Hiya! So I've got a new story. ;) Anyway, I hope you're all doing well. I had about 5-6 thousand words written for a new one shot, then I decided I wanted to split it for a multi-chapter. I've still got a lot to go through with rewriting and breaking up into chapters.

A bit of a warning for mention of violent beatings…

Anyway, I don't own the Narnia-verse, but I hope you enjoy this fic.

Hollow Memories

Chapter One

Her earliest memories were of screams, flashing light, and pain.

After that, there was nothing until she woke in a dark room, a man with a sword looming over her. She'd screamed, a fact that he'd seemed to take much pleasure in as he proceeded to hurt her. He'd broken her body, before dumping her in the cell she now resided in. Two guards were always stationed right in front of her cell, with the men ignoring her presence other than to taunt her.

Over the next few days, that man returned again and again to hurt her. He only ever beat her, nothing more, and a part of her was glad that he seemed disgusted at having to even touch her in the first place. At least that was one aspect in which she was safe from him and his men. It wasn't long before they figured out that she'd lost her memory. It was after that, that her beatings were significantly reduced.

Some time later, and she was dragged from her cell, blindfolded, and tied to a chair. She heard whimpering as she was beaten, cries of, "Please don't hurt her!" before she was returned to her cell. Someone had been forced to watch them hurt her, she knew, and she cried later in her cell at the very thought of it.

She had no idea how much time had passed, though she'd heard one of the guards mention once about a month. But that had been a while ago. Right now, she was laying in her cell as her current guards played some sort of game with a pair of daggers and dice. They were concentrating rather intensely on their game, and she figured that if they lost their concentration, they might lose a finger. Or more.

"Ahh!" one of them yelled. "That's cheating!"

"Is not!" the second defended. "There's no rules in this game, thus no cheating."

"Whatever, it's a stupid game anyway!" the first one huffed, and made to the door to storm out, when suddenly bells were ringing.

"That's the alert!" the first one said.

"Go see what's happening," the second one ordered. "I'll keep an eye on the prisoner. If they're making a move to rescue her…"

"Alright, but don't forget the boss's orders," the first one said, then left.

She was left alone with the remaining guard, who was fumbling with the keys. Once the door to the cell was opened, he dragged her to her feet, and stood facing the door, with a dagger to her throat. She wondered at all of this, thinking about what the other one had said. Was someone coming to rescue her? Who could it be? Was it perhaps someone who knew her from that time she couldn't remember before waking here?

It seemed to take ages, with the distant sound of battle going on beyond the walls. The one who held her shifted every now and then as they waited, but kept the dagger firmly in place. Finally the door to the prison cells was thrown open, and a man entered, followed by others. His eyes widened at the sight of her, then turned grim.

"So it really is true," he murmured, then focused his attention on the one holding her. "Your leader is defeated, the camp is ours. Let her go, there's no point to this since you've already lost."

She could hear the sneer in the words as the man who had her spoke. "Oh, but there is a point, your Majesty," he spat. "Even if you've defeated us today, you haven't really won! Your beloved Queen here was never going to leave this place alive. It's just absolutely perfect that you'll be here to see her end!"

She felt the blade dig into her neck, and she whimpered, tears slipping from her eyes. "No, Susan!" the man in front of her called desperately, even as a 'thunk' was heard.

The dagger clattered to the floor, and she fell from his grasp. Her legs wobbled and she collapsed to the ground, turning briefly at the sound of her guard falling dead to the floor, an arrow lodged in his skull. She grasped at her throat where the dagger had been, and wanted to be sick at the sight of him, but couldn't find anything within her to do so. All of this was within mere seconds, and the next thing she knew, the man who'd demanded her release had rushed forward, kneeling down to sweep her into his arms.

"Ssh, it's okay, Susan," he murmured soothingly. "You're safe now, I've got you."

She started to shake uncontrollably, then the sound of her sobbing shattered the air. The man picked her up, holding her close, and she cried into his shoulder. Someone came forward with keys, and the shackles on her wrists and ankles fell. Then she was being carried out of that awful place, out into the cool of night.

The sounds around her were chaotic. She buried herself further into the arms of the one who carried her, and he tightened his grip in response. People swarmed around them, asking how she was. She vaguely noted that there were not only humans, but also animals, and others such as satyrs and centaurs. Some small part of her felt that she should be surprised by this, but another part knew that it was perfectly normal. The rest of her was too distraught to deal with it all.

"How bad are her Majesty's injuries?" someone asked.

"I haven't had a chance to check yet," the one holding her said. "Where is Glenstorm?"

"Helping to track any who may have escaped," was the reply. "Come this way, your Majesty. We've moved the horses closer. Also, I believe Tallas is there, he's the one with Queen Lucy's cordial."

They walked a bit, then she saw the horses they'd mentioned. Once there, a faun came forward with a glass bottle in hand, and she was encourage to take a drop from it in her mouth. Instantly she felt better, all her injuries were now healed, it seemed. Another thing that shouldn't be normal, but which that part of her simply accepted.

Then the one carrying her handed her over to another briefly as he mounted a horse, then she was handed back over to him, and settled on the saddle in front of him. He gave out orders, then they left, with a few others joining them. She was lulled into a doze from the horse's steady gait, and when she woke, it was to the gentle touch of being held close to him as he walked once more.

They were in an encampment, and her rescuer took her straight to one of the tents. Inside, he lay her upon some bedding, pulling blankets over her. He brushed her hair out of her face as she stared up at him in the low light of a lantern.

"Get some sleep, Susan," he murmured softly. "You're safe here, I promise."

He leaned down then, kissing her cheek, rather close to the side of her mouth. He moved to leave, but fear had her reaching out to grab at him. "Please don't leave me alone," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

He hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I'll stay until you fall asleep," he swore, and with that promise, she allowed herself to drift off into sleep.

So what did you think? Review please!