Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, if I did then it would be as bad as this story.

This is dedicated to my dear friend. She got this as her Christmas present and is probably sat in her room trying to make sense of it.

The Army of Narnia

Edmund Pevensie followed the dark figure weaving its way through the buildings. He had been walking from the library towards his room when he had seen the shadowy figure slip past, at first, given the hour it was nearly 2 am, Edmund had assumed it was his eyes playing tricks upon him, the torches could not always be trusted. But then he had seen it again.

Edmund loosened his sword, ready to draw it. He drew his forest coloured cloak around him, the cold air hit him as he made his way further away from the castle. The figure darted into the woods and Edmund followed. His eyes darting about as he struggled to keep sight of the person beneath the hood. Eventually, as he was about to give up, he heard voices from ahead.
He crept closer, watching his feet.
"Of course Alaia" a voice said. Edmund's blood froze in his veins. Out of everyone it couldn't be Alaia. He realised who was speaking. Anamarie. He silently cursed. Their nanny, the woman who looked after their children, was the traitor. He could hardly believe it.
"And how do you explain?" Alaia asked
"I cannot. Oh ma'am I thought the Fair Queen was a Daughter of Eve" Anamarie said.
"Did you not investigate thoroughly?" Alaia said. Edmund froze again.
"I am sorry" Anamarie said.
"So you say" Alaia said "Now go! I must plan. Still the information about dear Mollie will come in useful. I wonder if I can break the bind so she watches as I kill her dear King. Of course then, I'll kill her."
"Of course Ma'am, I will try to find out" Anamarie said. She bowed to Alaia and left the clearing. Edmund stood for a long time after Alaia disappeared. His eyes were dark and his expression black. So Alaia meant to kill him, that he could deal with, because he could defend himself, but that she meant to hurt Mollie, no, he couldn't have that.

As he walked home, the sun's feeble rays casting a scarce light over Cair Paravel, he thought about what he had heard. He couldn't accuse Anamarie without any proof, and what he had heard would not qualify as proof in one of his own courts. But then he couldn't let her walk free, gathering information. No, he would need to get to work immediately. As he entered the castle gates the guards looked confused.
"Sire" they bowed
"Morning" Edmund said.
"Have you had a refreshing walk?" one of them said.
"I wouldn't call it refreshing" Edmund said. "But it's certainly given me a lot to think about" Here Edmund moved away from the guards and headed up through the town. It was early enough for the streets to be deserted, or at least mainly deserted. So Edmund accepted the thanks as he passed the few people who were up.

He walked through the halls of Cair Paravel, climbing the staircase slowly as a wave of fatigue washed over him. Eventually he reached his room, he slipped inside. He could make out the figure lying in bed and he was tempted to throw open the curtains and wake her up, to tell her all of his problems, Mollie might be a pain sometimes but she was a good listener. Edmund realised that he just wanted her to be safe, he sometimes forgot exactly how much he cared about her. Instead he threw his cloak over a chair and slid his boots off before going to his side of the bed and slipped under the covers.
"I'm awake" Mollie said, she rolled over to face him.
"I'm tired Mol, can I just sleep?" he asked.
"Of course" Mollie said. She kissed his cheek "Just sleep darling"
"Mmm" Edmund sighed, burrowing into the covers.

As Edmund drifted asleep he had a vague idea that Mollie had left the bed and opened the door, a cool draught blew in and he shivered, burrowing further into the sheets and furs that were piled on the bed.
"Sleep Ed" her voice came from across the room. Edmund's mind slowly closed and he vaguely heard her speaking to someone in a low voice
"I don't want him disturbed, he's been up all night. Excuse us from breakfast"
"Course Milady" a soft sweet voice said and then the draught was gone. A dip on the bed beside him and a kiss on his forehead with the words, "Sleep Edmund. Just sleep darling" Were the last things he remembered.

Edmund woke a few hours later, he felt groggy and tired and he would have like to curl himself into a ball and fall asleep again. Instead he pulled himself out of bed with a groan.
"Finally awake?" Mollie asked. Edmund saw her sitting before the fire, reading.
"Mmm" he replied.
"I've got you some tea" she said, pouting him a cup.
Is this that relaxy sleepy stuff?" he asked
"No, it's ordinary stuff" Mollie said.
"Thanks darling" Edmund said.
"You want to tell me why you were up all night?" Mollie asked "Why you were out of the castle"
"Not particularly"
"Edmund, that doesn't work on me" Mollie said.
"What doesn't?"
"You say that you don't want to. Tell me" Mollie ordered.
"Mollie, you're my wife, not my chaperone" Edmund replied.
"Sometimes I think I'm both" Mollie replied
"Maybe I'm keeping you safe" Edmund aid.
"I keep myself safe. I don't need your help" Mollie said.
"Mollie, you are being predictably un helpful" Edmund said.
"Says you" Mollie said.
"Mols I'm not going to argue with you" Edmund replied standing up.
"Why, because you don't care?" Mollie asked, rising from her own chair.
"Why are you so stupid?" Edmund asked.
"Don't you dare" Mollie replied.
"You can't see, although it's so obvious" Edmund said.
"And you don't understand, although it's clear as day" Mollie said.
"If you're around Mollie, nothing is clear" Edmund replied
"What?" Mollie asked
"You complicate everything" Edmund replied.
"I do not!" Mollie said.
"Yes you do. We would sail through life, but behind every little rut is a you" Edmund said.
"You know what Edmund get out" Mollie said.
"It's my room" Edmund replied
"Get. Out. Now" Mollie said.
"Make me" he said. Mollie threw her cup of tea at him. It sailed over his head and smashed on the wall. Edmund turned around.
"Missed" he said. Mollie let out a scream of frustration and stomped out of the room. She stormed through the castle, Maids hurrying out of her way. The deadly look in her eyes was one usually reserved for the battlefield, but had been worn after the occasional row with Edmund. Then she was out of the door.

Edmund made his way downstairs that evening.
"Edmund where's Mollie, she missed training" Lucy said as he walked into the room.
"Don't know" Edmund said.
"Apparently, she was glaring daggers and stormed out of the castle" Susan said.
"What's she done now?" Annabel asked Edmund.
"Threw a cup at me" Edmund said with a long suffering sigh.
"By the Lion! Really?" Lucy asked.
"Should we go and find her?" Annabel asked.
"What's the point?" Edmund asked "She'll be back"

The week passed with no return of the Queen, every messenger was eagerly questioned, not by Edmund whom it seemed couldn't care less about the whereabouts of his wife, but not one had seen the Brave, though Annabel thought she was Foolish, Queen on their travels.
"Mollie's missing" Peter stated as he walked into Edmund's study. His brother was deep in thought and scarcely looked up at Peter's entrance.
"Mollie's being her usual self" Edmund said, his calm demeanour hid his inner turmoil.
"Edmund, you must feel something's wrong" Peter replied.
"Brother, I wonder should we quit while we are ahead?" Edmund asked.
"What?" Peter asked.
"Me and Mollie. I don't know if I can keep this up" Edmund said.
"You cannot become unmarried" Peter said "Unless she is killed"
"I don't want her dead. I just don't know if I can keep this up" Edmund replied.
"Keep what up?" Peter asked.
"Arguing. All the time Peter, we don't have a relationship, more of a big, everlasting argument" Edmund said.
"Have you fallen out of love with her? I will assume it was love, if it's lasted almost 9 years" Peter said.
"No, I still love her. I just don't know how I can cope with her anymore. She needs a stronger man than I will ever be" Edmund said.
"Brother, I urge you, do not give up" Peter said.
"Pete, it won't work anymore. We aren't the young and fresh people of our youth, when our arguments were merely sparring of words. They cause pain" Edmund said.
"You cannot be unmarried" Peter replied.
"I want her alive" Edmund said.
"What about the children?" Peter asked.
"They are my heirs" Edmund said.
"Then what do you suggest. Mollie will fight for them" Peter said.
"I don't know" Edmund said.
"We could send her to the Lone Islands, as Governess" Peter said.

Outside the room Annabel cast a worried glance. She may not approve of Mollie but that didn't matter, Edmund had married her and they would stay married. She walked down the corridors, till she arrived at her room. After she had changed she went to the stables, and ordered her horse to be saddled. Later, when Peter went to change for supper, he would find a letter waiting for him.

Of course it was not as easy for Annabel to gallop away and have an adventure. Moran, Linea and Peridan arrived and trotted beside her.
"Ma'am, may I ask where we are going?" Peridan asked as Moran and Linea looked on curiously.
"Not sure yet" Annabel said.
"What are you looking for?" Moran asked "Ma'am"
"Mollie" Annabel replied.
"Of course Ma'am" Linea said "Where is she likely to be?"
"I don't know" Annabel said.
"Then we better start looking" Peridan said.

Annabel didn't much enjoy the next week. She was cold and angry at Mollie. Nights were spent on the cold, hard forest floor, listening to the harsh cries of the nocturnal animals. They trekked up a steep hillside. Peridan knew of a hidden hunting lodge. It seemed they had struck good. A small plume of smoke rose from the stone turret. Peridan knocked on the door and waited.

Mollie opened the door and stared at them.
"Come home" Annabel said.
"No" Mollie replied, her face set stubbornly.
"Peridan, Moran, Linea, guard the perimeter, my sister-in-law and I shall have a talk" Annabel said, using her commanding, High Queen voice.
"What?" Mollie asked sullenly as Annabel shut the door behind them and slowly walked around, assessing the room.
"You're running away" she said, flicking at a bit of mud.
"I'm not. I'm cooling down" Mollie replied stubbornly.
"Sure" Annabel said with a glance at Mollie "sit"
"Annabel, this is my… temporary residence" Mollie argued.
"You're going to lose your husband" Annabel said.
"What?" Mollie asked.
"I heard him and Peter talking" Annabel said. Mollie sunk down into a chair.
"After everything I've given up for him" she said, her despairing gaze turning angry.
"And what about him!" Annabel said "He could have married royalty, had two thrones"
"I never stopped him!" Mollie said.
"Yes you did. You made him fall in love with you" Annabel said
"What? How?" Mollie said. "And why am I going to lose him?"
"You argue too much Mollie. He has grown weary, he needs a supportive wife, not an argumentative partner" Annabel said, although she didn't understand how the woman couldn't figure it out, it was rather obvious.
"But… he cannot… I need him" Mollie said, Annabel met her eyes, seeing the stricken look. Annabel was slightly surprised, she had always thought of Mollie as being calm and cool, yet she seemed utterly broken at the thought of Edmund leaving.
"Mollie, come home. Show your support for him" Annabel said.
"I…" Mollie looked like she wanted to refuse, then she hung her head "Of course"

"You have the perfect excuse" Annabel said as the pair rode home, the guards around them.
"Oh?" Mollie asked, her humour had certainly improved.
"Yes, whenever you're angry with him, you could just spar. That way your anger might improve your chances of winning" Annabel said.
"Not amused Annabel" Mollie said.
"It's surely worth a try" Annabel said.
"All right, next time Edmund upsets me, I will fight him" Mollie said with a smile.
"Good, because Mollie, I will not have my family broken up" Annabel said.
"Yes ma'am" Mollie saluted.

When they arrived at Cair Paravel a day later they entered the throne room. Everyone was assembled but Mollie ran towards Edmund and kissed him.
"I'm sorry" she said, looking him straight in the eye "I'm so sorry"
"It's all right Mollie" Edmund said and Mollie hugged him, over her head he sent a questioning look towards Peter who was looking equally bewildered. The bewilderment on the High King's face subsided when he looked at his wife, because Annabel was stood looking at Mollie and Edmund with a satisfied smile on her face.

I hope you all like it!

Jedhev