still isn't awake?"

"No, Princess, the nurse can't rouse her. It was good fortune to find someone with nursing skills in this hodgepodge group you've collected, so it's no wonder that her nursing skills aren't the best. I daresay the enemy has all the real nurses out there, healing up the people that are going to do us in."

"Can you take me to Caulitha?"

"Sure can, but there's no guarantee the girl won't be dead and gone by the time we get there. This way."

Talia glowered at the back of the Marshwiggle's head as she followed her through the frozen swamp. "I don't appreciate your bad attitude," she said. "That's my little sister you're talking about! I used to rock her to sleep when she was a baby!"

"All the better you prepare yourself for the worst. Best to put a brave face on situations like this."

Talia restrained a reply.

They halted before a wigwam. Without thanking the Marshwiggle, Talia ducked in. When her eyes adjusted, she saw a pitiful sight: Caulitha was under a pile of thin blankets, looking pale and deathly. At her head was young Ethan, who was red-eyed and stroking Caulitha's blonde hair dismally. Tumnus was near Ethan, watching the two forlornly. A Black Dwarf was stirring a frothing drink, studying it.

They all looked up when Talia stepped in.

"Your Highness," the Dwarf curtseyed, setting aside the cup. "You have spoken to Reedwaddle?"

"If you are referring to the depressing Marshwiggle that just escorted me over here, then yes," Talia said. "You still can't wake Cauli?"

She shook her head sadly. "No, your Highness, we can't. Nothing's working. I've never seen anyone react like this to smoke. She has a green tint to her, do you see?"

Alarmed, Talia knelt to study Caulitha's face. Sure enough, her skin had a green tint and her lips were definitely green.

"I've seen someone look like this before," Talia said. "My mother. When she was poisoned."

"If we but had Queen Lucy's cordial with us..." the Dwarf said.

"It would do no good." Talia vividly remembered Peter bending over Saedra's limp form, dripping cordial into her mouth...

"Of course it would! It cures all wounds!"

"Not like this. I think somehow, the smoke brought out the poison in Cauli's blood. You see, my mother was pregnant with Cauli when she was poisoned. Cauli's twin didn't survive, and she barely did. The nurses said that Cauli would always have the poison in her organs..."

The nurse looked at Caulitha with despair. It was then that Talia realized that Caulitha wasn't just her sister, the one she had been close to years before but had been separated from. Caulitha was Narnia's future; she, as well as Talia, was an icon to them. She was High King Peter's daughter, their future Queen. She was beloved and adored.

But she was slipping away from them, like so many others had before her.

Talia fingered the horn that was now tied to her waist. Was now the moment to blow it?

She thought of Rahai, who was now resting from her journey. What would Rahai say?

Not yet.

Talia let go of the horn.

Rahai had better know what she was talking about.