AUTHOR NOTE

Sorry about the long wait for this chapter! My house was burgled and my laptop was stolen, and although I have a replacement laptop I've been bogged down with my GCSE revision. My exams finish June 27th, so after then I should be able to update this more regularly. I must admit I have been eager to get this next chapter up.

But before that, I would just like to ask readers how they are finding my writing style, whether it is too dull and dreary or whether it is acceptable (please be honest!). I understand that maybe the first two chapters were a bit 'angsty' (especially with Susan and Edmund), but I am trying to change that! Please, any pointers would be well appreciated, and I would just like to add that if you have anyone who you think would enjoy this story (I know, it's early days yet!), could you please pass the word around? Many thanks, Talrhean2103.

So here is Chapter 3 of Talonstreak Avenged, Book One of the Talonstreak Trilogy. Enjoy!

The Chronicles of Narnia - Talonstreak Avenged

Chapter 3 - The Elderflower

OOOOO

Susan liked it here.

The way the birds sang to her as they flew overhead, as they often did, with not a care in their tiny, beaked world. The way the flowers waved to her in the crisp autumn winds, giving her their little greetings. And the way the trees stood still, majestic in their acknowledgement of the young monarch walking through their land.

The castle's gardens were luxurious to say the least, standing the test of time throughout all of the eras of Kings and Queens gone. Throughout the dreaded, cursed One Hundred Year Winter, the wildlife had survived. Some people said that the garden had been enchanted by Aslan himself, as he had breathed life into the landscape eons ago.

And even through the dark, stormy rainclouds that rained overhead, which had scared off the birds so that none remained, which had stopped the flowers from waving peacefully and which had disturbed the trees so that they no longer stood stationary; the garden did not fail to soothe the Queen as she walked its many cobblestoned paths.

For the garden had never failed to cheer Susan up somewhat, during her months of being Queen. Whenever things became too infuriating in the Council Chambers, or whenever that blasted Black Dwarf had made another underhand comment, Susan would walk the gardens and let their calm guide her to an inner equilibrium.

Although the lack of birds was distinct within the rainy skies, Susan felt at peace, letting all doubts flow out of her, not unlike the raindrops flowing down the damp bricks of the Cair.

Shifting her soaked green cloak to a more comfortable position around her shoulders, Susan made her own way back inside. The garden had worked its magic, and now that she was back to her usual, calm self, she began to notice that she was dripping wet. And with a small giggle, which quickly turned into a little laugh, then transforming itself furthermore into a thunderous roar of glee, Susan reached the old, chipped and rusted oak door.

Yes, it was very fair to say that Susan did like it here.

OoOoO

"She shot him?" Edmund roared incredulously. His subtle grey robe heavily contrasted the fierceness in his brown eyes.

The echoes of the two sibling's steps sounded throughout the whole hall as they made their way through the castle. Lucy's valiant red gown, embroidered with beautiful, mysterious hazel patterns, swept across the carpeted floor. The flames flickered in brackets set up at numerous intervals throughout the dark corridor, providing the only light for Edmund and Lucy. As they climbed a small, stone stairway, Lucy made to look at her brother.

"He was armed, Ed!" she retorted, shocked at her brother's reaction to her story, "He was approaching the Cair and he wasn't obeying her orders to stop!"

"I'm not saying it's unreasonable, Lu," Edmund argued, "I'm just saying this is Susan we're talking about! This place is changing her and I don't like it!" He spat the last four words out angrily.

Lucy seemed to retreat a little from his rage. "What do you mean, this place?"

"Narnia!" He cried in a fit of temper.

They paused, the hall quickly becoming silent. All Edmund got from Lucy was a reprimanding look in return. She looked aghast. "You would place blame upon your own country? By the mane, Edmund, are you saying you regret coming here?"

"I don't know what I'm saying, Lu, I just know that we have a mother and a father back home, and it's been months since we've seen them!" Edmund replied with remorse, "I miss them, that's all…"

"I miss them too, Ed," consoled Lucy, "But we have no way of getting home, and we're in a land that needs our help! These people need us, and I'm sure Aslan has a plan for us to get back once we've helped Narnia! Don't say you feel nothing for her."

Edmund seemed deep in troubled thought. All four of the Pevensie siblings showed signs of missing their world in one way or another, but none brooded about it as Edmund did.

"Lu, you don't understand," he started carefully, "All I've done since arriving here is betrayed you all, nearly won the war for the Jadis and collapsed numerous trade agreements and alliances for Narnia. You can't deny that Archenland only ride with us because tradition tells them to. I was a little pest back home but at least I was only a nuisance, no lives were endangered because of me back then…"

"Ed, don't blame yourself for seeking the White Witch, none of us blame you for that," Lucy smiled, as they continued walking, "If anything, we're to blame for pushing you aside. But Narnia has done us good, I mean back home I was just a snivelling little child, now look at me!" She did a mock twirl, which caused a bit of laughter from an already less-concerned looking Edmund.

"And you've become less annoying!" she joked. This resulted in a light hit on the arm.

"No fair, Lu!" Edmund whined jokingly.

Lucy quickly straightened herself, as the two started walking back down the corridor again, "Now come on, we have a guest to introduce ourselves to."

Edmund quickly righted himself too, "Yes, and lets apologise for the our Royal Sister's appalling behaviour." He smirked, causing a small giggle from the youthful Lucy.

OoOoO

The flickering of the small oil lamp didn't do much to provide the small room with any real kind of light, all it succeeded in doing was brightening a small fraction of the marble-stoned wall near the bedside. The bed itself, situated in the corner of the room, was made of the finest bronze, a lavish white duvet furnishing it softly. The stained glass window on the east wall, originally designed to be subtly beautiful, flashed in the lightning raging outside, the face of a Golden Lion imprinted on it, watching the room peacefully.

Lying in the bed, a drained body lay rather limply, shirtless and bandaged around the chest as his long, brown hair lay messy around his head. All he wore was a simple dry-brown pair of linens. The bandage itself was neatly applied, though rough turns in the man's sleep had left it worse for wear. A splash of noble red spread itself across the centre.

The man stirred as his eyes slowly began to open, his blurred world beginning to come into focus. First the greys and whites of the wall in front of him began to take colour, then the strange wooded table next to his bed could be made out, until he blinked and when he finally came to, he found himself in a strange place, much to regal for his liking. And he panicked. The bed began to creak as he had a massive seizure in a fit of hostile terror.

His eyes opened fully and as he screamed, the bandage that was wrapped around his chest began to rip from the strain. His vibrant blue eyes were stricken with fear as they saw only black, not recognising anything they had previously looked upon.

All of a sudden, beyond the castle walls, a tremor of thunder erupted throughout the night sky, which was suddenly lit up by a fantastic flash of lightning. In the cold room where the terror-stricken man lay restless, the stained glass window was brightly illuminated by the lightning, the Lion's face burning itself into the poor man's mind. The moment the man's eyes rested upon this otherwise terrifying image, his body stilled instantly, his pulse dropping to the norm. He was at peace.

His breathing back to normal, the man blinked and looked around him. He immediately looked down at his chest, where a vicious looking wound was healing quite nicely. He couldn't remember exactly how it had gotten there, but after calming from his previous seizure, he wasn't overly bothered by how he had got it. Shrugging his shoulders, he pulled himself to an upright position in the bed, waiting to be seen to.

OoOoO

The old, battered, yet somehow picturesque oak door sitting at the end of the regal corridor was a stark contrast to the bareness of the torch lit walls surrounding it. As Edmund looked upon them, seemingly out of place in comparison to the other new, well-conditioned doors on either side of the corridor, his face grew stern, an almost worrying face to be seen on one so young. Lucy picked up on his stiffness and looked at him questioningly.

"We're here." He stated simply. He hated formal meetings, especially ones with a stranger that his sister had tried to kill. It always made him nervous.

Lucy, however, took no notice of this and skipped merrily to the door. Pausing upon arrival, she looked back at her older brother. "Well," she asked humorously, "aren't you coming?"

Edmund seemed to be snapped out of a trance. "Hmm? Yes, of course Lu", he replied cautiously.

When he stood by his sibling's side, they both looked at each other awkwardly.

"Well, do we knock?" Lucy asked unsurely.

Edmund ignored her, turning his hand towards the rusted silver knob as the door creaked loudly. As it opened, light flooded into the room.

What Lucy saw on the other side of the doorway made her gasp. Sitting on the open window's ledge directly opposite her, was a surprisingly young looking man. His golden skin and shining brown locks of hair were not the same as she remembered seeing outside of the castle just hours previously. The storm had subsided, and as he looked out towards the Far East, Lucy followed his line of sight and saw the young Sun slowly beginning to shine through the dark grey clouds. The man himself looked extremely revitalised, and what drew Lucy's attention next was what he held in his hands.

For cupped in both of his hands, he held the most beautiful looking flower Lucy had ever laid eyes on. Although it is fair to say that she had grown so used to Narnia surprising her with such beauty, that she barely had the time to be shocked by its awe, it still didn't fail to take her breath away. The petals were each beautifully designed, almost as if they had been handcrafted by the finest Dwarven artists from across Narnia, each a passionate, fiery crimson.

He slowly held the petals in both hands up to his face, and let the scents wash over him. Smiling slightly, he put the petals down onto the windowsill and looked over at the pair.

"I apologise, your Majesties, I wasn't aware of your presence…" he started peacefully. Lucy was taken away by his caring, deep blue eyes as they fell on her.

Edmund, however, was the first to speak, not once dropping his formal tone. "Please don't excuse yourself, Sir, for it was us who did not knock."

"As you wish, my Lord." He replied calmly. "I must compliment your fine estate here, I feel very comfortable here."

Lucy could not help herself, as she asked him boyishly, "Please, Sir, what was it that you held when we walked in?"

"Ah, your Majesty," he began.

"Please, call me Lucy, for I have never been one for formalities." Lucy interrupted shyly.

"Of course, Queen Lucy. That was a rare blossom that I found within the darkest parts of the Terebinthian Grove, while I was travelling through the islands just off the shore. It is said that the petals of the Elderflower, for that is what it is known as, can soothe a man's serenity and composure, restoring inner peace. And I have found that it does work." He explained, looking lovingly at the vibrant petals that lay next to him.

"If you wouldn't mind, Sir, could I perhaps give it a try?" Lucy asked naively. The man looked up instantly at this, his face losing just a slight bit of the calmness it previously had.

"I must decline, if I may be so bold, for I hold this flower with esteemed sentimental value." He said regretfully.

Edmund quickly stepped in, his face ever stern. "I believe it may be time to skip the formalities, if you don't mind." He said with subtle force, "Who are you, exactly?"

OoOoO

Susan's mind was still at peace by the time she had reached the luxuriously carpeted stone floor she had grown so used to walking. The noble reds and delicious golds of the fabric soothed Susan's lightly wrapped feet as she walked them joyously. Even the daunting prospect of having to speak with the one she had so viciously shot mere hours previously was not dropping her mood. Those gardens had certainly done their job, and Susan began to consider the thought of having the place opened to the public, to allow all Narnians to put their minds to rest. But then, with a selfish giggle, Susan thought that it would be best if the garden's beauty was left to her and her alone. It would ruin the novelty of it if anyone could be allowed to see it, to feel it. No, Susan would never allow that.

As she approached the door, she could begin to hear voices behind it already. Guards? No, surely he couldn't have gotten into trouble so soon after waking, could he? But as she got closer she realised that the voices behind the door were ones she recognised and held close to her heart, but what were her two younger siblings doing in there? Quietly, she opened the door and allowed herself in.

"…if you don't mind. Who are you exactly?" Susan witnessed her brother ask the man she had shot, who was now sitting on the windowsill. The man was facing out of the window, breathing in the fresh air lightly. Susan noted how healthy he looked, and smiled. "Lucy's cordial." She thought reflectively.

"Me?" He asked with modesty, "I am just a mere ranger of the Western Forests. I was an affiliate of my late clan Talonstreak. They were my brothers and they were viciously slaughtered by those vile Calormene." The man spat out the last word with pure hatred.

"We do not wish to waste time on your story," Susan started, only now making her presence known, "we asked for your identity."

Edmund and Lucy turned to look at Susan, surprise clear in their faces. However, the man's face showed more serenity than the others, as he turned slowly to look at her. Susan returned the look, but altogether more curtly.

"Ah, Queen Susan, I am delighted as ever to be sat before you, but I fear I must say that you would wish to waste time on my story." The man stated simply, a hint of aggression appearing between the cracks of his mitigate face. "For I am Talrhean, and I hold a dire warning, one that threatens the fate of Cair Paravel, and of Narnia."

Lucy's young face instantly turned to one of terror, her legs beginning to shake right down to her fine velvet shoes. Edmund kept his expression blank, as Susan suddenly began to look fearfully interested.

"Please Sir, do go on…" Lucy whimpered softly.

Talrhean jumped down off the windowsill, and stood face to face with Lucy. He looked her in the eyes, a kindred so soft in his own that it noticeably lifted a small weight off her heart. "Do not fear, little one," he said nicely, holding her small hands in his, "for I have spent many months attempting to reach this message to you, and in those months not one thing has befouled your Kingdom. And so I feel that we still do have time, if we do the right thing." Lucy, not moving her eyes from his or her hand, nodded slowly.

"How can we expect to take your word for this?" Susan began assailingly, challenging Talrhean, "I mean, you just waltzed on into our royal abode, and now speak of some dastardly threat as if we should instantly trust you!"

"With all due respect, your Majesty, 'waltzed' is not the term that I would use, as I was shot upon arrival." Talrhean retorted, rising to the challenge.

Edmund looked at them both apathetically, taking note of obvious tension between them. "Please, this isn't helping to clear anything." He stated with authority, and turning to Talrhean, added, "But what I do not understand, is how it took you months to get this message here, if it is of such importance. Tell me, Talrhean Sir, what have you been doing throughout these past months?"

Talrhean looked at him bleakly. "Surviving." He answered simply. "You think that with a Calormene patrol after my clan, that it is easy to cross the border of Archenland and into Narnia?"

There was a pause as Susan exhaled dubiously, Edmund quickly giving her an apprehensive look. Lucy listened on with intent fixation. Edmund proceeded to sit down on the small, furnished wooden chair next to the bed as he looked at the man before him in the eye, breaking the silence.

"Talrhean, I must admit you have gained my attention." He began cautiously, "So I must now ask you, for I am bursting to know. What is this story you so wish for us to know, and what is this message you hold for us, that so threatens what we know and love?"

Talrhean looked calmly at Susan and Lucy. "Your Majesties may wish to find seating yourselves. I assure you, this will be a long story, and I must have your full intent."

The two busily made to find themselves chairs, as Talrhean sat back down on the windowsill, taking a small breath of air. For a second he looked at the Elderflower, but after short consideration turned away from it. Once the two sisters had found themselves suitable seating, Susan pulling up a chair next to her brother and Lucy opting for sitting at the head of the bed, Talrhean sincerely addressed the trio with certain grimness.

"You may not like what you are about to hear."

OOOOO