Chapter 21

Ram and Rilian shook hands so solemnly that one would think they were at a funeral.

"Thank you for visiting your majesty," Ram said "the people of Archenland are always anxious to renew the bond of friendship with our northern neighbours."

"And Narnia is glad to find friendship in Anvard." The two shook hands again before braking into a bear hug like two brothers.

"It is sad that your visit could not be here longer."

"Yes but I must return to my own realm I have neglected Narnia for my own selfish means."

"They were not selfish." Ram said certainly.

"Perhaps." Rilian shrugged and he walked over to Alfon. "Here little prince," he pressed a book into the small boy's hands. "Read this one day, and you will be a great king for all things can be found in history: there lies the secrets of statecraft." The boy nodded. Rilian continued down the row to Queen Helena. "Goodbye your majesty I am happy we have finally met."

"Me too your majesty," she curtsied. Rillian returned to Ram. "Farewell," the two kings pressed their heads together for a moment and no one, not even Helena or Victoria who was stood just behind Rilian could hear what they said.

Rilian gave Ram one more bear hug before breaking off and swinging over his borrowed horse. The rest if the party did this even Henry who looked a little unsteady on the great brown charger that Ram had provided them with.

The party waved goodbye as Rilian, Victoria, Henry, Pervis and Fallamore disappeared over the crest of the hill.

"What is that the king gave you?" Ram asked his son.

"Don't know." The boy said studying the cover of the book.

"Lets see," Ram smiled at the child sitting himself on the ground with the boy on his lap and they opened the book entitled 'A little history of Narnia and Archenland'.

"Once long ago there was a black and empty world," he began to read.

Victoria turned her head from looking behind her as the family stood outside the castle disappeared behind the hill.

"Here we are heading to Narnia." Pervis said smiling, of the group he seemed the most anxious to get home. Rilian had told Victoria once that Pervis had never left Narnia and she suggested he was a little homesick.

The group headed upwards into first hills and then mountains that border the lands of Narnia and Archenland. After hours of climbing they found two things, firstly that the little road had become so narrow that they had to travel in single file. Secondly the fog had so descended on that land that you couldn't see more that the back of the horse in front of you. Victoria didn't care much for heights and was rather glad to hear Rilian before her and Fallamore behind. Although she did shout behind occasionally to check on her brother.

There were many twists and turns on the road. It was on one of these turns that she lost the back of Rilian's horse.

"Rilian," she shouted through the fog.

"I'm here," he shouted back "I can see someone injured I'm trying to help." Victoria pushed her horse forward. In a few steps the path widened just enough to allow two people side by side.

She saw the king's horse and Rilian himself kneeling beside the body of a young woman. Her dress was in rags and she wore no cloak. Her hands and face were muddy, her bare feet black and cut.

"Is she alive?" Victoria asked concerned.

"She appears to be breathing."

"Can you do something?" he asked Victoria and Fallamore stood behind her.

"I don't know," Victoria said. "Cuts and bruises are fine, but this?"

"Let me look your majesty," Fallamore said leaning in. The final two members of the group: Henry and Pervis pulled up.

"What's the hold up?" Henry shouted.

Neither Victoria, Fallamore or Rilian felt like responding. Victoria and Rilian watched Fallamore check the girls vitals and grab some herbs he had in one of the bags with some bandages to stop bleeding to her head.

"Victoria hold this."

"Where?"

"Just hold it if you want to know anything about medicine then hold and watch." Victoria did as she was told. Rilian stood scowling and pensive over the small group. A few seconds later Henry and Pervis got off their horses and joined the king.

"Lion alive," Pervis said in a shocked voice. "Will she live?"

"We don't know," Rilian replied quietly. After several long minutes Fallamore declared the safest thing to do was to move the girl to the palace were she could have good and sustained medical treatment. Fallamore carried her to the smallest of the horses (Victoria's) and wrapping the girl in blankets and scarves he draped her over the horse and held its reigns.

Victoria was then forced to sit behind another rider. Everyone decided it would be easiest if she sat with the king. Neither could remember the reasons everyone else gave for Victoria not being able to sit with them but Victoria obliged.

The journey from that point was mostly downhill. The last turn before meeting the girl had been the last climb. Soon the travellers reached Narnia and by the very end of the day as it was creeping into the next they arrived at Cair Paravel.

"We are here." Rilian said to the collective as they stopped in the courtyard. It was pitch black and the stars were beginning to come out overhead. Rilian tried to move but felt a weight against his back. He turned and saw Victoria had fallen asleep on him.

"Victoria," he said softly "we are at Cair Paravel."

"What?" She replied stupidly her head thick with haze and sleep. He repeated himself.

"Good, how is the girl?"

"I'm not sure." Rilian said suddenly leaping off his horse and following Fallamore down a corridor. Fallamore's shouts were enough to wake anyone who hadn't already been roughly shaken awake with the news their king was back.

Fallamore and Rilian rushed down one corridor into the small sick bay in the castle, used when someone was ill. The little wing had three immaculately clean white beds and a little old woman asleep in her chair.

'Alfra," Fallamore said shaking the woman as Rilian placed the girl on one of the beds.

"What's the emergency? Your majesty," she curtsied low "bless me if I haven't fallen asleep."

"We found this woman in the pass between Narnia and Archenland, we don't know how long she has been there." He said hurriedly. He watched as Fallamore and Alfra put their heads together discussing the girl and the advantages of various medicines. He decided to leave knowing he could do no more good. He looked back at the young woman unconscious on the bed and wondered who she was.

Quick A/N: Hope you are all enjoying the story. Please review. The quote from Rillian (you will be a great king for all things can be found in history: there lies the secrets of statecraft) is adapted from one of my favourite quotes by Winston Churchill, "Study history, study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft."