PREVIOUSLY IN SHARDS...

The tiger's mouth fell open as wide as his eyes. "Are you barmy?! You're talking about killing him where everyone can see us!"

Juma nodded. "That's the point."

The tiger's mouth flapped mindlessly as it gulped for words. "But if the objective is to stay covert—"

"That's not the objective, Sharaad. Not for me, anyway."

And without warning, a flicker of comprehension lit up the tiger's eyes. "My God," he muttered. "You're going to kill him yourself..."

The leopard nodded solemnly. "The whole of Narnia will be looking for his killer. And I can't ask anyone else to do this."

"But why?" said the tiger. "You've rebuilt our army. You've risked your life for us. You've turned against your friends, and you're using them for our operation. Why would you die for this? What do you have to gain?"

The leopard drew in a weighty breath, and with a majestic look on his face, he loped onto a rock and stood proudly over the crowd. "Narnia for Narnians...now and forever."

With his face going cold and solemn, Sharaad sighed and nodded his shaggy head. "Narnia for Narnians...now and forever."

AND NOW, ON WITH TODAY'S EPISODE OF SHARDS...

Prompt #4: If actions speak louder than words, why is the pen mightier than the sword?

† A Death Knell †

TWO DAYS EARLIER...

To His Most Excellent, Esteemed, Wise, and Honourable Lord Peridan of Archenland:

Please receive our royal greetings on behalf of the Men and Beasts of Taresh Kazan. We have learned from our dear friends in the Western Wild of some wonderful news: By the will and glory of the mighty Lion Aslan, and for the blessing of all Talking Beasts of the Northern Lands, Your Lordship has been chosen as King of Narnia. In light of such a well deserved (and no doubt a long overdue promotion), we wish to extend some long delayed apologies to your people and give you our most obsequious and heartfelt fealty.

In the last year, various attacks were leveled against Narnia and the North by the most dishonourable Duke Kastamar and his ignoble battalions. The Duke promised husbands to your Queens and wives to your Kings as a gesture of allegiance and respect, but he concealed his true intentions and plotted the demise of the North. Once the marriages were consummated, he would have pressed your leaders for the wealth of the Lone Islands and a seat in Cair Paravel. With such a foothold in Narnia, a conquest was only a matter of time.

The Duke and his army operated at the behest of King Mareza Kai and his most despicable Queen Tamara. They have consumed tens of thousands of Men and Beasts throughout the Far North, and Narnia was merely the next meal. But, as with the Duke, Aslan has put them and their families to rights, paying them in full for the crimes they committed against his solemn mane. Now, I have risen to the throne of Taresh Kazan, along with a command to make peace with Narnia and be partners in freedom.

Unfortunately, the poisonous influence of our late nobles has lingered in the lands beyond our borders. The enemies of the Far North wish to conquer and subdue, not only us but Narnia and Archenland. To demonstrate our allegiance, we request nothing but a chance to greet you at your coronation. There will be no alliance, no treaty, no papers to sign, just myself and my royal family, along with our deepest respect and admiration for His Lordship and Majesty.

Yours sincerely,
King Lazar, Emperor of Taresh Kazan

P.S.: Like you, I am a youth. I am close enough to feel like a man but too far away to be a man. By all accounts, you have shown wisdom and discretion beyond your years; I only hope I can imitate your example.

Lord Peridan laid the letter on the silver tray and leaned back in the sofa, and the study fell quiet and grim. "The King will be there, Juma, so let us not quarrel."

"My Lord, don't you see what's happening?" said the leopard. "These people are telling you what you want to hear. They fooled the Kings and Queens with undue praise, and now they're fooling you."

"Are you insinuating that I'm being flattered?"

"I'm not insinuating it, Your Lordship, I'm saying it. Yes, you fought a battle against Rabadash, but you weren't the hero. Yes, you've advised King Lune, but you and he were already in agreement. And yes, Aslan has chosen you to lead Narnia, but not because of what you've done."

"Then why are these people giving me their praise? Because they've been pawns in a chess match, soldiers sent to slaughter. They don't know what a good King is like, and now that a good King is on the throne—"

"A King who has been on the throne for a mere month. My Lord, I implore you: Don't let these people into Narnia. Meet them on neutral ground."

"Juma, I can't do that. It would show them I don't trust them."

The leopard sighed and fell back onto his haunches. "My Lord, I don't understand you. You lend your ear to liars and murderers, but you won't listen to me."

"Why should I? You've lost my respect and your credibility. If your last letter was anything to go by, I shouldn't have to heed what you say."

The leopard muttered a rueful curse under his breath as Peridan picked up the second letter from the silver tray.

Dear Lord Peridan:

In your latest letter, you made it abundantly clear that you will do what is best for Narnia and not for me. Well, I apologize for wasting your time, seeing as how you have no interest in either.

Yours sincerely,
Juma

Peridan laid the letter on the tray and pointed a finger at Juma's face. "That was an insult and a disgrace."

"Yes, My Lord, I'm sorry…"

"I summoned you here, did I not?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Have I not heard your complaints?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"And as the future King of Narnia, am I not a servant to my conscience?"

"You are a servant to Aslan," said the leopard. "He is the one giving you your crown. He is the one whose word is law. He is the one who bade the first King and Queen of Narnia to be just and merciful and brave."

"You don't heed Aslan anymore, so don't pretend otherwise. And for what it's worth, I will be all that and more. But a King must also make allies, and if allies extend the hand of friendship, I can only extend mine in return whether you like it or not. Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to work. I assume you can see yourself out."

A tense silence fell over the study as a look of murder fell over the leopard's face, and he rose up onto all fours and started to turn away. "Indeed, the pen is mightier than the sword," he muttered, "especially when it's being wielded against a boy of lofty ambitions and meager spine. Well, if I may say so, you can consider my apology rescinded: Everything I wrote in that letter stands."

All Peridan said was, "Don't say anything else you might regret." And he kept his gaze on the book in his hands, making it clear the conversation was over.