Hello! This is my entry for prompt #3 of the Adventures in Narnia challenge (also my first Narnia fanfic). This is actually a piece of something I'll be writing in the future. The first part isn't finished yet, so this part actually wasn't written, but it fit well with the prompt, so I decided to spit something out. This will make a lot of sense once the first part is finally published.
I'm truly terrible at coming up with Narnian names, so if these are poorly done or someone has made one a bit like it before, I apologize. Seriously, I have a big issue with names. They're the hardest part of writing for me, lol.
The prompt was "diplomacy" so here it goes.
As a quick overview:
-Nora is human, but lives in Ettinsmoor and is more or less a spy for Cair Paravel. Her staff isn't mentioned much here but it is important in what will technically be the first story. She isn't really an ambassador of anything; just called as such for diplomatic purposes.
-I know foxes live in dens but one character is a fox who lives on the beach, so I called him Sanddweller. I thought that was kind of cute but I'll probably hate it later, so it's okay if you hate it too. XD
Onward!
There were few things in the world that Edmund detested more than visiting Calormen.
While yes, he did despise winter, he seemed to hate the suffocating heat of the southern country more. It plastered his underclothes to his skin and made his pulse drum and made dealing with the exhausting nobles all the more difficult.
When the large city finally came into view on the third morning, Edmund was wide awake, perched on the bow of the Splendor Coyline. She was smaller than her sister ship, the Hyaline, but equally as dependable. There was also no need for such a grand ship on what was to be an ordinary trade visit. That, and Edmund particularly despised the Tarkaan he would be dealing with. It was best not to give the older man anything else to focus on aside from the tasks at hand.
It would still take them over an hour to dock at the port, so Edmund hadn't yet bothered to change out of a simple tunic and leggings. He hated ceremonial garb anyway. No sense in wearing it longer than he had to. And he could already feel the air growing warmer, despite the fact that it just barely dawn.
Light footfalls behind him made him turn slightly. He smiled, but Nora did not meet his eyes. She kept her gaze on Tashbaan, appearing wary as she came to stand beside him.
"I have never known you to exaggerate," she commented eventually. Edmund's brow furrowed. "Nor have you done so now, I see. It is most unwelcoming."
Edmund chuckled lightly, and Nora smiled in return. "It will not be any better on shore, unfortunately. The Tarkaans can be most disagreeable."
They fell silent for a while, the only sound being the crashing of the waves against the hull, and the voice of the captain shouting orders. They were closer now, and could see quite a crowd gathering on the docks. Edmund decided he'd best begin to dress, and turned to Nora to tell her the same. She looked quite pale and was fiddling with the fringe of her shawl. Edmund realized she hadn't brought her staff with her. She looked quite odd without it.
"What is it?" he asked, voice quieting. He was fairly certain the crew on the bridge couldn't hear them, but he did it all the same.
Nora kept her eyes on Tashbaan, and continued pulling at a loose thread in her shawl. "I confess I am quite nervous," she admitted, meeting his eyes hesitantly.
Edmund leaned against the rail with his back to the city. "You have met Calormen before," he replied, trying to keep his voice light.
"I have met fewer than I have fingers. And that was on your land, in your home. It is quite different in their own country."
Edmund hesitated. "That's true," he admitted.
"Suppose he knows Ettinsmoor-"
"Better than you?"
"No. . .but suppose he knows we're lying."
The Just king sighed, turning again to face the city as he struggled to find the right words. "I'm not lying to further my own self-interests," he answered eventually. "I'm doing it to protect my family, and my people. We've had such trouble with Ettinsmoor lately. I should prefer Calormen to think we've a much better grasp on it than we do. They will not hesitate to wage war if they think we're distracted."
He was right in every sense of the word, and she knew it. But it did not help her nerves.
"And," Edmund continued, "I mean no offense. But the Tarkaans I've encountered are not keen on listening to women. He may very well ask me everything intended for you. You may not need say a word." It was the precise reason his sisters never came unaccompanied. No business was ever accomplished if he or Peter were not there. The majority of Calormen nobles, it seemed, had little patience for females if they were not in their harems.
"Just remember what I've told you. And stay by me or Aemilius when you can. You shouldn't go anywhere unaccompanied."
"That is not helpful in the slightest," she chuckled. "You're making me even more nervous."
A bugle-sounding instrument suddenly reached their ears from the shore, and a band began to play as the ship approached. Edmund straightened. "We should go change," he said, even more serious now. "We don't want to keep them waiting. I'd like to depart on time." He smirked. "If not early." He turned and began heading for the lower decks.
Nora smiled before following.
It was not long after they'd docked and been welcomed into the city that Edmund wondered if he'd made a grave error.
Tarkaan Izad always seemed prepared to murder him on the spot, which was why Edmund was heavily guarded when in his presence. The former was a cold, calculating man with eyes that seemed permanently glaring and a smile forever stuck in a disgusting sneer. He had never met the Queens and was only presented to Peter on two occasions, since Edmund was certain his brother would be unable to restrain himself after a simple conversation with the man.
Edmund had strode down the dock, attempting to keep an, at least, relatively pleasant look about him as he and Izad greeted each other. Izad was surrounded by his personal guard as well as several counselors or ministers or whatever he considered them (he did not treat them much better than commoners). His carriage and slave attendants were far behind him, waiting for his command. Several other carriages, presumably for Edmund and his own entourage, were in line behind it.
A band stood nearly a dozen yards away, playing a jaunty tune as several courtiers and the majority of Izad's party gave respectful bows.
Edmund was flanked by his own guard, with Aemilius (a faun), Sanddweller (an older fox), and Nora on his right, and half a dozen armed centaurs to his left. More of his guard brought up the rear.
"Your Majesty," Izad exclaimed, giving a flamboyant sort of half bow. "You honor us with your presence, sir."
"I am honored, Tarkaan, by such a courteous welcome," Edmund replied.
"Ah, yes, yes," Izad exclaimed, gesturing to the band. "They come from the Tisroc (may he live forever) himself, as a gift for your arrival. It has been so long since we've had the immense privilege of entertaining such a hallowed guest as Your Majesty."
Edmund managed a pained smile, hoping he looked more pleased than he felt. "I am pleased we could meet to discuss such an important matter, Tarkaan." He turned to those on his right, extending his hand. "You remember Aemilius, my aide-de-camp? And may I present Sanddweller, our ambassador to the Eastern Sea, and Nora, our ambassador to Ettinsmoor."
Izad looked at Aemilius and Sanddweller with expected distaste, as did most Calormen nobles. He set his eyes on Nora, and his smile grew. "Ambassador? I'd rather hoped she was a gift for me!" He laughed heartily, as did several of his councilors.
Nora, who wasn't even especially pretty (by Calormen standards, anyway) grew, if possible, paler as she shot Edmund a panicked look.
Edmund did not laugh, instead glaring harshly at Izad and attempting to keep his voice under control. "Last I saw you had plenty of young ladies at your disposal, Tarkaan. Surely you can leave my councilors alone?"
"Oh, yes, yes," Izad sputtered, temporarily dropping his sneer before continuing to laugh. He gave Nora a most insincere look. "You must understand my dear, I was only joking. The mighty Tash has blessed me with quite the sense of humor. In fact, I am most treasured by the Tisroc (may he live forever) for my unmatchable wit."
Edmund grimaced more than smiled. "Yes, I'm sure you are."
Izad clapped his hands and sent a look to the slaves before turning to the Narnia party. "Come, come now! Let us not stand in the great heat of the mighty Tash all day, lest we anger him by remaining idle!"
Edmund wanted to point out that Izad was likely the most idle human being he'd ever met, but he held his tongue.
Izad climbed into his own carriage, and several slaves moved to attend to those intended for Edmund. One opened the door as he approached, and Edmund offered a grateful, "I thank you, my good man," as he entered.
Aemilius climbed in beside him, and Sanddweller and Nora followed, taking the bench across. After a few moments, the carriage lurched, and the small parade began heading through the streets. The centaur guard flanked Edmund's carriage on both sides.
Edmund bit his lip, looking out the window at the impoverished market they were traveling through. Onlookers stopped, staring, some wistful and others spiteful as the royal party passed through.
Izad's behavior was nothing but a reminder why Edmund always insisted his entourage in Calormen be entirely male. He had dozens of capable female guard members and staff more than willing to accompany him, but he wouldn't have it. The way Izad had spoken to Nora was nothing new. It was quite typical of many of the Tarkaans they'd dealt with.
For the second time that day, Edmund wondered if this was a horrible mistake.
"As you know from our correspondence, Tarkaan, our northern communities' fishing profits have been drastically low this year." Edmund laid down his inventory counts on the table before them, showing the incredibly stark difference between their current profits and those of previous years.
"These communities really on their catch both for their livelihood and their own food source," Sanddweller added from the floor. "As of now, dozens of families are already struggling, and it will only grow worse as winter comes."
"Ettinsmoor is also facing hardship." This came from Nora. "The communities on the coast as well as the civilized giants have had little success these last few weeks."
"I see," Izad, said, keeping his eyes only on Edmund. He smiled. "But pray, Your Majesty, what does this have to do with me?"
Edmund produced several more documents from Aemilius, laying them out on the table. "I have received dozens of reports of Calormen fishing vessels as far north as our waters," he replied. "Most of which belong to you."
Izad stopped smiling, and instead fixed Edmund with a hard stare. The room fell silent.
"Of course," Edmund continued. "No man owns the sea. But our kingdoms have always paid each other the respect of only reaping the benefits of our own land and waters. With all due respect, Tarkaan, if your vessels continue to trespass in our waters, you will be depriving hundreds of my people of their livelihood. It is already causing somewhat of an economic crisis."
Izad looked little more than perturbed, and Edmund took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself.
"The giants in the north depend on the sea for their food," Edmund continued. "They do not grow crops and they do not hunt. We have managed to control their attacks on our people by persuading them to use the sea. Should their food source continue to dwindle, you will be putting my own country, as well as Archenland and Calormen at risk." This wasn't a lie, not entirely. Nora had persuaded Montelough and several other agreeable giant communities to fish (and hunt) for their food as opposed to eating men and talking beasts. And while it had given Narnia more of an alliance with parts of Ettinsmoor, it had only worsened their relationship with the residents of Harfang.
But, if Izad thought an entire country of giants would come stampeding down from the north to devour several countries (including his own) if he kept overfishing. . .well, it wouldn't hurt to scare him a bit, surely.
Izad was silent for a long while, his chin resting in his left hand as his index finger drummed slowly against his cheek. "What you're asking-" he began eventually.
"I'm not asking," Edmund interjected. "I'm telling you. You may not fish in our waters without express permission."
The statement made Izad chuckle, the sneer he typically wore returned. "Your Majesty," he replied. "You said yourself: no man owns the sea."
"Quite right. But do my people fish in your waters without a previous agreement and some form of tax?"
". . .I'm not quite sure."
"No," Edmund answered. "They do not. Do you not owe us the same courtesy?"
Izad chuckled again, coming out from behind the desk. Aemilius instinctively shifted closer to Edmund.
"There is quite an abundance of fish in the northern waters, Majesty," he countered. "Kinds that are not found here but that stimulate my economy quite well."
Edmund nodded. "I sympathize, Tarkaan. And you may fish as often as you like in our waters, provided each vessel pay a small fee based on the amount of fish they catch. It is only fair, since the sea stimulates my peoples' economy as well."
Izad began to pace, walking slowly from his desk to a large set of floor-to-ceiling windows across the room. "A few fish are such a silly thing to fight over, Your Majesty," he said quietly.
Edmund tensed. "I'm not fighting over anything," he replied evenly. "I merely want a fair trade and the best for my people."
Izad turned to face him, the sneer returning. "I have heard of no difficulties from Archenland. Why is that your waters seem to suffer, but not their own?"
"I cannot speak for Archenland." He could, actually, but it was not within his right to do so. They were doing equally as poorly, if not more so, since the Calormene had exhausted their fish population before moving onto Narnia's. "I can however speak for my people, who are starving. And I have dozens of witnesses who have seen your fishing vessels in our waters. Now, if you are unwilling to agree to a fair trade, I am happy to let the matter pass, so long as you agree to cease your trespassing."
"And if I do not?" He smiled. "Tash gave Calormen the sea."
"Aslan has given Narnia ours. There will be no issue if you keep to your own resources as we keep to ours. But by dismissing this conversation, you anger more than one of the northern countries."
"I had not thought Ettinsmoor a proper country."
Izad's words caught Edmund off guard, considering they were directed at Nora (whom he had been practically ignoring all through dinner, the drinks afterward, and now the meeting itself) and not at him.
Nora quickly composed herself before nodding. "Oh, yes, Tarkaan," she answered.
"With an organized government?"
"Yes, sir. 'Tis based in Harfang."
He glared at her. "I have received no proper greeting from its. . .king?"
"T-tis more of a council, sir. There is no monarchy."
"Then I have received no proper greeting from the council. As one of the Tisroc's (may he live forever) most prominent advisors, I would say that is a lapse in decorum."
". . .Perhaps it is, Tarkaan. But it is not a matter I have any say in."
Izad took a few steps forward, closer to Edmund. "If I've angered the giants so much, perhaps they should come forward with their complaints."
Edmund hoped his face did not betray him. There was (technically) some form of a council in Harfang. But it was not their ally, and it would be disastrous if they got wind of what was going on. "Well, to voice such complaints would be up to them, Tarkaan, not I. I only tell you of their situation so you know how grave the situation is. So you may protect your people as I wish to protect mine." He exhaled softly. "I intend to present a draft of my proposal to the Tisroc-"
"-may he live forever."
". . .on my next visit, unless the matter can be resolved before my departure. I would hate to disrupt him with such a . . .silly matter."
"O-of course," Izad sputtered. He sent a glare to one of his councilors across the room before turning falsely kind eyes on Edmund. "But, I dare say, it is well past midnight. Pray, may we continue our negotiations on the morrow?"
"Of course," Edmund agreed. "'Tis best to give our minds a rest, and it will give us time to consider such an agreement."
Izad looked incredibly annoyed, but managed to keep the sneer on his face as he bid them all goodnight.
It was the one and only time Edmund had ever charged into a lady's room unannounced (and the one and only time such a lady was not one of his sisters), but he paid no mind as Nora gasped as he tore through the door and locked it behind him.
"What are you-"
"We have to go," he replied, hefting the small bag he'd hastily packed over his shoulder. He stopped close to her, dropping his voice even lower. "Two of Izad's guards broke into my room," said quietly. "They're dead but so is most of my guard. We need to go, now. Sanddweller's heading to alert the ship's crew, but we need to get there fast." He grabbed Nora's sword, handing it to her and peering out the window as she strapped it on. He sucked in a breath.
"What?" Nora asked, coming to stand beside him. "Oh!"
The Splendor Coyline was engulfed in flames, the entire top half already crumpling as the fire quickly spread down her hull. They were too far away to make out any of the crew on board, if there were any. Edmund only hoped they'd been able to get off in time, though their survival on land in Calormen might not be a better fate.
"All right," Edmund said softly, moving towards the door. "We must get to Anvard."
"Anvard? But. . .the desert."
"We've no other choice." He peered through the keyhole before pressing a finger to his lips and heading out into the hallway. Nora grabbed her staff, tying it to her back and following.
Whether the entire thing had been planned from the beginning, or whether Izad realized they'd lied about their alliance with Ettinsmoor was no matter. The corridors were unguarded and the lamps had been physically removed from their holders. Edmund felt incredibly nauseated.
Was the Tisroc involved? He doubted it. Neither kingdom wanted a war, though Calormen was far more likely to start one than Narnia. If he had orchestrated it with Izad. . .Edmund didn't want to think of the consequences.
They eventually got through a servants corridor undetected, rushing down the stairs and hurrying down a long hallway that led to an outside door. Almost immediately, they were ambushed by several Calormen guards. A centaur from Edmund's guard also rushed up behind them, and the dark corridor was suddenly a mess of swords and thumps and blood.
Edmund became keenly aware that Nora was not nearly as prepared as he and Orieous had tried to make her in the weeks preceding, and he continuously kept his eyes on her while trying to fight his own battle as well. She wasn't as clumsy with a sword as she had been, but even Susan could outfight her at that moment. Nora was really all her younger brother had, and she was the closest friend and confidant Edmund had, despite how quiet she was. If anything happened. . .that blood would be on Edmund's hands.
This had been a horrible idea.
At some point, the centaur fell and Nora cried out in pain. Edmund ran the Calormen in front of him straight through, and dispatched another before finally taking down the one that was on Nora. She was holding her left side as blood began leaking heavily through her fingertips.
Edmund bit back a curse, quickly checking the centaur. He was dead.
"Can you move?" he asked Nora, who nodded. He wrapped an arm around her (since she was far too short to comfortably put an arm over his shoulders), sheathing his sword and rushing out of the passageway and into the night.
The door must have led them much closer to the docks than they thought, because the putrid smelling of burning wood and paint reached Edmund's nostrils as they entered the city streets. "Come on," he told Nora, leading the way up a winding road that led to a bridge over the sea.
Edmund had never been more grateful he made it a point to know the geography of the locations he and his siblings visited. The bridge led to another small village, which in turn sat on the edge of the Calormen desert. They just reached the sand, ignoring several warning signs posted along the end of the path when a flap of wings sounded behind them. One of their hawks, Nightflier, rushed to them, landing on the sand in front of them.
"My King," he greeted, bowing low and panting from the exertion of flying so fast.
"Nightflier," Edmund breathed, thanking Aslan that at least one of their number had survived.
"Your Majesty, nearly all the crew made it safely off the Spledor Coyline onto skiffs. They await your instruction."
"Tell them to get to Archenland. We cannot go back to Tashbaan. I believe it was the Tarkaan who orchestrated all of this."
Beside him, Nora groaned and dropped to her knees, hand on her side.
Edmund turned to the hawk. "Nightflier, get to Anvard. Tell King Lune to watch for our crew. Nora and I are heading due north through the desert, we've no choice. She's hurt and we have no provisions and request immediate aid. We are likely also being pursued. And alert the High King as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Nightflier replied, dashing off into the air as fast as he could. He headed towards the water first.
Edmund crouched down. "Nora, we must go. They'll be coming for us and we must keep ahead of them until Lune's men find us. Can you stand?"
She nodded, accepting his hand as she struggled to rise. The sand beside her was already covered in blood.
Oh, Aslan please help us.
They hurried as quickly as possible into the desert, and Edmund struggled not to vomit. He'd known Izad was a horrid man, and yet he came without Peter and Oreious and with Nora of all people. They had no provisions and really only Edmund as a means of defense. They were likely going to die before anyone could reach them, and it was all Edmund's fault.
What a dreadful, dreadful mistake.
Did this fit the prompt well? I really don't know, but I gave it a shot anyway, lol. Hope you all enjoyed!
God bless
