Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia

The Fawn Girl

Cair Paravel was like a small town. Where everyone knew about everyone. News spread from servant to servant as gossip spreads from neighbour to neighbour. And all the while Edmund's wounds were being re-patched and the whole healing staff was working on a medicine for Edmund's infection, the news spread and spread until almost the whole castle knew.

A young fawn girl by the name of Lightfoot ran through the halls of the Cair towards King Edmund's bedchamber with a basket in her hands full of food from the kitchen where her mother worked as a chef. She was a quick little fawn with long curly blond hair and wore a pink dress over her brown glossy goat legs. She had little brown horns that came from her head like little stumps and blazing blue eyes.

Her mother had told her to bring this basket to the Just King's bedchamber where her mother had said would be a very crowded and panicked place. No place for a young fawn to go. But never the less, Lightfoot insisted she'd go, taking the basket with loafs of bread, butter, grapes, wine and a bottle or two of broth, and rushing through the halls of the Cair to her destination.

As she turned to the hallway that had the door to the King's room in it, she slowed her pace when she heard a sound. It was a very frightening sound, especially for a child of her age. She shrieked a little, nearly dropping her basket as a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the hallway followed by some talking and panicked voices.

Lightfoot took a few more cautious steps forward, tightening her grip on the handle of the basket. It was safe. She quickly walked up to the door of the Kings bedchamber and knocked softly with the golden ring that hung from it as if it were a door to a house.

At first there was no reply, only dead silence. There was some soft moaning in the distance behind the door but Lightfoot couldn't see what was happening. She knocked again, a bit louder this time and almost instantly after she did, the door swung open.

The first thing Lightfoot noticed was the unpleasant, thick, and almost rusty smell that came from the room. The next thing she noticed that the room was full of older men and creatures all fumbling with powders and liquids. In front of her stood a young man, he was tall and rather muscular, to say the least. He had a head of golden hair and wore a green tunic. His eyes were underlined with bags and his face was pale. On the top of his head was a golden crown to match his golden hair, and Lightfoot immediately knew whom she was standing in front of.

"High King Peter," She greeted while attempting a curtsy but failed with the weight with the basket in her hands "My mummy has sent me to deliver this basket of food to King Edmund's bedchamber."

The High King seemed to stiffen when Lightfoot had said 'Edmund' but it quickly passed and he smiled down at the little fawn and said, while taking the basket "Thank you, Lightfoot, I appreciate your quickness on getting here." He stepped to the side in order to place the basket on a table by the door then turned back to the youngling "Now tell your mother I give her my thanks"

"If you please, your majesty," Lightfoot asked as politely as she could "May I come in?"

Peter frowned looked behind him at whatever was happening then turned back "It's no place for a little girl like you"

Lightfoot frowned forgetting her manners "I'm not a little girl"

Peter sighed "You won't like it, Lightfoot. It's ugly."

"Please, Peter?" the young fawn begged.

Not having any more patience the High King sighed "As long as you stay with Lucy"

Lightfoot smiled and stood at the door way as Peter stepped away; soon enough a girl a few years older than Lightfoot, with brown-gold hair tied back into a bun and a pink dress came to the doorway. The young queen looked almost as distressed as Peter had but she hid it better than he did.

"Hullo there, Lightfoot." The queen greeted the fawn with a smile "Peter tells me you would like to come in,"

Lightfoot nodded "He says I have to stay with you"

Lucy nodded "Yes, come in then," she turned about to walk back into the room then paused a moment looking to the left then turned back to Lightfoot and added "And don't look to the north side of the room" She said pointing to the left. It was only natural for the fawn to look to where she was pointing. She saw a bed with a thin lump under the covers with a few older men gathering around it and Peter kneeling by it holding onto a pale hand that stuck out from the blankets. Lightfoot didn't have time to see the face of the person in bed.

The chef's daughter nodded in return. She followed Lucy into the room looking at the ground as she walked, making extra sure not to glance over to the north of the room again. Lucy lead her to a little area with three chairs and a tea table where High Queen Susan sat with the same look all the ruler's faces were holding today. Lucy sat Lightfoot down on the chair facing south so she didn't look to the north of the room then sat on the last chair remaining.

Susan nodded in greeting towards Lightfoot "Good evening, Lightfoot. I'm sorry that you can't look to the other side of the room but..." the queen trailed off

"What?"

"Lightfoot, really, you don't want to know." Lucy sighed looking off to where Lightfoot couldn't.

The fawn girl nodded and sat in silence with the queens, which was a very difficult thing for a young one like her to do. She was thinking for a moment then hesitated on asking. But like many younger ones do, they don't think through the reaction of the people around them as much as they do the question.

"Am I not allowed to look at Edmund? Because he's hurt?" once the question was out there was no taking it back. Susan stiffened and nodded slowly and tears began to form in Lucy's eyes.

"Really, Lightfoot. Stop" Lucy sniffed back a few tears.

Before Lightfoot had time to apologize a loud scream interrupted the close to silence in the room. It was a quick and instant reaction for everyone to turn. Even Lightfoot. The young fawn screeched and closed her eyes, turning away.