Disclaimer: Um… I'm a female. In South America. The Chronicles of Narnia are definitely not mine.
Real Disclaimer: *cue robotic voice*This is a work of fanfiction using the characters from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia. I do not own Swanwhite. I do not own Susan. I do not own Edmund. I do not own Lucy. I do not own Aslan. I do own Henri. This is a work of my imagination. Me no get money for this. Credit go to C.S. Lewis. (Boring enough?)
Swanwhite leaped to her feet as she heard the knock on the door. It was Valentine's Day, and this beautiful queen was looking forward to at least one special person's gift.
"Henri!" She smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
"And a happy Valentine's Day to you as well, m'dear!" He bowed low, still holding one hand behind him. "How does this morning find you?"
She smiled, a gleam in her eyes. "This day is a joyous holiday for all of our people. Gifts and chocolates—nay, even true love abounds. Narnia is truly happy on this day."
"What of the rumors?" Henri gazed at her, a troubled look in his blue eyes. "Have you any more news?"
"None, my prince." Swanwhite shrugged and glided over to her vanity, sitting down in front of it. Pulling a brush out from a drawer, she began to brush her hair, moving from scalp to the tips of her hair, which fell around her knees. "What truth can there be when only the birds speak of it? They are friendly creatures, but their constant chatter makes me doubt their honesty." She rolled her eyes.
"Even birds can see," Henri leaned against the doorway and eyed her in the mirror. "What if there really is a witch out there, pretending to be queen of Narnia? You could be in danger."
"I fear nothing." The young queen gazed into the mirror, her eyes reflecting a passion far greater than any love. "Aslan is on my side. He will do as He chooses." They stared at each other through the mirror for several moments.
"Close your eyes," he said abruptly.
"Why?"
"Just do it." In the mirror, Swanwhite watched Henri move his hands behind him and closed her eyes. She listened to his footsteps coming closer and closer, padding on the soft carpet. Something cool was fastened around her neck, and she tried to open her eyes.
"Nay, m'lady." Henri placed his hand over her eyes. "Listen to me for but a moment."
"Alright." She leaned back in her seat.
"You are a wise and beautiful queen, but you know what I love most about you?" Swanwhite smiled. This was going to be quite romantic, she sensed.
"No, my love. Tell me."
"I love your faith, your trust." His breath was warm on her neck. "I want you to keep your eyes closed until I leave the room. Then you may look at your gift. On it, you will find the name of the one whom you may trust with your life, the one who loves you more than anything."
Swanwhite nodded, and his hand slowly left her eyes. She kept them closed until she heard Henri close the door behind him. She opened her eyes slowly, and they caught the sight of a beautiful sapphire heart gleaming on her neck. With a gasp, she fingered the beautiful jewel.
It was perfect, crafted by the Black Dwarves, she guessed. Every facet was perfectly in place, and not a mark marred the surface. Even the gold chain was light and perfectly wrought. But what had Henri meant about the name?
She fingered the jewel for a moment, and her fingers caught the feeling of a name edged on the sapphire. A- she made out. The young queen bit her lip. Why was it not his own name on the heart?
But when she felt for the rest of the name, she knew. Henri was right. This was a name that she can trust with life, with love, with all eternity.
Aslan.
Susan Pevensie, formerly of Finchley, and now the Gentle Queen of Narnia, seemed to be hiding something. She stood in the corner of her royal chambers, slightly hunched over a small stand with a golden bowl on it.
"What are you doing, Su?" Edmund's voice behind her made her jump. She turned, hiding the stand behind her, and exclaimed nervously,
"I-I- uh- nothing."
"Then what are you hiding for?" He grinned mischievously. "There are quite a lot of suitors downstairs, begging for your hand." Susan rolled her eyes.
"I am in no mood for the Valentine's Day ball," she said. "Go enjoy yourself, Edmund." A breath of cool evening air came through the window, blowing a piece of paper from off the table now behind Susan. Edmund dived for it.
"What is this?" he asked, catching it up from the floor before Susan could reach it. "Prince Rabadash of Calormen?" She blushed.
"Give that back!"
"Not until you tell me what you're up to." He looked around her and saw the pile of papers. "What are all these papers for, anyway?"
Susan sighed and turned around, giving him full view of the table.
"It's an old Narnian custom," she said, picking up another folded piece of paper and dropping it inside the bowl of water. "Whichever name rises to the top is supposed to be your true love."
"Bah!" Ed huffed. "What are you going to do if Rabadash's name comes to the top?"
"Consider his proposal." The queen turned away, trying to hide the look on her face. It was ridiculous, now that she put it into words. But there had been so many suitors, and she didn't know which one to choose!
Edmund reached for a blank slip of paper on the other side of the table.
"What do you think you are doing?" Susan leaped for the paper, all embarrassment forgotten. "Give that back here!"
"No." Edmund pulled a pencil from his pocket. "Just trust me, Susan. I'm adding someone that really loves you to that bowl."
"But…"
"But, nothing." He folded the piece of paper and threw it into the bowl with the rest of the names. "Just see if that name doesn't rise to the top. Love-hungry, aren't we?" He turned to walk out of the room.
"Wait, Ed, I'm sorry! It was silly, I know!" Susan tried to follow her brother. He turned at the doorway to look back at her.
"We'll be waiting for you downstairs, Su." His dark eyes looked into hers for a moment. "Go find out about your true love." He closed the door behind him, leaving the queen standing alone for a moment. What name did he write? she wondered.
Gathering her skirts around her, she turned back to the table. One lonely paper floated on the top of the water. She opened it, and silently mouthed the precious name.
Aslan.
Will I ever be as beautiful as Susan? Lucy looked at herself in the mirror, troubled thoughts passing through her brain like the storm waters over the ship. Will I always be the ugly duckling of the family?
"You are beautiful, dear heart." Lucy turned and saw nothing, no one, behind her. She looked into the mirror again.
No, I am not. Susan had suitors a-plenty in the Golden Age. She and Caspian fell in love. Now, she has all her friends from her parties and from school, and who do I have? No one!
"You have Me." The lion's voice rang in the small ship's cabin. "Will you not be satisfied?"
"Aslan!" Lucy looked around the room. He was nowhere to be seen. She looked into the mirror again, and there he was, a lion wrapped in golden glow.
"Why are you unhappy, child?" The great Lion gazed at her, sorrow in his eyes. "Have I not given you everything?"
"You have, Aslan. It's just…"
"You think you are not beautiful." He interrupted. She ducked her head.
"Yes, Aslan."
"Do you want to know what I think?" Aslan asked, his low voice rumbling. "I think you are a beautiful young lady."
"But not so beautiful as Susan," Lucy protested. "Look at all the friends she has! Everyone loves her."
"Beauty does not result in love." Aslan insisted. "Only those who know you well, who look past your outward beauty and to your beauty within, will ever truly love you."
"Aslan, I…" Lucy looked into the reflection in the mirror. "How can people see my inner beauty? I'm just… well, me!"
"Those who look for true beauty will find it." The lion whispered low. "Have faith, Lucy. True love will come." He began to vanish, leaving one word on Lucy's lips.
"Aslan!"
I have said it once, and I'll say it again—constructive criticism is MORE than welcome! (Hint, hint) I'm looking at improving my writing all the time, and YOUR input is the way to do it. Now, for the story.
From what I understand, Swanwhite was the next-to-last ruler of Narnia before Jadis. Since Jadis lived for such a long time, it is very possible that she could have begun causing trouble as early as Swanwhite's reign or even earlier. Henri is my own creation, but he reminds me of two characters from the series River of Time by Lisa T. Bergren (characters: Marcello and Luca). Unfortunately, all I know about Swanwhite's character is that she was so beautiful that her reflection would shine from a lake for a year and a day (I think?)
Susan's practice of putting her lovers' names in a bowl is actually an old Valentine's Day custom. I actually downloaded an article about it, but now—I can't find it.
Why did you have Aslan as being the one true love of all of the girls? you might ask. Well, for several reasons.
Aslan had and will have lived forever. The love that Swanwhite had for Henri, that Susan was searching for, that Lucy wished she was capable of having—they would all die away eventually, but Aslan's love would live on.
Secondly, even though they themselves didn't know it, Aslan would give everything for them. Christians, you know what I'm talking about.
Haven't you ever tired of love being known as, I love him, he loves me, we kiss and do other such things, end of story? In my opinion, love is much, much deeper than a physical relationship.
Oh, and before I forget—any of you who were reading (and hopefully enjoying) my Songs from Narnia, you may have noticed that it has gone on hiatus. Reason: writer's block. 'Nuf said. It would be absolutely WONDERFUL if some of you had some ideas to continue with that. Just send me a PM with the song or movie, and (if you want) a suggested point-of-view for that song. Thank you so much!
This author's note is already so much longer than any I have ever written, but I am going to dare to say one more thing. Please don't get mad at me! I have two stories underway at the moment (well, more like twenty, but that's beside the point.) #1 is a post-Last Battle fic, telling of Susan's coping with the loss of her family. #2 is the story of Yildis, a star called down to Narnia during the time of Caspian IIX- Caspian X. Her mission: To bring peace between the Telmarines and the Old Narnians. But will love—and pride—get in her way?
Anyway, my ranting is over. If you have any ideas for either of those fics, PM them my way! I would LOVE to hear from you!