Bound by Duty
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belong to the estate of C.S. Lewis. I own nothing but the plot and the original characters in this story.
Chapter 4 – The Persistence of Memory
And today before sunset I must visit Trumpkin the Dwarf where he sits in the castle of Cair Paravel counting the days till his master Caspian comes home.
— "The Dufflepuds Made Happy", The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
oOo
"Checkmate." Lucy dangled the ivory queen above the chessboard as she positioned the game piece near the ebony king. She looked up at her opponent with a frown. "That was the third game I've won from you today."
"Well, you have been practicing a lot lately, Lu." A pair of eyes looked up at her, full of warmth and amusement. "Surely all those matches have honed your skills."
"Surely not," came her retort. "You have played against Reepicheep, have you not? He's very tough to beat. I've only won against him when he forgot it was just a game and not a real battlefield." During her early matches against the noble Mouse, he had forgotten the rules once or twice. It was only after hearing the stories of King Gale and Rabadash that he began to slip up more frequently. He moved his chess pieces to the wrong squares on the board so often that Lucy tried not to count those matches as victories for herself. Though those games took longer to finish, it had been amusing to watch the loyal Narnian mutter about Calormenes, armies, and ships as he pondered over his knights and bishops.
She returned to the conversation at hand. "To win against Reepicheep is one thing, but against you, dear brother…" Her voice trailed off as she studied him.
Chess was one of many things they had learned during the course of their reign; none of them had played before they entered Narnia though Peter and Edmund knew the basics of the game. It was in part due to their General's advice that the two Kings included it as part of their study; the lessons of the game could be applied to a real battleground as well.
Once Edmund realized how useful the strategies behind the game were, he had taken to playing it as if it was the air he breathed. When there were breaks from their royal duties, the three siblings often found their brother sitting in front of a chessboard and a worthy opponent. Those many years of practice had paid off; towards the end of their reign, there were very few people or creatures that could best Edmund in a match. Excluding Peter, Lucy could easily tally the number of victorious opponents all on one hand.
That was the source of her concern; with her knowledge of the game, she knew she would never be able to match her brother in skill. Yet on this day, she had defeated Edmund in several matches since they started playing after breakfast. "Is something wrong? You've never let me win more than twice in a row before."
His eyes shot up at her last statement. "You knew?" he asked, the surprise evident in his voice. In the past, he and Peter had let their youngest sister win from time to time but neither of them ever did it in such a way that was obvious... or so they thought. The games against Lucy were never as competitive as those between brothers, and neither boy ever let on when they realized that the other would purposely lose the match to her.
The look on Edmund's face made her laugh. "Of course, silly. Did you think I never noticed? I may not have played often, but I did know enough to figure out when you or Peter would deliberately lose to me."
What Lucy did not mention was that she had been discretely studying the finer points of chess during their first stay in Narnia. She had enlisted her brothers' tutor to teach her more than the basic rules of the game; when the Kings were away on campaigns, the Centaur would sit patiently with her as she slowly improved her game. She would never be as good as Peter or Edmund, but at least she knew a little more than she ever let on. It was Susan who suggested that they keep Lucy's lessons a secret; the elder Queen thought it could be useful if they ever needed to challenge their brothers on a particular subject.
"And we thought letting you win was the chivalrous thing to do," he sighed dramatically. "Well then, if that's the case..." Lucy watched as he placed all the pieces back at their starting points. He held his hand out for the queen in her hand but drew back as she set the piece down in its correct position herself. "Then I shall not go easy on you this time. Remind me to let Peter know when we return to England; he wished to spare your feelings by not winning as often as he could have when you were his opponent." Edmund snorted; he was never as concerned as his older brother was when they played against Lucy. "I did try to remind him that you were the Valiant one in the family, and losing a match or two wouldn't hurt you."
"He would think that, wouldn't he?" she said, smiling. If only Peter knew how she allowed him to win more easily during a few of their matches! The smile faded a little as she thought of their older brother, and she felt a small pang of guilt rising within her. While she and Edmund were granted another visit to Narnia, Peter was bound to English soil. Even Susan was abroad this summer, having traveled with their parents to America at the start of the holidays.
In some ways, this separation of her family was very reminiscent of their reign. Of the four of them, the High King spent the most time in or near Narnia. More often than his siblings would have wished, Peter was often found along the borders of their country, defending their home and people against various enemies. With their eldest brother at the front lines, it usually fell to the rest of them to meet with foreign dignitaries that arrived or make diplomatic embassage to other nations when necessary.
Lucy was sure that Peter would have enjoyed this trip to Narnia had he been given the chance to return. Instead, he was spending the summer in the English countryside studying for exams. It was a small comfort to her that he at least was staying with Professor Kirke, the only person they ever spoke to about their experiences beyond the Wardrobe. She knew that upon their return to England, a letter would have to be sent to her brother and the Professor so they could hear all the details of this latest adventure.
As she prepared to make the first move, it occurred to her that Edmund never answered her question. "So why did you let me win so many games today?"
"Perhaps I have been out of practice?" came his reply. "It's been so long since I sat down with a game in front of me." She scoffed at that, clearly unconvinced by his response. He grinned impishly at her for a second before settling on a more somber expression. "It's true though. Most of the boys at school have been unwilling to play with me, and even less of them want to be seen in my company. I can't say I blame them; the things I did before Narnia are still fresh in their minds, though it was a lifetime ago for the four of us."
He fell silent; the memories of those days still troubled him if he ever gave them more than a minute's thought. Lucy said nothing and instead, took his hand in hers and gave it a heartfelt squeeze.
With his sister's reassurance, Edmund mentally forced the past aside; he was determined to not dwell on his mistakes and turned his thoughts back to the game in front of him. Lucy had inched her rook forward a few paces and was waiting for him to make the next move. "Interesting," he murmured as he nudged a pawn away from him.
His golden-haired opponent laughed. "There's probably a hundred strategies going on in that head of yours, brother," she said as she also moved a pawn. "I do wonder what you're thinking of at this very moment. It's rather unlike you to be so preoccupied as to lose one match, much less three."
"Well, if you really must know..." there was a brief pause as Edmund furtively looked around. It was just the two of them sitting in their accustomed corner on deck; the rest of the ship's crew were keeping their distance and their friends were nowhere in sight. Though no one else stood within hearing distance, he leaned in closer to her, whispering, "It was a very good thing that my first chess match aboard this ship was against you, Lu. Between ourselves, I could barely remember how I used to play."
Now it was her turn to be surprised. "But you had won that match, Ed."
"Yes, but during that game there were several instances where I slipped up rather badly and I thought I would lose. Didn't you notice my mistakes, Lucy?"
"I don't remember—"she started to speak but then stopped. As she reviewed that first match in her head, she began to take note of what Edmund was talking about. There had been a few hesitant moves and some missteps by her brother; she thought he had done so deliberately as a way to disguise his real strategy. When it came to chess, Lucy had never known him to be reckless with his tactics and he had recovered from his mistakes to still win the game. She had not expected to be victorious but with Edmund's admission, it would appear that she had been on a more equal footing with her brother.
"Now that you bring it up," she said slowly, "I suppose I did see. But it didn't matter at the end; you still won that game and many more after."
"I know, but it was a strange thing. I remembered the basic rules of the game but all those tactics I used to know weren't in here," he tapped a finger to his head. "At least not at first. It started coming back to me in small bits and pieces and by the time the match was nearing its end, the complex strategies that took years to learn finally emerged." Lucy looked slightly puzzled at his words so he tried to explain it differently. "Do you remember the duel I had with Trumpkin on the beach?" She nodded. "Well, if I had to fight him the day before, I have no doubt that the D.L.F. would have soundly beaten me."
He paused as he tried to find the right words to convey his thoughts clearly to her. "It's as if the time we spent back in England had erased many of the things we learned in Narnia," he mused before he shook his head; no, that wasn't exactly right. "Maybe not erased; more like the memories were hidden or buried in our minds. Because we weren't doing the same things in our world, all that knowledge was locked away until we returned. Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to think clearly about our time in Narnia when we're back in England? It's as if the air of that world muddled our thoughts about this world, trying to make us forget everything.
"When we were first arrived near the Cair the last time, with Peter and Susan, did everything come back to you immediately?" He pulled away from her slightly, watching as she thought about his question. "It didn't for me. I was still thinking as a schoolboy would in England. All the lessons we learned in the past fifteen years didn't surface at first, as if they were still locked away even though we were almost sure that we had returned to Narnia.
"For me, the memories and the experiences emerged only when we found ourselves down in the treasure chamber amongst our possessions. When Susan plucked the string of her bow and I held a sword in my hand once more, that's when it all came back. And so when I faced Trumpkin the next day, I remembered it all: the training, the battles, everything. As if I hadn't forgotten things to begin with."
"Hmm," she mulled his explanation over in her head. "I think I understand. It's sort of similar to how I had said that I couldn't swim in England but I was able to do so here when we reigned for years and years in Narnia."
"Yes, something like that. I wonder..." He looked thoughtfully at her as he recalled the conversation they held in the ruins of their castle a year ago. "Maybe we could have swam back to the mainland from the Cair. I know what Peter said to us back then, but it was entirely possible." He broke off and stared unseeingly at the black and white figures before him, thinking of the possibility. "As with the return of my sword training and the chess, we may have been able to swim after all."
There was a moment of silence as both King and Queen were lost in their thoughts, the game in front of them all but forgotten. Lucy was the first to speak up again. "I suppose we'll never know now, will we? Not with all that time we spent practicing in the pool back in England." After their previous adventure, she had resolved to become a better swimmer. She put in a tremendous effort and with Susan's help had improved her skills over the course of the year. Looking back now, she was happy she had done so; she never would have expected to return to Narnia by landing in the middle of the ocean.
"I don't think it would have been wise for us to test that theory out last year when we were standing at the mouth of the Great River," he said dryly. "Think of what could have happened if my guess had been wrong," he added, imagining the four of them being swept away by the currents and into the Eastern Sea. "However, I'm sure we could find some other way to prove or disprove my assumptions once we get back to Narnia. And speaking of which…" Edmund shifted his gaze from the board to the port side of the boat and peered across the sea. "We should be able to see land soon."
They had been sailing westward for nearly a fortnight. Aided by some of his most experienced sailors, Drinian had pored over the maps and charted what he considered the shortest yet safest route back. The Captain had explained to the king and his guests that they were to bypass the Seven Isles and head towards Terebinthia. From there, the boat would sail through the Bight of Calormen and make a straight path towards Cair Paravel instead of following the curve of the shoreline along Glasswater Creek.
To Caspian's relief, Aelis had returned with another message from Trumpkin. The king disclosed that the court was expecting their return and that his councilors had convened frequently with the generals to discuss the situation. The Falcon remained with them for a full day, resting from his flight across the seas. While he was aboard the ship, he spent part of the time with Edmund and Lucy, delighted to talk with them and answer their questions about recent events in Narnia.
"I can't believe we're almost there," there was a wistful note in Lucy's voice as she thought of their destination. "Ever since we arrived, I've been longing to see Narnia again." They had sailed past Terebinthia days ago, and Lucy had stared at the island from the stern until it disappeared from view. The sight of something familiar was a comfort to her as they had seen nothing but water for so many days.
"And I'm sure Eustace wouldn't mind getting off the boat either," she added, looking past her brother's shoulder at the boy climbing up the ladder to reach the deck. She felt for Eustace, despite his behavior on the ship. For much of the journey, the other boy had kept to himself and stayed down in the cabin he shared with Caspian and Edmund. After the conversation with her brother from days past, she had gone in search of their cousin.
Lucy had found him sitting on the lone bunk in the boys' cabin. She had offered to teach him some basic chess moves but was rebuffed by a sneer and a remark that board games were beneath him. He then turned his back to her, redirecting his attention to the notebook that was opened in front of him. She watched as he scribbled furiously in the small, leather bound journal that Caspian had given him from his own belongings; it was the simplest request that Eustace had made of them, and one the King could easily fulfill.
She had made several more attempts at conversation with her cousin later that day, but nothing would bring Eustace out of his general disapproval of everything around them. After she had cured his seasickness, she had asked if he enjoyed being on the ship and what he thought of it. She remembered how his voice dripped with disdain as he told her how the Dawn Treader was a pittance compared to the grand boats and aeroplanes back home. Lucy couldn't argue with that; even the galleons and carracks from her family's reign were larger than this ship. And since there was nothing more she could say after that, she just let him be.
As Edmund was about to reply to her, a sharp voice broke out from above.
"Land in sight!"
He and Lucy looked up toward the fighting-top. The sailor stationed up there held a telescope in one hand and pointed straight ahead with the other. The two children stood up and crossed the length of the deck towards the forecastle. Lucy reached the upper deck first and leaned over the port side, looking out beyond the gilded dragon wings that decorated the bulwarks. Edmund followed his sister and took up a position behind her. As he craned his neck to look past Lucy, he felt something bump up against him.
Or rather, someone.
"'Bout time we can get off this blasted ship," grumbled Eustace. The younger boy had scrambled after them when he noticed they had hurried towards the other end of the Dawn Treader. Neither of his cousins heard him, their eyes focused only on the scene before them.
Though they were still several leagues away, the three children could see a great land rising up in front of them. Where the sea met the shore, a pale beach stretched inland for a short distance before the ground was suffused in an ocean of green. The grassy expanse stretched across the land; the flatness was broken by several low mounds and clusters of trees that rose out of the ground. And further back was a sight that made Lucy's heart skip a beat.
Even from such a distance, there was no mistaking the large castle that sat atop a promontory that jutted out from much of the land. With the morning sun high in the sky, the light reflecting off the windows of the many towers and turrets made the castle shine and sparkle as if it were a jewel.
"Behold, Narnia!" cried Reepicheep as he scurried down from his favorite spot on the bulwarks. He raised his head high and leaned forward as his paws and tail kept him steady atop the boat's railing. "I did not think to see her again so soon, but it is a great pleasure to be within sight of my homeland once more."
Lucy gasped with delight as she reached for her brother's hand. "Oh Edmund, it looks just like it did from our own time!"
"It does indeed," Edmund agreed, his gaze fixed on the castle that grew bigger with each passing second. "How was the castle rebuilt in just three years? It looks almost exactly as it did over a thousand years ago."
"We didn't rebuild it," Caspian answered as he joined them. The two older children turned their heads to face the king, puzzled by his remark. "That is to say, I had no hand in its reconstruction. With the few wars we've had and trying to bring the Telmarines and the Narnians together, I hadn't even thought about what to do with the ruins of Cair Paravel."
"Then how...?"
The King smiled at his friends. "It was all Aslan's doing. He appeared to me in a dream and told me to make my way to the mouth of the Great River. When I arrived, that was what I had found there." He thought back to that moment almost two years ago, when he had reached the shore with a small group of guards and courtiers. All had been stunned by the sight that greeted them as they broke through the trees and stepped out into the clearing. Of them all, Trumpkin was most affected by the vision of a completed castle standing in what had clearly been ruins during his last trip to the mouth of the river.
As a wave crashed along the side of the ship, the sudden rocking of the boat brought Caspian out of his recollections. He cast a quick glance toward the shore and then at the others. "So that is how Cair Paravel appeared during the Golden Age?"
"Oh yes, it looks just the same as it did the first time we laid eyes on it," Lucy replied, fondly remembering how they had stared in awe as they approached their new home a few days after the first Battle of Beruna. Her brows furrowed as she noted the ship had changed course slightly, aiming for a point a little further to the right. "I don't remember our harbor being in that spot."
"Ah yes. That was one of the few additions I made after I moved the court and the capital back to Cair Paravel. If you recall, most Telmarines feared the sea. We only began to learn about seafaring when the delegations from Galma and Terebinthia arrived after my coronation. As a gesture of goodwill and friendship, the Duke of Galma sent over shipbuilders and engineers to help us build a harbor and ships for our new fleet."
They were almost near the shore. The Dawn Treader had begun to slow down; they could hear Drinian barking out orders to reduce their speed as they closed the distance between themselves and Narnia.
Lucy's eyes widened as she took in the colorful ships that were docked in the harbor. At once, she could tell that much of what she saw was of Galmian construction. The quay was level with the grasslands and there were a short set of steps that led down to the beach and the sea. It resembled the ports she had seen in Galma when she had visited the dukedom in the past. But where the Galmians normally used dark colored stone in their work, here it was all white, pale and pristine as fresh snow.
"Narnian marble," Caspian said, seeming to have read her mind. "A group of Dwarfs came down to the castle and told us they discovered it in a quarry several miles north of Cair Paravel. They call it Snowstone both for its color and because the first snowfall of the year occurred the day they chanced upon it."
As they approached the quay, many figures could be seen standing near or around the shore; it was clear a crowd had gathered to meet the ship. From where he stood, Caspian took note of one group that stood apart from the rest of his subjects; he recognized amongst them some of his close friends and advisors.
"Prepare to disembark, your Majesties." Drinian stepped onto the deck and walked towards them. "We shall drop anchor in a few minutes."
Heeding the Captain's advice, they climbed down and returned to their respective cabins to sort out the items they wished to carry with them off the boat. Lucy glanced around the cabin and found nothing of immense value to her except for the diamond flask that sat on the table.
She looked down at her feet and then at the boots the king had left for her use, uncertain if she should wear them or go ashore barefoot. All of Caspian's clothes and shoes were hopelessly too big for her but she had made do the best she could; there had been no women aboard the ship before her unexpected arrival so the chests and lockers contained only men's clothing. Though she was wearing her English dress this day, she had taken to wearing Caspian's tunics with a belt cinched at the waist at other times. Shoes were another matter entirely; his feet were much larger than hers and she found it impossible to walk around comfortably in his boots. Throughout their voyage, she had remained barefoot as she traversed the ship. Lucy carefully stored the cordial into her dress pocket and after another minute of deliberation, left the boots beside the bunk and stepped out to meet the others.
A group had assembled on the starboard side, and Lucy carefully made her way through the sailors as they carried out their final orders. She spotted her brother and cousin standing beside Caspian, all waiting to step off.
The Dawn Treader inched along in the water now, her speed reduced to such great effect that she seemed not to be moving at all. Drinian stood at the wheel, carefully maneuvering the boat so that it pulled in alongside the marble pier. Ropes were thrown to the waiting men below, and a plank was lowered down.
As soon as the boat was securely moored, the king disembarked first. They heard the cheer that rose up from the crowd as Caspian marched down the gangplank. Moving carefully amongst the crew, Eustace edged forward as he nudged his way to the front; his only goal was to get off the ship as soon as possible. As he neared the top of the plank, he felt a cold object strike him near his knees. He looked down and saw Reepicheep blocking his path with his rapier.
"What are you doing?" the boy spluttered, his face splotchy with anger. He was literally steps away from land and did not expect to be barred from his means of escape.
"It is not for us to descend first after the king," the Mouse replied, looking away from Eustace and toward the two children who now stood further back and out of the crew's way. Reepicheep stepped back and with a tap of his blade, forced Eustace to follow his lead. "Your Majesties," he nodded to them, indicating that they should proceed forth. Eustace scowled but could do nothing as everyone respectfully stepped aside to let his cousins approach the gangplank.
On the pier, the king's advisors stepped forward to meet their liege. As one, they kneeled or bowed to him.
"Welcome home, Sire." With his knee still bent, the Lord Regent presented to the king two items he held in his outstretched hands. "It is my honor and duty to return to you both your authority over Narnia and the sacred treasure you had left in my care during your absence."
"And we thank you for your service to us and to Narnia," Caspian replied, his tone and manner as equally formal as his Regent. As he accepted the scepter and the ivory Horn from Trumpkin, he broke formality and smiled at all of them. "It is good to see all of you again, though sooner than I had expected."
"Likewise, your Majesty," Doctor Cornelius smiled as well, relieved that the king didn't appear upset at having been recalled from his quest. "Though we are sorry that you had to return so soon after you started on your journey," he added apologetically, "Neither Trufflehunter nor I had known that Trumpkin had sent a message to you until Aelis returned."
Caspian shook his head. "It is no matter, old friend. I also felt the need to return after learning what has occurred." He turned to look at Trumpkin, who had stood up once more. "Have my requests been carried out?"
The Dwarf nodded in response. "Of course, my lord; I followed your instructions to the letter as soon as I received them." There was a pause. "And if I may be so bold Sire, may I ask as to whom you have brought back with you?"
"You may, my good Dwarf." Trumpkin noted a twinkle in the king's eye, and wondered briefly if his guess was incorrect after all. "But have you any inkling from my message?"
The Regent exchanged a glance with Trufflehunter before looking once more at Caspian. "Well," and here he coughed slightly, "we thought perhaps your Majesty had returned home with the Queen of Narnia." The last part was spoken rather quickly, as if he did not wish to express this thought aloud. He braced himself for reproach but was surprised by the reaction he received instead.
The King smiled widely at the three of them.
"I did indeed return with a Queen of Narnia." This acknowledgement was greeted with a moment of stunned silence from the three Narnians that stood there. Then slowly, they looked up at the king with raised brows and wide eyes. Pretending he hadn't seen the expressions of surprise, Caspian turned his attention back to the ship. He stepped to the side and extended his arm out towards the gangplank. "My Lady," he called up towards the deck, waiting for her to come forward.
They watched as a young woman—though she appeared to be more of a girl—stepped off the Dawn Treader and began to walk towards them, her feet barely making a sound on the wooden surface. As she reached out for Caspian's hand, the King proceeded to make the introductions. "Good Sirs, it is my great honor to make known to you her Majesty, the Queen of Narnia."
Amongst the trio of advisors, Trufflehunter was the first to recover from his surprise. He recognized the fair-haired girl in the strange clothing of another world immediately. The Badger shuffled closer to her. "Queen Lucy," he bowed before taking her hand in his fore paws to kiss it, "welcome back to Narnia." As he stood at the bottom edge of the plank, he could feel the wooden board bounce as another pair of feet followed behind Lucy. He raised his head and peered up to see a boy dressed more in the Narnian style approaching them. "And to you as well, King Edmund."
"Well met, good sir," Edmund greeted the Badger with a smile. He nodded at Doctor Cornelius before grinning at the stunned Dwarf that now stood beside him. "Hello, D.L.F."
"Barrels and buckets!" Trumpkin cried, the mention of that familiar nickname jolting him out of his astonishment. He allowed none to call him that except for the four humans he had been sent to find three years ago. And two of them were here now, including the one who first called him their Dear Little Friend. He bowed deeply to Lucy and Edmund, the ends of his coppery beard almost touching the ground. "Your Majesties, we are honored to see you return to Narnia. My humble duty to you both." As he raised his head up, the Dwarf turned to his own liege. "Well, that explains everything then. I do wish you had said whom you were returning with, Sire. It would have made things a lot simpler."
The sound of laughter prevented Caspian from making a response. "Oh, please don't blame Caspian." They turned to look at the young Queen who was still smiling brightly at all of them. "It was my idea, Trumpkin. I thought it'd be a nice surprise."
"All the same though, Queen Lucy, it would have saved me a lot of grief." To the monarchs' bewilderment, the Red Dwarf reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. As he handed it over to Trufflehunter, they could hear the sound of coins jingling inside. "I suppose you were right after all," he muttered to the Badger. "Fair is fair."
Caspian raised an eyebrow at this exchange among his close friends. "What's this about?"
A slight cough from the side drew the King's attention. "If I may, your Majesty," Doctor Cornelius began, waiting for Caspian's consent before continuing. At a nod from the golden-haired king, he began to explain. "After hearing of your requests, the good Badger and Dwarf ventured to guess the identities of your visitors," here he nodded at Lucy and Edmund. "They wagered to see if your Majesty would be returning with a bride."
Three pairs of human eyes looked toward Trumpkin and Trufflehunter. Edmund observed with some amusement that the Dwarf looked slightly redder than usual, though it was hard to be sure with his copper beard covering much of his face. The Badger looked a bit sheepish but didn't appear too bothered by the attention of the monarchs. If he hadn't known that Trufflehunter was quite modest by nature, the young King would have thought there was a slightly pleased expression on that furry face.
"I see," Caspian replied in a stern voice but they could see the corners of his mouth twitch upward. With the exchange that just occurred, he thought he could see who had guessed incorrectly.
"However," continued Cornelius, "the specific terms of the agreement was that King Caspian would be bringing home a Queen of Narnia. Naturally, we assumed the lady in question would be our future Queen," he paused to smile at Lucy, "though clearly Queen Lucy is not. Since we did not take particular note of this when the wager was decided, it would appear that Trufflehunter is the winner."
The three monarchs laughed at this explanation, with the Doctor joining in. He then bowed to Lucy and Edmund, having not officially greeted them until now. "The presence of your Majesties here is a pleasant and very welcoming surprise."
When they finished their greetings, Caspian motioned toward his advisors and formally introduced them to his guests. "Edmund, Lucy, you remember Dr. Cornelius and Trufflehunter of course?" The children smiled in response at the two Narnians the king had named. "Dr. Cornelius is my Lord Chancellor and Trufflehunter is our court historian and keeper of the Royal Archives. And I assume the others are up at the castle?" The question was directed at Trumpkin, who nodded.
"Aye, Sire. They are—"
"Can the rest of us get off this blasted boat now?" An aggravated voice interrupted the conversation. The group on the pier looked up towards the ship to see a young boy standing halfway down the gangplank. He stood there with his arms folded across his chest, glaring at them. And queued up directly behind him were Reepicheep and the rest of the ship's crew.
"Ah, sorry about that," Edmund apologized as he and Lucy quickly moved aside; so caught up in their conversation, they had forgotten where they were standing. Eustace practically flew down the plank and came to a stop beside Lucy as he stepped onto the pier. A few seconds later, Reepicheep joined them as well. The Mouse scurried down and planted himself next to Trumpkin, nodding briefly to him. Their eyes met as the Dwarf reciprocated the greeting.
The three councilors then looked at Eustace before glancing curiously at the kings and queen. It was Caspian who answered their unspoken questions.
"My Lords, their Majesties returned to Narnia and brought with them their kinsman." The king then turned to Eustace. "Eustace, these are my dear friends and members of my court."
Eustace had been looking around suspiciously at everything before him. As Caspian spoke his name, he turned his attention back to the king and then looked at the three strangers next to him. He eyed the trio warily, unsure of what to make of these creatures in front of him.
Trufflehunter stepped forward, undeterred by the boy's uncomfortable silence. "It is an honor to meet another member of their Majesties' family. Be welcome to Narnia, Master Eustace."
The younger boy was unable to make an answer; he was surprised to find the Badger spoke. Even though he knew Reepicheep was a Talking Animal, he had been in the Mouse's company for a full two weeks and had grown accustomed to his presence. Now that they were in Narnia, there seemed to be talking creatures everywhere. And not just men or animals, but other beings he had never seen or heard of before.
When Edmund noticed the lack of response from his cousin, he decided to speak up on Eustace's behalf before something impolite came out of the other boy's mouth. "You must forgive our cousin for his manners. This is the first time he's traveled outside of our other world and is not used to seeing animals speak," he said by way of explanation and with a smile on his face, "and has not known of other ah... learned races than humans."
The three lords nodded understandably; Eustace's reaction was not unlike those of the Telmarines whom they fought against during the second battle of Beruna.
Lucy decided to save her cousin from further embarrassment. "Goodness, let's not all stand here and leave the poor sailors waiting to get off. I'm sure they'd all like to get home to their families soon enough."
"You're right, Lucy," Caspian nodded his agreement. "Let's get inside. We have a lot to discuss. I'm sure you'll want to take a look around at the castle as well. Drinian," he addressed the ship's captain as the older man descended after the rest of the ship's company disembarked, "will you take care of things from here?"
"Aye, Sire." He bowed and then watched as the king led the group away from the quay.
It was a short distance between the harbor and the gates of Cair Paravel. The path that led up to the castle was lined with many Narnians standing on either side. There seemed to be an equal mix of humans and the older races that lived in Narnia. The sound of cheering traveled with the king as he walked by; at times, the noise grew louder as some of the bystanders recognized two of the children in the king's company. Many of the Old Narnians cheered for Queen Lucy and King Edmund, and the two Pevensies waved back and smiled at them.
The guards at the eastern gate stood at attention as Caspian and his party stepped through and into the courtyard. Once inside, they found a small group awaiting their arrival. Their leader, a tall man with dark hair and a pointed beard, stepped forward.
"Your Majesty," he bowed to Caspian, "welcome home."
"Thank you, Lord Octern. I trust all is well within the castle?"
"Of course, Sire. And I have taken care of the requests you had sent to Lord Trumpkin."
"Excellent."
As the king spoke to his chamberlain, Eustace stared at the other members of the group that accompanied the Telmarine lord. "What are those things?" he asked as he noted two of the unusual beings he had seen in the harbor were standing behind Lord Octern. They both appeared to be somewhat human in form, but were clearly not human. The woman had a greenish tone to her skin and she appeared almost translucent. Her movements were graceful and there seemed to be an airy nature about her. As for the other creature, he appeared to be half-man, half-goat. His face and chest were mostly that of a man but his skin had a reddish hue. Atop his head were small horns and from the waist down, his body was covered in fur. The creature walked on hooves instead of feet and as his back was facing Eustace, the boy could see a goat's tail hanging from the waist down.
"Oh, that lady is a dryad," Lucy replied, having heard his question, "and next to her is a faun."
Eustace felt his heart sink further into his chest. It was bad enough to have encountered talking animals and dwarfs, but now there were even more of these strange creatures he had never seen before in his life. He scowled, feeling even more resentful about being pulled into this strange world against his will.
"Perhaps your Majesties and Master Eustace would like to freshen up before we discuss the events that have been occurring," Trumpkin suggested as they waited for the king to finish his discussion with Lord Octern.
"A splendid idea, Trumpkin," Caspian agreed, hearing the Dwarf's words as he returned to them. "I feel I could do with a fresh change of clothes, and I'm sure the others could as well. Summon the generals and have them meet us in the War Room within the hour." The Dwarf bowed and took his leave. Caspian then nodded to Cornelius and Trufflehunter, indicating that they should leave as well.
"Sire," the king looked down as the Mouse addressed him, "if your Majesty has no need of me, then by your leave I shall seek out Peepiceek and relieve him of his temporary command."
"Of course, Reepicheep. Please give him my regards when you see him."
Reepicheep bowed to his king and then to Lucy and Edmund. "Your Majesties, for now I take my leave of you," he said. They watched as he turned and scurried down one of the corridors that branched off from the courtyard.
Caspian then gestured for the Telmarine lord to come forward. "Edmund, Lucy, Eustace. May I present my Lord Octern, chamberlain of Cair Paravel."
The older man bowed to the two boys and knelt before Lucy, kissing her hand. "Your Majesties, I have arranged your apartments to the best of my abilities and hope you will find them comfortable. Please do not hesitate to call for me should you require anything." He turned and nodded at the faun and dryad, who then stepped forward. "King Edmund, Master Eustace, Rinius will show you to your rooms. Queen Lucy, Samara will lead you to your quarters. I have asked them to attend to you for the duration of your stay."
"Thank you," Lucy replied on behalf of her brother and cousin.
The faun who would guide the boys to their rooms gestured for them to follow him. "This way, my lords."
"Right. See you in a bit, Lu, Caspian," Edmund said as he prepared to set off.
"Edmund, you and Lucy don't have to—"
"Come? Of course we're coming to the meeting. See you shortly." And with that, Edmund grabbed his cousin's arm and started down the hall, following a few steps behind Rinius.
The king shook his head as he turned to face Lucy. "But you are my guests. It was not my intention to involve you further in this problem."
The little Queen put her hand on Caspian's arm. "Don't forget Caspian, Narnia is our home too." She smiled and then took her leave of him as she walked alongside the dryad, speaking animatedly with the lady as they made their way to her rooms.
oOo
The castle was in a flurry as courtiers and servants ran around finishing preparations for the King's unexpected return. Both Narnians and Telmarines could be seen darting in and out of the various corridors of Cair Paravel as they hurried to complete the requests from both the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Regent.
As the staff rushed to and fro, completely occupied by their duties, no one noticed the figure that stood in the shadows of the courtyard. He had been watching the meeting between King Caspian and Lord Octern from a darkened corner, hidden by the trees that grew there.
After the various members of Caspian's party had dispersed and the king had walked away with Octern, he waited for several more minutes before carefully stepping out of the shadows. He slipped into the castle through a side door and then walked assuredly down a lone corridor. It was quieter in this wing as fewer servants could be seen here; earlier, he had overheard some of the castle staff discussing the many preparations still to be completed for the banquet that would take place that evening.
He stopped in front of a door and slid a key into the lock. With a quick twist of his wrist, a distinctive click could be heard and he pushed the door open. He stepped inside quickly and without turning around, put one hand on the knob and pushed the door closed, locking it once more.
The cool air inside the darkened room was a refreshing counter to the bright sunlight and heat outside the castle. He inhaled the musty scent of old tomes on the shelves that lined the walls of the study. But he hadn't come here in search of a book. Instead, he headed straight for the desk that sat along the left wall.
There was nothing remarkable on the desk; an old candle sat in one corner opposite an inkwell and a wooden box. Once the candle was lit, he felt beneath the surface of the desk until his fingers brushed a round handle that jutted out from the smooth paneling. He grabbed it and pulled; as the drawer slid out, a stack of blank parchment could be seen inside. He withdrew a sheet and placed it on the desk before removing a quill from the box in the corner. Without sitting down, he dipped the quill into the inkwell and proceeded to record what he had just seen in the courtyard.
The letter was shorter than he would have liked but time was of the essence; he knew that the others would begin to search for him if didn't make an appearance. As he waited for the ink to dry, he read it over to make sure it was legible in spite of his haste.
Satisfied that his message was clear, the letter was rolled up and sealed with melted wax from the candle. He did not dare emboss it with his seal for fear of it falling into the wrong hands. She would know it was from him once she opened it. He extinguished the candle and then walked toward the window. One hand reached out and tugged the curtain back, allowing a stream of light to pour into the room. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Flattening his body against the wall next to the window, he carefully peered out without being seen. Sure that no one was near enough to see or hear him, he whistled a long, low note.
All was silent until the sound of flapping broke the stillness in the air from above. In a matter of seconds, a raven swooped down from a nearby tree and landed quickly on the sill. It looked up at the lone figure that was half-hidden in the shadow of the room.
"Closer." As if it understood, the raven hopped across the sill toward the sound of the voice. The bird stood still as the sealed letter was tied to one of its legs.
"Carry this to my Lady as soon as you can. King Caspian has returned and he brought possible trouble with him."
The raven tilted its head and looked up at him, its eyes fixed on his face as if it was trying to gauge his words. He wondered if the bird could talk; in all of his encounters with it, the raven never spoke to him. Even without the gift of speech, he presumed it to be intelligent enough for it always returned with a message from its mistress.
A sudden movement distracted him from his private musings. The raven had turned away from him, wings spread apart as it prepared to take off. It turned its dark head and gave him one last look before it leapt off the sill and soared into the sky.
He watched the raven's flight for a few minutes as it flew toward the north. As he retreated from the window and made for the door, he thought it was perhaps time to implement a new plan.
Next: News from the Front — In which Lucy and Edmund discover remnants of the past, a king is briefed and advised, and plans are made.