Chapter 18
When Aslan Shakes His Mane . . .

Five months, well, more than five months. That's how long since she had last see Peter, Zoran and Wynn. How she missed them! Peter and Zoran she missed the most - her suitor and her best friend. She did not realize how she would miss Wynn. The seamstresses and tailors in Archenland did not indulge her "eccentric" style of clothing as the Hare did, nor did they (it seemed) like taking suggestions from her on what she would like to wear. They adamantly told her no to all her ideas and said they knew what was best. In return she refused to wear the dresses they designed for her only donning the clothing Wynn had constructed for her.

That made the seamstresses and tailors mad. That made the Archenland court love her more.

She and Ulley had only stayed a few months at Kad's estate before he urged them to attend the Archenland court on his behalf. So they went to Anvard with Jensen and quickly became the must have people to have on any invitation list. Sarah had actually become a favorite of Queen Janet of Archenland's social companions.

While all of this was very fantastical and enchanting she could not get used to one small change. That one small change was her handmaid Delia. Delia was a pretty girl, nor more than thirteen and the daughter of the head stewardess of Kad, Marquis of Cembra. Sarah at first did not know what to do with her. Sarah dressed herself and kept her own room clean and preferred to eat only at meal times or otherwise raid the kitchen herself (which scandalized the kitchen staff). Delia thought she at first offended her but Sarah explained that she was just brought up differently in Telmar.

So they had come to some agreements. Delia would be allowed to pick out her outfits for the day and Sarah would dress herself in said outfits as much as possible until she required Delia's help. Delia would be allowed to get any food for Sarah as long as she ate it with her. Sarah also asked if Delia would style her hair in exchange that she would teach Delia to read as she had caught the girl more than once eying her collections of books that Ulley had given her with covenanted eyes. Delia knew basic writing and reading but she did not understand most of the words in the books Sarah had.

They became friends rather quickly after that. Sarah would often let her try on her clothes and commissioned the resident seamstress at Cembra to make Delia dresses, and not just ordinary dresses but dresses fit for a lady at court. When the seamstress stammered and sputtered that no servant girl ever wore clothing as nice as her mistress Sarah simply replied that is how servants dressed in Telmar and could not believe that the people of Archenland were so behind the times. That shut her up rather quickly and she proceeded to produce five wonderful dresses for Delia.

"My lady," Delia said shaking her shoulder. "We have arrived."

Sarah opened her eyes. She had not realized she had fallen asleep. Looking at Delia she smiled. "Thank you."

"Pleasant nap, daughter?" Ulley asked. Jensen snickered and she shot him a look. He had been nearly unbearable with his advances towards her since they arrived in Archenland. Thankfully after their first visit to Anvard he had decided to stay on at the university there, save for this trip back to Narnia.

The carriage door opened, revealing a Faun. "Welcome back to Narnia, Lord Ulley, Lady Sarah, and Mister Jensen."

"Thank you, kind Faun," Ulley replied.

Sarah disembarked the carriage first, as she had become accustomed to in the past months. Everything had become "ladies first" and had initially unnerved her when men would open doors for her and would rise she entered a room and to only seat themselves after she had been seated. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself but she knew she could not change everything. Small victories, such as with Delia, were enough for her.

After Sarah came Delia, then Jensen and finally Ulley. Their belongings were already being taken away by Animals. Delia had never seen Fauns, Centaurs, or any Narnian Creature so she clung to Sarah's side, her eyes wide as they walked into Cair Paravel.

The Faun continued to lead them inside, to their rooms. On their way up a staircase a Mouse was on her way down and bumped into Delia's foot. "Oh, terribly sorry, miss," the Mouse said.

Delia had squealed and latched herself on to Sarah's arm. "Their rodents talk! They run freely around here!" She exclaimed in voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah laughed. "Yes, they do. The Mice you see here will not be getting into cupboards or stealing food. They are paid workers here and they are very brave. You see when Aslan created Narnia mice were just mice. It was not until they chewed through the ropes that bound Aslan on the Stone Table that they gained a voice."

"Her ladyship is very versed in Narnian history," the Faun said as they turned a corner.

"Does come with the territory when your father is a historian and your best friend is the Royal Archivist for the Narnian court."

"Indeed," the Faun said with a laugh.

When they reached their rooms they found them even more grand than the ones they previously held in Cair Paravel.

Sarah had been given her own suite as had Ulley. Jensen was given a smaller room but nonetheless just as nice.

"Looks like someone has friends in high places," Jensen said later that evening as they took dinner in Ulley's suite.

"Oh, shut up," Sarah said but could not help blushing. She knew Peter had something to do with this.

They had written each other as quickly as the Birds could fly. Some correspondences were as short as a few lines while others were as lengthy as a couple pages. She had even received letters from King Edmund and Queen Lucy, the first letter from each asked that she refer to them in the familiar manner of their first names only, which she had complied with since then. Two letters came from Mark telling her of the progress he had made in the military and of his first battle with the Fell Beast, the same one which Peter took part. She also received one very formal letter from Queen Susan, before she left Archenland, requesting her to have breakfast with her upon her arrival to Cair Paravel.

Sarah had been very scared when she read the letter. She was still very scared. She felt very intimidated by Queen Susan. The young queen always seemed to have this look in her eyes when she looked at Sarah. It was not a malicious look or one of ill intent but she could not say for sure if it was one of goodwill either.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Ulley asked, to relive the conversation off Sarah.

"Yes, but I dare say Delia is more excited than I am," Sarah said, looking to her handmaid who was sitting next to her.

"I still can't believe I am invited," Delia said, her face beaming.

Ulley chuckled. "Of course you're invited. Do you think we would leave you behind in the castle? I don't think Sarah would ever allow that."

Sarah squeezed the girl's hand. "Wherever I go, you go, remember that." Delia nodded, her smile growing.

The rest of the dinner went on with the four of them discussing the events of the next day. It would be the first day of the Spring Festival. First one in one hundred and one years. Jensen was going to enter a jousting tournament and proceeded to demonstrate to Sarah and Delia, as best he could, how it would look like. The laughed and giggled at his dramatics. Ulley then told them a story from his youth how his brothers and he would pretend to joust on their ponies until their father, the late Marquis Alazar, found out.

"Lady Sarah," Delia said later that night as she they lay in bed. The girl was scared to sleep in a new place by herself and Sarah had offered half the bed to her. It was not as if Sarah was going to take up the whole thing. The bed was large enough to fit four other people besides them.

"Yes," Sarah said too excited to fall asleep. It was like the night before school started. Not that school was a particularly exciting place, or her favorite place but she knew that it was coming. And knowing that something was coming; something was happening was enough to keep her awake.

"What are they like, the Kings and Queens of Narnia?" Delia asked knowing that Sarah at met the most of the four monarchs before.

"Well, Queen Lucy always has a smile on her face. King Edmund seems like he's very serious but his letters have a lot of humor in them. I don't know Queen Susan that well but she seems nice enough and I've haven't met King Peter, as far as I can remember."

She could hear Delia shift under the covers, perhaps pulling them closer to her. "Do you think they'll be angry if they know I am a servant attending tomorrow?"

"Hardly, and if they are I will just have to put them in their place," Sarah said simply.

"Lady!" exclaimed Delia. "You don't mean that."

She laughed because she knew she would not be so dramatic. She also had the feeling neither Edmund nor Lucy cared if Delia was a servant attending the ceremony that took place tomorrow, before the festivities began. If Queen Susan or High King Peter said anything about Delia attending though she would not let the matter drop without giving them a piece of her mind.

Delia took Sarah's laugh for a yes. "Lady, you are very bold to be saying that. It is not your place."

Sarah turned on her side to look at the girl curled up on the other side. "I don't have a place here, Delia. I was never brought up to be some lord's daughter. Were I come from I can say whatever I want and not have to worry about someone's station."

Delia sighed. "Telmar is a very different place."

Sarah grunted. "Yes, it is a very different place."

"Do you miss Telmar?"

"Yes and no. I miss being able to wear whatever I wanted and my best friend Lydia but I've come to love Narnia and I don't want to leave. I want to live here forever."

Until those words came out of Sarah's mouth she did not realize she felt that way. Yes, while she did miss Lydia, her mother and brother (and a very small part of her missed her stepfather even) she knew she could not go back to the way things were there. She felt she had grown up so much and had met so many wonderful people in Narnia. While her own father passed away when she was young and her stepfather was not much of a father figure for her she knew somehow she was supposed to meet Ulley because, despite the fact that they were not blood related, that for all the ways that mattered he was her father. Her children would call him grandfather one day. No, California may have been where she was born but Narnia was her home now, her real home and she never wanted to go back.

"I would like to visit Telmar one day," Delia confessed while she yawned.

"You'd be in for a very big culture shock," Sarah warned. "Now, let's try to get some sleep. We have a very big day ahead of us." Delia mumbled something and turned over. Sarah assumed she went to sleep and it wasn't long after that Sarah drifted into dreams.

Susan walked out onto the veranda. She could hear the Birds chatting happily with someone. Their voices rising up and down as they got excited, sounding like the songs they sang. It was a gorgeous spring day, the first day of spring in fact. Inside Cair Paravel the residents and staff were all about in preparation for the festivities today, their joyous voices filling the halls.

The Gentle Queen was making her own preparations this day. Months ago she and Peter had had a very loud discussion of her brother revealing some key information to a person he intended to court. While he told his siblings that she knew the information something kept nagging at the back of Susan's mind. She knew Peter was not lying to her but she was not sure the two parties involved were on the same page. Even if all was well she thought she aught to get to know this Lady Sarah of Telmar better as her brother seemed serious about her.

"I hope they are not talking your ear off," Susan said as she approached Sarah. The girl wore her hair up and a wonderfully done green dress.

"Your Majesty," Sarah said, dipping into a curtsy. "I apologize, but your lady showed me out here and then I started to talk to the Birds."

Susan smiled. "Oh, I don't mind." She looked to the Birds, who turned out to be a flock of Sparrows. "And how are you today?"

"Wonderful!" "Splendid, thank you for asking Your Majesty." "Awake." The chorus of voices came.

"I am glad to hear that. Will you be attending the festivities today?" Susan asked and a resounding chorus of affirmation came from the flock. "We shall look forward to seeing you there then." The Sparrows started speaking all at once again and then took to the air as one and flittered up and over the spires of the palace.

Susan turned to Sarah and smiled. The girl smiled back but Susan could tell she was not at ease. Perhaps Sarah did know everything. "Come, I have a table set up for our breakfast." Sarah nodded her head and followed Susan further down the veranda to a part that jutted out, the perfect size to allow a small table with chairs and a perfect view of the ocean.

There was a Raccoon waiting there to serve them. "Your Majesty, my lady," he said in greeting. He held a chair out for Susan first and then one for Sarah.

Susan watched as she thanked the Raccoon and even made a small compliment on his coat. Mr. Raccoon, as he went by, smiled and thanked her. She was glad to see that Archenland did not affect her comfort with Animals. "Zoran talks about you all the time," Susan said.

Sarah laughed, "I hope it's nothing too terrible."

"Quite contrary, he only seems to praise you."

"Well, you can't believe everything. I have my flaws, too many to name."

It was Susan's turn to laugh. She like how Sarah admitted she was flawed but did not go into detail about the flaws. She did not seek reassurance or pity for them. Not like her Aunt Alberta who would say she was fat only or that she did not like her hairstyle to have Susan's mother tell her she was not fat and that her hair was lovely.

Mr. Raccoon came back and served them the pancakes topped with blueberries and syrup that looked to be made from blueberries as well. The two young women ate in near silence as Sarah was too nervous to make small talk on anything more than the upcoming events of the day and the weather. Susan did not say much in return because she was trying to tell if Sarah and Peter were on the same page, rather than being straightforward and ask her.

When the dishes were taken away Susan could not bare it anymore. If this Telmarine girl was going to be apart of her brother's future she had to know if she knew the truth about Peter.

"I do hate to be blunt about this, but may I ask you a question?"

Sarah looked like someone had just caught her hand in the cookie jar. Her eyes grew a little wider and her eyebrows went up ever so slightly. To her credit her voice did not waiver when she replied. "Yes, Your Majesty, you may ask anything."

"Do you know who Peter really is?"

Her normally tanned complexion paled ever so slightly. "Well, I know he is from Archenland, a lord's son who is at court here and he also has one brother and two sisters."

It was as Susan feared. The girl had no idea, though she was surprised Sarah knew how many siblings Peter had. At least Peter had told her something.

"I mean, do you know who he really is?" Susan persisted, hoping that maybe for some silly reason Sarah and Peter were keeping their relationship secret from everyone.

She looked down and after a moment back up to meet Susan's eyes. "Your Majesty must promise not to tell anyone, as this was said in confidence."

"I promise."

Sarah nodded, satisfied that Susan was serious. "I know that Peter is not from Narnia, and I do no just mean the Kingdom of Narnia but in reference to this world. Nor are his siblings, of course. He is from a place called Finchley."

If Susan had not, in the past months, practice in front of the mirror and with her ladies-in-waiting the various scenarios where she would be shocked than the Gentle Queen's composure may have faltered. Her eyes may have widened, her jaw go slack, or she may have even let loose a surprised noise, or perhaps done all three with the knowledge Sarah knew. Like it was stated however, Susan had practice not being surprised and thankfully the lessons paid off. She so much as did not even flinch.

"Finchley?" Susan asked. "Do you know where that is?" Her mind was racing. Did this girl from Telmar actually know where they were from? Did Peter really tell her everything?

"I do not, my queen, I just know it's not located on this world." Sarah took a deep breath. "And since you know his secret, you may know mine."

The queen was not sure if she could take any more surprises. "Your secret, Lady Sarah?" She prayed that this girl was not going to confess that she was seeing another in Archenland. It would break Peter's heart.

"I am not Telmarine or Archenlander, or any combination thereof. Lord Ulley is not my biological father, but he has become my father in all the ways it counts. My full name is Sarah Anne Eagleson and I'm from California."

Susan dropped the glass she was holding and it smashed all over the stone floor of the veranda. Chaos ensued next. Sarah rose to clean it up, while Mr. Raccoon scurried over (who had been behind two doors but had a keen ear for anything that broke) at the same time and his feet were tangled up in the skirt of her dress. As he fell he tried catching Sarah's hand that she tried to catch him with and instead he caught the edge of the tablecloth. As he was still falling in a forward motion he brought everything down into Susan's lap.

"Many apologies, Queen Susan, I am so sorry," Mr. Raccoon kept apologizing, bowing as he did so. "Let me get some assistance."

"Oh, dear, I am so sorry," Sarah said, debating on what to do.

Susan smiled and rose and attempted to brush off some of the water but it only smeared it. "It's not your fault. You did not drop the glass."

"I know Your Majesty is not from these parts, so to speak, but I did not think it would be that shocking to know that others weren't as well."

She wanted to say she wasn't but Susan had realized two things. One was that her brother was terrible at geography and should have recognized that California was a state within the United States of America and would have realized Sarah was from their world and would more than likely understand everything. Two was that Finchley was not widely known in the United States, as then Sarah would have realized Peter and she were from the same world. These realizations brought Susan to a final conclusion. Peter had told Sarah everything and because of these misunderstandings she did not know the whole truth.

Susan stopped her futile attempt to clean herself when one of her handmaidens arrived, no doubt summoned by Mr. Raccoon. "Lady Sarah, I want you to know that I have arranged for you, Lord Ulley, and your guests to sit in our box today. When you are there and see Peter I would like you to ask him what country Finchley is located. I would tell you but he has promised me that he would tell you."

Rightfully, Sarah looked confused but curtsied to show that she would comply. "Yes, Your Majesty, I will ask him."

The eldest Queen of Narnia wanted to tell her to go gentle on Peter, but knew if she did that she'd have to explain everything. Instead she summoned the Faun that came with her handmaid to escort Sarah back to her rooms.

Today was the day, he knew, the day that fool would pledge himself to Lady Sarah, as she was called now. Today was the day the House of Pevensie would begin its downfall. With that pledge the feeble stones the siblings were built upon would start to crumble. Soon he would take his rightful place as King of Narnia. Aslan be damned if he thought he could keep him off the throne. A grin of delight spread across his face.

There was a knock on his door. He mumbled a spell under his breath that allowed him to see through the door, while the person on the other side just saw the wooden door.

It was the Naiad, and his smile grew wicked but when he answered the door his face was blank.

"Forgive me for being late, Master," Aliana the Naiad said as he let her in. "But it was hard to slip away unnoticed with everyone about today. Do not worry, no one followed me." She slipped her cloak off on to a hook near the door.

He wanted to laugh at her when he saw what she was wearing. No doubt she thought it something he would enjoy, which he did just not in the way she probably wanted. He found it amusing that she would actually wear something like this. The neck like was cut very low and she had to be wearing a corset to make herself appear larger in the chest than she was.

The thing he had learned about Aliana, despite the fact that she claimed to be in love with the pseudo High King (who did not even give her the time of day, but she had convinced herself that he secretly longed for her), was that she was drawn to power and she felt that she could get that power if it she was able to get that man in the bedchamber, preferably the marriage bed. As the Master was the most attainable man with power (at the moment), she was trying to do just that, save for the marriage part. She knew he was not one to settle down, so to speak.

He would claim Sarah as his wife, though. It would hurt that boy, Peter, all the more when he did. The Master did not only want to dethrone the four siblings, he wanted to make them suffer. He had plans for the others, but the one he enjoyed envisioning destroying the most was Peter as Aslan had the gall to name him High King.

That bloody lion would suffer as well. When he came to rescue his precious Narnia the Master would be waiting. After all, the lion could not die twice, could he?

Finding himself in such a good mood he approached Aliana. He gently brushed her exposed shoulder and watched as the color grew in her cheeks. "Now, I require something very special of you today. Would you care to help me?"

"Yes," she said, sounding as if she had lost all the air in her lungs.

"Wonderful."

AN: I know! I freakin' updated! I swear I have really good excuses. If you are interesting in hearing me out, check out my LiveJournal (queenluz). The link is located on my profile page. Also, I have two more chapters that are done so hopefully the next update won't be so far away! Thank you for reading!