Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait… Anyway. And thanks to for the reviews, even though the number was lower than I'd hoped. :( I'm not going to be cruel to you guys and say that I won't update until I get a certain number of reviews, but they do make me smile. Please review.

Oh, and another thing. Edmund is what, eleven? Twelve? Thirteen, if you're really pushing it? And Alexandra is, well, sixteen. And as much as I do love Edmund, this fic is NOT Ed/OC.

Last comment, I promise: I now have purple hair. How awesome is THAT? :D Well, its highlights… but still. :P

Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Octaves of Icicles

The quiet hours of darkness found me sitting at my window, biting my lip in worry. I knew Maugrim was a sensible wolf and could take care of himself, but recent events had me worried. Sometimes on my patrol hours I'd catch snippets of conversation mentioning the arrival of spring, a thought that disturbed me greatly. And now there was a human in the woods? And not only one, two! I shivered subconsciously, pulling my knees closer to my chest. The night remained dark and lifeless as ever. Only as the fingers of the morning frost bleached everything in sight did my head fall forward as I dropped into slumber.

…

Something warm was in my ear. Why was there something warm in my ear? And why was it wet?

I groaned, swatting the offending …something away. It gave a bark of irritation. My eyes flew open, "Maugrim!"

The wolf had clearly not expected me to launch myself at him, and completely lost his balance at my attack. "Alexandra! Get off of me-!"

"You're back!" I shrieked, hugging him to me like a teddy bear. "And you're alright!"

"Yes," the wolf said with some irate amusement; I imagined him raising an eyebrow. "Clearly, as you seem to have no trouble strangling me to death."

I released him. "So how'd it go? Did you get him?" I asked eagerly, wide-eyed.

My friend snorted. "If by him you mean the traitor faun, then yes, I got him." He jerked his head towards the general direction of the dungeons. "As for the… trespasser, no, I didn't find him. Or his sister."

I nodded, standing up. "Then we'll just have to keep a closer lookout then. How are the rest of the police stationed?"

"Most are at the border of the Western Wood and just north of Archenland; however we have some stationed in the center of the Lantern Waste, that's where we last saw the humans."

"Good, good," I felt my feet carrying me to the general's chambers. Best to notify the commander of the army if anything should arise, Charn forbid. The minotaur wasn't there yet, but I left a message with one of the palace's most trusted dwarves. Personally, I didn't really trust Ginnabrik; he had a reputation of being bloodthirsty and not thinking through his decisions. Maggobrin, however, I trusted with matters such as this. The red dwarf (one of the few on our side) bowed as I left and promised to deliver the message to General Otmin.

…

Three days had passed since I made amendments to the usual routine of the Secret Police. Patrols were now all day, every day, and focused mostly around the Archenland border and Lantern Waste, where the two humans were first seen. So far, everything seemed quiet. If anything, that's what worried me. I felt like I was trapped in the calm before the storm, and the crisp blue morning of the third day found me by my favorite windowsill in the East Hall, staring outside at the frosted landscape.

"What do you think will happen, Maugrim?" I asked, worrying my bottom lip. I turned to the wolf. "If the prophecy is completed, what will happen to us?"

My companion shook his head, regarding me fondly. "You know as well as I do that those are simple folk tales, Alexandra. It is true, Aslan once ruled this land, but he has long since gone, and it is rather improbable that he will return just because two humans have stumbled into our country."

I ran a hand through my dark cinnamon curls. "Yes, I know, but-"

"No buts!" the wolf snapped. "You're worrying yourself too much. If you want your head to split open, then go watch the cubs for me." Maugrim growled. "They're an annoying bunch." With that, the head of the Secret police turned his nose upwards, and regally padded away, leaving me feeling peeved.

"Stupid, annoying, pompous, annoying wolf," I muttered, not even caring that I'd used the same word twice. I sighed. "But he's also correct." Rubbing a pale hand over my face, I stood up and shuffled to my room, resolving on getting some sleep.

…

Thud. Thud-thud. Creeak…

I lifted my head from the pillows, my vision still blurry. Wha-? Another thud resounded from outside my door, this time punctuated by a loud yelp. The cubs, I thought. Great. I toppled out of my warm and fur-filled bed onto the equally fur-filled floor. That, however, was cold. I hissed out a few choice words before stumbling towards where my bedroom door should be. Everything looks fuzzy… Should everything be fuzzy? My sleep-muddled brain was throwing out random trains of thought, and I managed to fall over only once before my hand closed around the silver door handle. I yanked it open.

A furry gray wolf cub fell through the doorway, immediately running behind my legs and poking his head out through between my calves. I nearly fell over.

"Alexandra!" Garen whined, looking up at me. "Help! He's out to get me!"

I frowned down at the wolf cub. "Alright, now I'm very confused." A deep wolfish chuckle caught my attention. "Maugrim," I asked carefully, "what are you doing to this poor creature?"

The grown wolf barked out a laugh. "Nothing, your majesty, Garen was simply wondering as to why you are still 'hybernating past midday.'"

"Huh. I didn't know Garen knew what that word meant."

"We ran into some bears two days ago."

"…Ah."

D: Gasp! Filler! Oh well, now you at least get a glimpse of what Alexandra looks like. :)

Preview for next time:

"And what makes you think he'll want to go back?" I demanded. "Look at me!" I gestured wildly at myself. "I stayed!"

My mother's eyes flashed. "Would you rather you didn't?"

I sighed, hanging my head slightly. "No… sorry, mother." I looked up sharply, ready to pursue my cause with new vigor. "But I still can't marry a twelve-year-old!"

Teehee. Aren't I just evil? :)

Review. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 3

~MB