Hey, guys,
Sooo…. I'm not dead.
I was sick for a while, and my computer crashed (hence my lacking in updating the story). I feel bad, I told you guys that I would update within the week and here I am 17 days later updating…..
But I love you guys, and all the reviews made my day! Shout out to 'The Eagle-Eyed' (guest) who got the Harry Potter reference from chapter nine. Also, I would like to give a special shout out to 'Cats-are-better-than-people' for the awesome answer to the trivia question! Thanks for making me smile!
I also kind of changed the Pevensies outfits in the coronation scene (sorry).
I think that is all for now.
Disclaimer: I still do NOT own the chronicles of Narnia series :(
Enjoy!
One week later-
I stood in front of the mirror, dumbfounded.
A dryad, named Alessia, had carefully redressed my wound; and had washed and dried my hair so it fell down the length of my back in soft, golden waves.
She handed me a tunic made of a deep scarlet material with golden fastenings, which I slipped over a white shirt.
"Why scarlet and gold?" I asked curiously.
She laughed politely, "They are the colors of the Narnian standards."
The dryad handed me my cloak, which I quickly fastened around my neck, and my dagger, which I slid into its sheath at my waist.
Once I had finished, I admired myself in the mirror. The scarlet in the tunic brought out the color in my lips, and the long length of the cloak made me look taller. My eyes had a fierceness and wisdom that had not been there before. I looked older than sixteen.
"I look like my mother," I stated plainly, small tears forced their way down my face.
"You look lovely, Milady," Alessia said, at my shoulder.
"I wish she was here," I whispered under my breath.
Alessia smiled.
"She will always be with you in here," she said, indicating my heart.
"Come now," she said, as she wiped away my tears.
"We're going to miss the coronation!"
I grinned and allowed her to lead me to the great hall, or throne room. I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea that I was living in a castle.
"Emily Clarke, I am glad to see that you are healing well," Kalis told me upon my entering the room.
"Thank you, Kalis. Just one question, what happened after I collapsed?" I asked him as we stopped next to the four thrones.
"You started fading. Not figuratively," he added after seeing my confused look. "Your spirit and body as one started to disappear from this world. You had a high fever, and you were mumbling deliriously. Queen Lucy used her cordial, but only succeeding in bringing down your fever; than Aslan somehow, no doubt using magic that is beyond even the greatest healer's powers, healed you."
The sound of feet (hooves, and paws as well) scraping against the marble floor drew us into silence as the four Pevensies entered the hall.
Lucy looked beautiful in a silvery-blue dress, with her dark hair curled into tight ringlets; she was smiling from ear-to-ear, waving at everybody.
Edmund looked very put together in a soft brown tunic. He smiled, his eyes filled with excitement, and a group of female nature spirits swooned as he passed them, catching their eyes.
Susan looked calm and collected in the forest-green gown she was wearing. Her eyes looked straight ahead, giving the appearance of control, but I could tell by the slight trembling of her hands that she was jittery.
Peter looked regal, as every king should. I managed to catch his eye. I inclined my head mockingly and watched in amusement while a faint blush appeared on his cheeks, and he sent a nervous smile towards me.
I knelt as they passed and sat on their respective thrones.
Edmund. Peter. Susan. Lucy.
Watching the four of them, I realized how much Narnia had changed them as individuals and had brought them closer as a family.
Aslan paced before the four siblings.
"Narnians," he roared, "To the glistening Eastern sea, I give you, Queen Lucy the Valiant!"
The crowd burst into applause while Mr. Tumnus placed a delicate silver tiara onto Lucy's dark locks.
"From the great Western woods, I give you, King Edmund the Just!"
More applause; and a silver crown was placed on Edmund's head.
"From the radiant Southern sun, I give you, Queen Susan the Gentle!"
After the golden tiara had been given to Susan, Aslan turned to Peter.
"And to the clear Northern sky, I give you, High King Peter the Magnificent!"
The assembled Narnians exploded with applause as a golden crown was placed on Peter's head, slightly blending into the blonde's hair.
"Remember, once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia, may your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens above!"
"LONG LIVE KING PETER, LONG LIVE QUEEN SUSAN, LONG LIVE KING EDMUND, LONG LIVE QUEEN LUCY!" The Narnians cheered as one.
After the noise had died down, Aslan stood and faced the crowd once more.
"We have one more matter importance, Emily Clarke," he said, turning to me.
All heads flickered in my direction, as I stood up and approached the great lion, my stomach filling with stampeding antelopes, my heart slammed repeatedly into my rib cage at an astonishing speed.
"Kneel, Emily Clarke, daughter of Eve."
I knelt and felt him move away.
I heard feet shuffling and a blade being drawn. I shivered as the cold point of a sword touched my shoulders lightly.
"Rise Emily LionHeart, second Knight of Narnia." (A/N Peter was the first)
I got to my feet shakily and smiled at Peter.
"Thank you, your Majesty," I said quietly.
"To the magic at its core, I give you, Emily Clarke, Guardian and Protector of Narnia!" Aslan roared, making the room shake slightly.
I felt myself blush furiously as the entire hall exploded with applause. Edmund and Lucy joined in, clapping like mad.
Self-conscious, I stepped off the dais and returned to my spot next to Kalis, who clapped me on the back gently.
"Bear it well, Sons of Adam, bear it well, Daughters of Eve; bear it well!"
The festivities had more or less ended.
Most of the Narnians had returned to the forests and woods, the ones that remained in Cair Paravel stayed because Aslan had asked them to serve, or if they were friends (such as the beavers).
I stood on the beach, my cloak flapping about and my hair streaming behind me, in the cool sea breeze as I watched the wave's crash in the distance.
I felt someone treading in the sand behind me. I smiled and turned around.
"Aslan."
"I am proud of you, Emily," he said kindly.
"What for? I did what you asked; I protected them and brought them safely to you-"
"And you did so at a great risk to yourself, you have done so much Emily. More than your mother or your father, more than you should have ever gone through."
"People keep mentioning my father Aslan, I've never met him and my mother rarely talks about him," I paused, an odd thought occurring to me.
"Whenever I asked her what he looked like, she always said that his beauty was like something from another world. I always thought she meant it metaphorically, but now I wonder…"
Aslan stopped abruptly. I hadn't realized we had started walking.
"She meant it literally, didn't she Aslan? My father was from Narnia, wasn't he?" I shot accusingly at the lion, daring him to deny it.
He watched me somberly.
"In a sense," was all he said. The waves reflected in his amber eyes, which were filled with sadness, with remorse.
"What do you mean?!" I cried angrily. I couldn't let another secret about my past be hidden from me. I wouldn't allow it to happen.
"Aslan, if he is in Narnia then I have to find him! Who… where is he, Aslan? You must know," I said, the last bit sounding a lot like a whine on my part.
"All will be discovered in time, my lioness," the great lion said. With a final, sad smile, he disappeared.
I sighed dejectedly and looked determinedly out over the water.
I will find you, father, I promise.
I returned to the castle and was almost instantly greeted by Peter.
"Your majesty," I said politely, giving him a little curtsey.
He waved off the formal gesture.
"Where did you go? I was looking for you…" he stopped, seeing the distraught expression on my face.
"Em, what happened?"
He took my hands in his and kissed them lightly. "If anyone hurt you, by Jove, I promise I will have them executed."
I shook my head with a small smile.
"My father," I said slowly, "he's here, he's in Narnia."
The High King looked at me, shocked.
"H... How is that possible?"
"I don't know," I shrugged, "Aslan told me."
"If he is here Em, then we'll find him. I swear it on the lion."
"Find who? Who's missing?"
Peter and I turned to look at the newcomer. It was Edmund, his hair was oddly messed up, and he had an over-excited gleam in his eye.
"What on earth happened to you?" Peter asked his younger brother with a bemused expression.
"Dryads," he said with a huff. A pained look filled his face.
"They thought I was cute," he said, obviously bewildered by the fact. "So who are we looking for exactly?"
I glanced at the eldest Pevensie.
"My father," I said finally.
"We'll find him, like Peter said, if he's here, we'll get him."
"Thanks, Ed," I said to the dark-haired king.
"It is my absolute pleasure," he said and raced off down another corridor.
"You know, there are times where I think he fancies you," Peter said to me.
I raised my eyebrows. "And what do you think?"
His blue eyes twinkled.
"I want to show you something."
Without waiting for an answer, he dragged me up the stairway, and through multiple hallways, before coming to a stop in front of a tapestry.
The decoration showed a clearing. A tall dark post standing in a wood, at the top of the post was a light, a lantern.
"Lantern Waste," I muttered, tracing the ancient script on the tapestry, lightly with my finger.
Peter carefully pushed the tapestry aside to reveal a simple, wooden door.
He pushed it open and motioned me to go through it.
I stepped out, blinking in the sudden sunlight, onto the… roof of Cair Paravel.
I was speechless.
"It's amazing," I said finally.
"You were unconscious for three days. There were times when Aslan, Kalis, and Orieus ordered me to leave. I couldn't lose you, People kept trying to comfort me, to calm me down; when it was just too much, I ran. I found that door, and whenever I needed to escape and clear my head I would come out here and watch the ocean." He took a deep breath.
"It reminds me of you Em, the sea can't be restrained, and neither do you. You'll fight; you'll keep fighting for what you believe in, even if no one else believes you." His eyes were wet with tears.
We were both quiet, the only sounds were the seagulls above us.
"When I was unconscious," I started, breaking the silence suddenly. "I was given a choice. Have the life I always wanted, with both my parents alive; or come back to Narnia and suffer loss, pain, and…. Love."
"Why'd you choose to come back? I mean, compared to going back to England, Narnia sounds bloody terrible," he commented with a half-sincere smile.
I smirked at him. "I thought it would be obvious Pete…. You're not in England."
His face lit up into the annoying, but adorable, smile that I loved. I crossed the small space between us and leaned down to kiss him when a horn sounded, piercing the air.
"We should probably see what's wrong," I mutter to him.
The boy looked crestfallen but nodded in agreement.
We hurried back through the palace and bumped into Orieus in the courtyard.
"What's the matter?" I asked him quickly.
"Have you seen the High King? We have matters of great urgency that must be discussed."
"I'm here Orieus, I was only showing Emily around," Peter said from behind me.
"You're Majesty," he said with a slight bow, "It is time to select your high council."
"Of course, Orieus."
I curtseyed mockingly at Peter and watched as him and the centaur, reenter the castle.
I made my way towards the royal stables.
"Hey, Fledge," I said, approaching the pegasi.
"Miss Clarke! Are we going on another adventure?!" he asked eagerly, eyes twinkling.
"In a sense," I responded, copying Aslan's words from earlier. I motioned to the faun that stood there to saddle Fledge for me.
The Pegasi leaped into the air, his wings flapping in the wind on either side of me.
We flew over the green canopy of trees, the blue visions of lakes, and peaks of great mountains.
In the distance, the remains of the witch's palace lay tall and menacing.
Fledge, sensing where I wanted to go, swerved and flew towards a lone hill that broke through the trees, almost at the heart of Narnia.
Once his hooves had touched the ground, I slipped off and walked towards the cracked block of stone.
I ran my hands over the deep indentations that were carved (about three inches deep) into the stone.
I could feel the magic, old magic, that pulsed through the stone, it felt alive. The carvings were similar to the ones on the hilt of my dagger. I drew the silver weapon and laid it on the table.
The blade started levitating as it, and the table, glowed with a shared electric-blue light.
The air filled with the scent of ozone; the air hummed with pure and intense energy.
The screen of energy that had formed between the two magical items filled with movement.
I recognized the scarlet and gold standards of Narnia, clashing against the unfamiliar, darker blue and brown standards of the offending army.
Orieus came into view, his eyes glowing with pure anger. His look was so frightening I flinched away from the table.
"YOU!" He roared at a cavalry soldier that was covered in medals and merits.
"YOU HAVE SLAUGHTERED MY KIND, MY PEOPLE, AND MY BROTHER," his eyes glinted in the sunlight.
He lowered his voice to a deadly whisper. "And for that, I will kill you."
The centaur charged at the cavalry man, sword in hand.
The enemy soldier drew his own sword, and, looking bored, spurred his own steed into motion.
The scene evaporated just as I heard the sound of a blade ripping through flesh.
I stumbled away and fell to my knees. I felt sick. My mind was reeling at a million miles an hour.
Why was Narnia at war? Who was the attacking army?
I dragged myself to my feet, using a tree as support.
Gingerly replacing the dagger at my waist, I walked over to Fledge, who was waiting nervously at the edge of the clearing.
"That was downright scary Emily if I do say so myself," he said, as I climbed onto his back.
I glanced warily at the stone table.
"Let's go, Fledge before something else decides to attack us."
The Pegasi neighed in agreement and flew off towards Cair Paravel.
I jumped off of his back before his hooves had touched the cobblestones.
T ran across the bustling courtyard, just as Peter and his high council exited the great hall.
"-Send a messenger to the Northern giants, I want a peace treaty with them," the High King was saying as I approached.
"Yes my lord, right away."
A faun raced past me, down the marble steps, to carry out the king's commands.
I hurriedly climbed the remaining steps and went up to Kalis and Peter.
"Milady, is everything all right?" Kalis asked me.
"Narnia…. Cair Paravel… is going to be attacked," I panted.
The centaur stiffened visibly, his eyes hardened.
"Emily, we just ended a war, who would possibly want to attack us?" Peter asked jokingly.
In hushed tones, I told the pair about what I had seen at the stone table.
"Blue and brown standards?" Kalis mused, "The only army I can think of with those colors is Telmar, but Narnia. But Narnia and Telmar have not been at war since the cursed winter began. I will ask my brother what his thoughts are on the matter."
The centaur bowed to us and left to look for Orieus.
Once he was out of sight, I took Peter by the wrist and pulled him into a secluded part of the castle gardens.
"Blimey Em, what's wrong?" he asked, massaging his wrist.
"The second time I collapsed, I had a vision, Cair Paravel in ruins. Narnia had been attacked, now I see this vision of Narnia being invaded, we can't go to war again Pete!"
He took my shoulders and looked me right in the eye.
"I will personally make sure that we have peace treaties with every surrounding kingdom, starting with Telmar, good?"
I nodded, only just relieved.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you… or the others."
Peter pulled me into a tight hug.
"Don't worry Em; I'll make sure nothing bad happens ok?"
"Ok," I answered, and prayed, for all our sakes, that he was right.
Chapter ten! What'd you guys think?
I know, things in this chapter moved a bit quickly, but I wanted to get it to this specific point. Starting in chapter eleven, things are going to change slightly, so be sure to read the Authors note before the chapter!
Love you guys! Please Review, the really make my day!
Ttyl
Liz