Susan Was Always First

One Day to Rescue

Caspian, Ell,  and three of the king's most trusted men stood in a secluded clearing in the woods outside the palace, awaiting the arrival of two people who Caspian only knew the identities of as well as Aslan himself. These men had all taken oaths of secrecy, believing Caspian when he said it best they find out the identities of those they were meeting at the location and swearing to not speak of any of this until after the Pevensies were all back at the palace unharmed. While there had been a few raised brows, all had agreed as they believed in their King and wanted to see the rulers they so loved restored.

A few minutes after Caspian and  those he trusted arrived, two hooded figures approached, with muffled banter between the two of them. One of those with Caspian leaned forward, seemingly in recognition of a voice. However, the figures quieted down as they drew closer. Stopping, one of the figures stepped forward. 

"Caspian, I am glad to see you are well." The figure in the front threw back their cloak and grinned. 

Propriety be damned, at the sight of his brother-in-law Caspian threw his arms around Edmund as seeing him alive was a great relief. While he knew he was alive, it was still a weight off his chest to actually see Edmund. Edmund laughed lightly, though it was more to keep the emotions from running too high, and Caspian found himself joining in. Laughing was all they could do to keep from crying, letting out the overwhelming emotions into an outlet that better suited them than tears at the moment. Had the people around them not been those they trusted, the greeting would have been much more tense, and likely they would have held all the emotions inside until they could speak privately. 

"What happened to your hair?" Caspian asked as the laughter died down, realizing Edmund's hair was lighter than usual.

"Um...stress?" Edmund replied quickly, though the figure behind him chuckled.

"He thought it would be wise to dye it," Elda laughed as she too removed her cloak. "Since we had to disguise the fact that he lived."

"Thank you for answering a question not directed to you, Elda." Edmund rolled his eyes in good humor. 

"I thought that was your voice, King Edmund" A voice spoke, and when the brothers finally broke apart a mouse stepped forward. "Your majesty, I am glad to see you well."

"Reepicheep, it is good to see you." Edmund dipped his head at the mouse. "It is nice to see you as well, Glenstorm and Drinian. Ell, I am glad you came along." 

The centaur and sea captain both bowed, surprise still clear on their faces. The faun was in tears and he mumbled something that everyone present assumed to be a prayer of thanks, though it was hard to tell through his happy sobs. Edmund stepped close to the faun and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder until the faun's tears had slowed so that Caspian could address the group and have his words heard.

"Gentlemen, I am sure you can surmise why I made you vow secrecy now." Caspian spoke, his voice taking a friendly yet authoritative tone. "For the safety of my family, I had to declare Edmund deceased, lest the faction working against us see their plan as being incomplete and take it out on the others. This is why your silence was necessary on this, and is until we have everyone home safe and unharmed." 

"And they would harm them if they found out." Elda interjected, stepping closer to the group of men. She was both youngest and the only woman, but she also held all the information on the members of the faction working against the royal family. "Greed is vicious when things don't go according to plan. If it was showed that Edmund lived, or even that I lived, Greed would not have held back on taking their rage out on Peter and Susan, even this close to the woman giving birth." 

At this, all those that came with Caspian save for Ell started. As the kingdom did not know of the child Susan carried, this was the first they were hearing about the child. Narnia's heir and three of the rulers, all held by one faction...

Seeing the faces of those he had brought with him, Caspian spoke. "Yes, gentlemen, my wife is pregnant. She was just out of her third month on her birthday, and as we did not know if the stress of the kidnapping would cause her to miscarry Peter, Lucy, Edmund, and I all decided it would be best to keep that information from the public. Ell only knows as he was witness to Elda's testimony." Caspian turned then to those who had not traveled with him, thinking to best to inform Elda and Edmund about Lucy. "Edmund, I also regret to have to tell you that Lucy was taken too, by Jesse and Caralyn. And one of the members of the faction confronted me, though I could not see them."

Edmund let out a profanity that had Elda raising her brow at the king's choice in expletive. Caspian too was taken aback by his brother-in-law's choice of word. "I knew there was something off with them! I knew I shouldn't have left Lucy alone with them!"

"Those two, going off their names, were Lust and Insolence, and my guess is the one you couldn't see was Greed. Did they change their voice at all?" When Caspian nodded, Elda continued. "Then that was Greed. None of us actually know what they sound like, what their name is, or if they're male or female. They are always hidden in the shadows, and even when they tortured me I had no idea who they were."

"I believe I can give you some insight into that, Dear Ones, though it is not pleasant what I have to share."  Aslan's voice was solemn as he stepped into the clearing. "We shall speak as we travel toward the ruins- I have found a spot where you can establish a camp for the night, and there I will tell you everything you will need to know to rescue them tomorrow."