The Untold Story of the Kingdom of the Four Thrones
Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia. They belong to C.S. Lewis. I am only borrowing his characters.
A/N: This takes place after the coronation of the four rulers. This story was inspired after I thought about what would happen in the golden age of Narnia? How did the Pevensies really make their reign the "golden age"? Finally, what did they have to overcome to make this happen? The story is definitely more movie based than book based.
Chapter One: Children of the AzediansPeter had never seen anything like it before. Three ranks deep of fully armored centaur knights stood before him in the halls of Cair Paravel bowing respectively celebrating the coronation of their four new rulers.
Aslan then spoke:
"From the Eastern Shinning Sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant"
"From the Great Western Woods, I give you King Edmund the Just"
"From the Southern Radiant Sun, I give you Queen Susan the Gentle"
"From the Clear Northern Sky, I give you King Peter the Magnificent"
"Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia"
The Pevensies were crowned that day. The hundred-year reign of the white witch was finally ended and the birth of Narnia's golden age has begun.
Peter walked to the balcony of Cair Paravel and gaze upon the beauty of the Eastern Shinning Sea. The blue wavy ocean splashed against the rough rocky shores of Cair Paravel. Peter closed his eyes as he felt the cool ocean breeze brushed against his smooth face and the strong smell of the sea through his nostrils.
"Peter!" his younger sister Susan called.
"What is it Susan?" he asked.
"The centaur Cabot have report that a ship of unknown origin have landed on the Western coast of Narnia" He believed it was crucial that he sees you about it immediate.
Peter thought about it for a moment. Then quietly he withdrew his hands from the balcony and walked towards the guestroom.
There he was greeted by a group of six centaurs. One of them had a deep cut across his face as well as several bruises on his chest. He also wore a cracked armor and carried a shattered shield. Yet, Peter could tell from the sliverish gleam that the armor made of pure steel, reserved for the best knights in Narnia.
The lead centaur walked towards Peter. "Your highness, I apologize for interrupting you so soon after the festival, but there is something of great importance."
"What is it?" Peter asked inquisitively.
"Three days ago, what appeared to be a Calormenian warship crash landed in the gulf of Digory twemty miles west of the Great Western Woods." The centaur stated. "We thought it was an invasion force headed for Narnia" he replied.
"That would make sense" Peter concurred "We are still relatively weak since the white witch has only been recently defeated and many creatures under her rule still refuses to recognize my siblings as rulers. The Calormenian must not recognize us as the rulers; only Archenland has established diplomatic relations with us."
"But my king, the Calormenian ambassador arrived only recently and he has stated not only Calormen recognizes your kingship, but that he is not aware of any Calormen ships within our western coast."
"How is that possible?" Peter thought to himself.
"There is more," the centaur said in a low whisper. "The invaders carried wore bright red armor covering their entire body and carried long spears with flat rectangular shields chiseled with what appeared to be the sun and the moon."
Although they appeared to be small in numbers, no more than 30 of them, they had already chopped down more than thirty great trees. If they were allowed to continue, I fear the trees would suffer greatly.
So, my men and I stealthy advanced towards their camp through the hidden road. But, before we got within 300 yards of their camp, their archers opened fire with great accuracy and their warriors ambushed us from the nearby woods.
The thing that troubled me is that they could have slain my war party easily, but chose to let us live. They told me to bring you this message that if anyone was caught within their camp again they will spare no one's life.
The King looked at the centaur and spoke. "I will take 500 soldiers with me and speak to whoever leads this invasion force." "Gather the elite riders"
The centaur turned his turned head towards Peter and nodded. "They will be gathered your majesty."
Peter watched as the centaurs formed five deep ranks and stood like statues before him. Cabot, the lead centaur, walked towards Peter.
"My King, the elite riders are prepared to follow your command. Your royal brother and her majesties Susan and Lucy wishes to accompany us."
"Very well, they may accompany us as they wish now we must move toward their main encampment in the west shores, but I want Lucy to stay behind. She has seen enough battle for a nine year old."
"As you wish, your majesty" The centaur bowed respectively and led Lucy away from the group.
It was a two-day ride from the castle of Cair Paravel on the Eastern banks to the Great western shores of Narnia. By the second day, Peter's host managed to reach the main encampment of the Calormenians.
Their encampment wasn't like anything Peter had ever witnessed. It was a triangular shaped stockade with a wooden wall of three feet high. Each of the three points had a high watchtower of 30 feet. Also, it seemed the invaders had trenched in along their fortification effectively preventing any effective mounted attacked against them.
"It's almost like as if they knew we were coming" Susan told her brothers.
'That's impossible" Peter replied. No one can predict the future.
Just as he finished his sentence, he heard a rustle in a nearby bush. He turned his head slowly towards it and for a second Peter was surprised at what he saw. Then it hit him, another human. Peter could see that the other human noticed him. Peter could see a drop of sweat slid down his face and he lost all of his stealthyness as he ran into the woods.
He was a fast runner, but the centaurs were faster and easily captured him.
He had short dark hair and a pair of piercing brown eyes. He was as tall as Peter and by the looks of it. He was no older than 16. He fair face almost indicated that he was royalty.
I am King Peter of Narnia and who are---. Before Peter can even finish, the prisoner gazed into Peter eyes and defiantly said "I will reveal nothing to you."
"You have only captured me because of my own foolishness for the lady that travels with you have bewitched my heart. You will never take any more prisoners."
"That would be my sister Susan and unless I am much mistaken you have just revealed to us why you were captured." Peter told him.
He ignored Peter's word and refused to reply.
"Do you even have a name?" inquired Peter
He gave no response.
"Know this. Although you had trespassed in my kingdom and chopped down good trees, I will be willing to forgive your people should you explain your actions and who you are." Peter said sharply.
"This is just your pathetic attempt to make me reveal our more advance technology," he shouted at Peter. "It's not like a primitive civilization like yours can comprehend the power of my people anyhow."
"Wow, this is going to be easy finding out whom they are" Edmund said sarcastically.
"That's enough Edmund" Susan looked at her brother with annoyance. She got off her horse and walked towards the prisoner. "Will you at least tell us your name?"
His thought about it for a minute then turned toward the Queen. "My name is Tanith."
Before Peter can ask any more questions, a fast reddish fire arrow hit a barrel next to him. The barrel exploded immediately sending a shock wave throughout their ranks. Through the confusion, more arrows had found their way into Peter's ranks. Despite the numerous arrows shooting towards them, no one seemed to be able find the archers.
"We must withdrawal," Edmund shouted towards his elder brother.
Without a word, Peter gave the hand signal to withdraw. "Tanith, you are coming with us."
Another arrow found its way into the centaur that was guarding Tanith. The giant centaur collapsed immediately releasing Tanith.
Tanith ran with all his might into the woods. He knew if he could get far deep enough into the woods; he could use it, the tool of his salvation. He could hear the centaurs right behind him. A little bit more. Just a little more he thought. Finally, he reached his destination. He grabbed the green emerald bracelet well hidden in the tall green and put it on. He quickly touched the green jewel and hid behind a great oak tree.
Five centaurs closed in around his area. They searched the grass, looked in the bushes, and finally one of them advanced towards the oak. He looked around it and Tanith stared right into his face only an inch apart.
The centaur simply looked at the tree and left telling the others that he has not seen anything out of the ordinary.
"The Narnians are so stupid" he laughed at his captors slowly turned away.
Just as Tanith finished his sentence. He could feel a cold smooth dagger pushed against the front of his neck.
"I don't think we are that stupid," said a playful voice.
Tanith stood in dead silence. His factual expression was completely blank. How was this possible? Before he had a chance to figure it out, the voice gave him a command.
"Get their attention" the voice commanded.
"How?" he hissed.
"Make them see you" the voice replied.
"No, I won't do that" he said slyly. He tried to maneuver out of the dangerous position, but the dagger pushed against his neck again and forced him to stop.
"Alright, but you don't know what you are doing," he sighed.
Tanith quickly touched the green jewel again and screamed at the centaurs. Almost immediately the centaur charged at him with full speed, but they bowed down respectively only a few feet before him.
"Your majesty, Lucy the Valiant" they said in unison.
Tanith let out a deep sigh and spoke sarcastically. "Great, another queen, how many kids did your parents decide to have?"
"Only four" Lucy responded. 'I think we are all very interested in finding out how you turned invisible, but you can tell us back at the camp." She then gave a signal to the centaurs and they forced him back into Peter's camp.
Tanith was now both annoyed and depressed. He had the means to escape, but blew his chance. Why did he have to do something so immature and foolish? Had he not said those words, he would have been a free man, but now he was a prisoner again.
They led him back into Peter's camp. He could tell they had double the guard and more reinforcements were coming. In fact, a thousand more Narnians will be here soon. The others of his kind had warned him, but he ignored their warning and now faced the consequences of his actions.
He knew there will be little or no chance of escaping should the reinforces come. Security would be too tight. For now, he wasn't even concerned about escaping. He could only imagine the anger he will have to face because of the ambush and his attempts to escape.
They led Tanith to a small tenant. Lucy walked towards him.
"You will stay here for the night, but you must promise you won't try and escape again."
The tent was small, but very well decorated. It had smooth silk blankets as well as an entire set of supplies for anyone. It was much more than what Tanith expected.
He did not deny the Narnians were a kind people. Had this happened in his homeland or even Umoja, he would have been punished much more severely. Certainly, he wouldn't be enjoying himself in a silk blanket.
"Of course" he coolly replied not showing his shock at their kindness.
"Do you swear on it?" Lucy asked.
"Did you think I would do back on my promise?" he looked at her sincerely then gave a smirk. "I am not a Narnian who lived under the reign of the white witch for a hundred years you know."
Lucy would not hide her shock. "He knew about Narnia," she thought to herself. "What else does he know?"
Tanith looked at her face and guessed what she was thinking. "I will answer one of your questions. You may ask me anything."
Lucy thought about a moment. "Are you a Calormenian and were you in the service of the white witch?"
"That's really two question, but since you have been so kind to me I will answer them." He turned towards Lucy with a smile. "No, we are not Calormenians and we only have recently learned of your people three days ago after your coronation your majesty."
Lucy looked into his eyes. Although she was young, she could easily recognize the face of a liar. Certainly, he was not lying. But; if he wasn't lying, how could he know so much about Narnia? More important, how did he know about their coronation if he had been on the West Coast the whole time?
She wanted to ask more questions, but remembered her promise and she withheld her desires. "As an act of good faith, I will not leave guards outside your tent."
"Are you sure your royal brothers will be fine with that?" Tanith asked.
Without replying, Lucy left with the centaurs leaving Tanith alone in his tent.
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Peter was busy organizing his encampment. He had double the guards and waited for his reinforcements to arrive. He walked towards Susan who was busy tending the wounded.
"How does it look?" Peter asked with a sigh.
"Not as bad as we though, we have at least 30 arrows, but they all seemed to be fine." She pointed to a bowl filled with a greenish liquid. "The poison that puts the user to sleep," she said as she continued to help with the tending.
Looking all the wounded Narnians, Peter did not disagree. They were all lying on their beds resting, but none of them seemed to be seriously hurt. More important, none of their major organs were even targeted, but the arrows that did hit them with deadly accuracy.
Just as peter was about to ask Susan another question. One of the centaurs woke from his sleep and turned his head towards the field. Peter and Susan immediately did the same. He was surprised at what he saw.
"Lucy!" Susan almost shouted. She stopped her tending and immediately ran towards her younger sister.
"You shouldn't be here" Susan was now desperately trying to get Lucy to go back Cair Paravel. "Our enemies are extremely dangerous and one of our prisoners manage to escape, he is still out here."
"Correction, he was out here" the younger queen smiled. "I managed to catch him off guard and he is now in third tent on the North Eastern Bloc of the encampment."
Her response left both Susan and Peter speechless. Susan was so surprised that she tried to say something, but the words would not come out. Peter sternly walked towards his youngest sister.
"Lucy, this better not be a joke." He looked into her eyes.
"Why would I joke about something like that" she replied playfully completely ignoring her brother deathlike stare.
Susan looked at Peter expecting him to make a decision. "I guess, we better pay him a visit then; I want to know who exactly he is and what his people are doing in Narnia."
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Tanith was bored beyond imagination. It had been a day since he was forced to march back to Peter's encampment. Although he received his daily food and drink, he was bounded to stay in that little tents, trapped in that confined space. He had to admit that he was being treated quite fairly for a prisoner of any kind. For, even the food was way beyond anything he had ever tasted back in his home country. But the boredom was unbearable for someone like him; he wanted to talk to someone. Anyone.
Tanith for once was very relieved when the four rulers came in with in their centaur escorts. He could now talk to people even if they were going to torture him to death for not revealing his secrets.
"I am Peter High king of Narnia and he is my younger brother King Edmund" the blond boy stated. Peter then pointed to his sisters. "They are my sisters Queen Susan and Lucy."
Tanith looked dully into their faces. He simply did not know what to say. It had been so long since he talked with any members of a royal family. He just stood there like a statue.
"Who exactly are you?" Peter asked.
Tanith thought about the question for a moment and raised his head, facing the High King. "I will answer only if you choose to answer one of my questions honestly."
This took Peter by surprise. He had not expected the younger man to throw something like this at him. He consented. "Very well, you may ask me a question."
"Will you grant me my freedom after I answer three of your questions?" He asked while looking into Peter's eyes. He did not expect the king to grant it for he would not do so had the tables been turned. Yet, deep inside Tanith's heart, he knew the King would agree.
Peter looked at the younger boy and replied. "I will grant your freedom, but you must answer my questions with great detail."
"Done." Tanith replied.
Peter though about his questions for a minute and then looked back to Tanith.
"Who are your people?" He inquired. Peter could tell that he thinking very deeply before giving him an answer.
After a few minutes of silence, Tanith looked at the four rulers. "We are the children of the Azedians, the first beings to gain sentinel conscience."
"How can I talked with one of them?" Peter quickly asked.
"You can not." He replied. "The original Azedians had long left our world." "They were the greatest race ever to walk the earth."
"What are you talking about" Lucy interrupted. "What other worlds?"
Tanith smiled. They knew nothing beyond their own borders. "The world is split into four great regions. Narnia, Archenland, Calorme, the Northern lands lay within the southeast region of the world. There are three other regions that you are unaware of.
"Why are your people here?" Peter asked.
Tanith looked at the high king and sighed. "This is going to take a while."
"It has been almost 400 years since my people fought in the first Azedia-Umoja war and we were in the process of evacuating our last outpost on the island of Teonas when a great hurricane disrupted our ship's engines and blew us ever eastward until we finally crashed landed in what your people calls the gulf of Digory."
"As her majesty Queen Lucy knows, I posed a piece of technology far superior than anything you can imagine." Tanith took off the bracelet and showed it before the High King. "My people called it a the wristband of the Ancients for it was build by them and can turn the user invisible to all eyes except others who wear it."
He then put it back on his hand and touched the green jewel and disappeared in front of the Pevensies.
Many centaurs immediately pulled out their swords expecting a sneak attack, but Tanith almost immediately de-cloaked himself.
Edmund looked in amazement. "I guess that's why we could not see their archers. They must have wore one of those."
The device intrigued Susan. "Can I try it?"
"I am afraid not, as a precaution against any outsiders, the original Azedians build a gene scanner within the device that would prevent any outsiders from using it. It seems only my people can use it."
Peter nodded. "Very well, one must assume that a race capable of making such advance tools must have build defenses against improper user."
"I believe I have already answered more than three question, your majesties," Tanith said.
"Very well, you may go back to your people if that's what you wish although we would love to learn more about your people and perhaps make an alliance with your people."
Tanith looked at Peter with great attention as if he was about to say something very important. "Know this, there was once an alliance of four great races: The Volliens, the Minbarians, The Gordians, and the Azedians, the builders of all ancient technology. Your people have much to prove before we may interact on that level."
Before Peter or any of the Narnians had responded, Tanith made one more speech that greatly alarmed the Narnians. "High King, prepare yourself for the fate of Narnia & Archenland hangs by a thread." He then spoke with even a more grave tone. "Prince Rabadash with the help of your enemies have defeated the spell placed by Aslan and now moves an army of 300,000 strong across the western desert while his navy under the command of Admiral Kane moves to attack the city of Anvard with a fleet of 1,000 ships. They will not be easily stopped for they have found a dangerous and powerful enemy in an unlikely place."
"How long before they reach Archenland?" Peter asked Tanith.
You have three days to prepare yourself was the reply.
Tanith then touched the red crystal on the bracelet and in a bright white flash of light he disappeared.
"Well, if he is right then we could face war against the Calormeans at a pretty big disadvantage." Edmund muttered. "Their army would outnumber us at least 5 to 1 and even with the help of from the people of Archlend we could still be outnumbered 3 to 2."
"I need to consult this with Aslan. He will know what to do" Peter replied quickly.
"He could just be lying" Susan reminded her siblings.
"We will find out in three days" Lucy stated.
Completely unnoticed by the Pevensies, Prince Rabadash stood on a tree a few feet away with a smirk on his face. "You may have met the Azedians by pure luck, but within three days where will be no dawn left for Narnia or Archenland." He then touched a red crystal on his golden bracelet and disappeared in a flash of light.
A/N: Finally, I finished the first chapter. I want to thank Callie for pointing out the errors and taking such a wonderful review 12 at night. You are awesome! The second chapter will be title "Crusade" where the Calormenians begin their invasion of Archenland. Umoja and the realms of Azedia will unfold in later chapters. Thanks for reading this!