In the afternoon courtroom, sunlight of the west showed warmth of orange. Everyone including Caspian's son, was present. They started an immediate meeting, as Caspian was very reluctant that they gain the knowledge of reality to this matter. It concerned not only Narnia, but also to every being in this world.
High king Peter listened intently to the subject. It was odd for him that this matter concerned to every possible being of the world. It was after Caspian finished explaining, that the Pevensies turned grim.
"You mean... Like ghosts? In shadows?", asked Lucy.
"Yes, but they can be touched and held. But only in the dark, the only way they are present. They are dead... Or maybe gone, as soon as lights touch them. They move through darkness. They can move through shadows, appearing between lights."
"What do you call them?", asked Peter.
"We do not know of the name in their natural being, but we call them shadows. As they move in the shadow, you would not see them as they are shadows themselves.", said Caspian.
"So you don't know what they look like?", asked Susan.
"No...", said Caspian.
The Pevensies looked at each other confusedly. What sort of being has this come from. They had never encountered such a way as Caspian describes it. It never had been present in this world, including Narnia.
The shadow beings that Caspian described always came every night. They swarmed the land, posessing any living souls. Those poor beings who foolishly lingered in the dark. They would be possessed like zombies. Attacking other normal living being even in the light. The only way to stop those possesed being is to have them killed in the spot. With this little knowledge, the Pevensies felt shivers going down their spine.
This odd creature. It's a shadow, acting like ghosts, can be touched, and only be killed or rather just begone by lights. To the worst extent, those who got possessed by the shadows had turned into zombies.
"That is horrible...", said Peter, reflecting. The others agreed to him.
"So the only thing that protects us from them is to stay in light and not in darkness?", asked Susan.
"That is correct madam.", said Caspian.
Then a sound of thundering drums and beaconed horn struck loudly in Narnian air. It came from one point to the others. There were multiple likeness sounds played in various distances.
"That would be the night warnings.", said Caspian. The Pevensies was a bit shaken. Caspian continued, "That means night is on the way. Our soldiers light up bonfires and torches in every area possible. All creatures gathered in taverns or halls together and lit torches around it. No single house is save these days. Not even a lone wolf is brave enough to wander alone."
The four of them were escorted out from the courtroom into the main hall. There were civilians of creatures setting blankets and pillows on the floor. Giants were setting up camps in the open yards next to the hall and built bonfires at it. Everyone were like refugees taking asylum. The hall was loud with chatter and orders from soldiers. The Pevensies were taken aback with this circumstances.
The room immediately lit with torches. The room were bright, as if night was offensive. Caspian led them to the main door that was currently wide open. The giant size double door will be closed after the sun has set.
The Pevensies saw that lights were slowly seen like dots in the Cair Paravel borders. Passageways were lit with torches as well. They could make up which were bonfires and which were torches by the size of the lights from the fire.
"All these fire... The trees ought not to be happy to see that we need as much woods and oil.", said Susan.
"Yes...", said Caspian, sadly. "Now, this reminds me of this, of King Edmund's strange device of flashlight.", said Caspian.
"My flashlight?", ecclaimed Edmund.
"Yes, I have tinkered to use it. It frightens them off when I shoot the straight lights to it. It is a delightful device in this horrible times. If only we could make similar of that device that you had, it would make great difference in meanwhile of trying to figure out what caused these shadows to roam the world.", said Caspian.
"I am actually studying electricity... Though I need a book to study the components.", said Peter to his siblings.
"That's right, can you try?", asked Susan.
"Though I do not want to burden you with it high king Peter.", Caspian interrupted before Peter could reply at Susan, "If you could, I will assist you."
Peter sighed. "It's not easy, I...", suddenly Peter had an idea. "Copper wire, wood, iron steel, and glass..."
"It might work.", said Edmund in the same idea.
"This is very curious.", said Peter.
"So you can make them?", asked Susan.
"I would need some help.", said Peter. He looked at Caspian, "I need the best intricately talented iron smiths, wood carver, and glass makers in Narnia."
"Narnia will provide them.", said Caspian without doubts.
For the night, they slept in front of the throne. They had soft blankets that the servants provided. It wasn't the comfiest night they imagined of being back in Cair Paravel, but it would just do. Though they couldn't sleep much. Not one being in the hall were relaxed. Woodfires kept being replaced and lights were bothering other beings, especially the nocturnals.
Some days later, they had to sleep every night in the halls. They started to get a bit paranoid that they don't feel comfortable being around a lot of people every night. They had little to no privacy.
Caspian had gave them the reassurance that it happened to everyone. He will assure them they will be protected at all cost. Everyday, lights were guarranteed and never in dark.
One noon, the intricately best glass maker in all Narnia arrived to meet with the kings and queens. The man bowed. Although the kings and queens were surprised that the best smith in Narnia was a man and not an elf.
"As of this day, you will be making something out of the ordinary. Not a window, not a glass vase. But device as great as to banish the shadows from Narnia.", said Peter.
"I shall follow, my high king.", said the man on his knees. "Though I ask for a request, if so not to burden you, your majesties."
"What would be of that?", asked Peter.
"My gravely sick daughter is my only family. I don't want to leave her alone. If it's not too much of a burden as to take her with me where ever I go, I would need nothing else.", he asked.
"What sort of sickness?", asked Peter.
The man was silent. It made the Pevensies all confused. They looked at each other. They looked at the man, whose face kept looking down at the floor. Susan asked, "This sickness... It is not contagious, is it?"
The man panicked, fearful of the queens accusation, "Oh no! Of course not, my lady!", he looked scared as he looked at the Kings and Queens, but soon realized his rudeness and looked down again. "Forgive me, I assure you, your majesties, my daughter is not in a contagious state... It is just that she is very weak. She could not walk and could not speak. Her eyes are cloudy... I do not know what sickness she is in, but it is not contagious. More of a state she suffered paralysis of unknown sickness."
The Pevensies looked at each other for a moment, then they smiled to the man sympathetically. "Very well, please rise and don't be afraid to look at us, dear sir Sompson."
The man rose up slowly and looked at the Kings and Queens. He felt more humbled than he did when he was down on his knees.
The man moved into the castle with his daughter. Their belongings were kept in their room in the servants quarters, although they never slept in that room. Just like everyone else, they slept in the hall every night. Her daughter, as what the Pevensies heard from others, was being carried all the time in the man's back. He never left her alone, not for one sight. He even had a rug just for her to lay while he works at the castle's forge.
Then came in the wood carver. She was a beaver. An artisan. She had made beautiful arts out of wood. She carved bowls and cups of wood with details of flowers and leaves. Her name was known as Sarpine when she introduced herself at the throne hall. She had a big family. She had a husband and seven children. The Kings and Queens let them stay in the Castle, just like how Sompson and his daughter had. Sarpine's children always hung out by the beach, next to Cair Paravel. They would swim around with mermaids and mermans. Before nightfall, the children would get picked up by their father back to the halls for safety.
The last one was the iron smith. Timon, the elf cpuld make any weapons. He never failed with everything he did. He was reliable. Though he was a loner, he had to share the forge with Sompson. He made the best of it. In his mind, he was glad that Sompson was as quiet as himself. Working next to the human smith was bareable to him. For some time, Timon would glance curiously at Sompson's daughter. She would be lying down at one corner of the room, near a wide window of west side. She never glanced around, never spoke, never looked at anything. She would lay quietly. face looking up on the ceiling. The only time Timon had seen her move, was when Sompson fed her porridge. The only food that she could consume. Timon would sometimes glance at the girl, yet soon he lost interest of the curiosity and mind his own business.
So there begian the Pevensies' project. Edmund and Susan were mostly assigned directly to this project. While Lucy helped Peter and Caspian tend the walfare of the Kingdom.
Lucy talked to the trees, druids, and nymhps. She listened intently of such distressing circumstances. She couldn't say much as just to listen at their woes. She felt the difficult situations of it all. One fine noon, one nymphs spoke out to Lucy, "It hurts us knowing that they cut down old, big trees to prevent the shadows from causing horror to the realm. The elder trees wholeheartedly understood the dire situations of Narnia. They were sincere, but it's getting difficult to see us being sacrificed. Our children couldn't grow as fast as you wanted. I'm sorry Queen Lucy, I know, for the good of others..."
The longer they wait, the more dstruction it gets for the trees. It would be a disaster for all living cycles. Narnia felt no better than the the old times of Telmarines. Peter and Caspian had to make hard decisions throughout this reign. Sometimes not a lot of Narnians agree with them. They could only rely on hope.