Author's Note: So, as the title suggests, this chapter is where you are informed of how King Isaiah the Noble died. Hope you're excited!
Disclaimer: The only characters that belong to me are Davina, Isaiah, Keira, Kailas, and Leilas.
Chapter 10- How King Isaiah Died
After being presented with Aslan's How, Caspian had decided that there was a certain part of it that needed to be shown to the Kings and Queens of Old.
"It's us." Lucy said as we examined some paintings on the wall. This one was depicting their coronation. A little to the left was Davina and Peter's wedding and Isaiah's coronation was on the opposite wall.
"What is this place?" Susan asked Caspian, who was watching them.
"You don't know?"
"Should we?" Davina asked. He grabbed a torch on a nearby wall and lead them without another word to a dark cavern. He edged to the left and put the torch in a small trench filled with oil. The fire spread through it, and it travelled in a circle around the room, effectively lighting up the entire room. In the middle of the room sat the stone table, the most reverred object in all of Narnia. Where the White Witch killed Aslan and he came back to life the next day. Behind it, a mural etched in stone of Aslan's return stared down at them.
Lucy walked up to the Stone Table and touched it reverently.
"He must know what he's doing." she said, looking back at the rest. Peter glanced at the mural, then looked back at her, expression cold.
"I think it's up to us now."
All eyes went back to the mural as Peter turned his attention back to Caspian.
"Can you show us where we can train?"
In a matter of moments, they were all outside and getting ready to practice a bit. Edmund began to spar with Peter, Davina and Isaiah did the same. Susan began to practice her archery, while Lucy practiced her aim with her dagger. It was harder for the latter two to practice combat with each of their weapons, because winning would prove deadly for their opponent.
After about an hour, they were called in for lunch, which the seven royals took by themselves.
"So are you going to tell us how you got here? And what you meant by 'I was dead'?" Davina said before she even took her first bite.
"Yes, Trumpkin said you were killed in the Telmarine invasion." Susan added.
"Well it's a bit of a long story..." Isaiah began.
King Isaiah slashed his sword through the two Temarines who had just entered his bedroom, before running out in the hallway to figure out what the heck was going on.
"Your Majesty!" a voice called from his left. He turned to see Kailas running up to him. "Your Majesty, the castle is under seige!" he cried as he came to a stop in front of him.
"I can see that." Isaiah said worriedly, gesturing to to the two men lying on the ground beside his bed.
"Come, Your Majesty." Kailas urged, grabbing Isaiah's hand and practically dragging him down the hallway.
After a few minutes, they ended up in the throne room, where Oreius and Tumnus were standing with Keira holding a small child in her arms. Kailas barred the door behind them.
"Your Majesty, the Telmarine army is too great. We can't defeat them." Orieous told him. "You need to get to a safe place before all is lost."
"But Oreius, my people need me." Isaiah retorted.
"King Isaiah, your people need you alive." Tumnus interjected. "Kailas, Keira and I will accompany you somewhere safe. As you can see, they will be bringing their son as well."
"Kailas and Keira had a son?" Lucy cried excitedly, interrupting Isaiah's story.
"Yes." Isaiah smiled, "Kailas finally got over admiring her from afar."
"Oh, I always knew they would be perfect for each other. What was his name?" Davina asked, smiling gleefully.
"Leilas."
"Oh, what a lovely name." Susan replied.
"I thought so too. Now let me get back to the story."
"Well how are we to get out?" Isaiah asked, he could hear the sounds of battle throughout the castle and shuddered, knowing that innocent lives were being taken, the Telmarines wouldn't just kill the male creatures. They'd go after the women and children, slaughtering them mercilessly.
"There's a secret tunnel, behind King Edmund's throne. He's the one who told me about it. It leads underground and comes out in the Shuddering Wood. You can take refuge with the Narnians there."
"There was a secret tunnel behind your throne and you never told anyone else about it?" Peter asked, turning to Edmund.
"You never asked, and besides I did tell someone- I told Tumnus." Edmund shrugged. "If the whole castle knew about it, it wouldn't be a very effective escape tool."
"Can I finish, please?" Isaiah asked with a smirk. When all was silent, he continued his story.
Just then, banging sounded on the door. Some of the soldiers must have been ramming something against the door, because it began to splinter.
"Hurry, Your Majesty." Orieus cried, opening a hidden trapdoor. Isaiah ushered Kailas, Keira, and Tumnus in first. He was about to do the same, when the door fell and the men rushed in. Oreius dropped the trapdoor, hiding the fauns from sight. He charged the soldiers in protection of his King.
"King Isaiah, I presume." a voice called out as a man walked through the door. The thirty-seven year old King narrowed his eyes and drew his sword as King Caspian of Telmar strode through the door.
"Wait, how old does that make you now?" Davina asked, once again interrupting the story.
"Well, since that was early spring, I'm now thirty-eight. I think."
"So you're thirty-eight and I'm thirty-two." Davina asked, scratching her head. "This is too confusing."
"Yes! I'm finally older than my twin!" Isaiah joked.
"Could you please get back to the story?" Susan asked. "And everyone, stop interrupting him. It's ruining the story!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Isaiah mocked her, causing her to glare at him. "Okay, okay, I'm continuing."
"What is the meaning of this, King Caspian?" Isaiah asked angrily as the Telmarine King unsheathed his sword.
"I'm taking Narnia as a wedding present for my son." He answered mockingly as he thrust his sword at Isaiah. "Hope you don't mind."
Isaiah blocked the blow and returned it with one of his own.
"The Narnians will never bow to you, Telmarine." Isaiah seethed as they fought.
"They won't have to. With humans inhabiting Narnia, we won't need beasts to live in it."
"You're planning on annihilating them?" Isaiah asked, shocked at the man's barbaric nature. The man smiled a malicious grin.
"By the time my descendents are done with them, they'll be extinct."
Just then an arrow pierced, Isaiah's thigh.
"I do believe you haven't met my son yet." King Caspian smirked as Isaiah grimaced at the pain in his leg. He didn't let it keep him from fighting though. Another man emerged, in his late twenties and carrying a crossbow.
"Charming family." Isaiah replied through his teeth.
"Too bad you won't live to get to know us better." Caspian II smirked as he shot Isaiah's right shoulder. He dropped his sword in pain and King Caspian plunged his sword into his stomach.
"Well, now that that's taken care of, we have more work to do." Caspian laughed, pulling the sword back out and leaving.
Isaiah gasped for air, breath becoming short and raspy. Oreius was at his side in a matter of minutes.
"Your Majesty, hold on. We'll get you out of here." He said, lifting him gently. Another centaur was beside him now and the other opened the trap door. The fauns were still inside and Keira let out a gasp at the sight of their bloody King.
"Get him out of here!" Oreius ordered, handing him to Kailas, who was the strongest of those gathered. Neither centaur would be able to fit through the small trapdoor, so they had to hand him over.
"I won't make it." Isaiah wheezed. "Oreius, you are the greatest asset to this kingdom. Aslan couldn't have chosen better." he told him. He took one last shuddering breath before closing his eyes for the last time.