Breaking Tradition

by: mokatster

Summary: AU. The Kings and Queens make a decision that will change Narnia forever.

"Something has to be done."

The High King managed to suppress an exasperated sigh—though only barely—as all hope for a quiet evening by the fire evaporated. His tenth cousin and fellow King of Narnia had an unfortunate tendency to exercise his loosely-hinged jaw far more often than desired. In lieu of responding he picked up his goblet, whose stem he had been absent-mindedly twirling between his fingers, and took a calming sip of spiced wine. Maybe silence would discourage any further comment from his rather effusive and obnoxiously pompous co-ruler.

No such luck. Predictably, Queen Edythe was the one to shatter his wistful supposition. She looked over from the sofa, where she had been immersed in some useless embroidery.

"What do you mean?"

So typical of her to fawn over Liam, the High King thought savagely, shifting slightly in his favorite armchair. The little blond queen had no head at all for—well, anything really—but most certainly not when it came to discretion or making decisions. She believed the best of everyone and trusted everything that was said to her. If someone told her there was a problem, regardless of whether or not one really existed, she would accept their explanation and solution without even bothering to investigate the matter herself. Granted, she had absolutely no chance of thinking independently when Liam was the one speaking. That man could charm a Lioness into giving up her freshly killed dinner, the High King admitted to himself with grudging respect.

All the same, it was absolutely shoddy work for one who calls herself Queen, came the next irritable thought. By the Mane, there had probably never been a more incompetent ruler. He glanced surreptitiously at the window and the sky beyond, set aflame by the sinking sun. In just a few short hours it would be time for bed, and the following day his three fellow monarchs would be headed back to their respective castles for the remainder of the year.

That moment couldn't come soon enough. He dreaded these yearly, week-long visits the other three paid to the Cair. It was all done under the guise of unity, a show for the Narnians that still wanted to believe that their four rulers still acted in the spirit of the original Four. It was all a farce, of course, but those dim-witted talking Beasts seemed to believe it. They, along with Queen Edythe, were living proof that the ability to speak was no guarantee of intelligence. The Four of them hadn't willingly cooperated for years—yet it had been deemed necessary to continue this charade in order to placate the Narnians who wanted everything as it had been when the original Four were crowned. It was disgusting, he scoffed inwardly as he took another sip of wine, that they allowed their present actions be so dictated by the example of those who had been dead and gone for more than two hundred years.

King Liam rose from the chair opposite the High King. Smoothing his tunic, he puffed himself up importantly as Edythe continued to gaze at him curiously.

"We all know these meetings are a waste of valuable time that could be better spent in other pursuits."

The High King blinked and forced himself to focus on Liam. Had the other King read his mind? Could they possibly be agreeing on something? Glancing over at the sofa, he noticed that Nina had now looked up from her book and that both queens were watching Liam expectantly.

Liam, seemingly bolstered by the attention from all three of his fellow monarchs, continued enthusiastically.

"For nearly two hundred years we've kept the Lion's demands. For eleven generations have two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve held the Four thrones. But we all know that this has become a formality, one that hampers the growth and full potential of the Narnian Empire." He paused, looking around at the rest of them significantly.

The High King sighed. "Get on with it, Liam."

Liam beamed, despite the High King's rudeness. "With pleasure, Alden. Now, each of us already effectively rule our own separate colony of this glorious empire. Alden, as High King you are in charge of the original country of Narnia. I, of course, have made my home in what before was known as the nation of Calormen." He smiled, then, a display of gleaming teeth in a face darkened by the desert sun. The High King fought the urge to throw his glass at the booby's head. What a narcissistic prat Liam was.

"Queen Nina, of course, has commandeered the area that is now the Archenland colony, while our lovely Queen Edythe lives in the Telmarine colony." The High King noticed that Liam had not said that Edythe ruled Telmar—all of them were well aware that Edythe had no head for such things. Her consort—a dark, long-haired sea-faring brigand—had effectively taken charge and was running things from behind the scenes, much to Edythe's content.

"As grateful as we are for the history lesson…" the High King began sarcastically, making sure his voice carried the barest inflection of menace. It was usually quite effective, but Liam prattled on as if Alden hadn't interrupted.

"So, as we can see, everything is in place for the next step—a step that I believe has been a long time coming," Liam continued, apparently taking immense pleasure in the sound of his own voice, for he was drawing this conversation out as long and painfully as possible. The High King again resisted the urge to throw something at him. Get to the point, man!

Queen Nina spoke up at last, and her voice was quiet.

"So, in essence you're proposing that we each become the monarchs of our own separate lands."

Liam looked at her with a satisfied smirk.

"Caught on, have you? Yes, that's exactly what I'm proposing. It wouldn't change anything—we would still be in charge of our own lands. All that would need to be done is declare it officially."

Nina straightened, clearly bracing for a fight. "Then, how could we claim to still rule Narnia, as each of us swore to do at our coronation? As rulers of individual colonies, all but the High King would be effectively downgraded to Governor, would they not?" Her eyes narrowed. "Or are you suggesting that we remain monarchs, but the colonies once again become their own separate nations?"

The High King suppressed the urge to massage the bridge of his nose. If Edythe was too readily agreeable to whatever Liam said then Nina was too antagonistic. She almost always took the complete opposite view or asked way too many questions. And where she had once been Alden's strongest supporter against Liam and his crazier schemes, she was even starting to speak against him these days. Him—the High King! He had certainly incurred her ire a few months ago. However, he was absolutely within the law to declare that the humans in Narnia had more privileges than the Beasts. Yet Nina had been speaking out against him and the specific propositions he had been planning, never mind the fact that it looked bad to have the king and queen quarreling. She had absolutely no regard for public perception anymore.

It was all those history books he'd given her last Christmas, he recalled ruefully. That's what did it. It was useless clutter out of his library, to be sure, but it had all gone straight to Nina's head and filled her with ridiculous and impossible notions of the way things ought to be.

Liam, however, was prepared for her arguments.

"The only reason this arrangement of government—four monarchs at once—worked at all was because the original Four and their immediate descendants were so close. However, we—" he swept his arm in a grand gesture, encompassing his three companions, "We are so distantly related we might as well be strangers. Tell me, is it true or not that these yearly meetings are attended more grudgingly than willingly by the four of us?"

"No, I agree that we've gone wrong with this entire meeting-once-a-year concept," Nina replied, her voice growing firmer the more she spoke. "But I would propose something radically different than what you are currently." She took a deep breath and continued. "I think we should all move back to the Cair. Start governing the way we were meant to."

For a few moments, the only sound in the room was the crackling of the fire as the three of them gaped at her. The High King felt as if his eyes were going to bulge right out of his sockets.

It was those books. It was those damn books….

"Leave my home?" Edythe spoke up tremulously. Her lower lip quivered, and the High King found himself fighting the urge to throw something at her now. What a blubbering fool. It was an embarrassment to have to associate with her. "Leave my lovely husband and my children and—and—"

"Absolutely preposterous," blustered Liam. "The only reason we haven't been living all together in the Cair is because Narnia has grown so extensive. You've been so interested in history lately, Nina, that I'm surprised you've forgotten that part," he added sneeringly. Nina continued to watch him steadily, unfazed. "Our great-grandparents knew it would be easier to control the various populaces if the monarchs were nearer at hand. What you're suggesting would cause the Empire to deteriorate, not make it stronger."

"Narnia was never meant to be an empire in the first place," Nina countered. "We were a small country and doing perfectly fine that way." She conveniently excluded the bit where Narnia prospered after conquering the other nations, the High King noticed. He had never concerned himself with how Narnia, once a small nation, had accomplished such a feat. It had happened, and that knowledge was sufficient. Bogging oneself down in details was cumbersome, not enlightening or the least bit useful.

"So what do you propose?" Liam asked sarcastically, his sneer back in place. "Cut off each of our colonies and let them fend for themselves? They'd be even happier with us for that."

"Well, the only way to find out would be to ask the people," Nina said calmly. "If that's what they want then we appoint a ruler of our choosing, and let them go back to the way things were before."

Liam actually threw back his head and laughed derisively.

"What kind of monarch would condone such an outrageous act?"

"A prudent one."

"Well, but—but—" Liam stammered, and the High King knew that he was just as appalled as he at Nina's suggestions.

"I warn you, Liam, if you antagonize the people they will rebel against you."

Liam scoffed. "Any ruler who allows such uprisings is weak. Look to your own people if you are so worried, Nina."

The High King was pleased with the way this conversation was going. If the majority of them approved Liam's plan, then as High King he would be left with Narnia and the stronghold of Cair Paravel. The armies were here; the standing militias in each of the colonies were no match for the military might of the mainland. He would have them all re-conquered within the year. He resisted the efforts of his lips to curl in triumphant smile. They were such dupes, all of them, if they believed they could stand against the might of Narnia.

"Liam—"

"Who's with me?" Liam said loudly, speaking over Nina's last protest. "Splitting into nations, each of us taking the respective lands we already rule?"

"I agree, whole-heartedly!" Edythe practically squealed with delight, knocking her embroidery off her lap in her excitement. Liam and Nina both looked at the High King. An insolent smirk was playing around the Liam's mouth, but Nina's face was earnest, and her eyes were silently pleading with him not to consent to Liam's proposal.

"Alden?"

Nina's voice remained steady despite the reactions of Liam and Edythe, which she had probably foreseen. But as her eyes met the High King's, he saw her desperation. She was wordlessly beseeching with him to take her side, as he always had before, against Liam and the plan he was proposing.

He almost regretted disappointing her; they had been, after all, allies for a while. But she had been lead astray by the past. He was moving forward; he would not let her hold him back.

He tore his gaze away from hers and looked to Liam approvingly.

"Let it be done. We will divide the kingdom."

He saw Nina's disappointment even as he heard Liam's deafening and immature whoop, but he felt no sympathy. In this position you had to be the strongest—and he knew Nina would be the first to go.

"Wonderful! We'll draw the official papers in the morning. Good night, all!" Liam practically bounded out of the room, his mission accomplished. Edythe demurely scooped her embroidery off the floor, murmured her good-nights and departed as though nothing significant had just occurred.

The High King leaned back into the welcoming cushions of his armchair and closed his eyes. This was almost too good to be true. He couldn't believe Liam had been the one out of all of them to suggest it. Narnia was much stronger than any of her colonies—they would soon be paying royalties to him and him alone. He felt his lips spread in a satisfied smile.

"Alden?"

He jumped, startled, having forgotten that Nina had not yet left. He opened his eyes and looked at her, hoping his gaze was hard enough to deter any sort of nonsense she was about to spew.

She stood next to his chair hesitantly, holding her book in her ivory hands. Looking at her face, cast into flickering shadow by the firelight, the High King was suddenly struck by how closely she resembled Queen Susan the First. She was practically the spitting image of the Gentle Queen depicted in a banner that had hung in the throne room for decades. He wondered that he had never noticed it before.

She held the book out to him. "I'd like you to have this. Will you read it?" Nina's voice was a bit nervous now, and the High King marveled at that. He had never known Nina to display anxiety. But then, he only saw her once a year. Much of her person was unknown to him.

He glanced down at the cover of the tome she presented to him on upturned palms.

Aslan's Song: a History of Narnia

Comprising of known events and fulfilled prophecy

He was about to make a snide remark, but something in her face stopped him. He accepted the book wordlessly, eliciting a brilliant smile from the dark-haired queen.

"I'm so glad, Alden! Please keep me informed of your progress—I'd love to discuss this with you." With one last smile, she bid him good night and left.

He settled back into his chair and flipped through the gilded pages, his disgust growing with each paragraph. What a load of tosh—the White Witch? Why, whoever heard of a winter lasting an entire century? And this Aslan—the Great Lion—he allowed himself a mirthless snort of laughter. The unnamed author of this history text—if one could even call it history—claimed that the beast had actually been in Narnia. Ha! The last person who allegedly saw Aslan had lived on the fringes of the Golden Age, when the grandchildren of the original Four were ruling. And she had been in the midst of fevered hallucinations; this particular one of the Great Lion occurred only hours before her death. The High King closed the book with a sharp snap of contempt. If living according to the ideas of the far past was inadvisable, then taking the word of a delusional woman at death's door was even more so. There was no other proof that Aslan had ever been in Narnia, or that he even existed.

He knew he would never read this collection of drivel. This had all happened hundreds of years ago—the notions that were popular then couldn't possibly have any relevance today. Times had changed for the better, and clinging to obsolete ideas would only prevent true progress. Leaning forward decisively, he pitched the text into the fire with a scattering of sparks.

And so it was, in the year 1301, not long after the colonies were granted independence by their mother country, that they were re-conquered. King Liam, for all his cunning and his vast spy network, was the first to be assassinated—by a double agent within his own castle. Calormen became once again subordinate to Narnia. Queen Nina of Archenland was similarly murdered, and Archenland subdued, with heavy military losses on both sides.

Apparently unbeknownst to High King Alden of Narnia, Telmar had been quietly building up their own army. Most of the work and training was done on the isolated Isle of Winds off the Telmarine coast. The High King never saw fit to visit this island on the rare trip to Telmar; it is barely visible from the Telmarine mainland and does not lie on the preferred travel route between Narnia and Telmar. As such, Narnia remained unaware of the secret undertakings of Queen Edythe's consort—until the Telmarine army invaded in 1308.

Today, the majority of the Telmarine population has immigrated to the more expansive land of Narnia. The land once known as Aslan's Song has been ruled by the Telmarine crown for nearly fifty generations.

The young prince looked up from his history textbook.

"Professor…I'm not sure I quite understand the lesson."

His bearded tutor looked up from his desk, where he had been correcting an essay the young prince had submitted to him the previous evening. At his teacher's encouraging nod, the young prince glanced down at his book, searching for the passage.

"I have two questions, actually. First of all, the High King mentioned talking Beasts. I've never heard of anything of the sort. And—" he peered closer at the last paragraph. "Why was Narnia referred to as Aslan's—?"

He broke off, startled, as his teacher leapt to his feet and snatched the book away from him. Thumping it shut, he stared hard into the young prince's wide eyes.

"This was not the history text your uncle assigned to you, my prince. My apologies. I issued the wrong one by mistake." He hesitated, then lowered his voice. "It is good, however, that you are asking questions."

The prince stared at his tutor, wondering…

"Professor—why—"

"It's time for grammar, your Highness!" his professor interrupted loudly. "If your Highness would please turn to page thirty-five of your Highness' grammar text?"

As he spoke, his tutor took the mistaken history text the prince had been reading from and stuffed in into the prince's school bag, underneath some spare parchment.

Caspian stared at him, bewildered. Doctor Cornelius raised his eyebrows significantly, but only repeated, "Your grammar lesson, my prince. Page thirty-five, if you please."

Prince Caspian pulled out his lesson, but his mind was swirling with what had just happened. Doctor Cornelius refused to elaborate on the issue of talking Beasts, and he had never heard mention of them from anyone else. Perhaps, later on tonight when everyone had gone to bed, he could flip back farther in his history text and find out more.

A/N: Maybe it's a bit odd, but it was asking to be written and I obliged. On another note, I'm terrible at math, and the research I did regarding relationship between descendants (whether they're called 1st cousins twice removed, tenth cousins, etc.) was all from wikipedia. Any mistakes concerning that terminology, the amount of generations within a certain timeframe, or even specific years is entirely my fault. Oh, and also, I consulted a Narnian timeline and based events off of the Pevensies arriving in Narnia in the year 1000.

Thanks for reading! If you hated it, thought it was weird, or even liked it, feel free to drop me a line or a review! :)