The yellow morning sun stood proudly against the blue sky as the clanging of swords filled the crisp air. The swords belonged to the playful practice of Alden; a centaur, and Edmund Pevensie. The two friends good-humouredly crossed the blades as they would normally as they practice in the gardens of Cair Paravel.

"So I heard two ladies from Archenland staying at the castle." Alden teased the young king as they broke from their match.

"Unfortunately." Edmund said as he dropped to the soft green grass below. The break in the snow storm had brought the warriors out like animals from hibernation.

"What don't you like them?" The centaur asked in honesty, talk had quickly spread around Narnia about two women arriving at the castle of Cair Paravel.

"I don't know, I only met them once." Edmund shrugged thinking back to the day they had arrived. He had found Lady Eben to be a stuck up women, with many guarded thoughts, the young King did not trust her unlike his older brother who looked to be under a spell. The young girl confused him, she looked shy but with an inner confidence.

The sandy coloured centaur looked down at Edmund's confused face, wondering what was going on inside his friend's head. Edmund however was lying comfortably in the grass, his toned arms behind his head as he studied the clouds, trying to put all the pieces together.

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Tatiana stood at her balcony looking up at the wild Narnian birds that flew effortlessly against the blue sky; she wished she was as free as them, not worrying about loyalty or duty. Her head sunk into her right hand as the golden birds flew from view.

She let her eyes flutter shut, but instantly regretted it when her nightmare repeated itself behind her lids. She found herself walking around a darkened corridor with only the odd lit torch provided the only light. She felt alone in the shadows, without warning voices filled the area.

"And you'll make me King." Tatiana stained her eyes in the dim light trying to find the owner of the male voice.

"Of course, as long as you pelage your loyalty to me." A female voice replied dripped in Ice. Using the wall as a support she slowly made her way towards the figures. In front of her was a tall woman with black hair and dressed in brilliant white robes and a boy who appeared short compared to the women, dressed in black with matching hair and royal blue eyes.

Fear and confused filled her body as she slowly edged closer, but before she could move she felt something at her ankle. She slowly turned, the hairs on her neck standing up in fright. Her breath hitched in her throat as a large green snake stood terrorizing before her.

Her legs stood frozen against the cold corridor, while her eyes locked with the blue green eyes of the snake. She could barely blink as the giant serpent lunched towards her, its large fangs ripping into her throat.

With a jump she awoke, her pulse rushing through her ears, since arriving at Cair Paravel her dreams had become more muddled, sometimes they would be memories she would she from a distance, others she would find herself thrust into the events. But nearly all ended violently.

She rubbed at her tired eyes as she walked back into the large room. Tatiana raised her gaze to see a figure standing cross armed against her door. Eben rolled her eyes at the young girl, still dressed in her nightdress, a long purple nightgown draped over her body.

"I trust you had a good night." The older women sarcastically said, not caring as she moved towards Tatiana's mirror. Tatiana glared towards her back, not wanting to been seen.

"Can I ask why you here." The younger girl asked, trying to sound polite towards Eben.

"I came to make sure you loyalty is still to me." Eben replied, busily expecting herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a blood red corset dress, decorated with golden stitching and chains of diamonds around her neck.

"Of course." Tatiana snapped, still beside the balcony. "Have I ever gave you cause to doubt me." She snapped.

"You seem to spend a great deal of time with Queen Susan, so you best guard your words, Tatiana."

"I could say the same about you and King Peter." Eben only laughed.

"Trust is a double edged sword. Peter trusts me." Not that he has any choice, Tatiana thought, looking at the large ruby pendant hanging from Eben's neck. "And so will not be suspicious of us. Which makes our plan easier." At this Eben turned toward the young girl, her dark eyes boring into Tatiana's own blue green ones.

"What of the younger ones, they don't trust us." Tatiana sheepish said, remembering the hostile welcome from the dark haired King.

"Once the High King falls, the rest will crumble, then you will take your rightful place."

"You make it sound easy." Tatiana's gaze dropped to the ground, since she was a little girl she had been told she was the rightful heir to the Narnian throne, but now she was here, she didn't know if she wanted to kill Susan to get it.

"It is! These usurpers stole your throne! You will get it back!" Eben hissed to her. She made her way back to her chambers leaving Tatiana alone again.

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"So do the rest of your siblings like them?" Alden asked, he was a very curious individual, who wanted to know every detail.

" Susan spends a lot of time with the younger one… Tatiana I think. Peter prefers the company of the older one, apparently she knows a lot about the time before the White Witch."

"Well most importantly, if you not going for the younger one, may I?" Alden winked down at his friend, who shook his head with laughter.

"If you can get past Susan first." The two both laughed as they picked up their blades up again, ready for another match.

The two friends continued to playfully strike at each other, unaware that Eben watched them with a look of distaste. Alden used his strength against Edmund, firing heavy blows at him; however Edmund used his speed and agility to quickly move out of the way.

But soon the two were interrupted by the laughter of Susan the Gentle, making her way towards the garden, with Tatiana beside her. Edmund could not deny the girl was pretty, however not as beautiful as his sisters especially Susan who was well known for her beauty.

As the girls made their way towards the two fighters, the centaur had an idea. "Well my lady, how about a friendly match with Narnia's best swordsman." He smiled as he pushed Edmund in front of her.

"I think Narnia's best swordsman would be disappointed with me as an opponent." She said as a pink colour flushed to her cheeks, despite being raised as royalty, she was not a good with a sword as she'd hoped.

"Fine how about me then." Alden asked. Tatiana gulped as she reluctantly nodded thinking it would be rude to disagree twice. Edmund's sword felt heavy in her hands as she stepped closer facing Alden, dressed in one of Susan's old blue gowns.

The centaur went for the first hit, easily knocking her sword from her hands. Edmund rolled his eyes as he picked the sword from ground, Tatiana smiled as she took it back from him. However Edmund moved in behind her, causing her to jump when she felt his hands on her.

"Keep a good grip on it." He whispered to her as the cocky centaur got ready for another attack. As Alden blade came towards her, Edmund moved the sword up to block the attack. The three continued like that for a while.

But from one of the windows, Eben looked down on them with disproval, her dark eyes flashing red as a flutter of words left her mouth. The blue sky turned suddenly to a dark grey, and a heavy snow fell onto the fighters in the open gardens. Eben took off, ready for the meeting that could change everything.