Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia that privilege belongs to C.S. Lewis.

The Army of Narnia

Edmund was sat at the supper table, he sighed yet again as time moved slowly by, but yet Mollie didn't show. Suddenly they heard pounding feet, moving closer and the great door burst open. Mollie ran in, her face in terror.
"Mollie? What on earth is the matter?" Edmund asked.
"Edmund, it's Callie." Mollie said.
"What?" Edmund rose immediately, his chair falling to the floor.
"She's ill" Mollie said "The plague has come to Cair Paravel"
"But… Please my darling, tell me you're lying" Edmund said.
"I am not" Mollie replied, tears in her eyes "I wish I was, but I am not"
"Oh Aslan" Edmund said. Together they raced from the hall, the others hot on their heels.

The news spread like wildfire. In every town, village and hamlet people looked wide eyed and scared as messengers announced
"Her Royal Highness Princess Callie is ill. Taken by the Plague."
Meanwhile in Cair Paravel healers sat with the Princess, listening to her chest, peering down her throat, each one offering a cure, and each being turned down by Mollie, who had not left her daughter's bedside.
"Mama" Callie said croakily
"Yes Cals?" Mollie asked.
"Does Aslan love me?" the five year old asked.
"Yes, he loves you Callie" Mollie said.
"Good. 'Cause I love him too" Callie beamed. "Love you too"
"Daddy and I love you very much" Mollie said.
"Will I get better?" Callie asked.
"Yes, you'll be up and about in no time"
"I don't like bed Mama, 'cause I like the sunshine" Callie said.
"As soon as you are better we'll have a picnic. Me, you and Kye" Mollie said.
"And Daddy!" Callie cheered.
"If Daddy isn't working" Mollie said.
"I promise I'll take the entire day off for a picnic, as long as you get better, is that a deal sweetheart?" Edmund said, walking through the door, he fixed his gaze steadily on his daughter.
"Promise Daddy" Callie said. She yawned suddenly.
"Now sleep my dear, for sleep will help you recover" Edmund said. Callie nodded with a smile, before snuggling into her covers. Mollie threw a log on the fire before giving her daughter and husband a shaky smile and leaving the room.

Edmund sat next to her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Mollie turned and burrowed her head in his chest.
"Mollie, oh my darling, please, do not despair" Edmund said.
"But Edmund, you've read the letter. It's a fatal disease" Mollie said, unable to hold her tears in check.
"Mollie…" Edmund said, but trailed off and held her close.
"Edmund I feel… helpless" Mollie said.
"My darling, it's hard to bear, but we must face this, and not lose hope" Edmund replied. Mollie nodded.
"I best go sit with her" she said.
"No, you need sleep" Edmund said "you've been with her since she grew ill"
"I won't leave her. She may have to face, but not alone" Mollie said.
"Let me" Edmund said.
"No. I shall not abandon my daughter" Mollie said. Edmund watched from the doorway as Mollie drifted off beside Callie, their hands held tightly together.

The Pevensies waited. It was all they could do. None of them had ever felt so powerless. Callie was sleeping, but they all knew it was only so long till she didn't wake. Edmund walked in the room and upon seeing that the food wasn't already laid out, he slumped in a chair.
"Is Mollie not coming down?" Susan asked.
"She won't leave Callie, even though we've got a nurse in her room" Edmund "Not even to eat"
"How is Callie?" Lucy asked.
"Worse" Edmund said. "I'm only here to grab some food"
"We'll send a tray up for you both" Peter said Edmund nodded.
"Edmund, I'll get Anamarie to watch over Callie, let Mollie get some sleep" Susan said
"No!" Edmund said "I mean… no, I'll do it"
"All right" Susan said, watching as Edmund walked away, before looking confused at her family.

Susan found Mollie still sitting in Callie's room the next morning.
"Let me take over" Susan said.
"No, Callie needs me" Mollie said.
"Callie needs you fighting fit, you're more likely to succumb to fever being this exhausted" Susan replied commandingly "Bed, now"
"But I…" Mollie began
"No, you will not make her better by making yourself ill" Susan said. Mollie nodded and left the room with a final kiss on Callie's forehead.

Mollie slept deeply for a few hours, her dreams were restless meaning that she was still tired when she awoke 3 hours later. Edmund looked up as she entered Callie's room.
"Should you be up?" Edmund asked, looking at her, still in her nightgown and robe.
"Yes, I can't sleep" Mollie said. "Where's Kye?"
"Peter's distracting both him and Edward" Edmund said.
"How?" Mollie asked.
"They're riding in the woods" Edmund said.
"I'm glad" Mollie said.

"Mollie!" Edmund shook her awake.
"What?" Mollie asked, as she woke from her light slumber.
"Callie!" he said, Mollie looked up and saw her daughter, turning pale.
"Nurse, fetch Swiftfoot" Edmund ordered.
"Oh no, Callie! No!" Mollie said.
"Cals, come on darling. Just breath" Edmund said, his eyes watching for any sign of life.
"Callie. Please!" Mollie said. The door banged open and Lucy arrived, Swiftfoot beside her.
"I'm sorry" Swiftfoot said after a glance at the Princess.
"No!" Mollie said "There must be something"
"I'm afraid nothing can be done" Swiftfoot replied.
"No!" Edmund said "You cannot give up on her"
"Sire, this disease is fatal. She cannot endure" Swiftfoot said.
"Get out" Mollie said, her eyes burning. Swiftfoot bowed and left the room.
"Callie. Breathe!" Edmund said. The monarchs stood side by side against the wall as Edmund and Mollie tried furiously to get Callie to breathe. The little girl turned blue and her heart stopped beating.
"No!" Edmund's voice was the first as Mollie put her head down.
"Edm…" Peter began.
"No" Edmund said and stormed out. Mollie sat beside Callie, crying and holding onto her daughter's hand.

The monarchs left the room in silence, each trying to comprehend the death.
"I suppose we can't be untouched" Lucy said to Susan
"Why her" Susan asked.
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked.
"The plague hasn't touched anyone else. Callie is the only one affected by it" Susan said.
"You think it was?" Lucy asked.
"Alaia" Susan confirmed "That would be why your cordial didn't work"
"Don't let Mollie find out" Lucy said
"Why?" Susan asked confused.
"Because she'll go on the rampage" Lucy said.
"Yes, of course" Susan said, with a smile.
"Mollie should not ride to meet Alaia, in her grief she is not wise" Lucy said.
"Of course she isn't. Anger clouds her judgement" Susan agreed.
Inside the room Mollie looked towards the door. If it was true, if Alaia was responsible for Callie's death, then Alaia would die. Die in the most painful way Mollie could think of.

The days turned into weeks and the Pevensies grew worried. Mollie and Edmund hardly saw each other, both trying to deal with their grief. King Edmund was hollow. His daughter was dead. The initial anger at Alaia was almost blinding, but soon replaced by a hollowness. He'd find that her favourite rose was in bloom, spectacularly red, and hurry inside to tell her, where upon he'd remember. He'd walk through the market, see the brightest yellow cloth for her, he'd go to buy it, thinking about her smile when she saw it and then remembered, she'd never smile again. Then the hollowness would overcome him again. The tears had long since faded. Queen Mollie felt anger, a heart wrenching sense of anger. She'd bottle it up. The fire burning hotter and hotter in her mind. She was consumed by the hatred for Alaia, the witch who took her most precious thing away. Her daughter.

One night as Edmund slept at his desk, having fallen asleep their while attempting to battle paperwork he dreamt of a beautiful place, he would often attempt to recall the place, but found he never could. Aslan stood before him.
"Oh Aslan, you must help us, Callie is gone" Edmund cried.
"I know, it was I who took her from you" Aslan said.
"Was she in a great deal of pain?" Edmund asked
"More than you know. She is intelligent and understood how her pain would affect you and Mollie" Aslan said.
"Then I am glad you took her. I could not stand to think of her suffering" Edmund said.
"You must comfort your wife, the only way you can bear your grief is if you share it" Aslan said.
"Of course Sire" Edmund replied.

Edmund woke and started. He pushed back his chair and ran out the room. He opened the door and stopped, staring. The room was a mess. Furniture was overturned and broken, the curtains were torn, as were the bed sheets. Wardrobe doors were open and clothes were strewn all over. Sitting in the middle, curled into a ball and crying, surrounded by shards of ornaments and glass, was Mollie.

He moved and at down beside her.
"You're angry" he said.
"Should I be happy?" Mollie asked him.
"No. No you shouldn't" Edmund said.
"Don't you feel it?" Mollie asked
"Feel what?" Edmund asked.
"Anger. Don't you feel anger at her" Mollie spat out
"No. I feel hollow. As if part of my heart has been torn out" Edmund said "I can't find joy or happiness anymore"
"All I feel is anger" Mollie said "Unrelenting anger"
"And it knaws at your inside. You hide it, appearing normal in front of the country, all the while it bottles up inside you and soon enough you snap. Just like that." Edmund said. Mollie looked at him, her wide and shining with tears.
"How do you know?" she asked.
"I know you Mollie." Edmund said "Even in my grief I can see you aren't happy" Edmund said.
"Neither are you Edmund" Mollie said. She turned and Edmund held her as she cried, his own tears falling into her hair.

After a while he pulled her to her feet.
"Bed time" he said, Mollie looked at their bed, it was covered in broken pillows and a smashed mirror. Edmund followed her gaze and looked "Your old room" he said. The pair walked down the corridor, to the curious gazes of the silent guards. Once they arrived at the door Edmund smiled slightly
"We'll be fine Mollie" he said.
"Will we?" Mollie asked.
"Do you trust me?" he asked.
"With my life" she said.
"Then we'll be fine. We won't forget, but the pain will fade" Edmund said.
"Good" Mollie said tiredly.
"Come on then O room destroyer" Edmund said "Bed"
"Definitely" Mollie said.

Here you go. Sorry it's been a while.

Jedhev