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"Even strength must bow to wisdom sometimes

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"Even strength must bow to wisdom sometimes."
- Rick Riordan









Narnia, 1012

" What is it, Edmund? "

Olivia bit her lip, clenching her husband's hand. Edmund did the same, preparing himself to give the news to his sister.

" The problem is, we won't find it easy to leave Tashbaan. We may have come here as guests, but as soon as Rabadash hears a flat denial, we will be no better than prisoners. "

Sallowpad the Raven, and one of the dwarfs grumbled something under their breaths. Susan started to grow anxious.

" Edmund and I have been with the prince yesterday and this morning. " Olivia added. " He is not used to not having things his way. He is growing irritated at our vague answers and stalling- this morning, he was especially irritated, pressing the hell out of us. Of course, we diverted him once again, but he grew cold and angry. Despite his still posture and tone, his words were threatening. "

Mr Tumnus nodded. " I have been with the Grand Vizier this morning, and he asked me how was I liking my stay at Calormen. Of course, I could not tell him I hated everything about this place, so I told him lies. He told me that, and I quote, 'you'll be able to come here when you wish, provided you leave a bride for our prince.' "

" Are you saying he would make me his wife by force? " Susan exclaimed, exasperated.

" That's our fear, Sue. " Edmund signed. " Wife or slave: which is worse? "

" But how can he? Does he think our brother, The High King, would let this merely pass? "

Olivia bit her lip. " The deal is: compared to Calormen, Narnia is a small country. They beat us in territorial amounts, and their army is much larger. The Tisroc and his sons do not fear us, they call themselves a great empire. "

" And little lands on the borders of great empires are always a bother to their lords. They wish to conquer those little lands and swallow them whole.  " Edmund completed his wife's line. "

" Let him try to face us. " Chipped one of the dwarfs. " At sea, we are as big as he is, if not bigger. In land, he has to cross the desert first. "

" But is the desert a sure defence? " Olivia replied.

" Sallowpad, what do you think? " Asked Edmund to the Raven.

Sallowpad was a wise traveller Narnian. He was very used to flying around, and he had explored a good amount of the world. He was well known for his days flying without stopping, for the tale of his wings was strong.

" I have flown the desert many times. " Replied the Raven. " And it is a sure thing; If the Tisroc tries to take a big army through the oasis, he will never be able to do it, for his soldiers will die of first before he reaches Archenland. But there is another way. "

All of the eyes in the room were focused on him, and those who pretended they did not had their ears attentive.  " There is a western path, a turbulent one. It starts at the tombs of the Ancient Kings, and then he has to go through a very narrow stony passage. From there, he will have to cross the river, and he will reach Archenland within a day's walk. "

" Do the Calormenes know of this way? " Susan asked anxiously.

" Alright, let's calm our nerves now. " Edmund replied courteously. " We do not need this discourse. We do not need to discuss whether Calormen or Narnia would win in a war; we are only trying to find a way out of this city and, at the same time, preserve the honour of my sister. Nevertheless, if war were to arise, we need no doubt that Queen Olivia, the warrior, and my wife, would easily best the Calormenes. "

Olivia smiled, kissing his cheek. He slung his arm over her shoulder in a display of affection, and the girl was so happy. She loved that Edmund believed in her potential, no matter what. She loved his wisdom and faith.

" Well, we have our weapons, and this is a reasonably defensible house. " Chipped a dwarf from a far corner of the room.

Something clicked inside Olivia's mind. She rushed up from her seat, heading towards Mr Tumnus in another corner of the room, and the two started whispering in silence. The others dismissed their odd behaviour.

" I have no doubt we would all fight for Queen Susan's honour. " Edmund replied to the dwarf. " But it would be useless. It is a tactic with no win out of it. "

" That is true. " Croaked Sallowpad.

Mr Tumnus clapped his palms together, making a loud sound echo throughout the chamber, and all the eyes moved to him and Queen Olivia.

" Is everything all right, Mr Tumnus? " Asked King Edmund.

The faun was jumping up and down. " Our only difficulty is to arrive at our ship, the Splendour Hyaline, without being seen or stopped, correct? "

" Yes. " Replied a dwarf. " Like the beggar's only difficulty of riding a horse is the absence of the animal. "

" What if we arrange a pretext to go to our ship? " Mr Tumnus suggested. " An excuse for us to bring our stores and go back there. "

" What would it be, Mr Tumnus? " Asked Edmund, who also eyed his wife suspiciously.

" Well, what if we hosted a dinner on the splendour Hyaline tomorrow night? Susan can write a letter, inviting Rabadash to dinner with a light show that you are going to say yes to his proposal. So, we will have an excuse to go forth and back from the ship. We leave at midnight, and when the prince awakes tomorrow, we shall be back in Cair Paravel. " Olivia smirked, revealing her plan.

" Running for home! To Narnia and the north! " Exclaimed a Narnian.

" That is a fantastic counsel, Queen Olivia, Mr Tumnus. " Replied Sallowpad the Raven as the room filled itself with chatter and excited murmurs.

Susan got up from her chair, grabbing Olivia and Tumnus' hands and dancing around with them, thanking them for the genius plan.

" What if the prince chases us? " Asked an Archenlander lord named Horace.

" He may try. " Replied Edmund. " But none of their ships will be able to be strong enough to handle the Splendour Hyaline, for their ships are weak and slow, nothing compared to ours. "

" Sire, their plan is very good. It has the support of the Council of the Birds. " Nodded the Raven.

" Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get ourselves out of here! "

𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 || Edmund PevensieWhere stories live. Discover now