Disclaimer: Narnia isn't mine, but I'm pretty sure you realize that.

Note from the Co-Author: Kristin again. You know the drill by now, right? Next will be Bee's, then me, then Bee… and so on. We can stop reminding you now, right?

Well this chapter took a long time, and I blame you. For you see, while Bee writes in Math, I mind-plot in History. So while dear Mrs. Bunyak rambles on about how incompetent her students are, I'm living up to her words by daydreaming about Narnia and what parts I should put in RtP. For that, I was getting a lot worse than a B in her class, and wasn't allowed on the computer again until today (now it is a B. I brought it up. Hu-za.) Chapters shouldn't be this slow anymore. (I know Bee's mad at me for it. She's an excellent pesterer. (MAADDDD O))

I dedicate this chapter to ))drum rolls while Kristin takes out her magical Wand of Dedication((

Miss Pookamonga!

Because she reviewed this chapter before I even remembered to put the dedication up here. I wonder, are you constantly refreshing our authors page waiting for an update? Ah, probably not, but that was pretty impressive, dear. ))gives Miss Pookamonga a cookie(( Oh, and in answer to your question, we didn't say we were from Earth out of fear from being thrown back into the prison. No one really understood if we were even on a planet at all, and I suppose nether Ethel or Benjamin were thinking about what it had said in the books (everyone was hungry and tired. Minds were slow.)

And onto Chapter 6 (already?)

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As soon as the word 'Narnia' left Prince Daunin's mouth, I could see how everything fit together. The griffon, and the dwarves, and how Benjamin and Ethel had been giving subtle hints of how they just might know where we were. Of course they would have recognized it. After they read the novel it came from.

"We're in a book?" I asked, my voice raising in alarm despite Alan's suggestion of it all being a joke. I found it hard to believe special effects could have made that griffon, and why anyone would go through the trouble of building an entire castle just for the public's entertainment.

"A book?" The prince cocked his head slightly to one side, as though he thought he had heard me wrongly. When I didn't correct him, he continued with a small, slightly nervous chuckle, "No, we're in Archenland, of course."

I glanced around to see the others' reactions. Alan was breathing heavily, and Ethel and Benjamin had identical grins on their faces. For a moment, no one spoke. The astounding information was beginning to sink in. We were in, no freaking joke Narnia.

"So fill us in. What's happening?" Ethel asked, suppressing her smile a bit and putting on a more determined expression, obviously intending to take charge of the situation.

"Not yet. You still haven't answered my question. Where exactly are you four from?"

Again, silence. Not one of us would be so stupid as to tell the prince the truth. I could imagine what would happen if we did quite nicely. 'Oh, we're from a different universe where you're world is a real top-seller'. Yep, we'd probably end up in the cage of unholy death again.

"So?" the prince prompted, looking at each of us in turn. Ethel was just opening her mouth to reply, however, what her wonderful excuse might have been was cut off as the ceiling cracked open and a blur of red dropped in on us from above, causing me to jump back a bit in alarm. The figure straightened its elaborate crimson garments and stood straight, glaring at each of us suspiciously.

"I heard you ran off with the new prisoners, Daunin. I guessed accurately in thinking you'd bring them here." She swept a piece of flaming cherry hair out of her eyes and glared menacingly at the prince.

"Cilly, hello." The prince flashed a small smile at the girl and gestured offhandedly at us. "Just getting some answers. They're not runaways. Just take a look at their hands."

Keeping a skeptical eye on the prince, the young woman stepped across the room, roughly took one of my hands and forced the palm upwards, flicking her piercing gaze across it once before letting me go. I glowered in her direction as she examined Ethel, Benjamin, and Alan's palms as well.

"Fine, but that doesn't mean they're not criminals, brother."

"Brother? So this is your sister?" Ethel asked, switching her gaze between the two of them curiously.

"Ah, yes." The prince replied. "This is my younger sister, Cecilia. Cecilia, this Lori, … um…" He stopped, realizing he only knew my name.

"Ethel," Ethel filled in, nodding her head.

"I'm Benjamin," Benjamin smiled lightly.

"Alan," Alan crossed his arms, staring intently at the princess.

She made a strange noise that sounded like something between and hum and a cough.

"Forgive her, she doesn't trust very easily," Daunin shifted his weight awkwardly, shooting his sister a warning glance.

"It's alright. Who would blame her? We must seem very strange to you." said Benjamin. I groaned internally. He had brought back the subject of who exactly we were, a subject which we wanted to stay away from.

Daunin nodded, his eyes becoming serious once again. Alan had his fists clenched so tightly I could see his knuckles turning white even from all the way across the room.

"We're Narnians, just like you thought." Ethel's voice almost cracked under the lie, but not out of guilt. Out of excitement. Her insane smile caused Cecilia to cock an eyebrow at her. I glanced at her nervously, but she didn't seem to notice.

Again, Daunin nodded, his eyes twinkling strangely.

"Yes, yes, but the one… Alan… are you sure he-"

"He spends a lot of time in the sun. Frolicking about with the fauns and such… Rather silly, if you ask me, but there you are." She attempted a giggle that probably came out a little more menacing than she realized. Alan was glaring daggers at her, and Benjamin's face was blank.

"Hm…" Cecilia stepped forward, glaring Ethel fully in the face, "so how is it you found you're way into our kitchens, eh?"

Everyone was silent, no one having any idea how to explain. The princess's eyes were flashing back and forth, a smirk creeping onto her extravagant features.

"So you don't know? I suppose you just happened to magically-"

"We were looking for Alan," I blurted out in desperation. Five pairs of wide eyes turned to stare at me and I immediately felt my cheeks heat up.

"Y-yes, he was um… frolicking about with those fauns and got lost, so we went looking for him, and just happened by the door to your kitchen…"

The princess turned to look at the other three, and they all nodded quickly, even Alan. I think everyone was scared of being thrown back into that stinking prison cell. Daunin smiled weakly at his sister as she swept back to his side in a huff.

"Well, I do suppose we owe you two questions?" he said, his voice somewhat breaking the built up tension caused by Cecilia's mere presence. "Do you need help to find you're way back to Narnia? I can get you escorts if that's what you're after…"

"No, not yet." Ethel said quickly. "Questions first." Everyone in the room looked at her, wondering what she was up to.

"Can you spare some food, and would it be too much trouble if we stayed here for the night?" She smiled politely, not really looking at anything in particular. She kept running her boot in a wide arc across the soft rich carpet nervously. I suddenly realized at how deprived my lungs were of oxygen, and let out my breath as quietly as possible. Cecilia's expression was murder, so red it almost blended in with her hair. Daunin was biting her lower lip in deep thought.

"Hmmm…," he hummed loudly, "I think it could be arranged, but you'll have to change into some more… appropriate garments. I'm sure Cecilia has some dresses for you two," he nodded at Ethel and then me, "I can borrow some things for you two… Just wait here." His smile was small, but warm as he pulled a tiny rope hanging from the opening in the ceiling. A silver rope ladder tumbled down and he scrambled up, leaving us alone with his furious sister.

"We're very sorry to impose," Ethel said brightly. I sort of wanted to hit her right then. It had been her who had imposed in the first place… But really, there was nothing anyone could do. We were in fairyland. A book. And who knows exactly when? Suddenly, my head felt very light, and I sat down on the floor, ignoring the chairs. Benjamin looked at me strangely, but I didn't look back. My head was spinning. I didn't even notice when Cecilia started shouting, or when Alan started shouting back. I didn't hear Ethel call my name as everything faded into an inky backdrop.

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Reviews are lovely. Reviews with nice things in them are even better (but for some reason with I can not begin to comprehend, Bee likes it when you say all sorts of mean things in your reviews… She's a mystery I tell you…)