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Chapter 3, Part 1: Two's Company, Three's a Crowd

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Tearing off towards Aslan's How, Lucy clutched some of the fabric of her dress's skirt in her hands so as to give her legs greater freedom of movement. Breathing hard as she reached the entrance to the tunnels, the queen greeted the two sentinel badgers, asking, "How long has it been since Trumpkin, Caspian, and the High King came through here?"

"About half-an-hour to an hour, your Majesty," one of them replied with a bow. Meanwhile, the other badger set about lighting a torch that rested just inside the tunnel's mouth. Handing it to the queen, he bowed. Smiling and thanking them, Lucy crept inside the How.

Still mostly unsure of her way in the maze of burrowing tunnels, Lucy concluded that the one place she did know how to get to would probably be the most likely place for the prince and her brothers to be located: the room of the Stone Table.

Moving through the tunnels, Lucy grazed her fingers lightly over the etchings on the walls. Using them as land-marks, she turned left at the Battle of Beruna and took the central tunnel at Tumnus-near-the-lampost. In this manner, the silver queen beheld the door to the room she was looking for. Politely, she rapped out a musical, tapping, knock against the wood, then swung the door open some.

Her appearance was met with the sight of three slain corpses: Nikabrik the Black Dwarf, a half-transformed Wer-Wolf, and the hideous form of a hag.

Lucy gulped at the sight and the stench. Clearly there had been some treachery here… The queen's ire rose up within her. How dare they betray Narnia thus, and before the Stone Table no less! The queen shook her head to shake the images of the bodies from her mind, but how could she? She could not even stop staring at them! They were a horrid sight, indeed, but it should not be such an unfamiliar vision – she had, after all, fought in wars and battles and skirmishes in the Golden Age… Perhaps it was because in this visit to Narnia, Lucy had been expecting better of the Old Narnians.

Was she so naïve that she had forgotten the existence of Fell creatures? How could she have blindly overlooked in-fighting or treachery or ill-tempers? It was her duty to look after Caspian… had she failed? Could she have warned him that something like this might happen? Had Caspian or her brothers been wounded?

Tears pricked at her eyes. Forcing them not to fall, Lucy shut the door and turned around to face the hall, only to be met with a group of Narnians come to bear the bodies away.

"Your Majesty?" a Faun asked, concerned after her wellbeing.

Acknowledging the Narnians with a nod, she pressed the Faun's hand, silently thanking him for his worry. Pulling herself together, Queen Lucy asked, "Where are my brothers and King Caspian?"

"I can take you to them, my queen," the Faun offered.

Assenting, Lucy strode in his wake through the tunnel. As she did so, the queen examined the Faun before her. He looked familiar to her… something about his dark curly hair and his friendly face reminded her of someone.

"What is your name?" the Valiant Queen asked him, curious.

Turning to her with a grin, the Faun replied, "Tumnus, my lady."

Blue eyes wide, Lucy echoed, "Tumnus?"

Laughing a little, Tumnus said, "Yes. Tumnus, after an ancestor of mine."

Beaming, the twelve-year-old girl slipped her arm through the Faun's. Laughing at the awe-struck expression on his face, Lucy related, "Tumnus was the first person I met in Narnia. He saved me from the White Witch's clutches, and he was always a most faithful friend, loyal subject, and wise advisor. His figure even appears on these walls… My siblings and I owe him much."

Gaping slightly, Tumnus pressed her hand, trying to convey his emotions; he was in awe, grateful, honored, and he hardly knew what else. "I don't know what to say, your Majesty."

"Then say nothing, Tumnus," Lucy teased, laughing lightly. Her expression turning more earnest, she said, "But just know that I would like to know you better during my stay here." Interpreting the nearly panicked look on his face, the queen added, "I don't mean to intimidate or force my company upon you, and I have no intention of using you to replace my friend. I mean to make new friends, but you look quite a bit like the Tumnus I knew, and it is enormously comforting to see a familiar face."

Breaking out into a relieved and friendly grin, Tumnus commented, "I understand – I just didn't want you to get your hopes up thinking that I would be exactly like my ancestor…" Lucy nodded in understanding.

Pulling them to a stop before a wooden door, Tumnus said, "They should be within, Queen Lucy." Thanking him for bringing her, she gave his hands a fond squeeze before turning the knob of the door before her.

This time, the door revealed what she had hoped to encounter: the D.L.F, Trufflehunter, Cornelius, Caspian, and her brothers – all of whom glanced up from their meal of cold bear-meat, a lump of hard cheese, an onion, and a mug of water. They all appeared surprised to see her.

Turning to reassure the Faun that he could leave her, Lucy lightly called, "They're here, Tumnus… Thank you again for showing me the way."

Thus, the Faun left the doorway with a bow, while Edmund and Peter glanced at each other, echoing, "Tumnus?" to each other in confusion. Lucy dismissed their bewilderment, remarking, "Yes, his name is Tumnus – after his ancestor."

"Our Tumnus?" Edmund sought to clarify. Lucy nodded to him in reply. The Just King shook his head, grinning in amazement. "Well, isn't that something… looked just like him too."

"Enough of that," Lucy said, cutting off further observations or musings. Turning the topic, she worriedly asked, "Is anyone hurt? …I – I saw the bodies."

Peter glanced up sharply. Quietly, he remarked, "You shouldn't have seen that, Lu."

The Valiant Queen's eyes grew hard and stubborn. "They were hardly the first corpses I've seen, Peter. I'm fine. What I'm wondering is if all of you are…"

Edmund stood, resting one hand on his brother's shoulder and slipping his other arm around his sister's waist. Squeezing Peter's shoulder, the Count of the Western March reminded, "Lucy has been on countless campaigns with us, brother. It may be nice to shelter her, but it's hardly practical – and a little too late for that, I think. Besides, we cannot have her un-see the bodies, now can we?"

Caspian could tell that this was a familiar argument for them. In fact, it all seemed so well worn-in that it was startlingly amusing for onlookers. While the prince disliked the idea of Lucy placing herself in harm's way or of witnessing gory acts… he couldn't help admiring her for her experience on the battle field.

Meanwhile, the High King grunted in reluctant agreement. His younger brother grinned a little at his response before turning to Lucy.

Kissing his little sister's temple, Edmund remarked, "We are all fine, Lucy. Not a scratch on us, as you can see. Now, while we finish supping, why don't you tell us how things were for you and Susan? I would offer you something to eat, but it looks as though you've eaten." So saying, he took out a handkerchief, dipped it in his water mug, then dabbed at the sticky raiment of her meal around her mouth and on her fingers.

In this manner, Caspian's notice was drawn to the queen's laughing lips and her soft, slender digits during Edmund's careful operation of cleanliness. Somehow, the prince felt as though he should say something to the girl. A compliment perhaps… for the wise-beyond-her-years twelve-year-old looked striking; her fair hair was tousled, her light eyes sparkled with life and humor, her russet hunting-gown set off the ivory of her skin, and the lamplight seemed to illuminate her from within, making her appear as a living embodiment of flame…

"Well," Lucy began, sitting down between Edmund and Caspian, "to speak plainly, Aslan roared – as you may have heard. In this manner, he woke the trees…"

"The blinkin' trees are what?" Trumpkin interrupted.

Rolling her eyes slightly, she repeated, "They're awake. Anyways… after that there was a sort of romp – or was it a dance? It was a bit like a children's game; everyone was running about chasing everyone else… Then Bacchus, his madcap girls, and Silenus came to join in."

"Bacchus?" Doctor Cornelius wondered, intellectual curiosity alight in his eyes.

Lucy smiled. "Yes, Bacchus…" Thinking carefully as to how to describe him, the queen mused, "He was very pretty…" Caspian's jaw tensed. "but frighteningly wild – not the sort of person you want to meet all on your own." The prince was at ease again… only utterly confused as to his reactions; he felt like pounding his forehead against the table. By the Lion's Mane! What was wrong with him!

"…then the next thing I know, we're all lying about on the ground digesting our meal. It was then that Aslan sent me here," Lucy concluded.

"Do you know why?" Peter wondered. "I mean, last time – at the Battle of Beruna – you and Susan were off with Aslan while we fought the Witch's army…"

The Valiant Queen laughed aloud at his phrasing. "It's not like we were larking about! We were a bit busy getting more troops!" Edmund smiled at his sister, glad that she could joke about that day; it was a strenuous time for all of them – Lucy and Susan saw Aslan die, Peter was responsible for an entire army, and Edmund had to face the Witch (and was fatally wounded thereby).

"Besides," Lucy cheekily remarked, "I am needed here. But don't you worry, if Miraz does agree to single combat, I shan't be fighting… I'll get to exercise the fine art of standing about looking pretty."

"That's a laugh!" Edmund exclaimed, chuckling at her joke. "I bet you anything you'll be sifting through the armory before the day is out in search of a sword to stick in Miraz if anything goes awry!"

The silver queen mock-pouted, "Well… besides that."

The group around the table chuckled at the girl's antics. Peter, proud of his sister's fighting ability (despite his disinclination to having her put it to use), began sharing a story about when he was teaching his youngest sister to use a sword… Again, the table erupted into laughter.

Edmund, leaning in with a smile to whisper in his sister's ear, affirmed, "Aslan sent you to lift our spirits, didn't he?"

Lucy gazed up at her brother with a smile and a nod – adding, "Among other things."

The Just King quirked his eyebrow, mouthing, "Caspian?"

The Valiant Queen rolled her eyes at the suggestion behind his expression. Edmund was hinting that she liked him… Well, Caspian was placed in her care by Aslan himself! Of course she likes him! How could she not like the youth that she was helping to instate as king of her beloved Narnia? That does not necessarily mean that she cares for him… though she does. Why is she even musing over this right now? Argh! Sometimes brothers could be a real bother!

Forcibly pulling herself from the befuddlement of her thoughts, Lucy was met with her table-mates preparing themselves to get down to business.

"Have you pen and ink, Master Doctor?" the High King asked.

"A scholar is never without them, your Majesty," Cornelius answered, promptly pulling out the items to be put to use.

"Very well," Peter smiled, "I will dictate." The High King leant back in his seat with half-closed eyes, recalling the language he had used in Narnia's Golden Age – all while the Doctor spread out the parchment and opened his ink-horn and sharpened his pen. "Right," Peter said at last, certain that the phrases and titles were all back in his thoughts. "And now, if you are ready, Doctor?"

Dipping his pen into the ink, Cornelius waited for Peter to begin. The dictation read:

Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election, by prescription, and by conquest, High King over all the Kings in Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands and Lord of Cair Paravel, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion, to Miraz, Son of Caspian the Eighth, sometime Lord Protector of Narnia and now styling himself King of Narnia, Greeting.

For to prevent the effusion of blood, and for the avoiding all other inconveniences likely to grow from the wars now levied in our realm of Narnia, it is our pleasure to adventure our royal person on behalf of our trusty and well-beloved Caspian in clean wager of battle to prove upon your Lordship's body that the said Caspian is lawful King under us in Narnia both by our gift and by the laws of the Telmarines, and your Lordship twice guilty of treachery both in withholding the dominion of Narnia from the said Caspian and in the most abhominable, bloody, and unnatural murder of your kindly lord and brother King Caspian Ninth of that name. Wherefore we most heartily provoke, challenge, and defy your Lordship to the said combat and monomachy, and have sent these letters by the hand of our well beloved and royal brother Edmund, sometime King under us in Narnia, Duke of Lantern Wastee and Count of the Western March, Knight of the Noble Order of the Table, to whom we have given full power of determining with your Lordship all the conditions of the said battle. Given at our lodging in Aslan's How this XII day of the month of Greenroof in the first year of Caspian Tenth of Narnia.

"That ought to do," Peter said, drawing in a deep breath of satisfaction.

"Indeed," Lucy teased, "you nearly turned purple towards the end of it…"

Sparing his sister an amused glance, the High King continued. "And now we must send two others with King Edmund. I think the Giant ought to be one."

"He's—he's not very clever, you know," Caspian warned.

"Of course not," Peter replied, matter-of-fact. "But any giant looks impressive if only he will keep quiet. And it will cheer him up. But who for the other?"

"Upon my word," said Trumpkin with a grin, "if you want someone who can kill with looks, Reepicheep would be the best."

"He would indeed, from all I hear," said Peter with a laugh. "If only he wasn't so small. They wouldn't even see him till he was close!"

"Send Glenstorm, Sire," Trufflehunter suggested. "No one ever laughed at a Centaur."

The High King nodded his assent, and the group around the table stood and separated, all intent on preparing their emissaries to visit Miraz's encampment. Left behind in the small room was Lucy and Caspian.

Gazing after two of his childhood heroes, Caspian turned to the queen, observing, "…That was quick."

The silver queen smiled. "Yes, that's Peter for you. He's excellent in these sorts of situations; a problem that he can see a way out of is no difficulty – he ploughs straight through it, just as you saw. Edmund, on the other hand, is better served in a political tangle. He's the sort that can pick apart all the layers and intricacies of a web of difficulties – sometimes he even enjoys it. I can't imagine why…"

Raking his fingers through his hair, Caspian confessed, "I'm not sure how either of your brothers manage… To be honest, I feel pretty useless most of the time."

Lucy leaned against the youth, resting her head against his shoulder. "Everyone does…"

"You?" the prince asked, puzzled.

With a wry chuckle, the queen replied, "Especially me. Not only am I a girl, I'm also a queen, and the youngest in my family. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get people to take me seriously and let me be useful – especially with two protective older brothers who just happen to be kings…?"

Caspian conceded her point. As a girl, as a queen, as the littlest, she must have been thwarted on all sides when it came to proving herself… So many people have reasons to protect her, and not all of them stemmed from her gender, status, or age. There was just some sort of aura about the girl… Lucy held so much love and warmth and courage that it seemed to bleed out into those around her – imbuing them with her strength and kindness… Who would willingly lose her?

"But you," Lucy continued, unaware of the prince's contemplation, "have an advantage over us, you know… You were born a prince – destined to be a king. On our world, my family is middle class at best and dull and normal at least – or we were until Narnia."

Caspian smiled ruefully at her. "That's the trouble, though, isn't it? I was born a Telmarine prince – destined to be a Telmarine king. I'm trying to learn what it is to be Narnian, but I have no idea what's expected of me – let alone how to overcome all of the things I was taught as a boy…"

Realization flashed through the girl's eyes. It made so much sense now; Caspian had so much to live up to and no means of achieving such a feat… He was lost in a sea of expectations without anyone providing him with comfort, assurances, or even advice…

Smiling softly at the youth, Lucy wrapped her arms around Caspian's waist, embracing him as she explained, "That's what I'm here for."

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Wowza! Two in one week! Don't you guys feel special? – I know I do.

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