"Oh, look! Lucy finally decided to join us!"
"Haha. Very funny, Ed." I say as I walk through the doors of the war room. I look around, taking it all in. The higher ceiling gave more room on the walls for many different maps and weapons and armor. Few windows were on the walls, so a giant chandler is the main source of light. The sound of voices and the clanking of metal fills my ears. In the center of the room is a large sized wooden table, the rounded sides surrounded by people. "Edmund, why did Peter call for me?" My brother walks toward the far side of the room to a small, ordinary door. "That, Lucy, is a matter better discussed in private." He reaches around his neck, and pulls out a key that clicks when it hits his armor. He goes to put the skeletal piece of metal in the slot when the door is flung open, with Peter standing on the other side. "There you two are! Hurry up! The Telmarines are almost here!" At the word Telmarines, my nerves are sent into a frenzy. Even though I have never encountered them directly, I have heard of them from my brothers many mornings. "They're bloody brutal. Not a kingdom we want as an enemy." Peter said, to which Edmund would replied, "It's true. They very rarely take prisoners. They do have some advanced weaponry, though." To this, Susan would respond, "Well, they are terrible negotiators, that's for sure."
"Lucy, hurry up!" I shake away the memory and walk into the room, Edmund closing the door behind me. The room is half the size of the other, but it is large none the less. The only noticeable differences between the two besides the size are the complete absence of windows, the absence of a crowd, and the neatness of it all. From what I can tell, the only weapons are held in a wardrobe on the farthest wall, and they seem to be locked away. "Peter, what am I here for?" I follow my brother to the center of the room where a medium sized table sits, ten or so high backed chairs surrounding the circular frame, Susan and two knights already occupying three chairs. "You, Lucy, are here to make sure this meeting does not get too out of control, and if it does, you are here to help make sure it doesn't leave this room."
"Do you really think the Telmarines will spare me because I'm a girl?"
"Honestly? No. I don't, but that does not mean we can not try. Here, sit. If this goes how I believe it will, then you will need all your strength." Peter pulls out a chair, and I sit, Edmund situating himself on my right while Peter sits down on the left, Susan on his left and the knights to hers. A slight knock on the door makes me turn, and one of the knights stand, walks over to the door, and turns the handle, pulling the door in. One person steps into the door frame, and because of the armor, I can tell he is a knight as well. The two share a small conversation in which I get bored with, so I turn around, facing the table. I see my family stand, so I myself stand up, pushing my chair in as I turn to face the four new comers: two of them knights, and two of them of noble blood. Peter greets them, then holds his hand out, motioning at me. "Lucy, this is King Miraz. Miraz, this is my sister Lucy." I face toward the man, His dark hair cut short, letting you see his equally dark eyes that seem to bore through me. His goatee is in a more pointed shape, and I try to refrain from laughing. He is tall, taller than Peter, and I have to tilt my head slightly to look at him. He bows, his dark tinted armor clanking softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess-"
"Queen." I correct, giving a small curtesy. "Queen? How is that?" He asks, standing upright, wearing a smile that makes me want to back away. "That is how Aslan willed it." He smirks, nodding his head. "Well then, it's a pleasure, Queen Lucy. Oh, and may I introduce my own family? This is my nephew, Caspian." He gestures behind him at a boy of about nineteen, his dark eyes hair and slightly tanned skin tone being the only similarity between him and his uncle. His hair just reaches his eyes, and it curls at the very ends. Though he is not as tall as his uncle, he is still taller than myself, forcing me to tilt my head yet again to look him in the eyes. And, unlike his uncle, he is not completely covered in armor. He wears chain male under his white shirt, and a black sword belt hides his waist band. On top of that, he wears a cloak that one would wear to a ball, and it gives him an essence of arrogance. I curtesy kindly at him, and he bows. "M'lady." His voice sends shivers down my back, and I'm thankful when Peter suggests that we all sit down. "I'm glad that you did accept my offer, Miraz." Peter says, leaning forward. "Yes, as am I. Although, and you must understand this, I was a bit wary at first. After all, our kingdoms aren't known for being the friendliest towards the other." This makes everyone give a small laugh, though I still feel tension. "Well," Susan says, looking around nervously at everyone. "I don't feel like we should beat around the bush at the moment. We wish to form an alliance." At his words, even I go silent. The only sound it that of our breaths, and even that is quiet. "An alliance? What ever for?" King Miraz finally asks, sitting up straight, looking at my family. At his question, I answer, even though I know I shouldn't know the reason. "Because. Both our kingdoms are at war with Calormen. If we ally, then we will be stronger. You have a weaponry advantage, and we have a numeral advantage. If-" I feel a hand on my arm, and turn my head to see Edmund, silently telling me to stop. Embarrassed, I lower my head, looking at the hilt of my sword. "What Lucy means," Peter says, sounding annoyed. "Is that-"
"I think it was quite clear what she meant. You wish to create an alliance so we can rid ourselves of the Calormenian nuisance." This time it is Caspian who speaks, and I raise my head to see him staring at my brother with a strange anger in his eye. "Lucy, I do believe you are needed in the throne room at this time of day. Let me walk you?" Edmund states, standing. If it hadn't come from his mouth, I would have denied the invitation, but this was Edmund. "Alright." He helps me out of my chair, and after I bow at the men at the table, Edmund leads me to the door, holding it open so I can walk out, the noise of the war room filling my ears once more. "Ed," I say, but then I see he won't look at me, just walks forward, making a small motion with his hand for me to follow. I lift my dress up slightly with one hand, using the other to move my cape off my shoulders so it's not in front of my feet, then I run slowly so I can catch up. We are walking out the ornately carved doors when Edmund speaks. "You shouldn't have said anything, Lu. You should have-"
"I should have what? Stayed quiet like a good little girl?"
"Yes! That's exactly what you should have done." Edmund throws his hands up in exasperation, stopping to lean on a pillar near the west balcony. "Lucy, this is an important thing that must be done. The only reason you were brought in was to make sure nothing became out of control."
"So my only purpose was to sit, look nice, and make sure no one attempted to kill the other?" I cross my arms, walking in front of Edmund so I can look in his eyes. "Peter and Susan should know by now that I can't stand being kept out in the darkness. You know better than anyone that the safest place for me is sometimes in the middle of the battle, not a castle full of secrets." Edmund won't meet my eyes, making me sigh. I look down the hall towards the war room door and notice something glinting in the torchlight. "What on earth..." I mutter, abandoning Edmund to investigate the strange object. At first, I believe that it might be a dagger or coin, but as I near closer, I realize that it is too small for a dagger but to big for a coin. If it weren't for the voice, I would have bent down to pick it up. "King Edmund, High King Peter has requested you return." I look at the open door and see Caspian, his hand rested almost too casually on the butt of his sword. I hear the soft clanking of metal and something scraping on stone and know that Edmund is walking towards us, dragging his feet slightly. "Lucy," he says, his voice strangely calmer than a moment before. "Why don't you show our guest around the castle? I'm sure he'd much rather see that instead of the war room." I groan, knowing Edmund's trap. If I deny, I will look selfish, but if I try and weasel out of it, I will seem rude. Grumbling, I glare at my brother. "Of course. Right this way, Prince Caspian."