Sunbend 4, 846
After I turned nineteen, Dad finally took me with him to negotiate trade agreements with Calormen. This was my first time going to observe relations between Narnia and other countries. Dad wanted me to feel secure in dealing with any of the country’s internal problems before I start tampering with international diplomacy. I couldn’t blame him, though; if I couldn’t handle my own country, I wouldn’t be able to handle others.
During the voyage to Calormen, Dad sat me down and we had a talk about men’s desire to woo me.
“Now Swan, you’ve blossomed into a beautiful young woman, and men are going to flock to you very quickly when we arrive,” he said, trailing off and making a gesture with his hand.
“I understand, Dad. I’ll just have to try to keep to myself,” I said, slightly uncomfortable.
“I know that you will try, sweetheart, but there will be times when men will persist in going after your attention – there might even be some that will catch your attention – remember that they are most likely only interested in a . . . physical relationship.”
My eyes widened as I took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. “I think I get what you’re saying. I should have high standards for any potential suitors that might approach me.”
“Yes. Some standards I would suggest having are: love for Aslan, respect for Narnian people, respect for your parents, and above all else, insist on love for you as a person, not just for your beauty.”
“I get the idea. Though tell me, Dad,” I started with a faint smirk on my face, “did your father have this talk with you?”
Dad pulled back, bewildered. I tried to keep my amusement contained, but the look on his face destroyed my efforts. Catching on, Dad chuckled with me.
“Well, not this exact conversation, though a similar one.” Smiling softly, Dad took my hands in his. “I just want to make sure that my daughter has her head on straight, and that she doesn’t get caught up in what is unfamiliar to her.”
Squeezing his hands, I smiled back at him. “I understand, Dad. That’s one of the reasons why I love you so much . . . because you look out for me as much as you can, and you warn me about what may come. Thank you.”
Pulling me forward, Dad wrapped me into a hug. “You’re welcome, sweetheart. Now, why don’t you go up on deck and get a few navigation and piloting lessons from Captain Murty.”
-x-x-x-x-x-
When we arrived at Tashbaan, I expected it to be a beautiful city with spacious streets, people strolling along, and everyone enjoying themselves. My thoughts were slain when we docked and I saw crowded lanes, people rushing about, slaves following behind their masters, and hardly anyone wearing a smile. When we disembarked, we met a Calormen welcoming party which led us to the palace of the Tisroc.
We were shown to a large private living area that had numerous couches, chairs, and tables. There was also a hall attached to the living area that held our private bedrooms. There were more bedrooms than we needed, for it was only Dad, Shream and Famina – our wolf guards – and I. The rooms and furniture were decorated in ornate Calormen fashion with many figures of birds, the main color theme being red and black. Our Calormene escort asked that we make ourselves at home, and told us that we’d be “retrieved” in two hours for the negotiations.
Shream snarled after the escort left us, and he looked positively murderous. “We’ll be ‘retrieved’. Makes me feel like one of the toys the pups play with when they’re in training. I am not a toy. And neither are you, You’re Majesties, nor my mate,” he said in his raspy voice.
“Don’t work yourself up into a tizzy, Shream,” Famina said as she shoved her mate lightly with her rump. “You’d do the King and Princess no good if you can’t take such insults like a grain of sand.”
“Famina is right, Shream. If you don’t let those kinds of things go, I might have to restrict you to this room where you can do nothing to protect Princess Swanwhite and me,” Dad agreed.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will attempt to restrain myself.”
“Good. Now let’s all relax a bit before we go into the chamber of doom,” my dad said to lighten up the mood.
We all went to our rooms. When I entered mine, I grabbed my book from when Aslan appeared in Narnia, and sat on my bed to begin reading from where I had left off. As I read, I couldn’t help thinking how Aslan and His Father the Emperor-above-the-Sea sounded familiar somehow. As if I’d heard of Them somewhere else by different names. As I thought, I fiddled with my Miraculous Medal. Once comprehension started dawning on me, I fell asleep, and soon awoke with just enough time to quickly brush my long brown hair before meeting Dad to head to the negotiations.