Hiya! :) Do you know how to create a dwarf name? Make up a word and add 'nik' onto the end of it. For real. Okay, so you know how Narnia is supposed to be a Christian allegory (though not according to C.S. Lewis, but whatever)? Well, this is where things may get a little controversial. It's not an allegory, per se, but there are some things in this chapter and in future chapters that can be taken either way, as a little Christian poke or just as a plot device. I don't care which you read it as. It's not important. Let me know what you think of it!

Disclaimer: Seriously? By this point, do I need to put this on here anymore? I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! (Not even my husbands, Edmund and Eugene. Because owning people is slavery and slavery is wrong.) :( Oh, and the sentence (or two? I can't remember) that Lucy repeats over and over again is Psalm 56:11. :) Enjoy and please review!

P.S. - Pictures of the characters are on my profile! :)

Chapter XII – The Nightmare Continues

The hospital wing was filled with injured Narnians, some more harmed than others. Susan immediately went around and visited each and every Narnian; Edmund stood in shock; Peter asked around if anyone knew where Queen Lucy's cordial was. Rapunzel immediately went to Mr. Tumnus, as he was the first Narnian that she met. He was covered in blood and was breathing shallowly. Rapunzel hoped that he wasn't in much pain and was thankful that he was unconscious. She immediately gathered her hair, which was still unbraided and trailing the floor, and pressed it to one of his wounds, not caring that the blood was getting in her hair.

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine; make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine; heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design; save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine…what once was mine," she sang quietly. Her hair glowed a bright, glittery yellow and began to heal his wounds. She sensed people staring and felt their eyes on her back, but she didn't move to look at them. Tumnus began to breathe more deeply and not as painfully. Rapunzel smiled and moved to the next Narnian, repeating the process.

Peter walked to Susan and Edmund. "It's almost like Lucy's cordial, except she has the power in herself, in her hair. How is that possible?"

"She said it had something to do with a drop of sunlight falling in dark times and growing a flower," Edmund whispered. "Her, uh, well not Mother, but…Uh, Gothel, I guess…she used the flower to remain young for centuries, but then the pregnant Queen of Corona was sick and was about to die. Everyone in Corona searched far and wide for the flower, and they found it on the edge of a cliff. They took the flower and healed the Queen with it. Even though both the King and Queen of Corona have brown hair, the princess was born with blonde. And we all know what happened from then. Rapunzel said that Eugene told her all this, but she didn't understand it until later."

"Do you think…?" Peter asked, trailing off because he got distracted.

"It's possible," Edmund said, understanding.

"What?" Susan asked.

"The fire-flower juice comes from the fire-flowers that grow on the mountains of the sun," Peter explained. "Or, at least, that's what Father Christmas told Lucy. Remember? It's very possible that they're the same type of flower. Except Lucy doesn't have to sing to make her cordial work."

Susan agreed. "That makes perfect sense."

The three Pevensies watched their friend go around, healing the Narnians one by one. There was only one who she was unable to heal: a satyr. Rapunzel had wept because he was unable to be saved, and Susan had comforted her, gently telling her that she needed to move on because there were others who needed help, too.

"She's going to be helpful on the battlefield," Peter said to Edmund, as Susan was still with Rapunzel.

"No," Edmund said. "She can't go to the battlefield. She's not strong enough."

"Try telling her that," Susan said, walking up. "While I agree with you, Ed, I know that Rapunzel will never agree. She'll fight for what she believes in. I can sense it. And it's very true that she will be helpful. She can go around and heal people with Lucy. It'll be done a lot faster."

"If we can find Lu," Edmund said bitterly.

"Don't speak like that!" Susan was outraged that her brother would even suggest such a thing. "We'll find her. We have to," she added, more to herself than to her brothers.

Lucy awoke in a dark place. It was cold, empty, and damp. She felt as if she were rocking back and forth, almost like a ship. Lucy figured that's where she must be. On a ship to an unknown destination. Who had kidnapped her?

She instinctively felt for her dagger. It wasn't there. Her kidnappers must have taken it from her! She heard a scuffle across the floor to her left. "Who's there?" she asked bravely. Her bravery was a lie. While Lucy had fought battles and confronted evil things and seen Aslan be killed by the White Witch, she had not known fear like this. It was almost as if these people were feeding it to her. "Who's there?" she repeated.

"Shut up!" a strangely accented voice said. It seemed familiar to Lucy, but she didn't know from where. Why was her mind so foggy?

She felt as if a cool breeze had come over her. She shivered and felt more afraid than before. Lucy wondered if they were forcing fear upon her. She closed her eyes and said to herself, "In Aslan I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

"What did you say?" the voice asked.

Louder, Lucy repeated, "In Aslan I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

"What?" a second voice asked.

Lucy bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. She shouted, "In Aslan I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

"Shut up!" the voices cried in unison. "Do you want us to kill you?" one continued.

"You won't kill me," Lucy said, warmth coming over her. "You need me for something. Am I right? You need me so you can take over Narnia. Well, it won't work!" Lucy felt a presence beside her, but it didn't feel human. She opened her eyes and looked. There was nothing there, but the presence remained. It felt warm and safe. Lucy felt the same feeling in her heart. "Aslan," she whispered. As the men remained silent, Lucy continued, "Aslan, please protect me!"

"Your majesty, there is someone here who wants to see you," a friendly dwarf said. "He says that he is from the land of Telmar."

"Must I see him now, Darinnik?" Susan whined, not wanting to leave her dress fittings. "Ooh!" she exclaimed as she was poked by a pin.

"Sorry, Queen Susan," the beautiful dryad said.

"I'm afraid that he seems impatient, your majesty," the dwarf said.

"Very well," Susan sighed. "Please inform him that I should be down in about fifteen minutes." The dwarf nodded, bowed, and left, allowing Susan to be alone with the dryad. "I really don't want to meet with this Telmarine. He's probably just another ambassador from Telmar looking for a new Queen for their Prince or King." Susan and the dryad laughed. "But I suppose I should meet him. After all, I must be diplomatic and hospitable, not to mention Gentle. But maybe I'll be a little fierce. I don't really long to get married right now, especially to someone I've never met." The women laughed again. The dryad pulled the lavender dress off of Susan, and the Gentle Queen pulled her periwinkle gown back over her head.

Sighing, Susan quickly fixed her hair in a mirror and ran out the door, pausing briefly in the hall to adjust her sandals. They weren't exactly Queen-like, but she was only given short notice for this meeting. Susan walked calmly through the halls of Cair Paravel, wanting to seem confident and collected, even though, on the inside, she was going mad. Lucy had been missing for four days, and there was no sign of her or her kidnappers.

Queen Susan the Gentle walked into the throne room, where there was a tall man waiting with his back to her. He was staring at the thrones. Upon hearing her soft footsteps, the man turned. Susan gasped in surprise. She had expected an old man. This Telmarine was not old at all. Rather, he seemed to be about her age, if only a few years older. He had tan skin like a Calormene and was very muscular (or at least his arms were, Susan noticed). He had chin-length brown hair, a little facial hair, and deep brown eyes. The man was wearing leather armor with a sword by his side. It was a curved sword, like the scimitars that Calormenes used, but it didn't look Calormene. Not that Susan could tell, anyway. After all, hadn't he said that he was from Telmar? He wasn't from Calormen.

"Your majesty," he said, bowing slightly.

Susan placed a gentle and graceful smile upon her face as she offered him her hand. "I am Queen Susan the Gentle," she said as he kissed her hand.

"And I am Prince Khalil Egemen from Telmar."

"Oh!" Susan gasped. "I didn't realize that you were the Telmarine prince!"

"Didn't expect the prince to come, did you?" he laughed.

"I can honestly say that I expected an ambassador or group of diplomats. Not the prince himself. How can Narnia help you?"

"My ship was in the area and we decided to stop by and say hello." Susan could tell that the man wasn't telling the complete truth. She didn't expect to get the entire story from him today, if ever. However, Peter and Edmund could be quite coercive…

"Well, you are welcome to stay at Cair Paravel as long as you need," she said to the man. He is very handsome, she thought to herself. "Should I send for my brothers?"

"By all means," he said, watching her carefully. "But, correct me if I am mistaken, aren't there four kings and queens of Narnia? Maybe I misunderstood…"

"No, no, you didn't," Susan corrected, controlling her emotions carefully. "I have a younger sister, Queen Lucy, but she is, um, unable to meet you right now. She isn't in Cair Paravel for the time being." No need to alarm the foreigners that one of the Queens had gone missing. Susan stepped out a side door and called over a faun who happened to be passing. "Would you mind fetching King Peter and King Edmund? The prince of Telmar is here and requests an audience with them. Thank you."

The faun left and Susan went back into the throne room. "If it would be easier to meet with them later—" Prince Khalil began, but was interrupted by Susan.

"Oh, no, whatever they're doing is most likely unimportant," said Susan. She felt her 'flirty mode', as Edmund so nicely called it, coming on. "So, how old are you Prince Khalil?"

"I'm twenty-one, destined to take the throne within the year, most likely. I have two younger brothers and a younger sister. Our father, the King of Telmar, is ill and will most likely not recover."

"I'm so sorry," Susan said.

"Don't be. We never really got along," Prince Khalil said. "And your age is…?"

"Twenty," Susan said. "King Peter is twenty-one, Edmund eighteen, and Lucy sixteen. Now, Prince Khalil—"

"Just Khalil," the prince interrupted. "You can leave off the title. I've never had a particular fondness for it."

"Alright," Queen Susan said. "Then I am just Susan."

The two smiled at each other as Peter and Edmund walked in wearing full armor. "Su!" Peter exclaimed. "We were in the middle of practice—oh! Hello," Peter said to Prince Khalil. "I am High King Peter."

"The Magnificent," Khalil filled in. "And you are King Edmund the Just."

"How did you—" Edmund asked.

"Rumors travel far and wide," the prince supplied. "I am Prince Khalil Egemen of Telmar. My ship was sailing by, and we stopped to get supplies and introduce ourselves."

"Telmar is far, no?" Peter asked.

"Yes, but we are sea-faring people and don't say no to a challenge. I thoroughly enjoy traveling and seeking out new places."

"Interesting," said Peter. "You will join us for supper, won't you?"

"If I am welcome," the Prince said, smiling.

"Of course you are," Edmund and Susan said at the same time. The two looked at each other.

"Well, King Edmund and I need to get back to practice and I think Queen Susan needs to finish some business," (Susan and Peter glared at each other) "so I suppose we'll see you at supper. Seven o'clock in the dining hall. Anyone can show you the way."

Peter and Edmund left the throne room, with Susan on their heels. Before she left, she smiled at Khalil, who returned the gesture. That was too easy, Khalil said to himself.

Rapunzel sat in her bedroom, staring at the wall. She felt that Lucy's kidnapping and Eugene's disappearance were entirely her fault, even though she knew that they weren't. Lucy mightn't have been kidnapped if Rapunzel had gone with her, as they had discussed so many times. And Eugene…well, Rapunzel should have tried harder to force Peter to let him go free, or at least let her and Susan decide his fate! They probably would have been fairer. Community service or a few days in prison or something! But banishment was just awful. It was almost as if Peter was punishing Rapunzel, too. She couldn't live, couldn't breathe without Eugene at her side, especially after seeing him again. The vision of her love, chained and weary, filled her eyes with tears. She couldn't stand to see him like that.

Rapunzel was tired of crying. She felt like all she ever did was cry. It was hardly fair to everybody else at Cair Paravel when all she did was cry. Rapunzel was an emotional wreck. Ever since she left her tower, she hadn't been able to do anything without getting emotional. It was all Gothel's fault. Where was the old hag anyway? The lost princess couldn't help but feel that her 'Mother' had been missing for quite some time now. Where was she?

Honestly, Rapunzel didn't care. She had seen enough of Gothel to last her a lifetime. The only reason she may have even slightly cared was so that Gothel couldn't harm her friends. But Rapunzel was sick and tired of worrying about Gothel. She was sick and tired of crying, too.

The blonde vowed to stop crying so much. Surely everyone else was getting tired of it, too. Rapunzel longed to be with Eugene. Those two days with him had been the best days ever, and even though they ended roughly, she wished that she could relive them over and over again, just so she could be really happy again. There were just so many problems in Narnia! First the attacks, and now Lucy… Rapunzel wondered if Gothel might be behind the kidnapping. As payback for Rapunzel's disappearance, hold one of the Queens hostage and demand her daughter's return. Was Gothel even alive anymore? How long could she live without Rapunzel's hair? Rapunzel couldn't remember the woman being physically old, but she did sing to her every day for eighteen years. How much of Rapunzel's power was stored in Gothel's aged body? Maybe it would run out soon and Gothel would die without any hassle. But if it didn't…Rapunzel didn't know what to do.

Susan went to the treasure chamber to try and locate Lucy's gifts from Father Christmas. She had a feeling that she needed to protect them. The Gentle Queen could only hope that Aslan was giving her this feeling and she wasn't being paranoid. As Susan walked down the dark stairs, she immediately sensed that something was off. She entered the brightly-lantern lit treasure chamber and looked around, but she saw nothing different than when she had last been down here. She cautiously approached Lucy's chest and stood before it.

The Gentle Queen had always wondered why Lucy kept her cordial and dagger down here. She knew that Lucy wanted to protect her gifts, but it would be much safer and more convenient to keep them in her room.

"I don't really need them unless someone gets hurt or we go into battle," Lucy had explained at one point. "I don't want to lose them, so I keep them in the treasure chamber. Plus, people would expect me to keep them in my room, and that'd be the first place they looked if they were looking for my dagger and cordial."

Susan had dropped the matter, but couldn't help the sense of foreboding as her fingers stretched toward the chest and slid under the lid. She pulled the chest up and stared at its contents. There was Lucy's battle garb, among other things, but nothing else. Hoping that her sister's gifts were hidden, Susan dug through the chest. The dagger and cordial were nowhere to be found. Panicking, Susan closed the lid of the chest and searched the area around it.

Behind her, Susan heard a stair squeak. Pretending she hadn't heard it and sensing danger, Susan slowly grabbed a dagger from Lucy's chest (she always had one or two extra). Holding it firmly in her hand, Susan stood gradually. Another step. Susan closed her eyes and said a quick prayer to Aslan that her brothers might come down at this moment. Knowing that the possibility of help coming was highly unlikely, Susan backed up from the chest and turned around.

There was no one on the stairs. They had escaped.

Susan swore under her breath and raced across the chamber. She dashed gracefully up the stairs, two at a time, and into the throne room above. Empty. Alarm bells were ringing in Susan's head. Unfortunately, the sky was getting darker and darker as the sun set, so she wasn't able to see anything very well at all. The Gentle Queen spun around in her tracks, and looked out at the open air balcony on the other end of the throne room. Was it her imagination, or was a darkly clothed figure slipping over the edge of the balcony? The Queen hoped that it was the former, but knew in her soul that it was the latter.

She sprinted over to the balcony, and the figure slipped over the edge. In one hand was a lengthy rope, and in the other was Lucy's cordial. The figure reached the bottom of the rope, which dumped him—her?—at the edge of a small shelf overlooking the ocean. Susan grasped for the rope, but it was yanked out of her fingers and down the cliff. Why did it have to be so dark? Her eyes reached for any sign of the thief, but she was no owl or cat. She couldn't see in the darkness. The thief was gone.

As Susan roamed aimlessly to try and find someone who might know where the thief went, part of her wondered if it was Flynn Rider. Surely not. He had gone on a ship to Galma, and word had arrived that he made it to the island. There was no way he could have doubled back to Narnia. There was no time since he arrived in Galma, and people would have seen him come back!

Susan's mind was racing as she walked through Cair Paravel. First Lucy disappeared and now her cordial? It was as if someone was deliberately trying to weaken the Narnian forces, which, of course, they were. Susan felt as if this enemy was just messing with the Narnians, just teasing them. It was as if they were trying to wear the Narnians out before they did something major. The Gentle Queen had no idea what they would do to Narnia. She only knew that they had to find out who the enemy was before they could do anything else. This was probably the longest they had ever been in a conflict without knowing who the enemy was. And Susan didn't like it.