As the new arrivals settled into the room, the twins and their grandfather made last minute preparations on their packs. Edmund and Lucy approached their Guard.
"Welcome," Lucy said brightly.
"As welcome as I could ever be in this ghost town, Your Majesty." Cimoa mumbled.
"Is it that empty at this time of night?" Edmund asked.
Lucy reached to open the drapes to the window. Before she could pull them back, a hand grabbed her wrist.
"Don't," her older brother told her sternly. "It's bad enough we have all these people in here at once. It's best that no one can actually see it."
"Unless someone's watching the house," Lucy snapped back.
At this, Daleen trotted back in. Ironically, he had news of such a thing.
"There is someone watching the house, Your Majesties." he said through his doggy-pants. "A Black Dwarf. Armed."
"It's too late now," Edmund muttered. "He's already seen the lot of us. Either bring him in or get rid of him."
"It's a she, Sire." Daleen replied.
"A She-Dwarf?" Lucy asked. "I've only seen few of them."
"Lower the lights. Everyone, hush up!" Edmund commanded.
As the whole group squished together, farthest away from the door, they heard tiny footsteps outside the cabin.
"Helda, Zarin," Flintisk whispered to his grandchildren. "Stay down!"
Edmund almost got up and left the huddle, but was pulled back by a shaking sister and insisting guards.
"Are you crazy?" Lucy hissed. "You're twelve! If they're after kids, they'll be after people like you and I as well!"
"Doesn't mean I can't still try," he muttered back. Getting a pleading look from his sister, and a hard look from the Centaur Captain, he stayed back, muttering angrily to himself.
"I don't believe she saw all of us," Froom eyed Cimoa, Sylyr and Kuishier. "We didn't sense her as we came in."
"Edmund," Lucy whispered. Motioning for her brother to lean in, she whispered to him her idea.
He smiled kindly. "Smart, dearest sister."
"Thank you, brother, for that." she smirked back, facing their confused audience, she continued. "Anyways, what if Helda and Zarin slipped out the back window with Cimoa and Sylyr. Daleen - remember, you must not speak in front of these unknown people - can wait out back for them. We'll give them a few moments to leave, and then Flintisk can slip out with Kuishier, as if they both were heading out for The Night Watch. Kuishier, you'd then have to escort him to his grandchildren. If the Dwarf is still there when Flintisk and Kuishier leave, we - as in Froom, Daleen, Edmund and I, will invite her in."
Slowly, everyone nodded in agreement, muttering about unknown foes and sketchy maidens.
"Now, since that's the best we got, go!" Edmund sputtered.
They all quickly - and quietly, rose to their feet (or hooves, or paws). Making their way into the twins' bedroom, Helda nervously grabbed Lucy's skirt.
"Is this goodbye?" she asked, in that gentle, quiet, childlike voice of hers.
"Not for long," Lucy smiled. Bringing the younger one into her arms, she squeezed her tightly.
"Take care of your brother, Helda." She continued. "I know how brothers can be. Most of the time, they need someone to steer them away from doing something stupid or to noble."
Still shaking, Helda nodded her tiny golden head. "And you and King Edmund try and stop those evil people from getting my friends without doing anything to stupid or to n-oh-ble."
"That's what we do!" Lucy stated, trying to keep her mood from darkening. "I'll see you soon."
As that conversation continued, Zarin had crept up nervously to the boy-king.
"U-um," he stammered. "Your Majesty?"
Turning around abruptly, Edmund looked at the frazzled Faun.
"Yes?" he replied sternly, in his most kinglike voice.
Zarin took a step back nervously.
"I-I'm sorry…for calling you a…a monster."
Biting back the urge to laugh, Edmund kept his face blank.
"Good to hear, little Faun. Now if you hadn't apologized…"
Zarin's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"
Letting out a chuckle, Edmund loosened the mood. "Nothing. It's okay, Zarin. I wouldn't doubt that I haven't done that before when I was younger."
As Lucy walked past Zarin with Helda, she muttered in his ear.
"He still does. He just doesn't want to admit it."
Edmund, who happened to have good hearing, muttered. "I resent that,"
She just stuck her tongue out at him and lead Helda off to the window.
Zarin laughed nervously, letting the crowd lead him off to the window.
At the window, Cimoa was already perched on the windowsill and ready to pounce out when instructed.
"Everyone here?'' Edmund whispered, coming up behind Zarin.
Lucy nodded. She then turned to the awaiting Hound. "No one's out, from what I can see. Go, Aslan be with you all."
One by one, Helda, Zarin and Sylyr slipped out after her.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.
It had been a full day, and Nelson was still lying, bound in the middle of a tent with several other young creatures. He'd witnessed the choosing of the Sacrificed Four, and heard the screams as they'd been boiled away into nothing. From his new friend Griz, he'd been told that this happened daily. That apparently, the Witch's stupid Creatures believed she'd return if given the proper "balance" of blood to satisfy her. It hadn't occurred to these Stupid Ones, that the Prophecy was based on Humans-Sons Of Adam and Daughters of Eve, not Narnian Magical Creatures and Beasts. They hadn't dared to go after the Monarchs just yet. Amarlia, the Hag who was leading these people, believed that the time for them to get to these new Monarchs would come, and it would come soon. After all, if they raised havoc, havoc shall come to them in return.
Nelson tried not to think of how two fourths of these wanted Monarchs were wandering the forest nearby. The two who had his mother, and who had his brothers close. He didn't want to think of the pain him mother must've been feeling at the moment, or imagine the fear in his younger brother's eyes. He didn't want to think. Period.
These disturbing thoughts swirled through his head, as a dark and crippled form appeared in the doorway.
The form walked slowly into the tent, making the captors gasp and cover their heads. The figure just cackled, opening up a tiny strongbox in her wrinkled hands.
"Sleep, my pretties."
She lifted her hands, revealing black powder in their folds. Sprinkling the dust around the room, the tired and frightened bodies of children fell into a deep, nightmare filled slumber.
And there we have it! Thank you's and Late Merry Christmas's to everyone! And yes, I'll write about Peter and Susan soon enough, but they it's just that they have no idea yet on what is going on. They just think their siblings are out for a little camping trip-or something similar.