"She nearly made me another ornament in her ice-garden. Yet, she agreed to parley with me in order to reach the ear of the King..." 

"Of course you are concerned about your parents..." The question made the seasick prince realize he had not really asked any of the questions he was supposed to...

... Yet, if he were siding with the ice-queen anyhow, and would learn true magic soon enough, he did not need to speak the truth. He only needed to speak what would... [i]interest[/i]... them the most. What would [i]provoke[/i] them, what would make them [i]venerable[/i], what would make them trust him and look to him for even more answers...

"Your parents are alive, but I could not speak to them, I am sorry, but I must tell you that they are frozen by the queen. I remember Caspian's stories from the ice-age of Narnia. When the defeated the Queen that time the frozen Narnians returned to life... perhaps they are simply her hostages, which means there is still hope for them." He would reach out a hand and touch her elbow as a comforting gesture. 

He could see a silhouette of the monarchs in his mind's eye. They became clearer the more Celine thought on them. Lysander was delighted. It was as if the prospect of learning magic from the queen was already invigorating his gifts.

"Not everyone you once knew was frozen, however, the Captain of the Gard... Dumas? I saw him. He is doing quite well for himself actually... He [i]serves[/i] the Ice Queen now." Lysanders look of disgust was genuine.
 
Caspian entered, and set his eyes upon Celine and Lysander. Lysanders hand would still be upon her arm, and he would remove it quickly under the Prince's eye.

Caspian felt many things at once, so I shall try to dissect each one.

He was delighted to see Celine of course. Her beauty always warmed his mood, but, he was yet unsure of how he had received their kiss... exactly... and the mouse was upon her shoulder, so, had he delivered the message? And what exactly had he said? Caspian felt his cheeks redden as he felt a bit embarrassed... 

Then there was the fact that Lysander had been touching her arm, surely to comfort her, but if that was the case why did he withdraw it so quickly? He dismissed the jealousy thought and trusted his two friends (but as Lysander designed, he would not forget it.)

He was glad to see his friend Lysander alive and well, weary from his journey, but returned with serious news... Lysander had put himself at risk to reason with evil. He was very proud of his friend... but also very concerned and worried about the message he might be bringing with him... "Lysander. It is good to see you well." He approached and Lysander rose from his chair as the two young men embraced in a quick but strong hug.

Lysander collapsed back in the chair. His eyes slid across the King to the Princess... he sensed a tension between the two... 

"It is good to see both well." Celine's red dress brought out the fire in her hair. "I know that you await the news I bring... It is true that the Queen has frozen the land of Mathias."

"Always winter and never Christmas." Caspian spoke under his breath, he recalled the tales told by the kings and queens of olde.

Lysander did not know what Christmas was, nor how that was relevant. He continued "Celine's parents are her prisoners as statues, and it seems that is the case for many other important loyalists."

"And, does she set her sights on Narnia?" Caspian paced the room as he listened to Lysander. "Or some other country near us? Or the world itself?"

"Actually... the Queen let me go so that you would hear her message." Lysander straightened himself and set his elbows on the table. "She will leave Narnia in peace in exchange for something..." His eyes worriedly passed between the King, Princess, and Mouse. "... If we give her Celine she will leave Nania be."

The color drained from Caspians face. "We will [i]not[/i] do that! Never!"

"Of course." Lysander nodded his head. "I told her as much, she tortured me for my defiance." He grimaced. "She sent me back anyhow." He folded his hands and bowed his head. 

"Never. We shall [i]Never[/i] do that!" Caspian's face turned from white to red. He was furious. His blood pounded in his ears. 

 "Vial Witch!" The mouse chirped from Celine's shoulder. "Let her try to take the princess! We shall defeat her then on the fields of war!"

Caspian