•King Caspian: A New Dawn•

Chapter Eighteen

"Uuuggghhhh." Aloysius groaned as he walked through the door and slipped off his coat.

"What did you hear from the officers?" Melioralee asked from her stance at the cook-fire.

"It's as bad as Caspian said, if not worse. The insurgents are displacing families all over Calormene. Even in Tashbaan. There haven't yet been any known attacks on Narnian or Archenlandian people but it may come to that if the Calormene government does not handle their violent actions. The government is effectively doing nothing to stop them. Narnia and Archenland's hands are tied because any move made on their part could be taken as an infringement upon the terms of peace concerted among the three kingdoms."

"So... what is to be done?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. No one does. Caspian and King Nain are trying to reason with Vishedrash, the Calormene king or "Tisroc" as they call him, but presently find themselves unsuccessful."

"Has there been any word about the refugees Caspian spoke of?"

"None. Though it's only been 6 days since Caspian informed us of the situation and the likelihood that any Archenlandian has heard from or seen any refugees since then is low, my guess is that anyone who knows anything has to keep quiet for their own protection and the refugees'. Oh, also; I volunteered to be mobilized should we get word of the insurgents crossing Archenland's borders."

Melioralee sighed, a troubled look settling on her face as she stared out the window.

"Lee?"

"Hmm?" she hummed in response, seemingly lost in another world.

"Talk to me."

"Huh?"

"You're twisting that ring...something you only do when you're upset or nervous. What's wrong?"

"Oh...I didn't even realize."

"Hey..." Aloysius urged, sitting down at the table beside her, "what's going on, huh? You're not usually like this."

"I don't know it's...it's several things, I guess. I miss Caspian and Narnia...I'm realizing my time here isn't forever...I feel uneasy about the insurgents potentially being so close to our home. I don't know Aloysius, there's just a heaviness in my heart and I can't point to any one thing but...anyway."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"I don't want you to go."

"What?"

"After the insurgents...I don't want you to go."

A few moments of silence hung heavily between them as Aloysius studied his sister's face, knowing there was something much deeper to her distress.

"This whole thing has really upset you...more than any war or battle I've been a part of ever has. So, what is it about this issue that has you so upset?"

"Do you remember when father died?"

Aloysius's face immediately fell as realization hit him.

"It wasn't a hunting accident, was it?"

Melioralee fought back the tears that filled her eyes and shook her head.

"I watched those monsters kill him. I don't want to just hand them an opportunity to take your life too."

Aloysius grasped Melioralee's hands and gave them a squeeze.

"I'm so sorry you had to witness that, Lee. It explains your aversion to war and your passionate desire to heal and bring peace. Forgive me for not putting those pieces together sooner...I should have known."