Revolution || Narnia Fanfiction || thecallofnarnia & NaturallyNarnian

Chapter 25: Proponent

Music, and a song: "Fortress of Lies" by Keiichi Okabe
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In the year since David and Lilliandil left for the cosmos, the ripple effect of their exploits spread far beyond Narnia. Whether it was David slaying a dragon, curing his people of a mind-altering poison, or his heroic sacrifice and subsequent miraculous revival at the Battle of Shatterlight, what was and is the Narnian reality of High Queen Lilith the Radiant, now with an equally miraculous High King Peter the Magnificent, was just as much becoming a Narnia regaled with words and tales of David's adventures.

In the West beyond Narnia, the small villages nestled there began to grow. Whether it was excitement of proximity to the blossoming land or whether something else was brewing, the West was soon no longer wild.

Key among the West's growth were the beginnings of two places: Fortha and Telmar. In the former, a young and wise woman led the village into a duchy, and as such became loved as its Duchess. With a key group of trusted friends by her side- her Lady, her Warrior, and her Elder- the Duchess of Fortha became almost as well known as the other lead player in the West: Caspian I of Telmar.

A group of pirates had suddenly entered Narnia and settled in the western land, and just when all seemed lost and Telmar would collapse, it was Caspian I that united the Telmarines under his vision of a new, better world.

Unfortunately, as the Duchess heard frequently from her Elder, that vision was more in line with conquest than conversation.

It was here, directly in the middle of the face of a possible Telmarine invasion and a Narnian rise to peace beyond greatness despite numerous royal shake-ups and shocking happenings, that the Duchess requested a meeting in Fortha with her group, her friends- what would be her Entourage.

Basking in the golden glow of the day, the Duchess turned to her companions with a smile. "Thank you all for coming."

There were no looks of resistance, only encouragement. "I've called this secret gathering in order to share a proposal with you. We have all heard of the far-reaching rise of the Narnian High King David the Incredible, yes?"

Nods from each of them.

"Each one of you has been instrumental in helping me build up Fortha to its current state of not just peace, but prosperity," the Duchess continued, "and I believe that our experience with positively impacting areas will be of benefit to Narnia."

The Warrior gave a look of intrigue, the Lady held a look of focus, and the Elder had a look of caution.

"We could help him. We, us, could be a valuable asset to him and to Narnia," the Duchess spoke. "We could assist him in matters of the Court, and in turn we would officially have a new ally to help us against the Telmarines. You all know as well as I that Caspian I of Telmar has had his sights on Narnia for a long time now. If it was the Four Kings and Queens that were at Cair should he decide to invade, it might be a different story, but now, there, with David, there's no telling what help could be necessary. We could help them not just survive a potential invasion, we could help them pave the way for a better Narnia, just like we did for Fortha. If anyone can help them grow, it's us," the Duchess spoke with an audible passion. "But it's not just for their sakes, and it's not just about the Telmarines," the Duchess continued. "It's about us, too, about Fortha, our people. If the Telmarines decide to invade Narnia, we are not only all that's between them both, but we will be run over by them. Both Fortha and Narnia would be greater allied against the Telmarine threat, so it is about our survival. Furthermore, David is unique, an oddity, certainly unlike the Four and unlike Lilith. We could learn so much from him-"

"His wisdom is parroted from books, not won through the trials of life," the Elder cut in. "Like this- 'Marble Hornets,' that could've been nonsense he spun-"

"And yet that book gave him the wisdom to cure a dangerous infection ravaging his people," the Duchess replied. "Whatever else he knows, whatever else he draws upon, Narnia nor the world at large hasn't had anything like it- it needs more of it."

"You need to stop and think," the Elder responded, "He could be more destructive than you realize-"

"You are her Elder," the Warrior cut in. "You are her Advisor...you are not her father. Let her speak."

The Duchess reciprocated a warm smile of gratitude to her guard.

"All High King David needs is a little bit more help, our help, and he can make Narnia and the world a better place," she continued. "So come with me...and let's build a better world alongside him. What do you say, my friends?"

"To building a better world!" the Lady voiced happily as the Warrior nodded with a smile.

The Duchess smiled as warmly as the sunrise, before taking a hand of her Warrior and her Lady on each side of her.

"To building a better world," the Elder repeated.