*Chapter 4-The Kings and Queens of Old*

Hey y'all sorry for poofing! My computer crashed and we had to get my friend from church (who we crescened Computer Man while he was here xD) to fix it.

Anywho, I do not own Chronicles of Narnia or any of the Narnian characters. But I do own the strangers running around here. xP

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Please read and review! Constructive criticism is welcome, just be nice about it. As promised, if you review you get an autographed pic of Mr Tumnus scarfless, and a bag of salt and vinegar chips! Hahaha I love those things. xD

NOW ENJOY OR DIE

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The Pevensies, who had found a treasure chamber that had due to its underground location survived whatever attack had been raged on their castle and in it more suitable clothes and weapons, found themselves walking along a beach in silence. The sun was shining brightly and warming their skin in a way that England's sun never could. Lucy, who was practically melting with her excitement, was clutching on to Peter's and Edmund's hands. Susan, who was in the lead seeing as her two brothers were occupied by Lucy, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. The other three slowed down, their eyes measuring her to see the cause of her hesitation. Just as Peter started to ask her, she darted forward, whipping her bow off her back and notching an arrow.

"Susan!" Edmund cried, running off after her, closely followed by Peter and Lucy. They reached the top of a large sand hill that she had just vanished over in time to see her fire her arrow at boat that was idly floating in the water. Much to all their shock, she missed, her arrow landing in the side of the boat. The occupants, who were two soldiers in strange armor holding a gagged and bound dwarf between them, looked up with startled expressions to find the source of the arrow, and their expressions quickly changed to those of fright. Susan stood, looking sinister as she reloaded her bow and stood defensively on the edge of the water.

"Drop him!" she shouted, her voice ringing with regained authority. The dwarf's eyes widened, and he shouted something that was muffled by the gag. The two soldiers exchanged uncertain looks, before shrugging and tossing the dwarf over the side of the boat with a splash. With a growl, Susan fired her arrow, and with a twang it shot into one of the soldiers. He fell backwards into the water, and with a cry his companion dived in after him. In a flash, Peter was diving in after the dwarf. Edmund wadded into the water and retrieved the rowboat, knowing they'd need it.

Peter resurfaced, the writhing dwarf slung over his shoulder. As he reached the shore he dropped it down on the beach in front of his sisters, continuing on to help Edmund with the boat. Immediately, Lucy had her little dagger out and was severing the ropes bonding the dwarf. It started coughing and sputtering, and scrambled to its feet, angrily picking what appeared to be a seaweed from its beard and throwing it to the older queen's feet with a cross expression.

"'Drop him!'" it shouted. "That's the best you can come up with?"

Susan bristled. "A simple 'thank you' would suffice!"

"They were doing a fine job drowning me without your help," the dwarf growled lowly.

"Maybe we should've let them!" Peter, growing angry, jumped in to his sister's defense. The dwarf turned to retaliate, but became rigid as he took in the eldest of the four, a very familiar face popping into his mind.

"Mud and Marsh-wiggles!" he gasped. "The old badger's ramblings were right."

"I beg your pardon?" Peter squirmed under the dwarf's intense gaze.

"What? Oh dear, I was just.. um.. never mind me." the dwarf said, still looking at Peter out of the corner of his eye.

"Why were they trying to drown you, anyways?" Lucy asked. The dwarf returned to his grouchy mood.

"They're Telmarines. It's what they do." it replied gruffly.

"Telmarines? In Narnia?" Edmund exclaimed.

"Where have you been for the last few hundred years?" came the dwarfs sarcastic reply.

"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy said with a sheepish grin. The dwarf looked up to see Susan handing Peter his sword, which he'd discarded her when he ran out into the water. The dwarf's eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me.. You're it? You're the Kings and Queens of old?" it said, sounding disgusted.

"High King Peter, the Magnificent," Peter said, stepping forward and offering his hand. The dwarf stared at it and snickered.

"You probably could've left off the last bit." Susan said.

"Probably," the dwarf said, still snickering. Peter's jaw went taught and his eyes flashed angrily.

"You might be surprised." he snipped, pulling out his sword.

"Oh, you don't want to be doing that, boy." the dwarf said.

"Not me. Him." Peter indicated to Edmund, who looked excited as he drew his sword. Peter handed his sword to the dwarf.

The dwarf looked at the legendary sword uneasily, and gave a little gulp before he took it from the High King. The four watched as with a thud it hit the sand, seeing as it was too big for the dwarf. Edmund, who stood at the ready, snickered along with his siblings. The dwarf saw he had fell for his bluff and was distracted, and seized the moment and lunged. It smacked him in the head with the lion on the end of the handle, causing Edmund to fall back a little.

"Oh, you alright?" it asked, before again lunging. It swung the sword at Edmund's feet, but he was one step ahead and jumped right as the sword was to meet with his legs, then advanced.

In mere moments, Peter's sword flew out of the dwarfs hand and landed in the sand. The dwarf fell to its knees and gasped.

"Beards and bedsteads!" he cried. "Maybe that horn worked after all."

"What horn?" Susan asked, stepping forward.

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Tada! What'd ya'll think? Please review! :D