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narniabb_mod ([personal profile] narniabb_mod) wrote2012-04-11 10:50 am
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Big Bang Fic: Fuel to Fire, Chapter 1

Title: Fuel To Fire
Author: snitchnipped
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Part of Four of the Dichotomy Universe. Familiarity with Dichotomy, Splintered, and Hail to the Days is highly encouraged. All can be found on my ff.net directory.
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Implied Adult Situations, Violence
Author's Notes: Many, many thanks to my betas [personal profile] wingedflight21, [personal profile] lady_songsmith, and [personal profile] rthstewart for all the encouragement and hand-holding. My hope is that there is a little something in it for everyone. Whatever you get out of it, I want to thank you for taking the time for reading this monster. I hope you enjoy it.
Summary: “All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” — Winston Churchill



FUEL TO FIRE—CHAPTER ONE
“All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” — Winston Churchill

::x:x:x::

The Great Hall, Cair Paravel, Narnia. Fourthweek, August, 1010.
Edmund, Day 1.

“I’m not familiar with your accent. Where did you say you were from again?” Edmund asked, though he knew fully well the man hadn’t said where he was from.
“The West,” was the simple reply he got from the man who introduced himself as Bazner. He stood there simply, dressed in plain traveling clothes, a leather satchel deposited by his feet.

Edmund didn’t like vague answers. Behind every vague answer was a story longer than would be behind a normal answer. After all, he would know—he was the king of vague answers.

The stranger’s coloring was darker than of the Eastern Archenlanders that Edmund was more familiar with, though not as much as a Calormene. He tried to recall if he personally knew anyone from the western half of Archenland. He had only been in that part once, a little over two years ago, in that strange campaign against a Telmarine army. Edmund and his Company at the time had not lingered, having combed the northern border on their return home, and frankly, those were dark days that he rather would not like to think about. He did wonder what the men under those crude metal Telmarine masks looked like and whether this man with the impassive expression would have fit in with them.

Edmund tapped out a rhythm with his ring on the stone arm of his throne in contemplation. It was certainly possible, if not likely, the man was of the same stock. The accent was similar enough.

This is ridiculous, Edmund thought, and he shifted his attention to where the majority of the court’s was. The crowd all stood around in awe, eyes wide, and the chit-chatter at a minimum. There certainly was a good reason for the higher attendance than normal.

For the Elephant was truly a sight to behold. At a horse-and-a-half high and nearly as wide, it took up the entire center aisle, standing proud while the gawkers took in its long trunk and thick, wrinkly grey skin covered in a uniform fuzz. The only movement it made came from the occasional blink of long lashes and the fanning of two large ears.

If Edmund had such ears at his disposal, he would be doing the same. It was unnaturally hot in Narnia at this late in the summer, and it was positively stifling in the throne room. He tugged on the lacing at the top of his shirt, but found the strings tangled in a knot. Again.

“And you, good sir?” Edmund addressed the wondrous beast before him. “I assume you come from the South of Archenland, as our good friend King Lune has indicated?”

“I have, your Majesty.”

Edmund recoiled at the decidedly female voice as the rest of the court shifted and murmured in excitement. Beside him, he heard Baris quietly stamp a hoof in amusement against the polished floor. He cast a mild look of annoyance in the faun’s direction before returning his attention to their guests. “My apologies, my lady,” Edmund said, bowing his head.

“You were not wrong to assume so, for it is rare for a female of my kind to venture on her own. Nor be as large,” she added, her voice deep in pride. “My mother named me Durah, and that is what you shall call me, as well. And you are King Edmund of Narnia, as your mother named you, and that is what I shall call you.”

Edmund considered informing Durah the point that neither was he called King at birth, nor did he remember his mother calling him anything, much less “King.” Regardless, he found Durah’s forwardness refreshing. Edmund always appreciated a good spectacle at court, and the crowd seemed to be appreciating the distraction from the heat.

“The thrones are beautiful,” she continued with a small poke of her trunk towards the dais.

Edmund had no idea what prompted the random compliment, but didn’t question it. “Thank you, my lady,” he humbly replied. If he were completely honest, though, he thought the polished white marble thrones in combination with the pedestals resembled too closely to sleighs for his taste. A childhood memory difficult to shake.

He turned back to the man—Telmarine, he decided—and was about to question Bazner’s intentions in Narnia when the crowd’s attention was brought to one of the side doors and it parted to allow entry for some new arrivals to the spectacle.

The Elephant turned as well, and immediately made a grand sweeping motion with her trunk, as if it was an arm being swung into a proper Narnian bow. Edmund frowned. She didn’t bow for me.…

“Queen Susan, Queen Lucy, it is a pleasure to finally be in your presence! I am humbled and honored!”

The sisters stopped as they reached the center clearing. Susan held a grateful smile, but Lucy’s eyes were as big as saucers. “My lady!” Lucy exclaimed. “The pleasure is all ours, I do assure you!”

“Word has traveled fast throughout Cair Paravel,” Susan said, crossing up to the dais and accepting Baris’ hand as he led her to her throne. “We had to see for ourselves. Welcome, friend!”

Lucy quickly skipped up the steps, bypassing the faun and collapsing in her own throne.

“Lucy, Susan,” Edmund began, “may I introduce Durah of Archenland, and her companion Bazner…of the West.”

His elder sister flashed a cool eye towards the suspected Telmarine before addressing both of the visitors. “What brings you to our fair land? Either of you?”

Durah lifted her trunk as if to speak, but Bazner beat her to it. “We journeyed together from Archenland, but as I have now delivered my friend here as promised,” he said with a tilt of his head towards the Elephant, “it is time we part ways. I ask for permission to travel about Narnia, with the intention of settling somewhere here in your fair land.”

It was a familiar request, one granted more often than not and more often than ever. And Edmund saw no reason to deny him, his suspicions being ungrounded. “Permission will be granted,” he said. “However, the same conditions apply equally to all who colonize here, and you must agree to the terms. Our brother, the High King Peter, would normally be the one to meet with you, but as he is away on campaign, a steward will meet with you in his stead. In two weeks time, you must meet with him or his steward to follow up on your request. Is this satisfactory to you?”

“It is, your Majesty,” he replied. “And I am eager to be on my way as soon as possible. There are many miles I’d like to travel before nightfall.”

Edmund itched to know where it was he was planning on going and why he was in such a hurry, but kept his mouth shut. The steward would be getting the information on behalf of Peter, and Edmund could check his brother’s files soon enough. “Then we wish you the luck and blessing of Aslan upon you,” he said in dismissal before nodding towards the steward guarding the door to the Kings’ Study. The red dwarf responded by stepping forward to escort the Telmarine.

“Thank you, your Majesties,” Bazner said with a bow. He turned towards Durah, giving her a brief nod. She returned it with a small wave of her trunk. Without another word, Bazner turned on his heel and followed the steward through the crowd and into the Study.

Odd, Edmund thought, sliding deeper into the marble seat. The two had travelled all the way from Archenland together, and that was it?
“And you my lady?” Lucy asked, excitement evident in her voice. “What may we grant you?”

Durah leaned forward on her tree-trunk thick legs, something Edmund did not know that Elephants were capable of. But then again, there was little he did know about the Beasts.

“May we speak in private, please?” she asked.

Edmund blinked in surprise. “Er, sure. I mean, yes—of course!” he corrected himself.

“Narnians, if we may have some privacy, please!” Susan rang out.

In a clatter of excited murmurs, squawks and a bark or two, the spectators of the court slowly made their way out of the front door of the Great Hall. Durah turned her head to watch the crowd exit, her ears still flapping back and forth. With fewer people in the room, the Hall would hopefully start to cool down. With the approaching midday, however, that was unlikely. Edmund tugged at his neckline again.

“Don’t slouch, Edmund,” Susan whispered across Peter’s throne at him over the low roar of the crowd as they made their way out of the Hall.

Edmund shot her an annoyed scowl, but straightened up all the same. “Lu,” he quietly called across the dais. “How did you know the Elephant was female?”

“The same way I check to see if any Beast is female, Edmund,” she said stiffly through her smiling lips, her attention still on the Elephant and the crowd. “Approach them from behind while keeping at a respectable and safe distance.”

Edmund didn’t have time for a retort before the last few court spectators had filed out of the Hall.

“Outside, please,” Susan called to Baris and the other remaining guards. Edmund gave a nod to Baris as well. He knew his friend would be disappointed to miss out, but he would hear the news from Edmund over a pint soon enough.

At last, the three monarchs were alone with the Elephant.

“Everything you say, of course, will remain in confidence,” Susan began.

Durah seemed relieved to hear these words, but stepped closer to the thrones, nonetheless. “Thank you, your Majesty. I’m sure my arrival has come as quite a surprise to you, but I also seek for home and sanctuary in Narnia, my ancestral home.”

It should not have been a surprise that Durah had said such a thing. After all, Edmund thought, she could talk. And as far as any of them had surmised from the histories of Narnia, no other Talking Beasts had originated from anywhere but Narnia. That, of course, that begged the question….

“Why are there no Elephants in Narnia, Durah?” Edmund bluntly asked.

“Yes, why did you leave and why come back now?” Lucy asked. Edmund saw that she had kicked off her shoes, a habit of hers during these hot summer days when she said she preferred the cold stone under her feet. Of course she only did so when court was at minimum attendance.

Durah sighed and turned to Lucy. “It is a long story, your Majesty…” she trailed. She seemed to be searching for her words, but none were forthcoming.

After a rather long moment in which she had not continued, Susan leaned forward to break the silence. “We are most welcome that you have returned to your ancestral home, Durah. But why did you come alone? Aside from your travel companion, of course. Is there a reason for this?”

“I come as an ambassador for the Greater Herd. My family, that is,” she clarified before anyone could ask.

Susan nodded in encouragement. “So, they sent you?”

“No, I come on my own. Alone. I cannot speak for everyone else.”

Edmund started to tap out a rhythm with his ring on the arm of his throne. Not exactly an ambassador then, are you?

“But please understand that I wanted the others to come!” Durah insisted. “I asked everyone, from my aunts to my younger cousins, but they all declined. As much as I know they are not interested, and though I am hardly a worthy representative…it had to be done. There was no other choice than come to Narnia and ask for help, even if it meant coming alone.”

“Help? Why is that?” Lucy asked, sympathy etched on her face.

“Oh, your Majesty!” Durah exclaimed in dismay. “For so many reasons! There has been less room in our fields as the villages grow. And we know we are welcome to remain in Archenland…and the Greater Herd takes an annual pilgrimage to Anvard to thank Lune for his hospitality, but we cannot ask for much for fear of exposure. We have long since drifted from our Narnians, after all, and we know to best keep to ourselves.”

Durah’s rambling reminded Edmund of Lucy, but the Elephant seemed to catch herself and shook her head. “My apologies, your Majesties. There are the dumb elephants of the lesser herd we must care for, and I fear not for just those in our Greater Herd, but for them, as well.”

“But why, if you all are under the protection of Lune?” Susan asked.

“And fear from what?” Lucy added,

“He is good to his word, Durah, you have our confidence in that,” Susan reassured.

“Please do not get me wrong, I have confidence in Lune, too!” Durah suddenly stilled, her massive ears coming to a halt as she pinned them to her head. “He is the only Archenlander who knows the truth, after all,” she said quietly.

Edmund’s brow furrowed. “Knows what?”

“That we talk. That we are Original Narnians.”

This day was definitely not short of surprises. “So, you’re saying you lived in secret for all these years?” Edmund asked.

“Over a century. Since the Tree died and our Narnians vowed to protect us by keeping our secret. The rest have come to believe that we’ve grown as dumb as the herd. The lesser herd we care for, not to be confused with the Greater Herd.”

Edmund was thankful for the clarification, but it did not answer all of his questions. What does she mean by “our Narnians”? As much as Durah seemed to think she was explaining things, in reality, it was making it all the more confusing. He did find it near miraculous that they had remained unnoticed for so long, even if they hid themselves amongst the “lesser” elephants.

“But it is not even other Archenlanders I am most wary of,” Durah continued. “It’s the Southerners.”

Lucy frowned. “The ‘Southerners?’”

“You mean… the Calormenes?” Edmund offered, resuming the tapping of his ring. He ignored Susan’s glare.

Durah nodded, her ears flapping along. “A few of our lesser herd have gone missing lately. And I fear that there are more that are gone, too, that we do not know of.”

“But are you sure they have been taken? And by the Calormenes? That is a rather strong accusation. Perhaps they are no longer with you for—” Lucy halted, biting her lip. “For more natural reasons. And you are quite far from your place of origin, after all. Perhaps you are not as suited there as you could be here.”

Durah’s tail whipped her side in what Edmund thought to be a slightly indignant slap. “I assure you, your Majesty, that Archenland has been most accommodating in regards to climate and landscape. It’s been a good home. We also do not have any natural enemies, if that’s what you truly mean. The only enemy we have ever had was the Witch Jadis, whom we fled.”

A sudden chill ran up Edmund’s spine. He should have been relieved for the reprieve from the heat, but instead, he made himself count to ten and focus on his breathing. It had been many years since anyone had tainted the Great Hall by speaking her name. Edmund could feel his sisters’ eyes on him without needing to look up from the white, polished floor.

Durah, apparently, had not noticed the mood change in the room. “Speculation in Anvard is that they are kept as pets, gifts amongst the leaders in Tashbaan.”

Susan broke the stillness of the three of them by slipping out a Galman paper fan from her sleeve and unfurling it. “What good would the Elephants be to the Calormenes?” Susan asked more to herself than anything, slowly fanning herself.

Edmund focused on his elder sister’s question, the beating in his chest slowly coming down to a normal speed. It was true—he could imagine the country would be unsuitable for the Beasts, what with the lack of vegetation in and around Tashbaan. And to keep them as pets would be such a ridiculous expense, and if they were to remain “dumb” and in secret, they would be of little use. They would merely be just giant baubles to dangle in front of their nemeses. Ridiculous.

Edmund knew that there had to be more to it than just that. The Calormenes had great pride, sure, and put much value in decorations, playthings, and other showcases of wealth. But they weren’t stupid either. There had to be an advantage.

“Do you have any outside witnesses?” he asked. “Is King Lune aware of what’s going on?”

“No witnesses but ourselves. And the threat has only grown since our last pilgrimage to Anvard. I’m—I’m not sure if Lune knows what has been happening. I supposed I could have asked my aunt, the Grandmare, before I left….” Durah trailed again, the tip of her trunk coming up to her mouth. “But we have heard of the Southerners tents and their chariots. We try to avoid them—we don’t venture out very far out of fear.”

“Then why don’t you all come here, then, to Narnia? Come back to your home?” Lucy said excitedly. “There is plenty of room. That is what you are asking for, isn’t it?”

Edmund wondered how many of the Beasts there actually were, and if there was indeed room. And Narnia was heavily forested, and keeping in mind any potential population growth over the past century, calculating the amount of food per Beast, and assuming the population had grown a projected twenty-five percent over the previous century…

Can Elephants even live in forests? he thought.
Durah’s trunk lowered, dolefully. “As I said, I was unable to sway them to accompany me, your Majesty, for even just a visit. And so I am here to ask you. If you are able to change their minds, bring them safely here to Narnia—to our ancestral home!—I would be most grateful,” she said. “But I have no expectations. My fear is that the Greater Herd has grown complacent.”

Now that was a concept that Edmund was familiar with. There was a growing sense of complacency amongst Narnians as well, and though Edmund knew it was his own paranoia speaking, he knew it was never a good idea to let one’s guard down too much.

“Let me get this straight,” he asked. “You believe that the Herd will listen to us?”

“It is much to ask, I realize, but yes. Please,” she said, her trunk going limp and resting on the floor.

The door to the Kings’ Study suddenly opened. Bazner walked out, his head bent over as he adjusted the satchel over his shoulder. He halted briefly in his tracks, his face still in surprise as he took in the empty room. As the red dwarf behind him shut the door, he was shocked out of his state and took a deep bow towards the thrones before turning towards the entrance. The dwarf, noticing that his fellow guards and stewards missing, took his cue and escorted Bazner out, closing the double doors behind him, once again leaving Edmund and his sisters alone with Durah.

Lucy’s hands clasped loudly together, prompting everyone’s attention back towards her. “I think it’s best if we give this much discussion amongst ourselves. Don’t you agree?” She looked expectantly over to him and Susan.

“Of course,” Susan firmly said, sitting straighter up in her chair.

Edmund hesitated. This would not be an easy task by any means. The Elephants, or the Greater Herd, as Durah called them, had made it clear that they believed they were much more suited for Archenland than anywhere else. That was quite obvious.

But still. Durah’s earlier concept of “Original Narnians” was bouncing around in his head. And the fact that they had been driven away….

He gave Durah a reassuring nod in turn. “Say we were to accompany you, Lady Durah—and we not yet confirming that we are, mind—where can we reach the rest of your Herd?” He immediately started considering the best route to take and calculating the travel time. I wonder what the weather is like down in Archenland at this time of the year….

“Oh. You know, I’m not quite sure.”

Edmund’s thoughts came to a full stop at her unexpected answer, and he exchanged a surprised look with Susan. “Are you saying they moved?” Edmund slowly prompted.

“Maybe,” she said. “Perhaps. We do wander around a lot.”

More vague answers. Edmund wondered how the Elephant and her travel companion could have had any sort of normal camaraderie and conversation on their trip to Narnia. Of course, that would explain the lack of a sentimental parting of ways between them. Durah’s communication skills were odd, swinging widely on the spectrum between confusing rambles and short non-answers. Not to mention that he found it odd that Durah addressed his sisters much more formally than she did him. Edmund was surprised at how much that irked him.
“Well… can you at least tell us what part of Archenland you wander?” Susan asked, her even voice masking the frustration Edmund could tell was growing within her. He could sympathize.

“Hmm,” Durah voiced, her trunk curling to tap under her chin. “Somewhere towards the south!” she exclaimed. “I think.”

“Yes, we are aware of that from what King Lune has told us,” Edmund said, trying to keep his patience in check. When it came to countries such as Archenland, “south” can be a very broad term. The country was already divided up in a confusing amount of provinces by a confusing amount of lords. If anything, this whole ordeal was giving an excellent excuse to go through their maps of the neighboring nation. They undoubtedly could use some updating, anyway. “Where in the South do you suppose?”

“Any nearby villages, waterways? What’s the landscape like?” Lucy offered as well.

“Oh, we avoid the villages. We don’t like to be seen. And we travel between the rivers and the lakes, from the east to the south,” she gestured with her trunk, unfortunately to the left and up. Durah squinted in thought. “It’s very yellow during the autumn, I know, as it must be turning now. Other times it’s very green,” she added.

Poor sense of direction and poor eyesight. Of course. And Edmund knew the terrain to be quite uniform through the corridor of Archenland south of Anvard until they hit the desert, so what descriptions she could provide were very, very unhelpful.

“My apologies,” Durah said. “I wish I had more helpful directions for you.”

“Well, no matter. You will just be able to show us the way, were we to go,” Lucy offered.

At this, Durah bowed her head. “I must beg your pardon, your Majesties, but I must refrain from accompanying you.”

Edmund saw Susan eye her suspiciously. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Of course you must show the way.”

The Elephant brought her trunk up again. “I vowed to the Herd that once I found my way to Narnia, I was here to stay. If I were to return.…” she trailed again. “Our pride is insurmountable, I’m afraid. The Grandmare, who is my aunt, accepted my pledge, and I dare not go back on it.”

Lucy leaned forward in her seat. “Of course, my lady,” she reassured. “You must abide by your vows, as my siblings and I must abide by our own.”

Damn Lucy for being so honorable. “Right. What can you give us to work with then? We will take any information you have and consider it after some conference,” he said. All this talk of Greater Herds, lesser herds, this notion of ‘Our Narnians’, and now a Grandmare being brought into the picture… when Edmund only wanted straight answers. But the sooner this conversation was wrapped up, the sooner a decision could be made.
“Well,” Durah slowly started, “I must say you probably won’t have much luck acquiring initial contact. We’ve grown wary over the years. Ever since the Tree died and we parted company with our Narnians. But now even more so….”

Everyone’s grown wary over the years since the Tree died, he bitterly thought. “How do you suggest we approach them?”
“It really is best not to,” Durah said.

He groaned and with an audible clunk!, his head hit the back of his throne.

::x:x:x::


“I took much curious delight in watching his [the elephant’s] antics—yea, in striving to converse with him, for the understanding of these creatures is wonderfully lively.” — Michel de Montaigne

::x:x:x:x:x:x:x::


The Queens’ Study, Cair Paravel, Narnia. Fourthweek, August, 1010.
Susan Day 1, Cont.

After more prodding, they finally got enough information out of the Elephant, enough to make Susan confident in reaching a reasonable decision with her siblings. Edmund had started to lighten up a bit, too, his excitement and admiration eventually overcoming the annoyance with Durah as their conversation progressed. Despite the Elephant’s slights towards her brother, which she assumed were unintentional.
As a matter of fact, Susan observed that not once during their conversation with Durah did the Elephant mention any male members of the Greater Herd. She was intrigued by the matriarchy and how all answered to this “Grandmare,” as Durah referred to her. And she referred to her quite often. Susan could have sworn that female elephants were called cows, and male ones were called…

Hmmm. Susan closed her eyes and racked her brain, trying to think of the right term. She knew she saw a male elephant once, a vague recollection of reading a plaque outside a building…several years before they—

Her eyes snapped open. She and her brothers had ridden an elephant at the zoo! How could she have forgotten, she had been so excited that day…and little Lucy had been too small, and she had put up such the fuss. They had ridden a bull, the three of them together, and how Edmund had laughed! But she did not recall it having the sizable ears that Durah had. Perhaps it was a different type of elephant that we rode. Or they are just different here in Narnia. To be honest, Susan thought the Elephant was quite smaller than she expected when word first reached of one’s presence in Cair Paravel. Granted, she was much smaller herself when she last encountered one. Maybe that’s it.

When Durah had been dismissed, it was decided to move their conference into the Queens’ Study and re-open the Great Hall. As she made to leave the dais, she caught Edmund grinning mischievously at her. “Can you imagine riding on the back of one of those, Su? How exhilarating that would that be!”

Susan didn’t have the heart to correct him.

Once they had arrived in the Queens’ Study, the questions had started flying between her younger siblings.

“Did you see the size of her ears?”

“How many Elephants can Archenland hold, anyway?”

“I wonder how much she eats… and do you think I should warn the kitchens or would she prefer something from the stables?”

“And what do you suppose she means by “Our Narnians”?

Susan had ignored their questions, having seen the buffet table having already been set up for them. She was thankful Peter left Stor behind for once—for the Bear to be away the entire summer on a campaign would have been a loss for those in the kitchens.

“Edmund, Lucy, before we spend the next hour talking, make sure to eat something,” she had gently commanded. “Durah has held us well past our normal lunch time.”

But neither of them had paid her heed as they conferred and speculated back and forth about the Elephant and her pleas. Susan had decided not to push the issue, and instead, had crossed to the window overlooking the western gardens of Cair Paravel where she stood in quiet thought as her siblings argued about what should be done with Durah.

“I do recommend that a woman speak with them,” Durah had suggested, were they to agree to the task of talking with the Herd. “No offense,” she had said to Edmund. Edmund had waved a dismissive hand which Durah hadn’t even noticed.

Durah’s advice really needed to be considered, though, having experienced the Elephant’s preferences and mannerisms first hand. Susan had observed how Lucy especially seemed to know how to pry the most pertinent information from the Elephant—something that had proved to be frustrating to both Edmund and herself—even if Durah was quite taken with both of the Queens. That was to be expected of Lucy, though. Susan knew her sister had the knack to get even a burglar to confess to his crimes. Twice.

“But we must help them. Neither option is good for them, they should come back here, to their home!”

Lucy’s exclamation brought Susan’s attention back into the room. Her siblings had moved from general speculation to the real matters at hand—what Durah had dubbed the “Great Debate.” After nearly an hour of prodding, the Elephant had finally gotten to the real reason for the inaction of the Elephants.

“But it only makes sense. They cannot remain hidden forever, and if they were to publicly reveal themselves to King Lune—“

“But Lune already knows that they talk, Edmund—“

“—I know that, Lucy,” Edmund cut her off, exasperatedly. “You know what I mean, quit interrupting. What I’m saying is that if they were to expose themselves to Lune and all of Archenland, they could serve the country that has served them for, what, one hundred years? If you ask me, they owe Archenland.”

“They are not service animals, Edmund! They’re people…they’re Narnians.”

Edmund shrugged. “All the more reason to step up and take more responsibility.”

Susan decided it was time to step in and play Tash’s advocate. “The other option is just as logical. To risk exposure, especially with the knowledge of Calormenes itching to exploit them could be dangerous. What about those that are unable to actively serve Archenland… the young, the old, the weak? Do you honestly think the Calormenes would discriminate? It’s common knowledge that they will capitalize on most anything.”

“So, you think it’s best that they remain hidden? Because so far, it’s not working,” Edmund countered.

“As much as your reasoning does make sense, I think it’s best to leave well enough alone,” she replied back.

Edmund turned to look at Lucy. “And what do you think, Lu?”

Lucy let out a huff of frustration. “They should all come here to—“

“Besides come to Narnia,” Edmund clarified, this time being the one to cut her off. “I think we all agree that we will still pursue that matter. It’s an upmost priority to offer any and all Narnians sanctuary. But there’s a solid chance they won’t accept the offer, and if we were to meet with the Elephants, I believe it best to offer them official advice from the Narnian Thrones.”

“They’ve rejected the offer already,” Susan agreed. “We really should be prepared.”

Their younger sister shook her head in dismay. “I don’t know what to think. Neither option is more right than the other. Perhaps we should wait and ask Peter before we make a decision? He should get a chance to meet with Durah, just as we have. It’s only fair.”

Susan thought on the latest weather reports she had glanced over the week prior. They were due for a early, hard winter, the first in several years. Such a trip could take weeks, which is what they only had. “With what the centaurs have foretold for the coming winter, I don’t want to take any chances. If there should be any trip to Archenland, it should happen immediately. We don’t know how long this will take. We have time to send a Bird to Peter for his opinion, but it’s best not to risk waiting for him to return.”

“And we cannot wait until the spring thaw either,” added Edmund. “Not if they need our immediate help.”

“Absolutely not,” Lucy insisted. “They need our help now.”

Susan looked from her brother to her sister. “There is still time before we decide on what advice to give the Elephants. And perhaps it is best to learn more both from Durah and the Greater Herd’s take on things before we can offer any opinion.”

“Royal opinion or no,” Edmund offered. “But do you really think we can get much more from Durah? She seems a bit…daft.”

“Do you not trust her, Edmund?” Susan asked.

He didn’t respond right away, and Susan started to wonder if she sounded a bit too accusatory. But it was a solid point. They were planning on quite the mission off of the word of one Elephant. And had Susan not been there to meet Durah, she would not be easily swayed to follow, say, Lucy’s instincts on the matter.

“A fair question,” Edmund finally said, to which Lucy quickly opened her mouth to likely admonish him. “You can calm down, Lu. I’m not saying I don’t—in fact, the opposite. I think we can trust her,” he insisted. “I’m not sure she trusts me, though….”

Lucy let out a sympathetic tsk. ”I’m sure she’s just overwhelmed, Edmund. She just came a long distance with an important task. Try to be a bit more easier on her.”

“I’m only teasing, Lu,” Edmund said, reaching over and tugging on lock of one of her golden curls.

In Susan’s mind, it was all settled. Her own gut said that going to Archenland was the best thing to do, and if Edmund was of the same mind as her, then she trusted that their decision was based not just on heart, but logic. “It’s settled then. We can inform Peter of everything, and I will see about the travel logistics,” Susan said and turned towards her sister. “Lucy, it only make sense that you lead this mission. If all goes well, you should be able to set off the day after tomorrow.”

“I think that is manageable. I will accompany you, Lu,” Edmund said, nodding in their sister’s direction. Lucy, in turn, slowly walked towards the window overlooking the front lawns. “We can put together a company and make a visit to Anvard while we’re at it,” he continued. “Though, for now, it’s best we plan a reason on why we’re going. I mean, we can’t exactly go directly to Lune on this one, if the whole point is to keep the Elephants’ secret. For now, ” he added.

“Yes, quite right. Oh! Lucy, didn’t Lune invite you to Anvard’s apple harvest?” Susan asked. “You can go under the pretense of that.”

Edmund nodded. “Good thinking, that should work out well. What say you, Lucy?”

But her sister did not say anything. Instead, she stayed at the window, seemingly deep in thought as she chewed on her bottom lip.

“Lucy?” Susan prompted.

Lucy slowly turned to face them and hesitated in responding. “That’s the thing…I think it’s best if I stay here.”

Susan and Edmund exchanged confused looks. “Why? You have been crawling the walls, wanting to get out these past few months. This would be the perfect opportunity to, Lu,” Edmund coaxed.

“And after seeing you with Durah, you would make an excellent ambassador for Narnia. ”

“Yes, I know, I agree…and normally I would jump at the chance.…”

“But?” Susan prompted.

Lucy looked between Edmund and Susan. “Well, for the very reason you said. I do have a good connection with Durah. And something in my gut says that I should stay here with her. Durah is such an untapped mine of information, and I think there’s great value in staying and getting what I can from her. ”

“What if she were to accompany you two?” Susan asked. “Do you think you can change her mind at all?”

“If anyone, you can, Lu,” urged Edmund.

Lucy shook her head. “No, you both heard her earlier. She can’t go back. And I don’t think she has the desire of crossing the Narnian border again, even if she could go back on her word.”

Edmund looked worriedly at Susan. He, apparently, was coming to the same conclusion as Susan was. And he also knew how hard this would be for Susan to do. Inside, Susan felt her stomach anxiously churn.

“There’s more here,” Lucy continued. “I can feel it. She’s just reserved, is all, especially around Edmund, don’t you think? But I think I can crack her mind.”

But I have no desire to return to Anvard anytime soon. For many reasons. Ye she had a duty to fulfill, and there just was not an option of denying a Narnian, even one several generations removed. It did not even occur for Susan to do that—not if it served the greater good.

Susan walked up to Lucy and threw an arm around her waist. “Your gut has yet to let us down, Lu. I’ll go in your stead. I have an idea of how it will all work.”

Lucy beamed up at her. “Thank you for understanding. And you shall have fun in Archenland, no? I’m sure it’s beautiful there at this time of year.”

“I’m sure it is.”

“Well,” Lucy said, disengaging herself from her. “I think I’ll show Durah the grounds, and then I best get her situated in the stables. And maybe after some rest on her part, I can start learning more from her for your mission by later this evening!”

Susan indicated the table. “Don’t forget to eat, Lucy!”

“Oh! I’ll take something with me,” she said and crossed to the table.

“Su, if you want to go about contacting Peter, I’ll dig up what I have on the latest happenings in Archenland,” Edmund said, following his sister towards the table.

“I’ll go to the Rooksturret right after lunch,” Susan replied.

Lucy—a messily assembled sandwich in hand—half walked, half skipped to the double doors. As she reached for the handle, she looked over her shoulder. “An Elephant! Can you two ever imagine who would be at the gates when we awoke this morning?” She flew open both doors and quickly exited.

“So,” Edmund said, spearing a slice of ham with a small silver fork and putting it on his plate. “The Eligible Queen of Narnia out courting around the wilds of the South, with no one the wiser of your true intentions, huh?”

Got it in one, Ed. She joined him at the table and grabbed a plate. “Why not? It’s the perfect excuse. And let’s face it, I managed to avoid the courting season earlier this year.” She accepted the fork he offered. “It’s open season for the Lords of Archenland.”

“You make it sound like a hunt,” Edmund said. He pulled up a chair directly to the buffet table and sat down.

“Isn’t it?”

“Oh, I wasn’t disagreeing with you,” he said and took a bite of a hard roll.

She acknowledged him with a low “Mmmm,” and idly poked at a platter of cheeses. “But yes, we may as well take advantage of the situation. It only makes sense.” She let out a long sigh. “Sometimes I feel like nothing more than the vessel of Narnia. Both the bargaining chip and the womb for the future.”

Edmund face took on a pained look and he set down his plate. “Please, don’t say that, Su….”

“I know, and I know it’s not entirely true. But even though it’s not voiced aloud, the belief is still there, just under the surface,” she said. “Narnia is divided, Ed. There are those who have grown far too comfortable and complacent with the state of the country—and in such a short time, too, and that worries me. The complete faith in our rule is flattering, and we should be quite honored, but it’s not sensible,” she said, exasperatedly. “And then there are others who have a weary eye on the future and want nothing more than security a true legacy can provide. It’s a stance I just cannot argue with, to be completely honest.” She set the serving fork down rather roughly and looked directly at Edmund. “There is no happy medium, is there?”

But her brother didn’t say anything. He just sat there, chewing on his thumbnail for several long seconds.

She found herself pushing. “Which camp do you fall in, Edmund?”

Her brother finally looked up, sadness clouding his expression. “The latter,” he quietly conceded.

She slowly nodded. “I do, as well. And that divide leaves us vulnerable, a chink in Narnia’s armor, either way.”

Edmund did not seem to be enjoying this conversation. “There’s always Peter.…” he offered.

“Yes, there is, but I could never push the High King of Narnia against his wishes.”

“Well, me neither. But it goes both ways, Susan,” Edmund admonished, his eyes squinting in disbelief. “We could never push you into any such situation, either.”

“I am not saying that you are. I have never felt that from you, from any of you,” she insisted, her voice rising. She set her untouched plate of food down. “But it doesn’t mean that I cannot inflict it on myself.”

“Well, you shouldn’t. And I don’t want you to,” he snapped. At that moment, Edmund was almost the little boy again, pouting about not getting to sit at the front of the bull elephant at the zoo.

“And I don’t care. And Peter would agree with me.”

“Peter’s not here, and we really should not assume what he would think.”

“Oh, please, that’s a weak argument and you know it. Don’t pull that on me.” Susan almost laughed, knowing she was currently engaged in the typical sort of argument she would expect between her brothers, not with her. Two people cannot play Tash’s advocate simultaneously, Ed.

Edmund stood up and busied himself by adding more food on his plate. His frustration was making his actions sloppy, and more than one piece of cheese fell onto the tablecloth and floor.

But Susan was far from done arguing. “Peter may not push me, Edmund, but he also would not hold me back,” she said with a pointed glare. “He wouldn’t think of it.”

That point seemed to hit home. Edmund did not have an immediate response for that, and he eventually turned his gaze to stare out the window over the buffet table. Eventually, after a long moment, he conceded and bowed his head. “And I won’t hold you back, either.”

Susan released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Thank you,” she said. She walked over to him, and grabbed his wrist before his thumb found itself being chewed on again. “Edmund, look at me.” When his dark eyes woefully lifted to hers, she nearly backed off. His deadliest weapons. She shook off the feeling, and offered him a small smile. “It really isn’t all that bad.”

“But there’s no reason to rush things, either.”

“And I promise you that I’m not rushing into anything. Especially with this trip, and especially not into marriage.”

Edmund let out a humorless laugh. “Best not let the Archenlander lords know that.”

“Of course not,” she agreed. “I will be smart about this.”

“I know you will,” he said sincerely, grabbing for her hand when she loosened her grip on his wrist. “But not to get all sentimental because I’m rubbish at that…but going forward, please remember to set your head aside and consider your heart. You know, like a normal girl?” he said, raising his eyebrows.

She tried not to laugh, but it didn’t work. “I prom—” she started, but she couldn’t go through with going against her very nature. “How about this…I’ll do my best, Ed.”

Edmund gave her hand a squeeze. “Good. But not around me, all right? I have enough to look forward to with Lucy in the next several years.”

“It’s a deal,” Susan agreed, and she changed their grip into a solid handshake. They broke apart to set into the remainder of their lunch, but both of their attentions were drawn to the sound of loud laughter coming from outside the window. Through the panes, they saw Lucy happily chatting with Durah as they began to walk the length of the lawn towards the Royal Stables.

“Not that we would ever let Lucy get married,” Susan mused aloud.

“Never.”

::x:x:x::

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” — Desmond Tutu
::x:x:x:x:x:x:x::


King Edmund’s Chambers, Cair Paravel, Narnia. Fourthweek, August, 1010.
Edmund, Day 1, Cont.

Edmund held the glass decanter up to the sconce and and swirled the contents in front of the flickering light. The brandy had the color of gold, the aroma of caramel, and the taste of heaven. Galman wines may normally lack in quality, but when it came to the sweeter stuff—their rums and brandies—nothing could hold a candle to them.
Especially this one. Peter sniffed down on it claiming it too feminine for his palate, but Edmund reveled in it. It was a treat he would take over the finest cakes and pastries Cair Paravel had to offer on any day of the week, even during the high holidays. Of course, he was not about to share that information with the kitchen staff.
Most importantly, at least in Edmund and his sister’s case, it was an idea stimulator. With that in mind, he pulled out two snifters from his cabinet and started pouring.

Two taps came from the door, followed by the the sound of it squeaking open and shut. “Did you get word to Peter?” Edmund asked without turning around.

“I did,” Susan answered him, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “The Rookswarden said that at latest reports, Peter’s Company was only two flight days out, so we should get a response back sooner than expected. Especially if he keeps his usual pace. Oh, thank you,” she added, accepting the glass Edmund handed to her.

Edmund took an appreciative sip out of his own glass and immediately felt the tension drain from his shoulders. He couldn’t tell if it was the effect of the alcohol or just the idea of it that made him instantly relax. He didn’t particularly care either way. “If that’s the case, as soon as we have everything planned, we should expect to set out before the end of the week.”

Susan crossed to her usual seat by the window and slowly eased into the cushioned chair. “Do you think we should send word to Anvard right away or wait for Peter’s response?”

“It depends on where exactly we decide to go.”

Susan nodded. “True, and if Peter thinks if this is important enough that a message to Archenland should come directly from him,” she added and took a sip from her own glass.

“That too.”

“Still,” Susan said, “I am glad we are getting this over and done with right away. The more I think of it, time certainly is of the essence. Durah made such a sacrifice to come here, after all. Were this a long war campaign, it would be different.”

“Just as meticulous, to be sure, but a lot trickier. Battles are much more straightforward. They’re almost boring in comparison to secret missions such as this one, which I much prefer,” Edmund said. And his experience in such was ever growing amongst his Company. Peter had been right with his advice from a few years ago—he was much more suited in serving Narnia through more…unconventional ways. Edmund knew, though, that he could still use the practice. And since sneaking into Archenland to find and talk to a Herd of Elephants was hardly the life or death situation as some of their spring campaigns had been, the next few weeks could almost prove to be, well, fun.

And how he dreaded those campaigns. It was the same every year, almost like clockwork. With the thaw, Edmund and Peter would have to spend several weeks to settle tensions along the borders, ease disputes between neighboring countries, come to the aid of an ally in need.

But next year will be different. For the first time since they took the throne, they decided to not anticipate anything of the like, and instead planned on their first official journey to the Lone Islands in several years. It was long overdue, and Peter saw it more of a preventative measure. “Instead of waiting for trouble to brew, we should consider establishing our authority first,” Peter had said earlier that year. “And now that Narnia is growing, we have the luxury to spread our resources out farther. We should look into developing new trade routes and scheduling more state visits. And you know how I feel about the importance of embassies.”

Edmund’s imagination had started racing at that, and agreed with Peter under the condition that they must work hard to keep their power in check. “Well, of course,” Peter had scoffed. “It is safe to say that none of us are interested in any sort of dictatorship. It would take a madman to be able to have that much control over large populations, anyhow.”

The state visits became the priority, and the next year was bound to be a whirlwind. Their upcoming travel schedule boggled Edmund’s mind, but he chose not to think about it. It was best to leave it for Susan to plan, he and Lucy to finesse, and Peter to lead them all in execution. It was a formula that worked for nearly every situation—one they had slowly developed over the years and worked better and better as they got older and more experienced.

His door suddenly burst open with a “Good evening, you two!” as Lucy swept into the room in a rush of dusty skirts and tangled hair. She collapsed into the chair next to his desk.

Before Susan could say anything, Edmund crossed to close the door to his rooms. Lucy’s carelessness in that regard could be annoying to Susan. Edmund was not only used to it, he also shared the same aggravating habits.

“Everything good with our Elephant?” Susan asked as Edmund crossed back to the cabinet.

“Oh, yes! Goodness, she’s worn me out today. We walked all around the Cair, and up and down the beach, all the while talking about this and that, but mainly about Narnia, for that’s what she wanted to hear about, and how could I deny her after all that she’s been through?” she asked, crossing her dirty, bare feet at the ankles. “I did try to get more information from her, but whether her words are few or plentiful, it’s never quite enough, now is it? But it was a rather fun day, I must say. And now she’s settled in the stables and the kitchen has sent down some more diverse food than just hay. And we’ll do the same tomorrow, I’m sure, and I hopefully get more information for you two. I may have to send a Bird or two, though, with anything new I might learn that will help.”

Edmund waited a moment to make sure that his sister was finally done. Apparently, she was, as she looked expectantly between Susan and himself. “A drink, Lu?” he offered.

“Is that your brandy?” I best not,” she said, gathering her hair and twisting it in a knot at her neck. “It tastes too much like syrup, and it’s so hard to cut myself off, and that’s when I either get in trouble or fall asleep.…”

“How about a light pour, then?”

Lucy hesitated, biting her lip. With a smile, she gave in, saying, “All right, just the one, though.”

“That’s a girl,” Edmund smiled and poured her a glass, which was anything but light. He did need some alone time with Susan, after all. Susan flashed Edmund a knowing look. He chose not to acknowledge it.

With a thunk!, a Raven landed on the sill of the open window of Edmund’s desk.

“The latest Hawk just came in, your Majesties,” she said without preamble. “The High King Peter is one day flight out from Cair Paravel. We should have word from him sooner than expected on your inquiry.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Edmund replied.

The Raven bobbed her head down once and took off towards the Rooksturret.

“That’s good news,” Edmund said, setting his snifter down. “And now that we’re all here, let’s discuss tactics. Susan, I was thinking that even though we know the general idea of what part of Archenland we’ll find the Greater Herd, it’d be best to not completely concentrate your visits in those areas.”

“A good idea,” Susan responded, though she looked far from enthused.

“I think it best if we go through each Lord and determine the order of importance that way. There may be some we can skip, too,” Edmund dug under a few papers on his desk and handed Susan a report.

Susan chewed on her lip as she perused the list. “Plenty to choose from. Hmmm,” she murmured, tapping the page. “Relations with Shar may be a bit tense after last year’s refusal. Let’s try to avoid him at all costs.”

“It’s a pity, I rather liked him,” Lucy sweetly mused, idly flipping through the stack of lists and reports on the Edmund’s desk.

“Well, then, in a few years if he’s still available, he’s all yours, Lu.”

“I don’t mean I liked him in that way.…”

Edmund let out a bark of laughter. “Not that he really would have any interest in marrying you, Lucy. He wouldn’t like you in that way, either,” Edmund laughed.

Lucy let out a noise of protest, but Susan cut in before she could argue. “It won’t make sense to visit Tran, either,” she said, looking farther down the list. “It says here that he mainly remains in residence in Anvard throughout the year. To draw him away demanding his hospitality at his estate would just be rude and may cause suspicion. I suppose there’s always Lord Van….”

“Wait a moment, I think that must be an old report. I have an update on him somewhere.…” Edmund swatted Lucy’s hand away from the messy stack and reached for a page from the bottom of the pile, toppling several pages onto the ground in the process. “Here it is. It says that he was wed last summer. Oh, good on him, I’m glad he pulled through.” He looked up at Susan. “Not even worth wasting with a visit.”

Susan glanced at the map. “That’s rather a relief. He’s the farthermost west of them all, his province bordering the Twin Spires,” she said. “I don’t know if I could manage being so far from you all were things to work out.”

“Oh, how about Lord Chancellor Bar?” Lucy asked, peering over a page she picked up from the ground.

Edmund snatched it out of her hands. “Old report again, Lu. I had a system, you know.” he said, scooping up the rest of the papers from the floor.

“Lord Bar was the one behind Prince Cor’s disappearance, Lucy,” Susan gravely informed her.

Lucy looked down, watching Edmund haphazardly stack the papers on the floor. “Oh, right. How could I have forgotten.…”

“Unpleasant business,” Susan sadly muttered.

Edmund stood up, and placed the papers back on his desk, save for one. “All right, here is the most complete list,” he said, his eyes running down the page.

“So, who does that leave us?” Lucy asked, tucking her feet under her on the chair. “Or, leave Susan, rather?”

“In alphabetical order of the unmarrieds, that leaves the Lords Cole and his brother Colin, Dar and his brother Darrin, Hane and Nel.” Edmund winced at the thought of the last one, thinking it was best he wasn’t accompanying his sister if she happened to pay Nel a visit. I can’t imagine he would be too happy see me again. “That knocks out half of Archenland. Any preference on where to start, Susan?” Anyone but Nel, anyone but Nel, anyone but Nel.

“That’s still quite a lot, Edmund!” Susan’s lip twisted in dismay. “No, no particular preference. I really don’t know much about any of them, yet. Especially since we don’t know how long it will take, I don’t want to be stuck somewhere for weeks at a time, we’d wear out their welcome. It would definitely read as if we had an ulterior motive.”

“We do have an ulterior motive. To get you married off,” Lucy sniggered.

“No, it’d be best to make it a quick tour of all of the provinces,” Susan continued, ignoring her sister’s jibe. “That way I can spend a considerable amount of time with each of them without making each visit too drawn out.”

“Yet still have enough time to scope the area,” Lucy added.

“That could be exhausting for you, Su,” Edmund said. “But then again, if we have any luck at all, we can wrap this up early on and you can always beg off the other visits. Especially the ones that aren’t in the south.”

Susan sighed and fingered the stem of her glass. “I’m not sure about that. I suppose it would be a good idea to visit them all, help keep up good relations for the long haul. Peter would like that, anyhow.”

Lucy ran her fingers through her hair and the knot tumbled loose. “You never know, Su.…” she trailed. Her encouraging tone was a far cry from her earlier teasing.

Susan gave her a tight smile but didn’t say anything.

Edmund’s sympathy for his sister was growing, but he knew better than to voice it. “Just as long we don’t forget about our real mission, I’ll leave it up to you on how long and where you want to go,” Edmund gently said. Susan only nodded and shifted her gaze back to the map.

“Well, whatever you two decide—” Lucy started, but cut herself off with a big yawn. “Oh! Excuse me! I’m afraid my visit with Durah has left me completely knackered!” she laughed. “As I was saying, whatever you decide, you can fill me in in the morning.” Lucy stood and planted a kiss on Edmund’s head and waved sleepily to Susan. “I’m off for a bath and bed, preferably in that order.”

Edmund looked up at her retreating form. “‘Night, Lu.”

“Goodnight!” Susan echoed. She watched as Lucy left—once again forgetting to close the door behind her—before she turned to Edmund, tenseness written all over her face.

Edmund pushed himself off his chair and crossed to the door. Once closed, he turned and leaned against it to look at his sister. Edmund knew that this was not a task Susan was about to take lightly. To go on an adventure chasing wild, giant quadrupeds was one thing, but he knew she was sacrificing a lot of her dignity and personal comfort in order to achieve the means for Narnia. This is becoming old hat for Su, though. “What’s the plan of attack, then?”

“First things first, we should definitely plan on that state visit to Anvard. I think it would be a good idea to learn what Lune may know. I think the normal traveling contingent should do for the two of us, wouldn’t you say?”

Edmund slowly walked back towards his desk, sitting on the edge of it. “I’ve been thinking…it may be best that no one knows that I’m in the country.”

“At all?” She frowned. “But that would mean you couldn’t accompany me to Anvard!”

Edmund nodded. “But this way I can take advantage of the time and get a head start. If I keep a few days ahead of you, that will only buy us more time.”

Susan didn’t respond, but took an appreciative drink of her brandy instead. He knew he was asking a lot of her. Susan excelled at adapting and taking control of situations on her own if needed, but it didn’t mean she liked it. And he could definitely sympathize.

“And so,” he continued, “myself and a team could either spread out or just move swiftly covering as much area as possible, and we will keep you updated on our progress. As soon as we find the Elephants, we’ll send word for you to join us.”

“And we’ll go from there.”

Edmund nodded once. “And we’ll go from there,” he repeated. “Best case scenario, we can have this wrapped up and be back within the month, leading the parade of Elephants behind us. I’ll be riding the one in front. And it will all be done in a blink of an Elephant’s eye.”

“Oh, I hope not. Did you see how slow Durah blinks?” She mimicked the opening and closing with her hand.

“How about a blink of a gull’s eye? How does that sound?”

Susan let out a soft laugh. “As ideal as I can ask for.”

“Good. If you want to get started on travel arrangements, I’ll finalize the personnel,” Edmund said, standing up from the edge of his desk to sit back in his chair. He gathered the stack of papers and reports and crammed them back into his nearly overflowing desk drawer. I really should clean this out. Maybe when we get back.

“So, how many would be going with you once we split?” Susan asked before finishing the rest of her brandy.

“Not many at all, we don’t want to bring too much attention to us. And keep in mind that we’ll be in Archenland and don’t want to identify ourselves directly as Narnians, so that affects who I choose to take,” he answered, mentally scratching off a few candidates from his list. “Probably just a few Birds, though I’ll keep Milletpeck here for now and she can join us whenever Lucy or even Peter need to send word. And just a choice few whom I’ll have to pull from the Patrol. My usual Company,” he clarified.

Edmund could tell she was holding back from a scowl. “The usual ones? Are you sure?” she hesitantly asked.

“Yes, the usual ones,” he teased with a smile and stood up again. “They’re not all that bad, Su, and I trust them above others,” he said. “I trust Ferrin for his loyalty. Baris with his loyalty and my secrets. And Peridan, I trust with my life. Which needless to say, encompasses everything.”

“Well, I know they aren’t all bad.” Susan frowned into her empty glass. “I’m sure most of them aren’t,” she added, handing it to Edmund as he crossed for refills. “One rotten apple.”

Edmund laughed. “Well, it doesn’t matter, because you’ll be busy being entertained by Archenland’s finest sons, eating their finest fares, and sleeping in their finest, softest beds while the rest of us muck around the Southern March or something, searching for Elephantine needles in haystacks.”

Susan was chin in hand, resting her elbow on the arm of the chair while she idly kicked off her slippers. “Is it awful of me that I wish we traded? I mucked around while you made social visits under the pretense of finding someone to marry?”

Edmund shook his head once. “Would never work. Archenland’s finest sons have absolutely zero interest in me,” he said. “Save for Lord Shar,” he added, wagging his eyebrows at his sister as he handed her a replenished drink.

Susan threw her head back and laughed. “You know, I think he did take a fancy to you! What a horrid marriage that would have been for me.…”

Edmund briefly joined in her laughter before sobering up. He looked at his sister as she recovered from the moment and sat back, the tension visibly easing from her shoulders. What would be a largely entertaining journey for others, even Lucy, was going to be a tedious one for Susan. We only want the best for you, Su, he thought. You deserve it.

“I’ll let you take Turvalin with you. How’s that for a deal?” he asked. Edmund’s personal squire—he’s more of a butler, these days—was trustworthy and dependable and considered a favorite amongst his siblings. Deep down, he knew they were jealous that the satyr was in his service.

“A good one, actually. Thank you.” Susan licked her lips and held up her glass. “This isn’t the ten-oh-four batch, is it?”

“The Ten-oh-six. We won’t have earned good ol’ ‘Tenifore’ until our return.”

Susan let out a big sigh and leaned back in her seat. “I’m going to hold you to that, you know.”

Edmund gave her a warm smile. “I’m counting on it.”

::x:x:x::

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” — Dwight. D. Eisenhower
::x:x:x:x:x:x:x::



Map | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

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