The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

"O my father," said Rabadash. "How if I show you a way by which you can stretch out
your arm to take Narnia and yet draw it back unharmed if the attempt prove unfortunate?"
"If you can show me that, O Rabadash," said the Tisroc, "you will be the best of sons."
"Hear then, 0 father. This very night and in this hour I will take but two hundred horse
and ride across the desert. And it shall seem to all men that you know nothing of my
going. On the second morning I shall be at the gates of King Lune's castle of Anvard in
Archenland. They are at peace with us and unprepared and I shall take Anvard before
they have bestirred themselves. Then I will ride through the pass above Anvard and down
through Narnia to Cair Paravel. The High King will not be there; when I left them he was
already preparing a raid against the giants on his northern border. I shall find Cair
Paravel, most likely with open gates, and ride in. I shall exercise prudence and courtesy
and spill as little Narnian blood as I can. And what then remains but to sit there till the
Splendour Hyaline puts in, with Queen Susan on board, catch my strayed bird as she sets
foot ashore, swing her into the saddle, and then, ride, ride, ride back to Anvard?"
"But is it not probable, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that at the taking of the woman either
King Edmund or you will lose his life?"
"They will be a small company," said Rabadash, "and I will order ten of my men to
disarm and bind him: restraining my vehement desire for his blood so that there shall be
no deadly cause of war between you and the High King."
"And how if the Splendour Hyaline is at Cair Paravel before you?"
"I do not look for that with these winds, O my father."
"And lastly, O my resourceful son," said the Tisroc, "you have made clear how all this
might give you the barbarian woman, but not how it helps me to the over-throwing of
Narnia."
"O my father, can it have escaped you that though I and my horsemen will come and go
through Narnia like an arrow from a bow, yet we shall have Anvard for ever? And when
you hold Anvard you sit in the very gate of Narnia, and your garrison in Anvard can be
increased by little and little till it is a great host."
"It is spoken with understanding and foresight. But how do I draw back my arm if all this
miscarries?"
"You shall say that I, did it without your knowledge and against your will, and without
your blessing, being constrained by the violence of my love and the impetuosity of
youth."