Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia.

Chapter 1: Broken Peace

Everything was so nice. Happy. Peaceful. Just another dinner. It was one of the nights we ate we together, just the four of us. Yet none of us were inclined to talk.

We were all doing something on our own. I was knitting, working on a new project. Edmund was sitting by the window reading. Most likely some new law book. Lucy was standing out on the balcony, staring out over the eastern ocean. Peter was just watching the rest of us.

Quite suddenly the peace was shattered by a knock at the door.

We all jumped as though we had just woken up, stopping our individual tasks. Lucy came in from outside. Edmund closed his book. I set aside my knitting, and Peter called for them to come in.

The door opened, and Oreius came in. We were all a little worried it was rare that they interrupted us on these nights.

"I am sorry to interrupt, your majesties, but I'm afraid something has happened."

"What?" Edmund got the question out first.

"Groups of fell beasts have been spotted," Oreius said this with a rather grim look that confused me. This had happened before, but he hadn't been this worried.

Again Edmund was the first to speak.

"Groups?"

"Yes sire, two separate groups."

"Is it possible they are working together?" Peter asked.

"Of course it's possible, but they are rather far apart."

"Where?" Lucy asked.

"One is near Lantern Waste the other is farther south."

"Is that where they came from then?" Peter asked. "The wilderness to the west."

"I would guess Sire."

"Why?" I asked. "I mean, why now the witch was defeated 3 years ago."

"That is a question I do not know the answer to my queen."

"What shall we do?" Lucy asked.

"We'll have to hold council," Peter answered her. He then turned to Oreius. "If you could gather everyone, please."

"Of course, Sire."

As soon as Oreius was gone I turned to Peter.

"Why do you think they've waited til now."

"I'm not sure," he replied. "To build strength, maybe, or catch us of guard."

"Well they haven't," Edmund said fiercely.

Still I wondered. It seemed strange for them to come at the same time, and now. Well, he was probably right. I knew little of these things, anyway.

A/N: Sorry, I know these chapters are really short but the next ones longer.

In the chapter it says 3 years after the witches defeat, so their ages in this story are:

Peter- 16

Susan- 15

Edmund- 13

Lucy- 12