Author's Note: Another chapter everyone, as a special treat for you! Tomorrow is my birthday, so I decided to post this now, and with any luck, I may have another chapter out in a few days, depending on how things go. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! Oh...btw...the quotes that the Pevensies (except for Lucy) use in this are not mine. Susan's quote was slightly modified from one by Dwight D. Eisenhower, Edmund's is modified from a quote belonging to Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Peter's - beginning with "there is no love like the love" comes from Astrid Alauda. All of these people lived during WW2, so I imagined that it was feasable that the Pevensies might have heard them before. I might be wrong however...*shrug*

Chapter Sixteen: Identities Disclosed

Aslan's How…

"Your Majesties!" a Faun came hurrying up to where Peter, Edmund, and Caspian were discussing an idea that Caspian had come up with after working in the caverns for the past two days.

Since the capture of the scout, Larez, nothing unusual had happened, and as far as they were able to determine, the How remained undiscovered. Reepicheep was keeping them appraised of the Telmarines' movements, but they were steadily drawing closer to the How, and none of the monarchs believed that the How would remain undiscovered for much longer. Larez was being treated kindly, but he was firmly under guard, never left alone for a single moment.

"Yes?" Peter asked, turning from his conversation with his brother and the prince and focusing his attention on the messenger. "What news do you bring?"

"The Hawks that are on the patrol in the woods south of here have reported in, Majesty. They bring news that a small patrol of men bearing the colors of Archenland are less than an hour's ride from the How."

Peter felt a smile creeping over his face. Corin! Finally! he thought in relief. The waiting, wondering when they would be discovered was starting to grate on everyone's nerves. With Corin's party having arrived, they would hopefully bring news of Cor's intentions, as well as more men to help drive the Telmarines out. Now they could begin making plans in earnest to take the fight to the Telmarines. Thus far, all they'd been able to do was make plans to defend the How.

"I would request that you notify the Queens and Lady Aislynn," Peter responded out loud. "Inform them that King Edmund, Prince Caspian, and I will be waiting for them at the entrance ramp."

The messenger bowed. "I shall, Sire." When Peter nodded to dismiss him, he hurried off, deeper into the How in search of Susan, Lucy, and Aislynn. Peter turned to his companions. "Shall we?"

Edmund and Caspian both nodded in agreement, and the three of them headed towards the How's main entrance, moving through the caves and out into the main chamber where the forges were set up and the Dwarves were still busy using the rest of their supplies to make weapons and armor for the army. They threaded their way carefully through the chamber and reached the main entrance, taking the time to check their appearances while they waited for the ladies.

"It will be good to see Corin again," Edmund commented. Peter nodded in agreement. Prince Corin and Edmund had been good friends before they were sent back to England. Corin had looked up to the youngest King, and Edmund had been ever so patient about helping him learn the duties of a Prince and King. When Cor had been found, Edmund had taken the older Prince under his wing as well, and the three of them had had quite the friendship. Peter didn't know them quite as well, since he had been kept busy with other duties, but he had helped to instruct both princes in swordplay and archery when his time allowed.

Before his train of thought could go much further, he was distracted by the arrival of Susan, Lucy, and Aislynn. The three women hurried up to where Peter and the other two were waiting, and after several moments while the girls checked each others' appearances, they headed up and out of the How together.

The late afternoon sun poured down into the clearing and the wind was blowing gently, stirring the grass and the trees as they arranged themselves to greet the new arrivals. They quickly arranged themselves in their accustomed order, with Edmund and Lucy flanking Peter and Susan. Caspian and Aislynn stood off to the side, with Caspian standing just ahead of Aislynn. Word had begun to spread and the Narnians began gathering as well. Glenstorm, Asterius, Nikabrik, Trumpkin, and Trufflehunter all gathered close together behind Caspian and Aislynn, while the other Narnians took to the various ledges of the hill, or clustered on either side of the entrance ramp.

It was only a few minutes before the party from Archenland could be seen approaching on horseback. They were moving furtively and quietly, displaying no bright colors or open standards of their country, other than their uniforms which were done in a deep blue and grey in place of the normal sapphire and silver. Riding at the head of the part was a young man in his mid to late thirties, astride a handsome chocolate brown gelding. Behind him rode fifteen other men, all of whom were on the alert, hands drifting near their weapons, ready for a quick draw in case of an attack, eyes scanning their surroundings intently.

The party rode up to the How and stopped a short distance away from where Peter and his siblings waited. The man leading the party studied them for a moment before he dismounted with ease. Reaching for his waist, he unbuckled his sword belt and draped it over his saddle, leaving him armed with only a short dagger. It was a sign of trust, because that little dagger, even in the hands of a trained fighter, would not do much good against the weaponry sported by the Narnians.

He signaled to one of the other men to hold his horse, before he strode up to where the four Pevensies were waiting. He paused again, before giving a short, polite bow. Not one of equals, but one that signified cautious respect. Peter nodded in response, studying the scout that had approached him. The man did resemble Corin, although he was obviously much older than he had been when they had last seen him. This was a warrior, through and through, and a Prince, one who was comfortable with his rank and responsibilities, which was much different from the Corin that Peter remembered.

"Welcome, Prince Corin," Peter began, keeping his facial expression welcoming without being overly friendly. These types of meetings were always interesting. There was a subtle dance of formality and politeness that had to mingle with the welcoming words and gestures. "On behalf of myself and my royal siblings, Aslan's blessings be upon you and yours. We are most pleased to see you and your men. Your arrival is quite timely."

Corin nodded, his own face impassive. "I thank you." He paused for a moment before he continued. "I come as advance scout for my brother, King Cor and the Archenland army with fifteen of my own scouts. We have come to aid Narnia in driving out the invading Telmarines."

"We thank you," Susan replied softly. "Your aid is most appreciated."

Corin shifted slightly and caught sight of Aislynn standing behind Caspian. He nodded to her, acknowledging her and Caspian with the gesture. "My royal brother's messenger has undoubtedly told you of our intentions?"

"She has," Lucy inserted. "Her assistance has been greatly appreciated, as has the news that she brings of our allies."

Corin suddenly dropped all the pretenses. "You will forgive me, if I take this opportunity to verify the information that I have received from the Lady Aislynn." He reached into a pouch at his waist and extracted a tightly rolled scroll. "This letter indicated that you claim to be Narnia's Kings and Queens, returned after twenty-five years of absence."

Edmund nodded. "We are. Circumstances beyond our control caused our long absence and our unexpected return when my royal sister's horn was sounded by Prince Caspian this week past."

Corin nodded. "For my own satisfaction, as well as that of my royal brother, in whose name and authority I am now acting, will you permit me to verify your claim?"

It was an interesting question, and a slight challenge, Peter knew. If they said no, and insisted that Corin simply accept their claim, they would only earn his suspicion, and they might lose the support of Archenland. If they said yes, however, and for some reason could not convince him of their claim, they would lose his support, and might be inviting an attack if his people believed them to be imposters.

"Ask what you will," Peter replied easily. "We have nothing to hide from our long-time allies."

His acceptance of the challenge was the first piece of evidence that Corin was seeking, and it was obvious that he had not expected them to agree so readily. However, he was prepared and the surprise at Peter's quick agreement was fleeting. He turned to Lucy and studied her for a long moment. She met his gaze openly, her dark eyes patient as she waited for him to test her claim.

"When I was last in Narnia, we discussed the meaning of faith," Corin said abruptly. "You told me something and told me that I should never forget it. What was it?"

Lucy remembered that conversation clearly. Cor had just been discovered after coming to warn King Lune about the impending attack on Anvard, and Corin had sought her out to ask her advice about how things would be changing now that he was no longer the Crown Prince, and during the conversation the topic had changed to the importance of faith in the lives of monarchs and ordinary folk.

"Have faith in yourself, in Aslan, and your people, and they will never let you down," Lucy replied promptly. "Faith – true faith – does not change with the seasons or the tides. It is constant and dependable, and always there, and if you hold tightly to it, it will always reward you during your darkest hours."

Corin nodded slowly. That was exactly what she had told him, among other things, but that was the one thing that she told him that he always needed to remember about faith and using it in his life. "That is correct…Queen Lucy." He bowed more deeply to her as a sign of respect, which she returned, with a bright smile on her face. As he rose from the bow, he turned to Queen Susan.

"My father asked you to help Cor and I to understand that a King's duty does not always lie in the sword and the battlefield," he said after a moment of studying her. "Cor asked you a question about what qualities a monarch should have. Do you remember how you answered him?"

Susan nodded. "I do." She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I told him that there was a saying that I once heard in Spare Oom. 'The qualities of a great man are vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character," she replied. "If a monarch has those things, and knows how to use them properly, he or she will be a great leader."

Corin studied the Gentle Queen for a moment before he nodded. "Correct…Queen Susan." He bowed to her, just as he had for her sister, and reached out to take her hand, kissing the back of it gently, which made the older Queen blush prettily. He turned and faced King Edmund.

"I asked you once to tell me how you understood what true justice was and how to know that you were following the call of justice and not your own desires."

Edmund nodded immediately. "Justice, true justice is not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice. When that voice is heard and recognized…the call of justice will always be answered."

Corin blinked and was quiet for several moments, before he acknowledged that the Just King was telling the truth. "That is exactly what you told me, King Edmund," he said quietly, although the hush over all the Narnians made it easy for everyone to hear his words. He bowed, which Edmund returned, before turning to Peter.

At this point, everyone knew that this was just a formality, because if Corin was convinced that the other three monarchs were who they said they were, all they had to do was say that Peter was their brother and everyone would know they were telling the truth. Any lingering doubts that might have been in the minds of the Narnians had been dispelled. Their Kings and Queens had returned to them.

Corin took a deep breath before asking the final question of the High King, mostly for formality's sake. "When Cor and I were reunited, you gave us some advice about what it meant to be a brother."

Peter didn't hesitate. "Being a brother is like having someone who will always support you unconditionally, even if you don't always agree…because you won't. But more than anything, the love between you will always bind you, because there's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother."

Corin nodded. "That is exactly what you told me, King Peter…and it is something that we have never forgotten…and for that, I thank you." He bowed, deeply now, acknowledging not just High King Peter, but all four siblings, before he stepped forward and clasped arms with the two Kings.

Caspian stepped forward a moment later and Corin quickly greeted him in a similar fashion, knowing there would be more time to get to know the young Telmarine prince. At first glance, the Archenland prince could tell that Aislynn had been correct in her assessment of Caspian…the younger man was terribly unpolished, much as he and Cor had been when they had begun truly taking on the duties of Princes of Archenland. But he had a great deal of potential. Corin could see it in the way he carried himself, in the look in his eye, in his attitude towards the Narnians.

"Your Majesties," Corin said quietly as he and Caspian parted. "Before we begin making our plans, I have something that I was instructed to give you, if it turned out that you passed my tests."

All four Pevensies turned towards the Crown Prince, and he stepped back over to his horse and reached into his saddlebags, extracting the wrapped chest that he had been given before he had left Anvard. Unwrapping it, he indicated that one of his men should follow him, and the scout dismounted immediately and stepped forward, taking the chest when Corin handed it to him and holding it steady.

Corin reached into the chest and extracted the first crown from it's velvet-lined and cushioned spot. He carried it over to Lucy and gently placed the silver crown, wrought in the shape of a wreath of laurel and yarrow flowers. He raised an eyebrow at her, and when she nodded and bent her head, he gently settled the crown into its proper place.

Turning back to the chest, he reached back in and extracted the next crown – this one made of gold, and made to resemble a wreath of daffodils and mountain ash leaves. He turned to Queen Susan, who also bent her head and allowed him to place the crown delicately on her dark locks.

Edmund's silver crown and Peter's golden one quickly followed, settling into their proper places, before Corin stepped back and closed the chest. "It is good to see those back in their proper places," he finished quietly.

All four monarchs looked dumbstruck for just a moment, before Peter turned to him, an intense, passionate expression in his midnight blue eyes. "Where did you get these?" he demanded softly. "How did they come to be in your possession?"

Corin hesitated for a moment. He still hadn't come up with an answer that he believed to be satisfactory, but it was too late to think about it now. "When it first became apparent that Cair Paravel was going to be overrun, the most important treasures were sent to my brother for safe-keeping, rather than being placed in one of the treasure rooms at the palace," he replied. "When Lady Aislynn's letter told of your return, Cor believed that it was time those crowns were returned to their proper owners, so he asked me to bring them with me."

The look in Peter's eye didn't fade. "Corin…I must know…do you know anything about the whereabouts of my wife? Where is Queen Krisalyn? Is she well?"

Again, Corin hesitated. Krisalyn had not wanted him to say anything about her imminent return to Narnia, believing that she needed to speak to Peter without giving him a chance to prepare explanations or excuses for his twenty-five year abandonment. "The last news I had of her, King Peter, was that she was well." It was difficult not to look away from the intense gaze of the High King as he spoke, but somehow, Corin managed it.

Peter stared at him for another long moment, before he sighed and slumped in relief. "She is well," he whispered softly, as his siblings gathered around him, offering him their support. "She is well." he repeated.

"We knew she had to be, Peter," Lucy offered quietly. "We'll get through this, and then we'll help you find her."

The others nodded in agreement, and Peter nodded, accepting the comfort and the support that they were offering him. He kept his light head bowed for another few moments, his blonde locks mingling with the darker ones of his siblings, before he looked up and met Corin's eyes. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice somewhat hoarse and choked. "I've been so worried about her."

Corin nodded stiffly, not sure how to respond to that without giving anything away. He glanced over at Aislynn, who was sending an equally intense look at him. "Your Majesties, I am sure that we have a great deal to discuss prior to my brother's and the rest of the army's arrival, but I would beg your indulgence in a few minutes for me to see to my horse and my men, as well as the opportunity to speak to Lady Aislynn in private before we begin our discussions."

Peter had straightened and resumed the air of a controlled, authoritative High King. "Of course, Prince Corin. Lady Aislynn will show you to the Stone Table when you have had the opportunity to speak with her. The Narnians will be happy to show your men where they may leave their horses and bed down."

Corin sketched a half-bow of agreement. "I thank you, King Peter."

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"We can talk in here," Aislynn said quietly, leading Corin into a small chamber off one of the myriad tunnels that branched off of the main chamber of the How. She had stayed by his side as he and his men saw to their beasts, before Glenstorm's wife had led the Archenland scouts off to find bedding and food.

Corin checked to make sure that there was no one around listening in to the conversation, before he turned to Aislynn. "Aislynn, I –" he began, only to be cut off as the young woman flung her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the cheek, before breaking off and murmuring, "Greetings, cousin," under her breath.

Corin stood there, struck dumb by the abnormal greeting. He and Aislynn had been friends for a long time, despite the twelve-year difference in their ages, but she had never been so demonstrative with him, mostly because of the perceived difference in their ranks. But it wasn't even the hug and the kiss that caught him off guard as much as it was her words. Cousin? She's never called me that before…how…why?

He looked at her closely and saw the understanding in her eyes. Somehow, she had learned who she really was – the daughter of High King Peter and Queen Krisalyn, and the only heir to the Narnian throne at Cair Paravel. "Aislynn?" he asked cautiously.

"I know the truth, Corin," she replied, calmly, if a trifle flatly. "Queen Lucy put the pieces together and told me the truth three days ago. I know who my mother truly is, I know the identity - and name - of my father, and I know who I am."

Corin swallowed nervously. This was not what he had been hoping to find out. He knew there were reasons why Krisalyn had chosen not to inform her daughter of the truth, and while he and Cor had not agreed with them, they knew that their cousin had the right to raise her daughter the way she chose, so they had kept silent. "Does King Peter know?"

Aislynn shook her head. "No. Only Queen Lucy knows. She believes that it is for the best if the others don't find out until this campaign is over, so they can keep their focus on Narnia. It is hard, because I want to get to know my family…but I agreed to keep silent for the time being." She fixed him with a piercing, intense stare, so like her mother's…and her father's, come to think of it, a small portion of Corin's mind observed. "What I want to know is why? Why wasn't I told?"

"I would like to know the answer to that question as well."

Corin twisted on his heels at the sound of the quiet question, to see Queen Lucy standing in the doorway, looking at him pointedly. He revised his earlier thought. All four of the Narnian monarchs share that intense look. He had forgotten that…it had been twenty-five years since he had last seen it, after all. Apparently, Aislynn was more like her father, aunts, and uncle than they had remembered.

"Don't worry about the others," Lucy said quietly. "They are taking care of some arrangements for the rest of the army that your brother is going to be bringing up. They have no reason to suspect that Aislynn is anything more than she claims to be. Their focus is on Narnia's well-being…mine, however, is also on Peter's. It is partially my doing that we inadvertently abandoned Narnia, Krisalyn, and Aislynn, so I've been doing my best to make sure that Peter's mind stays where it needs to be."

Corin swallowed and nodded as Lucy stepped further into the room and moved next to her niece. They made such a lovely picture, with the torchlight throwing it's shadows on their dark hair…but it was an unusual picture as well, for Aislynn was fifteen years older than her aunt…but Corin remembered Queen Lucy as a tall and graceful woman of twenty-five…which meant that she should be fifty now, by his reckoning. Instead, to see her back to being a ten-year old was…unnerving to say the least.

He looked between the two of them before he spoke. "Aislynn, I want you to understand that it was your mother's wish that Cor, Aravis, and I not say anything to you about your family and your heritage. We didn't agree with your mother's decision, but she had the right to raise you in the way that she felt was best…and not having your father there was extremely difficult for her. We kept silent in order to ease the burden on her in whatever way we could. Your mother was only trying to protect you, in the only way that she knew how."

"How could not telling me the truth protect me?" Aislynn asked.

"Your mother feared that if you knew who you really were – the heir to the Narnian throne – that you would want to come back here and try to win your homeland back before the time was right, and that she would lose you." He looked at her seriously. "Your mother lost so many things, Aislynn…your father not the least of all. It was important to her that she protect you for as long as she could. That was why she saw to it that you received lessons in swordplay, archery, riding, hunting…it was her way of making sure you'd always be able to take care of yourself if something were to happen."

Aislynn held his gaze for several seconds before nodding. Corin let out a breath that he wasn't aware that he had been holding. "Aislynn…whatever happens, don't blame your mother for her choice. It would break her heart."

Aislynn nodded again. "I would never hurt her that way, Corin," she replied softly.

It was Corin's turn to nod. Before he could say anything more, Lucy spoke. "Corin, tell me what happened when the Telmarines invaded. I know that Krisalyn must have been the one who sent our crowns with you."

Corin nodded again. "You are correct, Queen Lucy."

Lucy waved a hand impatiently. "Don't worry about formalities, Corin. You are royalty as well, and we've already given Aislynn and Caspian permission to dispense with our titles."

Corin bowed slightly, acknowledging the permission as he gathered his thoughts. "When it first became apparent that the Telmarines were heading for Cair Paravel, the Narnian army rode out to meet them. Unfortunately, the battle went in favor of the Telmarines. General Oreius barely escaped with his life, and he immediately ran back to Cair Paravel. At his insistence, Krisalyn and the Council gathered up only the items that were most important…Aislynn, the crowns, the gifts that were given to you by Father Christmas, and King Edmund's weapons and armor, along with the most important papers and documents. With just those things, the Council and Krisalyn fled, heading for Anvard."

Lucy frowned. "They didn't stay to try to negotiate with the Telmarines?"

Corin shook his head. "I'm afraid not. General Oreius said he witnessed the Telmarines simply slaughtering the wounded Narnians out of hand. They made no declaration of intention, simply launched an attack when they saw the Narnians blocking their way."

Aislynn frowned. "Why don't I remember any of this?"

Corin shrugged. "I'm not sure, Aislynn. You were only five years old at the time, and they traveled mostly by night, so it is possible that you were asleep for most of the trip." Aislynn considered this for a moment, before acknowledging the point with a nod.

"It took several days for Krisalyn and the Council to make it safely over the border, but once they did, they came straight to Anvard, and they've had sanctuary there ever since," Corin finished. "Aislynn was raised in the Court, and Krisalyn immediately began working with all of us to try to find a way to free Narnia. She also helped Aravis adjust to being Queen when Father died and Cor became King."

Sorrow crossed Lucy's face as she thought about King Lune, who had been a dear friend during their reign. "I'm sorry about your father, Corin…what happened?"

Corin offered her a sad smile. "Age. He went peacefully, in his sleep." They were all quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. "Is there anything else that you would like to know?"

"How did Susan's horn fall into Caspian's hands, if Krisalyn had our gifts?" Lucy asked, still puzzled by that incongruous detail.

Corin smiled. "We've been planning to come and help the Narnians reclaim their Kingdom ever since the initial invasion," he replied. "We were simply waiting for the time that would give us the best chance of success. After a great deal of planning, we decided to send a spy into the Telmarines' royal family. Prince Caspian's tutor is Narnian, although the Telmarines don't realize that."

"Doctor Cornelius is Narnian?" Aislynn asked in surprise. When Lucy and Corin looked at her curiously, she blushed a little bit. "Caspian and I spent a long time talking when I first joined the Narnians. He told me about his tutor and the little he knew about the Narnians."

After a moment, Corin nodded. "Yes, Cornelius is Narnian. His mother was a Black Dwarf, but his father was human. As a result, he easily passes as human, just shorter than most of the Telmarines. When he agreed to go, we gave him Queen Susan's horn. The initial plan was for him to find a way to put himself into the position of an advisor to the Telmar King in some way and slowly convince him that the Narnians meant no harm. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get that type of a position, but when he was accepted as Prince Caspian's tutor, that was even better, because he was in a position to influence the next Telmarine King right from the very beginning, without having to try to change a lifetime of superstition and mistrust."

Lucy was nodding in agreement. "So the horn was there to provide tangible proof when the time came to reveal himself to Caspian. That was a good plan."

Corin grimaced. "He was sending us regular reports, clandestinely, and we thought that everything was on track for our plan, but things disintegrated quickly after Lord Miraz's son was born. We've only heard from Cornelius once since that happened. He managed to get a message to us explaining that Caspian's life was threatened and why, but he couldn't tell us much more than that. Suspicion immediately came on him when Caspian fled to the woods and encountered the Narnians."

Lucy frowned deeply. "We'll have to rescue him. He's served us well, we cannot abandon him."

Corin nodded in agreement. "That was one of the things that I was intending to discuss with you and your royal siblings before my brother arrives." He turned back to Aislynn. "I'm glad that you're all right 'Lynn. Your mother was worried about you, but she knew you had the best chance of succeeding here."

Aislynn locked her blue-violet eyes on the prince again. "She is well?"

Corin understood what Aislynn was asking and nodded without saying anything. "She knows about your father and your aunts and uncle being here. She saw your letter when Cor and I were planning the route that would bring the army up here."

Aislynn sighed and acknowledged that she understood what Corin was saying. Her mother's condition was no secret to her, and the news about her father…it would have been a huge shock for Krisalyn, who needed very few shocks these days. At least her mother knew that Peter was alive…hopefully that would be enough to raise her spirits and keep her going.

Lucy's eyes narrowed as she looked between her niece and the Archenland Crown Prince. There was something going on…a subtext that they were not sharing with her. Lucy wasn't sure why, but the tension in the tiny room had just increased dramatically, and not in a good way. "Is something wrong with Kris?"

The other two exchanged glances for a long moment before Aislynn looked back at Lucy. "No, Aunt Lucy. My mother is well, but her age is beginning to catch up to her, that's all."

Lucy frowned at that explanation before she blinked, remembering that while Peter had reverted back to a sixteen-year-old when they had returned to England, Krisalyn had continued to live her life normally, which meant aging normally as well. If she had been thirty-one when they left…she would be fifty-six now. Aislynn had mentioned Krisalyn's age, but it was just now sinking in for Lucy.

The youngest Queen's frown deepened. Fifty-six wasn't terribly advanced for a human in good health, and Krisalyn had been in fine health when they had left Narnia…so why would her "advanced" age be causing her difficulties?

"Are you sure, Aislynn?" she asked quietly. "If there is something that you need to talk about, I'll listen. That's what family is for."

Aislynn offered a weak, unconvincing smile. "I'm certain, Aunt Lucy."

Lucy thought about pressing the issue, but a warning look from both Corin and Aislynn stopped the comment before she could form it. Deciding this was not the time to fight a battle, she accepted the answer as gracefully as she could under the circumstances, resolving to keep her attention focused on Aislynn for the next few days. If something was wrong with Krisalyn, Aislynn might very well feel like she needed to talk to someone about it, and Lucy would be ready with a listening ear.

"Shall we join the others, then?" she asked instead. "I'm sure my brothers are most anxious to begin planning this campaign." Corin and Aislynn both agreed, and Lucy led the way down to the Stone Table, where they would be meeting to begin making their plans.

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Glasswater Creek Pass…same time…

Cor shook his head as they moved quietly through the pass, looking at his companions. On his left, Faun Tumnus walked quietly, along with a Black Dwarf named Ratha, and General Oreius. On his right, Krisalyn rode her gentle, dapple-grey palfrey, a gift from Corin two Christmases ago. Krisalyn was wearing a simple grey-blue linen dress with a divided riding skirt, a charcoal-grey hooded cloak thrown over her shoulders, the hood flung back for the moment since it was a beautiful afternoon.

"I wouldn't have believed that this pass has been here all this time and no one knew about it," he commented quietly. "It would have made other trips from Anvard to Cair Paravel so much shorter, if we had known."

Oreius shook his head solemnly. "I believe that we are fortunate that it was not well-known," he corrected gently. "If it had been more obvious, the Telmarines might have found it, and that would have prevented us from reaching Anvard in safety when we left Cair Paravel. Or they might have found it in the last twenty-five years, and set a guard on it, so we couldn't get back through."

Cor considered the centaur's words and conceded with a nod. "You're right," he agreed. "We are indeed fortunate – 0r perhaps blessed by Aslan – that it hadn't been discovered by the Telmarines."

Oreius nodded in agreement. The general had been silent for most of the trip, as was his custom when on the march, but most of his attention had been focused on Krisalyn as she rode beside Cor. The Queen hadn't said a word for the entire trip thus far, and Oreius was concerned for her. It was not like his Queen to be so quiet. While she had never had the exuberance of Queen Lucy, she had always had much more life and energy in her than she had shown over the past few days. Oreius couldn't be sure, but he suspected that the news that High King Peter and his siblings might have returned to Narnia after all this time had thrown her for a bit of a shock. No matter, he would continue to guard and protect her as he always had.

If Oreius could have seen Krisalyn's thoughts, he wouldn't have been surprised to learn that his surmises were correct.

Over the last few days, as they made arrangements to send Corin up to Narnia with an advance group of men, to summon the Archenland army together for the two-day march up to the How, to make all the arrangements for Narnia's Queen and Council to return to their home, Krisalyn had been actively involved in the preparations. She had conceded to most of the things that Cor and Corin had insisted upon, but the one thing that she had refused to back down on was her intention to accompany the army to the How.

Now, however, as they rode north to join Corin and the Narnians at the How, she had become uncharacteristically silent. The news that Peter and his siblings were at the How had caught her completely by surprise. She had given up on them years ago, accepting that they must be dead. It was the only thing that she could think of that would have kept Peter from returning to her…and where Peter went, his siblings followed.

To the outside world, she had given every indication that she had finally given up hope that Narnia's other monarchs could still be alive. But, deep down, in the most secret portion of her heart, buried where it couldn't cause her pain, she had nursed a tiny flame of hope that Peter would not break the oath he had sworn to her – to always return to her and their family. She couldn't bring herself to completely believe that he would break the most important promise that he had ever made to her. The pain of that flame of hope, when combined with the outward acceptance that she had shown to the word, however, had been too painful for her to face on a day-to-day basis, so she had buried it in order to preserve her own mental and emotional stability.

Now, however, that tiny flame of hope was growing steadily stronger. It would no longer be denied, yet she was still trying to keep it suppressed until there was true evidence either way. If she allowed that hope to have complete control now, and it turned out that Aislynn was wrong…it would destroy her. She didn't have the strength to deal with such a crushing disappointment – not anymore.

Laughter rang out from the courtyard of Cair Paravel as the servants hurried about, saddling horses and loading provisions into saddlebags for their monarchs. The sun was pouring down into the courtyard, illuminating the marble stone of the palace as a gentle breeze blew in off the sea.

Kris stood at the top of the stairs leading into the palace, watching as her husband and his siblings oversaw the final preparations for their hunt. Tumnus had come to Cair Paravel for the monthly Council meeting, and he had brought word with him that the White Stag had been seen running through the Western Woods.

Edmund had immediately proposed a hunting expedition for the monarchs of Narnia to try their luck at capturing the elusive beast. Peter, Susan, and Lucy had immediately agreed, wanting to spend some time together, since Peter had just returned from dealing with another insurrection involving the Giants in Ettinsmoor. Krisalyn had declined to accompany them, given the child that she was carrying. After what had happened last time, she was taking no chances this time. The healers still didn't know why she had lost the baby the last time, but it wasn't going to happen again. She wouldn't be able to cope if it did.

When she had told Peter the news just a short time ago, he too had been elated, but then he had planned to stay at Cair Paravel with his siblings. Krisalyn had insisted that he go on the hunt as they had planned, citing that he needed to spend time with the other three. He had been uncertain, but she had assured him that she would be fine for the few days that he would be gone, and that there would be plenty of time to share their news with the kingdom after he returned.

Down in the courtyard, Peter gave a last tug on the saddle girth of his handsome, black stallion, before he turned and ascended the stairs to where his wife was waiting. Krisalyn smiled at him as he came up to stand in front of her and went willingly into his arms when he reached for her.

She rested her head against his chest, breathing in the subtle, slightly spicy smell of his clothing as she wrapped her arms around him. They stayed that way for several moments before he reached down and tipped her chin up so he could kiss her gently on the lips. She returned the gentle kiss eagerly, loving the familiar, scratchy sensation of his golden beard on her face.

As they broke the kiss he lowered his head so that their foreheads touched, and reached up a hand to caress her cheek. "Kris, are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you?"

Krisalyn nodded. "I am certain, my lord," she replied, keeping her voice low so their conversation would remain private. "I am only a month and a half along, and you'll only be gone for a week at most. I'll miss you, certainly, but I will be fine."

Peter looked at her for several long moments. She still felt a thrill every time he looked at her, and they had been married for nine years. His chiseled features, neat beard, shining golden hair, and piercing blue eyes made for an incredibly handsome package. After several moments, he nodded. "Very well, my lady. I'll go as planned." He leaned down and kissed her again. "Please be careful," he whispered, dropping all formality from his tone and putting a note of sincerity into his voice as he broke the kiss.

"I promise," she replied, resting her head against his chest again as he tightened his arms around her. They held each other for several more minutes, until Edmund called out to his brother, teasing him about holding them up.

Peter released her with a final kiss before turning and heading back down the stairs to where a Faun was holding his horse for him. With the ease of long practice, he mounted the stallion and settled himself in the saddle. He gathered the reins in one hand, and raised his other in a gesture of farewell to all the servants and his wife, who raised her hand in farewell too.

"Come, royal consorts," Peter called, wheeling his stallion and with a nudge and a flip of the reins, the horse was cantering swiftly out of the courtyard gates, his siblings right behind him with laughs and shouts of joy.

Krisalyn watched them go, standing on the steps until they were out of sight. As they did, an odd feeling settled over her, as it did every time her husband left without her. She fought the feeling back, but it continued to hang over her. She just had a odd sense that this time, Peter wouldn't be coming back.

Krisalyn shook herself free of the memory of the last time she had seen her husband and her King. Her feeling of dread had only increased with each day that they were gone, although she had tried to ignore it and go about business as usual, taking care of the little day-to-day problems that arose while the other monarchs were gone. Court had been postponed until the monarchs returned, since under Aslan's law, only the Four could sit in judgment over the Narnians. Krisalyn's duties as Queen had tended more towards the running of the palace and helping with the little domestic issues that had arisen, although she was trained to rule and sit in judgment if necessary.

It was only after the Four had disappeared that the responsibilities of sitting in judgment and the full burden of ruling had fallen on her shoulders, since she was the last monarch. When Aslan didn't return to give her any further instructions, she had simply shouldered the burden as she had been trained to do.

Unbidden, the memories rose in her mind again.

"Oreius, I am most concerned," Krisalyn said quietly as the Centaur general stood in front of her, having come at her summons. "It has been over a week since Peter and the others departed for their hunt, and thus far we've received no word from them. Peter promised me that the trip would only last a week, and if they couldn't catch the Stag in that amount of time, they would come home."

Oreius nodded gravely, his face, normally passive, showing that he was equally concerned about his Kings and Queens. The four monarchs were normally quite responsible about sending word if their plans would change, but this time they had not. Thus far, no one seemed overly concerned except for the Council and Krisalyn, but they wouldn't be able to keep things quiet for long.

Krisalyn was quite for several moments as she went through her options. Finally she raised her violet eyes and met the gaze of the General. "General Oreius, I would like you to arrange a search party – quietly. I would like you to lead them yourself, and find High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy, and bring them home."

Oreius bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty." As he turned to go, Krisalyn's voice stopped him.

"Find them, General."

Oreius nodded. "I intend to, Your Majesty."

Oreius had done his very best. He had led the first search party himself, but they had failed to find any trace of Peter and the others, other than their horses and gear. Several more parties had been sent out, but despite all the effort put into the search, no sign of the missing monarchs had ever been found.

Until now, it seems, Kris thought to herself. She was having trouble understanding the entire situation. Why would Peter and his siblings, who were so dedicated to Narnia, suddenly abandon their home for twenty-five years, only to unexpectedly return and once again throw themselves into protecting their country and people?

More importantly, at least to Krisalyn, was why Peter would abandon her, especially when he had been so excited at the news that they were going to be parents. He had been cautious about it, given what had happened the last time, but his excitement had been obvious to her. Why did he have to abandon us? Krisalyn thought. It was an old, familiar question, but twenty-five years had not brought any new answers…or any answers at all, actually.

She sighed quietly, which still drew the attention of Cor and Oreius, but when she didn't speak, they went back to their conversation, respecting her right to privacy. They knew her, and they knew that she would speak when she was ready. She knew that they understood her ways by now, and that was fine with her. She wasn't ready to share her thoughts with them. Oreius would be non-committal, but he still maintained a fierce loyalty to Peter, so she wasn't sure which way he would side, especially if it came down to him being forced to choose between Peter, his High King, or Krisalyn, the Queen he had been guarding and protecting for thirty-four years.

On the other hand, she knew that if it came to a confrontation, Cor would side with her. Not only was he family, but he had been incredibly angry when he had heard what had happened…long before she had fled to Anvard and his protection. It wasn't even entirely Peter's betrayal of his wife and child that had made Cor and Corin so angry – part of it was also the betrayal of country, of the people who trusted the Four, and the abandonment of their responsibilities. Krisalyn knew that if it was Peter and his siblings who were waiting for them at the How, it would take a great deal to convince Cor and Corin of their identity and their sincerity.

But that was for later. They were still a day's ride from the How, possibly two, depending on the route that Corin had marked for them. She would worry about what her cousins and the Council would do when they grew closer to the How. Now, she needed to concentrate on her own feelings. She needed to be in control, to smother that tiny flame of hope, so that if things didn't turn out to be what they expected, the disappointment wouldn't destroy her.

But no matter how hard she tried, that tiny little spark wouldn't go out.

The comfortable, warm surroundings of their rooms were doing a great deal to ease the remainder of the stress that had been caused by Peter's absence. Having him here, where she could see him, touch him, breathe in his unique scent…it was soothing and comforting. His strong arms were wrapped around her, holding her close. The strength and gentleness that she always associated with him were still there, but there was a bit of desperation in his hold this time, telling her that he had missed and needed her as much as she had needed him. His lips pressed against hers were hungrily seeking the same comfort she was looking for from him.

The last few weeks had been one unending nightmare. First losing their child, then news of the unrest in the north – all the planning meetings, the late nights while they worked out what to do, and finally Peter's departure to take care of the situation.

"I'm so glad that you're home safe and uninjured, Peter. I've been so worried," Krisalyn whispered as she leaned against him, resting her head against his chest so she could hear the steady beating of his heart.

Peter reached down and lifted her chin so he could meet her eyes. "Why were you worried? I had Ed and Oreius watching my back. Nothing was going to happen."

"I couldn't help it, Peter," Krisalyn confessed. "We just lost our son…I couldn't bear the thought of losing you too in such a short time."

Peter looked down at her, and his next words almost caused her heart to stop. "Krisalyn. You know that I'll always come back to you, don't you? I love you so much. My life has had so much more meaning with you in it. I could never abandon you, or leave you wondering what happened to me. I swear it, Kris. I'll never leave you."

She closed her eyes and blinked back tears. How many times had those words gone through her mind over the last twenty-five years? How many more times would she have to remember them before she knew for sure what was going on at the How?

She had to stay strong.

Narnia needed her.

Please, Aslan, give me the strength to get through this, she pleaded with the mighty lion, hoping that he could hear her, knowing that she didn't deserve his aid, after her lack of faith.

She would find a way to be strong.

Just a little longer.