The Mirror Cracked

CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH

The first night that the Calormenes and Hadrusians spent together in Camp Beruna was very problematic. The tension was so great that one could almost cut it with a knife.

As the host nation, Narnia was ultimately responsible for keeping the peace during the deliberations, and its most dedicated and well trained soldiers were stationed around each of the pavilions to head off trouble before it started.

Mind you, those soldiers were Black Diamonds, a crack outfit of otters with sharp spears and swords. The human that felt like pushing past a Black Diamond--and few ever could--ended up with a trophy scar or two as a memento.

The presence of these otters around the Calormene tent would have been laughable and offensive had the memory of their assault at Risem Ford in the Second Calormene War not been fresh. Prince Yannik and Raum may have felt indignant, but at least they felt safe.

As the moon drew upward to midnight, Raum emerged from the tent with a scroll and started toward the center of the compound. The Tent Corporal came alongside and ventured, "Your Excellency, it's a bit late to be out and about."

"I must pray for the success of our mission," Raum said. "I want to be under the moon and stars. Our lands are far apart but we share a common sky."

"So we do," the otter clucked. "Over there if you don't mind. I have orders to keep my eyes on you."

"But of course," Raum said, stalking out to the flagpoles and sitting cross-legged directly under the Tisroc's banner.

He unrolled the scroll which was indeed a prayer to Tash on the front, then turned it over. By the light of the moon he could make out a different script that did not show up in sunlight. He avoided even mouthing the words quietly as he read it:

"Raum, we are pleased by your faithfulness and delighted by your wisdom. And so we are moved to ask an extraordinary thing. By the holy name of Tash I adjure you to make sure my son does not affix the Royal Seal to any document placing the Hadrusian dogs beyond our reach. Use the most effective means at your disposal. The blame must fall upon the Hadrusian ambassador to compel the Telmarines to abandon the talks.

I the Tisroc have spoken."

It was clear what needed to happen. Exactly how was another matter. Raum headed back to the tent, stopping at the guard post fire and dumping the scroll into the flames.

"Oy!" the Corporal exclaimed, "What's all this??"

"The prayer will fly into the heavens on the rising smoke," Raum said, touching his forehead respectfully before disappearing back into his tent.
 
...the memory of their assault at Risem Ford in the Second Calormene War...

If I'm not mistaken, what this refers to is part of your Byron-on-Wells continuity, and still would be "real" in a timeline which _didn't_ follow the course of this particular story. Am I right?
 
There was a Second Calormene War in my other timeline but the assault took place at Araksham.

Were I to publish a timeline of the Second Calormene War here ( and I shan't! :D ) the difference between the two versions would be as different as the realized Normandy Invasion and Patton's proposed attack.

Just for that I may end up doing a war epic, "Went With the Wind" where Col. Raid Butler led the Scarlett O'Hares to save the Waddling Bell from the Yankers.
 
CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

Early the next morning the Royal Advisor to the Tisroc, went over to the Hadrusian pavilion, kettle in hand, and announced himself to the guards not as a high office holder but as Raum. "I should like to drink tea with my counterpart. With all due respect to Kings, Emperors and Princes, sometimes a man wants an equal to pass the time."

Foreign minister Harlass found Raum affable and polite, not at all the stuffy sort one pictured from the Court of Tashbaan. Raum did not resist at all when one of the guards was invited in to test the tea first.

"Harlass, the world is becoming a dangerous place," Raum said, taking a careful sip of the hot brew. "I slept not a wink last night, worried about what we would say, what we would do."

"How about the truth? How about the right thing?" Harlass countered.

"The right thing..." Raum shrugged. "Problem is, we belong to different faiths and have different points of view. What seems right to me and what seems right to you are two different things. If the world as we know it is to survive, one viewpoint must match the other."

"Even if we fight to the last man?"

Raum sighed. "That's one of the things I admire about the Hadrusian people. You have such unity, such accord. It reminds me of the early days of the Empire when every campaign was a holy quest. Now it is a power struggle, a competition amongst the upper classes to please the Tisroc. Toadies, grovelers, yes men all of them."

"You didn't do so badly in that contest yourself," Harlass jibed.

Raum laughed. "That I didn't. Well come what may my lad, you pray to your God for my soul, I'll pray to mine for yours. Maybe in that great banquet hall we'll drink our health together."

"Why not?" Harlass said with a guarded smile, holding out his cup. Raum clinked cups with him and they drank.

And all in all it was a very pleasant social occasion with only one flaw; namely that Raum had deftly removed Harlass' dirk from its scabbard and replaced it with Yannik's dagger.
 
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Little did the Calormenes know that hidden in the Misty Mountains was enough uranium to build a nuclear stockpile that could level the world...had the world not already been flat...

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

(Real Chapter Sixteen coming soon)
 
Excellent. I like Raum though. Are you sure he has to be the bad guy? He seems nice enough.
 
I love this!

You start off with poetic prose that draws us in to the climate of the story. I like how the horse says "Worthy of his spurs" Both noble and endearing...like you!

This is the first fanfic I ever wrote as I went along. I've been known to put them out a chapter or two at a time, but this is really organic, fluid, changeable. To be blatantly honest, I'll finish it if people want to read it. Let me know you're here and what you think. Come on this adventure with me for an imaginative reboot of the Chronicles of Narnia!

THE MIRROR CRACK'D

CHAPTER THE FIRSTE

Out flew the web and floated wide
The mirror crack'd from side to side
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott

-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

It was an Autumn day that came in the summer of King Peter's life; dry, crisp and clear with a foretaste of fiery leaves on the oak and ash. In short it was the perfect day for a quest, had there been a quest at all, which there had not.

Peter sighed, Lucy drummed her fingers and Susan silently counted the malachite green tiles in the floor and found yet again that there were exactly 68. What Edmund thought we'll never know because just as he was about to say something, in burst old Tumnus in a state of happy agitation. "Your Majesties! Wonderful news! The White Stag is once more upon us!"

"The White Stag?" Edmund asked. "Is he one of our loyal subjects?"

"Yes and no. But he's a very special sort of creature. He has powers and to those lucky enough to detain him, he will grant wishes in exchange for freedom."

"Are you saying we should hold him for ransom?" Lucy said, eyebrows raised. She certainly did not look kindly on the mistreatment of any beast, talking or no.

"Actually," Tumnus said with a coy smile, "the legends say he does not mind granting wishes to those who are worthy. He runs to test you."

Peter brought his fist down on the arm of his throne with resolve. "Then by Jupiter, we'll test it! Tell the groom to saddle our mounts!"

***

Phillip whinnied softly, more in shame than in pain. His long face was pillowed in Peter's lap as the High King stroked him gently. "There's my brave old soldier. Lucy should be back with the cordial presently and we'll mend that shattered leg."

"Brave old soldier," Phillip said with a snort. "Hah! That's a laugh. I saw a snake and upsie-daisy! I'm just glad I didn't break your neck."

"You were startled," Peter said softly. "I think I'm a brave warrior, worthy of his spurs. Still when someone touches me on the back and I'm not expecting it..."

"I've noticed," Phillip said, gently nickering. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making an old dobbin feel needed."
 
Possibilities

The depth and breadth of your imagination never ceases to amaze me!



Corin, a snake startled the horse who broke his leg. They never chased the white stag into the thicket and therefore never went back through the wardrobe. That leads to what's known as the "domino effect." The four Pevensies married, grew old and died in Narnia. Their descendents are still on the throne. This has had a drastic effect on the rise and fall of great nations like the Telmarines, the Archenlanders and the Calormenes. Just how drastic depends on how strong my coffee is. More anon....
 
It's been a while since I have posted a story installment. Those who have been keeping up with this story deserve to know why.

At the end of May, the Boy Scouts of America is going to be taking a momentous vote to determine its future membership requirements. If you haven't heard this yet, let's say it's over one of the topics forbidden to this forum.

If this happens, a lot of conservative people will leave BSA. Entire denominations will pull all their churches out. It will be a bloodbath. And they won't just stop Scouting, they'll move to other, more conservative organizations that respect all the traditional values we think of as Boy Scouts.

I cannot tell you more than this. I am a member of the national executive board of the one expected to get about half of those people. I'm writing the Scout Handbook and producing some training videos and helping to set up the first response staffers that have to accept that many applications that fast.

All of this and keeping up my current BSA commitments too.

Needless to say, it's more about fatigue than writers block.

I'll have something to post here hopefully in the near future, but this week particularly my real life has been more exciting and challenging than fiction...and my stripes are definitely wrinkled. Prayers welcome, for me, for my organization, and for BSA.
 
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