Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, I just play with the characters.
Here you go everyone. Gods my head hurts :( so I'm not at school today. Mainly because I told dad straight that I wasn't going.
The Army of Narnia
As the months passed all three girls grew. Their brothers played with them. Kye was especially attentive to Callie who was growing black hair with her dark blue eyes. Kye took his little sister everywhere, walking her around the castle and in the gardens. As he was 4, he began his lessons, and although already a smart boy he had a lot to learn. Due to Edmund's encouragement he was much further in his education before he began than many children. Although due to Mollie's curiosity which he had inherited, he did want to learn, and was especially excited about learning the history of Narnia. In the afternoons when he wasn't playing with his younger sister he was sat with Edmund in his study. Kye would either be drawing or reading or occasionally helping Edmund with his paperwork.
As the months passed the ability of the three girls grew. They were soon crawling around, but not one of them had uttered a word. Yet all three said something in the course of an afternoon. It was just after Christmas and the snow was still falling quickly. Mollie had stayed indoors with the three other Queens in the parlour. The first incident happened at breakfast, the second early afternoon and the third during the evening. Lucy had arrived down to breakfast last. The others were already eating, Annabel was tempting Alyanna with some scrambled egg. Alaina was carefully watching her mother when she turned to her dad and held her arms out, in a clear voice she said "Dada" everyone turned to her and looked at her. A small frown came over her face and more insistently she said "Dada!" Peter picked her up and held her, the little girl smiled. Of course Annabel was quite smug that her daughter was talking before Mollie's and Mollie handed her a few golden coins. Early afternoon was when Alyanna followed her sister in speaking. It was while the ladies were in the parlour and she called for Annabel. Her fingers latching onto Annabel's dress and pulling herself towards her.
Callie meanwhile was sat on Mollie's lap watching her cousins. Mollie was stroking her hair and talking to Lucy. As they came back from supper they all gathered in the parlour again. Edmund was playing chess with Lucy while Mollie was sat reading to Callie. Susan and Annabel were trying to get Alaina and Alyanna to talk again. Callie who was playing with a lock of Mollie's hair suddenly looked up.
"As…lan" she said quietly. She tugged Mollie's hair "Aslan" she said again a little bit louder. The occupants of the room looked at her and turned to where she was pointing. The painting of Aslan was hung on the wall. His mane was golden fire. His eyes molten gold. Callie smiled.
The Princesses were learning new words every day, and by the time they were a year old they had begun to walk. Callie was the first to walk. Her first shaky steps were from Mollie's careful arms across the office floor to where Edmund was working. He welcomed her with open arms and picked her up, sitting her on his lap and congratulating her. Kye peered up to his sister and presented her with one of his toy knights.
Kye's birthday was soon upon them and he woke up excited, running into his parents room and stopped dead when he saw them waiting for him with smiles and presents. He opened Mollie's present first which was a toy castle. Kye was about to go and get his horsemen to play in it when Edmund passed him a smaller box. Kye opened it and grinned at his father. Inside to box was a collection of beautiful painted wooden horses, they had leather tack. Then a collection of figures, there was a collection of Knights and a smaller figure, Kye took it's helmet off to reveal an exquisitely painted figure.
"Mummy, it's you!" Kye exclaimed and showed her. Mollie laughed.
"So it is" she said with a smile. Kye sat on the floor and began playing with them. It was a few days later that they began packing to set off to Anvard.
Mollie knelt on the stone steps in her pale blue dress. Her hands on Kye's shoulders. The five year old looked at her.
"Mummy I want to come!" he said "Please!"
"Kye I need you to look after your sister" Mollie said softly
"Anamarie is looking after Callie though!" he argued.
"Yes but I need you to be in charge. Take up Daddy's position" Mollie replied. The young boy's brown eyes lit up.
"Promise I can be in charge?" he asked.
"Anamarie!" Mollie called. The young lady walked over.
"Yes Mollie?" she asked
"Kye is in charge of his father's position" Mollie told her.
"Of course. Now my little King, shall we go inside and get you on your throne?" Anamarie asked
"Yes! Bye mummy love you" Kye said and ran inside the palace.
"Thank you" Mollie said to Anamarie.
"It's my pleasure. I will look after both of them" Anamarie replied with a smile "Have fun"
Mollie mounted the roan stallion and the party set off. The journey to Archenland wasn't remotely interesting. As the party had to camp at the foot off the mountain pass Susan and Annabel didn't have the best sleep. Much to the amusement of Mollie and Lucy who slept well and woke refreshed. All together the party was made up of 20 of them. The two Kings and 4 Queens and 14 guards. Yet they arrived in Archenland without any sign of threat. It was a joyous occasion. The Crown Prince and the Lady Aravis's wedding. The Narnian Monarchs were the first guests. They arrived midday on the day before the wedding and were to leave the morning after the wedding. The afternoon was spent catching up with the Archenlandish Royals. Annabel's father Lord Cur was there to greet her and she spent a happy few hours with her parents and her husband. A date was set for them to join the Narnians later in the year.
The wedding was a beautiful affair. Corin was Cor's best man and Aravis had King Lune giving her away as she had contacted her father who had told her he didn't want her to ever contact him again. The Narnians were in the front row of the wedding as they exchanged their vows. Aravis look beautiful with her dark skin, soft eyes and long shiny hair. Mollie smiled at the young couple. They looked happy and in love. Mollie remembered the young boy she had held in the dusty, hot Calormen street and smiled at how tall and strong he had become, a worthy Crown Prince.
The next day, just after lunch the Narnians gave their goodbyes and set off. They were all anxious to get back to Cair Paravel. Not that they hadn't enjoyed seeing their friends, it was that they were missing their country, children and people. They waved as they rode off, Peter leading and Edmund and Mollie at the back. They reached the foot of the path just before dark fell and spent the night in a small camp. Mollie lay next to Edmund her hand on her sword. Edmund placed one hand over hers during the night and she looked at him, he nodded and leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Get some sleep Mols" he whispered.
"You too" she replied. He nodded and pulled her closer.
Mollie listened in the eerily silence of the woods. She leant over to Edmund who was riding Phillip.
"Ed, I don't like this" she said, her eyes skimming the woods.
"Neither do I Mols" Edmund replied, she saw his hand loosen his sword, hers did the same.
"Mols. If something happens get Susan and Annabel and Lucy, get them off the horses and get them to Cair Paravel" Edmund said
"I could help if it came to a fight" Mollie protested.
"Maybe, but Susan and Annabel can't fight, not close up. You and Lucy need to protect them" Edmund replied.
"It's alright. I will" Mollie said.
The war cry cut through the silence. As the many bandits charged down through the trees the two elder Queens looked wildly around. Edmund's eyes locked with Mollie's and she nodded, slipping off her horse. Edmund wheeled his horse around with the guards and charged towards the bandits. Mollie looked at Lucy who understood and slipped from her horse. The two girls pulled Susan and Annabel off their horses and pulled them into the forest.
"Lucy what's happening?" Susan asked.
"Bandits. We need to get you back to Cair Paravel" Lucy said.
"Why can't we ride?" Annabel asked as they ran through the forest.
"Because horses make more noise than us" Mollie said "We can hide with ease. Horses take much more effort to hide. Not easy in urgency."
"Oh" Susan said.
The Queens stopped a few hours later and rested under some trees. Mollie had her hair plaited up away from her face and was wearing a light grey dress, she was also wearing her bright blue summer cloak. Lucy was wearing a pale pink dress and her hair was down in curls, her red cloak would do little to protect from the cold. Susan had an elaborate hairstyle in and was dressed in fine red silk, a beautifully embroidered cream cloak hung from her shoulders. Annabel had an equally elaborate hairstyle in and she was wearing a deep purple silk dress, a lighter purple cloak hung from her shoulders. Mollie who had the foresight to grab some bags from one of the pack horses, had found food and water. They ate the bread sparingly and had some water, resting for an hour, then they were off.
Half way through the afternoon Lucy held up her hand and they all stopped. Lucy pointed towards a hill and the girls looked, they could see several figures running over the crest and coming towards them, they hadn't been spotted yet.
"Mollie?" Lucy asked
"We have to fight them. We need to go in that direction" Mollie said
"Can't we skirt around them?" Susan asked
"No. Susan, Annabel, get up that tree" Mollie said "Sword at the ready Lu"
"Mols, there must be at least 20 of them!" Lucy said.
"We will beat them. Have faith. Climb a tree. Pick them off as they approach. Then come down and help me" Mollie said her eyes scanning the forest. Only five minutes later the cry cut through the silent woods. Mollie was stood under the trees alone. Her dark eyes were concentrated and suddenly the woods erupted in front of her. The men charging out from the trees. Lucy picked them off one by one. Mollie's sword flew in a graceful arc. She slashed and parried, stabbing and dodging. The blows weren't hard to deflect. These men were not trained for combat originally. Then a figured dropped onto one of the men, knocking him to the floor, unconscious. Lucy gave her a grin and dived into the fray. Mollie spun and pointed her sword only to see Lucy doing the same, the two girls looked around and laughed. All the men were on the floor, one stirred near Lucy who just dropped her sword hilt on his head, knocking him out again. The two girls helped the elder Queens from the tree. Lucy emptied the quivers of arrows and added them to hers. Mollie took what food she could find . They set off on their journey, wanting to put as much distance between them and the fallen men.
As night began to fall the two younger Queens searched for a camping place. Susan and Lucy went to find something to eat while Mollie and Annabel gathered firewood. As Mollie lit the fire Annabel sat down on the ground.
"Why?" Annabel asked.
"What?" Mollie asked her.
"Why did we have to leave? And on foot!" Annabel said
"Annabel, do you think Peter would have thrown himself in front of a blade for you? Yes he would have. For his brother, for his sisters! Edmund would have done the same for me, Lucy, Susan and you" Mollie said "I know you have never done this. I know you want to be tucked up in Peter's arms in bed, but the only way that will happen is if we got you away from them. You would only be a liability in a fight. We would have died protecting you"
"I'm sorry" Annabel looked at her with clear green eyes "It's just me and Susan look after you and Lucy, it's the way life is. Now, we are out here, and for you and Lucy this isn't a change, but me and Susan have never done this"
"Let me and Lucy take care of you two. We know what we are doing" Mollie replied
"I know you do" Annabel said. Mollie made a move to get up but Annabel caught her arm "Mollie, do you think Peter is alright?" she asked, her worried gaze turned on Mollie.
"He will be fine. I know he will be. He hasn't earned a reputation from myths, he really is a magnificent warrior" Mollie soothed her.
"Thank you Mollie" Annabel said with a smile.
"It's alright" Mollie replied with a smile.
When Susan and Lucy returned they had a few rabbits. Lucy took them and began skinning them while Mollie climbed the trees surrounding the campfire. Susan looked at her quizzically as she leapt down from the tree and landed neatly on the ground. She did the same from the other trees surrounding the fire.
"Mollie what are you doing?" Susan asked.
"I suggest that we sleep in the trees. There are well formed branches here and we will be able to sleep without fear of falling" Mollie told them. The two Queens nodded. Mollie helped Lucy to cook the rabbits and the four Queens dined on rabbit stew. Before they all climbed into the trees and settled down with blankets. Mollie sat on watch and her eyes scanned the surrounding landscape. The three Queens slept peacefully. Mollie didn't have the heart to wake them. Susan and Annabel who were not used to the constant exercise of running and fell asleep almost instantly. While Lucy who could hold out longer was still young and the running had tired her out immensely, Mollie who was barely older than Lucy was fitter than Lucy in long distances and had been training for longer.
The morning soon dawned and Mollie woke everyone up. They had the leftover rabbit stew and then packed up. Mollie and Lucy took the bags and they set off. The walk was as arduous as the day before and they still weren't close to Cair Paravel by the time the night fell. They managed to find a cave as the sun was setting. Mollie and Susan found firewood and covered the cave entrance partially. Lucy caught some fish and they cooked it on the fire. Mollie found herself studying her sisters. Lucy had barely changed from when the bandits attacked. Her clothing were covered in grass stains, all her jewellery was in one of the bags, her bow and quiver were slung over her shoulder. Susan and Annabel had changed drastically. Their elaborated hairstyles had been pulled out and they were wearing their hair down, loose around their shoulders. Their fine dresses were ruined covered in grass stains and in places ripped. Mollie took watch again, her eyes catching the firelight as she watched the others sleeping.
The next day Mollie and Lucy hid all evidence of the camp while Susan and Annabel packed up. When they had finished the four Queens then headed out towards Cair Paravel. They travelled at a much slower pace than the day before. Cair Paravel could be seen by the afternoon and by late evening the four Queens were walking up to the gates. Peter and Edmund appeared at the great oaken door and Peter ran towards them. Peter pulled Annabel into a hug while Edmund walked up to Mollie.
"Had fun?" he asked.
"Of course" Mollie said with a grin
"We expected you back yesterday morning" he replied
"We took the longest route. Just to annoy you" Mollie replied.
"I don't doubt it" he said and then pulled her into a hug.
Susan and Lucy received hugs from their brothers. Annabel, Susan and Lucy went to the dining room where food was laid out for them, Mollie went to bed. Both Mollie and Annabel also received an enthusiastic welcome from their children, which consisted of Edward telling Annabel that he could run the country single-handedly and better than his father. While Kye told Mollie all about the decisions he made as King and the people he ordered to the dungeons, Mollie listened to his story and then tucked him in bed. She went back through to the main bedroom where Edmund was sat at his desk flicking through some paperwork. Mollie went to bed and yawned; Edmund blew most of the candles out and climbed into bed. He watched her sleep, the buttery light making her skin glow golden.
Well here you go. I know it's a bit late but hey sorry!
Lots of nice adventures today! And it's quite long really. So yeah, as always, please review and have fun!
Love,
Jedhev Xxxxx
