"Alambil, Alambil!" a voice shouted, a fist pounded on my door.

I groggily rose from my bed, fumbling to grab my lantern as I stumbled to answer it. The night was bitter cold and the sky darker than midnight. Louis, a faun, one of the few creatures who inhabited the northern lands, stood, a young girl in his arms. Her dress of light blue velvet and silk was blood stained and her hair covered her face

"What happened to her?" I questioned, sobering up from the dazed state of sleep as I ushered Louis inside. He shook the snow off his hooves politely before entering, almost fuelling a lecture from me.

He placed her gently down on the spare cot and pushed her long auburn hair away from her face, revealing a bleeding cut on her forehead. The steady rise and fall of her chest relieved me slightly.

"I do not know. I stumbled upon her on my way home. I couldn't think of any other healers in the north besides you, milady," he explained.

"I will see what I can do for her. Please, make yourself at home, there is soup still in the pot on the table," I began.

"Oh no, I must be off, my wife would be most distressed if I did not return before morn. I trust you can look after her, though please send word to me if you require my assistance." With that Louis took his leave, shutting the door to my cottage and disappearing into the winter's night.

I set to work building the fire, warming some water and creating a balm to seal the wounds with to stop infection. Setting the balm and bowl of warm water on the table, I quickly unfastened the once beautiful dress leavening the girl in her plain white shift. Luckily there seemed to be no lacerations to her abdomen or chest. Only her arms and legs bled from cuts that littered her ice cold skin and the single cut above her eyebrow.

I cleaned the blood away before applying the balm thickly to the weeping cuts. Once I was satisfied, I pulled a warm though light blanket over her small frame.

I threw two more logs into the fireplace before finally taking a seat in my old wooden rocking chair. My eyes settled on the young girl, she had a pretty face, one of a young adolescent. A spark of familiarity flared in my mind though I pushed it aside and settled in for a long night.

The first rays of morning shone through the eastern windows of my cottage casting a golden hue around the room, I stretched and small yawn escaping my lips.

A groan floated across the room from the young girl. I rose and made my way towards her.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"You're in the Northern Plains," she jumped slightly at my voice and sat up watching me closely, "A friend of mine found you not far away and brought you to me. Do you know what happened?" I asked.

She nodded, "My horse was spooked by something, and it threw me off and bolted. Then I don't remember much else."

"Do you recall what date it is, ah?" I paused, trying to decide what I should address her as.

"Qu… Lucy, my name's Lucy," she beamed, offering her hand to me.

I looked at it, slightly confused though took hold of it regardless. She gently shook my hand before releasing it.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lucy, everybody calls me Alambil, but you can call me Rennée," I smiled.

"Rennée, that's a lovely name," Lucy complimented, smiling as she climbing out of the bed.

I smiled, "Thank you, I think your name suits you perfectly. Lucy means light, if I remember correctly… it isn't hard to believe you light up a lot of people's worlds with that smile." This only caused Lucy to smile even brighter.

Lucy glanced at her dress which lay over the back of one of the chairs before looking down at her shift, "You wouldn't happen to have a spare dress for me to wear would you?"

"Certainly, I don't have anything quite as nice as your old one, though I'm sure there is one in your size somewhere in my chest," I stated, pulling open the trunk and searching though the collection of items within it. I finally found a simple red gown that would probably fit close enough and a leather belt. I pulled them out and passed them to Lucy. She gratefully accepted them and hurried into the small alcove which served as a bathroom, hidden behind a folding screen.

I pulled my simple green dress over the top of my shift and fastened my black waist cincher, giving my dress shape and holding it in place. I pulled on my cloak and fished out another for Lucy. She appeared from the bathroom, dressed and looking as fresh as morning's dew.

"What do you say to going and finding some breakfast?" I asked, collecting one of my baskets and my bow and quiver full of arrows.

"Sounds splendid!" she giggled, taking the offered cloak and hurrying out the door, "Oh goodness, I forgot my shoes."

She hurried back inside and slipped on her shoes before returning to the winter wonderland outside.

I pulled the door closed after me, casting my eyes over the white snow-covered plains. Lucy twirled in the snow, watching the world spin by her.

I chuckled, "Come on Lu, if you want breakfast before noon we'd best be on our way. Besides after it we can work on trying to find a way to get you home." With that we headed towards the north, over the main ridge which separated the northern plains into East and West. Nestled amongst a few tall strong pines was the High King's personal retreat, the only place in Narnia's north that wasn't touched by winter.

"Do you live by yourself?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, my mother died when I was young, my father is… very busy and my brother… has duties in… other lands," I answered.

"It must get lonely. What do you do, I mean, work wise, what is your job?"

I nodded, "It does though that has been cured thanks to you. As for work, I am a healer, and appointed by Aslan as a type of overseer of the northern lands, I suppose you could call it."

Lucy's brow crinkled in confusion, "Overseer? You mean like a guardian?"

"Yes, a guardian."

"Where are we going Ren?" Lucy questioned, glazing at the growing outlines of a wall.

"You're not from around here are you?" I questioned, already knowing the answer, "This is the High King's personal retreat, and it's the only place in the north not affected by winter. It's enchanted, as are all royal buildings in Narnia. Because it's not affected by winter, fruits, vegetables and various other things grow. This, my dear friend, is where we source breakfast."

"But, isn't that stealing?" she quizzed, almost shocked.

I shook my head as we finally reached the cobblestone patch that lead to the main gates, "Goodness no. I would never steal, especially not from the High King. I have heard many a great things about him."

Lucy smiled, "Oh, I'm sure he'd be pleased to know such kind words spread through his country," Lucy replied, "Build his ego to even greater heights," she mumbled to herself.

I bit my lip to stop from laughing, "You speak as though you know him."

"Know him, I dare say I should, I li…" she began, "I know him better than many."

I smiled, "Such fortune, and what of the Queens? I have heard they are both images of beauty and the kindest of people. They reside in the Castle of the Four Thrones, do they not?"

Lucy nodded, "Cair Paravel. It's so beautiful, built entirely of marble and granite. Some rooms even have glass rooves. It's breathtaking. You should journey with me when I return to Cair, see if all the stories are as true as you imagine."

I smiled brightly at her, "Sounds marvellous. I've never travelled to the East before. I've heard the Eastern Sea sparkles as though it were made of a billion diamonds."

Lucy giggled at my dreamy state, though soon stopped as her eyes came to rest on the golden gates which separated the retreat from the rest of the world.

"Good morrow to you Lady Alambil, I see you have company," Vero, one of the guards, a centaur, greeted us. His armour shone in even the bleak winter light.

"Good morrow, Sir Vero, and what a fine day it is, the wind brings news of spring," I commented, as he opened the gates for us, "Lucy, this is Sir Vero, Sir Vero, this is Lucy."

"Milady, what a pleasure to meet you," he greeted taking Lucy's hand and placing a small kiss upon it.

Lucy smiled politely, "The pleasure is all mine good sir."

"I trust you will enjoy the array of berries that have finally ripened," Sir Vero said, closing the gates.

I grinned, "I dare say we will. Good day Vero."

"And to you both."

With that I led Lucy away toward the back of the huge villa in the direction of the berry bushes.

After our stomachs were filled and the basket overflowing with apples we returned to my cottage to plan and prepare for our journey to the East.