"Please, sir, may I have some more?" "NO!" "Please?" "Yes. It's only because Dickens' was awesome and I cried in A Tale of Two Cities and felt forlorn during Oliver Twist. But that's so out of context at the moment, so here you are. Have fun on a little trip to Narnia!"

While entering the Castle, a pattern of tears rattled down the Gentle Queen's face.

She still felt scared. Even though she knew her brother and sister too be safe (for now, at least), she still worried for them. She worried for her older brother, too, who was heading straight for the butchery. But she knew she shouldn't. Peter could take care of himself.

Lucy and Edmund could take care of each other.

So who took care of those little children tied up in tents?

It continued to pain her deeply, knowing she wasn't helping the situation. She wanted to be useful – one didn't have to wield a sword or shoot an arrow to recover peace – so she decided on something she did best.

She approached the nearest maid, an eager Dryad named Alanna, who dipped into a dainty curtsey.

"Hello, Alanna. May I ask you a favour?"

"Anything, Your Majesty!"

"Fetch young Master Nelson Squirrel for me, will you? Tell him I'll be in my study."

"Right away, Your Majesty!" She smiled enthusiastically before bouncing off to perform her queen's commands.

PAGE. BREAK HERE.

"What do we know?"

After greetings were exchanged, the king and queen encircled the round table with their new companions. Business was their first priority.

"We know they come at night."

Lucy shivered. "We've seen that first hand."

"We've seen them in action. But we haven't acted yet."

"Why haven't you?"

"By the time we're ready to attack upon them, we're lying on the floor. By then, their main bodies are gone."

"Magic, we believe." Lucy whispered. "It's all done by magic."

"Like you said, Lu, it's the worst kind." Edmund said. "Apart from the White Witch, Hags' magic is second to the worst that this world has experienced. I do believe that may be a reason our dear friends last night objected to us leaving the tent."

"Yes, I believe so too."

The entire company watched intently as the two monarchs spoke in hushed tones. Edmund looked around the group, memorizing each face and attaching them to their names. He counted them and re-counted them. His breath hitched in worry.

"But wait, Lu?"

"Mmm?"

"Was Daleen with you when we came down?"

PAGE. BREAK. HERE.

Susan took a seat in her big, comfy chair and curled up comfortably. She watched as two maids bustled across the room to open the drapes and straightened a book or two. Secretly, deep inside, she wanted to help them. Cleanliness and proper standards was a part of her nature. From her old life, she had the skills to clean and cook. It came naturally to her.

But in her position of power, it would seem untidy and unladylike to perform such manual tasks. It was the such especially around guests. When she was alone with her everyday attendants and ladies, she would join them and not be ashamed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a rap at the door.

She mouthed the word "enter" to the nearest maid, who opened the door.

Alanna walked inside the room, her eccentric expression casted downwards. She dipped her head once more, before entering the room.

"Alanna? Where's Nelson?"

"He…he wasn't in his apartments, Queen Susan."

The Queen looked horrified. "Then where is he?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty!"

The Queen slumped ungracefully, sadness overcoming her. "Did you check the gardens?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As the queen continued, the maid who had answered the door listened in carefully. Were they speaking of the queen's squirrel companion from the prior evening? She believed she'd seen him off.

The maid, Inolya, snuck up beside Alanna. "Queen Susan?"

The queen was now holding her hands over her head, in perfect imitation of both her brothers. She wiped her eyes and mumbled. "Yes, yes, what is it?"

"I don't mean to intrude on Your Majesty's private conversation, but I do believe I know where this Nelson fellow has ran off too."

Queen Susan's hands dropped from her face. "Where has he gotten too, Inolya?"

"I saw him leaving after His Majesty's mounted troops had departed."

Internally, Susan was screaming. Why would that child put himself through the same danger again? Why risk a gift he was given? What drove him to want this? Sure, the poor squirrel had his own siblings and own friends in that area, but how could something so small believe he could achieve something so large singlehandedly? Maternal instincts were telling her one thing.

Protect him.

"Send for a guard, you two. I'll be leaving to fetch him in a quarter hour."

PAGE. BREAK. HERE.

Peter cantered along, fire blazing in his eyes.

He wouldn't let these miscreants intrude on his people, on his littlest sister and younger brother. He needed to protect them all. It was his job. He needed to know everything would be alright.

In his right hand, he clutched the letter Susan had handed him before he left. Peter hadn't read it yet, planning to read it at the next halt. As he glanced at his captains, he realised that break may be sooner than he had hoped.

But before the party could come to a stop, a flash of fur appeared in front of them on the top of a hill. It was short and round, but was sprinted its short legs beneath him. It made haste towards the High King's party. Suddenly, it struck Peter and the only name that he could think was:

Daleen.

Oh. My. Scar…(Blame a motivational speaker for that one, folks. I've been using it ever since.) I FORGOT ABOUT DALEEN. It's heartbreaking when you forget your own original characters. Okay, I'm cool. Calm. Down. :)

By the way, this chapter didn't go as I planned. I was going to make it Minores and Griz who found Peter, but I also wanted to show a scene about their escape. So, I well, err, won't give it away.

Thanks, for everything (:

(LOL, about the beginning little tidbit, I just needed to do that. Thanks for the need for me to start quoting! (: It's almost a hobby, as you may have already guessed.)