*Chapter 18-Closeur and Confrontations*

Hey everyone! As promised, here's another chapter in my fanfic, The King and Queen of New!

Sorry if it's kinda crappy, I'm winging it here as it's my last day to update and haven't finished the outline of this chapter. So excuse any poopiness! :P

Just to let you guys know, I'm going to soon be putting up links to original drawings for this story I've been working on! Once I get them up, go check them out and tell me what you think!

I've just realized that I've been completely forgetting disclaimers-will I get in trouble for that?? :O I DO NOT OWN NARNIA!!!

Special thanks, as always, to those who reviewed, they are much appreciated, and super huge awesome thanks to my fanfic friend, imprintedjet09! I love you hun! ;D

NOW ENJOY OR DIE

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several hours after the conclusion of Iridescent's tale found the survivors of the raid party resting in the cool inner chambers of the How. Many of them were still suffering from minor wounds. seeing as Lucy's cordial was only used on the gravest afflictions, and were thus awaiting treatment from Trufflehunter the badger. Under normal circumstances, the female centaur Wanefeather would have been the healer, but that night she, her husband Glenstorm, and their sons were holding a vigil for their fallen child. Peter had offered to join them, fully feeling their loss was his responsibility, but they had politely rejected him, saying it was a private family tradition of centaurs.

Those who had survived the raid but were well enough to get along without healing were scattered throughout the How, some resting, some having repairs made to their armor, and others quietly trying to find something to do with themselves to erase from their minds the memories of the preceding night,

Indeed, the mood of the How was a very somber one that night, even with the new edition of Iridescent and the miraculous survival of the fifth Pevensie. The main group of royals were at that particular moment all sitting in the Chamber of Aslan's Sacrifice, each not acknowledging any of the other's presence. Each was replaying different, horrific scenes from the night in their minds.

Edmund was reliving the moment he had flown over the courtyard to discover thousands of bodies of both Narnians and Telmarines alike. A dead silence had hung over the place, thick as the blood shed over the stone ground.

Susan was reliving the moment when she had killed two Telmarines and none more were coming after her. She had taken the opportunity to cast a quick glance around the courtyard only to discover hundreds upon hundreds of Telmarine archers lining the walls of a particularly high wall that went around the whole courtyard. There was no possible place you could go in the expansive courtyard to get away from their line of fire. It was shaping out to be a massacre of the Narnians, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Penelope was reliving the moment of being dragged off by the two Telmarines and having a dagger thrust into her side. Never before had she felt such an excruciating, agonizing pain, nor such a longing for her life to end if only it would have stopped the pain.

Peter was sitting in a corner, reliving the second he had made the snap decision to try and raid the castle. He had only done it out of anger towards Caspian, Lucy, and all the others who had doubted him. And in the end, they had turned out to be right. If only he had listened to reason.. All those innocent lives..

Caspian's ears were ringing with Susan's voice revealing to him that Penelope had fallen behind and had been left at the castle. Hearing that she had been dragged off and stabbed to death by two Telmarines.. The only time he had felt a pain that strong was when he was a young boy, hearing his father was dead and he would no longer be there to tell him stories and teach him swordfighting.

Caspian looked across the chamber to where Penelope was sitting, leaning against the stone troth that held the fire lighting the pictures on the walls and staring at a point to Caspian's right. He followed her eyes and saw that she was gazing raptly at the stone carving of Aslan, her expression wrapped deeply in thought. He noticed, not for the first time, just how pretty she really was as the firelight cast her face into the light. A great hopelessness came over him at the thought of losing her and never being able to see her face again.

Caspian stood from his place on the stairs of the Stone Table and walked over to her, his footsteps echoing in the darkness. He sat down to her left, not wanting to break her gaze with the Great Lion. As he took his place next to her, she gave a start and turned her attention to him.

"Hello, Caspian," she said quietly, offering him a warm half-smile.

"Hello Penelope. How is your side doing?" he asked. Automatically, her hand went to her side, but a smile spread across her lips.

"It doesn't feel as if I was ever injured, thanks for asking. Lucy's cordial works wonders." she said conversationally.

"So the stories go," Caspian said. An awkward silence ensued for a moment, during which Penelope watched him expectantly and he twiddled his thumbs, watching as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen any set of thumbs do in his life.

"So.." she said after a moment, looking slightly irritated by his lack of conversation.

"So.." he repeated. She huffed, very quietly, and turned away from him, crossing her arms over her chest. They sat like this for a moment before Caspian gathered up the courage to discuss what he had been wanting to.

"Did you know any of the stuff Iridescent told us earlier today?" he asked, drawing her gaze to where the elf lay. She had dropped off asleep on the Stone Table next to Lucy a good quarter hour ago and was now snoring enthusiastically.

"Bits and pieces of it I had heard from Trufflehunter and Trumpkin, but never anything that in depth. I had no idea I spent over a thousand years in Aslan's company fast asleep." she said with a half chuckle.

"Yes, that is very interesting. Do you not have any memories of it?" Caspian asked.

Penelope thought for a good few minutes, and then her face lit up. "Yes, actually, I think I do! I can remember a deep, calming voice singing to me.. and.. And a warmth that filled my entire body.. but that's it.." she trailed off looking excited and disappointed at the same time.

Caspian could think of no appropriate response to this revelation, so he chose to go with another closely related subject. "I think that your story has refilled the Narnians' hope." he said very softly.

She looked up at him with an eyebrow cocked. "How so?"

"Well we were all beginning to doubt whether or not Aslan still cared, to put it bluntly. With our High King, who had fought alongside Aslan to defeat the White Witch doubting and saying we should not depend on Him, and the blow of the devastating loss of the raid on the castle, we could all have used a reassurance of some kind. And we got one of the best kind. The knowledge that you should not have survived last night and did because of Iridescent being sent to save you by the Great Lion Himself is exactly what we needed to hear. A miracle undeniably provided by Him to show that he still cares for Narnia and her people."

Penelope stared at him with admiring eyes. "Well I never would have thought of it that way.." she murmured. "You're very wise, do you know that?" she added. Caspian gave a small start.

"Me?" he asked dumbly. Penelope laughed.

"Yes, you. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure you're the only Caspian in this entire army." she said, drawing a smile from Caspian.

"But I am not that wise." he said lamely, his face turning red. Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Don't be modest!" she said. Then, her voice softening, she added, "You're one of the wisest people I know."

Caspian looked at her seriously. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course." she said. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't. Unfortunately, wise thoughts come from experience, something you and I have both had too much of."

"Experience makes for good leaders." he said absentmindedly. "Just look at your siblings."

"Indeed. And look at yourself," Penelope said. Caspian looked up, his mouth open and a protest on his tongue, but she put a hand up to cut him off. "Caspian I've told you this before and I'm going to tell you again. You have the makings of a great leader, one as great as all four of my siblings combined. Have you ever thought of this? It took four of them to rule because they each possessed special talents and traits that would be essential for Narnia's repair after the 100 year winter. There will only be one of you ruling as Narnia's repaired this time. That's saying a lot about you, Caspian. All of this is happening while you are next in line for the throne for a reason."

Caspian made no response to this, and instead sat staring at her with his mouth agape. It was at that moment he realized for the first time that she was right. Everything she had been saying all along was right.

He saw from the corner of his eye Penelope cast a upwards and looked to see Iridescent sitting up and stretching. As they watched, she wiped a long smudged of drool from her chin. Penelope giggled, drawing her attention to the pair.

"Oh-Penel-" she yawned massively here, "-ope how delightful." she said groggily. "Man, that thing is not as comfortable as it looks." she added as an afterthought, shooting a dirty look down at the Stone Table.

Still giggling, Penelope responded. "Well then, let's head for the bunkers. I daresay those will be a bit more comfortable for you than a slab of stone,"

Penelope stood and started for the exit of the chamber, but at the last minute turned and very quickly placed a kiss on Caspian's cheek. "Goodnight, Caspian. I'll see you later," she said soflty, looking down to hide the blush that was creeping along her cheeks before turning and hurrying out of chamber with a cackling Iridescent at her heels.

Caspian stared after them, his cheek burning where her lips had met it. He sat in a stunned silence, not being able to believe the wonderful turn of events his night had taken, when he noticed a dark figure looming in the shadows. Jumping to his feet and drawing his sword, a cold, nasally voice reached his ears.

"Put that away boy. Hasn't it caused enough damage for one day?"

Caspian's celebratory aura came crashing down upon him like a wave on the seashore at Nikabrik's mocks. Huffing, he thrust the sword back into the sheath.

"What do you want, congratulations?" he hissed as the dwarf made his way down to him.

"You want your uncles blood. So do we. You want his throne. We can get it for you." he said simply, a dark smirk marring his features, before turning and walking round to the front of the chamber where Aslan's stone carving sat staring solemnly down at the Stone Table. Caspian followed him wearily.

"You've already tried one ancient power-" Nikabrik said as Caspian came to stand next to him. "-it failed. But there is another power, greater still, that kept even Aslan at bay for near a hundred years."

As he spoke, another looming figure approached from the darkest corner of the chamber, limping slightly and wearing a long black cloak that hid all of it from view. When it spoke, it was in a low, rasping voice that sent chills down Caspian's spine and caused him to draw his sword.

"I am hunger. I am thirst. I can fast for a hundred years and not die. I can lie a hundred years on the ice and not die. I can drink a river of blood and not burst. Show.. me.. your enemies!!" it barked the last bit and threw back its hood to reveal the horrible snouted face and gleaming barred teeth of a werewolf. Caspian took a step backwards, alarmed.

"What you hate, so will we." said another voice, this one high and rasping and female. Again, the young prince shuddered and turned to watch as another figure appeared and let down her hood, revealing the bloodred eyes and beak of a hag. "No one hates better than us."

Looking wearily between the two, Caspian asked in a quiet voice. "And you can.. guarantee Miraz's death?"

The hag bowed. "And more."

Caspian sheathed his sword and continued to look between the two horrible creatures, not sure if they could be trusted but liking the promises they were making. Then the hag spoke again.

"Let the circle be drawn!" and she began circling Caspian, dragging her finger in the ground and saying an incantation in a language Caspian did not understand as she went. The werewolf leered at him and he shot a frightened look at Nikabrik, who was grinning malevolently and nodded his head in a not so reassuring way. As her chant drew to a climax and she finished her circle, the hag wiped out an icy blue staff that she stabbed into the ground between the two pillars framing Aslan's carving. A large, glowing block of ice grew all the way up the tall pillars, and as it finished itself, a figure appeared floating in the middle of the mass, a figure with long flowing white blond hair and deathly pale skin.

Caspian found himself face to face with none other than the White Witch herself. She smiled down at him coldly, and for some reason he found himself smiling back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dun dun dun! Cliffhanger! Sorry guys, looks like you'll have to wait another chapter to find out the end to this exciting confrontation.

Read and review! You know you want to! :D

~Queen Lani Kaulitz the Hyper