Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's another chapter for you. This one gave me so many problems! I owe huge thanks to Gwenneth for helping me with the interogation scene. I was very close to scrapping that whole scene and then she talked me through another way of approaching it and it snapped into place. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and with luck the next one will be out within the week! Don't forget to review, I live off of them these days!

Chapter Fifteen: Departures

Archenland, south and west of Stormness Head…

They had been riding since before dawn, and it was only now midmorning. Corin rode at the head of his small scout force. Well, small by the Archenland army's count, he thought, twisting in his saddle to see the line of twenty-five men who rode behind him, eyes darting around to make sure no danger threatened, just as they had been trained, even though they were still in friendly lands.

To look at Cor and Corin, an observer wouldn't expect them to be acquainted with the quieter, stealthy ways of the Archenland scout force. But after the scouts saved the two princes' lives a few years before the Telmarines had first invaded Narnia, they had decided, mutually, that at least one of them should be familiar with the way the scouts operated so they would be better able to work them into their campaign plans. Since Cor was so busy learning the duties and responsibilities of being a prince and a king, they had decided that Corin would be the one who would work with the scouts.

Learning from the scouts had been very interesting and Corin had found that he actually enjoyed it, to the point that when they needed to send a small advance group ahead of the main army, he almost always rode with them. Today, he had a larger than normal scout force, because as they crossed into Narnia, he had planned to station his men out at intervals to wait for Cor and the rest of the army. Their jobs would be to see to it that the path that was scouted out remained clear and free of the Telmarine patrols, so that the rest of the army didn't get bottlenecked on their trip up to the How. As the army passed each of the scouts he would station, they would join Cor's forces to finish the trip up to the How.

According to the information that Krisalyn had provided, the pass was just south of where Glasswater Creek began in the mountains, before it flowed northeast through the southern reaches of Narnia until it reached the sea. Krisalyn was certain the pass was large enough to bring the army through, but just in case she was in error, they had to reach the pass as soon as possible, so that if it wouldn't allow the whole army to pass through, he would have time to send one of the scouts back with word so that Cor would know that they needed to take the main pass which lay two days ride to the west.

A frown crossed Corin's face as he thought about their departure that morning. He hadn't expected it to be much different from other departures of past campaigns, but this time it had been decidedly different.

"We'll depart the day after tomorrow," Cor said, looking remarkably alert, considering that it was still two hours before dawn. Corin had always felt a bit of envy towards his brother for his ability to be awake and alert at such unearthly hours, but for Cor, it was a habit that had been enforced his whole life. The man who had raised him had been a fisherman, who always set out before dawn, when the fish were biting. Back then, when Cor had been known as Shasta, if Arsheesh was awake, he was awake as well.

"With luck, we should reach the pass by sunset today, and we'll know if it can support the rest of the army," Corin agreed as he tied his saddlebags to the back of his horse's saddle. "I'll send a messenger back if you need to take the army through the main pass, but if no messenger comes, you can go ahead and bring the army after us. I'll station my scouts along the safe path, and I'll leave markers to guide you to each sentry."

Cor nodded. It was a good plan, and one that would make the best use of their resources, while still allowing them to cover ground quickly and efficiently. "Then Aslan's blessings be upon you brother. I'll see you in a few days."

Corin nodded and placed his foot in the stirrup in preparation to mount.

"Wait! Corin, wait!"

Corin paused and looked towards the main doors of the palace at the call. Coming out of the palace, a bundle in her arms, was Krisalyn. She was wearing a heavy wool dress to ward off the chill of the pre-dawn morning, with a wool cloak thrown over her shoulders. She hurried down the stairs as quickly as she was able and drew to a halt next to Corin, pausing to catch her breath.

"Kris? What is it, dearest cousin?" Corin asked, releasing the saddle and putting his foot safely back on the ground.

"When you see P…the ones who claim to be Narnia's monarchs, you will test them, won't you?" Krisalyn asked, her intense eyes staring up at her younger cousin.

"Of course," Corin replied, confused as to why she had run all the way out here in the pre-dawn hours just to ask him something that they had decided on the night before. After all, if these children who claimed to be Narnia's monarchs were imposters, they would need to be removed so as not to do anything to harm Narnia. Cor and Corin were returning to Narnia, not just to defend her from the Telmarines, but from any threats that might have risen from the twenty-five year subjugation that her people had been under.

Krisalyn took a deep breath. "If it turns out that…that they are the Kings and Queens…give them these," she finished softly, handing the bundle she carried over to Corin. He took it and unwrapped it from it's protective cloth, to see a wide, deep chest in his arms. He frowned, not recognizing it, but he opened it.

His eyes widened as he realized what he held. Inside, resting neatly on soft cushions of velvet and down feathers were four glistening crowns, two silver, two gold. He looked up at Krisalyn. "Cousin, are you sure about this?"

Krisalyn nodded. "I'm positive. It will be a sign to them that they have not been forgotten."

Corin hesitated. "If they should ask where these crowns came from, or how they came to be in my possession, should I tell them that you sent them?"

"NO!"

The vehement exclamation startled him so much that he almost dropped the chest that held the crowns. His horse, normally steady and calm, rolled his eyes and half-reared. Cor grabbed for the stallion's reins and held them, calming the horse with gentle words. He and Cor looked swiftly over at Krisalyn, not understanding her reaction. She was wide-eyed and actually – for the first time that Corin could ever recall – looked frightened.

Krisalyn seemed to realize that she had startled the King and the Prince, and she quickly took a breath and brought some composure back to her features. "Please, don't tell them anything about me, Corin…especially not that I am coming up with Cor. If it is P...Peter, he and I have a great deal to discuss..., and I don't want him to have time to think up excuses if he knows that I am coming."

Corin exchanged a look with his brother, who only nodded, taking the chest and slipping it into one of Corin's saddlebags as Corin mounted. Corin turned from on top of his horse and looked down at his cousin. "I promise, Krisalyn. I won't say anything to the monarchs, if it is they."

Krisalyn smiled at him, but it was a sad smile, full of pain. "Thank you," she whispered. "This is something that I have to do on my own."

"We'll meet you at the How, brother," Cor said quietly, reaching up to grasp his brother's arm as he finished securing the crowns inside the saddlebag.

Corin reached down and took his brother's arm. "We'll be waiting." With that, he straightened in his saddle and looked to where the rest of the scouts were waiting patiently. Urging his horse forward, he gave them the signal, and suddenly, they were on the move, their horses restless and eager to obey as they streamed out of the palace courtyard.

Corin shifted in his saddle again as he thought about the job he had been tasked with. Somehow, he would have to find proof that would confirm or refute these children's claim that they were the long-missing Kings and Queens of Narnia…and he needed to do it soon, so that he would have time to get word to Cor. His brother was only permitting Krisalyn to come along on this trip because of the possibility that she might have a chance to settle the issues between her husband and herself.

If it wasn't Peter waiting at the How, however, Cor would send her back to Archenland with an armed escort. Queen of Narnia she may be, however, she was still under Cor's protection, and he would not bring her to a battlefield without a damn good reason. There was no point in risking Narnia's last remaining monarch. It was bad enough that the one heir to the Narnian throne was already in danger, although she had accepted the job Cor had placed to her willingly, trusting in Aslan and her own skills to succeed.

Corin sighed. That was not the important matter at the moment, however. He still had two days to decide what he would do to test the claim. Right now, he needed to focus his attention on getting himself and his men safely to the How, and scouting out a safe route for his brother and the rest of the army.

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Aslan's How…

"King Peter! King Edmund! Prince Caspian!"

The three royals spun around at the shout, to see one of the Faun sentries running towards them. They hurried through the forges towards the sentry, who paused and waited for them to reach him. He was breathing heavily and Peter siezed his shoulder gently. "Catch your breath, good Faun, before you give us the news you carry."

The Faun shook his head and managed to gasp out his message. "T-telmarine scout…spotted him…sentry point."

Peter's eyes widened and he reflexively reached for Rhindon, only to stop as he remembered that his sword was not slung at his hip. "Where?"

"C-coming this way," the Faun panted. "On horseback. Should be here…matter of minutes."

Peter turned slightly and met the fiery gaze of his younger brother, and, beyond him, the equally fiery gaze of Caspian. "I do believe we need to do something about this," Peter said thoughtfully.

"I concur," Edmund said. Peter smothered a grin at the wicked enthusiasm he could hear in his younger brother's voice. Edmund turned to Caspian. "Where can we get weapons?" Edmund, normally calm and even-tempered, obviously intended to do a little damage to the people who had invaded Narnia and destroyed what they remembered of their country.

Caspian nodded and led them towards a rack filled with all different sizes of swords. Long blades, similar to Rhindon, caught Peter's eye and he quickly took one, before reaching for a rack of shields and taking one that was the appropriate size and weight for him. Edmund meanwhile, had gone to the rack of shorter swords and appropriated two of those for himself.

Caspian, interestingly enough, passed by the swords in favor of a bow and a quiver of dark-fletched arrows. Peter raised an eyebrow at him, but Caspian only shrugged and shouldered the quiver. After a moment, Caspian also reached for a long coil of rope, which he hooked neatly to his belt. The prince glanced around, noted that they were all armed, and nodded, before leading the way towards the entrance. Peter and Edmund fell into step behind him, and all three of them quickly exited the How.

The Faun who had brought the message had returned to his post and when Peter looked up at him, he pointed off towards the west. Peter nodded, thanking him and indicating to his companions what direction they needed to go. Caspian indicated that he should take the lead, and Peter quickly veered off, leading Edmund and the prince toward the tree line. He wasn't sure exactly where the scout was, so he wanted to come in from an angle.

As they reached the trees, Peter dropped into a crouching stalk and waved Caspian forward. Dropping his voice to a hiss, Peter turned to the prince. "I want to try to take him alive," he whispered. "He's a source of information."

Caspian and Edmund both nodded. Peter thought for a moment, and then gestured to Edmund. Edmund understood immediately and eeled off into the brush, moving south-west. Edmund would flank the scout from the north, but he needed to move further south before circling around behind him. Peter was intending to flank the scout from the other side, which left Caspian in place to have the clearest line of sight available if it came to the prince needed to draw his bow on the scout.

A low whistle pierced the quiet, and Peter replied with one of his own. The whistle was the signal from Edmund that he was in place, a tactic they had developed with Oreius when the centaur general had been teaching them scouting maneuvers. From where Peter was concealed, he could see Caspian, but Edmund was well hidden. Now, all that was left was to wait.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait for very long. Within moments of getting settled and concealed, Peter heard the sound of a horse approaching at a walk. The animal's breaths and the nearly-silent footsteps alerted him and he signaled to Caspian to be ready.

The scout moved right past Peter's position, as well as past Caspian's. The prince had an arrow drawn and nocked to his bow, although the bow was not drawn. Not yet. The scout dismounted as he approached the clearing, and tethered the horse's reins loosely to a branch. Dropping low, the Telmarine moved to the edge of the tree line, gazing out onto the field and the How. He stood there for several minutes, watching, before he turned and began making his way back to where his horse stood waiting.

Wait…wait…Peter thought to himself. He was going to need to take the man by surprise. If he moved too early, the scout would have a chance to draw his own weapon, and if he moved too late, the scout would make it to his horse, and it would be up to Caspian to take him out. Given that Peter had yet to see the prince in battle, he didn't want this venture to rely entirely on Caspian.

He waited, until the scout drew abreast of Peter's hiding place. Then, the young King moved, leaping from his hiding place and moving with the speed of a striking snake. He was on top of the older man before the scout had time to register the movement in the brush, and Peter's arms were around the soldier and bringing him to the ground.

Unfortunately, the man was not only strong and fit, but canny. It didn't take him long to get over the surprise and before they hit the forest floor, the man was bucking and kicking, trying to dislodge Peter. An elbow snapped back and caught the High King in the mouth, splitting his lower lip as he involuntarily bit down on his lip at the impact.

The coppery taste of blood filled Peter's mouth, but he ignored it as best he could and continued to try to wrestle the Telmarine to the ground. Unfortunately, the man was not only taller than Peter, he outweighed him by quite a bit, and with a sharp twist and another thrown elbow, the scout succeeded in throwing Peter off of him and lunging to his feet towards his horse.

Before Peter could get his legs back under him, the man was in the saddle and yanking on the reins to turn the handsome stallion. Peter swore softly to himself as he scrambled to get back to his feet. He knew Edmund was waiting to ambush the man again, but with the scout on horseback, it would be more difficult for them to take him out.

He needn't have worried though. Just before the horse got up to speed, an arrow flew from behind Peter and impacted the soldier in his arm, rocking him and almost making him lose his balance. A second arrow followed the first. this time hitting the scout's leg. The double impact of the pain, as well as the impact themselves, knocked the Telmarine from his horse and he crashed to the forest floor.

Peter lunged and this time, too wounded to put up a fight, the scout submitted, just as Edmund arrived on the scene to help Peter pin the man down. Caspian was right behind them, another arrow knocked to the bow, although he had not drawn the weapon.

As they got the man pinned, Edmund made sure Caspian had him covered with his bow before he glanced at his brother. "You all right there, Peter?" Concern hovered in those dark eyes as he reached for his brother's face, his thumb gently wiping a smear of blood from Peter's chin.

"'M fine, Ed," Peter assured him as Caspian tossed him the coil of rope from his belt. Peter quickly unwound it and began wrapping it around the scout, tying his hands behind his back. Between the three of them, they got the scout restrained, and hauled him back to the How's entrance so they could question him.

Susan, Lucy, and Aislynn were waiting at the ramp, apparently having gotten word of where they had gone, since they evidenced no surprise at seeing them returning with a prisoner. Peter did see looks of concern cross their faces as they took in the sight of his bloody mouth, but they chose not to comment on it. Peter was grateful for that, but he knew his sisters would most likely have a great deal to say on the matter as soon as they were alone. It wouldn't do for the Narnians – or their captive – to hear the two Queens berating the High King in public.

Peter turned his attention back to their captive, forcing him to sit on the ground. He was not about to let the man inside the How, nor take any chances on him escaping, so he quickly used more of the rope to tie the man's feet together, before stepping back out of the range of a kick. Once that was done, he stepped over to the ladies, a calculated action, designed to give their prisoner a good look around. As he quietly greeted his sisters and Aislynn, he was watching the man out of the corner of his eye, although to a casual observer, it would appear that he was paying the man no mind.

It didn't take a man of exceeding brilliance to realize that the scout was extremely nervous to be around all the Narnians. His eyes were wide, filled with caution and not a little fear as he took in the Dwarves, Centaurs, Fauns, Satyrs, and various Talking Animals that had come to see what was going on, although he seemed most nervous around the great Cats and the Wolves. He watched them all carefully as they moved about, talking in low tones, occasionally sending glares, growls, or muttered threats in his direction.

Lucy touched Peter's arm, drawing his attention back to his sisters, Edmund, Caspian, and Aislynn. The High King smiled at his little sister as she handed him a handkerchief, gesturing for him to put pressure on his split lip, which was still bleeding slightly. "Are you all right, Peter?" she asked softly, keeping her voice low so as not to draw the attention of their prisoner. "That looks like it hurts."

Peter shook his head. "I'm fine, Lucy. He got in a lucky blow. It'll be healed in a few days, and it'll close up by the end of the day." He huffed out a breath as the cut stung. "It's just as well that Oreius wasn't there. He would have been mortified that the man got the drop on me like that. I didn't quite have him under control when I took him down, and he managed to break loose. It's a good thing Caspian is such a good shot, or we would have lost him."

The prince waved off the compliment. "I should have shot sooner, but I didn't want to hit you, King Peter," he responded.

"Well, I should certainly hope not, Caspian," Peter replied with a short laugh, wincing a bit as the cut on his lip pulled. He glanced back over his shoulder at the prisoner, who was still watching the Narnians warily. "Do you by any chance know that man? I would like some leverage before we begin questioning him. Given our current…situation…I'm afraid that we're not going to be very intimidating. We need something to shake him up."

Caspian frowned and glanced at the man, studying him for a moment, his brow wrinkled in thought. After a moment, his expression cleared and he nodded. "I do. His name is Larez…he's the head of the scouts under General Glozelle."

"What do you know about him?" Edmund asked.

"Not much, I'm afraid," Caspian admitted. "I didn't have much contact with him, other than occasionally seeing him meeting with General Glozelle. I know that he is considered a good soldier, and a good leader, but that's all I know."

Peter looked thoughtful. "It might not be a lot, but I think it can work to our advantage." He looked over at Caspian. "Do you think you can take the lead on this one, Caspian? Ed and I have a strategy that has worked before, but we need to get him responding to something else, before we spring the questions on him."

Caspian looked uneasy. "I can certainly try, King Peter. But, given that I am not familiar with the man, he may not respond."

Peter patted him on the arm. "I have confidence in you, Caspian." He eyed the prisoner again. "Go on. Act demanding, and intimidating."

"That is not something I've had a great deal of practice in," Caspian muttered, before straightening his shoulders and holding his head high. He fixed a cool, haughty expression on his face, before spinning on his heel and striding over to the prisoner, drawing the older man's attention. He stopped just out of range of a kick and stared down at the scout for a long moment. "Commander Larez."

The scout stared at Caspian for a moment, before a smile crossed his features. It was not a smile of welcome, Caspian noted, but a smile that was full of mockery. "Caspian."

Caspian's eyes narrowed at the insult. "I would remind you to address me by my title, Commander. I am the Crown Prince of Narnia."

"Oh, forgive me, Your Highness," the soldier replied immediately, his tone even more condescending. "I was not aware that it was proper protocol to address a traitor by an undeserved title."

Caspian's face took on a dangerous expression. "You would do well to watch your tongue. As you have no doubt noticed, my allies would be all too pleased to exact some vengeance for the persecution they have suffered, should I permit them to do so."

The not-so-veiled threat had Larez pausing and looking uneasily at the Narnians. Several of the Black Dwarves and the Minotaurs moved closer, their hands drifting towards their weapons. Caspian rocked back on his heels, assuming a more relaxed posture, although he didn't lower his gaze. "I intend to ask you some questions, and you would do well to answer them swiftly and truthfully."

Larez looked back at Caspian, a sneer crossing his face. "I have no intention of betraying my fellows and my country the way you have, sire."

Caspian's dark eyes smoldered. He stared at Larez for a long moment, before he turned and looked back at Peter and Edmund. Peter took it as indication that the prince wasn't getting anywhere with their prisoner, so he gestured for Edmund to join him. Together the two Kings strode over to where Caspian was waiting, their appearance only earning a snort of disdain from their prisoner.

"Commander Larez is being singularly unhelpful, Your Majesty," Caspian said respectfully. "Perhaps you would like to make an attempt at convincing him? Or should I ask Asterius to assist us?"

Edmund shook his head and waved the suggestion off. "That won't be necessary, Caspian. Thank you." The younger King cocked his head to the side and studied their prisoner intently for a long moment. Finally, he broke the silence. "Know you who we are?"

Larez's eyes narrowed, expecting a trap. "Children not even old enough to join the army."

Peter gave him a cool look. "That may be, but it was a couple of children who took you prisoner, Commander."

Larez fixed a resolute look on his face. "My allegiance is to the rightful King of Narnia…not to a traitor and a rebel. His Highness has betrayed our people, and thus lost my allegiance and my respect. Ask what you will, I'll tell you nothing."

Peter's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he stepped forward, kneeling down to bring himself eye level with the scout commander. "Then by rights, you should be telling my brother and I everything you know." His tone was even and calm, but there was a note that warned the scout not to trifle with them.

"And why is that?" Larez retorted.

"My brother and I are the rightful Kings of Narnia," Peter replied evenly. "We were chosen by Aslan himself, crowned by him, and named Narnia's champions and her defenders. It is in our power to decide who has the authority in Narnia, and only Aslan has the power to overrule our decisions. Lord Miraz has not been granted any authority."

Larez stared at Peter for a long moment, before he began laughing uproariously, as if Peter had just said something hysterically funny. The laughter drew snarls and growls from many of the Narnians, but the scout didn't even seem to notice, despite how unnerved he had been just a short time before.

Peter glanced at his brother, who shrugged subtly. It was obvious to both of them that they were not going to get any information out of Larez. As much as Peter didn't want this man seeing the inside of the How, there was no place outside to secure him safely. Rising to his feet, Peter gestured towards a Centaur and a Minotaur, who came over immediately.

"Search him thoroughly for weapons that we might have missed, then take him to one of the lowest storage rooms and see to it that he firmly tied, and make sure a guard is posted at all times inside the room with him," Peter ordered. There were no doors on any of the cavern-like storage rooms, so a guard was necessary to make sure the man wouldn't be able to slip out in the night when everyone was asleep except the sentries. He wanted to take no chances with this man. A man didn't rise to the position of scout commander without having more than one trick up his sleeve.

The two Narnians nodded and bowed, before hauling the prisoner to his feet and dragging him towards the entrance to the How. Peter, Edmund, and Caspian watched him go, before moving over to where Susan, Lucy, and Aislynn were standing. As they approached, Peter caught sight of an odd expression on Aislynn's face. It seemed to be a mingled expression of wistfulness and joy, with a hint of resolve in her lupine-shaded eyes. He paused for a moment, studying her face intently, as she stared back at him until she realized how closely he was watching her and turned a bright crimson.

"Oh! Your Majesty…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stare!"

Peter blinked and quickly waved off her apology. "No, Lady Aislynn, the fault was mine. I was being unaccountably rude to watch you in that fashion." He looked between his siblings, Caspian, and Aislynn. "Well, I don't think that there is much more that we can accomplish here, so I suggest that we all resume our tasks from before the excitement." Indeed, all of the other Narnians were beginning to disband and return to what they had been doing before word spread about the prisoner that the Kings and Prince Caspian were bringing in. Offering his arm to Susan, he smiled as she looped her arm through his, restraining a chuckle as Edmund offered his arm to Lucy, leaving Caspian to escort Aislynn back inside the How.

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Anvard…two days later…

"Krisalyn, good cousin, this is absolutely foolish!"

Krisalyn strode down the hallway towards the courtyard where the rest of the Archenland army had been assembled to march to liberate Narnia. Striding along beside her were Cor and several members of the Narnian Council who had smuggled her to safety when the Telmarines first invaded.

"Cor, I am not going to change my mind. I ran from Narnia once before, and I am not going to do it again. My people have been without leadership for too long." The elegant Queen replied firmly, not even glancing at her cousin as she made her way down the corridor.

"Krisalyn, this is going to be a battlefield, and you are not going to be able to fight or lead the army," Cor protested. "I can take charge of your people long enough to get them through the battle, and then you can return when it is safe. That way one of Narnia's monarchs will still survive."

"No, Cor. It is not in me to hide. I was wrong to hide here for as long as I have, I should have stayed and fought during the first invasion." She fell silent for a moment before her eyes closed in pain. "That's what Peter would have done."

Cor shook his head in frustration. He had learned long ago that his cousin easily held the title of the most stubborn person he had ever met, including his twin brother. He glanced over at the Narnian Council who had fled Cair Paravel with their Queen in order to protect her when word had come that the Telmarines had not been stopped.

"If I may, Your Majesty, I believe that King Cor is correct," the tall black Centaur pacing beside them stated solemnly. "I do not question your ability to defend yourself, should the need arise, but you should not risk yourself unnecessarily."

"Oreius, you have served Narnia, and myself, well, and you know I hold your advice in high regard, but this time I must stand firm in my decision." Krisalyn met the eyes of the Centaur general, one of her dearest friends and confidants squarely. "I am going."

Oreius sighed and tuned the conversation out as Cor continued to try to persuade Krisalyn to change her mind. He would, of course, be going with his Queen in order to protect her, as he had ever since King Peter had proposed marriage and she had accepted. That was his job as the head of Narnia's army and the Royal Family's Honor Guard.

But this plan for his Queen to ride with the Archenland army to a campaign to liberate Narnia was madness. If she stayed here and they failed, at least one of Narnia's monarchs would be safe…and he would be able to devote all of his strength to rescuing Princess Aislynn and returning her to safety. He had failed once…a failure that still haunted him every time he thought about his beloved homeland…and the monarchs he had been unable to protect.

The ground flashed under his hooves as he galloped, praying to Aslan for the strength and endurance to reach Cair Paravel ahead of the Telmarine invaders. His wounds ached, and he knew he was losing blood. He should stop long enough to rebind his wounds, which he had hastily bound once he was off the battlefield. but the urgency and the safety of those at the Cair drove him on.

The battle had been a disaster from the beginning, and the blame rested solely on his shoulders. When word had first reached Cair Paravel of the invasion, he had mustered the army, leaving behind just enough troops to defend the palace and the Queen, Princess, and Council if things went poorly. He had, after all, sworn an oath to Aslan, and then again to the four monarchs when he took the rank of general in the army. His first responsibility was to the Royal Family. He was the head of their guard, and even though the four monarchs had been gone for five years, he held his duty of highest importance, turning his attentions to protecting the last Queen of Narnia - High King Peter's wife - and his beautiful daughter Aislynn.

The army had marched out from Cair Paravel and had met the invaders at what should have been a strategically sound battlefield for the defenders. A day's march north and west of Beruna, the wide clearing sloped upward to a gentle, yet, tall rise, that gave a commanding view of the entire area.

Unfortunately, the Telmarine army was much larger than the Narnian army, and Oreius had not accounted for the accuracy and range of the siege weapons, nor the crossbows, which, although slower to fire, were much more powerful than the Narnian bows. All of these elements combined together to turn what should have been a glorious victory for the Narnians into a retreat, followed by a rout that had what remained of the army scattering for cover, and had led to Oreius pouring every ounce of strength he possessed into his weary legs as he tried to reach the Cair as soon as possible.

The Telmarines were moving much faster than anyone could have predicted, and Oreius guessed that if they continued at the same pace they had been, they would reach the Cair within two days and place it under siege. He needed to get there as fast as he could in order to get the Council and the Queen and Princess out before that happened. The Telmarines took no prisoners…they had slaughtered the Narnians without hesitation, and if they discovered that Narnia's Queen was trapped inside the palace…Oreius truly feared what lengths they would go to in order to reach her. Two days seemed like a long time, but he wanted her safely out of the way of the invaders long before they reached Cair Paravel.

He burst out of the forest and he could see the great palace sitting on the cliff side, a shining jewel in the setting sun…the seat of Narnia's power and government. His legs were aching fiercely, and he felt weaker with each passing minute from blood loss, exhaustion, and the pain of his wounds, but he was so close now. Please, Aslan…just a little further. Give me the strength.

Some minutes later he pounded up the causeway leading to the gates of the castle. The sentries on duty saw him coming and had ordered the gates opened and the Queen and Council summoned. Oreius willed one last burst of strength into his legs as he charged into the courtyard, the dusty ground turning to hard-packed cobblestones beneath his hooves. He braced himself as he slid to a stop at the foot of the steps leading up to the palace doors. He bent over, chest heaving and the rest of him trembling from the exertion as he gasped for breath.

Queen Krisalyn was standing at the top of the steps, her five-year old daughter Aislynn held in her arms. She hurried down the steps, the rest of the Council right behind her. "General! What is it? What's happened?"

Oreius couldn't get words out for several moments. The exhaustion was beginning to overtake him, but he had to get the news out so they could make preparations to leave as soon as possible. "B-battle was l-lost, M-majesty. The Tel-telmarines are on their w-way." He raised his eyes to meet the concerned gaze of Faun Tumnus, who was, other than himself, one of Krisalyn's most trusted advisors. "We-we must p-prepare to l-leave. Two days…" He felt himself blacking out as the pain of his wounds and the blood loss finally overtook him.

Oreius remembered those days all too well. He had come back to consciousness to find himself being conveyed as an invalid as the Council fled Cair Paravel with Krisalyn and Aislynn. They had made the evacuation plans before he left with the army, just in case, and everyone had known what to do. The Council had fled that same night, taking only the most crucial things with them. All the other treasures and documents had been hidden in the underground treasure chamber, the massive hidden door shoved into place to conceal it from the Telmarines.

They had traveled fast and secretly, avoiding all of the other Narnians. Cruel as it seemed, Oreius had been determined to keep the location of the Queen and Princess secret. If word had reached the Telmarines before she was safe…

"Oreius, I like this not," Tumnus whispered quietly as they looked down on the main pass into Archenland from atop the knoll. It was the night of moon dark, which was the only reason that Oreius had been willing to risk this scouting expedition. He truly did not like being away from the side of his Queen, but as the only soldier among them, it fell to him to clear a safe path.

Evacuation plans had been laid before Oreius had gone off with the army, and it had been decided then that if Queen, Princess and Council needed to flee, it would be only they who would make the journey. Safer though it would be to bring the Queen's Honor Guard along, having that many people in the party would make it more risky, and they would be more likely to be discovered if the invaders sent scouts out.

Fortunately, Oreius had insisted that all of the Council learn to defend themselves and their monarchs years ago and had been training them in those skills for some time. He was quite confident in their skills, and he had no doubt of Queen Krisalyn's skills, as she had been trained in archery, sword-work, and knife-wielding from a young age by order of King Lune when he had named her his heir before her marriage to King Peter. Even though she had given up that title in favor of Cor and Corin when they were born, she had never stopped her weaponry lessons, save for the times when she had been pregnant and it had been deemed to risky to allow her to participate.

No, Oreius had no doubt that the rest of the party could defend themselves admirably if the need arose, but their safety still gnawed at him. But it was important to know what they faced. Archenland was their safe haven. King Lune and Prince Cor would not refuse them shelter, but they had to get safely over the border first. Hence the scouting mission.

Oreius knew exactly what it was that Tumnus didn't like. It appeared that the Telmarines were most efficient, for they had already sent men south to secure the main pass through the mountains to the Archenland border. There would be no sneaking past them from this direction.

"Lion's Mane!" Oreius swore softly. "I was afraid of this. We shall have to find another way." He looked at his companion. "We must get the Royal Family to safety."

"Agreed," Tumnus replied instantly. He looked steadily at Oreius for a moment. "General, I know that you wanted to keep our flight as secret as possible, but I think we have no further choice. We must ask for assistance."

Oreius studied the Faun intently. "What do you suggest?" He was still recuperating from his wounds, and he trusted Tumnus. Whatever the Faun would suggest, it would at least be worth considering. He would consider anything at this point, if it would assist him in getting his Queen and the young Princess to safety.

"Just to the east of here is a small glade where the Fauns and the Dryads in this area gather for the feasts and festivals during the holiday season," Tumnus replied. "I've been there before, with Queen Susan and Queen Lucy, and I know how to summon them to the glade. If anyone would know of another way over the border, it would be they."

"Will it be quiet enough to avoid drawing the attention of the invaders?" Oreius asked.

Tumnus nodded. "Easily. The glade is almost half a day's walk, at a Human's pace, and very secluded. One of the daughters of the River God lives in Glasswater Creek. The Creek flows through that glade into the Eastern sea, but the Creek starts high in the mountains."

"We shall return to the encampment and move out to the glade," Oreius decided. "It is our best chance." Turning, he began descending the knoll swiftly and quietly, so as not to attract attention of the Telmarine scouts.

Tumnus had been correct, and once they had the attention of the River God's daughter, she had been more than willing to escort Narnia's last Queen and her Council to the pass they had used to enter Archenland, since Glasswater Creek ran down the mountain parallel to the pass, and emerged from the mountains just east of the pass.

Now, they were going to use that same pass to re-enter Narnia in secret and return to Aslan's How…and eventually, Cair Paravel. They had waited for word to come from Corin about whether or not the pass would allow the army to reach Narnia safely, but no messenger had come, and per the arrangements made by Corin and his brother, that meant that the pass was safe enough.

It's time, Oreius thought to himself as they stepped out into the courtyard where the rest of the army was assembled and waiting for their leaders. It's time to reclaim Narnia and drive the Telmarines out. If Her Majesty is so determined to ride to the battle, I will stand beside her, as I pledged to High King Peter that day at the Beruna, to the death.

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