A/N: Part two of 'Inside Man'. I hope you enjoy it!

Soundtracks:

"Østavind" – Kjell Braaten

"Yggdrasil" - Forndom

"Når Gudarna Kallar" - Forndom


The sun stood high in the sky by the time the Kings and the former Calormene General returned. Rhea, Susan and Caine was grateful they had some shadow underneath the palms surrounding their camp, as the sun boiled the sand mercilessly.

Susan and Rhea was currently roasting a plump desert lizard Rhea had caught earlier. She had sworn it safe to eat, as it had been mostly their diet when fighting Calormene forces in the Great Desert.

Rhea cut of the finished roasted lizard's tail and handed it to Caine, who accepted it.

He took a bite of it.

"You know," he spoke after swallowing, "this tastes like chicken in many ways. Her Majesty should try some!" Caine said, feeling much perkier than he had that morning – Susan had given him her health potion in a flask of water unbeknownst to him – he needed it much more than her, and if it helped him get ready for travel quicker, then so be it.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry," Susan brushed off politely as she watched Caine wolf down the piece of greasy meat with incredibility.

"Well, nothing has tasted this good since…" Caine stated as he chewed heavily but tracked off as he could not remember when he had had some real greasy meat last.

"Oh, it matters not!" he concluded, and sucked some juice off his thumb. Rhea and Susan looked at each other knowingly, happy that he had perked up and that some of his health had returned.

"I remember before the defeat of the Calormene Army two years ago." Rhea spoke as she poked the ashes in the small fire with a dry twig. Both Susan and Caine turned their heads towards her, Caine flipped his now-long black curls away from his face as he ripped meat off the stick.

"We were on the line on enemy borders, on the outskirts of this very desert. A sandstorm had caught us in the night, and we were without food and water, it had all been destroyed, and it was pretty soon starting to look dark, as we were in no position to either retreat or engage," Rhea spoke gently. She remembered it well, the days that followed. Caine wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Do you think the other soldiers remember Hassan?" Caine pondered.

"I know I do. I've never seen a King ride out by himself to look for a boy lost in a storm." Rhea replied with a sigh.

"A storm? Hassan?" Susan asked in curiosity with a raised dark brow.

"Yes. Hassan was a boy barely old enough to grow hair on his chin, his voice had yet to deepen. He was first caught trying to steal our rations in our camp, trying to survive. His mother and sister had perished in a civil attack. He had no others. Out in the desert, he would've died either way." Rhea explained, meeting her Queen's gaze.

"When Caspian learned of this, he did not order a hand to be cut off, as any other King would've done. He instead offered him a place to sleep, food and water alongside us, if he were to tend our horses and keep himself useful by keeping watch on the dunes from the trees in return." Caine explained to her. Susan was intrigued by this, as it was most unorthodox. She was however warmed inside to hear this.

"The boy was so grateful, so kind. He connected with Caspian in some way. I suppose Caspian recognized himself in Hassan and felt pity for the boy. Hassan was the one to teach him what to eat out on the dunes, snakes, lizards, cacti and the like. Caspian treated the boy like… Family. The night when Hassan learned our supply of water and food had been destroyed by the sand, he walked out in the aftermath of the storm in search of a water source…" Rhea continued. She grew silent after that and shook her head silently.

"He didn't make it back…" Susan said knowingly.

"Caspian rode out after him, knowing he wouldn't survive the cruel elements of the storm." Rhea said.

"Hassan had found a well, indeed. Caspian found his lifeless body by the well, collapsed against the rocks, poor boy." Caine finished the tale, looking equally sombre. He had taught the boy to play cards, and how to flip a dagger in his hand.

"Caspian was half-dead by the time he returned himself, Hassan in his lap as he came riding into camp." Caine continued. "We lit the boy a pyre that night, in honour of his braveness as he wandered out into the storm to provide soldiers with water."

"And the morning after, marched off into battle." Rhea added with a defeated sigh.

Susan had no idea of this. She was overwhelmed by their story, touched by it so deeply. She had nothing to say after this to help digest it. So, instead, she grasped her waterskin, and raised it slightly.

"To Hassan, a brave boy who sacrificed his life to save others." Susan pronounced gently.

"To Hassan." Rhea and Caine joined her in the cheers as they drank from their waterskins in his honour.

. . .

Al-Riyadh and Caspian rode at a lazy walk around the neck of the palm trees in silence until the Calormene soldier spoke up.

"So…" he spoke in a gruff voice. Caspian turned his head so he could listen.

"The Queen, she's worried." Al-Riyadh said. Where was he going with this?

"She always worries." Caspian replied dryly with a sigh.

"Why?" the general asked.

"Their sister was abducted, that should be reason enough, don't you think?" Caspian replied, turning his head with a flick of his dark mane.

"I can see she is a troubled woman. Her worry for her sister shadows her heavy heart," Al-Riyadh spoke whilst gazing over the land. The wind whisked away the tracks of their horse's hooves, fine sand dancing along the waves of gust that carried it away.

"She's stronger than you think." Caspian replied quickly in her defence.

"I did not mean to imply otherwise my liege. But, if I may-" Al-Riyadh proposed.

"You may not, but my words are not enough to stop you, I'm sure." Caspian interrupted curtly. This man did not amuse him, but he was useful, and proved him loyal, all the same.

As he expected, the general continued.

"The Queen carries you in her heart – let that replace the dread in her heart," Al-Riyadh explained subtly. How dared he insinuate how they felt for each other?

"Why does any of this matter to you?" Caspian had run out of patience, and sharply turned his horse about to face the General, his eyes cold and protective. Al-Riyadh did not cower below his harsh demeanour.

"I see the King carries his banner high for the Gentle Queen – yet, I see trouble in his heart as well." He spoke.

"What's it to you?" Caspian challenged him.

"His Majesty is a fierce lion, true. But I hope, when the time comes, that his Majesty will reconcile with his heart, and make right by it."

"You have been most useful so far, but do not," Caspian threatened as he pushed his horse a step forward, "Do not push your luck. I do not answer to you." Caspian answered harshly.

"As is his Majesty's right." Al-Riyadh replied, equally nerved as before.

As the two men sat astride their horses, like two rams about to charge, the sands around them whirled strongly. The winds were not strong enough to carry sand in such a manner by itself, it was somewhat unnatural.

Caspian knew what was happening. Al-Riyadh pulled up his sabre, but Caspian stopped him.

"No. Sheath it." He motioned to him to keep watch, and as they watched the sand whirl uneasily, they soon noticed it taking form of a female silhouette. The ghostly silhouette formed by sand and wind stretched out her arms and hovered before them.

"A dryad," Caspian stated, a bit surprised if anything.

"Greetings, sons of Adam," the Dryad spoke soothingly.

"I bring news from Queen Lucy."

. . .

Susan, Rhea and Caine had packed up and hidden traces of their presence at the camp, anxiously awaiting Peter, Edmund, Al-Riyadh and Caspian's return.

As another pang of worry hit Susan in the stomach, they heard the snorting of horses and their cantering hooves approach from afar, across the dune. Two black horses cantered around several palms, and over the dune, approaching them. It was Caspian and Al-Riyadh. They were riled up, panted, and had ridden hard.

Susan was glad they decided to pack up, so they could leave quickly. Surely, they had been ambushed.

The three of them looked expectantly towards Caspian atop his horse.

"Lucy's alive." Caspian told them as he abruptly halted his horse, the stallion thrashed his head and panted, chewing his bit as he did.

Susan perked up, her gaze now attentively paying attention.

"She's sent word with a dryad. She's alive." Caspian said, a relieved smile grazing his lips as he met Susan's concerned gaze.

Just as he had delivered the news to them, a new pair of riders appeared from the opposite direction, looking equally dishevelled. They rode with speed towards them, navigating through the palm trees. It was Peter and Edmund.

"Did the dryad find you too?" Peter asked hurriedly, he too halting his horse.

"Yes. She carried word from Lucy. She's held captive not too far from here the dryad told us."

"Tombs of the Ancient Kings." Edmund confirmed, slightly out of breath.

"Indeed. The Calormene believe the place to be haunted. It's across the desert, over the River from Tashbaan," Caspian added.

"Great, then we are off, yes?" Caine asked as he hauled himself astride his bay-coloured mare. He looked expectantly towards Caspian who noticed they were all ready to leave, and that Caine's regained enough strength to get back on the road.

Susan and Rhea readied themselves and their horses, and the group were off in a haste shortly after.

. . .

After over half a day's ride, by the last light, the company of Kings and Queens and their guards had reached the outskirts of the Calormene Desert. They had crossed the river with some difficulty, and their horses were exhausted. They had passed Zalindreh along the coastal line past Tashbaan, finding ruins of rocks and tall structures made of stone all along the coast.

Finding the Ancient Tombs of Kings proved to be more difficult, as the tomb was not disguised as those tombs one would expect.

Peter understood why the Calormene people believed the place to be cursed; ruins of rocks and boulders scattered the area, which was covered in a thick ethereal layer of fog. Nothing lived there as they could tell; the desolated area was not inhabited. Not a sound could be heard, apart from the wind that howled lonely as it came from the shore. There was no vegetation growing around them. The trees that still stood had died a long time ago, rotten and hollowed out.

The company had gathered the horses and bound them in the trees below the many structures of stone and walked on by foot.

The terrain was made up of, like everything else, stone. They walked on naturally made steps of stairs that led them onwards past the many tombs along the shoreline.

Following the uneven terrain of rocks and stone, Rhea gazed downwards and noticed planks from an old jolly below in the sand by the shore. It was apparent that no one came around these parts any longer, and that it had been so for many a year.

The company, led by Caine and Susan, made way up along stone-stairs that spiralled around a large stone ruin. The terrain below their feet was treacherous, and they were glad when they had reached the leverage at the top of the ruin.

The stones flattened out, and they were now at the top of a ruin. They saw in front of them a last flight of stairs that led them into a dark ruin. The deteriorated ruin's maw was pitch black, and it would be difficult to navigate in there.

Stepping down three steps onto the platform beneath, Peter and Rhea looked about.

"She could be anywhere," Peter stated, mostly to himself as he followed Edmund and Caspian behind Susan and Caine.

"I bet she's inside the tomb, possibly with company." Caspian added to that, aware that they would not be along in this place by a long shot.

Rocks crumbled beneath Caine's boots, and he could've sworn he felt some of them move underneath his weight.

Before he could remark the matter, he had reached the last flight of stairs with Rhea at his heels. They awaited the others there.

Susan and Edmund walked across the platform, looking about.

"I can respect the Tashbaan people's decision to stay-" Susan began, but was not able to finish, as the floor underneath her very suddenly gave in.

She disappeared below with a shriek of terror as she caved in with the rocks.

"SUSAN!" Peter's shout of panic echoed through the ruins, and he along with Caspian quickly made his way to where the rocks caved in.

"Stop! The floor might cave further in and crush her!" Edmund stopped his brother and Caspian that came running from his place on the platform that threatened to cave in as well. He stabilized himself by crouching and trying to distribute his weight evenly.

Caine and Rhea stood on the other side of the collapsed floor by the steps, both restless and uneasy. They watched the scene with worry.

By the time Edmund had managed to crawl carefully over to the collapsed floor, dust and debris had cleared from the air, giving him clear sight down below.

Caspian had managed to crawl over opposite the crater, very carefully peering down along with Edmund. Peter had run off to gather rope from his horse's saddle.

Edmund and Caspian looked desperately after her down into the darkness.

"There," Edmund said hurriedly. Panic, yet relief in his voice.

The fall hadn't been awfully far, luckily, but far enough to severely hurt a person. Susan lay unconscious on her side on a floor of rocks, dirt and straw.

She had fallen straight into a cavern, probably into the tombs below. She bled from a cut on her temple.

Edmund and Caspian shared a look of great worry.

"Susan!" Edmund called after her. She did not respond. He leant over too far to call her name again, but Caspian stopped him as the rocks on the edge started to give in under the weight.

Caspian's heart was about to pound out of his heart and his head.

What if-

They saw one of her hands move.

"Su!" Edmund called once again. She stirred awake with a small groan. She coughed twice to remove the debris and dust that she had inhaled during the collapse.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position with unsteady arms proved to be difficult along with her spinning head, and she fell back down onto the floor twice before she managed to sit up with a groan. She was not sure how hurt she was, but judging from her spinning head and aching waist, she would bet badly.

"Susan, are you alright?" Edmund called. It took her a while to reply.

"I've felt better, but I think I'm okay." She called back bravely, in a slurred voice that told them otherwise as she grasped her head. She felt the blood in her palm and didn't need to check her hand to know she had hurt her head.

A strong wave of nausea washed over her, and she had to sit back and concentrate on breathing.

She was startled a moment after as a person dropped heavily on the floor beside her. Edmund straightened up and gave a thumbs up to Peter who had appeared by Caspian's side above.

"Susan, hey," Edmund said as he rushed over to her side, he crouched beside her and grasped her head carefully. She had bled heavily from her temple after the fall. She winced when he touched her head.

"Oh, sorry. Here, drink this," her younger brother offered her a health potion. She pushed his hand away, her head span uncontrollably once more at the effort of denying it.

"Susan, take it." He pushed, offering her it again. "You need it desperately, please."

It took him some time to persuade her to take it, and when she finally took it and swallowed its contents, he thanked her, as he knew her to be awfully stubborn. Not wanting it had nothing to do with pride, but he knew she'd not want to take one and disable another person from taking it.

Just by looking at her, Edmund knew she had broken ribs, possibly fractured her waist and sustained a concussion. The potion would help and get her going for a while.

Edmund looked around the room with his flashlight meanwhile his sister struggled to drink the contents of the vial.

The room around them was larger than first anticipated. Several dark tunnels mouthed out into the room. The room itself was large and contained stone carvings that he were not able to decrypt. Several stone tablets with carvings lay about, some more deteriorated than others.

Around the room lay several coffins. Some open, some closed. In the coffins lay decomposed bodies, mummified bodies, skeletons, urns. Some bodies had no coffin at all but were wrapped in linen and tossed about the room. This tomb had not been tended to for many hundred years, it would seem.

"Ed," Caspian called from above, now worried.

"It's a tomb alright; bodies and mummies, along with stone tablets everywhere. I'd suggest we move quickly, but we must continue through here. There are several tunnels down this way." Edmund spoke loudly to his brother and Caspian above.

Caspian and Peter shared a knowing gaze above the collapsed floor.

As Edmund helped Susan who had now responded to the potion, stand up, a heavy thud dropped to the floor some place beside them. Caspian had dropped to the floor beside them on bent knees and he braced himself on one arm as he whipped his hair back and looked about his surroundings before he turned to Edmund and a paled Susan.

"You alright?" Caspian asked them both, but his gaze lingered on the gentle Queen. He wanted to engulf her in his arms and scold her for scaring him so, along with kissing her senseless, but he restrained himself from doing so.

"Yeah. Peter?" Edmund asked as he looked up to see his brother had left the edge above.

"He will be going with Rhea and Caine into the ruin from above. We will head on from below and meet them halfway and get Lucy out of here." The Telmarine King explained. Edmund gave him a nod, agreeing with the plan of action.

"Alright then. Where too?" Caspian asked as he turned towards the tunnels before them. Edmund lit up the one that looked like a sensible option.

The youngest King urged his elder sister forwards first to not lose her out of his sight.

Still blurry-sighted, she attempted to walk on.

Caspian noticed her jaw tightening as she walked a pained gait. She stopped for a moment to take a breath. She was in great pain. He looked at Edmund with a worried look.

"Keep her in front of you, and I'll go in first," he said. Edmund didn't entirely agree that he should go first, but he agreed to keep her between them and out of danger.

"Let's hope we'll all get out of here with your sister in one piece." Caspian muttered to them as he entered one of the tunnels, leaving the room behind.

Some of the linen wraps in the room they had just left stirred slightly, and bony, mummified fingers grasped the lid on some of the coffins.

A shuddering, cold wheeze haunted the tunnel the two Kings and Queen entered.


A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! We are one step closer to stopping Talulah, and getting Lucy back, I'm sure!

Until then,

Dragon