The return to Anvard was peaceful and filled with quiet conversation. Emeth, who felt as though all his strength had quite left him, could only mutely follow Corin as they rode. The younger prince chose this time to ride next to his brother and sister-in-law, as Queen Lucy had moved closer to King Edmund and was speaking with him quietly, although about what Emeth could not hear.

The young tarkaan could, however, reflect on his actions, and wonder why he had reacted quite so readily to protect the crown prince. And more to the point, why one of his kinsmen had been aiming even remotely in the direction of the Archen noble. It could not have been intentional; killing one country's crown prince was not exactly the most diplomatic of actions, and Rabadash Tisroc (may he live forever) was not exactly the most open to war, for reasons Emeth was told he was not to know about until he was older, but which most people either found very funny or very embarrassing. Still, the entire affair left a sick feeling in Emeth's stomach, and he felt very nervous. Something – though he wasn't quite sure what – was amiss, and he was not entirely sure he wanted to find out what.

OoOoOoO

Upon arriving back at Anvard, the party dispersed quickly enough; most people headed off to bathe, hunts being sweaty, active events. King Edmund and Queen Lucy, however, took a different route, instead going to Anvard's northernmost gardens. They walked around as casually as they could, stopping every so often to admire the roses or other flowers.

"I'm worried, Ed," Lucy confided to her brother quietly, forgoing their usual formality. "It's not right."

"How do you mean, Lu?" Edmund asked in reply. He had learned that when Lucy thought something was wrong, then something was usually wrong.

"I was walking back to my rooms late last night, and I decided to try a different route to see if it was faster. This incidentally took me down the same hallway where the Calormenes are being quartered. I was walking past one of the doors when I heard raised voices. I couldn't quite make out what was being said, but I did catch something about the party, and someone not being sure if the plan was a good one. I know that one voice belonged to the ambassador, and I am fairly certain that the second was one of the tarkaans we've been discussing silk prices with."

"I'm not doubting you Lu, but are you sure this is cause for concern?" Edmund asked. He could tell quite plainly that his sister was nervous, but they had to be sure, or risk a diplomatic incident. Even if Rabadash Tisroc could not make war personally, there was always the chance he would send others to do so.

"That's the problem, Edmund!" Lucy whispered heatedly, sounding frustrated. "I can't be sure, and so I can't do anything, but this entire situation just feels wrong. I can't explain it, but I just feel certain that these Calormenes are up to something. Take today; I didn't see it happen, but I am inclined to believe that our young tarkaan would not have acted unless he had felt that Cor was truly in danger."

"I as well, Lu," Edmund replied, sounding thoughtful.

"Then what do we do, Edmund?" Lucy asked. Her brother fell silent for a moment, his brow furrowed.

"Nothing, for the moment. We can't act without risk of offending the Calormenes and ruining what relations we do have with them. So, we watch, and we wait, we stay prepared, and we trust that Aslan will provide." Lucy sighed, but nodded.

"Alright, Edmund. If that's what you think is best." Lucy sounded resigned, but Edmund snorted.

"I know it's not preferable, Lu, but it's all we can do. Keep alert though."

"I will, and I know we need to trust Aslan, but I feel uncomfortable anyway. Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel filthy and in desperate need of a bath." She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. "And no offense, but you stink."

"You wound me, sister!" Edmund exclaimed, holding his hand to his chest. The two Narnian sovereigns laughed and headed off to their rooms.

OoOoOoO

While Edmund and Lucy had been having their conference, Emeth had quickly cleaned himself up before heading back out to roam around Anvard. Servants were in a flurry of preparation for the anniversary party the next day, which made it surprisingly easy for Emeth to go unnoticed wherever he went. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, or if he was really looking for anything at all; he only knew that something was amiss with his kinsman.

After several hours had passed of very little happening, Emeth was hungry enough to venture down to the kitchens for a snack, which he practically inhaled, to the amusement of the head cook. While there, he was intercepted by Corin and dragged off to go talk to some of the Narnians, citing that Emeth needed to broaden his cultural horizons, or something along those lines. The centaur Baelfire in particular interested Emeth, with his deep voice and huge stature.

"You have quick reflexes, young lord," the centaur observed. Emeth could only nod and stammer his thanks. The centaur appeared to be taking Emeth's measure, and nodded to himself before returning to polishing his massive two-handed sword. Feeling his knees knocking, Emeth went to Corin's side. The younger prince was chatting quite amiably with a faun and the hound Emeth recognized as the Talking Dogs' pack leader, Reeve.

"I see you've become acquainted with Baelfire," the faun remarked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"You might say that," was Emeth's reply. His knees felt weak, and deep down, he knew it was because he rather wanted to impress these creatures that were so different from anything he'd ever known.

"Ah, don't fear, young lord," the faun said kindly. "Baelfire's intimidating, but if he complimented you, that means he likes you. 'Sides, you should see one of his kinsman, General Oreius. Now there's a centaur you definitely don't want to mess with. Name's Sergeant Ernes, by the way."

"Emeth," the Calormene boy replied.

"Oh aye, we know," the hound, Reeve, chortled. Or, what Emeth assumed passed for a Dog's chortle. "Baelfire's not the only northerner who's fond of you." Without a reply to that, Emeth just went along with it as the conversation changed to battle strategies.

When it was almost supper, Emeth excused himself to go change, as he and the rest of the ambassadorial party would be dining with the Archen and Narnian nobles. He was poised outside the ambassador's door to knock when he heard something that stopped him cold.

"Poison is the way to go," he heard the ambassador say dismissively.

"But my lord, either way we will be suspect," another voice replied. Emeth thought he recognized it as belonging to one of the merchant lords. "Would it not be better to make it appear to be more of an accident?"

"Well, you saw how well that last attempt went," Rishtan said scathingly. "If only that idiot boy had kept his ground. He's grown far too close to these barbarians. Next thing we know, he'll be just like that traitor bitch warming the prince's bed."

"Keep your voice down!" the other lord hissed. "Do you want someone to hear?"

"Yes yes," Rishtan said. "Now, you will do as I order and poison the boar. By Tash's eye, we will kill at least a few of these barbarians. Ensure that all of our party knows not to consume it."

"Even Ashri?" the other one asked, sounding put out. The ambassador seemed to be thinking, as he did not reply for a moment.

"It might draw some of the suspicion away from us," he said slowly. "Yes. I've changed my mind. Tell only those whom you know are truly dedicated to our cause. This way we can eliminate multiple parties at once. And when your own cousin is found dead, along with the son of the venerable Kidrash Tarkaan and several others, well, who would dare suspect us in our profound and visible grief?"

"By the eye of Tash, it will be done," the other lord swore. Frozen where he was, Emeth did not realize that the door was opening until he was looking into the rapidly angering faces of Ambassador Rishtan and Ilsometh Tarkaan. The door closed again, although this time with Emeth on the other side, back pressed against the door and a dagger pressed against his pulse.

"Well, it looks as though things just became a little more complicated," Rishtan said dryly.

A.N. My first real cliff-hanger! We are definitely getting into the main action, so there shouldn't be too many more chapters. Stay tuned for the next one, which I'll hopefully finish and write soon!