Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the films, or any of Lewis' work. I hope only to pay him tribute with my small meaningless attempts to appease my obsession. Narnia writers...I salute you!

Chapter Quote: "Well...at least we know that we're not dreaming now."

Note: Character Index is located at the end of the chapter.

Chapter Seven

The High King

Grace had been a big fan of Narnia ever since the children's mother had them listen to the radio dramatizations of the books when she was younger. When she had first met Fania, she had nearly been beside herself with joy. But when the nymphs had entered the room, she had been knocked speechless. There were six nymphs and two fauns who entered after Fania had called them.

The fauns whisked Tyler and Anthony away with promises to the girls that they would meet up with them later for breakfast. The nymphs were tall, gorgeous ladies with thin frames and fair hair. After a thorough questioning by Cecilia, they learned that there were different kinds of nymphs depending on where they lived. There were two kinds of nymphs who helped them get dressed, four were naiads...who lived in streams, and the other two were dryads...who lived in the trees. There were all very beautiful, with long flowing gowns and glossy tresses.

The thought of anyone living in the water astounded Maria however, who asked the naiads how that was possible. They only laughed, and shimmered slightly, making them look as if the children were gazing through water.

Grace decided later that she had never seen such beautiful nymphs before...though of course that meant very little because these were the first she had ever seen. The girls were helped into breathtaking gowns, light and airy, which made them all feel like they were hardly wearing clothes at all. Each dress was differently adorned and each was a different color, ranging from the palest pink for Cecilia to the lushest green for Alysia. All bore the mark of the red lion on the front which was delicately embroidered onto each dress with crimson thread. As the shorter of the two dryads approached Alysia with her dress, the second eldest Campbell eyed the garment in dismay.

"Dresses huh?" She commented dryly, circling the stunned dryad and examining both dress and tree-maiden with a suspicious, calculating stare.

"For your meeting with the king." Answered the dryad, who was watching Alysia with wide, green eyes. "Afterwards, they'll be other garments for you to chose from."

"Jeans?" Alysia asked hopefully. The dryad, for her part, had been surprised by the saucy human's mouth and replied patiently, "If I knew what material that was...I'm sure it would be at your disposal, milady."

The children turned to the nymph in shock. Thus far, the nymphs had spoken only in soft, melodious voices and had laughed at everything any of them had said. But this dryad's eyes flashed as she spoke, and her auburn hair blew softly, resembling autumn leaves just starting to change color. Her words were dripping with sarcasm.

Alysia folded her arms across her chest and one of the other nymphs scolded the dryad with a sharp, "Ariana!" But the little dryad didn't budge. Red-haired and pale-skinned, she met Alysia's accusing glare. They stared grimly at one another for a time and slowly, Alysia's scowl melted into a smile.

"Nice to meet you." She said sweetly.

The dryad grinned mischievously in return. "Oh...but the pleasure is all mine."

Bathed, with hair braided, and all fashionably dressed in their different colored gowns, the girls were led into the great hall by Fania and a nymph or two (it was rather difficult to tell how many there really were...depending on whether they were dryads or naiads, they were constantly looking strangely like running water or flowers or leaves). Ariana, the red-haired dryad, was in the front next to Alysia, who, being the eldest in Elora's absence, was in command of the group.

Elizabeth followed behind her, holding Cecilia's hand, and Grace and Maria were behind them with Michelle bringing up the rear. At the door, they met up with Anthony and Tyler who were dressed in exquisite tunics and tight leggings that looked remarkably like stockings...but none of the girls felt inclined to tease them about that as they were still feeling rather awkward in their own dresses.

Anthony's tunic was navy blue with lighter blue...uh...leggings. He wore knee-high, brown cloth boots and had also the red lion emblazoned on the chest of his tunic. Tyler however was in green, a lighter green- like newly blossomed leaves. His leggings were tan and he also wore boots similar to Anthony's. Tyler was beaming as he met his sisters, explaining to them in a soft voice everything that had occurred in their absence as fast a he could. Anthony was pouting.

"They made me wear these awful tights." He grumbled to his sisters, who mercifully decided to spare him any jabs at his looking like Robin Hood.

"I think you look handsome." Commented Cecilia to palliate his irritation.

"You look like a real Narnian courtier." Said Fania, gesturing with her spear towards him. "Besides...you'll get a sword later if you're well behaved." Fania had the tendency to try and act like an adult centaur, when she was really no older then Elora.

Anthony brightened considerably.

"It won't due to keep the High King waiting." Ariana said irritably to them all, her eyes darting to the great doors just ahead.

Alysia glanced over her shoulder at her with a sneer. "So patient and sweet- you nymphs."

Ariana scowled at her and stuck out her tongue...which isn't at all becoming to a dryad. "Patience was never one of my strong points." She cleared her throat and then she and another naiad grasped the handles of a large set of double doors before them. "Everyone ready?"

The Campbells glanced around at each other nervously, they'd never met a real king before...let alone a fictional one. "Think he'll look like the Peter from the movie?" Asked Maria of Michelle.

"I don't know." The latter said dryly. "I've never been dropped into a movie before." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Though I wouldn't mind at all if he did."

"Technically it's a book." Grace added softly. "The film by Walden Media was produced in-" Michelle shot her sister a dirty look and Grace fell silent. But Grace hadn't stopped talking because of Michelle's irritation...the doors had just been pushed open and they were now being ushered inside.

The room being called the 'great chamber' was a bit of an understatement. The room the children were led into was ENORMOUS! There were pillars holding up a twenty or thirty foot high ceiling and huge paintings of the countryside lined the walls and, in the center of the room, there was a large, circular table. Leaning against the table with his arms crossed there stood a king.

He had a book in one hand which he seemed to be intently reading. But when he heard their lightly clad feet start to pad across the marble floors, as well as the clip-clop of Fania's hooves and the pitter-patter of the nymphs' bare feet, he looked up. He had blond hair, which grew out past his ears, as well as blazing blue eyes and a kind smile. And he did, surprisingly, look like an older version of the Peter from the recent movie. He smiled at them, snapped the book shut and straightened. "Welcome!" He said cheerfully, walking over to them with a long, confident stride. The king was dressed similarly to the boys, only his tunic was brown and his leggings were tan...he also seemed to be donning some leather here and there and had a cape fastened to his shoulders which was a dark, reddish color. There was a thin, golden circlet around his head and he opened his arms wide in greeting.

"Greetings friends! I am King Peter, Lord of Narnia."

None of the Campbell children had ever really bowed before...certainly none of the girls had ever curtsied...and never to a king...so they instead murmured quiet 'how-do-you-do's?' instead.

Peter took it all in stride and gestured to the table. "Now I'm assuming that you're all hungry...so I propose we get better acquainted over breakfast. Sound good to everyone?"

The children brightened, nodding eagerly. There were all sorts of tasty things set up on the table...toast, muffins, jams, regular bread and cheese, bacon, sausage, eggs...and there was also some juice, though Peter was sipping wine. Alysia's eyes widened at this, for though Peter was a king (and a cute one at that) he wasn't very old...sixteen or seventeen at most. Though they could all tell that there was something about him that made him look older.

Maybe it was the way he talked..he had a habit of using big words and occasionally saying things like 'thee' or 'thy', which completely threw the children off. Eventually he stopped using such words altogether in front of them...which made conversation much easier. "So...what are all of your names?" He said, clasping his hands together in front of him and gazing around amiably around at them all. Alysia was first, followed by Maria...and then Michelle and so on. Peter seemed to have a gift for memorization...because he got all of them right the first time round.

"And you come from somewhere different then Narnia?" He asked curiously. They nodded and King Peter sat back in his chair, studying the lot of them. "Well you can't be Calormen...and your garments were unlike anything I've ever seen since I became king here...so where are you from exactly?"

The children exchanged glances...wondering how to explain how they had gotten into a land they'd seen in a movie a few weeks ago. Michelle went straight to the truth seeing no other way around it. "To tell you the truth, your majesty, " She added quickly. "We were just playing in the house our parents wanted to buy and we sort of opened this door...and then...well...we were just...here."

She looked around the table to see if anyone had anything else to add...which someone did. "I found it!" Said Tyler proudly, surprising them all to find that they had no trouble understanding them and neither...apparently, had Peter. He smiled, "I'll take you at your work for it then. Narnia is a strange place, I'll be the first to admit it. Though your plight sounds vaguely familiar..." They all exchanged glances...wondering why Peter didn't remember how he himself had come to Narnia in the first place. "...but no matter. You are all most welcome here until we figure out how to return you to your home."

Grace opened her mouth to inform Peter just why their 'plight'(as he called it) sounded so familiar, but realizing her intent, Michelle jabbed her hard in the ribs and she coughed instead. It was disturbing how much Grace was sounding like Elora these days...which reminded Michelle sharply of the absence of their older sister.

"Where's Elora?" She asked.

The other children started looking around the table again, half-expecting to see the towering and silent figure of their oldest sister sitting somewhere there next to them. Elora usually wasn't the talkative one anyway...and Fania had said they'd see her at breakfast...hadn't she? The High King frowned for a moment, before speaking to them reassuringly. "Your sister was very ill this past night, she only drifted off to sleep this morning. She was quite worried about all of you. I expect she'll need to get some rest for a week or so...that's what the healer said. But you can visit her today if you like."

Anthony, who was becoming excited about the prospect of having his own sword started to say "Oh...I'm sure she'll be fine-" But Cecilia, who was sitting next to him, nudged him sharply while the others shot him dirty looks.

"What?" He asked, oblivious to why everyone was suddenly glaring at him.

"Thank you." Alysia said politely...turning to the king once more. "I think we'll all feel a bit more settled after we're all together again."

King Peter smiled broadly, nodding. "Then it's settled. I'll send for you later and we'll discuss what to do next now that you're here."

"Sounds good." Answered Alysia. The other children murmured their agreement and they turned their attentions to their breakfasts...which they ate in silence.

Elora was sound asleep when the children went to see her after breakfast. Fania and Ariana had led them through the palace on the king's order, they had walked in a large group rather then in single file. All were chatting excitedly all at once. Alysia was standing next to Michelle and Elizabeth and in hushed tones with bright eyes she told them.

"One more look at that king, medears, and I'd never look at another man my entire life!"

Elizabeth and Michelle exchanged glances. Michelle, never breaking stride, glanced up thoughtfully before she patted her sister's arm. "Oh you're a liar." She said in a nasal tone. Grace and Maria behind them sniggered, both recollecting the image of Lenny, the shark from the film, A Shark's Tale. They liked to tease their eldest sister and tell her that her nose resembled that of the animated shark's. Elora was usually good-humored about it, and would even do some Lenny 'impersonations' every once in a while. The fact that she wasn't there laughing with them was sobering...and they quieted as Fania finally halted them before a door.

She knocked once or twice and the door swung open to reveal an elderly faun. His beard was nearly white and he smiled good-naturedly, as do all fauns, and bade them to enter. The room they walked into was smaller then the one they had all woken up in...but it was still spacious and well-decorated. There was a window next to a large bed and there were wonderful flowers everywhere. Elora was stretched out on the bed, a loose fitting tunic hung limply off one of her shoulders. Her skin was pale...and she didn't so much as blink as they clambered inside the chamber.

"Well...at least we know we're not dreaming now." Elizabeth said, moving closer to Elora and brushing her fingertips tenderly over her sister's feverish forehead.

"How do you figure that?" Asked Alysia in surprise, who was convinced that in any place that made you wear frilly dresses was a nightmare. Elizabeth blinked calmly and gestured to the still figure of their sister on the bed.

"Elora's never sick...though I imagine a fall through the ice would do it. This must be real."

"She's a light sleeper too...she must be really sick..." Added Alysia, clapping once rather loudly to emphasize her point. "I'd know...I share a room with her." She said in reply to Michelle's disbelieving gaze.

"Think we out to try and wake her up?" Asked Maria aloud, and though all the children were slightly unnerved to see Elora so ill...no one said anything.

"You've be better off letting her sleep." Said the elderly faun, who had only now spoken. They turned to glance at him and Michelle hissed to Tyler and Cecilia to stop staring at his goat-legs.

"But he's not wearing any pants." Hissed the youngest Campbell.

Cecilia hit him hard on the top on the head and Michelle hissed back, "Fauns don't need them." Tyler scowled.

"My name is Marcus." Said the faun. "I'm the healer who's been assigned to take care of your sister." He smiled, looking around at them all. "Your sister has had a rather hard night...she's through the worst of it now- but she'll probably sleep for a good while longer."

"Will you call us if she wakes up?" Asked Elizabeth, who stood closest to Elora's sleeping form and was casting worried glances towards her.

"I'd be more then willing to do so." He replied, bowing slightly.

"Well...if you are all finished here, " Interrupted Fania, her bright eyes gazing at them. "...King Peter had ordered me to give you a tour of the palace and the surrounding grounds. Does this sound agreeable to everyone?"

They all nodded slowly, some feeling slightly guilty about leaving their sister behind.

"What are the flowers for?" Asked Tyler curiously, glancing around the room now that the sting from Cecilia's hand had worn off. The old faun turned to him, smiling.

"The nymphs grow them...not many flowers other here in the winter." He gestured to Elora. "The smells and colors will make her feel better."

Tyler nodded, pausing for a moment to think. He looked around the room again and his face brightened as he hastened to one of the clusters of flowers, picked one, and placed it gently in the palm of Elora's out-stretched hand.

"Why pink?" Asked Elizabeth in surprise of her youngest brother.

"Yeah...she hates pink." Added Anthony.

He looked up at them with solemn eyes and he shrugged. "Maybe she'll get better faster."

Fania led them out after that and Marcus closed the door behind them. "Do you think we'll be here for a while?" Asked Alysia dully, plucking irritably at the frills of her dress and feeling sour that Elora was sick.

"Sure seems like it." Answered Michelle, gesturing over her shoulder to the room that Elora was sleeping in.

"I think it's wonderful here." Said Grace eagerly, glancing around at the other children to see if anyone else agreed.

Maria shrugged, pushed her glasses farther up onto the bridge of her nose. "At least we're not getting in trouble for the window back at that house." She replied.

"It doesn't matter." Answered Elizabeth firmly. "Once Elora's better we'll be figuring out how to get back anyway."

No one spoke for a moment or two and the only sound that could be heard was their booted feet shuffling across the floor and Fania's hooves striking the marble.

"Can we go get some swords now?" Asked Anthony, the rest of the children only groaned.

A/N: Sorry for the intensive lack of updating...I've had the worst writer's block for this story. And yes, my nose is compared to that of an animated shark's...it's rather sad actually.

And Narnia is coming out on Tuesday! I can't wait...that was the other inspiration for updating, I need to see that again:) In the mean time, I hope you all liked this chapter, and the reviews I have gotten, (and those I I hope will continue to receive) are always huge support for me. :)

Character List:

Elora: Oldest, clumsy, writer, age: 15

Alysia: 2nd oldest, Boy Crazy, likes to talk, Age: 14

Elizabeth: Singer, Boy Crazy Age: 13

Michelle: Boy Crazy, More Reserved, Loves Romance Age: 13

Anthony: Hates Chores/Work, Likes to Play, Has a fresh mouth, Leader of the Brat Pack Age: 12

Grace: Very Pretty, Shy, Trips a lot, Age: 11

Maria: Smart, Cute, Likes to make people laugh Age: 9

Cecilia: Saucy, Rides Horses, Member of the Brat Pack Age: 7

Tyler: Youngest, Doesn't speak well, Finder of Narnia, Member of the Brat Pack Age: 6

Mom: Beautiful, Smart, Everything a mother should be. Age: Perfect

Dad: Handsome, Strong, Smart, Everything a father should be Age: Perfect

Uwey: Senile, Old, Likes to Bite horses, Age: Ancient

TO BE CONTINUED...