D: Do not own

A/N: This chapter isn't great. I know it isn't. But I got a bit discouraged because of the lack of reviews, and I somehow got a bit stuck with this. I'm considering taking it down. But thanks to all those who did review though. They helped.

Chapter 4

"High King Peter?" Rhiann gasped. "He was my father?"

Her mother raised a finger to the girl's lips.

"No." She replied simply. "He is your father."

Coral watched as the girl struggled with her feelings, emotions playing across her face at an alarming rate before finally shutting down. She sighed. Rhiann had never been very open with her feelings – plausibly because of her isolation from the world and the lack of wonder that existed within the cave.

"Do you believe me, Rhi?" Coral prodded gently. The girl shrugged, her hair glinting as it fell of her shoulders.

"What reason would you have to lie to me?" Rhiann asked, face completely emotionless. Coral smiled, reaching out to tousle her daughter's hair.

"Rhi… the time has come for you to reclaim your father's throne."

Even the most oblivious of observers could see the shock and horror as it flittered momentarily across Rhiann's elfin face.

"Mother!" She exclaimed. "Out…there?"

Coral's voice was reassuring as she spoke.

"Close your eyes, my child… and dream." She stopped speaking, but when she did again, her voice was slow and hypnotic and not hers.

"Imagine a hidden world that is bursting with colour… one that is full of life and spirit. Then imagine it being hidden in a pile of dirt that humans walk and soil.

Imagine.

Imagine a girl awaking; a girl with the power to take the jewel from the rock; to take the world out again.

Imagine.

Imagine her succeeding. Imagine the joy, the delight, the glee. Imagine living happily ever after. Imagine not having to start with once upon a time.

Imagine."

Rhiann's eyes flickered open.

"I will." She answered. "I will do it. Will you come with me, Mother?"

Coral shook her head regretfully.

"I wish I could, child… but I am too old and yet too young; too slow and yet too fast. I will wait for you."

Rhiann bowed her head.

"It is all I can ask for then."

Coral bent down to face her daughter.

"Listen, Rhiann." She said urgently. "Just beyond the hill outside our cave is a lamp post. Head towards it and then wait there. Help will come. I assure you." Coral fastened a locket on a chain around her daughter's neck. Rhiann grasped it wonderingly and flicked it open. A miniature painting of a handsome young man filled one side of it. On the other side was a painting of her mother. "Keep this safe at all costs." Coral told her daughter. Then, drawing Rhiann close to her, she embraced her. "Go in the name of Aslan and go in peace."

---------------------------------------------------

The moment Rhiann stepped out of the cave she knew that she had made a great mistake. The sky above her head was grey and hung threateningly over her. Only the few trees in front of their cave were lush and green. The others were withered stumps. A little way away, she could see dark men hacking away at the rock and digging in the soil.

She shuddered.

She didn't like this strange new world.

Glancing back at the cave, Rhiann took a deep breath.

"For you, Mother. For High King Peter… for Aslan and for my father."

Then, she started walking over the hill.

The more Rhiann saw of the country, the more she disliked it. Men were hacking trees down in the distance, slaying animals and destroying the countryside. They were so preoccupied, however, that she found it easy enough to stay under the cover of the sparse trees and stay unnoticed.

Then she stopped. In front of her was a great, untouched forest, so strange in this foreign world. Peering through the trees, she saw an unusual light.

The lamppost

More confidently now, she walked through the forest towards it. The wind whistled through the trees and if she closed her eyes she could almost believe that the trees were speaking to her.

She reached the lamppost.

Sitting down by it, she waited.

Soon a little pattering of hooves was heard, and Rhiann sprang backwards defensively. A little man came into view. But was he a man? His upper body was that of a man, but he had the feet of a goat.

"A Faun…" Rhiann breathed. The faun bowed mockingly.

"At your service." He smiled. "Mr. Tumnus Junior."

"Mr Tumnus?" Rhiann echoed.

"His son. Also known as Junior." Junior nodded. "I suppose you are Rhiann?"

"Yes." Rhiann replied. Anything seemed possible in this place. Junior bit his lip.

"It is not safe here." He declared. "Let us leave."

He offered her his arm and together they trooped off through the trees, their feet leaving marks in the dirt.

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"So. You wish to awake Old Narnia?" Junior reclined in his chair, a slightly sceptical expression on his face. "How exactly do you intend on doing that? How do you know that Old Narnia exists in any case?"

Rhiann shrugged.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?"

Junior glared at her before turning his gaze to the fire pensively. Taking advantage of the momentary silence, Rhiann ran an appraising gaze around the room. It was a comfortable looking cave. Portraits of fauns lined the walls.

"Nice place, isn't it." Junior commented with smug air. "My father used to live here. It was torn apart a good twenty years back by the White Witch's army."

"Oh." Rhiann said. "Can you help me?" She asked hopefully. "I don't' know what to do."

Junior sighed.

"I suppose I must. I owe it to Coral anyway." He looked down. "You could seek the help of your uncle."

"I have an uncle?"

"Of course!" Junior looked astounded. "King Cor of Archenland. The Carlomenes haven't taken Archenland over yet… although…" He swore quietly under his breath. "Scrap that, they have. Cor's dead… and Corin's dead too. Look, your best bet would be to get to the Stone Table on Midsummer's Eve to catch some of the Old Narnians." He shrugged. "It could work."

Rhiann shook her head.

"My mother mentioned something about Old Narnia living underground. She said I could join them."

Junior regarded her with an irritated expression.

"Coral said that, did she? Well, I suppose if you insist…" He rolled his eyes. "Before we go dashing off into the sunset however, you might want to meet my companion."

Junior stood up and shuffled to the back of the cave while Rhiann regarded him curiously. Moments later, he came out.

"Rhiann, Jared. Jared, Rhiann."

From the back of the cave a boy a few years older than Rhiann emerged.

"Morning." He said irritably. "So you're dragging us on this wild goose chase, are you?"

Rhiann just looked at him with a look of reproach on her face. He had dark brown hair that flopped into his grey eyes.

"Do you like living like this?" She asked simply. He came out to stand next to her. Jared was taller than her by a lot.

"At least we're alive." He snapped.

"If you can call this living." Rhiann retorted coolly. Turning to Junior she tilted her head on its side. "May we leave now?"

Junior shrugged.

"Might as well… to Mr. Beaver's dam I suppose." He sighed, hurrying out of the cave. Rhiann swept out after him, back straight. Jared just stared after her.

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Jared and Junior seemed more animated as they walked through the silent forest. They conversed in undertones and bantered with each other. Once or twice Junior attempted to involve Rhiann in conversation but she answered in monosyllabic replies. Jared didn't even bother.

She walked slightly apart from them, observing the trees as they waved their branches as though in greeting. Her hood was up and she walked silently.

"How old are you?" Jared asked his voice close to her ear. She barely flinched.

"Seventeen." She answered.

"You're old for seventeen." Jared continued, his voice full of derision. Junior agreed.

"And yourself?" Rhiann asked absently.

"Twenty."

"You're young for twenty." Rhiann replied, her voice matching his in derision. Junior looked from one to another worriedly trying to defuse the tension in the air.

"Though I do not feel the need to take every moment as seriously as you do, I am not young." Jared snapped. Rhiann shrugged.

"You seem defensive." She said coldly. "And pardon me if I am old for my age. It is difficult growing up in a cave without ever seeing anyone." Here she turned away. Jared looked at Junior, eyes wide in surprise. Junior nodded in answer to the unspoken question and they continued walking.

Jared observed Rhiann. Her appearance was so full of life, yet her countenance was so cold. He couldn't help but infuriate her, she rose to his bait so easily. He couldn't like her, yet he held a grudging respect for her. She was an enigma.

Rhiann kept her eyes straight away of her, every part of her despising Jared… despising Junior, despising herself. Jared angered her so, yet she had no one to blame but herself for rising to his bait.

If all other humans are like that… she thought irritably, then I see no point in –

"Duck!" Junior hissed in her ear and the three of them fell soundlessly to the ground.