"How long have you been planning to escape?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders, clutching the warm cup in her hands. Queen Lucy had made her "tea", a drink from her world, and it warmed Lily to her bones. They were sitting in a circular room, the Kings and Queens of Old called it the Chamber of the Stone Table; there was a broken table of stone in the middle of the room that had ancient carvings on its sides and paintings and statues on the walls, telling the tale of Aslan's reign in Narnia. Lily stared at them and at the statue of a lion; he was in a niche in the stone wall, his eyes fixed on her. Something about the room scared her, gave her chills even though the tea was warm.

"Leland only told me of his plan after Caspian escaped," Lily said in answer to Peter's question after a long moment. She averted her eyes to Caspian, who was watching her closely.

"When you didn't come back…." Lily's throat tightened but she masked her feelings well. "That's when Leland knew we couldn't stay."

Caspian's voice was deep and for moment his eyes were full of emotion as he looked into her icy eyes. "I had no choice. I did not want to leave you-" He stopped and dropped his gaze, "or Leland. But I had to."

"Why?" Lily asked desperately, forgetting the others in the room. She felt the heartache as fresh as it had felt months ago. Even as she stared at him, her memories brought back the loneliness.

Caspian stepped towards her, his words carefully spoken, trying to make her understand.

"It was Leland who told me to leave. I thought you knew."

Lily's brow furrowed. Why would her brother keep something so important from her…she cried for weeks…

"He couldn't risk the truth getting out," Caspian explained. "He wanted to create chaos, as well as save my life: he wanted the councilmen to turn on Miraz. And he said he would find me once he and you escaped."

"But the councilmen believe what Miraz tells them," Lily pressed. She shook her head, "everyone thinks you're dead."

"And I would be if it weren't for your brother." Caspian looked to the Pevensies, "Leland made me see the truth…that once Miraz's son was born, I had no chance: Miraz would've had me killed by morning.

"Leland and my teacher, Doctor Cornelius, helped me escape and when I went into the woods, I found the Narnians, or rather they found me… I discovered what has really been happening: the Narnians are planning to take back Narnia, to overthrow Miraz. I had to help… it is what is right.

"The Kings and Queens of Old came here when I called them," Caspian held out a white horn. Lily looked at it closely, the white horn bringing back another myth, a part of a story they were told as children.

Caspian nodded as he saw the recognition in her eyes, "this is the magical horn we heard about in stories. And it worked."

"Leland knows nothing about all this," Lily said, still in disbelief. "And I'm willing to say that neither does Miraz."

"It will give us the upper hand," said Peter.

"So you'll help us?" Edmund asked Lily, almost skeptically. "You'd go against your own family?"

Lily looked Edmund in the eye, "the only family I have is locked away in Miraz's dungeon; I want the Telmarines to fall as badly as you do, your majesty."

Edmund's eyebrows raised and he smiled a little.

She told them everything about her father's unwavering loyalty to Miraz and of Miraz's plan to become King. The latter was obvious to everyone except for the means Miraz would take to obtain the throne.

"I don't know what has become of my brother and my friends but I know they are of no use to Miraz…"

"Except to lure you back," Peter stated.

Lily looked at him, her eyes piercing into his as she guessed what the blonde king was thinking. "You are right, King Peter. But I must go back. I will not leave my brother to suffer in prison, not while I'm free to save him."

"And we need him," Caspian added. "Leland knows everything that goes on in that castle. And to defeat Miraz, we'll need his help."

Susan finally spoke after debating, "Peter, we have the resources. If we know Miraz as well as we think, Leland and the others have no chance of surviving the night. There's a window of opportunity and its closing fast. We need more Telmarines on our side to break Miraz."

Peter thought for a moment then looked to Edmund.

The dark haired boy put his palms up, "don't look at me, I only want to plot the rescue plan."

Peter, after a long time of deliberation, seemed to sigh as he caved in, "alright. But this is not the right time for an attack; we have to go unnoticed to get them out. And Caspian cannot be seen. If they think he is dead, then he is dead."

Peter looked at Caspian, "when the moment is right, then you will reveal yourself to the Telmarine people. It's the only thing we have to prove that he is a liar."

Caspian nodded.

Lucy smiled as Peter looked at her; she was the smallest of them and she knew a great deal about hiding and going unnoticed.

"I have an idea," she said, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Of course you do," Susan said with a laugh, shaking her head.

Lucy beamed.

….

"We'll be riding what?"

"Hippogryphs! They're much faster than horses."

Lily looked at Edmund; they were both next to each other, hunched over and their arms crisscrossed as they tried to fill in the gaps on the large parchment that covered the table. They had been working for an hour or more, drawing the floors, corridors and rooms of the castle.

"Should I be worried?" she asked the dark haired king.

"All the time," he said with a smirk.

Caspian and Peter were delegating tasks, trying to create the smoothest rescue plan possible. They had gathered around Lily and Edmund to look at the map when Susan and a centaur entered the room, carrying weapons fresh from the armory.

A dwarf, Trumpkin, followed behind the centaur. Trumpkin was one of the first Narnians Caspian had met along with another dwarf, Nikabrik and a badger. They had led Caspian to the Narnians.

Trumpkin secretly liked the Pevensies and Caspian. Nikabrik, however, was more skeptical of them.

"Here," Trumpkin handed Lucy her knife, freshly sharpened and sheathed. He seemed rather uncomfortable and did not meet her eyes, "that should be sharp enough."

Lucy smiled but before she could say anything, the blonde dwarf left the chamber, muttering to himself.

The humans gathered around the maps, pouring over them and suggesting and changing plans, becoming more nervous: the rescue seemed simpler before they say the intricate maps, all the places they should avoid…which was the entire castle.

"Don't be discouraged," Lily said, her eyes bright. "Caspian and I have explored this castle from top to bottom many times without being caught. We will be successful."

Caspian smiled fondly at her.

"There's only one thing we can do at this point," Peter said, exasperated. He met Lily's eyes, "hope it works."

As the light faded outside, the Kings and Queens, Caspian and Lily dressed and armed themselves. Lily sheathed her brother's sword at her side and breathed deeply before stepping out into the entrance chamber. Her hands shook slightly at her side.

"Don't worry," Lucy said with a smile. "You'll bring them back. I'll be watching the skies for you all."

"The skies?" Lily asked but before Lucy said another word, Caspian entered the chamber, his hands tightening his armor. He looked up and when his eyes met Lily's, her breathing jumped. A new fear entered her thoughts; if she lost him again tonight…

Caspian read her face and his brows furrowed. "Lily?"

She didn't answer him and he took her to the side, away from the Pevensies and the Narnians. He gripped her arms and tried to meet her eyes, "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm…just worried about the others." She dropped her eyes, her hand resting on the hilt of her brother's sword.

He lifted her chin and she met his eyes, feeling helpless…a feeling she was not accustomed to.

"Nothing will happen. I won't let anything happen to you."

He spoke so softly and quickly, she wasn't sure of what he had said or of the emotion she saw flash in his eyes.

"It is not me they are after, Caspian."

Caspian moved to contradict her but he suddenly looked down.

"My liege," spoke a voice but Lily did not see anyone. Until she looked down.

She saw a small grey mouse, larger than any mouse she had seen. He was as tall as her knee and he had a gold ring around his ear with a red plum feather, regally falling back behind him. He had a small sword and he crossed himself with it, bowing to Caspian.

"Oh," Caspian said, smiling, "Reepicheep, this is Lily, my friend."

"Ah, Lady Lily," the mouse said with a big smile. His small black eyes were warm and charming and he bowed to her too. "I have heard talks about you and wanted to be formally introduced to Caspian's dear friend."

Caspian smiled, embarrassed.

But Lily enjoyed the mouse, "it's my pleasure to meet you, Reepicheep."

The mouse bowed again then straightened, his nose squinting.

"I must go to my comrades. Your majesties," he sheathed his sword in his belt and scampered away.

"He may be small," Caspian said, "but he's the best warrior here."

"Caspian," Peter called from the How's entrance. "It's time to go."

Caspian met Lily's eyes again and led her to the opening in the stone, "Leland will be with us again. And together we will end all of this."

"It does not just concern you and my brother now." Lily said, concern coloring her face as she saw Lucy across the way. "It concerns everyone now…"

"They chose to help." Caspian took his sword from a faun, tying its sheath around is waist. "They've fought worse."

Lily decided to leave it at that; just like their childhood, Caspian always tried too hard to make her feel better…but it always worked. They followed Edmund, Lucy, Peter and Susan outside. Susan smiled at Lily, her bow in her hands.

"I'll stay close to you; I'd rather not get lost and left behind."

Lily laughed, "as long as you don't accidently shoot me." She motioned to her Telmarine clothing. "Don't confuse me with a target."

Susan smiled widely. They stood on the broken courtyard, staring up into the darkening sky, stars twinkling into view and clouds moving slowly over them.

"Perfect coverage," Peter said approvingly. "They won't see us coming."

"I still don't understand…" Lily said. But just as she spoke, there was an odd noise, a noise of great wings.