Chapter 16- a DIRE situation
A while later, some medically trained Harpies, Tuvok and a female Cherub had carried the sickly and unwell High King Peter to the medical department of the castle. His three siblings looked on in UTMOST dismay and a flood of tears, especially Queen Lucy. When they arrived in the Kings' bedroom and found their older brother in that state, they had been splashed over with a MASSIVE rogue wave of UTMOST horror. This horror's magnitude was as high as Peter, Susan and Lucy's previous rogue wave of horror had been when their brother Edmund went off to the White Witch's castle. A number of others who had also gathered, alerted by the commotion, among them Voltasu who had gifted the cake to the Four Monarchs, also had horror wash over them. Now that same crowd was gathered around their High King and watching him under the examination of a team of medics led by a male Harpy. While the Bird-Humanoids examined the High King, Kushanku placed the incomplete circle of the cake onto a nearby table to a Cherub as she prepared to take it away. Some of the other creatures, among them Squea'tagnan who was still undergoing training, and Tumnus (who had returned from the memorial site-in-construction), Guinan, Rattus and his adopted Lightning Pika brother Mjölnir (who was armed with his war hammer tied to a belt on his hip) walked in, their eyes on the cake and its sparkly beauty and appearance. Alestomeria shot the group a warning glare.
"Do NOT lay even a SINGLE finger or paw on that cake, you lot," she commanded, "Or even your own mouth to take even the TINIEST nibble."
The group obeyed but Squea'tagnan shot the Kitsune Vixen a "Why?" look. Alestomeria, together with her husband Hagrid and also Tuvok, hardened their glares.
"Just do NOT touch it," said the middle one. Then the Kitsune trio returned their attention to the sick High King Peter and the calming of his siblings who were EXTREMELY upset. Then a Three-Legged Crow, its technical name a Yatagasaru, appeared, a SERIOUSLY perplexed look on his face as he gazed at what should have been his gift to the Four Monarchs.
"I-I-I don't understand," he told the others, "How can that cake possibly be the cause of His Majesty's sickness?"
"Alestomeria suspects it is poisoned, Voltasu," said Kushanku as the female Cherub prepared to take it away for examination and investigation, "Hagrid has ordered that confection investigated to confirm his wife's suspicions that it is," the Nekomata's glare then hardened, "By the way, were you the one who purchased that cake for Their Majesties, Voltasu?"
The Three-Legged Crow nodded before stuttering in protest. "B-b-but I h-h-had no idea th-th-th-that it might b-b-be a problem..."
As he stuttered, an ivory gold and metallic yellow Dog Fox with nine tails walked in, an ENRAGED look on his face.
"You shall be imprisoned in the dungeon and kept there for interrogation, Yatagasaru," growled Hagrid, to the Three-Legged Crow's boiling distress. Then as Voltasu entered an episode of tearful begging not to be imprisoned, tears spewing from his eyes, Hagrid summoned two Centaur guards and they approached the group. Then after they had seized the sobbing Three-Legged Crow, Hagrid delivered the next order. Kushanku and the others looked on in concern.
"Throw that Yatagasaru in the dungeon until further notice," commanded the Dog Fox. Then before anyone could say a word against this, the poor sobbing and wailing Voltasu was hauled away by the two Centaur guards in the direction of the dungeon.
"I'm innocent, I tell ya, INNOCENT!" cried the Yatagasaru desperately as the two Horse-Humanoids dragged him away. Hagrid, however, remained adamant while Kushanku, Tumnus, Guinan, Mjölnir, Rattus, Squea'tagnan and now the Beavers as they walked in, looked on, some with glares and some with sympathy. The Cherub then picked up the cake and prepared to carry it away with her investigation team. At the same time, a red, violet, gold and magenta three-tailed Fox walked in, concern also lacing her face as she gazed at Voltasu as he continued to be dragged away, screams of protest of his innocence erupting from his beak with tears falling like rain from his eyes. Alcina looked on as the Yatagasaru disappeared in the direction of the dungeon with the two Centaur guards with a raised eyebrow.
"A suspected poisoned cake?" she asked.
"We don't know for sure," said Kushanku in reply, before his gaze turned to the Cherub as she took away the partially eaten confection for testing in a specially built lab, "Crystal over there is going to do some tests on that cake with her team of specialist investigators to provide evidence for the theory but it will be a while, perhaps a few days."
"While Voltasu will be held in the dungeon for interrogation later," put in Hagrid, before he turned to the Three-Tailed Fox, "Now can you please resume your tasks? We've got a LOT of important and serious things to discuss."
Alcina breathed a sad sigh, flashed one last look at Crystal as she took away the cake and left.
Later, High King Peter was in a special medical department in Cair Paravel being examined by a team of medics, some of them Harpies who were essentially Humanoid creatures with feathered wings, tails and feet like birds. They were often warriors but some also trained in other fields like medicine and the lead medic was a male Harpy. While the High King underwent examination and a diagnosis, Tuvok with the team to help out, his distraught three younger siblings talked with Hagrid and Alestomeria. Kushanku, the Beaver couple, Tumnus, Guinan and a number of other important members of High King Peter's officials and assistants were present. Alexandrite, Padparadscha, Kobaruto and some of their children, among them Miidori, Merida, Sunstone, Moonstone, Neelix and Fleur (who had been kept updated regarding their kits and other children's location by Pteranodon based on the Sky and Moon assistants' tracking of them,) Chloroplast the Longma, Puss the messenger part-Talking Cat, Neutrophil, Basophil, Eosinophil and Monocyte the Terror Birds and also Betelgeuse and Rigel the Wolf sisters and granddaughters of Nanu were with them. These individuals had rushed to Cair Paravel castle upon hearing what had happened to High King Peter and had been told that he had apparently been poisoned by a cake purchased for him and his siblings by Voltasu, and that cake had been taken by Crystal the Cherub and her team for examination and investigation, to their UTMOST horror. While the small crowd of various Talking Beasts, both Ordinary and Magical, and Magical Creatures including a pair of young Centaurs who were friends with the group and a son and a daughter of one of the Centaur warriors, the male named Beni and the female, Cyllene, watched the trio of High King Peter's siblings get comforted, worry and disbelief began to bubble within them.
Beni was training to be a Centaur warrior and general and his main skills were swordfighting and using javelins while Cyllene was training in both archery and medicine. Female Centaurs or Centaurettes very rarely battled on the front line and were often long-range attackers such as archers, as well as triage nurses in the battlefield. Both the two were also training to be stargazers and astronomers, a very common trait and ability among the Horse-Humanoids but neither seemed so keen on the subjects despite Cyllene knowing all the Narnian constellations. Both wanted to serve directly under the Four Monarchs like their father, a very noble position to desire indeed but VERY few Centaurs actually succeeded in getting such a role. Then Beni opened up the conversation.
"If that cake truly is poisoned as Alestomeria and Hagrid suspect," said the young male Centaur, "How is it that it made its way into our castle and into His Majesty's hands and mouth?"
"That's what we're gonna find out, Beni," said Kushanku sternly.
"And once it is confirmed, Voltasu will be questioned," added Alexandrite, "and the stall owners who sold that cake, arrested and questioned."
"Voltasu has been accused of possible assassination attempt," said Neutrophil. The Terror Bird felt UTMOST rage burn against the Yatagasaru. "And if that allegation is absolutely true, he will be either exiled..."
"Or executed, either by beheading or foxfire blast from Hagrid or Alestomeria," said Chloroplast. The Draconic Pegasus shuddered with dread at this latter option. The Four Monarchs had decreed that execution be the last resort for they were merciful as inspired by the Great Lion Aslan but if the crime was indeed EXTREMELY serious, then it was carried out, and exile had been established as the more merciful form of punishment. However, the Pevensie Monarchs have only been in power over Narnia for a few months so the last resort option was never carried out. However, it was likely the first time was looming since attempted assassination of ANY of the Four Monarchs, regardless of which one, was an EXTREMELY serious crime of treachery. Aslan had appointed Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy to be the Four Monarchs after the Winter Revolution and to attempt to murder any of these four Noble Rulers landed the criminal straight onto the execution stead. And that was the route Voltasu was likely to take if it was find out that he was trying to assassinate High King Peter. However, the highest officials of the Four Monarchs, among them Hagrid and Alestomeria the current Kitsune Chroniclers, wanted to find evidence for this accusation first before setting to this plan for they do NOT want to execute an individual accused of being a traitor and assassinator only to realise that he or she had been innocent all along. After all, it was also one of the STRICT decrees the Pevensie Monarchs had passed shortly after Aslan had crowned them Kings and Queens over all of Narnia. They were fair and wise Monarchs and would always try their best to avoid this reputation-fouling mistake. After all, jumping to conclusions before any crucial exonerating evidence could be VERY costly, especially to the reputation.
"However, as decreed by our Monarchs, Voltasu's case will be thoroughly investigated and evidence reaped before any action is taken," continued the green Longma which was a creature that resembled a Pegasus with draconic features, "That is why he will be kept in the dungeon to await interrogation."
"We can't just execute traitors there and then, especially if it is found that they are innocent," said Padparadscha "Paddy".
"That was something the White Witch often did," said Kobaruto darkly, "I know from training and living under her rule as one of her cronies before I rebelled with Dionaea and so many others. If that false Queen EVER accused ANYONE of being traitors or failures, whether they truly WERE or NOT, she turned them to stone, killed them and used them for food for herself and her followers, or killed them on the Stone Table."
"COLD BLOODED she was, JUST like her 100-year winter curse over our land," said Monocyte who stood with his three cousins. As he said this, Pteranodon approached them, having an update to deliver. The others nodded in agreement. Then Kushanku walked over to Queens Susan and Lucy and King Edmund as they discussed with Hargid and Alestomeria.
"What are we gonna do, you two?" asked the oldest Queen desperately, her face fraught with tears of worry, "Peter is our OLDEST brother and crowned by Aslan to be our OVERALL HEAD!"
"How are we gonna do our monarchy duties while he is sick!?" put in King Edmund.
"NONE of us can take his place," added Queen Lucy tearfully and in a broken voice, "THE ROLE OF HIGH KING is SUPPOSED TO BE PETER'S PLACE!" then she broke down into tears and allowed Queen Susan to hug her. Then King Edmund turned round and put his hands on the back of his head, devastation and frustration over the whole situation boiling dangerously within him. He wanted to throw a MASSIVE hissy fit over the whole thing but he knew he had to act mature, especially since he had been crowned king. Immaturity and a bad temper were two of his biggest flaws and Edmund knew he had to control them. However, the temptation to come undone was ESPECIALLY powerful due to the direness of this situation. King Edmund wanted to throw his mitts at the neck at whoever did this to his older brother and throttle them REAL good and he wanted to do just that with Voltasu who he, like so many others including the Queens, had suspected had he had plans to poison him and his siblings. Pushing aside his thoughts about the Yatagasaru and resuming his attention to the current situation regarding his brother's health, King Edmund turned to face the two Nine-Tailed Foxes once again.
"Our kingdom would be in DIRE straits without our older brother to lead it as High King," continued Queen Susan.
"Indeed it will, but we'll have to get to the bottom of this whole thing first," said Hagrid. Then Alestomeria went and put a comforting paw on the two weeping Queens just as Kushanku appeared and began to try and comfort King Edmund.
"I know how distressing the WHOLE situation is, you three but it is important that we work together to deal with this as best we can," said the Vixen Kitsune as the two sisters of King Edmund and High King Peter continued to break down, "But we will need the Great Lion's guidance and wisdom to investigate and deal with this..."
As she spoke, a crested Pterodactyloid Pterosaur appeared and he stopped, aghast with his toothless beak dropped wide open. He was about to deliver the latest news and updates regarding the kidnapped victims' location out in the Eastern Ocean as reported to him by the Sky and Moon trackers and spies.
"Ascendin' air currents!" Pteranodon blurted out, "What in Narnia has HAPPENED HERE!?"
"High King Peter is not well, Pteranodon," said Beaver as he and his wife came up to tell him.
"We suspect that the cake Voltasu, a trusted Yatagasaru servant had purchased is imbued with a poison that has landed him in the medical facility," said Mrs Beaver. Pteranodon, who had been too busy monitoring the kidnapped victims' location and keeping a look out for the reports from the trackers and spies the whole time High King Peter was found collapsed in the Kings' bedroom, shot the others an ASTONISHED and disbelieving look. He looked as though he was about to faint.
"I-I-I was about to d-d-deliver the latest r-r-reports on the k-k-kidnapped victims' w-w-whereabouts," stammered the Flying Reptile, disbelief breaking up his speech, "so that H-H-High King Peter c-c-could establish the next step of our plans of their rescue..."
"Then we're gonna have to see to that and the organisation of the search-and-destroy missions," said Hagrid, before the Nine-Tailed Dog Fox's gaze turned to a certain Monarch, "And King Edmund will have to lead."
When King Edmund heard this, he shot the Dog Fox Kitsune a "WHAT!?" look.
"B-B-But I can't take my older brother's place," he replied, "The overall leadership was HIS position as decreed by Aslan."
"Well, with him out of action and with you being the only other male Monarch, Your Majesty," said Hagrid adamantly, "You're gonna have to until your older brother gets better and recovers."
King Edmund then turned to his sisters and the others gathered while Alestomeria took Pteranodon aside so that he can tell her of the updates. When he saw the agreeing looks in their eyes including those of the Beavers, Kushanku and the Fauns, the only brother of High King Peter began to shiver. He was clearly reluctant to take that role, even temporarily, especially after what the Cartoon Shadow Cat, who was still out there causing utmost mayhem, tried to get him to do to his older brother. Then Cyllene and Beni came forward.
"You Monarchs are supposed to be our leaders as appointed by the Lion of Lions, Your Majesty," said the latter, "Without you, we cannot survive as a kingdom. We need you and your sisters to lead."
"Yes," said Cyllene, "Aslan didn't appoint you four as Kings and Queens over Narnia and the surrounding allied lands for nothing."
King Edmund then began to struggle to construct a sentence to form a reply but found that he could not. Then a male Bird-Humanoid and an Eight-Tailed Dog Fox Kistune with red fur emerged from the entrance to the medical room. The group turned their attention to them.
"How's His Majesty, Falco and Tuvok?" asked Hagrid, the others, especially the three siblings of High King Peter, looking on with hope. However, the sombre looks on the pair's face vanquished it.
"High King Peter has DEFINITELY been poisoned," said the lead medic Harpy, Falco.
"And some of us are in the same den as Alestomeria," said Tuvok, "We believe that it was the cake purchased by Voltasu that is the cause."
"We can't be certain until Crystal the Cherub and her team come back with the results of their tests on that cake but we believe that cake is most definitely the cause," added Falco, "We managed to get some answers out of him even though they were slurred. He had had nothing else to eat recently other than that cake, and that is why our arrows of suspicion are pointing to Voltasu's confection."
Pteranodon flinched harshly when he heard this while the others shuddered with worry. Then an idea entered Queen Lucy's head and she stopped weeping.
"I know," she said, and with that, she reached into her pouch and pulled out a transparent bottle with deep red liquid, "Will my fire-flower cordial help heal him? It is supposed to heal any wound and sickness including poisoning."
"Um, you can try, Your Majesty," said Tuvok, "High King Peter's poisoning is a case we have NOT documented before but since fire-flower cordial is a healing potion capable of treating any injury and sickness, I think we should."
Falco and the others also formed smiles of hope at Queen Lucy's idea and with that, the lead Harpy medic and Tuvok led the Queen and several other group members into the medical room where High King Peter lay on a bed. Kushanku, Tumnus, Guinan, Neutrophil, Basophil, Eosinophil, Beni, Cyllene, Queen Susan and King Edmund followed but Alestomeria and Hagrid blocked the path of the others, stating that only a few may enter the room. Obeying this command, some reluctantly such as Paddy, Rattus, Squea'tagnan, Mjölnir, Pteranodonand the Beavers, stopped and backed away to wait for the results.
In the room, Queen Lucy and the others entered with Tuvok and Falco. High King Peter lay in a bed under the care of Falco's medic team, some of them Harpies, one a Mermaid in legged land form, a Penguin and a few Theropods. The poor High King clearly looked in bad shape. His face was a sickly green and he looked in pain. His face was contorted with pain and discomfort and he appeared very weak. Furthermore, sweat was pouring from his face and forehead like a rainstorm and he had a VERY high temperature. That temperature had just set in. He could form few words but they were slurred. He had only barely managed to answer the questions asked to him by the medics about what food he had eaten. Despite the saddening sight of seeing their sick King and in Queens Susan and Lucy and King Edmund's case, brother, Queen Lucy walked over him and pulled the stopper from her fire-flower cordial bottle. The medics parted to allow her access to her older brother. Then when Queen Lucy readied her medicine, the Penguin held the High King's head upward with his wing-flippers and gently opened his mouth. This done, Queen Lucy tipped her bottle and allowed a small drop of red liquid to fall from the lip and into her brother's mouth. The drip entered his mouth and disappeared as High King Peter swallowed it. Then returning her stopper to her bottle to prevent the rest of the precious and ultra-rare liquid from spilling out, Queen Lucy stepped back to join the others to wait for the expected result, hope brimming within them.
"It should heal him and restore his health in a few seconds," said Tuvok who was an expert in potions such as fire flower cordial, having helped to grow its source, the Fire Flower, a flower species native to the Narnian Sun, here on this land (an EXTREMELY demanding and difficult task to accomplish, hence the rarity and preciousness of fire-flower cordial). The others waited and looked on in angst, including the medics. However, one minute passed, then another, and then another. Then after waiting for half an hour, High King Peter's sickness remained at the same intensity. The sickly green colour to his face and his high fever didn't budge. Alestomeria looked on in disbelief.
"That fire-flower cordial drop SHOULD have restored His Majesty's health to normal," she said, "How as it not worked?"
Then Guinan stepped forward and took out her bottle of fire-flower cordial while Queen Lucy gazed at hers in confusion.
"Let me try," said Tumnus' cousin and with that, she repeated what Queen Lucy did and gave High King Peter a drop of the red liquid. However, the same result happened and High King Peter's symptoms remained. Fragmented hope then began spread among the group and Queen Lucy broke down again. Hagrid shook his head, a scowl on his face.
"This is NOT at all normal," the Dog Fox Kitsune with nine tails said, "This is NOTHING at ALL, ANYTHING we have encountered at all."
Murmurs were then uttered throughout the medic team.
"It is clear that this illness and poisoning is a new one on us," said Falco as a Theropod administered a cold ice bag to High King Peter's face to help keep his fever under control, "We need to look into this further and perhaps enlist the help of a TRUE specialist."
"And despite us two being Nine-Tailed Kitsune and Tuvok, Eight-Tailed, almost Nine-Tailed like us," said Alestomeria with a nod to the red Fox with eight tails, "We know NOTHING of that new condition AT ALL!"
As she said this, an idea entered the Mermaid's head.
"I know; why don't we consult Martian the leader of the Green Moon Men on the Moon and have him examine High King Peter?" she suggested, "I heard that he is a REAL expert in extremely rare and obscure conditions, including those incurable by fire-flower cordial. Maybe he would be able to help?"
"But has he heard of this condition?" asked Alestomeria. Then Tuvok walked in, a determined look on his face.
"I think it is worth a try," he said, "I have met him once before and he is an excellent medical expert. I shall make contact with him at once."
"Then make it so," commanded Alestomeria and with that, Tuvok left to carry out the task. Turning to rest of the group as they prepared to leave at Falco's command so that Falco and his team can keep an eye on and continue to monitor High King Peter, Alestomeria gazed at Kind Edmund and his sisters, one of them sobbing hard in the older sister's arms. Then Hagrid came in.
"We need to call for an emergency meeting right away," he told his wife, "Can you send word to all the available officials of our Monarchs to meet up in the Cair Paravel Meeting Hall at once?"
"Certainly, Hagrid," said Alestomeria before the Vixen's gaze turned back to look at High King Peter as Falco and his team prepared to keep him monitored and to wait for the arrival of the more specialised medic. Pulling her gaze from the sickly High King as he was screened off by the medic team, Alestomeria left with Hagrid as they followed the others out of the medical room to carry out their tasks.
Things certainly have got worse and Hagrid and Alestomeria wanted to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. This was indeed an incredibly DIRE situation, especially since the High King was poisoned and unwell.