A/N: Welcome back to another update on Victory Does Not Make us Conquerors! I am regretful that it takes so long between each update, but I simply do not find the time to write between work, keeping my horse and the general life.. I shall try to be better from now on by everyone's request!

Keep reading on, and I hope it is to everyone's liking!

Soundtracks:

"Truth" – Ramin Djawadi (GoT OST)

"Am I Not Merciful?" – Gladiator Soundtrack


Caspian was restless. He stood by an open arch, looking over the River Calormen that was lapping against the city walls as he and his company waited for the Tisroc. The long slopes down towards the rural areas on the other side of the riverbank were busy and teeming with life - Tashbaan was a colourful city. Bright colours flickered all over as men and women were dressed in tunics, turbans and scarves. The market district looked chaotic and crowded.

It was a hot day, as each and every day was in Calormen.

Beyond the rural forests and rivers to the north was the great volcano known as the Flaming Mountain of Lagour - its pointed top was visible to Caspian's eyes.

He wondered what remedy had been in the drink Susan had given him that morning, as his wounds had already stopped burning and he was fit enough to walk and stretch unaided. He concluded with the fact that it did not matter, for the sooner they were able to travel, the better. Peter was barely able to stand up by himself, but he was determined to make by on his own, refusing help from either Susan, Caine or Rhea.

Susan, Edmund and Caine were the ones without any greater injuries, and they made sure to make themselves useful for the rest of their company, much to Caspian's gratitude. Susan was currently affixing a bandage on Rhea's arm that had bled through and come loose.

They had all been offered clean clothes, food and drink. They were semi-rested and fitter now, despite their injuries, than before the incident with the Scorpioch.

Alas, valuable time had passed by. Had they not been ambushed by the arachnid; they would already have the third of the artefacts.

During his musings, the grand doors to the room opened, and two soldiers walked inside. A man in colourful robes walked after them, his hands behind his back. It was undeniably the Tisroc. His bearded chin was held up proudly.

A man as big as a mountain came in last. He wore trousers, an abdominal bandolier and boots. Two big scimitars rested at each side of his hips.

He looked beastly with his full braided beard and long mane of hair. His raven-black hair was braided down all the way to his thighs. The braid beginning at the end of his chin fell all the way to the middle of his pectorals. A silver pearl held the braid together at the end. With strong black brows, his eyes were fixated like a hawk finding his prey. He was enormous, with muscles powerful enough to challenge a bear to a wrestling match. His golden green eyes rested upon Susan as he came in after the Tisroc. After them, came three maidens with platters before them, their eyes held down.

The Pevensies stood up.

"Welcome, my Kings and Queens." The Tisroc greeted with outstretched arms. (Inspired from the bandit Saladin from "Arn the Templar Knight".)

The Tisroc, the emperor, was dressed in a bright red robe. A cream tunic was visible underneath, with golden and yellow patterns in the embroidery.

He had a full dark beard and dark hair all the way to his shoulders. His brown eyes shone bright. His face was thin, and his nose sharp. A small grin crossed his full lips.

"I trust my servants have looked after you well? You do seem more… refreshed… Now, than when my soldiers found you." The Tisroc spoke. He eyed each and every of them.

"Thank you, Tisroc." Caspian spoke on his group's behalf. "May he live forever" ghosted from the party of soldiers and servants behind the Tisroc after Caspian spoke.

"Yes, by far. It appears you saved us just in the right time." Peter continued. The Tisroc smirked.

"My scouting party found you after the incident with the Scorpioch. Terrible creatures, they destroy far too many farms and cattle."

"How can we repay your kindness?" Caspian asked the man, who waved an arm in disregard.

"My troops pledged themselves to King Miraz, and so we are pledged to you in his place, especially after our defeat mere years ago." The emperor claimed. Caspian clenched his jaw in response. He and his uncle were night and day as rulers. Miraz was a narcissist, neglectful and a tyrant. The Calormene Army had joined his reign, not Caspian's. Caspian and his Narnian troop had defeated the Calormene Conquest a few years ago in the Great Desert, as he had told Edmund and Lucy.

The Tisroc found himself a seat on a green-velvet armchair, crossing his leg as he did so. His eyes ventured towards Susan, who sat cross-legged besides Rhea.

"Ah, I see one Queen of Old, but I fail to see the second…" The Tisroc mused as he gazed upon her.

"Sadly, she was abducted. You found us battling the Scorpioch in your lands because we are trying to get her back." Susan replied curtly. The Tisroc sharpened his gaze.

"I am sorry to hear that, Queen Susan of Narnia…" he condoled. "It is true you were escaping these lands from Rabadash the Ridiculous, yes?"

Susan nodded coyly, a sigh escaping her. The Tisroc hmm-ed.

"As children, we are taught the tales of Rabadash and his ill-temper. A laughing-stock, really." He mused. Susan sat up straight in her chair.

"I can promise you; it was no figure of fun at the time. We hardly made it out with our lives intact." Susan explained determined as she gave Edmund a nod, who had been there to guard her at the time.

The Tisroc raised a brow towards her in agreement, became silent, and shifted in his seat.

He then looked towards Caspian who stood leant against a pillar.

"I hear you are on a quest." The emperor said.

"Indeed." Edmund replied.

"I also hear the world is soon to be ending. A new winter has come, and it shall be the last," the Tisroc stated.

"There is a way to stop the person behind this. But we are in need of an item-" Caspian began, but was interrupted by the Tisroc.

"The Crystal, yes?" he said, unphased.

The Pevensies all looked at him.

"You know of it?" Caspian asked him bewildered.

"'Know of it'? I have it, right here in my court. Why do you think I send daily scouting parties to guard and protect my land?" the Tisroc replied.

The royals gasped and murmured.

"How did you come across it?" Edmund asked, his eyes large.

The Tisroc chuckled smugly.

"It has been in our protection for years. We have no talking beasts in these lands. We have no need of a White-Marshall you have in the smaller countries, such as in Narnia. No, here it has been protected since the day the White Witch was nearly summoned."

"Do you know of a way to destroy the items?" Peter asked.

"There is no known way of doing this. The Deep Magic is beyond our comprehensive grasp."

Caspian stepped away from the pillar and rested his arms on the stone-carved table with a map across it as he looked at the proud emperor.

"We think there is a way of destroying it - once and for all." Caspian replied.

The Tisroc laughed at this.

"Forgive me, but do you expect me to hand the crystal over to someone else?" he said underneath his chuckle. The royals were not so amused.

"Yes. For if it remains here, your people will be in danger. We cannot success in our quest if we don't leave this place without it." Caspian stated, his voice firm.

"The Tisroc sat up straight in his seat.

"If my people had been in danger, we would have experienced that a long time ago."

"We did not know of the Ice Queen or the new winter, or the prophecy until a season ago, when dead creatures started to spawn and attack my people." Caspian said, his temper now growing. How could this man freely risk his people's lives in this way?

Now, the Tisroc's face shifted from amusement to curiosity.

"Prophecy?"

"Yes.

Son of Adam, Daughter of Eve shall winter end

That once lost must be reclaimed

All will be right, and evil descend." Caspian spoke. He had learned the prophecy by now, for he thought it could be useful to know it by hand, such in moments like now.

The Tisroc stroked his chin in thought.

"'That once lost must be reclaimed...'" he pondered. Caspian straightened up with a deep sigh.

"We have the silver hilt, and we have one of the crystals. We need the last artefacts before we can have it destroyed."

"What makes you so sure you can destroy it at all?" the emperor challenged.

"We must delve into the Deep Magic to find out, but before then, we need all the artefacts to finish our quest and defeat Talulah and her abominations. She plans to overtake Narnia, and the world as we know it."

The room became silent for a moment too long.

"It is on only one condition that I will hand you the artefact," the Tisroc suddenly said, his finger up to enhance his request.

"And that is?" Caspian asked. He was not in the mood for negotiating, but if that would be what it would take, then so be it.

"The Lone Islands will be back under Calormen control." He said without a blink.

Peter sat up in his seat.

"Those Islands are under the rule of Lord Bern, and so, under Narnian rule." Caspian stated firmly.

"We have tried to claim the governmentless colonies for a long time and had several feuds with Archenland in the process. Those slavetrading nations are highly profitable for Calormen." The emperor claimed.

"We freed that port from slavetrading!" Edmund exclaimed.

"No, I'm afraid we cannot do that." Caspian said, agreeing with Edmund.

The Tisroc sighed and put on a smirk of amusement once again.

"I understand that Narnia hold us Calormenes in … Disdain for how we treat our animals, cattle and slaves. But here…" He put out his arms to underline his statement. "Here, slavetrading and work is commonplace. It is how we determine power and wealth. It is how we rank social class. Surely, you can understand that?" the Tisroc said. Caspian's brow furrowed.

"I certainly understand the fact that every man and woman is their own master, and that slave keeping is against the law. People have the right to their freedom." Caspian stated. He did not like this man.

"Ah, but you are in Calormen now, dear friend. Here, it is the key to power!" The Tisroc exclaimed with a grin.

"The Islands are under Narnian territory, and so, forbidden." Caspian repeated.

"We have reached an impasse, then." The Tisroc remarked nonchalantly.

"It would seem so."

The Tisroc stood up, ready to depart. His maidens scurried out of the room.

"Then, the artefact stays here. Until we make our deal, you may feel at home. My servants will see that you are taken care of." The Tisroc said as he gathered his soldiers.

"Until then," he said with a small bow, leaving the monarchs to themselves.

Caspian sighed heavily.

"Well done in not giving him the islands." Peter encouraged him.

"We saw how the trading works with our very own eyes, Pete. It wasn't hard to say no." Edmund told him; his voice was coated with melancholy.

"With every step we take forward, we take three backwards…" Edmund said underneath a sigh.

"We must strike a deal somehow without compromising any nation. Or we will never get out of here…" Caspian said, his eyes down at the map before him.

It occurred to him that they were not under hospitality anymore – they were now captives.

Captives at Calormen court.


There you have it!

I planned to do so much with this chapter, but I must split it in two, I'm afraid.

If you are wondering at the two different spellings of "Calormen", it happens to be C.S Lewis' way of writing it. When used as an adjective, Lewis spelled the name with an 'e' at the end (e.g. a Calormene soldier).

Be strong until the next update!

Until then,

Dragon