Thanks to everyone who responded to the first chapter! No one guessed the hints at what was truly going on in the last chapter, but some of your questions are now answered:
Three weeks before the trial…
"You wanted to speak with me in private?" Peridan asked skeptically, wondering what the dangerously ambitious Archen Lord could possibly want with him. Even when he was still loyal to Archenland, he had had very little to do with the fickle, scheming man, particularly when their towns were so far from each other.
"Indeed. I have an, ahem, proposition for you," he said, eying him as he shuffled some papers before him.
"I'm no longer Archenlander. Find someone else for your dealings," he said dismissively.
"It's you I want. It deals quite closely with Narnia," he said. "Take a look at this."
He slid two worn letters from his pile over to Peridan who lifted them to examine more closely.
"This is impossible," he blurted out, reading the treachery spilled out on the page. If this letter was genuine, the Gentle Queen and the Just King had just betrayed everything they stood for.
"Is it? You've seen their writing before. Is this not recognizable to you? And is this not to royal seal?" Morren said pointedly.
Peridan grasped it tightly, examining it further. As desperately as he looked, he could find no sign that this was a forgery. There was no confusing it, this was the royal seal. As for the writing…he rather considered himself an amateur calligraphy enthusiast, and he recognized how Edmund wrote with ovals rather than circles in his letters, how Susan added curls at the ends of words, all sorts of details which convinced him. He hoped desperately that he was mistaken, but he couldn't find any proof that he desperately wanted. "This…this looks just like their writing. How…how is that possible?"
"That what I was hoping you would say," Morren said slyly, making Peridan's stomach drop.
"W-What?" he said, confused.
"I needed to make sure these would be convincing when I bring them to the High King."
"When you bring…you made these?" Peridan said, aghast.
"What would you say if I told you that with these letters and your help, you could quite possibly be next in line for the throne of Narnia?" Morren tempted.
"I…I would say that's impossible," Peridan argued. "What claim have we to the throne?"
"Archenlanders have always had the right to the Narnian throne! King Lune was a fool to not lay claim to the Narnian throne when he could. Those foolish children do not know how to utilize the resources of the Animals of their land. They treat creatures as though they are human and equal to the likes of us. But if we got those fools out of the way, we could use the old Archenlander claim to their throne. First the pitiful, oh so Gentle Queen who by accounts we have heard is not so gentle when it comes to quarreling with her elder brother and the traitor King who is apt to turn on them again at any moment. It would be quite easy to drive a wedge deep enough to weaken Narnia to be ours for the taking. To pick them off like swatting flies. But to carry out our plan, we need someone the idiot High King trusts," he sneered.
Hating himself for saying so, Peridan leaned in. "Tell me more."
"Urgent letter from Lord Peridan!" a messenger urged, pressing a letter into the King's hand about a week after Peridan had been approached by Morren.
"What is it, Brother?" Susan asked anxiously.
The side of his lips twitched, amused. "You are quite fascinated by any news from him, aren't you?"
"Oh, shush. I'm interested because it is urgent!" she protested as Edmund opened and scanned quickly.
"How…How is this possible?" she said, turning pale.
"These claims…they're…they're preposterous!" Edmund protested.
"What is he claiming, your Majesty?" Mr. Beaver asked.
"That we will soon be called to court to – " Edmund began.
"It it none of your business, Mr. Beaver. Kindly do go about your business, please," Susan said politely but firmly. Edmund looked up, startled, having forgot in his distress that they had an all too interested audience. "In fact, all Narnians in attendance here are presently dismissed."
Their guards and retinue were confused by the unusual order, but when Edmund nodded in agreement, realized it was now unlikely that the order would be rescinded and reluctantly left.
"Am I amongst Narnians any longer?" Duchess Esperanza teased, referring to how she had once been one of Susan's former ladies-in-waiting. She and her husband, the Duke of Galma, had been hosting the Narnians through their trip.
"I had hoped you would stay, ergo why I worded my command such. I may need you to be Narnian again," Susan said, staring at the letter. Edmund waited patiently, knowing his sister must be formulating a plan and would clue him in soon.
"I…I still have my child to think of, your Majesty. And Galma," the lady said, referring to why she had left Susan's employ. After she had married the Duke of Galma, she retired from Susan's employ to devote her time to running Galma and starting a family.
"I'd hate to press you thus, but we will need friends I can trust now," Susan said hesitantly "And this letter speaks of a plot involving Narnians and Archenlanders of which you are neither. Galma would stand to gain little from this plot and you've never given me reason to doubt your loyalty."
"And meanwhile we cannot trust any Archenlanders and must be distrustful of our own people," Edmund said, hard look in his eyes.
"Just what was in that letter?" Esperanza exclaimed, getting caught up in the excitement of the intrigues of court again. Edmund silently slid it over to her. Her face darkened as she read. "I'm loathe to bring this up, my Queen, and yet…"
"And yet you will if there is something you feel need be said," Susan said firmly, but secretly pleased to hear her friend call her the more affectionate "my Queen" again, knowing Esperanza was therefore all the more likely to give her what she wanted. After all, Galma was a quiet country and Esperanza had always delved into the thick of things when life got exciting with plots and machinations.
"As you wish, my lady. I cannot help but notice, could this be a plot set up by your own siblings?" she asked.
"What?" Susan breathed.
"I firmly believe that my lady would never commit treason against her country," she said. "Therefore, I must look to other possibilities to understand this letter. Perhaps there is some outside plot to destroy you. While I loathe that idea, I do prefer it to the other likely possibility I see that love most likely has blinded your Majesties to."
"And that is what, Lady?" Edmund asked keenly, remembering Esperanza's helpful insights from when she had worked with them before. .
"That a plot that discredits your Majesties in the way this does leaves your siblings as the sole power of Narnia. And with only his littlest sister in his way, the High King has almost full autonomy in ruling Narnia. I saw firsthand how oft your Majesties would question his decisions and how it irritated him so. For your own safety, I beg of you, be careful. Be wary of him," she said.
Susan turned to Edmund, terrified. He simply shook his head, refusing to believe ill of his brother. But a nagging voice in the back of his head couldn't help but wonder if there may be some grain of truth to it.
"I'll go to Archenland where they are launching a campaign," Susan decided. "I have an excuse to go to the border there anyways, so it would seem only natural that I would go a bit out of my way to see my beloved siblings as they are at war. Maybe then, just maybe…And by Aslan, I do hope so, that I may get to the truth of this."
"I hope so, sister. But I doubt anything could be that easy," Edmund said pessimistically.
Meanwhile in Narnia, Peridan and the Dwarf Crunkinduff burst into the home of a certain Faun named Mr. Tumnus.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Tumnus said. "Care for a drink?"
"We aren't here to make nice," Peridan growled.
"We need you to do something for us. You are to visit Cair Paravel anon for the trial, are you not?" Crunkinduff said.
Tumnus' heart quickened, sensing something was amiss. Peridan in particular would not meet his eyes. "I…I do hope to visit soon," he said ambiguously, but he did in fact know he was soon to visit for Lucy would need the support of her close friend in the horrid trial in which the High King was to accuse his siblings of treason, something Tumnus would have never imagined possible.
"Don't play with us. We have such information verified," Peridan said dismissively. "We…ah…have information about them. That you are to claim that you overheard a particular conversation betwixt Queen Susan and King Edmund."
"And why would I do that?" Tumnus protested.
"Your cousin just has kids, did he not? It would be a shame if something were to happen to them," Crunkinduff said, an evil grin spreading across his face.
"You…You're blackmailing me?" Tumnus stammered.
"Let's not put such a nasty name on it. Let's call it…offering protection. After all, anything could simply…accidently happen. Now we wouldn't want that, would we?" the Dwarf said condescendingly.
"And I wouldn't recommend asking the High King or Queen Lucy for protection," Peridan threatened. But when Tumnus looked at him fearfully, Peridan' face told a different tale. His eyebrows were raised expectantly, as though hoping Tumnus would sense a deeper meaning. Tumnus stared back wildly, no idea what Peridan might be implying, but hoping perhaps that Peridan might still be his friend. Well, as much as the strange turncoat Archenlander had ever been his friend.
"I…You wouldn't?" he said hesitantly.
"No. Horrid things would happen if you told those two," Peridan said, gesturing with his eyes and just a bit more inflection, and yet Tumnus still couldn't – those two! Of course. There was another set of two rulers. Why were they any safer? If, indeed, that was what the infuriatingly ambiguous human was implying. Tumnus really couldn't take the stress of trying to figure this out. This was all too much!
"So you best keep your mouth shut and not tell anyone that we told you to do this. Just give the testimony we tell you to give, nothing more," the Dwarf snarled.
While the Dwarf's eyes were firmly upon Tumnus, Peridan took advantage of his distraction to slightly shake his head no and raise his eyebrows again at Tumnus. Now for sure Tumnus could tell Peridan was trying to send him a message. He cleared his mouth, saying, "Yes, yes. I…I think I understand. Mostly."
"Mostly?" the Dwarf challenged. Tumnus had meant that bit for Peridan, to let him know that he had realized something was amiss here. He quickly racked his brain for an appropriate response to assuage the Dwarf.
"I…Are they truly guilty? I … I do not understand why you need me to say this," he fretted.
"Just say it. That's all you needed to know," Crunkinduff snarled. But Tumnus was only interested in seeing Peridan's response. As subtly as he could, Peridan shook his head.
Tumnus was still thoroughly bewildered, but was overcome with a wave of relief. But then it struck him that he was still in danger, forced to give false testimony. He vowed to seek out Queen Susan and King Edmund the moment he could, determined to find the truth behind all of this madness.
Two days before their return to Galma, Peridan finally had the chance to speak with the Gentle Queen in person.
"Your Majesty," he said nervously, wishing to speak to her but afraid to ask. If she rejected him now, he wasn't sure what he would do.
"Peridan. I meant to thank you sooner than this, but thank you for sending Tumnus to us. He was quite distressed by the blackmail. He believes us to be innocent though without us saying a word in our defense," Susan interrupted. "He dislikes our going along with it, but with his relatives blackmailed, seemed quite relieved to not have to choose between them and us."
"Forgive me for not consulting with you before acting, but I needed to keep up the pretense I worked for their dark cause," he said.
"I understand. And you acted no different than how I might have asked you to," she reassured. "If you hadn't gone, they would have merely sent someone else more threatening. Perhaps even someone who might have roughed him up. There is nothing you've done that warrants forgiveness, only thanks. Walk with me, please? I would quite enjoy the company."
"You would? I mean, of course you like walking. I mean, you would like it with me?" he blurted out.
Susan laughed. "Of course. We've been friends for quite some time. What would change that?"
Peridan blushed. "Of course, your Majesty. And…I would be thrilled to accompany you. More than thrilled in fact."
As they walked, Susan asked, "Peridan, I rather got the impression you have something you needed to ask."
"I…Ah, well…" he began awkwardly. "I…I'm not sure you'll like the question. I am loathe to…to say anything that may be upsetting to your Majesty."
"You may say absolutely anything to me. After all your help and the grave danger you have put yourself in for us, you hold a special place in my heart," Susan said, covering his hand in hers and smiling at him.
"Is that so? I…That actually rather answers my question," Peridan said, his heart pounding.
"Hm?" Susan asked.
"I…I wanted to make sure you did in fact trust that I was doing as you wished. That you believed I would not betray you," Peridan said.
Susan turned to him, curling her fingers around the strings at the front of his tunic. "I trust you. As does my brother King, King Edmund. We would have not allowed this to happen if we did not have complete trust in your ability. There exists only one question I must ask you. And whatever answer you give, I trust that you would never lie to me."
"You could ask anything of me, my Queen," he easily vowed, staring into her eyes and feeling as though he may fall in to them at any moment.
"Who is your first loyalty to? When you say you swear fealty to the Crown of Narnia, which crown do you refer to?" she asked, the words slipping from her tongue and falling hard as stone. "I know this is an unfair question to ask of you, but I must know before facing my possibly turned brother."
Peridan clasped Susan's hands emphatically, catching her attention. As she gazed at him questioningly, he knelt before her, kissing her hands in a sign of fealty and homage. "My first loyalty has always been to you, my Queen. I follow you first, then your most royal brother, the Just King."
"And my other brother, the High King? You swore loyalty to him when you became Narnian," Susan pressed, desperate in her fear of what was to come. "If it comes to war between us…"
"I swore loyalty to the High King, but first and foremost my oath was to Narnia and Aslan. I see no disloyalty but rather simply doing my duty in following you and your royal brother, even if it means fighting the High King," Peridan swore, kissing her hands again to seal his promise.
Susan pulled him up to face her, placing her hands gently on her face. "That means everything to me. Edmund and I will need to rely on you all the more in this confusing time. I…I loathe to believe my elder brother would suspect us, or worse, betray us for power. But we will do what we must. Even….even if it breaks my heart to do so," she said, biting her lip to keep any tears from possibly happen.
"And I will do whatever your Majesty or your royal brother command of me, even if it be as treasonous as to kill a High King," Peridan vowed darkly as he embraced Susan in an attempt to soothe her, knowing she would never admit to needing comfort. At first she tensed in shock, but then she allowed it, sinking deeper into his warm arms, trying to forget the madness whirling about her.
Present
Peter stared at the women in front of him, hand held loosely on his sword. For several moments, all he could do was openly gape in disbelief. "Susan? But…you were at the…castle. Under guard. How…what?"
But even as he was speaking, the bits and pieces clicked together in his mind. Susan – or whoever that was masquerading as her at Cair Paravel– was taller. Not so tall as to make it obvious or be unrealistic that she might be just wearing high shoes, but certainly taller. And the amount of makeup covering her face was thicker than Susan would prefer. As though…hiding something. And when he went to speak in her chambers, that woman kept moving about to keep him from getting a clear, close look at her face.
"You would think my own brother would recognize an imposter. But then again, my own brother apparently thinks it possible that I would betray him, so all bets are off now," Susan said primly. Peter grinned, realizing it was undoubtedly her. "You're grinning. And just why are you grinning? There's absolutely nothing to be grinning about. And just what are you doing now? Oh, you're, umphh" she said, her words being smothered as he pulled her into a tight hug.
"So an imposter is slandering your name, Sister? How long has this imposter been acting as you, destroying Narnia from the inside? I swear, I will set this to right," Peter vowed, mistakenly making assumptions about what this meant.
"Nay. One of my ladies reluctantly took my identity upon my command. I would have preferred the same for Edmund rather than force him through that dreadful, accursed trial, but we couldn't find anyone similar who was to be trusted. And that much makeup would have looked highly suspicious on him."
Peter narrowed his eyes at the revelation. "What is it that you have done, sister?"
"You know the saying, once you sense a trap, the best thing to do is to spring it on your own terms?" Susan said.
"No. And I'm guessing you just made that up right now," Peter pointed out dryly.
"No…" Susan protested while Peter gave her a look. "I made it up a few weeks ago. Anyways, we knew the evidence was piled to high against us for us to deny without proof of the trickery. And we must have quite powerful enemies to frame us as they did."
"Is that so?" Peter said noncommittally.
Susan gave him a look. "I will speak privately to my brother now," she said in a steely voice to the Centaurs still standing guard around their King. Ignoring her, they turned to the High King for his orders. Peter hesitated, but eventually nodded his assent. They reluctantly moved away far enough to not overhear, but kept their guard up. Farther away, Peter could see that the small congregation of Narnians also had their guard up, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"You don't believe me, do you?" she hissed angrily.
"Ah…Well," Peter said awkwardly. "The evidence was…insurmountable... And quite sound as well."
"There are several Narnians here who are loyal to myself and Edmund trying to figure out who framed us. They have served us loyally in trying to make sense of this insane confusion. So far, we know Morren is involved. As is the Dwarf Crunkinduff, the faun Petra, and from Archenland, Olla, Ander, Pol, Derrin, and Feli. But there must be more involved," Susan said, seeming to look Peter over to assess his reaction. Peter felt his hands tingle uncomfortably, bewildered and scared about the possible implications of that phrase.
"Tumnus and Peridan, both family friends, brought strong testimony against you," Peter argued obstinately. While his heart was lifting at the idea of being reunited with his siblings, he could almost feel a wall between him and Susan. He refused to get his hopes so high that it would only hurt all the more when she dashed them. "The court scribe –who has never had any reason to dislike you – identified your writing."
"We know by our intelligence they have used blackmail, threats, coercion, and bribery to bring those who would otherwise be faithful to Narnia to their side," Susan said numbly. "It becomes incalculably difficult to sort out what interest each has in whatever this dark cause may be. This is a fearfully clouded time we live in. Even if this nightmare should end soon, it could be years before we could sort everything out."
"Tumnus does scare easily," Peter mused uncertainly. "But Peridan is of Archenland. If what you say is the truth of it, then no doubt he is involved willingly. And I will see him arrested for it and use him to get to the bottom of this."
"I will not permit that. He is my double agent. He sent word to Edmund and me the same day Morren approached him. I have no doubt of his loyalty to me," Susan argued sharply. But Peter caught something else in her voice.
"His loyalty to you?" he challenged, noticing in particularly the lack of the royal "we" or even the "we" or siblings.
"Yes. Something I find particularly important with what we know about the person who framed us," Susan said, her voice slowly icing over.
"And just what is that?" Peter accused. "What do you know of them?"
"What we know is that someone at Cair Paravel, someone with access to our chambers, who knows our handwriting well, must be involved. Not to mention, someone with great influence, the money for paying for the best calligrapher to copy our writing, force to back them and money for blackmail and bribery, treasures to frame us with. Some of these Narnians here have certain suspicions about who would fit all of those," Susan said accusingly.
Peter had a sinking feeling, retorting, "And has to have some sort of motive."
"Yes, indeed. And there is one who fits every bit of that. One would have full autonomy if his two most quarrelsome siblings were out of the way, siblings who he has previously denounced as difficult and inflexible whenever they oppose him," Susan said accusingly, a fire burning in her eyes.
His heart dropped as he realized what she was implying. There were two possibilities. If she was guilty, this could all be a ploy to throw the heat off of her. But if she was innocent, then this meant "You suspect me?"