Disclaimer: I don't own any of this! Lord of the Rings and everything it contains was originally the idea of J.R.R. Tolkien. Credits for Narnia and everything associated with it go to C.S. Lewis. This was based on the video 'The king, the girl and the lion – Trailer' by Nonokun24 on YouTube. This particular chapter may slightly remind you of the BBC docudrama 'Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare', but apart from that, I'd say it just might be my most original chapter yet! =)
Author's note: Welcome, dear readers! I am honored by your never-relenting interest! And thank you, all reviewers, for your precious time!
Now we will see what the solution is: diplomacy or battle. Arwen has left for Cair Paravel, ready to negotiate, and there is hope the Narnians will gladly welcome her. But will it actually lead to peace?
I hope you'll find this good enough to enjoy!
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Negotiations
"Why fight if we can negotiate?"
CAPTAIN ( ;) ) Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: 'Dead Man's Chest'
Arwen
"There is still hope."
Arwen, Lord of the Rings: 'The Return of the King'
The Pevensies, followed by Lucy, were walking through Cair Paravel.
A Faun had reported that Lady Arwen had arrived with a large retinue. Except two bodyguards no one had followed her in, on the High King's explicit request.
Now she awaited the arrival of Peter and his siblings in a small room with only some chairs and a table. At the only door two Fauns of the Palace Guard were positioned. No problem for two Noldor, but in the corridors there were dozens more.
Peter opened the door, gestured for Lucy to remain hidden between the Narnians for another moment and walked to Arwen.
The Elvish Princess bowed and greeted: "Hail, Peter Pevensie the Magnificent, High King of Narnia. I am Queen Arwen of Gondor, daughter to Master Elrond, Princess of the Noldor and mother of a missing child."
Peter nodded calmly, determined not to be carried away by his emotions at once. Edmund would be proud of him, he thought acidly.
Lucy obediently kept standing behind them.
Peter briefly introduced the others: "My siblings, Queen Susan the Gentle and King Edmund the Just."
For a while both negotiators looked at each other.
The Kings and Queen wore their Royal garments instead of their military uniforms for a change. Peter had put on royal blue, with a golden picture embroidered on it and a cloak in that same color, while Edmund seemed to fancy grey looking light blue and silver. Blue was his tunic, silver the embroidering and the cloak. Susan wore even lighter blue, but brighter, and a dark blue cloak.
Arwen thought they didn't look threatening at all, the way she saw them now. Peter looked at her questioningly but kindly, Susan was just as much surprised, but if possible even more polite, and Edmund even looked understanding in his own detached way.
She herself couldn't compare to them in splendor, dressed in her simple dark blue attire, but the Pevensies looked very benevolently at her.
They were orphans themselves and hated it when a family was torn apart. They sincerely did want to help her. The question was only if they were able to do so without bringing harm to Narnia itself.
Arwen finally started: "I think you know why I'm here. I have reasons to assume you have something precious to me."
Peter nodded and smiled. "Very good reasons, I imagine. But just so we're clear: I did not abduct your daughter, or forced her to come with me. We Narnians, we are no thieves. We do not take anything that isn't ours. We made that a tradition over four centuries ago. We are not without honor. We do not abduct children. We do not torture. We do not kill anyone who cannot defend himself. Truly, I do not see how I myself or anyone of my people can have offended you."
Arwen spoke conciliatorily: "I am not offended. But whatever the circumstances may be or may have been, surely you must understand that you have caused me and my family great sadness. I miss my daughter. Certainly you understand, do you not?"
Peter nodded again. "Certainly I do understand you, Your Majesty. And as a result, you will see her again very soon."
After that he stepped aside and Lucy embraced her mother. Arwen's sudden emotion was so great that she both laughed and cried at the same moment.
"Lucy! Sweetheart, I'm so happy to see you!" she sobbed.
Lucy answered: "I'm happy to see you too, mum. I'm sorry. But it's been hard for me as well and…"
"I know," Arwen interrupted her softly. "You haven't done anything wrong. Quite the contrary."
Peter turned his head for a moment and was stunned.
"Edmund…" he stammered. "Are you crying?"
The younger brother looked at him coldly and answered hard as steel: "No. I've got something in my eye."
Peter grinned and looked at him attentively.
Then Edmund said coldly: "And you get something in your eye as well if you keep staring at me in such a foolish way. My fist, to be exact."
Peter laughed and patted his back. "That's my boy!"
Then he turned his attention to mother and daughter again, who were still holding each other.
Carefully he asked: "Uhm… I don't know… Not that it bothers me at all, but are we going to continue the negotiations? Or are you just staying for a few days? It's all fine with me, but I've got a war to wage and an army to lead and you have your courtiers to think about."
Arwen let go of Lucy and answered, wiping away her tears: "Yes, of course. Please excuse. The emotion."
Peter smiled. "Perfectly understandable."
Arwen asked hopeful: "Can you let my daughter go back with me?"
But then Peter shook his head. "Only if she wants to herself. She came her of her own free will. Of her own free will she must go or stay. If your daughter wants to leave, she can do so and no one will dare to stop her, by our Royal authority. But if she wishes to stay, she is welcome, and no one in Narnia can force her to leave, and neither will Narnia allow anyone to drive her from our lands. That is the law, and by law only I am High King. Mine is not to question, but obey the law. Ask your daughter to come with you! I can neither stop her nor send her away. I do not want to influence her either. You have my word that should Lucy utter the wish to leave us, we will give her provisions so that she won't die in the wilderness, and let her go unharmed. Yes, if she can guarantee their return, I will even send soldiers with her to protect her."
Arwen looked at Lucy with hope, but immediately knew she was having illusions. Why would she suddenly come with her now?
Lucy shook her head, weeping. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave them. They need me more than you do. And dad won't harm me. I'm safe here. They're really very nice to me, and I don't want them to die. I'm sorry."
Arwen let her tears run free. She had expected that; her daughter already had made her choice. Then Edmund suddenly cleared his throat.
Susan asked: "Do you see a solution here, Edmund?"
"I believe I do," the boy answered. "So the problem is that Aragorn is at war against us and Lucy doesn't want to leave us alone in said war," he started summarizing. "We cannot trade her for peace and she doesn't want to go back before we have peace either. So in fact it's very simple: let us conclude peace first! Lucy can go back, without any problem. And we all have our rest. I don't see any problems."
Susan thoroughly considered her brother's words and said enthusiastically: "Yes, yes! And then there won't be a cause for a new war, since we'll both neatly stick to the agreements!"
Peter asked Arwen: "Do you have the power to conclude peace on your own authority?"
Arwen confessed: "My husband is unaware of my presence here. And every agreement needs his ratification. But my father and brothers are on my side, and I have heard Mithrandir, Gandalf the Grey as you call him, has been asking himself questions about the war, and it is rumored that this example is followed by Legolas and Gimli, Generals and personal friends of my husband, and Knight Marshal Théoden, the King of Rohan. Many will insist on peace. And Aragorn sincerely believes you wish to eliminate our child."
"If we had wanted to, we would have killed her before," said Edmund coldly. "We already heard practically all we could get to know from her. Since she is of little further use to us, why shouldn't we cut her throat? It's simple: because we don't want to and we never wanted to."
Arwen answered: "You can tell him that, when he wants to convene with you. Then you can talk it all out quietly and calmly."
Peter asked: "Do you think you can persuade your husband to negotiate a peace?"
"I have my influence," answered Arwen.
Susan said cheerfully: "Good! So you ensure that he comes to talk, then we'll manage to convince him to have peace."
Arwen nodded smiling.
Still she asked: "Your Majesty, is there truly nothing you can do? If I give you my word in this matter, can't you let my child go with me?"
"Not as long as she doesn't want to herself," Peter answered compassionately.
"How can you, a young nobleman with a good heart, watch as a mother's heart suffers?" complained the Elvish Princess.
The Narnian High King answered kindly yet decidedly: "I am deeply sorry, Milady, but I have no right to command your daughter to go or to stay."
Edmund intervened: "But maybe you will feel more at ease when she is guarded by men you know as well. I do not object to the Evenstar Guard protecting her here as well."
Arwen looked up in surprise. "Your offer is gratefully accepted, milord," she answered with a bow.
Peter nodded. "Permitted."
Mother and daughter embraced each other again.
After that the Queen left. She didn't look around; that would be too painful for the both of them.
The Pevensies went out of the room. Lucy stayed behind. Edmund hesitated for a while.
He said to Peter and Susan: "You go. I'll follow."
Lucy had seated herself on a chair. Edmund took another one.
He asked: "Do you want to talk?"
Lucy shook her head.
The King asked: "Do you want me to leave?"
The Princess asked back: "Were you planning on leaving?"
Edmund answered: "No."
Author's note: Sweet heavens! What happened to Edmund?
Very simple: each person has several sides to him/her. Even Edmund can be nice and sensitive. And now we've seen him in another light.
Honestly, I'm rather proud of this chapter =) Most of it was all mine! =)
Okay, it's not exactly peace already, but it is a big step!
Coming up next on 'The king, the girl and the lion': Finally, Aragorn and Aslan, High King of Gondor and God King of Narnia, come face to face. Diplomacy gets its greatest chance. But can Aragorn turn things around? Will he abandon the war he led so far?
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And do watch the YouTube videos on this by Nonokun24 and EdwardElricGirl200, and read the story 'Yu-Gi-Oh: European Duel Academy' on here by Supreme Arcanite Magician!
