Chapter 1

Screams broke through the large, dark castle. A young dark haired woman rose from her deep sleep at the sound of the screams.

A knock came to the door and quickly the young woman rose from her bed and opened the door. A man stood at her door, "Lady Adeline?"

The young woman's eyes opened wide, "General, the queen? Is she in labor?" General Glozelle nodded, "She asks for you. You must come now."

Adeline slipped on her dressing gown and followed Glozelle down the halls. The general opened a door for Adeline and she entered the room of the screaming woman.

Her eyes were wide open as she saw human life come. "Lina! Come by my side!" Her aunt screamed out. She went by her side and held her hand, "It's alright my lady, just a little bit more!"

Adeline winced as Lady Prunaprismia squeezed her hand tightly. Prunaprismia let out another yell that pierced throughout the room and through the castle.

Adeline sat on her bed, after a long night of sweat, screams, and pain, she was able to get a little more sleep. Adeline gently massaged her hand; Aunt Prunaprismia did have a strong grip.

Outside her window celebrations went on down in the streets, a son had been born. An heir. A soft knock came to the door as Adeline looked out the window, "Come in." Her maid, who she never knew the name of, entered the room.

She gave a small, amateur curtsy and looking down at the ground she softly spoke, "Lord Miraz asks for you my Lady." Adeline nodded, "Tell I will be ready soon." The maid curtsied again, "I will send someone to assist you my Lady."

"There is no need. I will dress myself." The maid looked surprised, but curtsied and left the room. Adeline sighed; the poor nameless girl looked like she was scared out of her mind.

Adeline took out a dark blue dress, it seemed appropriate considering she had a nephew. The dress was simple, but flattering on Adeline, who herself was simple, but still very beautiful.

Adeline looked at her reflection in a mirror on her bureau; everyone had always said that she looked like her mother. She smiled sadly at the thought of her mother and her father.

Both had died suddenly, leaving Adeline and her brother orphans. Then a thought came to her, where was Caspian? She shrugged her shoulders and rose from the bureau and made her way to meet her uncle.

Maids rushed here and there, getting things ready for the new son when he was to be presented to Telmar. Adeline walked up to her uncle's office and knocked. "Enter." She heard Miraz's deep voice answer from behind the door,

Adelina entered the room and smiled at her uncle who hesitantly returned it. "Congratulations Uncle, on the birth of a son. Aunt Prunaprismia is well, but tired."

Miraz seemed pleased by this news and smiled a little, but the smile faded when he turned to face Adeline. Her smile also fell, "Uncle, what is wrong? Has something happened?"
"Your brother, Caspian."

Adeline turned pale at her uncle's solemn words,

"What happened to Caspian?"

"He has been captured. By Narnians."

Adeline turned even more pale as she sat down in the nearest chair she could find,

"Narnians are extinct. They were all killed."

"They have been breeding. Like cockroaches." He spit out the final word, but the Narnians were no better than insects.

Adeline started to cry, holding her face in her hands, "What are we going to do? Have the Narnians been caught?" Miraz nodded his head,

"He is being executed as we speak."

"Did you find Caspian?"

"General Glozelle and his men could not find him."

Adeline started to cry even harder. Miraz put an arm around his niece and tried to comfort her. He knew that the general would not find Caspian and if he did find him, Caspian would be dead and they could still safely believe that Narnians were extinct.