Chapter 23

A/N: Hi, I'm not sure if there's anyone still out there? But I had an urge to start writing again, and so here I am. I know it's been a long time (3 years!) and real life took over in a big way, but I'd really like to finish this story, and so let's give it a go…

(Story reminder: Lucy has been chosen as a concubine to serve in Prince Rabadash's harem, she is under-cover as part of a plot to assassinate the Prince. The threat of war looms over Narnia, and Prince Rabadash will stop at nothing to take Queen Susan for his own, and destroy Narnia and the surrounding countries).

Lucy, and the girls were led through winding perfumed corridors to a huge set of wooden doors outside which stood a pair of implacable-faced guards, who at a nod from the body servant opened them to the dark chamber inside. The girls were pushed in, and the doors quickly shut again. Turning Lucy allowed her eyes to adjust, and realised the room was covered in draped muslins, cushions scattered on the floor, windows shuttered. The room was opulent, stuffy and empty. Ignoring the two other girls she strode forward and pushed opened the door at the other end into a massive gallery of chattering women, all of whom stopped and turned to face the newcomers.

These were surely the most beautiful women in the world Lucy realised half bewildered, taking in women from all different backgrounds, lounging on cushions, in various states of undress, doing each other's hair and make-up, some cuddled together reading, others sleeping, but all of them without exception uniquely stunning in her own way.

"Welcome" a voice called from the back of the room, and a woman who looked to be Calormese, dark hair bound back by a silk scarf, walked towards them. From the way the other women bowed their head slightly as she passed indicated she was the one who held the power in the room. Lucy allowed her eyes to drop as a show of deference while simultaneously scanning the room for any exit ways.

"I am Lady Mira", a delicate finger lifted Lucy's chin and she found herself looking into the other woman's kohl-rimmed eyes. "What a lovely little flower you are".

"Thank you my lady" Lucy murmured quietly, moving not a muscle as Lady Mira tightened her grip on her chin and brazenly scanned Lucy's face and body.

"And these are?" she did not take her eyes from Lucy but jerked her head towards the other two girls.

"My servants" Lucy replied coolly her face calm, as she stared back at the woman opposite her.

Lady Mira chuckled mirthlessly "my my, he must have a high opinion of you indeed to allow you two servants. You're a Narnian are you not?" and released her grip so Lucy could nod. "Men are always fools about something".

If any of the other women found her words blasphemous they did not show it but kept their eyes trained on Lucy as a snake would before striking its prey.

"Come", it seemed as if the interview was over, and with a click of her fingers Lady Mira turned and beckoned Lucy and the others to follow her from the huge room and into another darkened corridor past rooms, some with the doors opened to beds, others closed to a room at a far end of the passage.

"You may sleep here for now". Six beds were nestled next to each other, and more silken drapes covered the windows stifling any sort of breeze. It was richly furnished but oppressive and Lucy instinctively hated it.

She bowed her head in a sign of submissive gratitude to their host, who merely smirked at them and shut the door behind her.

Neema threw herself on the nearest bed without a further word and began shakily sobbing, the red haired girl crouched down next to her rubbing her back and shushing her. Lucy ignored them both and stalked around the room assessing it, no obvious exits apart from the door and the drapes covering the window exposed a garden two stories below. Interesting, she mused to herself. She could see a few more women walking in the gardens, fellow concubines, arm in arm giggling to each other, and above them on the marble parapets she could see the shadows of soldiers guarding them.

Starting at a light touch on her shoulder she turned to see the girl she had not yet spoken to smiling hesitantly at her behind her, "thank you mistress", she began, her lilting tones betraying a Lone Island's accent. "You saved us, and I can never thank you enough. I'm Grace".

Lucy smiled back at her gesturing around the room "I'm not sure I would qualify this as saving, but it's nice to meet you Grace", she paused and looked at Neema whose sobs were subsiding into shaky hiccups, "I hope you do not think ill of me Neema for dragging you into this situation" she began, but stopped as the other girl threw herself off the bed and stumbled to kneel before her.

"I am not sad Mistress Lacey, please" she stopped then as another sob overtook her "I am so relieved not to have been given to Afzal. Tales of what he has done to his past concubines….I thank you".

"It is quite alright, really" Lucy felt highly embarrassed and dragged Neema to her feet. "What time do you judge it to be?"

Grace peered out of the window at the shadowed sky "Just past five, I think"

"We need to get some food, and we need rest. It will be a long rest of the day I fear", Lucy gripped both the women's shoulders and tried to smile reassuringly.

Grace nodded and left the room in search of sustenance, and Neema turned to sort the beds.

Letting herself breathe calmly at last, the spikes of adrenaline which has been fuelling her thus far left her legs feeling so shaky Lucy could only curl up on the nearest bed and pull a blanket around herself.

Would she survive this? She did not know. She thought of Susan, her fierce proud sister whom she must protect, of Peter and his goodness, the way the light hit Cair Paravel at sunset, the rolling green hills of home, the dappled forests and quiet creatures; she thought of Edmund, and allowed the pain of separation from him to fill her. She remembered the way he looked at her, only her, as if his eyes could reach into her soul, the way he would kiss her hair before she slept, and his whispers of "Lucy, my Lucy" before he took her, and claimed her. I will find you again, she promised him, and closed her eyes as exhaustion overtook her.

It was several hours later she knew, as she awoke. Despite the covered window, the light had shifted and darkened, and it was now night. Soon he would call for her.

"My lady", it was Grace kneeling by the bed.

"Lacey, please", she responded, rubbing her eyes to wake herself up.

"We brought you food". Grace lay some bread, fruit, meats and a jug of water on the table beside her.

Lucy nodded her thanks, and swung her legs around to sit up, she was fully awake now, and the nerves were back, "we must get to work", she said.

In the room on various tables were make-up, perfumes, hair accessories and in the wardrobes opposite the beds contained every type of seductive garment imaginable. Susan would love this, Lucy reflected her fingers brushing the silks and sequins on the dresses, as Neema lit the lanterns behind her to give them better light to work. There was enough here to transform even the plainest woman, and Lucy had had a better start in life than many, she was not particularly vain, how could she be with a sister like hers? But she reflected regarding herself in the mirror when finished that she looked irresistible, which was of course a problem.

"How to make him stop" she muttered to herself, pulling the diaphanous gauze away from her breasts.

She caught the glances between Neema and Grace in the mirror, "what?"

"My lady...Lacey, if that is what you desire I can help" Grace said slowly.

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy turning to face her.

"Her mother was a witch" Neema replied nodding at her, neither woman saw Lucy's flinch at the word.

"No, not a witch" frowned Grace, "a herbalist, a wise woman, she helped people".

"Grace isn't like the others" Neema said "she wasn't born into this like us, she was captured".

Grace nodded bleakly "at 16, they raided my village. But..." shaking herself "I remember my old life, and I remember my mother's teachings. I saw a cupboard with medicines in when we went to look for food earlier. I took some…" she pulled out of her pocket a handful of pills and other bits. "I just thought they might come in useful" she said defiantly at the censurious look Neema threw at her.

"I drug him?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, if that's what you want" Grace began

"It is, I do not want him touching me".

Neema nodded in sympathy, "so we have sleeping pills?" directed at Grace.

"Yessss…" she started and then stopped, "although I wonder if it might be better to do a combination of things"

"Explain, please quickly" said Lucy, worried she would be called any moment now.

"Yes certainly take the pills to put in his drink if you get the opportunity, but if not we should have a back-up plan", Grace held up a tube of paste, "it's a skin glamour, I recognise the smell. It makes your skin glow, but if ingested, it puts you in a deep hallucinogenic sleep".

"So, I should rub this on me, in case he" Lucy swallowed "licks me".

"Well, yes" Grace replied "the visions will be pleasant. Villagers used it at festivals when the moon was up to communicate with loved ones gone. I'm not quite sure why they have it here, perhaps they do not know what it does".

"Let's do it" said Lucy decisively pulling off her clothes, "help me apply it".

The women rubbed it into her skin, over her shoulders pausing when they came to her breasts, looking at her, Lucy shuddered at the thought of him touching her there, but nodded and they applied it there too. She quickly redressed herself as a knock at the door came.

Lady Mira stood at the door, a servant behind her "you are summoned" she said to Lucy her gaze sweeping her up and down, "oh he'll be pleased with you", a bitter tone staining her voice, and she turned on her heel and left. The servant bowed and indicated Lucy follow, she squeezed the hands of the two women left behind her, and walked out of the room.

Pausing outside the door as the servant knocked Lucy forced herself to calm her breathing, and walked slowly in when it opened to reveal Rabadash lounging inside on a jewelled throne. Furs lined the floor, and stuffed glassy-eyed animals stared at her from the walls. Murderer, Lucy thought, she knew some of them would most likely have been talking animals, that he would have deliberately ordered them killed. The room was large, and to her right stood the most enormous bed, satin covers and plump cushions tumbled over it, and in the middle of the room the most ridiculous gold throne studded with rubies and other precious jewels, and her enemy sat watching her hungrily. A small boy stood to his left, fanning him, pointedly staring straight at the wall in front of him not making eye contact with anyone, the room was otherwise empty. The servant bowed and shut the door behind her.

"Well, well, well" Rabadash drawled, not moving except for one finger with which he lazily beckoned Lucy over to stand in front of him. "My very own Narnian, what a little beauty you are". His eyes mentally stripped her of her clothes, as Lucy forced herself to look straight over his head at the wall behind him. Two huge windows appeared to lead to balconies, and she wondered how far up they were. She had already decided she would put all the pills in his wine, more than enough to knock him out and if luck were on her side, to finish him off. She spied a small dagger on the belt at his side, and calculated if she might be quick enough to pull it out and slit his throat. The thought about what to do about the young slave boy bothered her. She was barely able to stomach the killing of an evil murderer but that of a young innocent child was impossible, there had to be another solution.

Meanwhile Rabadash stood up and with no further speech ripped the clothes from her body, until they lay pooled in a silken pile at her feet. Lucy could not help it then, she involuntarily crossed her arms over herself and glared at him.

He was delighted chuckling at her outrage and seized her arm to pull her over to him, bending it behind her back as he held her flush against him, the jewels on his clothes scratching her skin. She had never felt more repulsed, more sickened in her life. His breath smelt of aniseed, and up close his teeth were slightly wine-stained.

"Please fight me Susan, I will so enjoy breaking you", he sneered at her.

"My name is Lacey", she began only to be cuffed across the face.

"Silence whore", he was furious, no one dared speak in his presence unless he commanded it. Even the slave boy had stopped in surprise, pausing to look at Lucy cradling her cheek on the floor.

"Forgive my O Great One", Lucy said keeping her eyes downcast as she knelt at his feet, she could see a flagon of wine laid out on a table at a side. "Please dismiss the boy, and let me tend for you".

He pulled her up again and inhaled along her cheek bone, reddened and with a small cut where one of his jewels had caught her skin. He was extremely excited, she could see it in the dilation of his pupils, hear it in the shortness of breath. Lucy began to doubt more and more whether she would be able to survive this night, she had not even been able to wear her talisman, stowed as it was in the safety of Ashir's house, she had left it to Edmund to use if needed.

"Yes you'll serve me" he was huffing, pushing her so she was face down bent over the throne. Lucy knew then what he intended to do. The slave boy had resumed his fanning, this apparently was business as usual.

No, she thought to herself, not like this and with a slight roll she ducked out from under him catching him by surprise as he unbuttoned his trousers. Without further presumption, she pushed him backwards until he landed on the bed. He was watching her his face lit with lust, enjoying the power reversal as she pulled his trousers open flopping his erect manhood out standing proud amongst the jewels. Lucy stripped him of his clothes as quickly and efficiently as he had her of hers, and all the while he stared at her fascinated, she could tell this was a novel experience for him. The cool air wafting on her back signalled to her, the young boy had made his way over and was quietly fanning them on the bed, filing that away in her mind, she carried on with the task in hand, sitting on Rabadash and rubbing herself against him, watching as his eyes bulged and his hands came up to grab at her and pull her down to him. She was fully detached now, as if she was watching from a distance the voice in her ear whispering what she must do next as she stopped his hands and held them down above his head with one arm, and with another fed a breast into his mouth. He suckled eagerly on a nipple, like a dog slobbering on a bone Lucy observed from somewhere in her mind, his eyes wide as he hummed satisfaction deep within his throat. She watched as his movements became slower and slower, she wasn't sure how long it would take for the drug to kick in but it seemed as if it worked fast, with one final groan his eyes closed and he was snoring loudly. Lucy sat up and quickly slid off him. The young boy was still staring straight ahead fanning away ignoring them both. She pulled on the remains of her clothes before she could change her mind about killing everyone in that room and pulled open the door to leave, turning she saw the boy continuing to fan, and her sworn enemy lying on the bed, his manhood slowly subsiding and the hugest grin on his face. Disgusted she closed the door behind her and stepped into the corridor, awareness at last returning to her body, she was going to be sick. Two guards stood outside the door and ignored her as she threw up in a potted plant, this seemed to be business as usual too. When she was finished one of them pointed along the passage at the way she had come, and with a nod of thanks she slowly began to make her way back to the women's quarters, all the while noting the windows and the exits.

She was almost back when a hand caught hers and pulled her into a shadowed alcove. It was a maid, and a face she'd never seen before. The maid pushed a note into Lucy's hand, she read it quickly, it simply said 'two days time, be ready', she had barely finished reading before it was snatched back from her and the woman with a frightened look hurried away.

Two days, could she last two more days here? She needed to know how to open a gate to her brother in two days. You can do this the voice whispered again in her ear. Yes, she thought pausing outside the wooden doors back to the harem, you can do this.

A/N: If anyone is still out there reading, I'd love to know what you think, and fingers crossed if life allows I'll update again soon!