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Chapter 1, Part 3: First Come, First Served

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Lucy brightened immediately, and accepted her brother's proffered arm. With an almost choreographed ease, Lucy curtseyed while Edmund simultaneously bowed to the Lion. He nodded his great golden head in return, then watched them as they strolled to Caspian's base and the last stronghold of Old Narnia…

Still as statues, Edmund and Lucy stood twenty paces before the entry to Aslan's How. They could see the forms of the sentries at the mouth of the tunnels, and further, they could see a figure taller than the trees – a shape they recognized as that of a giant.

Memories of their former giant friends flittered through both their minds as they gazed on before they shook the recollections from their thoughts.

Edmund glanced at his sister with a cautious eye. "How shall we proceed, Lucy?"

Patting his arm with her free hand, she reasoned, "We must let them know we are friends… But how to do so?"

"Never fear, sister mine," Edmund replied, his speech slipping into the habits formed during their reign in Narnia. Cupping his free hand around his mouth, he called out to the sentries, "Hail, Narnians! Hail Caspian, King of Narnia! We have come to your aid!"

Lucy grinned at the flurry of movement that resulted from her brother's words. "Very subtle, Edmund…" she laughed, giving his arm a fond squeeze. His mouth quirked upwards in reply, though he pretended to be oblivious to her meaning.

Still, Lucy and Edmund made no motion to move further towards the Narnian war camp; they had heralded their arrival already and now waited for a response. The king and queen knew well that it would foolish to stroll into an encampment to which they were strangers – especially during war-time. Needless to say, few would be welcoming…

The minutes passed dully by, but the king and queen refused to sit. Edmund, his grown-self coming back to him in a steady stream of memories and personality quirks, felt it would make a terrible impression if he lolled, waiting on the ground of the field. Lucy, also affected by her adult persona, refused to give her shaking limbs a rest because she felt that it was a solemn occasion.

Trumpkin had said that Caspian X had blown Susan's horn in an attempt to draw the four Pevensies – and Aslan – back into Narnia. The Dwarf, though an unbeliever, had expected to find grown warriors… Would not Caspian presume the same?

A flutter of nervousness sprouted in Lucy's belly. As their arms were still locked together (as any polite, well-bred lady and gentleman would), Edmund could feel the Lucy gradually tighten her grip on his arm. He glanced at his sister with mild concern, but Queen Lucy kept her eyes trained on the figures about Aslan's How. Just then, he noticed a small group of people approaching them across the field: five by Edmund's count. Yet, as they came nearer, he was forced to reevaluate his assessment, for there was a smaller figure among the rest.

Soon, the six stood a few paces before them, just as grave and silent as the two siblings. Now that they were face to face, Lucy could see that the figure in the center was a boy, though perhaps it would be better to say 'youth' – he appeared about sixteen years old, a mere four years older than her. His expression was bewildered but hopeful, and overall, he appeared quite handsome with his tussled brown hair and dark eyes. Lucy was momentarily struck with remembrances of her days as queen…

Though Susan had suitors by the score, Lucy had her own smaller quantity of would-be lovers and husbands. Her admirers, though less in number, were more loyal and persistent in their suit. All had qualities to recommend them: some were dashing and chivalrous, others gentle and studious… Edmund once remarked that while Susan charmed all kinds of men, Lucy attracted the decent fellows.

Yet, Lucy had treated her wooers as friends. Often, the whole group of them would be seen sauntering around the grounds or halls of Cair Paravel. They would go hunting or fishing… practice sword fighting and archery… play chess and swim in the ocean and go dancing… And if she became very close with one of her friends, Lucy would sometimes invite him to one of her late-night woodland revelries. Only rarely would she let one of her beaus join her on her nights of merry-making among the fauns and dryads…

Once more, Lucy drew herself from her musings… and pulled her concentrated gaze away from the youth in order to peer at his companions.

On the young man's right, there was a Badger with a steady, gentle face and an old man – no, a Dwarf, a half-Dwarf, Lucy decided. To the youth's left, a wise centaur treaded and a Mouse with a rapier tucked in his belt trotted to keep up. Behind those five, a Black Dwarf trailed in their wake, clearly reluctant and out of temper.

Imperceptibly pressing Lucy's arm as a reminder for her to attend herself, Edmund straightened further as he prepared to speak. "You are Caspian?" he queried, addressing the youth.

The brown-haired young man nodded slowly. "I am," he replied. His voice had a genteel lilt that nearly drew an eyebrow-raise from Edmund (strange to think that he had talked like that when he was king…) and the rich timbre of it sent a quiver through Lucy's body. Though hardly noticeable to the others, Edmund felt the soft shiver by arm, and though mystified, he kept silent on that matter.

With both groups still sizing each other up, Caspian spoke again. "But who are you?" he wondered. "I have never before seen anyone so strangely garbed…"

Edmund spared a quick glance down at his and Lucy's attire. Caspian was right; they looked downright silly. They wore their British clothing… with Dwarf-made chain mail and leather-wrought armor on top. In addition to this, he bore a sword at his hip, a bow and quiver of arrows on his back, and a knife tucked into his belt. Lucy looked even odder; she had her healing cordial hanging at her side from its polished leather strap and her knife from Father Christmas hidden in the back of her belt.

"I'm afraid we are not dressed quite as ourselves…" King Edmund explained with a wry grin.

"Who cares what you're dressed like!" the Black Dwarf groused, pushing the Badger and half-Dwarf aside to stand before the siblings. "We want to know who you are and why you're here!"

"Nikabrik!" some of the others rebuked.

Edmund's visage hardened and straightened beneath Nikabrik's dark glare. With his mouth a grim line of sternness, the fourteen-year-old king remarked, "Easily answered, Son of Earth." Looking to Lucy for approval to reveal themselves, he was rewarded with a soft nod and a reassuring smile – an action and reaction that did not go unnoticed by Caspian.

His hard expression weakening into an air of calm dignity, he "I am King Edmund the Just, Duke of Lantern Waste and Count of the Western March, Knight of the Noble Order of the Table, and brother to the High King Peter, High King over all Kings in Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands and Lord of Cair Paravel, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion…"

Amidst all the wide-eyed looks of awe from Edmund's audience, Nikabrik muttered, "That's a mouthful..."

King Edmund then turned to his sister with a smile and a fond clasping of her hand with his own free one. "And this is Queen Lucy the Valiant, the gay and golden-haired Daughter of Eve who found the way into Narnia. The very same who met the Faun Tumnus beneath the lamp-post at Lantern Waste and who witnessed the death and resurrection of Aslan at the Stone Table." With a proud, brotherly smile to his company and an affectionate nudge to his sister, he added, "And it she who espied Aslan but a few hours previous, by which we were led here."

"Aslan!" Caspian breathed, awed.

Edmund glanced around the assembly, saying, "Perhaps we could continue the rest of the introductions out of the open…"

"A most excellent suggestion, your Majesties," the Mouse said with a bow to Edmund then another towards Caspian.

Lucy beamed at the Mouse, blithely saying, "If time permits, I should like to know you better, Sir Mouse." The gathering stared at her in fascination and astonishment. While they had all heard stories of the four siblings, Lucy had been little mentioned in comparison to the others – especially Susan, whose beauty and marksmanship was widely acclaimed. Thus, her voice had caught them all by surprise; with the air of Narnia working upon her, she felt like her old self again, and her voice had come out melodious and merry… Suddenly, they all could imagine what she would sound and look like all grown, and again, they were overcome with awe.

The Mouse was the first to recover, saying with a low bow, "My name is Reepicheep, your Majesty, and it would be an honor and a pleasure, Lady, to know you."

Lucy smiled at him with a satisfied nod, then turned to her brother with a question in her eyes. Edmund inclined his head in answer. Looking towards the other youth, he said, "Shall we, your Majesty?" and made a sweeping gesture for him to lead the way into the encampment.

The whole group strode steadily towards the mouth of Aslan's How, with Caspian glancing back occasionally to peer at two of his childhood heroes.