19. Day of reckoning
"Peter!" Lucy whispered as she rushed over to her fallen brother who was just coming to. He moaned in pain and rubbed the back of his head tenderly as he came to a sitting position on the cold, hard floor.
"Ow... that will leave a bump," he hissed and looked his sister over with a worried gleam in his pale eyes. "You're not hurt, are you, Lu?"
"No, no," she assured fervently. "We're all fine. But they took Edmund!"
"We must follow! Come on!" Peter breathed without hesitation as his sister helped him stand.
"They locked us in here," Trumpkin breathed grumpily from the back of the room and limped over to the siblings. "We can't follow."
As Lucy tended to the DLF's wound, the eldest Pevensie raised his gaze to the closed doors. His eyes wandered to Caspian and Susan not far away. The Telmarine man's arm lay around the woman's smaller frame and Peter met his friend's gaze head on. Stiffly, he managed an approving nod. He knew Susan didn't see it the same way he did, but he was nonetheless happy to see Caspian had kept her safe. It was all he really wanted to know, in the end.
Scraping noises and muffled voices sounded from the other side of the doors then and the Pevensies, Caspian, Reepicheep and Trumpkin turned as the doors were finally opened and the Lords Enric and Roshan along with the Captain of the guards hurried inside. They all looked worn from battle and frowns covered their faces as they entered the throne room.
"Majesty, are you alright?" the dark-eyed Roshan wondered and one of his hands rested on his sword handle as he gazed about wearily.
"We're fine," the bearded king re-assured as he let go of the queen and stepped forward. "What of the attackers?"
"They had King Edmund, we didn't dare interfere," the Captain declared solemnly. "They had winged beasts waiting in the courtyard, and we could not get close."
"We had scouts follow them on horseback, though," Enric assured. "We'll find how they could enter Cair Paravel and Narnia without being detected sooner."
"We were warned," Peter said in a dark voice and pulled out the small note he, Susan and Caspian had recovered from the falcon earlier. "We got this."
"What is it?" Roshan questioned as he frowned down at the small piece of paper.
"A message meant for someone in the castle," Susan explained shortly and a tinge of sadness added a layer of darkness to her voice. "It must have been sent from the Sorcerer and warned of the attack. It gave us very little time to prepare. The note could prove he had help from the inside and it means we have a leak."
"How did you acquire it?" Enric asked in fascination as he gazed at the queen.
"We intercepted a message bird."
The Telmarine lord slowly raised his gaze with an unreadable expression and asked, "What kind of bird?"
Susan frowned in confusion upon noticing Roshan's odd reaction. "A falcon."
The two lords visibly stiffened and exchanged a glance not lost on the others. Peter at once stepped forward and grabbed hold of the Telmarine lord's collar and growled, "You know something about this. Whose was the falcon?"
The man shrugged out of the king's grasp as he bowed his head and explained, "It's true. We know whose bird it might be..."
"Speak!" Caspian spoke in a deadly calm voice that seemed all the more menacing than the Pevensie man's plain anger.
The younger, military lord cleared his throat and spoke up, "There's only one man of the council who still uses falcons as messenger birds."
The Telmarine king stretched tall in his throne as he glared down at the suspected party. "Lord Greagoir, you have been accused of dealing with enemies of Narnia and sharing information with the Sorcerer by use of messenger falcons. Defend yourself against these accusations."
Only twenty minutes or so had passed since the surprise attack and the news of their leak had come to light. The king had ordered the elder man's arrest and brought him before the court while he awaited news of their attackers whereabouts. Their surprise attackers were still strangers to them and thus they could not be certain from where they had entered onto Narnian soil.
"I-I... Your highness," Greagoir stuttered and gazed about him at the other council members and the Pevensie siblings. When they had found the elder man he had been in his private chambers, packing for a swift escape. When he had been caught, he had made an attempt to throw himself out the window but had been stopped in time. "I assure you, I have done nothing wrong."
Susan, who sat in the seat to Caspian's right, frowned down at the man at the end of the table. "That is a peculiar choice of words, my lord. 'Nothing wrong' doesn't necessarily mean 'Innocent'."
Before her words had died on her tongue, lord Roshan flew from his seat and stepped towards the accused. A guard stopped him and though he seized his furious charge, he turned his dark eyes on the elder lord. "Do not lie to your king, old friend! How could you, Greagoir? I considered you a trusted friend. You were a confidant for most of us present in the council!"
"This betrayal is beyond words..." the young Enric spoke from his seat beside the mad Telmarine, and kept his face impassive as he gazed down at the table top before him. After a second, the Narnian concluded, "It cannot be forgiven."
"Enough of this," Peter stated loudly and waited until Roshan returned to his seat before he continued, "Our brother has been taken, and we need to know by whom, where and why. You will tell us the truth or suffer the consequences."
The pale eyes of Greagoir met the Pevensie's as his final resolve vanished like the wind on a cold spring morning. The elder man shook his head and his former resolve and protective walls seemed to crumble like the mightiest rock before them. His eyes slowly changed to coldest ice as he glared up at the royalties before him.
"This is not about my actions," the old man began, "What I did, I did for Narnia."
"For Narnia?" Caspian frowned and felt his own fury rise within him like a thunderstorm.
Greagoir snorted in barely concealed amusement. "Your uncle would have been a far better king than you, Caspian X... You are a weakling more focused on your own quests than to advance the lands. There is peace, yes... but what more? I have tried to guide you to excel these past years. But you never listened, too blind to observe the truth... Narnia has the possibility to be so much more than it is. The future of these lands cannot be trusted to an incompetent man as yourself. A king who can't even secure his own legacy on the throne because of a frail heart and weak mind! How can a man such as him rule Narnia into the future?"
As his former adviser spoke, the Telmarine king had slowly risen from his seat and walked along the table towards him. His dark eyes shone with silent fury like the skies before lightning strikes as he at last came nose to nose with the man. To the side, Reepicheep stepped closer, ready to intercept if need arose.
"I have heard enough," Caspian's thick accent hid none of his malcontent as he glared down at the elder man. "Under my reign, Narnia has grown and will continue to do so because our lands finally have something it hasn't enjoyed since the Golden days of the Pevensies. The peace, which you so easily dismiss, is crucial for the citizens. Apart from this, Narnia also has a sovereign who truly cares for them. I do not wish to rule as a tyrant like Miraz, it is true... As for my heart, the choice was never yours to make. I see now where you wished to guide me even in this regard. I will marry whom I will one day, and if there are repercussions I will deal with them. Do not for one second believe my people would suffer for my 'frail heart and weak mind'."
"You're too blind to see," Greagoir shook his head in dismay. "I don't expect you to understand why I felt the need to accept the Sorcerer's help."
"Help?" Lucy questioned and everyone turned in her direction where she stood beside the thrones. "What do you mean 'help'?"
"The Sorcerer can give Narnia what it truly needs. A strong leader. In exchange for helping him, he has offered to reward me richly with the crown."
"You think he has not offered the same deal to others?" Caspian growled in a low voice and secretly rejoiced as he saw the lord's face falter. The Telmarine king seized the other by the front of his shirt and said, "The man who attacked today was not the Sorcerer, was it? I caught a glimpse of the Sorcerer when the Mist attacked our ship. That man was taller than the man we saw today. Who was he?"
The elder lord chuckled despite his position and the two kings exchanged weary gazes. "Why are you laughing?" Peter asked stiffly from his throne.
"It's been under your nose this entire time, and yet you haven't seen it," Greagoir commented. "Who else would send his son to the death?"
At the head of the table, Susan rose from her seat and addressed the two men at the end of the room, "I thought he looked familiar. They all did, in a manner. Their tanned skin is not uncommon for these worlds, but the cruelty in their eyes is. He's referring to Lord Anash."
Caspian's gaze widened as he released the Narnian lord and contemplated the queen's words. "... It makes sense. I've heard reports of his ill-tempered father's unsatisfying desire to gain power. We didn't take it seriously, though. The Calormenes are always threatening war. The Sorcerer must be working with the tisroc. He's probably been offered the same deal as the good lord here."
"Forgive my intrusion," the Lord Chancellor raised his voice almost enthusiastically. "I didn't connect the dots until now, but I've been studying my books for the hidden passage mentioned in what we previously described. I've managed to decipher one of the ancient texts regarding the ritual. Roughly translated it offers us a location for the ritual. It spoke of a magical place like none other. A sacred grove underground, in a world otherwise bathed in sand and heat."
"Mm, that would describe Calormen," Susan agreed impassively. Though it had been a long time since she visited and a short time it had been, she vividly remembered the scorching heat from the sun and the soft sand beneath her toes. As she continued, the Captain of the guards entered the room and remained waiting by the open door. "But Calormen is far south. We would have been warned of their approach long before the tisroc and his men appeared."
The Captain cleared his throat and stepped over to Caspian close by the entrance. "I just received word from my scouts. It appears the winged beasts flew into the depths of the forest southeast of here, where they disappeared without a trace between two trees."
Cornelius nodded once as he gazed between the sovereigns. "The portal in the texts is possibly a hidden portal, a gateway of sorts, between Narnia and this grove in Calormen. The Sorcerer must have opened it to let the tisroc enter Narnia and then return."
"And what about Edmund?" Peter asked. "Why did they take our brother? The tisroc only needed a few drops of my blood, why didn't they do the same with him?"
At this, the half-dwarf's eyes suddenly fell to the floor and he humbly replied, "As I said, I have managed to learn more about the ritual. It seems I was somewhat wrong. To complete the ritual, the Sorcerer will need the blood of all four siblings... but the ritual also requires the sacrifice of one of you. Any of you."
"What?" Lucy breathed and felt Susan's trembling hand clasp her own tightly. "Are you saying…?"
"We won't let them kill, Ed," Peter promised as he walked over to his sisters and placed a brotherly hand on their shoulders. "We'll stop it before the Sorcerer can complete the ritual."
"We have to hurry then," Susan whispered and turned her pleading eyes to Caspian who nodded in response.
The tall, proud king turned to his old friend. "Cornelius, can you find out how to open the portal that takes us to the grove?"
"I already have, my king," the elder professor guaranteed with a reassuring smile.
"Very well. Captain, Enric, prepare the men. We'll take a small number of soldiers with us through the portal in search of King Edmund, but I want the rest to be prepared in case we must face the entire Calormene army in open combat," he commanded and then turned back to the aging man beside him. His eyes looked him up and down with distaste as he said, "But first… Lock Lord Greagoir away."
The Captain and Enric bowed their heads to the king and swiftly left the hall, leading the elder lord between them. The other lords of the council hurriedly left the room to help make arrangements, as the inner circle of Caspian's most trusted remained behind. As soon as the others were gone, the Telmarine king walked back to the thrones and turned his warm gaze to the Pevensie sisters.
"I don't wish for you to come with us this time," Caspian said in a tender voice. "The Sorcerer requires one of you to be sacrificed. I don't wish to risk your lives so blatantly should things go awry."
"We can protect ourselves!" Lucy said in defiance and it seemed flames burned bright in her eyes as she held her ground.
"If I may, my lord?" the small mouse asked, speaking for the first time since the debate began and proudly so. "I've sworn an oath to protect the Queens and I fully intend to live up to my given word. If you let them accompany us, I shall guarantee their safety myself."
"I'm afraid I have another task in mind for you, Reep," the eldest Pevensie spoke and then turned his gaze up at his friend. With a shrug, Peter admitted, "I'd love to stop my sisters, too. But... they're my sisters. I already know it's impossible."
Lucy stretched tall in the saddle and gazed about her, straining her neck in order to spy above the soldier's heads and past the small horde of horses ahead of her. Their small entourage consisted of seven soldiers besides the Pevensies, Caspian, Roshan and Reepicheep had reached the areas of the wood indicated by the Narnian scouts. The portal had to be close by.
From behind the young queen in the sadle, Reepicheep cleared his throat. "My queen, what are you looking for?"
"Aslan…" the young brunette explained. "I couldn't find him before we left, and I can't find him now… It's like he's disappeared once more."
The warrior mouse sat silently a minute before he commented, "Maybe the mighty lion isn't present, because this time we must fight ourselves? Is it not enough to believe in him, after all? Aslan does not need to be present to offer me strength and courage, at least."
Lucy smiled sadly and nodded at the mouse's deep words. "I suppose you're right, Reep. Thanks for reassuring me. You're an honest friend… And I am truly sorry for hurting-"
"No need to apologize, Queen Lucy!" Reepicheep interrupted with a mighty voice. "There was no harm done, I reassure you. Your heart ached and you spoke its pain. Sometimes, it is necessary to move from darkness into light."
Suddenly the men before them called out to hold and the youngest Pevensie and her guard gazed ahead. About fifty yards away stood two strong, old oaks and stretched out between the canopies. Between the two trunks, something shimmered in the sun light. To Lucy, it looked just like the surface of a soap bubble as it danced through the air. The display of transparent color was beautiful to behold as it appeared beneath the sun's rays.
"Is it the portal?" Caspian asked from up ahead and the Lord Chancellor by his side nodded. The Telmarine king frowned. "I don't understand. Why is the portal still open? Wouldn't the Sorcerer have closed it so that we couldn't follow?"
"My guess would be that the Sorcerer wants us to follow," Peter muttered. "And we'll still be foolish enough to do so."
The bearded man agreed stiffly. With a deep breath, the brave king rode forward towards the shimmering surface of the mysterious portal and as he passed the oaks, he suddenly disappeared into thin air.
Peter and Susan exchanged a hesitant glance and then followed suit with the others right behind. Lucy and Reepicheep rode through last…
… and into a forest much like the one they had just left. It was hard to believe they had been transported all the way into Calormen in a time span shorter than a heart beat. Truly, it could have been the same forest if it had not been for slight differences in plant life as well as the heat in these lands that seemed to burn even with the sun mostly blocked out by the canopies.
The young queen did a fast head count and exhaled in relief to find everyone accounted for. So far, so good. Before the young queen's ease had a chance to sink in, an arrow flew past her shoulder and her horse neighed in fright.
"Dismount! It's an ambush!" the eldest Pevensie hollered and hurriedly set an example as he leaped from his chestnut horse. On swift legs, Lucy saw her brother run back the line towards her and practically pulled her from the horse to the forest floor.
Swift arrows split the air between the trees relentlessly, but the assailants remained a mystery as they were hidden by the thick greens that surrounded the small group. While the men tried to protect themselves, the horses felt the panic rising and a few of them bolted to safety elsewhere.
Peter pushed his sister forwards as he tried to keep her safe from harms way. A few paces ahead, they joined Caspian and Susan, who stood back to back. The queen had her bow at the ready but seemed unable to focus on a target as the Telmarine king held his own sword high. Right in front of the eldest queen lay Lord Roshan dead, and his blood stained the forest floor from where four arrows protruded from his chest and stomach.
Suddenly, Peter howled in pain and stumbled forward into his sister's arms. Susan caught him deftly as the others noticed the dark arrow that had penetrated his shoulder from behind.
"Peter!" the woman breathed and lost focus of the ambush around her as she focused on her injured brother.
"I'm fine," Peter managed between pained breaths and focused on remaining upright for the moment. He staggered slightly but held onto his sister tighter to regain his balance. "It's just a flesh wound."
At that point, the arrows had seized soaring through the skies like rain. Only the Pevensies, Caspian and Reepicheep remained standing after the assault. Somehow, Lucy thought, it had been no coincidence that the attack had stopped so suddenly.
As if on cue, several bowmen appeared between the narrow trees with their bows directed towards the five of them. The bowmen, dressed in dark, billowing clothes and wooden shoes typical of Calormene fashion, stepped closer and Lucy didn't have to count to realize their small group was outnumbered.
"Surrender your weapons and no one else will get hurt," a coarse voice echoed through the woods and a short figure stepped out ahead of the other men. It was a black-dwarf, dressed in the same (though shorter) type of clothes as the others. An unusual leader, the younger girl figured but decided not to voice this out loud as the creature stepped closer.
The queen glanced back and noticed the wordless conversation between her sister and the Telmarine king. At length, Caspian nodded and dropped his sword as Susan lowered her bow. The others dropped their weapons also, though Reepicheep most reluctantly.
The dwarf's smile was sinister and flashed his rotting teeth. "Excellent."
"Who are you?" Susan braved to ask.
"I am Firtkin, son of Forha, and currently your captor," the creature snarled back."The Sorcerer will be pleased I caught you all so easily."
To be continued.