Note: This fic is an alternative ending to The Horse and His Boy. I'm picking up near the end of the book so it might be hard to follow if you haven't read that book. This takes place fourteen years after the events in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I borrowed a few minor characters and other things from the movie. Some other minor characters such as Prince Galen, Sir Brynn, Lady Deidre, Lady Nola, Eol the Eagle, Ravenstorm the Centaur and his children are made up and I have used them in several fics.

The book belongs to C.S. Lewis and the movie to Walden.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the Eastern Sea as the Splendor Hyaline docked at the wharf near the great castle of Cair Paravel. The great Narnian ship was secure within moments. Queen Susan held the arm of her brother King Edmund as they disembarked.

Queen Susan said: "It is a bit unusual, dear brother, that no one is here to greet us."

Her younger brother shook his head and answered: "Nay, Madam, it is very early in the morning and no one was expecting us to return so suddenly."

"It is so good to be back in Narnia. I will not be hasty in leaving again" said the young queen as they walked towards the castle.

"I am glad to hear of that, sister" replied Edmund with a laugh.

The king and queen followed by their courtiers reached the eastern gate to the castle. Edmund and Susan walked through the gate followed by Lord Peridan and his sister Lady Deidre and Sir Brynn and his wife Lady Nola. Master Tumnus, the faun, was walking behind Sir Brynn. Tumnus felt anxious – something was wrong but he was not sure what was wrong. He reached out to touch the loyal knight's arm.

"Sir Brynn, I fear something is amiss. Are there not normally guards at this gate?" asked the faun.

Sir Brynn turned to answer the faun while his wife continued to walk ahead. Suddenly there was a loud sound as the gate came crashing down. The king and queen along with Peridan, Deidre and Nola were on one side while the rest of the party was outside of the castle walls. To his horror, Brynn heard the sounds of yelling and swords being drawn following by a scream from Queen Susan. What was happening? The gate was barred so he turned and started running towards the north gate followed by the others.

Queen Susan screamed a second time as two Calormene soldiers picked her up and handed her to Prince Rabadash who was already on his horse. Two other soldiers picked up Deidre and Nola and handed them to Tarkaans.

In a low voice, Rabadash said "It was so rude of you to leave without saying farewell, my love. We will return to Tashbaan now and you will become my wife as planned. In time, I will forgive you for your foolish behavior."

"You will forgive me!" exclaimed Susan. "I will never forgive you for this. How dare you take me like this? Aslan and my royal brothers will never allow this to happen."

"Silence! It is only because I love you that I do not have your brother killed now. He caused your heart to harden against me. And your demon Aslan has no power in Tashbaan" replied Rabadash in a cold voice. "Now, we ride and if you try to escape my little bird, I will give your two ladies to my men for sport."

Susan twisted to look at Edmund again. As soon as the gate started crashing down, Edmund had reached for his sword. A Tarkaan behind the young king had hit him over the head. There was blood on his face and he was lying on the ground. The Calormenes had tied his hands. Lord Peridan likewise had been disarmed. Edmund moved slightly and opened his eyes.

Rabadash called out: "Edmund. Before you try to follow us, you might want to go into the castle and help your other sister. She is greater danger of harm than Susan. I will not harm Susan – I plan to wed her. I warn you, I will kill these other two ladies if you try to stop us."

The Calormenes were all back on their horses and began to gallop out of the castle. Susan looked behind and saw Brynn and the others rushing through the north gate on foot. She then looked at Rabadash.

"What did you do to my sister? What harm is she in?" demanded Susan.

"The little fool thinks she is a warrior" replied Prince Rabadash. "She led a small party to defend the castle. She has an arrow in her shoulder for her trouble. We locked her up. As long as Edmund finds her and gets her medical treatment in next hour or so she should live."

The Calormenes with their captives rode across the peninsula and into the woods.

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Back in Cair Paravel, Edmund staggered to his feet and wiped some of the blood off his face. He felt a bit dizzy and his head pounded. Lord Brandon cut the rope that bound his hands. He gripped Lord Brandon's shoulder for support. Then he began issuing orders.

"Sir Brynn, begin to organize a rescue party to follow the Calormenes. Go to the stables and get the horses ready. Lord Brandon, organize a search of the castle. They must have locked up the castle guard and other members of the court. Rabadash said that Queen Lucy was in danger. We must find her" said King Edmund.

A few dead Narnians were in the main courtyard but it was clear that the Calormenes had attacked the castle so quickly that there was little organized defense. They began to find members of the court in locked rooms. But no one had seen Queen Lucy. Edmund was started to feel a bit frantic – he couldn't have lost both sisters in one day, could he?

Cloudstorm, son of Ravenstorm, trotted quickly down the hall after being released and said "Sire, I believe Queen Lucy was taken upstairs and locked in her bedroom."

Edmund thanked the centaur and ran upstairs. Lucy's room was in a tower on the west side of the castle. The door was barricaded on the outside. With the help of two soldiers, he removed the wood barricading the door and opened the door. Lucy was lying on top of her bed and he could see the blood on the covers.

"Lucy, Lu, are you alright? Please Lu, say something" pleaded the young king. He could see the arrow stuck in her shoulder.

Lucy opened her eyes and smiled slightly as she said "Edmund, you don't look much better than me. I am so glad you are here. Where is Susan?"

Edmund answered "Susan was captured by Rabadash. It happened so quickly, I couldn't do anything. I failed to keep either of you safe."

"Oh, Ed, this isn't your fault. It is treachery" said Lucy as she tried to sit up. She turned very pale.

"Lu, stay still. I will get a healer." said Edmund.

He looked up and saw Lucy's oldest friend Master Tumnus in the door.

"Master Tumnus, please come and sit with the queen while I get a healer" said Edmund.

He gave Lucy a quick kiss on her forehead and quickly left. Her forehead was very warm. She must have a fever – she must have been lying there for several hours with that damn arrow in her shoulder and the wound bleeding. How could any royal prince be so cruel to leave a woman in such condition? His hated of Rabadash grew as he ran back downstairs and asked Cloudstorm to go help Lucy.

"Your Majesty" said Sir Brynn as he rushed into the main hall. "The stables are empty. They drove off the horses or took them. The only way to pursue Prince Rabadash will be if we are able to ride on some of the centaurs. Sallowpad the Raven and Farrell the Eagle have both gone in pursuit so we don't lose the trail."

King Edmund paused. His head was pounding. It was hard to think clearly.

"We know they are going back to Tashbaan. I fear there is nothing we can do now, my friend. There were over a hundred of them, we only have a few handful here and only a few centaurs. It will take time to call up an army large enough to take back the ladies by force. By then, they will be too far ahead. This was well planned. I underestimated Rabadash's determination. Find a messenger and send word to the High King of what has happened" said King Edmund. "Don't fear, my friend, we will get back your wife as well as the queen."

Edmund spend several minutes organizing workgroups to go find the horses, tend the wounded, call up Narnians who would fight, bury the dead and fix the gate. He then went back upstairs. Cloudstorm had just finished removing the arrow from Lucy's shoulder. Lucy was pale and she was still bleeding heavily. Tumnus suggested it might be a good idea for Lucy to use her healing cordial on herself.

"The High King said it should only be used in desperate circumstances not for common injuries" whispered Lucy.

"We need to get you well" answered Edmund. "Susan has been kidnapped and this is a time of great danger for Narnia. Where is the cordial?"

"It is in the treasure chamber" whispered Lucy.

Edmund started to leave the room when Cloudstorm stopped him. The young centaur insisted on checking the wound on Edmund's head and bandaging it. He then gave Edmund a potion to drink which would stop the headache. Edmund then went back downstairs and walked into the throne room at Cair Paravel. Behind a tapestry on the dias was the door to their royal treasure chamber.

Edmund took a key out and unlocked the door. He took a nearby torch and walked down the stairs. The chamber was cold and quiet. The room was full of gold, jewels and other treasures of Narnia. He ignored all this and walked over to a section of the wall where his sibling's gifts were hanging. The sword and shield that Peter received from Father Christmas were on the wall. They had been hanging there for years since Peter had grown older and stronger and outgrew the weapons of his boyhood. Lucy's cordial was hanging on the wall but not her dagger which she routinely wore and kept in her bedroom when not being worn. Before they left for Tashbaan, Susan had brought her bow and arrows and horn downstairs and hung them for safe-keeping on the wall. Edmund stared at the horn and wished Susan had it with her. If there was ever a time, Susan needed to summon help it was today. The young king picked up the cordial and left the chamber.