Disclaimer: abracadabra cadoo!—Nope, still not mine.
Beta'd by trustingHim17, for which I am very grateful.


There's a package sitting outside Rilian's door when he opens it the next morning. He's hungry and distracted, so it's only when he's ripping off the brown paper that he realises it may not be a smart thing to do, with enemies about. However, one of the two (somewhat heavy) items inside slips through the rip he made, and Rilian finds himself staring at a shoe.

Not a shoe for himself, though. It's far too small; sturdy, but made to look delicate, like a woman's—Rilian shakes his head and thinks he's not gotten enough sleep, if he's forgotten the pair of shoes he ordered for Ileana.

Or perhaps he just marked it mentally as done and therefore forgot about it.

But now he has them in his hand, and he can picture Ileana's smile when he gives them to her—suddenly the morning is worth hurrying.

He remembers, vaguely, his father wrapping gifts for his mother, and so Rilian looks around his room. The large bed, the several sets of drawers—he could put the shoes in one of his tunics? He pulls out a forest-green one and tries to wrap his gift inside the chest, but the shoes slip through the short sleeves. He throws the tunic on top of the dresser and pulls out a blue long sleeved one. Blue would be much more appropriate. But when he ties the long sleeves around the neck hole, it does not look pretty. He throws the blue garment on top of the green one and looks around the room again.

He could go look for an actual velvet bag, but Ileana might be in the corridors, and he wants this wrapped. He wants to watch her unwrap it, and see the surprise and joy on her face when she realises what's inside. Hiding them behind his back just won't be the same.

There's just his dressers, his wardrobe—and he's not wrapping these in a long ceremonial robe, she'll drop them before they're fully unrolled—his bed, and his shoe chest. Rilian glances at the bed, and realises the pillows are covered by a light blue cloth case. Perfect! Pulling the pillow out, he places both shoes inside, and twists the top into a deft knot. Now his gift is wrapped. He collects his guard and heads for her room.

The halls of Cair Paravel are quiet; quieter than they should be. Rilian passes a pair of Squirrels on a tapestry, and hears them conferring about patrols, through the Cair and otherwise. There's fear, he realises as he hears, and there's the actual hunts for the villains—he will need to walk around and encourage his people. Even if Drinian and Etmun are focusing on the hunt, he is still the King, and his people may be frightened.

Perhaps Ileana will help him.

He knocks on her door, barely audible over the laughter, and hears Peri call, "Come in!"

She's prettier than any sunrise. She's wearing blue again, perfectly shaded to match her eyes, and her bare feet twist as she slowly spins in the morning sunlight. She's laughing. Seeing the bag in his hand she stops, skirts rippling before falling to the floor.

"What is that?"

"A gift for the lady of the sea." Her smile is curious; she holds out one hand as she walks forward. He surrenders his gift with a bow.

Long fingers loosening the knot, she asks, "What led to the giving of this gift?"

"I wanted to remind you that everything evil takes away, Aslan eventually restores."

The knot comes undone and she holds it up higher, peering inside—and goes utterly still.

"I tried to make them the same as they were," Rilian offers, a little uneasy. He wishes suddenly, intensely, that it was just the two of them, not her guards, his guards, and Peri. But Kings don't often get that, and he just hopes he did the right thing.

"Thank you," she whispers. Rilian springs forward to catch the bag—and her hands. Their trembling shakes his own grip. "Thank you," she whispers again, looking at him. "I thought—I'm losing so much, so quickly. I didn't think—you gave some of it back."

"Should I help you put them on?" he asks, hoping to stem the pearls that he can see beginning to gather as water in her eyes.

"Yes. Yes. Please."

He leads her to the nearby chair and seats her, kneeling before her and sliding the shoes out of the bag, onto her feet. He's careful, gentle, because he doesn't know how accustomed her feet are to this yet; if this changed after having a tail for days. After he slides the second shoe on, he looks up.

There's that smile.

The moment is ruined a mere second later by Peri's squeal, but it's almost worth it as Ileana's mouth flickers upward and she shares her amusement with him. Peri, he knows they're both thinking.

"Shall we go to breakfast?"

"If it pleases the King, yes. Though I would be glad of your arm."

Rilian can feel the frown furrowing his eyebrows. "Are you not better?"

Her hesitation makes him even more worried. "Please leave. Guards, wait outside the door." He catches Peri's worried look out of the corner of his eye, but he knows this has to be him, not her other friends. You might get her to tell when no one else can.

"Well?"

"I feel my own weakness increasing." Her smile is brave but small, forced, as she looks down. She catches a glimpse of her shoes and her smile becomes more real. "Have I told you how much I love your ability to restore hope?" she adds softly.

He will not let her change the subject. "Ileana, please. Tell me how to save you." She shakes her head, still staring at her shoes. He takes a step closer. "My father told me a legend. He heard it from the kings and queens from the other world." Head coming up, she gave him her full attention. "My father mentioned the story when he first met my mother." Another step closer. "He asked her something." She's easily within reach; he can see the individual hairs stirred by her breath. "He asked her if he could wake three sleepers by kissing the princess, for so the tale was told." Her eyes open very wide; he could almost drown in them. Her cheeks blush red. "Is that how I save you?" For he has no other ideas.

"No. No, no, that's—I would not object," she says with a smile that is there and gone, a flash like lightning. The blush still colours her face. "But that isn't how I can be given to the land."

"Then tell me how."

"I—am not the only one who has to make a choice, has to s—" She blinks and shakes her head, stepping back. "Stop. Please, Rilian, I can't—I swore not to tell."

He catches both her arms, holds her close. "Then who can release you from that oath? Or what choice?" She shakes her head. "Please. Ileana, I don't want to lose you."

She begins to twist, and he realises he's holding her too tight. Instantly dropping her arms, he takes his own step back. She backs away from him, into a ship's barrel sitting by the wall. Her tears, he thinks as his stomach twists. They're both breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry," he offers, his voice low.

"So am I," she whispers back. "I didn't think it would be this complicated. I didn't know you were a king. I didn't know there'd be a Galman pirate. I thought—I thought I could make my choice, and I'd have thirty days, just with you. I thought that would have been enough to tell whether or not I had hope."

A slight knock sounds on the door; their guard, quietly checking in. "We're coming," Rilian says, not looking away from Ileana. Hesitantly, he offers her his arm. He wouldn't blame her for refusing it, not after what he had just done, but she bites her lip and takes it. "I will not do that again," Rilian promises, though the words are harsh and strained. "I just—I want to keep you alive."

The smile she offers is real, but he can see the pain in it. "I thank you for that desire, King."

"Rilian." He puts his hand over hers. "Call me Rilian."

"Rilian," she says, and the smile loses much of its pain. "Let's go to breakfast."

Peri is gone, but Drinian sits near two empty chairs, eating a heaping pile of eggs and talking with Fourlegs the Horse who stands across from him. "Bad news," he says calmly, and Rilian rolls his eyes. He seats Ileana before pulling out his own chair near his friend.

"What now?"

"The Tisroc (may his fat stomach be a joke that never dies) has seen fit to send us another Ambassador."

"He what? Aslan's mane, was the last one not enough?"

"It gets worse."

"I am not looking with pleasure on the worse," Ileana sighs, picking at her food. Rilian adds another roll to her plate; she seems to like those.

"The Tisroc's Ambassador—who is a Calormene this time, I could swear—apparently arrived demanding a ransom for his lost predecessor."

Rilian drops his fork. "Tell me you're not serious," he demands after a moment.

"I heard it from the guards." Rilian buries his head in his hands, and feels Ileana's gentle, hesitant touch on his shoulder.

"We don't have to pay them the demand, right? Fourlegs—yes, thank you, sorry to ask with your mouth full—tell me we don't have to pay this kingdom of thieves anything."

"Well, Your Majesty, the treatise gets around to that, yes it does. For it states that any harm that comes to an ambassador on foreign ground must be compensated by a ransom worth that of a king. So one might say we have to pay it."

Rilian lets his head slump further down, nearly touching the table. "Can we get around it?"

"I see no way around it, no, not since Narnia insisted on such wording. One would guess we wanted our own ambassadors safe, and since we insisted on it being added, I doubt there's any avoiding it. Unless you find a way to cheat. One that doesn't bother your conscience."

"I'll try and think of one," Drinian mutters. "Why is he our responsibility, anyway? He left."

"Because we insisted the safety of any Ambassador was the responsibility of the kingdom hosting, so the Tisroc couldn't just make them disappear and claim ignorance.

"What about the harm he did? That doesn't let us out at all?" Rilian asks.

"The treatise also states such punishments shall be decided by the law and court of the Ambassador's own country. I guess someone with sense realised we didn't want the Tisroc putting punishments on Narnians. And the ransom had to be high or he would just hurt the Ambassadors and pay the fine. Sensible, of course but it comes back to bite us now. It's hard to kick a predator and not do damage to one's own leg."

There's a snort from Rilian's left; Drinian is trying to be amused. "So we owe a king's ransom. For someone who kidnapped the King's friends. Someone we'd gladly return, if we could find him."

"I think so, if we want to abide by our own word. The law—"

"Hush," Drinian orders. Fourlegs returns to his own breakfast; Rilian can hear him chewing oats.

"A king's ransom," Rilian mutters. "When we just commissioned a small fleet of ships. The treasury has emergency funds, but not a full King's ransom."

"We've got the historical armour."

"I am not giving our history to Calormen, even if it is encrusted with jewels. Maybe they'll accept shipments of trees. The Western Wood could use a little thinning out."

"There are my pearls," Ileana interjects, and both Rilian and Drinian twist to look at her. She glances first at Rilian, then Drinian. "I am not fully familiar with how much they are worth, but there are many. "

"The barrel from the cave." Drinian sounds stunned. "Lion's mane, we've got a King's ransom."

"Will it be enough?"

"Lady of the sea, it's more than enough." Rilian glances away; somehow it's hard to look at her while he asks this. "But are you sure? Those—"

"They were wrung from my pain, and my fears. It would be good to see them changed into Narnia's protection." Glancing up and down the table, she leans closer to whisper, "There is another reason I offer this. Their demand is not just. Merfolk tears, if not freely given—if demanded—have a way of returning to the water, should they pass over the sea or river." She sits back. "I do not think this Tisroc will receive his king's ransom."

"Good." The utter satisfaction in Drinian's voice matches the steel in Ileana's eyes, and Rilian nods.

"If you are sure."

"I am sure," she promises.

"Right. Then, Fourlegs—did they bring this to you? Are you negotiating this?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Someone thought Lord Drinian should rest."

"I'm fine."

"As you are negotiating," Rilian says, cutting off Drinian's further protests, "when shall we deliver the pearls?"

"Well, this is only my opinion, of course, and we all know I'm not a king, now, for I'm not very kingly. But I do have an opinion and perhaps I should voice it." Rilian stays silent, for sometimes the best way to encourage Fourlegs to get to the point was to just let him speak. "In my opinion, we should deliver the pearls, of course, and keep our word, but we should not let him have the ransom right away." The Horse tosses his mane and bobs his head. "Though that may be my own opinion only."

"Not right away?" Rilian asks slowly. "Of course…"

"Of course," Drinian echoes but there's a bit of a diabolical grin about his tone. "We wouldn't want the Tisroc to think we had a King's ransom just sitting around, now, would we?"

"How long do you think we should deliberate?" Ileana asks, light laughter rippling in her voice.

"A week, I think, yes, a week, seven good days to deliberate…and if he grows impatient, why, then, he can come and talk to me. I've long been told that's an exercise in patience."

The three laugh with the Horse, but RIlian notices that Ileana's does not last long. She looks at her hands. "Where would you like the pearls?" she asks softly.

"Where they are should be fine for now, if no one has discovered them, I doubt anyone will. That's just common sense, Lady Mermaid."

Ileana shakes her head at the Horse. "I will not be here in a week," she says, and suddenly Rilian and Drinian are not laughing either.

"You will be here or in the sea," Rilian begins to promise, but Drinian's hand on his wrist stops him.

"You cannot confuse your hopes and your promises. It weakens a man's word, when he promises what he may not accomplish." Mouth open, angry words already forming—Rilian stops them. Desperation seldom speaks truth; his counsellor speaks better. Drinian's words were gentle, and the hand around his wrist is gentle too, not a cage but a comfort.

"I feel I am missing something," says the dry voice of the Horse, "but I also feel it is my business to be missing it, and I will not ask. Perhaps we should put the pearls in the treasury, and leave them there till asked for."

"And I will give Rilian all I add in the meantime."

"May they be few," Rilian adds, and that, at least, is a promise he wants to make, that her tears will be few. But mindful of the warning he just received, he does not promise that. "Do you need any help with the new Ambassador, Fourlegs?"

"No, Your Majesty, I can't say I do. No, I don't think so. And I think Your Majesty should be busy about something else, though that's just another opinion of mine. Just a little Horse sense for you."

"And what would that be, good cousin?"

"Reassuring your people, to be sure. Kidnappings and broken things and who knows what else; no, I think your people could do with seeing Aslan's King acting Aslan's way, that they could. And it would be a poor advisor who didn't tell you so."

"He's right," says Drinian. "You and the lady both should go make the rounds of the Cair today. And the village if you can."

"I suppose," Rilian says slowly. He is a little tired from his late night, but it is good sense.

"I would be glad to see more of the land." Ileana touches him on the shoulder again. "Could you enjoy yourself with a day such as that?"

"I suppose, if you are with me, lady." And Rilian could; he does enjoy the presence of the Narnians. His strength will just have to be enough for a few late nights without easy days.

Then again, if his tiredness slows him down to a better pace for Ileana, perhaps it's Aslan's mercy after all.

"Yes, I will make it a point to enjoy myself." He pats Ileana's hand. "We should both finish breakfast first.

The tour starts in the kitchens, the two checking first on the cooks who'd smashed their own dishes. They go from there to the various parts of Cair that are usually inhabited: tea rooms, terraces, the stables, the garden, and even find Peri doing laundry. They make it to the library as well, and find Guhen under his own table, his head tucked under his wing, sleeping.

"Poor thing," Ileana coos, crouching to look at him. "Something must be keeping him up at night."

"Yes," is all Rilian says in response, and steers her away from the sleeping Owl. She's been leaning on his arm all morning as they walk. "Shall we try the armoury next?"

The six soldiers in the armoury snap to attention when Rilian opens the door, and the King gestures to the trailing guards to remain outside before turning back to those within. "At ease, please." Ileana begins greeting each guard by name, starting on the left side of the room; Rilian begins on the right, with a familiar Dwarf.

"The Captain will be sorry. He was hoping you'd stop by."

"Oh?" Rilian asks, also in a quiet voice.

"Said it had something to do with the kids we chased, a few days back."

Jarmu and Piram, and their group, Rilian realises. They helped save Ileana, but haven't seen or heard her since.

"I'll go find the Captain. If I don't run into him today, send the lads a message, an invitation, even, would you?"

"Aye, sir."

After greeting the other five—and hearing at least two more hint that Etmun would like to see the King, if he has the time—Rilian collects Ileana, information on the likely whereabouts of the Captain, and heads for the dungeons.

He has no idea what the Captain is doing in such a place, but the soldier has proven himself capable enough that Rilian is curious rather than worried. Ileana draws a little closer to him as the hallways become torchlit and stone, but she says nothing.

"All right, lady of the sea?"

"I do not know if I am weaker, or if another trouble menaces my senses, but something here feels dangerous."

Rilian pauses. "Should I go retrieve my sword?"

"Since I do not know if this is truly evil, perhaps not. I am just glad for our guard."

As they pass, Rilian makes sure to look into crannies and corners, but sees and hears nothing.

Nothing, that is, until Captain Etmun's voice begins sounding a furious lecture from up ahead. "I said I would handle it. If you cannot trust your superiors, you will not last long in the guard!"

"I never said I wanted to be the guard!" Jarmu's voice shoots back.

"Your cousin does."

"He didn't have to follow me!"

"It is a poor man or beast who does not value the loyalty he is accorded. If you cannot see what is truly of worth, you have no business even being near the lady or his Majesty." By now the voices are loud, for Rilian and Ileana moved faster. They turn the corner just in time to see Captain Etmun slam a cell door with two familiar figures inside, Jarmu standing by the bars and Piram sitting on the cot, head down. "You will stay here the night. I will inform your parents, both of your safety and your trespassing. And if you will not accept my help, then I will no longer offer it!"

Jarmu has no eyes for the Captain, for he sees the others and he has eyes only for the woman on Rilian's arm. "Ileana?"

Captain Etmun turns just as Jarmu launches himself at the bars. "You're all right!" the boy exclaims.

"I am well. You do not look to be the same." She glances at the bars and steps a little closer. "What have you done now?"

"They weren't letting us see you."

"So you decided to enter Cair Paravel on your own?"

"We were doing fine!"

"You were not doing fine," Etmun cuts in, his voice still dry. "I had two guards following you from the moment you slipped in with the laundry."

Rilian moves to his side and asks, quietly, "They weren't allowed in?"

"Your Majesty, I—" The Captain hesitates, and Rilian raises an eyebrow. "I'm not the most unbiased person for this. I don't get on well with the officer over the gate, and I think he should have let the lads in, or at least sent a message to you and the lady. But I also knew that you both were meant to be resting, so I told them to wait a bit." He shakes his head. "They didn't."

"I think your punishment appropriate," Rilian agrees in a much louder voice. "We'll leave them in the cell for tonight."

"It was worth it." Jarmu crosses his arms. "We just wanted to make sure she was all right. And the Lord Drinian." He pushes his head against the bars, craning to see further down the hallway. "He's not with you?"

"He has his own tasks to attend to."

Ileana takes another step forward. "Jarmu, there are times when you must trust law and authority. I would have come to visit you this afternoon. And your parents would not be worried, nor would there be shame attached to you, if you had but waited."

"I don't trust authority. Or law."

"I do," Piram offers wearily. "And you trust the people who make them, and who have the authority. I told you we should have waited."

Jarmu glances back, and for once he hesitates. Piram sits leaning against the wall, his eyes still staring down at the floor. It's obvious this is eating at him, that he's worried and ashamed. Jarmu shuts his mouth.

"Jarmu, if you become an explorer, it is imperative that people believe and trust you, so that when you return they will listen to what you have seen and learned, and not scoff at it. You know this. I told you. Remember, the tale of my first time exploring the caves?"

"Your sister wouldn't believe it existed when you were both chased by something that wanted to eat you." Jarmu's voice is a little sullen, and he turns away. Walking to the back of the cell, he turns and paces to the front again.

"If you are not trustworthy, your word will not be believed. And what you have seen and learned will die with you."

Jarmu sinks down to the floor; Piram looks up enough to look at him. "You can just admit you were worried, you know."

"I wasn't."

"And I assume you're not worried about the Lord Drinian, either?" Rilian asks, grinning as Jarmu's head jerks around; Piram looks up too.

"I owe him. He's saved me a couple times."

"Well, in that case, perhaps I should invite him to lunch with us. How do you feel to a lunch down here, lady of the sea?"

"With the Lord Drinian?" she asks, and he can see she's teasing the boys, for she turns her face away and only smiles at him, while she keeps her tone thoughtful and considering. "It seems rather cold down here…"

"You can borrow my jacket!" Jarmu offers eagerly.

"And mine as well. Please stay, lady." Piram gets off the bed, though his cheeks still look flushed red.

"Well, in that case, I would be glad to accept."

Rilian sends one of the guards off for enough lunch for them all, and to ask Drinian to join them. Offering lunch to the Captain as well, the King is surprised when Etmun politely declines. There's a lead to chase down, he explains, a bit of food and a blanket missing from a house a day's easy journey away. He passes Rilian the key to the cell, a little doubtfully. Rilian promises not to let the boys out till tomorrow.

Squeezing five guards, Ileana, Rilian, and the two boys into the cell makes everyone warm; lunch is brought shortly after. Rilian puts slices of meat on everyone's plate while Ileana heaps them with her favourite vegetable; the guards must have told the cooks who this was for. When Drinian arrives, the plates are already half-empty, but there's a full one on the bed for him. In between bits of food, Drinian harangues the boys, lectures that make Rilian smile. He heard them often as a boy. Jarmu listens with a sullen look, Piram with studious attention. They leave the boys warm and full,

The rest of the afternoon is spent at the village and the homes of nearby Narnians, though Rilian makes sure they ride in a cart between stops. Ileana protests she's learned to ride rather well during the time she's had, and she does not seem too tired. Still, Rilian does not want to chance it. They order a quiet supper, just them and their guards on one of the walls. It's easy, after the full day, to sit and watch the sun setting over the sea, quiet gold in the sky above and empty plates beside them. Peri comes after they finish, wrapping Ileana in a blanket and huddling in her own right next to her friend. No one feels the need to speak as the sky darkens; one by one the stars begin to come out. The stillness deepens as they watch the great dance begin. It feels like peace, Rilian thinks, but it is peace with an undercurrent of fear. Ileana has a week.

When the Mermaid finally heads to her room, Rilian slips off to the library and asks Guhen to look into the actions of everyone around the Mermaids at the time, to see what choices they made, to see if there was a welcome ceremony, a home built for the Mermaids, or anything like that. Guhen promises, and Rilian betakes himself to the boat.

He rows all night, and twice, to his surprise, he catches glimpses of scaled tails a good distance from the boat. Both times he pulls the oars with all his might, but when he arrives the water is calm; the Merfolk are gone.

He goes home when the moon goes down, and he's surprised to find himself crying.