Lil, I really love this story! 🙂 Thanks for posting it! 😀
I like the way you made Edmund, jokester and all.
And Peter, still protecting his siblings. ^.^
And Susan, gentle, forgiving, and protective. ^.^
And Lucy sweet as ever. 😀

*Hugs!* Thanks for your complement and for leaving a comment. *hug* *hugs!*

Gah, finally got around to reading this!

Loved the sibling interaction. You actually had me there when Edmund collapsed. I'd say that I'm perfectly and totally relieved by the fact that it was a trick, though from the way he went to bed, I can't say I'm completely and totally convinced that all was well with that milk....
I was a bit confused by the pov changes, but besides that, I find no fault! Please write more. 🙂

😀 I'm so glad you liked it Ariel! About the milk? *rubs hands* Muhahaha! You will have to see.

Chapter 2: Tragedy and a Letter

Edmund! Edmund! Wake up, please! Hurry get up! Ed, come on," Lucy shouted as she jumped on Edmund's bed.

"Lucy, please stop. Leave me alone. My head," an indistinct lump under the covers groaned, putting his pillow over his head in an attempt to block out the bright rays of sunlight, noise, and the enthusiasm of his sister that filled the room.

"Oh Ed, please get up. I can't find Susan," Lucy said, in a more merciful tone.

"What?!" he exclaimed sitting bolt upright, wincing as the room spun.

"I woke up this morning and went into her room, she wasn't there. I searched all of her favorite places. She's nowhere to be found."

"Alright Lu, just give me moment to put some proper clothes on.

Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find her," Edmund said, half-asleep as he slid out of his bed in his night clothes.

He stood, reeling some and walked over to his wardrobe. As he reached it, a sudden dizziness engulfed him and he collapsed. His head would have would have hit the floor had not his valet caught him.

"Ed!"

"I'm alright, Lu. I just got up too quickly," The dark-haired king replied as he tried to regain his balance.

"Why don't you send the day resting, Ed?" Lucy queried concerned about the state of her brother, in tone that more order than question.

"No, I'm fine." Her brother responded, regaining his balance but still reeling some.

"What going on?" Peter asked groggily. He stood in the doorway in his nightclothes. His hair stood out in all directions as if he had just woken up. This was, of course, because he had. Lucy's shouts and Edmund's exclamations had roused him and by the looks on his siblings' faces he could tell something had happened. "What's wrong, Lu?"

"I can't find Susan," Lucy said in a voice that betrayed the depth of her worry.

"Alright, Lu. Let's go check her room, maybe she went for a ride and now she s back. I'm sure she wouldn't go far with out leaving a note," Peter mumbled groggily.

"I asked the grooms and most everyone. No one has seen her all morning."

"Let's just check anyway, perhaps she left before they were awake."

Upon entering they found the window was open and a morning breeze was blowing in, but there was no Susan.

"Your Majesties, have you seen her grace, The Gentle?" a frazzled

Dryad asked, bowing.

"You mean she hasn't been seen has seen since last night?" Peter asked frantically, a look of incredulousness on his face.

"I'm sorry, King Peter," she said, remorse lacing her voice as she wrung her hands in nervousness.

"She's not here, Peter! I've looked almost everywhere," Lucy exclaimed, on the verge of panic as they searched for clues as to Susan's disappearance.

"Marius, double the guard on the castle! I want anyone sneaking in or out caught and brought to me," Peter shouted to one of the guards.

"Hey! What's this?" Edmund exclaimed upon finding a small letter with the imprint of Susan's royal seal, the swan, on it. Oddly enough, underneath the seal were two swan feathers. They were pointing north and towering above the seal like mountains. It had been carefully hidden under a stack of personal papers so that only the siblings would find it. At their brother's shout Lucy and Peter hurried over to see what he had found.

Puzzled, Edmund lifted the seal and read started reading.

"To my royal brothers and sister, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy.

My dear siblings, how it pains me to tell I will not see you for a long time. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. There's so much to tell you all and yet so little time.

"To Lucy,

My dear precious little sister, always remember I love you. Please try to keep Peter and Ed civil and a lid on your own temper as I'm sure it will flare up upon hearing this letter. Be a help to them.

"To Edmund,

I'm telling you this because you have a love for justice. There was something different in that milk, (as you know) whether Dalia put it in or not. I can feel it changing me. Already my voice is almost gone. I'm thinking Dalia slipped something into my glass, but I still can't believe she would, after all we've done for her. Dear Brother, please do be careful as I'm not sure what effect it will have on you.

"To Peter:

Don't tear Narnia apart looking for me. Some of the army needs to stay at Cair Paravel, and do try to be good to Dalia; she's just a confused young girl."

Here some the writing became almost unlegible as if Susan had suddenly lost the ability to write.

"Lovingly,

Your Royal Sister

Susan."

Agast, Edmund raised horror-stuck eyes to look at his brother and sister.

"Where is that girl?! Guards! Fetch the kitchen maid, Dalia!" Peter roared in anger.

Oooh! I like it! Very mysterious!

Goodness gracious! Dalia is going to be terrified! What's going to happen next?!!!!

😮 WHAT'LL HAPPEN NEXT!!!!!!!!???????? I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the next chapter! Thanks for the wait everyone!
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3633998/3/In-The-Refiner-s-Fire

I LOVE IT. 😀 Especially the part about thin ice. 😛

Thanks Gypsy! 😀

Hey could you post the third chapter like you did the other two? I love them! Great job!

Sure, Cor. Thanks for your complements.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3633998/3/In-The-Refiner-s-Fire

Footsteps echoed in the hallway as guards escorted the young kitchen maid to their sovereigns. As she walked along she pondered her circumstances.

It had been a normal morning and everyone was still talking about the ball, giggling over the handsome lords and the antics of the mouse soldiers, and saying they liked the music performed by the fauns more than song by some of the talking dogs. As Dalia listened to the chatter of the other maids, she prepared the linens for lunch and tea.

"Marie, remember when those dogs asked to sing to Queen Lucy?"

"Awoooo!" Marie howled in an off-key imitation of the dog choir. "That was really funny. Have you got those linens ready, Dalia?"

"Almost I'm just…" Dalia replied, breaking off as a centaur and two fauns rushed into the kitchen. The room fell suddenly quiet.

"By order of their Majesties, Maid Dalia is to appear before them."

From the head cook, a jolly female Dwarf from Clearwater, all the way down to Cecilia, the snooty laundress to Queen Susan, everyone just stood for a moment with their mouths hanging open. Unless it was a special event or they were in trouble, nobody from the kitchen was ever escorted about by guards.

She stepped forward, puzzled but obedient. "I am she."

She could not remember a time before when the kings and queens had sent for her this way. Usually they rang a bell or sent a page to fetch her. Upon
seeing her, the fauns had grasped her arms firmly but not painfully and marched her to the door.

"What did you do now, silly dilly? Poison the Kings?" Cecilia's sneering voice called out as Dalia was marched out the door.

"Quiet, Cecilia!" the top cook's voice rang out over buzz of whispered voices. "And close you mouth. It makes you look like a fish."

Dalia's brow furrowed in worry as they approached the receiving room. She had never been in that room except to clean it, as it was used for important
visitors. Upon entering a sudden fear leapt into her heart as she found herself standing before three of Narnia's rulers. They did not look as pleased to see her as they usually did.

"The serving maid Dalia, Your Highnesses," the centaur behind her voiced as she stepped forward, dropping into a deep curtsy.

"Thank you, Marius," Peter replied, his voice cold and formal.

"Your Majesties, do you require something?" she asked, trying to keep calm. Her young voice trembled with fear and uncertainty as she dropped into another deep curtsy.

"Where is Queen Susan and what you have done to her?" The younger king's accusing words struck Dalia like a blow and she fell back a step, cringing.

So surprised was she at this pronouncement that she stumbled over her own words. "Your Majesty, I k-know not of what y-you speak. I have n-n-not seen her g-grace since the n-night before l-last."

She looked desperately to Queen Lucy and King Peter, pleading for them to come to her defense, desperate to understand what was happening, what she
was being charged with. Queen Lucy gave her a sad, sorry look as if to say she was hurt and disappointed in the younger girl and that pained Dalia more
than any physical attack could have. King Peter's expression was stony, his eyes only betraying a hint of the fury that was being held within.

"Dalia, we've known you since you were eleven and you've always been a good and faithful servant and friend. Why would you to bring hurt upon Susan? Why
would you betray us?"

"Y-Your Majesty, n-n-no! I didn't! I wouldn't! Never!" She pressed cold fingers to her lips and she slowly shook her head as she sunk to her knees, feeling lost, alone, confused that she should be blamed for any misdeed.

Then door opened and two centaurs came in dragging a girl. Although just a small, slim maid, her uncooperativeness and struggling caused the centaurs more trouble and extra energy than being cooperative. Her stormy face and glaring eyes faded instantly to an expression so deliberately sweet as to be a mockery to the very monarchs the monarchs of Narnia ranged before her.

"King Peter, Dalia the serving…" Fidelia, the centaur, said, breaking off in shock as she saw the serving girl already there. Everyone, all the way down to the real Dalia, stared in astonishment, for this newcomer with her sneering manners was a twin to the Galman maid. In the daylight she looked a few inches taller and while Dalia had fallen to her knees before her sovereigns, this girl stood proudly, even daring to hold her nose in the air as if she had no fear.

"Good morning, Your Majesties. I trust you slept well. Perhaps, I could get you some more milk? Or perhaps . . . " she said, as she turned to Peter, her jade eyes glittering with malice, her voice as cloying as syrup. "You would like to know what became of your darling sister?"

"You forget to whom you speak, waif. You speak to the High King, "shouted an indignant guard.

"Who are you and for whom do you work?" Edmund demanded firmly.

"Who am I? Just a citizen of Narnia like everyone elssse," she said, her last sentence coming out with a snake-like hiss as she twisted in the centaurs' grip. "My Masster…? You will meet him if you care anything about this sister of yours. Such a beauty. Such a shame."

"Where is my sister?" Lucy shouted impulsively, but quieted at the look her dark-haired brother shot her.

"Hmm, what happened to Gentle Queen Susan? That is what you wanted to know, isn't it? You'll never see her again. She's well hidden." The maid retorted smugly, looking contemptuously down on Lucy as if the youngest queen was a sniveling child.

"But don't worry, she's safe..." the false maid said, stopping to gauge the response to the assurance of the queen's safety. "Unless some hunter shoots her down. Swan feathers are in great demand in the Islands these days, or so I hear." she finished with a knowing look at both kings, a look that held no sorrow or regret for what she had done or the pain she had caused.

"You are walking on thin ice, lady," Edmund said, courteously but with warning in his tone.

"You would know, wouldn't you King Edmund? You served the Queen of Ice. I wonder how can a traitor try other traitors?"

"Take her away. Double the guards on her cell," the Just king commanded, his expression and voice unchanging.

"With pleasure, Your Majesty," Marius said, bowing, then he marched the spiteful maid out the door. A collective sigh was heard as the door closed behind the viper.

Leaning over to a faun guard standing beside him, Peter whispered, "Question her. I want to know who she is, who she's working for and why she put the potion in Queen Susan's glass." Then turning to his sister, his voice comforting, he slid out of his chair to help Dalia to her feet.

"Lucy, would you take our faithful little maid in hand? Perhaps some hot chocolate would be in order. Express our deepest apologies for wrongly
charging her. Edmund and I have something to discuss, but we'll join you soon so we may render our apologies in person."

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3633998/4/In-The-Refiner-s-Fire

Chapter 4: Information

"Your Majesty, King Peter!" exclaimed a young faun, running into the receiving room. He caught himself, bowed, and waited for approval to approach.

"What is your name, young sir?

"Page, Your Majesty."

"Now Page, what news have you?"

"The dryads believe the potion in this phial is what was put into Queen Susan's drink last night. They say it is extracted from a tree found only in the Dark Woods. They ask if King Edmund could help them identify it."

"Where did the phial come from?" questioned King Peter.

"It was found in the pocket of the false maid's apron, Sire. Fidelia and Marius have questioned her, but she has revealed nothing."

"Is that all?"

"Only that Queen Lucy asks that both you and King Edmund meet her in the
library."

"Thank you, Page. You may leave now."

Quickly the young faun bowed and left. The High King turned toward his brother. Edmund lifted the top and cautiously sniffed the substance left on the rim. Shutting the lid hastily and coughing, he nodded to his brother, wincing as his headache set upon him again. This was the same potion.

Alarmed, Peter quickly jumped up, taking the phial from his brother's fingers and leading him over to the nearby window

"This headache isn't from the wine, is it?" he confronted his brother as soon as the teen caught his breath.

"I don't know, Peter. I've felt strange all day. I almost collapsed this morning getting out of bed. We both know you and I've drunk more than I did last night and not had as strong a reaction," the dark-haired youth replied with confusion.

"Ed, maybe you should go rest. I'll be fine by myself," the High King stated worriedly.

"I'm fine now," Edmund lied. "But we must look up this Dark Woods. Surely we'll find some clues to where Susan is being held."
-

"Peter! Edmund! Look at what I found," Lucy exclaimed, dragging Peter over to a small table in the dark recesses of the library. Edmund followed behind at a more dignified pace until he met them at a small, round table upon which rested an ancient tome. The book's pages were of parchment, cracked and yellowed with time, and it was open to a page showing bold, flowing script and fanciful illustrations.

Dark Woods / The Black Woods of Ettinsmuir.

The Black Woods of Ettinsmoor, known to legend as the Dark Woods, is said to cover that dread land of fell creatures and poisoned waters between the Dark Castle of Lake Misery and the Ebony Mountains. A nameless Evil dwells here in the forest deep and dark, said to consume all who dare to cross the mountains and enter that malignant land.

"Lu, what does the have to do with finding Susan?"

"Read on, Peter. Right here," she exclaimed, her slim finger pointing to the paragraph below.

It is said a wizard of terrible power and intent dwells in the castle, ageless and cunning, and he keeps unto him a flock of enchanted swans. Each swan is said to have been a noble maiden that fell under his spell, unable to leave the lake unless the enchantment is broken . . .

"Lu, where did you find this book?" Peter questioned, astonishment written clearly across his countenance.

"At back of the library, on the farthest shelf. It was stuffed in at the end of the shelf between two fairy tales. Ed, are you alright?" Lucy asked, suddenly anxious. Edmund's face had taken on a sickly pallor.

"I think I'll just go sit down," he said weakly, sounding as if that morning's breakfast was about to be released.

"Peter, what has befallen our brother?" Lucy questioned, her concern evident as they watched Edmund lower himself into a chair and rest his head in his hands.